The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des. Erasmus of Roterodame.

THe Colossians are a people of Asia the lesse, dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians. Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen, as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ, either by the preachyng of Archippus, or (as S. Ambrose sayth) of Epaphras, who were with this matter put in trust. In great ieopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles, whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion, teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion, but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels. These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testa∣ment all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels, that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth, nor would come. Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myn∣gled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie, obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe, supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne, the Moone, and starres, with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde, bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same. Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession, euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained, was geuen vnto thē by none Angel, but by Christ the creator of Angels, that he onely was head of the churche, and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for, but at his, in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie, a∣gainst suche as laboured to empayre it. After whiche he geueth them di∣ligent warnyng to take hede, lest they be deceiued with y^• high wordes of false Apostles, or forged visions of angels, and so by meane therof fall ei∣ther to Iewishnes, or els into the supersticion of Philosophie. All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of. In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng, namely geuyng rules, how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband, how the husband againe should vse his wife, after what sorte the father should be towarde his children, and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers, the seruaū∣tes to theyr maisters, and the maisters to theyr seruaūtes. The last part, sauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie, is all spent in commen∣dacions. This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus, & sent by Tychicus, as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth. The latine argumentes shewe, that it was also sent thither by One∣simus, for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter. The Greke titles recorde, that it was sent from the cytie of Rome, and in deede thence sent he Onesimus, whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man.