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 Chapiter.

The texte.

¶ Paule the seruaunt of Iesus Christ, called to the office of an Apostle, put aparte for the gospel of God, whiche he had promised afore by his prophetes in the holy scrip¦tures of his sonne, whiche was borne vnto him of the seede of Dauid after the fleashe: and hath bene declared to be the sonne of god with power, after the spirit that sancti∣fieth, synce the tyme that Iesus Christ our lorde rose againe from death, by whom we haue receiued grace & Apostleship, that obedience might be geuen vnto the fayth in his name among all heathen, of whose numbre you be the electe of Iesus Christ.

PAule, euen I the very same, so becomen of Saule, that is to say, of an vnquiet person, a peacemaker of late subiect to Moses lawe, now made fre ther∣of, and becomen the seruaunt of Iesus Christ, not like a false souldiar that falleth from his capitain or one that like a truant forgoeth his olde profes∣sion, but called foorth to do this message, & muche more to my cōtentacion deuided now, than at that tyme whā I was a mainteiner of the deuided Pha¦risaical secte, vpō an vngodly zeale, and light per∣suasion wanderyng out of the right way: now, and neuer before meete to be called by the surname of vnfained diuision, as one deuided and chosen* 1.1 out by Christ him self to labour and trauaile in a muche more weyghtie mat••er, to preache (I say) the ioyfull tidynges of God, whiche is no new found phātasie, but promised many yeres synce in his owne prophecies, whiche remayne still in bookes of no smal credence, but in suche as are of an holy and moste vndoubted trueth of his sonne, whiche was touchyng his frayle manhed, borne in tyme, of the seede of Dauid, and was neuer∣thelesse declared to be the euerlastyng sonne of God euerlastyng, by the holy gooste, as well appeared bothe by diuerse other profes, as moost•• specially, by that he ouercame death, and rose againe from the dead, now becomen to al suche, as in him are borne againe, the prince and chiefe au∣thour of resurreccion, I meane Iesus Christ our Lord, by whom we haue obtayned not onely suche fauer, as the kepyng of the lawe could not help* 1.2 vs to, but also in suche sorte to be his messagier, that as by other Apostles Christes gospel hath bene spread abroad among the Iewes, so may it by me likewyse be set foorth among all heathens, whatsoeuer they be: not to trouble them with the burdaine of the lawe, but to make them yelde and submit them selfes obediently to the doctrine of Christes fayth, stedfast∣ly cleauyng therto, not to the vaine wysedome of Philosophers: of whi∣che noumbre of heathens ye Romaines are also touchyng your nacion, but by adopcion & fatheryng called all to the right title of inheritaunce & surname of Iesus Christ, whiche point I incidently geue you warnyng

of, leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square, whi∣che through a fauorable and gentle fatheryng, are now made one mans children.

The texte.

¶ To all you that be at Rome, beloued of God and called sainctes, grace be with you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

To al you therfore, as many as be at Rome, the dearely beloued chil∣dren of God, and to suche, as from your former synful life are called to godlynes, grace and peace wyshe I vnto you, not suche as the worlde cō∣monly* 1.3 wysheth, but a substancial and a new grace, that is to wete, the fre gift of fayth taught by the gospel perfectly iustifiyng: and by it through the vtter abolishement of al the offēces of your former life, a quiet peace of conscience, and a stedfast peace and frendship with God, whiche twoo are neither gotten by any helpe of worldly wysdome, nor yet by keapyng of Moses lawe, but are obteined of al menne, by the free gifte of God the father, and his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord.

The texte.

First verely I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all, that your fayth is spoken of in all the worlde. For God is my wytnes, whom I serue with my spirite in the gospel of his sonne, that without ceasyng I make mencion of you, praiyng alwayes in my prayers, besechyng that by some meane, at laste (one tyme or other) a prosperouse iourney (by the wyl of god) might fortune me to cum vnto you. For I long to see you, •• I might bestowe among you some spiritual gifte to strength you withal: that is, that I might haue consolacion together with you, through the common fayth, whiche bothe ye and I haue.

