A96093:1670
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.
First, They measure themselves by themselves: That is, they see they are not so bad as they were, therefore they judge their condition is good. A Dwarf may be taller than he was, yet a dwarf still; the Patient may be less sick than he was, yet far from well; a man may be better than he was, yet not good.
First, They measure themselves by themselves: That is, they see they are not so bad as they were, therefore they judge their condition is good. A Dwarf may be taller than he was, yet a dwarf still; the Patient may be lesse sick than he was, yet far from well; a man may be better than he was, yet not good.
Secondly, They compare themselves amongst themselves. They see they are not so flagitious and profane as others; therefore they think themselves well, because they are not so sick as others: This is a mistake; one may as well die of a Consumption as the Plague. One man may not be so far off heaven as another, yet he may not be near heaven. One line may not be so crooked as another, yet not strait. To the Law, to the Testimony; the ⟨p. 484⟩Word of God is the true Standard and measure by which we are to judge of the state and temper of our souls.
Oh let us take heed of this Rock, the fancying our condition better than it is; let us take heed of a spiritual Apoplexy, to be sick in our souls, yet not sensible of this sickness. What do men talk of a light within them! the light within them by nature is not sufficient to show them the diseases of their souls; This light tells them they are whole, and have no need of a Physician.