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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	hear_v	receive_v	word_n	3,147	5	5.3302	4	true

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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

brings me to the next Particular viz. 3. And Lastly Wicked Men provoke 3. The value of Riches God to Curse them for the Value they make of Riches God placed Man over those Sublunary things and now sinful contemptible Man will stoop as low as Hell for them How strangely are Men Infatuated to Dote upon Dirt and Dross Who would think that a Reasonable Creature placed his Happiness on Thick Clay on Wind on that which is not Habb 2. 6. Eccl. 5. 16. Prov. 23. 5. Yet so we find it Luke 12. 19. Soul Soul take thine ease c. To place God and the Creature in the same Rank and Order and to Worship the Creature joyntly with the Creator is no less sin then Idolatry but to set the Creature above the Creator i● Atheism If this were not so the Worlds Trinity would not have so many Votaries and Sacrifices of Souls and Bodies How can such Men and Women as these be in God's Favour Can that Man or Family have the Blessing of God upon them and theirs which bow down to the Gods of Silver and Gold Ah What is Man without Divine Grace How sensual how Sad Effects of over valuing this World base how brutish in choice and affection This Rate which Carual and Forthly Men set on Temporal Things openeth a wide door to all manner of sin Bribery Oppression Dissembling Lying Perjury Flattery Oppressive Tyrannical Law-Suits Temporizing and Unhappy Disposing of Children to Services to Trades to Preferments and to Marriages But is this all No worse is behind 2. Wicked Men and their Houses lyable to God's Curse in Spiritual Things for Wicked Men and their Families are subject to God's Curse not onely in Temporal Things but in Spiritual Things that is when they perform the Outward Duties of Religion As Prayer Hearing the Word coming to the Sacrament Reading God's Word Reading Good Books and Conference about matters of Religion 1. When Wicked Men Pray Their Prayers are an Abomination He that turneth In respect of Prayer away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be an Abomination Prov. 28. 9. The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the Prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. That the Actions of Wicked Men whether Natural Civil or Religious are obnoxious to God's Curse hath been mention'd before Under another Head namely The Vocation or Employments of Wicked Men. Now as to the Matter in hand concerning outward Religious Works of Unregenerate Men whether publick upon the Lord's Day or private in the Family take notice of these following Particulars to prevent mistakes least any harden their hearts in Omission of outward Duties 1. That those Persons sin more who Pray not at all in their Houses then such as make Prayer It is better to do that which is Materially Good then that which is both Materially and Formally Evil. It is better to have a Form of Worship and Religion then Atheistical Prophaneness It is better to have Leaves of Profession then nothing but the Cursed Fruits of a Corrupt Tree It is more Eligible ex natura rei to exercise Common Gifts and Operations of the Spirit and some Feeling in the Conscience than to be Barren of All Gifts and Dead to all outward Duties of Religion Isa. 43. 23. Amos 5. 25. Thou hast not brought me the small Cattel of thy burnt-offerings c. Have ye offered unto me sacrifiee and offerings c 2. That God is pleased to Reward with Temporal Blessings such as Pray and Humble themselves for their sins though they be not true Believers and sincere therein God is pleased to Encourage all sort of sinners to observe and set up Outward Duties of Religion and they shall fare the Better It is not without Reward to perform some Formalities of Worship though done in Hypocrisy 1 Kings 21. 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me c. Here is a Great Temporal Mercy given to Ahab during his Life I will not bring the evil in his days 3. Consider That none be hardened in their Omission of the Externals of Religion I say let them know That sin is in the Person before it Infect the Performance In the Subject before it corrupt the Action Therefore let the blame be laid where it ought not upon Religion nor the Duties thereof but upon the Professor and his bad Life 4. Seeing the condition of Unregenerate and Wicked Men is so contagious that it pollutes all their Outward Religious Actions let them make hast to get out by the use of all means of God's appointment in order to their Conversion As by Prayer Hearing the Word Reading the Word Reading Good Books and by Good Company as before-mentioned For although the Prayers of the Wicked and Unregenerate be unpleasing to God yea an abomination yet it is their Duty to Pray that they may be turned from their Wicked ways that so their Persons and Performances may find acceptance through Christ. O let all sorts of Prayer-less Families Pray that they may Pray in Faith and that they may become sincere and down-right Christians If you have any Bowels of Compassion for your own Souls and the Souls of your Children get out of the Cursed Condition of Wicked Men. Who would lead a Wicked Life if he were sensible of his Misery and the Curse of God upon the House of the Wicked 2. Wicked Men are subject to Gods Curse In hearing the Word They are the bad 2. In respect of Hearing the Word ground which receiveth seed among Thorns and Briers Such Earth as beareth Thorns and Briers is rejected and nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 8. As they come unprepared to hear so they depart without profit The fault is not in the Seed but in the ground which receiveth it The life of the Wicked is compared to untilled rough thorny fallow ground Jer. 4. 3. What Fruit can be expected from it How can the Seed of the word and a wicked heart agree Who would live in the condition of a wicked Man Who trembleth not to be under Gods Ordinances without a blessing what heart dreads not to be subject to Gods Curse Who would not be afraid to hear the blessing pronounc'd and have no share in it Come then to the word for Grace to make thee a New-man to reform thy wicked course of Life Come to Bethesda there is hope of thy cure of thy conversion though thou hast a long time been in this case If thou art willing to be made whole if thou art willing to become a New Creature the work will be done Jo. 5. 6. Let nothing hinder or discourage thee because of thy wickedness or being Obnoxious to Gods Curse in hearing the word but let it much more perswade and quicken thee to a constant and conscionable attendance upon the word There is hope of Grace in the use of means of Grace but by refusing the means

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

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