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.

Be ye therfore folowers of God as dere chyldrē, and walke ye •••• loue euen as Christ loued vs, and gaue hymselfe for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a swete sauer to God. As for fornica∣cion and al vnclennesse, or couetousnes, let it not be once named among you, as it be commeth sayntes, or filthynesse or foolishe talkyng, or testyng, whiche are not comly: but rather geuyng of thankes. For this ye knowe that no whoremonger, eyther vncleane persone, or couetous persone (whiche is a worshipper of ymages) hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christe and of God. Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes. For because of suche thynges com∣meth the wrath of God, vpon the chyldren of disobedience. Be not ye therfore companions of them. Ye were sumtime darkenes but nowe are ye lyghtm the Lorde. Walke as children of lyght. For the fruite of the spirite consisteth •••• al goodnesse and righteousnesse and trueth. Ac∣cepte that which is pleasyng vnto the Lorde.

THan forasmuche as by the holy goste you are the children of God, see that you bee lyke your father in holines of lyfe, that you maye worthylye bee loued of hym for euer. For truely thus shal he shewe hys loue towardes you perpetu∣allye, yf you she we loue among your selues one vnto ano∣ther. And howe aboundauntelye greate the fathers loue was towardes vs, it appeareth playnelye by hys sonne, who loued vs so enteirlye muche, that not onelye he hathe frely pardoned al our sinnes, but also offred himself vnto death vpon the crosse, to thintente, where God the father was before displeased and angred with vs, he should by meane of this sacrifice and offreyng of good sauour that smelleth swete in his prefence, become louyng and mercifull vnto vs. This louyng cha∣ritie in case we folowe, as it becommeth vs to doe, we shal not onely be tracta∣ble, yf any thyng shall chaunce to be committed agaynste vs, but also we shall not drede, if occasion so require, for the commoditie of our neighboure to putte our lyues in daunger. But nowe to what purpose neede we to speake earnestly vnto you, touchyng suche vyces, as be to filthye and to grosse, as whoredome and al kinde of vncleanes, and insaciable desyre of money: from the which mon∣streous abominacions, a Christian mannes conuersacion oughte to be so ferre alienate, y^t it wer shame to haue thē once spoken of among thē. For there be some thinges so execrable, that an honeste pure harte woulde euen abhorte once to thinke of thē. And it becōmeth saynctes, to be not only of honest cleane cōuersa∣cion, but also to bee chaste mouthed & of pure communicacion. And we may not thinke it ynoughe, to be pure of woorde and cleane of lyfe onely, excepte we abhorte also to talke of foolishe friuolous fables, and vayne flirtes and iestes,

whiche as in other they maye be tolerated or commended, so truely in Christi∣ans they are nothyng ••••••••e nor congeuen••e. For Christians in theyr moste spedye Iournaye to heauen, haue constinuall ba••ayle with byees, and so daun∣gerous battayle, that they canne haueno laysure to applye suche tryfles and sportes, but rather they haue to wepe. And whan the mynde woulde make merye, because of good successe and well spedyng, it oughte to make metye in hymnes and thankes geuyng to God. Howebeit I knowe well ynough, there be philosophers, that teache Carnal copulacion out of mariage to be no s••••••••, because it is not punished by mannes lawe. And that couetous besyre of money is no faulte, because there is no temporall peyne appoynted vnto it. But I woulde haue you vnderstande for a certayntye, that whosoeuer is an who re∣••onger, or spotted with any kynde of vncleanelustes, or geuen to Couetousnes (whiche, forasmuche as he reposeth his principal felicitie in dumme transitorie substaunce, is reckoned lite•• better than a woorshipper of Images) shal not be admitted into the enheritannce of Immortal lyfe, that God hath promised his to ••nherite commōly with Christ. And if you thinke that this paine is but light, than geue credence to them, that goe aboute to perswade vnto you; that those synnes are but lyght. Suffer not your selues to be deceyued wyth s••che maner of vayne friuolous communicacion, but take hede rather to the doctryne of the Gospell, seyng that for suche maner of synnes, althoughe they be not punished with mannes law, yet the vengeaunce of God commonly falleth vpon the chil∣dren of disobedience, for distrusting the promysses of the heauenly father, and ••••∣posyng theyr felicitie in suche kynde of thinges. Onte you diuorted youre selfes from suche mennes company, and professed Christ. It standeth you therfore in hande to beware, that your conuersacion be not lyke vnto the ••••••ghtynesse of them, that professe one waye and lyue ferre wyde an other waye. The darkenes of Ignoraunce hath bene yet hitherto the occasion of erroure: And the trueth of the Gospel is sprongen vp and wyped awaye all darkenes. And you in tymes paste, walked as in the darke night, and committed the shameful vyces that are doen in the night. But nowe God by the lyghte of the Gospel, hath enlumined your hartes, that you maye clerelye descerne, howe a bominable the thynges are now, that before appeared to be pleasaunt & swete. The nighte hath no shame and couereth many thynges, that no man woulde bée bolde to dooe in the clere day. Therefore see you ordre your conuersacion all together after suche sort, as you forgette not to consider, that you lyue in the daye, and are alwayes seene to theiyes of God. He that taketh a Iourneye in the night, many tymes stom∣bleth, because he seeth not, where he shoulde goe by. And the daye on the other parte hath this commoditie: it sheweth what is to be folowed, and what is to be auoyded. For it teacheth vs in euery condicion to flee from malice, cursed speakyng and dissimluacion, and in steede of them to folowe goodnesse, righte∣ousnesse, and trueth: and generallye to marke rhat thyng alwayes, not that is pleasyng vnto mē, nor y^t is swete or delectable vnto vs, but y^t which is accep∣table vnto the wil of god, after whose appointmēt our cōuersacion ought alto∣gether to be gouerned.