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 1. Wee then that are strong, ought to beare the infirmi∣ties of the weake, and not to please our selues.

THis Admonition I call Generall, because it not only con∣cerneth the strong and weake in the Particular of Chri∣stian Liberty, but comprehendeth the dutie of all strong, to all weake ones.

In it we may consider the Summe of the Admonition; and the Amplification.

The summe is, that the strong must beare the infirmities of the weake, and not please themselues.

In this, are the Dutie, and the Persons.

The Dutie set downe Affirmatiuely, To beare the infir∣mities of the weake; and Negatiuely, not to please themselues.

The Persons are two: First, which ought to performe this duty, and beare: secondly, which must be borne with∣all; The strong must beare with the weake.

Strong: There are some strong in their owne opinions, strong in errors, but this is weaknesse: Esay reporteth of some who haue great strength to poure in wine and strong drinke; * 1.1 but this is wickednesse: But here strong is taken in a good sense: strong in faith, in knowledge, in grace, who haue receiued a greater measure of any good gifts, naturall or spirituall, then others.

Weake: * 1.2 These are opposed to the strong; and are such which haue but a little faith, knowledge, vnderstanding to iudge of matters in question, which medling with controuer∣sies are easily drawne away, which ouershoot themselues in rash iudgement; such of whom Paul speaketh, 1. Cor. 3.2. and Heb. 5.13. Babes that had need of milke; such as haue small power to withstand temptations, and to subdue rebellious affections, generally such as are weake in body or minde.

To beare with the infirmities of the weake: That is, to beare at their hands, their rash censures, their inconsiderate carri∣age, till they may be better instructed, and grow stronger, as a father with his childe, or a man with his sicke friend, not to disdaine him, and laugh him to scorne for his weaknesse.

Not to please themselues: That is, not to giue themselues only satisfaction, but to endure something, though displea∣sant, that we may doe our brethren good.

The Amplification is from diuers circumstances.

1 From the person of Paul: Wee, not only Apostles or Ministers, as some would put off this duty only to them, but in generall, we that are strong, whosoeuer: nor doth he speake ambitiously; he might truely put himselfe in the number of the strong; for who so strong as Paul? But hee saith, Wee, putting himselfe among the rest as an Example.

2 From a Debt or Duty, wee ought: Wee vse to say that Must is for God and the King: God requireth it as a debt to bee paid. Wee ought, hee saith not, It were good, or con∣uenient that yee did beare, &c. But, wee ought, not lea∣uing it at our choise, but imposing a necessitie of perfor∣mance.

3 From the Cause of this duty; because strong: God gi∣ueth to some more strength then to other for this cause, that they may beare with the weaker, as riches to some, that they may releeue the poorer, &c. so the bones in the body beare vp the weake flesh, and the principall pillars in a building, the weaker parts thereof, and the Nurse her little childe.

4 From a figuratiue setting downe of the Affirmatiue part of the Duty, must beare: a metaphor taken from Por∣ters, which carry other mens burthens, and as by the Por∣ters strength and paines, the owner of such burden is eased, so must the strong so beare the infirmities of the weake, that they may ridde them of them: they must tollere, take them vp, and take them away, the end of the action being here implyed.

5 From a figuratiue description, of the ignorance, rash iudgement, &c. of the weake: they are called infirmities, sicknesses, diseases: as wee beare with the wayward∣nesse of a sicke man, so wee ought with weake Chri∣stians.

6 From an Opposition of the cause of the contrarie; Not to please our selues: for the cause why wee beare not with infirmities of our brethren, is, because wee are loath to bee troubled, wee loue our owne ease, more then their good; wee onely seeke to please and content our selues.

The stronger must beare with, [Doctr.] and tolerate them which are weake. Galath. 6.2. Beare yee one anothers burthen, as ignorance, hastinesse, &c. 1. Thess. 5.14. Support the weake.

The strong are to bee admonished to vse indulgence to∣ward the weake: [Ʋse 1] not presently to cast them out for their weaknesse: they may be strong: thou also thy selfe wert weak. Burthens are troublesome, I confesse; but charitie will make

it easie. * 1.3 God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 did suffer, and beare with the manners of the Israelites fortie yeares in the Wildernesse. How did Christ many times beare the rudenesse of his A∣postles! nay he hath in our roome borne that insupportable burden of our sinnes, and wholly eased vs of them; wee then at his commandement ought to beare the infirmities of our brethren.

Let the husband beare with the wife, who is the weaker vessell; let the wise beare with the vnwise, &c.

Doth thy brother erre in opinion? Beare with him a∣while, if hee be not obstinate, and instruct him; the lear∣nedest haue had their errours; in this life wee know but in part. * 1.4

Doth he erre in life and manners? Beare with him, and seeke his amendment; the holiest man that euer was, Christ only excepted, had his faults, wherewith he was blemished.

Wee all haue our infirmities: Though wee may be strong in one thing, yet wee may bee weake in another: some are hastie, some are worldly, some are suspitious, euery one hath some fault or other; wee must of necessitie beare one with another.

Let the yong man beare with the forwardnesse of age; let old men beare with the indiscretion of greene youth.

Beare thou with my hastinesse, that I may beare with thy pride, &c. this is the way of concord and loue.

We are all trauailing to heauen, if any saint or fall sicke by the way, let vs which are strong and in health, beare, and helpe, that he may keepe company with the rest.

Hee that is bound to succour his enemies fainting beast, is much more bound to releeue his brothers weake and sin∣full soule.

What must I beare? [Vse 2] my brothers infirmities; not the blas∣phemie, whoredome, drunkennesse, &c. of filthy beasts; let the impudence and insolence of such abominable wretches be repressed by iust seueritie.

Art thou ignorant? [Ʋse 3] doest thou erre in opinion? art thou rash in iudgement? rude in speech? then art thou sicke and weake.

Art thou weake? then art thou burthensome to thy Tea∣cher, to thy brethren, to the Church which beareth thy infir∣mities, and thou hast cause to loue them therefore.

Art thou weake? then carry thy selfe according to thy con∣dition; It is the fault of the weake, and a great sicknesse of their mind, to take vpon them the parts of the strong: viz. to de∣termine things doubtfull; to reade the bookes of aduersaries; to consure their brethren, &c. Ah, how vnsufficient are they vnto such things! So sometimes a sicke man longs for that which the stomacke of a strong man can hardly digest. Are blind men fit to iudge of colours? or sicke men to fight with enemies?

Let euery man weigh and examine himselfe, —Quid valeant humeri, quid ferre recusent:

what hee is able to doe, and what is fit for his strength: as we seek to recouer out of bodily sicknesse, so out of our infir∣mities of the mind: Let vs amend our ignorance and errour, that wee may bee in malice children, * 1.5 but in vnderstanding men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay 5.22.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  Act. 13.18.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 13.9.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 14.20.