Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 14 · Section 3 · Subsection 42
Quest. 42. Of the right meaning of these words, whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne.
1. Thomas deliuereth this for one exposition, in his commentarie vponupon this place, that ex fide, of faith, is all one, as if he had said contra fidem, against the faith: but not that onelyonly which is against the faith, but whatsoeuer is without faith, is vnpleasing to God, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 11.6. without faith it is impossible to please God.
2. Caietan expoundeth this saying not of all things in generall, but of such quae debent procedere ex fide, which ought to proceede of faith, and so it is true, that such things, if they be not of faith, and yet ought to proceede of faith, are sinne: the good morall workes then of the heathen are not therefore to be condemned, as sinne, because they were not of faith, for they proceeded onelyonly from the right vse of reason, though there be no faith: but in this place, the Apostle treateth of such actions as should proceede of faith, as is the ciscerning of meates cleane and vncleane, this directly belonged vntounto faith, concerning the vse of Christian libertie. Contra. 1. If by faith, and to proceede of faith, Caietan vnderstand onelyonly points of doctrine, which belong vntounto the faith, then it skilleth not for all other matters, which concerne manners, good life, whether they be of faith or no: which were verie absurd. 2. neither can there be any right vse of reason in this our corrupt nature without faith. 3. and touching the doctrine of faith, Chrysostome thinketh, that the Apostle doth not in this chapter intend any such thing: he excludeth dogmata fidei, the doctrines and principles of faith: for they must be openly confessed, it sufficeth not to hauehave that faith onelyonly in our conscience before God, as the Apostle saith of this faith, touching the vse of indifferent things, whereof he entreateh, v. 12. Hast thou faith? hauehave it with thy selfe before God.
3. Pererius beside reckoneth vp three other interpretations. 1. as some thinke the Apostle speaketh comparatiuely, what soeuer is not of faith is sinne in respect of such workes, as proceede of faith, not simply. 2. or sinne may be taken for the same, as non placens, not pleasing, acceptable, or availeable with God. 3. and further, this sentence neede not to be taken generally, as though it were vniuersally true, sed vt plurimum, and maxima ex parte, but for the most part. But all these are mens fansies, and vncertaine glosses. 1. although one sinne may be greater then an other, yet can it not be shewed, that any thing is called by the name of sinne, which is not so simply: for sinne is defined to be the transgression of the lawe, 1. Ioh. 1.6. whosoeuer sinneth, transgresseth the lawe; this is not then onelyonly comparatiuely, but simply sinne. 2. we graunt, that these two, sinne, and not to be pleasing to God, may be converted: whatsoeuer pleaseth not God, is sinfull, and whatsoeuer is sinnefull, is not pleasing vntounto God: for whatsoeuer is not in Christ, in whom onelyonly God is well pleased, cannot be pleasing vntounto him: and nothing doth separate vsus, and make vsus not pleasing vntounto God, but sinne, Isay. 50.1. for your iniquities are ye sold. 3. the third interpretation, giueth the Apostle the plaine lie, he saith, whatsoeuer, or (foreign,) all that is not of faith, is sinne: but they say, not so, for not all, but the most part is so.
4. But the generall receiued interpretation among the Romanists is this, whatsoeuer is not of faith, that is, contra proprium dictamen conscientiae, against the proper suggestion of the conscience, Tolet: contra conscientiam, against the conscience, glosse interlin. reclamante conscientia, his conscience gainsaying, Perer. yea though it be erraus conscientia, an erring conscience, Eman. Sa. so they take faith, not for that, whereby we beleeue in Christ, but for that whereby one beleeueth any thing to be lawfull, that is, his conscience: Piscator commeth somewhat neere this exposition, quicquid fit dubitante conscientia, whatsoeuer is done with a doubtfull conscience, is sinne.
Contra. 1. But faith cannot be here taken for the conscience. 1. the Apostle said before, hauehave faith in thy selfe, that is, in thy conscience, faith then is an other thing beside the conscience. 2. the weake hauehave conscience, 1. Cor. 10.29. but they hauehave not faith touching this thing, for of the strong onelyonly the Apostle said before, thou hast faith, v. 22. 3. error non est fides, error is non faith, but the conscience is oftentimes erroneous, this was Tolets owne reason before. 4. fides non nititur hominum opinionibus, &c. faith is not grounded vponupon mens opinions, but vponupon the vndoubted word of God, Osiand. 5. Origen saith, that fides haereticorum non est fides, the faith of heretikes is no faith, but credulitie rather, yet they hauehave a conscience.
2. And if this sense were admitted: it followeth strongly, that if that be sinne which is not done with the particular faith of the conscience, much more is that sinne, which is not of that generall Christian faith, whose obiect is Christ.
5. Wherefore by faith, we vnderstand not euerie perswasion of the minde, and conscience, but that which is grounded vponupon the word of God, firmam animi certitudinem quae ex Dei veritate concepta sit, an vndoubted certaintie of the minde, conceiued out of the truth of God, Calvin: non quidvis fidei nomine censeri debet, sed quod Scripturis conforme, not everie thing must be counted for faith, but that which is agreeable to the Scriptures, Bucer: when we beleeue talia verbo Dei requiri, & Deo placere, that such things are required in the word of God, and are pleasing vntounto him, Martyr: the reason is, because vbi verbum Dei non est, nec fides, where there is no word of God, there is no faith, Faius.
6. Haymo doth restraine this generall speach, onelyonly to the eating of meates, whatsoeuer belongeth to eating, if it be not eaten with this faith, that euerie thing is cleane, that is treated of God, is eaten with sinne: But this is rather a generall rule, both for this kind of actions, and all other, agreeable to that saying, Hebr. 11.6. without faith it is impossible to please God.