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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20760	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.	Downame, John, d. 1652.; Downame, John, d. 1652. Spiritual physicke to cure the diseases of the soule, arising from superfluitie of choller, prescribed out of Gods word. aut	1609 (1609)	STC 7141; ESTC S110222	260,958	336

varietie of oathes which are commonly vsed as there is great plentie so is there also great varietie of oathes for men swearing more in pride and brauerie then for necessitie it is come to passe that as they take pride in change of suites and strange kindes of apparell so also in varietie of new-fashioned oathes And as there are some who tire their wits in the inuention of strange tires and new habits so are there in our sinfull times some limmes of Satan who deuise vnheard of oathes that by this varietie they may take away all satietie of swearing and keep themselues and others from being glutted with the common vse of the same oathes Some sweare by the creatures some by the Saints Masse and Rhoode some by the dreadfull name of God but most of all blaspheme our Sauiour Christ himselfe pulling his soule from his bodie and tearing peece-meale his precious members one from another diuersisying their oathes according to the diuers parts of his sacred bodie But let all such know that as they wantonize in their sin and impiously inuent new kinds of blasphemies to the great dishonour of almightie God so the Lord will bee as acute and ingenious in inuenting new and vnheard of plagues for the punishment of their impietie and wil glorifie that name which they haue dishonoured by inflicting on them deserued vengeance And if a whole volume will not containe the multitude of their oathes then the Lord hath in store for them a whole volume of his plagues and that in the largest folio Zach. 5.2.3 as appeareth Zach. 5.2.3 So that those who hearing their blasphemies haue been moued to doubt of the diuine iustice power and prouidence because such hellish impietie is not presently punished in the end seeing the fearefulnesse of their plagues shall conclude with the Prophet Dauid Doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth Psal 58.11 CHAP. V. Motiues to perswade all men to leaue vaine swearing WHich iudgements and punishments if we would escape §. Sect. 1. let vs hate and flee from this odious sin of prophane swearing and that wee may the rather bee mooued hereunto let these reasons perswade vs First 1. Because the Lord hath forbidden and condemned it because the Lord in his law hath forbidden and condemned it yea and that after a speciall manner for whereas he hath giuen vs tenne Commandements hee hath added a commination or threatning but vnto two of them the first forbidding idolatry and false worship the other taking his name in vaine to note vnto vs that idolatrie and prophanation of his holie name are such odious sinnes in his sight that of all other hee will not let them goe vnpunished And in the new Testament our Sauiour Christ likewise hath reuiued and ratified this law by his repetition and explanation Matth. 5.34 Sweare not at all Mat. 5.34 35. Dico vobis ne omnino iuretis ne sci'icet iurando ad facilitatem iurandi veniatur ex facilitate ad consuetudinem atque ita ex consuetudine in periurium decidatur Aug. ad Consentium de Mendac cap. 15. Chromat in Mat. cap. 5. neither by heauen for it is the throne of God 35. Nor yet by the earth for it is his footstoole neither by Ierusalem for it is the citie of the great King 36. Neither shalt thou sweare by thine head because thou canst not make one haire white or blacke But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euill In which words as Austine obserueth our Sauiour inioyneth vs not to sweare at all to wit in our ordinarie communication lest swearing beget facilitie of swearing facilitie custome and custome periurie And as another saith for this cause our Lord forbiddeth not onely to forsweare but also to sweare lest wee should then onely seeme to speake the truth when we confirme it by an oath or lest those who ought to vtter nothing but truth in all their speeches should imagine lying without an oath lawfull And that we may the rather be moued to yeeld obedience to this commandement hee adioyneth a strong reason namely that whatsoeuer is more in our ordinarie communication then yea yea or nay nay commeth of euill For either it is euill in him that sweareth as when he sweareth voluntarily vainly and without cause or when hauing made shipwrack of his credit by his customable lying he cannot gaine beliefe to his speeches without an oath Or else it is euill in him who compelleth another to an oath when as causlesly he suspecteth his truth and wil not giue credit to his assertions or promises though his word be of approued credit and his whole course of life vpright and iust The Apostle Iames also following in the steps of his Lord and Master inforceth this commandement with no small vehemencie Iam 5.12 Iam. 5.12 Before all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation So that it is not a commandement of least regard or a matter of small moment to abstaine from vaine swearing seeing the Apostle chargeth vs aboue al things to forbeare from these vnnecessarie oathes in our ordinarie communication and to content our selues with a simple affirmation of the truth and negation of that which is otherwise Secondly §. Sect. 2. 