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diff --git a/38334.txt b/38334.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..09b533c --- /dev/null +++ b/38334.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19985 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church, by Ælfric + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church + Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of Ælfric, + in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. + Volume I. + +Author: Ælfric + +Translator: Benjamin Thorpe + +Release Date: December 18, 2011 [EBook #38334] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOMILIES *** + + + + +Produced by Julie Barkley, Keith Edkins and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they +are listed at the end of the text. + + * * * * * + + +In this edition accented letters are denoted as ['a] etc. Aesc, eth and +thorn have been expanded to ae, dh and th. The equals signs, eg S[=CI], +denote scribal abbreviations by overlining (for SANCTI in this case). + + * * * * * + + +Page numbers enclosed by curly braces (example: {25}) have been +incorporated to facilitate the use of the Table of Contents. + + * * * * * + + +THE HOMILIES OF + +THE ANGLO-SAXON CHURCH. + + * * * * * + +THE FIRST PART, + +CONTAINING + +THE SERMONES CATHOLICI, + +OR + +HOMILIES OF AELFRIC. + +IN THE ORIGINAL ANGLO-SAXON, WITH AN +ENGLISH VERSION. + +VOL. I. + +BY BENJAMIN THORPE, F.S.A. + +[Illustration] + +LONDON: + +PRINTED FOR THE AELFRIC SOCIETY. + +MDCCCXLIV. + + * * * * * + +PRINTED BY +RICHARD AND JOHN E. TAYLOR, +RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. + +[Illustration] + + * * * * * + + +{v} + +PREFACE. + + * * * * * + +The work now presented to the Members of the Aelfric Society, the first +fruit of its praiseworthy attempt to rescue from oblivion the literary +remains of our forefathers, was selected for the earliest publication of +the Society, on account both of its valuable matter and the beautiful +medium by which it is conveyed. + +Of the author of the SERMONES CATHOLICI we know nothing with certainty +beyond his name, though from the words of his own preface, where he speaks +of king Aethelred's days as past, and informs us that in those days he was +only a monk and mass-priest, it follows that he was not Aelfric archbishop +of Canterbury, who died in the year 1006, or ten years before the death of +king Aethelred. + +With better foundation we may assume him to have been Aelfric archbishop of +York, who presided over that see from the year 1023 to 1051[1]. Against +this supposition there seems no objection on the score of dates, and that +the composer of the 'Sermones' was a person of eminence during the life of +archbishop {vi} Wulfstan, of whom, according to our hypothesis, he was the +immediate successor, is evident from the language of his Canons, and of his +Pastoral Epistle to Wulfstan, in which he speaks as one having authority; +though in the first-mentioned of these productions he styles himself simply +"humilis frater," and in the other "Aelfricus abbas[2]," and afterwards +"biscop." + +Of Aelfric's part in these Homilies, whether, as it would seem from his +preface, it was that of a mere translator from the several works he therein +names[3], or whether he drew aught from his own stores, my pursuits do not +enable me to speak, though it seems that no one of his homilies is, +generally speaking, a mere translation from any one given Latin original, +but rather a compilation from several. Be this, however, as it may, his +sermons in either case equally exhibit what were the doctrines of the +Anglo-Saxon church at the period in which they were compiled or translated, +and are for the most part valuable in matter, and expressed in language +which may be pronounced a pure specimen of our noble, old, Germanic +mother-tongue. Of those doctrines it would not be consistent with the +object of the Society, nor am I qualified to hazard an opinion: my labour +has, {vii} consequently, been limited to that of a faithful transcription +of what I believe to be the most complete manuscript, and to a +conscientiously correct translation of that transcript, as literal as my +acquaintance with the language and my notions of good taste permitted[4]; +and I venture to hope that such a translation, though unattended by a +commentary, will be regarded with interest by the members of each of the +great communities into which the Christian world is divided. + +Besides the Homilies, the chief works attributed to our Aelfric are,-- + + I. A Grammar of the Latin tongue, printed at the end of Somner's + Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, with a Glossary of Anglo-Saxon words[5]. + + II. A short astronomical treatise, entitled De Temporibus Anni[6]. + + III. An abridgment in Anglo-Saxon of the {viii} Pentateuch, the book of + Joshua, and the book of Judges, printed by Thwaites[7]. + + IV. A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments[8]. + + V. Excerpta ex Libro Aethelwoldi de Consuetudine Monachorum[9]. + + VI. A Latin Dialogue, with an interlinear Anglo-Saxon gloss[10]. + + VII. Ecclesiastical Canons, addressed to Wulsine, bishop of Sherborne. + + VIII. A Pastoral Epistle, written by command of archbishop Wulfstan. + + IX. An Epistle entitled "Quando dividis Chrisma[11]." + + {ix} X. A Collection of Homilies on the Saints' days observed by the + Anglo-Saxon Church. + +Though the present is the first edition of these most ancient sermons in +any of the Germanic tongues, it may be interesting to some readers to be +informed that two attempts at publishing them were made in the early part +of the last century by Mrs. Elizabeth Elstob, which failed through want of +encouragement, a few leaves only having been printed[12]. + +In assigning to Aelfric, archbishop of York, the honour of being the author +of the Homilies and other works enumerated above, it would have been +gratifying to add, that the character of that prelate given by the +chroniclers was beyond a doubt all that could be desired, and such as to +render it highly probable that to him we are indebted for those noble and +holy labours. Unfortunately the case is otherwise, the few facts recorded +of Aelfric of York being for the most part quite irreconcileable with the +portrait of the pious student which our imagination spontaneously draws, on +calling to mind the exertions in the cause of religion and learning +attributed to our Aelfric. Of the archbishop, Malmesbury speaks in terms of +{x} no ordinary severity, asserting, that at his instigation Hardacnut +caused the corpse of his brother Harald Harefoot to be taken from the grave +and decapitated, and afterwards thrown into the Thames; also, that being +exasperated against the people of Worcester, who had rejected him for their +bishop, he again instigated the same king to burn their city and confiscate +their property, under the pretext of their having resisted the royal +tax-gatherers[13]. The better testimony of Florence of Worcester, with +regard to the first of these transactions, is, however, less prejudicial to +the character of Aelfric: he says merely, that Aelfric, archbishop of York, +with others was sent to London by the king for the purpose of digging up +the body of Harald and casting it into a fen[14]. Of the second transaction +Florence makes no mention. But the earliest account is that in the Saxon +Chronicle[15], and in this it is simply said, that "he (Harthacnut) caused +the dead body of Harald to be taken up, and had it cast into a fen:" to +Aelfric and the others there is no allusion whatever. In the same record +his death is mentioned in the following terms of respect: "This year (1052) +died Aelfric, archbishop of York, a very venerable and wise man." It is +also stated that he was the accuser of earl Godwine, of the earl of Kent, +and of Living, bishop of Worcester, as the murderers of the young Aelfred, +the son of Aethelred[16]. + +The manuscript from which the text of the present volume is taken belongs +to the Public Library at {xi} Cambridge. It is a small folio and probably +coeval with its author, though hardly, as it has been supposed, his own +autograph copy[17]. It is not perfect, having suffered mutilation in +several places, but its defects are all supplied in the present work from +another MS. in the British Museum[18]. For the most liberal use of the +Cambridge manuscript, I beg leave, on the part of the Aelfric Society, to +express the sincerest thanks to the SYNDICS OF THAT UNIVERSITY. + +To W. E. BUCKLEY, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose College, and Professor of +Anglo-Saxon in the University of Oxford, I return my sincere thanks for his +kindness in removing my doubts of the integrity of the text by collation +with the Bodleian manuscript; also to my greatly respected friend, the +REVEREND DANIEL ROCK, D.D., I acknowledge myself much indebted for the kind +promptness with which he at all times satisfied my inquiries respecting the +ancient observances of the Church, as well as other points of doubt, which +his deep knowledge of ecclesiastical antiquities so well qualifies him to +solve. + +The second volume, containing Homilies for another year, is in preparation, +and will, it is hoped, be laid before the Members of the Society in the +course of the year 1845. + + B. T. + +Notes to Introduction + +[1] See also H. Whartoni Anglia Sacra, t. i. p. 125. + +[2] He was abbot of Eynsham. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 482, _n._ ++ + +[3] Among his sources he mentions Smaragdus and Haymo: of these the former +was abbot of St. Mihiel, a monastery in the diocese of Verdun, in the +eighth century. He wrote commentaries on the Scriptures, Sermons, etc. +Haymo was bishop of Halberstadt, about the middle of the ninth century: he +compiled, from the works of the fathers, commentaries on almost every part +of the Scriptures. There was also a Haymo of Canterbury, who wrote +commentaries on the Pentateuch, Isaiah, etc., of whom see Biogr. Britan. +Lit. vol. i. p. 510. The other sources mentioned by Aelfric are too well +known to need further notice. + +[4] It is right to observe, that in the MS. the texts taken from the +Gospels are frequently of very great length; these I have ventured to +abridge, presuming that all readers of the Homilies have a copy of the N. +T. either in Anglo-Saxon or English. + +[5] Aelfrici Abbatis Grammatica Latino-Saxonica, cum Glossario suo ejusdem +generis. Folio. Oxon. 1659. That the author of the Grammar, the compiler of +the Homilies and the translator of the Heptateuch was the same individual, +is evident from the prefaces to those works. + +[6] Published at the expense of the Historical Society of Science, in a +volume entitled 'Popular Treatises on Science written during the Middle +Ages,' edited by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., etc. etc. 8vo. 1841. +That this work is by our Aelfric is evident from his own words immediately +following his last homily: Her aefter fyligdh ['a]n lytel cwyde be +gearlicum tidum, thaet nis to spelle geteald, ac elles to raedenne tham dhe +hit licadh.--_Hereafter follows a little discourse concerning yearly tides, +which is not reckoned as a sermon, but is else to be read by those whom it +pleases._ MS. Cantab. p. 492. + +[7] Heptateuchus, Liber Job, et Evangelium Nicodemi; Anglo-Saxonice. +Historiae Judith Fragmentum; Dano-Saxonice. Edidit, etc. Edwardus Thwaites. +Oxon. 8vo. 1699. + +[8] A Saxon Treatise concerning the Old and New Testament, written about +the time of king Edgar by Aelfricus Abbas, etc., by William L'Isle of +Wilburgham, Esquier for the King's bodie, etc. 4to. Lond. 1623. + +[9] An edition of the Anglo-Saxon text of this work, with a translation by +W. E. Buckley, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose Coll. and Prof. of A.-S. in the +Univ. of Oxf., is announced for early publication by the Aelfric Society. +The ealdorman Aethelweard, son of Aethelmaer, mentioned in the preface to +the Homilies and other works of Aelfric, is without doubt the chronicler of +that name, concerning whom see Literary Introd. to Lappenberg's 'History of +England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings,' p. xlv. + +[10] According to the Oxford MS. of this Colloquium, it was originally +composed by Aelfric (of Canterbury or York?) and enlarged by his pupil +Aelfric Bata. It is printed in the 'Analecta Anglo-Saxonica.' For more +ample information concerning the Aelfrics the reader is referred to Mr. +Wright's interesting and useful publication, 'Biographia Britannica +Literaria; Anglo-Saxon Period,' edited for the Royal Society of Literature. + +[11] The three last-mentioned works are printed, with a translation, in the +'Ancient Laws and Institutes of England.' It appears from a note at the end +of Matthew in the C.C.C.C. MS. of the Saxon Gospels, that an Aelfric was +either the translator or copier of the Gospel of St. Matthew, if not of the +four Gospels. See Notes to my edition of the Anglo-Saxon Gospels. + +[12] Elfrici Homiliae, edit. El. Elstob. (fol. Oxon. 1715.) Of this first +attempt only thirty-six pages were printed. Her second attempt was under +the title, "The English-Saxon Homilies of Aelfric, Archb. of Cant., who +flourished in the latter end of the tenth century and the beginning of the +eleventh. Being a course of Sermons collected out of the writings of the +ancient Latin Fathers, containing the Doctrines, etc. of the Church of +England before the Norman Conquest, etc. etc. Now first printed, and +translated into the language of the present times by Eliz. Elstob. fol. +Oxon. 1715." Of this only two leaves were printed. A copy of both is in the +Brit. Mus. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 493. Mrs. Elstob also published +Aelfric's Homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory, with a translation. 8vo. +1709. Reprinted with some account of Mrs. Elstob in 1839. + +[13] De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum, lib. iii. + +[14] Fl. Wigorn. Chron. ad a. 1040. + +[15] Ad ann. 1046. + +[16] R. Wendover, t. i. p. 478. + +[17] The handwriting, though very nearly alike, is not the same in the two +parts of the MS.; they also occasionally differ in orthography, +'middangeard,' for instance, in the first part being in the second +constantly written 'middaneard.' + +[18] MS. Reg. 7. c. xii. + + * * * * * + + +{xii} + +SERMONUM RUBRICAE QUI IN HOC VOLUMINE CONTINENTUR. + + Page + Praefatio ............................................ 1 + Praefatio, Saxonice .................................. 2 + I. De Initio Creaturae .................................. 8 + II. De Natale Domini ..................................... 28 + III. Passio Beati Stephani Protomartyris .................. 44 + IV. Assumptio S. Johannis Apostoli ....................... 58 + V. Natale Innocentium Infantum .......................... 76 + VI. Octabas et Circumcisio Domini ........................ 90 + VII. Epiphania Domini ..................................... 104 + VIII. Dom. III. post Epiphania Domini ...................... 120 + IX. In Purificatione S. Mariae ........................... 134 + X. Dominica in Quinquagesima ............................ 152 + XI. Dominica Prima in Quadragesima ....................... 166 + XII. Dominica in Media Quadragesima ....................... 180 + XIII. Annunciatio S. Mariae ................................ 192 + XIV. In Dominica Palmarum ................................. 206 + XV. Dominica S. Pascae ................................... 220 + XVI. Dominica Prima post Pasca ............................ 230 + XVII. Dominica Secunda post Pasca .......................... 238 + XVIII. In Litania Majore .................................... 244 + XIX. De Dominica Oratione ................................. 258 + XX. De Fide Catholica .................................... 274 + XXI. In Ascensione Domini ................................. 294 + XXII. In Die Sancto Pentecostes ............................ 310 + XXIII. Dominica Secunda post Pentecosten .................... 328 + XXIV. Dominica Quarta post Pentecosten ..................... 338 + XXV. Nativitas S. Johannis Baptistae ...................... 350 + {xiv} + XXVI. Passio Apostolorum Petri et Pauli .................... 364 + XXVII. Natale S. Pauli Apostoli ............................. 384 + XXVIII. Dominica XI. post Pentecosten ........................ 402 + XXIX. Passio Beati Laurentii Martyris ...................... 416 + XXX. De Assumptione Beatae Mariae ......................... 436 + XXXI. Passio S. Bartholomaei Apostoli ...................... 454 + XXXII. Decollatio S. Johannis Baptistae ..................... 476 + XXXIII. Dominica XVII. post Pentecosten ...................... 490 + XXXIV. Dedicatio Ecclesiae S. Michaelis ..................... 502 + XXXV. Dominica XXI. post Pentecosten ....................... 520 + XXXVI. Natale Omnium Sanctorum .............................. 538 + XXXVII. Natale S. Clementis Martyris ......................... 556 + XXXVIII. Natale S. Andreae Apostoli ........................... 576 + XXXIX. Dominica Prima in Adventum Domini .................... 600 + XL. Dominica II. in Adventum Domini ...................... 608 + Notes ................................................ 621 + + +CONTENTS. + + Page + Praefatio .............................................. 1 + Preface ................................................ 3 + I. On the Beginning of Creation ........................... 9 + II. On the Nativity of our Lord ............................ 29 + III. The Passion of the Blessed Stephen Protomartyr ......... 45 + IV. The Assumption of St. John the Apostle ................. 59 + V. The Nativity of the Innocents .......................... 77 + VI. The Octaves and Circumcision of our Lord ............... 91 + VII. The Epiphany of the Lord ............................... 105 + VIII. The Third Sunday after the Lord's Epiphany ............. 121 + IX. On the Purification of St. Mary ........................ 135 + X. Shrove Sunday .......................................... 153 + XI. The First Sunday in Lent ............................... 167 + XII. Midlent Sunday ......................................... 181 + XIII. The Annunciation of St. Mary ........................... 193 + XIV. For Palm Sunday ........................................ 207 + XV. Easter Sunday .......................................... 221 + XVI. The First Sunday after Easter .......................... 231 + XVII. The Second Sunday after Easter ......................... 239 + XVIII. On the Greater Litany .................................. 245 + XIX. On the Lord's Prayer ................................... 259 + XX. Of the Catholic Faith .................................. 275 + XXI. On the Lord's Ascension ................................ 295 + XXII. On the Holy Day of Pentecost ........................... 311 + XXIII. The Second Sunday after Pentecost ...................... 329 + XXIV. The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost ...................... 339 + XXV. The Nativity of St. John the Baptist ................... 351 + {xv} + XXVI. The Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul ............. 365 + XXVII. The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle ................... 385 + XXVIII. The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost .................... 403 + XXIX. The Passion of the Blessed Martyr Lawrence ............. 417 + XXX. On the Assumption of the Blessed Mary .................. 437 + XXXI. The Passion of St. Bartholomew the Apostle ............. 455 + XXXII. The Decollation of St. John the Baptist ................ 477 + XXXIII. The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost ................. 491 + XXXIV. Dedication of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel .. 503 + XXXV. The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost ................ 521 + XXXVI. The Nativity of All Saints ............................. 539 + XXXVII. The Nativity of St. Clement the Martyr ................. 557 + XXXVIII. The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle ................. 577 + XXXIX. The First Sunday in the Lord's Advent .................. 601 + XL. The Second Sunday in the Lord's Advent ................. 609 + Notes .................................................. 621 + + * * * * * + +ERRATA. + + p. 3. l. 15. _For_ Aethelmaere _read_ Aethelmaer. + p. 6. l. 2. _For_ ormatan _read_ ormaetan. + + * * * * * + +{1} + +INCIPIT PRAEFATIO HUJUS LIBRI. + + * * * * * + +IN NOMINE DOMINI. + +Ego Aelfricus, alumnus Adelwoldi, benevoli et venerabilis Presulis, salutem +exopto Domno Archiepiscopo Sigerico in Domino. Licet temere vel +presumptuose, tamen transtulimus hunc codicem ex libris Latinorum, scilicet +Sancte Scripture in nostram consuetam sermocinationem, ob aedificationem +simplicium, qui hanc norunt tantummodo locutionem, sive legendo sive +audiendo; ideoque nec obscura posuimus verba, sed simplicem Anglicam, quo +facilius possit ad cor pervenire legentium vel audientium, ad utilitatem +animarum suarum, quia alia lingua nesciunt erudiri, quam in qua nati sunt. +Nec ubique transtulimus verbum ex verbo, sed sensum ex sensu, cavendo tamen +diligentissime deceptivos errores, ne inveniremur aliqua haeresi seducti +seu fallacia fuscati. Hos namque auctores in hac explanatione sumus +sequuti, videlicet Augustinum Hipponensem, Hieronimum, Bedam, Gregorium, +Smaragdum, et aliquando Haymonem; horum denique auctoritas ab omnibus +catholicis libentissime suscipitur. Nec solum Evangeliorum tractatus in +isto libello exposuimus, verum etiam Sanctorum passiones vel vitas, ad +utilitatem idiotarum istius gentis. Quadraginta sententias in isto libro +posuimus, credentes hoc sufficere posse per annum fidelibus, si integre eis +a ministris Dei recitentur in ecclesia. Alterum vero librum modo dictando +habemus in manibus, qui illos tractatus vel passiones continet quos iste +omisit; nec tamen omnia Evangelia tangimus per circulum anni, sed illa +tantummodo quibus speramus sufficere posse simplicibus ad {2} animarum +emendationem, quia seculares omnia nequeunt capere, quamvis ex ore doctorum +audiant. Duos libros in ista translatione facimus, persuadentes ut legatur +unus per annum in ecclesia Dei, et alter anno sequenti, ut non fiat tedium +auscultantibus; tamen damus licentiam, si alicui melius placet, ad unum +librum ambos ordinare. Ergo si alicui displicit, primum in interpretatione, +quod non semper verbum ex verbo, aut quod breviorem explicationem quam +tractatus auctorum habent, sive quod non per ordinem ecclesiastici ritus +omnia Evangelia tractando percurrimus; {3} condat sibi altiore +interpretatione librum, quomodo intellectui ejus placet: tantum obsecro, ne +pervertat nostram interpretationem, quam speramus ex Dei gratia, non causa +jactantiae, nos studiose secuti valuimus interpretari. Precor modo obnixe +almitatem tuam, mitissime Pater SIGERICE, ut digneris corrigere per tuam +industriam, si aliquos nevos malignae haeresis, aut nebulosae fallaciae in +nostra interpretatione repperies: et adscribatur dehinc hic codicillus tuae +auctoritati, non utilitati nostrae despicabilis personae. Vale in Deo +Omnipotenti jugiter. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +PRAEFATIO. + +Ic Aelfric munuc and maessepreost, swa theah waccre thonne swilcum hadum +gebyrige, weardh asend on Aethelredes daege cyninges fram Aelfeage biscope, +Adhelwoldes aeftergengan, to sumum mynstre the is Cernel gehaten, thurh +Aedhelmaeres bene dhaes thegenes, his gebyrd and goodnys sind gehwaer +cuthe. Tha bearn me on mode, ic truwige thurh Godes gife, thaet ic dhas boc +of Ledenum gereorde to Engliscre spraece awende; na thurh gebylde mycelre +lare, ac forthan the ic geseah and gehyrde mycel gedwyld on manegum +Engliscum bocum, the ungelaerede menn thurh heora bilewitnysse to micclum +wisdome tealdon; and me ofhreow thaet h['i] ne cuthon ne naefdon tha +godspellican lare on heora gewritum, buton tham mannum anum dhe thaet Leden +cudhon, and buton tham bocum dhe Aelfred cyning snoterlice awende of Ledene +on Englisc, tha synd to haebbene. For thisum antimbre ic gedyrstlaehte, on +Gode truwiende, thaet ic dhas gesetnysse undergann, and eac fordham the +menn behofiadh godre lare swidhost on thisum timan the is geendung thyssere +worulde, and beodh fela frecednyssa on mancynne aerdhan the se ende becume, +swa swa ure Drihten on his godspelle cwaedh to his leorning-cnihtum, +"Dhonne beodh swilce {4} gedreccednyssa swilce naeron naefre aer fram +frymdhe middangeardes. Manega lease Cristas cumadh on minum naman, +cwedhende, 'Ic eom Crist,' and wyrcadh fela tacna and wundra, to bepaecenne +mancynn, and eac swylce tha gecorenan men, gif hit gewurthan maeg: and +butan se Aelmihtiga God dha dagas gescyrte, eall mennisc forwurde; ac for +his gecorenum he gescyrte tha dagas." Gehw['a] maeg the eadhelicor dha +toweardan costnunge acuman, dhurh Godes fultum, gif h['e] bidh thurh +boclice lare getrymmed; fordhan dhe tha beodh gehealdene the odh ende on +geleafan thurhwuniadh. Fela gedreccednyssa and earfodhnysse becumadh on +thissere worulde ['ae]r hire geendunge, and tha synd dha bydelas thaes ecan +forwyrdes on yfelum mannum, the for heora m['a]ndaedum sidhdhan ecelice +throwiadh on dhaere sweartan helle. Thonne cymdh se Antecrist, se bidh +mennisc mann and sodh deofol, swa swa ure Haelend is sodhlice mann and God +on anum hade. And se gesewenlica deofol thonne wyrcdh ungerima wundra, and +cwydh thaet he sylf God beo, and wile neadian mancynn to his gedwylde; ac +his tima ne bidh na langsum; forthan the Godes grama hine fordedh, and +theos weoruld bidh sidhdhan geendod. Crist ure Drihten gehaelde untrume and +adlige, and thes deofol the is gehaten Antecrist, thaet is gereht, dhwyrlic +Crist, aleuadh and geuntrumadh dha halan, and naenne ne gehaeldh fram +untrumnyssum, buton tham anum the he sylf aer awyrde. He and his gingran +awyrdadh manna lichaman digellice thurh deofles craeft, and gehaeladh h['i] +openlice on manna gesihthe; ac h['e] ne maeg naenne gehaelan the God sylf +aer geuntrumode. He neadadh thurh yfelnysse thaet men sceolon bugan fram +heora Scyppendes geleafan to his leasungum, sedhe is ord aelcere leasunge +and yfelnysse. Se Aelmihtiga God gedhafadh tham arleasan Antecriste to +wyrcenne t['a]cna, and wundra, and ehtnysse, to feorthan healfan geare; +forthan dhe on dham timan bidh swa micel yfelnyss and thwyrnys betwux +mancynne thaet h['i] wel wyrdhe beodh thaere deoflican ehtnysse, to ecum +forwyrde tham dhe him onbugadh, and to ecere myrhdhe dham the him thurh +geleafan widhcwedhadh. God {6} gedhafadh eac thaet his gecorenan thegenas +beon aclaensade fram eallum synnum thurh dha ormaetan ehtnyssa, swa swa +gold bidh on fyre afandod. Tha ofslihdh se deofol dhe him widhstandadh, and +h['i] thonne faradh mid halgum martyrdome to heofenan rice. Tha dhe his +leasungum gelyfadh, tham h['e] aradh, and h['i] habbadh sydhdhan tha ecan +susle to edleane heora gedwyldes. Se arleasa dedh thaet fyr cymdh ufan +swilce of heofonum on manna gesihdhe, swilce h['e] God Aelmihtig sy, dhe ah +geweald heofenas and eorthan. Ac tha cristenan sceolon beon thonne +gemyndige hu se deofol dyde tha dha he baed aet Gode thaet he moste fandian +Iobes. He gemacode dha thaet fyr come ufan swilce of heofenum, and +forbaernde ealle his scep ['u]t on felda, and tha hyrdas samod, buton anum +the hit him cydhan sceolde. Ne sende se deofol dha fyr of heofenum, theah +dhe hit ufan come; fordhan the he sylf naes on heofonum, sydhdhan he for +his modignysse of-aworpen waes. Ne eac se waelhreowa Antecrist naefdh tha +mihte thaet he heofenlic fyr asendan maege, dheah the h['e] thurh deofles +craeft hit swa gehiwige. Bidh nu w['i]slicor thaet gehwa dhis wite and +cunne his geleafan, weald hwa dha micclan yrmdhe gebidan sceole. Ure +Drihten bebead his discipulum thaet h['i] sceoldon laeran and taecan eallum +theodum dha dhing the he sylf him taehte; ac thaera is nu to lyt dhe wile +wel taecan and wel bysnian. Se ylca Drihten clypode thurh his witegan +Ezechiel, "Gif thu ne gestentst thone unrihtwisan, and hine ne manast, +thaet h['e] fram his arleasnysse gecyrre and lybbe, thonne swelt se arleasa +on his unrihtwisnysse, and ic wille ofgan aet dhe his blod," thaet is his +lyre. "Gif dhu dhonne thone arleasan gewarnast, and he nele fram his +arleasnysse gecyrran, thu alysdest thine sawle mid thaere mynegunge, and se +arleasa swylt on his unrihtwisnysse." Eft cwaedh se Aelmihtiga to tham +witegan Isaiam, "Clypa and ne geswic dhu, ahefe thine stemne swa swa byme, +and cydh minum folce heora leahtras, and Iacobes hirede heora synna." For +swylcum bebodum weardh me gedhuht thaet ic naere unscyldig widh God, gif ic +nolde odhrum mannum cydhan, odhdhe thurh {8} tungan odhdhe thurh gewritu, +tha godspellican sothfaestnysse the he sylf gecwaedh, and eft halgum +lareowum onwreah. For wel fela ic wat on thisum earde gelaeredran thonne ic +sy, ac God geswuteladh his wundra thurh dhone the he wile. Swa swa +aelmihtig wyrhta, he wyrcdh his weorc thurh his gecorenan, na swylce he +behofige ures fultumes, ac thaet we geearnion thaet ece lif thurh his +weorces fremminge. Paulus se apostol cwaedh, "We sind Godes gefylstan," and +swa dheah ne do we nan thing to Gode, buton Godes fultume. Nu bidde ic and +halsige on Godes naman, gif hwa thas boc awritan wylle, thaet he h['i] +geornlice gerihte be thaere bysene, thylaes the we thurh gymelease writeras +geleahtrode beon. Mycel yfel dedh sedhe leas writ, buton he hit gerihte, +swylce he gebringe tha sodhan lare to leasum gedwylde: forthi sceal gehwa +gerihtlaecan thaet thaet he aer to woge gebigde, gif h['e] on Godes dome +unscyldig beon wile. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum +prediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod Aethelwerdus +dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro. + +PREFACE. + +I Aelfric, monk and mass-priest, although more weakly than for such orders +is fitting, was sent, in king Aethelred's day, from bishop Aelfeah, +Aethelwold's successor, to a minster which is called Cernel, at the prayer +of Aethelmaer the thane, whose birth and goodness are known everywhere. +Then it occurred to my mind, I trust through God's grace, that I would turn +this book from the Latin language into the English tongue; not from +confidence of great learning, but because I have seen and heard of much +error in many English books, which unlearned men, through their simplicity, +have esteemed as great wisdom: and I regretted that they knew not nor had +not the evangelical doctrines among their writings, those men only excepted +who knew Latin, and those books excepted which king Aelfred wisely turned +from Latin into English, which are to be had. For this cause I presumed, +trusting in God, to undertake this task, and also because men have need of +good instruction, especially at this time, which is the ending of this +world, and there will be many calamities among mankind before the end +cometh, according to what our Lord in his gospel said to his disciples, +"Then shall {5} be such tribulations as have never been from the beginning +of the world. Many false Christs shall come in my name, saying, 'I am +Christ,' and shall work many signs and wonders, to deceive mankind; and +also the elect, if it may be. And unless Almighty God shorten those days, +all mankind will perish; but for his elect he will shorten those days." +Everyone may the more easily withstand the future temptation, through God's +support, if he is strengthened by book learning, for they shall be +preserved who continue in faith to the end. Many tribulations and hardships +shall come on this world before its end, and those are the proclaimers of +everlasting perdition to evil men, who afterwards for their crimes suffer +eternally in the swart hell. Then Antichrist shall come, who is human man +and true devil, as our Saviour is truly man and God in one person. And the +visible devil shall then work innumerable miracles, and say that he himself +is God, and will compel mankind to his heresy: but his time will not be +long, for God's anger will destroy him, and this world will afterwards be +ended. Christ our Lord healed the weak and diseased, and the devil, who is +called Antichrist, which is interpreted, Opposition-Christ, weakens and +enfeebles the hale, and heals no one from diseases, save those alone whom +he himself had previously injured. He and his disciples injure men's bodies +secretly through the devil's power, and heal them openly in the sight of +men: but he may not heal those whom God himself had before afflicted. He +compels, through wickedness, men to swerve from the faith of their Creator +to his leasings, who is the author of all leasing and wickedness. Almighty +God permits the impious Antichrist to work signs, and miracles, and +persecution, for three years and a half; for in that time there will be so +much wickedness and perversity among mankind, that they will be well worthy +of devilish persecution, to the eternal perdition of those who incline unto +him, and to the eternal joy of those who by faith resist him. God also +permits that {7} his chosen servants be cleansed from all sins through +great persecutions, as gold is tried in fire. The devil slays those who +withstand him, and then, with holy martyrdom, they go to the kingdom of +heaven. Those who believe in his leasings, those he honours, and they shall +have afterwards eternal torment for reward of their sin. The impious one +will cause fire to come from above, as it were from heaven, in sight of +men, as if he were God Almighty, who rules over heaven and earth; but +Christians must then be mindful how the devil did, when he prayed to God +that he might tempt Job; he made fire to come from above, as if from +heaven, and burned all his sheep out in the field, and the shepherds also, +save one who should announce it to him. The devil sent not fire from +heaven, though it came from above; for he himself was not in heaven, after +that he, for his pride, had been cast out. Nor also hath the cruel +Antichrist the power to send down heavenly fire, though he, through the +devil's craft, may so pretend. It will now be wiser that everyone know +this, and know his belief, lest anyone have to await great misery. Our Lord +commanded his disciples that they should instruct and teach all people the +things which he had himself taught to them; but of those there are too few +who will well teach and well exemplify. The Lord also cried, through his +prophet Ezechiel, "If thou warnest not the unrighteous, and exhortest him +not, so that he turn from his wickedness and live, then shall the wicked +die in his iniquity, and I will require from thee his blood," that is, his +perdition. "But if thou warnest the wicked, and he will not turn from his +wickedness, thou shalt release thy soul with that admonition, and the +wicked shall die in his unrighteousness." Again the Almighty spake to the +prophet Isaiah, "Cry and cease thou not, raise thy voice as a trumpet, and +declare to my people their crimes, and to the family of Jacob their sins." +From such commands it appeared to me that I should not be guiltless before +God, if I would not declare to {9} other men, by tongue or by writings, the +evangelical truth, which he himself spake, and afterwards to holy teachers +revealed. Very many I know in this country more learned than I am, but God +manifests his wonders through whom he will. As an almighty worker he works +his work through his chosen, not because he has need of our aid, but that +we may earn eternal life by the performance of his work. Paul the apostle +said, "We are God's assistants," and yet we do nothing for God without the +assistance of God. Now I desire and beseech, in God's name, if anyone will +transcribe this book, that he carefully correct it by the copy, lest we be +blamed through careless writers. He does great evil who writes false, +unless he correct it; it is as though he turn true doctrine to false error; +therefore should everyone make that straight which he before bent crooked, +if he will be guiltless at God's doom. Quid necesse est in hoc codice +capitula ordinare, cum praediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? +excepto quod Aethelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro. + + * * * * * + + +INCIPIT LIBER CATHOLICORUM SERMONUM ANGLICE, IN AECCLESIA PER ANNUM +RECITANDORUM. + +SERMO DE INITIO CREATURAE, AD POPULUM, QUANDO VOLUERIS. + +An angin is ealra thinga, thaet is God Aelmihtig. He is ordfruma and ende: +he is ordfruma, fordhi the he waes aefre; he is ende butan aelcere +geendunge, fordhan the he bidh aefre ungeendod. He is ealra cyninga Cyning, +and ealra hlaforda Hlaford. He hylt mid his mihte heofonas and eordhan, and +ealle gesceafta butan geswince, and he besceawadh tha niwelnyssa the under +thyssere eordhan sind. He awecdh ealle duna {10} mid anre handa, and ne +maeg nan thing his willan widhstandan. Ne maeg nan gesceaft fulfremedlice +smeagan ne understandan ymbe god. Maran cydhdhe habbadh englas to Gode +thonne men, and theah-hwedhere h['i] ne magon fulfremedlice understandan +ymbe God. H['e] gesceop gesceafta thadha he wolde; thurh his wisdom he +geworhte ealle thing, and thurh his willan h['e] h['i] ealle geliffaeste. +Dheos thrynnys is ['a]n God; thaet is se Faeder and his wisdom of him +sylfum aefre acenned; and heora begra willa, thaet is se Halga Gast: he nis +na acenned, ac he gaedh of tham Faeder and of tham Suna gelice. Dhas thry +hadas sindon ['a]n Aelmihtig God, se geworhte heofenas, and eordhan, and +ealle gesceafta. He gesceop tyn engla werod, thaet sind englas and +heah-englas, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, uirtutes, +cherubim, seraphim. Her sindon nigon engla werod: h['i] nabbadh naenne +lichaman, ac h['i] sindon ealle gastas swidhe strange and mihtige and +wlitige, on micelre faegernysse gesceapene, to lofe and to wurdhmynte heora +Scyppende. Dhaet teodhe werod abreadh and awende on yfel. God h['i] gesceop +ealle g['o]de, and let h['i] habban agenne cyre, swa h['i] heora Scyppend +lufedon and filigdon, swa h['i] hine forleton. Dha waes thaes teodhan +werodes ealdor swidhe faeger and wlitig gesceapen, swa thaet h['e] waes +geh['a]ten Leohtberend. Tha began he to modigenne for thaere faegernysse +the he haefde, and cwaedh on his heortan thaet h['e] wolde and eadhe mihte +beon his Scyppende gelic, and sittan on tham nordh-daele heofenan rices, +and habban andweald and rice ongean God Aelmihtigne. Tha gefaestnode he +thisne raed widh thaet werod the h['e] bewiste, and h['i] ealle to dham +raede gebugon. Dhadha h['i] ealle haefdon thysne raed betwux him +gefaestnod, tha becom Godes grama ofer h['i] ealle, and h['i] ealle wurdon +awende of tham faegeran h['i]we, the h['i] on gesceapene waeron, to +ladhlicum deoflum. And swidhe rihtlice him swa getimode, thadha he wolde +mid modignysse beon betera thonne he gesceapen waes, and cwaedh, thaet he +mihte beon tham Aelmihtigum Gode gel['i]c. Tha weardh he and ealle his +geferan forcuthran and wyrsan thonne aenig odher gesceaft; and tha {12} +hwile the he smeade hu he mihte daelan rice widh God, tha hwile gearcode se +Aelmihtiga Scyppend him and his geferum helle w['i]te, and h['i] ealle +adraefde of heofenan rices myrhdhe, and let befeallan on thaet ece fyr, the +him gegearcod waes for heora ofermettum. Tha sona tha nigon werod, the +dhaer to lafe waeron, bugon to heora Scyppende mid ealre eadhmodnesse, and +betaehton heora r['ae]d to his willan. Tha getrymde se Aelmihtiga God tha +nigon engla werod, and gestathelfaeste swa thaet h['i] naefre ne mihton ne +noldon sydhdhan fram his willan gebugan; ne h['i] ne magon nu, ne h['i] +nelladh nane synne gewyrcan, ac hi aefre beodh ymbe thaet ['a]n, hu hi +magon Gode gehyrsumian, and him gecweman. Swa mihton eac tha odhre the +dhaer feollon d['o]n, gif hi woldon; forthi dhe God h['i] geworhte to +wlitegum engla gecynde, and let h['i] habban agenne cyre, and h['i] naefre +ne gebigde ne ne nydde mid nanum thingum to tham yfelan raede; ne naefre se +yfela r['ae]d ne com of Godes gethance, ac com of thaes deofles, swa swa we +['ae]r cwaedon. + +Nu thencdh menig man and smeadh hwanon deofol come; thonne wite he thaet +God gesceop to maeran engle thone the nu is deofol: ac God ne gesceop hine +na to deofle; ac thadha he waes mid ealle ford['o]n and forscyldgod thurh +tha miclan up-ahefednysse and widherweardnysse, tha weardh he to deofle +awend, sedhe ['ae]r waes maere engel geworht. Dha wolde God gefyllan and +geinnian thone lyre the forloren waes of tham heofenlicum werode, and +cwaedh thaet h['e] wolde wyrcan mannan of eordhan, thaet se eordhlica man +sceolde getheon and geearnian mid eadmodnysse tha wununga on heofenan rice, +the se deofol forwyrhte mid modignysse. And God tha geworhte aenne mannan +of l['a]me, and him on ableow gast, and hine gel['i]ffaeste, and he weardh +tha mann gesceapen on sawle and on lichaman; and God him sette naman +Ad['a]m, and he waes tha sume hwile ['a]nstandende. God tha hine gebrohte +on neorxna-wange, and hine thaer gelogode, and him to cwaedh, "Ealra thaera +thinga the on neorxna-wange sindon thu most brucan, and h['i] ealle beodh +the betaehte, buton anum treowe the stent on middan {14} neorxna-wange: ne +hrepa thu thaes treowes waestm, forthan dhe thu bist deadlic, gif dhu thaes +treowes waestm geetst." Hw['i] wolde God swa lytles thinges him forwyrnan, +the him swa miccle odhre thing betaehte? Gyse hu mihte Ad['a]m tocnawan +hwaet h['e] waere, buton h['e] waere gehyrsum on sumum thince his Hlaforde. +Swylce God ew['ae]de to him, "Nast thu na thaet ic eom thin Hlaford and +thaet thu eart min theowa, buton thu do thaet ic the h['a]te, and +forg['a]ng thaet ic the forbeode. Hwaet maeg hit thonne beon thaet thu +forg['a]n sceole: ic dhe secge, forgang dhu anes treowes waestm, and mid +thaere eadhelican gehyrsumnysse thu geearnast heofenan rices myrhdhu and +thone stede the se deofol of-afeoll thurh ungehyrsumnesse. Gif dhu thonne +dhis lytle beb['o]d tobrecst, thu scealt deadhe sweltan." And tha waes Adam +swa w['i]s thaet God gelaedde to him nytenu, and deorcynn, and fugelcynn, +dhadha he h['i] gesceapene haefde; and Adam him eallum naman gesceop; and +swa swa h['e] h['i] tha genamode swa h['i] sindon gyt gehatene. Tha cwaedh +God, "Nis na gedafenlic thaet thes man ana beo, and naebbe naenne fultum; +ac uton gewyrcan him gemacan, him to fultume and to frofre." And God tha +geswefode thone Adam, and thatha he slep dha genam he an rib of his sidan, +and geworhte of dham ribbe aenne wifman, and axode Adam hu heo hatan +sceolde. Tha cwaedh Adam, "Heo is ban of minum banum, and flaesc of minum +flaesce; beo hire nama Uirago, thaet is faemne; fordhan dhe heo is of hire +were genumen." Dha sette Adam eft hire odherne naman, Aeua, thaet is lif; +fordhan dhe heo is ealra lybbendra modor. + +Ealle gesceafta, heofonas and englas, sunnan and monan, steorran and +eordhan, ealle nytenu and fugelas, s['ae] and ealle fixas, and ealle +gesceafta God gesceop and geworhte on six dagum; and on dham seofodhan +daege h['e] geendode his weorc, and geswac dha and gehalgode thone +seofodhan daeg, fordhan dhe h['e] on dham daege his weorc geendode. And he +beheold tha ealle his weorc dhe he geworhte, and h['i] waeron ealle swidhe +gode. Ealle dhing he geworhte buton aelcum antimbre. He cwaedh, "Geweordhe +leoht," and dhaerrihte waes leoht {16} geworden. He cwaedh eft, "Geweordhe +heofen," and thaerrihte waes heofen geworht, swa swa he mid his wisdome and +mid his willan hit gedihte. He cwaedh eft, and het dha eordhan thaet heo +sceolde fordhlaedan cuce nytenu; and h['e] dha gesceop of dhaere eordhan +eall nytencynn, and deorcynn, ealle dha dhe on feower fotum gadh; ealswa +eft of waetere he gesceop fixas and fugelas, and sealde dham fixum sund, +and dham fugelum fliht; ac he ne sealde nanum nytene ne nanum fisce nane +sawle; ac heora blod is heora lif, and swa hradhe swa hi beodh deade, swa +beodh h['i] mid ealle geendode. Thadha he worhte dhone mann Ad['a]m, he ne +cwaedh n['a], "Geweordhe man geworht," ac he cwaedh, "Uton gewyrcan mannan +to ure anlicnysse," and h['e] worhte dha thone man mid his handum, and him +on ableow sawle; fordhi is se man betera, gif h['e] g['o]de gedhihdh, +thonne ealle dha nytenu sindon; fordhan dhe h['i] ealle gewurdhadh to +nahte, and se man is ece on anum daele, thaet is on dhaere sawle; heo ne +geendadh naefre. Se lichama is deadlic thurh Adames gylt, ac +dheah-hwaedhere God araerdh eft dhone lichaman to ecum dhingum on domes +daeg. Nu cwaedon gedwolmen thaet deofol gesceope sume gesceafta, ac h['i] +leogadh; ne maeg h['e] nane gesceafta gescyppan, fordhan dhe he nis na +Scyppend, ac is atelic sceocca, and mid leasunge he wile beswican and +ford['o]n thone unwaran; ac he ne maeg naenne man to nanum leahtre +geneadian, buton se mon his agenes willes to his lare gebuge. Swa hwaet swa +is on gesceaftum widherweardlic gethuht and mannum derige, thaet is eall +for urum synnum and yfelum geearnungum. + +Tha ongeat se deofol thaet Adam and Eua waeron to dhy gesceapene thaet hi +sceolon mid eadmodnysse and mid gehyrsumnysse geearnian dha wununge on +heofenan rice dhe h['e] of-afeoll for his up-ahefednysse, tha nam h['e] +micelne graman and ['a]ndan to tham mannum, and smeade h['u] h['e] h['i] +ford['o]n mihte. He com dha on naeddran hiwe to tham twam mannum, aerest to +dham wife, and hire to cwaedh, "Hw['i] forbead God eow thaes treowes +waestm, dhe stent on middan neorxna-wange?" Tha cwaedh thaet w['i]f, "God +us forbead thaes treowes waestm, and cwaedh thaet we {18} sceoldon deadhe +sweltan, gif we his on byrigdon." Dha cwaedh se deofol, "Nis hit na swa dhu +segst, ac God w['a]t genoh geare, gif ge of dham treowe geetadh, thonne +beodh eowere eagan geopenode, and ge magon geseon and tocn['a]wan aegdher +ge g['o]d ge yfel, and ge beodh englum gelice." Naeron h['i] blinde +gesceapene, ac God h['i] gesceop swa bilewite thaet h['i] ne cudhon nan +dhing yfeles, nadhor ne on gesihdhe, ne on spraece, ne on weorce. Weardh +theah thaet w['i]f dha forspanen thurh dhaes deofles l['a]re, and genam of +dhaes treowes waestme, and geaet, and sealde hire were, and h['e] geaet. +Dha waeron h['i] butu deadlice, and cudhon aegdher ge g['o]d ge yfel; and +h['i] waeron dha nacode, and him dhaes sceamode. Tha com God and axode hwi +he his bebod tobraece? and adraefde h['i] butu of neorxna-wange, and +cwaedh, "Fordhan dhe dhu waere gehyrsum dhines wifes wordum, and min bebod +forsawe, thu scealt mid earfodhnyssum the metes tilian, and seo eordhe the +is awyriged on thinum weorce, syldh the dhornas and bremblas. Thu eart of +eordhan genumen, and thu awenst to eordhan. Thu eart dust, and dhu awentst +to duste." God him worhte dha reaf of fellum, and h['i] waeron mid tham +fellum gescrydde. + +Dha deadan fell getacnodon thaet h['i] waeron dha deadlice the mihton beon +undeadlice, gif hi heoldon thaet eadhelice Godes bebod. Ne thorfte Adam ne +eal mancynn the him sidhdhan ofacom naefre deadhes onbyrian, gif thaet +treow moste standan ungehrepod, and his nan man ne onbyrigde; ac sceolde +Adam and his ofspring tyman on asettum tyman, swa swa nu dodh claene +nytenu, and sidhdhan ealle buton deadhe faran to dhan ecan life. Naes him +gesceapen fram Gode, ne h['e] naes genedd thaet h['e] sceolde Godes bebod +tobrecan; ac God hine l['e]t frigne, and sealde him agenne cyre, swa h['e] +waere gehyrsum, swa h['e] waere ungehyrsum. H['e] weardh tha deofle +gehyrsum, and Gode ungehyrsum, and weardh betaeht, h['e] and eal mancynn, +aefter dhisum l['i]fe, into helle-w['i]te, mid tham deofle dhe hine +forlaerde. Tha wiste God hwaedhere thaet h['e] waes forlaered, and smeade +hu he mihte his and ealles mancynnes eft gemiltsian. + +{20} On twam thingum haefde God thaes mannes sawle gegodod; thaet is mid +undeadlicnysse, and mid gesaeldhe. Tha thurh deofles swicdom and Adames +gylt we forluron tha gesaeldhe ure sawle, ac we ne forluron n['a] tha +undeadlicnysse; heo is ['e]ce, and naefre ne geendadh, theah se lichama +geendige, the sceal eft thurh Godes mihte arisan to ecere wununge. Adam tha +waes wunigende on thisum life mid geswince, and h['e] and his w['i]f dha +bearn gestryndon, aegdher ge suna ge dohtra; and he leofode nigon hund +geara and thrittig geara, and sidhdhan swealt, swa swa him aer behaten +waes, for than gylte; and his sawul gewende to helle. + +Nu smeagiadh sume men hwanon him come sawul? hwaether dhe of tham faeder, +the of thaere meder? We cwedhadh of heora nadhrum; ac se ylca God the +gesceop Adam mid his handum, he gescypdh aelces mannes lichaman on his +modor innodhe; and se ylca sedhe able['o]w on Ad['a]mes lichaman, and him +forgeaf sawle, se ylca forgyfdh cildum sawle and l['i]f on heora modor +innodhe, thonne h['i] gesceapene beodh; and he laett h['i] habban agenne +cyre, thonne h['i] geweaxene beodh, swa swa Ad['a]m haefde. + +Tha weardh tha hraedlice micel mennisc geweaxen, and waeron swidhe manega +on yfel awende, and gegremodon God mid mislicum leahtrum, and swidhost mid +forligere. Dha weardh God to than swidhe gegremod thurh manna m['a]ndaeda +thaet he cwaedh thaet him ofthuhte thaet h['e] aefre mancynn gesceop. Dha +waes hwaethere ['a]n man rihtwis aetforan Gode, se waes N['o]e geh['a]ten. +Tha cwaedh God to him, "Ic wylle ford['o]n eal mancynn mid waetere, for +heora synnum, ac ic wylle gehealdan the aenne, and thin w['i]f, and thine +thry suna, Sem, and Cham, and Iafeth, and heora threo w['i]f; fordhan the +dhu eart rihtwis, and me gecweme. Wyrc the n['u] aenne arc, threo hund +faedhma lang, and fiftig faedhma w['i]d, and thritig faedhma heah: gehref +hit eall, and gecl['ae]m ealle tha seamas mid tyrwan, and g['a] inn +sydhdhan mid thinum h['i]wum. Ic gegaderige in to the of deorcynne, and of +fugelcynne symble gemacan, thaet h['i] eft to fostre beon. Ic wille sendan +flod ofer ealne middangeard." {22} He dyde tha swa him God bebead, and God +beleac h['i] bynnan tham arce, and asende r['e]n of heofonum feowertig daga +togaedere, and geopenode thaer togeanes ealle wyll-springas and +waeter-theotan of thaere micclan niwelnysse. Dhaet flod weox dha and +ab['ae]r up thone arc, and hit oferstah ealle d['u]na. Weardh tha aelc +thing cuces adrenct, buton tham dhe binnon tham arce waeron; of tham weardh +eft ge-edstadhelod eall middangeard. Dha beh['e]t God thaet h['e] nolde +naefre eft eal mancynn mid waetere acwellan, and cwaedh to Noe and to his +sunum, "Ic wylle settan m['i]n wedd betwux me and eow to thisum beh['a]te; +thaet is, thonne ic oferteo heofenas mid w['o]lcnum, thonne bidh aeteowod +min r['e]nboga betwux tham wolcnum, thonne beo ic gemyndig mines weddes, +thaet ic nelle heonon-fordh mancynn mid waetere adrencan." Noe leofode on +eallum his life, aer tham flode and aefter tham flode, nigon hund geara and +fiftig geara, and he tha fordhferde. + +Dha waes tha sume hw['i]le Godes ege on mancynne aefter tham flode, and +waes ['a]n gereord on him eallum. Dha cwaedon hi betwux him thaet hi woldon +wyrcan ane burh, and aenne stypel binnon thaere byrig, swa heahne thaet his +hrof astige up to heofenum: and begunnon tha to wyrcenne. Dha com God +thaerto, thadha h['i] swidhost worhton, and sealde aelcum men the dhaer +waes synderlice spraece. Tha waeron thaer swa fela gereord swa dhaer manna +waeron; and heora n['a]n nyste hwaet odher cwaedh. And h['i] dha geswicon +thaere getimbrunge, and toferdon geond ealne middangeard. + +Dha sidhdhan weardh mancynn thurh deofol beswicen, and gebiged fram Godes +geleafan, swa thaet h['i] worhton him anlicnyssa, sume of golde, sume of +seolfre, sume eac of stanum, sume of treowe, and sceopon him naman; thaera +manna naman the waeron entas and yfel-daede. Eft dhonne h['i] deade waeron, +thonne cwaedon tha cucan thaet h['i] waeron godas, and wurdhodon h['i], and +him l['a]c offrodon; and comon tha deoflu to heora anlicnyssum, and thaeron +wunodon, and to mannum spraecon swilce h['i] godas waeron; and thaet +beswicene mennisc feoll on {24} cneowum to tham anlicnyssum, and cwaedon, +"Ge sind ure godas and we besettadh urne geleafan and urne hiht on eow." +Dha asprang this gedwyld geond ealne middangeard, and waes se sodha +Scyppend, sedhe ['a]na is God, forsewen, and geunwurthod. Dha waes +hwaedhere an maegdh the naefre ne abeah to nanum deofolgylde, ac aefre +wurdhode thone sodhan God. Seo maegdh aspr['a]ng of N['o]es eltstan suna, +se waes gehaten Sem: he leofode six hund geara, and his sunu hatte +Arfaxadh, se leofode threo hund geara and threo and thrittig, and his sunu +hatte Sal['e], se leofode feower hund geara and XXXIII.; tha gestrynde he +sunu se waes geh['a]ten Eb['e]r, of tham aspr['a]ng thaet Ebreisce folc, +the God lufode: and of tham cynne comon ealle heahfaederas and witegan, tha +dhe cydhdon Cristes to-cyme to thisum life; thaet h['e] wolde man beon, +fornean on ende thyssere worulde, for ure alysednesse, sedhe aefre waes God +mid tham healican Faeder. And thyssere maegdhe God sealde and gesette +['ae], and h['e] h['i] laedde ofer s['ae] mid drium fotum, and h['e] h['i] +afedde feowertig wintra mid heofenlicum hlafe, and fela wundra on tham +folce geworhte; forthan dhe he wolde of thyssere maegdhe him modor +geceosan. + +Dha aet nextan, tha se tima com the God foresceawode, tha asende he his +engel Gabrihel to anum maedene of tham cynne, seo waes Mar['i]a gehaten. +Tha com se engel to hire, and h['i] gegrette mid Godes wordum, and cydde +h['i]re, thaet Godes Sunu sceolde beon acenned of hire, buton weres +gemanan. And heo tha gelyfde his wordum, and weardh mid cilde. Dhadha hire +t['i]ma com heo acende, and thurhwunode maeden. Dhaet cild is tuwa acenned: +he is acenned of tham Faeder on heofonum, buton aelcere meder, and eft +thadha h['e] man geweardh, tha waes h['e] acenned of tham claenan maedene +Mar['i]an, buton aelcum eordhlicum faeder. God Faeder geworhte mancynn and +ealle gesceafta thurh dhone Sunu, and eft, dhadha we forwyrhte waeron, tha +asende h['e] dhone ylcan Sunu to ['u]re alysednesse. Seo halige moder +Mar['i]a tha afedde thaet cild mid micelre arwurdhnesse, and hit weox swa +swa odhre cild dodh, buton synne anum. + +{26} He waes buton synnum acenned, and his l['i]f waes eal buton synnum. Ne +worhte he theah n['a]ne w['u]ndra openlice ['ae]rdhan dhe h['e] waes +thritig wintre on thaere menniscnysse: tha sidhthan geceas he him +leorning-cnihtas; aerest twelf, tha we h['a]tadh apostolas, thaet sind +aerendracan. Siththan h['e] geceas tw['a] and hund-seofontig, tha sind +genemnede discipuli, thaet sind leorning-cnihtas. Dha worhte h['e] fela +wundra, thaet men mihton gelyfan thaet he waes Godes Bearn. H['e] awende +waeter to wine, and eode ofer s['ae] mid drium fotum, and he gestilde +windas mid his haese, and h['e] forgeaf blindum mannum gesihdhe, and +healtum and lamum rihtne g['a]ng, and hreoflium smedhnysse, and haelu heora +lichaman; dumbum h['e] forgeaf getingnysse, and deafum heorcnunge; +deofolseocum and wodum h['e] sealde gewitt, and tha deoflu todraefde, and +aelce untrumnysse he gehaelde; deade men h['e] araerde of heora byrgenum to +l['i]fe; and laerde thaet folc the h['e] to com mid micclum wisdome; and +cwaedh thaet n['a]n man ne maeg beon gehealden, buton he rihtlice on God +gelyfe, and he beo gefullod, and his geleafan mid godum weorcum geglenge; +he onscunode aelc unriht and ealle leasunga, and taehte rihtwisnysse and +sodhfaestnysse. + +Tha nam thaet Iudeisce folc micelne ['a]ndan ongean his l['a]re, and +smeadon h['u] h['i] mihton h['i]ne to deadhe ged['o]n. Tha weardh ['a]n +dhaera twelfa Cristes geferena, se waes Iudas gehaten, thurh deofles +tihtinge beswicen, and h['e] eode to tham Iudeiscum folce, and smeade widh +h['i], hu he Crist him bel['ae]wan mihte. Theah dhe eal mennisc w['ae]re +gegaderod, ne mihton h['i] ealle hine acwellan, gif he sylf nolde; fordhi +he c['o]m to us thaet h['e] wolde for ['u]s deadh throwian, and swa eal +mancynn tha dhe gelyfadh mid his agenum deadhe alysan fram helle-wite. +H['e] nolde geniman ['u]s neadunge of deofles anwealde, buton he hit +forwyrhte; tha h['e] hit forwyrhte gen['o]h swidhe, thadha h['e] gehwette +and tihte dhaera Iudeiscra manna heortan to Cristes slege. Crist dha +gedhafode thaet dha waelhreowan hine gen['a]mon and gebundon, and on +r['o]de hengene acwealdon. Hwaet dha twegen gelyfede men hine arwurdhlice +bebyrigdon, and Crist on dhaere hwile to {28} helle gewende, and thone +deofol gewylde, and him of-an['a]m Ad['a]m and Euan, and heora ofspring, +thone d['ae]l dhe him ['ae]r gecwemde, and gelaedde h['i] to heora +lichaman, and ar['a]s of deadhe mid tham micclum werede on tham thriddan +daege his throwunge. C['o]m tha to his apostolum, and h['i] gefrefrode, and +geond feowertigra daga fyrst him mid wunode; and dha ylcan lare the h['e] +him ['ae]r taehte eft ge-edlaehte, and het h['i] faran geond ealne +middangeard, bodigende fulluht and sodhne geleafan. Drihten dha on dham +feowerteogodhan daege his aeristes astah to heofenum, aetforan heora ealra +gesihdhe, mid tham ylcan lichaman the h['e] on throwode, and sitt on dha +swidhran his Faeder, and ealra gesceafta gewylt. H['e] haefdh gerymed +rihtwisum mannum infaer to his rice, and dha dhe his beboda eallunga +forseodh beodh on helle besencte. Witodlice h['e] cymdh on ende thyssere +worulde mid micclum maegenthrymme on wolcnum, and ealle dha dhe aefre sawle +underfengon arisadh of deadhe him togeanes; and h['e] dhonne dha +m['a]nfullan deofle betaecdh into dham ecan fyre helle susle; tha rihtwisan +he laet mid him into heofonan rice, on tham h['i] rixiadh ['a] on ecnysse. + +Men dha leofestan, smeagadh thysne cwyde, and mid micelre gymene forbugadh +unrihtwysnysse, and geearniadh mid godum weorcum thaet ['e]ce l['i]f mid +Gode sedhe ['a]na on ecnysse rixadh. Amen. + +HERE BEGINNETH THE BOOK OF CATHOLIC SERMONS IN ENGLISH, TO BE RECITED IN +CHURCH DURING THE YEAR. + +SERMON ON THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, TO THE PEOPLE, WHENEVER YOU WILL. + +There is one origin of all things, that is God Almighty. He is beginning +and end: he is beginning, because he was ever; he is end without any +ending, because he is ever unended. He is King of all kings, and Lord of +all lords. He holdeth with his might heavens, and earth, and all creatures, +without toil, and he beholdeth the depths which are under this earth. He +weigheth all hills with one hand, and no thing {11} may withstand his will. +No creature may perfectly search out nor understand concerning God: greater +affinity have angels to God than men, and yet they may not perfectly +understand concerning God. He created those creatures that he would; +through his wisdom he wrought all things, and through his will he endued +them all with life. This Trinity is one God, that is, the Father, and his +Wisdom, of himself ever produced; and the Will of them both, that is, the +Holy Ghost: he is not born, but he goeth alike from the Father and from the +Son. These three persons are one Almighty God, who wrought the heavens, and +the earth, and all creatures. He created ten hosts of angels, that is +angels and archangels, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, +virtutes, cherubim, seraphim. Here are nine hosts of angels: they have no +body, but they are all spirits, very strong, and mighty, and beautiful, +formed with great fairness, to the praise and glory of their Creator. The +tenth host rebelled and turned to evil. God created them all good, and let +them have their own discretion, whether they would love and follow their +Creator, or would forsake him. Now the prince of the tenth host was formed +very fair and beauteous, so that he was called 'Light-bearing' (Lucifer). +Then he began to wax proud by reason of the comeliness that he had, and +said in his heart that he would and easily might be equal to his Creator, +and sit in the north part of heaven's kingdom, and have power and sway +against God Almighty. Then he confirmed this resolve with the host over +which he ruled, and they all bowed to that resolve. When they all had +confirmed this resolve among themselves, God's anger came over them all, +and they were all changed from the fair form in which they were created to +loathly devils. And very rightly it so befell him, when he would in pride +be better than he was created, and said that he might be equal to Almighty +God. Then became he and all his associates more wicked and worse than any +other creatures; and while he meditated how he might share power {13} with +God, the Almighty Creator prepared hell-torment for him and his associates, +and drove them all from the joy of heaven's kingdom, and caused them to +fall into the eternal fire that was prepared for them for their pride. Then +forthwith the nine hosts that were left bowed to their Creator with all +humbleness, and resigned their purpose to his will. Then the Almighty God +confirmed and established the nine hosts of angels, so that they never +might or would afterwards swerve from his will; nor can they now perpetrate +any sin, but they are ever meditating only how they may obey God and be +acceptable to him. So might also the others who fell have done if they had +been willing; seeing that God had made them of the beauteous nature of +angels, and let them have their own will, and would never have inclined nor +forced them in any way to that evil counsel; for the evil counsel never +came from God's conception, but came from the devil's, as we before said. + +Now many a man will think and inquire, whence the devil came? be it, +therefore, known to him that God created as a great angel him who is now +the devil: but God did not create him as the devil: but when he was wholly +fordone and guilty towards God, through his great haughtiness and enmity, +then became he changed to the devil, who before was created a great angel. +Then would God supply and make good the loss that had been suffered in the +heavenly host, and said that he would make man of earth, so that the +earthly man should prosper, and merit with meekness those dwellings in the +kingdom of heaven which the devil through his pride had forfeited. And God +then wrought a man of clay, and blew spirit into him, and animated him, and +he became a man formed with soul and body; and God bestowed on him the name +of Adam, and he was for some time standing alone. God then brought him into +Paradise, and established him there, and said unto him, "Of all the things +which are in Paradise thou mayest eat, and they shall all be committed to +{15} thee, save one tree which stands in the middle of Paradise: touch thou +not the fruit of this tree; for thou shalt be mortal if thou eatest the +fruit of this tree." Why would God forbid him so little a thing, when he +had committed to him other things so great? But how could Adam know what he +was, unless he were obedient in some thing to his Lord? as if God had said +to him, "Thou knowest not that I am thy Lord, and that thou art my servant, +unless thou dost that which I command, and forgoest that which I forbid +thee. But what may it be that thou shalt forgo? I say unto thee, forgo thou +the fruit of one tree, and with that easy obedience thou shalt merit the +joys of heaven, and the place from which the devil fell through +disobedience. But if thou breakest this little commandment, thou shalt +perish by death." And then was Adam so wise that God led to him the cattle, +and brute race, and bird race, when he had created them; and Adam made +names for them all; and so as he named them are they yet called. Then said +God, "It is not fitting that this man be alone, and have no help; now let +us make him a mate for help and comfort." And God then caused Adam to +sleep, and as he slept, he took a rib from his side, and of that rib +wrought a woman, and asked Adam how she should be called. Then said Adam, +"She is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; be her name Virago, that is +_female_; because she is taken from her husband." Then Adam afterwards +bestowed on her another name, Eva, that is _life_; because she is the +mother of all living. + +All creatures, heavens and angels, sun and moon, stars and earth, all +beasts and birds, the sea and all fishes, and all creatures, God created +and wrought in six days; and on the seventh day he ended his work, and +ceased, and hallowed the seventh day, because on that day he ended his +work. And he beheld then all his works that he had wrought, and they were +all exceedingly good. All things he wrought without any matter. He said, +"Let there be light," and instantly {17} there was light. He said again, +"Let there be heaven," and instantly heaven was made, as he with his wisdom +and his will had appointed it. He said again, and bade the earth bring +forth all living cattle, and he then created of earth all the race of +cattle, and the brute race, all those which go on four feet; in like manner +of water he created fishes and birds, and gave the power of swimming to the +fishes, and flight to the birds; but he gave no soul to any beast, nor to +any fish; but their blood is their life, and as soon as they are dead they +are totally ended. When he had made the man Adam, he did not say, "Let man +be made," but he said, "Let us make man in our likeness," and he then made +man with his hands, and blew into him a soul; therefore is man better, if +he grow up in good, than all the beasts are; because they will all come to +naught, and man is in one part eternal, that is in the soul; that will +never end. The body is mortal through Adam's sin, but, nevertheless, God +will raise again the body to eternity on doomsday. Now the heretics say +that the devil created some creatures, but they lie; he can create no +creatures, for he is not a creator, but is a loathsome fiend, and with +leasing he will deceive and fordo the unwary; but he may not compel any man +to any crime, unless the man voluntarily incline to his teaching. +Whatsoever among things created seems pernicious and is injurious to men, +is all for our sins and evil deserts. + +When the devil understood that Adam and Eve were created, that they might +with meekness and obedience merit the dwelling in the kingdom of heaven +from which he had fallen for his haughtiness, then he felt great anger and +envy towards those persons, and meditated how he might fordo them. He came +then in a serpent's form to the two persons, first to the woman, and said +to her, "Why has God forbidden you the fruit of this tree, which stands in +the middle of Paradise?" Then said the woman, "God forbade us the fruit of +the tree {19} and said, that we should perish by death, if we tasted its +fruit." Then said the devil, "It is not as thou sayest, but God knows full +well, if ye eat of that tree that your eyes will then be opened, and ye can +see and know both good and evil, and ye will be like to angels." They were +not created blind, but God created them so simple-minded that they knew +nothing evil, neither by sight, nor by speech, nor by deed. But the woman +was seduced by the devil's counsel, and took of the fruit of the tree, and +ate, and gave to her consort, and he ate. Then they both became mortal, and +knew both good and evil; and they were naked, and thereat they were +ashamed. Then came God and asked why he had broken his commandment? and +drove them both from Paradise, and said, "Because thou wast obedient to the +words of thy wife, and despisedst my commandment, thou shalt get thee food +with hardships, and the earth, which is accursed through thy deed, shall +give thee thorns and brambles. Thou art taken from earth, and thou shalt to +earth return. Thou art dust, and thou shalt turn to dust." God then wrought +for them garments of skins, and they were clothed with the skins. + +The dead skins betokened that they were then mortal who might have been +immortal, if they had held that easy command of God. Neither Adam nor all +mankind that have since come from him needed ever to have tasted of death, +if that tree could have stood untouched, and no one had tasted of it; but +Adam and his offspring would have propagated at set times, as the clean +beasts now do, and afterwards, without death, have gone to eternal life. It +was not ordained him from God, nor was he compelled to break God's +commandment; for God left him free, and gave him his own choice, whether he +would be obedient, or whether he would be disobedient. Then was he to the +devil obedient, and to God disobedient, and was delivered, he and all +mankind, after this life, to hell-torment, with the devil who seduced him. +But God knew, however, that he had been seduced, and meditated how he might +again be merciful to him and all mankind. + +{21} With two things had God endowed this man's soul; that is immortality +and with happiness. Then through the devil's treachery and Adam's guilt we +lost the happiness of our soul, but we lost not the immortality: that is +eternal and never ends, though the body ends, which shall again, through +God's might, arise to everlasting duration. Adam then was continuing in +this life with toil, and he and his wife begat children, both sons and +daughters; and he lived nine hundred and thirty years, and then died, as +had been promised him for that sin; and his soul went to hell. + +Now some men will inquire, whence came his soul? whether from the father or +from the mother? We say, from neither of them; but the same God who created +Adam with his hands, createth every man's body in his mother's womb: and +the same who blew into Adam's body, and gave him a soul, that same giveth a +soul and life to children in their mother's womb, when they are created; +and he letteth them have their own will, when they are grown up, as Adam +had. + +Then there was rapidly a great increase of people, and very many were +turned to evil, and exasperated God with various crimes, and above all with +fornication. Then was God so exasperated through the wicked deeds of men +that he said, that he repented that he had ever created mankind. +Nevertheless, there was one man righteous before God, who was called Noah. +Then said God to him, "I will destroy all mankind with water, for their +sins, but I will preserve thee alone, and thy wife, and thy three sons, +Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and their three wives; because thou art +righteous and acceptable unto me. Make thee now an ark, three hundred +fathoms long, and fifty fathoms wide, and thirty fathoms high: roof it all, +and smear all the seams with tar, and then go in with thy family. I will +gather in to thee of beast-kind and of bird-kind mates of each, that they +may hereafter be for foster. I will send a flood over all the earth." {23} +He did as God bade him, and God shut them within the ark, and sent rain +from heaven forty days together, and opened, to meet it, all the +well-springs and water-torrents of the great deep. The flood then waxed and +bare up the ark, and it rose above all the hills. Then was everything +living drowned, save those who were within the ark, by whom was again +established all the earth. Then God promised that he would never again +destroy all mankind with water, and said to Noah and to his sons: "I will +set my covenant betwixt me and you for this promise: that is, when I +overspread the heavens with clouds, then shall be shown my rainbow betwixt +the clouds, then will I be mindful of my covenant, that I will not +henceforth drown mankind with water." Noah lived in all his life, before +the flood and after the flood, nine hundred and fifty years, and then he +departed. + +Then for some time after the flood there was fear of God among mankind, and +there was one language among them all. Then said they among themselves that +they would make a city, and a tower within that city, so high that its roof +should mount up to heaven: and they begun to work. Then came God thereto, +when they were most busily working, and gave to every man who was there a +separate speech. Then were there as many languages as there were men, and +none of them knew what other said. And they then ceased from the building, +and went divers ways over all the earth. + +Then afterwards mankind was deceived by the devil, and turned from God's +belief, so that they wrought them images, some of gold, some of silver, +some also of stones, some of wood, and devised names for them; the names of +those men who were giants, and evil-doing. Afterwards when they were dead +then said the living that they were gods, and worshipped them, and offered +sacrifices to them; and the devils then came to their images, and dwelt +therein, and spake to men as though they were gods; and the deceived human +race fell on their knees to {25} those images, and said, "Ye are our gods, +and we place our belief and our hope in you." Then sprang up this error +through all the earth, and the true Creator, who alone is God, was despised +and dishonoured. There was, nevertheless, one family which had never bent +to any idol, but had ever worshipped the true God. That family sprang from +Noah's eldest son, who was called Shem: he lived six hundred years, and his +son was called Arphaxad, who lived three hundred and thirty-three years, +and his son was called Salah, who lived four hundred and thirty-three +years, when he begat a son who was called Eber, from whom sprang the Hebrew +people, whom God loved: and from that race came all the patriarchs and +prophets, those who announced Christ's advent to this life; that he would +be man before the end of this world, for our redemption, he who ever was +God with the supreme Father. And for this race God gave and established a +law, and he led them over the sea with dry feet, and he fed them forty +years with heavenly bread, and wrought many miracles among the people; +because he would choose him a mother from this race. + +Then at last, when the time came that God had foreseen, he sent his angel +Gabriel to a maiden of that race, who was called Mary. Then came the angel +to her, and greeted her with God's words, and announced to her, that God's +Son should be born of her, without communion of man. And she believed his +words, and became with child. When her time was come she brought forth, and +continued a maiden. That child is twice born: he is born of the Father in +heaven, without any mother, and again, when he became man, he was born of +the pure virgin Mary, without any earthly father. God the Father made +mankind and all creatures through the Son; and again, when we were fordone, +he sent that same Son for our redemption. The holy mother Mary then +nourished that child with great veneration, and it waxed, as other children +do, without any sin. + +{27} He was born without sins, and his life was all without sins. But he +wrought no miracles openly ere that he had been thirty years in a state of +man: then afterwards he chose to him disciples; first twelve, whom we call +apostles, that is messengers: after that he chose seventy-two, who are +denominated disciples, that is learners. Then he wrought many miracles, +that men might believe that he was God's Child. He turned water to wine, +and went over the sea with dry feet, and he stilled the winds by his +behest, and he gave to blind men sight, and to the halt and lame a right +gait, and to lepers smoothness and health to their bodies; to the dumb he +gave power of speech, and hearing to the deaf; to the possessed of devils +and the mad he gave sense, and drove away the devils, and every disease he +healed; dead men he raised from their sepulchres to life; and taught the +people to which he came with great wisdom; and said, that no man might be +saved, except he rightly believe in God, and be baptized, and adorn his +faith with good works; he eschewed all injustice and all leasings, and +taught righteousness and truth. + +Then the Jewish people