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.

¶Of the ministring to the saintes, it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you: for I knowe the redines of your mynde, whereof I boaste my selfe vnto them of Macedonia, that Achia was prepared a yere agoe: and your ensaumple hath prouoked many. Neuer∣thelesse, yet haue I sent these brethren, lest our boasting whiche I make of you, should be in vayne in this behalfe, that ye (as I haue sayde) may prepare your selues: leste perad∣uenture if they of Macedonia come with me, and fynde you vnprepared, wee (I will not say ye) shoulde be ashamed in this matter of boasting. Wherfore, I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren, to come before hand vnto you, and to prepare your good bles••yng promised afore, that it might be readie, so that it be a blessing, and not a detraudyng.

HOwe for me to bestow any labour with my letters to moue you to be charitable vpon the poore, I thinke it superfluous, synce I haue of your readie good myndes suche sure and per∣fite knowledge, that I nothynge doubte to boaste thereof a∣mong the Macedonians, so farre that by your exaumple not onely Corinthe, but welnyghe all Achaia is dysposed, ready, and well mynded to lyke liberalitie. And albeit we were well assured of youre good mynde beefore, yet thought we it not amysse to sende these our brethren before, lest it happely appeare by some meane▪ that we haue of you made a vayne boaste in this poynte, whiche in other thynges hitherto haue done, as I sayde of you. Nowe the purpose why we sent them before, is, that as wee before wrote vnto you, the money be gathered in good tyme, and that it bee in a redinesse, whiche euery man is willyng to geue, leste if the Ma∣cedonians, to whome I haue boasted of you, come with me and fynde you vn∣prepared, we bee put to shame as one that hath made a vayne bragge of you: I will not saye, leste ye bee put to shame, as menne in thys vnlike your selues, whiche in all other giftes excell other.

And for thys cause thoughte I it good to desyre these brethren to goe thether vnto you, beefore I came myselfe, to prepare the contribucion, whiche ye had before purposed and appoynted, that it mighte be in a more readines, wont to be called when we speake Greke, eulogia, that is to saye, a blessyng, because eue∣rye benefite shoulde gladlye and without murmuryng be both geuen and ta∣ken: if it so bee not, than is it rather extorcion, than a fre gifte. He that wil geue let hym freely geue, and asmuche as he will. Thys poynte I warne you of, the more a manne geueth, the more rewarde shall he haue.