Lesson 36 Outline:
Lesson 36. The Westminster Confession as map of the doctrine contained in Holy Scripture, Part 2 (The Holy Scripture as Systematic Theology)

Worship service 11/5,

Greetings and grace to the people of God, brought out of wrath and enmity into the warm fellowship of communion with God and the saints. Ephesians 1:5-6 says “Who hath predestinated us, to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved.” Our wisdom consists in our understanding that God alone is to be praised and honored for the planning and working of salvation, for when we were naught, he elected us, when we were sinful, he died for us, when we were walking contrary, he called us and quickened us by the Spirit, so that in no part of salvation, neither our faith or good works can be attributed to the free will of man, but only the free grace of God working in us what is pleasing in His sight that He might be glorified. Therefore as we come together to worship God, let us bear always in mind what great things He hath done for us, that our hearts and affections might duly be stirred to adoration.

Psalm 10:

1 He complaineth of the fraud, rapine, tyranny, and all kinds of wrong, which worldly men use, assigning the cause thereof, that wicked men, being as it were drunken with worldly prosperity, and therefore setting apart all fear and reverence towards God, think they may do all things without controlling. 15 Therefore he calleth upon God to send some remedy against these desperate evils, 16 and at length comforteth himself with hope of deliverance.

10 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and the covetous blesseth himself, he contemneth the Lord.

4 The wicked, through impudent pride, doth not seek after God: all his thoughts are, there is no God.

5 His ways always prosper; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: therefore he defieth all his enemies.

6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are bent against the poor.

9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

10 He croucheth, and lieth low, that the poor may fall by his might.

11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he saith in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

14 Yet thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; for thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are purged from his land.

17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou preparest their heart, thou bendest thine ear to them:

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.

Here in the Psalm David continues his plea against the wicked, judges them according to their works and prays for deliverance from their tyranny and oppression. We must always bear in mind that the conscience of the saint while not always weak is always tender, and is ever ready to employ itself in the work of the Lord, feeling the stain of guilt when it falls short of duty. So the scripture says in other places, “they have hardened their heart” pertaining to the wicked, and so the Lord “giving us a heart of flesh” makes us sensitive to His law, that we might not offend, but also so that we feel the sins of others too. For this cause the wicked are a contiual oppression upon our spirits regardless of their intentions to do us harm. This attitude of the Christian is essential to understanding the Psalm. For while the righteous are meek and forgiving , ready to forbear, zealous to be at peace with their neighbors, they also feel when God is offended by the wicked around them, and so often pray for God to bring down his vengeance on his adversaries. Again, see the contrast here in the Psalm between the poor and needy and the wicked. All men who are not brought into profound humiliation for their sin remain proud and independent in their mind, never calling on God for aid and protection, neither do they praise Him for His wonderful works. Therefore they are called the wicked here in the Psalm, for that they are marked by their attitude of independence even as the righteous are by their piety and neediness. For God teaches us by His Spirit to be low and mournful, and poor in spirit, that we might always seek Him for the lifting up of our hearts and the setting us in a better condition. If we seek not God for all this it is all the same as to say there is no God . So saith David in the Psalm and so He calleth them the wicked who live as if there was no God.

Geneva footnotes:
The wicked man rejoiceth in his own lust, he boasteth when he hath that he would: he braggeth of his wit and wealth, and blesseth himself, and thus blasphemeth the Lord.

Poole v5:
“Or, His ways, i.e. his designs and enterprises, at all times are prosperous, or successful, or do bring forth; for this verb signifies, as the pains and trouble, so also the success and comfort, of child-bearing, or the bringing forth children, as Psalms 29:9; Isaiah 54:1; Jeremiah 4:31. And the accomplishment or disappointment of designs is frequently expressed by this metaphor; of which see 2 Kings 19:23; Psalms 7:14; Isaiah 59:4, &c. And this sense seems best to suit with the context.” So the wicked with grievous labor bring forth their wicked plans to subvert the sovereignty of God and establish their own kingdom in the world and appear to prosper as far as the eye can see.

Calvin:
The meaning is, that the holy land was at length purged from the abominations and impurities with which it had been polluted. It was a dreadful profanation, when the land which had been given for an inheritance to the people of God, and allotted to those who purely worshipped him, nourished ungodly and wicked inhabitants. By the heathen he does not mean foreigners, and such as did not belong to the race of Abraham according to the flesh, but hypocrites, who falsely boasted that they belonged to the people of God, just as at this day many, who are Christians only in name, occupy a place in the bosom of the Church. It is no new thing for the prophets to call apostates, who have degenerated from the virtues and holy lives of their fathers, by the reproachful name of heathen, and to compare them not only to the uncircumcised, but also to the Canaanites, who were the most detestable among all the heathen. “Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite,” (Ezekiel 16:3)

Many other similar passages are to be met with in Scripture. David, therefore, in applying the dishonorable name of heathen to the false and bastard children of Abraham, gives God thanks for having expelled such a corrupt class out of his Church. By this example we are taught, that it is no new thing if we see in our own day the Church of God polluted by profane and irreligious men. We ought, however, to beseech God quickly to purge his house, and not leave his holy temple exposed to the desecration of swine and dogs, as if it were a dunghill.

