When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
God is more there than thou: for thou art there
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When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
God is more there than thou: for thou art there
Only by his permission. Then beware,
That leads from earth to heaven.

"What is a church?" Let Truth and reason speak,
They would reply, "The faithful, pure and meek,
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"What is a church?" Let Truth and reason speak,
They would reply, "The faithful, pure and meek,
From Christian folds, the one selected race,
Of all professions, and in every place."

It is not about the pasture of the sheep, but about their wool.
[Lat., Non est de pastu ovium read more

It is not about the pasture of the sheep, but about their wool.
[Lat., Non est de pastu ovium quaestio, sed de lana.]

"What is a church?"--Our honest sexton tells,
'Tis a tall building, with a tower and bells.

"What is a church?"--Our honest sexton tells,
'Tis a tall building, with a tower and bells.

Who builds a church to God, and not to Fame,
Will never mark the marble with his Name.

Who builds a church to God, and not to Fame,
Will never mark the marble with his Name.

As like a church and an ale-house, God and the devell, they manie
times dwell neere to ether.

As like a church and an ale-house, God and the devell, they manie
times dwell neere to ether.

Whenever God erects a house of prayer
The devil always builds a chapel there;
And 'twill be read more

Whenever God erects a house of prayer
The devil always builds a chapel there;
And 'twill be found, upon examination,
The latter has the largest congregation.

God never had a church but there, men say,
The devil a chapel hath raised by some wiles,
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God never had a church but there, men say,
The devil a chapel hath raised by some wiles,
I doubted of this saw, till on a day
I westward spied great Edinburgh's Saint Giles.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it read more

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded
upon a rock.