The Beatitudes (choice excerpts)
The Beatitudes Thomas Watson, 1660
CHOICE EXCERPTS
"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!" Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46
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.
"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!
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!
"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
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3
"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
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!
"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
"I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart." Ezekiel 36:26
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.
"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." Lamentations 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." Psalms 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!" (Psalms 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
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!" (Psalms 30:5)
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 it. This meekness consists in three things: the bearing of injuries, the forgiving of injuries, the recompensing good for evil.
Meekness is opposed to:
anger,
malice,
revenge and
evil-speaking.
Meekness is a great ornament to a Christian. "The ornament of a meek spirit—which is so precious to God!" (1 Peter 3:4). How lovely is a saint in God’s eye, when
is more befitting to a Christian, than meekness. Therefore we are bid to put on this garment, "Put
on therefore as the elect of God—meekness." (Colossians 3:12)
Meekness is a noble and excellent spirit. A meek man is a valorous man. He gets a victory over himself! Anger arises from weakness of character. The meek man is able to conquer his fury. "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; controlling one’s temper is better than capturing a city." (Proverbs 16:32). To yield to one’s anger is easy—it is swimming along with the tide of corrupt nature. But to turn against nature—to resist anger, to "overcome evil with good"—this is truly
Christian.
Meekness is the best way to conquer and melt the heart of an enemy. Meekness melts and thaws the
heart of others. The greatest victory is to overcome an enemy—without striking a blow! Mildness prevails more than fierceness. Anger makes an enemy of a friend. Meekness makes a friend of an enemy.
Meekness is
It is not profession which makes us like Jesus—but imitation. Where meekness is lacking—we are like brutes. Where it is present—we are like Jesus.
"Let me die the death of the righteous!" Numbers 23:10
This was Balaam’s desire. The hypocrite, when he is about to die and can keep his sins no longer—
now he desires a passport to carry him to heaven! Such desires as these are found among the damned.
Hypocrites have desires—but no endeavors. They would like to go to heaven—but they will take no pains. But true desire is always quickened into endeavor.
The hypocrite would have . . .
heaven—and his sins too,
heaven—and his pride too,
heaven—and his covetousness too.
"They have gone astray and have followed the path of Balaam—who loved the wages of unrighteousness." 2 Peter 2:15
The true Christian says, "Give me Christ on any terms. Let God propound whatever articles He
will—I will subscribe to them. Would He have me deny myself? Would He have me mortify sin? I
am content to do anything—just so that I may have Christ!" Hypocrites would have Christ—but they will not part with their beloved lust for Him!
The hypocrite does not desire grace for itself. He desires grace—only as a bridge to lead him
over to heaven. He does not so much search after grace—as glory. He does not so much desire the way of righteousness—as the crown of righteousness. His desire is not to be made like Christ—but to reign with Christ. This is
But a child of God desires grace for itself, and Christ for Himself. To a believer, not only is
heaven precious—but Christ is precious, "Yes, He is very precious to you who believe!" 1 Peter 2:7
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7
When the sun shines—the ice melts. When the Sun of righteousness once shines with beams of grace upon the soul—then it melts in mercy and tenderness.
Mercifulness is a melting disposition whereby we lay to heart the miseries of others, and are instrumental for their good. We must chiefly be merciful to the SOULS of others. Indeed soul-mercy is the chief of mercies. The soul is the most precious thing; it is a rich diamond set in a ring of clay. Had we seen that madman in the gospel cutting himself with stones—it would have moved our pity (Mark 5:5). To see a sinner stabbing himself and having his hands imbrued in his own blood, should cause us to sincerely pity him.
That is a
cruelty—when we are sharp against men’s sins and will not let them go to hell quietly.
Fond sentimentality is no better than cruelty.
The surgeon cuts and lances the flesh—but it is in order to a cure. They are healing wounds. So when
we lance men’s consciences and let out the blood of sin, we exercise spiritual surgery. This is showing mercy.
"Rescue others by snatching them from the fire!" (Jude 1:12). If a man had fallen into the fire, though
you hurt him a little in pulling him out—he would be thankful and take it as a kindness. Some men, when we tell them of sin say, ’O, you are unloving!’ No! it is showing mercy. If a man’s house were on fire, and another should see it and not tell him of it, for fear of waking him—would not this be cruelty? When we see others sleeping in their sin, and the fire of God’s wrath ready to burn them up—and we are silent—is not this cruelty?
They are unmerciful ministers who, instead of breaking the bread of life—fill their people’s heads
with airy speculations and notions! Some ministers endeavor only to be admired. They go into the pulpit only to amuse the people. Such ministers give poison to their people in a golden cup! They are the devil’s ambassadors, who ride up and down, and with Satan compass the earth—to deceive and devour souls!
"Those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works." Titus 3:8
Grace does not lie as a sleepy habit in the soul, but will put forth itself in vigorous and glorious
actings. Grace can no more be concealed, than fire. Grace does not lie in the heart as a stone
in the earth—but as seed in the earth. It will spring up into good works! "Our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works." Titus 3:14
The lamp of faith must be filled with the oil of charity. Faith alone justifies—but justifying faith
is never alone. You may as well separate weight from lead, or heat from fire—as works from faith.
Good works, though they are not the causes of salvation—yet they are evidences of salvation.
Though they are not the foundation—yet they are the superstructure. Faith must not be built
upon works—but works must be built upon faith. "You are married to Christ—that we should bring
forth fruit unto God." Romans 7:4. Faith is the grace which marries Christ, and good works are
Works are distinct from faith—as the sap in the vine is different from the clusters of fruit which
grow upon it.
Works are the touchstone of faith. "Show me your faith by your works." James 2:18
Works honor faith. These fruits adorn the ’trees of righteousness’. This queen—faith, has the
handmaids of good works waiting upon her.
Good works are more visible and conspicuous than faith. Faith is a more hidden grace. It may lie hidden in the heart and not be seen—but when works are joined with it, now it shines forth in its native beauty! Though a garden is ever so decked with flowers—yet they are not seen until the light comes. So the heart of a Christian may be enriched with faith—but it is like a flower in the night. It is not seen until works come. When this light shines before men, then faith appears in its orient colors!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
External morality is not heart-purity. A person may be clothed with great moral virtues, such as
justice, charity, prudence, and temperance—and yet go to hell.
We must not rest in mere outward morality. A swine may be washed—yet be a swine still. Morality does but wash a man—grace changes him. Morality may shine in the eyes of the world—but it differs as much from purity, as a pebble differs from a diamond!
Morality is but
A man who is but highly moral—is but a tame devil.
How many have made ’morality’ their Savior! Morality will damn—as well as vice! A boat may
be sunk with gold—as well as with dung.
The moral person, though he will not commit gross sins—yet he is not sensible of heart sins. He is not troubled for unbelief, hardness of heart, vanity of thoughts. He abhors gross-sins, not gospel-sins.
The snake has a fine appearance—but has a deadly sting! Just so, the moral man is fair to look on—but has a secret antipathy against the holy ways of God.
Morality is not to be rested in. The heart must be pure. God would have Aaron wash the inner parts of the sacrifice (Leviticus 9:14). Morality does but wash the outside; the inside must be washed. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
"Unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood!" Revelation 1:5
We are all loathsome to God, before we are washed pure in the blood of Christ!
By nature, we are all in a filthy and cursed condition. We are a lump of clay and sin mingled together. Sin not only blinds us—but defiles us. It is called filthiness (James 1:21). And to show
to a plague of the heart (1 Kings 8:38),
to corruption (Deuteronomy 32:5),
to vomit (2 Peter 2:22),
to a menstrual cloth (Isaiah 30:22).
If all the evils in the world were put together and their quintessence strained out—they could not make a thing so black and polluted as sin is! A sinner is a devil in a man’s shape! When Moses’ rod was turned into a serpent—he fled from it. If God would open men’s eyes and show them their deformities and damnable spots—they would fly from themselves, as from serpents!
When grace comes—it washes off this hellish filth! It turns ravens into swans. It makes those who are as black as hell—to become as white as snow!
"Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that
are His very own." Christ shed His blood—to wash off our filth. The cross was both an altar and a laver. Jesus died not only to save us from wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)—but to save us from sin! (Matthew 1:21).
Out of his side came water which signifies our cleansing—as well as blood which signifies our justifying (1 John 5:6).
"If I regard iniquity in my heart" Psalms 66:18
What is it to regard iniquity in the heart?
When we INDULGE in sin. When sin not only lives in us—but when we live in sin. Some will leave all their sins, but one. Jacob would let all his sons go, but Benjamin. The fowler holds the bird fast enough by one claw. Just so, Satan can hold a man by one sin.
Others HIDE their sins. Many deal with their sins as Moses’ mother dealt with her son. She hid him
in the basket, as if she had left him—but her eye was still upon him—and in the end, she became his
nurse (Exodus 2:9). Just so, many seem to leave their sins—but they only hide them from the eye
of others. Their heart still goes after them, and at last they nurse and give breast to their sins.
To regard iniquity is to DELIGHT in iniquity. Though a child of God sins—yet he does not take a delight in sin. "I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). But the wicked make a recreation of sin. They "delight in wickedness" (2 Thessalonians 2:12). Never did one feed with more delight on a meal he loves—than a wicked man does upon the forbidden fruit!
To regard iniquity is to make PROVISION for sin. "Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14). The wicked are
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that to face judgment." Hebrews 9:27
The wicked tread upon the banks of the bottomless pit.
"Prepare to meet your God!" Amos 4:12