In reading older Reformed works one always comes to the conclusion that Solomon’s well-known words “there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9) are so obviously correct as to be unassailable. This is most true it seems when it comes to the Presbyterian church and her worship. As anyone reading this post is more than aware there has been quite a declension in the normal mode of operations when it comes to the Lord’s Day worship of the people of God in our several Presbyterian denominations over the last century. What once was a hallmark of our faith (Regulative Principle worship) has given way to a hodgepodge of everything from Broad Evangelical worship concerts to near-High Church Anglican practices. The Sabbath is a complete unknown, and in fact is derided, mocked, and ignored. Much digital ink has been spilled chronicling the truth that just because it says “Presbyterian” on the door is no guarantee what one will find inside. While a few still hold on to the older, biblical forms finding even moderately regulated worship in confessional Presbyterian churches is becoming more and more rare the longer we are away from the position of our forefathers.
Now it is certainly the case that there is a resurgence of sorts in our circles, especially as books from the period of fidelity to WCF 21 become more available via the common grace blessings of the fine folks at Internet Archive and Google, but this is not what one would call a significant, or even negligible sea change in the general trajectory of confessional Presbyterianism in America (or elsewhere) today.
Going back to the aforementioned dead white guys and my reading thereof I recently stumbled across a short work by Scottish Free Church minister James Begg. Begg is probably best known in Scotland for his work with Thomas Chalmers in moving the government to provide better living conditions for the poor (not sure how that sits with the libertarian streak in Presbyterianism these days, but that is another issue for another blog post) and was also involved with Dr. Chalmers in the creation of the Free Church after the Disruption of 1843.
Along with all of these things Dr. Begg also found time to write a number of works concerning the worship of the Church. In the following he gives a sermon of warning against the changing tide, both in the established Church of Scotland and in his own Free Church assembly. I am going to provide some quotations from his work “Anarchy in Worship” to illustrate that the problems he faced in his day with worship came down to the basic principles of what we believe and why we believe it and that these same things still trouble our churches today. As you read these quotations, since this is a blog focused on “experimental” religion, I want you to think and pray about your own worship practices, the reasons for them, and if they meet the standard set by the Word of God. If your service on the Lord’s Day does follow the RPW to the proverbial “T” is your worship merely a formal exercise or is a true spiritual, grace-saturated, loving devotion to our common Lord a reality for your congregation? Take a moment and consider these admonitions:
“Hence the true scriptural principle and that of our Church is, that we must find a Divine warrant or ‘prescription’ for everything that we do in the worship of God. It is not enough that a thing is not forbidden. It must be expressly commanded by God, and that as a duty binding under the New Testament dispensation, or it is absolutely inadmissible in worship. John Knox clearly announces and defends this principle, ‘All worshiping, honoring, or service invented by the brain of man,’ says he, ‘in the religion of God, without His own express commandment, is idolatry.'” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 7
“And that is principal idolatry when our own inventions we defend to be righteous in the sight of God, because we think them good, laudable, and pleasant. We may not think us so free nor wise that we may do unto God and unto His honour what we think expedient. No! The contrary is commanded in Deut 4:2 by God, saying, ‘Unto my word shall ye add nothing; nothing shall ye diminish therefrom, that ye may observe the precepts of the Lord your God,’ which words are not to be understood of the Decalogue and moral law only, but of statutes, rites and ceremonies; for equal obedience of all His laws requireth God. … Of this many falsely conclude they, or the Kirk, may do anything that seems good for the glory of God, and whatsoever the Church does that means acceptance and approval of God.” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 8
“Every Presbyterian office-bearer is as much bound as we are to maintain and vindicate these principles, and neither directly nor indirectly to connive at their subversion. We live, however, unfortunately, in a day when ‘truce breaking’- cf. WLC 145 is not uncommon; and when many, instead of following ‘no divisive courses,’ according to their solemn vows, seem to make the promotion of innovations in the worship of God one of their favorite employments.” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 13
“When vital religion is low, men attempt to make up for the want of spiritual life by external and carnal appliances, whilst ministers destitute of moral courage are ready to humor the wishes of the people, instead of standing up boldly for the authority of God.” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 16
“The simple worship of Scotland, coupled with a full exposition of the word of the living God, has been the means under God of elevating the common people of our land with its barren soil and inhospitable climate to a moral and intellectual elevation which has left effeminate and sensuous nations far behind; and it will be the greatest crime if this is exchanged for what is called aesthetic worship, appealing to the senses but not improving the soul.” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 24
“Two things besides are forgotten when men speak of making the worship of Scotland ‘attractive’ even if it were lawful. The one is, that we cannot, without a total change of system, gratify all aesthetic tastes, and that otherwise we are merely preparing men for Prelacy or Popery.” — James Begg, “Anarchy in Worship”, pg. 25
And to finish hear his words as he closes this short, but necessary work:
fireandhammerreformation.wordpress.com 