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
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Ans. \. The spring of mercy which God shev/s, is free and spontaneous. To set up merit, is to destroy mercy ; nothing can deserve mercy or foi-ce it ; we cannot de- serA'e mercy, because of our enmity, nor force it ; we may force God to punish us, not to love us. Hos. xiv- 4., " I will love them freely." Every link in …
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2 Tim. iv. 17., " And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion," viz. Nero. God hath restored us from the grave. May we not write the writing of Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii. 9., " When he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness?" When we thought the sun of our life had been setting (iod hath made it return .to …
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A. 11. God shews mercy in saving us, Titus iii. 5., " According to his mercy he saved us." This is the top-stone of mercy, and it is laid in heaven. Now mercy dis- plays itself in all its o)ient colours; now mercy is mercy indeed, when God shall perfectly refine us from all the lees and dregs of corruption. Our bodies …
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Ans. 1. If we would have mercy, it must l)e through Christ; out of Christ no mercy is to be had. We read in the old law. First, None might come into the holy of holies, where the mercy-seat stood, but the high- priest ; signifying, we have nothing to do with mercy, but through Christ our high priest. 2dly, The high pri…
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A. 3. Love to God must be flaming ; to love coldly is all one as not to love. The spouse is said to be amore percidsa^ " sick of love," Cant. ii. 5. The scraphims are so called, from their burning : love turns saints into seraphims, it makes them burn in holy love to God ; and " many waters cannot quench this love." Q…
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A. 6. He that loves God, prefers him before estate and life. — 1. Before estate, Phil. iii. 8., " For whom I have suffered the loss of all things." AVho that loves a rich jewel, would not part with a flower for it ? Galcacius, marquis of Vico, parted with a fair estate to enjoy God in his pure ordi- nances. When a Jesu…
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q^iod non cngnoscitur^ — we cannot love that whicli we do not know. God is the most eligible good ; all the excellencies which lie scattered in the creature are united in God ; he is Optimns maxirmis. Wisdom, beauty, riches, love, do all concentre in God. How fair was that tulip which had the colours of all tulips in i…
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A. 2. Our keeping the commandments must be uniform. We must make con- science of one commandment as well as an- other, Ps. cxix. 6., " Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments." Every commandment hath a Jus divinum, — the same stamp of di- vine authority upon it ; and if I obey one prece…
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(3.) God gives strength to do what he requires. The law called for obedience ; but though it required brick, it gave no straw; but in tl*e gospel, God, with his commands, gives power, Ezek. xviii. 31., " Make you a new heart." Alas! it is a- bove our strength ; we may as well make a new world, Ezek. xxxvi. 26., " I wil…
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intolerable. Let a man be under the com- mand of any lust, how doth he tire himself? What hazards doth he run to the endanger- ing his health and soul, tliat he may satisfy his lust? Jer. ix. 5., " Tliey weary them- selves to commit iniquity." And are not God's commandments more equal, facile, pleasant, than the comman…
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THIS commandment has two parts: First, A negative expressed ; that we must not take God's name in vain, viz. cast any rrflections and dishonour on God's name. Secondly, An affirmative implied ; that we shoi'.ld have a care to reverence and honour his name. But that I shall speak to more fully ^^'llen I come to the firs…
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tar, but hate and persecute God's imagv>; these take his name in vain. A. 5. We take God's name in vain, when we pray to him but do not believe in him. Faith is the great grace that honours God, Rom. iv. 20. Abraham being strong in faith, gave glory to God : but when we pray to God, but do not mix faith with our praye…
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sow seeds of charity on the backs and bel- lies of the poor, which perhaps thou ne- glectest. So that to bring scripture to up- hold thee in thy sin, is an high profaning of scripture, and a taking of God's name in vain. Second instance : if vve tell a man of his inordinate passions, — that he may be drunk as well with…
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Excuse 2. But I swear to the truth. See how this harlot-sin would paint itself with an excuse. Ans. 1. Though it be true, yet, if it be a rash oath, 'tis sinful. Besides, 2. He that swears commonly, it cannot be a- voided but sometimes he must swear more than is true ; as, where much water runs, some gi'avel or mud wil…
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were allowed, there would be no living in a commonwealth, it would take away all faith and truth from among men. The per- jurer is in as bad a case as the witch ; for by a false oath he binds his soul fast to the devil. In forswearing or taking a false oath in a court, there are many sins linked toge- ther,— plurima pe…
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that is, he will be severely avenged on such an one. " The Lord will not hold him guiltless." Here the Lord speaks after the manner of a judge who holds the court of assize; the judge here, is God himself; the accusers, Satan, and a man's own con- science; the matterof factis, "TakingGod's name in vain ;" the malefacto…
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II. The cogent arguments to obey this command of kee|)ing holy the sabbath, 1. From the rationality of it, " Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work." As if God had said : ' I am not an hard master, I do not grudge thee time to look after thy calling, and to get an estate. I have given thee six days, — six to do…
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Ans. The old seventh-day sabbath (whicli was the Jewish sabbath) is abrogated, and in the room of it the first day of the Aveek (which is the Christian sabbath) succeeds. The morality or substance of the fourth commandment doth not lie in keeping the seventh day precisely, but in keeping one day in seven, which God hat…
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birds, — what the sun is among the planets, — tliat the Lord's day is among otliei" days. "This is the day which the Lord liatli made," Ps. cxviii. 24. God hath made all the days, but he hath blessed this. As Ja- cob got the blessing from his brother, so tlie sabbath got the blessing from all the o- ther days in the we…
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iii. 19. Such professors arc to be disliked wlio talk of living by faith but live out of a call- ing; they me like the lilies which toil not neither do they spin, ISIat. vi. 28. 'Tis a speech of holy und learned IMr. Perkins, " Let a niiin Ic endowed with excellent gifts, and lu'ar the word with reverence, and receive …
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not gatlicr manna on the sabbath ; and but for parj)osing to gather it, God was very angrv, Exod. xvi. 27, 28., " There went out some of tlie people on the seventli day to gatlier, and they found none : and the Lord said, ' How h)ng refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws ?' " Sure- ly the anointing Christ when h…
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1. The solemn preparation for it. If a pi'ince were to come to your house, what pre|!aratiou would you make for his enter- faininoiit, — ^sweep the house, wasli the floor, iulorn the room with the richest tapestry and hanging^s, that there might be something Kuitable to the state and dignity of so great a person ? On t…
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1. On the v/orks of creation. That is expressed liere in tlie commandment, " Tlie Lord made iicaven and earth, the sea," &c. The creation is a looking-glass in which we see tlie wisdom and power of God gloriously represented. God produced this fair struc- ture of the world ^v'ithout any prc-exi stent matter, and with a…
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fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from Christ, tlic true vine, Hos. xiv. 8., *' From me is thy fruit found." So that it was notliing but pure love for Christ to hty out his blood to redeem such as he could not expect to be really bettered by. (5.) That Cln-ist should die so willingly, John X. 17., " I lay do…
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I'^TTst, It would melt us in tears for our Rpirituai unkiiulnesf es, — that we should sin against so sweet a Saviour,— that we should be lio more aflectcd with his love, but re- quite evil for good, like the Athenians, who, notwithstanding all the good ser^^ce Aristides had done them, banished him out of their city, — …
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Secondly, Pray with and for your fami- ly ; ye;i, pray for all the congregations that meet this day in the fear of the Lord, — tltat the (low of the Sjnrit may fall with the manna of the word, — that some souls may be converted, and others strengthened, — and that gospel-ordinances may be conti- nued, and have no restr…
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A. 2. These wandering thoughts in be.ir- ing come partly from ourselves. We must not lay all the l)lame upon Satan. (L) They come from the eye. A wan- dering eye causeth wandering thoughts. A thief may be let into tlte bouse at a win- dow : so vain thoughts are let in at tbe eye. So that, as we are bid to keep our fee…
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Seventhly, Vain distracting thoughts rob us of the comfort of an ordinance. A gra- cious soul oft meets with God in the sanc- tuary, and can say, as Cant. iii. 4., " I found him whom my soul loveth." He is like Jonathan, who having tasted the honey on the rod, his eyes were enlightened. But vain thoughts hinder the com…
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2. Consider liow serious and weighty the matters delivered to us are. As Moses said, Deut. xxx. 19., " I call heaven and earth to record this day, that I have set be- fore you lif'L' Jiud death." Can men be re- gardless of the word, or drowsy when the weighty matters of eternity are set before them ? We ])reach of fait…
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3. Lay aside coA'ctousness. Covetousness is not onlv <rettinir the world uniustlv, but h)ving it inordinately ; this is a great hin- deranee to the word ])reaclied. The seed which fell auuuig tiiorns was choked. Mat. xiii. 22. : an emblem of the word bei!i{i preached to a covetous hearer. The cove- tous man is thinkin…
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them, as Ps. CA'i. 24., " Tliey believed not his Avord." As Melancthon once said to some of the Italians, " Ye Italians Avorship God in the bread, when ye do not believe him to be in heaven :" so, many hear God's Avords, but do not believe that God is; they question the truth of his oracles. If we do not mix faith Avit…
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Slh. If you would hear aright, practise what you hear. Practice is the life of all : Rev. xxii. 14., " Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." Bare hearing will be no plea at the day of judgment. " Lord, I have heard so many sermons." But God will say, " What fruits of …
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where he has said, you shall keep but a part of the sabbath ; and if they cannot shew that, it argues much boldness to go lo rob God of his due. That a who'e day be designed and set ap;irt for God's s])ecial worship, is a perpetual statute, while the eliurch remains upon the earth, saith Pet. iMartyr. Of this oj)inion …
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(4.) " Tlie holy of the Lord honourable." In the Hebrew, it is glorious. To call the sabbath honourable, is not to be understood so much of an outward honour given to it, by wearing richer apparel, or having better diet on this day, as the Jewish doctors cor- ruptly gloss : this is the chief honour some give to this da…
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2. God punisheth this sin of sabbath- breaking, by giving them up to commit o ther sins. God, to revenge the breaking of his sabbath, suffers men to break open hou- ses, and so come to be punished by the ma- gistrate. How many such confessions have we heard from thieves going to be execut- ed ! They never regarded the …
637 wordsSECTION 276OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.
in the Lord." Delighting in God is both a duty, Ps. xxxvii. 4., and a reward. In this text it is a reward, " Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord:" as if God had said, " If tliou keep the sabbath con- scientiously, I will give thee that which will fill thee with delight ; if thou keep the sabbath willingly, I wi…
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nursing-fthers." They are to nurse up! 2. There is the grave ancient father who their subjects in ])iety, by tlunr good edicts is venerable for old age, Avliose grey hairs and exam|)les; and to nurse tliem up in i are resembled to the white flowers of the peace and plenty. Such nursing-fathers almond-tree, Eccl. xii. 5…
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sake." I confess, tlie scandalous lives of some ministers have been a great reproach, and have made the " offering of the Lord to be abhorred," in some ])laces of the land. The leper in the law was to have his lip co- vered : such as are angels by office, but le- pers in their lives, ought to have their lips covered, a…
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(2.) The servant's honouring of his mas- ter, (his economical father) is seen in being diligent in liis service. Apelles painted a servant with his hands full of tools, an emblem of diligence. The loitering: ser- vant is a hind of thief; though he dotli not steal from his master's goods, yet he steals that time which h…
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IF we are not just, we caimot be holy. Having shown you how servants are to ho- nour their masters, the fathers of families ; I shall next show how masters are to carry it towards their servants, that they may gain honour from them. 1. In general, masters must remember that they have a master in heaven, who will call …
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First, Peverence in speaking to parents : children must speak to parents respectfully, and in decent language, 1 Kings ii. 20., " Ask on, my mother," said king Solomon to his mother Hatlisheba. Secondly, Reverence in speaking of pa- rents : children must s|)eak of their parents : honourably, — they ought to speak well…
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brought up children when they were young, and cliildren ouglit to nourish their parents when they are okl. The young storks, by the instinct of nature, bring meat to the old storks, wlien by reason of age they are not able to fly, Pliny. Lex pdargica. The memory of Eneas was honoured, for carry- ing his aged father out…
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ther tliat thy days may be lonj^." Nothing sooner sliortens life than disohcdience to parents. Absalom was a disobedient son Avho sought to deprive his father of his life and crown, and he did not live out half his days ; the mule he rode upon, as being wearv of such a burden, left him hanging in the oak betwixt heaven…
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ij. We shew honour to oiu' heavenly Fa- ther, hy suffering: disliononr, yea, death for his sake. St. Paul did hear in his hody the " marks of the Lord Jesus," Gal. vi. 17. As they were the marks of honour to him, so trophies of honour to the gosj)el. Tiie honoiU' which comes to God, is not hy hring- ing that outward ]t…
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1. Be careful to brinp them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord : Eph. vi. 4., " Bring tliem up in the admonition of the Lord." You conveyed tlie plague of sin to them, therefore endeavour to get them heal- ed and sanctified. Austin saith, his mother Monica travelled more for his spiritual birth than his natural. Ti…
