Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Volume 2

We are grateful to be able to announce that Volume 2 of Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, is now available for purchase at the same reasonable price as Volume 1, $20.00 postpaid. This volume begins with Wilhelmus a Brakel’s ecclesiology, that is, the doctrine of the church. The fact that his ecclesiology follows his Christology is a departure from the sequence in which the six loci of Reformed theology are traditionally presented: theology, anthropology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology.

One might ask what à Brakel’s motivation might have been for reversing soteriology and ecclesiology in light of the fact that this traditional sequence is found, for instance, in the Belgic Confession — the confession of his church. Could it be that his wholehearted commitment to covenant theology moved him to focus first on the corporate and organic outworking of the eternal covenant transactions of a triune God in the establishment of a covenant community, His church — that community where His eternal good pleasure to form a people for Himself becomes a reality and prospers by the hand of the Mediator of that covenant, Jesus Christ? Could the Anabaptist movement with its individualistic theology have moved him to focus on the corporate operations of the Holy Spirit before dealing with His work in the hearts of individual sinners, realizing that in saving the elect it is the Father’s purpose to prepare a body for the Son of His good pleasure — His Son whom He gave “to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23)? Could à Brakel’s reversal of these two loci be an expression of the profound truth expressed in Psalm 87:2, “The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob”?

When considering the whole of à Brakel’s theology, as well as the historical context of his ministry, there may be reason to believe that these questions could be answered in the affirmative. This is a subject that might be worthy of further pursuit. For the moment, however, let a sampling of quotes speak for themselves:

One individual person does not constitute a church or a congregation. The church is referred to as a house, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5); as a flock, “... and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16); as a body, “... and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22-23); as a nation, “But ye are... an holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9); and as a kingdom, “...who hath called you unto His kingdom” (1 Th. 2:12). However, one stone does not constitute a house, one sheep does not constitute a flock, one member is not a body, one person is not a nation, one person is not a kingdom (Chapter 24, p. 8).

We have previously stated that the primary purpose of the church’s existence is the glorification of God... The secondary objective is the salvation of the elect. The church functions as a mother (Gal. 4:26), and has within her the Word of God as an incorruptible seed (1 Pet. 1:23). As such she is fruitful unto the conversion of many souls, “And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her” (Psa. 87:5). By means of the preaching of the Word, the Lord will add to “the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). (Chapter 24, pp. 53-54).

Thus, upon the foundation of ecclesiology, soteriology constitutes the saving work of the Holy Spirit whereby He adds living stones to the living temple of the Lord, “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20-22).

Much is to be gleaned from the chapters dealing with the church. In our days, in which the church languishes and is afflicted with numerous spiritual maladies, it behooves us to make a careful study of à Brakel’s treatment of the essence, functioning, and government of the body of Christ.

Wilhelmus à Brakel

The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Volume 2

700 pages; hard cover

Now available; matches first volume.

Retail - $40.00 Our Price - $20.00

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The consideration that à Brakel’s soteriology constitutes more than half of his total body of divinity should remove all doubt that he might minimize the significance of the saving work of a triune God in the heart of the elect sinner. His grasp of both the nature and scope of this work, as well as his rich pastoral insights into the experience of the saints, are very evident in chapters 30-37. Particularly his treatment of the doctrine of justification, the heart of the gospel, is of pivotal importance in understanding his theology. The fact that this chapter is the lengthiest of this work implies that this subject was of cardinal significance to à Brakel himself — as it was for nearly all the theologians of the Reformation, Dutch Second Reformation, and English Puritanism movements.

His opening statement in chapter 34 underscores this very succinctly:

Having discussed calling, regeneration, and faith, we shall now proceed to justification, which is the soul of Christianity and the fountainhead of all true comfort and sanctification. He who errs in this doctrine errs to his eternal destruction. The devil is therefore continually engaged in denying, perverting, and obscuring the truth expressed in this chapter and, if he does not accomplish this, to prevent exercise concerning this truth. When new errors appear on the horizon, even when they initially do not pertain to justification at all, they in time will eventually culminate in affecting this doctrine. One must therefore be all the more earnest to properly understand, defend, and meditate upon this doctrine.

Bearing this statement in mind, combined with a Brakel’s grave concern for the antinomian error, it will be understood why he places strong emphasis on the need for both the personal experience of justification in the heart of a sinner, as well as the need for a daily and repeated sense of justification. It is that concern which led a Brakel to state that there is no justification from eternity — even though he wholeheartedly endorsed the theological premise that justification is rooted in the eternal counsel of peace, is founded upon the resurrection of Christ, and becomes reality from God’s side in regeneration.

After his exhaustive treatment of the doctrine of justification, à Brakel delineates the blessed fruits of justification in chapters 35-37. We trust that God’s people will find these chapters to be a veritable spiritual delight.

This volume concludes with a Brakel’s treatment of the sacraments — God’s visible warranty that all His promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. The importance of these promises is affirmed in a precious chapter (42) dealing with the functioning of the promises in the life of the believer, followed by a chapter (43) in which à Brakel warns against false mysticism, as well as all religion which is the fruit of man’s intellect rather than the work of the Holy Spirit.

All who have enjoyed — and hopefully profited from — volume one will need no further recommendation and stimulus to peruse the pages of this volume as well.

It is our prayerful wish that the triune God of the covenant of grace may also crown this second volume with His divine approbation — to the glory of His worthy Name, the edification of His saints, and the salvation of perishing sinners. Therefore, tole lege: take and read!

The Rest of the Way

“BecauseThou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.”

— Psalm 63:7

O fathomless Mercy, O infinite Grace!
With humble thanksgiving the road we retrace:
Thou never hast failed us, our strength and our stay!
To whom should we turn for the rest of the way?

Through dangers, through darkness, by day and by night
Thou ever hast guided, and guided us right;
In Thee we have trusted, and peacefully lay
Our hand into Thy hand for the rest of the way.

Thy cross all our refuge, Thy blood all our plea;
None other we want, Lord Jesus, but Thee.
We fear not the shadows as we go through life’s day,
For Thou wilt go with us the rest of the way.

Dr. J.R. Beeke is pastor of the First Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. B. Elshout is translator of The Christian’s Reasonable Service.

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