Opening prayer,
O righteous and holy Father, the just judge and king of all the Earth. It is in thine hand O Lord, it is in thine hand to purge thy land from idolatry and destroy the wicked from off the face of the earth. It is within thy power to purify thy church and cast out the hypocrites and blasphemers who have taken up residence there. Therefore we thy people , the poor and needy, the true church call upon thee to awake to our righteous cause. We call upon thy name to purge the rebels from the nation (those who wage demonic war against the family, whether politician or civilian), and purge the hypocrites from thy church that the name of Church might again have meaning. For now, even now they serve that which is no God in the place where God ought to be worshiped, and fellowship with idolaters and merit mongers. They do not distinguish between faith and heresy, orthodoxy and damnable opinion, but call everyone who kisses their hand believer, and contemn those who say otherwise. They bring malicious accusations against us, calling us uncharitable, for that we would worship God according to purity of doctrine even as we are commanded in scripture. Lord our desire is towards thee, in the church or in the wilderness, only we especially desire that thy tabernacles again would bear the substance of their name, rather than be overrun with dogs and vermin. Establish therefore thy church once again, O Lord even as in times of old, with officers and godly ministers, that thy gospel might go forth freely, unrestrained, and may thy name for ever be praised who alone can do it through the power and redemption of Jesus Christ who rose again and lives forever. In His blessed and holy name we pray, Amen.

Lesson 36. The Westminster Confession as map of the doctrine contained in Holy Scripture, Part 2 (The Holy Scripture as Systematic Theology)

If the reverend and learned composers of these ensuing treatises were willing to take the pains of annexing scripture proofs to every truth, 1. that the faith of people might not be built upon the dictates of men, but the authority of God, so some considerable pains hath now been further taken in transcribing those scriptures; partly to prevent that grand inconvenience, (which all former impressions, except the Latin, have abounded with, to the great perplexing and disheartening of the reader,) the misquotation of scripture, the meanest reader being able, by having the words at large, to rectify whatever mistake may be in the printer in citing the particular place; partly, to prevent the trouble of turning to every proof, which could not but be very great; partly, to help the memories of such who are willing to take the pains of turning to every proof, but are unable to retain what they read; and partly, 5. that this may serve as a Bible commonplace, the several passages of scripture, which are scattered up and down in the word, being in this book reduced to their 6. proper head, and 7. thereby giving light each to other.

Intro.

Review.

1. The duty of the Christian minister is to speak with the authority of God. The duty of the people is to receive that word with gladness and Thanksgiving. Only that which is spoken in God’s word or may be deduced from Scripture is to be taken as authority.
See Matt. 15:9
Roman Catholicism, Arminianism, Neo Calvinism, all these are the doctrines and command of men. In vain they worship God. Others also who are bound to the commandments of men have taken their service towards men too far and have offended God by sinning against their Christian brethren.
i. What is Biblical theology?
ii. What is systematic theology?
|iii. The pseudo distinction made by the neo Calvinists in order to justify Arminians in their unbelief.
Conclusion, If your systematic theology is eschewed, you have no knowledge of God.

5. The Westminster Confession is a guide to the systematic nature of holy Scripture.
See Watson’s introduction to his Body of Divinity.

6. The Westminster Confession has organized scripture doctrine in such a way to make it easy for the understanding.
i. By explaining the way of salvation. (Chapter 11)
ii. By explaining the nature of the covenants. (Chapter 7)
iii. By setting them down in an orderly fashion. (See the contents)
iv. By annexing each doctrinal head with many scripture proofs.

7. The Westminster Confession is an excellent demonstration of the analogy of faith and the harmonious nature of holy Scripture.
i. The doctrine of Westminster and the doctrine in Scripture are one.
ii. The analogy of faith. (Scripture interprets Scripture)
iii. The harmonious nature of Scripture. (No contradiction) All paradoxes in scripture are a test of faith.
iv. Examples of scriptures giving light to each other.
John 3:16 – John 13:1 – Joel 2:32
Rom. 5:1 – Psalm 32:1-2 – Isaiah 54:13
Psalm 1:1 – 2 Cor. 6:14-18 – Eph. 5:11-12

Conclusion.
One can have a supreme understanding of what is called Biblical theology and be entirely without Grace. Systematic theology harmonizes scripture into its proper heads and shows who is taught by the Spirit. The Westminster Confession is a guide to systematics and a rule of sound doctrine. Scripture does not contradict itself, therefore the doctrine of free will, and the more subtle neo Calvinist notions must be rejected.

Closing prayer,
Our gracious and merciful Father in heaven, Lord and preserver of the whole earth. We give thee thanks for thy Great work of salvation in Christ, for loving us, sanctifying us by thy blood and purging us from sin by thy Spirit. We thank thee for the gospel which hath been preached by faithful men of old, for rescuing us from darkness by the light of preaching. And therefore knowing thy word , and hearing the Spirit therein, we tremble at the sound of false prophets , and wonder with amazement at their rash and frenzied pride. We do not hear the voice of strangers, O Lord but we will hear the voice of the Shepherd when He calls. Call us therefore and teach us thy way. Train our ears that we might hear sound and right things. Things according to truth . Things that promote holiness. Things that please thee and give glory to thy name, for our we are called to be children of light, and our behavior is manifested to the world. Cause us to be lights in this age of darkness, to show forth a shining example, which we know is a miracle, seeing all men within and without the church have departed from thy holy precepts. So lead us into all truth and keep us from the evil one, for to thee and thee alone belongs all praise, honor and glory through Jesus Christ our Captain and Savior. In his mighty name we pray, amen.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/Nv9hh7HDCHQ