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.

Onely let your conuersacion be, as it becommeth the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or els be absent, I may yet here of your condicion, that ye continue in

one spirite, and in one soule, labourynge as we doo to mayntayne the faythe of ghospel: and in nothyng fearynge your aduersaries, whiche is to them a cause of perdicion, but to you of saluacion, and that of God. For vnto you it is geuen of Christe that not on∣lye ye shoulde beleue on hym: but also that ye shoulde suffre for hys sake, hauynge euen suche a sight, as ye sawe in me, and nowe heare of me.

Doo you see nowe howe lytle I regarde myne owne feli••itie, in compa∣rison of youre commoditie? What man is it, that woulde not loothe the ca∣res of thys worlde to be in the thyrde heauen? Who woulde not desire to be in the vpper paradise, and to be delyuered out of these miseries? Who woulde not contemne the communication of man, whan he remembreth the secrete wordes that were spoken to him aboue? Who would not in stedde of so many daungiers, so mani ieoperdies, so many deathes, rather chose to be in the quiet∣nesse, that neuer shall haue deathe? Neuertheles I set so muche by brotherlye charitie, that I regarde more the profyte of others, than myne owne desyre. And therefore it shalbe youre partes to applye youre selues the more diligent∣lye, that you maye doo lykewyse, accordynge to my mynde in thys behalfe. And that shalbe, in case you wyl frame your lyfe answerably vnto the ghospell of Christe, for whose sake I abyde all these troubles, that I be not frustrate of this frute, for the whiche onelye thyng, I woulde wyshe to be seperated from the moste blessed felowshyppe of Christe. Therefore endeuoure youre selues, that in case I see you agayne, I maye fynde you suche, as I woulde wyshe you to be: or yf there be anye let, that I can not see you agayne, yet at least, I maye here of you in myne absence, that lyke as you haue done alwayes hitherto, so continue styll in one spirite, whiche you haue commonlye receyued: and agree all in one mynde, holdyng vp wyth your diligence and prayers, the fayth of the ghospell, that warreth agaynste the wycked: and be not afrayed of any persecution, to resiste the enemies of Christe manfullye in euery place, whose wycked doynges shall worke nothyng elles, but their owne destruction and your saluation, and cause the glorye of the ghospell the more to flourishe, and theyr owne wycked purposes to proue alwayes worse and worse. It is a very goodly thyng to suffer for Christe, but it is an excellent thyng, by hym to conquere the aduersaries. Howbeit we can in no wyse attribute that to oure selues. For it is geuen you of God, not onelye to beleue in the ghospell of Christ, wythout dyssemblyng, which I preache, but also readyly to suffer for it, as you see me doe: And shrynke not to abyde the same conflicte for the ghos∣pelles sake, that you haue sene me suffer so manye wayes afore, whan I was there, and you haue harde of me beyng nowe in boundes and in haserd of my heade. These thynges happen not by chaunce, at all aduentures, but are ap∣pointed by the goodnesse of God, vnto them specially, whose godlynes he will haue more notablye sene through the afflictions of this life.