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…

First, it is alleged by them that maintain images that all laws, prohibitions, and curses, noted by us out of the holy Scripture, & sentences of the Doctors also by us alleged, against images and the worshipping of them, appertain to the idols of the Gentiles or Pagans, as the idol of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, &c. and not to our images of God, of Christ, and his Saints. But it shall be declared both by Gods word, and the sentences of the ancient Doctors, and judgement of the primitive Church, that all images, aswell ours, as the idols of the Gentiles, be forbidden and unlawful, namely in Churches and temples. And first this is to be replied out of Gods word, that the images of God the father, the Son, and the holy ghost, either severally, or the images of the Trinity, which we had in every Church, be by the Scriptures expressly and directly forbidden, and condemned, as appeareth by these places: The Lord spake unto you out of the middle of fire, you heard the voice or sound of his words, but ¹you did see no form or shape at all, least peradventure you being deceived, should make to your self any graven image or likeness, and so forth, as is at large rehearsed in the first part of this treaty against images. And therefore in the old law, the middle of the propitiatory which presented Gods seat, was empty, least any should take occasion to make any similitude or likeness of him. Isaiah, after he hath set forth the incomprehensible majesty of God, he asketh, to whom then will ye make God like? or ⟨p. 85⟩²what similitude will ye set up unto him? Shall the Carver make him a carven image? and shall the Goldsmith cover him with gold, or cast him into a form of silver plates? And for the poor man, shall the image maker frame an image of timber, that he may have somewhat to set up also? And after this he crieth out: O wretches, heard ye never of this? Hath it not ben preached to you since the beginning, how by the creation of the world, and the greatness of the work, they might understand the majesty of God, the Maker and Creator of all, to be greater then that it could be expressed or set forth in any image or bodily similitude? Thus far the Prophet Isaiah, who from the. xliiii. Chapter, to the xlix. entreateth in a manner of no other thing. And. S.

Firste, it is alleaged by them that maynteyne images that all lawes, prohibitions, and curses, noted by vs out of the holy Scripture, & sentences of the Doctours also by vs alleaged, agaynst images and the worshyppyng of them, apparteyne to the idolles of the Gentiles or Pagans, as the idoll of Iupiter, Mars, Mercurie, &c. and not to our images of God, of Christe, and his Saintes. But it shalbe declared both by Gods worde, and the sentences of the auncient Doctours, and iudgement of the primatiue Church, that all images, aswell ours, as the idolles of the Gentiles, be forbidden and vnlawfull, namely in Churches and temples. And fyrste this is to be replyed out of Gods worde, that the images of God the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, eyther seuerally, or the images of the Trinitie, which we had in euery Church, be by the Scriptures expresly and directly forbidden, and condemned, as appeareth by these places: The Lorde spake vnto you out of the middle of fyre, you hearde the voyce or sound of his wordes, but