A20760:399
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.
The like also may be said of kissing and embracing;1 which are not to be condemned, if they do not proceed from an heart polluted with lust, but are used after a civill and honest manner to express our love one to another, seeing they have been always in use amongst the faithful in all ages, as testimonies of mutual love, which may be free from all wantonness and lasciviousness, seeing in former times they have been used between man and man, and in our own times by parents to their little children. And therefore they are only to be avoided in wanton dalliance between those who are light and lascivious, when as they are not used for civill courtesy, or to express pure and undefiled love in due and seasonable time; but rather to inflame the heart with lust, and to express the inward uncleanness of the mind, in which case, this near approaching, and these impure touches,2 and lascivious dalliance, are as like to inflame impure hearts with burning concupiscence, as the spark of fire to inflame flax, or gunpowder, when they are joined together.
The like also may be said of kissing and imbracing;1 which are not to be condemned, if they doe not proceede from an heart polluted with lust, but are vsed after a ciuill and honest manner to expresse our loue one to another, seeing they haue been alwaies in vse amongst the faithfull in all ages, as testimonies of mutuall loue, which may bee free from all wantonnesse and lasciuiousnesse, seeing in former times they haue been vsed betweene man and man, and in our owne times by parents to their little children. And therefore they are onely to be auoided in wanton dalliance betweene those who are light and lasciuious, when as they are not vsed for ciuill curtesie, or to expresse pure and vndefiled loue in due and seasonable time; but rather to inflame the heart with lust, and to expresse the inward vncleannesse of the minde, in which case, this neere approching, and these impure touches,2 and lasciuious dalliance, are as like to inflame impure hearts with burning concupiscence, as the sparke of fire to inflame flaxe, or gunpowder, when they are ioyned together.