The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

2. Consider, A Family without Religion is a cursed family. That house which is not Bethel, an House of God, but Bethaven, an house of vanity, is Bethany an house of sorrow and misery. The curse ⟨p. 522⟩of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, Pro. 3.33. Whatsoever Cordials or comforts, dishes or dainties are there, the curse• of God, like the wild gourd, which the sons of the Prophets put into their pottage, will spoil and poison all. As a little Leaven, a little of this curse of God will sour the whole lump of thy family-blessings. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation, Job 5.3. The words are not a malediction from Eliphaz private spirit, but a prediction from Gods spirit, as if he had said I was neither malicious against his person, nor envious at his prosperous condition, but by the help of the Holy Ghost, I foresaw his destruction, that though his house was built high, yet his unholiness would lay it low. Thou mayst possibly presume that though thou livest without God, yet thou art beyond the reach of his rod; thou canst mote thy house round against the fire of divine fury, but thy confidence shall be rooted out of thy tabernacle, and brimstone shall be scattered on thy habitation. God will unkennel all such foxes, and drag them to their deserved destruction. When Diocletian the Persecutor retired from the Empire to a private life, ¹after he had feathered his nest, fire rained down from Heaven and consumed his house. When Nicephorus Phocas had built a mighty Wall about his Palace for his defence, he heard a voice in the night saying, Though thou buildest thy walls as high as heaven, sin is within, and that will pluck it down. The Leprous house must be pulled down. God will have every Brick, Stone, Tile, and piece of Timber down. Where is the House of the Prince? and ⟨p. 523⟩where is the dwelling place of the wicked? Job 21.28.