A96093:1395
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.
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.
Christs suffering Saints shall have greater degrees in glory, Matth. 19.28. God hath his highest seats, yea, his Thrones for his Martyrs; it is true, he that hath the least degree of glory, a door-keeper in heaven, will have enough; but as Joseph gave to Benjamin a double mess above the rest of his brethren, so God will give to his sufferers a double portion of glory; some orbs in heaven are higher, some stars brighter; Gods Martyrs shall shine brighter in the heavenly Horizon.
Oh often look upon the recompense of reward; not all the silks of Persia, the spices of Arabia, the gold of Ophir, can be compared to this glorious reward: How should the thoughts of this whet and steel us with courage in our sufferings! when they threatened Basil with banishment, he comforted himself with this, that he