Week 3, Friday

Psalm 17

Psalm 17, from the Scottish Psalter.

Lord, hear the right, attend my cry,
unto my pray’r give heed,
That doth not in hypocrisy
from feigned lips proceed.
And from before thy presence forth
my sentence do thou send:
Toward these things that equal are,
do thou thine eyes intend.

Thou prov’dst mine heart, thou visitst me,
by night thou didst me try,
Yet nothing found’st: for that my mouth
shall not sin purpos’d I.
As for mens works, I by the word
that from thy lips doth flow,
Did me preserve out of the paths
wherein destroyers go.

Hold up my goings, Lord: me guide
in those thy paths divine,
So that my footsteps may not slide
out of these ways of thine.
I called have on thee, O God,
because thou wilt me hear:
That thou may’st hearken to my speech,
to me incline thine ear.

Thy wondrous loving kindness show,
thou that by thy right hand
Sav’st them that in thee trust, from those
that up against them stand.
As th’apple of the eye me keep;
in thy wings shade me close,
From lewd oppressors, compassing
me round, as deadly foes.

In their own fat they are inclos’d:
their mouth speaks loftily,
Our steps they compast; and to ground
down bowing set their eye.
He like unto a lion is,
that’s greedy of his prey,
Or lion young, which lurking doth
in secret places stay.

Arise, and disappoint my foe,
and cast him down, O Lord:
My soul save from the wicked man,
the man which is thy sword.
From men which are thy hand, O Lord,
from worldly men me save,
Which only in this present life
their part and portion have:

Whose belly with thy treasure hid
thou fill’st, they children have
In plenty, of their goods the rest
they to their children leave.
But as for me, I thine own face
in righteousness will see:
And with thy likeness, when I wake,
I satisfi’d shall be.

Nehemiah 9

Nehemiah, chapter 9.

¹ In the four and twentieth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.

² (And they that were of the seed of Israel were separated from all the strangers) and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

³ And they stood up in their place and read in the book of the Law of Yahweh their GOD four times on the day, and they confessed and worshiped Yahweh their God four times.

⁴ Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto Yahweh their God.

⁵ And the Levites said, even Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, Stand up, and praise Yahweh your God forever, and ever, and let them praise thy glorious Name, O God, which excelleth above all thanksgiving and praise.

⁶ Thou art Yahweh alone: thou hast made heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that are in them, and thou preservest them all, and the host of the heaven worshipeth thee.

⁷ Thou art, O Yahweh, the God, that hast chosen Abraham, and broughtest him out of Ur in Caldea, and madest his name Abraham,

⁸ And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him, to give unto his seed the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, and Perizzites, and Jebusites, and Girgashites, and hast performed thy words, because thou art just.

⁹ Thou hast also considered the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the red Sea,

¹⁰ And showed tokens and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them: therefore thou madest thee a Name, as appeareth this day.

¹¹ For thou didest break up the Sea before them, and they went through the midst of the Sea on dry land: and those that pursued them, hast thou cast into the bottoms as a stone, in the mighty waters:

¹² And leddest them in the day with a pillar of a cloud, and in the night with a pillar of fire to give them light in the way that they went.

¹³ Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest unto them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, ordinances and good commandments,

¹⁴ And declarest unto them thine holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, and ordinances, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

¹⁵ And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst: and promisedst them that they should go in, and take possession of the land: for the which thou haddest lift up thine hand for to give them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers behaved themselves proudly, and hardened their neck, so that they hearkened not unto thy commandments,

¹⁷ But refused to obey, and would not remember thy marvelous works that thou haddest done for them, but hardened their necks, and had in their heads to return to their bondage by their rebellion: but thou, O God of mercies, gracious and full of compassion, of long suffering and of great mercy, yet forsookest them not.

¹⁸ Moreover, when they made them a molten calf (and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt) and committed great blasphemies,

¹⁹ Yet thou for thy great mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them the way, neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way whereby they should go.

