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

Therfore leāuing the doctrine that pertayneth to the beginning of christen men, let vs go fourthe vnto perfeccion, not laying agayne the foundacion of repentaunce from dead workes and of faith towarde God, of baptisyng, of doctrine, and of laying on of handes, and of resurrection from death; and of eternall iudgemente. And so will we doe, if God permytte. For it cannot be that they which were once lyghted, and haue tasted of the hea∣uenly gyfte, and were become partakers of the holy ghost, and haue tasted of the good worde of God, and of the power of the worlde to come, yf they fal awaye (and as concer∣nyng them selues crucifye the sonne of God a freshe, and make a mo••ke of him) that they ••••ou••d be renued againe by repentaunce

Wherfore let vs, who ought nowe to haue ceased to be a∣ny lenger children in christian Philosophie, omytting the processe wherwith the ignoraunt are wonte to be taught their first prynciples, go forth vnto perfeccion, and not euer to stande styll aboute the often laying of the foundacion of repentaunce. For the fyrst degre vn∣to christendome is, to be repentaūte for our former lyfe, and to forsake sinne. Next of all it is requyred, that we be taught that true innocencie a soule helth is to be hoped for of God: then forthwyth that we be pourged by holy baptisme from the filthynesse of oure synnes, and restored agayne vnto the state of innocencie: then that we re∣ceiue the holy gost by laying on of hādes, and beleue the resurreccion of the dead to come, and also that last iudgement, which shal awarde some to eter∣nall felicitie, and other some to euerlastyng paynes, and damnacion. It is endughe for vs to haue once learned, once professed, and once beleued these thynges. It shoulde be a thyng dysagreable to all reason, if that after we haue been taught these forsaide principles, we so behaue our selfes here∣after, that it be nedefull to haue the same often tymes repeted and taught vs agayne, the which are taught for this purpose, that they shoulde be the foundacion of the edifice whiche is to be buylded there on. But after we haue learned suche principles, it shalbe our partes to do our dilygente en∣deuoyre that we may by daily encrease of vertue & godlinesse, become great and perfite, & that the noble building of golde, syluer, and precious stones, of vertues and godly workes maye ryse, and be rered vp from the foun∣dacion once layed euen to the hyghest toppe. It is our duetie to employe our diligence to thys ende, that we maye fynishe the thyng we go aboute, if God be fauorable vnto our attemptes, without whose ayde mannes en∣deueyre is able to bryng, nothyng tō effecte. After that we haue once begun this course or trade of lyfe, we ought not to turne our backes, not to make resistence, not to returne vnto the thinges once forsaken, but still to goe foy warde to greater thynges and of higher perfeccion. It were the greatest fo∣lye that myght be, for a manne to haue recourse vnto that thyng, whiche neyther ought, ne can be repeted and ministred agayne.

For it is not possible for them whych haue once forsaken the darckenesse of theyr former life, lyghtned by the doctrine of the gospell, and now hauing theyr synnes forgeuen thorowe baptysme haue felt the free beneficence and greate liberalitie of God, and the gyfte of heauen, wherby he releaseth at once all our synnes, and geueth vs grace to lyue well: and afterwarde by laying on of the priestes hand haue bene made partakers of the holy ghost, by whome they haue begonne to beleue the blessed promises of euerlastyng lyfe, and now (as it were) to take a saye & foretaste of the power of y^• worlde to come: it is not possible, I saye, for them, if they fall agayne thorowe neg∣ligence into there former abominable lyfe, to be renued by repentaunce, the which thing hath once bene done already in baptisme, where as the olde manne is once cast away with his dedes, and a newe creature commeth out of the bathe or water. For suche as requyre to be renued agayne thorowe re∣pentaunce, after they haue often tymes fallen againe vnto theyr former sin∣full lyuyng, what goe they els aboute, but, as concernyng them selfes, to crucyfie the sonne of God a freshe, and make, as it were, a iestyng stocke or mocke of hym? He hath once died for vs, and we haue once dyed with hym in baptisme. He hath once rysen agayne, and wyll neuer dye any more. In semblable wyse muste we so rise againe with him in a newe lyfe, that we fall not eftsones into the dead lyfe once forsaken, and by that meanes prouoke God so much the more vnto wrath & indignaciō, as he hath the more bo••n∣tuously shewed hys lyberalitie vpon vs. Our industrie and diligence ought to be answerable vnto hys liberalytie, and bo••••teous goodnes towardes vs. He hath put in vs certayne sedes of vertue and goodnesse, and therfore we also must do our diligence, that the same may growe and come to good.