¶ An exhortacion to be pacient & stedfast in trouble and ad¦uersyte, vpon hope of euerlastynge rewarde. A commenda∣cyon of the newe Testament About the olde.
CAPI. XII.
WHerfore, let vs also (seing that we are compassed with so great a multytude [unspec A] of wytnesses) * 1.1 laye awaye all that presseth downe, and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs rūne with pacience vnto the battayle that is set before vs, loking vnto Iesus the auctor and finyssher of our fayth, which (for the ioye that was set before hym) abo••e the crosse, and despysed the shame, and is set downe * 1.2 on the ryght hande of the throne of god. Consyder therfore, howe that he endu∣red such speakyng agaynst hym of synners, leste ye shulde be weryed and faynt in youre myndes. For ye haue not yet resysted vnto bloud, striuing against sinne. And haue for∣gotten the exhortacion, which speaketh vn∣to you, as vnto chyldren: my sonne, despyse not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither faynte when thou art rebuked of hym: for whom the Lorde loueth, him he chasteneth: yee he scourgeth euery sonne that he recea∣ueth. If ye endure chastening, god offereth [unspec B] him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes. What sōne is he whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not vnder correccyon (wherof al are partakers) then are ye bastardes, & not son∣nes. Therfore seing we haue had fathers of our flessh which corrected vs, & we gaue thē reuerēce: shal we not much rather be in sub∣teccion vnto the father of spiritual giftes, & lyue? And they verely for a fewe daies, n••••∣tred vs after their owne pleasure: but he nur treth vs for our profit, to the intent that he maye mynister of his holynes vnto vs. No maner chastising for the presēt tyme semeth to be ioyous, but greuous: neuerthelesse af∣terwarde, it bryngeth the quyet frute of ryghtwesnes, vnto them whyche are exer∣cised therby.
Stretch forth therfore the hādes which were let downe, and the weake knees: and se that ye haue strayght steppes vnto youre fete, lest any haltynge turne you oute of the waye yee let it rather be healed. Folowe peace with al men and holines: without the which no man shall se the Lorde. And loke, that no man be destitute of the grace of god, leste any rote of bytternes sprynge vp and trouble, and therby many be defyled: that there be no fornicator, or vncleane person, as Esau ‡ 1.3 which for one mease of meate sold his byrthryght. For ye knowe how that af∣terwarde when he wolde by inherytaunce haue optayned blessing he was put by. For he fonnde no place of repentaunce, though* 1.4 * 1.5 he sought it with teares.
For ye are not come vnto the ‡ 1.6 moūt that [unspec C] is touched, and vnto burning fire, nor vnto storme, and darcknes, and tempest of we∣ther, and soundeof of a trōpe, and the voice of wordes: which * 1.7 voyce, they (that hearde it) wysshed away that the communycacyon shuld not be spoken to thē. For they coulde not abyde that which was cōmaūded. ‡ 1.8 If a beast touche the mountayne, it shall be i••o∣ned, or thrust thorowe with a darte: so ter∣rible was the syght whiche appeared. Mo∣ses sayde, I feare and quake. But ye are come vnto the mount Sion, and to the cite of the lyuing God, the celestyal Ierusalem: and to an innumerable sight of angels, and vnto the cōgregacion of the fyrst borne son∣nes, whyche are wrytten in heauen, and to God, the iudge of al, & to the spirites of iust