Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsRomans 14

Eat all things.

^[1] By similitude of words the simple are soon deceived, and Heretics make their vauntage of any thing to seduce the unlearned. There were diverse meats forbidden in the Law of Moyses, and for signification, made and counted unclean, whereof the Jews might not eat at all, as pork, hare, conny, and such like, both of fishes, fowls, and beasts, a great number. Christ discharged all them that became Christians; after his Passion, of that observance and all other ceremonies of the old Law: Notwithstanding, because diverse that were brought up in the Law, had a religion and conscience, suddenly to forsake their former manner, the Apostle here admonisheth such as be stronger and better instructed in the case, to bear with the weaker sort, that being Christians could not yet find in their hearts to eat and use the meats forbidden by God in the Law: as on the other side he warneth the weak that would not eat, not to take offence or scandal at them that did eat without scruple, any of the irregular or forbidden meats in the Law, nor in any wise to judge or condemn the eater, but to commit that to God, and finally that neither nother should condemn the other for eating or not eating. ^[2] Now the Protestants fondly apply all this to the fasts of the Church, and differences of meats in the same: as though the Church did forbid any meat wholly never to be eaten or touched, or made any creatures unclean, or otherwise prescribed any abstinence, than for chastising of men's bodies and service of God. It is a great blindness that they can put no difference betwixt Christ's fast of forty days, Mat. 4. John's abstaining from all delicate meats and drinks, Mat. 3. 11. the widow Anne's, Luc. 2, 37. the Nazareites', Num. 6. the Recabites', Jerem. 35, 14. the Ninivites', Ion. 3. S. Paul's, 2 Cor. 11, 27. S. Timothee's, 1. Tim. 5, 23. John'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 ^[3] of creatures and meats, clean and unclean, in the old Law. of which it is evident the Apostle treateth in all this chapter, & of none other at all. Therefore when the Protestants by the words of this place would prove, that we be either made free from fasting and from obeying the Church's commandment or following Christ's example in that matter, or that the observers of Christian fasts be weak in faith, & ought not in any wise condemn of sin the breakers of the prescribed fasts of the holy Church, they do abuse ignorantly or willfully the Apostle's words and discourse.

• 1 The Apostle's meaning about eating or not eating certain meats.
• 2 The Heretics' fondly abuse this place against the fasts of the Church.
• 3 Foolish Heretics see not the differences of things.

Between day and day.

^◦ By the like deceit they abuse this place against the Holy days of Christ and his B. mother and Saints, which concerneth only the Jews' festivities and observation of times, whereof in the Epistle to the Galatians c. 4, 10.

• ◦ Distinction of days.

Every one in his own sense.

^◦ The Apostle doth not give freedom, as the Church's enemies would have it, that every man may do or think what he list. But in this matter of Judaical observation of days and meats, & that for a time only, till the Christian religion should be perfectly established, he would have no restraint made, but that every one should be borne withal in his own sense: yet so, that they should not condemn one another, nor make necessity of salvation in the observation of the Judaical rites of meats, days, &c.

• ◦ The text explicated concerning every man's conscience in Iudaical meats and drinks.

Not meat and drink.

^◦ The substance of religion or the kingdom of God standeth not in meat or drink, and therefore the better might they use indifferency and toleration in that point for a time, for peace sake and to avoid scandal. But if the precept of Moyses' Law had bound still as before, then (not for the meat's sake, but for the disobedience) it had been damnable to have eaten the unclean meats.

• ◦ Not eating, but disobedience damnable.

Have it with thyself.

Thou that art perfect, and believest or knowest certainly that thou art free from the Law concerning meats and festivities, yet to the trouble and hinderance of the feeble that cannot yet be brought so far, be discreet & utter not thyself out of season.

He that discerneth.

^{[1] [2]} If the weak have a conscience, and should be driven to eat the things which in his own heart he thinketh he should not do, he committeth deadly sin, because he doth against his conscience, or against his own pretensed knowledge.

• 1 To do against our conscience, is sin.
• 2 Chrys. ho. 26. in ep. Ro.

All that is not of faith.

The proper sense of this speech is, that every thing that a man doeth against his knowledge or conscience, is a sin, for so by the circumstance of the letter, faith must here be taken, ^[1] though S. Augustine sometimes, applieth it also to prove that all the actions of infidels (meaning those works which directly proceed of their lack of faith) be sins. But in any wise take heed of the Heretics' commentary, who hereby would prove that the infidel sinneth in honouring his parents, fighting for his country, tilling his ground, and in all other works. And no marvel that they so hold of infidels, who maintain ^[2] that Christian men also offend deadly in every good deed.

• 1 What actions of infidels are sin, and what are not.
• 2 Luther.