The nearer the church, the further from God.

The nearer the church, the further from God.

No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n,
Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n;
But such plain read more

No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n,
Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n;
But such plain roofs as Piety could raise,
And only vocal with the Maker's praise.

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.

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.

When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
God is more there than thou: for thou art there
read more

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.

It is common for those that are farthest from God, to boast
themselves most of their being near to read more

It is common for those that are farthest from God, to boast
themselves most of their being near to the Church.

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.

Where God hath a temple, the devil will have a chapel.

Where God hath a temple, the devil will have a chapel.

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.]