Quotes from Thomas Watson

The bare knowledge of God's will is inefficacious, it doth not better the heart. Knowledge alone is like a winter sun, which hath no heat or influence; it doth not warm the affections, or purify the conscience. Judas was a great luminary, he knew God's will, but he was a traitor.

God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer.

Either sin must drown in the tears of repentance—or the soul must burn in hell.

If God spares us as a father does his son, let us imitate God. It is natural for children to imitate their parents. Let us imitate God in this one thing: As God spares us, and passes by many failures, so let us be sparing in our censures of others; let us look upon the weaknesses and indiscretions of our brethren with...a more tender, compassionate eye. How much God bears with us!

The race is short between the cradle and the grave!

If you set your love on worldly things, they will not satisfy.

The word preached is not only to inform you but reform you;

Affliction promotes holiness. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles!

It is not how much we do, but how much we love.

Many like to hear of the love of Christ, but not of loving their enemies; they like the comforts of the word, but not its reproofs.

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. A contented spirit says, 'let God apply what medicine he pleases and let it remain as long as it will, I know that when it has done it's cure and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart, God will take it off again.

It is better to go to heaven with a few, than to hell in the crowd.