The Beatitudes by Thomas Watson

The Beatitudes Thomas Watson, 1660 CHOICE EXCERPTS God has two fires "I have refined you in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10 "Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! And they will go away into eternal punishment!" Mt. 25:41, 46 God has two fires— one where He puts His gold, one where He puts His dross. The fire where He puts His gold, is the fire of affliction—to purify them. The fire where He puts His dross, is the fire of damnation—to punish them. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There are nails in that cross! "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 Self-denial is the highest sign of a sincere Christian. Hypocrites may have great knowledge and make large profession—but it is only the true-hearted saint who can deny himself for Christ. Self-denial is the foundation of godliness, and if this foundation is not well-laid, the whole building will fall. If there is any lust in our souls which we cannot deny —it will turn at length, either to scandal or apostasy. Self-denial is the thread which must run along through the whole work of piety. A man must deny self-esteem. Every man by nature has a high opinion of himself. He is drunk with spiritual pride. A proud man disdains the cross. He thinks himself too good to suffer. Oh deny self-esteem! Let the plumes of pride fall off! A man must deny carnal self. This I take to be the chief sense of the text. He must deny carnal ease. The flesh cries out for ease. It is loath to put its neck under Christ's yoke or stretch itself upon the cross. The flesh cries out, "Oh! the cross of Christ is heavy! There are nails in that cross which will lacerate, and fetch blood!" We must deny our self-ease, and be as a deaf adder, stopping our ears to the charmings of the flesh! Those who lean on the soft pillow of sloth, will hardly take up the cross. This self-denying frame of heart is very hard. This is "to pluck out the right eye." It is easier to overcome men and devils, than to overcome self. "Stronger is he who conquers himself, than he who conquers the strongest walled city." SELF is the idol, and how hard it is to sacrifice this idol and to turn self-seeking into self-denial! But though it is difficult—it is essential. A Christian must first lay down self—before he can take up the cross. Alas! how far are they then from self-denial, who cannot deny themselves in the least things; who in their diet or apparel, instead of martyring the flesh—pamper the flesh! Instead of taking up the cross—take up their cups! Is this self-denial, to let loose the reins to the flesh? Oh Christians, as ever you would be able to carry Christ's cross, begin to deny yourselves. "Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for My sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life!" Matthew 19:29. Here is a very choice bargain! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This perfume of free grace! "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 Only those who are poor in spirit, are capable of receiving grace. He who is swollen with self-excellency and self-sufficiency—is not fit for Christ. He is full already. If the hand is full of pebbles—it cannot receive gold. The glass is first emptied, before you pour in wine. God first empties a man of himself, before He pours in the precious wine of His grace. He who is poor in spirit—is a Christ-admirer. He has high thoughts of Christ. He sees himself naked—and flies to Christ, to be clothed in the garments of His righteousness. He sees himself wounded—and as the wounded deer runs to the water—so he thirsts for Christ's blood, the water of life. "Lord!" says he, "give me Christ or I die!" His conscience has turned into a fiery serpent and has stung him; now he will give all the world—for a brazen serpent! He sees himself in a state of death; and how precious is one leaf of the tree of life, which is both for food and medicine! The poor in spirit sees that all his riches lie in Christ—"wisdom, righteousness, sanctification" In every need, he flies to this storehouse! He adores the all-fullness in Christ. He who is poor in spirit—is an exalter of free grace. None so magnify God's mercy—as the poor in spirit. The poor are very thankful. When Paul had tasted mercy—how thankfully does he adore free grace! "The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant" (1 Timothy 1:14). It was super-exuberant grace! He sets the crown of his salvation—upon the head of free grace! As a man who is condemned and has a pardon sent to him—how greatly he proclaims the goodness and mercifulness of his prince! So Paul displays free grace in its magnificent colors. He interlines all his epistles with free grace! As a vessel which has been perfumed, makes the water taste of it—so Paul, who was a vessel perfumed with mercy, makes all his epistles to taste of this perfume of free grace! Those who are poor in spirit, bless God for the least crumb which falls from the table of free grace! Labor for poverty of spirit. Christ begins with this, and we must begin here if ever we are saved. Poverty of spirit is the foundation stone, on which God lays the superstructure of eternal glory! "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Worms should be made kings! "Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom!" Luke 12:32 See here the mercy and bounty of God, who has prepared a kingdom for His people. It is a favor that we poor worms should be allowed to live. But that worms should be made kings—this is divine bounty! It is mercy to pardon us—but it is rich mercy to crown us! 