A77593:627
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.
First, Strong Saints are to cast a Mantle of Wisdom over the infirmities of weak Saints. They are not to present their sins in that ugliness, and with such aggravations, as may terrify, as may sink, as may make a weak Saint to despair, or may drive him from the Mercy-seat, or as may keep him and Christ asunder, or as may unfit him for the discharge of Religious duties. It is more a weakness then a virtue in strong Christians, when a weak Saint is fallen, to aggravate his fall to the uttermost, and to present his sins in such a dreadful dress, as shall amaze him, &c. It often proves very prejudicial and dangerous to weak Saints, when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture-grounds, and beyond what they are able to bear. He that shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an earthen dish, as he does to the rubbing of a Pewter platter, instead of cleaning it, shall surely break it all to pieces. The application is easy, &c.
First, Strong Saints are to cast a Mantle of Wisedome over the infirmities of weak Saints. They are not to present their sins in that uglinesse, and with such aggravations, as may terrifie, as may sink, as may make a weak Saint to despaire, or may drive him from the Mercy-seat, or as may keep him and Christ asunder, or as may unfit him for the discharge of Religious duties. It is more a weaknesse then a virtue in strong Christians, when a weak Saint is fallen, to aggravate his fall to the uttermost, and to present his sins in such a dreadfull dresse, as shall amaze him, &c. It often proves very prejudiciall and dangerous to weak Saints, when their infirmities are aggravated beyond Scripture-grounds, and beyond what they are able to beare. He that shall lay the same strength to the rubbing of an earthen dish, as he does to the rubbing of a Pewter platter, instead of cleaning it, shall surely break it all to pieces. The application is easie, &c.
Secondly, There is a Mantle of Faithfulness that is to be cast over the infirmities of weak Saints. A man should never discover the infirmities of a weak Saint, especially to such that have neither skill, nor will to heal and bury them: The world will but blaspheme, and blaze them abroad, to the dishonour of God, to the reproach of Religion, and to the grief and scandal of the weak, &c. They will with Ham, rather call upon others to scoff at them, then bring a Mantle to cover them, &c. Ham was curst for that he did discover his fathers nakedness to his brethren, when it was in his