A96093:1973
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.
3. Discard false Opinions about this race; as
1. That the race is easy; many a man thinks he can run the race from earth to heaven on his death-bed. O sinner, thou that sayest the race is easy, art a stranger to the Christian race. Thou art dead in sin, till a supernatural Principle of grace be infused, Ephes. 2.1. is it easy for a dead man to run a race? to run the way of Gods Commandments is against nature; and is it easy for a man to act contrary to himself? is it easy for the water to run backward in its own channel? is it easy for a man to deny himself, to crucify the flesh, to behead his beloved sin? oh take heed of this mistake, that the Christian race is easy. Do you know what Religion must cost you, and what Religion may cost you?
1. That the race is easie; many a man thinks he can run the race from earth to heaven on his death-bed. O sinner, thou that say'st the race is easie, art a stranger to the Christian race. Thou art dead in sin, till a supernatural Principle of grace be infused, Ephes. 2.1. is it easie for a dead man to run a race? to run the way of Gods Commandements is against nature; and is it easie for a man to act contrary to himself? is it easie for the water to run backward in its own channel? is it easie for a man to deny himself, to crucifie the flesh, to behead his beloved sin? oh take heed of this mistake, that the Christian race is easie. Do you know what Religion must cost you, and what Religion may cost you?
2. The second false Opinion we must beware off, is, that the race to heaven is impossible; there is so much work to do that sure we shall never win the race. Cyprian confesseth of himself that before his conversion he had many thoughts tending to despair; he imagined that he should never get the mastery of some of his corruptions; the thoughts of impossibility cut the sinews of all endeavour;