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 6. Hee that regardeth a day, regardeth it vnto the Lord; and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giueth God thanks: and he that eateth not, to the Lord hee eateth not, and giueth God thanks.

IN these words beginnes the Direction, how they should carry themselues each to other.

To omit many coacted expositions: M. Caluin takes these words as a precept, or exhortation rather then an affirmati∣on; and to this Pareus seemes also to encline: but the reason alledged of Thanks, noteth a thing done, not a precept of a thing to be done.

Here therefore I take it the direction verse 3. and repea∣ted verse 30. is to be vnderstood: and here a reason thereof brought from the end, which both the strong and weake pro∣pound to themselues in their different courses, which is the glory of God, and the pleasing of him: which reason, both the instances being here brought, may be thus formed:

Hee that doth that which he doth, to the Lord, is not of his brother to be despised or iudged:

But he that eateth, or eateth not, obserueth a day, or ob∣serueth not, doth it to the Lord:

Therefore, &c.

To doe a thing, or not to doe a thing to the Lord; is so to doe, or not, to the honour of God: or because you are perswa∣ded, that such doing, or not doing pleaseth God, or at least displeaseth him not.

The strong put no difference in meats or dayes, because hee knew that God would no longer be worshipped by such or∣dinances, and that his Christian liberty was not displeasing to God.

The weake made difference, because he thought his consci∣ence was still bound by the Law, and that such obseruations pleased God.

The weake erred; not of malice, but of ignorance and in∣firmity:

his obseruation of such things was lawfull at that time, but not his opinion. His opinion was superstitious, con∣demned vnder the name of weaknes. Now that he which is holden in such superstition, dare not violate the solemnity of the day, this pleaseth God, because hee dares not doe against his conscience.

That both parties respect the glory of God in those things, is prooued by the signe, which is Thankesgiuing.

The summe is, that the Apostle would haue them cease from despising and iudging one another for meats or daies: seeing neither part doth any thing out of any contempt of God, but to please him: they should therefore friendly take and construe one anothers doings.

In things indifferent (in all things) we are to propound to our selues to glorifie God. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eate or drinke, [Doctr.] or whatsoeuer you doe, doe all things to the glory of God. Col. 3.17. Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus, giuing thanks to God, and the Father by him.

Cautions, for the meaning of this verse.

1 It fauours not Academicks that we should question eue∣ry thing, for in the verse before he required full perswasion.

2 Nor will-worship, for he speaketh not of our inuentions, but of things commanded of old.

3 Neither doth hee commend the opinion of the weake, but would not haue him despised for his fact. His opinion was intolerable, because he put religion in such things: his fact or practice tolerable, because he obeyed conscience.

4 Neither is euery thing that is pretended to bee done to the Lord, a good worke; nor doth giuing of thanks prooue a thing to be done to the glory of God. For the Iewes when they set vp the golden Calfe, proclaimed a feast to the Lord: and if a theefe should giue God thankes that hee met with a rich booty, he should do no other but blaspheme.

Therefore it is to bee remembred, that Saint Paul here speakeh of a right intention: and onely of things indif∣ferent, not in their nature only, but also so left to vs in regard of their vse.

Out of this verse and the former: [Quest.] it is lawfull for Chri∣stians

in the time of the New Testament to obserue holy dayes beside the Sabbath day?

It is lawfull: [Answ.] such indeed are neither commanded nor for∣bidden, therefore their appointment and obseruation is indif∣ferent; and so the Church hath power, and the Christian Magistrate, to constitute them as things seruing to the pro∣moting of the worship of God: as that there might be assem∣bling together, for the reading of holy Scripture, for prayer, and preaching of the word.

No man will deny but that it is conuenient to celebrate the memoriall of the Passion and Resurrection of our Saui∣our on some particular day. But if euery man should choose his owne time there would be confusion: Therefore for or∣der in the Church, and for diuers benefits accrewing thereby, it is very fit that there should be some Holy dayes appointed to be obserued besides the Sabbath.

1 Hereby our selues, our seruants, our cattell haue rest, which is one of the ends of the Sabbath: The Iewes had need of such addition of dayes of rest, and therefore God in∣stituted diuers holy dayes, and so haue we need also.

2 Faith and good manners are furthered hereby: what∣soeuer is not contrary to Faith and good manners, may be done, saith S. Augustine, but hereby they are builded vp, by publique prayers, reading, and preaching of the Word.

3 Hereby the loue and ioy of Christians is increased, through their mutuall beholding one another, as Hierome affirmeth.

4 The poore haue the more time to bee instructed in Religion.

5 Hereby the principall patefactions of God, and benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs, also the holy vertues of the Saints, are, being vpon such dayes inculcated, made the better knowne vnto vs.

6 Hereby wee keepe conformitie with the Primitiue Church, and with the Fathers, from whom to dissent in things indifferent which may be vsefull vnto good life, were arrogancy and indiscretion.

But some Holy dayes are called by the names of Saints. [Obiect.]

They are dedicated not to them, but to God: [Answ.] they are cal∣led after their names, because their story is then commended to the Church: and on those dayes wee make no supplica∣tion to the Saints, but onely praise God for them, and pray for grace to imitate their vertuous and holy liues, as did the Antients.

