Two days after was I brought again, and set upon a stool before the Inquisitor.
He bade me ask misericordium.
I told him, "I would crave mercy of Jesus Christ who died for my sins. Other misericordium would I crave none!"
Then he commanded me to kneel before the altar.
I said, "I would: but not to pray to any image. For your altar is adorned with many painted images which were fashioned by the hands of sinful men: which have mouths, and speak not; ears, and hear not; noses, and smell not; hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not—which GOD doth not allow at his altar, for he hath utterly condemned them by his Word."
Then he said, I had been wrong[ly] taught. "For," said he, "whosoever shall see these figures in earth may the better remember him in heaven whose likeness it doth represent, who would be a Mediator to GOD for us."
But I replied, That all images were an abomination to the Lord: for he hath condemned them in express words by his own mouth, saying, "Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, &c."
"Yes," said he, "but we have need of a Mediator to make intercession for us: for we are unworthy to pray to GOD ourselves, because we are vile sinners."
I said, "There was no Mediator but Jesus Christ."
Where, after many absurd reasons and vain persuasions, he took a pause.