Digital Logos Edition
This volume contains essays and discourses by Isaac Watts. Known as the “Father of English Hymnody,” Isaac Watts is one of England’s most influential hymnists. Credited with over 500 hymns—including “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World”—he left behind a massive legacy. He paved the way to the inclusion of “original songs of Christian experience” in worship. His introduction of extrabiblical poetry opened doors to new forms of worship in the Protestant Church.
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“In order to attain this, we must enquire what are the principal operations of the mind, which are put forth in the exercise of our reason; and we shall find them to be these four, namely, perception, judgment, argumentation, and disposition.” (Page 314)
“The art of Logic, even as it assists us to gain the knowledge of the sciences, leads us on toward virtue and happiness: for all our speculative acquaintance with things should be made subservient to our better conduct in the civil and religious life.” (Page 314)
“I. Perception, conception, or apprehension, is the mere simple contemplation of things offered to our minds, without affirming or denying any thing concerning them.” (Page 314)
“infer one thing, that is, one proposition, from two or more propositions premised.” (Page 315)
“join two or more ideas together by one affirmation or negation” (Page 315)
Isaac Watts (1674–1748), was an English hymn-writer, theologian, and logician. He is recognized as the “Father of English Hymnody” and is credited with some 750 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in active use today.
As a young boy, Watts began to write poems and hymns to please his mother. He received an excellent education as a child and studied at the nonconformist academy at Stoke Newington as a youth. After he completed his education, Watts began to write hymns and also tutored the family of Sir John Hartopp. At age 26, Watts became a pastor, but his poor health kept him from his duties. In 1712, Isaac Watts went to live with the Abney family in Stoke Newington for a short time, and ended up staying there permanently. During his stay, he would occasionally preach, but mostly devoted his time to writing hymns, sermons for publications, essays, discourses, and poems. He died peacefully at the age of 74.