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…

All this notwithstanding, neither could the notableness of the place, being the very beginning of the living Lords Law, make us to mark it, nor the plain declaration by recounting of all kind of similitudes, cause us to understand it, nor the oft repeating and reporting of it in divers and sundry places, the oft reading and hearing of it could cause us to remember it, nor the dread of the horrible penalty to our selves, our children and posterity after us, fear us from transgressing of it, nor the greatness of the reward to us and our children after us, move us any thing to obedience, and the observing of this the Lords great law: But as though it had ben written in some corner, & not at large expressed, but briefly & obscurely touched, as though no penalty to the transgressors, nor reward to the obedient, had ben adjoined unto it, like blind men without all knowledge & understanding, like unreasonable beasts; without dread of punishment or respect or reward, have diminished & dishonoured the high majesty of the living God, by the baseness and vileness of ⟨p. 37⟩sundry & divers images of dead stocks, stones, and metals. And as the majesty of God, whom we have left, forsaken, and dishonoured, and therefore the greatness of our sin and offence against his majesty, can not be expressed: So is the weakness, vileness, and foolishness in ¹device of the images (whereby we have dishonoured him) expressed at large in the scriptures, namely the Psalms, the book of wisdom, the Prophet Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Baruch, specially in these places and Chapters of them. Psalm. Cxv. and. Cxxxiiii. Isaiah. xl. and. xliiii. Ezekiel the. vi. Wisdom. xiii. xiiii. xv. Baruch vi. The which places, as I exhort you often and diligently to read, so are they to long at this present to be rehearsed in an Homily. Notwithstanding, I will make you certain brief or short notes out of them, what they say of these idols or images. First that they be made but of small pieces of wood, stone, or metal, and therefore they can not be any similitudes of the great majesty of God, whose seat is heaven, and the earth his footstool. Secondarily, that they be dead, have eyes and see not, hands and feel not, feet and can not go. &c. and therefore they can not be fit similitudes of the living God.

All this notwithstandyng, neyther coulde the notablenesse of the place, beyng the verye begynnyng of the lyuyng Lordes Lawe, make vs to marke it, nor the playne declaration by recountyng of all kynde of similitudes, cause vs to vnderstand it, nor the oft repeating and reportyng of it in diuers and sundrye places, the oft readyng and hearyng of it coulde cause vs to remember it, nor the dread of the horrible penaltie to our selues, our children and posteritie after vs, feare vs from transgressing of it, nor the greatnesse of the rewarde to vs and our chyldren after vs, moue vs any thing to obedience, and the obseruyng of this the Lordes great lawe: But as though it had ben wrytten in some corner, & not at large expressed, but breefely & obscurely touched, as though no penaltie to the transgressours, nor rewarde to the obedient, had ben adioyned vnto it, like blinde men without all knowledge & vnderstandyng, like vnreasonable beastes; without dread of punishment or respecte or rewarde, haue diminished & dishonoured the high maiestie of the liuing God, by the basenesse and vilenes of