2. Because all kinde of vaine svvearing is a grieuous sin 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 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 Leuit. 21.32 but I will bee hallowed among the children of Israel For that is said in the Scriptures to be polluted and made vncleane which being in it selfe good and holie is prophaned by common vse wherof it is that these phrases of speech to be made common to be polluted are promiscuously taken in the same significatiō Act. 10.14 as appeareth Act. 10.14 And secondly this prophane swearing exceedingly derogateth from Gods glorious maiestie for if euery ordinary man holdeth himselfe mocked and abused when hee is often called vpon by his name the partie who calleth him hauing nothing to say vnto him and if the meanest Prince vpon the earth would account it a foule disgrace and great disparagement to his

the meane while they should bee barbarouslie ignorant and thereby fitter to destroy the Church then to build it to betray it into the power of the spirituall wolfe then to defend or deliuer it Whereby it appeareth that almost all states in all places are exceedingly corrupted and disordered with this vice of bribing so as in these times wee may make that bold and generall challenge Quid non argento quid non corrumpitur auro Qui maiora dabit munera victor erit Mich. Verin What is there which is not corrupted with siluer and gold And who in competition and in all suites hath the preheminence and victorie but he who can bring largest gifts Neither are the preferments of honor onely attained vnto by these bribing courses but also the preferments of wealth and riches for as the cunning fisher baiteth his hooke with a small fish to get a greater so the onely course in these daies to compasse greater wealth is to venture that which wee alreadie haue to bring our state to a low ebbe when we would hopefullie expect a full sea and to impouerish our selues with giuing bribes when wee desire to bee aduanced to the greatest riches CHAP. II. That bribing is forbidden and condemned as a great sinne both by God and men BVt the more generall this vice is §. Sect. 1. Briberie condemned both by the law of God and light of nature the more danger there is of being infected with it and consequently the greater care and circumspection must bee vsed to keepe our selues from the common pollution of bribing whether wee respect giuing or receiuing And to this purpose that we may be more strongly armed against this sinne which whilest it allureth and delighteth pearceth the verie heart and soule I will set forth the greatnesse and odiousnesse thereof together with the miserable fruites which it bringeth forth both in respect of particular persons and whole common-wealths and countries That it is a sinne to bribe appeareth hereby in that the Scriptures forbid and condemne it Exod. 23.8 Exod. 23.8 Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise c. The which is repeated and by repetition confirmed Deut. 16.19 Deut. 16.19 wrest not thou the law nor respect any person neither take reward c. Yea not onely is it condemned as a sinne by the Scriptures which is the exact rule of iustice but also by the light of nature though much decaied and corrupted For euen Heathen men haue abhorred bribing as a corrupting sore which eateth out the heart of all vertuous cariage and as a fretting canker which deuoureth whole societies and common-wealthes Ephialtes although a poore man Aelian lib. 11. de var. hist refused great gifts when they were offred because as hee said hee should thereby be moued to deale vniustly if his benefactors importuned him or be condemned as vngratefull for not requiting their benefits Alcumenes said that he could not receiue gifts Plutarch Apotheg Lacō and keepe peace with the lawes Phociō receiuing an hundred talents as a gift from Alexander demanded of the messenger wherefore it was sent to him rather then to any other of the Athenians and vpon this answere returned Because he knew him to be an honest and iust man hee replied againe Why then I would intreat your master that he will suffer me to continue in my honestie and iustice thereby implying that he could not possibly be such an one if he suffered himselfe to be corrupted with rewards But the Scripture goeth further §. Sect. 2. The Scripture condemneth bribing as an hainous sinne Amos. 5.12 and condemneth bribing not onely as a sinne but also as a mightie sinne Amos 5.12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mightie sins they afflict the iust they take rewards and they oppresse the poore in the gate The which as it is true of all bribers so especially of those who being in the place of Magistracie and authoritie are corrupted with rewards and moued therby to peruert iudgement and also of all others who are allured by bribes to attempt any thing which is vnlawfull and wicked For all such grieuouslie sinne against God How the briber sinneth against God their neighbour and themselues against the Lord not onely by direct breaking of his commandement but also in dishonoring his name after an exttaordinarie manner namely by drawing him as much as in them lieth into the fellowship of their sinne or at least into the slander of it For Magistrates are Gods deputies and vicegerents here on earth and the iudgements which they administer are not their owne but the iudgements of the great king of heauen and earth as Iehosaphat telleth his Iudges 2. Chron. 19.6 2. Chron. 19.6 Take heede what you doe for you execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement When as therefore they being corrupted doe peruert iudgement what doe they else but make the Lord to the vttermost of their power to pronounce a false or vniust sentence What doe they but offer vnto him a kind of violence in forcing him by his substitutes to do that which is contrarie to his owne nature For the Lord respecteth not persons nor receiueth rewards as it is 2. Chron. 19.7 2. Chron. 19.7 Iob. 34.19 and 36.18 He regardeth not the rich more then the poore Iob 34.19 Neither can a multitude of gifts moue him to acquit the sinner chap. 36.18 Where as they contrariwise vsurping Gods name and place by rewards are seduced to peruert iudgement acquitting the guiltie and condemning the innocent and so bring an imputation of iniustice vpon God himselfe and pollute his holy name with the filthinesse of their sinnes as the Lord challengeth them Ezech. 13.19 Ezech. 13.16 Will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread to slay the soules of them that should not die and in giuing life to the soules that should not liue in lying to my people that heare your lies Secondly they directly offend against the Lord in that they are readie to set to sale iustice and truth which are vnualuable and most precious in his sight euen as if the subiect to satisfie his greedie appetite should not be content to rob his Princes treasurie but also should make sale of his great Seale and the scepter of his kingdome But as the briber sinneth against God §. Sect. 3. How the briber sinneth against his neighbour and first against priuate men so also against his neighbour and that both priuate men and whole societies Against priuate men he offendeth diuers waies first against those whom hee wrongeth by iniustice either when hee depriueth them of their right robbing them of that wherwith God hath endowed them or by condemning the innocent whom God iustifieth or by oppressing the weake and friendlesse whom God would haue especially fauoured and respected Secondly he sinneth against

not vaine swearing and this false swearing by the name of God alone and not by the creatures So in the 23. Mat. 23.16.17 Chapter verse 16.17.18 they taught that they might sweare by the Temple by the Altar and by their head and that all this was nothing neither in regard of their vaine swearing nor yet forswearing by these creatures Now our Sauiour laboureth to free the pure law of God from these spots of their false interpretations and sheweth that not only hee who had slaine a man was a murtherer but hee who had been vniustly angrie with him in his heart and had reuiled him with his tongue that he also was an adulterer before God who in his heart had lusted after a woman as well as he who had lien with her So likewise hee refuteth their false doctrine concerning oathes and sheweth that we must not in our ordinarie communication sweare at all no not by the creatures because in these oathes the name of God is obliquely and indirectly taken in vaine there remaining in them some prints and characters of Gods power and Maiestie for they who sweare by heauen sweare indirectly by God because heauen is his throne so they what sweare by the earth sweare also by him because it is his footstoole and in like manner the Temple and Altar belong to his worship and our heads they are his workmanship and consequently his name in them is taken in vaine by vsuall swearing in ordinarie communication and much more in periurie and false swearing though not directly yet indirectly and obliquely But they further vrge that our Sauiour expressely forbiddeth vs to sweare at all §. Sect. 8. The former obiection further vrged and answered and therefore wee must not sweare neither by the creatures nor by God himselfe neither truly nor falsely neither in ordinarie communication nor yet before a Magistrate To which I answere that these words at all are not