A20760:413
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 which was some discouragement unto me,1 intending to speak and write against one particular branch of covetousness, the sin of bribery, because I feared lest when I had taken all the pains I could in dissuading men from this ⟨p. 209⟩vice, I might justly complain with the Prophet, that I have spent my strength in vain, and that the word of the Lord is made a reproach unto me, and in derision daily. 2For who seeth not, that this sin of bribery is grown unto a common practise and usual fashion, having both multitude of offenders to defend it, and the greatness of the delinquents to grace and countenance it? In so much as now it is made a note of a brave mind, to receive great gifts, and not to take baser bribes, or to stoop unto every sordidous pray.3 Yea now it is counted a sign of incivility, not to accept of all proffered kindnesses, and a badge of folly and sottish stupidity to be bashful in exacting bribes, when the party is backward in tendering of them.
The which was some discouragement vnto me,1 intending to speake and write against one particular branch of couetousnesse, the sinne of briberie, because I feared lest when I had taken all the paines I could in disswading men from this ⟨p. 209⟩vice, I might iustly complaine with the Prophet, that I haue spent my strength in vaine, and that the word of the Lord is made a reproch vnto me, and in derision daylie. 2For who seeth not, that this sin of briberie is growne vnto a common practise and vsuall fashion, hauing both multitude of offenders to defend it, and the greatnesse of the delinquents to grace and countenance it? In so much as now it is made a note of a braue minde, to receiue great gifts, and not to take baser bribes, or to stoope vnto euerie sordidous pray.