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.

What shal we say then? we say that the gentiles, whiche folowed not righteousnes, haue ouertaken righteousnes: euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth. Contra∣rywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes, could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes. Wherfore? Euen because they sought it not by fayth, but as it wer by the workes of the lawe. For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone. As it is written▪ beholde, I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone, and a rocke that men shal be offēded at. And whosoeuer beleueth on him, shal not be confounded.

Synce this is so, what shal we say? Surely nothyng, but as the truth is, that is to wete, that the gentiles, whiche semed farre from righteous∣nes, and without the ceremonies of the lawe, haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes, and not a Iewishe (whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion), but a holsome & an effectual iustice, whiche suche haue not, as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite, but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God.

We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden, and stifly cleaue to it, with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice, forasmuche as the same fel from Christ, whervnto as to a marke al y^• darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed. Here some wyl say, how fortuned all this, and how ended these purposes so diuersly? Without al doubte, because God abhorreth suche as are high minded, and geueth him selfe & his righteousnes, to suche as are sobre & lowly. And therfore y^• gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease & an hūble submission of them selfe to God, God receiued: y^• proude Iewes of thothersyde, whiche falsly vsurped y^• title of righteous∣nes, as theyr owne, bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day ke∣pyng, washynges, circūcision, and suche other small obseruaunces, dis∣dainyng

to receiue the yoke of fayth, hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ, and deliuered him which is the author of life, to death: whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng, prophecied should be, vnder this fourme, that Christ, whō the law promised should be a sauior, by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng, and that the same stone, whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce, shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng, whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him, then with beleif to rest vpon him. For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ: beholde I putte in Sion a stum∣blyng stone, and a rocke that men shalbe offended at, but whoso beleueth in it, shall neuer be confounded and put to shame, as one disapointed of that he loketh for.

Notes

• Israel which folowed the law of right∣ousnes cou'd not attaine y^• law of righ∣teousnes. &c.
• For thei haue stumbled at y^• stumblyng stone. &c.