Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	civil_a	ecclesiastical_a	2,893	5	8.1068	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57346	The cursed family; or, A short tract, shewing the pernicious influence of wicked prayer-less houses, upon this church and kingdom Humbly tender'd by way of subserviency to His Majesties Royal Proclamations, and Acts of Parliament, for preventing and punishing immorality and prophaness. By THomas Risley Master of Arts, and sometime fellow of Pembrook-Colledge in Oxford. With a prefatory epistle by the reverend Mr. John Howe.	Risley, Thomas, 1630-1716.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1700 (1700)	Wing R1539; ESTC R218001	38,264	98

we have cause to lament the weakness of it by reason the wickedness thereof It is most He is no good Church-man who is not good Christian at Home evident from Scripture that such Professors are not True Members of Gods Church which are not Living Members of Christ. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Rom. 2. two last verses He is not a sound Christian that is Baptized except he be inwardly renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost The real Christian Is a New Creature Old things are past away behold all things are become New 2 Cor. 5. 17. And the New Creature hath put off his former Conversation the old Man which is corrupt according to the Deceitful Lusts And is renewed in the Spirit of his mind And hath put on the New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 22 23 24. It is for want of Religious Government in The mischief of irreligious families Households that the Lords Day is not better observed that few profit under the Word and that there are so few prepared Communicants at the Lords Table It is from hence That Ministers have slender Congregations and that Taverns Ale-houses Walks Fields Gardens Tatlinghouses in the Neighbourhood are more resorted to then the places of Gods Worship Oh! All you Careless Ignorant Worldly and loose Heads of Families let not this Aggravating Consideration Namely That your Family-wickedness overthrows Churches pass out of your thoughts till it please God to change you and reform your Families Are you Friends to the Church Set up the Practise of Piety in your Families which are the Nurseries of the Church This Duty is of Great weight and Importance to the Interest of Reformed Religion and of the Church of England If professing Christians live in their Si ita Singuli id faciant quod pietatis est totum corpus facil● Sanabitur c. Synop. Bodini de Repub. lib. 1. c. 1. que 24. Houses in due Conformity to their Covenant in Baptism this through Gods Mercy will render our Church Beautiful as the Garden of the Lord And our Land as the smell of a Field which the Lord hath Blessed The Romans were as Careful to maintain their Vestal Fire as to preserve the Palladium as Pledges of Felicity to the Empire Signifying to us Christians that If Religion and Vertue Piety and Policy be Countenanc'd and defended and their Contraries Profaneness and Immorallity supprest and punished then the Lord will Build us and not Pull us down Plant us and not Root us up If we entertain the Life and Power of Christianity and Honesty in our Families Upon all the Glory shall be a Defence Isa. 4. 5. Quest. What think you of Errours and Heresies tending to the subverting of Christianity A. Quest. And what may we think of Parties and Sectaries Are they not greater Enemies to the Church then profane Families Answ. 1. Here is not intended a Comparative Answer Enquiry whether Damnable Errours and Heresies do more mischief in our Church then wicked Families but the main Business in hand is to shew that Profane and Wicked Families are Pernicious Enemies to both Church and Sate Sabbath-breaking Swearing Drunkenness Filthiness Coveteousness Oppression Pride Treachery Perjury Cursing Cheating Killing Stealing Lying and such like black infernal Sins in Families will without Reformation Ruin Kingdoms and Churches 2. Profane Scandalous Livers are Practical Atheists and Hereticks They profess that they know God but in good works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1. Last 3. Moral Evils of Sin and Intellectual are Conjunct A foul Stomach hath an aking Head and corrupt Streams come from a corrupt Fountain St. Paul In Titus 3. 10. And 1 Cor. 5. 11. Joyns together Hereticks and Sensualists or Scandalous Persons in Families and Parishes as Fatal and Capital Enemies to the Church and equally obnoxious to Ecclesiastical and Civil Punishments 4. We have sad experience what Mischief Parties and Sectaries Rents and Schismatical Causes and Instruments have wrought among Christians even to oppose That Great Article of our Faith The Communion of Saints 5. He is no better then a Wicked Man that hatcheth Divisions and Covets to make separations and will not admit of healing Such were the Donatists whose Tumults were supprest by the Magistrate O that all Scandalous Profane Families in Parishes would sit down and set themselves as in Gods presence seriously considering that they are no more Living Members of Gods Church then the Dead Bodies in the Church Yard are Living Members of that Family whence they came to be Interr'd 3. Consider That Profane Families are 3. Aggravation of Family Impiety It rendereth the Ministry of Gods Word unprofitable great Enemies to the Ministry If Heads of Families would perform their Duties according to Gods command that is to set up Religion in Families Prayer reading the Word of God Catechizing shewing good Examples in the Week Day and upon the Lords Day causing their Families to keep it Holy both publickly and privately I say were their Families thus Governed the word Preach'd would take better effect upon them Is it likely that Preachers should do any good when Parents by open Profaneness pull down what they set up As if they were resolved to live as they do let the Minister say what he will Is it likely that the Ministry should prosper in a Congregation when most Families will do nothing towards it themselves by keeping Holy the Lords Day and serving and worshipping him in the Week Day Would Masters of Families take hold with the Minister Religion would enter into Families through Gods Blessing But O what little is done to help forward the salvation of Souls by Good Parents They ought to prepare and break up the fallow ground of their Families they ought to Root out the Weeds of Vice and pluck up corrupt Principles out of this little spot of ground that it may be fit to receive the Seed of the word with profit Jer. 4. 3 Hos. 10. 12. Governours of Families ought to make their Families Nurseries for the Church i. e. well Husbanded well disciplined and well taught In their own Houses Parents are both Magistrates and Ministers in a Subordinate way to the training up an hopeful Generation for Church and Kingdom Why do Ignorant Loose Worldly Careless Prayerless Families cast off their Duty upon sureties for the Christian Education of their Children Whereas they themselves stand Bound as they are Believers not only to Dedicate them to the Lord by Baptism but as their Childrens Sponsors To bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. 4. 4. The Barrenness of the ground upon

the Air and Fish of the Sea some obscure Resemblances of Government greater and lesser Societies Kingdoms Cities and Families the great Searchers into Philosophy have discovered By God's Ordination at first they keep their Places observe their Times do their Work Build Furnish make Dens Caves Burrows Nests set up House break up House breed up their Young help and dispose of them abroad for Common Good True it is these Patterns are but imperfectly drawn in these Creatures yet they point at Excellent Education Laws and Virtues and Teach the Wisest Sobriety Fidelity Chastity Amity Gratitude Vigilancy Diligence and unwearied care of themselves and those belonging to their Charge After the Almighty had finisht his Work The foundation of Families God's Institution created Adam and Placed him in Paradise he was pleased to say It is not good that Man should be alone I will make him an help Meet for him Although the Word Family strictly How the Word Family is taken here taken signifieth that Order of Mankind which is United in Marriage signifying the Terms of Husband and Wife Parents Children Master Servant yet here it doth include Housholds made of kind Friends living together for their mutual Benefit as Men and Christians And also it doth Include the Superior Societies of Academical Discipline and the Inferior of Countrey Schooles Both which as they be of great use for Magistracy and Ministry so they ought to be of Special Influence to Maintain Religion and Christian Government in Church and State That Famous Orator whose Name is The Formal and final causes of Families turned into a Sir-Name of Eloquence as Quintilian hath it speaking of the Union of Families hath Written that there is a more Noble Principle of Human Societies then Sense to wit the Attractive Power of Reason which by Counsels Precepts Converse Decisions and Judgments Cements and Strengtheneth Societies But God's Word speaking hereof strikes an higher Note no less a Union for Marriage then In the Lord with the exclusive Particle Tantum in Domino Only in the Lord. If this Union were observed How much more Happy would Families Relations Parishes Magistrates Ministers Kingdoms and Churches be It is a most Dangerous Design to think of Multiplying Vice and Impiety by gathering into Societies as if the Lesser Sins of Single Life Married into Company might take Liberty to swel into a Flood Gen. 6. 25. We may not think that Families and Societies were Constituted for Natural and Secular Ends but for Political and Ecclesiastical Ends the Good of Countrey and the Church of God Therefore that was an Excellent Plut. Conv. Answer made to one admiring a Fair House to wit Thou lookest upon the Glorious Outside of the Building and callest that an House not looking within how well Children are Governed and Educated Marriage Honoured the Family and all belonging to it prudently managed He saith the Author that hath such an House liveth in a Palace though in a Pismires Hill From what hath been said it is evident how much good or hurt may proceed from Families For although this Capacity must not Danger of great States from Wicked Families contend with greater Societies for Precedency of Honour yet for Priority of Nature and Eldership of Time it carrieth it from all Societies on Earth It being without Dispute that of Families Towns and Cities great States are Embodied Therefore as in Natural Bodies if the first Concoction be Imperfect it is hardly Corrected in the latter So in Civil Bodies if Families and Villages through want of Good Government abound in Vitious Manners the Malignancy presently infects Kingdoms and Churches to which they do belong It may be at the first that the Narrowness of Private Walls and Housholds send Evil Manners into the World with some kind of Pusillanimous Dulness which coming into Places of Publick Concourse grow Impudent and refuse to be ashamed Hence it is that Swearing Swilling Debauchery and Immorality Contempt of Religion and Sobriety become in a while Popular and all in Fashion If Parents give not Check to Family Sins in their Children at Home when they go forth they meet with Temptations and Patrons which turn their Youthful Exorbitances into Immoveable Habit. It is easy to observe that the want of Family-Religion is the Cause of the Visible Decay of the Wellfare of Church and State CHAP. II. Concerning the Church of God THE word Church is vulgarly taken The Significations of the word Church And how it is taken here for the Material place where the People Assemble to Worship God sometimes for the Juridical Power of Church-Officers and sometimes for the Church-Revenues But here it is taken for The Visible Church of Christ Militant upon the Earth as it Comprehends Believers of All Places and Times from first to last And as it is made up of Particular Churches or Societies of Believers And these made up of Believing Families A Christian Family should be the Epitome and Nursery of the Church But alas it is far otherwise at this day A Minister may go into divers Families in the Parish and Chappelry and not a Word of Scripture Read nor a Prayer made in the Family all the Week long as if Religion were An Enemy not A Friend to their House or That Religion were a Duty Onely on the Sabbath-Day and not on the Week day The Church of God at the first was Domestical not National till the Holy Line grew Strong and Populous from Good Families As from Adam Seth Enoch Noah Shem who lived till Isaac was 50 years old Abraham the Father of the Faithful by Promise c. And so it came to pass in After-times that as Posterity in Families Degenerated so the Church Degenerated as in Cain Ham Ishmael Esau. The Cause of the Churches Decay in our days Thus it is in our Days Ungodly Families are the Decay of God's Church they make Thin Congregations they bring a VVast upon the Solemn Assemblies What an Odious Thing is it to Loiter away the Lord's Day What an Absurdity to Indulge the Flesh upon the Lord's Day and give the Flesh no Rest upon the Week Day What a piece of Wickedness is it to go forth all the Week to Serve the World and Refuse to go forth on the Lord's Day to Serve him Who would think that Sabbath-Profanation were so shameless in Families called Christian Why should a poor excuse hinder Men and Women from the Church which must not from the Market How many Halts do some Make when they should Goe to the Church to Sanctify the Lord's-Day in their Conscionable Attendance upon God's Ordinances What an Unseemly Thing is it to Skulk at Home or at a Neighbours House to Chatt and Talk away to Feast away Sleep away Surfeit away Bibb and Fiddle Smoak and Pipe for Carnal Pleasure to Visit away and for Profit to Travel away the Lord's-Day when they should be waiting at the Gates of VVisdom O what pitty is it that obscure

which the Seed of the word is sowed is 4. Aggravarion of the sin of Family-Impiety It is a great Discouragement to the Office of the Ministry cause of sorrow as well as discouragement to a faithful Minister Is it not matter of discontent and sorrow that the Seed-time for Corporal Bread is stopt by some rude wicked fellows in the Neighbourhood And do you think O wicked Families that it is not greater sorrow to Godly Ministers in their Office that the Seed-time for the Bread of Souls is hindered by you Is not Christ himself Lord of this Harvest who is Judge of the World Are not you the Tares and must not they be cast into the Fire not only for Being Tares but for hindering the Wheat Mat. 13. 40 41 It was the Great grief of that Holy Man and Famous Divine Mr. Ric. Greenham about the 35 Y. of Q. Eliz. That notwithstanding his Dr. F. Church History Book 9. Preaching Prayers Tears he had a Barren Obstinate Ignorant Parish Greenham had Pastures green But Sheep full lean Is it not matter of sorrow that the good Minister finds little more shew of Religion in his Congregation then what cometh in Course upon the Sabbath-Day or that most in the Parish part with Religion as soon as they turn their backs on the place of Gods Worship This troubleth the good Minister that most Heads of Families deny that at home which they seem to like well in the Congregation that some it may be bring their Bibles to the Church and never take them up all the week after that they Joyn in Publick Prayers and will not Pray in their Families And lastly This discourageth and troubleth the good Minister that many carry it like Christians in Gods House and live like Heathens in their own Our Blessed Saviour wept over Jerusalem saying Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Mat. 23. 37 When he beheld the City he wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the things which belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Luke 19. 41 42. After this sort the Prophet is affected If you will not hear it my Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride c. Jer. 13. 17. O ye Irreligious Families What will you do Will you be obstinate and impenitent because your Good Minister nay your Blessed Lord and Saviour is Tender and Compassionate Will you be careless and secure because your Minister is commanded to watch for your Souls And will you be cruel to the Souls of your Families because Ministers are sent of God to Preach Faith and Repentance Mercy and Forgiveness to you Will you harden your Hearts and stand it out because God by his Ministers is praying you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 5. Consider That Profane Families do 5. Aggravation of Family Impiety It provoketh God to take away the Gospel from us provoke God to take away the Gospel from us and give it to a Nation that will bring forth the Fruits thereof Mat. 21. 43. God hath been pleased to Plant his Vineyard in England which since the Reformation hath taken Root and spread her Branches in abundance And Blessed be the Almighty the Wall thereof our good Laws is not broken down But where are the Fruits We hear of common seandalous sins of Drunkenness Swearing Whoredom and Pernicious Doctrines And the sin of Sabbath-breaking in Towns and Villages is notorious Notwithstanding K. W. the IIId 10th Y. of his Reign Feb. 24. 1697. his Majesties Royal Proclamation for the suppressing and preventing of Profaneness dissolute Living and all Immorallities and for the Countenancing of Vertue and Piety in this Church and Kingdom What shall we say of Loiterers Travellers Tatlers going from House to House What shall we say of Debauched Prodigals Harlots Hectors at Drunken and Filthy Meetings How few Families in Cities Towns or Villages do make any better Account of the Lords Day then Almanack Holy Days How few Christians keep Holy the Lords Day after Service in the Publick Assembly It were Just with God to Translate the Gospel to another People and to put a Bill of Divorce into our Mothers hand for the too common Disgust of the Power of Christianity and Practise of Piety It were Just with God to deliver his Strength into Captivity and his Glory into the Enemies hand Psal. 78. 