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, 114-116. For Psalm 13, Prof. Calvin comments on David’s prayer that his enemies may not gloat over him in his trials. Calvin notes this is authorized for believers provided they are under Christ’s banner and are obedient Churchmen. UPSHOT: readjust the BCP on this. For Joshua 13, Prof. Keil continues the geographical notices on Philistine cities. UPSHOT: historical precision matters to the author of Joshua. For Isaiah 2.10-22, Prof. Henry finishes Isaiah 2—a sermonic take-down of all pride. UPSHOT: let everybody humble themselves before God. For Mathew 2.13-25, Prof. Jamiesson comments on Herod’s wrath after being stumped by the magi, noting that they weren’t mocked by the magi, but by God. UPSHOT: God can and does mock proud Leaders. For Revelation 7, a heavenly Elder asks John to identify the people in the heavenly vision, not because he’s ignorant, but to get John to note these faithful witnesses above. UPSHOT: for the justified believer, get ready for heavenly glories. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond ably argues for the historicity of Genesis 1-11, not merely a mythical view. UPSHOT: up-ends some OT Professors For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof provides a reconnaissance on the Reformed Confessions on mediate and immediate regeneration. UPSHOT: more long-talking the issue. For Apostolic Christianity, Prof. Schaff describes Biblical and Theological Encyclopedias, variously. UPSHOT: an excellent handling. For Medieval Christianity, Prof. Schaff further describes the “romance” with the island of Iona, held by many in subsequent history and claimed later by Romanizers. UPSHOT: Celtic Christians were vigorous believers long before Gregory's agents arrived in Canterbury, lest any are inclined to talk about Christianity "being introduced" or "reintroduced" to the British Isles. For the Swiss Reformation, Prof. Schaff continues on the career of Vergerius, a vigorous Italian Reformer. UPSHOT: Bullinger and Calvin didn't trust him. For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff concludes the Synod of Jerusalem and Dositheus’s Confession, 1672: condemns general Bible reading, condemns certain OT passages, denies the Bible’s perspicuity, includes the Apocrypha in the Canon, teaches saint worship, especially Mary who gets special status, and includes the veneration of varied religious artifices. Essentially, it is Romanism and a rigorous dissent from the Reformation. UPSHOT: Greeks are Romanists and vice versa. Westminster Larger Catechism, 114-116: Q. 114. What reasons are annexed to the third commandment? A. The reasons annexed to the third commandment, in these words, The LORD thy God, and, For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain, are, because he is the Lord and our God, therefore his name is not to be profaned, or any way abused by us; especially because he will be so far from acquitting and sparing the transgressors of this commandment, as that he will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment, albeit many such escape the censures and punishments of men. Q. 115. Which is the fourth commandment? A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Q. 116. What is required in the fourth commandment? A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath, and in the New Testament called The Lord's Day.