And fyrst of all, verely in all your names I rendre thankes to God the father, whiche through Christ his sonne hath geuen you this, that ye, whiche heretofore wer faythles, are now through your fayth in great re∣noume in all the worlde, and muche spoken of. Whiche reporte certaynly for the loue I beare towarde you, can not be vnto me, but very pleasant. For God the father is my wytnes, whom I now beyng deliuered from Moses law, do seruice vnto, not with the grosse and carnall ceremonies therof, but spiritually, by preachyng the gladsome tidynges of his sonne (for this seruice pleaseth him beste) that alwayes and without ceasyng I remembre you in my prayers: besechyng his goodnes, if it maye by any meane be, that my long desyre made vnto him may at last ous take effect, whiche is, that his pleasure may be, I may prosperously and with a me∣ry* 1.4 iourney cum to you. For surely a great longyng haue I to see you, not for any aduauntage of myne to be had for so doyng, but to bestowe some gifte among you: not the grosse gifte of Moses lawe, but the spiri∣tual gifte of Christ, to establishe you more surely, in that ye haue already begunne: orels to speake it better, that euery one of vs maye be to other comfortable, whyles I shalbe ioyfull for you fayth, and ye likewyse a∣gayne reioyce of myne, by meane wherof this wyll insue, that bothe our faythes shal through mutual cōfortyng be more ayded and strengthned. The cause why this hath not hitherto bene done, rose not of me.

The texte.

I would that ye should knowe brethren, how that I haue often tymes purposed to cum vnto you: but haue bene leat hitherto, to haue also sum fruite among you, as a∣mong other of the gētiles. I am debter bothe to the grekes & to the vngrekes, to the ler∣ned, & to the vnlearned: so that (as muche as in me is) I am ready to preache the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospell of Christ, because it is the power of God vnto saluacion to euery one that beleueth: to the Iewe first, and also to the gentile.

Muche rather assure your selfes (brethren) that oftētymes purposed I to see you, but vntil this tyme some one lette or other hath chaunced: that I could not, and for this cause desired I so muche to see you, that I might among you also do sum good, as I haue heretofore done among other nacions. Nor am I bounde to bestowe this my labour of prea∣chyng the gospel, wherwith I am by God putte in truste, peculiarly vpō this nacion or that, but as he is indifferently God of all the worlde, so is Christes gospel equally due to all people. I cal y^• gospel a meane, wher∣by a man is made righteous through fayth in Iesus Christ the sonne of God, whom the lawe promised, and in figure represented.

Debter therfore am I herein, not onely to the Grecians, but also to* 1.5 barbarous nacions, not to the learned and eloquente onely, but to the rude also and vnlearned, whosoeuer he be, that renounceth it not, nor dis∣dayneth it. So that, asmuche as in me is, I am in a ioyful readynes to preache the gospell, euen vnto you also that are at Rome. No neither the maiestie of thempier of Rome maketh me afrayde so to do, nor thinke I the preachyng of Christes gospel any suche thyng, wherof I ought to* 1.6 be ashamed. For as to the wicked and vnfaythfull the gospell seameth a matier to be laughed at, and vaine: so whoso beleueth it, to him it is the mightye power of God, effectual to saluacion, and perfecte quietyng of mennes cōsciences: whiche thynges neither Iewes tradicions, nor your Philosophie, nor yet your dominion are able to bryng aboute. And al∣beit this mightie power of the gospel be in like condicion auailable to al men, yet as Goddes pleasure was, so for honoures sake, fyrst was it offe∣red to the Iewes, after that streight by the preachers of the gospel, to be spread abroade among the grecians, and al other nacions of the worlde: to the ende, al men should bothe knowledge their owne vnrighteousnes, & also seeke to be made righteous by God, whither they be Englishmen, or Frenchemen. For farre is that man frō saluacion, whiche neither kno∣weth his owne disease, nor woteth where to seeke for remedy.

