PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Select Works of Thomas Watson — Body of Divinity and Sermons
Thomas Watson, d. 1686 · 632,849 words · 737 reading sections
OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
2. Satan, by troubling the saints' peace, hath this advantage of laying a stumbling block in the way of others; by this policy, the devil gets an occasion to render the ways of God unlovely to those who are looking heaven-ward. He sets before new- beginners, the perplexing thoughts, the tears, the groans of them who ar…
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21th Subtil ty of Satan is, by plausible ar- guments, to tempt men to hefelo de se, — to make away themselves. This temptation doth not only cross the current of scripture, but is abhorring to nature, to be one's own executioner : yet such cunning artifices doth Satan, that he persuades many to lay violent hands upon t…
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(2.) By temptation, God tries our love. The wife of Tigranes did never so shew her chastity and love to her husband, as when she was tempted by Cyrus, but did not yield ; so, our love to God is seen in this, when we can look a temptation in the face, and turn our back upon it ; though the de- vil come as a serpent subt…
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Quest. 2. What rochs of support are therCf or what comfort for tempted souls ? Ans. \st, That is not our case alone, but hath been the case of God's eminent saints, 1 Cor. X. 13., " There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man," yea, to the best men ; Christ's lambs, which have had the ear-mark of e…
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tempted. Concerning Christ's succouring the tempted, consider two things : 1. Christ's ability. 2. His agility to succour. 674 OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 1 Christ's ability to succour, HcK ii. 18., " He is able to succour them that are tempt- ed." Christ is called Michael, Rev. xii. 7., wliich signi…
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3. Clirist succours liis people, by taking off the tempter. A shepherd, when the sheej) bejjin to straggle, may set the dog on the sheep to bring it nearer the fohl, but then lie calls off the dog again ; God will take ofC the temj)ter, 1 Cor. x. J 3., " He will with the temptation make a way to e- 6cai)e," he will mak…
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9th Rock of support. Tiie saints' temp- tation shall not be above their strength. The lutenist will not stretch the strings of his lute too hard lest they break, 1 Cor. x. 13., " God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye arc able" God will proportion our strength to the stroke, 2 Cor. xii. 9.,…
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3. God doth not judge of his children by one action, but by the frame of their heart; as God doth not judge of a wicked man by one good action, so neither of a god- ly man by one bad action ; a holy person may be worsted by a temptation : but God doth not measure him by that. Who mea- sures milk when it seethes and boi…
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Second///, Satan tempts to sin by the baits and allurements of the world. Foenus peci(nia>J'tinns anima:. One of Christ's own apostles was caught with a silver bait. Such as the devil cannot debauch with vice, he will corrupt with money : " all these things will 1 give thee," was his last temptation, Mat. iv. 9. Achan …
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Branch 3. Here is matter of humiliation, that there is in us such an aptitude and proneness to yield to temptation. Nitimur in vetitiim — We are as ready to swallow a temptation, as the fish to swallow the bait. If the devil tempt to pride, lust, envy, re- venge, bow do we symbolize witb Satan, and embrace his snares ?…
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6. Make known thy case to some godly friend ; the hiding a serpent in the bosom, is not the way to be safe ; when the old ser- pent hath gotten into your bosom by a temp- tation, do not hide him there by keeping his counsel. If a spark be got into the thatch, it is not wisdom to conceal it, it may set the house on fire…
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■•»ccasion; the text saith, he would not be with her, (icn xxxix. 10. If you would not be ensnared with popery, do not hear the mass. The Nazarite, who was forbid wine, might not eat grapes, which might occasion intemperance. Come not near the borders of a temptation. Suppose one had a body be blown up : many pray " l…
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3. Satan is beaten in part already, Christ hath given him his death-wound upon the cross, Col. i. 15. 4. Satan is a chained e- nemy, — his power is limited, — he cannot force the will ; it was all Eve complained of that the serpent deceived her, not ccn- strained\\QY, Gen. iii. 13. Satan hath astu- tium suadendi not po…
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temptation, you might have put black spots in the face of religion, and given occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme, 2 Sam. xii. 14. Had you been overcome you might have lain sick of ' a wounded spirit,' and cried out, with David, of ' broken bones.' After Da\id yielded to temptation, he lay for three quarters of…
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To conclude all : let us oft make this prayer, " Lead us not into temptation." If Satan woo us by a temptation, let us not give consent. But in case a Christian hath, through weakness, and not out of a design, yielded to a temptation, yet let him not ' cast away his anchor;' take heed of de-. spair, this is worse than …
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(3.) Sin is injurious to God, as it is an act of high ingratitude. God feeds a sin- ner, screens off many evils from him ; yet he not only forgets God's mercies, but abu- seth them; IIos. ii. 8., " I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver, which they prepared for Baal." God may say, I gave thee wit…
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9. Sin is a disturbing thing; whatever defiles, disturbs. Sin breaks the peace of the soul, Isa. I vii. 21., " No peace to the wicked." When a man sins presumptu- ously, he stuffs his pillow with thorns, and his head will lie very uneasy when he comes to die. Sin causeth a trembling at the heart. When Spira had sinned,…
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(3.) Affliction doth but reach the body, and make that miserable, but sin makes the soul miserable. The soul is the most no- ble part. Hie soul is a diamond set in a ring of clay ; it is excellent in its essence, a spiritual, immortal substance, — excellent in the price paid for it, redeemed with the blood of God, Acts…
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(7.) There are many encouragements to suffer affliction. God himself suffers with us, Isa. Ixiii. 9., " In all their afflictions he was afflicted." God will strengthen us in our sufferings, Ps. xxx^ni. 39., " lie is their strength in the time of trouble." Either God makes our burden lighter, or our faith stronger. He w…
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(9.) In affliction the saints may rejoice, 1 Thes. i. 6., " Ye received the word in much affliction, with joy." Heb. x. 34., "Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods." Aristotle speaks of a bird that lives among thorns, yet sings sweetly, so a child of God can rejoice in afflictions. St. Paul had his prison songs, …
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GthJy, Look upon sin in the dism<il ef- fects of it, and it will appear the most hor- rid prodigious evil, Rom. vi. 23., " The wages of sin is death," that is, " the second death," Rev. xxi. 8. Sin hath shame for its companion, and death for its wages. A wicked man knows what sin is in the plea- sure of it, but doth no…
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Branch 2. If sin be so great an evil, then admire the wonderful patience of (iod that bears with siimers. Sin is a breach of (Jod's royal law, it strikes at his glory ; now, for God to bear with sinners, who ])rovoko him, it shows admirable patience; well may he be called " the God of patience," Rom. xy. 4, 5. It would…
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Branch 6. If sin be so great an evil, then what may we judge of them who make light of sin as if there were no danger in it ; as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sin ; or as if ministers were about a needless Avork, when they preach against sin ? Some people make nothing of breaking a commandment ; they mak…
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Branch 10. If sin be so great an evil, then, how justifiable and commendable are all those means which are used to keep men from sin ? IIow justifiable are a mi- nister's admonitions and reproofs ? Tit. i. 13., " Rebuke them sharply ;" or cuttivgly ; a metaphor from a chirurgeon that searches a wound, and cuts out the …
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1. Take heed of sins of omission. Mat. xxiii. 23. It is as really dangerous not to do things commanded, as to do things for- bidden. Some think it no great matter to omit reading scripture ; the Bible lies by like rusty armour, which they never use ; they think it no great matter to omit fami- ly or closet-prayer ; the…
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4. Take heed of the sins which attend your particular callings. A calling you must live in ; Adam in Paradise tilled the ground ; God never sealed warrants to idle- ness ; but every calling hath its snare ; as some sin in living out of a calling, so oth- ers sin in a calling. Remember how dead- ly an evil sin is ; avoi…
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pavehis. Fear is a bridle to sin, and a spur to holiness. Fear puts an holy awe upon tin? heart, and binds it to its ^ooA behaviour. By the foar of the Lord men depart from e\dl. When the empress Eudoxia, threat- ened to banish Chrysostom, " Tell lier (saith he) I fear nothing but sin." Fear \s janitor animce ; it stan…
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vapours of sin begin to arise, let but the lio-ht of scripture shine into the soul, and it dispels those fogs ; " let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," Col. iii. 16. Alphon- sus king of Arragon, read over the bible fourteen times. The word shews the dam- cable evil of sin ; it furnisheth us with pre- cepts, whic…
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who tliirsts insatiably after tlie world will stick at no sin, he will betray Christ and a good cause for money. Cui nihil satis, ei- dem nihil turpe, Tacitus. 1 Tim. vi. 10., *' Tlie love of money is the root of all evil." From this root comes, First, theft : Achan's covetous humour made him steal the wedge of gold, J…
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tide to carry them, but have nothinjj^ to pull them back from sin ; but a child of God hath a principle of grace to give check to sin; he hath the impulses of (iod's Spi- rit dissuading him from evil ; therefore, for him to commit sin, is far worse than for others, — this is to sin more desperately, — it is, as if a wo…
