The texte.

Page  [unnumbered]Are they so fallen from god, that all hope of rysyng agayne is pas∣sed?* No not so. But rather this fall of theyrs chaunced but for a tyme, and for you, whiche are Gentiles it luckelye so chaunced, because theyr fall was the occasion, why you were called to lyfe euerlastyng, that through your example agayne the Iewes at the ende of the world myght be moued to godlye religion: that as theyr fallyng from Christe opened y^• waye for the Gentiles to come to Christe: so shoulde your fayth yf it were for nothyng, but for enuye, prycke yet the Iewes forwarde to beleue as ye do. Nowe yf theyr fall occasionally so greatlye profyted, that the Iewes forsakyng and fallyng from Christe caused not onlye no hurte, but rather that the doctrine of the gospell was preached among many more, whiles that in steede of a fewe fallyng awaye, the gospel was spred abrode amōg al, so y^• the losse of one nacion got vnto Christ so many naciōs, how muche more shal the worlde be enryched, when that nacion also beyng throughe your godlynes prouoked, shalbe ioyned to the other? You speake I vnto,* that are Gentiles, as myne owne disciples, for somuche as I am sente to preache vnto you, though I my self be a Iew borne. And albeit I for your sakes leaue nothyng vndone, yet will I more endeuoure to auaunce the office cōmited vnto me, and to allure as many of you as I can to Christe, and not only so, but also make you worthye of Christes seruice, yf by suche meanes I maye prouoke my contrey men, (whom as touchyng carnall a∣liaunce I maye so cal, albeit in faythe vnlyke,) to folowe your godlynes, though it be but euen for enuie and malice, as the propertie of them is to be gyuen to a ialowsye: that yf I can not bryng all home to goodnes, some yet maye be saued. And as I am desyrouse of their amendment: so knowe I, that ye also desyre the same. For yf by thoccasion of the Iew∣es castyng of, al the worlde els was brought into goddes fauer, because that whyles they fell from the fauer of god, the Gentiles were by goddes goodnes receyued therinto, that is to say, yf theyr great hurt and losse be∣came good to the worlde, howe muche more good were it, yf they beyng now estraunged from god, were through fayth receyued vnto hym, lyke men restored from death to lyfe agayne: that finally, when the number of the faythfull is throughly fulfilled, there remayne nothyng, but the resur∣reccion of bodies? For though of the Iewes some are vngodlye, we maye not therfore despayre of al. Yf the Gentiles far from god myght throughe goddes callyng be broughte to perfite religion, what let shoulde ther be, but y^• •aciō, which had holie fathers, & beginners, maye likewise be called & brought to the faythe agayne? Muche more with reason agreable is it, y^• of the good, good should be borne, forsomuche as al mē for the moste parte* resemble that begynnyng, from whence they are descended. Yf the leauen be holye, nedes muste the whole bache, whiche is therwith seasoned, be ho∣ly and cleane. And yf the roote of the tree be holy, likely it is, that the braū∣ches of the same, be lykewyse holye. The Iewes haue bothe of kynred & nacion Abraham theyr begynner, whose fayth god allowed: and what let is there, but that they maye resemble theyr fyrste parentes fayth? Yf they this do not, then are they not his neuewes, nomore thā the braunche pluc∣ked from his stocke is any lenger nourished with the sappe of the roote.