Morning Prayer: 9/24/2022

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” discusses the rise of archaeological studies in the 19^th century. ??.

For Psalm 30.10, Prof. Calvin comments on the state of David’s earnest heart.

Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Israel:” discusses the back-end or closing of the Exodus-period.

ISBE on “Leviticus:” argues that the “indicative” (redemption, covenant) precedes the “imperative.” One is reminded of Paul’s Romans in this respect. 1-11—doctrine. 12-16—ethics.

For Genesis 26: Prof. Keil deals with the covenant between Isaac and Abimelech.

For Judges 16, Prof. Keil continues to discuss the final days of Samson, his rise and fall.

For Isaiah 14, Prof. Henry keeps alive the discussion of God’s protection of His people in the Babylonian conquest to come. One is reminded of Habukkuk here. And others, e.g., Daniel, his three friends, Ezekiel and, later, Nehemiah and Ezra. We live in the face of a cultural and theological storm with the same covenant assurances from His Majesty, e.g., Romans 8.28-38.

ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall recaps some of the scholarly views of John’s eschatology.

For Mathew 11.20-30, Prof. Jamieson pauses to meditate on the glories of Christ’s invitation, “Come unto Me…” Prof. Jamieson is stunned by its glory.

For Romans 8, Prof. Hodge expounds more fully on 8.7 and the noetic, affectional and volitional results of sin’s bondage.

For Acts 2.14-36, Prof. Henry is still elaborating on Joel 2.28ff. and its fulfillment in the Pentecostal outpouring. God does wonders with infinite ease.

Frederick Copleston’s “History of Philosophy: Greece and Rome (1.1):” some discussion on Antithenes’s rejection of Socrates’ and Plato’s world of Ideals.

EDT: “William Laud” (1573-1645): Bishop Fitz comments on the final days of Laud, including his discussion with Fisher, a Papist Bishop, and written results that left out “justification,” the hinge of the Reformation. Telling.

For Theology Proper (locus 2): Prof. Hodge comments on the presumptuousness of the assumptions by Comte about his stages of theological development. The Hindus with their pantheism were centuries before the Hegels and Schellings of Germany. Hodge is not impressed.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond begins anthropology with his usual recitations from the Westminster Confession of Faith. An evolved primate? A clump of cells and atoms? What is the essence of man?

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Berkhof begins the go-around on the use of “attributes” as a theological term. He deals with the man-centered approach of the scholastics—the way of causation, via negative, and via eminentia. Berkhof wants the Scripture as the starting point, not man.

ODCC: “Abjuration:” official canonical directions exist in Rome and Constantinople as used for heretics, schismatics, Jews, Mohammedans. It’s too bad this doesn’t get more press. These must be retrieved to show how Rome and Constantinople enforced their dictas.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (1-100) Prof. Schaff discusses the lacunae of understanding on the foundation of the church in Rome—perhaps by evangelists from the Pentecostal outpouring.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff does a wrap on indulgences, monetized merits, and their uses variously by Popes including all the Crusades. The super-treasures of the super-merits of the super-athletes are on reserve and are controlled by the Pope, standing in the place of the King and kings and Lords of lords. Can one see the Anti-Christ here? The Reformers had the vision of hawks circling the high grasses.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff gives a fairly long quote from Calvin on the invisible and visible church. He seems to suggest that the Reformers invented this, but we have doubts there, or, surely questions for the now-passed Professor.

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch retails the back-and-forth between Henry VIII and Cranmer on the Bishops’ Book. Cranmer is not stinting in his criticisms with about 86 stringencies showing his courage and commitment to the Reformed doctrine of justification, including the assurance of salvation and preservation of the elect. He’s working in Reformed soteriology here even in 1538.

For the Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, Prof. Schaff reviews the hyper-Lutheranism of the 1592 Saxon Articles that crushes the Reformed Crypto-Calvinists in Saxony. They hated the Reformed view of the Eucharistic Presence. They still do in Confessional Lutheranism as they defend cannibalism and the bone-munchy-cruncher view of the Lord’s Supper. Even Shifty in Dallas (REC) and Keith/Bob/Jack (ACNA) defend cannibalism and New Oxfordianism. This is still alive and with us.

1994 CCC: our infallibilists in paragraphs #782 are expounding the church. They are careful. Better than the decadent sideliners with no confessions or catechisms worth noting.

Westminster Confession of Faith 16.2:

2. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.