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The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency.
MATTHEW iv. 10.
_Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve._
As the stated public worship of the supreme being is the great
support of Virtue and Religion in the world, and the means of
strengthening and increasing them in particular souls, my design was,
with the divine assistance, to give you, in as short a compass as may
be, a general view of the subject, an account of what the scripture
says and requires, concerning our obligation constantly to attend
upon it, on the Lord's day, unless real necessity may be pleaded; or
such an excuse may be offered as will justify us, at the bar of
Conscience, and at the bar of the final Judge.
What was proposed in discoursing upon the words of the text was--to
prove the duty of public worship.----
And then to illustrate the beneficial tendency of it.
In the preceding discourse, we entered upon the proof that it is an
indispensable duty statedly to worship God with our fellow-men. This
we attempted by two arguments, _first,_ from the principles of
reason--and _secondly,_ from the many plain and clear intimations of
the word of God.--We pass, thirdly, to observe that, had not God
intended that his people should statedly honour his name by public
worship, he would never have instituted the Christian Ministry. That
he has appointed such an order of men, is as plainly revealed as any
truth or doctrine can be revealed. He calls and qualifies them for
the important work. He commissions them. The qualifications for the
ministerial work and duty are frequently and largely described. The
particular manner, in which they are to be separated to the work, or
invested with the office of the evangelical Ministry, is marked out.
None who seriously believe in the divine authority of the scriptures,
can either deny or dispute the institution of the sacred order, or
appointment of stated Pastors to be continued, in the Churches, till
the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Most full and express to
this purpose are the following passages. _And he gave some Apostles:
and some prophets: and some evangelists: and some Pastors and
teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto
a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of
Christ.--Go ye, teach all nations baptizing them, and teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you--and Lo! I am
with you always: even unto the end of the world._--Again; _go ye into
all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not,
shall be damned._ The Apostle Paul seems to make a constant
attendance on the preached word a necessary mean of the conviction
and conversion of sinners. _Whosoever,_ says he, _shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. How then,_ adds he, _shall they call
upon him of whom they have not heard?_ or _hear without a preacher?_
And so he concludes, _faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God_ preached.
Priests and prophets were appointed to minister in holy things in the
Jewish Church. The Jews were bound in duty to attend upon their
ministrations. A TEMPLE was built, by divine order; public prayers
were to be offered in it; Sacrifices were to be attended; and other
religious ceremonies to be performed. But how absurd was all this: if
the people were not to resort to this Temple, to unite in these
prayers, and to engage in the other religious offerings? Was it not
expressly commanded that the LAW should be read on the Sabbath day?
But to what end could this be, if the people were not to hear it? Did
not God, in an extraordinary manner, by his spirit, raise up a
succession of prophets in the Jewish Church, and send them forth with
his messages to the people to warn, reprove, and instruct them? Is
not the necessary consequence that the people were to convene to hear
their warnings, or the word of the Lord? In the gospel-dispensation,
God has appointed ordinances of worship. His ministering servants are
to preach his word faithfully--to take heed to their doctrine--to
deliver sound doctrine: they are to teach all nations. But how can
they discharge their duty, if people be not obliged constantly to
attend to their teachings?
4. The obligation statedly to worship God in public may be argued
from the frequent injunctions, in the Gospel, to HEAR the word
dispensed. The parable of the _Sower,_ with our Lord's own exposition
of it, were there no other scripture-argument, would be sufficient to
satisfy every reasonable mind that an order of men are appointed to
preach the Gospel, and that the people are indispensably obliged to
assemble themselves together to hear the word preached, and to join
in all the acts of public worship. The _sower_ is the appointed and
duly authorized Preacher. The seed sowed is the doctrines or truths
of the Gospel. The different soils represent the various sorts of
hearers. Those who wisely and duly improve the precious advantages of
a preached Gospel, are those who receive the seed into good and
honest hearts. Our Lord reminds all, of the duty and importance of
rightly hearing the word of the Kingdom, _Who,_ says he, _hath ears
to hear let him hear._ He tells all people to take heed how they
HEAR. _Take heed therefore how ye hear._ But in order to hear, they
must be where the word is to be dispensed. How much he prized the
duty of a constant and faithful attendance upon a preached Gospel, we
learn from his own mouth. _And he answered and said my Mother and my
brethren are these which HEAR the word of God and do it._ A beatitude
is pronounced upon such as _hear_ and keep the word of God. _But he
said, yea rather blessed are they that HEAR the word of God and keep
it._ If they hear it, they must be where it is appointed to be
dispensed. St. James directs us to be swift to hear, which must imply
that we be solicitous and careful to be in the place, where the word
is to be preached. _Wherefore,_ continues he, _lay apart all
filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted word which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers
of the word, and not HEARERS only, deceiving your own selves. For if
any be a HEARER of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a glass._ The duty of hearing the word
of God dispensed in his sanctuary, is often enjoined in scripture
upon all people, whether old or young, high or low, rich or poor. And
this duty involves in it, or necessarily presupposes the whole of
public worship. Such persons as think themselves too knowing, or too
exalted, or too important, or such as through prejudice, or indolence
or disregard of all Religion refuse, to appear before God in his
house on the Sabbath to hear the word, and join in other Lord's-day
solemnities, do what in them lies to discredit the public exercises
of Religion, and are responsible to him, who will be their final
Judge. The sin of neglecting public worship--of profaning the
Sabbath--or forsaking divine ordinances is seldom viewed, as it ought
to be, as heinous in its nature, and pernicious in its tendency.
5thly. The duty of public worship may be argued from the institution
of a Gospel-Church and the holy sacraments, baptism and the Lord's
supper. The very nature of a Gospel-Church, implies the obligation of
the stated worship of God in public. The Christian ordinances of
baptism and the Eucharist necessarily include public worship. If
divine ordinances are to be dispensed--if the friends of religion are
to bind themselves to serve, love, and fear God, by covenant vows and
a profession of religion, they must meet together for this purpose.
How could the ordinances of God be administered, if his people were
not to assemble themselves together to enjoy them? The institution of
the Christian Sabbath is also a clear proof of the obligation of
stated public worship. If God have ordained one day in seven, to be
employed in religious duties, his people are to sanctify it, or use
it for the ends, for which it was appointed. They are to convene
together to pray unto him, to praise his name, to celebrate his
ordinances, and to attend to his word. All these institutions,
therefore, are connected. If one be denied, the others cannot be
retained. They must all stand or fall together. If we give up one, we
must, to be consistent, give up all.
Having now, at some length, proved the duty of stated public worship,
we shall, as proposed, endeavour to illustrate its importance, in the
Christian system, and its beneficial tendency.
In order to see, in a clear and forcible manner, the great importance
and beneficial tendency of public worship, we will consider the
purposes, for which it was instituted by a wise and gracious God.
These are three: Man's present and temporal happiness: his spiritual
and eternal happiness; and the divine glory.
1st. In the institution of public worship, a wise and merciful God,
had in view man's present and temporal happiness. This is a very
important end, but is the least so of the three now to be
illustrated. Could mankind be convinced of this, and really feel it
in a proper manner, we should see a reformation in their conduct--our
congregations would be full--our Churches crowded--and the holy
Sabbath better observed. The ardent wish is to be happy. The general
enquiry is who will show us any good? How may our interest be secured
and advanced? While I am therefore pleading for the honours of God's
holy name and worship, in the Sanctuary; I consider myself, and hope
to be able to make it appear so, as pleading human happiness. All
must, then, attend carefully to what promises to be for the benefit
of all. Though few truths be more certain, than that public worship
is designed and calculated to promote the real welfare of civil
society, or present temporal happiness of man, yet very sanguine
hopes of making a deep impression of this most pleasing doctrine upon
the mind cannot be entertained. It is extremely difficult to induce
people to believe that any part or duty of Religion will yield them a
present profit, or be most for their present interest. But our
present as well as future good is aimed at undoubtedly by public
worship. An unnecessary restraint or burden was never imposed on man
by his munificent Creator. God consults our happiness in his
Providence and word, and in the whole frame of Christianity. _Those
that honor me,_ says he, _I will honor,_ but _they that despise me,
shall be lightly esteemed._ If we honor him with our substance, he
will not forget to bless us. _Honor the Lord with thy substance, and
with the first fruits of thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled
with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine._
The peace, the order, and the well-being of society are intended in
the Gospel.--The Religion which it exhibits, is profitable unto all
things, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as that
which is to come. It is calculated, in its whole frame, its duties,
doctrines, and ordinances, to secure the rights of man--to promote
freedom, to make mankind happy on earth, as well as blessed in
heaven. Its tendency to promote our present good deserves to be
numbered among its excellencies and the evidences of its divinity.
