A book made by a certain great clerk, against the new idol, and old…A boke made by a certayne great clerke, agaynst the newe idole, and olde…

This only is to worship saints duly to the glory & honour of god. For in as much as we are the temples of god, every man ought to submit him self to his neighbour, and to worship god in that temple / to give place unto him / to love him / to deal kindly and lovingly with him / and if he may at any time, to provoke him unto better thin ges. Now these things are not done (I suppose) with shovels or spades covered with silver, nor yet with gilt rakes. And would god those men which do consecrate and canonise Benno with the other saints, would here give ear unto me, & would suffer them selves to be monished with these ⟨image 25⟩words: Tell me who knoweth, whether these things be true or not? Doubtless this thing can not be denied, that all that costly ordinance, and all that expense, and all that labour with the honour and veneration, & briefly what soever such manner thing shall be bestowed in Misnia, is neither so well bestowed nor is so acceptable unto god: as it should be if any man did give unto a poor christen man a diner or a garment. Yea that thing is rather unpleasant unto almighty god & is honouring of the devil: and this thing is spiritually acceptable to god, and hateful to the devil. For god hath commanded this thing, and the other thing he doth not know at all. Howe many thousands of ducats, dost thou suppose or ⟨image 26⟩think, that Benno hath cost, besides that he shall cost in time to come: with which (being cast away every one of them before god, not without his great indignation & anger) so many very saints might have ben holpen and fed / dost thou not suppose, that god with his angels will turn them selves unto that place, where some good man the same day had pity and compassion of some christen man being in necessity or affliction: and will leave Misnia behind their back, where Benno is tour mented and afflicted: I would have said is made a saint? wham shall we ones begin to be wise? Howe often times shall we need to repeat one thing? why dost thou not even by common reason learn, whether it is better to do ⟨image 26⟩alms upon poor saints that are a live: or else upon this, that some man that deed is might be made a saint, which hath no need at all of such humanity & kindness? And if it be better and more profitable: to bestow it upon poor living creatures: