A20760:83
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.
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⟩and made unclean, which being in it self good and holy, is profaned by common use; whereof it is that these phrases of speech, to be made common & to be polluted, are promiscuously taken in the same signification,2 as appeareth Act. 10.14. And secondly, this profane swearing exceedingly derogateth from Gods glorious majesty: for if every ordinary man holdeth himself mocked and abused, when he is often called upon by his name, the party who calleth him having nothing to say unto him; and if the meanest Prince upon the earth would account it a foul disgrace and great disparagement to his estate, if his mean subjects should appeal unto him as their Judge in every trifling business, and produce him as a witness in every slight cause, which either needeth no proof, as being a matter of no importance, or may easily be proved, either by manifest reasons, or more inferior testimonies; then what dishonour and disgrace do we offer to this supreme Majesty, the most glorious King of heaven and earth, when in our ordinary speeches and businesses we do in an idle and senseless manner name him, having no occasion at all to speak unto him, or invocate him by our oaths as a witness or Judge, in every trifling and needless business, which either deserveth no proof, or may easily be proved by other means; seeing he is the chief sovereign and supreme Judge of heaven and earth, unto whom we are only to appeal in matters of highest nature and greatest necessity.
If we vsually sweare by Gods holy name, we by making it common doe pollute and prophane it, contrarie to the expresse commandement of almightie God. Leu. 22.32. Ye shall not pollute my holie name,