death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye APRIL 4, AUG. 3, have need that one teach you ac which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become sh as have need of milk, and not d strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is sta But strong meat belongeth to the that are of full age, eren those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. CHAP. VI. THERE NOVEMBER 30. have ministered to the saints, and de minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same de to the full assurance of hope andð the end: that ye be not slothful. but followers of them who threa faith and patience inherit the p mises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear sible for those who were once enby no greater, He sware by Ha lightened, and have tasted of the self, saying, Surely blessing heavenly gift, and were made par- bless thee, and multiplying I takers of the Holy Ghost, and have multiply thee. And so, after he had tasted the good word of God, and patiently endured, he obtained the the powers of the world to come, if promise. For men verily swear by they shall fall away, to renew them the greater: and an oath for co again unto repentance; seeing they mation is to them an end of all strife crucify to themselves the Son of God Wherein God, willing more abaafresh, and put Him to an open dantly to shew unto the heirs of proshame. For the earth which drink- mise the immutability of His c it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiv two immutable things, in which was impossible for God to lie, we eth blessing from God: but that which might have a strong consolation, who beareth thorns and briers is rejected, have fled for refuge to lay hold upe and is nigh unto cursing; whose end the hope set before us: which hop is to be burned. But, beloved, we are we have as an anchor of the soa persuaded better things of you, and both sure and stedfast, and which though we thus speak. For God is whither the forerunner is for things that accompany salvation, entereth into that within the veil and labour of love, which ye have Priest for ever after the order d not unrighteous to forget your work entered, even Jesus, made an Hig shewed toward His name, in that ye APRIL 5, AUG. 4, Fo CHAP. Melchisedec. VII. DECEMBER 1. OR this Melchisedec, king of from the slaughter of the kings, and Salem, priest of the most high blessed him; to whom also Abraham God, who met Abraham returning gave a tenth part of all; first beg 懷 by interpretation King of righteous- | ess, and after that also King of Saem, which is, King of peace; without father, without mother, without lescent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like anto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For He of Whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. NOV TOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made Priest: (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec :) by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suf fered to continue by reason of death: but This Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, Who is consecrated for evermore. offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day CHAP. APRIL 7, AUG. 6, THEN verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first ta when I took them by the hand a lead them out of the land of Egy because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded the saith the Lord. For this is the nant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into ther mind, and write them in their heart: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: they shall not teach every man ha neighbour, and every man his bre ther, saying, Know the Lord: for shall know Me, from the least to t greatest. For I will be merciful a their unrighteousness, and ther and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that He saith, A te covenant, He hath made the first o Now that which decayeth and wareth old is ready to vanish away. then present, in which were offe both gifts and sacrifices, that cod not make him that did the service per fect, as pertaining to the conscicat which stood only in meats! drinks, and divers washings, carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, made with hands, that is to say, of this building; neither by the bod of goats and calves, but by His ca blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eterna redemption for us. For if the bod of bulls and of goats, and the a-bes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the bernacle, accomplishing the service flesh: how much more shall the blood the high priest alone once every year, of God. But into the second went of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spat not without blood, which he offered to God, purge your conscience from people: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of God? the living 1 And for this cause He is the Me all was not yet made manifest, while diator of the new testament, that by as the first tabernacle was yet stand means of death, for the redemption ing: which was a figure for the time of the transgressions that were under he first testament, they which are alled might receive the promise of ternal inheritance. For where a estament is, there must also of neessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after nen are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. CHAP. X. APRIL 8, good things to come, and not the AUG. 7, DEC. 4. do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath | consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fear ful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done APRIL 9, AUG. 8, despite unto the Spirit of grace? Fr we know Him that hath said. Ve geance belongeth unto Me, I wil recompense, saith the Lord As again, The Lord shall judge H ple. It is a fearful thing to f the hands of the living God. b call to remembrance the former day in which, after ye were illam ye endured a great fight of affi tions; partly, whilst ye were mar gazingstock both by reproaches afflictions; and partly, whist ye be came companions of them that w so used. For ye had compasse me in my bonds, and tock latar the spoiling of your goods, k in yourselves that ye have in beam a better and an enduring substan Cast not away therefore your ca fidence, which hath great recotapet t of reward. For ye have need of pa tience, that, after ye have done t will of God, ye might receive a promise. For yet a little wh He that shall come will come, 12 will not tarry. Now the just live by faith: but if any man back, My soul shall have no pleas in him. But we are not of them we draw back unto perdition; but them that believe to the saving af the soul. CHAP. XI. DECEMBER 5 NOW OW faith is the substance of is impossible to please Him for he things hoped for, the evidence that cometh to God must believe that of things not seen. For by it the eld- He is, and that He is a rewarder d faith we understand that the worlds faith Noah, being warned of God were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he an ark to the saving fear, prepared things not seen as yet, moved with of his house; by the which he demned the world, and became her By faith Abraham, when he was I was righteous, God testifying of his called to go out into a place which gifts: and by it he being dead yet he should after receive for an lated that he should not see death; not knowing whither he went. Br lation he had this testimony, that he ing in tabernacles with Isaac and translated him: for before his trans-mise, as in a strange country, dwe and was not found, because God had faith he sojourned in the land of prepleased God. But |