Thomas Watson (87)
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though the moral law be thus far abolished, it remains as a perpetual rule to believers. Though it be not their Saviour, it is their guide. Though it be not foedus, a covenant of life; yet it is norma, a rule of life. Every Christian is bound to conform to it; and to write, as exactly as he can after this copy. 'Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid.' Rom iii 31. Though a Christian is not under the condemning power of the law, yet he is under its commanding power.The Ten Commandments, 44
This I urge against Antinomians, who say the moral law is abrogated to believers; which, as it contradicts Scripture, so it is a key to open the door to all licentiousness. They who will not have the law to rule them, shall never have the gospel to save them.The Ten Commandments, 44
The hypocrite deceives others while he lives, but deceives himself when he dies.https://www.challies.com/a-la-carte/a-la-carte-may-9-2024/
As the embankment keeps out the water, so the fear of the Lord keeps out uncleanness.
Prayer must be fired with zeal and fervency.
What is prayer? It is an offering up of our desires to God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ.Ten Commandments, 239
Faith alone justifies, but justifying faith is not alone. Good works though they are not the causes of salvation, yet they are the evidences. Faith must not be built upon works, but works must be built upon faithGleanings, 24
A person deeply in love cannot keep his thoughts from the object he loves. The reason we think on God no more, is, because we love Him no more!
Let us be content that God should rule the world; learn to acquiesce in his will, and submit to his providence. Does any affliction befall you? Remember God sees it is that which is fit for you, or it would not come. Your clothes cannot be so fit for you as your crosses. God's providence may sometimes be secret—but it is always wise; and though we may not be silent under God's dishonor—yet we should learn to be silent under his displeasure.A Body of Divinity p. 125 Banner of Truth
Few that are entangled in the sin of adultery, recover from the snare.
While the adulterer feeds on strange flesh, the sword of God's justice hangs over his head. Causinus speaks of a tree growing in Spain, that is of a sweet smell, and pleasant to the taste, but the juice of it is poisonous.Ten Commandments, 157
The duke of Silesia was so infatuated, that he affirmed, Neque inferos, neque superos esse; that there was neither God nor devil. We may see God in the works of his fingers. The creation is a great volume in which we may read a Godhead, and he must needs put out his own eyes that denies a God.The Ten Commandments, 53
A good Christian makes gospel piety and moral equity kiss each other. Herein some discover their hypocrisy: they will obey God in some things which are more facile, and may raise their repute; but other things they leave undone.The Ten Commandments, 2
Love to God will never let sin thrive in the heart.
We are more sure to arise out of our graves than out of our beds.
Plutarch said of the Persian kings, 'They were captives to their concubines;' they were so inflamed, that they had no power to leave their company. This consideration should make all fearful of this sin. Soft pleasures harden the heart.Ten Commandments, 162
Who for a cup of pleasure would drink a sea of wrath?Ten Commandments, 157
I have read of two citizens in London in 1583, who, having defiled themselves with adultery on the Lord's-day, were immediately struck dead with fire from heaven. If all who are now guilty of this sin were to be punished in this manner, it would rain fire again, as on Sodom.Ten Commandments, 157
That which makes adultery so sinful is, that it is needless. God has provided a remedy to prevent it. 'To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife.' 1 Cor vii 2. Therefore, after this remedy prescribed, to be guilty of fornication or adultery, is inexcusable; it is like a rich thief, that steals when he has no need. This increases the sin.Ten Commandments, 154
It is good to rest on the Sabbath-day from the works of our calling; but if we rest from labour and do no more, the ox and the ass keep the Sabbath as well as we; for they rest from labour. We must dedicate the day to God; we must not only 'keep a Sabbath,' but 'sanctify' a Sabbath.Ten Commandments, 100
He shows mercy in restraining us from sin. Lusts within are worse than lions without. The greatest sign of God's anger is to give men up to their sins. 'So I gave them up to their own hearts' lust.' Psa lxxxi 12.The Ten Commandments, 70
Afflictions on the godly are fruits of covenant-mercy. 2 Sam vii 14. Afflictions on the wicked are effects of God's wrath.The Ten Commandments, 30
If God be our God, let us learn to be contented, though we have the less of other things. Contentment is a rare jewel, it is the cure of care. If we have God to be our God, well may we be contented.The Ten Commandments, 21
They who cast God's law behind their backs, God will cast their prayers behind his back. They who will not have the law to rule them, shall have the law to judge them.The Ten Commandments, 13
he who loves God, hates that which would separate between him and God, and that is sin.The Ten Commandments, 8
The fear of God promotes spiritual joy; it is the morning star that ushers in the sunlight of comfort.
Jesus Christ went more willingly to the cross—than we do to the throne of grace.
Meditation without reading is erroneous; reading without meditation is barren. The bee sucks the flower and then works it into the hive, and so turns it into honey. By reading we suck the flower of the Word, by meditation we work it into the hive of our mind, and so it turns to profit... The reason we come away so cold from reading of the Word is because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.
Love influences the graces, it excites the affections, it makes us grieve for sin, it makes us cheerful in God; it is like oil to the wheels; it quickens us in God's service. How careful then should we be to keep alive our love for God!
The Word written is not only a rule of knowledge, but a rule of obedience; it is not only to mend our sight, but to mend our pace. Reading without practice will be but a torch to light men to hell.
Repentance causes a change in the affections, which move under the will as the commander-in-chief. It metamorphoses the affections. It turns rejoicing in sin into sorrowing for sin; it turns boldness in sin into holy shame; it turns the love of sin into hatred.Ten Commandments, 207
True faith is grounded upon knowledge. Knowledge carries the torch before faith. There is a knowledge of Christ's orient excellencies. Phil iii 8. He is made up of all love and beauty. True faith is a judicious intelligent grace, it knows whom it believes, and why it believes. Faith is seated as well in the understanding as in the will. It has an eye to see Christ, as well as a wing to fly to him.Ten Commandments, 203
That some sins are greater than others appears, (1) Because there was difference in the offerings under the law; the sin offering was greater than the trespass offering. (2) Because some sins are not capable of pardon as others are, therefore they must needs be more heinous, as the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Matt xii 31. (3) Because some sins have a greater degree of punishment than others. 'Ye shall receive the greater damnation.' Matt xxiii 14.Ten Commandments, 189
As some diseases are worse than others, and some poisons more venomous, so some sins are more heinous.Ten Commandments, 189
He really endeavours to obey God's law perfectly; and wherein he comes short he runs to Christ's blood to supply his defects. This cordial desire, and real endeavour, God esteems as perfect obedience.Ten Commandments, 188
The best remedy is contentment. If we are content with our own, we shall not covet that which is another's.
If we covet heaven more, we shall covet earth less. To those who stand on the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania seem but as small villages; so if our hearts were more fixed upon the Jerusalem above, all worldly things would disappear, would diminish, and be as nothing in our eyes.
A covetous man is like a bee that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns itself. As a ferryman takes in so many passengers to increase his fare, that he sinks his boat; so a covetous man takes in so much gold to increase his estate, that he drowns himself in perdition.
A man is given to covetousness when he so sets his heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them, he will part with heavenly; for the 'wedge of gold,' he will part with the 'pearl of price.'The Ten Commandments, 175
A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when all his discourse is about the world.The Ten Commandments, 175
Take delight in the word of God. 'How sweet are they words unto my taste.' Psa cxix 103. Chrysostom compares God's word to a garden. If we walk in this garden, and such sweetness from the flowers of the promises, we shall never care to pluck the 'forbidden fruit.' Ten Commandments, 161
Take heed of idleness. When a man is out of a calling, he is ready to receive any temptation. We do not sow seed in fallow-ground; but the devil sows most seed of temptation in such as lie fallow. Idleness is the cause of sodomy and uncleanness.Ten Commandments, 160
Take heed of mixed dancing... Dances draw the heart to folly by wanton gestures, by unchaste touches, and by lustful looks.Ten Commandments, 159
Beware of going to plays. A play-house is often a preface to a whore-house... We are bid to avoid all appearance of evil: and are not plays the appearance of evil?Ten Commandments, 159
Adultery destroys reputation... Wounds of reputation no physician can heal. When the adulterer dies, his shame lives. When his body rots underground, his name rots above ground. His base-born children are living monuments of his shame.Ten Commandments, 156
Adultery debases a person; it makes him resemble the beasts; therefore the adulterer is described like a horse neighing. 'Every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.' Jer v 8.Ten Commandments, 155
They call themselves the Holy Catholic Church; but how can they be holy who are so steeped and parboiled in fornication, incest, sodomy, and all manner of uncleanness?Ten Commandments, 155
That poison souls. Such are heterodox ministers, who poison people with error. The basilisk poisons herbs and flowers by breathing on them; so the breath of heretical ministers poisons souls. The Socinian, who would rob Christ of his Godhead; the Arminian, who by advancing the power of the will, would take off the crown from the head of free-grace; the Antinomian, who denies the use of the moral law to a believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date--poison men's souls. Error is as damnable as vice.The Ten Commandments, 143-144
Murder is a diabolical sin. It makes a man the devil's first born, for he was a murderer from the beginning. John viii 44. By saying to our first parents, 'Ye shall not die,' he brought death into the world.The Ten Commandments, 142
If you would have honour from your children, pray much for them. Not only lay up a portion for them, but lay up a stock of prayer for them. Monica prayed much for her son Augustine; and it was said, it was impossible that a son of so many prayers and tears should perish. Pray that your children may be preserved from the contagion of the times; pray that as your children bear your images in their faces, they may bear God's image in their hearts; pray that they may be instruments and vessels of glory.The Ten Commandments, 137
Act lovingly to your children. In all your counsels and commands let them read love. Love will command honour; and how can a parent but love the child who is his living picture, nay, part of himself. The child is the father in the second edition.The Ten Commandments, 135
When your children are grown up, put them to some lawful calling, wherein they may serve their generation. It is good to consult the natural genius and inclination of a child, for forced callings do as ill, sometimes, as forced matches.The Ten Commandments, 135
God often punishes the carelessness of parents with undutifulness in their children.The Ten Commandments, 135
Timothy's mother instructed him from a child. 2 Tim iii 15. She not only gave him her breast-milk, but 'the sincere milk of the word.'The Ten Commandments, 134
You conveyed the plague of sin to them, therefore endeavour to get them healed and sanctified.The Ten Commandments, 134
Honour is to be shown to parents in relieving their wants. Joseph cherished his father in his old age. Gen xlvii 12. It is but paying a just debt. Parents brought up children when they were young, and children ought to nourish their parents when they are old.Ten Commandments, 130
Sabbath-sanctification consists in two things: (1) Solemn preparation for it... (2) The sacred observation of it.Ten Commandments, 100-101
Works of necessity and charity however may be done on this day. In these cases God will have mercy and not sacrifice.Ten Commandments, 100
It is sacrilege to rob for civil work the time which God has set apart for his worship. He that devotes any time of the Sabbath to worldly business, is a worse thief than he who robs on the highway; for the one does but rob man, but the other robs God.Ten Commandments, 99
The grand reason for changing the Jewish Sabbath to the Lord's-day is that it puts us in mind of the 'Mystery of our redemption by Christ.' The reason why God instituted the old Sabbath was to be a memorial of the creation; but he has now brought the first day of the week in its room in memory of a more glorious work than creation, which is redemption.Ten Commandments, 96
Eusebius relates of one who made a jest of Scripture, and God struck him with frenzy. To play with Scripture shows a very profane heart. Some will rather lose their souls than lose their jests.Ten Commandments, 87
In heaven we shall be as the angels, and by our willingness to obey God's commands, we should be like them here. We pray that God's will may be done by us on earth as it is in heaven; and is it not done willingly there? It is also done constantly.Ten Commandments, 83
