The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Wherefore I make a general conclusion of all that I have hitherto said: if the stumbling blocks, and poisons of mens souls, by setting up of images, will be many, yea, infinite if they be suffered, and the warnings of the same stumbling blocks, and remedies for the said poisons by preaching, but few, as is already declared: if the stumbling blocks be easy to be laid, the poisons soon provided, and the warnings and remedies hard to know or come by: if the stumbling blocks lye continually in the way, and poison be ready at hand every where, and warnings and remedies but seldom given: and if all men be more ready of them selves to stumble and be offended, then to be warned, all men more ready to drink of the poison, then to taste of the remedy (as is before partly, and shall hereafter more fully be declared) and so in fine, the poison continually and deeply drunk of many, the remedy seldom and faintly tasted of a few: Howe can it be but infinite of the weak and infirm shall be offended, infinite by ruin shall break their necks, infinite by deadly v• nome be poisoned in their souls? And how is the charity of God, or love of our neighbour in ⟨p. 124⟩our hearts then, if when we may remove such dangerous stumbling blocks, such pestilent poisons, we will not remove them? What shall I say of them which will lay stumbling blocks, where before was none, and set snares for the feet, nay, for the souls of weak and simple ones, and work the danger of their eternal ruin, for whom our Saviour Christ shed his precious blood, where better it were that the arts of painting, plastering, carving, graving, and founding, had never ben found nor used, then one of them, whose souls in the sight of God are so precious, should by occasion of image or picture perish and be lost. And thus is it declared that preaching can not possibly stay idolatry, if images be set up publicly in Temples and Churches. And as true is it, that no other remedy, as writing against idolatry, counsels assembled, decrees made against it, severe laws likewise and proclamations of princes and Emperors, neither extreme punishments and penalties, nor any other remedy could or can be possibly devised for the avoiding of idolatry, if images be publicly set up and suffered.

Wherefore I make a generall conclusion of all that I haue hitherto sayde: yf the stumblyng blockes, and poysons of mens soules, by settyng vp of images, wyl be many, yea, infinite yf they be suffered, and the warnynges of the same stumblyng blockes, and remedies for the sayde poysons by preachyng, but fewe, as is alredy declared: yf the stumblyng blockes be easy to be layde, the poysons soone prouided, and the warnynges and remedies harde to knowe or come by: yf the stumblyng blockes lye continuallye in the way, and poyson be redye at hand euery where, and warnynges and remedies but seldome geuen: and if all men be more redy of them selues to stumble and be offended, then to be warned, all men more redie to drynke of the poyson, then to taste of the remedie (as is before partly, and shall hereafter more fully be declared) and so in fine, the poyson continually and deepely drunke of many, the remedie seldome and fayntly tasted of a fewe: Howe can it be but infinite of the weake and infirme shalbe offended, infinite by ruine shall breake their neckes, infinite by deadly v nome be poysoned in their soules? And howe is the charitie of God, or loue of our neyghbour in