On the Definition of Worship

“Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.”

Ps. 71:8

“…it is written, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.'”

Mt. 4:10

“…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Rom. 12:1-2

Subsections

Internal & External
Natural vs. Instituted
Moral vs. Ceremonial
Kind vs. Material

Distinguishable Aspects in the Elements of Worship
Opinion of Sanctity & Necessity: Not Essential to False Worship
Acts of Church Government & Discipline are Worship
What Constitutes “Worship” on the Lord’s Day?
On Westminster 21.1

Order of Contents

Definitions 22
Keeping God’s Commandments 18+
All of Life 15
Conscience Issues 6

Causes of
Formal vs. Material
Proper vs. Accidental
Essential vs. Integral
Essential vs. Accidental
Immediate vs. Mediate
Relative or Respective
Object Formal, Material, of Consideration
Habitual vs. Actual 3
Relation to Space & Time
Corrupting vs. Perfecting Additions
Civil Worship 4

Definitions of Worship

The most accurate, concise, broad definition of divine worship may be stated as: Worship is an honoring of God. In its narrow sense: Worship is an immediate honoring of God.

Order of Definitions

Aquinas
Medieval Scholastics
Tyndale
Daneau
Polanus
Junius
Bradshaw
Powel
Wolleb
Yates
Alsted
Ames
Rutherford
Caryl
Palmer & Cawdrey
Westminster
Norton
Stone
Burroughs
Leigh
Gouge
Baxter
Charnock
Collinges
Watson
Gibson

1200’s

On Aquinas

John Collinges, The Intercourses of Divine Love betwixt Christ & his Church, or the Particular Believing Soul Metaphorically Expressed by Solomon in the First Chapter of the Canticles… (London, 1683), Sermon 39, pp. 564-65

“Worship is an homage performed to God immediately, in consideration of his excellency. This is Aquinas’s, and other of the schoolmens’ notion about worship, and it is a very good one.”

On the Medieval Scholastics

John Yates, A Model of Divinity, Catechistically Composed… (London, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 1, ‘Of the Law’, p. 307

“The Schoolmen define it to be an immediate act of the will upon God…”

1500’s

William Tyndale

An Answer to Sir Thomas More’s Dialogue, the Supper of the Lord… (d. c. 1536; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), pp. 56-57

“Concerning worshipping or honoring (which two terms are both one)… Therefore, that thou be not beguiled with falsehood of sophistical words, understand that the words which the scripture uses in the worshipping or honoring of God, are these: Love God, cleave to God, dread, serve, bow, pray and call on God, believe and trust in God, and such like…”

Lambert Daneau d. c. 1590

Isagogue, p. 110 as quoted in Heinrich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics ed. Bizer, tr. Thompson (1861; 1950), ch. 1, section, 8, p. 5

“True worship of God may be defined generally thus: Worship of God is the true honor shown to God from a sense of his kindness and power towards us, as resulting from his Word.

But this honor is not civil, but divine and religious and is seated mainly in the heart and mind. Thus worship arises from the sense of God’s power and kindness.”

Amandus Polanus

Substance of Christian Religion Soundly set forth in Two Books, by Definitions & Partitions… (London, 1595), bk. 2, ‘So much concerning the adjuncts of good works: their kinds follow’, p. 188

“The worship of God is an honor to be given to God alone according to his commandment:

‘If I be your father, where is my honor?’ ‘I will not give my glory to an other:’ ‘that he that honoureth the Son, might honor the Father also:’ ‘that they may glorify your Father in heaven.’ Prov. 3:9, ‘Honor God with thy riches.'”

Latin

col. 3591.A in A System of Theology (Hanau, 1609; 1615), vol. 2, bk. 8, ch. 1

1600’s

Francis Junius

Latin

Select Smaller Theological Works ed. Abraham Kuyper (d. 1602; Amsterdam, 1882)

39, ‘Of Worship [Adoratione]’, p. 227, thesis 4
41, ‘Of the Worship [Cultu] of Invocation’, p. 229, theses 4-10

William Perkins

Satan’s Sophistry Answered by our Savior Christ, & in Diverse Sermons Further Manifested (London, 1604), ‘Satan’s Sophistry,’ pp. 114-15

“…worship taken generally, signifies the giving of honor and reverence to another. Now this honor is either civil or divine.

Civil honor is that outward reverence we give to men, by prostrating of the body, or bowing of the knee; and the end of this civil worship is, that thereby we might acknowledge another to be our superior…

The second kind of honor is divine or religious worship, when we give such honor to another that thereby we do ascribe divinity and divine power unto it, acknowledging thereby that it is some divine thing above all creatures. And this we do first, when we ascribe the Godhead to it, and make it God: secondly, when we ascribe God’s attributes to it, as omnipotency, providence, etc. thirdly, when we acknowledge it to be the creator and maker of all things: fourthly, when we acknowledge it to be the giver of those good things we enjoy, and the defender of us from evil.”

William Bradshaw

A Treatise of Divine Worship… (1604), in Several Treatises of Worship & Ceremonies… (London: Cambridge, 1660)

ch. 1, ‘Of Divine Worship in General’, p. 1

“Divine worship is any action or service that is immediately and directly performed unto God Himself, whether the true God or a false, whether commanded by divine authority, imposed by human, or assumed upon our own heads and pleasures.

For in this latitude of sense is divine worship to be conceived, that it may comprehend under it both true and false worship.”

ch. 6, ‘Of Divine Worship in Special, & First of True Worship’, p. 10

“True worship is that immediate service that the true God Himself requires to be performed unto Himself. In the exercise whereof consists true holiness and religion.”

Gabriel Powel

De adiaphoris, Theological & Scholastical Positions concerning the Nature & Use of Things Indifferent. Where also is Methodically & Briefely Handled, of Civil & Ecclesiastical Magistrates, of Human Laws, of Christian Liberty, of Scandal & of the Worship of God (London, 1607), ch. 10, ‘Of the Worship of God…’, p. 65 Powel (baptised 1576–1611) was a Welsh Anglican minister.

“1. Worship of God is all that servitude, observancy, reverence and religion whereby as well inwardly in the heart, as outwardly in the work itself, we honor God and serve Him.

2. This, if it be rightly performed according unto the will of God, is termed true worship; but if contrariwise, it is called false and idolatrous worship.

3. True worship of God is every work, inward and outward, commanded by God, performed in faith, to this principal end, that God may be glorified.

4. And to worship God truly is so to worship Him as He has commanded in his Word how He would be worshipped.”

Johannes Wolleb

Compendium of Christian Theology in ed. John Beardslee, Reformed Dogmatics: J. Wollebius, G. Voetius & F. Turretin (1626; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965), bk. 2

ch. 1, prop. 3, p. 191

“The true worship [cultus] of God consists of true holiness and righteousness, or the practice of good works.”

ch. 3, prop. 2, p. 197

“The direct worship of God is that which is offered directly to God and which is taught in the first table.”

John Yates

A Model of Divinity, Catechistically Composed… (London, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 1, ‘Of the Law’, p. 307

“Q. What is the worship of God?

A. That reverent respect and love wherewith we are to embrace his maiesty with our whole man. 1 Sam. 12:24; Mt. 22:37-38.

The Schoolmen define it to be an immediate act of the will upon God: but this is the whole rule of divinity, which is nothing else but the ordering of the will so as it may please God.

Now the act of the will is either to believe or obey, and obedience is either immediate, as piety, or mediate as charity. Hence the love of my neighbor is not an immediate act upon God, and in this sense worship is well distinguished from charity: as having no nearer object than God.”

Johann H. Alsted

Encyclopedia of All Sciences (d. 1638; Leiden, 1649), vol. 3, bk. 25, section 1, ‘Of Theology… Natural Theology’, ch. 3, ‘Of the Decalogue’, p. 336

“Religion is the observance of precepts, which directly oblige to offer [or bring, deferre] honor to God. There are two parts of religion: natural worship and instituted.”

A Forerunner [Prodromus] of Religion Triumphing (Transylvania, 1635), bk. 5, ch. 29, ‘Of Christ, that He is to be Adored’, section 2, p. 1042

“An act of religion is to offer [or bring] honor to God, and is called worship, Ex. 12:25-26, and adoration, Jn. 22.23[?]…

when we say, religious worship, religious adoration, religious honor, which all signify one and the same thing and are nothing other than a testification of the divine virtue and excellence promoving to the glory or estimation of God.”

William Ames

Quote

The Marrow of Theology, ed. John Eusden (1639; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 4, ‘Religion’, section 23, p. 239 See also the chart on pp. 72-73.

“The proper act of religion is to bestow honor upon God and is called worship and adoration, Ex. 12:25, 26; Jn. 4:23.

It must bear a certain good towards God, otherwise it would not be observance towards Him. No intrinsic good can be added to God, but honor is an outward good–a testimony to the virtue of another which adds to his glory or esteem. This is all a creature can do for God.”

Article

pp. 44-48 of ch. 4, ‘Concerning the Nature & Definition of a Ceremony’ in A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God’s Worship… (Amsterdam: Thorp, 1633), Manuduction

Samuel Rutherford

‘Samuel Rutherford & Thomas Sydserff, Bishop of Galloway, ‘An Discussing of Some Arguments Against Canons & Ceremonies in God’s Worship’ 1636′ in Religious Controversy in Scotland, 1625-1639 ed. David G. Mullan in Scottish History Society, Fifth Series, vol 11 (Edinburgh: Scottish Historical Society, 1998), p. 98

“Answer [Bishop Sydserff]: How define ye worship?

Opponent [Rutherford]: An act of man whereby God is immediately honored.

Answer: Say also according to God’s command.

Opponent: I will not say, when I define worship in general. If I should define lawful worship I would add this–that it be according to God’s command. I remit to your learning to think:

If one thing can give nature both to genus and to species, you know good logic speaks against this. God’s command cannot but give being to worship and to this particular worship, to wit, to lawful worship; and [in] this [your] way I might say [that] idolatry, sacrificing to Satan as Indians do, slaying of children to Moloch, etc. shall not be false worship except they be urged as commanded of God.”

The Divine Right of Church Government… (1646), pp. 86-88

“Worship is an action, or performance, or thing, by which we tender our immediate honor to God from the nature of the thing itself:

1. I call it an action because the passion of dying or suffering is not formally worship, but only dying comparatively: rather than denying of Christ or dying so and so qualified: [in a comparative way] dying with patience and faith may be called a worship [2 Tim. 4:6].

2. I call it not an action only, but a performance or thing, because an office, as the priesthood, the ministry, is a worship and yet not an action; sometime[s], time itself, as the Sabbath Day is a worship; yet it is not an action: So the Lord calls it his Holy Day: and undeniably the Jewish days, the High Priest’s garment, and many things of that kind, were divine or religious performances, things or adjuncts of divine worship, but so as they are not merely adjuncts of worship, but also worship:

For the High Priest’s ephod was not only a civil ornament, nor was it a mere physical or natural means to fence off the injuries of sun and heaven; we do not think that the Lord in all, or any place of the Old or New Testament sets down any laws concerning garments simply, as they do fence off cold or heat; that belongs to art: only He speaks of garments, as contrary to gravity [being sober-minded], as signs of vanity and lightness, Isa. 3:16, etc.; Zeph. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:3-4.

And of garments as religious observances, of which sort was the attire and garments of the priests and High Priests in their service, in which consideration the religious times, holy places, and Mosaical garments were divine worship, by which God was immediately honored; but [they were] not adjuncts only, or actions, but religious things or performances.

3. It is such a performance, as from thence honor does immediately redound to God. But that this may be the clearer, I conceive that there is a twofold, immediate honoring of God in the worship of God:

1. An honoring of God less immediate, as hearing of the Word, is an immediate honoring of God, because honor flows immediately from God, both ex conditione operis, and ex conditione operantis; ‘from the nature of the work’, and ‘[from the] intention of the worker’: yet it is a less immediate honoring of God, in regard that I may also hear the Word even from the condition of the work, and so from the intrinsic end of the worker that I may learn to know God and believe; for thus far I am led to honor God immediately in hearing the Word, that action of its own nature conveying honor to God; there intervenes also a medium amidst between me and honoring of God, to wit, the preacher or the Bible (to which no external adoration is due):

[2.] There is another more immediate worship, to wit, praising of God, from which, by an immediate result, God is honored, and in worship especially, strictly, immediate, God is immediately honored both in the intention of the work and the intrinsic end of it, and the intention of the worker; though no other thing be done, and others be not edified either in knowledge, increase of faith or any other ways:

And in this, duties of the Second Table, of mercy and justice, differ from worship in that such acts of love and mercy, as to give alms to save the life of my brother or of his beast, are not acts of worshipping God; their intrinsic end, and the nature of the work being to do good to the creature, principally, ex natura et conditione operis, though God also thereby be honored, yet in a more secondary consideration:

For I praying to God, do immediately, from the nature of the action, honor God, though no good should either redound to myself or to the creature; thereby it is true, God, by acts of love and mercy to our neighbor, is honored two ways:

1. In that men seeing our good works do thence take occasion to glorify our heavenly Father, whose truth teaches us by the grace of God to do these works, but the intrinsic and proper use of these is to do good to ourselves, as in works of sobriety, and to our neighbor, as in works of righteous dealing, but not immediately, and in the first and primary consideration to honor God, as in works of piety, holiness and worship, the honoring of God by secondary resultance, does issue also from these duties of righteousness, but not as from the acts of praying, praising, sacramental eating, drinking.

2. The doer of these acts of mercy may, and is to intend, the honoring of God.”

Joseph Caryl

An Exposition with Practical Observations upon the Three First Chapters of the Book of Job… (London [1643]), Job 1:13-14, pp. 190

“To worship is to give to anyone the honor due unto him: So the rendering unto God that love, that fear, that service, that honor which is due unto him is the worshipping of God, that’s the Scripture definition, Ps. 29:2, ‘Give unto the Lord the honor due unto his name;’ then follows by way of exposition, ‘Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,’ that is, in his holy Temple, in his beautiful sanctuary, or in the comely honor of his sanctuary.

So that worship is the tendering of honor to the Lord, in a way honorable to Him, namely according to his own will and laws of worship: which is intimated by coming to worship Him in his beautiful sanctuary, where all things about the service of God were exactly prescribed by God.”

Herbert Palmer & Daniel Cawdrey

Sabbatum redivivum, or the Christian Sabbath Vindicated (London: White, 1645), ch. 12

“Worship, generally, is the tender of our homage to God, and giving Him immediate honor. Accordingly, a part of worship, is whatsoever is presented to God, (whether thing or action) as a special homage, and as an immediate honor to Him. Or at least ought to be so, if it be not.
…

1. As worship comprehends under the term both true worship and false worship, or right worship and will-worship; So the cause of it is our intention to present it as a special homage (as was said) and an immediate honor to God. Such intention, we say, is the formal cause, that such an action is worship in him that presents it, or such a thing, in him that tenders it. And without such intention, no action is formally worship in any man, however it be in the nature of the action, or in any other person that presents it. As for instance:

The repeating of any sentence of Scripture, or the Lord’s prayer, intending thereby to honor God, is a part of worship: But to repeat it, to teach a child to spell or read, or to understand a language, or to use it as a charm or the like, is certainly no worship, because it wants an intention of immediate honoring God by it. So to kneel down before an image or crucifix with intention to honor God by that action is worship (though false and idolatrous), but to kneel down before it, not seeing it, nor thinking of it, or to pull out a thorn out of one’s foot or the like, is no worship: because, again, here wants an intention of honoring God by such an action.

2. But now, as worship denotes only true and right worship, so the proper efficient cause, and that which both legitimates and necessitates such intention, is the command of God. What He commands to be presented to Him, whether seeming substance or circumstance, has the nature of a special homage and immediate honor to Him, and ought to be presented (as often as it is presented) with such intention. From which command also flows an answerable acceptation of such a commanded thing or action, when accordingly performed with that intention: And with that intention there may and should also be an expectation of such acceptation, whereby the intention is proved in a man’s conscience, whether the matter be commanded or not. For will-worshippers expect an acceptation, though without warrant. And profane hypocrites, though they pretend to worship God, yet when they intend it not, they expect no acceptation. We say then, our expectation of acceptation declares whether we tender such a thing as a part of worship, or use it as a mere circumstance.”

Westminster

Intro

Westminster does not provide a definition of worship. But the following list in the Larger Catechism, while not claiming to be exhaustive, does list out many parts of worship, specifically natural worship (which is more basic than and foundational to instituted worship).

While the grammatical construction of the catechetical sentence below allows for a bit of flexibility in meaning, no doubt accommodating various views amongst the divines, yet it allows for the view that the list includes things that are worship, and seems to encourage this, as a natural reading of the sentence is that worship partly defines the list. The list, in fact, is a rather representative list of traditional items commonly taught to have been parts of natural worship. For more on natural worship in the Westminster standards, see Travis Fentiman, ‘A Commentary on Westminster Confession of Faith 21.1 on Worshp & its Theological Context’.

The sections of ch. 21 of the Confession quoted below deal with instituted worship. Given the consensus method and nature of Westminster, the positive things asserted to be parts of worship ought to be taken as an affirmation that such things are worship, not that the list is exhaustive and exclusive (as many Westminster divines sometimes held other things to be worship as well, such as the Confession not even calling religious vows worship).

Larger Catechism #104

“The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God;[o] and to worship and glorify him accordingly,[p] by thinking,[q] meditating,[r] remembering,[s] highly esteeming,[t] honouring,[v] adoring,[w] choosing,[x] loving,[y] desiring,[z] fearing of him;[a] believing him;[b] trusting,[c] hoping,[d] delighting,[e] rejoicing in him;[f] being zealous for him;[g] calling upon him, giving all praise and thanks,[h] and yielding all obedience and submission to him with the whole man;[i] being careful in all things to please him,[k] and sorrowful when in any thing he is offended;[l] and walking humbly with him.[m]

[o] 1 Chron. 28:9. Deut. 26:17. Isa. 43:10. Jer. 14:22.
[p] Ps. 95:6,7. Matt. 4:10. Ps. 29:2.
[q] Mal. 3:16.
[r] Ps. 63:6.
[s] Eccl. 12:1.
[t] Ps. 71:19.
[v] Mal. 1:6.
[w] Isa. 45:23.
[x] Josh. 24:15,22.
[y] Deut. 6:5.
[z] Ps. 73:25.
[a] Isa. 8:13.
[b] Exod. 14:31.
[c] Isa. 26:4.
[d] Ps. 130:7.
[e] Ps. 37:4.
[f] Ps. 32:11.
[g] Rom. 12:11 compared with Num. 25:11.
[h] Phil. 4:6.
[i] Jer. 7:23. James 4:7.
[k] 1 John 3:22.
[l] Jer. 31:18. Ps. 119:136.
[m] Micah 6:8.”

Confession of Faith

ch. 21

“III. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship,[f] is by God required of all men:[g]…

[f] Phil. 4:6.
[g] Ps. 65:2.

…
V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear;[r] the sound preaching,[s] and conscionable hearing of the word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith and reverence;[t] singing of psalms with grace in the heart;[u] as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:[w] beside religious oaths[x] and vows,[y] solemn fastings,[z] and thanksgivings upon special occasions,[a] which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in a holy and religious manner.[b]

[r] Acts 15:21. Rev. 1:3.
[s] 2 Tim. 4:2.
[t] James 1:22. Acts 10:33. Matt. 13:19. Heb. 4:2. Isa. 66:2.
[u] Col. 3:16. Eph. 5:19. James 5:13.
[w] Matt. 28:19. 1 Cor. 11:23-29. Acts 2:42.
[x] Deut. 6:13 with Neh. 10:29.
[y] Isa. 19:21 with Eccl. 5:4,5.
[z] Joel 2:12. Esth. 4:16. Matt. 9:15. 1 Cor. 7:5.
[a] Ps. 107 throughout; Esth. 9:22.
[b] Heb. 12:28.

ch. 22

“I. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship,[a] wherein, upon just occasion…

[a] Deut. 10:20.”

