A20760:378
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.
By all which it appeareth,1 that even by the light of nature, adultery in all ages hath bin condemned & punished as a capital crime, and consequently that this punishment among the Jews was not merely judicial, but moral and of common equity. Neither is that objection of any force, that our Saviour Christ refused to condemn the woman taken in adultery, seeing he came into the world not to execute the office of an earthly Judge, but of a mediator who should from God procure the pardon of our sins; he came not to condemn, but to save, and to give his life a ransom for many; again whereas our Saviour asketh the woman if any man had condemned her according to the law in that case provided, it seemeth thereby that if the sentence of death had been lawfully passed against her, he would not have repealed it; for he came not to violate the law, but to fulfil it.2
By all which it appeareth,1 that euen by the light of nature, adultery in all ages hath bin condemned & punished as a capitall crime, and consequently that this punishment among the Iewes was not meerely iudiciall, but morall and of common equitie. Neither is that obiection of any force, that our Sauiour Christ refused to condemne the woman taken in adulterie, seeing hee came into the world not to execute the office of an earthlie Iudge, but of a mediatour who should from God procure the pardon of our sinnes; he came not to condemne, but to saue, and to giue his life a ransome for manie; againe whereas our Sauiour asketh the woman if any man had condemned her according to the law in that case prouided, it seemeth thereby that if the sentence of death had been lawfully passed against her, he would not haue repealed it; for he came not to violate the law, but to fulfill it.2
- 1§. Sect. 3. An objection answered.§. Sect. 3. An obiection ansvvered.
- 2§. Sect. 4. That Magistrates ought to punish this sin of adultery with all severity.