Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 13 · Dialogue 4
DIAL. IIII.
Verse 4. But if thou doe that which is euill, be afraide: for he beareth not the sword in vaine, for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill.
Tim.
WHat is contained in these words?
Silas.
The second and latter end or vse for which Rulers were appointed of God, (for the punishment of euill doers) as Peter stileth it, 1. Pet. 2, 13. From whence the Apostle argueth thus to cō firme the principall matter in hand touching subiection: We ought willingly (not for feare onelyonly) be subiect to them which are helpfull to all mankinde. This proposition is not expressed, but vnderstoode. But Powers or rulers are beneficiall to mankinde, not onelyonly for praising and defending the good, but for brideling and punishing the euill, verse 3, and 4. Therefore, not for feare of wrath onelyonly, bvt for conscience sake we ought to obey them, verse 5. for it is against conscience to resist & grieue such benefactors as gouernors be. The proofe of the assumption or minor is, because to powers is giuen authority to beare and vse the sword, both for protecting the innocent by lawfull warres, and reuenging the malefactor by corporall paines, and death if neede bee. This power was granted to man, Genes. 9, 5. And afterwards oftentimes confirmed in Exodus and Deuteronomie.
Tim.
Come to the words and interprete them.
Silas.
By doing euill is meant, trespasses and crimes committed against positiue and politick lawes. For there are many euil deeds sorbiden in Gods law, which Magistrates can take no knowledge of, or cannot call vntounto an account to punish, as euill thoughtes, and manie totten words and vaine actions; therefore criminall and capitall faults be meant. They which be guilty of such, may well be affraide of powers, for they hauehave power to strike for such deeds.
Tim.
What is our lesson from hence?
Silas.
That innocent persons are dreadlesse and bold, but breakers of Gods Law do go and liue in continuall terror, as Theeues, murtherers, traitors, dare not looke out. The reason is, because innocency is as a bulwarke and fortresse to the good, and the Lawes also & powers are for their safegard; whereas the guilt of an euil conscience, is as a tormentor to the euill doer, who knoweth powers and lawes to be ordained for scourging and curbing them. Hence it is, that the wicked and disobedient liuers do feare and flie, and hide their heades, and seeke the darknesse to couer them, as Cain did & as with vsus Fellons and Malefactors do; when guiltlesse persons are fearlesse and confident, and shunne not the light, because they hauehave not done euill against lawes. The three seruants of God, being conuented before the King, and sore threatned, saide; O King we are not affraide to answer thee, Dan. 3, 16. Iohn and Peter (Acts 4, 13.) being broght before the Rulers, so stoutly answered (out of the goodnesse of their cause and conscience) as the Elders and Priests admired to see vnlettered men so bold; whereas euill men commonly shake and tremble in the presence of the Magistrate, and look pale as if death were in their faces, because guilt is in their conscience. This serues to be a notable spur to subiection, to cause vsus to walk obediently towards Rulers in all ready subiection to Lawes and orders well established for publicke good, that wee may enioy that freedome from perplexed & slauish feare, which as a Ghost or fiend doth follow euill doers, to disquiet and vexe them, liuing in continual feare and dread of the sword, and seuerity of Iustice.
Tim.
What is meant heere by the [Sword,] and in what sense is it saide not to be [borne in vaine?]
Sias.
This is not spoken of an ecclesiasticall or spirituall sword, which is by the hands of God himselfe put into the hands of Church officers, whereof Paul entreated before, Chap. 12. verse 7, 8. Heere he speakes of ciuil officers, to whom custome and tribute are payde; and therefore this must be vnderstoode of a materiall sword, by which he meaneth (Mctonymically) the right & power of drawing the sword for good subiectes against euill ones, and (Synecdochically) armor and weapons of all kindes, together with all coactiue and coercitiue power whatsoeuer, is to be exercised for the safety of the body polliticke, and the suppression of all enemies therof, either domesticall and intestine, or forreigne. In the tearme of bearing the sword, he hath respect without al question, vntounto the custome of Princes and great Rulers, who as Ensignes of their authority, and for the moouing terror in the minds of rebellious ones, vse to hauehave scourges or rods, Axes and swordes, carried before them by Sergeants and officers. This sworde is saide not to bee [borne in vaine] in two sences. First, hee beareth it not rashly. Secondly, or not without cause or end. The former hath relation to the beginning or first cause of the sword, which the Magistrate hath not caught or snatched to himselfe by violence, nor commeth it to him by fortune or chance, but it is put into his hands by diuine ordinance, to bee weilded and vsed not blindly, according to his owne priuate lust, but by reason and publick Lawes: the latter sence aimeth at the vses and endes of the ciuill sword, which be three. One for the protection of the good: secondly, for suppression of euill: thirdly, for execution of Iustice.
Tim.
What Doctrines from these words thus opened?
Silas.
