The pistle of S. Paul vnto the HebruesThe Prologe to the epistle of S. Paul to the Hebrues.
Aboute this pistle hath euer be
moche doutynge and that am
te great learned m
who shuld be the auctor therof: diuerse affirminge that it was not Paules partlye because the stile so disagreeth & is so vnlyke: his other epistles / & partlye because it stondeth in
the seconde Chapter / this learninge was confyrmed to vs warde: that is to saye taught vs by them that heard it them selues of the Lorde. Now Paule testifieth Gala .j. that he receaued not his gospell of man nerby man but ymmediatlye of Christ & that by reuelacion. Wherfore saye they / seinge this m

confesseth that he receaued his doctryne of the Apostles it c

not be Pauls / but some disciple of the Apostles. Now whether it were Pauls or no I saye not / but permyt it to other mennes iudgementes / nether thinke I it to be an article of anye mannes fayth / but that a man maye doute of the auctor.
Moreouer / manye there hath been which not onlye haue denyed this pistle to haue been wrytten by anye of the Apostles / but haue also refused yt altogether as no catholick or godlye pistle / because of certen textes written therin. For fyrst it sayth in the sixte: it is impossible that they which were once lyghted / & haue tasted of the heuenly gyfte & were become partakers of the holy goost / & haue tasted of the good worde of God & of the power of the worlde to come if they fall / shuld be renewed agayne to repentance or conuersion. And in the t
th it sayeth / if we synne wyilynglye after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truthe / there remarneth no more sacrifice for synnes / but a fearfull lokynge for iudgem
t & vyolent fyer which shall destroye the aduersaries. And in the .xij. it sayeth that Esau founde no waye to repenta
ce or c
uersyon / no though he sought it with teares. Which textes saye they / sounde that if a m
synne anye more after he is once baptised / he can be no more forgeuen / and that is contrary to all the scripture / and therfore to be refused to be catholyck and godlye.
Vnto which I answer: yf we shuld denie this pistle for those textes sakes / so shuld we denye fyrst Mathew which in his .xij. chap. affirmeth
that he which blasphemeth the holy goost / shall nether be forgeu

here ner in þ
e worlde to come. And then Marke which in his .iij. chap. sayeth that he that blasphemeth the holy goost / shall neuer haue forgeuenes / but shalbe in da

ger of eternall d

naci

. And thyrdly Luke which sayth there shalbe no remissi

to h

that blasphemeth the spirite of God. Moreouer Iohn in his .j. pistle sayth there is a synne vnto deeth / for which a m

shuld not praye. And .ij. Petr .ij. sayth: yf a m

be fled fr

the vnclennes of the worlde thorow the knowlege of the sauyour Iesus Christ / and then be wrapt in agayne / his ende is worse then the begininge & that it had bene better for him neuer to haue know

the truthe. And Paul ij. timo .iij. cursseth Alex

der the copersmith / desyringe the Lorde to rewarde him accordinge to his dedes. Which is a signe that ether the pistle shuld not be good / or that Alex

der had synned past forgeuenes / no more to be prayed for. Wherfore seinge no scripture is of priuat interpretaci

: but must be expounded accordinge to the generall articles of oure fayth & agreable to other op

& euid

t textes / & c

firmed or c

pared to lyke sent

ces / why shuld we not vnderst

ee these places with lyke reuer

ce as we do the other / namely when all the remn

t of the pistle is so godlye and of so great learninge.
The fyrst place in the .vj. Chapter will no more then that they which knowe the truthe / & yet willinglye refuse the light / and chose rather to dwell in darcknes / & refuse Christ & make a mocke of him (as the Pharises which when they were ouercome with scripture & myracles that Christ was the verye Messias / yet had soche lust in iniquite that they forsoke him / persecuted him slewe him & did all the shame that coulde be ymagined to him) c
not be renued (eis Metano iam) sayth the Greke / to be conuerted:
that is to saye / soche malycious vnkyndnes which is none nother then the blaspheminge of the holy ghoost / deserueth that the spirite shall neuer come more at them to conuert the / which I beleue to be as true as eny other texte in all the scripture.
And what is meant by that place in the t
th chapter where he sayth / yf we synne willinglie after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truthe / there remayneth no more sacrifice for synne / is declared ymediatlye after. For he maketh a comparyson betwene Moses & Christ / sayenge: if he which despised Moses lawe dyed without mercie how moche worse punishement is he worthye of / that treadeth the sonne of God vnder fote & counteth the bloude of the couena
t / by which bloude he was sanctified / as an vnholy thinge & blasphemeth the spirite of grace. By which wordes it is manyfest that he meaneth none other by the fore wordes / then the synne of blasphemye of the spirite.
For them that synne of ignoraunce or infirmitie / there is reamedie / but for him that knoweth the trouthe / & yet willinglye yeldeth him selfe to synne / and consenteth vnto the lyfe of synne with soule and bodye / and had leuerlye in synne then haue his poysoned nature healed by the helpe of the spirite of grace / & malyciouslye persecuteth the truthe: for him I saye there is no remeadye the waye to mercie is locked vp & the spirite is taken fr
him for his vnthankfulnes sake no more be geuen him. Trouthe it is yf a man can tourne to God and beleue in Christ / he must be forgeu
how depe soeuer he hath synned: but that wyll not be with oute the spirite / & soche blasphemers shall no more haue the spirite offered them. Let euery m
therfore feare God & beware that he yelde not him selfe to serue synne / but how ofte soeuer he synne let
him begynne agayne & fyght afreshe / & no doute he shall at the last ouercome / & in the meantyme yet be vnder mercie for Christes sake be cause his harte worketh and wolde fayne belowsed from vnder the bondage of synne.
And that it sayeth in the .xij. Esau fo
de no waye (eis Metanonoiam) to be conuerted & rec
ciled vnto God & restored vnto his byrthright agayne / though he sought it with teares / that text must haue a spirituall eye. For Esau in sellynge his byrthryght despised not only that t
porall promocion / that he shuld haue been lorde ouer all his brethren & kynge of that co
tre: but he also refused the grace & mercie of God & the spirituall blessinges of Abraham & Isaac & all the mercie that is promised vs in Christ which shuld haue been his seed. Of this ye se that this epistle ought no more to be refused for holye / godlye & catholicke then the other autenticke scriptures.
Now therfore to come to oure purpose agayne / though this epistle (as it sayth in the sixte) laye not the grounde of the fayth of Christ / yet it buyldeth conynglye theron pure golde / syluer & preciouse stones / & proueth the presthode of Christ with scriptures ineuitable. Moreouer theris no worke in all the scripture that so playnlye declareth the meaninge & significacions of the sacrifices / ceremonies & fygures of the olde testam
t / as this pistle: in so moche that if wilfull blindnes and malicious malyce were not the cause this epistle onlye were ynough to wede oute of the heartes of the Papistes that cankred heresye of iustifyenge of workes / concerninge oure sacramentes / ceremonies and all maner tradicions of their awne inuencion.
And finallye in that ye se in the tenth that he had bene in bondes and pryson for Christes sake and in that he so myghtelye dryueth all to
Christ to be saued thorow him / and so cared for the flocke of Christ that he bothe wrote & sent / where he harde that they begonne to faynte / to comforte / courage and strength them with the worde of God / and in that also that he sent Timothe Paule disciple both verteous / well learned and had in great reuerence / it is easie to se that he was a faythfull seruaunt of Christes & of the same doctryne that Timothe was of / ye and Paule him selfe was / and that he was an Apostle or in the Apostles tyme or nere therunto. And seinge the pistle agreeth to all the rest of the scripture / yf it be indiffer

tlye loked on / how shuld it not be of auctoryte and taken for holye scrypture?
The pistle of S. Paul vnto the Hebrues.The fyrst Chapter.

A
[Untitled Possibly Huge Image] God in tyme past diversly and many wayes / spake vnto the fathers by Prophet[es]: but in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne / whom he hath made heyre of all thinges: by wh

also he made the worlde. Which sonne beynge the brightnes of his glory / & very ymage of his substance / bearinge vp all thinges with the worde of his power / hath in his awne person pourged oure synnes / & is sitten on
the right honde of the maiestie an hye /
B
1.B and is more excellent then the angels / in as moche as he hath by inheritaunce obteyned an excellenter name then have they.
For vnto which of the angels sayde he ateny tyme: Thou arte my sonne / this daye be gate I the? 2.BAnd agayne: I will be his father / and he shalbe my sonne. And agayne wh
he bringeth in the fyrst begotten sonne in to the worlde / he sayth: And all the angels of God shall worshippe him. And of the angels he sayth:
C
He maketh his angels spretes /
3.C and his ministres flammes of fyre. But vnto the sonne he sayth: God thy seate shalbe forever and ever. The cepter of thy kyngdome is a right cepter.
4.CThou hast loved rightewesnes & hated iniquyte. Wherfore God which is thy God /
5.C hath anoynted the with þ
e oyle of gladnes above thy felowes.
And thou Lorde in the begynninge hast layde the foundacion of the erth. And the hev
s are the workes of thy hondes. They shall perisshe / but thou shalt endure. They all shall wexe olde as doth a garment: and as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them / and they shalbe chaunged.
D
But thou arte all wayes / and thy yeres shall not fayle.

Vnto which of the angels sayde he at eny tyme? Sit on my ryght honde / tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fote stole.
6.DAre they not all mynistrynge spretes / sent to minister for their sakes which shalbe heyres of salvacion?
The .ii. Chapter.
A
7.AUVherfore we ought to geve þ
e more hede to þ
e thing[es] we have herde lest we perysshe. For yf the worde which was spok

by angels was stedfast: so þ
t every tr

sgressi

& disobedi

ce receaved a iust rec

p

ce to rewarde: how shall we escape / yf we despyse so great saluaci

which at þ
e fyrst beg

to be preached of þ
e lorde him silfe / & afterwarde was c

fermed vnto vs warde / by th

þ
e hearde it / god bearynge witnes therto / bothe with sygnes and wonders also / and with divers
8.A miracles / & gyftes of the holy gooste / accordynge to his awne will.
He hath not vnto the angels put in subieccion the worlde to come / where of we speake. But one in a certayne place witnessed / sayinge.
B
What is man / that thou arte myndfull of him? After thou haddest for a season made him lower then the angels: tho

crounedst him with honour and glory / and hast set him above the workes of thy hondes. Thou hast put all thynges in subieccion vnder his fete. In that he put all thynges vnder him / he left nothynge that is not put vnder him. Neverthelesse we yet se not all thynges subdued but him þ
t was made lesse th

þ
e angelles: we se that it was Iesus which is crouned with glory and honour for the sofferinge of death: that he by the grace of god / shulde tast of deeth for all men.
C
For it becam him / for whom are all thyng[es] & by whom are all thynges / after that he had brought many sonnes vnto glory / that he
shuld make the lorde of their saluacion parfect thorow sofferynge. For he that sanctifieth / and they which are sanctified / are all of one.
9.CFor which causes sake / he is not ashamde to call th

brethren sayinge: I will declare thy name vnto my brethren / and in the myddes of the congregaci

will I prayse the. And agayne: I will put my trust in him. And agayne. beholde here am I and the children which god hath geven me.
D
For as moche then as the children were parte takers of flesshe and bloud / he also him
10.D silfe lyke wyse toke parte with them / for to put doune thorow deth / him that had lordshippe over deeth / that is to saye the devyll / & þ
t he myght delyver th

which thorow feare of deeth were all their lyfetyme in da

ger of bondage. For he in no place taketh on him the angels: but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him. Wherfore in all thynges it became him to be made lyke vnto his brethr

/ that he myght be mercifull and a faythfull hye preste in thynges concernynge god / for to pourge the peoples synnes. For in that he him silfe suffered and was tempted / he is able to sucker them that are tempted.
The .iii. Chapter.
UVherfore holy brethren / partakers of the celestiall callinge /
A
c

syder the embasseatour and hye prest of oure profession / Christ Iesus which was faythfull to him that made him / even as was Moses in all his housse.
11.AAnd this man was counted
worthy of more glory then Moses: In as moche as he which hath prepared the housse hath most honoure in the housse. Every housse is prepared of some man. But he that ordeyned all thinges is god.
B
And Moses verely was faythfull in all his housse as a minister / to beare witnes of tho thinges which shuld be spoken afterwarde. But Christ as a sonne hath rule over the housse / whose housse are we / so that we hold fast the confydence & the reioysynge of that hope / vnto the ende.
Wherfore as the holy goost sayth: to daye if ye shall heare his voyce / harden not youre hertes / 12.B after the rebellyon in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes / where youre fathers tempted me / proved me / and sawe my workes xl. yeare longe. Wherfore I was greved [wt] þe generaci
& sayde.
C
They erre ever in their hertes: they verely have not know

my wayes / so that I sware in my wrathe / that they shuld not enter into my rest. Take hede brethren that therbe in none of you an evyll herte in vnbeleve / that he shuld departe from þ
e lyvynge god: but exhorte one another dayly / whill is it called to daye / lest eny of you wexe harde herted thorow þ
e deceytfullnesse of sinne
We are partetakers of Christ yf we kepe sure vnto the ende the fyrst substance / so longe as it is sayd: 13.C to daye yf ye heare his voyce / hard
not youre hertes / as when ye rebelled.
D
For some / wh

they hearde / rebelled: howbe it not all þ
t c

out of Egypt vnder Moses. But with wh

was he despleased .xl. yeares?
14.DWas he not displeased with them that synned: whose carkases were overthorwen in the desert? To whom sware he that they shuld not enter into his rest: but vnto them that beleved not? And we se that they coulde not enter in / because of
15.D vnbeleve.
The .iiii. Chapter.
Let vs feare therfore lest eny of vs forsakynge the promes of entrynge into his rest / shulde seme to come behinde.
A
For vnto vs was it declared / as well as vnto them. But it proffited not them that they hearde the worde / because they which hearde it / coupled it not with fayth. But we which have beleved / do enter into his rest / as contrarywyse he sayde to the other:
B
16.B I have sworne in my wrath / they shall not enter into my rest. And that spake he verely longe after that the workes were made & the fo

daci

of þ
e worlde layde. For he spake in a certayne place of þ
e sev

th daye / on this wyse:
17.B And god did rest þ
e seventh daye fr

all his work[es]. And in this place agayne: They shall not come into my rest.
Seynge therfore it foloweth that some muste enter therinto / & they to wh
it was fyrst preached / entred not therin for vnbeleves sake. Agayne he apoynteth in David a certayne present daye after so longe a tyme /
C
sayinge as it is rehearsed: this daye if ye heare his voyce / be not harde herted. For if Iosue had geven them rest / then wolde he not afterwarde have spok

of another daye. There remayneth therfore yet a rest to þ
e people of God. For he þ
t is
is entred into his rest doth
18.C cease from his awne workes / as god did from his.
Let vs study therfore to entre into that rest / lest eny man faule after the same ensample /
D
in to vnbelefe. For the worde of god is quycke / and myghty in operacion / and sharper then eny two edged swearde: and entreth through / even vnto the dividynge asonder of the soule and the sprete / and of the ioyntes and the mary: and iudgeth the thoughtes and the intentes of the herte:
19.D nether is there eny creature invisible in the sight of it. For all thynges are naked and bare vnto the eyes of him / of wh

we speake.
The .v. Chapter.
A
20.ASeynge then that we have a great hye prest whych is entred into heven (I meane Iesus the sonne of God) let vs holde oure profession. For we have not an hye prest / which can not have compassion on oure infirmities: but was in all poyntes tempted / lyke as we are: but yet with out synne. Let vs therfore goo boldely vnto the seate of grace / that we maye receave mercy / and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede.
For every hye prest that is taken from am
ge men / is ordeyned for men / in thynges pertaynynge to god: to offer gyftes and sacryfyses for synne: which can have compassion on the ignoraunt / and on them that are out of the waye / because that he him silfe also is compased with infirmitie: For the which infirmities sake / he is bounde to offer for synnes / as
well for hys awne parte / as for the peoples.
21.AAnd no man taketh honour vnto him silfe / but he that is called of God / as was Aaron.
B
Even so lykewise / Christ glorified not him silfe / to be made the hye prest: but he that sayde vnto him: thou arte my sonne /
22.B this daye begat I the / glorified him. As he also in another place speaketh: Thou arte a prest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.
23.BWhich in the dayes of his flesshe / did offer vp prayers and sup plicacions / with stronge cryinge and teares / vnto him that was able to save him from deeth: and was also hearde / because of his godlines. And though he were Goddes sonne / yet learned he obedi

ce / by tho thyng[es] which he suffered / and was made parfaite / & the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obey him: and is called of God an hye prest / after the order of Melchisedech.
Wherof we have many thynges to saye which are harde to be vttered: because ye are dull of hearinge. For when as c
cerninge þe tyme / ye ought to be teachers / yet have ye nede agayne that we teache you the fyrst principles of the worde of god: and are become soche as have nede of mylke /
C
and not of stronge meate: For every man that is feed with mylke / is inexperte in the worde of rightewesnes. For he is but a babe. But stronge meate belongeth to them that are parfecte which thorow custome have their wittes exercised / to iudge both good and evyll also.
The .vi. Chapter.
A
UVherfore let vs leave þ
e doctryne pertayninge to the beginninge of a Christen man / & let vs go vnto perfecci

/ and now no more laye the foundaci

of repentaunce from deed workes / & of fayth towarde God / of baptyme / of doctryne / & of layinge on of hondes / & of resurreccion from deeth / & of eternall iudgem

t. And so will we do / yf God permitte. For it is not possible þ
t they / which were once lyghted /
24.A and have tasted of the hevenly gyft / and were become partetakers of the holy goost / & have tasted of the good worde of God / & of the power of the worlde to come: yf they faule / shuld be renued agayne vnto repentaunce: for as moche as they have (as concerninge them selves) crucified the sonne of God a fresshe / makynge a mocke of him.
B
For that erth which drinketh in the rayne wich c

meth ofte vpon it / and bringeth forth erbes mete for them that dresse it / receaveth blessynge of god. But that grounde / which beareth thornes & bryars / is reproved / & is nye vnto cursynge: whose ende is to be burned. Neverthelesse deare frendes / we trust to se better of you and thynges which accompany saluacion / though we thus speake. For god is not vnrighteous that he shuld forget youre worke and laboure that procedeth of love / which love shewed in his name / which have ministred vnto the saynctes / and yet minister Yee /
C
& we desyre that every one of you shew the same diligence / to the stablysshynge of hope / even vnto the ende: that ye faynt not / but
folowe them / which thorow fayth & pacience inheret the promyses.
For when god made promes to Abraham / because he had no greater thinge to sweare by he sware by him silfe sayinge: 25.C Surely I will blesse the and multiply the in dede. And so after that he had taryed a longe tyme / he enioyed the promes.
D
Men verely sweare by him that is greater then them selves / and an othe to confyrme the thynge / ys amonge them an ende of all stryfe. So god willynge very aboundanly to shewe vnto the heyres of promes / the stablenes of his counsayle / he added an othe / that by two
26.D immutable thinges (in which it was vnpossible that god shuld lye) we myght have parfect consolacion / which have fled / for to holde fast the hope that is set before vs / which hope we have as an ancre of the soule both sure and stedfast. Which hope also entreth in / into tho thynges which are with in the vayle / whither þ
e fore runner is for vs entred in / I me

Iesus that is made an hye prest for ever / after the order of Melchisedech.
The .vii. Chapter.
A
This Melchisedech kynge of Salem (which beinge prest of þ
e most hye god met Abraham /
27.A as he returned agayne from the slaughter of the kynges / and blessed him: to whom also Abraham gave tythes of all thyng[es]) fyrst is by interpretacion kynge of rightewesnes: after þ
t he is kynge of Sal

/ þ
t is to saye kynge of peace / with out father / [wt] out mother / with out kynne / and hath nether
begynnynge of his tyme / nether yet ende of his lyfe: but is lykened vnto the sonne of god and cotinueth a preste for ever.
Consyder what a man this was / vnto wh
the patriarke Abraham gave tythes of the spoyles. And verely those children of levy / which receave the office of the prestes / have a commaundement to take a cordyng to the lawe / tythes of the people / that is to saye / of their brethren / yee though they spronge out of the loynes of Abraham.
B
But he whose kynred is not counted amonge them / receaved tythes of Abraham / and blessed him that had the promyses. And no man denyeth but that which is lesse / receaveth blessinge of þ
t which is greater. And here men that dye receave tythes. But there he receaveth tythes of whom it is witnessed / that he liveth. And to saye the trueth / Levy him silfe also which receaveth tythes / payed tythes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham when Melchisech met him.
Yf now therfore perfeccion came by the presthod of the levites (for vnder that presthod the people recaved the lawe) what neded it furthermore that an other prest shuld ryse /
C
after the order of Melchisedech / and not after the order of Aaron? Now no dout / yf the presthod be translated / then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also.
For he of whom these thynges are spoken / pertayneth vnto another trybe / of which never man served at the aultre. For it is evid
t
that oure lorde spronge of the trybe of Iuda / of which trybe spake Moses nothynge concernynge presthod.
And it is yet a more evydent thinge / yf after the similitude of Melchisedech / ther aryse a nother prest / which is not made after the lawe of the carnall commaundm
t: but after the power of the endlesse lyfe (For he testifieth: Thou arte a prest forever / 28.C after the order of Melchysedech) Then the commaundm
t that went a fore / is disanulled / because of hir weaknes and vnproffitablenes. For the lawe made nothynge parfecte: but was an introduccion of a better hope / by which hope / we drawe nye vnto god.
And for this cause it is a better hope / that it was not promysed with out an othe. Those prestes were made [wt] out an oth:
D
29.D but this prest with an oth / by him that saide vnto him The lorde sware / and will not repent: Thou arte a prest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. And for that cause was Iesus a stablyssher of a better testament.
And amonge them many were made prestes / because they were not suffred to endure by the reason of deeth. But this man / because he endureth ever / hath an everlastinge presthod. Wherfore he is able also ever to save them that come vnto god by him / seynge he ever lyveth / to make intercession for vs.
Soche an hye prest it became vs to have / which is wholy / harmlesse / vndefyled / separat from synners / & made hyar then heven.
Which nedeth not dayly (as yonder hie prestes) to offer vp sacrifice /
30.D fyrst for his awne synnes / and then for the peoples synnes. For that did he at once for all when he offered vp him silfe. For the lawe maketh men prestes / which have infirmitie: but the worde of the othe that came fence þ
e lawe / maketh the sonne prest / which is parfecte for ever more.
The .viii. Chapter
A
Of the thynges which we have spok

