the liuyng yea he dothe playnly affirme Sith that the dead sainctes knovve nothing of al that is done here it is in vain to pray vnto them QuestioÌ„ that they be vtterly ignorant what is don in the lyfe of men If this bee true as that can not be false which is proued by the holy scriptures truely the saluation necessitie either of the dead or of the liuyng is in vaine committed to the intercession of theim that know nothing therof We doo beleue in vayne that they doo pray vnto the Lorde for oure present necessite which know not that we are in any perill or daunger Didy And may not they haue intelligence vnderstandyng of our affaires eyther by the angels or by them that go away hence from vs or els by god himselfe Philalethes Answer Sithe that these wayes of reuelation are no where in the scriptures sett foorth vnto vs and therfore be most vncertaine Why should we It is folishnes to fly from that vvhich is certaine to â—hat vvhich is vncerâ—aâ—e I pray you flie from those thynges that are most sure most certaine and infallible vnto that which is doubtfull and not ones mencioned of in all the whole body of the scriptures Ye haue hearde how that this moste holy father sainct Augustine doth plainely confesse that the dead saintes doo not knowe our estate or the case that we bee in nor yet be careful ouer vs. Leauing then that whiche is without any grounde of the scriptures let vs stedfastly cleaue vnto that which is most surely grounded in gods boke wherin we are taught that the blessed soules of the elect and choseÌ„ of God do rest in peace beyng in glorie with their heade our sauiour Iesu Christ who alone is appoynted of god to be oure mediator aduocate and intercessor Albion But what will ye say to Hieromes clerkly sayenges ye see that he dothe plainly hold opinion that the dead saintes doo praye for vs. Philalethes As for Hierome Hovv Hierome dyd ouershote himself in this mater I doo with all due reuerento acknowledge him to do a most worthy instrument of God howbeit in this master he hathe declared him selfe that he was a man And verelye I doo meruayle that beeing so great a cleark as he was would buyld the doctrine of the praisyng of the deade saintes for vs vpon such weake argumentes For who wil say that the Saintes do nowe the same in heauen that they did in the erth But Hierome sayeth none other thing neither dothe he with any other arguments proue that the saints do pray for vs in heauen Hieromes vveake arguments Yf saieth he they did pray for vs in the earth how much more shall they do it now after their crounes Act. 27. victories and triumphes Yf two hundred lxxvi soules were geuen vnto Paule praiyng here in the earth how many mo shall be geuen vnto him praying now in heauen I graunte that god hath done good vnto men here in the earth through the ministery and praiers of his seruants VVhy god did good vnto men here in the earth by the ministerye and praiers of his seruauntes but to what ende I praye you euen to this ende that they should beleue the worde of god set foorth by his true ministers But the ministers dyd all with one doctrine teach vs to cal vpoÌ„ god only in al â—â—re necessities Nowe the doctrine of the praiers of the saints and of their intercession for vs in heauen doth pull vs away from god Hiero in Lâ—c 14. and causeth vs to put some truste hope and confidence in the creatures Which Hierome hym selfe doth stronglye impugne saiyng The righteousnes of the righteous shal bee vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall remayne vpon him Euerye manne shall dye through his owne syn and euerye man shall liue through his owne righteousnesse Iohn 8. The Iewes do say in vayne â–ª Abraham is our father syth that they haue not the workes of Abraham Yf we should put our truste in any let vs put our trust in god liere 17. Psal 146. Cursed be euery man that putteth his trust in menne although they be saintes although they be prophetes We reade Put not your trust in men Again better it is to trust in god than in princes Not onely in the princes of the world but in the princes of the church whiche yf they be righteous they shall deliuer their owne soules onelye These are Hieromes woordes Let vs therfore hope in the lorde oure GOD and sith that we haue not one iote in the Canonicall Scriptures of the intercession of the Sainctes for vs in heauen nor any example that they do pray vnto the father for vs let vs boldely reiecting this idolatrous inuocation of the dead sainctes and the vaine and fonde doctrine of their intercession for vs vnto God cal vpon our heauenly father through his sonne Iesu Christ though an angell from heauen shoulde teache the contrarie I doo here let passe that in the boke which this holy father did write agaynste Vigilantius there is more furious bitternesse to bee founde than either modestie or learning whiche maye bee proued by the censure of Erasmus The censure of Erasmus vpon Hieromes booke against vigilantius whiche is this lo vigilantium ita conuitiis debacehator Hieronymus vt plusculum in eo modestiae eogar desyderare Vtinam argumentis duntaâ—at egisset à conuitiis temperasser That is Hierome doothe 〈◊〉 with reuilyng woordes raile against Vigilantius that I am fayne to fynde a larke of modestie in him would god he had onely soughten with argumentes and had refrained from reuilynge and opprobrious wordes For take away these railyng woordes Caupo Calagutitanus Dormitantius Herculis monstra Louiathan Behemoth The taunces of Hierom against vigilantius take away his chiâ—yng brawling and scoldyng take awaye his subtill conueâ—ance in the torrke Take awaye his exclamations translations tragicall amplifications his swellyng and braggyng wordes and nothing almost shal be left vnto the reader that hath anye sauor of the propheticall and apostolicall simplicitie Albion Obie 10 Yet this holy father dothe plainely affirme that the deuils dyd roare out at the relykes of Saint Andrew and that great myracles and wonders at the dust and ashes of the martyrs haue beÌ„ wrought and the vnclean spirites tormented Whiche thyng he dothe proue by the example of certaine emperors kynges and byshops saying If it be not laufull to shrine vp and to translate the relikes of the saintes then was Archadius with Constantine a sacriledge all the byshops were not only sacrileges but to be also coÌ„pted verye beastes foles which did cary so vile a thing and ashes in silke and in a golden vessell Philalethes As touchyng the firste Answer I answere that the diuels dyd not roare out because of saincte Andrewes drye bones VVhythe diuel did roaâ— ouâ—e at sainct An drevves reliâ—es but because of Christe whome the holy
then euidence and playne that we do not withoute a iuste cause dissent from the Catholikes and so earnestlye impugne their damnable and wicked opinions But nowe to come to our pourpose here in thys my booke I do mayntayne and defende agaynste theym that god onelye in the tyme of oure trouble ought to be called vppon and that therefore they that in their necessytyes do by prayer flye vnto deade creatures doe robb god of his glory and do committ most damnable sacriledge which thing hath ben sufficientlye proued by manifest textes of the scriptures and by strong authorityes of the auncient fathers of the primityue Church all the obiections that the aduersaries can make beyng mightily auswered and confuted The holâ— argumeÌ„t of the booke Secondly it hath bene plainely shewed that we ought to acknowledge none other mediator betvvixte God and man but oure sauiour Iesu Christ onely whom the scriptures do appoint vnto vs for the omnisufficient sauiour of man kynde and for our only intercessour aduocate and mediatour Making no mention at all of the intercession or mediation of the dead faintes which thing the holye ghost woulde not haue omitted yf the saintes departed oute of this world had bene either appointed or alowed of god to be intercessours vnto god for vs. Thirdly it hath ben declared that as the saints that be already in glory with god ought in no wise to be called vpon nor to be takeÌ„ for our mediatours so no godly honor ought to be geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ forasmuch as it is a seruice which is only due vnto god Wher I had an occasioÌ„ to shew how many ways the true faithfull seruantes of god being departed in the faith of his son Iesu Christ maâ— be honored that the greatest honor that we can do vnto them is to obey their godly and sound