Thomas Watson on Death

We spend our years with sighing; it is a valley of tears; but death is the funeral of all our sorrows

Thomas Watson

 

Concerning God’s Love towards Us

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

Thomas Watson

Knowledge of Religion Furnishes us with Weapons

Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enriches the mind….. (3.) It furnishes us with armour of proof; weapons to fight against the adversaries of the truth.

Thomas Watson ‘A Body of Divinity’ (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

Knowledge of Religion

(2.) Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enriches the mind. It is a lamp to our feet; it directs us in the whole course of Christianity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief mysteries of religion; it gives us a whole system and body of divinity, exactly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours; it helps us to understand many of those difficult things which occur in the reading of the word; it helps to untie many Scripture knots.

Thomas Watson ‘A Body of Divinity’ (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

Concerning knowing basic Theology

Here let me speak to two things:

[I] That we should be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. The apostle speaks of ‘the first principles of the oracles of God.’ Heb 5:12. In all arts and sciences, logic, physic, mathematics, there are some praecognita, some rules and principles that must necessarily be known for the practice of those arts; so, in divinity, there must be the first principles laid down. The knowledge of the grounds and principles of religion is exceedingly useful.

(I.) Else we cannot serve God aright. We can never worship God acceptably, unless we worship him regularly; and how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion? We are to give God a ‘reasonable service.’ Rom 12:2: If we understand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reasonable service?

Thomas Watson ‘A Body of Divinity’ (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

 

Christians Should be Settled

The second proposition is, that the way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. ‘If ye continue grounded and settled.’ The Greek word for grounded is a metaphor which alludes to a building that has the foundation well laid. So Christians should be grounded in the essential points of religion, and have their foundation well laid.

Thomas Watson ‘A Body of Divinity’ (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

 

Seducers are Antinomian

The fourth cheat of seducers is, to preach the doctrine of liberty; as though men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as the curse, and Christ has done all for them, and they need to do nothing. Thus they make the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentiousness.

Thomas Watson ‘A Body of Divinity’ (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

 

Seducers have a Sleight to Deceive

Seducers are the devil’s factors; they are of all others the greatest felons that would rob you of the truth. Seducers have silver tongues, that can put off bad wares; they have a sleight to deceive. Eph 4:14. The Greek word there is taken from those that can throw dice, and cast them for the best advantage. So seducers are impostors, they can throw a dice; they can so dissemble and sophisticate the truth, that they can deceive others.

Thomas Watson A Body of Divinity (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

Concerning Seducers

Seducers deceive by wisdom of words………They seem to be men of zeal and sanctity, and to be divinely inspired, and pretend to new revelation.

Thomas Watson A Body of Divinity (A Preliminary Discourse to Catechizing)

Concerning Those not Settled in the Faith

Such as are not settled in the faith can never suffer for it. Skeptics in religion hardly ever prove martyrs. They that are not settled hang in suspense; when they think of the joys of heaven they will espouse the gospel, but when they think of persecution they desert it.

Thomas Watson