Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verses 31-39
VERSE 31. What ſhall we then ſay to theſe things? If God be for vsus? Who can be againſt vsus?
32. He that ſpared not, &c. to the end of the Chapter.
MAny are the troubles of the righteous. Therefore wee hauehave had many arguments of Conſolation; all which the Apoſtle here magnificently concludeth as with a ſong of triumph, celebrating the plerophory and confidence of the faithfull, founded vponupon the immutable louelove and counſell of God, ſhewing that no tentation is to be feared.
This concluſion Paul vtters after the manner of braue ſouldiers, who when they ſee their enemies approch, ſhake their ſpeares, and waue their ſwords aboue their heads, as daring their foes: For hauing muſtered an armie of comforts and encouragements, both againſt inbred corruption, and outward affliction; hee takes the field; daring hell it ſelfe to the encounter with words of great defiance. As, What ſhall wee ſay? Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? and ſuch like.
Here then Paul renounceth all tentations and aſſaults, which might diſquiet the children of God: and this hee doth two wayes. 1. Generally, Verſe 31.2. Particularly: in the reſt.
In this 31. Verſe, are two things. 1. A queſtion. 2. An anſwere.
The Queſtion: What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? To what things? ſome ſay, that we are predeſtinated, called, &c. or that all things worke to the beſt for the children of God, as others ſay▪ but I think they ſay beſt, which referre this queſtion to all that is ſaid before: viz. That there is no Condemnation to vsus that are in Chriſt. That we hauehave the Spirit, are the Children of God, are predeſtinated, &c. For that which hee hath ſaid before of ſinne and affliction; hee doth in this concluſion briefely recapitulate.
What ſhall we ſay? Aquinas giues three expoſitions: 1. how thankefull ſhould we be, ſeeing God hath done ſuch things for vsus? It is true that this ought to follow; but this is not ſo proper. 2. That theſe ſhould bee the words of one amazed and ouercome, with the conſideration of Gods goodneſſe, not knowing how to expreſſe himſelfe. This comes neerer. 3. As if he ſhould ſay, Who can ſay any thing againſt theſe things which I hauehave deliuered? let all the world ſay and do what they can. Theſe two laſt ioyned together gine the full ſenſe.
Vſe 1.Paul teacheth vsus heere by meditation to receiue that which we heare and reade, chewing it down againe▪ as cleane beaſts: for that which before hee deliuered, hee recalleth to minde, ſtaying his thoughts vponupon it, by meditation and application.
Many will bee moued while they are in the Church, hearing: But if we will ſoundly profit, we muſt reaſon of things heard when we are gone, and ſay to our ſelues and others: What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? and ſo enter Application vponupon the Conſcience: otherwiſe as a flaſh of lightning leaues vsus in more darkneſſe; ſo ſuch flight hearing increaſeth hardneſſe of heart.
The Anſwere: If God be on our ſide, who can be againſt vsus?
What ſhall we ſay? why, ſaith Paul, this I will ſay, if God bee for vsus, who &c. If. This is not ſpoken doubtfully, but affirmatiuely: being a ſuppoſition, taking a thing for granted, vponupon which ſome other thing is inferred, as in that old verſe, Cato.Si Deus eſt Animus, &c. If God be a Spirit: that is, ſeeing he is a Spirit, he muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit & truth, as Chriſt ſpeaketh.Ioh. 4.
Who can be againſt vsus? That is, none: But this is a more forcible denying: Who can? Doſt thou Paul, aſke who can? Ile tell thee: The Diuell can, Tyrants; the whole world, our owne corruption, &c. True: theſe may ſet themſelues againſt vsus; but it ſhall not preuaile, it ſhall be to no purpoſe, but euen as throwing ſtones againſt the winde. They may haſten, but cannot take away our Crownes.
Mee thinkes theſe are words of great reſolution, as if hee ſhould ſay: Wee hauehave many enemies: let the proudeſt ſhew their face; I feare them not. Who can? who dare bee againſt vsus?Quis contra nos ſcilicet eſſe poterit Efficaciter? Aquinas.
