The Institution of Christian Religion

Wherefore, now there is no respect of Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, but Christ is all in all, to whom the nations are given for his inheritance, & the ends of the earth for his peculiar possession, that universally without difference he might have dominion from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the uttermost ends of the world.

Wherefore, nowe there is no respect of Greke or Iewe, circumcision or vncircumcision, but Christe is all in all, to whom the nations are geuen for his inheritaunce, & the endes of the earth for his peculiar possession, yt vniuersally without difference he might haue dominion from sea to sea, and from the riuers to the vttermost endes of the worlde.

Therefore the calling of the Gentiles is a notable token, whereby §12is clearly showed the excellency of the new testament above the old. It had in deed been before testified by many, and most plain oracles of the Prophets, but so as the performance thereof was still differed unto the kingdom of Messiah. And Christ him self did not proceed unto it at the first beginning of his preaching, but differed it so long until that all the parts of our redemption being performed,¹ and the time of his abasement ended, he received of his father a name that is above all names, before whom all knees should bow. For which cause when this convenience of time was not yet fulfilled, he said to the woman of Canaan, that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And he suffered not his Apostles at the first sending, to pass these bonds. Go not ye, (saith he) into the way of the Gentiles, nor enter into the Cities of the Samaritans, but rather go ye to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But howsoever it was before uttered by so many testimonies, yet when the Apostles were first to begin it, it seemed so new and strange a thing unto them, that they were afraid of it, as of some monster. Truly very fearfully and not without sty• king at it, they first did set upon it. And no marvel, for it seemed against reason, that the Lord which by so many ages had chosen out Israel from all other nations, should now undo that choice, as it were, suddenly changing his purpose. It was in deed spoken of afore by prophecies: but they could not give so great heed to the prophecies, as to be nothing moved with the newness of the thing that they saw. And these examples which the Lord had showed of the calling of the Gentiles that should one day come to pass, were not sufficient to move them. For beside this that he had called very few, he did after a certain man ner engraft them into the household of Abraham, to add them unto his people as parcel of them: but by this general calling the Gentiles, were not only made equal with the Jews, but also it appeared that they came into the place of the Jews, that were become dead. And yet all those strangers whom God hath before that tine brought into the body of the Church, were never made equal with the Jews.