Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

Thus have you heard, how much the world from the beginning until Christs time, was ever ready to fall from the commandments of God, and to seek other means to honour and serve him, after a devotion imagined of their own heads: and how they extolled their own traditions, as high or above Gods commandments, which hath happened also in our times (the more it is to be lamented) no less then it did among the Jews, and that by the corruption, or at the least, by the negligence of them, that chiefly ought to have preferred Gods commandments, & to have preserved the sincere and heavenly doctrine left by Christ. What man having any judgement or learning, joined with a true zeal unto GOD, doeth not see, and lament, to have entered into Christs religion, such false doctrine, Superstition, ⟨image 36⟩Idolatry, Hypocrisy, and other enormities and abuses, so as by little and little through the •ower leaven thereof, the sweet bread of Gods holy word hath been much hindered and laid apart. Never had the Jews in their most blindness, so many Pilgrimages unto Images, nor used so much knelling, kissing, and censing of them, as hath been used in our time.

Thus haue you heard, how muche the worlde frō the beginnyng vntil Christes tyme, was euer ready to fall from the commaundementes of God, and to seke other meanes to honor and serue hym, after a deuocion imagined of their awne heades: and how they extolled their awne tradicions, as high or aboue Gods cōmaundementes, whiche hath happened also in our tymes (the more it is to be lamented) no lesse then it did emonge the Iewes, and that by the corrupcion, or at the least, by the negligēce of them, that chiefly ought to haue preferred Gods cōmaundementes, & to haue preserued the syncere and heauenly doctrine left by Christe. What man hauyng any iudgement or learnyng, ioyned with a true zeale vnto GOD, doeth not se, and lament, to haue entred into Christes religiō, suche false doctrine, Supersticion, ⟨image 36⟩Idolatrie, Hipocrisy, and other enormities and abuses, so as by lytle and lytle through the •ower leuen thereof, the swete bread of Gods holye worde hath been muche hindered and layed aparte. Neuer had the Iewes in their moste blyndnesse, so many Pilgrimages vnto Images, nor vsed so muche knelyng, kissyng, and censyng of them, as hath been vsed in oure tyme.