The White Badger Inn

Regulative: To worship Him, or self
The Puritan Dilemma

Here is an excerpt from "The Regulative Principle of Reformed Worship in the Puritan Writers and Its Application to the Element of Sung Praise in Worship."
(The less cumbrous title is "The Puritan Principle of Worship.")

“The Puritan principle of Worship was no invention of the Puritans. On the contrary, it is the principle regulative of Worship formulated by Calvin and adopted by all the Reformed Churches, as will appear from a consideration of passages in the writings of Reformed writers and the Reformed creeds. The reformed view of the principle regulative of the external worship of God stands out by way of contrast with the Lutheran view. Lutherans have held that what is not forbidden in the Word of God may be allowed in the Worship of God. Ceremonies in worship are thus regarded as to a large extent indifferent (Adiaphora), i.e. things neither commanded nor forbidden in the Scriptures..."

Calvin refined the regulative principle with a clarity he alone posessed, and applied it with great consistency to the Reformation in Geneva. It is implicit in his celebrated definition of pure and undefiled religion as "confidence in God coupled with serious fear - fear which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law." (Inst, 1,11,3. Beveridge Trans.).

In his 1559 Latin edition, the text reads "et secum trahit legitimum cultum qualis in Lege praescribitur." (Still very clear on the legitimacy or gravity of the situation, as well as that which is already dictated.)

The French text of 1560, "et tire avec soy un service tel qu'il appartient, et tel que Dieu mesmes i'ordonne en sa Loy." (This text accentuates the Divine origin of acceptable worship.)

Calvin argued that the Regulative principle dispelled all superstion: "In this way, the vain pretext which many employ to clothe their superstition is overthrown. They deem it enough that they have some kind of zeal for religion, how preposterous soever it may be not observing that true religion must be conformable to the will of God as its unerring standard; that he can never deny himself, and is no specter or phantom, to be metamorphosed at each individual's caprice. It is easy to see how superstition, with its false glosses, mocks God, while it tries to please him. Usually fastening merely on things on which he has declared he sets no value, it either contemptuously overlooks or even undisguisedty rejects, the things which he expressly enjoins, or in which we are assured he takes pleasure. Those, therefore, who set up a fictitious worship, merely worship and adore their own delirious fancies; indeed, they would never dare so to trifle with God, had they not previously fashioned him after their own childish conceits...It remains therefore to conclude with Lactantius (Instil. Div. lib. 1,2,6) 'No religion is genuine that is not in accordance with truth.'"(I,IV,3).

How prescient is this thought which Calvin supplies us with: If we desire to hold to our own traditions because we are superstitious, following the Regulative principle is not to our liking.

However, if we follow this principle, namely, doing that in worship which is explicitly commanded; we have no room for our own heresies and inventions, but must give way to His commands.

How venerable are all thoughts gleaned from the Word, and from the mind of God.