One Eye on God's Grace

"The humble Christian looks with one eye upon God's grace, to keep his heart cheerful; and

with the other eye upon his sin, to keep it humble."

Thomas Watson.

We Love Something

 The human heart was created to love, and it will never remain empty. If we do not set our affection upon God, we will inevitably give our love to something else, whether the passing pleasures of the world, the deceitfulness of sin, or the idols of our own desires. Yet all these things are unworthy objects of ultimate devotion, for they cannot satisfy the soul, endure the test of time, or save us in the day of judgment. By contrast, God is infinitely lovely, perfectly good, and the source of every true blessing. To love Him is not merely a duty but the highest privilege of man, for in loving God we find the very purpose for which we were created and the only object of affection that can never disappoint, decay, or be taken away. He who loves God most becomes the richest blessing to those around him.

Monergism; (probably elaborating on Thomas Watson).

Thomas Waston.

Christ's Obedience

 Christ’s active and passive obedience is mine. God looks upon me as if I had not sinned; nay, as if I had perfectly obeyed his law.

Thomas Watson

Contentment

 Discontent is an ungrateful sin, because we have more mercies than afflictions; And it is an irrational sin, because afflictions work for good.

Thomas Watson

Deaf in Church

 “The ears of many of our hearers are stopped with earth….

“Many sit and stare the minister in the face, yet scarce know a word he says…. “If a man be in a mill, though you speak never so loud to him, he does not hear you for the noise of the mill. We preach to men about matters of salvation, but the mill of worldly business makes such a noise that they cannot hear; ‘in hearing they hear not.’ “It being thus, ministers who are called ‘sons of thunder’ had need often ascend the mount and ‘lift up their voice like a trumpet’ (Isa. 58:1) that the deaf ear may be syringed and unstopped, and may ‘hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches’ (Rev. 2:7).” — Thomas Watson

Rest, instead of Killing Ourselves with Care.

 When we wonder what God is doing with us, and are ready to kill ourselves with care; let us rest in God's wisdom. He knows best what he has to do.

Thomas Watson

Suffering

 Christianity is not the removal of suffering, but the addition of grace to endure suffering triumphantly.

Thomas Watson

Beholding the Glory

 “It is by beholding the glory of Christ by faith that we are spiritually edified and built up in this world, for as we behold his glory, the life and power of faith grow stronger and stronger. It is by faith that we grow to love Christ. So if we desire strong faith and powerful love, which give us rest, peace and satisfaction, we must seek them by diligently beholding the glory of Christ by faith. In this duty I desire to live and to die. On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires, and the more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world will wither in my eyes and I will be more and more crucified to this world. It will become to me like something dead and putrid, impossible for me to enjoy” (p. 7).

Beholding Christ’s glory is indeed the great and necessary privilege of the Christian life. The “painted beauties” of this world simply cannot compare to the true beauty that is Christ. The more we see Him, the more we become like Him. The more we become like Him, the more rest, satisfaction, and enjoyment we find in Him. May the Lord grant us grace to “experience the dawnings of eternal glory” today as we behold His glory in the Scriptures.

Thomas Watson

Efficient Cause of Our Justification

 What is the efficient cause of our justification?

The whole Trinity. All the persons in the blessed Trinity have a hand in the justification of a sinner: opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. God the Father is said to justify. 'It is God that justifieth.' Rom viii 33. God the Son is said to justify. 'By him all that believe are justified.' Acts xiii 39. God the Holy Ghost is said to justify. 'But ye are justified by the Spirit of our God.' I Cor vi ii. God the Father justifies, as he pronounces us righteous; God the Son justifies, as he imputes his righteousness to us; and God the Holy Ghost justifies, as he clears up our justification, and seals us up to the day of redemption.

-Thomas Watson

Appropriation, or applying Christ to ourselves. A medicine, though it be ever so sovereign, if not applied, will do no good. Though the plaster is made of Christ's own blood, it will not heal, unless applied by faith; the blood of God, without faith in God, will not save. This applying of Christ is called receiving him. John 1:12. The hand receiving gold, enriches. Just so, the hand of faith, receiving Christ's golden merits with salvation, enriches us.

-Thomas Watson

REPENTANCE RENOUNCES; FAITH GOES OUT

 THOMAS WATSON Self-renunciation. Faith is going out of one's self, being taken off from our own merits, and seeing we have no righteousness of our own. "Not having my own righteousness." Self-righteousness is a broken reed, which the soul dares not lean on. Repentance and faith are both humbling graces; by repentance a man abhors himself; by faith he goes out of himself. As Israel in their wilderness march, behind them saw Pharaoh and his chariots pursuing, before them the Red Sea ready to devour; so the sinner behind sees God's justice pursuing him for sin, before, hell ready to devour him; and in this forlorn condition, he sees nothing in himself to help—but he must perish unless he can find help in another.

Drowned in Sin, before drowned in Water.

 

Fervency in Prayer

“Prayer is a lifting up of the mind and soul to God, which cannot be done rightly without offering violence to one's self. The names given to prayer imply violence. It is called wrestling (Genesis 32:24), and a pouring out of the soul (I Samuel 1:15), both of which imply vehemency…. That we may offer violence to ourselves and by fervency feather the wing of prayer, let these things be duly weighed. Consider the majesty of God with whom we have to do…. Nothing will sooner make God's anger wax hot than a cold prayer. Prayer without fervency and violence is no prayer; it is speaking, not praying…. [I]f anything may excite prayer and carry it in a fiery chariot up to heaven, it is when we know we pray for nothing but that which God is more willing to grant than we are to ask…. How then should we ply this oar and by a holy violence stir up ourselves to take hold of God! It is only violence and intenseness of spirit in prayer that has the promise of mercy affixed to it, ‘Knock, and it shall be opened’ (Matthew 7:7). Knocking is a violent motion.” ~Thomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm 

AS WICKED AS OTHERS

 

Not because we were worthy

 

Grace will Spring Up

 "Grace does not lie as a sleepy habit in the soul, but will put forth itself in vigorous and glorious actings. Grace can no more be concealed, than fire. Grace does not lie in the heart as a stone in the earth—but as seed in the earth. It will spring up into good works!" - Thomas Watson

Over-Rule Even Our Mistakes

 We serve a gracious Master, who knows how to over-rule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage. John Newton.

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. —Thomas Watson

KIND AND DURATION

Thomas Watson "A contented Christian does not seek to choose his cross but leaves God to choose for him. He is content with both for the kind and the duration."

ADOPTION IS A GREATER MERCY

Adoption is a greater mercy than Adam had in paradise.

Author: Thomas Watson

IF GOD LEFT US

If God left us!

(Thomas Watson, "Four Sad Evils" 1663)

The sins of the ungodly are looking-glasses in which we 
may see our own hearts. Do we see a heinous, impious
wretch? Behold a picture of our own hearts! Such would
we be--if God left us! What is in wicked men's practice
--is in our nature. Sin in the wicked--is like fire which
flames and blazes forth. Sin in the godly--is like fire hid
in the embers. Christian, though you do not break forth
into a flame of scandalous sin--yet you have no cause
to boast, for there is as much sin in the embers of your
nature! You have the root of all sin in you, and would
bear as hellish fruit as any ungodly wretch--if God did
not either curb you by His power, or change you by
His grace!

Why might not God have left you--to the same excess
of wickedness? Think with yourself, O Christian--why
should God be more merciful to you, than to another?
Why should He snatch you, as brand plucked out of
the fire--and not him? How should this make you to
adore free grace! What the Pharisee said boastingly,
we may say thankfully--"God, I thank you that I am
not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers, etc."

If we are not as wicked as others--we should adore the
riches of free-grace! Every time we see men hastening
on in sin--we are to thank God that we are not such!
If we see a crazy person--we thank God that it is not
so with us. When we see another infected with the
plague--how thankful are we, that God has preserved
us from it! Much more when we see others under the
power of Satan--how thankful we should be, that this
is no longer our condition!

"For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived,
captives of various passions and pleasures, living in
malice and envy, hateful . . . ." Titus 3:3

GREATEST JUDGMENT

The greatest judgment God lays upon a man in this life is to let him sin without control. When the Lord's displeasure is most severely kindled against a person, He does not say, I will bring the sword and the plague on this man, but, I will let him sin on: 'So I gave them up unto their own hearts' LUST.' (Psalm 81:12)

Thomas Watson