A96093:1350
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.
5. Faith reconciles providences and promises; as it was in Saint Pauls voyage, providence did seem to be against him, there was a cross wind did arise, called Euroclydon, Acts 27.14. but God had given him a promise that he would save his life, and the lives of all that sailed with him in the Ship, Ver. 24. therefore when the wind blew never so contrary, Paul believed it would at least blow him to the Haven; so when sense saith, Here is a cross providence, sufferings come, I shall be undone; then saith faith, all things shall work for good to them that love God, Rom. 8.28. This providence, though bloody, shall fulfil the promise; affliction shall work for my good, it shall heal my corruption, and save my soul. Thus faith making the wind and tide go together, the wind of a providence with the tide of the promise, enables a Christian to suffer persecution.
5. Faith reconciles providences and promises; as it was in Saint Pauls voyage, providence did seem to be against him, there was a cross winde did arise, called Euroclydon, Acts 27.14. but God had given him a promise that he would save his life, and the lives of all that sailed with him in the Ship, Ver. 24. therefore when the winde blew never so contrary, Paul believed it would at least blow him to the Haven; so when sense saith, Here is a cross providence, sufferings come, I shall be undone; then saith faith, all things shall work for good to them that love God, Rom. 8.28. This providence, though bloody, shall fulfill the promise; affliction shall work for my good, it shall heal my corruption, and save my soul. Thus faith making the winde and tyde go together, the winde of a providence with the tyde of the promise, enables a Christian to suffer persecution.
6. Faith picks sweetness out of the Cross; faith shows the soul God reconciled, and sin pardoned; and then how sweet is every suffering? The Bee gathers the sweetest honey from the bitterest herb. — Saepe tulit lassis succus amarus opem. — So faith from the sharpest trials gathers the sweetest comforts, faith looks upon suffering as Gods love token Afflictions (saith Nazianzene) are sharp arrows, but they are shot from the hand of a loving Father; faith can taste honey at the end of the rod; faith fetches joy out of suffering,