CHAP. XIII.

The CONTENTS.

The Jews, under Pretence of being the special People of God, had an Averfion to all Governors but what were of God's special Appointment, and were of their own Nation. They thought Subjection to the Roman Power, a Derogation to God and his Church, and paying Taxes to Heathen Emperors, a Reproach not to be comply'd with. In all Probability this wicked Principle amongst the Jews was derived first from the Insurrection and Followers of Judas of Galilee, mentioned Acts v. 17. [See the Note on Ver. 1.] This Insurrection had made the very Name of the Jews odious at Rome, whither St. Paul intended to go shortly himself. Wherefore to prevent his coming under this general Scandal, and for fear the Jewish Christians should inherit this Prejudice, and be leaven'd with this Notion, the Apostle warns them against it in this Chapter, by declaring God to be equally the Author and Ordainer of Heathen Go vernments, as of the Jewish. That Christianity meddled not with any Civil Powers; and that Chriftians of all Sorts ought to be obedient to the Constitutions of the feveral Countries they liv'd in, out of a Principle of Duty and Confcience. Then he returns to his Exhortations to Christian Charity, and mutual Love; to Purity, Peaceableness, and Sobriety, as the effential Duties of the Gospel Religion.

A. D. 57. 1. LET every foul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God.

1.

I

Muft give the Jewish Converts a necessary and particular Caution against a Prejudice they [many of them, at least, may] labour under with respect to the civil Government in which they live. They are still apt to

be

be possessed with the Jewish Notion, * That God alone A. D. 57.
is their Lord and Governor, as his peculiar People; are
loth to acknowledge any heathen Power, or own any
Prince that is not of their own Nation, and of God's
Special Appointment. But let them know, that God
confines himself to no fuch Measures, even with his own
Church and People. Government, or the fupreme le-
gislative Power, is the Ordinance of God, in every
Country as well as in the Jewish Land; and as it was
the Hand of Providence that subjected you to the Ro-
man Power, neither your Jewish nor Chriftian + Pri-
vilege exempts any of you in the least from a due Obe-
dience to it.

2. Whosoever there

fore refifteth the pow-
er, refifteth the ordi-
nance of God: and
they that resist, shall

receive to themselves

damnation.

2. Heathen Governments, I say, are as much the Ordinance of God, for the Peace and Order of their several Kingdoms or States, as ever the Jewish one was. The Christian Religion meddles with

none of their Powers; and whatever Christian opposes the fupreme Authority of the Country he lives in, opposes the Authority of God, the Fountain and Original of all Order and Government, and must expect the Punishment due to so capital a Crime.

3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Wilt

3. And 'tis very fit he should, because all civil Governments whatever are intended of God

for

* Any READER that does but look on Matth. xxii. 17. or could read the Jewish Talmud, or even the innumerable Pafsages in Jofepbus's History, and compares them with the main Scope of the Apostle in this Epistle, can, I think, have no Doubt remaining, that this Paraphrase includes all that St. Paul intended with relation to Obedience to civil Government. See Jofephus Antiq. Lib. XVIII. Cap. 1, 2. And De Bel. Jud. Lib. II. Cap. 12. XX. Antiq. Cap. 6, 7. De Bel. Jud. Lib. II. Cap. 23. IV. 10, 11, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24, 30, 35. and VII. 30, 34, 35, 37. Whence 'tis plain, the Rise of this wicked Principle was from Judas of Galilee, who by his Infurrection had so highly provoked the Roman Government. + Ver. 1. Πᾶσα ψυχή, Every Soul, emphaticallyJewish as well as Gentile Convert.

A. D. 57. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is * good, and thou shalt have praise of the fame.

for one and the fame good End, viz. Defending the Community in their Rights and Properties, and preserving the publick Peace, by proper Laws of Restraint and Penalty upon Offenders against it. Do you therefore but live according to the Laws of Justice, and the Constitution of the Country you inhabit, and you shall have so little Reason to have an Aversion to any Kind of Government, that you will fee the very Nature of it to tend to your Encouragement

and Protection.

