The beatitudes

1. He that is poor in spirit is weaned from himself,§1 Psalm 131.2. My soul is even as a weaned child; 'tis hard for a man to be weaned from himself. The Vine catcheth hold of every thing that is near, to stay it self upon. There is some bough or other a man would be catching hold of to rest upon; how hard is it to be brought quite off himself! The poor in spirit are divorced from themselves; they see they must to hell without Christ; My soul is even as a weaned child.

2. He that is poor in spirit, is a Christ-admirer; he §2hath high thoughts of Christ; he sees himself naked, and flies to Christ, that in his garments he may obtain the blessing. He sees himself wounded; and as the wounded Deere runs to the water, so he thirsts for Christs blood, the water of life. Lord, saith he, give me Christ or I die; conscience is turned into a fiery Serpent, and hath stung him; now all the world for a brazen serpent; he sees himself in a state of death; and how precious is one leaf of the tree of life, which is both for food and medicine! The poor in spirit sees all his riches lye in Christ, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, &c. In every exigence he flies to this magazine and store-house; he adores the all-fullness in Christ. They say of the oil in Rhemes, though they are continually almost spending it, yet it never wastes. And such is Christs blood; it can never be emptied; he that is poor in spirit hath recourse still to this fountain; he sets an high value and appreciation upon Christ; he hides himself in Christs wounds^*; he bathes himself in his blood, ⟨p. 48⟩he wraps himself in his Robe; he sees a spiritual dearth and famine at home, but he makes out to Christ; Show me the Lord (saith he) and it sufficeth.