61. Referring to the sins of Eli his Sons in the Priesthood 1 Sam. 2 Chap. And to the Punishment in the 4 Chap. not only of the Priests but People also And we of this our Church both Ministers and People for our sins of other Kinds have cause to fear least God deprive us of our Strength and Glory i. e. his gracious and influxive presence 6. Consider That this Profaneness of Families is the greatest reproach upon 6. Aggravation of Family-Sins They bring the greatest Reproach upon such Families them As sin leaveth behind it the forest wound upon Conscience So It marketh the Person with the Vilest Brand. What can expiate that Guilt which staineth the Heavens Curseth the Earth hath cast down Angels from their Glory and made Man as vile as the Beasts that Perish Who can blot out that which is written in Heaven in Gods Book on Earth in the Consciences of Men and unhappily Copied out to be written in the memory of succeeding Posterity Who can purge that away which Peccati inacula durat in aeternum ex se Seclusa Dei misericordià defileth the Souls of Men It is not devouring time nor flight nor Banishment nor change of Climate nor strange Inhabitants no nor Death it self of the Infamous sinner that can free his Conscience from the Guilt of his sin and wipe off the reproach and everlasting shame thereunto belonging Dan. 12. 2. And those that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt The Seed of Evil doers shall never be renowned Isa. 14. 20. The memory of the Just is Blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall Rot Prov. 10. 7. Thou hast consulted shame to thy House by cutting off many People and hast sinned against thy Soul Hab. 2. 10. Are not Ahabs and Jezebels sins upon the File of Reproach There was none like Ahab who sold himself to work wickedness whom Jezebel his Wife that Cursed Woman stirred up Add hereunto Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin And this is That King Ahaz Simon the Sorcerer Elymas the Sorcerer Judas the Traitor These Persons to this day have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Brand of Infamy Man never came to loose his The way to true Honour Honour but by sin then he Marr'd his Creation-Robe

a Contagious Conversation One Bp. Hall In a Sermon at Hampton Court before King James the First 1624. person infects a Family one Family a whole Street One Street a whole City One City a whole Countrey One Countrey a whole World If sin begin with one Angel it infects Legions If with one Woman it inserts all the Mass of Mankind Thou sittest at home and thinkest that thou doest no hurt to the Kingdom or Church but sure is that thy Family-sins will abroad and as it s said of those that are infected with Plague sores so it may be said of sinners that they strive to infect others Sin never goeth alone whether considered as Criminal or Penal Thy Sabbath-breaking Idleness Pride Prodigallity Backbiting Drunkenness Coveteousness and such like breed more sins first at home then in thy Neighbours House then afterwards both thou thy self thy untoward posterity and thy corrupted Neighbours carry them into Company in Villages Market Towns and Cities and in process of time the whole Land where thou livest is defiled thereby This fire of Family sins being once kindled finds more fewel among sinful Men and so going from one to another at last it breaks forth into consuming Flames A whole Tribe was corrupted with Idolatry which first came from Micha's Family Judges 17 and 18 Chapters Achan's sin brought God's hand not only upon himself and Family but all Israel smarts for it Josh. 7. 13. And a long time after Achan is called the Troubler of Israel 1 Chron. 2. 7. But especially the Families of Great Persons as of Princes Magistrates Nobility Gentry Clergy bring Judgments upon whole Nations and Countries As in Saul's time Jeroboam's Baasha's Ahaz's and Manasseh's time The sins of Nobility and Gentry are of a more spreading Infection then the sins of Inferior Persons And as to the Contagion of the sins of the Ministry It is said From the Prophets of Jerusalem is Prophaneness gone forth into all the Land Jer. 23. 15. There be some sins which are Domestick and Private which grow quickly into National and Politick sins as Sabbath-breaking Whoredoms Murther Perjury Rebellion against Parents whether Natural or Civil Parents Oppression Idolatry Heresy Deut. 13. 19 and 21. Chapters Shewing the Punishment of Idolatry Murther Rebellion against Parents And touching the Punishment of Whoredoms see Deut. 22. 21 22 ver All which Texts shew the National Epidemical malignity of those sins And therefore all Israel must hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this among them 2. Consider That Ungodly Families 2. Aggravation of Family Impiety It Overthrows Churches Overthrow Churches Prophane hands in Parishes pull down Gods House It is Unbelief Impeuitency Sabbath-breaking common prodigious swearing revelling at Wakes Merry Nights Greens May Games Healthing Inlets to Debauchery and all Impiety to Atheism Blasphemy Whoredom Contempt of Religion and Morallity These are the Boars of the Wood and Beasts of the Field which waste and devour the Lords Vineyard These are the sins which the Prince of Darkness and his Infernal Rabble strive to maintain and propagate to the Overthrow of Christianity yea and I had almost said Humanity it self The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gobal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre I mean wicked Families say Come let us cut them off from being a Nation a Church that the Name of Israel the Name of the Reformed Church of England may be no more in Remembrance Psal. 83. The General Ignorant and Scandalous sins of too many called Christians Is like unto the Abomination of Desolation in the Holy Place Dan. 11. 31. Parochial sins which rise out of Irreligious Households as Persecuting Saul's make Havock of the Church And are in effect the Bloody Hamans against Gods Church Family-wickedness of Princes Priests and People brought Destruction upon Jerusalem and demolisht the Temple the wonder of the World for Building a Type of Christ in the flesh and of his Church upon Earth Joshua a Good Ruler at a full and honourable Assembly of Elders Heads Judges and Officers delivereth this weighty charge in his Speech Namely to fear the Lord and serve him in Sincerity and Truth And not only in Cities and Towns but in all Families as the Principal Means for the Prosperity of Church and State Josh. 24. 1 14 15 20. Go ye now to my place which was in Shiloh where I set my Name at the first and see what I did to it For the wickedness of my People Israel Jer. 7. 13. It is most certain that the Church cannot flourish unless the parts and members of it perform Holy Duties and Offices in their Capacities both in Church and Family The want of Religion in Families is the Decay of Churches The difference between a Christian Family and a Church is that of Parts and Whole if the parts be wicked and profane the Constitution of the whole is Vitious and Depraved more or less according to the proportion of the parts Is it likely That Heads of Families should be truly Devout in the Church and Exercise no Religion at home How shall we Judge of the Churches encrease if not from Parochial Religion in Families Wickedness of Families maketh the Glory of Jacob thin Isa. 17. 4. Wicked Families eat up Jacob devour consume and make his Habitation desolate Jer. 10. 25. As by appearance at Musters we Judge of the military Strength and Population of Kingdoms so from Piety in Families the Strength and Prosperity of the Church and Christs Kingdom The Life of Religion and the Welfare Mr. B. Gildas Chap. 2. Sect. 5. And his Account of the Reason and Use of his Paraphrase on the N. T. and Glory of Church and State dependeth much on Family Government and Duty If there be any hope of the amendment of a Wicked Miserable Distracted World it must be mostly done by Family Religion and the Christian Education of Youth What Countrey Groans not under the Confusions miseries and horrid wickedness which are all the Fruits of Family neglects and the careless and ill Education of Youth In the Preface to the Record for Dissolution Dr. Fullers Ch. Hist. lib. 6. p. 310. of Lesser Monasteries the Reasons returned were The Vitious Living of those Houses Another saith That Fornication Adulteries Treachery Soddomy Incest were Committed and Brooded in those Houses And the Reverend Author goeth on saying An Hundred Thousand Whores made by Bp. H. In his Occa. Med. 76. On the Ruines of an Abby the Unmarried Clergy Every stone hath a Tongue to accuse of Superstition Hypocrisy Idleness Luxury the Late Owners How soon would the best part of the World Decay upon the Corruption of Families As in the Body Politick so in the Mystical it thrives or wasteth according to the Good or Bad Temperament of the Parts constituent If Families of Nominal Christians were Real Living Members of the Church succeeding Posterity would encrease it But