Week 1, Friday

Psalm 5

Psalm 5, from the Scottish Psalter.

Give ear unto my words, O Lord,
my meditation weigh.
Hear my loud cry, my King, my God;
for I to thee will pray.
Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice;
I early will direct
My pray’r to thee, and looking up
an answer will expect.

For thou art not a God that doth
in wickedness delight:
Neither shall evil dwell with thee.
Nor fools stand in thy sight.
All that ill-doers are thou hat’st.
Cut’st off that liars be:
The bloody and deceitful man
abhorred is by thee.

But I into thy house will come
in thine abundant grace:
And I will worship in thy fear
toward thy holy place.
Because of those mine enemies,
Lord, in thy righteousness
Do thou me lead; do thou thy way
make straight before my face.

For in their mouth there is no truth,
their inward part is ill;
Their throat’s an open sepulcher,
their tongue doth flatter still.
O God destroy them; let them be
by their own counsel quell’d:
Them for their many sins cast out,
for they ‘gainst thee rebell’d.

But let all joy that trust in thee;
and still make shouting noise:
For them thou sav’st: Let all that love
thy Name, in thee rejoice.
For, Lord, unto the righteous man,
thou wilt thy blessing yield;
With favor thou wilt compass him
about, as with a shield.

Ezra 5

Ezra, chapter 5.

¹ Then Haggai a Prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo a Prophet prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah, and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

² Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose, and began to build the house of God at Jerusalem, and with them were the Prophets of God, which helped them.

³ At the same time came to them Tatnai, which was captain beyond the River, and Shether-boznai and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath given you commandment to build this house, and to lay the foundations of these walls?

⁴ Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that build this building?

⁵ But the eye of their God was upon the Elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they answered by letters thereunto.

⁶ The copy of the letter, that Tatnai captain beyond the River, and Shether-boznai and his companions, Apharsechaie, (which were beyond the River) sent unto King Darius.

⁷ They sent a letter unto him, wherein it was written thus, UNTO DARIUS the king, all peace.

⁸ Be it known unto the King, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and beams are laid in the walls, and this work is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands.

⁹ Then asked we those Elders, and said unto them thus, Who hath given you commandment to build this house, and to lay the foundation of these walls?

¹⁰ We asked their names also, that we might certify thee, and that we might write the names of the men that were their rulers.

¹¹ But they answered us thus, and said, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built of old and many years ago, which a great King of Israel builded, and founded it.

¹² But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them over into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the Caldean, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people away captive unto Babel.

¹³ But in the first year of Cyrus King of Babel, King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

¹⁴ And the vessels of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Temple, that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the Temple of Babel, those did Cyrus the king take out of the Temple of Babel, and they gave them unto one Sheshbazzar by his name, whom he had made captain.

¹⁵ And he said unto him, Take these vessels and go thy way, and put them in the Temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.

¹⁶ Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, and since that time even until now, hath it been in building, yet is it not finished.

¹⁷ Now therefore if it please the King, let there be search made in the house of the Kings treasures, which is there in Babel, whether a decree hath been made by King Cyrus, to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and let the King send his mind concerning this.

Acts 5

Acts, chapter 5.

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

² And kept away part of the price, his wife also being of counsel, and brought a certain part, and laid it down at the Apostles feet.

³ Then said Peter, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holy Ghost, and keep away part of the price of this possession?

⁴ Whiles it remained, appertained it not unto thee? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? how is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

⁵ Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down, and gave up the ghost. Then great fear came on all them that heard these things.

⁶ And the young men rose up, and took him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

⁷ And it came to pass about the space of three hours after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done.

⁸ And Peter said unto her, Tell me, sold ye the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

⁹ Then Peter said unto her, Why have ye agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thine husband, are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

¹⁰ Then she fell down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband.

¹¹ And great fear came on all the Church, and on as many as heard these things.

¹² Thus by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders showed among the people (and they were all with one accord in Salomons porch.

¹³ And of the other durst no man join himself to them: nevertheless the people magnified them.

¹⁴ Also the number of them that believed in the Lord, both of men and women, grew more and more)

¹⁵ In so much that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least way the shadow of Peter, when he came by, might shadow some of them.

¹⁶ There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Hierusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits, who were all healed.

¹⁷ Then the chief Priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which was the sect of the Sadducees) and were full of indignation,

¹⁸ And laid hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison.

¹⁹ But the Angel of the Lord, by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

²⁰ Go your way, and stand in the Temple, and speak to the people, all the words of this life.

²¹ So when they heard it, they entered into the Temple early in the morning, and taught. And the chief Priest came, and they that were with him, and called the Council together, and all the Elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison, to cause them to be brought.

²² But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told it,

²³ Saying, Certainly we found the prison shut as sure as was possible, and the keepers standing without, before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

²⁴ Then when the chief Priest, and the captain of the Temple, and the high Priests heard these things, they doubted of them, whereunto this would grow.

²⁵ Then came one and showed them, saying, Behold, the men that ye put in prison, are standing in the Temple, and teach the people.

²⁶ Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence (for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned)

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the Council, and the chief Priest asked them,

²⁸ Saying, Did not we straitly command you, that ye should not teach in this Name? and behold, ye have filled Hierusalem with your doctrine, and ye would bring this mans blood upon us.

²⁹ Then Peter and the Apostles answered, and said, We ought rather to obey God than men.

³⁰ The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on a tree.

³¹ Him hath God lift up with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

³² And we are his witnesses concerning these things which we say: yea, and the holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

³³ Now when they heard it, they brast for anger, and consulted to slay them.

³⁴ Then stood there up in the Council a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law, honored of all the people, and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space,

³⁵ And said unto them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, what ye intend to do touching these men.

³⁶ For before these times, rose up Theudas boasting himself, to whom resorted a number of men, about a four hundred, who was slain: and they all which obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

³⁷ After this man, arose up Judas of Galile, in the days of the tribute, and drew away much people after him: he also perished, and all that obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

³⁸ And now I say unto you, Refrain yourselves from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

³⁹ But if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest ye be found even fighters against God.

⁴⁰ And to him they agreed, and called the Apostles: and when they had beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹ So they departed from the Council, rejoicing, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his Name.

⁴² And daily in the Temple, and from house to house they ceased not to teach, and preach Jesus Christ.

The Heidelberg Catechism

The Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 1.

Question 1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready henceforth to live unto him.

Question 2. How many things are necessary for you to know, that you in this comfort may live and die happily?

Three things: First, the greatness of my sin and misery. Second, how I am redeemed from all my sins and misery. Third, how I am to be thankful to God for such redemption.

Of Domestical Duties

From William Gouge, Of Domestical Duties, 1622.

For her Soul, means of spiritual edification must be provided, and those both private and public. Private means, are holy and religious exercises in the house, as reading the word, prayer, catechizing, and such like; which being the spiritual food of the soul are to be every day, as our bodily food, provided and used. An husband as a master of a family must provide these for the good of his whole house; but as an husband, in special for the good of his wife: for to his wife, as well as to the whole house he is a King, a Priest, and a Prophet.

By himself therefore, for his wives good, ought he to perform these things, or to provide that they may be done by some other. Cornelius himself performed those exercises. Micah hired a Levite (though his Idolatry were evil, yet his care to have a Levite in his house was commendable.) The Shunemites husband provided a chamber for the Prophet, and that especially for his wives sake, for it was at her request.

Public means are the holy ordinances of God publicly performed by Gods Minister. The care of an husband for his wife in this respect is, so to order his habitation, and provide other needful things, as his wife may be made partaker thereof. It is expressly noted of Elkanah that he so provided for his wives, that they went with him every year to the house of God: the like is intimated of Joseph the husband of the virgin Mary. In those days there was a public place and house of God, whither all Gods people (how far soever they dwelt from it) were to resort every year: the places where Elkanah and Joseph dwelt, were far remote from the house of God, yet they so provided, as not only themselves, but their wives also went to the public worship of God. Now there are many houses of God, places for the public worship of God, but yet through the corruption of our times, the ministry of the word (the most principal means of spiritual edification) is not everywhere to be enjoyed: therefore such ought an husbands care for his wife in this respect to be, as to dwell where she may have the benefit of preaching the word, or else so to provide for her, as she may weekly go where it may be had.

Let us pray.

Let us pray. A prayer of John Calvin.

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are in this life subject to so many miseries, and in the meantime grow insensible in our sins,—O grant that we may learn to search ourselves and consider our sins, that we may be really humbled before thee, and ascribe to ourselves the blame of all our evils, that we may be thus led to a genuine feeling of repentance, and so strive to be reconciled to thee in Christ, that we may wholly depend on thy paternal love, and thus ever aspire to the fullness of eternal felicity, through thy goodness and that immeasurable kindness, which thou testifiest is ready and offered to all those, who with a sincere heart worship thee, call upon thee, and flee to thee, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tonight at your table

Tonight at your table, read Genesis 5 and Matthew 5 with your household.

This week’s question for your table. What is your only comfort in life and in death?