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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

any worldly benefit then that by such an oath we should suffer God to be dishonoured and our neighbour to lose himselfe To this purpose Augustine speaketh Whosoeuer saith he prouoketh another to sweare Qui hominem prouocat ad iurationem scit eum falsum iuraturū vincit homicidā c. Aug. de decoll Ioan. Bapt. ser 11. Tom 10. Scrm. de Periurijs Jlle enim se suo periurio interimit sed isie manum inter ficientis pressit impressit knowing that he will sweare falsly he is worse then a murtherer because a murtherer killeth but the bodie this the soule yea two soules at once his whom hee prouoketh to sweare and his owne Doest thou know that to be truth which thou affirmest and that false which he auoucheth and yet vrgest him to sweare Behold he sweareth forsweareth and perisheth And what hast thou found hereby yea thou hast lost thy selfe who wouldest be no otherwise satisfied but by his destruction And in another place He that inforceth one to sweare whom he knoweth will sweare falsely is a murtherer for he killeth himselfe with his periury but the other thrusteth and helpeth forward the hand of the selfe murtherer But yet a Magistrate may lawfully put such an one to his oath if the execution of law and course of iustice doe so require For better it is that a priuate man should perish Fiat institia ruat coelum then that the publike administration of law and iustice should be stayed and hindred neuerthelesse the Magistrate ought in this case to forbeare the imposition of an oath if the truth may by any other possible meanes be cleared and iustice executed and if not yet he is grauely and religiouslie to admonish the partie of the waightines of an oath the hainousnesse of the sinne of periurie and fearefulnes of the punishment which doth attend it and so hauing done his best to preuent it he is to leaue the partie to himselfe and the euent to God CHAP. XI Reasons to disswade from the sinne of periurie ANd so much concerning the former part of this treatise wherein I haue shewed what periurie is and the kinds therof and withall haue cleared diuers questions whereby we may the better discerne the nature of this sinne and when it is committed Now in the second part I will briefly set downe some reasons to disswade all men from this sin which is so dishonorable to God and so pernicious vnto mankind all which I will reduce to these two heads the first whereof is the hainousnes of the sinne the second is the grieuousnes of the punishment which doth accompanie it The hainousnes will appeare both in it owne nature §. Sect. 1. 1. Because periurie is odious vnto God and also in the euill effects and fruits thereof That in it owne nature it is a grieuous sinne may hereby be made manifest first because it is odious and abominable both in the sight of God and men That the Lord abhorreth this sinne of periurie it plainly appeareth Zach. 8.17 Zach. 8.17 Let none of you imagine euill in your hearts against his neighbour and loue no false oath for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. And hence it is that the Lord in his law hath so straitly forbidden this sinne Leuit. 19.12 Ye shall not sweare by my name falsly Leu. 19.12 neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God For the transgression of which law Ier. 7.9 the Iewes are sharply reprooued and condemned Ier. 7.9 Will you steale murther and commit adulterie and sweare falsly and burne incense vnto Baal c. Wherewe may obserue that howsoeuer the sonnes of Belial so lightly esteeme of this sinne that they will not sticke to sell a false oath at the least price yet the Lord counteth it an hainous sinne and therefore hee rangeth it in this place amongst those capitall crimes of theft murther adulterie and idolatrie So also this is odious vnto men §. Sect. 2. 2. Periurie is odious vnto men and that not onely faithfull Christians amongst whom a periured person loseth the reputation of religion and the true feare of God yea euen of ciuilitie and common honestie and is for euer branded with the blacke marke of a prophane person who neuer after is to be credited in his words and deeds but also vnto the Heathens Turkes and Pagans for howsoeuer these men are but dimme sighted in the morall duties of honestie betweene man and man hauing onely the obscure light of corrupted nature to be their guide and euen almost starke blind in the duties of pietie towards God yet haue they abhorred this sinne of periurie and counted it worthie of the seuerest punishment One saith Agesilaus Apud Aelian lib. 14. de var. histor Pericles Plutarch in apotheg that men by no meanes more prouoke the wrath of the diuine Maiestie then by rash violating of an holy oath Another being importuned by a respected friend to affoord him a false oath answered that he could bee his friend no surther then vsque ad aras vnto the altar meaning that no friendship should make him sweare a false oath at the altar in the presence of their gods A third being set at libertie rather than he would breake his oath Regulus Cic. lib. 3. de offic returned againe vnto his mortall enemies expecting nothing else but exquisite torments Secondly §. Sect. 3. The manifold euils contained in periurie 1. Lying the outragious wickednes of this sinne appeareth by the manifold euils which it containeth for it is a hellish monster compounded of many hainous sinnes the least whereof is by it selfe damnable As first the grossest kinde of lying which is not onely auouched but also impudently outfaced with an oath and this alone as it excludeth those who vse it out of the ioyes of heauen Apoc. 21.15 and 21.8 For without shall bee whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies so also it purchaseth them a part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone as appeareth Apoc. 22.15 and 21.8 Secondly it containeth in it guile and deceit §. Sect. 4. 2. Guile and deceit and that in the highest kinde and most pernicious for when deceit and falshood come masked and disguised vnder a religious oath which is the rich robe and precious ornament of truth and iustice men not onely doe lie open vnto it to be deceiued and abused by it after an ordinarie and voluntarie manner but also are intangled therewith by a kinde of vnauoideable necessitie it being altogether vnlawfull without most apparant cause to call the deceiuers assertions and promises into question when as they are confirmed with a witnesse aboue exception and ratified with the authoritie of God himselfe As therefore the Lord is the auenger of all kinde of fraud as it is 1. Thes 4.6 1. Thes 4.6 so especially of this wherby himselfe is so much dishonoured and as all manner of deceit is abominable vnto him

King 8.63 Nehem. 8.10 we haue an example in the dedication of the Temple 1. King 8.63 and at the restoring of the law Nehem. 8.10 And of the latter in that mariage feast which Christ graced with his presence when he forbad not the liberall vse of wine but contrariwise himselfe miraculously turned water into wine that the feast might be furnished with sufficient plentie Ioh. 2.7 Iohn 2.7 But heere also euerie man is to measure and stint his appetite and so to obserue friendship and amitie as that he doe not neglect Christian sobrietie and temperance and because particular rules for direction cannot bee set downe in this behalfe in regard that one mans stomacke and health requireth a larger allowance and another mans is satisfied and contented with lesse therefore we are to keep vs to the generall rules that is that wee doe not abuse these creatures vnto surfetting and drunkennesse nor yet so glutte and ouercharge our selues that thereby we be disabled from performing any action of pietie and Christianitie as hearing the word prayer holy conference or else the duties which we ought to performe in our particular callings CHAP. II. That drunkennesse is a vice condemned by God and man ANd thus much for the lawfull vse of these creatures §. Sect. 1. Of drunkennes and what it is whereby it appeareth that howsoeuer the abuse is hatefull yet their lawfull vse is not to be reiected neither are we to approue Lycurgus practise who because the people were addicted to drunkennesse caused all the vines in the countrie to bee cut downe and spoiled for hee should haue done better as Plutarch saith if hee had digged a well neere vnto euery vineyard Plutarch de audiend Poetis that the hot furie of Bacchus might bee tempered and corrected with the milde coolenesse of the watrie Nymphs Now contrariwise they are abused when as they are spent in drunkennesse intemperancie and excesse For men sinne in the abuse of these creatures two waies first by drunkennesse when by immoderate swilling and tipling they are depriued of the vse of their reason vnderstanding and memorie so as for the time they become like vnto beasts Secondly by excesse when as they addict themselues to much drinking and make it their vsuall practise to sit at the wine or strong drink neither are they alone to be esteemed as drunkards who depriue themselues of the vse of reason and become brutish but those who take their chiefe pleasure in drinking and carousing though their braine will beare it without any great alteration as afterwards shall appeare And thus you see what drunkennesse is §. Sect. 2. Drunkennesse condemned as a great sinne 1. by God himselfe Which that wee may auoide and abhorre wee are to know that it is condemned as a great euill and hainous transgression both in the high court of heauen and in the inferiour courts of mens consciences The Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth hath pronounced his sentence of eternall woe and malediction against those who are found guiltie of this crime as appeareth Esa 5.11 Esa 5.11 Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and vnto them that continue vntill night till the wine doe inflame them Esa 28.1 c. So Esa 28.1 Woe to the crowne of pride the drunkards of Ephraim c. Which fearfull woe that it might not bee inflicted vpon his subiects hee hath admonished them to auoide the sinne that so they may escape the punishment Luk. 21.34.21 So Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selues lest at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and lest that day come vpon you at vnawares And Ephes 5.18 Eph. 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse And thus you see what fauour this vice findeth at the barre of Gods iudgement §. Sect. 3. 2 Jt is condemned by mē 1. by Christians Neither hath it any more countenance or allowance in the court of mens consciences for all men both Christian and Heathen by the cleere shining light of grace and the twilight of nature haue condemned drunkennesse as an odious vice Adsacras virg Augustine saith that ebrietas est flagitiorum omnium mater culparumque materia c. Drunkennesse is the mother of outrages the matter of faults the roote of crimes the fountaine of vice the intoxicater of the head the quelling of the senses the tempest of the tongue the storme of the bodie the shipwracke of chastitie losse of time the voluntarie madnesse the ignominious languor the filthinesse of manners the disgrace of life the shame of honestie the corruption of the soule And again Ebrietas est blandus daemon dulce venenum suaue peccatum quam qui habet seipsum non habet quam qui facit peccatum non facit sed totus est peccatum Drunkennesse is an alluring diuell a pleasing poyson a sweete sinne which who so keepes loseth himself and which who so doth may be said not so much to sinne as to bee turned into sinne Lib. de Poenit. And in another place Ebriosus cum absorbet vinum absorbetur à vino abominatur à Deo despicitur ab angelis decidetur ab hominibus destituitur à virtutibus confunditur à daemonibus conculcatur ab hominibus When the drunkard deuoureth wine hee is deuoured of wine he is abominable to God despised of the angels scorned of men abandoned of vertue confounded by the diuels trampled vnder mens feete Chrysostom asketh this question Tom. 5. col 14. Quid ebrietate miserabilius c. What is more miserable then the sinne of drunkennesse seeing the liuing creature by drunkennesse becommeth as it were dead It is a voluntarie diuell a disease without pardon a crime without excuse the common opprobrie of nature c. It were ouer long to recite all which is spoken by holy men to this purpose but this shall serue for a taste But it is no marueile that Christians haue cleerely discerned the vglinesse of this vice §. Sect. 4. 2 By Heathens and Pagans being illuminated by the light of Gods word seeing the Heathens themselues haue discouered the foulenesse of it by the light of nature Pittacus made a law Laert. lib. 1. c. 5. that whosoeuer committed any crime in the time of his drunkennesse should receiue double punishment Solon enacted that if the Prince were found drunken Patric de regn lib. 6. he should be punished with death It was ordained as a law amongst the Indians Alex. ab Alex. lib. 3. cap. 11. that if any woman would venture to kill that King who was giuen to drunkennesse should for her reward marrie his successor Seneca calleth drunkennesse Epist 83. a voluntarie madnesse affirming it 〈◊〉 bee a sottish follie not to know the measure of a mans owne stomacke Plutarch saith that euery modest and honest man will auoid drunkennesse Plutarch moral tom 2. de Garrul because

2. The speciall meanes to preserue vs from the sin of drunkennesse let vs set before vs in a generall view the hainousnes thereof and the manifold euils and mischiefes which doe accompanie it of which I haue alreadie spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and Infidels that thereby wee grieuouslie offend God by making our bellies our god by vnfitting and disabling our selues for his seruice by abusing his good creatures which with a plentifull hand hee hath bestowed vpon vs the necessarie vse whereof many better then wee want that thereby we sin in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common-wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against their owne familie that we hereby most grieuously sinne against our selues by making vs vnfit for our callings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selues into contempt by making our selues the voluntarie slaues of this vice by impouerishing our state and bringing vpon vs want and beggerie by infatuating our vnderstandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakening and destroying our bodies and bringing our selues to vntimely death by excluding our selues out of the number of Christs members and of those who are regenerate by quenching the gifts of the spirit and strengthening the flesh and the lusts thereof by causing our soules to bee possessed with finall impenitencie which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Let vs also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so also it is a cause of other sinnes and a fruitfull mother of all wickednesse as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of manie wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adulterie Let vs also call to minde that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauie and grieuous punishments for it maketh a man liable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauie curse it subiecteth his name to infamie and reproch his state to beggerie his bodie to diseases and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and depriuing the whole man of the ioyes of heauen entreth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments All which being duelie considered may mooue any who hath not onely any dram of religion but euen any naturall reason or but common sense to hate and abhorre leaue and forsake this brutish sinne which being odiously wicked in it selfe is also the cause of so innumerable mischiefes For if those who being diseased with the dropsie will when they are aduised by the wise and faithfull Physition restraine their appetite and refraine from much drinking though by reason of their disease they are continually tormented with an insatiable thirst and that onely to recouer bodilie health and to preserue for a while their temporarie life in the meane time hauing no assurance of attaining vnto their end with all this paines then how much more should those who haue been formerly addicted to this sinne of drunkennesse bridle their appetite and abstaine from excessiue drinking although through their accustomable carousing they haue brought vpon themselues such a necessitie of drinking that it is a torment to forbeare seeing so innumerable euils doe necessarilie accompanie it both in this life and in the life to come which are much more earnestly to bee auoided then many deaths Lastly § Sect. 3. The last means is to auoid the companie of drunkards they who would willingly reclaime themselues from this vice of excessiue drinking must carefully auoide the companie of drunkards And vnto this the wise man perswadeth vs Prou. 23.20 Keepe not companie with drunkards nor with gluttons Prou. 23.20 And the Apostle chargeth vs that if one who is a brother be charged to be a drunkard we should not so much as eate with him 1. Cor. 5.11 1. Cor. 5.11 For if they still haunt this wicked societie after they are recouered of this disease they will easilie through this cōtagious fellowship be againe tainted and fall into a fearefull relapse of their sinne for they will not onely allure them by their example but also draw them with the pretended bond of good fellowship yea vrge and prouoke them with challenges to answere them in their carouses and sometimes with vnkindnes taken and threats of reuenge if they doe refuse and if all this will not mooue them to reenter into their old course they will not sticke after an impudent and impious manner to gibe and scoffe at their new reformation and to lay vpon them the imputation of too austere precisenesse in that they will not follow the practise of their old companions The which motiue although it be of no true force in it selfe yet is there no small strength ministred vnto it by our corruptions for the foiling and ouerthrowing of new conuerts for howsoeuer the wicked are bold in sinne and care not in what companie almost they act their impietie if it bee not within danger of law yet those who haue not receiued a great measure of grace are bashfull and loth to bee seene in any vnaccustomed goodnesse and as if it were some blemish vnto them they are readie to blush if more then ordinarie pietie be laid to their charge or if wicked men doe accuse them of being too religious And thus much I thought good to speake of the sinne of drunkennesse §. Sect. 4. The conclusion of this treatise both to perswade all men to abhorre this vice who are not ouertaken therwith and to disswade those who haue defiled themselues by wallowing in this filthie puddle from persisting in this brutish course The Lord make that which hath been said effectuall to these ends that wee may not only performe the duties of pietie towards him and the duties of righteousnes towards our neighbours but also the duties of temperance and sobrietie toward our selues that so by our Christian liues and conuersation God may bee glorified our brethren edified and we more and more assured of our inheritance amongst Gods Saints in heauen when as we liue as it becommeth his children and seruants here on earth The which grace the God of grace and goodnes vouchsafe vnto vs for his Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be al praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen FINIS A TREATISE AGAINST FORNICATION AND ADVLTERIE WHEREIN IS SHEWED THE hainousnes of these sins the grieuousnes of their punishments and the meanes whereby we may be preserued from them CHAP. I. The sins of the people indanger the Common-wealth AS when the great bodie of the Common-wealth is throughlie purged from the noisome dregs of sinne §. Sect. 1. The sins of the people cause the land to vomit out her inhabitants wherewith it is oppressed and surcharged it sucketh plentifully and as it were with a good appetite Gods liberall gifts and blessings like wholesome food the which

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

they are of one nature and are both direct witches who equally labour to enrich Satans kingdome both with their owne soules and with the soules of others who are seduced by them So among bribers there are some who may be called good in comparison of others who take rewards to right the others wrongs and releeue those whom others by their vniust sentences haue oppressed notwithstanding these are bribers too corrupt vnrighteous and naught although not altogether of so malignant a disposition as the other For it is as great iniustice to inforce a man to buy that which is his owne alreadie as to giue vnto him that which of right belongeth to another and hee that goeth thus farre to make iustice which is in her nature free to become venall and of a slauish nature within a while will be so blinded with gifts that he will not sticke to set iniustice also to sale and as one saith Qui non erubescat dicere Greg. lib. 12. Moral quid mihi dabis vt tibi iustitiam faciam nonne simile est ac sidicatur quid mihi vultis dare vt abnegem officium perdam deum vendam That is He that blusheth not to say what wil you giue me and I will doe you iustice is as readie to say what will you giue me and I will denie to execute iustice neglect my dutie and sell God himselfe Howsoeuer it is it cannot be but