A20760:109
Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…
Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common sins; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, and bribery. Wherein the greatness and odiousness of these vices is discovered; and the means and remedies, which may either preserve, or wean men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkennesse, whoredome, and briberie. Wherein the greatnes and odiousnesse of these vices is discouered; and the meanes and remedies, which may either preserue, or weane men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By Iohn Dovvname Batcheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for William Welby, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHAP. VII. Of the means to wean us from vain and customable swearing.
CHAP. VII. Of the meanes to weane vs from vaine and customable swearing.
And so much for answer unto such excuses as are usually alleged for customable swearing. Now to the end that all those who are moved with that which hath been said, to a holy resolution of forsaking this wicked practise, may the better be enabled to attain unto their desire, I will briefly for a conclusion set down the means, by the careful use whereof we may break off this wicked custom of vain swearing. And first, as in the curing of bodily diseases, the best course is to take away the causes thereof; so if we would have our souls cured of this sinful sickness of vain swearing,1 we must endeavour to remove the causes from which it chiefly ariseth. And these are principally four; the first is impatience & furious anger, which being a short madness, maketh us to forget for the time, not only all humanity towards men, but all duty and respect which we owe unto God, and in barbarous and despiteful manner, to load his holy name with blasphemies, as though he were the only cause of our discontentment, either by inflicting or not averting ⟨p. 43⟩the evils which vex and grieve us. For the purging away of which frantic humours, I refer the reader to the perusing and use of those spiritual receipts which I have prescribed for these impatient patients, in my treatise of Anger.
ANd so much for answere vnto such excuses as are vsually alleadged for customable swearing. Now to the end that all those who are mooued with that which hath been said, to a holie resolution of forsaking this wicked practise, may the better bee enabled to attaine vnto their desire, I will breefly for a conclusion set downe the meanes, by the carefull vse whereof we may breake off this wicked custome of vaine swearing. And first, as in the curing of bodilie diseases, the best course is to take away the causes thereof; so if wee would haue our soules cured of this sinfull sicknesse of vaine swearing,