the pure manhode in him silf with oute more therto sett; so the hethen men worschipiden an ymage and a bodili graued thing for her God, but not the pure bodili graued ymage in him silf with oute more for her God. And so these ij. thingis whiche Scripture seith of ydolatrers stonden to gidere and ben trewe: that alle Goddis of hethen men ben feendis; and also in the cxxxiiije. Psalme, that the Goddis of hethen men ben gold and siluer, the werkis of mennis hondis; euen as Cristen men wolen graunte these ij. thingis stonde to gidere and be to gidere trewe; that God is a Spirit vnbodili; and the same God is a man, and a bodi bigete of a womman, and nurischid of hir, and which was slein, and was mad deede. Thus miche is ynouȝ, as for now and here, forto knowe how ydolatrie came vp.
And that this conceit of ydolatrie is not feyned, it is open. Forwhi ellis Holi Scripture herto bifore alleggid mai not conuenientli and likely be saued, nei|ther the testimonye of Hermes mai ellis weel stonde, neither resoun mai consent how ydolatrie in so wise persoones schulde in other wise bigynne and be doon. Ferthermore, for as myche as the seide hethen men trowiden the seid ymagis to haue be quyke continueli with the seid spiritis whom thei trowiden to haue be Goddis, therfore tho hethen men trowiden tho ymagis to haue alwey herd what men spaken to hem and haue seen what was doon to hem; thouȝ for hiȝ dig|nite thei wolden not at alle tymes ȝeue answeris, nei|ther at alle tymes schewe that thei herden and sawen and myȝten move hem silf, into tyme thei weren myche preied and weel serued and plesid of men. And ȝit al this was vntrewe; for feendis, whiche ben bad spiritis and enemyes to men, entriden at summe whilis tho ymagis, not making tho ymagis to be quyke, neither forto heere or se or speke, neither making oon persoon of the ymage and of the feend
