Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 2 · Verse 2
VERSE. 2. For one beleeues he may eat of all things, another who is weake, eates hearbes.
IN this verſe begins the Explication of the generall precept; of which there are three parts. A direction to the ſtrong and weake. A ſpeciall dehortation to the ſtrong: and a repetition of the precept.
The Direction is from the beginning of this verſe to the 13.
The Effect of it is, to remedy the offence betweene them, by teaching them how to carry themſelues one toward another.
They were both faulty: but in this part principally the weak one is taxed. In the dehortation the ſtrong.
In the Direction are two things. 1. The cauſe of their diſſention, which was the diuerſitie of their opinions in things indifferent. 2. The remedie or direction it ſelfe.
Both theſe are propounded in two caſes: the one of meats, the other of dayes. Of meates, in the 2.3. and 4. verſes: of daies in the reſt.
In that of meates; we hauehave the caſe, and the remedy.
The caſe ver. 2. The remedy ver. 3.4.
In the caſe are ſet downe the parties diſſenting, and their opinions concerning meates.
The parties are the ſtrong and the weake Chriſtian.
The opinion of the ſtrong; that he may eate of all things: the opinion of the weake, that hee ought not to eate of ſome meats.
One; that is, the ſtrong: who for the moſt part was a Gentile.
Beleeueth; it is not onelyonly his opinion, but his faith; that is, he certainly knowes, and is fully perſwaded vponupon good ground.
He may eate of all things; he hath liberty by Chriſt to eate of all things wholeſome to mans body, without ſcruple or hurt to his conſcience.
But he that is weake; for the moſt part, the Iew weake in knowledge.
Eateth hearbs. Not, let him eate hearbs as the vulgar Latine, vponupon which the ordinary gloſſe makes Paul as a Phyſitian directing dyet for the repreſſing of luſt.
But eateth hearbs, as being of opinion that ſome meates were vncleane, and therefore not to be eaten.
Some thinke that theſe weake ones ate no fleſh at all, but onelyonly hearbs; ſome, which is likelier, that when they could come by no meat but that which was forbidden by Moſes, that then they choſe to eate of hearbs, which wee read not to be forbidden.
They abſtained not, as Pythagoreans, holding the paſſing of mens ſoules into beaſts ſometimes; of which opinion Herod ſmelt of, when hee thought that Christ had beene Iohn: nor as Marcionites and Manichees, who held fleſh to be vnlawfull, and to hauehave come from an ill beginning; whom Augustine confutes, in his bookes againſt Faustus: but they abſtained for the reuerence of Moſes law.
Some hold opinion, that the Fathers had no liberty to eate fleſh before the flood: and ſome that no beaſt was actually carniuorous before that time: But it is manifeſt that after the flood, liberty to eate of eueryevery mouing thing that liueth was granted vntounto them.De vtro que conſule Pererium in Geneſim lib. 4. de creat. hom. num. 256. et lib. 14. de car. eſu, nu. 9. ad num. 26. Gen. 9.3.
Afterwards, when God choſe the people of Iſrael to be a peculiar people to himſelfe, he forbad them certaine beaſts and fowles, both for ſacrifice and (with certaine fiſhes) for meat, of which, Leuit. 11. Deut. 14.
There are foure reaſons alledged, why God forbad ſome fowles, beaſts and fiſhes, to be eaten of the Iewes. Firſt, to acknowledge Gods Dominion. Secondly, to inure them to obedience. Thirdly, to teach them to liue holily, ſince their diet muſt be ſo choice, much more muſt their liues. Fourthly, to diſtinguiſh them from other people, and that they might abhor the faſhions of the nations.
This difference of meats was taken away by Chriſt, Mat. 15.17. Act. 10.11. 1 Tim. 4.4.and the liberty granted to Noah, renewed, as appeares in the New Teſtament.
But the Iew did not well vnderſtand that point, and ſo the Church of Rome, & others alſo were exceedingly troubled.
In the Church of God vponupon earth there are alwaies ſome which thinke one thing, Doctr. and ſome another. So was it in Pauls time at Rome, as appeares in this place: and at Corinth what differences of opinions were about things offered to Idols, and ſome maine fundamentall points, may appeare in Pauls firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
And after this, before two hundred yeeres were expired after the Incarnation of Chriſt, what variance in opinions concerning the time of keeping the feaſt of Eaſter was in the Church, Euſeb. biſt. eccl. l. 5. ca. 21, 22, 23.with the arrogancy of Victor Biſhop of Rome about the ſame, Euſebius makes mention. It were infinite to reckon the ſundry opinions which hauehave at all times beene in the Church.
In Germany to this day, there is irreconcileable difference of opinions concerning the preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament; and concerning the breaking of the bread, which is doubtleſſe of the integrity of the Sacrament.
And at this very time, none can be ignorant, of the difference of opinions in the Lowcountries, about the doctrine of Arminians, and in our owne Church about Church-diſcipline, and ceremonies; though through the great bleſſing of God, the vigilant care of our gratious Lord King Iames, and the worthy diligence of our Reuerend Biſhops, and other learned men, both theſe places are notably quieted, & eſtabiliſhed.
But thus it muſt be to the end, for Pauls reaſon, viz. That they which are approued may be made manifeſt.1 Cor. 11.19.
Saint Paul attributes faith to the ſtrong: Vſe 1 he takes it not away from the weake though hee mention it not, Vſe 1 There was faith in them, though ioyned with ignorance and doubting: Not to beleeue and vnderſtand eueryevery thing inferreth not a nullity of faith.
Totall ignorance and doubting deſtroyes faith; if it be not totall, yet it manifeſteth infirmity.
To deny a truth in things indifferent, breeds a tolerable error; in points neceſſary, an intolerable. Obſtinately to defend an error in things indifferent, makes a man a Schiſmaticke; and in points neceſſary and fundamentall, an Heretick.
For eueryevery doubting or ignorance, ſay not, an infidell; nor for eueryevery errour, cry out an Heretick: Auguſtinus.Let vsus all reſolue with the holy Father, Errare potero, haereticus non ero. I may erre, but I will be no Heretick.
Such is the condition of the Church vponupon earth, Ʋſe 2 that there will be alwaies ſome ſtrong in the faith, and ſome weake in it. As among men, ſome are tall, ſome of low ſtature; ſome healthy, ſome ſickely; as in our houſes ſome are growne vp, ſome are babes hanging on the breſt, ſo is it in the Church, and will be to the end. For,
1 Some are more antient, ſome later in the faith.
2 Some hauehave better capacity then others.
3 Some are more diligent to heare, reade, pray, meditate, practiſe; and therefore though ſtanding and capacity be equall, yet the diligent outſtrips the other.
4 God in his wiſedome giues more talents vntounto one then to another.
Art thou ſtrong? be thankefull to God, it is his gift; bee not proud, deſpiſe not thy inferiours; thou waſt a babe ſometime, hadſt leſſe knowledge, leſſe grace, yea there was a time when thou waſt out of Chriſt.
Art thou weake? take heed thy weakeneſſe continue not through thy negligence and default: pray for ſtrength, and be diligent in hearing the word, as a new borne babe deſiring the ſincere milke of the word, that thou maiſt grow thereby.1 Pet. 2…2.
In theſe weake ones, as ſome thing is to be diſcommended, Ʋſe 3 ſo ſome thing is to be commended.
Their weakneſſe is a fault and to be diſcommended: but their care not to offend their conſciences, is truly to bee praiſed: It is alwaies commendable, whether in weake or ſtrong, rather to abridge our ſelues of our liberty, then to offend the conſcience: and to be choſen, rather to be thought vndiſcreet then impious.
O that we had more care of our conſciences; for if conſcience be put away, ſhipwrack of faith will ſoone be made.
If theſe Iewes and weake Chriſtians will rather liue hardly eating hearbs, then defile their conſciences; what ſhall become of them, which daily defile themſelues in things manifeſtly forbidden, wallowing in the mire of drunkenneſſe, whoredome, and other abominable ſinnes?