A96093:1370
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. It is a great honour to suffer persecution. Ambrose §2speaking in the encomium of his sister, said, appellabo Martyrem, I will say this of her, she was a Martyr; it is a great honour to be singled out to bear witness to the truth. Acts 5.41. They departed from the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name; 'tis a title that hath been given to Kings, Defenders of the Faith; a Martyr is in a special manner, a ⟨p. 392⟩Defender of the Faith; Kings are defenders of the faith by their Swords, Martyrs by their blood*. Gregory Nazianzene calls Athanasius, [Greek or Hebrew], the Bulwark of truth; 'tis a credit to appear for God. Martyrs are not only Christs Followers, but his Ensign-bearers: The Romans had their Camilli and Fabricii, brave Warriors which graced the field; God calls out none but his Champions to fight his battles; we read Abraham called forth his trained soldiers, Gen. 14.14. such as were more expert and valiant. What an honour it is to be one of Christs trained-band? the Disciples dreamed of a temporal reign, Acts 1.6. Christ tells them, Ver. 8. Ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, &c. To bear witness by their sufferings to the truth of Christs Divinity and Passion, was a greater honour to the Disciples, than to have had a temporal reign upon earth; a bloody Cross is more honourable than a purple Robe; persecution is called the fiery trial, 1 Pet. 3.12. God hath two fires; one where he puts his gold, and another where he puts his dross; the fire where he puts his dross, is hell fire; the fire where he puts his gold, is the fire of persecution; God honours his gold when he puts it into the fire. 1 Pet. 1.7. 1 Pet. 4.14. A Spirit of glory rests upon you. Persecution, as it is a Badge of our Order, so an Ensign of our Glory. What greater honour can be put upon a mortal man, than to stand up in the cause of God? and not only to dye in the Lord, but to dye for the Lord. Ignatius called his fetters his spiritual pearls; Saint Paul gloried more in his iron chain, than if it had been a gold chain,