Thomas Watson

I once heard of a woman who lived in malice, and being requested by some of her neighbors when she lay on her deathbed, to forgive, she answered, 'I cannot forgive though I go to hell'.

Love will carry men out above their own strength. Tertullian observes how much the heathen suffered, for love to their country. If the spring head of nature rises so high, surely grace will rise higher. If love to their country will make men suffer, much more should love to Christ.

This is the language of a gracious spirit: "My God sees what a hard heart I have, therefore He drives in one wedge of affliction after another, to break my heart. He knows how full I am of the cancer of covetousness, or the swelling of pride, or the fever of lust—therefore He gives me bitter remedies, to save my life. This severe dispensation is either to mortify some corruption, or to exercise some grace. How good is God, who will not let me alone in my sins—but smites my body to save my soul!" Thus he who loves God, receives all of God's dealings in the best sense. Love puts a good gloss upon all God's actions.

When one reviled Pericles and followed him home to his gate at night, railing upon him, he answered not a word—but commanded one of his servants to light a torch, and bring the railer home to his own house. Frederick, Duke of Saxony, when he was angry, would shut himself up in his closet and let none come near him, until he had mastered his passion. Plutarch reports of the Pythagoreans, if they argued in the day, they would embrace and be friends before sunset. Cicero, in one of his Orations, reports of Pompey the Great, that he was a man of a meek disposition. He admitted all to come to him so freely, and heard the complaints of those who were wronged so mildly, that he excelled all the princes before him. He was of that sweet temper that it was hard to say whether his enemies more feared his valor, or his subjects loved his meekness. Julius Caesar not only forgave Brutus and Cassius, his enemies—but advanced them. He thought himself most honored by acts of mercy and meekness. Did the spring-head of nature rise so high, and shall not grace rise higher? Shall we debase faith below reason? Let us write according to these fair copies.

It is reported of Philip, king of Macedon, that when it was told him Nicanor openly railed against his Majesty, the king instead of putting him to death (as his council advised), sent Nicanor a rich present, which so overcame the man's heart, that he went up and down to recant what he had said against the king, and highly extolled the king's mercy. Roughness hardens men's hearts; meekness causes them to relent (2 Kings 6:22). When the king of Israel feasted the captives he had taken in war, they were more conquered by his meekness—than by his sword. 'The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel' (2 Kings 6:22)

This is like a sick man, who says, 'If I had but such a food, I could eat it.' But when he has it, his stomach is nauseated, and he can hardly endure to smell it. God has put not only an emptiness—but bitterness into the creature, and it is good for us that there is no perfection here, that we may raise our thoughts higher to more noble and generous delights. Could we distill and draw out the quintessence of the creature, we would say as once the emperor Severus said, who grew from a low estate to be head of the greatest empire in the world: 'I have run through all conditions—yet could never find full contentment.'

I have read of two men who lived in malice, who being asked how they could say the Lord's prayer, one answered, he thanked God there were many good prayers besides. The other answered, when he said the Lord's prayer he left out those words, 'as we forgive those who trespass against us'.

As in the case of Abraham's offering up Isaac; Isaac being the son of his old age, no question he loved him entirely, and doted on him; but when God said, "Abraham, offer up your son" (Gen. 22:2), though it were a thing which might seem, not only to oppose his reason—but his faith, for the Messiah was to come of Isaac, and if he be cut off, where shall the world have a Mediator! Yet such was the strength of Abraham's faith and ardency of his love to God—that he will take the sacrificing knife, and let out Isaac's blood.

As Moses' hand was first leprous before it wrought salvation (Exodus 4:6), so God may let his people be belepered with the cursings and revilings of men, before he shower down some blessings upon them. 'It may be the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.'

When the Protestants in Rochelle were besieged by the French king, God by his providence sent a great number of small fish to feed them, such as were never seen before in that haven. So the raven, that unnatural creature (that will hardly feed its own young), providentially brought sustenance to the prophet Elijah. The Virgin Mary, through bearing and bringing forth the Messiah, helped to make the world rich—yet she herself was very poor; and now, being warned of the angel to go into Egypt, she had scarce enough to bear her expenses there; but see how God provides for her beforehand. By his providence he sends wise men from the east, who bring costly gifts, gold, myrrh, and frankincense, and present them to Christ; and now she has enough to defray her expenses into Egypt. God's children sometimes scarce know how they are fed, except that providence feeds them. "Truly you shall be fed." Psalm 37:3. If God will give his people a kingdom when they die, he will not deny them daily bread while they live.

Oh eternity! If all the body of the earth and sea were turned to sand, and all the air up to the starry heaven were nothing but sand, and a little bird should come every thousand years, and fetch away in her bill but the tenth part of a grain of all that heap of sand; what numberless years would be spent before that vast heap of sand would be fetched away! Yet, if at the end of all that time, the sinner might come out of hell, there would be some hope. But that word "Forever" breaks the heart. "The smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever." What a terror is this to the wicked--enough to put them into a cold sweat, to think, as long as God is eternal, he lives forever to be avenged upon them!

King Solomon had more worldly things, than any man. He was the most magnificent prince who ever held the scepter. For his parentage: he sprang from the royal line, not only that line from which many kings came—but of which Christ himself came. Jesus Christ descended from Solomon's line and race, so that for heraldry and nobility none could show a fairer coat of arms. For the situation of his palace: it was in Jerusalem, the princess and paragon of the earth. Jerusalem, for its renown, was called 'the city of God'. It was the most famous metropolis in the world. For wealth: his crown was hung full of jewels. He had treasures of gold and of pearl and 'made silver to be as common as stones' (1 Kings 10:27). For worldly joy: he had the flower and quintessence of all delights—sumptuous fare, stately edifices, vineyards, farms, all sorts of music to enchant and ravish the senses with joy. If there were any rarity—it was present in king Solomon's court. Thus did he bathe himself in the perfumed waters of pleasure. For wisdom: he was the oracle of his time. When the queen of Sheba came to pose him with hard questions, he gave a solution to all her queries (1 Kings 10:3). He had a key of knowledge to unlock nature's dark cabinet, so that if wisdom had been lost, it might have been found here, and the whole world might have lighted their understanding at Solomon's lamp! He was an earthly angel, so that a carnal eye surveying his glory would have been ready to imagine that Solomon had entered into that paradise out of which Adam was once driven, or that he had found another as good. Never did the world cast a more smiling aspect upon any man.