A20760:82
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.
Secondly,1 we are to avoid this profane practise of vain swearing, because it is an heinous sin, what manner of oaths soever we use: for if we swear by any thing which is not God, we hereby deify it, by ascribing unto it Gods incommunicable attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, as hath been showed, and so spoil the Lord of his glory by attributing it to the creatures; and likewise an oath being a kind of invocation, and consequently a part of Gods worship, we commit an high degree of idolatry, when as we communicate it unto any creature.
Secondly,1 we are to auoide this prophane practise of vaine swearing, because it is an hainous sin, what manner of oathes soeuer wee vse: for if wee sweare by any thing which is not God, we hereby deifie it, by ascribing vnto it Gods incommunicable attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, as hath been shewed, and so spoile the Lord of his glorie by attributing it to the creatures; and likewise an oath being a kind of inuocation, and consequently a part of Gods worship, we commit an high degree of idolatrie, when as we communicate it vnto any creature.
- 1§. Sect. 2. 2. Because all kind of vain swearing is a grievous sin.§. Sect. 2. 2. Because all kinde of vaine svvearing is a grieuous sin.
If we usually swear by Gods holy name, we by making it common do pollute and profane it, contrary to the express commandment of almighty God. Leu. 22.32. Ye shall not pollute my holy name, 1but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. For that is said in the Scriptures to be polluted ⟨p. 27⟩