dyd all alone So dyd the Gentiles teache that there was one cheefe power workyng by other as meanes and so they made all gods subiect to fate or destenye as Lucian in his dialogues fayneth that Neptune made suite to Mercurie that he myght speake with Iupiter And therefore in this also it is moste euident that our image mainteiners be al one in opinion with the Gentiles idolaters Nowe remayneth the thirde parte that theyr rites and ceremonies in honouryng worshipping of the images or saintes be all one with the rites whiche the Gentiles idolaters vsed in honouryng theyr idols First what meaneth it that Christians after the example of the Gentiles idolaters go on pylgrimage to visite images where they haue the lyke at home but that they haue a more opinion of holynesse and vertue in some images then other some lyke as the Gentiles idolaters had whiche is the redyest way to bryng them to idolatrie by worshypping of them and directly against Gods worde who sayth Seeke me and ye shall lyue and do not seeke Bethel neyther enter not into Gilgal neyther go to Bersaba And agaynst suche as had any superstition in the holynesse of the place as though they shoulde be hearde for the places sake saying Our fathers worshypped in this mountayne and ye saye that at Hierusalem is the place where men shoulde worshyp our sauiour Christe pronounceth Beleue me the houre commeth when you shall worshyppe the father neyther in this mountayne nor at Hierusalem but true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and trueth But it is to well knowen that by suche pilgrimage goyng Lady Venus and her sonne Cupide were rather worshipped wantonly in the fleshe then God the father and our sauiour Christe his sonne truely worshipped in the spirite And it was verye agreeable as saint Paul teacheth that they which fell to idolatrie which is spirituall fornication shoulde also fall into carnall fornication and all vncleannesse by the iust iudgementes of God deliuering them ouer â—o abominable concupiscences What meaneth it that Christian men after the vse of the Gentiles idolaters cap and kneele before images whiche if they had any sense and gratitude woulde kneele before men Carpenters Masons Plasterers Founders and Goldsmithes theyr makers and framers by whose meanes they haue attayned this honour which els shoulde haue ben euyll fauoured and rude lumpes of claye or plaster peeces of tymber stone or mettall without shape or fashion and so without all estimation and honour as that idol in the Pagane poete confesseth saying I was once a vyle blocke but nowe I am become a god c. What a fonde thyng is it for man who hath lyfe and reason to bowe him selfe to a dead and vnsensible image the worke of his owne hande is not this stouping and kneeling before them adoration of them whiche is forbidden so earnestly by Gods worde Let suche as so fall downe before images of saintes knowe and confesse that they exhibite that honour to dead stockes and stones whiche the saintes them selues Peter Paul and Barnabas would not to be geuen them beyng alyue which the angel of GOD forbiddeth to be geuen to hym And yf they say they exhibite suche honour not to the image but to the saint whom it representeth they are conuicted of follye to beleue that they please saintes with that honour whiche they abhorre as a spoyle of Gods honour For they be no chaungelynges but nowe both hauyng greater vnderstanding and more feruent loue of God do more abhorre to depriue him of his due honour and beyng nowe lyke vnto the angels of God do with angels flee to take vnto them by sacrilege the honour due to god And herewithall is confuted theyr lewde distinction of Latria and Dulia where it is euident that the saintes of God can not abyde that as muche as any outwarde worshippyng be done or exhibited to them But satan Gods enemie desyryng to robbe God of his honour desyreth exceedynglye that such honour might be geuen to him Wherfore those whiche geue the honour due to the creatour to any creature do seruice acceptable to no saintes who be the freendes of God but vnto satan Gods and mans mortall and sworne enemie And to attribute suche desyre of diuine honour to saintes is to blot them with a moste odious and deuilyshe ignominie and villanie and in deede of saintes to make them satans and very deuils whose propertie is to chalenge to them selues the honour which is due to God onelye And furthermore in that they say that they do not worshyp the images as the Gentiles dyd theyr idols but God and the saintes whom the images do represent and therefore that theyr doynges before images be not lyke the idolatrie of the Gentiles before theyr idols saint Augustine Lactantius and Clemens do proue euidently that by this theyr aunswere they be all one with the Gentiles idolaters The Gentiles sayth saint Augustine whiche seeme to be of the purer religion say We worship not the images but