The fortresse of fayth defended both by the Scripture, and doctors / gathered by the learned German Bodonius ; and translated out of Latine into English by Edward Crane.

¶Clement in the same place & Booke afore rehersed.

WE honour visible Images as wée should honour God himselfe, which certaynely is false for if truly you wil honour the Image of God, doinge well to man thou shalt honour his Image for in euere man is the Image of God,* 1.1 but the similitude of god is not in euery man: But it is onely in such as haue a lowely spirite and pure minde, therfore if you wil honour the Image of God, the truth is to do well, and vnto man which is created and made to the Image and likenys of God:* 1.2 to geue meate to the hungery, drinke to y^e thirstie, clothes to the naked, harbour to y^e harbourles: & this is only that, that is giuē vnto y^e Lord god. Then what maner of honoring the Lord is this? to runne to Images of stones and stockes? and to vn∣profitable

and dead figures: honoringe, them, and contemning man in whom the verie character & Image of God apeareth in dede: Yea rather be sure hereof that he that doth murther, that doth committe Fornication or adulterie, or doth any o∣ther thing to the hurte and harme of man: In all such thing he doth dishonour the I∣mage of God, for it is great dishonour to God to haue man hurte or harmed: Ther∣fore vnderstand that this is the inwarde perswasion of the Serpent that doth per∣swade you to be godly in honouring these vnsensible and dead stockes: and not to be vngodly in contemning or neglecting our duetie, to the sensible and resonable creature, and very Image of God in dead man.

When you shall passe ouer Iordayne and come into the land of Chanaan & driue away all the inhabiters therof,* 1.3 and breake their titels, and throw downe their Ima∣ges, and leaye wast all their proud and mightie thinges.* 1.4

Who dare then make a God, or fasshi∣on an Image that is profitable for no∣thinge, behold all the fellowship of them must be brought to confusion, and truely

the workemasters of them are men, they shall all be gathered together, they shall stand & tremble & be confounded one with another. &c. Read the Chapiter and sée farther.

Vnhappye are they & among the dead is their hope,* 1.5 that call them Gods which are but the workes of mens handes: Gold siluer, and the thing that is found out by cunning, y^e similitude of beasts, or of any vayne stone that hath bene made by hand of old. Read also the xv. Chapiter, where more at large you shall find this declared.

Notes

• * 1.1

  what is the true I∣mage of God.
• * 1.2

  The hono∣ring of god
• * 1.3

  Nume. 23.
• * 1.4

  Esaie. 6.
• * 1.5

  Wisdo. 13.