left Vnto which he addeth these words Remembre deare children that ye bring no Images into the Church neyther place them in the sléeping places of the sainctes but sée that continually ye earye aboute in your heart the Lorde Neyther yet let them be suffered in a common house For it is not lawefull for a Christian to be holden in suspense by his eyes but by the contemplation of his minde The same father also in many other of hys sermons hath declared many things touching the ouerthrow of Images which the studious séeking for shall easely finde Likewyse also Gregorie the diuine saith in his verses It is a thing most abhominable to beleue in colours and not in heart For that which is in colours is easyly washed away but suche thinges as are in the depth of the minde those lyke I well Iohn Chrisostome also teacheth thus we through writing enioye the presence of the Sainctes although that we haue not the Images of their bodyes but of their soules for those things which are spoken by them are Images of theire soules Basilius also the great saith that the chiefest thing seruing to the outfinding of truthe is the meditation of the Scriptures giuen vnto vs by diuine inspiration For in these not onely arguments of things are founde but also the written liues of holy men are printed vnto vs as certaine liuely Images and that through the polityke imitation of their workes according to God Also Athanasius the light of Alexandria sayde howe are they not to be lamented which worship creatures that those that sée yeld seruice to those which are blind those that heare do pray and besech those which are altogether deafe For the creature shall neuer be saued of a creature Lykewise Amphilochius byshop of Iconium thus sayth We accompt it a matter of no estimation to counterfet in tables wyth colours the bodyly countenaunces of the Sainctes bycause that of these we haue no nede But we ought rather to be mindefull of the pollicy of their vertues Agreable also herevnto doth Theodorê° bishop of Ancyra teach in these wordes We iudge it nothing séemely at all to make the formes and shapes of holy men wyth materiall coloures but it is requisit that we often repayre make fresh their vertues which by writings are deliuered vnto vs euen as though it were certayne lyuely Images For by these we may come to the zelous following of the like Let those tell vs which set vp the same Images what profyte they haue by them whether they haue any kinde of remembrance by such special kinde of beholding them But it is most apparaÌ„t that euery such thought is vayne and an inuention of diuelish deceyt Likewise also Eusebius Pamphili signified after this sort to Constantia the Empresse crauing of him to sende the Image of Christ vnto hir For as much as ye haue wrytten to me of the Image of Christ that I should send it vnto you I would you shoulde shewe me what thing you thinke the Image of Christ to be whether that same true and vnchaungeable creature bearing the markes of the deitie or that which he assumpted for oure sakes taking on him the shape of a seruaunte But as touching the picture of the deitie I iudge ye be not very carefull in asmuch as ye haue bene taught of him that none hath knowen the Father but the Sonne and that none hath worthyly knowen the Sonne but the Father which begatte him And after other thinges but ye altogether desire the Image of the seruauntes shape and of the flesh which he toke on him for our sake but we haue learned that this is coupled with the glory of the Godheade and that the same suffred dyed And a little after Who can therfore counterfet by dead insensible colours by vayne shadowing Paynters arte the bright shining glistering of such hys glory whereas his holy disciples were not able to beholde the same in the mountayne Who therefore falling on their faces acknowledged they were not able to beholde such a syght If therefore the shape of fleshe receyued suche power of the Godhead dwelling within the same what shall we then say when as it hath now putte of mortalitie washing away corruption and hath chaunged the shape of a seruaunt into the glory of the Lorde and God What shall we say now after hys victorie ouer death after his ascending into heauen after his sytting in the kingly throne on the right hande of his Father after reste in the not vtterable secretes of the Father into the which he ascending and sytting the heauenly powers those blessed ones wyth voyces together do crye Ye Princes lyft vp your gates ye heauenly gates be ye opened and the King of glorie shall enter in These fewe testimonies therefore of Scriptures and Fathers out of many we haue placed here in this our determination auoyding in déede multitude least the matter should be too prolixe and abstayning of purpose from the residue which be infinite that those which luste may themselues séeke them Being therefore throughly persuaded by these Scriptures inspired from God and by the iudgementes of the blessed Fathers staying our féete vpon the rocke of the worshippe of God in spirite we which are girded wyth the dignitie of the priesthode being of one minde and iudgement assembled together in one place doe wyth one voyce determine in the name of the holy supersubstantiall and quickning Trinitie that euery Image made by Paynters wicked arte of any kinde of matter is to be remoued forth of the Church of Christians as that which is straunge and abhominable Let no man froÌ„ this time forward of what state soeuer he be followe any such kinde of wicked vncleane custome Whosoeuer therfore froÌ„ this day forward shall presume to prepare for himself any image or to worship it either to set it in a Church or in any priuate house or else to kepe it secretely if he be a Byshoppe or a Deacon let him be deposed but if he be a priuate person or of the laye fée lette him be accursed and subiecte to the Emperiall decrées as one which withstandeth the commaundementes of God and kepeth not his doctrine Wherevpon the Councels determination so farre as concerneth this case ensueth thus Si quis non confessus fuerit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum post assumptionem animatae rationalis intellectualis carnis simul sedere cum Deo patre atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum paterna maiestate iudicaturum viuos mortuos non amplius quidem carnem neque in corporeum tamen vt videatur ab ijs à quibus compunctus est maneat Deus extra crassitudinem carnis anathema Si quis diuinam Dei verbi secundum incarnationem figuram materialibus coloribus studuerit effigiare non ex toto corde oculis intellectualibus ipsum sedentem à dextris patris super solis splendorem lucentem in throno gloriae adorare anathema Si quis
aduersarie I will shewe what fathers and doctors of the Church Hireneis chaplens brought forth for thē First of all Augustine Who sayth Quid est Imago Dei Iconolatrae nisi vultus Dei in quo signatus est populus Dei What is the Image of God but the countenance of God in which the people of God is sealed Therefore Images are to be worshipped The Aunsvvere The Image of God is Christ his sōne Iconomachi according to Paul Qui est Imago Dei inuisibilis Which is the Image of the inuisible God And to apply that to a stocke or a stone which is peculiar vnto Christ is horrible Nor Augustines meaning was so but as it is euidente by his owne wordes Car. Mag. Lib. 2. Ca. 16 he speaking of Christ whome he calleth the Image and countenance of the father sayth that in him we be sealed Qui dedit pignus spiritus in cordibus nostris Which gaue the pledge of his spirite in our heartes whereby we are sealed into the right of his children against the day of redemption Then brought they forth an authoritie out of Gregorius Nyssenus to which the Synode answered Car. Mag. Lib. 2. Ca. 17 that in asmuch as his life and doctrine was vnknowen to them Car. Mag. Li. 2. cap. 17. they could not admitte his testimony for approuing of a thing in controuersie Car. Mag. Li. 2. cap. 20. They alleaged also Cyrill vppon Iohn but corrupting his sentence deprauing his sense that as the wordes were brought vnto them it was as hard to pick out construction as to finde a pynnes head in a cart loade of hey Car. Mag. Li. 3. cap. 20. Lykewise they dealt with Chrisostome alleaging that he shoulde say Vidi Angelum in Imagine I sawe an Angell in an Image Wherto was aunswered that it was nothing likely bycause Angels are inuisible Car. Mag. Li. 2. cap. 15. Nor otherwise with Ambrose Nam ipsius sententiam ordine sensu verbisque turbarunt For they troubled his sentēce both in the order the sense and the words Nor this is my priuate opinion The whole Counsell affirmed it so And the actes are euident to proue no lesse Car. Mag. Li. 2. cap. 13. As for the example that they brought of Siluester how he presented the Images of the Apostles to Constantinus it maketh nothing for them He shewed him peraduenture pictures to loke vpon no Images to adore Car. Mag. Li. 3. cap 31. But I must not forget how they brought an example of a certayne Abbot which made an othe to the Diuel that he would not worship the picture of Christ or of his mother But afterwarde he brake his othe saying that it was better for him to haunt all the Brothel houses in the city than to abstayne from worshipping of Images I nede not to rehearse the Counsels answere to it There is no such babe but seeth their heastlinesse Only their