A20760:294
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.
Thirdly,1 whoremongers sin heinously against God, by subverting and destroying marriage, which is Gods holy ordinance, instituted by the Lord himself in Paradise, that it might be the only lawful means of propagating his Church and people, and to preserve them from being defiled with filthy lusts and inordinate concupiscence. For they who spend their strength upon harlots,2 disable themselves for lawful marriage, they who love the stews, loathe the marriage bed; and if the heart be inveigled with the enticing allurements of filthy strumpets, they will never desire a lawful wife; but the marriage yoke unto such, is an intolerable burden,3 and they seem to themselves to endure a miserable thraldom, and to be deprived wholly of their liberty, when as being inseparably joined with a yokefellow, they are restrained from running into lawless licentiousness. And because they are in love with their spiritual diseases of uncleanness, therefore they hate the cure, and abhor marriage, the remedy of their sin.4
Thirdly,1 whoremongers sinne hainouslie against God, by subuerting and destroying marriage, which is Gods holy ordinance, instituted by the Lord himselfe in Paradise, that it might be the only lawful meanes of propagating his Church and people, and to preserue them from being defiled with filthie lusts and inordinate concupiscence. For they who spend their strength vpon harlots,2 disable themselues for lawfull marriage, they who loue the stewes, loathe the mariage bed; and if the heart be inueigled with the inticing allurements of filthie strumpets, they will neuer desire a lawfull wife; but the mariage yoke vnto such, is an intollerable burthen,3 and they seeme to themselues to indure a miserable thraldome, and to bee depriued whollie of their libertie, when as being inseparablie ioyned with a yokefellow, they are restrained from running into lawlesse licentiousnesse. And because they are in loue with their spirituall diseases of vncleannesse, therefore they hate the cure, and abhorre marriage, the remedie of their sinne.