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 fyrste Chapter.

The texte▪

Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christe by the wyll of god and brother Tymothye. Vnto the congregacion of god, whiche is at Corinthewyth all the Sayntes whiche are in al Achaia: Grace be wyth you, and peace from god our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe▪

PAule an ambassadoure in Iesus Christes behalfe, au∣thorized by god the father: and Timothy, in religion my brother, and felowe in office: vnto the christian compa∣nye, not of them onelye, whiche are at Corinthe, but al∣so to all the sayntes, that thorowe the whole countreye of Achaia (whereof Corinthe is the heade citie) dooe faythfull searuyce to Christe: Grace wyshe wee vn∣to you, peace, and concorde, by the free gyfte of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and God his father, whiche is also father to vs all.

The texte.

Blessed be God (the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe) whiche is the father of mercy and the God of all coumforte, whiche coumforteth vs in all oure tribulacion, insomuch y^• we are hable to comfort thē which are in any maner of trouble, w^t thesame comfort wher∣with we our selues are cōforted of God. For as the affliccions of Christe are plenteous in ••s, euen so is oure consolacion plenteous by Christe.

With all good and luckye woordes, blessed, magnified, and praysed bee God, the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, the very fountayne and autoure of all goodnes, no fearefull God to the righteous and godly, but one of whom all our comfort commeth, whiche ceaseth not to aide and comforte vs his mes∣sangers in all suche troubles, as maie any wayes befall vs, whiche he doothe not onely for our sakes, leste we myght happely through vehement persecucion fall from hym, but for your sakes also whiche as through oure troubles, for y^• loue ye beare towarde vs, are in greate heauinesse, so are ye for oure reliefe, and ••easte, gladde and ioyfull: and by our exaumple in hope of goddes healpe man∣fully continue in suffreyng persecucion and troubles, standyng in a sure truste & confidence, that as god, which as ye se, aided and strengthned vs beyng oppres∣sed with miseries, and wellnygh deade, so wyll hein your troubles healpe and succour you, whose goodnes is suche, as wyll accordyng to oure temptacions measure his mercifull comfort. Nor loth we suche affliccions, as we suffre and endure, for Christes sake: and as Christe gaue exaumple, knowyng this, that y^• more greuous tormentes he suffered, the more comforte and honoure is he in. And the greater tormentynges we lykewyse for his glory suffered and a bode, by his meane so muche more plentiouslye hath god relieued vs, being deliuered out of trouble, to the intent ye should lykewyse stande in hope and loke for that whiche ye see alreadye doone in vs.

The texte.

Whether wee bee troubled for your consolacion and health, (or whether wee bee comforted, •••• is for your comforte and saluacion) whiche saluacion sheweth her power in that ye fu••••re the∣same same afflicions, whiche we also suffre: or whether wee bee comforted for your consolacion and saluacion, our hope also is stedfast for you: in asmuch as we know how that as ye are partakers of the affliccions, so••••, all ye be partakers also of the consolacion.

Therefore whether wee bee troubled with aduersities, that doeth god to encourage you, and for vs so to be, is to your wealthe an expediente meane, that ye beeyng throughe our exaumple strengthned, may stoutly abyde euen the moste extreme violence, that maye bee laied vpon you, whose sufferaunce albeit ve paynfull, yet is it verye holsome: or els yf we be refreashed, so that the storme of persecucion be paste and alayed, euen this doth god also, intendyng by relie∣uyng vs to refreashe youre courages, leste ye myghte wyth sorowe and payne faynt and despayre, but rather vpon a remembraunce, how there is a chaunge from soro we to pleasure, ye myght likewyse bee hable to suffre suche troubles as wee dooe. And trewlye in greate hope are wee that ye wyll surelye dooe so, that ye maye bee also of our ioyes partakers hereafter, as ye are alreadye par∣takers of our affliccions: and as ye were heretofore sorye for our affliccions, so shoulde ye nowe reioyce of our deliueraunce, synce it is meete and conueniente that frendes and louers shoulde bee in lyke condicion of paynes and pleasures.

The texte.

Brethren I woulde not haue you ignoraunte of our trouble, whiche happened vnto vs in Asia. For wee were greued oute of measure passing strengthe, so greatlye that we despayred euen of life. Also we receaued an answere of death in our selues, that we should not put our truste in our selues: but in god, whiche raysed the dead to lyfe agayne, and which deliuered vs from ••o great a death, and doth deliuer. On whome wee truste that yet hereafter he wil deliuer by the helpe of your prayer for vs, that by the meanes of manye occasions, thankes maye bee geuen of manye on our behalfe, for the grace geuen vnto vs.

