The Book of Confessions - The Presbyterian Leader

which wholly agree in prayer" (Hist. ecclesiast. V.22, 57). The authors of this difference, I think,
were those who were in charge of the Churches at particular times. Yet if they agree, it is to be
highly commended and imitated by others.
THE METHOD TO BE EMPLOYED IN PUBLIC PRAYERS. As in everything, so also
in public prayers there is to be a standard lest they be excessively long and irksome. The greatest
part of meetings for worship is therefore to be given to evangelical teaching, and care is to be
taken lest the congregation is wearied by too lengthy prayers and when they are to hear the
preaching of the Gospel they either leave the meeting or, having been exhausted, want to do away
with it altogether. To such people the sermon seems to be overlong, which otherwise is brief
enough. And therefore it is appropriate for preachers to keep to a standard.
SINGING. Likewise moderation is to be exercised where singing is used in a meeting for
worship. That song which they call the Gregorian Chant has many foolish things in it; hence it is
rightly rejected by many of our churches. If there are churches which have a true and proper
sermon (17) but no singing, they ought not to be condemned. For all churches do not have the
advantage of singing. And it is well known from testimonies of antiquity that the custom of
singing is very old in the Eastern Churches whereas it was late when it was at length accepted in
the West.
CANONICAL HOURS. Antiquity knew nothing of canonical hours, that is, prayers
arranged for certain hours of the day, and sung or recited by the Papists, as can be proved from
their breviaries and by many arguments. But they also have not a few absurdities, of which I say
nothing else; accordingly they are rightly omitted by churches which substitute in their place
things that are beneficial for the whole Church of God.
CHAPTER XXIV - Of Holy Days, Fasts and the Choice of Foods
THE TIME NECESSARY FOR WORSHIP. Although religion is not bound to time, yet
it cannot be cultivated and exercised without a proper distribution and arrangement of time.
Every Church, therefore, chooses for itself a certain time for public prayers, and for the preaching
of the Gospel, and for the celebration of the sacraments; and no one is permitted to overthrow this
appointment of the Church at his own pleasure. For unless some due time and leisure is given for
the outward exercise of religion, without doubt men would be drawn away from it by their own
affairs.
THE LORD'S DAY. Hence we see that in the ancient churches there were not only
certain set hours in the week appointed for meetings, but that also the Lord's Day itself, ever since
the apostles' time, was set aside for them and for a holy rest, a practice now rightly preserved by
our Churches for the sake of worship and love.
SUPERSTITION. In this connection we do not yield to the Jewish observance and to
superstitions. For we do not believe that one day is any holier than another, or think that rest in
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