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 to wyll is pre••ent with me: but I fynde no meanes to perfourme, that which is good. For the good that I woulde, do I not: but the euyll, whiche I would not that do I. Yf I do that I would not, ••hen is it not ••, that do it, but synne that dwelleth in me. I fynde then by the lawe, that when I would do good▪ euyll is present with me. For I delyte in the lawe of god, after the inwarde manne. ••ut I se an other law in my mem∣bers, rebellyng agaynst the lawe of my mynde, and subduyng me vnto the lawe of syn, whiche is in my members. O wretch d man, that I am: who shall delyuer me frō this bodys subdued vnto death? I thanke god through Iesus Christe our Lorde. So then, w^t the mynde I serue the lawe of god, but with the fleshe the lawe of synne.

For albeit by the inclination of reason, I desyre that, which is hone∣ste, yet haue I not power to bryng to passe, this my good desyer. For, whyles fleashly luste pluckyng to euyll and fylthy lyfe hath a greater stroke & preuayleth more, thā doth reason prouokyng to goodnes, it hap∣peneth that I do not the good, whiche I desyre, but rather, that I disa∣lowe and condemne, that is to saye, euyll. Nowe and yf a man be not thought to do that thyng, whiche he dothe agaynst his wyll, synce I do y^• thing, which after the better parte of a man I would not, then seme not I the authour of that which I do, but rather the readines to synne which is in my grocer parte. This towardnes or readynes to synne is not ta∣ken from me by the lawe, but yf at anye tyme, I purpose to folowe and obeye her motion, the lawe causeth me to vnderstande, that my gryef is throughly rooted and fastened in my soule. In dede, delyghted am I with honestie and goodnes whiche I see and know by the lawe, but of the other syde I fynde in the members of myne outwarde man, another law, whiche is to the lawe of reasō quite contrary, and continuallye rebelleth agaynst it. So that thoughe reason call me one waye, and wylful desyres another waye, yet in me that beareth rule, whiche is worse, and that is o∣uercommen, which is better. For so depelye rooted in my fleshe, is this to∣wardenes and inclination to synne, and of suche power is the custome therof, beyng as it were now altered into nature, y^• whyther I wyl or not, I am drawen to synne.

O wretched man that I am, which am vnder suche a miserable & pain∣full bondage. Who shall delyuer me from this fleashe endaungered to so many synnes and contencions, whereby I am continuallye drawen to death? Maye not a manne, whiche is vnder suche a violent and harde ne∣cessitie well and lawfully make suche exclamation? Certaynely the grea∣ter this vnlucky bondage is, the more are we bounde to the goodnes of god, whiche hath from suche miseries deliuered vs, neyther by the lawe nor yet by circumcision, but through Iesus Christ our Lord. And had not god thus muche done for vs, euen I which am one man, shoulde continually haue bene lykewyse pluckte in sunder and deuided, that with mynde I should haue serued the lawe of God, desyrous of good thynges, and with my fleshe the lawe of synne, beyng ouer commen with wan∣ton desyres, and with the temptacions ther∣of.

Notes

• For to wyl is presente with me, but I fide no meanes to perfourme. &c
• For I de∣lyghte in the lawe of god. &c.
• O wretched man that I am, who shal deliuer me. &c.