Some well-meaning Reformed Christians rightly understand how problematic “church calendar” observance is, given Scripture’s teaching on the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) and the Sabbath. In some sense they agree with the Puritan and Westminsterian position that man-made holy days are unwarranted by Scripture. And yet, while not wanting to entirely abandon them, two sorts… Read More Secular Holy Days?
King Charles I (1600-1649) did many things to persecute the Puritans in England and to impose high church Anglicanism on the Church of Scotland. In 1637, he had commissioned a Scottish version of the Book of Common Prayer and forced its use upon all the churches of Scotland, despite their commitment to the Regulative Principle… Read More Reasons Against The Book of Common Prayer
William PerkinsA Golden ChainWorks VI, pp. 76-85 Thou shalt neither worship false gods, nor the true God with false worship. Many things are here forbidden. (1) The representation of God by an image. The representation of God by an image. For it is a lie. “What profiteth the image? For the maker thereof hath made… Read More Ten Sins Forbidden by the 2nd Commandment
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him… (John 10:22-24a) Did Jesus religiously observe the Feast of Dedication as an ecclesiastical holy day even though it was not instituted… Read More Did Jesus Observe Hanukkah?
William Attersoll (d. 1640), A Commentary on the Book of Numbers, pp. 455-458. [1] “And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two… Read More God’s Special Presence in Public Worship
Men’s institutions cannot be admitted and practiced in the worship of God, without incurring the guilt of a very great sin. There is not only a sin committed by them that invent and appoint them, nor only by them that preach them and tie them upon men’s consciences, but it is also no small sin in those that comply with, and yield conformity to them. Indifferency in the matter is not sufficient to justify a tradition in worship. A divine precept is necessary to warrant every part of religious worship.… Read More The Sinfulness of Worshiping God With Men’s Institutions
‘For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin.’ (Hebrews 10:4) These were called “sin offerings,” because they were types of Christ’s sacrifice, which did indeed take away sin, but they themselves could not, and that by reason of the disproportion betwixt the means of cleansing on the one side, and the thing cleansed, together with the filth cleansed away on the other side. The means were merely external, earthly and carnal, namely, the blood of beasts. The thing to be cleansed, was the soul of man, which is a spiritual substance.… Read More The Impotency of External Rites in Spiritual Matters
David Clarkson (1622-1686)Practical Works, vol. 3, ch. 7. Listen to a reading of this treatise here. “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” Psalm 86:2. That we may apprehend the meaning of these words, and so thereupon raise some edifying observation, we must inquire into the reason why the… Read More Public Worship to be Preferred Before Private
The consequences of the Coronavirus have been dire, though not so much for public health, as for political liberty. Who could have predicted that for a flu which over ninety-nine percent survive we would lock down, mask up, and by a thousand stringent rules do irreparable harm to countless lives, families, businesses, and churches, all… Read More Hate Tyranny? Cancel Christmas
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor. 14:40). “…there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church…” (WCF 1.6). James Bannerman The Church of Christ III.ii.i.2.4, pp. 368-379. Although the Church has no power in regard to the ceremonies and institutions of Divine service, except to… Read More What are Circumstances of Worship?
Purely Presbyterian 