IN the xi. he iuggleth wyth thys mi∣sticall terme Latria. I answere God is no vayne name, but signifieth one that is almighty, all mercifull, all true * 1.1 and good, which he that beleueth will goe to God, to hys promises and Te∣stament, and not follow his owne i∣maginations, as M. Mores doctrine teacheth.
He sayth, that bodely seruice is not Latria. No but bodely seruice done & referred vnto hym▪ which is a spirite, is Idololatria.
He trusteth, that men know the I∣mage from the Saint. I aske M. More why God did hide Moses body & di∣uers * 1.2 other. The Iewes would haue knowen yt Moses had not bene God, * 1.3 and that Moses bones had not bene Moses. And they knew that the brasē serpent was not God, and that yt gol∣den * 1.4 calues were not God, & that wod and stone were not God. But Syr there is euer a false imagination by. The world because they can not wor∣ship God in the spirite, to repent of e∣uill and to loue the lawe, and to beleue that he wyll helpe at al neede, therfore runne they vnto their owne imagina∣tions, and thinke that God for such ser¦uice as they do to Images, will fulfill their worldly desires: for godly cā they nought desire. Now God is a spirite and wilbe worshipped in hys woorde * 1.5 onely which is spirituall, and wil haue no bodely seruice. And the ceremonies of the olde law he set vp, to signifie his word onely, and to keepe the people in mynde of hys testament. So that he which obserueth any ceremony of any other purpose is an Idolater, that is, an Image seruer.
And when he sayth, if men aske wo∣men whether it were our Lady of Wal∣singam or Ipswich that was saluted of Ga¦briel, or that stoode by Christ when he hung on the crosse, they wyll say neyther nother. Then I aske hym what mea∣neth it that they say, our Lady of Wal∣singam pray for me, our Lady of Ips∣wich * 1.6 pray for me, our Lady of Wilsdō pray for me, in so much y• some which recken thēselues no small fooles, make them roules of halfe an houre long, to pray after that maner. And they that so pray, thou mayst ••e sure, meane our Lady that stoode by the crosse, and her that was saluted therto.
Then he rehearseth many abuses, and how that womē sing songes of ribau∣dry * 1.7 in processions in cathedral churches, vnto which abhominatiōs yet our ho∣ly church that cānot erre, cōsent wyth full delectatiō. For on the one side they will not amende the abuse. And on the other side they haue hyred M. More to proue with his sophistry that ye things ought not to be put downe.
Then he bringeth in how the wilde * 1.8 Irish and the Welch pray, when they go to steale. And asketh whether, because they abuse prayer, we should put all pray∣ing downe. Nay M. More, it is not like. * 1.9 Prayer is Gods commaundement, & where fayth is, there must prayer nee∣des be & cannot be away. How be it, thynges that are but mens traditions and all indifferent thynges which we may be as well without as wyth, may well be put downe for their dishonou∣ring of God, thorow y• abuse. We haue turned kissing in the Church into the Pax. We haue put downe watching all night in the church on saintes eues, for the abuse. And Ezechias brake the * 1.10 brasen serpēt 4. King. 18. for the abuse. And euen so, such processions and the multitude of ceremonies, and of holy∣dayes to, might as wel be put downe. And the ceremonies that be left would haue their significations put to them, and the people should be taught them.