1.16 For magistracy is the ordinance of God, for the general good. Rom. to themselves dam 3 For rulers are thou shalt have EECT. public peace and order: and they who with- God: and they that xxix. stand so wise and beneficial an appointment, resist, shall receive shall receive to themselves condemnation, not only nation. xiii. 2 from the civil powers they injure, but from the supreme Sovereign, whose laws they break, and whose order they endeavour to reverse. 3 And indeed the gospel purposes to which magistracy is subservient, make it very apparent, not a terror to good that God must be displeased when that is de- evil. Wilt thou then works, but to the spised: for rulers, in their several offices, are not not be afraid of the on the whole a terror to good works, but to such power? Do that as are evil, being intended to encourage the which is good, and former, by punishing the latter. Wouldest thou praise of the same: not therefore be afraid of the high authority with which they are invested? Do that which is good, and thou shalt, according to the general course of administration, have not only protection, but 4 praise and respect from it. This, I say, may reasonably be expected, and will be the case, minister of God to where the magistrate understands himself and thee for good. But his office for he is, according to the original if thou do that which appointment, to be considered as elevated above his fellow men, not for his own indulgence, dominion, and advantage, but that he might be to thee, and to all the rest of his subjects, as the servant and instrument of God for thine and the public good. But if thou dost that which is evil, and so makest thyself the enemy of that : Are not a terror to good works, &c.] If circumstances arise in which this argument is not applicable, it is reasonable to be taken for granted, that the apostle did not intend here to pronounce concerning such cases. Nothing can be said for in terpreting these passages in favour of unlimited passive obedience, which will not prove any resistance of a private injury unlawful, by the authority of our Lord's decision; Matt. v. 39, 40. And this would subvert the great foundation of magistracy itself, which is appointed by force to ward off and prevent it, or avenge such injuries. But it was very prudent in the apostle not to enter into any question relating to the right of resistance in some extraordinary cases; as those cases are comparatively few, and as the justest decisions which he could have given on that subject might possibly have been misrepresented, to his own detriment, and that of the gospel. The general laws of benevolence 4 For he is the to the whole, so strongly asserted in this context, are in particular cases to determine; and all particular precepts, in whatever universal terms they are delivered, are always to give way to them. 4 tion, &c.] As it is certain the case often In the general course of administrais otherwise, and was particularly so with respect to Nero, under whom this epistle, was written; it is necessary to interpret the words with this latitude. And there is great reason to conclude, that magistrates in general are in fact much more beneficial, than hurtful, to society, which is a good argument for a general submission; and that was, as we observed above, all the apostle could intend to enforce. Compare the sense is similar, and is to be underProv. xviii. 22, where, if I mistake not, stood thus, "generally speaking, a wife is a felicity, rather than a detriment to her husband, though to be sure there are many excepted instances.” Subjection and tribute are therefore due for conscience sake. 147 sword in vain : for xxix. Rom. is evil, be afraid; for society of which he is the guardian, thou hast SECT. he beareth not the indeed reason to be afraid: for he holdeth not he is the minister of the sword of justice, which God hath put into God, a revenger to his hand, in vain. It was given him for this xiii. 4 execute wrath upon very purpose, that he might smite malefactors, him that doth evil. and thereby preserve peace and order in his dominions. And in doing it, he is to be regarded, not as acting a severe and oppressive part, but as the servant and substitute of God; an avenger appointed in his name, to [execute,] not his own personal resentment, but the wrath of a righteous Providence, against him that doth evil, in instances wherein it would be highly improper to leave that avenging power 5 Wherefore ye in the hands of private injured persons. There- 5 must needs be sub-fore, when this is considered, piety, as well as ject, not only for wrath, but also for prudence, and human virtue, will teach thee, that it is necessary to be in a regular subjection, not only out of regard to the dread thou mayest reasonably have of that wrath and punishment which man can execute; but also for the sake of conscience, which will be violated, and armed with reproaches against you, if you disturb the