PART I. The first question which requires to be resolved Meaning of is, what is the meaning and reference of the words the terms employed by the apostle ;-" the powers"-" the power"-" the rulers?" Are they to be understood of principles or of persons, of offices or of officers; or, as it has been quaintly phrased, of magistracy in the abstract or in the concrete? It is not wonderful that among thinking men some should have adopted the first of these views,-for it rids the subject of considerable difficulty, and makes the passage embody in it one of the finest views of the object of civil government, that is to be met with in either profane or sacred literature. There seems great beauty in the apostle descending from "the super-eminent powers,"the great eternal principles of truth and justice and order, dwelling "in the bosom of God," a part of his nature as well as an expression of his will, which are the foundation of all law and government to those principles first so far as embodied in all regular civil government, and then so far as embodied in the existing Roman government; and the description contained in the third verse, if understood without limits, seems far better to answer to the magisterial office, as embodying these principles, than to any actual magistracy which ever yet has existed among men. one. Yet I apprehend there is abundant evidence that the second view of the subject is the true The use of the plural number, " powers," is a strong presumption that the reference is not to magistracy in the abstract. It is not uncommon in Scripture to use abstract terms, to denote 66 classes of persons. As when "God" is said to PART 1. have set some in the church, miracles," i. e. workers of miracles,-" gifts of healing," i. e. persons endowed with the power of curing diseases, 66 66 helps," i. e. assistants, deacons,—“ governments,” i. e. rulers,—“ diversities of tongues," i. e. persons capable of speaking various languages.* It would be a style fitter for poetry than prose, to speak of magistracy as "bearing the sword;" and the "powers" are represented as "rulers ;" the power" as "a minister of God" to reward and to punish. Besides, though this mode of interpretation might get rid of some difficulties, it would involve in other and greater difficulties. It seems utterly unaccountable, that the apostle should, on a subject on which the Christians in Rome were in great danger of falling into mistake a mistake most hazardous to themselves and to their cause-enter into an abstract disquisition on the nature and design of civil government, which, so far as they could understand it, however ingenious and excellent in itself, must have rather increased than lessened the difficulty of their discovering what was their duty in reference to the existing Roman authorities.† the terins ex Taking for granted, then, that "powers" and Reference of "power," as well as "rulers," refer to persons in-plained. vested with civil power-the power of making * 1 Cor. xii. 28. Vide Luke xii. 11; Eph. iii. 10. vi. 12. Col. i. 16; ii. 15. 1 Peter iii. 22. Titus iii. 1. + The reader will do well to consult the able discussion of this question in the Associate Presbytery's Answers to Mr Nairn's Reasons of Dissent.—Gib's Display of the Secession Testimony, vol. i. pp. 305–308. E PART I. and executing laws; that the words are used just in the way in which we employ the synonymous term "authorities," let us now inquire into their reference. Do they refer to all rulers, or to a certain sort of rulers? The answer to that question seems very obvious. The words were addressed to the Roman Christians, to teach them their duty; and surely the governors referred to, must be the governors to whom they were subject. Meaning and reference of the epithet "higher." But what are we to understand by the "higher powers?" Are these words to be understood as expressive of a quality which belonged to all the Roman magistrates, or of a quality which belonged only to some of the Roman magistrates? Do they describe the higher orders of the magistracy in contradistinction to the lower? The word itself does not determine this question. It is used by the Apostle Peter to distinguish the king or emperor from inferior magistrates, when he contrasts "the king as supreme" (the same word as is employed here by Paul), with "governors as them that are sent by him."* Yet it is plain that all that follows in the paragragh before us,† is just + The acutest of my reviewers,* has, by representing "the paragraph,” here as denoting the passage referred to in 1st Peter, and not, as it obviously does, the passage under exposition, makes me speak absolute nonsense: and then exclaims, "This surely is not a happy specimen of exegesis in so learned a professor of exegetical theology." By defining still more clearly the reference of the word “ paragraph,” I have removed even the shadow of excuse-it never was any thing but a shadow--for misrepre Carson's Review, pp. 50-52. the unfolding of what is contained in the com- PART I. mencing precept; and it is equally plain, that in the sequel the apostle enjoins obedience, not only to the higher authorities in the empire, but to all authorities, down to the despised publican or taxgatherer. The term, then, is not here distinctive of a species in the class of governors, but descriptive of the whole class of governors. What is its meaning? Some have rendered it " supereminent," understanding by that, eminence in the qualities which should distinguish magistratesothers " protecting;" but the facts of the case forbid the adoption of the first interpretation, and the usage of the language the second. The apostle in this case, as in most others, is his own best interpreter. In the beginning of the second chapter of his first epistle to Timothy, he exhorts Christians to make " supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks-for kings and for all that are in authority," ev imepoxy ourw-a phrase εν ύπεροχη οκτων—2 of similar origin and meaning with that under consideration. "The higher powers" are then sentation. I would much rather be the sufferer than the actor in such feats of critical slight of hand. I greatly admire the following passage from an ancient author, with whom our critic claims intimate acquaintance :-Απειπαμεθα τα κρυπτα αισχύνης, μη περιπατούντες εν πανουργια, μηδε δολούντες τον λογον του Θεού, αλλα τη φανερωσει της αληθειας συνιστωτες ἑαυτους προς πασαν συνειδησιν ανθρωπων ενώπιον του Θεου. The critic is in quest of faults, and his motto seems to be "Aut inveniam, aut FACIAM." He exemplifies here and elsewhere, the second part of the motto. He has certainly succeeded in making faults, whatever success he may have had in finding them. An ill-natured man would perhaps consider his own strong phrase as the justest description of this feat, "This is forgery."-Review, p. 13. PART 1. just "the ruling authorities"-the magistrates in office all invested with civil power, from the Emperor to the Edile or Quæstor-all who were employed in making or in executing the laws.* Duty enjoined subjection." Universality of the duty. The duty enjoined on the Roman Christians, in reference to these ruling magistrates, is " subjection." "Be subject to the higher powers,”—that is, be obedient to their commands: be submissive to their appointments. This duty, arising as it did out of a universal relation,circumstances not peculiar to individuals, but common to all members of civil society,-is, in very forcible language, represented as equally binding on all the Roman Christians. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.' Every soul is a Hebraism for every person, just as every body is an Anglicism for the same thing.f It is an idiomatic, and probably here an emphatic expression. It seems intended to bring the idea of the universality of the obligation more strongly out than the use of the ordinary term (ékaσTOS), every one," would have done. Whatever dignity of official character he may be clothed with -whatever extent or variety of spiritual gifts he may be endowed with-let every one of you be subject to the ruling authorities. Chrysostom, who is perhaps the best interpreter among the Fathers, very well expresses the meaning: "Although he be an apostle, although he be an evangelist, although he be a prophet, let every soul be subject." * Vide Note VII. + Gen. xii. 5. The Rhemists, though neither as translators nor interpre |