Published in 1565 (posthumously) and online here (HT: Richard on the PB)
rpw
Three Causes for the Decline of Psalmody
Jon explains.
Shane is Reading Ames
On worship. You can get your own copy of the first volume of the CRT series by clicking on the image to the left.
The Origins of the Dialogical Principle
Brandon has a nice passage from J.—D. Benoit.
We Neglected The Reformers On Worship
Although I had been raised in Methodist and Presbyterian churches and attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, was ordained in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, served pastorates in that church and in the PCA, I nevertheless found myself at different times in my . . . Continue reading →
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
We aim to honor God by lifting Him up in singing praise, Scripture reading, prayers and preaching. We are committed to the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice, and we consult church history and current culture as we think . . . Continue reading →
Does The Bible Command It?
In other words, when we are considering the content and conduct of our worship, the biggest question is not “Does the Bible forbid it?” but “Does the Bible command it?” That makes things much simpler because any list of what God forbids . . . Continue reading →
Standard Reformed Polemics Against The Use Of Musical Instruments In Worship
But all light into, all perceptions of, this glory, all experience of its power, were, amongst the most, lost in the world. I intend, in all these instances, the time of the Papal apostasy. Those who had the conduct of religion could . . . Continue reading →
The Directory Of Publick Worship On Christmas
Festival days, vulgarly called holy-days, having no warrant in the Word of God, are not to be continued. —Westminster Assembly, Directory for Publick Worship (1645) (HT: Semper Reformanda)
Wisdom On Introducing Psalm Singing
1) Many people do not know you can sing the psalms (at least, other than Psalm 23, 62, and 100). “The psalter” is a foreign term, and even after people are introduced to singing psalms, they find it incredibly awkward to actually . . . Continue reading →
On The Absence Of Musical Instruments From The Synagogue
Ancient Jewish cultic music was valid only in connection with the cult, and the cult was valid only at the Temple in Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 CE, and the Temple destroyed, the cult ceased, and with it . . . Continue reading →
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
Of Psalms, Hymns, And Spiritual Songs And The RPW
The Regulative Principle of worship is a principle based on the sufficiency of Scripture which teaches that everything we do in the worship of God must have positive warrant in His Word. Every part of worship must be expressly commanded by God . . . Continue reading →
The Reformation Of Worship In Geneva
The reformers did not hold back in their assault on the physical and sensory elements of traditional worship: all sacred objects such as crucifixes, statues of saints, and holy relics were removed from the temples.1 Most were systematically destroyed; a few were . . . Continue reading →
A Minister Not A Priest
This truth is deeply reflected in historic Reformed practices regarding the observance of the Lord’s Supper. For instance, the truth of Jesus’ sole mediation is one reason the Presbyterian ministers stand behind the communion table (and not in front of it) when . . . Continue reading →
Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Instruments In The Latin Bibles
We Reformed folk like to think that what we do now in public worship is what we have always done. This is especially easy to do when we are cut off from or unaware of the original sources and practices of our . . . Continue reading →
Moral Courage In Defense Of That Vital Truth
Dr. Girardeau has defended the old usage of our church with a moral courage, loyalty to truth, clearness of reasoning and wealth of learning which should make every true Presbyterian proud of him, whether he adopts his conclusions or not. The framework . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus On Circumstances And Worship
Thirdly, there are ecclesiastical or ceremonial ordinances, prescribed by men, which include the determinations of circumstances necessary or useful for the maintenance of the moral precepts of the first table; of which kind are the time, the place, the form and order . . . Continue reading →
Not Creativity But Fidelity
The Rev. Mr. Leon Brown is pastor of Crown and Joy PCA in South Richmond, VA. It’s a short clip but it might take a moment to load. Here’s the complete sermon.
What Do We Know About New Testament Worship?
What do we know they did in their Christian worship services in the Bible? We know they sang the Bible. We know that preached the Bible. We know they prayed the Bible. We know they read the Bible. We know they saw . . . Continue reading →