But here the errour of the Papists, and Anabaptists and Familists, is to bee taken heede of: These will haue no holy and festiuall dayes: They will haue too many, trou∣bling the Church with their single and double feasts, &c. putting Religion in the day, and dedicating it not to God, but to the Saint; yea sometime to such a Saint which ne∣uer was vpon earth, or neuer shall bee in heauen: also they preferre the reuerence of many of their holy dayes, before the Sabbath.

Neglect not thou the holy daies appointed in our Church, but yet make a difference betweene the Lords day and them: For that is called the Queene of dayes. And there∣fore, as is the Virgin Mary blessed amongst women, so is the Lords day amongst other holy dayes: for the digni∣tie whereof the whole weeke among the Iewes was called Sabbatum, the Sabbath, as some Learned haue obserued: the dayes of the weeke being thus distinguished, prima Sabbati, secunda Sabbati, &c.

It is requisite there should be some holy dayes for order sake and gouernment. 1. But not ouer many, that the Church be not burdened. 2. Holden indifferent in their owne nature, that Christian libertie be not indangered.

Diuersitie of opinion for obseruation of daies and such like indifferent things, [Ʋse 1] ought not to breake charity and vnity among the Brethren when that we doe is of conscience.

Hereof we haue a notable example of Polycarpus and Ani∣cetus Bishop of Rome, who differing in opinion and obser∣uation of dayes, and fasting, yet continued in loue, and maintained vnitie, as witnesseth Irenaeus in a Letter writ∣ten to Ʋictor Bishop of Rome; yea, and Irenaeus giueth this testimonie to the Church then and before his time,

that all such which held contrary obseruations, did notwith∣standing hold fast the bond of loue and vnity.

Holy dayes are religiously to be obserued, to the Lord, ac∣cording the end of their institution. [Vse 2] But many make them daies of vanity and carnal delight, least of all thinking of glo∣rifying God; so that God is more prouoked in one of them, nay on the Lords day it selfe, by some wicked wretches, then all the weeke after.

When a man walks according to the warning of his con∣science, [Vse 3] although he erre in doing, yet his religious and well nurtured conscience pleaseth God.

In things wee discerne not nor conceiue, it is good for a man to walke according to his conscience, so that he neglect not to be rightly enformed, and bee ready to obey, when it shall be otherwise reuealed.

The Iew may not vse Christian liberty till he may enioy it with a good conscience: For it is better to follow an erring conscience when it cannot be informed and corrected, then to doe against conscience.

In all things giue thankes, [Vse 4] without which all things are impure, both our meat, and our abstinence also; and with it euery creature of God is good vnto vs, as the Apostle witnes∣seth?

Many, little better then Atheists, and like vnto Swine, sit downe to their meat, without any acknowledgement of the giuer of it.

Doe thou giue thankes: For,

1 Thus they did in old time. Samuel must blesse the sa∣crifice, before the people will eate. Our blessed Sauiour al∣wayes gaue thankes before meat. The blessed Apostle Saint Paul vsed so to doe, as we reade of him in the Acts. Yea the very Gentiles, vsed not to eate, till they had offered a part as first fruits vnto their gods. And I haue read that the Turkes vse thanksgiuing or some forme of benediction before they eate.

2 Thereby thou acknowledgest that God by his proui∣dence maintaineth and preserueth thee.

3 By this thy meat becomes wholesome and nourishing to

thee, which otherwise would be as a stone, For man liueth more by Gods blessing, then by bread.

4 Hereby thou hast alwaies a table prepared; For as Chry∣sostome saith, Mensa ab oratione sumens initium, et in orationem desinens, nunquam deficit, &c. Where men begin and end their refections with prayer, there shall be no want.

5 By this our mindes are furthered to some holy medita∣tion while we are eating & drinking; as of labouring for the meat which perisheth not; of our mortality; of eating bread in the Kingdome of Heauen. For which purpose the An∣tients vsed to haue a Chapter read out of the Bible, in the time of their meales, as is now vsed in some colleges.

Hereby also wee are kept from surfetting and drunken∣nesse, and from feeding our selues vnto an inflaming to lust; Saint Chrysostome speaketh of this excellently, Opus est, nos et mensam petentes et desistentes gratias agere, &c. It is needfull that sitting down to meat, and rising from meate, we should giue thankes. For he that is prepared hereunto, shall neither fall into drunkennesse or insolence, nor be swollen with gur∣mundizing: but hauing the expectation of prayer as a bri∣dle to his senses, hee will with due modesty take of those things which are set before him, and so fill his body and his soule with a plentifull blessing.

Holy Christians eate to the Lord; but such as giue not thankes, but surfet themselues and are drunke, eate and drink to the Diuell.

Notes

• Exod. 32.5.
• Consule Zanch. tom. 4. in 4. prae∣ceptum. pag. 668. & seq.
• Aug. Ianuario, Epist. 118.119.
• Hieron. com. in Epist. ad Gal. c. 4
• Ignatius.
• Tremel. in annot. ad suam Syram trans. Noui Test. Mat. 28.1.
• Luseb. hist. eccl. l. 5. c. 23. Socat. schol. hist. Eccl. l. 5. c. 21.
• 1. Tim. 4.4.
• 1 Sam 9.13. Mat. 14.19. Luk. 24.30. Act. 27.35. Plutar. in Symp.
• Cornel. Cor. a lap. com. in 1. Tim. c. 4.
• Mat. 4.4.
• Chry. hom. 79. ad pop. Ant.
• Aug in Regula Monacharum. Ep. 109.
• Chrys. loco supra citato.