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 Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule vnto Cy••us. By Erasmus of Roterodame.

THe apostle Paule had made his dysciple Titus ouersear of the christian congregaciō in the noble Ile of Crete now named Candye, whome for the excellent gyftes that were in him, Paul loued as tenderly as yf he had bene his owne naturall sonne. And at his departinge out of that contrey, he made hym the head ouersear of the faythfull that were there. Afterwarde he wrote this Epistle or lettre vnto him from a citye of Epirus called Nicople, lyinge on the sea coaste in a clyffe named of the olde Cosmographers Leucate or the clyffe of A••∣t••um▪ at whiche tyme all thinges as it semeth were quiet with the christians, for here is no mencion made of any persecucion. In this Epistle he putteth T••∣tus in remembraunce to fynishe and perfyte tho thinges whiche he hymselfe had begone among the same men of Crete, and that in euery citie of the Ne whiche as writers doe testifye were an hundred, he sho••lde ordeyne ouersears, whiche we nowe call byshoppes and here they are of the Apostle named elders. And for this cause Paule prescribeth vnto him the true forme of a Byshop or Shepherd of Christes flocke. Furthermore bycause false apostles were come also into that partes, whiche went aboute to put theyr Iewyshe ceremonies in∣to mennes heddes Paule here geueth him a courage, strongly to confute and reiecte them. After these thinges he sheweth what is the dutye of euery persone and age lyke as he dyd to Tymothie: addyng this that no man ought to re∣siste prynces and magistrates, executynge their office and power, yea though they were infidels, but rather to tolerate them paciently, that they maye the sooner by suche our modestye be called to y^• folowyng of the gospell. Laste of all he wylleth Tytus to come to him at Nicopli but not afore y^• he had sent Artemas or Tychicus whiche were his dysciples, into Crete to him: least par∣aduenture the Cretians woulde els thinke them sel∣fes destitute of the conforte of an heade or chiefe ouersear, whome we call an Archebys∣shope.