showed great envy of his doctrine, and meditated how +they might put him to death. Now was one of the twelve of Christ's +companions, who was called Judas, seduced by the instigation of the devil, +and he went to the Jewish people, and consulted with them how he might +betray Christ unto them. Though all people were gathered together they all +might not destroy him, if he himself willed it not; therefore he came to us +because he would suffer death for us, and so, by his own death, redeem all +mankind who believe from hell's torment. He would not take us forcibly from +the devil's power, unless he had forfeited it; but he forfeited it entirely +when he whetted and instigated the hearts of the Jewish men to the slaying +of Christ. Then Christ consented that the bloodthirsty ones should take +him, and bind, and, hung on a cross, slay him. Verily then two believing +men honourably buried him; and Christ, in that time, {29} went to hell, and +overcame the devil, and took from him Adam and Eve, and their offspring, +that portion which had previously been most acceptable to him, and led them +to their bodies, and arose from death with that great host on the third day +of his passion: then came to his apostles, and comforted them, and for a +space of forty days sojourned with them, and repeated the same doctrine +which he had before taught them, and bade them go over all the earth, +preaching baptism and true faith. Then, on the fortieth day of his +resurrection, the Lord ascended to heaven in sight of them all, with the +same body in which he had suffered, and sitteth on the right hand of his +Father, and governeth all creatures. He hath opened to righteous men the +entrance to his kingdom, and those who wholly despise his commandments +shall be cast down into hell. Verily he shall come at the end of this world +with great majesty, in clouds, and all those who have ever received a soul +shall arise from death towards him; and he will then deliver the wicked to +the devil, into the eternal fire of hell-torment; the righteous he will +lead with him into the kingdom of heaven, in which they shall rule to all +eternity. + +Men most beloved, consider this discourse, and with great care eschew +unrighteousness, and merit with good works the eternal life with God, who +alone ruleth to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +VIII. K[=L]. JAN. + +SERMO DE NATALE DOMINI. + +We wylladh to trymminge eowres geleafan eow gereccan thaes Haelendes +acennednysse be dhaere godspellican endebyrdnysse: h['u] he on dhysum +daegdherlicum daege on sodhre menniscnysse acenned waes on godcundnysse. + +Lucas se Godspellere awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet on dham {30} timan +se Romanisca casere Octauianus sette geb['a]nn, thaet waere on gewritum +asett eall ymbhwyrft. Theos towritennys weardh araered fram dham ealdormen +Cyrino, of Sirian lande, thaet aelc man ofer-heafod sceolde cennan his +gebyrde, and his ['a]re on dhaere byrig the h['e] to gehyrde. Tha ferde +Ioseph, Cristes foster-faeder, fram Galileiscum earde, of dhaere byrig +Nazaredh, to Iudeiscre byrig, seo waes Dauides, and waes geciged +Bethle['e]m, fordhan dhe h['e] waes of Dauides maegdhe, and wolde andettan +mid Mar['i]an hire gebyrde, the waes tha g['y]t bearn-eaca. Dha gel['a]mp +hit, thadha h['i] on thaere byrig Bethle['e]m w['i]codon, thaet hire tima +waes gefylled thaet heo cennan sceolde, and acende dha hyre frumcennedan +sunu, and mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and al['e]de thaet cild on heora +assena binne, forthan the dhaer naes n['a]n rymet on tham gesthuse. Tha +waeron hyrdas on tham earde waciende ofer heora eowede; and efne dha Godes +engel st['o]d on emn h['i], and Godes beorhtnys h['i] bescean, and h['i] +wurdon micclum afyrhte. Dha cwaedh se Godes engel to dham hyrdum, "Ne +ondredadh eow; efne ic eow bodige micelne gefean, the becymdh eallum folce; +fordhan the nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre. Ge +geseodh this t['a]cen, ge gem['e]tadh thaet cild mid cild-cladhum bewunden, +and on binne gel['e]d." Tha faerlice, aefter thaes engles spraece, weardh +gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes God herigendra and singendra, +"Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone uoluntatis," thaet +is on urum gereorde, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb +mannum, tham dhe beodh godes willan." And dha englas dha gewiton of heora +gesihdhe to heofonum. Hwaet dha hyrdas tha him betweonan spraecon, "Uton +faran to Bethleem, and geseon thaet word the us God aeteowde." H['i] comon +dha hraedlice, and gemetton Mar['i]an, and Ioseph, and thaet cild geled on +anre binne, swa swa him se engel cydde. Tha hyrdas sodhlice oncneowon be +tham worde the him gesaed waes be dham cilde, and ealle wundrodon the thaet +gehyrdon, and eac be dham dhe tha hyrdas him s['ae]don. Mar['i]a sodhlice +heold ealle thas w['o]rd ar['ae]fniende {32} on hire heortan. Dha gecyrdon +tha hyrdas ongean wuldrigende and herigende God on eallum dham dhingum the +h['i] gehyrdon and gesawon, swa swa him fram tham engle ges['ae]d waes. + +Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ure Haelend, Godes Sunu, euen-ece and gelic +his Faeder, sedhe mid him waes aefre buton anginne, gemedemode hine sylfne +thaet he wolde on dhisum daegdherlicum daege, for middangeardes alysednysse +beon lichamlice acenned of tham maedene Mar['i]an. He is Ealdor and +Scyppend ealra g['o]dnyssa and sibbe, and he foresende his acennednysse +ungewunelice sibbe, fordhan dhe naefre naes swilc sibb aer tham fyrste on +middangearde, swilc swa waes on his gebyrde-tide, swa thaet eall +middangeard waes anes mannes rice underdheod, and eal mennisc him anum +cynelic gafol ageaf. Witodlice on swa micelre sibbe waes Crist acenned, +sedhe is ure sib, forthan dhe h['e] getheodde englas and men to ['a]num +hirede, thurh his menniscnysse. H['e] waes acenned on thaes caseres dagum +the waes Octauianus geh['a]ten, se gerymde Romana rice to dhan swidhe thaet +him eal middangeard to beah, and he waes fordhi Augustus geciged, thaet is +ge['y]cende his rice. Se nama gedafenadh tham heofonlican Cyninge Criste, +the on his timan acenned waes, sedhe his heofonlice rice geyhte, and dhone +hryre, the se feallenda deofol on engla werode gewanode, mid menniscum +gecynde eft gefylde. Na thaet ['a]n thaet he dhone lyre anfealdlice +gefylde, ac eac swylce micclum geihte. Sodhlice swa micel getel mancynnes +becymdh thurh Cristes menniscnysse to engla werodum, swa micel swa on +heofonum bel['a]f haligra engla aefter dhaes deofles hryre. Thaes caseres +gebann, the het ealne middangeard awritan, getacnode swutellice thaes +heofonlican Cyninges daede, the to dhi com on middangeard thaet he of +eallum dheodum his gecorenan gegaderode, and heora naman on ecere +eadignysse awrite. Theos towritennys asprang fram dham ealdormen Cyrino: +Cyrinus is gereht Yrfenuma, and he getacnode Crist, sedhe is sodh yrfenuma +thaes ecan Faeder; and he us forgifdh thaet we mid him {34} beon yrfenuman +and efenhlyttan his wuldres. Ealle dheoda tha ferdon thaet aelc synderlice +be him sylfum cennan sceolde, on dhaere byrig the he to hyrde. Swa swa on +dham timan be dhaes caseres gebanne gehwilce aenlipige on heora burgum be +him sylfum cendon, swa eac nu us cydhadh l['a]reowas Cristes gebann, thaet +we ['u]s gegadrian to his halgan geladhunge, and on dhaere ures geleafan +gafol mid estfullum mode him agifan, thaet ure naman beon awritene on lifes +bec mid his gecorenum. + +Drihten waes acenned on thaere byrig dhe is gehaten Bethleem; fordhan dhe +hit waes swa ['ae]r gewitegod thisum wordum, "Thu Bethleem, Iudeisc land, +ne eart dhu wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: sodhlice of dhe cymdh se +latteow the gewylt Israhela dheoda." Crist wolde on ytinge beon acenned, to +dhi thaet he wurde his ehterum bedigelod. Bethleem is gereht 'Hlaf-h['u]s,' +and on hire waes Crist, se sodha hlaf, acenned, the be him sylfum cwaedh, +"Ic eom se liflica hl['a]f, the of heofenum ast['a]h, and sedhe of dham +hlafe geett ne swylt h['e] on ecnysse." Thaes hlafes we onbyriadh thonne we +mid geleafan to husle gadh; fordhan the thaet halige husel is gastlice +Cristes lichama; and thurh dhone we beodh alysede fram dham ecan deadhe. +Mar['i]a acende dha hire frumcennedan sunu on dhisum andweardan daege, and +hine mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and for rymetleaste on anre binne +gel['e]de. Naes thaet cild fordhi gecweden hire frumcennede cild swilce heo +odher sidhdhan acende, ac fordhi the Crist is frumcenned of manegum +gastlicum gebrodhrum. Ealle cristene men sind his gastlican gebrodhra, and +h['e] is se frumcenneda, on gife and on godcundnysse ancenned of dham +Aelmihtigan Faeder. H['e] waes mid wacum cild-cladhum bewaefed, thaet he +['u]s forgeafe dha undeadlican tunecan, the we forluron on dhaes +frumsceapenan mannes forgaegednysse. Se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu, dhe heofenas +befon ne mihton, waes geled on nearuwre binne, to dhi thaet he ['u]s fram +hellicum nyrwette alysde. Mar['i]a waes dha cuma dhaer, swa swa thaet +godspel ['u]s segdh; and for dhaes folces gedhryle waes thaet gesthus +dhearle genyrwed. + +{36} Se Godes Sunu waes on his gesthuse genyrwed, thaet he us rume wununge +on heofonan rice forgife, gif we his willan gehyrsumiadh. Ne bitt h['e] us +n['a]nes dhinges to edleane his geswinces, buton ure sawle haelo, thaet we +['u]s sylfe claene and ungewemmede him gegearcian, to blisse and to ecere +myrhdhe. Tha hyrdas dhe wacodon ofer heora eowode on Cristes acennednysse, +getacnodon dha halgan lareowas on Godes geladhunge, the sind gastlice +hyrdas geleaffulra sawla: and se engel cydde Cristes acennednysse +hyrdemannum, fordham dhe dhan gastlicum hyrdum, thaet sind lareowas, is +swidhost geopenod embe Cristes menniscnysse, thurh boclice lare; and h['i] +sceolon gecneordlice heora undertheoddum bodian, thaet thaet him geswutelod +is, swa swa dha hyrdas tha heofenlican gesihdhe gew['i]dmaersodan. Tham +lareowe gedafenadh thaet h['e] symle wacol sy ofer Godes eowode, thaet se +ungesewenlica wulf Godes scep ne tostence. + +Gel['o]me wurdon englas mannum aeteowode on dhaere ealdan ['ae], ac hit nis +awriten thaet h['i] mid leohte comon, ac se wurdhmynt waes thises daeges +maerdhe gehealden, thaet h['i] mid heofenlicum leohte h['i] geswutelodon, +dhadha thaet sodhe leoht aspr['a]ng on dheostrum riht gethancodum, se +mildheorta and se rihtwisa Drihten. Se engel cwaedh to tham hyrdum, "Ne beo +ge afyrhte; efne ic bodige eow micelne gefean, dhe eallum folce becymdh, +fordhan the nu to-daeg is acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre." +Sodhlice h['e] bodade micelne gefean, sedhe naefre ne geendadh; fordhan the +Cristes acennednys gegladode heofenwara, and eordhwara, and helwara. Se +engel cwaedh, "Nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre:" +Rihtlice h['e] cwaedh on daege, and n['a] on nihte, fordhan dhe Crist is se +sodha daeg, sedhe todraefde mid his to-cyme ealle nytennysse thaere ealdan +nihte, and ealne middangeard mid his gife onlihte. Thaet t['a]cen the se +engel dham hyrdum saede we sceolon symle on urum gemynde healdan, and +thancian dham Haelende thaet he gemedemode hine sylfne to dhan thaet h['e] +daelnimend waere ure deadlicnysse, mid menniscum flaesce befangen, and mid +w['a]clicum cild-cladhum bewunden. Tha f['ae]rlice, aefter thaes engles +spraece, weardh gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes {38} God +herigendra and singendra, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan +sibb tham mannum the beodh godes willan." An engel bodade tham hyrdum thaes +heofonlican Cyninges acennednysse, and dha faerlice wurdon aeteowode fela +dhusend engla, thy laes dhe w['ae]re gethuht anes engles ealdordom to +hwonlic to swa micelre bodunge: and h['i] ealle samod mid gedremum sange +Godes wuldor hleodhrodon, and godum mannum sibbe bodedon, swutellice +aeteowiende thaet thurh his acennednysse men beodh gebigede to anes +geleafan sibbe, and to wuldre godcundlicere herunge. H['i] sungon, "Sy +wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb mannum, dham dhe beodh godes +willan." Dhas word geswuteliadh thaet dhaer wunadh Godes sibb thaer se goda +willa bidh. Eornostlice mancynn haefde ungethwaernysse to englum aer +Drihtnes acennednysse; fordhan dhe we waeron thurh synna aelfremede fram +Gode; tha wurde we eac aelfremede fram his englum getealde: ac sidhdhan se +heofenlica Cyning urne eordhlican lichaman underfeng, sidhdhan gecyrdon his +englas to ure sibbe; and dha dhe h['i] aerdhan untrume forsawon, tha hi +wurdhiadh nu him to geferum. Witodlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae], Lodh, and +Iosue, and gehwilce odhre the englas gesawon, h['i] luton widh heora, and +to him gebaedon, and dha englas thaet gedhafodon: ac Iohannes se +Godspellere, on dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, wolde hine gebiddan to tham engle +the him to spraec, tha forwyrnde se engel him dhaes, and cwaedh, "Beheald +thaet dhu dhas daede ne d['o]; ic eom dhin efen-dheowa, and dhinra +gebrodhra; gebide dhe to Gode anum." Englas gethafodon aer Drihtnes to-cyme +thaet mennisce men him to feollon, and aefter his to-cyme thaes forwyrndon; +fordhan the h['i] ges['a]won thaet heora Scyppend thaet gecynd underfeng +the h['i] aer dhan w['a]clic tealdon, and ne dorston hit forseon on ['u]s, +thonne h['i] hit wurdhiadh bufon him sylfum on dham heofonlican Cyninge. Ne +h['i] manna geferraedene ne forh['o]giadh, thonne h['i] feallende h['i] to +tham menniscum Gode gebiddadh. Nu we sind getealde Godes ceaster-gewaran, +and englum gel['i]ce; uton fordhi h['o]gian thaet leahtras us ne totwaemon +fram {40} dhisum micclum wurdhmynte. Sodhlice men syndon godas gecigede; +heald fordhi, dhu mann, thinne godes wurdhscipe widh leahtras; fordhan the +God is geworden mann for dhe. + +Tha hyrdas dha spraecon him betweonan, aefter dhaera engla fram-faerelde, +"Uton gefaran to Bethle['e]m, and geseon thaet word the geworden is, and +God us geswutelode." Eala h['u] rihtlice h['i] andetton thone halgan +geleafan mid thisum wordum, "On frymdhe waes w['o]rd, and thaet word waes +mid Gode, and thaet w['o]rd waes God"! Word bidh wisdomes geswutelung, and +thaet Word, thaet is se Wisdom, is acenned of dham Aelmihtigum Faeder, +butan anginne; fordhan dhe h['e] waes aefre God of Gode, Wisdom of dham +wisan Faeder. Nis h['e] na geworht, fordhan dhe he is God, and na gesceaft; +ac se Aelmihtiga Faeder gesceop thurh dhone Wisdom ealle gesceafta, and hi +ealle dhurh thone Halgan Gast gel['i]ffaeste. Ne mihte ure mennisce gecynd +Crist on dhaere godcundlican acennednysse geseon; ac thaet ylce Word waes +geworden flaesc, and wunode on ['u]s, thaet we hine geseon mihton. Naes +thaet Word to flaesce awend, ac hit waes mid menniscum flaesce befangen. +Swa swa anra gehwilc manna wunadh on sawle and on lichaman ['a]n mann, swa +eac Crist wunadh on godcundnysse and menniscnysse, on ['a]num hade ['a]n +Crist. H['i] cwaedon, "Uton geseon thaet word the geworden is," fordhan dhe +h['i] ne mihton hit geseon aer dhan dhe hit geflaeschamod waes, and to menn +geworden. Nis theahhwaedhre seo godcundnys gemenged to dhaere menniscnysse, +ne dhaer nan twaeming nys. We mihton eow secgan ane lytle bysne, gif hit to +w['a]clic naere; Sceawa n['u] on anum aege, h['u] thaet hwite ne bidh +gemenged to dham geolcan, and bidh hwaedhere ['a]n aeg. Nis eac Cristes +godcundnys gerunnen to dhaere menniscnysse, ac he thurhwunadh theah ['a] on +ecnysse on anum hade untotwaemed. + +Hraedlice dha comon tha hyrdas and gemetton Marian and Ioseph, and thaet +cild gel['e]d on dhaere binne. Maria waes be Godes dihte tham rihtwisan +Iosepe beweddod, for micclum gebeorge; fordhan dhe hit waes swa gewunelic +on Iudeiscre dheode, aefter Moyses ['ae], thaet gif aenig wimman cild +haefde {42} butan be rihtre aewe, thaet h['i] man sceolde mid stanum +oftorfian. Ac God asende his engel to Iosepe, dha Mar['i]a eacnigende waes, +and bead thaet he hire gymene haefde, and thaes cildes foster-faeder waere. +Tha waes gedhuht dham Iudeiscum swilce Ioseph thaes cildes faeder waere, ac +h['e] naes; fordhan the hit naes nan neod tham Aelmihtigum Scyppende thaet +h['e] of w['i]fe acenned waere; ac h['e] genam dha menniscnysse of +Mar['i]an innodhe, and forlet h['i] maeden na gewemmed, ac gehalgod thurh +his acennednysse. Ne oncneow heo weres gemanan, and heo acende butan sare, +and thurhwunadh on maegdhhade. Tha hyrdas gesawon, and oncneowon be dham +cilde, swa swa him ges['ae]d waes. Nis nan eadignys butan Godes +oncnawennesse, swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh dhadha he us his Faeder betaehte, +"Thaet is ece l['i]f, thaet hi dhe oncnawon sodhne God, and dhone dhe thu +asendest Haelend Crist." Hwaet dha ealle dha dhe thaet gehyrdon micclum +dhaes wundrodon, and be dham dhe dha hyrdas saedon. Mar['i]a sodhlice heold +ealle dhas w['o]rd araefniende on hire heortan. Heo nolde widmaersian +Cristes digelnesse, ac anbidode odh thaet he sylf thadha he wolde h['i] +geopenode. Heo cudhe Godes ['ae], and on dhaera witegena gesetnysse raedde, +thaet maeden sceolde God acennan. Tha blissode heo micclum thaet heo hit +beon moste. Hit waes gewitegod thaet h['e] on dhaere byrig Bethleem acenned +wurde, and heo dhearle wundrode thaet heo aefter dhaere witegunge dhaer +acende. Heo gemunde hwaet sum witega cwaedh, "Se oxa oncneow his hlaford, +and se assa his hlafordes binne." Tha geseah heo thaet cild licgan on +binne, dhaer se oxa and se assa gewunelice fodan secadh. Godes heah-engel +Gabrihel bodode Mar['i]an dhaes Haelendes to-cyme on hire innodhe, and heo +geseah dha thaet his bodung unleaslice gefylled waes. Dhyllice word +Mar['i]a heold araefnigende on hire heortan. And tha hyrdas gecyrdon ongean +wuldrigende and herigende God, on eallum dham dhingum dhe h['i] gehyrdon +and ges['a]won, swa swa him gesaed waes. + +Thyssera dhreora hyrda gemynd is gehaefd be eastan Bethleem ['a]ne mile, on +Godes cyrcan geswutelod, tham dhe dha stowe {44} geneosiadh. We sceolon +geefenlaecan thysum hyrdum, and wuldrian and h['e]rian urne Drihten on +eallum dham dhingum the he for ure lufe gefremode, ['u]s to alysednysse and +to ecere blisse, dham sy wuldor and lof mid dham Aelmihtigum Faeder, on +annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +DECEMBER XXV. + +SERMON ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD. + +We will, for the confirmation of your faith, relate to you the nativity of +our Saviour, according to the order of the gospel: how he on this present +day was born in true humanity in divine nature. + +Luke the Evangelist wrote in the book of Christ, that at {31} that time the +Roman emperor Octavianus made proclamation that all the world should be set +down in writing. This enrolment was set forth from Cyrenius, the governor +of Syria--that every man in general should declare his birth and his +possession in the city to which he belonged. Then Joseph, the foster-father +of Christ, went from the land of Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to the +Jewish city, which was of David, and was called Bethlehem, because he was +of the tribe of David, and would acknowledge with Mary her birth, who was +then great with child. Then it came to pass, while they were sojourning in +the city of Bethlehem, that her time was fulfilled that she should bring +forth, and she brought forth then her firstborn son, and wrapped him in +swaddling clothes, and laid the child in their asses' bin, because there +was no room in the inn. And there were shepherds in the country watching +over their flock; and lo, the angel of God stood before them, and God's +brightness shone on them, and they were much afraid. Then said the angel of +God to the shepherds, "Fear not, lo, I announce to you great joy, which +shall come to all people; for now to-day is born to you a Saviour, Christ, +in the city of David. Ye shall see this token, ye shall find the child +wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a bin." Then suddenly, after the +angel's speech, there was seen a great multitude of the heavenly host, +praising God and singing, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax +hominibus bonae voluntatis," that is in our tongue, "Glory to God in the +highest, and on earth peace to men who are of good will." And the angels +then withdrew from their sight to heaven. The shepherds then spake among +themselves, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word that God hath +manifested unto us." They came then quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, +and the child laid in a bin, as the angel had announced to them. But the +shepherds understood the word that had been said to them concerning the +child, and all wondered that heard it, and also at that which the shepherds +said unto them. But Mary held {33} all these words, pondering them in her +heart. Then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the +things which they had heard and seen, as had been said to them by the +angel. + +My dearest brethren, our Saviour, the Son of God, co-eternal with, and +equal to his Father, who was ever with him without beginning, vouchsafed +that he would on this present day, for the redemption of the world, be +corporally born of the Virgin Mary. He is Prince and Author of all things +good and of peace, and he sent before his birth unwonted peace, for never +was there such peace before that period in the world, as there was at the +time of his birth; so that all the world was subjected to the empire of one +man, and all mankind paid royal tribute to him alone. Verily in such great +peace was Christ born, who is our peace, because he united angels and men +to one family through his incarnation. He was born in the days of the +emperor who was called Octavianus, who extended the Roman empire to that +degree that all the world bowed to him, and he was, therefore, named +Augustus, that is, _Increasing his empire_. The name befits the heavenly +King Christ, who was born in his time, who increased his heavenly empire, +and replenished with mankind the loss which the falling devil had caused in +the host of angels. Not only did he simply supply its loss, but also +greatly increased it. Verily as great a number of mankind cometh, through +Christ's incarnation, to the hosts of angels, as there remained of holy +angels in heaven after the devil's fall. The emperor's decree, which +commanded all the world to be inscribed, betokened manifestly the deed of +the heavenly King, who came into the world that he might gather his chosen +from all nations, and write their names in everlasting bliss. This decree +sprang from the governor Cyrenius--Cyrenius is interpreted _Heir_, and he +betokened Christ, who is the true heir of the eternal Father; and he +granteth us to be heirs with him, and partakers of his glory. {35} All +nations then went that each separately might declare concerning himself, in +the city to which he belonged. As at that time, according to the emperor's +proclamation, each one singly, in their cities, declared concerning +himself, so also now do our teachers make known to us Christ's +proclamation, that we gather us to his holy congregation, and therein, with +devout mind, pay to him the tribute of our faith, that our names may be +written in the book of life with his chosen. + +The Lord was born in the city which is named Bethlehem, because it was so +before prophesied in these words, "Thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, thou art +not meanest of cities among the Jewish princes, for of thee shall come the +guide that shall govern the people of Israel." Christ would be born on +journey, that he might be concealed from his persecutors. Bethlehem is +interpreted _Bread house_, and in it was Christ, the true bread, brought +forth, who saith of himself, "I am the vital bread, which descended from +heaven, and he who eateth of this bread shall not die to eternity." This +holy bread we taste when we with faith go to housel; because the holy +housel is spiritually Christ's body; and through that we are redeemed from +eternal death. Mary brought forth her firstborn son on this present day, +and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and, for want of room, laid him in a +bin. That child is not called her firstborn child because she afterwards +brought forth another, but because Christ is the firstborn of many +spiritual brothers. All christian men are his spiritual brothers, and he is +the firstborn, in grace and in godliness only-begotten of the Almighty +Father. He was wrapped in mean swaddling clothes, that he might give us the +immortal garment which we lost by the first created man's transgression. +The Almighty Son of God, whom the heavens could not contain, was laid in a +narrow bin, that he might redeem us from the narrowness of hell. Mary was +there a stranger, as the gospel tells us; and through the concourse of +people the inn was greatly crowded. + +{37} The Son of God was crowded in his inn, that he might give us a +spacious dwelling in the kingdom of heaven, if we obey his will. He asks +nothing of us as reward for his toil, except our soul's health, that we may +prepare ourselves for him pure and uncorrupted in bliss and everlasting +joy. The shepherds that watched over their flock at Christ's birth, +betokened the holy teachers in God's church, who are the spiritual +shepherds of faithful souls: and the angel announced Christ's birth to the +herdsmen, because to the spiritual shepherds, that is, teachers, is chiefly +revealed concerning Christ's humanity, through book-learning: and they +shall sedulously preach to those placed under them, that which is +manifested to them, as the shepherds proclaimed the heavenly vision. It +beseemeth the teacher to be ever watchful over God's flock, that the +invisible wolf scatter not the sheep. + +Oftentimes, in the ancient law, angels appeared to men, but it is not +written that they came with light, for that honour was reserved for the +greatness of this day, that they should manifest themselves with heavenly +light, when that true light sprang up in darkness to the right thinkers, +the merciful and righteous Lord. The angel said to the shepherds, "Be ye +not afraid, lo, I announce to you great joy, which shall come to all +people, for to-day is born a Saviour Christ in the city of David." Verily +he announced great joy, which shall never end; for Christ's nativity +gladdened the inhabitants of heaven, and of earth, and of hell. The angel +said, "Now to-day is born to you a Saviour Christ, in the city of David:" +rightly he said _to-day_, and not to-night, for Christ is the true day who +scattered with his advent all the ignorance of the ancient night, and +illumined all the world with his grace. The sign which the angel said to +the shepherds we ought ever to hold in our remembrance, and to thank the +Saviour that he so humbled himself that he was the partaker of our +mortality, with human flesh invested, and wrapt in mean swaddling clothes. +Then suddenly, after the angel's speech, was seen a great multitude {39} of +the heavenly host, praising God and singing, "Be glory to God in the +highest, and on earth peace to men who are of good will." An angel +announced to the shepherds the heavenly King's nativity, and suddenly +appeared many thousand angels, lest the preeminence of one angel should +seem too inadequate for so great an announcement: and they all together, +with melodious song, God's glory celebrated, and to good men announced +peace, manifestly showing that through his birth men shall be inclined to +the peace of one faith, and to the glory of divine praise. They sung, "Be +glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, to those who are of +good will." These words manifest that where the peace of God dwelleth, +there is good will. But mankind had discord with angels before the Lord's +nativity; because we were through sins estranged from God; then were we +accounted estranged also from his angels: but after that the heavenly King +assumed our earthly body, his angels turned to peace with us; and those +whom they had before despised as mean they now honour as their companions. +But in the ancient law, Lot, and Joshua, and certain others who saw angels, +bowed before them, and prayed to them, and the angels allowed it: but when +John the Evangelist, in the New Testament, would pray to the angel who +spake to him, the angel forbade him, and said, "See that thou do not this +deed; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren: pray to God only." +Angels permitted, before the advent of the Lord, mortal men to fall down +before them, and after his advent forbade it; because they saw that their +Creator had assumed that nature which they had before accounted mean, and +durst not despise it in us, when they honour it above themselves in the +heavenly King. Nor despise they the fellowship of men, when falling down +they pray to the human God. Now we are accounted citizens of God, and like +to angels; let us, therefore, take care that sins do not separate us from +this great dignity. {41} Verily men are called gods; preserve, therefore, +thou man, thy dignity of a god against sins, since God became man for thee. + +The shepherds then spake among themselves, after the departure of the +angels, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word which is come to pass, +and that God hath revealed unto us." O how rightly they acknowledged the +holy faith with these words, "In the beginning was the word, and the word +was with God, and that word was God"! A word is the manifestation of +wisdom, and the Word, that is Wisdom, is begotten of the Almighty Father, +without beginning; for he was ever God of God, Wisdom of the wise Father. +He is not made, for he is God, and not a creature; for the Almighty Father +created all creatures through that Wisdom, and endowed them all with life +through the Holy Ghost. Our human nature could not see Christ in that +divine nativity; but that same Word became flesh and dwelt in us, that we +might see him. The Word was not turned to flesh, but it was invested with +human flesh. As every man existeth in soul and in body one man, so also +Christ existeth in divine nature and human nature, in one person one +Christ. They said, "Let us see the word that is come to pass," because they +could not see it before it was incarnate, and become man. Nevertheless, the +divine nature is not mingled with the human nature, nor is there any +separation. We might tell unto you a little simile, if it were not too +mean; Look now on an egg, how the white is not mingled with the yolk, and +yet it is one egg. Nor also is Christ's divinity confounded with human +nature, but he continueth to all eternity in one person undivided. + +Then came the shepherds quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child +laid in the bin. Mary was, by God's direction, betrothed to the righteous +Joseph, for the greater security; because it was thus customary among the +Jewish people, according to the law of Moses, that if any woman {43} had a +child, save in lawful wedlock, she should be slain with stones. But God +sent his angel to Joseph, when Mary was pregnant, and commanded that he +should have care of her, and be the child's foster-father. Then it seemed +to the Jews that Joseph was father of the child, but he was not; because +the Almighty Creator had no need to be born of woman; but he took human +nature from the womb of Mary, and left her a virgin undefiled, but hallowed +through his birth. She knew no society of man, and she brought forth +without pain, and continued in maidenhood. The shepherds saw and recognized +the child, as had to them been told. (There is no happiness without +knowledge of God, as Christ himself said, when he committed us to his +Father, "That is eternal life that they acknowledge Thee, the true God, and +him whom thou hast sent, the Saviour Christ.") Now all who heard that +wondered greatly thereat, and at what the shepherds said. But Mary held all +these words, pondering them in her heart. She would not publish Christ's +mystery, but waited until he himself, when it pleased him, should divulge +it. She knew God's law, and in the book of the prophets had read, that a +virgin should give birth to God. Then she greatly rejoiced that she might +be it. It was prophesied that he should be born in the city of Bethlehem, +and she greatly wondered that, according to that prophecy, she was there +delivered. She remembered that a prophet had said, "The ox knows his +master, and the ass his master's bin." Then saw she the child lying in the +bin, where the ox and the ass usually seek food. God's archangel Gabriel +had announced to Mary the Saviour's coming into her womb, and she then saw +that his announcement was truly fulfilled. Such words Mary held, pondering +them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God +for all those things which they had heard and seen, as had been told unto +them. + +The memory of these three shepherds is preserved one mile to the east of +Bethlehem, and manifested in God's church {45} to those who visit the +place. We should imitate these shepherds, and glorify and praise our Lord +for all those things which he hath done for love of us, for our redemption +and eternal bliss, to whom be glory and praise with the Almighty Father, in +unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +VII. K[=L]. JAN. + +PASSIO BEATI STEPHANI, PROTOMARTYRIS. + +We raedadh on dhaere b['e]c the is geh['a]ten Actus Apostolorum, th['ae]t +dha apostolas geh['a]dodon seofon diaconas on dhaere geladhunge the of +Iudeiscum folce to Cristes geleafan beah, aefter his dhrowunge, and +['ae]riste of deadhe, and upstige to heofenum. Thaera diacona waes se forma +STEPHANUS, the we on dhisum daege wurdhiadh. He waes swidhe geleafful, and +mid tham Halgum Gaste afylled. Tha odhre six waeron gecigede dhisum namum: +Stephanus waes se fyrmesta, odher Philippus, thridda Procorus, feordha +Nicanor, fifta Timotheus, sixta Parmenen, seofodha Nicolaus. Dhas seofon +h['i] gecuron and gesetton on dhaera apostola gesihdhe, and hi dha mid +gebedum and bletsungum to diaconum gehadode wurdon. Weox dha daeghwonlice +Godes bodung, and waes gemenigfylld thaet getel cristenra manna thearle on +Hierusalem. Tha weardh se eadiga Stephanus mid Godes gife, and mid micelre +strencdhe afylled, and worhte forebeacena and micele t['a]cna on dham +folce. Dha astodon sume dha ungeleaffullan Iudei, and woldon mid heora +gedwylde thaes eadigan martyres l['a]re oferswidhan; ac hi ne mihton his +wisdome widhstandan, ne dham Halgum Gaste, dhe dhurh hine spraec. Tha +setton h['i] lease gewitan, dhe hine forlugon, and cwaedon, thaet h['e] +t['a]llice word spraece be Moyse and be Gode. Thaet folc weardh dha micclum +astyred, and tha heafod-menn, and tha Iudeiscan boceras, and gelaehton +Stephanum, and tugon to heora getheahte; and dha leasan gewitan him on {46} +besaedon, "Ne geswicdh dhes man to sprecenne tallice word ongean thas +halgan stowe and Godes ['ae]. We gehyrdon hine secgan thaet Crist towyrpdh +thas stowe, and towent dha gesetnysse dhe ['u]s Moyses taehte." Tha +beheoldon dha hine dhe on tham gedheahte saeton, and gesawon his nebwlite +swylce sumes engles ansyne. Dha cwaedh se ealdor-biscop to dham eadigan +cydhere, "Is hit swa h['i] secgadh?" Dha wolde se halga wer Stephanus heora +ungeleaffullan heortan gerihtlaecan mid heora fordhfaedera gebysnunge and +gemynde, and to sodhfaestnysse wege mid ealre lufe gebigan. Begann dha him +to reccenne be dham heahfaedere Abrahame, hu se heofenlica God hine geceas +him to gethoftan, and him behet, thaet ealle dheoda on his ofspringe +gebletsode wurdon, for his gehyrsumnesse. Swa eac dhaera odhra heahfaedera +gemynd, mid langsumere race, aetforan him geniwode; and hu Moyses, dhurh +Godes mihte, heora foregengan ofer dha Readan Sae wundorlice gelaedde, and +h['u] h['i] sidhdhan feowertig geara on westene waeron, mid heofenlicum +bigleofan daeghwonlice gereordode; and hu God h['i] laedde to dham +Iudeiscan earde, and dha haedhenan dheoda aetforan heora gesihdhum eallunga +adwaescte; and be Dauides maerdhe, thaes maeran cyninges, and Salomones +wuldre, dhe Gode thaet maere tempel araerde. Cwaedh tha aet nextan, "Ge +widhstandadh tham Halgum Gaste mid stidhum swuran, and ungeleaffulre +heortan; ge sind meldan and manslagan, and ge dhone rihtwisan Crist +nidhfullice acwealdon; ge underfengon ['ae] on engla gesetnysse, and ge hit +ne heoldon." Hwaet dha Iudeiscan tha wurdon thearle on heora heortan +astyrode, and biton heora tedh him togeanes. Se halga Stephanus weardh tha +afylled mid tham Halgum Gaste, and beheold widh heofonas weard, and geseah +Godes wuldor, and thone Haelend standende aet his Faeder swidhran; and he +cwaedh, "Efne ic geseo heofenas opene, and mannes Sunu standende aet Godes +swidhran." Iudei dha, mid micelre stemne hrymende, heoldon heora earan, and +anmodlice him to scuton, and hi hine gelaehton, and of dhaere byrig +gelaeddon to staenenne. Tha leas-gewitan dha l['e]don heora {48} hacelan +aetforan fotum sumes geonges cnihtes, se waes geciged SAULUS. Ongunnon dha +oftorfian mid heardum stanum dhone eadigan Stephanum; and h['e] clypode, +and cwaedh, "Drihten H['ae]lend, onf['o]h minne gast." And gebigde his +cneowu, mid micelre stemne clypigende, "Min Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas daeda +him to synne." And h['e] mid tham worde dha gew['a]t to dhan Aelmihtigum +Haelende, the he on heofenan healicne standende geseah. + +Se wisa Augustinus spraec ymbe dhas raedinge, and smeade hw['i] se halga +cydhere Stephanus cwaede thaet he gesawe mannes bearn standan aet Godes +swydhran, and nolde cwedhan Godes bearn; thonne dhe is gethuht wurdhlicor +be Criste to cwedhenne Godes Bearn dhonne mannes Bearn. Ac hit gedafenode +thaet se Haelend swa geswutelod waere on