A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 35 – Proposition 39
XXXV. PROPOSITION. The Governour of the fam… in ſome caſes, upon juſt and go… grounds & reaſons moving the… unto, may lawfully depute … ſubſtitute ſome one in the fam… whom he judgeth fitteſt, u… ſuch ſervice and imployment, … himſelfe ſhould ordinarily p… forme and execute: And con… quently to performe the duties of …eligion in his ſtead; or to be as … were the mouth of the family … that ſervice to God.
PROOF. It belonged to Abraham (ac…ording to Gods ordinance, Deut. 7.3. & as …e godly have approved themſelves, Ruth. … verſ. 1.) to take a wife for his ſonne; unto …hich yet he ſubſtituted his ſervant. See … Gen. 24.2, 3, 4. And Abraham ſaid unto his eldeſt ſervant of his houſe, that ruled over all that he had, Put I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee ſweare by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou ſhalt not take a wife unto my ſonne, of the daughters of the Canaanites amongſt whom I dwell. But thou ſhalt goe unto my countrey, and to my kinred, and take a wife unto my ſonne Iſaac.
I. REAS. Becauſe all Chriſtians indefi…ely, & conſequently the ſeverall members … families, are members of the myſticall …dy of Chriſt, and therefore in due waies …ay be uſefull and ſerviceable for the good …d benefit of the whole body. See 1 Co…inth. 12.21, 25. And the eye cannot ſay unto the hand, I have no need of thee; and againe, the head to the feet, I have need of you. The members ſhould … the ſame care one for another.
II. REAS. Becauſe under one caſe ab… doing of any thing expreſſed in the … Scripture, all caſes of the like nature may comprehended. For ſo our Saviour Ch… doth cleere this point, in the caſe of w… of mercy and neceſſity to be done on … Sabbath day. See Math. 12. verſ. 1, 2, … 5, 7, 11. Luk. 13.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. … therefore it is lawfull for governours of … milies to depute ſome meet perſon to … performance indifferently, aſwell as to … performance more ſpecially, if no juſt … ception can be taken thereunto.
OBSERV. Caſes of ſuch deputation:
1. In greater families (ſuch as are the milies of Princes, Noblemen, Gentle… of higher degree, &c.) where there is m… titude of buſineſſe, and a great number inhabitants, they may there have their S… wards and deputies. So Abraham havi… large family, Gen. 14.14. he had is Stew… See Gen. 15.2.
II. In caſe of old age, and weakneſſe body, there may be juſt occaſion to m… ſome uſe of deputies: Even as Samuel be… old, made his ſonnes to be Judges. … 1 Sam. 8.1.
III. Want of good utterance in expreſſing what is to be ſaid, may require ſome uſe of another to be a ſpokeſman in weightier affaires. As Aaron was Moſes his ſpokeſman, and inſtead of a mouth unto him. See Exod. 4. verſ. 10, 16.
IV. Want of boldneſſe and audacity, ariſing from a conſciouſneſſe of weakneſſe, modeſt baſhfulneſſe, and unworthineſſe in any one, may become an occaſion to make uſe of the aſſiſtance of others. As the good Centurion ſent the Elders of the Jews to Chriſt to intercede for him. See Luk. 7.3.
V. In caſe that a Miniſter of the Goſpel doe ſojourne in ones family, as Archippus did in Philemon his houſe, Philem. verſ. 2. it may be convenient in reſpect of his gifts, to make uſe of him for the performance of religious family-duties: ſith we ought to covet the beſt gifts. 1 Corinth. 12.31.
VI. In caſe of the neceſſary abſence of the Governour of the family for ſome time, there may be a uſe of ſome one of the family to be deputed by him unto the performance of the duties: As the Apoſtle Paul made Timotheus his deputy to the Chriſtian Theſſalonians. See 1 Theſſ. 3.1, 2. &c.
XXXVI. PROPOSITION. If the Governour of the family be remiſſe, or careleſſe, and d… want zeale to performe fami… duties in his owne perſon, b… yet can be prevailed with by … wife, or ſome other, to give w… thereunto: Then ought ſome … gifted for the worke, to put t… ſame forward by ſetting up… the performance thereof, havi… the approbation of the ſaid g… vernour.
