Puritan, Thomas Ridgley on the saint's duty to prepare for the Sabbath on Saturday.

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Regi Addictissimus

Completely sold out to the King
Before you turn and run because of the length of the excerpt below, contemplate what a solemn thing it is to sanctify the Sabbath unto God. Due to the gravity of the Sabbath, we have an obligation to our God to prepare for the Sabbath in advance. Consider the diligence we discharge in preparing ourselves for a job interview, work meetings, or any other obligations in our daily life. How much more should we prepare for the Sabbath! I beg you now to clear your mind and read the following excerpt from the Puritan, Thomas Ridgley.

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Preparatory Duties to Sabbath-Sanctification

This leads us to consider the duties to be performed preparatory to the right observing of the Lord’s day. Now, we ought, the evening before, to lay aside our care and worldly business, that our thoughts may not be encumbered, diverted, or taken up with unseasonable or unlawful concerns about it. This is a duty very much neglected; and the omission of it is one reason of our unprofitable attendance on the ordinances of God on the Lord’s day. Thus, many keep their shops open till midnight; and by this means make encroachments on part of the morning of the Lord’s day, by indulging in too much sleep,—a practice which occasions drowsiness under the ordinances, as well as their thoughts being filled with worldly concerns and business while attending on them. We may add, that all envyings, contentions, evil surmising against our neighbour, are to be laid aside; since these will tend to defile our souls and deprave our minds, when we ought to be wholly taken up about divine things. Thus the apostle advises those to whom he writes, to ‘lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings, and as new-born babes to desire the sincere milk of the word, that they might grow thereby.’ Moreover, we are, the evening before, to endeavour to bring our souls into a prepared frame for the duties of the Lord’s day, by having our thoughts engaged in those meditations which are suitable to these duties. In particular, we are to consider the many lost sabbaths we have to account for or repent of, as also the wonderful patience of God, who has, notwithstanding, spared us to the approach of another sabbath; and what precautions are necessary to be used, that we may not profane or trifle it away. It would also be expedient for us to meditate on the vanity of worldly things, which we have laid aside all care about, and think how contemptible the gain of them is, if compared with communion with God, which is our great concern. Hence, we are to consider ourselves as having a greater work to transact with God on his own day, and desire to have then no disturbance from the world. To these meditations we ought to join our fervent prayers to God, that the sins committed by us in former sabbaths may be forgiven, that he may not be provoked to withdraw the influences of his Spirit on the approaching day, and that the world, with its cares, may not then be a snare to us, through the temptations of Satan, together with the corruption of our own hearts, whereby our converse with God would be interrupted. We ought to pray also that he would assist his ministers in preparing a seasonable word, which may be blessed to ourselves and others. Thus the apostle exhorts the church, to ‘pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints; and for him, that utterance might be given unto him, that he might open his mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.’ We ought to be very importunate with God, that he would sanctify and fill our thoughts, from the beginning to the end of the Lord’s day, which he has consecrated for his immediate service and glory.

Ridgley, Thomas. A Body of Divinity. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1855. Print.
 
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The use of paragraph breaks should be introduced for ease of reading. Some purists oppose such editorial touches, but, I ask them, do you want people to read what you are quoting or do you just want to quote stuff?
Agreed, and thanks for your suggestion. I will edit it when I have more time. That probably won't be tonight.
 
Before you turn and run because of the length of the excerpt below, contemplate what a solemn thing it is to sanctify the Sabbath unto God. Due to the gravity of the Sabbath, we have an obligation to our God to prepare for the Sabbath in advance

Not too long at all. But long enough to bring a tear to my eye and remind me to better prepare for the Lord's Days to come.
Thanks.
 
Not too long at all. But long enough to bring a tear to my eye and remind me to better prepare for the Lord's Days to come.
Thanks.
Thank you for sharing, brother. Your love to Christ often leaps off the screen when I read your posts. May the Lord grant you an even greater gaze upon Christ's loveliness this year.
 
Your love to Christ often leaps off the screen when I read your posts. May the Lord grant you an even greater gaze upon Christ's loveliness this year.

Numbers 24:17
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.​

But now we do see Him by faith, and His love by the Holy Spirit shed abroad in our hearts. He said we would be sorrowful yet that our sorrow would be turned to Joy. I have to tell you, my love for Jesus is so weak that I rarely use the words in prayer to him, "I love you." But I know he loves me. In fact, I have a suspicion that he even likes me. We, the Church, his bride were the joy that was set before him that helped Him endure the cross. As He calls his sheep each by name so I believe that he died for each of my sins by name. Even the sins I have committed so far this day. Praise His Holy glorious name forever and ever. The One true God who is "above all blessing and praise." (Nehemiah 9:5)
 
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