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.

But God hath opened them vnto vs by his spirite. For the spirite searcheth al thinges, ye the botome of goddes secretes. For what man knoweth the thynges of a man, saue the spirite of man which is within him? Euen so the thynges of god knoweth no man, but the spirite of god. And we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde: but the spirite whiche commeth of god, for to knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of God, whiche thynges also we speake not with wordes that mannes wisedome teacheth: but with wordes which the holy ghost doeth teache, makyng spirituall comparisons of spirituall thinges. The na∣turall man perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god. For they are but folyshnes vnto hym. Neyther can he perceyue them, because they are spiritually exami∣ned. But he that is spirituall, discusseth all thynges: yet he hymselfe is iudged of no man. For who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde, either who shall informe hym? But we vn∣derstande the mynde of Christe.

Hygh minded rulers and proude phylosophers, were not worthie to re∣ceyue this hydden mistery, whiche yet god hathe opened to vs his frendes, not by any worldly doctrine, but by the secrete inspiracion of his holye spy∣rite. Whiche spirite, because it is of goddes nature, and proceadyng from god, searcheth foorth euen the deapest and mooste secrete priuities of God, wherunto mannes busye brayne attayneth not. Euery man may easily loke on an other mans face, but what lieth hidden in the bottome of the hert, that is no man able to see, for that onely knoweth the spirite of god, and a mans owne conscience. After like sorte diuers men beholde and search out the pro∣perties of goddes creatures: but such thinges as lye hidden in goddes coun∣sel and prouidence, no body knoweth sauing his euerlastyng spirite, whiche beyng of one nature with hym, knoweth all suche thynges, as he doeth. One mā sheweth another his secrete thoughtes, by secrete whispering in his eare: but god to the good openeth his counsell, not by the spirite of man, whiche teacheth nothyng but worldly phantasies, but by the spirite of god, so that of what sorte the spirite is, suche doctryne it teacheth. This worlde also hath his spirite, with whome whosoeuer is rauished, bothe sauereth of worldly∣nes,

and loueth worldly thynges: but the inspiracion of the heauenly spirite of god, bryngeth vs in mynde of heauenly treasures, and maketh vs to vn∣derstande, what god hath through Christes crosse doen for vs. And this is the phylosophie, whiche as we receyued by the spirite of Christe, so teache we it agayne to the godly and simple people, not with floures and coloures of thetorike, as the Philosophers are wonte to teache them, that they take in hāde, but with rude wordes, and set out of ordre, beyng yet suche as teache a spiritual doctrine. For reason requyreth▪ that forasmuche as this kynde of wysedome is far vnlyke the other, that it should haue another kynde of tea∣chyng. Worldly wysedome is taught after a worldly fashion, but heauenly and spirituall thinges must be taught after a newe sorte, and yet not to eue∣ry man indifferētly, but to suche onely, as haue receiued the spirite of Christ, and are, by reason that they are spirituall themselues, able to receyue spiri∣tuall learnyng. It besemeth surely, that spirituall learnyng should haue a spirituall hearer, which hath bothe his vnderstandyng cleansed by faythe, and wylfull desyres corrected by charitie. For the grosse, and naturall man, whiche is proude and arrogant vpon the knowledge of thinges that maye be seene, and is ruled by beastly lustes, regardeth not suche thynges as ap∣perteyne to the spirite of god, but coumpteth for folyshnes and laugheth to skorne, whatsoeuer soundeth contrary to that he thynketh. Nor beleueth a∣ny thyng, but that he hath eyther proued by experyence, or concluded by natural reason, and is without regarde of this learnyng and Phylosophie, whiche teacheth, that Christe was borne of a virgyn, and that he was bothe very god and very man, that by dying he ouercame death, and after rose a∣gayne to lyfe, and wyll perfourme in his membres suche thynges, as are al∣ready doen in hymselfe, that tribulacions are the waye to true blysse, and that by death a man shall come to euerlastyng lyfe. Suche articles cannot by mannes reason be perceyued, but by the inspiracion of the holy ghost. To learne this thou nedeste no wylye and craftie wytte, but rather haste nede of a simple and a pure fayth. Suche an instrument is mete for the holye gooste to worke with, as wholy geueth vp it selfe to be framed and wrought vpon by hym. But the spirituall manne discusseth and iudgeth all thinge, not passing vpon temporall matiers, but studiouse of heauenly thinges, and yet is he not iudged of any carnall man, which hath no skyll vpon this hea∣uenly and secrete wisdome. Euen as a man iudgeth not goddes matiers, so the carnal man iudgeth not the spirituall. As for such poyntes, as are by our preachyng taught, are no mens inuencions nor phantasies, but came furth out of the secrete counsell of god. For as the prophete Esai sayde: what man is there on liue, which of hymself knoweth the mynde of god immortall, that he can to him be as it wer one of his priuie counsel. It pleased goddes proui∣dence to deliuer his out of thraldome, after such straunge meanes, to deceiue therby all mannes vayne curiositie. But we knowe goddes wyl and mynde, because we haue receaued his spirite.

Notes

• W•• haue not recey∣ued the spi∣rite of the worlde.
• He that is spirituall discusseth al thynges.