CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.-LETTERS.

LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

SELECTION I.

God has revealed himself in nature as well as in written records and in the characters and teachings of holy men.

PAUL, a servant of Christ Jesus,

cating that, if it be possible, I may at last through the will of God be favored with an opportunity of coming to you.

3 For I long to see you, that I

may be edified, and you also with me, through each other's faith, both yours and mine. I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I often

have been hindered hitherto, for the purpose that I might have some fruit of my labors among you also, as among the other Gentiles: for I am debtor both to Greeks and Barbarians, both to the wise and the unwise.

a called apostle, set apart to may impart to you some spiritual preach the gospel of God through gift, which may be for your confirhis prophets in the sacred writings, mation; that is, that I with you even the gospel concerning his son; who was born of the lineage of David as to the flesh, shown to be the son of God with power, and, on account of his holiness of spirit, resurrected purposed to come to you, though I from the realms of the dead, Christ Jesus our Master: through whom also we received grace and the office of an apostle in behalf of his name, in order to produce obedience to the faith among all nations; among whom are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ-To all the beloved of God 4 So, according to my ability, I at Rome, called to be holy: Grace am ready to preach the gospel to be to you, and peace, from God you also in Rome. I am not ashamour father, and from Jesus Christ the ed of the gospel; for to every beMaster. liever, to the Jew not only, but also to 2 In the first place, I thank my the Greek, it is the power of God God through Jesus Christ for all of unto salvation. Because therein is you, that your faith is spoken revealed the righteousness which is of throughout the whole world. God of God from faith to faith; as it is is my witness, whom I serve with written, The righteous shall live by my spirit in the gospel of his son, faith.

how constantly I make mention of 5 Moreover, the indignation of you, always in my prayers suppli-God is revealed from heaven against

all impiety and unrighteousness of edness, envy, murder, strife, deceit, men, who hinder the truth because malignity; they became backbiters, of their unrighteousness. For that slanderers, haters of God, insolent, which may be known of God is re- proud, boasters, inventors of misvealed within them; God has re- chief, disobedient to parents, sensevealed it to them. Ever since the less, faithless, without natural affeccreation of the world, his invisible tion, without pity.

attributes, even his eternal power 10 Although knowing the decree and divinity, are clearly seen, being of God, that they who practise such revealed in his works, so that all things deserve death, they not are without excuse. only do them themselves, but 6 And yet though they knew God, even approve of others who do they did not glorify him, as God, nor were they thankful to him; but became perverse in their reasonings, and their senseless minds were dark

them.

SELECTION II.

God is a just and impartial judge, and

ened. Professing to be wise, they judgment belongs to him alone.

became fools, and for the glory of WHEREFORE thou art withthe incorruptible God, they substi- out excuse, O man that judg. tuted images of corruptible man, est, whoever thou art; for in judging and of birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.

another, thou condemnest thyself; inasmuch as thou doest the same things. But we know that the judgment of God against all who practise such things is according to truth.

7 On this account God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to debase their bodies with one another; for they had changed the truth of God into a lie, and both 2 And dost thou suppose, O man, sought and served created things who art judging those who do such rather than the Creator, who is things, and art thyself doing the blessed forever. Amen. same, that thou wilt escape the 8 On this account also God gave judgment of God? Dost thou dethem up to vile passions: for even spise the riches of his goodness and their women indulged in unnat- forbearance and long-suffering, not ural lust, and in like manner the knowing that the goodness of God men also practising that which is is designed to lead thee to repentshameful, and receiving in them-ance?

selves the due recompense of their 3 According to the hardness and

error.

impenitence of thy heart, art thou 9 And as they did not choose to treasuring up for thyself indignation retain God in their knowledge, God against the day of indignation and gave them up to a reprobate mind, of the manifestation of the righteous to do things which are shameful: so judgment of God. Who will render they became filled with all unright- to every one according to his works; eousness, malice, covetousness, wick-leverlasting life, to those who by pa

tient continuance in well-doing seek a light to those who are in darkness. for glory, and honor, and incorrup- an instructor of those who lack wis tion; but to those who are conten- dom, a teacher of babes!

tious, who disobey the truth, and 9 Having the form of knowledge practise unrighteousness, there will be displeasure and indignation.

and of the truth in the written Law, thou teachest others!-Dost 4 For tribulation and distress will thou not also teach thyself? Thou come upon every soul of man whose who proclaimest that others should works are evil, upon the Jew as well as not steal, dost thou steal? Dost upon the Greek; but glory, honor, thou who forbiddest to commit and peace, to every one whose works adultery, thyself commit adultery? are good, to the Jew not only, but Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou also to the Greek. rob temples? Thou who boastest 5 And there is no respect of per- of the written Law, dost thou dissons with God; for as many as have honor God by breaking that law? transgressed without a written law, As it is written, The name of God will also be judged without a writ- is on account of your inconsistenten law; and as many as have trans- cies, blasphemed among the Gengressed under a written law, will be tiles.

judged by a written law.

