ech wijs man can it recorde to be trewe,) herof it muste nedis folewe that now adaies it is not perel to Cristen men neithir to the Iewis neither to hethen men forto haue and entermete with ymagis of God, as it was in the daies fer bifore going the incarna|cioun of Crist. And the cause herof is now next bifore seid, that the knowing of oon verri God is more substanciali and more sureli and confermedli had now than it was bifore in tho eeldist daies. Neither it is to be drad that eny Cristen men ben priueli ydolatrers bi occasioun of ymagis. And the cause is now bifore seid, which [is] that the feith of oon God is so weel attendid to and so weel confer|med, and doom of resoun longing therto is so miche hiȝed aboue that it was in eeldist daies, that noon such drede is to be had now of ydolatrie as was longe bifore in eeldist daies to be drad. And this is ynouȝ for answere to the xije. argument.
If eny man wole obiecte aȝens my conceit now bifore sett vpon the bigynnyng and cause of idolatrie, and wole allegge aȝens me what is writen in Sa|pience xiiije. capitulum. of the bigynnyng and the cause of ydolatrie thus: Forsothe idolis weren [were, MS. (first hand).] not at the bigynnyng, neither tho schulen be withoute ende. Forwhi the voidnessis of men founden these ydolis into the world, and therfore the eend of tho is founden schort. Forwhi the fadir making sorowe with bitter moorning, made soone to him an ymage of the sone which was rauischid, and biganne to worschipe him now as God, which was deed thanne as man; and he ordeyned holi things and sacrificis among hise seruauntis. Aftirward in the tyme comyng bitwixe, whanne the wickid custom was strong, this errour was kept as a lawe, and ymagis
