March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
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Notes and Comments 91earth. The Church’s God-centred and God-glorifying task is not fulfilled byphilosophical deductions from <strong>the</strong> “unity in diversity” <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Triune God butby obedience to His revealed will. The article errs in putting <strong>the</strong> singing <strong>of</strong>psalms or hymns, with or without instrumental music, in worship in <strong>the</strong> samecategory as “trifling difference in ceremony”.Uniformity is rightly required in all matters concerning which <strong>the</strong> Word<strong>of</strong> God has spoken. The Questions and Formula were in force long before<strong>the</strong> Scottish Church practically abandoned <strong>the</strong> Calvinistic principle thatScriptural authority is required for anything introduced into <strong>the</strong> substance <strong>of</strong>worship. There can be no doubt about what “purity <strong>of</strong> worship” meant to thosewho used <strong>the</strong> term prior to <strong>the</strong> movement away from Scriptural authority andprinciple and Confessional commitment which culminated in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Free</strong> ChurchDeclaratory Act <strong>of</strong> 1892 and <strong>the</strong> unions <strong>of</strong> 1900 and 1929.The article’s misrepresentation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> contention for uniformity in worshipreaches its climax in <strong>the</strong> assertion that “uniformity is ungodly. Its logicaldrive is to strip <strong>the</strong> cosmos and <strong>the</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir God-glorifying diversity,which must be reduced to <strong>the</strong> point <strong>of</strong> extinction.” Amazingly it tries to findjustification in <strong>the</strong> distinction George Gillespie and his seventeenth-centurycolleagues made between “prelatical conformity” and “presbyterian uniformity”and puts uniformity in worship, with psalms only and without instrumentalmusic, in <strong>the</strong> category <strong>of</strong> “regulations imposed by a hierarchy”.George Gillespie could be writing today: “The word uniformity is becomeas odious to divers who plead for liberty and toleration, as <strong>the</strong> word conformitywas in <strong>the</strong> prelates’ times. . . . I confess my love <strong>of</strong> uniformity hath not mademe any whit to depart from my former principles against <strong>the</strong> prelatical conformity,or <strong>the</strong> astricting <strong>of</strong> men’s consciences (at least in point <strong>of</strong> practiceand observation) to certain rites, whe<strong>the</strong>r unlawful or indifferent in <strong>the</strong>ir ownnature, under pain <strong>of</strong> censure. Yet I must needs justify (as not only lawful,but laudable) what <strong>the</strong> Solemn League and Covenant <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three kingdomsobligeth us unto, namely, to endeavour to bring <strong>the</strong> <strong>church</strong>es <strong>of</strong> God in <strong>the</strong>three kingdoms to <strong>the</strong> nearest conjunction and uniformity in one confession<strong>of</strong> faith, one directory <strong>of</strong> worship, one form <strong>of</strong> <strong>church</strong> government andcatechism.” He goes on to say: “Much <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prelatical conformity consistedin such things as were in <strong>the</strong>mselves, and in <strong>the</strong>ir own nature, unlawful andcontrary to <strong>the</strong> Word. Show us <strong>the</strong> like in any part <strong>of</strong> our uniformity, <strong>the</strong>n letthat thing never more be heard <strong>of</strong>. Uniformity in anything which is unlawfulis a great aggravation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sin.”The departure from <strong>the</strong> uniformity which results from requiring divineauthority for whatever is believed or practised has brought nothing but declineand division into <strong>the</strong> Scottish Church. The “unity in diversity” produced by