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Bin, there is no otlier expected from tliem ; swine will wallow in the mire, but when sheep do so, — when the godly sin, — th.at redounds to the dishonour of the gospel, 2 Sam. xii. 14., " By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to bhaspheme." A stain in scarlet, every one's eye is upon i…
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(1.) He hinders from good, Zech. iii. 1., " He shewed me Joshua the high-priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right-hand to resist him." (2.) He provokes to evil ; he put it into Ananias' heart to lie, Acts v. 3., " Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ?" The de…
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A. 2. It is an evil world, as it is an en- snaring world. The world is full of snares. Company is a snare, — recreations are snares, — oaths are snares, — riches are golden snares, — Opes irritamenta malorinn. The apostle speaks of " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," 1 Jolin ii. 16. T…
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Some use too much courtship in friend- ship ; they are like trumpets which make a great noise, but within they are hollow. Some can flatter and hate, commend and censure. Mel in ore^ fel in corde. Dis- sembled love is worse than hati'ed. (3.) There is deceit in riches. Mat. xiii. 22., " The deceitfulness of riches." T…
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J. We pray that God will prevent tem- poral evils ; that he will be our screen, to stand between us and danger, Ps. vii. 1., " Save me from them that persecute me." We may lawfully pray against the plots of the wicked, that they may prove abortive, — that, though they have a design upon us, they may not have their desi…
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they be gifted?" But he saith, « Unless they be sent :" which denotes a lawful call, or investiture into the office. The attorney that pleads at the bar may have as good gifts as the judge that sits upon the bench ; but he must have a lawful commission be- fore he sit as a judge. If it be thus in mat- ters civil, much …
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1. I shall speak concerning wisdom in general. Solomon saith, " Wisdom is the principal thing," Prov. iv. 7. It is better than riches, Prov. iii. 13., " Happy is the man that findeth wisdom ; for the merchan- dise of it is better than the merchandise of silver." If the mountains were pearl, if e- very sand of the sea w…
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(2.) The serpent is deceitful. The ser- pent useth many shifts, and glides so cun- ningly, that we cannot trace him. Tliis was one of those four things which wise Agur could not find out, " the way of a serpent upon a rock," Prov. xxx, 19. 'Tis a deceitful creature : we should not in this sense be like the serpent, for…
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(7.) The serpent casts her coat, but keeps her sling : in this sense be not like the ser- CHRISTIAN PRUDENCE AND INNOCEXCY. CI3 pent, to cast off the outward acts of sin, and keep the U)vc of sin: lie whose heart is in h)ve witli any sin, is an hy]K)crito. 1. A man may forhoar sin, yet retain the love of it ; lie ma…
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alone ;" so, tliis man is joined to his cups, ' let liim alone/ let liim drown liimself in liquor till he scorch himself in fire. How many woes hath God pronouced against this sin, Isa. xxviii. 1., " Wo to the drunkards of Ephraim !" Joel i. 5., " Howl ye drink- ers of wine !" Dnuikenness excludes a per- son from heave…
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(I.) The serpent hath a sul)tilty in liis eye, he hatli a singnhir sharpness of sight ; therefore among the Grecians, a serpent's eye was a proverbial speecli for one of a quick understanding; in tliis we should be like the serpent. Get the serpent's eye, have a quick insight into the mysteries of the Christian religio…
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instance of wisflom and innocency was in our Saviour : wlicn the Jews came to him with an ensnaring question, Mark xii. 14., *' Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not ?" Christ answers wisely, v. 17., " Ren- der to Caesar the things that are Csesar's, and to God the things that are God's," — de- ny not Ciesar hi…
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Use 2. Reproof. It reproves them who liave too much of the serpent, but nothing of the dove, Jer. iv. 22., " Wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge ;" these are like the devil, who retains his sub- tilty, but not his innocency. 1. We have many in this age like the serpent for craf- tiness, Dan. viii. 25…
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3. The prudence of the serpent and in- nocency of the dove is seen in this, to re- prove the sin, yet love the person. We are commanded to reprove, Lev. xix. 17., " Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt rebuke him, and not suf- fer sin upon him." Not to reprove sin is to approve it ; but this sword …
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worldly afFiiirs, — there is the wisdom of tlie Berpent ; yet not ncfj^lect the soul, — there is the innocency of the dove. God luith said, *' six days shalt thou labour," Exod. xx. 9. Religion did never grant a patent to idle- ness ; there is a lawful care to be had about Bccular things ; to have insight into one's ca…
