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CHAP. XIII.

The CONTENTS.

The Jews, under Pretence of being the fpecial 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 Infurrection and Followers of Judas of Galilee, mentioned Acts v. 17. [See the Note on Ver. 1.] This Infurrection had made the very Name of the Jews odious at Rome, whither St. Paul intended to go fhortly himself. Wherefore to prevent his coming under this general Scandal, and for fear the Jewish Chriftians fhould inherit this Prejudice, and be leaven'd with this Nation, the Apoftle 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 Chriftianity meddled not with any Civil Powers; and that Chrif tians of all Sorts ought to be obedient to the Conftitutions of the feveral Countries they liv'd in, out of a Principle of Duty and Confcience. Then he returns to his Exhortations to Chriftian Charity, and mutual Love to Purity, Peaceableness, and Sobriety, as the effential Duties of the Gospel Religion.

A. D. 57. 1. LET foul every

be fubject unto the higher powers. For there is no power

the

but of God:
powers that be, are
ordained of God.

1.

I

Muft give the Jewish Concular Caution against a Prejudice verts a neceflary and partithey [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 poffeffed 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 legiflative 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 fubjected you to the Roman Power, neither your Jewish nor Chriftian + Privilege exempts any of you in the leaft from a due Obe

dience to it.

2. Whosoever therefore refifteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God: and they that refift, fhall receive to themselves damnation.

2. Heathen Governments, I fay, are as much the Ordinance of God, for the Peace and Order of their feveral Kingdoms or States, as ever the Jewish one was. The Chriftian Religion meddles with none of their Powers; and whatever Chriftian opposes the fupreme Authority of the Country he lives in, oppofes the Authority of God, the Fountain and Original of all Order and Government, and muft expect the Punishment due to fo 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 Paffages in Jofepbus's Hiftory, and compares them with the main Scope of the Apoftle in this Epiftle, can, I think, have no Doubt remaining, that this Paraphrafe 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. 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 Rife of this wicked Principle was from Judas of Galilee, who by his Infurrection had fo highly provoked the Roman Government. + Ver. 1. Пaoa Juxn, Every Soul, emphaticallyJewish as well as Gentile Convert.

De Bel.

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 Juftice, and the Conftitution of the Country you inhabit, and you shall have fo little Reafon to have an Averfion 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 minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bear eth not the fword in

vain: for he is the mi

nifter of God, a re-
wrath upon him that

to execute

venger

*

4. For all Perfons in whom the fupreme Authority is lodged, whether they be one or many, whether Jews, Gentiles, or Chriftians, are the Minifters and Vice-gerents of God, for the Good and Peace of the Communities they govern. If indeed you break the Laws, and affront the Authority that made them, you may well fear, and have an Averfion to their Power; for their very Office, and the Intereft of their Government, require they should take off fuch Offenders. 5. Wherefore ye muft needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but alfo for confcience fake.

doth evil.

5. Wherefore as God is equally the Fountain of all Sorts of Governments, and your Chriftian Religion leaves them all in every Part of the World as it found them, you ought all to live peaceably under thofe Conftitutions you are at any Time fubject to, not barely out of fear of present Punishment, [which is mere civil Obedience] but from a Principle of Confcience, and of Christian Duty [which is truly religious Obedience.]

6. For, for this caufe 6. You may, perhaps, think it pay you tribute alfo: degrading + to God's People, to pay

for

Taxes

Ver. 3. To ayadov weier, Do that which is good, i. e. obey the Laws in the fame Sense with dyadorias, Well-doing, in 1 Pet. ii, 15.

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

for they are Gods mi- Taxes to Cæfar; but I tell you, A. D. 57. nifters, attending con- he has the fame Right to it that tinually upon this vé- any Jewish Governor can have, ry thing. as he is the publick Preferver 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, cuftom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

7.
Do not therefore look upon
Tribute as a Reproach upon your
Nation, but pay it chearfully as a
juft and legal Due; honour and
refpect the Government you live
under, and pay to every Magi-
ftrate and Officer employed in it,

his proper Reverence and Regard.

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

8. To return now to the Duties of mutual Love and Charity, I was before exhorting you to (Chap. xii.) be just in discharging 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 fhalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not fteal, Thou shalt not bear false witnefs,

9. For those Prohibitions against Uncleanness, Killing, Stealing, Defamation, and falfe 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

Thou shalt not covet ;
and if there be any o-
ther commandment, it done by.

is briefly comprehended in this faying, namely, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself.

U

10. Love

Note, Thele Jewish Zealots alfo might have convinced themselves of the Error of their Opinion in this Matter, even out of their own Writings, as Prov. viii. 15. Dan. ii. 22. Ecclef. xvii. 17. Deut. xxxii. 8. Wifd, vi 1, 2, 3, 4. Ifai. xliv. 28.

A. D. 57. 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: 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 awake out of fleep: for now is our falvation nearer than when we believed.

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 refpect

11. Which are fuch effential Duties of your Chriftian Profeffion, as ought to be your first and immediate Care, especially when you confider that from the Time of your firft Converfion, every Day will leffen and diminish the Obftacles you meet withal, and bring you nearer to your expected Happiness and Salvation.

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

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

13. Let us walk ho-
neftly as in the day;
not in rioting and
drunkenness, not in
chambering and wan-
tonnels, not in ftrife
and envying.

your former heathen
Envy against any of

14. But put ye on
the Lord Jefus Chrift,
and make not provifi
on for the flesh, to
fulfil the lusts thereof.
ger ftriving after the

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

14. But as Men are commonly known by the Garments they wear, fo do you endeavour to diftinguifh yourselves as the true Difciples of Jefus Chrift, no lonunneceflary Riches and Goods of

the prefent Life, which ferve only as fo much Fewei to

our bodily Lufts and finful Paffions.

CHAP.

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