Indeed, rightly understood, there is no part of it, nor any of its
duties, but tend to advance our well-being in this world.--If, in
other Countries where it is known, it have, in any measure or degree,
injured society, the evil is to be imputed not to its nature or
original design, but to superstition, or to the corruptions of it.
For in many countries where it is known, it has lost its native
simplicity and proper glory. It is so disfigured and distorted that,
if the first heralds of it, were now to revisit the earth, they would
not even know, that what is called the Christian Religion, in some
countries, and among some sects, was pretended to be the religion
which they preached, and the truth of which, they sealed with their
own blood.
If, in other Lands, ecclesiastical tyranny and persecution have
reigned, and the rights of conscience have been invaded and trampled
upon, still in our country, there is not a single vestige of this.
All enjoy universal toleration. Civil government is not incorporated
with the Church. In America there is nothing of the nature of a
Hierarchy. The religion of Jesus Christ stands upon its own basis.
Happy Land! It is our favoured lot, my fellow Christians, to live in
a country which has the honor of exhibiting the first instance the
world ever saw, of a civil Government established upon the broad
basis of equal and universal liberty. Religion sheds indeed a most
benign influence on society. Civil government and true liberty
receive support and authority from it. It enforces all good laws by
the powerful ties of conscience. It breaths forth ardent prayers to
almighty God for the tranquillity of the public--for the divine
smiles to rest on rulers and ruled--and on all the various orders of
the community--that vice and all land-defiling sins may be
suppressed--and that the righteousness which exalteth a nation may
flourish. Besides one essential part of Religion is morality. There
can be no true Religion without morality. And the more morality is
taught, recommended and practiced, the more prosperous will be civil
society--the more strengthened in its kind purposes will be civil
government--the more respected will be the laws against vice and
injustice--the more esteemed will be civil rulers--the more sober,
regular, and industrious will be the whole mass of the citizens.
Public worship may fitly be termed the school of morality.--The
weekly instructions, delivered to attentive audiences, on the Lord's
day, on the duties of morality, have an unknown effect, an insensible
influence upon the general morals of the people. As a people we do
not realize the singular temporal blessings derived from public
worship. The instructions of God's house tend to enlarge the mind--to
promote charity, peace and benevolence, and of course our best
temporal interest. They are adapted to soften the heart and
liberalize the soul. They adorn the social life; they are well
calculated to render man benefit--friendly, and
compassionate--diligent in his calling--faithful to his
word--punctual in his dealings--sensible to the misfortunes of
others--a good Christian--and from a good Christian to a good member
of civil society the transition is easy. Were there, as the Atheist
pretends to believe, no other world besides this or were death to be
the final extinction of the living principle, it would be wise in a
people statedly to attend public worship, as an excellent expedient
to advance the dearest interests of society.--I have enlarged a
little upon this idea, that public worship is designed to promote
man's present temporal happiness; because I deem it an important one,
and because it is seldom enlarged upon.
2dly. Another and the great end of public worship is man's spiritual
future and eternal happiness. Between his temporal and spiritual
happiness there is no room for comparison. As much above the former
is the latter as heaven is above the earth. Our spiritual happiness
claims from us our first, our greatest, and chief attention. It is as
much to be preferred to our present interest as the soul is to be
preferred to the body. Hence the exhortation, _labour not for the
meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting
life._ What is it to be happy for a few fleeting days on earth, to
being blessed in heaven to all Eternity! Even were we to gain the
whole world, and lose the soul, we should be infinite losers. God has
instituted public worship on purpose that we might be saved from sin
and misery: that we might attend supremely to our highest, our
spiritual well-being:--that we might know the truth:--that we might
be blessed while we live:--and blessed when we shall come to die: and
reside after death in his kingdom forever. It is the principal mean,
appointed by infinite wisdom and goodness, to awaken, to convince, to
convert the sinner--to comfort and establish the saint; to
instruct--to guide--to save us from error--to animate us in duty. The
truths to be dispensed, in the sanctuary, are God's truths--the word
preached is his word--not human opinions or traditions--or dreams of
philosophy; the ordinances administered are also his holy ordinances.
