Morning Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

LECTIONS. John Calvin on the Psalms. ISBE: Genesis. Keil: Genesis. Keil & Delitzsch: Joshua. Matthew Henry: Isaiah. ISBE: Matthew. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown: Gospels. Romans: Prof. Hodge. Matthew Henry: Revelation. Prof. Hodge: Systematic Theology. 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, 14-17. 

For Psalm 16, Prof. Calvin put the Sorbonnists (Parisian Papists) on ice in the refrigerator—to wit, the claim of the Sorbonnists that the faithful are ever in doubt as to their final perseverance, are made to tremble in uncertainty, a miserable condition, having no assurance. The Sorbonne had a "target" written on Calvin's back. 

ISBE on Genesis: Prof. R. K. Harrison puts another torpedo amidship right below the waterline. Greek, Ugaritic, Babylonian, and Egyptian studies might have forced retreat and repentance, but that never occurred with the GW-speculators. To wit, very often there were compound names for deities: JE for the GW-hustlers (another source for the source-multipliers), but also for Hammuabi with Ninuand and Mama; or, the Babylonia Creation Epic, Ea and Nudimud; Ugarit: Kothgan and Hayyis; Egypt: Amon and Re. Also, Hittite Kings had double names. The Amarna correspondence had double and even triple names for kingdoms: Mittani as Hanigalbit and Hurrians. After all, there were 3000 names for near-eastern deities and the GW-enthusiasts are surprised by J and E? Or, Jacob as Israel and Jethro as Ruel with dual names, normal procedures. Prof. William Albright would vigorously complain about the incapacities of insufferable German OT theologians to follow the evidence. Like Luther who laughed at Zwingli’s death with arrogance, so the GW-Poohbahs laughed at the evidence and assured the crowd of “the assured results of scholarship.” Prof. Harrison sinks that German-U-boat.

For Genesis 1: Prof. Keil continues to discuss the overview of the Pentateuch. 

For Joshua 15, Joshua gives more on the land-deals. 

For Isaiah 4.2-7, Prof. Henry comments about Zion’s glory—she has a "Writ of Protection" about her, smoke and cloud by day, pillar of fire by night, enforced by the same God of the OT and NT, who has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. The Church shall prevail notwithstanding FB-and-Twitter doom-scrollers. 

ISBE on Matthew: Dr. Dagner discusses the fourth potential genre of Matthew—as a catechetical tool. 

For Mathew 4.1-11, Prof. Jamiesson comments on Christ’s temptation—to illustrate the combat to come, to show His glorious “furniture,” to encourage Him and others, to defeat Satan, to despoil principalities and powers, and to presage the victory on the Cross. 

For Romans, Prof. Hodge gives his exquisite and clear structure and overview of this towering Epistle.

For Revelation 11.3-13, Prof. Henry speaks of the two Witnesses who afflict the hearers. 

For Systematic Theology, Prof. Hodge discussed the inductive method in general, to wit, to perceive, gather, combine and assess the facts. We would add that that anti-christ John Newmann abhorred precisely this approach to systematic theology.

For Theology Proper, Prof. Reymond discussed the name of Lord of hosts—Israel’s war-machine as a royal name with a “warrior-flavor.”

For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof discussed “remission of sins” as the negative aspect of justification, noting inherent challenges. 

For Apostolic Christianity, Prof. Schaff discusses the genuineness of Josephus’s works, given that Christians were transcribers. Any introjections or changes? 

For Medieval Christianity, Prof. Schaff discusses Scandinavian heathenism—the robber-barons on robber-campaigns, the valiant branches of the Teutonic races of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. 

For the Swiss Reformation, Prof. Schaff describes Luther’s roar of joy over Zwingli’s death. 

EDT on Anglican Communion: the BCP is the distinctive embodiment of Anglican doctrine following the principle of lex orandi, lex credendi. 

For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff discusses the 1854 Decree on the Immaculate Conception of Mary in whom “the whole confidence is place in the most holy Virgin, since God has vested in her the plenitude of all good, so that, henceforth, if there be in us any hope, if there be any grace, if there be any salvation, we must receive it from her, according to the will of him who would have us possess all through Mary.”

W

estminster Larger Catechism 14-17:

Q. 14. How doth God execute his decrees?

A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will.

Q. 15. What is the work of creation?

A. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good.

Q. 16. How did God create angels?

A. God created all the angels spirits, immortal, holy, excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his commandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.

Q. 17. How did God create man?

A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it, and dominion over the creatures; yet subject to fall.