A Demonstration of Family Duties, Proposition 52 – Proposition 53
LII. PROPOSITION. Moreover, ſuch families doe …uſtly deſerve and incurre blame …nd reproofe, who doe performe religious duties & ſervices amiſſe …n any kind.
PROOF. The Apoſtle James taxeth and …eprehendeth the brethren of the twelve …ribes, for their faultineſſe and miſcariage in performance of prayer. See James, 4.3. … aſke and receive not, becauſe yee aſke amiſſe, &… ▪
I. REAS. Becauſe every tranſgre… doeth draw on a guilt with it, whether it … in matter, manner, end or circumſtanc… ▪ See James, 2.10. For whoſoever ſhall keep … whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is g… of all.
II. REAS. Becauſe the Lord God … counteth and judgeth ſervices perform… amiſſe to be a grand violation of the th… commandement of the firſt table, which … will therefore ſeverely puniſh. See E… 20.7. Thou ſhalt not take the Name of the L… thy God in vaine: for the Lord will not hold … guilileſſe that taketh his Name in vaine.
OBSERV. Religious ſervices and du… are performed amiſſe when they are do… either,
1. Ignorantly, not knowing what is ſa… or done. Herein the Papiſts are groſly ſa… ty, who make uſe of an unknowne langu… in their prayers and ſervice, both public… and privatly. Such errour the Apoſtle P… noteth, 1 Corinth. 14.14. For if I pray i… … unknowne tongue, my ſpirit prayeth, but my … derſtanding is unfruitfull.
II. Superſtitiouſly, as the Papiſts likew… tranſgreſſe, in ſaying onelyonly a ſet number … words on their beads, without reverenc… feeling, underſtanding, &c. much like the babling heathen. See Math. 6.7. But when yee pray, uſe not vaine repetitions, as the heathen doe; for they thinke they ſhalbe heard for their much ſpeaking.
III. Hypocritically, regarding iniquity in the heart, albeit there be a faire outward deportment. Such performance was prophecied of by Iſaiah, and practiſed in the daies of our Saviour Chriſt. See Math. 15.7, 8. Yee hypocrites, well did Eſaias prophecie of you, ſaying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, & honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is farre from me.
IV. Profanely, when ſuch as doe ſeeme to draw nigh to God, doe live notwithſtanding in a courſe and practiſe of groſſe and notorious tranſgreſſions. See this Iſaiah, 1.15. And when yee ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when yee make many prayers, I will not heare you: your hands are full of blood.
V. Deceitfully or negligently: See Jere. 48.10. Curſed be hee that doeth the worke of the Lord deceitfully. See the margent there, in the N. tranſlat.
VI. Unconſtantly, for ſo was the failing of King Joaſh. See 2 Chron. 24. verſ. 2 & 17. compared together; Joaſh did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, all t… daies of Jehojada, the Prieſt. — N… after the death of Jehojada, came th… princes of Juda and made obeyſance … the King: then the King hearkened u… them, &c.
LIII. PROPOSITION. Neither can ſuch families excuſe themſelves before the Lord, when he commeth to jugdment, who having opportunity and capacity to learne to reade, and ability and meanes to procure a Bible in their native language; yet cannot reade, nor have any Bible in their families.
PROOF. Solomon doeth thus deſcrib… his foole, who is the wicked man; Prov. 17.16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of … foole to get wiſdome, ſeeing he hath no heart to it?
I. REAS. Becauſe they are in no wiſe anſwerable to Gods expectation, in the col… and meanes he hath beſtowed on them; ſo that it is a righteous thing with him to be provoked, and to come againſt them; as it is declared in the parable, Luk. 13.6, 7. A certaine man had a figtree planted in his vineyard, and he came and ſought fruit thereon, and found none. Then ſaid he to the dreſſer of his vineyard; Behold, theſe three yeeres I come ſeeking fruit on this figtree, and finde none: cut it downe, why cumbreth it the ground.
II. REAS. Becauſe unanſwerableneſſe unto Gods mercies and meanes vouchſafed unto any people, doeth greatly aggravate their ſinne, and infallibly ſeale their puniſhment. This argument is evidently drawne from our Saviour Chriſts upbraiding the cities in which he had frequently & powerfully preached, and wrought his miracles, to confirme his doctrine: and yet they were unanſwerable through unfruitfulneſſe. See Math. 11.21. Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethſaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had beene done in Tyre and Zidon, they would have repented long agoe in ſackcloth and aſhes.
OBSERV. It was the high commendation of Mary, given unto her by our Saviour Chriſt, that ſhe redeemed time unto the one thing needfull, when Martha did cumber her ſelfe about much ſerving, and was troubled about many things. See Luk. 10.42. But one thing is needfull; And Mary hath choſen that good part, which ſhall not be taken away from her.