A20762:877
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. 4 What method is best to be observed in disposing the parts of our prayers.
§ Sect. 4 What method is best to be obserued in disposing the parts of our prayers.
Unto the form of prayer, we may add something of the method and right disposing of the parts. The parts of prayer to be used ordinarily of us are three: confession, petition, and thanksgiving. In our private confessions of our sins, we are (having first a true sense and feeling, hatred & detestation of them) to acknowledge them, & bewail them, not only generally, but also specially and particularly, and those above the rest which we have last committed, and with which we have most often and grievously displeased and dishonoured God, and wounded our own consciences, according to the example of David, in the one and fiftieth Psalm; and withal aggravate them by their several circumstances, especially the consideration of the person against whom they were committed, our glorious God and gracious Father in Jesus Christ; adjudging and condemning our selves in regard of them, to be less then the least of Gods mercies, and worthy of his greatest plagues and punishments. Unto ⟨p. 237⟩which we are to adjoin petition, and first, that God for his mercies sake, his promise sake, and his Christs sake, will forgive us all our sins, and never lay them to our charge, seeing our Saviour hath fully satisfied his Justice for them; and so, that being justified and freed from the guilt and punishment of our sins, he will be reconciled unto us, and receive us into his love and favour. Secondly, that God will be pleased to seal up the assurance hereof in our hearts and consciences, by the gracious testimony of his holy Spirit, and give unto us the spirit of Adoption, crying in our hearts, 1Abba Father, and witnessing to our spirits, that we are his children by adoption and grace. Thirdly, that he will sanctify us by the same Spirit, mortifying and crucifying in us more and more our sinful corruptions, so as they may not rule and reign in us, as at former times, and that he will also quicken us unto holiness and newness of life, and enable us to yield obedience to his holy and heavenly will. Fourthly, that he will to these ends graciously vouchsafe unto us the means which may enable us unto them, and make them effectual by his good blessing upon them. Especially, that he will indue us with the sanctifying gifts and graces of his holy Spirit;