A Treatise Against Lying, Title page – Imprimatur
A TREATISE AGAINST LYING.
WHEREIN IS SHEVVED VVHAT IT IS, THE NATVRE AND CAVSES 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.
EPH. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away Lying, ſpeake every man Truth with his neighbour, for we are members one with another.
LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Nicolas Bourne, and are to bee ſould at his ſhop, at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange.
1636.
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 Epidemicall, infectious and of a ſpreading nature, are alſo mortall; 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 neede the skill and care of the learned Phyſitian, ſeeing the Patient being inſenſible of his ſickeneſſe, is careleſſe of his owne recovery. And the ſame alſo as it may bee truely ſaid of all vices, the ſickeneſſes of the Soule, which are then moſt perillous, when as they are common, over-ſpreading all ſorts of men with an univerſall infection, deadly dangerous, and yet ſo ſtupifying thoſe that are tainted and taken with them, that they are inſenſible of their diſeaſe, and ſhunne careleſſely the meanes of cure; ſo eſpecially, it may fitly be applied to this vitious habite of Lying, which is ſo univerſall an infection, that wee may particularly apply unto it Salomons queſtion, who can ſay I have made my heart Prov. 20. 9 Pſal. 5. 6. Apoc. 22. …. & 21. 8.cleane, I am pure from this ſinne? So mortally dangerous, that without repentance it bringeth certaine destruction, excludeth us from Heavenly Happineſſe, and casteth us headlong into the fire of Hell; and yet ſo pleaſing to corrupt nature, and ſo availeable (as men thinke) for the atchieving of their worldly and carnall ends, that they are inſenſible of their danger, love their diſeaſe, and neglecting all meanes of cure doe live and die in it without repentance. In which regard as it is the duety of thoſe whom God hath called to bee the Soules Phyſitians, that they ſhew their skill and care in diſcovering this dangerous diſeaſe, and in uſing all good meanes both for the preventing and curing of it: So I thought my ſelfe intereſſed in this worke, and the rather becauſe being an argument of ſuch neceſſary importance, yet there hath beene hitherto little written of it. Of which my poore labours, I have made choyce of your Honours as Patrons, being hereunto mooved, partly by that experimentall knowledge which I have had of your piety and love to religion, approved by your practice of Chriſtian duties in your daily exerciſe, your good reſpect to the Miniſters of Chriſt, and all that feare God; as alſo your delighting in Truth, Juſtice, and all other Vertues: For who are more fitte to protect thoſe workes that oppoſe vice, than ſuch whoſe courſe and converſation is ennobled with Vertue, and Goodneſſe; and partly that hereby I might make an acknowledgement how much I am obliged to your Honours for your undeſerved favours: And becauſe Iam ſo deepely indebted, that it is not in my power to make any ſatisfaction, to leave unto the world a gratefull rememberance of my many obligations: Not doubting but that our great LORD and MAISTER, (whoſe rewardes and retributions are like Himſelfe, Infinite and Everlaſting, and hath taken whatſoever kindneſſe is done unto any of his poore Diſciples and Miniſters upon his owne account, (and made it his owne debt) will out of his All-ſufficiency, bountifully ſupply what is wanting on my part through inability, and richly recompence all your many favours towards me, with the Bleſsings of this life; and Eternall Happineſſe in the Life to come: which ſhall bee the dayly prayer of
Your Honours moſt obliged in all Chriſtian duties, JOHN DOWNAME.
Recenſui librum hunc cui titulus eſt (A Treatiſe againſt the ſinne of Lying) In quo nihil reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publica imprimatur; modò intra tres menſes proximè ſequentes typis mandetur.
Exaedibus Londin. Novem. 3. 1635. SAM. BAKER.