1Svrely all men are vaine by nature, and are ignorant of God, and could not knowe him that is, by the good things that are seene, neither consider by the workes, the worke master. 2But they thought the fire, or the winde or the swift aire, or the course of the starres, or the raging water, or the lightes of heauen to be gouernours of the world, and gods. 3Though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them gods, yet shoulde they haue knowen, howe much more excellent he is that made them: for the first authour of beautie hath created these things. 4Or if they marueiled at the power, and operation of the, yet should they haue perceiued thereby, howe much he that made these things, is mightier. 5For by the greatnesse of their beautie, and of the creatures, the Creator being compared with them, may be considered. 6But yet ye blame is lesse in these, that seeke God and would finde him, & yet peraduenture doe erre. 7For they goe about by his workes to seeke him, and are perswaded by the sight, because the things are beautifull that are seene. 8Howbeit they are not to be excused. 9For if they can know so much, that they can discerne the worlde, why doe they not rather finde out the Lord thereof? 10But miserable are they, and among the dead is their hope, that call them gods, which are the workes of mens hands, golde, and siluer, & the thing that is inuented by arte, & the similitude of beastes, or any vaine stone that hath bene made by the hand of antiquitie. 11Or as when a carpenter cutteth downe a tree meete for the worke, and pareth off all ye barke thereof cunningly, & by arte maketh a vessell profitable for the vse of life. 12And the things that are cut off from his worke, he bestoweth to dresse his meate to fill himselfe, 13And that which is left of these things, which is profitable for nothing (for it is a crooked piece of wood and full of knobbes) he carueth it diligently at his leasure, and according as he is expert in cunning, he giueth it a proportion, and facioneth it after the similitude of a man, 14Or maketh it like some vile beast, and straketh it ouer with red, and painteth it, and couereth euery spotte that is in it. 15And when he hath made a conuenient tabernacle for it, he setteth it in a wall, and maketh it fast with yron, 16Prouiding so for it, least it fall: for he knoweth that it cannot helpe it selfe, because it is an image, which hath neede of helpe. 17Then he prayeth for his goodes, and for his mariage & for children: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it, that hath no life. 18He calleth on him that is weake for health: he prayeth vnto him that is dead for life: he requireth him of helpe that hath no experience at all. 19And for his iourney, him that is not able to goe, and for gaine, and worke, and successe of his affaires he requireth furtherance of him, that hath no maner of power.