Both books reviewed here may be obtained from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Out of His Fulness, Sacramental Sermons of a Notable Covenanter, by James Webster, published by the Scottish Highlands Book Trust, hardback, 268 pages, £16.00.
David said that “the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance”. Solomon tells us that “the memory of the just is blessed”. Through the publication of this book, the Scottish Highlands Book Trust has revived the memory of one whom we believe is worthy to be held in everlasting remembrance, and we hope that, through the republication of these sermons, his memory will be blessed and made a blessing. Though James Webster (1659-1720), latterly an Edinburgh minister, may not be well known generally, those who are familiar with the indomitable zeal of faithful Covenanters, will remember him. Webster was at pains to employ every conventional avenue available to him (and some other legitimate if unconventional avenues too) to alert the Church to the dangerous heresies being taught by Professor James Simpson. Like others in the history of the Church in Scotland during that period, he clearly feared no man’s frown and courted no man’s favour (if fearing and courting was to be at the expense of the truth). This strength of character is illustrated in his life work and in his dying words too. Defying a sinful world which despised him, he said on his deathbed: “I have sweet peace of these appearances, for which I have often been accounted a fool”. If one is not familiar with this redoutable Christian warrior he will find material in the publisher’s biographical account of the author which will draw a sympathetic heart to a prayerful perusal of the author’s sermons, for “the tongue of the just is as choice silver” and “the lips of the righteous feed many” and “the mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom (Prov 10:20,21,31).
We are informed that Patrick Walker, a learned and esteemed student of Scottish church history and author of Six Saints of the Covenant, described the author as “worthy Mr James Webster”; and that Thomas Boston refers to him as “that great man, Mr James Webster”. In the light of these recommendations, there is no need for me to recommend the book to those who have the discernment to esteem highly the judgement of these men, especially of the latter – one who was described by Ralph Erskine as “the great, the grave, judicious Boston”.
The publisher’s Preface gives brief details of the sources from which the sermons are taken. There is also an account of the manner in which providence gave Webster’s sermons to a reading public once again, through this publication. The interesting biographical account of the author was penned by the Rev I D MacDonald (Portree).
We are indebted to the Scottish Highlands Book Trust for republishing this excellent book. I understand that the project to bring it to the light of day was begun by Rev Alasdair Beaton MacLean, our friend and brother in labour who died before the project was brought to completion by other Trust members. In light of this fact, Out of His Fulness comes forth to the world in a mournful garb for those of us who knew Mr MacLean.
When I was a divinity student, one of our ministers said that what we need to feed the Lord’s people is “fresh light on the text”. This describes well what one will find in this volume: fresh views of sacred mysteries, articulated in arresting terms by one who knew what it was to speak as the oracles of God.
The 13 sermons occupy 239 pages of the book. The reader will find himself not only carried along by the author’s warm-hearted and lively style of preaching, but carried aloft, like a lark ascending, meditating on Webster’s exposition of the doctrines of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Or is it that one might be brought on a descent into the great depths of the smitten Rock of Ages, whence the Most High brought drink for His chosen people? Webster finds grave and sweet doctrines in the crevasses of the smitten Rock, where others might not have cared to look.
Here one will learn much of the mystery that surrounds the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. With fresh light on old, familiar themes and terms, he opens up the meaning of the words of institution, for example. He shows in polemic terms what is meant by the words, “ye do show forth the Lord’s death”. The author in his graphic manner (a characteristic of his style) makes clear what it is that makes the Lord’s Supper a feast: “You shall have the gospel shewbread; the Christian manna, which was ground and bruised betwixt the Father’s wrath and our sins”. By describing beams of majesty and of mercy in the one mysterious Immanuel, Webster gives a sense of Christ in His holy and humble yet majestic heart, offering Himself as a sacrifice, with love and desire. Views of His suffering soul, drawn from the inspired record, are presented in a way well calculated to shine “in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
Webster opens up what God has revealed about the “wounds” of the awakened sword of pitiless vengeance, upon the soul of the Man who is “the fellow” of God, One who has fellowship with the Father in the eternal Godhead, and who is the believer’s Surety. He speaks of the “gashes” and wounds into which the vials of God’s wrath were poured. In arresting terms he gives a description of the doleful sufferings Christ was to endure and His wholehearted willingness to undergo these.
You will find what I believe to be clear and helpful ways to think of significant statements about His final suffering: what the desertion in Psalm 22:1 does and does not mean, and why it was necessary; what is implied by His commending His spirit to the Father; what we are to learn from the recorded fact that He “bowed His head” – and much more in the same spiritual vein.
Reading this book prayerfully, the believer will find thought-provoking material to feed the life of grace in his or her soul. Woven into this fabric of light and love are solemn warnings to sinners who are out of Christ, coupled with the free overtures of mercy, and the practical obligations His love imposes on those who are its objects. One will often find brief, comprehensive statements explaining terms and doctrines, the incisive opening of opposite texts, and a tender distinguishing between the experiences of God’s children and those of hypocrites.
One will on rare occasions come across expressions that might have been better expressed. But this is inevitable when a sermon is transmitted by means of a hearer’s written notes. The editor has explained most of these expressions in footnotes.
(Rev) Roderick Macleod
One Thing Is Needful, by William MacLean, published by Reformation Press, 237 pages; hardback, £24.99; paperback, £12.10.
The publication of this volume of 12 sermons by Rev William MacLean (1907-1985) adds to a growing collection of discourses by deceased ministers of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in recent years. Such publications are deeply valued by those who knew these messengers of God to the Church. They are an invaluable memorial to the faithful preaching of the Word of God by those whom the world little regards but who are now shining as the stars in the Kingdom of their Father. These and similar volumes from Reformation Press, and other sympathetic publishers, are most welcome and are eagerly anticipated by such as love the truth as well as the memory of the godly preachers of a past age.
The 12 sermons in this collection have an added interest in having been personally selected by the late Mr Edward P C Greene, who was deeply attached to the preacher, with a view to publishing them. A brief introduction by the publisher and a biographical sketch in the form of an obituary by Rev Donald MacLean (Rev William MacLean’s life-long friend), adds context to the collection and gives helpful material for those readers unfamiliar with the ministers and preaching of the Free Presbyterian Church in the past. It would be a good service to the memory of such noble men of God if more of their labours were reproduced in print for the present and future generations of the Church they served, as well as for the wider Christian public.
The sermons are fairly evenly divided between discourses on a number of Bible characters (Mephibosheth, Naaman, the Four Leapers at Samaria, Baruch, Mary and Martha, and the Good Samaritan) and other doctrinal and experimental themes (on Baptism, the Second Coming, the Lively Hope, the Blessedness of God’s People, and the More Sure Word of Prophecy). This selection accurately reflects the same variety of subjects handled in many Free Presbyterian pulpits today. The sermons exude a warmth, genuine originality of thought and exposition of the Word itself which draw on the reader. Most of all, they represent solid teaching, spiritual application and a steady and clear orthodoxy that exposes and sweeps away what is erroneous and harmful in the religion of the times.
The treatment of “God’s Covenant and Baptism” (from Genesis 17:7) is an extended exposition of the Calvinistic position regarding the biblical authority for baptising infants of believing parents. This should be carefully studied in an age that is increasingly ignorant of that authority. Similarly, the discourses on “The Second Coming” (from 1 Th 4:16-17) and “The More Sure Word of Prophecy” (from 2 Peter 1:19) plainly and fully handle, respectively, the important doctrines of eschatology (the doctrine of the last things) and of inspiration, where errors have persisted in leading many astray from the truth of Scripture.
However, perhaps most attractive in the collection are the character studies of less familiar Old Testament figures. Much practical instruction, as well as sound interpretation of Scripture, is found in these sermons, and the working of divine grace in each case is brought clearly into view. In the sermon on “Naaman’s Confession” from 2 Kings 5:15, the conclusion that Naaman was a truly converted person is enlarged on. His request for “two mules’ burden of earth” is considered to be evidence that Naaman intended to worship the God of Israel and to build “an altar of earth” as commanded. Mr MacLean draws from older writers to show that this desire to worship only as God has commanded is evidence of true grace. This leads to a warning by way of application: “In olden and modern times, when people have gone astray regarding worship, it has proved the thin edge of the wedge, leading to a going astray in doctrine. When the forms of worship become pleasing to the flesh, then people want doctrines which are pleasing to the flesh” (p 71).
This practical application of the narrative is also in the sermon from which the title is taken: “One Thing Needful” (from Luke 10:42). The work of the Spirit in the soul and the godliness and trials of both Mary and Martha are vividly pictured, but the practical lessons are both insightful and searching. One such comment about Martha’s unhealthy concern about her sister not serving illustrates the intensely practical aim of the preacher: “When some concern gets a hold of a gracious person’s mind, and is a means of isolating him, not drawing him nearer to the Lord and to His people, there must be something wrong. The person [even] may be sure that he is in the path of duty, that the Lord will uphold him and justify him, and his church too. Yet if it has this fruit, that it comes between that person and the fellowship of the brethren, then there must be something wrong” (p 163).
The scriptural practice, in preaching, of explaining Scripture with other scriptures is a marked feature of these sermons and this gives them a thoroughly biblical authority. Reverence and godly fear run through every page in handling sacred things, and solemn warnings abound, together with melting appeals to poor sinners. As a minister who was well known and deeply loved as a comforter of the Lord’s people, as well as an earnest friend of the perishing sinner, Mr MacLean’s spirituality of mind and grasp of the great doctrines of free grace shine through these precious discourses. Perhaps this is best illustrated in the sermon on “The Blessedness of God’s People”, on Psalm 65:4. The heads of the discourse involve the way opened up for sinners to approach God, what is implied in the Lord causing a sinner to approach Him, the blessedness of the person whom God causes to approach Him, and the evidences of those who are blessed. The sermon is full of instruction in the doctrines of true religion – man’s fall in Adam, the election of grace, the atonement of Christ and effectual calling – with abundance of illustration from Scripture, solemn warnings and earnest appeals. The third head deals with justification, adoption, sanctification and glorification. Before making hearty appeals to the sinner in the concluding head, the following marks of grace are explained from the context in which the verse is found: “they have a heart attachment to God’s house”, “they are satisfied with the everlasting gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”, “they seek to praise the Lord”, and “he is conscious of his sinfulness when setting his face on holy and solemn duties” (pp 114-117). Such plain preaching is the great need of our day.
We heartily commend this collection to readers of this Magazine. As those called to follow their godly example, we should treasure such memorials of former ministers of the Church now in glory. Some of those we were privileged to know and hear. Others we only heard about; they were unknown in person to many in the present generation. We congratulate Reformation Press for this addition to a very worthy endeavour at preserving sound preaching of the past for the future. May these endeavours be crowned with the blessing of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all into whose hands these pages fall.
(Rev) David Campbell