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…

Thus we have looked abroad, but now have we no Idols at home? O how happy was it, if they were as far from the Temple, as they are from agreement with the Temple? I will not abound in this discovery; there be three main Idols among us; Vain Pleasure, vain Honour, and Riches: & it is to be feared, that these three vanities have more clients then the Trinity that made us. The first is an Idol of the water, the next an Idol of the air, the last an Idol of the earth.

Thus wee haue looked abroad, but now haue we no Idols at home? O how happy was it, if they were as farre from the Temple, as they are from agreement with the Temple? I will not abound in this discouery; there be three maine Idols among vs; Vaine Preasure, vaine Honor, and Riches: & it is to be feared, that these three vanities haue more clients then the Trinity that made vs. The first is an Idol of the water, the next an Idol of the ayre, the last an Idol of the earth.

1. Vain Pleasure; and oh what a world of foolish worshippers flock to this merry Goddess! She hath a Temple in every corner: Ebriety sits in Taverns, burning smoky Incense, and sacrificing drink-offerings to her. So that if a ⟨p. 49⟩man should prophesy of wine and strong drink, ¹he were a Prophet fit for this age: but to preach sobriety, is held but a dry doctrine. We commend wine for the excellency of it; but if it could speak, as it can take away speech, it would complain, that by our abuse, both the excellencies are lost: for the excellent man doth so spoil the excellent wine, until the excellent wine hath spoiled the excellent man. O that a man should take pleasure in that which makes him no man: that he should let a thief in at his mouth, to steal away his wit: that for a little throat-indulgence, he should kill in himself both the first Adam, his reason; but even the second Adam his regeneration, & so commit two murders at once! In every Brothel this Idol hath her temple; where the bed of uncleanness is the Altar, the Priest a strumpet, and the sacrifice, a burning flesh offered to Moloch. It is no rare thing for a man to make an Idol of his Mistress, and to spend more time in her courtings, then he doth at his prayers; more cost on her body, than upon his own soul. Images were but dead Idols, but painted Popinjays be living Idols Pleasure hath a larger extent, then I can now stand to survey: this may be called an Idol of the Water; fluid and unsatisfying.