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.

Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ, to them that dwell here and there as strangers thorow out Pontus, Galacia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithinia, electe accordyng to the ••oreknow∣ledge of God the father thorowe the sanctifying of the spirite vnto obedience, and spri••e••∣lyng of the ••loude of Iesus Christe. Grace be with you and peace be multiplyed.

PEter somtyme a disciple and a contynuall g••••st, but nowe an Embassadour and Apostle of Iesu Christ, to all them that dwell here and therein the coastes of litell Asia, at Pontus, Galacia, Cappadocia, and in that parte that is properly named Asia, whiche the Ephesians haue, and Bithi••••a, whome either the stormy tempestes of warres haue in tymes paste sca∣tred abroade some to on place some to an other, or elles whome the rageing cruellie of them, which ha∣ted the name of Christe, hathe giltelessy dryuen out of the places where their fathers dwelt before them: and ••re by that meanes nowe comfortles amonge stra••nge nacions, as it were danyshed men, be∣yng in dede for feare of men, thrust out of their natyue countrey, but yet not excluded ne banyshed, neither depryued frome the offyce of Ghospell preathing, which God the prince of al men bestowed chiefly vnto the lande and nacion of Iewes, after suche a sorte, that he woulde for al that haue it commune to all them, whome soeuer he hath chosen. For lyke as those are neuer the better for being borne and leading their life at Hierusalem, which fet naught by the doctrine of Iesus Christ: euen so shal it def••a••de no man, in that he dwelleth amonge the vncircumcised and prophane Gentiles, so that in stede of Moses lawe he embrace the grace of the ghospell. For it is not the obseruacion of the lawe, wh••t with the Iewes are commonely puf∣fed vp, that bringeth true saluacion, neither kynredde or place, but the free eleccion of God. He is a ryght Iewe in dede, wihche what countrey soeue•• he dwell in, or what kynred soeuer he is borne of, acknowledgeth Iesus Christe to be the a••tour of true saluacion, which dyed not for one nacion of people alone, but for the whole vniuersall worlde. But in y^• we so acknow∣lege him, we are not endebted to the me••tte of obseruing the lawe, but vnto the free goodnesse of God, whiche choseth out of al maner of nacions, & cal∣leth vnto the lyberal fredome of the gospell, whome soeuer it standeth with hys pleasure to ••all vntoit. For it neither came of late sodaynly in to hys mynde, to saue al maner of mortal men by thys meane, ne yet enforced with our wel doinges, helayth this vp as a reward for vs, as though we had so merited, but this was de••reed of god the father by his eternal coūsaill, that he would opē the porte of saluaciō, not to the Iewes only, but to al nacions vniuersally: not by circūcision, not by keping y^• custome of the sabboth, nei∣ther by choise of meates, ne yet by other ceremonies of Moses lawe, which are corporal matters, & nothing but certain shadowes of spiritual thinges that were geuē for a time: but by true sanctificacion of the spirite, which the spiritual lawe of y^• gospel geueth vnto vs, by y^• which we are truly purged

in dede from all oure synnes, not for because we haue obserued the pre∣scriptes of the olde law, but because we playnly & readily put our trust in the promisses of the ghospell: not by sprinkling of the bloud of a calfe, as it hath been hitherto wont to be done according to the custome of the law, but by the sprinking of the precious bloud of the vndefiled and most ac∣ceptable sacrifice to God, Iesus Christ: whose vndeserued death wypeth cleane awaye from vs, all the transgressions of oure former conuersacion once for al, and after we be borne a new, as it were, into him through bap∣tisme, it restoreth vs vnto a new life. And forasmuch as baptisme hath ex∣empted vs from this world, & engraffed vs into the participacion of hea∣uenly rewardes, I will not pray for those goodes (in getting and heaping together wherof the toylers of the world thinke thēselfes fortunate) but those goodes rather, which purge vs cleane from erthly contagious in∣feccions, and make vs worthy the prince of heauen Christ: that is to say, Grace, that in distrusting your owne merites, and in putting no confidēce in the ceremonies of the lawe, you may looke for true saluacion of the frē bounteous liberalitie of God, and in purtyng vnfayned trust in the ghos∣pell: And besides this I wishe Peace, that beyng frely reconsiled to God by the bloud of Christe, you may haue concorde both among your selfes and with all other, not only hurting no body, but also perdonyng other mennes fanites, and requityng good turnes for euill: the chaunce of which goodes lyke as you haue frely receyued of God, euen so it stādeth you in hand to apply your selfes vnto godly studies, that you may waxe riche in the encreasing vsury of good workes more and more, not onely persisting stedfast in that you haue begonne, but also going forward day∣ly better and better, vntill the day come wherin the rewarde of immorta∣litie shalbe openly geuen, wherof you haue now conceiued a certaine assu∣red hope out of the ghospell of Christe, that we should therby chalenge no prayse vnto our selues.

