THE JMAGE of God , or laie mans boke , in which the right knowledge of God is disclosed , and diuerse doubtes besides the principal matter , made by Roger Hutchinson . 1550.

¶ Newly imprinted at London by Iohn Day , dwelling ouer Aldersgate . Anno do. 1560.

Cum gratia & priuilegio Reginae maiestatis per septennium .

PVblius Scipio ( he that was first surnamed African ) ryght honorable Father was wont to say that he was neuer les idle , then when he was Idle , meaning therby forsomuch as he was a magistrate that he most earnestly thought & mused of common wealth matters , when he semed to others least occupied . A worthy saying for so noble a man , and to be embraced of all rulers , namely in these troubelous dayes , in whiche so manye thinges be disordred , and nede reformacion . So albeit I am no Magistrate as noble Scipio was , bu● a priuate persone , yet I haue thought it my bounden dutie to see suche houres , in whiche I myght haue ben vnoccupied , which some spend in banketting , rioting , and gamning , bestowed neither vnthriftely , ne idelly , but to the profite of the common wealth , to teache the laye people vnderstanding & science to the vttermost extente of my small power .

Vnderstanding is a seede that God soweth in mans soule , and among al his gyftes , knowledge is the chiefest . It ordreth the mynde , gouerneth the body , directeth al our workes and affaires , teaching vs what ought to be done , & what is to be left vndone , without whiche nether a kyng can rule his subiectes , nor the captaine guide his armie , nor a Byshop enstruct his flocke , ne any man of science or craftes man shewe forth and practise his arte or occupation . Nowe if we recount other thynges to be of great price and value , your wysdome knoweth that the knowledge of God surmounteth so farre all other sciences , as God hymselfe excelleth all other creatures . And thesame without denay is most profitable and necessary both vnto kynges , Dukes , Erles , and Lordes , as appereth . Psalm. ii . Deute . xvii . Esay . xlix . where they be named the nourses of Religion , and also vnto gentlemen , marchauntmen yeomen , husbandmen , to al degrees spirituall and temporal . Vaine are all men , Sap. 1● which haue not the knowledge of God , sayth the wyseman : Rom. ● and Paul testifieth that because it semed to them not good to haue the knowledge of god , god gaue them vp into a leude minde to their own heartes lust , and to all vnclennes . For if he be lyght , suche as know not hym , 1 Iohn . ● do stumble in darkenes : if he be the waye , they that be ignoraunt haue loste theyr waye : if he be the truth , Iohn . 14 al suche as haue no acquaintaunce with hym , be blinded & disceiued : if he only be good , Luk. 1● we must borow & craue all good thinges of hym alone : if al science be the lordes , we must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Gods scholers , if he only be almighty , Eccle. 24 all our power strength and habilitie cometh from him : if he be life , the end of such as be ignoraunt , Mark . 10 & wil not seke to know the Lord , shal be eternal death . For our sauiour & mercie stock saieth that this knowledge is eternal lyfe : This is eternal life , to know thee & Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent , 〈◊〉 be the true God . Iohn . 17 But we must fetch the right knowledge and true description of hym out of holy wryte , whiche as the Apostle telleth is profitable to teache , 2 Tim. 3 to controll to amende , and to instructe in all rightuousnes . I haue made this treatise of hym out of the same , and forasmuche as my entent and matter herein is to portray and paint our sauiour Christ , who is the bryghtnes of the euerlastyng lyght , Hebr. 1 Sap. 7 the vndefiled glasse and liuely Image of the diuine maiestie , I doe call it the Image of GOD . Or els because suche thinges be here opened and discouered , which be necessary to be beleued and knowen of the laye and vnlearned people ( I would not haue them vtterly lacke Images ) name it if ye wyl , the laye mans boke , for images wer wont to be named Libri laicorum , the bokes of the laitie . I am not the fyrst that hath painted Christ , Paul painted hym longe sithe to the Galathians , as he wytnesseth : Gala. 3 I haue paynted Iesus Christ before your eyes , and haue cru●●fied him amongst you : and all the other Apostles , Euangelistes , and Prophetes were painters . My mynd is not to portraye any new● , ●●raunge , or vnknowen Image , but to renew , and repayre again the olde Image that Paul made , which hath bene so darkened with gloses , and is so bespotted with coloures of mans witte , so stayned through shamefull couetousnes , libertie , and gredy ambicion , that marueyle it is to se men so vnreuerent towardes the maiestie of God their maker .

