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.

It is nede then, that the simily tudes of heuenly thinges be purified wyth such thin∣ges: but that the heuenly thinges themselfes, be purified wyth better sacrifices then are those. For Christ is not entred into the holye places that are made with handes (whyche ••e similitudes of true thinges) but is entred into very heuen for to appere nowe in the sight of god for vs: not to offre himself often as the hye priest entreth into the holy place euery yere wyth strange bloud, for thē must he haue often suffred sence the worlde began. But now in the ende of the worlde, hath he apeted once to put synne to slyght by the of∣feryng vp of hymselfe. And as it is apoynted vnto all men that they shall once dye, and than cōmeth the iudgement: euen so Christe was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many, and vnto them that loke for hym shall he appere agayne, withoute syune vnto ••••luation.

And truely it was conuenient that suche thynges as in earth represented the similitude and shadowe of heauenly thynges, shoulde be done with suche manour of grosse and carnall purifications. But when veritie was once come to lyght, then was it mete that the heauenly sacrifices them selfes should be made with better oblacions, and cause a trewer puritie. For, as I haue sayde, euen all that Christe did in earth is heauenly. For trewely he entred not in to the holye places made with handes, whiche are rather supposed holye then be holy in dede, and maye be tourned vnto a prophane vse, and were no∣thyng els but certayne shadowes and fygures of thynges that were verelye holye, but entred into verye heauen where as dwellethe God immortall wyth hys holy angels, before whom he as a leful Byshoppe maketh intercessyon for all mennes synnes, purchasyng hymselfe fauourable audience wyth hys owne bloude, whiche of his mere and free charitie he shedde for vs: and that dyd he with so effectuall a sacrifice, that it shall not be nedefull for hym euery yeare to do the same agayne, as the hye pryest of the olde testamente entred in to the moste secrete parte of the temple yearely. Nether is it anye marueyll that the sacryfice made by the hye prieste of Moyses was not of lyke efficacye, sence he was bothe subiecte vnto synnes, and offred vp a beastes bloud, and not his owne.

If Christe had bene suche an hye prieste, then sythe there hathe soo manye ages and yeares begonne agayne sence the creation of the worlde, he shoulde of necessytye often tymes haue offred vp a sactifyce lyke as the priestes of the olde testament dyd. Nowe was he suche a one, that it was sufficieute for hym once to offre vp himselfe, and once with the sprinkeling of his own blode, to take awaye the synnes of all ages vntill the worldes ende. And that was done, not from the begynnynge of the woorlde, but nye the ende of the same, when it was openly knowen to euery man, that al the world was defyled with synne, and that there was no remeady but of God onelye, bycause it shoulde manyfestly appeare howe effectuall a pryest, and of what greate vertue and power he was, who with one sacrifice pourged so greate an heape of synnes, and lefte behynde him a ready and an easye remedye, whych was, that the same sacrifice shoulde be sufficient for al menne, tyme once of measure, that woulde not make them selfes vn worthye therof. For he toke vpon hym, not only their synnes who manye yeares byfore put hope of saluatyon in hym, but also theyrs who would manye yeares after beleue his ghospel.

Wherefore there is not why the worlde shoulde loke after an other priest, or an other sacrifice to pourge synnes, but as it is appoynted to al men that they shall once dye without hope to retourne agayne into this lyfe wherein we oft∣tymes fall, and ofttymes are pourged agayne: and as there is nothynge lo∣ked for after euerye mannes deathe but that extreme iudgement wherby ende∣lesse rewardes shalbe adiudged bothe to good and badde: so lyke wyse Christe (who dyeng once was offered vp for all the world, takyng vpon him, as moch as in hym laye, all mennes synnes, bycause he woulde be punyshed for all) woulde haue nothyng remayne after this lyfe but that last iudgement wherin he shall appeare agayne vnto the world, not as before lyke a sacrifice appoyn∣ted to be slayne, or lyke a worker of myschiefe, and one worthy of punishement, but as a glorious persone and one that knoweth no maner of synne: he shall, I saye appeare to their blysse and saluation, who beyng nowe purified thorow his death, perseuer in good and vertuous lyuyng tyll he come agayne, not to be offred vp, but a iudge desired of the good, and dreadefull to the wicked.