²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy MAN from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

²¹ Thou didest also feed them forty years in the wilderness: they lacked nothing: their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

²² And thou gavest them kingdoms and people, and scatteredst them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon and the land of the King of Heshbon, and the land of Og King of Bashan.

²³ And thou diddest multiply their children, like the stars of the heaven, and broughtest them into the land, whereof thou haddest spoken unto their fathers, that they should go, and possess it.

²⁴ So the children went in, and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, even the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their Kings and the people of the land, that they might do with them what they would.

²⁵ And they took their strong cities and the fat land, and possessed houses, full of all goods, cisterns digged out, vineyards, and olives, and trees for food in abundance, and they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and lived in pleasure through thy great goodness.

²⁶ Yet they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy Law behind their backs, and slew thy Prophets (which protested among them to turn them unto thee) and committed great blasphemies.

²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies that vexed them: yet in the time of their affliction, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from the heaven, and through thy great mercies thou gavest them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.

²⁸ But when they had rest, they returned to do evil before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them, yet when they converted and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven, and deliveredst them according to thy great mercies many times,

²⁹ And protestedst among them that thou mightest bring them again unto thy Law: but they behaved themselves proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments (which a man should do and live in them) and pulled away the shoulder, and were stiff-necked, and would not hear.

³⁰ Yet thou diddest forbear them many years, and protestedst among them by thy Spirit, even by the hand of thy Prophets, but they would not hear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

³¹ Yet for thy great mercies thou hast not consumed them, neither forsaken them: for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

³² Now therefore our God, thou great God, mighty and terrible, that keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the affliction that hath come unto us, seem a little before thee, that is, to our Kings, to our princes, and to our Priests, and to our Prophets, and to our fathers, and to all thy people since the time of the Kings of Asshur unto this day.

³³ Surely thou art just in all that is come upon us: for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.

³⁴ And our kings and our princes, our Priests and our fathers have not done thy Law, nor regarded thy commandments nor thy protestations, wherewith thou hast protested among them.

³⁵ And they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou showedst unto them, and in the large and fat land which thou diddest set before them, and have not converted from their evil works.

³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and the land that thou gavest unto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the goodness thereof, behold, we are servants therein.

³⁷ And it yieldeth much fruit unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, because of our sins: and they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great affliction.

³⁸ Now because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it, and our princes, our Levites and Priests seal unto it.

Acts 19

Acts, chapter 19.

¹ And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinthus, that Paul when he passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples,

² And said unto them, Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost.

³ And he said unto them, Unto what were ye then baptized? And they said, Unto Johns baptism.

⁴ Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe in him, which should come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.

⁵ And when they heard it, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶ So Paul laid his hands upon them, and the holy Ghost came on them, and they spake the tongues, and prophesied.

⁷ And all the men were about twelve.

⁸ Moreover he went into the Synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and exhorting to the things that appertain to the kingdom of God.

⁹ But when certain were hardened, and disobeyed, speaking evil of the way of God before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, and disputed daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

¹⁰ And this was done by the space of two years, so that all they which dwelt in Asia, heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Grecians.

¹¹ And God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul,

¹² So that from his body were brought unto the sick, kerchiefs or handkerchiefs, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

¹³ Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took in hand to name over them which had evil spirits, the Name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.

¹⁴ (And there were certain sons of Sceva a Jew, the Priest, about seven which did this)

¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered, and said, Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know: but who are ye?

¹⁶ And the man in whom the evil spirit was, ran on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house, naked, and wounded.

¹⁷ And this was known to all the Jews and Grecians also, which dwelt at Ephesus, and fear came on them all, and the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified,

¹⁸ And many that believed, came and confessed, and showed their works.

¹⁹ Many also of them which used curious arts, brought their books, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

²⁰ So the word of God grew mightily, and prevailed.

²¹ Now when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Hierusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

²² So sent he into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus, but he remained in Asia for a season.

