Paul's confidence.
Rom. viii. 33, 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Goa"s elect ? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that con- demneth ? 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.
OF all the systems that mankind have devised for reconciling themselves to God, there is not any that will afford solid confidence to the soul : they have never been able to fix a standard that should be a sufficient test of men's attainments, or to draw a line of distinction between those who should attain salva- tion, and those who should fall short of it. Hence, after all their labours, they are left in a painful un- certainty about their eternal state. But the Gospel removes all suspense on this subject ; and gives to those who cordially embrace it, a full assurance of their acceptance with God. In the New Testament we find scarcely any intimation of believers being harassed with doubts and fears : but there are many instances wherein they express the most assured ex- pectation of happiness and glory. In confirmation of this, we need look no further than to the words before us ; wherein St. Paul speaks of them as having com- munion with Christ in his most exalted privileges, and as possessing the very same confidence as the Messiah himself enjoyeda: he, not in his own person only, but in the behalf of all God's people, challenges the whole universe to lay any thing to their charge, so as ultimately to condemn them. We shall consider,
I. His confident challenge —
The name by which he characterizes God's people
is most appropriate —
[Among the ungodly world, there is scarcely a more sarcastic or contemptuous expression ever used, than that by which God himself designates his own people. When they
a Compare Isai. 1. 7 — 9. with the text.
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say, " There is one of the elect" they mean by it, " There is a sanctimonious hypocrite, and a contemptible fanatic." But, whatever opprobrium they may attach to the word " elect,''' be it known, that there is an elect people, whom " God has chosen in Christ Jesus from before the foundation of the world b," ar|d that too, irrespective of any works that they should afterwards perform0. He chose them because he would choose them, and loved them because he would love themd. And if any are disposed to quarrel with this exercise of sove- reign grace, let them tell us, who made the distinction between the Jews and the rest of the world ; and why he did so : let them also tell us, why he, who in that sovereign way chose nations, may not also choose individuals : and why he, who chose some to enjoy the means of salvation, may not choose others to salvation itself. Proud man may frame distinctions, if he pleases : but if the exercise of God's sovereignty be unjust in the one case, it must be unjust also in the other; and if it be admitted in the one case, it must be also in the other.
Ignorant men are ready to think, that this is a proud title : but it is the most humiliating title that can be imagined ; because it acknowledges that no man on earth would ever have chosen God, if God had not first chosen him : and it is the rejection of this title, not the assumption of it, that argues pride ; inasmuch as it implies, that some have within them- selves an excellence, which has attracted the notice of Almighty God, and induced him to confer on them the most dis- tinguished privileges.]
Ill behalf of these he expresses the most assured confidence of their salvation —
[No assertion, however strong, could so fully declare his confidence, as the challenge does which he gives to the whole universe.