Pictures not to be Worshiped, Text

Pictures not to be Worshiped · Text

¶ That images nor pictures whiche hauehave ben wonte to be worſhipped ar nat to be ſuffred in the churches of Chriſten men.

ALbeit / there are verye mani iuſt cauſes which 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 in my ſyght. Thou ſhalt make vntounto thy ſelfe no grauen or karuen image / nor the ſymylytude 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 erth. Thou ſhalte nat bowe thy ſelfe before them / nether worſhip them: for I am thy lorde god euerlaſtyng / ſtronge & mighty / punyſſhinge 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 nat withoute good cauſe amonge other / do chalenge vntounto them ſelues the fyrſte place.the fyrſt cōmaundement. 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 our god.The .ii. cōmaundement. 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 appertayne. For theſe ar the trewe Iſraelyties / as it appereth in the ſcryptures.Rom 2 iiii.ix. Gala. 3 iiij. Mat. …Rom 2Gal 3 For Chriſt came nat to breke the lawe: but to fulfyll it fyrſt of any man. Nowe in veri dede they 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 aueylable & 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 holi ghoſt was ſent all abrode into the worlde / we ar delyuered & free from a gret ꝑte of ſuch maner ceremonyes of the law of Moſes.Deu 7Deut 7 As for exāple it was goddꝭ wyl & commaūdemēt / that y^e iues ſhuld lyue togyther by thēſelues / abſtainyng frō cōpanyēg & dealyng w^t the gē tyles (for he dyd nat yet vouchſafe that y^e gentyles ſhuld hauehave knowlege of his doctryne) to the entent no dout of it / The gē tyls wer nat than called to the faithy^t they ſhuld by ſo moche be the more obedyent to his cō maūdemēt / by how moch they wer the leſſe corrupted & infected with the cōpany of the gentyles / worſhippīge falſe goddꝭ.As swalo… hedge dyuidīg two gardens or houſes brokē down maketh of twayne one / ſo dydde the takynge awaye of the ceremonies by Chriſtes deth makethe Iewes & vsus al one churche. Colo. 2 But after y^t the wall of y^e heuy burden of ſo many rites & ceremonyes of the Iues (which nat only deꝑted y^e one people frō the other / but alſo made thē enemys) was throwē downe. eph. 2 & both the gentiles & alſo the iues grewe togyther into one people. This lawe which forfēded the Iſraelytꝭ / companyēg with y^e gētyls could do no ſeruyce nor ꝓfet at all. Wherfore it was conuenyēt that y^e ſeyd lawe ſhuld be abrogated & takē away. ſuch another lyke thīge is circumciſion / & alſo the rytes & ceremonyes of purifycations / the choyſe of metes / the diuerſyteis of places & perſones: & whatſoeuer beſides theſe is red to hauehave bē commaunded in the olde lawe / concernynge outwarde ſacrifyces. 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 / or els to leue them vndone. For the trewe honoure & worſhippynge of god / which hath ben by the preachynge of the apoſtels indifferētly publyſſhed to the whole worlde / wyll in no wyſe ſuffre it ſelfe to be thruſte ſo narowly in to ſuche maner ſtreyghtes of places / dayes / meates / and perſons.

Images ar forbedē bi the ſecōd cō maundement.¶ But as concernynge ymages / the thyng is farre otherwyſe: For theſe beynge ones forbydden muſt nedes ſtande alwayes ſtyll forbydden / ſpecyally for this cauſe. Bycauſe the trewe honouryng of god can nat be / but either miniſſhed 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.Faith is the moſt ſubſtanciall and ꝑfet honoure of god. Ro. 4.Rom 4 For ſubſtancyall & parfeyt fayth / & the parfeyt 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.So may we worſhip non other but god alone. mat. 4. Deu. 6 10.Deut 6:10 But ymages ar ſo farre from helpynge vntounto thys 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 thynges / for whoſe cauſe it is fayned / that they were fyrſt ſet vp. & though it be ſo that otherwhiles ꝑauēture by the occaſyō of theſe goodly gay admonytours / ſome ſlypper thought & trāſytory remēbrance of god doth come ſodenly ī to our mynde:Deade Images are but dombe teachers and can teach vsus no lyuely ne yet fruteful knolege of god yet y^e ſame thought is ſoner vanyſſhed away / thā that it can gader ſufficiēt rotes ī the breſtes or myndꝭ of mē: for as it is but a thyng of mans deuyſyng / & receyued without the cō maūdement of god: euē ſo was it neuer able to moue or ſtere our hertes & myndes with the quicke & lyuely ꝑceyuyng / either of y^e workes or of y^e benefytes of god.If the lyuely ſpirite of god / doth teache vsus al thī ges by his worde what is than lett to be taught vsus by dombe Images By y^e reſon of which thīge it hath come to paſſe / y^t no place hath bē left to the lyuely admonition / which is by y^e creatures of god: natw^tſtāding y^t theſe ſeyd creatures / bicauſe in all places we do ſe them & handle thē / ought alſo in all places to ſtyre vp and renew in vsus the remembrance of goddes infynyte goodneſſe. Breifly there is no cauſe / why we may more rightfully & iuſtly impute (ſhal I ſay neglygence / or els our own contēpt towardꝭ the true honor which is acceptable to god) vntounto any other thīge than vntounto ymages.Images hauehave ſtolen awai goddes glorie frō him & taught vsus to neglecte & contēpne him. For after that theſe began to be worſhipped ī certayne places forthwith flowed an vnmeſurable ſee of all euyls: for though we pasouer / that god by reaſō herof / was many ways greuouſly offended & diſpleaſed / bicauſe the contrary to his open & euydent cōmaūdement nat only we hauehave worſhipped thē: but alſo puttyng our truſt in ſuche maner worſhippīg / hauehave ꝑſwaded vntounto ourſelues / that herw^t we do wyn to ourſelues the fauor of god & truſtyng vntounto theſe vayne & tryflynge workꝭ / hauehave either vtterly nat mynded / or at the leſt wyſe hauehave lothſomly & diſdaynefully done thoſe workes / with which onelyonly a chriſten mynde may be pleaſynge & acceptable to god. and who is he but he knoweth that by the reaſon herof / very many men hauehave ben ſo tyckled w^t a meruelouſe vayne hope / to gette of the lorde I wot nat what gret hepes & treſures of merytꝭ: that if they had nat thought theſe maner tryfles to be moſte acceptable to god.Pitho the goddeſſe of eloquēce No / nat y^e goddes Pitho herſelf / w^t all her ſwete eloquence / ſhuld hauehave bē able to hauehave brought thē in mynde / beyng ſlow ynough: yea / & to moch vntounto all other workes of charyte beſydes / to hauehave pleaſure to laſſhe out ſo gret rycheſſe / partly vponupon the makyng and partly 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 ymages hath engendred ſuch a confydence and truſt in a greate ſorte of men / Images hauehave gyuen vsus a licentius libertie to all vngodlinesthat thoſe workes which ar in very dede good & godly / layde clene aſyde: they hauehave taken occaſyon to lyue a gret dele the more at large and more lycencyouſly / bycauſe they ar perſwaded & in ſtedfaſt belefe / that with theſe workes they hauehave ſo gotten the fauour of god / that at all other ſynnes & vycyouſe 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 could proue it with ſuch manyfeſt examples & proufes / that euen he that were blynde ſhuld perceyue playnly / that ther hath nat lyghtely any other more perilouſe miſchefe cropen in to the churche / thā this of honourynge ymages.