doctrine wherby they haue instructed vvin the true religion worshipping of the true liuing God and also to folow their faith and other heauenly vertues wherby they did glorifye God whilest they lyued here in this worlde This also hath ben done by the infallible worde of god testimonies of the holy doctours of the true catholike churche all the obiections of the aduersaries as before beyng quite ouerthrowen by the same Last of all it hath ben proued that no figure ymage or likenes of god nor of his son Iesu Christ nor of the holy ghost nor yet of the Saintes ought to be had in the house of praier nor in any other place whersoeuer ther iâ— any peryll of idolatry and that there can be no vse of them in the Oratories or praying places of the Christians â–ª but rather that they doo most hurte whersoeuer they be vsed and kept where by the waye I haue shewed what is the true crosse that we ought to embrace and haue a pleasure in and that as for material crosses they do more hurte than good that therfore for auoiding of offences they ought to be taken away These are the chiefe and principall contente of this booke whâ—ch I do most humbly and with all due submission dedicate and offer vnto your good lordship desiring your honour to accept and take it in good part which thing if ye do it shall encorage me to attempte greater thinges â–ª for the aduancemeÌ„t of gods glory â–ª and for the edifieng of his churche Thus the lorde god of hostes the autour of all goodnes vouchsafe to preserue your honour my good lady your wife and all your good familie and householde The Table of this Boke A True tale Folio 101. A worthie historie fol. 74. A good shift of the papistes fo 10 A differeÌ„ce betwixt sinners eodeÌ„ A short exposition of CypriaÌ„s words 41. A priuate mans facte fol. 31. A place out of the .xxxii. chapiter of Exodus folio 51. Abels bloode crieth for vengeance fo 24 Absalon and his historie fo 15. All sainctes that be in glory haue ben saued onely by the mercy of god fo 11. Antonomasia what it is fol. 53. Ambrose woordes fo 14. 86. 95. 100. Antechrist worketh signes miracles 8. An historie to be marked of Christian kinges and princes fol. 33. Applyeng of the similitude fol. 10. At the day of iudgement folio 22. Augustines wordes in so many places as he is alledged in this booke fol. 11. 19. 21 27. 38. 42. 43. 46. 47. 57. 61. 64. 7â— 96. 97. 101. A small shifte fol. 99. Answere to fonde obiections 78. Athanassus wordes fol. 83. A strong argumeÌ„t against the papists 86. Angell the papiste I woulde haue sayde the catholike fol. 95. A notable historie of Antony fo 103. B. Brasen serpent fol. 80. Baruh of what dead he speaketh of 59 Beastlynesse of the papistes in alleagyng the scriptures fol. 58. C. Christe why he is worshipped fo 74 Crosse taken for affliction and trouble It is also taken for continuall repentance and mortifieng of the fleshe fol. 94. Cherubin why they were made fo 81 Christe hath spoken neuer a worde of the inuocation of sainctes fo 5. and whom they be that he will saue fol. 19. Colyridiani what they be fo 72. Chrysostome and his wordes 16. 73. Crosse taken for the death of Christ and preachyng of the same fol. 94. Cyprian and his sayenges 40. 56. 67. Constantine and Archadius fo 58 Cyrillus wordes fol. 73. Concilium Toâ—ctanâ—â—â— fol. 8â— D. Damascene Gardeners chiefe refuge folio 95. 100. Doctrine scarsly alowed by the pope 58. E. Ezechias exaumple is to bee folowed of good princes fol. 81. Eunomius and his heresie fol. 38. Epiphantus and his wordes fol. 72. Epiphanius byshoppe of Salamena in Cypres folio 92. Erasmus censore vpon Saint Hieromes boke agaynst Vigilantius 30. his Endion 70. and in his annotations fol. 86. Epiphanius in buildyng gods house 93. Example of the publican fol. 12. F. Fonde obiectious of the papistes fo 78. G. Goddes creatures all of theim may bee the bokes of the laie people for 1â—4 God onely ought to be called vpon fo 3. and why he doothe good to menne here in the earthe fol. 29. God will not haue vs attribute our felicitie vnto creatures fol. 67. H. Helias why he was taken vp in bodye and soule folio 35. Helizeus and why the dead that was cast into his graue was raised agayn fo 36. He onely oughte to bee called vppon in whome we doo beleue fol. 5. Heresye and schisme vnto whome it is layde fol. â— Holy angels will haue no sacrifice 48. Howe the name of God was in his aungelles fol. 47. Howe the place alleadged out of the .ix. of Iohn ought to be vnderstanded fo 12. Howe God dothe honor his saintes fo 71 Hierome and his woordes 25. 29. â—0 31. 37. 39. 48. 86. 95. Howe we may honour the image of God aryghte I fol. 104. Images and why the papistes wyll haue them in their churches fol. 74. 77. 84. Images of the gentils 87. they ought to be put downe in all churches fol. 90.
in gods boke that shold haue coÌ„manded theÌ„ otherwise they wold haue ben obedient vnto it But no suche expresse word shall ye fynd in all the scriptures wherein not withstandyng all thynges that do pertaine to the saluation of man are most sufficiently sette forth vnto vs. Therfore it were a plain blasphemie in the tyme of our trouble to cal vpon any other than vpon the liuyng God onely who by his prophete Dauid speketh these comfortable wordes vnto vs Psal 100. Call vpon me in the daye of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee thou shalte glorifie me Who I praye you hauyng this coÌ„mandement of the euerlyuyng and eternall God ioyned with so sweete a promise VVe haue no promis in all the vvhole bodye of the scriptures that the deade sayntes do heate vs. would seeke to any other Eutrapelus I woulde holde hym woorse thanne madde that would doo it sithe that wee haue neyther expresse woorde nor promysse in all the whole body of the Scriptures that the dead sainctes should heare vs or succor vs in the tyme of our neede Philalethes Vvhat properties he oughte to haue that vve muste pray vnto Adde therto that he whom we ought to pray vnto muste haue all these properties 1 Fyrst he must be omnipotent or almightie that is able to do what soeuer he wyll bothe in heauen and in earth for onlesse he were able and of power to helpe vs out of all maner of troubles perils and dangers that we bee in be they neuer so great it were but labour lost to pray vnto him 2 Secondly he must be of an absolute and perfect wyse dome that so he may perfectly know how to helpe them that call vpon hym for helpe ayde and succour and how to compasse and ouerthrow the craftie and subtill deuises of the enemies of his people For many there be that haue myght and power but for wante of wisedome they can bring nothing to passe their might and power profiteth them nothyng 3 Thirdely he muste not onely be almightie and of a perfect wisedom but also willyng both to heare and to helpe vs. For what shoulde his great power and wysedome auayle or profite vs except he were willyng to doo vs good 4 Fourthly he must be such one as is able to here the prayers of al them that call vpon him although in one instant all the nations that be vpon the earth shold make theâ—r praiers together vnto hym Fo els it shold come to passe that the suite and prayers of th one shoulde be both hyndred and letted by the praiers of the other or whyles he shoulde heare the praiers of the one and delyuer them out of the present danger and perill the other theyr prayers beynge not heard should perishe in the same 5 Fiftely this propretie also he must haue that is he muste be suche one as dothe better know our necessities and what is expedient for vs than we our selues bee able to declare For who wold coÌ„mit himselfe into the handes of that phisition that can know no more of the sycknesse than the pacient can tell himselfe These .v. propreties are necessarily required in hym whom we oughte in the tyme of our trouble to call vpon Bryng one either in heuen or in earth that hath all these thynges Rom 10. and then we mai be sure that it is he that ought to be praied vnto of all men But who can be such except he be almyghty except he knoweth all thynges or be of a perfect wisedom except he be most bouÌ„tuouse and moste willyng to doo good vnto all them that by faithfull praiers doo fly vnto him hearing all them that call vppon hym and knwoyng better their necessities than they their selues be able to declare Didymus None I trow can be suche but the true lyuing and eternal God onely For none of all the angels nor of the children of Adam can haue these propreties onelesse we wil grant them to be gods Philalethes It foloweth then by good consequence that none ought to be called vpon God only oughte to bee called vppon but the true lyuing God onely For he only is almightie whose spirite is the spirite of counsaile so that he knowethe howe to deliuer his out of temptation being so mercyful and bounteous that he dooth of his owne goodnes call the afflicted vnto hymselfe Psal 50. and promiseth healpe vnto all them that calle vppon hym sayeng as we alledged beefore Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble so shall I delyuer thee and thou shalte glorifie me Agayne he dothe not onely beyng euery where present here our woordes but also the very desyres of our owne heartes knowyng most perfectly the infirmitie and weakenesse of his worke that he himselfe hath made There can be no true inuoation vvithoute faithe ObiectioÌ„ 1 Moreouer this is moste sure that no inuocation or praier can be made withoute faythe Albion And doo not they that praye vnto Sainctes beleue that they shall be heard Without all doubt they bee fully persuaded that theyr prayers shall bee hearde and that they shall obteyne healpe and succour at the deade Sainctes handes Therefore it canne not bee sayde that their inuocation or prayers be without faithe VVhence the faythe of the christians doo comme and vvhervppon 〈◊〉 it gronded Philalethes But whence doothe the faithe of the christians proceede and comme but of the preachyng of the gospell or whervpon is it grounded but vpon the infallible word of Gud which sendeth vs to none other but to our heueÌ„ly Father through his sonne Iesus Christe our onely sauior aduocate and mediatour This doothe the Apostle write Who soeuer shal cal vpon the name of the Lorde Rom 10. shal be saued But how shall they cal on him in whom thei haue not beleued And how shall they beleue in hym of whom they haue not hearde And howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they preache except they be sente as it is written How beautifull are the feete of theim whiche bryng glad tidynges of peace and bryng glad tidynges of good thinges But they haue not all obeyed the Gospell Esai â—â— Nauir â— Esai â—â— Iohn 12. for Esaie saithe Lorde who beleueth our report Then faith commeth by hearyng and hearyng by the worde of God What could I beseche you be spokeÌ„ more plainly of the true Inuocation and prayers of the ChristiaÌ„s Who seeth not whence it dothe come How sayth he shall they call on hym in whom they do not beleue The true inuocation thenne can not be without faithe And that we might vnderstande of what saith he doth speake he setteth foorth whence it cometh that we maye know the qualitie boldnesse of it He sheweth that it cometh by the preching of the Gospell whiche bryngeth vnto vs glad tidings of peace and certifieth vs of good thyngs But the true preachyng of the Gospell dothe teache vs to beleue in God onely and in his
only begotten sonne oure Lorde Albion Now I perceaue well your meaning He onely ought to be called vppon He onely oughte to be called vpon in vvhoÌ„ vve do beleue in whom we doo beleue but the word of God dothe teache vs to beleue in God only Therefore he onely ought to bee called vpon Philalethes Ye vnderstaÌ„d the matter a righte And verily this is the principall marke The mark that the hole scriptures doo-shoote at that the hole scriptures doo shoote at to make vs to put all our whole confidence and truste in God our heauenly father and in al our afflictions and troubles whiche he sendeth vnto vs for a fatherly chastisemeÌ„t and discipline thereby to call vs vnto him agayn boldly to call vpon his holy name through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and sauior EVTRAPE This me thinke oughte to suffise vs that our sauior Iesus Christ whom the heauenly Father hath appointed to be our onely teacher and scholemaister in thynges that perteyne to the true religion worshippyng and seruice of God dyd speake neuer a word of this Inuocation of the dead Saints Christ hath spoken neuer a vvorde of the inuocatioÌ„ of saintes which thing he woulde not haue done if it had ben accordyng to the wyll of hym that had sent him Therfore wheÌ„ he techeth his disciples to pray he sayth these wordes vnto theÌ„ after this maner therfore praiye Mathei 6 Our Father vvhich arte in heauen halovved be thy name c. As he dothe here sende vs to our heauenly Father and byddeth vs to praye vnto hym so can not this praier without traiterous sacrilege bee sayed to any other For vnto whome of the Sainctes can wee without great blasphemie saye Oure father whiche arte in heauen or geue vs this day our dayely breade and forgeue vs oure trespasses as we forgeue theym that trespace against vs Therfore I can not but meruell at the shamlesse blasphemies of those that would sende the poore symple and ignorant after they had had theym vnder theyr Benedicite to this image or to the image and bydde them to saye there knelyng so many Pater nosters and Aues PHILALE These maye be lykened vnto those false Prophetes that Hieremie dyd speake of whiche taught the people to say vnto a pece of woode Thou art my father to a stone Hiere â— Thou haste begotten me â–ª for what other thyng is it to mumble oute the Lordes prayer before dombe blockes and stones but to committe that shamefull ydolatrie that the holye Prophete doothe so sore speake agaynst in that place Albion If the deade Sainctes ought not to be called vppon in oure necessities Obie i. ii troubles afflictions and aduersities because that they can not healpe vs but God onely who therfore oughte alone to be prayed vnto How doth it chance that many haue bene delyuered frome greuous sickenesses and other greate perylles and daungers by callyng vpon the Sainctes that with great wonderous miracles which thyng can bee proued by manyfeste tokens and signes or rather remembrances that hang yet at this daye in many of their chapelles Somme haue bene saued frome drounyng by the helpe of saint Nicholas Some agayne Sainct Nicolas Saint Leonarde haue ben delyuered frome bondes and yrons by S. Leonard Howe many I pray you beyng halt blinde dombe and deafe haue ben cured and healed by the helpe of the Saintes What shold I speake of them that by their helpyng handes haue ben deliuered from dangerous agues pestilence and vncleane spirites Sith then that the deade Sainctes doo helpe them that doo deuoutly pray vnto them why shulde we not in the time of our trouble cal vpon them PHILA Answer If the shewing of myracles were a sufficient argument for to proue defend and maintein the inuocation and worshyppyng of the Saintes The sâ—e vvyâ—ge of miraâ—les is not a suâ—ficient argument to proue the inuocatioÌ„ of saintes by the same reason might the Idolatrie of the Gentiles or heathen be vpholden as good sithe that many haue ben cured and deliuered emong them by callyng vppon their false gods Wherof it did come to passe that the hethen dyd verily thinke that they were healed by their goddes whom in their perils and dangers thei called vpon and whome leauyng the true liuyng God they moste vngodly honored and worshipped Didymus I remembre that the lorde doth in Esaie the Prophet speake these words I am he I am he Esai 43 and besides me there is no sauior If there be no sauior besydes the true liuing God by whose vertu think ye were so many thousand of sick folkes restored to health again before the ydols of the heathen Philaleth Without al doubt they were cured and healed by the power of the dyuell Didym But how can Sathan the dyuell heale or delyuer any man from his sicknesse sithe that he is no god Philale He can doo it VVho thei be â—â— oug â—hom the liâ—el vvorâ—eth myracles if God doth permitte and suffer specially among them whome he holdeth subiect to his tyrannie whose eies he hath so betwitched that they thynke themselues to be the true worshippers of the liuyng God and to be helped by hym for that wicked spirit is so abhorred and hated that beyng knowen no man wold call vpon him He doth therfore so blynde the heartes and myndes of the infidels whome he beareth rule ouer and whom he hath vnder his subiection that they thinke nothyng lesse than to calle vpon Sathan the dyuell or to be healed by hym And that this crafty and moste subtill deceauer maye lurke or be vnknowen he dothe by the diuine permission and sufferance and by the rightuous iudgement of God moste shamefullye begyle theim that be geuen ouer into his power doyng all that in hym lyeth to withdraw the myndes of mortal men from the worshippyng of the true lyuyng God that so he may haue them felowes with him of eternall punishementes in hell fier And for this cause these vncleane spirites doo hyde theimselues within the images Note this dilig ntly they inspire the hertes of their prophetes they sett out oracles or prophecies they gouerne the flyenges of byrdes they trouble the lyfe they disquiete the sleape and creepyng in to the bodies they doo fraye the mynde they bryng the lymmes out of fashion they hurte the healthe and vere with diseases that they may compel and constrayne the poore sely wretches to the worshippyng of theim VVhat sith till means the dyuell vvoorketh that he may seme to haue cured and he did the sick and when they haue released or leused that which they had bound they may seme to haue healed â–ª for this is theyr curyng or healyng when they ceasse to doo hurt All these thinges are done at the inuocation or calling vpon of the gods of the heathen Woulde therefore any man beyng in his right mynd iudge this idolatrie to be tollerable or good because of these miracles Albion â— ObiectioÌ„
These thyngs haue been doone among the heathen whose goddes were no gods but deuyls and that by the permission and suffrance of God because of their horrible idolatry that they dyd most shamefully wallow in But it foloweth not that the lyke may be done among the people of God Philalethes Answer It is moste manyfeste and playne that God doth permit and suffer Sathan to worke suche thynges among his people For dothe not God geue vnto false Prophetes power to worke miracles Deute 19. that so he may try and proue his people whether their loue him or not And whether they will stedfastly cleaue vnto his lawes And least it shold be said that this was don amoÌ„g the Iewes but that it is otherwise in the churche of Christ we haue an excellent prophecie of the holy apostle wher he saith on this maner 2. Thes 2 Than shall the wycked man be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth and shal abolishe with the bryghtnesse of his coÌ„ming eueÌ„ him whose coÌ„miÌ„g is by the woorkyng of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders And in all deceauablenesse of vnrightuousnesse emong theim that perishe because they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they myght bee saued And therfore god shal send them strong delusion that they should beleue lyes that all they might be damned whiche beleued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrightuousnesse Do we not lerne by these words of thapostle that in the later days there shall be wonders and signes in the kingdome of Antichriste And doubtlesse There bee vvonders and signes in the kingdome of Antichrist as they are by the rightous iudgement of God ordeined for to deceiue them that haue a delight in vnrightuousnesse so doo they also take away sicknesses and diseases that the vngodly contemners of the truth may the more be blynded and confirmed in their error Are not also these Christes wordes Many shall say to me in that day Lorde haue we not by thy name prophecied he we not by thy name cast out deuils and doone or wrought great miracles And theÌ„ will I confesse to them I neuer knew you Depart ye from me ye workers of iniquitie Mat. 24. And in an other place There saith he shall arise false Christes and false prophetes and shal shewe great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they shoulde deceaue the very elect It doeth sufficiently appeare by this that many times it cometh to passe not onely among the heatheÌ„ and Iewes but also in the chirche of God that by the inuocation of them that are no Goddes not a fewe haue ben and are healed Yet no man ought thervppon to conclude that it is laufull in the time of trouble to call vpon any other than vppon the true lyuyng God all creatures be they neuer so excellent beyng layde asyde Similitude Procreation of children doth not excuse vvhooredome no more doth the vvorking of miracles excuse the idolatrous inuocatioÌ„ of Saincts Eutrepelus I am of this opinion that miracles doo no more excuse the inuocation and worshippyng of Saintes than the conception gettyng or procreation of children can excuse adulterie whoredome although it be a miracle that the child is conceiued in the mothers woÌ„be that there it is norished and fed and at lengthe in his due tyme brought forth into the worlde and suche a myracle as can onely be doone and wrought by the diuine vertue and power of God Likewise he that stealeth bread or meat if he do eate it he shal bothe take away his hunger and also feede his bodye though this vertue and power to feede the body doeth onely perteyne to God Shall we therfore excuse whooredom adulterie and theft Didymus No maÌ„ I trow will be of that mynde Eutrapelus Howe can then the inuocation of Sainces which the whole scripture dooeth disauouche be excused by shewyng or workyng of myracles Therfore when thei say why should we not call vpon the Saintes sithe that many as we se dayly by experieÌ„ce haue ben bothe healed and also deliuered from the perills and dangers that they were in by that meane It is euen as if the horemoÌ„ger shold say Why shuld I not cleaue vnto a harlot sith the I do aswell get childreÌ„ of her as of a laufull wife or as if that these shuld likewise say Why should I toyle or labor sith that by stealyng I can helpe my necessitie nede As then it is not laufull for any man to seke to haue childreÌ„ by adultery and whoredom although meÌ„ may haue issu that way nor yet by pickyng stealing to helpe the necessities of his body althogh many do lyue by theft but it is the part of an honest maÌ„ to seke to haue issue by honest matrimonie wedlock by due labor to get his liuing so it is the dutie of a true christeÌ„ maÌ„ The abolishing of the similitude in what trouble peril or daÌ„ger so euer he be to seke for help deliueraÌ„ce not by the vnlauful calling vpon the dead Saints althogh many haue receaued their helth by it but by the faithful inuocation only of the true lyuing eternall god And as an honest man had lieffer to bee withoute childreÌ„ than to get them in aduoutrie whoredome Similitude and to byte his bread verye nere rather than to lyue by thefte and other vnlaufull meanes so he that feareth God vnfeignedly hath lieffer to suffer any kynde of affliction than to seke for healpe and deliuerance by the forbidden inuocatioÌ„ of dead creatures Albion Wel I graunt that the dead Sainctes ought not to bee called vppon as gods I meane that they ought not to be called vpon as thoughe they their selues should help vs A good Chift of the papistes â–ª in our troubles and aduersities but that wee ought to call vpon them as beyng our mediators aduocates and intercessors which doo make intercession vnto God for vs. Philalethes Where I pray you brother Albion haue ye learned this diuinitie So are we wont always to excuse the want or lacke of faith Whâ— doo we not rather praye vnto God out heauenly Father sith that in so many places he wil haue vs so for to doo Albion Iohn 9. Obie 4. Because we are sinners And ye know what the scripture saith Peccatores noÌ„ andâ—r Deus God heareth not synners but them that are obedient to his will Philalethes That we are sinners we haue that coÌ„mune with al mortall men For Answer 8 King â— 1 Iohn 1. A difference betâ—ixt sinners there is no man that synneth not And if we shold say We haue no sin we deceaue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. But this difference dothe the scriptures puâ—fe betwixte synners that some are always ready to â—â—pâ—nt whensoeuer they be eyther by the outwarde preachyng of Gods word or by the inwarde motion of the holy ghost moued therto and some agayne wyll neuer
