A96093:719
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. In finding out a fit Object. 2. In taking a fit Season.
1. In finding out a fit Object, and that comes under a double notion. 1. Give to those who are in most need; raise the Hedge where it is lowest; feed the Lamp which is going out. 2. Give to those who may probably be ⟨p. 221⟩more serviceable; though we bestow cost and dressing upon a weak Plant, yet not upon a dead Plant; breed up such as may help to build the house of Israel, Ruth 4.11. that may be Pillars in Church and State, not Cater-pillars, making your charity to blush.
2. Discretion in giving Alms, is in taking the fit season: Give to charitable uses in time of health and prosperity; distribute your silver and gold to the poor, before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, Eccles. 12.6. Qui cito dat, bis dat; make your hands your executors; not as some, who do reserve all they give till the Term of life is ready to expire; and truly, what is then bestowed, is not given away, but taken away by death; 'tis not charity, but necessity. Oh do not so marry your selves to money, that you are resolved nothing shall part you but death; be not like the Medlar, which is never good till it be rotten. A covetous man may be compared to a Christmas-box, he receives money, but parts with none, till death breaks this box in pieces; then the silver and gold comes tumbling out: Give in time of health; these are the Alms which God takes notice of, and (as Calvin saith) putteth into his book of accounts.