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 the wrath of God appeareth from heauen against all vngodlynes and vnrigh¦teousnes of men, whiche withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnes: seyng that it, whiche may be knowen of God, is manifest among them, for God hath shewed it vnto thē. Yea his inuisible thinges, (that is to say, his eternall power and godhead) are sene, for as∣muche as they are vnderstand by the workes from y^• creacion of the world: so that they are without excuse, because that when they knewe God, they glorified him not as god, neither wer thankefull, but wa••ed full of vanities in their imaginacions, and they: folishe heart was blynded. When they coumpted them selues wyse, they became fooles, and turned the glory of the immortal God, vnto an image, made not onely after the similitude of a mortall man: but also of birdes, and foure footed beastes and crea∣••yng beastes. Wherfore God gaue them vppe to vncleanes through the lustes of their owne heartes to defile their owne bodies among them selues: Whiche turned his trueth to a lye, and worshipped and serued the thynges that be made, more then him that made them, whiche is blessed for euer and euer. Amen.

For wheras before this tyme all people in maner without al punishe∣ment and correccion, and as though God bare with and fauoured mens synnes, fell to mischiefe, now declareth he openly by his sonne sent from heauen, that his wrath is for good cause sette on fyer, and ready to take vengeaunce vpon al men, after what sorte soeuer they be vngodly or vn∣righteouse, yea, euen vpon them, that to Moses lawe are straungers, because the trueth in maner knowen vnto them, they applied not to god∣ly and vertuouse conuersacion, but helde on neuertheles in theyr synfull lyfe styll, and because also they knowyng muche more of God, than the rude and ignoraunt people, wer yet no lesse deuilishe than the other. God in dede wholly and perfitely, as he is, can in no wyse by mannes wytte be knowen, and yet asmuche as by it might be vnderstanden, men haue ob∣tayned, albeit not so muche neither, without his great goodnes. For ne∣uer had they gotten somuche, had not God opened it vnto them, as he in dede did, albeit not by the bookes of the prophetes, in whō men thought he onely spake vnto the Iewes, at lestewyse yet by the wonderfull crea∣cion of this whole world.

For notwithstandyng God him selfe can not be seen, yet is he by mans wytte knowen through beholdyng this worlde wrought so wonderfully, and gouerned also so meruailously. Wherof albeit a beginnyng there was, and hereafter an ende shal folowe, yet by the workemanshippe of it is vnderstanden the power of the maker, whiche neither hath beginnyng nor endyng, yea, and moreouer his godhead also, wherin he alwayes was in him selfe of moste perfeccion, euen before the worlde was made, all whiche was by God done, because they should haue none excuse left them to cloke theyr wickednes withal. For where they knewe well, that a God there was, yet neither honoured they him as God, chiefe ruler and go∣uernoure of all, nor yet gaue him thankes, as to the geuer of al goodnes, whom doubtles they wer yet of dutie bounden to laude and praise for the

same knowledge, wherof they wer so proude, but swellyng with the blast of vaynglory they became vayne, and wer in theyr imaginacions decei∣ued, theyr folishe vnderstandynges also darkened with the mistie cloude of arrogancie, and in that became vnlearned fooles, because they bosted them selfe to be wise men and eloquent.

Marke nowe, into what blindnes and foolishenes they fel. They turned and counterfaited the maiestie of God immortall, not onely after the image of a mortal man, but also after the image of byrdes, fourefoo∣ted beastes, and crepyng beastes. And in punishement of suche mon∣strous honouryng of God, he suffered them so to runne on headlong, that they folowyng theyr owne desyres fell to suche filthy vncleanes, that eche one of them abused and dishonoured others bodyes, doyng shameful vilanie therunto. And surely well worthy wer they to fall into suche horrible synnes, that through pride so vnordrely and out of fashion honoured God, whom they knewe, as whiche in steede of very god selfe, worshipped a false maumet made with mannes hande, and frowardly stouped vnto creatures, worshippyng them euen aboue him, that made all thynges, therin wrongful to God, to whom onely praise is to be ge∣uen as onely among men worthy therof for euer.

Amen.

Notes

• Which with∣hold y^• truthe ••n vnrighte∣ousnes. &c.
• Because that whan they knew god. &c.
• And as they regarded not to knowe God. &c.