SECT. IV.

Chap. II. 11-17.

11 DEARLY beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and

pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against 12 the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the

Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him

for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of 15 them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance 16 of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of 17 God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood.

Fear God. Honour the king.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims. 'I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.' Ps. xxxix. 12. 'I am a stranger in the earth; hide not thy commandments from me.' Ps. cxix. 19. The writer to the Hebrews, after having mentioned several of the early patriarchs, says of them: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and con

fessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac : and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.' Heb. xi. 13-17. In the passage before us the metaphor is chosen probably with reference to the actual condition of the persons to whom the epistle was addressed, viz. the strangers scattered throughout various parts of Asia. -abstain from fleshly lusts. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Rom. xiii. 14. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.' Gal. v. 16. -which war against the soul. To be carnally minded is death.' Rom. viii. 6. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die.' Rom. viii. 13. ‹ I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. vii. 22-25. having your conversation honest among the Gentiles. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.' Rom. xii. 17. Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.' 2 Cor. viii. 21. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are

just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.' Phil. iv. 8. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.' Phil. ii. 15.-that whereas they speak against you as evildoers. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,

and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.' Matt. v. 11, 12. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.' ch. iv. 14—16.they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Matt. v. 14-16.-Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man [i. e. to all constituted authorities] for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's.' Matt. xxii. 15-21. 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. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and

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they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.' Rom. xiii. 1, 2. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates.' Tit. iii. 1.- -as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well. For rulers are not a terror 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: 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 doeth evil.' Rom. xiii. 3, 4.-For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.' Tit. ii. 8. as free. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' John viii. 31, 32. • Brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.' Gal. iv. 31. v. 1.-and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.' Gal. v. 13.but as the servants of God. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.' 1 Cor. vii. 22.- -Honour all men. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.' Rom. xiii. 7. In honour preferring one another.' Rom. xii. 10. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that

bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou are bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.' Luke xiv. 7—11. 'Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.' Phil. ii. 3. He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth.' Prov. xiv. 21. All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility.' ch. v. 5.-Love the brotherhood. 'Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.' Rom. xii. 10. 'If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.' 1 John iv. 20, 21, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' John xiii. 34, 35. And now abideth

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faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.' 1 Cor. xiii. 13. 'Let love be without dissimulation.' Rom. xii. 9. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.' 1 John iv. 11. Let brotherly love continue.' Heb. xiii. 1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.' Ps. cxxxiii.- -Fear God. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God.' Deut. vi. 13. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all

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