A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 46 – Proposition 48
XLVI. PROPOSITION. The religious duties and ſervices which Chriſtian families ought to obſerve and attend on the Sabbath day, are cheifly thoſe which ought to be performed & converſed in, in the publick and ſolemne aſſemblies of the Church or Congregation aſſembled together to ſuch end.
PROOF. The members of the Church at Troas, and other brethren occaſion there, aſſembled on the firſt day of the we… or Lords day, to joyne together in the … lemne worſhip of God, beſides any ot… courſe held and obſerved on the other … daies in their generall or particular calling See Act. 20.7. And upon the firſt day of … weeke, when the diſciples came together to br… bread, Paul preached unto them, &c. This … appeare likewiſe from what is noted of … Jewiſh people, Act. 13.15. And after then ding of the law, and the Prophets (on the Sabath day, verſ. 14.) the rulers of the Synag… ſent unto them, ſaying, Yee men and brethren, ye have any word of exhortation for the people, … on, &c. Act. 15.21. For Moſes of old time b… in every citie them that preach him, being rul… the Synagogues, every Sabbath day. Yea he… it was that our Saviour Chriſts cuſtome … (when he fulfilled his miniſtery in the d… of his fleſh) to goe to the Synagogues the Sabbath daies. See Luk. 4.16.
I. REAS. Becauſe the due keeping of … Sabbath day holy, ſeemeth to be ſpecia… argued and approved by a due frequentl… of the publick aſſemblies at the times of … lemne worſhip. This argument may be … ferred from the connexion of the two cla… ſes in a direction given by the Lord himſel… Levit. 26.2. Yee ſhall keepe my Sabbaths, … …everence my Sanctuary: I am the Lord. As if he had ſaid, ye ſhall approve your keeping the Lords Sabbaths by a due reſpect unto the publick aſſemblies.
II. REAS. Becauſe publick communion in the ſolemne ordinances of God on the Sabbath day, is a principall & cheife end, though not the only end, of our union and conſociation with particular Churches, ſith Church-ordinances are of a publick nature, and diſpenſed by publick perſons called thereunto. See 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. The cup of bleſſing which we bleſſe; is it not the communion of the blood of Chriſt? The bread which we breake, is it not the communion of the body of Chriſt? For we being many, are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. The publick ordinances converſed in, are as it were badges of Gods people. See Pſal. 147.19, 20. He ſheweth his word unto Iacob, his ſtatutes and his judgments unto Iſrael; He hath not dealt ſo with any nation, &c.
III. REAS. Becauſe of the ſpeciall bleſſing which God hath appointed unto ſuch ſanctifying the Sabbath day in the publick aſſemblies and Church-meetings. See Iſa. 56, 6, 7. Alſo the ſonnes of ſtrangers that joyne themſelves to the Lord, to ſerve him, and to love the Name of the Lord, to be his ſervants, every one that keepe the Sabbath from polluting it, and take… hold of my covenant: Even them wil… bring to my holy Mountaine, and ma… them joyfull in my houſe of Prayer: the burnt-offrings, and their ſacrifices ſha… accepted upon mine Altar: for my hod ſhalbe called a houſe of prayer for all people. See alſo Pſal. 133.3. In Zion th… Lord commanded the bleſſing: even la… for evermore.] Like as the Prophet Eli… went a long journey in the ſtrength of the meat and drinke, which the Angel of Go… provided for him; 1 King. 19.7, 8. Even… the members of godly families, feedinger their ſpirituall food diſpenſed on the Lord day in the congregation of Saints, may w… in the ſtrength of it, till they appeare befo… the Lord againe in Zion the next Sabba… day. See Iſa. 66.23.
I. OBSERV. A conſociation or joyn… together in Church-fellowſhip, is a me… eminent, and more worthy relation, the… the relation that is in families. See Act. 2.4… And the Lord added to the Church daily, ſuch … ſhould be ſaved. Howbeit that relation whi… is in families is a moſt comfortable and goe… condition. See Pſal. 68.6. God ſetteth theſe litary in families, &c.
II. OBSERV. The ſolemne and public ordinances to be obſerved and converſed in on the Sabbath day, in the Congregation or Church-meeting, are, the Miniſtery of the Word; the Adminiſtration of Sacraments, if occaſion ſerve thereunto; Prayers; Diſtribution to the Poore; and Singing of Pſalmes. See Act. 2.42. & 20.7. 1 Corinth. 16.2. Pſal. 92.1. Title.
III. OBSERV. Such as are converſant in Gods ordinances in the publick aſſemblies on the Sabbath day, ought to be diſpoſed as one man, attending ſeriouſly the ſacred buſineſſe in hand, not ſuffering themſelves to be taken up with private reading, prayer, meditation, wandring thoughts, drowſineſſe, &c. See Act. 2.1. And when the day of Pentecoſt was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. See alſo Eccleſ. 5.1. Keepe thy foot when thou goeſt to the houſe of God, and be more ready to heare then to give the ſacrifices of fooles: for they conſider not that they doe evill.
IV. OBSERV. They deceive themſelves greatly, who under a pretence of better profiting themſelves in reading of good books at home, and private devotions, doe neglect to converſe with God and his people in the publick ordinances on the Sabbath day; as may appeare by a conſideration of what is written, Rom. 10.17. Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 1 Cor. 1.21. For after that in the wiſdome of God, the world b… wiſdome knew not God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſave them that beleeve. 1 Pet. 2.2. As new borne babes deſire the ſinc… milke of the word that yee may grow thereby. Prov. 28.9. He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law, even his prayer ſhalbe abomination.
XLVII. PROPOSITION. Albeit a converſe in religious ſervices in the ſolemne aſſemblies of the Church, doth in ſpeciall tend to a ſanctifying of the Sabbath day: Yet the members of Chriſtian families ought likewiſe to ſerve God in the family, and in ſecret, on the Sabbath day, as opportunity ſerveth thereunto when they are not imployed in publick.
PROOF. Our Saviour Chriſt and his family, notwithſtanding their reſpective frequenting the Synagogues on the Sabbath daies; yet after the publick miniſtery was ended, they alſo redeemed the time in private unto religious exerciſes. This may appeare, Math. 12.1. & 13.1. compared with Math. 13.36, 37. Then Ieſus ſent the multitude away, and went into the houſe: and his diſciples came unto him, ſaying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He anſwered and ſaid unto them, He that ſoweth the good ſeed, is the ſonne of man, &c. See alſo Mark. 1.21, &c.
I. REAS. Becauſe the Sabbath day ought to be ſequeſtred wholly from a purſuit of profits and pleaſures of this life, and to be ſpent wholly in holy exerciſes, publickly or privatly, as the Lord hath commanded, Exod. 20.8. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy; &c. for here is no exemption nor exception given to any part of the day, that it ſhould not be ſanctified, and kept holy, aſwell as the other parts of the day. See alſo Iſaiah, 58.13, 14.
II. REAS. Becauſe a performance of religious exerciſes in private on the Sabbath day, tendeth much unto a better profiting by the adminiſtration of the publick ordinances; viz. A preparation in private before the publick ordinances be taken in hand, and prayer, conference, and meditation after the publick ordinances are ended, touching the ſame, conduce much to a good ſucceſſe thereof. This is in part implied in Hezekiah the King his prayer and its ſucceſſe, in the behalfe of the people of the Jews at the celebration of the Paſſeover, 2 Chron. 30.18, 19, 20.—But Hezekiah prayed for them, ſaying, The good Lord pardon every one; That prepareth his heart to ſeeke God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleanſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.] See alſo for after-courſe what is recorded, Act. 13.42. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews, and religious Proſelytes followed Paul & Barnabas, who ſpeaking to them, perſwaded them to continue in the grace of God, &c.
OBSERV. Such as having converſed with God in the religious uſe of his publick ordinances, on the Sabbath day, in the aſſemblies, doe goe forth after cares, and riches, and pleaſures of this life, aſſoone as the aſſemblies are diſmiſſed, they cannot bring forth fruit unto perfection: as is to be ſeene in the ſtate of that ſort of unfruitfull hearers of the word, who are by our Saviour Chriſt reſembled unto the thorny ground, Luk. 8.14. And that which fell among thornes, are they which when they have heard, goe forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleaſures of this life; and bring no fruit to perfection.
XLVIII. PROPOSITION. All due caution and circumſpection ought to be uſed by the people of God, for the declining and avoiding of vaine and ſiniſter walking in the performances of religious duties, whether in the congregation, or family, or in ſecret, whether the ſervices be ordinary or extraordinary.
PROOF. Such caveat is given by our Saviour Chriſt touching prayer and faſting; & is appliable likewiſe unto other religious ſervices. See Math. 6.5. And when thou prayeſt, thou ſhalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, & in the corner of the ſtreets, that they may be ſeene of men, &c. And ibid. verſ. 16. Moreover when ye faſt, be not as the hypocrites, of a ſad countenance; for they diſfigure their faces, that they may appeare unto men to faſt.
I. REAS. Becauſe the Lord is a God that ſearcheth the heart, and taketh exact knowledge of the waies of his people, and will reward them accordingly as they walke in ſingleneſſe and ſincerity of heart, and integrity of converſation. See Jerem. 17.… I the Lord ſearch the heart, I try the reines, … to give every man according to his waies, and … cording to the fruit of his doings. Revel. 2.… All the Churches ſhall know, that I am he … ſearcheth the reines, and hearts, &c.
II. REAS. Becauſe ſuch cautelous … wary ſincere walking doeth tend much the ſtopping of the mouthes of abſurd a… verſaries, and to a reſtraining of their f… who are apt to traduce and perſecute t… good waies of the people of God. See P…o… 16.7. When a mans waies pleaſe the Lord, … maketh even his enimies to be at peace with his See alſo 1 Pet. 3.15, 16. But ſanctify the L… God in your hearts, and be ready alwaies to g… an anſwer to every one that aſketh you a reaſon the hope that is in you, with meekneſſe and f… Having a good conſcience, that whereas they ſp… evill of you, as of evill doers, they may be aſhe… which falſly accuſe your good converſation in Chr…
OBSERV. Hypocrites may gaine the… ward of popular applauſe and reputation upon a vaine and ſiniſter courſe in religi… held by them. See Math. 6.2, 5, 16, &c. 2 King. 10.15, 16. But ſuch are not accept… of God. See 2 Corinth. 10.18. For not … that commendeth himſelfe is approved, but what the Lord commendeth.