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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22c?. Consideration, it may rock our hearts quiet in affliction, to consider, that to the godly the nature of affliction is quite chang- ed ; to a wicked man, it is a curse, the rod is turned into a serpent ; affliction to him is but an eff'ect of God's displeasure, the beginning of sorrow ; but the nature of af- flict…
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21th. and ult. Consideration, we may the more cheerfully surrender our souls to God when we die, when we have surrendered our will to God while we live. Our blessed Saviour had all along submitted his will to God ; there was but one will between God the Father, and Christ. Now Christ in his life-time having given up hi…
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4th INIeans, let us labour to have our co- venant-interest cleared, to know that God is our God, Ps. xlviii. 14., " This God is our God." He whose faith does flourish in assurance, that can say, God is his, will say, " Thy will be done." A wicked man may say, God hath laid this affliction upon me, and I cannot help it …
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4., " Ye have brought the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die there." So God hath brought this af- fliction upon us, because he hates us, and intends to destroy us; and such hard thoughts of God cause sullenness and stub- bornness. O let us make a fair and candid interpretation of providen…
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eclipsed, — here I must rather suffer in my estate, than God's glory should suffer, Heb. X. 34. ^th. We must prefer God's glory before our life. Rev. xii. 11., " They loved not their own lives to the death." Igna- tius called his fetters his spiritual jewels, he wore them as a chain of pearl. Gordius the martyr said, "…
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Ath. If all be a gift, " give us this day,'' then take notice of God's goodness ; there is nothing in us can deserve or reqtiite (iod's kindness ; yet such is the sweetness of his nature, he gives us rich provision, and feeds us with the finest of the wheat. Pindar saith, it was an ojnuion of the ])co- ple of Rhodes, t…
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God. In petition we act like men, in praise we act like angels. Doth God sow seeds of mercy ? Let thankfulness be the crop we bring forth. We are called the temples of God, 1 Cor. iii. 16., and where should God's praises be sounded forth, but in his tem- ples ? Ps. cxlvi. 2., " While I live \^A\\ I praise the Lord, I w…
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only to gratify their sensual appetite: " the ravens cry for food," Ps. cxlvii. 9. To pray for (mtwar<l things only to satisfy nature, is to cry rather like ravens tlian Cliristians. We must have an higher end in our pray- ers, we must aim at heaven, while we are praying for earth. And must we pray for temporal things …
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Use 1st. Should we haA'e public spirits ia prayer, * give us ?' It reproves such nar- row-spirited men as move only within their own sphere ; they look only at themselves, but mind not the case of others ; they leave others out of their prayers ; if they have daily bread, tliey care not though others starve ; if they a…
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(1.) The bread of idleness, Prov. xxxi. 27., " She eateth not the bread of idleness." An idle person doth vivere aliend quadrd, he lives at another body's cost, and is at their finding : Prov. xxi. 25., " His hands refuse to labour." We must not be as the drones which eat the honey that other bees have brouglit into th…
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thirst insatiably after more, will break over the hedge of God's command, and to get riches will stick at no sin. Qui nihil satis est, eidem nihil turpe, Tacitus. Therefore covetousness is called a radical vice, 1 Tim. vi. 10., " The root of all evil." Quid non mortalia pectora cogit, auri sacra fames ? The Greek word …
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5. What a rare and admirable thing is it to be content with daily bread, though it be coarse, and though there be. but little of it ! A Christian, though he hath hut a viaticiwi^ — a little meal in the barrel, — yet he hath that which gives him content. What he hath not in the cupboard, he hatli in the promise ; that b…
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8. If you have but daily bread enough to suffice nature, be content. Consider i» is not having abundance makes the life al- ways comfoitable ; it is not a great cage will make the bird sing : a competency may breed contentment, when having more may make one less content ; a staff may help the traveller, but a bundle of…
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2. It is immortal ; it doth never expire. It can act without the body ; though the body dissolve into dust, the soul lives, Luke xii. 1. The essence of the soul is e- tenial, it hath a beginning, l)ut no end ; it is a blossom of eternity. Sure, then, if the s«)ul be so ennobled and dignified, more care should be taken …
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1. Why is sin called a debt ? 2. Where- in is sin worse than other debts we con- tract ? 3. \\'herein have sinners the pro- perty of bad debtors ? Quest. JVhy is sin called a debt ? OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER. 523 Ans. Because it so fitly resembles it. 1 . A debt ariseth upon non-payment of money, …
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Ans. 1. A bad debtor dotii not love to be called to an account. Tliere's a day com- inff when God will call his debtors to ac- count, Roni. xiv. 12., " So then, every one shall Jiive an account of himself to God." But we play away the time, and do not love to hear of the day of judgment ; we love not. that ministers sh…
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Ans. It is God's passing by sin, Mic. vii. 18., his wiping off the score, and giving us a discharge. The nature of forgiveness will more clearly appear : l.s/. By opening some scripturc-])hrases. 2c/, By laying down some divine aphorisms and ])ositions. \st. By opening some scripture-phrases, ]. To forgive sin, is to …
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Ans. Ministers cannot remit sin authori- tatively and effectually, but only declara- tively. They have a s])eciHl office and au- thority to apply the promises of pardon to broken fiearts. When a minister sees one humbled for sin, yet is afraid God hath not pardoned him, and is ready to be swallowed up of sorrow, — in t…
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Ans. Though a child of God, after par- don, may incur God's fatherly displeasure, vet God's judicial wrath is removed ; thouirh God may lay on the rod, yet he hath taken away the curse ; correction may befall the saints, but not destruction, Ps. Ixxxi.v. 33., " My loving kindness will I not utterly take away." Aj)hori…
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(3.) The third ingredient in repentance is, conversion, or turning from sin. Judges X. 15, "We have sinned," there was con- fession ; V. 16., " Tliey put away the strange gods," there was conversion. And it must be an universal turning from sin, Ezek. xviii. 31., " Cast away from you all your transgressions." You would…
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Aphorism 10. When God pardons a sin- ner, he forgives all sins, Jer. xxxiii. 8., " I will pardon all their iniquities." Col. ii. 13., "Having forgiven you all trespasses." The mercy-seat covered the whole ark ; the mercy-seat was a type of forgiveness, to shew that God covers all our transgressions. He doth not leave o…
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3. If God should pardon and not sancti- fy, then that should enter into heaven which defileth ; but Rev. xxi. 27., " Nothing shall enter that defileth." Then God should set- tle the inheritance upon men before they arc fit for it, contrary to that, Col. i. 12., " he hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance …
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3. From this word our, ' our sins,' we learn how just God is in punishing us. The text says, * our sins ;' we are not pu- nished for other men's sins, but our own. Nemo habet de propria, nisi peccatum, Au- gustine. There's nothing we can call so properly ours, as sin. Our daily bread we have from God, our daily sins we…
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where is thy pain ? wliat is it troubles thee ? is it the fear of shame which sliall come u- pon thee and thy wives ? is it the fear of the sword whicli God hath threatened sliall not depart from thy liouse ?" lie would have said, " No, it is only my sin pains me, — ' my sin is ever before me.' Were but this removed by…
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A. 4. Men seek not after tlie forgiveness of sin, tliroiio;], a bold presumption of mer- cy ; they eonccit God to be made up all of mercy, and that lie will indulge them, though they take little or no pains to sue out their pardon. *Tis true, God is merci- ful, hut withal he is just, he will not wrong his justice hy sh…
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with Limsclf the glory and purity of that Majesty wliich sin hath offended, — the pre- ciousness of that soul which sin hath pol- luted,— tlie loss of that happiness wliich sin liath endangered, — the greatness of that torment which sin liath deserved, — to lay all this together, sure must make sin bur- densome. And sh…
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earth could expiate one sin, or procure a pardon ; only Jesus Christ, 1 John ii. 2., *' He is the propitiation for our sins." No merit can huy out a pardon. Paul had as much to boast of as any man, — his high birth, his learning, his legal righteousness ; but he disclaims all in point of justification, and lays them un…
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hard man." But God is a sin pardoning God, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7., " The Lord, mer- ciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, trans- gression and sin." Here is my name (saith God) if yoii would know how I am called, I tell you my name, " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, forgiving iniquity." A pi- rate or rebel, that knows t…
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2. Tlie unpardoned sinner li.itli notlnng to do with any promise ; the promises are mulclralia evanf/elii, the breasts that liold the sincere milk of tlie word, which fills the soul with precious sweetness ; they are the royal charter: but wliat liath ;i str,inger to do to meddle with the cliartcr ? It was the dove ])l…
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7. Such as are unpardoned must needs lead uncomfortable lives, Deut. xxviii. (iO., " Thy life ishall han|2: in doubt before tliee, and thou slialt fear day and night." Tlius the unpardoned sinner must needs have a palpitation and tremblin<T at tlie heart : he fears every bush he sees, 1 John iv. 18., " Fear hath tormen…
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strain, " Tliou hast wearied me with tliy iniquities, I am he that hh)t8 out thy iniqui- ties." So that the greatness of our sins should not dlscouraijo us from ffoin": to God for forgiveness. Though thou hast committed acts of impiety, yet God can come witli an act of indemnity, and say, • " I, even I, am he tliat blo…
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their pardon, but they procrastinate and put it oflF so \oug, till it be too late ; Avlien the shadows of the evening are stretched forth, and tlie night of death approacheth, tlien they begin to look after their pardon. This hath been the undoing of millions; they purpose they will look after their souls, but they sta…
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Ans. We must not be our own judges in this case, Prov. xxviii. 26., " He that trust- cth in his own heart is a fool." " The heart is deceitful," Jer. xvii. 9. And it is folly to trust a deceiver. The Lord only by his word must be judge in this case, whether we are pardoned, or not. As it was under the law, no leper mig…
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Kuhducs it, Micah vii. 19., " He will have compassion on us, he will subdue our ini- quities." Where men's persons are justi- fied, tlieir lusts are mortified. There is in sin v/'s imperatoria et damnatoria, — a com- manding power, and a condemning. Then is the condemning power of sin taken away, when the commanding po…
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y/. 8. A sign we are pardoned, if, after many storms, we have a sweet calm and peace within, Rom. v. 1., " Being justified we h.ive ])eace." After many a hitter tear shed, and heart-hreaking, the mind hath been more sedate, and a sweet serenitv or Btill music hath followed ; this brings tid- ings, God is appeased ; whe…
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^th. An heart without guile is faithful in his friendship; he is what he pretends; his lieart goes along with his tongue, as a well- tnade dial goes with the sun. He cannot flatter and hate, commend and censure. Counterfeitiiig of love is hypocrisy. It is too usual to betray with a kiss : 2 Sam. xx. 9., " Joab took Abn…
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2d, God having pardoned sin, will pass an act of oblivion, Jer. xxxi. 34., " I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." When a creditor hath crossed the book, he doth not call for the book again. God will not reckon with the sinner in a judicial way. When our sins are laid upon the head of C…
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IG^A, Forgiveness of sin makes our ser- vices acceptable ; God takes all we do in good part. A guilty person, nothing he doth pleaseth God. His prayer is " turne<l into sin ;" but when sin is pardoned, now God accepts our oifering. We read of Jo- shua standing before the angel of the Lord. " Joshua was clothed with fil…
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latfi, A pardoned soul needs not fear death. He may look on death with joy, who can look on forgiveness with faith. To a pardoned soul death hath lost his sting. Death, to a pardoned sinner, is like the ar- resting a man after the debt is paid ; death may arrest, but Christ will shew the deht- book crossed in his blood…
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3. Let the sense of God's love in foraiv- ing, make you more cautious and fearful of sin for the future, Ps. cxxx. 4., " There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared." O fear to offend this God, who hath been so gracious to you in forgiving. If a fi-iend hath done a kindness for us, we will not disoblige h…
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2d Mistake. That pardon is easy to be had ; it is but a sigh, or. Lord have mercy. But, how dearly hath pardon cost them who have obtained it? How long was it ere David's broken bones were set ? Happy are we, if we have the pardon of sin sealed, though at the very last hour ; but why do men think pardon of sin so easy …
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The Sixth means, pray mucli for pardon, Hos. xiv. 2., " Take away all iniquity," Luke xviii. 13., " The publican smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." And the text saith, " He went away justified." Many pray for health, riches, children ; but Christ liath taught us what to pray for chiefly, Re…
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Ans. 1. To pass by an injury without re- venge, is no eclipsing one's credit ; the scripture saith, Prov. xix. 11., "It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgres- sion." 'Tis moi'e honour to bury an inju- ry, than revenge it ; wrathfulness denotes weakness ; a noble heroic spirit overlooks a petty offence. A. 2. …
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2. To forgive is one of the highest evi- dences of grace. AVhen grace comes into the heart, it makes a man, as Caleb, of an- other spirit. Numb. xiv. 24. It makes a great metamorphosis, — it sweetens the heart, and fills it with Ioa e and candour. When a scion is grafted into a stock, it partakes of the nature and sap …
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people of Israel dealt unkindly with liim, they murmured against liim at the waters of Marah, (the water was not so bitter as their spirits) hut he fell to prayer for them, Exod. XV. 25., " He cried unto the Lord, and the Lord shewed liiin a tree, wliich when he liad cast into th<! waters, the wa- ters were made sweet.…
