A96093:1237
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.
The Reasons why the storm of persecution hath chiefly fallen upon the Ministers, are:
1. They have their corruptions as well as others; and least they should be lifted up through the abundance of Revelation, God lets loose some Messenger of Satan to vex and persecute them. God sees they have need of the flail to thresh off their Husks; the fire God puts them into, is not to consume, but refine them.
1. They have their corruptions as well as others; and least they should be lifted up through the abundance of Revelation, God lets loose some Messenger of Satan to vex and persecute them. God sees they have need of the flaile to thresh off their Husks; the fire God puts them into, is not to consume, but refine them.
2. The Ministers are Christs antesignani, his Ensign-bearers to carry his colours; they are the Captains of the Lords Host, therefore are most shot at. Phil. 1.17. I am set for the defence of the Gospel. The Greek word [Greek or Hebrew], alludes to a Soldier that is set in the fore-front of the Battle, and hath all the Bullets flying about his ears. The Ministers work is to preach against mens ⟨p. 356⟩sins, which are as dear to them as their right eye, and they cannot endure this. Every mans sin is his King, to which he yields love and subjection; now as Pilot said, Shall I crucify your King? men will not endure to have their King-sin crucified; this therefore being the work of the Ministry to divide between men and their lusts, to part these two old friends, no wonder it meets with so much opposition. When Paul preached against Diana, all the City was in an uproar: We preach against mens Diana's, those sins which bring them in pleasure and profit, this causeth an uproar.