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).
Contents:
Volume One:
Theology: The Doctrine of God
Anthropology: The Doctrine of Man
Christology: The Doctrine of Christ
Volume Two
Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church
Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation
Volume Three
Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation (cont.)
Volume Four
Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation (cont.)
Eschatology: The Doctrine of the Last Things
Appendix: The Administration of the Covenant of Grace in the Old and New Testaments
