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.

¶ And whan I sawe him, I fell at his fete, euē as dead. And he layde his right hande vp∣on me, sayinge: vnto me feare not, I am the first and the laste, and a•• alyue, and was dead. And beholde, I am alyue for euermore, and haue the keyes of hell and of death. Wryte therfore the thinges whiche thou hast sene, and the thinges whiche are, and the thinges whiche must be fulfylled her after: the mysterye of the seuen starres whiche thou sawest in my right hande, and the seuen golden candelstyckes. The seuēstarres are the messengers of the seuen congregacions. And the seuen candelstyckes whiche thousawest, are the seuen congregacions.

If this holy Apostle and Euangelyst, a dysciple whom Christ loued, were not able to suffre nor abyde the presence of Christes glorified manhode: Howe wyll the wicked enemyes of the truth and of all godlynes, abyde it, or what wyll they doe? Howe Christ is the firste and the laste, god and man, the very laluaci∣on it selfe, and yet crucified as a synner: and how he rose vp againe from death, ascended into heauen and receyued power ouer al creatures, it nedeth no further interpretaciō. And againe the holy congregacions or churches haue their pro∣pre & peculiar angels to leade them, to guyde them, to wayte vpō them, to serue them and after gods ordinaunce to defende and preserue them.