VIII. Tho' civil magiftrates are bound to promote the spiritual good of their sub- XII. The confideration of the magi jects, yet they are not to do this in an ec- ftrates relation and fubordination unto God, clefiaftic manner; they may not preach, as his minifters, and of the end of their adminifter facraments, or exercise church-inftitution, and of the power and authori-difcipline, for this is laid upon ecclefiaftic officers; but to do it in a civil, political way, as being endued with authority of compelling in a lordly magifterial manner: therefore they have a fword, and by the ufe of the sword they are to promote the fubjects good, and to execute wrath upon fuch as do evil: He beareth not the fword in vain, but is a revenger to execute wrath upon fuch as do evil.

VERSE 5. Wherefore ye must needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but also for confcience fake.

F

fpect to the public good and peace, which God's word commandeth us to feek, Heb. xiii. 14. Rom. xii. 18. Pfalm xxxiv. 14.: and when their commands are finful, nothing must be done to the open dishonour of the magiftrate, the law of God binding us not to difgrace or affront him, but to honour and esteem him, 1 Pet. ii. 17. Ec

human laws binds the confcience; if not to obedience, yet to patient fuffering: Ye must needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but for confcience fake.

Rom the fore-mentioned reafons the apoftle draws a conclufion, which hath the force of a new argument in the bofom of it, viz. That it is not left to our option whether to be fubject unto our law-clef. x. 20. and in these respects even their ful fuperiors, or not; but there is a neceffity lying upon us, and therefore we must mind this duty: Now this neceffity arifeth upon a double account; 1. Because of wrath: We muft fubject ourselves, otherways we expofe ourfelves to the just revenge of the fword. 2. For confcience fake; out of confcience to the command of God, and left we wound our confciences, and expofe ourselves to the juft challenges thereof.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. It is not left as a thing indifferent unto private fubjects, whether to fubject themfelves unto their fuperiors or not, but there is a neceffity lying upon them to obey their lawful commands; or, if their commands be fuch as they cannot obey in confcience, they muft fubject themselves unto their cenfure and punishment: Ye must needs be fubject.

II. Magiftrates may lawfully punish fuch with the fword of justice, as do rebel and refufe fubjection unto their power and lawful commands: We must be fubject for wrath's caufe, that we may fhun their wrath and difpleasure.

III. Tho' the laws of magiftrates that are merely human and pofitive, lay no bond on the confcience, kindly and of themselves, otherways the confcience fhould be bound to the fame, tho' there were no command of the magiftrate; yet when their laws are exprefsly God's Jaws, the confcience is bound; and in other things which are yet lawful, confcience to the command of God fhould bind us, seeing he has commanded us to obey them; and out of re

IV. As God hath endued every man with a confcience, a beam of light, or a power deputed in the foul, to take notice of all the actions of man; fo this deputy of God hath an eye upon man, not only as to these actions which concern God more immediately, but also as to these which concern their relation unto others, whether fuperiors or not: for here confcience takes notice of folks fubjection unto fuperiors, and for confcience fake we must be fubj, because confcience will bind on this duty upon us.

V. As confcience has a directing ability to point forth what is folks duty, when it is not biaffed or blinded, fo has it a power to bind the duty upon the man, and affect and trouble him if he run counter its direction; for to avoid the fting of confcience, and the challenges thereof, we must be fubject.

VI. Seeing this confcience is put into the foul of every man, as God's deputy, weight should be laid upon the directions thereof, when it fpeaks according to the word which is our only rule: the very dictates of confcience fhould put us to minding of fubjection; we must be fubject for confcience fake.

custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom bonour.

wealth; and the business of public goveru. ment is fuch as will take them up wholly: They are minifters of God, attending continually upon this very thing.

HI. The Lord alloweth unto magi ftrates, who are to mind the public more than their own good, a honourable main tenance off the fubjects; and it is the fubjects duty to be fub niting unto fuch reasonable and neceffary taxations as are imposed for the managing of public affairs: they muft pay tribute and custom to whom it is due.

IV. The very confideration of the office, employment, and daily work of the magiftrate, being a matter of fuch concernment to the fubjects, of fuch trouble, anxiety, and continual exercise unto the magistrate, fhould move the fubjects to yield out of their own fubftance, for the maintenance and encouragement of thefe in power.