John Norton

A Brief & Excellent Treatise containing the Doctrine of Godliness, or Living unto God… (London: Field, 1648), ch. 10, ‘Of Obedience unto God’, p. 57

“Q. What is worship?

A. The immediate service of God, whereby in Jesus Christ we give unto Him the honor of the supreme, only and absolute Lord, and exercise a holy communion with Him as with our God.”

Samuel Stone

The Whole Body of Divinity in a Catechetical Way Handled (Hartford, CT: probably between 1647-1663), pp. 631-33 transcribed by Samuel Willard

“Q. What is divine worship?

A. That wherby we love and embrace God directly for Himself.
Mt. 19:17; 22:37-38.”

Explanation: Worship seems to be as much as worth-ship, or
worthy-ship. That he who is worshiped is worthy of great respect…

…Worshipping of God implies loving, prizing, and esteeming of God, and hence to be careful and diligent about Him, in attending upon Him, we should make it our main business.

Worship in general is an acknowledgement, of that superiority and eminency in another, witnessed by some signs, as bending the knee, etc: whereby acknowledging of his excellency, and our own meanness, and lowness in comparison of him.

Answerably in divine worship, yr is an acknowledgment of the eminent excellency of goodness in God, wth highest respect to Him, and exaltation of Him, and debasement of ourselves before Him: Divine worship and religious worship is the same, and due unto Him alone: the advancing of his supreme goodness, God Himself, and his name, as the only one, so the disparagement and contempt of all ours, this is to glorify Him as God. Rom. 1:21.

Religion is a binding of a man immediately to God as his last end, with highest respect and affection to Him. Sanctity (which is the same for substance) and holiness, implies a separation from all our ends, and things, and uses, and consecration of a man, and dedication of him to this divine end and use, to serve God; the immediate application of a man’s self to God, as his last end, this is to be exhibited to no other.

Whereby, etc:] Because the highest Excellency that can be imagined, whererfore the highest worship [is] to be given to Him, Rom. 1:21; Ps. 73:25. He is the Prime Object of love, Math. 22.37-38; we must not glorify any creature for itself, Gal. 1.ult.

This divine worship is an approving, hugging, embracing, and kissing, uncreated beauty, wisdom, goodness, happiness, life, sweetness, pleasantness, for its own sake, absolutely, because He is God and the first being.

1. The chiefest good is to be loved for itself. Mt. 19:17.

2. Goodness and sweetness itself is to be loved for itself. 1. Jn. 4:[7, to 21]; we love our beings because they participate of the goodness of God, as things touched with the loadstone draw iron, but the loadstone draws iron by its own virtue. So here we are drawn to our things to love them, by reason of some tincture of divine goodness upon them, but the loadstone draws love to Him by his own virtue and amiableness, etc: Ps. 73:27-28. It is good for us, in regard of God Himself, to draw near to Him.

3. God loves Himself for Himself, and his own sake, and our love should be a resemblance of his, Mt. 22:37, etc.

4. This is the highest respect that can be given to Him, and He is worthy of it. yr is none for whose sake we can love Him. Mt. 19:17. this is the first and great commandment, Mt. 22:37, etc:

1. Because the object is the greatest good and being.

2. Highest respect and greatest service is due to Him.

3. Love to Him is the spring and original of all our love to others, Jam. 1:27, etc: not that these are the proper and immediate acts of religion, as prayer, praises, etc: but mediate acts, which it produces by the mediation of our virtues, which it produces by an imperious command: they are imperate acts of religion, subordinating all the duties of the 2nd Table to the last end, and so those are acts proceeding from religion, by way of imperious command, and so an elicit act of temperance, may be an imperate act of religion: This great wheel moves the inferior: How happy those who have such an object to worship. God requires this worship:

1. Not because He needs it; He was happy without it.

2. Not from ambition; because He deserves it.

3. He requires it in justice, man being made for his glory, which He will not give to another.

4. It is for our good.”

Jeremiah Burroughs

Gospel Worship… (London: Cole, 1653), Sermon 2, p. 27

“Because when we come to worship God, we come to tender up that homage and service unto Him that is due from us as creatures to the infinite Creator; that’s the very end of worship. If you would know what it is to worship God, it is this:

You come to tender up that homage and respect that is due from the creature to the Creator. Now when a subject comes to tender up his homage to his prince, he comes towards him [the prince], when he does it immediately:”

Edward Leigh

A System or Body of Divinity… (London: Lee, 1654), bk. 9

ch. 4, ‘3rd Commandment’, p. 789

“The sorts of this worship are twofold: 1. Solemn.
2. Common.

The solemn worship is that whereto men do wholly give themselves, setting themselves apart from all other things to attend it wholly.

The common is that which is to be performed to God jointly in and with our other affairs, so far forth as in them we have anything to do with Him or any thing of his.”

ch. 3, ‘2nd Commandment,’ pp. 769-70

“The scope, end and sum of this [2nd] Commandment is to order us in the solemn worship of God, called Heb. 9:1, ‘Ordinances of divine service,’ and usually termed ‘religious exercises.’ For the constituting of a solemn worship of God three things are required:

1. That it be done with immediate reference to God, and that Himself or something in his stead be made the object thereof, and so therein we draw near to Him, and He to us.

2. That it tend in the doer’s intention directly and of itself to the honoring of God and pleasing Him, and getting of grace from him, by exercising of some or all the virtues required in the First Commandment.

3. That there be a separating of ourselves from all other businesses to be wholly and altogether employed about such acts in which the difference between common and solemn worship does seem to stand.

Worship consists in three things:

1. There must be a right knowledge and high apprehension of God, the person to be worshipped.

2. A reflexion of this knowledge.

3. An abasement of the creature under the reflexion of this knowledge, Rev. 5: Christ is represented as sitting on a throne. The people of God are there brought in as compassing Him about, they have high apprehensions of the person of Christ, his glory and holiness. 2. They reflect these excellencies. 3. They abase themselves, fall on their faces, vers. ult.

Every religious exercise or ordinance of divine service has usually divers particular acts, that be as parts of the whole, and in the orderly uniting of which the whole is accomplished. And whatsoever is done in any such exercise of religion, for the end and purpose of pleasing God and getting grace from him with respect of conscience to Him (as esteeming that He must and will have it so, or else the service shall not be well-pleasing and acceptable to Him) this is a part of worship, or of divine service.

For example: a man brought an ox or a ram, a lamb or such like thing, and presented it to the priest, he did offer it unto God, and that directly with intention of exercising obedience and faith to God. Likewise this offering was to be made by a certain person in a certain place, at a certain time, with certain garments and rites: So all those observations became parts of this worship; for in these also the intention of the doer was directly carried to God, hoping and purposing by them to please God and exercise faith and obedience, and other graces, as well and as much as by the very offering itself, and accounting the service not to be acceptable to God without them.”

William Gouge

A Learned & Very Useful Commentary on the Whole Epistle to the Hebrews (London: A.M., 1655)

§74, ‘Of Worship’, p. 51

“Worship is a reverend manifestation of that high esteem which we have of another, and it is divine or civil.”

§75, ‘Of the Difference between Divine & Civil Worship’, p. 52

“Divine worship is that which is performed in acknowledgement of Deity, or any divine excellency, in that to whom it is performed. This is due to God alone.”

Richard Baxter

A Christian Directory… (London: White, 1673), pt. 3, Question 112, ‘Whether Religious Worship may be given to a Creature? and what?’, p. 872

“By ‘worship’ is meant either cultus in genere [worship in general], any honor expressed to another, or some special act of honor.”

as quoted in Isaac Chauncy, A Theological Dialogue: containing the Defence & Justification of Dr. John Owen from the Forty Two Errors charged upon him by Mr. Richard Baxter… (London: Author, 1684), p. 21

“As to the bare name [of “religious worship”], either you will call all acts done to signify immediately the soul’s honoring of God by the name of worship…”

Stephen Charnock

Several Discourses upon the Existence & Attributes of God (London: Newman, 1682), ‘A Discourse of Spiritual Worship’

“Worship is nothing else but a rendering to God the honor that is due to Him;”

John Collinges

A Reasonable Account why some Pious, Nonconforming Ministers in England Judge it Sinful for them to perform their ministerial acts, in public, solemn prayer by the Prescribed Forms of Others… (London: 1679), ch. 4, p. 72

“That divine worship is nothing else but an homage done unto God in consideration of his excellency. In this we think all are agreed.”

John Collinges & Aquinas

The Intercourses of Divine Love betwixt Christ & his Church, or the Particular Believing Soul Metaphorically Expressed by Solomon in the First Chapter of the Canticles… (London, 1683), Sermon 39, pp. 564-65

“Worship is an homage performed to God immediately, in consideration of his excellency. This is Aquinas’s, and other of the schoolmens’ notion about worship, and it is a very good one.”

Thomas Watson

A Body of Practical Divinity… (London: Parkhurst, 1692), Q. 1, p. 2

“There is a twofold worship:

1. A civil reverence we give to persons of honour, Gen. 23:7, ‘Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth.’ Piety is no enemy to courtesy.

2. A divine worship, which we give to God, is his prerogative-royal, Neh. 8:6, ‘They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground.’ This divine worship God is very jealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this is the pearl of his crown which He guards as he did the Tree of Life, with cherubims and a flaming sword, that no man may come near to violate it: Divine worship must be such as God Himself has appointed, else it is offering strange fire, Lev. 10:2.”

2000’s

Jonathan Gibson

“Worship on Earth as it is in Heaven” in eds. Jonathan Gibson & Mark Earngey, Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2018), p. 2

“Worship is the right, fitting, and delightful response of moral beings–angelic and human–to God the Creator, Redeemer, and Consummator, for who He is as one eternal God in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–and for what He has done in creation and redemption, and for what He will do in the coming consummation, to whom be all praise and glory, now and forever, world without end. Amen.”

Worship Includes Keeping God’s Commandments & Good Works, in a Less Narrow Respect

See also the section below, ‘All of Life is Worship in General Respects’ as well as the material on Natural Worship at ‘Natural vs. Instituted Worship’, including the Bible Verses.

Order of Contents

Bible Verses 25+
Westminster
Quotes 14+

Bible Verses

Ex. 20:5-6 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God… And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep my commandments.”

Dt. 4:19 “And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars… shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them…”

Dt. 6:13 “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by his name.”

Dt. 8:19 “…if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them…”

Dt. 10:12 “…what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul…”

Dt. 10:20 “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”

Dt. 11:13 “…if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul…”

Dt. 13:4 “Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him.”

Josh. 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

1 Sam. 12:24 “Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you.”

1 Sam. 15:22 “And Samuel said, ‘Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.'”

1 Kings 16:31 “…he took to wife Jezebel… and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”

2 Kings 21:21 “…and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:”

Ps. 2:11-12 “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”

Ps. 40:6-8 “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, ‘Lo, I come… I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.'”

Ps. 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

Ps. 119:14-16, 20 “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word… My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.”

Ps. 119:97 “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”

Ps. 119:111 “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.”

Ps. 119:145 “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes.”

Dan. 3:28 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake… ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego… and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.”

Mt. 4:10 “Then saith Jesus unto him, ‘Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.'”

Mt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Mt. 15:2-3, 9 “‘Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.’ But He answered and said unto them, ‘Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?… But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'”

Lk. 4:8 “And Jesus answered… for it is written, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.'”

Jn. 9:31 “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him He heareth.”

Eph. 4:23-24 “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Westminster

Larger Catechism #104

Order of Quotes

Aquinas
Calvin
Vermigli
Hemmingsen
Ursinus
Perkins
Ainsworth
Polanus
J. Downame
Wolleb
Yates
Ames
Sibbes
English Annotations
Rutherford
Wendelin
Durham
Chauncy
Hopkins

Quotes

Aquinas

Summa, pt. 2, second part, Question 81, ‘Of Religion’, Article 3, ‘Whether religion is one virtue’, Reply to Objection 2. Rutherford (below) follows Aquinas in this.

“By the one same act man both serves and worships God, for worship regards the excellence of God, to Whom reverence is due: while service regards the subjection of man who, by his condition, is under an obligation of showing reverence to God.

To these two belong all acts ascribed to religion, because, by them all, man bears witness to the Divine excellence and to his own subjection to God, either by offering something to God, or by assuming something Divine.”

John Calvin

Commentary on Rom. 12, verse 1

“‘Your reasonable service’: This sentence, I think, was added, that he might more clearly apply and confirm the preceding exhortation, as though he had said, — “Offer yourselves a, sacrifice to God, if ye have it in your heart to serve God: for this is the right way of serving God; from which, if any depart, they are but false worshippers.”

If then only God is rightly worshipped, when we observe all things according to what He has prescribed, away then with all those devised modes of worship, which He justly abominates, since He values obedience more than sacrifice. Men are indeed pleased with their own inventions, which have an empty show of wisdom, as Paul says in another place; but we learn here what the celestial Judge declares in opposition to this by the mouth of Paul; for by calling that a reasonable service which He commands, He repudiates as foolish, insipid, and presumptuous, whatever we attempt beyond the rule of his Word.”

Peter Martyr Vermigli

Most Learned & Fruitful Commentaries… upon… Romans… trans. H.B. (London: Daye, 1568), on Romans 1, verse 9, p. 9

“And amonge these thinges whiche ought to have the principal place, as touching this spiritual worshipping, is obedience: wherof we read that it is better than sacrifices. Neither had God a regard in a manner to any other thing in the whole law and rites of ceremonies than to have men truly subject and obedient unto Him.”

Niels Hemmingsen

The Way of Life A Christian, & Catholic Institution comprehending Principal Points of Christian Religion… (London: Jones, 1578), ‘Of the Worship (or Service) of God’, p. 180 Hemmingsen was a Lutheran.

“The worship (or service) of God is a work commanded of God, wrought through faith (principally) to the setting forth of the glory of God.

In this definition there be three things, which in the true worship of God are necessarily joined together:

First: The matter (or material part), which is a work commanded of God.
Secondly: The cause, namely that the same work be done of faith, in Jesus Christ.
Thirdly: The end, namely the glory of God, which the worker respects, that by this means he may declare himself obedient to his heavenly father.”

Zacharias Ursinus

The Sum of Christian Religion… (Oxford: Barnes, 1587), pt. 3, “Of Good-Work”

section 1, p. 831

“good works (we speak of moral good) and the worship of God are all one.”

6. ‘How the Decalogue is Divided’, p. 869

“Now generally in the Decalogue is commanded the worship of God: that which is contrary to God’s worship is forbidden. The worship of God is either immediate, when moral works are immediately performed unto God: or mediate, when moral works are performed unto our neighbor in respect of God.”

William Perkins

The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience… (Cambridge: Legat, 1606), bk. 2, ch. 5, question 2, “How God is to be Worshipped & Served?”, pp. 256-62

“…the worship of God is twofold, inward or outward… The outward is that worship whereby the inward is testified outwardly in the speach and actions… Indeed all the worship of God is spiritual, even that which we call outward; yet not of itself, but by virtue of the inward, from which it proceeds.

The heads of inward worship are two: adoration of God and cleaving to God… Now in adoration there are four virtues: feare, obedience, patience, thankfulness.
…

The second virtue of adoration is inward obedience of the hidden man of the heart. The Lord prefers this obedience before all sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15:22. This stands in two things. First, in yielding subjection of the conscience to the commandments, threatnings and promises of God, so as we are willing that it should become bound unto them. Secondly, when the rest of the powers of the soul, in their place and time, perform obedience unto God.
…

…touching inward worship, we must remember that it alone is properly, simply, and of itself, the worship of God; and the outward is not simply the worship of God, but only so far forth as it is quickened by the inward, and grounded upon it.”

Henry Ainsworth

A Defence of the Holy Scriptures, Worship & Ministery, used in the Christian Churches Separated from Antichrist... (Amsterdam: Thorp, 1609), ‘Of Worship’, p. 5

“‘Worship,’ in our English tongue, and as it is used to express the original scriptures, is diversely taken. Sometime largely, as when it expresses the Greek word latreuo, as Phil. 3:3, ‘we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit:’ and Acts 24:14, ‘so worship I the God of my fathers.’ And thus both the English & Greek answers to the Hebrew ghnabad [עָבַד], which properly signifies to serve, Ex. 3:12; Dt. 10:12; 2 Sam. 15:8.”

Amandus Polanus

Latin

col. 3591.A in A System of Theology (Hanau, 1609; 1615), vol. 2, bk. 8, ch. 1

John Downame

A Guide to Godliness, or a Treatise of a Christian Life... (London: Kingstone, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 6, section 7, ‘Of External Worship with our Bodies’, pp. 122-23

“…there is also required, that we have Him outwardly in our bodies and external actions; and that is, when as with the outward man we serve and worship Him. The which also we owe unto God, seeing He has created and redeemed both our souls and bodies, that we should in both perform service unto Him….

the Lord require it with the other, and that with the sweet incense of the heart and mind, we offer our bodies also a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him [Rom. 12:1-2]…

Our Sauior also requires, not only that we have in us the heat of spiritual graces, but that also that we cause their light to shine out before men, that they seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven…

Now this external honour is either in outward signs or actions… Of the other sort is the outward service of God, in calling upon Him, vowing unto Him, swearing by his Name, celebrating feasts to his honor, and all outward obedience to the Law, which, in respect of the person to whom they are to be performed, namely, God alone and no other, are all required in the First Commandment.”

The Sum of Sacred Divinity Briefly & Methodically Propounded (London, 1625), bk. 1, ch. 5, p. 157

“Under the name of ‘worship’ are comprehended generally his whole service, and whatsoever He commands for the glorifying of his name, both public exercises of hearing the Word preached, partaking of the sacraments, etc. and private meditation of his Word and works, etc.”

Johannes Wolleb

Compendium of Christian Theology (1626), bk. 2, ch. 1, prop. 3 in ed. John Beardslee, Reformed Dogmatics: J. Wollebius, G. Voetius & F. Turretin (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965), p. 191

“The true worship [cultus] of God consists of true holiness and righteousness, or the practice of good works.”

John Yates

A Model of Divinity, Catechistically Composed… (London, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 1, p. 307

“The love of man is so far forth [a] piece of divinity as it is done in obedience to God and his law: otherwise it is but an act of humanity…”

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology, ed. John Eusden (1639; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 4, ‘Religion’, section 24, p. 239.

“Therefore, a true and worthy esteem of God and other acts manifesting esteem constitute, as it were, the first matter of religion. Every honest, human act making for the honor and glory of God may be the matter or material object of religion. It is one and the same act which as submission to commandment is called obedience and as honor to God is called religion and worship.”

A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God’s Worship (Amsterdam: Thorp, 1633), Manuduction, ch. 12, ‘Concerning Worship’, p. 137

“If it be here replied that the actions which make up mediate worship, must be actions of the Second Table, not of the First… I answer: It is the verdict of the Word and the common consent of all divines that all the actions and duties which concern our brother as the next object and end, and so determine upon him are required, and regulated by the Second Table: since therefore these things of comliness and order are of this nature, by the Rejoinder’s grant, I do not see how it can be avoided with any colour of reason but they must be commanded in the Second Table, and so come under the definition of mediate worship…”

Richard Sibbes

An Exposition of the Third Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians… (London: Cotes, 1639), verse 3, ‘which worship God’, p. 44

“…the word ‘worship’ is taken for the inward worship of God commanded in the First Commandment, also comprehending our fear, love of God and joy in Him, issuing from the knowledge of the true God.

All our obedience issuing herefrom is worship of God, including our duties to man, in obedience and relation to God’s Commandment. The ground of this obedience and worship is the relation between God and the reasonable creature, being the image of God…”

English Annotations

Annotations upon All the Books of the Old & New Testament (London: Legatt, 1645), on Ps. 95, verse 6

“V. 6. ‘let us worship and bow down’: By these three words he signifies one thing: meaning, that they must wholly give themselves to serve God.”

