A20762:2861
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 before receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
A Prayer before receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
O Lord our God, who art infinite in goodness, grace, and mercy; most true in all thy promises, and most just and powerful in performance; thou hast, when we were strangers and enemies, subject to the curse of the Law, and liable to thy wrath, by reason of our manifold and grievous sins, and utterly unable to free our selves out of the state of death and condemnation, given unto us thine only and dear Son, to work the great work of our Redemption, by his perfect satisfaction, death, and obedience. By whom, thy Justice being fully satisfied, and thy wrath appeased, thou hast made with us in him thy Covenant of grace, wherein thou hast promised the free pardon of our sins, and the salvation of our souls, grace in this life, and glory and happiness in the life to come, upon the alone condition of faith, laying hold upon Christ and his righteousness, and bringing forth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and amendment of life. The which, though it be in it self of most infallible truth, yet having respect to our weakness, doubting, and infidelity, thou hast been graciously pleased to confirm it unto us, by adding thereunto thy Seals, the Sacraments. So that nothing hath been wanting on thy part, either for the perfecting the great work of our Redemption, or the effectual applying of it unto us for our use and benefit. But (O Lord) we humbly confess, that as we have shamefully broken the Covenant of works, by failing in the condition of perfect obedience; and have made void thy promises of life and happiness, by our grievous and innumerable sins, both original and actual; so also, as much as in us lieth, we have deprived our selves of the benefits which thou offerest unto us in the new Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ, by our manifold failings, wants, and imperfections in performing our promises made unto thee, if thou shouldest look to the perfection of our graces and outward actions, and not unto the inward truth and sincerity of our hearts. For we have not thoroughly acquainted our selves with the knowledge of thy saving truth, concerning this great mystery of our salvation, nor searched and examined these spiritual Evidences, for the clear understanding of them;