Images Not to be Suffered in Churches, Text

Images Not to be Suffered in Churches · Text

¶ That ymages wont to be worſhipped / ar nat to be ſuffred in the churches of Chriſten men.

ALbeit / there are verye manye cauſes / whyche mighte ſuffycyently ſatiſfy the myndes of chriſten mē / and perſwade them to take awaye images out of theire churches: yet no man wyll deny this cauſe to be without dout chefe and princypall / bycauſe it is forbydden in the fyrſte of goddes cōmaundementes / that any maner of images ſhulde be had amonge his peple. For thus we rede in the ſcrypture:Ex. 20Exod 20 I am that euerlaſtyng god. I am thy god which hauehave delyuered the frō Aegypt / the houſe of thraldom and bondage. Thou ſhalt hauehave no ſtraunge goddes beſydes me. Thou ſhalt make vntounto thy ſelfe no grauen or caruen image / nor the ſymilytude of any maner thinge which is aboue in heuē or beneth in the erth: nor of thoſe thynges whiche are in the waters vnderunder the erthe. Thou ſhalte nat bowe thy ſelfe before them / neither worſhip them: For I am thy lord god euerlaſting / ſtronge / & mighty / punyſſhynge the fautes of the fathers in the chyldren / euen vntounto the thyrd generatyon of thē which do hate me. & powringe forthe my goodnes / euen vntounto the thouſanth generation of them which do louelove me / and do obſerue & kepe my commaundementes. Lo / here are .ii. lawes of the lord ſet forth vntounto the whiche natte without good cauſe amonge other / do chalenge vntounto them ſelues the fyrſte place. The fyrſt of them requyreth of vsus / that we do take this eternall and euer beinge god (ſo as he is in very dede) for oure god. The later doth nat only forbyd ſtraunge goddes / but alſo it forbyddeth bothe the ymages of them / & alſo of all other thynges / to be hadde amonge the people of god / vntounto which people doutleſſe / that is to wytte vntounto all true beleuers / all ſuch maner preceptes do apperteyne. For theſe ar the trewe Iſraelyties / as it appereth in the ſcryptures.Rom. 2 iiii.ix. Gala. 3 iiij.Rom 2Gal 3 For Chriſt came nat to breke the lawe: but to fulfyll it fyrſt of any man. Nowe in very dede thei ar annexed to the lawe of god / & alſo encloſed and conteyned in it / whatſoeuer thingꝭ do brīge any cauſe or occaſyon vntounto the louelove of god or of the neyghboure / to ſhewe or put forth it ſelfe more and more.

¶ In dede god cōmaunded very many thynges to his olde people whiche were greatly auaylable & helpynge to the princypall poynte and ende of his lawe. But after that chriſt was ones exalted to the right hande of his father / and the holighoſt was ſent all abrode into the worlde / we ar delyuered & free from a great parte of ſuche maner legall ceremonyes. As for exāple it was goddes wyll & cōmaundement / that the Iewes ſhulde lyue togyther by theym ſelues / abſtaynyng from companyeng and dealynge with the gētyles (for he dyd nat yet voucheſafe that they ſhuld hauehave knowlege of hys doctryne) to thentēt / no dout of it / that they ſhulde by ſomoche / be the more obedyent to his cōmaundement / by how moche they were the leſſe corrupted & infected with the cōpany of the gentyls / worſhippyng falſe goddes. But after that / the wall which departed the one people frō the other was throwen downe / & both the gentyls & alſo the Iewes grewe togyther in to one people. This lawe whiche forfended the Iſraelytes / cōpanyenge with the gentyls / coulde do no ſeruyce nor profyte at all. wherfore it was conuenyent that it ſhulde be abrogated. Suche another lyke thynge is cyrcumcyſyon / & alſo the rytes & ceremonyes of purifycations / the choyſe of metes / the diuerſyties of places & perſones / & whatſoeuer beſydes theſe is red to hauehave ben cō maunded in the olde lawe / concernynge outwarde ſacryfyces. For theſe thynges in as moche as neither fayth nor charytie doth nowe requyre them: it ſhalbe lawfull & free for vsus either to obſerue & kepe them / orels to leue them vndone. For the trewe honoure & worſhippynge of god / which hath ben by the prechynge of the Apoſtels indifferētly publyſſhed to the whole worlde / wyll in nowyſe ſuffre it ſelfe to be thruſte ſo narowly into ſuche maner ſtreyghtes of places / dayes / meates / and perſons.

¶ But as concernynge ymages / the thyng is farre other wyſe: For theſe beynge ones forbidden muſt nedes ſtande alwayes ſtyll forbydden / ſpecyally for this cauſe. Bycauſe the trewe honouryng of god can nat be but either myniſſhed / or els dyuerſe wayes letted: as ſone as we ſhall ſuffre the ſayde ymages / contrary to the cōmaūdemēt of god in churches / or in other places / where they be honoured or els maye be honoured. For ſubſtancyall & parfyte fayth / & the parfyte honouryng of god requyreth / that we ſhulde do our dilygēce to cauſe this only god to be knowen in all places / that we ſhulde drede and honour him: that we ſhulde in all places and at all tymes with full mouth / prayſe & magnify the workes of him alone. But ymages ar ſo farre from helpynge vntounto this thynge / that the ſame do dyuerſe wayes hyndre & let eueryevery man frō the trewe honouryng of god. For who is he (I beſeche you) whom ymages ſet vp in churches / or in other more narowe places / hauehave nat rather made neglygent about the trewe honouryng of god / than holpen him any whyt to honoure god trewly. Ye / moreouer (if it be lawfull to ſpeke the truth) the true honour of god / beynge ſubuerted and ouerthrowen / they hauehave quite blotted out of mennes myndes the remembrance of thoſe thinges / for whoſe cauſe it is fayned / that they were fyrſt ſet vp. And though it be ſo / that otherwhyles peraduēture by the occaſyon of theſe godly admonytours / ſome thought and remembrance of god doth come into our mynde: yet the ſame thought is ſoner vanyſſhed away / thā that it can gether ſufficient rotes in the breſtes or myndes of men. For as it is but a thyng of mās deuiſyng / and receyued without the cōmaū dement of god: euen ſo was it neuer able to moue or ſtere oure hertes & myndes with the quycke & lyuely perceyuynge / eyther of the workes or of the benefytes of god. By the reaſon of which thynge it hath come to paſſe / that no place hath ben lefte to the lyuely admonition / which is by the creatures of god: nat withſtādinge that theſe ſayd creatures / bycauſe in all places we do ſe them / & handell them / ought alſo in all places to ſtyre vp and renewe in vsus the remēbrance of goddes infynite goodneſſe. Brefly / there is no cauſe / why we may more rightfully impute / ſhall I ſay or neglygence / or els our contempte towardꝭ the trewe honour which is acceptable to god / vntounto any other thynge than vntounto images. For after that theſe began to be worſhipped in certayne places / forthwith flowed in an vnmeaſurable ſee of all euyls. For though we paſſe ouer / that god by the reaſon herof / was many wayes greuouſly offēded & diſpleaſed / bicauſe cōtrary to his opē & euydent cō maūdemēt / nat only we hauehave worſhipped thē / but alſo puttyng our truſt in ſuch maner worſhippinge hauehave ꝑſwaded vntounto oure ſelues / y^t herewith we do wynne to our ſelues the fauour of god / & truſtyng vntounto theſe vayne & tryflynge workes / hauehave either vtterly nat mynded / or at the leſtwyſe / hauehave lothſomly & diſdaynefully done thoſe workes / with whiche only a chriſten mynde may be pleaſynge and acceptable to god. And who is he but he knoweth that by the reaſon herof / very many men hauehave ben ſo tycked with a merueylouſe vayne hope / to get of the lorde I wot nat what great hepes and treaſures of meritꝭ: that if thei had nat thought theſe maner tryfles to be moſte acceptable to god. Nat the goddeſſe Pitho herſelfe / Pitho the goddeſſe of eloquēcewith all her ſwete eloquence / ſhuld hauehave ben able to bringe thē in mynde / beyng ſlowe inough / & to moche vntounto all other workes of charyte beſydes / to hauehave pleaſure to laſſhe oute ſo great rycheſſe / partly vponupon the makyng and partely vponupon the payntynge / gyldynge / or otherwyſe garnyſſhynge and deckynge of ymages.

¶ Beſydes all this / I ſay (which is a thīge more to be ſorowed for) this vayne honouryng of images hath engendred ſuch a confydence and truſt in a greate ſorte of men / that thoſe workes which ar in very dede good & godly / layde clene a ſyde: they hauehave taken occaſyon to lyue a gret dele the more at large and more lycentiouſly / bycauſe they ar perſwaded & in ſtedfaſt belefe / that with theſe workes they hauehave ſo gotten the fauour of god / that at all other ſynnes & vyciouſe lyuynge / he doth wynke and wyll nat ſe them / & as though hauynge lybertie graunted to ſynne vnpunyſſhed / they might gyue themſelues at large to all maner vyces / euen as they lyſt thēſelues. If this thynge were nat well inough knowen vntounto all men by experyence: we coulde proue it with ſuche maner examples & proufes / that euen he that were blynde / ſhuld perceyue playnly / that ther hath nat lyghtely any other more perilouſe miſchefe cropen into the churche / thā this of honourynge ymages.

¶ Who is he than / that doth nat here ſomwhat ſmell and perceyue the falſe wyly craftes of oure olde enemy / which hath neuer ceſſed to driue the worlde vntounto ſuche madneſſe / that puttynge away the true honour of god / men ſhuld receyue and embrace this honour / whiche maketh them to go the cleane contrary waye from god / diſceyuyng all maner men with the vayne apparence & outward ſyght of ymages / as though (god wot) men by them were put in remembrance of godly thīges / whan in very dede by thē nothīge els hath bē brought in / but an innumerable hepe of all euyls. Moreouer / that man / whō heuen / erth / & whatſoeuer is conteyned in them / & moſte ſpecyally man / which is created to the image of god / fynally whom god him ſelfe / the worker of all theſe thynges / doth nat waken & ſtere vp to louelove him & prayſe him: no mā / vnleſſe he be madder than a man of Bedlem / wyll beleue that this mā wyll be moued greatly with deed and vnſenſyble images. Yf ſo many workes of god / if ſo many creatures / no leſſe profytable than merueylouſe / whiche ſet the goodneſſe of god before thyne eyes / can nat enflame the / thou arte doutleſſe to vnſenſyble for to be admonyſſhed and ſtyrred euer of vnſenſyble ymages. The goodneſſe of god ſhineth & appereth in all his creatures. There is nothynge / but it expreſſeth god hīſelf. All y^e world is full of thinges / which do nat ceſſe to put vsus in remembrance of oure duty / that is to wyt / that we ſhuld contynue to be vntounto other men / as god is vntounto vsus / & that we ſhulde reſemble him by a certaine endles goodneſſe. But verily that thys thīg hath the leſſe eſely bē brought to paſſe hitherto / we maye thanke ymages for a gret parte therof: for ſuche expenſes which ought to hauehave ben made vpō poore nedy folke (whom as beynge the very lyue images of god / it was conuenyent to hauehave ſocoured & made our frendes with our lyberalyte) we hauehave waſtfully beſtowed vponupon ſtockes and ſtones. you ſe therfore that the trew honour / & that which only is accepted to god / hath ben by no other thīge ſo moch backed & hīdred as it hath by the vayne ſuperſtitiō of images: & that the deuil bi theſe craftes hath brought ī the contēpt of god / the ouerthrowīg of faith a more large lybertie to do whatſoeuer one lyſt vnpunyſſhed / falſe cō fydence in merytes / lothfulneſſe to exercyſe charite towardes our neybours: brefly in excedynge greate hepe of all maner euylles hath ben brought in: & to make an ende / a wyndowe opened to all maner vyce & ſynne: which thinge although it might be eſely ꝓued by exāples out of nōbre: yet at this p̄ſent tyme let one exāple of the kingꝭ of Iſraell ſuffyce. For howe many ſo euer of thoſe kyngꝭ thiſtorie of the Byble doth nombre among wycked & vngodly ꝑſons / the ſame kyngꝭ it doth recorde to hauehave bē alſo idolaters & worſhippers of ymages. on the other ſyde agayne / who ſoeuer ar cōmended for their louelove and exercyſe of vertue & godlyneſſe: they wolde gyue euydent teſtymonie & wytneſſe by diſtroyenge & ryddīg ymages ſhortly out of the way / y^t they were ruled by the holy ghoſt / and coulde nat but hate all maner thynges / whiche are abhomynable in the ſyght of god.

¶ And as for that which ſome mē do fayne / that ymages are the bokes of laye men. (For ſo they ſay) it is nat onelyonly a weyke reaſon / but alſo a folyſſhe: as who ſhulde ſay / that god / of all moſte wyſeſt / and which is very wyſdome it ſelf / either dyd nat know theſe bokes / or els through malyce dyd withhold from his owne people ſuch maner bokes & monumētes / wherby they might be put in remembraunce of godly thinges. Forſoth it is a wicked thynge / euen ones to thynke / that god (which accordyng to his goodnes towardes vsus / lefte none of thoſe thynges vnſhewed / & as they ſay / poynted with his fynger which might helpe to further & encreaſe the knowlege of him ſelfe / & to ſtyrre vsus vp alſo to the louelove of him ſelfe) I can nat tell of what euyll wyll & hatred had kepte this worſhippynge of ymages frō his owne people. For nat only he dyd nat teche the worſhippinge of images / but alſo he dyd with expreſſe and playne wordes vtterly forbyd it / as it appereth euydently by the fyrſte lawe of all. Nowe what is more vnreaſonable and vnlykely / than if the vſe of ymages be ſo profytable / as theſe men do fayne it to be / that god dyd nothynge eſteme theym / ſeynge that in the meane ſeaſon he had begon to tech his people / beynge yet but yonge begīners / & hauīg but ſmall knolege with ſo many outward thinges / euen as one ſhuld enduce a chylde / ſeing alſo that he wold his workꝭ and benefytes to be openly knowē by ſo many wonderfull myracles / and by ſo manyfolde ceremonies, beſydes this / dyd induce the peple with holydayes / & other rytes innumerable. Fynally lefte nothing behynde to the ſhadowing & fyguringe of himſelfe largely vntounto thē. I ſay / how fortuned it / if ymages be ſo ꝓfytable / that god for al this inſomoch dyd nothinge eſteme thē that he wold in no wiſe ſuffre them to be amonge his people. Syth than it is ſo / that it was nat lauful for the people / which was yet rude and ignorante to hauehave any maner ymages / althoughe the lorde dyd by many other dyuerſe ceremonies by lytle & lytle teche and facyon the ſame people. Howe moch leſſe ſhall it be lawfull for vsus / whō the truthe ſucceded in to the place of ſhadowes / hathe nowe made free frome outwarde ceremonies / requyryng non other honour or ſeruyce of vsus / than that whiche ſtandeth in ſpirit and truth.

¶ Let vsus therfore hauehave ymages / nat of ſtone / nat of wood / nat grauen / or caſt in any moulde (al whiche god hath ones for euer forbydden / as well to vsus / as to the Iues) But let vsus rather conſyder the verye worde of god / let vsus occupye and buſye oure ſelues in it bothe night and daye: Beſydes this / let all the whole frame of this world be vntounto vsus amonument and token to put vsus in remembrance of god / that whatſoeuer trewe godlyneſſe is remaynynge in vsus / it maye nat by the workes of men / but by the workes of god wel & after a godly facyon conſydre / enflame & kyndle vsus to the prayſyng & louyng of hī.