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5. When a parent doth any thing which is sordid and unworthy, that which casts disgrace upon himself and his family — as to cozen or take a false oath — this is to pro- voke the child to wrath. As the child should honour his father, so the father should not dishonour the child. 6. When parents lay such commands upon t…
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2. We must not injure another in his body. The life is the most precious thing : and God hath set this commandment as a fence about it, to preserve it, " Thou shalt not kill." God made a statute which was never to this day repealed. Gen ix. 6., " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." In the old l…
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also was standing by and con^cnti <j: to his death." He that gives consent is accessary to the murder. — 10. By not hindering the death of another when in our power. Pi- late knew Christ was innocent, " I find no fault in him ;" but he did not hinder his death ; therefore he was guilty. It was not washing his hands in …
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Use \st. Lamentation, That this land is so defiled with blood, Numb. xxxv. 33. How common is this sin in this Hectoring age ! England's sins are written in letters of blood. Some make no more of killing men than sheep, Jer. ii. 34., " In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents," Junius reads it…
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5. It is a wrath-procuring sin, 2 Kings xxiv. 4. (1.) It procures temporal judg- ments. Phocas, to get the empire, put to death all the sons of Mauritius the emperor, and then slew him ; but this Phocas was pursued by his son-in-law Priscus, who cut off his ears and feet, and then killed him, Charles IX. who caused the…
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(4.) Such as destroy others, by getting them into bad compaTiy, and so making them j)roselytes to the devil. J'itid in prox- inium quemque trajisiliinif, Sen. A man cannot live in the Ethiopian climate but he will be discoloured with the sun ; nor he cannot be in bad company but he will par- take of their evil. One dru…
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of himself, his words were esteemed oracles ; and to liave his wise counsel rejected, he was not ahle to bear it, 2 Sam. xvii. 23., " He ])ut his household in order, and hang- ed himself." — 2. From poverty. Poverty is a sore temptation, Prov. xxx. 8., " Give me not poverty." Many by their sin have brought themselves t…
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go in." Such are those that persecute o- thers for their religion. Drunken meet- ings shall escape punishments ; but, if men meet to serve God, then let all severity be used. These are resolved to shipwreck o- thers, though they themselves are cast a- way in the storm. Oh ! take heed of this, of murdering your own soul…
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Fifthly. God remembers all our deeds of charity, and takes them kindly at our hands: Ileb. vi. 10., " God is not uni'igh- teous to forget your work and labour of love whicli you have shewed towards his name, in that you have ministered unto the saints." The chief butler may forget Jo- seph's kindness, but the Lord will…
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2d. In reference to ourselves. The com- mandment, " Thou shalt not kill," requires tJiat we should preserve our own life and soul. — 1. It is engraven upon every crea- ture, that we should preserve our own na- tural life. We must be so far from self- minder, that we must do all we can to pre- serve our natural life ; w…
958 wordsSECTION 296OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
sonable request, to take but as much care f()r the saving of your souls, as the devil doth for the destroying of them ? Quest. How shall we do to get our souli saved ? Ans. By having them sanctified. Only the " pure in heart shall see God." (iet your souls inlaid and enamelled with ho- liness, 1 Pet. i. 16. It is not…
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II. The thing forbidden in the command- ment, i. e. infecting ourselves with bodily pollution and uncleanness. " Thou slialt not commit adultery." The fountain of this sin is lust. Since the fall, holy love is degenerated to lust. Lust is the fever of the soul. There is a two-fold adul- tery : L Mental, Mat. v. 28., " …
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Use 2d. It is matter of lamentation to sec this commandment so slighted and violated among us. Adultery is the reigning sin of the times, Hos. vii. 4., " They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker." Tlie time of K. Henry VIII. was called the golden age, but this may be called the un- clean age, wherein who…
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Sixthly, Adultery blots and eclipseth the name, Prov. vi. 32, 33., " Whoso commit- teth adultery with a woman, a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away." Some while they get wounds, get honour. The soldier's wounds are full of honour; the martyr's wounds for Clu'ist are full of honou…
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Ans. In giving him up to a reprobate mind, and a seaied conscience, Rom. i. 28. And now he is in such a condition that he cannot repent. This is to be abhorred of God ; such a person stands upon the thresh- hold of hell, and when death gives him a» jog, he tumbles in. All which may sound- a retreat in our ears, and cal…
639 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.