tho han mouth and schulen not speke, et cætera. Thei that maken hem be maad lijk to hem, and alle that trusten in hem. The hous of Israel hopid in the Lord, he is the helper of hem and the defender of hem. Wherfore as weel or miche rather Cristen men ouȝten be waar forto entirmete with like ymagis, lest that thei falle into lijk defaut; for wher yn oon myȝti man stumblith, there an other myȝti man ouȝte drede [ouȝte to drede, MS. (first hand).] lest he also stumble. And ellis Cristen men putten hem silf into perel of breking Goddis lawe, [breking of Goddis lawe, MS. (first hand).] which is a trespace in it silf, ȝhe, and ferther sithen so wise and so myȝti men in discrecioun fillen into ydolatrie bi occasioun of entermeting with ymagis, it is likeli that also manye Cristen men and wommen fallen into ydolatrie bi her vce of ymagis, thouȝ it be not knowe openli.
x. CHAPITER.
THE xiije. argument is this: To what euer thing men preien deuoutli that it saue hem, or to do hem what thei knowen weel no persoon may do to hem saue God, the same thing thei taken for her God. But so it is, that to the crosse, which is a creature, men (both preestis and othere lay men) preien de|uoutli, that he schulde saue hem and kepe hem and make Crist plesid with hem which henge in him, and forto do what mannis power sufficith not forto do to hem. Wherfore alle tho men in thilk while taken a creature to be her God.
The ije. premisse of this argument is open bi what is red and sungun in the ympne Vexilla Regis pro|deunt
