Commentary on Romans

This passage ought to remind us of what Christ brings to us, and to awaken us to contemplate
his riches; for as he is a pledge of God’s infinite love towards us, so he has not been sent to us void
of blessings or empty, but filled with all celestial treasures, so that they who possess him may not
want anything necessary for their perfect felicity. To deliver up means here to expose to death.
33.Who shall bring an accusation,etc. The first and the chief consolation of the godly in
adversities, is to be fully persuaded of the paternal kindness of God; for hence arises the certainty
of their salvation, and that calm quietness of the soul through which it comes that adversities are
sweetened, or at least the bitterness of sorrow mitigated. Hardly then a more suitable encouragement
to patience could be adduced than this, a conviction that God is propitious to us; and hence Paul
makes this confidence the main ground of that consolation, by which it behoves the faithful to be
strengthened against all evils. And as the salvation of man is first assailed by accusation, and then
subverted by condemnation, he in the first place averts the danger of accusation. There is indeed
but one God, at whose tribunal we must stand; then there is no room for accusation when he justifies
us. The antithetic clauses seem not indeed to be exactly arranged; for the two parts which ought
rather to have been set in opposition to each other are these: “Who shall accuse? Christ is he who
intercedes:” and then these two might have been connected, “Who shall condemn? God is he who
justifies;” for God’s absolution answers to condemnation, and Christ’s intercession to accusation.
But Paul has not without reason made another arrangement, as he was anxious to arm the children
of God, as they say, from head to foot, with that confidence which banishes all anxieties and fears.
He then more emphatically concludes, that the children of God are not subject to an accusation,
because God justifies, than if he had said that Christ is our advocate; for he more fully expresses
that the way to a trial is more completely closed up when the judge himself pronounces him wholly
exempt from guilt, whom the accuser would bring in as deserving of punishment. There is also a
similar reason for the second clause; for he shows that the faithful are very far from being involved
in the danger of condemnation, since Christ by expiating their sins has anticipated the judgment of
God, and by his intercession not only abolishes death, but also covers our sins in oblivion, so that
they come not to an account.
The drift of the whole is, that we are not only freed from terror by present remedies, but that
God comes to our aid beforehand, that he may better provide for our confidence.
But it must be here observed, as we have before reminded you, that to be justified, according
to Paul, is to be absolved by the sentence of God, and to be counted just; and it is not difficult to
prove this from the present passage, in which he reasons by affirming one thing which nullifies its
opposite; for to absolve and to regard persons as guilty, are contrary things. Hence God will allow
no accusation against us, because he has absolved us from all sins. The devil no doubt is an accuser
of all the godly: the very law of God and their own conscience convict them; but all these prevail
nothing with the judge, who justifies them. Therefore no adversary can shake or endanger our
salvation.
Further, he so mentions the elect, as one who doubted not but that he was of their number; and
he knew this, not by special revelation, (as some sophists falsely imagine,) but by a perception
(sensu - feeling) common to all the godly. What then is here said of the elect, every one of the
godly, according to the example of Paul, may apply to himself; for this doctrine would have been
not only frigid, but wholly lifeless had he buried election in the secret purpose of God. But when
we know, that there is here designedly set before us what every one of the godly ought to appropriate