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.

For as much then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the fleshe, arme ye your selues lyke∣wyse with the same mynde: for he which suffereth in the fleshe ceaseth from sinne, that he hence forwarde shoulde lyue (as muche tyme as he remayneth in the fleshe) not after the lustes of men, but after the wyl of God. For it is suffycient for vs that we haue spent the tyme that is past of the life, after the will of the Gentils walkyng in wantones, lustes, in excesse of wines, in excesse of eating, in excesse of drinking (in dronkennes) and in abhomi∣nable idolatry. And it semeth to them an inconuenient thing, that ye runne not also with them vnto the same excesse of riot, and therfore, speake they euil of you, which shall geue accomces to him, that is ready to iudge quicke & dead. For vnto this purpose verelie was the Gospel preached also vnto the dead, that they shoulde be iudged lyke other men in y^• ••••she, but should liue before God in the spirit. The end of al thinges is at hand▪

FOr as muche than as Christe your Prynce and head folowed not the pleasures of thys lyfe, but throughe suffrynge of af∣flyceions for a tyme came vnto the glorye of heauen, and seing that he hath conquered the aduersaries with the weapons of paciente sufferaunce: it is reason that you, which professe your selues to be his disciples, shoulde arme your selues with the lyke purpose of mynde. Innocencie of lyfe, is the most surest armour: and chri∣stian pacience is the fortresse that can not be beaten downe. He that is gyrded with pacience, is sure that no man can be hable to hurt him. Whosoeuer is deade together with Christ after the fleshe, hath so geuen ouer the synfulnes of his former conuersacion, that he is playnly deade to humayne desyres, so that nowe he is not tickled with gredynes of renowme, he is not prouoked with de∣syre

of reuengemente, but all the reste of hys tyme, that is geuen hym in thys sely carkas, lyueth all together whole to the wyll of God, whom onelye his ••e∣syre is to please, of whom also he lokethe for the rewarde of a good conscience, and vnto him he referreth the vengeaunce takyng of the wycked. Whosoe••er is readily prepared to suffre martyrdome, is not touched with the pleasure •• of this worlde. For thys he thynketh with him selfe: God forbydde, that I beyng once done vpon the crosse with my Christ, shoulde goe downe to the vices that I haue forsaken: and that I beyng once appointed vnto euerlastyng felicitie, shoulde be tombled backe agayne to this worldes delices, whiche are not only shorte, but also folyshe: It is euen large ynough that I being a straunger frō Christe, haue spent the tyme past in folyshe lustes, whiche the prophane Hea∣thens do filthiely serue, beyng addicte and geuē to wantones, to fleshly lustes, to dronkenes, to excessyue bankettynges, and to abomynable image worshyp∣pynges. These prankes we are glad we haue left behynde vs, by the goodnes of Christe: and as often as we loke backe at them, we shrugge for feare to remembre suche fylthynes of lyfe and so great blynde darkenes of ignoraunce. Nowe in stedde of outragious luste, chastitie is pleasaunte: for ••iote, tempe∣rate fare: for wynnebybbyng, sobrietie: for supersticious worshypping of ima∣ges, true godlynes and deuoute worshyppyng of the lyuyng God, vnto whō the mooste acceptable sacrifice that maye be, is a mynde pure and vnspotted from all vncleanes of synne. Those that haue theyr blynde darkenes yet styll, haue maruaile at this so great a chaungeing of myndes and lyfe in you, and thynke scorne that their riotousnes is condemned by your temperate fa••e, and that their lyfe (whiche floweth ouer with all kyndes of intemperaunce) is bla∣med by youre honest vprightnes. They woulde loue the companions of their fylthynes: but nowe they rayle vpon you, because youre lyfe is not suche as theirs is: but yet there is no cause why ye shoulde be moued at their raylyn∣lynges, neither are they to be rayled at agayne. Let it be ynough for you, that you haue a good conscience before God. Yf you can by any possible waye con∣uerte them vnto better, you ought to do your diligēce: howbeit after such sort, that you goe not backe from your own syncere vprightnes. If they do repent, it is to be ioyed at: yf their hertes be hardened, they rayle and scolde euen a∣gaynst them that wyshe them well: referre you the vengeaunce to God, whose iudgement no mortall man is hable to escape. For he in tyme shall iudge all men, not onely the quycke, but also the deade: the quycke, whom Christ at hys commyng shall fynde lyuinge in the bodye: the deade, whiche before Christes commyng are departed out of this lyfe. Notwithstandyng none lyueth in dede, but he that lyueth vnto godlynes. Those that serue vices, and fylthye lustes, are dead vnto God. And vnto him at his iudgement, those that be dead in dede, shal rendre accōpt, yf they wil not repent from theyr vices. For he (that most equall indyfferent iudge) shall punyshe them for youre sakes, and paye you the full rewardes of your pacient suffraunce. In dede he is desirous that all men reuiue vnto gospellike godlynes, and for that cause sake, he woulde haue the grace of the gospell p••••ached, not onelye vnto the Iewes, that lyued deuoutly after Moses lawe, not onely vnto the Gentiles that lyued honestlye after the lawe of nature, but also vnto the dead and vtterly buried in all kyn∣des of naughtines. And vnto theyr darkenes, he woulde haue the lyght of the gospell to be layed: them he woulde haue taughte with all myldenes and paci∣ence,

that they also awaking at length, myght contemne those thynges wherin being nowe blynde they repose their felicitie, and be reputed as dead in bodye with men, in that they are not entangled w^t any affecciōs of the body, but with God they myght lyue in spirite. For none is alyue in dede, in Goddes iudge∣ment, but he that is after this sorte deade. There is nothyng of long continu∣aunce in this worlde, and the ende of all thynges shall shoretly come. And their voluptuous pleasures shall sone forsake them, and your paynefull punishe∣ment shall sone haue an ende. And also euerlastyng ioye abydeth for you, and euerlasting cormentes abyde for them.