¶ Nowe as touchyng to this reaſon / that ſome men do make for to excuſe the vſe of ymages / bycauſe (as they ſay) after that god takīge the nature of man vponupon him / had voucheſafed to lyue amonge men / and to be nayled faſt to the croſſe / and wylled the knowlege of him ſelfe to be egall publyſſhed and declared vntounto all mē: there is no cauſe why it ſhulde nat be lawfull to vſe ymages / but yet moſt ſpecyally of Chriſt crucifyed / to thentent that we might oftentymes be put in remembrance / how by his deth we hauehave gotten redemptyon & ſaluatyon. Verily we do nat denye / whatſoeuer holſome & profytable thinge hath come to vsus by the deth of Chriſt / which he ſuffryng whā he was cōuerſaunte amonge men / reconſyled mākinde to his father: yet that natwithſtādyng the ſame Chriſt dyd playnly wytneſſe / that his bodily preſence was nothynge profytable.Ioa. vi It is the ſpyrit (ſayth he) that quyckeneth. It was therfore for our profyte / that he ſhulde bodily departe from vsus.Io. xviJohn 16 And for that cauſe after his reſurrectiō he aſcended vp into heuē to the right hande of his father / to thende that he might cary vsus alſo vp to the ſame place / if it be ſo that we hauehave ryſen with him by fayth.Col. iij Beſydes this / whan Paule / accordynge to the ſame ſentence / dothe openly eſaye / that he doth no lengre know Chriſt / as touchinge the fleſſhe: he ſygnifyeth that another maner of worſhippynge is requyred of vsus / that is to wyt / a ſpirytuall honour and ſuche one / which may effectually and ſtrongly tranſforme oure hertes / which thīge ſyth it can nat be done by the benefyte & helpe of ymages / let vsus ſaye a due for euer to theſe tryfelynge & vnprofytable helpes / which ar rather hynderers of true fayth & godly lyuynge / thā monumētes & tokens to put vsus in remembraunce of godly thynges. It is vndoutedly ſtarke madneſſe to deſyre to be put in remembrance of the benefytes of Chriſt by images / whan Chriſt him ſelfe ought to worke the ſame in our myndes / whiche in vsus & all creatures worketh all thinges. Let vsus (I ſaye) hauehave this Ieſus nayled faſte vponupon the croſſe / ſet vp before the eyes of oure mynde / as oftentymes as he tryeth vsus / & layeth his croſſe vponupon vsus / by pacyence of trybulations & aduerſyte. Let Chriſt ſo poſſeſſe & fyll the breſt of a chriſten man / of whom he hath his name / that ther be no thinge / but it do put him in remembrance of his lorde / the creatour & maker / the gouernour / and the ſauyour / & preſeruer of al thinges. Wherfore ſo oftentymes as he loketh vp towardes the ſkye / he can nat chuſe but remembre forthwith his ſauyour Chriſte / whiche raygneth aboue all heuens on the right hande of his father. As ſone as he beholdeth the ſonne / by & by he thinketh vponupon Chriſt the ſonne of rightuouſnes / & the lyght of the worlde / whiche with his beames lyghteneth the herte. Whā he ſeeth a man / he remembreth that Chriſt was made man for our ſake. If he do met… with a kynge or a prince / anon Chriſt the kyng of kynges / and lorde of lordes / is in hys remembrance. Whan he hereth any precher or techer / lo / ſtreight ways his mynde is vponupon Chriſte the heuenly doctour and maiſter: as the garment done vponupon the body doth the body both profyte & honeſtye: euen ſo doth a godly mynde thīke that Chriſt is the very weddynge garment / whom all thoſe perſons hauehave done on theym ſelues / howe many ſoeuer hauehave ben baptyſed. A chriſten man neuer eteth or drinketh / but forthwith he is put in remembrance that chriſt is the only and the very meate / which fedeth and nouryſſheth vsus into eternall lyfe. If at any tyme he doth occupye water / forthwith it cometh to his mynde / that Chriſt is the foū tayne / out of which we may draw drinke agaynſt vnſaciable thurſt. Brefly / ſo oftentymes as he ſhall ſee either a ſhepe or a ſhepherde / a gate / a way / a vynetree / or a ſtone / forthwith he conceyueth an image and ſymilytude of his lorde chriſt which wyllyngly ſuffred him ſelfe to be ſlayne & offred vp for the reconcylyation of the worlde / which boſteth him ſelfe to be a good ſhepherde / whiche is the waye and the yate / by whiche men go & entre in to heuen / which wytneſſeth hīſelfe to be the trewe vynetre / the cornerſtone / & ſet for a foundatyon. Fynally / if thou before vxed with aduerſyte / orels ſeeſt any other man to be in afflyction & calamyte: beſydes this / if thou be troubled w^t paſſyons & noughtye affectyons & deſyres: forthwith (if there be any percell of Chriſte in the) ſet afore the eyes of thy mynde / bothe the deth & the reſurrectyon of Chriſt / & ſtedfaſtly and depely conſydre thē / by the meanes wherof thou maiſt in ſuche wyſe arme and fence thy mynde with complete harneſſe / ſo ſure and ſo full of moſte effectuall conſolations / that thou ſhalt be able caſely to abyde and ouercome whatſoeuer aduerſytie ſhall fall vntounto the. So than if after this maner & facyon we wold hauehave luſt and pleaſure to lerne Chriſte parfytely in all thinges / & his workes with a certaine lyuely felynge and iugemēt of the minde / which ſhuld tranſforme & chaunge vsus: without dout the louelove of god ſhuld be merueylouſly augmented in vsus / & we ſhulde alſo (as it were in a glaſſe) ſee / with what comlyneſſe / & after what maner & facyon the courſe of this lyfe ought to be paſſed ouer & brought to an ende / which thinge none ymages can euer be able to teache vsus. For theſe (whatſoeuer manerons they be) can nat ſet before thyne eyes any ſymilytude of god: but rather with avayne imagynation whan thou weneſt that thou arte warme with a certayne hote louelove & deſyre / to conſydre and thynke vponupon godly thinges: ſodenly this heate & feruentneſſe vaniſſheth awaye / and it ſhall make the more neglygent to all trew workꝭ ſemely for a chriſten man / thā euer thou waſt before. We do therefore pituouſly diſceyue our own ſelues with this flyeng deuotion / as thei call it. For whā we hauehave thought our ſelues to be fed & full of the better thinges: we fynde by experyence / ſooner than we wolde hauehave thoughte / that we hauehave ben fedde with wynde (as it is ſayde in the prouerbe) and that we are emptye and voyde of meate / whiche doth nouryſſhe and make fatte in vertue and godly lyuynge.

¶ But as for theſe perſones / whiche truſtynge and berynge theym ſelues bolde vponupon the law of chriſten lybertie / doo excuſe ymages / ſayenge / that for this cauſe they ar nat vnlawfull / bycauſe we maye vſe thē lawfully at our owne pleſure / as well as we may other outward thinges / & therfore that it is better y^t there be images of Chriſt than to hauehave ymages of prophane thynges: I wolde that theſe men ſhuld fyrſt lerne / that whatſoeuer ymages are honoured or maye be honoured / ar nat to be compted in the nombre of outward thinges / & therfore they ar vſed both to the iniury of the diuyne maieſty / which only ought to be honoured / & alſo to the labefactation & decay of the fayth. There is no cauſe therfore why the conſyderation of chriſten lybertye / maye ſuffre in any wyſe ſuche maner ymages. For the lybertie of a Chriſten man / is nat a lycence to do what ſoeuer he lyſte / but it is rather a voluntary executiō of vertuouſe workes / which ar done by the motyon of charytie / & nat by the commaundemente and compulſyon of the lawe.

¶ Nowe as touchyng the obiectyon of ſome men / that there is no cauſe why it maye nat be lawfull for vsus to vſe pyctures & ſtandynge ymages. For lykewyſe as wyſe men / & thoſe perſones which hauehave ben ſuffyciently inſtructed in the trew doctryne & fayth of Chriſt / ar nothing offended nor do take any hurte by images: euen ſo weke perſones / and ſuche as be nat yet well ſkylled in godlye thinges / eyther whan they hauehave better inſtruction and are taught the truthe / ſhall be nothynge hurte by the reaſon of ymages / or if they be ſturdy & ſuch as wyll nat be taught / they ſhalbe no whyt better / though all images were clene taken away. So than neither for the weke perſons cauſe neither for their cauſe whiche are parfyte / is it neceſſarye to take awaye ymages. Doutleſſe / whoſoeuer with ſuche forked reaſons do coueyte to defende & mayntayne images: they hauehave nat verye well conſydered nor waied the counſell and entent of Paule / whā he ſaithi Co. ix1 Cor 9 All thynges ar laufull for me: but all thynges are nat expedyent nor profytable. All thynges ar laufull to me: but all thynges do nat edyfye. And agayne in another place knowlege maketh a man proude / but charyte doth edify. i. Co. 81 Cor 8Alſo there is no knowlege in all men. And agayne: Take hede that your lybertye be nat an occaſyon of offenſe and hurte to them which ar weke. i. Co. 81 Cor 8We do nat ſaye / naye verily: but that there is nothynge / whiche letteth Images to be hadde / ſo that they be natte worſhypped.j. Co. 8 We do graunte alſo / that caruers and paynters crafte / are craftes both gyuen by god / and alſo lawfull. But ſyth it is ſo that in churches eueryevery were / ymages are honoured / and namely roodes. It is nat poſſyble though thou prech neuer ſo ofte / nor neuer ſo erneſtly vntounto the people / that ymages are nat to be honoured: but that there wyll be ſome / whiche wyll hold on ſtyl to put of their cappes vntounto thē orels to lowte and make curteſye to them. For ſuche is the ſtrength of an olde rooted cuſtome / and the deuyll agayne exercyſeth and putteth forthe his craftes & diſceytes ſo buſely / that they which be ones ſnarled in his bondes / wyll neuer refrayne from worſhippinge of ymages, Now both the occaſyons and alſo the prouocations & entiſe mētes of al ſuch maner euyls muſt nedes be taken awaye / if ymages were ones put downe. And albeit truth it is / whiche they ſaye commenly / that where this vayne perſwaſyon of images is nat plucked out of mēnes myndes by the word of god / there can nat the ſame be taken awaye neither by puttynge downe of ymages: yet is it nat generally trew / ſo that we may thinke it to be trewly ſayde by all maner men indyfferently / as moch by one as by another. For by wicked men you maye well and truly ſay the ſame / which contynue always lyke to them ſelues / & chaunge nat their mynde / whether thou doeſt with wordes make playne the abhomynation of ymages with wordes orels doſt in very dede ryd all ymages oute quyte of ſyght. But to them that are weke / & in whom there is remaynynge any / be it neuer ſo lytell ſparke of godly louelove and reuerence: it ſhall nat be vnprofytable nor in vaine / to witnes and confyrme their doctryne with their dede / that is for to ſaye / after that thou haſt diſcrybed & paynted ymages ſo as they oughte to be with theyr owne coloures / borowed of the ſcrypture / than dilygētly to prouide / that the ſame alſo be ryd oute of mennes ſyght. For by that dede weke men ſhalbe confyrmed / as in other thinges / ſo lykewyſe in this. For thy techynge ſhalbe all in vayne \ vnleſſe the example of thy dede do forthwith folowe / which ſhall cauſe thy doctrine to be of ſtrength and auctoryte. Paule doutles thought it nat ſufficient that the Corinthians knewej. Co. 8 an idole to be nothīg: but he wold alſo y^t the ſame people ſhuld ī any wyſe abſteyne from etynge of the meates offred to idoles / and that for the weke perſones ſake / to whō full knowlege of ſuche maner thinges was natte yet gyuen. Therefore he badde the Corinthyans to confyrme and fortifye this doctryne with the auctoritye of their dede / and to refrayne nat onelyonly from eatynge of the fleſſhe offred vp in ſacrifyce to idoles: but alſo from all maner thynges that might appere euyll / or anye maner waye mighte offende weke perſones.

i. Co. 91 Cor 9For albeit he gaue them leaue to eate all maner fleſſhe / euen that alſo whiche was offered to Idoles / if it were ſolde in the fleſſhe market: yet in the churches where they were offred vppe to ydoles / he wolde in no wyſe graunte them lybertye to eate ſuche metes.

Euen lyke wyſe do we iuge / that it is to be thought of images / whiche lykewyſe / as peraduēture ſom man maye hauehave at home within his owne houſe / ſo that it be done without offendynge of his neyghboure: euen ſo the vſe of theym in churches or in other places / where either they maye be worſhypped or offende & hurt their neyghbour is no wyſe longer to be ſuffred.

Paule douteleſſe had leuer neuer eate fleſſhe in all his lyfe / than to gyue hys brother occaſyon to be offended:i. Co. 81 Cor 8 And ſhall we all careleſſe wynke at ſo many occaſyons bothe of offenſyons and alſo of ydolatrye.Mat. vMatt 5 If Chriſte dothe byd the eye to be plucked oute of the heed / which is an obſtacle & impedyment to vsus: how moch more thā ought pyctures and ymages to be plucked out of churches / by which we do nat only offende weke parſones / but alſo do ſette forthe oure relygyon to be ſcorned & euyl ſpoken of amonge the Turkes & iues which do conuince vsus / that in this behalfe we do agaynſt the princypall poyntes of the chriſten fayth. Wolde god that with this ſuperſtition & vayne honourynge of ymages we dyd nat ſtoppe & kepe awaye a great menye bothe of the iewes and alſo of the Turkes / frō receyuynge and takinge of the cryſten fayth vponupon them.

¶ Now / if any man wyl obiecte that for the abuſe (which peraduē ture no man wyll denye) ymages are nat altogyther to be taken aaway (for els the ſouper of the lorde / and baptyme / with many other thīges / which ar encombred with dyuerſe abuſes / ought alſo in lyke maner to be abrogated) this anſwere we do make vntounto hī: That chriſten men ſhulde nat wynke at any abuſe / & therfore whatſoeuer is brought into the church / contrary to ſcrypture / it is to be amended / & to be tryed by the ſquyer & rule of goddes worde / if any thīge doth nat agree with it / it is to be cut away / with all ſpede that may be. And onelyonly that thinge / which is right / whiche is holeſome / is to be reſtored to his owne place / and taken in his owne place / ſpecyally in the ſouper of the lorde / in baptyme / & other thinges alſo whiche hauehave ben inſtytuted by the lorde. But ymages ar all maner wayes to be taken awaye / nat only for the abuſes / but moch more for the worde of god / to which they ar playne contrarye and repugnaunte. For we can nat ymagyn anye maner vtylitie / which may be ſayd to hauehave come by the reaſon of ymages. On the other ſyde / that the ſuperſtityon of images doth draw with it an hepe of all euylles: we hauehave here to fore declared.

¶ To make ſhorte / god neuer for bad any of thoſe thinges / wherof any commodytie or profyte might ryſe: but rather whatſoeuer thinge is profytable / and maye make vsus better / he taught full largely / as wytneſſeth Paule verye euydently .ii. Timoth. iii.

¶ But if any folyſſhe wyſe man doth thynke / that ymages ar therfore nat to be taken awaye / bycauſe he fereth that thoſe weake perſones / which now ſuperſticiouſly do worſhippe / ymages / wolde be offended with the puttinge downe of ymages: this man douteleſſe / whyles he goth aboute to auoyde from the ſmoke (as it is ſayde in the prouerbe) is fallen into the flamyng fyre. For whyles he feareth to offende diſperate perſons: with hurtefull offenſyons of ymages / he backeth and hindreth better mē whiche hauehave begonne to ronne the waye of the lorde withoute anye tournynge agayne.

Who ſo euer dothe this / ſhall be gyltye of that cryme / of whiche Paule accuſeth Peter / in the epyſtle to the Galatyans.Gala 2Gal 2 For Peter whyles he was afrayde to offende certayne Iewes of Hieruſalem at Antyoche / and for that cauſe wolde natte vſe the lybertye of etynge all maner meates / as he was wonte to doo before: Paule with ſtode him to his face in the preſens of the whole multytude / bycauſe he walked nat the ryȝt way / accordynge to the truth of the goſpell. For as moch as was in him with his vnwyſe deſyre to auoyde offendynge of the Iewes / he febled the right fayth / & alſo nouryſſhed the incredulyte and vnbelefe of them / whom he ſtudyed to pleaſe in the meane ſeaſon. Brefly he dyd nothynge els / than whyles he wente about vnwyſly to auoyde one ieoperdy / he caſt hīſelfe into twayne. Doutleſſe after this maner to deſyre to auoyde occaſyons of offenſyons / is the full cauſe of offenſyons. And wold god it were nat of ſo great ſtrength as it is / amonge very many mē now in theſe days. For a man ſhall ſe very many mē which bycauſe they wold ymagen ſome honeſt cloke and coloure of their vnbelefe / do fayne thēſelues bothe to do & alſo to eſchewe very many thinges / leſt they might gyue any man occaſyon to be offended: whan in very dede, they do it rather forcauſe to kepe the croſſe of Chriſt from theym ſelues. For with this fayned deſyre to wynne certayne curable ꝑſons / they ſhifte wel for them ſelues / that they may neither hauehave the euyll wyll of deſperate perſones / neitheir any diſpleaſure or hurte done vntounto them by the ſame▪ We do nat denye verily / that ſuch maner of doctryne & lyuynge is moſt to be embraced & folowed / whiche is an obſtacle or lettynge ſo no man / which doth purpoſely angre no man / whiche doth tourne no mannes mynde awaye from the truthe: yet neuertheleſſe dilygence ought to be gyuen in the meane ſeaſō luſtely / that none of thoſe thynges be lefte of / wherby the glorye of god and the helth of our neyghbours / may be furthered & encreaſed. Chriſt him ſelfe is the ſtone of offenſyon / the ſauyour of deth to deth / vntounto them whiche are foreordeyned to lyfe.

¶ After that we oure ſelues doe knowe the wyll & pleaſure of the lorde: we muſt dilygently labour that other men alſo maye lyke and prayſe the ſame / & that other men alſo maye hauehave luſte and pleaſure to confyrme theym ſelues vntounto the ſame / yf we can nat obtayne thys / than oughte we rather to forſake father & mother / & al our goodes: ye / moreouer to renoūce our owne ſelues / than to reſyſt or grudge againſt the wyll & pleaſure of god But moſt cōmunely we ſe it come to paſſe / that a great parte of men hauehave leuer both to get & to mayntayne and kepe the fauour of men with the miniſſhement of goddes honour: albeit yet it were better to wyn both the fauour of god / and alſo of men / with honeſt maners / and honeſt lyuyng / and with redy deſyre & wyll to do good vntounto all men / if we wolde begyn this maner of wynnynge the fauour of mē and in other thinges wold lyue in this worlde fauteleſſe / as nere as we coulde / douteles there ſhulde be no man ſo parcyall in iugemēt / but he wolde by and by gather in mynde / that it was neither preſūptuouſlye nor without good cauſe done of vsus that we hauehave baniſſhed pictures and ymages cleane oute of churches. But whereto ſhulde we make many wordes / ſyth it is euident inough now / that images do miniſſh the true honour of god and that it is nat poſſyble but that weke men be gretly offended / and do take moche hurte by them. For they I meane weke perſones wolde paſſe lytell vppon the takynge awaye of ymages / if they were taught playnly / for what conſyderation and ſkyll they were taken awaye. On the otherſyde / if they be nat taken away / forthwith they conceyue an opinyon / as thoughe it were nat lawfull to put them away. Nowe as for obſtynate and vncurable perſones / nat onelyonly we can nat with ſauing images bring theym to goodneſſe: but alſo with our ſufferaunce and ſlackneſſe we ſhall confyrme and eſtablyſſhe thē the more in ydolatrye.

¶ Brefely / if thou haſte ſo great deſyre and louelove to wynne manye men to thy lorde: ordre thy lyfe ſo that other mē may in very dede ſe experyence & proufe / that Chriſt is alyue in the / and that all thy dedes and ſayengꝭ do breth and ſauoure of him. Withoute doubte / if thou wylte ordre thy ſelfe in this wyſe / thou ſhalt cauſe euen wicked men alſo / that they can nat chuſe / but at the leſt wyſe cloſely in their hertes confeſſe (their conſcyence dryuynge theym thervnto) that thou waſt nat only moued / but alſo cō pelled by the zele of god to put awaye images. And though in the meane ſeaſon / manye thynges be wantynge in vsus: yet that natwithſtandynge we oughte to be neuertheleſſe dilygent / to prouyde that all ſuche maner thinges be putte awaye / whiche ſoeuer are repugnaunte to the worde of god.

Let vsus take no thoughte for anye maner thynge / which may caſt vsus out any maner way of the fauoure of men: & let vsus go ſtreyght forth / and take the nexte waye to fulfyll the rule of a Chriſten mans lyfe. for a true Chriſten man / although he doth in many thinges acknowlege him ſelfe to be a ſynner (as he is ī very dede) yet doth he neither alowe nor excuſe any maner thing which doth minyſſhe or deface the honour of his lord & maiſter chriſt

¶ Of the abuſe of ymages we hauehave ſpoken ſomewhat here to fore. But if any man do ſomwhat dilygently conſyder & way the mater / he ſhall perceyue vndoutedly / that ymages ar fallē into a farre gretter abuſe amonge Chriſten men / than euer was amonge any heathen men. Images hauehave gyuen anſweres w^t vsus / they hauehave wepte / one of thē hath ben thoughte more holy and of more power than another. One more louely & more gratious than another / a man ſhall fynde ſome / whiche in a certayne place hauehave ſhewed forth their power in workyng of miracles / whan they hauehave bē tranſlated & remoued into another place / they hauehave ceſſed to do the ſame. Of the ymage at Lauretum / and dyuerſe other / ſyth the mater is knowen wyll inoughe: we nede nat to ſaye any thynge at all. And I praye you / howe moche rycheſſe in the meane ſeaſon hath this ſuperſtition of ymages gathered togyther / nat w^t out plentuouſe occaſyon of offenſyons: which ſayd ryches the glotony & pompe of a ſort of vnthrifty idle belyes hath deſtroyed & waſtfully conſumed. In as moch therfore / as trewe / full / & parfyte faith can nat ſuffre ſo great abhominatyon / & ſyth it can nat be plucked vp by the rootes with the worde alone (For with the goodly & gloriouſe apperaunce of holyneſſe / and alſo by the reaſon of long cuſtome and contynuance / it hath gotten ſo great auctoryte & eſtymation to it ſelfe) it is to be put awaye by the dede ſelfe. And wherto nedeth it to ſuffre thoſe thingꝭ amonge chriſten men / whiche as they can nat but engendre euylles out of nombre / ſo can they cauſe no hope nor lokynge of anye maner profyte to come by thē vntounto any man. It dyd become vsus chriſten men moſt of al to be moued & ſtyred with the worde of god / which doth ſo playnly and ſo expreſſely forbyd all maner of ymages. Whatſoeuer is redde concernynge ymages in the lawe / in the Prophettes / in the Pſalmes dothe moche more rightefully appertayne vntounto vsus / whiche are taughte by Chriſte / that god is to be worſhipped in ſpyrite and truthe / and that Chriſte alſo is natte to be honoured in Images of woode / of ſtone / or of ſyluer: but that he is to be worſhypped raither ſyttynge on the right hande of his father / and that all the membres of the ſayde Chriſt / that is to wytte / oure neyghbours are to be focoured with dedes of charytie.

¶ And theſe fewe thinges amonge manye / it hathe lyked vsus to borowe of the ſcryptures againſt pyctures and images / which ſcriptures alone / a chriſten man hathe regarde vntounto / as vntounto the ſhote ankre / in all thynges / both whiche ar to be deſyred / and alſo whiche are to be eſchewed. But yet bycauſe it can nat be but pleaſure and conforte to the ſame Chriſten man / whatſoeuer either doctryne or exāples he ſhal fynde in the ſaintes of god / which is cōſonant and agreyng to the ſcriptures: we hauehave thought it expedient to brynge forth a fewe thynges of the wrytyngꝭ of the fathers / by which the godly reder ſhall eaſely perceyue / that the apoſtles / martyrs / and all the beſt lerned & moſt auncyent fathers taught the ſame thinge / whiche is ordeyned & cōmaunded by the word of god / vntyll ſuch tyme as by the Gothyans & the Vandalyanes / the chriſten faythe and the more pure knowlege of the truthe began to be gretly miniſſhed and brought in decay. For in the tyme of ſaynte Hieronymie / & certayne yeres after him / we doo nat rede / that any byſſhop beynge of wyſe iugemente / dyd ſuffre pyctures or images in the churches of chriſten men. Of whiche thynge Epiphanius / the moſte holy byſſhoppe of Salamine / in the yle of Cyprus ſheweth an euydent exāple in his epyſtel to Iohan the byſſhoppe of Hieruſalem / which epyſtel ſaynte Hieronyme tranſlated into latyn. For thus he writeth:Epiphanius. whan we wente togyther to the holye place which is called Bethell / to make a collectyon there for poore people with the / accordīge to the cuſtome and maner of the churche: and I was come vntounto the vyllage which is called Anablatha / & as I paſſed by / dyd ſe a burnynge lampe / & I had aſked what place it was / and had lerned that it was a churche / and had entred into it to praye: I dyd fynde there a vayle hangynge in the churche dores / coloured and paynted / & hauynge as it were the ymage of Chriſt / or of ſome ſaynt (For I do nat wel remēbre whoſe ymage it was) I ſay whan I had ſene that in the churche of Chriſt / ther dyd hāge the ymage of a man agaynſt the auctoritie of the ſcriptures: I dyd cut it / & gaue counſel rather to the kepers of that place / that they ſhulde wynde ſome pore man that were deed / & bury him in it. And they agayne grudgynge / ſayd by me: If he had mynded to cutte it / it was reaſon & right that he ſhuld gyue another vayle and chaunge this / which thinge whan I had herde / I promyſed that I wolde gyue one / and ſende it forth with. Howbeit I deferred the ſending of it ſomwhat the longer / by the reaſon that I entended for to ſende a very good vaile in the ſted of it / & I thought y^t I ſhulde hauehave had one ſēt vntounto me out of Ciprus. Nowe I hauehave ſent ſuche one as I coulde get / & I pray you / that you wyll byd the preeſtes of that ſame place / to receyue this vayle of the bringer / which we hauehave ſent / and afterwardꝭ to cōmaunde / that no mo ſuche maner vayles / which ar contrary to our relygyon / be hangen vp in the churche of Chriſt.

Lo / here the ſentence of the mooſt vertuouſe byſſhop / in whiche he gyueth iugemente by expreſſe and playne wordes / that it is agaynſt ſcrypture & our relygion / that ymages of chriſt ar had in the churches of chriſten men / wherof we may gather euidently that in this mater / bothe Ierome & alſo other biſſhops were of the ſame mynde that Epiphanius was of. Herfore EuſebiusEuſebiꝰ alſo reherſeth / as a ſtrā ge & an vnwont thyng / that in Ceſarea Philippi (in which cyte the woman was borne / whom Chriſt healed from the fluxe of blode) He dyd ſe two ymages of braſſe / the one of y^e woman / thother of chriſt our ſauyour / whiche ymages yet were ſet vp at churche dores / nat in the churche ſelfe / as the ſame Euſebius recordeth. And at the laſt / he ſayth thus: It is no merueyle if thoſe perſones of the gentyles which dyd beleue / were ſene for ſuche benefytes as they had receyued of the ſauyour / to offre as you wolde ſaye / ſuche a maner rewarde or recompenſe / ſyth it is ſo that we do ſee ymages & tables of the apoſtles Peter & Paule / & alſo of Chriſt our ſauyour to be caruē and paynted / euen theſe daies alſo we hauehave ſene moreouer olde ymages of them kepte of certayne perſones / which thinge me thinke is obſerued / according to the cuſtom of the gentyles / without any dyfference / bycauſe they ar wont in ſuche wiſe to honour them / whō they thought worthye of honoure. For that the armes or ymages of olde men are reſerued & kepte for a remembrance to them that ſhal come after: it is a ſygne & token both of their honoure / & alſo of theſe mennes louelove towardꝭ thē.Li. vii. ca. 14. Thus ſaith Euſebius in y^e eccliaſtical hiſtori.

¶ Herof we doo eaſely perceyue / that the images whiche Euſebius dyd ſe / were ſet vp / nat within the churches / but at the churche dores. Agayne / nat to thentente that they ſhuld be honoured / but rather that they ſhuld be a teſtymony & record how great honour they were to be iudged worthy of / whoſe images were reſerued & kepte: all whiche thynges neuertheleſſe / Euſebius doth nat hyde / to hauehave taken their begynnynge of the Gentyles and hethen people. But what thinke you that he wolde hauehave ſayd / if he had ſene ymages ſet vp ī churches and no leſſe worſhipped of chriſten men / than euer they were of anye gentyls / which thyng (a lacke for petye) it is vndouted both to hauehave be done: ye / & to be done euen now at theſe dayes alſo. Of theſe thynges therfore we may gather what is the cauſe / why the olde fathers dyd write nothynge agaynſt ſuch maner of ymages. For there was no man at that tyme / which dyd ſo moche as ones dreme / that euer ſo gret a multytude of images ſhuld crepe into churches / as hath cropē in / for as moche as they knewe it to be forbydden with ſo open & euydent oracles & teſtymonyes of the ſcrypture. But agaynſte the images of the Gentyles / a man ſhall fynde many thīges written by the fathers very cōnyngly & eloquently / bycauſe the ſuperſtityon of thē dyd raygne eueryevery where euē at the ſame tyme / in which thoſe holy mē were lyuynge. yea / & was defended of the gentyles with the ſame weapens / with which both in our tyme / & alſo in the tyme of our fathers / certayne chriſten men hauehave gone about to defende and mayntayne their ymages. Whatſoeuer thynge Lactantyus wrote agaynſt the ydoles of the gentyles / we may by very good right apply the ſame agaynſt our ymages: all beit in his tyme (as we hauehave ſayd) they wer nat yet vſed among cryſten men.Lactātiꝰ Amonge manye places it lyketh me at this tyme to allege one.Lib. ij, cap, ij. For thus he demaūdeth of the gentyles: If you do therfore fere your goddes / bicauſe you do iuge them to be in heuen: why doo you nat than lyfte vp youre eyes in to heuen? why do you rather loke to walles / to ſtockes / & ſtones: than to that place / where you do beleue that they be? This ſame queſtion in lyke maner may we demaunde of our ſuperſtityouſe chriſtē men: If they do beleue that god & ſayntes ar in heuen: why doo they nat rather lyfte vp theire eyes to that place / than to the deed ymages? But let vsus here alſo Athanaſe / writyng in this wyſe agaynſt the gē tyls.Athanaſius, Let thē ſay (I beſech you) howe or after what maner god is knowen by images: whether is it by the mater & ſtuffe put rounde about them: or els is it by y^e ſhape and facion brought ī to the ſtuffe? If it be for the ſtuffe of the images that he is knowen / than what nedeth any ſhape or facion to be brought in by the workeman? & why dyd nat god appere as well by all maner of ſtuffe / before that any ymages were made: ſyth all thingꝭ do wytneſſe his glorie. But if the ſhape and facyon brought into the ſtuffe / be the cauſe of the knowlege of god: what nedeth than any payntynge / or any other ſtuffe at all? and why is nat god knowen rather by the very lyue creatures / whoſe ſhapes or ymages? for doutles the glori of god ſhuld be more clerely & euydently knowen / if it wer ſhewed by the lyue creatures both reſonable & vnreſonable / thā by deed & vnmoueable creatures. Therefore whan you do graue or paynte ymages / for the entente to hauehave vnderſtandynge & knowlege of god: forſoth you do an vnworthy & an vnmete thinge. &c. Now Athanaſius wold neuer hauehave purpoſed in his mynde / to write any ſuche maner thynge agaynſte the gentyles / if he had ſene the chriſtē men of his tyme / entangled and wrapped in ſuche ſuperſtityon of ymages / as we do ſe a great parte of the worlde to be pytuouſly ſnarled now in our tyme: but he wold rather hauehave exercyſed his penne agaynſt chriſtēmen / if they had ben lyke our cryſten men now adayes. But nothynge letteth / but that we may very accordīgly apply y^e ſame thingꝭ agaynſt our ſuperſtityous chriſten men: for they pretende the ſame cauſe of hauyng images / w^t which Athanaſius reherſeth / that the gētyles were moued / that is to wit / that by images they maye be put in remēbraunce of god: which thynge / ſyth the creatures of god (whether we do conſider the ſtuffe or the ſhape & facyon of them) may do moch more ſtrongly (as Athanaſius iugeth full wel) there is no nede that we ſhuld ronne vntounto the workes of mē / which do repreſent but onelyonly I wot nat what falſe ymage vntounto vsus. For whom ſoeuer trees / ſtones / ſyluer / golde / & other ſtuffe / wherof ymages are made / fynally whom the ſyght of man / to whom god hath gyuen lyfe & reaſon / can nat ſtyre nor put in remē brance of god: ſurely images ſhal natte ſtyre vp that man with anye frute or profyte: for they (as Origen writeth agaynſt Selſus) doo rather plucke awaye the memorie of man from god / & do tourne the eyes of the mynde bacwardes / to behold & conſyder erthly thinges. For eueryevery man knoweth / that the more nere that one thynge reſembleth another in nature and proprietie / ſo moche the more ſtrongly it doth renewe the remembraunce in vsus of that thynge / to whom it is lyke. For trees or ſtones do more ſurely and lyuely putte vsus in remembraunce of god / whan they are cōſydered of vsus / hauyng their owne naturall ſhape & facyon / ſo as they were fyrſt created of god: than whan by the worke and craft of men beynge beryued of theire owne naturall ſhape / they doo expreſſe & reſemble vntounto vsus the image and lykeneſſe of man / or of any other thynge. For ſoner ſhall the remembraunce come to thy mynde of the Caruer or Paynter / whoſe workmanſhip thou doſt marueyle at / than the remembrance of god / the creatour & maker of all thingꝭ. It is therfore nothynge els but a pure diſceyte of the deuyll / which calleth vsus from the praiſynge and charytable louynge of the lyue ymages of god / vntounto deed ymages of wood or ſtone / which ſome mā a folyſſhe coūterfaiter of god / hath folyſſhlye carnen or paynted. We coulde alſo allege manye other teſtymonyes oute of the writynges of the fathers: but it ſhulde be all in vayne / to recyte any mo to him whiche is nat moued with theſe / which we hauehave all redy reherſed.

¶ Here we hauehave thoughte it very expedyent & neceſſary to declare & make playne / accordīg to the truth of hyſtories / whan / & by what begynners ymages begane to come vp amonge Chriſten men: & who agayne on the other ſyde did their endeuour to put them downe / and with how moche buſyneſſe / & how great ieoperdy / good & well diſpoſed men hauehave attempted this thīge vntyll the church was brought in to this preſent condityon & ſtate of thīges fallyng ſtyl apece to worſe and worſe. Vndoutedly the lawes as well of the chriſten emperours / as of the chriſten counſels / made agaīſt ymagꝭ / came thā fyrſt forth whan through the ſlouthfulneſſe & neglygence of byſſhoppes & their vayne curyouſe deſyre to wyn the fauour of god / nat only images & pyctures crepte into the churches / but alſo (which is wont comunely to chaunce) they began to be worſhipped of the peple. We rede that Serenus / the byſſhoppe of MaſſiliaSerenꝰ Byſſhop of Maſſilia, / a very holy man / was ſo diſpleaſed & toke it ſo greuouſly (as mete was) that ymages were ſet vp in churches: that he dyd caſte down all the ymages at ones whiche were in his churche / dyd breke them / & at the laſte dyd alſo burne thē. We do nat deny / but that this dede of Serenus was ſore rebuked of Gregorie / which was called Gregorius magnusGregorius magnus, / & that the ſeyde Serenus was admoniſhed & coūſelled of y^e ſeid Gregori / that he ſhulde nat forbyd or let images to be had: but that he ſhuld teche y^e honouring of thē in any wiſe to be auoyded. But what other thynge ſhuld the ſtādredberer of relygiō and vertue fallyng in decay / do in this mater / as well as in many other? For about that tyme the churche of Rome beganne to thretten / and gyue lykelyhod of gret ruyne of the fayth afterwardꝭ to folowe.

¶ But amonge the Grekes / Leo themperour / the .iii.Leo Emperoure of the Grekes. of that name / a man both well learned / and alſo vertuouſe and godly (he raygned in the yere of our lorde .vii. C.lxxxiiii) diſtroied al images vniuerſally / & cōmaūded Gregori the .iii of that name by his letters / that he ſhuld do the ſame thinge lykewyſe at Rome.Gregory the third But this Gregorie nat onelyonly refuſed to be obedyent to the emperours cōmaūdemēt / but alſo at Rauenna was the authour & begynner of ſedition / to which cytie he called a certayne menye of byſſhoppes & made a counſel / in whiche he decreed agaynſte themperours cōmaūdement / that images ought to be had in moche more honoure / than euer they were before.

And to the entente that he might the moore boldely inſtytute thys thynge agaynſt themperour withoute any punyſſhmente: nat very longe before / he had gone aboute traytorouſly to forſake thēperour / and to fall vntounto the parte of the frē che kynge. After the deth of Leo / Conſtantyne his ſonne / the fyfth of that name / wyllyng to confyrme his fathers cōmaūdement & decre / called togyther all the lerned men and byſſhoppes / oute of all Grece lande / beyng in nōbre.Conſtantin the. v CCC.xxx. which comparyng the ſcryptures to the reaſons of the coūſell / which we ſpake of before / called by Gregorie: determyned with one cōſent That it is nat lauful to thē which by chriſt do beleue in god / to hauehave any images / either of the creator / or the creatures to honour theym: but rather of the ieoperdyes of offenſyons / that they were all to be taken away at ones. So to the begynnynge of Leo / Conſtantyne his ſonne / and all his ſucceſſoures dyd cleue & abyde by it: vntyll ſuche tyme / that the cruell woman HireneHiren. went about that horryble and excedynge wicked tragedye / whereof we ſhall ſpeke / nat longe hereafter. But the decrees of that wycked woman / were vertuouſly abrogated by Cōſtantynes ſonne / the ſyxte of that name. There cometh nowe happely to my mynde / the decre of Theodoſius & Valens whiche Petrus Crinitus / a man that had red many thynges / doth recyte in the .ix. boke / De honeſta diſciplina. His own very wordes I ſhall faythfully & truly reherſe.

