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                                                                               earth he lives and for them and with them he dies . . . . .
              MEDITATION                                                               So crowded with things below is the natural heart that
                                                                               there is room for naught else. Now it is ravished with
                                                                               earthly business which so takes possession of every
            SEEKING THE THINGS  ABOVE  *                                       thought that the eyes refuse to close in restful sleep at
                          If ye then be risen with Christ seek those night. Now it is charmed by the prospect of wealth and
                        things which are above where Christ sitteth            LMammon  is in all its thoughts and desires. Here it is
                        on the right hand of God.         -Cal. 3:l.           lured by  greatness of name and fame; here it is in quest
    i\ stream rises no higher than its source, but it surely                   19 great power and might in the world. Now it thirsts
seeks its own level.                                                           after learning; now it lusts after pleasure . . . . . .
    Restlessly the turbulent mountain-stream rushes on                                 `Hut no matter how and no matter where and no mat-
in search of ocean or lake. It tumbles over rock and                           ter what,-the natural man is of the earth earthy, and
bowlder. roars through narrow mountain-passes, creeps he seeks the things that are on the earth.
through caves and tunnels, meanders around the rock!                                   The things below.
masses too high to climb and too hard to pierce, pres-                                 Xnd seeking them with his sinful and carnal heart and
ently curves through wood and dale and more  quietI) mind, he walks in covetousness, idolatry, fornication,
glides over  field and meadow, yet still seeking and ad- inordinate affection, uncleanness, evil  concupiscense,
vancing till it finds its own Ie\-cl  in the deep bosom of the lying, blasphemy . . . .
ocean.                                                                                 ,%nd searching for things below he gathers for himself
    So man's life continually seeks the  level  of its  source.                treasures of wrath unto destruction.
    What a picture of restless, agitated search human life                             Restlessly the stream of life of the natural, carnal
presents! Every soul has its ambition. Every human                             man rushes onward and downward, gathering force as it
heart has its object of affection. Every human being has advances on its course, reaching out for things below,
his fancied treasure in quest of which he searches and,                        lower and still lower, till it finds its proper level . . . .
seeks, for the which he toils and labors, after which he                               C)uter  darkness !
aims and strives in the world. Where man's treasure  is!                                                             -
there is his heart. And his heart determines the direction
of his thinking and willing, aspiration and ambition and                               Christ is risen !
all the tendency of his life and walk. As the angle of the                             What a blessed gospel in the midst of this carnal,
rocket-tube determines the direction of the missile ejected                    sinful, earthy, stooping and searching, downward rushing
from it and the object of its aim, so the attitude of a                        mass of humanity, seeking for things that are on the
man's heart determines the direction of his life and the                       earth! What a message of joy in that one brief announce-
object of his search.                                                          ment: Christ is risen! For it means for His people, that
    The natural heart has its life-spring below. It is                         the source and spring of their life is risen and is now and
earthy and cut off from the heavenly source of life from                       henceforth and forevermore in heaven, at the right hand
above. It is carnal, sinful, worldly. And, therefore, the                      of God !
natural mind seeks earthy things, things that are below.                               For it is Christ that is risen. The message is not that
He  stoops downward to the earth, according to the law                         somebody, some individual, some man among men, some
of spiritual gravitation. `His earthy eye is fascinated  b)                    happy individual exception to the great mass of human-
the charm of earthy things separated from the things ity is risen from the dead. Merely that and nothing more
above. His carnal mind is  filled with them. All the would be of no avail to us. We would in that case per-
desire of his heart is attracted by them as  bp magnetic                       haps marvel and wonder at the glory of such an one, so
force. All his affection is lavished on them. All his                          highly exalted above things that are below. But he
ambition is concentrated upon things  ~JZ~OW.                   ,411 his would be outside of Our earthly life, a stranger to us, lifted
energy is spent for them. For things that are on the                           out of our midst as a rare exception to the general mass


 2                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
 ...l_.~ll"--l-- .-.."--- . .^." ._-.     "  --^-       ---" .---. """ .._ --- - - - ." ~ .  ^" -.... .---- ___l_ll
 of men. But the main source of our life would not have entered into Hades on its earthly side and reappeared on
 been raised  ; it would still be from below, and after hav- its heavenly side. His death swallowed up the likeness
 ing been informed that someone had been raised above of sinful flesh, and His grace yielded the glorious Lord
 them we would still go on seeking the things that are on of heaven. He is risen to new, exalted, heavenly life.
 the earth, unconcerned about the things above as ever.             Risen is the Lord!
      But it is Christ that is risen. The One appointed and
 ordained by God the Father to be our Head and blessed              And Christ and His people are one.
 Redeemer, our great Deliverer from the power of sin and            Inseparably united are they.
 death. He is ordained and qualified to be our Prophet,             United in His death, united in His glorious life they
 speaking to us, powerfully speaking to us in the name           are. United as the Head and the body  ; as the Vine and
 of God and of Him, speaking so that the darkness of sin         the branches.
 dissipates from our sinful and carnal minds as the morn-                "Made like Him, like Him we rise ;
 ing-mist vanishes before the rising sun. He is our High                  Ours the cross, the grave, the skies,"
 Priest, to offer Himself a sacrifice without blemish to            United with Him they are in God's eternal thoughts
 the Father in our stead  ; to bless us with blessings of peace, when in free and unfathomable and immutable
 spiritual and eternal from above; to warm our icy hearts        love He predestined that they should be made like unto
 into flowing streams of a new love such as earth never the image of His Son, that he might be the First-born
 knew. He is our King, fighting for  us  the  battle  against among many brethren.
 our enemies, taking our captivity captive, downing the             United with Him they are when His blessed body is
 throne of the Prince from below that had been estab- nailed to the accursed tree, and offering Himself a sacri-
 lished in our hearts and minds, and establishing there          fice without blemish, pleasing to God, He descends into
 His own dominion of righteousness and peace and lowest hell, to suffer their agony, to bear before God their
 life . . . . .                                                  guilt, to remove for many the burden of God's wrath.
      He is risen!                                               His death is their death. And it is the death of that
      Down into the depth of death He went, descending earthy, corruptible, carnal nature that stands in enmity
 into its darkness with our sin and guilt, in the likeness against God and that seeks the things below.
 of sinful flesh, as the humbled Servant of the Lord. The           And when, upon a summons from the Father above
 raging billows of wrath and death went over Him, seemed         He breaks the shackles of death and corruption and
 to swallow Him up, angry, furious. But He arose. Death          issues forth in glory from the grave in Joseph's garden,
 could not hold Him. In death He grappled with death             clothed with celestial majesty, filled with the life which
 and conquered. In hell He battled with him that had             is from above; and when presently He is still lifted up
the power of death and corruption, God's antagonist and and, forevermore leaving things mundane, ascends to
 ours, and prevailed. He went into death to kill death           heavenly spheres to sit in His father's throne,-then they
 and pass on the Victor over all. He descended into the are still  i'n Him, inseparably united according to God's
 grave to reappear on the other side of death and  H,ades,       firm decree.
 glorious,  hea\-enly,  Christ, the Lord of heaven.                 And then He receives the Spirit; and through Him
      For mark, now, He is risen.                                `He enters into our hearts and lives, earthy and carnal
      .+nd His resurrection is not a mere return. Christ and corruptible by nature, with streams of heavenly
 does not reappear in the likeness of sinful flesh. The blessings, renewing, enlightening, overpowering in love
 grave marks the dividing line between the suffering Serv- spread abroad in our hearts. And He unites Himself
 ant of Jehovah, in the likeness of sinful flesh, earthy and with us forever as the new and eternal spring of our
 corruptible in human nature, and the glorious Lord of life.
 heaven, clothed with new, celestial, eternal life and              Beloved, ye are risen with Christ. The source of
 majesty. In vain do you turn to the grave in Joseph's your life, of your thoughts and desires, aspirations and
 gdrden  to watch for the return of the Man of Galilee ambitions is no more from below; it is above . . . .
 as you knew Him in the state of His humiliation. He                Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God!
 was lifted  LIQ  never to return to what is earthy and
 corruptible . . . .                                                How appropriate, then, is the admonition: Seek the
      Such, indeed, was the resurrection of  Nai,n's  widow's    things that are above !
 son. His raising was a summoning back from Hades'                  And the things above are all implied in that one clause :
 sleep into the realm of the present, the earthy, the cor-       Christ sitteth on the right hand of God! It means vic-
 ruptible.    Such, also, was the raising of Jesus' friend tory. Victory over sin and death, the devil and his host
 from  Bethany,  and of Jarius' daughter. Their resurrec-        and all our enemies. For He led captivity captive. It
 tion was a calling back into former things. Still they means a treasure of heavenly and spiritual blessings of
 were of the earth earthy; still they were mortal and cor- grace, for they were His spoil in the battle to distribute
 ruptible; still the grave had power over them and pres- among His people. It means wisdom and righteousness
 ently claimed them again.                                       and sanctification and complete redemption, life with God
      But not so with regard to the resurrection of Christ. in the perfect communion of His covenant friendship. I t
 He did not return, but passed through the grave. He means final victory and perfection, the ultimate  destruc-


