The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. 3

by Wilhelmus à Brakel, Bartell Elshout (Translator), Joel R. Beeke (Editor)

First published in 1700, The Christian's Reasonable Service (De Redelijke Godsdienst) ran through twenty Dutch editions in the eighteenth century alone! The title is derived from Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." It expresses what God requires from man, and particularly from the Christian, that he serve Him in Spirit and in truth-intelligently, rationally, and in harmony with and response to God's revelation of Himself, His Word. With a decidedly Puritan flavor and representing Reformed experiential religion at its best, Wilhelmus à Brakel systematically moves through the major doctrines of the Bible in hopes of seeing the minds of God's people renewed for the purpose of promoting godliness. Throughout his work, but particularly in the practical application of each doctrine, à Brakel strives unceasingly to exalt the name of Jesus as the name that the Father has given above every other name-there being no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

Genres: Theology, Christian Living, Christian, Nonfiction, Reference

608 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1700

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is plenty of good material in this volume, yet it does feel somewhat bloated. The detailed discussions of practical godliness are useful, but a bit out of place in a systematic theology. Brakel's exposition of the Decalogue is generally surefooted, though it may be a tad legalistic in some places. In his discussion of the second petition of the Lord's Prayer he interprets it in a postmillennial fashion similar to the Westminster Larger Catechism.

Edit: Having just re-read the volume, I stand by this review and the rating. I thought that I had given it four stars and was going to have to downgrade it to three.

[Ronnie Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I don't agree with everything that W.A. Brakel holds to or teaches this is still one of the best practical systematic theologies I have ever read. This resource should be in every pastors library and one will find it to be encouraging and informative and most importantly biblically grounded. I will treasure this work and return to it often. Outstanding. Looking forward to finishing up Volume 4 to end the year.

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. Now I've got to get my hands on the other three volumes.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biblical, understandable, and detailed (and thus, long). This volume covers soteriology, including the 10 Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. I like that it includes objections and answers to them.

You can get a free ebook from Monergism.

Notes
The Second Commandment
2nd Commandment is in 1st table of Law, so it's the making of images for religious purposes that's forbidden. Images of creatures for civil use (images on money, home decor, etc.) are not forbidden (Mt 22:20-21).

Children suffer temporal judgment (Ex 20:5; Gen 7:21; 1 Sam 2:31; 1 Kin 14:14), not eternal judgment (Ezek 18:20), for parents' sin. When children are punished for parents' sin, they're not held accountable as if they had committed sin.

Images of any person of Trinity are forbidden (Ex 20:4-5; Deut 4:12, 15-19; Isa 40:18). It's vain to say an image is of Christ, since we don't know what He looked like. Even if we had actual pictures of Him, we couldn't engage in any religious activity toward them.

The Fourth Commandment
Sabbath work not forbidden: religious labor (e.g., pastor breaching), works of absolute necessity (e.g., putting out a fire, saving a drowning person), works of mercy (e.g., caring for sick, necessary labor of doctors, feeding livestock, providing protection against enemy) (Mt 12:7; Mk 2:27).

Sabbath work forbidden: our all aspects of our profession (with exceptions noted above), activities by which we gain money or time, which could be done on other days (e.g., laundry, paying bills, shopping), buying and selling (Neh 13:15-16, 19-21).

Walking alone or with others is allowed, if purpose is observing God's works to glorify Him, and to be refreshed in soul and body.

Bible sometimes gives incentives for Sabbath observance (Deut 5:15), but these aren't part of commandment itself, and don't prove that Sabbath is part of ceremonial law.

Sabbath is creation ordinance, instituted before Fall (Ex 31:17), given to all humans. It's part of moral law (10 Commandments), not ceremonial.

Mt 24:20 shows that Sabbath would exist in AD 70, after Christ's death. Believers were to pray that their flight not be on Sabbath because they'd lose out on refreshment and joyous rest, and opportunity to praise God with congregation.

