those that are wydowes not in tytle but very widowes in dede that is to saye those that beyng lefte comfortles without husbande and children lyue after suche sorte as they maye for their desertes worthylye be refresshed of the congregacions helpe the relyefe wherof ought to be bestowed not to mayntene delycatenes but to refreshe myserable necessities But in case any be so lefte wtout an husbande that she hathe children or childrens children there is no cause why she shoulde as thoughe she were succourles runne to be founde of the congregacion Inasmuche as she hathe them at home to fynde her a lyuinge as well as she had an husbande and suche as she oweth duetie vnto Let her not therefore dedycate her selfe to serue the congregacion before that she haue shewed a speciall token of godlynesse towardes her owne famylye For it muste nedes be out of ordre that the duetie of godlynes in the pretense of the congregacion shoulde refuse to doe the bounden duetie of nature For nature commaundeth vs to requite mutual good turues to our parentes being now destitute and decayed for age seyng we had oure begynnynge of lyfe of them And in case deathe haue taken them awaye from vs it shal be conuenient for vs to transpose that duetie vpon our children and childrens children and them it is our duetie to enforme after suche forte as they maye learne also with their duetie againe to releue suche as dyd them good This thing not onely the sense of nature doeth allowe but also it is so great and acceptable before the sight of god that those wydowes are double synners that are not onely rebelles vnto God but also are deafe whan they shoulde heare the commune iudgement of nature with the whiche euen those that haue no knowledge of God are moued But a man wyll saye who is a true wydowe thaÌ„â— yf this wydowe be not Doubtles she that beyng destitutely lefte without comforte of husbande â–ª of children of childrens children of all the worldes solacâ— bothâ— reposed all her whole hope in god and now loketh no more to be maryed â–ª â—e hunteth after any voluptuous pleasures but hathe dedycated her selfe wholy to god after the example of the wydowe Anna geuyng her selfe to prayers night and daye She it is that is worthye to be comforted and refreshed of the congregacion whiche hathe nowe nothinge a doe with the worlde For a wydowe that so absteyneth from beyng maried againe that she maye more frelye â—aâ—â—pre her selfe in deliciousnes liueth not in dede For she lyueth so to voluptuousnes that she is deade vnto Christe vnto whome none lyueth onles he lyueth a godlye lyfe Se thou commaunde them thetforc that â—f they loue wydowheade they doe so behaue them selues in it so as they geue none occasion vnto any man to suspecte euyl as thoughe they be lothe to marye againe not for loue of chastitie but to lyne more at lybertye beyng free from the subiectioÌ„ of a husbande and to take their ease at their owne pleasure But vpon what purpose euery wydowe choseth to contynue in her wydowhead or after what sorte she ledeth her life at home leaue that to the iudgemente of her owne conscience To be briefe yf any woman in pretence of wydowhead runne to the congregacion in suche wyse that she geueth ouer the care of her children or childrens children or suche as otherwyse belong vnto her famylie her I thynke all together not onely vnworthye the bysshoppes fauour but also I iudge her rather to be accompted among those that denyed yâ— faythe of the gospell and be worse than yâ— Ethnikes by so muche as it is more haynous to forsake the profession that a man hathe taken vpoÌ„ him than not to haue professed it Hathe not she denyed the faythe that abuseth the pretense of the faithe to doe the thinges that are repugnaunt to the doctrine of the gospell Truelye in her dedes she openlye denyeth it And in this behalfe she is doubtles to be accompted among yâ— heathen women that they where as they be straungiers from Christ doe by the onely gouernauÌ„ce of nature beare the charge of their families And this maner of wydowe that was bounden accordynge to the charitie of the gospel to be good to euery bodie to the vttermost of her power withdraweth her bounden duetie euen from them of her owne householde and is not allured by the godlynes of the gospell to doe yâ— thing that the prophane vngodly women doe throughe the affection of nature What soeuer sedes of vertue nature hath engraffed the gospelles doctrine taketh them not awaye but setteth them forewarde and maketh them perfite The texte ¶ Let no wyddowe be chosen vnder threscore yerâ— olde and suche a one as was yâ— wyfe of one man and well reported of in good workes yf she haue brought vp children yf she haue lodged stranngers yf she haue wasshed the sainctes fete yf she haue ministred vnto them which were in aduersytie yf she haue bene coÌ„tinually geueÌ„ vnto al maner of good workes The yonger wydowes refuse For whan they haue begâ—n to wexe wanton against Christ they wyl mary â–ª hauyng daÌ„pnacion because they haue cast away their first faithe And also they learne to goe from house to house ydle yet not ydle onely but also triflyuge besybodyes speakynge thinges whiche are not comly I wyll therfore that the yonger wemen mary to beare children to gyde the house and geue none occasion to the aduersarye to speake euyll For many of them are alreadye turned backe and are gone after Satan And yf any man or woman that beleueth haue wyddowes let them ministre vnto theÌ„ and let not the congregacion be charged that there maye be sufficient for them that are wyddowes in dede This is a thinge that vtterly besemeth the gentylnes of the Christian relygion to chearyshe and louynglye to susteyne those women that are comfortlesly lefte destitute howbeit I would not that should be done rashely and without aduysement lest there enâ—â—â—e a double incommoditie aswell in that the congregacion is durthened aboue their habilitie â–ª and the entreteynement bestowed vpon them that are not worthye To be bryefe in chosyng of wydowes two thinges are chiefely to be respected the age and the former spent lyfe lest whan they be ones entreteyned into the fyndynge of the congregacion they returne afterwarde againe vnto mariage with a great deale of shame And as for the age it is an easye mattier to decerne it Let none therefore be chosen to be a wydoâ—â— vnder three score yeares olde Forasmuche as that age ought not in the cleâ—gye to be suspecte of incontineneâ—â— and sheweth good hope that they wyll not laste to be maried againe Neuertheles that age is not all together throughlye to be trusted onles it be approued by former conuersacion of lyfe before So that is to be marked whether she haue bene coâ—ent with one husbande For some euen in their olde age are not all together boyde of incontinencie
ynoughe in this worlde and than let hym doe with me in an other worlde what he wyll Be thou assured that thou enforcest God to take awaye hys holy spirite and his good gyftes from thee and layest vp wrath in stoare for thy selfe agaynste the daye of wrath whan God shall iudge the secret thoughtes of men by Iesus Christe Thou shalt haue the immortall worme of thy conscience to gâ—awe contynually vpon thee so as fallynge into desperacyon and grudgeynge agaynste God thou shalte begynne thyne hell euen in thys worlde hauynge anguyshe and trouble vpon thy soule for thy wycked lyuynge And at that greate feaste daye whan thou shalte appeare wythoute the weddynge garment of a perfyte faythe garnysshed wyth workes of charitie and good lyuynge Christe the kyng shall commaunde thee to be bounden hande and fote and to be cast into the vtter darkenes where shal be weepyng and gnashyng of teethe for the rewarde of thyne errour and wickednes thou shalte be constrayned perforce to pledge the Deuyll of his own cuppe that is prepared euerlastyngly for hypocrites to drynke vpon whereinto the Lorde God shall rayne snares fyre brymstonâ— storme and tempest Than it wyll not auayle the to repente Than it wylbe to late to crye had I wyste Remembre thy selfe therefore in tyme seyng that God of hys curteous gentylnes by hys holy woord geueth thee so curteous warnynge And take in good parte thys my symple translacyon intended to none other purpose but to thy forwardynge helpe as the Lorde is my wytnesse God sende thee perfyte vnderstandyng gentle reader in hys trueth and well to fate Amen ¶ Thus endeth the Prologe The argument vpon the Epistle of the Apostle Saynt Paule vnto the Ephesians by D. Erasmus of Roterodame EPhesus was sometyme the chiefe citie of the lesse Asia a citie supersticiously geuen to the wurshipping of deuilles and especially of Diana for whiche cause it is called in the actes of the Apostles the wurshipper of Diana not of Diana the huntour vnto whome the Poetes attribute bowe and arowes but Diana with many pappes whome the Grecians call Polymaston and saye she is the nource of all maner of beastes after Hieromes reporting For the temple of Diana at Ephesus was in the greatest estimacion of al the world so much that the Ethnike writours make special mencion of it almost in al their writinges These men geue their whole studies vnto curiouse artes and sciences as we may gather where we reade that at the preaching of the Apostles they brought in theyr bookes of enchauntmente and burned them in the fyer and whan they had coumpted the price they founde it to be fiftie thousand siluerlinges as it is purported in the .xix. Cap. of the Actes And therfore to th entent he might withdrawe them from those great errours he taried still among them three yeares trauaylling all that while to the vttermost of hys power to bring the thyng to passe that myght be to the profitabe forwarding of theyr saluacion albeit many of them made great resistence agaynste him as he specifyeth hymselfe in an other place And there he was cast to beastes lyke as he maketh mencion in his secounde Epistle to the Corinthians And whan he departed from thence he commaunded Timothee to remaine there still amonge them And like as that Citie was full of Curiouse menne and suche as