Here is an Enthymeme from contraries. God is for vsus: Therfore none can Efficaciter be againſt vsus: or it is an Hypotheticall Syllogiſme; where there is a hiding of the Minor, and of the Concluſion. If God be for vsus; then &c. But God is; Therefore.
doctrine Nothing can hurt them for or with whome God is, Pſal. 23.4. and 56.4. Ioſh. 1.5. Heb. 13.6. No fleſh nor death ſhall hurt Dauid; no enemies ſhall hurt Ioſhua, nor pouerty Gods children, becauſe God is with them.
Great is the ſecurity of the faithfull; they ſhall hauehave many enemies, that the louelove of God may be the more conſpicuous in their protection, for they ſhall ouercome them all: He that is with them, is ſtronger then all, who is omnipotent, doing what hee will, and ſuffering no reſiſtance in that hee will not. OnelyOnly he which can ouercome God, can hurt vsus.Nemo nos laedit niſi qui deū vincit.
Pharaoh followed the Iſraelites; but he and his mighty men were drowned, and Iſrael eſcaped, for God fought for Iſrael; Anſel. Exod. 14.Saul hunteth Dauid as a Partritch in the mountaines, 1. Sam. 26.20.but Saul periſheth, and Dauid is King: for God is with Dauid. 1. Sam. 31. and 2. Sam. 2.Haman hateth Mordecai, but Haman is hanged, and Mordecai is aduanced, for God is for Mordecai. Heſter. 6. and 7.In Queene Maries dayes the Papiſts ſought the deſtruction of the Lady Elizabeth, but they are confounded, and Elizabeth is made Queene, for God was with Elizabeth. In 88. fierce enemies intended the Inuaſion of England, but they were foyled, and England triumphed: for God is for England. Many Enterpriſes hauehave beene vndertaken againſt our moſt learned, moſt wiſe, moſt religious, moſt mighty King Iames, eſpecially that Helliſh attempt of Popiſh monſters in the Powder-treaſon: but they are executed as Traitors, and King Iames ſtill reigneth (O long long may he reigne:) for God is with King Iames. The Lord be with him, and with his poſteritie for the good of his Church to the end of the world. Amen.
Ʋſe 2.Let Turkes, Iewes, Papiſts, profane perſons, and all the Enemies of the Goſpell deſiſt from their diuelliſh enterpriſes againſt Proteſtants: for God is for the Proteſtants, againſt whom when they ariſe, they ariſe againſt God himſelfe, and therefore muſt needes fall. Acts 9.5.It is hard to kicke againſt the prickes, it is madneſſe to runne our naked bodies againſt a ſwords point. Ceaſe therefore, Papiſt, to plot againſt the Goſpell, it is impoſsible to preuaile. If any policy, counſell, lying, curſing, ſtrength, cruelty, could hauehave preuailed, it had beene rooted out long agoe: A prophet like thy ſelfe will teach thee, euen Balaam, Numb. 23.8.that it is in vaine to curſe whom God bleſſeth.
Ʋſe 3.The wicked are moſt miſerable: for God is againſt them. What if thou hauehave riches, honours, friends, if God hate thee and deny thee, if in eueryevery corner thou meet with the Angell of God with a ſword in his hand againſt thee. God ſitteth vponupon the Circle of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants are as Graſhoppers, yea, all the Nations as a drop of a Bucket, and leſſe then the duſt of the Ballance. Eſay 40.22,15.How eaſily can hee be reuenged by fire, by water, by drought, by ſickneſſe, by ſea and by land? Seeke therefore Reconcliation.
Vſe 4.Examine whether God bee with thee. It appeares here that God is onelyonly with them which walke not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit; who are predeſtinated, called, iuſtified; if thou be ſuch, God is with thee, and will take thy part: otherwiſe he is againſt thee.
When the Angell of the Lord ſaid to Gedeon, Iudges 6.12,13.The Lord is with thee, thou valiant man; Gedeon anſwered: Ah my Lord, if the Lord be with vsus, why then is all this come vntounto vsus? The Earth parcheth, the Clouds are reſtrained, the fire rageth, &c. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? Is God with vsus? Is he not rather againſt vsus? Wouldſt thou hauehave comfortable ſeaſons? If God be againſt thee, how wilt thou hauehave them. Thou blaſphemeſt, art drunken, vncleane, profane: Is this the way to obtaine God and good things? Let vsus repent and humble our ſelues, that wee bee not all ſwallowed vp in the heauy Iudgements of God.