Here in this book, you have a godly person's portrait, and you see him portrayed in his full qualities and features. What a rare thing godliness is! Godliness is a ray and beam that shines from God. If God is true, then godliness is true. Genuine godliness is not light and fluffy, but it is solid and will engage the heart and spirit.
Christian, aspire after piety; it is a lawful ambition. Look at the saints' characteristics here, and never stop until you have got those same characteristics stamped upon your own soul.
About the Author
Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686) was an English Nonconformist Puritan pastor and author, educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He served at St. Stephen Walbrook Church in London for 16 years and leaned toward Presbyterian views during the English Civil War. Imprisoned in 1651 and released the next year, Watson was forced to preach privately after 1662 but obtained a license to preach publicly in 1672. His writings include The Godly Man's Picture, The Ten Commandments, and The Body of Divinity. Watson's life was marked by devotion and trials, encapsulated by his saying, “A true Christian carries Christ in his heart and the cross on his shoulders.” He died in 1686 while praying.
