A20760:13
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. I. What an oath is, and of the divers forms, ceremonies and ends thereof.
CHAP. I. What an oath is, and of the diuers formes, ceremonies and ends thereof.
Although it is not my purpose, in this my discourse of swearing,1 to entreat copiously and fully of the doctrine of oaths, and of all questions coincident thereunto, which would require a larger tractate, then one so bounded within the straits of time, and distracted with multitude of business can conveniently publish; and is not so necessary, because many others have excellently and happily laboured in this argument; but principally to speak against the abuse of oaths, by vain swearing and impious forswearing, whereby the glorious name of God is exceedingly dishonoured in our times: yet forasmuch as contraries compared and opposed do best illustrate one another, and lest together with the lawless abuse, I should seem to take away the laudable and lawful use of swearing; I will briefly touch the principal points of this common place, and especially those which make way to that discourse of unlawful oaths, which I chiefly intend.
ALthough it is not my purpose, in this my discourse of swearing,1 to intreate copiously and fully of the doctrine of oathes, and of all questions coincident thereunto, which would require a larger tractate, then one so bounded within the straits of time, and distracted with multitude of businesse can conueniently publish; and is not so necessarie, because many others haue excellently and happily laboured in this argument; but principally to speake against the abuse of oathes, by vaine swearing and impious forswearing, whereby the glorious name of God is exceedingly dishonoured in our times: yet forasmuch as contraries compared and opposed doe best illustrate one another, and lest together with the lawlesse abuse, I should seeme to take away the laudable and lawfull vse of swearing; I will briefly touch the principall points of this common place, and especially those which make way to that discourse of vnlawful oathes, which I chiefly intend.