And even as good meat doth not let but that poison is alway poison, and maketh it more hurtful: even so the good and holy words do not let at all, but that God is dishonoured in them, when men do abuse them: Note. for the more holy & blessed that a thing is, so much the more is the abuse thereof detestable in the sight of God, & so much the more is he dishonoured, for so much as his holy name is there the more profaned. By mean whereof so far of is it, that the charms and enchantments be the better because of the names of God and of Jesus Christ, & of the virgin Mary, and of men and women Saints, & of the good words of the holy scriptures that may be in them, that they are in deed so much the more execrable and cursed. For seeing that the thing of it self is evil, it is yet made much worse, when that which should serve to the honour of God, is there applied to his dishonour. Wherefore it is like to blasphemies. For when men do blaspheme God, they do take his name in their mouth:1 but he is more dishonoured by that mean, then though they did wholly abstain from naming him. For they do not use it at all, as they do which take it in their mouth to call upon God and to sanctify him, but do abuse it not only taking it in vain, but also villainously ⟨image 9⟩profaning and polluting the same. Therefore Irenee sayeth,2 that the heretics, and consequently, all those which abuse the holy scriptures, do with them, even as when an excellent workman should make the image of a king very fair and of fine gold, and well furnished with all fortes of precious stones, and there did come an evil workman, which should take the same matter, and should make thereof either a dog or an ape, or some other beast, or some monster. Albeit that it should be always one self matter, very good and very excellent, yet for all that the workmanship should be greatly different, and the matter very evil applied, in as much as by applying thereof they should destroy a good & very fair piece of work, to make one both evil and filthy. And by the same mean a man should do great wrong to the king, in so counterfeiting his image. It is not enough then to take the matter whereof the Prophets & the Apostles have made the work of the Lord, if it be not evenly laid, squared, and wrought as they them selves have done it.3
ANd euen as good meate doth not let but that poyson is alwaye poyson, and maketh it more hurtfull: euen so the good and holy wordes doe not let at all, but that God is dishonoured in thē, when men do abuse thē: Note. for the more holy & blessed that a thing is, so much the more is the abuse thereof detestable in the sight of God, & so much the more is he dishonored, for so much as his holy name is there the more prophaned. By meane whereof so farre of is it, that the charmes and enchantments be the better because of the names of God and of Iesus Christ, & of the virgine Mary, and of men and women Sainctes, & of the good wordes of the holy scriptures that may be in thē, that they are in deede so much the more execrable and cursed. For seeing that the thing of it selfe is euill, it is yet made much worse, when that which should serue to the honor of God, is there applied to his dishonor. Wherefore it is like to blasphemies. For when men do blaspheme God, they do take his name in their mouth:1 but he is more dishonored by yt meane, then though they did wholy abstaine from naming him. For they do not vse it at all, as they do which take it in their mouth to call vpon God and to sanctifie him, but do abuse it not onely taking it in vaine, but also villainously ⟨image 9⟩profaning and polluting the same. Therfore Irenee saieth,2 that the heretiques, and cōsequently, al those which abuse the holy scriptures, do with thē, euen as when an excellēt workman should make the image of a king very faire and of fine golde, and well furnished with all fortes of precious stones, and there did come an euill workeman, which should take the same matter, and should make thereof either a dogge or an ape, or some other beast, or some monster. Albeit that it should be alwayes one selfe matter, very good and very excellent, yet for all that the workemāship should be greatly different, and the matter very euill applied, in as much as by applying thereof they should destroy a good & very faire piece of work, to make one both euil and filthy. And by the same meane a man should do great wrong to the king, in so counterfaiting his image. It is not enough then to take the matter whereof the Prophetes & the Apostles haue made the worke of the Lord, if it be not euenly laide, squared, and wrought as they them selues haue done it.3
- 1Similitude.
- 2•ee, ••e. 1. […] 1.•ee, ••e. 1. 〈…〉 1.
- 3•ee.
