Romans 9 Cross References - Mace

¹ I call Christ, and the holy spirit to witness with my conscience, that I speak the truth without guile, when I say, ² that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ for I could wish to be as one anathematiz'd from the christian church for my brethren, who are of the same race as my self, ⁴ who are Israelites; who had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the form of divine worship, and the promises; ⁵ who are the offspring of the patriarchs, and of whom as to the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. ⁶ However, the divine promise cannot but have its effect. for they are not the whole of Israel, who are descended from Israel: ⁷ neither are they who are the race of Abraham, all children: but 'tis said, "in Isaac shall thy posterity be called." ⁸ that is, the children by natural descent are not thereby the children of God: but the children of the promise are alone considered as his posterity. ⁹ for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son." ¹⁰ this appears too from the case of Rebecca, who conceived twins by our father Isaac. ¹¹ for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call, ¹² it was said to her, "the elder shall serve the younger." ¹³ as it is written, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have discarded." ¹⁴ What do we say then? is there injustice in God? ¹⁵ God forbid. for he saith to Moses, "I will show favour to whom I will show favour, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." ¹⁶ so that this is a matter not dependent on him that wills or runs, but on God, who shews mercy. ¹⁷ for 'tis said in scripture to Pharaoh, "even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." ¹⁸ thus some he pursues with his favours, and abandons others to their obduracy, according as he thinks fit. ¹⁹ But you will object, why does he then find fault? for "who can resist his will?" ²⁰ nay, but, O man, who art thou, to raise a dust against heaven? shall the pitcher say to him that formed it, "why hast thou made me thus?" ²¹ is not the potter the master of his own clay, of the same mass to make one vessel for use and ornament, and another for a meaner purpose? ²² if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power, ²³ and display his infinite goodness to such objects of mercy, as he had prepared for glory? ²⁴ to such as we, whom he has called, both from among the Jews, and from among the Gentiles. ²⁵ as he saith himself in Osee, "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved. ²⁶ and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called, the children of the living God." ²⁷ Esaias also breaks out concerning Israel, " tho' the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant only shall be saved. ²⁸ for in ballancing the account, the Lord will leave a small remainder upon the land." ²⁹ and as Esaias said before, "except the God of heaven had left us a remnant, we had been as Sodoma, and brought to the state of Gomorrha." ³⁰ What shall we hence conclude? that the Gentiles who sought not after justice, have obtained justice, even to that which is by faith: ³¹ but Israel, who followed the law of justice, hath not attained to the law of justice. ³² why? because they sought it not by faith, but indeed by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone; ³³ as it is written, "behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth in him, shall not be ashamed."

⁹ for God is my witness, to whom I am entirely devoted, in preaching the gospel of his son, that I constantly make mention of you, in my prayers, requesting,

¹⁵ for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

¹⁶ the same spirit testifies to our spirit, that we are the children of God.

¹² for this is to me matter of glorying, the testimony of my conscience, that without artifice, and with religious sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by God's favourable assistance I have behaved my self towards all men, but more particularly to you.

²³ I call God to witness, and may I die if it is not true, that the reason of my not coming yet to Corinth, was to avoid using any severity towards you.

¹⁰ I solemnly protest, no man shall hinder me of this applause, in the regions of Achaia.

³¹ the ever-blessed God, and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, knows that I speak truth.

¹⁹ do you think I have been making excuses for not coming? as I am a christian, in the presence of God, I have, my beloved, in every thing consulted your advantage.

²⁰ what I write to you, I call God to witness is all true:

⁸ for God is my witness, that I love you with a christian tenderness.

⁵ our address to you was without any flattery, as you yourselves can witness, and God is witness that we had no avarice to disguise.

⁵ such a charge will produce that charity, which arises from purity, from a good conscience, and a sincere belief:

⁷ for this I was establish'd a herald and an apostle, I speak the truth without disguise, a doctor to instruct the Gentiles in the true faith.

²¹ I conjure you before God, before our Lord Jesus Christ, and his chosen angels, to observe these rules without prepossession and partiality.

¹⁹ Hereby we shall know that we are true professors, and set our consciences securely at rest. ²⁰ for if our conscience condemn us, God knows us better than we do our selves, he knoweth all things. ²¹ beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we may securely confide in God.

⁴¹ as he drew nigh, he beheld the city, and bewail'd its fate, ⁴² in these words, "O that thou hadst consider'd, at least in this very day, the opportunity you had of being happy! but now alas! it is vanish'd from your eyes." ⁴³ for the time will shortly come, when your enemies shall open their trenches before thee, hem you in, and closely besiege you: ⁴⁴ they will level you to the ground, extirpate your inhabitants, and bury your buildings in ruins: because you have not consider'd the overtures I made you.

¹ Brethren, my hearty desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.

¹⁸ for there are many that wander about, of whom I have frequently told you, and now repeat it with tears, that they are enemies to the cross of Christ:

³ by virtue of my power, my two witnesses shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days cloathed in sackcloth.

²³ when he was full forty years old, he took the resolution to visit his brethren the children of Israel. ²⁴ and seeing one of them abus'd, he defended him, and avenged the injury by killing the Egyptian: ²⁵ for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it. ²⁶ the next day seeing some that were fighting, he would have persuaded them to agree, saying, sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye injure one another?

²⁶ It is to you, my brethren, who are the children of Abraham, and to all who fear God among you, that this salutary news is sent.

¹ You will say then, hath God discarded his people? by no means. for I my self am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

¹⁴ if I could by any means excite the emulation of my dear countrymen, in order to save some.

³ wherefore I give you to understand, that no man who has the spirit of God, can pronounce Jesus anathema: and that no man can acknowledge Jesus to be the Lord, but by the holy spirit.

²² If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accurst.

⁸ but tho' I, or an angel from heaven should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from the gospel I have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ but they that rest themselves upon the works of the law, are obnoxious to the curse: for it is written, " cursed is every one, who continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them:"

¹³ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. (for it is written, " cursed is every one, that hangeth upon a tree.")

³³ Hear another parable: a certain landlord planted a vineyard, hedged it round, set up a wine-press in it, and built a tower, then lett it out to tenants, and went into a foreign country.

⁵⁴ he has taken Israel his servant into his protection, in pursuance of the mercy, ⁵⁵ which he promised to our forefathers, to Abraham, and to his posterity for ever."

⁶⁹ he hath rais'd up a powerful saviour for us, in the family of his servant David, ⁷⁰ according to the antient promise he made by the mouth of the holy prophets, ⁷¹ to deliver us from our enemies, and from the power of all that hate us: ⁷² to show regard to our forefathers, in performing his holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath which he made to our father Abraham, to grant us this favour, ⁷⁴ that we should be delivered from the power of our enemies, and serve him with security, ⁷⁵ in the sincere practice of holiness and justice, all our days.

¹⁷ the law indeed was delivered by Moses, but grace and truth was the dispensation of Jesus Christ.

⁴⁷ Jesus seeing Nathanael coming, said of him, there's a true Israelite, in whom is no guile. how do you know me?

³⁹ for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

²⁵ ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, when he said to Abraham, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed in your posterity." ²⁶ it is to you that God first of all sent his son Jesus, having raised him up to bless you, provided you all renounce your iniquities.

³² to you therefore we declare, that the promise which God had made to the fathers, he has now perform'd to us, who are their children, by his having raised up Jesus again. ³³ agreeable to what is written in the first psalm, "thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee."

² much every way: chiefly, because they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

¹⁵ for the spirit you have received is not servile to keep you still in fear; but it is the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, that is, father.

⁶ However, the divine promise cannot but have its effect. for they are not the whole of Israel, who are descended from Israel:

¹² that at that time ye were without all knowledge of the Messiah, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and living in the world without any true knowledge of God.

¹³ For when God gave his promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, ¹⁴ "surely I will heap blessings upon thee, and will give thee a numerous posterity." ¹⁵ and after he had patiently waited, he obtained what was promised. ¹⁶ for when men swear by a superior, the ratifying what they say with an oath, puts an end to all further debate. ¹⁷ wherefore God was willing to give the heirs of promise a stronger proof of the immutability of his counsel, by the intervention of an oath:

⁶ Our high priest then has obtained a priesthood so much the more excellent, as he is the mediator of a better alliance, established upon better promises. ⁷ for if the first alliance had been without defect, there could have been no occasion for the second. ⁸ nor for that reproach, which was made to our fathers, where 'tis said, "behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new alliance with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda: ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ 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.

¹ The first alliance then had rites of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

³ and beyond the veil, was the second part of the tabernacle which is called the holy of holys;

¹⁰ only in matters relating to meats and drinks, and divers baptisms, meer external rites which were to subsist only till the time of reformation.

¹ The History of the life of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ² Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judas and his brethren. ³ And Judas the father of Phares and Zara by Thamar, and Phares the father of Esrom, Esrom the father of Aram. ⁴ Aram the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Naasson, Naasson the father of Salmon. ⁵ Salmon the father of Booz by Rachab, and Booz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. ⁶ And Jesse the father of David the king, and David had Solomon by her that had been the wife of Urias. ⁷ Solomon was the father of Roboam, Roboam the father of Abia, Abia the father of Asa. ⁸ Asa the father of Josaphat, Josaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Ozias. ⁹ Ozias the father of Joatham, Joatham the father of Achaz, Achaz the father of Ezekias. ¹⁰ Ezekias the father of Manasses, Manasses the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josias. ¹¹ Josias the father of Jechonias and his brethren, about the time when the Jews were carried away to Babylon. ¹² and after their transmigration to Babylon, Jechonias was father of Salathiel, Salathiel father of Zorobabel. ¹³ Zorobabel father of Abiud, Abiud father of Eliakim, Eliakim father of Azor. ¹⁴ And Azor father of Sadoc, Sadoc father of Achim, Achim father of Eliud. ¹⁵ Eliud father of Eleazar, Eleazar father of Matthan, Matthan father of Jacob. ¹⁶ Jacob father of Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. ¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations: and from David to the Babylonian transmigration, are fourteen generations: and from the Babylonian transmigration unto Christ, are fourteen generations.

¹³ and let us not be left under temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

²⁰ teaching them to observe every thing which I have enjoin'd you: and be assured I shall be always with you to the end of the world.

²³ Jesus was then about thirty years of age, being, as was suppos'd, the son of Joseph, ²⁴ son of Heli, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Janna, son of Joseph, ²⁵ son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Naum, son of Esli, son of Nagge, ²⁶ son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semi, son of Joseph, son of Juda, son of Joanna, ²⁷ son of Rhesa, son of Zorobabel, son of Salathiel, ²⁸ son of Neri, son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmodam, son of Er, ²⁹ son of Jose, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Simeon, ³⁰ son of Juda, son of Joseph, son of Jonan, son of Eliakim, ³¹ son of Melea, son of Menan, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, ³² son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Booz, son of Salmon, ³³ son of Naasson, son of Aminadab, son of Aram, son of Esrom, son of Phares, son of Juda, ³⁴ son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Thara, son of Nachor, son of Saruch, ³⁵ son of Ragau, son of Phalec, son of Heber, son of Sala, ³⁶ son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Sem, son of Noe, son of Lamech, son of Mathusala, ³⁷ son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Maleleel, ³⁸ son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, the son of God.

¹ In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. ² the same was in the beginning with God. ³ all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made.

³⁰ I and my father are one.

²⁸ be therefore upon your guard to secure your selves, and the whole flock over which the holy spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.

³ with relation to his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was of the lineage of David as to his body,

²⁵ they changed the true God for an idol, and adored and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever.

¹² In reality there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile: they have all the same Lord, who is bountiful to all that call upon him.

²⁸ Though they are violently prejudiced against the gospel upon your account: yet they are objects of favour upon the account of their having been chosen out of respect to your fore-fathers.

¹⁶ otherwise if you should give thanks by the spirit in an unknown tongue, the hearer cannot but appear unlearned upon this occasion; how then can he say Amen to thy thanksgiving? since he does not conceive what you say.

⁶ who tho' he was the image of God, did not affect to appear with divine majesty, but divested himself thereof, ⁷ by assuming the form of a servant: being made in the likeness of men, ⁸ and his whole exterior showing nothing more than a meer man, he abased himself, and carried his submission so far as to die, even the death of the cross. ⁹ wherefore God has highly exalted and given him a name, which is above every name; ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus both angels and men, the living and the dead, should pay their adorations, ¹¹ and that every nation should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the father.

¹⁶ for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are on earth, both visible and invisible, the thrones, and the sovereigntys, the principalitys, and the powers: all were created by him, and for him: he is before all things, ¹⁷ and by him all things consist. ¹⁸ he himself is the head of the church, which is his body. he is the prince, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might be chief. ¹⁹ for it seemed good to the father to inhabit the whole body of the church by Christ:

¹⁶ the mystery of piety is the pillar and basts of truth; and certainly most extraordinary. God has appear'd in the flesh, been justified by the spirit, seen by angels, proclaim'd to the Gentiles, believ'd by the world, and assum'd into glory.

¹⁵ whose advent HE will in his own time display, WHO is perfectly happy, who alone is omnipotent, the king of kings, and the lord of all that bear rule;

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ, who is of the posterity of David, is raised from the dead, according to my gospel,

⁸ but to the son he saith, "God is thy throne for ever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of equity. ⁹ thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy peers." ¹⁰ again, "thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thy hands. ¹¹ they shall perish, but thou shalt remain: and they all shall come to an end like an old garment; ¹² as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall never end." ¹³ But to which of the angels did he ever say, "sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?"

²⁰ We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true: and we are with him that is true, by his son Jesus Christ. "he is the true God, who is the author of eternal life."

¹⁸ I am he that liveth; I was dead; but now you see I am alive for all eternity, amen; and I have the keys of the grave, and of death."

¹⁴ and the four animals said, amen. and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

¹⁶ "I Jesus have sent my angel to testify these things to the churches. I am the shoot, the offspring of David, the splendid morning star.

²⁰ he who testifieth these things, saith, "I come quickly." Amen. even so, come, Lord Jesus.

³⁵ heaven and earth may fail, but my words shall never fail.

³⁵ if the law stiles them Gods, who received the orders of God, and if the scripture is of any authortiy,

²⁸ for it is not the Jew in outward appearance, neither is it the external mark of circumcision: ²⁹ but it is the Jew, who is so inwardly, and it is the circumcision of the heart, according to the spiritual, not the literal sense, which have the approbation, I do not say of men, but of God.

³ for what if some betrayed their trust? shall their unfaithfulness render

¹² and the father of the circumcised, that is of those who are not barely circumcised, but who imitate that faith which our father Abraham had, being yet uncircumcised. ¹³ Besides, the promise that he should possess the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his posterity in consideration of the law, but with regard to the righteousness by faith. ¹⁴ for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect. ¹⁵ because the effect of the law is punishment: for if there had been no law, there could have been no transgression. ¹⁶ therefore the inheritance is of faith, that it might be meerly of favour, to the end the promise might be assured to all his posterity, not to that part only who have the law, but to that also who have the faith of Abraham, the father of us all, as it is written,

¹ You will say then, hath God discarded his people? by no means. for I my self am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God hath not discarded his people whom he formerly approv'd. don't you know what the scripture says of Elias? how he complain'd to God against Israel,

¹⁶ as many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, even upon the Israel of God.

¹³ he will renounce us likewise: tho' we are diffident, he is still faithful, and will not retract his word.

¹⁷ wherefore God was willing to give the heirs of promise a stronger proof of the immutability of his counsel, by the intervention of an oath: ¹⁸ that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to deceive us, we, who have no other refuge to fly to, but to maintain our present hopes,

⁸ let your actions therefore show your repentance, and don't pretend to say within yourselves, "we have Abraham for our father:" for I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

²⁴ and he cry'd out, saying, father Abraham, take pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ²⁵ but Abraham said, son, remember you had your enjoyments, when you were alive, and Lazarus his misfortunes: but now he has his consolation, and you your torments.

³⁰ no, father Abraham, said he, they will not: but if any of the dead went to them, they will certainly repent.

³³ they answered him, we are Abraham's offspring, and were never slaves to any man: why then do you say, "ye shall be made free?"

³⁷ I know you are Abraham's offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my doctrine doth not penetrate into you. ³⁸ what I have learnt from my father, that I tell: and what you have learnt from your father, that you do. ³⁹ they answered him, Abraham is our father. if you were Abraham's children, said Jesus, you would act like Abraham.

²³ he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise.

³ for we are the genuine sons of Abraham, who worship God in the spiritual manner, and value no other dependance than that on Jesus Christ, without confiding in any external advantages:

¹⁸ of whom it was said, "only the descendants of Isaac shall be counted your posterity:"

¹³ a birth which they had not from circumcision, nor from the constitution of the body, nor the institution of man, but from God.

¹¹ and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness:

¹⁴ as many as are actuated by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

²⁶ for you are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ for as many of you as have been baptized into christianity, have been invested as christians. ²⁸ there is now no distinction of Jew or Greek, of bond or free, of male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ and if you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's offspring, and his heirs by virtue of the promise.

²² for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. ²³ he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise. ²⁴ these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude. ²⁵ this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children: ²⁶ but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all. ²⁷ for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband." ²⁸ Now we, my brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. ²⁹ but as then, he that was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted him, who was born by an extraordinary power; even so it is now. ³⁰ but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman." ³¹ so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.