Who is he thā that doth nat here ſomewhat ſmell & ꝑceyue the falſe wyly craftes of our olde enemye / The craftye ſuggeſtiō of the diuel brought in Images to depue god of his honour,which hath neuer ceſſed to driue y^e worlde vntounto ſuche madneſſe / that puttyng away the true honour of god / men ſhuld rereyue & embrace this honour / which maketh thē to go the cleane cōtrary way frō god diſceyuyng all maner mē with the vayne apparance & outward ſight of ymages / as though (god wote) men by thē were put in remēbrāce of godly thingꝭ / whā 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 cōteyned in them / & moſt ſpecyally man whiche is created to the ymage of god: fynally whō god hī ſelfe / the worker of al theſe thingꝭ / doth nat wakē & ſtire vp to louelove hī & praiſe him:Let the beholdīg of the lyuely creatures / in whō the goodnes of god ſo ſhineth & is repreſented excite & ſtir thy mīde to god / rather than the dombe ymages No mā / oules he be madder thā a man of Bedlem / wyll beleue that this mā wylbe moued gretly w^t deed & vnſenſyble ymages / if ſo many workes of god / if ſo many creatures / no les ꝓfytable thā meruelouſe / which ſet the goodneſſe of god before thyne eyes / can nat enflame the / thou art doutles to vnſē ſyble for to be admonyſſhed & ſtyred euer of vnſēſyble ymages.For whā he which is onelyonly good had all thinges, he alowed thē al to be good. the goodnes of god ſhyneth & apꝑith in all his creatures, There is nothīge but it expreſſeth god hīſelfe. All the world is full of thingꝭ whiche do nat ceſſe to put vsus in remē brance of our duty: that is to wyt / that we ſhuld contynue to be vntounto other mē as god is vntounto vsus / & that we ſhuld reſemble hī by a certaine endles goodneſſe. But verily that this thīge hath the leſſe eaſely ben brought to paſſe hitherto / we may thāke images for a gret ꝑte therof for ſuche expenſes which ought to hauehave ben made vpō poore nedy folke (whō as beynge the very lyuely images of god / it was conuenyent to hauehave ſocoured & made our frendes with our lyberalitie) we hauehave waſtfully beſtowed vponupon ſtockes and ſtones. ye ſee therfore that the trew honour / & that which only is accepted to god / hath ben by none other thīg ſo moch backed & hīdred as it hath by the vayne ſuꝑſtition of images: & that the deuyl bi theſe craftes hath brought ī the contēpte of god / the ouerthrowīg of faith / a more large lybertie to do whatſoeuer me lyſt vnpunyſſhed / falſe cō fydence in merytes / lothfulneſſe to exercyſe charite towardes our neybours: brefly an excedynge greate hepe of all maner euyls hathe 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:For the worſhypping and ſufferīge the ymages to ſtāde / were ſo many vngodly kī ges noted & repreued. And for the deſtroyeng of ymages wer ſome kī ges ſo hyghlye cōmēded yet at this p̄ſent tyme let one exāple of the kyngꝭ of Iſraell ſuffyce. Fo^r howe many ſoeuer of theſe kyngꝭ thiſtorie of the Byble doth nombre amonge ſo many wicked & vngodly ꝑſons / the ſame kyngꝭ it doth recorde to hauehave bē alſo idolaters & worſhippers of images: on y^e other ſyde agayne / whoſoeuer ar cōmended for their louelove and exercyſe of vertue & godlynes they wolde gyue euydent teſtimonye & wytneſſe by diſtroyeng and rydding images ſhortly out of the way / that they were ruled by the holy ghoſte / & coulde nat but hate all maner thynges whiche are abhomynable in the ſyght of god.

The bokes of the heuē ly worde of god hauehave ben brente, & blynde ymages hauehave bē ſet vp in their ſtede / but now we truſt our bright bokes ſhall be reſtored to vsus & their blīde bokes ſhall be brent.And as for that which ſome men do fayne that images ar the bokes of lay men (for ſo they ſay) it is nat only a weke reſon / but alſo a foliſh as who ſhuld ſaye that god / of all moſt wyſeſt / & which is very wyſdom it ſelfe / either dyd nat knowe theſe bokes / or els through malyce dyd witholde frō his owne people ſuch maner bokes & monumentes / wherby they might be put in remē brance of godly thingꝭ. Forſoth it is a wycked thīg / euē ones to thīke that god (which accordyng to his goodnes towardꝭ vsus / lefte none of theſe thinges vnſhewed: & as they ſay / poynted w^t his fynger which might helpe to further & encreaſe y^e knowlege of hīſelf / & to ſtire vsus vp alſo to the louelove of hīſelf. I can nat tell of what euyl wyl & hatred had kepte this worſhippīg of ymages frō his owne people. For nat only he dyd nat tech the worſhippynge of images / but alſo he dyd with expreſſe & playne wordes vtterly forbede it: as it apꝑith euydently by the firſt table of y^e law. Now what is more vnreſonable & vnlykly thā if the vſe of images be ſo ꝓfytable as theſe men do fayne it to be / that god dyd nothing eſteme thē: ſeing that in the meane ſeaſon he had begon to tech his people / beynge yet but yonge begīners / hauynge but ſmall knowlege w^t ſo many outward thinges / euē as one ſhuld enduce a chylde: Seyng alſo that he wold his workes & benefytes to be openly knowen by ſo many wonderfull myracles / & by ſo manyfold ceremonyes. Beſydes this dyd enduce the people with holydayesHolye daies mo than be neceſſary / & other rytes innumerable, Fynally he left nothīg behinde to the ſhadowynge & fyguryng of hīſelfe largely vntounto them. How fortuned it (I ſay) if images be ſo ꝓfytable that god for all this inſomoche dyd nothyng eſteme thē / y^t he wolde in no wiſe ſuffre thē to be amōge his peple. Sith than it is ſo / that it was nat lawfull for the people whiche was yet rude & ignorant to hauehave any maner images / although y^e lord dyd by many other dyuers ceremonyes by lytell & lytell teche & facyō the ſame people. How moche leſſe ſhall it be laufull for vsus / whō (the truth now ſucceded & folowed in y^e place of ſhadowes) hath now made free from outward ceremonyes requyrynge none other honoure or ſeruyce of vsus / than that whiche ſtandeth in ſpiryte 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 foreuer forbydden / aſwell to vsus as to the Iewes) But let vsus rather conſyder the verye worde of god / let vsus occupye and buſye oure ſelues in it bothe night and daye:In the ſtede of Images let vsus loke vponupon goddes worde▪ Beſydes this / let all the whole frame of this worlde be a monumente and token to put vsus in remembraunce of god / that whatſoeuer true godlyneſſe is remaynynge in vsus:Pſal. 1.Ps 1 it may nat by the workes of men / but by the workes of god well & after a godly facyon cōſydered / enflame / and kyndle vsus to the praiſynge & louynge of him. ¶ Nowe as touchyng to this reaſon / that ſome men do make for to excuſe the vſe of images / bycauſe (as they ſay) after that god takīge the nature of man vponupon him / had vouchedſafe to lyue amonge mē / & to be nayled faſt to the croſſe / and wylled the knowlege of hīſelf to be egally publyſſhed & declared vntounto all men: There is no cauſe why it ſhuld nat be lawfull to vſe images but yet moſt ſpecyally of chriſt crucifyed / to thētent y^t we might often tymes be put in remēbrance / howe by his deth we hauehave gotten redēption & ſaluation. Verily we do nat deny whatſoeuer holſom & profytable thinge hath come to vsus by the deth of Chriſt / which he ſuffrynge whan he was conuerſant amonge men / reconcyled mākinde to his father: yet that natwithſtādynge the ſame Chriſt dyd playnly wytneſſe that his bodily preſence was nothynge ꝓfytable.Io. 6.John 6 It is the ſpiryte (ſayth he) that quyckeneth. it was therfore for our ꝓfyt / that he ſhuld bodily depart frō vsus.Io. 16,John 16 And for that cauſe after his reſurrectiō he aſcended vp into heuē to the right hāde of his father / to the ende that he might cary vsus alſo vp to the ſame place / if it be ſo that we hauehave ryſē with him in fayth.2 Cor 52 Cor 5 Beſydes this / whā Paul / accordyng to the ſame ſentence doth opēly ſay / that albeit we know Chriſt as cōcernyng his fleſſhe / yet now we knowe hī ſo no more: he ſygnifyeth that another maner of worſhippīge therfore is requyred of vsus: that is to wyt / a ſpūall honour & ſuche one / whiche may effectually & ſtrongly tranſforme o^r hertes / which thinge ſyth it can nat be done by the benefyte & helpe of images. let vsus ſay adue & farewel for euer to theſe triflyng & vnꝓfitable helpes which ar rather hīderers of true fayth & godly lyuyng / thā monumētes & tokens to put vsus in remembrance of godly thinges. It is vndoutedly ſtarke madnes to deſyre to be put in remē brance of y^e benefytes of Chriſt by images / whan Chriſt hīſelf ought to worke the ſame in our myndes / whiche in vsus & all creatures worketh all thingꝭ.Lu. 22. 1 Cor 111 Cor 11 Dyd nat chriſt inſtitute & leue vntounto vsus the bleſſed ſacramēt of his body in his holy ſupper / as a ſufficiēt memoriall to put vsus in remēbrance of his body crucifyed / & his precyouſe blode ſhed for our redēption: ſayeng / how oft ſoeuer ye do this thinge / do it in y^e remēbrance of me / ſhewynge / prechyng / & gyuynge thankes for my deth vntyll I come agayne. And wherfore thā hauehave we inuēted (as though we had forgotē goddꝭ own īſtitucion of his holy ſacramēt) of our owne folyſh fantaſtical braine an image of chriſt crucifyed to put vsus in mynde of hī / contrary to his cōmaūdemēt? Let ds (I ſay) hauehave this Ieſus nailed faſt vpō y^e croſſe ſet vp before the eyes of our mynd as often tymes as he tryeth vsus / & layeth his croſſe vpō vsus / by paciēs of trybulations & aduerſytie. Let Chriſt ſo poſſeſſe & fyll y^e breſt of a chriſten mā / of whō he hath his name / that there be nothyng but it do put hī in remēbrance of his lorde / the creatour & maker / y^e gouernour & the ſauyour & preſeruer of all thī ges. Wherfore ſo oftē tymes as he loketh vp towardꝭ the ſkye / he can nat chuſe but remēbre forthw^t his ſauyour Chriſt / which reygneth aboue all heuens on the right hāde of his father. Aſſone as he beholdeth the ſōne / by & by he thīketh vponupon Chriſt the ſon of rightwiſnesChriſt is the ſōne of rightwyſnes, & the lyght of y^e world / which with his beames lyghteneth his herte. whan he ſeith a man / he remēbreth that Chriſt was made mā for oure ſake.Chriſt is man. If he do mete w^t a kyng or a prince / anon Chriſt the kyng of kiges / & lorde of lordꝭ is in his remē brance / whā he hereth any preche or techer: Lo / ſtreight wayes hi mynde is vponupon Chriſt the heuenly doctor & maiſter:Chriſt is our teacher. as the garment done vpō the body / doth the body both ꝓfyte & honeſty: euen ſo doth a godly mynde thīke that chriſt is the very weddyng garment / whō all thoſe ꝑſons hauehave done on thēſelues / how many ſoeuer hauehave bē baptyſed.Chriſt is the wedding garment. Gala. 3 Chriſt is our heuē ly meate & drinke.Gal 3 A chriſten mā neuer eteth & drinketh / but forthw^t he is put in remēbrance that chriſt is y^e only & the very meate / which fedeth & noriſſheth vsus into eternall lyfe.Chriſt is the fountayne of lyfe. Iere. 2 104.7Jer 2:104Jer 2:7 If at any tyme he dothe occupye water / forthwith it cometh to his mīde y^e Chriſt is the foūtayne / out of whiche we may drawe drinke agaynſt vnſacyable thyrſt.Chriſt is the lambe / the herdinā / the dore / the way &c. Brefly / ſo often tymes as he ſhall ſe / either a ſhepe or a ſhepherde / a gate / a waye / a vynetree / or a ſtone / forthwith he conceyueth an image & ſimilytude of his lorde Chrriſt / Io 1.10 14.15.John 1:10whiche wyllyngly ſuffred hī ſelfe to be ſlayne and offered vp / for the reconſylyacyon of the worlde / Io. 10. Io. 14.John 10John 14which boſteth him ſelfe to be a good ſhepherde / which is the waye and the yate / by which men go and entre into heuē which wytneſſeth him ſelfe to be the true vynetre / the corner ſtone / and ſet for a foundation:Io. 15.John 15 Pſ 118. Eſa. 28 1. Pe. 2 A goodly frutefull leſſon / a preſēt cō ſolation for the troubled mynde,Ps 118Isa 28:1Fynally if thou be ſore vexed with aduerſytie / or els ſeeſt any other man to be in afflyctyon and calamytie. Beſydes this / if thou be troubled with paſſyons and noughty affectyons and deſyres / forthewith (if ther be any percel of Chriſt in the) ſette before the eyes of thy mynde both the deth & the reſurrection of Chriſt / that the ſyck ſoule go on pilgrimage vntounto Chriſtes deth.& ſtedfaſtly & depely conſyder thē / bi the meanes wherof thou maiſt in ſuch wiſe arme & fence thi mynde with complete harneſſe / ſo ſure & ſo full of moſt effettuall conſolacyons / that thou ſhalte be able eaſely to abyde & ouercome what ſoeuer aduerſite ſhal fall vntounto the. So that if after this maner & facyon we wold hauehave luſt & pleaſure to learne Chriſte perfytely in all thinges / & his workes with a certayne lyuely felyng & iugement of the mynde / which ſhuld trāſforme & change vsus: without dout the louelove of god ſhuld be meruelouſly augmented & encreaſed in vsus / & we ſhulde alſo (as it were in a glaſſe) ſee / with what comelynes / & after what maner and facyon the courſe of this lyfe oughte to be paſſed ouer and brought to an ende / whiche no ymages canne euer be able to teache vsus.Eſ. 44.Isa 44 For theſe (of what ſo euer maner they be) can nat ſette before thyne eyes any ſymilytude of god / but rather with a vayne imagynation / whan thou weneſt that thou art warme with a certayne hote louelove and deſyre to conſyder and thynke vponupon godly thynges / ſodenly thys heate and feruentneſſe vanyſſheth a waye / and it ſhall make the more neglygente to all true workes ſemelye for a Chriſtē man / than euer thou waſt before. We do therefore pytuouſely deceyue our owne ſelues with this flieng deuotion / as they call it. For whā we hauehave thought our ſelues to be fed and full of better thynges:winde is vayn doctryne of men. we fynde by experyence / ſooner than we wol… hauehave thoughte / that we hauehave ben fedde with mynde (as it is ſayde in the prouerbe) and that we ar 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 lawe of chriſten lybertye / do excuſe ymages / ſayenge: That for this cauſe they ar nat vnlawfull / bycauſe we may vſe them lawfully at our owne pleſure / aſwell as we may other outwarde thynges / and therfore that it is better that there be images of Chriſte / than to hauehave ymages of prophane thynges.The honour gyuen to ymages▪ may nat be rekened amō ge outeward thī ges. I wolde that theſe men ſhulde fyrſt learne / that whatſoeuer ymages ar honoured or may be honoured / are nat to be accompted in the nombre of outewarde thynges / and therfore they are vſed both to the iniurye of the diuyne maieſty / which only ought to be honoured / and alſo to the labefactacion and dekay of the faith There is no cauſe therfore / why the conſyderation of chriſten lybertye / maye ſuffre in any wyſe ſuche maner images. For the lyberty of a chriſten manThe lybertie of a chriſtē man. is nat a lycence to do whatſoeuer he lyſt / but it is rather a voluntary execution of vertuouſe workes / which are done by the motyon of charitie / and nat by the commaundement and compulſyon of the lawe.

Nowe as touchynge the obiection of ſome menThe obiections of ſome men. / that there is no cauſe why it maye nat be lawfull for vsus to vſe pictures & ſtandynge images. For lykewiſe as men and thoſe perſons which hauehave ben ſuffycyentely inſtructed in the trewe doctryne and fayth of Chriſt / are nothynge offended nor do take any hurte by images: euen ſo weke perſons / & ſuche as be nat yet well ſkylled ī godly thingꝭ / eyther whā they hauehave better inſtruction / & are taught the truthe / ſhalbe nothing hurt by the reaſon of images / or if they be ſturdy / & ſuche as wyll nat be taughte / they ſhalbe nothynge the better / though al images were clene takē away. So than neither for the weke ꝑſons cauſe / neyther for their cauſe which ar perfect. it is neceſſary to take away images Doutleſſe / whoſoeuer with ſuche forked reaſons do coueyte to defende and mayntaygne ymages: They hauehave nat verye well conſydered nor wayed the counſell and entent of Paule / whan he ſaythe:

All thynges are lawfull for me: But all thynges are nat expedyent nor profytable.… Co 10

All thynges are laufull to me: but all thynges do nat edifye.

And agayne in another place: Knowlege maketh a man proude: but charytie dothe edifye.1 Cor 81 Cor 8

Alſo there is none that wyll vnderſtande and ſeke god.Pſ. 14.Ps 14

And agayne: take hede that your lybertye be nat an occaſyon of offence and hurte to theym whiche are weake.1 Cor 81 Cor 8

We do nat ſaye / but images may be hadde / but yet in no place to be worſhipped.Soluciō

We do graunt alſo that karuers & paynters craftes / are craftes both gyuen by god / and alſo lawfull. But ſyth it is ſo / that in churches euerywhere / ymages are honoured & namely Roodes. It is nat poſſyble / though thou prech neuer ſo ofte / or neuer ſo erneſtly vntounto the people / that ymages are nat to be honoured: but that there wyl be ſome / which wyll holde on ſtyll to put of their cappes vntounto them / or els to lowte and make curteſye to them: yea / to kyſſe their feete / to praye to them / to aſke of theym helthe / and to commytte their vowes and deſyres vntounto them: For ſuche is the ſtrength of an olde roted rotten cuſtome / and the deuyll agayne exercyſeth & putteth forthe his craftes and diſceytes ſo buſely that they which be ones ſnarled in his bondes / wyll neuer refrayne from worſhippynge of ymages. Nowe bothe the occaſyons & alſo the prouocatyons and entyſementes of all ſuche maner euyls / muſt nedes be taken a way / if Images were ones put down: And albeit truth it is / which they ſay comenly / that where this vayne perſwaſyon of images is nat plucked out of mennes myndes by the worde of god / there can nat the ſame be taken awaye: no / nat by the puttynge downe of ymages: yet is it nat generally true / ſo that we may thynke it to be trewly ſayde by all maner men indyfferently / aſmoch by one as by another. For by wicked men ye maye well and trewly ſaye the ſame / whiche contynue alwayes lyke to theym ſelues / and change nat their mynde / whether thou doſt w^t wordes make playne the abhomynatyon of ymages / or els doſt in very dede ryd all ymages quyte oute of ſyght. But to them that are weke / and in whom there is remaynynge any / be it neuer ſo lytell ſparke of godlye louelove and reuerence: it ſhall nat be vnprofytable nor in vayne to wytnes and confyrme their doctryne with their dede: that is for to ſaye / after that thou haſt diſcrybed & paīted ymages ſo as they ought to be w^t their owne colours / borowed of y^e ſcrypture / than dilygently to prouyde that the ſame alſo be ryd out of mennes ſyght. For by that dede weke men ſhalbe confermed / as in other thynges: ſo lykewyſe in this For thy teching ſhalbe al in vaine onleſſe the example of thy dede do forthwith folow / which ſhal cauſe thy doctryne to be of ſtrength and auctorite. Paule doutles thought it nat ſuffycyente that the Corinthyans knewe an ydole or ymage to hauehave nothynge correſpondente thervnto:1 Cor 81 Cor 8 But he wolde alſo that the ſame people ſhulde in any wyſe abſtayne frome eatynge of the meates offered to ymages / and that for the weake perſones ſake / to whome full knowlege of ſuche maner thynges was natte yet gyuen. Therfore he bade the Corinthyans to confyrme & fortifye this doctryne withe the auctoritye of their dede / & to refrayne / nat only from eatynge of the fleſſhe offered vp in ſacrifyce to ydoles and images / but alſo from all maner thinges that might appere euyll / or anye maner waye myght offende weake perſones.

For albeit he gaue them leaue to eate all maner fleſſhe:1 Cor 91 Cor 9 euen that alſo which was offred to ymages / if it were ſolde in the fleſſhe market: yet in the churches where they were offred vp to images / he wolde in no wyſe graunte them lybertye to eate ſuche meates.

Euē lykewyſe do we iuge / that it is to be thought of images (whiche likewyſe / as peraduēture ſome man maye hauehave at home within his owne houſe / ſo that it be done without offendyng of his neyghboure: euen ſo the vſe of theym in churches or in other places / wher… eyther they maye be worſhypped or offende and hurte their neybou… is in no wyſe longer to be ſuffred.1 Cor 81 Cor 8 ¶ Paule doutles had leuer neuer to hauehave eaten fleſſhe in all his lyfe than to gyue his brother occaſyon to be offended. And ſhall we all careles wynke at ſo many occaſyons bothe of offencyons and alſo of idolatry?Mat. 5Matt 5 If Chriſte doth byd the eye to be plucked oute of the heed / which is an obſtacle / and impedyment to vsus. Howe moch more thā ought pictures and ymages to be plucked out of churches / by which we do nat only offende weke perſons / but alſo do ſet forthe our relygyon to be ſcorned & euyll ſpoken of amonge the Turkes and iewes which do conuynce vsus / that in this behalfe we do agaynſt the princypall poyntes of the chriſten …ayth. Wold god that with this ſu…erſticyon and vayne honouryng of images / we dyd nat ſtoppe and kepe awaye a great meny / both of …he Iewes and alſo of the Turkes / from receyuynge and takyng of the chriſten fayth vponupon them.

Obiecti∣on. Nowe if any man wyll obiecte that for the abuſe (which peraduenture no man wyll denye) ymages ar nat altogyther to be takē away (for elles the ſupper of the lorde / & baptyſme / with many other thynges whiche are encombred with dyuers abuſes / ought alſo in lyke maner to be abrogated and taken away) Suliciō. This anſwere do we make vntounto him: That chriſten men ſhulde nat wynke at any abuſe / & therefore whatſoeuer is brought into the churche / contrary to ſcripture / it is to be amended / and to be tryed by the ſquyer & rule of goddes worde / if any thynge do nat agre with it / it is to be cutte away… with all the ſpede that may be. and onelyonly that thynge whiche is righ… and which is holeſom / is to be reſtored to his owne place / and taken in his owne place ſpecyally in the ſouper of the lorde / in baptym and other thynges alſo / which hauehave ben inſtytuted by the lorde.

But images ar vtterly to be taken away / nat only for the abuſes / but moche more for the worde of god / to the whiche they are playne contrary and repugnaunte. For we can nat ymagen any maner vtilite whiche may be ſayd to hauehave come by the reaſon of ymages. On the other ſyde / that the ſuperſticyon of ymages dothe drawe with it an heape of all euylles / we hauehave heretofore declared.

¶ To make ſhorte / god neuer for bad any of theſe thynges / wherof any cōmodyte or profyte might aryſe: but rather what ſoeuer thīge is profytable & may make vsus better / he taught full largely as witneſſeth Paule very euydently.

¶ But if any folyſſhe wyſe man doth thynke that images ar therefore nat to be taken away / bycauſe he fereth that thoſe weke perſones which nowe ſuꝑſticyouſly do worſhippe images / wolde be offended with the puttynge downe of images:2 Tim 32 Tim 3 this man doutles whyles he goth aboute to auoyde frome the ſmoke (as it is ſayde in the prouerbe) is fallen into the flamynge fyre. For whyles he fereth to offende deſperate ꝑſons / with hurtfull offēcyōs of ymages he holdeth backe & hīdreth better mē / which hauehave begon to ronne the way of the lord without any turnynge agayne. Whoſoeuer doth this ſhalbe gilty of that cryme / of which Paule accuſeth Peter in the epyſtle to the Galatians.Gala 2Gal 2 For Peter whyles he was afrayde to offende certayne iewes of Ieruſalem at Antioch / & for that cauſe wolde nat vſe the lybertie of eatyng all maner meates as he was wonte to do before: Paule withſtode him to his face ī the preſēce of the whole multitude bycauſe he walked nat the ryght way / according to the truthe of the goſpell. For aſmoch as was ī him with his vnwyſe deſyre to auoyde offendyng of the iewes / he febled the right faithe / & alſo noriſſhed y^e incredulyte and vnbelefe of them / whom he ſtudyed to pleaſe in the meane ſeaſon. Brefely he dyd no thynge els / than whyles he went aboute vnwyſely to auoyde one ieoꝑdy he did caſt hī ſelf into twayn. Doutles after this maner to deſyre to auoyde occaſyons of ſclanders and offenſyons / is the full cauſe of offenſyons. And wolde god it wer nat of ſo gret ſtrength as it is amonge very manye men nowe in theſe dayes. For a man ſhall ſe very many / which bicauſe they wolde imagyne ſome honeſt cloke and colour of their vnbelefe do fayne them ſelues bothe to do & alſo to eſchew very many thinges leſt they might gyue any man occaſyon to be offended / whan in very dede they do it rather to kepe y^e croſſe of Chriſt from themſelues. For w^t this fayned deſyre to wyn certayne curable ꝑſons / they ſhifte well for themſelues / that they may neither hauehave the euyll wyll of deſperate perſons / neyther any diſpleaſure or hurt done vntounto thē by the ſame. We do nat deny verily / that ſuche maner of doctryne and lyuynge is moſt to be enbraced and folowed / whiche is an obſtacle or lettynge to no man / whiche doth purpoſely angre no man / whiche doth turne no mans mynde away from the truthe: yet neuertheleſſe great dilygence ought to be giuen in the meane ſeaſon / that none of thoſe thyngꝭ be let of and omytted wherby the glorye of god and the helth of our neyghtbours / may be furthered and encreaſed. Chriſte him ſelfe is the ſtomblynge ſtone vntounto the vnbeleuers: but he is a precyouſe ſtone / vntounto them which are fore ordeyned to lyfe.

1. Pe. 2After y^t we our ſelues do know the wyll & pleaſure of the lorde / we muſt dilygently labour that other men alſo may lyke and prayſe the ſame. & that other men alſo maye hauehave luſte & pleaſure to confyrme them ſelues vntounto the ſame. If we can nat obteyne this / than oughte we rather to forſake father & mother / & all our goodes: yea / moreouer to renounce our owne ſelues than to reſyſt or gruge againſt the wyll & pleaſure of god. But moſt comēly we ſe it come to paſſe / that a great parte of mē had leuer both to get / to maynteyne & kepe the fauour of men with the minyſſhing of goddes honour: Albeit / yet it were better to wyn both y^e fauour of god & alſo of men / with honeſt maners & honeſt lyuynge / & with redy deſyre & wyl to do good vntounto all mē / if we wold begyn this maner of wynnynge the fauour of mē and in other thinges wold lyue in this worlde fauteleſſe / as nere as we coulde / doutleſſe there ſhulde be no mā ſo parcyall in iugement but he wolde by and by gather in mynde / that he wolde neither preſumptuouſly nor w^tout good cauſe done of vsus / that we hauehave banyſſhed pictures and ymages cleane out of churches. But wherto ſhulde we make many wordes / ſyth it is euydent ynough nowe / that ymages do diminyſſhe the true honour of god / and that it is nat poſſyble / but that weke men be gretly offended / and do take moch hurte by them. For they (I meane weke perſons) wolde paſſe lytell vponupon the takynge awaye of ymages / if they wer taught playnly for what conſyderation and ſkyll they were taken awaye. On the other ſyde if they be nat taken awaye / forthwith they conceyue an opinion / as though it were nat laufull to put them away. Nowe after obſtinate and vncurable perſons / nat onelyonly we can nat with permyttyng / and wynkyng at images / bringe them to goodneſſe: but alſo with oure ſufferaunce and ſlackneſſe we ſhal confyrme and eſtablyſſhe them the more in idolatrye.

