What do you think?
Rate this book
Heaven Taken by Storm: Or, the Christian Solider
144 pages, Paperback
Published August 12, 2025
About the author
Thomas Watson
682 books251 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Thomas Watson (c. 1620 - 1686) was an English, non-conformist, Puritan preacher and author. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen's, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love's plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on 30 June 1652, and was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook. He obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Not withstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28 July 1686.
(Information from wikipedia.org)
Thomas Watson (c. 1620 - 1686) was an English, non-conformist, Puritan preacher and author. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen's, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love's plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on 30 June 1652, and was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook. He obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Not withstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28 July 1686.
(Information from wikipedia.org)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 7, 2026
“The first climbing up the rocky hill of heaven is hard to flesh and blood, but when we are gotten up towards the top, there is peace and delight. We see a pleasant prospect, and are ready to cry out as Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration, ‘It is good to be here.’ What hidden Manna do we now find! This is the anticipation or foretaste of glory.”
Watson writes a challenging treatise on what it means to take Heaven by violence, taking reference from Matthew 11:22 “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” His call for the Christian to take up arms in the personal mortification of sin, to war against the devil, against the snares of this world, to strive to live for Heaven, with eyes, will, soul, mind, and affections focussed upwards, is incredibly compelling and convicting. Watson writes in such a timeless fashion it’s almost hard to believe it was written in 1669.
Watson writes a challenging treatise on what it means to take Heaven by violence, taking reference from Matthew 11:22 “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” His call for the Christian to take up arms in the personal mortification of sin, to war against the devil, against the snares of this world, to strive to live for Heaven, with eyes, will, soul, mind, and affections focussed upwards, is incredibly compelling and convicting. Watson writes in such a timeless fashion it’s almost hard to believe it was written in 1669.
April 21, 2026
If you asked Joel Beeke “What’s the one Puritan book you recommend to every Christian?” he’d answer Thomas Watson’s “Heaven Taken by Storm” as in his own words, “it teaches practically how to use the Christian disciplines and how to live the Christian life with passion to God’s glory.”
This is the latest in the series, 63/63 of Puritan Paperbacks. Of note, I’ve skipped to the end due to Banner of Truth’s complete absence of any ‘holy violence’ in updating their version of “Learning in Christ’s School” (#27/63). Hence, I’ll begin working my way backwards from #63 until Lord Willing by the time I travel to 27 in a year or so they’ll finally have it out for sale. I digress…
Thomas Watson, one who’s quickly becoming my latest “favorite Puritan” uses Matthew 11:12 as his foundational text in explaining that “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.” His thesis is that “though heaven be given us freely, yet we must contend for it … we must not only put forth diligence, but violence.” His ultimate purpose is to affirm the following doctrine: “The right way to take heaven is by storm: or thus, none get into heaven but violent ones.”
What a contrast to the Christian books on the shelves these days which are marked by easy believism and carnal Christianity! This reminded me of a great book by AW Tozer called: “This World: Playground or Battleground.” Unfortunately, our society approaches most aspects of their lives (from work, parenting, to even vacation planning) with passionate “violence” but when it comes to the “pilgrim’s progress” of their souls are marred by apathy and indolence. Watson is quick to label such an attitude as a grave cause for concern while exhorting us to “be sure you make going to heaven your business … a man looks upon his trade as the only thing to get a livelihood by, and he follows it close: so if we would but look upon religion as the main business wherein our salvation is concerned, we should be violent in it.”
After arguing the necessity of spiritual violence, he explains the four targets where this violence ought to be aimed at:
1. “He Must Offer Violence to Himself”
- “In the best of saints there is something that needs mortifying; much pride, envy, passion; therefore mortification is called crucifixion (Gal. 5:24), which is not done suddenly: every day some limb of the ‘body of death’ must drop off.”
2. “We Must Offer Violence to Satan”
- “Faith holds the promise in one hand, and Christ in the other: the promise encourageth faith, and Christ strengthens it: so faith beats the enemy out of the field … Our enemy is beaten in part already … the devil is a chained enemy, and a conquered enemy; therefore fear not to give battle to him.”
3. “We Must Offer Violence to the World”
- “Living fish swim against the stream. We must swim against the world, else we shall be carried down the stream, and fall into the dead seas.”
4. “We Must Offer Violence to Heaven”
- “Though our salvation in respect to Christ is a purchase, yet in respect of us it is a conquest.”
Lastly, it’s worth highlighting the “means of grace” Watson lists as our “spiritual artillery” for waging this war:
1. “Reading the Word”
- “Islands of spices, coasts of pearl, rocks of diamonds! These are but the riches that reprobates may have, but the word gives us those riches which angels have.”
2. “Hearing the Word”
- “We give attention to the last speeches of friends; a parent’s dying words are received as oracles … let us think this may be the last time that Aaron’s bell shall sound in our ears, and before another day, we shall be in another world.”
