A20762:2825
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.
A Prayer for the Family in the Morning.
O Lord our God, who by thine infinite wisdom and power hast created all things in heaven and earth, and by thy gracious and all-ruling providence dost continually sustain and preserve them, we thine humble and unworthy servants, do here, in the mediation of Jesus Christ, prostrate our selves before the Throne of Grace, acknowledging that unto thee belongeth all glory and praise, but unto us shame and confusion of face; for whereas thou diddest create us, according to thine own Image, in wisdom, holiness and righteousness, we have fallen in the loins of our first parents, from this blessed estate, by transgressing of thy Commandment, and thereby have defaced thy glorious Image in us, deprived our selves of all happiness, and become liable unto death of body and soul. Yea, we have derived from our first parents, not only the guilt of their sin, but also the corruption of their nature, which hath so overspread all the powers and parts of our souls and bodies, that they are utterly impotent and insufficient to perform any duties of thy service, for which end they were created; but most forward and cheerful in the service of sin and Satan. From which root of original sin, we have brought forth those cursed fruits of actual transgressions, which ⟨p. 900⟩we have multiplied against thy Majesty, by breaking all and every of thy Commandments in thought, word and deed, even from the beginning of our days to this present time. Many have been our secret sins, of which, thou alone and our own consciences have been witnesses; and many have we committed in the view of the world, to the dishonour of thy blessed Name, and slander of our Christian profession. Many have been our sins of ignorance, the which unto us are unexcusable, because thou hast revealed thy self and thy will so clearly unto us; and many likewise have been our sins against knowledge and conscience, and the good motions of thy holy Spirit. Oftentimes have we sinned through frailty, being surprised upon the sudden, with the violent and subtle tentations of our spiritual enemies; and oftentimes wilfully, advisedly and deliberately, after many vows and promises of repentance and amendment.