[A treatise declaring and showing that images are not to be suffered in churches]

¶ Besides all this / I say (which is a thing more to be sorrowed for) this vain honouring of images hath engendered such a confidence and trust in a great sort of men / that those works which are in very deed good & godly / laid clean a side: they have taken occasion to live a great deal the more at large and more licentiously / because they are persuaded & in steadfast belief / that with these works they have so gotten the favour of god / that at all other since & vicious living / he doth wink and will not see them / & as though having liberty granted to sin unpunished / they might give themselves at large to all manner vices / even as they list themselves. If this thing were not well enough known ⟨image 10⟩unto all men by experience: we could prove it with such manner examples & proofs / that even he that were blind / should perceive plainly / that there hath not lightly any other more perilous mischief cropen into the church / than this of honouring images.

¶ Besydes all this / I say (which is a thīge more to be sorowed for) this vayne honouryng of images hath engendred such a confydence and trust in a greate sorte of men / that those workes which ar in very dede good & godly / layde clene a syde: they haue taken occasyon to lyue a gret dele the more at large and more lycentiously / bycause they ar perswaded & in stedfast belefe / that with these workes they haue so gotten the fauour of god / that at all other synnes & vyciouse lyuynge / he doth wynke and wyll nat se them / & as though hauynge lybertie graunted to synne vnpunysshed / they might gyue themselues at large to all maner vyces / euen as they lyst thēselues. If this thynge were nat well inough knowen ⟨image 10⟩vnto all men by experyence: we coulde proue it with suche maner examples & proufes / that euen he that were blynde / shuld perceyue playnly / that ther hath nat lyghtely any other more perilouse mischefe cropen into the churche / thā this of honourynge ymages.

¶ Who is he than / that doth not here somewhat smell and perceive the false wily crafts of our old enemy / which hath never ceased to drive the world unto such madness / that putting away the true honour of god / men should receive and embrace this honour / which maketh them to go the clean contrary way from god / deceiving all manner men with the vain appearance & outward sight of images / as though (god wot) men by them were put in remembrance of godly things / when in very deed