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

But let us here also Athanase / writing in this wise against the gē tills.¹ Let them say (I beseech you) how or after what manner god is known by images: whether is it by the matter & stuff put round about them: or else is it by the shape and fashion brought in to the stuff? If it be for the stuff of the images that he is known / than what needeth any shape or fashion to be brought in by the workman? & why did not god appear as well by all manner of stuff / before that any images were made: sith all things ⟨image 33⟩do witness his glory. But if the shape and fashion brought into the stuff / be the cause of the knowledge of god: what needeth than any painting / or any other stuff at all? and why is not god known rather by the very live creatures / whose shapes or images? for doubtless the glory of god should be more clearly & evidently known / if it were showed by the live creatures both reasonable & unreasonable / than by deed & unmoveable creatures. Therefore when you do grave or paint images / for the entente to have understanding & knowledge of god: forsooth you do an unworthy & an unmeet thing. &c. Now Athanasius would never have purposed in his mind / to write any such manner thing against the gentiles / if he had seen the christen men of his time / entangled and ⟨image 34⟩wrapped in such superstition of images / as we do see a great part of the world to be piteously snarled now in our time: but he would rather have exercised his pen against christen men / if they had ben like our christian men now adays. But nothing letteth / but that we may very accordingly apply the same things against our superstitious christen men: for they pretend the same cause of having images / with which Athanasius rehearseth / that the gentiles were moved / that is to wit / that by images they may be put in remembrance of god: which thing / sith the creatures of god (whether we do consider the stuff or the shape & fashion of them) may do much more strongly (as Athanasius jugeth full well) there is no need that we should run unto the works of men / which do represent ⟨image 34⟩but only I wot not what false image unto us. For whom soever trees / stones / silver / gold / & other stuff / whereof images are made / finally whom the sight of man / to whom god hath given life & reason / can not stir nor put in remembrance of god: surely images shall not stir up that man with any fruit or profit: