A96093:2241
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. Mens backwardness to Practice, is from the difficulty of the practical part of religion; it is easy to hear a truth, to give some assent, to commend it, to make a profession of it; but to digest a truth into practice, this is hard, and men are overgrown with sloth, they are loth to put themselves to too much trouble; Prov. 19.15. Can men dig for gold, and not for the Pearl of price? Can they take pains in the pursuing of their sins, and will they be at no pains for the saving of their souls? I dare be bold to say, It costs many a sinner more sweat and labour in toiling about his lusts, then it costs a Saint in serving his God*.
3. Mens backwardness to Practice, is from the difficultie of the practical part of religion; it is easie to hear a truth, to give some assent, to commend it, to make a profession of it; but to digest a truth into practice, this is hard, and men are overgrown with sloth, they are loth to put themselves to too much trouble; Prov. 19.15. Can men dig for gold, and not for the Pearl of price? Can they take pains in the pursuing of their sins, and will they be at no paines for the saving of their souls? I dare be bold to say, It costs many a sinner more sweat and labour in toyling about his lusts, then it costs a Saint in serving his God*.
- *Impij quare strenuè serviunt diabole! Cypr.
4. The World comes between and hinders: The thorns choke the seed of the Word. Men practice so much in the world, that they have no time to practice better things: the world is like a Mill, it makes such a noise in carnal hearts, that it drowns the sound of Gods silver Trumpet. Mens affections are sometimes kindled by the preaching of the word, and we begin to hope that the flame of godliness will break forth in their lives, but then comes the earth and puts out this fire; how many Sermons lie buried in earthly hearts? More die then are put in the Bill of Mortality.