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.

¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis: this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god, and the seuen starres. I know thy worckes: thou hast a name that thou lyuest, and thou art dead. Be awake, and strength the thinges whiche re∣mayne, that are readie to dye. For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god. Remember therfore, how thou hast receaued and hearde, and holde fast, and repente. If thou shalt not watche, I wyll come on the as a the••e, and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the.

AL this dothe Christe speake, which is ful of al gyftes of y^• holy goost, without measure, & dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite, vnto all churches, & to all faythfull ouerseers of the christē congregaciō. No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of god∣nes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie, is of any value before god. He wyll haue faith and loue, whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe, as infydelitie is of death. But this faythe & loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone, but he must also moue and further o∣ther men vnto the same, thorow his instrucciō, good example of lyfe, and thorow praier. But alas, there is great lacke of true faith in the churche, whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare.

For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes, and of the true honour of god, done of a pure conscience, or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the a∣postles: There is but lytle zeale, I say, in professynge & folowynge of this gos∣pell, in worde and lyfe together. There are but fewe, whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues, doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it, or inforce them selues with dilygence, to lyue in all godlynes, and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses, as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be, seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpō them they can not tell howe soone.