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.

Moreouer, who is it that wyll harme you if ye folowe that whyche is good? Yea, happy are ye, if any trouble happen vnto you for ryghteousnes sake. Be not ye afrayed for any terrour of them, neyther be ye troubled, but sanctifie the Lorde God in your hear∣tes. Be redy alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with mekenes & feare, hauing a good conscience that where as they backbyte you as euil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conuersacyon in Chryste.

Who would couet to doe harme, yf you studye to do good for all men, and to hurte no man? But yf there be anye found so vtterly blynd, that for malyce they beare to vertue or throughe ignoraunce do persecute you, I praye you, in what thing can they hurt you? They wyll take awaye youre money, whiche yf they were not, you must shortly leaue behynd you: they wyll torment the body, and wyll slea you, which shoulde shortely dye, yf they were not. All these thyn∣ges, forasmuche as they are done vnto you for Godlynes sake, shall not onely bryng no damage vnto you at all, but also greatly encreace your vauntage. By these euell turnes doynge, they augment your rewarde of euerlastyng fe∣licitie. He that loseth a good meanyng hearte, he is hurted in dede: but whan that is safe, all is gayne, whatsoeuer the worlde thynketh is losse: and it is blessednes, whatsoeuer they thynke is sorowfulnesse. Therefore it is in you to bryng to passe, that no violence of sorowes can do you harme by any waye. Whatsoeuer the naughtynesse of men shall take awaye from you, the free lar∣ges of God shall restore it agayne with excedyng great vauntage. So that yf you haue the fruicion of God, you haue no cause to be afrayed of mens threat∣nynges, or to be disquieted with the violence of sorowes, neyther be you troub∣led in your mynde, in the myddes of the stormes of affliccions, as though you were destitute of Goddes helpe. Neither speake you cursedly vnto men that punyshe you throughe ignoraunce, but rather glorifie you the lorde God in your heartes, whiche to his seruauntes turneth all thynges in to the best, whe∣thersoeuer chaunseth ioye or aduersitie. Therefore he is euer worthye to be

praysed, albeit a man can not alwaies with worde of mouthe, yet with affeccion of the heart he maye euery where, and at all tymes. Hys enemyes are not to be prouoked with scoldynges, but wheresoeuer anye hope shall offre it selfe, that they maye be drawen vnto Christe, be you prompte and ready to answere who∣soeuer desireth to knowe, with what confidence, and throughe what hope, you set naught by the commodities of this life, and suffre the incommodities so pa∣ciently. And that do you not disdeignefully, nor tauntynglye, as thoughe you were offended at them, but with al mildenes and reuerence, that is to say, vsing a good conscience of your owne, althoughe you can not be hable to perswade them. For it is not ynoughe for Christians, to speake thinges that are true and worthy of Christ: but also to speake after suche sorte, that the verye reason of your talke maye declare, that you are not in hande with your own busines, but that you respecte the glorie of Christe, and the saluation of them, whiche you speake vnto. This shalbe the surest argument to make them ashamed, which slaundre your conuersation, that you leade accordyng to Christes doctrine, as thoughe it were a countrefaict and a naughty conuersacion. For countrefaicte vertue, althoughe it otherwise begile men with his iuggling, yet whan it com∣meth once to suffring of punishementes, it breaketh out and bewrayeth it self. There is nothing but a good conscience, and a conscience that dependeth who∣ly of God, that is hable chearefully to beare all thinges, and to be so farre frō intendyng reuengement, that he goeth about also to do good to them, of whom he is punished.