Valens & Theodoſius the noble emperours wrot to y^e officer called Prefectus pretorius:The decree of Theodoſius and Valens. Foraſmoch as our dilygent ſtudy & care is / in all thingꝭ to maynteyne & vphold the faith & honour of god: we forbid any maner mā to graue or make the image of chriſt our ſauyour of ſtone / of wood / or of any other ſtuffe / orels to paynte the ſame w^t colours. yea / and wherſoeuer any ſuch ymage be foūde / we cōmaūde that it be taken awaye / and they ſore punyſſhed / who ſo euer ſhall attempte any thynge contrarye to our decrees and commaūdement / in whiche thynge if anye man do requyre an authoure: let him rede the decrees and commandementes of Emperoures / whiche hauehave ben collected and gathered by a ſatyre of the righte connynge men Trybunianus / Baſylydes / Theophilus / Dioſcorus / and other at the commaundement of the mooſt noble Emperoure Iuſtiniane.

Thus farre ſaythe Crinitus:

It is therfore euydente and manyfeſt / that themperours alſo whiche were before the tyme of Leo / dydde dilygentlye prouyde / that the ſuperſtityon of Images ſhulde natte by anye manner meanes pollute and defyle the churches of Chriſten men.Pontiꝰ paulinꝰ Byſſhop of Nola the fyrſt cauſer that images wer paynted. The fyrſte of all other (as far as we can gather of hiſtories) which did cauſe images to be paynted in churches: was Pontius Paulinus byſſhoppe of Nola / about the yere of our lorde ecccl. For he ſolemnyſing yerely the byrthe daye of Saynt Felix / was wonte to make a great and a coſtly feſt vntounto the churche / and to thentent that they whiche ſate at the ſeyd feſt / ſhulde be the ſooner and more eaſely prouoked to temperaunce / & to the conſyderatyon of godlye thinges: he paynted on the churche walles / ymages of the hiſtores of the old teſtamēt / y^t they ſhulde hauehave ſomwhat alſo where with they mighte fede / and delyte their eyes frutefully. Afore this Paulinus / you ſhall nat lyghtly fynde / that any ſuche thynge was attempted by any man / at the leſt wyſe / beyng of any famous memorye. For in ſuche wyſe by lytell & lytell / this ſuperſtityō muſt nedes crepe in: lykewyſe as other thynges did / which hauehave corrupted the puryte & prefection of the churche. Nowe who is he / that dothe nat perceyue and ſe / that Paulynus dyd two maner waies offende. for fyrſt agaynſte the cōmaundement of ſaynte Paule / he was bolde / & toke vponupon him ſelfe to make open feſtes in the churche. And (which agayne was as great an offence / and ſuche as can nat be excuſed) he began with ymages to exhorte men vntounto the louelove & exerciſynge of temperaunce: whan he beynge a chriſten man / ought rather to hauehave gone about to do the ſame w^t holeſome doctryne and good example. Wherfore it doth euidently appere that this byſſhoppe dyd in no wiſe begyn that thynge of a pure godly ſpiryte: but if a man do well conſydre & way eueryevery thinge / he ſhall fynde / that with the ſame ſpyrite / that is to wytte moſt retcheleſſe / & diſpiſyng of godly thinges / other men alſo hauehave taken vponupon them to defende imagꝭ. For the popes & biſſhops (I wot nat whether throgh euyll wyll or els through a certayn pride) began with toth & nayle to defende the vſe / or rather the abuſe of ymages agaīſt the greke emperours: vntyll ſuche tyme as by the labour & helpe of HyrenesHerene empreſſe (which after the deceſſe of Leo her huſbād had y^e rule & gouernāce of thēpyre many yeres) a coūſel was aſſēbled at Nice / in whiche coūſell ſhe cauſed to be abrogated & dyſanulled / whatſoeuer was before decreed by Conſtātyne / concernyng the puttynge away of ymages. Neither coulde this wyckedneſſe ſuffyſe & content her mynde: but ſhe did cauſe the bodye of Conſtantyne to be digged vp agayne out of the groū de to be brente to aſſhes / & laſte of all to be throwen into the ſee.

¶ This very ſame Hyrene / after that ſhe was by her ſonne depoſed frō her tyrānous empire / lefte nothīge vnaſſaid nor neuer reſted vntyll by abhominable & traytorous craftes / ſhe wan agayn thēpire vntounto her ſelfe: which thing whan ſhe had brought to paſſe / accordīge to her owne mynde / ſhe dyd caſte her ſonne in to priſon / plucked out his eyes / & in cōcluſion ſlewe hī alſo. But whan ſhe feared that her tirā ny ſhulde nat cōtynue nor laſt lōg ſhe made labours (y^e pope of Rōe beyng broker & ſpokeſman) to be maried vntounto Charles the great / otherwiſe called Charlemayn / kīge of France: & for this cauſe ſhe gaue lycence to the byſſhop of Rome to trāſlate the crown of thēpire of Rome vntounto Charles / hopyng verily that her owne tirāny ſhuld be ſafe / if by trāſlatyng thēpire of the Grekes traytourouſly vntounto y^e frē chemen / ſhe dyd bynde / nat onelyonly Charles / but alſo the biſſhoppe of Rome / & make theym her frendes with this great benefyte.

¶ But whan Nicephorus,Nicephorus. which than was capitayne of the army of the Grekes perceyued theſe traitorouſe diſceytes / forthw^t in all haſt he did caſt Hirene īto priſō / as ſhe had deſerued / in which ſhe made a wretched ende / & changed this lyfe with deth / worthy & mete for ſuche goodly actꝭ as ſhe had done.O cruell woman, This ſame Hirene which digged vp the deed body of her father in lawe / & brent it. Which put out her owne ſōnes eyes / & ſlewe him in priſon: which betraied themperour of the Grekes: & this ſame biſſhoppe / the counſeller & helper of the moſt wicked & vngratiouſe womās purpoſes & enforcemētes: which biſſhop toke awaye frō the right & lawfull emperour his empier / & did put in another into thempier whō it pleaſed hīſelfe: but yet vpō this condition / that he hīſelfe ſhuld hauehave Rome / & Italye for his parte: This worſhipful couple (Iſai) auaūced ymages vntounto this eſtymation & hononour. For whatſoeuer ymages or pictures are in eſtimation: they may nat w^tout good cauſe thanke theſe .ii. for it / as fyrſt begynners. Howbeit / the ſucceſſoures alſo of Charles / dyd afterwardꝭ their dilygēt endeuour to maynteyne & vphold theſe abhominations: leſt the foūdation & ground worke of ydolatrye / which Charles had layde / ſhuld hauehave lacked building to garniſſhe it full of all impyetie & wickednes. Howbeit thoſe men in tymes paſt / dyd neuer than pollute & defyle temples & churches with ſo many images / & ſhewing ſo many feſt apperance of ydolatry (which thinge we may perceyue & ſe euen yet by thoſe which they bylded) as hauehave ben ſet vp eueriwher in theſe laſte .C. yeres / to the occaſyon of moſt vaine honour: which honour to thentent to make it the more accepted with falſe & lieng wonders he ſtyred vp & moued ſuꝑſtitiouſe perſones in eueryevery place / to begyn pylgrymages to ſuche ymages / to their gret hynderance / both of godes / & of faythe & godlyneſſe, For (I praye you) tell me what other thynge ſhall a man fynde in ſuche maner churches of the bleſſed vyrgin: than certayne fylthy & ſmoky ymages? For god (ſuch is his excedyng goodneſſe) leſte any occaſyon of ydolatry ſhuld be left vntounto men: he wolde that the body of the bleſſed virgin ſhuld nat be knowē Likewiſe as he did by the body of Moſes. We wyl ſay nothing here of the ymages of ſaynte Anne / of ſayntes / nor of the images of Angels: which men with lyke ſuperſtityon / hauehave begon to ſet vp wel-nere in eueryevery corner / & to worſhyp them. And (which is as gret a folyſſhnes as may be) whan there ar ſo many images oftētymes in one church: to one they do gyue I wot nat what power of workynge myracles / to the great hynderaunce & contempte of all the reſydue. Brefly / ſo gret is the vanyte of images that though ī very dede thei could put vsus in remēbrance of god: yet neuertheleſſe for dyuerſe occaſyons of offenſyons & ydolatrye / it were expedient & neceſſari to hauehave thē taken awaye in all the haſt / accordyng to the example of Eſechias the moſt holy kyng / whiche did caſt down & breke the braſē ſerpēt / which was ſet vp by the cōmaūdement of god: whan he had parceyued that it was worſhypped contrary to the cōmaundemēt of god.

Theſe thynges / which we hauehave hytherto recyted / if he that fauoureth the glori of Chriſt / wyll dilygently way & conſyder ī his mynd he ſhall vndoubtedly perceyue / that whatſoeuer ymages ar honoured in churches / or anye maner waye maye be honoured: neither ought / neither may be ſuffred amōge cryſten mē / vnleſſe we wyl do againſt the manifeſt precepte of god / & deſpyſe & ſet at nought both the faith and alſo the exāples of y^e apoſtels martyrs / and alſo of holy fathers. Fynally except we can fynde in o^r herte in the ſtede of the lawes / whiche hauehave bē made both by chriſten emperours / & alſo counſels to receyue the traditions of the biſſhop of Rome / & of the moſt wycked womā / whoſe delyte & pleſure both of thē / was in traiſō / robbries / & cōtynuall ſtudy to deuide & diſtroy the

¶ Fynally as cōcernīg (empire, the takyng down & putting away of altres / the which hauehave knowen the wicked abuſyons of the maſſe / may & wyll be ſone ſatiſfied & contēted w^tout any gret buſynes / they which do nat know / can nat be pacifyed with moch buſynes: vnleſſe thei be taught firſt / how gret abhomination y^e maſſe is in the ſight of god. Therfore this one thinge we deſyre to be conſydered of thē that fere & drede god / in what maner & forwhat ende & entēt / chriſt our ſauyour did īſtitute his holy ſouper Truly to thentent / that this diſcyples (that is to ſay / they which wil lyue accordinglye to his doctryne and cōmaundement) aſſemblynge togyther / ſhuld take that miſticall breed & miſticall drinke in comen / & eueryone put other in remēbrāce of that incomparable charytie of chriſt / by which he ſuffred doth for their ſaluation: & by the reaſō therof / their fayth & truſt in god beīge encreaſed / ſhuld be enflamed both with the hatred of ſines / & alſo w^t louelove of all vertues / profeſſyng thē ſelues to be one body & one breed in Chriſt. By this meanes onelyonly / holy mē ar nouryſſhed with chriſt the meate of lyfe. Now cōpare vntounto theſe thingꝭ / that which is done cōmenly in maſſes. Maſſes moſt ſpecyally ar done for the belyes ſake: or els at y^e leſtwiſe to purchaſe ſome merite afore god / which thīg euē it ſelfe alone / although al this buſynes were cōmaūded by god / ſhuld yet make it abhomynable to god. Beſydes this / there ar ſayd & done ſo many thinges / whiche do turne away our myndes frō chriſt which raigneth in heuen / vntounto the worke of the preſt. The cōgregation hereth no doctryne or exhortatyon in their mother tongue / that they miȝt be edifyed therby. Ther is no cōmunion had / although the wordes whiche the preſt reherſeth do make mentyon of it. And whyles the preeſt alone dothe receyue the breed & the cuppe of the lorde: there is natte / as Paule ſayth / the ſouper of the lorde repreſented. There ar ſayd alſo many thinges which ar playne repugnant to the ſcripture: for they do teche to truſt vntounto the merytes & interceſſyon of ſaintes. And (which thing is moſt highly to be abhorred) where as the oblation of Chriſt (by whiche only beyng made vponupon the croſſe / we ar aſſoiled & ſanctified for euer more) ought to be preached: The preſt boſteth / that as oftētymes as he doth his maſſe / ſo oftentimes he doth offre Chriſt to his father / and therfore doth by it obtayne the puttyng away of all euyls / & a hepe of al good thinges to thē only / which by gyuyng any thinge to the preſt do make thē ſelues partakers of y^e maſſe / by the / reaſon wherof it is come to paſſe / that ſo many mē / al care of innocēcye layde aparte / do hope that heuen ſhalbe opened vntounto thē / euen by maſſes alone. Whoſoeuer acknowlegeth the lorde Ieſus as our only ſauyour & ſanctyfyer / if he do cōſyder theſe thinges dilygently / & with the ſame do cō pare thoſe thingꝭ / which our lorde both ſayd & dyd: and beſydes that / dyd betake to vsus for to be reiterated / & oftētimes put in vſe: he ſhal eſely perceyue & ſe / that there was neuer anye ſuperſtityon in tymes paſt / which had in it ſelfe ſo great impyetie & wickedneſſe / ſo gret cō tempte of god / ſo gret diſtructiō of all vertues / as hathe the maſſe / ſo as it hath ben vſed to be had nowe theſe certayne yeres. And hereof whā he knoweth / that nothīg is ſo moch to be hated & abhorred of criſten mē: he ſhall ꝑceyue that all remēbrance of it is vtterly to be takē away: & therfore y^t y^e alters / which were y^e forgers of ſuch ydolatry / & in dede y^e rich wyues of preſtꝭ but very hurtfull to all cryſten people wer in no wyſe to be ſuffred of that gouernour & ruler / which princypally entēded to execute his offyce to the honour & pleaſure of chriſt. Let criſten mē know the truth of y^e mater / & than afterwardꝭ let them

Laſt of all / this thīg alſo (iuge. is to be obſerued in this matter / though neuer ſo gret offenſyons & occaſyons of euyls come through pyctures & images / that yet for all that / it is nat laufull for any man but the hed offycer & ruler to caſte thē out / namely out of open & comē places. For in aſmoche as they are outward thingꝭ / no man ought to take vponupon hī more power ouer thē than the condition & ſtate of eueryevery mā ſhall requyre / that it is to wit / that eueryevery mā priuatly banyſh thē out of his owne mynde / reiectīg y^e folyſhe eſtimation of thē. Now to an houſholder it belongeth / accordynge to the exāple of Iames the patriarchIames the Patriarche. / to clenſe & rid his houſe of thē. But to caſt thē out of churches & comen places / is the duty of the hedofficer & gouernour / which duty (thanke be to Chriſt) our gouernour hath knowē / & hath executed with cryſten grauyte. And one thyng is to be eſchewed in this buſynes / lykewiſe as in al other / whiche it belongeth to criſten mennes charge for to do (& it is the coūſell of. S. Paule) that we do nat betraye & ſet forth our good to the euyll wordꝭ of men: & that the thīg which was inſtytuted to the helth and ſaluatiō of many men / be nat an occaſyon of hurte to any man. Wherfore if any man in diſtroyēg of ymages / ſhulde do any thynge preſumputouſly / outragyouſly / & paſt the meſure of charite / he ſhuld bynde hīſelfe by ſo moch to y^e more greuouſe ſine / by howe moche the thynge is more holy / in whiche he foloweth his owne ſenſuall luſt / & the offycer ought (nat w^tout good cauſe) to punyſſhe him for brekīge of louelove & charite. Alſo it ought nat to be aſcribed to any outragiouſneſſe / though vnſenſyble ymages be nat ſo ſoftely & ſo tenderly handled / as certayn mē (through a foliſh ymaginatiō / as though w^t the fygure & ſymilytude of man / they had alſo mannes wyttes & reaſon) are wont to hauehave compaſſyon / and to ſorowe ſomwhat whan they ar broken. For if we were dyſpoſed to take awaye images / after ſuche maner and facyon as ſcripture techeth and cōmaundeth / whiche facyon doutleſſe muſt nedes be beſt: we ought to breke them / yea / and that all to pouder / that they might neuer be made whole agayne / nor be reſtored into ſo wycked an vſe in whiche we ought nat to hauehave ſo gretly regarded the labour & craft of man / ſyth it is our duty to offre euen oure owne ſelues alſo to the croſſe / and to all maner afflyction / rather than to be wyllynge to gyue occaſyon of fallynge to any mā that walketh in the waye of vertue and godlyneſſe. And wolde god there were in all men as moch care and dilygence to make moche of / and to beware of offendynge or hurtynge the verye lyue ymages / whiche god him ſelfe hathe made to his owne lykeneſſe: as we doo ſee to be in very manye men / that thoſe deed & dombe ymages ſhuld nat be hardlye / nor vnreuerently entreated. To conlude ſhortlye to plucke downe ymages and pictures / and to ryd them quyte oute of churches / is an holy thynge / and ought to be begon accordyng to the commaundemente of god, It is conuenyente therefore and mete / that it be performed and fulfylled in ſuche wyſe / that it maye be accepted and alowed of all mightye god. That is to wytte / that they be ſo taken away / that there be no whytte of them remaynynge / namely to lyke vſe / and alſo that yet neuertheles / nothinge be done p̄ſumptuouſely / nor outragyouſely / nothynge that maye gyue anye man good cauſe to be troubled: but that all thynges be done charytably / of pure and perfyte louelove / and deſyre to do profyte to all men. And after this facyon god graunte that his people maye be delyuered from ydoles and ymages / throughout the whole world / frō the tone ende to the tother.

AMEN.

¶ Printed for W. Marſhall. With the Kynges mooſt gratiouſe priuylege.

End of the text · Martin Bucer, Images Not to be Suffered in Churches (1535)