John Trapp on Romans 13

CHAP. XIII. Verſe 1. Let every ſoul be ſubject]

IN things lawfull only: for elſe we muſt anſwer as thoſe Apoſtles did, Act. 3.29. and as Polycarp, who being commanded to blaſpheme Chriſt, and to ſwear by the fortune of Caeſar, peremptorily refuſed, and ſaid, We are taught to give honour to Princes and Potentates, but ſuch honour as is not contrary to Gods religion.

Ordained of God] In regard of it's inſtitution,Tha. 2.2. q. 10. ar. 10. though for the manner of it's conſtitution it is of man.

Verſe 2. Reſisteth the power] His authorative commands, not his perſonall.

Receive to themſelves damnation] Poenam ſibi auferent, ſaith Piſcator, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Conſer. 1 Cor. 11.31, 32 they ſhall receive puniſhment, to wit from the Magiſtrate: as Aretine deſerved to doe, who by longer cuſtome of libellous and contumelious ſpeaking againſt Princes, had got ſuch a habit, that at laſt he came to diminiſh and diſeſteem God himſelf.

Verſe 3. For Rulers are not, &c.] They ſhould not be. But Ieroboam ſet a net on Mizpeh, and ſpread a ſhare upon Tabor to watch who would go from him to Iudah to worſhip, Hoſ 5.1.

A terrour to good works, but to the evil] The Sword of juſtice (ſaith one) muſt be furbiſhed with the oil of mercy: yet there are caſes wherein ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale. Petr. Nicol. Gelſtrou[illegible: 1 letter]. Dan. biſt. Dureſce, Dureſce, ò infoelix Lantgravie, ſaid the poor Smith to the Lantgrave of Thuring, more milde then was for his peoples good. Bonis nocet, qui malis parcit. Edward the Confeſſour was held a bad Prince, not by doing, but enduring ill.

Verſe 4. For he is the minister] It was written upon the ſword of Charles the great, Decem praeceptorum custos Carolus, Charles is Lord Keeper of the Decalogue.

For he beareth not the Sword in vain] Like St Paul in a glaſſe window, or St George (as they call him) in a ſign-poſt.

A revenger to execute wrath] But now we ſee how every man almoſt will be a Pope in his own cauſe, depoſe the Magiſtrate, at leaſt appeal from him to himſelf.

Verſe 5. But alſo for conſcience ſake] Good Rulers we muſt obey as God, bad, for God. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Baſil.

Verſe 6. Attending continually] As born for the benefit of many. The Parliament in the 25. of Edward 3. is known to poſterity by the name of Benedictum Parliamentum: So ſhall this preſent [illegible: 1 letter]arliament for their continuall attendance upon the Lords work; bending themſelves to the buſineſſe (as the word ſignifies) and holding cut therein with unparallel'd patience.This was written, anno 1646. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 7. Render therefore to all their dues] He ſaith not their unjuſt exactions. Melancthon makes mention of a cruell Prince, that to get money of his Subjects, would knock out their teeth;Primò unum dentem evellebat minitans, &c. firſt one tooth, and then another, unleſſe they would bring him in ſuch ſums of money as he required.

Fear to whom, &c.] i. e. Reverentiall obſervance, farre beyond that which Q. Fabius Maximus yeelded to his ſon, when he became Conſul. Li. Decal. 3. lib 4.

Verſe 8. Owe no man, &c.] The Perſians reckoned theſe two for very great ſins; 1. To be in debt. 2. To tell a lie; the later being oft the fruit of the former. By the twelve Tables of Rome, Xenophon. he that owed much, and could not pay, was to be cut in pieces, and every creditour was to have a piece of him according to the debt.Gell lib. 12. c. 1.

Verſe 9. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Briefly comprehended] Capitulated, fulfilled, ſaith the Syriack, ſummed up. St Bartholomew was quoted by Dionyſius to have ſaid of Divinity, Et magnam eſſe & minimam, that it was large and yet little, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as containing much matter in few words.

Verſe 10. The [illegible: 1 word] of the law] The filling up of the law in this, that it clotheth the duties of the law with the glory of a due manner, and ſeateth them upon their due ſubjects, with the unwearied labours of a conſtant well-doing.

Verſe 11. To awake out of ſleep] Whiles the Crocodile ſleepeth with open mouth, the Indian rat gets into his ſtomack, and eateth thorow his entrails. Whiles Iſhhoſheth ſlept upon his bed at noon, Baanah and Rechab took a way his head. Security uſhereth in deſtruction. Goe forth and ſhake your ſelves as Sampſon did, when the Philistims were upon him: leſt Satan ſerve you, at leaſt for your ſouls, as Captain Drake did the Spaniard at Taurapaſa in the Weſt-Indies for his treaſure; he found him ſleeping ſecurely on the ſhore, and by him thirteen bars of ſilver to the value of 400000 duckets,Co[illegible: 2 letters]dens Eliſa. fol. 422. which he commanded to be carried away, not ſo much as once waking the man. Or leſt Chriſt himſelf deal by us, as Epaminondas did by the watchman, whom he found aſleep: He thruſt him thorow with his ſword, and being blamed for ſo ſevere a fact, he replied, Talem eum reliqui, qualem inveni, I left him, as I found him.

For now is our ſalvation nearer] Stir up your ſelves therefore, and ſtrain toward the mark. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Heſych. Poliux l 3 [illegible: 1 letter] 30 There is a Greek word ſignifying the end of a race, which is derived of a word that ſignifieth to ſpur or prick forward. Surely, as they that run their horſes for a wager, ſpur hardeſt at the races end: ſo, ſith our ſalvation is nearer now then ever it was, therefore we ſhould run faſter now then ever we did.

Verſe 12. The night] Here it is taken for all unregeneracy, which (as the night) is full of errour, terrour. &c. Nox pudore vacat. This night with the Saints is far ſpent, or already paſt, as Cyprian and Hierom here render it.Tranſivit. Praeterijt. [non-Latin text not transcribed]

Verſe 13. Let us walk honeſtly] Handſomely, faſhionably, mannerly, with an holy ſhamefacednes.

Not in chambering] Properly, lying a bed, or long-lying. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 14. But put ye on] Augustin confeſſeth that he was converted by reading and pondering this text.

And make not proviſion] Make not projects, cater not for the fleſh.