Besides this general habit of Worship, with which our minds should always be possessed, there are likewise some particular actions and services, which by the light of Nature, and the consent of Nations have been judged proper to express our honouring of him: As the setting apart of particular Persons, and Places, and Times, peculiarly for his Worship.
It hath been the general practise of all Nations, to have amongst them a distinct calling of men, set apart to officiate in Sacris, to assist the people in their publick Worship, to instruct them in their duties, and to excite them to the performance of them. Which being a work of so publick usefulness and general necessity, common reason will assure us, that the best way of providing for it, is by such persons as are bred up to it, and set apart for it. Such men are like to have the greatest skill, who have made it their business and their greatest care, and who are obliged to it by way of Office.
It is natural for men who are joined together in Civil Societies, to join likewise in Religious Worship. And in order to this, ‘tis necessary that there should be publick Places, and solemn Times set apart for such Assemblies. Which hath accordingly been the practice of all civilized Nations. And in the manner of performing their publick Worship, it was still required to be done with all imaginable submission and reverence. This the Stoick commends, and cites Aristotle for it; Egregiè2 Aristoteles ait, nunquam nos verecundiores esse debere, quam cum de Diis agitur, &c. Men are never more concerned to be humble and modest, than when they have to do about God. We should enter the Temples, with an humble and composed demeanour. When we approach to sacrifice, it should be with all imaginable expressions of reverence and modesty, in our countenance and carriage. As for the chief matter and substance of natural Worship, unto which the light of Reason will direct, I know no other, than invoking of the Deity, returning thanks to him, and inquiring after his Will. Those things which are superadded to these, in that most acceptable way of Worship revealed in the Gospel, are not proper to be discoursed of here, because they depend meerly upon revelation.
It is true indeed, that all Nations pretending to any Religion, from the most ancient times to which any record doth extend, have agreed in the way of worship by Sacrifice. And from this general practise, there may seem to be some ground to infer, this way of worship to have been directed by the light of Nature. But when ‘tis well considered, what little ground there is to perswade a man, left to his own free reason, that God should be pleased with the killing and burning of Beasts, or with the destroying of such things by Fire of which better use might be made, if they were disposed of some other way; I say, when it is well considered, what little reason there is to induce such a man to believe, that the killing or burning of Beasts or Birds, or any other thing useful to mankind, should of it self be a proper and natural means to testifie our subjection to God, or to be used by way of expiation from sin; It will rather appear probable, that the original of this practice was from Institution, and that our first Parents were by particular revelation instructed in this way of worship, from whom it was delivered down to their successive Generations by verbal Tradition; and by this means was continued in those Families, who departed from the Church, and proved Heathen in the first Ages of the world; amongst whom this Tradition was in course of time, for want of care and frequent renewals, corrupted with many humane superinducements, according to the genius or interests of several times, or Nations.
As for the Reasons, why God was pleased to institute to his own people this way of worship, there are these two things may be suggested.
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Sacrifices had a typical reference unto that great design which was to be accomplished in the fulness of time, by the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross, which is at large explained and applied in several parts of the New Testament, particularly in the Epistle to the Hebrews, from whence many strong arguments may now be deduced, for confirmation of the truth of the Gospel.
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Because this way of worship was most suitable to those Ages; the Providence of God having purposely adapted his own institutions of worship, unto the abilities and capacities of men in several times. Discovering himself to his people in divers (Heb. 1. 1) manners, according to sundry times. And therefore in those first and ruder Ages of the world, when people were more generally immersed in sensible things, and stood in need of somewhat to raise and fix their imaginations, God was pleased to amuse them with external pomp and solemnities, and to employ that time of their nonage, about these plainer rudiments or elements of the world. But when they (Gal. 4. 3) were grown up from this nonage, when the generality of men became more notional, better able to consider and abstract things; when by the spreading of the Roman Conquests, which extended to the most considerable parts of the world, they had likewise spread their Arts and Civilities, reducing the Provinces which came under their power, from that savageness and barbarism with which they had formerly been overspread, to the love and desire of all peaceful Arts, and the study of all useful knowledg, whereby the minds of men were rendered more rational and inquisitive than before they had been, and consequently better prepared for the reception of the Christian Religion: In this fulness of time (as the Scripture styles it) did the Providence of God think fit to introduce Christian Religion, a more rational and spiritual way of worship, whose Precepts are most agreeable to the purest and sublimest reason; consisting chiefly in a regulation of the mind and spirit, and such kind of practices as may promote the good of humane society, and most effectually conduce to the perfecting of our natures, and the rendering of them happy.
And that the most rational kind of worship doth consist in such kind of qualifications and services, besides the attestation of several Scriptures to this purpose, may likewise be made evident by the acknowledgment of the wisest Heathens. Eusebius quotes Menander a Greek3 Poet to this purpose, (sometimes cited by St. Paul), Men do in vain, saith he, endeavour to make the Gods propitious by their costly Sacrifices; if they would have the Divine favour, let them love and adore God in their hearts, be just and holy in their conversations. And in another place, he cites the like sayings out of Porphyrie, in his Book de Sacrificiis,4 & Apollonius, &c.
So Maximus Tyrius, speaking concerning5 those divers Solemnities wherewith several Nations did honour their Gods, saith, He would be loth, by denying any of these, to derogate from the honour of the Deity; but men should chiefly labour to have him in their minds, […], they should principally endeavour to know him, and to love him.
So Seneca, having discoursed concerning6 those external adorations and ceremonies, whereby several men were wont to express their devotion, he says, Humana ambitio iftis capitur officiis, Deum colit qui novit; Such formalities may be acceptable to the ambition of men, but he only can truly worship God who knows him. The first step (saith he) unto Divine worship, is to believe the Being of God, and then to demean our selves towards him suitably to the greatness of his Majesty. Vis Deos propitiare, bonus esto; satis illos coluit quisquis imitatus est. Would you render him propitious to you, endeavour to be good; that man only doth truly worship him, who labours to be like him. So Tully, Cultus antem Deorum7 est optimus, idemque castissimus, atque sanctissimus, plenissimusque pietatis, ut eos semper purâ, integrâ, incorruptâ mente & voce veneremur.
To which I shall only add that saying of Persius, where he prefers an honest8 and a virtuous mind, above all other costly Sacrifices and Offerings. Compositum jus fasque animi, sanctosque recessus Mentis, & incoctum generoso pectus honesto, Haec cedo, ut admoveam templis, & farre litabo.
If true worship did consist only in costly Sacrifices, then such alone as were rich, could be religious; whereas God is more ready to accept the meanest Offering, from a person of a just and worthy and generous mind, who doth truly love and devote himself to him, than of the most pompous costly Sacrifices from others.
And thus have I done treating of those kind of affections, which naturally follow from due apprehensions of the incommunicable Attributes belonging to the Divine nature, namely, adoration and worship.
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