A96093:1124
The beatitudes
The beatitudes: or A discourse upon part of Christs famous Sermon on the Mount. Whereunto is added Christs various fullness. The preciousness of the soul. The souls malady and cure. The beauty of grace. The spiritual watch. The heavenly race. The sacred anchor. The trees of righteousness. The perfume of love. The good practitioner. By Thomas Watson, minister of the word at Stephens Walbrook in the city of London.The beatitudes: or A discourse upon part of Christs famous Sermon on the Mount. Wherunto is added Christs various fulnesse. The preciousnesse of the soul. The souls malady and cure. The beauty of grace. The spiritual watch. The heavenly race. The sacred anchor. The trees of righteousnesse. The perfume of love. The good practitioner. By Thomas Watson, minister of the word at Stephens Walbrook in the city of London.
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1660
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.
Answ. 4 4. I answer, when God hides his face from his child, his heart may be towards him; as Joseph when he spake roughly to his brethren, and made them believe he would take them for Spies, still his heart was towards them, and he was as full of love as ever he could hold; he was fain to go aside and weep: So, God is full of love to his children, even when he seems to look strange. And as Moses his Mother when she put her child into the ark of bulrushes, and went away a little from it, yet still her eye was toward it, the babe wept; I, and the mother wept too; So God, when he goes aside as if he had forsaken his children, yet he is full of sympathy and love towards them. God may change his countenance, but not break his covenant. It is one thing for God to desert, another thing to disinherit. Hosea 8.11. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim! &c. 'Tis a Metaphor taken from a father going to disinherit his son, and while he is setting his hand to the Deed, his bowels begin to melt, and to yearn over him, and he thinks thus within himself, Though he be a prodigal child, yet he is a child, I will not cut off the entail; So saith God, How shall I give thee up? though Ephraim hath been a rebellious son, yet he is a son, I will not disinherit him. Gods thoughts may be full of love, when there is a veil upon his face; the Lord may change his dispensation towards his children, but not his disposition; he may have the look of an enemy, but the heart of a Father: So that the believer may say, I am adopted, and let God do what he will with me, let him take the rod, or the staff, 'tis all one, he loves me.
Answ. 4 4. I answer, when God hides his face from his child, his heart may be towards him; as Joseph when he spake roughly to his brethren, and made them believe he would take them for Spies, still his heart was towards them, and he was as full of love as ever he could hold; he was faine to go aside and weep: So, God is full of love to his children, even when he seems to look strange. And as Moses his Mother when she put her child into the ark of bulrushes, and went away a little from it, yet still her eye was toward it, the babe wept; I, and the mother wept too; So God, when he goes aside as if he had forsaken his children, yet he is full of sympathy and love towards them. God may change his countenance, but not break his covenant. It is onething for God to desert, another thing to disinherit. Hosea 8.11