Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 2 · Verse 15
VERSE 15. But of thy brother be grieued with thy meat, now walk…ſt thou not charitably: Deſtroy not him with thy meat, for whom Chriſt dyed.
THeſe words are the ſecond part of Pauls anſwer, which is a correction; in which is the Argument it ſelfe, vrged vponupon the ſtrong, that he ought not to offend his weake brother by his libertie in things indifferent.
The Argument is taken from the Cauſe, remouing ſcandall, which is charitie.
And here we hauehave the Argument, and the proofe of it.
The Argument is thus:
That which is contrary to charity, is not to be done.
But to giuegive offence is contrary to charity.
Therefore &c.
The firſt Propoſition is ſure, for charity is the fulfilling of the Law, as we hauehave heard before, Chap. 13.
The ſecond Propoſition, is proued from two effects of Scandall ſet downe in this verſe: The firſt is Griefe: the ſecond Deſtruction.
From the firſt effect, the Argument is thus:
To grieue our brother is contrary to charity.
But to giuegive ſcandall is to grieue him.
Therefore &c.
Of the other effect we will conſider by it ſelfe.
But if thy brother be grieued with thy meate, now walkeſt thou not charitably.
In this part of the verſe, by it ſelfe conſidered, wee hauehave two parts: a Suppoſition, and an Accuſation.
The Suppoſition, If thy brother be grieued with thy meate.
The Accuſation, Now walkeſt thou not charitably.
Grant the Suppoſition, and the Accuſation holdeth; take away the Suppoſition, and the Accuſation is of no force.
To vſe indifferent things, as meat, apparell, &c. is lawfull, if charity put not in a barre: wee muſt ſet more by our brothers grieued conſcience, then by the vſe of our libertie in ſuch things.
We may at no hand forgoe our libertie in ſuch things, (for it is a part of the purchaſe by the blood of Chriſt) but the vſe of it.
In the Suppoſition, we hauehave the thing ſuppoſed, Griefe; and the Amplification, from the ſubiect grieued; thy brother, and from the obiect, with thy meate.
Griefe is a paſſion, whereby the appetite doth abhorre with perturbation, euill preſent; whether ſo indeed, or in apprehenſion.
This affection is naturall and good, if it be directed vponupon the right obiect, which is ſinne, with the appurtenances, and that it be in due meaſure, and to the right end.
The ſubiect, thy brother: whether ſtrong or weake, for it is againſt charitie, either to grieue other; but here the brother grieued is the weake one; who three wayes lyeth open to griefe, by the liberty vſed by the ſtrong.
1 By the ſinne of the ſtrong, as the weake ſuppoſeth; for this he is grieued, thinking that thereby God is offended, and the ſoule of his brother in danger.
2 By reprehenſion: taking indignation to be reproued by the ſtrong, for the retaining of differences of meates, dayes.
3 By being drawne by the example of the ſtrong, to doe againſt his conſcience, which breedeth griefe, post factum, after the deed done.
With thy meate, that is, thy libertie in eating meats, ſuppoſed by the weake to be vnlawfull.
Now walkeſt thou not charitably. Though in other things, yet now, thou walkeſt not charitably in this particular. He condemneth not the ſtrong, as to be without charitie altogether, but to ſtep awry herein. The Imputation is great, becauſe charity is the Rule of our life.
To vſe things indifferent to the griefe of our Brother, Doctr. is againſt charity. Or, To giuegive ſcandall is againſt charity, becauſe thereby my brother is grieued. 1. Corinth. 8.12. To ſinne ſo againſt the brethren, is to wound their weake conſcience.
May I in nothing grieue my brother? Queſt.
Yes, in ſomethings I may: Anſw. as by ſeuere reprouing him for ſinne, that he may be brought to godly ſorrow, vntounto repentance: Thus did S. Peter pricke the hearts of the Iewes, Acts 2.37. So Paul tels the Corinthians, that though hee made them ſory by a Letter, he did not repent, though he did repent. Looke how the affection of a father is in the correcting of his child, he is grieued to beat him, and yet hee is glad if it doe him good; ſo was Paul toward the Corinthians, it neuer repented him that he had made them to grieue, in aſmuch as it profited them to repentance and ſaluation.