                                                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
.- - _ - -..-.--  ._..........._............._..  ".l."...".."..".l  -_---.--.--.-"--"  .._.........................." ..- "-l__l_l___ll ..."l..--"-.                               3
tion of all that is of darkness and hell and the glory of                                                                                      ALLE  MAti IN `T GEWEER
God's tabernacle over all in His eternal Kingdom.                                                                            Die woorden beschrijvcn  c-lrn  huidigen  toestand onder
      Seek them! Seek not the things that are below, on                                                               ons.
the earth.  Seek the things above.
      How proper this word!                                                                                                  De Christelijke  Gereformeerde Kerken gelijken eene
      Or is it not true, that though our life is hidden with belegerde stad.
Christ in God, and the fountain of our life is no more                                                                       Men  ducht  blijkbaar gevaar. Er broeit iets.  Klept
below but above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand                                                               ginds niet de noodklok?  Hoor, tromgeroffel!  Iemand
of God, yet we are far from being perfectly delivered                                                                 heeft alarm geblazen. "Burgers, ontwaakt  !"  "Er is  oor-
from the body of this death? Is it not your experience log op til !" "Vergeet uw onderlinge geschillen, schaart u
as well as mine, that there is still that in us that stoops aaneen, sluit de gelederen, presenteer `t geweer, maak  u
to the things of the earth, corruptible and carnal?  And is verirouwd met de nieuwe stukken !" De oflicieren onder-
it not true that the life of God's people at the present                                                              wijzen. Er wordt druk  geexerceerd. Hoogvliegers  rap-
time suffers at a thousand points just because they are porteeren troepenbeweging tegen het oosten. "Naar de
forgetful of their heavenly life-source, forgetful of their wallen,  oostnoordoost  !"                                                                   `t Wachtwoord is:  driehoek.
heavenly treasure, forgetful of their heavenly calling and                                                            De oude Grieksche-Macedonische phalanx is het model,
of their heavenly inheritance and are too often so bur-                                                               waarnaar de opmarsch  zich  richt. Een snelle renbode!
dened and filled with the things of this world, that they "Brand in  `t Westerkwartier,  Generaal  !" Eene Iichte
cannot set their minds on the things that are above?                                                                  onpasselijkheid. Gemompel onder the stafoflicieren van :
      Yet, Christ is your life, And the things above are oude  kwaal,  zenuwtoeval,   `t  hart!  Een frissche teug koud
your real treasure. Seek them. Set your mind on them. waters. Terugkeer van kleur en stemgeluid. En spoedig
ILavish  your affection on them. Let the stream of your                                                               daarop, eerst nauwelijks hoorbaar,  maar  later met  meer-
life flow toward them. Let them be the directing power dere vastheid :
of your thinking and planning, your desiring and longing,                                                                   "Mannen, weest niet bezorgd. Onze regeering heeft
your aspiring and striving. Let them fill your hearts                                                                 met alle gebeurlijkheden gerekend. Wijzigingen in ons
and minds, direct your  lives,  your walk and talk and oorspronkelijk  krijgsplan zullen geen noemenswaardigc
,entire conversation.                                                                                                 schade  doen  aan den eigenlijken veldtocht. Onder  de
     Stoop not again to things below. Love not the world manschappen,  vooral onder de ouderen, mogen er  ge-
neither the things that are in the world. For they pass                                                               vonden  worden,  die  aan de nieuwe stukken niet  kunnen
away. He that seeks the world will perish with it in the gewoon warden, en waarop derhalve  geen  staat  valt  te
end.                                                                                                                  maken;  de meeste leiders van ons volk, inzonderheid de
      `But seeking the things above hope fills `our breasts. meer wetenschappelijk aangelegden, zijn het onderling
For presently Christ who is our life will appear.  .1nd                                                               nog altijd vrij goed eens, ook bij alle verschil van  tactiek;
then we shall appear with Him in glory.                                                                               en  zwolang  dezen pal staan, heeft de vijand geen kans.
     `l'o be like Him forever!                                                                                        De mogelijkheid bestaat, dat we tijdelijk slechts  verde-
                                                                                         - H .   H .                  digenderwijze  zullen  kunnen optreden, voornamelijk,  urn
                                                                                                                      de manschappen degelijk te kunnen onderleggen in de
                                                                                                                      beginselen van den  modernen  krijgsdienst. Maar  als
        DE ZIELE  BETRACHT   DE DEUGHT DER                                                                            straks de hulptroepen, die in het buitenland  worden  aan-
                                      NEDERIGHEYT                                                                     geworven,  onze oostelijke grenzen in veiligheid  zullen
               Wanneer de  Hemel geeft zijn zegen                                                                     gesteld hebben; dan  zullen  we  ongetwijfeld,  zonder  ens
               Van eenen  schoonen Somerregen,                                                                        aan een al te groot gevaar bloot te stellen,  kunnen  over
                   So valt de golf  we1 over al,                                                                      gaan tot den aanval tegen het  Westen.  Daarom thans
               Maar  al wat hoog is en verheven,                                                                      de posten betrokken, en met de hand aan `t geweer achter
              Daar  komt het water afgedreven,                                                                        de verschansingen, verleden zomer opgeworpen, met  be-
                   En vloeyt in `t allerlaegste  dal.                                                                 hoorlijk zelfvertrouwen den vijand afgewacht. Weest
               Dat is wat  schoons, om mij te  leeren:                                                                sterk, en hebt  goeden  moed! Het geldt  onze eigene
               So vloeyt de milde Geest des Heeren,                                                                   zaak.,,
                  In `t needrigh en ootmoedig hert.                                                                         "Dat hij kome  !"
              0 needrigheyt, so hoog te  roemen,                                                                            "Hij, die beweren durft, dat de Synode van Kalama-
              Wat draegt uw grond al schoone bloemen.                                                                zoo overhaastig handelde en zekere uitdrukkingen,  voor-
                   Och of mijn bergh een diepte wert!                                                                komende in de Gereformeerde Belijdenisschriften,  niet
              Och konde ick kleyn zijn en gebogen,                                                                   juist interpreteerde; en die handhaaft, dat, waar de breed-
              En Godt in mijne ziel verhogen,                                                                        ste vergadering iemand voor Gereformeerd  verklaarcl
                   Wat souder van die hoogten of                                                                      heeft in de fondamenteele stukken der leer. zooals  die
               AI lieflijk water in mij vloeyen,                                                                     geformuleerd zijn in de Formulieren van Eenigheid, eene
              En  doen mijn Geest so lustig bloeyen,                                                                  mindere  vergadering een zoodanig per-soon niet uit het
                   ,41s eene schoone Rosen-hof.                                                                      ambt kan  zetten;tenzij deze sedert dien tijd eene  ckn-
                                                                  -Jan Luyken.                                       surabele zonde heeft begaan; en die tevens staande


                                          T H E   STANI)ARD  B E A R E R                                                        5
..__l_--_-.llll.._-I                           -__-- ^ __._...-" ..-._ ~ ---._.           -__  .-_. -.----.            -_.-...I-
                        CONFLICT                                      tions.       They are men of power -and talent, men that
                      By faith Abel offered unto God a  more          turn their attention to the world's business and that
                    excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he
                    obtained witness that he was righteous,  God      become worldly famous and powerful. And finally,  .this
                    testifying to his gifts; and by  itk~l~~ng        is evident too from the fact, that Cain is physically  the
                    dead yet speaketh.                   . :.         stronger in the conflict and kills his brother Abel. And
   The prophetic announcement of Gen.  3:15, implying we remark that this difference between the two first sons
that Adam and Eve were to be the progenitors of a two-                is characteristic of all history. It is not the children of
fold seed antagonistic to each other goes into  fulfilment light but the ungodly that arc endowed with greater
immediately after the fall in the birth of the first  two gifts and that with them turn to the world to find their
sons of which Scripture' makes mention. Neither is the portion there. The strong and noble are not generally
conflict between these two parts of the one human race,               found within the circle of God's people. These belong
existing side by side in spiritual enmity, delayed. At to the things that are naught. And this again is in har-
the very dawn of history the antithesis between the mony with God's expressed purpose, in order that no
children of wrath and the children of grace is very flesh should glory in His presence.
marked.      In Cain sin reveals itself as enmity against                 In the historic, external sense of the word, Cain and
God and as reaching out for the things of this world. In Abel were both children of God's covenant, though
Abel the grace of God becomes manifest, clinging to the spiritually the former was a stranger to its fellowship and
promise and willing to be stranger and pilgrim in the life. It is true, in a formal manner God's covenant of
world for the city that hath foundations. In these  two               grace had not yet been revealed and established. Neither
sons of our first parents we see the typical commence- had a single tribe or nation been singled out as the
ment of the conflict between the children of God and the              covenant-people in distinction from the other families of
children of this world, as it is continued between Henoch the earth. But neither can there be any doubt that God's
and his generation, Lamech and Lamech, Noah and the covenant had been maintained and revealed after the
wicked world, Abraham and Nimrod, Jacob and Esau, fall, that Adam and Eve were essentially in the covenant,
Jerusalem  and Babylon, Christ and Antichrist. Enmity                and that, though it were still in a general form, the prom-
exists and this enmity becomes manifest immediately ise of the covenant had been given them. And since as
after the fall as soon as the prerequisite conditions are yet no other family or tribe existed, singling out and
existing.    Cain's murder is not merely fratricide,-it is separation could not take place. Cain and Abel were
the murder of the righteous by the unrighteous, the begin- born from covenant-parents and were as such  covenant-
ning of the conflict between the godly and the ungodly. children in the external sense of the term. As such they
And its history is intended to reveal that no human ties had many things in common. They both received the
of blood relationship and natural love are strong enough same outward gifts and dealings. They had the same
to wipe out the antithesis between light and darkness or              direct traditions,  Adam.and  Eve informing them about
to prevent combat between them.                                       the early history of creation and the fall. They were
   It has been suggested and it is not impossible that acquainted with Jehovah and His Word, with the state
Cain and Abel were twin-brothers like Jacob and Esau. of original righteousness and the lapse into the sin and
The conjecture is based, as far as the text is concerned,             death of their parents, the curse that now was pronounced
on the fact that before we read of the birth of Abel we do            upon all things, the announcement of a coming conflict,
not again find the words: "And Adam knew Eve his the promise of a seed and of final victory, the proper
wife," while we do find the same statement again in vs.               sacrifice to the Lord as a means and symbol of exercis-
25 where the birth of Seth is recorded. This would bring ing communion with their God, the necessity of a right-
the conflict arising from the spiritual antithesis within eousness not their own and not by their own works. All
the domain of closest brotherly relationship from a nat- this they might know. It may be admitted that there is
ural point of view, the same as in the case of Esau and               a danger that we carry the fuller and brighter light of
Jacob. It is certain that Cain was endowed with the                   later revelation into that early period of human history,
greater natural gifts. He must have been physically the and that it is easy to fall into the error of ascribing to the
stronger, and he must have been gifted with those talents early actors on its stage a knowledge and insight into
and powers which make for the great man of the world. things spiritual which they could not possibly possess.
This may already be deduced from their names. When But there is also danger in the opposite direction, danger
the first son is born, Eve calls him Cain and says: "I of minimizing in our estimation the treasure of revelation
have gotten a man from the Lord." But the second son which even at that early period might be and was actu-
calls to her mind the frailty and vanity of human exist-              ally possessed.  We must not underestimate the value
ence and she names him Abel, breath or vanity, a weak- of the direct tradition Cain and Abel received from their
ling. This may also be deduced from their respective first parents, who could relate by experience of the state
occupations, Abel choosing the quiet pilgrim-life of a of righteousness and life, in contrast with the state of
shepherd, but Cain turning his ambition to the earth, to corruption and death. Neither must we forget that the
grapple with the curse that was on the ground and to immediate surroundings reminded them forcibly of
labor for the development of the things of the world. former things.                       The garden of Eden had not been
The same traits become manifest later in Cain's genera-               removed, even though the way to the tree of life was


6                                      T E I E   S T A N D A R D   R E A R E R
                                         .___l_lll..""l--  ..."
barred. And above all we must remember that besides the fruit of the ground, claiming for it as a work on his
all the knowledge they gained by way of tradition, they            part meritorious value and a righteousness for himself on
were the subjects of direct revelation, God, speaking to the basis of which God would be obliged to accept him.
them. Not only Abel received positive testimony that  hc           Abel's offering is that of the humble and contrite heart,
was righteous, but God revealed Himself also directly hungering and thirsting after righteousness and clinging
to Cain and spoke to Him.                                          to the promise; Cain's that of the self-righteous man of
     In the light of this knowledge we must undoubtedly            the world, who imagines that God ought to be  pieascci
also view their offering and judge of the difference               when he offers unto Him some of his possessions.  hbcl
between their respective sacrifices. In the sacrifice as offered as the righteous, Cain as the ungodly.
such we must see the beginning of what later constituted              The result is that Abel's offering is accepted and
the sanctuary. It was a means and symbol of exercising Cain's was not. God had respect unto Abel's offering.
covenant-communion with God. In and through the not unto Cain's. All such sacrifice as that of Cain is
sacrifice the offerer approached Jehovah and entered into an abomination to Jehovah. For "The Lord is far from
His covenant-friendship.     Now, Cain as well as Abel             the wicked. but He heareth the prayer of the righteous."
brought an offering unto Jehovah. Both sacrificed. Cain, Prov.  15  29. And : "The way of the wicked is an abom-
therefore, knew God. He is not to be compared to the               ination to the Lord, but He loveth him that followeth
heathen of a later date, that bowed before man and beast after righteousness." Prov. 15  :9. And: "The sacrifice
and creeping things. Into such sinful foolishness Cain             of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the
had not yet fallen. But he surely is the man that knew prayer of the upright is His  delighi." Prov. 15  :8. This
God and refused to glorify Him as God. And this is language is quite in conflict with that employed by the
manifest from the difference of their sacrifice.          It is    present day philosophers about three or four different
thought by many that this difference must be conceived kinds of good; in conflict, too, with the second and third
as merely subjective. it is found in the respective atti- point of the now famous three as they are declared by
tude in which the two offerers brought their sacrifice. synodical authority. For according to these there is an
Cain feared not the Lord.  H'e had no faith. And in influence of God upon the life of every natural man? which
this unbelieving attitude he brought His offering unto enables him to do good, though his heart is not renewed.
Jehovah.    And it is for this reason that the Lord had How beautifully this would apply to Cain, lived he but
no respect unto his  coffering  while He accepted Abel's. in our day. Cain's sacrifice would be called good without
But we do not believe that this view is in harmonv with            any doubt, the result of an influence of God  upon him.
the meaning of the text, neither does it fully explain the         whereby he was enabled to bring it. And how are not
difference between Cain's sacrifice and that of his brother.       similar Cain's offerings, brought by the rich  uf this
Surely, Cain offered in unbelief and Abel in faith. And world for a cause of the world, lauded and declaimed till
without faith it is impossible to please God. But this all the world is acquainted with the fact that Cain sacri-
unbelief also became manifest in the nature of the  ofier-         ficed of the fruit of his ground and is praised for his good-
ing each brought unto God. Thus it is stated in the text ness and generosity !               Yes, but Cain's offerings and
of Gen. 4. For Cain brought unto the Lord of the fruit prayers are an abomination to Jehovah. Abel's offerings
of the ground an offering unto the Lord, and Abel of the           are pleasing to Him and are respected by Him. In what
firstlings of the flock and of the fat thereof. Thus it is         way Jehovah revealed His pleasure and displeasure with
also Stated in He. 11  :4. Abel brought a more excellent regard to Abel's offering and Cain's respectfully is not
sacrifice than Cain. The mere fact that Cain was a tiller expressed in the text. But in the light of what follows
of the ground and Abel a keeper of the flock does not with respect to God's speaking to Cain and in the light
explain this difference.    For it would have been easy of He.  11:4 we may draw the conclusion that there was
for Cain to obtain a  firstling of the flock and offer it. a direct revelation concerning this matter to the two
But from the point of view of Cain's unbelief and Abel's offerers. And we may also read between the lines that
faith the difference in their offering is quite plain. Abel        Abel took God's part and with Him, in his testimony to
brought a bloody offering. That bloody offering was  a his brother Cain condemned the latter's sacrifice. This
confession on his part that without atonement it is kindled Cain's wrath. His countenance fell. His heart
impossible to enter into  covenant:friendship  with God, hardened and is filled with bitterness. He hates the
righteous and holy. He knew God spiritually, by faith. righteous God and the righteous Abel for condemning the
He knew himself as unworthy and sinful. And he clung sacrifice with which he himself is so well-pleased. He
to the promise of the seed that would overcome the ser- begins to plan revenge. Just as the world today is filled
pent and crush its head in final victory. And thus, in with bitter hatred when the child of God takes God's
obedience of  ,faith he followed that form of sacrifice part, and on the basis of His Word condemns all the
which the Lord undoubtedly Himself had taught men, glittering sins and sacrifices of the wicked, which men
when He made them coats of skins, providing a covering praise so highly; so Cain deeply resents the condemna-
for their nakedness through blood. But Cain believed tion of his abominable  o&ring  to the Lord. And he
not. He acted as if on the basis of  his own works and             wreaks vengeance upon Abel, causing the earth to drink
gifts he could be pleasing to God. He knew not God, his blood as the first martyr in the cause of God's party
neither himself in his sin. And in unbelief he offered of in the world.


                                                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D     `B E A R E R                                                    7
        ---..-..........._-..__.... "._.- ..__".-"  - - - .._...-"  .._-                                       -      -                          _ .---.  _..I- _--,  ^_-,
    But God  takes Abel's part. For even  c-iurin`g   his  life                                hcid;  Hij heeft hen te voren verordineercl, den  bcelde
hc obtained witness from  &xl that  he was righteous.                                          zijns Zoons gelijkvormig te zijn, herscheppend  gctrok-
And though overcome physically by  the stronger Cain,                                          ken uit dc  macht der duisternis,  en  overgczct  in het
spiritually he was the victor by faith  and  hc still speaks                                   Iioninkrijk  van den Zoon zijner liefde,  en  Hij heeft hen
though  being dead. And after his death God deals with                                         gemaakt tot koningen  en priesters,  q&t zij  zouden   ver-
his murderer. `He  is  4beI.s covenant-friend. .,\nd  H e kondigen dc  deugden desgenen, die hen uit  (dc  duistcrnis
will surely bless them  that  bless His friends and curse                                      `Teroepen
                                                                                               h             heeft tot zijn wonderbaar  licht. !>e  C&d  des
them that curse them. The earth takes Abel's part and                                          vet-bonds heeft tot dat  volk gezegd:  c\mmi.  Ik ben  de
cries to God with a voice of blood. And the Lord listens                                       HEERE, uw  God; en daarop heeft dat  volk gcantwoord:
and sends Cain accursed as a vagabond over the earth.                                          0 mijn God !
He must roam and be accursed, yet as such he must still                                             Dus   is  God in de geschiedenis zijn  volk bekend  ge-
serve  C%xYs  purpose. Cain thinks that he cannot bear worden  met den naam HEERE. De Schepper van het
that curse for every one that meets him will kill him.                                         Heelal is de HEERE der Historie. God schiep de  Schep-
But God's counsel is different. Cain may not be killed.                                        ping met een cloel. En dat  doe1 is niet maar, dat  c:lie
And the  very possibility of it is prevented by a sign                                         Schepping  er  zou zijn,  goed en heerlijk zou zijn,  en
upon the accursed, warning every one and threatening voorts in haar heerlijkheid zou voortbestaan. God hieltl
sevenfold vengeance upon whomever would lay hands on                                           niet op van te werken,  toen zijn scheppingswerk  alszoo-
the vagabond. Grace this sign surely is not. Grace and                                         danig voltooid was. Hij werkt tot nu toe. Hij heeft
curse surely do not go together. But Gain must serve                                           Zich met zijne Schepping in verbinding gesteld. God
God's purpose. ;!i.nd he must serve it as the vagabond.                                        heeft zijne Schepping een  doe1 gesteld.  I-lij heeft een
wandering and roaming with no place in all the earth                                           doe1 met haar. Dat  doe1 wordt gerealiseerd naar den
that does not curse him.                                For this purpose God hath              Raad van Gods voorzienigheid. Niet slechts in het  schep-
raised him  up. He is  the  living testimony that God takes                                    pen zijner Schepping voert God zijn Raad uit,  maar  ook
His people's part. And until he shall have  fullilled  this                                    in en door zijne Schepping.            De uitvoering van Gods
purpose of God he may not die, he must live and murder Raad in de Schepping vangt feitelijk eerst na hare schep-
upon him will be avenged sevenfold. Thus the heel of                                           ping  aan. In den loop der eeuwen voert God zijn  Raad
the woman's seed was begun to be hurt by the seed of                                           uit met zijne Schepping. En Hij  verheerlijkt  Zich in
the  serpent. But the victory was  :\bel's. His blood                                         haar historie en in 
cried and still cries. together with the blood that flowed                                                                 het  eindresultaat van hare  geschie-
from the heel of the woman's seed ever since. till the                                        denis.
Great Friend of all His people shall  justif)- and glorify                                          Daarom vangt terstond na de schepping niet  slechts
them perfectly and wreak His terrible vengeance upon                                          het  werk  van Gods voorzienigheid  aan, maar ook de  ge-
all that hare  hated  them in the world.                                                      schiedenis der wereld. De historie is Gods werken met
                                                                                    H. H.     en door zijne Schepping. Daardoor komt die Schepping
                                                                                              zelf tot haar doel, en bereikt God zijn doe1 in en met zijne
                                                                                              Schepping. God stelde  Zich in bijzondere gemeenschap
                                  DE HEERE GOD                                                met zijne Schepping. In en door den mensch, aller schep-
   Welgelukzalig is het  volk, wiens God de HEERE is.                                         selen  kroon en heer,  staat de Schepping in geestelijke
Welgelukzalig  is hij, die den God Jakobs tot zijne  hulp                                     zedelijke betrekking tot den Schepper. En in die  ge-
hecft, wiens verwachting op den HEERE, zijnen God, is;                                        meenschap is de HEERE de God der Schepping, en moet
die den  hemel  en de aarde gemaakt heeft, de zee en  al                                      de Schepping Gods Schepping zijn, en moet zij Hem  die-
wat in  dezelve  is; die trouwe houdt in der eeuwigheid.                                      nen tot openbaring en uitvoering van zijnen eeuwigen
Dat de eenzame zich verheuge en geschal make met vroo-                                        Raad, en tot verheerlijking  van den Schepper in het werk
lijk gezang, want zij zal niet beschaamd  worden,   noch te                                   zijner  handen  en van de verheerlijking van  de Schepping
schande  worden;  want haar Maker is haar Man,  IIEERE                                        in de  gemeenschap met haar Formeerder. Dat is de  ge-
der heirscharen is Zijn naam; en de heilige  Isra& is                                         dachte der  Heilige  Schrift; inzonderheid in Gen. 2 en 3.
haar Verlosser  ; Hij zal de God des ganschen aardbodems                                      Dat is de verbondsgedachte.
genaamd  worden. "Zalig moet men noemen. Die hun                                                    Die verbondsgedachte  willen  we nader ontvouwen.
Maker  roemen   Als hun  HEER en God ; `t  Volk, door                                         Gelijk  wij vroeger reeds hebben  beloofd.  W?j  willen ons
T-Iem  te  voren Gunstig uitverkoren Tot  zijn  erv' en lot."                                 nader indenken op het verbond onzes Gods. Op  belang-
Dezulken hebben een eeuwig verbond met God.                                                   stelling   valt daarbij zeker te rekenen. Want wij hebben
   Hun God is de HEERE. De Schepper van  hemel  en                                            Gods  ,verbond  steeds in  onzen  mond. Gereformeerden
aarde, die  alle  dingen  gewrocht heeft om Zijns Zelfs wil,                                  zijn verbondsmenschen. Dat wil  echter geenszins  zeg-
heeft  speciaal  Zich dit volk geformeerd, zij  zullen  Zijnen                                gen, dat elke verbondsbeschouwing, onder de  Gerefor-
lof vertellen. Hij schiep het naar Zijn eigen beeld, opdat                                    meerden gangbaar, ook den toets van Gods Woord  kan
het Hem  recht zou  kennen,  van harte liefhebben. en met doorstaan. Er is  zelfs,  strikt genomen,  gcen sprake van
Hem in eeuwige zaligheid leven zoude, om Hem te loven                                         een welomschreven Gereformeerd verbondsdogma. In
en te prijzen. Oak heeft Hij dat volk liefgehad met  ten                                      onze studie van de vcrbondsgedachte zijn we dan ook
eeuwige  liefde en daarom getrokken met  gocdertieren-                                        nog altijd hoofdzakelijk aangewezen op de Heilige Schrift


