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 .xii. Chapter.

The texte.

¶ And the seuenth angell blewe, and there were made great voyces in heauen, saying: the kyngdoms of this worlde are our lordes, and his Christes, & he shall raygne for euer more And the .xxiiii. elders, whiche syt before God on their seates, fell vpon their faces, & wor∣shipped God, sayinge: we geue the thankes O Lorde God almightye: which arte and wast, and art to come: for thou hast receaued thy great might, and hast raigned. And the nacions were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the tyme of the dead that they shoulde be iudges, and that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the prophetes & Sainctes, and to them that feare thy name small and great, and shouldest destroye them whiche destroye the earth.

AL this maye be well referred vnto the texte and vision that went before: to this purpose, that after all matters before men∣cioned, once past, there shoulde be an vniuersall godlynes, and christen order, eyther thorowe the generall preaching of the gos∣pel thorow out y^• whole world or els thorow the godly lyfe, peace and felicitie, whiche maye be at that tyme vpon earth. As it is possible inoughe thorowe the grace of god, and many good christen heartes doe trust and hope, that it shall come to passe. Or els it maye be vnderstande after the last iudgement of our sauiour Christ, of the quietnes, whiche shall than im∣mediately folowe after the cruell persecucion of Antichrist, as this blessed and comfortable angel preacheth and declareth with his trompet. For sure it is that before the latter daye the kyngdome of Christ shall appeare, and be receyued of all nacions and yles of the earth, euen of the Iewes also whiche at length shal receyue knowledge of their errour, and shall confesse their obstinacy and y^e wic∣kednes of their belefe and conuersacion, whā they shall see the grace and know∣ledge of God manifestly reueled in all tongues and speches thorowe the holy worde of god, and shal perceyue the kyngdome of Christ the true Messias not to consist in the strayght and narow corner of Canaan nor in the vnhappy citie of Ierusalem (whiche is vnhappye by reason of the dyuision and vnquietnes that is in it) but in the whole wyde worlde, wherin shall be one onely felowshyp and congregacion of the seruauntes of the onely one and almyghtie god, whom alone all the holy prophetes (of whose faythe the Iewes haue alwayes made so highe boast) haue honoured and praysed, and lyke wyse the whole regi∣ment and flocke of theirs, and the whole worldes Messias and Sauiour, whiche was before the creation of the worlde, and hath appeared in the worlde in al hu∣mylite more than .xv. hundreth yeares, almoost longer than the lawe of Moy∣ses dyd endure and continue among the Iewes from the tyme of their delyue∣raunce out of Egipte vntyll the commynge of Christ, whan he toke his man∣hode in the tyme of the reygne of Herode, whan as their regiment and gouer∣naunce toke an ende. What lyes soeuer they feyne of their lande and regyment in Vtopia (whiche they name Casp••a) wherof they must shortly be a shamed and holde their peace, and confesse their deceyte, falsehede, presumpcion & dam∣nable lyes of their Talmude, & of all their false myserable blynde guydes, and Rabbynes, whose falsehede is nowe open and manyfest vnto all the worlde, for as muche as their bokes are made common (thorowe the benefyte of printynge) vnto all men of learnynge and knowledge. So that this myserable people (as the holy apostle S. Paule prayeth) hath that thing fulfylled vnto them, whiche they hoped for, and whiche was promysed of God in their tyme vnto their gene∣racion. Euen so maye it come to passe vpon earth, and that right sone, that the honour and glorye of the kyngdome of Christ and of God shall appeare, which

shal rule for a tyme vpon earth, and after y^• latter iudgement, in heauen in euer∣lastynge blisse. As than al holy patriarkes, prophetes, apostles and all the mar∣tirs that euer haue bene, shall haue honour and glorye, whiche they shall offre vp vnto the euerlastinge and very true God, in the sight of all Goddes electe in euerlastinge blisse, in y^• kyngdome of God and of his Messias our sauiour Ie∣sus Christ, according to the doctrine of the infallyble & moost true word of god. But the wicked and vngodly heathen, shall haue no part of this honour, glorye and blisse, but shall suffer and be damned euerlastingly in eternall wrath, enuy, hatred, malyce and despayre. For suche is the righteous iudgement of God ouer all men bothe quicke, and deade, good and bad. Euery one shall be rewarded accordyng to his workes and desertes after the iust iudgement of almyghtye God, without all maner of parcialytie or respecte of persons, whether they be of high or lowe estimacion in the worlde, whether they be riche or poore, and of what lande or contrey so euer they be. For than the holy and faithful shal receiue of Christ euerlasting saluacion for their trust, faith, and loue towarde God: and contrarye wyse the wicked and vngodly tyrannes, aduersaries, & persecutours of the faithfull seruantes of God, for their obstinate blyndnes, infydelitie, and contemninge of Goddes holy wyll and worde, shall peryshe for euer, and shall remayne euerlastingly, cursed and damned withal wicked spirites. Thus farre (as semeth vnto me) doe the visions and prophecies reache, that are hetherto past, and mencioned in this boke. But nowe, that whiche foloweth, is another reuelacion, pertayning to an other tyme. For a man must not seeke any other or∣der of y^• scripture in this boke (whiche is compact together of many and diuerse visions without any obserued order,) than in other writinges of the prophetes, as they that are learned doe knowe well ynoughe.

The texte.

¶ And the temple of god was opened in heauen, and there was sene in his temple the arcke of his testament, and there folowed lyghtnynges, and voyces, and thondrynge, and earthquake, and muche hayle.

Here might the .xii. chapter well begynne, and these wordes myght be vnder∣stande and taken for a preparacion vnto the very glorious, and newe reuelaciō, which is nowe (as I sayde before) opened vnto him. But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble, dyscencion and batell, and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe, vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye. The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ, vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God, which is and euer hath bene y^• Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men, and the onely comforte, refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe. But the lyghtenynge, the noyse of the voices, the thonde∣rynge, and earthequake, with the great hayle, maye sygnifie the terryble dam∣nacion of the wicked for euer, or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and won∣derfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader (lyke as was of the holy A∣postle S. Iohn, whiche sawe it) to marke, and consyder it the more dilygentlye. For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions, as doe folowe vpon suche tokens, the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes, as the holy scripture declareth.

The texte.

¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen, a woman, clothed with the Sunne and

the Mo••e vnder her fete, & vpō her heade a crowne of .xii. starres. And she was w^t childe, & cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered. And there appeared another wonder in heauē, for beholde, a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes, & ten hornes & .vii. crounes vpon his heades: & his tayle drue y^• thirde part of y^• starres & cast them to y^• earth.

As in the prophetes of the olde testament, the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly, than the last, whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded, as Ezechiel, Daniel, and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye, and Ieremy: Euē so in the new testament, in this prophetycall boke, the latter prophecies, reue∣lacions, and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded, thā the first: in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretaciō of those visions that went before. This heauen, wherin this great token dyd appeare, must ne∣des be the kyngdome of heauen, the christen churche, congregacion and felow∣shyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it. The woman, of whome the angell here speaketh, is the euerlasting, mighty and blissed worde of god, whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne, wherunto all the vnderstanding of man, and of all fleshe is subiecte. And it is clothed and garnysshed with y^e faith and confession of the patriarkes▪ prophetes, Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament. This word of God, the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge, and beleued, hath performed, and thorowe the mercye and good∣nes of God, hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs, Christe the sauiour of the worlde, or the true faith in Christ. But this came not to passe, before suche time, as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde, thorow the workes of the lawe, throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes. For none of them all had power to satisfye, or to make holy, but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God, that became man, namely our sauiour Christe, the sonne of God and of Marye, whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one o∣nely person, whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde. This beyng w^t childe, is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre. The cryeng, is prayer. As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion, & trusted throughe belefe in y^• worde of God, vnto the promes y^• was made vnto the whole worlde. Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe, dyd appeare an other token in the congregaciō of the churche beyng called of God, namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ, whiche is y^• wicked spirite, Lucifer & his felowshyp, by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes, wherwith he worketh all myschiefe. And the .x. hornes, doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye, wherby he worketh to hynder, and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely saui∣our, wherunto he is an enemye & an aduersarye with all his might & power (so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him) whiche he taketh to helpe him, namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde, vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe. This dragons tayle, sygnifieth the might, power and ministers of the deuell, wherby he dysy∣reth to hurt the electe, yf God woulde suffer it, as it is possible, that he maye: that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines, vnto the loue of this worlde, and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions.

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.

The texte.

