Romans 13

Who sets bounds to the sea, and bridles the proud waves (Job 38:11). God is the supreme monarch, all power is seated originally in him; and the powers that be are of God (Romans 13:1). Kings hold their crowns from him (Proverbs 8:15).

2. You are within a few days march of heaven. Salvation is near to you; (Romans 13:11) Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Christians, it is but a while and you shall have done weeping and praying, and be triumphing.

Ignorance draws the curtains round about the soul (1 Corinthians 2:14). 2. A natural man is under the darkness of pollution: Hence sinful actions are called works of darkness (Romans 13:12). Pride and lust darken the glory of the soul: A sinner's heart is a dark conclave, it loo…

Think not that birth, or high parts, no nor yet your grace, will exempt you from obedience to your master. To obey him, is an ordinance of God; and the apostle says, whoever resists the ordinance, shall receive to themselves damnation (Romans 13:2). (2.) The servant's honoring o…

Believe the word, and so believe it as to apply it. When you hear Christ preached, apply him to yourselves; this is to put on the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14). When you hear a promise spoken of, apply it: this is to suck the flower of the promise, and turn it to honey.

O if you would not miss of the heavenly kingdom, beware of giving way to your unbridled passions; some say words are but wind, but they are such a wind as may blow them to Hell. 11. If you would not fall short of the heavenly kingdom, beware of too much indulging the sensual app…

They put on their best clothes, are dressed in the richest garb, but care not how naked or undressed their souls are; they do not get the jewels of grace, to adorn their inner man. 2. About feeding their bodies, than their souls, they are caterers for the flesh, they do [in non-…

Q. What is the special rule according to which the life of a christian ought to be framed? A. The life of a christian ought to be framed according to the moral Law of God (Romans 13:8, 9; Ephesians 6:2, 3; James 2:8). Q. How may that be further cleared?

But since some are appointed by the decree of God to damnation, if his will be the cause of that decree, how is that just? Yes, it is most just and righteous notwithstanding (Romans 13, 14). Q. How may that appear?

That is necessary by commandment, which is necessarily to be done because God has commanded it. After this sort it is of necessity that one undergo the office of a magistrate (Romans 13:5). That is necessary by the decree of God, which is so, because God has foreknown it, and wi…

Surely thus: He must do those in his own person, that concern him in his place; and then see that his subjects and servants do likewise such duties, both towards God and man, as concern them in their places. This is a special point concerning all Magistrates and Superiors whatso…

Inferiors again must remember to submit themselves to the authority of their governors, especially of magistrates. For they are set over us by our Sovereign Lord and king Christ Jesus: as Paul says, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. (Romans 13) For there is no powe…

Oh what excellent food is this, God himself is in this cheer. 6. A righteous man has more excellent armor; namely, the armor of light (Romans 13:12). This is armor of God's making (Ephesians 6:16), and the Lord with his armor gives strength.

In assigning his earnestness and zeal for their good, you may take notice of three things, which I shall explain in their order. A compellation of their persons, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] [Beloved;] a term usual in the Apostles' writings, the same word is used (1 Peter 2:11),…

The end of man's life is not only to serve God by the duties of the first table, but by serving man in the duties of the second table to serve God. Therefore the love of our neighbor is called the fulfilling of the whole law (Romans 13:10), because the law of God is practiced no…

Now Religion has entered its protest against all the disorders of its Disciples; Religion has bound its yoke upon all of them. What if some Religious men be seditious or rebellious against Magistrates, Religion has protested against it (Romans 13:1). Let every soul be subject to…

2. They that are in civil authority, may and ought to take away the lives of men, that shall commit crimes, by the law of God worthy of death. The Apostle therefore says concerning the magistrate: "He is the minister of God to you for good: but if you do that which is evil, be a…

He would have the Magistrate to do like the rich man in the Parable, who had exceeding many Flocks and Herds, and yet did take away the little ewe-lamb from the poor man, who had nothing save that. The Brother says, Of other Governments besides Magistracy, I find no institution;…

And it adheres to all the faculties of our souls; from where it is called the old man (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22), in opposition to the renovation of our minds, and all the faculties of them called the new man, or new creature in us. And there is [in non-Latin alphabet], a cont…

The imaginations intended are the fixing of the mind on the objects of sin, or sinful objects by continual thoughts, with delight and complacency. They are the mind's purveying for the satisfaction of the flesh in the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14), whereby evil thoughts come to l…

The first, does contain those duties which we owe directly in his service (Deuteronomy 4:13 and Exodus 34:1-2). The second, which we owe to our brethren (Matthew 22:36; Romans 13:8-9). In this division we are charged two things: First, that to perfect obedience of the Law, we sh…

For the continuance of their houses to many generations (Psalm 49:11). For the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14). If Christ be for the Saints, then all other things are for them; all things are theirs: Death is a waterman to carry them to the other side of time;…

(Ephesians 4:23): be renewed in the Spirit of your mind. (Romans 12:2; Romans 13:14; and 1 Thessalonians 5:17): pray without ceasing. (Psalm 50:15): Call upon me.

