Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 13, 14
Verſ. 13. Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, whether it be to the King, as ſupream.
14. Or unto Governours, as unto them that are ſent by him for the puniſhment of evil doers, and for the praiſe of them that do well.
In this ſecond part of the Chapter, the Apoſtle exhorteth to thoſe particular duties, whereby Chriſtians do ſhew forth the praiſes of God, and commend Religion in their ſeveral relations: And his firſt exhortation, in order to theſe ends, is, That they ſhould carry themſelves with reſpect and ſubmiſſion, to any form of lawful Government, eſtabliſhed in the ſeveral Countries where they were ſcattered, whether the ſame were exerciſed by the ſupream Magiſtrate or by the inferiour: which ſeveral forms of Civil Government, he calleth a Humane Ordinance; mainly, becauſe the Lord hath not determined in his Word, what particular kind of Government every place in the World ſhould have, whether Monarchy, or ſome other form; but hath left the determination thereof to humane prudence, walking by the general rules of his Word: And this exhortation the Apoſtle inferreth upon the former, wherewith the firſt part of the Chapter is cloſed, as a ſpecial mean of gaining wicked men to glorifie God; and preſſeth the ſame by two reaſons: The firſt, is taken from the reſpect, which Chriſtians owe to the Command of God, who is the Author of Magiſtracy: The ſecond, is taken from the good ends for which Magiſtracy is ordained, To wit, 1. for the puniſhing and ſuppreſſing of wickedneſs; And, 2. for the promoving and encouraging of piety and vertue. Hence Learn, 1. The Lord is graciouſly pleaſed to call for reſpect, at the hands of his People, toward thoſe who carry no reſpect to him, that thereby he may either gain ſuch to his obedience, or heap coals of fire upon their heads: for, unto Heathen Magiſtrates he is here calling for ſubmiſſion and obedience at the hands of his People, Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man. 2. Although Civil Magiſtracy be a Divine Ordinance, in regard it is of Gods appointment, Prov. 8.15. Yet it is here called a humane Ordinance, in regard it is mainly exerciſed about humane affairs, and for the good of humane ſocieties as ſuch, in regard the particular forms thereof are left to be determined by men, as was touched in the Expoſition; and in ſome caſes, may be altered by them. In all which reſpects, it differeth from that ſpiritual Government, which Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed in his Houſe; this being wholly about ſpiritual affairs, 2 Cor. 10.8. the particular form thereof determined by Jeſus Chriſt in his Word, and never to be altered in any place of the world, Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. for, Civil Government, for the fore-mentioned reſpects, as alſo to difference it from the Eccleſiaſtick, is here called an Ordinance of man. 3. Not only private Chriſtians, but alſo the publick Miniſters of Chriſt, and all ranks of profeſſors of his Name, are bound to give ſubmiſſion and obedience in things lawfull, unto lawfull Magiſtrates, though they prove enemies unto Religion, under whoſe Dominion Gods Providence hath caſt their lot: which ſubmiſſion, doth conſiſt in a reverend eſteem of the perſons of Magiſtrates, becauſe of their Office, Eccleſ. 10.2. in the maintaining of their Authority and reſpect before others, eſpecially their Subjects, Exod. 22.27. in giving of our worldly ſubſtance for that end, Rom. 13.7. in our earneſtneſs with God in prayer for his bleſſing upon their Government, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. and in ſuffering patiently, and with due reſpect to their Perſons and Office what they do unjuſtly inflict for diſobedience to their unlawful commands, Act. 23.5. for, this exhortation is given both to the Officers and Members of the Church, ſcattered through thoſe Nations who had only Heathen Kings and Governours, Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man. 4. This dutiful and ſubmiſſive carriage of Chriſtians, toward wicked Magiſtrates, is a ſpecial mean of commending Religion to the profane, and gaining of them to glorifie God, who uſe moſt unjuſtly to repreſent Chriſt's Subjects as enemies to Civil Magiſtrates, Act. 24.5. for, this exhortation may be conceived to be preſſed as a ſpecial mean of attaining to that honeſt converſation among the Gentiles, who ſpoke againſt Chriſtians as evil doers, eſpecially in the matter of their loyalty, whereunto the Apoſtle did exhort in the former Verſe; Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of man. 5. It is agreeable to the mind of God that there be plurality of Magiſtrates ſet over every Country or Incorporation of people, it being impoſſible for any one, or a few, by reaſon of the imperfection of their wit and ſtrength, to adminiſter Juſtice aright to many, Exod. 18.18, 21. which ought to be brought near to poor people, to prevent their toil and expences ſo far as may be, 1 Sam. 7.16. And likewiſe that there be ſome order among theſe Magiſtrates; ſome of them in greater eminency and power than others: for, ſo the Apoſtle ſupponeth here, while he mentioneth many Magiſtrate…, and ſome of them more eminent than others; whether it be to the King as ſupream, or unto Governours. 6. Although the ſupream Magiſtrate, may be a prime inſtrument in appointing and protecting inferiour Magiſtrates in the exerciſe of their Office, 2 Chron. 19.5. in which reſpect the inferiour may be ſaid to be ſent by him, to wit, the Supream; Yet are the Lord's People no leſſe ſtraitly bound to obey and ſubmit to the inferiour, acting in his ſtation, than to the Supream acting in his, the one being eſſentially Judges, and in God's place, to the people, as well as the other, 2 Chron. 19.6. Prov. 8.15, for, the Apoſtle doth preſſe equally, and upon the ſame grounds, ſubmiſſion to both, whether it be to the King as ſupream, or unto Governours, as unto them that are ſent by him. 7. This ſubmiſſion and obedience, which Chriſtians owe to lawfull Magiſtrates, ought to ſlow from their reſpect to God's Command enjoyning the ſame; and from love to Him, who hath eſtabliſhed that order among men, and would have his People commending Religion to heathen or profane Magiſtrates by their reſpect to his Ordinance in the perſons of ſuch; ſo that whoſoever have not a hearty reſpect to God and his Commands, and love to Him and his Honour, they want the principle of true loyalty to Magiſtrates, whoſe great care therefore ſhould be, to advance true piety and reſpect to God, and his Commands in the hearts of their Subjects, as they love to find true loyalty in them to themſelves: for, this is here made the principle or motive of Chriſtians ſubjection to Magiſtracy, Submit, &c. for the Lords ſake. 8. Magiſtrates ſhould be ſo far from giving toleration, let be encouragement, to any wicked doers under their power, whether godleſs and profane live…, Pſal. 101.4, 5, 7, 8. or Hereticks and falſe Teachers, though never ſo ſeemingly pious, who are no leſſe evil doers than the other, Philip. 3.2. That they ſhould eſteem it the great end of their advancement to their Office and a principal part of their Duty, to reſtrain and puniſh all ſuch: for, this is here made one end of Magiſtracy, comprehending one chief part of the Duty of Magiſtrates; for the puniſhment of evil doers. 9. It is the Duty of Magiſtrates, to put moſt honour upon, and give moſt encouragement and reſpect to, thoſe, that live moſt ſubject to the will of Chriſt, thoſe being the beſt friends of Magiſtrates; and the diſgracing or wronging of them, being, in a ſpecial way, reſented by Chriſt, the Supream Magiſtrate: for, this is another end of their Office, and branch of their Duty, that they are for the praiſe of them that do well.