It is not said, God shows mercy to thousands that know his commandments, but that keep them.The Ten Commandments, 79
The son that loves his father will obey him. Obedience pleases God. 'To obey is better than sacrifice.' 1 Sam xv 22. In sacrifice, a dead beast only is offered; in obedience, a living soul; in sacrifice, only a part of the fruit is offered; in obedience, fruit and tree and all; man offers himself up to God.The Ten Commandments, 79
God shows mercy in guiding and directing us. Is it not a mercy for one that is out of the way to have a guide? [I] There is a providential guidance. God guides our affairs for us; chalks out the way he would have us to walk in. He resolves our doubts, unties our knots, and appoints the bounds of our habitation.The Ten Commandments, 70-71
God has mercy of all dimensions. He has depth of mercy, it reaches as low as sinners; and height of mercy, it reaches above the clouds.The Ten Commandments, 69
Augustine says that his mother Monica travailed with greater care and pains for his new birth, than for his natural.The Ten Commandments, 67
What is the difference between the moral law and the gospel? (I) The law requires that we worship God as our Creator; the gospel, that we worship him in and through Christ.The Ten Commandments, 43
A thousand praises and doxologies do not honour God so much as the mortifying of one lust.The Ten Commandments, 37
Oh! what a merciful providence is it that, though God bruise his people, yet, while he is bruising them, he is doing them good! It is as if one should throw a bag of money at another, which bruises him a little, but yet it enriches him. Affliction enriches the soul, and yields the sweet fruits of righteousness.The Ten Commandments, 32
Afflictions on the godly make them better, but afflictions on the wicked make them worse. The godly pray more; Psa cxxx i. The wicked blaspheme more.The Ten Commandments, 30
Why are Christians so disquieted in their minds? They are taking care when they should be casting care.The Ten Commandments, 21
If God be our God he will do more for us than all the world besides can. What is that? [I] He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, he will make music within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.The Ten Commandments, 20
Our loving him is from his loving us. If the glass burn, it is because the sun has shone on it; so if our hearts burn in love, it is a sign that the Sun of Righteousness has shone upon us.The Ten Commandments, 11
Love is the only grace that shall live with us in heaven. In heaven we shall need no repentance, because we shall have no sin; no faith, because we shall see God face to face; but love to God shall abide for ever.The Ten Commandments, 11
It is hell to be without God. The philosopher says there can be no gold without the influence of the sun; certainly there can be no golden joy in the soul without God's sweet presence and influence.The Ten Commandments, 8
he who loves God cannot find contentment in any thing without him. Give a hypocrite who pretends to love God corn and wine, and he can be content without God; but a soul fired with love to God, cannot be without him. Lovers faint away if they have not a sight of the object loved. A gracious soul can do without health, but cannot do without God, who is the health of his countenance.The Ten Commandments, 8
We must love God propter se, for himself, for his own intrinsic excellencies. We must love him for his loveliness.The Ten Commandments, 7
What is love? It is a holy fire kindled in the affections, whereby a Christian is carried out strongly after God as the supreme good.The Ten Commandments, 6
To obey God, is not so much our duty as our privilege; his commands carry meat in the mouth of them. He bids us repent; and why? That our sins may be blotted out. Acts iii 19. He commands us to believe: and why? That we may be saved. Acts xvi 31. There is love in every command: as if a king should bid one of his subjects dig in a gold mine, and then take the gold to himself.The Ten Commandments, 6
When a servant has entered into covenant with his master, and the indentures are sealed, he cannot go back, he must serve out his time; so there are indentures drawn in baptism, and in the Lord's Supper the indentures are renewed and sealed on our part, that we will be faithful and constant in our obedience; therefore we must imitate Christ, who became obedient unto death.The Ten Commandments, 4
Obedience must be in and through Christ. 'He hath made us accepted in the beloved.' Eph i 6. Not our obedience, but Christ's merits procure acceptance.The Ten Commandments, 3
Willingness is the soul of obedience. God sometimes accepts of willingness without the work, but never of the work without willingness. Cheerfulness shows that there is love in the duty; and love is to our services what the sun is to fruit; it mellows and ripens them, and makes them come off with a better relish.The Ten Commandments, 2
To seem to be zealous, if it be not according to the word, is not obedience, but will-worship. Popish traditions which have no footing in the word, are abominable; and God will say, Quis quiaesivit haec? 'Who hath required this at your hand?' Isa i 12.The Ten Commandments, 1
Obedience without knowledge is blind, and knowledge without obedience is lame. Rachel was fair to look upon, but, being barren, said, 'Give me children, or I die;' so, if knowledge does not bring forth the child of obedience, it will die.The Ten Commandments, 1
A humble Christian studies his own infirmities, and another's excellencies.
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