A20760:397
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 this modesty appeareth in the words and speech, and that in sober and discreet silence, or else in still, peaceable and pure communication: whereas contrariwise continual babbling, loud and clamorous speech, are made by the wise man the ensigns and badges of an harlot, Prou. 7.11. She is still babbling and loud, 2whose feet cannot abide in her house. And the Apostle describing the wanton widows, saith, that they are prattlers and busy bodies, speaking things that are not comely. 1. Tim. 5.11.13.3 But especially ribald and filthy communication is to be avoided of all those who have a desire to preserve their chastity: for as the Apostle saith, evil words corrupt good manners; 4and the wanton tongue, being set on fire by hell, as it inflameth a mans own heart with lust, so with this rotten and contagious speech, it infecteth the standers by, and corrupteth their harts with unclean desires. Hence it is that these filthy speeches are in the Scriptures so straightly forbidden:5 Ephes. 4.29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to the use of edifying, ihat it may minister grace unto the hearers. And 5.4. he requireth that filthiness, 6foolish talking, and jesting which are things not comely, should not be so much as named among Christians. Nevertheless the Gallants ⟨p. 200⟩of the world, who take upon them the name of Christ, make this filthy communication, and these scurrilous jests, the common exercise of their wit, and the music of their mirth.