A69235:8
A treatise against lying Wherein is showed what it is, the nature and causes…A treatise against lying Wherein is shevved vvhat it is, the nature and causes…
A treatise against lying Wherein is showed what it is, the nature and causes of this sin, the divers kinds of it; and that all of them are sinful, and unlawful, with the motives and means to preserve us from it, or to cure us of it. By John Downame, B. of D. and preacher of Gods Word.A treatise against lying Wherein is shevved vvhat it is, the nature and causes of this sinne, the divers kindes of it; and that all of them are sinfull, and unlawfull, with the motives and meanes to preserve us from it, or to cure us of it. By John Dovvname, B. of D. and preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Nicolas Bourne, 1636
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD, LORD NEWBURGH, Chancellor of the DUCHY of Lancaster, one of his Majesties most Honourable privy Council, and to the virtuous LADY his Wife. J. D. wisheth all temporal happiness in this life, and everlasting blessedness, in the Life to come.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD, LORD NEWBVRGH, Chancellour of the DVTCHIE of Lancaster, one of his Majesties most Honourable privie Counsell, and to the vertuous LADY his Wife. J. D. wisheth all temporall happinesse in this life, and everlasting blessednesse, in the Life to come.
There are no diseases, (right Honourable) so dangerous to a Country or Common-wealth, as those which being Epidemical, infectious and of a spreading nature, are also mortal; and yet so desperately neglected by the people, that they have not any providence to prevent them, or care to cure them: neither do any more need the skill and care of the learned Physician, ⟨image 3⟩seeing the Patient being insensible of his sickness, is careless of his own recovery. And the same also as it may be truly said of all vices, the sicknesses of the Soul, which are then most perilous, when as they are common, over-spreading all sorts of men with an universal infection, deadly dangerous, and yet so stupefying those that are tainted and taken with them, that they are insensible of their disease, and shun carelessly the means of cure; so especially, it may fitly be applied to this vicious habit of Lying, which is so universal an infection, that we may particularly apply unto it Solomons question, who can say I have made my heart 1clean, I am pure from this sin? So mortally dangerous, that without repentance it bringeth certain destruction, excludeth us from Heavenly Happiness, and casteth us headlong into the fire of ⟨image 3⟩Hell; and yet so pleasing to corrupt nature, and so available (as men think) for the achieving of their worldly and carnal ends, that they are insensible of their danger, love their disease, and neglecting all means of cure do live and die in it without repentance. In which regard as it is the duty of those whom God hath called to be the Souls Physicians, that they show their skill and care in discovering this dangerous disease, and in using all good means both for the preventing and curing of it: So I thought my self interested in this work, and the rather because being an argument of such necessary importance, yet there hath been hitherto little written of it. Of which my poor labours, I have made choice of your Honours as Patrons, being hereunto moved, partly by that experimental knowledge which I have had