public peace, and resist the kind purposes of God, by opposing governors, while they act This is in effect, what 6 conscience sake. 6 For, for this under his commission. cause pay you trib- all subjects profess to own, as on this account ute also for they are God's ministers, you also pay tribute; which magistrates every attending continual- where receive, and is levied for this apparent ly upon this very reason, that they are to be considered as the thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom trib ministers of the good providence of God, who On this principle, therefore, be careful that 7 you render to all what is justly their due; even though you may have opportunities of defrauding them of it, to your own immediate and temporal advantage. To whom tribute [is due,] for your persons or estates, [render] such tribute, Holdeth not the sword in vain.] This flicting capital punishment, which to deny strongly intimates the lawfulness of in- is subverting the chief use of magistracy. 148 All social duties summed up in the love of our neighbour. Rom. xiii. 7 On 8 Owe no man any one another: for he SECT. or taxes ; and to whom custom is due, for any ute is due, custom to xxix. commodity exported, or imported, render that whom custom, fear custom; and seek not clandestinely to convey our to whom honour. to whom fear, honsuch commodities away, without paying it. To whom reverence is due, on account of their worth and character, render reverence; and to whom any external form of civil honour and respect is due, by virtue of their office and rank of life, though it should so happen that they have no peculiar merit to recommend them to your regard, scruple not to pay all proper marks of honour; and guard against that stiffness, which, under pretence of Christian simplicity, by disputing such common forms, may rather 8 indulge pride, and occasion reproach. the whole, owe nothing to any, but endeavour thing, but to love to manage your affairs with that economy and that loveth another, prudent attention, that you may as soon as pos- hath fulfilled the sible balance accounts with all who have de- law. mands upon you, except it be with respect to that debt, which, while you pay, you will be renewing; I mean, the obligation you will ever be under to love one another. That I would recommend to your constant care; for he that loveth another, hath in a compendious manner fulfilled every thing that the law requireth with 9 respect to him. For that [precept,] Thou 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, shalt not commit Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false not kill, Thou shalt adultery, Thou shalt witness against thy neighbour, Thou shalt not not steal, Thou shalt covet any thing that is thy neighbour's, and uny not bear false witother command respecting our fellow creatures, ness, Thou shalt not if such [there be] is summed up in this one ex- any other commandcellent and comprehensive precept, which I wish ment, it is briefmay be engraven on all our hearts, so as to ly comprehended in regulate every affection and action; Thou shalt this saying, namely, love thy neighbour as thyself. Thou shalt learn neighbour as thyself. to put thyself, as it were, in his place, and to act as, in a supposed change of circumstances, thou covet; and if there be Thou shalt love thy & Tribute to whom tribute.] It is well elled, though without pointing them out known that the Jews had a favourite no- in any invidious manner. tion among them, that they, as the peculiar people of God, were exempted from obligations to pay tribute to Gentiles; (Joseph. Antiq. lib. xviii. cap. 1; Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 1, § 2, & cap. 8, (al. 7,) § 1;) against which this passage is directly lev. Reverence.] This must certainly be the import of poou here, as also, of p67al Eph. v. ult. and it expresses the inward disposition, as run, honour, expresses the conduct and external behaviour, proceeding from it. Christians are to put off the works of darkness, bour: therefore love law. 149 Rom. xiii. 10 Love worketh couldest reasonably desire to be treated. Now SECT. no ill to his neigh- it is very obvious, that love worketh no evil to xxix. is the fulfilling of the one's neighbour; nay, wherever that noble principle governs, it will put men upon doing all they can, to ward off injury from one another, 10 and to make the life of each as comfortable and happy as possible: therefore it may well be said, as it is asserted above, that love [is] the accomplishment of the whole law. Il And that, know. to awake out of And let me urge you to attend to this, and to 11 ing the time, that the other precepts I have given, with so much now it is high time the greater diligence, knowing the circumsleep for now is our stances of the present season; which, if you consalvation nearer than sider, you will see that [it is] high time now to when we believed. awake out of sleep, and vigorously to improve every opportunity of doing good, and prosecuting the great business of life, which is to secure the Divine favour, and your final happiness for our great expected salvation [is] now considerably nearer than when we at first believed. We have complete salvation in view, it is continually advancing upon us, flying forwards, as it were, on the swiftest wings of time; and that which remains, interposed between the present moment, and our entering on the promised reward, is comparatively but 12 The night is a very small span. Act therefore at all times, far spent, the day is in a holy subordination to such a circumstance! fore cast off the And since the night is far advanced, since the works of darkness, dark state of the present life, in which we often and let us put on the confound good and bad, is almost over, and armour of light. at hand: let us there. 12 the day is drawing near, even that day which will shew every thing in its proper colours and forms; let us therefore put off the works, which suit only a state of darkness, and let us put on the complete armour of light. Let us be clothed with all the Christian graces, which like burnished and beautiful armour, will be at once an ornament and defence, and which will reflect the bright beams that are so gloriously 13 Let us walk rising upon us. And as [being] now in the clear 13 honestly, as in the and open day, let us take care to walk decently, honourably, and gracefully; since the lustre, already shining about us, requires great refor Let us walk honourably and grace. Dr. Milner renders it, let us walk with a fully.] So woxnuevas exactly signifies. grace. Fading Flowers of Life, p. 38. 150 and to put on the Lord Jesus. SECT. mation and exemplary holiness: not in rioting day; not in rioting xxix. and drunken debauches, not in chambering, ef. and drunkenness, not feminacy, and lasciviousness; the vices in which in chambering and xiii. so many are wasting and polluting the hours strife and envying. 13 which nature has destined to necessary repose : Rom. m wantonness, not in 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus not in the contention and emulation which the indulgence of such irregular desires often oc14 casion. But laying aside all these abominations and enormities, let us put on the Lord Je sus Christ, our great Sovereign and Saviour. Christ, and make not provision for the Endeavour, my brethren, to obtain thegreatest flesh, to fulfil the conformity to his temper, and to appear as like lusts thereof. him as possible, in every particular in which he can be the object of our imitation; for that short precept will contain all that is necessary to adorn our profession to its greatest height. And while so many are spending their time, and thoughts, and substance, in those low pursuits which regard only the meaner part of their nature; make not a solicitous provision for the flesh, to fulfil its] irregular desires, nor be intent in pleasing any of the senses, even where their demands may not appear directly criminal; but labour to preserve the superiority of the immortal spirit, and to keep it continually under the discipline of so holy, and so noble a religion. IMPROVEMENT. verse WHILE subjects learn reverence and obedience to their mag1-5 istrates, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake, may magis Chambering Kolas.] This Leigh explains of lying long in bed. I will not defend that sense of the word; but I will here record the observation which I have found of great use to myself, and to which I may say, that the production of this work, and most of my other writings, is owing; viz. that the difference between rising at 5, and at 7 of the clock in the morning, for the space of forty years, supposing a man to go to bed at the same hour at night, is nearly equivalent to the addition of ten years to a man's life, of which, (supposing the two hours in question to be spent,) 8 hours every day should be employed in study and devotion. 1 Effeminacy and lasciviousness.] I think xy, properly signifies a soft, luxurious, and effeminate manner of life, attended with an affected delicacy very detrimental to that resolution which is so necessary an ingredient in the character of one who would approve himself a good soldier of Fesus Christ. A in Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.] strong expression for endeavouring to be clothed with all the virtues and graces which composed his character. Which reminds me of what Plutarch tells us concerning the kings of Persia; that on their coronation day, they put on a robe, which the first Cyrus wore before he was king, to remind them of imitating his exemplary temper and behaviour. Plutarch. Artaxerx. apud Opera, Tom. vi. p. 1851, Edit. Steph. 1572. It is observable, the apostle does not say, "put on purity, and sobriety, peacefulness, and benevolence," but he, in effect, says all at once, in saying, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. |