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.

We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers. For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu, and of the loue whiche ye beare to all saintes, for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in heauen, of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel, whiche is come vnto you•• euen as it is fruiteful (and groweth) as it is also among you, frō the day in the whiche ye heard of it, and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth, as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt, whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ, whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite.

And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you, yet in my continual praiers made to God, and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thākes for his benefites bestowed vpon you, and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes, and also to preserue them, after y^• by Epaphra we heard of your fayth, wherby my trust is, ye shalbe saued, not by helpe of Angels, but through the free boūteousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted, by whō it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes. For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called, because of him al shuld receiue helth, & Sauiour, because no mā should elswhere looke for saluacion. And by him not onely perceiued we & vnderstode your cōfidence in him, but also your charitie ioyned ther with, whiche as Christ gaue example, ye beare towarde good people, ear∣nestly mindyng to do for them, not for any hoope of auauntage, that ye thinke to receiue therby, but in hope of the euerlasting life, whiche ye wel

knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes. And suerly īto this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell, whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth, y^• albeit it make great promises, & suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme, yet forsomuch as God is the author of them, ye thinke that the same cannot be but true. And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged: so is it now come to you, euery day growyng and en∣creasyng, more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade, bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes, whiche freely growe out of christian charitie, as it hath done in you, growyng styl from better to better, euen synce that tyme, wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe, that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen, whiche beleue the gospel, if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure & vnfained charitie. For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice, and messenger of trust Epaphras, who hath among you sincerely done myne office, after suche sorte in Iesus Christes behalfe preachyng the gospel, that he hath in all pointes been found without corrupcion. As I therfore by him taught you, so by him againe vnderstand I your good wyll againe towarde vs, not meanyng suche vsuall good wyll, as that is, when men wishe well to to theyr frendes and acquaintaunce, but a spiritual and heauenly fauor, wherwith we vse to loue all suche, by whom the glorye of the gospel is set foorth and stablished, though we with our bodily iyen neuer sawe them.

Notes

• We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu. &c.
• Of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel.
• Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite.