occurrences and dispensations, all stations and conditions whatsoever; be it prosperity or adversity, health or sickness, liberty or captivity, life or death, God's glory and his children's good shall be certainly furthered and advanced by it. Observe, 2. In what sense all things may be said to work for good to good men; namely, as they shall promote and further the temporal, spiritual, and eternal welfare, of the children of God. If it be good for them to be rich, to be in honour, to be at liberty, they shall be so; if it be better for their souls, and more conducive to their eternal welfare, to be low in the world, to be frequently under the rod, to be harassed with afflictions, and assaulted with temptations, they shall have them. Nothing that is needful shall be kept from them, only God must be judge what is needful, and when 'tis needful. He that thinks he can cut better for himself than God can carve for him, makes himself wiser than God, and has not only lost his faith, but his wits too. Observe, 3. That all things are said to work together for good; not singly, separately, and apart, but as coadjutors and adjuvant causes, and mutual helps. Afflictions and temptations seem to work against us; but being put into the rank and order of causes, they work together with other blessed instruments, as the word and prayer, to an happy issue. More particularly they work together with God, they work together with us, and they work together one with another, for our good, sooner or later, Observe, 4. How can all things be said to work for good: particularly evil things? sufferings from God, and sufferings from man for God's sake? What! must we call evil good? pain pleasure? torment ease? and loss gain? Must we disbelieve our senses, that we may believe the scriptures? Answer, Though affliction, which is evil in its own nature, cannot bring forth good; yet surely God can bring forth good out of evil, light out of darkness, and make his people's troubles the way to their triumph, and every cross providence a step to the accomplishment of his promise. God suffers evil things to befall us, to keep out worse things, and causes evil things to prepare us for better things; the cross makes way for the crown. For affliction there is glory; for light affliction, a weight of glory; and for light affliction, which is but for a moment, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Observe, 5. The character of the persons to whom this privilege doth belong: they are described by their christian affection, they love God, and by their effectual vocation, they are called according to his purpose. They love God, and evidence their love to him by an high estimation of him, by their delight in him, by their desires after him, by their longings for the full fruition and final enjoyment of him. And as they love God, so are they called of God; externally by the dispensation of the gospel, internally by the operation of his Holy Spirit: they are called out of darkness into light, out of bondage into liberty, and all this efficaciously and powerfully, yet sweetly, and freely, in a way congruous to the will's liberty. Observe, 6. The certainty and evidence of this proposition and assertion, That all things work together for good: it is not built upon conjecture, or bare probability, but upon certain knowledge, We know; partly by divine revelation, God has told us so; partly by experience, we find it so. And when the apostle speaks it out, We know, it is a word of confidence and assurance, it is a word of coinfort and encouragement: all the saints of God to the end of the world, as well as the apostle himself, may depend upon it, live in the faith and assurance of it, and draw all that consolation from it, which may render their lives in some sort an heaven upon earth. And now if this be an indubitable and undeniable truth, That whatever sufferings and afflictions a saint meets with shall work together for good; then we may infer, that a suffering condition is not so bad a condition as the world supposes it. The lion of affliction is not so fierce as he is painted. Times of difficulty and trial bring serious thoughts of God into our minds, who are too prone to forget both him and ourselves in affluence and quiet. Blessed be God, the time of affliction is no unprofitable time, nor uncomfortable time neither. Tis a thinking time, an awakening time, a teaching time, a repenting time, a weaning time; therefore blessed is the man whom God correcteth and teacheth. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. 30 Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. St. Paul in these verses lays before us a chain of the causes of salvation inseparably linked together, the first of which was before all time, namely, God's foreknowledge of us from all eternity, and his predestinating or appointing of us to eternal life: Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. But what were we predestinatcd unto ? He tells us in the next words, To be conformed to the image of his Son; that is, to be made like unto our Lord Jesus in affection and disposition, in life and conversation, in the temper of our minds, and in the actions of our lives; like unto him in his sufferings, in the cause of his sufferings, righteousness-sake, and welldoing; in the kind of his sufferings, reproach, hatred, outward violence, and death itself; and in the manner of his sufferings, with meekness and patience: and like unto him in his glory, suffering with him, we shall be glorified together. The second privilege we are partakers of is in time, namely, effectual vocation: Whom he did predestinate, them he also called. They are called out of a state of ignorance and darkness, of sin and wickedness, of slavery and bondage, unto knowledge, grace, and holiness; and the Holy Spirit of God inclines and enables them to obey this call. The third privilege is justification: Whom he called, them he also justified; that is, absolved from guilt, and freed from condemnation, discharging them from their obnoxiousness to wrath, and the severity of divine displeasure. The last privilege we are partakers of in after-time, namely, glorification: Whom he justified, them he also glorified. They are already glorified in Christ their head, they have already the earnest and first-fruits of glory, namely, the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, and they shall ere long partake of the same glory which Christ himself is in the possession of; John xvii. Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me, where I am, to behold my glory. But it may be said, that one link is wanting in this golden chain of salvation, namely, sanctification. No mention is here made of that. Ans. Some conceive that sanctification is couched in effectual vocation: others, that it is included in glorification for sanctification is Gloria inchoata, glorification is Gratia consummata. Grace is the lowest degree of glory, and glory is the highest degree of grace. Others answer, That the apostle makes no mention here of sanctification, for this reason, because he was setting down here the causes of salvation. Now sanctification being the way to salvation, but not the cause of it, the apostle mentions not that here; though elsewhere he sufficiently shows, that none are now justified, or can be hereafter glorified, that are not here sanctified and renewed. From the whole learn, 1. That there were certain persons before all time chosen of God to possess and inherit eternal life. 2. That God's design in choosing them was to render them conformable to Christ in his holiness, in his sufferings, and in his glory. 3. That those whom God chooseth before time, he calleth, justifieth, and sanctifieth, in time, and will finally glorify when time shall be no more. these things? If God be for us, who 31 What shall we then say to can be against us : What shall we say to these things? that is, to the fore-named truth and doctrines, to the fore-mentioned privileges and benefits, what comfort doth arise from them? How shall we live up answerable to them? Neither the tongue of men or angels is sufficient to declare the comprehensive fulness of the foregoing favour of vocation and justification here, and glorification in heaven. Such love and goodness are beyond expression; it is as much as if the apostle had thus said, What boundless love did our God move! no tongue can it express :-No angel can this mystery scan, nor tell our happiness.' What shall we say to these things? It follows, If God be for us, who can be against us? That is, seeing God is for us, who can safely and successfully be against us? Learn hence, 1. That at all times, especially in the time of affliction and distress, danger and difficulty, God ever has been, and will be, on his people's side. 2. That those whom God is for, and on whose side he is of, need not fear either how many or how mighty they be that are against them. God is for his people; that is, he approves and owns them, he assists and helps them, he will succeed and bless them, reward and crown them. then can be against them rationally, against them successfully, against them safely? How dangerous is it to be against those whom God is for! If God is for us, who can be against us? And if God be against us, who can be for us? Who 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? up v. 9. If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Observe here, 1. The apostle's confident and daring challenge; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Where note, The universality of the challenge; it is universal in a double respect, 1. In respect of persons accusing, Who shall? He excepts none in heaven, none in earth; nay, none in hell; neither sin, nor the law, nor Satan, nor conscience, having any thing to lay to our charge, in order to our condemnation. 2. In respect of crimes, he excepts no sort of sins, though never so heinously aggravated, and sadly circumstantiated: justifying grace is their full discharge. Learn hence, That it is impossible for any charge or accusation to take place against those whom God doth justify, because there is nothing to accuse them of, none to accuse them to, and nobody to frame or make the accusation against them. Well might the apostle say, Who can, who shall, who may, who dare, lay any thing to the justified person's charge? Observe, 2. The ground and reason of this confident challenge: it is God that justifieth; who shall condemn? Here note, 1. That there is a very gracious privilege vouchsafed to believers, which the scriptures call justification. 2. That it is God that justifieth the believer's person, and pardons his sins, and none but God; he is the person against whom the offence is committed, and he alone it is that absolves us from guilt contracted. When the justice of God accuses, when the law of God accuses, when our own conscience accuses, when Satan and wicked men accuse; the mercy and goodness, the truth and faithfulness of God, will for the sake of his Son's satisfaction, acquit and discharge us: for it is God that justifieth. Here we have, 1. A proposition laid down, containing matter of the highest consolation to us; namely, that God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. He spared not; that is, he did not spare to give him, or part with him; with Abraham, he did not withhold his Son, his only Son, from us. Again, He did not spare him: that is, he did not spare to punish him; he did not abate him one farthing, nor spare him one stroke, which divine justice did or could demand. It is farther added, that God delivered him up for us all. Judas delivered up Christ, Pilate delivered him up, and the Jews also; Judas for money, Pilate for fear, the Jews for envy; but none of these delivered him up for us. But God the Father delivered his Son, and God the Son delivered up himself, as a prisoner by the sentence of the law is delivered up to execution; and his being delivered up for us, denotes the vicegerency of his sufferings, not only for our good as the final cause, but for our sins as the meritorious cause, in our room, place, and stead. Learn hence, That the utmost rigour and severity of divine justice was inflicted and executed upon our Lord Jesus Christ in the day of his passion, and that by the pleasure and appointment of God the Father: He spared not, but delivered up his own Son. Observe, 2. The comfortable inference and conclusion which the apostle draws from the foregoing proposition: How shall he not with him freely give us all things? Intimating, that the greatest mercies and best of blessings shall not be denied to us, or withheld from us. If Christ be ours, 1 Cor. ii. 21. All things are yours, (that is, all spiritual, temporal, and eternal mercies,) and ye are Christ's. For, 1. No other mercy can be so dear to God as his own Son: he was his soul's delight. If therefore he spared not the most excellent mercy, he will not withhold any inferior mercy. 2. There is no other mercy we want, but we are entitled to it by the gift of Christ, and it is conveyed to us with Christ; all things (as to right) are ours, if we be his. 3. If God gave us his Son, when we were his enemies, certainly he will deny us nothing that is good for us, now we are reconciled and made friends. It is our apostle's argument, Rom. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. The apostle here goes on with the triumphant challenge in the foregoing verse begun, Who shall condemn the justified believer? And here observe, 1. The holy challenge of faith; it is ready for all comers, and bids defiance to all accusations. If the law implead, faith says, Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, has condemned sin in the flesh. If death looks the believer in the face, faith saith, Christ hath abolished death, brought life and immortality to light. If Satan roar, faith can scorn, and tell him to his teeth, he is a conquered enemy; that Christ by his death has destroyed him that had the power of death. Yea, if God himself frown upon the believer, faith can bring to God a righteousness that is highly pleasing to him, with respect to which God may be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. Observe, 2. The ground of this triumphant challenge which faith enables the believer to make; and that is, the mediation of Jesus Christ, in the four eminent branches of it, his death, resurrection, exaltation, and intercession. Christ died, is risen again, is even at God's right hand, making continual intercession for us. Thence learn, That a believer's triumphs over condemnation do eminently arise from the several acts of Christ's mediation. Christ died and rose again; our debt is therefore paid, because our surety is discharged; he sits at God's right hand as a testimony of the completeness of his sacrifice and satisfaction for us, and he continually intercedes, that is, presents himself to his Father in both natures, and in our names, as our Surety, our Advocate, and Mediator: Who then shall lay any thing to the believer's charge, or who shall condemn him? 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? That is, none shall separate, nothing shall separate, the believer from the love of Christ; either from the love that Christ bears to him, or from that love which he bears unto Christ; no person shall, no condition of life can, separate them, neither outward troubles, nor inward distresses, no evils either felt or feared; the apostle defies and despises them all, because neither of them alone, nor all together, can unclasp the arms of divine love, in which believers are safely enfolded. Learn hence, That no troubles, tribulations, or distresses whatsoever, can dissolve the union betwixt Christ and believers, or ever separate them from his love. 36 (As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter,) As if the apostle had said, "The saints of old have endured all manner of sufferings, and yet were not separated from the love of God; therefore the like or worse sufferings, shall not be able to separate us now." Here note, What may be the lot and portion of believers in this life, and that is, killing for the sake of Christ: For thy sake we are killed all the day long. These words, all the day long, denote the continuance of the persecution, the unweariedness of the enemy, and the patience of the saints. Learn hence, that such as resolve upon the profession of christianity must prepare for killing, if God requires, and be ready to lay down their lives for their religion, when God calls: For thy sake we are killed, that is, ready to be sacrificed; a readiness of disposition, and a preparation of mind, is found with us, to part with all that is dear unto us, even life itself, for the sake of Christ. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. As if the apostle had said, "We are so far from being separated from Christ by the afflictions and persecutions which we undergo, that we are conquerors by our patience, nay, more than conquerors; we do not only bear our trials, but we glory in tribulations: we conquer by our patience, we are more than conquerors by our cheerfulness." But because these words, more than conquerors, look big and sound great, the apostle instantly subjoins, that 'tis by Christ's strength, and not by our own, that we overcome and conquer. More than conquerors through him that loved us; which words are a periphrasis of Christ: it is both a proper description of him, and a comprehensive description. When the apostle said, He that loved us, he doth in effect say every thing else; he that was born for us, that died for us, that redeemed and saved us, all these were the effects and fruits of his love; and they all are comprehended in this saying, Him that loved us. Note, lastly, How the believer is said to overcome by the help of this person; More than conquerors through him that loved us. Whence learn, That all a christian's strength lies in Christ, and not in himself: all his strength for victory over sin, all his strength for victory over suffering, is all received from Christ, is all to be attributed and ascribed to Christ; the strength of every saint, yea, the whole host of saints, lies in the Lord of hosts. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. : Our apostle concludes this excellent chapter with triumphant expressions, as he had begun it in the first verse he proclaims that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; here in the last verse he pronounces, that nothing shall separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus I am persuaded, &c. Where observe, 1. The proposition positively laid down nothing shall separate from the love of Christ; his love is like himself, unchangeable and everlasting; he ever loves the same person, and ever loves for the same reason. Likeness is the ground of love, the attractive and loadstone of it: now the image of Christ, by the Spirit of Christ, is both preserved and increased in the believer's soul; this engages the heart of Christ towards christians in such a manner that nothing shall separate them from his love. Observe, 2. The enumeration and induction of particulars which the apostle makes use of for confirming this proposition, that nothing can separate the believer from the love of Christ, nor diminish his interest in him. Neither life, nor death; that is, neither the hope of life, nor the fear of death. Nor angels, neither good nor bad: not the good angels, for they will not attempt it; nor the bad angels, for they can never effect it. Nor principalities, nor powers; by them understand earthly powers, the great and mighty potentates of the world persecuting us for Christ, yet shall never be able to divorce us from him. Nor things present, nor things to come; neither the things which we enjoy at present, or endure at present, or may hereafter meet with, be it prosperity and adversity; their present and future condition of life shall be sanctified, whatever comes; come what may come, come what will come, come what can come, nothing shall come amiss unto them; whatever has happened, does happen, or may happen to them in this world, shall not frustrate their hopes of future happiness in the world to come. Nor height, nor depth: that is, neither height of honour, worldly advancement, nor the bottom of nor depth of ignominy; neither the top of worldly debasement; neither the height of spiritual enlargement, nor the depth of spiritual desertions. God can and will keep his saints in an honourable, in a comfortable, yea, in a safe state and condition, is, if there be any other creature not compreall at once. Nor any other creature: that hended or comprised in the foregoing enumeration, whatever it be, it must fall under the rank and denomination of creatures; and no creature either in heaven, or in earth, or in hell, shall separate Christ and us. Learn hence, That it is matter of unutterable consolation, and inexpressible triumph to believers, that nothing, though never so great and powerful, though never so amiable or terrible, shall be able to separate them from the love of their Saviour. Blessed be God, our standing in Christ is not so lubricous and slippery as it was in Adam : he might stand or might fall; the believer shall stand, the root bears up the branches; we shall be kept by the mighty power of God, with the concurrence of our own careful and continual endeavours, through faith unto salvation. Observe, 3. The full assurance which the apostle had of the stability of a believer's estate: I am persuaded, or I am fully assured. But how so? Not by extraordinary and special revelation, not by rapture into heaven, not by the apparition of an angel to him; but his assurance is built on that which is common to all believers; namely, the same spirit of faith, and the same love of God shed abroad in the hearts of all believers. Observe, 4. How the apostle, having spoken in his own person in the former verse, saying, I am persuaded, changes the number in the last verse; nothing shall separate us not me. Where note, How he associates himself with all true believers in the participation of this privilege they have all an interest in the same love of God, the same promises of salvation, and have felt the sanctifying work of the same Spirit. It is impossible that God should retract his merciful purpose to save believers; he that chose them from eternity, from before all |