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 and Swiss Reformation. Dr. Philip Schaff: Creeds. Westminster Larger Catechism, 46-50. For Psalm 9, Prof. Calvin notes that David calls the church’s hypocrites “heathens.” We sit cheek-by-jowl with the unconverted in the pews. Jesus notes it—sheep sitting alongside the goats. Is there any indicia? 1 John—love of the brothers. He’ll sort all that out at the Second Coming. For Joshua 10, Prof. Keil wanders around more on the sun and moon standing still before Joshua decimates the wicked Canaanites. For Isaiah 2.1-5, Prof. Henry calls this a second sermon and dates it as 758. It deals with predictive prophecy. For the Introduction to the Gospels, Prof. Jamiesson offers his list of notable works consulted for his commentary. For Revelation 5, Prof. Henry keeps us in front of the Savior’s throne. All above are rejoicing at His sovereignty. For Bibliology, Prof. Reymond puts a grenade down the chimney of liberals and the neo-orthodox who accuse evangelicals of bibliolatry. Prof. Reymond calls them “blasphemous.” Will ponder that anew and at length. For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof rounds off the discussion on union with Christ. And, then, Ubiquitarians like theologically unaccomplished Shifty hurl their thunderbolts of “Real Absence.” For Apostolic Christianity, Mr. Schaff outlines major Latin historians of the medieval church. For Medieval Christianity, Mr. Schaff offers more comments on St. Patrick, a Bible-man with 25 Canonical citations and 3 from the Apocrypha. He knows nothing about Roman dominion, Popes, clerical celibacy or the like. 1000s are baptized by him. For the Swiss Reformation, Mr. Schaff offers comments on the reformation in St. Gall, Switzerland vis a vis Vadianus. For the Creeds, Mr. Schaff outlines the 7 Councils of Orthodoxy. For the WCF, 46-50. Q. 46. What was the estate of Christ's humiliation? A. The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition, wherein he for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection. Q. 47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth? A. Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fullness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement. Q. 48. How did Christ humble himself in his life? A. Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law, which he perfectly fulfilled; and by conflicting with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition. Q. 49. How did Christ humble himself in his death? A. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world, condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors; having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross. Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ's humiliation after his death? A. Christ's humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.