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3. God forgives often ; we run afresh u- pon the score, but God multiplies pardon, Isa. Ivii. 7. Peter asks the question. Mat. xviii. 21., " Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? Till se- ven times ? Jesus saith to him, I say not, until seven times, but, until sev^enty times seven." If he s…
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Alts. When we pray, " Lead us not into temptation," the meaning is, we desire of God that lie would not suffer us to be over- come by temptation. That we may not be given up to the power of temptation, which is when we are trepanned into sin. Quest. JVheitce do temptations come ? Ans. 1. Ab intra, — from ourselves. T…
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not prcA'ail, he will have another ; if he can- not tempt to lust, he will tempt to pride; if a temptation to covetousness doth not prevail, he will tempt to profuseness; if he cannot fright men into despair, he will see if he can draw them to presumption if he cannot make them profane, he Avill see if he can make them…
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5. Consider Satan's subtilty in tempting. The Greek word to tempt, signifies to de- ceive. Satan in tempting, useth many sub- tle policies to deceive ; we read of the depths of Satan, Rev. ii. 24. ; and his devices and stratagems, 2 Cor. ii. 11.; we read of his snares and his darts ; his snares are worse than his darts…
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A. 2. Satan tempts after an ordinance, because he thinks he shall now find us more secure. After we have been at the solemn Avorship of God, we are apt to grow remiss, and leave off former strictness, like a soldier, that after the battle leaves off his armour : now Satan watcheth his time. He doth as David did to the …
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<if/i Subtilty of Satan is, to tempt to sin gradnully. The old serpent winds himself in by degrees, he tempts first to lesser sins, tliat so he may bring on greater. A small offence may occasion a great crime ; as a little prick of an artery may occasion a mortal gangrene. Satan first tempted Da- vid to an im])ure glan…
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Athly^ Melancholy persons. Melancholy is atra bills, a black humour, seated chiefly in the brain. Melancholy clothes the mind in sable ; it doth disturb reason ; Satan doth work much upon this humour. There are three things in melancholy, which give the devil great advantage : 1. It unfits for duty, it pulls off the ch…
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2d/i/, Satan hinders, by putting men upon doing duties in a wrong manner. 1 . In a dead formal manner, that so they may fail of the success. Satan knows duties done super- perficially were as good to be left undone- That prayer which doth not pierce the hearty will never j)ierce heaven. 2. He puts thena. upon doing dut…
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12//i Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to misrepi'esent true holiness, that he may make others out of love with it. He paints the face of religion full of scars, and with seeming blemishes, that he may create in the minds of men prejudice against it. Satan represents religion as the most mel- ancholy thing, and that h…
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the apostles' days, " the serpent cast out of his mouth water as .a flood after the wo- man," Rev. xii. 15. Which was a deluge of heresies, that so he might hinder the progress of the gospel. — 4. Satan tempts to error, because error devours godliness. The Gnostics, as Epiphanius observes, were not only corrupted in th…
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preacheth to them " all hope, no fear ;" and so he deludes them with these golden dreams. Qnam multi cum vana spe descen- dunt ad inferos ! Aug. Presumption is Sa- j tan's draw-net, by which he drags millions I to hell ; Satan by this temptation, oft draws I the godly to sin ; they presume upon their ! privileges, or g…
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20th Subtilty of Satan is, be, in his temp- tation, strikes at some grace more than o- thers ; as in temj)ting, he aims at some per- sons more than others, so he aims at some grace more than others ; and if he can pre- vail in this, he knows what an advantage it will be to him. If you ask, what grace is it that Satan i…
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that are flesh- Satan knows the flesh loA'es to be gratified, it cries out for ease and liberty ; it will not endure any yoke, unless it be lined and made soft. The devil will be sure so to lay his bait of temptation, as to please and humour the flesh. The word saith, ' Sti'ive as in an agony' to enter into glory, — cr…
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3. Or thirdly, if this plot will not take, Satan labours by temptation to put a Chris- tian on too far in duty; if he cannot keep a child of God from duty, he will run liim on too far in it. For instance humiliation and mourning for sin is a duty, but Satan will put one on too far in it ; thou art not, saith he, humble…
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(3.) To read the word is a duty, but Sa- tan will sometimes put men upon it Avhen it is unseasonable. To read it at home when God's word is preaching, or the sa- crament administering, is unseasonable, yea sinful, as Hushai said, 2 Sam. xvii. 7., " The counsel is not good at this time." There was a set time enjoined fo…
862 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.