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Tertullian

Chapter 14

About this work

Author: Tertullian

No doubt the apostle admonishes the Romans to be subject to all power

‹ Chapter 13 Chapter 15 ›

,

because

there

is

no

power

but

of

God

,

and

because

(

the

ruler

)

does

not

carry

the

sword

without

reason

,

and

is

the

servant

of

God

,

nay

also

,

says

he

,

a

revenger

to

execute

wrath

upon

him

that

doeth

evil

.

For

he

had

also

previously

spoken

thus

:

“

For

rulers

are

not

a

terror

to

a

good

work

,

but

to

an

evil

.

Wilt

thou

then

not

be

afraid

of

the

power

?

Do

that

which

is

good

,

and

thou

shalt

have

praise

of

it

.

Therefore

he

is

a

minister

of

God

to

thee

for

good

.

But

if

thou

do

that

which

is

evil

,

be

afraid

.

”

Thus

he

bids

you

be

subject

to

the

powers

,

not

on

an

opportunity

occurring

for

his

avoiding

martyrdom

,

but

when

he

is

making

an

appeal

in

behalf

of

a

good

life

,

under

the

view

also

of

their

being

as

it

were

assistants

bestowed

upon

righteousness

,

as

it

were

handmaids

of

the

divine

court

of

justice

,

which

even

here

pronounces

sentence

beforehand

upon

the

guilty

.

Then

he

goes

on

also

to

show

how

he

wishes

you

to

be

subject

to

the

powers

,

bidding

you

pay

“

tribute

to

whom

tribute

is

due

,

custom

to

whom

custom

,

”

that

is

,

the

things

which

are

Cæsar’s

to

Cæsar

,

and

the

things

which

are

God’s

to

God

;

but

man

is

the

property

of

God

alone

.

Peter

,

no

doubt

,

had

likewise

said

that

the

king

indeed

must

be

honoured

,

yet

so

that

the

king

be

honoured

only

when

he

keeps

to

his

own

sphere

,

when

he

is

far

from

assuming

divine

honours

;

because

both

father

and

mother

will

be

loved

along

with

God

,

not

put

on

an

equality

with

Him

.

Besides

,

one

will

not

be

permitted

to

love

even

life

more

than

God

.

Notes

1
Rom. xiii. 1.
2
Rom. xiii. 6.
3
Matt. xxii. 21.
4
1 Pet. ii. 13.