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.

¶ I speake as vnto them which haue discression: iudge ye what I say. Is not the cup of blessing whiche we blesse, partaking of the bloud of Christe? Is not the breade whiche we breake, partaking of the body of Christ? Because that we (though we be many) yet are one bread and one body, in asmuche as we all are partakers of one breade (and of one cup.) Beholde Israell after the fleshe. Are not they which ea••e of the sacrifice, partakers of the temple? What say I then? that the image is any thing? Or that •••• which is offered to ima∣ges, is any thing? Nay but this I say: that the thinges whiche the gentiles offer, they of∣fer to deuile, and not to God.

It nedeth not in this to vse many wordes in perswadyng you, forasmuch as of your own wisedome ye sufficiently vnderstand it. Iudge your selfe, whether I say trueth or not: What likenes (I pray you) is there betwixt our reuerend and wholy feastes, and theyr heathen bankettynges? Whosoeuer eateth lyke meate with an other, semeth to professe & fauour the same religion. Doeth not that holye cuppe, whiche we with thankes geuing consecrate and receiue in re∣membraunce of Christes death, declare a felowshippe that al we are deliuered through the bloude of Christe? Doeth not agayne lykewise that holye breade, whiche we as Christe both gaue exaumple and commaunded, breake among vs, shewe a speciall league and felowshyppe, betwixte vs, and that all wee are vnder one religyon of Christe? And as breade is in suche sorte made of an in∣finite noumber of graynes, sothat the same by reason of the myxture can not bee dyscerned, and the bodye made of dyuerse partes, in suche condyci∣on yet, that there is amonge them a feloweshyppe, that can not bee broken:

so when we become all partakers of one bread, we in that act declare, that al∣beit we be in nunber neuer so many, yet are we in consent of mindes one bread and one body. And so likewise such as are partakers of the heathē feastes, seme also to allow and fauer the felowship of their supersticion. Now marke & con∣sider you, whether it be not like among them also, which after the custome of Moses lawe euen vntil this day sacrifice beastes. None among thē, but suche as are of the Iewish religion, are receiued to the eating of the sacrificed beast, and such also as eate of their holy meates, seme to fauer & to consent vnto their sacrifices. But whereto maketh all this, some one will say? deniest thou Paule that which thou before saidst, that is to wit, that an idol is nothyng, and that which is offered to an idol is nothing? No not so, but this I say: that the sacri∣fices which the gentiles offer, they offer to deuils and not to god: so that in the thynge it selfe there is no dyfference, but yet theyr intentes cause a diuersitie. The gentiles wurship deuils in stede of goddes, and beleue that in theyr ima∣ges their godly power is. Whoso therefore with them eateth sacrificed fleshe, semeth to be a felow in their wicked errour.