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 .xii. Chapiter.

The texte.

Him that is weake in the fayth, receiue vnto you, not in disputyng and troublyng his conscience. Due beleueth that he may eate all thinges. An other whiche is weake, cateth hearbes. Let not him that cateth, dispise him that cateth no••. And let not him whiche cateth not, iudge him that cateth. For God hath receiued him. What a••t that iudgest an other mans seruaūt, whether he stand or fal? that pertaineth vnto his owne maister: yea, he shalbe holden vp, that he may stand. For God is able to make him stand.

BUt surely albeit in the vse of suche thinges there be no difference nor choyse among suche as are in the fayth of Christ throughly instructed, so that they vse them* 1.1 not for pleasure, but for neede, as I before tolde you, yet if there be peraduenture any suche among you, as for exāple, a Iewe borne, whiche by reason of his long continued custome and trade of life, is some what sctu∣pulous, and not yet so growen vp to that ripenes of fayth, that he can forgoe al the rules of his old law, suche one may not by & by disdainfully be reiected, but rather with gentle and courtise maners allured and no∣rished, vntyl that he like wyse profite, and in fayth growe stronger, wher∣vnto ye shal muche rather bryng him by fauourable meanes, than by cō∣tencious reasonyng and disputacions.

Considre in suche matters, how vnmete a thing it is, that suche actes, as may without offence be done, should streight be taken in the worse parte. But to thentent that peace and cōcorde may among you be main∣tained and stedfastly abyde, certaine thinges must be wynked at, some thinges must be suffered, and some thinges must gently be takē. Suche gentle & fauorable takyng of thinges vpholdeth and preserueth the felowship of this our comen lite.

And synce mennes mindes among them selues are sondry and diuers, surely in a multitude neuer wyl there be stedfast peace, vnlesse in diuers* 1.2 pointes one geue place to an other. For he that is without all serupulo∣sitie, thynketh it lawfull without any difference to eate what meate him lust, in that acte nothyng els regardyng, but what nature requireth. Againe he that is yet weake and somewhat supersticious, lest he might chaunce either vpō fishe or other meates forbidden either by the Iewes lawe, or offered vp to idols, liueth with herbes. Suche thinges among you ought not so to be regarded, that for them brotherly peace be broken. Let him that is strong, & eateth al meates, so vse his strength, that yet he* 1.3 dispise not the weaker, whiche feareth to eate. Let him againe, whiche fo∣lowyng the weakenes of his mynde abstaineth from certayne kyndes of meate, neither judge nor condemne him, whiche without difference ta∣keth whatsoeuer is sette before him. But rather lette him that is strong, beare with the weake, in this sence takyng it: this errour conceiued and gathered by long custome of his former life, cannot sodainly be plucked out of his minde, it wyll by litle and lytle weare away, & as in him godly∣nes groweth, supersticion wyll vanishe and auoyde. Lykewyse he that is scrupulous, when he seeth an other eate all kyndes of meate, let him this wyse thynke with him selfe: what matter maketh it to me, what this man doeth▪ and likely it is, that he doeth it of a good mynde, synce God hath receiued and taken him vnto him, and made him his owne, at whose* 1.4 pleasure heliueth, against whom onely he offendeth, if there be in suche thinges any offence, as of them selfe are not cuil.

Now if it be an arrogant point to dispise the weakenes of him, that is supersticious, and deceiued through rudenes, how muche more intolle∣rable pride wyl this be (thinke ye) if suche one as in y^• fayth is but weake, take vpō him to iudge and condemne him that is stronger, euen as the rule and custome of vnlearned people is, whiche thinke nothing rightful* 1.5 but that them selfe do, and thinke all that good, that they allowe? Maye not a man wel say to suche one, what art thou, that iudgest and condem∣nest an other mannes seruaunt? There is but one lord and maister of al, Iesus Christ. To him stādeth he▪ if he be strong in fayth, & to him falleth he, if he offende, as thou thinkest, he doeth. For he in dede for this shall not fall, but rather be stablished to continue in his strong fayth. His maister is sufficiently able and mete to strengthen his seruaunt, that he stagger not at all.

The texte.

