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.

I woulde not brethren that ye shoulde be ignoraunte concernyng them whiche are fallen aslepe, that ye sorowe not as other do, whiche haue no hope. For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed, and rose agayne: euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus, wyll God bryng a∣gayne with hym. For this saye we vnto you in the worde of the Lorde, that we which shal lyue, and shall remayne in the commyng of the Lorde, shall not come ere they which slepe. For the Lorde hymselfe shall descende from heauen, with a showte, and the voyce of the Archangell and trompe of God. And the dead in Christ shall aryse fyrst: then we whiche shall lyue (eucn we which shal remayne) shall be caught vp with them also in the cloudes, to meete the Lorde in the ayer. And so shall we euer be with the Lorde. Wherfore, com∣forte your selues one another with these wordes.

Finally, as touchyng the mistery of the resurreccion, I cannot be contēt to haue you ignoraunt, leste you should make importune sorowfull mourning for them, that slepe in the truste of the promyses of the ghospell, as thoughe they perished: that you should not mourne, I saye, after the example of the gentiles, whiche bewayle the death of theyr frendes, because they haue no hope of theyr resurreccion. But the death of christians is nothyng els but a slepe, from the whiche they shall awake agayne at the commyng of Christ, to lyue a great deale more blissefully. For why shoulde we not truste, the same thyng to come to passe in the membres, that we knowe alreadye perfourmed in the head? For if we beleue verely, that Iesus was deade after y^• manier of man, & rose agayne to immortall life, it foloweth of necessitie, that we ought to beleue also, that god the father, whiche raysed vp Iesus, wil also bring with him those that professed Iesus and slept in the assured truste of his pro∣myses, alyue agayne at the commyng of his sonne, so as the heade shal not wante his membres. We bable not vnto you an humayne fable, but we tell you the thyng that we learned of Christe hymselfe, that is to wete, that we, whiche shall be founde remaining aliue in this world at the lordes cōming,

shal not be presented in the sight of Iesus, before that they whiche were dead afore, be presented also. Some wil saye: how shall it be possible for them to be presented, that were buried and turned into duste? Euen the Lorde Iesus himselfe by the voyce of the aungell soundyng out of heauen with the trom∣pette of God shal rayse them vp and warne them to awake and come quick∣ly. And than suche as had slept in this hope, shall returne agayne vnto lyfe, and ryse out of theyr graues. And that doen, we that shall remayne and bee founde alyue in the cumming of Christ, shall be sodainly taken vp together with them that are raised againe vnto life, through the cloudes, that wē may mete the Lorde in the ayer. And from thence he shal carrye vs with him in∣to heauen, to liue with him perpetuallie. Now therfore, see you comfort eue∣ry one another with these sayinges, so as the death of the godly vere you not to sore, inasmuche as it is more worthy gratulacions and reioycinges, than your sorowfull lamentacions.