Evening Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

ISAIAH-ALERT. CDR ISAIAH WILL BE CONDUCTING F-18, AERIAL, COMBAT OPERATIONS ON JUDAH AND ISRAEL. LECTIONS. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch: Joshua. Matthew Henry: Isaiah. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown: Gospels. Matthew Henry: Revelation. Dr. Robert Reymond: Systematic Theology. Prof. Berkhof, Systematic Theology: Soteriology. Dr. Philip Schaff, Apostolic Christianity, Medieval Christianity and Swiss Reformation. Dr. Philip Schaff: Creeds. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 81-90. For Psalm 9, rather than Prof. Calvin's extensions, we’ll let the Psalmist speak more clearly in 9.19-20. “Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” We rightly pray this daily. It's written down so we do not forget it. For Joshua 9, Prof. Keil talks about the Gibeonite’s wheelin-and-dealin’ diplomacy that snags Joshua and elders. Keil wisely warns of the non-Churchman trying to sue for peace when there is no peace and should be no peace. City of God v. City of Man. For Isaiah 1, Prof. Henry expounds, again, the contempt God has for precise liturgical worship with corrupted hearts. It's bad news for Jerusalem. During Ahaz's days? Manasseh's? For the Introduction to the Gospels, Prof. Jamiesson dropped the ball. Citing gloriously the history of fathers on the Gospel of Matthew, he interposes his high and unwarranted questions which tell us more about Jamiesson than Matthew. Jamiesson was on the hamster-wheel dging fast but going nowhere in this section. For Revelation 4, Prof. Henry talks about God “opening” heaven to the eyes of John in this second vision. Presumably, John has stopped after Rev. 1-3 and written letters to the church. “Straighten up and fly right.” Presumably, following our English Presbyterian, John has a second vision. We are pondering this or whether it was one long vision. A long vision of 22 chapters. This is an entirely God-centered book and is like no other in the Canon. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond positively takes Sproul, Schaeffer and E. J. Carnell to the woodshed for some red-butt-hurt. All three are anthropocentric and Prof. Reymond performs his act of humbling. It’s wonderful to see such leaders being given their robes of sackcloth and ashes. Welcome to the club, RC, Francis and EJ. We like ya,’ but we don’t always need ya.’ Have a seat in Prof. Reymond’s class. For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof speaks of common grace (again and again ad seriatim). Let’s say this: the reprobates are blessed to have the lives of the elect in the midst while they live on God’s time and dime and yet live rebelliously. They show God’s “long-suffering with the vessels fitted for destruction.” An good angle that Louis didn’t appreciate. To wit, all history serves Christ and is subordinated to the interests, love and success of His True Church. The reprobates are fortunate to have Christ’s disciples in their midst. Off with Mark Noll and his apologetics, half-berating Confessionalists (or to him, Evangelicals). Real, serious and Confessing Christians are not perfect, but the godless are blessed to have them in their midst. Remove the tail from behind your legs and rejoice in Christ. Yes, the Church has been corrupted and sinned manifoldly, but the earth and world is better because of us. Berkhof will drone on for several more pages on this. We’ll hear Augustine on this before Louis. For Apostolic Christianity, Mr. Schaff outlines another period of church history in his workup. To wit, medieval Christianity, 590-1517. For Medieval Christianity, Mr. Schaff speaks of the landing of the Augustinians at the Isle of Thanet in Kent at the mouth of the Thames. King Ethelbert, married to a French Queen, bids them welcome and allows them to work from Ethelbert’s metropolis of Canterbury. For the Swiss Reformation, Mr. Schaff, Luther is favorable to Oecolampadius’s efforts in Basel, but he stands with Zwingli at 1529 Marburg on the Eucharist, the one point of 15 that was disputed, Luther remaining Romanist and Zwingli using grammatico-hermeneutical exegesis. That division stands to this day and is irreparable for those Confessing the faith. For the Creeds, Mr. Schaff talks about the 451 Chalecedonian Creed dealing with Nestorianism and Eutychianism. For the WCF, rehearse the 10th, the inability of all to keep the law, what sin deserves, and how one escapes the punishment due for every single sin, small and heinous.