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"Whatsoever
God has not commanded in His Word for His worship is not allowable in
divine Worship."
This
was in keeping with John Knox's dictum.
"All worshipping, honouring, or other service invented by the brain
of man in the religion of God, without His own express command
is idolatry."
That
principle is, to put it simply, 'Scripture Alone'.
This
principle is re-stated in The Nonconformist's Catechism (by Samuel
Palmer) of 1741;-
36. Q. Is nothing to be required in the worship of God but what is commanded
in Scripture?
A. Nothing but what
is either expressly commanded, or necessarily implied in a command.
The
Scriptural Regulative Principle was not invented by the Reformers,.
"We are enjoined by Christ Himself to put no faith in human doctrines,
but in those declared by the prophets and taught by Himself." Justin
Martyr
"It is a manifest falling away from the faith and a mark of presumption,
either to omit anything in Scripture, or introduce anything not in Scripture."
Basil the Great
"We deny not those things which are written, we refuse those which are
not written." Jerome
Also, there are similar statements by Lactantius, Tertullian and others.
This
was the principle laid down for the order of worship among the Israelites,
"See that you make it according to the pattern that was shown to
you on the mountain." Ex.25;40; and this was repeated (for our guidance)
in Acts.7;44. The manner of this presentation is not merely historic,
it implies that, as a spiritual application, it is one of those parts
of the Old Covenant which are translated into the New Covenant. This
is one of the principles which Bible obeying, New Testament, Christians
have used since the Gospel Age was introduced.
The apostle
Paul, and Apollos too, encouraged the Assembly, Congregation, Gathering,
at Corinth 'not to go above that which was written'. 1Cor.4;6
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