A96093:1801
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.
8. Grace hath a soul-ennobling excellency, it doth ennoble Excellency. 8 a man: Grace makes us vessels of honour*, it sets us above Princes and Nobles. Theodosius thought it more dignity to be Christs servant, and wear his Livery laced with the silver graces of the Spirit, than to be great and renowned in the world. Isa. 43.4. Since thou wert precious in my sight thou hast been honourable. Sin doth debase a man; Christ tells wicked men their Pedigree, John 8.44. Ye are of your father the Devil: They may put the cloven foot in their Scutcheon; an ungracious person is a vile person. Nahum. 1.14 I will make thy grave, for thou art vile; the Hebrew word for vile [Greek or Hebrew] signifies to be lightly esteemed: There is nothing so vile, but an ungracious man will do; he is ductile and facile to any thing, like wire, which will be bent awry; he will snare his conscience, stain his credit, run as a Lackey after the sinful injunctions of men; but grace ennobles; he who is divinely inspired, as he is high-born, ⟨p. 522⟩1 John 3.1. so he acts suitably to his birth, he hates whatever is disingenuous and sordid. The Saints are Called Kings and Priests for their dignity, Rev. 1.6. and jewels for their value, Mal. 3.17.
8. Grace hath a soul-ennobling excellency, it doth ennoble Excellency. 8 a man: Grace makes us vessels of honour*, it sets us above Princes and Nobles. Theodosius thought it more dignity to be Christs servant, and wear his Livery laced with the silver graces of the Spirit, than to be great and renowned in the world.