A96093:426
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.
Answ. Paul had an infallible spirit, which we have not; besides, when Paul uttered those words, it was not by way of reproach, but reproof; it was not to defame the Galatians, but reclaim them; not to vilify them, but to humble them. Saint Paul was grieved to see them so soon fall into a relapse; well might he say foolish Galatians in an holy zeal, because they had suffered so much in the cause of Religion, and now made a defection and fell off, ver. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? but though Saint Paul guided by the Spirit of God, did give this Epithet to the Galatians, it is no warrant for us when any have wronged us to use disgraceful terms. Meekness doth not vent it self in scurrility; it doth not retaliate by railing, Jude 9. Yet Michael the Arch-angel when contending with the Devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said The Lord rebuke thee. Some understand by Michael Christ; but more truly, it is meant of one of the chief of the Angels. The contest or dispute between the Arch-angel and the Devil, was about the body of Moses. Some Divines say, that when God did dispose of Moses his body, he employed the Arch-angel to inter him so secretly, that his burying place might not be known. 'Tis likely if his dead body had been found, the Israelites might have been ready in a preposterous zeal to have adored it. The Devil opposeth the Arch-angel, and contends about the dead body; but the Arch-angel durst, not [Greek or Hebrew], some read it, he could not endure to bring a railing accusation; it ⟨p. 138⟩seems the Devil provoked him with evil language, & would fain have extorted passion from him, but the Arch-angel was mild, and said only, The Lord rebuke thee; the Angel would not so much as rail against the Devil: we may learn meekness of the Arch-angel, 1 Pet. 3.9. Not rendering railing for railing.
Answ. Paul had an infallible spirit, which we have not; besides, when Paul uttered those words, it was not by way of reproach, but reproof; it was not to defame the Galatians, but reclaime them; not to vilifie them, but to humble them. Saint Paul was grieved to see them so soone fall into a relapse; well might he say foolish Galatians in an holy zeal, because they had suffered so much in the cause of Religion, and now made a defection and fell off, ver. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vaine? but though Saint Paul guided by the Spirit of God, did give this Epithite to the Galatians, it is no warrant for us when any have wronged us to use disgraceful termes. Meekness doth not vent it self in scurrility; it doth not retaliate by railing,