Evening 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. EDT. CCC. Westminster Larger Catechism, 72-75.

For Psalm 17, Prof. Calvin comments on the “fattiness of pride” filling the heart and mouth with corpulence in body and mouth.

ISBE on Genesis: Prof. R. K. Harrison discusses alternative renderings of Genesis 1, more akin to Augustine’s sense.

For Genesis 1: Prof. Keil wraps his discussion on the Mosaicity of the Pentateuch.

For Joshua 15, Joshua is another real estate lesson on the Ephraimites.

For Isaiah 5.8-17, Prof. Henry notes that the greed and covetousness of the Judaites will end up in desolate fields and homes, the opposite of the previous situation.

ISBE on Matthew: Dr. Dagner comments on “theological tensions” in Matthew, e.g., particularism and universalism. We’d note that we are not enthralled with his work here.

For Mathew 4.1-11, Prof. Jamiesson again is camping on this pericope.

For Romans, Prof. Hodge discusses Paul’s desire to visit Rome for their mutual strengthening.

For Revelation 12.1-11, Prof. Henry notes that the red dragon is terrible and cruel, fierce and terrible.

For Systematic Theology, Prof. Hodge talks again about natural theology and its insufficiency to instruct in the gospel.

For Theology Proper, Prof. Reymond wonderfully introduced “God eternity.” The WSC is glorious.

For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof discussed the pre-Reformation understanding of justification and sanctification and the fusion/conflation of the two leading to Romanistic fruitage and growth.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (0-100) Prof. Schaff introduced chronology of Christ’s life.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1049), Prof. Schaff notes that Norwegian Christianity came more for a King than the peoples’ understanding of it.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff notes the wide catholicity, vigorous charity, educational support and pastoral effectiveness of Bullinger. Beza called him the “common shepherd of all Christian churches.” He certainly towered over the lil’ red-faced Imp of Reading who’d become Regulis Imperator in the 17^th CoE, Willy Laud—a man of no pastoral sense or theological depth.

EDT on John Henry Newmann: noting that John’s brother Francis channeled his revivalism into the Plymouth Brethren, John’s revivalism (in the “degraded CoE”) was channeled into sacraments and the apostolic episcopate. More could be said.

For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff notes the Thomists/Scotists opposed Mary’s Immaculate Conception while the Dominicans/Franciscans favored it. Both sides charged the other with heresy and even mortal sins. The Council of Trent, on original sin, demurred, deflected and punted, noting the Church had not ruled ( = make stuff up yet).

CCC: the structure of the CCC is baptismal profession, sacraments, life of faith and prayer.

Westminster Larger Catechism 72-75,

Q. 72. What is justifying faith?
A. Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

Q. 73. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.

Q. 74. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of the free grace of God, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, whereby all those that are justified are received into the number of his children, have his name put upon them, the Spirit of his Son given to them, are under his fatherly care and dispensations, admitted to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow-heirs with Christ in glory.

Q. 75. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a work of God's grace, whereby they whom God hath, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole man after the image of God; having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts, and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened, as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life.