A20760:158
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.
Secondly, it containeth in it guile and deceit,1 and that in the highest kind, and most pernicious; for when deceit and falsehood come masked and disguised under a religious oath, which is the rich robe and precious ornament of truth and justice; men not only do lie open unto it to be deceived and abused by it, after an ordinary and voluntary manner; but also are entangled therewith, by a kind of unavoidable necessity; it being altogether unlawful, without most apparent cause, to call the deceivers assertions and promises into question, when as they are confirmed with a witness above exception, and ratified with the authority of God himself. As therefore the Lord is the avenger of all kind of fraud, as it is, 1. Thes. 4.6.2 so especially of this whereby himself is so much dishonoured; and as all manner of deceit is abominable unto him, Psal. 5.6. so principally this,3 which the sons of Belial countenance with his authority.
Secondly, it containeth in it guile and deceit,1 and that in the highest kinde, and most pernicious; for when deceit and falshood come masked and disguised vnder a religious oath, which is the rich robe and precious ornament of truth and iustice; men not onely doe lie open vnto it to be deceiued and abused by it, after an ordinarie and voluntarie manner; but also are intangled therewith, by a kinde of vnauoideable necessitie; it being altogether vnlawfull, without most apparant cause, to call the deceiuers assertions and promises into question, when as they are confirmed with a witnesse aboue exception, and ratified with the authoritie of God himselfe. As therefore the Lord is the auenger of all kinde of fraud, as it is, 1. Thes. 4.6.2 so especially of this wherby himselfe is so much dishonoured; and as all manner of deceit is abominable vnto him,