The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D., Volume 1 (of 9)

9. What he says in one of his sermons shews to what the corporeal afflictions of his later days may be ascribed: Midnight studies are prejudicial to nature, and painful experience calls me to repent of the faults of my younger years, and there are many before me have had the same call to repentance. Wearing out the lightsome hours in sleep is an unnatural waste of sun-beams. There is no light so friendly to animal nature as that of the sun. Serm. xx.

10. Letters published by Dr. Gibbons.

14. Mr. Samuel Price.

15. 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. John v. 35. Jer. xxiii. 29. Heb. iv. 12.

16. Acts xviii. 25. Rom. xii. 11.

17. In the fifth edition the three volumes in 12mo were reduced into two in octavo, and the prefaces abridged and united by the author.

18. 21st February, 1720-21.

19. 25th March, 1723.

20. They were first published 25th March, 1727.

21. In this complete collection of the author’s works there are large additions, as well as many alterations inserted in this sermon ‘On the Doctrine of the Trinity,’ from the author’s manuscripts. 1734.

22. This discourse was delivered at Tunbridge-wells.

23. The bible, of old, was written on several sheets of parchment tacked together, and rolled up in a volume.

24. These expressions may be sufficiently justified, if we consider Jepthah’s rash vow of sacrifice, which fell upon his only child; and Samson’s rude or unbecoming conduct in his amours with the Philistine woman at Timnah, the harlot at Gaza, and his Delilah at Sorek, his bloody quarrels, and his manner of life. The learned and pious Dr. Owen, as I have often been informed by his intimate friend Sir John Hartopp, called him a rude believer. He might have a strong faith of miracles; Heb. xi. 22. but a small share of that faith which purifies the heart.

25. I know the word blessed, when it is applied to God or Christ, generally signifies, that they are the objects of our blessing or praise, and it is thus translated from the originals, ברוך or ευλογητος: But in our tongue this word signifies also happy, and the original words אשרי and Μακαριος are frequently rendered blessed, to signify happiness, as in my text. Though, if our translators had always observed the distinction, the precise lease of the original had better appeared.

26. See the note toward the end of this part of the sermon, p. 151.

27. This discourse was delivered above twenty years ago, and the reader will observe some warmer efforts of imagination than riper years would indulge on a theme so sublime and abstruse. Since I have searched most studiously into this mystery of late, I have learned more of my own ignorance: so that when I speak of these unsearchables, I abate much of my younger assurance; nor do my later thoughts venture so far into the particular modes of explaining this sacred distinction in the godhead. There appears to me good reason to doubt, where there can be three distinct and different principles of consciousness, and three distinct and different wills in the one God, the one infinite Spirit. I was afraid to assert it in this sermon heretofore, and I am more afraid to assert it now. Reason and scripture join to teach me, that there can be but one God, and this God is a Spirit. What distinctions may be in this one Spirit, I know not: Yet, since I am fully established in the belief of the Deity of the blessed Three, though I know not the manner of explication, I dare let this discourse appear now in the world, as being agreeable so far to my present sentiments on this subject. A larger and more particular account of my most mature thought on the doctrine of the holy Trinity, may be seen in the last sermon of my third volume.—April 8, 1729.

29. See Sermon XXXIII.

31. See the two following sermons.

32. A little book published lately by Mr. Samuel Clark, of St. Alban’s, is of excellent use for this purpose. The title of it is “A Collection of the Promises of Scripture under their proper heads.” 1720.

33. That is an excellent treatise which Mr. Flavel has published against sinful fear, especially in times of public danger and persecution: And his little book of keeping the heart, has some valuable chapters in it, containing rich preservatives against this weakness of the mind.

34. Every circumstance that aggravates any crime, must aggravate it in a degree proportionable to that circumstance; otherwise we could never determine what is the degree of this aggravation, nor adjust the punishment in proportion to it. On this account, if the crime he committed against God, an infinite being, the guilt must be infinitely aggravated.

35. I grant, 1. That their continual persistence and obstinacy in sinful practices, may naturally render them continually miserable; and 2. This continued obstinacy may also, in a legal sense, merit continual new punishment. And perhaps, on these two reasons, the actual eternity of hell may be justly supported. But unless we suppose every wilful rebellion against the infinite Majesty of God, to have also a sort of infinite evil in it, I do not see that everlasting chains, and eternal fire, are a proper deserved punishment, legally due to their first rebellion, that is, to one act of sin.

36. Though we have no express revelation in scripture, that sacrifices were now instituted, yet there is abundant reason to believe it: For, 1. Abel offered bloody sacrifices. Now we can hardly suppose that Adam or Abel would ever invent such a strange ceremony to please God with it: Nor could reason ever dictate to them, that God, their Creator, would be pleased with such a bloody practice, as cutting his living creatures to pieces, and then burning them with fire. Nor would God who is jealous of his prerogative in matters of worship, ever have shewn his acceptance of these rites, if he himself had not appointed them. 2. Though we do not read that Adam offered sacrifice, yet it is plain he was not permitted to eat flesh; and therefore it is more probable, that when he killed beasts, it was for sacrifices: And God taught him to make cloathing for himself out of their skins. This was immediately after the fall.

37. It may be worthy our notice here, that blood is no very proper liquid for purification of any defilements, unless it be, as it represents death to be an atonement for the guilt of sin, which is a moral defilement of the soul. And yet Heb. ix. 22. Almost all things under the law are purged by blood: One would think water should be a much better cleanser: But we find this purging or cleaning signifies atonement for sin, when the very next words give us the reason why blood is appointed, viz. because pardon or remission is the thing sought; for without shedding of blood is no remission.

It is plain therefore, that to a guilty and defiled soul or conscience, every thing is defiled; as Tit. i. 13. But when both the people and their sacred utensils were sprinkled with blood, it denotes that all things are sanctified and pure, to those whose souls partake of the atonement of Christ, and whose sins are remitted through his bloody death.

38. I grant there are some other ingenious and probable reasons offered by the author of Miscellanea Sacra, why Christ did not communicate his gospel so completely to his disciples in his own life-time; Essay 1. p. 156-159, but what I have mentioned is sufficient for my purpose.

39. It was generally agreed that these gifts of the Holy Ghost were never set in such an illustrious light, for the defence of christianity, as in a late treatise, entitled Miscellanea Sacra, Essay I. especially from page 141 to the end.

40. Treatise on Death and Heaven, discourse II. sect. 2.

41. It was a custom in former days for merchants in their books of accounts to have “Laus Deo, or Praise to God,” written in the beginning of every leaf, and it stood on the head of the page in large and fair letters, to put them always in mind, that in their human affairs they should carry on a divine design for the glory of God.

HYMN FOR SERMON XLIII. Death a Blessing to the Saints.

HYMN FOR SERMON XLIII.
Death a Blessing to the Saints.