A96093:805
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.
4. A pure heart avoids the very appearance of evil in regard of the wicked. The Apostle would have us walk ⟨p. 244⟩wisely, [Greek or Hebrew], towards them that are without, 1 Thes. 4.12. The wicked watch for our halting; how glad would they be of any thing to reproach Religion? Professors are placed as Stars in the highest orb of the Church; and if there be but the appearance of any Eccentric, or irregular motion, the wicked would presently open their mouths with a fresh cry against Religion. Now to a godly heart the fame and honour of the Gospel is so dear, that he had rather dye than impeach or eclipse it; by this then let us try our selves whether we are pure in heart: Do we avoid the least apparition of sin? alas, how many run themselves into the occasions of sin? they tempt the Devil to tempt them; some go to Masks and Comedies, the very fuel and tentation to lust. Others frequent Erroneous Meetings; and truly God oft in just judgement leaves them to the acts of sin, that do not avoid the appearance of sin. Psal. 106.35. They were mingled among the Heathen, and learned their works. Pure hearts fly the occasion: John would not endure the company of Cerinthus in the Bath, as Nicephorus notes. Polycarp would have no conference with Marcion the Heretic, but called him Primogenitum Diaboli, the Devils first-born. Basil saith that the Christians in his time avoided the Meetings of Sectaries, [Greek or Hebrew], as the very Schools of Error. Oh avoid the appearance of evil; the Apostle bids us to follow those things which are [Greek or Hebrew], of good report, Phil. 4.8.
4. A pure heart avoids the very appearance of evil in regard of the wicked. The Apostle would have us walk ⟨p. 244⟩wisely, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, towards them that are without, 1 Thes. 4.12. The wicked watch for our halting; how glad would they be of any thing to reproach Religion? Professors are placed as Stars in the highest orb of the Church; and if there be but the appearance of any Excentrick, or irregular motion, the wicked would presently open their mouths with a fresh cry against Religion. Now to a godly heart the fame and honour of the Gospel is so dear, that he had rather dye than impeach or eclipse it; by this then let us try our selves whether we are pure in heart: Do we avoid the least apparition of sin? alas, how many run themselves into the occasions of sin? they tempt the Divel to tempt them; some go to Masks and Comedies, the very fuel and tentation to lust. Others frequent Erroneous Meetings; and truly God oft in just judgement leaves them to the acts of sin, that do not avoid the appearance of sin.