Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

Thomas Watson on Worship

I guess there's no doubt about Thomas Watson's perspective on worship! The following is taken from his book, "The Godly Man's Picture":

The Greek word for 'godly' signifies a true worshipper of God. A godly man reverences divine institutions, and is more for the purity of worship than for the pomp. Mixture in sacred things is like a dash in the wine, which though it gives it a colour, yet only adulerates it. The Lord wanted Moses to make the tabernacle 'according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount' (Exod. 25:40). If Moses had left out anything in the pattern, or added anything to it, it would have been very provocative. The Lord has always given testimonies of his displeasure against such as have corrupted his worship. Nadab and Abihu offered 'strange fire' (other than God had sanctified them on the altar), 'and fire went out from the Lord, devoured them' (Lev. 10:1,2). Whatever is not of God's own appointment in worship he looks upon as 'strange fire'. And no wonder he is so highly incensed at it, for it is as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner in which he will be served. Men will try to direct him, and as if the rules for his worship were defective, they will attempt to correct the copy, and superadd their inventions. ... Use: by this characteristic we may test ourselves, whether we are godly. Are we careful about the things of God? Do we observe that mode of worship which has the stamp of divine authority upon it? It has dangerous consequences to make a medley in religion.

To what remote location have men in the church with such convictions, ready to speak them to the sheep, vanished? I speak of those with the courage to look at the Scriptures and heed them, to consider carefully our practices of worship and compare them with Scripture, and pray for guidance and to discern God's will concerning worship? Why have we let the church become so wordly? Is it all done in a misguided sense of 'liberty' - perhaps laziness masked in some sort of modern version of 'grace'? Have we adopted the world's methods in order to do God's work of saving his people? I am afraid that these questions are answered in the affirmative. May God heal our church and bring reformation and revival to her in these days.