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.

I would not that this secrete should be hid from you my brethren, (lest ye should be wyse in your owne conceiptes) that partly blindnes is happened in Israel, vntyl the fulnes of the gentiles be come in: and so al Israel shalbe saued. As it is written: there shal come out of Sion he that doeth deliuer, and shal turne away vngodlines from Ia∣cob. And this is my couenaunt vnto them, when I shal take away their synnes. As cō∣cernyng the gospel they are enemies for your sakes: but as touchyng the eleccion, they are loued for theyr fathers sakes.

I wyll brethren open vnto you a hidden mistery, whiche should para∣uenture not be spoken of at al, wer it not that the same is for you very ex∣pedient to be knowen, lest ye proudly take to muche vpō you, forsomuch as ye thinke your selfes to be sette before the Iewes. The blyndnes I spake of, whervnto the Iewes are fallen, neither fell vpon the whole na∣cion, nor shall continue styl. Of them many knowledge Christ, the rest shal so long cōtinue in theyr blyndnes, vntyl that the numbre of gentiles be throughly filled vp, whiche through the Iewes fal haue had an entry into this condicion. But when after long tyme they shal see all the whole worlde to florishe in the fayth of Christ, that they in vaine looke for theyr Messias, and that theyr cytie, theyr temple, theyr sacrifices, and all theyr whole nacion is dispersed and scatered abrode, through the light of vn∣derstandyng, they wyll at the last begyn to knowledge theyr errour, and

wel vnderstande that Christ is the very true Messias. So that albeit some of them are now growen out of kinde, yet shal then the whole num∣bre of the Israelites be saued. Then shal they for good skil be called right Israelites, when with the light of fayth they shal begyn to se that Christ is bothe God and the sonne of God, and through theyr strength in fayth, more then vpon any confidence in workes, wreste out with strong hande the benediccion of God.

And because ye shal beleue this the better, the same was also by y^• pro∣phete Esai long before sayd. Bothe were prophecied of, that is to wete, bothe that they should fall, & also rise againe and amende: the one see we already done, so y^• and y^• thyng self cōfirmeth & establisheth y^• prophecie, thother with like fayth we loke hereafter to ensue. The prophecie is this, there shal come out of Siō he that shal deliuer, and shal turne away vn∣godlynes frō Iacob, and this is my couenaunt with them, when I shal take away theyr sinnes. With this nacion made God once a couenaunt, whiche beyng surely made and decreed, though some make them self vn∣worthy of Goddes promise, yet for theyr vnworthynes God wyll not suf∣fre his promise to be vtterly vayne. Some shal yet remaine, that shal re∣ceiue the whole stockes right. For notwithstandyng they are fallen from the grace of God, yet are they not so fallen, that they can not be recōciled. As many of them as receiue not the gospel of Christ, but cleaue styll faste to the letter of the law, are euē y^• enemies of God, & that (but be not proud of it) turned you to good, for vpon theyr refusal and forsaking of the gos∣pel, the same was to you by so muche y^• rather offered. But yet in asmuche as they are descended of godly and holy parentes, and are that nacion, whom among all other God chose out peculiarly for him selfe: for theyr sakes God greatly regardeth them, so that if they amende, they shall the rather be receiued into his fauor, because that, whiche we now preache, God long synce promised to theyr fore fathers.

Notes

• Vntil the ful¦nes of the gentiles be come in.
• And so shal all Israel be saued.
• There shall come out of Sion he that doth deliuer.