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. 1 That if wee would sanctifie the Lords Day, we must pre∣pare for it be∣fore it com∣meth.

BEsides the duties of a godly life which are euery day to bee performed, of which wee haue already spoken, there are others which more specially belong to the Lords Day, of which wee are now to intreate. For howsoeuer we ought to deuote our selues in the whole course of our liues to Gods seruice, yet this Day is to be set apart, and consecrated wholly after a pecu∣liar manner to Gods immediate worship, so as wee may not in any part thereof doe the duties of our callings, or any of our owne workes, which tend to the aduancing of our worldly ends. Whereof I will speake the more briefly, because I haue in part touched already the mayne points and summe of the fourth Commandement, and because also diuers of my learned and godly Brethren haue excellently laboured in this Argument; leauing nothing for me after their plentifull haruest, but some few glea∣nings, vnlesse I would picke out of their sheaues, and say the same things againe which they haue better said already. And yet because my desire is, that this Treatise should be perfect in all its parts, I will briefly speake of these duties, and giue some directions for the spending of this Day in such a manner, as may be acceptable vnto God, and profitable for the inriching of our soules with all spirituall graces, and the assuring and furthering of

our saluation. And first, if we would rightly sanctifie the Lords Day when it commeth, there is required before-hand a due preparation; nei∣ther can any action of waight and worth be well performed, which is sud∣denly and rashly vndertaken; and scarce euer thought on before it bee at∣tempted, especially if there be much and mighty opposition, which will be neuer wanting in these religious duties, that so neerely concerne our saluation, till we come to keepe a perpetuall Sabbath in Gods Kingdome, seeing our spirituall and malicious enemies, the deuill, world, and our owne flesh, leaue no meanes vnassayed, which may make all Gods holy ordinances vnprofitable vnto vs.