Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 3 · Verse 2
VERSE 2. Let eueryevery one of vsus pleaſe his neighbour for his good to edification.
IN this Verſe is a Reaſon of the Admonition, ſpecially applied to the Negatiue part of it, Not to pleaſe our ſelues; and ſet downe by way of Antitheſis; Let eueryevery one of vsus pleaſe his neighbour.
The Reaſon is taken from the end: thus,
That which makes to the good and edification of our neighbour, is to be done:
But to pleaſe our neighbour, and not our ſelues, makes to his good and edification.
Therefore we ought not to pleaſe our ſelues, but our neighbour.
This being to be vnderſtood in ſuch caſes, where both could not be pleaſed, as in the point of difference about meats and dayes at Rome.
This is ſet downe by way of precept; where is the duty; To pleaſe our neighbour: and the Amplification.
Pleaſe: that is, to condeſcend vntounto, to accommodate our ſelues vntounto, to gratifie, to behaue our ſelues ſo that we may be accepted, and if it be an indifferent thing, out of a Chriſtian indulgence, to abstaine.
The Amplification is double.
Firſt, from the perſons, which muſt pleaſe, which muſt be pleaſed.
EueryEvery one muſt pleaſe: and it is ſignificantly expreſſed; EueryEvery one of vsus, which are ſtrong. Poore men pleaſe rich men; and meane men the mighty, &c. this is eaſie to bee obtained: but here the rich muſt pleaſe the poore; the learned ſuch as are vnlearned, &c. this is hard, becauſe we thinke that it is a falling from our ſelues to yeeld to our inferiours, and to giuegive them content, and to pleaſe them. Here the perfecteſt and ſtrongeſt not exempted.
Hee that muſt be pleaſed, is our neighbour; though the meaneſt.
The ſecond Amplification is from a limitation; for his good to edification.
For his good edification, Comment. Hier. adſcripti.ſome ſay, becauſe there is an euill edification, edificacio ad delictum, of which 1 Cor. 8.10.
But ſeuerally they more effectually teach: and then appoint duo grana ſalis, Caietan.two graines of ſalt to ſeaſon the duty of pleaſing our neighbour, the firſt on the part of the matter; that it muſt be good, or at the leaſt, not euill, and referred to that which is good: the ſecond in regard of the vtility; that it may profit to edification. For all things which are good and lawfull edifie not: 1 Cor. 10.23.
Or, for good, that is, our neighbours good, as is well expreſſed in his Maieſties tranſlation: and this good expounded, Sarcerius.to edification of our neighbour; of the Church, ſaith one, and the ſtabliſhing of the peace thereof, and to the conſeruation of the weake.
EueryEvery man muſt ſeeke the good of his neighbour. Doctr. 1 Cor. 10.24. Let no man ſeeke his owne, but eueryevery man anothers wealth: of the which Paul is an example, in the ſame Chapter, verſ. 33. Euen as I pleaſe all men in all things, not ſeeking mine owne profit, but the profit of many that they may be ſaued. 1 Cor. 13.5. LoueLove ſeeketh not her owne.
To edifie our neighbours is and ought to be one of the chiefe ends of our actions: carry thy ſelfe ſo, Ʋſe 1 that thy weake brother may the more eſteeme thee, that thou maiſt hauehave aduantage to doe him good, and that hee may admit of thy counſell.
He that is weake will ſpeake and doe many things abſurd, and offenſiue: thou muſt as a Phyſitian handle him gently, as thou wouldeſt a ſicke man, that he may receiue thy admonition.
Thou muſt ſo pleaſe him that he may be ſaued: we gently ſtroke our horſes that they may be the more handſome and vſefull, much more are we to pleaſe our neighbours, that we may liue the more comfortably and peaceably with them, and that they may become more obedient to God.
This is hard vnleſſe we deny our ſelues: hee will neuer pleaſe his Ruler, his Miniſter, his weake brother, his neighbour, who truſteth in his owne wit, and hunteth after glory.
If thou be weake, Vſe 2 learne wherein thou ſhouldeſt deſire to be pleaſed; namely for thy good and edification: not that thy weakeneſſe ſhould ſo farre be tendered, till thou grow obſtinate and ſtubborne; this were to deſtroy, not to edifie,
A louing Father yeelds to pleaſe his child in many things, but not to giuegive him a knife, or that which may hurt him.
It were a vaine thing to pleaſe the Iewes, Papiſts, Browniſts, in their deſires, for this were not for their good.
The Ciuill Supreme Magiſtrate, and the Church, may yeeld to many among vsus, and pleaſe them, in giuing them liberty to ſit at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament; but this were a way to make them more troubleſome; and if they held a neceſſity of ſitting, not at all is it to be granted vntounto them.
The Prince may pleaſe his people, but not in ſuffering them to violate the lawes: The Paſtor muſt pleaſe his flock, but not to ſuffer them to arrogate power to themſelues, to make innouations in the houſe of God.
Pleaſe not thy neighbour in that which is euill: Ʋſe 3 Some man would be pleaſed if thou wilt drinke with him, as a beaſt; or forſweare thy ſelfe for him, like a Diuell, &c. but if thou ſhalt pleaſe men in ſuch things, thou wert not the ſeruant of Chriſt. Gal. 1.10.If men will be pleaſed with that which is good, pleaſe them on Gods name; but if they will not be pleaſed, vnleſſe thou doe euill; diſpleaſe them, and pleaſe God.
Some would bee pleaſed exceedingly, if their Miniſter would not preach, and ſo ſharply reproue ſinne; but wee muſt reproue ſinne, though we diſpleaſe.
It is a ſigne of a very ill mind, not to be pleaſed with good, but with euill; as it is a ſigne of a very ill affected ſtomacke, to preferre the eating of coles before wholeſome meat.
If thou beeſt humble, ſober, godly, thou ſhalt pleaſe God and man.