Evening Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

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, Swiss Reformation and Creeds of Christendom. Westminster Larger Catechism, 69-71. For Psalm 11, Prof. Calvin gives a non-descript or helpful discussion of David’s many travels under Saul’s persecutory zeal. For Joshua 10, Prof. Keil gives further despoliations and conquests by Joshua in the south. The biggies and dependent towns get crushed. For Isaiah 2.1-4, Prof. Henry speaks of the Messianic kingdom. For Mathew 1.1-18, Prof. Jamiesson tells us the genealogy connects the link—Adam, Abraham, Judah, David and the kingly line to Jesus. For Revelation 6, Prof. Henry one reads of other seals being opened. The white horse was in 6.1-2. The second seal—a red horse unleashes war. War will be a judgment in the earth, men killing men. All under the Sovereign Hand of the Redeemer. No Marcionism there. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond continues to discuss the tete-a-tete between Van Til and Clark. Both taught variously at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary. For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof defines the external call as “the presentation and offering of salvation in Christ to sinners, together with an earnest exhortation to accept Christ by faith, in order to obtain the forgiveness of sins and life eternal” (459). For Apostolic Christianity, Prof. Schaff tells how Protestant Reformation historians returned to apostolic simplicity, yet, soon enough, saw the need to go mano-a-mano with Counter-Reformation historians. Although not mentioned, one might think of Bishop John Jewel of Salisbury. For Medieval Christianity, Prof. Schaff gives an overall brief on the missionary zeal of the Celtic Christians of Ireland— “The Island of Saints.” Anglo-Saxons had brought disruption in England while the Germans were heathens and sons of Frankish Christians kings (no names given) were specialists in immorality. The Irish went out by 12s to evangelize. For the Swiss Reformation, Prof. Schaff gives a economic and political brief on Grisons, Switzerland. For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff tells us of the failed efforts at reunion with the Greeks by sending the Patriarch a Greek text of the Augsburg Confession. No response. Later efforts in the 1580s were made. Westminster Larger Catechism, 69-71. Q. 70. What is justification? A. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.