The One Thing Necessary, Title page – Dedication
THE ONE THING NECESSARY. Preached in a SERMON At Pauls, before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen of the City of LONDON, Aug. 31. 1656.
By Thomas Watson, Minister of Stephens Walbrook, LONDON.
The second Edition.
foreign.
Ignatius.
Heb. 2. 3.
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.
LONDON, Printed by E. M. for Ralph Smith, at the Bible in Cornhil, neer the Royal Exchange; And Thomas Parkhurst, at the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side against the Conduit. 1658.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE IOHN DETHICK, Lord Mayor of the City of LONDON.
Right Honourable,
IT was not in my thoughts to have published this Sermon (I looked upon it as too home-spun) but in regard it was your Lordships request to me at the first, and I have since received an invitation from your Honourable Court to that purpose, I knew not how to deny, lest while I did shun your loving commands, I should fall under your just censure. My Lord, it was my designe in this Sermon to call you off from the empty high-flown notions, and litigious, disputes of these times, to look after that which is more solid, and wherein, I am sure every man is very neerly concerned, Viz. the working out his salvation, Opus non pulvinaris, sed pulveris; a work it is that may call forth the most spiritful vigorous actings of the soul in the prosecution of it; pingimus aeternitati.— That work had need be well done which is for eternity.
My Lord, this is the true wisdom, to be wise to salvation *1 Tim. 5. 13.; By this godly policy we shall go beyond all the Politicians of the times; we shall escape hell, we shall be raised to the true foreign of honour; God will be our Father, Christ our Brother, the Spirit our Comforter, the Angels our Companions; when we die we shall carry a good conscience with us, and leave a good Name behinde us. I shall not further expatiate; I desire this Sermon may come under your Honours Patrociny; some little addition you will finde in the end of it, which I had before prepared for you, but wanted time to serve it in; The Lord enoble you with his Spirit, and crown you with soul-prosperity, which shall be the prayer of him, who is
Your Honours in all Gospel-service, Tho. Watson. From my Study at Steph. Walbrook, Octob. 15. 1656.