¹ Consider what proof the father has given us of his love, in allowing us to be called the sons of God: therefore the world does not know us, because it knew him not. ² beloved, we are now the sons of God, tho' it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when this change shall be, his immediate presence will give us a divine resemblance.

¹¹ 'Twas likewise through faith that Sara, though barren, received the power of becoming pregnant, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ¹² so that even a single person whose vigour was gone, gave rise to a posterity as numerous as the stars of the sky, or the sands on the sea-shore, which cannot be numbred.

¹⁷ 'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

²⁶ besides this, there is an unalterable chasm between us and you, so that the passage from one place to the other is impracticable to those who should attempt it.

³ and not only so, but we triumph in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, probation;

¹¹ and not only so, but we have present joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now obtained the reconciliation.

¹⁷ " I have made thee a father of many nations," then existing in the sight of God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls forth things that are not, as if they were:

²⁸ We know too, that all things co-operate for the good of those who love God, who, pursuant to his purpose, has now called them: ²⁹ for whom he before approv'd, he predispos'd to follow the example of his son, who was to conduct them all as their elder brother; ³⁰ but whom he predispos'd, he calls: and whom he has call'd, he justifies: and whom he has justified, he glorifies.

⁵ in like manner at this time there is also a remnant chosen by the divine favour; ⁶ and if it be by favour, it is not upon the account of merit. for then mercy would not be mercy. ⁷ "What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day,

⁴ according as he had chosen us in himself before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, free from vice, and devoted to virtue. ⁵ having predetermin'd to adopt us by Jesus Christ to be his children, according to the good pleasure of his own will,

⁹ for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself, ¹⁰ when the full time of the dispensation was come, to reduce all things both in heaven and on earth, under one head in Christ. ¹¹ It is by him, that we have a share in the inheritance, which was before allotted to us, in consequence of his design, who executes the whole plan, as he himself had contriv'd it:

³ of which number we all have formerly been, leading our dissolute lives in gratifying the desires of our sensual imaginations: and were indeed obnoxious to the divine displeasure, as other. Gentiles were:

⁹ it is the gift of God) but not by works, so that no man can boast:

¹¹ in pursuance of that dispensation which he made to former ages by Christ Jesus our Lord:

⁴ for we are persuaded, my brethren, that you are the peculiar objects of divine favour;

¹² conjuring you to live suitably to the favour of God, who has called you to his kingdom and glory. ¹³ As for you, my brethren, the favourites of the Lord, we are oblig'd to render perpetual thanks to God, for having chosen you from the beginning, in purifying you by his spirit, upon your believing the gospel. ¹⁴ to this he has called you, to a life of glory with our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹ who has saved us, and by the gospel hath called us to holiness, not in consideration of our works, but in pursuance of his own resolution, and the favour, which having been promised us by Jesus Christ several ages ago,

⁵ he saved us not in consideration of any virtuous actions which we had done, but out of his meer mercy, by the baptism of regeneration, he form'd us anew, by the plentiful effusion of the holy spirit,

¹⁰ but may the all-gracious God, who has called us to eternal glory, perfect, confirm, fortify, and settle you, during the short interval of your sufferings.

¹⁰ Wherefore be the more diligent, my brethren, to secure your vocation and election by your virtuous actions, for by so doing, you will never relapse:

¹⁴ they will make war with the lamb, but the lamb, who is lord of lords, and king of kings, together with those that are called, chosen, and faithful, shall overcome them.

³⁷ he that loveth father or mother more than me, is unworthy of me: he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is unworthy of me.

²⁶ and said, he that can't abandon his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, nay, even his own life, cannot be my disciple.

²⁵ he that loveth his life, shall lose it: but he that sacrifices his life in this world, shall preserve it to eternity.

⁵ however by your impenitence, and the insensibility of your heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

¹ What advantage then hath the Jew? or what benefit is there from circumcision?

⁵ but say you, "if our unfaithfulness displays the veracity of God, what shall we say? is it not injustice in God to inflict punishment?" ⁶ not at all: for then how could God judge the world?

³ and they sung the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the lamb, saying, "great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of ages. ⁴ who will not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: and all nations shall come to adore thee; because thy judgments have been display'd."

⁷ and I heard another from the altar say, "oh! Lord God almighty, true and just are thy judgments."

¹⁶ so that this is a matter not dependent on him that wills or runs, but on God, who shews mercy.

¹⁸ thus some he pursues with his favours, and abandons others to their obduracy, according as he thinks fit. ¹⁹ But you will object, why does he then find fault? for "who can resist his will?"

²⁵ At the same time Jesus, continuing his discourses, said, "I thank thee, O father, Lord of heaven and earth, for having revealed unto babes what thou hast hid from the wise and prudent. ²⁶ even so it is, father, for such has been thy will.

²¹ At that very time Jesus fell into a divine transport, and said, "I magnify thee, O father, the Lord of heaven and earth, for having conceal'd these things from the artful and the crafty, whilst thou hast reveal'd them to the unskilful. justly, O father, hast thou thus dispens'd thy favour."

¹² but to as many as received him, and believed on him, he granted the privilege of being the sons of God. ¹³ a birth which they had not from circumcision, nor from the constitution of the body, nor the institution of man, but from God.

⁸ the wind bloweth where it listeth, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, or whither it goes: such is the change in every one that is renewed by the spirit.

¹¹ for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call,

²⁶ for consider, brethren, that not many worldly wise, not many men of power, not many men of birth are among you that are called. ²⁷ but God hath chosen those who are foolish in the opinion of the world, to confound the wise; and the weak men of the world to confound the mighty: ²⁸ those who were looked upon by the world as vile, as despicable, as nothing, these has God chosen to reduce their sufficiency to nothing. ²⁹ that no man might glory before God; ³⁰ for from him it is that ye believe in Christ Jesus, whom God has made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, ³¹ according as it is written, "he that glorieth, should glory in the Lord."

⁴ then it was that God, who is rich in mercy, thro' his great love, wherewith he loved us, ⁵ did raise us all, who were in that deadly state of sin, to life by Christ, for by grace ye are saved:

⁸ for by grace are ye saved, thro' faith (and that not from us:

¹³ for it is God that influences your desires and endeavours, out of his benevolence to you.

³ for even we ourselves were once inconsiderate, disobedient, deluded, addicted to variety of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, the deserving objects of mutual hatred. ⁴ but when the kindness and love of God our saviour display'd itself to mankind, ⁵ he saved us not in consideration of any virtuous actions which we had done, but out of his meer mercy, by the baptism of regeneration, he form'd us anew, by the plentiful effusion of the holy spirit,

¹⁸ 'tis he that has voluntarily renew'd us by the oracles of truth, that we might be the first converts of the new creation.

⁹ and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out ¹⁰ of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

²⁶ to them I have declared thy name, and will declare it: that thou mayst love them as thou hast loved me, and I have loved them."

⁴ but what said the oracle to him? "I have reserved to my self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

⁸ and the scripture insinuating, that God would justify the Gentiles thro' faith, gave Abraham an intimation of the gospel in these words, " in thee shall all nations be blessed."

²² but the scripture has declar'd all guilty of sin, that the blessing promised on condition of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

³⁰ but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman."

¹⁴ and in them is fulfilled that prophecy of Esaias, "by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. ¹⁵ for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

²⁶ "go to this people and say, hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. ²⁷ for the heart of this people is become gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them." ²⁸ take notice therefore, that the offers of divine salvation are sent to the Gentiles, and they will receive them.

²⁴ wherefore God abandon'd them to the impure passions of their own hearts, so that they themselves dishonour'd their own bodies; ²⁵ they changed the true God for an idol, and adored and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever. ²⁶ amen. for this cause God gave them up to infamous passions: for even the sex perverted the instinct of nature: ²⁷ and the men unnaturally leaving the sex, were inflamed with mutual passions, which they shamefully indulged, and received in their own persons, the retribution that was justly due to such enormities. ²⁸ As they did not seek the favour of God, by worshipping him, God gave them over to a depraved sense, to act unworthy of human nature;

²⁰ the law was introduc'd, that the greatness of the fall might fully appear; but the more sin display'd its enormity, the divine favour was so much the more transcendent. ²¹ that as sin prevailed unto death, even so might the divine favour prevail by righteousness unto eternal life, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁵ God forbid. for he saith to Moses, "I will show favour to whom I will show favour, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." ¹⁶ so that this is a matter not dependent on him that wills or runs, but on God, who shews mercy.

⁷ "What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day, ⁸ as it is written, "God hath given them up to a state of insensibility, so that their eyes could not see, and their ears could not hear."

⁶ to display the glory of his grace, which has render'd us acceptable by his beloved son:

¹⁰ and with all the vile methods of imposture, to the ruin of those, who are averse to the truth, by which they might be saved. ¹¹ wherefore God will suffer a spirit of delusion to work them into the belief of a lye: ¹² to the condemnation of all those, who instead of embracing the gospel, had pleasure in iniquity.

²¹ the son of man is going indeed, according to what is written of him: but wo to that man, by whom the son of man is betrayed: it would be better for that man, if he had never been born.

²³ him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by means of the wicked, have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up,

²⁷ for it was truly against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, that Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, united themselves in this city, ²⁸ to effect what thy power and thy wisdom pre-determined to be done.

⁵ but say you, "if our unfaithfulness displays the veracity of God, what shall we say? is it not injustice in God to inflict punishment?" ⁶ not at all: for then how could God judge the world? ⁷ "but, say you, if the veracity of God hath appeared more illustrious thro' my unfaithfulness, why then am I condemned as a sinner? ⁸ and why may we not do evil, that good may come?" which is slanderously reported to be our maxim, by some, whose condemnation is just.

¹⁹ you will say then, "the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

¹² Now if it has been declared, that Christ rose from the dead, how comes it, that some among you assert, "there is no resurrection of the dead?"

³⁵ But some will say, how will the dead be raised? with what kind of body will they appear?

¹³ Let no man under temptation, say, it is God that tempts him; for as he is incapable of moral evil, he can't influence any one thereto.

¹⁵ can't I do what I will with my own? because I am bountiful, are you invidious?

¹ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, that condemnest another, for by condemning them, you condemn yourself; since you that condemn them, do the same things.

²⁰ where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputant of this age? has not God prov'd the wisdom of this world to be downright folly.

¹⁶ O wife, but you may save your husband? or how do you know, O man, but you may save your wife?

⁵ mischievous opinions, and a familiarity with pernicious ignorant impostors, who consider religion only as it makes for their gain.

⁹ Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, to be

²⁰ Vain man, must I show you how lifeless a thing faith is, without its effects?

¹⁵ go, said the Lord to him: for he is the instrument I have chosen, to bear my name to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel.

¹⁸ thus some he pursues with his favours, and abandons others to their obduracy, according as he thinks fit.

²² if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power, ²³ and display his infinite goodness to such objects of mercy, as he had prepared for glory?

²⁰ in a palace there are vessels not only of gold, and of silver, but of wood and of earth likewise: some are for honourable uses, and others for meaner purposes. ²¹ he that is clear of vice, is a vessel of the first kind, sanctified and fit for the master's use, and qualified for every virtuous action.

³¹ whereby you yourselves own that ye are indeed the children of those who killed the prophets, ³² children that can't fail to fill up the measure of your fathers iniquities. ³³ ye serpents, ye brood of vipers, how can ye escape the punishment of Gehenna?

¹⁸ there the divine wrath is revealed from heaven against all impiety, and injustice of men, who wickedly suppress the truth.

⁴ or do you despise the riches of his kindness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not considering that the kindness of God invites you to repentance? ⁵ however by your impenitence, and the insensibility of your heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

¹⁷ for 'tis said in scripture to Pharaoh, "even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth."

²¹ is not the potter the master of his own clay, of the same mass to make one vessel for use and ornament, and another for a meaner purpose?

