Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 34
VERSE 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that dyed, yea rather that is riſen againe, who is euen at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh Interceſſion for vsus.
AS in the 33. verſe, Paul tooke away the danger of Accuſation, ſo in this he taketh away the feare of Condemnation.
Here are 2. parts. 1. a Poſition; None can condemne the Elect: to condemne, is to adiudge to death or other puniſhment: This poſition is ſet downe by Interrogation for the more force.
2 A Reaſon. Which is, becauſe Chriſt is dead: The Interpreters for the moſt part do place the force of the Reaſon in the Interceſſion of Chriſt, which they oppoſe to Condemnation: as if the Apoſtle did vſe a Traiection for the more ſtrong conſolation of Beleeuers? Beza.But vnderunder correction, I thinke the reaſon principally to bee in the death of Chriſt, by which we eſcape death: and the Reſurrection, Seſſion and Interceſſion to be ended by way of Amplification, for the cauſe alledged. The words are parts of the Catechiſme. The ſenſe is thus to be conceiued: Alas, ſayth the weake Chriſtian, mine owne conſcience, the Law, the Diuell accuſeth me, Yea but God iuſtifies thee, ſaith Paul. What, a ſinner? How can that be, ſauing his Iuſtice? for ſinners are to bee condemned by the Law. True, ſaith Paul; but Chriſt is dead for vsus, and ſo hath made ſatisfaction: for as it is well obſerued by Caietane, that theſe words For vsus, are to be referred to eueryevery part of the Anſwere, he dyed for vsus, roſe for vsus, &c.
The Death of Chriſt is farther declared by the conſequences of it: which are 3. 1. Reſurrection. 2. Seſſion at Gods right hand. 3. Interceſſion for vsus, which Gradation is added to take away all ſcruple. Hee is dead: Nay, hee is riſen, which ſealeth the merit of his death: Nay, hee ſitteth at the right hand of God, hauing receiued all power for the ſafety of Beleeuers, and confuſion of vnbeleeuers, and that nothing be wanting to our comfort, he continually makes interceſſion for vsus, Heb. 9.24. Heb. 10.10.by appearing in heauen for vsus, and by willing that his merits ſhould be effectuall vntounto vsus.
doctrine Thoſe whome Chriſt dyed for, cannot be condemned, Rom. 4.25. and 5.9. Heb. 2.14,15.
Vſe 1.The Death, Reſurrection, Power & Interceſſion of Chriſt, are the wells of ſaluation, from whence all comforts are to be drawne. Art thou caſt downe for feare of thy ſinnes and the puniſhment due to them? Chriſt hath ſuffered thy puniſhment, he was condemned in thy roome and ſtead, and therefore in the Iuſtice of God, thou muſt not be condemned. Belieue and repent, and then it is as poſſible for thee to be damned, as for God to be vniuſt.
Thou mayeſt ſecurely reſt in his death, becauſe he not onelyonly dyed, but roſe againe, which though it did adde nothing to the price which was payd in his death, yet it is a demonſtration of the ſufficiency of it, and thereby a confirmation of thy comfort: for if he had not roſe againe, his death had done vsus no good. If death had ouercome him, how ſhould wee ſinners hauehave eſcaped.
Hee, as our Samſon, carried away the gates of death. The foundation of our comfort is layd in Chriſts death: we receiue it in his reſurrection. His death is compared to the ſowing of Corne, which comforts moſt when it commeth vp. Ioh. 12.24.So our peace and ioy is ſowne in his death: we reape it and begin to poſſeſſe it in his Reſurrection. 1. Cor. 15.17,18,19.He is not onelyonly dead and riſen, but hath receiued all power, hauing it in his hand to ſaue and deſtroy: by this power he ſent the Holy Ghoſt. Act. 2.He hath alwaies gouerned and preſerued his Church, and confounded his foes. We hauehave many foes indeed, but we need not feare; for if he ſo bridled them being on earth in our weakneſſe, that he ouerthrew them backeward with a word; Ioh. 18.6.how can and will he hamper them being in Heauen, in the power and glory of his Father?
He was courteous on earth: and he forgets vsus not now he is in Heauen: hee is not like Pharaohs Butler, who forgat Ioſeph? Gen. 40.23.He is not in Heauen, onelyonly to liue happily himſelfe, but to procure our happineſſe alſo. He prayeth yet for thee, and his Father heareth him alwayes. Iohn 11. Heb. 7.25.Therefore thou mayeſt bee confident that thou art perfectly ſaued. A man retaining an eloquent, learned, gracious Counſellour, is of good hope; much more mayeſt thou, which haſt the Kings Sonne, yea, the power and wiſedome of God to be thy Aduocate. Hee is innocent, againſt him lyes no exception; he hath ſatisfied for thee of his owne; not by the force of reaſon, but really by the price of his bloud: He knowes the weightineſſe of thy cauſe; is in eſpeciall fauour with the Iudge; knowes beſt the reaſon whereby he may perſwade; and it concernes him that the day ſhould be on our ſide becauſe we are his fleſh: therefore we may be comforted.
Ʋſe 2.From this ſitting and Interceſſion, Ambroſe notes the diſtinction of the perſons in the Trinity, and that the Father is the fountaine of all good.
Ʋſe 3.Saints are not our Interceſſours, but Chriſt: therefore goe to Chriſt alone: Can they more louelove and care for vsus, then Chriſt? They not heare, nor vnderſtand vsus, neither hauehave wee in the Scripture precept or example to require their interceſſion; and if any helpe or comfort were to bee had this way, Paul doubtles in a place ſo fit would firſt or laſt hauehave mentioned it. If any man ſinne, ſaith Iohn, 1. Ioh. 2.2.we hauehave Chriſt an Aduocate. He doth not ſay, You hauehave me, or the Virgin Marie, an Aduocate, but Chriſt. Maluit ſe ponere in numero peccatorū, vt haberet Aduocatū Chriſtum, quam ponere ſe pro Chriſto Aduocato, & inueniri inter damnandos ſuperbos. Auguſt.The Apoſtle had rather put himſelfe among ſinners, that he might hauehave Chriſt his Aduocate, then put himſelfe for an Aduocate, and ſo be found among them who are to be damned for their prid
Vſe 4.Theſe comforts require great obedience; for Chriſt hath not purchaſed for vsus a carnall ſecurity, whereby the feare of God ſhould be abandoned, but a ſpirituall, whereby the feare of condemnation ſhould be ouercome.
If thou wouldſt partake of Chriſts death, dye thou to ſinne. If of his Reſurrection, riſe thou to newneſſe of life. If of his glorious Seſſion, obey his power and authority. If of his Interceſſion, then auoyde thou all ſinne. For nothing can bee more contrary, then Chriſt to pray for thee that thou mayeſt be pardoned, and thou not ceaſe from thy blaſphemy, drunkenneſſe, &c. Chriſt prayeth not for ſuch beaſts. Wee hauehave an Aduocate, ſaith Iohn, 1. Ioh. 2.7.Ieſus the iuſt. A iuſt Aduocate will not plead vniuſt cauſes. Thy cauſe is vniuſt, becauſe thou beleeueſt not, nor careſt how thou liueſt: For, it is moſt iuſt (euen ſuppoſing Euangelicall grace and mercy) that ſuch ſhould be damned, and ſhould want the benefit of that pardon, which they by their vnrepenting heart renounce. Repent therefore, that thou mayeſt hauehave thy part in theſe comforts.