A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 51
LI. PROPOSITION. Thoſe families are in a moſt dangerous and wretched ſtate & condition, which doe wholly faile to ſerve the Lord in a performance of family-duties.
PROOF. See Jerem. 10.25. Powre out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy Name. This propheticall imprecation is as a prediction … way of threatning: and it implieth that families that call not on Gods Name, are like unto the heathen, and ſhall with them partake in the ſenſe of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure. Now it wilbe found a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who is a conſuming fire. See Hebr. 10. verſ. 31. & 12. verſ. 29.
I. REAS. Becauſe a neglect or contempt of calling on the Lords Name, and ſerving him, is a ſigne and token of atheiſtic all folly and wickednes. See Pſal. 14. verſ. 1 & 4. compared together, viz. The foole hath ſaid in … heart, there is no God. — They call not upon … Lord. Yea ſuch neglect and contempt a… gueth not only ſome guiltineſſe, but alſo … high degree of atheiſme and deſperate p… faneſſe; as may be obſerved in Pharaoh Ki… of Egypt. See Exod. 5.2. And Pharaoh ſ… Who is the Lord, that I ſhould obey his voice?
II. REAS. Becauſe ſuch families as c… not on Gods Name, are moſt pernicio… & hurtfull enimies to the Church and S… in which they doe abide and inhabite, … being meanes what in them lieth, of th… ruine and deſtruction thereof; and ſo d… expoſe themſelves to the deſerved puniſhments of deſtroyers and murtherers. Jere… 10.25. Powre out thy fury upon the f… milies that call not on thy Name; for th… have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him and conſumed him, and have made h… habitation deſolate.
OBSERV. All Chriſtian families are … alike convinced & perſwaded touching th… neceſſity, nature, and maner of performan… of family-duties every day, both morni… and evening; as it may fare with them i… other caſes through their dulneſſe of he… ring. See Hebr. 5.11, 12. Yet ſuch as are perfect, ought to be minded according to th… demonſtration above declared, & if in ſo… particulars therein, ſome families are otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveale this unto them, walking by the ſame rule and minding the ſame thing, ſo farre as they have already attained. See Philip. 3.15, 16. But if any family among the people of God have a …oot that beareth gall & wormwood, whoſe hearts turne away from the Lord; and it commeth to paſſe, that albeit they have beene convinced by the word of their duty herein, they doe nevertheleſſe bleſſe themſelves in their hearts, ſaying, Wee ſhall have peace, though we walke in the imaginations or ſtubborneſſe of our hearts, in a neglect and contempt of calling on God; The Lord will not ſpare them, but his anger and jea…ouſy ſhall ſmoke againſt them, yea and his curſes denounced in the Scriptures, ſhall lie upon them, &c. See Deut. 29.18, 19, 20, &c.