CHAPTER But when the lewes spake against it, I was constrained to appeale unto Cesar, not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speake with you because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chaine. And they saide unto him, Wee neither received letters out of Iudea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came, shewed or spake any harme of thee. But we desire to heare of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdome of God, perswading them concerning Iesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some beleeved After his the things which were spoken, and some beleeved not. when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the holy Ghost by Esaias and some bethe Prophet, unto our fathers, saying, Goe unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall heare, and shall not understand, And seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed grosse, And their eares are dull of hearing, And their eyes have they closed, Lest they should see with their eyes, And heare with their eares, And understand with their heart, And should bee converted, And I should heale them. And preaching Be it knowen therfore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they wil heare it. And when hee had saide these words, the lewes departed, and had great reasoning some were leeved not. yeeres. among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole yeeres in his owne Yet he preachhired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching eth there two the kingdome of God, and teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. The end of the Acts of the Apostles. 6: GG 233 Paul commendeth his calling to the Romanes, THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAPTER I AUL a servant of Iesus Christ, called to bee an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God, (which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures,) concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Sonne of God, with power, according to the Spirit of holinesse, by the resurrection from the dead. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his Name, among whom are ye also the called of Iesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Iesus Christ. First I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the and his desire to whole world. For God is my witnesse, whom I serve with my come to them. spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne, that without ceasing I make mention of you, alwayes in my prayers, making request, (if by any meanes now at length I might have a prosperous iourney by the will of God) to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spirituall gift, to the end you may be established, that is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (but was let hitherto) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debter both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in mee is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ : for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that be What his Gospel is, and CHAPTER of sin. leeveth, to the Iew first, and also to the Greeke. For therein is the righteousnesse of God reveiled from faith to faith: as it is written, The iust shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is God is angry reveiled from heaven against all ungodlinesse, and unrighteous- with all maner nesse of men, who hold the trueth in unrighteousnesse. Because that which may bee knowen of God, is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearely seene, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall Power and Godhead, Gentiles. so that they are without excuse: because that when they knew What were the God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but sinnes of the became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise, they became fooles: and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birdes, and foure footed beasts, and creeping things: wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse, through the lusts of their owne hearts, to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselves: who changed the trueth of God into a lye, and worshipped and served the creature more then the Creatour, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the naturall use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men, leaving the naturall use of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another, men with men working that which is unseemely, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their errour which was meet. And even as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not convenient: being filled with all unrighteousnes, fornication, wickednesse, covetousnes, maliciousnes, full of envie, murther, debate, deceit, malignitie, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despitefull, proude, boasters, inventers of evill things, disobedient to parents; without understanding, covenant breakers, without naturall affection, implacable, unmercifull; who knowing the iudgement of God, (that they which commit such things, are worthy of death) not onely do the same, but have pleasure in them that doe them. CHAPTER II TH They that sinne, THEREFORE, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou though they art that iudgest: for wherein thou iudgest another, thou condemne it in condemnest thy selfe, for thou that iudgest doest the same things. But wee are sure that the iudgement of God is according selves, others, cannot excuse them CHAPTER escape the iudgement of God, whether they be lewes or Gentiles. The Gentiles to trueth, against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, Ŏ man, that iudgest them which doe such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse, and forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardnesse, and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath, against the day of wrath, and and much lesse revelation of the righteous iudgement of God: who will render to every man according to his deedes: to them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seeke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall life: but unto them that are contentious, and doe not obey the trueth, but obey unrighteousnes, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every soule of man that doeth evill, of the Iew first, and also of the Gentile. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the lew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law: and as many as have sinned in the Law, shalbe iudged by the Law. (For not the hearers of the Law are iust before God, but the doers of the Law shalbe iustified; for when cannot escape, the Gentiles which have not the Law, doe by nature the things contained in the Law: these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves, which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witnesse, and their thoughts the meane while accusing, or else excusing one another: in the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ, according to my Gospel. Behold, thou art called a Iew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God: and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law, and art confident that thou thy selfe art a guide of the blinde, a light of them which are in darkenesse: an instructour of the foolish, a teacher of babes: which hast the forme of knowledge and of the trueth in the Law: thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? thou that preachest a man should not steale, doest thou steale? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie, doest thou commit adulterie? thou that abhorrest idols, doest thou commit sacriledge? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God? For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written: For Circumcision verily shall not profit, profiteth if thou keepe the Law: but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepe the righteousnesse of the Law, shall not his nor yet the Iewes, whom their Circumcision if they keepe not the Law. uncircumcision be counted for Circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the Law, iudge thee, who by the letter, and Circumcision, doest transgresse the Law? For hee is not a Iew, which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a lew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is, that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. WH God. CHAPTER III CHAPTER II "HAT advantage then hath the Iew? or what profit is The Iewes there of Circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, be- prerogative: cause that unto them were committed the Oracles of For what if some did not beleeve? shall their unbeliefe which they make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God have not lost: be true, but every man a lier, as it is written, That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings, But if our unrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God, There is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, There is none that doeth good, no not one. eth them also of sinne : Their throat is an open sepulchre, With their tongues they have used deceit, The poyson of Aspes is under their lippes: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse : Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their wayes: Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to |