they shall perish, but thou shalt remain: and they all shall come to an end like an old garment;

as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall never end."

for both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all deriv'd from one: for which cause he is not asham'd to call them brethren, saying,

where your fathers provoked me to give proofs of my power forty years, tho' they saw my works.

wherefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their hearts; and they have not known my ways.

so I swear in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest."

for some when they had heard his voice, did provoke him: however, not all that were brought out of Egypt by Moses did so.

and who were they, who, he sware, should not enter into his rest, but those that did not believe? so we see that they could not enter in,

Whereas 'tis we who have believed that shall enter into rest, as he said, "wherefore I have sworn in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest." which is different from that rest, at the beginning of the world, when the work of creation was finished.

but in this place 'tis said, "they shall not enter into my rest."

Since there remains then a rest which some are still to enter into, for they to whom the promise was first made, did not enter in, because of their incredulity;

if they shall fall away, to re-instate themselves by repentance: seeing, as far in them lies, they crucify the son of God afresh, and expose him to open shame.

for when men swear by a superior, the ratifying what they say with an oath, puts an end to all further debate.

'tis true they of the race of Levi, who assume the office of the priesthood, have a right by law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brethren, though they all issued from Abraham:

besides here they that receive tithes are men who die: but there 'twas he of whom it is testified that he liveth.

not according to the alliance that I made with their fathers, when I took them by the hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they have not kept my alliance, wherefore I have rejected them, saith the Lord.

but this is the alliance that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

they shall no longer instruct every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

and for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that, the transgressions that were unexpiated by the first testament, being expiated by his death, they who are called might receive the eternal inheritance, which was promised.

for then they would not have been repeated, because they who sacrificed being once purified, would not have been conscious of wanting any further atonement for their sins:

after having said, "victims, oblations, holocausts, and sacrifice for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein," tho' they are all prescrib'd by the law;

now where they are remitted, there is no need of any further oblation for sin.

These all died in faith, without receiving what was promised, having only a distant view of what they eagerly expected, professing to live as strangers and pilgrims in the land.

for they. that make such a declaration, show plainly that they seek some other country.

and truly, if that had been in their view, they might have had an opportunity of returning to the place from whence they came.

they desired therefore a better, that is, an heavenly country: so that God is very justly stiled their God: for he had appointed a city for them.

'Twas by faith that the parents of Moses conceal'd him for three months after his birth, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

By faith they passed thro' the red sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting to do, were drowned.

by faith they made the tour of Jericho for seven days, in consequence of which the walls fell down.

women recovered their children, tho' dead, by their being raised to life again: some expired under torments, refusing to be delivered; that they might obtain a better deliverance at the resurrection.

they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandred about in sheepskins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented:

(of whom the world was not worthy) they wandred in desarts, and in mountains, having no retreat but the dens and caves of the earth.

Tho' these were all celebrated for their faith, they did not receive the reward that was promised:

nor to the sound of trumpets, and the voice which pronounc'd such words, that they who heard, intreated they might hear it no more.

nor could they endure that threat, "if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned."

Take care that you be not deaf to him that speaketh: for if they did not escape, who disregarded the oracles pronounc'd on earth, much less shall we escape, if we turn away from him that delivered the oracles from heaven:

Remember those who have the rule over you, who have preach'd to you the word of God: imitate their faith; consider their conduct, and the exit they made.

We have a victim, whereof they, who still serve at the tabernacle, have no more right to eat,

Confide in your guides, and be respectful: that they who are vigilant, as being accountable for your souls, may discharge themselves with cheerfulness, and not with anxiety, which would be to your prejudice.

salute those who conduct you, and all the christians. they of Italy salute you.