A20762:1344
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
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.
§. Sect. 3 Of Prayer, Thanksgiving, and reading the Scriptures privately on the Lords Day.
§. Sect. 3 Of Prayer, Thankesgiuing, and reading the Scriptures priuately on the Lords Day.
After some time spent in these and such like meditations, we are in the next place to perform the duty of private prayer, which is to be fitted to the Lords Day. For prostrating our selves before the Throne of grace, in the mediation of Jesus Christ, we are to confess and acknowledge, as our other sins, so those especially whereby we have offended God in respect of his Sabbaths, and the duties of his service; as our original corruption, whereby we have utterly disabled our selves, in all the powers and parts of our souls and bodies, to all holy duties and religious worship, ⟨p. 391⟩and become apt and prone to the contrary sins; and our actual transgressions, whereby we have broken all Gods Commandments, especially those which respect his Sabbaths and service; as the profaning of his holy Day by utter neglect of all holy duties, or by imperfect performance of them, want of preparation, of reverence and attention, faith and fervency of spirit in hearing the Word, and calling upon Gods name, want of care in laying it up in our hearts and memories, and practising it in our lives, &c. And thus as in our Complaints we are to bewail other wants, so those especially which make us unfit to perform any acceptable service unto God; and in our petitions, as we are to beg other gifts and graces whereof we stand in need, so those above others, which enable us to the better sanctification of the Lords Day, in performing unto him his spiritual worship; as hungering and thirsting after the means of Gods glory, and our salvation, prepared hearts, and good consciences, faith, and fervency of spirit, reverence and attention in hearing the Word; and Gods blessing and assistance of his holy Spirit unto his Minister and Ambassador, that he may speak the Word powerfully and profitably, as to all the Congregation whereof we are members, so unto us especially for our edification and building up in all spiritual grace; the mortification of our special vices and corruptions, the increasing of our virtues, and confirming of our strength, unto the performance of all Christian and holy duties, wherein as yet we are most defective. And finally, in our praises and thanksgiving we are to magnify Gods holy Name, as for all his blessings and benefits, so for those especially which respect this Day;