Sin is never the better because it is in fashion, nor will this plea hold at the last day, that we did as the majority. God will say, seeing you sinned with the multitude, you shall go to Hell with the multitude. ~Thomas Watson, Religion Our True Interest, 4

Those who are eaten up with the world will be rejected, as ungodly, at the bar of judgment. To be godly and earthly is a contradiction: "For many walk, of whom I now tell you even weeping, that they are "the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things" (Phil. 3:18, 19). We read that the earth swallowed up Korah alive (Num. 16:32). This judgment is on many - the earth swallows up their time, thoughts and discourse. They are buried twice; their hearts are buried in the earth before their bodies. How sad it is that the soul, that princely thing, which is made for communion with God and angels, should be put to the mill to grind, and made a slave to the earth! How like the prodigal the soul has become, choosing rather to converse with swine and feed upon husks than to aspire after communion with the blessed Deity! Thus does Satan befool men, and keep them from heaven by making them seek a heaven here.  ~Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture

The test of a pilot is seen in a storm; so the test of a Christian is seen in affliction. That man has the right art of navigation who, when the boisterous winds blow from heaven, steers the ship of his soul wisely, and does not dash upon the rock of impatience.  ~Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture

Where is the Meditating Christian?

But where is the meditating Christian? -- Here I might lament the lack of holy meditation. Most people live in a hurry; they are so distracted with the cares of the world, that they can find no time to meditate or scarcely ask their souls how they do. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm

4 Brief Thomas Watson Quotes

There is always something that needs mortifying. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm The hearing of the Word may affect us;, but the meditating upon it doth transform us. Meditation stamps the impression of divine truths upon our hearts. By meditating on God's holiness, we grow holy. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm Toleration is the grave of reformation. By toleration we adopt other men's sins, and make them our own. ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings, 134 Sin . . . puts a Christian out of tune so that he is not fit for prayer or praise" ~Thomas Watson, The Mischief of Sin, 7.

Spurred on in Sluggishness

In respect to the sluggishness of our hearts to that which is spiritual; blunt tools need whetting; a dull creature needs spurs. Our hearts are dull and heavy in the things of God, therefore we have need to spur them on and provoke then to that which is good. – The flesh hinders from duty: when we would pray, the flesh resists; when we would suffer, the flesh draws back. How hard it is sometimes to get the consent of our hearts to seek God! Jesus Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace. Had not we need then provoke ourselves to duty? If our hearts are so unstrung in religion, we had need to prepare to put them in tune. The exercises of God’s worship are contrary to nature; therefore there must be a provoking of ourselves to them. The motion of the soul to sin is natural, but its motion towards Heaven is violent. The stone moves easily to the centre; it hath an innate propensity downward; but to draw up a millstone into the air is done by violence and we must provoke ourselves to it. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm

Self searching heart anatomy

Self-examination is the setting up a court in conscience and keeping a register there, that by strict scrutiny a man may know how things stand between God and his own soul. Self-examination is a spiritual inquisition; a bringing one's self to trial. A good Christian doth as it were begin the day of Judgment here in his own soul. Self-searching is a heart-anatomy. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm

The Godly Man's Picture

A blush of godliness is not enough to distinguish a Christian, but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul. Godliness is a fixed thing. There is a great deal of difference between a stake in the hedge and a tree in the garden. A stake rots and moulders, but a tree, having life in it, abides and flourishes. When godliness has taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity: 'his seed remaineth in him' (I John 3:9). Godliness being engraved in the heart by the Holy Ghost, as with the point of a diamond, can never be erased.  ~Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture

Self searching heart anatomy

Self-examination is the setting up a court in conscience and keeping a register there, that by strict scrutiny a man may know how things stand between God and his own soul. Self-examination is a spiritual inquisition; a bringing one's self to trial. A good Christian doth as it were begin the day of Judgment here in his own soul. Self-searching is a heart-anatomy. ~Thomas Watson, The Christian Soldier/Heaven Taken By Storm

Christ ministering the Word

Ministers may set the food of the word before you, and carve it out to you; but it is only Christ can cause you to taste it. ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings, 93

Satan's Methods

What Satan cannot do by force, he will endeavour to do by fraud. ~Thomas Watson, Heaven Taken By Storm, 40

Anger and Wrath

We are not free from God's anger as a father, but as a judge. God will not pour His vindictive justice upon us. Christ has drunk the red wine of God's wrath upon the cross, that believers may not taste a drop of it. ~Thomas Watson, Religion Our True Interest, 95

Confession

A child of God will confess sin in particular; an unsound Christian will confess sin by wholesale, he will acknowledge that he is a sinner in general; whereas David doth, as it were, point with his finger to the sore (Ps. 51: 4): "I have done this evil"; he doth not say, I have done evil, but this evil. ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings

Discontented

The discontented person thinks everything he doth for God too much, and everything God doth for him too little. ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings

Eternity

Eternity to the godly is a day which hath no sun-setting; and to the wicked, a night which hath no sun-rising. ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings

Will we appear for Him?

Does Christ appear for us in heaven, and are we afraid to appear for Him on earth? ~Thomas Watson, Gleanings

Look Unto Christ

Christ heals with more ease than any other. Christ makes the devil go out with a word (Mark 9:25). Nay, he can cure with a look: Christ's look melted Peter into repentance; it was a healing look. If Christ doth but cast a look upon the soul he can recover it. Therefore David prays to have a look from God, 'Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me' (Psalm 119:132). ~Thomas Watson

The Impact of Sin

Sin has degraded us of our honor. God made us in His own image--but sin has made us like devils! "You are of your father the Devil--and you want to carry out your father’s desires!" John 8:44.

Sin disquiets the peace of the soul. "There is no peace, for the wicked." Isaiah 57:21. Whatever defiles--disturbs. Sin creates fears--and there is "torment in fear." Sin makes sad convulsions in the conscience. Judas was so terrified with guilt and horror--that he hanged himself, to quiet his conscience. In order to ease his conscience--he threw himself into hell!

Sin produces all temporal evil. Sin is the Trojan Horse, which has sword, and famine and pestilence, in its belly. Sin is a coal, which not only blackens--but burns. Sin creates all our troubles; it puts gravel into our bread, and wormwood in our cup. Sin . . . rots the name, consumes the estate, buries loved ones.

Sin unrepented of, brings final damnation. The canker which breeds in the rose--is the cause of its perishing. Just so, the corruptions which breed in men's souls--are the cause of their damning. Sin's pleasure will turn to sorrow at last. Like the book the prophet ate--sin is sweet in the mouth--but bitter in the belly. Sin brings the wrath of God! What tears can quench that fire? ~Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments

Earthly Minded?

Consider how much below a Christian it is to be earthly-minded. We laugh sometimes at children when we see them busying themselves with toys, blowing bubbles in the air out of a shell, kissing their dolls, etc., when in the meantime we do the same! At death, what will all the world be which we so hug and kiss, but like a rag doll? It will yield us no more comfort then. How far it is below a heaven-born soul to be taken up with these things! No, when such as profess to be ennobled with a principle of piety and to have their hopes above, have their hearts below, how they disparage their heavenly calling and spot their silver wings of grace by beliming them with earth!  ~Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture

'Treasures of wickedness profit nothing' (Prov. 10:2). But godliness is profitable (1 Tim. 4:8). It is like digging in a gold mine, where there is gain as well as toil. Godliness makes God himself our portion: 'The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance' (Psa. 16:5). If God is our portion, all our estate lies in jewels. Where God gives himself, he gives everything else. Whoever has the manor has all the royalties belonging to it. God is a portion that can be neither spent nor lost (Psa. 73:26). Thus we see that godliness is a thriving trade.  ~Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture