Hmmm...I guess I completely missed that thread, sorry. Are you prepared to give a more thorough review after having read it??
For what it's worth, I can offer some notes on the book which come from my reading:
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Differences Between Protestants
* Ritchie contrasts the Lutheran/Anglican normative principle of worship with the Reformed regulative principle of worship
Chapter 2 - Biblical basis for the regulative principle
* Ritchie demonstrates from the Old and New Testament the Biblical basis for the regulative principle of worship
Chapter 3 - Objections to the regulative principle
* Ritchie addresses the argument that the 'all of life is worship'; responds to John Frame; responds to the criticism that some doctrines like baptism and the Christian Sabbath are not explicitly stated; affirms that the regulative principle of worship applies not just to public worship but to private and family worship too
Chapter 4 - The Circumstances of worship
* Ritchie discusses what is meant by 'circumstances of worship'; discusses vestments (contra), female preachers (contra), headcoverings for women (argues contra headcoverings per Greg Price)
Chapter 5 - Worship is to be given to God alone
* Ritchie affirms the importance of worship offered to God through Jesus Christ the Mediator (contra Romanism)
Chapter 6 - Image worship
* Ritchie affirms the second commandment prohibition against images of Christ
Chapter 7 - Biblical prayer
* Ritchie discusses the nature of true prayer; argues against liturgies (allowing in some occasions for the use of written prayers that are not imposed); affirms that public prayer should be restricted to the minister alone
Chapter 8 - Reading, Preaching and Hearing of the word
* Ritchie affirms the importance of Bible-centered worship; affirms WLC 156 (the word is not to be read by all publically); affirms the importance of diligent Bible study, and meditation upon the word; affirms the necessity of expository preaching and conscionable hearing of the word
Chapter 9 - Exclusive psalmody
* Ritchie affirms that the Westminster Standards teach exclusive psalmody and that exclusive psalmody is derived from the regulative principle of worship; discusses the development of psalmody in the Old Testament; considers the existence of songs in the Bible outside the psalter; examines psalmody in the New Testament; responds to arguments against exclusive psalmody: 1) the analogy of prayer, 2) the psalms 'do not include the name of Jesus,' 3) the imprecatory psalms, 4) problems with metrical versions of the psalms, 5) the sufficiency and doctrinal integrity of the psalter; affirms the virtues of the Psalter
Chapter 10 - Instrumental music
* Ritchie affirms that the Westminster Confession teaches that instrumental music is not a lawful part of Christian worship, and that is regulated, not circumstantial; that instrumental music is part of the ceremonial worship which was abolished; considers musical instruments in the Psalms and the Book of Revelation
Chapter 11 - The Sacraments
* Ritchie affirms that Christ has instituted two sacraments; they are to be administered by gospel ministers only (affirming that 'the Baptism of the various sects, who do not have teaching elders, as also being invalid'); affirms that the New Testament sacraments replace the Old Testament ordinances of circumcision and the Passover
Chapter 12 - The Subjects of Baptism
* Ritchie affirms the doctrine of paedo-baptism
Chapter 13 - The Mode of Baptism
* Ritchie affirms that immersion is not necessary but rather pouring or sprinkling is the Biblical norm
Chapter 14 - The Lord's Supper
* Ritchie affirms that real wine should be used in the Lord's Supper and seems to lean towards weekly observance of the Supper
Chapter 15 - The Christian Sabbath
* Ritchie affirms the Puritan doctrine of the Christian Sabbath and denies that it is lawful to observe man-made holy days (allowing for extraordinary days of fasting and thanksgiving)
Conclusion
This is a good book for the layman (ie., not scholarly but honestly and passionately written). I found several typos in it. I disagree with his understanding of the headcovering issue and his emphasis towards weekly observance of the Lord's Supper. But his effort to explain the necessity and importance of the regulative principle of worship is a valiant one and is much appreciated.
