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 fyrst Chapiter.

The texte.

Paule an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Iesus Christ, and by God the father, whiche raised him vp from death: and all the brethren, whiche are with me.

PAule an Apostle, and an Apostle of no meane sorte, (whiche I say), lest either some dispise me, as one of lesse reputacion, or with the power & authoritie of other Apostles abate and suppresse myne. For neither was I of any man putte in this commission and office as other some haue been, whiche either beyng but disciples & vnderlynges, to the Apostles auaunce them selues, as thoughe they were of the highest sorte, or els by vnlawfull meanes procuryng mens fauor, violently breake into the office of an Apostle. Nor was putte in authoritie to preache the gospel by any excellent person, but by Iesus Christ him selfe the sonne of God, who not with any mannes eleccion or consent had, commaunded me to be the preacher of the gospel, but by his owne mouth, what tyme he was becomen immortal, euen from heauen called me foorth to do this busynes, vndoubtedly by the decrees and authoritie of God the father, who raised his sonne Iesus from death. For he is not therfore to be sup∣posed dead, because he is of vs no lenger seen. But rather if suche be worthyly taken for high Apostles, whom Christ appointed beyng as yet among mortal men mortal, then surely should I not be coumpted theyr inferior, whom he at that tyme from heauen, not as man, but euen God, called to be his Apostle and messenger.

For as I am in this point equal euen to the highest Apostles, in that I was of the same Iesus Christ institute, so this preeminence may I lawfully chalenge, that Christ chose them, what tyme he was to our bo∣dily infirmities subiect, but me called he a sonder to be his preacher, what tyme he had put of all condicions of mannes weakenes.

The texte.

Vnto the congregacion of Galacia: Grace be with you and peace from God the father, and from our lorde Iesus Christ, whiche gaue him selfe for our synnes, to deli∣uer vs from this present euil worlde, accordyng to the will of God our father, to whom be praise for euer and euer. Amen.

Paule therfore euen I an Apostle, and suche an Apostle write this E∣pistle to as many of you as through the whole countrey of Galacia con∣sent and agre in Christes doctrine: and lest one mans authoritie be of to smale weight, not onely I, but also as many as are here, (of whom there is a great numbre) whiche with me professe the name of Christ, which for∣sakyng Moses lawe embrace the fayth & doctrin of the gospel, fyrst wishe you grace, and than peace and concorde: grace that vpon fre deliueraūce from your old lynnes, ye may hereafter liue an innocente and a pure life:

concord, that ye neither dissent frō other congregacions, nor yet frō your selues: whiche both giftes we muste looke to receiue, neither of Moses nor of any other mortal man, but of God the father, from whō as from a welspring al our welth cōmeth, & of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, by whō it pleased God to geue vs all thinges, whō we must both thanke for all the miseries that we haue escaped, & also for al the goodnes, that we haue obtained vnto. For Moses circumcision made no man innocent, but Christ of his owne fre goodnes offred him self to death, because he would for our synnes make amendes, purposyng through the grace of the gos∣pel to supply that, which Moses law was not able to do, that we through his onely benefite beyng deliuered from synne, & synfull myndes, where∣vnto the world is bound, may neither be slauishely vnder vnclennes, nor mans ceremonies: For so hath it pleased God, & our father, by whom be∣yng fyrst made, when after through our foly we fell againe into the bon∣dage of synne, we were restored againe, like men newe borne, of yearthly becomen heauenly, and of carnall made spiritual. To him therfore, of whom al our goodnes floweth, honor, and glory be geuen, not transitory as Moses lawe had, but suche as shal neuer haue an ende.

Amen.

The texte.

I meruaile that ye are so sone turned frō Christ, whiche called you by grace, vnto another gospel: whiche is nothing els, but that there be some, whiche trouble you, and intende to peruert the Gospel of Christ.

Wheras I lately preached this vnto you, & synce that ye once receiued the same, I maruaile not a litle, what hath chaūced, that ye are fallen frō so good a father, & so sone fallen frō him, which frely forgeuyng al your trespaces, hath called & prouoked you to euerlastyng saluacion, not for your kepyng of the lawe, but through the grace & bounteous mercy and benefite of Iesus Christ, & that ye are sodenly fallen againe into the bon∣dage of Moses lawe, as it were into an other gospel, when in dede beside that whiche we preached vnto you, there is no other gospel at all.

Whence is this so great vnstablenes, frō whence is this lightnes, to chaunge suche fredome as is freely geuen vnto you, with suche wylfull bondage? As for your wittes I reproue not, but thinke this fault rather to be layd to certain false Apostles, whiche beyng rather the preachers of Moses, than of Christ, abuse your rudenes, and trouble you with the ti∣tles of high Apostles, manacyng & threatenyng you, as though it so stode with you, that ye could without circumcision not attaine vnto saluacion, in so doyng, not onely laboryng to renue the ceremonies of the olde lawe, whō it were meete, were now abrogate and abolished, but vnder this co∣lour also vtterly peruertyng the gospel of Christ. For synce that the same gospel through fayth & godly life, assureth al men, that embrace it, of per∣fite weale and saluacion, well may it be coumpted a vayne & a deceiptful doctrine, if (as they teache) no man haue entrey to euerlastyng welth, vn∣lesse he be circumcised, as the custome of Moses lawe requireth. God defende, that any mannes authoritie should remoue you frō the purenes and sinceritie of the gospel.

The texte.

Neuertheles, though we our selues, or an Angel frō heauē, preache any other gospel vnto you, then that whiche we haue preached vnto you, let him be acursed. As we sayd before, so saye I nowe againe, if any man preache any other gospell, then that ye haue receiued, let him be accursed.

Rather be so farre frō beyng moued through the names of Peter, Ia∣mes, & Ihon, be y^• same neuer so great, whiche names men abuse to bring you vnder the burdaine of the lawe, that if euen an angel sent frō heauen preache vnto you any gospel other then that we preached, let the same of you not onely not be heard, but be also taken as one to be abhorred and accursed. And lest any thynke that these my wordes are spoken either of hastynes, or of vnpacience, I reherse thē again & again, that whosoeuer, whether he be an angel, or an Apostle of high name, preache vnto you o∣therwyse, then ye haue learned of vs before, accursed (I saye) be he & ab∣hominable.

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.

The texte.

I certifie you brethren, that the gospell whiche was preached of me, was not after the maner of men. For I neither receiued it, nor learned it of man, but by the reuel ac••on of Iesus Christe.

But because ye shall the better vnderstande, that I not without consi∣deracion fell from Moses lawe, and nowe with suche boldnes preache the libertie of the gospell, Ioo you to wil (brethren,) that the gospell, whiche I taught you, is no suche worldly ordinaunce as maye for any mannes pleasure be altered, as that maye be, whiche is made by man. Suche as to you preache circumcision, let them for theyr parte take hede, whence they learned theyr gospell. Surely the ioyfull tydynges, which I taught you, neither receyued, nor learned I of man, by meane whero•• I myght be cou∣pelled, either to leane to his authoritie, or to folow other mennes interpre∣tacions. Christe hymself vouchesaued to shewe, vnto me the misterie of the newe lawe and the abolyshment of the olde, because no man shall thynke, that I was without consideracion and rashely chaunged, or els receyued the gospell, whiche I preache, of no person of graue authoritie. Christe is in suche sorte man, that yet he is no mortall man, nor yet vnder suche deli∣tes, as all men els are. Christe is also in suche condicion man, that he ther∣with is also God, by whose secrete power, and spirite I was sodenly chaū∣ged into a new man, being elswyse more stubbernly gyuen to Moses law, taught vnto me by myne elders to be had in reuerence and honoure, than was lyke by any worldly perswasion to be plucked out of my heade, had not the holye ghost enspired myne hearte.

The texte.

For ye haue heard of my conuersacion in tyme paste, in the Iewes waye, how that beyond measure, I persecuted the congregacion of god, and spoyled it, and preuayled in the Iewes waye, aboute many of my companions in myne owne nacion, beyng a very seruent mainteiner of the tradicions of the elders.

Of this my tale I thynke you not ignoraunt, who of lykelyhod by re∣port knowe, after what sorte I vsed my selfe vnder the Iewes lawe, for loue borne therto so greatly abhorryng the gospell of Christ, whose secret knowledge I had not yet receyued, that by all the meanes I could. I per∣secuted the new congregacion, which at that tyme by the spirite of god be∣gan to be gathered to the doctrine of the gospell, and with the moste tyrā∣nie I could, destroyed them, thinking in the meane season, that I dyd a noble acte & suche an acte as hyghlye pleased god, whyles in dede lyke a foole ignorauntly I fought agaynst god.