IO And conformity to ordinances! these are indeed a benefit to thee,

6 And it is not the hearers of a law who are righteous before God, if thou keep the law; but if thou but the doers of a law will be ac-art a breaker of the law, thy concounted righteous;-for when the formity to ordinances is of no acGentiles, who have no written law, count. If then he who is without do by nature what is required, these, ordinances keep the precepts of the having no written law, are a law to law, shall not he be accepted of themselves; since they show that God? Yea, those who are without what the law requireth is written ordinances, if they perform the law, in their hearts, their conscience bear-will even judge thee, who, having a ing witness, and their thoughts in written law and ordinances, art a turn accusing or defending them. breaker of the law.

7 Thus it is that God shall judge the secrets of men, according to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which I have preached.

II For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; nor is that conformity to ordinances, which is outward, in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and conformity is of the heart, spiritual, not literal, the approval of which is not of men, but of God.

8 But thou callest thyself a Jew, and restest on the written law, and makest thy boast before God, that thou knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, 12 What then is the advantage of being instructed out of the written the Jew? or what the benefit of law! And thou art confident that ordinances? Great, every way; but thou thyself art a guide of the blind, chiefly in that through them were

communicated the revelations of all become unprofitable; there is

God.

SELECTION III.

none righteous, not even one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have practised de

All men without exception, are born into ceit. The poison of asps is under a condition of moral imperfection in this their lips. Their mouth is full of life, and also are more or less guilty of slander and bitterness. Swift are wilfully violating the laws of virtue and their feet to carry revenge; oppresof duty. sion and misery are in their ways;

WHAT if some were unfaith- and the path of peace they have not

ful? Shall their unfaithfulness known. There is no fear of God be

cause God to be unfaithful? By no fore their eyes.

means! Yea, let God be true, even 7 Now we know that whatever though every man be false; as it is the law saith, it saith to those who written, That thou mayest be justi- are under the law: that every boastfied in thy words, and mayest stand ful mouth may be stopped, and all acquitted when thou art arraigned. the world acknowledge unworthiness 2 But (it is said) our unrighteous- before God. ness serves to display the righteous

8 And by ceremonial observances ness of God. What shall we answer no flesh shall be be accepted as to that? Is not God unjust to in- righteous: for these are acknowledgflict punishment? (I am speaking as ments of trangression. men do.) Far be it! for how then 9 But now, in addition to the could God be a judge of the world? written law, the righteousness which 3 If, through my being un- is of God (to which the law and the righteous, the truth of God hath prophets bear testimony), yea, the been more abundantly manifested righteousness which is of God hath to his glory, why am I still judged as been revealed through the faith of a trangressor? And why not say Jesus Christ, to all and for all be(as some slanderously charge us with lievers. saying), Let us do evil, that good may come?

IO And there is no distinction; for all have transgressed, and come

4 The condemnation of men who short of the glory of God. say such things is just.

5 What then? Are we better than others? By no means: for we have already brought the charge both against Jews and Greeks, that they are all transgressors.

II But now, by the grace of God through the redemption made known by Christ Jesus we are freely accounted as righteous. For God set him forth, through confidence in his complete consecration, to be propitiatory, and to exhibit righteousness as seen in the forbearance of God with respect to passing over the

6 As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth or that diligently seeketh God; they have all turned transgressions of the past; to exaside from the right way, they have hibit his righteousness, I say, at this

present time, that he might himself be righteous, and also account as righteous him that hath the faith of Jesus.

12 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? of ceremonial observances? Nay, but by the law of faith; for we reckon that a man is accepted as righteous through his faith alone, apart from his conformity to ordinances.

SELECTION IV.

In the consecrated life and death of Christ Jesus we have a representation of the love of God for mankind; by this also we are brought into unity with God, and are inspired to renounce iniquity and seek for holiness.

THEREFORE being accepted as

righteous through faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Master: through whom also we have been admitted into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory which God will confer.

13 Do ye think that God is the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also. If so be that there is but one God, then shall he 2 And not only so, but we rejoice accept as righteous on account of in afflictions also, knowing that afflic their faith, both those who con- tion produceth endurance, and enform to ordinances and those who do not.

14 Do we thus, on account of faith, make void the ordinances of the law? By no means; on the contrary, we establish them.

durance proof, and proof hope; and hope will not disappoint us, because the love of God hath shed it abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which hath been given to us.

3 While we were yet without 15 What shall we say, then, about strength, and in our transgressions, Abraham, our ancestor according to in due season Christ died for us: the flesh? For if he was accounted now even for a righteous man hardly righteous because of his ceremonial will one die; perhaps, however, for observances, then had he cause for a benefactor one might even offer to boasting but not so according to die: but God represented his own the word of God, for what saith the love for us in this manner that, while scripture? Abraham believed God, we were yet transgressors, Christ and therefore was accounted right- died for us. Being now accepted as righteous through the faith which

eous.

16 And David also pronounceth his death inspired, much more, then, blessings upon the man whom God shall we, through him, be saved from accounteth righteous, apart from indignation.

his ceremonial observances, saying, 4 Since, if while at enmity we Blessed are they whose iniquities were, through the death of his son, are forgiven, and whose trans- brought into unity with God, much gressions are forgotten. Blessed more, having been brought into unity the man whose transgressions the with him, shall we be saved through Lord will not treasure up against his life: and not only saved, but also him. shall we have joy in God through