The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

The texte.

This is a true saying: If a man desyre the offyce of a Byshoppe, he desyreth an honeste woorke. A Byshoppe therefore muste be blamelesse, the husbande of one wyfe dylygente, sober, discrete, a keper of hospitalitie, apte to teache, not geuen to ouer much wyne, no fyghter, not gredy of fylthy lucre: but gentle, abhorrynge fyghtynge, abhor∣rynge coueteousnes, one that ruleth well his owne house, one that hath chyldren in sub∣iection with all reuerence. For if a man can not rule his owne house, howe shall be care for the congregacion of God? He maye not be a yonge scholer, lest he swell and fall in∣to the iudgemente of the euyll speaker. He muste also haue a good reporte of theym whyche are wythoute, leste he fall into rebuke, and snare of the euyll speaker.

THese be almost the whole thynges that thou shalte appoynte vnto all sortes of people without difference. But yet there are matiers of more weyghtye importaunce, to be loked for in those that thou shalte thynke mete to be put in autoritye ouer the multitude. For it is conueniente, that he whiche precelleth in honor, should also precelle in vertues. Perchaunce there be many that are desyrous of dignitie, but for all that they weighe not with them selues, what carke and care dignitie hathe annexed vnto it. He that desireth thoffice of a Byshoppe for none other ende, but for ambicion, or for aduaun∣tage, or to be a tyranne, desyreth to himselfe a pernicious matier, and is not wel aduised what this word (Bishoppe) meaneth. For this word (Bishoppe) is not only y^• name of dignitie, but also y^• name of occupaciō, of office, & of carefulnes. For it soūdeth by interpretaciō a superintendent & one that careth for y^• cōmodities and behoufes of others. So that whoso vnderstandeth this, & desyreth the of∣fice of a Byshop, respectyng nothing elles but to doo good for manye, in dede his desire is honest, in that he coueteth occasion to exercise vertue, and not for honoure. And yet thou shalt not commit that offyce to any man, excepte thou perceyue hym throughly garnyshed wyth gyftes worthy a Byshop. And to thintent thou māyst the more certaynly descerne those gyftes, lo, I shall paint the out in fewe wordes the ymage of a ryght Byshoppe. Fyrst it behoueth him to be of suche vprightnesse of lyfe, that no fauite at all can be layed to hys charge. For it is not conuenient, that he whiche professeth hym selfe to be a teacher & a requirour of innocency in other, shoulde not shewe in his own con∣uersacion and maners the same that he teacheth. And that he, whiche (accor∣dyng to the offyce that he hath taken in hande) oughte boldely and freely re∣proue them that doe amysse, shoulde commytte the thyng, wherein he maye be blamed him selfe. For who geueth credence to the teacher, whose lyfe is contra∣rie to his doctrine? who wyll suffer to be checked of hym, in whom he seeth ey∣ther the same or elles more greuous offences? But that all should be vpright and innocent, it is more easyly possyble to be wyshed for, than hoped for. Yet truelye it is muche requisite for the one man, of whose doctrine the people de∣pendeth, to be cleane without fault. Than in asmuch as chastitie is much to be commended in a Byshoppe, in case he haue not the gifte altogether to absteine, this is to be speciallye obserued, that he haue bene or be the husbande of one wyfe. The fyrst mariage maye be thoughte to be ordayned for the procreation of children. But to marye agayne is not wythoute suspicion of an inconti∣nent mynde euen among the Ethnikes. As for the reste, I lette them nor from maryeng oftener than once, yf they can not absteyne. For it is a harder matter, than I dare exacte of the whole multitude. But it becommeth a Bys∣shoppe to be so ferre quite frome all maner of faulte, that he shoulde be voyde also of all suspicion of faulte. Besydes these, that one man that hathe charge ouer manye, oughte to be sobre and vigilaunte he is the watche man, and ieo∣perdie is presēt on euery side. He may not be a sluggerd, but he must circūspect∣ly loke about hym on euery part, lest he y^• lyeth in wayte, whā the capitayne is a sleepe, cōuey away some out of Christes tentes. Moreouer he must be graue & sad in his behauiour, in al thinges that he goeth about, and be voyde of all

lyghtenesse and folishe toying maners, that decaye and hynder the teachers re∣uerence and autoritie. And it is not ynoughe, that he shewe hym selfe gentle and courteous towardes his owne folkes, but he muste applye hym selfe, that straungers also maye haue experience of hys gentlenesse and lyberalitie, so as the reporte of his honest name maye be the more largely spredde abrode. And also lyke as he hath these vertues commenly with the moste part of men, euen so this is peculyarly to be required in a Bishoppe, that he be apte and re∣dye to teache, not Iewishe fables and highe statelye swellyng Philosophie of this woorlde, but those thynges that maye make vs truelye godly ones, and ryght Christiās. And y^• chiefest office of a good teacher, is, to know what thin∣ges are the best to teache. Nexte this, to teache gladly, to teache gētilly, to teache diligētly, to teache louyngly, to teache without statelynes, to teache seasonably. For the doctrine of the ghospell is of suche sorte, that it ouercometh with soft∣nes, & not with clamourus lowde speakyng. And albeit for a tyme it be prouo∣ked with the naughtynesse of them that naught are, and be enforced to speake somthyng somewhat seuerely, yet it neuer forgetteth Christian charitie. But God forbyd, that a teacher of the ghospell shoulde (after the example of suche as be madde wynedronken tailers) rage to intemperauntly agaynst them that doo amysse, or with a scoldyng toungue runne throughe the heartes of them whom his duetie were rather to heale wyth fatherlye gentylenesse: but in all thynges leat hym remembre Christian sobrietie and temperaunce, that is a greate deale more auayleable to brynge men to amendement, than outragious crueltie is. Let him abhorre also from stryfe and contencion, that he seme not to do of malice, and not of loue, that, that he doeth. Charitie amendeth, conten∣cion prouoketh. And leate him abhorre couetousnes, that he seme not to coun∣trefaite godlynes for gaynes sake.

Fynally, wylte thou knowe, howe he oughte to behaue himselfe in the open publique affayres? Marke howe he doeth his owne priuate businesse at home. In case he shewe hym selfe there a vigilaunt houskeper, yf he kepe all thyng in ordre, yf he haue obedyent and diligent children, yf they be so taughte that in sobre stylnes and comely manners they maye appeare to be brought vp vn∣der a godly parent, it is a good hope, that he is wel hable to take the publique charge of all, that in the administration of his owne howseholde busynes gy∣ueth so good a presidence of himselfe. For an householde is no thyng elles but a small cōmune wealthe, and the maister of an householde, is nothing elles, but the gouernoure of a small citie. And euen so the wisedome of the world iudgeth them mete to haue the weyghtier affaires of a commen wealth commytted vn∣to them, that gouerne thynges of lesse importaunce wyth commendacion. To conclude, how maye a man hope, that he shal wel gouerne the cure of the whole congregation, that can not well tell howe to gouerne his owne pryuate house? howe shall he take charge of so many houses, that is not hable ynough to take charge of one? By what meanes shal he care for so great a multitude, that kno∣weth not howe to prouyde for so fewe? Shall be faythfully cure those that be straungers, whiche hathe his owne negligentlye mysordered? And shall he be a profytable man ouer Goddes congregation, that can not be profy∣table to a humayne congregation? Nowe thys is also to be marked in the chosyng of a Byshoppe, not onelye howe entierly vpryghte he hathe behaued

hymselfe in hys owne pryuate affaires, but also howe longe it is sence he came to the professyon of Christe. Baptysme in dede engraffeth a man to the body of Christe, but perfite godlynes chaunceth not so sodaynlye to a man. Bap∣tysme openeth the entraunce in to the congregacion, but in this case it remay∣neth that euery man for him selfe muste stryue and preace to the marke of ho∣lynes. Throughe baptysme we are borne a newe: but for all that, it remayneth, that in greate processe of tyme we muste gather streyngth and bygnesse, and waxe stronge with daylye encreases of godlynes in to full growen age. Ther∣fore diligent hede must be taken, that no newe scholer, that is to saye, none that is lately called in to the felowshyppe of faythe, be put in autoritie ouer so weyghtye a businesse. He is a good graffe, but yet tender, and vnmete perad∣uenture to beare a greate heauy burthen. And it is Ieoperdye, leste yf a man, that is but rawe and not yet suffycientlye confirmed in religion, be aduaun∣ced to honoure that he had not before, be puffed vp with pride, and begynne perniciously to stande in hys owne conceipte, as thoughe he were chosen in to the company of religion, for thys intent, that he myghte haue preeminence o∣uer relygion: and by that meanes it come to passe, that beyng cralled in the deuilles snares (which he layeth manyfoldely but none more disceatfully than he doeth the snares of ambicion) and behauyng hym selfe to muche statelye in the honour commytted vnto him, he escape not the mysreportes of euyll spea∣kers: whyche wyll thus entreprete, that he couered the Christian religion vp∣on this purpose, that where he was but of lowe estate amonge his owne secte▪ he myght be in autoritie and honour among the Christians. He forsoke vs in a good howre, (wyll they saye) he chaunged his religion for his more aduaun∣tage: he had leauer be a Christian Byshoppe, than to lyue lyke a pryuate per∣son among vs. From thys maner of suspicion, that mā shalbe quite, that a long season hath expressed speciall tokens of true godlynes and sobrenes in hym selfe. I wyll not heare thys obieccion, yf a mā woulde saye: what matter ma∣keth it to me, thoughe the Ethnikes doo mysreporte me? it is ynough for me, to be well taken among myne owne. But vnto me this is not ynoughe to be respected in a Byshoppe, for hys fame oughte to be so cleane and vnspotted from all suspicion of faulte, that it shoulde be but a small matter to be well re∣ported of among his owne, vnto whom he is more nerely and familiarly kno∣wen, onles he be well allowed also by the testimonye of them that be wythout, whiche can not see hys true godlynes so perfytely as it is, yea and take occa∣syon to rayse slaunder of euery thyng that doe nothyng but onely appere out∣wardlye to be euyll. Wherefore hede muste be warely taken, by all meanes, that none occasion o••slaunder be geuen to them that are straungers from the professyon that we be of: nor (as I maye so speake it) that they maye be hable probablye to obiecte not onely any naughtye faulte but also any false feyned vpbrayed. For, that they also shoulde haue a good opinion of vs, not onelye thys frute commeth of it, that it maketh to the glorye of Christe, but also they shall the more easyly turne to amendemente from their wickednes, in case they haue good opinion of our godlynes.