After Jesus' resurrection, He appeared to disciples on 1st day of week, and again a week later (Jn 20:26). Acts 20:6-7 says disciples were gathered on 1st day. NT several times mentions Christians gathered on 1st day, and never mentions gathering on another day. 1 Cor 16:1-2 speaks of gathering on 1st day. John refers to 1st day as the Lord's day (Rev 1:10). Early church continued to gather on 1st day (Irenaeus, Ephiphanus, Athanasius, Eusebius, Augustine, Justin Martyr, Chrysostum).

Bible refers to weekly sabbath as "sabbath," and ceremonial ordinances as "sabbaths" (Ezek 20:12).

Picking grain on the sabbath (Mt 12) wasn't sabbath desecration; it was permitted to walk through fields, pick grain, and eat. It was a Jewish extrabiblical law that outlawed this.

Rom 14:5-6; Gal 4:10-11; Col 2:16-17 speak of Jewish ceremonial days (called sabbaths) (Lev 23), not weekly sabbath.

The commandment (1 sabbath day after 6 days of work) is different from the circumstances (the day of the week for the sabbath). The command to observe a weekly sabbath remains in force while God changed the circumstances (7th day in OT to 1st day in NT).

Contentment
How to be content
• Consider that you deserve Hell, and be happy that you're not there.
• Consider others in worse situations than you.
• Focus on today, and don't burden yourself with the difficulties of future days.
• Adjust your desires to fit your circumstances, rather than being discontent that your circumstances don't fit your desires.
• Use means to improve your circumstances, but leave the result to God.
• Focus on Heaven, and relative insignificance of earthly circumstances. The closer you are to God, the more distant you'll be from earthly circumstances.

Patience
How to be patient
• Don't esteem earthly things that will perish. Consider the brevity of affliction.
• Consider that way to Heaven involves affliction.
• Have faith in God's promises.
• Read the Bible, which teaches patience and gives comfort (Rom 15:4).
• Pray for patience (Rom 15:5; 2 Thess 3:5).

The Third Petition: They Will Be Done on Earth as it Is in Heaven
Since you acknowledge God's sovereignty, willingly submit to it, even if in grief.

[Andrew Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dealing more with specific commands and sins, Brakel is at both his experiential best and his legalistic worst in this volume.

He knows how to skillfully wield the law to move the soul, convict the sinner, point to Christ, and reason with his readers in a godly fashion. One can not help being both convicted and uplifted.

He will also tell you that any kind of leisure activity on the Lord's Day (save a walk) is of the devil. That all games involving chance (dice) are sinfully tempting God. That dancing is most abominable (etc.).

Yet even for the parts where he is a product of his time (as we all are), much edification can result from reflecting on his reasoning, which challenges our modern-day assumptions.

[Vincent Lemieux · Rating 4 out of 5]

À Brakel's introduction to Sanctification and Holiness is awesome. The way he deal with christian graces as love for God and Christ, hope, fear, etc., is also very edifying. His treatment on prayer in general is great, and his exposition of the Lord's Prayer is useful. I give 5 ⭐️ for all of the above.

The weakness of the book is in my mind his treatment of the Decalogue. Its not bad, but it's not that good also. For the sake of comparison, Thomas Watson I think is way better. For this reason I give 3 ⭐️.

So it's still a 4 ⭐️ overall and a really good read of experiential theology.

[Mike E.]

“Self-denial is a Christian virtue, granted by God to his children, whereby they, out of love for God‘s will, neither give heed nor yield to their intellect, will, and inclinations insofar as they are in opposition to the will of God— and oppose and suppress them instead. They do so by a voluntary forsaking and rejection of all that pertains to their natural well-being, if God‘s caused demands such from them — this is to the honor of God and the welfare of their neighbors.” (3:397)

[Shawn Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapters 56 through 59 are worth the price of this volume. Especially 56 and 57 on the love of God and the love of Christ. The Lord's prayer at the end of this volume and the phrase lead us not into temptation was encouraging and soul searching. I am very thankful for the time I spent readind this volume.

[Md Meiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best theological work that I have read to date.