by the corporall image we do beholde the signes of the thynges which we ought to worshyp And Lactantius sayth The Gentiles saye we feare not the images but them after whose lykenesse the images be made and to whose names they he consecrate Thus farre Lactantius And Clemens sayth That serpent the deuyll vttereth these wordes by the mouth of certayne men We to the honour of the inuisible God worship visible images whiche surelye is moste false See howe in vsyng the same excuses whiche the Gentiles idolaters pretended they shewe them selues to be all one with them in idolatrie For notwithstandyng this excuse saint Augustine Clemens and Lactantius prooue them idolaters And Clemens sayeth that the serpent the deuyll putteth suche excuses in the mouth of idolaters And the Scriptures sayth they worshyppe the stockes and stones notwithstandyng this excuse euen as our image maynteyners do And Ezechiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians stockes and stones although they were but images of theyr gods So are our images of God and the saintes named by the names of god and his saintes after the vse of the Gentiles And the same Clemens sayeth thus in the same booke They dare not geue the name of the Emperour to anye other for he punysheth his offendour and traytour by and by but they dare geue the name of god to other because he for repentaunce suffereth his offendours And euen so do our image worshyppers geue both names of god and the saintes and also the honour due to God to theyr images euen as dyd the Gentiles idolaters to theyr idols What shoulde it meane that they accordyng as dyd she Gentiles idolaters lyght candelles at noone time or at mydnyght before them but therwith to honour them for other vse is there none in so doyng For in the day it needeth not but was euer a prouerbe of foolishnesse to lyght a candle at noone tyme And in the
The second Tome of Homilees of such matters as were promised and intituled in the former part of Homilees Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie And to be read in euery parishe Church agreeably 1571. The Table of homilees ensuyng 1 OF the ryght vse of the Churche 2 Against peril of Idolatrie iii. partes 3 For repayryng and kepyng cleane the Churche 4 Of good workes And first of fastyng ii partes 5 Agaynst gluttonie and dronkennesse 6 Agaynst excesse of apparrell 7 An Homilee of prayer iii. partes 8 Of the place and time of prayer ii partes 9 Of common prayer and sacramentes 10 An information for them which take offence at certayne places of holye scripture ii partes 11 Of almes deedes iii. partes 12 Of the Natiuitie 13 Of the passion for good Friday ii Homilees 14 Of the Resurrection for Easter day 15 Of the worthy receauing of the sacrament ii partes 16 An Homilee concerning the cōming downe of the holye Ghost for Whitsunday ii partes 17 An Homilee for rogation weeke iiii partes 18 Of the state of matrimonie 19 Agaynst idlenesse 20 Of repentaunce and true reconciliation vnto god iii. partes 21 An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion vi partes ¶ An admonition to all Ministers ecclesiasticall FOR that the Lorde doth require of his seruaunt whom he hath set ouer his householde to shewe both faythfulnesse and prudence in his office it shal be necessarye that ye aboue al other do behaue your selfe moste faythfully and diligently in your so hygh a function that is aptly playnely and distinctly to reade the sacred scriptures diligently to instruct the youth in their Catechisme grauely and reuerently to minister his most holy Sacramentes prudently also to choose out such Homilees as be most meete for the time for the more agreeable instruction of the people committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homilee may appeare to long for one readyng to diuide the same to be read part in the fore noone and part in the after noone And where it may so chaunce some one or other chapter of the olde Testament to fal in order to be read vppon the Sundayes or holye dayes whiche were better to be chaunged with some other of the newe Testament of more edification it shal be wel done to spende your tyme to consyder wel of such chapters before hand wherby your prudence and diligence in your office may appeare so that your people may haue cause to glorifie God for you and be the redyer to imbrace your labours to your better commendatiō to the discharge of your cōsciences their owne An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God and of the reuerence due vnto the same ¶ The first part WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse negligence of a great sorte of people in resorting to the Church there to serue God their heauenly father accordyng to their most bounden duetie as also muche vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour of many persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this behalfe