A Complete collection of farewell sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…

3. I grant, that in the time of holy service, we are not then to use secular employments at that time in those places, as eating, drinking, and talking, it being unsuitable to the work in hand; and howsoever they may be lawful at another time, yet unlawful then, because against the Apostles command, Let all things be done in decency, and in order; and that which is unsuitable to the commands of God, the taking his Name in vain. My Brethren, I will go further with you, we are to abstain from all other Religious Services, when not in season; and therefore when the Minister is in Preaching, we must not run into our places and kneel down, as some people do, and fall a praying. And I cannot but wonder, that they that do so much cry up Uniformity and Sanctity of places, that yet they should censure their judgment by their practice, that they should pray secretly, when the whole Congregation is a praying vocally; and it may be the Congregation is singing a Psalm, or the Minister Preaching, and then they go to their Prayers; I pray where is the Uniformity, Decency, and Order they so much stand for?

3. I grant, that in the time of holy service, we are not then to use secular employments at that time in those places, as eating, drinking, and talking, it being unsuitable to the work in hand; and howsoever they may be lawful at another time, yet unlawful then, because against the Apostles command, Let all things be done in decency, and in order; and that which is unsuitable to the commands of God, the taking his Name in vain. My Brethren, I will go further with you, we are to abstain from all other Religious Services, when not in season; and therefore when the Minister is in Preaching, we must not run into our places and kneel down, as some people do, and fall a praying. And I cannot but wonder, that they that do so much cry up Uniformity and Sanctity of places, that yet they should consure their judgment by their practice, that they should pray secretly, when the whole Congregation is a praying vocally; and it may be the Congregation is singing a Psalm, or the Minister Preaching, and then they go to their Prayers; I pray where is the Uniformity, Decency, and Order they so much stand for?

Lastly, I grant, that after the performances of holy duties, in places wherein we meet for the Worship and Service of God, it is our duty to abstain, not only from filthy and indecent actions of a natural or moral filthiness, unseemly, as looked upon by men against Gods Laws; but from all those civil, moral, lawful actions, at other times, they may reflect any dishonour upon the work that hath been done, or upon the work that shall be done, or that may render the place unmeet for Religious Services afterwards: And this is that that one calls a Negative, or private reverence, a reverence or not doing something, not because the place is more holy, but for decency and order, considering the Religious Duties performed in that place. So that things subservient to Religion, call for a Negative reverence, and are not so to be used, as that the Religious Services which are there performed and transacted, should be made disgraceful and dishonourable; as the Bread of the Sacrament, after the Sacrament is done, is not lawful to be cast unto unreasonable creatures, because it reflects dishonour upon the Religious Service which we were before doing; so, dirty water is not to be put into the Communion-Cup, not that the Cup is holy, but because it is a reflection of disgrace upon that holy Service wherein that Cup is made use of; and that Cup is not to be made use of to drunkenness. But in all this bear me witness that I say, all this is but a civil reverence, and so due to any place where there is any Honourable Convention, as in the Parliament-House, or Presence Chamber, or the like. Having yielded this: