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▪

¶I Paule my selfe beseche you by the meekenes and softenes of Christe whiche when I am presente among you, am of no reputacion: but am bolde towarde you, beeing absente. I beseche you that I neede not to be bolde when I am presente (with that same confidence, where with I am supposed to haue bene bolde) againste some which repute vs as though we walked carnally. For though we walke in the fles••, yet we ••o not warre fleshly. For the weapens of our warrefare are not carnall thynges, but thinges mighty in God to caste downe strong holdes, wherewith wee ouerthrowe councels and euerye hye thyng that exalteth itselfe againste the knowledge of God, and bring into captiuitie all imaginacion to the obedience of Christe, & are readye to take vengeaunce on all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Loke ye on thin∣ges after the vtter appearaunce?

BVt to let passe these thinges, & to come to other, I that am no meane apostle, but the verye selfesame Paule, whome ye knowe well, whiche for your sake bothe haue suffered and dooe suffer so greate troubles, doe be∣seche you, for the mekenes, softenes, and mercie of Ie∣sus Christ, whose exaumple folowyng, I dooe humble my selfe among you, outwardelye so behauyng my self, as though I were some rascall and an outcaste, not ta∣king vpō me an apostles dignitie and authoritie, which the false apostles thynke to stande in highe lookes, and yet in myne absence, (as these caytifes quarell) fraye you with roughe and cruell letters, beeyng bolde vpon youre obedience: I beseche you (I saye) so to redresse youre lyfe, that at my cummyng, I bee not compelled to execute the selfesame authoritie once a∣gayne, which I seame to haue vsed agaynst certaine false apostles, which thin∣kyng me to bee suche as they bee, reporte, that I carnally lyue among you, as a flatterer, while I am presente to courye fauel for feare, and beeyng absente, b•• letters, boaste my selfe, as though I feared nothyng. Nothyng do I of a∣ny carnall minde, but whatsoeuer I do▪ alis for your weale, and for the glory of the gospel. For though we bee clothed with this mortall fleashe, yet warre

wee not vnder the rule and gouernaunce of the fleashe, but holpen wyth the as∣sistence of the spirite of god. As lowe and weake as ye thinke vs, yet are we not vnweaponed, nor without strength to suppresse the aduersaries of the gospel. For the weapons of our spiritual warrefare, are not mighty by reason of yron or steele, as worldlye mennes are wont to be, but mighty by the power of god, able to throwe downe all that euerseameth stronglye buylded agaynste hym. ••ith these ouerthrow we and tourne vpsyd down al crafty deuises, and euery high state of wicked people, whiche exalte and auaunce themselfes vpon theyr worldly wisedome agaynst the wisedome of god, which we by the gospel pro∣fesse: and not only suppresse, but also subdue & bryng into captiuitie al world∣lye imaginacion, to make the same hencefoorth obediente vnto Christe, whome it before resisted. But and yf any manne stubbernly rebelle, readye are wee to re∣uenge vpon al disobedience, which power for your sakes we haue hytherto for∣borne, leste by vsing extremitie vpon such as are among you, and such as some of you as yet fauoure, supposyng that they bee excellente apostles, we myghte trouble your commen quietenesse, whiche I will yet hereafter vse paraduenture when I see your obedience growen to suche perfeccion, that ye canne quietly be contented, that suche shoulde bee excluded out of youre coumpanye, as ye were with the punishemente of the haynous and incestuous fornicatoure. I tell you that the dignitie and power of an apostle is not a bodily power, but a spiritu∣all. Are ye yet no wiser, but to iudge an apostle by suche thynges, as are seene, lyke as the commen people esteame a Lorde to bee a gaye felowe by his oute∣warde ambicious por••e, gyftes of fortune, and bande of men?