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. 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 wee must not (as the manner of many is) depart, till all the exercises of Religion being fully concluded, the whole Assembly bee dismissed. For as it is great vn∣mannerlinesse at a solemne feast, to rise before the table is taken away, vn∣lesse it be in case of sicknesse, weaknesse, or some important businesse; so they which depart from this spirituall Feast before it be ended, are either very vnmannerly and voyd of due reuerence and respect of Gods pre∣sence, and his holy ghests, and if they be not troubled with bodily infirmi∣ties, doe shew the sicknesse of their soules, when their spirituall appetite is so queazie, that they loath their nourishment, or that they thinke the imployment which they goe about, of greater waight, or at least much more necessary, then the feeding of their soules with this spirituall Manna, and vsing the meanes of their saluation. Neither must we haste away after the Sermon is ended, as though wee would rush out of prison as soone as the doore is opened; but we must stay still, that we may ioyne with the Minister and the Congregation in prayer and thankesgiuing, if any bee (as there ought to be) after the concluding of the Sermon; seeing as in receiuing our corporall food, so also in the spirituall, we haue as iust cause and occasion of praising God for benefits receiued, as of praying for his blessing vpon them before we receiued them. But if it bee omitted, wee must supply this defect in respect of our owne particular, by lifting vp our hearts vnto God, praising him for causing the light of his Gospell to shine still vnto vs, and for all the wholesome instructions, admonitions, reproofes, and consolations which he hath graciously at that time impar∣ted vnto vs. And if there be a Psalme sung, we must ioyne with the Con∣gregation, praising the Lord with minde and voyce, and making melody

vnto him with our hearts: which being ended, we must expect the blessing of God pronounced by the mouth of his Minister, with all reuerence and deuotion, esteeming it of great efficacie, as if God himselfe did blesse vs by them. For so we reade, that God appoynting Aaron to pronounce such a blessing vpon the people, saith, that he should hereby put his name vp∣on them, and he himselfe also would blesse them. And therefore being of such importance, we must not, through ouer-much haste, leaue it behinde vs as a needlesse complement.

Notes

• Num. 6. 23, 24, &c.