WORSHIP: THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE OF WORSHIP IN
HISTORY
by Dr. Reg Barrow (1991)
...the acceptable way of
worshipping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own
revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and
devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation,
or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture (WCF 21:1).
What thing soever I command
you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it (Deut.
12:32).
But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Matt. 15:9).
Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt
not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the
third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto
thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments (Exod. 20:4-6).
It was an amazing discovery to read, for
the first time, of the regulative principle of worship about a year ago.1 This
was over ten years after my eyes had been opened to the Gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ and also after having spent a number of years in a Bible
Presbyterian Church (in which I never even once heard this great controlling
principle mentioned).2 Sadly, this was also after a number of debates had taken
place in this church over music and liturgy, all of which could have easily
been settled by an appeal to the confessional standards that the Bible Presbyterian
elders had vowed to uphold (i.e. the Westminster Confession of Faith). The sufficiency of the WCF in this area can be
easily illustrated, (especially concerning the use of instrumental music in
public worship), by a quotation from pages 31-32 of James
Begg's book Anarchy in Worship,3
When we come down to the Westminster Assembly, by
which our present Standards were framed, it is unnecessary to repeat how
clearly these Standards embody the same principle, viz., that pure and
acceptable worship must be "prescribed," or "appointed" by
God himself. But it may be important to bring out the clear evidence which we
have, that during the second Reformation our ancestors insisted on uniformity
of worship and the Commissioners at Westminster and the Assembly in Scotland,
regarded their principle of worship as clearly excluding instrumental music,
and all other things abolished, along with the peculiarities of the temple
service. By an Act of the Assembly of Scotland, 1643, a directory for worship
was appointed to be prepared and reported to next assembly, to the intent
"that unity and uniformity might be observed throughout the kingdom in all
parts of the public worship of God." Our Commissioners to the Westminster
Assembly, including the most eminent ecclesiastics then in Scotland, reported
on May 20, 1644, that "plain and powerful preaching" had been set up,
and "THE GREAT ORGANS AT PAUL'S AND PETER'S IN WESTMINSTER TAKEN
DOWN," and "all by authority in a quiet manner, at noonday without
tumult." In answer, the General Assembly here, June 4, 1644, writes to the
Assembly at Westminster: "We were greatly refreshed to hear by letter from
our Commissioners there with you, of your praiseworthy proceedings, and of the
great good things the Lord hath wrought among you and for you. Shall it seem a
small thing in our eyes that....the door of a right entry unto faithful
shepherds is opened; many corruptions, as altars, images, and other monuments
of idolatry and superstition, removed, defaced, and abolished; the service-book
in many places forsaken; and plain and powerful preaching set up; THE GREAT
ORGANS AT PAUL'S AND PETER'S TAKEN DOWN; that the royal chapel is purged and
reformed; sacraments sincerely administered, and according to the pattern in
the mount?" From this it is clear that the Westminster Divines, and our
own Church in those days, would have made short work with the Dunse case, and
with all questions of instrumental music in worship. This was certainly
regarded as one of the last corruptions introduced, dating only from about the
eighth century, and never having found admission into the Greek Church at all.
