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 .iii. Chapter.

The texte.

Likewise ye wiues be in subiection to your husbandes, that euen they whych obey not the word, may with out the worde be wonne by the conuersacion of the wiues, while they behold your chast conuersacion coupled with feare. Whose apparel shal not be out∣warde with broyded heare, and hanginge on of golde, ether in puttinge on of gorgeous apparell: but let the hid man which is in the heart, be without all corruption, so that the spirite be at rest & quiet, which spirite is before God a thing muche set by. For after thys maner in the olde tyme dyd the holy wemen, which trusted in God, tier them selues, and were obedyente to their husbandes, euen as Sara obeyed Abraham, & called hym Lorde: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do wel and are not afrayed for any terrour.

NOwe lyke as free men ought to allure y^• prynces and publyke magistrates, and euen so oughte bonde seruauntes to allure their maisters vnto the fauouryng of the gospell, by their obe∣dient diligence (whych purchaceth frendship in euery place) or in dede not to prouoke them by occasion, if perauenture they be vncureable: euen so ought the wiues also shewe themselues obedyent vnto their husbandes, not onelye yf they be Christians, but to them also, that haue not yet embraced the doctrine of the gospell. For in dede it maye possiblie come to passe, that suche as oure preaching doeth not stiere, the entier vpryghtnes, godlynes, womanlynes, sobrenes, chastitie, and sufferaunce of the wyfe, maye ouercome and mollyfie them, and in conclusion wynne them vnto Christ. For whan they shall perceaue theyr wyues maners chaunged through baptisme, whan they shall see the examplar of true vertue in them, they shall peraduenture be enflamed, the affeccion of wedlocke not a lytell forewardyng to the same purpose, that as they be felowes of one bedde, so they would mynd to be felowes of one profession. For syncere good demeanour hath very sharpe pryckes, whiche, yf a man do marke it nerely, bryngeth to passe manye tymes, that carnall loue is turned into a spirituall loue. That maner of loue is occa∣sioned by welfauourednes of beawtie, and behauiour of apparel, helpyng the fauour of beawtie forewarde. And behauiour is occasioned by the fayre good∣lynes of an entier good hearte, shynyng in her manners. Therfore it behoueth not wyues, whiche haue professed Christe, to deuise howe they maye set forthe themselues pleasaūtly in their husbandes eies, after the cōmune custome, with theyr heare craftyly broyded, or with puttinge on of precious stones, or gold, and purple rayment, and with other trymmyng of the bodye, whiche is shewed outwardly. For what other thynge shoulde come of this gayre, but that they should loue their wyues body for the vse of fleshely lust? And what a porcion of man is the body? This rather they ought to studye for, that theyr husban∣des may be enticed by their goodly garnyshed maners, and so to loue the secret hidden mynde and hearte, yf they shall perceyue her to be pure, and spotted w^t •••• knacke of viciousnes: and if they shall see, contrarie to the commune maner of women, no lyght affeccion in that woman, which women communly haue: no intemperaunce, no wrath, no enuye, no seking of preeminence, no arroganncie, ••o ouerthwart bibble bable, but a softe, mylde, tractable & gentyll spirit. This is an excellent and a gorgeous apparell in the e••es of God. By this maner of decking they muste chiefly deserue to haue their husbandes heartes.

By this kynde of wooing, euen certayne holy women in times past (which fixed their whole hope, not in slyppery and transitorye thinges, but in God) set forth themselues to please their husbandes, not with gold or precious stones, or pur∣ple, but with sobrenes & obedient diligence, wherby the fearcenes of an husbā∣des disposition is most easyly aswaged. So Sara obeyed Abraham, callyng him Lorde, where as she was hys wyfe, & not his drudgeing hande mayde, but submitted her selfe vnder his subieccion for sobrenes sake. For althoughe it be not fitte for a man to vse a lordlynes towardes his wife, yet there is an autori∣tie, which if he in somthynges abuse, yet it standeth with the womans modestie to obeye in place. To be briefe, lyke as they are Abrahams true and very right sonnes, that folowe thexample of his fayth: euen so are you Saraes daugh∣ters, which resemble y^• excellent good womans maners & manly substaūtialnes of mynde, trymmyng vp your selues with good workes, & reposing all youre trust in God: & hauing the fruicion of his ayde, there is no cause at al, why you should be afrayed of womans frailtie.

The texte.

Lyke wyse ye men dwel with them according to knowlege: geuing honour vnto the wyfe, as vnto the weker vessel, & as vnto them that are heires also of the grace of lyfe, that your praiers be not hindered.

And as it is the office of matrones, with chast obedience, & holy maners, and wyth mylde softenes to ouercome their husbandes: euen so is it your parte, O you men, in no wise to abuse your autoritie towardes your wyues, as mē pla∣yng the tyrannes, in that they submit thēselues vnto you, but be rather so much the lesse lordely towardes them, in y^• they make them selfes your handemaides. They are companions of all your estates and thynges, what so euer befalleth. Let them perceiue you to be handsome men to lyue withall, & let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde. And the more stronger you are tha•• they in the strength of hert & body, so much more it behoueth you to releue wo∣mens infirmitie, that by youre instruction & by your gouernaunce, they maye be made better, & as it were settyng aparte that kynde, they maye waxe manlye in gospellike godlynes. For they are not Christian husbandes, that haue wy∣ues only to the vse of copulacion: but they ought rather to endeuour, that their wyues maie be theyr cōpanions in fastinge, almosededes dooing, of watching, and of prayeng: so that those women, which are called to the cōmune reward of eternall lyfe, as well as their husbandes, maye earnestly set their myndes to do these thynges also communely with their husbandes. In christian mariage, there is nothing, or in dede very lytle, to be geuen vnto voluptuousnes, & very muche vnto Godlynes. Wherin yf bothe parties will consent, and thereup•••• you refrayne frō bodyly d••ale, your prayers shal not be interrupted. And pra∣yer is a sacrifice wherwith god must be sacrificed vnto, euery daye.

The texte.

In conclusiō, be ye al of one mynd, & of one heart loue as brethrē, be piteful, be courte•••••• (meke) not rendring euill for euill, or rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise blesse: know•••••• that ye are thereunto called, euen y^• ye should be heires of y^• blessing. For he that doth l•••••• after lyfe, and loueth to se good dayes, let hym refraine his tonge from euil, and his ••••••¦pes that they speake no guyle. Let hym eschewe euil and do good: let hym seke peace, •••••• ensue it. For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghteous, and hys eares (are open) •••••••• their prayers. Agayne, the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euil.

Therfore lyke as men haue some one kynd of peculiar offices, some ha••••

other, euen so this becometh euery one the rather to remembre him selfe, that he which hath professed Christ, ought to excel others in those thinges, that be ma∣ters of tried honestie. Howbeit this is the cōmune office of all men, y^• lyke as al haue one self same profession, & like as through baptisme you are engraffed in to one selfe same body: euen so let al be through concord, of one self same mind. Let not age, estate, cōdiciō or sōdry being in diuerse coūtres disseuer you a son∣dre, which thinges among others do many times ministre occasion of hate and contencion. But as for you, it behoueth you to be most fast ioyned together, se∣yng all one baptisme hath regenerated you vnto God: seyng you haue all one father in heauē: inasmuche as dependyng of one head Christe, you are mēbres of all one body: and forasmuche as the profession of the gospell hath made you brethren indifferently, and for that cause sake the father of heauen hathe called all mē vnto all one rewarde of immortalitie without differēce, whether they be poore, whether they be riche, whether they bonde seruauntes, whether they be maisters, whether they be husbandes, whether they be wyues, whether they be Iewes or gentyles. In this behalfe there is no difference at all, and therfore there oughte to be no dissension nor highe stately lokyng.

For a greate deale more shall Christian charitie, that humbleth it selfe, wynne, than auctoritie that exacteth. For there is no concorde amonge menne that be arrogaunt, fearce, & louers of them selues. If the mēbres in a beastes bodye do succour euery one other, and in case any thyng chaunce to any one of them whether it be good or badde, euerye one of them reconeth it as their owne: and if those whom nere kynred of bloud knytteth together, are both glad and sorye for the cōmodities & discommodities of their kynsfolkes: how much more cō∣uenient is it, y^• you beyng knytte together by so manye wayes, shoulde expresse this consent to be touched with other mens wealth & sorowes, no lesse than with your own. So shal you expressely shewe a right brotherly charitie, if those that be of the more wealthy estate, disdeine not them y^• haue not the worldes wealth, but be sory for their euils, & to their powers succour thē: if they that be in hygh power & autoritie, presse not nor despise those that are of y^• lower sort, but wyth familiar gentylnes & good wordes apply them selues familiarly vnto their in∣feriours: y^• there may be an indifferent equalitie, & that christian charitie maye ioyne together those, y^• the state of the worlde hath disseuered. God forbyd, that you should be desirous of reuengement, seyng it is your part to nourishe con∣corde, not only with the brethren & suche as be godly, but also, yf it be possible, with all men. With those that good are, it behoueth to stryue who may do most good: & with thē that naught are, to stryue in pacient suffryng, or in doyng thē good also, by which meanes like as the very wilde beastes are ouercome, euē so it somtymes mollifieth the malice of men, wherin was no hope of amendemēt. Be not you willing therfore, to requite wrong for wrong, or scoldyng for scol∣dyng. For so shall it come to passe, that you shalbe euel also, in that you folow thexāple of them y^e be euil: but rather recompense you a good turne for wrong, & good wordes for bad, y^e through your inuincible goodnes, you may ouercome & ouerthrowe their malice. For god hath not called you to this ende, to haue y^• vpper hand with naughtie dedes doing, & naughtie wordes speakynge, but y^• through your weldoyng vnto all men, & wel speakyng vnto all, men you maye worthyly heare y^• ioyfull word: Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome. To do euil vnto good mē, it is more thā y^• propretie of mad beastes: & to speake euil against them y^• speake wel, it excedeth y^• propretie of vile tongued ruffiōs.

To deserue well of them that deserue euill, and to speake well of them that be euyll speakers and backebytours, is thoffice of Christian vertue. If any man thynke this an harde matter, let him heare the Psalme wryttour enspired with the spirite of God, that commaundeth the very same: whoso is desirous ({quod} he) to loue lyfe, and to se good dayes, let him refrayne his tongue from euell: lette him restrayne his lyppes, that they speake no deceate: let him eschewe euel, and doe good: let him seke for peace, and folowe it: For the eies of the Lorde are vp∣on the ryghteous, and his eares are attentiue vnto their prayers. Contrary∣wyse, the countenaunce of the Lorde is vpon them that do euyll. Therefore yf we wyll haue God to be liberally good vnto vs, let vs be good vnto all men: yf we wyll escape his vengeaunce, let vs hurte no body at all.

I wyll not heare the reason, that mans affeccion wyll perchaunce murmu∣ryngly repyne in this behalfe: If I doe not reuenge iniurye, the vnpunyshed libertie wyl prouoke many mo to do hurt. But there is nothyng, that shal kepe you more safe from iniurie, than yf you eyther paciently suffre it, or els do good for wrong. There is none ende of harme doing, as often as wyth wretched en∣coūtryng one with an other, reuiling is made double through reuiling againe, and iniurie is made double iniurie, by iniurie doing agayn. If no man resiste, naughtinesse shall ceasse, or at least waxe faynt.

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.

The texte.

For it is better (yf the wyll of God be so) that ye suffre for well doing, then for euil doing. For asmuche as Chryst hath once suffred for sinnes, the iust for the vniust, to bring vs vnto God, and was killed, as pertaining to the fleshe: but was quickned in the spirit. In which spirit he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison, whych somtyme had ben disobedient, when the long suffering of God was once loked for in the daies of Noe, while the Arke was a preparing: wherin a few, y^• is to say, viii. solles, were saued by the water, lyke as baptisme also now saueth vs, not the puttynge away of the fylth of the fleshe: but in that a good conscience consenteth to God, by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ, whyche is on the righte hande of God: and is gone into heauen, Aungelles, powers, and myght, subdued vnto hym.

Let it not moue you, that you harmeles folkes suffre sorowes at their han∣des, whiche be harmedoers: but rather it is in that behalf the more easely to be borne, whatsoeuer is done vnto you. For it is better for you, if it be the wyll of God, that you suffre these thinges that you suffre, for wel doyng, than for euil doyng. For he that is punysshed for his euil dedes, suffreth that he hath deser∣ued: but the punyshementes that you suffre, turne to the glory of Christe, and to the heaped encreace of your felicitie. It is a gloriouse thynge for you to fo∣lowe thexample of your prince. Thus he aduaunced the glory of God the fa∣ther, he beyng all together without synne, was taken, bounden, beaten, spytte vpon, crucified, and dyed for our synnes, where as he had no synne at all. The ryghtuous, for the vnryghtuous, the faultes for the faultye, suffred paynes, gladly obeyng the fathers will, that he myghte presente vs, that were synners, cleane and without spotte vnto the father: that we also folowyng his example, shoulde lyue harmeles amonge harmedoers, and that we beynge made, good shoulde suffre for the wealth of them that naught are. He dyed onely once for all and for temporall affliccion was endowed with lyfe euerlastynge, that we beyng once redemed from synnes, shoulde not slyde backe agayne to the same.

It is Christ than that hath made vs cleane, being delyuered to death for the weakenes of the humaine body which he had receiued, but he was raised to life agayne by the power of the spirite, whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth any affliccions. For the same tyme that his dead body was closed in the graue, he being alyue in spirite pearced vnto the helles: & lyke as vnto men endued with mortall bodye, he preached the doctryne of the gospell in his bodylye presence, which those that beleued, attayned saluacion, and those that refused to beleue, purchaced to them selues the heape of eternal damnacion: euen so his body be∣yng laied aparte, his spirite went vnto them, which being deliuered of their bo∣dies, lyued in the helles, and preached vnto them, that nowe is the time present wherein they should receyue the rewarde of their godlines, for y^• in tymes past they ••earing the iustice of god, nether reuenged them selues of euilles, & liued faultles among the faultye: and declared, that they suffred condyng punyshe∣mentes, which in the daies of Noe, when the Arke was furnisshed, & the floude was loked for, that God being prouoked by mortall mennes wickednes would send vpon them, beleued not, but abused the gentilnes of God, when they sawe the thing, that he threatned, put of for a certayn of yeares. Therfore when the floude came, it destroyed all, except a very fewe, that is to saye, no moe but onely eight persons, which according to Noes counsel, went into the arke, & were not drowned in the floud. And therefore euen in those tymes faythe wanted not h•••• rewarde. For God suffred not those to perishe, that trusted in him with al their whole her••. Neither can the vnbeleuers escape y^• vengeaūce of God, although you be no reuengers. For it is ynough for you, that you obeye God, but as for the punyshement of the rest, refe••re that to hym.

Now•• that, whiche N••es A••ke was vnto them, is baptisme vnto you: that same thyng that the floud was vnto them, is the eternal punishement vnto the wicked, and preached vnto them, that obey not the gospel. It was ynough for Noe to haue tolde them of the floud that was to come: It was ynough to haue shewed, by what meanes they myght escape the daungier, yf throughe repen∣taunce they would haue aswaged y^• wrath of god, which they had prouoked vp∣on thēselues by theyr own wickednes. And so let your vpryghtenes be ynoughe vnto you: let it be ynough for you to haue declared vnto other, what rewarde i•• prepared for them that beleue the gospel, & what peyne abideth the vnbeleuers. If there be but a fewe saued by fayth, it shall not be layed to your charge. If a great part of men perishe throughe vnbelefe, they perishe through their owne faulte. After this sorte it was the wyll of God to vtter the difference be∣twene the good and the badde. Baptisme receiued as it ought to be, preserueth agaynst destruccion, and wassheth awaye the fylthynes, not of bodyes but of soules. But baptisme beyng broken promisse withall, destroyeth for euer, and wyndeth into so muche the more haynous rageing streames of wickedness••.

Therfore the thing that is saluacion to some hauing faythe, doth bringe destruccion to the vnbeleuers and suche as are rebellions agaynst fayth. Not∣withstandynge it is not ynough for you, that through the floude of baptisme your sinnes are perished, and that wicked lustes of the former conuersacion are lost, onles ther be present a good conscience also in all the lyfe after correspon∣dent to the benefit of God. Christ died, howbeit but only once: he is risen again neuer to dye: and vnto vs the synfulnesses of oure former olde lyfe are in ly•••• sort slayne by the death of Christ, that we shoulde afterwarde lyue agayne to

innocencie, and neuer slyde backe agayne in to synnes, as muche as lyeth in vs. That shall come to passe, if we shall, as it were settyng inortalytie apart, desi∣••ou sly aspire vnto y^• countrey of heauen w^t al our whole hertes, the enheritaūce wh••rof abydeth them that obey the gospel. For so Iesus Christe rose agayne, tha•• he would not make long taringe after that vpon earth, but cōueyed him selfe out of mortall mennes companye vp into heauen: and there hauynge the fruicion of the glory of immortalitie, sitteth on the fathers right hande, not w^t∣out a body, but suche a body as death hath now no title to it at all: And whyle death goeth about the swalowe vp the innocente, it is vtterly swalowed vp it selfe: and while death surely reconeth to haue gotten a great praye, it became a praye it selfe. Finally Christes victorie, is our victorye: and the glory that went before in him, is shewed vnto vs, in case we continue styll in the thyng that we haue begon, and sticke harde in his fotesteppes. Againste him the tormentes of the wicked preuailed nothing at all: but in his pacient suffryng of them he gate the victorie, he trihumpheth and raigneth alofte, sittyng in heauen aboue all aungelles, or whatsoeuer vertue and power there is besydes. Vnto you he hathe opened the waye into heauen, that by the same way that he entred in, you maye also thrust in thycke and treefolde into the same place. The enheritaunce is ready and certaine, the possession wherof he hath also entred for your sakes, so that you expresse your selues worthy of it: that is to saye, if you set your stu∣dies vpon the innocencie (which he hath frely geuen) to do good vnto all men, yea euen to the euyll and those that punyshe you, as much as vnto you pertey∣neth.