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contrary to the design and business of the gospel, and the example of our Saviour, who refused meddling in such cases with this decisive question, "Who made me a judge, or di"vider, over you?" Luke xii. 14.

TEXT.

1 LET every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power, but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

1

PARAPHRASE.

LET
every one of you, none excepted, be subject to
the over-ruling powers of the government he lives in.

b

NOTES.

1 a "Every one," however endowed with miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, or advanced to any dignity in the church of Christ. For that these things were apt to make men overvalue themselves, is obvious, from what St. Paul says to the corinthians, 1 Cor. xii. and here to the romans, chap. xii. 3-5. But, above all others, the jews were apt to have an inward reluctancy and indignation, against the power of any heathen over them, taking it to be an unjust and tyrannical usurpation upon them, who were the people of God, and their betters. These the apostle thought it necessary to restrain, and, therefore, says, in the language of the jews, "every soul," i.e. every person among you, whether jew or gentile, must live in subjection to the civil magistrate. We see, by what St. Peter says on the like occasion, that there was a great need that christians should have this duty inculcated to them, "lest any among them should use their liberty, - for a cloak of maliciousness or misbehaviour," 1 Pet. ii. 13-16. The doctrine of christianity was a doctrine of liberty. And St. Paul in this epistle, had taught them, that all christians were free from the mosaical law. Hence corrupt and mistaken men, especially jewish converts, impatient, as we have observed, of any heathen dominion, might be ready to infer, that christians were exempt from subjection to the laws of heathen governments. This he obviates, by telling thein, that all other governments derived the power they had from God, as well as that of the jews, though they had not the whole frame of their government immediately from him, as the jews had.

b Whether we take " powers," here, in the abstract, for political authority, or in the concrete, for the persons de facto exercising political power and jurisdiction, the sense will be the same, viz. that christians, by virtue of being christians, are not any way exempt from obedience to the civil magistrates, nor ought, by any means, to resist them, though by what is said ver. 3, it seems that St. Paul meant here magistrates having and exercising a lawful power. But, whether the magistrates in being were, or were not, such, and consequently were, or were not, to be obeyed, that christianity gave them no peculiar power to examine. They had the common right of others, their fellow-citizens, but had no distinct privilege, as christians. And, therefore, we sce, ver. 7, where he enjoins the paying of tribute and custom, &c. it is in these words: "Render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, honour to whom honour, &c." But who it was, to whom any of these, or any other dues of right belonged, he decides not, for that he leaves them to be determined by the laws and constitųtions of their country.

TEXT.

2 Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terrour to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For, for this cause, pay you tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is

PARAPHRASE.

2 There is no power but what is from God: The powers that are in being, are ordained by God: so that he, who resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist, will be punished by those powers that they 3 resist. What should you be afraid of? Rulers are no terrour to those that do well, but to those that do ill. Wilt thou then not live in dread of the civil power? Do that which is good and right, and then praise only is thy 4 due from the magistrate. For he is the officer and minister of God, appointed only for thy good. But, if thou doest amiss, then thou hast reason to be afraid. For he bears not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, and executioner of wrath and punishment upon him 5 that doth ill. This being the end of government, and the business of the magistrate, to cherish the good, and punish ill men, it is necessary for you to submit to government, not only in apprehension of the punishment, which disobedience will draw on you, but out of conscience, as a 6 duty required of you by God. This is the reason why also you pay tribute, which is due to the magistrates, because they employ their care, time and pains, for the publick weal, in punishing and restraining the wicked and vicious; and in countenancing and supporting the virtu7ous and good. Render therefore to all their dues: tri

TEXT

due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

PARAPHRASE.

bute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour.

SECT. XII.

CHAP. XIII. 8-14.

CONTENTS.

HE exhorts them to love, which is, in effect, the fulfilling

of the whole law.

TEXT.

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he, that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and, if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

PARAPHRASE.

8 Owe nothing to any body, but affection and good-will, mutually to one another: for he, that loves others sin9 cerely, as he does himself, has fulfilled the law. For this precept, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and whatever other command there be, concerning social duties, it in short is comprehended in this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour 10" as thyself." Love permits us to do no harm to our neighbour, and therefore is the fulfilling of the whole

TEXT.

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

PARAPHRASE.

11 law of the second table. And all this do, considering that it is now high time that we rouse ourselves up, shake off sleep, and betake ourselves, with vigilancy and vigour, to the duties of a christian life. For the time of your removal, out of this place of exercise and probationership, is nearer than when you first entered 12 into the profession of christianity. The night, the dark state of this world, wherein the good and the bad can scarce be distinguished, is far spent. The day, that will show every one in his own dress and colours, is at hand. Let us, therefore, put away the works, that we should be ashamed of, but in the dark; and let us put on the dress and ornaments, that we should be willing to ap13 pear in, in the light. Let our behaviour be decent, and our carriage such, as fears not the light, nor the eyes of men; not in disorderly feastings and drunkenness; nor in dalliance and wantonness: nor in strife and envy. 14 But walk in newness of life, in obedience to the precepts of the gospel, as becomes those who are baptized into

NOTES.

11, 12 It seems, by these two verses, as if St. Paul looked upon Christ's coming as not far off, to which there are several other concurrent passages in his epistles: see 1 Cor. i. 7.

12 b "Oh, armour." The word in the Greek is often used for the apparel, cloathing, and accoutrements of the body.

13 These he seems to name, with reference to the night, which he had mentioned, these being the disorders, to which the night is usually set apart.

These, probably, were set down, with regard to universal love and good, will, which he was principally here pressing them to.

PARAPHRASE.

the faith of Christ, and let not the great employment of your thoughts and cares be wholly in making provision for the body, that you may have wherewithal to satisfy your carnal lusts.

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SECT. XIII.

CHAP. XIV. 1.——XV. 13.

CONTENTS.

ST. Paul instructs both the strong and the weak in their mutual duties one to another, in respect of things indifferent, teaching them, that the strong should not use their liberty, where it might offend a weak brother: nor the weak censure the strong, for using their liberty.

TEXT.

1 HIM that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

PARAPHRASE.

1 HIM, that is weak in the faith, i. e. not fully persuaded of his christian liberty, in the use of some indifferent thing, receive you into your friendship and conversation, without any coldness, or distinction, but do not engage 2 him in disputes and controversies about it. For such variety is there in men's persuasions, about their chris

NOTE.

1 That the reception, here spoken of, is the receiving into familiar and ordinary conversation, is evident from chap. xv. 7, where he, directing them to receive one another mutually, uses the same word poorapCáveobe, i.c. live to"gether in a free and friendly manner, the weak with the strong, and the strong with the weak, without any regard to the differences among you, about the law•fulness of any indifferent things. Let those, that agree, or differ, concerning the use of any indifferent thing, live together all alike.

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