The Spheres of Worship
There are, said the Puritans, three spheres of Christian worship: public, in the local church; domestic, in the family circle; private, in the closet. Of these three, public worship is the most important. David Clarkson was entirely typical when, preaching on Psalm 87:2 under the title "Public worship to be preferred before private,'" he argued from Scripture that "the Lord is more glorified by public worship," `"there is more of the Lord's presence in public worship," "here are the clearest manifestations of God'," "there is more spiritual advantage to be got in the use of public ordinances," and "public worship is more edifying."[21] Strikingly, yet characteristically (for many others made the same point), he reminds us that public worship is "the nearest resemblance of heaven that earth knows: for in heaven, so far as the Scripture describes it to us...all the worship of that glorious company is public....They make one glorious congregation and so jointly together sing the praises of him that sits on the throne, and the praises of the Lamb, and continue employed in this public worship to eternity."[22] Similarly, Swinnock insists that on the Lord's Day church must come first, and everything else be built round it. "Esteem the public ordinances the chief work of the day, and let thy secret and private duties be so managed that thy soul may be prepared for them, and profited by them."[23]
But family worship was also, to the Puritans, vitally important. Every home should be a church, with the head of the house as its minister. Daily and indeed twice daily, the Puritans recommended, the family as a family should hear the Word read, and pray to God. Sunday by Sunday, the family should seek to pool the profiting of its members from the public ordinances; day by day, its members should seek to encourage each other in the way of God. Parents must teach their children the Scriptures; all members of the household must be given time and a place to pray. Thus, informally, but conscientiously, the worship and service of God in the home must be carried on.