¹⁶ who by obstructing our endeavours to save the Gentiles, continue to fill up the measure of their enormities; for which consummate vengeance is falling upon them.

⁹ for God did not design to make us the objects of his displeasure, but to effect our felicity by the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us,

²⁰ in a palace there are vessels not only of gold, and of silver, but of wood and of earth likewise: some are for honourable uses, and others for meaner purposes.

⁸ and which the architects rejected, will be an occasion to the incredulous of their stumbling, and bruising themselves thereby:

²⁰ those antient rebels in the time of Noah, when the divine forbearance waited, till the ark was quite finish'd, in which only eight persons were saved by means of the water.

³ By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring.

⁹ I say, the Lord will deliver those, who fear him, from their affliction, and reserve the wicked to be punish'd at the day of judgment.

⁸ But there is one thing, my brethren, you ought to be appriz'd of, which is this, that "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." ⁹ the Lord does not delay the accomplishment of his promise, as some do imagine. but he waits with patience upon our account, as being unwilling that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁵ that the patience of our Lord is for your advantage: as our dear brother Paul, according to the information he receiv'd, has writ to you,

⁴ For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

⁹ When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they maintain'd. ¹⁰ and they cried with a loud voice, saying, "how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou defer doing justice, and avenging our blood on those that dwell on the earth?" ¹¹ and white robes were given to every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should have patience yet for a little while, till the number of their fellow-servants, and their brethren, that should be killed, as they were, should be complete.

¹⁶ "fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb: ¹⁷ for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to subsist?"

¹⁷ and he shall march before him, in the spirit and power of Elias, to reconcile parents and children together, and the unruly to the practice of justice, that the people may be duly dispos'd to receive the Lord.

⁴ or do you despise the riches of his kindness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not considering that the kindness of God invites you to repentance?

²⁹ for whom he before approv'd, he predispos'd to follow the example of his son, who was to conduct them all as their elder brother;

⁶ to display the glory of his grace, which has render'd us acceptable by his beloved son: ⁷ who has by his blood obtained for us the redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ out of the over-flowing treasures of his comprehensive wisdom and contrivance.

¹⁸ an enlightned understanding, that ye may see what great expectations he has called you to, and what abundant glory it is to the saints to be the lot of his inheritance.

³ of which number we all have formerly been, leading our dissolute lives in gratifying the desires of our sensual imaginations: and were indeed obnoxious to the divine displeasure, as other. Gentiles were:

⁷ that in the ages to come, he might shew the immense riches of his gracious kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus.

¹⁰ for he hath made us a-new, and form'd us by Christ Jesus to do good works, for which God had before prepared us, that we might live in them.

⁸ upon me, who am the meanest of all christians, is this favour bestowed, that I should proclaim to the Gentiles the undiscoverable advantages by Christ;

¹⁶ that by his immense power he would strengthen the faculties of your minds by his spirit:

¹² giving thanks to the father, who has qualified you to share in that light he affords to his people:

²⁷ to whom God does disclose the glorious advantages of this mystery to you Gentiles, to wit, "that by Christ you may have the expectation of glory."

¹⁰ and come to be glorified by his saints, and to be the object of admiration to all who believed, that the testimony we gave you, would be justified in that day. ¹¹ Wherefore we continually pray, that our God would by his power effect all the gracious designs of his goodness, and accomplish the work of faith in you; ¹² that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified by you, and you by him, by the favour of our God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²¹ he that is clear of vice, is a vessel of the first kind, sanctified and fit for the master's use, and qualified for every virtuous action.

³ for even we ourselves were once inconsiderate, disobedient, deluded, addicted to variety of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, the deserving objects of mutual hatred. ⁴ but when the kindness and love of God our saviour display'd itself to mankind, ⁵ he saved us not in consideration of any virtuous actions which we had done, but out of his meer mercy, by the baptism of regeneration, he form'd us anew, by the plentiful effusion of the holy spirit, ⁶ thro' Jesus Christ our saviour: ⁷ that being justified by his favour, we should have the inheritance of eternal life, according to our hopes.

² to sanctify them by his spirit, that by their obedience they might be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. may the divine savour make you continually prosper. ³ Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us, and given us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the expectation of immortal life, ⁴ in the enjoyment of a state, that can never change or decay, a state reserv'd in heaven for us, ⁵ whom the divine power preserves through faith for that salvation, which is going to be made manifest in the latter time.

⁴⁷ for thus has the Lord commanded us, "I have appointed you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the remotest parts of the earth." ⁴⁸ when the Gentiles heard this, they received the word with joy, glorifying the Lord: and as many as were dispos'd to eternal life, believed.

¹⁴ Simon has related how God began to visit the Gentiles, to chuse from among them a people consecrated to his name.

¹⁷ When we were arriv'd at Jerusalem, the brethren receiv'd us with joy. ¹⁸ the next day Paul went with us to James, where all the pastors assembled. ¹⁹ after having saluted them, he gave a particular account of what God had wrought by his ministry among the Gentiles. ²⁰ upon hearing this, they gave glory to God: and thus address'd Paul, you see, brother, how many thousand believing Jews there are, all however zealous for the law.

²⁹ is God the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles? surely he is of the Gentiles too; ³⁰ since it is one God, who will justify both the Jews and the Gentiles, through faith.

¹¹ and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness: ¹² and the father of the circumcised, that is of those who are not barely circumcised, but who imitate that faith which our father Abraham had, being yet uncircumcised.

¹¹ You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation. ¹² now if their fall be to the advancement of the world, and the few converts among them bring in whole numbers of the Gentiles: how much more so will it be, when the Jewish body recover? ¹³ this concerns you Gentiles. for as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I should do honour to my character,

⁸ for I tell you, that Jesus Christ was a minister to the Jews, to manifest the veracity of God in fulfilling the promises made to the fathers: ⁹ and you Gentiles ought to glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, "for this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name ." ¹⁰ and again the scripture saith, "rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people." ¹¹ and elsewhere, praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people." ¹² besides Esaias saith, "there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope." ¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy spirit. ¹⁴ As to myself, I am persuaded, my brethren, that you abound in goodness, and in variety of knowledge, and are able to instruct one another. ¹⁵ nevertheless, brethren, I have writ to the Gentile part of you, and admonish'd you with the greater freedom by virtue of the commission that God has given me, ¹⁶ to be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, officiating the gospel of God, that the Gentiles might be made an acceptable offering, being sanctified by the holy spirit.

