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I say the trueth in Christ, I lye not, my conscience bearing mee witnes in the holy Ghost,
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That I haue great heauinesse, and continuall sorow in mine heart.
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For I woulde wish my selfe to be separate from Christ, for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh,
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Which are the Israelites, to whome perteineth the adoption, and the glory, and the Couenants, and the giuing of the Lawe, and the seruice of God, and the promises.
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Of whome are the fathers, and of whome concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God ouer all, blessed for euer, Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)
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Notwithstanding it can not bee that the worde of God should take none effect: for all they are not Israel, which are of Israel:
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Neither are they all children, because they are the seede of Abraham: but, In Isaac shall thy seede be called:
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That is, they which are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God: but the children of the promise, are counted for the seede.
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For this is a worde of promise, In this same time wil I come, and Sara shall haue a sonne.
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Neither he onely felt this, but also Rebecca when shee had conceiued by one, euen by our father Isaac.
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For yer the children were borne, and when they had neither done good, nor euill (that the purpose of God might remaine according to election, not by workes, but by him that calleth)
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It was said vnto her, The elder shall serue the yonger.
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As it is written, I haue loued Iacob, and haue hated Esau.
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What shall wee say then? Is there vnrighteousnes with God? God forbid.
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For he saith to Moses, I wil haue mercy on him, to whom I wil shew mercie: and wil haue compassion on him, on who I wil haue copassion.
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So then it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy.
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For the Scripture saith vnto Pharao, For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp, that I might shewe my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout al the earth.
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Therefore he hath mercie on whome he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth.
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Thou wilt say then vnto me, Why doeth he yet complaine? for who hath resisted his will?
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But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
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Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour, and another vnto dishonour?
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What and if God would, to shewe his wrath, and to make his power knowen, suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath, prepared to destruction?
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And that hee might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy, which hee hath prepared vnto glory?
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Euen vs whome hee hath called, not of of the Iewes onely, but also of the Gentiles,
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As he sayth also in Osee, I will call them, My people, which were not my people: and her, Beloued, which was not beloued.
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And it shalbe in the place where it was said vnto them, Ye are not my people, that there they shalbe called, The children of the liuing God.
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Also Esaias cryeth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saued.
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For he wil make his account, and gather it into a short summe with righteousnes: for the Lord will make a short count in the earth.
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And as Esaias sayde before, Except the Lord of hostes had left vs a seede, we had bene made as Sodom, and had bene like to Gomorrha.
Israel’s Unbelief
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What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which folowed not righteousnes, haue attained vnto righteousnes, euen the righteousnes which is of faith.
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But Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnes, could not arteine vnto the Law of righteousnes.
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Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the workes of the Lawe: for they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone,
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As it is written, Beholde, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone, and a rocke to make men fall: and euery one that beleeueth in him, shall not be ashamed.