It is not againſt charity for Miniſters to reproue ſharply, and for Magiſtrates ſeuerely to puniſh notorious offenders; nay it is true charity to correct them vntounto their amendment; and to neglect this, is want of charity: let diſordered perſons be grieued; let drunkards and ſuch like ſmart for it, that if it be poſſible, they may be thereby brought to repentance, and ſo be ſaued.
But to vſe our liberty in indifferent things to the griefe of our brother, and ſo to ſtand vponupon it, as not to omit the vſe of it for our weake brothers ſake, is vnlawfull, and againſt charity.
Yet here are two cautions to be remembred. Note.
1 It muſt be in ſuch indifferent things, the vſe whereof is not determined by the authority of the Magiſtrate: as, in it ſelfe it is indifferent to ſit or kneele at the Communion; but if the Magiſtrate determine the geſture by his authority; then though our brother bee grieued, we are to vſe that geſture: For not to obey the Magiſtrate in a lawfull command is a ſinne. The vſe of our liberty is not in our power.
2 The brethren grieued, muſt be weake ones; Sarcerius in locum.If they bee ſtiffe, and obſtinate in their opinion, we are not bound, but may, nay ſometimes we ought to vſe our liberty before them, as we ſhall note afterwards.
The phraſe is to be obſerued: If thy brother be grieued; Obſ. 1 he ſaith not, thou grieueſt thy brother; to note, that the fault is rather in the patient then in the agent. And therefore weak ones are to know, that it is no vertue in them to bee ſcrupulous in eueryevery thing, and to be grieued at their brothers lawfull liberty; but a ſinne, which is to be amended by knowledge and charity.
Faith giues liberty, Obſer. 2 but charity is a binder. Omnia libera per fidem, ſerua per charitatem: I may doe all things by faith, I may eate of any meats, or abſtaine, I may weare any colours in my apparell, &c. But by charitie I muſt doe or not doe that, which moſt makes for the peace of the Church, and the good of my brethren. Paul by faith may circumciſe Timothy: by charity he will not circumciſe Titus.
We muſt hauehave great care of the weake: Vſe 1 A mother loues all her children, but ſhee is moſt tender ouer them that are ſicke: A man moſt fauours that part of his body that is hurt or weake.
Euen nature (much more grace) teacheth not to hurt, but to louelove our brethren.
Weake brethren are not to be contemned, but to be tolerated, if ſo be they grow not peruerſe and obſtinate.
We ought not to ſtrike the ſtrong: but to fall vponupon him that is ſicke and weake, is no credit.
To grieue a weake brother, is to wound him: What more inhumane thing, then to wound a brother? Eſpecially being ſicke and weake; yea and to wound not his head or face, but his very conſcience, the weakeſt part in him, and the pretiouſſeſt; whoſe hurt cannot be without great danger.
Off with that hayre, away with that apparell, thoſe colours, &c. which wound thy weake brothers ſoule.
We muſt hauehave care of all, Ʋſe 2 not to grieue any. Griefe is a ſickneſſe, a conſumption of the ſoule: hee that giueth iuſt cauſe of griefe, is acceſſory after a ſort to his brothers death.
Hee that careth not how he grieues the godly by his cariage, is no true Chriſtian: for without louelove wee are no Chriſtians.
How many are they which by their beaſtly liuing make the hearts of good Chriſtians ſad!
Who that hath but a mite of pietie can abſtaine from griefe, to heare the blaſphemies, to ſee the drunkenneſſe, and wretched behauiour of wicked men?
If thou walkeſt in theſe ſinnes, know that thou offendeſt God, and grieueſt good men; and then is the Diuell pleaſed and his angels, Luke 15.7.euen as the good Angels reioyce at the conuerſion of a ſinner.
If thou haſt made the good to ſorrow by thy ſinnes, repent, and make them glad with thy amendment. This is true charity towards God and men.