The texte.

¶ For by it is the righteousnes of god opened from fayth to fayth. As it is writen, The iuste shal liue by fayth.

And whereas before this tyme sondrie men thought righteousnes to stande in sondrie pointes, now by preachyng of Christes gospel all men knowe righteousnes, not of Moses, (I say) but of God him selfe, whiche standeth not in supersticious worshippyng of idolles, nor in Iewishe ceremonies, but is wonne by fayth, whiles men knowledge and consent,

that God nowe perfourmeth that, whiche he long synce by the mouth of his prophetes promised to do. Euen as Abacu•• also prophecied, saying:* 1.7 my righteous shal liue by fayth.

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* 1.8 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* 1.9 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* 1.10 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.

The texte.

Wherfore God gaue them vppe vnto shamefull lustes. For euen their wemen did chaunge the naturall vse, into that, whiche is against nature. And likewyse also the menne lefte the natural vse of the woman, and brent in their lustes one with another, men with menne wrought filthynes, An•• receiued to them selues the rewarde of their errour, as it was accordyng.

Through this meanes (I saye) God beyng displeased suffered them to runne furth headlong into all filthye and beastely lustes. In so∣muche that not onely the menne, but also theyr women forgeatyng theyr kinde, chaunged the natural vse of womans body into that, whiche is a∣gainst nature, therin doubtles folowyng the men, whiche leauyng (as I sayd) the natural vse of women, brent in foule and abominable lustes, one of them vpon an other, so that the male vpon his like committed de∣testable vncleanes. And after they had by suche vilanouse wayes done iniurye and spyte to God, rewarde was geuen vnto them meete for suche madnes.

The texte.

¶ And as they regarded not to knowe God, euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a leude mynde, that they should do those thinges whiche wer not comely, beyng full of al vnrighteousnes, fornicacion, wickednes, couetousnes, maliciousnes, ful of enuye, mur∣der, debate, deceyte, euil condicioned, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, doers of wrong, proude, bosters, bringers vp of euil thinges, disobedient to father and mother, without vnderstandyng, couenaunt breakers, vnlouyng, truce breakers, vnmercifull. Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God (considered not) howe that they, whiche committe suche thynges, are worthy of death, not onely they that do the same, but also they whiche haue pleasure in them, that do them.

For as they coulde neither be content to acknowledge and honoure

God, whō they sufficiētly knew, so againe God suffered them beyng blin∣ded w^t theyr owne darkenes to walke foorth in leudenes of minde, & that so farre, that they committed suche detestable actes, as beseamed no rea∣sonable man to do, whiche wer elswyseful of al naughtynes, fornicacion couetousnes, wickednes, enuye, murder, debate, deceipte, maliciousnes, euil cōdicioned, whisperers, back biters, haters of God, doers of wrong, proude, bosters, bringers vp of mischiefe, disobedient to father and mo∣ther, without vnderstādyng, inordinate, couenaunt breakers, vnlouyng trucebreakers, vnmerciful. These people wheras they right well knewe,* 1.11 that a God there is, & knowe also that he is exactly and in euerye point iuste, so that it can not be auoyded, but that suche outragious offenders are worthy death: not onely do suche deedes thē selfe, but also consentyng to other like doers, are to the vnlerned an occasion of stumblyng & ruine

Notes

• * 1.1

  Put aparte for y^• gospel.
• * 1.2

  By whō we haue receiued grace and A∣postleship. &c.
• * 1.3

  Grace be with you &c.
• * 1.4

  For I loue to see you, that I might. &c.
• * 1.5

  I am debter bothe to the grekes, and vngrekes.
• * 1.6

  For I am not ashamed of the gospel.
• * 1.7

  Abacu••, ••••.
• * 1.8

  Which with∣hold y^• truthe ••n vnrighte∣ousnes. &c.
• * 1.9

  Because that whan they knew god. &c.
• * 1.10

  And as they regarded not to knowe God. &c.
• * 1.11

  Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God. &c.