Daniel and Iob were in the citie as truly as I lyue they shall delyuer neyther sonnes ne daughters but saue theyr owne soules in their rightousnesse As if he should say Thoughe Noah Daniell and Iob were then alyue again and made intercession for the people they shoulde not delyuer theyr owne sonnes and daughters but should saue onely theyr onwe lyues in they righteousnesse my wrathe and indignation is so kyndeled agaynst that stiffe-necked people And so the afore alledged place of Hieremye oughte to bee vnderstanded For the woordes are as muche as if he shoulde say Though Moyses and Samuell wer nowe aliue and stoode before me makynge intercession for this people as they were wonte to dooe yet woulde I not for theyr sake withdrawe my plagues frome this wycked and frowarde generation I woulde not heare theym nor geue eares vnto theyr prayers but woulde in my furye destroye this rebellious and styffenecked people Reade and marke diligentely the circumstaunces of bothe places and ye shall fynde that this is the true sense and meanyng of theim ALBION Obiect 18 Psal 3â— Nowe wille I come to the holye Psalmist These are Dauids woordes I am sure I sayde I wylle confesse my synne vnto the LORDE and so thou forgauest the wyckednesse of my synne Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno For this shall euerye Saincte make his prayer vnto thee in a tyme whenne thou mayst bee founde Agayne Psal 150. doothe not he wryte thus Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius Praise god in his saints Philalethes Answer And I say that by bringing in these testimonies or autorities of the psalmes they doo most manifestly beewraye their impudent and shamelesse ignorance Hovv the place aleaged out o the 〈◊〉 pâ—aâ— ought â—o be taken For when Dauid had reasoned of the remission of synnes and had appointed him self an example vnto other and had said I haue confessed my sinne vnto the lorde and thou hast forgeuen the wickednesse of my synne he did adde by and by Many holy and godly men shal be prouoked by this example of mine to call after the same sort vpon god for the pardonne and forgeuenesse of theyr synnes in a tyme when thou mayest bee founde Cypr an coÌ„tra dâ—metrianum For Cyprian writing against Demetrianus did saye very godlye Quando isthinc excessum fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae est nullê° satisfactionis effectus Hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur Hic saluti aeternâ— cultu dei fructu fidei prouidetur That is to say After that we be departed hence there is no place of repentaunce no effecte of satisfaction Here the lyfe is eyther losse or holden here by the worshipping of god the fruite of faith euerlastyng saluation is prouided for Wherby we doo learne that as long as we be in this life wee maye throughe faithe in oure Sauiour Iesu Christ praye vnto God for the remission of oure synnes and that so longe God may be found but after that wee be ones gone neither repentaunce nor yet praying vnto God for the remission of our sinnes can profite vs nothyng Didymus Obiect 19 But here he speaketh of the Saintes that being in heauen do pray vnto God for vs that of his goodnesse he wylle forgeue vs our synnes as he did vnto Dauid I am sure ye will not call them that are yet aliue and be subiect to all kinde of infirmities Saints For that pertaineth only to those blessed spirites and soules that be alredy in glorie with their head our sauior Iesu Christe Philalethes And in this do also the champions of the Romishe churche declare theyr wylfull blyndenesse Answer For in howe many places of the scriptures are the faithfull lyuyng yet here on the earth called Saintes The faithfull lyuing here on the earth are Rom 1. Act 9. Paul doth write to the sainctes that were at Rome These be also Ananias woordes in the Actes of Apostels Lorde I haue heard by many of this man how muche euill he hath done to thy Saints at Hierusalem and here he hath power of the high priestes to bynde all those that cal vpon thy name The tyme would not suffise to reherse all places of the Scriptures where the faithfull lyuing yet here in the earth be called Saints But ye shal heare what Saint Augustine sayth concerning this matter Augu. ii Psal 86. He writing vppon the psalmes doth aleadge these wordes of the Apostell And some of you were such but ye ar washed but ye are sanctified Si ergo eos sanctificatos dicit dicat vnusquisque fidelium Sanctus sum Non est ista superbia elati sed confessio non ingrati Si enim dixeris te saÌ„ctum esse ex te superbus ex Rursus fidelis in Christo membrum Christi si te non dixeris esse sanctum ingratus es That is yf he calleth them sacntified lette euery one of the faythfull saye I am a Sayncte Thys is not the pryde of hym that is pufte vppe but the confession of him that is not ingrate or vnthankefull For yf thou sayest that thou arte a Sayncte of thy selfe thou arte a proude manne Agayne beynge faythfull in CHRISTE The pope vvill scarcely alovve â—his doctrine for he is vvonte to canonize his sainctes an hundred yeres after they bee dead and a member of Chryste yf thou sayest that thou arte not a Sayncte thou arte ingrate and vnthankefull Saye vnto thy God I am a Saincte because thou haste sanctified me because I haue receaued it not because I hadde it because thou hast geuen it not because I haue deserued it For on the other side thou beginnest to doo iniurie vnto thy Lorde IESV CHRIST For yf al Christians and faythful and all they that bee baptized in hym haue putte hym on or are apparailed with him as the Apostell dothe saye As manye as are baptized in CHRISTE are apparayled with CHRISTE Yf they bee made members of his bodye and saye that they are not sainctes they dooe iniurie vnto the heade hym selfe whose membres are not hollye Nowe see where thou arte and take dignitye of thy heade Lette therfore euerye Christiane saye yea let the whole bodye of Christe crye oute whensoeuer it suffereth afflictions dyuers tentations and innumerable sclaunders Preserue my soule for I am a saynt Those wordes of saint Augustine are so plaine that they nede no exposition at al. Eutrapelus Som there be which to shewe a difference betwixt the Sainctes that are alredy in glorie with their head our sauior Iesu Christ and the Saintes that be yet alyue here on the earth doo in the Latine tongue call the one Diuos these are they that be alredy in heauen and the other Sanctos which ar they that be yet compassed aboute with the bodye of synne Albion Well be it so as ye saye But wherfore dothe the Psalmist write on this maner Laudate dominum in sanctis eius that is to
iuuare eos precibus sanis atque interuentu suo apud Deum Non erit inconueniens Scriptum nanque est in Machabeorum libris ita Hic est Hieremias propheta Dei qui semper orat pro populo That is to saye But it shall not bee inconueniente yf it bee sayd that all the Saintes whyche bee departed out of thys lyfe hauynge yet a loue and charitie towardes them that be in the worlde bee carefulle ouer theyr saluation and healpe theym with theyr prayers and intercession vnto God For in the booke of the Machabees it is thus writen This is Hieremie the Prophete of GOD that prayeth alwayes for the people These woordes seeme vnto me very playne Philalethes Answer It is a wonder and meruaile that this old ancient father should go about to confirm and establish the intercession and prayeng of the Saynctes for vs in heauen which is a doctrine no where set foorth vnto vs in all the Canonicall Scriptures by the testimonie and authoritie of an Apocryphicall booke For Origene hymselfe if that bee trewe that Eusebius writeth of hym doothe numbre no more than .xxii. canonicall bookes secludyng the bokes of the Machabees Moreouer Hierome in his preface vnto Damasê° which he did set before the .ii. treatises or homelies of Origene vpon the CaÌ„ticles doth testifie that Origene did write these .ii. treatises vpon the caÌ„ticles whiche Hierome hyâ—selfe dydde turne or translate into latin and .x. bokes which he sayth he dyd not translate because it was a woorke that required muche leysure tyme labour and coste Nowe those that wee haue at this present vnder the name and title of Origene are not called bookes but homelies where as in the meane whyle he wrote none but those .ii. which Hierom did translate But put the case that they be Origenes shall we set more by the authoritie of man than by the authoritie of the Canonical scriptures Lu. 7. Math. 15. Obie 2â— Albion It is written in Luke that the Centurion dyd sende the elders of the people vnto Christ beseching him that he wold come and heale his seruant And why because that he thoughte not hymselfe worthy to come vnto hym Dyd not the the Apostles lykewyse make earneste sute vnto Christ for the woman of Chanance why shoulde wee not likewyse thynking our selues vnworthie by reason our synnes to come vnto God praye vnto the dead Saintes that be already in heauen with their head our sauior Iesu Christe to make intercession for vs Philalethes Answer vvhiles vve liue in this vvorld vve are bound to praye one for another We haue alreadye declared that whiles we yet liue in this worlde we may pray one for an other yea we are bound by goddes worde so for to doo But that we shoulde doo the lyke after we be ones deceassed or departed out of this lyfe and haue fulfiled our course we haue not one onelye iote in al the whole body of the scriptures that testifieth any suche thyng vnto vs Albion Obie 14 Reuel 5 Ye shall not nede to make any repetition of that which hath ben saide alreadie For I doo wel beare in mynd the whole matter Therfore I wil com to the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iohn There wee haue these woordes And when he had taken the boke the fower beastes and the foure and twentie elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one harpes and golden viols full of odours which are the prayers of the Sainctes And in an other place of the same booke he saieth Reue 8. And an other angell came and stoode before the aultar hauyng a golden censer and many odoures were geuen vnto hym that he should offer of the praiers of the Saintes vpon the golden aultar which is before the throne These places doo seeme vnto me to proue manifestly the inuocation of the dead Saintes Phila. Answer Tvvo â—yndes of praiers Ye must vnderstande that there be .ii. kyndes of prayers the one is inuocatioÌ„ or petition and the other is geuyng of thankes laude and prayse This petition yf nede were might be proued by the iiii chapiter of the epistle to the Philippians we cal that inuocation when we desyre some good thing to be geuen vnto vs or some euyll to bee taken awaye from vs. Geuyng of thankes doth contayne the praising and lauding or magnifieng of the name of god for his exceading great benefyts which we receaue dayly and hourely at his handes It is manifeste by that whiche doth immediatly folow that the Apostle doth speake of this laste and not of the first These be the wordes And they sounge a newe song Reuela 5. saieng Thou act worthy to take the boke and to open the seales therof because thou wast killed haste redemed vs to God by thy bloude oute of euerye kynred and tongue and people and nation and haste made vs vnto our God kinges and prestes we shal raigne on the erth Therfore what doth thys make for the intercession of the blessed spirites or soules that the saints do sing praises vnto god in heauen In the other place none other thing is ment Reuela 8 but that the aungell did ioygne his laudes and praises whiche he gaue vnto God with the himnes and songes of the elders Saint Augustine August expoundyng this place writeth thus Alius angelus ipse est Iesus Christus habens thuribulum aureuÌ„ quod est corpus sanctum Ipse enim dominus factus est thuribulum ex quo deus odorem suanitatis accepit propitius factus est mundo quia obtulit seipsum modoreÌ„ suauitatis Et accepit angelus thuribuluÌ„ impleuit illud ex igne altatis Accepit Iesus corpus id est ecclesiam perficieÌ„do patris voluntatem illam igne spiritus impleuit sancti That is to saye The other angell is Iesus Chryst hauyng a golden censer whyche is an holy body For the LORD hym selfe was made a censer oute of the whyche GOD receaued a swete odour and was made mercifull vnto the worlde For he offered hym self a sacrifice of swete smell And the aungell didde take the censer and dydde fyll it wyth the fyre of the aultare IESVS tooke a bodye that is to saye the churche and dydde fyll it wyth the fyre of the holye Ghoste DYDIMVS Obie 25 Râ—ffâ— lâ—â— Eccle. historiae I perceaue brother Albion that ye muste seeke for helpe som other where than in the scriptures of the old and newe testament sith that youre inuocation of the deade Saintes is already driuen out of the Apocalypse or reuelation of Iohn Albi. I haue yet somme what in store These wordes we do reade of Theodosius the emperor in the eleuenth boke of the ecclesiasticall hystorie whiche one Ruffinus dyd write Ciren nibat cum sacerdotibus popâ—lo omnia orationum loca ante martyrum apostolorum thecis â—acebat cilitio prostratus auxilia sibi fida sanctorum intercessione poscebat That is he did with
matter For my mynde thankes be to god is well satisfied in it But my gentill men Of images dydde saye that ye do wonderfully hynder the deuotion of the people VVhy the pâ—â—istes vvill â—aue imaâ—es in their â—hurches in this that ye will haue neither the image of Christe nor of his mother the virgine Marye nor of the holye saints to stand in the churches nor in the places of praier For first and foremost they be the bookes of the lay people wher by the simple and ignoraunt doo learne many goodly thinges whiche withoute them they could not learne Whanne ye take theym awaye thenne saye my gentill men ye take away the bookes of the laye people and so cause theym still to remaine in blindnesse and ignorance Secondelye they are goodly meanes to stirre vp the heartes of the people to deuotion And ye know that the more meanes we haue to stir vp our heartes mindes to deuotion the better it is And therfore to put doun the image of Christ the image of the vyrgin Mary to put doune the images of the saints is to lesse or rather to putte doune the meanes that our forefathers haue apointed and ordeined for to stir vp the hearts and mindes of the symple and ignorant people vnto deuotion Phila. I wil be the shorter in this mater because that a godlye learned man and faithfull brother of oures hath set forthe three godly and learned homelies wher in this argument to so learnedly handeled and all thinges perteininge vnto it so profoundely discussed that it wil be in a maner thought to be but labour lost to meddell any more in this matter Albion I praye you brother Philalethes to tell me who it is that hath done it Philale Hearke in your eare Albion I knowe him very well We haue to sewe of such men in this realm The lord god shal rewarde him for this his good trauayle labour But in the meane while let vs heare what ye are able to saye to this that they dooe brynge for the maintenance of their images PHILALETHES Answer All that ye haue aleadged doo stande in twoo poinctes First that the images are the bookes of the laye people Secondlye that they are meanes for to stirre vppe the myndes of the symple and ignoraunte to deuotion The same touchynge ymages dydde Damascenus teache in hys .iiii. damascene gardiners chiefe refuge booke de orthodoxa fide and .17 chapiter and also Gregorye the greate in his Register or booke of Epistels 10. parte and fowerth Epistell but howe well and agreablye to the Scriptures let all the godly iudge Firste these are the woordes of the holye prophete Abakuk what profitteth the ymage â—ba 2. For the maker therof hathe made it an ymage and a teacher of lyes Whereby it foloweth that images are the bookes of lyes and that they comme of hym who is a lyar from the beginninge and the father of lyes Nowe well thenne are the simple and ignoraunte for whome oure Sauioure IESVS CHRISTE dydde vouchsafe to shed his deare heart bloud The simple and ignorant are vvell prouided for vnder the pope Hiere 10. prouided for when such bookes are deliuered vnto them in steade of the liuelye preachyng of gods worde It is not for naught that Hieremye doth cry out They altogether dote and are foolishe for the stocke is a doctrnne of vanitye Dydimus What meaneth he by that PHILALETH Because the people thought that to haue ymages was a meane to serue GOD and to brynge theim to the knowledge of him he sheweth that nothyng more displeaseth God nor bryngeth man into greater errours and ignoraunce of GOD therfore he calleth theym the doctryne of vanitye and the worke of errours as Abakuk as ye hearde afore callethe theym the teachers of lyes Who in the same Chapiter thundreth oute agaynste the wycked opinion of theym that call theym the bookes of the laye people on this manner Wo vnto hym that sayethe vnto the woode awake and vnto the damme stone ryse vppe Shoulde the same teache Beeholde it is layed ouer wyth golde and syluer and there is no breathe in it But the lorde is in his holy temple As yf he shoulde say There is no breathe no life nor mouing in the images How should they teache then Therfore it is a meere vanitye and fondenesse to sette forth ymages vnto the people for theyr teachers scoole maisters sithe that the liuing god who is the true teacher is in the myddest of hys temple that is in the hearte of the faithfull teachynge those thinges that are both profitable euerlasting Wherunto maye be added this saiyng of Saint Paule 2. Cor. 6. What agreement hath the temple of god wyth ymages but ye are the temple of the lyuing god who liueth worketh in you More credite ought to be geuen to these testimonies of the prophetes and of the Apostels thanne to the vayne gloses of all Gregories and Damascenes in the world Albion Yet ye can not deny but that they be meanes to stirre vp the hartes of the simple and ignoraunt people vnto deuotion Philalethes This is but a vayne saying For the heartes of the faithfull are onely stirred vppe to godlynes by the holy spirite of god whiche as he worketh inwardelye in the heart hauynge these externe and outewarde meanes that is to say the preachynge of gods worde Images are meanes to stirre vp the heartes of men not to deuotion but to idolatrous superstition and the right ministration of the Sacramentes so did he neuer coumpt images emong his meanes but rather in all places doeth streightly forbydde them with terrible and dredfull threatnynges agaynst them that of a selfe will will styll for the causes by you rehersed haue and maintain theim to the great hyndraunce of true godlynesse and to the aduancement not of deuotion but of diuellishe and ydolatrous superstition Eutrape All men that haue any sparke of sounde reason and iudgement in their heades muste needes meruaile at the beastlynesse of these men for I woulde fayne knowe of them when our sauior Iesus Christ dyd sende his Apostles foorthe into the worlde whether dyd he sende theim to bee paynters caruers and makers of ymages and not rather to preache the gospel vnto euery reasonable creature VVhy the apostelles vvere sent into the vvorlde We do reade no where that they dyd carye about ymages or that they dyd vse anye other outwarde signes thanne the ryghte and due ministration of the Sacramentes accordyng to the institution and ordaynance of their maister and sauiour Iesu Christe Saint Paule in the iii. chapiter of the epistle to the Galathians dothe with an exclamation speake thus vnto them O foolyshe Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obeye the truth beefore whose eyes Iesus Christ was afore paynted oute and crucified among you that is To whome Christ was so liuely preached as yf his lyuely ymage were set beefore your eyes or as
may wtout any scrupulositie of coÌ„sciÌ„ece be present at the sacrifices of the gentiles and sitte with them at their feasts and banketts which they doo keepe in the honor of their idols For the mynd beyng restored vnto it selfe doth honor and worship the true liuing God alone therfore it contemneth ydoles and can not sithe it is purified by faithe be polluted or defiled with those thinges that be offered vnto theim Pauleâ— aunsâ—vere to â—heir reasons Vnto all those Paule maketh this answere Although thou doest beleue that there is but one God and doest therefore vnderstande that bothe the idoles the worshypping of theim and the sacrifices offered vnto them are but mere vanitie yet all men doo not see so muche neyther doo they comme to the sacrifices with the same conscience He that is weake and hath not yet cleane put away his olde inueterate errour whiche he hadde sucked of his forefathers dooth with a conscience sitte at suche meates and accordyng to his olde superstition whiche he hath no fully shaken of doth feare and dreade those goddes specially when he seeth thee whome he taketh to be of a founde iudgement to sytte at such prophane meates For he doeth suspecte that thou dost eate with none other conscience than he dooth and so he is not smally offended with thy bolde exaumple Bothe Ambrose Theophilactus and also Erasmus doo allowe this exposition Nowe if ye wille applie this to our purpose ye shall fynde nothyng that doothe more strongly impugne the images For although he whyche is of stronge faythe knoweth the image to bee nothynge yet another whyche hathe a weaker faythe wylle not so iudge But as long as he shall se them thus to stande in the Chyrches He wylle reasonne thus wyth hym selfe Idolatrye is not so damnable as the preachers doo say it is sythe that they are yet kept in the chyrches and are tollerated or borne withall of some lerned menne so they that frome their cradell haue bene nouseled in superstition and haue bene persuaded that there is some holyâ—â—sse in the ymages are kept still in errour can neuer come to a perfect pure faith Images ought to be pardoun in all churches Therfore it is a most wyse poynte to pull doune all ymages sythe that it is against all reason that a thyng of naught shoulde stande in the house of God in the place of prayer and therby had in reuerence But the Apostell doth briefely and shortly conclude or knit vp the whole disputation saieng Therfore wel beloued flye from idolatry Albion Obie 35 Yet it seemeth good vnto me that we shold haue the ymage of Christ being crucifyed with the images of his principall Apostelles and speciallye of the blessed virgin Mary the mother of our sauiour Iesu Christe for to put put vs in mynde of the passion of Christe and of the excellent vertues of his faithfull seruantes The dulneâ— of men in â—â—ings thaâ—â—ertaâ—â—e tâ—â—ut saluatioâ— Eutrapelus I fynde nowe by experience that the same is moste true whiche our brother Philalethes doth manye tymes repete in his sermons that is how that a good thynge hathe neede to be repeted and spoken of many tymes and often elles it will not bee remembred Ye hearde a little beefore that the meanes appoynted of god for to put vs in mynd of our Sauiour Iesu Christe and of the saluation purchased by him are the preachyng of the gospell and the ryghte and due ministration of the sacramentes according to the institution and ordeinaÌ„ce of the eternall wisedome of God that we are assured by goddes promises that the holy ghoste doth with these meanes worke in the hearts of the elect and chosen but as for ymages they be expressely forbidden in gods booke it is so farre of that they should be appoincted for to be meanes wherby the holy ghost shold plante faithe in our heartes or styrre vp our myndes to the knowledge of god to the imitation of his sayntes And because aboue al other ye would haue the ymage of Christe The ymage of â—heâ—â— of all other is most perillous I lette you to vnderstande brother Albion that of all other the ymage of Chryste is most perillous For the holyer the person is whyche is represented by the ymage ye shal finde the greater peryll of ydolatrye to bee in it Therfore it was not without a iuste cause that those godlye Emperours Valens and Theodosius dydde sette forth this godlye decree Sithe that this is our chiefest care aboue all thinges to mayntaine the religion of the high god we grante to no man Pertus Crinitus li. 9 de honeâ—ta diâ—ciplina ca. 9. to graue or paint the ymage of our sauiour Christe neyther to paynte it with colours nor to graue it in sones or in any other matter ‡ But vvhere soeuer it is found vve do bid â—t to be taken avvay beyng determined to punishe greuouslye those that will attempte anye thing contrarye to our decrees Wherin yf any man perchance dothe requyre an authour lette him reade the edictes and decrees of Emperours which haue ben gathered by these great learned meÌ„ Tribunianus Basilides Theophilus Dioscorus and other and most chieflye by the commaundement of Iustinianus the Emperor Hereby do we learn that it perteyneth to the mainteynaunce of true religion to put â—oune all ymages yea the ymage of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe VVhat vvee do learn by the decree of those eâ—â—perours because that in it there is moste peryll of idolatry And agayne that Vâ—lens and Theodosius did not this alone but many other Emperours whose decrees and edictes by the commandemeÌ„t of Iustinianus haue bene collected and gathered together by these greate learned men afore rehersed Philalethes Vnto these worthy Emperors wil I ioyne a most godlye auncient bishoppe whose greeke Epistle beyng sent to Iohn bisshop of Hierusalem Hierome did translate into latine his name is Epiphanius The wordes of the epistle are these Epiphanius â—ishop of â—alamena â— 1â— Cypius The ministration of the supper of the Lord vvas called collecta most chefly because â—hat the gatheâ—â—â—ges vvere made for the â—oâ—câ— When we were goyng together to the holy place which is called Bethel there to celebrate the communion wyth thee according to the Ecclesiasticall maner and was come to a ferm place called Anablatha and did see there passynge by a light burnyng and did aske what the place was and had learned that it was a churche and had gon for to pray there I founde as it were a vaile died or painted and hauing the ymage as it were of Christ or of som saint For I do not wel remember whose ymage it was Therfore when I dyd see that the ymage of man did hange in the churche contrary to the scriptures I rente it and did rather geue councel to the wardens of the place that they should wynd some poore dead body in it And a lyttell after Bid I beeseeche thee the elders of