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
.._            .--l.l-- _._                 -^l--.-.-l--_.                                                                    15
                                                                         -_- ..-... --^.
AN ERRONEOUS CONCEPTION OF SCRIPTURE                               So Prof. Berkhof maintains in his "Bekuopte  Bijbel-
                          EXPOSED                              s&e Hermeneutiek." On page 209 of this work one
       The preceding number of this magazine contains an       meets the following assertion:  "Het kan gebeuren  dat de
article under the caption "Reply to Prof. Schoolland."         analogica  twt-e  leerstukken  vaststelt, die  schijnbaar   gehed
The particular article is a response to certain charges tegenstrijdig zijn. Denk aan de leer der predestinatie en die
lodged against us. The Professor publicly accused us van den vrijen wil, die \-an des tnenschen onmacht en van
of rationalism.  F-fe asserted that our rejection  of the      zijn rerantwoordelijkheid." Rev. Zwier writes as fol-
three declarations of Synod is due to peculiar "denkme- lows,  "Wilt  g-e deze deugd Gods geen genade noemen  ?
thode". He intimated that since we are unable to com-          We zullen er niet over  twisten.  Noem  ze dan gunst of
prehend and understand the mysteries of God's Word we goedheid, barmhartigheid of goedertierenheid,  lankmoe-
reject them, that we refuse to be taught by the Lord God digheid of verdraagzaamheid of welken term ge ook  ver-
concerning His love and grace and concerning the rela- kiest, zoo het maar vaststaat, dat er volgens de Schrift
tion which He, God, sustains to His creatures, but that nog iets anders in God jegens de menschheid in het alge-
we regard ourselves as the fountain and origin of truth,       meen dan enkel  liaat en toorn en wrok en grimmigheid.
that consequently our views and conceptions are not               Zeg ge, dat ge dit niet rijmen kunt met die andere
taken from scripture but are human formations, conclu-         uitspraken der Schrift waar van den toorn Gods over alle
sions drawn from premises built around concept`s of our goddeloosheid en ongerechtigheid der menschen en van
own making.                                                    zijn wraak over  alle goddeloozen gesproken wordt?
       Thus the Professor opined that he had accounted for Gelukkig dat behoeft ook niet. God vraagt niet van u,
our views relative to the theory of common grace.              dat gij Hem en Zijn deugden en Zijn werken  zult  be-
       We. on the other hand, maintained that we do not grijpen.          In plaats  van  te trachten met uw gebrekkige
regard ourselves as the fountain of truth, that we do logica te rijmen wat ge  nimmer  zult kunnen rijmen,  zult
permit ourselves to be taught by God concerning His ge beter  doen met  LIW  kortzichtigheid te erkennen en te
.-irtues,  that our conceptions of God's virtues are not komen tot de belijdenis: "God is groot en wij begrijpen
human discoveries but taken from scripture, that we het niet !" (De Wachter, Jan. 1925, No. 1, Page 3.) We
limit God's love because God Himself does so, that it is       should notice how that in the above quotations it is
not at all true that our conception of the relation which maintained that God's word is in conflict with itself.
God sustains to the reprobate world is a conclusion The reverend asserts "dat ge dit niet rijmen kunt met
drawn from premises built around concepts of our own die andere uitspraken der Schrift." He cautions us not to
making, that our rejection of the three declarations of        attempt it for he sat-s: "In plaats van te trachten met  uw
Synod is not at all due to our peculiar  "denkmethode".        gebrekkige  logica te rijmen wat ge nimmer zult kunnen
Far from it. 0ur  "denktiethode"  is not peculiar. but rijmen".           Listen to hitn once more:  "Het aanbod van
normal, safe and sound and identical to the "denkme- genade is welgemeend, dus een bewijs van Gods
thode" of every rightminded, reformed theologian and gunst ( ?).  Nu valt het niet te ontkennen, dat wij dit  alge,-
dogmatician. We insist that we are placing our brains meen aanbod des Evangelies niet kunnen rijmen met de
in the service of God's truth, we maintained that our particuliere uitkomst. De uitkomst  tech van die  roeping
rejection of the three points of Synod is due to the fact Gods is, dat  veie  geroepenen weigeren te komen.  Velen
that we cling to the scriptural conception of God. We          worden  geroepen, die zooals de uitkomst bewijst, niet
pointed out that he who adheres to the theory of com-          tot Gods uitverkorenen behooren.           Deze moeilijkheid
mon grace does so at the expense of the scriptural view voor ons  denken,  die wij nimmer zullen vermogen op te
of God. We showed how that the theory of  cotimon lossen. hebben ook onze  vaderen  zeer  we1 gevoeld.  (?)
grace necessitates the belief in a God whose mental pro-       And again  : "Gods absolute souvereiniteit en des  men-
cesses are illogical, irrational or in whose being there is    schen verantwoordelijkheid. Wij kunnen die beide niet
either strife and conflict or contrary activities. The met elkaar in overeenstetnming brengen. Het zij zoo,
theory of common grace, so we maintained, involves a wij buigen voor het  mgsterie, maar houden  aan beide
conception of God which militates against God's revela- waarheden vast.,' God's word yields contradictions when
tion of Himself. The divergent views relative to the tested by human logic: `Wij kunnen die beide (Gods
theory, so we pointed out, is not due to different  "denk-     absolute  souvereiniteit en des menschen  verantwoorde-
methoden" as Professor Schoolland would have it, but to        lijkheid) niet met elkaar in overeenstemming brengen."
divergent views relative to God's being.                          Rev. Henry Kuiper is also of the opinion that God's
       In this article I shall make it clear how that a dan- word cannot stand the test of human logic. In a recent
gerous and erronedus conception of scripture is making publication of his one discovers the following assertion:
it possible for the exponents of common grace to main- "It is true that human logic cannot fully harmonize the
tain themselves.                                               doctrine of election and reprobation, of a particular atone-
       The adherents of the theory of common grace are ment, and of man's total depravity (which implies that
asserting now that God's word is and may be in conflict our will by nature is free to choose only the evil but not
with itself, that the scripture contains contrary and con- the good) with that of the general offer of grace. But
tradictory thought.                                            does this mean that both cannot be true? There is not


  ICI                                        THE  ST,\NDi\RU,   B E A R E R

  (Jne  doctrine of Holy Writ which does not involve us in              alonians 2 :14-16 and Rom. 9  :ll. The critics Kern and
  intellectual difficulties. Think of the mystery of the One            Baur reject the second epistle to the Thessalonians.
  Being  a.nd the three persons, of  Il)ivine  Sovereignty and          ;\ccording to these two critics 2 Thess.  2:1-12 militates
  human responsibility, of Divine Providence and human                  against 1 Thess.  4:13-18; 5 :l-11. In the first passage the
  freedom, of original sin and the sinlessness of Christ, of apostle teaches that the day of Christ is close at hand
  the union of two natures in the one Divine Person of and will come suddenly and unexpectedly. In the second
  Christ." (The three points of Common Grace p. 12 foot-                passage Paul asserts that the day is far  off and will be
  note.)     As the above deliverance clearly indicates Rev.            preceded by several signs.
  1-I..  J. `Kuiper is also of the opinion that one finds in (`rr&`s       Thus it appears that the leaders mentioned above and
  word  several pairs of contrary or contradictory truths.              the higher critic have this in common that both they
  Human  logid cannot fully harmonize them.                             and the higher destructive critic find in scripture con-
         Prof. Berkhof and Revs. Zwier and Kuiper are all               tradictory propositions and illogical thought. The  lead-
  agreed that the scripture is in conflict with itself, that crs mentioned above (Rev. Zwier, Rev. H.  J. Kuiper and
  God's word contains contrary truths.                                  Prof. Berkhof) and the higher critics are engaged in
         Now it is a sure thing that he who maintains that              annihilating and destroying God and His Word, the
  scripture is in conflict with itself is joining the ranks  of former unknowingly, unconsciously and unwillingly, the
  the higher critics.     Fact is that God's word contains latter consciously, knowingly and willingly. For I have
  many mysteries but not a single pair contrary, contra- shown in my previous article that one of two such con-
  dictory, conflictive and  hence illogical truths. One finds tradictory propositions must be untrue.                   One of the
  in scripture no irrational, illogical truth. Finally, he who          two propositions, "A' is traveling west and  "A" is
  insists that the scripture contains illogical, irrational or          traveling east must be untrue, and that according to
  contrary pairs of truths is  engaged  in attacking, denying           Divine logic as well as human logic. "A" cannot be
  and destroying God's word. Such an one is engaged in                  traveling east and west.at the same time. One of the two
  attacking the very being and existence of God in so far               contrary propositions, "God wills that all men be saved"
  as scripture is  the revelation of God. In this article  I            and "God does not will that all men be saved" must be
  wish to dwell upon these matters.                                     untrue, and that according to Divine logic as well as
         The higher critics  I said are forever insisting that human logic. God cannot will and not will the same
  one finds in scripture much contradictory data. Permit                thing at the same time in the same way. This also holds
  me to adduce a few examples. The scholars Davidson                    true of the contratry propositions "God loves  the repro-
  and Baljon maintained that Rom.  15:24,  28.  24 are in               bate'" and "God hates the reprobate".
  conflict with Kom. 1  :l@-15. It is held that in the former              If the doctrine of the Trinity is illogical as Rev. H.
  passage Paul merely expresses a  desire to visit Rome, Kuiper intimates, it is a false doctrine. If the two prop-
  on his way to Spain. It is said that in the  latter passage ositions "God determines all things" and  <`man is a
  Paul declares that he is fully determined to visit the                responsible being" are contradictory, as Prof. Berkhof
  congregation at Rome. At the close of the preceding claims, either one must be untrue.
  century the Dutch critics  Loman, Pierson,  Naber and                    To insist that the scripture contains  tiontrary  and con-
  Van  Manen  discovered numerous  imaginar?-   ctjnflcts               tradictory truth is equal to maintain that the Word of
  hetween the Acts of the apostles and the first epistle to             God is untrue.
  the Corinthians.       Destructive critics have maintained               As was said, the brethren mentioned above and the
  that Gal. 1 :18 is in conflict with Acts 9 :23 ;---Gal. 1 :I&19       destructive critics are agreed that one will discover in
  with Acts  ?:26;--Gal. 2  :l with Acts  9:26--11  :30--12   :25       Holy Writ contrary and illogical truths. Both the former
  and  1.5:2. The critic Holsten denied the genuineness of and the latter are engaged in discrediting scripture. As
  the epistle to  the Philippians on the basis of conflicts             to motive aim and attitude there is a difference however.
  between this letter of Paul and  the apostle's epistle to The higher critic aims to discredit the Word of God.
  the Corinthians.       .iccording to this critic Philippians          Not so the exponents of common grace among us. These
  2  :4-l 1 and I. Cor. 15  :45-49  are contradictory passages.         men do postulate in scripture contrary thought, but in
  In the first passage the apostle states that Christ became            so doing they are not motivated by a desire to destroy
  man at `His incarnation. In the second passage it is                  the truth. They are merely attempting to place their
  asserted, so this critic maintains, that Christ was man               unscriptural theory on a scriptural basis. The higher
  even before Wis incarnation. Hence the conflict. The critic is filled with contempt for the Word, which he
' same critic maintains that what is asserted in chapter                attempts to ridicule and discredit by placing the Word
  3  6 is in flagrant contradiction with Rom.  /"  :21.      In the in conflict with itself. The brethren mentioned above
  former passage Paul says that he was blindness as touch-              respect and -esteem the Word. Although it is  a settled
  ing the righteousness which is in the law. In Rom.  7:21              thing for them that the Word is often in  conflict with
  the apostle declares  " . . . . . . . when I would do good,           itself and contains much illogical truth, they neverthe-
  evil is  presentt'. Davidson opines that the christology less bow before it and accept its illogical, contrary and
  of Paul's epistle to the Colossians is in conflict with Paul's contradictor)- propositions.            In this they are less
  representation of the Christ in his other writings. consistent than the higher critics. If I was convinced
  Schrader and Baur discovered a conflict between Thess-                that  the truth of God's Word was illogical and  contradic-


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               17

  tory  X would reject that Word. I would close my Bible             DO  not draw the conclusion that the truly  Reformed
  and place it upon the shelf never to consult it again. To theologian and dogmatician refuses to recognize mys-
  postulate in God's Word contradictions and then to              teries in God's Word. Indeed he does. But the mys-
  accept fhat Word as an infallible guide implies a will-         teries of God do not trouble him. Not that he attempts
  ingness to believe in untruths.                                 to explain them; he knows better than that. He accepts
         The exponents of the theory of common grace may and believes. Let it be said thae there is a vast difference
  complain that I am misrepresenting them. They may between a mystery and a contradiction or that which
  reply that they distinguish between Divine and human is illogical and irrational. The mysteries of God's `Word
  logic, that  scriprural truths may prove to be illogical and make the devout man pray. Contradictions make him
  contradictory when the test of human logic is applied mock.
  to them but that this cannot possibly happen when the              I shall now prove that what  I asserted above, relative
  qame
  .         truth is tested by Divine logic. To this I wish the Reformed theologian and exegete to the effect that
  to reply that any one who maintains that scriptural truth       he tolerates in scripture no contradictory passages, is
  will stand the test of Divine but not of human logic is         the truth.
  proceeding from the false assumption that human logic              I refer first of all  to Brakel. I wish to quote from the
  compared with Divine logic is illogic and vice versa. And works of this theologian because it appears that he is
  this cannot be true, for it would mean, as I asserted in an authority in our midst. Dr. C. Bouma attaches much
  my previous article, that the God of Scripture is the very significance to this theologian's utterances. The doctor,
  opposite of the real God, that therefore we do not know         when lecturing on the subject of common grace is wont
  God at all, that man compared with God is an irrational to quote Brakel. I wish to quote a few lines from Brakel's
  being, and no image bearer of God. In this case prayer "Redelijke Godsdienst". The title of rhis work is very
  and religion would have no objective reality.                   significant,. "Redelijke Gogsdienst" i. a. reasonable,
         In  fine,  we maintain that the truth of God's Word rational religion. To him scripture is void of all that
  is not and cannot possibly be illogical. We insist that which is illogical, absurd, contrary and contradictory.
  God's Word contains no contrary or contradictory prop-          Listen to him,  "Zulke algemeene genade heeft  verschei-
  ositions. We shall prove now that it is most unreformed dene  ongerijmdheden  in  zich; uit welke natuur ongerijmd-
  to maintain the contrary. The Reformed theologian and heden vloeien, dat is zelfs absurd en ongerijmd, want (a)
  exegete when expounding scripture is controlled by the cleze algemeene wil om alle menschen zalig te  maken
  idea that God's Word cannot and does not contain stelt dat God wil `t geen Hij niet wil. Die waarlijk  ern-
  illogical truths and contrary passages. It is a most fun- stig, heftig eene zaak wil, die voert ze ook uit als hij kan.
  damental exegetical law or rule to which the Reformed God nu kan alle menschen dadelijk zalig  maken,  maar
  expositor strictly adheres, by which he is prepossessed hij  wiI niet,  gelijk uit de iutkomsr blijkt.  MS God dan
  upon approaching the scripture. God's Word, says he, evenwel een wil heeft, om alle menschen zalig te  maken,
  contains no contradictory passages, no contrary truths. zoo wil Hij `t zelfde en Hij wil `t zelfde niet, en dat in
  T                                                               dezelfde opzichten.  (b) Dewijl dan deze  dingen   onge-
       O  the Reformed exegete scripture is one organical har-
  monious whole and not a concatenation of isolated. rijmd zijn, zoo is hetdan ook ongerijmd eenen  algemee-
  illogical contrary* and contradictory utterances. How nen besluitenden wil in God te stellen, om alle menschen
  could it be for God is the author of the Word, and God          zalig te maken. (Redelijke Godsdienst, vol. 1, p.  181.)
  is a most rational, sane and intelligent Reing. When               Notice the terms "ongerijmdheden" and "absurd".
  a rational being speaks, his utterances necessarily form        Brake1 maintains that scriptural truths are rational and
  c;nc. organic whole. This is true of the `Lord God in reasonable. He rejected the Pelagian doctrine of uni-
  a supurb sense. Scripture reveals God. Now God is a             versal atonement for the very same reasons that we
  harmonious Being. There is perfect harmony in His               reject the theory of common grace, i.  e. because of the
  thinking, in His conduct, works and utterances. Hence           implied absurdities' inconsistencies and contradictions.
  the Bible cannot contain contrary and contradictory pass- Brake1 as a true Reformed theologian loaths that which
  ages, data' propositions, truths. Under this impression is contradictory and absurd. To him God's truth is
  the Reformed exegete instinctively labors. He does not rational, reasonable and logical.  -4ccording to the expo-
permst  himself to array any two passages of scripture nents of common grace Brake1 is a rationalist.
  against each other. He is not content until he has har-            Let us now ascertain what  Dir. G. Vos of Princeton
  monized the data of scripture. He does not rest until           has to say. Dr. Vos is discussing the difficult point of
  he has succeeded in removing the contradiction. He is           God's determinate counsel, versus human freedom. He
  not satisfied until he has established harmony.        Like- expresses himself as follows  :"De mensch  zegt  onwille-
  wise the `Reformed dogmatician.         He strives to har-      keurig: als ik verantwoordelijk voor mijne  daden  zijn
  monize and blend God's truths into one systematic whole.        zal had ik ook anders  moeten kunnen . En  in&en Gods
  He knows that is his task. To admit and tolerate a con- eeuwig besluit reeds mijn  doen bepaald had, zoo kon ik
  tradiction between any two revealed truths of God is to niet anders, m.a.w. eeuwige zekerheid en zedelijke  vrij-
  him a crime, a sin, which indeed it is. To him God's heid sluiten elkander uit, het zijn onvereenigbare  begrip-
  truth is a logical, rational, systematic whole as opposed       pen." Dr. Vos means to say that man is bent on regarding
  to illogical and irrational.                                    God's eternal counsel and man's responsibility as  contra-


I    cl
     L!L------.-.-.                          T H E   ST.qNDr\RD   B E A R E R                                        --....
     dictory ideas which cannot be harmonized. Then Dr. Vos              Let  US illustrate this most fundamental exegetical
     goes   on to  sav that an erroneous and faulty conception of     rule. One reads in 2 Tim. 3  6: "Who gave himself a
     human freedom is responsible for it that to his mind the ransom for all." Christ informs us on the other hand
     idea of an eternal determined counsel militates against          that He laid down His life for His sheep, thus not for all.
     the idea of human freedom and responsibility. "Vrijheid Now sound exegesis requires that the meaning of either
     is onzckerheid naar men meent. Daar Iegt haar  wezen             passage be so modified as to avoid a contradiction. Noti
     cn zekerhcid en onzekerheid kunnen na.tuurGjk   niet             the utterance:  " I lay down my life for my sheep suffers
     samengaan."    In other words, according  to Dr.  Vos no modification. The other scripture does, however. The
     "zekerheid  en onzekerheid" since they are two opposite          term all may and must be made to apply to the sheep
     terms, cannot go together. Dr. Vos declares by implica- only. The passage will then read: "Who gave Himself a
     tion that God's truth is strictly logical and rational, that ransom for all His sheep." The two scriptures are now
     the scripture contains no contrary and contradictory in full harmony. The contradiction is avoided.
     propositions. God's counsel, the doctor means to say,               With the above Prof. Berkhof agrees I am sure. For
     spells certainty and if human responsibility means uncer- he asserts in his "Beknopte Bijbelsche  Hermeneutiek"
     tainty then God's determinate courisel or man's freedom p. 204 that  "Een leerstuk, dat duidelijk bewezen is door
     is fiction. Dr. Vos you see as a theologian and  dog- de Analogia Fidei niet door een duistere en schijnbaar
     matician is thoroughly Reformed.                                 tegenstrijdige  plaats omver geworpen kan  worden."  ,4nd
         Like a true Reformed dogmatician he feels that a             in his Isagogics the professor is constantly engaged in
     contradiction may not be tolerated. He asserts that we removing the contradictions which the higher destruc-
     shall have to modify our conception of human freedom in tive critics discover in the scriptures. Prof. Berkhof, how-
     such a way that contradiction disappears. Listen to him, ever, is now engaged in defending the theory of common
     "Wij  zullen  ons vrijheid  begrip  moeten  .wijzigen,  ons grace. This means that he is ignoring the exegetical
     zulk eene opvatting van de menschelijke vrijheid  moeten         rules which he  layed  down for his students. "Do not do
     vormen dat zij met meer haar  wezen  in de onzekerheid           as I do but do as I say" is applicable to Prof. Berkhof.
     en volstrekte toevalligheid heeft".                                 And finally, John Calvin wrote a commentary on the
        As an expositor Dr. Vos is thoroughly reformed. He first three gospels and on the pentateuch. They bear
     tolerates in scripture no contradictory passages. He is          the title of "The Harmony of Matthew, Mark and Luke,"
     aware of it that the Lord  &d does not permit it. Let and "The Harmony of the Pentateuch." The title indi-
     me quote him once more. He is engaged in refuting the cates that Calvin strove for harmony in God's word.
     defenders of universal atonement. These heretics have
     their scriptures upon which to base their heresy. The                                                             G. M. 0.
     universalist, says Dr. Vos, refers you to John  II:51,5~2;-
     Hebr. 2  :9 ; Titus 2  :l l ;-2 Peter 3  :7, etc. The comment
     of Dr. Vos reads as follows:  "Wanneer  hier en daar
     gezegd wordt dat Christus gestorven  is voor de wereld of                     MIJN VADER WEET . . . .
     voor de zonden der  geheele wereld eene  verzoening is,                    Schrijf `t op de  zoomen  van uw  kIeed,
     zoo moet men  zich ten zeerste wachten om op den  klank                         Gij, die in rouwe treurt:
     af daaruit de gevolgtrekking af te leiden: Hij heeft  yoor                 "Mijn Vader in den  hemel  weet
     alle menschen  voldaan.  Onze  stelregel  moet altijd  zijn,                    Wat smart mij `t hart verscheurt."
     om schrift met schrift te verklaren, wanneer wij nu eene
     reeks teksten hebben die de bizondere strekking der  vol-                  Schrijf `t op de  wanden  van uw huis,
     doening  leeren  en daarnaast eene reeks van teksten. die                       Gij, die daarbinnen strijdt:
     van eene algemeene bedoeling schijnen te gewagen,                          "Mijn  Yrader,  in het Vaderhuis,
                                                               ZOO
     moet  zich het eene naar het andere schikken. Nu zal ieder                      Weet, hoe ik strijdend  lijd."
     inzien dat de deksten van de eerste soort hunne  beteeke-
     nis verliezen en geheel onverklaarbaar  worden  wanneer                    Schrijf `t op de peluw,  waar  uw hoofd
     men de geheel  algemeene strekking van Christus' werk                           des  nachts geen  ruste vindt;
     doordrijft, maar men kan het omgekeerde niet beweren.                      "Mijn Vader, die mij rust belooft,
     De meer algemeen luidende schriftuurplaatsen behouden                           Kent  d'  onrust van Zijn kind."
     nog een zeer goede zin, en  worden  volstrekt niet  onver-
     klaarbaar,  wanneer men ze van het standpunt der  parti-                   Schrijf `t in de diepten van uw hart,
     kuliere voldoening beziet."                                                     Dat pijnlijk bloeden blijft:
        We should not fail to notice how that Dr. Vos main-                     "Mijn Vader, ja, Hij weet mijn smart,
     tains that two series of contradictory passages may not                         Weet, hoe mijn leed beklijft."
     be tolerated. The contradiction must be removed by
     modifying either one of the series. Scripture, he says,                    Maar dan ook, als gij zeker weet,
     must be translated in the light of scripture:  "Onze  stel-                     Dat God uw smarten kent,
     regel moet altijd zijn dat schrift naar schrift is te  ver-                Ervaart gij steeds, dat Hij uw leed
     klaren."                                                                        Voor u ten beste wendt.


 22                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D  EEARER
- .__ ^ ...._..._.._._......_I_._I       -.----                         -_-____I_ --..---  -.-..-..-... .__ .,... "__"    ---_- -._-~
ccrned. Besides, it is not surprising that our eyes should half-vrijen wil des menschen. Maar op dat standpunt is
be blinded by intense light, so that we cannot certainly           het  we1 gedaan met de leer van Gods vrije genade, dat is,
judge how God wishes all to be saved, and yet has                  de genade, die God schenkt, gelijkerwijs  Hij wil; alsmede
devoted all the reprobate to eternal destruction, and              met de leer der verkiezing en verwerping, den doodstaat
wishes them to perish."  Keil, vaak door Berkhof  aange-           des zondaars, enz. Dan is  bet met de  Gereformecrde  be-
prezen, alsmede  onze Kantteekenaars beperken hier het             schouwing gedaan.
begrip   goddelooze.  En  blijkens het  verband  is dit laatste       Doch onze Synode  Wilde  Gereformeerd zijn. Dat  gr-
eisch. Later komen we hierop terug. Het is gansch niet             looven  we gaarne. Evenwel. zij  kwam met eene leer, die
noodig, om problemen te scheppen, die niet bestaan. Maar niet alleen nergens elders gevonden wordt, gansch  onbe-
in elk geval is hier gansch geen sprake, dat God in de             grijpelijk  is, maar  o.i. ook onmogelijk  vrij te pleiten is
aanbieding des  Evangel&  eene zekere genade of gunst              van het semi-pelagianisme. Daar moet men ten slotte
zou bewijzen  aan anderen dan verkorenen, en die niet uitkomen, hetzij men  zulks  wil, of niet. Het is  eenvou-
zaligmakend zou zijn. En dat is op dit oogenblik  dc               dig onmogelijk, om op  Schriftuurlijke  of Confessioneele
kwestie.                                                           gronden staande te houden, dat God in de aanbieding
        Er moet bewijs geleverd  worden,  dat God in de  ver-      des Evangelies  aan verworpenen een zekere gunst of
kondiging des Evangelies,  behalve de zaligmakende  ge-            genade bewijst, en die niet zaligmakend is. Zulk spreken
nade, welke Hij  aan Zijn uitverkorenen bewijst, ook  ecne         getuigt van verwarring. Het Evangelie biedt  Christus
zekere gunst of genade betoont en schenkt  aan  verwor-            aan, maar  geen  gunst of genade buiten dien Christus.
penen.              Dat heeft de Professor nu niet gedaan, en dat Buiten  Christus is geen leven, maar eeuwig verderf. En
kan hij ook niet  doen. Die beschouwing vindt men bij              ook daarvan gewaagt de verkondiging van Gods Woord.
geen enkel Schriftverklaarder. Ook is dat de bedoeling             Er zijn twee wegen, geen drie.
 niet  van Calvijn. Galvijn  zegt  in het  boven  aangehaalde,        Evenwel, laat Prof. Berkhof? deze nieuw ontdekte
dat God met eenzelfden wil wil. dat  alle menschen  zalig          genadeleer van de Synode van Kalamazoo eens plaatsen
 worden en tevens, dat Hij zulks niet wil. maar  sommi-            in het  herder   licht van  Schrift en Gonfessie. W i j   be-
gen heeft overgegeven tot het verderf. Zulk een taal is            doelen, Professor, beweer niet. dat zij er is; maar  zeg
natuurlijk gansch onnoodig, en Calvijn onwaardig;  maar            ens, wat die genade is.
zij  zegt  tech niet, wat Berkhof onze Synode laat zeggen.                                                                    H. D.
                                                                                                 -  ..___.  -     - ^_
 De Synode van Kalamazoo heeft, volgens Berkhof, de
zeer vreemde leer geleerd, dat God in de aanbieding des              THE PELAGIAN VIEW OF FREE-WILL, SIN
 Evangelies.  behalve de zaligmakende genade. die Hii  aan                                      AND GRACE
 Zijn uitverkorenen ten eeuwigen leven bewijst, ook  eene                                                I I
zekere, en juist niet dezelfde, gunst of genade schenkt               l-`elagius  labored in the imperial city of Rome for
aan verworpenen. die niet zaligmakend is, ook  niet naar           about eight  yeirs.  \Yhat  the reasons for his departure
Gods bedoeling. En die beschouwing rindt men nerqens               were are not definitely known, unless it be that Pelagius
elders, en die zienswijze mist alle bewijs.                        with  Caelestius, his pupil and disciple, earnestly sought
                                                                   an interview with  .:iugustine who lived in Hippo in
       Wat men in  schier  alle Schriftverklaring  rind& is het Africa. We do know that  Alaric was near to Rome at
zoogenaamd semi-pelagianisme. `Volgens  dat standpunt this time and that soon after  Pelagius  arrived in Africa,
 is er verlossing  voor alle menschen in voorwerpelijken           the city of Rome was plundered and sacked by the bar-
 zin. God  wil dan metterdaad, dat alle menschen zalig barous army of  .Xlaric. Undoubtedly the nearness of
worden.  Hij liet Zijn Zoon  we1 voor  allen  in den dood          Alaric hastened the departure `of Pelagius and his com-
gaan. En nu biedt Hij ongeveinsdelijk  aan alle  men-              panion.
schen het  heir in Ghristus Jezus  aan.  Doch de  aanvaar-            Whether they actually met Augustine is a matter of
 ding daar\-an is het werk ran den zondaar. Die moet dan doubt. Some historians affirm that they did meet him,
 op de een of andere wijze daartoe het vermogen bezitten. while others contend that  Pelagius never met him in
 Hij kan dan niet geheel  dood zijn in zonden en misdaden,          .!frica. Be that as it may. Augustine had heard of the
 onbekwaam tot  ttenig   goed, en geneigd tot alle kwaad.          activities of Pelagius and Caelestius in Rome, but up to
 En dan is natuurlijk de erfzonde ook niet de eigenlijke           this time they were as yet comparatively'unknown men
oorzaak van het verloren gaan, maar veelmeer zijn  ver- and not of great importance and meanwhile  `Augustine
werping van den Christus. Strikt genomen, kan  cr dan              found himself very busy in controverting the opinions of
 van geene  eigenlijke  verwerping van eeuwigheid sprake the Donatists.
 zijn.          Natuurlijk,  OF  dat standpunt vindt men totaal        Caelestius, however, did not leave  -Africa with his
 gecn moeilijkheid met de aanbieding des Evangelies  aan           teacher, Pelagius.          Caelestius sought admission to the
 alle menschen. De  zaak  is dan, dat God metterdaad wil,          priesthood in the city of Carthage. He was not admitted,
 dat alle menschen, hoofd voor hoofd, ziel voor ziel, of            however, because he avowed belief in the propositions
zoo  ais onze Dordtsche vaders  zich uitdrukten, dat  allen        following. With this dismissal of  Caelestius  in Carthage
 en een iegelijk  zalig  worden.          Met de aanbieding des the controversy on free-will was set rolling, and once
 Evangelies ondervindt gij op dat standpunt geen moeite. begun, it was not an easy matter to quiet the troubled
 De aanbieding geschiedt dan  aan den vrijen of althans            waters of the ecclesiastical sea in Africa, and the  thick-


                                            T II E         S T A N D A li D    I3 E A R E R                                     2.3
-".-.^~" _. ..--I_ -l--^_---.-I1.""..."-      -l-..^.l^.l^l^_ll_II     -l-l_-l"                --.        ----._--.~.

ening clouds of controversy soon broke forth into. a been, the ,will is in equipoise, able to choose good or evil.
storm of intense fury and for many years raged supreme.                We are born characterless, and with no bias towards
The principles of Pelagianism had aroused the African                  good or evil." A very important passage occurs in his
church and long after Pelagius had wandered to Pales-                  Confession of Faith  which he sent to the Roman see for
tine and Caelestius had traveled to Ephesus and Con- approval.                     Especially should this passage be compared
stantinople, the principles of Pelagius and Caelestius                 with the three points of the Synod of the Christian
were attacked with undiminished fervor and enthusiasm.                 Reformed Church at Kalamazoo, 1924. Especially do
    Caelestius was refused ordination and admission to these points become suspicious when they are compared
the priesthood because he asserted that:                               with the Pelagian view of grace which also shall be
    1. Adam would have died even if he had not sinned ;                offered in this series of articles. The decisive passage
   2. That the sin of Adam injured himself alone, not                  referred to reads: "We maintain that free-will exists
the human race ;                                                       generally in all mankind, in Christians, Jews, and Gen-
   3. That new-born children are in the same condition                 tiles; they have all equally received it by nature, but in
in which Adam was before the fall;                                     Christians only it is assisted by grace. In others this
   4. That infants, though unbaptized, have eternal life; good of their original creation is naked and unarmed.
   5. That the whole human race does not die because                   They shall be judged and condemned because, though
of Adam's death or sin, nor will the race rise again possessed of free-will, by which they might come to faith
because of the resurrection of Christ ;                                and merit the grace of God, they make an ill-use of their
   6. That even before the coming of Christ there were                 freedom; while Christians shall be rewarded'because, by
men who were entirely without sin;                                     using th'eir free-will  aright, they merit the grace of the
   7. That the law gives entrance to heaven as well                    Lord and keep Ris commandments." "Pelagius allowed
as the gospel.                                                         to grace everything but the initial determining move-
   It is true that these seven points had been formulated              ment towards salvation. He ascribed to the unassisted
by Caelestius and not by Pelagius. But Caelestius had human will power to accept and use the proffered salva-
been a pupil of Pelagius and he had imbibed his master's               tion of Christ. It was at this point his departure from
spirit and even was capable of improving his teacher's                 the Catholic creed could be made apparent:  Pdagius
position.    What Caelestius advocates in these seven                  maintains, expressly and by implication, that it is the
points belongs to the system of Pelagianism.                           human will which takes the initiative, and is the deter-
    While Pelagius was being honored and revered in mining factor in the salvation of the individual; while
Palestine, Caelestius was meeting with adversities in the church maintains that it is the divine will that takes
Carthage.     And these reversals for Pelagianism once                 the initiative by renewing and enabling the human will
begun did not stop until Augustine had mortally to accept and use the aid or grace offered."
wounded Pelagianism by means of various treatises and                     Pelagius declared that Adam was created with free-
had procured its condemnation through various ecclesias- will and sinned through free-will, and as far as the will
tical bodies.     But though Pelagianism was mortally is  c.oncerned,   all men are in exactly the same position as
wounded in the fifth century it has lingered even today, Jdam was before the  fall. All men have the capacity for
for after all, the roots of Pelagianism are not in the head good and evil. When two courses of action lie before an
as much as in the heart of man.                                        individual, he feels in himself and knows that he has the
    Baur says in his Dogmangesch. p. 179ff:  "In the ability to choose either or to reject either. If he chooses
system of Pelagius everything depends upon the prin-                   the wrong course, he does it with his eyes open. He does
ciple of the freedom of the will; this is the determining it without any compulsion. He does it, although he has
and fundamental conception in his doctrine of sin and the power to refuse to do it. This is simply due to a
grace. Freedom, as the absolute capacity of choice, to                 misuse of his free-will.
determine equally for good or evil, appeared to him                       -4 person may have a weak character. But weakness
in such a degree to be the substantial good of human                   of character does not mean inability to do right  *for
nature, that he even reckoned the capacity for evil as a Pelagius. Wherever such weakness is thought to exist,
bonum   naturae,  a  good of nature, since we cannot choose there is all the more need for a special exercise of the
good without in like manner being able to choose evil."                will. It is always in man's power to resist and overcome
    Pelagius maintained the full and unimpaired freedom a disinclination to do better. An effort, of course, is
of the will. By this is meant an absolute equipoise of required, but it is an effort that.ought  to be made and can
moral choice, which enables a man at any time, whatever                be made. "Weakness is no excuse for moral indolence,
his previous history may have been, to choose between                  nor does the fact that the flesh is frail mean that it is
good and evil. Thus Pelagianism affirms  that  theory of impossible to fulfill the commandments of God. To lay
the will which is commonly designated by the terms                     the blame on nature is to wrong its author, who would
"liberty of indifference" or "power of contrary choice."               never have imposed upon us obligations which we are
This theory affirms the freedom of the will, not in the                unable to perform."
sense that the individual is self-determined, but in the                  "Pelagius distinguished in human nature three stages
sense that in each volition and'at each moment of life; of moral progress: the power, the wish and the attain-
"no matter what the previous career of the individual has ment (posse, velle, esse)." The first one or power may


24                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D  EEARBR
-.--                .-.. ".."..".--~-           -..--"---^       ---"I  -.."_l_lll,_.       _-_- ^__^ - ._.. ^^-^^.----  - _.........  ^"-_."- _._
be described as spontaneity, in contrast with external              preaching  of the gospel grace. `But let these ideas wait
force. This always exists in men. The second or wish                 until the future. First of  al1 let us consider the griev-
may be described as the power of choice, Iiberum  arbit-            ances which may immediately be brought against the
rium,-as in Adam before the fall,----being an equal power            Pelagian view of free-will.
of deciding between the alternatives of good and evil.                    Pelagianism denies Scripture when it contends that
According to Julius Muller, the third or attainment is man has the liberty  of indifference and that all men have
the freedom with which the Son makes us free--the deter-             the power of choice. iMan is in his will determined by
mination of the soul to what is good and holy*--the  union          his own nature. And his nature is corrupt from his youth
of freedom and necessity.                                           up..  Also  the will of man is determined by the corrup-
      Moxon says that "only the first of  the.& did Pelagius         tion of the nature of man. Man is not endowed with
regard as the gift of God, the other two he regarded as             moral faculties unfettered and unbiased towards either
being under the complete control of man. The fact that good or evil. Scripture calls men darkness. Hence also
we can do right comes from God, who gave us a nature                the free-will of man is determined by this characteristic
capable of virtuous acts and gives us, moreover, mani-              of human nature.
fold helps and incitements to aid us in performing them;                  Human experience everywhere belies the Pelagian
but whether we actually do them or not depends upon                 view of free-will. "Even those' who under the influence
ourselves, on the use we make of our natural endow-                 of modern thought hold very altered views as to the Fall
ments, our power, our will, our knowledge of good and               of man and the propagation of sin admit an inherent
evil."                                                              imperfection in the will.---Actual free-will is biased to
      A discussion of the Pelagian idea of free-will is not evil." Pelagius left out the desires which are of the
complete without stating that historians make it  ver_r             nature of man.
clear that Pelagius very often identified free-will and                  It is a matter of psychology and of great psychological
grace. True  &ace may have included far more than the               import to believe in the law of habit. Sin is according
mere natural endowment of free-will. But for all prac- to Scripture also a habit. The Pelagian theory of free-
tical purposes the term grace included no more than we              will is unsound "leaving out of sight the power of sin
understand by the gifts of nature." For Pelagius, free-             as a habit and man's inability, in spite of formal freedom,"
will, which Adam had by natural endowment and which                 to do anything right. The will is weakened by each suc-
all men have after him in the same manner, was identified cessive lapse into sin.
with the grace of God." The very fact that Adam had                      "The human will is more than simply the faculty of
a free-will was equal to saying that  adam had the grace            volitions; it is also, and chiefly, the faculty of self-deter-
of God. That men  ,after Adam have free-will, can think,            mination to an ultimate end."' The Pelagian errs when
talk. walk, feel, write, read, eat, drink, sleep, etc., these       he believes that the power of a contrary choice is essen-
being gifts from God are regarded as gifts of God's grace. tial to the existence of will; the will is fundamentally
Here is a confounding of what we confess by naming the              determined to self-gratification and has the power of con-
Providence of God and the Saving grace of God. The                  trary choice only with respect to subordinate choices, and
I'elagian term  graces can never mean what the Bible cannot by  a single volition reverse its moral state. There
generally means by grace.                By grace ye are saved. is in Pelagianism no recognition of the law by which acts
Hence, it is very clear that free-will is grace, and grace          produce states; the power which repeated acts of evil
is free-will. On this  score, nature was declared able to possess to give a definite character and tendency to the
fulfill the law.                                                    will itself. Its theory "that indifference is essential to
      Before entering still more in detail into the Pelagian        freedom implies that will never acquire character; that
view of sin and grace, let us consider a few grievances             voluntary action  is  atomistic, every act disintegrated
against the Pelagian view of free-will. Let us bear in from every other; that character, if acquired, would be
mind, however, that the view of free-will advocated in              incompatible with freedom." There is no continuity of
Pel-agianism  involves also the view of sin and grace. The          moral life ; no confirmation in holiness is possible.  Pela-
one stands or falls with the other.                                 gianism likewise makes man independent of God.
      In passing, let us remember that those who believe in         Humanity is orphanaged by the theory of free-will.
the theory of common grace also affirm that it is due to                 Before an end is made to this article, allow me to
the grace of God that man is not robbed of his natural              quote a few statements from authorities. On& says:  "AS
endowments. That I am no animal, that you can think, slavery was the sum of all villainy, so the Pelagian doc-
feel, eat, etc., that you know the difference between right trine of free-will may be called the sum of all false
and wrong, that there is on the part of wicked men an doctrine. Pelagianism is a survival of paganism, in its
external desire for good order in society, all these  gifts         majestic egoism and self-complacency." Milman states  :
of God are called the gifts of God's common grace. Pela- "It has indeed become a commonplace of historical
gius would have had no objection whatever to this term- science that in order to do or endure great things men
inology and the view of life which is uttered therein.              must believe in one form or other of predestination. They
      Pelagius calls the  giving  of the law of God, grace.         must feel confident that they are made use of by God
He calls the preaching of the gospel grace. The last to accomplish things that to Him seem worthy, and that
Synod of the Christian Reformed Church also calls the until these be accomplished no earthly power can defeat


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               2s
-------._-_-.-_                _._-                                                       - - -              ..-_... --
or harm them. They must feel that  th&   wiil  in-  embraced       ontkend, al is het dan ook nog een beetje onder een  dek-
in  the divine and empowered by  it. Plnd it is the conscious-     mantel. En wat me nog veel meer verwonderde was wel,
ness of their own impotence that  leads men to yield them-         dat men ook heel niet aarzelde, om `s Zondags eigen kcrk-
selves as instruments of the  divine  power. Pelagianism           gebouw voorbij  te gaan, om in de Town-hall te luisteren
is the creed of quiet times and commonplace people;                naar de zuivere verkondiging van het Woord onzes Gods.
,4ugustianism  is  the  inevitable faith of periods that are       En dan niet te vergeten, dat er zoovelen  zich  bereid  be-
dangerous and  eventful. and in which men must exhibit             toonden, om waar de kerk  onsl gereformeerde  leeraars,
some heroism."                                                     heeft uitgeworpen, ook uit te stappen en  zich te  organi-
                    (To he Continued)                              seeren als een Protesteerende Kerk. Zeker, de Heere
                                                 B .   J .  11.    heeft ons boven  alle verwachting gezegend. Hij had
                                                                   reeds lang van te voren veler  harten  bereid. Velen  hun-
      AAN  M I J N   V R I E N D   I N   H E T   WESTEN            kerden nog naar de oude waarheid. Zoo is het hier bij
                                       Grand Rapids,               ons. En zoo is het ook bij  jullie. Onze God heeft ons
                                       25  Maart, 1925             getroost en onze harten verblijd. Hem alleen komt  daar-
       Amice fraterque !                                           voor toe de dank.
   Je  zult je herinneren, dat ik je beloofd heb, om je  ZOO          Je schrijft me, dat Dr. Volbeda reeds op het tooneel
nu en dan eens te schrijven en je op de hoogte te houden           is verschenen en te Hull ook reeds heeft gesproken. En
met de  dingen,  die er in en om Jeruzalem  alzoo plaats           ook, dat Prof. Berkhof nog zal optreden, om te spreken
hebbcn, roornamelijk in  verband met dc zaak, die  M'C  om over de "Drie Punten." Dr. Volbeda heeft twee uren en
`s Heeren wil lief hebben en voarstaan. Ik  zal thans              een kwartier gesproken, schrijf je? En dan nog  niets
beginnen  om  aan die belofte te voldoen. Ik zal dezen             verklaard? Alleen maar getracht, om onze zaak afbreuk
brief en ook de  volgende  maar  aan de Standard-Bearer te  doen? Het spijt me altijd geweldig van die Volbeda.
meegeven. Die komt  tech zoowat  overal  en hij kan best           Ik had altijd betere  dingen  van hem verwacht. Ik geloof
een briefje bij je bezorgen. Ik wil je niet  beloven, dat nooif, dat hij tegenwoordig zijn eigenlijke hart  uit-
ik telkens een brief voor je gereed zal hebben als dc              spreekt. Die man moest bij ons staan. `t  Is  we1  jammer,
Standard-Bearer zijn maandelijksche reis maakt, want er            dat hij nu  aan de verkeerde kant van de "fence" staat.
is hier veel  werk aan den winkel en  als `n mensch het zoo        Want dat  loopt zeker verkeerd. "Mark my word," zou
druk heeft komt hij nu juist niet altijd  aan het  brieven-        Van Lonkhuyzen zeggen. De  Janssen-mannen  in de kerk
schrijven toe. En soms kan het ook  wezen,  dat onzc lachen in hun vuistje. Het gaat hun  goed naar den zin.
maandelijksche besteller zijn tasch al zoo vol heeft, dat dat  mannen  als Berkhof en Volbeda nu positie kiezen
er eigenlijk geen briefje meer bij kan en we  willen  hem tegen ons. Niet, moet je begrijpen, omdat de  Janssen-
tech ook niet te zware  lasten  doen  dragen.   T-lij heeft hct vrienden veel om die  mannen  geven. Net zoo min als
al druk genoeg. want je moet  weten, dat hij  tegenwoor-           om ons. Dat hebben we een paar jaren geleden   we1 kun-
dig bij zoo'n veertien honderd menschen langs  moct.               nen vernemen. Maar op het oogenblik komt hun dit tech
overal waar nog menschen  wonen,  die  belang hebben bij           mooi uit. Het komt  goed in hun kraam te pas. En het
de waarheid en die het beginnen in te zien, dat ze in              zou mij ganschelijk niet verwonderen als Dr. Janssen
onze kerkelijke bladen de  voile waarheid niet  meer  te           ook nog weer op school komt. En als hij er persoonlijk
weten komen. Maar deze keer moet hij er  tech eentjc niet komt, zijn geest heeft de overwinning daar kun je
voor me bestellen, want nu ik pas uit het  Westen terug gerust op rekenen. En dat grieft me meer dan ik zeggen
gekeerd ben moet ik  tech even met je keuvelen. En kan.
bovendien heb ik ook reeds een brief van jou ontvangen
en die moet ook even beantwoord  worden.                              Overigens behoef je je over het optreden van  mannen
                                                                   als Volbeda en Berkhof niet bezorgd te  maken. Ze  kun-
   De  dagen, die ik onlangs in het  Westen heb mogen              nen  aan onze zaak geen kwaad  doen. Niet. omdat het
doorbrengen zullen nog lang in mijn geheugen blijven.              geen bekwame  mannen  zijn, want dat zijn ze wel. Maar
Eerst wel,. omdat mijn reisgenoot en ik zoo gul en  harte-         de Drie  Punten door de Synode aangenomen zijn nu
lijk door je zijn ontvangen en zoo vriendelijk zijn  behan-        eenmaal  nooit te verdedigen in het licht van Gods  1Voord
deld. Maar vooral, omdat de Heere de  harten zoo  won-             en van  onze  Gereformeerde belijdenis. Ze hebben geen
derlijk had  bereid voor de zaak, die we beide liefhebben.         zaak. Er valt voor hen niets te verklaren en te  verdedi-
Wat is mijn hart verblijd geworden, dat er nog zooveef             gen. Ze kunnen het ook nooit  goed praten, dat ze zoo
menschen daar bij jullie gevonden  worden,  die nog  hun-          hard hebben meegeholpen, om ons de kerk uit tc  z&ten.
keren naar de oude beproefde gereformeerde waarheid                Want ze  weten  net zoo  goed als de Synode van 1924, dat
en die van al dat geschipper en geknoei der jongste                wii  goed  gereformeerd zijn. Onze zaak is Gods zaak.
synoae  niets  moeten hebben. Wat heb ik me verwonderd             En Gods zaak kunnen ze  we1 voorthelpen, ook tegen wil
over de belangstelling door honderden van menschen                 en dank, zooals ze met hun spreken dan ook overal doen:
getoond als ik mijn lezingen hield over de "Drie  Pun-             maar  schade  doen  aan Gods zaak, dit vermag niemand.
ten," waardoor Gods souvereine genade wordt aangetast              Wees  dus maar gerust. Onze zaak blijft. En gaat ook
en de doodstaat des natuurlijken menschen weer wordt               groeien. Classis Sioux Center had even  goed de  brand-


