Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 2 · Verse 16
VERSE. 16. Let not then your good be euill ſpoken of.
IN this Verſe is another Argument to diſſwade from ſcandall, from the pernicious effect thereof: which is the defamation of our good.
That which makes our good to be euill ſpoken of is not to be done.
But giuing offence makes our good to be euill ſpoken of.
Therefore, &c.
The Argument is ſet downe in the forme of a prohibition: where wee hauehave the thing prohibited, and the amplification.
The thing prohibited is the cauſing of our good to be euill ſpoken of. Where is the euill action prohibited, and the obiect of ſuch action. The euill action, ſpeaking euill: the obiect, good.
Be euill ſpoken of, or blaſphemed, according to the ſound of the Greek word, which is now familiar with vsus in our tongue.
Blaſphemy is a ſpeech hurting anothers good name. The vſe of Diuines hath obtained by cuſtome of ſpeaking, that it is taken for euill ſpeaking againſt God, or perſons and things which are nearly conioyned to God, as his Word and his Saints.
Now blaſphemy againſt God is, when it is affirmed, that that is in him which is not in him: or that not to be in him which is in him. And ſo of his word and ordinances.
And this is, eyther of the minde, or of the tongue, or of the life: for ſinne is a kinde of blaſphemy, becauſe hee that ſinneth, ſignifieth thereby that he thinkes not well of God; and therefore for ſuch cauſe we call common ſwearing blaſpheming, becauſe ſuch a one ſeemeth to hauehave a baſe opinion of God, that he dares ſo to tranſgreſſe.
The blaſphemy of the minde is, when wee doe conceiue amiſſe of God, according to the former deſcription of blaſphemie.
The blaſphemy of the tongue, when wee ſpeake in ſuch manner.
And both theſe are committed, eyther enuntiatiuè, Greg. de Valen. tom. 3. cō. Theol. Diſp. 1. Q. 13. puncto 1.or optatiuè: by the way of ſimple enunciation, or wiſhing: as to ſay there is no God, or to wiſh there were no God: to ſay God is not iuſt, or to wiſh that hee were not iuſt: ſo to ſay there is no day of iudgement, or to wiſh there were no ſuch day to come: ſo of the Word, to affirme there was neuer merry world ſince there was ſo much preaching, or to wiſh there were no preaching.
And that of the tongue may be committed, eyther actu ſignato, expreſly vttering ſuch things, or actu exercito, couertly ſignifying ſo much, as when one ſpeaketh that which is true of God or his word, but in a contemning, and diriding, and ſcoffing manner.
Good: Tranſlated before, Commodity. Some ſay faith, Chryſoſt. Ambr.piety, and the hope of eternall life. Some Doctrina dominica, the Lords doctrine. Hierome ſaith, our liberty. Some the Goſpell. Oleuian very well obſerueth by good to be meant the kingdome of grace, as it followeth in the next verſe: ſo that I thinke by good here to be meant in generall the Goſpell, in particular the right of our Chriſtian liberty, which is a notable part thereof, and which is taught therein.
This good which he ſpeaks of is ſet forth by this poſſeſſiue your. And herein is the other part of the prohibition comprehended, which is the amplification from the perſons; which may be conſidered to be twofold.
Firſt, Ambr. in locum.to whom he giues this prohibition. S. Ambroſe ſaith to the weake; Blaſphematur bonum, cum dubitatur de Dei creatura: Our good is blaſphemed when we doubt of the creature. He meanes of meat, which was the fault of the weake.
And ſurely it is meant to both, though principally to the ſtrong; yet the weake not to be excluded: for they hauehave no more liberty to obiect the good to blaſphemy then the ſtrong. And doubtleſſe it was euill ſpoken of as well by the nice curioſity and raſh iudgement of the weake, as by the deſpiſing of the ſtrong. And therefore the Commentaries aſcribed to Hierom, Blaſphematur ſi propter talia contendimus: It is blaſphemed, if we ſtriue about ſuch things; applying it to both.
Secondly, the perſons who ſhould ſpeake ill of our good. Thoſe without, ſaith Chryſoſtome: the weake, ſaith Martyr. I thinke it may be meant of both, or of any whoſoeuer.
EueryEvery Chriſtian ought to be carefull that he cauſe not the Goſpell of the Kingdome, Doctr. and our Chriſtian liberty a part of the ſame, to be euill ſpoken of. 1 Tim. 6.1. Seruants muſt ſo behaue themſelues, that the name of God, and his doctrine, be not blaſphemed. Which alſo is to be vnderſtood of all. So 1 Pet. 2.12. and 1 Cor. 10.29. Why is my liberty iudged of another mans conſcience? and verſe 30. Why am I euill ſpoken of for that for which I giuegive thankes.
In the generall the Goſpell is our good, Ʋſe 1 a rich Commodity, though many be not ſenſible of it.foreign
If it were not our great good the Papiſts and the reſt of the world would not ſo enuy vsus for it as they doe, and ſeeke to get it from vsus.
