A20760:609
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.
Thou it is who canst arm most loving brethren one against the other, and overthrow whole houses and families with contentious discord.
Thou it is who canst arme most louing brethren one against the other, and ouerthrow whole houses and families with contentious discord.
Secondly,1 it provoketh to offer all indignities and wrongs to a mans neighbour; as also to revenge the smallest injuries without all proportion. For men incensed with anger will wittingly and willingly revenge those injuries, which have unwittingly and unwillingly been offered; for angry ⟨p. 58⟩words they will give blows, for blows wounds, and for wounds death. And therefore the Wise man saith; That anger is cruel, and wrath is raging: 2Prou. 27.4. Yea it provoketh men not only to revenge small injuries; but also no injuries; for anger rageth even against the innocents, and that oftentimes because they are innocent, and but too virtuous, as the furious man imagineth. And this is evident in the example of Cains anger against Abel; Sauls against Jonathan and David; Nebuchadnezzars against the three children; Herod's against the innocents; the Scribes and Pharisees against Christ, as before I proved.
Secondly,1 it prouoketh to offer all indignities and wrongs to a mans neighbour; as also to reuenge the smallest iniuries without all proportion. For men incensed with anger will wittingly and willingly reuenge those iniuries, which haue vnwittingly and vnwillingly been offered; for angry ⟨p. 58⟩