Brefely / if thou haſte ſo great deſyre and louelove / to wynne many men to thy lorde / ordre thy ſelfe ſo that other men maye in very dede ſee and perceyue experyence and proufe that Chriſt is a lyue in the / and that all thy dedes and ſayngꝭ do breth and ſauour of him. With out doute / if thou wylte ordre thy ſelfe in this wyſe / thou ſhalt cauſe euen wycked men alſo / that they can nat chuſe but at the leaſt wyſe cloſly in their hertꝭ confeſſe (their conſcyēce driuyng them thervnto) that thou waſte nat onelyonly moued / but alſo compelled by the zele of god to put awaye ymages. And though in the meane ſeaſon many thynges be wantynge in vsus: yet that natwithſtandynge we ought to be neuertheleſſe dilygent / to prouyde that all ſuch maner thynges be put awaye / which ſoeuer ar repugnant to the worde of god. Let vsus take no thought for any maner thynge which may caſt vsus out any maner way of the fauour of men. Let vsus go ſtreyght forth and take the nexte waye to fulfyll the rule of a chriſten mannes lyfe: For a true chriſten man / although he doth in many thinges aknowlege him ſelf to be a ſynner (as he is in very dede) yet doth he neither alowe nor excuſe any maner thyng / whiche doth minyſſhe or deface the honor of his lorde and maiſter Chriſt.

Of the abuſe of ymages we hauehave ſpoken ſomewhat here tofore. But if anye man do ſomewhat dilygētely conſydre & way the mater he ſhall perceyue vndoutedly / that imagis ar fallē into a farre gretter abuſe amōge Chriſtē men / than euer was amōge any heathen men. Images hauehave gyuen anſweres w^t vsus / they hauehave wept / one of thē hath bē thought more holy & of more power thā another. One more louely and more gratious than another: a man ſhal fynde ſome / which in a certayne place hauehave ſhewed forthe their power in workīg of miracles whan they hauehave ben tranſlated & remoued into another place:And yet was it ſatan that thus ſtrō gly deluded vsus / with lyeng myracles for oure hatynge of the truth / & for oure miſbeleue, 2 theſ 2 they hauehave ceſſed to do the ſame. Of the ymage at Lauretum / and dyuers other: ſyth the matter is knowen well inough / we nede nat to ſaye any thynge at all. And I praye you / how moch richeſſe in the meane ſeaſon hath this ſuperſtition of ymages gathered togyther / nat withoute plentuouſe occaſyon of ſclanderouſe offences:wolde god the miracles of the ymagis of walſyngham / cā torbury / pppeſwiche / haples / worceſter, & cheſtre, & ſuche other wer well tryed bi ſcripture to ſee what article of our faith they hauehave confirmed. which ſayd ryches / the glotony and pompe of a ſort of vnthrifty idle belyes hath deſtroyed and waſtfully cōſumed. In as moche therfore as true / full and perfyte faith can nat ſuffre ſo great abhomynatyon: and ſyth it can nat be plucked vp by the rotes with the worde alone (for with the goodly and gloriouſe apparaūce of holyneſſe / and alſo by the reaſō of long cuſtome and contynuance it hath gotten ſo great auctoritye and eſtimatyon to it ſelfe) it is to be put awaye by the dede ſelfe.

And wherto nedeth it to ſuffre thoſe thynges amonge Chriſten men whiche as they can nat but engendre euylles oute of nombre: ſo can they cauſe no hope nor lokynge of any maner profyte to come by thē vntounto any man / vnleſſe it be to the ydle viciouſe belyes that receyuen the offrynges. It dyd become vsus chriſten men moſt of all to be moued and ſtyred with the worde of god / which doth ſo playnly and ſo expreſly forbyde all maner of images. Whatſoeuer is reed concernynge ymages in the lawe / in the Prophetes / in the Pſalmes / doth moche more iuſtly apperteyne vntounto vsus whiche ar taught by Chriſt / that god is to be worſhipped ī ſpiryte & truth / and that Chriſte alſo is nat to be worſhipped ī ymages of wood / of ſtone / of ſyluer / or of other metall:Io. 4▪John 4 Colo. 3but that he is to be worſhypped rather ſyttyng on the right hande of his father / and that all the membres of the ſeyd Chriſt that is to wyt our neybours are to be ſocoured with dedes of charite.

And theſe fewe thinges amōge many / it hath lyked vsus to borowe of the ſcryptures agaynſt pictures & images / which ſcrypture alone / a chriſten hathe regarded vntounto / as vntounto the ſhote ankre in all thinges both which ar to be deſyred / & alſo which ar to be eſchewed. But yet bycauſe it can nat be but pleaſure and conforte to the ſame Chriſten man / whatſoeuer eyther doctryne or examples he ſhall fynde in the ſayntes of god / which is conſonāt and agreynge to the ſcryptures.Nat in ſaites of the Buſſhops of Romes makyng … canoni …ynge. We hauehave thought it expedyente to bringe forth a fewe thynges of the writyngꝭ of the fathers / by which the godly reder ſhall eaſely perceyue that the apoſtles / martyrs / and all the beſt lerned & moſt auncyent fathers taughte the ſame thynge / which is ordeyned & cōmaūded by the word of god / vntyll ſuch tyme as by the Gothyans & the Vandalyans / the chryſten faythe and the more pure knowlege of the truthe began to be gretly minyſſhed and brought in dekay. For in the tyme of ſaynte Hierome / and certayne yeres after him / we doo nat rede / that anye byſſhop beynge of wyſe iugement / dyd ſuffre pictures or images in the churches of chriſten men. Of the which thyng EpiphaniusEpiphanius. / the mooſt holy byſſhoppe of Salamine / in the yle of Cyprus / ſheweth an euident example in his epyſtle to Iohan the byſſhoppe of Hieruſalem / which epyſtle ſaynte Hierome tranſlated into Latyne. For this he writeth: Whan we went 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 ſee a burnynge lampe / and I had aſked what place it was / & 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 / & hauyng as it were the image of Chriſt / or of ſome ſaynt (for I do nat well remembre whoſe ymage it was) I ſaye / whan I had ſene that in the church of chriſt there dyd hange the ymage of a man / agaynſt the auctoritie of the ſcryptures.It is agaynſte the auctoritie of ſcripture any ymage to be in the churche. I dyd cutte it / & gaue counſel to the kepers of that place that they ſhuld rather wynde ſom poore man that were deed / & bury him in it. And they agayne grudgynge / ſayde by me: If he hadde mynded to cutte it / it was reaſon and right that he ſhuld gyue another vayle and change this: which thynge whan I had herde / I promyſed that I wolde gyue one / and ſende it forthwith. Howbeit I deferred the ſendynge of it ſomwhat the longer / by the reaſon that I entended for to ſende a very good vayle in the ſted of it. & I thought y^t I ſhulde hauehave had one ſent vntounto me oute of Ciprus. Now I hauehave ſent ſuche one as I coulde gette / & I pray you that you wyll byd the preſtes of the ſame place to receiue this vayle of the bringer whiche we hauehave ſent / & afterwardꝭ to commaunde that no mo ſuche maner vayles / which are contrary to our relygion / be hangen vp in y^e churche of Chriſt.

Lo / here the ſentence of the moſt vertuous biſſhoppe / in whiche he gyueth iugement / by expreſſe and playne wordes / that it is agaynſt ſcripture & oure relygion / that ymages of chriſt ar had in the churches of chriſten men / whereof 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 reherſeeh / as a ſtrā ge & an vnwonte thing / that in Ceſarea Philippe (in which cyte the woman was borne / whom Chriſt healed from the fluxe of blode) He dyd ſee two images 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.Ma…. 5. 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 recompence / ſyth it is ſo that we do ſee ymages & tables of the apoſtles Peter & Paule / & alſo of Chriſt our ſauyour to be karuē and paynted: euen theſe dates alſo We hauehave ſene moreouer olde ymages of them kepte of certayne perſones / which thynge me thinke is obſerued / accordyng to the cuſtom of the gentyles without any dyfference / bycauſe they ar wont in ſuche wyſe to honoure them / whom they thought worthye of honoure.The makynge & honorīge of ymages, cam fyrſt frō the gentyles to the iewes / and ſo vntounto vsus. For that the armes or ymages of olde men are reſerued and kepte for a remembraunce to theym that ſhall come after: it is a ſygne and token both of theyr honoure / and alſo of thoſe mennes louelove towardes them.The vii. boke the xiiii. ca. Thus ſayth Euſebius in the eccleſyaſticall hiſtorie.

Hereof we do eaſely perceyue / that the ymages which Euſebius dyd ſe / were ſet vp / nat within the churches / but at the church dores.

