Chap. z6. Expoferion upan the Boer uf j O B. Vi-,r = 4. 733 We may elfedoe morehurt then good.We may quickly (as the Prophet fpeakes, Ezek i3. 9.) Slay the foul! that /houldxrtdye (that is, grieve & trouble the god ly)& fav9 the fouls alive which ßiould not live, that is, harden and fatten the wicked in their fins. The Apoftle hash left us an excellent rule by his owne practice (i Cor. 9.. 19 ) Though Ibe from admen, yet have I made my [elfe%ervant ro all that i might gain the more,and unto the 7erres 1 brcartse at a 7e v, that Imight gaine the ?ewes,to them that are ten- der the Law;ae under tbt Lnr,that 1might gaine there that are un- der the Law, to them that are without theLaw;aar without Law,be- ing not without law to God,bett under the law to Chrifl,tbat I might gaine them that are without law,to the weakbecame I at weak,tbat Imight gain the weak,! am madeall things toad men,that I might by all meant fay* fome,and this I dofor the CÇF fjiel fake that I might be partaker thereofwithyou.In ibis context we fee what was chief- ly in the Apoftles eye, (even that which is the higheft and fairefi marke in the world) thefavìngof rules. And that he might at- taine this end, hecritically obferved the temper and ttat.e of his hearers, ftriving to frame and lute himfelf, and his fpeech accor- dingly , He was not the fame to all,but he wouldbe as they were to whom he fpake, or with whom he did.converfe; yet Paul did not fymbolize with, nor connive at any in their fins, he did not take uponhim ail colours, hewas not a tssan for all men, or a mar for all honres, and humors. Theholy Apoftle didnot turn, as flatterers doe, with the times, nor fafhion himfelf to the feve- ral garbes ofmen in a finfail way ; Paul was fo farre from any filch bafe complyances, that he having put the queftion, doe lyst pleare went anfwers and concludes in the next words(Gai. t . s o.) If Iyet pleafedwen, I ¡bould not be the fervant of Ckri/ . But weighing the elite ofallmen,he formed his words,and didaccom modate kis Mini tery for their gaine,or rather for the gainingof them. ;Some are all things to all men, that they may gain by all, that they may advantage themfclves by all (which is a fpirit not onely unworthy of a Minifter, but ofa man) but Paul complyed with all, that he might gaine them, or bring them in the greateft gaine. Or he complyad with all men that Chrift might. gaine, and faith in hint be propagated, this I doe for the Gofpel fake:.1 do not this for my own fake, Ido not put my Pelf into all forms to- wards men for my own preferment in.the world, but that Chrift may
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