A Call to Maturity

1Wherfore let vs leaue the doctryne pertaynynge to the begynnynge of a Christen life, and let vs go vnto perfeccion: and now nomore laye ye foundacion of repetaunce from deed workes, and of faith towarde God, 2of baptyme, of doctryne, of layenge on of hades, of resurreccion of the deed, & of eternall iudgment. 3And so wil we do yf God permytte. 4For it is not possible, that they which were once lighted, and haue taisted of the heauely gyfte, and are become partakers of the holy goost, 5& haue taisted of ye good worde of God, and of the power of the worlde to come, 6yf they fall awaye (and concernynge them selues crucifye the sonne of God afresshe, and make a mocke off him) that they shulde be renued agayne vnto repentaunce. 7For the earth, that drynketh in the rayne, which commeth oft vpon it, and bringeth forth herbes mete for them that dresse it, receaueth blessynge of God: 8But yt grounde which beareth thornes and thistles, is nothinge worth, and nye vnto cursynge: whose ende is to be brent.

9Neuertheles (ye dearly beloued) we trust to se better of you, and yt saluacio is nyer, though we thus speake. 10For God is not vnrighteous, that he shulde forget youre worke and laboure of loue, which ye shewed in his name, whan ye mynistred vnto the sayntes, and yet mynister. 11Yee and we desyre, that euery one of you shewe the same diligence, to the stablyshinge of hope euen vnto the ende, 12that ye faynte not, but folowe them which thorow faith and paciece inheret the promyses.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13For whan God made promes to Abraham, because he had none greater to sweare by, he sware by himselfe, 14and sayde: Surely I wil blesse the and multiplye ye in dede. 15And so he abode pacietly, and optayned the promes. 16As for men, they sweare by him that is greater then them selues: and the ooth is the ende of all stryfe to confirme the thinge amoge them. 17But God, wyllinge very abundauntly to shewe vnto the heyres of promes the stablenes of his councell, added an ooth 18yt by two immutable thinges (in the which it is vnpossible yt God shulde lye) we mighte haue a stronge consolacion: euen we, which are fled to holde fast the hope that is set before vs, 19which (hope) we haue as a sure and stedfast anker of oure soule. Which (hope) also entreth in, in to those thinges that are within ye vayle, 20whither the foreruner is for vs entred in, eue Iesus, which is made an hye prest for euer after ye order of Melchisedech.