⁹ for he, who has called you to the communication of his son Jesus Christ our Lord, will make good his promise.

²⁸ there is now no distinction of Jew or Greek, of bond or free, of male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

¹¹ Wherefore remember that you were heretofore Gentiles, being denominated the uncircumcised, by those who are the circumcised by a manual operation; ¹² that at that time ye were without all knowledge of the Messiah, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and living in the world without any true knowledge of God. ¹³ but now you who were formerly at a distance, are brought near by the death of Christ Jesus.

⁶ "that the Gentiles should be heirs as well as the Jews, make one body together, and partake of the divine promise in Christ by the gospel." ⁷ of this I was made a minister, according to the gracious gift God bestowed on me, by the effectual operation of his influence: ⁸ upon me, who am the meanest of all christians, is this favour bestowed, that I should proclaim to the Gentiles the undiscoverable advantages by Christ;

¹¹ by which there is now neither Greek, or Jew; circumcised, or uncircumcised; Barbarian, or Scythian; slave, or freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

¹ Wherefore, christian brethren, you who are called to an heavenly inheritance, consider the apostle and high priest of the faith we profess, even Christ Jesus;

⁹ and he said unto me, "write, happy are they who are invited to the marriage-supper of the lamb." and he said to me, "thus I have delivered the real oracles of God."

²⁷ for the father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I had my mission from God.

⁷ to all the beloved of God, the saints by this vocation, who are in Rome, grace to you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

¹⁶ Simon Peter made answer, thou art Christ the son of the living God.

⁵² and not for that nation only, but likewise to reassemble the dispersed children of God into one body.

¹⁸ I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

²⁶ for you are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

¹ Consider what proof the father has given us of his love, in allowing us to be called the sons of God: therefore the world does not know us, because it knew him not. ² beloved, we are now the sons of God, tho' it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when this change shall be, his immediate presence will give us a divine resemblance. ³ he that hath such an expectation should purify himself, even as he is pure.

⁴ but what said the oracle to him? "I have reserved to my self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal." ⁵ in like manner at this time there is also a remnant chosen by the divine favour; ⁶ and if it be by favour, it is not upon the account of merit. for then mercy would not be mercy.

²¹ for the desolation will be so dreadful, the like was never seen since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be again.

³¹ because he has fix'd the day, when he will judge in equity, by that man, whom he has appointed thereto: of which he has given full proof to all the world, by having raised him from the dead."

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse appear'd; and he that sat upon him was called the faithful and the true: in righteousness he judges and makes war:

⁴ hark! what a noise there is of hire, of which you cheated the labourers, who gather'd in your harvest! the cries of the reapers have reach'd even the Lord of the celestial militia.

⁶ since he condemn'd the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to an entire subversion, and reduc'd them to ashes, to make them serve for examples to future impiety:

⁷ so it was with Sodom, Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, who abandoning themselves to the same licentiousness and abominable passions, were made examples by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

¹⁷ There it is that divine justification is revealed to be wholly by faith: as it is written, " the just shall live by faith." ¹⁸ there the divine wrath is revealed from heaven against all impiety, and injustice of men, who wickedly suppress the truth. ¹⁹ because what should be known of God they are acquainted with; for God hath manifested it unto them. ²⁰ for ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divinity, things in themselves invisible, are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made; so that they are without excuse: ²¹ because when they knew God, they did not with gratitude glorify him as God, but their reasoning became extravagance, and their minds, void of judgment, were involv'd in darkness. ²² pretending to be wise, they became fools: ²³ the honour due to God, who is immortal, they transferr'd to idols representing men, who are mortal, to birds, and beasts, and insects. ²⁴ wherefore God abandon'd them to the impure passions of their own hearts, so that they themselves dishonour'd their own bodies; ²⁵ they changed the true God for an idol, and adored and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever. ²⁶ amen. for this cause God gave them up to infamous passions: for even the sex perverted the instinct of nature: ²⁷ and the men unnaturally leaving the sex, were inflamed with mutual passions, which they shamefully indulged, and received in their own persons, the retribution that was justly due to such enormities. ²⁸ As they did not seek the favour of God, by worshipping him, God gave them over to a depraved sense, to act unworthy of human nature; ²⁹ they were full of all injustice, fornication, mischief, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, contention, fraud, malignity; ³⁰ whisperers, backbiters, enemies of God, injurious, proud, vain, inventers of vices, disobedient to parents, void of judgment, ³¹ fidelity, and natural affection; implacable, and unmerciful: ³² who knowing the divine rule of right, did not perceive that they who commit such things are worthy of death, and not only they who do the same, but they who give countenance to those that do them.

⁵ but say you, "if our unfaithfulness displays the veracity of God, what shall we say? is it not injustice in God to inflict punishment?"

²¹ but the divine justification certified by the law and the prophets, is now clearly proposed independently of the law: ²² that divine justification, which by faith in Jesus Christ is extended to all, that believe; for there is no distinction:

⁹ Is this happiness then for the circumcised only, or for the uncircumcised also? for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

¹¹ and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness:

¹³ Besides, the promise that he should possess the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his posterity in consideration of the law, but with regard to the righteousness by faith.

²² and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

¹ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁴ What do we say then? is there injustice in God?

³¹ but Israel, who followed the law of justice, hath not attained to the law of justice.

⁶ but the justification which is by faith, speaks in this manner; "say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, in order to bring Christ down from above?

¹⁰ for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

²⁰ but Esaias is more express, and says, "I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me.

