[Doctrina foederum, sive systema theologica didacticae et elencticae (Amstelodami , 1691)]
Johannes Braunius (1628–1708), a venerable divine of the Dutch Reformed tradition, was born at Kaiserslautern in the year of our Lord 1628, and was trained in sacred learning at the illustrious University of Leiden, where he sat under the eminent Johannes Coccejus. Nurtured in the federal and covenantal theology of the Reformation, Braunius gave himself to the laborious study of the Hebrew tongue and the Levitical institutions of the Old Testament, wherein he discerned types and shadows of gospel mysteries. He ministered as a faithful pastor and was later appointed to the chair of theology at the University of Groningen in 1681, a post he held unto his death nearly three decades thereafter. His life was adorned not only with erudition, but with devotion, uniting the careful exposition of Scripture with reverence for the covenant mercies of God. Among his chief works stands Vestitus Sacerdotum Hebraeorum, a deep and learned commentary upon the vestments and ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood, drawn from the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of Exodus and the sixteenth of Leviticus, showing forth the typological beauty of the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Christ. Likewise, his Doctrina Foedorum offered a comprehensive system of didactic and elenctic theology, built upon the foundation of federal theology, expounding the covenant of works and grace with scholastic clarity. In all his writings, Braunius exhibited that rare balance of penetrating intellect and humble piety, ever seeking the edification of the church and the glory of the Redeemer, whose garments of righteousness he found prefigured in those of the ancient priesthood. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1708, full of days and full of faith.
Table of Contents:
<aside>
</aside>
Since God is a being most perfect, it followeth that He also is unique, and cannot have an equal. (1) For from a being most perfect all things depend: otherwise He would not be the arbiter and Lord of things, and so we could conceive a being more perfect, to wit, such a one from whom all things depend, and who is Lord of all. But if all things depend from God, it followeth that another independent being cannot be given, and so God is only one. (2) Add thou that if there were many gods, they would be equal or unequal in perfection. If equal, then neither would be supreme, and so neither would be God. If unequal, then that which were lesser would not be God. (3) Finally, many would be all-knowing and all-powerful. One could hinder the other in his operation, or could not. If he could not, then neither would be God; if he could, then one would hinder the other. God in Holy Scripture is called בדר (alone), Deut. 32:12; Deut. 4:35, and He alone is God, Isa. 44:8; John 17:3; Eph. 4:6. Impious, therefore, is the doctrine of the Manichees, who posit two gods: one the principle of good, the other the principle of evil; and of the Socinians, who feign two gods diverse in essence: one the supreme and eternal God, the other made under the New Testament, Jesus Christ.
Most foolish, therefore, is the polytheism of the Gentiles, who had their gods and goddesses, of greater and lesser nations. Polytheism seemeth to have no other origin than a confused idea which some had of God, who regarded each perfection as if it were a god. Or because some loved their patrons, princes, heroes more than was meet, whence they began to adore them after death, to show a grateful mind, or through flattery for the sake of living friends who possessed power. Or finally, because they perceived in Holy Scripture that various names and epithets are attributed to God, as יהוה ,אדון ,צבאות ,עליון ,פן ,שילה ,די. Hence it came to pass that they believed each name to signify some god, whence their Adonis, Javo, Jovis, Sabazius, Helios, Zeus, Silenus, Pan, etc.
Since God is unique, it followeth that He needeth not a name, for names were instituted that one might be distinguished from another of the same nature. But God hath no equal, because He is unique, nay, also ineffable, Gen. 32:29, פלאי (wonderful), Judg. 13:18. And although the nature of a thing is not known to us from its name, as if for the knowledge of the thing; since the contrary is truer, that is, since the thing must be known to us before we know the names of things, wherefore, the thing being known, we more easily come to the knowledge of the name; so that we ought not to be so much concerned about the names of God as about His existence and nature; nevertheless, that we may express our mind to others, and that it may be clear to others of whom we speak whenever we speak of God, it is necessary that we use some word by which we name Him and discern Him from all other things.
Hence God Himself in His Word hath given Himself many names, of which some express His essence, as יה and אהיה יהוה; some His attributes: as אל from strength, Ps. 22:2, because God alone is strong, Dan. 11:36, although it is also fitting to angels and men, even to idols, Exod. 15:11; Isa. 44:10; Mal. 2:11. שרד (Shaddai), who sufficeth, Gen. 17:1, who hath not laid waste. אדון (Lord), Mal. 1:6; Deut. 10:17. And אלהים or אל, either from אלה (he swore), or from אל (strong), or from אלה (he led), or from אל (to), as if to be worshipped, or from the Arabic אלה (he worshipped). צבאות (of hosts), from the effect of His hosts, which are all creatures. עליון (most high), from loftiness, since He is exalted above all creatures in glory, majesty, power, goodness, etc.
Nevertheless, the chief name in the Old Testament is יהוה. It signifieth that life and necessary and immutable existence of God, from היה (he was), since of Him alone, not of any creature, can it be said eternally, “He was, He is, He will be.” For a creature, though created, hath no necessary existence. Therefore, this name is never attributed to any creature, but only to the supreme God: as is clear, Ps. 83:19, “Thou alone art יהוה”; Isa. 42:8, “I am יהוה, that is my name”; Neh. 9:6, “Thou art יהוה alone”; Exod. 6:3, “By my name יהוה was I not known to them”; Hos. 12:5, “יהוה is his memorial.” If anywhere angels are called יהוה, as in Gen. 18, there by “angel” is understood not a mere creature, but God Himself: (1) Because He announced future things, Gen. 18:17; (2) He was to do future things Himself; (3) He could destroy Sodom or spare it, as He willed; (4) Abraham adored Him, confessing himself dust before Him. Nor will the Socinians defend their cause by the fact that some are called יהושע (Joshua), etc., since that is only in composition, but no creature is absolutely called יהוה. The same is to be understood of יהוה נסי (the Lord my banner), Exod. 17:15, and of the new city called יהוה שמה (the Lord is there), Ezek. 48:35. For that altar and new city are true symbols of Jesus Christ, the true יהוה. For Christ is the altar, of which the elect eat, Heb. 13:10, and He dwelleth in the holy city, that is, in the Church, as in His house, nay, as in His own body, and thus there is יהוה as King and Head.
How Moses and the prophets read the true pronunciation of this name is hitherto unknown. (1) Since the ancients wrote it variously in Greek and Latin, as Iova, Jova, Jao, Jahve, Jabave, Jehova, etc. (2) Since the ancient Jews pronounced אדני (Adonai), that is, Lord: wherefore also the Septuagint are wont to put κύριος; so also in the New Testament the word κύριος is almost always put for יהוה. So also the Fathers Origen, Justin Martyr, Epiphanius, Chrysostom wrote יהוה in Greek letters as ἀθωναὶ. (3) Because the points are as Badonai, Ladonai, not Bijehova, Lijehova. (4) Add that the letters בגד כפת after the word יהוה receive dagesh lene, because it is read Adonai, so that a diphthong or a non-quiescent letter precedeth. That it should be read Jehova is not proved from the word הליהוה, Deut. 32:6. For there is an anomaly in that word, for which no reason can be given.