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 GOD'S JUSTICE.
Ans. I. That is a true rule of St. Aus- tin,— judicia Dei possunt esse occidta, non in- jus/a, — " God's ways of judgment are some- times secret, but never unjust." The Lord never afflicts his peo])le without a cause ; so that he cannot be unjust. There is some good in the godly, therefore the wicked afflict them ; the…
792 wordsSECTION 62THE MERCY OF GOD.
Use 2d. See the dltfeience between God and a great part of tlic world. They are unjust, 1. In their com ts of judicature; they pervert justice, Is.a. x. 1., "They decree un- righteous decrees." The Ilebix'w word for a judge's robe, signifies prevarication, de- ceit, or injustice: it is oftener true of the judge than of…
861 wordsSECTION 63THE MERCY OF GOD.
1st. I shall lay down these twelve posi- tions : 1 . It is the great design of the scrip- ture to represent God as merciful. This is a loadstone to draw sinners to him, Exod. xxxiv. 6., '■ The Lord merciful, gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness," &c. Here are six expressions to set forth God's mercy, and but …
876 wordsSECTION 64THE MERCY OF GOD.
10. God's mercy, as it makes the saints happy, so it should make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodness, but the fruit of God's goodness. Mercy is an alms that God bestows ; they have no cause to be proud, that live upon the alms of God's mercy. Job x. 15., " If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my he…
906 wordsSECTION 65OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.
2. By liis joyfulncss wlien sinners do lay man." Notliing sweeter tlian mercy, when li<Ai\ on liis mercy. Wliat is God the bet- it is improved, — notliing fiercer, when it is tor whether we receive his mercy or not? abused; nothinj^ colder than lead, when it What is the fountain ])n»fited, that others is taken out of" …
840 wordsSECTION 66OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.
ven IS merciful, but tliey have found it so ; the honey -comb of God's mercy liath dropt upon them ; when in wants, mercy su])plied them ; when they were nigh unto death, mercy raised tliem from the sick-bed ; wlien covered with guilt, mercy pardoned them, Ps. ciii. 1., " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is with…
778 wordsSECTION 67OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.
promise. Tit. i. 2., " In liope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath pro- mised." ' Eternal life,' there is the sweet- ness of the promise : ' God which cannot lie,' there is the certainty of it. Mercy makes the promise, trutii fulfils it. God's providences are uncertain, but liis promises are the ' sure mer…
944 wordsSECTION 68BUT ONE GOD.
Use 1st. Here is a great pillar for our faith, the truth of God. Were not he a God of truth, how could we believe in him ? Our faith were fancy ; but he is truth it- self, and not a word which he hath spoken shall fall to the ground. " Truth is the object of trust." The truth of God is an unmoveablc rock, we may A^entu…
784 wordsSECTION 69BUT ONE GOD.
might sink if she liad not paid for the wares slic took ; she fell down speeclilcss immediately, and died in the place. A liar is not fit to live in a commonwealth, r.yinq; takes away all society and converse with men ; how can you converse with him whom you cannot believe what he saith ? Lying shuts men out of heaven.…
939 wordsSECTION 70BUT ONE GOD.
Use 1st. Of information. If there be but one God, then (1.) it excludes all otliei gods. Some liaA^e feigned that there were two gods : so the Valentinians ; others, that there were many gods : so the Polytheists. The Persians worshipped the sun; the Egyptians the lion and elephant ; the Gre- cians worshipped Jupiter ;…
929 wordsSECTION 71OF THE TRINITY.
A. 5. If there be but one God, who is ' a- bove all,' Eph. iv. 6., then he must be loved above all. 1. We must love him with a love of appreciation ; set the highest esti- mate on him, who is the only fountain of being and bliss. — 2. We must love him with a love of complacency : omor est complacentia ainantis is amato…
777 wordsSECTION 72OF THE TRINITY.
Use Afli. Of Exhortation. If there be but one God, as God is one, so let them that serve him be one. This is what Christ prayed so heartily for, John xvii. 21., " That they all may be one." Christians should be one, 1. In judgment ; the apostle exhorts to be all of one mind, 1 Cor. i. 18. How sad is it to see religion …
962 wordsSECTION 73OF THE TRINITY
H. Let me speak of the Trinity in Unity. 1. The first person in the Trinity is God the Father : he is called the first person, in respect of order, not dignity : for God the Father hath no essential perfection Avhich the other persons have not; he is not more wise, more holy, more powerful, than the other persons are ;…
574 wordsSECTION 74OF THE CREATION.
2. It confutes the execrable opinion of the Socinians, who deny the Divinity of the Lord Jesus ; they make him only to be a creature of an higher rank. As the Pa- pists blot out the second commandment, so the Socinians would the second person in the Trinity. If to oppose Christ's mem- bers be such a sin, what is it to …
882 wordsSECTION 75OF THE CREATION.
Use 2d. Of exhortation. 1st, Believe this doctrine, the Trinity of persons in the unity of essence. The Trinity is purely an object of faith ; the plumb-line of reason is too short to fathom this mystery ; but where reason cannot wade, there faith must swim. There are some truths in religion may be demonstrated by .rea…
872 wordsSECTION 76OF THE CREATION.
The autlior of the creation is God, so it is in tlie text, ' God created.' The world was created in time, and could not be from eternity, as Aristotle thought. The world must have a maker, it could not make it- self. If one should go into a far country, and see stately edifices there, he would ne- ver imagine that thes…
851 wordsSECTION 77OF THE CREATION.
2. The Soul of man; this is the man of the man. Man, in regard of his soul, partakes with the angels; nay, as Plato saith, The understanding, will, and con- science, are a glass that resemble the Tri- nity. The soul is the diamond in the ring ; the soul is a vessel of honour; God him- self is served in this vessel. It …
940 wordsSECTION 78OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
Ans. It is likely it did bear thorns ; for, when God had done creating, he made no new species or kinds of things ; but the meaning is, Now, after sin tlie earth should bring forth more plenty of thorns, and now those thorns should be hurtful, and choke the corn, which hurtful quality was not in them before. Ever since…
830 wordsSECTION 79OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
3. Did God make our bodies out of the dust, and that dust out of nothing ? Let this keep down pride. AVhen God would humble Adam he useth this expression, " Out of it (the dust) wast thou taken," Gen. iii. 19. Wliy art thou proud, O dust and ashes ? Thou art made but of course metal. Cum sift humi Ihmis, cur non JiumUh…
848 wordsSECTION 80OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
them alive in famine." God by his provi- dential care, shields off dangers from his people, he sets a life-guard of angels about them, Ps. xxxiv. 7. God's providence keeps the Aery bones of the saints, Ps. xxxiv. 10 It bottles their tears, Ps. Ivi. 8. It strength- ens the saints in their weaknesses, Heb. xi. 34. It sup…
884 wordsSECTION 81OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
hast ordained the wicked to correct thy children.' And indeed, as Austin saith well, " We are beholden to wicked men, who against their wills do us good." As the corn is beholden to the flail to thrash off" its husks, or as the iron is beholden to the file to brighten it, so the godly are be- holden to the wicked, thou…
928 wordsSECTION 82OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
5. God is to be trusted when his provi- dences seem to run contrary to his promis- es. God promised David to give him the crown, to make him king, but providence runs contrary to his promise. David was pursued by Saul, was in danger of his life, but all this while it was David's duty to trust God. Pray observe, the Lor…
711 wordsSECTION 83OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
(2.) Learn quietly to submit to divine providence ; do not murmur at things that are ordered by divine wisdom. We may no more find fault with the works of pro- vidence than we may with the works of creation. It is a sin as well to quarrel with (iod's j)rovidence, as to deny God's providence. If men do not act as we wou…
826 wordsSECTION 84OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS.
up queen Esther to preserve alive the Jews, when Haman had got a bloody warrant sign- ed for their execution? — 2. Strangely, by saving in that very way in which we think he will destroy. God works sometimes by contraries. He raiseth his church by bring- ing it low. The blood of the martyrs hath watered the church, and…
849 wordsSECTION 85OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS.
As king Pharaoh made Joseph chief ruler of his kingdom, and gave him a ring off his finger, and a chain of gold, only he must not touch his throne. Gen. xli. 4-0., in like manner God dealt with Adam : he gave him a sparkling jewel, knowledge, and arrayed him with a fine vesture, put upon him the garment of original rig…
917 wordsSECTION 86CONCERNING SIN.
Use \st. See the condescension of God, who was pleased to stoop so low, as to make a covenant with us. For the God of glory to make a covenant with dust and ashes : for God to bind himself to us, to give us life in case of obedience ; entering into a covenant was a sign of God's friendship with us, and a royal act of h…
927 wordsSECTION 87CONCERNING SIN.
gress,' signifies to go beyond one's bounds ; the moral law is to keep us within the bounds of our duty, — sin is a going beyond our bounds. 2. The law of God ; it is not the law of an inferior prince that is broken, but of Jehovah, who gives laws as well to angels 92 CONCERNING SIN. as men • it is a law that is ju…
900 wordsSECTION 88CONCERNING SIN.
mercy ; like Absalom, who, as soon as Da- vid had kissed him, and taken h'un into fa- vour, j)lotted treason against l)im, 2 Sam. XV. 10. Like the mule, wlio kicks the dam after she hath given it milk, van partusum, 2 Sam. xvi. 17., " Is this thy kindness to thy friend?" God may upbraid the sinn(M-: I have given thee (…
889 wordsSECTION 89ADAM'S SIN.
2. Sin disquiets the peace of the soul. Wliatever defiles, disturbs; as poison tor- tures the bowels, corrupts the blood, so sin doth the soul, Isa. Ivii. 21. Sin breeds a trembling at the heart ; it creates fears, and there is torment in fear, 1 John iv. 18. Sin makes sad convulsions in the con- science. Judas was so …
837 wordsSECTION 90ADAM'S SIN
1st. Our first parents fell from their gh)- rious state of innocency : Eccl. vii. 29.. " God made man upright, but tliey have sought out many inventions." Adam was perefectly holy, — he had rectitude of mind, and liberty of will to good, — but his head ached till he had invented his own and our death, — he sought out m…
893 wordsSECTION 91ADAM'S SIN.
1st. The subtlety of Satan's temptation ; his wiles are worse than his darts. Satan's subtlety in tempting : (1.) He deals all a- long as an impostor, he ushered in his temp- tation by a lie. Gen. iii. 4., " Ye shall not surely die." 2d. Lie, That God did envy our first parents their happiness, v. 5., " God knows, that…
873 wordsSECTION 92OF ORIGINAL SIN.
2. Un thankfulness, which is the epitome of all sin. Adam's sin was committed in the midst of Paradise. God had enriciied him with variety of mercies ; he had stamp- ed his own image upon him ; lie had made him lord of the world, gave him of all the trees of the garden to eat (one only except- ed) and now to take of th…
934 wordsSECTION 93OF ORIGINAL SIN.
Ans. The case is not the same. The angels had no relation to one another ; they are called morning-stars, — the stars have no dependence one upon another ; but it was otherwise with us, we were in Adam's loins, as a child is a branch of the parent, we were part of Adam, therefore when he sinned, we sinned. Quest. How …
803 wordsSECTION 94OF OHIGTNAL SIN.
1. Originsil sin hatli depravTd the intel- lectual part. As in the creation " darkness was upon the face of the deep," Gen. i. 2., so the understanding, — darkness is upon the face of this deep. As there is salt in every drop of sea, bitterness in every branch of wormwood, so there is sin in ever}'* fa- culty ; the min…
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5tlh Original sin doth mix and incoi-po- rate itself with our duties and graces.— 1. With our duties. As the hand which is paralytica! or palsied cannot move without shaking, as wanting some inward strength, so we cannot do any holy action without sinning, as wanting a principle of original righteousness. As the leper,…
836 wordsSECTION 96MAN'S MISERY BY THE FALL.
