A96093:1868
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.
1. Our duties. 2. Our graces.
1. Our duties. The heart will tell us it is enough to come to Word and Sacrament, though the affections are not at all wrought upon; this is like the Salamander, which lives in the fire; but (as Naturalists say) it is never the hotter; Will this be any Plea at Gods bar to tell the Lord how many Sermons you have heard? surely it will be the bringing of Uriahs letter, it will be an evidence against you: How subtle is the heart to plot its own death, and bring a man to hell in the way of duty!
1. Our duties. The heart will tell us it is enough to come to Word and Sacrament, though the affections are not at all wrought upon; this is like the Salamander, which lives in the fire; but (as Naturalists say) it is never the hotter; Will this be any Plea at Gods bar to tell the Lord how many Sermons you have heard? surely it will be the bringing of Uriahs letter, it will be an evidence against you: How subtile is the heart to plot its own death, and bring a man to hell in the way of duty!
2. Our graces; the heart is like a flattering glass, that would make the hypocrite look fair; the foolish Virgins thought they had oil; many strongly conceit they have grace, but have none. The hypocrites knowledge is no better than ignorance. 1 John 2.4. He hath illumination, but not assimilation, he is not made like Christ. The hypocrites faith is fancy; he believes, but his heart is not purified*; he pretends to trust God in greater matters, but dares not trust him in lesser; he will trust God with his soul, but not with his estate.