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.

§. Sect. 2 Of meditati∣ons fit to be vsed on the Lords Day.

Secondly, being awakened out of sleepe, we must in the first place settle our selues to performe those religious and holy duties belonging to euery morning, of which we haue formerly spoken, but with these differences; first, that wee respect in them the Lords Day, and make speciall applica∣tion of them vnto that present occasion. And secondly, that we doe in an extraordinary manner stirre vp our selues to performe them with more ar∣dent zeale, and greater deuotion then at any other time. For example, we must awake with God, and in our first thoughts set him before vs, and our selues in his presence, that we may in a speciall manner performe the peculiar duties of his seruice, which that Day aboue others he requireth of vs. And first, we must deuoutly lift vp our hearts and soules to praise his holy Name, for preseruing vs the whole weeke and night past from all perils and dangers, continuing still vnto vs, life, liberty, and all good meanes and opportunities, whereby wee are inabled yet once againe to sanctifie his Sabbath, by performing vnto him the duties of his seruice; earnestly desiring the continuance of his fauour, and the gracious assist∣ance of his holy Spirit, to guide and leade vs thorowout the day follow∣ing, that wee may therein carry our selues in such an holy and religious manner, as that all the seruice which we performe vnto him, may be plea∣sing and acceptable in his sight, and may wholly tend to the aduancement of his glory, the edification of our brethren, the inriching of our soules with all spirituall graces, and the furthering and assuring of our saluation. After which short Prayer, we are to spend some time in holy meditation, the subiect and matter whereof may bee the infinite and inestimable loue and mercies of God, innumerable wayes shewed vnto vs, but especially in giuing vnto vs his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne, to dye for our sinnes, and as this Day to arise againe for our iustification. In which, we may inlarge our selues as time and leasure will serue, by calling to our remembrance the particular parts of Christs Passion, as his miseries and afflictions in the whole course of his life, his betraying and apprehension, his haling to the Iudgement seate of mortall men, who was the Soue∣raigne Iudge of heauen and earth, his accusing and condemning, who

was innocent, that hee might acquit vs who are malefactours. Also how he was railed and spit vpon, scourged and tormented, clothed with purple and crowned with thornes, scorned and derided, numbred among the wicked, and crucified betweene two thieues, died the death, the bitter, ig∣nominious, and cursed death of the Crosse; and in his soule bore and in∣dured for our sakes the anger of God, much more heauy and intolerable then all his other sufferings, which made him in that his bitter agony to sweate water and blood, and to cry out vpon the Crosse; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Vnto which, we may adde in our medita∣tions the manifold and exceeding fruits and benefits of his death and re∣surrection redounding vnto vs, that so we may not onely bee stirred vp to vnfained thankfulnesse vnto God the Father, who hath of his meere loue giuen his Sonne, euen when wee were strangers and enemies, to doe all this for vs; and to God the Sonne, who hath, being equall with his Father, thus humbled himselfe to worke the great worke of our Redemption; and to God the holy Spirit, for applying the fruits and benefits of Christs pas∣sion and resurrection vnto vs, making them effectuall for our iustification and saluation: but also hauing our hearts inflamed with the apprehension of this their loue, we may be mooued heereby to loue them againe, and bee made zealous in their seruice, thinking nothing enough which wee can doe, to glorifie them who haue beene so good and gracious vnto vs. We are to meditate also on our sinnes which we haue falne into, especial∣ly since the last Lords Day, either in the omission or imperfect perfor∣mance of good duties, or in the commission of euill that we may seriously bewaile and repent of them, before we present our selues in the holy assem∣blies, to performe the publike duties of Gods seruice. Seeing hee will be honoured in all that draw neere vnto him, either in his mercy, by forgiuing the sinnes of the repentant, or in his iustice, by punishing those that con∣tinue in their impenitency. So also wee are to examine and search out those sinnes and corruptions, vnto which our fraile nature is most incli∣ned, and wherewith wee haue beene most often ouertaken, that so going into Gods spirituall armorie, wee may fit our selues with such weapons as may defend and strengthen vs against them; and get such wholesome preseruatiues, as may keepe vs from being tainted and infected, after our recouery, with the like contagious poyson. Wee are likewise to examine our wants, and in what graces of Gods holy Spirit we are most defectiue, and in what holy duties wee are most backward and sluggish, that so wee may supply our defects when wee come into this spirituall market, by ap∣plying such doctrines and instructions, admonitions and exhortations, as shall be most fitting for this purpose.

Notes

• Iob. 3. 16.
• Rom. 5. 8, 10. Phil. 2. 6.
• Leuit. 10. 2.