A20760:346
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.
A second cause of their impenitency is,1 because their sin is committed in secret, having no other witness of their fact but God, their own conscience, and Satan who hath drawn them to this sin. For as Job saith; The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and saith, none eye shall see me, and disguiseth his face: Job. 24.15: and having committed wickedness, he wipeth his mouth and saith, I have not committed iniquity: as it is, Prou. 30.20. Whereof it cometh to pass,2 that they securely go forward in their sin, because they want the ordinary means which should bring them to amendment; for when as men know not their wickedness, they cannot admonish or reprove them for it, nor cure the wounds ⟨p. 170⟩which were never discovered, till they fester and rot in their corruptions; they are exempted from shame, the usual companion of sin, and cause of sorrow, which oftentimes bringeth that repentance which is never to be repented of. They are also hereby privileged from punishments inflicted by humane laws, which are the cords of men that draw sinners unto God, and such admonishers as will make the senses conceive them, when the understanding is besotted. But let such men know, that their secret acting of these works of darkness will little avail them; for what will it profit these offenders that other men are ignorant of their faults, when as they are known unto their own consciences, who will bear witness against them, unto God their Judge, who will condemn them,3 and unto Satan their accuser and executioner, who will torment them? What will it advantage them to shun the shame of men, when as, at the great day of the Lord, their filthiness being discovered, they shall be disgraced before God and the blessed Saints and Angels? What will it benefit them to have escaped humane punishments, which might have reformed them, and brought them to repentance, when as they shall eternally be tormented in hell fire without hope of deliverance?