A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Romans · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
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. And one of the Duties that are neceſſary to your Peace, and required of God, is your due Subjection to Governours: Take heed therefore of their Opinion who think, that Chriſt hath ſet us free from Humane Government: For God is the God of Order: and as in Natural Effects he uſeth Natural Means, ſo in Politick Government he uſeth Officers. I ſpeak not of meer Strength, but of Authority, or Right to Govern: And as ſubordinate Magiſtrates have no ſuch Power, but what is given them by the Supreme; ſo it is impoſſible that Supreme Rulers on Earth can have true Authority, but what is given them by God, the Univerſal Sovereign; even as impoſſible, as for any Creature to be what it is without a Creator: For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Even where you muſt not obey a ſinful Command, yet you muſt be ſubject ſtill. None are exempted from this Duty; for Government is the Ordinance of God.
2. Whoſoever therefore reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth the ordinance of God, and they that reſiſt ſhall receive to themſelves damnation.
2. Whoever therefore will not be ſubject to Humane Government, but reſiſteth True Authority, reſiſteth a needful Ordinance of God, and deſerveth Puniſhment from God and Man.
3. For rulers are not a terror 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.
3. For as God is the Ordainer of Government in general, ſo he hath ſpecified their Office, as to the univerſally neceſſary part, and bound them as his Officers to ſee to the Execution of his Univerſal Laws, as the King binds Juſtices to execute his Laws: And therefore their Office and Authority received from God, is not to be Perſecutors, or a Terror to Good Works, but to puniſh the Evil: For God giveth no Authority againſt himſelf, or his Laws. If therefore thou fear this Power given of God, do that which is good, and it will further thy Encouragement and Praiſe. Even Heathens, by ſeeing to the Execution of the Law of Nature, will promote Natural Virtue, and ſuppreſs and puniſh Vice.
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.
4. And let not bad Mens abuſe of Government make thee think evil of the Office: For they are but God's Servants or Officers, not authoriſed to deſtroy and to do miſchief, but to do good, even to ſee to the Execution of God's Laws by their own, and to take care of the Common Welfare. But if thou do evil, fear them; for God hath not entruſted them with the Sword in vain, (much leſs for miſchief.) For they are God's Officers, Revengers of Sin, to execute God's Wrath and Man's on Sinners: And ſo to reſiſt them, is to reſiſt the Officers of God; and to honour and obey them, is to honour and obey God that hath authoriſed them.
5. Wherefore ye muſt needs be ſubject, not only for wrath, but alſo for conſcience ſake.
5. Wherefore you ought to be ſubject (even when you may not obey) not onelyonly for fear of Puniſhment from Man, but in Conſcience of your Duty to God who ordaineth them.
6. For, for this cauſe pay you tribute alſo: for they are Gods miniſters, attending continually upon this very thing.
6. Therefore honourable Maintenance and Tribute is their due: For they are God's Servants, whoſe very O…ce and daily Care and Labour is to do his Service for the Common Good.
7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, cuſtom to whom cuſtom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.
7. I am not perſwading you to own Uſurpation, or to give Men that which is not their due; not yet do I determine among ſeveral Claimers, which is the Supreme: But that you give all their proper due; Tribute, Cuſtom, Fear, and Honour, to every one to whom they are due. And let not Covetouſneſs or Diſobedience hinder you.
8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
8. Diſcharge your Debts, and give all Men the due which you owe them, (elſe you are unjuſt, and rob them): Only Love we ſhall ſtill owe to one another, and ſhall thus owe it even while we pay it. And to pay this Debt of ſincere Love, is to fulfil all the Law to Man.
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 thy ſelf.
9. For all our Duty to Man is virtually comprehended in Loving them as our ſelves: For a Man will not wrong the Life, the Eſtate, the Marriage right, the Honour of himſelf, nor falſely accuſe or proſecute himſelf, or covet from himſelf, or thoſe that he loveth as himſelf. Bring Men once to this unfeigned Love, and Hurtfulneſs, Covetouſneſs, Fraud, Falſe Accuſation, Perſecution, and all Injuſtice, will ceaſe.
10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
10. As we are not apt to hurt our ſelves, ſo true Love would not hurt others, in their Lives, Liberties, Eſtates, or Good Names, (much leſs ſtudy to deſtroy them.) Therefore Love is the virtual fulfilling of all our Duty to them.
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.
11. And we ſhould increaſe in this careful diſcharge of our Duty of Love and Juſtice, though in the State of Infidelity we lived in ſuch Sins: For by this time we ſhould be better acquainted with our Duties, and awaked to all conſcionable performance of them, we being neerer our Reward and Salvation than when we were firſt converted to the Faith; and God expecteth now more from us.