And perfeitely knowe I, ye woulde much more reioyce, yf ye throwgh∣lye wiste, howe vehement a blaste of persecucion happened vnto vs in Asia. For there suffered wee affliccions aboue al measure, as which were more vehement than our strength was hable to beare, by reason whereof we were broughte to that poynt, that we despayred of our life, as vtterly vnable to suffre so manye and such extreme troubles. Yea and of such violence was that persecucion, that not onely other despayred, howe we shoulde bee hable to indure them, but ••um¦myne owne mynde vpon distruste conceaued of my strength, had euer death pre∣sente, so that my hearte gaue me to looke for nothyng, but for my last daye. To which extremiti•• it pleased god we shoulde be brought, because we shoulde in our own strength put none affiaunce, but trust to his healpe, which is cōmonly most wont, thē to be at hand & to succour, whē al worldly aides most disapoint vs and fayle, whiche when his pleasure is, not onely deliuereth y^• oppressed frō the ieopardies of death, but restoreth also suche as are dead to life agayne. As for any thyng then that in me was, euen than dead was I, and destroyed, from whiche death yet god than deliuered, and dothe euen nowe styll deliuer me, of whome also I stande in suche a confidence, that he wyll hereafter deliuer vs: specially yf ye healpe me with your prayer to procure and obteyne the fauoure of god, to the intente, that as we were saued by the wishes of many, and for the weale of many, there may diuersly by many men, for our deliueraunce, thankes be geuen to god, that it maye appeare, that this benefite of god in my deliue∣raunce is not onely bestowed vpon me, but vpon al suche as haue good therby.

The texte.

For oure reioycyng is this, euen the testimonie of oure conscience, that in singlenes (of heart) and godlye purenesse, and not in fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, we haue had ou•• conuersacion in the worlde, and moste of all to youwardes. We write none other thynges vnto you, then that ye reade, and also knowe. Ye and I truste ye shall finde vs vnto the ende, e∣uen as ye haue founde vs partelye: for we are youre reioy••ing, euen as ye are ours in the daye of the Lorde Iesus.

Were not this, as touchyng my selfe, I haue in my owne breste, wherewyth to comforte me sufficientlye in the middes of my troubles: yea and to make me reioyce and to glorye: that is to were, my conscience, whiche is witnesse, and priuy to this poynte, that we neuer laboured in the ministerie of Christes gos∣pell, sekyng for any gaynes by auauncing our selfes in worldlye wisedome, as among you some dooe, but taught it with all simplicitie and godly puritie bothe in all Greece, and speciallye among you, for whose sake albeeit wee haue suffered suche greate thynges, yet neuer loked wee for, or tooke any rewarde at your handes, leste some myght take occasion to thynke, that wee for oure ad∣uauntage so muche sought vpon you. And this muche haue I sayed, not arro∣gantly, but as y^• trueth is. Nor boast we this otherwise of our self, than ye haue hadde experience of, for neuer founde ye vs other, than suche as wee saye we are by these letters, which ye reade, nor make wee ourselfes other in woordes by writyng, than wee among you shewed oureselfes in dooyng. Yea and I truste more ouer, that of what sorte ye haue hytherto partely founde vs: suche shall ye alwayes finde vs hereafter: that eche of vs maye glorie of other, if ye lyke thank∣full and apte children on your sydes in godly lyfe and deedes, bee lyke vnto your father & teacher, as I haue in al pointes bene vnto you goddes true messenger▪ Lette them in the meane season boste themselfes neuer so muche among menne, that disdeine at me, as an outcaste, and one in affliccions, yet certaynelye, when the Lorde shall come, beefore whome paynted coulours shall nothyng serue, then wyl I reioyce of you, whom I haue wonne vnto Christ, then shall ye also glorie of me, whome I nothyng taughte but Christes trewe doctrine.

The texte.

And in this confidence was I minded firste to haue come vnto you, that I might haue had one pleasure more with you, and to passe by you into Macedonia, and to haue come againe out of Macedonia vnto you, and to bee led foorth of you towarde Iewrye. When I thus wise was minded: did I vse lightenes? Or thynke I carnally those thynges which I thynke? that with me shoulde bee yea, yea, and naye, naye. God is faithefull. For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye. For Goddes sonne Iesus Christe whiche was preached among you by ••s (e∣uen by me and Siluanus and Tunotheus) was not yea and nay: but by hym it was yea. For all the promises of God, by him are yea: and are in hym Amen: vnto the lawde of God thorow vs. For it is God, whiche stablisheth vs with you in Christe, and standeth by vs, and hath anointed vs, whiche hath also sealed vs, and hath geuen the earneste of the spirite in our hertes. I call God for a record vnto my soule, that for to fauour you with al I came not any more vnto Corin∣thum. Not that we be lordes ouer your fayth, but are helpers of your ioye For by faith ye stād.

