Although Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1689) issued several most valuable books, comparatively little is known of him. We are not even sure about the exact dates of his birth and death. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Many puritan preachers received their education there. Emmanuel College was a nursery of preachers who stressed the absolute need of practical piety. While at Cambridge Watson enjoyed the repute of being a most laborious student.
After completing his course with honour Watson became rector of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook. There in the very heart of London he executed for nearly sixteen years the office of a faithful pastor with great diligence and assiduity. He was one of the most popular preachers in London during the Puritan era. With about 2000 other ministers Watson left the Church of England after the Act of Uniformity became law in 1662. With many tears and lamentations the congregation of St. Stephen’s saw their shepherd removed from his flock.
After his ejection Watson preached occasionally whenever he could do so with safety. Fines and imprisonments were insufficient to close the mouths of the faithful witnesses of Jesus. In barns, kitchens, outhouses, or dells and woods, the faithful few gathered to hear the message of eternal life. After the great fire of London Watson and several other dissenting ministers fitted up large rooms for those who had an inclination to attend.
Upon the Act of Indulgence in 1672 he licensed the great hall in Crosby House, on the east side of Bishopsgatestreet, then belonging to Sir John Langham (a dissenter). It was a happy circumstance that the worthy baronet favoured the dissenting cause, and that so noble a chamber was at his disposal. Here Watson preached for several years. The rev. Stephen Charnock became joint pastor with him at Crosby Hall in 1675. Watson at length returned to Essex where he died suddenly, in his closet at prayer, as is supposed, about 1689 or 1690.
The writings of Watson are characterized by clarity, raciness and spiritual richness. A Divine Cordial was first published in 1663. It is a commentary on Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” A Divine Cordial is a characteristic specimen of puritan exposition of the Scripture. The exposition of Scripture is directed to a life of godliness. We find a happy union of exegesis, sound doctrine, heart searching experience and practical wisdom.
A Divine Cordial consists of nine chapters. In the first two chapters Watson considers what things works for the good of the godly and he shows that both the good and the worst things answer to that design. God’s attributes works for good to the godly. The power of God supplies our wants, supports us in trouble, subdues our corruptions and conquers our enemies. Also his promises work for good. Are we under the guilt of sin? There is a promise of forgiveness. Are we under defilement of sin? He has made a promise of sending his Spirit to sanctify us. Are we in trouble. There is a promise: “He is their strength in the time of trouble” (Psalm 37:39).
The promises are the milk of faith. Faith finds nourishment in them. Watson also mentions the mercies of God. The mercies of God have a melting influence on the soul; they make the heart fruitful and thankful. The Lord’ Supper works for good of the godly. It is an earnest of that communion we shall have with Christ in glory. The graces of the saints have an important place in their life of faith. They are their evidences for heaven. The whole company of angels is employed for the good of the saints.
The communion with fellow saints is a means to confirm us in the Christian faith. One aspect of the communion of the saints is that they pray for each other. Far more important than the prayers of the saints for each other is the prayer of Christ for his Church. He prays that we may be kept from sin, for our progress in holiness and for our glorification. Christ is not contend until the saints are in his arms. Christ’s prayers take away the sins of our prayers.
The worst things are a fruit of the curse. Thought they are naturally evil, the wise overruling hand of God sanctifies them so that they work for good to the godly. Afflictions teach us to humble us before God. They teach us what sin is and conforms us to Christ. They are the means of loosening our hearts form the world. They also work for good, because they make way for comfort. In God’s providence temptations of the Satan, the sin and the world work for our good. They send our souls to prayer. They abate the swelling of pride and are a touchstone to try what is in our hearts.
Those who have known temptations, are made fit to comfort others in distress. The evil of desertion works for the good of the godly. We desert God before He deserts us. Desertion cures the soul of sloth and inordinate affection of the world. It sets the soul seeking after God. In its own nature sin is damnable, but God in his own wisdom overrules it and causes good to arise form that which most opposes it. Sin makes the saints weary of this life. The indwelling corruption makes the saints prize Christ more and puts him upon self-abasing and reformation of his life. Watson warns against abuse of this doctrine. Sin works for good only in saints and not in impenitent persons. He warns God’s children never to make light of sin or to make bold with sin.
In the third chapter Watson declares why all things work for good. Things in the world are in last instance not governed by second causes, but be God’s providence. In Christ is God for all the saints a merciful God and loving Father. He has made an everlasting covenant with his people. In chapter four Watson speaks about the love to God. He defines it as an expansion of the soul, by which a Christian breathes after God as the supreme and sovereign good. The ground of our love to God is our knowledge of Him as a merciful God. We cannot love that which we do not know. Our love to God ought to be entire and sincere. It must also be fervent, active and permanent. Watson ends chapter four with a sharp reproof to them that do not love God.
In chapter five several tests of love to God are mentioned in order that as man may examine himself. The first fruit of love is that we set our mind upon God. The next is desire of communion. Another is grieving for our sins and hatred against sin. Those who love God, crucify their own flesh. They love what God loves, obey his commandments and long for Christ’s appearance. If we love God, we shall not think any work too mean for us. The sixth chapter is an exhortation to love God. With many motives Watson earnestly persuades all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. God desires our love and deserves our love. If we love God, we most labour to preserve it. To keep our love from going out, we must watch our heart every day. Finally, Watson exhorts Christians to increase their love to God.
In chapter seven Watson speaks about the effectual calling. Calling is made the middle link of predestination and glorification. Watson in this chapters makes the famous distinction, going back to Augustine and ultimately to the Scripture itself, between the outward an inward calling. The outward call is God’s tender of grace in the gospel. This external call is insufficient for salvation, yet sufficient to leave men without excuse. By the inward call God wonderfully overpowers the heart. Before we are inwardly called we are in a state of vassalage. We are in the darkness and in a state of impotency and pollution. The means of the internal call are God’s Word and his Spirit.
The Lord does not tie Himself to a particular way or use the same order with all. Such as have godly parents often do not know how or when they were called. The Lord did secretly and gradually instill grace into their hearts. They know by the heavenly effects that they are called, but the time and manner they don not know. To other God comes with a rough wind. He deeply humbles them and afterwards sows the seed of consolation. The effectual or inward call has several properties. It is a sweet and holy call. It is also an irresistible and unchangeable call. Every man is by sin in fetters. God by his converting grace must fill off his fetters.
The end of the effectual calling is the honour of God. Watson gives an answer to the question how we can know that we are effectually called. He that is called savingly, is called out of himself, not only out of sinful self, but out of righteous self. He denies his duties and moral endowments. This self-renunciation is the first step to saving faith. In effectual calling there is a three-fold change wrought. There is a change in the understanding, will and conduct. By effectual calling a man learns to see the evil of sin and the excellency of the ways of God. The will which was before opposed to Christ now embraces Him.
Chapter eight consists of exhortations to those who are effectually called. We are to admire and adore God’s free grace in calling us and to pity those who are not yet called. In our conduct we are to honour our calling. In the last chapter Watson speaks about God’s eternal purpose. We must ascribe the whole work of our salvation to the pleasure of God’s will. God’s purpose is the cause of our salvation and not free-will. If it is God’s purpose that saves then all human merits are excluded. God’s purpose is not only the ground of our salvation, but also the ground of our assurance. God’s children are comforted that God loves them with an endless love, because He loves them with a love without a beginning.
In the Series Puritan Paperbacks the Banner of Truth has republished A Divine Cordial under the title All Things for Good (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth, 2021), paperback 128 pp., £4,– (ISBN 9780851514789)
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