At this point some may be asking, What is
this regulative principle? James Glasgow gives us a succinct answer,
That principle was substantially this, that for all
the constituents of worship, you require the positive sanction of divine
authority, either in the shape of direct command, or good and necessary
consequence, or approved example; and that you are not at liberty to introduce
anything else in connection with the worship of God, unless it comes
legitimately under the apostolic heading of 'decency and order.'4
After citing the instance of Begg's quote
concerning the
Westminster Assembly (supra), Glasgow further illustrates this principle,
They (the
Westminster Divines--RB) contended, I think unanswerably, that the truth of
this principle is involved in what the Scripture teaches concerning its own
sufficiency, God's exclusive right to settle the constitution, laws, and
arrangements of His kingdom, the unlawfulness of will worship, and the utter
unfitness of men for the function which they have so often boldly usurped in
this matter.5
Of course, whole volumes have been written
regarding this definition. But, continuing on, in that this definition has been
generally accepted among Presbyterian/Puritan Christians, Cunningham sets the
stage for more of our historical survey, (while at the same time excluding the
charge of trifling over inconsequential matters), when he writes,
There is a strange fallacy which seems to mislead
men in forming an estimate of the soundness and importance of this principle
(the regulative principle--RB). Because this principle has been often brought
out in connection with the discussion of matters which, viewed in themselves,
are very unimportant, such as rites and ceremonies, vestments and organs,
crossings, kneelings, bowings, and other such ineptæ, some men seem to think that it partakes of the
intrinsic littleness of these things, and that the men who defend and try to
enforce it, find their most congenial occupation in fighting about these small
matters, and exhibit great bigotry and narrow-mindedness in bringing the
authority of God and the testimony of Scripture to bear upon such a number of
paltry points. Many have been led to entertain such views as these of the
English Puritans and of the Scottish Presbyterians, and very much upon the
ground of their maintenance of this principle. Now, it should be quite
sufficient to prevent or neutralize this impression to show, as we think can be
done, 1st, That the principle is taught with sufficient plainness in Scripture,
and that, therefore, it ought to be professed and applied to the regulation of
ecclesiastical affairs. 2d, That, viewed in itself, it is large, liberal, and
comprehensive, such as seems in no way unbecoming its Divine author, and in no
way unsuitable to the dignity of the church as a divine institution, giving to
God His rightful place of supremacy, and to the church, as the body of Christ,
its rightful position of elevated simplicity and purity. 3d, That, when
contemplated in connection with the ends of the church, it is in full
accordance with everything suggested by an enlightened and searching survey of
the tendencies of human nature, and the testimony of all past experience. And
with respect to the connection above referred to, on which the impression we
are combatting is chiefly based, it is surely plain that, in so far as it
exists de facto, this is owing,
not to anything in the tendencies of the principle itself or of its supporters,
but to the conduct of the men who, in defiance of this principle, would obtrude
human inventions into the government and worship of the church, or who insist
upon retaining them permanently after they have once got admittance. The
principle suggests no rites or ceremonies, no schemes or arrangements; it is
purely negative and prohibitionary. Its supporters never devise innovations and
press them upon the church. The principle itself precludes this. It is the
deniers of this principle, and they alone, who invent and obtrude innovations;
and they are responsible for all the mischiefs that ensue from the discussions and
contentions to which these things have given rise.6
Now we can continue to view the historical
position that the Christian church has taken regarding the regulative principle
(with special emphasis on instrumental music). Concerning the Early church Dr.
N. R. Needham has written,
The Early church did not use instrumental music in
its worship.... They considered the practice as pagan or Jewish rather than
Christian. Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old, in his work The Patristic Roots of
Reformed Worship says: "As is
well known, the ancient church did not admit the use of instrumental music in
worship. It was looked upon as a form of worship which like the sacrifices of
the Jerusalem temple prefigured the worship in spirit and truth...." This
concern for the distinctiveness of New Testament worship, and for spirituality
as its central feature, was typical of the early Church fathers. In harmony
with this, the situation in early Church worship was one of "plain"
or unaccompanied singing of psalms.... The use of musical instruments was
rejected as contrary to the tradition of the Apostles--a feature of sensuous
pagan or Old Testament Jewish worship, but not of the spiritual Christian
worship.7
Continuing our walk through history (and
the instrument music example) we can observe how and by whom this principle has
been greatly violated,
With reference to the time when organs were first
introduced into use in the Roman Catholic Church, let us hear Bingham:8
"It is now generally agreed among learned men that the use of organs came
into the church since the time of Thomas Aquinas, Anno 1250; for he, in his
Summs, has these words: 'Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps
and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to
Judaize."...Mr. Wharton also has observed that Marinus Sanutus, who lived
about the year 1290, was the first who brought the use of wind-organs into
churches, whence he was surnamed Torcellus, which is the name for an organ in
the Italian tongue....Let us pause a moment to notice the fact, supported by a
mass of incontrovertible evidence, that the Christian church did not employ
instrumental music in its public worship for 1200 years after Christ....It
deserves serious consideration, moreover, that notwithstanding the ever-accelerated
drift towards corruption in worship as well as in doctrine and government, the
Roman Catholic Church did not adopt this corrupt practice until about the
middle of the thirteenth century....When the organ was introduced into its
worship it encountered strong opposition, and made its way but slowly to
general acceptance. These assuredly are facts that should profoundly impress
Protestant churches. How can they adopt a practice which the Roman Church, in
the year 1200, had not admitted...Then came the Reformation; and the question
arises, How did the Reformers deal with instrumental music in the
church?...Zwingle has already been quoted to show instrumental music was one of
the shadows of the old law which has been realized in the gospel. He pronounces
its employment in the present dispensation "wicked pervicacity."