12. The night is far ſpent, the day is at hand: Let us therefore caſt off the works of darkneſs, & let us put on the armour of light.
12. We are now got further from our former State of Darkneſs: We are now come to the Day-light of Illuminating Grace, and under the Increaſe thereof. The Church is growing to a more Honourable State by its Increaſe. Let us therefore more reſolvedly caſt off all the Works of Heatheniſh Darkneſs, and, as Chriſt's Soldiers, put on our Sacred Armour, and uſe it as in the Day-light of Grace.
13. Let us walk honeſtly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenneſs, not in chambering and wantonneſs, not in ſtrife and envying.
13. Seeing we are in the Light, let us walk modeſtly and decently, as becometh our Condition; not as the Heathens, in rioting and drunkenneſs; not in laſciviouſneſs, and uncleanneſs, and fleſhly luſts; not in proud, ſelfiſh, or covetous ſtrife and envy.
14. But put ye on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make not proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil luſts thereof.
14. But let Chriſt, his Spirit and Love, his Doctrine and Example, his Intereſt and Kingdom, take you up, and be to you as the Cloathing which you daily wear: And do not as Carnal Men, (whoſe fleſhly Pleaſure and Proſperity is their choice and beſt) that live to the ſaid fleſhly Pleaſure, and make proviſion to ſatisfie the Carnal Will and Luſt, in ſtead of preferring the Heavenly Treaſure.
ANNOTATIONS.
Qu. I. WHat is meant here by Powers? Anſ. Not meer Strength, but Authority or Right to Govern. It is not foreign, but foreign: A Uſurpers Strength may be reſiſted; but Rightful Power or Authority may not.
Qu. II. Doth St. Paul determine here either of the Species or Individually, who it is that hath the Higheſt Power? Anſ. Not at all. In thoſe Ages, and long after, ſometime the Senate claimed the Supremacy wholly, and ſometime a part of it; ſometime they pretended to make Emperours, and ſome Emperours yielded them more than others: But whether the Senate or the Emperour were the Higheſt Power, or the Supremacy in both conjunct, or which de ſpecie was moſt juſt, Paul medleth not.
Qu. How then would he have the Chriſtians know whom to obey? Anſ. He leaveth that to be known by its proper Evidence, and not by Divine Revelation by him.
Qu. III. Is no Power to do wrong ordained of God? Or is all ſuch ordained by him? Anſ. Power here being Right to Govern, no Man hath Right to do Wrong, that's a Contradiction: But God hath ordained that Right which may be abuſed to do Wrong, and yet not reſiſted.
Qu. IV. What's meant by Subjection? Anſ. A State of Conſent and Obligation to obey. Obedience is the Practice of Subjection.
Qu. V. Hath the Univerſal [every Soul] no Exception? Anſ. The Higher Powers themſelves are excepted: And neither Foreigners, nor thoſe that have no Governours, are bound to be ſubject to other Princes: It is only their own Subjects that are meant. And the Pope could have no pretence to except his Clergy, if he did not feign himſelf to be the Higheſt Power over them, and above their Kings and States?
Qu. VI. Is Obedience to go as far as Subjection? Anſ. No: We muſt not obey any by disobeying God: But yet we muſt continue Subjection and Due honour to them, and not deny them their due, becauſe we muſt not give them more by Sin.
Qu. What then are the Limits of our Obedience to Men? Anſ. 1. Materially, we muſt not obey any by Sin, nor yet againſt the Common Good, to do more hurt than good, when they command without due Power or Right. 2. As to formal Obedience, (which is to act by the Obligation of their Authority) the Limits of their Power are the Limits of that Obligation and Obedience.
Qu. What are the Limits of their Power? Anſ. In general, they have no more from God than he giveth them 1. They have no Power againſt any of his Laws, of Nature or Scripture, nor againſt his Kingdom, or himſelf. 2. They have no Right or Power to overthrow Perſonal, or Family, or Church-Government; nor to deprive any of any thing which God hath given them, without forfeiture or Conſent, explicit or implicit; nor to deſtroy the Common Good.
2. Therefore that Propriety which God hath given Man as Man, (in Life, and Limbs, and the uſe of his Faculties for his Welfare and his Duty to God, and his Wife and Children) are ſuch objective Limitations of this Power, that no Man hath Right to take them from any, but on Forfeiture, or valid Conſent.
Qu. VII. How far is all Power of God, and how far of Men? Anſ. 1. It is of God's Ordination in Nature, That there be Government and Subjection in general. 2. And the Specification is ſo far of God, that he hath made them his Officers: 1. To promote Obedience to his own Law: 2. For his Glory, and the Common Good. So that no People can make a Power that ſhall not have Right to promote God's Law; 2. or that ſhall deſtroy the Common Good. 3. God's Providence doth ſo manage the Affairs of the World, as ſhall point out the Man or Families that the People ſhould accept of firſt while free, as qualified by Strength, Wiſdom and Goodneſs, for Authority. 4. Monarchy and Ariſtocracy in ſpecie are both of Divine Allowance.
2. But it is of Men, 1. Which of theſe ſorts (Monarchy, or Ariſtocracy, or Mixt) ſhall by a Free People be choſen… 2. And who (by ſuch a Free People) ſhall be choſen for the Perſons or Families. 3. And what degree of Power they ſhall have over their Proprieties (which are antecedent to Regiment) in undetermined Caſes. So that Government is partly from God, and partly from Man.
Qu. VIII. By what Right doth one Perſon or Family claim it before all others. Anſ. The foregoing Words decide this. 1. Not by meer Worth, Wit, or Vertue: For theſe may be without ſuch Authority. 2. Not by meer Strength or Conqueſt: For then every Rebel, or Foreign Prince, that can conquer Kings, will have the Right; which would tempt them to attempt ſuch Conqueſt. 3. Not every Conqueſt made juſt by ſome Injury; For that giveth Right but to Repriſal or Damages, and over the Injurers: And all Wars uſually are on Pretence of Right. 4. Not a Succeſſion of Primogeniture from Noah, nor from the firſt founding of the Commonwealth: This is not neceſſary: Nor may any rebell againſt all the Kings on Earth, if they can but diſprove ſuch an uninterrupted Succeſſion of Primogeniture: Elſe Kings were dangerouſly expoſed. 5. Nor is Revelation from Heaven neceſſary to notifie the Perſon: For who but Fanaticks now pretend to that? I know therefore no remaining Title, but Mutual Conſent (free or forced) of Perſons made capable by the Providence of God, at the forming of the Government.
Qu. IX. Are not [the Powers that be] all that have preſent Poſſeſſion? Anſ. Yes, all that poſſeſs that Right of Government; but not all that uſurp it, or poſſeſs meer Strength.
Qu. How then? Shall all the V…lgar be made Judges of the Princes Right? Anſ. They are bound to ju…ge as far as they can know; elſe they could not tell whom to obey or defend: But miſ-judging will not excuſe them from Guilt. And in difficult Caſes, Appearance and Probability muſt ſerve them that can have no more. And Submiſſion and Patience under Uſurpers, is not Subjection and Conſent.
Qu. X. What is meant by Reſiſtance? Anſ. Not only Fighting againſt them, but all that is contrary to Subjection and due Obedience: But moſt eminently Libertiniſm, which pretendeth, that God hath freed Chriſtians from Subjection.
Qu. XI. How doth the Deſcription verſe 3. agree with Heathens and Perſecutors? Are they none of God's Miniſters who are a Terror to Good Works? Anſ. If they are not in the general Courſe of their Government for Vertue, and againſt Vice, and for the Common Good, they want the Eſſence of the Office. But they that are a Terror to ſome particular Good Works, not eſſential to the End of the Office, and that through Errour, may yet be againſt Vice, and for Goodneſs, in the main. And a Heathen may execute the Law of Nature, and, ſo far be for the Common Good. But Perſecuting the Juſt is no exerciſe of the Divine Miniſtry or Power.
Qu. XI. Verſe 5. How is Conſcience bound by Mans Laws? Anſ. All Men muſt be conſcious of God's Obligations on them, to obey the Juſt Laws of Men.
Qu. XII. Verſe 6, 7. May we give none mere Tribute, Cuſtom, Fear, or Honour, than their due? And are all Judges of the Princes due? Anſ. All is not due that may be claimed: Materially Men may, for their own Safety and juſt Ends, give Rulers or others more than their due, or which they have right to: But as formal Obedience or Juſtice we are not bound to give any one more than his due. And of this we are Diſcerners, though not deciding Publick Judges: But miſ-judging will excuſe no Injury.
Qu. XIII. What ſort of Debt is ſinful? Verſe 8. Anſ. It is Injuſtice not to give every Man his due, if we are able. And to promiſe or borrow what we know we cannot pay, or when we acquaint not the Lender with the weakneſs and doubtfulneſs of our Eſtate, that the hazard may be by his own coſent, is to defraud him, and is a Stealing of one of the worſt ſorts.
Qu. XIV. Verſe 13. When is Proviſion for the Fleſh unlawful? Anſ. When it is ſought more to ſatisfie its Appetite, or Luſt, or inordinate Deſires, than to ſtrengthen and fit us (and others) for our Duty to God and Man.