The Christian Soldier, or Heaven Taken by Storm
Overview
Thomas Watson acknowledged that the life of a Christian is a life of warfare. Living in a time when many were persecuted and martyred for their faith, and himself having been among 2,000 English clergymen who suffered ejection from their livings under the Act of Uniformity in 1662, Watson wrote this zealous exhortation to all who would listen, encouraging believers to advocate—and even suffer—for their faith.
Top Highlights
“What violence is meant here; it is an holy violence. This is twofold. 1. We must be violent for the truth. Here Pilate’s question will be moved, ‘What is truth?’ Truth is either the blessed word of God, which is called the Word of Truth. Or those doctrinals which are deduced from the Word, and agree with it as the dial with the sun, or the transcript with the original; as, the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of the creation, the doctrine of free-grace, justification by the blood of Christ, regeneration, resurrection of the dead and the life of glory: these truths we must be violent for, which is either by being advocates for them, or martyrs.” (Pages 16–17)
“Hence learn, what kind of ministry is like to do most good, namely, that which works upon the consciences of men. John Baptist did lift up his voice like a trumpet, he preached the doctrine of repentance with power, Matt. 3:2. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: He came hewing and cutting down men’s sins, and afterwards preached Christ to them. First, he poured in the vinegar of the law, then the wine of the gospel. This was that preaching which made men studiously seek after Heaven: John did not so much preach to please, as to profit; he chose rather to discover men’s sins, than to shew his own eloquence.” (Page 11)
“Meditation may be thus described; it is an holy exercise of the mind, whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance, and do seriously ponder upon them, and apply them to ourselves.” (Page 43)
“Tis the greatest mercy to have a soul-searching ministry. If one had a desperate wound, he would desire to have it searched to the bottom: who would not be content to have their souls searched, so they may have them saved?” (Page 12)
- Title: The Christian Soldier, or Heaven Taken by Storm
- Author: Thomas Watson
- Edition: Second American Edition
- Publisher: Robert Moore
- Print Publication Date: 1816
- Logos Release Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Christian life
- Resource ID: LLS:WRKSWATSON09
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-12T06:47:02Z
