A20760:369
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 adulterer or adulteress sin grievously against their own yoke-fellow, either wife; or husband; for first they break the covenant of marriage made between them in the presence of God, and in the sight of his congregation: for whereas they have obliged themselves one to the other, that they will observe and keep marriage fidelity, and reserve their bodies chaste and undefiled for one another's peculiar use; they treacherously violate this their promise, and defile their bodies with strange lusts, making them to become more fit guests for a filthy brothel, then for the honourable bed of marriage. Whereas they mutually promised marriage love, which far surpasseth the love of parents towards their children, both in excellency and in propriety, they fix their love upon strangers, and loath their yoke-fellows, as if they were their mortal enemies. Neither is it possible that the adulterous wife should love her husband, when she is besotted with the love of her filthy copes-mate, nor for an adulterer to love his wife, when he is entangled in the harlots snares, and carried away with her bewitching allurements. And this is that breach of covenant which the Lord layeth to the Israelites charge as a grievous sin: Mal. 2.14. The Lord hath been witness between thee, 2and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast transgressed, 3yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Secondly,1 the adulterer or adulteresse sinne grieuously against their owne yoke-fellow, either wife; or husband; for first they breake the couenant of mariage made betweene them in the presence of God, and in the sight of his congregation: for whereas they haue obliged themselues one to the other, that they will obserue and keepe mariage fidelitie, and reserue their bodies chast and vndefiled for one anothers peculiar vse; they trecherously violate this their promise, and defile their bodies with strange lusts, making them to become more fit guests for a filthie brothell, then for the honourable bed of mariage. Whereas they mutually promised mariage loue, which farre surpasseth the loue of parents towards their children, both in excellencie and in proprietie, they fixe their loue vpon strangers, and loath their yoke-fellowes, as if they were their mortall enemies. Neither is it possible that the adulterous wife should loue her husband, when she is besotted with the loue of her filthie copes-mate, nor for an adulterer to loue his wife, when he is intangled in the harlots snares, and carried away with her bewitching allurements. And this is that breach of couenant which the Lord laieth to the Israelites charge as a grieuous sinne: