A96093:1431
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.
4. In the Gospel God winks at infirmities where the ⟨p. 411⟩heart is right. The Law called for perfect obedience; it was death to have shot but an hairs breadth short of the mark; it were sad if the same rigour should continue upon us: Woe to the holiest man that lives, (saith Austin) if God comes to weigh him in the balance of his justice. 'Tis with our best duties as with gold; put the gold in the fire, and you will see dross come out; what drossiness in our holy things? but in the Gospel though God will not endure haltings, yet he will pass by failings. Thus Christs commands in the Gospel are not grievous, compared with the severity of the Moral Law.
4. In the Gospel God winks at infirmities where the ⟨p. 411⟩heart is right. The Law called for perfect obedience; it was death to have shot but an hairs bredth short of the mark; it were sad if the same rigor should continue upon us: Wo to the holiest man that lives, (saith Austin) if God comes to weigh him in the ballance of his justice. 'Tis with our best duties as with gold; put the gold in the fire, and you will see drosse come out; what drossinesse in our holy things? but in the Gospel though God will not endure haltings, yet he will passe by failings. Thus Christs commands in the Gospel are not grievous, compared with the severity of the Moral Law.
2. Christs commands are not grievous, compared with the commands of sin. Sin lays an heavy yoke upon Compari. 2 men. Sin is compared to a † Talent of lead, *Zac. 5.7. to show the weightiness of it. The commands of sin are burdensome; let a man be under the power and rage of any lust, (whether it be covetousness or ambition) how doth he tire and excruciate himself! what hazards doth he run even to the endangering of his health, and soul, that he may satisfy his lust!