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…

Howe think you would that Godly Prince (if he were now living) handle our Idols, set up against Gods commandment directly, and being figures of nothing but folly, and for fools to gaze on, till they become as wise as the blocks them selves which they stare on, and so fall down as dared Larks in that gaze, and being them selves alive, worship a dead stock or stone, gold or silver, and so become idolaters, abominable and cursed before the living God, giving the honour due unto him which made them when they were nothing, and to our Saviour Christ who ⟨p. 137⟩redeemed them being lost, to the dead & dumb idol, the work of mans hand, which never did nor can do any thing for them, no is not able to stir nor once to move, and therefore worse then a vile worm which can move and creep. The excellent king Josiah also did take him self no hurt of Images and Idols, for he did know well what they were: did he therefore because of his own knowledge let Idols and images stand? much less did he set any up? Or rather did he not by his knowledge and authority also succour the ignorance of such as did not know what they were, by utter taking away of all such stumbling blocks as might be occasion of ruin to his people and subjects. Will they because a few toke no hurt by images or idols, break the general law of God, Thou shalt make to thee no similitude. &c They might aswell, because Moses was not seduced by Jethroes daughter, nor Boos by Ruth, being strangers, reason, that all the Jews might break the general law of God, forbidding his people to join their children in marriage with strangers, least they seduce their children that they should not follow God. Wherefore they which thus reason, Though it be not expedient, yet it is lawful to have images publicly, and do prove that lawfulness by a few piked and chosen men: if they object that indifferently to all men, which a very few can have without hurt and offence, they seem to take the multitude for vile souls (as he sayeth in Virgil) of whose loss and safeguard no reputation is to be ⟨p. 138⟩had, for whom yet Christ paid as dearly as for the mightiest prince, or the wisest and best learned in the earth. And they that will have it generally to be taken for indifferent, for that a very few take no hurt of it, though infinite multitudes beside perish thereby:

Howe thynke you woulde that Godly Prince (if he were nowe liuing) handle our Idolles, set vp agaynst Gods commaundement directly, and being figures of nothing but folly, and for fooles to gase on, till they become as wyse as the blockes them selues whiche they stare on, and so fall downe as dared Larkes in that gase, and being them selues alyue, worship a dead stocke or stone, golde or siluer, and so become idolaters, abhominable and cursed before the liuing God, geuing the honour due vnto him whiche made them when they were nothing, and to our Sauiour Christ who