Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ— A strong expression for endeavouring to be clothed, through divine grace, with allthe virtues and graces which compose his character. It is observable, that the Apostle does not say, "Put on purity, sobriety, benevolence, &c." But he in effect says all at once, in saying, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Plutarch tells us concerning the kings of Persia, that on the coronation-day they put on a robe which the first Cyrus wore before he was king, to remindthemofimitatinghisexemplary temper and behaviour. Dr. Hammond renders the last clause of this verse very well, "Take care your providence for the flesh do not turn into covetousness, or irregular desires;" for it is literally, Make not provision for the flesh unto covetousness. See Plutarch's Life of Artaxerxes, and Hammond.
Inferences.—What a wise and important appointment of Providence is civil government, for the good of mankind; for a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well! And what a friend is the Christian religion to its happiness, peace, and order! It directs rulers how to answer the valuable ends of the high trust which God has committed to them; and teaches subjects to yield all dutiful obedience to them, for conscience-sake, as well as for escaping the vengeance of the sword of justice, and reaping the benefits of government. While magistrates rule for the general good of the community, according to the laws and constitution of the state, we ought to reverence and honour them in their public character, as the ministers and ordinance of God for good, and to pay the customs and tributes that are their due, as an equitable and grateful return for their care, trouble, and expence in protecting us, and our rights and properties: public as well as private debts, ought to be faithfully discharged; only we are never to think that we have so fully paid the debt of love one to another, as to be under no farther obligations to it. What an amiable and constraining principle is true Christian love! It inclines and engages us to fulfil all the duties of morality towards our neighbour; it restrains us from adultery, murder, theft, falsehood, and lying, and from all covetous desires of any man's goods and enjoyments; and it obliges and disposes us to a performance of all the contrary duties, yea, of every thing contained in the Second Table of the Law. But, alas! how imperfect is the present state of things! The best that can be said of it is, that the night is far spent, and the day is at hand; and that complete salvation is continually approaching nearer and nearer to every true and persevering believer. How should these thoughts excite Christians to shake off sloth, and renounce all works of darkness; such as rioting and drunkenness, uncleanness and wantonness, strife and envy; and to walk honourably, as becomes children of the light and of the day, and as those that put on Christ, and the illustrious armour with which he has furnished them, to guard against all evil; and that are careful never to do any thing to indulge the flesh, and fulfil its sinful desires!
REFLECTIONS.—1st, From the duties they owed to each other, as members of civil society, the Apostle proceeds to enforce submission in all lawful things to the authority of the civil government under which they lived. The Christian doctrine makes no alteration in the natural and civil rights of mankind. Dominion is not founded in grace; therefore Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; respectful and obedient to all lawful magistrates, from the highest to the lowest, and willingly observant of the laws with the execution of which they are entrusted. For there is no power, but of God; he is the source of all authority, dignity, and honour; by him kings reign. The powers that be are ordained of God; whatever be the mode of government, whether the ruling power be lodged in the hands of one person or many, submission is our duty; and though the men who are invested with the authority be never so vile and wicked, their lawful commands are nevertheless to be obeyed; and the magistrate is to be honoured, however despicable the man may appear. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, and refuseth obedience to the lawful orders of the established government, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation, κριμα, the punishment due to their offence, according to the laws, from the sword of the magistrate, and judgment also from God for the transgression against his ordinance. For rulers are not a terror to good works: they who behave quiet and submissive have nothing to fear, for such subjects the magistrates are bound to protect and cherish; but they are appointed to restrain the evil actions of men, which tend to disturb the peace of society, to dishonour God, or injure their neighbour. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, be peaceable and obedient to the laws, and thou shalt have praise of the same; in every well-ordered government such subjects will be protected and encouraged. For he is the minister of God, appointed to preserve the peace of the state, to redress injuries, administer justice, suppress vice, profaneness, and immorality; to punish offenders, and promote the general welfare: and therefore if thou be found obedient, the office of magistracy will be to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, and violate the established laws, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; being obliged by his very office impartially to inflict the penalty due to every offence; for he is the minister of God, who puts the sword of judgment into his hands, as a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil; not out of any private personal resentment, but coolly as God's vicegerent, without partiality or favour, according to the dictates of justice. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, merely through fear of punishment and penalties, but also for conscience-sake; from a principle of duty towards God, whose ordinance is binding; and obedience for his sake is due to human laws, though no pains or penalties were annexed. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also; the taxes and duties necessary for the support of the government whose protection you enjoy: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Remember therefore to all their dues, according to the laws human or divine; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom; all subsidies, taxes, &c. imposed by lawful authority; fear, to whom fear and reverence should be paid; honour, to whom honour is due, according to the superior rank and relation in which by the providence of God they are placed.
