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 .v. Chapiter.

The texte.

Because therfore y^• we are iustified by fayth, we are at peace with god, through our lord Iesus Christe: by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth, vnto this grace wherin we stande: & reioyse in hope of the glorye of the chyldren of god, Not that only, but also we reioyse in tribulatiō knowyng, y^• tribulatiō bryngeth paciēce, pa∣cience bringeth experience, experience bringeth hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, for the loue of god is shed abrode in our heartes, by the holy ghost whiche is geuen vnto vs.

COnsyderyng that only syn causeth variaunce betwixt god and man, now are we certeynly at peace with god, because that of wicked & synful people we are made ryghteous, &* 1.1 that neither by Moses law, whiche rather encreased oure offēces nor for our workes, but as our father Abrahā was for oure faythes sake reconciled vnto god y^• father, whose frende also through fayth Abraham became, & that neither through Mo∣ses, but through the only sonne of god our lorde Iesus Christ, which with his bloud washed away our offences, & by his death reconcilyng vs vnto god, beyng before y^• tyme displeased with vs, so opened for vs an entrye, y^• we through lyke fayth without either the lawe, or circumcision mighte be brought into this grace of god promysed by the ghospell.

In whiche fayth we stande stedfaste, and not only stande with good wyll & couragiouslye, but also reioyce not only because we are at peace w^t god but also for that we are pute in sure hope, that through oure stedfastnes of fayth, we shal in tyme to come enioye the glorie of heauen. Nor enuye we the Iewes, through the glory of their circumcision, and as we enuye them not, so mislike we not our fayth, the brynger furthe of suche plenti∣full fruicte, nor yet repent we our glory, with hope wherof we for this pre∣sent tyme are aduaunced & vnderpyght. Whiche glorie albeit it be suche, as cannot yet be seene, and thoughe without sufferyng of aduersities and troubles we attayne not therunto, yet euē the same troubles in the meane season recken we a thyng to reioyce and glorye of, as whiche we suffer both to our hyghe prayse, & are also suche, as open vnto vs the gate to life euerlasting. For this new example hath Christ both geuē vs, & by him al∣so taught are we this excellent doctrine, that by sufferyng of tribulatiōs, the vertue of pacience is strengthened: and as the fyer tryeth golde, so throughe pacience become we better tryed and proued both of god & man. Agayne the more tribulatiōs we suffer, the surer hope of rewarde stande* 1.2 we in. Nor is it to be feared, leste this hope mysse & disapoynt vs, & of our belief make vs ashamed, before y^• wicked people because we haue euē now therof in hande a moste sure pledge and earnest penye, whiche is the mer∣uaylous and vnspeakeable loue of god towarde vs, not onlye externally shewed vnto vs, but most plētifully printed in our heartes in manier cō∣pellyng vs to loue hym agayne wrought by the holy ghost, & in steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage, assuryng vs of his promise herafter surely to be perfourmed.

The texte.

For when we were yet weake, accordyng to the tyme, Christ dyed for vs, which wer vngodlye. Yet scarce wyl any man dye for a ryghteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durste a man dye. But god setteth but his loue towarde vs, seyng that whyle we were yet synners, according to the tyme, Christ dyed for vs Muche more then nowe we that are iustified by his bloude, shalbe saued from wrathe through hym.

For had not god of his great mercy singulerly loued and pitied vs. Iesus Christ his only sonne had neuer by the wyl of his father descended* 1.3 into earth, nor haue taken oure mortall fleshe vpon hym, and so haue dy∣ed, namely, what tyme we were weake, thrall, and subiecte to beastlye de∣syres, whiche were by the lawe more lyke to be prouoked, than to be bryde∣l••d and suppressed. Bad yet as we then were, he loued vs in hope of salua¦cion, yea he loued vs beyng wycked people and deuilyshe ydolaters, and so loued vs, that for our sakes he wyllyngly suffered death, whiche was the greatest, euident, and moste singuler poynt of loue, that euer could be shewed. Among men scarcely shal any man fynde another so frendlye, as wyl for his good and wel deseruyng frendes sake suffer death: But to graunt that some suche maye some where be founde, as for his approued frende wyl paraduenture be contented to dye, yet hath god shewed an ex∣ample passyng all examples of suche earthly loues, whom it pleased euen for wycked and vnworthy persons to delyuer his onlye sonne to death. Now if god haue for vs beyng wycked people and offenders done thus muche, how muche rather wyl he do for vs beyng nowe purged, chastised,

and by the bloud of his sonne, reconciled vnto hym, that we through sinne fall no more into his displeasure, and therby stande in ieopardy of more greuouse dānation not only for our synful lyfe, but also because we should then be vnthankefull. Christe dyed for vs but for a season, but he rose a∣gayn for euer. And as he dyed for vs, so arose he agayne for our sakes.

The texte.

¶ For yf when we were enemies, we were reconciled to god by the deathe of his sonne, muche more, seyng we are reconciled, we shalbe preserued by his lyfe. Not onlye this, but we also ioye in god by the meanes of oure lorde Iesus Christe, by whome we haue nowe obtayned the attonement.

