The temple A sermon preached at Pauls Cross the fifth of August. 1624. By…The temple A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the fifth of August. 1624. By…

Consider it well, ye that make no scruple of superstitious assemblies; it will be hard for you to dwell in a Temple of Idols untainted. Not to sin the sins of the place we live in, is as strange, as for pure liquor tunned up in a musty vessel, not to smell of the cask. Egypt will teach even a Joseph to swear: a Peter will learn to curse in the high Priests Hall. If we be not scorched with the fire of bad company, we shall be sure to be blacked with the smoke. The soundest body that is, may be infected with a contagious air. Indeed a man may travel through Ethiopia unchanged, but he cannot dwell there without a complexion discoloured. How hath the common practise of others brought men to the devilish fashion of swearing, or to the brutish habit of drinking, by their own confessions? Superstition, if it have once got a secret liking of the heart, like the ⟨p. 35⟩plague will hang in the very clothes; and after long concealment, break forth in an unlooked for infection. The Israelites, after all their airing in the wilderness, will still smell of Egypt. We read God saying, ¹Out of Egypt have I called my Sonne. That God did call his Son out of Egypt, it is no wonder: the wonder is that he did call him into Egypt. It is true, that Egypt could not hurt Christ: the King doth not follow the Court, the Court waits upon the King: wheresoever Christ was, there was the Church. But be our Israelites so sure of their sons, when they send them into Egypt, or any superstitious places? It was their presumption to send them in, let it be their repentance to call them out.

Consider it well, ye that make no scruple of superstitious assemblies; it will bee hard for you to dwell in a Temple of Idols vntainted. Not to sinne the sins of the place we liue in, is as strange, as for pure liquor tunn'd vp in a musty vessel, not to smel of the caske. Egypt will teach euen a Ioseph to sweare: a Peter will learne to curse in the high Priests Hall. If we be not scorch'd with the fire of bad company, we shall be sure to be black'd with the smoke. The soundest body that is, may be infected with a contagious ayre. Indeed a man may trauel through Ethiopia vnchanged, but he cannot dwell there without a complexion discoloured. How hath the common practise of others brought men to the deuillish fashion of swearing, or to the bruitish habit of drinking, by their owne confessions? Superstition, if it haue once got a secret liking of the heart, like the