A20760:246
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.
But howsoever the spirit of God thus condemneth it,1 yet worldly men who would be accounted Christians, are so far from censuring it as a vice, that they think it an excellent property, and a singular ornament, whereby they grace themselves, when as they can drink more then two or three, and yet bear it away, and being on the bench of good fellowship are able to get the victory in quaffing, and drink the rest of their company under the table: but what excellency is in this quality,2 to suck in much drink, which (as Demosthenes said of King Philip) is common to them with a sponge? what great exploit do they in drinking more then others, seeing a horse, or mule can drink more then they? what matter of boasting have they, that their stomachs will bear and hold more wine then the rest of the company, seeing (as Seneca saith) in this the wine cask far excelleth them?3 what great conquest have they got, when in excessive drinking they have overcome all their companions; seeing ⟨p. 115⟩in conquering they are overcome, and are shamefully foiled and overthrown by Satan their chief enemy, whilst they triumph in a drunken victory over their friends? And therefore let not these men for want of virtue boast of their vices, wherein they shall but foam out their own shame, and discover their naked filthiness; for whilst they thus brag of their natural strength, they plainly show their spiritual weakness; and whilst they vaunt of these drunken conquests, they clearly prove that they are no better but the devils captives.
But howsoeuer the spirit of God thus condemneth it,1 yet worldly men who would be accounted Christians, are so farre from censuring it as a vice, that they thinke it an excellent propertie, and a singular ornament, whereby they grace themselues, when as they can drinke more then two or three, and yet beare it away, and being on the bench of good fellowship are able to get the victorie in quaffing, and drinke the rest of their companie vnder the table: but what excellencie is in this qualitie,