Christ’s manifestation in the flesh cannot be the basis for His Sonship, for His incarnation renders the second Person neither divine nor the only-begotten, proper, and first-begotten Son of God — He was already Son, the eternal Son of the eternal Father. He has been eternally begotten, thus prior to His manifestation in the flesh. Of necessity He had to be the Son of God; otherwise He could neither have assumed the human nature as the Son of God nor have manifested Himself in the flesh. “I was brought forth; when there were no foundations abounding” (Prov. 8:24). Since He was then already the begotten Son of God, His Sonship did not commence at the moment of His incarnation . . . When it is said of Christ that “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16), this expresses beyond the shadow of a doubt that He was God prior to that moment and that He did not become God by virtue of this manifestation. Since it is also stated that the Son has been manifested in the flesh, and that the Son has been sent and was made of a woman, this undoubtedly expresses that He was the Son of God prior to His incarnation — not as a result of His incarnation.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 1, 150.

Man is a creature who functions within the parameters of time. However, when the words “this day” are used, relative to God (who is without chronological dimensions) — as is the case here, “This day have I begotten Thee” [Psalm 2:7] — then it must be interpreted in a manner congruent with the nature of God for whom everything is simultaneously in the present and for whom a thousand years are but as yesterday (Psa. 90:4). God continually exists in the present. This Son, having been generated eternally, is ordained and sent forth to be the King of Zion. To Him the heathen have been given as a heritage. This Son would rule the people of God and punish His enemies. This Son we must honor, fear, and kiss with humility and love. All of this has been entrusted to Him as a consequence of His Sonship. He did not become the Son because He had all the aforementioned entrusted to Him.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 1, 160.

Q. Do Christ’s ordinances become effectual in any degree, from any virtue in themselves? — A. No: for the scripture declares, the word preached did not profit; and that it is to some savour of death: and daily experience shews, that the persons may receive all these ordinances, and yet be openly wicked, Heb. 4:2, Isa. 6. 9-10.

John Brown of Haddington, Questions and Answers on the Shorter Catechism, 301.

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.” There is sweet consolation in pious meditation. Let this be our chosen pleasure-ground. Let all God’s mercies pass before our adoring eyes. Especially let His wondrous exploits in accomplishing salvation for us in the redeeming sufferings of Christ fix our happy graze.

Henry Law, Daily Prayer and Praise: The Book of Psalms Arranged for Private and Family Use, Vol. 2, 272.

What does the catechism mean by “prayer”? By “prayer” the catechism means Christian prayer. There are two things necessary to make a prayer a Christian prayer: (a) It must be a prayer addressed to the true God, the God revealed in the Bible; (b) it must be a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the only real way of approach to the throne of God. Thus prayers to the gods of the heathen religions, and prayers to the Virgin Mary, the saints and angels, etc., are both useless and wrong; and any prayer which attempts to reach God’s presence directly without faith in Christ as Mediator is not a Christian prayer.

J. G. Vos, The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary, 434.

When you are involved in a conflict, you too must decide whether or not you will trust God.

Ken Sande, The Peace Maker, 72.

The more you understand God’s love and power, the easier it is to trust him. And the more you trust him, the easier it is to do his will.

Ken Sande, The Peace Maker, 59.

Preachers proclaim an authoritative Word and must do so authoritatively.

“William Perkins & His Homiletical Descendants: Reclaiming Our Heritage for Application in Preaching” by Russell St. John in The Confessional Presbyterian, Volume 20 (2024), 76.

Q. 159. How is the Word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?

A. They that are called to labor in the ministry of the Word are to preach sound doctrine, diligently, in season, and out of season; plainly, not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; faithfully, making known the whole counsel of God; wisely, applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearers; zealously, with fervent love to God and the souls of his people; sincerely, aiming at his glory, and their conversion, edification, and salvation.

Westminster Larger Catechism – The Westminster Standard

Perkins did not, therefore, so much discuss “rules” for application as much as he discussed people, that is, the various spiritual conditions of men and women whom the preacher might address by means of a given text, offering biblical counsel to preachers on how to apply the Word to the particular spiritual condition in view.

“William Perkins & His Homiletical Descendants: Reclaiming Our Heritage for Application in Preaching” by Russell St. John in The Confessional Presbyterian, Volume 20 (2024), 68.