heofenum, and swa gebodod on +middangearde. Eall dhaera Iudeiscra teona aras thurh thaet, hw['i] Drihten +Crist, sedhe aefter flaesce sodhlice is mannes Sunu, eac swilce waere +gecweden Godes Sunu? fordhi gemunde swidhe gedafenlice thaet godcunde +gewrit, mannes Sunu standan aet Godes swidhran to gescyndenne thaera +Iudeiscra ['u]ngeleaffulnysse. Crist waes aeteowed his eadigan cydhere +Stephane on heofenum, sedhe fram ungeleaffullum on middangearde acweald +waes, and seo heofenlice sodhfaestnyss be dham cydde gecydhnysse, thone seo +eordhlice arleasnyss huxlice taelde. Hw['a] maeg beon rihtlice gec['i]ged +mannes Bearn, buton Criste anum, thonne aelc man is twegra manna bearn, +buton him anum? Se eadiga Stephanus geseah Crist standan, fordhan the he +waes his gefylsta on dham gastlicum gefeohte his martyrdomes. Witodlice we +andettadh on urum credan, thaet Drihten sitt aet his Faeder swidhran. Setl +gedafenadh d['e]man, and steall fylstendum odhdhe feohtendum. Nu andet ure +geleafa Cristes setl, fordhan dhe h['e] is se sodha d['e]ma lybbendra and +deadra: and se eadiga cydhere Stephanus h['i]ne geseah standende, fordhan +dhe he waes his gefylsta, swa swa we ['ae]r saedon. Ealra gecorenra halgena +deadh is deorwurdhe on Godes gesihdhe; ac dheah-hwaedhere is gethuht, gif +aenig tod['a]l beon maeg betwux {50} martyrum, thaet se is healicost sedhe +dhone martyrdom aefter Gode astealde. Witodlice Stephanus waes to diacone +geh['a]dod aet dhaera apostola handum; ac h['e] h['i] forest['o]p on +heofenan rice mid sigefaestum deadhe; and swa se dhe waes neodhor on +endebyrdnysse, weardh fyrmest on dhrowunge; and se dhe waes leorning-cniht +on h['a]de, ongann wesan l['a]reow on martyrdome. Dhone deadh sodhlice the +se Haelend gemedemode for mannum throwian, dhone ageaf Stephanus fyrmest +manna tham Haelende. He is gecweden protomartyr, thaet is se forma cydhere, +fordhan dhe h['e] aefter Cristes dhrowunge aerest martyrd['o]m gedhrowode. +Stephanus is Grecisc nama, thaet is on Leden, Coronatus, thaet we cwedhadh +on Englisc, Gewuldorbeagod; fordhan dhe h['e] haefdh thone ecan wuldorbeah, +swa swa his nama him forew['i]tegode. Tha leasan gewitan, dhe hine +forsaedon, h['i]ne ongunnon aerest to torfienne; fordhan the Moyses ['ae] +taehte, thaet swa hw['a] swa odherne to deadhe fors['ae]de, sceolde wurpan +dhone forman st['a]n to dham dhe h['e] aer mid his tungan acwealde. Dha +redhan Iudei wedende thone halgan st['ae]ndon: and h['e] clypode, and +cwaedh, "Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas d['ae]da him to synne." + +Understandadh nu, mine gebrodhra, tha micclan lufe thaes eadigan weres. On +deadhe h['e] waes gesett, and dheah he baed mid sodhre lufe for his +cwelleras; and betwux dhaera stana hryre, dhadha gehw['a] mihte his +leofostan frynd forgytan, dha betaehte h['e] his fynd Gode, thus cwedhende, +"Drihten, ne sete thu dhas daeda him to synne." Swidhor he besorgade tha +heora synna thonne his agene wunda; swidhor heora arleasnysse thonne his +sylfes deadh; and rihtlice swidhor, fordhan dhe heora arleasnysse fyligde +se eca deadh, and thaet ece l['i]f fyligde his deadhe. Saulus heold dhaera +leasra gewitena reaf, and heora mod to thaere staeninge geornlice tihte. +Stephanus sodhlice gebigedum cneowum Drihten baed thaet h['e] Saulum +alysde. Weardh dha Stephanes b['e]n fram Gode gehyred, and Saulus weardh +alysed. Se ['a]rfaesta waes gehyred, and se arleasa weardh gerihtwisod. + +On dhyssere daede is geswutelod hu micclum fremige thaere {52} sodhan lufe +gebed. Witodlice naefde Godes geladhung Paulum to lareowe, gif se halga +martyr Stephanus swa ne baede. Efne n['u] Paulus blissadh mid Stephane on +heofenan rice; mid Stephane h['e] bricdh Cristes beorhtnysse, and mid him +h['e] rixadh. Thider dhe Stephanus forest['o]p, mid Saules stanum oftorfod, +dhider folgode Paulus gefultumod thurh Stephanes gebedu. Thaer nis Paulus +gescynd thurh Stephanes slege, ac Stephanus gladadh on Paules +gefaerraedene; fordhan the seo sodhe lufu on heora aegdhrum blissadh. Seo +sodhe lufu oferwann dhaera Iudeiscra redhnysse on Stephane, and seo ylce +lufu oferwreah synna micelnysse on Paule, and heo on heora aegdhrum samod +geearnode heofenan rice. Eornostlice seo sodhe lufu is wylspring and +ordfruma ealra godnyssa and aedhele trumnys, and se weg the l['ae]t to +heofonum. Se dhe faerdh on sodhre lufe ne maeg h['e] dwelian, ne forhtian: +heo gewissadh, and gescylt, and gelaet. Thurh tha sodhan lufe waes thes +halga martyr swa gebyld thaet he bealdlice dhaera Iudeiscra +ungeleaffulnysse dhreade, and he ['o]rsorh betwux dham greatum hagolstanum +thurhwunode; and he for dham staenendum welwillende gebaed, and thaer +to-eacan dha heofenlican healle cucu and gewuldorbeagod inn-ferde. + +Mine gebrodhra, uton geefenlaecan be sumum daele swa miccles lareowes +geleafan, and swa maeres cydheres lufe. Uton lufian ure gebrodhra on Godes +geladhunge mid swilcum mode swa swa dhes cydhere tha lufode his fynd. Beodh +gemyndige hwaet seo sylfe Sodhfaestnys on dham halgan godspelle beh['e]t, +and hwilc wedd us gesealde. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Gif ge forgyfadh tham +mannum the widh eow agyltadh, thonne forgyfdh eow eower Faeder eowere +synna: gif ge dhonne nelladh forgyfan, nele eac eower Faeder eow forgifan +eowere gyltas." Ge gehyradh nu, mine gebrodhra, thaet hit stent thurh Godes +gyfe on urum agenum dihte hu ['u]s bidh aet Gode ged['e]med. He cwaedh, +"Gif ge forgyfadh, eow bidh forgyfen." Ne bepaece n['a]n man hine sylfne: +witodlice gif hwa furdhon aenne man hatadh on dhisum middangearde, swa +hwaet swa he to g['o]de ged['e]dh, eal {54} he hit forlyst; fordhan dhe se +apostol Paulus ne bidh geligenod, the cwaedh, "Theah dhe ic aspende ealle +mine aehta on dhearfena bigleofan, and dheah dhe ic minne agenne lichaman +to cwale gesylle, swa dhaet ic forbyrne on martyrdome; gif ic naebbe dha +sodhan lufe, ne fremadh hit me nan dhing." Be dhan ylcan cwaedh se +godspellere Iohannes, "Sedhe his brodhor ne lufadh, he wunadh on deadhe." +Eft h['e] cwaedh, "Aelc dhaera the his brodhor hatadh is manslaga." Ealle +we sind gebrodhra the on God gelyfadh, and we ealle cwedhadh, "Pater noster +qui es in celis," thaet is, "Ure Faeder the eart on heofonum." Ne +gedyrstlaece nan man be maegdhhade, butan sodhre lufe. Ne truwige nan man +be aelmesdaedum odhdhe on gebedum, butan dhaere foresaedan lufe; fordhan +dhe swa lange swa h['e] hylt dhone sweartan nidh on his heortan, ne maeg he +mid nanum dhinge thone mildheortan God gegladian. Ac gif he wille thaet him +God milde s['y], thonne hlyste h['e] g['o]des raedes, na of minum mudhe, ac +of Cristes sylfes: he cwaedh, "Gif dhu offrast dhine l['a]c to Godes +weofode, and thu thaer gemyndig bist thaet dhin brodhor haefdh sum dhing +ongean dhe, forlaet dhaerrihte dha l['a]c aetforan dham weofode, and gang +aerest to thinum bredher, and the to him gesibsuma; and dhonne dhu eft +cymst to dham weofode, geoffra dhonne dhine l['a]c." Gif dhu dhonne thinum +cristenum bredher deredest, thonne haefdh he sum dhing ongean dhe, and thu +scealt be Godes taecunge hine gegladian, aer dhu dhine l['a]c geoffrige. +Gif dhonne se cristena mann, the dhin brodhor is, dhe ahwar geyfelode, +thaet dhu scealt miltsigende forgifan. Ure gastlican l['a]c sind ure +gebedu, and lofsang, and husel-halgung, and gehwilce odhre l['a]c dhe we +Gode offriadh, tha we sceolon mid gesibsumere heortan and brodherlicere +lufe Gode betaecan. Nu cwydh sum man ongean dhas raedinge, Ne maeg ic minne +feond lufian, dhone dhe ic daeghwonlice waelhreowne togeanes me geseo. Eala +dhu mann, thu sceawast hwaet dhin brodhor the dyde, and thu ne sceawast +hwaet dhu Gode gedydest. Thonne dhu micele swaerran synna widh God +gefremodest, hw['i] nelt dhu forgyfan dha lytlan gyltas anum menn, thaet se +Aelmihtiga God the dha micclan {56} synna forgyfe? Nu cwyst dhu eft, Micel +gedeorf bidh me thaet ic minne feond lufige, and for dhone gebidde the me +hearmes cepdh. Ne widhcwedhe we thaet hit micel gedeorf ne sy; ac gif hit +is hefigtyme on dhyssere worulde, hit becymdh to micelre mede on dhaere +toweardan. Witodlice thurh dhines feondes lufe thu bist Godes freond; and +na thaet an thaet dhu his freond sy, ac eac swilce thu bist Godes bearn, +thurh dha raedene thaet thu thinne feond lufige; swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh, +"Lufiadh eowere fynd, dodh tham tela the eow hatiadh, thaet ge beon eoweres +Faeder cild, sedhe on heofenum is." Menigfealde earfodhnyssa and hospas +wolde gehw['a] eadhelice forberan widh than thaet he moste sumum rican men +to bearne geteald beon, and his yrfenuma to gewitendlicum aehtum: forberadh +nu gedhyldelice for dham ecan wurdhmynte, thaet ge Godes bearn getealde +beon, and his yrfenuman on heofenlicum spedum, thaet thaet se odher +fordhyldigan wolde for ateorigendlicere edwiste. + +We secgadh eow Godes riht; healdadh gif ge willon. Gif we hit forsuwiadh, +ne bidh us geborgen. Cristes lufu us neadadh thaet we simle tha g['o]dan +tihton, thaet h['i] on g['o]dnysse thurhwunion; and dha yfelan we +mynegiadh, thaet h['i] fram heora yfelnessum hraedlice gecyrron. Ne beo se +rihtwisa gymeleas on his anginne, ne se yfela ortruwige dhurh his +unrihtwisnysse. Ondraede se goda thaet h['e] fealle; hogige se yfela thaet +h['e] astande. Se dhe yfel sy geefenlaece h['e] Paules gecyrrednysse; se +dhe g['o]d sy thurhwunige h['e] on g['o]dnysse mid Stephane; fordhan dhe ne +bidh n['a]n anginn herigendlic butan godre geendunge. Aelc lof bidh on ende +gesungen. + +Mine gebrodhra, gyrstan-daeg gemedemode ure Drihten hine sylfne, thaet +h['e] dhysne middangeard thurh sodhe menniscnysse geneosode: nu to-d['ae]g +se aedhela cempa Stephanus, fram lichamlicere wununge gewitende, sigefaest +to heofenum ferde. Crist nidher-ast['a]h, mid flaesce bewaefed; Stephanus +up-ast['a]h, thurh his blod gewuldorbeagod. Gyrstan-daeg sungon englas +"Gode wuldor on heannyssum;" nu to-daeg h['i] underfengon Stephanum +blissigende on heora geferraedene, mid tham h['e] wuldradh and blissadh +['a] on ecnysse. Amen. + +DECEMBER XXVI. + +THE PASSION OF THE BLESSED STEPHEN, PROTOMARTYR. + +We read in the book which is called The Acts of the Apostles, that the +apostles ordained seven deacons in the congregation which, from among the +Jewish people, had turned to Christ's faith, after his passion, and +resurrection from death, and ascension to heaven. Of these deacons the +first was STEPHEN, to whom we do honour on this day. He was of great faith, +and filled with the Holy Ghost. The six others were called by these names; +Stephen was the first, the second Philip, the third Prochorus, the fourth +Nicanor, the fifth Timothy, the sixth Parmenas, the seventh Nicolas. They +chose these seven, and set them in the presence of the apostles, and they +then, with prayers and blessings, were ordained deacons. The preaching of +God waxed then daily, and the number of christian men was greatly +multiplied in Jerusalem. Then was the blessed Stephen filled with God's +grace, and with great strength, and he wrought miracles and great signs +among the people. Then arose some of the unbelieving Jews, and would with +their error quell the blessed martyr's doctrine; but they could not +withstand his wisdom, nor the Holy Ghost, who spake through him. Then they +set false witnesses, who belied him, and said that he spake blasphemous +words of Moses and of God. The people were then greatly excited, and the +elders, and the Jewish scribes, and they seized Stephen, and drew him to +their council, and {47} the false witnesses said of him, "This man ceaseth +not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and God's law. We +heard him say that Christ shall destroy this place, and change the usages +which Moses hath taught us." Then looked on him they who sate in the +council, and saw his countenance like the face of an angel. Then said the +chief priest to the blessed martyr, "Is it as they say?" Then would the +holy man Stephen rectify their unbelieving hearts with the example and +remembrance of their forefathers, and, with all love, incline them to the +way of truth. He began then to relate to them concerning the patriarch +Abraham, how the God of heaven chose him for associate, and promised him, +that all nations should be blessed in his offspring, for his obedience. In +like manner, in a long narrative, he renewed before them the memory of the +other patriarchs; and how Moses, through God's might, wonderfully led their +forefathers over the Red Sea, and how they afterwards were forty days in +the waste, daily fed with heavenly food; and how God led them to the Jewish +country, and wholly destroyed before their sight all the heathen nations; +and of David the great king's greatness, and of Solomon's glory, who the +great temple raised to God. At last he said, "Ye withstand the Holy Ghost +with stiff neck and unbelieving heart; ye are betrayers and murderers, and +the righteous Christ ye enviously slew; ye have received a law by the +disposition of angels, and ye have held it not." Then were the Jews greatly +disturbed in their heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But the holy +Stephen was filled with the Holy Ghost, and looked towards heaven, and saw +the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right of his Father; and he +said, "Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing at the +right hand of God." Then the Jews, crying with a loud voice, held their +ears, and with one accord rushed on him, and seized him, and led him out of +the city to be stoned. The false witnesses then laid their coats before the +{49} feet of a young man who was called SAUL. They then begun to stone with +hard stones the blessed Stephen; and he cried, and said, "Lord Jesus, +receive my spirit." And he bowed his knees, crying with a loud voice, "My +Lord, place not thou these deeds to them as sin." And he then with that +word departed to the Almighty Saviour, whom he had seen standing high in +heaven. + +The wise Augustine spake touching this text, and inquired, why the holy +martyr Stephen said that he saw the Son of man standing at God's right +hand, and would not say the Son of God; when it seemed worthier of Christ +to be called the Son of God than the Son of man? But it was fitting that +Jesus should be so manifested in heaven, and so announced on earth. All the +malice of the Jews arose in this, Why the Lord Christ, who, after the +flesh, is truly the Son of man, should also be called the Son of God; for +the holy writ hath very properly mentioned the Son of man standing at the +right hand of God, to shame the disbelief of the Jews. Christ was +manifested in heaven to his blessed martyr Stephen, who was slain by the +unbelievers on earth; and the heavenly truth gave testimony of him, whom +earthly wickedness had shamefully calumniated. Who can rightly be called +the Son of man, save Christ only, when every man besides him is the son of +two persons? The blessed Stephen saw Christ standing, because he was his +support in the spiritual fight of his martyrdom. Verily we confess in our +creed that the Lord sits at the right hand of his Father. A seat is +befitting to a judge, and standing to one helping or fighting. Now our +creed acknowledges Christ's seat, because he is the true Judge of the +living and the dead: and the blessed martyr Stephen saw him standing, +because he was his helper, as we before said. The death of all the chosen +saints is precious in the sight of God; yet it seems, if any difference may +be between martyrs, that he is the most exalted who suffered {51} martyrdom +next to God. Now Stephen was ordained deacon at the hands of the apostles; +but he preceded them in the kingdom of heaven by a triumphant death; and so +he who was lower in order was first in suffering; and he who was a disciple +in condition was the earliest to be a doctor in martyrdom. That death +verily which Jesus vouchsafed to suffer for men, Stephen gave first of men +to Jesus. He is called protomartyr, that is the first witness, because he +first after Christ's passion suffered martyrdom. Stephen is a Greek name, +which is in Latin, _Coronatus_, and which we express in English by, +_Glory-crowned_, because he has the eternal crown of glory, as his name +foretold to him. The lying witnesses, who had falsely accused him, begun +first to stone him; because the law of Moses taught, that whosoever accused +another to death should throw the first stone against him whom he had +before slain with his tongue. The cruel Jews raging stoned the holy one, +and he cried and said, "Lord, place thou not these deeds to them as sin." + +Understand now, my brethren, the great love of this blessed man. He was +placed in death, and yet he prayed with true love for his slayers; and amid +the falling of the stones, when any one might forget his dearest friends, +he commended his foes to God, thus saying, "Lord, place thou not these +deeds to them as sin." He was more afflicted on account of their sins than +of his own wounds, more for their wickedness than his own death; and +rightly more, seeing that eternal death followed their wickedness, and +eternal life followed his death. Saul held the garments of the false +witnesses, and zealously instigated their minds to the stoning. But Stephen +with bended knees besought the Lord that he would redeem Saul. Stephen's +prayer was heard, and Saul was redeemed. The pious one was heard, and the +impious justified. + +By this deed is shown how greatly avails the prayer of {53} true love. +Verily the church of God would not have had Paul as a teacher, if the holy +martyr Stephen had not thus prayed. Behold, Paul now rejoices with Stephen +in the kingdom of heaven; with Stephen he enjoys the brightness of Christ, +and with him he rules. Whither Stephen preceded, stoned with the stones of +Saul, thither Paul followed, aided by the prayers of Stephen. Paul is not +there defiled through Stephen's murder, but Stephen rejoices in the +fellowship of Paul, because true love rejoices in them both. True love +overcame the cruelty of the Jews to Stephen, and the same love covered over +the greatness of his sins in Paul, and it in both of them together earned +the kingdom of heaven. Verily true love is the fountain and origin of all +goodness, and noble fortitude, and the way that leads to heaven. He who +journeys in true love cannot err nor fear: it directs, and shields, and +leads. Through true love was the holy martyr rendered so courageous that he +boldly reproved the disbelief of the Jews, and he continued tranquil amid +the great stones, and benevolently prayed for the stoners, and, in addition +thereto, entered the heavenly hall living, and crowned with glory. + +My brethren, let us in some degree imitate so great a teacher's faith, and +so great a martyr's love. Let us love our brothers in God's church with +such affection as that with which this martyr loved his foes. Be mindful +what Truth itself has promised in the holy gospel, and