Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Title page 1 – Treatise 1
FOVRE 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. WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED a Treatiſe of Anger. By IOHN DOVVNAME Batcheler in Diuinitie, and Preacher of Gods word.
ESAY 58.1.
Crie aloud, ſpare not, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſions, and to the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes.
AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON, for WILLIAM WELBY, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Greyhound. 1609.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, IOHN, LORD HARRINGTON, BARON OF EXTON, AND TO THE NOBLE AND VERTVous LADIE his wife: I. D. wiſheth all increaſe of grace, and true honor in this life, and eternall happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe in the life to come.
IF euer there were a time (Right Honourable) wherein Gods Miniſters ſhould crie aloude,Eſa. 58.1. and lift vp their voice like a trumpet, to tell the people of their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Iacob of their ſinnes; then ſurelie it is now in theſe our daies, and in this our land. For howſoeuer the light of the Goſpell hath for manie yeeres clearelie ſhined among vsus, ſhewing vntounto vsus the way of righteouſneſſe, in which we walking may attaine vntounto happineſſe, and the manifold by-paths of error and ſinne, to the end we may auoid them; and though we hauehave had Gods faithfull Miniſters, ſometimes piping vntounto vsus the ſweete tunes of the Goſpell, to allure vsus vntounto holie obedience; and ſometimes thundring out the dreadfull ſound of Gods fearefull iudgements due to ſinne, to reſtraine vsus from running on in wicked courſes; yet there is little reformation and amendment, but rather we are growne from ill to worſe, and waxe euerie day more ſecure and ſenſuall in our ſins. And becauſe men hauehave not imbraced and loued Gods truth, nor ſubmitted themſelues to bee ruled with this ſcepter of his kingdome; therfore many are giuen vp of God to their own filthie luſts, and to a reprobate minde, and through the hardneſſe of their hearts, all the meanes of their conuerſion and ſaluation become not only vneffectuall and vnprofitable, but rather cauſe them to bee more obdurate in their ſinnes. The reſplendent light of the Goſpell doth make them more blind, ſo as they goe groping in ignorance euen at noone daies; the ſound of the word, and loud cries of Gods Miniſters in their eares calling them to repentance, doe make them more deafe to all inſtruction and admonition; the comfortable beames of Gods gracious promiſes ſhining vponupon their hearts, doe not ſupple and ſoften them, but rather make them more hard and obdurate; and as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh,2. Cor. 2.16. the word of God, which in it own nature is the ſauor of life vntounto life, becommeth vntounto them the ſauour of death to their deeper condemnation. And as this is the ſtate of all the who hauehave ſold themſelues to worke wickedneſſe, and lie frozen in the dregs of their ſinnes; ſo euen the better ſort who hauehave giuen their names vntounto Chriſt, hauehave been ſo intoxicated with the ſweete cups of proſperitie, and through long reſt, peace, and plentie hauehave ſo ruſted in their corruptions, that it is to be feared, they will not recouer their ancient puritie and brightneſſe, vntill the file of affliction with an heauie hand hath come often ouer them. But neither the crying ſinnes of thoſe who are notoriouſlie wicked, nor yet the groſſe corruptions of ſuch as make profeſſion of religion, doe cauſe the ſtate of our land to bee ſo dangerous and almoſt deſperate, as the nice wantonneſſe of ſinne, which maketh it impatient of the leaſt touch; for howſoeuer it is in it ſelfe of the moſt ſlauiſh nature, yet is it ſo backed in theſe times with the numerous multitude of offenders, and ſo countenanced and befriended by men of beſt qualitie, and greateſt power, that it is growne to be a matter farre more dangerous to reprooue ſin then to commit it, eſpeciallie when it is cunninglie acted, and plainelie reprehended. Gods ſpirituall Chirurgions may indeede in theſe times make as manie corraſiues as they will, but if they louelove their peace and life, they muſt take heed that they doe not apply them; for patients wounded with the ſores of ſinne, when they admit them to the cure, hold the dagger of reuenge in their hands, readie to ſtab them, if they but touch them to the quicke. And therefore needs muſt theſe impatient patients feſter in their corruptions to the verie death of bodie and ſoule, ſeeing they will by no meanes indure to hauehave their wounds ſearched. Neuertheleſſe all this muſt not daunt and diſcourage thoſe whom the Lord hath called to the function of the Miniſterie, from the performing of their dutie, but the more dangerous and deſperate their ſtate is who are committed to their charge, the more earneſt and diligent ſhould they ſhew themſelues in ſeeking their preſeruation. For they ought to preferre the ſpirituall health of thoſe who are by God committed to their cure, before their owne temporarie life; and being appointed the Lords watchmen, the more ſecurely the people ſleepe in ſinne, the louder muſt they crie till they hauehave awakened them, when they ſee Gods iudgements approching and readie to ſeaze vponupon them:Ezech. 33.7.8. otherwiſe the people ſhall die in their ſinnes, but their blood ſhall be required at the watchmens hands. The conſideration of which dutie, and the intire louelove which I beare to my deare countrie, hath made me willing, whom the Lord hath vouchſafed this great and excellent calling, to beate down, as much as in me lieth, foure capitall ſins of this land, prophane Swearing, beaſtly Drūkennes, filthie Whordome, and corrupting Bribery; both becauſe they are ſo odious and abominable in Gods ſight, that they make our whole countrie liable to his wrath, and to ſtand indangered to the fearefulleſt of his iudgements; and alſo becauſe I perceiue that they are not in the wane, but in the increaſe; and that like fretting cankers, they ſpread further and further in the body of our State; ſo that if thoſe members which are alreadie infected bee not either cured by Gods Miniſters, or cut off by his lawfull Magiſtrates, it is to be feared that theſe ſores of ſinne will grow deſperate, and paſt hope of any cure. The which my poore labours I deſired ſhould offer themſelues vntounto the publicke view vnderunder the ſafe-guard of you honourable patronage, being mooued thereunto both by mine owne louelove, and your fitneſſe: my louelove towards your Honours, being chiefely grounded vponupon your louelove towards God, and to his true religion, ſhewed both in your holy profeſſion and Chriſtian practiſe, hath imboldned me to leaue vntounto the world this perpetuall teſtimonie of your worth, and my good-will; and maketh me beleeue, that theſe my workes ſhrowded vnderunder your names ſhal find with you kind acceptance, not vponupon preſumption of their worth, but becauſe it is the nature of louelove to cauſe a man hopefully to expect for correſpondencie of affection in them whom it loueth, though there be almoſt no proportion in deſert. Neither could I find fitter patrons for treatiſes of this nature; for who are more fit then the vertues and religious to defend and countenance ſuch diſcourſes as tend to the vpholding and aduancing of vertue and pietie, and to the ſuppreſſing and beating down of vice and wickedneſſe? and who are more able to daunt the courages of the vicious and malicious, which are daily ready to wreck their ſpight vponupon thoſe who inueigh againſt their darling ſinnes, then they, whoſe vertuous diſpoſition is both graced and ſtrengthened with honour and eminencie of place, and alſo with the gracious fauour of our dread Soueraigne? As therefore I hauehave reſpectiuelie dedicated theſe my labours vntounto your Honours, ſo accept them with your wonted kindneſſe, and vouchſafe them at your leaſured your peruſall, and me your honourable fauours; ſo ſhall I bee more and more bound to pray vntounto the Lord, that he will grant vntounto your Honors a daily increaſe of grace and true honor in this world, and eternall glorie and happines in the world to come.
Your Honours in all humble dutie to be commanded, IOHN DOVVNAME.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
CHriſtian Reader, I hauehave endeuoured to diſcouer and lay open the vglie filthineſſe, and hainous wickedneſſe of foure ſinnes, wherewith our land is much corrupted and defiled; namely, the abuſes of Oathes in vaine ſwearing and impious forſwearing; Drunkenneſſe, Whoredome, and Briberie. I am not ignorant how diſtaſtfull theſe diſcourſes will be to their palats, who hauehave alreadie relliſhed the ſweetneſſe of theſe ſinnes, and doe ſtill nuzle them in their boſomes, as their dearest darlings. But I hauehave alreadie learned, that if it bee the chiefe end of my labours to pleaſe men,Gal. 1.10. I ſhall but thereby get this testimonie vntounto mine owne conſcience, that I am not the ſeruant of Ieſus Christ: yet may I truly ſay thus much for the anſwering of all cauils and calumniations, that I hauehave not willingly intended to diſpleaſe any man, but hauehave laboured to aduance the good of all. For God and mine owne conſcience can beare mee witneſſe, that I hauehave not in any ſpleneticke and ſatyricall humour, aimed at the diſgrace of any mans perſon, profeſsion, or calling, but hauehave had mine onelyonly quarrell against their ſinne; nor yet diſcouered their nakednes that they may be laughed to ſcorne; but that themſelues taking notice of it, may hide it, and turning from their ſinnes by true repentance, may eſcape thoſe iudgements which they hauehave deſerued in the day of Gods viſitation. If any notwithstanding my iust apologie ſhall yet take exceptions, they ſhall but by their kicking ſhew that I rub on their ſore, and by their complayning manifeſt their guiltineſſe; for in particular I accuſe none, who doe not ſtand accuſed before God, by the teſtimonie of their owne conſciences. And theſe of all others hauehave least cauſe to be offended, ſeeing if at all I handle them roughly, it is not to hurt, but to cure them of their wounds of ſinne, which otherwiſe might feſter to their destruction. And thus praying that theſe and all other my labours may tend to Gods glorie, and the ſaluation of his elect, I commend thee to Gods protection,Act. 20.32. and vntounto the word of his grace, which is able to build thee further, and to giuegive thee an inheritance among them which are ſanctified.
From Lothburie in London the 30. of October. Anno Dom. 1608. Thine in the Lord. I. D.