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 first Chapter.

The texte.

¶ Simon Peter, a seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to them whiche haue obtained lyke precious faithe with vs thorowe the rightewesnes of our God and sauioure Iesus Christ. Grace be vnto you, and peace be multiplied thorow the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde. Accordynge as his godly power hath geuen vnto vs al thynges that per∣tayne vnto lyfe and godlynesse, thorow the knowledge of him that hath called vs by glory and vertue, by the which are geuē vnto vs, excellent and most great promyses, that by the meanes therof ye might be partetakers of the godlye nature, yf ye flye the corrupcion of worldly luste.

I Simon Peter / in tymes paste a diligent folower of Moyses law, and now a seruaunt and Embas∣sadour of Iesus Christ, whose gospel (euē as y^• day light) wipeth and driueth awaye all the shadowes of the olde te∣stament, write vnto all maner of men without parciall ex∣cepcion either of people, or religiō, either of kynde, or state, or yet condicion. For we esteme all people to be kynsfolkes and most nerely ioyned vnto vs, whosoeuer haue deserued to be made like vnto vs in the profession of the faith of the gospel, by the which, we haue atteyned true rightuousnes, not by circumcision, or by sacrifices of the lawe, but by the goodnes of our God, and by the deathe of our sauiour Iesu Christ, who hath frely pardoned vs our olde synnes, to thentēt we should hence forthe folowe gospellyke righteousnes, which dooeth not consiste in ceremonies, but in true godlines of mynde: & hath a certaine farre greater perfecciō than the Iewes righteousnes, whiche is nothinge but a shadowe of true righteousnes. And I praye, y^• lyke as you haue yet hitherto gon aboundantlye forwarde in the grace of y^• gospel, alwayes somwhat augmentyng in thencreaces of godlynes, & drawinge nerer brotherly concorde amonge your selues daylye more and more: so the liberall goodnes of God woulde vouchesafe to make perfite his gyftes in you: which Iewelles encrease so much y^• more largely in you, as you grow fore∣warde into y^• knowledge of God y^• father, & of his sonne our Lord Iesu Christ, the acknowledginge of whome is eternall lyfe. For it is the chiefe poynte of sal∣uacion, to acknowledge the autor of saluacion, that we chalenge no parte therof to our owne desertes and strengthes, or to the prescripcions of Moses lawe, inasmuche as whatsoeuer is perteyninge to true lyfe, and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto true godlynes, his diuine power hath bestowed it vnto vs, without helpe of circumcision, onely by faithe, wherby we acknowlage God the father, from whome procede all thinges, and Iesus Christ, by whome onely we haue al thin∣ges geuen vnto vs. These thinges are not geuen throughe our merites, but by his free bounteouse gyfte, whiche of his owne accorde hathe called vs vnto the benefite of saluacion: and to them that were voyde of glory and vertue, he hath bestowed bothe his owne glorye and vertue: to thintent that wheras being ad∣dicte vnto our owne vicious naughtines, lyke fylthye vyle slaues we scrued y∣doles, we shoulde be engraffed vnto Christe, and be made bothe pure and glo∣rious,

hauing y^• wickednes taken out of the waye, wherin we were fylthily soy∣led. He hathe translated our vyle naughtines vpon himselfe, that he mighte choose vs of his owne free pleasure into y^e felowship of his glory: Our trespas∣ses he hath taken vpon himselfe, that we might enioye his innocencye. Nowe these same are very great matters, but those are farre greater of & muche more excellencie, that are promissed vs in tyme to come, not by the lawe of Moses, as we haue often sayed before, but by thacknowlageing of Iesu Christ. But what is it, that is promysed? Forsoothe that albeit you perteyne not to the kynredde of the Iewes, yet you maye be made w^t them companions of the diuine nature beyng chosen into the nomber of y^• children of god, to possesse thenheritaunce, of immortal lyfe, so that you set your study vpon a certaine immortalitie by vncor∣rupte conuersacion in the meane season here in this worlde, and flee from al cor∣rupcion of vices and naughtie lustes wherwith a mynde that is infected, tēdeth to euerlastinge deathe.

The texte.

¶ And herunto geue all diligence: in your faithe minister vertue: in vertue knowledge: in knowledge temperaunce, in temperaunce pacience: in pacience godlynesse: in godlynesse brotherly kyndnesse: in brotherly kyndnesse loue. For yf these thinges be amonge you, and be plenteous, they wyll make you that ye nether shalbe ydle nor vnfrutefull in the know∣ledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ. But he that lacketh these thinges, is blynde and gropeth for the waye with his hande, and hath forgotten y^• he was pourged from his olde synnes▪