amongst other many great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences and the auoydyng of the common peryl plague hangyng ouer vs let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter whereunto I pray you geue good audience for that it is of great wayght and concerneth you all Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God the Lorde of heauen and earth whose seate is heauen the earth his footestole can not be inclosed in temples or houses made with mans hande as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias and by the doctrine of saint Steuen and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles And where kyng Salomon who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made sayth Who shal be able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym if heauen and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded And further confesseth What am I that I shoulde be able to buylde thee an house O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his humble supplication Muche lesse then be our Churches meete dwellyng places to receaue the incomprehensible maiestie of god And in deede the cheefe and speciall temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians and the chosen people of GOD accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Knowe ye not sayth Saint Paul that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God hym wyll God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are And agayne in the same Epistle Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwellyng in you whom ye haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne for ye are dearely bought Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body and in your spirite whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth in what place so euer they do it worshyp hym a ryght for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for For God is a spirite those that worshyp hym must worship him in spirit and trueth sayth our sauiour Christe Yet all this notwithstandyng the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the olde Testament as in the newe for the people of God to resort together vnto there to heare Gods holy worde to call vpon his holy name to geue hym thankes for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sacramentes In the vnfayned doyng and accomplyshyng of the whiche standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned and the same Churche or temple is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe called the house and temple of the Lorde for the peculier seruice there done to his maiestie by his people for the effectuous presence of his heauenlye grace where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled And to the sayde house or temple of God at all tymes by common order appoynted are all people that be godly in deede bounde with all diligence to resorte vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro And
shoulde not worshippe images and that we should not haue images in the Temple for feare and occasion of worshyppyng them though they be of them selues thynges indifferent For the Christian is the holye Temple and lyuely image of God as the place well declareth to suche as wyll reade and weight it And where as all godly men dyd euer abhorre that any kneelyng and worshipping or offeryng should be vsed to them selues when they were alyue for that it was the honour due to God onlye as appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles by Saint Peter forbidding it to Cornelius and by Saint Paul and Barnabas forbiddyng the same to the Citezins in Lyftra Yet we lyke mad men fall downe before the dead idols orimages of Peter and Paul and geue that honour to stockes and stones whiche they thought abhominable to be geuen to them selues beyng alyue And the good angell of God as appeareth in the booke of S. Johns reuelation refused to be kneeled vnto when that honour was offered hym of John Beware sayth the angell that thou do it not for I am thy felowe seruaunt But the euyll angell satan desyreth nothyng so muche as to be kneeled vnto and thereby at once both to robbe God of his due honour and to worke the damnation of suche as make hym so lowe curtesie as in the storic of the Gospell appeareth in sundry places Yea and he offered our Sauiour Christe all earthly goodes on the condition that he woulde kneele downe and worshyp hym But our Sauiour repelleth Satan by the Scriptures saying it is wrytten Thou shalt worshyppe thy Lorde God and hym alone shalt thou serue But we by not worshyppyng and seruyng God alone as the Scriptures teacheth vs and by worshypping of images contrary to the Scriptures plucke satan to vs and are readye without rewarde to folowe his desyre yea rather then fayle we wyll offer hym gyftes and oblations to receaue our seruice But let vs brethren rather folowe the counsell of the good angell of GOD then the suggestion of subtyll satan that wycked angell and olde serpent Who accordyng to the pryde whereby he firste fell attempteth alwaye by suche sacriledge to depryue God whom he enuyeth of his due honour and because his owne face is horrible and vglye to conuey it to hymselfe by the mediation of gylte stockes and stones and withall to make vs the enemies of God and his owne suppliantes and slaues and in the ende to procure vs for a rewarde euerlastyng destruction and damnation Therfore aboue all thinges if we take our selues to be Christians in deede as we be named let vs credite the worde obey the lawe and folowe the doctrine and example of our Sauiour maister Christe repelling satans suggestion to idolatrie and worshyppyng of images accordyng to the trueth alleaged and taught out of the Testament and Gospell of our sayde heauenly doctour and scholemaister Jesus Christe who is God to be bicssed for euer Amen ¶ The seconde part of the Homilee agaynst perill of Idolatrie YOu haue hearde welbeloued in the fyrst parte of this Homilee the doctrine of the word of God against idols images agaynste idolatrie and worshipping of images taken out of the scriptures of the olde Testament the newe and confirmed by the examples as well of the Apostles as of our Sauiour Christ him selfe Nowe although our Sauiour Christe taketh not or needeth not anye testimonie of men and that whiche is once confirmed by the certaintie of his eternall trueth hath no more neede of the confirmation of mans doctrine and wrytinges then the bryght sunne at noone tyde hath neede of the light of a litle candle to put away darknes and to encrease his lyght yet for your further contentation it shall in this second part be declared as in the begynnyng of the firste parte was promised that this trueth and doctrine concernyng the forbidding of images and worshipping of them taken out of the holy Scriptures aswell of the olde Testament as the newe was beleued and taught of the olde holy fathers and most ancient learned Doctours and receaued in the olde primatiue Churche which was most vncorrupt and pure And this declaration shal be made out of the sayd holy Doctours owne wrytynges and out of the auncient histories ecclesiasticall to the same belongyng Tertullian a most auncient wryter and Doctor of the Churche who lyued about one hundreth and threescore yeres after the death of our Sauiour Christe both in sundrye other places of his workes and speciallye in his booke wrytten agaynst the maner of crownyng and in another litle treatise entituled of the souldyers crowne or garlande doth moste sharplye and vehementlye wryte and inuey agaynste images or idols And vpon S. Johns wordes the firste Eyistle and. v. Chapter saith thus Saint John saith he depelye consydering the matter sayth My litle chyldren keepe your selues from images or idols He sayth not nowe keepe your selues from idolatrie as it were from the seruice and worshyppyng of them but from the images or idols them selues that is from the verye shape and lyknes of them For it were an vn worthye thyng that the image of the lyuyng God should become the image of a dead idoll Do not you thynke those persons whiche place images and idols in Churches and Temples yea shryne them euen ouer the Lordes Table euen as it were of purpose to the worshipping and honouring of them take good heede to either S. Johns counsels or Tertullians For so to place images and idols is it to keepe them selues from them or els to receaue and imbrace them Clemens in his booke to James brother of the Lorde sayth What can be so wycked or so vnthankfull as to receaue a benefite of God and to geue thankes therefore vnto stockes and stones Wherefore awake ye vnderstande your health for God hath neede of no man nor requireth any thyng nor can be hurt in any thyng But we be they whiche are eyther holpen or hurte in that we be thankfull to God or vnthankfull Origenes in his booke agaynste Celsus sayth thus Christian men and Jewes when they heare these wordes of the lawe Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God shalt not make any image do not onlye abhorre the Temples aulters and images of the gods but if neede be wyll rather dye then they shoulde defyle them selues with anye impietie And shortlye after he sayth In the common wealth of the Jewes the caruer of idols and image maker was cast farre of and forbidden least they shoulde haue any occasion to make images whiche myght plucke certayne foolishe persons from God and turne the eyes of their soules to the contemplation of earthly thynges And in an other place of the same booke It is not only sayth he a mad and â—rantike parte to worshyp images but also once to dissemble or wynk at it And a man may know God and his onely sonne and those whiche haue had suche honour geuen them by God
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen