A20760:425
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.
CHAP. III. How the briber sinneth against particular and private societies.
CHAP. III. How the briber sinneth against particular and priuate societies.
And thus the briber sinneth against particular men.1 Against whole societies he likewise offendeth, and that both private & public. Against private societies, as namely against families, whether they belong to others, or that whereof himself is governor. Other mens families they wast and spoil, by exacting gifts and rewards from them, and like greedy, but yet idle birds, they rob other mens nests to feather their own. In which respect the greedy Landlord principally offends, who being to let a lease to a poor tenant, doth not only raise the rent and enhance the fine; but in churlish cunning keepeth aloof, looking sternly, and speaking bigly; neither can he be persuaded to come unto any agreement, until his wife or children be feed with bribes, to mediate in the behalf of the poor tenant, and so make him more tractable and inclinable to entertain his motion. And when the lease is taken at so high a rate, that by sweating almost unto blood, he cannot maintain his poor family, yet if he regard his Landlords displeasure, and would have him to look upon him with a cheerful countenance; yea if he desire to be out of his lurch, and would not have him always ready to watch him a mischief when the least occasion is offered; he must at every good time present him with the fat of his labours, though he spare it out of his own belly; and be always ready at his Landlords pleasure, to toil himself and his cattle also, with gainless pains, and unrewarded labour.2 And what is this but as the Prophet speaketh, to beat the people in pieces, and to grind the faces of the poor? What is it but to sell the poor for old shoes, and basely to undervalue those as slaves and men of no worth, whom Christ hath redeemed with the inestimable price of his own most precious blood? What is this, but not only to pluck off the clothes from their backs,