Use 2d. Let us lay to heart original sin, and be deeply humbled for it ; it cleaves to us as a disease, — it is an active principle in us stirring us up to evil. Original sin is Avorse than all actual sin ; the fountain is more than the stream. Some think, as long as they are civil, they are well enough ; ay, hut the n…
730 wordsSECTION 97103
doth all the devil's drudgery. No sooner Satan tempts, but he obeys ; as the ship is at the command of the pilot, he steers it which way he will, so is the sinner at the command of Satan, he may sieer him which way he will ; and he never steers the ship but into hell's mouth. The devil rules all the powers and facultie…
782 wordsSECTION 98MAN'S MISERY BY THE FALL.
ed into a frown ; we are now bound over to the sessions, and become children of wrath ; and who knows the power of God's wrath ? Ps. xc. 11. '• The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion," Prov. xix. 12. How did Hainan's heart tremble when the king rose up from the banquet in wrath? Est. vii. 7. But God's \vTath i…
882 wordsSECTION 99OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.
soul, sets it a shaking. Some fear want, others alarms, others fear loss of relations ; if we rejoice, it is with trembling. Wlienco are all our disappointments of hopes but from sin? Where we look f«)r comfort, there a cross ; where we expect honey, there we taste wormwood. Whence is it that the earth is filled with v…
910 wordsSECTION 100106
Quest. XX. DID God leave all man- kind to perish in this state of sin and misery ? Ans. No, he entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer. Isa. Iv. 3., " I will make an everlasting covenant with you." Man being by his fall, plunged into…
826 wordsSECTION 101107
Ans. Yes ; Tit. iii. 8., " This is a faith- ful saying, that they which have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works." But the covenant of grace doth not ro- qidi'e works in the same manner as the covenant of works did. In the first cove- nant, works were required as the condi- tion of life ; in the second, …
826 wordsSECTION 102OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.
Use 3d. Of exhortation. To such as are out of covenant, labour to get intu cove- nant, and have God for your God. How glad would the old world have been of an ark ? How industrious should we be to get within the ark of the covenant ? Con- sider, 1, The misery of such as live and die out of covenant with God. (1.) Such …
926 wordsSECTION 103109
mercy, Ps. ciii. 3., " Who forgiveth thy iniquity, who crowneth thee," &c. This isa branch of the covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34., " I will be their God, and I will fi)rgive their iniquity." Sin being pardoned, all wrath ceaseth. How terrible is it when but a spark of God's wrath ilies into a man's con- science ! but sin …
952 wordsSECTION 104CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.
no CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. there is the loudest sound ; and God loves to hestow his mercies where he may have the loudest praises. You that have angels' reward, do angels' work. Begin that work of praise here, which you hope to he always doing in heaven. CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. Heb. xii. 2…
928 wordsSECTION 105CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.
2. Look upon Christ's divine nature. Christ may be fitly compared to Jacob's ladder, Gen. xxviii. 12., which reacheth from earth to heaven. Christ's human na- ture was the foot of the ladder which stood upon earth ; his diAnne nature the top of the ladder which reacheth to heaven. Tliis being a grand article of oiu* fa…
874 wordsSECTION 106113
3. Grace in Christ is communicative, his grace is for us ; the holy oil of the Spi- rit was poured on the head of this blessed Aaron that it might run down upon us. The saints have not grace to bestow on o- thers. "VMicn the foolish virgins would liave bought oil of their neighbour virgins, Matth. xxv. 8, 9., " Give us…
892 wordsSECTION 107OF CHRIST'S PROPHETICAL OFFICE.
I. Prophetical. " The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet." Enun- ciatur hie locus de Christo, — it is spoken of Christ. There are several names given to Christ as a Prophet : He is called ' the Counsellor,' Isa. Lx. 6. In uno Christo An- gelas foederis compleliir, Fagius. ' The Messenger of the covenant,' M…
869 wordsSECTION 108115
3. Christ, when he teacheth, makes us obey. Others may instruct, but cannot command obedience ; they teach to be hum- ble, but men remain proud. The Prophet had been denouncing judgments against the people of Judah, but they would not hear, Jer. xliv. 17., " We will do whatso- ever goeth out of our own mouth, to bake c…
733 wordsSECTION 109116
3. See the misery of man in the state of nature. Before Christ come to be their prophet they are invcloped with ignorance and darkness. Men know nothing in a salvifical sanctified maTiner, thcv know no- thing as they ought to know, 1 Cor. viii. 2. This is sad. 1. Men in the dark cannot discern colours : so in the state…
815 wordsSECTION 110OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE.
