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 first Chapter.

The texte.

¶Paule the seruaunte of God and apostle of Iesu Christ, accordyng to the faithe of god∣des electe, and accordynge to the knowledge of the trueth whiche is after godlynes in the hope of eternall lyfe, whiche god (that cannot lye) promysed afore the worlde began: but hathe opened his worde at the tyme appoynted, thorowe preaching, whiche is committed vnto me accordynge to the commaundement of god our saueour, to Titus his naturall sonne after the continue faythe, Grace, mercy, and peace from god the father and from the lorde I esu Christ our saueoure.

I Paule my selfe y^e addict seruaunt & obeyer, not of Moses lawe as I was once, but of God y^• father, & ambassadour of his sonne Iesus Christ: of the which my message y^e whole summe is, y^t suche as god hath electe to attayne to euerlastynge saluacion thorowe the gospel, them I should exhorte, not to the obseruaciō of y^e law, or to put their confidēce in workes, but vnto faythe, which onely openeth to al mē y^• entryng into euerlasting saluaciō thorowe y^• fre beneficence of Iesus Christ. And my cōmission is to call them, not to faythe onely, but also to y^• knowledge of trueth which among y^• Ethnikes was ouer heaped with the inuencions of mans wysedom, & among y^e Iewes it was hydde & wrapped vp in y^e shadowes of mysticall figures & ceremonyes. I am charged I saye to call mē to y^e knowledge of y^e trueth, not y^• whiche the philosophers of this worlde do teache, disputinge on y^e causes of natural thinges, but to the knowledge of that trueth which cōpendyously sheweth in what thinges a ryght christian lyfe con∣sisteth, y^• ende & rewarde wherof is lyfe euerlastynge to folowe after this shorte lyfe that we leade here in the worlde: whiche euerlastynge lyfe, men ought with the more truste to hope for, how great troubles soeuer they endure while they be here. First because he that promysed this euerlastynge lyfe, was not a mortall man, that myght bothe be deceyued him selfe, & also deceyue other, but it is god that doeth it. Who, as it cannot be chosen but he must neades abyde alwayes god, so can nothing surely procede frō him but onely y^e mere trueth. And again bycause this y^• he promysed, he dyd not promes it by a chaūce, or but now of late, but afore y^e the world was made, it was fully determined by y^e diuine & vnchaū∣geable decree of his mynde to do y^• which he now doeth. There is no newe thing that hath altered his purpose, but y^• thing which for secret causes onely knowen to his godheed he would haue to be couered & hyd hitherto, y^• would he haue to be opened to al y^e world at this tyme, y^e which he had afore by his eternall wyse∣dome appointed to y^• reuelyng therof. Neither would he y^t there should be onely shewed to y^e Iewes a shadowe darkened w^t the mystes of figures, but his wil is that y^• cleare trueth should by y^e preaching of y^• gospel be declared to al mē, with∣oute any dyfferēce of nacion or language. This is y^• whole effecte of y^• doctrine of y^• gospel, y^• preaching wherof I haue not takē vpō me of myne own head, but it was cōmitted to me, & not cōmitted by men, but by out saueour god: who dyd not onely cal me to the occupieng of an apostles office, but besyde that he enioy∣ned it to me, and so charged me therwith, that it was not lawful for me to refuse that whiche he so earnestly commaunded me to do. These wordes haue I spoken, that no man shoulde thynke myne autoritie, or els the autoritie of him whome I haue put in my stede, to be but of lyghte estimacion.

I therfore the same Paule beyng beyng in suche autorite, do wryte this Epistle or lettre to Titus my very naturall ••on, not by bodyly generacion, but by y^• sead of faithe, whiche I haue so shedde into him, and in the whiche he so well resem∣bleth me, that I seame to be renewed in him lyke as a father is in his owne na∣turall childe. To him I wyshe grace and peace from him, from whome all true goodnes dothe come, that is to wytte from god the father and his sonne Iesu Christe the onely autoure of our saluacion. For in suche ryches as grace and peace are, my desire is to haue my children made ryche.

The texte.

¶For this cause I lefte the in Crete that thou shouldest reforme the thinges that are vnperfecte, and shouldest ordaine elders in euery citie, as I had appointed the.

But to speake nowe to the my sonne Titus: Sith I dyd knowe right well the nature of this ylande, & againe I dyd not doubte but that they had neade of a faythefull and dilygente curate or ouersear, I haue for that cause lefte the in Crete, as one representyng myne owne persone, bycause that the busynes of the gospell calleth me to other places, that suche thinges as haue bene there be∣gon to be ••orrected, thou as my deputye maye fynishe them. And bycause thou alone art not able to ouer loke so many cities as this Ile is replenysshed with, thou shalte ordayne in euery citie an ouersear or byshop, as I dyd bydde the whan I went from thence. But beware that thou admytte no man to so hygh•• an offyce without great dyscression: for he must be a very proued man to wh••m thou shalte betake this charge, and not all onely of a knowen and testified ho∣nestie, but also he must be cleare from all suspicion of any maner of faulte what soeuer it be. Suche a byshop or ouersear, to the entente that thou mayste the better and surelyar chose out, I wyll set him forth by certaine sygnes, yea and in a maner paynte him to the.

The texte.

¶If any be blameles the husbande of one wyfe, hauynge faithfull children, whiche a•••• not slaundred of riot, ne••her are dysobedyent.

If thou knowe any man of that maners and vpright lyuinge, that no faulte can proueably be layed to him, yf he be contente with one wyfe geuynge no token of vnchaste lyuynge, yf he haue children so instructe and brought vp, that they shew them selfes to be christians, not onely with their mouthe, but al∣so in their deades and innocencie of lyuynge, that is to say, they haue none euyl name of ryotous and dysfolute maners, as the commune sorte of yong mē haue, nether are they dysobedyent to their parentes: suche a man shalbe meete to haue this charge committed to him: For he that shalbe counted worthy to occupye the rowme of a bishop, must be so fer wyde bothe from all vyce and all suspicion of vyce, that he maye be at all tymes readye to make answer not onely for his owne selfe but also for the honest conuersacion of all his whole familye. For the faultes of the children are wonte communely to be reproched to the fathers and mothers. Nowe whatsoeuer hurteth the good name of a byshop, it turneth to the slaunder of the gospel of Christ.

The texte.

For a byshop must be blamelesse, as y^• stewarde of god: not stubborne, not angrye, not geue to muche wyne, no fighter, not geuen to fylthie lucte, but a keper of hospitalie, one y^• loueth Goodnes, prudente, sobre, righteous, godly, temperate and suche as cleueth vnto the true worde of doctrine, that he maye be able also to exhorte by wholsome lernynge, and to im∣proue them that say against it.

It is necessarye therfore that he whiche in a maner standeth in goddes steade

and to whom the treasour of euangelicall doctrine is committed, not to be hur∣ded vp, but to be faithfully bestowed abrode, be in all poyntes without blame, and far from the vices of them that mooste communely beare offices: that suche as be vnder him, maye be vnder him wyllynglye, and withall their hartes. He must loke vpon nothinge but the soule health of the flocke that he hathe charge of. He must studye to helpe them and redres that is amysse in them, and not to oppresse them, to teache them and not to compell them, to leade them and not violently to pull them, he must rather perswade then extorte, he must ouercome more by benefytes & gentylnes, thā by lordelynes or emperiouse cōmaundemēt. He that setteth his mynde to these thinges, must not be wilfull nor of hye looke, nor full of hasty language, whiche wyll cause men soner to withdrawe theyr hartes from his doctrine, than to come to any amendement. He must also by all meanes auoyde the cryme of auarice and gapyng after lucre, for that thinge is vyle and pestilente euen in a laye officer, and muche more to be abhorred in a byshop whiche is a spirituall officer. For he that is infecte with couetyse, dothe nothing vprightly and as ought of equite to be done, but rather a byshop must be suche a one as wyl lyberallye bestowe his goodes in refresshyng of the neady, and in especiall straungers. Besyde it besemeth a byshop to be more in loue with vertue and goodmen than with money. He must also be sobre, iust, and of an in∣nocent and pure lyfe, godly in the obseruacion of the christian faithe, subiect to no euyll affeccions, but ferre aboue all suche desyres wherwith the commune sorte of men are led vp and downe. But chefely he muste be a fast holder of the wordes of the gospell, wherin he is bounde to be well instructe, that he maye be able to teache them that be ignoraunt, what appartayneth to the saluacion of their soules, and that he maye with holsome doctrine exhorte and call forewarde suche as be slow, and fynally reproue them that speake against the truethe.

The texte.

¶For there are many vnrewlye and talkers of vanitie, and dysceauers of myndes, specy∣ally they that are of the circumsicion, whose mouthes must be stopped, whiche pe••ue••ie whole houses, teachinge thinges whiche they ought not bycause of fylthye lucre.

I doe not warne the of these thinges without a cause, for there be many way∣warde parsones, brablers and deceyuers of mennes myndes. These not geuing an eare to the teaching of the gospel, brynge in, in steade of it, vayne and vnpro∣fytable fables of the Iewes, wherby they maye get them a name of learnyng a∣mong the people, and also gaynes. By these fables they begyle the myndes of some symple folke, and vnder the coloure of the gospell, they crepe into y^• hartes of their hearers: insomuche that many tymes they corrupte not one or two, but they ouerturne whole householdes and kynreddes, teaching shamefull thinges and far square from the veritie of the gospell. Yet do they neuertheles abuse the tytle of the gospell to the lucre whiche they do vilaynousely daylye hunt af∣ter. Wherefore see that thou rebuke them sharpely and stoppe their mouthes. Yea and there be some of the gentiles that be combred with this enormite, but chiefly thou shalt fynde them to be of this malyciouse secte whiche be Iewes conuerted to Christ, but not syncerely. For they so professe the gospell that they mengle Moses lawe therwith and wyll not cleane forsake their Iewyshe su∣persticion.

The texte.

¶One of them selues (euen a prophet of their owne) sayde: the Cretyans are alwayes ••lyats, euil beastes, s••owe belyes. This witnesse is true: Wherfore rebuke thou them sharp∣ly, that they maye be sounde in the faithe, not takynge hede to Iewes fables and cōmaun∣dementes of men that turne awaye the trueth. Vnto y^• pure, are all thinges pure: but vnto

them that are defyled and vnbeleuynge, is nothinge pure, but euen the mynde and consci∣ence of them is defyled.

Nether is it any meruayle to haue suche men founde in Crete, that feade their belyes with vaine wordes and naughtye wayes, sythen many yeares agone a poete called Epimenedes whiche was a Cretian him selfe dyd speake these wor∣des of his owne countreymen. Men of Crete be alwayes ••••ars, euyl beastes, and slowe belyes. This wytnesse is so trew, that it myght be taken for a worde of goddes owne mouthe. Be not they naturaly lyars which feare not to darken the most cleare lyght of the trueth of the gospell with their fables? Be not they noy∣full beastes whiche is euery place blowe their venome on symple persones that be not ware of them? Be not they slowe belyes whiche had leauer by false doc∣tryne lyue in ydlenes and rankly, then for the defence of the gospell, to suffre hungre and be many tymes shrewdely handled as I am? Wherfore rebuke such naughtypackes earnestly, that they may ones waxe good, and leuyng the trust that they haue in the ceremonies of the olde lawe, they maye geue them selfes wholy to y^• truethe of y^e gospel: and that they geue not them selfes to such lewde tales of the Jewes throughe the whiche the commaundementes of Christ be let go, and constitucions of men brought in, in the steade of them. As the obsetua∣cions of newe Mones, the kepinges of the sabbothe, circumsicion, wasshynges, choyse of meates dyuersyte of clothing, to beware that they touche not certayne thinges, and of the house to be seuen dayes vncleane, with many other lyke to these. Whiche god for a tyme commaunded to be kepte of the Jewes, partely that that nacion beyng rebellious and vnweyldy to be ordered, might be holden and kepte vnder by the multitude of preceptes: partely that those thīges should be as shadowes of true thinges to come. But they are nowe of none effecte at al, insomuche that yf any man wyll contynewe to kepe them styll after the maner of the Jewes, nothing can turne him more awaye from the veritie of the gospel. For there is no nacion that more stubbornely dothe rebell againste the gospell than the Jewes do, which can in no wyse leue these vayne thinges. This meate saye they is vncleane, eate it not. This bodye is vncleane, touche it not. Thus speake they, but awaye with these dyfferēces, eyther of meates or clothinges, a∣mong them that be trew Christians, to whō beyng cleane all thinges be cleane. Neyther ought they to thynke any thinge that god hathe made to the vse of mā to be holyar or vnholyar one than an other, whether it be meate, clothinge, or any suche lyke thing. And as to them y^• be pure christians nothing is vncleane, so to the Jewes whose myndes are fylthye nothinge is pure and cleane not so muche as those that the lawe permytteth to them for cleane. For seynge they haue not trust in him who after the openyng of the gospel would not haue these thinges to be obserued after the fleshly and lyterall sense, but to be referred to the workes of the soule, what thing can be pure to them, whose myndes are in∣fected with mysbeleue, and their lyfe defyled with inordinate waste, ambicion, couetyse and other vices?

The texte.

¶They confesse that they knowe god, but with the deades they denye him seyng that they are abominable and dysobedient and vnapte to euery good worke.

They vpholde the lawe with to the and nayle, and yet they wote not what the lawe meaneth. They haue their prep••ce circumcysed, but the mynde within is vncircumcysed. They go into y^• temple with handes and fete wasshed, but the soule and conscience is vnwassed. They kepe their Sabbothe holy frō bodyly

workes, but in y^e meane time they haue their breaste vnquieted with hatered an∣ger, and other infections of the sowle. They feare to be contaminate yf they eate eyther porke or pigge, but they thinke themselues cleane whan they with gredy eares ••ea••e foule communication, and back byting of other. They thinke them selfes defyled, yf they touche caren, but yet they abhorre not to touche an hoore, or a thing that is stolen. They thinke it a fowle synne, yf they vse any garment of lynen and wole•• mengled together, but they stande not amysse in their owne conceite whan they haue theyr breast ouercouered with so many foule vyces. It is a great shame therfore to them to boaste them selues that they alone knowe god, seyng that they deny him in their deedes more thā any other. Do they not deny him whan they are so spotted with the fylthynes of the soule, that vnto moste men they are abominable, yea and for their vnbelefe vntractable? And fynally whan in all the deades of true faythe wherby we should cause god to be mercifull to vs, they be farre worse than all other men be.