412 SERMONS UPON ROMANS Vllt. [SeK. XLVII.
' We apprehend tlmt for which we are apprehended of Christ,' Phil. iii. 10. Onl)' he first layeth hold upon us by his efiectual grace, and we lay hold upon him ; and our standing dependeth upon our love as a means, and his love as the principal conserving cause.
3. The fruitlessness of the attempt — ' Nothing shall be able to sepa- rate us from the love of God.' Mark, the apostle doth not only say that nothing shall, but nothing can separate us, which is more emphatical.
4. His confidence — iriiretafiai, ' I am persuaded.' The apostle doth not go by thinking and guessing, but undoubted knowledge. Else- where we have two words : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him.' There are two acts of the understanding, apprehension and judication. The first is implied in oi'Sa ; the second in iriireiafiai. We must know the grounds, and assent to them : Heb. xi. 13, ' ireia- Oh'Te<i Kol aaTraadfievot,, being persuaded of these things, they embraced them.' The mind acquiesceth in the evidence of truth, the will in the worth of truth evidenced. Once more : Paul doth not speak of his resolution, what he would do, but his persuasion, what God would do ; the first included, but the latter more clearly asserted.
Quest. The only question which remaineth for explication is, Whether Paul spake this of himself, and in his own person only, or in the name of all believers ?
Ans. My answer is the same with that which Paul giveth in some- what a like case of Abraham : Piom. iv. 23, 24, ' Now it was not writ for his sake alone, but for us also who believe in Jesus.' For he doth not speak this out of any special and personal revelation made to himself, and concerning himself, but that common spirit of faith which falleth U]ion all believers ; and so we may say, as Paul of David : 2 Cor. iv. 13, ' We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken ; we also believe, and therefore speak.' My reasons are. First, Because he afterwards changeth the number, ' I am persuaded ;' but it is ^//.ta? — separate us. Secondly, The grounds are the same to all, the promise the same, and it is the common interest of all the faithful to be preserved in Jesus Christ. If any be weak, and grow not up to this full persuasion and triumph over all doubts and fears, it is their own fault ; for this is not so pecu- liar to Paul ; but they also, if they be not wanting to themselves, may be carried to heaven in Christ's triumphant chariot with confidence and rejoicing, notwithstanding all impediments and difficulties in the way. All may ; and if they do not, it is because they do not improve the common grounds.
Doct. 1. This is matter of triumph to believers, to be persuaded that nothing, be it never so great and powerful, can separate them from the love of God in Christ.
1. I shall inquire what is this love of God in Christ.
2. That as long as God loveth us, the j)eople of God apprehend themselves in good condition.
3. That from this love nothing can separate us.
4. We ought firmly to be persuaded of this.
VeKS. 38, 39.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 413
First, What is this love of God in Christ ? Here I take it actively for the love wherewith he loveth us. Love may be considered —
First, As an attribute or a perfection in God ; so it is said, 1 John iv. 8, ' God is love.' Which noteth his readiness, self-propension, or inclination to do good.
Secondly, As it relateth and passeth out to the creature ; so there is a common love and a special love. His common love is set forth : Ps. cxlv. 4, ' The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.' This love floweth in the channel of common providence. But then there is a special love, which is called his love in Christ : Eph. i. 3, ' Who hath blessed us with spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.' This love may be considered as purposed or ex- pressed. As purposed : 2 Tim. i. 9, ' According to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.' His gracious purposes were from everlasting ; he determined within himself that we should receive these fruits of his love through Jesus Christ. As expressed, and that two ways ; as revealed in the gospel, and as applied to our hearts.
[1.] The love and free grace of God is revealed in the gospel. There is the discovery of God's good-will to sinners, and the rich pre- paration of grace he hath made for those who are truly willing to receive him, therefore called the unsearchable riches of grace, Eph. iii. 8, or those many blessed advantages that belong to christians.
[2.] As applied to our hearts. The application may be considered as to the effects, or sense —