A Call to Maturity

1Therefore, leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, let vs be led forward vnto perfection, not laying againe ye foundation of repetance fro dead workes, & of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptismes, and laying on of hands, & of the resurrection from the dead, and of eternall iudgement. 3And this will we doe if God permit. 4For it is impossible that they which were once lightened, & haue tasted of the heauenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, 5And haue tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, 6If they fal away, should be renued againe by repentance: seeing they crucifie againe to themselues the Sonne of God, & make a mocke of him. 7For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it, and bringeth foorth herbes meete for them by whome it is dressed, receiueth blessing of God. 8But that which beareth thornes and briars, is reproued, and is neere vnto cursing, whose end is to be burned.

9But beloued, we haue perswaded our selues better things of you, and such as accompany saluation, though we thus speake. 10For God is not vnrighteous, that hee should forget your worke, and labour of loue, which ye shewed toward his Name, in that ye haue ministred vnto the Saints, and yet minister. 11And we desire that euery one of you shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope vnto the ende, 12That ye be not slouthfull, but followers of them, which through faith and patience, inherite the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he had no greater to sweare by, he sware by himselfe, 14Saying, Surely I wil aboundantly blesse thee and multiplie thee marueilously. 15And so after that he had taried patiently, he enioyed the promes. 16For men verely sweare by him that is greater then themselues, and an othe for confirmation is among them an ende of all strife. 17So God, willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promes the stablenes of his counsell, bound himselfe by an othe, 18That by two immutable things, wherein it is vnpossible that God should lye, we might haue strong consolation, which haue our refuge to lay holde vpon that hope that is set before vs, 19Which hope we haue, as an ancre of the soule, both sure and stedfast, and it entreth into that which is within the vaile, 20Whither the forerunner is for vs entred in, euen Iesus that is made an hie Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-sedec.