A96093:1337
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.
2. 'Tis but equity that you should deny your selves for Christ; did not Jesus Christ deny himself for you? he denied his joy, he left his fathers bosom, he denied his honour, he endured the shame, Hebr. 12.2. He denied his life, he poured out his blood as a sacrifice upon the Alta• of the Cross, Col. 1.20. Did Christ deny himself for you, and will not you deny your selves for him?
2. 'Tis but equity that you should deny your selves for Christ; did not Jesus Christ deny himself for you? he denied his joy, he left his fathers bosome, he denied his honour, he endured the shame, Hebr. 12.2. He denied his life, he poured out his blood as a sacrifice upon the Alta• of the Cross, Col. 1.20. Did Christ deny himself for you, and will not you deny your selves for him?
3. Self-denial is the highest sign of a thorough-paced Christian; hypocrites may have great knowledge, and make large profession, but it is only the true-hearted Saint that can deny himself for Christ. I have read of an holy man who was once tempted by Satan, to whom Satan said, Why takest thou all this pains? Thou watchest an •astest, and abstainest from sin, O man, what dost thou more than I? Art thou no Drunkard, no Adulterer? no more am I. Dost thou watch? let me tell ⟨p. 381⟩thee I never slept: Dost thou fast? I never eat; What dost thou more than I? Why, saith the good man, I will tell thee Satan, I pray, I serve the Lord, nay more then all, I deny my self; nay then saith Satan, thou goest beyond me, for I exalt my self; and so vanished. Self-denial is the best touch-stone of sincerity; by this you go beyond hypocrites.