d He ſeems immediately to intend the Governours of Provinces under the Roman Emperors, ſuch as Pilate, Felix, Feſtus, were 1n Fudca ;, Sergins Paulus in Cyprus, Ads 13. 7. and others Places : See inke 3. tr. but ſo as to imply, under the Name of Governours, all inferior Magiſtrates, as under the Nan 2 of King, he doth all Su- preme. e Either, 1. by the King, or Supreme Magiſtrate, and then the next Words ſhew what ſhould be his end in ſending or appoint- inp Officers, or ſubordinate Rulers under him : Or, 2. rather ſent by God, from whom all Rulers Subordinate, as well as Supreme, hive their Authority, and which is the great Motive on which they are to be obeyed ; and then the following Words ſhew what 15 God's end in appointing them, and another Reaſon for yielding Obe- dience to them, viz. their being ſet up for the common Good of the Societies which they rule. f Praiſe is a kind of Reward, and 15 here to be taken by a Synechdoche for all ſorts of Rewards given to thoſe that do well, and are obedient to the Laws. See Rom. 13. 3, 4-
15 For ſo is the will of God g, that with * well- doing þ ye may put to filence 7 the ignorance # of
fooliſh men /. |
g His Command. h All manner of Offices of Humanity, whereof Obedience to Magiſtrates is a principal one, #7 Gr. muxxle, ſtop the mouths, Tit. 1. 11. v2. by taking away all occaſion of evil- ſpeakinz. k Either their ſgnorance of the State, and Converſation of Believers, which may ve the Occaſion of their ſpeakin;; evil of them ; or their Tgnorance of God and his ways, to which Chriſt im- putes the Fury of Perſecutors, 7ohn 16. 3. They that know not God themſelves, are moſt ready to reproach and ſlander thoſe that do. I True Wiſdom conſiſting in the. Knowledge of God ; they that are deſtitute of that Knowledge, as Unbelievers are, are called focith.
1s * As free »n, and not! uſing your liberty for a cloke of maliciouſncls 7. + but as the ſervants of God o.
2 Je prevents an Objettion :; they mg ht pretend they were a free Peopie, as Jews, and thereiore were not t3 obey Strangers, Deut. 17. 15. 729n8, 33. and mace free by Chrift. He aniwers, That they were tree indeed, but it was from Sin, and nor from Rightcouſneſs, not from Obedience to God's Law, which requires 81! j2ftion to Magiſtrates, for they were ſti!l the Servants of God. » Not ufn» your Liberty to cover, or palliate your Wickedneſs, cxcuſn; vour f'ves from Obedience to your Superiors by a pretence of Chriit:an Liberty, when, though ye be tree from Sin, vet ye are not from Duty. 0 And fo {till bound to obey him, and your Ru- ers 1n him. |
17 || Honour all men p: Love the brotherhood g -
ſtew what is the true Spring and Fountain from which all the Du- ties we perform to men are to proceed, viz. The Fear of God, be- cauſe where that doth not prevail, no Duty to men can be rightly performed, (they love the Brotherhood beſt, and Honour the Kings moſt, that truly fear God) or to ſheiv the due Bounds of all the Of- fices we perform to men, that nothing is to be done for them which 1s incontiſtent with the Fear of God. f With that Honour which 1s peculiarly due to him above all others.
1S * Servants 7 be ſubject to yo»wr Maſters with all fear z, not only to the good x and gentle, but alſo to the froward y.
£ The Word is not the ſame which Par! uſeth, Col. 3. 22. but may well comprehend the Servants he ſpeaks of, as implying rot on- ly Slaves, but thoſe that were made free, vet continued till in the { Famsly, and ſo fignifies Servants of whatſoever Condition u Not
CL PET AR
z: * Submit your ſelves to every x ordinance of
only Reverence of Maſters, and {car of off:ndins them is to hex deritood, but Fear of God, as appcars by the Parallel Plzce #.. 22. See Ephe/. 6.5,6, 7. x By Gord he means not Graciny: ly, bur, as the next Word EX Plytn: 't, Gentle, 7uft, Equal, + Me rote, Crabbed, Unjuſt, Unmercitul. te
I9 For this 7s | * thank-worthy 2, if a man 4; conicience toward Uod endure grief; luttering wronm. fully. he,
{ In the Greek (as in the Margin) the Subſtantive is Put for the Adjettive ; the Senſe 1+ ertter, this is acceptable to God. and wil be gracioufly rewarded by him; Or, this 1s praife-worthy, and x31] be your Glory, as v. 20, 4a Out of retpet to Gody and Ceſire pleaſing him.
20 For * what glory 6 7s it if when ye be byffr1 »
Qr: i
4,
af »2
tor your Faults, ye ſhall take it patiently ? bur if whe ye do well and ſuffer for 77, ye take ir patiently. this 14.1 7s || acceptable with God c. oz
b What Praiſe or Glory do ye get by it? Or, what great matter do you do? This Interrogation hath the force of a Negation bach, to be underſtood .comparatively ; it is worthy of Praiſe to ſuffer pa- tiently, even when men luffer juſtly, but worthy of little. jn AY pariſon of ſuffering patiently when unjuſtly. c This ſhews ates ©. meant by thank-worthy, v. 19. ahd the Apoſtle adds what kizs -« Thanks or Praile he intends, viz. not that which is of Man, Cinhrick many times may fail, even when men patiently ſuffer Injurie:\ <p that which is of God, to which Bclievers thould eſpecially have reſpect,
21 For* even hereunto d were ye called e hecauic +, # Chriſt alſo ſuffered for || us £ leaving us an ev in. 1; ple þ that ye ſhould follow his tteps. L Th:
d Viz. To patient hearing of Sufferings, even for wel! doin- 4 e Viz, to Chriſt and the tellowthip of his Kingdom ; 9. 4. yuur vo. © ry Calling and Profeſſion, as Chriſtians, requires this of yo,
f There is an Emphaſis in this Particle, it is as much a+ if he hi ons ſad, even Chriſt our Lord and Head hath ſuffered for us, and there Teal * fore we that are but his Servants and Members muſt not think tc 3% eſcape Sufferings. g Or, as in the Margin, for you, which avrce; with the Beginning and end of the Verſe, where the fecond Prin
is uſed; but moſt read it as we do in the firſt Perſon, and the: %n:,
is ftill the fame; only the Apoſtle from a general Propofition «i 44
a particular Exhortation ; Chriſt ſuffered for us (therein he comy; hends the Saints to whom he writes) and left an Example for u: all.
do ye therefore to whom, as well as to others, he left this Examy.. follow his Steps, John 13. 15.and 1 John 2,5. þ As ot other Gr,
ces, ſo eſpecially of Patience.
22 * Who did no fin, neither was guile found his mouth &#. wn