Samuel Rutherford

The Divine, Right of Church Government… (London, 1646), Intro, section 6

p. 83 Rutherford repeats here what Aquinas (above) said.

“For worship formally is to give reverence to God for his excellency; in one and the same act we may both worship God and serve Him. Only service does include the obligation of a servant to a Lord.”

pp. 87-88

“But that this may be the clearer, I conceive that there is a twofold, immediate honoring of God in the worship of God:

2. The doer of these acts of mercy may, and is to intend, the honoring of God.”

Marcus F. Wendelin

Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657)

bk.1, ‘The Distribution of Theology’

“Hitherto concerning the causes of Christian theology: its parts follow, which are two: One, the knowledge of God: the other, His worship: both of which are directed toward the glory of God and the salvation of man.

Explanation: Christian theology is rightly distributed into these parts: For theology is the doctrine of salvation: And our salvation and blessedness consists in these two parts:

(1.) That we rightly know God.
(2.) That we rightly worship Him, being rightly known.

And so indeed we rightly know God, so that we might sincerely worship Him. Christ expresses these to parts in Mark 1:15, ‘repent ye, and believe the Gospel.’ Scripture expresses the same parts elsewhere by faith and love, 2 Timothy 1:13: by faith and a good conscience, 1 Timothy 1:19. Paul also distributed his Theology into these parts, Acts 24:14-16, I believe all things which are written, and have hope in GOD: and I do exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence. Whence the same Paul reprehends the Gentiles, because they glorified not God, neither were they thankful, Romans 1:21. Whence Athanasius, in an oration, unum esse Deum [There is one God], elegantly states: The whole salvation of Christians consists in believing and worshipping.

Hence it is evident that theology is rather practical teaching, than theoretical, because its theory is directed toward practice, that is, the worship of God: on which pretext some prefer it to be called prudentiam/prudence, rather than scientiam/science or sapientiam/wisdom: even though it embraces the highest wisdom in itself…

In the same sense, by others faith and good works are constituted as the parts of theology.”

bk. 2, ch. 1, thesis 1, p. 652

“…the worship of God, which is fulfilling duty towards God according to his revealed will.”

James Durham

The Law Unsealed: or a Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments… (Glasgow: Sanders, 1676), 5th Commandment, pp. 188-89

“If we compare the two Tables together as to the matter contained in them and the immediate object of each duty commanded, the duties of the First Table are greater and the duties of the Second Table lesser, the one relating more immediately, the other more mediately to religion, in which respect they express peculiarly our love to God, which is called the first and great command;

For the first four commands require that which in its own nature is worship, and is in an immediate way to be given to God; but the duites required in the other six, are not properly, formally and immediately called for as parts of worship to God, though, as they are acknowledgments of Him, they may be consequentially thereto referred.”

Isaac Chauncy

The Catholic Hierarchy: or the Divine Right of a Sacred Dominion in Church & Conscience… (London: Crouch, 1681), ch. 1

“Calvin observes… ‘There is in man a twofold government: the one spiritual, whereby the conscience is instructed unto piety and the worship of God: the other political, whereby a man is taught the duties of humanity and civility…’…

For whatever is a trespass against the revealed Will of God for duty in moral obedience or instituted worship, is a sin; not but that instituted worship is fundamentally moral obedience, but is therefore in some sense distinguished from it (the serving of God according to his own appointment being the principal part of the Moral Law) because God has, according to the several states of his Church, altered the mode and manner of his worship, as he has thought it best in his wisdom, and as has been most suitable to the several ages and states of his Church; which alterable or altered circumstances, being the product of Christ’s prerogative alone, are called his instituted worship.”

Ezekiel Hopkins

An Exposition of the Ten Commandments... (London: Ranew, 1691), Second Commandment

“The true and spiritual worship of God in the general, [1] is an action of a pious soul, wrought and excited in us by the Holy Ghost, whereby with godly love and fear we serve God acceptably according to his will revealed in his Word;”

All of Life is Worship, in General Respects

See also the section above, ‘Worship includes Keeping God’s Commandments & Good Works, in a Less Narrow Respect’ as well as the material on Natural Worship at ‘Natural vs. Instituted Worship’, including the Bible Verses, and the Intro at ‘Immediate vs. Mediate Worship’ above.

Order of Contents

Bible Verses 20+
Westminster
Quotes 15

Bible Verses

Ps. 103:22 “Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.”

Ps. 145:10, 15, 19-21 “All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee… The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season… He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love Him… My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

Ps. 149:6-9 “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.”

Ps. 150 “Praise ye the Lord… praise Him in the firmament of his power. Praise Him for his mighty acts: praise Him according to his excellent greatness… Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.”

Zech. 14:20-21 “In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The Lord; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein…”

Mk. 12:33 “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Rom. 1:9 “For God is my witness, whom I serve [λατρευω] with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;”

Rom. 12:1-2 “…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service [λατρειαν]. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Rom. 15:16 “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”

1 Cor. 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Cor. 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

[Faith is part of natural worship.]

Eph. 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

[Love to God, and love to man for God’s sake is part of natural worship. Just as Christ’s life and death was an offering and sacrifice to God, so ours should be.]

Phil. 1:20 “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

Phil. 2:17 “…if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”

Phil. 4:18 “…having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

Col. 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”

2 Tim. 4:6 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure [death] is at hand.”

Heb. 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

1 Pet. 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;”

Rev. 1:6 “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.”

Rev. 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Westminster

Larger Catechism #104

Order of Quotes

Vermigli
Calvin
Beza
Ainsworth
Trelcatius
Wilson
J. Downame
R. Byfield
Dutch Annotations
Ames
Ball
English Annotations
Leigh
Jeanes
Poole

Quotes

Peter Martyr Vermigli

Most Learned & Fruitful Commentaries… upon… Romans… trans. H.B. (London: Daye, 1568),

on Romans 1, verse 9, pp. 7 & 9

“‘whom I serve [λατρευω] in my sprit’. By ‘spirit’ he understands a mind inspired with the Holy Ghost. And Ambrose when he interprets this place says that the spirit is the mind, wherewith we ought chiefly to worship God. For He is a Spirit: and therefore it is meet that He be served in spirit.”

“And to speak briefely, this worshipping of God, which is to serve in spirit, is reduced unto four principal points: which are adoration, trust, invocation, and giving of thanks. Adoration is an humble and religious submission, whereby we utterly submit ourselves unto God, and that in all things. Trust is whereby we rest in Him, considering the power, wisdom and high goodness wherewith He is adorned: For which things we cleave unto Him; neither do we think that He will forsake or frustrate us. Invocation is: whereby we fly unto God, in all perils, and adversities: as which know that He is everywhere at hand, and that, according to his promises, He both can and will succor us with his defence. Giving of thanks is, whereby we refer all good things unto Him, as unto the first author…

But spiritual worshipping consists altogether of faith and charity.”

on Romans 12, pp. 410-11, 413

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye offer up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable worshipping…

He desires us to offer ourselves unto God. And this oblation he says shall have the nature of a sacrifice…

A sacrifice is a voluntary action, wherein we worship God and offer unto Him somewhat, whereby we testify his chief dignity and dominion, and our servitude and submission towards Him. In this definition are expressed all the causes. The matter is the oblation: the form is the action, not a natural action, but that which is done with election, and inspired by the Holy Ghost: neither is it a political or economical action but a religious action: for that pertains to the worshipping of God.”

“That which we in Latin read, cultum, that is, ‘worshipping,’ is in Greek, [Greek], which word, as the Latin fathers write, and especially Augustine in his 10th book, Of the City of God, the 1st chapter, properly signifies the worshipping of God. For although (says he) many other things are worshipped, yet this worship called [Greek] belongs not unto them.”

John Calvin

Commentary on Rom. 1, verse 9

“He then glories that he served God with sincere devotion of heart, which is true religion and approved worship.”

Theodore Beza

Propositions & Principles of Divinity (London: 1591), ch. 29, pp. 67-68

“10. The true and the lawful inward service of God is especially contained in the First Commandment, which is nothing else but the worshipping of the true God according unto the prescript of his Law.

11. The end of the First Commandement is that God among
his people will bear rule ouer all, and wholly enjoy his authority. And to the end that this may come to pass, He commands all impiety, and all false opinions concerning God to be far from us: and in like sort, He enjoins Himself to be worshipped and adored of us in the true practice of godliness.

12. Furthermore, although that the duties which we owe unto God be innumerable, yet they may be not unproperly referred unto four heads: The first is the inward acknowledging, whereunto is joined as an addition, the spiritual obedience of the conscience: the second is an assured trust: the thrid is, invocation, or prayer. The fourth and last, is thanksgiving.”

Henry Ainsworth

A Defence of the Holy Scriptures, Worship & Ministery, used in the Christian Churches Separated from Antichrist... (Amsterdam: Thorp, 1609), ‘Of Worship’, pp. 5-6

“Also when it [‘worship’] expresses the Greek word sebomai; as Acts 18:13, ‘to worship God contrary to the law;’ and Acts 18:7, ‘Justus a worshipper of God.’ And so both it and the Greek answer to the Hebrew jaré [יָרֵא], which properly signifies to fear or reverence, as Mt. 15:9, ‘in vaine they worship Me;’ for that which in Hebrew is, ‘their fear towards me,’ Isa. 29:13. So Job and Jonah, as the Hebrew says, ‘feared,’ as the Greek [Septuagint] translates, ‘worshipped God.’ Also when it interprets the Greek word threskeuo, as Col. 2:18, ‘the worshipping of angels;’ and verse 23, ‘in will-worship’ or voluntary religion. Thus worship is largely used for the fear and service of God, or any religious action.”

Lucas Trelcatius

A Brief Institution of the Common Places of Sacred Divinity… (1610), bk. 2, ‘Of Man’s Justification before God’, p. 246

“…the fear of God in Scriptures very often signifies the whole worship of God, knowledge and trust, that is faith itself.”

Thomas Wilson

A Christian Dictionary (London: Jaggard, 1612), ‘Worship’, pp. 551-52

“‘Worship’… Inward religious honor of the heart, sincerely loving, fearing and trusting in God, because of his infinite knowledge, mercy and power. Jn. 4:24, ‘Must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.’ This is inward divine worship.”

John Downame

A Guide to Godliness, or a Treatise of a Christian Life... (London: Kingstone, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 7, section 1, ‘Of the things generally required in the Second Commandment’, p. 123

“We have showed that the First Commandment requires that we serve and worship Jehovah, the only true God. In the three other Commandments of the First Table is showed how He is to be worshipped… how He is to be glorified at all times in the whole course of our lives in the Third [Commandment].”

Richard Byfield

Article

pt. 2, section 6, ‘Of the Worship of God’ in The Light of Faith & Way of Holiness... (London: Harper, 1630), pp. 75-83

Dutch Annotations

The Dutch Annotations upon the Whole Bible… trans. Theodore Haak (1637; London: Hills, 1657), on Rom. 12:1

“‘(which is) your reasonable worship.’ that is, a worship which consists not in outward offering up of unreasonable beasts, as in the Old Testament, but in a spiritual offering up of reasonable men, i.e., of yourselves, Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5.”

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology, ed. John Eusden (1639; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 13, ‘Instituted Worship’, section 18, p. 280

“…the general sense that every act is one of religious worship which in any way comes from or is guided by religion…”

Analytical Exposition of both the Epistles of the Apostle Peter… (London: Rothwell), on 2 Pet. 1:5-7, p. 151

“Doctrine 9. Godliness is the chief and most necessary of all virtues.

By godliness we mean true religion towards God, and a mind wholly given to the true worship of God.

Reason 1. Because it has the noblest object, that is, God Himself.

2. Because it does most of all perfect all other virtues, while it refers them and all their acts to a divine beginning and a divine end. For godliness subjects the mind to God in all things, so that it acknowledges God to be the author of all good, from whom every good and perfect gift comes, and makes Him the chiefest good and the last end to whom all our actions are to be directed.”

John Ball

An Answer to Two Treatises of Mr. John Can, the Leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam… (London: R.B., 1642), ch. 1, section 4, p. 48

“Worship is as large as the Commandment, nay as the whole Word of God. For so it is ordinarily defined, a work commanded, done in faith, and then it must needs extend itself as far as the Commandment.

And if to obey God in conscience of his Commandment, in all actions, civil and sacred, of piety, justice or mercy, be to worship Him, then to believe whatsoever the Lord has taught, relying upon the truth and credit of the Revealer, is worship also.

And hence it is, that the worship of God is usually divided into immediate and mediate worship: which comprehends all duties which we owe to God or Man.”

English Annotations

Annotations upon All the Books of the Old & New Testament (London: Legatt, 1645),

on Rom. 12, verse 1

“‘reasonable service’: Or, worship. That is, a spiritual service, so called in opposition to the carnal rites of the ceremonial law; and he calls it a ‘reasonable service’ because it consists not in the outward offering up of unreasonable beasts, as in the Old Testament: but in the offering up of ourselves, who are men endued with reason. The like exhortation we have, Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5. Or, agreeable to the rules of true reason.”

on 1 Cor. 2, verse 15

“‘judgeth all things’: Or, discerns… Understands and discerns all things, which belong unto the worship of God and eternal life.”

Edward Leigh

A System or Body of Divinity… (London: Lee, 1654), bk. 9, ch. 4, p. 789

“The sorts of this worship are twofold: 1. Solemn, 2. Common…

The Common is that which is to be performed to God jointly in and with our other affairs, so far forth as in them we have anything to do with Him or anything of his.”

Henry Jeanes

A Treatise concerning the Indifferency of Human Actions in A Second Part of The Mixture of Scholastical Divinity with Practical in Several Tractates (1660), pp. 58-59

“…in the use of all indifferencies, in our meals, in our feastings, and merry meetings, in our journeys, in our ordinary talk, and discourse, in our walks, in the actions of our ordinary vocations: Indeed the rule of God’s Word does not at all either command, or forbid the matter of such actions: but the manner of performing them comes under the rule: They are all to be done to the glory of God, in the name of Christ: every good creature is to be sanctified by the Word, and prayer:

That command which God gave Abraham (to walk before Him [Gen. 17:1]) is not to be straitened unto the ordinances of God, but to be extended unto all deliberate acts of a man’s life and conversation, Gen. 17:1. Zechariah (in his prophecy of the general call or conversion of Jews, and gentiles) gives this for one character of such, as shall be converted, that they shall have a sacred and sanctified use of things common and indifferent:

‘In that day shall there be upon the bells of their horses, holiness unto the Lord, yea, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts,’ Zech. 14:20-21.

Not only acts of immediate worship, but all rationall actions, whatsoever, should be offered up as spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2:5. The apostle exhorts the Romans to salute one another with a holy kiss, Rom. 16:16, this kiss was no religious rite in God’s worship, but a ceremony of civility; and therefore in itself a thing indifferent: And yet the apostle requires holiness for the qualification of it: All our civil actions ought to be such, as becomes saints; that is, so far forth holy for manner, that they be free from sin, and unto the glory of God:

Indeed this is a strictness impossible unto lapsed man: But though we cannot exactly and perfectly observe it, yet we may sincerely and cordially endeavor it:”

Matthew Poole

Annotations on the Whole Bible (d. 1679), on Romans 12, verse 1

“‘Which is your reasonable service;’ or, which is agreeable to reason; nothing is more reasonable, than that you should devote yourselves to God in this manner…

Others, by ‘reasonable service,’ understand spiritual service, and expound this place by 1 Peter 2:5, where you read of spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ… And so the service or worship here spoken of is opposed to that will worship, of which you read in Colossians 2:23.”

Worship Includes Conscience Issues

Order of Contents

Bible Verses 12+
Quotes 5

Bible Verses

Acts 23:1 “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.'”

Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.”

2 Cor. 4:2 “…by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

1 Tim. 1:5 “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:”

1 Tim. 1:19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away…”

1 Tim. 3:9 “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”

2 Tim. 1:3 “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience…”

Heb. 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Heb. 10:21-23 “And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering…”

Heb. 13:18 “…for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”

1 Pet. 2:19 “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.”

1 Pet. 3:15-16 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience…”

1 Pet. 3:21 “…the answer of a good conscience toward God…”

Order of Quotes

Beza
Perkins
Ames
Wendelin
Ball
Leigh

Quotes

1500’s

Theodore Beza

Propositions & Principles of Divinity (London: 1591), ch. 29, pp. 67-68

11. The end of the First Commandement… He enjoins Himself to be worshipped and adored of us in the true practice of godliness.

1600’s

William Perkins

The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience… (Cambridge: Legat, 1606), bk. 2, ch. 5, question 2, “How God is to be Worshipped & Served?”, p. 259

“The second virtue of adoration is inward obedience of the hidden man of the heart. The Lord prefers this obedience before all sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15:22. This stands in two things. First, in yielding subjection of the conscience to the commandments, threatnings and promises of God, so as we are willing that it should become bound unto them. Secondly, when the rest of the powers of the soul, in their place and time, perform obedience unto God.”

Marcus F. Wendelin

Christian Theology 3rd ed. (1634), ‘The Distribution of Theology’

“For theology is the doctrine of salvation: and our salvation and blessedness consists in these two parts:

(1) That we rightly know God.
(2) That we rightly worship Him, being rightly known.

And so indeed we rightly know God, so that we might sincerely worship Him. Christ expresses these two parts in Mark 1:15, ‘repent ye, and believe the Gospel.’ Scripture expresses the same parts elsewhere by faith and love, 2 Timothy 1:13: by faith and a good conscience, 1 Timothy 1:19. Paul also distributed his theology into these parts, Acts 24:14-16, ‘I believe all things which are written, and have hope in God: and I do exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence.’ Whence the same Paul reprehends the Gentiles, because ‘they glorified not God, neither were they thankful,’ Romans 1:21.”

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology, ed. John Eusden (1639; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 4, ‘Religion’, section 31, p. 239

“Because the fear of conscience belongs to the worship of religion, any scruple of conscience is commonly called religious.”

John Ball

An Answer to Two Treatises of Mr. John Can, the Leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam… (London: R.B., 1642), ch. 1, section 4, p. 48

Edward Leigh

A System or Body of Divinity… (London: Lee, 1654), bk. 9, ch. 3, ‘2nd Commandment,’ pp. 769-70

“And whatsoever is done in any such exercise of religion, for the end and purpose of pleasing God and getting grace from him with respect of conscience to Him (as esteeming that He must and will have it so, or else the service shall not be well-pleasing and acceptable to Him) this is a part of worship, or of divine service.”

On the Causes of Worship

Order of Quotes

Powel
Wendelin

Quotes

Gabriel Powel

De adiaphoris, Theological & Scholastical Positions concerning the Nature & Use of Things Indifferent. Where also is Methodically & Briefely Handled, of Civil & Ecclesiastical Magistrates, of Human Laws, of Christian Liberty, of Scandal & of the Worship of God (London, 1607), ch. 10, ‘Of the Worship of God…’, pp. 65-66 Powel (baptised 1576–1611) was a Welsh Anglican minister.

“5. The Efficient Cause, I mean the first and Principal Efficient of true worship, is the Holy Ghost, by whom we are moved and stirred up to worship and honor God.

6. For the Spirit is He which gives us faith itself from whence flows worship, and excites us to do the works of piety, both internal and external. He works in us both the will and the deed, after the good pleasure of his will, as the apostle speaks.

7. The Secondary and Less Principal Efficient Cause of worship, are we ourselves, who adore and honor God.

8. The Material Cause is the work itself commanded by God, whereby we serve Him, adoring Him with the greatest reverence we possibly may: for no creature has any right of instituting the worship of God.

9. Hereupon is excluded all will-worship, and the figment of good intention, to wit, when men do evil, that good may come thereof, or when they themselves do invent works, which they obtrude unto God for worship, not works evil in themselves, but yet not commanded by God, 1 Sam. 15:22; Eze. 20:19; Mt. 15:9; Isa. 29:13.

10. For it is not sufficient, for worship that some work be not evil, or not forbidden, but it ought to be commanded by God, 1 Sam. 15:22; Eze. 20:19; Mt. 15:9; Isa. 29:13.

11. The Formal Cause is faith. For good works and just actions do not only flow from faith as from the Efficient Cause; even as all human actions proceed from the soul: but also those works have their being from faith, as from a form, whereby they are godly, holy and therefore acceptable unto God.

12. The Final Cause is the glory of God, whereunto must be referred all the whole worship of God.”

Marcus F. Wendelin

Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 2, ‘Of the Worship of God’

1. ‘Of the Causes, Adjuncts & Distribution of Divine Worship’, theses 3-7, pp. 652-55

“Thesis 3. The efficient [cause] of divine worship is the rational creature, namely an angel or man, from which properly, according to the revealed will of God, worship of the Creator arises.”

“Thesis 4. The material is a thing or action, not any, but that only which is knowingly pleasing to God from his revelation.”

“Thesis 5. The form is the fulfilling of a work commanded by God, in its end, so God is honored.”

“Thesis 6. The end is that rational creatures testify their subjection and gratitude to God the Creator, Lord and Benefactor.

Thesis 7. These are the causes of divine worship. Two adjuncts above all are sincerity and promptitude. God indeed wills Himself to be worshipped by a soul sincere, not hypocritical, prompt and willing, not unwilling and forced.”

ch. 6, ‘Of Ceremonial Worship’, pp. 744-50

“Thesis 1. Thus of the moral worship of God. Ceremonial follows, which is a necessary observation of rites mandated by God, subserving moral worship.”

“Thesis 3. The efficient [cause], or author, is God Himself. Indeed God is worshipped truly and per se by no thing except by which He Himself commands to be worshipped by.”

“Thesis 4. The materials are all external and sensible things which we commonly term ceremonies. Of which kind in the Old Testament were sacrifices, sacraments, various feast days and other rites. In the New, likewise, sacraments, feast days, divinely instituted, etc.”

“Thesis 5. The form consists in whatever legitimate divine ceremonies, by an observation to the prescript of the divine Word.

Thesis 6. The end of ceremonial worship is to subserve moral, or spiritual, worship.”

On Formal vs. Material Worship

Order of Quotes

Rutherford
Durham
Charnock

Quotes

Samuel Rutherford

Divine Right of Church Government (1646), ch. 24

“The magistrate as such has nothing to do with the spirit, nor can he command the sincerity of the worship; his care is that there be a divine worship, that is, materially and externally right and consonant, externally to the rules of the word; and for this cause learned divines make the external man the object of the magistrates office;”

James Durham

A Commentary upon the Book of the Revelation (Edinburgh: Higgins, 1658), Lecture 5, on ch. 11:15-19

“…distinguishing the Church from Antichrist and his worship brought into the Church, and added to the ordinances thereof for obscuring the worship of Christ… yet is the Temple and Church now different from his additions, as the Temple of the Jews was from the corruptions that were accidentally brought in upon it in the times of corruption. Thus, the Word of God, sacraments, prayer, ordination, etc. are continued, which are as the material worship of God, and, as such, are not Antichristian.”

Stephen Charnock

Several Discourses upon the Existence & Attributes of God (London: Newman, 1682), ‘A Discourse of Spiritual Worship’

“Worship is nothing else but a rendering to God the honor that is due to Him; and therefore the right posture of our spirits in it is as much or more due than the material worship in the modes of his own prescribing;”

Proper vs. Accidental Worship

This distinction may be termed Formal vs. Material Worship, but how Chamier uses it below, quoted by Ames, is different than how the same terms are used in the Formal vs. Material section above.

Quote

William Ames

A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God’s Worship… (Amsterdam: Thorp, 1633), ch. 2, section 6, pp. 142-43

“[Daniel] Chamier (says the Rejoinder) [Panstratiae Catholicae] tome 3, bk. 20 [‘On Vows’], ch. 5 [‘In what way vows are the worship of God. Arguments of the Papists’], four times uses this distinction of worship proper and accidental.

But Chamier only calls those special material acts which are conjoined with formal acts of worship, accidental parts of worship: as if a man vowed to drink no wine for a certain time, his abstaining from wine pertains to worship only by accident. So if in solemn prayer for a prince, his titles and style be rehearsed, or any special terms of honor, this pertains to prayer by accident.”

Essential vs. Integral Worship

Article

Gillespie, George – pp. 120-21 in English-Popish Ceremonies (1637), pt. 3, ch. 7

A human without a hand or leg, or some deficiency, still has the essence of a human, though not a whole, integral human. Likewise, a deficiency, or lack of an integral part, from whole, integral worship may still leave essential worship; though if an essential part is taken away, it takes away the essence of the worship.

On Essential vs. Accidental Worship

Article

Gillespie, George – pp. 120-21 in English-Popish Ceremonies (1637), pt. 3, ch. 7

While the category of essential worship may be useful, circumstantial worship might as well, though it is less capable of a good sense.

Gillespie argues, rightly, that essential and circumstantial worship is not exhaustive of all worship, as there is worship which is not essential, which also is not circumstantial. Hence this dichotomy may be an error to argue from.

Those that used the dichotomy the most were formalists, seeking to justify human, significant ceremonies under circumstantial worship.

On Immediate vs. Mediate Worship

Intro

As performing an outward duty to our neighbor gives honor to God, so it confers worship to God through this means, and hence is an external, mediate worship. As the duty may be done internally out of conscience unto God and his Law, bringing honor to Him (in contrast to the atheist doing it for other reasons), this is an immediate, internal worship of God, conjoined in the same act to our neighbor.

See many relevant quotes above in ‘Worship Includes Keeping God’s Commandments & Good Works, in a Less Narrow Respect’, respecting the First Table of the Law involving immediate worship to God, and the Second Table involving mediate worship to God.

Articles

Powel, Gabriel – pp. 66-71 of ch. 10, ‘Of the Worship of God…’ in De adiaphoris, Theological & Scholastical Positions concerning the Nature & Use of Things Indifferent. Where also is Methodically & Briefely Handled, of Civil & Ecclesiastical Magistrates, of Human Laws, of Christian Liberty, of Scandal & of the Worship of God (London, 1607)

Powel (baptised 1576–1611) was a Welsh Anglican minister, known for his strident anti-Romanist views.

Palmer, Herbert & Daniel Cawdrey – section 5 in Sabbatum Redivivum, or the Christian Sabbath Vindicated… (1645), Part 1, p. 74

Fentiman, Travis – pp. 79-80, 83-84 in 1 Corinthians – Head-Coverings are Not Perpetual & they were Hair-Buns, with or without Cloth Material: Proven (RBO, 2022)

On a Relative or Respective Worship of a Mediate Object in Worship Unlawful

Article

Gillespie, George – pp. 53-54 of ch. 4 in English-Popish Ceremonies (1637), pt. 3

Gillespie is arguing against protestants kneeling to receive the Lord’s Supper.

On the Material Object of Worship, Formal Object & Object of Consideration

Order of Quotes

Durham
Corbet

Quotes

1600’s

James Durham

A Commentary upon the Book of the Revelation… (Edinburgh, 1658), ch. 1, ‘Concerning the Holy Trinity & Object of Worship’, p. 12

“For answering… how the Mediator is the object of divine worship: we shall first distinguish this title ‘object,’ then answer. By divines there is in this case a threefold object acknowledged (all agreeing to the Mediator in some respect):

1. There is objectum materiale, or, quod [‘that’], that is, the object, or Person to whom worship is given.

2. There is objectum formale, or, quo, that is, the account upon which it is given to that Person, or object.

3. There is objectum considerationis, that is, the consideration that the worshipper has of that object in worshipping of Him, and is as a motive thereto, or is (as the learned Voetius calls it, specificatio objecti) ‘the specification of the object,’ whereby the heart of the worshipper, by taking up the object worshipped under such a consideration, is warmed with love and thankfulness, and strengthened in his confidence, to worship that object.

Thus, the relations that God took on Him to be the redeemer of His people from Egypt, and from the land of the North, did give no new object of worship, yet did they give some external denominations, or specifications, of that object, God, to them: the consideration whereof in their worshipping did much qualify the object to them, so that with the more thankfulness and confidence they might approach to Him: and thus we distinguish between the object worshipped, and the consideration which may be had of Him in our worship. And this does not make Him adorable simply and in Himself, because He was so naturally; but, it is the ground upon which He is accessible to us, who are sinners and enemies:”

John Corbet

Of Divine Worship, 2nd Part in The Remains of… John Corbet… (London: Parkhurst, 1684), section 18, p. 205

“There were also supernatural unimitable representations, though not of the divine nature, yet of the divine presence, as the burning bush and the appearances on Mount Sinai.

Divine worship directed to such images or representations as to a mediate object, is idolatry. The ark and the cherubims, and the temple, were not made the object of worship. A learned man writes that incurvation in way of religion towards any symbolical presence, as to an object, is flat idolatry; if it be in worship of saints, angels, and demons, it is double idolatry; if in the worship of the true God, single [idolatry].

I suppose it is one thing to make somewhat (as for instance, the ark of the Covenant, and the mercy-seat, and the temple) an object of our consideration in the worship of God, as instructing and exciting therein; and another thing to make it the object of worship itself. And the said author says that to direct our adoration towards a supernatural and unimitable transplendency of the divine presence, is not idolatry. I suppose he means that the burning bush which Moses saw, and the visible glories on the Mount, were only media cultus, not objects thereof, the presence of God shining through the same as a bright medium.”

Habitual vs. Actual Worship

Intro

“Habitual” in Stoddon’s context below does not mean a habit, like chewing one’s fingernails, or even frequently doing something periodically, but rather signifies the older metaphysical sense of an abiding virtue, disposition and power in the soul.

“Actual” refers to the actual exercised act of worship by the soul, arising from the habit.

Quotes

Samuel Rutherford

The Divine Right of Church Government... (London, 1646), pp. 73-4

“2. Express and actual reference and intention to every commandment of God, or to God’s glory in every particular action, I do not urge; a habitual reference and intention I conceive is holden forth to us in Scripture: 1 Cor. 10:31…

Whereas being created according to God’s image, especially, he living in the visible Church, he is to do all his actions deliberate, even natural and moral in faith, and with a warrant from scripture to make good their morality, Ps. 119:9; Prov. 3:23-24; 2 Cor. 5:7.”

Edward Leigh

A System or Body of Divinity… (London: A.M., 1654), bk. 9, ch. 3, ‘2nd Commandment’, p. 767 margin note on Dt. 4:15-19

“Natural worship is the chief, instituted worship may be interrupted.”

Samuel Stoddon

An Essay on a Question Relating to Divine Worship… (London: Maxwell, 1682), p. 5 Stoddon was an English, congregationalist minister.

“The internal worship may be considered either as habitual or actual. As habitual, and so we are bound to worship God at all times, the obligation holding both semper et ad semper [always and to all times].

As actual, and so we are bound to worship Him on all occasions the circumstances whereof make it a duty so to do.”

Worship in Relation to Space & Time

RBO Webpage & Sections

‘On Holding Public Worship & Church Courts by Distance Through Technology, & on Using Satellite Churches, under Necessity & for Edification’

Intro
Bible Verses

Gathering in One Place: Incidental though Beneficial to Public
. Worship
Assembling in One Location: Not Necessary to Public Worship
Physically Gathering: Not Necessary to Public Worship

Public Worship over Technology Preserves the Essence of Verbal,
. Public Worship Ordinances & Spiritual Communion
Visible, Spiritual, Communion in Publicly Worshipping by Distance
Public Worship may Consist with Difference of Time

On Corrupting vs. Perfecting Additions to God’s Worship

Article

Gillespie, George – pp. 117-18 in English-Popish Ceremonies (1637), pt. 3, ch. 7

The Papists, and some protestant formalists, used this distinction to get around Dt. 4:2, that we are not to add to God’s commandments, including his worship.

The reformed typically rejected the distinction altogether as Gillespie does, who argues against it.

Quote

John Owen

A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God… (London: 1667), Question 14, ‘May not the Church find out and appoint to be observed such religious rites, as being adjoined unto the celebration of God’s instituted worship, may farther the devotion of the worshippers and render the worship itself in its performance more decent, beautiful and orderly…?’, pp. 64-65

“The Papists say indeed that all additions corrupting the worship of God are forbidden, but such as further adorn and preserve it are not so, which implies a contradiction, for whereas every addition is principally a corruption because it is an addition, under which notion it is forbidden (and that in the worship of God which is forbidden, is a corruption of it), there can be no such preserving, adorning addition, unless we will allow a preserving and adorning corruption.

Neither is it of more force which is pleaded by them that the additions which they make belong not unto the substance of the worship of God, but unto the circumstances of it, for every circumstance observed religiously, or to be observed in the worship of God, is of the substance of it, as were all those ceremonious observances of the [Mosaic] Law which had the same respect in the prohibitions of adding with the most weighty things whatsoever.”

On Civil Worship

Order of Contents

Bible Verses 15+
Quotes 3
Article 1

Bible Verses

Gen. 19:1 “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;”

Gen. 23:5-7 “And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, ‘Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead…’ And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

Gen. 33:3 “And he [Jacob] passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother [Esau].”

Gen. 48:12 “And Joseph brought them [the children] out from between his [Jacob’s] knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.”

Gen. 49:8 “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.”

Ex. 18:7 “And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him…”

1 Sam. 25:23 “And when Abigail saw David, she… fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground…”

2 Sam. 18:21 “Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.”

1 Kings 2:19 “Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him… And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne…”

2 Kings 2:15 “And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.”

1 Chron. 29:20 “…And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.”

Ps. 45:11 “So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.”

Dan. 2:46 “Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel…”

Mt. 18:26 “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying…”

Lk. 14:10 “But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, ‘Friend, go up higher:’ then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.”

1 Pet. 2:17 “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

Rev. 3:9 “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”

Order of Quotes

Tyndale
Perkins
Caryl

Quotes

William Tyndale

An Answer to Sir Thomas More’s Dialogue, the Supper of the Lord… (d. c. 1536; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), pp. 56-57

“Therefore, that thou be not beguiled with falsehood of sophistical words, understand that the words which the scripture uses in the worshipping or honoring of God, are these: Love God, cleave to God, dread, serve, bow, pray and call on God, believe and trust in God, and such like: which words all we use in the worshipping of man also, howbeit diversely; and the difference thereof does all the scripture teach.”

William Perkins

Satan’s Sophistry Answered by our Savior Christ, & in Diverse Sermons Further Manifested (London, 1604), ‘Satan’s Sophistry,’ p. 115-17

“…worship taken generally, signifies the giving of honor and reverence to another. Now this honor is either civil or divine.

Civil honor is that outward reverence we give to men by prostrating of the body, or bowing of the knee; and the end of this civil worship is, that thereby we might acknowledge another to be our superior: and therefore it is given of subjects to princes, or of inferiors to those that by some means are their
superiors.

And thus Jacob worshipped, that is, gave civil worship to Esau seven times, Gen. 33:3. This reverence Abraham gave to the Hittites, Gen. 23:7, and Lot to the angels bowed himself to the ground, Gen. 19:1, where he gave them only civil worship and honor. So then it is manifest by these examples, that we may lawfully bow and bend the knee and kneel to princes, to give them this civil honor, thereby showing we do acknowledge them to be placed above us in authority and dignity in the world by God…

So then here is a manifest difference between outward civil worship and that divine worship which is outward: because by that civil worship we do only acknowledge them to whom we do it, to be our superious: but by this outward divine worship, we do acknowledge that to which we do this worship to be God, Creator and defender of us and all other things.”

A Reformed Catholic... (Cambridge, Legat, 1598), 14th Point, ‘Worshipping of Saints’, ‘The Dissent’, pp. 248-50

“Civil worship is the honor done to men set above us by God Himself, either in respect of their excellent gifts, or in respect of their offices and authority whereby they govern others. The
right end of this worship is to testify and declare that we reverence the gifts of God, and that power which He has placed in those that be his instruments. And this kind of worship is commanded only in the Second Table and in the First Commandment thereof, ‘Honor thy father and mother.’

Upon this distinction we may judge what honor is due to everyone. Honor is to be given to God, and to whom He commands. He commands that inferiors should honor or worship their betters…

Good angels, because they excel men both in nature and gifts, when they appeared were lawfully honored: yet so, as when the least signification of honor was given that was proper to God,
they refused it. And because they appear not now as in former times, not so much as civil adoration in any bodily gesture is to be done unto them.

Lastly, governors and magistrates have civil adoration as their due: and it cannot be omitted without offense. Thus Abraham worshipped the Hittites, Gen. 23, and Joseph his brethren, Gen. 50.

To come to the very point: upon the former distinction, we deny against the Papists that any civil worship in the bending of the knee or prostrating of the body is to be given to the saints, they being absent from us; much less any religious worship, as
namely invocation signified by any bodily adoration.”

Joseph Caryl

An Exposition with Practical Observations upon the Three First Chapters of the Book of Job, Delivered in 21 Lectures… (London: Miller, 1643), 2nd half of Job 1, on Job 1:20-21, pp. 192-93

“There is a civil worship mentioned in Scripture, as well as divine worship. Civil worship may be given to men. And there is a twofold civil worship (spoken of in Scripture). There is a civil worship of duty, and there is a civil worship of courtesy.

That of duty is from inferiors to their superiors, from children to their parents, from servants to their masters, from subjects to kings and magistrates. These gods must have civil worship. As Gen. 48:11, when Joseph came into the presence of Jacob his father, he bowed down to the ground; this was a civil worship, and a worship of duty from an inferior to a superior. And it is said of the brethren of Judah, Gen. 49:8, when Jacob on his death-bed blessed the 12 Tribes, ‘Thy brethren shall worship thee or bow down to thee.’ It is the same word used here in this text. Judah’s honor was to wield the scepter, the government was laid upon his shoulders; now he being the chief magistrate, all the rest of the tribes, all his brethren must worship him or give civil honor unto him.

Secondly, There is likewise a worship of courtesy, which is from equals, when one equal will bow to another, or when a superior (as sometimes in courtesy he will) bows down or worships his inferior: As it is noted concerning Abraham, that when he came before the men of the country of Heth, he bowed himself; Now Abraham was the superior, he was a prince and a great man, yet coming before the men of the country, he bowed himself, and it is the same word.

So then this civil worship may lawfully be given unto men. But as for divine worship that is proper and peculiar unto God, that glory He will not give to graven images, man or angel, and therefore we must not. Hence we find that when Cornelius and John did act their civil worship a little too far, they were presently taken oft for they should entrench upon the divine worship. Civil worship when it is excessive and goes too far is sinful, as in Acts 10.25, Luke relates that as soon as Peter came in, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshipped him; the worship was to Peter, for we are not to think that Cornelius was so grossly ignorant as to take Peter for a god, and to give him divine worship; but the meaning of it is, that he fell down at his feet and gave him an honor and respect beyond what he ought to have done, he was excessive in it: therefore Peter takes him off, ‘Stand up’ (says he):

‘I myself also am a man, I am a man as thou art, though an apostle give me such respect as becomes a minister of Christ, take heed that you give me no more than belongs to a man.’

So the angel, Rev. 22:8, when John falls down at his feet and worships, he takes him up, ‘See thou do it not,’ says he, ‘for I am thy fellow servant:’ This is too much for man, ‘worship God,’ as it is in the end of the verse; such worship belongs properly and peculiarly unto God.”

Article

Gouge, William – §75, ‘Of the Difference between Divine & Civil Worship’ in A Learned & very useful Commentary on the Whole Wpistle to the Hebrews (London: A.M., 1655)

Related Pages

Worship

On Internal & External Worship

Natural vs. Instituted Worship

Expositions of the 1st Commandment

Expositions of the 2nd Commandment

Expositions of the Ten Commandments

Regulative Principle of Worship

Simplicity of Worship

Order of Worship & Liturgies

Circumstances

Natural Gestures & Customs in Worship; of Reverence