'Behold, what kind of love is this!' Earthly princes may bestow great gifts on their subjects—but they keep the kingdom to themselves. Though Pharaoh advanced Joseph to honor and gave him a ring from his finger—yet he kept the kingdom to himself. 'Only in the throne will I be greater than you' (Genesis 41:40). But God gives a kingdom to His people—He sets them upon the throne! How David admires the goodness of God in bestowing upon him a temporal kingdom. 'Then king David went in, and sat before the Lord and said—Who am I, O Lord God—and what is my house, that You have brought me hitherto?' (2 Samuel 7:18). He wondered that God should take him from the sheepfold—and set him on the throne—that God should turn his shepherd's staff into a king's scepter! O then, how may the saints admire the riches of grace— that God should give them a glorious kingdom above all the princes of the earth—nay, far above all heavens! God thinks nothing too good for His children. We many times think much of a tear, a prayer, or to sacrifice a sin for Him—but He does not think a kingdom is too much to bestow upon us! How will the saints read over the lectures of free grace in heaven, and trumpet forth the praises of that God, who has crowned them with such astonishing loving-kindness! See here, that which may make the people of God long for death. Then, they shall enter upon their glorious kingdom! Indeed the wicked may fear death. It will not lead them to a kingdom—but to a horrid prison. Hell is the jail where they must lie rotting forever with the devil and his demons! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Only the blood of Christ can soften it! "I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts!" Ezekiel 11:19 Oh the misery of a hard heart! A heart of stone is insensible. A stone is not sensible of anything. Lay a heavy weight upon it; or grind it to powder—it does not feel. So it is with a hard heart—it is insensible to both its own sin and God's wrath. The stone in the kidneys is felt—but not the stone in the heart. "Having lost all sensitivity" (Ephesians 4:19). A heart of stone is inflexible. A stone will not bend. Just so, the hard heart will not comply with God's command. It will not stoop to Christ's scepter. A heart of stone will sooner break, than bend by repentance. It is so far from yielding to God, that like the anvil—it beats back the hammer. A heart of stone will "always resist the Holy Spirit." (Acts 7:51) A hard heart is void of all grace. While the wax is hard—it will not take the impression of the seal. Just so, the heart, while it is hard—will not take the stamp of grace. It must first be made tender and melting. The plough of the Word will not penetrate a hard heart! A hard heart is good for nothing—but to make fuel for hellfire. "Because of your hardness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath!" (Romans 2:5). Hell is full of hard hearts—there is not one soft heart there! There is much weeping there—but no softness. We read of "vessels of wrath—prepared for destruction" (Romans 9:22). Hardness of heart, fits these vessels for hell, and makes them like withered wood, which is fit only to burn! Hardness of heart makes a man's condition worse than all his other sins besides. If one is guilty of great sins—yet if he can mourn, there is hope. But hardness of heart binds guilt fast upon the soul. It seals a man under wrath. It is not heinousness of sin—but hardness of heart—which damns! Oh the misery of a hard heart! A stony heart is the worst heart. If it were bronze, it might be melted in the furnace; or it might be bent with the hammer. But a stony heart is such, that only the arm of God can break it—and only the blood of Christ can soften it! "I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart." Ezekiel 36:26 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ View sin in the red glass View sin in the red glass of Christ's sufferings. The least sin cost His blood. Would you take a true view of sin? Go to Golgotha! Jesus Christ poured out His soul, as an offering for sin! Read the greatness of your sin—in the deepness of Christ's wounds! Let not Satan cast such a mist before your eyes—that you cannot see sin in its right colors! Remember, not only do great sins carry men to hell—but lesser sins as well. "The wages of sin is death!" Every sin is damnable. There is death and hell in every sin. The least sin without repentance—will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A tear dropping from the eye of faith "Blessed are those who mourn." Matthew 5:8 It is a sign that the Sun of Righteousness has risen upon us, when our frozen hearts thaw and melt for sin. Weeping for sin is a sign of the new birth. As soon as the child is born—it weeps. Mourning shows a 'heart of flesh' (Ezekiel 36:26). A stone will not melt. When the heart is in a melting frame—it is a sign the heart of stone is taken away. "Let your tears flow like a river. Give yourselves no rest from weeping day or night." Lament. 