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 .v. Chapiter.

The texte.

For we knowe that yf oute earthly mansyon of thys dwellyng were destroyed, we haue a byldyng of God, an habitacyon not made with handes, but eternall in heauen. For ther∣fore sygh we, desyryng to bee clothed with oure mansyon whiche is from heauen: so yet, yf that we be founde clothed, and not naked. For we that are in thys tabernacie, sygh and are greued because we would not be vnclothed, but would be clothed vpon, that mortalitie myght be swalowed vp of lyfe. He that hath ordeyned vs for thys thynge; is God: whiche very same hathe geuen vnto vs the erneste of the spirite.

ANd vpon thys sure truste, certaynly lytle regarde we euen oure lyfe, knowinge well, that yf it chaunce our soules in this worlde to be chaced out of the mansion of oure bodye, (whiche I myght more properly call a tent, than a mansion, being suche, as a manne maye not long tary in, though nomanne dryue hym thence) that we haue prepared for vs another howse in hea∣uen, from whence we shall neuer be excluded. As for this howse of oures, because it is made of claye, and buylded by manne, whether we wyll or not, decayeth dayly, albeit no man pull it downe, euen as we see other buyldynges in continuaunce of tyme to be destroyed. Mennes workmanshyp can not be of longe continuaunce, but that, whiche is repayred by god, and once becomen heauenly, is out of all suche ieoperdies, as chaunce by reason of tyme. And so lytle feare we to departe out of this wretched body, that vntyl that be, we sygh, here desyring to be discharged of the burdayne of our mortal carkas, wherewith our soule is here in earth much burdeyned and kept downe, desyrouse to flye hence to another place, and to be clothed with the mansion of a gloryfied body, which shall from heauen be gyuen vnto vs: so that when we bee vnclothed of this bodye, we bee not founde vtterlye naked, but through a confidence of our good lyfe clothed with the hope of lyfe immortall. For we grone in thys meane season for the heuynes of oure bodye thrall and subiecte to so manye miseries, not because it is a thyng of it selfe to bee desyred of any man to de∣parte hence, but because we desyre to haue this bodye restored into a better fourme, and for mortalitie, by rysyng againe to receaue immortalitie, so that we seme not vtterly spoyled of the bodye, whiche we for a tyme forsoke, but better clothed with the same, as who for a corruptible bodye shall receaue an incorruptible.

And albeit this seme neuer so vnlikely, that there shall for a mortall body ryse an immortall, fre from all miseries, yet muste we not mistruste the sonne. It is god, whiche hathe prepared vs to receaue the glory of lyfe immortall, who hathe also in the meane season gyuen vs, as a pledge or an earneste pe∣ny, his holy spirite, to confirme and establyshe vs with his present inspira∣cion, in hope of that, whiche is to come.

The texte.

Therfore, we are alwaye of good cheare, and knowe, that as longe as we are at home in the body, we are absent from God. For we walke in fayth, not after the outwarde ap∣pearaunce. Neuerthelesse, we are of good comforte, and had leuer to be absent from the bo∣dy, and to be present with God. Wherfore, whether we be at home or from home, we ende∣uour our selues, to please hym. For we must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, that euery man may receaue the workes of his body, accordyng to that he hath done, whe∣ther it be good or bad. Seyng then that we knowe, how the Lorde is to be feared, we fate fayre with men. For we are knowen wel inough vnto god. I trust also that we are knowen in your consciences. For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you, but geue you an occasy∣on to reioyce of vs, that ye maye haue somewhat agaynst them, which reioyce in the face, and not in the hearte. For yf we bee to feruente, to God are we to feruent. Or yf we kepe measure, for your cause kepe we measure. For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs, because we thus iudge, that yf one dyed for al, then were all dead & he dyed for al▪ that they which lyue, should not hence furth lyue vnto themselues, but vnto him which dyed for them, and rose agayne. Wherfore, henceforth knowe we no man after the fleshe. In somuche though we haue knowen Christ after the flesh, now yet hence forth know we him so nomore. Ther∣fore yf any man be in Christ, he is a newe creature. Olde thynges are passed away: behold, all thynges are become newe. Neuertheles, all thinges are of God, whiche hathe recon∣cyled vs vnto hymself by Iesus Chryst, and hathe geuen to vs the office to preache the at∣tonement. For God was in Chryste, and made agrement betwene the worlde and hym selfe, and imputed not theyr synnes vnto them, & hath commytted to vs the preachyng of the attonement. Now then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe, euen as thoughe God dyd beseche you thorowe vs: So praye we you in Christes stede, that ye be reconcyled vnto God: for he made hym to bee synne for vs, whiche knewe no synne, that we by hys meanes shoulde bee that rightewesnes, which before God is alowed.

