Paul’s Concern for the Jews 1I saye the trueth in Christ and lye not in that wherof my conscience beareth me witnes in the holy gost 2that I have gret hevynes and continuall sorowe in my hert. 3For I have wysshed my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren and my kynsmen as pertayninge to the flesshe 4which are the Israelites. To whom pertayneth the adopcion and the glorie and the covenauntes and the law that was geven and the service of God and the promyses: 5whose also are the fathers and they of whome (as concernynge the flesshe) Christ came which is God over all thinges blessed for ever Amen. God’s Sovereign Choice 6I speake not these thinges as though the wordes of god had take none effecte. For they are not all Israelites which came of Israel: 7nether are they all chyldren strayght waye because they are the seed of Abraham. But in Isaac shall thy seede be called: 8that is to saye they which are the chyldren of the flesshe are not the chyldren of god. But the chyldren of promes are counted the seede. 9For this is a worde of promes aboute this tyme will I come and Sara shall have a sonne. 10Nether was it so wt her only: but also when Rebecca was with chylde by one I meane by oure father Isaac 11yeer the chyldren were borne when they had nether done good nether bad: that the purpose of God which is by election myght stonde 12it was sayde vnto her not by the reason of workes but by grace of ye caller: the elder shall serve the yonger. 13As it is written: Iacob he loved but Esau he hated. 14What shall we saye then? is there eny vnrightewesses with God? God forbyd. 15For he sayth to Moses: I will shewe mercye to who I shewe mercy: and will have compassion on whom I have copassion. 16So lieth it not then in a mans will or cunnynge but in ye mercye of god. 17For the scripture sayth vnto Pharao: Even for this same purpose have I stered ye vp to shewe my power on ye and that my name myght be declared thorow out all the worlde. 18So hath he mercye on whom he will and whom he will he maketh hearde herted. 19Thou wilt saye then vnto me: why then blameth he vs yet? For who can resist his will? 20But o man what arte thou which disputest with God? Shall the worke saye to the workeman: why hast thou made me on this fassion? 21Hath not the potter power over the claye even of the same lompe to make one vessell vnto honoure and a nother vnto dishonoure? 22Even so God willynge to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered with longe pacience the vessels of wrath ordeyned to damnacion 23that he myght declare ye ryches of his glory on the vessels of mercye which he had prepayred vnto glorie: 24that is to saye vs which he called not of the Iewes only but also of ye gentyls. 25As he sayth in Osee: I will call them my people which were not my people: and her beloved which was not beloved. 26And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayd vnto them ye are not my people: that there shalbe called the chyldren of the lyvynge God. 27But Esaias cryeth concernynge Israel though the nomber of the chyldren of Israel be as the sonde of the see yet shall a remnaut be saved. 28He finyssheth the worde verely and maketh it short in ryghtwesses. For a short worde will god make on erth. 29And as Esaias sayd before: Except the Lorde of sabaoth had left us seede we had bene made as Zodoma and had bene lykened to Gomorra. Israel’s Unbelief 30What shall we saye then? We saye that the gentyls which followed not rightewesnes have overtaken rightewesnes: I meane the rightewesnes which cometh of fayth. 31But Israel which folowed the lawe of rightewesnes coulde not attayne vnto ye lawe of rightewesnes. 32And wherfore? Because they sought it not by fath: but as it were by the workes of the lawe. For they have stombled at the stomblynge stone. 33As it is written: Beholde I put in Syon a stomblynge stone and a rocke which shall make men faule. And none yt beleve on him shalbe a shamed. |
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