great preiudice to the vprightnesse of a Iudge and a shrewd presumption of his corruption when as hee receiueth gifts of those who haue suites depending before him for as a wife or maide would incurre the danger of iust suspition of hauing an vncleane heart who being solicited by a fornicator to commit whoredome should receiue his gifts although she should denie his suite for howsoeuer in word she refuse his wicked motion yet indeed she receiueth pledges of his loue so likewise are such Iudges not without cause to bee suspected who receiue gifts of those who labour to peruert iudgement for howsoeuer in outward shew they make profession of integritie yet in action they receiue the pawnes of vnrighteousnesse which will cause them to preiudice the cause and to hault in the administration of iustice and to respect the person of one more then of another and the cause for the persons sake Fourthly §. Sect. 9. Briberie is a cause of treacherie and treason the sinne of bribing is pernicious to the common-wealth as it is a cause of all treacherie and treason against the State For he that will not sticke to sel iustice and iniustice will not sticke to set the common-wealth to sale also and betray it into the hands of the enemie for large gifts when he doth but get opportunitie and can doe it safely secretly and without danger Of this great Philip of Macedon had often experience in his time and therefore he thought no castle so impregnable no fort so strong but that there might be found roome and passage for an asse laden with gold to enter into it But much more doth this corruption abound in our times for who seeth not that it is an vsuall thing in the time of warre as the prouerbe is Argenteis hastis pugnare to fight with siluer pikes to vndermine a State with siluer pick-axes and to batter downe the walles of the best defenced Citie with these golden bullets Neither do the great Commanders of these times vsually bring their forces against any countrie or citie or venture to winne it by inuasion and assault before they haue first made way vnto themselues by large gifts and by corrupting bribes haue made a great partie of the aduerse side or at least some speciall men who may giue them from time to time secret intelligence of all affaires of the State of oportunities to bee vsed and impediments to be remoued and who will when occasion serues betray their countrie as much as in them lieth into the enemies hand And by this meanes more cities are sacked and more countries subdued then by force of armes and dint of sword yea in truth so doth this bribing corruption infect all States in these daies that were it not that the Princes and gouernors being taught by manifold experience the greatnesse of this danger had a most vigilant eye to foresee and spie out these mischiefes and a seuere hand to punish trecherie when it is discouered scarce any State would remaine vnshaken and vnruined by these corrupt courses Lastly bribing is pernicious to the common-wealth §. Sect. 10. Bribing bringeth the common wealth to destruction as being in it selfe a notable meanes to bring it to destruction for not onely it ouerthroweth iustice and truth which are as it were the sinewes wherewith all States are strengthened and held together and euen the verie pillars vpon which the good and safetie of all common-wealthes are built which being taken away the State must needs bee weakened dissipated and brought to ruine but also it inflameth the fire of Gods wrath against that countrie where it much aboundeth and bringeth downe his fearefull iudgements vpon it whereby it will soone be destroyed though there were no enemies to oppose against it And as this truth is warranted by manifold experience of these times so by the infallible word of God which cannot lie Pro. 29 4. So Prou. 29.4 A King by iudgemen maintaineth the countrie but a man receiuing gifts destroyeth it The Prophet Ezechiel also reckoneth this sinne of bribing amongst those capitall sinnes which moued the Lord to bring vpon Ierusalem destruction and desolation Ezech. 22.12.14.15 Ezech. 22.12 The Prophet Micah likewise hauing shewed that all sorts of rulers amongst the people of Iuda were corrupted with bribing saith that for this cause Zion should bee plowed as a field and Ierusalem should bee made an heape of stones and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest Mich. 3.11.12 Mich. 3.11.12 CHAP. V. That the sinne of bribing is excceding hatefull to the Church BVt as the sinue of bribing is pernicious to the common-wealth §. Sect. 1. Bribing is the dore whereby insufficient Ministers enter so likewise it is exceeding hurtfull to the Church For as Iudas being possessed with greedie couetousnesse cared not to betray our head Iesus Christ for a reward saying vnto the high Priests What will you giue me and I will betray him so the greedie patrones of these dayes intending onely their owne gaine sticke not to betray the body of Christ to wit his Church into the hands of Ieroboams Priests made of the basest of the people in the first place demanding with Iudas What will you giue me neuer regarding in the meane while how few their graces bee whom they present so their gifts be manie nor how vnfit they are to teach the people so they are sufficient to bring large rewards or at least to subscribe vnto bonds by which they exclude themselues from the greatest part of their