estate or person for as moche as I haue coÌ„pared and framed it to the infallible truthe of goddes blessed worde dyd lytell or nothyng dyscomforte me But because I wolde not haue the truthe to be sclaundered by the malycyous tonges of those that wolde saye This felowe hath taken payne to set forth a worke to please suche a maÌ„ withal I was at a playne poynt with my selfe to kepe it vndefamed that waye and not onely to saue the truthe from false suspicion but suche persons also from offendyng that wold vntruely reporte it For it is vndoubted that many whiche haue not feared to speake euyll of the gospell sayeng it wold make meÌ„ heretykes wold not passe vpon the sclaundryng of ony good purpose or pÌ„tence of maÌ„ Thus wayeng the matter as it were in a ballaunce I perceyued yet in all thynges that the truthe ouercometh at length and then consyderyng the ioyful and acceptable tyme that is nowe ii cor vi so that the euangelycal lyght shyneth ouer vs Ro. xiii the nyght beyng past and the daye come to gyue lyght vnto al men that lyst to labour in the lordes worke it entred in to my herte thoughe I mystrusted not the comyng of the nyght agayne yet that I ought not to be neglygent in the lordes worke accordyng to the gyfte which is gyueÌ„ me But wheÌ„ I coulde fynde nothyng to quyet my mynde for the settyng forth therof without the daunger of some euyll reporte the worde of god beynge the true salue for all maner of sores and the perfyt medesyne for all maner spiritual diseases gaue me comforte prouokyng me to stay no longer therin by the parable of certayne men whiche receyued of their lord and mayster sundry talentes to be put in vse for his aduauntage vntyll his retourne out of a straunge countre in to the whiche he toke his iourney And after a long season the lorde of those seruauntes came and rekened with them Then he that had receyued .v. talentes said mayster thou delyueredest vnto me v. mat xxv talentes beholde I haue gayned with them .v. talentes mo Then his mayster sayd vnto hym well good seruaunt and faythful thou hast ben faythfull in lytell I wyl constitute the ouer moche entre in to thy maysters ioy And he that had receyued .ii. talentes had gotteÌ„ other .ii. vnto whoÌ„ lyke answere was made But the seruaunt whiche had receyued but one talent and applyed it to no profyte but hyd it in the erthe came and sayd Mayster I coÌ„sydered that thou wast an harde man whiche repest where thou sowest not and gathered where thou strowest not wherfore I was afrayde beholde thou hast thyne awne But for his slouthfull and euyll seruyce he was rebuked his talent taken from hym and gyuen to hym that had many and the vnprofytable seruaunt cast in to vtter darknes WheÌ„ I remembred this sayeng of the lord which haue receyued but one symple talent in comparyson of other which haue applyed their wyttes and lernyng to fulfyl the lordes pleasure as it appereth by their excellent workes and bokes that they haue wrytten yet feryng lest this smal talent shuld be taken from me and so to receyue the dyspleasure of my lorde whiche ought more to be feared then the displeasures and dysprayses of all men and his fauour and loue more to be extemed desyred and sought for then the fauour of all creatures I thought it more conuenyent to folow his wyl then to regarde the false iudgementes and the vntrue reportes of suche as knowe not the trouthe And also of them whiche knowe it abusynge theyr knowledge to theyr great dauÌ„ger and parell Wherfore as one intendyng to saue al thyng as vpright as maye be I haue attempted to set forth this my rude worke beyng as the coÌ„mon terme gothe as playne as a packe staffe And for it shall appere that I seke not the fauour of man I haue not dedycate it vnto one man But because I wolde that all men shuld seke the fauour of god I haue dedycate it vnto all men ye I wolde that the poorest begget whiche can rede or here it red shulde haue it But whether they be poore or ryche to whose handes this lytell boke shall happen to come I herâ—ely desyre theÌ„ not to stycke to any thyng whiche is here wrytten ferther then they shall thynke it approued by the scrypture word of god as I haue wrytteÌ„ in the boke folowing so I admonysshe you in this prologue before to take this worke for an exortacyoÌ„ to coÌ„fort and counsell all men to rede and here the scrypture ephe v. that they may vnderstand what the wyll of god is And after that they are ones called that they may labour also to be chosen mat xx xxii for many are called and fewe be chosen But surely who soeuer be chosen wyll put to his helpynge handes for to repayre agayne the lordes temple whiche is not made with mennes handes act xvii I trust in God to se this temple in his perfeccyon that I maye reioyce as the people of Ierusalem dyd at the reparyng of the temple and cyte agayne i. â—â—d iii. wherof ye shal perceyue more in this worke folowynge vnto the whiche worke I haue caused my name to be set not for any prayse that I entende to seke therin but for certayne consyracyons mouynge me therunto The one is that I haue herde by reporte of other men that diuers be offended with sundry bokes whiche beynge withoute name or aucthor haue rather troubled theyr conscyence then set it in a quyetnesse and that many haue ben suspected to be doers therof whiche were neuer of counsell nor knowledge therin And I maye beleue the thyng to be the more true for in a small peice of worke or twayne whiche I haue set forth my selfe geuynge it no certayne name dyuers persones of dyuers men haue had the fame reporte to be doers of it And though I passe not who haue the prayse so that the glory of god his truth may be roted take place in the hertes of men yet as there is nothyng so ê‘fyt but that of some men it is dispraised no meruayll seyng the very truthe which is the worde of god hath ben euyll reported of many Therfore I thynke not the any worke of man can content al men And for these consyderacyons with other necessari that I omyt I haue put vnto this my name as one being coÌ„tent to take disprayse with prayse payne with pleasure to be redy yf any faute shulde be to bere the burden therof my selfe as he that knoweth the secretes of mennes hertes be a wytnes iudge vnto me to whoÌ„ be honour praise glory for euer euer Sapi. i. Amen ¶ Finis ¶ These be the fautes escaped in the pryntynge In the fyrst page of B the .ix. lyne these for theyr In the first page of E the xiiii lyne lyberte for lyberalyte In
the people helde hooly of hym i. Cor. i. then began they to holde some of one saynt and some of an other and soe haue contynued many yeres But call to your remembraunce in whose name ye were baptysed Were ye baptysed in Peters name Paules name or IohnÌ„s name yf ye were holde of them If ye were chrystened in chrystes name then holde of Chryst and take hym for your sauyoure and his scrypture to wytnesse for youre mediatoure i. timo ii Heb. ix Gyl iiiâ— Wherfore attrybute and gyue not vnto his sayntes that whiche onely is due to hym selfe For yf ye do as I haue wrytten so wryte I agayne theyr ymages so abused are but ydolles and youre knelynge and prayenge before them is ydolatry But I dowte not thoughe Chryste haue suffered longe this iniury vnto hym selfe and hys holy gospell to be troden vnder fote ii cor vi that nowe the acceptable tyme is come so that his worde shall florysshe agayne in spyte of all the enemyes therof that they shall not be able to abyde the tryall of the great wronge that they haue done vnto the people of god in kepyng away of the swete fruyt that they shuld haue had in his scrypture and to fede them with rotten apples foure crabbes of theyr awne trees A straw for your false fayned persuasyons and lyes that haue taught the people to say we honour not the ymage but the saynt whome the ymage dothe represent Why then do ye exteme the ymage of our lady not in al places to be lyke and dyuers ymages of one saynt to be lyke good I mought more truely saye to be lyke euyll For as ye haue abused them there was neuer a good And to be more playne I can not se how ye can make them good they that make theÌ„ are lyke vnto them and so are all suche as put theyr trust in them Psalm C.xiiii â—aâ—ieâ—â— xiiii Happy or blessed is the tree where through ryghtuousnesse cometh but cursed is the ymage that is made with handes For though it be not called god yet is it a stale to robbe mennes hertes from God and the honoure whiche alone dothe perteyne vnto God O crafty catchpolles that soo haue inuented a name vnto them to be laye mennes bokes whiche God hath prohybyted to be made and to kepe from his people the boke of his lawe and his holy testament the bokes of the prophetes and appostles and all the bokes of the holy fathers agreynge in one as I began this worke To instructe men the pertyt and true way vnto hym whiche sayd come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I shall refresshe you math â— whiche he commaunded to be preached and taught to his people but be it now that I grauÌ„t you a ley that they were bokes to instructe the lay people mar xvi Math. xxviii I am sure theyr instruccyon extendyd no farder but to put meÌ„ in remembraunce of them whome they do represent What knowledge