2nd, From the payment of dues to magistrates, the Apostle passes on to enforce the discharge of every debt, to whomsoever due.
Owe no man any thing; never run in debt where you have no immediate prospect of paying; nor continue in debt when you have ability to discharge it; and in every relation of life be ready to fulfil the duty which you owe. One debt there is, however, and but one, where, though ever paying, you neither wish nor desire that it should be less, and that is, to love one another as men, and especially as Christians, seeking to promote each other's present and eternal welfare; and this, as the great and reigning principle in all your conduct: for he that loveth another, and, from a sense of the love of God in Christ, experiences this godlike charity, hath fulfilled the law; if his love be perfect, he will be complete in all the will of God. Yet so far as love is in vigorous exercise, so far will his spiritual obedience advance towards perfection. 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 thyself, and act conscientiously towards him, as, were our circumstances reversed, we might reasonably expect he should behave towards us; for then, were there no human restraints or punishments, love would effectually prevent every violation of our neighbour's person, goods, or fame: we cannot hurt the body which we love; we cannot defraud those whom we love; we cannot speak evil of those whom we love; we cannot defile those whom we love, though lawless lust (which is real hatred) often covers its horrid features with the false vizor of this sacred name. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, neither in act nor intention; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
3rdly, The Apostle enforces what he had been recommending to their practice, by a very aweful consideration. And this duty of love I press upon you, knowing the time, the day of Gospel grace and light having broke in upon us; so that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; and shake off all spiritual sloth and carnal security for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed; and as our journey's end draws nearer, we should mend our pace, not loiter, when the mansions of eternal rest are, as it were, in view. The night is far spent, the night of trials, and afflictions, and remaining ignorance, is drawing to an end; the day of the complete redemption of the faithful from darkness, trouble, and suffering, is at hand, when in eternal glory their sun shall rise, to set no more: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness; as persons rising from their beds remove the clothes, so must we reject and put far away all those sinful tempers and practices, which are opposite to the light of truth, are usually done in secret, and for which the blackness of darkness is the reserved punishment: and let us put on the armour of light, all those bright and shining graces of the Spirit, which adorn our holy profession, and enable us to stand against the assaults of sin, the world, and Satan, till triumphantly we shall appear in all the lustre of eternal glory. Therefore let us walk honestly as in the day, shewing a conversation such as becometh godliness in the eyes of men; guided by the light of truth, and the Spirit of purity; and able to bear the strictest scrutiny of our Observer; not in rioting and drunkeness, indulging to excess in meat and drink our sensual appetites; not in chambering and wantonness, for which sensuality supplies the fuel; but restraining every lascivious thought, immodest word, indecent action, as well as abstaining from the grosser pollutions which are in the world through lust; not in strife and envying, contentious, quarrelsome, and grieved, instead of rejoicing in the prosperity of our neighbours. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be complete in him; put on his image, that, being like him, you may come to be with him; put on his holy profession, owning your entire dependence upon him, as your Prophet, Priest, and King; that all who see you may take knowledge of you that you indeed belong to him; and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; let your soul, and your eternal interests, be your great concern, without anxiety about a worldly provision; and, especially, mortify your sensual appetites in whatever would tend to inflame the passions; and to as many as walk after this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and on the Israel of God.