2:18 Tears for sin, are blessed tears. Tears poison our corruptions. Salt-water kills worms. Just so, the brinish water of repenting tears will help to kill that worm of sin which would gnaw the conscience. Mourning also fences us against the devil's temptations. Temptations are called 'fiery darts' (Ephesians 6:16), because indeed they set the soul on fire. Temptations enrage anger, and inflame lust. Now the waters of holy mourning, quench these fiery darts! Wet gunpowder will not easily catch fire. Just so, when the heart is wetted and moistened with sorrow—it will not so easily catch the fire of temptation. Penitential tears are precious. Tears dropping from a mournful, penitent eye, are like water dropping from the roses—very sweet and precious to God. A fountain in the garden makes it pleasant. That heart is most delightful to God—which has a fountain of sorrow running in it. 'Mary stood at Christ's feet weeping' (Luke 7:38). Her tears were more fragrant than her ointment. The incense, when it is broken, smells sweetest. When the heart is broken for sin, then our services give forth their sweetest perfume. Surely, God delights much in tears—else He would not keep a bottle for them. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." Psalm 56:8. Tears are powerful orators for God's mercy. Tears melt the heart of God. When a man comes weeping in prayer and smites on his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"—this melts God's heart towards him. Tears, though they are silent—yet have a voice, "The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping!" (Psalm 6:8). Tears in the child's eye sometimes move the angry father to spare the child. Penitential tears melt God's heart and bind His hand. Tears have a mighty influence upon God. Repentant tears are sweet. Mourning is the way to solid joy. A Christian thinks himself sometimes in the suburbs of heaven—when he can weep. Sugar when it melts is sweetest. When a Christian melts in tears, now he has the sweetest joy. When the daughter of Pharaoh descended into the river—she found a babe there among the reeds. Just so, when we descend into the river of repenting tears—we find the babe Jesus there, who shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. Tears water our graces and make them flourish. Where the springs of sorrow run—there the heart bears a fruitful crop. The tender-eyed Christian usually brings forth more of the fruit of the Spirit. A weeping eye is the water-pot to water our graces! If there is so much profit and benefit in gospel-sorrow, then let every Christian wash his face every morning in the laver of tears. Our mourning for sin here—will prevent mourning in hell. Hell is a place of weeping (Matthew 8:12). The damned mingle their drink with weeping. God is said to have His bottle for our tears. Those who will not shed a bottle-full of tears—shall hereafter shed rivers of tears. "Woe to you who laugh now—for you shall mourn and weep!" (Luke 6: 25). You have sometimes seen sugar lying in a damp place, dissolve into water. Just so, all the sugared joys of the wicked, dissolve at last into the water of tears! There is but one way to blessedness, and that is through the valley of tears. If you do not go this way, you will miss Paradise. "I tell you, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish"' (Luke 13:3). There is only one way leading to heaven, and that is a tear dropping from the eye of faith. A man may have a disease in his body, which twenty medicines will heal. But only the medicine of repentance, will heal the mortal disease of sin. Think what a sinner you have been. You have filled God's book with your debts—and what need you have to fill His bottle with your tears! He who weeps here is a blessed mourner. He who weeps in hell is a cursed mourner. If God's bottle is not filled with tears—His vial will be filled with wrath! Repentant tears are but finite. It is but a short time that we shall weep. After a few showers fall from our eyes, we shall have a perpetual sunshine. "God shall wipe away all tears!" (Revelation 7:17). When sin shall cease—tears shall cease! "Weeping may endure for a night—but joy comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The way to be like Jesus To render evil for evil is brutish; to render evil for good is devilish; to render good for evil is Christian. "Blessed are the meek." Matthew 5:5 Meekness is a grace whereby we are enabled by the Spirit of God, to moderate our angry passions. Meekness has a divine beauty and sweetness in

Be the first to react on this!

The Beatitudes

Thomas Watson

Group of Brands