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The 1689 Confession · Chapter XXII

Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath-Day

22.1

The Light of Nature shows that there is a God, who has Lordship and Sovereignty over all; is Just, Good, and does good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the Heart, and all the Soul, and with all the Might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, isa instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed Will, that he may not be worshipped according to the Imaginations and Devices of Men, or the Suggestions of Satan, under any visible Representations, orb any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.c

  1. a Jeremiah 10:7; Mark 12:33
  2. b Deuteronomy 12:32
  3. c Exodus 20:4-6

The Light of Nature shews that there is a God, who hath Lordship and Sovereignty over all; is Just, Good, and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the Heart, and all the Soul, and with all the Might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, isa instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed Will, that he may not be worshipped according to the Imaginations and Devices of Men, or the Suggestions of Satan, under any visible Representations, orb any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.c

  1. a Jeremiah 10:7; Mark 12:33
  2. b Deuteronomy 12:32
  3. c Exodus 20:4-6
22.2

Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to him alone; not to Angels, Saints, or any othera Creatures; and since the Fall, not without ab Mediator, nor in the Mediation of any other butc Christ alone.d

  1. a Matthew 4:9-10; John 6:23; Matthew 28:19
  2. b Romans 1:25; Colossians 2:18; Revelation 19:10
  3. c John 14:6
  4. d 1 Timothy 2:5

Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to him alone; not to Angels, Saints, or any othera Creatures; and since the Fall, not without ab Mediator, nor in the Mediation of any other butc Christ alone.d

  1. a Matthew 4:9-10; John 6:23; Matthew 28:19
  2. b Romans 1:25; Colossians 2:18; Revelation 19:10
  3. c John 14:6
  4. d 1 Timothy 2:5
22.3

Prayer, with Thanksgiving, being one special part of Natural Worship, is by God required of all Men. But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in thea Name of the Son, by the helpb of the Spirit, according toc his Will; with Understanding, Reverence, Humility, Fervency, Faith, Love, and Perseverance; and with others, in ad known Tongue.e

  1. a Psalm 95:1, 7; 65:2
  2. b John 14:13-14
  3. c Romans 8:26
  4. d 1 John 5:14
  5. e 1 Corinthians 14:16-17

Prayer, with Thanksgiving, being one special part of Natural Worship, is by God required of all Men. But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in thea Name of the Son, by the helpb of the Spirit, according toc his Will; with Understanding, Reverence, Humility, Fervency, Faith, Love, and Perseverance; and with others, in ad known Tongue.e

  1. a Psalm 95:1, 7; 65:2
  2. b John 14:13-14
  3. c Romans 8:26
  4. d 1 John 5:14
  5. e 1 Corinthians 14:16-17
22.4

Prayer is to be made for Things lawful, and for all sorts of Men living, or that shall live hereafter; but nota for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known, that they have sinnedb the Sin unto Death.c

  1. a 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 2 Samuel 7:29
  2. b 2 Samuel 12:21-23
  3. c 1 John 5:16

Prayer is to be made for Things lawful, and for all sorts of Men living, or that shall live hereafter; but nota for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known, that they have sinnedb the Sin unto Death.c

  1. a 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 2 Samuel 7:29
  2. b 2 Samuel 12:21-23
  3. c 1 John 5:16
22.5

The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, anda hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Singing with Grace in our Hearts tob the Lord; as also the Administrationc of Baptism, andd the Lord’s Supper, are all parts of Religious Worship of God, to be performed in Obedience to him, with Understanding, Faith, Reverence, and Godly Fear; moreover, Solemn Humiliation,e with Fastings, and Thanksgiving, uponf special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.g

  1. a 1 Timothy 4:13
  2. b 2 Timothy 4:2; Luke 8:18
  3. c Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19
  4. d Matthew 28:19-20
  5. e 1 Corinthians 11:26
  6. f Esther 4:16; Joel 2:12
  7. g Exodus 15:1-19; Psalm 107

The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, anda hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Singing with Grace in our Hearts tob the Lord; as also the Administrationc of Baptism, andd the Lord’s Supper, are all parts of Religious Worship of God, to be performed in Obedience to him, with Understanding, Faith, Reverence, and Godly Fear; moreover, Solemn Humiliation,e with Fastings, and Thanksgiving, uponf special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.g

  1. a 1 Timothy 4:13
  2. b 2 Timothy 4:2; Luke 8:18
  3. c Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19
  4. d Matthew 28:19-20
  5. e 1 Corinthians 11:26
  6. f Esther 4:16; Joel 2:12
  7. g Exodus 15:1-19; Psalm 107
22.6

Neither Prayer, nor any other part of Religious Worship, is now, under the Gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped every where in Spirit, and in Truth; as ina private Familiesb daily, andc in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the Public Assemblies, which are not carelessly, nor willfully, to bed neglected or forsaken, when God by his Word or Providence calls thereunto.e

  1. a John 4:21; Malachi 1:11; 1 Timothy 2:8
  2. b Acts 10:2
  3. c Matthew 6:11; Psalm 55:17
  4. d Matthew 6:6
  5. e Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42

Neither Prayer, nor any other part of Religious Worship, is now, under the Gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped every where in Spirit, and in Truth; as ina private Familiesb daily, andc in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the Publick Assemblies, which are not carelesly, nor wilfully, to bed neglected or forsaken, when God by his Word or Providence calleth thereunto.e

  1. a John 4:21; Malachi 1:11; 1 Timothy 2:8
  2. b Acts 10:2
  3. c Matthew 6:11; Psalm 55:17
  4. d Matthew 6:6
  5. e Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42
22.7

As it is of the Law of Nature, that in general, a proportion of time, by God’s appointment, be set apart for the Worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive, moral, and perpetual Commandment, binding all Men, in all Ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the 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,a which is called the Lord’s Day; and is to be continued to the end of the World, as the Christian Sabbath; the observation of the last day of the Week being abolished.b

  1. a Exodus 20:8
  2. b 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10

As it is of the Law of Nature, that in general, a proportion of time, by God’s appointment, be set apart for the Worship of God, so by his Word, in 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, which from the 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,a which is called the Lord’s Day; and is to be continued to the end of the World, as the Christian Sabbath; the observation of the last day of the Week being abolished.b

  1. a Exodus 20:8
  2. b 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10
22.8

The Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when Men, after a due preparing of their Hearts, and ordering their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day, from their own Works, Words and Thoughts, about their worldly Employment and Recreations, but also are taken up the whole Time in the public and private Exercises of his Worship, and in the Dutiesa of Necessity and Mercy.b

  1. a Isaiah 58:13; Nehemiah 13:15, 23
  2. b Matthew 12:1, 13

The Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when Men, after a due preparing of their Hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day, from their own Works, Words and Thoughts, about their worldly Employment and Recreations, but also are taken up the whole Time in the publick and private Exercises of his Worship, and in the Dutiesa of Necessity and Mercy.b

  1. a Isaiah 58:13; Nehemiah 13:15, 23
  2. b Matthew 12:1, 13