The Christians Sanctuary, Title page – Table of contents
THE CHRISTIANS SANCTVARIE: Whereinto being retired, he may safely be preserued in the middest of all dangers. Fit for all men to read at all times, especially for those that are exercised in the schoole of affliction, in the time of Gods present Visitation. Described in two Bookes or Treatises:
I. Of the Christian exercise of Fasting.
II. Of holy Inuocation on Gods name.
By GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie.
SALVS VITAE.
LONDON, Printed by Adam Islip for Thomas Man, dwelling in Pater-noster Row, at the signe of the Talbot. 1604.
To the Right worshipfull my singuler good friend Mr. Iames Mountague Doctor of Diuinitie, and Deane of his Maiesties Chappell.
WHen as it pleased God by his publicke visitation the last yeare, to call vsus vntounto Fasting and mourning, and to mooue the Royall heart of our Soueraigne Lord the King, to proclaime a generall Fast to be obserued weekly: I did acknowledge it to be my bounden duty, (hauing according to direction of publicke authoritie, assembled the congregation ouer which I am placed, for the obseruation of those Fasts) first, to instruct them in the doctrine of fasting and prayer, and after to stirre them vp to the effectuall practise of these Christian duties. Wherefore, after I had bestowed some paynes that way, I was intreated by a louing friend that I would not only set downe in writing a couple of my Sermons which especially handle the dutie of prayer; but also pen a Treatise of the Christian exercise of Fasting. The which I was the more easily persuaded vntounto, because it was then alledged, and I knew not the contrarie, That there was very little written of this argument in the English tongue. Howbeit, I do now vnderstand, that not onelyonly before that time, but also since I wrot this Treatise, (which I wholly finished the last yeare) some others hauehave taken good paines in this kind. To whose godly labors this booke of mine, though published after them, ought not to be preiudiciall, as though I had gathered into this short sum, what they and & others hauehave written more at large of this argument: for as I had fully finished this Treatise before I saw theirs, so hauehave I not since taken any thing from them.
This Treatise of the Christian exercise of Fasting, together with the other of Prayer, containing two Sermons on the 15 verse of the 50 Psalme (which were written in the due season, though published thus late, hauing waited at London euer since the last yeare vponupon the printing of my Lectures on the 15. Psalme:) I now dedicat to your Worship, as a small token of my great louelove, and a perpetuall remembrance of mine vnfained thankfulnesse: Of my louelove, in respect of your manifold vertues, wherewith I was long acquainted whiles we liued together in Christs Colledge, that famous seminarie of good learning and true godlinesse: Of my thankfulnesse, in regard not onelyonly of your former goodwill, but also of your late fauours vouchsafed vntounto me since you followed the Court. The Lord blesse you and enrich you with his graces, and increase your fauour with God and man, to his glorie, and your owne endlesse comfort. Amen.
Mondon in Hertfordshire, the 12. of Nouember. Anno 1604. Your worships in the Lord, George Downame.
THE ANALISIS OF THE FIRST Treatise, being the Christian Exercise of Fasting.
This Treatise containeth the
Doctrine of the true and Christian fast, shewing in
Generall what fasting is. §. 1.
Particular the sorts of fasting. §. 2. viz. that it is either
Naturall.
Ciuile.
Spirituall: and that is either the
Morall or chast fast. §. 3.4.5.6.
Religious fast. §. 7.8.9.10, 11.12.13.14.15. whereof there are two
Parts, viz. the
Outward and bodily exercise of abstinence. §. 16. where we consider
From what we are to abstaine, viz. from
Helpes of this life, as from
Food wholly §. 17.18.
Sleepe in part. §. 19.
Better apparell. §. 20.
Worldly delights and pleasures. §. 21.
Bodily labours and wordly businesse. §. 22.23.24.
For how long we are to abstaine, and what the time of the fast is. §. 25.26.
Inward and spiritual exercise (§. 27.) of prayer joyned with repentance, which we consider
Ioyntly. § 28.29.
seuerally, viz.
Prayer, whereof the
Parts are
Deprecation of euill. foreign. §. 35.
Precation of good. foreign. §. 36.
Properties
Feruencie. §. 37.
Faith. §. 38.39.40.41.
Repentance, the parts whereof are
Humiliation or penitencie (foreign) which is partly
Inward, and that is the
Sence of our miserie, and sorrow for sin. §. 30.
Humble conceit, and base estimation of our selues. §. 31.32.
Outward as
Lamentation and bewayling of our miserie. §. 33.
Confession of our sinne. §.34.
Amendment (foreign) which standeth in
Eschewing euill, and fasting from sinne. §. 42.43.44.
Ensuing that which is good, both for the time
Present by practising duties of
Pietie towards God. Charitie towards men: but especially the works of merciemercy. §. 45.46.
To come by purposing and promising amendment. § 57.
Sorts, for it is either
Priuat. §. 48.
Publicke, where we consider the
Appointment of it
By whom. §. 49.
VponUpon what occasion, as the
Obtaining of some publicke blessing §. 50.
Remouing of some publick euil, either of
Sinne,
Punishment, either
threatned §. 51.
inflicted, as
Sword. Famine. Pestilēce. Captiuitie §. 53.54.
Obseruation of it
By whom. §. 55.
How, viz. that it is to be sanctified as a Sabbath of humiliation (§. 56) both
Publickly, by the
Minister. §. 57.
People. §. 58.
Priuately. §. 59.60.
Suruey of the Popish and Antichristian fast. §. 61, 62.63.64.