The Works of Thomas Watson (5 Volume Set)
Book Description
Thomas Watson’s published works, collected in a uniform set, indicate that he exercised an outstandingly helpful pulpit ministry. His material is simultaneously full of matter and of interest. Reading him some three centuries after the close of his ministry, it is easy to imagine the anticipation his congregation must have felt as they made their way to worship in St Stephen’s Walbrook each week.
The contents of Watson’s Works in recent decades have been rediscovered, largely due to the work of the Trust, and appreciated by many Christians, who have found that his exposition is as attractive as it is easy to follow, and as worship-producing as it is edifying.
This edition follows the editorial policy of George Rogers, principal of Spurgeon’s Pastors’ College, who prepared the 1869 edition of Body of Divinity. Also, where it was thought necessary, translations of foreign words and phrases have been added, as well as footnotes that help to elucidate the text. May the ‘happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience, and practical wisdom’ make these volumes useful to all who read them.
Author
Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686), the Puritan preacher and author, was probably born in Yorkshire, although the exact place and date of his birth are unknown. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (BA, 1639; MA, 1642), where he was apparently a diligent student. Certainly his intellect is apparent in his writings, which show a profound grasp of the English language, as well as a solid understanding of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He quotes from the early church fathers, and his familiarity with the breadth of the scriptural canon is stunning. Cross-references from the entire biblical corpus are sprinkled throughout his sermons, revealing a deep understanding of many texts obscure to most modern day Bible students. A solid understanding of history, botany, medicine, physics, the classics, logic, and various trades are revealed in his sermons.
In 1646 Watson went to St. Stephen’s, Walbrook, London, where he served as lecturer for about ten years, and then as rector for another six years. In about 1647, he married Abigail Beadle, daughter of John Beadle, an Essex minister of Puritan convictions. They had at least seven children in the next thirteen years, four of whom died young.
During the Civil War, Watson began expressing his strong Presbyterian views. He had sympathy for the king, however. He was one of the Presbyterian ministers who went to Oliver Cromwell to protest the execution of Charles I. Along with Christopher Love, William Jenkyn, and others, he was imprisoned in 1651 for his part in a plot to restore the monarchy. Although Love was beheaded, Watson and the others were released after petitioning for mercy.
Watson was formally reinstated to his pastorate in Walbrook in 1652. With the Act of Uniformity in 1662, Watson was ejected from his pastorate. He continued to preach in private whenever he had the opportunity. In 1666, after the Great Fire of London, Watson prepared a large room for public worship, welcoming anyone who wished to attend. After the Declaration of Indulgence took effect in 1672, Watson obtained a license for Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate, which belonged to Sir John Langham, a patron of nonconformists. Watson preached there for three years before Stephen Charnock joined him. They ministered together until Charnock’s death in 1680.
Watson kept working until his health failed. He then retired to Barnston, in Essex, where he died suddenly in 1686 while engaged in private prayer. Watson’s works – several of which have been republished by the Trust – are a legacy that have continued to be a blessing to those who love sound, heart-searching exposition of the Scriptures.
Additional Information
Cover: 5 Hardcover Volumes
Publisher: Banner of Truth Trust
Publication Date: 2026