Agayne / nat to thēcent that they ſhulde be honored / but rather that they ſhulde be a teſtimony & recorde howe great & valiaunt mē they were ſōtyme / & therfore worthy to be had in ꝑpetuall memorie / whoſe ymages were reſerued & kepte: All whiche thynges neuertheleſſe Euſebius dothe not hyde / to hauehave taken their begynning of the gentyles & heathen people. But what thynke ye that he wolde hauehave ſayd if he hadde ſeen ymages ſet vp in churches / and no leſſe worſhyped of chriſten mē / thā euer they were of any gentyles / whiche thynge (a lacke for petye) it is vndoubted both than to hauehave be done: yea / & to be done euen now ī theſe dayes alſo. Of theſe thynges therfore we may gather what is y^e cauſe / why the old fathers dyd write nothyng agaynſt ſuche maner of images: for there was no man at that tyme whiche dyd ſo moche as ones dreme / that euer ſo gret a multytude of images ſhulde crepe into churches as hath cropen in: for aſmoch as they knowe it to be forbydden with ſo open and euydent wordes of god / and playne teſtimonyes of the ſcrypture. But agaynſt the ymages of the gentyles / a man ſhal fynde many thinges writtē by the fathers / very connyngly and eloquently / bycauſe the ſuperſticyon of theym dyd reygne euerywhere euen at the ſame tyme / in whiche thoſe holy men were lyuynge. yea and was defended of the gentyles with the ſame wepens / with whiche both in oure tyme / and alſo in the tyme of our fathers / certayne chriſten men hauehave gone aboute to defēde & maynteyn their images.… we …e … wh…eur …mage is What ſo euer thynge LactanciusLactāt…ꝰ wrot againſt the idoles & images of the gentyles / we maye by very good right apply the ſame agaīſte our images: albeit in his tyme (as we hauehave ſayde) they were nat yet vſed amōge criſten men. Amonge many places it lyketh me at this tyme to allege one: for thus he demaūdeth of the gētyls:Libro. ii. ca. iii. If you do therfore fere & worſhip yo^r goddes by ſuche images / bycauſe you do iuge thē to be in heuen: why do you nat than lyfte vp your 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 ſuperſticyouſe chriſtē men: If they do beleue that god & ſayntes are in heuen / why do they nat rather lyfte vp theire eyes to that place / than to the deed ymages? But let vsus here alſo AthanaſeAthanaſius. / writyng in this wyſe agaynſt the gē tyles.It is impoſſyble that any image cā nowe repreſente either mā or womā deꝑted: for the bodye is erth, and the ſoule is a ſpirituall thīge vnable to be repreſented bi any ſenſyble exterme ymage. wherfor Paule ſaith / we knowe that whatſoeur ymage is in this world / it is a vain thing nothyng repreſētīg nothing ſignifyeng. 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: orels is it by the ſhape and facyon brought ī to the ſtuffe? If it be by the ſtuffe of the images that he is knowen / than what nedeth any ſhape or facion to be brought in by the workeman? & why is nat god ſhewed and knowen as well by al maner of ſtuffe before y^t any images be made / ſyth all thinges do witnes & declare his glori? But if the ſhape & facyon brought in to the ſtuffe be the cauſe of the knowlege of god: what nedeth than any payntynge or any other ſtuffe at all? and why is natte god knowen rather by the very lyuely creature / whoſe ſhapes or ymagꝭ be ſo perfectly knowen? for doutleſſe y^e glorie of god ſhuld be more clerely and euydently knowen / if it were ſhewed by the lyuely creatures both reaſonable & vnreaſonable / than by the deed and vnmouable creatures.God is knowen ſayth Paule. Ro. i. by the creation of this worlde.Rom 1 Therfore whan you do graue or paynte ymages / for the entent to hauehave vnderſtandynge and knowlege of god: forſoth you do an vnworthy & an vnmete thynge. &c. Nowe Athanaſius wolde neuer hauehave purpoſed in his mynde / to write any ſuche maner thynge agaynſt the gentyles / if he had ſene the chriſten men of his tyme entangled & wrapped in ſuch ſuperſtityon of images / as we do ſee a gret parte of y^e worlde to be pytuouſely ſnarled nowe in our tyme: but he wolde rather hauehave exerciſed his penne againſt chriſten men / if they had ben lyke our chriſten men nowe a dayes. But nothynge letteth / but that we may very accordingly applye the ſame thynge againſt our ſuperſticyous chriſten men: For they pretende y^e ſame cauſe of hauynge ymages / with the which Athanaſius reherſeth that the gentyles were moued that is to wit / that by images they maye be put in remembraunce of god: which thynge ſyth the creatures of god (whether we do conſydre the ſtuffe or the ſhape / and facyon of thē) may do it moche more effectually (as Athanaſius iugeth full well) there is no nede that we ſhulde ronne vntounto the workes of men / which do repreſent but onelyonly I wote nat what falſe and vayne image vntounto vsus. For whom ſoeuer trees / ſtones / ſyluer / golde / & other ſtuffe / wherof images are made: fynally whom the ſyght of man / to whom god hath giuen lyfe & reaſō can natte ſtyre nor put in remembrance of god: ſurely images ſhal natte ſtyre vp that man with anye frute or profyte: for they (as Origen writeth agaynſte Selſus) do rather plucke away the memori & mynde of man frō god / & do turne the eyes of the mīde bacwardes / to behold & conſydre erthly thinges. For eueryevery man knoweth / that the more nere that one thynge reſembleth another in nature and propertie / ſo moche the more ſtrongly it doth renew 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 Karuer or Paynter / whoſe workmanſhip thou doſt merueyle at / than the remembrance of god / the creatour & maker of all thingꝭ. It is therefore nothynge els but a pure diſceyte of the deuyll / which calleth vsus from the praiſynge and charitable louynge of the lyuely images of god / vntounto deed ymages of wood or ſtone / which ſome mā a folyſſhe coūterfaiter of god / hath folyſſhly karuen or paynted. We coulde alſo allege many other teſtymonyes oute of the writynges of the fathers: but it ſhulde be all in vayne / to recyte any mo to him whiche is natte moued with theſe which we hauehave alredy reherſed.

Here we hauehave thought it verye expedient and neceſſary to declare and make playne / according to the truthe of hyſtories / whan and by what begynners images began to come vp amonge chriſten men: & who againe on the other ſyde did their endeuoure to put thē downe and with howe moche buſyneſſe / and howe great ieoperdy / good & well dyſpoſed mē hauehave attempted this thinge / vntyl the church was brought into this preſent cōdition and ſtate of thynges fallynge inceſſantly to worſe & worſe.Very ydelnes / & ydle neglygence of Byſſhoppes▪ ſuffred firſt this idolatry of worſhipping images …o entre in to the churche / and their gredye & inſaciable couetouſnes holdeth yet ſtylle this idolatrye. Vndoutedly the lawes / aſwell of the chriſten emperours / as of the chriſten counſels / made agaynſte images / came than firſt forth / whā through the ſlouthfulneſſe & neglygence of byſſhops / & their vayne curyouſe deſyres to wyn the fauour of god / nat only images & pictures crepte into the churches / but alſo (which is wonte comenly to chaunce) they began to be worſhipped of the peple. We rede that Serenus / the byſſhop of MaſſiliaSerenꝰ byſſhop of Maſſilia. / a very holy man / was ſo diſpleaſed / & toke it ſo greuouſely (as reaſō was) that images were ſette vp in churches: that he dyd caſt downe all the images atones which wer in his churche: did breke them / and at the laſt dyd alſo burne theym. We do nat deny / but that this dede of Serenus was ſore rebuked of Gregory which was called Gregorius magnusGregorius Magnus. / and that the ſeyd Serenus was admonyſſhed & counſelled of the ſayd GregoryeGret gregory began firſt to teache his flocke with theſe bilde bokes / that he ſhulde nat forbyd or let images to be had but that he ſhulde teche the honourynge of them in any wyſe to be auoyded. But what other thynge ſhuld the ſtāderdberer of relygiō and vertue fallyng in decay / do in this mater / as well as in many other?By this maner of doctrine, mai yei… ge what a ſhepard this great doctor was. For about y^t tyme the church of Rome began to threten / ꝓnoſticate & giuegive lykelyhod of gret ruyn of the faith afterwardꝭ to folowe.

But amonge the Grekes / LeoLeo Emperoure of the Grekes. themperour / the .iii. of that name a man both well lerned / & alſo vertuous & godly (he raygned in the yere of our lorde .vii.C.lxxxiiii) diſtroyed all images vniuerſally / and cōmaunded Gregorie the .iii.here may …e ſmell what a ſheperde Gregory the third was. of that name by his letters / that he ſhuld do the ſame thinge lykewiſe at Rome. But this Gregorie nat onelyonly refuſed to be obedyent to the emperours cōmaūdemēt / Before he wolde nat hauehave them honored, & nowe in deſpite of themperoure he decreed them to be in high honour.but alſo at Rauenna was the authour & be gynner of ſedition / to which cytie he called a certayne meyny 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 entent that he might the moore boldely inſtytute thys thynge agaynſt themperour with oute any punyſſhement:Cōſtātine the v. Here thē peroure called a counſell without the cōſēt of the biſſhop of Rome / yea, & corrected the former erroniꝰ & ſciſmatike counſell of the biſſhop of Rome bi the ſcriptures,nat very longe before / he had gone aboute traitourouſly to forſake thēperour and to fall vntounto the part of the frē che kynge. After the deth of Leo / Conſtantyne his ſonne / the fyfth of that name / wyllyng to conferme his fathers cōmaūdemēt & decree / called togyther all the lerned men and byſſhoppes oute of all Grece lande / beyng in nōbre. CCC.xxx. which comparynge the ſcriptures to the reaſons of the coūſell / which we ſpake of before / called by Gregori: determyned with one cōſent That it is nat laufull to them whiche by Chriſt do beleue in god / to hauehave any images either of the creatoure or the creatures to honour them: but rather of the ieoperdyes of offenſyons or hurtes that they were all to be taken away atones So that from the begynnynge of Leo / Conſtantyne his ſonne / and all his ſucceſſours dyd cleue to / & abyde by it / vntyll ſuche tyme that the cruell woman HireneHiren. went about that horryble and excedynge wycked tragedy / wherof we ſhall ſpeke nat longe herafter. But the decrees of that wycked woman / were vertuouſely abrogated and ſuppreſſed by Cōſtantins ſōne the ſyxte of that name. There cometh nowe happely to my mynde / the decree of TheodoſiusTheodoſius. & ValensValens. / which Petrus CrinitꝰPetrus Crinitꝰ. / a mā that had red many thīges / doth recyte in the nynth boke / De honeſta diſciplina: his owne verye wordes. I ſhall faythfully & truly reherſe:

Valens & TheodoſiusThe decree of Theodoſius and Valens. the noble emperours wrot to y^e officer called Prefectus pretorius: Foraſmoche as our dilygent ſtudy & care is / in all thingꝭ to maynteyne & vphold the faith & honour of god: we forbyd any maner mā to graue or make the image of chriſt our ſauyour of ſtone / of wood / or of any other ſtuffe / or els to paynte y^e ſame with colours. yea / and wherſoeuer any ſuch image be foūde / we cōmaūde that it be taken awaye / and they ſore punyſſhed / who ſoeuer ſhall attempte any thynge contrarye to our decrees and commaūdement / in whiche thynge if any man doo requyre an authour / let him rede the decrees and commaundementes of Emperours / whiche hauehave ben collected and gathered by a ſatyre of the righte connynge men / Tribunianus / Baſylydes / Theophilus / Diſcorus / and other / at the commaundement of the mooſt noble Emperour Iuſtinian.

Thus farre ſayth Crinitus.

It is therfore euydent and manyfeſt / that themperours alſo whiche were before the tyme of Leo / dydde dilygentlye prouyde / that the ſuperſticyon of Images ſhulde nat by any maner meanes pollute and defyle the churches of cryſten men. The fyrſt of all other (as farre as we can gather of hyſtories) which dyd cauſe Images to be paynted in churches: Was Pontius Paulinus byſſhoppe of NolaPontiꝰ paulinꝰ byſſhop of Nola the fyrſte cauſer that images wer paynted. / about the yere of our lorde ccccl. For he ſolemniſynge yerely the byrth daye of ſaynt Felix / was wonte to make a great and a coſtly feſt vntounto the churche / & to thentent that thei which ſate at the ſeid feſt / ſhulde be the ſoner and more eaſely prouoked to temperaunce / & to the cōſyderatyon of godly thinges: he paynted on the churche walles / ymages of the hiſtories of the olde teſtament / that they ſhulde hauehave ſomwhat alſo wherewith they mighte fede and delyte theire eyes frutefully. Afore this Paulinus you ſhall nat lyghtly fynde that any ſuch thinges was attempted by any man / at the leaſtwyſe / beyng of any famouſe memorie. For in ſuche wyſe by lytell and lytell / this ſuperſticyon 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 ſee / that Paulinus 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 greate an offence / and ſuche as can nat be excluded) he begane with images to exhorte men vntounto the louelove & exerciſynge of temperaunce / whan he beynge a chriſten man / ought rather to hauehave gone aboute to do the ſame / with holeſom doctryne & good example Wherfore it doth euydētly appere that this byſſhop dyd in no wyſe begyn that thynge of a pure godly ſpirit: but if a mā wyll do well cō ſydre & way euerythynge / he ſhall fynde y^t with the ſame ſpirite / that is to wytte / moſt recheles & diſpyſyng of godly thynges: other men alſo hauehave taken vponupon them to defēde ymages. For the popes & biſſhops (I wotte nat whether thorowe euyll wyll / or els thorowe a certayne pride) began with tothe and nayle to defende the vſe / or rather the abuſe of ymages againſt the Greke emperours: vntyll ſuch tyme as by the labour and helpe of HyrenesHirene Emp̄ſſe. (which after the deceaſſe of Leo her huſbande / had the rule and gouernance of thempyer many yeres) a coūſell was aſſembled at NiceHere mai ye ſe what rule this wycked woman bare in the counſell of Nece. / in which counſell ſhe cauſed to be abrogated & dyſadnulled whatſoeuer was before decreed bi Conſtantyne / concernyng the puttynge awaye of images. Neither coulde this wyckedneſſe ſuffyce & content her mynde: but ſhe did cauſe the bodye of Conſtantyne to be digged vp againe out of the groū de to be brent to aſſhes / and laſt of all to be throwen into the ſee.

This very ſame Hyrene / after that ſhe was by her ſonne depoſed from her tyrannouſe empery / lefte nothynge vnaſſayed nor neuer reſted vntyll by abhominable & traytorous craftes ſhe wan againe the empier vntounto her ſelfe: which thing whan ſhe had brought to paſſe / accordynge to her owne mynde / ſhe dyd caſt her ſōne into priſon / plucked oute his eyes / & in concluſyon ſlewe hī alſo.here mai ye ſee by what a wycked Byſſhop of Rome conſedered with a wicked woman / the Impery was craftely trāſlat…d from the Grekes to the frē che men. But whan ſhe fered that her tyrāny ſhuld nat continue nor laſt longe / ſhe made labours (the pope of Rome beynge broker and ſpokeſman) to be maried vntounto Charles the gret / otherwiſe called Charlemayne / kyng of Fraunce: and for this cauſe ſhe gaue lycence to the byſſhop of Rome to tranſlate the crowne of thempier of Rome vntounto Charles / hopynge verily that her owne tyrannye ſhulde be ſafe / if by tranſlatyng thempier of the Grekes traytorouſely vntounto the Frenchemen / ſhe dyd bynde / nat only Charles / but alſo the biſſhop of Rome: and make them her frendes with this great benefyte.

But whan NicephorusNicephorus. / which than was capitaine of the army of the Grekes perceyued theſe traytorouſe diſceytes / forthewith in all haſt he dyd caſt Hirene into priſō / as ſhe had diſcerued / in which ſhe made a wretched ende / & changed this lyfe with deth / worthy & mete for ſuche goodlye actes as ſhe had done.O cruell woman, This ſame Hyrene whiche dygged vp the deed bodye of her father in lawe and brent it. Which put out her owne ſōnes eyes / and ſlewe hī in priſon: which betraied themperour of the Grekes: & this ſame byſſhop of Rome / the coūſeller and helper of the moſt wicked and vngracyouſe womans purpoſes & enforcemētes: which biſſhop toke awaye from the right & laufull emperoure his empyer / & dyd put in another ī to the empier whō it pleaſed him ſelfe: but yet vponupon this condicyon / that he hīſelf ſhulde hauehave Rome and Italye for his parte: This worſhipfull couple (I ſay) aduaūced imagꝭ vntounto this eſtimatyon & honour. For whatſoeuer imagꝭ or pictures ar ī eſtimation: they maye nat without good cauſe thanke theſe two: for it / as their fyrſt beginners / howbeit the ſucceſſours alſo of Charles / dyd afterwardes their dilygent endeuoure to maynteyne and vpholde theſe abhominatyons: leſt the foū dation and ground worke of idolatrye which charles had layde / ſhulde hauehave lacked buyldynge to garnyſſhe it full of all impyetie and wyckedneſſe. Howbeit theſe men in tymes paſſed / dyd neuer than pollute and defyle temples & churches with ſo many images / & ſhewynge ſo manyfeſt apparance of idolatry (whiche thynge we maye perceyue and ſee euen yet by thoſe whiche they buylde) as hauehave ben ſette vp euerywhere in theſe laſte v. hundreth yeres / to the occaſyon of moſt vayne honour: which honour to thentent to make it y^e more accepted with falſe and lyeng wonders / he ſtyred vp & moued ſuperſticyouſe perſones in eueryevery place / to begynne pylgrymages to ſuche images to their great hynderance both of god / of fayth / and of godlyneſſe. For (I praye you) tell me what other thīge ſhal a man fynde in ſuch maner churches of the bleſſed virgin: than certayne fylthye and ſmoky images? for god (ſuch is his excedynge goodneſſe) leſt any occaſyon of ydolatrye ſhulde be lefte vntounto men / he wolde that the body of the bleſſed vyrgin ſhulde nat be knowen wher it became, Lykewiſe as he did by the body of Moſes.And yet as nomā cā expres an angel by any ſenſyble images ſo is ther nothyng …depted repreſē ted by th…ſe ymages of ſayntes. We wyl ſay nothing here of the ymages of ſaynte Anne / of ſayntes / nor of the images of Angels: which men with lyke ſuperſticyon hauehave begon to ſet vp / welnere in eueryevery corner / & to worſhip 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 offencyons and idolatry / it were expedient & neceſſary to hauehave them taken away in all the haſt / accordyng to the exāple of Eſechias the moſt holy kyng / which did caſt downe & breke the braſen ſerpent / which was ſet vp by the cōmaūdement of god: whan he had perceyued that it was worſhipped contrary to the cōmaundemēt of god.In the xviii. cha of the iiii. boke of the kinges.

Theſe thinges which we hauehave hytherto recyted / if he that fauoureth the glori of Chriſt / wyll dilygently way & conſydre ī his minde he ſhall vndoutedly perceyue / that whatſoeuer ymages ar honoured in churches / or any maner waye maye be honoured / neither ought neyther maye be ſuffred amonge chriſten men / vnleſſe we wyll doo agaynſte the manyfeſt precepte of god / and diſpiſe and ſet at nought both the faythe and alſo the examples of the apoſtles / martyrs / and of alſo of holye fathers. Fynally excepte we can fynde in our herte in the ſtede of the lawes / whiche hauehave ben made bothe by Chriſten emperours / & alſo counſels to receyue the traditions of the biſſhop of Rome / & of the moſt wicked woman / whoſe delyte & pleaſure both of them was in trayſon / roberyes / and contynuall ſtudye / to deuyde and diſtroye the empyer.

¶ Fynally as concernynge the takynge downe and puttyng awaye of alters / erecte and dedycate vntounto images or ſayntes / they which hauehave knowē the wicked abuſyons of the maſſe / may & wyll be ſone ſatiſfyed & contented without any gret buſyneſſe: but they whiche do nat knowe the ſayde abuſes / can nat be lightly pacifyed: vnleſſe thei be fyrſt taught howe gret the abuſes of the maſſe ar in the ſyght of god.

Therfore this one thyng we deſyre to be conſydered of them that fere / drede / and louelove god / in what maner and for what ende / purpoſe and entent / chriſt our ſauyour did inſtitute his holy ſupper. Truly to thentent that his diſcyples (that is to ſaye / they whiche wyll lyue accordynglye to his doctryne and cōmaundemente) aſſemblynge togyther / The ſupꝑ of our lord was come to mani mē celebrated at his table / & nat a priuate eatyng and drinkīge of one alone at the auterſhulde take that miſticall breed / and miſticall drinke in comen / and eueryone put other in remembrance of that incomparable charytie of Chriſte / by whiche he ſuffred deth for their ſaluatyon: & by the reaſon therof / their fayth & truſt in god beyng encreaſed / ſhulde be inflamed both with the hatered of ſynnes / and alſo with louelove of all vertues / profeſſynge theym ſelues to be one bodye & one breed in Chriſt.the firſte of the Corī. the x, capi. By this meanes onelyonly holy mē ar nouryſſhed with chriſt the meate of lyfe. Nowe compare vntounto theſe thynges / that which is comenly done in maſſes. Maſſes of the popyſſhe preeſtes moſt ſpecyally are done for their owne belyes ſake: or els at the leſtwyſe to purchaſe ſome meryte afore god / which thynge nat onelyonly declareth the abuſes therof / but alſo that thei thus abuſed ar diſpleſant & abhomynable to god. Beſydes this there ar ſaide and done many thinges / whiche do turne awaye oure myndes frō chriſt which reygneth in heuen / vntounto the worke of the preeſt. The congregatyon hereth no doctryne or exhortacyon ī their mother tonge / that they might be edifyed therby. There is no communyon had / althoughe the wordes whiche the preeſt reherſeth do make mention of it. And whyles the preeſt alone dothe receyue the breed and the cuppe of the lorde: there is nat celebrated that ſame ſupper that Paule ſpeketh of. for in the fyrſt epyſtle to the Corinth. The .xi. chapiter / he ſpeketh of no priuate ſupper / but of a comen ſupper of many togyther. There are ſayde alſo many thinges which ar playne repugnant to the ſcripture for they do teache to truſt vntounto the merytes and interceſſyon of ſayntes. And (whiche thinge is mooſt hyghlye to be abhorred) where as the onelyonly one oblatyon of Chriſte (by which only ones done vpō the croſſe / we ar aſſoyled & ſanctifyed for euermore) ought to be preched: the preſt boſteth / that as ofte times as he doth his maſſe / ſo ofte tymes he doth offre Chriſte to his father / and therfore doth by it obteyne the puttynge away of all euyls / and a hepe of all good thynges to them onelyonly / whiche by gyuynge anye thynge to the preeſte / doo make theym ſelues partetakers of the maſſe / by the reaſon whereof it is come to paſſe / that ſo many men / all care of innocency layde a parte do hope that heuen ſhalbe opened vntounto them euē by ſuch maner maſſes alone. Whoſoeuer recogniſeth and knowlegeth the lorde Ieſus as our onelyonly ſauyour & ſanctifyer. If he do conſyder theſe thynges dilygently / and with the ſame do compare theſe thynges which our lorde both ſayde & dyd / & beſydes that dyd betake to vsus for to be reiterated and often tymes put in vſe he ſhall eaſely perceyue & ſee / that there was neuer any ſuperſticyon in tymes paſſed / whiche had in it ſelf ſo gret impietye & wickednes / ſo great contempte of god / ſo gret diſtructyon of all vertues / as hath y^e deteſtable & abhominable abuſe of the maſſe / ſo as it hath ben abuſed theſe certayne yeres. And herof whan he knoweth / that nothing is ſo moche to be hated and abhorred of chriſten men: he ſhall perceyue that all remembrance of this abuſe is vtterly to be taken away. And therfore thabuſed alters / the very open ſhoppes of ſo great idolatrye / and the ryches of theſe ſacrifyces / euen the pernicyouſe ſūptuouſe wyues to all chriſten peple no rulers in anye condityon wyllynge their offyce to be approued only of Chriſt ought in no wyſe to ſuffre them. Let chriſten mē know the truthe of the mater / and than afterwardes let them iudge.

Laſt of all / this thynge alſo is to be obſerued ī this mater / though neuer ſo gret offēcyons & occaſiōs of euyls come through pictures and Images / It belongeth to the chefe rulers to reforme theſe abuſes.abuſed maſſes / and falſe & vayn worſhyppyng of ſayntes / that yet for all that / it is nat laufull for any priuate man / but the heed offycer & ruler to caſte thē out / namely oute of open & cōmen places. For in aſmoche as they ar outwarde thynges / no man ought to take vpō him more power ouer theym than the condition and ſtate of eueryevery man ſhall require / that is to wytte / that eueryevery man priuatly banyſhe theym out of his owne mynde / reiectynge the folyſhe eſtimation of them. Nowe to an houſeholder it belongeth / accordynge to thexample of Iames the patriarcheIames the patriarche. / to clenſe and rydde his houſe of theym. But to caſte theym out of churches and comen places it is the duetye of the heed offycer and gouerner / which duety (thankes be to Chriſte) our gouernour hath knowen / and hath executed with chriſtē grauite. And one thinge it is to be eſchewed in this buſyneſſe / lykewyſe as in all other / whiche it belongeth to Chryſten mennes charge for to do (and it is the counſell of Saynte Paule) that we do nat ſet forth our goodnes to the euyll wordes of men: & that the thynge whiche was inſtytuted to the helth and ſaluation of many men / be nat an occaſyon of hurte to any man. Wherfore if any man in deſtroyeng of ymages / ſhulde do any thīg preſūptuouſely outragiouſly / & paſſe the meaſure of charite / he ſhulde bynde hī ſelfe by ſo moche to the more greuouſe ſynne / by howmoch the thynge is more holy / in whiche he foloweth his owne ſenſuall luſt / & the officer ought (nat withoute good cauſe) to punyſſhe hi for brekyng of louelove and charytie. Alſo it ought nat to be aſcribed to anye ourtragyouſneſſe / though vnſenſyble & dombe images be nat ſo ſoftly & ſo tenderly handled / as certayne men (thorowe a folyſſhe imaginatyon / Images hauehave hā des & fele nat / eyes & ſee nat, eares & heare nat &c. & yet wyll we ryde and go many a mile to worſhyp thē with praier, cā delles, cotes / ſhoes / and money.as though w^t the fygure & ſymilitude of mā / they had alſo mās wyttes & reaſon) ar wont to hauehave compaſſyon / & to ſorowe ſome what whan they ar broken. For if we were diſpoſed to take away images / after ſuch maner & facion as ſcripture techeth & cōmaūdeth / whiche facion doutleſſe muſt nedes be beſt: we oughte to breke them / yea / & that all to powder / that they might neuer be made whole agayne / nor be reſtored in to ſo wycked an abuſe in whiche we ought nat to hauehave ſo greatly regarded the laboure and crafte of man / ſyth it is our dutye to offre euen our owne ſelues alſo to the croſſe / & to all maner afflyction / rather than to be wyllynge to gyue occaſyon of fallynge / & of idolatry to any mā y^t walketh in y^e way of vertue & godlyneſſe. And wolde god there were in all men aſmoche care & dilygence to make moche of / & to be ware of offendīg or hurting the very lyuely images which god hīſelf hath made to his owne lykeneſſe: as we do ſee to be in very many men / that theſe deed and dombe images ſhulde nat be hardly / nor vnreuerently entreated. To conclude / ſhortly to pluck downe images & pictures / and to rid thē quyte out of churches is an holye thynge / & ought to be begon accordyng to the cōmaūdement of god. It is conuenyent therfore & mete / that it be ꝑformed & fulfylled in ſuche wyſe / that it may be accepted and alowed of almightye god. That is to wit / that they be ſo taken away / that there be no whit of them remaynīg / namely to lyke abuſe / & alſo yet neuertheles / nothīg be done preſūptuouſly / nor outragiouſly / nothīge that may gyue any man good cauſe to be troubled but that all thynges be done charytably of pure & perfecte louelove / & deſyre to do ꝓfyte to all men. & after this facyon god graūte y^t his people may be delyuered from idols & images through the whole world frō the one ende to thother. Amen.