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 be that talked with me, had a golden rede to measure the citie with all, and the ga∣tes therof and the wal therof. And the citie was buylt foure square, and the length was as large as the bredth, and he measured the citie with the rede twelue •••• furlonges: and the length and the bredth, & the heyght of it, were equall. And he measured the wall ther∣of, an cxliiii. c••bytes: the measure that the angell had, was after the measure that man vseth. And the buildyng of the wal of it was of Iasper. And the citie was pure golde, lyke vnto cleare glasse, and the foundacions of the wall of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones. The first foundacion was Iaspis, the seconde Saphire, the thirde a Calcedony, the fourthe an Emeralde, the fyfte Sardoni••, the syrie Sardoes, the seuenth Crysolite, the eight Beral, the nynth a Topas, the tenth a Chrisoprasos, the ele∣euenth a Iaciute, the twelue than Am••chist.

In the .xliiii. of Ezechiell and lykewyse in zacharie doe we reade of y^• mystery of this holy citie, whiche is here described as thoughe it shoulde be measured how long, how brode and howe highe it were: But it is done of Christ after the maner of a vision, and as it were in a misterie. For Christ knoweth his churche well inoughe and all whiche are the rin or belong therunto. The golden reed is as it were a golden met wonde and it signifieth the right square of the holy scripture whiche onely declareth and sheweth certenly and truly what is ryghte

or croked, wel or amisse in the religion, and doctrine, ceremonies, and dyscipline of the churche. And where as the citie lyeth foure square, it sygnifieth the .iiii. quarters of the worlde, in the whiche the almightie God hath alwayes had his peculier electe, faithful folowers and obseruers of the true loue of God and of the neighbour, wherin consisteth the lawe and the prophetes, and also the com∣maundement of Christ the sauiour of the whole worlde. The length is from the east to the west, the bredth is from the northe to the south, and the higth is euen from the earth to the heauen. So that heauen and earth and the whole churche both triumphant in heauen & militant vpon earth are full of the glory of God, of the power and kyngdome of Christ, whiche the father gaue him whan as he dyd set him at his right hande, in the moost hyghe honour, glorye and blisse for a mirrour vnto all faithfull and holy electe. An hundreth and .xliiii. is a full and a perfite nomber euen .xii. tymes .xii. And it signifieth all perfeccion of the grace of God the holy goost, and of all true and perfite vertues whiche true faithe onely preserueth and maketh good, and perfight, and also acceptable vn∣to God. The true faithe and belefe which hath alwaies bene preached and pre∣serued in the holy churche, as well by the Israelites as by the christianes, stan∣deth marked thorowe the holy goost in the holy scripture. And there are as ma∣ny precious stones theri•• as are holy doctrines and examples by the which the state of christendom, the christen religion, the churche of God, the holy Ierusa∣lem is buylded. Thys ••••••ie is buy••ded of pure golde. For fayth can not be with our feruent loue, whych is compared vnto golde which is not also without pu∣tenes of an innocent and godly lyfe, whych is sygnified by the glasse. Nowe of the comparison of the .xii. precious stones wyth the .xii. articles of the fayth, ma∣ny thynges myght be wrytten and sayd, which I leaue vnto them that be lear∣ned to consyder, for as muche as in effecte there is nothyng wātyng, and the ho∣ly goost hath set forth and opened the vnderstandyng of them in no place of the holy scripture more playnely.