A96093:2157
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.
I answer, Love is a sweet and gracious affection, whereby we wish the good of another, and promote his welfare as our own. Love is a sacred fire kindled in the heart by the Spirit, like that fire which came from heaven, 2 Chron. 7.1. I shall endeavour to preserve this fire in Christians hearts, as the fire the Vestal Virgins kept in Rome that it may not go out.
There are several Arguments to enforce Love upon us.
1. We must love virtute praecepti, by virtue of Command; Joh. 13.34. A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. Love is both a new Commandment, and an old. 'Tis an old Commandment, because it is [Greek or Hebrew], a Law written in the heart of man by the pen of nature, as with the point of a Diamond: And it is old, because it is written in the ancient Statutes and Records; Levit. 19.18. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, I am the Lord; and yet it is a new Commandment,
1. We must love virtute praecepti, by vertue of Command; Joh. 13.34. A new Commandement I give unto you, that ye love one another. Love is both a new Commandement, and an old. 'Tis an old Commandement, because it is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Law written in the heart of man by the pen of nature, as with the point of a Diamond: And it is old, because it is written in the ancient Statutes and Records;