N thefe verfes the apoftle is preffing, in the next place, (upon the forementioned grounds alfo,) fome particular duties in reference to their lawful fuperiors, with a new reafon enforcing the fame As, 1. That they should pay tribute; and this he repeateth again, poffibly becaule they feemed moft averfe from it, as having leaft advantage for it; for it is supposed to have been pole-money, or a taxation put upon the head, Matth. xvii. 25. 2. Cuf tom; that is, impoft put upon merchantwares, and payable by imported or exported commodities. 3. Fear; that is a Fear; that is a reverential awe, fearing to offend. And, 4. Honour; that is, a high estimation of their perfons, for their qualifications and places, with an outward refpective car-willingly and chearfully, as a debt due in riage teftifying the fame, by words and geftures. The reafon which he ufeth for this is in thefe words, For they are God's minifters, attending continually upon this very thing; that is, they are his public minifters, laying out themfelves wholly for the good of the republic, and making this their only work, night and day, to eye their fubjects good; and because this is the employment they are wholly taken. up with, therefore they fhould have all due encouragement from their fubjects.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Such whom God employeth in the place and office of magiftracy, ought to be men of public fpirits, poftponing their own intereft unto the good of the public, and look upon themfelves as doing God good fervice, and as employed of him for that effect: They are God's minifters, or public officers.

11. Magiftrates ought not to be careless in the matters of government commited to their trust, but ought to be affiduous, painful and laborious, in feeking and endeavouring after the good of the common.

all justice and equity: for this is the apoftle's argument, and therefore he bids them pay and render tribute and custom to whoms it is due.

V. It is the duty of fubjects to be reverencing, ftanding in awe and fearing to offend fuch as the Lord hath fet over them, and to fhew the fame by their external behaviour: Fear to whom fear:

VI. As God hath placed magistrates int a fuper-eminent place over others; fo to recompenfe their toiling and caring for the good of the public, he alloweth them honour and eftimation at the hands of their inferiors; and fubjects are bound to esteem them very highly for their work's fake, (whatever their perfons be) to fpeakreverently of them and to them, and in every thing to carry refpectfully towards them, giving them due refpect and ho-mage: Honour to whom honour. See 1 Pet.. ii. 17.

VERSES 8. 9. to. Owe no man any thing,
but to love one another: for he that lov
eth another, bath fulfilled the law.
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery,

Thou

Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear falfe witness, Thou halt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this faying, namely, Thou fbalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

fore love is the fulfilling of the law; it is the fum of what is required in the second table, and where this love is, there is obedience in fome meafure to all these commands.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. It is the duty of Chriftians to be minding their obligations to every one, be they fuperiors, inferiors, or equals; and in particular to be making confcience to mind their obligations in civil contracts and debts, fo as none may have just cause to complain of them; and for this caufe should fo manage the little God gives them, frugally, as they may be in capacity to defray their debts, and give every one their own, that no man be a lofer at their hands, or conceive a prejudice at them and their profeffion for walking fo unjustly: Owe no man any thing. See 2 Kings iv. 1. 2. 3. Prov. iii. 27. and vi. 1. 2. 3.

II. Tho' Chriftian love be a most come

the profeffion of Chriftianity; yet it is a duty which doth much crofs flesh and blood, and therefore needeth to be inculcated again and again; for tho' he spoke it in the former chapter, ver. 9. 10. yet he feeth a neceffity of fpeaking to it again here; Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. See 1 Tim. vi. 11. 1 Cor. xiv. 1. 2 Tim. ii. 22.

N this fecond part of the chapter, the apoftle is preffing them to another duty of more general concernment, viz. Chriftian love, which tho' he fpoke to in the former chapter, yet he thinks fit to fpeak to here alfo, and to press it, because most neceffary and moft flighted: and this he fpeaks to upon the back of the former purpose, as a moft pertinent and profitable mean for driving on that duty. Now, this he ushereth in with a tranfition, containing a general exhortation, ferving both the former purpose and this likewife, which is this, Owe no man any thing; be he fuperior, inferior, or equal, be not fhort-ly defirable thing, and an ornament unto coming in your duty towards him; pay them all you owe them by any obligation natural or civil. Now the duty he preffeth is to love one another; a debt which they muft ftill ly under, and ftill be puting off them: and for this he ufeth one main argument, faying, For he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law; that is, he hath win to the fum and fubftance of all the fecond table of the law, for of this mainly he speaketh, as verse 9th cleareth; for this love of another is the very compound of all the feeond table. This argument he confirmeth by two reasons, the one, verse 9. fhewing, that every one of the commands of the fecond table (which he particularly enumerateth, except the first, which he takes in under that general, And if there be any other, &c.) is fumed up in this one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The other reafon is, verfe 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; it is that which keepeth a man from devifing any hurt to his neighbour; and fo he concludes, there-be ftill in paying unto our neighbours :

III. This duty of Chriftian love is a duty lying upon all ranks, qualities and conditions of perfons, and every one is to look upon it as a duty called for at his hands: It is a mutual chriftian duty; we should love one another. See John xiii. 34. and xv. 17. 1 Theff. iv. 9. Col. iii. 14.

IV. This mutual chriftian love is a tye laid on that cannot be shaken off, and a debt that we are daily lying under, and will never be freed from; and fo is a duty that fhould endure, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. and continue, Heb. xiii. 1. and be looked upon as a debt which we are bound to pay, and

Owe