A Body of Divinity: Being the Sum and Substance of the Christian Religion (Ussher)

Description

Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656), author of the newly reprinted "Annals of the World," wrote his Body of Divinity in a way that would make it useful to the family. Long out of print, used copies regularly bring $400.00 and more on the used market. This edition is newly typeset and has a new Introduction by Dr. Crawford Gribben and a complete Bibliography on Ussher make this the most valuable edition ever produced.

Table of Contents: 

1. Of Christian Religion, and the grounds thereof; Gods Word contained in the Scriptures. (1 Pet. 1:19, 21; 2 Tim. 3:15, 16, 17)
2. Of God and his Attributes, Perfection, Wisdom, and Omnipotency. (1 Tim. 1:17; Psalm. 147:5)
3. Of Gods Goodness and Justice, and the Persons of the Trinity. (Exod. 34:6, 7; 1 John 5:7)
4. Of Gods Kingdome, and the Creation of all things. (1 Chron. 29:11, 12; Psalm. 145:10, 11, 12; Acts 17:24)
5. Of the Creation of man in particular, and the Image of God according to which he was made. (Gen 1:26; 27)
6. Of Gods Providence, and continual government of his creatures. (Psalm 130:19 & 66:7)
7. Of the good Angels that stood, and the evil Angels that forsook their first integrity. (Jude verse 6; Rev. 12:7)
8. Of the Law of nature, or the Covenant of works made with man at his Creation, and the event thereof in the fall of our first Parents. (Gal. 3:10; Gen. 2:17; Eccl. 7:31)
9. Of Original and Actual sin, where unto all mankind by the fall is become subject. (Rom. 5:12, 14)
10. Of Gods curse, and all the penalties due unto sin; whereunto man is become subject as long as he continueth in his natural state. (Gal. 3:10; Duet. 28:45)
11. Of the Covenant of Grace, and the Mediator thereof, Jesus Christ our Lord; his two distinct natures in one Person, together with his Conception and Nativity. (Mat. 1:21, 22, 23; Gal. 4:4, 5)
12. Of the state of Humiliation and Exaltation of our Savior, his office of Mediation, and calling thereunto. (Phil. 2:7, 8, 9; Heb. 5:4, 5)
13. Of his Priestly office, and the two parts thereof, Satisfaction, and Intercession. (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 10:12)
14. Of his Prophetical and Kingly Office (Luke 4:18, 29; Isaiah 9:6, 7)
15. Of the calling of men to partake of the grace of Christ both outward and inward; & of the Catholic Church thus called out of the world, with the members and properties thereof (Heb. 3:1; 2 Tim. 1:9, Heb. 12:23)
16. Of justification; and therein of justifying faith and forgiveness of sins. (Rom. 3:24, 25, 26; and 4:6, 7)
17. Of Adoption; whereby in Christ we are not only advanced into the state of friends, but also of sons and heirs : and therein of the spirit of Adoption and Hope. (Rom. 8:15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25)
18. Of Sanctification; whereby the power of sin is mortified in us, and the image of God renewed : and therein of love. (Eph. 1:4; Col 3:9, 10, 12, 14)
19. The first Commandment, of the choice of the true God; and the entertaining him in all our thoughts. (Exod. 20:2, 3)
20. The Second Commandment; of the solemn worship that is to be performed unto God : and therein of Images and Ceremonies. (Exod. 20:5, 6)
21. The third; of the glorifying of God aright in the actions of our common life : and therein of swearing and blaspheming. (Exod. 20:7)
22. The fourth; of the certain time set apart for Gods Service : and therein of the Sabbath and Lords Day. (Exod. 20:8, 9, 10, 11)
23. The fifth; of the duties we owe one unto another; in regard of our particular relation unto such as are our Superiors, Inferiors, and Equals. (Exod. 20:12)
24. The sixth; of the preservation of the safety of men's persons : and therein of peace and meekness. (Exod. 20:13)
25. The seventh; of the reservation of chastity : and therein of temperance and marriage. (Exod. 20:14)
26. The eight; of the preservation of our own and our neighbors goods : & therein of the maintaining of justice in our dealing one with another. (Exod. 20:15)
27. The ninth, of there preservation of our own and our neighbors good name, and the maintaining of truth in our testimony, and dealings. (Exod. 20:16)
28. The tenth, of the contentedness, and the first motions of concupiscence which do anyway cross that love we owe to our neighbor. Whereto for conclusion may be added to the use of the Law. (Exod. 20)
29. Of Repentance. (Acts 26:10; 2 Cor. 7:10, 11)
30. Of the spiritual warfare, and Christian armor. (Jer. 31:18, 19; Eph. 6:10, 11, 12)
31. Of resistance of the temptations of the Devil. (1 Pet. 5:8, 9)
32. Of resisting the temptations of the world, both in prospering and adversity : and here of patient bearing of the Crosse. (Gal. 6:14; Rom. 8:35, 36, 37)
33. Of the resisting the temptations of the flesh. (Gal 6:14; Col. 3:5, 6)
34. Of new obedience and good works, and necessity thereof. (Lev. 1:74, 75; Tit. 2:11, 12, 13, 14)
35. Of prayer in general; and the Lords Prayer in particular, with the Preamble thereof. (Mat. 6:6, 7)
36. Of the three first Petitions which concern Gods glory. (Mat. 6:9, 10)
37. Of the three latter, which concern our necessities. (Mat. 6:. 11, 12, 13)
38. Of the conclusion of the Lords Prayer; wherewith is to be handled the point of praise and thanksgiving. (Mat. 5:13)
39. Of Fasting. (Mat. 5:16, 17, 18)
40. Of mutual edifying one another, and liberality towards the poor. (Eph. 4:28, 29; Heb. 13:16)
41. Of Ministers, and Ministry of the Gospel; and therein of preaching and hearing the Word. (Rom. 10:14, 15; Eph. 4:11, 12, 13)
42. Of the Appendants of the Word : Sacraments, which are the seals of the promises; and Ecclesiastical censures, which are the seals of the threatnings of the Gospel. (Rom. 4:11; Mat. 18:15, 16, 17)
43. Of the ministry of the Old Testament, before the coming of Christ; with the Word, Types, and Sacraments thereof. (Heb. 9:1, 9, 10; 1 Cor. 10:1, 2, 3, 4)
44. Of the ministry of the New Testament, and comparing the Word and Sacraments thereof with the Old. (John 1:17; Heb. 12:27, 28)
45. Of Baptism. (Mat. 28, 19; 1 Pet. 3:21)
46. Of the Lords Supper (1 Cor. 11:23, 24)
47. Of the diverse states of the Church in prosperity & under persecution, integrity and corruption, and the reading thereof by schisms and heresies. (1 Tim. 4:12, 13; 2 Thes. 2:3, 4)
48. Of death, and the particular Judgment following. (Heb. 9:27)
49. Of the general Judgement : and therein of the Judge Christ Jesus his coming in glory; and the parties to be judged, both quick and dead, with the resurrection of the one, and the change of the other. (1 Thes. 4:15, 16, 17; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52)
50. Of the last sentence and execution thereof; of the torments of the damned, and joys of the blessed. (Mat. 25:34, 35)

Endorsements 

"Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656) was a leader par excellence among the Irish Puritans. His colorful history is inseparable from that of Irish Christianity and from major events transpiring simultaneously in England and Scotland. Ussher's range of achievements are outstanding, including ancient languages, patristics, ancient and Irish history, theology, and chronology. Though he is best known for his biblical chronology, I believe that his Body of Divinity is his most valuable legacy. This volume, long overdue to be reprinted, was once regarded as a classic in the field of Reformed systematic theology and deserves to be so regarded again. Here is pristine Irish Puritan theology, presented to us in a captivating question and answer format." -- Joel R. Beeke, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan

"Raised in a Bible-believing Calvinistic environment, Dr. Ussher soaked himself in the Holy Scriptures without ceasing. He also read the Early Church Fathers - systematically, every day, for eighteen years. Head of Ireland's foremost Theological Faculty, Ussher was internationally the greatest Anglican antiquarian and theologian of his age - if not of all time." -- Dr. Francis Nigel Lee, Professor-Emeritus of the Queensland Presbyterian Theological College

"Among those volumes that are most useful for understanding British Reformed theology of the 17th century and especially that of the Westminster Assembly few are as valuable and therefore welcome in republication as Ussher's Body of Divinity." -- R. Scott Clark, D.Phil., Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Westminster Seminary California 

"Archbishop Ussher remains a theological giant upon whose shoulders many Reformed believers have unkowingly stood. Ussher penned the Irish Articles published in 1615. The terms and theology of that confession are found in the Westminster family of confessions. Westminsterian Presbyterians, Congregationalists who look to the Savoy Declaration and confessional Reformed Baptists all owe their theological heritage to Ussher, humanly speaking. Publishing the The Body of Divinity will help many in our generation to recover or reaffirm the faith of the Reformation--the greatest revival of true religion ever." -- Dr. Mike Renihan, Heritage Baptist Church, Worcester, MA 

Author 

James Ussher (4 January 1581 – 21 March 1656) was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–1656.