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(3.) Moderation is good in things indif- ferent. Things ought not to be rigorously imposed on God's worship which are not of divine injunction ; God never made gover- nors of the church to be like ])ilots of a ship, to steer men's consciences which way they please. Moderation and Christian for- bearance, in things indi…
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pent ; but we must lay out i'ov tJic poor too, — here is the mixture of" the dove, 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18., "Charg:c tluMU tliat arc rich in the world, that they do good, that tlicy be rich in good works." The poor uiau is as it were an altar, if we bring our alms and lay upon it, with such sacrifices God is well jileased. …
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(1.) The new creature is a work of di- vine power ; so much it imports, because it is a creation. The same power which raised Christ from the grave, goes to the production of the new creature, Eph. i. 20. It is a work of greater power to produce the new creature, than to make a Avorld. It is true, in respect to God, al…
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2d Position. When God converts a sin- ner, he doth more than use a moral per- suasion, for conversion is a new creation, Eph. iv. 2i. The Pelagians talk much of free-will ; they say, " The will of man is by nature asleep, and conversion is nothing but the awakening a sinner out of sleep, which is done by moral ]>ersuas…
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5. Every sudden passion, or stirring of the affections, is not the new creature. There may be affections of sorrow ; some, upon the reading the history of Christ's ])assion, may be ready to weep, but it is only a natural tenderness, which relents at any tragical sight. Affections of desire may be stirred, John vi. 34.,…
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that were enticements to lust, she takes pe- nance of them, and washed Christ's feet with her tears ; her hair, which she was so proud of, and which was a net to entangle her lovers, she now takes penance of it, and wii)es Christ's feet with it. Thus the new creature makes a visible change. Such , as are the same as th…
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2d/y, There is difference between the na- tural man's opposing sin, and the new crea- ture's opposing sin, in regard of the mo- tives. A natural man opposeth sin, from carnal motives, — to stop the mouth of con- science, and to prevent hell. But the new creature opposeth sin upon more noble mo- tives,— out of love to G…
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(4.) The new creature hath a new con- versation. Grace alters a man's walk ; be- fore he walked proudly, now humbly ; be- fore loosely, now holily; he makes the word his rule, and Christ's life his pattern, Phil. iii. 20., " Our conversation is in heaven." As a ship that is sailing east- ward, there comes a gale of win…
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1. Till then we are odious to God, Zech. xi. 8., " My soul loathed them." A sinner is to God worse than a toad ; a toad hath no poison, but what God hath put into it : but a sinner hath that which the devil hath put into him, Acts v. 3., " AVliy hath Satan filled thy heart to lie ?" A wicked man is possessed with an ev…
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A. 2. Pray earnestly for the new crea- ture : " Lord, thou hast made me once, make me again ; what shall I do with this old heart ? It defiles all it toucheth." Urge God with his promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 26., " A new heart also will I give you." Say, " Lord, I am as the dry bones, but thou didst cause breath to come into …
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5. The evil toiipruo is the censorious tongue, James iv. 12., " Wlio art thou that judgest another ?" Some make it a part of their religion to judge and censure <>- thers ; they do not imitate their graces, but censure their failings ; sucli an <»nc is an hypocrite ; this c(»mes from pride. AVcre men's hearts more humh…
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fihip ; they (saitli he) kissed my hands, but slandered me and souglit my ruin." Ma- ny have dissembling tongues, they can say, your servant, and lay snares, Pro v. xxix. 5., "A man that flattereth his neighbour, epreadeth a net for his Icet." You oft think you have a friend in your bosom, but he proves a viper. To dis…
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14. The evil tongue is the cruel tongue, that speaks to the wounding tlie hearts of others. The tongue is made almost in the fashion of a sword ; and the tongue is sharj) as a sword, Ps. Ivii. 4., " Their tongue is a Kharp sword." Kind, loving words should 1)0 s])<)ken to such as are of a heavy heart, Joh vi. 14., " To…
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fal anotlier ; cursing is the scnm tliat boils off from a mcked heart. Tliough it is true, the curse causeless shall not come, — it is not in man's power to make another cursed, — yet to wish a curse is a fearful sin. If to hate our brother be murder, 1 John iii. 15. ; then to curse him, which is the highest degree of …
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Use 3. C(mfutation. Branch 1. It con- futes the Catharists and Perfectists, that plead for perfection in this life. If the tongue hath so many evils in it, how are they perfect ? Prov. xx. 9., " Who can say, J have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin ?" He makes a challenge to all the world. But the Perfectist sait…
749 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical work by Thomas Watson, d. 1686. OCR from an original historical scan hosted by Internet Archive; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.