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 certyfy you brethren, of the grace of God, which was geuen in the congregacyōs of Macedonia, how that the aboundaunce of theyr reioising is, that they are tryed with much tribulacion. And though they were exceading poore, yet haue they geuen exceading richely, and that in synglenes. For to theyr powers, (I beate them record) ye and beyond theyr power they were wyllyng of theyr owne accorde, and prayed vs with great instaūce that we would receaue theyr benefyte, and suffre them to be partakers with other in mi∣nistryng to the sayntes. And this they d••d, not as we loked for: but gaue theyr owne sel∣ues first to the Lord, and after vnto vs by the wyl of god: so that we coulde not but desyre Titus, to accomplyshe thesame beneuolence among you also, euen as he had begonne.

THerfore, because ye shoulde herein also satisfie bothe my desyre, and resemble the godly deuocion of other congre∣gacions, I certifie you brethren▪ howe god asisted me in the churches of Macedonia. For with ready and ioyfull myndes receyued they the gospell, and were so farre frō beeyng discouraged through the affliccions of Silas & me, whiche were with vs also in trouble, that throughe a confidence in the gospell they ioyfully endured al per∣secucions. And briefely the greater tormentes we suffe∣red, the more glad were they of oure deliueraunce. And whereas they are needy and exceading poore, yet suche hearty myndes had they, that the litle, whiche was lefte in theyr emptie cofers, they departed with for the reliefe of the poore. By meane wherof the poorer they became and more broughte to neede throughe theyr godly liberalitie, the rycher are they growen in gentle heartes and singlenes. For we not onely founde them not harde in geuyng theyr goodes, but also beare true witnes with them, that thei would of good wyll not onely geue accordyng to theyr abilities, but also more than theyr abilities were, insomuche that, when we fearyng leste after suche exceading great liberalitie by reason of nede they might of that they had doen, be sorte, refused to receyue theyr free offer, they moste instantelye besoughte vs to suffer them to be partakers of this prayse, whiche is, that they geuyng some parte of theyr substaunce for the reliefe of saynctes, might agayne be parta∣kers of theyr godlynes, in so doyng not onely satisfying my desyre, but also doing more, than I loked for, which not onely offered theyr goodes, but also

frely gaue thēselues first to god, and then to vs also, as the wil of god was, by whose inspiracion they were moued so gladly to obey vs. •• hose good minde so greatly pleased me, that I exhorted Titus, that as by hys good counsell ye had already begun this liberalitie vpon good people, he would in you accom∣plishe that, whiche was begun, to the intent ye shoulde be the more beholding vnto him, by whome ye haue obteyned this godly prayse of beneuolence, that in this poynt ye be behinde none other.