But how far doth this great moral law of worship extend? How much doth it include? All who have common sense cannot but know that the right way of interpreting an absolute and unconditional law is to apply it to all that, to which it is, or can be applicable. According to this rule of interpreting, the law now under consideration reaches to all men, of all ages and nations. It binds all rational creatures, in the whole universe of the almighty, angel and men, one as much as, and as fully as another, without one exception or limitation. Wherever any rational creature or moral agent can be found, in heaven, on earth, or in any part of universal nature, there this law extends, and binds him eternally and unchangeably.
Further, it is obvious to remark, that this law embraces all the ways, times and seasons of worship. It is impossible but that it should comprehend them all, one as much, and as fully as another, according to the nature and circumstances of the case. We are bound forever, eternally, and unalterably to worship God, in all the ways of which we are capable, and at all fit times and proper seasons, in a public, in a social, and in a private manner. For you will be pleased to observe, that this law of worship comprehends one duty of it, as much as another. It comprises indeed all the branches of it equally. It bids us worship and serve the Lord our God, in all his public Assemblies,—in our houses—in our closets—on all other fit and proper occasions or stated seasons, constantly, perseveringly, while life and breath and being last. For if we say it doth not bind us to pay devotion and adoration, gratitude and religious praise statedly in our Families, we may, with equal justice, say it doth not bind us to offer homage to God in religious retirement, in our closets. We may, also, say it includes not stated public worship. And then we may proceed one step further, and say it binds us to no worship at all. To say it only binds us to worship God, the author of every mercy when and how we may fancy the spirit moves or impels us, we say as much as that we will be our own judges, whether we will ever offer one prayer to the fountain of life and glory, the king, immortal, and invisible, or not: that is, we arrogantly assume the power to legislate for the Deity—to alter—repeal—and modify his law of worship as we please—or as our own fickle and perverse imagination suggesteth. This in effect is to ascend the Throne, to take the work of legislation out of God’s hands into our own.—What daring impiety and presumption!—What ignorance and wickedness are in the heart of man!
With evident propriety might we attempt to establish from the text the duty of the stated worship of the supreme Being, in all its forms; but in the subsequent reasonings, our attention will be principally confined to stated public worship to be constantly attended upon, on all God’s holy sabbaths. The arguments however to evince this to be an indispensable duty, when we are able to attend upon it, at least many of them, will apply with equal force to prove the duty of social and secret worship; that is, we are indispensably obliged, to worship God, statedly, in our families, and in our closets, as well as, in his sanctuary.
1. The very reason and nature of things may convince us that God is to be publicly worshipped by his reasonable Creatures. Public worship comprehends, in general, solemn prayer, religious praise, and pious instructions. An essential part of public worship is stated and solemn prayer, preferring unitedly petitions for both temporal and spiritual blessings to the Throne of grace, devoutly imploring the free and full remission of sin, and gratefully recognizing the receipt of past mercies. Where there is no prayer offered to him, who, in gracious condescension, hath stiled himself the hearer of prayer, there is consequently no worship. Now had we no knowledge of Revelation, or suppose there never was any, we contend, that the light of reason would be sufficient to convince us that the public worship of the Deity is an indespensable duty. That homage from us is due to the one Supreme Being seems to be a very obvious dictate of reason. For if he exist at all, and be necessarily what he is, from Eternity to Eternity, his existence ought to be noticed by us, in a becoming manner, not only meditated upon, but reverentially regarded—regarded with adoration and praise. He is in himself infinitely glorious and transcendently excellent, and of course, must be worthy of all love, esteem, and obedience. Rational creatures, are bound, by the intelligent nature with which they are endowed, to pay the Author of their existence, all the homage of which they are capable, and all those acknowledgements of gratitude, praise, and affection for which they were formed. That they are made capable of knowing, loving, fearing, and serving God cannot be disputed; and never was disputed. If capable of worshipping the Father of our spirits and former of our bodies, they are bound to do it. The very relation we stand in to him, obliges us to honour and serve him. In the very nature and necessity of the case, certain relations subsist between the Creator and Creature. It is impossible that these should be dissolved. They will necessarily continue, in full force, as long as the created nature continues. Whatever changes it may undergo, there can be no dissolution of these relations. They cannot but remain to all eternity, if the created rational nature be to continue forever. And that it will, is highly probable from reason, and the instructions, which can be collected from the best and wisest researches of philosophy, and is fully revealed in the Gospel, in which life and immortality are brought to light. As long, then, as the rational Creature exists, so long the relation he stands in to God, as his Creator, lawgiver, sovereign, preserver—beneficent parent, governor, and judge, will continue. So long, consequently, the obligation to pay all possible adoration and praise, fear and reverence, gratitude and love to him, will continue. We cannot get clear of this obligation. Our crimes or follies, however great cannot annul it. We may as well think to change heaven and earth, as to change this obligation. He that made us and preserves us, certainly hath a right to challenge from us, all the service we can render unto him. For on account of the infinite glories of his nature he must be worthy to receive from us, the affections of our hearts, the praises of our tongues, and services of our lives.
And to render unto him the glory and honour due unto his name, by a religious homage, is as much a moral duty as the offices of justice, mercy, and humanity. The moral Law as much binds us to love and serve God, as to do good to man, to promote his just rights and true happiness. Why are we to do unto others, as we would that they should do unto us, but because the very condition of our nature points it out as proper; reason, common sense, and common interest bind us. We participate of one nature, are placed in the same probationary state, and are liable to the same common evils. Man is then related to man. All are brethren. The laws of reason therefore oblige us to do justice to all:—to be compassionate:—to be condescending—to endeavour to advance the good of all, as we have ability and opportunity. Because the divine Being is our Maker and upholder, for the earth is his, and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein, we are to worship and serve him. The infinite greatness and glorious majesty of God lay us under the most sacred bonds to worship him. For the Lord is a great God, and a great king above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is his also. The Sea is his; and he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. O come let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Here, in these words of pious David, we are to worship God, because he is God—great and glorious—and because the Maker of the world—and our constant benefactor.
Whether he need our religious services or not—Whether they can benefit him or not—Whether they avail to excite divine commiseration or not—or to change the divine purposes or not—is not the question. He is infinitely exalted, it is conceded, above all blessing and praise, whether of angels or men. His beatitude and glory are incapable of receiving an increase, or sustaining a diminution. His benevolence and clemency are boundless. His omniscience precludes any new information. All our wants and necessities are perfectly before him. The condition of each member of his immense family, in heaven and on earth, is known to him, the blessings which they may need, the dangers which may threaten—the storm which may impend. In regard to the worship of our Father who is in heaven, therefore, the question is, whether it be proper and fit in itself,—whether reasonable—whether the moral law enjoin it. The good it is designed to accomplish respects the worshipper—not the object worshipped. A very mistaken and absurd idea of prayer have those, who suppose the end of it, is to bring any accession of honor or felicity to God. He needs us not. But we cannot be happy without his favour. His favour is life; and his loving kindness better than life. We want his blessings, and must perish forever if they be withholden. And prayer is a mean appointed by him, to obtain all needed mercies.—It hath, therefore, an important—a glorious end.
Moreover, there is another consideration most interesting. We are social beings. Every thing indicates that we were made for society. We are placed in society. As individuals, or singly, we can worship God. We are, consequently, obliged to do it. Were there but one intelligent Creature, in the whole universe, he would be bound, statedly and constantly, to pay homage divine to his adorable Maker. But as we are connected with our fellow-creatures, whether in smaller or larger circles, there are superadded ties to bind us to offer religious addresses to heaven, at all proper seasons or fit times: for there is a time or season for every purpose and duty.—Again, as formed for and placed in society, we have social wants, and, therefore, should look to the author of all good for a supply of them. We should seek his bounty. We have public mercies conferred upon us. These we are bound, by the very nature of the thing, thankfully to acknowledge. We have sins which ought to be jointly confessed, repented of, and pardon solicited, publicly. As a Community or public, common evils are to be deprecated, common favours in Providence owned, and common guilt bewailed. As a people or public we need the smiles and protection of the Almighty. We cannot prosper without them. He orders favourable seasons. He disposes of all public concerns. With him, it is to do as he pleases with us—with ours—with all his people—with all creatures. The very principles of reason, then, teach us jointly to acknowledge our dependence upon him, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift; who can make us happy—or let us by leaving us to ourselves be miserable. The conclusion is we should engage in his stated public worship and praise. We are capable of doing this. We were made on purpose to shew forth his divine glories and praise. Our tongues, can utter abundantly the memory of his goodness. The faculty of speech, by which we are distinguished from the brutal world, was imparted to us, not to curse and blaspheme, but to praise and adore the glorious donor—not to slander and injure man—but to plead his cause, and the cause of Virtue—to aid man in the road to bliss.
By convening together statedly to worship God, we put a public honor on his name, attributes, providence, and ways. We proclaim to all, that we feel ourselves dependent on him, and subjects of his moral government.—But even beyond this, our being together for public worship quickens and animates each other in things divine and heavenly. It assists and strengthens all the offices of humanity, increases our sense of moral Virtue—is contributing to the honour of Virtue and the depression of Vice. Nay, the power of sympathy—our wish to stand fair in the estimation of each other—the passion of shame—and sense of decency may all, by our being together statedly, in holy time, for the purposes of religious worship, be brought to contribute their proportion to advance the interests of morality, and human happiness. The benevolent lover of God and order—the well-wisher to man’s best and real good—and the peace and happiness of society will stand in a kind of pleasing transport and rapturous gratitude, at the wisdom and goodness of God in appointing public worship. And he cannot but esteem it not a duty only, but a rich privilege to engage in it, at its stated returns.
As reason, thus, teaches us the duty of worshipping the God, who made us, in all the ways, of which we are capable, public, or private; so, it is, here, not improper to remark, we find that much the greater part of heathen nations, in antient days, at set times—or stated seasons, paid some kind of homage to their Idol-Gods. They had their stated sacrifices, oblations, and libations, either annual, or monthly, or weekly. They had their domestic and supreme Divinities, and performed to them not only public, but private, and family devotions. Reason, then, binds all men to pay worship to a superiour power. Revelation points to the right object, and marks out the only true way.
2. God, in his word, most expressly commands us to worship him, and signifies his will, in so plain a manner and so repeatedly, that none can deny the duty, who will be upright in searching his word. We may pretend that we must put off worshipping him, till we reckon we have some internal impression, or impulse, or moving on the soul, or that professed mute worship is sufficient to answer a clear Conscience, but God will not be mocked by such weak pretences. For such pretences disgrace reason, and insult common sense. They are but sorry pleas to evade a plain command. And he who denies, under any cloak whatever, or endeavors to dissuade from the duty of the stated public worship of the Majesty of heaven and earth, can be accounted nothing less than an enemy to God and man, to the glory of God and Salvation of man. Then said Jesus get thee hence, Satan, for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. The moment Satan artfully attempted to seduce him from the worship of the one true God, and to draw him to Idolatry, he bids him depart. He frowns upon him with indignation. Get thee hence Satan. Here is an example for us. The moment any one denies, or reproaches the worship of the one supreme Being, our fears should be alarmed, our concern should be roused. Omitting or disparaging, by vile sneers, the worship of God is one of the first steps to a denial of all religion, and to a profligate and immoral life. For a writer of note, and not of the Priesthood, asserts, “that there can be no morality without Religion.”