A77593:609
The Unsearchable Riches of Christ
Ton anexichniaston plouton [sic] tou Christou. The unsearchable riches of Christ. Or, Meat for strong men. Milk [for] babes. Held for th in twenty-two sermons from Ephesians 3.8. By Thomas Brooks, preacher of the Word at Margarets New-Fishstreet.Ton anexichniaston plouton [sic] tou Christou. The unsearchable riches of Christ. Or, Meat for strong men. Milke [for] babes. Held for th in twenty-two sermons from Ephesians 3.8. By Thomas Brookes, preacher of the Word at Margarets New-Fishstreet.
London: printed by Mary Simmons for John Hancock, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is the duty of strong Saints, in things indifferent to §4 Duty.deny themselves to please the weak.
It is the duty of strong Saints, in things indifferent to §4 Duty.deny themselves to please the weake.
1 Cor. 8. 13. Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, least I make my Brother to offend. Strong Saints must stand unchangeably resolved neither to give offence carelessly, nor to take offence causelessly. Says the Apostle, I will not stand to dispute my Christian liberty, but will rather lay it down at my weak brothers feet, then I will by the use of it offend one for whom Christ ha's dyed. 1 Cor. 9. 22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. That is, I condescended and went to the uttermost that possibly I could (without sin) to win and gain upon the weak; I displeased my self in things that were of an indifferent nature, to please them. Thou oughtest not, O strong Christian! by the use of thy Christian liberty, to put a stumbling-block before thy weak Brother. Rom. 15. 2. We then that are strong, ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our selves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. He doth not say, Let every one of us please the lust of his neighbour, but let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification: Let us in things of an indifferent nature, so yield as to please our neighbour. There were some that thought they might observe days, others thought they might not. Some thought they might eat meat, others thought they might only eat Herbs. Why, saith the Apostle, in these things that are of an indifferent nature, I will rather displease and deny my self, to profit my neighbour, then I will by the use of my liberty, occasion my neighbour to offend. I, this is true Christian love indeed, for a man to cross himself to please his neighbour, so it may be for his souls edification: But this heavenly love is driven almost out of the world, which causeth men to dislike those things in others, which they flatter in themselves.