And therfore what tempestes soeuer befall vs, alwayes are we of good there, knowing, that as longe as we are at home in thys bodylye mansion, we straye abrode, and are deuided from god, to whome by departure out of it, we are more nyghly ioyned: not meanyng so, that god is not for thys presente tyme with vs, but that he is not yet so clearly sene, as he shall bee then. For albeit in the meane season he bee after a sorte seene by faythe, yet is it, as it were a farre of, whiche shall then presently bee seene, euen as he is end not obscurely. And therfore yf the pleasure of god bee, that we in this body shall yet suffer more afflictions, in good hope stande we, that we shal easyly suffer them in hope of the rewarde to come: and yet is thys of vs muche more to bee desyred, to departe (I saye) out of thys bodylye mansion, that after suche departure, we may be more nyghly ioyned to god. Ther∣fore whether we bee compelled to continewe in thys house, orels, (as we muche more desyre) to departe hence, that is to saye, whether we lyue or dye, all our endeuoure is to bee allowed of god. For vnles a manne departe hence in goddes fauer, let hym not loke for the rewarde of immortall lyfe, whiche poynte I gyue you warnyng of, leste any thinke baptisme a meane sufficent therunto without godly lyuyng. As for wycked synners to theyr damnacion they receaue agayne bodyes, whiche they here abused in theyr owne synfull lustes, and not to the glory of god.

And as euery mans deseartes haue been for this lyfe, suche shall his re∣warde be: what euery manns deseartes are, is a thyng as yet vnkowen, but yet must al we in open syght of the worlde appeare before the iudge∣ment seate of Christe, where nothyng shalbe hydden, but euery man shal reape, as he hath sowed in hys body: and when body and soule are ioy∣ned together, enioy suche reward as his workes were, whyles he here liued, whether they were good or badde. We therfore hauing alway that terrible daye before our iyes, diligently laboure in all poyntes to please both God & man. For albeit we deceiue men with some counterfaite kynd* 1.1 of holynes, yet doth God throughly knowe vs, as which seeth euen the very bottome of our heartes, whiche thyng no man can do. Howbeit my trust is, that I haue in such sort vsed my selfe amōg you, that ye through∣ly knowe and perceaue the synceritie of my lyfe, for with this glorye are we contented. For we auaunce not our office agayne, eyther because we would of you be more made of, or because we seke for any aduaūtage at your handes: but forasmuch as I perceiue, that some make greate boste, for that they were assigned vnto theyr office by chiefe Apostles, we geue you occasion to glory lykewyse of vs agaynste them, whiche for this re∣spect lytle set by you, because ye haue but an abiect and a vile one to your Apostle: which albeit sawe not the Lorde in his mortall bodye, as other Apostles dyd, yet sawe I hym immortall, and of hym receiued myne A∣postleshyp, as other dyd, and haue by hys helpe done no lesse, than other haue. This rehearse I for your sakes, because ye shoulde haue some thing wherwith to aunswere them, which being not contented with the prayse of their owne conscience for their good dedes, with high & proude lookes seke for worldly commendacion, wheras their consiēces do inwardly cō∣demnethē.* 1.2 Nothing speake we for our own sakes: but whether we speake of our great actes, and therby seame to be peuishe, peuishe are we to god∣warde, to whose glory we rehearse such thinges, as we by his helpe did: or yf we kepe a measure in speakyng of our selfes, & therby seme wise, to you are we wise, to whose weaknes we tēper our tale. We make not our selfes equal with other Apostles by boastyng, but the loue of Christ con∣strayneth vs openly to speake that thing, which appertayneth to his glo∣ry. For to his praise maketh it, & not to ours, if there were by vs, through his gyft, any thing notable done, that all people should the better knowe, howe his death was not vnfruitfull, forasmuch as it doth indifferentlye profite al people, so farfurth, that euen by vs whom thei despise, it shew∣eth his power, and not by them only, which sawe Christ in his manhode, nor by such only, as haue carnal allyaunce with him. But rather this wise reason we the matter with our selfe: yf Christe alone indifferently dyed for al, than foloweth it, that generally all such people were before thrall and subiecte to death, as his pleasure was by his death to redeame from death. And because he woulde haue all men indifferentlye bounde vnto hym, therfore dyed he for all, that suche as by hys benefite lyue, beyng through hym newe borne agayn, shoulde no longer lyue to themselfes, but to hym, whiche boeth dyed and rose agayne for them.