To hauehave a houſe well built, well watered, well woodded, and in a good aire, a great good: but whats all this without the Goſpell? vnleſſe we hauehave the Heauenly dew, the Manna and Quailes, to fall eueryevery day about our Tents?
Liberty alſo a great good, to hauehave a Patent for trading in woll, in wines, in ſpices, &c. matters of much good; and greatly eſteemed.
But who is able to value the good of our Chriſtian liberty euen in this; that we may with a free conſcience ioyne with the people of God in the word and Sacraments, and vſe the good creatures of God? what benefit to be compared to a quiet conſcience?
They are ſurely vngratefull to the blood of Chriſt, who in ſuch things lay bands and fetters vponupon themſelues, in which Chriſt hath purchaſed them freedome; as in apparell, diet, recreation, and ſuch like.
But chiefely they are herein guilty which place a part of Gods worſhip, in the vſing or abſtayning from certaine habits, or geſtures in the Diuine ſeruice: which is a ſinne againſt the ſecond Commandement, and a will worſhip.
But doth not the Magiſtrate and the Church enioyne a certaine habit, Obiect. and geſture in the adminiſtration of Holy things?
Yes, but not as a neceſſary worſhip of God, Anſw. but as a comely rite and ceremony, to be changed when it ſeemeth vntounto them to be requiſite ſo to doe.
Here are to bee reproued both the ſtrong and the weake, Ʋſe 2 who by their contentions about indifferent things, cauſe the whole profeſſion of the Goſpell to be euill ſpoken of.
The ſtrong becauſe they will yeeld nothing to the weake, nor forbeare the vſe of their liberty to giuegive them any ſatisfaction.
The weake becauſe they are ſo ready to cenſure and ſpeake euill of the ſtrong, who do nothing but that which in it ſelfe is lawfull to bee done: and alſo becauſe in ſome things they reſiſt authority, and gouernment.
And thus, as in Rome in thoſe dayes, ſo in our dayes, partly through the indiſcretion of the ſtrong, and partly through the peeuiſh obſtinacy of the weake, there are great contentions: whereby the mindes of beleeuers are diſtracted: diſcipline is diſſolued; the licentiouſneſſe of the multitude is confirmed, who thinke that the word and Sacraments are not things ſo ſacred and of ſuch reuerence and neceſſity, becauſe ſuch which would bee accounted the top of profeſſion, refuſe them for a veſture or geſture.
And hence prophane people account all profeſſion to bee curioſity, and the preaching of the Goſpell to bee the cauſe of contention, and while wee contend about ſuch things, they laugh all religion to ſcorne.
Let the ſtrong gratifie the weake in abſtaining from their liberty in ſuch things which are in their power: and let the weake, becauſe nothing is impoſed vponupon their conſciences, ſuffer themſelues to be perſwaded to conformity and vniformity, that ſo we may redeeme the Goſpell, and our liberty from contempt.
All are to be admoniſhed to hauehave a ſpeciall regard to our good, Ʋſe 3 that it be not blaſphemed by our euill liues.
If by our drunkenneſſe, whoredome, &c. wee cauſe the Goſpell to be ill ſpoken of, God will ſeuerely puniſh it, as hee did in Dauid.
If wee which ſhould ſhine as lights, bee turned into darkneſſe; if wee who by our conuerſation ſhould winne others to the Goſpell, cauſe them to abhorre it, how ſhall we eſcape?
To ſinne ignorantly, is damnable; but for him, which profeſſeth knowledge, to erre in that which hee doth profeſſe, is abominable.
The Church hath neuer ſuſtained more damage then from her owne children. S. Bernard alledging in a Sermon the words of Ezechias, Eſay 38.17.In pace amaritudo mea amariſſima, that is, according to that letter, In peace is my bitterneſſe moſt bitter, ſaith thus;
Many waies hath the Diuell hurt the Church, but neuer more then now. Bernh. in ſer ad paſtores in Synod.Eccleſiam incipientem por tyrannos, proficientem per haereticos, iam laetam et florentem per motus illicitos, hee hurt the Church when ſhe began, by Tyrants; when ſhe had well profited and proceeded, by Hereticks, (and Schiſmaticks;) and now ſhe floriſheth, by the vnlawfull motions and inordinate liues of wicked men: Fuit amara in perſecutione Tyrannorum, amarior in verſutia Haereticorum, amariſſima in prauitate filiorum. She was bitter vnderunder the perſecution of Tyrants, more bitter by the ſubtilty of the Hereticks, and moſt bitter by the prauity of her owne children.
Wiſedome is iuſtified of her children; let vsus not eate out the bowels of our Mother the Church of England, by our contentions and profaneneſſe; but iuſtifie her, and adorne and grace her, and the Goſpell which ſhe holdeth forth vntounto vsus, by our peace and piety, Amen.