A20760:255
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 who do not only take pleasure in seeing the drunkenness of their neighbour,1 but also help him forward in this wicked course, and that both by alluring enticements, and also forcible constraint. They allure them by giving them bad example, by drinking unto them in show of kindness, requiring of them that by imitation they will return a pledge of the like love, by challenging them to express their love, and honourable respect to their absent friends, by drinking carouses to their health: and lastly, by liberal spending they care not how much, for the procuring store of the choicest wines, and most enticing drinks: for unto such a height of wickedness are men come in these our times, that though the woeful tears and pitiful complaints ⟨p. 121⟩of their poor brethren, cannot wring from them one penny, for the relief of their extreme want, or so much as a piece of bread to satisfy their hunger and sustain their lives; yet are they open handed and prodigally liberal, in spending their money to make their neighbours drunk, that so they may make themselves merry in beholding their nakedness. But this will make a fearful reckoning at the day of judgement, when God and their own consciences shall accuse them of their graceless misspending the Lords talents, by pinching the hungry to pamper the full; by withholding drink from the thirsty, to make others drunk with too great abundance; by denying a penny to the poor needy, unless it be squeezed out of them by authority; whereas they are willing prodigally to spend shillings and pounds in these wicked abuses, which tend to Gods dishonour, and the destruction of their neighbour.
Others there are who doe not onely take pleasure in seeing the drunkennesse of their neighbour,1 but also helpe him forward in this wicked course, and that both by alluring inticements, and also forcible constraint. They allure them by giuing them bad example, by drinking vnto them in shew of kindnes, requiring of them that by imitation they will returne a pledge of the like loue, by chalenging them to expresse their loue, and honourable respect to their absent friends, by drinking carouses to their health: and lastly, by liberall spending they care not how much, for the procuring store of the choisest wines, and most inticing drinkes: for vnto such a height of wickednesse are men come in these our times, that though the wofull teares and pitifull complaints