/ this is the pyth: that we have soche an hye preste that is sitten on þ
e right honde of the seate of maieste in heven / and is a minister of holy thynges / and of the very tabernacle / which God pyght / and not m

. For every hye prest is ordeyned to offer gyftes and sacryfises / wherfore it is of necessitie / that this man have somewhat also to offer. For he were not a preste / yf he were on þ
e erth where are prestes that acordynge to þ
e lawe /
B
offer giftes / which prestes serve vnto þ
e ensample & shadowe of hevenly thynges: even as the answer of God was geven vnto Moses when he was about to fynnishe the tabernacle: Take hede (sayde he) that thou make all thynges
31.B accordynge to the patrone shewed to the in the mount.
Now hath he obtayned a more excellent office / in as moche as he is the mediator of a better testament / which was made for better promyses. For yf that fyrst testament had bene fautelesse:
C
then shuld no place have bene sought for the seconde. For in rebukynge th
he sayth:
32.C Beholde the dayes will come (sayth the lorde) and I will fynnyshe apon the housse of Israhel / and apon the housse of Iuda / a newe testament: not lyke the testament that I made with their fathers at that tyme /
33.C wh

I toke them by the hondes / to lede them oute of the londe of Egipte / for they continued not in my testament / and I regarded them not sayth the lorde.
D
For this is the testament that I will make with the housse of Israhell: After those dayes sayth the lorde: I will put my lawes in their myndes / and in their hertes I will wryte th

/ and I wilbe their God / and they shalbe my people. And they shall not teache / every man his neghboure / and every man his brother / sayinge: knowe the lorde: For they shall knowe me / from the lest to the moste of them: For I wilbe mercifull over their vnrightwesnes / & on their synnes and on their iniquiries. In þ
t he sayth a new testament he hath abrogat the olde. Now that which is disanulled and wexed olde / is redy to vannysshe awaye.
The .ix. Chapter.
A
That fyrst tabernacle verely had ordinaunces / and servynges of god / & wordly holynes.

For there was a fore tabernacle made / wherin was the candlesticke / and the table / and the shewe breed / which is called wholy. But with in the sec

de vayle was ther a tabernacle / which is called holiest of all / which had the golden senser / and the arcke of
the testam

t overlayde round about with golde / wherin was the golden pot with manna / and Aarons rodde that spronge / and the tables of the testament. Over the arcke were the cherubis of glory shadowynge the seate of grace. Of which thynges / we wyll not now speake perticularly.
B
When these thynges were thus ordeyned / the prestes went all wayes into the fyrst tabernacle & executed the service of god. But into the seconde went the hye prest alone / once every yeare: and not with out bloud / which he offered for him silfe / and for the ignoraunce of þ
e people. Wherwith þ
e holy goost this signifyeng / þ
t the waye of holy thyng[es] / was not yet op

ned / whill as yet þ
e fyrst tabernacle was stondynge. Which was a similitude for the tyme then present /
C
and in which were offered gyftes and sacrifises that coulde not make them that minister parfecte / as pertaynynge to the conscience / with only meates & drinkes / and divers wesshynges and iustifyinges of the flesshe / which were ordeyned vntyll the tyme of reformacion.
But Christ beynge an hye prest of good thynges to come / came by a greater and a moare parfecte tabernacle / not made with hondes: that is to saye /
D
not of this maner bildynge / nether by the bloud of gotes and calves: but by his awne bloud we entred once for all into the holy place / and founde eternall redemcion.
34.DFor yf the bloud of oxen and of Gotes & the asshes of an heyfer / wh

it was sprynckled
/ puryfied the vnclene / as touchynge the purifiynge of the flesshe:
35.D How moche more shall the bloud of Christ (which thorow the eternall sprete / offered him silfe with out spot to God) pourdge youre consciences from deed workes for to serve the livynge god?
E
And for this cause is he the mediator of þ
e newe testament that / thorow deeth which chaunsed for the redempcion of those transgressions that were in þ
e fyrst testam

t) they which were called / myght receave the promes of eternall inheritaunce.

