The Christian’s Reasonable Service / Vol. 1 - Quotes

[Grant]

Interesting read as Brakel addresses why he believes the Tree of Life was NOT a “Type” of Christ but rather should just be viewed by comparison (Rev. 2:7; 22:2), Pg. 327-328:

This tree did not typify the second Person of the Godhead, that is, the Son, for the following reasons:
(1) There is no evidence substantiating this anywhere.
(2) It is not congruent with the Godhead to be typified by a physical image, and then especially by a tree. God has
forbidden to make any physical likeness of Himself, and has not done so Himself.
(3) It would not have been advantageous to man in his perfect state, since he knew God rightly.
(4) The Lord Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the covenant of grace, is called the tree of life (Rev 2:7; Rev 22:2). He
is not called thus because He was typified by this tree, for Adam in the state of perfection neither had need of a Mediator nor had it been revealed to him that a Mediator would come. Although he was capable of believing everything which God would present to him as an object to be believed in, he nevertheless did not believe in Christ, who had not been revealed to him. If the tree had been a type of Christ, Adam, being in the covenant of grace, would have been permitted to eat from this tree, which, on the contrary, he was forbidden to do. Christ, however, is called the tree of life by way of application and by way of comparison due to the efficacy of his mediatorial office, by virtue of which He is the life of His people and grants them eternal life. The tree of life was a type and sacrament of this for Adam.

I am not sure I fully follow Brakel here as he does use “type” again in the last sentence. Maybe others can add more insight.

 

[Grant]

Brakel on, What if Adam had not sinned? , pg. 328:

Thus Adam had all things in perfection and to the delight of body and soul. If he had perfectly persevered during his probationary period, he would, without seeing any death whatsoever, have been translated into the third heaven, into eternal glory.

Pg. 329:

Had he not sinned, man would not have died, but would rather have ascended into heaven with body and soul.

 

[Grant]

The presence of a Pre-Fall covenant (CoW), pg. 365:

We may thus draw the conclusion which we have sought for and found. Whenever there is a law as a condition, promises related to the fulfillment of that condition, signs of a probationary as well as a sealing nature, namely, the acceptance of both condition and promise, there is then a covenant. All of this is true here, and thus there was a covenant between God and Adam. We make no mention here of Paradise nor the Sabbath, since we do not acknowledge either of these, nor the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, to be sacraments.

 

[Grant]

Brakel’s View on the Serpent mentioned at The Fall, pg. 370 (he expands on this summary as to “why” he believes this, after this section):

For this purpose the devil used a serpent, judging it to be a suitable instrument for him. He spoke to Eve through the serpent. He was neither invisible when he spoke, nor did he simulate a speaking voice. He did not communicate personally with the soul of Eve, but spoke through the serpent, of which he had taken possession. One should neither view this matter as being a metaphor, nor as a parable or an illusion. Neither did the devil appear as an apparition in the similitude of a serpent, but this is genuine history—an event which has truly occurred. Both the devil and the serpent were actively involved in this matter. It was a serpent in the true sense of the word, that is, a genuine animal.

 

[Grant]

Brakel explains that even AFTER the Covenant of Works (or life) was transgressed, it still remained in force. I found this extremely helpful for understand how the CoW is still in force in every dispensation. Page 375:

Nevertheless this covenant remains in full force, obligating the entire human race (that is, all who have not been translated into the covenant of grace) to obedience and subjecting men to punishment, since the fulfillment of the promise continues to be contingent upon obedience. “This do, and thou shalt live.” Although man cannot obtain the promise since he does not fulfil the condition, the promise nevertheless remains part and parcel of this covenant.

Secondly, also among men, covenants remain in force even after the first transgression. A succession of kings and authorities will not merely recall the initial transgression of a covenant by others, but will also bring out how frequently the existing covenant has been transgressed. A woman, having committed adultery, remains in covenant with her husband and is not released from it. As often as she involves herself with someone else after the first commission of sin, so often she commits adultery and each time again breaks the covenant. This clearly proves that transgression of a covenant does not release the transgressor from the covenant relationship.

Pg. 376:

However, when God permits man to exit this covenant of works and enter into the covenant of grace, he is no longer under obligation to that covenant.

 

[Grant]

Lastly on the Covenant of Works, pg. 380:

Thus the covenant of works has been broken and it would be to the advantage of God‟s children to look away from this covenant. How much yearning there still is for the covenant of works! This becomes evident both in the manifestation of unbelief when falling into sin—as if sin would nullify all the promises and as if one must find something within himself before coming to Christ—and by secretly resting in our own works, being more encouraged when things go reasonably well. Therefore one must make Christ in the covenant of grace the foundation for all rest and comfort and seek holiness from Him as a principal element of salvation.

 

[Grant]

Let me just pause and say that I believe Brakel to be very excellent on his explanations of Covenant Theology. Brakel holds to the Covenant of Redemption, Covenant of Works, and Covenant of Grace structure. He denies republication as well as the thoughts of some purely external temporal covenant being established giving great detail as to “why”. He is remarkably clear and pointed on the subject and gives helpful explanation to objections that might arise naturally from within or from the critics without. If your new or need refreshment on the subject., consider Brakel both for laymen and clergy. The next section of post for next week will begin to focus on the nature of sin, and then the Covenant of Grace, which I am looking forward to posting in light of recent board discussions on Covenant Theology. Stay tuned!

 

[Grant]

What does sin consist of? Brakel, pg. 382

Sin also does not merely consist of actions, but is also inclusive of the propensity toward sin and a deviant disposition; that is, not having the faculties which ought to be present but instead having a disposition which ought not to be there.

 

[Grant]

The Corruption of Sin as it Relates to the Absence of God’s Image, pg. 389:

Inherited corruption consists in the absence of the image of God and in a propensity towards sin.
Let us first of all consider the absence of the image of God. Man is without the image of God, not merely by way of denial, nor due to a lack of original righteousness, but due to being deprived of something which presupposes the prior possession of a propensity to the contrary. All men, having sinned in Adam, are robbed of the image of God, so that every man is born void of spiritual light, love, truth, life, and holiness.

 

[Marck]

Brakels Redelijke Godsdienst. [emoji3590]

 

[Grant]

Going to try to finish up my volume 1 quotes. Family is getting ready for a big move and will be taking a break.

Here Brakel gives thoughtful reasoning on the relationship between testament and covenant, pg. 428:

The difference, among others, between a testament and a covenant is that in the making of a testament there is no
permission needed from the heir, whereas mutual acquiescence of both parties is a necessary prerequisite to a covenant.  (diatheke) is most certainly very suitable to describe the covenant of grace, for it is a covenant which has the element of a testament in it, and it is a testament which has something of a covenant in it. It is a covenantal testament, and a testamental covenant.

 

[Grant]

Brakel’s definition of a Covenant, pg. 429:

In its literal sense a covenant consists in a mutual, binding obligation between two or more individuals, who,
contingent upon certain conditions, promise certain things to each other.

 

[Grant]

Brakel on the seals, which belong to the CoG, pg. 446 - 447:

To this covenant also belong seals for the assurance of its steadfastness unto those who are in covenant with God. They do not seal this covenant, for they make no promise. Since only God promises, however, it is only He who seals this covenant. Under the Old Testament administration, circumcision and the passover were seals, as is true for holy baptism and the Lord‟s Supper under the New Testament administration. God first wishes to prepare man to become a partaker of eternal salvation out of free grace. He leads him, as He led Israel in the wilderness, in many mysterious ways which appear to lead away from heaven. Therefore the Lord gives him seals so he does not faint in the way. The Lord does so in order that 1) these promised benefits may repeatedly come to mind, he may receive a deep insight therein, and focus on nothing else but these benefits; 2) he may increasingly be strengthened in faith and be assured of the certainty of the promises made to him; 3) he may receive a foretaste of the heavenly benefits and experience something of their efficacy; 4) he may repeatedly be stirred up to be courageous in forsaking the world, to strive against his lusts, take up his cross, and seek honor and glory in well-doing. In this manner one ought to use the sacraments, not resting in the use of the sacraments themselves. One must rather view them on the one hand as a symbol of the suffering and death of the Mediator Jesus Christ, and on the other side perceive in them the unbreakable nature of all the promises of this covenant.

 

[Grant]

Here Brakel gives a helpful distinction in opposition to a view some have held regarding an external covenant and also to a stance I have seen some modern 1689 Federalist to express, pg. 458:

Upon closer examination of such an external covenant (even though proponents of such a covenant do not perhaps appreciate such a close examination), the question is whether there is such an external covenant? Some deny that such is the case in the New Testament, but claim it existed in the Old Testament. Others maintain that such a covenant also exists in the New Testament. We, however, make a distinction between external admission into the covenant of grace, and an external covenant. We maintain that there have always been those who externally have entered into the covenant of grace, and who, without faith and conversion but without giving offense, mingle among the true partakers of the covenant. Their external behavior, however, does not constitute an external covenant. God is not satisfied with such an external walk but will punish those in an extraordinary measure who flatter Him with their mouths and lie to Him with their tongue. Thus, there is an external entrance into the covenant of grace, but not an external covenant. This we shall now demonstrate.

