Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 2 · Verse 6
VERSE 6. Hee that regardeth a day, regardeth it vntounto the Lord; and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giueth God thanks: and he that eateth not, to the Lord hee eateth not, and giueth God thanks.
IN theſe words beginnes the Direction, how they ſhould carry themſelues each to other.
To omit many coacted expoſitions: M. Caluin takes theſe words as a precept, or exhortation rather then an affirmation; and to this Pareus ſeemes alſo to encline: but the reaſon alledged of Thanks, noteth a thing done, not a precept of a thing to be done.
Here therefore I take it the direction verſe 3. and repeated verſe 30. is to be vnderſtood: and here a reaſon thereof brought from the end, which both the ſtrong and weake propound to themſelues in their different courſes, which is the glory of God, and the pleaſing of him: which reaſon, both the inſtances being here brought, may be thus formed:
Hee that doth that which he doth, to the Lord, is not of his brother to be deſpiſed or iudged:
But he that eateth, or eateth not, obſerueth a day, or obſerueth not, doth it to the Lord:
Therefore, &c.
To doe a thing, or not to doe a thing to the Lord; is ſo to doe, or not, to the honour of God: or becauſe you are perſwaded, that ſuch doing, or not doing pleaſeth God, or at leaſt diſpleaſeth him not.
The ſtrong put no difference in meats or dayes, becauſe hee knew that God would no longer be worſhipped by ſuch ordinances, and that his Chriſtian liberty was not diſpleaſing to God.
The weake made difference, becauſe he thought his conſcience was ſtill bound by the Law, and that ſuch obſeruations pleaſed God.
The weake erred; not of malice, but of ignorance and infirmity: his obſeruation of ſuch things was lawfull at that time, but not his opinion. His opinion was ſuperſtitious, condemned vnderunder the name of weaknes. Now that he which is holden in ſuch ſuperſtition, dare not violate the ſolemnity of the day, this pleaſeth God, becauſe hee dares not doe againſt his conſcience.
That both parties reſpect the glory of God in thoſe things, is prooued by the ſigne, which is Thankeſgiuing.
The ſumme is, that the Apoſtle would hauehave them ceaſe from deſpiſing and iudging one another for meats or daies: ſeeing neither part doth any thing out of any contempt of God, but to pleaſe him: they ſhould therefore friendly take and conſtrue one anothers doings.
In things indifferent (in all things) we are to propound to our ſelues to glorifie God. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eate or drinke, Doctr. or whatſoeuer you doe, doe all things to the glory of God. Col. 3.17. Whatſoeuer ye do in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Ieſus, giuing thanks to God, and the Father by him.
Cautions, for the meaning of this verſe.
1 It fauours not Academicks that we ſhould queſtion eueryevery thing, for in the verſe before he required full perſwaſion.
2 Nor will-worſhip, for he ſpeaketh not of our inuentions, but of things commanded of old.
3 Neither doth hee commend the opinion of the weake, but would not hauehave him deſpiſed for his fact. His opinion was intolerable, becauſe he put religion in ſuch things: his fact or practice tolerable, becauſe he obeyed conſcience.
4 Neither is eueryevery thing that is pretended to bee done to the Lord, a good worke; nor doth giuing of thanks prooue a thing to be done to the glory of God. For the Iewes when they ſet vp the golden Calfe, proclaimed a feaſt to the Lord: Exod. 32.5.and if a theefe ſhould giuegive God thankes that hee met with a rich booty, he ſhould do no other but blaſpheme.
Therefore it is to bee remembred, that Saint Paul here ſpeakeh of a right intention: and onelyonly of things indifferent, not in their nature only, but alſo ſo left to vsus in regard of their vſe.
Out of this verſe and the former: Queſt. it is lawfull for Chriſtians in the time of the New Teſtament to obſerue holy dayes beſide the Sabbath day?
