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 after that, I herde the voyce of muche people in heauen, sayinge: Alleluya. Salua∣cion and glorye and honour & power be ascribed to the Lorde out God, for true and righte∣ous are his iudgementes, for he hath iudged the great whore whiche dyd corrupte y^• earth with her fornicacion, and hath auenged the bloude of his seruauntes of her hande. And againe they sayde: Alleluia. And smoke rose vp for euermore. And the xxiiii. elders, and the foure beastes fell downe, and worshypped God that sate on the seate, sayinge: Amen. Alleluya. And a voyce came out of the seare, sayinge: prayse our Lorde God all ye that are his seruauntes and ye that feare him bothe small and great.

IF a man might so say, what dothe the punishment of the wicked tyrantes and their damnacion, helpe or profyte the godlye and faithfull christians whiche are persecuted of the dragon, of the beast and of y^• false prophetes for the true faithe and religions sake, euen vnto deathe? Hete in this place is a sufficient and perfight answer vnto this question. For thus it is sayde, the same godly ministers and faithfull witnesses of Christe the crucified and slaine lambe, they doe nothynge els in heauen in their immortall soules but synge thankes and laudes vnto God almightie, styrring, prouokyng, and exhortynge one a nother with lyke affeccion and zeale to prayse God. For Alleluia is nothinge els but prayse God. Allelu, is as muche to saye as prayse ye. And ya is one of the names of the lorde God wherby he is named, of whiche names there are dyuerse. Nowe here maye we learne with what maner of wordes we shoulde and shall prayse God, bothe here and also in heauen: Namely thus, all saluacion and goodnes whiche may be profitable vnto vs and maye be desyred of God, and againe all laude and prayse, for al maner of benefites and goodnes perteyneth onely vnto the mooste mercyfull, eternall and almightye onely one God, and must be ascribed vnto him. Honour whiche is a profession and a de∣claracion of al vertue and godly kindnes and loue, and of al mighte, power and omnipotencye, is due onely vnto the true, onely and eternall God creatour and maker of all creatures. For all his workes and iudgemētes are right, commen∣dable, holy and true without all maner of parcialitye, and specially for as much as he hathe subdued and brought downe the glorious and proude tyrantes bothe of the spiritualtie and of the temporaltie, and hath sent them to eternall damnacion. And hathe caused their wickednes and abhominacion also to come to lyght in this worlde, to the synguler comforte of the faithfull electe that were oppressed of them. And thus they cease not to gyue lawdes and thanckes vnto God, saying continually, Alleluia. But the smoke is the true oblacion and the right sacrifice whiche the holy sainctes doe offer in heauen euerlastinglye, and performe also vpon earthe in the holy churche euen vntyll the latter daye, I meane geuynge of thanckes and acknowledging the goodnes of God, as is before sayd. This oblaciō & sacrifice is made cōtinually without ceasynge with infynite and vnspeakeable ioy, of al holy patriarkes, prophetes, Apostles, mat∣tirs,

and of the whole heauenly felowship, and of all them whiche euer from the beginning haue pleased the lord God with faith, loue, hope and obedience. But the maner and the ceremonies with the wordes reuerence and ioy whiche the holy and faithfull electe do vse, dothe the holy scripture describe after the ma∣ner & capacite of men, in suche wyse as may be best vnderstande and perceyued of vs. Amen, is as muche as that God is the trueth, & faithful in keping of all his promises and wordes. And here maye we learne that we shoulde not name nor esteme the holy and faithfull saintes as princes and rulers of heauē, for as muche as they name them selues but seruantes of God, and are no better, and that also not by merite and deserte, but onely by the grace and eleccion of god. And also some are also greater and higher than other, as Abraham parauen∣ture than Isaac, and Ioseph than Simeon, Peter than Philip, but that ought not curiously to be serched out of man. In heauen shall we see and knowe per∣fitely the cause and occasion of the iudgement of God, but not in this lyfe.