Catechism for Children, Sermons on the ten commandments · Sermon 1
The first sermon.
Thou shalt hauehave none other Goddes but me.
Exo. xxxiiA declaration of the first commaundement.
TO thintente good children that you maye the better vnderstande the lawe of the tenne commaundementes, you muste firste of all knowe, that God gaue to Moses the ten commaundementes, writtē in two tables of stone, wherfore they be diuided in two partes. In the first table were written the three firste commaundementes, pertaynynge to God, whiche teache vsus howe we shoulde behaue our selues toward God, as well inwardelye in harte and mynde, as outwardly in wordes and deades. In thother table were grauen seuen preceptes, perteynynge to oure neyghboures, whiche teache vsus howe we oughte to ordre our selues towardes our Prynces, magistrates and rulers, towardes oure wyues children & seruauntes and towardes all states of men, teachynge vsus that we shoulde not be dysobedient, that we do wronge to no man, that we hurt no man, that we ley not in wayte to kyll anye man, that we defloure not other mennes wyfes, and to be shorte, that we hurte not our neighboures, neither in body, goods nor good name.
But nowe let vsus consyder the first commaundement, and the declaracion of the same. I am the Lorde thy God, thou shalte hauehave none other goddes but me. This commaundemente good children, teacheth vsus howe we ought to vse oure hartes towarde God. Firste that we ought to acknoulege with all our harte, that God made heauen and earthe and all thinges conteyned therin, and to take hym onelyonly to be the true God and to be our God. Secondarely this commaundement teacheth vsus to feare him, as a lyuyng God, because he doeth punyshe the vngodlye, and to cleaue vntounto him with a sure faith, because he is true and faithfull and doeth not deceyue vsus in any thing, whiche he hath spoken or promysed. Thyrdly this commaundement teacheth vsus to louelove him with all our heart, for of him we receiue oure lyfe, oure breath, oure health, and all other gyftes both bodyly and goostly. And we hauehave not the least of his giftes by our desertes, but he poureth them all vponupon vsus frely, through his infinite goodnes and endles mercy. Contrarywise we ought not to receaue into our hertes as God any creature eyther in heauen or in earth, that is to saye, we oughte to feare no creature neither in heauē nor in earth so much as God, neyther ought we to put such cōfidē ce & truste in any thynge, neyther should we so hartily louelove any creature as our Lorde God omnipotent. For yf we attribute to anye creature so much feare, trust, louelove as apperteyneth only to him that made all creatures, by and by we make that creature our God▪ and of it we frame to oure selues an Ydoll. The whiche is a very heynous, an abominable & horrible sinne, directly against the first table and the first and chefest commaundement of God. Therefore suche greate offences the trewe and lyuinge Lorde God will not leaue vnpunished, for he hymselfe sayeth: I am the Lorde, my title & my name is the Lorde, I wyl not gyue my glorye to another: meanyng therby that he wyll not suffer that any other thinge shoulde be estemed as God besydes hymselfe, or that we shoulde gyue godly honoure in heart, affection woorde or deede to anye creature, but onelyonly to hym that was neuer created, and yet dyd create all thinges.
But here peraduenture you wil muse good children, askyng this question: How can we hauehave other goddes before the Lorde, seeynge there is but one God, one Lorde, whiche hathe made heauen and yearth. To thys I aunswere that in deede there is none other God but that most excellent and omnipotent Lorde. Ley sure hold on this article wt a stedfast faithe good children▪ beleue this, dowbting nothing therin, cleaue surely to this rocke. But yet this not withstandyng, fooles, infidels, & vngodlye men, take some other thing for theyr God, the which in dede is not god, nor can be by any meanes. For lyke as many times we take some men for honest, riche or noble, whiche be not so in dede: so oftentimes we feare something asmuche as we do God, whiche is not God in dede. And of creatures we make goddes thre manner of wayes,
The fyrst is, when a man feareth anye creature, and thynketh thus with himself, yf such a thing be taken away from me, yf such a greate man be angrye wyth me, yf I escape not suche a daungier: then I am vtterly vndone, then I knowe not whether to runne for ayde and succoure, whether then shall I goo? who shall saue or helpe me? yf thou hauehave anye suche thought of any creature, trewly in thine harte thou makest it a God, althoughe with thy mouthe thou doest not call it God. And this affeccion lieth lurckynge so deaply hydde within manye mens hartes, that they theimselfes scaselye feale or perceaue it. But this feare oughte to be remoued farre from vsus. For we must cleaue stedfastly by faithe to the trew and lyuynge God, and in all kynde of aduersitie reason on this faschion. Althoughe men of greate power be myne enemyes, althoughe this or that perrell doeth presse me verye sore, although I see nothinge before myne eyes but present deathe or daūger, yet wyl I not despaire, yet will I not mystrust God, yet wyl I not hurt my soule wt sinne. For I am sure that this creature whiche so sore persecuteth, vexeth or troubleth me, is no God, but is vnderunder the hand & power of ye trew lyuinge God: I knowe that one heere of my heade can not be takē away from me, without the wil of hym, that is onelye and alone the trew liuing god. He is my maker my lord & my god, him wil I feare more then the mighty power of any man, more then the crafty imaginations of myne enemyes; yea more then any creature in heauen or in earthe. Yf I be wrongfully entreated, and do suffer iniustli, he can easely delyuer me▪ and so preserue me, that no parrel shal touch me.
