A96093:1150
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.
1. The mercies of God shall soften them. Davids heart was overcome with Gods mercy. 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I? and what is my house, &c? I who was of a mean Family, I who held the Shepherds staff, that now I should hold the Royal Sceptre! Nay, Thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come: Thou hast made a promise that my children shall sit upon the Throne, yea, that the blessed Messiah shall come of my Line and Race; and is this the manner of man O Lord God! as if he had said, Do men show such kindness undeserved? See how this good mans heart was dissolved and softened by mercy! the flint is soonest broken upon a soft pillow.
1. The mercies of God shall soften them. Davids heart was overcome with Gods mercy. 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I? and what is my house, &c? I who was of a mean Family, I who held the Shepherds staffe, that now I should hold the Royal Scepter! Nay, Thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come: Thou hast made a promise that my children shall sit upon the Throne, yea, that the blessed Messiah shall come of my Line and Race; and is this the manner of man O Lord God! as if he had said, Do men shew such kindness undeserved? See how this good mans heart was dissolved and softned by mercy! the flint is soonest broken upon a soft pillow.
2. Mercies make the children of God more fruitful; the ground beats the better crop for the cost that is laid ⟨p. 336⟩upon it. God gives his children health, and they spend, and are spent for Christ; he gives them Estates, and they honour the Lord with their substance; the backs and bellies of the poor are the Field where they sow the precious seeds of their charity; a child of God makes his Estate a golden Clasp to bind his heart faster to God, a foot-stool to raise him up higher towards heaven.