Seneca a wise and sage Phylosopher willeth that mete giftes be not vnmeetely geuen to vnmete persons , as armour to women , nettes to studentes , wyues to boyes : and Christ the wysdome of God commaundeth : Geue not that which is holy to dogges , neyther caste ye pearles before swyne , meaning therby , Math. 7 that all kynd of giftes ought to be agreable and answerable to their degrees and vocacions , to whome they are geuen . Nowe what thyng coulde bee deuised more agreable to your graciouse estate , then his Image , whose glory & honour you haue alwayes sought to aduaunce , not without great daunger of your goodes and lyfe , for whiche you are bound to render hym moste harty thankes , that he chose your grace for a bless●● instrumente to sweepe cleane his house and churche , to redresse all abuses , and to restore agayne his fallen and decayed glorye , maugre the head of all ennemies . Therfore I do presente and dedicate this Image honorable father , vnto your grace , bothe for the worthines of the matter ( whiche is incomparable ) for the metenes of your person , for a perpetual monument of my good wyll towardes your Lordship , and also for a testimony , token , and declaration of my zeale and beneuolence to my contrey men . If I shal se it to be profitable to them , I shall be encoraged to take mo fruitfull matters in hande , in whiche I desyre continually to occupy my selfe , but the worlde is so euyll , so vnkynde , so vnthankefull to studentes , that pouertie causeth them to remitte , and slacke their studies , and to seke the worlde to maynteine their necessities . Aboundaunce and wealth dwelleth only with those , whyche haue Gods houses in possession , whiche eate vp hys people lyke bread , and are not content to lyue vpon theyr owne sweate , but doe lyue vpon other mens goods and laboures , vpon the church goodes , which are the pores . I do meane all suche , as in the papistical tyme were wont to lyue of their landes to kepe good hospitalitie , to mainteine scholes , and houses of almes , and nowe they be purchessars , and sellers awaye of the same , vsurers , rent raysers , grasiers , and farme mongers , wherby hospitalitie , tillage , and many good houses be decayed in Englande , and the Realme is vnpeopled , and disfurnyshed . Besydes some be berebrwers , some fermers of benefices , some persons , some vicares , byers of improparations , some deanes of colledges , some prebendaries , and officers also in the kynges house . Agayne priestes , which should be preachers , and distributers of the holy sacramentes , be lawiers , commissaries , chauncellors , officialles , proctors , receiuers , stewards , the office of saluacion is vnregarded through couetousnes . And lawiers whiche be no priests , be parsons , vicars , prebendaries against the ordinaunce of God , of whiche saynt Paule recordeth : Euen so dyd the Lorde ordeine , 1 Cor. ● that they whiche preache the gospel , should lyue of the gospel , and no other , neither kynge , Lorde , Gentleman , ne lawier . And 〈◊〉 this mingle mangle of spirituall , and temporall regiment and offices is suffered , as if ther were nether god , ne magistrate ordeined of god to redresse suche abuses . What marueile is it , if mans ordinaunces and statutes be broken , wher the ordinaunce of God is plainly resisted , and not receiued ?

Other some that pretend they be true preachers of Gods word , and are counted holy and discrete men , reteined the kynges chapleines , and with other lordes both spirituall and temporall , be in deede benefice mongers , prebend mongers , haue many archdeaconships , deanries , and they do not the office of one of their vocations : some once a yere or twise peraduenture , doth preach a sermon before the kyng , or at the spittle , or at Pauls crosse , to delude and paynte the worlde , and to vpholde their good names . But in the countrey where is most nede , and where their liuinges lie , they preach not at all , the most part neuer preache . Idle chaplains many yeres possesse , and withholde wrongfully preachers liuynges . Is not the ordinaunce of god broken here in ? Is not his proclamation disobeyed , whych he procl●●●eth by the mouth of saint Paul : ● Tessa. 3 He who laboreth not , ought not to eate ? Had Eleazar , and Abiather , so many liuinges ? Did Hely , Achimelech and Sadoc , dispend so much of the costs of paryshes , and doe nothyng therfore ? Abiatha● Sodoc . Dyd temporal men amongst the Iewes in the old testament thus lyue of the altare , as they do now of the Gospel ? Loke on their examples , behold the Apostles , behold Timothe and Tite , and if we doe alowe the doctrine of the primatiue and apostolicall churche , The Aap●stles . let vs folow the example of thesame . Behold the elder fathers , Origen , Ciprian , Ambrose , Ierom Austen , Chrisostome , and others , which spent all their liues in preaching Gods worde to the people , as appeareth plaine in their workes , which be ether sermons lessons , homelies to the people , or els disputations , and confutations of heresies in theire tymes . Theyre trade was to preache and expounde the scriptures to the people on the holy daies , The elder fathers were preaching prelates . & on some worke daies , & then thei procured their exposicions and sermons to be written in latin or greke for the erudition of them whiche folowed . Some begin to renewe this trade now in E●gland , I besech almighty God to prosper them . I am sure that the best learned of them , is not able to proue that it ought to be otherwyse , or that the scriptures do alow these pluralities of liuynges , dispensacions , to● quots of promocions , non residences , improperacions , and this mingle mangle . Paul commaundeth euery man to exercise that vocation wherunto he is called . He aloweth euery man one vocation , ● Cor. 7 one office and occupacion , not many , for he sayeth in vocatione , in his vocation , not in his vocations . I hearsay an ecclesiasticall law , which I haue long desired , shall come forth shortly , I trust therfore that al spirituall abuses shal be redressed spedely , without any consideracion of priuat lucre to any man , high or lowe , spiritual or temporal , & according to the counsel of which Dauid speaketh , saying : the word of God is my counseller . Truely onles these thinges be reformed , englyshe seruice , homelies , and the right vse of the sacranētes , do not make vs christen men : We differ from the Turkes , but in outward rites & ceremonies , not in the substaunce of our fayth , whiche is vpryght conuersacion & go●● life . But they which should reforme others , some be entangled with the same vices them selues . Dicing and carding are forbidden , but dycyng and carding houses are vpholden , some in their own houses , & in the kinges maiesties court ( God saue his noble grace , and graunt that vertue and knowledge may mete in his royal hert ) geue ensample to his subiectes to breake his statutes & lawes . Prisons in London , where men lye for dette , be dycing houses , places of correction & punishment , be dennes and scholes of vnthriftines , open drunkerdes haue no punsshment , aduoutrie is recounted but a light matter , chaplains are found of the costes of pore parishes , thorow which disorder many thousands here in england be depriued of the swete milke of Gods word , and lacke teachers to declare them their duties toward God and their kyng . This is not only my lamentation , but the lamenting of all true herted Christians , the voyce of the cominaltie , the decay of the comen welth , and a ioyful hearing , glad & plesaunt newes to our enemies , that gape & looke for the ende of these matters , whiche wyl be destruction and ruine , 〈◊〉 this darnell of couetousnes and lybertie euery man to do what hym lyste , be not weeded out , and Gods wrath pacified by some redresse and amendment . For seing the head is so sycke and disseased , what marueill is it if the body be so froward , so disobedient , & so desperat , If thou wylt heale the body , thou must beginne with the head , for his health cometh thence : I would saye , the next way to make obedient and Godly people , is the godly enample of magistrates . It is wrytten : Secundum iudicem populi sic . &c. Eccle. 10 As the rulers of the people be such are their subiectes . They are named of God the heads of the people , of others the bellies of the common wealth . As the head is troubled when the hand , the leg , yea the litle finger suffereth anguysh , & the belly sendeth sustenaunce to al the partes of the body : so rulers , in that they are called heades & bellies , ar admonished of their office , to regard the nede and oppression of their subiectes , and to care for the whole body of the common wealth , leste if thei tender one part , & oppresse another , it brede and gender diuision , strife , rebellion , & parties , as it hath done . And they li●●wise are admonished to be obedient , tractable and lowly of seruice . Nothing is more sauegarde to a prince , than the loue & hert of his commons and nothing is more daungerous , more slippery , then to be feared , for as father Ennius sayd : quem metuunt , oderunt , Ennius . quem quisque odit , perisse expetit .

Whom men do fear , him do thei hate withal . And whom they hate , they wyshe and seke his fall .

And Iesus the son of Sirach , saith : Eccle. 1● An vnwise prince spoyleth his people . Loke on the ensample of Roboam , and vpon the good counsel that his yonge minions gaue their kyng , I thinke he rewarded them for it afterwarde as desirers of diuision and parties . 3 Reg. 1● They that wyl be feared of many , must nedes be afrayed of many . The glory of a king , is the welfare of his subiectes . It was a mery world ( quod the papist ) before the Bible came forth in englysh , all thinges were good chepe and plentyful . Nay , nay , if these thinges wer reformed , & euery man both spirituall & temporal wer compelled by some lawe & statute to serue but in one vocation , and one office , we shuld haue a golden world England wold become a paradise , God wold blesse vs as he hath promised both heauenly & bodely . The redresse & amendement of enormities in the common weal , must come from the magistrates , not by rebels , for they are powers exalted & ordeined of God for thesame entent , who healeth the body by the pollicie of the head , not of the fete . If not , we shal in stede of the comfortable promises of God be destroied and ouerwhelmed with terrible plagues which he threatneth to the breakers of his lawe , Deut. 28 as dearth , warre , discention , vprores , insurrections , pestilence , straunge disseases . &c. We haue a tast of these curses already , God hath bent his bowe , and let slyp some of his arrowes , ( which be his plagues ) long sith among vs , we may perceiue by that which hath chaunsed , what touch he wyll kepe with vs hereafter , and what is like to folow .

O eternal God spare thy seruauntes , let not the enemies of the truth haue suche cause to reioyse , suffer not hogs , filthy & couetous men to roote and treade down thy vineyard any lenger , but hold vp the staffe of thyne enheritaunce : Let not the preaching of thy smete son encrease the damnacion of thy people , but doe thou drawe and turne them , worke their amendement who holdest in thy handes the hartes of rulers and al men . Al these enormities be the fruites of euil hartes , make them O God cleane hearted , that they may powre forth good fruites by the operation of thy holy spirit , who preserue your grace in good health and make your gouernment prosperous to you , to this Realme , and to the churche of God .

So be it .

At London the .xxvi. of Iune .