²³ And the same time there arose no small trouble about that way.

²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius a silversmith, which made silver temples of Diana, brought great gains unto the craftsmen,

²⁵ Whom he called together, with the workmen of like things, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our goods:

²⁶ Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath persuaded, and turned away much people, saying, That they be not gods which are made with hands.

²⁷ So that not only this thing is dangerous unto us, that this our portion shall be reproved, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be nothing esteemed, and that it would come to pass that her magnificence, which all Asia and the world worshipeth, should be destroyed.

²⁸ Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

²⁹ And the whole city was full of confusion, and they rushed into the common place with one assent, and caught Gaius, and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, and Pauls companions of his journey.

³⁰ And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

³¹ Certain also of the chief of Asia which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not present himself in the Common place.

³² Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was out of order, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

³³ And some of the company drew forth Alexander, the Jews thrusting him forwards. Alexander then beckoned with his hand, and would have excused the matter to the people.

³⁴ But when they knew that he was a Jew, there arose a shout almost for the space of two hours, of all men crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

³⁵ Then the town clerk when he had stayed the people, said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image, which came down from Jupiter?

³⁶ Seeing then that no man can speak against these things, ye ought to be appeased, and to do nothing rashly.

³⁷ For ye have brought hither these men, which have neither committed sacrilege, neither do blaspheme your goddess.

³⁸ Wherefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are Deputies: let them accuse one another.

³⁹ But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it may be determined in a lawful assembly.

⁴⁰ For we are even in jeopardy to be accused of this days sedition, for as much as there is no cause, whereby we may give a reason of this concourse of people.

⁴¹ And when he had thus spoken, he let the assembly depart.

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.

A Christian Directory

From Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, 1673.

5. The Husband is to excel the Wife in Knowledge, and be her Teacher in the matters that belong to her salvation. He must instruct her in the Word of God, and direct her in particular duties, and help her to subdue her own corruptions, and labor to confirm her against temptations: If she doubt of anything that he can resolve her in, she is to ask his resolution, and he to open to her at home, the things which she understood not in the Congregation, 1 Cor. 14. 35. But if the husband be indeed an ignorant sot, or have made himself unable to instruct his wife, she is not bound to ask him in vain to teach her that which he understandeth not himself. Those husbands that despise the word of God, and live in wilful ignorance, do not only despise their own souls, but their families also; and making themselves unable for their duties, they are usually themselves despised by their inferiors; For God hath told such in his message to Eli, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

6. The Husband must be the principal Teacher of the family. He must instruct them, and examine them, and rule them about the matters of God, as well as his own service, and see that the Lords Day and Worship be observed by all that are within his gates. And therefore he must labor for such understanding and ability as is necessary hereunto. And if he be unable or negligent, it is his sin and will be his shame. If the wife be wiser and abler, and it be cast upon her, it is his dishonor: But if neither of them do it, the sin and shame and suffering will be common to them both.

7. The Husband is to be the mouth of the family in their daily conjunct prayers unto God. Therefore he must be able to pray, and also have a praying heart. He must be as it were the Priest of the household, and therefore should be the most Holy, that he may be fit to stand between them and God, and to offer up their prayers to him. If this be cast on the Wife it will be his dishonor.

Let us pray.

Let us pray. A prayer of John Calvin.

Grant, Almighty God, that since thou hast once shone upon us by thy gospel,—O grant, that we may always be guided by this light, and so guided, that all our lusts may be restrained; and may the power of thy Spirit extinguish in us every sinful fervour, that we may not grow hot with our own perverse desires, but that all these being subdued, we may gather new fervour daily, that we may breathe after thee more and more: nor let the coldness of our flesh ever take possession of us, but may we continually advance in the way of piety, until at length we come to that blessed rest, to which thou invitest us, and which has been obtained for us by the blood of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tonight at your table

Tonight at your table, read Genesis 20 and Matthew 19 with your household.

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