A Guide to Godliness, Dedication 2 – Errata 2
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, Sir Henrie Mountagu, KNIGHT; Baron of KIMBOLTON, Viſcount MANDEVILLE, Lord Preſident of his MAIESTIES moſt Honorable Priuie Counſell; And to the truely Noble and Vertuous Lady, the Lady MARGARET his Wife.
J. D. wiſheth all temporall happines, with the confluence of all ſpirituall Graces in this life, and eternall bleſſedneſſe in the life to come.
Right Honorable, and my moſt honored Lord and Lady,
AS long peace and proſperitie, are the common cauſes of carnal ſecuritie and hardneſſe of heart, ſo theſe the vſuall forerunners of fearefull puniſhments, ſeeing in this deſperate Diſeaſe (which we may fitly call, the ſtone in the heart) more gentle Medicines will not effect the cure. For when mens hearts are come to braſſy or flinty hardneſſe, nothing will melt them (without ſome extraordinary worke of the Spirit) but the fiery furnace of Affliction, nothing will bruiſe and breake them, but the heauy hammer of Gods dreadfull iudgements. And this is manifeſt in the examples of all Ages, which are left vntounto vsus in the Scriptures, to giuegive vsus warning. As of the old world, Sodome and her bordering Cities; and of the Iſraelites, Gods owne beſt beloued people, all which, as they were lulled aſleepe in the Cradle of carnall Security, with the pleaſing and bewitching tunes of peace and pleaſure; ſo were they alwayes, when they leaſt ſuſpected it, ſurpriſed vponupon the ſuddaine in their lethargie of ſinne, with ſome remarkable plagues and puniſhments. And therefore conſidering with my ſelfe, that our long peace, plenty and proſperity hath infected the moſt that liue in our land, with deepe ſecurity and retchleſſe careleſneſſe, and cauſed them to dreame, that this Sun-ſhine will neuer ſet: I could not chuſe but ſuſpect, and daily expect the neer approching of the other, and that the darke night of affliction and calamity will ere long ſurprize vsus, vnleſſe the loude cries of Gods Miniſters doe ſpeedily awaken vsus out of our lethargie, and moue vsus to meet the Lord and preuent his iudgements, by turning vntounto him in vnfayned repentance. In which regard, being appoynted and called by God to bee one of his (though leaſt worthy) watchmen, whoſe office requireth, that we ſhould not only our ſelues keep the ſpirituall watch, but alſo, as much as in vsus lyeth, awaken others: I thought it my duty, by giuing warning of theſe approaching dangers, to rowze vp as many as I could out of this ſleepe, or rather lethargie of ſecuritie. And becauſe my voyce were farre too weake (though I could, as the Lord requireth, lift it vp as a Trumpet) to be heard of all the people of this Land, I hauehave indeuoured to conuay the ſound thereof (as it were) by theſe paper Pipes, euen vntounto the moſt remote places; and to thoſe eſpecially, where the liuely voyce of Gods faithfull watchmen, is rarely heard; either becauſe the meanes of their maintenance by ſacriledge and Church-robbery, or ſymonicall fraud is taken away; or becauſe dumbe, or idle and ſleeping watchmen doe hold their places, without any care to performe their duty, as neither keeping the watch themſelues, nor being either able or willing to keepe others waking. The which my labours I hauehave made bold to dedicate vntounto your Honors: To you, my Lord, I confeſſe, not without ſome preſumption, as not being hitherto known vntounto you, yet herein not vnexcuſable, in that it proceedeth from a deſire to ſhew how much I honor you, for your profeſsion and protection of Gods true and ſincere Religion, in that Honourable place vntounto which God hath called you; your louelove to Learning, and fouour towards the Learned. But to you Noble Ladie, in whoſe notice and vndeſerued reſpect, I hauehave beene more happie, I hauehave deuoted this poore part and mite of my worthleſſe Workes, that liuing in theſe Paper Monuments, as it were, in my longeſt laſting poſterity, I may, euen after death hath impoſed ſilence, ſtill teſtifie vntounto the world mine humble louelove and vnfayned thankefulneſſe, for your manifold and great fauours vouchſafed vntounto me; and how much I honor you for thoſe ſingular vertues and graces, wherewith God hath inriched you, eſpecially your piety towards him and louelove of his truth, much approoued, as by many other fruits, ſo eſpecially by your louelove to his Miniſters and Ambaſſadors. The which were ample matter for a larger diſcourſe, to incourage others of your ranke to imitation, did not your modeſty and humility attending and adorning all the reſt, admoniſh mee that ſuch praiſes of you, vntounto you, will bee thought vnneceſſary, if not vnpleaſing and diſtaſtfull. The Lord infinitely rich in all goodneſſe and perfection, more and more multiply, all Chriſtian Vertues and ſauing Graces in you both; in the light and luſtre whereof you ſhall be euer more truly honorable in the ſight of God and all thoſe that feare him, then in the higheſt dignities and nobleſt aduancements that the world can yeeld vntounto you.
Your Honors moſt obliged in all Chriſtian duetie and humble ſeruice, IOHN DOWNAME.
Faults eſcaped in the Treatiſe of Securitie.
Pag. 6. l. 3. r. his mercies. p. 64. l. 9. r. idle ſpectator. p. 65. l. 22. r. opinion of our. p. 66. l. 6. r. againſt them in. p. 68. l. 22. r. by inuring. p. 70. l. 28. r. let vsus watch. p 83. l. 13. r. in the vſe. p. 89. l. 16. r. for a ſpurt. p. 92. l. 8. r. peace and ſecuritie. And l. 20. r. God infinite.