if it be God's will, that I might now at length have the happiness of coming to you.

who will render to every man according to his actions: eternal life to those,

you know the divine will, and what is contrary thereto, having been educated in the law:

since it is one God, who will justify both the Jews and the Gentiles, through faith.

happy is the man to whom the Lord will not account sin."

now hope will not deceive us, because the love of God is diffused thro' our hearts, by the holy spirit which is given to us;

wherefore she will be reputed an adulteress if she become another man's during her husband's life: but if her husband dies, she is clear from that law, from the imputation of being an adulteress, though she become another man's.

for I experience, that in the carnal part of me dwells no good: for it is familiar to me, to will, but not to execute that which is good.

for if you lead a sensual life, you will be miserable: but if through the spirit you mortify the affections of corrupted nature, you will be happy.

and he that penetrates into the heart approves what the spirit desires, because what he demands for the saints is agreeable to the divine will.

he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, will he not with him likewise freely give us all things?

for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son."

God forbid. for he saith to Moses, "I will show favour to whom I will show favour, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

But you will object, why does he then find fault? for "who can resist his will?"

as he saith himself in Osee, "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved.

for in ballancing the account, the Lord will leave a small remainder upon the land."

but still I ask, did not Israel know this? first, Moses saith, "I will provoke you to jealousy, by those that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."

You will say then, hath God discarded his people? by no means. for I my self am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation.

now if their fall be to the advancement of the world, and the few converts among them bring in whole numbers of the Gentiles: how much more so will it be, when the Jewish body recover?

if then, some of the branches are broken off, and thou like a wild olive, were grafted in their place to partake of the root and sap of the olivestock;

you will say then, "the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

consider then the divine benignity, and his severity: his severity to those who fell, and his benignity to you, provided you adhere thereto; otherwise you likewise will be lopt off.

for if you were taken from the wild olive, which was natural to you, to be grafted into a good olive-stock of a different nature, with how much greater reason shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree?

who hath given any thing to him, and he will repay it?

dear brethren, avenge not yourselves, but leave that to the resentment of another: for it is written, "vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head .

so that he who opposes the ruler, disobeys the orders of God: and will be punished too for resisting, by those very powers.

now if your brother be endanger'd by your eating, you violate the obligations of love: for such a matter as eating, will you risk his life, for whom Christ died?

and you Gentiles ought to glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, "for this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name ."

for I will not offer to mention any thing, but what Christ has wrought by me, to make the Gentiles christians, both in profession and practice:

when I have dispatch'd this affair, and have secur'd to them this collection, I will come to you in my way to Spain.

that by the will of God we may meet with joy, and rest together in peace.

the God of peace will soon bruise Satan under your feet. the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.