D. Paul
Puritan Board Sophomore
As I was listening to an audio of this book, the following paragraph struck me:
The purity of worship practised in the Presbyterian Church ever since the Reformation has not been thrust upon her from without. It has been the result of her own view of Scripture, and of her own deliberate choice; nay, it has been maintained by a determined and heroic struggle for ages on the part of her noblest sons. The appointment of all her ministers, besides, is only made conditionally; the condition being that, before their settlement, or acquiring any rights, they shall avow and subscribe their adherence to all her distinctive principles and peculiarities. To allege that they may afterwards set these avowals at defiance, and still retain their offices, is to outrage morality and overthrow the liberty of the Church and her congregations. No man is forced to become one of her ministers. All enter into office and take the necessary vows with the most unconstrained freedom; and if they are afterwards dissatisfied, and wish to introduce novelties, they are at the most perfect liberty to withdraw and join a more congenial fellowship. Honest men, on finding that they cannot fulfil their vows, will surley adopt this alternative, will withdraw and take the consequences. [Anarchy in Worship pp44, 45]
If the Presbyterian view and contention is true (and I believe it is), that true worship is instituted by God Himself and thus finds Divine warrant through express command, and, as Begg further states:
It is important to understand clearly the true scriptural principle of worship as laid down by our Reformers, and to distinguish it from other views and from counterfeits. The principle of pure worship as held by Presbyterians in oppostition to other theories is set forth clearly in our standards.
then my question is this:
Does not every other expression of "worship" as advocated by today's wayward contemporary "church" fall under this term "counterfeit" and is therefore unacceptable to God? Why, then, would Begg make the allowance for these certain ministers who will not "subscribe their adherence" to go off and "join a more congenial fellowship"? Would they not be joined to the counterfeit and thus become apostate? Are we to infer, then, that since scripture is clear and the Presbyterian view is the most faithful to scripture, all these denominations are also apostate in this regard?
What am I to do in my own church where "innovation" has become the norm? Am I apostate?
I have read other threads here regarding this, but Beggs comments seemed to crystalize the matter.
The purity of worship practised in the Presbyterian Church ever since the Reformation has not been thrust upon her from without. It has been the result of her own view of Scripture, and of her own deliberate choice; nay, it has been maintained by a determined and heroic struggle for ages on the part of her noblest sons. The appointment of all her ministers, besides, is only made conditionally; the condition being that, before their settlement, or acquiring any rights, they shall avow and subscribe their adherence to all her distinctive principles and peculiarities. To allege that they may afterwards set these avowals at defiance, and still retain their offices, is to outrage morality and overthrow the liberty of the Church and her congregations. No man is forced to become one of her ministers. All enter into office and take the necessary vows with the most unconstrained freedom; and if they are afterwards dissatisfied, and wish to introduce novelties, they are at the most perfect liberty to withdraw and join a more congenial fellowship. Honest men, on finding that they cannot fulfil their vows, will surley adopt this alternative, will withdraw and take the consequences. [Anarchy in Worship pp44, 45]
If the Presbyterian view and contention is true (and I believe it is), that true worship is instituted by God Himself and thus finds Divine warrant through express command, and, as Begg further states:
It is important to understand clearly the true scriptural principle of worship as laid down by our Reformers, and to distinguish it from other views and from counterfeits. The principle of pure worship as held by Presbyterians in oppostition to other theories is set forth clearly in our standards.
then my question is this:
Does not every other expression of "worship" as advocated by today's wayward contemporary "church" fall under this term "counterfeit" and is therefore unacceptable to God? Why, then, would Begg make the allowance for these certain ministers who will not "subscribe their adherence" to go off and "join a more congenial fellowship"? Would they not be joined to the counterfeit and thus become apostate? Are we to infer, then, that since scripture is clear and the Presbyterian view is the most faithful to scripture, all these denominations are also apostate in this regard?
What am I to do in my own church where "innovation" has become the norm? Am I apostate?
I have read other threads here regarding this, but Beggs comments seemed to crystalize the matter.