Body of Divinity

The commanding Puritan Thomas Watson in "A Body of Divinity" delivers a powerful classic in his exposition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. He takes the WSC as an outline of the essential doctrines of Christianity. In this potent volume, Watson discusses with fine precision: * A Preliminary Discourse To Catechising * Man's Chief End * The Scriptures * The Being of God * The Knowledge of God * The Holiness of God * The Mercy of God * The Trinity * The Providence of God * Original Sin * The Covenant of Grace * Christ's Humiliation In His Incarnation * Christ the Redeemer * Justification * Sanctification * Peace * A Believer's Privilege At Death Col 1: 23 "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled." Watson instructs: "Intending next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechizing, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. 'If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled." Watson adds: " It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. It is the apostle's prayer, I Pet 5: 10, 'The God of all grace stablish, strengthen, settle you.' That is, that they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed stars. The apostle Jude speaks of 'wandering stars, in verse 13. They are called wandering stars, because, as Aristotle says, 'They do leap up and down, and wander into several parts of the heaven; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celestial matter as the fixed stars are, they often fall to the earth.' Now, such as are not settled in religion, will, at one time or other, prove wandering stars; they will lose their former steadfastness, and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unsettled are of the tribe of Reuben, 'unstable as water,' Gen 49: 4; like a ship without ballast, overturned with every wind of doctrine. Beza writes of one Belfectius, that his religion changed as the moon. The Arians had every year a new faith. These are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds shaken every way. The apostle calls them 'damnable heresies.' 2 Pet 2: 1. A man may go to hell as well for heresy as adultery. To be unsettled in religion, argues want of judgment. If their heads were not giddy, men would not reel so fast from one opinion to another. It argues lightness. As feathers will be blown every way, so will feathery Christians. " Watson presses: "It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a settlement in religion." One of my favorite expositions is on WSC question 6: Q-6. HOW MANY PERSONS ARE THERE IN THE GODHEAD? A: Three persons, yet but one God. I John 5: 7 "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." Watson expounds: "God is but one, yet are there three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead. This is a sacred mystery, which the light within man could never have discovered. As the two natures in Christ, y

His pen flows; the metaphors echo as a sweet symphony. Where is Bach? where is Mozart? Where is Beethoven? Tell them that there is a new maestro in town. Not one with a musical instrument, lest they be confused, but one with a pen. He makes melodious music on things divine. Tell them, his name is Thomas Watson, the Puritan. Five stars and counting!

You will not be dissapointed to invest a little bit of money and getting such an excellent Systematic Theology book. This book is also pratical and full of illustrations. Most assuredly not boring. Packed with good nuggets of Bible data and truths.

Thomas Watson is one of the great puritan writers, and this is one of his finest books. It is Watson's exposition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. With skill of a theologian and a heart of a pastor, Watson unfolds for the reader the great doctrines of the Bible. This book is a resource that you will never exhaust for its insights and helps. Great tool for someone working with new believers, introducing others to doctrine. Don't miss his other classic works, The Ten Commandments and The Lord's prayer. You will not be disappointed. All these make great gifts and something your pastor will prize if he doesn't already have them. Enjoy!