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

§. Sect. 3 Of special preparation to be used in the Evening before the Lords Day.

§. Sect. 3 Of speciall preparation to be vsed in the Euening before the Lords Day.

The more special preparation is to be used on the evening before the Lords day, wherein two things are to be performed. First, we must remove all impediments which might hinder us in our rest and the sanctifying of it: and secondly, we must use the helps which may further us in these holy duties. The main hindrances which must be removed, are two, worldliness, and wickedness. By the former I understand our earthly and ordinary business, worldly cares and cogitations, which if they keep possession in our hearts, they will choke the seed of Gods Word, distract us in our prayers and meditations, and make all holy exercises cold, formal, and unprofitable unto us. For the preventing whereof it is much to be desired, that we would (as much as in us lieth, and so far forth as will stand with the necessary duties of our callings) so order and dispose of all ⟨p. 379⟩our worldly businesses, as that they might be wholly dispatched and settled betimes on the Saturday, whereby we should not only be preserved from encroaching upon the Lords Day (as it is the practice of many) for the effecting of our worldly affairs, which through our negligence and forgetfulness being left undone, do then press upon us as works of necessity, but also we should have hereby convenient leisure, and fit time for our better preparation unto all those holy and religious duties, which the next day are to be performed. And this is to keep our foot from the Sabbath, ¹namely, from treading upon Gods holy ground, and entering rashly upon his right, when as we appoint and set apart an interim of time between our worldly affairs, and those holy duties of the Lords Day, as it were certain bounds between us and the Mount, to keep us from violating Gods Commandment, wherein we are to wean and sequester our hearts from all worldly things, that they may be wholly intent unto holy exercises. In which regard the ancient practice of the Church was very commendable, (and consequently the neglect thereof to be lamented) which ordained that all labouring men, both in husbandry and trades, should give over their work betimes upon Saturday in the afternoon, and resort to the Church, that their bodies being refreshed by rest, and their minds prepared by prayer and meditation, they might be the better enabled to perform the public and solemn duties of Gods service the Day following.