I have searched other posts on the PB on this subject and found nothing clearly defining the Continental View of the Sabbath.

Could you define the Continental View of the Sabbath?

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Rev. Andrew J. Barnes
Husband of Dena
Pastor of Tchula Presbyterian Church

Hay:

The Continental view of the Sabbath is the same as the Puritan View found in the Westminster Confession of Faith. However, they argue in a different fashion.

The Ceremonial nature of the Sabbath has been done away with. But the law to observe one day in seven as a rest from work and play to devote oneself to the Lord has not been rescinded.

Hope it helps,

CalvinandHodge

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In Essentials Unity, in non-Essentials Liberty, in all things Charity.

Robert Paul Wieland
Springs Reformed Presbyterian Church
Colorado Springs, CO RPCNA
Student at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh PA
B.B. Warfield's definition of Theological Students: "Angels preparing to sound the Trumpets."

Not really, sorry.

Could you or someone be very very specific and clear. You confused me by mixing views.

The "Continental view" is often alledged by some to be more lenient than the Puritan view of the Sabbath, often perpetuated by the myth of Calvin bowling on the Sabbath.

But in reality, the Continentals were for all practical purposes identical in practice to the Puritans. They both held to a strict resting from worldly labors and a great focus upon public and private worship.

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Patrick
OPC
MDiv, RTS Jackson.

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.

After the international delegates returned home, the Synod The Synod of Dort (1618–19) dealt with many practical issues facing the Dutch Reformed churches. In its 164th session on May 17, 1619, the Synod issued the following doctrinal deliverance concerning the fourth Commandment:

1. There is in the fourth commandment of the divine law a ceremonial and a moral element.

2. The ceremonial element is the rest of the seventh day after creation, and the strict observance of that day imposed especially on the Jewish people.

3. The moral element consists in the fact that a certain definite day is set aside for worship and so much rest as is needful for worship and hallowed meditation.

4. The Sabbath of the Jews having been abolished, the day of the Lord must be solemnly hallowed by Christians.

5. Since the times of the apostles this day has always been observed by the old catholic church.

6. This day must be so consecrated to worship that on that day we rest from all servile works, except those which charity and present necessity require; and also from all such recreations as interfere with worship.

[Cited in Howard B. Spaan, Christian Reformed Church Government (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1968), 208.]

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Rev. Daniel R. Hyde
Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church, Carlsbad/Oceanside, California
Th.M. candidate, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

Dear Danny,

Thanks for the citation brother. I noticed that no mention was made of Sunday having to be the day of rest. My understanding was that this was the Continental view of the Sabbath. Then there were those of the Nadere Reformatie (the Voetians) who believed the Sabbath had to be Sunday. And, of course, there were the Cocceians who believed that the Sabbath had been completely abrogated by the coming of Christ.

Every blessing.

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Marty
Minister / Theological Educator
Anglican Church of Australia
(On Sabbatical) Cambridge, UK.
"There is nothing so necessary to draw us to repentance as good thoughts of God." (Thomas Manton)

That is a little different than the WCF, Chap. 21, wrt recreation:

The difference between the Nadere Reformatie/Voetians and Cocceians on the Fourth Commandment was significant.

It should also be noted that the Continental Reformed, except for the Nadere Reformatie, also allowed for man-made holy days, contra the Westminster understanding of the Fourth Commandment, which teaches that the only holy day to be kept is the Christian Sabbath.

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

What of Sunday being the Christian sabbath? I thought the Continental reformers were more diverse on this with some saying that the church picked Sunday to be the sabbath, but they could have picked any day. The Wesminster Standards seem to be more specific on this point.

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Scott Roper
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA): "A bunch of hippie Calvinists"
Winston-Salem, NC

"The day of the Lord;" that is to say, the Lord's Day, or the first day of the week.

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Sean P.M. McDonald
Communicant Member of Springs Reformed Church (RPCNA), Colorado Springs, CO
Attending Lisbon Reformed Presbyterian Church, Lisbon, NY
Infantryman, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY
Engaged to Laura A. Doman of Grand Rapids, MI
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"Lex praescribit, evangelium inscribit." (The law prescribes, the gospel inscribes.)

I confess to an honest ambivalence toward this issue. I can see strengths of both views: the Puritan, which forbids recreation on the Sabbath, and the Continental, which permits it.

And, Dort's clause is, like many, ambiguous. Does recreation "that interferes with worship" mean that which would keep us from attending church services? Or, does it mean any that pre-empts any act of public or private worship at any time of the day?

It would seem that it would not be the latter, because any recreation at all will interfere with Sunday worship if that worship is to be done throughout the entire day. I wish I could know exactly what the Synod meant.

It does seem that it is not a bad idea to try to worship God throughout the day, because we can never worship God enough. On the other hand, it does seem that recreation(though, perhaps, not any and all kinds) might be permissible on Sunday, because it does seem from the first reference to the Sabbath in Genesis that a purpose for it is to enjoy creation.

Please - if you have any response, for or against these statements, I would like to read them.

Welcome to the board Endymion. Please see the link below my signature on how to fix your signature to be in accord with board rules. Thanks very much.

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
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The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

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I've always enjoyed this comment relayed by Terry Johnson:

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Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Blog: Gairney Bridge

I seem to recall reading somewhere (maybe even here on the PB) about the "Continental" reformed taking it too easy on the Sabbath. I believe they were referred to as the "licentious Dutch".

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Kevin
Far East
Deacon, Int'l Church

Is this book possibly still available?

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Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."

It looks like you can find used copies here.

Excellent! Thankyou.

You are welcome, brother.

Hello Matthew,

There is a little more historical info in the Church Order Commentary of Monsma and VanDellen, although it is a bit more expensive. Heritage Books sells new copies of this book here: Reformation Heritage Books

Thankyou Danny. I am enjoying a deeper exploration into the Dutch Reformed tradition. Is there a Dutch equivalent to the Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology?

Not that I know of in English. There is a large series of books by Eerdmans on the Reformed Church in America (the mainline denom that arrived in the New World in the early 1600's). Here is a link: eerdmans.com - Book Display

Thanks for that link. Perhaps you have contacts over there who might be interested in promoting a Dictionary-like project. [hint; hint]