¶ And there was a great batayle in heauen, Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and preuayled not, nether was their place

founde any more in heauen. And the great dragon, that olde serpent, called the deuell and Sathanas, was cast out. Whiche deceaueth all the worlde. And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast our also.

The power of God, the holy worde of God, and the spirite of Christ, which we maye vnderstande by Mychaell (who by interpretacion is, who is lyke god) and Gabriel, (the strength of God,) hath, in all ages and tymes, bene dryuen to holde batel with Lucifer and Sathan, with the pryde of mans wysdome, whiche haue hindred the true honour of God, the true seruice & religiō of God, the true faith, and haue euer withstanden the holy and pure gospell. But this worde of God hath alwayes had the victorie althoughe with muche labour and daunger, and sometyme not without harme and losse, (but not of the electe) whiche thing shall continue vntyll suche tyme as our sauiour shall haue his wil and pleasure of this battell, and with the breath of his mouthe shall slaye the sonne of the dra∣gon, the damnable Antichrist. For the whiche thing, we ought continuallye to call vpon the mercye and goodnes of God (in a stedfast and perfight hope and confidence) as he hath taught vs, halowed bee thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy wyll be done no lesse in earth than it is infalliblye in heauen. For the hāde of God is not shortened, but is able to gyue whatsoeuer he hath commaunded vs to aske, and ••o praye for. The peace also and quietnes of the elect and faith∣full to lyue in godlynes, maye be wysshed to be more perfight, (as is also pro∣mysed thorowe the prophetes,) than it hath bene hitherto for lacke of the true sounde doctrine of the gospel, no smal space, althoughe the very perfyght peace can not be obteyned, but onely in heauen in the eternall quiet kyngdome of Christe.

The texte.

¶ And I hearde a loude voyce saying: in heauen is nowe made saluacion and strength, and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of oure brethren is caste downe, whiche accused them before our God daie and night. And they oeurcame him by the bloude of the lambe, and by the worde of their testimonye, and they loued not their lyues vnto the death. Therfore reioyce heauens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the in∣habiters of the earth, and of the sea: for the deuil is come downe vnto you, whiche hathe great wrathe, because he knoweth that he hath but a shorte tyme.

Thus throughe the spirite of Christ with the continual and sincere preaching of the gospel, Sathan and his champiō Antichrist are ouercome. And thus shal the voyce, prayse, and thankesgeuing of the faythful be heard in the churche, as it is here written, now is Saluacion (thorowe faithe) and the strength (thorow loue) and the kyngdome or dominion in the churche, become gods. Nowe maye all men see the power of gods worde, the iudgement of Christ against the deuel, whiche would haue roted out y^• rightuosnes of faith in Christ, & would haue di∣rected and appointed christen men vnto the rightuosnes of workes, and to the hope of their owne satisfaccion, wherby he woulde alwayes haue founde occa∣sion to accuse all men before God, vnder a false pretence. But the preachinge of the gospell hath disclosed this suttell falsehede, and all suche lyke, and decla∣reth, that onely the bloude of the lambe, and nothing els, can wype and washe awaye the synnes of all the worlde, yf they trust in god thorowe Christ, with a true lyuely faith thorowe the grace and mercye of God, and the rightuousnes of Christ, which he dystributeth vnto al his faithfull electe and maketh them par∣takers therof. That by this meanes, Sathan can haue no quarell against the workes of the faithfull, whiche lyke thankfull parsons remayne and continue

stedfastly in their true faith in al maner of affliccion & aduersitie, euē vnto very death. And therfore the true ioye of all godly consciences waxeth and increaseth in the churche. And so their blisse and saluacion beginneth in this worlde, tho∣row faith, which faith worketh an innocent and a godly lyfe, & thus continueth euerlastingly in heauen. But on y^• contrarye parte, woo vnto them, whiche seeke their rightuousnes by men at certen places, certaine times, certaine workes and certaine meates, for they can neuer fynde any true rightuousnes, but thorowe the falsehede & wickednes of y^• deuil, they fall eyther into desperacion or els into presumpciō, wherunto Sathā applieth al his study y^• they fall not frō his king∣dō nor escape out of his fingers. For he seketh nothing, but y^• damnaciō of such.

The texte.

¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth, he persecuted the woman, which brought forthe the man childe. And to y^• woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle y^• she might flye into y^• wildernes into her place, where she is nourished for a tyme, ti∣mes, and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent. And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer, because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude. And the earth holpe the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swalowed vp the ryuer, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And y^• dragon was wroth with y^• woman: & wēt and made warre w^t the remnaunt of her sede, which kepe y^• cōmaun∣dementes of God, and haue the testimonye of Iesus Christe. And I stode on the sea sande.

After that, Sathan, whiche is a spirite of lyes, marketh the power of faithe, whiche commeth & springeth of gods worde, & howe Christ beyng borne in the faithful, doth waxe & increase in them thorowe holy & godly workes acceptable vnto god: than he goeth about to persecute y^• gospel, the true & holsom doctrine, and the spirite of Christ in the electe. But the circumspecte, quickesyghted, and highe flyeng Eagle of gods spirite resisteth the dragō, & geueth might & power with his grace vnto the Christen soule to flee into a sure place, whiche is, y^• con∣tempt of this worlde, & the loue of the world to come, the solitarines of a quiet conscience in y^• crosse of Christ, & the comfort in y^• remembraunce of gods word. With these wynges she escapeth from Sathan and from al his spirites, snares and suggestions. This foode & noryshment is geuē throughe the grace & mercy of god vnto all the electe children of God, from such time as the word was firste writen throughe Moyses, and afterwarde declared throughe y^• prophetes, and fulfilled through Christ, & preached in al y^• world throughe y^• apostles, & in our tyme throughe the mercye & goodnes of God, renewed againe for a thousande. and .ii. thousande yeares, y^• is .iii. thousande, & yet lōger, how lōg so euer it please God which wil not haue it hidden & vnknowen vnto vs. And for this cause the nombre of the yeares both in this boke & in other is obscure, not without a syn∣guler cōsideracion. As y^• disciples of Helyas, receyuing it of their maister, also sayde y^• .ii. thousande yeares were past before the lawe, & that the lawe of Moy∣ses should continue lykewyse .ii. thousande yeares, & the kingdome of Messias vpō earth also about .ii. thousande yeares, not so precisely reckened, nor fullye accomplyshed, as the Rabbines & interpreters of y^• Iewes doe for the most part cōfesse & declare. But y^e serpēt, which he named before a dragō, doth neuer seace since y^• tyme of Adam & Eue, to persecute y^• faith in y^• worde of God & the secret misterie of Christ. For y^• merciful & rightuous god taketh & vseth y^• falsehede & wickednes o•• Sathan euē for a game & a sport, as a mā may say. And y^e more y^• Sathan goeth about to hinder the worcke & grace of god, & the performaunce of his promises, the more doeth his damnacion, his wrath, enuy and malyce in∣crease, and gods grace throughe his mercye is the more aboundantlye multi∣plyed in all men, and the true rightuousnes of the holy and blessed seede

our sauiour Christ is the more perfight and effectuous, and maketh more hast to the full and perfyght blisse and saluacion of all faithfull electe. Althoughe notwithstandinge, the infinite wickednes of Sathan neuer ceaseth, and is euer more angrye, & deuyseth continually one mischefe vpon anothers necke against the faithful, but all to their furtheraūce, honour, & profite at length, yea & to the preseruacion of y^• trueth of the eternal worde of God, & to the furtheraunce and confirmacion of y^• true faith, loue, & hope, against y^• whiche, the olde serpente is wont continually to fight, with al his felowship & companie of wicked spirites, and of all kyndes of blasphemies and vices, whiche are his seede & generacion, lyke as all maner of vertues, grace, holynes, innocencye & saluaciō are y^• frutes of gods worde & of the spirite of Christ, out of the whiche dothe spring obediēce and obseruacion of the cōmaundementes of God, so farre as the weakenes and imperfightenes of man is able. The whiche weakenes y^• sauiour of mankynde and y^• first borne of y^• children of God doth accomplyshe, & helpeth the lacke of mans weakenes, for y^• which cause he became man, & our brother, y^• he might the better knowe our infirmitie and weakenes. And thus was this vision reueled vnto me, (as I thought) standinge vpon the sande of the sea.

Notes

• The temple of God.
• The Arke
• The lyght∣nyng thon∣dering. &c.
• Heauen.
• The womā.
• with childe. The crienge
• The dragō.
• The .vii. heades.
• The .x. hor∣nes.
• ••••e tayle.
• The taile of the dragon or of the de∣uyll.
• The wyn∣ges.