A20760:142
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.
by denying to keep his counsel, we urge him upon the peril of his own life to commit the fearful sin of murder, and to defile himself with our innocent blood. Neither do we expose our neighbour unto the like peril, seeing by this secrecy we intend not the danger of his life but the safeguard of our own; of which if for denying secrecy we suffer our selves to be deprived, he is never the more privileged from danger, yea rather he is in greater peril, seeing the thief who before only robbed, is now also fleshed in blood. Finally, though it should be granted, that through our secrecy our neighbour by accident should be endangered, yet this doth not make ⟨p. 62⟩our oath unlawful seeing we are to prefer the avoiding of our own certain death, before the securing of our neighbour from uncertain peril.
by denying to keepe his counsell, wee vrge him vpon the perill of his owne life to commit the fearfull sinne of murther, and to defile himselfe with our innocent blood. Neither doe we expose our neighbour vnto the like perill, seeing by this secrecie wee intend not the danger of his life but the safegard of our owne; of which if for denying secrecie wee suffer our selues to be depriued, he is neuer the more priuiledged from danger, yea rather he is in greater perill, seeing the theefe who before only robbed, is now also fleshed in blood. Finally, though it should be granted, that through our secrecie our neighbour by accident should bee indangered, yet this doth not make ⟨p. 62⟩our oath vnlawfull seeing we are to preferre the auoiding of our owne certaine death, before the securing of our neighbour from vncertaine perill.
The fifth question is like unto the former,1 and therefore needeth no long answer, namely, whether oaths made through error, and wrested from us by deceit and fraud, do bind the conscience unto performance. I answer briefly, that they do bind us, if the things we promise by such oaths be lawful and in our power. A plain example whereof we have in the oath which Joshua and the Princes of Israel made unto the Gibeonites,