The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-02-23
Omr Contributors.
Will-Worship.
BY REV. DIR. R. L. DABNEY.

that they teach; " concerning ecclesias-
teal rites (made by men) that those rites
are to be observed which may be OBJ
served without sin, and are profitable for
tranquility and good order in the Church !;
such as are set holidays, feasts, and such
like" The Westminster Shorter Cate
chisn, Ques 81, says: 1.-The second COM
mandment forbiddeth the worship of God
by images, or any other acay not appoint
ed IN his Word" Larger Catechism,
Cues. 100: 1.-The sins forbidden in the
second commandment are, all devising,
counselling, commanding, using, and any
wise approving any religious worship not
instituted by God himself" etc. Here is
the vital difference between the Reform
of Luther and that of Calvin: The first
allowed Christians to use any seemly
modes of worship, provided God had not
expressly prohibited them. The latter
forbade Christians to use any modes of
worship except such as God has expressly
required. This difference accounts, in
large part, for the arrest of the Lutheran
reform at the middle of its career. The
difference is: that the one theory gives
room for the play of pious invention, in
finding such new rites, of human device,
as appear seemly the other theory for
bids it. This class of rites has long been
known by the name of will-worship,"
worship invented by the human will, and
not positively demanded by God-Col
Ii: %.
What does the Bible say of it? Hear
Numbers XIV: SO, Remember all the
commandments of the Lord, and do them,
and that we seek not after yoaer oaOn heart
and yOitr oaOaa eyes, Jeroboam, l Kings
XII: 80, Offered on the altar which he
tad made in Bethel, the 18th day of the
eighth month, even in the month which
he had devised Of his o,0n heart" This
sin ruined him and his. Deut. xii: 80,
What thing soever I command you, OBJ
serve to do it: thou shalt not add thereto
nor diminish from it," So Deut. iv: q;
Isaiah i: IL, "When. We come to appear
before me, who hath required this at your
hand, to tread my courts?" Isaiah xxx ::
IL, "Their fear towards me (their rever-
ence) is taught by the precept of men, :"
This is their great fault. Col. ii: %,
Why are we subject to ordinances after
the commandments of men?" And best
of all, hear our Saviour. Matt. XIV: g.,
But in vain do they worship me, teach
ing for doctrines (dogmas) the command
ments Of men,"
Now it is precisely the temper of our
times to ask: eff the invention is ap-
propriate, and attractive, and interesting,
and pretty, and there is nothing sinful,
and our motive is pious in doing it;
where is the harm?'' Perhaps the best
reply would be to say 1t was precisely
by doing thing which was pleasant to
the eye" and which naturally had no
sin in itself, and about which the only and
single difficulty was, that God had told
Adam not to dc it, that he lost Paradise |
In truth when people have gotten where
the mere, positive prohibition of God is
not enough for them; bat they must go
on to ask, Why not?" after they hear
GOD say, No: they are probably not much
farther from Satan's clutches, than Adam
was. But sober reflection, in this case,
tells US, why not: and Church history has
tale to tell about innocent, appropri-
ate, pretty will-worships, which will
show us why not; if we will listen to it.
What is worship? Spiritual homage
to God. Then if it is not farce, it is
something the soul pays to God as his
due. From this simple position we see,
it is for Him to sag what he claims as his
due. Even men profess to know best
what will please them. Shall not the
all-wise God know best what will please
Hin? Then, if we really mean our wor-
ship to please Him, we shall always in
quire Of Him how he likes to be wor-
shipped, and do accordingly. But if it
is really TO PleaSe ourselves, then will-wor-
ship is quite consistent with that deceit
full and sinful aim. And this we surmise
is the real object Of the most of will-wor-