PROOF. As the noble Shunamitiſh … man did in another caſe goe to the ma… God, having with ſome importunity p… vailed with her huſband for conſent, al… he was not free thereunto: ſee 2 King. 4.1… 23. So it may be done herein. See Prop… ſit. 35. Reaſ. 2.
I. REAS. Becauſe it is matter of joy wh… the worke and duty which God hath a… pointed to be done, is promoted by … meanes whatſoever, ſeeme it never ſo … likely. This is implied in another caſe by … Apoſtle Paul. See Philip. 1.18. Wh… then? Notwithſtanding every way, whether in p… tence, or in trueth, Chriſt is preached, and l… therein rejoyce, yea, and will rejoyce.
II. REAS. Becauſe a diſcreet and zealous courſe in ſuch kinde is a probable meanes to winne the Governour of the family, through Gods bleſſing, to ſet upon the exerciſe and practiſe thereof himſelfe in due time, as it is implied, 1 Pet. 3.1. Huſbands that obey not the word, may without the word be wonne by the converſation of the wives.
OBSERV. Albeit it be ſome diſhonour, and may juſtly occaſion ſhame, when Governours in the Commonwealth, Church, or family, failing in what is meet to be done by them, are outſtripped in zeale by inferiours; yet God doth approve and accept the ſervice both of the one, and the other, joyning together in duty. See Judg. 4.8, 9. 2 Chron. 30.15.
XXXVII. PROPOSITION. If the Governour of the family be froward and refractary, and neither will obſerve, nor allow, nor permit the exerciſe and practiſe of religious duties, in the preſence of the whole family, joyntly and together: Then the ſeverall members of the family, that feare God, ought to redeem ſome times thereto, apart b… themſelves, with as good conveniency as poſſibly they can.
PROOF. Queene Eſther, albeit ſhe co… not expect that King Ahaſhuerus wo… allow openly in his houſe a ſetting upon … religious exerciſe of prayer and faſting, according to occaſion, but rather that … would be wholly averſe thereunto; yet … reſolved that ſhe would not be wanti… therein in her owne particular, nor whe… ſhe had any power. See Eſth. 4.16. I … and my maidens will faſt, &c. Good Obad… the ſervant of King Ahab, in another caſe conſidering what was meet to be done … the evill times in which he lived, approve himſelfe as became him, notwithſtanding Ahab the King, and Jezebel the Queen were averſe, and contrary minded. S… 1 King. 18.13. Prudent Abigail, the wife … Nabal, did in another caſe as became he although her huſband was a froward a… fooliſh profane man, even a ſonne of Beli… as it appeareth, 1 Sam. 25.23, 24, 25, 26, &c.
I. REAS. Becauſe every one ought to a prove his owne waies to God. See Gal. 6.4. Let every one prove his owne works; &c. Fo… there is a poſſibility for Chriſtians that are diſcreet and zealous, to walke as becommeth Saints, even in wicked families. There were Saints in that tyrannous & perſecuting Emperour Nero his houſe. See Philip. 4.22.
II. REAS. Becauſe it may come to paſſe through Gods abundant mercy and gracious diſpenſation, that the whole family may fare better for their ſakes who doe behave and demeane themſelves therein religiouſly, walking in all the waies of God: Even as the Lord bleſſed the houſe of Potiphar the Egyptian for pious Joſeph his ſake. See Gen. 39.5.
OBSERV. It need not ſeeme ſtrange that the reaſonable ſervice of God, as it is ſtyled, Rom. 12.1. doeth ſometimes meet with oppoſition from unreaſonable & wicked men, fith all men have not faith, as it is implied 2 Theſſ. 3.2. But yet in ſuch caſes the worke of God ought to be put forward notwithſtanding. See this Act. 4.19, 20. & chap. 5.20, 21.
XXXVIII. PROPOSITION. Every member of a Chriſtian family, who feareth God (notwithſtanding his partaking and joyning in the family-exerciſes both morning and evening, every day) ought to performe ſome religious duty unto God daily i… ſecret and alone, as occaſion offereth, and opportunity will mo… conveniently permit ſo to doe.
PROOF. This is implied in the direction given by our Saviour Chriſt, Math. 6.… When thou prayeſt enter into thy cloſet, &c. tha… is to ſay, When thou prayeſt privately, a… doeſt not joyne with others in prayer, th… enter into thy cloſet, or take ſome ſecr… place thereunto, &c. And anſwerable here unto was Chriſts owne practiſe, redeeming ſome time to private prayer. See Mark. 1. verſ. 35.