God hathe once geuen innocencye frely, and it is not inoughe to mainteine it, but applyeng withall studious diligence, endeuour your selues to be made riche in well doinges, that your faithe be not ydle, but that it be accompanyed with good behauiour, that nothing be doone or sayed, but that whiche is ver∣tuous. Than let good behauiour entreteyne knowlage, that you maye not one∣ly folowe the thinges that be vpright, but also discerne, what thinge, in what place, amonge whome, after what sorte, and by what meanes ought worthilye to be done. Let knowledge be accompanied with temperaunce, that the mynde beynge vnmoueably strong against all the wanton enticementes of the worlde, maye constantlye without shrinkynge folowe the thing, that it hathe iudged to be best. Vnto temperaunce let pacience be ioyned, that whan you doe wel, you maye chearefully suffer sorowes. For those men, whom the flateringe pleasures of the worlde doe not bringe in to a fine fingred nicenes, are somtymes broken with impacient suffring of sorowes, with pacience let godlynes be present, that what soeuer you doe or suffre, you referre it to the glorye of God. Let godlynes be accompanied with brotherly charitie, that like as you loue God for himselfe, euen so for his sake you maye loue all them that professe God. And let brother∣ly charitie be augmented and vpheaped with loue, to studye to doe good for all men, not onely them that are godly and Christian folkes, but also for them that are wicked. These are the frutes of an euangelicall faithe, whiche yf you haue them aboundauntlye, shall brynge to passe that where you haue acknowledged our lorde Iesus Christ throughe faithe, it should not be vnprofytable and vn∣frutefull vnto you, althoughe you haue nothing to doe with circumcision. For in these thinges consisteth the whole summe of Christen godlynes: and yf any mā want thē, he hath professed Christ in vaine, forasmuche as he slydeth backe from the light of the Gospell in to his olde former darkenes, euen as it were a blynde man that groapeth the waye with his hande, and is caried aboute here∣awaye and therawaye throughe the mases of worldly lustes: neither seeth he

the waye to come to the felowship of Christ, beynge vnthankefull also for the benefite of Christ, of whome where he is once frely clensed from his olde trans∣gressions, yet as a man forgetfull of this so exceadynge a mercye, he slydeth backe in to the same againe.

The texte.

¶ Wherfore brethrē, geue the more diligence for to make your callynge and eleccion sure by good workes. For yf ye doe suche thinges, ye shall neuer fall. Yea, and by this meanes an entringe in, shalbe ministre•• vnto you aboundantly into the euerlastinge kyngdome of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. Wherfore, I wil not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembraunce of suche thinges, thoughe ye knowe them your selues, and he stablished in the present trueth. Notwithstandynge I thinke it mete (as longe as I am in this ta∣bernacle) to stere you vp by putting you in remembraunce, for asmuche as I am sure, that shortly I must put of this my tabernacle▪ euen as our Lorde Iesus Christ shewed me. I wyll euer also geue my diligence, that ye maye haue wherwith to stere vp the remem∣braunce of these thinges after my departinge.

And therfore, brethren, let it not make you to lyue in a securitie and to be careles, in that the goodnes of God, hathe (whan you deserued nothing) called you vnto the profession of the gospell, hauynge once pardoned all the synnes of your former lyfe: but endeuour your selues so muche the more, that the good∣nes of God, wherwith he hath called you, wherwith he hath chosen you, be n••t turned to your destruccion and heape of damnacion, in case beyng forgetful of his bounteous gentilues, you be tombled backe in to y^• same state, from whence he raunsomed you with his owne death. But procure rather with well doinges, that God seine not to haue called and chosen you in vaine. And some parte of this mater lyeth euen in you. For yf you consyder, from whence God hathe cal∣led you, to what thinges he hath called you, and what rewardes he hathe set forthe for you, and yf you wyll preace therunto by these meanes, whiche I haue declared a lytell before, you shall neuer slyppe out of the right course of godly∣nes. For yf you preace this waye, Goddes assistinge helpe shalbe plenteouslye present with you, and shal succour, you with his riche relyefe, that at length be∣ynge conquerours of this worlde, you maye atteyne to the euerlastinge kyng∣dome of our Lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ, to possesse with him the treasures of heauen for whose sake you haue set naught by the treasures of y^• earthe. The rewarde is exceadynge great, but it must be procured with exceadynge greate diligence. Wherfore I wyl neuer cease to geue you warnynge of these maters, althoughe I suppose it not necessarie, seynge you both doe and remembre, what you ought to doe: and are also confirmed nowe by longe processe of godlynes in the acquainted knowledge of the trueth a great while, whiche hauynge em∣braced, you constantlye folowe yet hitherto: notwithstandyng to thintent you maye more and more watche styll in that you haue begonne, I recken it my parte, that remembringe my lordes precepte▪ whiche commaunded me, y^• beynge conuerted my selfe, I shoulde confirme my brethren, as longe as I lyue among you (beyng a straunger vpon earthe) in y^• tabernacle of this sely body. I should stere vp & pricke forewarde the studye of godlynes in you, and in dede so muche the more, because I knowe, I shall shortly be stripped out of the dwellynge of this sely bodye, and chaunge this exile of the earthe for y^• fraunchised free citie of heauen. For our Lorde Iesus Christ signified so vnto me, whome I serue yet hitherto as a souldier in this tabernacle. Nowe therfore I shall geue dily∣gence, that these matters maye in the meane space be so surely fixed in youre

hartes with often admonicion, that you maye remembre them after my deathe, whan I can not warne you by worde of mouthe. For seyng the thinge is most certaine, that you haue receyued of vs, it behoueth you not to swarue from it.