haue you by theyr deed and domme pycturs of theyr vertuous lyuyng Suppose you they were so appareled in purple gold and so set with owchys bedes rynges money and other Iewels as theyr Images be no truelye they regarded no suche peltrye Theyr affeccyons were moued to other more noble pÌ„cyousser thynges for the pycture of hym that ye nowe garnysshe with golde by his lyfe tyme was coueryd with a garment made of Camels heare Mat. iii iiii Re. i and it is to be supposed that as Chryst reprouyd them whiche buylded and Luâ—â— xi Mat. xxiii garnysshed the Sepulcres of deed Prophettes whome theyr fathers had slayne that ye lykewyse whiche garnisshe gyld and spare for no cost nowe vpon deed Images Wolde scarslye bestowe one peny vpon the very sayntes yf they were lyuyng For truelye theyr doctryne was the thynge whiche ye can not abyde to heare Euen the Gospell of Chryste that is nowe preachyd and taught vnto you I wyll not faye that ye wold kyll them whiche haue suffred alredy for Chryst and his doctryne Whom ye accounte now to be sayntes but yf they were lyuyng without fayle ye wolde repute and call them arrant herytykes And then I thynke it shulde be a sklendre charite that ye wold bystowe vpon them But wherof happenyth this blyndnesse amonges you but that in stede of the true bokes coÌ„tained in scripture bothe of god and his sayntes that preached taught folowed hym ye haue set vp vnto you a blynde boke a dome Idoll and a deed Image whiche can instructe you to no goodnesse nor induce you to no vertue Perchaunce there hanges some olde wrytten table by it contaynyng ther in an abhomynable lye and a false fayned myracle or twayne But note one thynge I pray you that wher so euer suche tables be the box to receyue offrynge monye is not or was not farre of and yf that the box and offrynges be taken awaye and none permytted to be any more ther they that made and caused to be made youre blynde bokes and lyenge tables wold be more glad to pul them downe theÌ„ your selues ye they wold not pas yf ther were not one within christendome But I meruayle that they trusted not the ymage with the offrynge monye what nede they to make so strong boxys of yron or war dyd with plates of yron to kepe it Me thynke yf the monye had byne layd but euen before the ymage ther could no man haue taken it a waye but that his hande shulde haue cleued to the aulter or to the place wher the money lay yf they were so holye as they made them but men maye perceaue they had but smale confydence in theÌ„ themselues yet taught they the people to seke helth at their handes whiche can do no good nor say none euyll For euery sundry dysease there was an ymage inuented and set vp One for heed atche an other for tothe atche One for chokyng an other for burnyng One for the palsay an other for the plage It were to longe a worke to reherce theÌ„ all But yet me thynke it was great pyte that saynt Vncombre in poules was pulled down for she was a gret comforte and helper vnto all good wyues whiche were troubled with shrewde husbandes But I meruell for what purpose they offered otes vnto her me thynke that offerynge was more mete to be gyueÌ„ vnto saint Loy For in some partes of England the horse cutters haue .v. pence for cuttyng of euery horse a grote to theÌ„ selfe a peny for saint Loye It is to be thought he was some horse keper or horse corser wherfore otes were more mete to fede his horsses withall then to be offered to saynt vncumbre it is no meat conuenient for a womaÌ„ to fede of I praye you good women be not dyspleased with me for my playne wrytynge And if ony of you be troubled with an euyll husbande the best counsel that I can gyue you is
zele mynde reneweth the comaundement of Cirus and â—yueth theÌ„ lycence to buyld the temple with all thynges necessary ther vnto belongynge Who wyl not thynke but that this was an exydynge consolacyon and comâ—orte to all the people whiche couetyd the goynge forth of the lordes worke and a great dyscoÌ„fort vnto all them that desyred the hynderaunce of the same And as it is to be thought of them so is it lykewyse to be supposed of vs in this present tyme. Almyghty god the father hath moued the herte of our moost gracyous kyng to loke in the library In the holy wyll and testameÌ„t of his son Iesus christ our only sauiour beyng the fouÌ„dacion of his teÌ„ple vpoÌ„ the which Peter Paule Iames i. Cor. iii IohnÌ„ al the apostles with diuers other holy meÌ„ bylded receiued a coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the lord to bild vpoÌ„ none other fouÌ„dacioÌ„ theÌ„ the which he had laid Bbut theÌ„ caÌ„e ther such a soâ—t as I haue wrytteÌ„ of the enuyed the goyng forthe of the lordes worke And though it were out of their powers to distroy it yet haue they hyndred the same a long season But as the wyll of god is with whoÌ„ there is no reason to be made wherfore he dothe it more now then at an other tyme our godly kyng beynge inspired with the spirite of grace renueth the coÌ„maundemente of our sauyour Christ geuyng fre lybertye to buylde vp the lordes temples agayne He feareth not the aduersaryes therof but expulseth them and wypeth awaye Idolatry iiii Reg xviii Num. xxi Euen as the good kynge Esechias dyd whiche brake downe the brasen serpent that Moyses had made for a remembraunce of the power and goodnesse of god yet for coÌ„myttyng Idolatry and worshypynge of it he feared not to breake it downe neyther theyr hye houses in whom they worshypped their ydols And lyke vnto the good kyng Iosias iiii Reg xxii when the boke of the law was found in the house of the lorde after he had mourned because his Fathers had not herkened vnto that boke to do al that was wrytten therin He caused it to be red vnto all his people and made a couenaunt with them that they shulde walke after the lord and kepe his commaundementes wytnesses and ordynauÌ„ces with al theyr herte and with all theyr soule iiii Reg xxiii And that they shulde set vp the wordes of the couenaunt whiche were wrytten in that boke And all the people entred in to the couenaunt And hathe not our most godly kyng done euen in lyke maner Hath he not sent abrode through all his realme that the couenaunt of the Lorde whiche is his holy gospel shulde be truely and and syncerly preached vnto all his people And because they shulde the better obserue and kepe the Lordes coÌ„maundementes and walke in his his wayis hath he not gyuen his peple fre lybertye to haue the lawe of the lorde in theyr maternall tonge who wyll thynke thys to be a smale benefyte truely in my opynyon it is of suche valure that Englyshe men had neuer greater cause to thanke god for and to praye for the gracyous prosperytye of theyr kynge then for this matter it is a thyng hyely to be extemed for a kynge to haue Iustyce mynystred wtin his realme that as the sayenge is The Lambe maye dwel by the Wolfe the pore man by the rycher and one quyetly to lyue by another It is a thynge of great coÌ„fort vnto that realme which hath a wyse poletyke valyaunt prynce to defeÌ„d his domynyon agaynst forren nacyons rebellyons yf nede do requyre it is a greate benefyte of god vnto that countrey that hath a kynd louynge and mercyfull prynce vnto his people Now yf these thynges with many mo then I can recyte be occacyons vnto subiectes to beare faythfull hertes and true obedyence vnto theyr souerayne lorde and kynge As I sayde before Englysshe men were neuer more bounde to it then they be nowe But yet amonge all thynges yf I could recyte a thousaÌ„d more then I can do yet coulde I not reken one thynge wherin we ought to receyue so great consolacyon And hertely to reioyse in / as in the god hath sent vs a kynge which so gracyouslye settyth forthe his glory causeth his people to be fed with that ghostly fode whiche christ spake of Mat. iiii Deu viii sâ—â—â— xâ—i Man lyueth not only by brede but by euery word that procedyth out of the mouthe of god The holy Gospels are the wordes that procedith out of his mouth ¶ And yf the people had bene so long kepte frome bodelye sustynaunce as they haue bene frome theyr ghostlye foode I thynke there wold haue ben but a slender company remaynyng at this tyme to inhabyte this lande And yet it is a straunge rekenyng to here the vnwyse sayenges of many of the people say they not why shulde we not lyue as our fathers hath done before vs they beleued this and they beleued that And we thynke there were as good men in those dayes as there be nowe And why shulde we not do as they dyd This is their opinions wherunto me thynke I coulde make them a reasonable answere yf reason wolde suffyse to satysfy them This is true that the worde of god was kepte from our fathers they were made to beleue that yf they shulde exercyse theÌ„ selues therin it wolde make theÌ„ heretykes And in stede therof they were fed with the bysshop of Romes constytucyons so that in contynuaunce the lyuely fayth that was due vnto the worde of god was chauÌ„ged and gyueÌ„ vnto deed Ceremonyes I pray you take me not now at the fyrst that by this sayeng I entende to disalowe all good Ceremonyes Do not as the sayeng is of the nunne when she had red Omnia probate because it serued her intente red no ferther where the nexte wordes folowynge were quod bonum