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, 83-86. 

For Psalm 17, Prof. Calvin meanders around on some exegetical options. It was rather confusing, unhelpful and a bit too late to digest the nuances.

ISBE on Genesis: Prof. R. K. Harrison comments on Sumerian cosmogonies as the backdrop to Genesis 1-11. The Prof. clearly has done the homework. 

For Genesis 1: Prof. Keil finished his introduction and overview to Genesis. Some very macroscopic and helpful observations on the Kingdom of God. Tomorrow is the commentary. 

For Joshua 18, Joshua is another real estate lesson. We look forward to the switch to narrative sections in chapters 23-24. 

For Isaiah 5.8-17, Prof. Henry talks about death as the great leveler—the proud and highly placed and the low and base. All go to the grave. 

ISBE on Matthew: Dr. Dagner talked about Law and Gospel as one of the “tensions” in Matthew.

For Mathew 4.1-11, Prof. Jamiesson is still talking about the Temptation. Obsessing. 

For Romans, Prof. Hodge is less that direct and accessible on 1.17. Someone had forgotten how the Prof. uses Latin quotes here-and-there. Of course, the Greek is everywhere. Something, however, is off and can't ID it. We'll see. 

For Revelation 12.1-11, Prof. Henry notes that the Devil who hates God’s presence thoroughly, yet, is found in heaven constantly accusing God’s people and yapping his filthy defamations against Christ's efficacious righteousness. 

For Systematic Theology, Prof. Hodge discusses universal depravity and insufficiency of natural revelation. Wonder when his commentary on Romans was written versus his 3-volume ST? 

For Theology Proper, Prof. Reymond just wasted several minutes of our lives which we’ll never get back and which we’ll never reread. A quirky section.  

For Soteriology, Prof. Berkhof discusses mortification of the old man and resurrection of the new man as co-terminous, concurrent, on-going events with the new gaining the dominance over time. Justification and sanctification are distinguished clearly but are inseparably connected also.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (0-100) Prof. Schaff continues to talk about the “Star of Magi” in terms of famed astronomers. Quite an exquisite section. While it was previously noted and annotated, this time, perhaps, the memory will be sustained. Quite a good section.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1049), Prof. Schaff continues to discuss the failed imposition of Christianity amongst the Slavs--Christianity by political tools and imposition, not persuasion and the external call depending on God's efficacious internal call. It produces bitterness. 

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff comments on the conviviality and love of Bullinger for children. As his son, Henry, heads off to Vienna and Wittenberg for theological studies, he writes a list of 10 wise lessons for a young man—the first is to fear God at all times. We will carefully assay those rules tomorrow. #1 is a homerun. Fear and revere God all the day and night long.

EDT on John Keble: a quiet, moral collaborator with Pusey on the Tracts. Peter Toon refers to his "elevated" view of Eucharistic "adoration." Ah, tighten it up, Dr. Toon. Call it "devilish jugglery" as Dr. Cranmer did more than once. Or, as we do: the cannibalistic, carnal, corporeal, Capernaitic "Bone-Munchie-Crunchies." Unfortunately, Puseyites had a few bright followers, but more were empty-headed imitators and romantics. But, Dr. Toon needed patrons and preferments. A "Parson on the run." Settle down, Dr., and serve a parish instead of flitting around, e.g. Reformed Episcopal Seminary, Nashotah House, and Reformed Theological Seminary (where he was fired).

For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff begins the discussion of Pius 9’s “Syllabus of Errors” in 1864. And how groovy! He offers the faithful a month of indulgence in 1865 for the faithful, to wit, the criminal and felonious defamation of the Person and Work of Christ. But, the ecumenists’ will shrivel up at the suggestion of Papal criminality. 

CCC: we are noting softness on sin.

Westminster Larger Catechism 83-86:

Q. 83. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?

A. The members of the invisible church have communicated to them in this life the firstfruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their head, and so in him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed of; and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope of glory; as, on the contrary, sense of God's revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their torments which they shall endure after death.

Q. 84. Shall all men die?

A. Death being threatened as the wages of sin, it is appointed unto all men once to die; for that all have sinned.

Q. 85. Death being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?

A. The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it; so that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love, to free them perfectly from sin and misery, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon.

Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death?

A. The communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their souls are then made perfect in holiness, and received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, which even in death continue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in their beds, till at the last day they be again united to their souls. Whereas the souls of the wicked are at their death cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their prisons, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.