A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 1 – Proposition 3
I. PROPOSITION. It is the cheife & grand concernment of all people to know & beleeve that the Lord is God.
Infallible proofes taken out of the word of God to confirme the Propoſition.
THe importance of this firſt Propoſition is declared by two ſure witneſſes, even the two moſt eminent Prophets of the old & new Teſtament, Moſes, & Chriſt. Moſes the man of God doeth effectually inculcate it to the Iſraelites in the booke of Deuteronomie, according to all that the Lord had given him in commandement unto thē, Deut. 4.39. Know therefore this day, & conſider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, & upon the earth beneath: there is none elſe. And Chriſt Ieſus (who was faithfull to him that appointed him, as alſo Moſes was faithfull in all his houſe, Hebr. 3.2.) being aſked, Mark. 12.28. Which is the firſt commandement of all? Anſwered, verſ. 29. The firſt of all … commandements is, Heare O Iſrael, the Lord … God, is one Lord.
Reaſons or arguments taken out of Gods word to demonſtrate the 1. Propoſition.
I. REASON. Becauſe God himſelf (who is infinite in wiſdome and underſta… ding, Pſal. 147.5.) doeth plainly teſtify, th… the moſt ſeeming, conſiderable & valuab… eſtimates of people, are of no worth in compariſō of knowing him to be the Lord Go… See Ierem. 9.23, 24. Thus ſaith the Lord, … not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdome, neither … the mighty man glory in his might; let not then man glory in his riches: But let him that glorie… glory in this; that he underſtandeth & known me, that I am the Lord, &c.
II. REAS. Becauſe knowledge and be leefe that the Lord is God, is both a go… meanes, & alſo a cleere evidence of life ete… nall: For ſo our bleſſed Saviour acknowledgeth & affirmeth in his heavenly prayer … the behalfe of his diſciples a little before h… ſufferings; Iohn. 17.3. This is life eternall is they might know thee the only true God, … Now that this is of grand concernment, may be gathered from Moſes his ſolem… atteſtatiō mentioned, Deut. 30.19. I call haven & earth to record this day againſt you, the have ſet before you life & death, bleſſing & curſing: therefore chooſe life that thou & thy ſeede may live.
III. REAS. Becauſe ignorance of God, or a not knowing him to be the Lord, will expoſe people to everlaſting deſtructiō from the preſence of the Lord, & from the glory of his power at the latter day: As it is writtē, 2. Theſſ. 1.7, 8, 9. The Lord Ieſus ſhalbe revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, &c. So that the terrour of the Lord ſhould perſwade men to looke ſeriouſly after the knowledge of God: 2. Cor. 5.11. For what is a man profited, if he ſhall gaine the whole world, and looſe his owne ſoule? Or what ſhall a man give in exchange for …is ſoule? Math. 16.26.
Obſervation for better underſtanding the meaning of the 1. Propoſition.
Albeit the nature of the Majeſty of God is infinite & incomprehenſible, & therefore cannot perfectly be knowne of any people; As it is moſt excellently argued, Iob: 11.7, 8, 9. Canst thou by ſearching finde out God? Canſt thou finde out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven, what canſt thou doe? deeper then hell, what canſt thou know? The meaſure thereof is longer then the earth, & broader then the ſea: And 1. Timoth. 6.16. — dwelling in the light, which no man can approch unto, whome man hath ſeene, nor can ſee: Yet the Lord ha… made manifeſt in his works, that whic… may be knowne of God. Rom. 1.19, 20. Ye… and he hath ſo revealed & declared himſelf in his word by his only begotten ſonne, Ioh… 1.18. Hebr. 1.1. that his people may in the… meaſure attaine unto all riches of the fu… aſſurance of underſtanding to the acknowledgment of the myſtery of God. Coloſ. 2.2.
II. PROPOSITION. Such people as doe know & beleeve that the Lord is God, ough… to performe religious worſhip & ſervice unto his divine Majeſty.
PROOF. Moſes the ſervant of the Lord inferreth this ſecond Propoſition from th… proofe alledged to confirme the former or of Deut. 4.39. concluding thus ver. 40. The ſhalt keepe therefore his ſtatutes and commandments, &c. Now this is one of his commandements, that he be worſhipped: for ſo o… Saviour Chriſt expoundeth Moſes, Math. 4.10. It is written thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord t… God. In like manner the Pſalmiſt having occaſionally ſhewed how it was made knowne to Iudah & Iſrael that God is the Lord in… diſpenſation of his word, & ordinances, & works; Pſal. 76.1, 2, 3. inferreth thence, verſ. 11. Vow & pay unto the Lord your God; let all that be round about him bring preſents unto him that ought to be feared; that is to ſay, Let Gods people that doe know and beleeve that the Lord is God, performe religious hommage and worſhip to him.
