A20760:324
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.
CHAP. IX. That whoredom is the punishment of other sins.
CHAP. IX. That whoredome is the punishment of other sinnes.
But as whoredom is in it self a grievous sin,1 and the cause of much other wickedness; so likewise it is accompanied with many grievous punishments, and that both as it is in it self a punishment of other sins, or as it is punished by God with many fearful judgements. In it self it is the punishment of other wickedness; for the harlot (as the Wise man saith) is like a deep pit of destruction; he with whom the Lord is angry, (namely, for their other sins) shall fall therein: as it is Prou. 22.14. and 23.27. So Eccles. 7.28.2 I find more bitter then death, the woman, whose heart is as nets and snares, and her hands as bands; he that is good before God, shall be delivered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her. By which places is implied, that whoredom is like a deep pit or dungeon, into which sinners fall in Gods just displeasure; and the harlot like a strong and merciless jailer which holdeth men in thraldom (with whom God is angry,) in the chains of lust; out of which they cannot, nor desire not to escape. Yea in truth the fornicator is in far worse case then such a miserable captive: for the dungeon taketh away the comfortable light of the Sun, and so depriveth him of the use of bodily sight; but fornication blindeth the understanding which is the eye of the soul, and taketh away the light of reason, as hath been showed. In the dungeon he is stripped of his goods, & liveth in penury; but by this sin the fornicator strippeth himself, and like an unnatural thief, robbeth and spoileth his own state to bestow it upon harlots, till he be brought unto extreme poverty. Out of the dungeon the captive cannot escape, though he much desire his liberty; out of this loathsome pit he will not escape, but remaineth a voluntary slave to an odious strumpet, and his own filthy lusts, till by death he is brought forth to the bar of Gods judgement, to receive