Two: First, the power and vse of the sword doth belong, yea it is proper to the ciuil Magistrate to whō it granted of God (and not to the Minister of the worde) to be as it were the very sinnews and strength of his authority. A Minister may weare, but not beare a sworde. Peter may shew the sword, and offer to strike with it, but Christ will both command him to put it into his sheath, and tell him further, that he shall perish with the sword if he take it. [Take it] shewes that the sword in the Ministers hand is taken and vsurped. It is not put there and giuen of God, and therefore without their perill, yea, without perill of perishing, cannot be assumed of them. For all this, and notwithstanding Christ hauehave in Lu. 22, 25. plainly distinguished betweene ciuill and ecclesiasticall power, as touching external rule and regiment, saying (but you not so,) that is, shall not vse such manner of Titles and Regiments as Kings do; yet the Pope and his Prelates intrude vponupon this right of ciuill Rulers, & challenge to themselues the power of both swords, yea and execute temporall iurisdiction, as well as spirituall. On the other side, the Anabaptistes offend in the other extreame, denying vntounto Christian Rulers all power & vse of the sworde. Wherein they crosse the manifest Scripture, and also what lyeth in them ouerthrowe humane policy, and so deserue punishment, as violaters and disturbers of Gods order, and mans society, by denying such a necessary help, as without which, any good lawes cannot be made nor executed, neither in peace nor war; the euil docr cānot be restrained, nor the obedient subiect and Citizen maintained without the sword.
Tim.
What then is the second doctrine from these words?
Silas.
Such as hauehave the power of the sword, they must not hauehave it in vaine, and for nothing; they are bound to make vse of it, and to conuert it to the right endes for which God did ordaine and giuegive it. Whereof one reason is, that it is the will of God that it should not bee borne idlely, being suffered to rust in the sheath. Secondly, it standeth with the office of the Ruler, vppon occasion to draw it out on Gods behalfe, & in his stead (whose ministers and seruants they be) to take vengeance and punishment on such as doe offend: so as not to vse it, is to frustrate Gods institution, and to do against their owne duty. The Church, the Families, the Schools, hauehave their swords to fight withall: the Church hath the word of God, that two edged sword, Heb, 4, 12. The sworde of the Spirit, Ephe. 6, 17. The chastising rod is in stead of a sword vntounto the Father, and Schoole-maister. As all these are bound to make a right vse of the sword, by right Censures and corrections, without conniuence or cruelty; & if they should by remisse or slack vse of their power, suffer sinne and vices to grow and encrease in church, house or schoole, they should deserue blame, and were woorthy themselues to be beaten, because they do not what they may to hinder the breed and multiplication of iniquities: so much more (as his power is great, & the hurt more) the Magistrate is blame-worthy, if he be carelesse and will not, or fearfull and dare not conuert his power of punnishing, to the hinderance of enormities in the Commonwealth. For by impunity sinne will waxe impudent and fruitfull. It will boldly spreade it selfe in al places where it is not checked & controuled, like a shamelesse Strumpet; and it wil fall out in the reckoning, that Rulers will be found culpable and guilty of such crimes, as by his softnesse and sufferance be committed. For with God it is much one, whether one bee a dooer of euill, or no hinderer, and so a consenter and a fosterer. On the otherside, by the diligent and conscionable vse of the sword, not onelyonly the Ruler is discharged, but there is a terror stricken into the hearts of euill men, which staies them from running headlong to vice, as Salomon saith, The blewnesse of the wound driueth out euill. And Deut. 18. Crimes must be punished by the Iudge, that the rest may feare and do no such euill. Also 1 Tim. 5, 24. scandalous Ministers must be openly rebuked, that others may be terrified: so as there is a double benefite comes by correcting vices, according to their quality. One, the reformation of the offender, as the theese on the Crosse was reclaimed by his paine: and secondly the restraint of others that would offend, were they not feared by example of punishment.
Thus as the body by purging out noxious humors, the garden by weeding, the flocke by tarring scabbed sheepe be kept sound, cleane & heathfull: so the commonwealth is purged of much euill, and preserued from infection of vices by seuere punishments. To these we may adde a third commodity of the sword, that (as Chrysostome saith) it makes the wayes of vertue easie, when to the vertuous life of the Ruler there is added the impulsion and force of lawes well executed. This brought many Donatists from that wicked secte to imbrace the Catholike truth, wherevpon Augustine corrected his error, touching the not punishing of heretickes. Lastly, in that they are entituled the Ministers of God: let this helpe to nourish reuerence towards them, to hauehave them in good reputation for the Lords sake, 1. Pet. 2, 13. Secondly, let it assure Rulers they shall not lacke Gods assistance and protection, see Ioshua 1, 5, 6, 7. If kings will maintaine their Iudges, Sheriffes, Iustices, and these doe beare out their vnderunder-Officers doing but their duties, yea to the punishing of such as resist or make rescues: How can it bee that God should cast off the care and defence of his Ministers and seruants, executing but his iudgements? he will certainly be a shield and a bucklet to such shields of the earth (so the Psalmist calles Rulers) as be found vpright and valiant.