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 the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered: for to de∣uourt

her chylde as sone as it were borne. And she brought forthe a man childe, whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron. And her sonne was taken vp vnto God, and to his seate. And the woman fled into wildernes, where she had a place, prepared of god, that they shoulde fede her there a .M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes.

The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell, whome he alwayes stirred vp, might come to none effecte, and that y^• trueth of God might be dysap∣poynted, and that the faythe in Christ, in whome our saluacion dothe consyste, might be blemysshed and confounded, and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine, interpretacions and errours. But the goodnes, truth, mer∣cye, faythfulnes and loue of God, is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell, and of al his subtilties and ministers. For the childe was borne, god∣des worde became man, truth had the victorye, and falsehede laye on y^• grounde vnder fote. The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God, and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde. This childe Christ, the euerlasting worde of God, whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye, was receyued and taken of God the father, throughe grace, for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world, and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes, the glorye of y^• heauenlye father, and the kyngdome of heauen, wherin he ruleth for euer and euer. But the truth of the christen faith, religion, and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne, beyng persecuted euen at the first, of the Ie∣wes, of the false Apostles, of false and coloured christians, of Emperours and Kynges, of workemongers, of false and wicked bysshops, of Sorcerers, and nigromansers, of Sarasens, of ydolaters, and Epicures, of philosophers, of the louers of this world, of spiritual prelates and religious monkes and friers. &c. For all these and other suche lyke, are the hornes, crounes and the great tayle of this dragon, whiche watcheth, studieth and seketh all wayes and meanes to hurte and hynder the true faithe, the christen lyfe, and the holsome doctrine, that is to saye our sauiour Christ in the faithfull. And for this cause, the doctrine of the gospell and the christen faithe, hathe bene fayne to suffer muche continually euen from the beginnyng of the worlde, and immediately after the christen faith was first taught & preached. And therfore many holy and faithfull christianes haue bene fayne to flee, and y^• trueth of the gospel in continuaunce of tyme, was straunge and vnknowen vnto the moost parte of the hyghe learned doctours, and potentates throughout the worlde: Althoughe the true christen faithe was alwayes preserued, thoughe it were in fewe and in abiecte persons of slender reputa••ion. And this continued a longe space, namely from the tyme of Con∣stantine the Emperour, whan as the christen churche semed in maner to haue escaped all daunger and perill of decaye and destruccion, vntil our tyme, wher∣in she appeareth againe wonderfully after a straunge maner in despite of al ti∣rannes, and of all the power of hell. And nombring from that tyme (of Constan∣tine I meane) vntyll our tyme, euen this nomber of yeares shall euydentlye appeare, reckenynge dayes for yeares, as it is a commune thing in scripture. If any man can finde out any plainer vnderstanding of this place (for in suche darke and obscure places of scripture no man ought to be frowarde or conten∣cious) let them take it, and folowe it.

Notes

• The taile of the dragon or of the de∣uyll.