Thomas Watson Quotes

God's decree is the very pillar and basis on which the saint's perseverance depends. That decree ties the knot of adoption so fast, that neither sin, death, nor hell, can break it asunder.

By having a change wrought in thee. 'But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified.' I Cor 6: 2: Whence we are changed, a tenebris ad lucem [from darkness to light], so changed, as if another soul did live in the same body. By this change we are interested in the unchangeable

Oh, Christian, if you are overspread with this fretting leprosy, you carry the man of sin about you, for you set yourself above God and act as if you were wiser than He, and would sassily prescribe to Him what condition is best for you.

Let us beg from God, a spiritual palate to relish a sweetness in holy things. For lack of spiritual hearts, we come to duty without delight, and go away without profit!

When promises are verified, God's truth is magnified.

Ingredient 2: Sorrow for Sin "I will be sorry for my sin" (Psa 38:18). Ambrose calls sorrow the embittering of the soul. The Hebrew word "to be sorrowful" signifies "to have the soul, as it were, crucified." This must be in true repentance: "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn" (Zec 12:10), as if they did feel the nails of the cross sticking in their sides. A woman may as well expect to have a child without pangs as one can have repentance without sorrow. He that can believe without doubting, suspect his faith; and he that can repent without sorrowing, suspect his repentance. Martyrs shed blood for Christ, and penitents shed tears for sin: "she ... stood at his [Jesus'] feet ... weeping" (Luk 7:38). See how this limbeck[19] dropped. The sorrow of her heart ran out at her eye ...

Christians are condemned who profess to own God for their God and yet do not live as if he were their God.

An upright man is always worth beholding - but then he is most to be admired when like a bright star, he shines in the dark, and having lost all, he holds fast his integrity.

He that leaves off prayer leaves off to fear God.

Some have asked whether we shall know one another in heaven? Surely, our knowledge will not be diminished, but increased. The judgement of Luther and Anselm, and many other divines is, that we shall know one another; yea, the saints of all ages, whose faces we never saw; and, when we shall see the saints in glory without their infirmities of pride end passion, it will be a glorious sight.

Christ was born of a virgin, that we might be born of God. He took our flesh, that He might give us His Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven, that He might bring us to heaven. And what was all this but love? If our hearts be not rocks, this love of Christ should affect us. Behold, love that surpasses knowledge!

The prayer that is faithless is fruitless.

Hence I infer that where there is no sight of sin, there can be no repentance. Many who can spy faults in others see none in themselves. They cry that they have good hearts. Is it not strange that two should live together, and eat and drink together, yet not know each other? Such is the case of a sinner. His body and soul live together, work together, yet he is unacquainted with himself. He knows not his own heart, nor what a hell he carries about him. Under a veil, a deformed face is hid. Persons are veiled over with ignorance and self-love; therefore they see not what deformed souls they have.

The gospel sweetens the law.

"If you are loyal you are successful," ruminated the company paper at one time. "All useful work is raised to the plane of art when love for the task-loyalty-is fused with the effort. Loyalty is the great lubricant of life. It saves the wear and tear of making daily decisions as to what is best to do. The man who is loyal to his work is not wrung nor perplexed by doubts, he sticks to the ship, and if the ship founders he goes down like a hero with colors flying at the masthead and the band playing."

The pardoned soul is out of the gunshot of hell (Rom. 8:33).

Love is such a grace as we know not how to be without. A soldier may as well be without his weapons, an artist without his pencil, a musician without his instrument, as a Christian can be without love.

Affliction promotes holiness. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles!

What if we have more of the rough file, if we have less rust! Afflictions carry away nothing but the dross of sin.

An idle person is the devil's tennis ball, which he bandies up and down with temptation until at last the ball goes out of play.

King's crowns are only crosses, but the cross of Christ is the only crown.

The godly are honorable "You have been honorable" (Isaiah 43:4). The godly are "a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord" (Isaiah 62:3). They are "plants of renown" (Ezek. 16:14). They are not only vessels of mercy but vessels of honor (2 Tim. 2:21). Aristotle calls honor the chief good thing. The godly are near akin to the blessed Trinity: they have the tutelage and guardianship of angels; they have "God's name written upon them" (Rev. 3:12) and "the Holy Spirit dwelling in them" (2 Tim. 1:14).

The more helpful we are to others, the more like we are to God.

Unless we deny our own will, we shall never do God's will.

The worst that God does to His children is to whip them to heaven.

A good Christian holds secret communication with heaven. Private prayer keeps up the trade of godliness. When private holiness is laid aside, a stab is given to the heart of piety.

Those who are patterns of mercy should be trumpets of praise.

As our sin is ever before us, so God's promise must be ever before us. As we much feel our sting, so we must look up to Christ, our "brazen serpent" (Num 21:8-9).

A wicked man in prayer may lift up his hands, but he cannot lift up his face.

The Lord hates that which is forced; which is paying a tax rather than an offering.

The tree of the promise will not drop its fruit unless shaken by the hand of prayer.

God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer.

By endeavoring to bring up our children in the fear of the Lord, we shall provide for God's glory when we are dead. A godly man should not only honor God while he lives - but do something that may promote God's glory when he is dead. If our children are seasoned with gracious principles, they will stand up in our place when we have gone, and will glorify God in their generation. A good piece of ground bears not only a fore-crop but an after-crop. He who is godly does not only bear God a good crop of obedience himself while he lives - but by training his child in the principles of piety, he bears God an after-crop when he is dead.

Evangelical obedience is true in its essence, though not perfect in its degree; and where it comes short, Christ puts his merits into the scales, and then there is full weight.

Satan's time of tempting is usually after an ordinance; and the reason is, because then he thinks he shall find us most secure. When we have been at solemn duties, we are apt to think all is done, and we grow remiss, and leave off that zeal and strictness as before; just as a soldier, who after a battle leaves off his armour, not once dreaming, of an enemy. Satan watches his time, and when we least suspect, then he throws in a temptation.

To seem to be zealous, if it be not according to the word, is not obedience, but will-worship.

Contentment doth not appear only now and then, as some stars which are seen but seldom; it is a settled temper of heart.

The more we enjoy of God, the more we are ravished with delight.

Though we as Christians are like Christ, having the first fruits of the spirit, yet we are unlike him, having the remainders of the flesh.

Are these the duties I required? I called for the heart and spirit and you bring nothing but the carcass of duty. Should I receive this?" "The Lord says These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13

To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things which fall out shall co-operate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings, that showers of affliction water the withering root of their grace and make it flourish more; this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.

The God whom we worship is holy, the work we are employed in is holy, the place we hope to arrive at is holy; all this calls for holiness.

Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God in the name of Christ, for such things as are agreeable to his will. It is an offering of our desires. Desires are the soul and life of prayer; words are but the body; now as the body without the soul is dead, so are prayers unless they are animated with our desires.

Sin has the devil for its father, shame for its companion, and death for its wages.

When God calls a man, He does not repent of it. God does not, as many friends do, love one day, and hate another; or as princes, who make their subjects favourites, and afterwards throw theminto prison. This is the blessedness of a saint; his condition admits of no alteration. God's call is founded upon His decree, and His decree is immutable. Acts of grace cannot be reversed.God blots out His people's sins, but not their names.

Better is that sin which humbles me, than that duty which makes me proud.

A Christian is commanded to warm-hearted service; he must charge through the whole army of his lusts, every one of which is stronger than Goliath.

Bad aims will spoil good actions.

It is better to go to heaven with a few, than to hell in the crowd.

There is justice in hell, but sin is the most unjust thing. It would rob God of his glory, Christ of his purchase, the soul of its happiness.

What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God.

Affliction may be lasting, but it is not everlasting. Affliction was a sting, but withal a wing: sorrow shall soon fly away.

The pleasure of sin is soon gone, but the sting remains.

O let us look to our ends in obedience; it is possible the action may be right, and not the heart.

What greater dignity can be put upon a mortal man, than to converse with his Maker, and to walk with God every day?

Men could be content to have the kingdom of heaven; but they are loathe to fight for it. They choose rather to go in a feather bed to hell than to be carried to heaven in a 'fiery chariot' of zeal and violence.

Either sin must drown in the tears of repentance - or the soul must burn in hell.

He who does not believe God's promises - will never love him.

It is easy to catch a disease from another, but not to catch health. The bad will sooner corrupt the good, than the good will convert the bad.

To obey God, is not so much our duty - as our privilege; his commands carry food in the mouth of them. He bids us repent - and why? That our sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19. He commands us to believe - and why? That we may be saved. Acts 16:31. There is love in every command. It is as if a king should bid one of his subjects dig in a gold mine, and then keep the gold for himself.

A man may read the figure on the dial, but he cannot tell how the day goes, unless the sun shines upon the dial: we may read the Bible over, but we can not learn the purpose, till the Spirit of God shines into our hearts. O implore this blessed Spirit! It is God's prerogative-royal to teach: "I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit." Is. 48. 17. Ministers may tell us our lesson, God only can teach us; we have lost both our hearing and eye-sight, therefore are very unfit to learn. Ever since Eve listened to the serpent, we have been deaf; and since she looked on the tree of knowledge we have been blind; but when God comes to teach, he removes these impediments.

We glorify God by praising Him. Doxology, or praise, is a God-exalting work. The Hebrew word bara, "to create," and barak, "to praise," are little different, because the end of creation is to praise God... How sad that God receives so little glory from us in this way! Many Christians are full of murmuring and discontent, but seldom bring glory to God by giving Him praise due to His name. We read of the saints having harps in their hands, the emblems of praise. Many Christians today have tears in their eyes and complaints in their mouths, but few have harps in their hand, blessing and glorifying God. Let us honor God in this way.

God will not be behind-hand in love to us: for our drop, we shall receive an ocean.

Thus it is in hell; they would die, but they cannot. The wicked shall be always dying but never dead; the smoke of the furnacedascends for ever and ever. Oh! who can endure thus to be ever upon the rack? This word "ever" breaks the heart. Wicked men do now think the Sabbaths long, and think a prayer long; but oh! how long will it be to lie in hell for ever and ever?

Can the spouse be better than in her husband's company? Where can the soul be better than in drawing near to God?

The more bitterness we taste in sin, the more sweetness we shall taste in Christ.

Satan loves to fish in the troubled waters of a discontented heart.

It is our work to cast care, and it is God's work to take care.

Whoever brings an affliction, it is God who sends it.

God will fill the hungry because He Himself has stirred up the hunger. As in the case of prayer, when God prepares the heart to pray, He prepares His ear to hear (Ps. 10:17). So in the case of spiritual hunger, when God prepares the heart to hunger, He will prepare His hand to fill.

God can turn stones into bread, and a sinner can turn bread into stones; the bread of life into the stone of stumbling.

It was a witty fiction of the poets, that when Mercury had cast Argus into a sleep and with an enchanted wand closed his eyes, he then killed him. When Satan has by his witcheries lulled men asleep in sloth, then he destroys them. Some report that while the crocodile sleeps with its mouth open, the Indian rat gets into its belly and eats up its entrails. So while men sleep in security they are devoured.

When you find a chillness upon your souls, and that your former heat begins to abate, ply yourselves with warm clothes, get those good books that may acquaint you with such truths as may warm and affect your hearts.

We pray, 'lead us not into temptation'. Do we then lead ourselves into temptation?

you speak of true honor, it is to be born of God; if of true valor, it is to fight the good fight of faith; if of true delight, it is to have joy in the Holy Spirit. Oh, then, espouse godliness! Here reality is to be had. Of other things we may say, "They comfort in vain!" (Zech. 10:2)

The godly have some good in them, therefore the devil afflicts them; and some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them.

As, when king Uzziah would offer incense without a priest, God was angry with him, and struck him with leprosy (2 Chron 26:20). Just so, when we do not come to God in and through Christ, we offer up incense to him without a priest, and what can we expect but severe rebukes?

A Christian is a military person, he fights the Lord's battles, he is Christ's ensignbearer. Now, what though he endures hard fate, and the bullets fly about? He fights for a crown!

This kind of intense loyalty, then, became the well-spring of the IBM spirit, the family spirit as it was called.

Lusts within are worse than lions without.

We pray most fervently when we pray most feelingly.

The right manner of growth is to grow less in one's own eyes.

We should pray that God would enrich his ordinance with his presence; that he would make the sacrament effectual to all those holy ends and purposes for which he hath appointed it; that it may be the feast of our graces, and the funeral of our corruptions; that it may not only be a sign to represent, but an instrument to convey, Christ to us, and a seal to assure us of our heavenly jointure [union].

Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace.

First we practice sin, then defend it, then boast of it.

Has Christ provided such a blessed banquet for us? He does not nurse us abroad - but feeds us with His own breast - nay, with His own blood! Let us, then, study to respond to this great love of Christ. It is true, we can never parallel His love. Yet let us show ourselves thankful. We can do nothing satisfactory - but we may do something out of gratitude. Christ gave Himself as a sin-offering for us. Let us give ourselves as a thank-offering for Him. If a man redeems another out of debt - will he not be grateful? How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ - who has redeemed us from hell!

This sin cleaves to us as a leprosy. This original pollution makes us guilty before the Lord; and even though we would never commit actual sin, it merits hell. The meditation of this would be a means to pull down our pride. -- Nay, even those who have grace have cause to walk humbly be- cause they have more corruption in them than grace: their dark side is broader than their light.

Repentance is of such importance, that there is no being saved without it.

Prayer is the soul's breathing itself into the bosom of its heavenly Father.

The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use

Humility was never a loser.

There is more evil in a drop of sin than in a sea of affliction.

The Kingdom of grace is nothing but ... the beginning of the Kingdom of glory; the Kingdom of grace is glory in the seed, and the Kingdom of glory is grace in the flower; the Kingdom ofgrace is glory in the daybreak, and the Kingdom of glory is grace in the full meridian; the Kingdom of grace is glory militant, and the Kingdom of glory is grace triumphant ... the Kingdom ofgrace leads to the Kingdom of glory.

The Ediles among the Romans had their doors always standing open, that all who had petitions might have free access to them. The door of heaven is always open for the prayers of God's people.

If God justify a man, who shall condemn him? But if God condemn him, who shall justify him?

If we do not regard God when he speaks to us, he will not regard us when we pray to him.

Our murmuring is the devil's music.

Now it is evident from the covenant of grace, that the smoking flax cannot be quenched. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but the covenant of my peace shall not be removed, says the Lord" (Isaiah 54:10). If there is falling from grace, how is it an immovable covenant? If grace dies and the smoking flax is quenched, how is our state in Christ, better than it was in Adam? The covenant of grace is called "a better covenant" (Heb. 7:22). How is it a better covenant than that which was made with Adam? Not only because it has a better Surety and contains better privileges - but because it has better conditions annexed to it: "It is ordered in all things, and sure" (2 Sam. 23:5). Those who are taken into the covenant shall be like stars fixed in their orbit and shall never fall away. If grace might die and be quenched, then it would not be a better covenant.

When we profess God's name, but do not live answerably to it, we take it in vain.