best means to overcome evil For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophocles speaks in his Ajax Flagister kindness doth all ways bring forth kindness 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. Let every one be subject to the Supream Powers and to those which are placed in the highest Seats of Authority and that with their very soul for there is no power or Authority of what Nation or Country soever I speak of Lawful Powers but it is of God The Powers and Rulers that are throughout the whole world whether in Rome or in Greece or any other part of the earth though some Jews think otherwise and account God to have ordained no Powers or Rulers whom they should obey though they live under them but in and among themselves are ordained of God 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power and taketh Arms against him resisteth the Ordinance of God And they that resist shall for that resistance receive to themselves damnation Damnation temporal in this life from mans tribunal for that that they resist him And damnation eternal from the Tribunal of the great and terrible God in the life to come for that that they resist his Ordinance 3. For rulers are not a terrour 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. But perhaps you will say that if ye should be subject to these powers and put your neck under their yoke ye should be always in fear For such powers are always a terrour to those which live under them But to this I answer that though ye are subject to such powers yet ye have no cause to fear if ye do well and if ye do ill ye are worthy to suffer for it For Rulers are not a terrour to those which do well but to those which do ill Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Ruler do that which is good and thou shalt be so far from having cause to be afraid of him as that thou shalt have praise and encouragement from him 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. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good to reward thee and defend thee if thou dost well but if thou dost that which is evil be afraid For he hath a sword given him of God to cut of them which deserve death from the face of the earth And he beareth not his sword in vain For he is the Minister and servant of God a Revenger in his stead to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject to the Supream powers and Rulers not only if you intend to avoid wrath and punishment but also if you would keep your conscience void of offence 6. For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing 6. And now being that rulers are as I said the Ministers of God to thee for good see that you pay them tribute also for they are Gods Ministers to thee for good attending continually upon this very thing to wit that thou maist receive benefit by their Government 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. Render therefore to all Rulers of what Countrey or Nation soever they are so long as thou livest under their government that which is due to them Render tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law 8. Yea owe not any private man any thing but to love one another And that is a debt which ye must always owe yet always pay Love therefore one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law that is that part of the Law which concerneth our neighbour 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 this Commandment thou shalt not commit adultery and this thou shalt not kill and this thou shalt not steal and this thou shalt not covet and if there be any other Commandment beside these concerning our neighbour it is briefly and summarily comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore love is the fulfilling of the law 10. Love worketh no ill to his Neighbour yea it worketh all good it can for him Therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation neerer then when we believed 11. Love therefore one another as I said vers 8. and that considering the time that it is now high time for us who since our calling to the Gospel have fallen asleep and have thereby left off to do well to awake out of that our sleep For now is our salvation neerer than when we first believed therefore if when we first believed we did rouse up our selves and were zealous in good works because of the approach of our salvation much more should we rouze up our selves now and be more zealous now than we were then because our salvation is neerer now than it was at that time 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light 12. The night of ignorance is gone the day of knowledge is risen and hath shone upon us let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and works of the night evill works which cannot indure the light and let us put on the armour of light let us cloath our selves with such works as we shall not be ashamed of at the highest time of day 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. Let us do that which is honest as they are wont to do which do any thing in the day time let us not walk in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in
into his Enemies hands while he doth not restrain his enemies but that they may use their whole power against him and if any thing is like to hinder these his enemies that they câ—nnot use their power he sees to it that it be removed that it may not hinder them Through the lusts of their own hearts This is that by which God gave up these men to uncleanness to wit the lusts which arose in their hearts which lusts not withstanding God stirred not up in them James 1.14 But suffered them there to arise and suppressed them not and withdrew that that should hinder them and suppresse them to wit his Grace To dishonour their own Bodies between themselves These words between themselves signifie the mutual uncleanness which was among Men and the mutual uncleanness which was among Women This uncleanness was a great dishonor to their bodies and so to them themselves for if he that committeth simple Fornication sinneth against his body and dishonoureth it 1 Cor. 6.18 Much more do they sin against it and dishonour it which change the natural use of it into that which is against nature Note that as this is called a dishonour of the body so on the contrary the chastity of the body is called the honour thereof 1 Thes 4.4 By these words the Apostle suts forth the Effect and the End of that encleanness which he spoke of and which God looked upon when he gave them up to that uncleanness The sence therefore of the words is this q. d. He gave them up to uncleanness that they might dishonour their own bodies between themselves And this dishonour is a Retaliation of that dishonour which they did to God Ver. 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie q. d. Because they changed the true God with that which was not a true God Many things are here to be observed As 1. That when he saith who changed the truth of God It is as if he should say Because they changed the true God c. For this is to be underctood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as containing or repeating the cause of that which went immediately before 2. That the truth of God is put here by a Metonimy for the true God himself as the Glory of the incorruptible God was put for the uncorruptible God who was Glorious 3. That by a Lie is meant That whatsoever it was which Idolaters worshipped instead of God and was not God And so is the word taken Isa 44.20 And it is therefore so called because as a Lie though it hath oftentimes the shew of truth yet it is far from truth and hath no conformity with the thing which the words of a Lie signifie So an Idoll or whatsoever is worshipped by Idolaters instead of God though it lookes like a God in the eye of an Idolater yet it is far from being a God and hath no conformity with the Godhead 4. That to change the truth of God into a lie signifieth to embrace in the stead of the true God that which is not true God Of which Phrase See ver 23. And served the Creature more than the Creator These words need no interpretation if we suppose that these Idolaters did worship God at all But because the Apostle doth not say that they gave God any worship therefore know that this word More must be taken here in the full sence of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original which signifieth among other thingâ— a passing by The sence therefore of this place must be this q d. And served the Creature passing by the Creator yea if we should so render the words out of the Original it might seem the better Rendition Although the Apostle had said And worshipped which includes all religious worship yet he addeth And served And that he doth for this reason That he might by name express that worship which consisteth in outward works as in building of Temples offering of Sacrifices Burning of Incense making and setting up of Images c. Who is blessed for ever i. e. Who is to be blessed That is to be praised and worshipped and adored for ever more This the Apostle addeth to shew that worship and praise and thanksgiving is due to God and to be given to God though these men neglected it and to him only and that not for a time but for ever and ever As also to signifie that notwithstanding these men did dishonour God by giving that worship which was due to God to the Creatures yet his honour was not diminished by what they did They could cast no soil upon his Splendour Amen This word is an Hebrew word used sometimes in the beginning sometimes in the end of a Speech or Sentence If it be used in the beginning of a Speech or Sentence it hath simply the power of affirming and is as much to say as Verily or Truly But if it be used in the end of a Speech or Sentence as it is here then it hath the power of approving what was said before and signifieth as much as So it is and in a Precative sence So be it Ver. 26 For this cause God gave them up Here is an Epanalepsis or Resumption or Repetition of that which he said v. 24. Wherefore these words are here to be understood viz. I say q d. For this cause I say God gave them up To vile affections That is to such affections and lusts as drave a man to vile Things and things full of disgrace and ignominy such as was this vile and ignominious lying together of men with men and women with women which here he speaks of That the Heathen Philosophers and the Learned among them of whom as I said the Apostle seemeth here to speak directly and chiefly were carried away with vile affections and all or most of them were Buggerers or maintainers of Buggery as will appear as by others so by Diogenes Laertius who writes their Lives For even their women did change the natural use supple of their Bodies into that which is against nature The natural use of our Bodies of which the Apostle here speaks is that conjunction to which Nature inclineth or from which generation is apt to follow And this is only of the Male with the Female and with those members and parts of the Body which Nature hath depuâ—ed to that Office All venereal use therefore of those members which is differing from this is against Nature And that not only as we are Men but as we are Animals Wherefore this kind of Lust of which the Apostle here speaks of is more than Beastly Object When he speaks here as it seems of the Heathen Philosophers and such as were Learned among the Heathen how cometh he to talk or speak of women Answ There were Women who were Learned among the Heathen as well as Men as Sappho by name and they were carried away with evil affections as well as Men c. Again the sins of Men staid
the Jew of the good will of God towards the Gentiles from that therefore he inferreth this Corollary Is he the God of the Jews only c. As if he should say and now O thou Jew is God the God of the Jews only is he not the God of the Gentiles also Yes he is the God of the Gentiles also seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith And this or the like opportunity he takes often to declare the good will and favour of God towards the Gentiles because the Jews counted the Gentiles but as brute Beasts to whom God had no respect in comparison of themselves Ver. 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie It would have been better rendred thus Seeing God is one who justifieth c. That is Seeing God is one and the same God which justifieth the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith God is called One here not in respect of his Essence or in opposition to a multitude of gods but in respect of his carrying himself to all alike whether Jews or Gentiles q. d. Seeing God is one and the same towards all who shall justifie c. Which shall justifie the circumcision by faith Note that the Circumcision is taken here for the Circumcised that is for the Jews who were Circumcised by a Metonymie and that shall justifie is put here for doth justifie A Future for a Present tense after the manner of the Hebrews which use so to do especially when they would signifie a continued Act. And the uncircumcision through faith By the uncircumcision are here meant the Gentiles who used not Circumcision as the Jews did who were enjoyned by God to it but were uncircumcised And yet we read of some Gentiles which were Circumcised as the people of Colchis Aegypt and Aethiopia as Herodotus relates in his Euterpe yet they come under the name of uncircumcision here because the Circumcision which they received they received from among themselves the use thereof was not enjoyned to them of God as that Circumcision which the Jews used was to them Gen. 17. v. 10 11 c. Note that these Phrases By faith and Through faith signifie one and the same thing and that there is no difference in the sence of the Phrases though there be in the words In that God justifieth both Jew and Gentile after the same manner it sheweth him to be the same in his love and affection to both Ver. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith q. d. Do we then say that the Law is useless and as an idle thing and a thing of no effect by those things which we have said of faith To make void is put here for to say that it is void by a Metalepsis Note that the Apostle doth prevent an Objection here for because he said v. 28. We conclude that a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And again v. 30. It is one God or God is One which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith A Jew might object and say If it be so that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and God doth justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision throuh faith then is the Law void for to what end should it stand if it did not justifie a man To this the Apostle answers That notwithstanding that which he had said concerning faith the Law doth stand yea what he said concerning faith doth establish the Law For though the Law doth not justifie a man yet the Doctrine of faith doth enjoyn those which believe to lead a pious godly and religious life according to the Praescript of the Law and to follow those things which the Law commandeth And by faith we attain to more ability for the performance of the Law than the Law it self can give Note that what is here spoken must be understood of the Moral Law Through faith i. e. Throuh the Doctrine of faith or through those things which we have said of faith We establish the Law i. e. We maintain the Law in its standing and keep it up That is we take not the Law away but let it stand in its due place and give it its due honour How Saint Paul established the Law by faith we shewed a little before in the Exposition of this verse He establisheth it by making it or teaching that it is a Rule of our Lives though he denies to be the means of justification And that we attain more ability to the keeping of the Law through faith than the Law it self could give us CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found 1. We have taught hitherto that the man that is justified is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith And let us now enquire in particular concerning Abraham's justificâ—tion to wit how he was justified How shall we say then that Abraham who is our Father as concerning the flesh attained to justification Shall we say that Abraham attained to justification by works No in no wise 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory or boast even before God but he hath not whereof to glory or to boast before God therefore he is not justified by works 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness 3. Now that Abraham hath not whereof to glory or boast before God is apparent for what saith the Scripture It saith that Abraham believed God and that that was set down upon his account to him to receive righteousness or justification for it that is in fewer words it saith That Abraham believed God and for that he was justified Gen. 15.5 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. Now to him that worketh the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as that he never failes at any time in performing the least title of the Law to him indeed the reward that is righteousness or justification is set down upon accompt to be paid him as a thing not of grace and favour but of debt for with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him but condemn him for a sinner who had never sinned So that he indeed hath whereof to glory or boast even before God 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness 5. But to him that worketh not the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as the Law requires but believeth on God who justifieth sinners his faith is set down upon accompt to him for him to receive
Wherefore being that ye are now the servants of righteousness ye ought to be free from sin q. d. Yield your members servants to righteousness and wholly and only to Righteousness not at all to sin For when ye were servants of sin ye were free from Righteousness wherefore being that ye are now the servants of Righteousness ye ought to be free from sin Ye were free from Righteousness i. e. Ye did not the works which Righteousness commandeth but ye shewed or carried yourselves as if ye were free from being commanded by her or from being subject to her by slighting and not regarding what she would have done Or thus ye were free from Righteousness that is ye did not the works of Righteousness where to be free from Righteousness is put per Metonymiam causae for not to do the works of Righteousness For a man that is free will not ordinarily do the work of him from whom he is free Were free He alludes here to Civil freedom as he did before by a Metaphor From Righteousness He takes Righteousness here and speaks of it as he did ver 18. When he saith ye were free from Righteousness it is not to be understood that they were free de jure but only de facto for they were bound to do righteousness at all times though then when the Apostle saith here that they were free from Righteousness they had cast off her yoak and would not obey her but carried themselves to her as if they owned her no subjection Note here that the Apostle shews in this his discourse by their obedience past and present or by that they have obeyed and do obey righteousness that they are servants of righteousness And by that that they are the Servants of righteousness he shews again that they ought to obey righteousness for the future For these two do one infer the other Ver. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed q d. But what benefit had ye or were ye like to have in those sins which ye are now ashamed even to think of The Apostle useth arguments here to perswade them never to return at all to the service of sin again but to continue wholly in the service of righteousness What fruit i. e. What benefit A Metaphor from Trees or the like What fruit had ye i. e. What fruit had ye or were ye like to have Syllepsis In those things whereof ye are now ashamed It is not likely that the Romans before their conversion and regeneration were better than the Corinthians of whom Saint Paul saith 1 Cor 3.6 9. that they or some of them were Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effoeminate Abusers of themselves with mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners which sins especially those of uncleanness which he seems especially to aim at here would make a regenerate man to blush at the very mention or thought of them This is the fruit of these and the like sins viz. Shame here and Eternal death hereafter if they be not broke off and washt away in the blood of Christ The end of those things is death viz. Death Eternal And therefore they were not like to bring any pleasant fruit in the end Being made free from sin See verse 18. And become the Servants of God He calls them the Servants of God here whom he called the Servants of Righteousness ver 18. Ver. 22. Ye have your fruit unto Holiness q. d. Ye have your fruit or your reward to wit Holiness Vnto Holiness The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where note that this Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto seemeth to be put here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grammarians speak and to signifie as much as to wit q. d. Ye have your fruit to wit Holiness So doth the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seem to be taken Rom. 4.8 in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render thus Who against hope believed in hope to wit that he should be the Father of many Nations Holiness By Holiness is not here meant meer holiness for they were holy before but further holiness or increase of holiness He opposeth holiness here to shame caused by their unclean and evill doings and so he may well do if we take holiness with its effect which effect is contrary to shame for it emboldeneth a man with an holy boldness Ver. 23. The wages of Sin is death i e. The wages which Sin payeth to her Servants is death He speaks of sin as of a Person yea as a Queen or Lady by a Prosopopoeia This of paying wages is a Metaphor taken from Souldiers pay For that which is here rendred Wages is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Military word These words For the wages of sin is death relate to those of the 21. verse viz. The end of these things is death The gift of God i. e. The gift which God gives to his Servants and such as obey him Note here that what sin giveth to her Servants is Wages for she gives that which they deserve to wit Death But that which God gives his Servants is a free Gift such as they deserve not to wit Eternal Life which is above all their deserts And therefore he saith not The wages of God is Eternal Life but The gift of God is Eternal Life These words relate to those of the 22. verse The end Everlasting Life As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred here Wages is observed to be a Military word so would some have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred a Gift to be a Military word too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth such Wages as Kings were wont to give to their Souldiers for their daily pay And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they was a Donative which Kings were wont to give to such Souldiers as they pleased above their due pay as some piece of Money or some Crown or some Badge or Ensign of honour or other And to this which Kings were wont to do to their Souldiers doth the Apostle say they here allude CHAP. VII 1. KNow ye not Brethren for I speak to them that know the law how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth 1. I said Chap 5.14 that ye are not under the law but under grace or under the Gospel Now for your better understanding O my Brethren the Jewes of what I said there I will amplifie and enlarge here a little and illustrate what I said by the Metaphor of an husband and a wife resembling the Law to an husband and you which were under the Law to a wife Know ye not therefore Brethren for I speak to you Jews which know and are acquainted with the writings of the Old Testament how that the Law which was given by Moses hath dominion over the man which is under it so that he cannot free himself from the obligation thereof so long as it liveth that is so
God to thee for good and from those again He is the Minister of God v. 4. The Apostle doth repeat here in this verse by way of inference or collection out of what he hath said what he gave in charge or command in the beginning of the Chapter concerning being subject to the highest powers but he repeats it with a polite addition of that that we must do it not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Ver. 6. For for this cause pay ye tribute also q. d. I said verse 4. That the Ruler is the Minister of God to thee for good wherefore being that he is the Minister of God to thee for good for this cause be ye not only subject to him as I said verse 5. but pay ye tribute also I take For here for Wherefore as it is taken Chap. 8.38 And I take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pay ye to be not of the Indicative but of the Imperative Mood though most Interpreters take it for a Verb of the Indicative Mood For the Jews were never forward in paying tribute to any Heathen power but when tribute was demanded they raised commotions and rebellions upon it as we may read Acts 5.37 And in Josephus and Suetonius and others wherefore there was need of a particular precept for this Tribute was money raised upon the goods and lands of the People according to their ability for the support of the Rulers in their great and expensive offices To pay tribute is a part of subjection but though the Apostle had given a charge to the Romans in general to be subject yet doth he add this in particular that they should pay Tribute because the Jews many of which lived at this time at Rome were averse from it And it is a part of Rhetorique to mention a particular after a general or a species after a genus when there is a reason for taking special notice of the species See Chap. 1. v. 21. For they are Gods Ministers attending upon this very thing i. e. For they are Gods Ministers I say attending upon this very same thing viz. which I spoke of ver 4. that is attending upon your good What this thing was which they attended on we must gather from what went before If Rulers are Gods Ministers and attend by his appointment upon our good they are worthy of tribute upon a double account First as they are Gods Ministers whose is the Earth and all things therein contained And Secondly because they do attend upon our good This is an argument to perswade to the willing paying of tribute Ver. 7. Render therefore to all their dues i. e. Render therefore to all the highest powers whatsoever they are and in what parts of the world soever their dominion is that which is due to them from you which live under their dominion This being the Imperative mood makes it the more propable that that must be of the imperative mood also ver 6. Viz. For this cause pay ye tribute also Tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome What tribute was we said ver 6. Now custom is a tole or tax that is paid for importation or exportation that is for carrying of Merchandise into or out of a land Fear to whom fear By fear is here meant Reverential fear or rather that reverence or reverent carriage which proceedeth from reverential fear per Metonymiam causae Honour to whom honour i. e. Render all the signs and expressions of the high esteem which you have or ought to have of his Excellencie whom God hath made excellent by reason of his authority Honour is the sign of an esteem which we have of anothers excellency And we ought highly to esteem and therefore to shew the signs of this our esteem of the excellency of power which is in the supream Rulers as they are Gods Vicegerents Although perhaps for their life and conversation they should otherwise be wicked All these four things which the Apostle here mentioneth Viz. Tribute Custom Fear and Honour are not so disjoyned in nature but that they may belong to one and the same powers and Rulers Ver. 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another q. d. Pay to every man that debt which you owe so that you may owe it him no more except it be that debt of love which though you pay alwayes by doing the duties of love one to another yet ye must alwayes owe. This is a new precept different from that which went before though perhaps it may have its place here by occasion of those words Viz. Render to all their dues Ver. 7. The former precept which the Apostle hath amplified and pursued from the first verse of this Chapter hitherto concerned the duty of subjects towards those which were their Rulers as such But this precept concerns the duty of a private man to a private man as such There be duties or debts which when they are once paid are due no more as debts for mony borrowed wares bought or the like and there are such dues or debts which we must continually pay as we have occasion and yet they will never be quite paid or never be so paid as that we owe them not any more and such are the duties of love which we owe by vertue of Gods command every one one to another The former kind of debts the Apostle would have us so to pay when they are due as that we owe them no more the second kind of debts he would have us owe but yet so owe as that we should notwithstanding be daily paying them for this is the Apostles meaning Charitas semper redditur semper debetur saith Saint Augustine in Psal 33 Tim. 8. page 94. Charity is alwayes paid and yet alwayes owing But here some make an objâ—ction saying the Apostle said Ver. 7. Rendâ—r fear to whom fear is due and honour to whom honour But if the Apostle would have us to owe nothing but to love one another than would he not have us to owe fâ—ar or to owe honour to our Rulers for he seems to think of them as dues or debts which we may so pay at the present as that we may be discharged of them for the future Answ To this some give this answer Viz. The Apostle when he saith But to love one another he doth under the name and duty of love comprehend the duties and acts of all other vertues too because they are to be directed by love and to proceed from thence whereas therefore fear and honour are acts of other vertues which are to be directed by love and to proceed from thence They must be as love is alwayes in paying and never paid We must alwayes pay them and still owe them But perhaps we may say in answer to the aforesaid objection that the Apostle gives this his precept not to subjects as subjects and in relation to their superiors but to private men in relation to Private-men And therefore