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 seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth (accordyng as it is wryttē: I beleued, & therfore I spoken:) we also beleue, and therfore speake. For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus, shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus, and shall set vs with you. For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many, maye redounde to the prayse of God. Wherfore, we are not weryed. But though our vtward man peryshe, yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye. For out ••••••buiacyon which is momentany & lyght, prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs, whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene, but on the thynges whiche are not sene. For the thynges whiche are seue, are temporall: but thynges whiche are not sene, are eternall.

And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel: for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe, that ye haue, whereby ye loke for life immortall, by my preachyng powred into your heartes, it foloweth, that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth, that he therfore spoke, because he beleued: so feare we nothyng, no not with ieopardye of oure lyfe, to preache the trueth of the gospell, vndoubtedly assuryng our selues, that he, whiche raysed the lorde Iesus from death, wyll throughe hym rayse vs agayne dy∣ing for his sake, and bryng vs all together to the generall glorie of resur∣reccion, as we are here in lyke fayth knytte together. But whether in the meane season we be troubled, or deliuered from trouble, all is done for your sakes that the trueth of the gospel maye be more spread abrode among you, that the more amende theyr lyfe, so manye more geue thankes, not to vs, but to god, to whose glorie it appertayneth, that his faithe, which he would haue cōmen to all men, be moste plentifully enlarged. In hope and sure cō∣fidence that it will so be, no troubles werye vs, but through them we rather ware stronger, knowing wel, that albeit oure vtwarde body be by litle and litle worne awaye, yet our inwarde and better parte in the dayely and con∣tinuall decaye of the body, becometh more quicke and sustie, as it were with miseries growyng yong agayne, and beginnyng to taste of before, the lyfe euerlastyng to come.

For albeit the bodely affliction whiche we for the gospelles sake abyde, be lyght and transitory, yet lyght as it is, it prepareth in vs no small, but an exceadyng and an vnspeakable weight of glory, whyles both for suche tran∣sitory tormentes suffered for Christes sake we are made worthy of blysse euerlastyng, and for temporall deathe sustayned for hym we receaue the re∣warde of euerlastyng lyfe, in hope wherof we lytle esteme oure bodyly lyfe, not somuche passing vpon suche thynges as are seene with owre bodylye eyes, as vpon suche, as are not seene, but only with the eyes of faythe. For suche thinges, as are sene here in this world, beside that they are thinges nei∣ther throughly good, nor throughly bad, of whiche sorte are lucre, honoure, pleasure, lyfe, losse of godes, reproche, tormentes and deathe, are also not continuallye abydyng, whereas suche thinges, as are sene with the eyes of faythe, are bothe trewe ryches, and suche as wyll endure for euer.