Letters to the Churches

That ye be not slouthfull, but followers of them, which through faith and patience, inherite the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he had no greater to sweare by, he sware by himselfe,

Saying, Surely I wil aboundantly blesse thee and multiplie thee marueilously.

And so after that he had taried patiently, he enioyed the promise.

For men verely sweare by him that is greater then themselues, and an othe for confirmation is among them an ende of all strife.

So God, willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell, bound himselfe by an othe,

That 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,

Which hope we haue, as an ancre of the soule, both sure and stedfast, and it entreth into that which is within the vaile,

Whither the forerunner is for vs entred in, euen Iesus that is made an hie Priest for euer after the order of Melchi-sedec.

For this Melchi-sedec was King of Salem, the Priest of the most high God, who met Abraham, as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings, and blessed him:

To whom also Abraham gaue the tithe of all things: who first is by interpretation King of righteousnes: after that, he is also King of Salem, that is, King of peace,

Without father, without mother, without kinred, and hath neither beginning of his dayes, neither ende of life: but is likened vnto the Sonne of God, and continueth a Priest for euer.

Nowe consider how great this man was, vnto whome euen the Patriarke Abraham gaue the tithe of the spoyles.

For verely they which are the childre of Leui, which receiue the office of the Priesthode, haue a commandement to take, according to the Law, tithes of the people (that is, of their bethren) though they came out of ye loynes of Abraham.

But he whose kindred is not couted among them, receiued tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater.

And here men that die, receiue tithes: but there he receiueth them, of whome it is witnessed, that he liueth.

And to say as the thing is, Leui also which receiueth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

For hee was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, when Melchi-sedec met him.

If therefore perfection had bene by the Priesthoode of the Leuites (for vnder it the Lawe was established to the people) what needed it furthermore, that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchi-sedec, and not to be called after the order of Aaron?

For if the Priesthood be changed, then of necessitie must there be a change of the Lawe.

For hee of whome these things are spoken, perteineth vnto another tribe, whereof no man serued at the altar.

For it is euident, that our Lord sprung out of Iuda, concerning the which tribe Moses spake nothing, touching the Priesthood.

And it is yet a more euident thing, because that after the similitude of Melchi-sedec, there is risen vp another Priest,

Which is not made Priest after the Law of the carnal commandement, but after the power of the endlesse life.