A20760:111
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.
The second cause of vain swearing to be removed,1 is pride, and vain glory, which maketh men to undervalue their oaths, lest they themselves should be undervalued, for therefore they swear in their ordinary communication, either he cause they would appear gallants, full of spirit and valour, and gain the reputation of Gentlemen and men of worth; or because they would have every word which cometh out of their mouth respected, and believed as an oracle of infallible truth.
The second cause of vaine swearing to bee remooued,1 is pride, and vaine glorie, which maketh men to vnderualue their oathes, lest they themselues should be vnderualued, for therefore they sweare in their ordinarie communication, either he cause they would appeare gallants, full of spirit and valour, and gaine the reputation of Gentlemen and men of worth; or because they would haue euerie word which commeth out of their mouth respected, and beleeued as an oracle of infallible truth.
- 1§. Sect. 2. The second cause of vain swearing to be removed, is pride and vain glory.§. Sect. 2. The second cause of vaine swearing to be remooued, is pride and vaine glorie.
The third cause of vain swearing, is greedy covetousness;1 for when as men have resolved with themselves, that they will be rich, they dare not depend upon God in the use of lawful means, but take all indirect courses for the increasing of their wealth, as lying and dissembling, bribing and oppression, all manner of fraud and deceit: and among the rest, swearing, and forswearing, in their ordinary trading, buying and selling, that thereby gaining credit unto themselves, they may either buy, or put off their wares at a better rate. Those therefore who would avoid vain swearing, they must first remove this special cause thereof, greedy avarice, and learn to rest and depend upon the providence of God, whose blessing alone maketh rich; and giveth unto men being enriched the comfortable fruition of that which they do possess.