A20760:36
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.
Against this the Anabaptists object the saying of our Saviour,1 Mat.chap.5. vers.34. But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, &c. Whence they gather, that howsoever swearing was used and allowed under the Law, yet no manner of oaths are lawful in the time of the Gospel. To which I answer, that their interpretation of these words is both wicked and absurd: first, because they hereby make this Scripture contradict other places which directly enjoin a lawful oath. Secondly, hereby they make Christ condemn the practise of his holy Saints, and even of the penmen of the holy Scriptures, yea of God the Father himself, as before hath bin showed. Yea they make Christs precept contrary to his own practise, for he himself upon weighty occasion used that earnest and solemn asseveration, Amen, Amen; Verily, verily: which though it should be no oath,2 as the Apostle seemeth to imply that it is, Heb. 6.14. yet is it at least a vehement asseveration, and consequently more then, yea, yea, and nay, nay. And moreover, they make our Saviour to contradict his own words, verse 17. where he saith, that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfil them: for if he should take away the use of a lawful oath, he should destroy part of the Moral law, which enjoineth it as a part of Gods service, and consequently should spoil God his Father of a part of his worship, which was not only required under the Law, but also it was foretold that the Church of Christ should also use it in the time of the Gospel:3 Esa. 19.18. and 65.16. Thirdly, hereby they overthrow the law of nature and nations, which established a lawful oath in weighty and necessary causes even before the law of Moses, as appeareth in the story of the Patriarchs. Lastly, they hereby weaken truth, by plucking from it the chief band whereby it is strengthened and confirmed; they take away the means to end controversies, and together with it peace, amity, and agreement, and so leave a wide door open to jealousy, suspicion, discord and dissension.