       V O L U M E   X X V I I I             JUNE 15, 1952 - GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN                              NUMBER  18


                                                                    .ZOO'  zalig  te  worden.  Maar zoo  -1eert  ons de Heilige
           M E D I T A T I O N                                      Schrift het niet.  Wij  worden  zalig' door h&t  geloof.
                                                                    net geloof is ,Gods middel.om  ons zalig te maken.  En
                                                                    dat moest duide1ij.k zijs voor een ieder die ,Gods Woord
                     Z&s  Dim  G&of                                 kent, en die geleerd heeft om te buigen soor dat Woord.
                                                                    En dan leert dat Woord, dat de  natuurlijke mensch
                "Want uit genade zijt gij zalig geworden,  -door    dood is in zonden en misdaden. Hij is schulclig voor
              het geloof, en dat  ket uit U, het is Gods gave."     God en een voorwerp van Zijn toorn. Hij is verdorven
 _.                                            LEfeze      2%       in 55jn vex&and en wil en in alle zijne genegenheden.
       ,Onze  tekst  is een  reden voor  det.gene  wat voor-,       Hij is maar geen stok of blok,  doch erger dan dat:
 afgaat. In het  7de vers had  Paulus aangegeven de                 hij is bewust en willend tegenwerkende  tegen God en
 diepste  reden voor het Evangelie.  ,God  Wilde,  na-              Zijn wil, en tegen  alles wat van God is.  DaBidoor
 melijk, den uitnemenden rijkdom Zijner genade be- wandelt hij dan ook naar de begeerlijkheden  .des
 toonen. En die genade  ,Gods omschrijft hij verder vleesches om zijn  schuld  dagelijks  nog meerder te
 als #Gods goedertieretiheid  over `ens in Christus Jezus.          maken.  Dat is onze ellende,  zooals we  van nature             . .
 En die goedertiersnheid  zal betoond worden  in de toe-            zijn'. En uit die ellende moeten we verlost zullen .we
 komende eeuwen. Zoo is het dan niet om `s menschen ;o-t zalig worden.
 wil, dat alIes is en leeft of dat wij eeutiiglijk gelukkig                                                 _
 zull& zijn.  Doch  louter en alleen om  #Gods wil. En                   I
 daarvoor  geeft  Paulus  nu  een verdere  reden  aan, en                                  A  *  tr  *
 d'at we1 uit de praktijk der godzaligheid. Het is dui-
delijk immers, dat we zalig  worden  door het geloof;
 en het is ook duidelijk, dat dit geloof niet uit ons is.              Hoe  worden   we  nu uit die  ellend;  verlost?  *
 Het is. de genadegave &Gods. Daarom iQ alle roem uiti-                Hoes  worden   w e   zalig?  E n   h e t   antwoord   o p
 gesloten. We mogen tot in alle eeuwigheid bezingen                 die vragen is : door het gelotif. `Orn dat nu te verstaan
 een onverdiende  zaligheid welke wij van God genieten.             moeten we eerst weten,-dat  alles wat strekken kan tot
       Het geloof is middel tot de zaligheid. De zaligheid          onze  zaligheid  in'C;hristus Jezus is. Hij is  onze'wijs-
 is cloy het geloof. Let er op, dat wij `niet zalig wor-            heid, d.w.z., ,dat alle wijsheid die we van nature mis-
 den  om het geloof; ook niet op  vdorwna~&  van het sen in Hem is. En zoo is het ook met de gerechcigheid
 geloof ; nog minder op grand. van ons. geloof. Zoo is              en  heiiigmaking en  onz6  voikomene   veplossing. Die
 het we1 vaak voorgesteld. Maar het is niet waar. Alle              is geheel en al in Jezus Christus. En zoo  staat Hij
 die voorstellingen gaan tiit van de verkeerde gedachte             voor onze  oogey  uitgeschilderd in het Woord Gods.
 van den vrijen wil des natuurlijken menschen. En dat               En nu is bet geloof de levensband, die otis aan Chris-
 is een gruwelijke gedachte die voortkomt uit het ver-              tus derbindt. ,Ons geloof is de band Ges eeuwigen lev- ,
 ziekte brein van den natuurlijken en God-hatenden                  ens en die band wordt door God aangelegd. Hebt ge
 mensch. Daaruit spreekt. de  vijandschap Gods. De                  geloof  ?. Dan zijt  ge.' verbonden door  den"~levenden
 natuurlijke mensch heeft het gif van Satan ingezogen,              band  ,des geloofs  aan  IChristus Jezus.  fin door (lien
 en  ,dat gif is voornamelijk de hoogmoed.             En zoo       levetiden  band des geloofs trek&en we alles wat tot onze
 droomt zich de natuurlijke merisch e'en v.rijen  wil die veylossing  dienstig is. Zoo staat het immers ook in
 kracht genoeg bezit' om Gods Woord aan te nemen, en                het  verband?; We  zijn.met  Christus.  opgqwekt, Toen


          410       a
G                                              T H E .   S T A N D A R D   BtiARER`
     ,
           Christus opgewekt  weri uit de dooden ging dat door         is de oorsprong van dat geloof? En clan moet ons
           de kracht (Gods. En diezelfde kracht Gods werkt in          eerste'antwoord zijn : niet in den natuurlijken  mensch.
           ins die gelooven. En zoo is het ook in onzen huidigen       Zoo spreken we1 de Pelagianen, doch niet de Bijbel-
           tekst. We worden  za!ig door het geloof. Laten we U- sche, en  (Gereformeerde  Christenen.           De Pelagiaan
           een voorbeeld voorhouden: zet beide eep levenden en redeneert aidus : -De mensch is geen stok of blok. H i j
           een daoden boom in den grand: Dan gaat die levende          is niet 266, dood in zonden en misdaden, dat hij hoe-
           boom aan `t trekken- v&n de sappen en bestanddeelen         genaamd geen  goed*kan  doen. Hij heeft immers  na-
           uit den grond die hij noodig heeft om te groeien. Doch      tuurlijk  licht, en door dat natuurlijke  licht kan hij
           de  doode  boom wordt dooder. Die  ,doode  boom kan         komen  tot' geestelijke kennis van zijn  zonde en tot
           niets uit den grond trekken; doch juist het tegenover-      geestelijke kennis van den Christus die door ,God ge-
           gestelde gebeurt : de grond die goed is helpt mede tot zonden is om  zondaren zalig te maken.  En door dat
           verrotting van den dooden boom. En zoo is het Woord natuurlijke licht kan.de zondaar ook'komen tot geeste-
           van God een reuke des doods en ten doode voor de-           lijke kennis van het -geloof. En als hij dat natuurlijke
           Lgenen die vel;loren gaan. Doch datzelfde .Woord is een     licht nu recht gebruikt, dan wil God hem helpen en
           reuke des levens ten ieven voor die levend zijn. Nog        door Zijne genade brengen.tot de voile zaligheid. Al-
           een ander voorbeeld. Indien Uw huis verbonden is            dus de .Pe!agiaan. Doch onze Gereformeerde vaderen
          door  d'raden met de centrale van licht, clan is er light. zeiden : Niet alzoo!  Zeker, zeiden die vaders, zeker,
           in Uw huis. Snijdt den draag door, en het licht gaat        de mensch heeft natuurlijk licht: hij heeft zijn ver-
           uit. En zoo is het geloof gelijk den draad, en de cen- stand, niet verloren. Hij kan daardoor ook .goed ver-
           trale is gelijk den Christus. Hebt ge het levende ge-       staan, wat hem van Christus verkondigd wordt.` -Hij
           loof, dan zijt ge aan de -Centrale verbonden, en dat. heeft ook een wil, die formeel vrij is. Wat hij doet,
           is Christus, en dan trekt gq door dat geloof alles .uit     do& hij bewust en  willend. Daardoor is hij dan ook
           den ,Christps wat ge behoeft om zalig ,te worden.- De       ieker verafitwoordelijk voor hetgeen hij doet of laat.
           elementen- nu van dit levende geloof zijn twee: een         Maar, zoo. zeggen `onze Gereformeerde vaderen : zijn
           zeker  weten en een hartelijk vertrquwen.        En nu      verstand en wil. zijn door de zonde ver"dorven, werken
           moet ge  we1 verstaan, dat dit  weten geen  bloat           juist verkeerd, werken in teg& alles wat hem uit Gocls
           intellectueel  weten` is.    Het is geen historische Woord van den Christus wordt voorgehouden. En hij
           kemlis van den Christus. Zoo zijn er ontelbare              verstaat het ook goed. Daarom kan hij dan ook Je-
           scharen geweest die bet historische geloof op Chris-        zus en ,God en Gods Woord en Gods vqlk zoo haten. En
          tus  hadden,   doch dat historische  g'eloof   &on hen       als die natuurlijke mensch dan eindelijk voor Gods
           niet  .zalig  maken.  Neen, maar het is het  geestelijke    troon komt te s:aan, dan zal hij ,niet te `ver&schul-
           kennen' der .liefde  Gods, dat in onze harten uitgestort    digen zijn. En dat is ook zoo naar het getuigenis van
           is  -door den Heiligen Geest. Deze zekere kennis is         de Heilige Schrift. Rom. 8 :5-g leert,  dat die naar het
          eigenlijk het ontvangen van een geestelijk ver;ieuwd vleesch zijn. bedenken wat des vleesches is. Joh. 6 :44 :
           en verlicht verstand. Daardoor leert ge Uzelven ken-        Niemand kan tot Christus komen tenzij de Vader hem
           nen .als een ellendigen zondaar.     Daardoor. leert ge     trekken zal. I Cor.  123: Niemand kan zeggen Jezus
           Christus  kennen als den Middelaar `Gods  en der men-       den Heere te zijn',dan  cloor den Heiligen Geest. Wat
           schen met al iijn he& Door dat geloof begint ge dan         dan? Wat is clan bron van het geloof? De `tekst zal
           te verlangen naar Hem; dorst en hongert ge naar             U het antwoord `~geven: het is Gods gave. Zoo is de
           Hem, en kunt niet leven zonder Hem. En door dat-            doorlooperide lijn der Heilige  Schrift. Zoo was het
           zelfde geloof leert `ge Hem aannemen met alle Zijne         immers met Lydia wier hart de `Heere  geopend had,
          weldaden. En dat geloof is ook vertrouwen. En. dit           zoodat zij acht gaf op hetgeen van Paulus gesproken
           geesfelijke  vertrouwen is de uiting van een vernieuw-      werd ? Zoo is het immers in Get getuigenis van Paulus
           den wil, waardoor de nieuwe -mensch die geschapen is        in II Car. 4 :6, waar hij zegt : Want ,God die gezegd
           in Chri&us Jezus leert om niet op zichzelf bf op het        heeft, .dat het licht uit de duisternis zoude schijnen,
           schepsel te vertrouwen, maar op God in Zijn Zoon            heeft in onze harten gesehenen `om te geven de ver-
           Jezus  ,Christus. Door dat geloof, als geestelijk  ver-     lichting -van de kennis der heerlijkheid ,Gods `in het
          trouweh, leert ge om U te verlaten op Jezus' zoen- en        aangezicht van Jezus Christus. En zoo is het ook in
           kruisverdienste  alleen. Door  dat geloof verlaat ge U
          voor tijd en eeuwigheid op dieti Jezus. Dai is het ge;' den huidigen tekst: "en dat niet uit  u, het is Gods
          loof van mijn tekst.                                         gave." En zoo is het ook in den Heidelberger Cate-
                                                                       chismus : we worden Christus ingelijfd door. het ge-
                                                                       loqf, dat door- den Heiligen Geest is het hart woYdt
              Nu komt er een andere vraag, nsmklijk,  .deze:  wat g e w e r k t .


                                       ,"rHE  S T A N D A R D   BFARER                                                 411

     En nu  moeten we nog  66ne vraag  beantwoor-             neerd om Uw Zaligmaker te zijn, om Uw Borg en
 dell in dit  verband, en dat is deze:        Hoe  - werkt Middelaar te zijn. Uit genade `kwam Hij dan voor U,
dan  .God dat geloof in mij ? En dan is het antwoord stierf Hij dan en verrees, om U tin al de verkorenen
 eerst : in de wedergeboorte,  waarin God  in beginsel het    in den  hem4 te zetten op  `Gods tijd. Uit diezelfde
 nieuwe zalige leven uit Christus ons sehenkt, en waar-       genade heeft Hij U  dan opgezocht in het  uur der
 .dopr bns ook het wezen des geloofs geschonken wordt.        minne, en heeft Hij U de wed&geboorte geschonken,
 Dat kan zelfs een heel klein kind ontvangen. Johan-          levend  gemaakt en U geroepen. En Hij zal U  blij-
 nes de Dooper "qtving  dat- geloof door de -wederge-         ven  roepen, totdat ge in den  hemel zijt daarboven
 boort zelfs v66r zijn geboorte. In elk geval, de mees- bij  God.~ Zoo is het en niet anders.  H& is  vati be-
 ten van Gods volk ontvangen die wondere &derge-              gin,, tot einde  genade. Dat is de mededeeling van
 boorte in hun prilste jeugd. %n dan gaat het zachtjes        Gods zijde. Hij wandelt door de eeuwen  h,een om
 aan verder met hen uit de wedergeboorte;door  de be- Zijn volk door  Christus te zoeken en  te vinden. En                          ='
 keering en bevirust  geloof tot de heiligmaking. Daar-       met het vinden begint de mededeeling van onze zijde.
 om, en dat in de tweede plaats, God werkt het levende        En dat is, dat ge kennis krijgt  a&n Uzelven en aan
 geloof van mijn tekst  door de roeping,  waartoe beide       God. Dan leert ge IGods Woord en Gods Zo6n kennen.
 de inwendige en de uitwendige roeping behooren. Door         Dan leert ge Jezus en Zijn Heiligen.hGeest  kenhen,  en
 die roeping Gods, inwendig door den Heiligen ,Geest          dan begint `ge eerst -te weenen, want bij al het licht
 van den verheerlijkten  Christus in het wedergeboren         van die  geschbnken  en. meegedeelde kennis leert ge
 hart, en uitwendig door de prediking van Zijn dier-          Uzelven kennen als een ellendigen, doemschuldigen                           -
 baar Woord, begint dat leven des geloofs in het leven        zondaar. En dan begint ge kennis te`krijgen van het
 der wedergeboorte te -werken,  in kennis van zonde,          kruis van  ,Golgotha  en dan leert  -ge om te schuilen
 honger  en dorst naar de gerechtigheid, aannemen en          bij dat  k&s.       Dan ziet ge Jezus  eihdelijk,,  en  daxi
 verzekering van ei,gen zaligheid. En dit laatste nu, kan leert'ge stamelen: alles aan Hem is gansch begeerlijk!                               '
 plotseling of meer geleidelijk geschieden in den weg `Ge leert om te bidden. IGe bidt om genade en ont-.
 des verbonds, doch beide groeien op in den weg der           vangt het, en da'ti aanbidt ge en- prijst ,God om zooveel
 kennisse  ,Gods en  sder heiligmaking voor Zijn  aange-      genade, En dan leert ge om Hem,Uzelven  toe te eige-
 zicht. Dus onze conclusie is: de bron van het ialig-         nen' met alle Zijne weldaden. Dan leert ge om te
 makend geloof .is LGod die het in ons werkt door Zijn        l&en naar alle Zijne geboden, want ge hebt geleerd
 Heiligen Geest en Zijn `dierbaar Woord. Het is niet          om in heiljging des levens te wandelen. Ge hebt ge-
 uit ons,  doch het is Gods gave, opdat  geen, vleesch
                                                /.            hoord dat iiemand den Heere zieri zal zonder de heilig-
 roeme voor Hem !                                             making. Want een iegenlijk- die hope op  Christus
                                                              heeft heiligt zichzelven, omdat Hij rein is. En zoo is
                     .  *  *  9?  *                           dan onze eindelijke conclusie : alles is genade !
                                                                                                                   G. Vos  .m
    En nu  moeten we nog wat zeggen van de  mede-
 deeling van dat geloof, waardoor we zalig  worden.
 Van Gods zijde  moeten we zeggen, dat deze  mede-                                a  El  `iEl  El  El
 deeling geschiedt  aan de  begenadigden.   Imm&s de
 tekst zegt : uit genade -zijn we zalig .geworden.  Het
 is  alles genade, ook de mededeeling. Genade is die
 eeuwige, souvereine, rijke en verkiezende gunste en                         Ever are my longing eyes `-
 liefde Gods, waarmede Hij van voor de grondlegging                            iToward  the Lord, Whose watchful care
 der wereld Zijn volk heeft gekend en verordineerd                           When my foes their plots devise,                      .-
 demBeelde   Zijns Zoons gelijkvormig  te zijn.  Pat is                        Keeps.my feet from every snare.
 de genacle uit welke we zalig wo@en. Let wel, het is
 genade  van begin tot het einde. En het begin ligt niet                     Turn to me, T.hy grace impart,                   I
 in den tijd. De genade is eeuwig; ze is van voor de                           .I .am desolate indeed;
 grondlegging der  wereld.  Indiell gij straks naar  d&z                     ,Great  the troubles of my tieart;
 hemel gaat, en de paarlen ,poorteh  binnentreedt om tot                       Save Thou me, 0 Lord, I plead.  '
 in alle eeuwigheid  te zingen, te zingen van gena, dan
 zult ge dat doen, omdat God U kende, van eeuwigheid                         book on my afilicted  state,
 kende, met naam en toenaam in Zijn onbegrijpelijke                     /      Freely all my sins forgive,
 liefde. Daarom zijt ge zalig  geworden.  Uit genade                         Mark-my foes, their cruel hate,
 waart ge verkoren, uit genade is  Christus  verordi-             .-           Keep my soul apd let me live.           -


     412.                                                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R '                                .---
          -
                               THE  STA-%JDARD  BEARER                                                                             E D I T O R I A L
               Semi-monthly, except monthly in July and Au&t
           Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association
                   Box 124, Station C., Grand Rapids 6, Michigan                                                                              Very  CL*
                             EDITOR - Re;. Herman Hoeksema
           `Communications relative to contents should be addressed                                                           Now, please compare with this so-called definition
           to Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand                                                            of Dr. Schilder the simple definition which I always
           Rapids 7, Michigan.                                                                                             gave of condition: a cbndition is a prerequisite which
           All matter relative to subscription should be addressed                                                         man must fulfill in order to. obtain the promise of
           to Mr. J.  Bouwman,  1350 Giddings Ave., S. E., Grand
           Rapids 7, Michigan. Announcements and Obituaries must                                                           God. .
           be mailed  to the above address and will `be published at a                                                        And compare too what the Declaration of Prin-
           fee of $1.00 fcir each notice.                                                                                  ciples has on this score: "That the promise of the  .$
          `Renewals:- Unless- a definite request for discontinuance
           is received, it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the                                                       gospel is not a gracious offer of salvation in the part
          subscription  `co continue without the formality of  a re-                                                       of God to all men, nor a conditional offer tq all that
           newal order.                                                                                                    are. born in ihe ,historical dispensation of the cove-
                              Subscription Price: $3.00  per year.                                                         nant, that is, to all that are baptized, but an oath of
           Entered as Second Class mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan                                                          God that He will infallibly lead all the elect unto sal-
                                                                                                                           vation and eternal,glory through faith."
                                                                                                                              And again: "That God's promise is uncondition-
                                                                                                                           ally for them (elect) only: for God cannot promise
                                                                                                                           what was not objectively merited ,by Christ.`,
                                                                                                                              I am not asking now whether thy one or the other
                                                                                                                           is true, but only whether the one or the other is clear,
                                                                                                                           so that everyone can understand what we mean. And
                                                                                                                           I claim that, while the Declaration uses clear lan-
                                                                                                                           guage, for everyone to understand, Dr. Schijder's  def-
                                                                                                                           inition mudglles  matters up. I would pity the church
                                                                                                                           that woul,d  be bound by such a formulation.
                                           .CONTENTS                                                                          But Dr.  Schilder has more to say on this point.
                                                   _ ,                                                                        In paragraph 7 on pp. 16, ff., he discusses what
     MEDITATION-
               Z&g  Door.   G&of . . . . . . . . : . :. . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409                        he calls ti "good condition theory".
                  Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                 In that paragraph  h.e makes the distinction be-
                                                                                                                           tween pbomises and predictions, to which I have al-
     EDITORIALS-                                                                                   .'                      ready referred.  IGod does not say to N.N., to Tom,
               Very Clear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412    Dick, and Harry: "You will go to heaven"; and to
               Condicio  Sine Qua Non . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
                  Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                         another N.N. : "You will remain eternally outside.,'
                                                                                                                              ,Of. the utter untenableness of this distinction be-
     THE TFCI~E  KNOWLEDGE-                                                                                                tweep promises and predictions I have already written.
               An Exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416                               All the promises of God are also predictions, and the
                  Rev. H. Hoeksema                        --                                                               predictions are promises. But neither the promises
     IN  HIS  FEAR?                                                                                                        nor the predictions are for N.N., for Tom, Dick, and
               Looking to the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420           Harry, but for the elect, for the believers, for those
               Rev. H. C. Hoeksema                        `..                                                              that are hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
                                                                                                                               Ahd- then Dr. Schilder refers to the Canons o-f
               A Glad Occasion In Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
i                 Rev. G. C. Lubbers                                                                                       Dordrecht, II, 5, to find there evidently, as he does
                                                                                                                           throughout his brochure, a definition of the promise.
     SION'S         ZANGBN-                 '                                                                              Always, according to him, the promise comes with the
               Universe& O&ep Tot Lof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :-. . .-. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4i4                  demand of faith and repentance.
                  Rev. G. Vos                                                                                 r               This I most strenuously deny, for then yon coulci
               Rev. B. Kok - His Untruths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :. . . . . . . . 427                       not possibly have the promise of &God in baptism to
               Seeking-(the  Lord without the Cainp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432                    little infants. Besides, I deliy that in `Canons II,. 5
                  Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                        we have a definition of the promise. And finally, I
     b                                                                                                                     deny that Dr. Schilder in paragraph `7 gives a fair and


                                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   I;$ARER                                                41;

  true representation of Liberated theology in regard                        this statement. But when we take all this in  cqn-
  to the promise of God. In order to-make all this ci,e&r,                   nection' with the entire argument, we can not only
  I will quote him literaliy.                                          _\    .not agree with Dr. Schilder,  bnt' we also maintain
       "And now the conclusion: why should we establish                      that he nevertheless here defends an Arminian con-
  such terms, with which no man can do anything? This                        ception of the promise'of IGod, iwhile; at the same time
  entire passage concerning `unconditional' is-being in- .he does not do justice to the Liberated theology con-
  troduced by the kernark:                                                   cerning that promise. Let  us  not forget that Dr.
       "a. Faith is not a preceding demand ;                      4          Schilder in the connection is comba'tt<ng our position
       "b. Faith is not a condition to salvation, no pre-                    that the promise is unconditional. Instead,, he propo-
ceding condition.                                                            ses what he calls a good con.dition-theory.. That .>s
       "But with this we all agree. At least if we  we!1                     his purpose. I can put  ;his  apgument clearly in the
  undeystand  it. For it says: faith is not  a preceding following syllogism :
  demand, but a gift  bf God. Every meaning put in                              1. The promise of [God is the fihal and full salva-
  the word condition, in -the sense that by it yould be *  tion.                    (This, is not true : ,for the promise contains
  meant: it is not given, but it comes of durselves, is                      much more.)
  heartily rejected by  us  all! How can  bne think  dif-                       2. Faith precedes that final. salvation. (With this,
 fcrently?        W,hy should we then accept that word :                     of course, anybody can agree.)            -
  preceding demand? As if, faith were a demand the                              8. Hence, faith is a condition to that promise.
  fulfillment of `which must precede <God's decree? `Or;                     (Again, with this we cannot agr,ee at .all. Tha't some-
  even must precede God's maintained, or approximate,                        thing precedes `eomething else does not mean that it
  or subseqtient  decree to save us? All that is Remon-                      is a condition `to something else.)  ..
  strant folly; with which we in the Netherlands will                           Now let us examine that syllogism.
  have nothing whatever to do.                                                  First. of all, .the pr,omise  of God is the.`final. sal-
       "But we do say here indeed; taught by all this vation. This statement is as nn-Reformed as it can
  interpretation misery: why does one not expiess him-                       possibly be. It certainly is dot accordi& to the `Re-
  self more clearly? Faith is `not a preceding demand?                       formed  Confessidns..   It is certainly  true that the
  NO, if the meaning is something as when I say:- the                        promise includes that' final salvation. And it is also
  work of a laborer must  PRE,CEDE,  ,before  his em- true' that in Canons II,. 5 that final salvation as in-
ployer gives him-his wages. And again: NO,, if                               cluded in the promise  of (God. But it is by no means
  t.he idea is something like this: the girl  Fust first                     true that the promise !of ,God is limited to this final
  h&e pleased the young  mall,  befope he proposes to                        s?vatidn.
 -her. Faith does not precede the decree of God con-                            This is really the crux of the whole matter. With
  cerning our  salvat&.                  Nor does it precede  ,God's         `Ihis  stands~ or falls  :our whole  .Protestant Reformed
  calling.      *Of course not.           But it certainly precedes          conception of  the promise: And that  ,Protestant   Re-
  our attainment of full salvation. For it. even pre-                        forme-d conception is  simljly  tl?Pe conception that is
  cedes our regeneration according to Article 24  of taught `in all of our Confessions concerning the prom-
  `the ,Confeision.            The A does not  precede  the B in             ise of ,God. Atid therefore, it is very important that
  the decree in order to make an alphabet. .But it does we see this. And'1 will devote ti little time and space
  precede in the life of those whoin the Lord according                      to make this clear from our Reformed  :Confes&ions.
  to the common  rule will lead to salvation."                                  Note: Schilder says that the promise of  IGod  is
       All this' Dr. Schilder clos& with the remark that                     the final salvation.
  "colleague Hoeksema will undoubtedly agree with u$                            The Confessions say that ;the promise of God ih-
  i n   a l l   t h i s . "                                 .-
                                   ~          -                              eludes our whole salvatioii, objective and subjective.
       But I do not.                                                            -This I intend to show.
   In the first place, I  cert&ly do `not agree with                            I refer,  lfirst of all, to  ;Q. 22 of the  I%eid. Catec-
  what Dr. Schilder  states about Article 24 of our                          hism,  wheie we read: "What then is necessary for
  Confession. 1,f he means that ,in that article we are                      a Christian to believe?" `And  the answer is: "All
  taught that faith precedes regeneration-@ every sense                      things promised us in the gospel, which the brticles
  of that. word, I most st?enuQusly  idisagree with. him.                    of  &rr catholic, undoubted Christian  faith briefly
      But this is not my most important objectiori.                          teach us? Notice, that ;in this answer of the Heid.
      My most important objection is in  !the  senttince:                    Catechisni mention is made'of the promise ~of the gos-
  "Faith precedes indeed our attainment of the full                          pel : "all things promised  US in the gospel.".  It is
  salvation."                                                                also plain from this $nswer that the entire contents
      Taken  z& by itself, we can certainly agree with                       of our faith .are included in that promise of the gas-


`;I4                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                              _ ,
                 ,
pel. In the succeeding Lord's Days  tliese  contents            In  Q. 65  we  r&ad: "Since then we are .made par-
of  our faith are- further- [exposed along the, line of  takers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only,
the tiell-known Apqstolic `Creed. In that whole creed, whence, doth this .faith proceed?" And the answer
therdfore,  we find the contents of the promise of the is: ."From  t&e  Holy.iGhost, who works  $aith in our
gospel.       Th& `Creed speaks of `God. the Father and       lieakts by the preaching of Ithe gospel, and confirms.
our creation, of IGod the Son and our redemption, ,of         it by the use of the sacraments." Now I want to
God the Holy *Ghost and our sanctification. And tie emphasize that in this part of the  Heid. Catechism
promise of the gospel is further explained. in the the Holy IGhost is presented ai the author of faith:
succeeding Lord's Days of our  :Heid. [Catechism as           He alone works faith in otir hearts, even though it
it-  intq&ets  and expounds the Various articles of  is  .through the preaching of the gospel. And let us
the Apostles' Creed.. That promise of the gospel              remeniber  too that according to )the rest of the Heid..
there'fore Iincludes that the Almighty Father-Creator Catechism, the Holy [Ghost is included in the promise
is my God and Father yor Ghris't's  sake. It includes         of the gospel. It is therefore very evident that not
that He will provide me with all things necessary only the .Holy Ghost, but also-faith is included in that
for soul and  .body,  and that He will turn all  evils' promise, not only; but moreover,. it is also evident
that befall me rin this.present world to my advantage.        that the prorhise  of the gdspel, which includes faith,
That promise of the gospel includes that Jesus Christ,        is absolutely unconditional, and therefore only to  the;
the `only begotten Son of God, died- on the accursed          elect, unless we would make the gift of the Holy
tree for our sins, and rose again on the third day Spirit, promised by God, itself conditional. And this
for our justification.          It includes. that the  same would  be'rlrminian  indeed..,
(Christ is seated at `the right hand ;of God to realize          In  Q. 66 we read: "What are the ,sacraments?"
ail the promises elf *God unto His people. It includes And the  anstier: "The sacraments are holy visible
that Christ is my. Redeemer and my. Savior,: my Pro-          signs and seals, appointed of God- for this end, that
phet,  iPriest and King, Who redeemed me body and by the use thereof, he  may the more fully declare
soul from everlasting damnation, and obtained for and seal unto us the promise of the gospel, viz., that
me the favor of IGod, righteousness, and eternal life. - he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life
All this is included in the promise of the gospel. And eiternal, for the sake of that one Sacrifice of  Christ,-
not only the `objective realization of salvation thr'ough accomplished on the Cross." Notice that according
Jesus iChrist our Lord, Who died and rose `again and to this answer the promise of the gospel is sealed to
is'seated at the right hand ,of IGod, is included in &that    us, that js, to the donfessing believers; to no one else
promise.       But .in the same .Ipromise is also included    but  t.o the  beli,%ers,:  and therefore, to the `elect, is
the gift of the Holy IGhost as the Spirit of promise; the promise of the gospel sealed. And what Is  a+
Who is given me in order that He may #make me par-            cording to this answer of the `Hei,d. -Catechism the
taker of Christ  an+ all  Ais benefits, so that .I am  proniise of- the gospel? Is it according to its  con-
and forever shall remain a living  membkr--of  the tents only a fu'ture boon, the attainment of the  full
church, so that I have the forgiveness of sins and the        and ultimate salvation? <Or does it also include a pre-
promise of the resurrection and everlasting life by           sent blessing? The answer is: The  lattep. Here too
mere grace. Again; all  this is included in the  pro- the promise of the  gospel is presented broader in
mise of the gospel, according to the Heid. `Catechism.        scope than is the pr&sentation  of the promise in `Can-
Certainly,  thi+s is a  Imuch broader conception  #than       ons II, 5. For here not onlyt life eternal, .bu< also the
that which is `presented in ICanons  II,, 5. And Schil-       forgiveness of sins is mentionkd as included in that
der  cgrtainly does not do justice to  Ithe concept of -promise.
the  ,promise  of tha gospel in  the:  Heid. Catechism,          In  &. 69, 70 still. mole elements of the promise
when he isay& that the promise is the final and full          of the gospel are mentioned. There we read: "How
salvation,i'a  concept `of the promise which he needs         afit thou. admonished and assured by holy baptism,
in order  !to maintain his conception  that faith is a        that the one' sacrifice of Christ tipon the  crdss is of
condition unto the promise" of ,God.. You will <under-        real advantage to thee?" And the answer: "Thus:
stand, however; that if we take the promise in this           That  #Christ  -appointed this external washing with'
more comprehensive, confessional sense of the  word,          wat,er,  `adding thereuntp this promise, ;that I am cer-
faith iS not a condition (unto the promise, ;bu!t faith tainly washed by  his blood and spirit from all the
itself is included- in the promise.                           pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as
        Btit there is inore.                                  I am washed externally with water, by which  `the
        I also refer you  Ito Questions 65, `66, 69 and 70 of  filthin&s of the body is commonly washed  away."
the  Heid. Catechism,                                         And in Q. 70: `(What is it to be washed with the

                                              I)
                                         I


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B&ARER  '                                        4165

blood and Spirit of Christ?" And the answer : "It -the name of the author, but he did not discern the rea-.
-is to receive of [God ithe remission OY sins, freely, for    son why it `was so. Let me enlighten him. T h e   rea-
the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by `son is that, by withholding the reference, the original
his sacrifice upon the cross; and <also to be renewed         author ofi the quotation could not cheek its correct-
by  ;;t@e Holy  lGh&t, and sanctified to  bB membeu:s  of     ness.                                          ,
Chi%t, that so Iwe may m&e alid more die &to sin,                 2. The quotation misrepresents the meaning of
and lead holy and tinblameable  lives." All this, mark the Rev:  ,Ophoff. The R&v. Kok makes the quotation
you well, is included in the promise of the gospel  ' fo prove that the Rev. Ophoff "emphasized that there
which is sealed to us by the sacrament. The promise,          are conditions in the covenant of Grace over against
therefore, includes the washing away of sins bjr the          those that erroneously maintained that  ;Grace   *was
blood and Spiri't  of Christ, according Jo Q. 69. And         un?onditional." But the Rev. Ophoff never said or
this is further explained in the answer to Q. 70 by           intimated anything of the kind. The latter did not
saying that in baptism is sealed t6 us freely the re-         speak of conditions at all but wrote: `(that the kind.
mission of sins `and thi! renewal; that is, the regeti-       of phrase the Lord availed Himself of in formulating
eration by the Holy Spirit, and sanctification to be          those d&ties was often the @,ONDITFONAL sentence."
member,s of Christ, so that we die unto sin and lead          Thus the Rev. Kok quotes. But even this  .the Rev.
holy and unblameable lives. All this God promises tOphoff   nev,& wrote.                He did not write "CONDI-
us in the gospel, according to the Heidelberg Cate-           TIONAL" `in capital letters, as the Rev. Kok. makes
chism. And therefore, I say once more that Schilder           him do. `Nor `did the Rev. Ophoff mean to write it
is certainly mistaken when he .says that the promise          this way. What he, evidently, meant to write was
of the gospel is our  ultim$e and final salvation. It that' the Lord availed Himself of "conditional SEN-
includes much more. As I said before, in Canons               TENCE,,?,".    `This is evident froin the entire article
II, 5 .we have no complete ddfinition  of the firomise        of the Rev. Ophoff. And to emphasize a word in a
of the gospel.                                                quotation, without even indicating that the empha-
                                                H. H.  -  _ sis is not by the ,original  author of the quotation but
                    -:-                                       by him that quotes it, is `dishonest and ethically in-
                                :-                            correct.
                                                                 But it is much worse.
             &nditio. Sine LQua. Non                             ThB Rev.  Kok quotes Ophoff as follows:
                                                                 "Also to the Covenant of Grace God has attached
   -Under this apparently learned title  Cbncorclia,          the `following conditional, clauses" . . i
through the Rev. Kok, again strikes a very ~o%c?~r&~t            I challenge the Rev. Kok to  point out where, in
note, which I cannot and may not pass without com- the entire article of the Rev. fophoff, this .quotation
ment.                                                         can be found. It is nowhere. The Rev. Kok simply
 In the first  place, I must  ex&ess it as my opin-           fabricates words, boldly, and very dishonestly puts
ion that the article violates the rgles of ethics, or, if     them in` quotatioli marks, and thus. ascribes them to
jou please, of IChristian love.                               the R&v. Ophoff.,     `This I call corrupt.
   In other words, it -is di&onest.                              But there is ,rnor&
   For this I offer the following reasons.                      If the quotation was given correctly it would have
   1. The article contains a quotation from the Rev.          been clear to, the reader that, in it, the Rev. Op.hoff
,Ophoff without giving the reference. We surmised             does not pkesent  his own view, but criticizes Dr. De
that it was purported to be a quotation from an ar-           Haan. I here offer the entire quotation literally and
ticle in The Stanclard Bearer by the above mentidned          in its  uncorrtipied  form.
brother, but we had no means of knowing it, except               "Dr De  Haan then discovers in  Scri$ure coven--
by searching all the .Standard Bearers from the be-           ants of works: the Adamic covenant and the coven-
ginning, simply because Concor:clti  did not supply, us       ant of  ISinai. In distinction from the covenant of
with any reference.  we must, however, find it in             grace, these *covenants,  according to De Haan; repose
order to be able to check whether the quotation was           updn the condition that man keeps its `re,quirements.
correctly given, and that, too, in its context. It was           "What is De Haan's proof that the Lord instituted
the Rev. ,Vos that finally, after searching deep into with His people of old a covenant of this kind? A&
the night, found that it was, indeed, a quotation from the answer is ready: the command with which' this
an article in  The Standard Bearer  written  &bout            covenant  ,was  ititerwoven,.  to wit, the command to
twenty-one years ago. The Rev. Kok, I am glad to              obey and to keep covenant fidelity; further, such con-
say,. felt himself that it was ,"unethical" to withhold: ditional clauses as : `If thou shalt hearken unto -the


                                      .
   416                                          T H E   S`TANQARD  B E A R E R

  voice of the Lord thy IGod to keep his covenant. . . "
  `If thou Iturn-unto the Lord thy IGod' with all thy heart
  . . . . `If ye will obey my voice indeed'."                           THE.  TRIPLE  KNOWLEGGE -
         Is it not clear to every reader, and was it not
  clear to the Rev. Kok, that the above- are  n&5 the .An Exposition Of The Heidelberg
  words of the Rev. Ophoff but that the  latter here
  presents and criticizes the view of Dr. De  Haan?                                         Catechism.
  Hqw, then, has the Rev. Kok the audacity to in-                          -.
  troduce this quotatlon by  th& sentence:, "Also- to                                                P A R T   I I I
  the @tenant  of Grace <God  has attached the follotifig                                O F  T H A N K F U L N E S S
                                                                                 4, -
  conditional clauses.", -words which the Rev.  Ophdff                                              Lord's Day 32
  never wrote at all, and by which the Rev. Kok, more-                                        (I
  over, puit the bhole paragraph in the pen of the Rev.                                                   3.
  ,Ophoff by leaving out the name of. Dr. De Haan?                                           -. IS&i Deo ,Gioria
         If the cause of %ncjitions" must be `supported by
  such tactics, it stands condemned on t.he very face of                 ,Glory to  IGod  aldne !
  it.                                                                    /That is the purpose, the sole purpose, of the good
         3.  Eden if the article  &of  ithe  Fev. Ophoff made works of  :the *Christian.                   This is also expressed in
  mention of conditions in the Covenant (which it does                the Heidelberg Catechism, which teaches us that the
  not, and certainly not in the sense in which the Rev.               purpose of good works is "`that so we may testify, by
  Kok uses tlie term, and by which he, evidently, means               the whole of our conduct,- our gratitude to God for
  to throw bpen the doors of our church& to the lib&a-                His blessings, and. `that He may be praised by us."
  ted  theology7,  fact is that the Rey.  IOljhoff openly             The  gldry and praise of  IGod  is nqt a purpose,  noI
  and publicly repudiated all that he ever wrote in this              even the chief purpose, but the soul purpose of the
  vein.       Neverthgless, Kdk writes that he  expresses- -good works which the Christian must and may and
  his  "wholehea&ed  agreement" with the article by                   can and is delighted to perform. God's glory is the
  the Rev. Ophoff, as corrupted, of course, by the Rev.               purpose of all'things, according to Scripture, and all
  Kok. This also is contrary to Christian love. a                     the  works  of His hands must praise Him. But this
                                                                      is atrue in the highest ssnse of the word' of the work
         Any writer certainly has the right to repudiate              of salvation. It is true that the Catechism mentions
  his former publications, and when he does so openly                 two  more ends of the good  .works of the  ,Christian.
  it is ethically unsound to, still qtiote him and declare It. also mentions "that everyone may be assured in
agreement with  sentiltients~  with which he himself                  himself of his faith, by the fruits' thereof ;" and sec-
  does no "longer agree.                                              ondly,  "that  by. our godly conversation, others may
         For the rest,' I may refer the reader to the art+icle        be gained to Christ." But it i,s evident that in these-,
  from which  the Rev. Kok so dishonestly  quotes.  It `words. the fruits of good works for the Christian and
  is found in the Standard Bearer, Vol. VII; p. 369 ff.               for others, rather &an the purpose, Is denoted.
  I assure the reader `that in that  particle the Rev.                   It is hardly necessary to point out from Scripture
  lOphoff teaches quite the opposite from a "conditional              that the praise and glory of God is the purpose of
  covenant".                                                          all things, and especially of .tie work of redemption.
         In the second'filace,  I' certainly think it very strangg    This is evident from the Old Testament, especially
  that a Reformed man can be so  enthusiastic about                   from the Psalms. One can almost quote at random
  "conditions", a term which, to say' tlie lea-St, has an Ar-         the' Psalms to prqve that the praise and glory of God
  minian smell, which, in our Reformed Confessions is                 is the purpose which  IGod Himself intended, and
 Zf always put into the mouth  -of the Arminians, and                 which the believer must seek to attain in and _through
  which, for that very reason, the best Reformed theo-                the. work of salvation `and redemption. Take, for
 logians avoided. But ,the Rev. Kok, evidently, cannot                instance, Psalm 116, a psalm which `sounds the same
  live or teach or preach without using that' evilly smel-            keynote as the Heidelberg Catechism, and speaks of
  ling term.                                                          misery, redemption, and gratitude. In the first part
         Finally, it  seems  to me that it is high  time that I df the psalm David declares that the sorrow of death
  the Rev. Xok tells the, churches  pltiinly what he                  compassed him, and the pains of. hell gat h&l upon
  means, and that  ,he give us a  clearcut  definition of             him. He found trouble and sorrow. But he called
   the term condition.           I                                    upon  the  name of  the: Lord, and was redeemed. He
                                                          H . H .     found  that  the Lord is gracious and righteous and
                                           -

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                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D .   B E A R E R                                         417

 merciful. He delivered his soul from' death and his him: it is a reflected light.  ,And the original is in
eyes from  t&rs and his feet from falling. And  noti,           God  through Jesus  (Christ our Lord. That light the
 in gratitude' of heart he seeks to glorify and praise          believer,s must not cover up, but they must let it
 the God of his salvation. He-realizes that he can do           shine forth in  the. good works which they perform
 nothing for the Lord; and that he can render Him' lzdi through the grace of the IGod of their salvation. And
 thing in  return  .for the salvation  tihich  He"has ac- the purpose of it all is that their Father which is in
 complished for him. Writes he:  "What shall I ren- he&en may be glorified when men behold their good
 der unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" works. At the end of the exposition of the work of
 And he answers that question as follows: "I will the gathering ,of the church from Jews and ,Gentiles,
 take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of `the apostle Paul breaks out in adoration and praise
 the -Lord. I will pay my vows unto the iLord now in to God in- the well-known doxology:  "0 the  depth
 the presence of all his people. `. . . I will offer to thee    of the riches both of the wi$dom  and knowledge. of
 the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the          God! how unsearchable are his  judments, and his
 name,of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord             ways past finding out !      For  `who  bath known the
 now in the presence of all his people. In the courts           mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
 of the .Lord's house, in the midst of thee, 0 Jerusalem.       `Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be reco.p-
 Praise  ye the Lord."        The same note is heard            pensed unto him again? For of- him,, and through
 throughout  -all the Psalms. In Psalm 113  :l-3 we             him, and  td him, are all things,: to  whprn be glory
.  Yead: .!`Praise  ye the Lord. Praise, 0 ye servants of       for  .ever. Amen." And in  II:-ICor.  4115 we  read.:
 the Lord, praise the  name  bf the Lord.. Blessed  he          "For all things are  for your  sakes, that the abun-
 the name of the Lord from this time forth and for-             dant grace might ihroygh the thanksgiving, of many
 evermore. From the rising of the' sun unto the going           redound  $0 the glory,  qf  `God." The .Epistle  .to the
 down of %he same' the Lord's name is to be praised." Ephesians, which is one'grand  exposition .of the bles-
 The first part of Psalm 109 contains one terrible              sings of salvation bestowed upon the church, co&ain:s
 cu?se upon the wicked that persecute the saints of God.        the  same note of glory and praise to  ,God. In  vss. 3
 T,hereupon,  fl*om verse 21, the psalm merges into a           2nd 4 we read: `YBlessed  be the God and Father of
 most humble and fervent prayer for salvation  ,and             our Lord Jesus `Christ, who hath bl&sed  US with all
 deliverance. But the psalm concludes with the praise           spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: &-
 of ti?e `God 9.f salvation in the words of vss. 30, 31:        cording as he hath chosen us in him' before the foun-
 *I will greatly praise the Lord pith my mduth; yea,            dation of the world, that we should .Fe holy and With
I- will, praise him among the multitude.. For.he shall          ou: blame before him in-love." And after the apostle
"stand at the right hand of the .poor,  to save him from has  ,expressed   that God  predestii&ed  us unto the
 those  th&t condemn his soul." Also in Psalm 107,              adoption of children ,by Jesus `Christ, according to the
 vss. l-3, the name of the lLord is praised with thanks-        good pleasure. of  His  will, he  continkles :  `"iTo  the
 giving for His m&y and redemption ,in the following            praise of the glory of  hiQ grace, wherein he hath
 words :    `$0 give thanks unto the Lord, `for  %he is made  us accepted in the beloved." And again, after
 good: for his -mercy  endureth, forever. Let  the're-          the apostle had made mention of -the mystery of the
 deemed of the lord say so, whom he hath redeemed will of God' according to the good pleasure which He
 from the hand of the enemy ; And gathered them out             hath purposed in Himself, to gather `together in @$e
 of the lands, from the east, and fro& the west, and            all khings in Christ, bdth which ?re:' in heaven, and
 from the `north, and from the South." And once more,           w,hich are on ear%, and after he has once more poin-
 in Psalm 105  :l-3  :-  "0 give thanks. unto the Lord;         ted to the predestinating purpose  pf God, Who woik-
 call upon his name: make known his deeds aniong                eth  all. things after the $oui~&l   of His own -will,".-he
 ,the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him:              continues : "That we,  +o$ld be to the praise of  $is
 talk ye *of all .his wondrous works. (Glory ye in his glory, who first trusted  ip Christ." And in  the'end
 holy name: let the heart of them  ,rejoice  that seek          of chapter 3 the apostle breaks' forth once more iti'-&
 the Lord." But why qilote mo?e?          The entire book ,exalted doxology in the &following wbrds : "Now titiio
 of the Psalms is full of the same note of praise and him that His able to'do. &cekding abundantly above all
 thanksgiving and glory unto the #God. of our salvation.        t-hat we ask or think, according to  the power  ihat
    But this is no less true of the New Testament. In YYorketh  in us,  Unt6 him be glory in the  church  ,by
 Matt. 5 :16 we read the well-known words  : "Let your          Christ Jesus throughout .a11 ages, wdrld' withoilt  `end.
 light so  shine`before men' that they may see your             Amen." In Phil.  1  ihe  apbstle prays for the church
 good works, and glorify your Father which is in heav- that they may abound .in love more' and more atid in
 en." The  -light of  .the Christian is not original in knowledge and' i,n judgment, so that they may  .?p-


                                                                               ,


   418                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                 -    -
  prove things that are excellent, and may be sincere voice,, saying, (Salvation to our God which `sitteth
  and without offense till the day of Christ. And then on the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the an-
  he writes :    "Being filled with the fruits of right-        gels stood round about the throne, and about the el-
  eousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto -the- glory ders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne
  and praise of  (God." vs. 11. And in  Cal.  3:17 the          on their faces, and worshipped IGod, Saying, Amen:
  apostle admonishes the church :, "And whatsoever ye Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving,
   do in word or ,deed, do all in the name of the. Lord         and honour, and power, and might be unto our (God
  Jesus, giving thanks to `God and the Father by him." forever and ever. Amen." In chapter 15, 2-4, we
  Also in the first epistle. of Peter the same note is          read of the saints in glory' that had gotten the vic-
  heard. In chapter one,, vs. 3, the apostle begins with        tory over the. beast :      "And they sing the song of
  a doxology : "Blessed be the- God and Father of our           Moses the. servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,
  Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant            saying,  IGreat,  and marvellous are thy works, Lord
  mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by            God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King
  the resurrection of Jesus IChrist from the dead." And         of saints. Who shall not fear thee,' 0 Lord, and glo-
  in vs.  `7 he writes: "That the trial of your faith,          rify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all na-
  being much more precious than of gold that perish-            tions shall come and worship before thee ; for `thy
  eth, though it be tried with fire, might be found un-         judgments are made manifest." And finally, in ch.
  to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of            19, 1-6, we read: "And after these things I heard
: Jesus  ,Christ." In chapter 2, vs. 5, the apostle writes:     a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alle-
  "Ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual           luia ; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power,
  house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sac- unto the -Lord our God : For true and righteous are
  rifices, acceptable to  `God by Jesus Christ." And. `his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore,
  after he has described the. unbelievers and disobedi-         which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and
  ent, which stumble at the stone, whereunto also they          hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
  were appointed, he writes in sharp contrast to these:         And again they said,, Alleluia. And her smoke rose
  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,          up forever and ever. And the four `and twenty el-
  an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should show       ders and the fqur beasts fell down and worshipped
  forth the praises of him who hath called you out of `God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen;` Alleluia.
  darkness into his marvellous light." The epistle of           And a voice came out of the throne, saying; Praise
  Jude` closes with the following words: "Now unto              our God, -all ye his servants, and ye that fear him,
- him that is able to keep you-from falling, and to pre-        both small and great. And I heard as it were  the-
  sent you faultless `before the presence of his glory          voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many
  with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior,          waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, say---
  be glory andmajesty, dominion Andy power, both-now ing, Alleluia :                 for the Lord `God omnipotent reign-
  and forever. Amen." The note of praise to the (God            eth.`"
  of our salvation for the redemption He has wrought              All these passages of Holy Writ, and many more,
  is heard continually in the book of .Revelation. Thus         teach us that the purpose of the salvation and re-
  we read in Rev. 1:5,6 : "Unto him that loved us, and          demption of the people of God, and therefore also
  washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath the purpose of their good works, is the `glory and
  made us kings and priests unto ,God and his Father:           praise of  IGod.-
  to him be glory and.  ,dominion  forever and ever.                But these same quotations also are very instruc-
  Amen." And in chapter 4, vs. 11, we read of the               tive because, in the first place, they all point to or
  twenty-four elders,  those: representatives of the            presuppose the motive of gratitude. The Heidelberg
  church in heaven, that `they fell  #down-- before him         Catechism teaches us that the believer does good
  that sat on the throne, and worshipped him, and               works in .order- thereby to testify his gratitude to IGod
  cast down their crowns before the throne, saying:  - for His blessings.
                                                                   Now what is gratitude?
  "Thou art worthy, 0 Lord,, to receive glory and hon-
  our and power: for thou hast created all things, and             It certainly is a form and expression of love.
  for thy pleasure they are and were created." In                  aGratitude  never `expresses itself in an attempt
  chapter `7, vss. 9-12, we read of the multitude which to remunerate.                Remuneration of God is not only
                                                                impossible, but the very idea of it is in its deepest
  no man co.uld number,
                 ;         that stand *before  the throne       sense phariseeism. We have nothing, and owe ev-
  and before the Lamb, clothed with. white robes, and           erything to the (God of our salvation. (God is the.ab-
  palms in their hands: "And- they-cried with .a loud           solute proprietor of all things. He declares: "Hear,

                                             ,            .'
                                                                                                                    - .


                                      4x33      STA'NDABD              BEARER                                    419

 10 my people, and I will speak ; 80 Israel, and I will       The passages of Scripture quoted above also point
 testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. I will       to the contents of this glory and praise of ,God.
 not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt  of-       In all' the works of His, hands  IGod reveals that
 cferings, to have been continually before me. I will       He is God, and that there is no aGod beside,Him.  But
 take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of      He also reveals that He is good, that He is the impli-
thy folds. For every  ,beast of the forest is mine,         cation of all perfections, that He is a light and there
 and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all-the is no darkness in Him at all. But after sin' entered
 fowls of the mountains.: and the wild beasts of the        into the world, and death by sin, and the darkness
 field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell         of the curse and of the wrath1 of God spread its hor-
 thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." rible wings over the works  .which  (God had made,  -
 There is probably no objection, even in the new dis-       and that same darkness corrupted the mind of man
 pensation, to pay tithes. But beware, lest, in doing       and filled his -heart, `God began a new work, the work
 so, we imagine that we give anything to God. Abso-         of salvation and redemption through  .Jesus Christ
 lutely everything we owe to the God of our salvation,      our Lord. In the accomplishment of that new work
  even the privilege .and the ability and the desire to     He reveals His glorious praises in a far higher de-
do good works.  aGood  works are not a gift of us to        gree than ever revealed in the  &work of creation. In
 (God, but they are His gift to us: "For we are his         fact, I think we may say that in the work of redemp-
 workmanship,  _ created in  IChrist Jesus unto good        tion IGod reveals His wonders in the highest possible
 works, which  (God hath before ordained that we            degree. In creation He reveals Himself as the God  -
 should walk in them." Eph. 2:10.  ,And so, the end         that calleth the things that are not as if they were,
 of it all is that if we show gratitude to  IGod in our but in the work of redemption  He* becomes known  -                  '
 good works, we give thanks for .the very- gratitude        to us as the IGod that raises the dead. In Christ He
 which we express. Nor is it possible for  .us to do        revealed His everlasting covenant love, as He did
 anything for `God.  We are not even co-laborers with not and could not have revealed it in the first Adam.
 -#God.  .The expression that occurs in Scripture,  sun-    He reveals that love as absolutely sovereign, as al-
 ergoi  tou  Theo%,,  co-laborers of  #God, does not mean ways first, as incomprehensibly great, and as all-en-
 that we labor tog&her with (God, but that the apostles     during. In Christ He reveals that He is a light, and
 and their helpers and all that labor in the kingdom there is no darkness in Him at all. In- the cross of
 of `God are co-laborers with one another in the ser-       our Lord Jesus Christ He reveals His great wrath
 vice of  IGod.  IGod does everything for us. We can        over against sin and the sinner, and His unchange-
 do nothing in His behalf, except by His grace-express      able. righteousness. But at the same time and in the
 our gratitude and praise His holy'name.                    same cross God reveals Himself in all the power of
     But true gratitude can consist only in this, that      His love, His sovereign grace to His' own; His abun-
 we show forth the glorious praises of Him, that call- dant mercy, whereby He draws them out of darkness
 ed us out of darkness into His marvellous light. It        into His marvellous light, out of the desolation of hell
 is `God that redeemed and delivered His people from        into the glory of everlasting life. In Christ He re-
 the guilt and out of the mire of sin and corruption.       veals "what .is the exceeding greatness of his -power
A beggar t,hat receives a beautiful suit of clothes from    to  usward who believe, according to the working of
 his benefactor certainly, does not reveal his gratitude his mighty power, which he wrought in C.hrist,  when
 by rolling in the mud with it, but rather by showing       he raised him from the'dead, and set him at his own         '
 his new suit and telling all who. ask him from whom        right hand in the heavenly places, far above all prin-
 he received it. `This is a homely figure, but it will      cipality and power, and  <might, and dominion, and
 serve !the purpose. The IChristian will not show his every name that is named, not only in this world, but
thankfulness to ,God by continuing in sin,, but rather also in that which is to come."
 by purifying himself,  ,putting  off the old man and          This is the contents of the glory of, God.
 putting on the new, walking in all righteousness, and         And these praises the Christian must show forth
 declaring to all the world that he is able and willing in word and deed ,by his good works.
 and privileged to do so, because by the grace of the.         The.Catechism  says that we must testify our gra-
 God of his salvation he is- redeemed and delivered         titude_ by the whole of our conduct. This certainly  j
 through the blood of Christ and by His Spirit from         includes the spoken word: for as we hope to see later,
 all the power and dominion of sin. And the purpose         it is especially in the spoken word that we express our
 of all this Is the glory of God. And this purpose the      gratitude to God. Prayer is the highest expression
 believer desires `to attain.                               of gratitude. We must  .declare the praises of  (God
     But there is. more.                                    everywhere.    We must declare them in our home. be-


420                       T H E   S T A N D - A R D   B E A R E R

fore our children, for thus we rea.d in Ps. `78 :4: "We as children of light, and live antithetically from the
will not hide them from our children, showing to the (God. Doing this, we will have to suffer with Christ.
generation to come the praises of the Lord, and  his principle of regeneration, according to the Word of
strength,. and his  won'derful works that he hath But even this is a gift of grace: "For unto you it is,
done." We must-show forth the praises, of Him that given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on
called us out of darkness into His marvellous light in    him,  .but also to suffer for his sake.". Phil.  1:29.
the school; where our children are instructed in the And if we suffer with Him, we shall also be  glori-
fear of the Lord: in society; before employer and em- fied together.
ployee; in shop and office; on the street and in the                                                     H.H.
midst of the world.' And above all, we must declare
His  .praises in the great congregation, in the midst        a                           -~
of the church, and before. the, angels of IGod.
   But it is not only in our word, but also in the
whole of our conduet in the midst of the' world that
we must declare the glory of the God of our salvation.                I N  I3 I'S  `F E A  R
In the whole of our ,conduct we must show that we
have fellowship with. Him : "If we say that we have
fellowship. with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,                      Looking To  -I-he  fu+c
and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as                            . Chapter 3,
he is in the light, we have fellowship one with an-                       ON  TEACHE R  TRAINING
other, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth
us from all sin." I John  1:6,. 7. And again :  "Who-             The reader will remember that after a few  in-
soevec abideth in him  sinneth' not: whosoever  sin-      troductory remarks concerning the. necessity of our
neth hath not seen him, neither known him. [Little        own teacher-training facilities, and after mentioning
children, let no man deceive you:       he that doeth a few of the various aspects of. this problem of teach-
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.      er-training, we made a beginning in our last article
.He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil    of recording the history that has been made in this
sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the respect, in as far as we could glean it from the' Acts
lSon of God was manifested, that he might destroy of Synod, beginning with  1948. (Incidentally, it is
the works of the devil." I John 3 :6-8. And again :       very `weil possible that our school' boards have put
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the forth other efforts than those which are mentioned
children of the devil: whosoever doeth not  righte-       in our Acts of Synod. I have no other information
ousness is. not of God, neither he that loveth not his    on this score. If more has been done, I would be
brother." I  J&n 3:10. This whole of our conduct happy to hear  ,of it from persons who know.) At
ineludes  our personal life in soul and body, with all the conclusion of OLW last installment -we quoted a
our powers and talents which God hath given unto letter from the Society for Prot. Ref. Education, .of
us. And again, it includes our life in every relation-    `Grand Rapids, which was addressed to the Theologi-
ship in the world, in the home, in society, in state,     cal School Committee and forwarded by it to the
and in church.Walking in the light in every  rela- Synod of 1949, and also an instruction from the Con-
tionship in the midst of the world and of the-church,     sistory of Randolph, both of which ask the Synod to
and pointing out that, this life in the light is the fruit do something about providing teacher-training.. facil-
of the grace of our sovereign  aGod,  the God of our ities. Cf. Acts of. Synod, 1949, pp. 64, 65, 67.
salvation, we will show forth the praises of Him that        Resuming our narrative from that point, we find
called us from darkness into His marvellous light. the  followi~~g.
   Finally, we must remember that this whole of              In the first place, the Acts of Synod show some
our 1if.e in the light must necessarily assume the form ,additi.onal  material from  Classis East in regard to
of the antithesis. We cannot serve two masters. We the Randolph Overture. We quote from the minutes
cannot serve  AGod and Mammon. Neither `can we of Classis East, April 6,' 1949, as quoted in the Acts
serv.e only one, in exclusion from the other. In this of Synod, 1949, p. 68: "Art.  19-$lassis receives
world we must serve the one in  amithesis  to the for information an instruction from Randolph. It
other. We must love the one, and at the same time is moved and supported to place this matter of Ran-
we must hate the other. We must love the light and. dolph in the hands of a committee which will report
hate the darkness. And in the midst of the world at our next classical meeting. An amendment is
that  lieth in darkness we have the calling to walk made and supported to request Randolph to refrain


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                  &I&I  :I                421
                                   --.                             .:'
     from going to Synod if this matter is given to a com-       case ,allowed`an  executive committee of the Synod in
     mittee.    This amendment carries. The motion! as           conjunction with the faculty to study proposals and
     amended is defeated.                                        possibly execute them, which implied the adoption
         "Art. 20-It is moved and supported that  Classis        of principles, while the Synod itself did not want to
     overture  lSynod,  in connection with the instruction adopt any principles at the time.
     of Randolph, to take this matter into study, and re-                 !On the other hand, already in 1948 the Synod had
     port at a following  Glassis. (That last probably           by implication adopted the principle that it is right
     should read : "at a following Synod". H.C.H.)               and,proper for the church institute to provide teacher
         "A substitute motion is made and supported. to          training facilities even to the extent of furnishing
     send Randolph's instruction through to Synod with- prospective teachers with the "Principles of `Edu&
     out our recommendation. This `substitute motion car- tion", .and giving them guidance in reading specified
     r i e s . "   1                                             outside literature npon educational subjects, as pro-
      What happened to the request of the Society for            duced by our men and others.                ,,
     Prot. Ref. E,ducation  and the Overture of Randolph                  These remarks .we insert by way of, interpreting
     at the Synod?                                               the history as recorded in the Aeta. ,These  facts are
        `On-page 66 of the Acts we discover that the com-        important, as we hope to see, because they show that
     mittee of pre-advice brought to  ,Synod a rather            the Synods of `48 and `49 never gave any considera-
     broad and sweeping proposal, which reads as follows:        tion to the principle question as to whether it is the
         "3. Re point 10 (the letter of the  S.P.R,E.,           duty and calling of the church institute to provide
     HC.H.) and Randolph overture, to accept these pro-' `teacher-training facilities for prospective teachers
     posals in principle, and to place this matter before        in schools that are controlled not (by the church in-
     the Faculty and the Theological School Committee for        stitute,, but by parents.                         \.
     study and possible execution."  -                                    Now let us continue compiling the data from th.e
        In Article 37, pp. 67, 68, we discover, however,         Acts of Synod.
     that Synod did not want to go as far as its commit-                  In 1950 the Theological School ' Committee repor-:
     tee of pre-advice, but elided a-rather crucial element ted on this matter as follows (Acts, p. 29, Art. 26) :
     of the advice. For there we read:                                    "The material concerning the normal course for
         "Motion is made and supported to adopt advice           teachers is read.
     I, B, 3, "Regarding point 10 `(this refers to the let-
     ter received from the Board of the Society for Pro-                  "4. Relative a normal course' for teachers in our
     testant Reformed  E,ducation  requesting that a nor-        own schools, in connection with the decision. of the
                                                                 1949 Synod, your committee can give you the follow-
     mal course be added to the curriculum ~of our Theo-
     logical School this coming year, and the Randolph           ing. information :
     `Overture. . . .)                                                    "a. That we have tried to execute the wishes of
         "The committee advised `to accept these proposals       the Synod. After consulting the faculty we were- ad--
     in principle,,, and to place this matter before the fac-    vised.`to make arrangements for a course in the Prin-
                                                                 ciples of Education. Rev. H. Hoeksema drew up an
     ulty and the Theological School Committee for study         outline of such principles which can serve as a guide
     and possible execution.                                     in teaching this subject. ,                               -
         "An amendment is made and supported to, elide                    "b. It was further decided to' have a six weeks
     the statement, `to accept these proposals in principle      summer course and to contact the School Boards who
     and.' This amendment is carried.                            requested .a course `of this nature (five in number)
       --"The' amended motion is adopted."                       for cooperation with the teachers to take this course.
        It is evident, therefore, that the Synod of 1949         It was also decided to make announcements regarding
     wanted to adopt no principles in this matter. Yet           this course in our periodicals, which was done. Rev.
     a motion was adopted which not only referred the            1G. M. lOphoff was requested to teach this, course.
     matter .to the Faculty and the Theol. School Commit-                 "c. `That we received no response from- any of the
     tee for study, but also for possible execution. The         School Boards. We did receive requests from three
     latter is plainly in error. The Synod had, no right         other prospective  t&hers   :,for more information.
     to refer these proposals to a committee for possible        However,, they could give us no. assurance, that they
     execution without first itself adopting any principles :    would take this course .if it would b,e given, due to
     execution implies that certain principles have been         other plans of studying,' work, etc.
     adopted. Hence, it is evident that the Synod in this                 "d. `That two' years ago. a Teachers' Club was or-

                                                   .
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422                                   THE  STANDABL)   BEARER                                   -.                    .,
ganized in  IGrand Rapids which has been meeting the part of teachers and prospective teachers in our
once per week ever since, with Rev. Ophoff giving             own schools. The course failed to be given.
them instruction.       According to him this  instru&             -5. As to the Teachers' Club mentioned in "d" of
tion was very much like the pr,oposed  outline given          the report we may say the following :             `.
by Rev. H. Hoeksema.          Consequently the members              a. The undersigned. was also active in this club,
of this club, do not see the need of a summer course          working as co-chairman with the Rev. Ophoff for a
of this nature at this time.                                  year.
       "e. The committee took .no further action regard-            b. I am not acquainted with ithe outline of Prin-,
ing this matter.       Since the information under d.         ciples of Education spoken of in this connection, and-
reached us shortly before the time of Synod we are            am rather certain that as long as I was active in the
submitting the whole matter to your body.                     Teachers' ,Club, these Principles of Education were
       "f. Rev. lOphoff consented to teach this course if     not discussed. Rather did the club busy itself with
it be given during the regular school term."                  a somewhat narrower field, namely, a study of world
       Concerning this report we may remark' the fol-         history in the light of Reformed principles. It is
lowing :                                                      possible, of course, that  ,during the second year of
                                                              its existence this Teachers' Club  ,devoted itself to
       1. It seems rather evident that the--committee ad      studying the Principles of Education mentioned.
hoc busied itself for the most part w-ith the last part            c. In spite of the fact that at the,time the need .of
of Synod's mandate, namely, the part -concerning              a summer course was not seen by the members of that
"possible execution". At least the- report indicates          Club, from my own experience I feel free to say that
.that there was little, if any, study made of the pro-, the studies of that Club for one brief evening per
posals in question as such, but th.at the Theological week `were by no means an adequate substitute for
,School Committee in conjunction with the faculty             a formal  ,and complete course of study, whether in
turned its attention to the matter of making arrange-         Principles of Education or in the Principles of Teach-
ments for a possible  \course  of instruction immedi-         ing History. On the contrary, it seems to me that
ately. If there was any study made of the proposals           the work `engaged in by the Teachers' Club just exl
as such, and any study especially of the principles in-       a&y revealed that a full-fledged course- was highly
volved in those proposals, the fruits of those studies        necessary;
are not divulged in this report.                                    Finally, as to the action of Synod in this respect,
       2. It also appears -from this report that there had    we may quote the following from the Acts, 1950, p.
been interest expressed in this` matter of teacher-' 30, Art. ,26: "Your Committee of preadvice advises :
training facilities not only ,by the Board of the So-         4. `That Synod approve the material under 4. (The
ciety for Prot. R,ef. Education in `Grand Rapids and          material under 4 is the report of the .School Commit-
by the IConsistory  ,of Randolph, but by no less than         tee which we just quoted;  H.;C.H.) Synod decides
-five School boards in all. This does not appear in to  .receive this report for information."
the earlier material from the Acts of Synod. Whe-
ther this information means that this interest was                  In other words, the matter was dropped both by
expressed already at the time when the `Grand Rapids Synod and its Theol. School Committee.
board wrote the school committee in 1949 or in re-                                                    `H. C. Hoeksema
sponse to a survey-by the School Committee does al-
so not appear in the Acts of Synod.'
 ' 3. It appears, in the third place, that the Faculty                                     Ia .
of our Seminary agreed in principle with the course
which the School Committee followed in this matter,
and that they therefore apparently. agreed that the
matter of teacher-training facilities lay indeed within
the realm of the jurisdiction of the church institute,                       I long as in the times of old
more particularly as that jurisdiction is concerned                          Thy power and glory to behold
with the maintenance of a Theological School.
       4. As to the particular arrangements which the                          Within Thy holy place ;
School Committee proposed in making a beginning                              .Because T.hy tender love I see
at teacher-training, it appears that there was very                          More precious far than life to me,
little actual interest, either on the part of the school
boards who had previously expressed interest ox on            *                My-lips shall praise Thy grace, `.
                                                                       .


                                        T H E   ST\ANDARD  B E A R E R                    _  -                   -423

           ,A Glad Occasion In Hope'                             Next the Mr. `Mensch takes his place on the plat-
                                                             form. It is a great moment in the life of this-brother.
     We write  "a glad occasion in Hope". And that           His being thrills with joy. and thankfulness. It is
 it truly was on the evening of May  ,26 when Mr.            one of these .moments  in a young man's life which are
 Herman Mensch might  reach the mile-stone in his not forgotten. Brother Mensch expresses. his thank-  ~
life to which he had looked forward  for,the past six fulness to the F&ulty,  Rev. .H. Hoeksema, Rev. 1G. M.
 years. It was a glad occasion for brother Mensch, ,Ophoff,  Rev. :G. Vos and Rev. J. Heys ,and also to the
 and we surely congratulate him in thankfulness to Rev. H. C. Hoeksema, who too had been his instruc-
 -,God. But it was also a glad occasion for the Faculty tor for two years. Also the Curatorium is recognized
 members of  our  `Seminary, both regular professors in a word of appreciation for having open the doors -
 and instructors, as well as for the Theological School      of our School to him. And'not the least is his thanks
 Committ,ee, which too was present.                          to the Hope :Church for all that they have meant to
     A good audience was present. Hope was, of               him and his family during these six years of abode
 course, represented. We saw brethren and sisters            in their midst. Truely Hope is, from a physical view-
 from our Holland Church, Hudsonville, Fuller Ave.,          point, nothing more than a "Bill of  bIowsand".  But
 Creston, Kalamazoo, Fourth Church also were repre-          to the Mensch family here `on this hill of blowsand  the
 sented  in the audience. Our Second Church had their        "waters of life never stopped flowing for their
 Annual Social that evening, otherwise they too would        thirsty souls" Brother Mensch's thanks is not based,
 have ,been present. The enlarged auditorium of our          says he, on subjective feelings, but it is achored  in ;
 Church at .Hope  was neatly filled.                         1. the fixed doctrine taught in our lSchool and Churches
     While the Rev. Heys, pastor  FoCi and instructor        2. and in a fixed and ready heart prepared by God
 at our Seminary,. played beautiful sacred strains on through His Spirit. And so all thanks is to'God alone.
 the Hammond `Organ, the Faculty, Mr. Mensch and             It was gratifying to hear this heart-warming speech
 the  .Curatorium  .took  their places in Church.  ,Our by Mr. Mensch.
 own beloved Rev. Hoeksema took his appointed place              The Rector of the School, the Rev. Ophoff then
 for the evening at the pulpit. He read II Tim. 2, re-       takes the pulpit after the Rev. J. Heys plays skill-
 `guested of the audience to sing Psalter No. 51 and         fully on the Hammond IOrgan.  With bated breath we
 lead the gathering in prayer, recounting before the listen `to the beautiful strain,s presented as a sweet in-
 face of the Lord all of past faithfulness and present       cence to the thrice Holy *God.  The Rev. Ophoff spoke
 grace and mercy.                                            for nearly an hour on a well-worked-out oration on
     There must have been much in the soul- of -His the subject, "The Significance of Exegesis for the
 servant that passed before his mind's eye. For  .2?         Minister". The Rev. Ophoff made a few remarks re-
 years the Rev. Hoeksema and `Rev. Ophoff have faith- lative to the practical Significance of Exegesis of
 fully given time and strength in teaching at our Sem-       Scripture and then began to analyse his subject and
 inary. `(Except during the illness of H.H.) . It was        showed us the various elements entering into the
 `on the 16th of June, 1925 that these brethren with         science of interpretation. -The speaker emphasized
 the Rev. H. Danhof began to give instruction in what        also that the exegets, although not bound by the Con- .
 is now the Eastern Ave. Christian Reformed Church.          fessions  of the Church certainly will with correct exe-
 ' Later they held school in the old Oakdale  Park Chris-    gesis not come at odds with the confessions, the Re-
 tian School. And for the past 25 years they have            formed Creeds.
 given instruction in. the basement room of the First            The ceremony of handing Mr. Mensch his diploma
 .Church. Much passed before the soul's eye of the was without much ado. Visibly brother Mensch was
 Rev. Hoeksema that evening. The Lord has strength- very  :happy and pleased to receive. his' well-earned
 ened these servants in a remarkable manner. Then            d i p l o m a .
 they were young men in their late thirties and early            The Rev. Hoeksema once more ascended the pul-
 fourties. Now they are men in the sixty. How re- pit to make a few fitting closing remarks to brother
 markably the Lord has restored to us the Rev. H.            Mensch. He reminded the brother that he must ex-
 Hoeksema. `There he stands again on the pulpit, not         pect disappointments `in. his ministry, especially if. he
 as young and robust as in yester-year, but still young would r.emain Reformed in his preaching. Many winds
 in mind and strong in faith and purpose. And the blow and will have to be withstood. Brother Mensch
 Lord receives all the glory for all His faithfulness        is now leaving the fellowship of our churches. It  is
 and preserving even to this present moment our Sem- with pain and regret that we see him go. But we
 inary-our Seminary which is so vital in the keeping trust that he will go and  be, a faithful preacher of
 of our Sojourner's Sabbath.                                 the Word, preaching the full counsel of God."


4 2 4                                    .THE   STANDARD   ~EAIXI~IX

              Now the Rev.  Vos rises to close with a word of      "Daarom zal ik U belijden onder de heidenen, en Uwen
       prayer and thanksgiving to [God; after the audience         naam' lofzingen." En : "Weest vroolijk, gij heidenen
       sings Psalter No. 334.                                      met ,Zijn volk !" En : "Looft den Heere  alie gij  hei-
      `.     The brother who' graduates is given a warm hand-      denen, en prijst Hem alle gij volken." En deze laat-
       clasp by brethren and friends, and we return home- ste tekst die  Paulus  aanhaalt is genomen nit dezen
      ward. Into the future  wee go.  ,God's  .future. And         kleinsten psalm.
       our hearts are ,glad. He will be with LIS even unto the         En daarom is het overduidelijk, `dat niet de alge-
       end of the world.                                           ,meene,  uitwendige roeping,  doch de inwendige, kracht-
                                                  .Geo. Lubbers    dadige roeping bezongen wordt door den psalmist.
_                                                                      We weten hoe de barmhartigheid Gods over Israel'
                           -:::-                                   was. Alleen zij waren uitverkoren om den Heere te
                                             -
                !                                                  loven. Later  ZOLI  Paulus tegen de heidenen zeggen,
                                                                   dat ,God hen voor eeuwen had laten wandelen in hunne
                     SION'S             ZANGE-N                    booze wegen, doch dat bij de komst van Jezus Zijne ge-
                                                                   zanten uitgezonden werden om nu ook de heidenen te
                                                                   roepen tot den lof des Heeren.         -I
                     Uni"erseelb   Oproep  Tot  Lof                    En van dat heuglijke feit- zingt de psalm die we
                                                                   heden tot onze overdenking hebben.-
                              (Psalm 117)                              Looft den Heere, alle heidenen, prijst Hem, alle
            Dit is de kleinste der  psalmen. slechts twee  ver- natien !
     `Zen.                                                             De universeele oproep tot lof!
             En tech, wat een enorme waarheid wordt er in be-          Want ook de krachtdadige roeping is universeel, al
      zongen ! De geheele wereld van Gods geneugten wordt          is het ook, dat zij sleohts de uitverkorenen raakt. <God
       opgeroepen om den Heere te loven en te prijzen.             heeft Zijn  volk verkoren uit alle volken en  natien.
      Want we moeten van meet af verstaan, dat ,Gods op-           Luistert naar het verrukkelijke bewijs uit het boek
       roep tot lof in den diepsten zin altijd voor IGods volk     der ,Openbaring : "En zij zongen een nieuw lied, .zeg-
      `is. We erkennen geheel en- al, datm er een roeping is       gende:  ,Gij zijt waardig  dat boek te nemen en zijne
       die algemeen is, die allen'menschen  en duivelen raakt.     zegelen te openen;  want ,Gij iijt geslacht, en hebt ons
       Dat is dan ,de algemeene roeping. Jezus spreekt ervan IGode ,gekocht met' Uw bloed, uit alle geslacht en taal
       als Hij zegt: Velen zijn geroepen, maar weinigen uit-       en volk en natie ; en ,Gij hebt ons onzen `God gemaakt
     .verkoren.                                                    tot Koningen en Priesteren, en wij zullen als Koningen
             Doch hier in dezen psalm is geen sprake van die       heerschen op de aarde.,' Openbaring 5 :9,`10.
       algemeene roeping,  zooals duidelijk blijkt uit de aan-         In  onzen psalm is deze waarheid profetie. Want
      haling van onzen psalm in Rom. 15 :ll. En dan vooral         het was nog niet zoo. De heidenen wandelden nog in
       als we het verband  zien, waarin Paulus onzen psalm         hunne booze wegen en maakten zich rijp voor het eeu--
       aanhhalt.                                                   wig verderf. Van geslacht tot geslacht verzondigden
             `In het 8ste vers zegt  Paulus: "En ik zeg,  dat      de volken en de natien het voor ,Gods heilig en recht-
       Jezus  Christus een dienaar  ,geworden  is der  besnij-     vaardig aangezicht. Terwijl mijn  dichter  deze  heer-
       denis vanwege de waarheid Gods, opdat Hij  (beves-          lijke waarheid zong, braken de volken en natien uit
     tigen zoude de beloftenissen der vaderen, en de heide-        in onbeschrijflijke vuilheid en verkeerdheid. En van
     I nen God vanwege de b-armhartigheid zouden verheer- .geslacht tot geslacht, voor duizende  jaren werden ze
      lijken." Daar gaat het om in het  verband. Het is            geworpen in den poel die brandt van vuur en sulfer.
     _ zeer duidelijk, .dat Paulus vooral het oog heeft op de       Evenwel, de dagen zouden komen, dat God Zijn
      belofte die aan Abraham gedaan was, dat, namelijk,           Heiligen  IGeest  zou uitstorten over alle vleesch. *Overal
       "alle volkeren-der aarde in hem gezegend zullen wor-        in het Oude Testament lezen we van die groote, ont-
       den." Gen.  18:18.  Daar heeft  Paulus  bet over. In        zaglijke waarheid: Mozes, David,  Jesaja, en alle de
vers 9 zegt hij immers, dat vanwege de  barmhartig-                profeten. ,En zoo ook hier.
      heid Gods over de heidenen zij God zouden verheer-               En ik geloof, dat ,God Zijn volk in bet (Oude Testa-
      lijken. En omdat te bewijzen haalt Paulus het Oude           ment gedurig onderwezen heeft in die waarheid die
     : Testament aan, en  doethij  Mozes, David en Jesaja          geopenbaard zou worden in het Nieuwe Testament.
       spreken, want die Oud Testamentische heiligen  heb-         Want Beer op keer zien we eerstelingen der volkeren
      ben dat loven der heidenen in.de verte gezien en ge-         die ingelijfd  worden in Israel. We noemen slechts
      loofd. En zoo,  Jprofeteer,ende,:  hebben ze gezegd:         enkelen : Jethro, Rahab, Naaman.


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                             425     ..

    Soms werden zelfs de  namen-.der volkeren genoemd, maaktheid. En  oak dit: nu, terwijl ik schrijf, zijn
 die deelen zouden in de zaligheid Israels. Luistert :         er millioenen van heidenen die  aan `t  loven zijn op
.' "Ik zal Rahab en Babel vermelden onder degenen die          aarde. Ik ben er  een van. En gij  allen die dit leest
 Mij kennen; zie, de Filistijn en de  Tyrier met den           stemt met mij in. We zijn aan `t loven van God; we
 Moor, deze is caldaar  geboren." Psalm 8'7 :4.                zijn aan `t prijzen den Heere.
    Ik noemde bet een groote waarheid.                            En dat zal doorgaan totdat alle de heidenen en alle
    Is het niet groot, `dat de geheele wereld deelen  zal      de natien bekeerd zijn en in den hemel ingeschreven
 in de ontfermingen Davids ?-~ Is het niet groot, dat alle op, de rol waarop  Hij' de volkeren schrijft. En dan
 volkeren en natien dat heerlijke nieuwe lied zullen -zal #God` zeggen:  ze zijn allen da&r geboren! En dan
 zingen met Israel? Is het niet groot, dat de geheele          zal Hij wijzen naar het hemelsche Jeruzalem, want
 wereld van Gods geneugten ingeend zullen worden  in de zaligheid is uit de Joden. De Joden zijh de opper-
 den edelen olijfboom, en zoodoende de vettigheid van          zangmeesters. De  Joden zijn de beminden om der
"den olijf deelachtig zullen worden? Is het niet heer-         vaderen  wil. Ik heb de  Joden lief. Als ik een Jood
 lijk, dat millioenen zullen zingen in dat groote koor,        zie, dan denk ik aan Abraham, den Vader` aller vol-
 zoodat alle de. koninkrijken der aarde hunne heerlijk-        keren.    En dan  denk ik  aan Jezus, want Hij was
 heid in het Nieuwe Jeruzalem zullen brengen ?                 Joodsch. En dan volgen we de regelmaat van Davids
    Keert tot Uzelven in: is het niet heerlijk; dat ge         lof van  (God. Dan luisteren we naar den Jood die
 niet ter Belle behoeft te varen met Uwe voorouders?           ons nu al voor zoo lang toegeroepen heeft: Looft God,
 Denkt er tech om, dat Uwe en mijne voorouders zich            alle heidenen ; prijst den.Heere,  alle gij natien!
 bogen voor Thor in de-bosschen van' Noord-Europa,                0, het is een groote waarheid !
 terwijl  Savid  aan `t  zingen was: `t Hijgend hert der          En wat is loven en prijzen?
 jacht ontkomen, schreeuwt niet sterker naar `t genot,            In het Engelsch wordt er slechts  :&n woord  ge-
 van de frissche waterstroomen, dan mijn ziel  ver-            bruikt: prijst Hem!
 langt naar God! Terwijl hij zoo lieflijk zong,  ver-            Maar het Hollandsch is correct. In het  He-
 dierven onze vaderen  het voor IGods aangezicht, en zijn breeuwsch  worden er twee woorden gebruikt.
 ze ter helle  ~gevaren.    Doch nu, nu psalm 11'7  ver-          En  to&i kan ik het verstaan, dat het  Engelsch
 vuld wordt, mogen we IGod loven en prijzen en naar slechts  een woord gebruikt. De gedachte is  essen-
 den hemel gaan, ,daar boven bij God.                          tieel dezelfde van loven en prijzen.  .Het verschil is
    Is het niet gioot, dat Uwe  kinderen   `God mogen          een verschil van intensiviteit. Dat hebt ge keer op
 vreezen, inplaats door U rijp gemaakt te worden  voor keer met woorden. Ik zal slechts e&n. voorbeeld noe-
 het hellevuur  ?                                              men: .bidden en smeeken. Ze zijn beide gelijk, wezen-
    Sterke taal? Kijkt rondom U! Het gebeurt terwijl lijk. Beiden beteekenen bidden, maar smeeken is bid-
 ik aan `t schrijven ben. Alle menschen gaan niet naar         den in den intensieven graad.
 den hemel,  al is er sprake in mijn psalm van een uni-           En zoo is het hier : loven en prijzen beteeken beiden
 verseele oproep tot lof. Duizenden bij duizende ron- hetzelfde, maar prijzen is loven van God. met  ver-
 dom U maken zichzelf en hunne kinderen.  rijp voor de heffing van stem, Prijzen isloven  in.het  galmen van
 hel. Neen, foei tech! zij zijn niet zoo dom als hunne         Uw stem. "Als ge stillekens bij Uielven bidt, met ge-
voorvaderen. Ze buigen niet meer voor de stomme                sloten oogen en gevouwen handen, voor de kerk-aan-
 afgoden. Ze zijn nu verlicht  (!) geworden.  .Neen,           gaat, dan  looft ge God;  Straks,  als de dominee' een
 do& nu buigen ze voor geld en `goed,  have en velden,         psalm opgeeft,  kan een ieder Uw galmende stem
 eer en positie, voor den mensch in zijn waan ! `t Is hooren: ge zingt mee in het loven van God, doch dan
 er niet beter op geworden.                                    ging loven over in prijzen van  (God.
    En de psalm weerklinkt:  ILooft- den Heere, alle              En wat is loven en prijzen?
 heidenen, prijst Hem, alle natien !                              ,O, het is eenvoudig, maar  o'koo lieflijk. Het is,
    Die psalm met zijn oproep die universeel is, heeft         dat ge God zegt hoe lieflijk en schoon, hoe schitterend
 nu al twee duizend jaren zijn werk gedaan. En ge en aanvallig Hij is. Ge vertelt Hem Zijn deugden.
`moogt  `ervan verzekerd zijn, dat zulk  werk compleet         Ge doet het stillekens, en ge looft Hem; ge doet het
 is. Als [God krachtdadig roept, geschiedt er iets.            luidkeels en zingend, en ge prijst Hem.
    <God  riep voor twee duizend jaren, en de psalm is            En ge doet bet beide tot God en tot den Heere.
 vervuld gew,orden.  ,Op dit oogenblik, terwijl ik schrijf,       IGod is de (Schepper  en `Onderhouder van het geheele
 zijn er millioenen die in ,den hemel  ,God loven en prij-     heelal, en daarom ook van U. De Heere is de  Ver-
 zen. Ze leerden het-in de groote verdrukking op aarde.        bon&God, de Vader van  onzen Heere Jezus.
 Doch  ze zijn nu gepromoveerd: ze zijn in den  vol-              Wat een Onderwerp van lof en prijs !
 maakten  hemel.  Ze loven en prijzen nu in de  vol- ,L Wat aal ik daarvan zeggen ?


   426                                  T H E   .STANDARD  B E A R E R

     De laatste vraag is: waarom ZOLI ik Hem 1oven"en                 Nu waren we den slang toegevallen, en dat is de
   prijzen?                                                      duivel.
       En als ik geroepen zou worden  om het volle ant-               En  :.zullen  we nu verlost  worden,   dan moet het
  woord te geven, dan zou ik tot in der eeuwen eeuwig- `kromme rechtgemaakt. "En zoo zullen we eenigzins-
heid door  moeten  gaan met schrijven, schrijven.                verstaan, dat iemand ergens gezegd heeft: De waar-
       Ik kan het  voile antwoord niet geven; Want ik            heid zal U ,vrijmaken.          En zoo zien .we het ook, dat
  ken slechts ten deele.                                         Jezus' naam de waarheid'is. En verstaan we dat men
       Laat ons luisteren naar de oorzaak van lof en prijs       in' het Oude Testament kon bidden: Verlos ons door
  zooals die gevonden wordt in het tweede vers van               Uw naam.' En glimlachen we toestemmend als de
  mijn psalm : "want Zijne goedertierenheid is gewel-            kinderen  zingen: Kent gij? Kent gij, dien Naam nog
  dig over ons, en de waarheid des Heeren is in eeuwig-          niet ?I
  heid. Hallelujah  !"                                               ,O ! Jezus is de Naam. `Hij is `God geopenbaard in
     -Zijne goedertierenheid !                                   het vleesch om ons, om de volkeren en de natien te
   - Ik zal het bekennen voor U : ik gevoel mij het              verlossen, en te doen loven en prijzen tot in der eeu-
  meest aangetrokken tot deze deugd van God ! Ik                 wen eeuwigheid'!
  ben haar al zoo vaak tegengekomen in het beschrijven                                                                    G. vos
  `van `Gods  `deugden in den psalmbundel. En keer op
  keer, als ik ,deze deugd ,Gods tegenkom,  vaart er een                                         El .
  trilling van genot door mijn  ,ziel. Zij is  .zoo lieflijk,
  zoo aantrekkelijk, zoo schitterend  schoon.        En zij
  geeft ons zoo ontzettend veel troost.                                            My lips shall in ,Thy praise delight
      De goedertierenheid Gods is die deugd Gods waarin                            When on my bed I rest at night
  alles in Hem bruischt en stormt en dringt om Zijn                                  And meditate on Thee;
  volk goed te. zijn en goed te ,doen. Daarom staat er                             Because Thy hand assistance brings,
  in den tekst,  dat die deugd geweldig is over ons.
      Zal ik U een schoon voorbeeld geven van dat brui-                            Beneath.the shadow of Thy wings
  schen, van dat geweldige van die deugd der goeder-                                 My heart shall joyful be.
  t i e r e n h e i d ?
      `Komt dan met mij naar het huis van Johannes
  Markus, op den dag van het Nieuw Testamentische
  Pinksterfeest. En weest zeer stil.
      Daar komt het: er geschiedde een geluid van den                                W E D D I N G ' A N N I V E R S A R Y
  hemel als van een ,geweldig  gedreven wind ! ' IGod had
  haast ! Hij kwam aangevlogen  fern Zijn bruid aari het           The Lord willing, our beloved parents,
  hart te drukken. Het-Oude Testament, de dagen van                         REV;  H,  H:  and WINNIE KUIPER-nke  DeVries
 -- druppelen van goedheid en liefde waren voorbij. ,God         will celebrate their 25th Weddi:ng  Anniversary, June 23, 1952.
  zou het doen stroomen van goed.heid en liefde, van ze-           For them and their guidance we are grateful; for their  co-n-
  gen en van- lieflijkheid.                                      tinuance with us for  .many  more years we hope and pray, as
      En zoo is het ook nu. ,God rommelt in Zijn inge-           their grateful children:
  wanden van lieflijke goedertierenheid als Hij U ziet                                                     Hulda  Jane
  in de ellende en de smart van zonde en onvolmaakt-                                                       Henry Warren
  heid. En Hij `wil U o zoo gaarne goed  doen.                                                             Dale Harmon
      `God is goedertieren over U ; d.w.z., dat Hij voor                                 -                 Celia Ann
  U is. Hij is geheel  en al voor U. Hij is  ~66  goeder-                                                  Ruth Elaine
,  tieren over U, dat Hij Zijn eenigen Zoon gaf. Zal                                                       Harlow  Wayne
  Hij U dan niet met Hem alle dingen schenken?                   Randolph, Wisconsin
      En dat leidt ons tot de tweede oorzaak tot lof en
  prijs. Hij is goedertieren over U langs den weg der
 . waarheid.                                                                                  -z- :-
      De waarheid is de rechte relatie tusschen IGod en
  mensch, en  tussehen mensch en mensch, en tusschen CORREXTION-In  the June 1st issue under the  ruibric  The
  `mensch en de schepping random.  hem. De waarheid              Triple Knowledge, the subtitle should have read as follows:
  is de rechte lijn. De leugen is de slang, de slingering,       2. "The  `Mulst' of Perfect Freedom." For this error  .we offer
  de Bromme lijn.                                                our apology.--pxinter,


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                   4 2 7

         Riv. B.  Kok  -  His Untruths                       eously  inaintained that'grace was unconditional. (See
                                                             quotation below) ." So far Rev. Kok.,
   The reader will ask : what is this all about? What           T,he italics of this last statement are from my pen.
are these untruths of which Rev. Kok is here accused         But the statement as such- is Rev. Kok's. And an
`by you openly in this magazine? I shall lay them            amazing statement it is-amazing on account of the
bare. They concern me, the undersigned, and they oc-         atrocious untruth  that it tells. Take notice what it
                                                             asserts.
cur in an article from the pen of Rev. Kok-an article                    Verily this : that in the quotation below (a
that he had printed in the Coneor& of-May 28 1952,           quotation tha% I shall presently quote) the author (of
under the captian                                            the quotation. And that author happens to be me)
                      Conditi.o Sine Qua Non.
                      _                                      eniphasized (mark you,  emphasized)   that there are
   The article is formed of three main sections: 1.          conditions in the covenant of grace (mark you, that
Prelitiinary  remarks by Rev. Kok; 2. a rather long          there  cre conditions  in the  ccvaenant  of grace).  This
quotation from an  atricle of mine written 21 years          is the first untruth as I shall make plain in a moment.
ago ; 3. concluding remarks by Rev. Kok.                     But this is not nearly t,he half of it. The statement
  Here follows, the gist of the first section (Rev. Kok's    asserts, also that I emphasized this over against thoke
preliminary remarks) :                                       who  inaintain that grace is  uncon~clitional.       This
   "The latin phrase -quoted ,aboye (the phrase. Coqt-       is the second untruth.
ditio Sine Qua Non--lo)  means `indispensable condi-            Having done quoting me, Rev. Kok repeats his un-
tion,' i.e., a condition which we cannot possibly do         truth in these words: "From the above quotation it'
without. . . . Today there are those who would have          is evident. that the writer emphasizes that there are
us believe that to .use the term `condition' in connec-      conditions in the covenant."
tion with the doctrine of salvation is per Fe Arminian          The  ,question  i's. whether. I did  @at  Retr. Kok
and Pelagian.  .In spite of all that has  been written       alleges. I certainly did not. `To make this clear we
on this subject in the past few years, I am still con-       must take notice of what I actually wrote.
vinced that we can speak of a Cocnditio S&e Qua Non             First it may be  .well that I state the point that
in the Reformed sense. . . .                                 I was arguing in that article of mine.  ISomeone  had  \
                                                             placed in my hands a booklet displajring the title "Tn-
   `1God forbid that we should ever teach `conditions' fant Baptism and t,he Covenant of Common Grace."
in the Arminian or Pelagiafl sense as though salv$ion        In this booklet the'author, Dr. M. R. De Haan, at the
in .any sense ever depends upon the will of the dead         time pastor of  ,Calvary church (undenominational),
sinner. . . . But we do emphatically maintain that           derided the doctrine 6f ,. Infant Baptisin as claiming
in the covenant of- grace there are requirements that        that it. is a teaching taken not from the Scriptures
must be fulfilled, commands that must be heeded . . .        put fabricated by the' fathers of the Christian Church.
Are these conditions that man  bf his own free-will          In puting his  t,houghts into words, the  Iauthor used
must fulfill, before #God can save him? . . . No, but        some strong languagk as for' example the following:
these  are `conditions' in the Reformed sense, which         "This little treatise on the much discussed a&l little
teaches that man' can only fulfil these requirements         understood subect is sent forth, not for the purpose
through the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. . . .       of starting a controversy or an *argument. R a t h e r
T'hat is what we mean wh& hereafter we speak of              we sent it forth to show that there is NO ARGU-
`conditions' in the Reformed sense, ,and. anyone who         MENT (bold type De  Haan's) at all for infant bap-
says that that is Arminian is either willfully, or ignor-    tism. We  @mly believe that the bulk of Christians
antly speaking an untruth.                                   have just taken fqr granted that what their church be-
   "It is  ,rny purpose in a series of. articles . . . to    lieves must be right." So far Dr. De Haan.
prove conclusively from our Protestant Reformed li-             IOne of the links inhis chain of reasoning was the
terature of the past twenty-five years, that those who       following: The covenant of Sinai, as it depended for
now so veheme&ly,  and unreasonably oppose the use           its fulfillment updn nian's obedience as a condtion  and
of the term `condition', and deny tliat it can ever be       not upon  tile  faithfL!lness  of  ,God  was a conditional
used in the Reformed sense, that they themsklves used        covenant; it was, in a word, a  cdvenant of works.
it again and again in the past twenty-five years. Time       And the same is true of the Adamic covenant.
and. again they spoke of a `conditional, or particular          The covenant with Abraham, 6n the #other  hand,
promise, when they defended our Protestant Reformed          as it depended for its fulfillment  on God's faithful-
position over against  the `Three Points of 1924'. ness and not upon man's obedience as a condition, was
They  `even  ,emphasizecl that there  arle  conditions in    an unconnditional  covenant: it was, in a word, a cove- _
the Cov,emxnA of Grake, over against those who erron-        n%nt of grace. So De Haantaught.


   428        "                       T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                           - --  -.  -.  - .
                                                                                                -.

      I' replied to this strange reasoning of Dr. De Haan     Ghrase of which the Lord availed himself in stating
  in an article that I had printed in the Stunidard Bear&     these  duties  was often the conditional sentence, is
  for May 15, 1931, `(Vol. VII, pp. 368-372). I examined evident from_ the epistles. A single passage: `And ye
  the Scripture parSsages  &at' he adduced in support of      that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your
  his contention that in distinction from the covenant mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in
  with Abraham, the covenant  of Sinai  wa8 a condi-          the body of his flesh through death, to pr&ent you
  tional covenant, that is, a covenant of works. I put        holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight;
  this question (and now I quote from my article the          if ye continue in the fctith grozcndecl and settled, and
  very passage quoted by Rev. Kok, but which he quoted        be not move&away froin the hope of the Gospel. . . ,,
  incorre&ly, as we shall see) :                              (Cal.  2:6). So far the quotation from my article
      "What is'De Haan's proof that the Lord instituted       that Rev: Kok took over and inserted in his writing
  with His people pf old a covenant of this kind.?" A         to prove his  allegAtions.   '              I  x .  :
  clarifying remark. As appears from. the paragraph              Now what is the point that I argue in this part of
immediately preceding, I had reference here to the            my article? It is as clear as the sun in the heavens
  cbvenant bf Sinai that- the Lord instituted with. His       that the point I argue is precisely this: the fact that
  people assembled at the base of this mount. I con-          the covenant of Sinai involved all those included in it
  tinued : "And the answer is ready : the command with        in, well defined duties, that in stating these duties the
 which this covenant was interwoven, to wit, the com-         Lord often availed  Himself `of the conditional sen-
 mand to obey and to keep covenant fidelity ; further,        tence is no proof that this covenant was a covenant
  such conditional clauses as: `If thou shalt hearken tin-    of_ works (De  Haan's contention), that is, a condi-
  to the voice of the Lord thy  `God to keep his cove- tional covenant, dependent for its fulfilment on man's
nant. . .  .' `If thou turn unto the (Lord  thy ,God with Obedience as a' condition, thus a covenant with condi-
  all thy heart. . . .' `If ye will obey my. voice indeed.' " tions in it (De Haan's contentidn)  . For the covenant
      I co&ifiued-: "De Haan should know, however, that       of grace (covenant With Abraham) also  invhlved
  to -the covenant of grace as we13 the Lord attached a       those included in. it in  wellidefined  duties. And the
  command to obey his voice, to keep his covenant, to         Lord often availed Himself of the con&tional  sentence
  hearken unto His voice. Abraham was commanded               also in stating the requirements of this covenant. Yet,
  to get him out of his country, and from his kindred,        certainly, it was not a covenant of works, that is, a
  and from his father's house, unto the l&d that the          conditional covenant, dependent for its fulfilment on
  Lord would show him. . . . He did so, and the Lord th,e obedience of man as a condition, thus a covenant
  made of him a great nation, bles'sed him and made his       with conditions in it. As Dr. De Haan also well un-
  name great. . . . Certainly, `if Abraham would have         derstands, and insists on, it was a covenant of grace,
  cleaved to his father's house and continued as a resi-      dependent for, its fulfilment upon the faithfulness of
  dent in the land of his nativity, he would' not have IGod alone, thus an unconditional covtnant without any
  been blessed. At a later period- the Lord again ap-         conditions in it. Arid so, too, the covenant of Sinai.
  peared unto him and said : !I am the Almighty God ;         It was a covenant of Grace and nqt, in contradistinc-
  walk b,efore me and be thou perfect. And I will make        tion to the  coyenant  with  Abiaham, a covenant of
  my covenant between me and thee, atid will multiply*        works.
  thee  exceedin.gly.' (Gen.  1'7:1,2).  ,And on  the  way       This, to be sure, is percisely the point that I argue
  40 Sodom, the.Lord turned to his heavenly companion         also in the. section of my article quoted above and
  and asked him-whether he should hide frtom Abraham which Rev. Kok also quoted.
  the thing that he was about to do ; seeing that Abra-          That -this is the point that I argue is as plain as
  ham should su-rely become a great and mighty nation,        can be from my entire article. It is, already p&in
  and all the nations of the earth should be blessed in froni the paragraph i&mediately preceding the above
  him. `Fo'r 1. know,' the !Lord continued, `that he `will    quote!  sectioq. This  p#agraph reads as follows:
  command his children and his household after him,              `<Dr. De  Haan then,  di;covers in the Scriptures
  and they shall keep the way of tlie Lord) to do -justice    covenants of works: the, Adamic covenant and the
  and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abra-            covenant' of Sinai. In  distinctitin from the covenant
  ham that which he hath spoken of him.' " (`Gen.  18:        of grace, t,hese covenants, accor.cling to De Haan, re-
  17-19).          1                                          pose upon the condition that man keep its require-
     I continued I "Mark you,  thle covenant established      ments." Let us p&use here. We mu+ take par.ticular
  with Abraham; De Haan admits to.,be  a covenant of          notice of tliis phrase "accorkling to Dr. De H;nan'" ac-
  grace. That this covenant as well involves those whom       curring in this sentence. It gives to the sentence this
- it includes in `well-defined duties ; that the kind_,pf     meaning: According to De  Haan the Adamic coven-.
                                                    Y
                                                         i


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                          429

  ant and the covenant of Sinai, in distinction from the       not thou in thy heapt after that the Lord thy God hath
  covenant of grace (covenant with Abraham) were con-          cast them out before thee, saying, For my righteous-
  ditional covenants. But De Ha& is sorely mistaken.           ness the ILord hath brought me in to possess .this land :
  Fact is that the Adamic covenant and the covenant of         hut for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth
 Sinai were as little conditional as is the covenant of dritie them out from before thee . . . that he may
  grace. All three covenants' were  unconditiondl,  the        perform the word  w.hich the `Lord sware unto thy
  one as well as the other.                                    fkthers,  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand
     This verily is the meaning that the phrase "ac- therefore that the Lord thy (God giveth thee not this
  cording to De  Haan" gives  ~to the  .sentence.  This  ib    good land to uossess  it for thy righteousness ; for thou
  as plain as the sun in the he&en especially if the sen-      art a stiff-necked people" (Deut. 9 :4ff).
 tence be explained in the light of its context. And               `"These passages teach," so I continued, "that Isr%l
 of course it must be explained in the light of its con-       came into the possession of ihe land of Canaan not be-
 text. And the context is the entire article especially        cause of its own righteousness but because of  -the
 its last section. In this section I am addressed to the       word that th$ Lord sware unto Abraham ; because, in
 task of proving this yery thing, namely that all three        a `word, this people was included in the covenant of
 covenants were covenants of grace and thus uncondi- grace. `Canaan, such are the u.nmistaka,ble  teachings
 tional. In this section I strike, with all my might at        of these passagesj was a gift of gr.ace bestowed by a
 the conception of a covenant of `Gdd with man reposing        merciful  IGod upon a people altogether  ,destitute of
 upon man's. obedience and *faith as conditions. I set righteousness."                                       D
 $orth the conception as an insult to God, as destruc-            So I  wr&e in this same vein throughout my  en-
tive  conceptionally  of God: Allow me to show how t`ire article identifying the  two covenants-that of
 true this is by [quoting here and there from this last        Siriai and that with Abraham-and insisting that the
 section of my article. (Standard Bearer, Vol. VII,            one as well as the &her was unconditional and as such
 pp. 370-372) :                                                depended for its fulfilment on the faithfulness of God
     "It will be seen at once tha&.the kind of .Sc&pt&e        alone'.
 proving that God  atitually made `with `Israel a covenant         Yet, notwithstanding, Rev. .Kok; even with the ar-.
 of works is a scripture in which ,God appearsnot  mere-       gument of my- article bef,ore  his mind, had the auda-
 ly  ,as commanding His. people to obey Him, but in            city, to tell his readers, to tell the world, also Dr. De
 which He appears as declaring: Sinner, the power to           Haan, that : 1. `I emphasized-mark you, even empha-
 obey and to serve thy God is not of me .but of thee.          sized-that  the& are conditions in the covenant of'
 If by an act of thine own free will thou  choosest to. grace, and 2. that I emphasized this over against De.
 keep covenant fidelity, thou wilt come to eternal bliss.      Haan who (ewoneously,  says l?ok, but I say correctly)         ~
 The Lord thy God is mighty, but His might is not in-          maintained that grace is unconditional, and that the
 finite, so that He is able to work in thee-both- to will. covenant of grace is unconditional in that it depends
and to  ,do. . . .                                             for  5ts fulfilment on the faithfulness of  :God alone.
     `fWith some such statements the law promulgated           &ven with the argument of my article before his m&l,
 from the summit of the mount should have t'o be in- Rev. Kok hsd the courage to tell the world that I
 terspersed, if it constituted-the nucleus of a covenant       denied all this truth and maintained with the heretics
 of works.                                                     of all ages that grace is conditional ; and that likewise ,
     "Now then, I ask De Haan in all candor, was this          the covenant of grace is conditional in that  it. de-
 the message of the law? If so  ,God denied Him                pends for its  fuElment  not  tipon the faithfulness of
 self. . .  ."                                                 aG.od but upon the obedience of man as condition. So
     Then also this from my article: "Attending to             ,did .Rev. Kbk.
 the discourses of Moses, it is seen at once `that there'          And @hat did he find in my article to use as a basis
- was nothing of t&e pay-master ,God ibout the IGod. of        for his oontentions?  The statement appearing in the
 the covenant of Sinai. We quote: `And the Lord                section of my article that he quotes, namely the state-
 shall scatter you among- the nations, and ye shall be ment that "the covenant of grace as well as the cove-
 left few in number among the heathen. . . . But if' nant of Sinai involves those whom it includes in well
 from thence thou- shalt seek the Lord thy `God, thou          defined duties; and that the kind of phrase of which
 shalt find him, if thou seek him  with  ,a11 thy heart the iL,ord'availed  Himself in stating these duties was
 and with all thy soul. . . . For the Lord thy God is          often the congditiond sentence. -,
 a merciful {God; he will not forsake thee, neither de-            I ask: iS t&e statement that in promulgating the
 stroy thee, nor forget the covenant of  thy- fathers.         duties of the covenant the Lord often aiailed Himself
 which tie sware unto them." :(Deut. 4 :28ff). `Speak of the conditional sentence equivalent in meaning to.
                                                                                                                  -


        430                                 TT-T%,      STANDARD                  BBAREB

        the statement that the covenant ,of grace is a cove-        covexant of grace Gold has attached the folloa&g  con-
        nant of works, in a word, a conditional covenant de-        c.%tiolnal cla%ses: `If thou shalt hearken unto the Lord
        .pending  for its fulfilment not! on the faithfulness of thy `God to keep his covenant. . .' `If tzhou turn unto
        `God but on the obedience and faith of man as a con-        the Lord thy {God with all thy heart. . . .' `If ye will
        dition? Rev. ,Kok knows ,better  certainly ; he knows that obey my voice i-Fdeed.' "
        .the expression "conditional sentence" was' coined by          Lei us observe the discrepencies.  The sentence in i-
        the grammarians to do se_rvice  as a technical designa-     talics of Rev. Kok's quotation does not at all ,appear in
        tiori of all the various kinds of "if sentences," of those the paragraph as it left may pen. ,On the other hand
      not  TV& conditional as  -well as of those  tr&y condi- the long' italicized  sentence `of the paragraph as I
        tional, that is, cdnditional as to the thought conveyed.    actually w&e it does not at all appear in Rev. Kok's
        In a word, Rev. Kok knew that I was- simply' @Zing the      quptation. Yet  the sentence was important on  ac:
        expr&sion "conditional  skutence" in that technical         count of its revealing that I was controverting Dr.
        sense without at al1 tieani-ng to say that the Scripture    De Haan. The omission of this sentence makes it ap-
        passages  lthat I quoted were truly conditional. He pear as if `the point that I was arguing is simply that
        knew this from the vel*y point that I `argue through-       the Lord attached to the covenant of-grace conclitional
        out my article.                                             sentences  &ad  cba%es;  that  `I  -thought this to be of
                                                                                                   .
            A remark in passing.' Since the expression. "con-       such vital importance that I wrote a whole article on
        dit.ional sentence" has once come into -use as a techni-    the subject and had it printed in the Standard Bearer.
        cal designation for all the various kinds-of "if  sen-         Further,   I wrote this  :- "De  Haan should know,
     tences,"      it will not do to discard the term. Yet to- however, that to the covenant of grace as well the
       day I have selected for my own personal use the ex-          Lord attached a command to obey His voice, to keep
        pression  "if sentences ;" I no longer speak of "con&i- His covenant, to hearken unto His voice."
        tional sentences," except when the- sentence is truly          This sentence does not at all appear in Rev. Kok's
        conditional. My reason for doing So is precjsely  such      quotation. Yet it should have as it forms a part of
        doings as that of Rev. Kok. Think of what he does to        the excerpt  as I  wrote'it.   The insertion of this  sen;
        me and `to the cause of the truth on the- m&e gr,ound       tence would have-bbrought  to light that the point that
        that spme twenty-one years ago I used the ,expression       I was arguing was not'at all that the Lord had added
        "conditional  sefitence," merely in that technical sense: to the covenant of grace conditional sentences and
           And this brings us to the question whether Rev.          clauses. '
        Kok told these untruths knowingly and deliberately             Further, quoting  my article, Rev. Kok wrote this:
        with the purpose to mislgad or unawares. It is difficult    "Mark you, the covenant established with Abraham is
"       for me to believe that he wrote and published these a covenant of grace. That also this covenant involves
        untruths without realizing  what he did. It is hard those whom it includes in well-defined duties ; t.hat the
        for me to ,believe this for the following reasons :         kind of phrase the Lord availed Himself of in form-
           .l. First, Rev. Kok's failure to reveal that I was       ulating  these   duties was often the CONDITIONAL
        co&roverting  in -my articles the errors of Dr. M. R.       sentence, is evident from the epistles."
        De Haan. `This doing of Rev. Kok was deliberate cer-           Let us take no&e of the word "conditional". The
        tainly.                                                     bold type in which it appears is of Rev. Kok. and not
           2. Second, his failure to reveal to his readers the      of me.
        point that I was arguing in my article that he quoted.         But' hasn't one the right to italicize or print in
        Also this doing of Rev. Bok was ddliberate certainly.       bold type a word or words of the author whom  one
           3. The way he dealt with the section of my article       quotes? This, of course,--is  permissible. But then ofie
        that he quoted.                                             must *inform his readers that the italics or the bold
           I wrote this: "What is De  Haads  proof  that the type is his and not thle author's whom he quotes. Kok
        Lord instituted WWL his people of old. a .covenant of       failed to provide his -readers  with this information,
        this kind? And the-answer is ready: `the command            and thus made -it appear as if the bold type was mine.
        with which this cove!nant was int,er&oven, to wit, the      And he also failed to indicate that he was omitting cer-
        comwuxnd to obey and ;keep covenant fidelity; further,      tain important sentences and adding others. And he
        such conditidnal clauses as: `If thou shalt heakken un-     made it impossible for his readers -to check ofi his
        to the voice of the Lord thy IGod to keep his coven-        quotation by" his failure to inform them. where the
      ant. . .  .' `If thou turn unto the LoTd .thy God with article of mine that he quotes could be found.
        all thy heart. . . .' `If ye obey my voice indeed.' "          .One more  discrepency.  I  w&e:  `?&ark you, the  '
            Quoting this same paragraph, Rev. Kok erroneous-        covenant established with Abraham De Haan nclmits
        ly represents me as having written this: "AZs.0 to the      to be 8. covenant of grace." As qusting this sentence


                                                                      ,
                                         T H E   STAiiBiRD  B E A R E R                                          .  -    431

  Rev. Kok wrote: "Mark you, the covenant established            everyone is entitJed-entitled, that is, to his own opin-
  with Abraham is a coven&t of grace."                           ion. But if it is Rev. Kok's belief that the term con-
     So we see how Rev. Kok deals with that section of           dition is indispensible to Reformed theology, how can
  my article that he quoted. He added or, changed' a he allow that the question of whether it is the pro-
c sentence here and omitted a sentence there and some            per term be a matter of everyone's opinion?
  other, place, changed into bold type the cardinal term            -And finally this. `To let his readers know what an
  "condition" all to ,make it appear that he was justi-          enemy he is of all Arminianism, Rev. Kok in the first
  fied in stating: 1. that I "even ecphasized  that there        section df his article makes statements such as- the
  are conditions in the covenant of grace ; 2. that I em- f o l l o w i n g .
  phasized this over against those who maintain that              - `(God forbid that we should ever teach `conditions'
  grace- is unconditional ; 3. that from the quotation he        in the Arminian or Pelagian sense, as though salva-
  quoted it is evident that I emphasize that there are con-      tion in, any s&se ever depends -upon the will of the
  ditioni.in the covenant of grace."                             dead sinner." Rev. Kok should know that the Armin-
     Mark you ~$1, Rev. Kok says that I emphasized               ians also deny with just as much vigor that  saltra-
  while the fact is that not I but that he, Rev. Kok em-         t'ion in any sense depends upon the free will of the
  phasized. The bold type is his and not mime.                   dead sinnier. I shall prove this with quotations from
     Now all this is terrible. It is. d&honest.                  Ralston. Rev. Kok therefore must `not imagine that
     Bnt this is not all. Having put unto my pen and             j&t because a m& denies this, he is. Reformed. He
  mouth his own conditional theology, Rev. Kok makes may still,be an Arminian.                       '
  this remark : "I agree with him (meaning me-O),                   And so it is with  the  foliowing statement from
  wholeheartedly. He speaks thoroughly Reformed lan-
  guage." So wrote,R&. Kok. Yet he well knows that               Rev. Kok's pen, and I quote: "Bu! we do emphatically
                                                                 maintain that in the" covenant of gr-ace the+e are rg-
_ I .loathe  his` conditiona;  theology like a plague.
     And even this is liot all. In the, first section of his     quirements  wlfich must be fulfilled. . . . Are these
                                                                 `conditions' which man (mark you well, Rev. Kok
  article Rev. Kok writes this: "In spite of all that has        here speaks of the man dead in sin-O),  ,of his own
  been written on this subject in the past few years, I          free will must fulfill, before God can save him, as the
  am still convinced that we can speak of a "conditio            dammed lie of the Arminians would have us believe?"
  sina qua non' in the Reformed sense, and that those
  who deny this . . . are definitely harming the cause           Rev. Kok is mistaken. This is not. the "damned lie"
                                                                 of the.Arminians, as i shall prove from Ralston.
  of our Reformed  chu@ches . .  ." According- to this
  statement, Rev. Hok is of .the conviction that the con-           Farther down Rev. Kok continues: "No but these
  cept "condition" is indispensible to Reformed theology.        are. `conditions in the Reformed sense, which teach
  Well, if this is his con&tion h?w then could he write          that man can only fulfill these requirements through
  in the final section of his article: "I know that today the quidkening power of the Holy  8pirit. . .  ." This
  the brother  `(*meaning me) would not use the term             is what the Arminians also ,affirm and with just as
  cortdition to. express the same truth `but I refuse to `much zeal, as appears from Ralston. The point is that
  strive about words, in which there' is no profit, but to       I can affirm and deny all that Rev. Kok here `affirms -
 the subverting of the  reaclers.      (II Tim. 2 :14) ."        and denies and still be an Arminian.
     The point is this : if it' is Rev. Kok's conviction that       As I have. been `saying in my recent articles, Ar-
  the term concZition  is indispensible to Reformed theo-        minianism  is a  Bubtle  heresy. And' let me also re-
  logy, how can he then &fuse to strive about the term?          peak  my-word of warning. It was this : "Well may
  On his position he should certainly want to strive a-          we watch and pray that we as a Protestant Reformed
bout the term in order to  save  ft for Reformed  theo-          people, be not deceived and destroyed by it (Armin-
-  -logy. . And therefore on his  position  he  Bhould see       ianism) ."
  great profit in striving for the term.                                                                       G. M. Ophoff
     And attend also `to this statement from his pen:
  "If anyone does not agree that the term  condition                                   -:-:--
  is the  corbect term to express the inseparable con-
  nection between promise and demand, faith and sal-
  vation etc., he is erititled to hid opinion, but he does                 Rejoice,`believer, in the Lord,'
  not hav,e the right to impose his opinion on me." Ac-
  ,cording to this statement of Rev. Kok, it is his stand                   Who makes your cause his own ;
  that wheth`er  the-term `conditi&' is the co%& term                      The hope that's built upon his word,
  is a matter of everyone's otin opinion to which also                       Can ne'er be overthrown. 1


                   1                             I
                                                      _                                                _---
 432          '                        T H E   `S T A N - D A R D   B E A R E R                .~.
                             -.-__                                                                              -
                        /
     Seeking the Lorcj Withopt the Camp                             The Lord could not destroy His p;ople- the Israel
                                                             according to the election.               ,Of this, as was stated,
    As' was stated  ,(see my previous article) God's ,-M&es was also fully aware. For he enumerates the
 people had corrupted. themselves. They had turned          reasons in his..intercession. Israel was I-Ii& the Lord's
 quicF!y aside out of the way which the Lord had            people; He had brought them forth out of the  lancl
 commanded them; They had made them `a molten. calf         of `Egypt with great power, and with a mighty- hand.
 and $o&hipped it, and sacrificed thereunto, and said,      Again iri the language of the New Testament Scrip-
 These by thjr gods, 50 Israel, which have brought thee     tures, He  `had  redeem&d  them from all their sins
 up out of the land of Egypt. Ex. 319, 8.                   through Christ's blood.  .,Shouid  He now consume this
                                                            people,. He would. give dccasion to the Egyptians-in
    "And the Lord  said unto Moses, `I' have seen this      the final instan&,  satan and all his host including t$e
 people, and behold, *it is a stiff-necked people; now      world that. lies in darknessto blaspheme  ,God..  For
 therefore let ,me alqne, that my wrath may wax hot         they  wpulcl say that in bringing them out  He was
 against them, and that I may consume them: and. I activated by the evil purpose to slay them and to con-
 will make of thee a great nation."                         sume them from the face of the earth. L4nd then this,
    I am first returning to this saying of the Lord td      too, He had sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, His
 explain it more fully. As I stated, this saying of God     servants. - yea, He had sworn to His servant, the
 has reference to the`whole nation including the, Israel Christ, His only begotten Son, that He would multiply
 according to the election. For, as was stated, in this     His seed as the stars of heaven, and to give Him and
 saying the entire nation. and Moses appear side by         His seed all this land-again in the final instance the
 side as excluding the one the %oth&.       "That I may new earth.
%onsmne them," says the Lord, "and make of. thee a             .How impossible for the Lord to destr.by  His people,
 great nation." But the Lord cannot destroy his elect. whom He forektiew  in Christ. How far was-the Lord,
    But how then, it was asked, can he say, even as         must He have been, from having determined and from
ni&h as say, that he will do just that.                     snz~z;nS in His wrath that He would destroy this peo-
    Fact is, as was stated, that the Lord said no such      ple.
thing.  For, then  l%e would have expressed Himself          So to explain this saying of the Lord is not to
as follows : "Let me alone,' for I am detwmincxl th&t       read anything -into it; it is simply to explain this
my wrath wax hot against them, that I may destroy           Scripture in the light of its context, which in the final
them." .Had, the Lord said -this, it would not have'been analysis is the whole of the Scriptures.
allowable for Moses. to intercede' for the people, for              `"If thou, Moses, intercede not for them . . ."! We
then .he would have.been praying in opposition to the       must not make of this, "if" a condition and accordingly
Lord's counsel. The Lord's expressing Himself as he         read : "on tile condition, Moses, that thou inte?cede  for
did, Moses clearly perceived in the light of his aware-     them." For then we corrupt the word of God here.
ness that the Lord  could not des$roy  His people for       This ought to be crystal clear. If  :God spared and
reasons that he-Moses-entimerates  -in. his prayer,         forgave His peopye  on the condition of Moses' praying
that the Lord was challenging. him to intercede for         for them, Noses' prayer, his decision to intercede for
the people. T.hus he understood, did Moses, that what _the people, was the determining cause, of the Lord's
the Lord was actually saying to him is this : "No+          sparing and forgiving them. For that is the proper
therefore let me alone, that .tiy wrath may wax hot. meaning of condition, namely"determining  cause.
`against them, and that I may consume them, which              But Mbses' prayer was not tlie' cleterwining  cause
I cannot do,-but which I nevertheless must do, if thou      of iGod's sparing His people. How could it be, seeing
Moses `intercede not for them," or in the language of       that Mosdsj that Christ, as to His human nature, was
the New Testament Scriptures (Moses in his inter-           IGod's creation and as such His gift to His people, and
cession typified Christ) : "Now therefore let me alone,     if therefore also his intercessioi? was the fruit of the
that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I          operation. of. God'S Spirit in him.
:may consume them, which, however, I cannot possibly                               . (to be continued) - G: M. Ophoff
do, but which I mtist nevertheless do, I being right-                              -::----: --?--
gotis and Holy God, if Thou, the `Christ, Mine only be-
gotten, atone not for their sins by Thy suffering and                 Blessed be the Lord our covenant God,
-death on the cross, and on the ground of Thy atone-                     All iaraise  to .-Him accord  ;
metit everlastingly intercede for them. Therefore;                    Let all the people say, Amen.
atone Thou for their? sin and intercede for them."                       Praise ye, praise ye the Lord.


