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The Christian Soldier, or Heaven Taken by Storm: Showing the Holy Violence a Christian Is to Put Forth in the Pursuit After Glory
This Is A New Release Of The Original 1810 Edition.
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1669
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
April 29, 2012
Watson is by far and away my favorite Puritan writer. This book is crammed full of pithy wisdom and evangelical fervor.
September 13, 2025
Fantastic stuff.
March 4, 2025
This turned out to be one of my favorite puritan books. Will definitely come back to this. First book by the puritans I’ve read on the Church militant, and Watson did not disappoint. As always, a deep well of Biblical truth sweetened with such great illustrations. The Lord used this to stoke the fire of the pursuit of holiness and using every minute for the glory of God. The meek inherit the earth but the violent inherit heaven. The minor labors intensely for the reward of perishable gold. How much more ought we to labor for the reward of an imperishable kingdom? Look how hard the runner trains and disciplines oneself for a withering wreath. How much more ought we to train and discipline ourselves in godliness, in hope of the unfading crown of glory. We must offer holy violence unto our own souls, the world, and the devil.
Christ purchased our salvation with his blood, will we not sweat?
“Heaven is inherited by the violent. Our life is military, Christ is our Captain, the gospel is the banner, the graces are our spiritual artillery, and heaven is only taken in a forcible way”
Christ purchased our salvation with his blood, will we not sweat?
“Heaven is inherited by the violent. Our life is military, Christ is our Captain, the gospel is the banner, the graces are our spiritual artillery, and heaven is only taken in a forcible way”
September 20, 2021
I've been reading lots of Puritans lately, and mostly just chugging them down. This is one I'm going to open up again very soon and sip more slowly. I think there's lots here that's just basic training/discipleship that I just never learned. Not sure if trying to get it from a book will work (few things ever have), but when books are all you've got, you've gotta at least try.
September 6, 2022
One of my favorite books from Thomas Watson. Some favorite quotes:
"If you would be violent for Heaven—take heed of too much violence after the world. The world cools holy affections. The earth puts out the fire... The ship cannot go full sail to the east and west at the same time. Just so, a man cannot be violent for Heaven and earth at once: he may have Christ and the world—but cannot love Christ and the world. He who is all on fire for the world, will be all ice for Heaven. Take heed of engaging your affections too far in these earthly things. Use the world as your servant—but do not follow it as your master."
"O think how many mercies you still enjoy; yet our base hearts are more discontent at one loss, than thankful for a hundred mercies. God hath plucked one bunch of grapes from you; but how many precious clusters are left behind!”
"Indulging in sin, will spoil all effort for Heaven. The more lively the heart is in sin, the more dead it is in prayer. How can he be earnest with God for mercy, whose heart accuses him of secret sin? Guilt breeds fear, and that which strengthens fear, weakens violence...Therefore lay the axe to the root! Let sin be hewn down! Do not only abstain from sin in the act--but let the love of sin be mortified, and let every sin be put to the sword!"
"If you would be violent for Heaven—take heed of too much violence after the world. The world cools holy affections. The earth puts out the fire... The ship cannot go full sail to the east and west at the same time. Just so, a man cannot be violent for Heaven and earth at once: he may have Christ and the world—but cannot love Christ and the world. He who is all on fire for the world, will be all ice for Heaven. Take heed of engaging your affections too far in these earthly things. Use the world as your servant—but do not follow it as your master."
"O think how many mercies you still enjoy; yet our base hearts are more discontent at one loss, than thankful for a hundred mercies. God hath plucked one bunch of grapes from you; but how many precious clusters are left behind!”
"Indulging in sin, will spoil all effort for Heaven. The more lively the heart is in sin, the more dead it is in prayer. How can he be earnest with God for mercy, whose heart accuses him of secret sin? Guilt breeds fear, and that which strengthens fear, weakens violence...Therefore lay the axe to the root! Let sin be hewn down! Do not only abstain from sin in the act--but let the love of sin be mortified, and let every sin be put to the sword!"
March 6, 2024
Watson uses Matthew 11:12 “.. now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take take it by force.” Symbolically for the Christian life. The word “violent” is intended to be synonymous with language of “wrestle” and “strive” we see elsewhere in Scripture.
We offer violence not as a means of obtaining heaven but because heaven has been obtained for us. We offer violence to:
- ourselves (sin)
- Satan (enemy)
- the world (pleasures)
- to heaven (holiness)
Watson offers several great points on offering violence that are brief and powerful. He is able to ascribe much gravity to how we live as a Christian and emphasizes that this is not lackadaisical work, but a violent endeavor that requires all of our attention.
Very helpful and devotional. 4.5 stars
We offer violence not as a means of obtaining heaven but because heaven has been obtained for us. We offer violence to:
- ourselves (sin)
- Satan (enemy)
- the world (pleasures)
- to heaven (holiness)
Watson offers several great points on offering violence that are brief and powerful. He is able to ascribe much gravity to how we live as a Christian and emphasizes that this is not lackadaisical work, but a violent endeavor that requires all of our attention.
Very helpful and devotional. 4.5 stars
February 17, 2026
Verwacht geen exegetisch betoog, maar een geestelijk-praktikale uiteenzetting van de wijze waarop christenen zich dienen in te zetten om de hemelse heerlijkheid te beërven. Een verhandeling die geestelijk verlangen aanwakkert en vleselijke verlangens ontmaskert.
April 6, 2022
Just beginning to read this as part of my morning devotions with the kids.
December 31, 2021
Excelente reflexão de Watson sobre a forma como somos salvos.
June 8, 2022
Realized too late that I'd read this already under another title. Fortunately, it was worth rereading! Unfortunately, the narrator was pretty bad, and I could have relistened to the better one.
August 17, 2023
Excellent book. Very convicting. Listened on Audible.
December 12, 2016
This was really good. Thomas Watson is renowned as a particularly gifted writer, and the imagery in this book was beautiful. I found this book both convicting and encouraging. His thesis boils down to this: that the Christian is called to be strenuous in his pursuit of holiness. Refreshingly, Watson's strenuousness includes a strenuousness of the affections: against the tendency in the reformed church today to despise emotion and elevate reason, Watson encourages us to love the Lord our God with all our faculties, reason and emotion.
I had some reservations about this book. Watson seems to fall prey to that strand of Christian thinking that calls Christians to disengage themselves from the world of physical things - wealth, labour, food - in order to better fit themselves for the next. Granted, this strand has a long history in the church, but I think it's still an error. Watson uses "the world" to mean the material goods with which God has endowed his creation, but I think that "the world" as used by the apostles does not refer to material goods but to spiritual evils. When Christ said, "If ye were of the the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you" - he could not possibly have been speaking of inanimate objects with no moral volition. He had to be speaking of the "children of disobedience", the "crooked and perverse generation" - the people ruled by the spirit of the world, not the material goods of the world. It is "the world" as a moral, responsible agent that the Scriptures warn against, and not "the world" as the physical realm.
Nevertheless, four stars, and I'll certainly be reading more of Watson.
I had some reservations about this book. Watson seems to fall prey to that strand of Christian thinking that calls Christians to disengage themselves from the world of physical things - wealth, labour, food - in order to better fit themselves for the next. Granted, this strand has a long history in the church, but I think it's still an error. Watson uses "the world" to mean the material goods with which God has endowed his creation, but I think that "the world" as used by the apostles does not refer to material goods but to spiritual evils. When Christ said, "If ye were of the the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you" - he could not possibly have been speaking of inanimate objects with no moral volition. He had to be speaking of the "children of disobedience", the "crooked and perverse generation" - the people ruled by the spirit of the world, not the material goods of the world. It is "the world" as a moral, responsible agent that the Scriptures warn against, and not "the world" as the physical realm.
Nevertheless, four stars, and I'll certainly be reading more of Watson.
May 30, 2016
If not for the seventeenth-century writing style, I would be convinced that this book must have been written during my lifetime. That's how relevant it is to twenty-first century Christians. Just as in Watson's day, we are so zealous to follow after earthly and worldly pursuits but find it so challenging to exert this same zeal for God and eternity.
This is not a book espousing salvation by works. Watson makes it clear that Christ is the one who saves. But this truth doesn't negate the fact that the Bible places demands on believers to run the race, fight, press toward the mark, take up the cross, follow, etc. Watson sums it up well: "[O]thers say, Christ has died for sinners; and so they leave him to do all for them and they will do nothing." Today, we would call that "Let go and let God." The fact is, we as Christians are expected to strive, to work, to be holy. We do those things, with the power of the Holy Spirit (Watson makes this point explicitly clear as well!). Watson wants each of us always to be active in God's service, to be zealous, to have our affections fixed solely on eternal things.
Reading this book did not discourage me regarding how much effort the Christian life demands; rather, it impressed upon me my responsibility to serve God in the power of the Holy Spirit. My pastor has a saying he likes to remind us of often, and I think it fits perfectly with the message of this book: "Work like it all depends on you, and pray and have faith like it all depends upon God."
A great book to read at the start of another year of service for God!
This is not a book espousing salvation by works. Watson makes it clear that Christ is the one who saves. But this truth doesn't negate the fact that the Bible places demands on believers to run the race, fight, press toward the mark, take up the cross, follow, etc. Watson sums it up well: "[O]thers say, Christ has died for sinners; and so they leave him to do all for them and they will do nothing." Today, we would call that "Let go and let God." The fact is, we as Christians are expected to strive, to work, to be holy. We do those things, with the power of the Holy Spirit (Watson makes this point explicitly clear as well!). Watson wants each of us always to be active in God's service, to be zealous, to have our affections fixed solely on eternal things.
Reading this book did not discourage me regarding how much effort the Christian life demands; rather, it impressed upon me my responsibility to serve God in the power of the Holy Spirit. My pastor has a saying he likes to remind us of often, and I think it fits perfectly with the message of this book: "Work like it all depends on you, and pray and have faith like it all depends upon God."
A great book to read at the start of another year of service for God!
April 4, 2023
1st published in 1669, and until recently long out of print, this was my 1st book by Thomas Watson. He is generally considered one of the more easily accessible Puritan writers for those who are new to them. I would say that is very true. Interestingly, reading Watson I often found myself thinking I was reading a work of A.W. Tozer - their voices seem so similar to me. Heaven Taken by Storm is a wonderful and many-faceted treatise on the necessity and nature of zeal in the Christian life. As an added bonus to the primary work, there are 2 appendices (really just essays or sermons), one on how to study and read scripture, and another on drawing near to God.
Anyway, this book is excellent and gets the 5th star just as Tozer always does. I am looking forward to reading his most famous work, A Body of Divinity: Contained in Sermons upon the Westminster Assembly's Catechism.
Anyway, this book is excellent and gets the 5th star just as Tozer always does. I am looking forward to reading his most famous work, A Body of Divinity: Contained in Sermons upon the Westminster Assembly's Catechism.
August 10, 2020
Like many of the works of Thomas Watson (in my opinion a far under appreciated Puritan), this is a short and simple read. It shows that though God has providentially provided all we need, man. Is not without his own responsibility. Watson tells that humanity cannot go on in lawlessness. The language of violence talks about the seriousness that we must take our faith, but which u fortunately not many do. Each point rests on several biblical examples. Surely, Watson is an example to be emulated by today’s lackluster pastors.
March 8, 2023
Great and classic little book on the spiritual disciplines. Very convicting! Watson has a knack for this! It's more of an introduction though than a how to, and so not a ton of practical stuff on how to implement each discipline specifically. Extremely good introductory book to both the spiritual disciplines, and the puritans! The exhortations at the end of the book go deep and aren't for the faint of heart!
July 1, 2021
I thoroughly love reading the Puritans and this book certainly didn’t disappoint. Watson has a way with analogies that really drives home his point and causes them to stick with you. This book is on the topic of “the holy violence a Christian is to Put Forth in the Pursuit After Glory”. My favorite chapters were the ones on “Prayer and Meditation” and also “Offering Violence to Satan and the World”. This is a short read but there is much to chew on. Highly recommend.
March 1, 2020
Watson never ceases to be used by the Lord as a tool to bring conviction and drive me to my knees in repentance. Heaven taken by storm means we are to take up or cross and the sword of His word and get violent with our sin! The battle has already been proclaimed victorious, participate and receive the reward of eternal life with Christ in Heaven!
August 24, 2023
2023: Read again. Still an absolute favorite.
2017:This is probably going to be my best book of 2017. It's a must-read and should be re-read periodically. Was recommended strongly by Joel Beeke and now I understand why! It cuts and comforts, challenges and edifies.
2017:This is probably going to be my best book of 2017. It's a must-read and should be re-read periodically. Was recommended strongly by Joel Beeke and now I understand why! It cuts and comforts, challenges and edifies.
September 27, 2020
In this book Watson shares profound insights related to the Christian faith. You'll need an alert mind when reading it, because he is a deep thinker. But he shares many spiritual insights that will make you evaluate your own walk with Christ.
April 23, 2025
One of the most wonderful books I have read. Thomas Watson is the man, as usual. He is working through the issue of sanctification in the Christian life, and how the Christian is called to offer holy violence in the pursuit after glory. We are pilgrims through this barren land, but we do not ride the lazy river to heaven, rather, we are armored for battle and must fight towards the kingdom of God. "Though we shall not obtain the kingdom without violence, yet it shall not be obtained for our violence. When we have done all, look up to Christ and free grace... though we are saved in the use of means, yet it is by grace... Our laboring qualifies us for heaven, but Christ's dying purchased heaven." (86-87). Watson clearly and succinctly balances the parallel doctrines of justification and sanctification in the duty of the Christian to fight towards heaven by the grace of God. We cannot merit heaven by our violence, but we can and must offer violence in pursuit of the kingdom of God, laying aside all those things which cling to us and clamor for our affections, and put on Christ and desire to see his face.
March 2, 2025
Watson does it again! Such an encouraging book that leads the reader to be in awe of who God is, and in this specific book he really challenges the believer to use violence to enter the kingdom of heaven. What he means is that Satan and sin are waging war against our soul and if we do not battle valiantly against them there is a huge danger for our souls.
The one problem one could have with this book is that at times it might seem like he is saying the kingdom of heaven is taken by our own effort alone. Watson avoids this, however, by clearly stating that it is Christ's work alone that saves us. What he is arguing is that grace does not work alone. We are saved by grace to do works in keeping with our salvation. This is with the book is all about. It truly makes you see that the kingdom of God is the most important thing in the universe, and because of this, take it by storm!
So read this book! It is worth every penny!
The one problem one could have with this book is that at times it might seem like he is saying the kingdom of heaven is taken by our own effort alone. Watson avoids this, however, by clearly stating that it is Christ's work alone that saves us. What he is arguing is that grace does not work alone. We are saved by grace to do works in keeping with our salvation. This is with the book is all about. It truly makes you see that the kingdom of God is the most important thing in the universe, and because of this, take it by storm!
So read this book! It is worth every penny!
Read
May 27, 2019Not Watson's best, but that still means that it's quite good.
Watson challenges the modern concept that the journey to heaven is a lackadaisical stroll, showing that is rather a matter of holy warfare. We are to take heaven by storm by zealously using the means and following hard after Christ. We are also to use holy violence against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The RHB edition which I read also included 2 sermons as appendices. They were 1) The Happiness of Drawing Near to God and 2) How to Read the Scriptures For the Most Spiritual Profit. Very good.
Watson challenges the modern concept that the journey to heaven is a lackadaisical stroll, showing that is rather a matter of holy warfare. We are to take heaven by storm by zealously using the means and following hard after Christ. We are also to use holy violence against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The RHB edition which I read also included 2 sermons as appendices. They were 1) The Happiness of Drawing Near to God and 2) How to Read the Scriptures For the Most Spiritual Profit. Very good.
March 24, 2026
I enjoyed it and was spurred on to “show holy violence.” It did feel a bit one-sided in that he’s like you need to be doing XYZ but then had maybe two sentences on the work of grace in doing those things…he also gave a lot of theories but not a lot of practical ideas.
April 20, 2023
No wonder Thomas Watson is esteemed as one of the most quotable puritans. So many thoughts/expositions in so little a book. Worth re-reading in the future. I recommend if you want to regain the first love and find the lost zeal for God.
January 22, 2025
A Christian kick in the pants
May 28, 2019
Excellent. Written as only a Puritan could write.
October 31, 2024
packed incredibly rich with the argument for continuous effort in the spiritual life amidst joys, provision, pains, sufferings, trials, temptations
Read
April 11, 2025Excellent.
August 23, 2020
Thomas Watson is my favorite Puritan writer (at least thus far in my reading.) His books are always convicting, and this one is no exception. It is an eloquent call to a living Christianity, full of life and zeal and holy warfare.
I'll just conclude by including with the section of the book that stood out to me the most, the beginning of the chapter, "Use of Examinations":
"1. Do we strive with our hearts to get them into a holy frame? How did David awaken all the powers of his soul to serve God, Psalm 87:6. "I myself will awake early."
2. Do we set time apart to call ourselves to account, and to try our evidences for Heaven? Psalm lxxxvii. 6. "My spirit made diligent search." Do we take our hearts as a watch all in pieces, to see what is amiss and to mend it? Are we meticulously inquisitive into the state of our souls? Are we afraid of artificial grace, as of artificial happiness?
3. Do we use violence in prayer? Is there fire in our sacrifice? Does the wind of the Spirit, filling our sails, cause "groans unutterable?" Romans viii. 25. Do we pray in the morning as if we were to die at night?
4. Do we thirst for the living God? Are our souls big with holy desires? Psalm lxxiii. 25. "There is none upon earth that I desire beside you." Do were desire holiness as well as Heaven? Do we desire as much to look like Christ, as to live with Christ? Is our desire constant? Is this spiritual pulse always beating?
5. Are we skilled in self-denial? Can we deny our ease, our aims, our interest? Can we cross our own will to fulfill God's? Can we behead our beloved sin? To pluck out the right eye requires violence.
6. Are we lovers of God? It is not how much we do—but how much we love. Does love command the castle of our hearts? Does Christ's beauty and sweetness constrain us? 2 Cor. v. 14. Do we love God more than we fear hell?
7. Do we keep our spiritual watch? Do we set spies in every place, watching our thoughts, our eyes, our tongues? When we have prayed against sin, do we watch against temptation? The Jews, having sealed the stone of Christ's sepulcher, 'set a watch," Matt. xxvii. 66. After we have been at the Word, do we set a watch?
8. Do we press after further degrees of sanctity? Phil iii. 13. "Reaching forth unto those things which are before." A godly Christian is a wonder; he is the most contented yet the least satisfied: he is contented with a little of the world—but not satisfied with a little grace; he would have still more faith and be anointed with fresh oil. Paul desired to "attain unto the resurrection of the dead," Phil. iii. 11, that is, he endeavored (if possible) to arrive at such a measure of grace as the saints shall have at the resurrection.
9. Is there a holy emulation in us? Do we labor to out-shine others in piety? To be more eminent for love and good works? Do we something which is singular? Matt. v. 47. "What do you do, more than others?"
10. Are we got above the world? Though we walk on earth, do we trade in Heaven? Can we say as David? Psalm cxxxxix. 17. "I am still with you." This requires violence; for motions upward are usually violent.
11. Do we set ourselves always under God's eye? Psalm xvi. 8. "I have set the Lord always before me." Do we live soberly and godly, remembering that whatever we are doing our Judge looks on?"
I'll just conclude by including with the section of the book that stood out to me the most, the beginning of the chapter, "Use of Examinations":
"1. Do we strive with our hearts to get them into a holy frame? How did David awaken all the powers of his soul to serve God, Psalm 87:6. "I myself will awake early."
2. Do we set time apart to call ourselves to account, and to try our evidences for Heaven? Psalm lxxxvii. 6. "My spirit made diligent search." Do we take our hearts as a watch all in pieces, to see what is amiss and to mend it? Are we meticulously inquisitive into the state of our souls? Are we afraid of artificial grace, as of artificial happiness?
3. Do we use violence in prayer? Is there fire in our sacrifice? Does the wind of the Spirit, filling our sails, cause "groans unutterable?" Romans viii. 25. Do we pray in the morning as if we were to die at night?
4. Do we thirst for the living God? Are our souls big with holy desires? Psalm lxxiii. 25. "There is none upon earth that I desire beside you." Do were desire holiness as well as Heaven? Do we desire as much to look like Christ, as to live with Christ? Is our desire constant? Is this spiritual pulse always beating?
5. Are we skilled in self-denial? Can we deny our ease, our aims, our interest? Can we cross our own will to fulfill God's? Can we behead our beloved sin? To pluck out the right eye requires violence.
6. Are we lovers of God? It is not how much we do—but how much we love. Does love command the castle of our hearts? Does Christ's beauty and sweetness constrain us? 2 Cor. v. 14. Do we love God more than we fear hell?
7. Do we keep our spiritual watch? Do we set spies in every place, watching our thoughts, our eyes, our tongues? When we have prayed against sin, do we watch against temptation? The Jews, having sealed the stone of Christ's sepulcher, 'set a watch," Matt. xxvii. 66. After we have been at the Word, do we set a watch?
8. Do we press after further degrees of sanctity? Phil iii. 13. "Reaching forth unto those things which are before." A godly Christian is a wonder; he is the most contented yet the least satisfied: he is contented with a little of the world—but not satisfied with a little grace; he would have still more faith and be anointed with fresh oil. Paul desired to "attain unto the resurrection of the dead," Phil. iii. 11, that is, he endeavored (if possible) to arrive at such a measure of grace as the saints shall have at the resurrection.
9. Is there a holy emulation in us? Do we labor to out-shine others in piety? To be more eminent for love and good works? Do we something which is singular? Matt. v. 47. "What do you do, more than others?"
10. Are we got above the world? Though we walk on earth, do we trade in Heaven? Can we say as David? Psalm cxxxxix. 17. "I am still with you." This requires violence; for motions upward are usually violent.
11. Do we set ourselves always under God's eye? Psalm xvi. 8. "I have set the Lord always before me." Do we live soberly and godly, remembering that whatever we are doing our Judge looks on?"
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