The object of all the institutions which have hitherto been described was to help the salvation of souls. Essential to that, of course, was that Christians should regularly worship God and live holy lives. The laity were reminded in many a sermon of their Christian duties, both those which were regular and regarded as an essential minimum and those which were needed for continuing a truly holy life, which was the church's aim for everyone but the aspiration probably of only a few. The difference between what would be said to modern Christians and to medieval ones lies partly in the fact that in the middle ages some aspects of the Christian life were compulsory; one could not opt out from membership of the church and this brought with it inescapable duties. Also many more of the obligations of Christianity were performed very publicly.

The ideals were presented to Christians in the pulpit, and Durham is fortunate to have a sermon cycle giving samples of the preaching of one of the early fifteenth-century monks, Robert Ripon, to show what was offered. Ripon's sermons show what he thought ought to be happening at parish level.

The Christian year begins with Advent, the four weeks intended as a preparation for the Christmas festival. Ripon's sermon cycle began very properly with two Advent sermons of which one was aimed at the laity. This was a general exhortation to holiness and the doing of penance.