Thomas Watson's quotes

Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.

Hypocrites love a cheap religion. They like a gospel that will put them to no charges. They are content so they may have golden bags, to have wooden priests.

The Scripture is to be its own interpreter, or rather the Spirit speaking in it; nothing can cut diamond but diamond; nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture.

'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,....neither can he know them' (1 Cor. 2:14). He may have more insight into the things of the world than a believer, but he does not see the deep things of God. A swine may see an acorn under a tree, but he cannot see a star.

Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell.

Let them fear death who do not fear sin.

None so empty of grace as he that thinks he is full.

Afflictions add to the saints' glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles; the heavier the saints' cross is, the heavier will be their crown.

All the danger is when the world gets into the heart. The water is useful for sailing the ship; all the danger is when the water gets into the ship; so the fear is when the world gets into the heart.

Christ's blood has value enough to redeem the whole world, but the virtue of it is applied only to such as believe.

God does not choose us for faith but to faith.

Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine cast into this spring is damnable.

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

Little sins unrepented of will damn thee as well as great. Not only great rivers fall into the sea, but little brooks; not only greater sins carry men to hell, but lesser; therefore do not think pardon easy because sin is small.

No flattery can heal a bad conscience, so no slander can hurt a good one.

Ministers must not only be 'pastors' but fighters and warriors. In one hand, they must hold the bread of life and feed the flock of God; in the other hand, they must hold the sword of the spirit and fight against those errors which carry damnation in their front.

If ministers must take all opportunities to preach, the flock of God must take all opportunities to hear. When the Word of God is preached, the bread of life is distributed, which is more precious than thousands of gold and silver. In the Word preached, heaven and salvation is offered to you.

Affliction may be lasting, but it is not everlasting.

Be not only attentive in hearing, but retentive after hearing.

Prayer that is faithless is fruitless.

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

The Scripture is the library of the Holy Ghost; it is a pandect of divine knowledge, an exact model and platform of religion. The Scripture contains in it the credenda, 'the things which we are to believe,' and the agenda, 'the things we are to practice.'

Read the Scripture, not only as a history, but as a love-letter sent to you from God.

He (God) gives them three jewels more worth than heaven--the blood of His Son, the grace of His Spirit, and the light of His countenance.

Let us then ascribe the whole work of grace to the pleasure of God's will. God did not choose us because we were worthy, but by choosing us He makes us worthy.

Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.

Other graces make us like Christ, faith makes us members of Christ.

The Scripture tells us that in hell there are three things: there is darkness, there is fire, and there are chains.

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

Idleness tempts the devil to tempt.

God does not justify us because we are worthy, but by justifying us makes us worthy.

We must know God's will before we can do it aright, there is no going to heaven blindfolded.

The mercies of God make a sinner proud, but a saint humble.

Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not.

Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion. In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels.

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 fetched the angel.

By delay of repentance, sin strengthens, and the heart hardens. The longer ice freezeth, the harder it is to be broken.

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

The more we grow in grace, the more shall we flourish in glory. Though every vessel of glory shall be full, yet some vessels hold more.

If a wicked man seems to have peace at death, it is not from the knowledge of his happiness, but from the ignorance of his danger.