salvation is fully secured. The conclusion of the chapter is a recapitula tion of all his former arguments, or rather the reduction of them to one which comprehends them all in their fullest force ; God is for us. He, as our Judge, is satisfied; as our Father, he loves us; as the supreme and almighty Controller of events, who works all things after the coun- sel of his own will, he has determined to save us ; and as that Being whose love is as unchangeable as it is infinite, he allows nothing to se- parate his children from himself.
(32) He that spared not his own Son, &c. That ground of confidence and security which includes all others, is the love of God ; and that exhibition of divine love which surpasses and secures all others, is the gift of HIS OWN Son. Paul having spoken of Christians as being God'3 sons by adoption, was led to designate Christ as his own peculiar Son, in a sense in which neither angels (Heb. 1 : 5) nor men can be so called. That this is the meaning of the phrase is evident, 1. Because this is its proper force ; oiun Son being opposed to adopted sons. 2. Because the context requires it, as Paul had spoken of those who were sons in a dif- ferent sense just before. 3. Because this apostle, and the other sacred writers, designate Christ as Son of God in the highest sense, as par- taker of the divine nature; see Rom. 1 : 4.
But delivered him up for us all. He was delivered up to death ; see Gal. 1 : 4. Rom. 4: 25. Isa. 53: 6. 38: 13 (in the LXX.), and Matt. 10: 21. For us all; not merely for our benefit, but in our place ; see Rom. 5 : 6, 7, 8, &c. Us all, in this connexion, can only be understood of all those of whom Paul had been speaking, all who love God and are called according to his purpose.
How shall he not with him freely give us all things ? If God has done the greater, he will not leave the less undone. If he has given his Son to death, he will not fail to give the Spirit to render that death ef- fectual. This is the ground of the confidence of believers. They do not expect to attain salvation because they are sure of their own strength of purpose, but because the love of God towards them is free and un- bounded, and having led to the gift of his Son, will not withhold those lesser gifts which are necessary for their final security and blessedness.
(33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God^s elect ? This and the following verse show how fully the security of believers is pro- vided for by the plan of redemption. What is it they have to fear under the government of a just and powerful God] There is nothing to be dreaded but sin; if that be pardoned and removed, there is nothing left to fear. In the strongest manner possible, the apostle declares that the sins of believers are pardoned, and shows the ground on which this par- don rests. To them, therefore, there can be neither a disquieting accu- sation nor condemnation. Who can lay any thing ? &c., i. e. no one ".an, neither Satan, conscience, nor the law. If the law of God be satis- fied, "the strength of sin," its condemning power, is destroyed. Even conscience, though it upbraids, does not terrify. It produces the ingenu