Pastor Watson was gracious, humble, pastoral, and brilliant. There is just something about the things he writes/says that is almost bordering on the miraculous. He has a way of stating things, seemingly-spontaneously, that are sweetly peppered with fascinating nuances from the Scripture and Christ’s gospel of grace.

One of the great Puritans, Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686), is recently getting some well-deserved attention. Reformation Heritage Books has just published The Works of Thomas Watson in seven volumes. All I can say is that I think this is a wonderful development.

Like Dr. Joel Beeke (of Reformation Heritage Books), I also came to an appreciation of the Puritans initially through Thomas Watson; and, interestingly, also via Watson’s A Body of Divinity…One September day in 2001, a member of the church I was serving unexpectedly showed up at the door of our house, and he handed me a used hard-copy of Body of Divinity. I had no idea how excellent that book was, till I broke it open, and started reading it. Since then, I have re-read it. In my opinion, Watson’s Body of Divinity is the single best “layman’s” theology book I have ever come across.

Let us talk about Thomas Watson a little bit…He is one of the finest writers, period, that I personally have ever perused. His ability to write well, is amazing. But that would be of no account, if what he had to communicate was not also of spectacular importance and interest.

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