Not With Candles, Crooks, or Canaries

Understanding the Westminster Directory of Public Worship's Purpose

Howdy,

As we begun this new series on the Westminster Directory of Public Worship last week we heard a word from the introduction. The intro itself runs many pages so we’re not going to restrict learning about the Divines reasons for writing the DPW to one post, nor are we going to spend the next six months on it either. Getting a sense for what is at stake when it comes to worship is an important truth for every Christian to grasp. God has made us for the primary purpose of glorifying and enjoying Him forever. To do that right takes thought, consideration, and interest on our behalf. We need in all humility see that how we worship our risen Christ is almost as important as why we worship Him. If we are going to be there it should matter what we do.

I noted before that the Protestant Reformation was as much about the false idolatry of Rome as it was the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Heading to the eternal city in Italy and the excesses he witnessed there were the spurs which made Martin Luther begin to question his relationship with Romanism. Worship and the protection of the conscious of the believer is a matter that has not left us today, as many of the quotes I will share here in a second make clear.

Let’s get to some reading.

First we need to ask the question: What was the main reason why the Westminster Assembly thought the Reformed churches in England, Ireland, and Scotland, needed a new directory worship? They tell us, “. . . the Liturgy used in the Church of England, (notwithstanding all the pains and religious intentions of the Compilers of it,) hath proved an offence, not only to many of the godly at home, but also to the reformed Churches abroad.”.

Why do they find it offensive? Their response is:

. . . the reading of all the prayers, which very greatly increased the burden of it, the many unprofitable and burdensome ceremonies contained in it have occasioned much mischief, as well by disquieting the consciences of many godly ministers and people, who could not yield unto them, as by depriving them of the ordinances of God, which they might not enjoy without conforming or subscribing to those ceremonies.

What does all this mean? My youngest daughter loves the story of Jenny Geddes. Mrs. Geddes was a market-trader in Edinburgh, Scotland who in 1637 is reported to have thrown her stool at the minister in morning service when he began to read from the newly printed 1637 Scottish version of the Church of England Book of Common Prayer. I love my Anglican brothers and sisters, but we in the ARP share Mrs. Geddes’ dislike of the requirements of the BCP. It’s hard to imagine now because we have been Presbyterian for centuries at this point, but in a Seventeenth Century Church of England worship the pastor would open his book and read pre-written prayers, followed by pre-written homilies (a sermon) and the order of service would be very rigidly organized around where that Lord’s Day fell on the calendar. For the Scots who had fought hard against the Popish (Roman Catholic) ceremonies this was more than they could bear. They desired a worship service free from the impositions of men. The Westminster Directory will very clearly witness to us the simplicity, and liberty, to have a service that is born from above, rather than from Canterbury, or worse yet from Rome. Directions should be from the Scriptures as the Second Command teaches.

This concern about Roman Catholicism can especially be odd to us in South Carolina because there is not much of a presence, at least not historically, in this area. I grew up in a heavily Roman Catholic city in West Virginia, mainly from Italian and Irish extract. Because of that our PC(USA) church was very much influenced by many of the practices of Popish religion. We did things like have a procession during the introit where me and other young people would dress in a robe, carry a bible, a cross, a crook, an acolyte with a lit candle, and then followed by the minister and a choir we would come down the aisle to our respective stations at the front of the sanctuary. It was all very ornate and symbolic. Jenny Geddes wouldn’t have been able to throw a stool primarily because she would have stroked out. It is one thing for that to happen in an Anglican setting, another for it to be practiced in a church coming out of the tradition where this DPW was made.

These activities that I describe from my childhood may seem benign. Paul would even say in Colossians 2 that they have the appearance of wisdom, but as the apostle also notes we need more than pragmatic hopes to worship God. We must need His design and call. There is no practical difference between the doctrine of worship in the Old Testament and the doctrine of worship in the New Testament. In each covenant Jehovah is concerned that everything done be completed to His specifications. If the priest was to wear a plate on his breast with twelve stones it needs be conformed to the rules set down in Exodus 28:15-21. Our Lord is no less clear in His reasoning in Matthew 6:7, John 4:23-24, 1 Cor. 14:40, and elsewhere that we are not free to do that which we think is helpful, but are to rest in what Christ has provided for us so that we might then be nourished in His worship. We are not to be wiser than God.

In closing, our forefathers in the faith took the weekly worship of Jesus so seriously that they had actually made an agreement, a covenant, with the civil authorities that they would see to it that everything they did would be found consistent with the teaching of Holy Scripture. Let us end this morning with their testimony.

We have promised in our Solemn League and Covenant; we have, after earnest and frequent calling upon the name of God, and after much consultation, not with flesh and blood, but with his holy word, resolved to lay aside the former Liturgy, with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worship of God; and have agreed upon this following Directory for all the parts of publick worship, at ordinary and extraordinary times. 

Here's a last word:

https://heidelblog.net/2021/07/the-principles-of-reformed-worship/

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church