he beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Here the apostle subjoins a reason, why a magistrate is not to be unduly dreaded and feared by his subjects who live well, for he is by his institution the minister of God to thee for good, if thou beest a doer of that which is good. Learn hence, That the magistrate is the minister of God for the good of them over which he is set, especially of them that are virtuous and good: he is a shield to the godly, a husband to the widow, a father to the orphan, a patron to the poor, and a refuge to the oppressed. Observe farther, How the magistrate is set forth with the ensign of terror to evil-doers : he has a sword put into his hand by God himself, a sword to wound; not a wooden dagger to scare offenders barely; and a sword, not rusting in the scabbard, but drawn and whetted; he must show it, and strike with it upon a just occasion, and make those feel it who are not awed with the sight of it: He beareth not the sword in vain. Observe again, Though the magistrate is said to bear a sword, yet he is never called a sword, but a shield often; a shield is for defence, a sword for destruction; intimating, that the magistrate's power should rather be executed in protecting than in punishing, rather in saving than in destroying. The primary design of the magistrate's power is protection, not destruction; magistrates have swords, but they are shields, and not swords: they have a sword to cut off evil-doers; God help them to draw it upon atheism and blasphemy, upon vice and immorality; One hearty stroke of the magistrate's sword would stun error and vice more than a thousand sermons. Observe lastly, The magistrate is said not to snatch or take the sword, but to bear the sword. He doth not wrest it out of the hand of another, but it is put into his hand by God himself: the commission to bear the sword is from God; the magistrate doth not hold his authority by virtue of the sword, but he holds his sword by virtue of his authority. When he draweth the sword, it is not merely backed with an arm of flesh, but with a warrant and commission signed by God himself: He beareth the sword. 5 Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Here the apostle doth again assert the necessity of subjection to the civil magistrate. Seeing that magistracy is God's ordinance, for the good of human society; secing backed and edged with God's authority; that the sword in the magistrate's hand is therefore there is a necessity of subjection unto magistracy and magistrates, and that for a double reason-for fear of wrath and punishment from man, and from a principle of conscience in obedience to the command of God. We must be subject, not only for wrath, that is, not only for fear of man's wrath, but for conscience' sake: God, which has made subjection our indisthat is, with respect to the command of pensable duty. 6 For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ininisters, attending continually upon this very thing. From the duty of subjection unto magistrates, the apostle proceeds to urge and enforce the duty and necessity of paying tribute to them, or allowing them an honourable maintenance, for and towards the support of the government which they sustain and bear. The payment of taxes and tribute to the supreme magistrate is necessary upon several accounts: 1. As it is an acknowledgment of the power which God hath set over us. 2. As it tends to the support of the government which we live under. 3. As it is a small recompence for the governor's continual care and industry, he attending, that is, watching perpetually, and taking pains continually, for procuring and maintaining the good and happiness of his subjects; and therefore both duty and obligation, both religion and gratitude, do bind and engage us to aid and assist him, and, so far as it is in our power, to requite and reward him for his care of the common safety, and regard to the public 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. A twofold duty towards magistrates is here laid down by our apostle, namely, maintenance and reverence. 1. There is due unto them maintenance. Tribute and custom is payable to them for that purpose, and not without great reason and obliga tion; for he is the minister of God for our good, that is, an instrument under God God, angels, and saints; There abideth to preserve our blessings to us, and farther, charity, 1 Cor. xiii. 13. All other debts because such supplies are necessary to defray may be paid whilst we live; but this of love cannot be satisfied while we live. those vast expenses, which they are constrained to be at, for the security and wel- Observe next, The argument, reason, or fare of their subjects. Taxes, tribute, and motive, to excite unto this duty, and that custem, are not so much gifts as due debts is drawn from the excellency of this grace to princes, which by the command of God of love: He that loveth, hath fulfilled the are to be justly and cheerfully paid unto law; that is, he that loveth his neighbour them, and which cannot without sin and as he should and ought to do, in deed and injustice be denied to them, or purloined in truth, out of a pure heart fervently, he from them. To cheat our prince, is as hath fulfilled the law, that is, the law regreat a sin in the sight of God as to rob_lating to his neighbour, the duties of the our father, though few think it so: Render second table are fulfilled. tribute to whom tribute is due. Again, 2. There is reverence as well as maintenance due to magistrates: Render fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour, is due. Fear denotes inward reverence, and honour outward respect: fear is the magistrate's duc by reason of his authority, and honour by reason of his dignity. Here note, That the apostle is thus particular and express in asserting the rights of princes and assigning the proper duties of subjects towards them, because the Jews held opi nions which were destructive of all civil go. vernment; as, namely, that they being the only people of God, God alone was to be owned as their Lord and Governor, and none under him but such as should be immediately chosen by him; and, as a consequent of this, they refused to pay tribute to Cæsar, looking upon that as a token of subjection to him. Therefore the apostle here presses the christians at Rome to show their freedom from, and opposition to, all such pernicious principles, and to give the world a convincing proof that christianity makes the best men, the best magistrates, the best subjects, of any religion in the world. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Our apostle having finished his exhortation to duty towards our superiors, comes now to enforce the duties which we owe unto our neighbours; the first of which is, to render and pay to every one what is due unto him. Moral duties are mutual debts which we owe one to another; one of which, namely, that of love, we can never fully discharge, but must be ever paying, yet always owing: Owe nothing to any man, but love, implying that must be always owing. The truth is, this debt of love is so far from a possibility of being paid on earth, that it is due in heaven to 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 thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 10 Two particulars are here observable, namely, a proposition asserted, that love is the fulfilling of the law. "And this proposition proved by an induction and enumeration of particular duties belonging to the second table. Observe, 1. The proposition asserted and maintained by the apostle, ver. 8. and 10. namely, that love is the fulfilling of the law. "But can the law be said to be fulfilled by us? If so, in what sense?" Ans. By the law here we are certainly to understand that branch of the moral law which respects our duty to our neighbour. All our duty to men is virtually comprehended in loving them as ourselves; as no man will hurt himself, so neither will he hurt his neighbour, if he loveth him as himself: thus love is the complement or fulfilling of the law relating to our neighbour. The church of Rome would infer from hence, That a person may keep the law of God perfectly, and without the least deficiency. But observe, He that loveth keepeth the law. How keepeth ? Even as he loveth; if he loveth perfectly, he keepeth the law perfectly; but if his love be imperfect, (as is the best on this side heaven,) then is his fulfilling of the law imperfect also. Perfect fulfilling of the law is what we should labour after, but whilst in an imperfect state we cannot attain unto; yet such is the grace of God in the gospel, as to account sincerity instead of perfection, and to esteem unfeigned love to our neighbour the fulfilling of the law, or all the duties of the second table. Observe, 2. This proposition is proved by an induction and enumeration of particular duties belonging to the second table: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, nor bear false witness, nor covet. Where all injury is forbidden to be done to our neighbour, in his name, in his estate, marriage right, &c. and this is called the fulfilling of the law, • But how can that be? Is the law fulfilled by mere negatives, by doing no hurt our neighbours? Is not doing them all the good we can, required also? Ans. Yes, no doubt: Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, it is implied, that love doth all possible good to his neighbour, as well as worketh no evil; though the negatives only are mentioned, yet the affirmatives also are included. to 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. Here begins the last part of the chapter, which treats of our duty towards ourselves, namely, sobriety, temperance, mortification of sin, and all the works of darkness, such as rioting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, and the like; and the argument or motive which the apostle uses in this verse to excite and quicken the converted Romans to the last-mentioned duties, is drawn from the consideration of their present state and condition; they were believers, the gospel light was risen upon thein, and they were nearer salvation now than when they first believed: Now is your salvation nearer than when you believed. This, by the way, is a meditation full of comfort to a gracious person; every breath he draws, draws him a degree nearer to perfect happiness; he is nearer heaven, nearer his reward, than when in the infancy of his faith; therefore let him gird up the loins of his mind, and be more cheerful and more laborious in the Lord's work. Lord! how transporting is it to thy faithful ones, to consider how small a matter is betwixt them and their complete salvation! No sooner is their breath gone, but the full desire of their souls is come; their salvation is near, very near, much nearer than when they first believed. But, O! what a meditation of terror is it to a wicked person! his damnation is near, and every hour nearer and nearer; there is but a puff of breath betwixt him and hell; ere long his last breath and his last hope will expire together, Lord! give sinners heart to consider, that a graceless man ere long will be a hopeless man; the state he was born in was sad, the state he is now in is worse, but the state he will shortly be in, without conversion, will be unspeakably worst of all: his damnation is near, it slumbereth not. is at hand: let us therefore cast off 12 The night is far spent, the day the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. Observe here, 1. The apostle puts the Romans in mind of their former state before conversion, when the night of heathenish ignorance and darkness was upon them, when they spent their time and strength in rioting and drunkenness, in lasciviousness and wantonness. Where note, The odious character wherewith sin is branded; it is darkness, a work of darkness: so styled, because sin originally springs from darkness, because it naturally delights in darkness, because it ultimately leads to eternal darkness. Observe, 2. How he puts them in mind of their present state and condition since the day-star of the gospel did dawn upon them, The night is far spent, and the day is at hand; that is, the night of heathenish ignorance, blindness, and darkness, is in a great measure past and over, and the day of grace and salvation is come unto you; gospel light is among you, illuminating grace and saving knowledge is now found with you. Observe, 3. The duties enjoined answerable to the privileges enjoyed; and that is, to walk as the children of day, soberly, righteously, and godly, abstaining from all intemperance and excess of every kind, and being clothed with all christian virtues and graces, which are called armour of light. Armour, because they defend us against the assaults of sin, Satan, and the world, and all our spiritual enemies whatsoever; and armour of light, because such christian graces are bright and shining in the eyes of the world. Learn hence, 1. That the enjoyment of gospel-light lays a person or a people under special obligations In for the flesh, to fulfil the necessities and CHAP. XIV. The apostle having laid down those positive duties in the foregoing chapters, in which the life and spirit of christianity do so eminently consist, comes here, in this chapter, to treat of things of an indifferent nature, neither commanded nor forbidden by any divine law; and to speak of the right use of our christian liberty. It seems, some of the believing Jews at Rome apprehended that the observation of the ceremonial law, as to meats and days, was yet to be continued. On the other hand, the believing Gentiles, being fully persuaded of their freedom by Christ, refused communion with the Jews that lived after that manner. Hereupon a great dissension arose between them, the Gentiles looking upon the Jews as superstitious, aud the Jews censuring the Gentiles as profane. Now St. Paul comes with his bucket to quench this flame, which burnt so vehemently in the church; admonishing the believing Jews not to condemn the believing Gentiles, and exhorting the be lieving Gentiles not to refuse communion with the believing Jews; and thus by a mutual for bearance of each other, to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. HIM that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubt ful disputations. Observe here, 1. The person described, whom the apostle recommends to their charity and forbearance: Him that is weak in the faith. Not him that is sick unto death through fundamental error, but one that is sound in the faith, though weak in judgment; men of honest hearts, but weak heads. Observe, 2. Here is an injunction of charity and christian forbearance towards these weak ones: Receive them, take them into your houses, yea, into your hearts; receive them into your society, into your communion, and let not difference in judgment cause any distance in affection. Observe, 3. The limitation of this injunction: Receive him, but not by doubtful disputations: that is," Do not quarrel or contend with him about his opinions, or fill his head full of curious and intricate questions, or trouble him with doubtful disputes." Learn hence, that christians are to receive such as are weak in the faith, into their hearts by love, without troubling their heads with perplexing disputes. Weak christians cannot well judge of arguments: and practical piety, and christian love, will much sooner rectify the judgment of the weak, than fierce argumentations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Here the apostle declares the ground of difference that was between them; namely, the difference of meats. One thought all meats to be lawful under the gospel; another, rather than eat any meats forbidden by the law, will eat only herbs. Where observe, How the church of God, in all ages, has been strangely divided about little and indifferent things. What jars and stirs were there between the eastern and western churches about the observation of Easter; about celebrating the Lord's supper with leavened or unleavened bread! And, verily, the fatal evils which our hot contentions have occasioned amongst our selves, only about indifferent rites and ceremonies, tears of blood are not sufficient to bewail. Observe next, The apostle's exhortation to the two contending parties, not VOL. II. to vilify or set at nought one another, condemning each other as humorous and scrupulous, much less as obstinate and wilto separate from, or break communion with, ful; but especially, not upon this occasion each other. Let not him that eateth all kinds of meats despise him that through weakness durst not eat of any. As if the apostle had said, "Whilst there is error in our understandings, weakness in our judgments, narrowness in our faculties, differences will arise in the church of God: but take care that where there is not compliance, that yet there may be peace. Despise not, judge not one another." Observe lastly, The reason offered by the apostle, why they should receive their weak brother; because God hath received him. God, that is most holy, and hateth sin, receiveth such; therefore so must you, if you please God. Why should you refuse to hold communion with such as hold communion with God? 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand. should not rashly censure or judge our bro- |