A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 42
XLII. PROPOSITION. Religious faſting being ſuch a… excellent and quickning helpe … devotion, as hath beene dec… red in the former Propoſition may and ought therefore to b… exerciſed by godly families, and ſometimes with their aſſiſtant (as hath beene ſhewed likewiſe formerly) according to the extraordinary cauſes and occaſions …hat doe move & call thereunto.
PROOF. Queene Eſther, as is ſeemeth, was very well inſtructed and grounded in the …nowledge of this practicall point of doc…rine, as appeareth by her prudent and religious direction and charge ſhe gave to her …ncle Mordecai touching the ſame. See Eſther, 4.16. Goe gather together all the Jews that are preſent in Shuſan, and faſt yee for me, and neither eate nor drinke three daies, night or day: I alſo and my maidens will faſt likewiſe, and ſo I will goe in unto the King, which is not according to the law, and if I periſh I periſh.
I. REAS. Becauſe if heavy judgments & overflowing calamities doe invade and take hold on a nation, countrey, or family, …hrough a generall neglect of being ſeriouſly humbled, and ſeeking the Lord, as being …he meanes of preventing or removing the …aid judgments and calamities; yet notwithſtanding godly Chriſtians that doe walke in their families religiouſly mournfull as becommeth them, ſhall have the mourners mark ſet on their foreheads; & conſequently ſhall prevaile for the ſparing of their fam… and friends; or at leaſt for their owne de… verance. See Ezek. 9.4. And the L… ſaid unto him, Goe through the mid… of the citie, through the midſt of Jer… lem, and ſet a marke upon the foreh… of the men that ſigh, & that cry for all … abominations that are done in the … thereof. This may be ſeene in a few in… ces of ſome bleſſed effects of ſuch co… I. Noah walking with God in evill time… he and his family was ſaved from periſh… in the univerſall deluge. Gen. 7.1, … II. Lot with his was ſpared in that fea… deſtruction of Sodome, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. thro… the interceſſion of his friend Abraham. … Gen. 19.29. III. Baruch walking mou… fully had his life given him for a prey in… places where he ſhould come. Jerem. 4….…
II. REAS. Becauſe if families profeſſ… godlineſſe doe not humble themſelves … the ſinnes of the times, and for judgme… which are the fruit of ſinnes; then they … in great danger to partake of the puni… ments, and to receive of the plagues, whe… with tranſgreſſors are wont to be ſcourge… as may appeare at large, Amos, 6.1, 2, 3, … 5, 6. Woe to them that are at eaſe in Zion, &c. … they are not greived for the affliction of Ioſe… that is to ſay, Such in the Church as … …t to heart (ſo as to walke mournfully) …e ſinnes of the Church, and miſeries over…king it, ſhalbe expoſed to woe and judg…ent.
OBSERV. It ſeemeth to be more then …obable that there were ſo many Jews in …uſan (See Eſther, 9.15.) as could not …ſemble or gather together in any one place …ccording to Eſthers appointment: Eſth. 4. … 6. ſpecially conſidering the danger that in …l likelihoode might have enſued at that …me, matters ſtanding as they then did: But …ther their meeting was private in ſome …onvenient houſes or families, where leaſt …otice might be taken of them; and yet that …ere were competent numbers aſſembled …gether both to excite and alſo to aſſiſt one …other in that weighty and ſerious exerciſe …f religious faſting and humiliation.