A20760:248
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.
Lastly, they allege for the defence of their drunkenness,1 that they use it not for any delight which they take in drinking, but as the best remedy prescribed by the learned Physician for the curing of some dangerous diseases, to which ⟨p. 116⟩they are subject. To which I answer, that if it be accounted a sottish folly to staunch the bleeding of the finger, by wounding of the heart, then much more to cure the body by destroying of the soul; for if drunkenness be a sin (as all men confess) and if the wages of sin be death eternal, of soul and body,2 as the Apostle teacheth us, Rom. 6.23. If finally it make all men who commit it,3 liable to Gods fearful curse denounced in his law, Deut. 27.26. then what madness is it, wilfully and presumptuously to rush into sin, which is accompanied with eternal destruction of body and soul, for the recovery of our bodily health; to hazard the fee-simple of our everlasting patrimony, for the repairing of our earthly tabernacles, yea the prison of our souls, and to venture the loss of eternal happiness in Gods kingdom, for the prolonging of our miserable pilgrimage in this wretched world. Besides, the Lord hath ordained many sovereign means and remedies of lawful Physic, upon the use whereof we may much more assuredly expect Gods blessing, for our recovery, then upon this evil and sinful means, which he hath branded with his curse. And therefore when the Physicians receipt is contrary to the prescript of Gods word, let us reject it as sent from hell; and as one saith, Cum turpis est medicma sanari pudeat: Let us rather die of an honest disease, then preserve life by a dishonest medicine.
Lastly, they alleage for the defence of their drunkennesse,1 that they vse it not for any delight which they take in drinking, but as the best remedie prescribed by the learned Physition for the curing of some dangerous diseases, to which