A20760:3
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.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, JOHN, LORD HARRINGTON, BARON OF EXTON, AND TO THE NOBLE AND VIRTUOUS LADY his wife: I. D. wisheth all increase of grace, and true honour in this life, and eternal happiness and blessedness in the life to come.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, IOHN, LORD HARRINGTON, BARON OF EXTON, AND TO THE NOBLE AND VERTVous LADIE his wife: I. D. wisheth all increase of grace, and true honor in this life, and eternall happinesse and blessednesse in the life to come.
IF ever there were a time (Right Honourable) wherein Gods Ministers should cry aloud,1 and lift up their voice like a trumpet, to tell the people of their transgressions, and the house of Jacob of their sins; then surely it is now in these our days, and in this our land. For howsoever the light of the Gospel hath for many years clearly shined among us, showing unto us the way of righteousness, in which we walking may attain unto happiness, and the manifold by-paths of error and sin, to the end we may avoid them; and though we have had Gods faithful Ministers, sometimes piping unto us the sweet tunes of the Gospel, to allure us unto holy obedience; and sometimes thundering out the dreadful sound of Gods fearful judgements due to ⟨image 3⟩sin, to restrain us from running on in wicked courses; yet there is little reformation and amendment, but rather we are grown from ill to worse, and wax every day more secure and sensual in our sins. And because men have not embraced and loved Gods truth, nor submitted themselves to be ruled with this sceptre of his kingdom; therefore many are given up of God to their own filthy lusts, and to a reprobate mind, and through the hardness of their hearts, all the means of their conversion and salvation become not only uneffectuall and unprofitable, but rather cause them to be more obdurate in their sins. The resplendent light of the Gospel doth make them more blind, so as they go groping in ignorance even at noon days; the sound of the word, and loud cries of Gods Ministers in their ears calling them to repentance, do make them more deaf to all instruction and admonition; the comfortable beams of Gods gracious promises shining upon their hearts, do not supple and soften them, but rather make them more hard and obdurate; and as the Apostle speaketh,