A20760:211
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.
And these,1 with many more evils, this vice bringeth to the whole man. Besides which common mischiefs it is also pernicious to his several parts: for first it infatuateth the understanding, perverteth the will, and corrupteth all the affections. To this purpose one saith: Ubi regnat ebrietas ratio exulat, intellectus obtunditur, consilia deviant, judicia subuertuntur: ⟨p. 95⟩Where drunkenness reigneth as King, there reason is banished as an exile, the understanding is dulled, counsel wandereth, and judgement is overthrown. With this accordeth Seneca his definition of drunkenness: Nihil aliud est ebrietas quàm voluntaria insania: Drunkenness is nothing else but a voluntary madness: Extend in plures dies illum ebrium habitum, nunquid de furore dubitabis? If this drunken habit be continued for many days together, who would make any doubt but that the party were out of his wits? Nunc quoque non est minor, sed brevior: But take it as it is, and it is no less madness then frenzy, but only shorter. Although then drunkenness be not direct madness, yet to speak the best, it is a temporary forfeiture of the wits; and in this it must needs be confessed to be worse then frenzy, in that this is violent, that voluntary; this the evil of punishment, but that the evil of sin. Yea this vice doth not only rob men of reason, but also of common sense, so as they can neither prevent future danger, nor feel present smart. And this the Wise man in lively manner expresseth, Prou. 23.24. where he saith,2 that the drunkard shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea, and as he that sleepeth in the top of the mast. 35. They have stricken me, shall he say, but I was not sick; they have beaten me, but I knew not when I awoke: therefore I will seek it yet still. A notable example hereof we have in Lot, who was so besotted with drink, and deprived of sense and reason, that unwittingly he committed incest with his own daughters,3 neither knowing when they lay down, nor when they rose up. So that whilst drunkenness lasteth it hath the same operation with deadly poison; for it intoxicateth the brain, benummeth the senses, infeebleth the joints and sinews, and bringeth a man into a temporary lethargy. Hence it is that Cyrus in his childhood being asked by his grandfather Astiages,