ymages Scarcelye one halfepeny is geuen to Christ beyng an hungerd in his poore lymmes but men can will fynd in their hartes to geue whole hundreths of crounes towardes the setting vp and trimmyng of images DYDIMVS Oh preposterous deuotion I knowe a churche where the roode and roode lofte did coste eleuen score poundes Philalethes But yf they had bestowed but halfe that money vppon the poore of their parishe in the time of the great dearth that was then or there about they wold haue thought them selues vndoone Lette them reade Clemens fyft booke which they say he didde write to Iames the brother of the lord Yf ye will saith he worship truely the ymage of the lord we shewe that vnto you Hovv vve may hoâ—â— the ymage of god a right which is true do good vnto maÌ„ which is made after the ymage of God honour and reuerence hym feede hym whenne he is an hungered geue hym drynke when he is a thyrste clothe hym being naked harboure him beyng harbourlesse visite him whenne he is sicke aâ—â—n prison and minister vnto hym thâ—â—e thynges that he hath neede of It foloweth what honoring of god is this to runne agaddyng to wooden and stonye ymages and to worship insensible and lyuelesse ydoles and in the meane whyle to dispise man in whome is the image of god Vnderstand therfore that this is the persuasioÌ„ of the serpent that lyeth hidde within who persuadeth you that ye shall seeme godlye when ye doo honour and worship vnsensible idoles adn that ye shall not seeme vngodlye when ye hurte the sensible and reasonable creatures Eutr Who hearing and markyng all these thinges and waying the harmes that come by images would not be at defyaunce with them Euerye man I trowe But yet this is not all For what hurt and losse hath all Christendome receaued by the occasion of ymages For as the ymages whyche Salomon didde in his olde age erecte and sette vppe were the cause of the schisme and deuision that was after his deathe in Israell I meane that at one clap Images causes of diuision in the common vvelthe of Israell and also in the empire whole ten tribes didde fall away from the house of Dauid and did chose vnto theimselues a kyng Hieroboam the Ephraimite who settynge vp the golden calues in Dan and Bethel caused all Israell to committe moste detestable ydolatrie wherof vtter destruction of bothe the realmes did ensue and folowe so the contention that dyd ryse about images betwixt the east and west churches and the damnable stoutenesse of the byshop of Rome with his adherentes in mainteinyng and defendyng not onely the ymages but also the ydolatrous woorshyppyng of theym dydde breede a very hurtefull diuysion in the Empire whereby all Christendome was wonderfully weakened For after that Rauenna with rest of Italye and all Fraunce with Germanie were by the subtile and wylye meanes of the byshoppe of Rome reuolted and fallen away from the Emperor of Constantinople The Sarasens and Mahometistes did ware wonderfully strong and at lengthe didde meruaylously preuayle For they subdewed myghtye peoples Realmes Cities defacyng and puttynge downe euery where the trewe religion of Christe The mischiefe that the contention aboute the ymageâ— did breede and settyng vppe the Mahometishe religion This was the goodly fruite of the settynge vppe of ymages of the mainteynyng of the ydolatrous woorshyppynge of theym and of the contention that dyd ryse aboute thym whyles the one dyd affirme accordynge to the scriptures that ymages ought in no wyse to bee hadde and the other agaynste the expresse worde of God and commaundement that they ought not onely to bee hadde but also to bee woorshypped whereof such an enuye and hatered dydde ryse betwyxte theym that they woulde in no wyse healpe ayde and succoure one an other agaynst the commune enemie beyng in this poynt mooste lyke vnto Iuda and Israell whyche after their dyuision whyche chaunced by reason of Idolles neuer loued or trusted one an other seekyng the frendshyppe and amitie of forayne kynges and princes nowe of the Assyrians nowe of the Babylonians now otherwhyles of the Egyptians that so they myghte the sooner destroye one an other till at length by the righteous iudgemente of God they were bothe delyuered vp into the handes of theyr ennemyes Dydimus I woulde fayn heare the whole hystorie if it were not tedious vnto you EVTRAPELVS The hystorie is very long and therefore I wyll hereafter sende it vnto you by writyng Dydimus I holde my selfe well contente with it and specially sythe that bothe oure brother Philalethes and you haue so welle satisfied our mindes in this matter Albion In deede I was neuer better satisfied in this poynt thatn I am now I thanke God moste hartily for it Fyrst and formost we haue learned that God onely oughte to bee called vppon and prayed vnto â—he concluâ—on of the â—hole boke And that therefore they that in theyr necessities doo by prayer flye vnto dead creatures do robbe God of his glorie and doo commytte moste damnable sacriledge Whyche thynge was sufficientely proued by manyfest textes of the scriptures and by strong authorities of the ancient fathers of the primitiue Churches all the obiections that the aduersaries can make beyng mightily aunswered and confuted Secondly ye haue playnely shewed vnto vs that we ought to acknowledge none other mediatour betwixt god man but oure Sauiour Iesus Christe onelye whome the Scriptures doo appoyncte vnto vs for the omnisufficient sauiour of mankynde and for our onely intercessoure aduocate and mediatour makyng no mention at all of the intercession or mediation of the deade Sainctes whiche thyng the Holy ghoste woulde not haue omitted yf the dead Sainctes or the Saintes departed out of this world hadde been eyther appoyncted or allowed of god to be intercessors vnto hym for vs. The textes of the scriptures and the authorities of the ancient writers by you alleadged are so many are so myghtie stronge that the enemies of the truth may be ashamed to maintain styll theyr grosse and idolatrous opinion Thirdely it hathe been declared that as the sayntes that bee already in glorie with God oughte not to bee called vpon nor to be taken for oure mediatours so no godly honour ought to be geuen vnto them forasmuche as it is a seruice whyche is due onely vnto God Where ye hadde an occasion to shewe howe many ways the trewe and faythfull seruauntes of God beynge departed hence in the faith of his sonne Iesu Christe maye bee honoured and that the greatest honour that we canne do vnto them is to obey their godly and sounde doctrine wherby they haue instructed vs in the trewe relygyon and worshipping of the true onelye god and also to folowe their faith and other heauenly vertues wherby they did gloryfie God whiles they lyued here in this worlde This also was doone by the infallible worde of God and testimonies of the holy Doctors of the true Catholike church all the obiections of the aduersaries beyng quite ouerthrowen by the same Laste of all ye haue proued that no fygure ymage or lykenesse of God nor of his sonne Iesu Christe nor of the Holy ghoste nor yet of the saintes oughte to bee hadde in the house of prayer or in any other place where so euer there is any perille of idolatrie And that there can be no vse of theym in the Oratories or prayeng places of the Christians but rather that they doo moste hurte where soeuer they be vsed and kepte Ye haue shewed by the waye what is the true Crosse that we ought to delyte and haue a pleasure in and that as for the materiall crosses they doo more hurt than good and that therfore for auoiding of offences they ought to be taken away These thynges haue beene so substantiallye done that I holde my selfe satisfyed in all poyntes and I do gene God moste hartye thankes that wee haue so well spent this day Dydimus In dede this day was frutefully spent Laude and praise be vnto god therfore for euer and euer EVTRAPE Amen FINIS ¶ IMPRINTED AT London by Henry Sutton for Thomas â—acket Ther. daye of Marche In the yere of our Lorde God 1561.