A Body of Divinity, CONTAINED IN SERMONS UPON THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM

Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity is one of the most precious of the peerless works of the Puritans; and those best acquainted with it prize it most. Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond all the rest, useful to the student and the minister.

Publisher: Banner of Truth
Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9780851513836

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Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686), the Puritan preacher and author, was probably born in Yorkshire, although the exact place and date of his birth are unknown. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (BA, 1639; MA, 1642), where he was apparently a diligent student. Certainly his intellect is apparent in his writings, which show a profound grasp of the English language, as well as a solid understanding of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He quotes from the early church fathers, and his familiarity with the breadth of the scriptural canon is stunning. Cross-references from the entire biblical corpus are sprinkled throughout his sermons, revealing a deep understanding of many texts obscure to most modern day Bible students. A solid understanding of history, botany, medicine, physics, the classics, logic, and various trades are revealed in his sermons.

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The book is an absolutely gem. To begin with, every Christian ought to know, if they do not now, that the Westminster Shorter Catechism is a marvelous summary of Christian doctrine. Knowing the Catechism gives the reader a solid foundation of Biblical, Reformed theology. But Watson has written, in a style easily understandable to those without formal theological training, to mine the gold that is contained in the Catechism. By that I mean that Watson’s book is highly experiential, a treasure of Reformed spirituality. I have worked my way through it by reading a portion each day for my devotional time It has been a tremendous blessing and encouragement to me. I highly commend it I would even compare its usefulness with Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. John H. Van Voorhis