Vol 29 Issue 11

It is not the purpose of this department to give a review of books recently published. We can leave this safely in the hands of the editor of the Standard Bearer. But since the books reviews we refer to are those relative to an Exposition of the Heidelberg Cat­echism, written by his own hand, we feel we know him well enough to say he would not blow his own horn. So we take this opportunity to call attention to what others are saying about Rev. H. Hoeksema’s most re­cent publications.

The branch of study that is denoted by the above caption is one that is extremely wide in scope. The average reader undoubtedly thinks of Church Polity in terms of the eighty-six articles of our own accepted Church Order. The scope, however, of this subject is far broader than this. Properly speaking it would comprehend a study of all the various Ecclesiastical Polities that have been and are now found in the church world.

Introducing this rubric.

The third of the Three Forms of Unity commonly adopted by Reformed churches of Dutch extraction is usually known as the Canons of Dordrecht, or the Five Articles Against the Remonstrants. The full original title of this symbol reads as follows: “Judgment of the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of the united Netherlands: held in Dordrecht in the year 1618 and 1619.

In the next two articles we wish to give our atten­tion to an exposition of the verses 10-12 of this first Chapter of I Peter.

The gifts and talents which the Almighty has giv­en are numerous and varied. To one He gives the ability whereby that one is able by a deft blow of the hammer applied to his chisel to carve out an amazing likeness of another creature. Again we find one gif­ted with the critical eye and well controlled hand wherewith to guide a brush dipped in the proper color and hue to portray upon the canvas a likeness of man or of landscape.

Having heard what Ahithophel and Hushai had to say in the way of advising how to proceed against David, who had fled the city, Absalom and the elders had exclaimed as by one voice that the advice of Hushai was better than the counsel of Ahithophel. But might not Absalom, after calm reflection, revert to the counsel of Ahithophel? Only God knew, and He was silent.

The first commandment emphasized the truth that God is God alone, and that there is no God beside Him. The second commandment presupposes the princi­ple that God is a Spirit, invisible, and infinitely glo­rious. Hence, while the first commandment deals with the question who and what God is, the second rather gives an answer, in negative form, to the question how God is.

The Promise According to the Confessions We must still call attention to the thanksgiving at the close of the Form for the Administration of Baptism. There we read the well-known words:

“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: land His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:41-44