A plaine exposition vpon the whole thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth chapters of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes Wherein the text is diligently and methodically resolued, the sense giuen, and many doctrines thence gathered, are by liuely vses applied for the benefit of Gods children. Performed with much varietie, and conuenient breuitie, by Elnathan Parr Bachelor in Diuinity, and preacher of Gods word. To which is prefixed an alphabeticall table, containing the chiefe points and doctrines handled in the booke.

VERSE 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be vncleane, to him it is vncleane.
15. But if thy brother be grieued with thy meat, now walkest not thou charitably.—

IN these words is the first reason of the Dehortation; * 1.1 though some make the 14. verse to containe a reason by it selfe, and that he thereby perswadeth to peace, thus:

All meats are cleane, and therefore the weake haue no cause to be offended, in as much as they defile not the strong: and the strong haue no reason to stand so strictly vpon their liberty, but that they might abstaine, because they are not the purer for eating; and therefore that they should not contend about meats.

But indeed the substance of the Reason lies in the 15. verse, and is drawne from Charity, and brought in by a Pro∣lepsis: and this and all the rest vrged vpon the strong Chri∣stian principally, to this end, that he should moderate his liber∣ty for his weake brothers sake.

Now the instance in all the arguments is onely of meats;

but to be applyed vnto all indifferent things.

In the setting downe of this first argument, are to be con∣sidered; The obiection of the strong, and the answer of Paul.

The obiection is gathered out of the 14. verse, and was thus:

There is nothing, said the strong, vncleane of it selfe, though it be vncleane to him that thinkes it so.

Therfore seeing I know and am perswaded of the cleannes of the creatures, I may and will vse my liberty in eating of them.

Vnto this Paul answers; of which are two parts, the first, is a concession, verse 14. The second, a correction, where lies the argument, verse 15.

In the concession, we may consider the thing granted, and the amplification.

The thing is twofold: First, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe: Second, that to him that thinketh a thing to bee vn∣cleane, it is so.

The amplification from Pauls assurance of these things: He knowes and is perswaded, set forth by the author, the Lord Iesus.

I know and am perswaded: these two are necessary to faith, and it is as much as if he should haue said, I stedfastly be∣leeue.

By the Lord Iesus: this to bee referred, not to that which followes, but to Pauls knowledge, and perswasion; Iesus taught Paul these things; though the sense were good if they should be read with that which followeth, viz. that through Christ no indifferent thing is now vncleane of it selfe.

Ʋncleane. The word properly signifieth common, and (one∣ly by the language of the Scriptures) taken for impure, or vn∣cleane, so common hands, that is vncleane. Marke 7.2. So Peter saith that he neuer ate that which is common and vncleane, Act. 10.14.

That which was common to other people, * 1.2 and interdicted to the Iewes was called vncleane.

Diuers meats were forbidden the Iewes, and before Christ

were vncleane to them, as appeares in the law, which law had diuers reasons of it,

1 It was for their health; that they might auoid certaine diseases vnto the which the temperament of that people, * 1.3 by eating such things might encline, and so be hindred from the contemplation of heauenly things, and from the seruice of God, and (by distemper caused through ill iuice in the body) be made sluggish vnto good workes; all alike as if you put a bright shining candle into a duskish lanthorne; thus say the Rabbines.

2 To distinguish them from other nations, and that they should auoid their company, with whom they might not feed on the same meats.

3 For a mysticall signification of manners: these meats not being by Nature vncleane, but onely in signification: which was the reason that Saint Augustine called the Iewes a Pro∣pheticall people: Their very meate was an instruction, they might not eate the swine to teach them to auoid sluttishnes, nor the Hauk, to teach them to abhor rapacity, &c. So their garments; they might not weare Linsey woolsey, to teach them sincerity.

4 To restraine their desire of dainty fare. * 1.4

5 To inure them to obedience, * 1.5 and to take downe their pride and stubbornnesse, by this yoke.

By it selfe: By nature saith Chrysostome; for to the Iewes they were not vncleane by nature, but by a positiue law: Hee denieth not, but that serpents, and dogges, &c. are vnwhol∣some; but nothing was forbidden for morall vncleannesse in it selfe: * 1.6 for all creatures were giuen to Noah without excep∣tion, as the greene hearbs.

Here wee haue a distinction: That a thing may bee vncleane per se, aut per accidens, by it selfe, or by acci∣dent.