I. REAS. Becauſe the Gentiles, who have not the uſe of the holy Scriptures, are convinced by the light of the law of nature, their conſciences bearing witneſſe, Rom. 2.14, 15. that he that is God, ought to be religiouſly worſhipped; and accordingly have beene wont (albeit ſuperſtitiouſly) to order their courſe, as is evident not only frō their owne books, but alſo in ſundry paſſages of the Bible. See for this the Apoſtle Pauls teſtimony touching the Athenians, when by occaſion he ſojourned at the Univerſity of Athens, Act. 17.22, 23. Yee men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too ſuperſtitious: For as I paſsed by & beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this inſcription, TO THE UNKNOWNE GOD; whom ye therefore ignorantly worſhip, him declare I unto you.
II. REAS. Becauſe a knowledge & beleefe that the Lord is God, implieth a knowledge in ſome meaſure, of his Name, Attributes, & Works; how great, how gracious, how dreaded, and how glorious they are: the worth and excellency whereof doe ch… lenge and call for hommage and worſhip, … due thereunto. For even ſo the holy ſervant of God in Scripture doe argue. See Ieren 10.6, 7. Foraſmuch as there is none like unto the O Lord, thou art great, and thy Name is great… might; who would not feare thee, O king of nations, &c. Pſal. 95.6. O come let us worſhip, … fall downe, & kneele before the Lord our Make Revel. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to recei… glory, and honour, and power, for thou haſt created all things, &c.
OBSERVAT. It is an infallible ſigne… profane folly, and of abominable Atheiſt in heart (notwithſtanding any profeſſor otherwiſe with the lips) when God is noth prayer worſhipped and ſerved. This is demonſtrated, Pſal. 14.1, & verſ. 4. being compared together; The foole hath ſaid in his hee there is no God: — They call not upon the Lord.
III. PROPOSITION. The religious worſhip and ſervice, which people ſhould performe unto God, ought to b… ſuch as God himſelfe doeth inſt… tute and appoint.
PROOF. The ſcope and ſumme of th… affirmative part underſtood in the ſecond commandement of the Decalogue, Exod. 20.4. is, that God ought to be worſhipped according to his owne inſtitutiō & appointment. Moreover likewiſe the ſumme of the commiſſion given by our Saviour Chriſt in the new Teſtament to the Miniſters of the Goſpell, is, that they doe only teach his commandements; as it is expreſſed, Math. 28.19. Goe ye, & teach all nations, — Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you.
I. REAS. Becauſe God himſelfe is the onelyonly Lawgiver and ſoveraigne King of his Churches; as it is both taught and aknowledged in the old Teſtament, and alſo in the new. See Iſa. 33.22. For the Lord is our Iudge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, (or ſtatute-maker) the Lord is our King. Iam. 4.12. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to ſave, & to deſtroy.
II. REAS. Becauſe ſuch religious worſhip and ſervice as is tendered unto God, which is not according to his owne inſtitution and appointment, is a vaine worſhipping of him, notwithſtanding any pretence whatſoever, either of antiquity, cuſtome, ſeeming reaſonableneſſe, or humane authority; &c. For ſo our Saviour Chriſt alledgeth & approveth out of the propheſie of Eſaias, Mat. 15.9. In vaine they doe worſhip me, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men. Year hence it is that the Lord God in high diſpleaſure hath ſometimes executed fearfull puniſhment on tranſgreſſors in ſuch kind; as … to be ſeene in his proceedings againſt the ſonnes of Aaron very remarkably, Levit. 10.1, 2. Nadab and Abihu the ſonnes of Aaron, too… either of them his cenſer, & put fire therein, & p… incenſe thereon, and offered ſtrange fire before t… Lord, which he commanded them not. And the… went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them and they died before the Lord.
OBSERV. Like as Monarchs & kings o… the earth are wont to take juſt offence at any of their ſubjects, that doe uſurpe upon the… royall prerogative, in preſuming to doe, … requiring any thing to be done, or executed in their owne names, and not in the name o… their Prince; accounting ſuch diſloyalty i… the compaſſe of Praemunire: Evē ſo the God of heaven & earth (who is King of kings, & Lord of lords Revel. 19.16.) wilbe highly offended at all thoſe preſumptuous ones, as are bold to ſerve him otherwiſe then he hath given direction; as may appeare by the Apoſtle Paul his intimation to the Churches of Galatia, Galat. 1.8, 9. But though we or a… Angel from heaven, preach any other Goſpel unto you, then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurſed. As we ſaid before, ſo ſay I now againe, If any man preach any other Goſpel unto you, then that ye have received, let him be accurſed.