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27 liness from Jacob." And "this is my covenant with them, 28 when I shall take away their sins." As concerning the

gospel, they are enemies because of you: but as concerning 29 God's election, they are beloved because of the fathers. For the free gifts and the calling of God are without repent30 ance. For as ye [also] formerly believed not in God, yet 31 have now obtained mercy on occasion of their unbelief; so these also have now believed not, on occasion of the mercy 32 shown to you, that they also may obtain mercy. For God hath included all together in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

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O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and 34 his ways not to be traced! For who hath known the mind 35 of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him; and it shall be given to him again? 36 For of him, and by him, and to him, are all things. To him1 be glory for ever. Amen.

CH. XII. I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies

of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 2 well-pleasing to God, even your rational service3. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be transformed⭑ by the renewing of [your] mind, so that ye may search out what is the good, and well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, by the favour bestowed on me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God 4 hath dealt to every man his measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have 5 not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in 6 Christ, and every one members one of another. Now hav ing free gifts, differing according to the favour bestowed on

1 Gr. "to whom."

service, N. See Locke.

Or, "your persons;" or, "yourselves." 3 spiritual Also, that ye be not fashioned according to this world: but that ye be transformed, &c. Mss. 5 Gr. "so as to think soberly.”

us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the pro7 portion of our faith; or ministry, let us attend on our mi8 nistry; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that presideth, with diligence; he that showeth pity, with cheerfulness.

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Let love be without dissimulation: abhor that which is 10 evil; cleave to that which is good: in brotherly kindness be tenderly affectioned one to another: in showing honour 11 go before one another: be not slothful in business: be of an active mind: serving yourselves of the opportunity1: 12 rejoice in hope: be patient in affliction: persevere in prayer : 13 contribute to the necessities of the saints: be given to hos14 pitality. Bless those who persecute you: bless, and curse 15 them not. Rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep with 16 those that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another.

Mind not high things, but accommodate yourselves to what 17 are humble. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recom

pense to no man evil for evil. Provide what is good in the 18 sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, 19 live peaceably with all men. Beloved, avenge not your

selves, but rather give place to the anger of God: for it is written, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," saith the 20 Lord. If [therefore] thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou wilt heap coals 21 of fire on his head +. Be not overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good.

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CH. XIII. Let every man be subject to the powers in authority3: for there is no power but from God; and those

So Wakefield and Griesbach. q. d. 66 use opportunity wisely: watch the fittest seasons for doing good." Wall. N. n. "serve the Lord," R. T. and N. 2 be led away with the humble. N. 3 supreme powers, N. See W. 4" under God, "Mss. 5 the powers," R. T. and N.

* "So in Pol. Synops. sign. 2. Frid. Schmidii Annot, in Epist. ad Rom. 8vo, Lipsiæ, 1777. and Dr. Henry Owen. This sense is confirmed by what follows." Newcome. "Give way to the anger of another," Wakefield.

"If he is not softened God will judge him." Jortin. Or, "that you may melt him down to kindness." Vorstius, Whitby, and others. Newcome.

2 which exist are appointed of God. He therefore who re

sisteth the power, resisteth the appointment of God: and 3 those who resist will receive to themselves judgement. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wouldest thou therefore not be afraid of the power? do that which 4 is good, and thou wilt have praise from it. For he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger to execute punishment' 5 upon him who doeth evil. Wherefore it is necessary that be subject, not only because of punishment but also be6 cause of conscience. For on this account ye pay tribute also for they are God's ministers, attending continually to 7 this matter. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honour, to whom honour.

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Owe no man any thing, but love to one another: for he 9 that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For the commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murther, Thou shalt not steal, 3 Thou shalt not covet;" and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in these words, namely, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as 10 thyself." Love worketh no ill to our neighbour: love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

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And we should do this, knowing the time, that now is the hour to awake out of sleep: for now our salvation is nearer 12 than when we believed: the night is far spent, the day ap

proacheth: let us therefore lay aside the works of darkness, 13 and let us put on the attire of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revellings and drunkenness, not in debauchery and wantonness, not in strife and envying, 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ; and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil its desires.

CH. XIV. Now receive to yourselves him that is weak in the

'Gr. " anger;" and ver. 5. "Therefore be ye subject," Mss. 3 The words "Thou shalt not bear false witness," are inserted in R. T, and N.

2 faith, but not for doubtful disputings. One believeth that he may eat all things: but another, who is weak, eateth 3 herbs only. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eat

eth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that 4 eateth; for God hath received him to himself. Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own master he standeth or falleth. But he shall be established: for God 5 is able to establish him. One man esteemeth one day above

another: but another man esteemeth every day alike. Let 6 every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He who regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord; and he who regardeth not the day, to the Lord he regardeth it not. Also', he that eateth, eateth to the Lord; for he giveth God thanks: and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth 7 not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to him8 self, and none dieth to himself. For whether we live, we

live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord: 9 whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ [both] died, and lived again, that he might have dominion both over the dead and the living*. 10 But why dost thou julge thy brother? or why dost thou

despise thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judge11 ment-seat of Christ 3. For it is written, "As I live, saith

the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue 12 shall praise God." So then every one of us must give ac13 count of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one

another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's 14 way. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself: but if any man esteem any 15 thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy bro

"Also" is wanting in R. T. and N. &c. R.T. 3" of God." Mss.

3 and rose again, and revived, that,

* authority to raise the dead to life, and to command the obedience of the living. Dr. Taylor.

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ther be disquieted because of thy food, thou no longer walkest according to love. Destroy not him by thy food, for 16 whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil-spoken 17 of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but 18 righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy spirit. For he

that in these things' serveth Christ, is well-pleasing to God, 19 and approved by men. So then let us follow after the things which make for peace, and for the edifying of one another. 20 For a kind of food, destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil in that man who eateth so as 21 to cause offence. It is right neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do any thing by which thy brother stumbleth, 22 or is offended, or is made weak. Thou hast faith. Have

it with respect to thyself, in the sight of God. Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth him23 self to do. But he who doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not from faith: for whatsoever is not from faith is sin.

25 XVI.

Now unto him that is able to establish you, (according to the gospel which I teach, and to my preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revealed mystery3, which was 26 kept secret under the ancient dispensations 4, but hath now been made manifest, and, by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, hath been made known to all the gentiles for their obedience to 27 the faith;) to the only wise God, be glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever. Amen.

CH. XV. Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities 2 of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of

1 "in this," Mss. 2" or is offended, or is made weak." These words are wanting in the Alexandrine and Ephrem Mss., and have the appearance of a gloss. N. n. 3 Gr. revelation of the mystery. 4 Gr. the secular times: or, the times of the ages.

* In the common copies this doxology is inserted at the conclusion of ch. xvi. but the Alexandrine and most of the other manuscripts introduce it here. See Griesbach.

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