of lead, these might be melted; were it a defense of waters, these
for death is a royal prerogative which belongs to God alone, "to whom belong the issues of death," Psalm 68:20, or the goings out from death; that is, deliverances from death and deadly dangers. It is an allusion to one who keeps a passage or a door; that is, God has all the ways which lead out from death in his own keeping. Christ has the keys of death, the sole dominion and disposal of it, Rev. 1:18; 2 Pet. 2:9. The Lord knows how to deliver his people from the most desperate and deadly dangers; he can deliver them out of the mouth of the lion, he can pull them out of the jaws of death, and so secure them from all harm or hurt. None can be so against the people of God as to harm their souls, as to hurt their happiness. But, "If God is for us—who can be against us?" I answer,
[2.] Secondly, None can be so against us—so as to PREVAIL over us. The gates of hell may fight against us—but the gates of hell cannot prevail against us. Christ is the captain of your salvation, God has made him general of the field, and therefore you may be sure that he will stand by you and bring you off with honor, Mat 16:18; Heb. 2:10; Jer. 1:19, and 20:11. You need never fear winning the day, who have Christ as your captain. Though your persecutors are as so many roaring lions—yet Christ, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah, will make you victorious over them all, Rev. 5:5. In all storms and tempests the church will stand fast, because it stands upon a rock, Psalm 129:2. God is on Zion's side, and the enemies of Zion must first prevail against Zion's God—before they can prevail over Zion herself. Zion's God will be a wall of fire about her, and therefore Zion's enemies shall never prevail over her, Zech. 2:5; Deut. 33:2629. Were Zion's shelter stones, these might be battered; were it walls of lead, these might be melted; were it a defense of waters, these might be dried up; were it garrisons of mighty men, these might be scattered; were it engines of war, these might be defeated; were it trenches, these might be stopped; were it bulwarks, these might be
overthrown; but Zion is guarded with a wall of fire round about her, and therefore all her opposers can never prevail over her.
The enemies of Zion are weak enemies, they are smitten enemies, they are conquered enemies, they are limited enemies, they are chained enemies, they are cursed enemies, and they are naked enemies—and therefore they shall never be prevalent enemies over Zion, 2 Chron. 32:7-8; Romans 8:37; Gen. 3:12; Num. 14:9. Pharaoh followed the Israelites—but he and his mighty men were drowned, and Israel delivered—for God was with them, Exod. 14. Saul hunted David as a partridge in the mountains, 1 Sam. 26:20—but Saul perishes, and David was crowned—for God was with him. Haman hated Mordecai and plotted against Mordecai—but Haman is hanged and Mordecai advanced—for God was with him, Esther 6:7. The Babylonian princes inform against Daniel and plot against Daniel— but they themselves are torn and devoured by the lions, and Daniel is delivered and exalted—for God was with him, Dan. 6. Herod kills James with the sword and imprisons Peter—but Herod is devoured by worms, and Peter is delivered out of prison by an angel—for God was with him, Acts 12.
Let atheists, papists, and persecutors cease from plotting against Zion, from persecuting of Zion, for it is utterly impossible to prevail against Zion. Let all Zion's adversaries remember once for all, what if any policy, counsel, lying, cursing, strength, or cruelty could have prevailed against Zion; Zion would have been rooted out of the world long ago. If Balaam was at our enemies' elbows he would tell them roundly and plainly, that it is "in vain to curse those whom God blesses," Num. 23:8. "It is hard to kick against the goads," Acts 9:5. It is high madness for men to run their naked bodies against a sword's point. Let Zion's enemies remember that God, who takes pleasure in Zion, sits upon the circle of the earth, and all the inhabitants are as
grasshoppers; yes, all the nations as a drop of a bucket, and less than the dust of the balance, Isaiah 40:12, 15, 17, and therefore he can easily revenge all the wrongs and injuries which are done to Zion by those who would gladly prevail over her, and triumph in her ruin. [Some observe that Paul's style is so beautified with wonderful eloquence and rhetoric, that not Tully nor Demosthenes could ever have so spoken. Some report of Augustine that he wished for three things: (1.) To see Christ in the flesh; (2.) To see Rome in the pride of it; (3.) To have heard Paul preach. But,
[3.] Thirdly, "If God is for us—who can be against us?" I answer, None can be so against us—so as to be able to separate us from the love of God and the love of Christ. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation—will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39.
It is neither the pleasures of life, nor the pains of death; it is neither evils felt, nor evils feared; it is neither the height of prosperity, nor the depth of adversity; it is neither bonds, nor banishment; it is neither power, nor policy; it is neither honor, nor baseness; it is neither violent persecutions, nor multiplied tribulations; it is neither the scorns of men, nor reproaches of men, nor revilings of men, nor designs of men, nor anything else—which can separate us from the love of the Father or the love of the Son!
In the 35th verse Paul states that neither crosses nor creatures can deprive us of the love of God, which is set down in a double interrogation, that he might add the more force and life to it and ravish the readers: "Who shall separate us?" That is, none can. But he speaks with contempt; "Who shall? shall tribulation?" as if he should say, I scorn it. As Goliath defied David, saying, "Do you come to me with a stick?" just so, Paul defies all crosses, sufferings, trials, etc., as things not able to deprive sincere Christians of Christ's love! "Shall tribulation," etc. He had before spoken of people, now here he speaks of things, because Satan and his sworn slaves think by such things to separate between God and his people. Chrysostom observes Paul's wisdom in three things.
(1.) That he says not, Shall the love of riches, pleasures, honors, etc., which have a mighty force in them to bewitch us; but "shall tribulation, distress," etc.
(2.) That he begins with the lighter, and so rises to greater troubles, placing them in this order, not casually—but by design.
(3.) That though these which he here rehearses consist of a certain number—yet every one as a general has special troops under it: as when he says tribulation, he says imprisonments, bonds, slanders, banishments, etc. "Shall tribulation, distress, persecution," etc.? No! They are "blessed, who endure these things," Mat. 5:10-11. Shall famine? He who feeds on Christ shall never perish for hunger. Shall nakedness? Christ's righteousness is my clothing; I shall willingly follow him even naked; who when he was clothed with infinite glory as with a garment was content to be born naked and to be stripped on the cross for my sake. Shall peril? I know the hardest. Shall the sword? Christ is to me in life and death advantage. But,