How to Order Thyself in the Church

When to the church	thou shalt repair,
Kneeling or standing,	to God make thee prayer.
All worldly matters	from thy mind set apart,
Earnestly praying,	to God lift up thy heart.
A contrite heart	He will not despise,
Which He doth count	a sweet sacrifice.
To Him thy sins	show and confess,
Asking for them	grace and forgiveness.
He is the physician	that knoweth thy sore,
And can to health	again thee restore.
Ask then in faith,	not doubting to have;
The things ye desire,	ye shall them receive;
So they be lawful	of God to require,
He will thee hear	and grant thy desire.
More merciful He is	than pen can express,
The author and giver	here of all goodness.
“All ye that labour	and burdenéd be,
I will you refresh	in coming to Me.”
These are Christ’s words,	the Scripture is plain,
Spoken to all such	as here suffer pain.
Our wills to His word	then let us frame,
The heavenly habitation	thereby we may claim.
In the church comely	thyself do behave,
In usage sober,	thy countenance grave.
While you be there,	talk of no matter,
Nor one with another	whisper nor chatter.
Reverently thyself	order alway,
When to the church	thou shalt come to pray.
Each thing hath his time,	consider the place,
For that is a token	of virtue and grace.
The Lord doth call it	the house of prayer,
And not to be used	as is a fair.

[This is followed by a series of moral instructions, omitted partly because they do not primarily belong in this book, and partly for lack of space. They are entitled:—

The Fruits of Gaming, Virtue, and Learning (sic).

How to Behave thyself in Talking with any Man.

How to Order thyself, being sent of Message.

Against Anger, Envy and Malice.

The Fruits of Charity, Love and Patience.

Against the Horrible Vice of Swearing.

Against the Vice of Filthy Talking.

Against the Vice of Lying.]