A96093:1777
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.
2. The Spirit of God works grace progressively, he carries it on from one degree of another. The Pelagians hold that gratia operans, the beginning of grace is from God; but gratia cooperans, the progress of grace is from our selves; so God shall be the Author of faith, and we the finishers. God shall lay the first stone, and we the Superstructure; but alas, there needs the continual influence of the Spirit to the carrying on the ⟨p. 514⟩work of grace in our hearts. Should God withdraw his Spirit from the most holy men, their grace might fail and annihilate†:* If the Sun withdraw its light, though never so little, there follows darkness in the Air; we need not only habitual grace, but assisting, exciting, subsequent grace. The Ship needs not only the Sails, but the wind to carry it; there needs not only the Sails of our Abilities and Endeavours, but the wind of the Spirit to blow us to the heavenly Port.
2. The Spirit of God works grace progressively, he carries it on from one degree of another. The Pelagians hold that gratia operans, the beginning of grace is from God; but gratia cooperans, the progress of grace is from our selves; so God shall be the Authour of faith, and we the finishers. God shall lay the first stone, and we the Superstructure; but alas, there needs the continual influence of the Spirit to the carrying on the ⟨p. 514⟩work of grace in our hearts. Should God withdraw his Spirit from the most holy men, their grace might fail and annihilate†:* If the Sun withdraw its light, though never so little, there follows darkness in the Ayre; we need not only habitual grace, but assisting, exciting, subsequent grace. The Ship needs not only the Sails, but the winde to carry it; there needs not only the Sailes of our Abilities and Endeavours, but the winde of the Spirit to blow us to the heavenly Port.
- *Sublata causa tollitur effectus