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…

Now concerning outrageous decking of images and idols, with painting, gilding, adorning with precious vestures, pearl, and stone, what is it else, but for the further provocation and enticement to spiritual fornication, to deck spiritual harlots most costly and wantonly: which the idolatrious Church understandeth ⟨p. 147⟩well enough. For she being in deed not only an harlot (as the scriptures calleth her) but also a foul, filthy, old, withered harlot (for she is in deed of ancient years) and understanding her lack of natural and true beauty, and great loathsomeness, which of her self she hath, doth (after the custom of such harlots) paint her self, and deck & tire her self with gold, pearl, stone, and all kind of precious jewels, that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them, may please the foolish fantasy of fond lovers, and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her: Who, if they saw her (I will not say naked) but in simple apparel, would abhor her, as the fowlest and filthyest harlot that ever was seen: According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great strumpet of all strumpets, the mother of whoredom, set forth by saint John in his ¹revelation, who by her glory provoked the Princes of the earth to commit whoredom with her. Whereas on the contrary part, the true Church of GOD, as a chaste matron, espoused (as the scripture teacheth) to one husband, our saviour Jesus Christ, whom alone she is content only to please and serve, and looketh not to delight the eyes or phantasies of any other strange lovers, or wooers: is content with her natural ornaments, not doubting, by such sincere simplicity, best to please him, which can well skill of the difference between a painted visage, and true natural beauty. And concerning such glorious gilding ⟨p. 148⟩and decking of images, both Gods word written in the. x. Chapter of the prophet Hierome, ²and saint Hieromes commentaries upon the same, are most worthy to be noted. First, the words of the scriptures be these: The workman with his are he wed the timber out of the wood, with the work of his hands, he decked it with gold and silver, he joined it with nails and pins, and the stroke of an hammer, that it might hold together. They be made smooth as the Palm, and they can not speak: