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.

For vnto which of the Aungels sayed he at any tyme? Thou art my sonne, thys daye haue I begotten the. And agaynē▪ I wyll be hys father, and he shalbe my sonne. And a∣gayne, when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world, he sayeth: And ••era•• the Aungels of God worshyppe hym. And vnto the Aungels he sayeth: He maketh his angels spyrites, & his mynisters a flame of fire. But vnto the sonne he saith: Thy seate (O God) shalbe for euer and euer. The scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter. Thou hast loued ryghtewesnes, and hated iniquytie. Wherfore God euen thy God, hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes.

But vnto what Aungell dyd God euer geue so great honour, that he vouchesafed to call hym by the name of his sonne? wheras he speaketh vn∣to Christe in the misticall psalme in this wyse: thou art my sonne, I haue begotten thee to day. And again: I will be his father, he shalbe my sōne. For he made angels of nought, but his sonne he begate of his owne pro∣per substaunce, lyke in euery thing & egall vnto hymselfe. Agayne when in the mistycall psalme he bryngeth his sonne into the worlde, hauing vpon hym the habite of mans body, he speaketh in this manour: And let al the angels of God worshyp hym. True it is that seruauntes are honoured, but the sōne (who is egall with the father) is adored & worshypped. But where holy scripture expresseth the dignitie of aungels, what sayeth it▪ who maketh (sayth the scripture) his angels, spyrites, & his ministers a flame of fyer. That angels were created, that haue they commen with o∣ther thinges which were likewise created of almighty God. That they were made spirites and mindes free from the mortalytie & corrupcion of mans body, & that they alwaies burning with godly charitie assiste their maker, as quicke and nimble ministers of his godly wyll, & commaūde∣ment, therin vndoubtedly they excell vs. But howe much greater are the wordes that he speaketh vnto the sonne? Thy seate, o God, shalde for e∣uer and euer, the scep••re of thy kyngdome is a right scepter. Ye heare how the name of God is geuen vnto the sōne: ye heare howe the seare of a king∣dome, is geuen him: of a kingdome, I saye, that neuer shall haue ende.

It foloweth in the same Psalme. Thou hast loued ryghtuousnesse, and hated iniquitie, wherfore God, euen thy God, hath enoynted the with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felowes. Ye heare that he was specially enoi••∣ted of God the father aboue all hys felowes, eyther men, or aungels.