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.