greatest reason that doth remayne is this The Reason Iconolatrae Car. Mag. Li. 4. cap. 25. Epiphanius discoursing vpon all the sectes of heretiques doth not accoumpte them for any that worshippe Images Therfore it is no heresie to worship Images The Aunsvvere Epiphanius discoursing vpon al the sectes of heretiques doth not accoumpte them for any that condemne Images Therfore it is no heresie to condemne Images But that the same Epiphanius did not only mislike with worshipping of Images but also with the hauing of thē shal appeare hereafter It suffiseth now that I haue set forth to you the best part of the actes of the noble Coūsel ye sée the learned reasons that they made the depe and profoūd iudgements the pyth the strength the marowbones of their matter wherwyth they dyd so begrease themselues that now they shine so glorious in your eyes If men had deuised matter to mocke them wythall I suppose they could not haue found any so absurde as they brought with them Yet these be they that represented the state of the vniuersal Church These be they that could not erre These be they that you onely depend on These be the thrée hundreth and fyfty byshops that condemned the thrée hundreth and eyght and thyrty that were before assembled at Constantinople These be the Iudges that gaue sentence agaynst the Counsell gathered in Spayne These be the worthy pillers that beare vp the Crosse Images And if a man considered by what spirite they were led when they came to Nice he neded not to maruel at the strange horrible successe of their doings For who then bare the sway Who did assēble them but that Athalia that Iesabel Irene which was so bewitched with superstition that al order al honesty al law of nature brokē she cared not what she did so she might haue hir Mawmots She burned hir fathers bones She murthered hir owne sonne She peruerted by violence al order of lawful Counsel that she might goe a whoring with hir Idols styll When Constantine the fift father to hir husbande Leo by mariage of whome she moste vnworthy came to hir estate had lien dead buried a good while in his graue she digged him vp she shewed hir crueltie on his carcase she cast his bones into the fier caused his ashes to be throwen into the sea This did the good daughter the defender of Images bycause hir father when as yet he liued had broken them in pieces affirming simplicity rather than sumpteousnesse to be moste sitting for the Church of Christ Thus raged she during the none age of Constantine hir sonne and made the palace of Constantinople a sinke of sectaries a follower of deformed Rome But when the Emperor himselfe hir sonne grew to discretion he trode in his fathers and grandfathers steps and did so much mislyke with his mothers Mawmetry that he began to brydle hir insolent affection he toke the sweard out of hir mad handes and threwe downe the monumentes of superstition which she with such diligence and coste had erected Wherevpon the malice of hir wicked breast was so incensed that she spared not to set on fier hir owne house to conspire the death of hir owne childe only to maintaine hir Images in the Church Therefore she not onely forgate hir duety to hir Prince hir loue to hir sonne but she ioyned with a sorte of cut throtes she vtterly cast of the nature and condition of a woman she became more sauage than a wild beast For beside that she craftely betrayed the Emperour she trayterously bereued him of his inheritance the crowne she most vnwomanly scratched out the eyes of the same hir owne sonne she most abhominably caste him into pryson most detestably at length she murthered him Thus was the liuing for the deade the Prince for a puppet the naturall childe destroyed for the naked vnnaturall vse of Imagry And to declare the wrath of God iustly deserued for this execrable facte Eutropius reporteth thus Obtenebratus est sol per dies septemdecim non
holy ghost that in baptisme hath giuen fulnesse to innocencye in confirmation performeth increase to grace But let thē shewe me what warrant of God hys worde they haue for thys what promise of God is sealed in vs by this their new founde Sacrament Is Christianitie now to be fet oute of popery Is the truth of God contayned in the Scriptures insufficient to informe vs Is there no full Christiā vnlesse he be annointed Alas where are so many Apostles so many martyrs become that neuer wer annoynted Is baptisme insufficient wtout cōfirmatiō Is baptisme auaileable as the decrée hath only for them that should dye straight confirmation for them that shuld lyue longer Doth baptisme only regenerate vs to lyfe but confirmation furnishe vs vnto the fyght what is it thē the Paul hath We are buried with Christ by