The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1818-10-27

uR. SHIRLEY,
The following old fashioned irony, porlrays
some inattentive people in the liccntious times Of
Charles 2. III applies to any Of us at the pres
ent day, the publication will not be thought un
reasonable.-If not, hope it will not be deem
ed amiss.-Your A. z.
Sundrye rules NOT 10 be obserred ~ the good
people Of ,. m ye county Of Surrey, composed this
yeers 1867.
) J.. BE careful that thou 20 not to anie place
where the holy Scriptures are used TO be read
for such was the custom of the Jeves Of old
and though such practice was approved BY our
blessed Lord and his holy apostles, and is still by
some called profitable for instruction in right
eousness, yet In these wilde daies we are free of
that thraldome, and may dispense with part or
all OF Gods worde as we see fit aud none but
fanatics and the hierarchie do use the same.
2. When thou enterest the sanctuary, be sure
thou come not as the puritans do anie SEEM
ing reverence to the lord of the place.
3. Let thy seat be liked with hinges, tnat' so
thou mayest raise il up, and anon let it fall down
againe with a loud noise.
A. Kneel not at praiers for do affirme that
such superstition belongs only to fanatics and en-
thusiasts; except, forsooth, the Romlsh and Epis-
copal way Of worship, together with the Greek
Church and the followers Of Luther, with sun
drye Calvinists, which vainly think themselves
to have warrant in holy writ for the same, by the
example Of David, Solomon, Daniel, and divers
others, and by the practice Of our blessed sa-
viour and his holy apostles
5. When the praises ofGod are sung, then do
thou stick fast to thy seat for albeit thou
wouldest unconsciously and Of thine own accord
stand up to do honor and praise to the magis-
trate or prince whom thou regardest with rever-
4.-TI ..x- Al. r.
whose good will thou wouldest obtain yet see
ing thou fearest not God, neither lowest him in
thine heart, so be careful that thou do him no ex
ternal honour. In this also thou shalt shew thy
self to be. no Churchman, unless, truly of
Church which neglecteth to observe its own rn-
bricke, And when so much of the psalm is sung
rs that then canst remember the rest, then do
thou shut up thy book and lay it down with
noise and clatter; for so thou shalt drown the
voice of much praise.
6. As soon as thou canst divine that the minis
ter hath drawn his praermostly to an end, and.is
near ascribing glory and blessing and honor to
Him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb
forever, then do thou begin to move about and
throw down thy seate for thus thou shalt merge
the voice ofthe minister, and shalt not as an hyp-
ocrite, ascribe aloud to God that honor which
thine outward life and conduct do deny him
shalt thou hear in this life that ascrption of
praise, which mayhap thou wouldest not desire
to hear in the life hereafter.
2. When, after the sermon, the priest IS about
to bless thee in the name of Christ, then be sure
thouthrow open the doore ofthy pewe, and take
thy hat, and make what other noise thou may
est that 50 thou catch not the sound of the
words and then do thou cover myself and rush
quickly out Of the place where praicr is wont to
be made, in such wise, as, if thou continue a
despiser Of Gods worde, peradventure thou may
est rush from the presence of Jesus at that aw-
ful worde " depdrt,'' in the world to come.
Thy assured qceltWisher,