3. “Prayer”
- “Prayer without fervency and violence, is not prayer; it is speaking not praying. Lifeless prayer is no more prayer than the picture of a man is a man … we overcome him [satan] upon our knees. As Samson called to heaven for help, so a Christian, by prayer fetcheth in auxiliary forces from heaven.”
4. “Meditation”
- “Hearing begets knowledge, but meditation begets devotion. Meditation doth ballast the heart, and make it serious; and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious.”
5. “Self-examination”
- “A good Christian doth as it were begin the day of judgment here in his own soul. Self-searching is a heart-anatomy.”
6. “Sanctifying of the Lord’s day”
- “We must rejoice in this day, as being a day wherein we enjoy much of God’s presence … we should look upon as the best day, as the queen of days crowned with a blessing.”
One final quote to conclude: “Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption. It cost more to redeem us than make us. In the one there was only the speaking a word (Psa. 148:5), in the other the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22) … in the creation God gave us ourselves, in the redemption he gave us himself.”
This is the latest in the series, 63/63 of Puritan Paperbacks. Of note, I’ve skipped to the end due to Banner of Truth’s complete absence of any ‘holy violence’ in updating their version of “Learning in Christ’s School” (#27/63). Hence, I’ll begin working my way backwards from #63 until Lord Willing by the time I travel to 27 in a year or so they’ll finally have it out for sale. I digress…
Thomas Watson, one who’s quickly becoming my latest “favorite Puritan” uses Matthew 11:12 as his foundational text in explaining that “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.” His thesis is that “though heaven be given us freely, yet we must contend for it … we must not only put forth diligence, but violence.” His ultimate purpose is to affirm the following doctrine: “The right way to take heaven is by storm: or thus, none get into heaven but violent ones.”
What a contrast to the Christian books on the shelves these days which are marked by easy believism and carnal Christianity! This reminded me of a great book by AW Tozer called: “This World: Playground or Battleground.” Unfortunately, our society approaches most aspects of their lives (from work, parenting, to even vacation planning) with passionate “violence” but when it comes to the “pilgrim’s progress” of their souls are marred by apathy and indolence. Watson is quick to label such an attitude as a grave cause for concern while exhorting us to “be sure you make going to heaven your business … a man looks upon his trade as the only thing to get a livelihood by, and he follows it close: so if we would but look upon religion as the main business wherein our salvation is concerned, we should be violent in it.”
After arguing the necessity of spiritual violence, he explains the four targets where this violence ought to be aimed at:
1. “He Must Offer Violence to Himself”
- “In the best of saints there is something that needs mortifying; much pride, envy, passion; therefore mortification is called crucifixion (Gal. 5:24), which is not done suddenly: every day some limb of the ‘body of death’ must drop off.”
2. “We Must Offer Violence to Satan”
- “Faith holds the promise in one hand, and Christ in the other: the promise encourageth faith, and Christ strengthens it: so faith beats the enemy out of the field … Our enemy is beaten in part already … the devil is a chained enemy, and a conquered enemy; therefore fear not to give battle to him.”
3. “We Must Offer Violence to the World”
- “Living fish swim against the stream. We must swim against the world, else we shall be carried down the stream, and fall into the dead seas.”
4. “We Must Offer Violence to Heaven”
- “Though our salvation in respect to Christ is a purchase, yet in respect of us it is a conquest.”
Lastly, it’s worth highlighting the “means of grace” Watson lists as our “spiritual artillery” for waging this war:
1. “Reading the Word”
- “Islands of spices, coasts of pearl, rocks of diamonds! These are but the riches that reprobates may have, but the word gives us those riches which angels have.”
2. “Hearing the Word”
- “We give attention to the last speeches of friends; a parent’s dying words are received as oracles … let us think this may be the last time that Aaron’s bell shall sound in our ears, and before another day, we shall be in another world.”
3. “Prayer”
- “Prayer without fervency and violence, is not prayer; it is speaking not praying. Lifeless prayer is no more prayer than the picture of a man is a man … we overcome him [satan] upon our knees. As Samson called to heaven for help, so a Christian, by prayer fetcheth in auxiliary forces from heaven.”
4. “Meditation”
- “Hearing begets knowledge, but meditation begets devotion. Meditation doth ballast the heart, and make it serious; and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious.”
5. “Self-examination”
- “A good Christian doth as it were begin the day of judgment here in his own soul. Self-searching is a heart-anatomy.”
6. “Sanctifying of the Lord’s day”
- “We must rejoice in this day, as being a day wherein we enjoy much of God’s presence … we should look upon as the best day, as the queen of days crowned with a blessing.”
One final quote to conclude: “Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption. It cost more to redeem us than make us. In the one there was only the speaking a word (Psa. 148:5), in the other the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22) … in the creation God gave us ourselves, in the redemption he gave us himself.”
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews