A96093:1960
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. If the life of Christianity be a race, this is that Branch. 2 may justify the godly in the haste which they make to heaven. Psal. 119.60. I made haste and delayed not to ⟨p. 564⟩keep thy Commandments. Carnal spirits say, What need you make such haste? why are you so strict and precise? why do you run so fast? fair and softly, a more easy pace will serve; oh but may a Christian reply, Religion is a race, I cannot run too fast, nor hardly fast enough: If any had asked St. Paul why he ran so fast, and pressed forward to the mark, he would have answered, he was in a race. Here is that may justify the Saints of God in their zeal and activity for heaven; they are Racers, and a race cannot be run too fast: The blind world is ready to judge all zeal madness; but have we not cause the to put on with all speed, when it is a matter of life and death; if we do not run, and so run, we shall never obtain the prize; if a man were to run for a wager of three or four millions, would he not run with all celerity and swiftness? 1 Sam. 21.8. The Kings business requires haste: If any should say to us, Whether so fast? why so much praying and weeping? we may say as David, The Kings business requires haste. God hath set me a race to run, and I must not linger or loiter. The haste Abigail made to the King, 1 Sam. 25.34. prevented her death, and the massacre of Nabals family; our haste in the heavenly race will prevent damnation. This may plead for a Christian in his eager pursuit after holiness, against all the calumnies and censures of the wicked.
2. If the life of Christianity be a race, this is that Branch. 2 may justifie the godly in the haste which they make to heaven. Psal. 119.60. I made haste and delayed not to ⟨p. 564⟩keeep thy Commandements. Carnal spirits say, What need you make such haste? why are you so strict and precise? why do you runne so fast? fair and softly, a more easie pace will serve; oh but may a Christian reply, Religion is a race, I cannot run too fast, nor hardly fast enough: If any had ask'd St. Paul why he ran so fast, and pressed forward to the mark, he would have answered, he was in a race. Here is that may justifie the Saints of God in their zeal and activity for heaven; they are Racers, and a race cannot be run too fast: The blind world is ready to judge all zeal madness; but have we not cause the to put on with all speed, when it is a matter of life and death; if we do not run, and so run, we shall never obtain the prize; if a man were to run for a wager of three or four millions, would he not run with all celerity and swiftness?