of oxen, and in the sidis of the same ymage he made stories [stories, MS. Sec 1 Kings vii. 24, where Wiclif's version has stories.] in ymagerie in a greet lengthe and heiȝte, as it is open iije. Reg. vije. capitulum. Also in the veil which heng bifore the dore of the temple Salomon made weue ymagis of cherubin, as it is writun ije. Paralipo. iije. capitulum. And for alle these dedis he was weel allowid of God, as it is open ynouȝ iije. Reg. ixe. capitulum. and ije. Paralipo. vije. capitulum. And this myȝte not stonde, if God hadde forbode alle graued ymagis to be had and vsid. Wherfore the dew vndirstonding of thilk text Exodi xxe. capitulum. and Deut. ve. capitulum., Thou schalt not make to thee eny graued thing, that is to seie, eny graued ymage, is not to be vndirstonde so that he weerned eny graued ymagis to be had; and sithen no thingis ben to be had with oute vce of hem, (for thanne thei were had in veyn,) it folewith that thilk same text weerneth not graued ymagis to be vsid.
And ferthermore, if to the peple of Israel it was leeful forto make and rere up an hiȝe a brasen ymage of a serpent, forto biholde it; wondir it were but that it were leeful to Cristen men forto make and rere up an yȝe an ymage of Crist crucified, forto biholde into it; and if it was leeful to the seid oold peple forto haue xij. ymagis of oxen bering vp the brasen see, forto biholde hem, wonder it were whi it schulde be vnleeful to Cristen peple forto haue xij. ymagis of the xij. Apostiles, and forto biholde hem in remembring that the Apostilis were bede go and baptise al the world in water. And therfore the aȝenseiers her of ben to be reiatid and rebukid as nyce, fonned, wilful, wantoun, scisme sowers and dis|turblers of the peple, in mater which thei mowe neuer her entent bringe aboute.
The iije. argument is this: It is writun in the Newe Testament, Matheu xxije. capitulum., whanne the Iewis askiden of Crist "whether it was leeful or no forto
