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 .v. Chapter.

The texte.

For euery hye pres••e that is taken from amonge men is ordained for men, in thinges per∣tayning to God, to offer giftes and sacrifrces for sinne: which can haue compassion on the igno••a••••te, and on them that er••e out of the waye, ••o••asmuch as he hym selfe also is com∣passed with infyrmitie. And for the same infyrmities sake, he is bounde to offer for sinnes, as well for hym selfe, as for the people. And no man taketh honoure vnto him selfe: but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

FVrthermore it is an vsage amonge the Iewes that euery hye priest chosen from amonge men, be orday∣ned for thys purpose, y^• in such businesses as chaunce betwene God and man, he as a mediatoure betwene both, maie make intercession for menne, in such wise that yf God be any thyng dyspleased wyth mennes offences, he may appease his wrath by giftes and sa∣crifices duely offred: the which hie priest for the dig∣nities sake of hye priesthoode, canne in suche wise do muche with God, that he is not yet free from mannes infirmitie, to the••∣tent he maye be the readyer to take compassion on them, who haue sinned thorowe erroure and ignoraunce, in asmuche as he hym selfe is subiecte vnto the same infirmitie, in that he is of the selfe same nature that they he of. For suche are sooner sory for other mennes euils and dyspleasures, as haue them selues learned mercy and compassion by the tastyng of lyke euils & aduersities: and he is gladder to reamedy other mennes errours and offences, which falleth oftentymes hym selfe, or at the leastwyse is in ieopardie to fall: And for thys cause Moses priest ought as well to offre sacrifice for hys owne synnes, as he offreth for the peoples offences.

Nowe Christ had so a tommune nature with vs subiecte vnto paynes and death, that he was notwithstandyng with out all manour of synne. He had experience of payne who neuer knewe any synne. Furthermore, accordyng to the ordinaunces of Moses lawe, no man taketh vpon him and vsurpeth the honourable ministracion of hye priest hod of hys owne accorde, but he onely taketh it in hande that is called thereunto by goddes commaunde∣ment, lykewyse as Aaron was called. For he semeth vn worth•• of honour, whoso by reason of ignoraunce ambiciously desireth digintie: and that man is not meete for a rowme or ministracion, whych intrudeth hym selfe into the same

The texte:

Euen so Christ also glorifyed not him selfe, to be made the hye prieste: but he that safed vnto hym, thou art my sonne, thys daye haue I be••otten the, gloryfyed hym. As he saieth also in another place: thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech. Wh••che in the dayes of his fleshe, when he had offered vp praiers & suppsicacions▪ with strong cri∣yng and teares (vnto him that was able to saue ••i•• from death) and was heard because of his reuerence, thoughe he were ehe sonne of God, yet learned he obedience▪ by those thynges, whych he suffered an•• he beyng perfecte, was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto al them that obeyed hym: and is called of God an hye priest, after the order of Mel∣chisedech.

And herein also Christ gaue vs an ensample of a lawfull bishop. For he toke not vpon him of his owne accord, the glorious dignitie of an hie priest, but was allowed of hys father, who firste acknowledged Iesus to be hys true sonne, when he sayed: Thou art my sonne, thys daye haue I begotten the. And also he orde••neth hunanon after a true and lawful hie priest when he sayeth: Thou art a priest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech. Ye haue hearde howe he was ordey••ed. Nowe herken howe he was tempted, and proued. When as yet he had a mortall body in earth, he offred prayers and supplicacions vnto god the father, who could haue preserued him from the punyshment of the crosse, excepte he had bene more desyrous to prouyde for mannes safetie by the death of hys sonne. He offred them with seruent affeccion, greate crying, and plentifull teares, and was hearde by reason of hys charytie and soueraygne dignitie with the father. He obteyned hys desyre. For hys wyll and desyre was not to escape the punyshment of the crosse, but to procure vs soule health by hys death. He felte greate feare, he felte the torment & anguyshe of death, but the loue that he bare towardes mankynde preuayled. He was the sonne, and coulde haue obtayned any thyng of the father if he had desired it: but thus was it thought to be more conuenyent for our health, that he beyng afflicted with all manour of euils and aduersities, should geue vnto his a rule of perfite obedience euen to the punyshement of the crosse. Do ye aske what auayled thys pacience of oure priest? He was so proued and tryed euery waye, that nothyng shoulde bee lackyng in hym: he saued not onely hymselfe, but was the cause of saluaciō to all that folowe thys ensample of obedyence. For he obtayned of the fa∣ther that all those whiche woulde de hys felowes in suffryng affliccions, shoulde also be partakers with hym of hys kyngdome.

And for this sacrifyce duely made, he was called of the father an hye prieste after the ordre of Melchisedech.

The texte.

Wherfore we woulde speake many thynges, but they are harde to be vttered: seyng ye are dull of hearinge. For when as concernyng the tyme, ye ought to be reachers, yet haue ye neade agayne that we teache you the firste princyples of the worde of God: and are become suche as haue neade of mylke: and not of stronge meate for euery man that is fed with mylke, is ••••expert in the worde of ryghtewesnes, for he is but▪ a babe. But strong meate belongeth to them that are parfecte euen those, which (by reason of vse) haue theyr wyttes exercysed to discerue both good and euyll.

Nowe who was this Melchisedech, and howe conueniently he figured the sonne of God, I would largely entreate, but it shalbe very harde for me to declare all thynges vnto you, because your eares are not receyuable of this matter, but to weake to awaye with a sermon of suche length and dif∣ficultie. And herein I am constrained to requyre in you more diligence and feruent desyre to goe forwarde, who, notwithstandyng you haue so many yeares professed Christe, that for the quantitie and space of tyme ye should be teachers of other men, yet haue you nede to bee taught of me agayne the first principles, and as a man would saye, the. A. B. C. of holy scripture, the whiche is wonte to be taught vnto those, as vnto children, who thorowe baptisme are borne agayne vnto the gospell: and you, whome it behoued nowe to be strong and stablished in euangelicall Philosophie, haue nede as yet lyke tendre babes to be fed with the mylke of lowest doctryne: rather then be meete to receyue the strong meate of higher learnyng. As yet you continewe styll, and as one would saye, crepe in the historye of holy scrip∣ture, and ryse not vp to the more hydde and mysticall vnderstandyng ther∣of. Nowe he that is such a one that he hath nede as yet to be nourished with mylke, is ignoraunt, and not strong ynough to heare the ryghteousnesse of the gospell, whiche is not founde in thistorye, but in allegories. And ther∣fore he is not receyuable of that preachyng, wherby we are taught perfitte ryghteousnesse, because he is as yet a babe in Christ, lately graffed in his body, in such wise that he may by litle & litle aspire to greater thinges. Furthermore the strong meate of more profounde & misticall vnder∣standyng, pertayneth to those whiche are growen, and become per∣fitte, euen to those, who by long and cōtinuall practise haue their wyttes exercised to discerne both good and euyll. He that is a chylde and nouryshed with mylke, lyueth verely, but yet he hathe not gotten hymselfe that strength by eustome and age, wherby he is able to choose out for him∣selfe of euery thyng the best, and loketh not to haue an other to put mylke, or chyldes meate chawed be∣fore into his mouthe.