By this should men be estemed, and not by carnall affinitie. Yea and albeit we maye glory our selfes of the stocke of Iewes, yet synce that tyme we professed Christes religion, we knowe no man, because he is one of our stocke, but coumpte suche of our kynred, as are by lyke fayth ioyned vnto vs. A vayne crake is it therfore, whiche some make, that they be Christes owne countrey men, or els because they are his kynsmen, and lyued fami∣liarly with him: his fleshe was geuen but for a season presently, but now synce that his body is taken awaye, and his holy spirite sent, his wil and pleasure is to be knowen after the spirite, and coumpteth hym nyghest of his kynne, whiche hath in his promisses moste affiaunce. Nor let any man for this cause lesse esteme vs, which are later Apostles, because we knew not Christe lyuing here in earth in his mortal body, synce that, yf we had so knowē hym in dede, now yet would we haue forgone that knowledge, as which hyndred the spirite, and woulde nowe, synce that he is become spirituall, loue hym spiritually. Whoso therfore is through baptisme* 1.3 graffed into Christ, let hym forsake his olde phantasies, nor thinke, thys man is a Iewe, that man is a Grecian, this a bonde man, and that is a fre man, but remembre rather, howe that euery man, which is borne agayne to be a newe man, is of a carnall man becomen a spirituall. Olde thinges are paste and gone, and beholde, through Christ al thinges are so day••ly made new. Away therfore with these wordes: this is a Greciā, this is an aliaunt, this is a Iewe, this is a worshypper of idoles, this is a spoyler of holy places. The man hath forsaken to be suche as he was, & is by the workmanshyp of Christ, altered into a newe creature, so vnlyke to that he was, that no beast is there more vnlyke a man. But whatsoeuer is geuen vs by him, al that came frō the father, which reconciled vs vnto himselfe, vāquishing sinne by his sonne Iesus Christ: the preaching of which recō∣ciliacion, the same father hath put vs in trust with, that as the sōne among men dyd his fathers message, so should we execute and doe Christes mes∣sage. For albeit Christ, when he was here mortall in earth among mortall men, semed but a simple man, yet was God the father in him, reconciling* 1.4 by his ministery the worlde vnto himselfe, & by him making it new again, by whom once he made the worlde, and with such mercy receyued men in∣to his fauer, that he not onely toke no vengeaunce vpon vs for the sinnes of oure for merlyfe, but also would not asmuch as laie vnto any mannes charge hys synnes done before baptisme, as thoughe he nowe were not the same manne he was before. This fauourable reconciliacion it pleased God the father to gyue by his sonne, and woulde haue the same to bee preached by vs. We therfore in Chrstes behalfe executing the ambassage commytted by hym vnto vs, euen as God exhorted you by vs, beseche you in Christes name, to leaue your olde vyces, and to bee reconcyled to God. For he, to the intente he would once delyuer vs from sinne, where his sonne is verie iustyce selfe, altered him in maner into sinne, that he ra∣kyng our flesh vpon hym, which in vs is subiecte to synne, should become a sacrifice to purge our sinnes, and as a hainous offender among offenders was fastened to the crosse, to the entente that by hym he myght chaunge vs, whiche were nothyng els but synne, into ryghteousnesse, not into our ryghteousnesse, nor yet the ryghteousnesse of the law neither, but of God,

by whose fre goodnes our sinnes are forgeuen, that he hencefurth myght take vs for righteouse being planted in Christe, who for our sakes vsed Christe as a synner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  We are knowen wel ynough vnto God.
• * 1.2

  For if we be to feruente, to God are we to fer∣uente.
• * 1.3

  Therfore yf any man be in Christe he is a new creature.
• * 1.4

  God was in Christe and made agremente betwene the world, and hymselfe.