Part 200

11:22. See then the goodness and the severity of God: towards them indeed that are fallen, the severity; but towards thee, the goodness of God, if thou abide in goodness. Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. . .The Gentiles are here admonished not to be proud, nor to glory against the Jews: but to take occasion rather from their fall to fear and to be humble, lest they be cast off. Not that the whole church of Christ can ever fall from him; having been secured by so many divine promises in holy writ; but that each one in particular may fall; and therefore all in general are to be admonished to beware of that, which may happen to any one in particular.

11:23. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

11:24. For if thou were cut out of the wild olive tree, which is natural to thee; and, contrary to nature, wert grafted into the good olive tree: how much more shall they that are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

11:25. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery (lest you should be wise in your own conceits) that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in.

11:26. And so all Israel should be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion, he that shall deliver and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

11:27. And this is to them my covenant: when I shall take away their sins.

11:28. As concerning the gospel, indeed, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are most dear for the sake of the fathers.

11:29. For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.

For the gifts and the calling of God are without. . .his repenting himself of them; for the promises of God are unchangeable, nor can he repent of conferring his gifts.

11:30. For as you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy, through their unbelief:

11:31. So these also now have not believed, for your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy.

11:32. For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all.

Concluded all in unbelief. . .He hath found all nations, both Jews and Gentiles, in unbelief and sin; not by his causing, but by the abuse of their own free will; so that their calling and election is purely owing to his mercy.

11:33. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!

11:34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?

11:35. Or who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him?

11:36. For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.

Romans Chapter 12

Lessons of Christian virtues.

12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.

12:2. And be not conformed to this world: but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable and the perfect will of God.

12:3. For I say, by the grace that is given me, to all that are among you, not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety and according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith.

12:4. For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office:

12:5. So we, being many, are one body in Christ; and every one members one of another:

12:6. And having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us, either prophecy, to be used according to the rule of faith;

12:7. Or ministry, in ministering; or he that teacheth, in doctrine;

12:8. He that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth, with simplicity; he that ruleth, with carefulness; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.