Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? First, to speak as it is expressed in the negative, "He spared not His own Son." First, take it in the first notion, as a word of bounty in reference to us; He did not spare Him, that is, He did not withhold Him; He was not unwilling to part with Him, or sparing to give Him. Now, for the better amplifying of this great gift to us, and the great love of God to us in it. We may take notice of it briefly in the several gradations of it, wherein it is considerable of us. First, for the kind of it. It was a Son: He spared not Him. There is many an one in the world that would be loth to part with a servant, such as he might be, but a son, that is somewhat more. There are a great many who could be content sometimes to spare many other things besides, so that you will be content to spare their children, or to let them to spare themselves. You know how it was with old Jacob, how loth he was to part with his son Benjamin. Secondly, for the propriety of it. As it was His Son which He did not spare, so it was His own Son too. He spared not Him. We see how all men are generally very indulgent of what belongs to themselves. Nurses and guardians and overseers are very often remiss and careless enough of other men's children which are committed to them, but their own are more indulged by them. His own Son — how so? Namely, by eternal and inexpressible generation, being of the same" substance with the Father, begotten of Him before all worlds." Thirdly, it was His only Son likewise; it was the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14). This is a farther amplification of it to us, where there is store and choice and variety; it is not so hard or difficult a matter as otherwise to part with some one, but to part with an only son, that is a great matter indeed. Lastly, it was His dear Son, the Son of His love, as He is called in Colossians 1:13. Now what does all this teach us but to labour to work ourselves to the like disposition of spirit to God again? That we from henceforth should think nothing too good or too dear for Him. What can they spare for God that cannot spare Him a little time and opportunity for serving Him? It is a word of severity, and refers to Christ. He did not spare Him, that is, He did not favour Him; He did not spare to punish or to afflict Him. First, in His body, He did not spare Him. Secondly, in His name, He did not spare Him. Thirdly, in His soul, He did not spare Him. The reason of it was this, because He did not look upon Him in His person, but rather in His office, so far forth as He bare the burthen of our sins and transgressions upon Him. Therefore let us own this perfect satisfaction of Christ to the justice of His Father, and His Father's general and universal punishing of Him, and not sparing Him at all. First, as it is a word of bounty, He did not spare to give Him. And secondly, as it is a word of severity, He did not spare to punish Him. Now the second is laid down in the affirmative or positive expression, which is in a sort included in the former: "But delivered Him up for us all." First, for the action itself — "He delivered Him up" (Romans 4:25). There were three sorts of persons which had a hand in the delivering up of Christ. First, God delivered up His Son. Secondly, Christ delivered up Himself. Thirdly, Judas delivered up his Master. Now that which we have here exhibited to us is the former of these deliverings, to wit, God's delivering up of His Son — "He spared Him not, but delivered Him up." This He might be said to do two manner of ways especially. First, in regard of His eternal purpose and counsel. Secondly, in regard of His ordering and disposing of it in the fulness of time. But what did God deliver up this His Son unto? To the treachery of Judas, to the injustice of Pilate, to the malice of the Jews, to reproaches, and what not? The second is the persons it refers to, and who are more particularly concerned in it — "For us all." The second is the inference or improvement of this premised propitiation, in these words, "How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" First, take it simply and absolutely, as it lies in itself, and so there is this in it, that God will with Christ give all things freely to those who are true believers. There is here laid down a special privilege which does belong to the children of God. Wherein again there are three distinct particulars considerable. First, for the gift itself. This is here expressed to be all things (Psalm 84:11). The second is the foundation of this gift, and that is, Christ with Him, while it is said here, "with Him." This may be taken three manner of ways. First, by way of eminency: "All things with Him, that is, all things in Him, as involved and implied. Secondly, by way of concomitancy: "All things with Him," that is, all things to Him, as added and subjoined. Thirdly, by way of conveyance: "All things with Him," that is, all things by Him, and through Him, and for Him, as dispensed and transmitted. The third is the manner or circumstance of donation; and that in our English translation is here expressed to be freely, "He will freely give us all things." This is somewhat, but yet not all, which is intended here in the text; the Greek word signifies two things especially, not only to give freely, but also to give favourably. First, He gives us all things freely; to take it as it is here in our translation, as God gives us Christ Himself, so He gives us all things else freely with Christ. And when it is said freely, we are to take it in the full extent of freeness, freely without our desire, and freely without our desert; of His own accord, and upon His mere grace. But then if we take freely in the latitude of our English idiom and propriety, so there is still somewhat more in it. Freely, that is, largely and plentifully, without diminution. "He giveth us all things richly to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17). And freely, that is, readily and cheerfully, without restraint, not grudging, not repenting, not upbraiding. He gives us all things gratuitously. But then secondly, He gives to believers all things graciously, that is also, I say, here implied in the word in the text. When we say that God gives all things to His children favourably or graciously, there are two things in it; first, favourably, as to the principle. He gives them favourably, as to the principle, by intending favour to them in them, and giving them for that end. And He gives them favourably as to the effect, by making them favours, and doing them real good by them. Now further, secondly, we may look upon it in its connection and argumentatively, as inferred by rational consequence from that which went before. If God hath not spared His Son, but delivered Him up for us, we may well conclude that He will bestow all things else freely upon us. This is the main scope of the text, and the argument holds good upon a twofold ground. First, from the quality and condition of the persons, by comparing of them. If God had so much favour for us when we were enemies, how much more has He now that we are friends? Secondly, from the nature and condition of the gift itself. He that would give His Son will not stick to give anything else, because He that would give the greater will not stick to give the less. First, to make sure of the ground and conclusion itself, seeing our having of all things else does thus depend upon our having of Christ, and in a manner follows from it. Secondly, as we should make sure of the ground, so we should be also careful to make the improvement, and thus to reason and argue within ourselves, as the Apostle Paul here sets us an example. Here is that which may convince them of that diffidence and distrustfulness which is in them, and make them to be ashamed, as it were, of it. What, has God given thee the greater, and dost thou think that He will deny thee the less? Has He given thee heaven, and dost thou think that He will deny thee the earth? Has He given thee eternal things, and dost thou think that He will deny thee temporal? (Thomas Horton, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? |
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