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.

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Title
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.
Author
Downame, John, d. 1652.
Publication
Printed at London :: By Felix Kingstone [and William Stansby] for Ed: Weuer & W: Bladen at the north dore of Pauls,
[1622]
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Subject terms
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20762.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 17, 2024.

Pages

§. Sect. 5 Meditations at our first lying downe.

Besides this examination, there are also other Meditations very profit∣able; as to call to our remembrance Gods manifold blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the day past, respecting our soules, bodies, and states; in that he hath preseru'd vs from innumerable euils, with which many others haue beene ouertaken; for continuing vnto vs still the acceptable time and day of saluation, and suffering vs with so much patience to continue in this life, that we may make our calling and election sure, notwithstanding our manifold and grieuous sinnes; for giuing vnto vs some poore desires and indeuours to doe him seruice, and to accept of it in Christ, though in it selfe full of wants and imperfections. Especially, if we haue in any mea∣sure performed the former duties of the daily exercise, we must not forget

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to render vnto God the praise and glory due vnto him for it, by the gra∣cious assistance of whose holy Spirit, we, who of our selues, are not able so much as to thinke a good thought, haue beene inabled vnto them. So likewise it is requisite, that at our lying downe we call our sinnes to our re∣membrance, the duties which wee haue omitted, or corruptly performed, and the vices which we haue committed, and though through Gods mer∣cy wee haue beene preserued from grosser sinnes, yet wee must not thinke our selues so excused, but call to minde our frailties and infirmities, for which, God in his righteous iudgement might condemne vs. Our sloth and backwardnesse to good duties, our coldnesse, wearinesse, and many distractions in Gods seruice, our excesse in mirth or sorrow, the neglect of our Christian watch ouer our thoughts, senses, words and workes; our idle∣nesse or vnprofitablenesse, pride, selfe-loue, vniust anger, sinister conceits, and vniust censures of our neighbours, and such like. In the sight and sense whereof, we must truely humble our soules before God by vnfained repen∣tance, and earnestly begge in Christs Name mercy and forgiuenesse. Fi∣nally, it is profitable then to remember our mortality and mutability, death and Iudgement; that we who now goe well to bed, may shortly bee cast vpon the bed of sickenesse, and we that now liue, may within a while be imprisoned vnder the arrest of death; yea, let vs not looke vpon it as a thing farre off, but approching at the threshold, and ready to knocke at the doore, and thinke that this very night, as well as another, may bee the time when God by sicknesse and death will summon vs to appeare before his Tribunall. And if in respect of thy health and strength this seemeth vn∣likely, consider that it hath beene the case of many before thee; and that which befalleth any, may happen to all. In which regard, let vs not dare to sleepe, till through Christ we are at peace with God, haue made our accounts euen by pleading Christs satisfaction and full payment, and haue our pardon in our hands to shew, sealed to all the faithfull with his blood, and to vs in particular, by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith, applying the fruit and benefit of his death vnto vs. And then resigning our soules and bodies into the hands of him who is a faithfull Sauiour, and able to keepe safe whatsoeuer is intrusted vnto him, we may with Dauid, lying downe in peace, take our rest; because it is he onely that maketh vs dwell in safety.

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