A20760:585
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.
It overthroweth the principal part of Gods worship, invocation: for if we would compass the Altar, and there offer up the sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, we must first wash our hands in innocency: 1Psalm. 26.6. And this the Apostle Paul requireth, 1. Tim. 2.8. That we lift up pure hands without anger. And our Saviour Christ commandeth, that before we offer any gift unto the Lord, we first seek to be reconciled: Matth. 5.23.2 So long therefore as we continue in our anger, we are unfit to pray, as it most manifestly appeareth in the fifth petition, where we desire so to be forgiven as we forgive: and because the Lord would have us deeply consider thereof, he thinketh it not sufficient to set it down in the Lords prayer,3 Matth. 6.12. but he again doth single this out of all other the petitions; and inculcates it the second time,4 verses 14.15. If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if you will not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your father forgive your trespasses. If therefore we offer up this prayer unto God continuing in our anger, what do we else but entreat the Lord that he will continue his anger towards us? A notable place to this purpose we have,5 Eccles. 28.1. He that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins. 2. Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done to thee, so shall thy sins be forgiven thee also when thou prayest. 3. Should a man bear hatred against man, and desire forgiveness of the Lord? 4. He will show no mercy to man who is like himself, and will he ask forgiveness of his own sins? 5. If he that ⟨p. 49⟩