An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief…An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe…

It is a world to see, how well favouredlye and how towardly, touching Religion, these men agree with the Fathers, of whom they use to vaunt that ⟨image 81⟩they be their own good. The old Council Eliberine made a decree, that nothing that is honoured of the people, should be painted in the Churches. The old father Epiphanius saith, it is an horrible wickedness, and a sin not to be suffered for any man, to set up any picture in the Churches of the Christians, yea though it were the picture of Christ himself. Yet these men store all their temples and each corner of them with painted and carved images, as though without them, religion were nothing worth.

It is a worlde to see, how wel fauouredlye and howe towardlye, touchinge Religion, these men agree with the Fathers, of whom they vse to vaunte that ⟨image 81⟩they be their own good. The old Councel Eliberine made a decree, that nothing that is honored of the people, shoulde be painted in the Churches. The olde father Epiphanius saith, it is an horrible wickednes, and a sinne not to be suffered for any man, to set vp any picture in the Churches of the Christians, yea though it were the picture of Christe himselfe. Yet these menne store all their temples and eche corner of them with paynted and carued ymages, as though without them, religion were nothinge worth.

The old fathers Origene and Chrysostom exhort the people to read the scriptures,¹ to buy them books, to reason at home betwixt themselves of divine matters:² wives with their husbands, and parents with their children: These men condemn the scriptures as dead elements and as much as ever they may bar the people from them.³