The texte.

Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe, which according to his aboun∣dant mercy begatte vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope (by that that Iesus Christs rose agayne from death) to an iuheritaunce immortall and vndefyled, and that perisheth not, refer∣••ed in heauen for you, whiche are kept by the power of God thorowe fayth, vnto saluaci∣on, which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time, in the which ye reioyce, though now for a season (if nede requyre) ye are in ••eu••nes, thorow manyfold temptacions, that ••he tryall of your fayth being muche more precious then golde that perysheth (though it be tryed with fyre) might be founde vnto laude, glory and honour, at the appering of Ie∣sus Christe, whom ye haue not seen, and yet loue hym: in whom euen nowe, though ye see him not, yet doe you beleue, and reioyce with say vnspeakable, and gloryous receiuing the ende of your fayth, euen the saluacion of your soules.

For this so passing a great benefite, his liberalitie is to be praysed, of whom by Christ cōmeth vnto vs, whatsoeuer it be that maketh vs truly blessed. And that is not Moses, but God himselfe, & the same the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which (whan we were lytle fortunately borne of Adam, that is to say borne to synne, borne to death) hath begotten vs new againe into innocencie, and hath begotten vs vnto life that neuer shall dye, being prouoked by no merites of ours, but stiered frely of his owne mer∣cye wherin he most chiefly exceadeth: and this hath he done not by y^• ayde of Moses lawe, but by the costeous gyft of his owne sōne Iesus Christ, whom he would haue to suffre death, to thintent, where we were els de∣sperate

wretches, he might diliuer vs frō the tyranny of synne & death: And him he called anon frō death to lyfe, that we beyng in this worlde dead to worldly lustes, & hauing remembraunce as it were before our tyes of the resurrecciō, after his exāple in vprightnes of conuersacion, might haue an assured & a ready hope, that we also shal once be exempt out of these soro∣wes & atteine with Christ vnto y^• euerlasting enheritaunce, whiche lyke as he beyng our head hath already atteyned, so shal al we also folowe as ma∣ny as be engraffed to y^• mēbres of Christ, & are made worthy by folowing of his crāple, to be called his brethren, & the chyldrē of y^• selfe same father that he is: that like as we suffre commune affliccions with him, so should we haue reward also together w^t him. As long as we were the sonnes of the synful Adam, an infortunate enheritaūre abode vs. But as sone as we were made y^• sonnes of God, we make spedy haste to y^• enheritaūce of hea∣uen. For it besemeth, y^• seing we are borne from heauen, we should behold heauēly thinges, & seing we are borne of God, we should folo we nothing but godlines. They y^• serue the world goe about to haue rewardes y^• are transitory & wage that is slyppery: but for vs there remayneth y^• happy•• enheritaunce after these temperal afflicciōs, which can neither be corrup∣ted with death, ne defited with wearines or heauines, ne yet fade a way by age or sluttishnes. There is no cause for vs to be afrayed of, leste any man should in the meane whyle take this so plenteous an heritage out of our handes. We haue an assured fayth full promyse maker: And in his hādes it is safely kept & layed, vp in stoare for vs in heauen: howbeit after suche sort, that for al that there must an assured hope, and as it were a certayne pledge remayne in the meane time with men vpō earth, not with al maner of men, but w^t you & such like as you are, buto whom the spirite of Christ is geuen in stede of a gage: & which, albeit ye are for y^• time tossed on euery syde w^t condry stormes of sorowes, y^• the frailtie of māis vtterly vnhable of himselfe to beare out, yet by the succour of God, which is mighty in al thinges, you are preserued, not through your owne merites, but by fayth & vnfained trust: wherby you dout not, but frō the last time, after y^• which there shal be no more of this confusion of humayne matters, but the euill mē being appointed to their tormeutes shalbe hable to do no body harme, & the good being safe frō al inuasions of sorowes shal haue the fruiciō of euerlasting rest. For now y^• rewardes lye hiddē, & many times after the cō∣mune peoples estimaciō, thei are in wurse condiciō y^• be of y^• better, & those seme to perish which are most specially in sanegarde, & thei seme to florish which most chiefly goe to naught. In this worlde there is time to exercise godlines, & the reward hath his time prescribed vnto it, which it behoueth not to preuēt. In y^• meane seasō let it be ynough for vs, y^• euerlasting felici∣tie is kept in safegarde for vs, which neither mannor deuil can be hable to take away frō vs before hād, so y^• we shrinke not from y^• fayth, wherby we ought to condēne mortal mens matters, & depende wholy of heauen. Let there be in y^• meane seasō fearce folkes, which being rebels to god, trust to the aydes of y^• world, let thē for y^• time stampe & stare ouer you as though you wer ouercomē & left succoutles. But whan y^• day shal come, & the dis∣course of thiges turned vp side down, they shal be tormēted, & you shal re∣ioyce like cōquerours, yea you ought to reioyce euē now also through y^• vndoubted lokīg for of so passig a great felicitie. For it ought not to seme

vnto you a greate or a greuous matter, though by affliccions and griefes that are but shorte and shall soone haue an ende, you come to the blissed that neuer shall decaye. And perchaunce these persecucions also shall once haue an end, which notwithstanding as often as they come in vre are to be borne with a myghtye stoute stomake, and without dismaying for the glory of God, in hope of the lyfe to come. For after suche wyse doeth the wysedom of God in prouiding for your commodities permitte, that the sinceritie and stedfastnes of your faith may be tried through sondry assaultes of sorowes. For yf golde (which elles were a thing both lost and would goe to naught) be tryed out not only by the touche stone, but also is assayed by the fire, to thintente it maye thenceforth bee had in so muche the more price as it is the more exactely fyned: much more wil God haue your faith, wherunto so high honour of duetie belongeth, to be tried with sondry experimentes, to thin∣tent that whan it shal glister out of these flames of sorowes and affliccions, and being farre more pure and more glittering than any golde though it be neuer so fyne, it may be precious in the syght of God, and that all the matter at length may grow in to cleane contrary condicion: that is to were that the thyng which semed to be layed vpon you in this worlde vnto reproche, may chaunce vnto prayse: and that which semed vnto vilany, may be turned vn∣to glory: that whiche semed to be layed vpon you to put you to dishonestie, may be turned in to habūdaunce of honour in that day, whan Iesus Chrst, whose power worketh nowe in you by secrete meanes, shal she we forth him selfe openly vnto all men, and rendre vnto euery man rewarde accordyng to hys desartes. For what is a more gloryous thyng, than to be praysed of Christes owne mouthe? whan you shall heare: Come you blessed of my father: what thyng is more honorable than to be receaued of God the father into the felowshippe of the kyngdome of heauen together with the sonne? But thys glory, although it shall be the comen glory of all godly folkes, yet it shall chaunce more haboundauntly vnto them, that haue suffered greater thynges vpon earth for Christes sake. Whiche rewardes in case they were nome presently apparent, the strength of faythe should bee no maruclous matter. But nowe the special chiefe prayse of good folkes consisteth in this point, that where you neuer sawe Christ with your bodyly eies, yet with the eies of fayth you see him and loue him: and wher as the violence of sorowes doeth openly & presently grate vpon you, but the rewardes, which are kept till a daye, doe not nowe appeare, yet puttyng assured confidence in hys promisses, you suffre these thynges with none other stomacke, than yf the glory were presently furnyshed before your iyes, neither doe you suffre only with boldenesse, but also in the mydle of affliccions you reioyce with an vn∣speakable ioy, beyng ful of glory before God, that is to say, of a well hoping conscience, and full of a certayne vnfeyned confidēce, that where you suffre suche thynges vndeseruedly, you shall, by the will of God, haboundauntly receyue a great fruyte of your fayth, that is to wete, the eternall saluacion of your soules. For it is a great vauntage, whan through the loosyng of the mortall body, the immortall soule is preserued. Thus it was decreed by the eternal counsayle of God, that menne should atteyne saluacion by these meanes, whereby euen Christe hymselfe came to euerlasting blessednesse.

The texte.

Of which saluacion haue the Prophetes enquired and searched, which proheryed of the grace that should come vnto you, searchyng when or at what tyme the spyryte of Christe (which was in them) should signifie, which spyrite testified before, the passiōs that should happen vnto Christ, and the glory that should folow aftet: vnto which Prophetes it was also declared, that not vnto them selues, but vnto vs, they shoulde minister the thyuges which are nowe shewed vnto you of them, which (by the holy ghoste sent doune from hea∣uen) haue in the gospel preached vnto you the thinges, which the Angels desyre to behold.

For these matters are not by chaunce brought to passe at all auentures, but the selfe same thyng that we haue alreadye sene, the olde Prophetes (which prophecied before hand that you should be saued through faith and the grace of the gospell without the ayde of Moses lawe) haue diligently sought and searched out, not beyng contenteo to see as it were through a myste what shoulde be to come: but they haue also with a godly curiositie searched out of the spirite of Christ, which than presently signified vnto the by secret inspiracion, what Christe should suffre, and vnto what excellente glory he shoulde byanby be aduaunced vnto, than what or what maner of tyme that shoulde come to passe: forsomuche as theyr myndes were vehe∣mently desirous of his sauing helth. And vnto them it was also manifested, that these thynges, which they prophecied beforehand should come to passe, should not be exhibited in their tymes, but in yours: and the thynges that they opened in their prophecies, they opened vnto you & not to them felues. In dede they would haue wisshed to see, that you haue chaunced to see: but theyr prophecies were spoken before to thintent that we Apostles should be more certaynly credited, which declare nowe vnto you the thynges already done, that they had spoken beforehande should come to passe. And that you shoulde also not stande in doubt, the same spirite of Christe in tymes paste taught them with secret still inspiracions, what he had determined to doe, which lately cūmyng doune from heauen in fyrietongues instructed vs, to thintent we should be preachers in al the whole worlde of the thinges that are come to passe. For we preache Christ that became man foral our saluaciō sake, was conuersaunt on earth, was afflicted with reproches & torments, finally was nayled on the crosse, suffered death for oure sakes, and anon rat∣sed agayne to lyfe, was exalted vnto heauen, where now he glistreth in ma∣iestie and glory with the father (which before semed vpon earth to be but a vile rascall and an abiecte) and thither also will he exalte those that his be. These mattersinasmuch as they were done by the vnspeakable counsaill of God, it is no maruell though the prophetes desired to see them, seyng it is so excellently pleasant and acceptable a sight euen to the angels them selues to loke vpon, w^t the beholding wher of they cannot be fulfilled. The greater the benefite is which is offred vnto you, the more gredyly you ought to em∣brace it, that it be not through your owne fault that you atteyne it not. The rewarde is certayn, but it shalbe your dueties for all that, to behaue your selues so, that you seme not vnworthy the promises. The day that is loked for, wil come, which shal openly bryng forth the rewardes both of the god∣ly and of the vngodly. It wyll come once, whansoeuer it shalbe, and it shal come pleasant and happy to suche as it shall fynde readyly prepared: on the contrary parte, it shall come fearfully to them that it shall fynde vnfaith∣full

sluggardes and carelesly mynded.

The texte.

Wherfore gyrde vp the loynes of your myndes, be sobet, & trust pefectly on the grace that is brought vnto you (by the declaryng of Iesus Christ) as obedient chyldrcu, that ye geue not your selues ouer vnto your olde lustes; by whiche ye were led whau as yet ye were ignoraunte of Christe: but as he which called you is holy, euen so be yeholy also in all maner of conuersacion, because it is writen▪ Be ye holy, for I am holy. And if so be that ye call on the father, which without respecte of person iudgeth accordyng to euery mannes worke, se that ye passe the tyme of your pylgremage in feare.

And forasmuche as Chryst woulde haue that daye to be vncertayn vnto vs, it behoueth you not to be in a securitie at any tyme, but alwayes hauing the loynes of your myndes girded, as menne readyly furnished to mete theyr Lordes comming, watchyng and sober, being alwayes stiered vp and put in mynde with the certayn and sure loking for of the euerlasting felicitie, which now is offred vnto all men that obey the Gospell: but yet it shalbe possessed at length, at suche tyme, as our Lorde Iesus Christ shall openly shewe hys maiestie vnto al men and vnto angelles and deuiles, howbeit they shall not come to that immortalitie, but onely those that in a maner forecast the same in this worlde, and according to the example of Iesus, being deade to the lustes of this worlde, lyue agayne agayne with him vnto innocencie, and contynue stedfastly in it, like laufull and right true sonnes that trust in the promises of god the father, and do after his prescribed commaundementes, and neuer slyde agayne into their olde conuersacion, whiche than through the igno∣raunce of the Gospelles doctrine, was endaungered with worldly concupis∣cences. For it is conuenient that you diffre from them in affectes and ma∣ners, from whom you dissent in profession. The worlde is naught and from it you are already exempted and engraffed vnto Christ, which is righteous, holy and Innocent, and to this ende are you chosen and called of the father, the fountayne of al holines, that like as you are in your profession, so should you in al your life and doinges, be pure, vpright, and vnblameable. For the father will not acknowledge any to be his sonnes, but those that be like ma∣nered vnto him. For in dede this same thing he ment whan he spake to our, auncetours. Leuitici the xix. Chapter. Be you holy, for I the lord your God am holy. The puritie of Moses lawe could not haue ben ynough for you: to absteine from touching of dead bodyes, to haue your fete washen, to absteine from the acte of matrimony: God will haue all oure conuersacion and all our whole harte to be fre from al spottes of synnes. For in dede these are the thinges, that make vs playnly impure in the sight of god. And although you cal vpon God by the name of a father, crieng for his helpe in al thinges, yet if you lyue in a filthy conuersacion, you may not trust that he wilbe mer∣cifull vnto you, or acknowledge you for his children, seyng he estemeth no∣man eyther for his kynred or for his estates sake, but onely after the merites of his conuersacion. For nether shal the Iewe be pure, if his conscience be de∣filed, ne yet shall the vncircumcised be vnpure, if he leade a godly and an in∣nocent life.

The texte.

For as muche as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thynges, (as syluer and golde) from youre vaine conuersacion, whiche ye receauch by the tradicion of the fathers: but with the precious bloude of Christe, as of a lambe vndefiled, and without spotte, which was ordeyned before hande euen before the woorlde was made: but was

declared in the last tymes for your sakes, which by his meanes do beleue on god, that ray∣sed him vp from death, and glorifyed hym, that ye myght haue faythe and hope towarde God, euen ye whiche haue purifyed your soules thorowe the spirite, in obeyng the truthe, with brotherly loue vufayned, se that ye loue one another with a pure herte feruently, for ye are borne a newe, not of mortall seed, but of immortal, by the word of god, which lyueth and lasteth for euer. For al flesh is grasse, and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse. The grasse wyddereth, and the floure falleth awaye, but the worde of the Lorde endureth euer. And this is the worde, which by the gospel was preached vnto you.

Therfore it remayneth that you which are desirous to haue this father mer∣cifull vnto you, haue his vnauoydable iudgemēt alwayes before your eies, while you liue in this exile, & so order your cōuersaciō, that there be nothing wherfore the father may be offended, & iustly shut you out of the inheritaūce of the celestial countrey, as vnnaturall & disobedyent children. The greater the price is, wherwith Christe hath frely redemed you, so muche the greater hede ought you to take, lest for your wilfulnes and vnthankefulnes, you be turned agayn into your former bonde thraldom. There is none more myse∣rable a bondage, than to bee the slaue of synne. Those that for a litle money are made fre frō theyr maisters bondage, & become of bondmē fre men, watch about them by al meanes, lest for theyr vnthankefulnes they may be drawen agayne into the bondage that they were in before: and will you than commit that offence to fall again into y^• old tyranny, to be willingly the bond slaues of Moses lawe, & had rather serue vaine obseruaunces, that your elders de∣liuered from one to an other vnto you, than to obey the gospel of God, seing you knowe that you were deliuered once from them, not with a commune tryfling price, as golde or syluer, but with an offring muche more holy than Moses lawe knoweth of? For you are not made cleane with the bloud of a calfe sprinkled, but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe who like a lābe cleane without any spotte, pure and vndefiled from all filthinesse of synne, was offred for our synnes on the aultare of the crosse. Nether yet was that done by chaunce at all auentures, but the sonne of God was appointed to make this sacrifice from euerlastyng and before the makyng of the worlde, that he might through his deathe reconcile the father vnto vs: howbeit the secret deuice and decre of Goddes purposed mynde, which was many long yeares vnknowen to the worlde, is now at length in these later times open∣ly manifested, and a new matter is set forth before mennes eyes to loke vpon whiche in the purposed mynde of God was not new. And it was geuen for your saluacion sake, vnto whom Christe that was made man, dyed, and is preached, bestoweth thus muche, that wher as you had a vayne truste vpon the ceremonies of the lawe, now distrusting your selues, you must put your whole trust in God the father: who like as he would haue Christe to dye to wype awaye your synnes, euen so hathe he raysed him vp from death, and for the paynfull trauailes of this life which he suffred, he gaue him the glory of immortalitie: to thentente that as you haue beleued that whiche he hath done, in folowing his example, you might also trust surely to haue the same reward to be bestowed on you, in that you put your whole affiaūce in God, which what he hath already perfourmed in his sonne, the same also will he vndoubtedly performe in al them, which lyue after suche sort, that they may be worthyly accompted among the membres of Christ, in to whose body you are engraffed, synce that you were regenerate through baptisme in to hym. Before that tyme you did after your owne lustes, that is to say, embraceing

carnall shadowes of thinges in stede of true ryght thinges: but now since you haue clensed your soules, not with the obseruacion of Moses purge∣ing sacrifices, but in that you haue through faith obeyed the trueth of the gospell, whiche by the spyryte of Christe hath purged your consciences, you must endeuour your selues both to be correspondente vnto the head Christe in vprightnes of life, and be answerably like vnto the concorde of the body by an excedyng and a playne brotherly and an vnfeyned loue a∣mong your selues: that lyke as Christ loued you not after a commen sort, nor after a carnall maner of loue, euen so should you loue euery one other, with a spiritual loue. New kynred requireth new affeccion. Before this tyme you Iewes loued Iewes after a carnall affeccionate loue, but now beyng by a far other maner regenerate (not of a mortall & an earthly seede after the bodye, but of an immortall and a heauenly sede by the worde of God which lyueth and endureth for euer whose gospel you haue beleued) you shall loue the brethren with a heauenly loue. Moses lawe was geuen for a tyme. But the worde of God hathe brought forthe the lawe of the gospel vnto vs, whiche neuer shall perishe. The thing that procedeth from men is but for a season, but the thing that cometh from heauen, is euerlas∣ting, as Esay sayd before: Al fleshe is as grasse, and all the glory of man as the floure of the fielde. The grasse is wythered, and his ••loure fallen awaye, but the worde of the Lorde endureth for e∣uer. This is the eternall worde of the eternall father, whom the shadowes of the former lawe in tymes past paynted out vnto vs, but nowe he is o∣penly declared by the preachers of the gospell, and not onely vnto you, but vnto all them that receyue Christe with a syncere vpright fayth.