bi vce [the vse, MS. (first hand).] of preisyngis and of preiers, and bi vce of worschiping doon bi seable rememoratijf signes. And so what is take in the bigynnyng of the ije. argument for his substance and strengthe is vntrewe, that if bischopis and othere curatis diden her dew diligence in teching her peple, thilk peple schulde haue no nede or profit forto haue and vce ymagis and make pil|grimagis. And therfore the same ije. argument not proueth neither procedith. For euen as a nurisch or a modir is not bounde forto alwey and for euere fede her children and putte meete in her mouthis, but sche muste teche hem that thei fede hem silf, (and in lijk maner doon foulis to her briddis,) so a curat mai not neither ouȝte forto alwey rynge at the eeris of hise suggettis; but he may so bigynne, and after|ward he ouȝte teche hem that thei leerne bi hem silf and practize meenis into leernyng of good lyuyng bi hem silf; and ellis he schal make hem to be euere truauntis in the scole of God, and litil good forto perfitli kunne and litle good forto perfitli wirche.
Answere to the iije. argument schal be this: The ije. premisse of the iije. argument in which it is seid thus, "that ech Cristen man is a perfiter and a fuller and a spedier ymage of Crist than is eny stok or stoon graued," is vntrewe; and therfore the iije. ar|gument bildid ther upon lackith strengthe for to proue his entent. That this now rehercid ije. premysse is vntrewe, y schewe thus: Thre condiciouns muste be had in a thing, that he be a perfit and a ful and a spedy ymage or representer or remembrer of another thing bi wey of ymage being of the same other thing.
Oon condicioun is, that he be lijk myche or sum|what to the othir thing, and the more lijk he be to