 

[Grant]

Christ our Surety! Pg. 482-483:

The fourth quality of the Surety is that He had to be God and man united in one Person. The reason for this is obvious from the foregoing. God Himself can neither be subject to the law, nor suffer and die. Man in subjecting himself to suffering and dying, could not suffer exhaustively nor resurrect himself. Besides that, his suffering would only benefit one person. In order, therefore, for His suffering and obedience to be of eternal efficacy, and in order that He, by His suffering and death, would conquer without the assistance of anyone else (the suretyship having to be executed as such), the Surety of necessity had to be God and man in one Person, descending from “... the fathers ... of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever” (Rom 9:5).

 

[Grant]

True Conversion, pg. 489 - 490:

Some imagine that conversion consists in refraining from the commission of gross sins and in the performance of some good deeds. Conversion, however, is a complete change of man as far as his spiritual frame, intellect, will, thoughts, words, and deeds are concerned. This change can be compared with a person born blind receiving his sight, a deaf person being enabled to hear, a dumb person being enabled to speak, or a totally paralyzed person being enabled to move about. The Holy Spirit is given to the person who is to be converted, who, having made His residence in the soul, reveals to the soul how polluted it is from every perspective, causing the soul to detest and abhor itself, to be filled with shame, to be humbled, and to be perplexed concerning its condition. In addition to this the Holy Spirit reveals God to the soul as being holy, majestic, just, good, and a God of truth. He reveals to the soul the necessity and the fullness of the Mediator and grants him some understanding as to how he can be reconciled and united to God. He works love and fear for, and obedience towards, God. How precious this becomes to the soul, causing him to betake himself to the Mediator Jesus, to receive these matters out of His fullness! This produces grief and sorrow over the fact that the soul cleaves to all that is before the eyes and cleaves to sin—both the great as well as the small sins, both external and internal sins. Now he perceives and is conscious of all these sins of which previously he took no notice. Such a soul now seeks to exercise communion with God and desires to be near Him.

 

[Grant]

The two natures of Christ, pg. 509:

Both natures having been united in one Person—they do not function independently—all activity is of the Person. Since Christ is but one Person, there is but one principle which is operative. Since there are two natures within this one Person, which in reference to His personhood are indivisible and inseparable and in reference to each other are united without change and without mixture, the Person of Christ works by means of these two natures. Since each nature functions according to its own properties, there is a twofold operation. As God, the Person of Christ functions according to His divine nature, and as man, according to His human nature. Thus, each nature contributes to the execution of the one work of redemption in all its parts.

 

[Grant]

The Kingly Office of Christ, pg. 561:

The kingly office is the third office of Christ. A king is a person in whom alone the supreme authority over a nation is vested. Thus, the Lord Jesus is King, and none but Him. This is true in a threefold manner:
(1) as God (being coessential with the Father and the Holy Spirit), He rules over the kingdom of power, to which all creatures belong;
(2) as Mediator He rules over the kingdom of grace upon earth; and
(3) as Ruler over the kingdom of glory in heaven, of which both angels and all the elect are subjects.

 

[Grant]

In closing, meditate on the person of Christ, pg. 615 - 616:

Come, children of God, meditate upon the suffering Jesus. Do not do so by viewing it as merely a history, nor as the suffering of a martyr, but as the suffering of your Surety who took your place and paid for your sins.
First, meditate attentively upon the Person who suffered. He was not a wicked, insignificant, and contemptible man, nor merely a martyr whose death is precious in God‟s sight and is held in great esteem by the godly.
(1) Rather, this person is God and man, who is over all, God blessed forever, very God, and the Lord of glory. He, in order that He would be able to suffer and die, assumed our human nature from a human being within the context of His Personhood, and became like unto us, sin excepted. This is a miracle in the highest sense of the word, exceeding the creation of heaven and earth. Pause and reflect upon this until the greatness and magnificence of this Person may become evident to your heart, and you in all humility acknowledge Him as such. Then adoration will ravish your soul and you will exclaim, “Has such a Person suffered and made atonement?”

 

[Marck]

In closing, meditate on the person of Christ, pg. 615 - 616:

You are doing good tot promote his work! [emoji6]