Morning Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua. Matthew Henry on Jude. Dr. Robert Reymond on Systematic Theology. Dr. Philip Schaff on the Swiss Reformation, namely, Ulrich Zwingli. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 101-107. In Psalm 4, Calvin comments on Psalm 4.4. "Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." Calvin warns that the madmen are incorrigible and do not do commune on or with God, given their mental bondage to self-infatuation, being controlled by the lusts and desires of the heart and flesh. To shake off the mental sluggishness and blinding-binding drowsiness, he exhorts them to learn awe, to learn trembling and God's fear, and to reflect upon God and His attributes. Further, Calin commends use of even leisurely moments to get their heads fixed and readjusted. A mental transformation, if not a brain-transplant (our words). Calm and deliberate reflection preceding repentance and reform, learning to restrain the frantic and violent opposition to God. For Joshua, Prof. Keil comments on the spies of Joshua 2, Rahab, and geography of Jericho. He notes that this prostitute who gives cover to the two spies is a believer in the God of Israel. For Jude, after torching and excoriating the defamatory hypocrites, Matthew Henry outlines Jude's exhortations to faithfulness, building up yourself and others, laying hold to the faith, building upon the foundation, praying in the Holy Ghost [e.g. "with or without set forms" the English Presbyterian notes], keeping oneself in the love of God and seeing the fruits that do accompany or flow from these exercises--delight, cheer, and strength. For systematic theology and Dr. Robert Reymond, we learn once again of the folly and slander of Barth and the Wittgensteinians claiming God CANNOT AND DOES NOT use syllables and human language to communicate with humanity. Thus, intellectually, Barthians castrate God in their madness and infatuation with themselves. As noted previously, they have conscious guilt. They ponder and fear what would happen to churches if the historic view of Scriptures prevailed. Prof. Reymond calls Dr. James I. Packer to the witness stand in defense of God's abilities and omnicompetent use of human languages, vindicating the Canonical Scriptures. For Zwingli and Prof. Philip Schaff, we learn that Zurich with a population of 7000 was a commercial center between Germany and Italy, resulting in wealth, prosperity, royal visits and a grand cathedral church, Grossmunster. Additionally, Bullinger, a successor to Zwingli, said, "Before the preaching of the Gospel [e.g. Reformation], Zurich was in Switzerland what Corinth was in Athens" (40). The Westminster Shorter Catechism does what it always does. The catechetized will understand.