to be referred to the oath it selfe as though Christ should forbid to sweare in all cases which reference as I haue shewed implieth many absurdities but it is to bee referred to the forme and manner of the oath namely that we must not sweare at all falsely rashly and vsually in our ordinarie communication neither directly by the name of God nor indirectly by the creatures which notwithstanding the Pharisies taught to be lawfull For that our Sauiour speaketh here only of priuate oathes it is manifest in that they did not in their publike oathes before the Magistrates sweare by the creatures but by the name of God alone And so also it may bee gathered out of the text it selfe for hee saith let your communication or ordinarie speech one to another be yea yea nay nay neither doth hee forbid them to sweare by the name of God which was vsed in publike oathes but by the creatures namely the heauen earth altar c. Yea §. Sect. 9. That an oath in priuate may be vsed lavvfully will some man say but howsoeuer publike oathes before the Magistrates and for the confirming of new Conuerts in the truth of Christian religion may bee lawfull yet priuate oathes are here vtterly condemned I answere that Christ here onely forbiddeth rash vaine and vsuall swearing when neither the waightinesse nor necessitie of the cause requireth it as being a matter which is not worth the prouing by such a soueraigne witnesse and Iudge or which may bee proued by other arguments and witnesses Otherwise in waightie and necessarie causes it is lawfull for the confirmation of truth the ending of controuersies the taking away of doubtings iealousies and suspitions and for the preseruing of a mans good name and credit Exod. 22.10 to sweare priuately as well as publikely seeing the maine ends of a lawfull oath are attained vnto as well in the one as in the other Examples hereof we haue in Abraham and Isaac swearing to Abimilech Iacob to Laban Ioseph to Iacob Dauid to Ionathan and in many others Lastly §. Sect. 10. Obiect 2. Iam. 5.12 they obiect the saying of Iames chap. 5. verse 12. But aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation The which words are all one in substance with those of our Sauiour Christs and therefore admit of the same interpretation and consequently the obiection needeth no other answere otherwise Iames should condemne Paul the holie Ghost should be contrarie to himselfe and all those absurdities before spoken of must necessarilie follow CHAP. III. Of the obiect of lawfull oathes where is shewed that it is only lawfull to sweare by the name of God alone ANd thus haue I shewed that a man may in some cases take a lawfull oath §. Sect. 1. vvhat things are required to a lavvfull oath In the next place we are to shew what oathes are lawfull and what vnlawfull vnto a lawfull oath diuers things are required wherof some respect the obiect of our oathes some the end and some the manner VVe must svveare onely by the name of the true God Deut. 6.13 In respect of the obiect it is required that we sweare onelie by the name of God as may appeare by these reasons first because the Lord hath as straitly commanded vs to sweare by him alone as to worship and serue him alone So Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Esa 45.23 and 65.16 and shalt sweare by his name Esa 45.23 I haue sworne by my selfe c. that euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euerie tongue shall sweare by me And 65.16 He that that shall blesse in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the true God and hee that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true God And contrariwise the Lord hath as strictly forbidden vs to sweare by any other besides himselfe Ios 23.7 as appeareth Ios 23.7 Make no mention of the name of their gods nor cause to sweare by them neither serue them nor bow vnto them which when the people of Israel neglected the Lord threatneth to punish them for it Ier. 5.7 Ier. 5.7 How shall I spare thee for this thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods Exod. 23.13 Secondly Exod. 23.13 a lawfull oath is a part of Gods worship as being a kind of inuocation and therefore they commit grosse idolatrie who giue it to any other Thirdly all our actions must proceede from faith grounded vpon Gods word but in the whole Scriptures wee haue no warrant neither by precept nor example to sweare directly by any thing sauing by the name of God or to call either Angel or Saint as witnesse to confirme a doubtful truth For whereas it is obiected that Ioseph swore by the life of Pharaoh §. Sect. 2. Of Josephs oath and that therefore it is lawfull to sweare by the creatures vnto this we may answere