But to him that esteemeth any thing to bee vncleane. Meat may be considered, in it selfe; or in relation, to the Law, or to the conscience: to him which was vnder the Leuiticall law some meat was vncleane, so is it to him who esteemeth it so in his conscience.

Not that cleane and vncleane is determined by mans opini∣on, as affirme the Libertines; Man is not the measure of things, as Aristotle hath taught long ago; but my consci∣ence may make a thing vncleane to me, because to doe against conscience is sinne.

Things indifferent are cleane of themselues, [Doctr.] but vncleane to him that so esteemeth them. The first branch is proued: Act. 10.5. What God hath cleansed, call not thou common. 1. Tim. 4.4. Euery creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it bee receiued with thankesgiuing.

The second is proued by the fifth verse before, and the two and twentieth and three and twentieth following.

The reason hereof is this: An erroneous conscience ma∣keth a thing vnlawfull: For Actions receiue their qualificati∣on, according to the will of the Agents; and the will is mo∣ued by the thing apprehended: If Reason iudge that thing to to be sinne, and yet the will be carried vnto it; it is manifest that such a one hath a will to sinne; and so the outward acti∣on which is informed by the will, whether it be lawfull or vn∣lawfull in it selfe, is a sinne.

We are to praise God for his bountie, [Vse 1] in giuing vs free li∣bertie to eate of all creatures: and the more, if we consider that we are sinners, not deseruing to liue, for whom the crea∣tures daily suffer death: we may say with Dauid, Loe, wee haue sinned, but these sheepe what haue they done? * 1.7

We may eate, but with these prouisoes.

1 That we eate not in idlenesse, but in the sweat of our browes.

2 That wee labour in that which is good, hauing an ho∣nest vocation, not to liue by theeuing, gaming, &c.

3 That we eate with thankesgiuing.

4 That wee giue part to the poore, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared; to giue at least some crummes to Lazarus.

5 That we feed moderately, and soberly, as those who remember they must die. When Socrates was asked how he differed from others, answered: Others liue to eate, I eate to liue.

6 That we giue no offence, of which this part of the Chap∣ter speaketh.

I know and am perswaded: [Ʋse 2] not first to be perswaded, and then to seeke to know: knowledge must goe before perswa∣sion, as a candle to direct it.

It is the fault of our ignorant Papists, of our Brownists, and of much people among vs, who are great fault finders; aske them why they dislike such and such things; this is their reason, they are perswaded, being notwithstanding de∣stitute of knowledge of those things which they reproue.

First know by good ground from the Word, then resolue and be perswaded: * 1.8 Praiudicium non est iudicium sed vitium; Preiudice, or iudgement before knowledge, is not true iudgement, but presumptuous opinion and vice.

It is a miserable thing to doubt in things commanded; [Ʋse 3] for instance, in the commanded rites of our Church. Not to obey is sinne, because the Magistrate is resisted; and to obey, is sin also, because the conscience doubteth.

O perplexitie! but yet no man is perplexed simply: such then must put away their erroneous and doubting conscience, by learning, and being perswaded. But here is a great corrup∣tion; many among vs desire rather to heare that which may confirme them in their doubting, then take it away, and con∣forme them to the peace of the Church.

Rightly labour to be enformed, for as an vnskilfull Pilot, so an erring conscience bringeth into danger.

Terrible is the state of wicked men, [Ʋse 4] they know and are perswaded of the euilnesse of things, and yet they do them.

These sinne against the light of Nature; * 1.9 for, Nihil facien∣dum de quo dubites, sit necne rectè factum; Nothing is to bee done, which thou doubtest whether it may lawfully be done or no, said a Heathen man.

Tell mee, thou Drunkard, thou Whore-master, &c. doest not thou know that whoredome and drunkennesse are sinnes? And yet darest thou doe them, and wound thy conscience? What peace canst thou haue, when thy heart accuseth thee? * 1.10 and GOD is greater then thy heart.

Saint Augustine compareth Conscience to a wife which continually scoldeth.

It is better to dwell in the wildernesse, then with a contentious and angry woman: and a man were as good to be in hell, as haue a wounded and accusing conscience.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aretius.
• * 1.2

  Leui. 11. Deut, 14.
• * 1.3

  De his omnibus penè consul. Th. Aqu. prim. se∣cund. q. 102. Art. c. ad primum.
• * 1.4

  Chrysost.
• * 1.5

  Ambr.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 9.3.
• * 1.7

  2. Sam. 24.17.
• * 1.8

  Augustinus.
• * 1.9

  Cicero. Offic. l. 1.
• * 1.10

  1. John 3.20.