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, 75. For Psalm 11.4-6, Prof. Calvin reminds us to fix our eyes on unfailing providence and God’s favor towards us, notwithstanding outward appearances—a favorite theme with Calvin. And then, to hear ignorant FB-theologians and even the red-faced Imp of Reading, Laud, and his crew. What do they know of him? Read his Institutes several times? His commentaries several times? Or, is this a tick, jerking, uncontrollable twitches, a break-dance and hip-bop in the head without scholarship? FB-scholars again, usually young ones, although some older ones can get extremely bitter and hateful towards God's utter sovereignty. One Arminian ACNA Minister this week said Calvinism was “demonic, Satanic, and those teaching it teach the doctrine of demons.” That conversation didn’t go well for the Sir Oracles on his tub. He got some red butt-hurt with blisters, although it did not seem to affect is blocked-head, a rock with lips. For Joshua 11.1-3, Joshua turns north. It’s almost as if one reads of the unsealed seals of Revelation 6—wars amongst nations, economic famine, and the pale horse with Death riding around. Nothing really new in history at all. Migrations, wars, shifting boundaries, tribalisms, etc. But, here God has real estate for the Israelites, a home in which to cast out the idolaters and worship God alone. A type of the New Jerusalem. For Isaiah 2.6-8, Prof. Henry, or, Isaiah that is, talks about Jerusalem of his day—turning to the idols of the nations, children of strangers, and mean men bowing and high men bowing to the same idols. Or, as one phrase sums it up: “The fairest mistress of the world is power, money and trade.” Consider Washington DC which traffics in the small god but big idols. Or, as St. John has it: the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lusts of the flesh. Jerusalem, you’ve been warned repeatedly and your ears are plugged up. For Mathew 1.1-18, Prof. Jamiesson elaborates on the naming of Jesus—Jehovah Himself Saves For Revelation 6.3-8, Prof. Henry talks about fourth seal unleashing the pale horse with Death and hell as the rider. He makes the earthly rounds by the minute and hour throughout history. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond, still on the Van Til-Clark tete-a-tete seems to come down near Francis Schaeffer’s claim that “we can know God but not exhaustively.” Nothing new there either. For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof makes a pitch for the well-intentioned offer in external calling. The new lights accept this while the old lights in Reformed theology dispute it; we are with the latter. For Apostolic Christianity, Prof. Schaff continues his 30ish-page-outline of church historians. The Swiss J.H. Hottinger and Holland’s Fred Spanheim of the 17th century are introduced. For Medieval Christianity, Prof. Schaff attempts to assess the numbers of Christians in Celtic Ireland. This much: any discussion about Augustine the Lesser "introducing" or "reintroducing" Christianity into the British Isles is hawking a narrative. Christianity was in the Isles in the second century. For the Swiss Reformation, Prof. Schaff, finally, continues his brief on Grissons, Switzerland. For some reason, Schaff is stuck-in-neutral, elongating the handling of Grissons. For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff tells the story of Metrophanes Critopulis, 1625. Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Alexandria, the Calvinistic Patriarch, sends Crito off to England and Europe studying with the Calvinists and Lutherans. Lucar is looking to educate him as a backstop for his own Calvinist views in Greek-land. In time, however, Crito returns but flips from his Protestantism, foils Lucar's plans for him, and even turns on his mentor, Lucar. The Greeks never recovered but are stuck-in-stagnant. Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 76. What is repentance unto life? A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, and upon the apprehension of God's mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, he so grieves for and hates his sins, as that he turns from them all to God, purposing and endeavoring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.