A96093:593
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.
1. WE must be merciful to the souls of others; this is Spiritualis Eleemosyna, a spiritual Alms. Indeed soul-mercy is the chief; the soul is the most precious thing; it is a vessel of honour, 'tis a bud of eternity, 'tis a sparkle lighted by the breath of God, 'tis a rich Diamond set in a Ring of clay; the soul hath the blood of God to redeem it, the image of God to beautify it; it being therefore of so high a descent, sprung from the Ancient of days, that mercy which is shown to the soul, must needs be the greatest. This soul-mercy to others stands in four things.
1. WE must be merciful to the souls of others; this is Spiritualis Eleemosyna, a spiritual Almes. Indeed soul-mercy is the chief; the soul is the most precious thing; it is a vessel of honour, 'tis a bud of eternity, 'tis a sparkle lighted by the breath of God, 'tis a rich Diamond set in a Ring of clay; the soul hath the blood of God to redeem it, the image of God to beautifie it; it being therefore of so high a descent, sprung from the Ancient of dayes, that mercy which is shewn to the soul, must needs be the greatest. This soul-mercy to others stands in four things.
1. In pitying them. If I weep, saith Austin, for that body from which the soul is departed, how should I weep for that soul from which God is departed? Had we seen that man in the Gospel cutting himself with stones, and fetching blood of himself, it would have moved our ⟨p. 184⟩pity. Mark 5.5. To see a sinner stabbing himself, and having his hands imbrued in his own blood, should cause relentings in our bowels; our eye should affect our heart: God was angry with Edom, because, he did cast off all pity, Amos 1.11.