A96093:1394
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.
Caution. Not that we can merit this reward by our sufferings. Rev. 2.10. I will give thee a Crown of life. The reward is the Legacy which free-grace bequeaths. Alas, what proportion is there between a drop of blood, and a weight of glory? Christ himself as he was man only (setting aside his Godhead) did not merit by his sufferings: For 1. Christ as he was man, only was a creature; now a creature cannot merit from the Creator. 2. Christs sufferings as he was man only, were finite, therefore could not merit infinite glory; indeed as ⟨p. 400⟩he was God, his sufferings were meritorious; but consider him purely as man, they were not. This I urge against the Papists; if Christs sufferings as he was man only, (though as man, he was above the Angels) could not merit; then what man upon Earth, what Prophet or Martyr is able to merit any thing by his sufferings?
But though we have no reward ex merito, by merit, we shall have it ex gratiâ, by grace; so it is in the Text, Great is your reward in heaven. The thoughts of this reward should animate Christians*. Look upon the Crown, and faint if you can; the reward is as far above your thoughts, as it is beyond your deserts; a man that is to wade through a deep water, fixeth his eyes upon the firm Land before him; while Christians are wading through the deep waters of persecution, they should fix the eyes of their faith on the Land of promise; great is your reward in heaven. They that bear the Cross patiently, shall wear the Crown triumphantly.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. Ignat.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Ignat.