The schoole of vertue, the second part: or, The young schollers paradice Contayning verie good precepts, wholesom[e] instructions, the high-way to good manners, dieting of children, and brideling their appetites. Godly graces, and prayers. Verse fit for all children to learne, and the elder sort to obserue.
West, Richard, fl. 1606-1619., West, Richard, fl. 1606-1619. Schoole of vertue.
Not to walke in the Church.
IN seat sit thou quiet, and walke not about,
For tis most vnséemely, without any doubt,
Tis fit in a faire, or in some market towne,
And not in Gods house for to walke vp and downe.
The Church is ordained for sermons, orations,
And prayers diuine for the soules recreations.
And not like a play house, vnhallowed to be,
Despising the reuerence to Gods Maiestie.
Giue eare most attentiue to what thou shalt finde,
For Gods word is light to the godly in minde,
Great ease commeth (out of the reuerent text)
For troubled in heart and in conscience perplext.
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Doe all this with duty and reuerend heart,
And God will reward thée full well for thy part,
Obserue well the times, for to stand or to knéele
The more inward ease of thy heart shalt thou féele,
To knéele on the ground with one knée alone,
Is euen as comely as though it were none,
How can thy deuotion be hearty and sound,
If thou doe refuse to lay knées to the ground?
Tis like to the Souldier, who mockingly came,
Saluting our Sauiour, and gaue him the name
(Haile King of the Iewes) his knee was so bent,
Not with any duty, nor godly intent.
If thou in the Church alone chance to bee,
Still let heart and thy tongue be so free,
As neuer to cease: but with due veneration,
To call to the Lord with vnfained contemplation.
Let neither thy tongue be talking nor tattling,
Nor settle of any thing to be a prattling,
Nor let thine eyes walke, nor cast them about,
For of that deuotion there is a great doubt.