baptisme into hys death that lyke as Christ was raysed vp frō the dead by the glory of the father Rom. 6. so we also should walke in newnesse of lyfe Thys partaking of death and lyfe with Christ is nothing els but the mortifiing of our own flesh the quickening of the spirit in that the olde man is crucified Mar. 7. and we may walke in newnesse of lyfe But by this their deuise they take away halfe the effect of baptisme reiecting therein the commaūdemēt of God to establish their own tradition Wherfore I wil reasō with you as Christ did with the Pharises Mat. 21. Is the confirmation which you call a Sacrament ordained to be so from heauen Mat. 21. or of men If it be of men it is no Sacrament If it be of God then shew the worde Ye haue the example of the Apostles in the. cha 8. and .19 of the Actes Folio 54 a. Actes 8. But no exāple suffiseth for a Sacramēt The Apostles thēselues vsurped not so much But sée how well ye folow the example When the Apostles which were at Hierusalem heard say that Samaria had receaued the worde of God they sēt vnto them Peter and Iohn which when they were come down prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy ghost For as yet he was come down on none of them but they were baptised only in the name of the Lorde Iesus Then layd they their handes on them and they receyued the holy ghost Now are ye ignoraunt what here is ment by the holy ghost I wyl tel you The gift to speake in diuerse languages to worke miracles and other particuler graces of the holy spirite And although they had receyued the common grace of adoption regeneration through baptisme yet had they not these other qualities which in the beginning of the Church were graunted and now be denyed So that laying on of handes serued to good vse then when it pleased God at instance of the Apostles praiers to conferre the visible graces of hys spirite but now that there is no such ministery in the Church now that miracles be ceassed to what ende should we haue thys imposition of handes the signe without the thyng If a mā should now a dayes prostrate hymselfe vpon the bodyes of the dead bicause Helias and Paul vsed thys ceremony in raysing of their dead should he not be thought preposterously to doe So that it might well be a kynde of Sacramēt in the Apostles tyme but the cause ceassing what should the signe continue Yet ye content not your selues with the Apostles order ye wyll as I sayd before haue somewhat of your owne For neyther Peter nor Iohn annoynted the Samaritanes but you do besmere whomsoeuer you lay handes on Folio 54. a. Ye cal it Chrisma salutis the Chrisme of saluation But whosoeuer seketh saluation in the Chrismatory shal be sure to lose it in Christ Oyle for the belly and the belly for oyle but the Lord shall destroy both the one and the other Good Lorde what beast but a papist what papist but a diuell durst presume to say that saluation should be fet out of an oyle box The Apostle calleth vs from impotēt and beggerly things Gala. 4. Colos 2. and if we be dead with Christ he sayth we must not be burdened with traditions Wherfore ye take the matter all amisse that by the dooinges of S. Peter and S. Iohn in Samaria or els by the fact of S. Paul at Ephesus Act. 19. do grounde your Sacramente of Confirmation One reason ye haue heard Bicause the Ceremony of laying on of handes serued for particular graces whiche were but temporall and therfore now the thyng abolished the signe should not remayne An other I wyll bryng you The Apostles layed their handes but only vpon certayne persons euen such as the gyftes aforesayd were bestowed on Confirmation is extended vnto al gracious and gracelesse come who wil none is denyed it Who gaue you authoritie where is your commission to bestowe the indifferently vpon all persons which the Apostles gaue but vnto fewe In dede if it be so necessary to saluation as ye make it I can not greatly blame you But thē on the other side blame you I must that you are so negligent in bestowing it For this is your doctrine that without confirmatiō there can be no perfect Christian And I besech you how many be suffered to dye vnconfirmed vnlesse the bishop chaūce to passe by which is once peraduenture in seauen yeare all they that departe in the meane season are Iewes belyke or in state of damnation And can your charities suffer without remorse of conscience so many semi christians to passe you Thus euery way you cōfute your selues For if your Sacramēt of Confirmation Folio 55. a. be as you say such an oyntment vvith vvhose most holy perfection the gyft and grace of baptisme is made perfect If it be an oyntment altogether holy and diuine the perfection it selfe and sanctification the beginning the substance the perfecting vertue of al holinesse giuen vs from heauen Then are you wycked persons that take no order that the moe may haue it But if there be no such vertue in it then do ye lye the more Agayne yet further to note your absurditie Your decrée in case of Confirmation De consecr Dist 5. cap. Manus quoque is thys Manus quoque impositionis sacramentum magna veneratione tenendum est quod ab alijs perfici non potuit nisi a summis sacerdotibus nec tempore Apostolorum ab alijs quam ab ipsis Apostolis legitur aut scitur peractū esse nec ab alijs quam qui eorum tenent locum cuiquam perfici potest aut fieri debet Nam si aliter praesumptum fuerit irritum habeatur vacuum The Sacramente of laying on of handes must be helde with great worship which can not be made of any but only of the hye priestes nor it is red or knowen that in the Apostles tyme it was ministred by any but onely by themselues nor it can or ought to be done of any saue only such
as they bring their warrant for them God forbyd in dede but we should admit them If we established our traditions and destroyed theirs If we deuised a worship of our own despised theirs we wer to be blamed But when in respecte of Gods commaundement which no man ought on peril of his life transgresse we reiecte a custome and deuise of man we are not to bée burdened with pride or singularitie Folio 80. Your selues thinke it laweful to alter and innouate at your owne pleasures all traditions and ceremonies of elder time As taking away mylke and hony from Christenings contrary to Tertullian and denying infants the supper of the Lorde contrary to Augustine with an hundred moe that I could rehearse And wherewithall doe you supply them with your owne fansies your owne follies Yet you neyther discredite nor disauthorize the fathers We if we stande not to euery iote that any one of the fathers heretofore hath written and hath pleased the Pope of his power absolute to admit are compted heretiques schismatiques such as haue separated our selues from the Church In dede we professe a separation from you as our Apologie doth witnesse Folio 81. Apologie of the church of England and shewe good reason why Therein your finenesse doth cal vs patchers I wys all the packe of you hath not cloth in your shoppes to make the like But separating our selues from you the enimies of God and of his truth we ioyne as we ought with the church of Christ For what is the vnitie Vnitie of Papistes that you appoynt vs The humble obedience of the Church of Rome whome you wil haue to be the mother Church whō you doe call the boosome and the lappe that all men ought to runne vnto which will be numbred among Gods children You with this vnitie content your selues seking rather your selues ouer Christ than Christ ouer the flock to raigne compassing rather how your selues may dayntily liue in this world than howe the members of the Church may be brought to heauen But we must appoynte suche kinde of vnity Vnitie of Christiās as must not depend vpon one particular or priuate Church be it eyther of Antioch or of Hierusalem or of Rome it selfe but vpon the catholique and vniuersall Church which was not onely before Rome in antiquitie but shall continue when Rome is gone This muste we search out of the scriptures Rom. 12. Vnū corpus multi sumus in Christo sayth the Apostle We being many are one body in Christ Christ is the head and we be the members Howe doe the members and the head agrée With one flesh one bloud one spirite and one life As Christ is in the father and the father in Christ so we al by Christ are one in God If one spirite rule vs we must all thinke one thing If we be all one body we must not hate our owne fleshe As brotherly loue and charitie is necessary for vs to declare by the same that we be Christs disciples as peace quietnesse among vs all is a thing most expedient as a bande to knyt vs in the vnitie of the spirite so they which are thus vnited vnto Christ must not only be quickned with the same spirit but be cōforted maintained with the same fayth hope Wherfore if you wil haue vs to continue the vnity of your church with you then make it first a catholike Church of a sink of Idolatry a follower and furtherer of true religion It is not by by the vnitie of the church which coms vnder colour name of it Hierome a doctor of the Church writeth Sub rege Constantio Contra Luciferianos Eusebio Hippatio Consulibus nomine vnitatis et fidei infidelitas scripta est In the time of Constance the king Eusebius Hippatius being Consuls vnder the name of vnitie and fayth infidelity was written And such an vnitie do you deliuer vs not you alone I meane but all the rable of popish heretiques with you as consisteth of Idolatry false worshippings simony with a corrupt body and a coūterfet head euen Antichrist himself You say that the vnity of the church doth hang vpon obseruance of ceremonies olde rites customes We say that it standeth vpon fayth and spirite Ephesi 4. Which are the truer in this behalfe S. Paul byddeth vs to be carefull to kepe the vnitie of the spirit til we méete together in the vnitie of fayth Augustine intreating of the Sabboth fast Epist. 86. sayth Interminabilis est ista contentio generans lites nunquam fiaiens quaestiones This contention is endelesse stil ingendring strife neuer ceassing from doubtes And what I besech you do you that bragge of your vnitie dissent from all antiquitie not agrée with your selues contende about trifles damne the true fayth derogate all from Christes death and his passion and giuing it to your owne frée will and works The works that you cōmaunde be your owne deuises The works that God commaundes you haue nothing to doe withall Breake Gods cōmaundement and it is no matter Breake yours we dye for it It is a wonder how bolde you will be to pronounce heretiques to serue your turne Euseb ecclesiast hist. Lib. 5. Victor Bishop of Rome woulde excommunicate and condemne of heresie all the churches of Asia bicause they did kepe their Easter Quartadecima luna primi mensis when the Iewes swete bread is eaten not at the time that he kept it at Rome A sore point I promise you But you condemne vs of heresy for preaching of the Gospel against the traditions and precepts of men If they from whose ordinances we do depart had eyther thought their traditions necessary or shewed scripture wherevpon they grounded them we would not presume to withstande their authoritie or gaynesay their good reason But when they deliuer them as thinges indifferent and plainly professe that they haue no worde of the Lorde for them a hope of commoditie may cause vs to retayne them but an apparant mischief must driue vs to refuse thē Tertullian himself Tertulliā de corona militis when he had rehearsed a great sorte of traditions among which this was the last that we nowe doe speke of the manner of signing vvith the Crosse in the forehead immediately inferreth Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturaerum nullam reperies If thou require a lawe of Scripture for these and such like orders of discipline thou shalt finde none Wherefore since they builde not vpon the Scripture they do not expounde vpon the word when these ioyes be taught we can not as you say dyscredite and dysauthorize them Folio 79. b. as though they knevv not the scriptures true interpretatiō of the lavv When you doe make a lye of your owne doe I discredite your knowledge in the lawe A lawyer may sometime be a liar as you proue vnto vs and yet not the lawe to wyte When the
signing them with a Crosse nowe is it not according to your position medicineable against al Coniuration Enchauntment Sorcerie and Witchcrafte but rather dayly vsed in all these Wherefore your proues be to weake your miracles to no purpose Your Doctoures much like your selfe The Heathen the nevv Indians the Ievve the Apostata Folio 108. These are desirous of the signe of a Crosse These signed themselues vvith a Crosse on the forehead Therefore the signe of the Crosse must be vsed and honoured As lyke as if I sayd These were Idolaters they knewe no true worship the diuel deluded them and therfore we must follow them May I not therfore wyth iuster cause than you complaine and say as you do O tempora O miserable daies O times too licentious when euery Erostratus may become famous by burning of Dianaes temple when euery insolent and ydle brayne if he can inuey agaynst the state of his countrey defame them that in learning and vertue be farre vnlike himselfe shal presume to write and be suffered to print his ignorant allegations and impudent vntruthes to deface the Gospell to set a gogge seditious and newe fangled heads You would haue men iudge no better of vs but that we go about to ouerthrovv the religiō of Christ take avvay the memory of his passiō Fol. 109 a. b. say that there is no Christ at al. This do ye set forth by an example of Andrew Lampugnā which gat an audacitie to slay the duke of Millain by striking ofte his Image and by a similitude of a chambre of presence wherein who so commeth and pulleth downe the cloth of estate or otherwise breaketh Princes armes in pieces he is no loyall and faythfull subiecte Let the world iudge betwixt you and vs who seke lesse the defacing of Christ and his Gospel who would more abolishe the memorie of his death We by continuall preaching of it or you by often paynting of it We by referring al glory vnto God or you by transferring all prayse vnto your selues We by setting forth our state of saluation so as Christ himself hath taught vs saying Search ye the scriptures or you by following the diuels doctrine and peruerting the word affirming That we dayly must gaze vpon pictures There be other meanes to remembre Christ as in the Preface I haue at large declared than by laying .ij. stickes a Crosse or breaking the ayre with a thumb on my forehead Papists deny Christ Nor they deny Christ which affirme him to be God and therefore in Heauen seke him but such as make an Image of him seuering thereby his diuinity from humanitie and only as man vpon earth honour him Wherfore your history is yll applyed Galeatius Maria as your owne authour sayth being duke of Millain Paradinus in symbolis was a wicked tirant a common rauisher of all honest women a violent oppressor of al his subiects therfore God stirred the heartes of some to conspire his death And for the same cause the worde of that armes is vel in ara that God in euery place yea to the altare it selfe pursueth the reuenge vpon the vngodly And therefore the man which otherwise stode in dreade of the Prince was by another meane heartened But God stirreth the hart of none to work any vengeance on Christ his sonne therefore the comparison is not like Agayne Lampugnā gat him the liuely Image of the duke we haue the Image I wote nere of whom sure the Image of Christ it is not but in respect of the abuse a damnable Idoll Then if the striking at the Image of Christ be signe that Christ himselfe is hated consider with your selfe who is more faulty who is more despitefully set herein You or we We pecke at a stone or a piece of wood which hath no likenesse in the world of Christ you burne and butcher the liuely members of Christs owne body the perfect counterfets of him departed hence We pull downe the dumbe and the deafe Idols the instruments of abuse you murder the saincts you destroy the Prophets you spite that any liueth honester than your selues Who nowe I beseche you be more enimies of Christ Who be more like to fall into Apostacie the ouerthrowers of Idols or destroyers of sainctes the myslikers of a dead stocke or stone or murtherers of quicke and liuing men You request me to tell you Folio 109. b. if a man come into a chambre of presence and plucke dovvne the cloth of estate and breake the Princes armes in pieces is it not his intent to haue the Prince deposed In déede sir if the Prince haue set it vp and giue commaundement that it shall there stande it is too great an offence to breake it But if the Prince haue proclaymed the contrary that none shall presume to drawe his armes or set vp any cloth of estate for him and yet notwithstanding some in despite or mockerie shall hang vp a beggerly and stinking clout or in steade of his royall armes erecte some monument of reproufe and shame if I came in place I would pull it downe and be the faythfuller subiecte for that And this is the very state of our cause Christ and his Apostles as I haue proued before haue vtterly forbidden Images there is no Crosse that hath any likenesse of our redemer on it Christ hath taken order onely by his worde to be set forth vnto vs. Therefore the Crosse of woode stone or metall may wythout offence be remoued of vs. For it is not the cloth of estate of his the armes and recognisance of his kingdome It is a wicked inuention of the Papistes a crafty delusion of the diuell to supplant Christ to take away the knowledge and true seruice of him Alexander as Horace sayth Edicto vetuit Episto lib. 1. ne quis se praeter Apellem pingeret aut alius Lysippo duceret aera fortis Alexandri vultum simulantiae gaue charge that but Apelles none in colours should him dresse Or but Lysippus should in brasse his countenance expresse Then if a simple botcher had attempted to draw him contrary to his commaundement should he not haue committed pety treason trowe you On like sorte Christ hath gyuen out his worde whereby he hath witnessed of himselfe Ioan. 4. he hath strayghtly enacted that whosoeuer worship him Ioan. 5. in spirite and veritie they shall worshippe they shall not more symplie conceyue of him than of the Maiestie of a God the seconde person in Trinitie wyth our fleshe caryed vp into Heauen with him Nowe commeth the workeman with his tooles and maketh a corporall and lying shape to bring an outwarde and earthly worship Alexander the Coppersmyth cryeth out for his aduauntage Rom. 1. Epi. 1. ca. 5. Simon Magus the Sorcerer contendeth for hys share S. Paul is against it S. Iohn condemneth it What shall we nowe doe goe to the lying Image and forsake the true forbyd the worde and bring in a picture haue our heartes here