For whersoever is a testament /
36.E there must also be the deeth of him that maketh the testament. For the testament taketh auctoritie when men are deed: For it is of no value as longe as he that made it is alive. For which cause also / nether that fyrst testament was ordeyned with out bloud. For when all the commaundementes were redde of Moses vnto all the people /
F
he toke þ
e bloud of calves and of Gotes / with water and purple woll and ysope /
37.F and sprynkled both the boke and all the people / sayinge: this is the bloud of the testament which god hath apoynted vnto you. Morover / he sprenkled the tabernacle with bloud also / and all the ministrynge vessels. And almost all thynges / are bye the lawe / pourged with bloud / and with out effusion of bloud / is no remission.
G
It is then nede that the similitudes of hevenly thynges be purified with soche thynges: but the hevenly thynges them selves are purified with better sacrifises then are those.
For Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made with hondes / which are but similitudes of true thynges:
D
but is entred into very heven / for to appere now in the syght of God for vs: not to offer him silfe often / as the hye prest entreth in to þ
e holy place every yeare with straunge bloud / for then must he have often suffered sence the worlde beg

. But now in the ende of the worlde / hath he appered once / to put synne to flyght / by the offerynge vp of him silfe. And as it is apoynted vnto men that they shall once dye / and then commeth the iudegement / even so Christ was once offered to take awaye the synnes of many / and vnto them that loke for him /
38.D shall he appeare agayne without synne / vnto saluacion.
The .x. Chapter.
A
For the lawe which hath but the shadowe of good thynges to come / and not the thynges in their awne fassion / can never with þ
e sacryfises which they offer yere
39.A by yere continually / make the c

mers thervnto parfayte. For wolde not then those sacrifises have ceased to have bene offered / because that the offerers once pourged / shuld have had no moare consci

ces of sinnes. Neverthelesse in those sacrifises is ther mencion made of synnes every yeare. For it is vnpossible that the bloud of oxen / and of gotes shuld take awaye synnes.
B
40.BWherfore when he commeth into the worlde / he sayth: Sacrifice and offeringe thou woldest not have: but a bodie hast thou ordeyned
me. In sacrifices and synne offerynges thou hast no lust.
41.BThen I sayde: Lo I come / in the chefest of the boke it is written of me / that I shuld doo thy will / o god. Above when he had sayed sacrifice and offerynge / and burnt sacrifices and synne offerynges thou woldest not have / nether hast alowed (which yet are offered by the lawe) and then sayde: Lo I come to do thy will o god: he taketh awaye the fyrst to stablisshe the latter.
42.BBy the which will we are sanctified / by the offeringe of the body of Iesu Christe once for all.
C
And every prest is redy dayly ministrynge / and ofte tymes offereth one maner of offerynge / which can never take awaye synnes. But this man after he had offered one sacrifyce for synnes / sat him doune for ever on the right honde of god /
43.C and from hence forth tarieth till his foes be made his fotestole. For with one offerynge hath he made parfecte for ever them þ
t are sanctified. And þ
e holy goost also beareth vs recorde of this / even when he tolde before: This is the testament that I will make vnto them after those dayes sayth the lorde.
44.CI will put my lawes in their hertes and in their mynde I will write them & their synnes and iniquyties will I remember no
45.C moare. And where remission of these thinges is / there is no moare offerynge for synne.
D
Seynge brethren that by the meanes of the bloud of Iesu / we maye be bolde to enter into that holy place / by the newe and livynge waye / which he hath prepared for vs / through
the vayle / that is to saye by his flesshe. And seynge also that we have an hye prest which is ruler over þ
e housse of god / let vs drawe nye with a true herte in a full fayth / sprynckeled in oure hertes from an evyll conscience / and wesshed in oure bodies with pure water / and let vs kepe the profession of oure hope / with oute waveringe (for he is faythfull that promysed) & let vs consyder one another to provoke vnto love /
46.D & to good workes: & let vs not forsake the felishippe that we have am

ge oure selves / as the maner of some is:
E
but let vs exhorte one another / and that so moche the more / because ye se that the daye draweth nye.
For yf we synne willyngly after that we have receaved the knowledge of the trueth / there remayneth no more sacrifice for synnes but a fearfull lokynge for iudgement / and violent fyre which shall devoure the adversaries He that despiseth Moses lawe / dyeth with out mercy vnder two or thre witnesses. 47.EOf how moche sorer punyshment suppose ye shall he be counted worthy /
F
which treadeth vnderfote the sonne of god: and counteth the bloude of the testament as an vnholy thynge wherwith he was sanctified / and doth dishonoure to the sprete of grace. For we knowe him that hath sayde / vengeaunce belongeth vnto me / I will recompence sayth the lorde.
48.FAnd agayne: the lorde shall iudge his people. It is a fearfull thynge to faule into the hondes of the livynge God.
Call to rem
braunce the dayes that are passed
/ in the which after ye had receaved light / ye endured a greate fyght in adversities / partly whill all men wondred and gased at you for the shame and tri

ulacion that was done vnto you / and partly whill ye became companyons of th

which so passed their tyme. For ye suffered also with my bondes / and toke a worth the spoylynge of youre goodes / & that with gladnes /
G
knowynge in youre selves how that ye had in heven a better and an endurynge substaunce Cast not awaye therfore youre confidence / which hath great rewarde to rec

pence. For ye have nede of paci

ce / that after ye have done þ
e will of god / ye myght receave the promes. For yet a very lytell whyle / and he that shall come will come / and will not tary. But the iust shall live by faith.
49.GAnd yf he withdrawe him silfe / my soule shall have no pleasure in him. We are not whiche withdrawe oure selves vnto dampnaci

/ but partayne to fayth to the wynnynge of the soule.
The .xi. Chapter.
A
50.AFayth is a sure confidence of thynges which are hoped for / and a certayntie of thynges which are not sene. By it þ
e elders were well reported of. Thorow fayth we vnderstonde that the worlde was ordeyned by the worde of god: and that thynges which are sene / were made of thynges which are not sene. By fayth Abell offered vnto god a more plenteous sacrifice then Cayn: by which / he obteyned witnes that he was righteous / god testifyinge of his gyftes: by which
also he beynge deed /
51.A yet speaketh.
By fayth was Enoch tr
slated þt he shuld not se deeth: 52.A nether was he founde: for God had taken him awaye. Before he was taken awaye / he was reported of /
B
that he had pleased God: but with out fayth it is vnpossible to please him. For he that commeth to God / must beleve that God is / and that he is a rewarder of them that seke him.
By fayth Noe honored God / after that he was warned of thinges which were not sene / 53.B and prepared the arcke to the savinge of his houssholde / thorowe the which arcke / he condempned the worlde / and became heyre of the rightewesnes which commeth by fayth.
54.BBy fayth Abrah
/ wh
he was called obeyed / to goo out into a place / which he shuld afterwarde receave to inheritaunce / and he w
t out not knowynge whether he shuld goo.
55.BBy fayth he removed into the londe þt was promysed him / as into a straunge countre / & dwelt in tabernacles:
C
& so dyd Isaac & Iacob heyres with him of the same promes. For he loked for a citie havinge a foundaci

/ whose bylder and maker is God.
Thorow fayth Sara also receaved str
gth to be with chylde / & was delivered of a chylde when she was past age / because she iudged him faythfull which had promysed.
56.CAnd therfore spronge therof one (& of one which was as good as deed) so many in multitude / as the starres of þe skye / & as the sond of the see shore which is innumerable.
D
And they all dyed in fayth / & receaved not the promyses: but sawe them a farre of / & beleved them / and saluted them: and confessed that they were straungers and pilgrems on the erthe. They that saye soche thinges / declare that they seke a co

tre. Also yf they had bene myndfull of that countre / from whence they came oute / they had leasure to have returned agayne. But now they desyre a better / that is to saye a hevenlye. Wherfore God is not ashamed of them even to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a citie.
In fayth Abraham offered vp Isaac / wh
he was tempted / 57.D & he offered him beinge his only begotten sonne / which had receaved the promyses of wh
it was sayde / in Isaac shall thy seed be called: for he c
sidered / 58.D that God was able to rayse vp agayne fr
deeth. Wherfore receaved he him / for an ensample. In fayth Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau / 59.D concerninge thinges to come.
By fayth Iacob when he was a dyinge / blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph / & bowed him selfe towarde the toppe of his cepter. 60.D
F
By fayth Ioseph when he dyed / rem

bred the departinge of the chyldren of Israel /
61.F and gave commaundement of his bones.
By fayth Moses when he was borne / was hid thre monethes of his father & mother / 62.F be cause they sawe he was a proper chylde: 63.F nether feared they the kynges commaundem
t.
64.FBy fayth Moses when he was great / refused to be called þe sonne of Pharaos doughter
/ & chose rather to suffre adversitie [wt] the people of God / then to enioye the pleasurs of synne for a ceason / and estemed the rebuke of Christ greater ryches then the treasure of Egypt. For he had a respect vnto þ
e rewarde.
By fayth he forsoke Egypt / and feared not the fearcenes of the kynge. For he endured / even as he had sene him which is invisible.
Thorow fayth he ordeyned the ester lambe / 65.F and the effusion of bloud / lest he that destroyed the fyrst borne / shuld touche them.
By fayth they passed thorow the reed see as by drye londe / which when the Egypcians had assayed to do / 66.F they were drouned.
By fayth the walles of Ierico fell doune after they were c
pased about / 67.F seven dayes.
F
By fayth þ
e harlot Raab perisshed not with the vnbelevers /
68.F wh

she had receaved the spyes to lodgynge peaseably.
And what shall I more saye / þe tyme wold be to short for me to tell of Gede
/ of Barach & of Samson / & of Iephthae: also of David & Samuel / & of the Prophetes:
which thorowe fayth subdued kyngdomes / wrought righteousnes / obteyned the promyses / stopped the mouthes of lyons / qu
ched the violence of fyre / escaped the edge of the swearde / of weake were made str
ge / waxed valient in fight / turned to flyght the armyes of the alient[es]. And the wemen receaved their deed raysed to lyfe agayne.
Other were racked / & wolde not be delyvered / that they myght receave a better resurreccion.
Other tasted of mockynges & scourginginges / morover of bondes & presonm

t: were stoned / were hewen a sunder / were t

pted / were slayne with sweardes / walked vppe & doune in shepes skynnes / in gotes skynnes / in nede / tribulaci

/ & vexaci

/ which þ
e worlde was not worthy of: they w

dred in wildernes / in mo

taynes / in dennes and caves of the erth.
And these all thorow fayth obtayned good reporte
and receaved not the promes / God provydinge a better thinge for vs / that they with out vs shuld not be made parfecte.
The .xii. Chapter.
A
69.AUVherfore let vs also (seynge that we are c

pased with so great a multitude of witnesses) laye awaye all that presseth doune / & the synne that h

geth on / & let vs r

ne with paci

ce vnto the battayle þ
t is set before vs / lokynge vnto Iesus /
70.A the auctor & fynnyssher of oure fayth / which for the ioye that was set before him / abode the crosse / and despysed the shame / & is set doune on the right honde of þ
e trone of God. Consider therfore how that he endured suche speakinge agaynst him of synners / lest ye shuld be weried and faynte in youre myndes.
B
For ye have not yet resisted vnto bloud sheddinge / stryvinge agaynst synne. And ye have forgotten the consolacion / which speaketh vnto you / as vnto chyldren: My sonne despyse not the chastenynge of the Lorde / nether faynt when thou arte rebuked of him: For whom the Lorde loveth / him he
71.B chasteneth: yee / & he scourgeth
every sonne that he receaveth.
B
Yf ye endure chastninge / God offereth him selfe vnto you / as vnto sonnes. What sonne is that whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not vnder correcci

(where of all are part takers) then are ye bastardes and not sonnes. Moreover seynge we had fathers of oure flesshe which corrected vs / and we gave them reverence: shuld we not moche rather be in subieccion vnto the father of spretuall gyftes /
C
that we myght live? And they verely for a feaue dayes / nurtred vs after their awne pleasure: but he learneth vs vnto that which is
72.C proffitable / that we myght receave of his holines. No manner chastisynge for the present tyme semeth to be ioyeous / but greveous: neverthelesse afterwarde it bryngeth the quyet frute of rightewesnes vnto them which are therin exercysed.
Stretch forthe therfore agayne the hondes which were let doune / & the weake knees / & se that ye have strayght steppes vnto youre fete / 73.C lest eny haltinge turne out of þe waye: yee / let it rather be healed.
D
Embrace peace with all men / & holynes: with out the which / no man shall se the Lorde. And looke to / that no man be destitue of the grace of God / & that no rote of bitternes springe vp & trouble / & therby many be defiled: and that there be no fornicator / or vnclene person / as Esau / which for one breakfast solde his birthright.
74.DYe knowe how that afterwarde when he wolde have inherited the blessinge / he was put by / & he fo

de
no meanes to come therby agayne: no though he desyred it with teares.
E
For ye are not come vnto the mounte that can be touched / & vnto burninge fyre / nor yet to myst & darcknes and tempest of wedder /
75.E nether vnto the sounde of a tr

pe & the voyce of wordes: which voyce they that hearde it / wisshed awaye / that the c

municacion shuld not be spoken to them.
76.EFor they were not able to abyde that which was spoken. If a beast had touched the mountayne / it must have bene stoned / or thrust thorowe with a darte: ev

so terreble was þ
e sight which appered. Moses sayde / I feare & quake. But ye are come vnto the mo

te Sion / & to the citie of the livinge god / the celestiall Ierusalem:
F
and to an innumerable sight of angels / & vnto the congregacion of þ
e 77.F fyrst borne sonnes / which are writt

in heven / and to God the iudge of all / and to the spretes of iust and parfecte men / and to Iesus the mediator of the newe testament / & to the spryncklynge of bloud that speaketh better then the bloud of Abell.
Se that ye despise not him þt speaketh. For yf they escaped not which refused him that spake on erth: moche more shall we not escape /
G
yf we turne awaye fr

him þ
t speaketh fr

hev

: whose voyce th

shouke the erth / & now declareth sayinge: yet once more will I shake not the erth only / but also heven. No dout þ
t same that he sayth / yet once more /
78.G signifieth the removinge a waye of those thing[es] which are shaken / as of thinges which have ended
their course: that the thynges which are not shaken maye remayne. Wherfore if we receave a kyngdom which is not moved / we have grace / wherby we maye serve god and please him with reverence and godly feare. For oure god is a consumynge fyre.
79.G The .xiii. Chapter.
A
80.ALet brotherly love continue. Be not forgetfull to lodge straungers. For therby have dyvers receaved angels into their houses vnwares. Remember them that are in bondes / even as though ye were bounde with them. Be myndfull of them which are in adversitie / as ye which are yet in youre bodies. Let wedlocke be had in pryce in all poyntes / and let the chamber be vndefiled: for whore kepers and advoutrars god will iudge. Let youre conversacion be with out coveteousnes and be cont

t with that ye have all redy. For he verely sayd:
81.A I will not fayle the / nether forsake the: that we maye boldly saye: the lorde is my helper / and I will not feare what man doeth vnto me. Remember them which have the oversight of you /
B
which have declared vnto you the worde of god. The ende of whose conversacion se that ye looke vpon / and folowe their fayth.
Iesus Christ yesterdaye and to daye / & the same continueth for ever. Be not caryed aboute with divers and straunge learnynge. For it is a good thynge that the herte be stablisshed with grace / and not with meates / which have not proffeted them that have had their pastyme
in them. We have an altre wherof they maye not eate which serve in the tabernacle.
C
For þ
e bodies of those beastes whose bloud is brought into the holy place by the hie prest to
82.C pourge sinne / are burnt with out the tentes. Therfore Iesus / to sanctifye the people with his awne bloud / suffered with out the gate. Let vs goo forth therfore out of the tentes /
83.C & suffer rebuke with him. For here have we no continuynge citie: but we seke one to come.
For by him offer we the sacrifice of laude allwayes to god: that is to saye / the frute of those lyppes / which confesse his name. To do good / and to distribute forget not / for with suche sacrifises god is pleased. Obeye th
that have the oversight of you / and submit youre selves to them / for they watch for youre soules / even as they that must geve a comptes: that they maye do it with ioye / and not with grefe. For that is an vnproffitable thynge for you. Praye for vs. We have confidence because we have a good conscience in all thynges / & desyre to live honestly. I desire you therfore somwhat the moare aboundantly / that ye so do / that I maye be restored to you quyckly.
D
The god of peace that brought agayne fr

deth oure lorde Iesus / the gret shepperde of the shepe / thorowe the bloud of the everlastynge testam

t / make you parfect in all good workes / to do his will / workynge in you þ
t which is pleasa

t in his syght thorow Iesus christ To whom be prayse for ever whill the worlde endureth Amen.
I beseche you brethren / suffre the wordes of exhortaci
: For we have written vnto you in feawe wordes: knowe the brother Timothe / whom we have sent fr
vs / with whom (yf he come shortly) I will se you. Salute th
that have the oversight of you / & all the saynctes. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Sent from Italy by Timotheus.