This man putteth difference betwene day & day, an other mā coumpteth all dayes alike. Let euery manues mynde satisfie him selfe. He that obserueth the day, doeth it vnto the lorde. And he that doeth not obserue the day doeth it for the lorde also. He

that eateth, doeth it to please the lorde, for he geueth God thankes. And he that eateth not, eateth not to please the lorde withal, and geueth God thankes. For noue of vs ly∣ueth for him selfe, and no man dyeth for him selfe. For if we liue, we liue vnto the lorde. And if we dye, we dye vnto the lorde. Whether we liue thefore, or dye, we are the lordes. For Christ therfore dyed, and rose againe, & reuiued, that he might be lorde of dead and quicke.

And that I haue now tolde you of the choyse of meates, the same in kepyng the sabboth day, and feastes of the newe moone, is like wyse to be vnderstande. For he that is weake, and of vnperfite fayth, maketh a* 1.6 difference betwixte day and day, as though one were holye and the other were not, and thinketh it vnlawful in this day to eate certaine meates or to labor, whiche man other day might well and lawfully be done. On the other lyde, he that is perfite and strong in his fayth, conceiueth in dayes no suche difference, but rather thinketh al the space of his life con∣sectate and halowed to godly conuersacion.

Breake not for suche pointes christian concorde among you, but with∣out condemnyng of other mennes cōsciences, let euery one herein do, as he iudgeth best, specially synce bothe wayes are without synne, and with both standeth the chiefe point of our religion. Whoso estemeth and iud∣geth in his conscience, that euery day is like pure and holy, doth so to his lorde, and to the, little belongeth it, how well he doeth. Lykewyse he that iudgeth, that there is betwixte day and day some difference, if he be decei∣ued, he doeth it vnto his lorde, thou hast therwith nothyng to do. Lyke∣wyse* 1.7 he that without difference eateth all kyndes of meate, he eateth to his lorde, forasmuche as he geueth thankes to God, through whose be∣nefite he eateth, whose free goodnes made all thynges for mannes vse. Againe whoso through the weakenes of his conscience abstaineth from certaine meates, he abstaineth to his lorde, and nothyng haste thou to do therwith, synce he eatyug hearbes and rootes geueth thankes to God, as wel as thou doest. If God allowe and accepte his thankes geuyng, why art thou so bolde vpō him to geue sentence? The cause of both is diuers, the matter one, both one mynde, and one lorde is there of both. The one geueth thankes for the libertie he hath to eat what he lust, knowing that the gospel putteth a difference betwixte mindes, and not betwixt meates▪ the other, whiles he shonneth the occasion of surfettyng, by the reason of his abstinence, he is kept within the bondes of temperaunce.

In all suche thinges we are equal, so that it besemeth no mā in defēce of his doyng to striue with his brother, sufficient it is, if God approue it, to whō the iudgement of such thinges belōgeth, as are either vncertain, or els suche as must for the tyme be borne with. No christian man hath power further vpon other, but y^• eche one do good to another. Nor liueth any man for him selfe, because we are all his, whiche from synne brought* 1.8 vs to goodnes, and from death restored vs to life. No mā therfore either liueth to him selfe, or dyeth to him selfe, nomore than any mans seruaunt doeth, vpō whose life and death his maister hath ful power & authoritie. Now if the seruaunt liue, he liueth not for his owne nor none other mans auauntage, but for the auauntage or disauauntage of his maister. If he dye, it is to the gayne or losse of his maister, whereby it appeareth

what a point of malapertnes it is, when one seruaunt entermedleth in his felowes matter, namely if in the meane season the maister be pleased. Now among men no seruaunt is so muche his maisters, as we are Chri∣stes seruauntes, who bought vs neither with golde nor siluer, but euen with his owne bloud. Whether we fall then, to him we fal: or if we stād, to him we stand, or if we liue, to him we liue, or if we dye, to him we dye.* 1.9 Other slaues peraduenture are theyr maisters no lōger, after y^t they are once dead, but we, whether we liue or dye, are the lordes, to whō all thyn∣ges liue.

Christ hath not onely power vpon them, whiche are aliue, but euen v∣pon them also that are dead, as whiche for our saluacion gaue bothe his life and death. For he for my cause became man and dyed, and after for my sake rose againe from death, to then••••nt that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and dead. If we liue to godlynes, we are bounde to him, if we dye to synne, we are bounde to him. He is our lorde, he is our iudge.

The texte.

But why doest thou then iudge thy brother? Either why doest thou dispise thy bro∣ther? We shal all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is written: as truely as I liue sayth the lorde, all knees shal bowe to me, and all tongues shall geue praise to God. So shal euery one of vs geue accoumptes of him selfe to God. Let vs not therfore iudge one an other any more.

And then, why doeth the seruaunt take vpon him any authoritie vpō his felowe, ouer whom onely God hath power? Thou that art somwhat scrupulous, with what boldnes (I say) iudgest thou thy brother, whiche is stronger than thou art, for that he frely eateth, or because he in like sort vseth euery day? Or why doest thou whiche art stronger, disdaine at and disp••se thy weaker brother, as though thou were his maister, and not ra∣ther his felow? Why doeth either of you both vsurpe Goddes authoritie* 1.10 and preuent the daye of iudgement? One must not iudge an other. The onely iudge of all wyll geue sentence vpō all. For al shal once be brought before y^• iudgement place of Christ, ther by his sentēce to be quited or cō∣dēned, who throughly seeth the most hidden & secrete partes of our heart. Vntyl that day, let not one seruaunt play the lorde vpon an other. For this honoure hath he for him selfe onely reserued, as him selfe sayeth by the prophet Esai: as truely as I liue sayeth the lorde, all knees shal bowe* 1.11 vnto me, and all tongues shal geue praise to God. In the meane season let euery man, asmuche as he can, with all his power endeuoure, howe he may for him selfe before this iudge make his accoumpte, and take heede that no man iudge others actes to the worse.

The texte.

But iudge this rather, that no man put a stumblyng blocke, or an occasion to fail in his brothers way: For I knowe, & am ful certified by the lorde Iesus, that there is no thyng comen of it selfe, but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen, to him it is comen. I•• thy brother be greued with thy meate, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroye not him with thy meate▪ for whom Christ dyed. Cause not your treasure to be euil spoken of. For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke, but righteousnes, and peace, and ioy in the holy goost. For he that in these thinges serueth Christ, pleaseth God, and is commended of men.

If we may for this tyme iudge of any thyng, let vs for the tyme iudge of this, and deuise how one of vs may helpe another and that we neither do any man hurte, nor geue occasion of hurte, asmuche as we may. Let vs comforte them that stagger, & not make them desperate, no nor let vs* 1.12 extinguishe the smolderyng flaxe, but enkendle it. If the persons digni∣tie & worthynes wer cōsidered, the weaker should obey him, that is better learned, but christian charitie would, that the learned should sometyme geue place and beare with the weaker, but yet not so, that he consent and fauor his errour, but either to thentent that he may be amended, or els at the lest so stayed, that he offende not more greuously.

And in this matter to speake somewhat of my selfe, Moses in his lawe many yeres gon geuen vnto the Iewes noted certaine meates for vn∣cleane, and the same meates in his language he calleth comen, as a man would say, cursed, of whō men might not lawfully eat, & certaine meates calleth he cleane, whiche euery man might lawfully vse. But now know I, and am by the spirite of Christ surely persuaded, whose pleasure was that the carnal part of the lawe should be abolished, that of his owne na∣ture* 1.13 no meate is there vnpure, and that there is no choyse of meate at al. But if any be vncleane, only to him it is vncleane, that so iudgeth of it, y^• is to wete, to the weake and scrupulous it is vncleane, but to suche one, as is strong and a perfite christiā, nothyng is vncleane, but to them that are cleane, all thynges are likewyse pure. And yet perauenture somtyme it were well done, to abstaine frō that, whiche is of it selfe good and pure, not because Moses lawe so commaūdeth, but because brotherly charitte, whiche specially belongeth to a christian man, so requireth.

