A20760:379
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.
And therefore our Christian Magistrates are to be exhorted, that they would not lightly account of this sin of whoredom, which the law of God and the law of nations, hath condemned as capital; but that they would enact severe laws for the punishment of this sin, which is so abominable ⟨p. 189⟩unto God, and so pernicious unto humane society; otherwise the guilt thereof will lie heavy upon the land, and provoke the Lord in his just displeasure,1 not only to punish them and the whole country for their negligence and remissness, but also to take vengeance of the offenders himself by his extraordinary judgements, when ordinary punishments are not inflicted. For when Magistrates neglect their duty in punishing this sin, then the Lord will take the sword of justice into his own hand, according to that, Heb. 13.4.2 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. So he saith, Mal. 3.5. that himself would come near unto the people of Judah in judgement, and would be a swift witness against the adulterers: and Jer. 5.7.8.9.3 he professeth that in his justice he could not spare them who were guilty of this sin of whoredom, but would visit them, and be avenged on them for this and such other abominations. As therefore it is impossible for a man to take fire into his bosom, or to walk upon the hot coals and not be burnt; so impossible is it, that a man should defile his neighbours wife, and be acquitted of the Lord as innocent, as the Wise man telleth us: Prou. 6.27.29.4
And therefore our Christian Magistrates are to be exhorted, that they would not lightly account of this sinne of whoredome, which the law of God and the law of nations, hath condemned as capitall; but that they would enact seuere lawes for the punishment of this sinne, which is so abominable