A20760:441
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.
Thirdly,1 by bribing justice is perverted, innocency oppressed, and injuries countenanced and defended; and what can follow but the ruin of the Common-wealth, when as justice, which is the main pillar whereby it is upheld, is pulled down? This appeareth by testimonies of Scripture, and by examples:2 Exod. 23.8. Gifts blind the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. If then the wise and righteous, who have both wisdom to discern truth from falsehood, and right from wrong, as also will, to embrace the good, and refuse the evil, be seduced and perverted from their upright and just courses, and mislead into the byways of error and injustice with bribes and rewards; then what will become of those who naturally want that clearness of judgement to know what is good, or that love of goodness to embrace it when it is discerned?3 So Deut. 16.19. the holy Ghost joineth wresting of the law, respecting of persons, and taking of rewards in the same prohibition, thereby intimating that these three go together, and that bribing is the cause of both the other, as the words following plainly show. And at this as their main end do wicked men aim, when as they present their Judges with rewards, as appeareth, Prou. 17.23.4 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to wrest the ways of judgement.
Thirdly,1 by bribing iustice is peruerted, innocencie oppressed, and iniuries countenanced and defended; and what can follow but the ruine of the Common-wealth, when as iustice, which is the maine pillar whereby it is vpheld, is pulled downe? This appeareth by testimonies of Scripture, and by examples:2