A20760:249
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.
Others there are,1 who not being so impudent as to defend their drunkenness as lawful, do yet extenuate and excuse it as light and venial. And first they say, that for themselves they have no liking of this vice, but only are drawn into it sometimes by reason of their company. To which I answer, that that is a bad fellowship which brings us into a league with vice, and makes us to set virtue at utter defiance; that is a wicked knot of friendship which ties us both to the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment, and it will prove but a sottish dotage in the end, if rather then we will part with wicked companions, we will in foolish kindness accompany them into hell. If therefore our companions delight in sin, let not us delight in them, but flee their society as being the devils advocates to solicit us unto wickedness; and let us ⟨p. 117⟩take heed lest whilst we labour to maintain friendship with men, we do not proclaim enmity against God. They are but bad servants who will keep company with their masters enemies, and join with them in their lewd courses, especially after he hath seriously warned them to forsake it; but we profess our selves the servants of God, and he hath straitly charged us to leave the fellowship of wicked worldlings, and especially of such as live in drunkenness, because their fellowship will corrupt us and allure us by their example and enticements, to the committing of the same sins. Thus the wise Solomon chargeth us from God, that we should not keep company with drunkards and gluttons, Prou. 23.20.2 So the Apostle enjoineth us that we should not have any fellowship, nor so much as eat with a drunkard, 1. Cor. 5.11:3 and that we should have no fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness; or if unwittingly and unwillingly we be thrust into any such society, we must not imitate but reprove them. Eph. 5.11.4