4. For he is the mi-
nifter of God to thee
for good. But if thou
do that which is evil,
be afraid; for he bear-

eth not the sword in
vain: for he is the mi-
nifter of God, a re-

4. For all Persons in whom the supreme Authority is lodged, whether they be one or many, whether Jews, Gentiles, or Christians, are the Ministers and Vice-gerents of God, for the Good and Peace of the Communities they govern. If indeed you break the Laws, and wrath upon him that affront the Authority that made them, you may well fear, and have an Aversion to their Power; and the Interest of their Governshould take off such Offenders.

venger

doth evil.

to execute

for their very Office,
ment, require they
5. Wherefore ye must
5. Wherefore as God is equal-
needs be subject, not ly the Fountain of all Sorts of
only for wrath, but al- Governments, and your Christian
so for confcience fake. Religion leaves them all in every
Part of the World as it found them, you ought all to
live peaceably under those Conftitutions you are at any
Time subject to, not barely out of fear of prefent Pu-
nishment, [which is mere civil Obedience] but from a
Principle of Confcience, and of Christian Duty [which is
truly religious Obedience.]

6. For, for this cause 6. You may, perhaps, think it pay you tribute also: degrading † to God's People, to pay Taxes

for

* Ver. 3. Τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποίει, Do that which is good, i. e. obey the Laws in the fame Sense with ἀγαθοποιῶνας, Well-doing, in 1 Pet. ii. 15.

+ See Jofeph. Antiq. Lib. XVIII. Cap. 1. and of the Jewiso Wars, Lib. VII. Cap. 28.

for they are Gods minifters, attending continually upon this very thing.

Taxes to Cæfar; but I tell you, A. D. 57.
he has the same Right to it that
any Jewish Governor can have,

as he is the publick Preserver of our common Rights, and by divine Providence made the Guardian of the Empire; to the Maintenance whereof, every Subject ought to contribute his Share, as a Member of it *.

7. Render therefore

to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to fear, honour to whom

honour.

his proper Reverence

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

7. Do not therefore look upon Tribute as a Reproach upon your Nation, but pay it chearfully as à just and legal Due; honour and respect the Government you live under, and pay to every Magistrate and Officer employed in it, and Regard.

8. To return now to the Du-
ties of mutual Love and Charity,
I was before exhorting you to
(Chap. xii.) be just in discharging

hath fulfilled the law:
all Debts and Dues to each other
as far as poffibly you can. Only remember, Love is a
Debt that will last you your whole Lives, a Bond that
will remain in force to your Dying-day, as being a
Duty that includes all the Commands of the second
Table of the Law.

9. For this, Thou shalt not commit a

dultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt

9. For those Prohibitions against
Uncleanness, Killing, Stealing, De-
famation, and false Evidence, and
all Precepts whatever, relating to
the Rights of our Neighbour, are
all included in that of loving, or
doing to others as we would be
done by.

not steal, Thou shalt
not bear false witness,
Thou shalt not covet;
and if there be any o-
ther commandment, it
is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself.

U

A. D. 57. 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighb›ur: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Power; it is the Sum our Neighbour.

11. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to a

10. For as this Duty restrains a Man from every Injury, and obliges him to all good Offices to others, that fairly lie in his total of all the Laws that respect

11. Which are such essential Duties of your Christian Profeffion, as ought to be your first and wake out of fleep: for immediate Care, especially when

now is our falvation
nearer than when we

believed.

you confider that from the Time of your first Converfion, every Day will lessen and diminish the Obstacles you meet withal, and bring you nearer to your expected Happiness and Salvation.

12. The night is
far spent, the day is at
hand: let us therefore
caft off the works of

darkness, and let us
put on the armour of

12. You Gentile Converts ought particularly to reflect on yourselves, as delivered from the dark Eftate of Ignorance and Idolatry; brought into the happy Light of true Religion, and so immediately and indispensably obliged to renounce all your former shameful and heathenith Practices, and live up to the pure and excellent Rules of your holy Profeffion.

light.

13. Letus walk honeftly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

13. To behave yourselves in fuch a fober, decent, and prudent Manner, as that your Actions may be seen by any Body without Offence or Reproach; no longer indulging any intemperate, lewd, or wanton Conversation among your former heathen Acquaintances, nor any Strife or Envy against any of your Christian Brethren.

14. But as Men are commonly known by the Garments they wear, so do you endeavour to distinguish yourselves as the true fulfil the lufts thereof. Disciples of Jesus Christ, no longer striving after the unnecessary Riches and Goods of the present Life, which serve only as so much Fewei to our bodily Lufts and finful Passions.