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, 80-82. For Psalm 11.6-7, Prof. Calvin tells us that God “hates” the ungodly and they cannot escape His most righteous detection or judgment. Sodom is recalled to the Hebrew mind: 11.6: “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” For Joshua 11.1-10, Joshua faces a united confederacy in the north with fast horses and charioteers, a strong army. God encourages Joshua and promises the take-down. Joshua, er, Jehovah wins. Joshua hamstrings the horses and burns the chariots. For Isaiah 2.6-8, Prof. Henry tells us that Israel is doomed. 758 AD. For Mathew 1.1-18, Prof. Jamiesson ponders the patience of Mary in seeing through her birth which must have entailed sufferings. Suspicions, etc. For Revelation 6.9-17, Prof. Henry begins the exploration of what sounds like the Second Coming in which the “wrath” of the Lamb is shown. No Marcionism there. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond issues up more cold sushi with some worms from Van Til. We’ll see how Frame defends his Mentor and Master. For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof finishes up his pitch for the genuine, free offer of salvation in external calling. For Apostolic Christianity, Prof. Schaff offers more historians: Schroch (45 volumes), Henke of Holland (9 volumes) and starts at August Neander (5 volumes in Torrey’s translation). For Medieval Christianity, Prof. Schaff hovers over St. Patrick again. For the Swiss Reformation, Prof. Schaff tells the story Comander, Gallicius and Campell in Grissons. A disputation is ordered up for 7 Jan 1526. Comander crafted 18 propositions and carried the day, claiming that the Word begets and sustains the church, not the reverse. Other subjects arose: mass, purgatory, sacraments, Mt. 16.18, among others. The Reformed carried the day and the disputation was brought to an immediate end. For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff tells the story of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril Lucar, a Calvinistic Orthodox man who became later a Reformed martyr inside Eastern Orthodoxy. Westminster Larger Catechism, 80-82. Q. 82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ? A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is in this life, immediately after death, and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment.