Chapter XXI: Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-day. De cultu religioso et de

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-day. De cultu religioso et de Sabbato.
I. The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is good, and doeth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. [1669] But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited to [1670] his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations
[1671] or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture. [1672] I. Constat quidem naturæ lumine esse Deum qui in universa Primatum obtinet ac absolutum Dominium, eundemque bonum esse ac omnibus beneficum, proindeque toto corde, tota anima, totisque viribus timendum esse et diligendum, laudandum ac invocandum, eique fidendum esse ac serviendum.
[1673] At rationem verum Deum colendi acceptabilem ipse instituit, itaque voluntate sua revelata definivit, ut coli non debeat secundum imaginationes ac inventa hominum, aut suggestiones Satanæ, sub specie quavis visibili, aut alia via quaviscunque quam scriptura sacra non præscripsit. [1674] II. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to him alone: [1675] not to angels, saints, or any other creature: [1676] and since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone. [1677] II. Cultus religiosus Deo Patri Filio et Spiritui sancto, eique soli est exhibendus, [1678] non angelis, non sanctis, neque alii cuivis creaturæ, [1679] nec ipsi Deo quidem post lapsum citra Mediatorem, aut quidem per Mediatorem alium quam Jesum Christum. [1680] III. Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, [1681] is by God required of all III. Supplicationem cum gratiarum actione, quæ est inter partes præcipuas divini cultus, [1682] Deus fieri

men; [1683] and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, [1684] by the help of his Spirit, [1685] according to his will, [1686] with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; [1687] and, if vocal, in a known tongue. [1688] iubet ab hominibus universis; [1689] quæ, quo Deo grata sit et accepta, est in nomine Filii, [1690] subsidio spiritus ejus, [1691] et secundum ipsius voluntatem, [1692] cum intellectu, reverentia, humilitate, fervore, fide, amore, ac perseverantia offerenda; [1693] et quidem, si vocalis sit, in lingua nota est efferenda. [1694] IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, [1695] and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter; [1696] but not for the dead,
[1697] nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death. [1698] IV. Preces pro rebus non nisi licitis sunt faciendæ, [1699] pro hominibus autem cuiuscunque generis, vivis scilicet, aut etiam victuris aliquando; [1700] pro mortuis autem neutiquam; [1701] sed neque pro iis, de quibus constare possit eos peccatum ad mortem perpetrasse. [1702]
V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear; [1703] the sound preaching; [1704] and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God with understanding, faith, and reverence; [1705] singing of psalms with grace in the heart; [1706] as, also, the dne administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: [1707] besides religious oaths, [1708] vows, [1709] solemn V. Scripturarum lectio cum timore pio; [1710] verbi prædicatio solida, [1711] ejusdemque auditio religiosa ex obedientia erga Deum, cum intellectu, fide et reverentia;
[1712] Psalmorum cum gratia in corde cantatio, [1713] prout etiam Sacramentorum, quæ Christus instituit, debita administratio, et participatio digna, sunt divini cultus reiigiosi partes, et quidem ordinarii. [1714] Religiosa insuper juramenta, [1715] votaque; [1716] solennia jejunia, [1717]

fastings, [1718] and thanksgivings upon several [1719] occasions;
[1720] which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner. [1721] solennesque gratiarum actiones, pro varietate eventuum [1722] ; suo quæque tempore ac opportunitate sancte quidem ac religiose sunt adhibenda. [1723] VI. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed: [1724] but God is to be worshiped every where [1725] in spirit and [1726] truth; [1727] as in private families [1728] daily, [1729] and in secret each one by himself, [1730] so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto. [1731] VI. Hodie sub evangelio neque preces, nec ulla pars alia religiosi cultus ita cuivis alligatur loco in quo præstetur aut versus quem dirigatur, [1732] ut inde gratior evadat et acceptior; verum ubique Deus colendus est [1733] in spiritu ac veritate; [1734] quotidie [1735] quidem inter privatos parietes a quavis familia, [1736] ut etiam a quolibet seorsim in secreto; [1737] at solenniter magis in conventibus publicis, qui certe quoties eo nos Deus vocat, seu verbo suo seu providentia, non sunt vel ex incuria vel obstinatione animi aut negligendi aut deserendi. [1738] VII. As it is of the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: [1739] which, from the VII. Quemadmodum est de lege naturæ ut indefinite portio quædam temporis idonea divino cultui celebrando sejuncta sit ac assignata; ita in verbo suo Deus (præcepto morali, positivo ac perpetuo, homines omnes cujuscunque fuerint seculi obligante) speciatim e septenis quibusque diebus diem unum in Sabbatum designavit, sancte sibi observandum. [1740] Quod

beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, [1741] which in Scripture is called the Lord's day, [1742] and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath. [1743] quidem ab orbe condito ad resurrectionem usque Christi dies ultimus erat in septimana; deinde autem a Christi resurrectione in septimanæ diem primum transferebatur; [1744] qui quidem in Scriptura Dies Dominicus [1745] nuncupatur, estque perpetuo ad finem mundi tanquam Sabbatum Christianum celebrandus. [1746] VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations; [1747] but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. [1748] VIII. Tunc autem hoc Sabbatum Deo sancte celebratur, quum post corda rite præparata, et compositas suas res mundanas, homines non solum a suis ipsorum operibus, dictis, cogitatis; (quæ circa illas exerceri solent) a recreationibus etiam ludicris quietem sanctam toto observant die; [1749] verum etiam in exercitiis divini cultus publicis privatisque, ac in officiis necessitatis et misericordiæ toto illo tempore occupantur. [1750]