2. There are none so dull and ignorant but Christ can teach them. Every one is not fit to make a philosopher's scholar of: ex omni I'lgno non Jit Mercitrnis ; but there is none so dull, but Christ can make a good scholar of. Even such as are igno- rant, and of low parts, Christ teachcth them in such a manner, that they…
910 wordsSECTION 111OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE.
Ans. Tlie human nature being united to tlie di\'iiie, the human nature did suffer, the divine did satisfy. Christ's Godhead, as it did sujtport the human nature that it did not faint, so it did give virtue to his sufferings. The altar sanctifies the thing oflc'red on it, Mat. xxiii. 19. : so the altar of Christ's di- v…
903 wordsSECTION 112120
Use 2d. Is Christ our priest sacrificed? See God's mercy and justice displayed. I may say as the apostle, Rom. xi. 22., " Be- hold the goodness and severity of God." 1. The goodness of God in providing a sa- crifice: had not Christ suffered upon the cross, we must have lain in hell for ever, satisfying God's justice. —…
917 wordsSECTION 11312]
120 OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION. calls Lis sufferings a baptism ; he was to be (as it were) baptized in his own blood ; and how did he thirst for tliat time? ' How am I straitened ?' O then, let us be willing to suffer for Christ ! Christ hath taken away the venom and sting of the saints' suffer- ings : there is no wrat…
896 wordsSECTION 114OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION
A. 2. He is faithful, Heb. ii. 17., " It be- hoved him to be made like unto his bre- thren, that he might be a faithful high priest." Moses was faithful as a servant, — Christ as a son, Heb. iii. 5. He doth not forget any cause he hath to plead, nor doth he use any deceit in pleading. An ordi- nary attorney may either …
857 wordsSECTION 115123
Ans. 2: Freely: he pleads our cause in heaven, and takes no fee. An ordinary lawyer will have his fee, and sometimes a bribe too; but Christ is not mercenary, how many causes doth he plead every day in heaven and will take nothing? As Christ laid down his life freely, John x. 15, 18., so he intercedes freely. J. 3. Fe…
828 wordsSECTION 116OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION.
2d Fruit. The unction of the Spirit, 1 John ii. 20., " Ye have an unction from the Holy One." This unction or anointing is nothing else but the work of sanctifica- tion in the heart whereby the Spirit makes us partake of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. Such as speak of the philosopher's stone, suppose it to have such a…
924 wordsSECTION 117125
Branch 2. See whence it is that the pray- ers of the saints are so powerful with (lod. Jacob, as an angel, prevailed with God ; Moses' prayer tied God's hands ; Prtcibus suis tanquam vinquam vi?icu/is ligotnm tenvit Deiim ; " Let me alone," Exod. xxxii. 10. Whence is this ? It is Clirist's prayer in heaven makes the sa…
945 wordsSECTION 118OF CHRIST'S KINGLY OFFICE.
j These that believe ari' given to Christ, and I have a part in his prayer, John xvii. 20., " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." 3rf Use. Of exhortation. Branch I. It stirs us up to several duties : 1. If Christ appears for us in heaven, then we must ap- p…
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Now of Christ's regal office, Rev. xix. 16., " And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name WTitten, ' King of kings, and Lord of lords.' " — Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; 1. He hath a kingly title, ' High and Mighty,' Isa. Ivii. 15. — 2. He hath his insignia regalia, — his ensigns of royalty …
720 wordsSECTION 120OF CHUISTS KINGLY OFFICE.
2d. Christ is a king to defend his people. As Clirist hath a sceptre to rule them, so a shield to defend them, Ps. iii. 3., " Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me." Whew An- tiochus did rage furiously against the Jews, he took away the vessels of the Lord's house, set up an idol in the temple ; then this great king, calle…
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.