The substance of "The Puritan Principle of Worship" was delivered on December 18, 1957 at the Puritan Conference, London. The article was published serially in Blue Banner Faith and Life, vols. 14-16 (1959-61), edited by Johannes G. Vos. We have extensively reorganized the material for greater clarity of presentation. Editorial revisions by Sherman Isbell of this article and of its footnotes are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in other media, or mirrored at other sites without written permission of Sherman Isbell.
The Testimony of the English Puritan Authors
The Westminster Standards contain the consensus of English Puritan and Scottish Presbyterian judgment as to the regulative principle. Whatever difference of opinion there was in the Westminster Assembly as to church government, there was unanimity as to the regulation of worship. Where the English Puritans were more scrupulous than their Scottish brethren in objecting to the singing of a doxology at the close of a Psalm, the Scottish divines were willing cheerfully to give up their time-honored custom for the sake of uniformity in a matter where they were not called on to sacrifice principle. The same view of the regulative principle that appears in Knox's argument against the Mass, and in George Gillespie's Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies (1637), was followed by the English Puritans in contending against the Mass and the ceremonies not sanctioned in Scripture.
Indicative of the stance taken in early English Puritanism is the discussion of the second commandment found in William Perkins' A Warning Against the Idolatry of the Last Times, and An Instruction Touching Religious or Divine Worship (1603). "The second way of erecting an idol is, when God is worshipped otherwise, and by other means, than he hath revealed in the Word. For when men set up a devised worship, they set up also a devised God. Augustine saith of the Gentiles, that they refused to worship the God of the Hebrews, because, if their pleasures were to worship him in any other sort than he had appointed, they should not indeed worship him, but that which they had feigned. [Margin: Aug., De Consensu Evang., lib. 1, c. 18: Si alio modo Deum colere vellent, quam se colendum ipse dixisset, non utique illum colerent, sed quod ipsi finxissent.] The Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and they waited for the coming of the Messiah. And yet Christ saith of them, Ye worship ye know not what [Margin: John 4:22], because they worshipped the true God by a worship devised of old, and set up by men. The Lord saith to the Israelites, Ye shall call me no more Baali, whereby he signifieth that because the Jews did some time worship God in the same manner, with the same images, rites, and names, whereby the heathen worshipped the false god Baal, therefore they made him indeed to be even as the idol Baal. . . . God's worship must be according to his nature, heavenly, divine, and spiritual; but all devised worship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser: foolish, carnal, vain, as Christ saith, Matt. 15:9. . . . And according to this worship is the God that is worshipped. Therefore when God is worshipped, not according to his own will, but according to the pleasure and will of man, the true God is not worshipped, but a God of man's invention is set up. One notable example we have in this kind: when God is either represented or worshipped in any image of man's devising, there is presently made a double idol. The one is the image representing, the other is God represented, who is by this means turned into an idol.(36)
"The second point, is the rule of worship, and that is, that nothing may go under the name of the worship of God, which he hath not ordained in his own Word, and commanded to us as his own worship. For we are forbidden under pain of the curse of God, either to add, or to take away anything from the precepts of God in which he prescribes his own worship. . . . Again, the Lord forbids us in his worship to follow after our own hearts and eyes, or to walk in the ordinances of our forefathers, but only in his commandments. And he holds it a vain thing, to teach his worship and fear by the precepts of men. . . . All voluntary religion, and will-service, is utterly condemned. Therefore nothing may go under the name of God's worship, but that which he prescribes. It is alleged to the contrary, that when a work is done without commandment, so there be an intention to honor God, it is the worship of God. I answer, it is false. For that any work or action may be the worship of God, four things are required: The person or doer must be regenerate, the matter of the work must be a thing commanded, it must be done in faith, and then, in the intention of the mind, it must be directed to the honor of God. Secondly, the intention to honor God is not always good, unless it be an intention to honor him by yielding obedience to that which he commandeth. Again, it is alleged that a work done in love to God, though there be no commandment thereof, is the worship of God. I answer that love keeps itself to the Word, and will of God, and things done without a word from God are not of love. For love is the fulfilling of the law [Margin: Gal. 5:14]."(37) "For God is not worshipped of us, but when it is his will to accept our worship: and it is not his will to accept our worship, but when it is according to his will."(38)
Perkins also explains the second commandment in chapter 21 of his A Golden Chain, or the Description of Theology (1608). "The second commandment then concerneth the manner of performing holy and solemn worship unto God."(39) Among the things forbidden, Perkins mentions "will-worship, when God is worshipped with a naked and bare good intention, not warranted by the Word of God. Col. 2:23, I Sam. 13:9-10, verse 13. Hitherto may we add popish superstitions in sacrifices, meats, holidays, apparel, temporary and beadridden prayers, indulgences, austere life, whipping, ceremonies, gestures, gate conversation, pilgrimage, building of altars, pictures, churches, and all other of that rabble. To these may be added consort in music in divine service, feeding the ears, not edifying the mind. I Cor. 14:15. Justinus Martyr in his Book of Christian Questions and Answers 107: It is not the custom of the churches to sing their meters with any such kind of instruments, etc., but their manner is only to use plain-song."(40)
"Corrupting of God's worship, and that order of government, which he hath ordained for his church: that which is done, when any thing is added, detracted, or any way, against his prescript, mangled. Deut. 12:32. This condemneth that popish elevation of bread in the Lord's Supper, and the administration of it alone to the people without wine, together with that fearful abomination of the Mass. By this we may learn to reject all popish traditions. Matt. 15:9. Now it is manifest, that all popish traditions, they either on their own nature, or others abusing of them, serve as well to superstition and false worship, as to enrich that covetous and proud hierarchy, whereas the Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament, are all-sufficient, not only to confirm doctrine, but also to reform manners. II Tim. 3:16."(41)
Perkins' teaching about the regulative principle of worship may be summarized as follows. 1. Commandment in the narrow sense is not required. What God reveals to be acceptable to Him is warranted, even though it is not commanded so as to be binding on all. Thus Perkins, in answer to the objection "that vows in the Old Testament were a part of the worship of God, and that they were not commanded," responds: "Though God did not bind all men by a commandment to make vows, yet hath he testified in his Word, that vows were acceptable to him, for he prescribed the manner of vows, and the manner of making, and the keeping of them."(42) 2. A particular commandment is not required if a general one has been given and the particular is an instance of it. "It is urged, that Mary who anointed Christ, had no commandment so to do, and yet she did a work acceptable to Christ. I answer, though she had no particular commandment yet she had a general. For the work she did, was a confession of her faith and love to Christ, and that is commanded."(43)
3. The content of worship does not belong to the adiaphora. Perkins considers the case of Paul preaching the gospel freely, and looking for his reward from God, for which he had no commandment. "I answer, to take a stipend for preaching the gospel, is in itself a thing indifferent, and may be done, or not done. Yet was it not a thing indifferent in the church in Corinth, by reason of the offence of many. And therefore Paul preaching freely, and he could do no otherwise, unless he would have abused (as he saith) his authority. For a thing indifferent in the case of scandal, ceaseth to be indifferent, and is a thing commanded."(44)
4. The prescribing of worship does not belong to ministerial authority. To refute this Puritan teaching, Luke 10:16 had been adduced. "I answer, first the place is properly to be understood, not of all teachers, but of the apostles. Secondly, if it be spoken of all teachers the words must be understood with limitation, for thus is the ministerial commission, Teach them to observe all things which I have commanded you. . . . Thus the truth of this rule is manifest, and we must lay it up in our hearts as a treasure, and never suffer ourselves to be deprived of it, for the use of it is great. By it we may discern the profaneness of our times. All men can say, God must be worshipped. But when it comes to the point, what is the worship wherewith they honor God? Surely, what they list themselves. Some worship God with their good meaning, some with their good dealing, some with the babbling of a few words, as namely, of the Apostles Creed, and Ten Commandments for prayers. This service of God is very common, but alas, it is poor service. For the rule of divine honor is not the will of him that honoreth, but the will of him which is honored. Secondly, here we learn to detest the service and worship which is performed to God in the Church of Rome. For it contains many parts and points of will-worship, having no warrant from God, either by commandment or promise. . . . For these and many other practices, let them bring forth the Word of God, if they can. They plead for many things, that they have the word of traditions. I answer, that traditions ecclesiastical are no word of God, but the word of man. And traditions which are called apostolical, are either of no moment, or doubtful. For how shall we know certainly, that they were the traditions of the Apostles, considering none hath said so, but some of the Fathers, whose testimonies are not sufficient, because they are subject to error?"(45)
Notes
(36) William Perkins, The Workes, 3 vols. (Cambridge: John Legate, 1608-09), 1:659-60.
(37) Ibid., 1:683-84.
(38) Ibid., 1:661.
(39) Ibid., 1:35.
(40) Ibid., 1:38.
(41) Ibid.
(42) Ibid., 1:684.
(43) Ibid.
(44) Ibid.
(45) Ibid.
Go to the next installment:
The Puritan Principle of Worship: Part V