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.

¶ I testifye before god and the Lord Iesus Christ, and the electe angels, that thou obserue these thinges without hastynesse of iudgement, and do nothinge parcially. La ye handes sodēly on no mā, nether be partaker of other mennes sinnes: kepe thy selfe pure. Drincke no lenger water, but vse a lytell wyne for thy stomackes sake and thine often dyseases. Some mennes synnes are open before hande, and goe before vnto iudgemente: and some mennes synnes folow after. Lykewyse also, good workes are manifest before hande, and they that are otherwyse, cannot bee hyd.

Prophane Iudges are boundē by their prophane lawes in relygion, that they

be not corrupte with affeccions and so geue wronge iudgement. Howe muche more vprightenes besemeth a Byshop either in iudgementes, or in puttinge magistrates in office? They are monyshed of their othe, whan they shall sytte on gementes, and are afrayed with the religion of false goddes: But I charge the Tymothie by God the father (who beyng witnesse and autour, this mat∣ter is practised) and by Iesus Christe, whose ministres we are, and by the electe angelles arbitrours and lokers on of those thinges that we goe a∣boute, that in practisynge of iudgementes thou obserue those thinges that I prescribe vnto the, so as thou maiest come to the hearing of causes vpryght∣lye and vncorruptelye, not bryngynge the sentence with the, that fauoure or malyce or dyspleasure or any other affeccion hath secretlye sowked into thee, but of the thing selfe in dede knowen, takynge matter to geue right sentence of, declynynge nether to this parte nor that parte. This vprightenes it is ne∣cessarye to expresse, not onely in hearing of causes, but also in chosynge those men that thou cōmittest ecclesiasticall administracion vnto. For an hyghe spe∣ciall myschiefe springeth vnto Christian people of none other fountayne, than whan vnprofytable or elles pestilent hurtfull men be put in office. Therfore laye not handes vpon any man without delyberate aduisement. It standeth the in hande to trye and searche that man muche and long, whome thou muste committe thautoritie of a bysshop vnto, who yf he vse the honour committed to hun otherwyse than he ought to doe, it shalbe imputed vnto thee, whatsoeuer he doeth amysse. For thou shalte seme to haue fauoured his naughtines seyng thou knewest him whan thou committedest suche a trauayle vnto him. But and yf he haue deceaned the, yet thou shalte not be hable to escape the blame∣worthines of negligēce, by cause thou committedest so ieoperdous a matter vn∣to one whome thou hadest not tryed. For it ought not to be ynoughe in chosing of a byshop, thoughe he be not euyll reported of, but it behoueth him to be ex∣cellentlie commended many wayes for his wel doinges. It is not ynoughe also for a byshop to set forthe his owne innocencie, but his duetie is also to make good the integritie of them whome he ordeyneth. In these thinges therfore see thou kepe thy selfe chaste and pure vnto the Religion, wherof thou hast charge. Thy temperate diet is more notably perceaued vnto me, than I nede to warne the from delicatenes. Howbeit this thou arte to be warned of, that abstinence ought so to be mesured, as the feblenes of the bodye be not suche, that it be not hable to goe aboute the offices of godlynes. Lyke as a fatte and vnreasonable lustye bodye dothe many tymes holde downe the soule from myndynge heauē∣ly thinges: euen so sycklines of bodye oftentymes hyndreth the strength of the soule, that it can not expresse nor set forthe it selfe frely by workes of charitie. I thincke it therfore ynough for the to haue kepte abstinence to this tyme hither∣to. From henceforthe drincke not water but vse rather moderate wyne. Con∣cernynge thyne abstynence from wyne vnto this tyme, let that be practised by∣cause of the heate of thy freshe youthe: but nowe thy healthe must be loked vn∣to, that thou maiest be hable to accomplyshe and doe all the partes of a byshop. The stomake is refreshed with moderate drinkyng of wyne, and with drinking of water it is chiefely decayed. To thentent therfore thou mayest bothe helpe thy stomake, and fail seldomer in to sycklynes, than thou arte wonte to doe, vse wyne in stedde of medycine, lest afterwarde whan thy strenght is gone, thou be inforced to seke helpe of phisicians. But to returne to the purpose that I nowe

beganne, bycause thou shouldest not thinke that all the synnes of those that thyne are, shoulde be imputed to the, some mens synnes are so manifest, that they tary not the last iudgemēt of god, but runne before the iudgement of theyr owne swynge beyng damned by themselues before they be broughte in to that iudgement. For bothe the lyfe and doctrine of suche men dyffereth manifestlye from the doctrine of Christe. For in steade of gospellyke godlynes they teache Iewyshe supersticion, and as for their lyfe, it is infecte with ambicion, hastyng hande makyng, and other myscheuous desyres. As for these maner of men, lyke as thou mayest lawfully iudge of them, so must thou rendre accompte of them. Moreouer some folkes naughtines is so closely hydden, that it can not be de∣prehended by mans iudgement, but is reserued to the iudgement of god, wher∣in all thinges shalbe made naked, for those mens faulte thou shalt not be in daungier before god. In lyke case, some folkes good workes are so manifest, that they nede no commendacion of man. To suche therfore shall euery man ac∣company himselfe safely, lyke as he ought to absteyne from the companye of them that are openly wycked. Furthermore, those that ordre theyr lyfe with such subtiltye, and in outwarde shewe of godlynes dyssemble the malyce of theyr harte after suche sorte that they deceaue the iudgement of man, those we wyll leaue to the iudgement of god. For christian godlynes is not ouer muche suspi∣cious.