Required reading
Heaven taken by storm by Thomas Watson (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 8 (Offering violence by sanctifying the Lord's Day) and Chapter 9 (Offering violence by holy conversation).
My summary
Today Watson gives us two more ways a Christian may do violence to himself: by sanctifying the Lord's Day and holy conversation.
Firstly we are taught that if we are to sanctify the Lord's day we must:
(i) rest from all the works of our calling;
(ii) lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God;
(iii) dress and fit our souls for the receiving of the Word;
(iv) labour to be bettered by every Sabbath;
(v) dedicate the whole day to God;
(vi) rejoice in this day.
Secondly Watson calls us to holy conversation by considering that holy conversation:
(i) demonstrates what the heart is;
(ii) is very edifying;
(iii) makes us resemble Christ;
(iv) is noticed by God;
(v) will be a means to bring Christ into our company.
What grabbed me
I was helped by Watson's contrast of redemption and creation: 'Great was the work of creation; but greater the work of redemption. It cost more to redeem us than to make us. In the one, there was only the speaking a word, Psalm cxlviii. 5: in the other, the shedding of blood, Heb. ix. 22. The creation was the work of God's fingers, Psalm viii. 3: the redemption, the work of his arm, Luke i. 5. In creation God gave us ourselves; in redemption he gives us himself.'
The very blood of Christ was required for our redemption!
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 10 (The Christian offering violence to Satan), Chapter 11 (The Christian Offering violence to the World) and Chapter 12 (The Christian offering violence to heaven).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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