And surely the matier went well forwarde: for in my Iewyshe profession, whome onely at that tyme I thought good and godly, among my com∣panions I got the prayse, that I passed well nyghe all that werre of my companions, for that rekened more holy and religiouse, because I more styfly cleaued vnto my forefathers lawes: in so doyng being deceaued for lacke of ryght iudgemēt and knowledge, and not for lacke of a good intēt & purpose, & for a zeale borne to the law resisting the maker therof. Which blyndnes it pleased god by his secrete counsel to suffer for a tyme, to then∣tent that I beyng sodenly chaunged from so great a bolsterer of the lawe into a preacher of the gospel, myght by myne example drawe and prouoke many to Christe.

The texte.

But when it pleased god, which seperated me from my mothers wombe, and called me hereunto by his grace, for to declare his sōne by me, that I should preache hym amōg the Heathen: immediatly I communed not of the matier with fleshe and bloud, neither returned I to Ierusalem to them whiche were apostles before me: but went my wayes into Arabia, and came agayne vnto Damasco.

Wherfore as sone as it pleased God, whiche long before that, euen frō my mothers wombe, had purposed and chosen me out for his busines, vpō me to declare and notifie his pleasure, and whereas I no suche thyng de∣serued, of his owne free goodnes to call me to this office, that by me, as by an instrument, the glorie of his sōne Iesus myght be knowen, whome as yet but verie fewe of the Iewes knewe, and of the Gentiles almoste none, among whō specially he would haue me to be preacher, what thinke ye, dyd I? Dyd I styll cleaue vnto my forefathers lawes? was I slacke to set vpon the busynes, wherwith I was put in trust? mistrusted I y^• worde of God? compared I my gospell with anye of the Apostles, that were my countreymen? or went I to any man to aske his aduise? went I to Hieru∣salem, to haue my gospell stablyshed by theyr authoritie, who, because be∣fore me they were called to the dignitie of apostleship, are highly estemed? No I dyd not so. Nor thought I it conuenient, that it shoulde by mannes authoritie be confirmed, whiche was by Christes commaundement imme∣diatly commuted vnto me. But furthwith as soone as I perceyued myne errour, and had receyued from heauen this commission, without any de∣laye went I into Arabia, where I nothyng doubted to preache Christes name, beyng as yet to the wylde and harbarouse people either vnknowen or hated: with no lesse zeale preachyng then he grace of the gospel, than I exste preached Moses lawe. And from Arabia retourned I to Damasco, where streyght frō my baptisme I had begun to professe Christes name.

The texte.

Then after thre yeares, I retourned to Ierusalem to se Peter and abode with hym xv. dayes. Other of the Apostles saw I none saue Iames the Lordes brother. The thin∣ges therfore whiche I wryte to you: beholde before god, I lye not.

Thence after a thre yeares space came I to Hierusalem, rather to see Peter, than any thyng to compare w^t hym. And with him abode I nomore but. xv. dayes, though he among the Apostles semed chiefe. As for other of the Apostles laboured I to see none, sauing Iames, whose surname is Iustus, who was for perfit holynes of lyfe called the Lordes brother: & he therfore became fyrste Byshoppe at Hierusalem.

So ferre as ye see, was I from mistrustyng my gospell, and sekyng for any mannes ayde and assistence. Nowe that I in all these thynges saye trewe, witnes is god hymselfe, at whose commaundemente I haue taken vpon me to preache the gospell.

The texte.

¶ After that came I vnto the coastes of Siria and Cicilia, & was vnknowen, as tou∣chyng my person vnto the congregacions of Iewrye, whiche were in Christe. But this they hearde only that he whiche persecured vs in tyme paste, nowe preacheth the fayth, whiche he before destroyed. And they glorified god in me.

These thynges done I went into the countreyes of Syria & Cilicia, in euery place there preachyng the name of Christe. For euen in these coun∣treyes a certayne noumber of Iewes began to fauer Christes doctrine, but to them yet was I by syghte vnknowen, notwithstandyng I was a Iewe borne, onelye this they knewe by reporte, that I was he, whiche by goddes wyll of a persecutor of the christian fayth, was sodenly become a preacher of the same fayth, so that the same I before to the vtterest of my power assaulted, nowe euen with ieopardy of my lyfe I defended. For whiche chaunge they two maner of wayes glorified god, one for that they were from suche greuouse persecuciō deliuered, and for that they had got∣ten suche a defender of theyr profession.

Notes

• But ••y I••s{us} Christ and by God the father.
• Whiche cal∣led you by grace vnto an other gospel.
• Either go I aboute to please men.
• For if I had hitherto stu∣died to please men &c.
• For I neither receiued it, nor learned it of man.
• I communed not of y^• ma¦tur w^t fleshe and bloude.