The divine word is powerful and penetrating. It is purifying and
enlivening. It is compared to things most powerful--to _fire_ that
melteth--to a _hammer_ that breaketh in pieces the flinty rock--to a
sharp _two edged sword_--to _incorruptible seed that liveth_ and
_abideth_ forever. The word to be dispensed is morally adapted to
accomplish all its own purposes--to impress the conscience, to call
up attention--to reprove for sin--to convince--to enlighten--and to
console the mind. The grace and spirit of God are, moreover, promised
to render it effectual. God will not suffer his own means to fail of
success. He will clothe them with an almighty energy. Where he hath
recorded his name, there he will meet with and bless his assembled
people. Zion of old, we are informed, was the birth-place of saints.
THERE they received light and were comforted. This man and that man
we are told were born in her. By public worship _there_ performed,
souls were quickened--God was honoured--truth was promoted--and grace
divine manifested. The great End of public worship is to promote
man's future, spiritual happiness--to bring him to pardon--to
sanctify him--and to meeten him for the joys and glories of the
heavenly state.--
3dly. God, also, instituted public worship to advance his own glory.
This is his highest aim in all things. His ultimate end in Creation,
Providence and Redemption. For his sake or to manifest his praise all
things are, and were made. _Thou hast made all things and for thy
pleasure they are, and were made._ Of him, as the original cause,
through him as the grand Preserver, and to him as the ultimate end
are all things: to whom be glory forever. That which is of the
greatest worth or importance, no doubt, will by him be first of all
regarded, and regarded exactly according to its worth. The divine
glory is certainly, in reason's view, infinitely the most worthy
object. And, of course, it is infinitely fit that God should make it
his highest aim. It is of more worth than the whole universe. All
nature had better go to ruin, than God's honour be stained. And what
HE, who is the wisest of all beings, steadily pursues as his ultimate
end, ought to be the highest object with all intelligent Creatures,
whether in heaven or on earth. In saving man doth the divine glory
shine with an attractive splendor.--When the sinner repents--when he
submits to a holy and sovereign God--when he is pardoned--when he is
sanctified--when he is justified--the divine glory is illustriously
displayed. And public worship, in a peculiar manner, honours God.
Those who attend upon it testify publicly to the world, their belief
in his existence, trust in his mercy, dependence upon his goodness,
obedience to his laws, subjection to his authority and
acknowledgement of all his glories. When we convene in the Courts of
the Lord, to pray unto him, and praise his name, we do as much as
declare to all, that we are not ashamed to own and serve him as our
God and king, and by our example invite others to give him the glory
due upon his name. That God considers public worship as honouring him
is evident from his terming the habitation of his house, _the place
where his honour dwells;_ that is, where he is honoured in a special
manner.--Moreover we are told, that _he loveth the gates of Zion more
than all the dwellings of Jacob._ Praying families he loves; but
praying worshipping Assemblies he loves more, because he receives a
larger tribute of glory from them.----
To show the greatest importance and beneficial tendency of public
worship, some further particulars may be pertinently added. Its happy
effects are many and great. Could I describe them, in their beauty
and glory, every heart would be warmed, every ear would listen, every
tender emotion would be excited.
In general, we may be certain that God would not have ordained public
worship, had it not been necessary, useful and wise; had it not been
for our good in time, and in Eternity. Neither his wisdom, nor
goodness, nor justice, nor mercy would require us to do what would,
when done, be of no service or benefit to us in particular, or of any
importance to the world at large.--
_One happy effect_ of public worship is to prevent Religion from
being lost in the world. If ever mankind be brought to a steady,
regular, punctual, and conscientious attendance upon it, they must be
convinced of its beneficial tendency both on the mind and the morals.
The real friend of the Gospel and its benevolent System of principles
and duties wants no aid from superstition, or fanaticism. He wishes
the promotion of no Religion, which is not genuine and rational.
People are not made better by any superstition, or wild and
irrational practices. If public worship be not adapted to benefit
society, to secure and advance its best interest, its peace and
order; if it be not calculated to make us better men--better
citizens--better members of civil society; if it have no natural
adaptedness to do us good in every relation in life, in every
station--in every condition, it can answer no very valuable purposes,
as to this world in respect to civil government or our temporal
happiness. People at large will entertain no cordial esteem for its
duties, or exert themselves statedly to attend upon it, unless we can
offer arguments sufficient to satisfy them of its great advantage. To
prove that the supreme Being hath most expressly instituted it, and
that he most solemnly requires all, of every rank and station, to a
punctual attendance upon it, is not enough. This we can easily do.
This often hath been done. But the most material point of all, on
this subject, is to convince the mind that it hath a most happy
beneficial tendency not only to secure our future, but to promote our
present felicity. Unless we can lay before people, considerations of
sufficient weight, to impress their minds with a deep affecting sense
of its great importance and good effects, they will not feel the
obligations to attend upon it, in such a manner, as will be
influential on their practice. They will treat it as of little
consequence in itself, or to the community. They will speak of it in
terms either of disrespect or reproach; they will infrequently attend
upon it, or wholly retire from it.--Hath it then any happy effects on
the minds and morals of a people, or hath it not? Is it of any
advantage?--Or is it of so much advantage as to make it highly
expedient--and not only highly expedient but an indispensable duty to
repair statedly to places of public worship, and join in all its holy
exercises? Let us go into a large and candid enquiry. Let us attend
to the arguments, which shall be offered, without any prejudice, or
unwillingness to be convinced. Let us receive light when presented:
hear patiently, and weigh carefully reasons when offered. A
prejudiced mind is not in a situation to admit conviction. A real and
inward dislike of Religion, will prevent our hearing an argument, as
we ought to hear it, the design of which, is to honor and recommend
any important branch or interesting duty of it. If we really hate
Religion, and have no regard to principles of morality, we are
prepared to treat with scorn all arguments in favour of any of its
duties, though the arguments be altogether rational and fully
conclusive.--
Public worship is directly calculated to preserve religion in the
world, or to prevent it from being lost, and is, therefore, of the
greatest moment and most beneficial tendency. This consideration will
have no effect upon any, who do not esteem Religion both necessary
and important. For if it be a fiction, a mere fable, it ought to be
disesteemed by all, and expelled from the world, and of course that
which tends to prevent its being lost, would on this supposition, be
really of pernicious tendency. To all who admit the reality of
religion, whatever hath a tendency to preserve it, must be
exceedingly dear. And they will be cordially attached to it. As long
as public worship is honored and maintained, religion, the holy
scriptures, and morality will be honored, likewise, and maintained:
will be esteemed and admired. They can never be lost as long as a
Christian Ministry and a Christian worship are regarded. There is no
other way, possibly, in the nature of things, to extirpate the true
religion from the earth, but to pull down all the Altars of God--to
rase to the ground all the temples of the Most High--to prevent or
forbid all worship of the Deity in public. And the spirit of the
present day which hath gone forth against the _corrupt governments_
in Europe, or the _thrones_ of Kings, wages war also against the
_Altars_ of God. It makes no discrimination between gross
superstition and rational religion. By ridicule, by insult, by
impious scoffs, the enemies of morality and the Gospel are exerting
all their malice and power to induce people to treat all religion as
a mere human contrivance, and to leave the temples of God to moulder
down, forsaken and despised. Julian, a Roman Emperor, surnamed with
great justice the Apostate, was a very cunning and subtle man. He had
great abilities. He was a philosopher. After he became an unbeliever,
and openly renounced the Christian religion, he resolved to
annihilate it, to expel it, name and thing, from the world. And there
are too many, in this age, who ardently wish he had succeeded. As the
only probable mean to accomplish his purpose, he deposed all
Christian Ministers, and prohibited, by his imperial authority, all
public worship. The pagan Priests he honored every where, and highly
distinguished them by his favor. The temples of God he turned into
_shrines_ for pagan Idols. Lectures on the Platonic philosophy
succeeded to the exhibition of Gospel doctrines and divine
ordinances. And had not THAT BEING, who is wiser than the wisest, and
who, with infinite ease, frustrates the counsel of man, interposed,
and raised up a successor to the imperial Dignity who was a cordial
friend to the Gospel of the Saviour; the artful Apostate would have
done, what all enemies of christianity wish had been done, wholly
extirpated it. But Jesus of Nazareth, the despised Galilean, the
doctrines of the cross, have triumphed. The gates of hell, Satanic
and human malice, cannot prevail. The Christian Religion has lived,
in spite of all opposition--and will live to the End of the world.
Under Providence, the continuance of it, to this day, is to be
chiefly, if not wholly, ascribed to public worship and divine
institutions. Drop all public worship, and religion is supplanted.
Probably the holy scriptures would never more be translated--if
preserved, at all, in their original languages, it would be in the
cabinets of the curious. To public worship, then, are we mainly
indebted, that religion is not lost, in the waste of time, the
revolutions of the arts and sciences, the confusion and wreck of
kingdoms, the wars and public calamities of nations, the vices of
men, and the multitude of idolatrous rites.