est tenete WheÌ„ ye haue sene my worke thorowly ye shall perceyue what my conscyence doth alowe and dysalowe But to retourne to my matter I sayd it was gyuen vnto Ceremonyes that which apperteyned vnto the worde of god And the worde of god was kepte froÌ„ our fathers whiche is now declared vnto vs they coulde not here it for it was not taught vnto theÌ„ they could not se it for it was kepte from them Wherfore seyng we here that which they herd not se that they sawe not know that they knew not merueyll not though we do the thinges which they dyd not there were moche more foly to be imputed vnto vs for folowynge of theyr wayes Then vnto one that wolde take on hym to ryde a farre iourney by nyght which knewe neuer a fote of his way And were also certayne that no man wold tel hym the streyght way The lyght is gyuen vnto vs what madnesse were it to walke then in darkenesse The redye waye that we ought to walke in is manyfested vnto vs. Is it not then of a
frowarde mynde that many do refuse it Perchaunce there be dyuers that stande in dowte whether the wayes that theyr Fathers walked were perfyte eyther els the waâ—es that men are nowe taught to walke in To them that be of that mynde I saye yf there remayne any wrytynges what faythe youre Fathers were of And what wayes they walked then compare them to the scrypture and wyll of God And yf they agre therwithall dowte ye not but they be good and yf not then thynke not the contrary but they be euyll For it is the true twytche stone to trye out the good frome the bad And truely yf ye wyll folowe them whose wayes and doctrynes agreed not with the scripture of God / bycause they had it not / nor coulde not be suffered to haue it And ye haue it dayly preached vnto you and maye rede it and here it in your mother tonge yf you lyste I can not le the contrarye but where as they offended of ygnorancy your offence is of obstynacye And ye may be counted madder then they whiche wyll wyllyngely ronne into the fyre and burne them selues ¶ For when the booke of the lawe of God was founde in the Temple whiche had not bene sene longe tyme before and brought to Iosyas the kyng â—ii Reg xxii he wepte and rent his clothes fearynge leest the wrathe of god shulde come vpon hym his people because their fathers had not herkened vnto the wordes of that boke to do all that was wrytten vnto them therin He mourned for his fathers iniquites sayd not as men saye nowe adayes Why shulde we not lyue as our Fathers haue lyued or why shulde we not do as our fathers haue done before vs for yf our fathers had sene the dayes that we se many of them wolde haue reioysed therof moche more then we do And I thynke not the contrary but they dyd also couete desyre with all theyr hertes were full sory that they coulde not se it Wherfore I mystrust no more the mercy of God to be vpon them then it was vpon dyuers holy men that were in this worlde before Chryst came to suffre his passyoÌ„ which faythfully beleued in his comyng to redeme the worlde for synne Luce. xâ— and many coueted to se the dayes of the lorde whiche sawe it not but in faythe Symeon desyred desyred it and opteyned his desyre And when he had sene Christ beyng but a chylde and he an olde maÌ„ Lucâ— â—â— his sayeng was Nunc dimittis seruum tuum domine c. Nowe lorde suffre thou thy seruaunte to departe in peace for myne eyes haue sene thy sauyour wherfore all ye in whom there is any sparke of fayth to be redemed by the merytes of Christ By the which the holy fathers that were here before Christ came and haue ben syns that tyme euer shall be vnto the worldes ende are saued I exhorte and desyre to receyue this holy doctryne that is now offred vnto you And not obstynatly to refuse it For there is moche more to be requyred at your handes then at your fathers which had not that lyght opened and lyghted vnto them that you haue And as I hope to be sauyd my selfe so do I couyt the saluacyon of your soules Wherfore I instantly desyre you to haue a perfyte fayth in Iesus christ so that the workes therof may testefye your fayth to be good euen as good fruyt doth testefy the tre to be good But beware that in no condycyon ye attrybute onye saluacyon to be due vnto your dedes but vnto fayth only For when ye haue done all that euer ye can do yet say ye be vnprofytable seruauntes And yet yf ye do not good workes your faythe is but a ded fayth no more extemed to be good Luce. vi â—â—t vii then a tre is the bryngeth forthe euyl fruyt for it is the good tre that causeth the fruit to be good and not the fruyt that maketh the tre good so lykewyse it is fayth that bringeth forth good workes not workes good faith I had not thought to haue spokeÌ„ so moche of faith workes had I not herde with myne eares notwtstandyng that the scrypture is in Englysshe that it is preached vnto them that many men yet can not frame theyr fayth in the merytes of Chryst to be onely a suffycyent saluacyon for them but wolde patche it vp with their awne merytes Where as concernyng that they are greatly disceyued for good workes is but a testymony that the faythe is good by the whiche onely all our saluacyon cometh And yet is there an other thyng wherwith the chrysten coÌ„gregacyon haue ben pyteously disceyued besyde the confydence in their awne good workes in trustyng to the merites of sayntes euery man as his affeccyon lay some vnto one saynt some vnto an other yet the sayntes merytes were insufficient to saue theÌ„ selues for al they wer saued by christ as we are bound to trust for to be And thoughe some wolde obiecte agaynst me that they put no confydence in the sayntes merytes but onely in the sayntes merytes but onely prayed the sayntes to pray for them I meruayle theÌ„ wherof it came that men had more affeccyon to one saynt then to another in one place then in an other This ye can not deny me the thyng is to apparent Thoughe ye deny me the fyrst whiche is as trewe as that What is he that hathe bene one of these pope holy pylgrymes that can excuse hym selfe for puttyng dyuersyte not onely betwyxte saynt and saynt but also betwyxte ymage and ymage Who thought that saynt Iames was so good in any place as at CoÌ„postella or saynt Peter at Rome And here within this realme did ony of the holy pylgrymes thynke oure lady of Ipswytch Worcestre Wylsdon or any of them all to be so bountefull as our lady of Walsyngham No our lady of Penryce in Wales was not lyke vnto her was not this a goodly honour gyuen to our Lady to the sayntes to thynke theÌ„ to be more hooly in one place then in an other or that any holynesse grace or vertue at all shulde persyst in a paynted stocke or stone cloke the matter who that lyst And ye that thynke to be wyse with the best that can make for your excuse An hoÌ„dred thousand poore people within this realme yet lyuyng haue ben and be disceyued with suche affeccyonate and peuysshe holynes And I am sure that god suffered as wel for them as for those that were theyr furred hodes and beleue verely that they haue bene ceduced therunto by suche as nowe wynke at the matter which were not ashamed to bely the sayntes and to mocke the people with theyr fayned myracles I thynke there can be no greater dishonoure done vnto the sayntes then with suche vyce and vnthryftynesse as in dyuers places folowed of the inuented worshypyng of them There is a custome vsed specyally in the west
myndes how ye haue bestowed the porcyon of your substauÌ„ce I meane not only of your teÌ„poral substauÌ„ce but of the true ê“fyte fayth that you promysed at your baptym to bere vnto Iesê° christ as concernynge youre transsytorye goodes you can not denye but ye haue bestowed it on deed Images wher his wyl is ye shuld relyue ther with his awne quycke and lyuynge Image Luce. xxv The poore people whiche be sycke lame and blynd and the impotent and agyd which can not labour and suche as be in prysoÌ„ ye haue not folowed his pleasure but done contrary vnto it Wherfore truly ye are not mete seruauntes for him oneles ye repent your folly and folysshe ygnoraunce yf ye allege that your gostly fathers taught you this to do I say vnto you that they be your gostly dystroyers that so counselled you to commyt ydolatrye whiche for the mayntenaunce of their naughty sinfull lyfe shut you out of the kyngedome of god Mat. xxiii and wolde not suffre you to come therunto neyther they them selues wolde entre into it The kyngdome of god is taken in some places for his lyuely worde Luce. x. his gospell hys glad tydynges whiche he brought to saue the worlde withall through faythe in his passyon For true it is that ye haue ben commauÌ„dyd not to rede nor medle therwithall and they haue byn reputed and suffered as heretykes whiche haue presumed to do contrarye to that coÌ„maundement But nowe I praye you returne home agayn as the prodygall sonne dyd vnto his father Luc. xv Behold what a feast is prepared for you couet no longer to be fed with the dregges of theyr tradycyons whiche maye be resymbled vnto the coddes that he wolde fayne haue eaten of amonge the swyne Nowe do as he dyd returne home agayne the table is layd the gospel of Chryst is opened vnto you come and ye shall here the coÌ„fortable wordes of christ what ioye ther is in heuen for a synner that commyth to repentaunce Luc xâ— Consydre within youre selues whether ye haue not ben lost in synne or not when the fayth whiche ye ought to haue in Christ onely to be saued by the merytes of his passyon was deuyded and attributed parte vnto one saynt parte vnto an other as it appereth by sekyng vnto the Images Peraduenture ye wyl say we beleued in god and we sought the ymage for goddes sake Whether ye pleased god therw t or not ye shall here what he sayd vnto Moyses Deu. v. Exo. xx and to the chyldren of Israell I am the Lorde thy god which hath brought the out of the lande of Egypte out of the house of bondage Deu. viii Thou shalte haue none other goddes in my syght thou shalte make that no grauen ymage of any maner of lykenesse of the thynges that are aboue in heuen and beneth vpon the erthe nor in the water vnder the erthe Thou shalte not honour them nor serue them for I that lorde thy god am a ielouse god vysytyng the synne of the fathers vpon the chyldren to the thyrde and fourth generacyon of theÌ„ that hate me Deu. xxxiiii and shewe mercy vpon many thousandes of them that loue me and kepe my coÌ„maundementes I stedfastly beleue that this coÌ„mauÌ„dement dyd not alone perteyne vnto the chyldren of Israell but vnto all men and is to be obserued of al those whiche to the worldes ende beleueth Iesus Chryst the sonne of god to be the sauyour of the world Now ye that haue made these ymages honoured and worshypped them consydre with your selues whether ye haue not commytted the thyng which the chyldren of Israel were coÌ„mauÌ„ded by the mouth of god not to do For I am sure they are like to some thiÌ„g that is iÌ„ heueÌ„ aboue in the erth beneth or in the water vnder the erth O lord that ye haue turned you froÌ„ the lyuyng god vnto deed ymages which haue eyes se not eares here not noses and smell not handes and fele not feyt and goo not mouthes and speake not they are lyke vnto them whome the prophet Ieremy admonysshed the people of Ierusalem of Bar. vi when they were led captyue into babylon whether it be good or euyll that any man do vnto them They are not able to recompeÌ„ce it Eccle. v though a man make a vowe vnto them and kepe it not they wyll not requyre it They can not delyuer a man frome deth neyther are they able to defend the weake from the myghtye they can not restore a blynde man to hys sight nor helpe any man at his nede they can not shewe no mercye to the wydowe nor do good to the fatherles Cap. xiiii They must be borne vpon mennes shulders as those that haue no feyt wherby they declare vnto men that they be nothynge worth Confoundyd be they that worshyp them for yf they fall to the grounde they they can not ryse vp agayne of them selues when they be set vp in the teÌ„ple theyr eies be ful of dust through the feyt of them that come in theyr faces wax blacke through the smoke that is in the temple The owles the swalowes and byrdes fle vpon theÌ„ and the cattes ronne ouer theyr heades They can not defende them selues frome the robbers and theues the verye wycked are stronger then they they strepe them oute of theyr apparell that they be clothyd withall they take theyr golde and syluer from them and get them awaye yet can they not helpe them selues they can gyue no sentence of a matter nother defende the loude from wrong to be short they can not do so moche as a crowe that fleyth betwyxe heauen and earth He concludyth sayenge blyssed is the godly man that hath no ymage and worshyppeth none Bar vi for he shalde far froÌ„ reproue Many thynges haue I omyttyd to wryte of coÌ„tayned in this Epystle to the intente that the myndes of those whiche thynke I haue not wrytten truly And the coÌ„scyence of them whiche haue ben and be yet combred with the execrable zele to venerate and worshyp them may be mouyd to rede the same Whome I instauntly desyre also to pervse the xiii .xiiii. and .xv. Chapters of Sapience called the boke of wysdome And to resorte vnto suche psalmes places of scripture as the cotacyons in the margent therof shall induse you vnto and I doute not but your coÌ„scyence shal be quyeted and satysfyed in that matter onles it be suche that obstynatly wyl repugne agaiÌ„st the sryptures wyl of god Whiche I couÌ„t vnworthy to be called christians it shall also testefye vnto you howe shamefullye ye haue ben mocked withal dysceyued what hath byn done with the offryng money and other thynges offeryd vnto oure Images Thynke you it may not be verifyed as Ieremy wrote vnto theÌ„ that the preestes dyd adorne trime theyr harlottes theyr chyldren with al. I suppose verely there was but a smale porcyoÌ„ therof