A20760:344
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.
Secondly,1 the Lord usually punisheth these sins of uncleanness with blindness of mind, hardness of heart, carnal security, and final impenitency, whereby it cometh to pass that fornicators are hardly reclaimed from this vice, but being given up to their own vile lusts and affections, and unto a reprobate mind they continue in these sins not only in their youth,2 but also in old age, and even when their bodies are impotent and disabled, their minds are still unclean, and their tongues are exercised in ribald and filthy speeches; so hard a thing it is to get out of the bondage of these fleshly lusts when once we are enchained with them. To this purpose the wise man saith, that the harlots house tendeth to death, and her paths unto the dead. All they that go unto her return not again, neither take they hold of the ways of life. Prou. 2.18.19. And of this there may be rendered divers causes; as first, because ⟨p. 169⟩these sins of uncleanness do bring upon him who is defiled with them such a blockish stupidity and senseless sottishness,3 that he never thinketh of the foulness of his sin, nor of the manifold mischiefs which do accompany it; neither yet is capable of any admonition or instruction from others, whereby he might be reclaimed; for when he is once bewitched with the Siren tunes of these enticing harlots, and hath received these poisonous potions of beastly pleasures, he presently loseth the use of his reason and understanding, and though he retaineth still his outward shape, yet in his heart, affections, and inward faculties, he is transformed into a brutish, or rather blockish creature, so that a man may as well with persuasion move a senseless stock, or with reason dissuade a dog from following his salt bitches, as he can by any weight of argument withdraw this walking block, and this talking beast from accompanying his wicked strumpets;
Secondly,1 the Lord vsually punisheth these sinnes of vncleannes with blindnes of minde, hardnes of heart, carnall securitie, and final impenitencie, wherby it commeth to passe that fornicators are hardly reclaimed from this vice, but being giuen vp to their owne vile lusts and affections, and vnto a reprobate minde they continue in these sinnes not onely in their youth,