Week 3, Wednesday

Psalm 15

Psalm 15, from the Scottish Psalter.

Within thy tabernacle, Lord,
who shall abide with thee?
And in thy high and holy hill
who shall a dweller be?
The man that walketh uprightly,
and worketh righteousness,
And, as he thinketh in his heart,
so doth he truth express.

Who doth not slander with his tongue,
nor to his friend doth hurt,
Nor yet against his neighbor doth
take up an ill report.
In whose eyes vile men are despis’d;
but those that God do fear
He honoreth: and changeth not,
though to his hurt he swear.

His coyn puts not to usury,
nor take reward will he
Against the guiltlesse. Who doth thus
shall never moved be.

Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah, chapter 7.

¹ Now when the wall was builded, and I had set up the doors, and the porters, and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

² Then I commanded my brother Hanani and Hananiah the prince of the palace in Jerusalem (for he was doubtless a faithful man, and feared God above many)

³ And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened, until the heat of the sun: and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and make them fast: and I appointed wards of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his ward, and every one over against his house.

⁴ Now the city was large and great, but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

⁵ And my God put into mine heart, and I gathered the princes, and the rulers, and the people, to count their genealogies: and I found a book of the genealogy of them, which came up at the first, and found written therein,

⁶ These are the sons of the province that came up from the captivity that was carried away (whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had carried away) and they returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city.

⁷ They which came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel.

⁸ The sons of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

⁹ The sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

¹⁰ The sons of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.

¹¹ The sons of Pahath Moab of the sons of Jeshua, and Joab, two thousand, eight hundred and eighteen.

¹² The sons of Elam, a thousand, two hundred fifty and four.

¹³ The sons of Zattu, eight hundred and five and forty.

¹⁴ The sons of Zacchai, seven hundred and three score.

¹⁵ The sons of Binnui, six hundred and eight and forty.

¹⁶ The sons of Bebai, six hundred and eight and twenty.

¹⁷ The sons of Azgad, two thousand, three hundred and two and twenty.

¹⁸ The sons of Adonikam, six hundred three score and seven.

¹⁹ The sons of Bigvai, two thousand three score and seven.

²⁰ The sons of Adin, six hundred, and five and fifty.

²¹ The sons of Ater of Hizkiah, ninety and eight.

²² The sons of Hashum, three hundred and eight and twenty.

²³ The sons of Bezai, three hundred and four and twenty.

²⁴ The sons of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.

²⁵ The sons of Gibeon, ninety and five.

²⁶ The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an hundred four score and eight.

²⁷ The men of Anathoth, an hundred and eight and twenty.

²⁸ The men of Beth-azmaveth, two and forty.

²⁹ The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred, and three and forty.

³⁰ The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred and one and twenty.

³¹ The men of Michmas, an hundred and two and twenty.

³² The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundred and three and twenty.

³³ The men of the other Nebo, two and fifty.

³⁴ The sons of the other Elam, a thousand, two hundred and four and fifty.

³⁵ The sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

³⁶ The sons of Jericho, three hundred and five and forty.

³⁷ The sons of Lod-hadid and Ono, seven hundred and one and twenty.

³⁸ The sons of Sanaah, three thousand, nine hundred and thirty.

³⁹ The Priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

⁴⁰ The sons of Immer, a thousand and two and fifty.

⁴¹ The sons of Pashur, a thousand, two hundred and seven and forty.

⁴² The sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

⁴³ The Levites: the sons of Jeshua of Kadmiel, and of the sons of Hodivah, seventy and four.

⁴⁴ The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred, and eight and forty.

⁴⁵ The porters: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, an hundred and eight and thirty.

⁴⁶ The Nethinims: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hashupha, the sons of Tabaoth,

⁴⁷ The sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon,

⁴⁸ The sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,

⁴⁹ The sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,

⁵⁰ The sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,

⁵¹ The sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,

⁵² The sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim,

⁵³ The sons of Bakbub, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,

⁵⁴ The sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,

⁵⁵ The sons of Barkos, the sons of Sissera, the sons of Tamah,

⁵⁶ The sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha,

⁵⁷ The sons of Salomons servants, the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,

⁵⁸ The sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,

⁵⁹ The sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, the sons of Amon.

⁶⁰ All the Nethinims, and the sons of Salomons servants were three hundred, ninety and two.

⁶¹ And these came up from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their fathers house, nor their seed, or if they were of Israel.

⁶² The sons of Delaiah: the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and two and forty.

⁶³ And of the Priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was named after their name.

⁶⁴ These sought their writing of the genealogies, but it was not found: therefore they were put from the Priesthood.

⁶⁵ And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy, till there rose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶ All the Congregation together was two and forty thousand, three hundred and threescore,

⁶⁷ Besides their servants and their maids, which were seven thousand, three hundred and seven and thirty: and they had two hundred and five and forty singing men and singing women.

⁶⁸ Their horses were seven hundred and six and thirty, and their mules two hundred and five and forty.

⁶⁹ The camels four hundred and five and thirty, and six thousand, seven hundred and twenty asses.

⁷⁰ And certain of the chief fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure, a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty Priests garments.

⁷¹ And some of the chief fathers gave unto the treasure of the work, twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pieces of silver.

⁷² And the rest of the people gave twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pieces of silver, and three score and seven Priests garments.

⁷³ And the Priests, and Levites, and the porters and the singers and the rest of the people and the Nethinims, and all Israel dwelt in their cities: and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

Acts 17

Acts, chapter 17.

¹ Now as they passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a Synagogue of the Jews.

² And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days disputed with them by the Scriptures,

³ Opening, and alleging that Christ must have suffered, and risen again from the dead: and this is Jesus Christ, whom, said he, I preach to you.

⁴ And some of them believed, and joined in company with Paul and Silas: also of the Grecians that feared God a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

⁵ But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain vagabonds and wicked fellows, and when they had assembled the multitude, they made a tumult in the city, and made assault against the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

⁶ But when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the heads of the city, crying, These are they which have subverted the state of the world, and here they are,

⁷ Whom Jason hath received, and these all do against the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another King, one Jesus.

⁸ Then they troubled the people, and the heads of the city, when they heard these things.

⁹ Notwithstanding when they had received sufficient assurance of Jason and of the other, they let them go.

¹⁰ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, which when they were come thither, entered into the Synagogue of the Jews.

¹¹ These were also more noble men than they which were at Thessalonica, which received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

¹² Therefore many of them believed, and of honest women, which were Grecians, and men not a few.

¹³ But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew, that the word of God was also preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and moved the people.

¹⁴ But by and by the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

¹⁵ And they that did conduct Paul, brought him unto Athens: and when they had received a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus that they should come to him at once, they departed.

¹⁶ Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city subject to idolatry.

¹⁷ Therefore he disputed in the Synagogue with the Jews, and with them that were religious, and in the market daily with whomsoever he met.

¹⁸ Then certain Philosophers of the Epicures, and of the Stoics, disputed with him, and some said, What will this babbler say? Others said, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods (because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.)

¹⁹ And they took him, and brought him into Mars street, saying, May we not know, what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

²⁰ For thou bringest certain strange things unto our ears: we would know therefore, what these things mean.

²¹ For all the Athenians, and strangers which dwelt there, gave themselves to nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some news.

²² Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars street, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

²³ For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar wherein was written, UNTO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom ye then ignorantly worship, him show I unto you.

²⁴ God that made the world, and all things that are therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands,

²⁵ Neither is worshiped with mens hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things,

²⁶ And hath made of one blood all mankind, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath assigned the seasons which were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitation,

²⁷ That they should seek the Lord, if so be they might have groped after him, and found him though doubtless he be not far from every one of us.

²⁸ For in him we live, and move, and have our being, as also certain of your own Poets have said, for we are also his generation.

²⁹ Forasmuch then, as we are the generation of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and the invention of man.

³⁰ And the time of this ignorance God regarded not: but now he admonisheth all men everywhere to repent,

³¹ Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath appointed, whereof he hath given an assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

³² Now when they had heard of the resurrection from the dead, some mocked, and other said, We will hear thee again of this thing.

³³ And so Paul departed from among them.

³⁴ Howbeit certain men clave unto Paul, and believed: among whom was also Denys Areopagita, and a woman named Damaris, and other with them.

The Heidelberg Catechism

The Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 3.

Question 6. Did God create man thus wicked and perverse?

No; but God created man good, and after his own image—that is, in righteousness and true holiness; that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him, and live with him in eternal blessedness, to praise and glorify him.

Question 7. From where, then, comes this depraved nature of man?

From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise, whereby our nature became so corrupt that we are all conceived and born in sin.

Question 8. But are we so far depraved that we are wholly unapt to any good, and prone to all evil?

Yes; unless we are born again by the Spirit of God.

Of Domestical Duties

From William Gouge, Of Domestical Duties, 1622.

The honor and authority of God, and of his Son Christ Jesus, is maintained in and by the honor and authority of an husband, as the Kings authority is maintained by the authority of his Privy Council and other Magistrates under him; yea, as an husbands authority is in the family maintained by the authority of his wife: (for as the man is the glory of God, so the woman is the glory of the man.)

The good of the wife herself is thus also much promoted, even as the good of the body is helped forward by the heads abiding in his place; should the head be put under any of the parts of the body, the body and all the parts thereof could not but receive much damage thereby: even so the wife and whole family would feel the damage of the husbands loss of his authority.

1. Question. Is it in the power of the husband to maintain his own authority?

Answer. Yea, in his more than in any others: for note the counsel of the Apostle to Timothy, (though in another case, yet very pertinent to this purpose) Let no man despise thy youth. It was therefore in Timothy’s power to maintain his honor, and not to suffer it to be despised; and so is it in an husbands power.

2. Question. How may an husband best maintain his authority?

Answer. That direction which the Apostle giveth to Timothy to maintain his authority, may fitly be applied for this purpose unto an husband; Be an ensample in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in pureness: as if he had said, If thou walk before them worthy of thy place and calling, and worthy of that honor and respect which is due thereunto, showing forth the fruits of love, faith, and other like graces, assuredly they will reverence thy youth; but if otherwise thou carry thyself basely, and not beseeming a minister, thou givest them just occasion to despise thee. Even thus may husbands best maintain their authority by being an ensample in love, gravity, piety, honesty, etc. The fruits of these and other like graces showed forth by husbands before their wives and family, cannot but work a reverend and dutiful respect in their wives and whole house towards them: for by this means they shall more clearly discern the image of God shine forth in their faces.

Let us pray.

Let us pray. A prayer of John Calvin.

Grant, Almighty God, that as we continue to kindle often thy wrath against us by our innumerable sins,—O grant, that when thou warnest and wouldest restore us to the right way, we may at least be pliant, and without delay attend to the scourges of thy hand, and not wait for extreme severity, but timely repent; and that we may truly and from the heart seek thee, let us not put on false repentance, but strive to devote ourselves wholly to thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tonight at your table

Tonight at your table, read Genesis 18 and Matthew 17 with your household.

This week’s question for your table. Did God create man thus wicked and perverse?