the earth.

And as Isaiah saith before, If the LORD of hosts had not left us seed, we should have been like Sodom, and like Gomorrah.

What then shall we say here? This we will say, The Gentiles, which stood not after righteousness, have obtained righteousness: but I say of the righteousness that cometh by faith.

But Israel hath been after the law of righteousness, and hath not passed over the law of righteousness.

Why is this? Because they seek it not by faith, but by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone,

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not fall to pieces.
(Romans)
Chapter 10
The knowledge of election is not found in the law, but in the gospel.

Brethren, it is the desire of my heart, and I also beseech God for Israel, that they may be saved.

For I bear them witness, that they strive for God, but with ignorance.

For they know not the righteousness that is before God, and seek to establish their own righteousness, and so are not subject to the righteousness that is before God.

For Christ is the end of the law: he that believeth on him is justified.

Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the law: “Whoever does this will live in it.

But righteousness by faith saith thus; Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?
(This is nothing else, but to bring Christ down.)

Or, Who shall go down into the deep? (This is nothing else than bringing Christ from the dead).

but what saith it? The word is near you, that is, in your mouth and in your heart.
(Epistle on St. Andrew’s Day.)
This is the word of faith that we preach.

For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For if a man believe with his heart, he is justified; and if he confess with his mouth, he is saved.

For the scripture saith, He that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

There is no difference here between Jews and Greeks: for there is one Lord, rich above all them that call upon him.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.

But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

But how shall they preach, if they be not sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach peace, that preach goodness!

But they are not all obedient to the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who shall believe our preaching?

So faith comes from preaching, and preaching by the word of God.

But I say, Have they not heard? For the sound thereof is gone out into all lands, and the words thereof into all the world.

But I say, Hath not Israel known it? The first Moses saith, I will make you jealous over him that is not my people, and over a foolish people will I make you angry.

But Isaiah may well say thus, I am invented of them that sought me not, and am appeared unto them that asked not for me.

And unto Israel saith he, All day long have I stretched out my hands unto the people, which will not be told, and will not answer.
(Romans)
Chapter 11
The election is immutable.

I say therefore, Has God cast off His people? Be it far from me! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the lineage of Benjamin.

God hath not cast off his people, whom he provided before. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah, how he stood before God against Israel, and said: 3. O LORD, they have slain thy prophets, and have digged up thine altars; and I am left alone, and they are after my life?

But what is the answer of God unto him? I have left me seven thousand men, which have not bowed the knee to Baal.

So it is also at this time with these that are left, according to the election of graces.

But if it be by grace, it is not by merit of works: otherwise grace is not grace. But if it be by merit of works, grace is nothing; otherwise merit would not be merit.

How then? That which Israel seeketh, it obtaineth not: but the choice it obtaineth. The rest are hardened,

As it is written, God hath given them a fierce spirit, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this day.

And David saith, Let their table be a snare, and a ravishment, and a vexation, and a recompence unto them.

Blind their eyes, that they see not; and bend their backs always.

I say therefore, Did they run for this cause, that they should fall? Far be it from them. But out of their fall salvation came unto the Gentiles, that they might emulate them.

For if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more, if their number be full?
13, With you Gentiles I speak: for because I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will magnify my ministry,

Whether I will stir up them that are my flesh to jealousy, and save some of them.

For if their loss is the reconciliation of the world, what is it but to take life from the dead?

If the beginning be holy, the dough also is holy: and if the root be holy, the branches also are holy.

But if some of the branches be broken, and thou, being a wild olive tree, be grafted in among them, and be partaker of the root and of the sap of the olive tree; 18. Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast against them, know that thou bearest not the root, but the root beareth thee.

Thus speakest thou: The branches are broken, that I might be grafted in.

It is well said. They are broken because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Be not proud, but fear’…

If God hath not spared the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare thine also.

Therefore behold the goodness and the earnestness of God: the earnestness in them that are fallen, and the goodness in thee, if thou abide in the goodness; otherwise thou shalt be cut off also.

And if they continue not in unbelief, they shall be grafted in: God is able to graft them in again.

For if thou be cut out of the olive tree, which was wild by nature, and be grafted contrary to nature into the good olive tree, how much more shall the natural be grafted into their own olive tree?

I will not keep this secret from you, brethren, lest ye be proud. Blindness happened to Israel on the one hand, until the fullness of the Gentiles came in,

And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Zion a deliverer, and a remover of the wicked from Jacob.

And this is my testament with them, when I shall take away their sins.

According to the gospel I count them enemies for your sakes: but according to election I love them for the fathers’ sakes.

May God’s gifts and calling not make him regretful.

For even as ye believed not in God, yet now have ye mercy on their unbelief, 31. So that even they will not now believe in the mercy which is done unto you, that they also may obtain mercy.

For God hath decreed all things among unbelievers, that He might have mercy upon all.
(Epistle on the Feast of Trinity.)

O What a depth of riches, both of wisdom and knowledge of God! How utterly incomprehensible are His judgments and inscrutable His ways!

For who hath known the mind of the LORD? Or who hath been his counsellor?

Or who hath given him aught before, that he should be recompensed?

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be glory forever and ever!
Amen]
(Romans)
Chapter 12
Christian Rules of Life.
(Epistle on the first Sunday after Epiphany.)

I exhort you, brethren, by the mercy of God, to offer your bodies for sacrifice, living, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable worship.

And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove which is the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For I say by the grace that is given unto me unto every one of you, that no man think more of himself than he ought to think; but that he think moderately of himself, every man after God hath dealt out the measure of faith.

For even as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not one business, 5. So then we many are one body in Christ: but one is another’s member.

And have many gifts according to the grace that is given unto us.
(Epistle on the second Sunday after Epiphany.)

If any man have prophecy, let it be like unto faith. If any man have an office, let him wait for the office. If any man teach, let him wait for the teaching.

If any man exhort, let him wait for exhortation. If any man give, let him give plainly. If anyone governs, let him be diligent. If any man show mercy, let him do it with pleasure.
(Epistle on the day of the Visitation.)

Let not love be false. Hate what is bad, cling