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 text

We beseche you (brethren) by the commyng of oure Lord Iesu Chryste, and in that we shal assemble vnto him, that ye be not sodenly moued from your mynde, nor be troubled, ne∣th••r by spirite, neyther by wordes, nor yet by letter which shulde some to come from vs, as though th•• daye of Chryst were at hande. Let no man deceaue you by any meanes, for the Lorde shal not come except ther come a departyng fyrst, and that the synful man be opened the soone of perdicyon, which is an aduersary: and is eralted aboue al that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doth syt in the temple of God, boastynge hymselfe to bee God. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you. I tolde you these thynges? And nowe ye know what with holdeth: euen that he myght be vttered at his tyme. For the mis∣tery of the unquite doeth all ready worcke: tyll he, which now onelye letteth, be taken out of the wa••e. And th••n shall that wycked bevttred, whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of hys mouth, and shall destroye with the appeareaunce of his commynge.

FVrthermore brethren, we besech you by this cōmyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ, wherof we spake a littell a∣fore, and by the felowship of the glory, wherby we be∣ing the membres shalbe fastened vnto our head: that you be not sodaynlye moued from the mynde you are in though his commyng be prolonged, and be not a∣stonyed in your myndes, nether by feyned prophecie, ne by probable asserciō, nor by Epistle sēt in our name, as though the commyng of the Lorde were all ready at hand. Let no mā deceaue you by any meanes. For the lorde shal not come, onles a departing come first, & not afore the wicked man appeare, the childe of perdicion, who like as he is much vnlike vnto Christe, so muche is he his

enemy, & is exalted aboue the sōne of God, & aboue al, that is called God, or power, that is deuoutly wurshipped: so muche that he shall sitte in the temple of God, shewing himselfe as God. Doe you not remembre, that whā I was yet with you, I told you these thinges? And now you know, what is the let, y^t Christ cummeth not. In dede that the wicked man (as I saied afore) may in his propre tyme openly practise his tyranny vpon the Sainctes. For now wickednesse worketh his crueltie vnderhand by him, and the deuill by wicked menne rageth against the professours of the gos∣pell, and as you perceyue by my tellyng, there is nothyng that letteth the aduersarie of Christe from shewyng himselfe openly, but only that in the meane while euery one should holde still that he holdeth, vntil that king∣dome, wherwith all other are holden in subieccion, be dispatched quyte out of the waye. And as soone as that shall come to passe, than shall that wicked one shew himselfe abrode openly, furnished with al kynde of iug∣gling castes and wylie disceytes, to bryng mankynde to destruccion. But for all his rageing with his deuilish spirite, the Lord Iesus shall cheoke him with the mightie blast of his mouthe, and for all his bostyng of his false counterfaite shew of diuinitie, the Lorde shall obscure and abolishe him with the excellente clearenes of his cummyng, euen as monstreous sightes of the night time and vayne appearaunces of thinges vanishe and goe a waye at the shynyng out of the bright sonne beames.