And vpon confidence of this my vpright conscience, and hope conceaued of your encrease and furtheraunce, occasion had I, and minded before this time to visite you, therby purposyng to do you double pleasure, both w^t mine epistle fyrste, and also by the waye after wyth my presence. For my purpose was to see you as I went into Macedonia, and agayne in my returnyng from Macedo∣nia, to come vnto you, as I promissed in my other epistle, and thence to be ledde and brought furthe by you into Iewrye.

But in the meane season some wyll thynke, synce I this wyse mynded to dooe, whether it came of lightnesse, that I chaunged myne intente: or whether I per∣fourme not that of any worldly policie, whiche I once purposed to doe, in this alteryng my minde, as occasion serueth. No nor so, but for good consideracions and aduisedly folowed I not mine own destre, because I wel vnderstode that it was for your weale more expedient to dooe otherwise, that by defferryng my retourne, some of your congregacion myght bee amended, whome I would not see in theyr vncleanesse: in this poynte alwayes constaunte and lyke my self, that I at all tymes seeke youre weale, so that in this behalfe I neuer wauer, but al∣wayes dooe that, whiche shall bee for your profite, and alwayes shonne that,* 1.1 whiche I thynke vnprofitable for you, not because I thynke it lyeth in vs to perfourme asmuch as we purposed, but because we know, that god deceaueth not, by whose healpe our woorde, wherewith wee preached vnto you his gos∣pell, wauered not, but was at all times like it selfe. For wee preached not vnto you worldlye and carnall matters, but taught you a weightye, effectuall, and an vnchaungeable doctryne: constauntly, and after one sorte, bothe I, Silua∣nus, and Timothie, that is to we••e, that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God, whose name was not among you vneffectuall, but mightye and full of power, not by oure strengthe, but by his free gyfte. Vntil this time haue ye receaued the giftes of the holye ghoste, possessing them, as an earneste peny, and as sure shal ye bee of suche thynges, as are in time to come promissed, For al thynges, that are promissed, are through hym sure, and out of all doubte in hym, to whome this glorye is dewe. Neyther are these oure promisses, whiche wee layed before you, and shewed you of, but god is the chief geuer of thē, we are only ministers and messangers. So that to his glorie maketh it, yf that whiche wee preache in his name bee founde trewe and effectuall. Besyde this, whereas wee haue constauntelye preached Christe, and ye haue constauntelye continewed in Christes religion once receaued, that is goddes gifte also, whiche because wee should in his promisses haue more cōfidence, hath also anointed vs with his se∣create gyftes, and printed a certaine marke in oure heartes, yea and geuen into oure soules his spirite, as an earneste and pledge of the blessed state promissed vnto vs hereafter. Lette no manne therefore thinke it lightenesse, because I vn∣till this time differred my commyng vnto you, god take I to recorde, that whereas I hitherto came not to Corinth, that was not doone for any displea∣sure borne towarde you, but rather of a louynge mynde, lefte yf I hadde commen rather, I shoulde haue beene compelled to vse extremitie towarde suche, as were not yet amended, whome I trusted yet, woulde in the meane season cumme to amendemente. Better thoughte I it sommewhat the later to cumme vnto you, so that my cummyng mighte bee bothe to you and me more pleasaunte, than to bee among you after an earneste behauioure and sad. Nor lette any thynke these my woordes to bee spoken proudelye and after a threatening sorte, but for youre correccion. Wee beare no lordelye rule vpon a∣nye* 1.2 other than suche, as haue sinned. Touchyng therefore your fayth, wherein ye continue, wee beare no rule vpon you but in the ordre of lyfe some thyng is there whiche I woulde were amended. And so farre are wee from threa∣tenynge suche eiuil liuers, to shewe thereby what authoritie we haue vpon you,

that by these wayes wee prouide to kepe you in gladdenesse, whiche I woulde not, should through the corrupt maners of some, and mine earnestnesse, which I could not choose but vse, bee in any wyse appayred with sorowefulnesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  For our prea¦chyng to you was not yea and naye. &c.
• * 1.2

  Not that we be lordes, o∣••e•• youre fayth.