 Thomas Watson is probably the best-known and best-loved of the English
Puritans. His writings on the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and
his Body of Divinity (Puritan language for a systematic theology) were
among the first books published by the Banner of Truth, and are still
among their best sellers. The details of his life are sketchy, but the
legacy of his preaching is not, thankfully.
He earned a Master of Arts degree from Emmanuel College in Cambridge,
known as the nursery of the Puritans. He completed his studies there in
1646, and began a 16 year pastorate at St. Stephen's Walbrook in
London. Along with Christopher Love, William Jenkyn, and others, he was
imprisoned in 1651 for his part in a plot to re-establish the monarchy.
While Love was beheaded, Watson and the others were released after
promising good behavior in the future. In 1662, after the Act of Uniformity was
passed by the Church of England, which cast over 2,000 Puritan pastors
and teachers out of their pulpits and lecterns, Watson was one of the
first to open a private meeting place. He retired to Essex in 1686, and
died there while praying in private. He is buried in the small church
where his father-in-law was the pastor.
Watson's writings include the following:
A Body of Divinity (Banner of Truth)
The Ten Commandments (Banner of Truth)
The Lord's Prayer (Banner of Truth)
Religion Our True Interest (Blue Banner Productions)
The Art of Divine Contentment (SDG)
A Plea for the Godly (SDG———out of print, but will be re-released in
mid-2000)
The Sermons of Thomas Watson (SDG———(temporarily out of print)
The Duty of Self-Denial (SDG)
The Mischief of Sin (SDG)
The Fight of Faith Crowned (SDG)
Heaven Taken by Storm (SDG)
Gleanings from Thomas Watson (SDG———selected quotes from his writings) |
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