It is lawfull: Anſw. ſuch indeed are neither commanded nor forbidden, therefore their appointment and obſeruation is indifferent; and ſo the Church hath power, and the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, to conſtitute them as things ſeruing to the promoting of the worſhip of God: as that there might be aſſembling together, for the reading of holy Scripture, for prayer, and preaching of the word.
No man will deny but that it is conuenient to celebrate the memoriall of the Paſſion and Reſurrection of our Sauiour on ſome particular day. But if eueryevery man ſhould chooſe his owne time there would be confuſion: Therefore for order in the Church, Conſule Zanch. tom. 4. in 4. praeceptum. pag. 668. & ſeq.and for diuers benefits accrewing thereby, it is very fit that there ſhould be ſome Holy dayes appointed to be obſerued beſides the Sabbath.
1 Hereby our ſelues, our ſeruants, our cattell hauehave reſt, which is one of the ends of the Sabbath: The Iewes had need of ſuch addition of dayes of reſt, and therefore God inſtituted diuers holy dayes, and ſo hauehave we need alſo.
2 Faith and good manners are furthered hereby: Aug. Ianuario, Epiſt. 118.119.whatſoeuer is not contrary to Faith and good manners, may be done, ſaith S. Auguſtine, but hereby they are builded vp, by publique prayers, reading, and preaching of the Word.
3 Hereby the louelove and ioy of Chriſtians is increaſed, Hieron. com. in Epiſt. ad Gal. c. 4through their mutuall beholding one another, as Hierome affirmeth.
4 The poore hauehave the more time to bee inſtructed in Religion.
5 Hereby the principall patefactions of God, and benefits which he hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, alſo the holy vertues of the Saints, are, being vponupon ſuch dayes inculcated, made the better knowne vntounto vsus.
6 Hereby wee keepe conformitie with the Primitiue Church, and with the Fathers, from whom to diſſent in things indifferent which may be vſefull vntounto good life, were arrogancy and indiſcretion.
But ſome Holy dayes are called by the names of Saints. Obiect.
They are dedicated not to them, but to God: Anſw. they are called after their names, becauſe their ſtory is then commended to the Church: and on thoſe dayes wee make no ſupplication to the Saints, but onelyonly praiſe God for them, and pray for grace to imitate their vertuous and holy liues, as did the Antients.
But here the errour of the Papiſts, and Anabaptiſts and Familiſts, is to bee taken heede of: Theſe will hauehave no holy and feſtiuall dayes: They will hauehave too many, troubling the Church with their ſingle and double feaſts, &c. putting Religion in the day, and dedicating it not to God, but to the Saint; yea ſometime to ſuch a Saint which neuer was vponupon earth, or neuer ſhall bee in heauen: alſo they preferre the reuerence of many of their holy dayes, before the Sabbath.
Neglect not thou the holy daies appointed in our Church, but yet make a difference betweene the Lords day and them: For that is called the Queene of dayes. Ignatius.And therefore, as is the Virgin Mary bleſſed amongſt women, ſo is the Lords day amongſt other holy dayes: for the dignitie whereof the whole weeke among the Iewes was called Sabbatum, the Sabbath, as ſome Learned hauehave obſerued: Tremel. in annot. ad ſuam Syram tranſ. Noui Teſt. Mat. 28.1.the dayes of the weeke being thus diſtinguiſhed, prima Sabbati, ſecunda Sabbati, &c.
It is requiſite there ſhould be ſome holy dayes for order ſake and gouernment. 1. But not ouer many, that the Church be not burdened. 2. Holden indifferent in their owne nature, that Chriſtian libertie be not indangered.
Diuerſitie of opinion for obſeruation of daies and ſuch like indifferent things, Ʋſe 1 ought not to breake charity and vnity among the Brethren when that we doe is of conſcience.
Hereof we hauehave a notable example of Polycarpus and Anicetus Biſhop of Rome, who differing in opinion and obſeruation of dayes, and faſting, yet continued in louelove, and maintained vnitie, as witneſſeth Irenaeus in a Letter written to Ʋictor Biſhop of Rome; yea, and Irenaeus giueth this teſtimonie to the Church then and before his time, that all ſuch which held contrary obſeruations, Luſeb. hiſt. eccl. l. 5. c. 23. Socat. ſchol. hiſt. Eccl. l. 5. c. 21.did notwithſtanding hold faſt the bond of louelove and vnity.
Holy dayes are religiouſly to be obſerued, to the Lord, according the end of their inſtitution. Vſe 2 But many make them daies of vanity and carnal delight, leaſt of all thinking of glorifying God; ſo that God is more prouoked in one of them, nay on the Lords day it ſelfe, by ſome wicked wretches, then all the weeke after.
When a man walks according to the warning of his conſcience, Vſe 3 although he erre in doing, yet his religious and well nurtured conſcience pleaſeth God.
In things wee diſcerne not nor conceiue, it is good for a man to walke according to his conſcience, ſo that he neglect not to be rightly enformed, and bee ready to obey, when it ſhall be otherwiſe reuealed.
The Iew may not vſe Chriſtian liberty till he may enioy it with a good conſcience: For it is better to follow an erring conſcience when it cannot be informed and corrected, then to doe againſt conſcience.
In all things giuegive thankes, Vſe 4 without which all things are impure, both our meat, and our abſtinence alſo; and with it eueryevery creature of God is good vntounto vsus, 1. Tim. 4.4.as the Apoſtle witneſſeth?
Many, little better then Atheiſts, and like vntounto Swine, ſit downe to their meat, without any acknowledgement of the giuer of it.
Doe thou giuegive thankes: For,
1 Thus they did in old time. 1 Sam 9.13. Mat. 14.19. Luk. 24.30. Act. 27.35. Plutar. in Symp.Samuel muſt bleſſe the ſacrifice, before the people will eate. Our bleſſed Sauiour alwayes gaue thankes before meat. The bleſſed Apostle Saint Paul vſed ſo to doe, as we reade of him in the Acts. Yea the very Gentiles, vſed not to eate, till they had offered a part as firſt fruits vntounto their gods. And I hauehave read that the Turkes vſe thankſgiuing or ſome forme of benediction before they eate.
2 Thereby thou acknowledgeſt that God by his prouidence maintaineth and preſerueth thee.Cornel. Cor. a lap. com. in 1. Tim. c. 4.
3 By this thy meat becomes wholeſome and nouriſhing to thee, which otherwiſe would be as a ſtone, For man liueth more by Gods bleſſing, then by bread.Mat. 4.4.
4 Hereby thou haſt alwaies a table prepared; Chry. hom. 79. ad pop. Ant.For as Chryſostome ſaith, Menſa ab oratione ſumens initium, et in orationem deſinens, nunquam deficit, &c. Where men begin and end their refections with prayer, there ſhall be no want.
5 By this our mindes are furthered to ſome holy meditation while we are eating & drinking; as of labouring for the meat which periſheth not; of our mortality; Aug in Regula Monacharum. Ep. 109.of eating bread in the Kingdome of Heauen. For which purpoſe the Antients vſed to hauehave a Chapter read out of the Bible, in the time of their meales, as is now vſed in ſome colleges.
Hereby alſo wee are kept from ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, and from feeding our ſelues vntounto an inflaming to luſt; Saint Chryſostome ſpeaketh of this excellently, Opus eſt, nos et menſam petentes et deſistentes gratias agere, &c. It is needfull that ſitting down to meat, and riſing from meate, we ſhould giuegive thankes. For he that is prepared hereunto, ſhall neither fall into drunkenneſſe or inſolence, nor be ſwollen with gurmundizing: but hauing the expectation of prayer as a bridle to his ſenſes, Chryſ. loco ſupra citato.hee will with due modeſty take of thoſe things which are ſet before him, and ſo fill his body and his ſoule with a plentifull bleſſing.
Holy Chriſtians eate to the Lord; but ſuch as giuegive not thankes, but ſurfet themſelues and are drunke, eate and drink to the Diuell.