Romans — Chapter 14

2. Eate al things.) The Apostles meaning about eating or not eating certaine meats. By similitude of words the simple are soone deceiued, and Heretikes make their vantage of any thing to seduce the vnlearned. There were diuers meats forbidden in the Law of Moyses, and for signification made counted vncleane, whereof the Iewes might not eate at al, as porke, hare, conny, & such like, both of fishes, soules, and beasts, a great number. Christ discharged al them that became Christians, after his Passion, of that obseruance and al other ceremonies of the old Law. Notwithstanding, because diuers that were brought-vp in the Law, had a religion and conscience, sodenly to foresake their former manner, the Apostle here admonished such as be stronger and better instructed in the case, to beare with the weaker sort, that being Christians could not yet find in their harts to eate and vse the meats forbidden by God in the Law: as on the other side he warneth the weak that would not eate, not to take offence or scandal at them that did eate without scruple, any of the irregular or forbidden meats in the Law, nor in any wise to iudge or condemne the eater, but to commit that to God, & finally that they should not condemne each other for eating or not eating. The Heretikes fondly abuse this place against the fasts of the Church. Now the Protestants fondly apply al this to the fasts of the Church, and differences of meats in the same: as though the Church did forbid any meat wholy neuer to be eaten or touched, or made any creatures vncleane, or otherwise prescribed any abstinenc, then for chastising of mens bodies and seruice of God. Foolish Heretikes see not the difference of things. It is a great blindnes that they can put no difference betwixt Christes fast of fourtie daies, Mat. 4. Iohn's abstaining from al delicate meats and drinkes, Mat. 3,11. the widow Annes, Luc. 2,37. the Nazareites, Num. 6. the Recabites, Ierem. 35,14. the Niniuites, Ion. 3. S. Paules, 2. Cor. 11,27. S. Timothees, 1. Tim. 5,23. Iohn's Disciples and Christ's Disciples fast Mat. 9,14. 15. (which he said they should keep after his departure from them:) and the ceremonial distinction of creatures and meats, cleane and vncleane, in the old Law. Of which it is euident the Apostle treateth in al this chapter, & of none other at al. Therfore when the Protestants by the words of this place would proue, that we be either made free from fasting and from obeying the Churches commandement or following Christes example in that matter, or that the obseruers of Christian fasts be weak in faith, & ought not in any wise condemne of sinne the breakers of the prescribed fasts of the holy Church, they doe abuse ignorantly or wilfully the Apostles words and discourse.

5. Between day and day.) Distinction of daies. By the like deceit they abuse this place against the Holy-daies of Christ and his B. mother & Saints, which concerneth only the Iewes festiuities and obseruation of times, wherof in the Epistle to the Galatians c. 4,10.

6. Euery one in his owne sense.) The text explicated concerning euery man's conscience in Iudaical meats and dinkes. The Apostle doth not giue freedom, as the Churches enemies would haue it, that euery man may doe or thinke what he list. But in this matter of Iudaical obseruation of daies and meats, & that for a time only, til the Christian religion should be perfectly established, he would haue no restraint made, but that euery one should be borne withal in his owne sense: yet so, that they should not condemne one another, nor make necessitie of saluation in the obseruation of the Iudaical rites of meats, daies, &c.

17. Not meat and drinke.) Not eating, but disobedience damnable. The substance of religion or the Kingdom of God standeth not in meat or drinke; and therfore the better might they vse indifferencie & toleration in that point for a time, for peace sake and to auoid scandal. But if the precept of Moyses Law had bound stil as before, then (not for the meats sake, but for the disobedience) it had been damnable to haue eaten the vncleane meats.

22. Haue it with thy self.) Thou that art perfect, and beleeuest or knowest certainly that thou art free from the Law concerning meats and festiuities, yet to the trouble and hindrance of the feeble that can not yet be brought so farre, be discrete and vtter not thy self out of season.

23. He that discerneth.) To doe against our conscience, is sinne. If the weake haue a conscience, and should be driuen to eate the things which in his owne hart he thinketh he should not doe, he committeth deadly sinne, because he doth against his conscience, or against his owne pretensed knowledge.