were geuen to magicall artes euen so had it many great learned men in it By reason wherof Paule as he tempereth himselfe according to the maners and natures of all men maketh often mencion of deuils and spirites whan he sheweth the difference of good men and bad Besides these he openeth certaine darke hard sentences For there is none of his Epistles that hath so darke and hidde sentences in it as this to the Ephesians So as it shoulde seme that this Epistle was the chiefest occasion why Petre wrote after this sorte Euen as our derely beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome geuen vnto hym wrote to you yea almoste in euery Epistle speaking of suche thynges among whiche many thynges are harde to be vnderstanden which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they do other scriptures to theyr owne destruccion Therfore because these men aboade constauntly in the fayth he exhorteth them to continue and goe still forwarde vntill they were become perfite putting them in remembraunce what manier of people they were whan they were addict vnto naughtines did seruice vnto wieked spirites and what they are become now that they are engraffed vnto Christe and teacheth them withall that althoughe the grace of the Gospell was promised vnto the Iewes yet that by the eternall decree of God it was rightfully enlarged vnto the Gentiles also and that he was a minyster ordayned of God to that same office And forasmuche as he wrote thys Epistle being in prison he exhorteth them not to cast downe theyr hartes for his affliccions but rather thinke that they haue so much the more cause to reioyce These thinges he treateth of in the first and seconde Chapters In the other three he prescribeth the fourme of godly conuersacion vnto them shewing what is to be folowed and what is to bee auoyded the duetyes of the husbandes to the wyues and of the wyues vnto the husbandes the offices of parentes to their children and of the children to theyr parentes the dueties of maisters to their seruauntes and of seruauntes to their maisters This Epistle was written from the citie of Rome by Tichicus the Diacone whome he speaketh of in the end of the Epistle calling him a faithful minister Ambrose sayeth furthermore that he wrote it in prieson whan he was caried from Hierusalem to Rome and liued vnder suertie without the tentes in the tenement that he had taken for hyre The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of sainct Paule the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To the sainctes whiche are at Ephesus and to them whiche beleue on Iesus Christ Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe Blessed be God the father of our lord Iesus Christe whiche hath blessed vs with all manier of spyrituall blessyng in heauenly thinges by Christe according as he had chosen vs in him before the foundacions of the worlde were layde that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him thorow louâ— Whiche ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christe to be heyrs vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorye of his grace wherewith he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sinnes accordyng to the richâ—s of grace wherof he hath ministred vnto vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and prudence And hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure whiche he had
wherwith we were to the fleshe endaungered Syth this is so God forbid that we hereafter liue as the fleshe ruleth whiche fleshe should rather to the spirite be obedient RemeÌ„bre that ye be called to life but if ye liue carnally then runne ye headlong to deathwarde but contrary if by the power of the spirit ye suppresse al fleshely desyres after suche mortifiyng of them ye shal liue Nor is it to liue after the gouernaunce of the spirite of God a paynefull profession For albeit the same call you foorth to great weightie enterprises yet are ye glad willyng to vndertake them because by it in you is enkienled a feruent charitie to whom nothyng can be hard nothyng can be but swete pleasaunt As the body liueth with his bodily spirite so dâ—eth the soule through a heauenly If our bodily spirites natural powers be weake and faint the wholle body is made dul heauye but if the same be quicke and lustie the wholle bodye is full of courage So likewyse al suche as are with the spirite of God ledde and moued are his childreÌ„ Suche as are towarde childreÌ„ resemble theyr fathers goodnes with a mery chere and frely doyng al suche thinges as they shal suppose wyll please them Bondslaues because there is betwene them and theyr maisters no natural knotte for feare of punishement abstaine froÌ„ euil beyng violeÌ„tly coÌ„pelled do theyr duties Iewes whiche are with yâ— bondage of the lawe delited this wyse do but ye whiche are once deliuered froÌ„ such boÌ„dage wyl nomore so fal to the same that with feare it be nedeful to compel you Endued are ye with the spirite of God through whom ye are by adopcion receiued into the nuÌ„bre not of seruauÌ„tes but of Gods owne children This spirit putteth vs in suche a sure trust and coÌ„fidence that in all our distresses we may boldly speake vnto God those wordes whiche fathers most gentilly fauourably are wont to geue eare vnto callyng vpoÌ„ him O father father Whiche worde we durst not be so bold in our troubles lameÌ„tably to speake vnto him were we not in assurauÌ„ce both that we are his children that he also is our merciful father as loÌ„g as we liue after his coÌ„maundement not by coÌ„pulsion I saye but of free wyl and gladly For were it so that he accoumpted vs not for his childreÌ„ neuer would he haue geuen vs this his holy spirit This benefite of God therfore whether ye cal it a pledge or token of fatherly loue wel assureth our consciences that we are his children whiche gaue vs this pledge Further then if we be his children not his seruauntes than are we also his heyres The heyres I say of God from whoÌ„ as author begynner al thinges come ioynte inheritors with Christ into whose body beyng graffed we now haue the same father that he hath through him enioy one comen enheritaunce It shal we yet none otherwyse possesse but by goyng the same pathe waye to it by whiche it pleased Christ him selfe to walke He by sufferauÌ„ce of miseries came to the possession of his glorious inheritauÌ„ce he by obedience came to his kyngdome he by reproche came to glory by death attained to life euerlastyng Suffer must we therfore with him that we may of his ioyes be partakers obedient must we be with him that we may with him raigne euerlastyngly suffre must we also worldely shame vilany that with him we in heauen may be glorifyed and finally for a season dye also with him that we may in his kyngdome liue for euer The texte For I suppose that the affliccions of this life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abideth lokyng when the sonnes of God shal appeare because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wyl therof but for his wyl whiche subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the soÌ„nes of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine euen vnto this tyme. These be the wayes and condicions to wynne this inheritaunce by wherof since there shal neuer be an ende the thyng selfe so great that it passeth al mens capacities and estimacion surely if al the affliccions of this life were put vpon one mannes bodye all the same yet were of no weight but euen trifles beyng weighed and compared with the reward of the glory to come whiche men gette in maner bye with suche great displeasures and calamities And though we now already haue an ernest peny of this welthy life to come so that therof nomaÌ„ shuld dispayre yet by reason of oure bodyes subiecte to paynes and death the same is not in euery point perfite and full In the meane tyme by the spirite of God haue we therof inwardly a secrete taste geuen vs but then shall we haue it fully and wholy when our bodies are restored to life and all the miseries of our mortal state are shaken of at what tyme we shall with euerlastyng Christ raigne euerlastyngly For whiche ioyful tyme in the meane season the whole engyne of this worlde ernestly loketh in his maner wishyng for the day wherin after that the numbre of Gods children is fulfilled and restored theyr glory shal plainly appeare whiche beyng yet burdened with theyr mortal bodies are with huÌ„ger with thryst with diseases with diuers paynes and miseries punished yea euen the world selfe after a sorte semeth to be of mannes careful estate partaker because the yearth the water the ayre heauenly bodyes and to be briefe euen the very Angels selfe were by God especially made to helpe mannes necessities And therfore not so muche as the verye worlde selfe shal from suche miseries be free vntyl that Goddes children be sette in perfite fredome so that in the meane season it is in boÌ„dage vnwillyngly For euen in the very dead creatures which haue no life a natural desyre is ther to be made perfite yet abide they nethelesse this boÌ„dage therin obeiyng him at whose pleasure it became subiecte enduryng it so muche the more paciently because it knoweth it selfe not bonde for euer but vnder this coÌ„dicion that as sone as the children of God are fully deliuered from al infeccion of death than shal the worlde no lenger be thral and vnder the displeasures of corrupcion For syth that we see al the elemeÌ„tes of this world so diuersly altered vnder so many corrupcions and see that the Sunne and moone besyde that they almost seme in theyr continual renewyng of corruptible creatures to labor in vayne haue also theyr eclipses synce that the one starres power is also contrary to another synce there is no doubt also but that the whole coÌ„pany of Angels froÌ„ heauen beholdyng our wretchednes are by reason of a pitiful loue borne towarde vs greatly
call my selfe a father and you my chyldren sith I fyrste of all menne preached the gospell vnto you and syth that throughe me ye are borne agayne vnto Christe Haue not I in maner begoten you What mother hathe taken so muche payne in trauaile with her childe as I suffered when I trauailed with you to make you christians Wherfore yf ye acknowledge this father to be yours yf ye be vnfayned children I beseche you for our mutuall loues sake to folowe your father in liuing and manners Synce ye are begoten by vs why labour ye rather to bee lyke other than to vs Suche thynges wherof ye ate accused vnto me whence they came consider with your selfe surely ye learned not them of me Yf any poynte of our doctryne bee out of youre memorie forasmuche as I canne not come my selfe here I sende vnto you Timothee euen as mine owne selfe which is my sonne not one that groweth out of kynde but through goddes goodnes a faythful childe which as fyrste by me he learned Christe so swarueth he at no tyme from his fathers steppes He shal put you in remembraunce how I ordre my life whiche I bothe folowe and teache after the example of Iesus Christe not vnto you onely but to euery congregacion that professeth Christe As he is one commen autour and rewler of all so muste all menne haue one rewle of lyuyng A naturall childe doth his duety not for feare of payne but gladlye and with all his hearte There are some among you whiche because I am absente are paste shame and so wantonly behaue them selfes as though I would neuer returne But they shal be deceyued for I wyll within a whyle bee with you by goddes grace what tyme I wyll haue a tryall what these menne can doe that this wyse auaunce them selfe not in eloquence but in deedes For the strength of the gospell standeth not in royall and gorgiouse speache which euerye manne maye bse but in a heauenlye strengthe and power which is declared by sufferaunce of troubles by concorde by ryghteousnesse of the wholle lyfe and by myracles Shall I come vnto you I wyll come in deede But take ye heede that ye receyue me as reason woulde In your handes standeth you to make me come eyther as a roughe one and dredfull or as a meeke one and gentyll I haue authorytie geuen vnto me by Christ to punishe rebellions and such as are vnrewlye with the rodde of correccion But rather hadde I not to vse it but woulde wyshe gladlye youre manners were suche that I lyke a louyng mercifull and meeke father may reioyce in your vnhurtefulnesse or yf there bee among you any smalle faultes that the same maye with an easye and fatherly correccyon be amended The .v. Chapter The texte There goeth a commen saying that their is fornicacion among you ▪ and suche fornicacion as is not named among the gentyles that one shoulde haue his fathers wife And ye swel and haue not rather sorowed that he whiche hath doue thys dede might be put frō among you for I verely as absent in body but presente in spirite haue determyned alreadye as though I we◠present concerning hym that hath done thys dede in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe when ye are gathered together and my spirite with you with the power of the Lord Iesus Christ to delyuer hym vnto Satan for the destruccion of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus BVt this is both better knowen than canne bee denyed more grenouse than canne be borne with and more hanouse than were conuenient any longer to bee differred that of you ▪ whome as a temple halowed to god all cleanes beseamed there goeth a cōmen tale and a shamfull rumour of fornicacion and of suche fornicacion as the like reproche hath not been found among painims and suche as to Christe are straungers whiche is that one among you vseth his fathers wyfe as his owne What a greate reproche and slaundre to christian religion thynke ye this that of you suche a foule rummoure shoulde bee spreade abrode And yet ye in the meane season as thoughe so greate infamye nothyng belonged vnto you highlye please youre selfe and are throughe youre worldelye wysedome proude whome it more beseamed with commen mournyng and heauinesse to declare that ye earnestelye disproue this filthie deede by excludyng the dooer of suche an outragiouse offence oute of youre coumpanye and that for three consideracions Fyrste leste yf ye vse hym familiarely and as one of your owne coumpanye whiche hathe not yet shewed hymselfe to bee sorye for hys offence ye myght seame to fauer misdoers and then a gayne leste suche an outragious offence once receued amonge you growe more and more Finally to the entente that the doer of suche a mischefe yf ye auoyde his companye as one by cōmen iudgement condemned for shame repente hym selfe vntyll suche tyme as by perfite sygnes of repentaunce it bee well knowen that he his mete to bee receaued into good peoples company And this shoulde ye haue done strayghte waye assone as it was by commen reporte knowen that the manne whose name yet for causes I rehearce not was of suche abomination Yf I had ben my selfe presente among you I woulde so haue done Nowe I being absente albeit not vtterlye absente for not withstanding my bodye bee awaye yet am I by autoritie of the spirite present absent therfore I saye but as thoughe I were present I gyue