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.

Do I now persuade men or God? Either go I aboute to please menne? For if I had hitherto studied to please men, I were not the seruaunt of Christ.

For as often as men are in hand w^t the right line of Christes fayth, nei∣ther mans authoritie, no nor angels ought to preuail or take place. Who so preacheth Christes gospel, laboreth in no mans busynes, but in Gods. And if this be so, why should I feare any mans authoritie? I was by no man but by God put in trust to preache y^• gospel. In whiche office I pray you, whether should I in suche wyse hādle my selfe to please men, or God, whō onely I acknowledge for my author and maister? The Iewes vpon a worldly zeale labor to set furth among al men theyr rites & ceremonies, to thentent that they may vnder this coloure be the more made of, as the nature of men would haue euer suche waies seme best, wherin them selfes were brought vp. Wherfore some sekyng to haue the Iewes fauor, labor to bryng men in minde to be circumcised, & preache of kepyng the sabboth day, w^t obseruyng a difference in meates, as though when they so reache, they taught men a high & a singular point. But God forbid, y^t I should so farfoorth labor to please the Iewes beyng rather carnal then spiritual that I should suffre w^t any Iewishe ceremonies y^e puritie of the gospel to be corrupted. When I in tyme past was geuen to Iewishenes, I pleased my countreymen, by all wayes I could, persewyng them, that professed the name of Christ. But whiles I went about to please men, I displeased God; who would haue Moses abolished, & the glory of his sonne Christ to be set foorth. As long as I was bonde to the lawe, al myne entent and endeuoure was to kepe Moses rules, & for that sought I praise at mens handes: but now hath God called me an other way, whose onely praise I desyre, and loke for. If I should hence foorth styl loke for the same praise of menne, certainly I were not Christes seruaunt. For how can any man thinke me his seruaūt, if I more apply my selfe to winne the fauor of men thā to do his cōmaundemētes, if I more feare to displease y^e Iewes, than God the father of Christ, and author of y^e gospel? I was neuer slauishely bonde to the ceremonies of Moses lawe, whō I well wyst were through the light of Christes gospel quite abolished, after suche tyme as I had once wholy geuen my selfe to Christ. For albeit once or twyse for appea∣syng of a commocion whiche might elswyse haue been, beyng among the Iewes, I obserued certain of theyr customes, yet neuer thought I in thē any hope of saluacion, but for a tyme applyed my selfe to the myndes of my countreymen, that I might therby bryng more vnto Christ.

But synce I perceyue, that this submyssion of myne is by them wrest in∣to a wrong meanyng, so that nowe the matier is gone so ferre, that they stycke not to charge with y^e burden of the lawe, as a thing necessarie, euen them, whom the gospell founde free from that burden, I thynke it hyghe tyme freely and playnly to speake agayne Moses rites, and openly to de∣teste all that maketh to the derogacion of Christes glorie. And from so doyng shall there none Apostles authoritie feare me, be he neuer so no∣table, assuryng my selfe wholye of Christe, whose wyll and commaunde∣ment I folowe through thycke and thyn in all ieopardye.

Notes

• Either go I aboute to please men.
• For if I had hitherto stu∣died to please men &c.