There is no doubt in regard to his views on the subject, which were adopted by
the Swiss Reformed churches...Calvin is very express in his condemnation of
instrumental music in connection with the public worship of the Christian
church...In his homily on 1 Sam. xviii. 1-9, he delivers himself emphatically
and solemnly upon the subject: "In Popery there was a ridiculous and
unsuitable imitation [of the Jews]. While they adorned their temples, and valued
themselves as having made the worship of God more splendid and inviting, they
employed organs, and many other such ludicrous things, by which the Word and
worship of God are exceedingly profaned (emphasis added--RB), the people being much more attached to those
rites than to the understanding of the divine Word..." Whatever may be the
practice in recent times of the churches of Holland, the Synods of the Reformed
Dutch Church, soon after the Reformation, pronounced very decidedly against the
use of instrumental music in public worship. The National Synod at Middleburg,
in 1581, declared against it, and the Synod of Holland and Zealand, in 1594,
adopted this strong resolution; "That they would endeavor to obtain of the
magistrate the laying aside of organs, and the singing with them in the
churches...." The Provincial Synod of Dort also inveighed severely against
their use...The Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon, ...upholds an apostolic simplicity of
worship. The great congregation which is blessed with the privilege of
listening to his instructions has no organ "to assist" them in
singing...The non-prelatic churches, Independent and Presbyterian, began their
development on the American continent without instrumental music. They followed
the English Puritans and the Scottish Church, which had adopted the principles
of the Calvinistic Reformed Church...It has thus been proved by an appeal to
historical facts, that the church, although lapsing more and more into
defection from the truth and into a corruption of apostolic practice, had no
instrumental music for twelve hundred years; and that the Calvinistic Reformed
Church ejected it from its services as an element of Popery, even the Church of
England having come very nigh to its extrusion from her worship. The historical
argument, therefore, combines with the scriptural and the confessional to raise
a solemn and powerful protest against its employment by the Presbyterian
Church. It is heresy in the sphere of worship.9
Though our standard is unequivocally sola
Scriptura, the historical argument
illustrates how a practice which was a very late comer to church practice, (not
to mention instituted by the Pope of Rome), has gained almost universal
acceptance in our day of declension. Without strict adherence to the regulative
principal, as historically exegeted and espoused by our Presbyterian and
Puritan forefathers, the door to unscriptural innovation in worship is endless.