The texte.

¶ For we haue not folowed deccatfull fables, when we opened vnto you the power and commynge of our Lorde Iesus Christ: but with our eyes we sawe his maiestie: euen then verely when he receaued of God the father honour and glory, and when there came suche a voyce to him from the excellent glorye. This is my deare beloued sonne, in whome I haue delyte. This voyce we hearde come from heauē, when we were with him in the holy mount. We haue also a right sure worde of prophecie, wherunto (yf ye take hede) as vnto a light that shyneth in a darcke place▪ ye do well vntil the daye dawne, and the day starre aryse in your heartes. So that ye first knowe this: that no prophecye in the scripture hath any priuace enterpretacion. For the scripture came neuer by the wyll of man: but holy men of God speake, as they were moued by the holy ghost.

For our doctrine was not suche gayre, as the philosophers teache, whose drifte is to perswade by crafulye conueyed fables, and humayne subtilties, the thing that they them selues vnderstande not, and dysagree also amonge them selues. But we haue in no wyse folowed these wayes, in openynge vnto you the power and comminge of our lorde Iesu Christ, and in preachinge vnto you his maie∣stie, whiche we haue sene with these iyes. For he vouchedsafe to exhibite vnto certaine of his owne afore his death some special token, with what mightie po∣wer and with what glorye he shall once come, to iudge the quicke and the dead, and what wonderfull felicitie he shal geue vnto them, that loue him stedfastlye. For where God the father endued him all wholy with glorye and honour, in∣somuche that his countenaunce shoone as bright as the sunne, and his clothes were more white than the snowe, so farre, that mannes iyes coulde not abyde to beholde the heauenly syght, and there came also an exceadynge most honoura∣ble testimonie of the fathers voyce, whiche was brought downe from highe vn∣to him from the glorious maiestie of y^• father. And it was after this sorte: This is my welbeloued sonne, whiche hathe delyghted my mynde, heare him. There coulde haue ben no witnesse geuen, eyther more fully or more excellent. And it was pronounced, not of any prophet, but of the fathers owne maiestie. These thinges we haue sene with our iyes, these haue we hearde with our eares, whan we were present with him in the holy mount Thabor. If so be that the pro∣phetes playne oracles be in a great weightie estimacion among you, which pro∣phecied by figuratyue darke shadowes of Christ: of much more grauitie ought so euident a declaracion by the father himselfe of his sonne be. The prophetes agree with the fathers voice, yf a man doe rightly interprete them. They with their promisses prepare as it were mennes myndes to the trueth of his gospell, in that they shadowe and as it were couertly poynt out, the thing that the gos∣pell doeth openly preache. Therfore I doe not disallowe, that the Iewes beyng vehementlye geuen to the prophetes prophecienges, seke there for the com∣mynge of Messias. For it is a steppe somewhat vnto the faythe of the gospel, to beleue that Christ shoulde come. For a man shall the more soner beleue that Christe is come, yf he be parswaded that he shoulde come. Therfore there is good hope of him, that beynge not yet lightened with the lyght of the Gospell, is attentiue vnto the prophetes, as to a candell appearinge in a darcke place. For it is better to haue some lyght than no light, tyll the sunne come, and the daye dawne, to dryue awaye all darkenes, and to obscure euen that can∣dell,

and that the daye sterre of gospell preachinge maye shyne bryght in your hartes, whiche declareth that the sonne is at hande. The sayinges of the pro∣phetes are to this vse profytable, yf they that reade them, consider that y^• scrip∣ture of prophecyinge before hande is darkly hydden vnder couerte of figures, & can not be vnderstāden without interpretaciō. And y^t is not euery mannes in∣terpretaccion, nor after euery mannes arbitrement. For the prophetes, whiche spake of thinges before hande, did not speake after their owne braine nor after the deuyse of their owne mynde, but where they were holy men and pure from al humaine lustes, y^• holy gost inspired their hartes, & vsing them as his instru∣mētes, he signified his mynde vnto vs by thē accordingly. The thing y^• men set forth by mannes deuyse, may be perceaued by mannes wytte. But y^• thing y^e is set forthe by the inspiracion of the holy gost, requireth an interpretoure inspired with the lyke spirite. They that applye the thing, whiche is spoken of Christe, vnto any worldlye king: they that drawe the thing that is spoken of the lyfe of heauen, vnto the felicitie of this worlde: they that interprete the thing that is spoken of the treasures of the mynde, of the commodities of this worlde: doe very farre swerue from the misticall meanyng of the prophecy. Nether are they easely perswaded that Christ is come, in that by false interpretacion of the pro∣phecie, they imagine to them selues a certaine earthlye Messias, suche a one as he shewed not him selfe to be. And for that cause they acknowledge him not, not that he varieth from the spirituall ymage of the prophecye, but that he dif∣fereth from the ymagined ydole of faslye feyned interpretacion.