A20762:1356
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
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.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.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. Sect. 3 That we must stay in the Church from the beginning to the end of the Sermon.
The last duty in hearing is, that we continue from the beginning of the Sermon to the end, and as we are to come with the first, so we must not (as the manner of many is) depart, till all the exercises of Religion being fully concluded, the whole Assembly be dismissed. For as it is great unmannerliness at a solemn feast, to rise before the table is taken away, unless it be in case of sickness, weakness, or some important business; so they which depart from this spiritual Feast before it be ended, are either very unmannerly and void of due reverence and respect of Gods presence, and his holy guests, and if they be not troubled with bodily infirmities, do show the sickness of their souls, when their spiritual appetite is so queasy, that they loath their nourishment, or that they think the employment which they go about, of greater weight, or at least much more necessary, then the feeding of their souls with this spiritual Manna, and using the means of their salvation. Neither must we haste away after the Sermon is ended, as though we would rush out of prison as soon as the door is opened; but we must stay still, that we may join with the Minister and the Congregation in prayer and thanksgiving, if any be (as there ought to be) after the concluding of the Sermon; seeing as in receiving our corporal food, so also in the spiritual, we have as just cause and occasion of praising God for benefits received, as of praying for his blessing upon them before we received them. But if it be omitted, we must supply this defect in respect of our own particular, by lifting up our hearts unto God, praising him for causing the light of his Gospel to shine still unto us, and for all the wholesome instructions, admonitions, reproofs, and consolations which he hath graciously at that time imparted unto us. And if there be a Psalm sung, we must join with the Congregation, praising the Lord with mind and voice, and making melody