a difficult thing to obserue any moderation in vaine talking where there is immoderate drinking The reason why drunkards are commonly vain bablers of which this reason is rendred that the drunkard loueth to heare himselfe speake because then aboue all other times he hath an ouerweening conceit of his owne wisedome neither is a man so apt to abuse his owne iudgement about any other selfe excellencie namely to thinke that hee is more noble rich or beautifull then the truth is as in this opinion that he excelleth all in wisedome Plato apud Plutarch Sympos lib. 7. And hence it is that some thinke wine was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it maketh those that drinke it to thinke themselues wise Vnto which may bee adioyned another reason namely that they are plentifull in discoursing to the end they may shew that howsoeuer they haue drunke largely yet they are not ouertaken with drinke seeing they haue still the vse of their vnderstanding memorie and speech and so often times whilest they labour to hide their drunkennesse they plainlie discouer it by their much babling But as drunkennesse is the cause of much idle and vaine talking §. Sect. 2. 2. It is the cause of wicked talking so also of much leaud and wicked talking for as the drunkards heart is inflamed with wine so is his tongue set on fire by hell flaming out as it were the stinking sulphure of wicked and vngratious speeches If he be wantonly disposed then he vttereth nothing but ribauldrie and obscene filthinesse which will make chast eares to glow as much with heate as his face with wine for when by much drinking the heart is inflamed with lust it can no more be hid then fire in the bosome but smoketh out in ribauld speeches and filthie communication But if choller haue the predominance in this drunken subiect then doth it shew it selfe in raging railing and reuiling speeches so as there is no mans credit which they are not readie to impeach no sex state or condition whom they doe not loade with their opprobries no sanctuarie so safe which can priuiledge a mans name from the violent furie of their slanderous tongues Yea and as though it were not impietie enough to be at defiance with the whole earth they doe make warre also against heauen and belch out blasphemies against their Creator swearing and forswearing themselues vpon euery vaine occasion and renting peecemeale the sacred person of our Sauiour as though this were the fittest meanes to shew their furious choller against men by despiting God himselfe Neither is this vice of drunkennesse onely fruitfull in foolish and wicked words § Sect. 3. Drunkennesse discouereth other sins but also in actions sutable to their speeches for then they shew themselues most odiouslie wicked both because they discouer that nakednesse of vice which at other times they hide and also runne into new outrages which are the vsuall companions of this sin For there is almost no vice which drunkennesse doth not both intend and increase and also lay open and manifest for where as shamefastnesse at other times maketh men refraine from their beloued vices Sen. epist 83. or at least to hide and disguise them drunkennesse banishing all shame and modestie doth lay vice open to the publike view so that then especially the proud man is most insolent and arrogant the lasciuious man most wanton and filthie the cholericke man most furious and outragious hauing no respect of person nor regard of any presence And as it doth discouer old vices § Sect. 4. Drunkennesse causeth men to fall into other sinnes Hier. epist ad Ocean so it causeth men to fall into new sinnes for not onely it maketh them ridiculous in all their behauiour and exposeth them to the scorne and derision of all the beholders but also more then barbarously vnciuill and heathenishly wicked Whilest Noah was ouertaken with this vice he shewed his nakednesse and laied himselfe open to be derided of his owne wicked sonne discouering those secrets of nature in one houres drunkennes which sixe hundred yeares sobernesse had kept couered and hid and this which was once done by Noah in his first and last drunkennesse is common and vsuall with those who accustome themselues to this vice for that which a modest man shameth to doe in a secret chamber they impudently act in the open streets In which respect it is truely verified of those who first fal into this vice Epist 83. which Seneca generally speaketh of all drunkards Multa ebrij faciunt quibus sobrij erubescunt Drunkards saith he doe many things in the time of their drunkennesse of which they are ashamed when they are sober howsoeuer long custome hardeneth the face and maketh men voide of all shame Pythagoras apud Plutarch lib. contra Stoicos So that if there were no other reason to withdraw any ingenuous nature from this vice this were sufficient if when he is sober he would call to minde what hee hath said and done in the time of his drunkennesse But as this vice of drunkennesse doth cast a man headlong into vnhonest actions and barbarous inciuilitie §. Sect. 5. Drunkennesse the cause of murther so into all manner of horrible sinnes and outragious wickednesse and especially into those two hainous crimes of murther and adulterie For when the heart boileth with vnnaturall heate and the head is depriued of the vse of natural reason and vnderstanding then choler supplying the place of wisedome men are apt to entertaine discord and contention and when they haue skirmished a while with words all parties being as readie to offer iniuries as impatient to beare anie requitall of wrongs they come at length to downe right blowes euerie thing which commeth next to hand seruing as instruments of their wrath their cups which whilest they were sober carried from one to another pledges of their loue in their drunken rage are dashed against one anothers faces their weapons which in their sober moode were vsed to defend themselues from their enemies are now thrust into the breast of their dearest friends and whilest this fit lasteth they labour to murther those whom at other times they would defend from wrong with the hazard of their owne liues A notable example whereof we haue in Alexander who in his drunkennesse murthered his deare friend Clytus the which horrible fact he so much detested when hee was sober that in reuenge thereof he would haue murthered himselfe This fruite of drunkennesse Salomon setteth downe Prou. 20.1 Wine is a mocker Pro. 20.1 and 23.29 and strong drinke is raging And Pro. 23.29 To whom is woe to whom is sorrow to whom is strife to whom is babling to whom are wounds without cause c. Euen to thē that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine that is who drinke more for wantonnesse then for thirst To this purpose one saith that the wine

whoredome findeth fauour and countenance both by their doctrine and practise and themselues some securitie and comfort euen whilest they liue in their wickednes For there no more is required of them in their repentance but that they confesse their filthinesse to a more filthie priest and shew for the present some contrition whilest they are in the habit of penitents and make some slight satisfaction at their ghostly fathers appointment whom selfe-guiltines wil not suffer to be ouer seuere towards others as either to fast from flesh certaine daies or to goe on pilgrimage to the shrine of some Saint or to whip their bodies so much as their deuotion moueth them or if they will take a more compendious course they may buy some indulgence or pardon from their holy father the Pope whereby they may haue plenarie remission of all their sinnes and so hauing payed all their old score of wickednes they may now againe begin a new reckoning and with a quiet conscience goe from the Church to the stewes from their ghostly father to their harlot hauing the same meanes for their discharge when as againe they are run in debt Wherein they in liuelie manner resemble the holie harlot described in the Prouerbs Pro. 7.14 who by her deuotions maketh vnto her selfe a cleere passage vnto her fornications and hauing offred her peace oblations and paid her vowes taketh occasion againe to renew her whoredomes and maketh her deuotion an exordium vnto her inciting oration whereby she perswadeth vnto lust or the adulterous woman who hauing eaten her fill and satisfied her appetite with the pleasures of sinne wipeth her mouth and saith I haue not committed iniquitie Pro. 30.20 And as this is the case of the popish crew §. Sect. 6. Fornication too lightly punished among vs. so we may say for our selues that this sinne of fornication and vncleannes is not so discountenanced and suppressed as it ought for howsoeuer the doctrine of our Church is pure and sound shewing the hainousnes of this sinne 1. Cor. 6.9.10 and proouing out of the word of God that they who liue in it can neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen yet too too many are polluted with this wickednes and our lawes are too milde and remisse in punishing so hainous sins and the execution of these lawes too much neglected personall punishments being turned into purse penalties whereby these sinnes which are accounted veniall amongst the Papists are become venall amongst vs. And therefore seeing the sword of iustice is not vnsheathed by the magistrates as it ought for the suppressing of this sinne nor the offenders who should thereby either bee reformed or cut off scarce beaten with the scabberd it behooneth Gods Ministers with so much the greater care and diligence to draw out the sword of the spirit and therewith to giue these sinnes of vncleannes a mortall wound in the consciences of men that so at least they may be reclaimed from this wickednes by a iust hatred of their sinne who are not restrained for feare of punishment and may bee mooued to preserue their bodies in puritie and chastitie when as they behold the vglines of this vice euen whilest they finde themselues most priuiledged from the danger of humane lawes CHAP. III. Generall reasons to disswade all men from fornication TO which purpose let vs in the next place propound some effectuall reasons §. Sect. 1. The first argument taken from Gods commandement which may mooue all to an vnfained hatred of this sin who haue not vtterly cast off all feare of God and loue of their owne happinesse The first argument may bee taken from Gods expresse commandement whereby he hath straitly prohibited these sinnes of vncleannesse both in the old and new testament Generally they are all forbidden in the seuenth commandement Thou shalt not commit adulterie So Deut. 23.17 Deut. 23.17 1. Cor. 6.18 Heb. 12.16 There shall bee no whores of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be a whorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel 1. Cor. 6.18 Flee fornication c. Heb. 12.16 Let there be no fornicator or prophane person as Esau Yea so farre off would the Lord haue all that professe Christianitie from acting of this sinne that he would not haue it once named amongst them Eph. 5.3 Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints And therefore if we would approoue our selues to be Gods seruants wee must rather yeeld obedience vnto his will then to our owne lusts and preferre his commandement vnto whom we are obliged in the manifold bonds of our creation preseruation and redemption before our sinfull pleasures Secondly §. Sect. 2. The second because it is a signe of such a man as God hateth we are to abhorre and flee from this sinne of vncleannes as being an infallible signe and a plaine badge of such a man as God hateth So it is said Pro. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is as a deepe pit he whom the Lord hateth shall fall therin And contrariwise it is a signe of a good man whom God loueth Pro. 22.14 to bee preserued out of the harlots nets and snares as the wise man also telleth vs Eccles 7.28 Eccl. 7.28 I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands he that is good before God shall bee deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her If therefore Courtiers and all loyall subiects doe carefully auoid the doing of those things in their Princes sight which they are assured will prouoke his wrath Pro. 19.12 and 20.2 and make them odious vnto him because the Kings displeasure is as the the roring of a Lion and he that prouoketh him vnto anger sinneth against his owne soule and on the other side vse all meanes which may giue them assurance of his loue because his fauour is as the dew vpon the grasse which preserueth him from the scorching heat of all inraged enemies and causeth him to grow and florish in all worldly happines then how much more should wee carefully auoide the committing of al sinnes which make the Lord wrathfully displeased with vs whose anger and fierce displeasure is present death of bodie and soule in this world and in the world to come How studiouslie should wee imbrace those holie vertues which will assure vs of his loue seeing his fauour is life yea the life of our life our chiefe comfort whilest wee liue on earth and the principall part of our eternall happinesse in the heauens Thirdly §. Sect. 3. Thirdly we must auoide whoredome as being a fruite of the flesh these sinnes of vncleannesse are to be auoided as being the fruites of the flesh and the most sinfull workes and effects of corrupted nature and therefore the Apostle reckoning vp the workes of the flesh rangeth them in the first rancke as being most readie to

tame and gentle as the Cowe or Calfe Esa 11.6.7 according to the prophecie Esa 11.6.7 The Woolfe shall lie with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lion and the fat beasts together and a little child shall leade them and the Beare shall feede with the Cowe and their young ones shall lie together not that regeneration doth take away nature and the affections but because it doth partly subdue their violence and furie and partly sanctifieth and reformeth them so that whereas they were hurtfull and pernicious now they are good and profitable to themselues and others the qualitie and the obiect of them being altered Their loue which was immoderately set on the world and the pleasures of the flesh is now fixed vpon God their neighbour and spirituall things Their ambtious hope which expected nothing but honors and riches now longeth after the presence of God and fulnesse of ioy in the heauenly Ierusalem Their timorous feare wherby they were restrained from doing good and constrained to doe that which was euill because they would not displease men is now a notable bridle to curbe in their vnlawfull desires and a sharpe spurre to pricke them forward in the course of godlinesse because they would not offend God and whereas before it was a corrupt fountaine from which nothing did spring but polluted streames of sinne whose descent is into the deepe gulfe of eternall perdition now it is become the Welspring of life to make vs auoid the snares of death Prou. 14.27 as it is Prou. 14.27 So likewise rash and vnbridled anger which before regeneration caused men to rage against the person of their neighbour doth now oppose it selfe against sinne and vniustice only whereby God is dishonored and the Church and common-wealth damnified Do not therfore hereafter excuse thy furious rash anger by alleaging thy nature for thou mightest as wel say I cānot abstaine from it because I am carnall and vnregenerate as because I am hastie by nature for those who haue laid aside the old man and are renewed by Gods spirit haue this affection partly tamed and subdued and partly sanctified reformed and made fit for necessarie profitable vses whereas on the other side they that let the raines loose to this corrupt affection were neuer washed with the water of Gods spirit and consequently while they continue in this state cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3.5 Iohn 3.5 But that we may neuer alleage this vaine excuse let vs consider further that it is no better then Lazers ragges to couer the deepe festred sores of our corruption or then Adams fig leaues to hide the nakednesse of sinne which may be as fit a vizour to disguise euen the most vglie vices as this of anger for nature corrupted prouoketh not onely to rash anger but also to all outrages And therefore the murtherer by as great shew of reason might excuse his murther because he is by nature cruell or the adulterer his adulterie because he is by nature lecherous or the theefe his theft because he is by nature couetous as the hastie man his anger because he is by nature cholericke As therefore if a murtherer or theefe should come before a Iudge and excuse his fact by saying it was his nature and therefore he could not chuse but commit it the Iudge would answere that it was his destinie also that he should be hanged So when wee shall bee arraigned before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth the alleadging of our corrupted nature wil be so farre from excusing vs that it alone will bee sufficient to condemne vs. And so much for the first sort of anger which is to be seen in angry and cholericke men The second sort is of such as are slow to anger §. Sect. 2. 2. Anger which is slovvly entertained but long retained but being incensed are hardly pacified And these are like vnto more solid timber which is long before it be kindled but being kindled continueth long in burning As these are better then the other in respect of their slownesse to wrath so they are farre worse because they continue in it for anger retained becommeth hatred which is an affection farre more pernicious then anger it selfe and much more incorrigible for as rash anger is most commonly ioyned with repentance so this inueterate anger is alwaies ioyned with perseuerance in euill And he that is subiect thereunto doth not onely fall into sinne but also is resolued to continue in it yea he taketh delight therein oft times by meditating on reuenge as we may see in Esau who was resolued to retaine his anger against Iacob till his fathers death and in the meane time comforted himselfe by thinking on reuenge Gen. 27.41.42 Gen. 27.41.42 But if wee would bee the children of our heauenly father we must resemble him not onely in slownesse to anger but also in swiftnesse to forgiue and though our brother offend vs seuentie times seuen times yet must we continually bee readie to imbrace reconciliation Mat. 18.22 Matth. 18.22 and so wee shall not be ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 12.21 Rom. 12.21 Whereas if we continue in malice we shall make our selues like vnto Satan and subiect to Gods wrath Matth. 7.2 For with what measure wee mete it shall bee measured vnto vs againe Matth. 7.2 And as we forgiue men their trespasses so will our heauenly father forgiue vs Mat. 6.14.15 §. Sect. 9. Hastinesse to anger and slovvnes to reconciliation Matth. 6.14.15 And so much for the second sort The third sort is of them who are easilie prouoked vnto anger and being prouoked will neuer be reconciled These men are monsters in nature and flat opposite to the Lord for whereas he is slowe to anger and readie to forgiue they are most slowe to forgiue and most prone to anger This anger I know not how to expresse nor to what I may compare it seeing naturall things cannot resemble it because it is monstrous and against the nature of all things sauing man For the most fierce Lions and cruell Tigers haue some cause which incenseth them to anger and some measure and end of their furie after it is prouoked and therefore they are far worse who are angrie without a cause and know not how to make an end Seeing therefore naturall things are not fit to resemble them let vs consider artificiall They are like vnto tinder which being kindled with the least sparke will also retaine the fire till it be consumed But herein they are vnlike the tinder may easilie be extinguished but their anger can by no meanes bee mitigated the tinder doth but consume it selfe or at the least those things which are neere about it but those that are frō them furthest distant are often scorched with the burning heat of their furious passion It is like vnto wild fire which