Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 14 · Section 3 · Subsection 41
Quest. 41. Why he that doubteth is condemned.
1. The vulgar Latine readeth, qui discernit, he that discerneth, that is, cleane meats from vncleane, so likewise Origens interpreter: and this sense followe Lyranus, the interlenearie gloss. Gorrhan, Tolet, and all generally on that side: But the better reading is, he that doubteth, for so the word foreign signifieth, as Matth. 21.21. if ye hauehave faith and doubt not, where the vulgar Latine so translateth, si non haesitaveritis, if ye doubt not: and so the Syrian interpreter, qui divisus est, he that is diuided, that is doubtfull in his minde: and Chrysostome followeth this sense, I allowe him, qui cum nulla haesitatione vescitur, who feedeth without any doubting.
2. Some thinke, that this sentence and the former are opposed as contrarie, he is blessed which doth not iudge or condemne himselfe, in that which he alloweth, and he is condemned, qui dubitans aliquid facit, which doth any thing doubting, Faius: But I rather thinke with Pareus, that this is an other aphorisme, or rule, and specially concerneth the weake; that hauehave no faith, that is a firme and sure perswasion grounded vponupon the word, but did eate meates with a doubtfull conscience: but in the former verse he spake vntounto the strong, that hauehave faith: he is blessed, which doth not condemne himselfe in vsing his libertie to, and with the offence of others: so these two rules differ thus in degree, it is more for one to cōdemne himselfe, then to doe a thing doubtfully: it is not sufficient for a man, that his conscience doe not directly condemne him, in that which he doth, but he must also take heede, that he doe it not doubtfully.
3. The reason is added, why such an one eating with a doubtfull minde, sinneth, because he doth it not of faith: which Chrysostome vnderstādeth of the conscience, non mundam esse credidit, he did not beleeue it was cleane and lawfull meate: and yet he did eate it, and so did it not of faith, but contra conscientiam, against his conscience, Lyranus, Gorrhan: so also Pet. Martyr, quia secus credat quam faciat, because he beleeueth otherwise then he doth: but as Tolet well obserueth, non est fides, sed error, this opinion in makng difference of meates, is no faith, but error, therefore an erroneous conscience, cannot be said to be faith: that before he called faith the knowledge of Gods word, that all meates are cleane, and therefore he sinneth, because his mind is not setled, and well perswaded out of Gods word, that he doth please God in eating, and yet eateth, Pareus.
4. But here it will be obiected, why he that beleeueth all meates to be alike, may lawefully eate them, or not eate them: but he which maketh difference of meats, and so beleeueth not, may lawfully abstaine, yet he cannot with a good conscience eate: the reason of this difference is, because he that maketh conscience of meates, if he doe eate, sinneth against his conscience, but he that by the word is taught to make no difference of meats, though he abstaine, doth not against his conscience, for he refraineth not from meates, as though he held them to be vncleane, but for offence sake.
5. It will be obiected againe, what if one be offended with him that is not perswaded of the indifferencie of meates, because he eateth not, may not he without sinne eate, though it be against his conscience, rather then to offend his brother? to this the answear is, that offences are giuen to the weake, not to the strong: he is the stronger and more perfect, that eateth of all alike, he is the weaker, that maketh difference of meates: therefore this case was not likely to fall out, that the weaker by not eating should offend the strong: Tolet here hath an other answear, that if this case should fall out, for the weaker to offend the strong by his not eating, he should rather eate then offend his brother, for a positive lawe, such as was that of making difference of meates, must giuegive place to the naturall lawe, which is, not to offend our brother: But this is no good answear, for if there were such necessitie, that a man must either offend against his owne conscience, or his brothers: it were of the two euills the lesse to grieue his brothers conscience, then his owne: And the lawe positiue is to giuegive place in right vntounto the lawe of nature, where the conscience is so perswaded: but where the conscience is not resolued, the lawe of nature will, that a man hauehave rather respect to himselfe, then an other: and to tender his owne conscience, before an others.
6. Thus the Apostle hath giuen vsus three rules in the vse of things indifferent, and of all other: first, that a mans conscience condemne not himselfe in his action: secondly, though the conscience directly condemne him not, yet he must proceede further, that he cast no doubts: thirdly, and yet it sufficeth not to cast no doubts, but he must labour to hauehave his conscience setled and grounded vponupon faith, which is a certaine knowledge with a firme assurance and perswasion out of the word of God, of the lawfulnes of that thing, which is to be done, that therein he pleaseth God.