Chapter 22: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath-Day

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, is^a 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, or^b any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.^c

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, is^a 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, or^b any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.^c

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

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

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 the^a Name of the Son, by the help^b of the Spirit, according to^c his Will; with Understanding, Reverence, Humility, Fervency, Faith, Love, and Perseverance; and with others, in a^d known Tongue.^e

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 the^a Name of the Son, by the help^b of the Spirit, according to^c his Will; with Understanding, Reverence, Humility, Fervency, Faith, Love, and Perseverance; and with others, in a^d known Tongue.^e

Prayer is to be made for Things lawful, and for all sorts of Men living, or that shall live hereafter; but not^a for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known, that they have sinned^b the Sin unto Death.^c

Prayer is to be made for Things lawful, and for all sorts of Men living, or that shall live hereafter; but not^a for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known, that they have sinned^b the Sin unto Death.^c

The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, and^a hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Singing with Grace in our Hearts to^b the Lord; as also the Administration^c of Baptism, and^d 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, upon^f special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.^g

The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, and^a hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Singing with Grace in our Hearts to^b the Lord; as also the Administration^c of Baptism, and^d 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, upon^f special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.^g

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 in^a private Families^b daily, and^c in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the Publick Assemblies, which are not carelesly, nor wilfully, to be^d neglected or forsaken, when God by his Word or Providence calleth thereunto.^e

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 in^a private Families^b daily, and^c in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the Public Assemblies, which are not carelessly, nor willfully, to be^d neglected or forsaken, when God by his Word or Providence calls thereunto.^e

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

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

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 Duties^a of Necessity and Mercy.^b

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 Duties^a of Necessity and Mercy.^b