A20760:97
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.
CHAP. VI. Excuses alleged for vain swearing taken away.
CHAP. VI. Excuses alleaged for vaine swearing taken away.
And thus have I set down such reasons and arguments, as may persuade those who have any spark of grace, to leave this vain sin, and those also who are in authority to punish severely such as are graceless and incorrigible. Now in the next place I will take away those excuses no less vain then common, which are objected either in the defence or excuse of this sin.1 For some there are who by long custom being hardened in this sin, are grown to that height of impudency, that they dare not only excuse their vain swearing as venial, but also defend it as commendable; and to that high degree of impiety, that they audaciously presume to turn the point of Gods own weapon against himself, and to use the sword of the Spirit the word of God, as their instrument to wound Gods glorious name, and as it were to stab our Saviour Christ, by making way for their hellish blasphemies. Doth not (say they) the Lord himself enjoin swearing as a part of his worship and service?2 and doth not the Psalmist tell us,3 that all who swear by the Lord shall rejoice before him? the more therefore we swear, the better service we do unto God, and the greater cause of true rejoicing we procure unto our selves. To this I answer, that if they would examine themselves aright, their own consciences would tell them, that in their vain swearing they do not propound unto themselves, as their ends, Gods glory, and their spiritual rejoicing, but rather swear to despite God in their rage, when they cannot have their will; or in a bravery to grace themselves with this hellish ornament. And therefore when by these ends they defend their swearing, they do but play the graceless hypocrites, covering their foul sin under this fair visor. But though we leave the ransacking of their ⟨p. 36⟩