358 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLIV.
SERMON XLIV.
Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, luho is even at the right hand of Ood, ivho also maketh intercession for us. — Kom. viii. 34.
In the former verse, justificatiou is considered as opposite to accusation ; now, as opposite to condemnation ; there, ' Who shall lay anything to our charge?' here, ' Who is he that condemneth?' With respect to both, we must look upon Christ as our advocate, and God as our judge. Somewhat in this verse concerneth our exemption from the danger of accusation, namely, all the acts of Christ's mediation liere mentioned ; somewhat in that verse concerneth the question pro- pounded here about condemnation, namely, the sentence of God as our judge. For the answer given there must be repeated, ' Who is he that condemneth ? It is God that justifieth.' We need not fear an accuser, because we have an advocate ; we need not fear to be cast in the judgment, because we have a favourable judge, who will not justify and condemn too. Thence ariseth this part of the triumphant song which the apostle puts into the mouth of a believer, ' Who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died,' &c. In the words we have —
1. A triumphant challenge — Who is he that condemneth'!-
2. The ground of it. It is Christ's mediation — It is Christ that died, &c.
1. The challenge — ' Wlio is he that condemneth ? ' It is meant with respect to God's judgment. In the world the saints have been, and often are condemned, not only to death : James v. 6, ' Ye have con- demned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you ;' but some, if they had their wills, would adjudge them to the bottom of hell : John xvi. 2, ' They will put you out of the synagogues, as well as kill you ;' that is, curse, and condemn you to hell, which is the second death. But their rash censures are not ratified in heaven ; their cursing hurts no more than their absolution benefiteth us ; therefore this is not the meaning. The words relate to the supreme court. What fear is there of condemnation by God, when he declareth his mind concerning the justification of such as believe in Christ? Now God hath expressly said ' that he that believeth shall not come into condemnation;' and who dareth to contradict his sentence ? False teachers may deny this comfort to the penitent believers, and make their hearts .sad whom God would not have made sad, but God will not retract his grant ; and the sentence of any judge on this side God needeth not to be stood upon. It is on their part presumption, and usurpation of the throne of God, and their act cannot do us harm ; we stand or fall to our own proper lord and master.
2. The ground of the challenge. We are acquitted from condemna- tion on Christ's account. This blessing runneth in the channel of his mediation ; four branches of it are here mentioned — (1.) Christ's death ; (2.)' Resurrection, with a ' yea rather ; ' (3.) His exaltation at the right hand of God ; (4.) His intercession for us ; all which would
VeR. 34.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 359
be in vain, and lose their effect, if any condemnation were to be feared by us. From the whole observe —
Doct. 1. That freedom from the fears of condemnation is one great privilege of true and sound believers.
Doct. 2. That our triumph over the fears of condemnation ariseth from the several acts of Christ's mediation.
Doct. 1. For the first point, that freedom from the fears of con- demnation is one great privilege of true and sound believers.
What a great privilege it is, will appear — •
1. By the dreadfulness of the sentence.
2. The difficulty to get rid of these fears.
3. The sure and solid grounds of a believer's peace.
1. The dreadfulness of the sentence. To condemn is to adjudge to punishment ; and for God to condemn is to adjudge us to everlasting punishment. The final sentence is set down, Mat. xxv. 41, ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' In the general they are pronounced cursed ; but in particular there is
[1.] The -poena damni, the loss of God's favour and presence and glory. They depart from God, who made them at first after his image ; from the Redeemer, whose grace was offered to them, but slighted by them ; from the Holy Ghost, who strove witli them to sanctify them, and reduce them to God, till they quenched all his motions, and expelled him out of tlieir hearts. The disciples wept when Paul said, ' Ye shall see my face no more ; ' but what anguish will fill the hearts of the reprobate when God shall say to them. Ye shall never see my face more ; you are now cut off from all hopes and possibility of salvation for ever. Wicked men banish God out of their company now : Job xxi. 14, ' Depart from us ; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.' God will then be even with them, and banish them out of his presence ; not from his essential presence, for that is with them to their everlasting misery ; but from his gracious presence, which is the everlasting delight of the saints, and from all possibility of acceptance with him.