This principle in worship is the equivalent of God's sovereignty in
soteriology. That is, the "Christian" humanists (Arminians) try to
ascribe salvation to their own wills and not to God's will as the Bible clearly proclaims (John 1:13,
Romans 9). Similarly the Bible condemns human invention in worship as will
worship (Col 2:23), the only acceptable worship being that which is mandated
via God's own will as revealed in the scripture. Girardeau cites Calvin's
commentary on the Psalms, pinpointing the error in this particular practice and
also exposing the source of
many of the ecclesiastical abuses of worship that have crept into the modern
church,
"To sing the praises of God upon the harp and
psaltery," says Calvin, "unquestionably formed a part of the training
of the law and of the service of God under that dispensation of shadows and
figures; but they are not now to
be used in public thanksgiving."10 He says again: "With respect to
the tabret, harp, and psaltery,
we have formerly observed, and will find it necessary afterwards to repeat the
same remark, that the Levites, under the law, were justified in making use of
instrumental music in the worship of God; it having been his will to train his
people, while they were yet tender and like children, by such rudiments until
the coming of Christ. But now, when the clear light of the gospel has dissipated
the shadows of the law and
taught us that God is to be served in a simpler form, it would be to act a
foolish and mistaken part to imitate that which the prophet enjoined only upon
those of his own time."11 He further observes: "We are to remember
that the worship of God was never understood to consist in such outward
services, which were only necessary to help forward a people as yet weak and
rude in knowledge in the spiritual worship of God. A difference is to be
observed in this respect between his people under the Old and under the New
Testament; for now that Christ has appeared, and the church has reached full
age, it were only to bury the light of the gospel should we introduce the
shadows of a departed dispensation. From this it appears that the Papists, as I
shall have occasion to show elsewhere, in employing instrumental music cannot
be said so much to imitate the practice of God's ancient people as to ape it in
a senseless and absurd manner, exhibiting a silly delight in that worship of
the Old Testament which was figurative and terminated with the gospel."12
Once again citing a lengthy section from
Girardeau, (which ends the first chapter of his Instrumental
Music in Public Worship, the
"General Arguments from Scripture"), we read,
The principal (the regulative principle,
scripturally proved in the preceding 22 pages of this highly recommended
book--RB) that has been emphasized is in direct opposition to that
maintained by Romanists and Prelatists, and I regret to say by lax
Presbyterians, that what is not forbidden in the Scriptures is permitted. The Church of England, in her twentieth article,
concedes to the church "a power to decree rites and ceremonies," with
this limitation alone upon its exercise, "that it is not lawful for the
church to ordain anything that is contrary to God's written word." The
principle of the discretionary power of the church in regard to things not
commanded by Christ in his Word,
was the chief fountain from which flowed the gradually increasing tide of
corruptions that swept the Latin church into apostasy from the gospel of God's
grace. And as surely as causes produce their appropriate effects, and history
repeats itself in obedience to that law, any Protestant church which embodies
that principle in its creed is destined, sooner or later, to experience a
similar fate. The same, too, may be affirmed of a church which formally rejects
it and practically conforms to it. The reason is plain. The only bridle that
checks the degenerating tendency of the church--a tendency manifested in all
ages--is the Word of God: for the Spirit of grace Himself ordinarily operates
only in connection with that Word. If this restraint be discarded, the downward
lapse is sure. The words of the great theologian, John Owen--and the British Isles
have produced no greater--are solemn and deserve to be seriously pondered:
"The principle that the church hath power to institute any thing or
ceremony belonging to the worship of God, either as to matter or manner, beyond
the observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such ordinances as
Christ Himself hath instituted, lies at the bottom of all the horrible
superstition and idolatry, of all the confusion, blood, persecution, and wars,
that have for so long a season spread themselves over the face of the Christian
world (all emphases added)."
In view of such considerations as these,
confirmed, as they are, by the facts of all past history, it is easy to see how
irrelevant and baseless is the taunt flung by high churchmen, ritualists and
latitudinarians of every stripe against the maintainers of the opposite
principle, that they are narrow-minded bigots who take delight in insisting
upon trivial details. The truth is exactly the other way. The principle upon
which this cheap ridicule is cast is simple, broad, majestic. It affirms only
the things that God has commanded, the institutions and ordinances that he has
prescribed, and besides this, discharges only a negative office which sweeps
away every trifling invention of man's meretricious fancy. It is not the
supporters of this principle, but their opponents, who delight in insisting
upon crossings, genuflexions and bowings to the east, upon vestments, altars
and candles, upon organs and cornets, and "the dear antiphonies that so
bewitch their prelates and their chapters with the goodly echo they make;"
in fine, upon all that finical trumpery which, inherited from the woman clothed
in scarlet, marks the trend backward to the Rubicon and the seven-hilled mart
of souls.
But whatever others may think or do,
Presbyterians cannot forsake this principle without the guilt of defection from
their own venerable standards and from the testimonies sealed by the blood of
their fathers. Among the principles that the Reformers extracted from the
rubbish of corruption and held up to the light again, none were more
comprehensive, far-reaching and profoundly reforming than this. It struck at
the root of every false doctrine and practice, and demanded the restoration of
the true. Germany has been infinitely the worse because of Luther's failure to
apply it to the full. Calvin enforced it more fully. The great French
Protestant Church, with the exception of retaining a liturgical relic of
popery, gave it a grand application, and France suffered an irreparable loss when
she dragooned almost out of existence the body that maintained it. John Knox
stamped it upon the heart of the Scottish Church, and it constituted the glory
of the English Puritans. Alas! that it is passing into decadence in the
Presbyterian churches of England, Scotland and America. What remains but that
those who still see it, and cling to it as to something dearer than life
itself, should continue to utter, however feebly, however inoperatively, their
unchanging testimony to its truth? It is the acropolis of the church's
liberties, the palladium of her purity. That gone, nothing will be left to
hope, but to strain its gaze towards the dawn of the millennial day. Then--we
are entitled to expect--a more thorough-going and glorious reformation will be
effected than any that has blessed the church and the world since the
magnificent propagation of Christianity by the labors of the inspired apostles
themselves.13
So as not to leave myself open to the
objection that little exegetical proof has been cited in this short newsletter
format, I offer the following three considerations.
First, it would be ridiculous to think
that all (or even a slight percentage) of the testimonies herein adduced, in
favor of the regulative principle, were reached on a basis other than intense
scriptural exegesis. A close inspection of the sources cited in the footnotes
will amply testify of the careful and precise exegetical work that has been
done in this area.
Second, the historical testimony should be
recognized as coming from those who have held the highest regard for scripture.
Many of the men holding to this position put their lives on the line over
Scripture, while those opposing them often tried to mute their testimony with
persecution and even death. Furthermore, this Presbyterian/Puritan testimony
for the regulative principle (and against the use of musical instruments in
public worship) makes up the most totally unanimous historical witness I have
come across in any contested area of theology. At least equal in clearness to
that of the sovereignty of God in salvation--this being the sovereignty of God in worship. Third, in conjunction with all this, it is clear
that many of the most abominable innovations in worship were introduced by
Rome. The cavil that the Reformers were merely reacting to Rome per se, in upholding the regulative principle, is
simplistic at best. It is admitted that the earlier Reformers were reacting,
but righteously reacting against Rome's false and Judaizing hermeneutic. This
hermeneutic, drawing from the shadows, figures and types of the abolished
ceremony of the Old Testament
(Heb. 7-10), justified not only musical instruments in public worship, but also
the mass (a false sacrifice), a false priesthood, and any number of other
detestable practices. Moreover, it implies that the work of Christ in
fulfillment of these shadows and types is not satisfactory or complete. Rome's "harlot
hermeneutic," being as it is, radically opposed to sola Scriptura--the great cry of the Reformers and the
Reformation--necessitates an unbiblical deviation in worship. This is not
surprising. What is surprising is that some of the Romanist innovations in
worship (such as instrumental music in public worship) are now being practiced
by denominations that profess to hold to the Reformed faith, Confessions and
hermeneutic.
In conclusion I will simply state that any
Reconstruction of the Church must begin with a thorough understanding (and the
subsequent practice) of the regulative principle. To deviate here is to open
the floodgates of humanistic innovation in worship, condoning worship devised
by a false hermeneutic and therefore the will of man--Arminianism in
worship in short. This is the
seedbed of idolatry and a sure route to a shipwrecked church. John Knox's
battle to reform Scotland and his call for purity of worship is most
instructive here. Knox states,
The matter is not of so small importance, as some
suppose. The question is, whether God or man ought to be obeyed in matters of
religion? In mouth, all do confess that only God is worthy of sovereignty. But
after many--by the instigation of the devil, and by the presumptuous arrogance
of carnal wisdom and worldly policy--have defaced God's holy ordinance, men
fear not to follow what laws and common consent (mother of all mischief) have
established and commanded. But thus continually I can do nothing but hold, and
affirm all things polluted, yea, execrable and accursed, which God by his Word
has not sanctified in his religion. God grant you his Holy Spirit rightly to
judge.14
Will-worship has proved disastrous in
the past, thus we must heed the warnings of history, a history also filled with testimony to the clear Biblically
based hermeneutic of our Presbyterian and Puritan forefathers--proclaiming the
sovereignty of God in worship and over every area of life!
CHRISTIAN REFORMATION TODAY Issue #18-19
July.-Oct., 1991. Revised Nov., 1995.
OUR FULL CATALOGUE OF FREE AND DISCOUNTED
REFORMED AND PURITAN BOOKS, MP3, VIDEOS, etc., is at:
http://www.puritandownloads.com
http://www.sermonaudio.com/swrb
Follow SWRB on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PuritanDownloads
Follow SWRB
on Twitter at http://twitter.com/swrb
STILL WATERS REVIVAL BOOKS 4710-37A Ave.
Edmonton, AB Canada T6L 3T5
Written and © 1991, 1995 by Dr. Reg
Barrow. Minor revisions 2010. Permission granted to reprint if proper credits
are cited.
FOOTNOTES:
1. A friend while visiting Edmonton had
lent me his copy of The Scriptural Law of Worship by Carl Bogue (Presbyterian Heritage Publications,
1988), which I eagerly devoured, my journey towards the Presbyterian/Puritan
view of worship having finally begun.
2. I later found out that some of the elders
at that BP had never heard of the regulative principle either.
3. As this book (first published in 1875) is
not easily accessible, SWRB is stocking copies which can be obtained (postpaid)
by sending $5.
4. From Heart
and Voice: Instrumental Music in Christian Worship Not Divinely Authorized, (Belfast: Aitchison & Cleeland, late 19th
century), p. 4. This exceedingly rare
book can also be obtained (post paid) in bound photo-copy format from SWRB for
$15. This book is an exegetical treasure which demolishes what the Westminster
Divines, together with the whole Puritan party (cf. Girardeau, Instrumental
Music, pp. 137 ,138), called 'the
badge of Popery,' i.e. the innovation of introducing instrumental music into
Christian worship.
5. Ibid., p. 6.
5. William Cunningham, The Reformers and
the Theology of the Reformation,
(Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth, [1862] 1989), p. 35, 36.
7. Musical Instruments in Worship: Historical
Survey" The Presbyterian,
issue 32, May 1990, pp. 25, 26. Available from: 9 Church Road, Thornbury,
Bristol BS12 1EJ, England.
8. Girardeau cites: Works, Vol. iii., p. 137, ff.
9. John
L. Girardeau, Instrumental Music in the Public Worship of the Church
(Havertown, PA.: New Covenant
Publ. Society, [1888] 1983), pp. 158, 159, 161, 165, 170, 179. Again this book
is available in bound photocopied format (postpaid) from SWRB for $10.
10. Calvin on Ps. lxxi. 22.
11. Calvin on Ps. lxxxi. 3.
12. Calvin on Ps. xcii. 1. All Calvin cited
in Girardeau,
Instrumental Music, pp. 63, 64.
13. Girardeau,
Instrumental Music, pp. 23-26.
14. Knox,
Works VI:14 cited in John Knox, True
and False Worship (Presbyterian
Heritage Publications, rpnt. 1988), p. x.
FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Biblical Worship by Kevin Reed
Concerning
Close Communion by W.J. McKnight
Shunning
the Unlawful Rights of the Ungodly by
John Calvin
A
Brief Examination of Exclusive Psalmody
by Brian Schwertley
Reformation
Worship and Separation from Idolatry by Dr.
Reg Barrow
Instrumental
Music in the Public Worship of the Church
by J.L. Girardeau
Making Shipwreck
of the Faith: Evangelicals and Catholics Together by Kevin Reed
Foundation
for Reformation: The Regulative Principle of Worship by Greg Price
The
Badge of Popery: Musical Instruments in Public Worship by R.J. George
A
Dispute Against English Popish Ceremonies
by George Gillespie
Westminster
Confession of Faith by the Westminster
Divines
Works
of John Knox (6 volumes) by John Knox
Close
Communion by R.J. George
Presbyterian
Worship: Old and New by Kevin Reed
(A Review and Commentary upon Worship in Spirit and Truth, a book by John Frame [Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed
Pub. Co.,1996; paper, 171 pages]. Reed shows how Frame has abandoned the
Reformation, both scripturally and confessionally, in regard to worship. He
also gives an excellent summary of historic Reformed views and then contrasts
them with the novel ideas now being touted by Frame. In light of the fact that
Frame teaches at a Presbyterian seminary and is also a Presbyterian pastor (in
the P.C.A.), Reed notes the "distressing implications regarding the
disingenuous nature of confessional subscription within both the churches and
the seminaries." Moreover, Reed comments that "there are also
troubling ramifications concerning the doctrine of scripture, since the
regulative principle rests upon the foundation of the sufficiency of scripture,
with respect to worship." He continues by concluding that "Frame's
book furnishes patent evidence that ecclesiastical discipline is lacking in the
churches, and that seminary professors can teach heterodox views with impunity.
If Presbyterians took their creed seriously, Mr. Frame would be removed from
both the seminary and the pastorate, and not allowed to teach. But in the
current situation, the majority of pastors, seminarians, and the people are
partners in the crimes of corrupt worship and confessional laxity. 'A wonderful
and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and
the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so.'")
Click here for more
free Puritan books, Reformation MP3s and Calvinistic videos.
User
Comments & Reviews On the Puritan Hard Drive (works on both PCs and Macs)
"I am blown away by it!"
"I was totally amazed at what it is able to do." "You will be
floored by this product. Amazing!" "Best Reference Tool Ever!"
"Having all of these resources in one place is genius." "It is a
tremendous blessing of God." "The search tools are, by themselves,
well worth the price of the Puritan Hard Drive." "Bravo!"
"A wonderful and powerful tool." "... this tremendous program."
"A huge time-saver for my own learning, preaching, teaching and
counseling." "The speed itself is amazing!" "A tremendous
asset to my library." "In one resource, the vast wealth of God
working through His chosen elect for hundreds of years." "The Puritan
Hard Drive (by God's grace - ed.) will instill the truth of the sovereignty,
immutability, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience of our God..."
"I received your wonderful hard drive. Praise the Lord."
"Provides a well-rounded approach to my own theology." "A record
of the true Church of God rising from the ashes of the Church burned to nothing
by the late 1400's..." "The Puritan Hard Drive is the beginning of
something special I believe."
Full
User Comments & Puritan Hard Drive Reviews (at PuritanDownloads.com,
SWRB's new Web site)
Many
Free Puritan Hard Drive Videos
The book, The Canterbury Tales: An
Extended Review and Commentary Based upon the Geneva Papers, can be purchased from Still Waters Revival Books
at the address listed below.
An electronic version is also available
free of charge on our web page at: The Canterbury Tales: An Extended Review and
Commentary Based upon the Geneva Papers
Free at: http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/Canterbu.htm
Still Waters Revival Books, 4710-37A Ave., Edmonton, AB, Canada T6L 3T5
(Reformation resources free and at great
discounts!)
Phone:
+1 780 450 3730
E-mail: swrb@swrb.com
Reformed
Worship, The Regulative Principle, etc.