The second way is whē men put their hole confidence in other thinges than in God, and hauehave these or suche lyke thoughtes wythin themselfes. I woulde I hadde suche riches or landes, I woulde duplicate page duplicate page suche a man were my frende, then shoulde I be ryche, happye and blessed, thē should I be sufficiently defended and armed agaynste all chaunces that maye happen vntounto me in thys worlde. They that thinke thus, hauehave such riches landes and creatures for a God▪ although with their tongue they say not so, yea althoughe thys affection lye hidde in our hearte so secretly, that we our selfes shoulde scantly knowe of it. But the godly maye not suffer any such thoughtes to entre in to their heartes, but ought thus to reason with theimselues. Althoughe I hauehave veraye great aboundance of frendes and riches, although I flowe in pleasures honor and glorye, and in all worldely thynges whyche a man can desire, yet by these thynges I hauehave not true saluation. For these creatures are not God, wherfore they can not saue me, neither delyuer me from the tyrannie of the deuyll or the wrath of God. But the lorde is God alone. Yf I shal displease him, he is able to take al my frendes and riches away from me, or elles otherwayes to brynge to passe that all these thynges shall worke my distructiō. Wherfore he alone is to be feared, and in hym alone we must fasten the anker of our trust and confidence.
The thirde way is when a man so hartly loueth and delighteth in any thyng besydes God, that for it he doeth and suffereth willingly all thynges that are to be done or suffered, not greatly regardynge whether it pleaseth or dyspleaseth God, then this man maketh thys creature (whiche he so feruently loueth) his god, although in wordes he doth not vtter it.
But let Christian people weede out from the botome of their hartes the rootes of suche inordinate louelove of any creature. And let them thinke after thys sorte, wherefore shoulde I offende God for this or that thing, I know that this lucre or this honor vponupon the whiche I am tempted and do somuch set my harte, is not God, it is but a creature, which can not saue me, nether delyuer me from death, or any other aduersite. Wherefore I wyll louelove only my God wyth all myne harte, I wyll do all thynges for his sake chiefly, and I wyll onelyonly aboue all thynges obey him.
Hytherto you hauehave herde how by these thre waies, by fearing, by trustyng, and by louyng, we maie easely make a God of a creature, whiche in dede is no God but rather an ydoll, set vp by oure awne phantasie. But this is an horrible sinne against the first commaundement of God, and so muche the more parrellous, because it lurketh in the corners of mannes hart most secretly. The worlde is ful of this synne, and specially they that hauehave hypocrite hartes, for all their paynted holynes, are infected with the rustenes of these vices. And to thentent that you maye the better knowe these haynous offenses against the first commaundemente and the soner eschewe them, I will declare them vntounto you, by a fewe and shorte examples. Some ther be yt do so greatly feare the cōiūctions and influencis of the heauenly planettes and bodies aboue, that when they iudge by their lernynge in Astronomye, or heare say of other men, that the signes in heauen do threaten commen plages or calamities, by and by they tremble for feare, and not castynge theyre hope and trust in God, they be soo amased that they can not tel whether to runne to auoyde the daunger. Other ther be that thinke, that when the Sonne, Moone, or any other planetes is in this or yt signe, it is an vnlucky thinge to enterpryse this or that, and vponupon suche dismolde daies (as they call them) they wyll begyn no new enterprise, because they thinke yt it shulde not hauehave good successe or prosperous ende. And many lyke kyndes of ydolatrye is vsed euen among christen people. But ye prophet Hieremie doth expressely forbyd this in the .x. chapter, sayng. Feare not the signes of the skie, as the hethen do. Furthermore manye there be that stande in suche awe to tyrannes that for feare of them they denye the trew word of God. These mē take tyrannes, and rulers of this worlde for goddes. For they imagyne, that yf suche men fauoure them, thē thei shalbe safe for euer. But the prophete Dauid in the .cxlvi. psalme doth gyue contrarie counsel sayng thus. Put not your cōfidence in princes, in the sonnes of men, in ye which is no saluatiō.
Some men also put their hole affiaunce in money, and phantesie that they whiche hauehave plentye of money can lacke nothing. Therfore they gyue themselfes holye to couetusnes & to the desier to hurd vp riches, they set their minde vponupon filthy lucre, they scratche what they can, not regardynge whether they get by right or by wrong. Suche men wurship their riches for their God. But saint Paule in the .iii. chapter to the Colossians saieth. Forsake couetusnes whiche is a seruice to ydolles.
Some set their trust in their owne wourkes, thinkyng that by them they may be deliuered from synne, reconcyled to the fauour of God, iustified before him, and by them also to atteyne eternal saluacion. These hauehave their merites & wourkes in the steade of God. This is the greatest ydolatrie that can be vnderunder the sunne, and a playne denyall of the fayth in christ, as here after it shall be declared vntounto you at large in the treatise of fayth. Other ther be that be seruaūtes to their owne belyes gyuynge theim selues holly to eatynge and drynking, & bodely pleasures, somuch yt in cōparisō of bodily pleasures they eyther dispise or elles forget God. Such men make their belie their God, as saint Paule writeth of thē saying. Some therbe which sellyng the wourde of God do teache peruersely whose God is their belye. But that thinge where in they do nowe glorye, shalbe their confusion. By these examples you maye easelye perceaue, howe by to muche fearing, trusting and louyng, we make a God of a creature, which in dede is not God. And besydes these abuses, ther is an other that maketh an ydoll of yt trew and lyuynge God. And that is when we imagyn by oure owne heades an other forme or shape of god & his wil, than is true in dede, and otherwise thā he himself hath declared to vsus in his wourde. As for an example, whē we beleue that God is a bodely thynge hauynge handes, fete & other membres lyke a man, or that he is more pleased wyth wearynge of a graye fryars coule or halowed garmentes, than with any other semely apparel, or that he delighte with our wilworkes and worshyppynges, whyche he neuer commaunded, but we of our braynes hauehave deuysed theym. Suche phantasie and false opinion, I saye, maketh an ydoll of the trewe God, & it is a great offence against ye first & chiefe commaundemēt. But of thys you shal heare more in other sermons.
Wherfore good children take hede of suche ymaginations that you frame not to your selfes with in the temple of youre hartes anye straunge god or ydoll. But suffer the lorde to be your God, for he doeth offer himself very louingly and with a fatherly affection, to be your God. Therfore he sayeth to eache of you, I am the Lorde thy God, that is to saye, I am youre lorde and your father, & I woulde fayne that you should take me for your veray God onelyonly. Yf I am your Lorde, where is the feare dewe vntounto me? OnelyOnly feare me as your Lorde, obey me with al your hart, trust in me, praye to me, call vponupon me, and louelove me good children as your father.
Yt were our bounden dewtye, to praye vntounto him with most feruent desier, that he woulde vouchesafe to be our God. But his goodnes is somuche inclyned towarde vsus, that he preuentethe vsus, and before we desiere hym, he offereth himselfe to vsus, saying. I am the Lorde thy God, onelyonly acknowlege me for God. When he sayth I am thy God, it is asmuche as yf he shoulde saye, I wil powre all kindes of benefites vponupon thee, what soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth the, make the moone to me, whan soeuer yu lackest any thinge, aske it of me. I am not farre from the, I am thy God. At all tymes I wyl be present with the, and I will helpe the in all thinges.
Now good children, dyligently learne ye this lesson, and graue it into youre memories: So you shal louelove God, and put your trust in him. For this is the meanynge of this first commaundement that we ought to feare & louelove the Lord God, aboue all thing, & fasten our hope in him. Wherfore good children with all dilygence learne you this rule. And when this question shalbe demaunded of you, how do you vndrestand the first commaū dement? then shal ye answer thus. In this precept we be commaunded to feare and louelove God with al oure harte, and to put oure whole trust and confidence in him.
The conclusion.
Now ye hauehave hearde good children in a briefe summe, the trewe sincere and playne exposition of ye first commaundement, beare away I praye you this doctrine, and diligentlye recorde it, walke in the feare of the Lorde, that you transgresse not these commaūdementes. For what soeuer God byddeth, that is right, iust, good and holye, what soeuer he forbiddeth, that is wrong, vniust, euil and synne. He himselfe requireth of vsus, to kepe his commaundementes, and not dispise them. For he saith. I am the Lorde thy God,Exo. xx. a stronge and a ielous God, whiche do punyshe the children yt do hate me, euen to the thirde & fourth generacion, for the iniquite of their parentes. And contrariwyse, I do shewe mercy to a thousande generacions of them that louelove me & kepe my commaundementes. In these wourdes God dothe threaten greuous punyshementes to all them that breake these commaundemētes, wherefore it is our dewtie, to feare his indignation & punishment & not to prouoke his wrathe vponupon vsus by oure disobediēce. And contrary he doth promyse his fauor and goodnes to all theim that kepe these his commaūdemētes. Therfore we ought to louelove him, cast oure affiaunce in him, and obey his commaundemē tes. And speciallye ye good childerne oughte to feare God, kepe his preceptes, and to desire grace and helpe of him, yt you maye perfourme and fulfyll them. For the feare of God is the begynnyng of all wysedome, and it maketh men godly & disposeth them to all good workes. And suche hauynge the fauour of God, may profit many, bothe in commen and priuate affaires. Out of this feare of God, springeth also a good conscience, peace and quietnes of the same, as you hauehave herde out of the spalme whiche was rehersed in the beginnyng of the preface, and yf we continew to thende of our lifes in this trew knowledge and faith of God, thā he ouer and besyde the forsaide benefites, will gyue vntounto vsus lyfe euerlastyng yt whiche he graunt to you that is blessed for euer Amen. ¶Note that both ye preface, and the conclusion also, of this firste sermon shalbe repeted, (thone in the begynnyng and thother in the later ende) in eueryevery sermon made for the residew of the commaundementes.
