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…

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.

1. Vaine Pleasure; and oh what a world of foolish worshippers flocke to this merry Goddesse! Shee hath a Temple in euery corner: Ebrietie sits in Tauernes, burning smoky Incense, and sacrificing drink-offrings to her. So that if a ⟨p. 49⟩man should prophesie of wine and strong drinke, ¹he were a Prophet fit for this age: but to preach sobrietie, 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 complaine, that by our abuse, both the excellencies are lost: for the excellent man doth so spoile the excellent wine, vntill 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 thiefe in at his mouth, to steale away his wit: that for a little throat-indulgence, hee should kill in himselfe both the first Adam, his reason; but euen the second Adam his regeneration, & so commit two murders at once! In euery Brothell this Idol hath her temple; where the bed of vncleannes is the Altar, the Priest a strumpet, and the sacrifice, a burning flesh offred to Moloch. It is no rare thing for a man to make an Idol of his Mistres, and to spend more time in her courtings, then he doth at his prayers; more cost on her body, thē vpon his own soule. Images were but dead Idols, but painted Popinjayes be liuing Idols Pleasure hath a larger extent, then I can now stand to suruey: this may be called an Idol of the Water; fluid and vnsatisfying.