A96093:370
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.
8. These comforts of the Spirit are powerful, they are strong cordials, so the Apostle phraseth it, Hebr. 6.18. [Greek or Hebrew], strong consolation. Divine comfort, 1. Strengthens for duty. Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy whets and sharpens industry; a man that is steeled and animated with the comforts of Gods Spirit, goes with vigour and alacrity through the exercises of Religion; he believes firmly, he loves fervently, he is carried full sail in duty; the joy of the Lord is his strength. 2. Divine comfort supports under affliction. 1 Thes. 1.6. Having received the Word in much affliction; [Greek or Hebrew], with joy. The wine of the Spirit can sweeten the waters of Marah*: They who are possessed of these heavenly comforts, can gather grapes of thorns, and fetch honey out of the Lyons carcass: They are strong consolations indeed, that can stand it out against the fiery trial, and turn the flame into a bed of Roses. How powerful is that comfort, which can make a Christian glory in tribulation? Rom. 5.3. A believer is never so sad, but he can rejoice; the Bird of Paradise can sing in Winter. 2 Cor. 6.10. As sorrowing, yet always rejoicing. Let sickness come, the sense of pardon takes away the sense of pain. The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick, Isa. 33.24. Let death come, a Christian is above ⟨p. 120⟩it; O death where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15.55. At the end of the Rod a Christian tastes honey; these are strong consolations.
8. These comforts of the Spirit are powerful, they are strong cordials, so the Apostle phraseth it,