Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Moreover, Paul the Apostle of Christ, disputing at Athens of true religion, saith: God that made the world, and all that therein is, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing since he himself giveth life and breath to all and every where, and hath made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and also the limits of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might have felt and found him: though he be not far from every one of us. For by him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain of your own Poets have said, For we are also his offspring. For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone graven by Art or mans device. These testimonies are so evident, and do so plainly declare that which I purposed, that I need not for the further exposition of them to say any more. They were great causes therefore that moved S. Augustine precisely to pronounce it to be horrible Sacrilege, for any man to place in the Church the image of God the Father, sitting in a throne with bended hams. Because it is detestable for a man so much as to conceive such a likeness in his mind. His very words I have rehearsed in the eight Sermon of my first Decade, where I had occasion to speak of the right hand of the father, and to teach you what it is to sit at the fathers right hand.

Moreouer, Paule the Apostle of Christ, disputing at Athens of true religiō, saith: God that made the world, and all that therein is, seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with handes, neyther is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing since he himself giueth life and breath to al and euery where, and hath made of one bloud all nations of men, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and also the limites of their habitation, that they shoulde seeke the Lord, if perhaps they might haue fealte and found him: though he be not farre from euery one of vs. For by him we liue, and moue, and haue our being, as certaine of your owne Poets haue sayde, For we are also his ofspring. For as muche then as we are the ofspring of God, we ought not to thinke that the Godheade is like to golde, or siluer, or stone grauen by Arte or mans deuice. These testimonies are so euident, and do so plainely declare that which I purposed, that I neede not for the further exposition of them to say any more. They were great causes therfore that moued S. Augustine prcisely to pronounce it to be horrible Sacrilege, for any man to place in the Church the image of God the Father, sitting in a throne with bended hammes. Bycause it is detestable for a mā so much as to conceiue such a likenesse in his mind. His very wordes I haue rehearsed in the eight Sermon of my first Decade, where I had occasion to speake of the righte hande of the father, and to teache you what it is to sit at the fathers righte hande.