YE hauehave herd good children in the former sermon, that all maner of Idolatrie is forbyd by this commaundement. Thou shalt hauehave none other Gods but me. Where also it was declared vntounto you, howe you may commit spirituall ydolatrie, by ouer muche fearyng, trustynge and louyng of creatures. But nowe I wyll speake of the moost grosse ydolatrie, whiche standeth in wourshyppynge of ymages, eyther of creatures or of God himselfe. And this ydolatrye is forbyde by expresse wordes in this commaundement, where God sayeth thus.
¶Thou shalt make the no grauē ymage / nor any lykenesse of anye thynge which is in heauē aboue / or in earth benethe / or in the water vnderunder the earthe. Thou shalt not bow downe vntounto it / nor wourship it.
These wordes (by most interpretors of late tyme belonge to the first commaundement, althoughe after the interpretation of manye aūcient autors they be the seconde commaundement) in whiche wourdes it is to be noted, that it is not withoute greate cause, that God with so playne and expresse words doth forbydde wourshyppynge of ymages. For he sawe that mans corrupte nature frō the firste tyme that he fell from God, hathe euer ben enclined and redy to ydolatry, and to bowe downe to creatures, rather than to looke vp to God that made him. Wherfore he inhibiteth all occations of the same. God did also forsee, that in the latter dayes men should come which woulde maynteine worshyppyng of images. Not onlye with painted colors, but also with paynted wordes, saying. We kneele not to the ymage, but before the ymage, we worshippe not the ymage, but the thing which is represented by the ymage, we worshippe not the creatures, but the creatore in the creatures. And suche lyke excuses the greatest ydolaters dyd alwaies pretend. But to thentente they shoulde not so deceyue you, God doeth oftentymes in holye scripture call vponupon you sayinge. Thou shalte not make to the any grauen ymage or lykenes of any creature, thou shalt not kneele, nor bow thy selfe downe to it.
For what can be more contrarie to the dignitie of man, then he, whom God hathe made Lorde ouer all creatures to kneele or to doe reuerence to the image of a creature. God hath so fashioned man, that he hath gyuen him a bodye standynge streighte vp, and a countenaunce to loke vpwarde into heauen. And why then shoulde he bow himself downward to the earth, or to creatures made of earthe, whych be rather to be troden vnderunder his fete, then to be worshipped of him. There is nothynge more againste reason, then that he whiche hathe lyfe, sense, and reason, should worshyppe that thinge, which can neyther see, feele, moue, heare nor vnderstande. Wherefore God saieth plainly, thou shalt not worshyppe ymages, that is to saye, thou shalte not gylte them, and set them in costlye tabernacles, and decke theim with coates or shertes, thou shalte not sense them, make vowes or pilgremages to them, sette candelles before them, and offer vntounto them, thou shalt not kysse their feete, and bowe downe vntounto them.
For God sayeth I am a ielouse God, and will not gyue my honour to any creature, but wyll greuouslye punyshe them that breake this my commaundemente. Yea I wyll punyshe their children and posteritie vntounto the thirde and fourthe generation.
And this indignation of god agaynst ydolaters, hath at sundrye tymes be shewed by greuouse punishementes for our examples. For Salomons idolatrie, ye kingdomes of Israell and Iuda were deuyded, and thereof dyd ensue a continuall dyscorde betwene these two kyngdomes. And for ydolatrye God commaunded Moses to hange the capitaines of the people, and of the people were slayne xxiiii. thousande. And the bokes of the Iudges, Kynges, and the Prophetes be ful of like histories, howe almyghtye God for ydolatrie was offended with the Israelites, and gaue theim into the handes of their enemies, and into the subiection and bondage of all nations about them, which did persecute & kyl them. And when they in their afflictions cried vntounto ye lorde, he refused them saying. Go and crie to the gods whiche you hauehave chosen, they wyll saue you in the time of youre necessitie.
What greater punyshemente can there be then this? to be cast awaye from God, when we hauehave mooste neede of his helpe and comforte? And in Deuteronomie almyghtye God commaunded by his prophet Moses, saying. Cursed be he, that shall make a grauen or molten ymage, abhominable before ye Lorde, the worke of an artificers hande, and shall set it in a secrete place. And all the people shall answere and say. Amen.
