more, he is also risen, and is now at the right hand of God, yea, also intercedes for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 87. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither the fear of death, (in its most terrible forms), nor the love of life, nor evil angels, principalities, or powers, nor evil things present, nor evil things to come, 39. Nor the height of prosperity, nor the depth of adversity, nor any other creature (in heaven, earth, or hell), shall be able to separate us (true Christians) from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CHAP. IX.

PAUL'S SORROW FOR THE JEWS.

I SAY the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2. That I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3. For I could wish that myself were cast out of the church of Christ, (yea, and cut off from the land of the living,) for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4. Who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, (to be his church and children,) and the glory (of the divine presence in the inner temple) and the covenants (with the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the whole people at Sinai,) where the law was given, and the temple service, and the promises of Canaan, and the Messiah; 5. Whose are the fathers (v. 4.) and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6. But the word of God could not be without effect, (for part of the Jews believed.) But they are not all

(spiritual) Israelites who are descended of Israel: 7. Nor, because they are of the seed of Abraham are they all children (of the promise ;) but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8. That is to say, they who are children only by natural generation, are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the true seed. 9. For this is the word of promise, At this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son. 10. And not only so; but when Rebecca had twins by our father Isaac, 11. The children not being yet born, so having neither done good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, 12. It was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13. As it is written, I have loved Jacob more than Esau.

14. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? by no means. 15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, (without trusting in God) but of God that sheweth mercy. 17. For the scripture saith to Pharoah, Even for this same purpose I made thee great to shew my power in thee, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18. So then he sheweth mercy to whom he will, and leaves whom he will to the hardness of their heart. (v. 22.)

19. Thou wilt say then to me, Why doth he yet find fault; for who hath resisted his will? 20. Nay, but O man, why repliest thou against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another (marred or gone wrong, Jer. xviii.) to dishonour? 22. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the ves

sels of wrath fitted to destruction; 23. And to make known the riches of his glory or goodness on the vessels of mercy, which he before prepared to glory. 24. Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25. As he saith also in Hosea, I will call the Gentiles My people, who (formerly) were not my people, and her Beloved, (who, for a long time) was not my beloved.

26. And in the place where it was said to them, ye are not my people; they shall be called, The children of the living God, (by adoption). 27. Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, Tho' the num◄ ber of the Israelites be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall only be saved: 28. For he will soon finish the work in righteousness, (of putting an end to the Jewish state) because the Lord will make the work short upon the land. 29. And as Isaiah said before, Except the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and like to Gomorrha, (utterly destroyed.)

30. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after (justification and) righte ousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness (and justification) which is of faith; 31. But Israel, who followed after the righteousness of the ritual law, hath not attained to it. 32. And why did they miss it? because they sought it not by faith, but as if it were to be obtained by the works of the law; for they stumbled at that stone of offence (the cross of Christ.) 33. As it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence; and whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

CHAP. X.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAW AND FAITH.

BRETHREN, my heart's desire and prayer to God

2. For I

for Israel is, that they might be saved. testify to them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3. For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God's appointing (his method of justification), and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God's appointment. 4. For the use and end of the law was to bring mankind to believe in Christ, for righteousness (or justification, and life or bliss.) 5. For Moses describes the righteousness of the law, that the man who does all the duties of it shall live. 6. But the righteousness obtained by faith, speaketh thus, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven, to bring Christ down, (to instruct us, and save us?) 7. Or, Who shall descend into the bowels of the earth, in order to bring Christ again from the region of the dead? 8. But what saith it? The word is near to thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of the Christian faith, which we preach; 9. That if thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For it is with the heart that a man believeth (so as to obtain righteousness for justification,) and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. 11. For the scripture saith, Whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile; for the same Lord of all is rich in mercy to all that call upon him: 13. For whoever shall tru ly call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15. And how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the footsteps of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good

things! 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17. So then, faith cometh by hearing the word; and hearing, by the command to preach that word of God. 18. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words to the world's boundaries.

19. But I say, Did not Israel know (that the Gentiles should receive the gospel? Yes;) for first Moses saith, I will raise your jealousy by those that were not a nation, and your anger with a foolish people, Deut. xxxii. 21. 20. But Isaiah is very bold, and saith I was found by them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. 21. But to Israel he saith, All the day long I have stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people, Isa. Ixi. 1, 2.

CHAP. XI.

GOD HATH NOT CAST OFF ALL ISRAEL.

I SAY then, Hath God cast away his people? not at all. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias, how he addresseth God against Israel, saying, 3. Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life? 4. But what saith the answer of God to him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5. Even so also, at the present there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6. And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace would be no more grace.

7. What then? tho' all Israel hath not obtained what he seeketh for; the election hath obtained it,