sentence whiche ye must folow that in a cōmen assemblye and resorte of manye ye determine because no one man shoulde take suche autoritie vpon hym whiche assemblye must with no carnal desire come together but haue an eye to nothinge but to the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherein I wyll as I sayed onely spirituallye bee present where shall also bee the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christe in whose name ye shall come together whiche by his power shall make my sentence effectuall that he whiche wythout all regarde of honestie hath this outragiouslye dooen bee caste oute of youre congregacion and geuen ouer to Satan to bee punished in his fleshe and made ashamed by mannes iudgement that his spirit and soule be saued before Iesus Christe his iudge whan he shall iudge and shall geue sentence not onely vpon these thynges or this manne but vpon al the world In the meane season expediente is it for hym also to preuente the exacte and rigorous iudgement of god assuryng hymself that better is it to suffre temporal punist ement than to bee condemned to the euerlastyng tourmentes of helle It beseameth vs rather to deuise a playster for the reformacion of offendours than punishmente so vsyng oure selfes with them that they maye remaine to bee amended Nor kyll we the manne but suppresse the vice and saue the manne This is the punishmente wherewith christian gentlenes oughte to bee contented It is the Iewes maner to stone a man to death and
therfore all glorye be to god our father euerlastynglye worlde without ende Amen Salute all them that accordyng to the doctrine of Iesus Christe leade a godly and an vpright cleane lyfe The christian brethren that are with me here at Rome commende them hartelye vnto you And not these onely that are famyliatly conuersaunt with me but all the rest also especially those of the Emperours housholde yâ— haue embraced yâ— doctrine of Christe and are not afrayed to professe Christe for all their â—aging lorde and maister as cruell as he is The gracious sauour and goodnesse of our lorde Iesus Christ be alwayes with your spirite Amen The ende of the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Philippians The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Alia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great leopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto theÌ„ by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with yâ— high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into thesupersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruauÌ„tes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruauÌ„tes The last partsauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timotheus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite consent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may likewyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde 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 youâ— euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you froÌ„ 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 thaÌ„kes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after yâ— by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free bouÌ„teousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whoÌ„ 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 maÌ„ should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your coÌ„fidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people earnestly 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 iÌ„to this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth yâ— 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 encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian
gretynges to you all with myne owne hande with Paules hande I saye whome ye wel knowe Remēber my bondes whom I beare for your sake and lyue after suche sorte that I of them be not made ashamed The grace of Iesus be alwayes with you Amen Finis The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Asia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great ieopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto thē by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with y◠high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into the supersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruaūtes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruaūtes The last part sauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timothcus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite ronsent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may like wyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde 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 faintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in beauen 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 shal be 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 carnestly 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 encreasyng 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