For if for thy bodily foode thy brothers conscience be hurte or greued, whom thou shouldest as tendrely loue, as thou louest thy selfe, then liuest thou to thy self, and remembrest not, what mutual charitie requireth, as whiche regardest not, but disdainest the fall & ruine of the weake, whiche thing thou mightest easly remedy. Were it (I pray you) so great a matter so long to abstaine frō lawful meates, vntil suche tyme as thy neighbor beyng in ieoperdye be holpen therby? And albeit thy brother be weaker, though he be ruder, then thou art, yet coūpt him not for so vile, as for thy meates sake to suffre him to be destroyed, for whose saluaciō Christ died. If suche one, as he is, the lorde estemed so greatly, then should he not of the for a trifle be dispised. Nor thynke it sufficient, that the thyng thou doest, be right & wel done, but moreouer prouide must y^•, that in it there be no suspicion of euil, and beware lest that whiche to the is good, turne vnto other mennes harme, as it wyl, if menne among you see debate and strife for meate and drinke or for suche other smal trifles.

For as in the world to come, in the kyngdome of God (I say) there shal* 1.14 neither be meate nor drinke, whiche are remedyes for this oure mortall state: so the doctrine of Christes gospel, and perfite christian life standeth neither in differēce of meates nor drinkes, as which are suche thinges as are not to godlines effectual. Rather must we study and haue minde vpō suche thynges, as may with vs be conueied hence to that heauenly life.

And what thinges bene they? Withoute doubte iustice, peace, ioye, whiche* 1.15 are not gyuen by obseruyng differences of meates, but by the holy goost. Ianglyng for meates worketh malice and debate, it worketh sorowe, it worketh displeasures & grudges. But the spirite of god in stede of dissēciō worketh peace, in stede of sorowe, causeth gladnes, for displeasure & wrōg, perfyte ryghteousnes. For as it belongeth to iustice to hurte noman: so to peace belongeth it, to stryue with noman, and the office of charitie is to trouble and greue noman. These are spiritual giftes of god, in these, who so serueth Christe, bothe pleaseth god, whyles he dothe suche thynges, as to hym are moste acceptable, and pleaseth also men, whiles he by diligente wayes auoydeth all suspicion & occasion of euyll. Carnall they be, whiche stryuen eche one with other for meates and dayes. They serue the spirite of Christe, that stande not in defence of theyr owne actes, but rather suche as charitably please eche one another, and chaunge themselfe into euery sorte to wynne all to Christe, fashionyng themselues to all mennes vsua∣ges, to thentent they maye please euery man.

The texte.

Let vs therfore folowe those thinges, whiche make for peace, and thynges where∣with one maye edifie an other. Destroye not the worke of god for a litle meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it is euyl for the man, whiche eateth with hurte of conscience. It is good neither to eate fleashe, neither any thinge, wherby thy brother stombleth ei∣ther falleth, or is made weake. Haste thou fayth? haue it with thy selfe before god. Hap∣pye is he, that condemneth not hymselfe in that thing, whiche he alloweth: For he that maketh conscience, is damned, yf he eate: because he eatethe it not of fayth. For whatso¦euer is not of fayth, that same is syn,

We therfore, that are spiritual, leauyng suche contenciouse disputaci∣ons let vs folow suche thynges, as make to peace, suche thynges, as nou∣ryshe concorde, suche thinges, as encrease mutuall loue, and to be briefe, all such trade of lyfe, as maye make vs better, y^• one maye the better helpe another, & not suche, as other maye therwith be offēded. This is the chiefe and principall poynte of our religion. Thou that arte stronger, beware y^• for thy meates sake, thou destroye not the worke of God. Muche rather lose thy meate, than through occasion therof, y^• thing be destroyed, whiche god redemed by y^e death of his sonne. As for meate is a thing, y^• belongeth to man & is requisite for y^e ayde of worldly necessitie, but charitie is gods matier, when both be in ieopardy, let rather that gyue place, whiche bea∣reth* 1.16 lesse weight, not because in the meate eatyng there is any synne, or because one is pure, another vnpure, as the Iewes would haue it, or be∣cause it is any offence to eate of euery kynde of meate, but because therby occasion of stoumblyng and misdeming is giuen, not because thou ea∣test it, but because throughe eatyng therof, thou greuest thy weake and fe∣ble brother, by meane wherof the meate, whiche by nature is cleane, forso∣muche as thou in vsyng it regardest not thy neyghbours ieopardye, be∣commeth vncleane. This poynte muste we so greatly take hede vnto, and thynke, that better it were altogether to abstayne from fleashe, and to eate hearbes, yea altogether to forbeare the drynkyng of wyne, than by eating or drynkyng to gyue thy brother occasion of sclaunder.

Nor saye thou this agayne vnto me, why feareth he, where no nede is? myne owne fayth and conscience condemneth me not: nor saye thou what haue I with other mennes weakenes to do? Doest thou coūsel me to leaue myne owne mynde, and to folowe his, and so begynne to folowe and vse a certayne choyse and difference in meates? No not so. I require not of thee to folowe his weakenes, but rather for a tyme to condescende vnto it vpon hope of his amendmente. I allowe this confidence of thine, in that thou despiseste suche differences of meates, but yet hide and couer this thy boldnes, yf thou see that thy brother be lyke to fall into ieopardye therby. Be contente that god in the meane tyme knoweth and approueth* 1.17 the strengthe of thy conscience. And yet muste the same for that tyme be dissembled, whyles thou auoydeste the daunger, and weakenyng of thy neighbours conscience, by leanyng & fashionyng thy selfe to his weak∣nes. And in the meane tyme take hede of this, that where thou sayest, thou regardest no suche choyse of meates, that this thy saying come furth and procede of a strong cōscience, and not made for a colour to maynteine the pleasure, whiche thou hast to eatyng and drynking, nor for wantones. Beware also, leste, whiles thou dispisest and reprouest another for his su∣persticion in abstaynyng from meates, thy self in thy conscience doubte, and so be more strong in worde, than thou arte in fayth. Blessed is that man, whiche is of that strengthe in faythe, that in the acte, which he amōg men approueth and maynteneth, he feele not within hym his conscience murmuring agaynst it, and in his hearte secretly condemne that, which in the face of the worlde it approueth. For who soeuer doubteth iudgyng w^t hymself y^• it is vnlawful to eate, is euen by his owne conscience condēned. And why is he cōdemned? Because the acte he doth, cōmeth not of a strōg fayth, and an vpright conscience, but of a conscience grudgyng agaynste his doyng. For what soeuer commeth not of fayth, is ioyned with syn. For when a manne doubtyng of an acte whether it be euyll or not, whiche of it selfe is not euyll in dede, doth it yet nethelesse, he in so doyng declareth, y^• he woulde do a verie euyll thyng in dede, yf occasion serued. Perfite god∣lynes in whome it is, surely auoydeth all suche thynges, as haue but euen an apparence of euyll. Whoso of malyce doth synfully, is well wor∣thy* 1.18 to be reproued, yf suche one wyll not be refourmed, euen his company must be auoyded also. But when y^• errour grow∣eth by reason of infirmitie, he that is in suche errour muche more deserueth to be taught and warned, and not to be disdayned or mocked at.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Him that is weake in the fayth, recei••e vnto you▪ ••••.
• * 1.2

  One beleueth that he map eat al thinges
• * 1.3

  Let not him that eateth▪ dispise him that eateth not ••t.
• * 1.4

  For god hath receiued him▪
• * 1.5

  What arte y^• that iudgest an other mās seruaunt▪
• * 1.6

  This manne putteth diffe∣rēce betwene day and day.
• * 1.7

  He y^• eateth doeth it to please y^• lord, ••o•• he geueth god thankes.
• * 1.8

  None of vs liueth for him seltr. &c.
• * 1.9

  Whether we liue therfore o•• dye, we are the lorde••.
• * 1.10

  We shal al ••e brought be∣fore the iudge¦ment seate of Christ.
• * 1.11

  Let vs not therfore iudge one an other.
• * 1.12

  Iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke. &c. in his brothers way.
• * 1.13

  I know and am full certi∣fied. &c that there is no∣thyng comen of it selfe.
• * 1.14

  The kyng∣dome of God is not meate & drinke. &c.
• * 1.15

  But righte∣ousnes, and peace, & ioye in the holye ghost,
• * 1.16

  All thynges are pure but it is euell for that man••e which eateth with hurt of conscience.
• * 1.17

  Haste thou fayth? haue it not with thy selfe before god.
• * 1.18

  For whatso∣euer is not of fayth, y^• same is synne.