A20762:808
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.
CAP. XII.
Of the duties of the daily exercise, in every several part of the day. And first of waking with God, by Prayer and Meditation.
Of the duties of the daily exercise, in euery seuerall part of the day. And first of waking with God, by Prayer and Meditation.
§. Sect. 1 Of lifting up our hearts unto God, as soon as we awake, that we may offer unto him our first service.
§. Sect. 1 Of lifting vp our hearts vnto God, assoone as we awake, that we may offer vnto him our first seruice.
Having spoken of those Christian duties which are necessarily to be performed throughout the whole day; we are now come to show how the day is to be spent in the particular parts of it, and what special duties are to be performed in them severally, as God shall give us conveniency and opportunity. The which we will divide, as the natural day consisting of four and twenty hours is divided, into such duties as respect either the day or night. The duties of the day, are either those which ordinarily and constantly are to be done in certain parts of the day, without omission or alteration, unless upon some urgent cause; or those which respect circumstances, persons, states, occurrents, not limited unto any certain time of the day, but waiting upon the most opportune and fit occasions. Of the former sort are duties merely religious, and belonging to all Christians generally and indifferently; or civill duties, which notwithstanding ought to be performed of all the faithful, after an holy and religious manner. The first religious duty wherewith we are to begin the day, is, that as soon as we awake out of our sleep, we offer unto God a morning sacrifice, and (as it were) the first fruits of all our thoughts, affections, and endeavours, sequestring them from the world and earthly vanities, that they may be fixed upon God, and things heavenly and spiritual. And even whilst our bodies lye still on our beds, and before we have unbarred the door of our lips, to give passage unto our words, in this still silence, we must lift up our hearts unto God to commune with him, and (as it were) to salute him, by consecrating unto him their first and best service. Of which duty we have David an example for our imitation, who no sooner awaked, but he was presently with God, as he professeth, and sought him