A20760:292
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.
First, the fornicator grievously sinneth against God,1 directly and immediately, when as professing himself a Christian, and consequently one of Gods family, he by polluting and defiling his body, dishonours his Lord and father: for if mortal men who stand upon their credit, do count it a great injury and disgrace, to themselves, when as a servant of their family is defiled, and much more when their own daughters are polluted with filthy whoredom; then how much more doth the Lord detest this uncleanness, which redoundeth to the dishonour of his holy name, when as it is committed not only by a common subject under his dominion, but by a special servant of his family, yea by such as would be reputed in the number of his children? And this was a principal argument which aggravated the filthiness of Shechem and Ammon, 2because they committed this villainy or folly in Israel, that is, in the Church and family of God, which in a peculiar manner he had chosen and sanctified unto himself: and this also made Davids grievous sin much more heinous, because being committed by him who had professed and approved himself to be the servant and son of God, it greatly tended to Gods dishonour, in that it caused the enemies of his trueth to blaspheme, as appeareth 2. Sam. 12.14.3
First, the fornicatour grieuously sinneth against God,1 directly and immediatly, when as professing himselfe a Christian, and consequently one of Gods familie, he by polluting and defiling his bodie, dishonours his Lord and father: for if mortall men who stand vpon their credit, doe count it a great iniurie and disgrace, to themselues, when as a seruant of their familie is defiled, and much more when their owne daughters are polluted with filthie whoredome; then how much more doth the Lord detest this vncleannes, which redoundeth to the dishonour of his holy name, when as it is committed not onely by a common subiect vnder his dominion, but by a speciall seruant of his familie, yea by such as would be reputed in the number of his children? And this was a principall argument which aggrauated the filthinesse of Sichem and Ammon,