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¹ Be every one of you subject to the ruling powers. for every ruler holds of God: the rulers in being are constituted by God. ² so that he who opposes the ruler, disobeys the orders of God: and will be punished too for resisting, by those very powers. ³ rulers are not a terror to virtue, but to vice. would you then live without any dread of the civil power? do what is right, and you shall have his commendation. ⁴ for his administration is appointed by God for your good. but if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: he being the minister of God, to execute punishment upon malefactors. ⁵ wherefore you ought to submit not only from an apprehension of punishment, but ⁶ from a principle of conscience. for this is the reason why you also pay tribute, because under God, they are continually

⁷ attending upon the publick administration. render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, reverence to whom reverence, honour to whom honour. ⁸ Owe no man any thing, but mutual love: for he that ⁹ loves others hath fulfilled the law. 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 whatever social precept there be, it is reduced to this single head, ¹⁰ thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self." the benevolent never does wrong to his neighbour: therefore benevolence is the fulfilling of the law.

¹¹ Consider likewise the present season, that now it is high time to rouse out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. ¹² the night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore throw off the habits of darkness, and be invested with the ornaments of light. ¹³ let us behave with decency as in open view; not with rioting and drunkenness, not with lewdness and brutality, not with strife and envy. ¹⁴ but imitate the Lord Jesus Christ, and by no means indulge any sensual desires.