Now and yf by his death he haue this muche done for vs, that where as before that tyme god was with vs highly offended and displeased, we haue hym nowe gratiouse and merciful, muche rather shal we so through his lyfe be preserued, that we nomore fall into his displeasure. By his death deliuered are we from synne, his lyfe shal preserue vs in innocēcie, his death hath delyuered vs from the power of the deuill, his lyfe shall towarde vs continew the loue of his father. These are suche euident syg∣nes* 1.4 of goddes loue towarde vs, that they not only put vs in a quyet assu∣raunce, and in a sure hope to be saued from the vengeaūce of god to come, but also gyue vs a lustye courage, euen to glorie not of oure deseartes. but with thankes geuyng to god the father, through whose bountefull mercy we haue receyued this welthy state, promysed by hym to be geuen vnto vs, neither for the lawes, nor for circumcisions sake, but through Ie∣sus Christ his sonne, by whose meanes we are restored into his fauour a∣gayne, to thentent that for all this benefite, thankes should be gyuen to noman, but to god hymself and to his only sonne. Al whiche was done by the meruaylous & secrete counsel of god, to the ende, y^• the waye & meanes of oure restoryng shoulde agree with the waye of oure damnation.

The texte.

Wherfore▪ as by one man syn entred in the worlde, and death by the meanes of syn: euen so death also went ouer al men, insomuche as all men synned. For euen vnto the law was syn in the worlde, but synne is not imputed where there is no lawe, neuerthe∣lesse death raigned from Adam to Moses, euen ouer thē also, that had not synned with lyke transgressiō as dyd Adam, which beareth the similitude of hym, that was to come.

Wherfore as by Adam, whiche fyrste transgressed the commaunde∣mente of god, synne entred into the worlde, and by the meanes of synne,* 1.5 death, because syn is, as it were the poyson of mannes soule, by whose occasion synne, whiche had his begynning in the fyrst of our stocke, issued furthe into all his posteritie, whyles eche man folowed the exāple of their fyrst parente: so through Christe alone, in whome by fayth al are borne a∣gayne, we receyue innocencie, and therwyth lyfe: whiche blessednes lyke∣wyse hauyng his begynnyng in one fyrst and new authour of generaciō, Christe, is spread abrode amonge all them, whiche are throughe faythe knyt vnto hym, and in hurtlesse lyfe folowe his steppes. But when synne had once ouergone the world, and poysoned all mankynde, suche was the strength therof, that it coulde by no meanes, neyther by the lawe of nature, nor yet by Moses lawe be vanquyshed, so that by the lawe no∣thyng was done but that suche as hadde offended, knewe that they were gylty and worthy of damnation. For as to chyldren, in whō the lawe of nature hath no place, by reason of theyr tēder age not able as yet to dis∣cerne,

what is good, and what is not, syn is not yet imputed, no more was* 1.6 it layde vnto the Paynyms charge, yf they ought dyd agaynst Moyses lawe. Therfore before the lawe gyuen, whiche shewed men theyr synnes, by reason of the law of nature the world in dede was not vtterly without synne, but yet bare men at that tyme with themselfes: and as it wer with∣out correctiō fell to all licenciousnes, as though they had ben vtterly law¦les. Forasmuche as therfore he was not yet comen, whiche should take a∣waye the synnes of the world, and vanquyshe the tyrannye of death, death which enteryng through Adams offence raygned without any resistence, euen vpon them also whiche had not maliciously offended agaynst the cō∣maundement of god, as Adam dyd, which euen than bare the ymage and fygure of Christ, whiche should come lōg after, and yet meane I not, that he is in euery poynte vnto Christe lyke, but that he in some poyntes bare the ymage of Christ. In this poynt lyke, that both were the begynners of a generation, the one of an earthly, the other of an heauenly. In this lyke also, that a certayne thyng is frome both begynners deriued into theyr posterities, but the difference is, that from the earthly Adam was the be∣gynnyng of vnrighteousnes and synne, but by the heauenly Adam is gy∣uen all grace and goodnes.

The texte.

But the gifte is not like as the synne. F•••• if through the synne of one, many be dead, muche more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God and gift by grace whiche was gyuen by one man Iesus Christ.

But now as these two are partely like: so wer they not equal. For be∣sides that elswyse of it selfe it is a thing more effectual to saue then to de∣stroy,* 1.7 muche more strong and mightye is Christ to saue, then was Adam to condempne, so that muche more effectual is Christes obedience to geue life, then was the trāsgression of Adam to worke death, so that in all poin∣tes Christes goodnes ouerwaigheth the offence of Adam, which thyng I monishe you of and say, leste any man might thynke the synne of our fyrst parent to be so outragious, that he should dispaire of his restoryng again to saluacion. For it one mannes synne was of suche power, that it made so great a numbre of people thral vnto death, of muche more power, plen∣tyfulnes & more general shal the benefite of God be and his mercyful gift which he hath gynē vs by one man lykewyse, I meane Iesus Christ y^• au∣thor of godly and innocent lyfe, by whome he hath not onely taken awaye the tyranny of death and syn, but hath also in steade of syn gyuen righte∣ousnes, and in the steade of the tyranny of death, the kyngdō of life, so that the offēce of Adam through the great mercy of god, tourned to our weale and aduauntage.

The texte.

¶ And the gyfte is not ouer one synne: as death came through one sinne of one, that synned. For damnation came of one synne vnto condemnation: but the gyfte came to iustifie from many synnes. For yf by the synne of one, death raigned by the meanes of one, muche more they (whiche receaue aboundaunce of grace & of the gyft of righteous∣nes) shall raigne in lyfe by the meanes of one (that is to saye) Iesus Christe.

Agayne thoughe throughe Adams onlye offence damnation entred, and through innocēt Christe, saluation: yet is not one equal to another. For in suche sorte had damnacion her begynnyng, that the synne of one man issued into al his posteritie, by meane wherof it might in continuaūce

of tyme, at the last haue made the whole world thrall to synne: but y^• bene∣fite of god cōtrarywyse is in suche sorte gyuen, y^• the sinnes of al the world then gathered together, and growen strong are at once by Christes death wyped awaye, and not only so, but also righteousnes is gyuen. And ther∣fore* 1.8 albeit the synne of onlye one man had suche a power, that it brought all men vnder the tyranny of death, so that all suche as had offended, as Adam did, could not be, but vnder the same yoke, that he was, yet muche more receaue we through the bountifull and ouer flowyng mercy of god, whiche is, that all suche as folowyng the example of Christ, liue iustlye & innocently, shall not only be free from the tyranny of synne and death, but also through him, whiche is the onely authour of our felicitie and welthe raigne themselfes in lyfe euerlastyng.

The texte.

¶ Lykewyse then, as by the synne of one, there sprang vp euell on all men to cond••̄∣nation: euen so by the righteousnes of one: spryngeth good vpon all men to the righte∣ousnes of lyfe. For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners: so by the obe∣dience of one, shall many be made righteouse. But the lawe in the meane tyme entred in, that synne shoulde encrease. Neuerthelater where aboūdaunce of sinne was, there was more plenteousnes of grace. That as synne had raygned vnto death, euē so myght grace raigne through righteousnes, vnto eternall life by the helpe of Iesus Christe.

Herein therfore are bothe lyke, that as by the offence of one man, syn came into the worlde, by meane wherof all became thrall vnto death: so through y^• ryghteousnes of one, whiche is deriued into al suche, as beleue and submyt themselfe vnto the kyngdom of lyfe, are all men of god made righteouse and partakers of the kyngdom of life. For as by Adā, through* 1.9 his disobedience to goddes commaundement, many became synners, whi∣les they folowed theyr fyrst fathers trāsgression: so shal only Christ which euen vnto the death of the crosse obeyed god his father, make many righ∣teouse, all suche (I saye) as are folowers of his obedience. But to returne agayne vnto our former purpose, yf by suche meanes as we before spake of, it pleased god both to take awaye synne, & also to geue righteousnes & lyfe, to what purpose was it to geue a law, vnable to do any good? Wher∣vnto to answer, it is to be vnderstanden, that in this the lawe dyd good, y^• therby the great mercy of God toward vs became more euident & better knowē. For the more great & outragious the power of synne is, the more notable is his benefite whiche deliuereth vs from synne. Now is by the lawe the tyranny of synne set foorth, whiles the same, albeit in vaine, resi∣steth it. Strong and mightie was this tyranny, but muche more mightie was the mercye of God, wherof we haue by so muche more perfite experi∣ence, the greater daūger of the sayd tyrāny we haue hitherto been in. And* 1.10 certainly for this also are we bounden to thanke the lawe, because therby we perceiue the greatnes of Gods benefite, by meane wherof as the deuil through synne winnyng the dominion, destroyed mannes soule, whiche is very death in dede, so should godly life through Gods gifte obteinyng the kyngdome and vpper hande, geue life vnto all men through the help of Iesus Christ, vnder whom as our lorde and capitaine we reioyce be∣yng now deliuered from the bōdage of death, vnder whose baner we wer not long ago souldiars.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Because therfore that we are iustifi∣ed by fayth▪ we are at peace w^t god.
• * 1.2

  And reioyse in hope of y^• glorie of the chyldren of god.
• * 1.3

  For when we were yet weake, accor∣dyng to the tyme, Christe died for vs.
• * 1.4

  Not onelye this, but we also ioye in god. &c.
• * 1.5

  wherfore, as by one man▪ syn entred in to the world.
• * 1.6

  But synne is not imputed, where ther•• is no lawe.
• * 1.7

  But the gifte is not lyke as the synne.
• * 1.8

  For if by the synne of one death raigned by y^• meanes of one, muche more. &c.
• * 1.9

  For as by one mannes disobedience many became synners: so by the obedi∣ence. &c.
• * 1.10

  That as syn raigned vnto death, euen so. &c.