I. REAS. Becauſe every Chriſtian ma… ought to doe ſomething himſelfe, for the ſtirring up of the gift of God that is in him: 2 Timoth. 1.6. ſith he is to live by his ow… faith, Hab. 2.4. and muſt have his joy i… himſelfe alone, and not in another. Gal. 6.4. See 1 Cor. 11.28. Let a man examine himſelfe, &c.
II. REAS. Becauſe every member of the family may have ſome particular caſes, or ſpeciall occaſions of their owne, which peradventure either are not knowne, or elſe, it may be, are not meet to be mentioned by him, that uttereth the requeſts and ſupplications of the family: for ſo it ſeemeth, it was in Hannah her caſe, ſith it had not beene convenient that Elkanah her huſband in the preſence of Peninnah, and the reſt of the family, ſhould have uttered her petition at that time: Neither did Eli the prieſt underſtand or know what her condition was. See 1 Sam. 1.10, &c.
OBSERV. A performance of religious duties by particular perſons in ſecret and apart (Zach. 12.12, 13, 14.) tendeth notably to good evidence and comfortable aſſurance (which requireth ſpeciall diligence to be given unto it, 2 Pet. 1.10.) of the trueth and ſincerity of their hearts, and that there is no guile nor hypocriſie in their ſpirits; as it is intimated in our Saviour Chriſt his directions and encouragements unto ſecret prayer and faſting, &c. See Math. 6.6—18.
XXXIX. PROPOSITION. Albeit morning and evening every day, being the fitteſt ſeaſons for the performance of family-duties (as hath beene already ſhewed) ought therefore to be obſerved; as likewiſe ſome ti… ought to be redeemed to a priva… courſe; yet upon extraordinar… occaſions, and as opportuni… ſerveth thereunto, Chriſtian families or perſons may, yea an… ought to exerciſe themſelves i… prayer, and in the word, an… other Spirituall duties, ſevera… times on a day, and ſomtime whole daies together.
PROOF. Thus David profeſſeth of himſelfe: See Pſa. 55.17. Evening and morning & … noone will I pray, and cry aloud: and he ſhall hea… my voice. Pſal. 119.164. Seven times a day … I prayſe thee, becauſe of thy righteous judgment. Daniel the Prophet, a man greatly beloved did thus approve himſelfe on the extraordinary occaſions of evill times. See Dan. 6.10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was ſigned, he went into his houſe; and his windowes being open in his chambe… toward Jeruſalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. And when he underſtood by reading in the booke of the Prophet Jeremiah, the number of the yeeres determined touching the deſolations of Jeruſalem, he prayed a whole day, continuing therein, even to the evening. See Dan. 9.2, 3—21.
I. REAS. Becauſe extraordinary cauſes and occaſions doe require and call for extraordinary ſervices of prayer, and exerciſe in the word. See Iſaia. 22.1—12. when there was a burden of the valley of viſion — In that day the Lord called to ſutable demeaning of themſelves. And thus the godly brethren have beene wont to order their courſe. See Act. 12.5. When Peter was kept in priſon, Prayer was made of the Church unto God without ceaſing for him.
II. REAS. Becauſe otherwiſe God will have a controverſy with his people; ſith it is ſome ſleighting, contempt, & controlement of his infinite wiſdome, and other his divine attributes according to his diverſe manner of working; when a proportioned and anſwerable deportment is not obſerved. For ſo the Lord God profeſſeth himſelfe, Iſaia. 22.14. Surely this inquity (of unſutable walking) ſhall not be purged till ye dye, ſaith the Lord of hoſts.
OBSERV. The people of God ought to be, & are in their meaſure zealouſly affected, Tit. 2.14. Revel. 3.19. John, 2.17. 2 Cor. 7.11. that is to ſay, ſuch whoſe affections and p… tiſes are enlarged and increaſed according juſt objects and occaſions offering themſelves. See Gal. 4.18. It is good to be zeal… affected alwaies in a good thing, &c. And therefore according to juſt occaſion may & o… to enlarge their religious ſervices, and t… more time thereunto. See 2 Chron. 30.… And the whole aſsembly tooke counſell to keepe o… ſeven daies: and they kept other ſeven daies … gladneſſe.