A20760:620
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 second cause of anger is pride and haughtiness of spirit: if therefore we would not fall into anger,1 we are to subdue pride, and labour for the contrary grace of humility. For they who would be meek with our Saviour Christ, must also learn of him the lesson of true humility, Math. 11.29. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of hart. 2If we would lay aside that arrogant conceit which we have of our selves, and the overweening opinion of our own excellencies, if we would consider with Abraham that we are but dust and ashes, and with David, 3that we are worms and no men; or if we would in sincerity of hart say with Job, Unto corruption, thou art my father, and unto the worm, thou art my mother, and my sister. If we would but remember that by our sins committed against God and our neighbour, we have deserved not only contumelies and wrongs, but also eternal death of body and soul; we would not so easily be provoked to anger upon every trifling occasion, nor think it any great disparagement to endure lesser injuries, seeing we have deserved far greater.
The second cause of anger is pride and hautinesse of spirit: if therefore we would not fall into anger,1 we are to subdue pride, and labour for the contrary grace of humilitie. For they who would bee meeke with our Sauiour Christ, must also learne of him the lesson of true humilitie, Math. 11.29. Learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly of hart. 2If we would lay aside that arrogant conceit which we haue of our selues, and the ouerweening opinion of our owne excellencies, if we would consider with Abraham that we are but dust and ashes, and with Dauid, 3that wee are wormes and no men; or if we would in sincerity of hart say with Iob, Vnto corruption, thou art my father, and vnto the worme, thou art my mother, and my sister. If wee would but remember that by our sinnes committed against God and our neighbour, we haue deserued not onely contumelies and wrongs, but also eternall death of body and soule; we would not so easely bee prouoked to anger vpon euery trifting occasion, nor thinke it any great disparagement to endure lesser iniuries, seeing we haue deserued farre greater.