The Institution of Christian Religion

Of the number of the Fathers were they, of whom the one said, that our God eateth not, nor drinketh, and that therefore he needeth neither cups nor dishes: the other said, that the holy things require not gold, and that those things please not with gold which are not bought with gold. Therefore they pass the bound, which are in the holy things so much delighted with gold, silver, ivory, marble, precious stones and silks, and think that God is not rightly worshipped, unless altogether be dissolutely set out with exquisite gorgeousness, or rather with outrageous excess. A Father was he which said, that he therefore did freely eat flesh on the day in which other abstained, because he was a Christian. Therefore they pass the bounds, when they accurse the soul that tasteth flesh in Lent. Fathers were they, of whom the one said that a Monk which laboureth not with his hands, is judged as evil as a violent taker or (if you will) a robber: the other said, that it is not lawful for monks to live of other mens goods, although they be continually busied in contemplations, in prayers, in study. This bound also they have passed, when they placed the idol and harrell bellies of monks in stews and brothelhowses to be fatted with other means substance. A Father was he, which said that it is a horrible abomination to see any image ⟨image 6⟩painted either of Christ or of any Saint in the temples of Christians. Neither was this pronounced by the mouth of one man alone,¹ abstained from the other: and the other Father stoutly maintaineth, that to the Christian people the blood of the Lord ought not to be denied, for the confession whereof they are commanded to shed their own blood. These bounds also they have taken away, when they have by an inviolable law commanded the self same thing which the one of these Fathers punished with excommunication, and the other reproved with a strong reason. A Father was he, which affirmed it to be rashness to determine any thing of a doubtful matter on the one side or the other without clear and evident witnessings of the Scripture. This bound they forgot, when they stablished so many constitutions, so many canons, so many masterly determinations without any word of God.

Of the number of the Fathers were they, of whome the one sayd, that our God eateth not, nor drinketh, and that therfore he nedeth neither cuppes nor dyshes: the other sayd, that the holy thynges require not golde, and that those thynges please not with golde whiche are not bought with golde. Therefore they passe the bound, which are in the holy thynges so muche delited with golde, syluer, yuory, marble, precious stones and silkes, and thynke that God is not rightly worshypped, vnlesse altogether be dissolutely set out with exquisite gorgeousnesse, or rather with outragious excesse. A Father was he whiche sayde, that he therfore dyd freely eate fleshe on the daye in which other absteined, because he was a Christian. Therfore they passe the boundes, when they accurse the soule that tasteth fleshe in Lent. Fathers were they, of whom the one sayd that a Monke whiche laboureth not with his handes, is iudged as euell as a violent taker or (if you will) a robber: the other sayd, that it is not lawful for monkes to lyue of other mens goodes, although they be continually busied in contemplations, in prayers, in studie. This bounde also they haue passed, when they placed the ydoll and harrell bealies of monkes in stewes and brothelhowses to be fatted with other meanes substance. A Father was he, which said that it is a horrible abhominatiō to se any image