Here you see how he is accursed of god, that setteth but one ymage in a secret corner of his owne house to wourshippe it. But muche more daunger it is, to set vp ymages in the tēple of God which is ye open & cōmen place to honore the only lyuing god. But peraduenture some will saye, that we are forbydden to worship ymages, but not to hauehave ymages. To this I answer. First as touchynge the ymage of God, that whan God spake vntounto the children of Israell in the mount of Oreb they heard a voice, but they saw no maner of ymage or lykenes of any creature. And the cause was this. Lest if he had appeared in the similitude of a mā or womā or of any beast vponupon earthe, or of any birde in the ayer, or fishe in the water, or of any other creature, the ignoraunt people would paraduenture hauehave made an ymage like therto, and hauehave worshipped it. Therfore they did se no maner of ymage, because they shoulde make no ymage of God. Least that yf they had made any ymage of god, they would also hauehave worshipped it. And forasmuche as God is a goste not onelyonly inuisible but also incōprehensible, therfore he cā neither be made wt handes, nor cōpassed by wit, nether is it possible, yt any thing made by mannes hande shoulde represent God vntounto vsus, as his ymage, so far those two be vnlyke, God, and an ymage made by man. For God is a goste, without ende, without measure, withoute mixture, without corruption and most perfecte. But an ymage is a body, hathe an ende, maye be compassed and measured, it is myxed, corruptible and vnparfit. God is lyfe in him selfe, of whom al thinges hauehave lyfe, but ymages can nether heare, see, nor moue, nor hauehave neither reason, vnderstanding nor lyfe. Therefore sayeth God hym selfe by his prophet Esaie, that no similitude nor ymage, can be made of him. God shewed himselfe vntounto the people in the mount of Oreb, but in a clowde, smoke and fyer, declaring thereby that no man can come to the parfite knowledge of God, as he is in him selfe. The Propiciatorie also, whereby God was signified, was hidde and not sene, aswel for that it stode in sancta sanctorum where the people neuer came, as also for because the Cherubynes couered it with their wynges. But in case any paynter or caruer were so connyng, that he cold make an ymage, which shuld perfytly represent vntounto vsus God, (which is impossible) yet he ought to make no suche ymage. And if it wer made, it ought to be destroied, because god hathe forbyd anye ymage to be made of hym.
For as it is forbydde to hauehave any straunge goddes, so it is also forbide to hauehave any ymage of ye true lyuing God. And yf any wil say, that it is forbyde to make an ymage of God, to thintent to wourshippe it, but I doo not worshippe it, nor hauehave it for that intent, but onelyonly that it may stere me to the remembraunce & knowlege of God. To this I aunswer, that God did forbide the making of his ymage. least this parrell shoulde followe, that thou shouldest worshippe it. Therefore thou doest offende, although thou doest not worshippe it, and that not only, because thou doest againste goddes worde and commaundement, but also because thou putteste thy selfe wilfully in very great peril and daūger, specially seyng that of our corrupte nature wee be moost highly enclyned to Idolatry & superstition, as experience from tyme to tyme hathe taught vsus, euen from the begynnyng of the worlde. And here appeareth ye abuse of our tyme, which folowing rather the phantasye of caruers or paynters, than ye worde of God hauehave set vp in churches the ymage (as thei cal it) of ye Trinitie, where they portured God ye father lyke an olde man with a long hore berd. And what can symple people learne herby, but errore, and ignorāce? HaueHave not mani thought that God the father is a bodyly substaunce, & that he hath a face, and berd, hādes, and fete, because they see him so painted? And for this consideracion saith sainte Austen, it is a detestable thing for Christen men to hauehave any suche ymage of God in the church, whereby it appeareth that in sainct Austens tymes, ther wer no suche ymages in christen churches, but that it is an inuention of ye papistes broughte in of later yeres, whiche bryngeth vsus not vntounto the true knowledge of god, but leadeth vsus into errors and ignoraunce of God.
But if you wil lyfte vp your mindes to god good children, to know his diuine maiestye, hys infinite power, wysedome, goodnes, and other his godlye perfections, loke not vponupon a deafe, domme, blynde, lame, and deade ymage, made by a painter or caruers handes, but loke vponupon heauen and other creatures, made by goddes awne handy worke, loke vponupon man who cā speake, see, smell, heare, feale, and go and hath lyfe, wyl, and reason, and whome no man but God himselfe made to be his lyuely image and similitude.
We hauehave also ye holy scriptures whiche declare vntounto vsus the wonderful workes of God, by which thynges wee maye be ledde to the knowledge of God without painted or carued ymages. Now paraduēture some wil say that Christ hathe a bodye, and lykewyse hauehave saintes, & therfore of them we may hauehave ymages althoughe of God there can be made no ymage. And further they wil say, that the cause why ymages wer forbid, was perryl of ydolatry, and worshipping of theym. So that where there is no suche peril, we may hauehave ymages.
Yet as I will not vtterly deny but they may be had, so I thincke it more cōuenient for christē religion that they shuld be taken out of Christen mens churches, then that they shoulde be placed in the temple of God. And of this my opinion I wil shewe you certaine good groundes, to thintente that whan you be demaunded, why we Englyshe men hauehave no ymages in our churches, you maye be able to make therunto a reasonable aunswer, and that also in time to come you may declare to your children what abuses hauehave crepte into the church by the occasion of ymages. That if anye man shall hereafter god about craftily to brynge in ymages agayne for hys owne lucre sake, they maye the soner perceyue hys Iuglynge, and so the better auoide the perill and daunger. Fyrst it is certaine, that we neither hauehave commaundement, counsell nor example of the scripture, nor of the primatiue churche in thapostilles time, nor many yeres after to set vp ymages in our churches. As it maye appeare by the holy mā Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres, a man of great estimation an .xi. hundreth yeres passed, for his great lernyng and vertue, and by whom not only in his lyfe tyme, but also after his death, god wrought many miracles. He in an epistle which he wrote to the Bysshoppe of Hierusalem (whiche epistle saint Hierome did translate out of Greke into Latine) writeth, that as he passed ye contrey about Hierusalem, he founde in a church a cloth painted, hauing the image of Christ, or of a saynte. And whā I saw (saied he) an ymage of a mā hang in the church of Christe, contrarie to the authoritie of the scripture, I cut it in peces, & counseled thē to buri some pore dead mā therin. And after he wrote to the Bysshop of Hierusalem, that he shuld commaunde al the priestes, not to suffer suche images, beynge contrary to our religion, to hange in the church of christ. Wherby it appeareth yt in those dayes ymages were not alowed to be sette vp in churches amonge christen menne (yea al thoughe it were the ymage of Christe or any sayncte) but that the vsage of ymages beganne after that tyme.
And yf we wyl beleue aūcient Histories, ymages wer brought into churches, by the pollicye and force of the Byshoppes of Rome, many good christian Emperors, withstanding the same to their power. But Idolatrie by the byshoppes of Rome preuailed, and seduced many Christen Realmes.
Moreouer many images teache nothyng elles but erronious and supersticiouse doctrine. For what reachethe the picture of sayncte Mychael waying soules, and our lady putting her beades in the balaunce. Forsoth nothing els, but superstitiousnes of beades, and cō fidence in oure owne merites, and the merites of saincts, & nothynge in the merites of Christe.
For wheras oure good workes be not able to way against the deuel, our lady muste laye her beades in balaūce, that is to say, wil workes diuised of oure awne braynes not commaūded of God, and by them to saue vsus. Which doctrine is very false and iniuriouse to Christe. What did ye ymage of saint Sondaye teache? But that Sondaye was an holye man, accordynge to the which teaching, beggers asked their almes for saynct Sondayes sake. But I wyll leaue to speake of the euell doctrine whiche was taught by Images, and I wyll declare vntounto you ye ymages hauehave bene so abused, that all the goodnes whiche myght come by theym, was neuer cōparable to the great ignoraunce and blyndnes, the superstition and idolatrie, whiche hauehave been brought in and cōmitted by meanes of thē. The whiche abuses good children, your owne fathers, yf you aske theym, can well declare vntounto you. For they themselfes wer greatly seduced by certayne famouse and notoriouse ymages, as by our lady of walsingham, oure ladye of Ippeswiche, Saynt Thomas of Canterbury, Sainct Anne of Buckestone, the roode of Grace, and suche lyke, whom many of your parentes vilitide yerely, leauinge their owne houses and familyes. To thē they made vowes & pilgrimages, thinkyng that God would heare their prayers in that place rather than in another place. They kissed their feete deuoutrly, and to theim they offred candles and ymages of waxe, rynges, beades, gold, and syluer, aboundantly. And because they that so taught them had ther by great cōmoditie, they mainteined the same with fayned myracles, and erroniouse doctrine, teaching the people that God would heare their prayers made before this image, rather than before another ymage, or in another place, wheras the Prophete Esay sayth, that God doeth heare those that be truely penitent in eueryevery place a lyke. But peraduenture some wyl saye, they dyd neuer teache vsus to kneele to ye ymage, but before the image. But who I pray you gaue them commission to teache you to kneele before the ymage, yf you make youre praiers to God, why lyfte you not bothe your eyes and handes to heauen where God is, why loke you rather vponupon the walles, vponupon stockes and stones, then thitherward where you knowe he is, to whome you make your prayers. What nedest thou which arte the ymage of God, to kneele before the ymage of man.
Again they that be greued with takyng downe of ymages out of the churches, will parchaunce say. We worshipped not ye image but the sainct, whome the ymage dyd signifye. And who I praye you commaundeth you after this fashion to worship any sainct, why shoulde wee geue that honoure to sainctes nowe after their deathe, whiche they themselfes, whan they were on lyue dyd vtterly refuse? Yf a Christen man althoughe in dede he were a very holy man, and a lyuing saint, should set himself vponupon an aulter in the church, you would say to him come down syr, that is no place for you to stande in. And why shoulde than dōme ymages stande there, whan they be deade, wher thou canst not suffre the true ymages & mēbres of Christ & liuely sainctes to be placed? Peter refused to be wourshipped of Cornelius, & likewyse dyd Paule and Barnabas to be honored of men, and the aungel also refused to be honored of a man forasmuche as speciall honoure and seruice, appertaineth only to god. Neuerthelesse in ciuile honor and seruyce, we be subiecte to kynges, princes, parentes, maisters, and al superiors, to honoure and serue thē of duety as God of vsus requyreth. But al these thinges cesse after their death, & they that wil say, that they nether worship ymages, nor the sainctes in ymages, but God onelye in the sainctes and ymages, they pretende the same excuse that the heathen Idolatrers did. For they sayd lykewyse, that they worshypped not blockes nor stones, but God in theym, and yet thei wer great ydolatrers. But these men that pretende so manye excuses for their ydolatrye (as all ydolatrers euer hauehave done) yet in very dede they worship not onelyonly creatures but also the ymages of creatures. Whan they knele, kysse, & sense them. For whan they see an ymage of the Crucyfyx, or of a saint by the way, doo they not bow downe, and put of their cappes vntounto it. But they do that (say they) not to ye ymage but to Christ But why than doo they it, whan they se the ymage, and not before? Marye (saye they) for the ymage putteth vsus in remēbraūce of christ But let them truly aunswer this, as they thinke in their hartes. As often tymes as they remembre Christe before they see the ymage, doo they bowe downe and put of their cappes or no? Certayne it is that thei do not, but assone as thei come to the ymage they doo. And therefore in veraye dede, they doo that honor to the ymage, and not to Christ, nor to the saint, whatsoeuer they pretende. But they fantasy som holines or vertue to be in the ymages, specially whan they be set vponupon high in the churche, the commen place to honor god alone, and therefore they ronne rather to one churche than to another, and honor one Image rather than another for elles why are not the ymages in the caruers and painters shoppe as wel kneled vntounto & worshipped as they yt be set in ye church And yf they dyd their reuerence to christ & not to the image, seing that Christ is in heauen, to heauen they shuld loke vp, wher christ hī self is, and not gase vponupon an ymage. Seyng therefore that it is an horrible ydolatry, to wurshyp the Sunne, which is a most goodly creature of God, and representeth vntounto vsus the wonderfull worke of God. Let eueryevery man consydre how diuilyshe ydolatry it is, to worship our awne ymages made by our awn handes.
Yt is not also taught you in all the scripture that you shoulde desyre saincte Rocke to preserue you from the pestilence, to pray to saint Barbara to defēde you from thondre or gonneshot, to offer to saincte Loy an horse of waxe, a pigge to sainct Anthonye, a candel to sainct Sithe. But I shoulde be to longe yf I shoulde reherse vntounto you all the superstitions that hauehave growe out of the inuocation and praying to saintes departed, wherwith men hauehave been seduced, and goddes honoure geuen to creatures.
This was also no smal abuse, that wee called the ymages by the names of the thinges, whome they did represent. For we were wont to say. This is saincte Annes aulter, my father is goone a pylgrymage to our lady of walsyngame, in our churche sainct Iames standeth on the right hand of the highe aulter. These speches, we wer wont to vse, although they be not to be cōmended. For sainct Austen in thexposition of the .cxiii. psalme affirmeth, yt they, who do call suche ymages as the carpenter hath made, by the names of those thinges whiche God hath made, do chaūge the truth of god into a ly. It is not also taught you in all scripture. Thus good children I hauehave declared how wee wer wōt to abuse ymages, not that hereby I condempne your fathers, who were men of greate deuotion, and had an ernest louelove towarde God, altoughe their zeale in all pointes was not ruled and gouerned by true knowledge, but they were seduced and blynded, partely by the commen ignorance that rayned in their tyme partely by the couetuousnes of their teachers, who abused the simplicity of the vnlerned people to the mayntenaunce of their awne lucre and glorye. But this hauehave I spoken to shewe you how crafty the deuil and his ministers hauehave been euen of late tyme to allure Christen mē to Idolatry vnderunder the pretence and title of deuocion, holynes, and religion, that you being warned of suche abuses may the better knowe and auoyde them incase at any tyme Satan or his messengers woulde entyse you vntounto suche superstition again. For yf mariners yt hauehave passed ye daungers of the seas, and are safelye entred into the hauē, be naturally moued to shewe to suche as sayle to those places, from whence they came, what parrelles they shall passe by, and howe also they maye auoid the same. Howe muche more ought we that hauehave already passed the diepe seas and daungers of superstition, to warne you good children, of these perrelles, and to teache you whiche are nowe (as it were) entring into the troublesome seas of this worlde how you maye auoyde these so great daungyers. And it is veray necessary for preachers at all tymes to admonyshe, exhorte, and cal vponupon you to auoid this most haynouse and detestable synne of ydolatrye. For not onelye the prophetes in tholde testamente wer very ernest to cal vpō the Iewes to eschewe this synne of ydolatry, but thappostles also be very diligent to disswade Christē mē from ye same. And we hauehave to much experience in the worlde that of ymages commeth, worshippyng of them and ydolatry. For sainct Austen vponupon the .cxiii. psalme affirmeth that simple men be more moued and stirred to bowe downe to ymages and worship thē, because they hauehave mouthes, eyes, eares, noses, handes and feet then they be moued to contēpne thē, althoughe they perceiue they cā neither speke, see, smell, feale, nor goo.
It cannot be sayde that ymages be necessarie, for then we condempne the appostilles, and al the holy men in the primatiue church, yea and Christe hymselfe also because they vsed no suche thynge, nor yet that they be profitable, for yf they had, either Christe woulde hauehave taughte it or the holy goste woulde hauehave reueled it, vntounto the appostles whiche they dyd not. And yf they dyd, the appostilles, were very neelygente that woulde not make some mention of it, and speake some good word for ymages, seyng yt they speake so manye against them. And by this meanes Antichriste and his holy papistes, had more knowledge or feruente zeale to geue vsus godlye thynges, and profitable for vsus, thā had the veray holy saintes of Christe, yea more than Christ himselfe, and the holy goost. Now forasmuch good children, as ymages be neither necessary nor profitable in our churches and tēples, nor were not vsed at the begynnynge in Christe nor thapostilles tyme, nor many yeres after, and that at length they were brought in by Byshoppes of Rome maugre Thēperours tethe, & seing also that they be veri slaunderous to Christes relygion, for by them the name of God is blasphemed among the infideles, Turkes, and Iewes, whiche because of oure ymages do call christen religion Idolatry and wourshipping of ymages. And for asmuche also as they hauehave bene so wonderfully abused within this Ralme, to the highe contumelye and dyshonor of God, and hauehave been great cause of blyndnes, and of muche contention amonge the kinges maiesties louing subiectes, and were lyke so to be still yf they shoulde remayne, and chiefly seyng goddes worde speaketh somuche against thē. You may herby right well consydre, what greate causes and groundes the kinges maiestie had, to take them away within his Realme, folowing herin the example of the godly kinge Ezechias, who brake downe the brasen serpent, whan he sawe it worshypped and was therefore greatly praysed of God, not withstandynge at the firste, the same was made and set vp by goddes commaundemente, and was not only a remembraūce of goddes benefites, before receaued, but also a figure of Christ to come. And not onelyonly Ezechias, but also Manasses, and Iosophat and Iosias the best kynges that were of the Iewes, did pull doune ymages in the tyme of their Reygne. Consider than howe Godlye anacte is this to take away so manye ymages, not made by goddes cō maundementes, wherunto contrary to goddes commaundementes and his honor wer so manye Idolatries cōmitted. For vntounto Christē Princes office, and cure appertayneth ye defēce of goddes true word & Christē relygion, & to take away all those thinges, which hynder or let true godlynes and relygion, or make trouble & contention, within their realmes. So good children you hauehave herde the true meanyng of these wordes. Thou shalt make to the no grauē ymage, thou shalt not bowe downe & worship ye same, the which I pray you graue depely in your memories, yt whē you be demaunded, what is ment by the wordes heretofore rehersed, you may answer. This cōmaundemēt forbiddeth vsus al kind of ydolatry aswel bodely as goostly, & inhibiteth vsus to geue ye honor whiche is due vntounto god to any creature or ymage of creature, but to worshyp God alone. And now note further good childrē, yt to thintēt we shuld honore only God, & obey him. He saieth yt he is ye Lorde our God, in whom be al good thīges, & of whō wee hauehave all. He saith also yt he is strong & of such force, yt he can ponishe vsus at his pleasure if we dysobey him. Moreouer he calleth him selfe Ialose because he can abyde no cōpaniō, but as a man, ye more pure & chast he is, ye more he is greued if he perceue his wife to set her louelove vpō any other, euen so is god, who hath takē vsus to his spouse, if he se vsus defiled wt filthy ydolatry. Furthermore he saith yt he wyl reuēge his maiesty & glori, if any mā wil translate yt vntounto any creature picture or ymage, & yt wt such vengeance, yt it shal extēde vntounto theyr childrē, nephewes & nephewes childrē. Like as on ye other side he promiseth his mercye and goodnes to their posterite, that kepe his law & cōmaūdementes. Employ therfore youre hole hartes & myndes to his preceptes good childrē, & exchewīg al ydolatry or honoring of caruinges or paintīges geue to god only his due honor and glory now & frō hensforth world wtout ende. Amē.