⁹ Know you not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? be not deceived: neither the licentious, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor the brutal, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor misers, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor raparees, shall inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ and such were some of you: but you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the spirit of our God.

¹⁶ yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

²⁴ so that the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

⁵ but as for us, our minds are possessed with the hopes of justification by faith.

¹⁷ This I say therefore, and conjure you by the Lord not to live for the future as other Gentiles do, in the vanity of their minds, ¹⁸ which are overspread with darkness, and averse to a religious life, thro' their innate ignorance and obduracy: ¹⁹ who without remorse, have abandon'd themselves to brutality, in gratifying every lewd unnatural passion.

⁹ and be his true disciple, not professing that justification, which is derived from the law, but that which is from the gospel,

¹¹ As for you the minister of God, avoid those things: adhere to justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, and benignity of temper.

⁷ 'Twas by faith that Noah being divinely warned of unforeseen events, with a religious concern built an ark to the preservation of his family; whereby the world became inexcusable, and he obtained the reward of that righteousness which is by faith.

³ for the time past of your lives may suffice, to have liv'd in conformity to the Gentile customs, in impurity, licentiousness, sottishness, in dissolute festivals, and the criminal rites of idolaters.

²⁰ for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.

¹⁴ for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect. ¹⁵ because the effect of the law is punishment: for if there had been no law, there could have been no transgression.

³⁰ What shall we hence conclude? that the Gentiles who sought not after justice, have obtained justice, even to that which is by faith: ³¹ but Israel, who followed the law of justice, hath not attained to the law of justice. ³² why? because they sought it not by faith, but indeed by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

² for I bear them witness, that they have a zeal for God, but not guided by true knowledge. ³ because being ignorant of the justice which is of God, and going about to establish a justification of their own, they have not submitted themselves to that which is of God. ⁴ for the end of the law was to bring men to Christ, that every one who believeth, might be justified.

⁷ "What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day,

¹⁰ but they that rest themselves upon the works of the law, are obnoxious to the curse: for it is written, " cursed is every one, who continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them:" ¹¹ but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, " the just shall live by faith."

²¹ Is the law then opposite to the promises? by no means. for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, certainly justification should have been by the law.

³ for I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is under an obligation to perform the whole law. ⁴ Christ is of no use to you, whoever of you seek to be justified by the law; you have lost all interest in the gospel-dispensation.

⁶ if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;

¹⁰ for he that violates but one precept of the whole law, is as obnoxious to punishment, as if he had broke thro' all the rest. ¹¹ he that said, "do not commit adultery," said too, "do not kill." though you should not commit adultery, yet if you kill, you are a transgressor of the law.

⁵⁷ and they were scandaliz'd at him. but Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honour, except in his own country and in his own family.

¹⁶ Immediately one came near him, saying, good master, what good shall I do, to obtain eternal life? ¹⁷ and he said to him, why do you stile me good? there is but one that is good, that is God. but if you would enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸ he reply'd, which? Jesus said, "thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹ honour thy father and thy mother: and, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ²⁰ the young man answer'd, all these things have I practis'd from my youth: what is it that is further required?

³⁴ then Simeon gave them his benediction, and said to Mary his mother, "the child you now see, shall occasion many in Israel to fall and rise again; he will be the Object of calumny,

²³ and blessed is he, who does not make me the occasion of his fall.

²⁷ work not for the food which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life, and which the son of man shall give unto you, for to him it is that the father, that is God, has given his credentials. ²⁸ then said they to him, what shall we do, that our works may he agreeable to God? ²⁹ Jesus answered them, the work which God requires is to believe on him whom he hath sent.

³⁰ and bringing them out, he said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? ³¹ believe, said they, on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you, and your family. ³² then they declared the word of the Lord to him, and to all his family. ³³ at the same time of night he washed their stripes, and immediately he was baptized, he, and all that belong'd to him. ³⁴ then he conducted them to his house, and gave them an entertainment; and he and his family were affected with joy, for having believed in God.

¹⁶ therefore the inheritance is of faith, that it might be meerly of favour, to the end the promise might be assured to all his posterity, not to that part only who have the law, but to that also who have the faith of Abraham, the father of us all, as it is written,

³ because being ignorant of the justice which is of God, and going about to establish a justification of their own, they have not submitted themselves to that which is of God.

¹¹ You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation.

²³ we preach Christ crucified, an obstacle to the Jews indeed, and to the Gentiles foolishness: but to those who believe,

⁹ if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: now this is the testimony, which God has given us of his son. ¹⁰ he that believeth on the son of God, hath the testimony of God thereto: he that does not believe God, impeaches his veracity, because he does not believe the testimony that God gave of his son. ¹¹ Now what is testified, is this, that God has given to us eternal life: and this life is by his son. ¹² he that receives the son, is intitled to life; and he that does not receive the son of God, has no title to life.

⁴² Jesus reply'd, did ye never read in the scriptures, " that very stone which the builders rejected, is become the principal stone of the angle, this the Lord effected, and it is marvellous in our eyes."

⁴⁴ and whosoever shall stumble at this stone, shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, he shall be entirely crush'd.

⁵ now hope will not deceive us, because the love of God is diffused thro' our hearts, by the holy spirit which is given to us;

¹¹ for the scripture saith, "whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed."

²⁰ agreeably to that expectation and persuasion I have, that I shall not labour in vain; but as I always have, so I shall still glorify Christ in my body, whether it be by life or by death: for if I live, I live to Christ;

¹² yet I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have confided, and I am persuaded he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day.

⁶ wherefore it is said in the scripture, I lay in Sion the principal stone of the angle, a choice one of great value: he that ⁷ trusts thereon shall not be confounded. it will prove an honour to you, who believe; but to the incredulous, the same stone, which is the chief of the angle, ⁸ and which the architects rejected, will be an occasion to the incredulous of their stumbling, and bruising themselves thereby:

²⁸ adhere to that, my dear children, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.