Baptism is our initiation into the service of God, or our solemn consecration of ourselves to him; and it does not only imply work, but fight (Romans 6:13): Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive…

Therefore we ought not to call them back again, nor superstitiously bind ourselves to them: as some went about to do in times past, being ignorant of this liberty. Now although the Gospel does not make us subject to the Judicial laws of Moses, yet notwithstanding it does not exe…

To put on Christ is taken two kinds of ways, according to the law, and according to the gospel. According to the law, as it is said in Romans 13: Put on the Lord Jesus Christ: that is, follow the example and virtues of Christ. Do that which he did, and suffer that which he suffe…

This was Peter's fear, and it was a sin in him. For God is to be feared, simply because he is Lord of body and soul, and can destroy both: and he is to be feared for himself, whereas every creature is to be feared in part only, and for God (Romans 13:3-4). By this we are taught,…

VII. Rom 13:8. Loue is the fulfilling of the law: and the regenerate loue their neighbours.

This doctrine is not of God, because it is against Christian liberty. Objection 1. Romans 13:5. Be subject to the higher powers for conscience. Answer. Conscience here is not in respect of the laws of the magistrate, but in respect of the law of God, that binds us in conscience…

The Popes, and Prelates of the Romish Church, are notorious in this kind, in urging men to make conscience of that, which they themselves will not keep, to practice that which they will not perform, and to believe that, which they count false, and fabulous. For first, they stric…

Now it is very likely that after his banishment, Eliakim was placed in his room. I will call.] It is most certain that all princes and magistrates are called by the Lord: indeed, even such as are heathen and unbelieving; for all power, as Saint Paul says, is of God (Romans 13:1)…

Besides, however these words be directed to the Jews, that with a sincere affection of heart, and with an unfeigned desire of godliness, they might show themselves thankful to their redeemer; yet it also belongs to us all in general: for the whole world is lost in itself, unless…

But I warn you, that you must ascend much higher. Love is the fulfilling of the law, (Romans 13:10;) and I say that your neighbor is injured, when you act towards him otherwise than as a friend.” The latter clause which he quotes, he who kills shall be liable to the judgment, co…

I reply, the question is not as to the manner in which the garment is to be procured; for whomsoever the Lord invites he at the same time supplies with clothing, and in all of us is fulfilled what Ezekiel says, (16:6-14,) that God finds nothing in us but wretchedness, and nakedn…

For Christ intended to refute the error of those who did not think that they would be the people of God, unless they were free from every yoke of human authority. In like manner, Paul earnestly insists on this point, that they ought not the less to look upon themselves as servin…

and, in another passage, the fulfilling of the law, (Romans 13:10;) for all the commandments of the second table must be referred to it.

Matthew satisfies himself with one part; and there is no absurdity in calling the duties of charity the principal points of the Law, since charity itself is pronounced by Paul to be the perfection of the Law; as he also says, that the Law is fulfilled if we love our neighbors, (…

They therefore that do well and live orderly and honestly, ought at the magistrate's hands to receive praise: and them ought the magistrate to commend, prefer and gratify: that others by their example may be provoked, drawn and allured to the like virtue and integrity: not that…

Which words signify as much, as that those two Commandments comprehend the Duty prescribed, and the Religion taught in the Law and the Prophets. And the Apostle Paul does from Time to Time make the same Representation of the Matter; as in Romans 13. 8. He that loveth another, ha…

We see among Men, that the Servant who is of a haughty Spirit, is not apt in every Thing to be submissive and obedient to the Will of his Master; but it is otherwise with that Servant who is of a lowly Spirit. And that Lamblike, Dovelike Spirit, that has been spoken of, which ac…

Great perplexities accompany the secret infusion of a principle of spiritual life into the will — as two wills now operate within the same soul, one old and confirmed by habit, one new and weak, the soul is torn between them and experiences an inner conflict it cannot resolve by…

If there be no Candles in the house, we do not much matter it, if we are sure it's almost break of day; for then there will be no use for them. This is your case; your salvation is nearer than when you believed, Romans 13:11 I have done with the directive part of this discourse;…

God sometimes honors the reading of the word, to give encouragement to reading, to be a means of some men's call. I have read of Saint Augustine that he was converted, not by hearing a sermon, but by opening the Bible and reading that place (Romans 13:13): Let us walk honestly a…

V. 35. By this shall all men know, that you are my Disciples, if you have love one to another. (Romans 13:8) Owe nothing to any man, but to love one another, he that loves another fulfills the law. (Ephesians 5:2) Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.

He that is employed in any great and public work is [in non-Latin alphabet]. Hence of old Magistrates were termed [in non-Latin alphabet], as they are by Paul [in non-Latin alphabet] (Romans 13:4), the Ministers of God. And Chap. 8. v. 2. of this Epistle, he calls the Lord Jesus…

The way to cut off this occasion of offence is this; to make triall inour selues whether our faith be true and sound or not. This will appeare two waies: First, by the beginnings and degrees of the workes of the spirit, which goe before a true and liuely faith, which be three; f…

The wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mercie and good fruits. And hence it is, that loue is called the fulfilling of the law, Rom. 13. 10. IV.

The 5. Comm, concernes the giving of honour and reuerence to Superiours: and it restraines us of our naturall desire, which is to seeke for, and to take honour unto our selues alone; for this inioyns us to give honour one to another, especially to them to whome it belongs, as to…

From verse 2 to the ninth (which is the second part of the chapter) the Bride speaks, and sets down a very complex piece of her condition, which we take up in these three. 1. Her condition is shortly set down. 2. The mutual carriage of the Bridegroom and Bride are recorded; wher…

Hence our Savior commands us to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's (Matthew 22:21). And the Apostle (Romans 13:7), render to all their due; tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor is due. And although possibly sometimes t…