what pledge it has +given us. Jesus said, "If ye forgive those men who sin against you, then +will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins: but if ye will not +forgive, your Father will not forgive you your sins." Ye hear now, my +brethren, that it stands, through God's grace, at our own option how we +shall be judged before God. He said, "If ye forgive, ye shall be forgiven." +Let no man deceive himself: verily if any one hate a man in this world, +whatever good he may have done, {55} he loses it all; for the apostle Paul +speaks not falsely, who says, "Though I spend all my wealth in food for the +poor, and though I give my own body to be slain, so that I burn in +martyrdom, if I have not true love, it profiteth me nothing." Concerning +the same the evangelist John said, "He who loveth not his brother +continueth in death." Again he said, "Every one who hateth his brother is a +murderer." We are all brothers who believe in God, and we all say, "Pater +noster qui es in coelis," that is, "Our Father who art in heaven." Let no +man presume on kinship without true love. Let no man trust in alms-deeds, +or in prayers, without the aforesaid love; for so long as he holds black +malice in his heart, he cannot in any way delight the merciful God. But if +he desire that God be merciful to him, let him listen to good counsel, not +from my mouth, but from that of Christ himself: he said, "If thou offerest +thy gift at God's altar, and thou there rememberest that thy brother hath +something against thee, leave forthwith the gift before the altar, and go +first to thy brother, and reconcile thee to him, and when thou comest again +to the altar, offer then thy gift." But if thou hast injured thy christian +brother, then hath he something against thee, and thou shalt, according to +God's teaching, gladden him, ere thou offerest thy gift. But if the +christian man, who is thy brother, hath in aught done thee evil, that thou +shalt mercifully forgive. Our spiritual gifts are our prayers, and hymn, +and housel-hallowing, and every other gift that we offer to God, which we +should give to God with peaceful heart and brotherly love. Now will some +man say against this text, I cannot love my foe, whom I see daily +bloodthirsty against me. O thou man, thou seest what thy brother hath done +to thee, but thou seest not what thou hast done to God. When thou much +heavier sins hast perpetrated against God, why wilt thou not forgive one +man little offences, that the Almighty God may forgive thee great {57} +sins? Now again thou wilt say, It is a great hardship for me to love my +foe, and to pray for him who meditates harm against me. We will not gainsay +that it is a great hardship; but if it is difficult in this world, it turns +to a great reward in the one to come. Verily by love of thy foe thou art +the friend of God, and not only art thou his friend, but thou art also a +child of God, by the condition that thou love thy foe; as Christ himself +hath said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, that ye be +your Father's children, who is in heaven." Many hardships and contumelies +any one would easily endure that he might be accounted the child of some +powerful man, and his heir to transitory possessions: bear now patiently, +for the everlasting honour of being accounted children of God, and his +heirs in heavenly riches, that which the other would undergo for a frail +matter. + +We tell you God's law; hold it if ye will. If we kept it in silence, we +should not be secure. Love of Christ compels us ever to stimulate the good, +that they continue in goodness; and we admonish the wicked that they may +quickly turn from their wickedness. Let not the righteous be heedless at +his beginning, nor the wicked despair through his unrighteousness. Let the +good man dread lest he fall; the wicked take care that he stand. Let him +who is wicked imitate the conversion of Paul; let him who is good persist +in goodness with Stephen; for no beginning is praiseworthy without a good +ending. All praise will be sung at the end. + +My brethren, yesterday our Lord vouchsafed to visit this world in true +human nature: now to-day the noble champion Stephen, quitting his bodily +dwelling, went triumphant to heaven. Christ descended clothed with flesh; +Stephen ascended, through his blood with glory crowned. Yesterday angels +sung, "Glory to God in the highest;" now to-day they received Stephen +rejoicing in their fellowship, with whom he glorieth and rejoiceth to all +eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{58} VI. KA[=L]. JAN. + +ASSUMPTIO S[=CI] IOHANNIS APOSTOLI. + +Iohannes se Godspellere, Cristes dyrling, weardh on dhysum daege to +heofenan rices myrhdhe, thurh Godes neosunge, genumen. He waes Cristes +moddrian sunu, and he hine lufode synderlice; na swa micclum for dhaere +maeglican sibbe swa for dhaere claennysse his ansundan maegdhhades. He waes +on maegdhh['a]de Gode gecoren, and h['e] on ecnysse on ungewemmedum +maegdhhade thurhwunode. Hit is geraed on gewyrdelicum racum thaet h['e] +wolde w['i]fian, and Cr['i]st weardh to his gyftum geladhod. Tha gel['a]mp +hit thaet aet dham gyftum w['i]n weardh ateorod. Se Haelend dha het tha +dhenig-men afyllan six staenene fatu mid hluttrum waetere, and he mid his +bletsunge thaet waeter to aedhelum wine awende. This is thaet forme t['a]cn +dhe h['e] on his menniscnysse openlice geworhte. Tha weardh Iohannes swa +onbryrd thurh thaet t['a]cn, thaet h['e] dhaerrihte his bryde on maegdhhade +forl['e]t, and symle sydhdhan Drihtne folgode, and weardh dha him +inweardlice gelufod, fordhan dhe he hine aetbraed tham flaesclicum lustum. +Witodlice dhisum leofan leorning-cnihte befaeste se Haelend his modor, +thatha h['e] on rode hengene mancynn alysde; thaet his claene l['i]f dhaes +claenan maedenes Marian gymde, and heo dha on hyre swyster suna dhenungum +wunode. + +Eft on fyrste, aefter Cristes upstige to heofonum, rixode sum waelhreow +casere on Romana r['i]ce, aefter Nerone, se waes Domicianus gehaten, +cristenra manna ehtere: se het afyllan ane cyfe mid weallendum ele, and +thone maeran godspellere thaeron het bescufan; ac he, dhurh Godes +gescyldnysse, ungewemmed of dham hatum baedhe eode. Eft dhadha se waelreowa +ne mihte dhaes eadigan apostoles bodunge alecgan, tha asende he hine on +wraecsidh to anum igeodhe the is Padhmas gec['i]ged, thaet he dhaer thurh +hungres scearpnysse acwaele. Ac se Aelmihtiga Haelend ne forl['e]t to +gymeleaste his gelufedan apostol, ac {60} geswutelode him on dham +wraecsidhe tha toweardan onwrigenysse, be dhaere h['e] awrat dha b['o]c dhe +is gehaten APOCALIPSIS: and se waelhreowa Domicianus on dham ylcan geare +weardh acweald aet his witena handum; and h['i] ealle anmodlice raeddon +thaet ealle his gesetnyssa aydlode waeron. Tha weardh Nerua, swidhe arfaest +man, to casere gecoren. Be his gedhafunge gecyrde se apostol ongean mid +micclum wurdhmynte, sedhe mid hospe to wraecsidhe asend waes. Him urnon +ongean weras and wif faegnigende, and cwedhende, "Gebletsod is se dhe com +on Godes naman." + +Mid tham dhe se apostol Iohannes stop into dhaere byrig Ephesum, tha baer +man him togeanes anre wydewan l['i]c to byrigenne; hire nama waes Drusiana. +Heo waes swidhe gelyfed and aelmesgeorn, and tha dhearfan, dhe heo mid +cystigum mode eallunga afedde, dreorige mid w['o]pe dham l['i]ce folgodon. +Dha het se apostol dha baere settan, and cwaedh, "Min Drihten, Haelend +Crist! Araere dhe, Drusiana; aris, and gecyrr ham, and gearca ['u]s +gereordunge on thinum huse." Drusiana tha ar['a]s swilce of slaepe awreht, +and, carfull be dhaes apostoles haese, ham gewende. + +On dham odhrum daege eode se apostol be dhaere straet, tha ofseah he hwaer +sum udhwita laedde twegen gebrodhru, the haefdon behwyrfed eall heora +yldrena gestreon on deorwurdhum gymstanum, and woldon dha tocwysan on +ealles thaes folces gesihdhe, to waefersyne, swylce to forsewennysse +woruldlicra aehta. Hit waes gewunelic on dham timan thaet dha dhe woldon +woruld-wisdom gecneordlice leornian, thaet h['i] behwyrfdon heora are on +gymstanum, and dha tobraecon; odhdhe on sumum gyldenum wecge, and dhone on +s['ae] awurpan; thilaes dhe seo smeaung thaera aehta h['i] aet thaere lare +hremde. Tha clypode se apostol dhone udhwitan Graton him to, and cwaedh, +"Dyslic bidh thaet hwa woruldlice speda forhogige for manna h['e]runge, and +beo on Godes dome genidherod. Ydel bidh se laecedom the ne maeg dhone +untruman gehaelan; swa bidh eac ydel seo l['a]r dhe ne gehaeldh dhaere +sawle leahtras and undheawas. {62} Sodhlice min lareow Crist sumne cniht +dhe gewilnode thaes ecan lifes thysum wordum laerde, Thaet he sceolde ealle +his welan beceapian, and thaet wurdh dhearfum daelan, gif h['e] wolde +fulfremed beon, and he sydhdhan haefde his goldhord on heofenum, and dhaer +to-eacan thaet ece l['i]f." Graton dha se udhwita him andwyrde, "Thas +gymstanas synd tocwysede for ydelum gylpe, ac gif dhin l['a]reow is sodh +God, gefeg dhas bricas to ansundnysse, thaet heora wurdh maege thearfum +fremian." Iohannes tha gegaderode dhaera gymstana bricas, and beseah to +heofonum, thus cwedhende, "Drihten Haelend, nis dhe nan dhing earfodhe; thu +ge-edstadhelodest dhisne tobrocenan middangeard on thinum geleaffullum, +thurh t['a]cen thaere halgan rode; ge-edstadhela nu thas deorwurdhan +gymstanas, dhurh dhinra engla handa, thaet dhas nytenan menn thine mihta +oncn['a]won, and on the gelyfon." Hwaet, dha faerlice wurdon dha gymstanas +swa ansunde, thaet furdhon nan t['a]cen thaere aerran tocwysednysse naes +gesewen. Tha se udhwita Graton samod mid tham cnihtum feoll to Iohannes +fotum, gelyfende on God. Se apostol hine fullode mid eallum his hirede, and +h['e] ongann Godes geleafan openlice bodian. Tha twegen gebrodhra, Atticus +and Eugenius, sealdon heora gymstanas, and ealle heora aehta daeldon +w['ae]dlum, and filigdon tham apostole, and micel menigu geleaffulra him +eac to gedheodde. + +Tha becom se apostol aet sumum saele to thaere byrig Pergamum, thaer dha +foresaedan cnihtas i['u] aer eardodon, and gesawon heora dheowan mid +godewebbe gefreatewode, and on woruldlicum wuldre scinende. Dha wurdon +h['i] mid deofles flan thurhscotene, and dreorige on mode, thaet h['i] +waedligende on ['a]num waclicum waefelse ferdon, and heora dheowan on +woruldlicum wuldre scinende waeron. Tha undergeat se apostol dhas deoflican +facn, and cwaedh, "Ic geseo thaet eower m['o]d is awend, and eower +andwlita, fordhan dhe ge eowre speda thearfum daeldon, and mines Drihtnes +lare fyligdon: gadh nu fordhi to wuda, and heawadh incre byrdhene gyrda, +and gebringadh to me." H['i] dydon be his haese, and h['e] on Godes {64} +naman dha grenan gyrda gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon to readum golde awende. +Eft cwaedh se apostol Iohannes, "Gadh to dhaere s['ae]-strande, and feccadh +me papolstanas." H['i] dydon swa; and Iohannes tha on Godes maegendhrymme +h['i] gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon gehwyrfede to deorwurdhum gymmum. Tha +cwaedh se apostol, "Gadh to smidhdhan, and fandiadh thises goldes and +dhissera gymstana." H['i] dha eodon, and eft comon, thus cwedhende, "Ealle +dhas goldsmidhas secgadh thaet h['i] naefre aer swa claene gold, ne swa +read ne gesawon: eac dhas gym-wyrhtan secgadh thaet hi naefre swa +deorwurdhe gymstanas ne gemetton." Tha cwaedh se apostol him to, "Nimadh +this gold, and dhas gymstanas, and faradh, and bicgadh eow land-['a]re; +fordhan the ge forluron dha heofenlican speda. Bicgadh eow paellene +cyrtlas, thaet ge to lytelre hwile scinon swa swa r['o]se, thaet ge +hraedlice forweornion. Beodh blowende and welige hwilwendlice, thaet ge +ecelice waedlion. Hwaet la, ne maeg se Aelmihtiga Wealdend thurhteon thaet +h['e] do his dheowan rice for worulde, genihtsume on welan, and +unwidhmetenlice scinan? Ac he sette gec['a]mp geleaffullum sawlum, thaet hi +gelyfon to geagenne tha ecan welan, dha dhe for his naman tha hwilwendan +speda forh['o]giadh. Ge gehaeldon untruman on thaes Haelendes naman, ge +afligdon deoflu, ge forgeafon blindum gesihdhe, and gehwilce uncodhe +gehaeldon: efne nu is dheos gifu eow aetbroden, and ge sind earmingas +gewordene, ge dhe waeron maere and strange. Swa micel ege stod deoflum fram +eow, thaet h['i] be eowere haese tha ofsettan deofolseocan forleton; nu ge +ondraedadh eow deoflu. Tha heofenlican aehta sind us eallum gemaene. Nacode +we waeron acennede, and nacode we gewitadh. Thaere sunnan beorhtnys, and +thaes monan leoht, and ealra tungla sind gemaene tham rican and dham +heanan. R['e]n-scuras, and cyrcan duru, fulluht, and synna forgyfenys, +huselgang, and Godes neosung, sind eallum gemaene, earmum and eadigum: ac +se ungesaeliga gytsere wile mare habban thonne him genihtsumadh, thonne he +furdhon orsorh ne bricdh his genihtsumnysse. Se gytsere haefdh aenne +lichaman, and {66} menigfealde scr['u]d; he haefdh ane wambe, and thusend +manna bigleofan: witodlice thaet he for gytsunge ['u]ncyste nanum odhrum +syllan ne maeg, thaet he hordadh, and nat hwam; swa swa se witega cwaedh, +'On ['i]del bidh aelc man gedrefed, sedhe hordadh, and nat hwam he hit +gegaderadh.' Witodlice ne bidh he thaera aehta hlaford, thonne he hi daelan +ne maeg; ac he bidh thaera aehta dheowa, thonne he him eallunga theowadh; +and thaer to-eacan him weaxadh untrumnyssa on his lichaman, thaet h['e] ne +maeg ['ae]tes odhdhe w['ae]tes brucan. H['e] caradh daeges and nihtes thaet +his feoh gehealden sy; h['e] gymdh graedelice his teolunge, his gafoles, +his gebytlu; he berypdh tha w['a]nnspedigan, he fulg['ae]dh his lustum and +his plegan; thonne faerlice gewitt he of dhissere worulde, nacod and +forscyldigod, synna ana mid him ferigende; fordhan the he sceal ['e]ce +w['i]te dhrowian." + +Efne dhadha se apostol thas lare sprecende waes, dha baer sum wuduwe hire +suna lic to bebyrgenne, se haefde gewifod thritigum nihtum ['ae]r. Seo +dreorige modor tha samod mid tham licmannum rarigende h['i] astrehte aet +thaes halgan apostoles fotum, biddende thaet he hire sunu on Godes naman +araerde, swa swa he dyde tha wydewan Drusianam. Iohannes dha ofhreow thaere +meder and dhaera licmanna dreorignysse, and astrehte his lichaman to +eordhan on langsumum gebede, and dha aet nextan ar['a]s, and eft +up-ahafenum handum langlice baed. Thadha he dhus dhriwa ged['o]n haefde, +dha het he unwindan thaes cnihtes l['i]c, and cwaedh, "Eala dhu cniht, dhe +thurh dhines flaesces lust hraedlice dhine sawle forlure; eala thu cniht, +thu ne cudhest dhinne Scyppend; thu ne cudhest manna Haelend; thu ne +cudhest dhone sodhan freond; and fordhi thu beurne on thone wyrstan feond. +Nu ic ageat mine tearas, and for dhinre nytennysse geornlice baed, thaet +thu of deadhe arise, and thisum twam gebrodhrum, Attico and Eugenio, cydhe +h['u] micel wuldor h['i] forluron, and hwilc wite h['i] geearnodon." Mid +dham tha ar['a]s se cniht Stacteus, and feoll to Iohannes fotum, and begann +to dhreagenne tha gebrodhru the miswende w['ae]ron, thus cwedhende, "Ic +geseah tha englas, the eower gymdon, dreorige {68} wepan, and dha +awyrigedan sceoccan blissigende on eowerum forwyrde. Eow waes heofenan rice +gearo, and scinende gebytlu mid wistum afyllede, and mid ecum leohte: tha +ge forluron thurh unwaerscipe, and ge begeaton eow dheosterfulle wununga +mid dracum afyllede, and mid brastligendum ligum, mid unasecgendlicum witum +afyllede, and mid andhraecum stencum; on dham ne ablindh granung and +thoterung daeges oththe nihtes: biddadh fordhi mid inweardre heortan dhysne +Godes apostol, eowerne lareow, thaet he eow fram dham ecum forwyrde araere, +swa swa he me fram deadhe araerde; and he eowre saula, the nu synd +adylegode of thaere liflican b['e]c, gelaede eft to Godes gife and +miltsunge." + +Se cniht tha Stacteus, dhe of deadhe ar['a]s, samod mid tham gebrodhrum, +astrehte hine to Iohannes f['o]tswadhum, and thaet folc fordh mid ealle, +anmodlice biddende thaet he him to Gode gethingode. Se apostol tha bebead +dham twam gebrodhrum thaet hi dhritig daga be hreowsunge daedbetende Gode +geoffrodon, and on faece geornlice baedon, thaet dha gyldenan gyrda eft to +than aerran gecynde awendon, and tha gymstanas to heora wacnysse. Aefter +dhritigra daga faece, thatha h['i] ne mihton mid heora benum thaet gold and +tha gymstanas to heora gecynde awendan, dha comon hi mid wope to tham +apostole, thus cwedhende, "Symle dhu taehtest mildheortnysse, and thaet man +odhrum miltsode; and gif man odhrum miltsadh, hu micele swidhor wile God +miltsian and arian mannum his hand-geweorce! Thaet thaet we mid gitsigendum +eagum agylton, thaet we nu mid wependum eagum bereowsiadh." Dha andwyrde se +apostol, "Beradh dha gyrda to wuda, and tha stanas to s['ae]-strande: hi +synd gecyrrede to heora gecynde." Thadha hi this gedon haefdon, dha +underfengon hi eft Godes gife, swa thaet hi adraefdon deoflu, and blinde, +and untrume gehaeldon, and fela tacna on Drihtnes naman gefremedon, swa swa +hi aer dydon. + +Se apostol tha gebigde to Gode ealne thone eard Asiam, se is geteald to +healfan daele middan-eardes; and awrat dha {70} feordhan Cristes b['o]c, +seo hrepadh swydhost ymbe Cristes godcundnysse. Dha odhre thry +godspelleras, Matheus, Marcus, Lucas, awriton aeror be Cristes +menniscnysse. Tha asprungon gedwolmenn on Godes geladhunge, and cwaedon +thaet Crist naere aer he acenned waes of Marian. Tha baedon ealle tha +leod-bisceopas dhone halgan apostol thaet he tha feordhan b['o]c gesette, +and thaera gedwolmanna dyrstignesse adwaescte. Iohannes tha bead dhreora +daga faesten gemaenelice; and he aefter dham faestene weardh swa miclum mid +Godes gaste afylled, thaet he ealle Godes englas, and ealle gesceafta, mid +heahlicum mode oferst['a]h, and mid dhysum wordum tha godspellican +gesetnysse ongan, "In principio erat uerbum, et uerbum erat apud Deum, et +Deus erat uerbum, et reliqua:" thaet is on Englisc, "On frymdhe waes word, +and thaet word waes mid Gode, and thaet word waes God; this waes on frymdhe +mid Gode; ealle dhing sind thurh hine geworhte, and nis nan thing buton him +gesceapen." And swa fordh on ealre thaere godspellican gesetnysse, he cydde +fela be Cristes godcundnysse, hu he ecelice butan angynne of his Faeder +acenned is, and mid him rixadh on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] butan +ende. Feawa he awrat be his menniscnysse, fordhan the tha dhry odhre +godspelleras genihtsumlice be tham heora bec setton. + +Hit gelamp aet sumum saele thaet tha deofolgyldan the tha g['y]t +ungeleaffulle w['ae]ron, gecwaedon thaet hi woldon thone apostol to heora +haedhenscipe geneadian. Tha cwaedh se apostol to dham haedhengyldum, "Gadh +ealle endemes to Godes cyrcan, and clypiadh ealle to eowerum godum, thaet +seo cyrce afealle dhurh heora mihte; dhonne buge ic to eowerum +haedhenscipe. Gif dhonne eower godes miht tha halgan cyrcan towurpan ne +maeg, ic towurpe eower tempel thurh dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes mihte, and ic +tocwyse eower deofolgyld; and bidh thonne rihtlic gedhuht thaet ge geswycon +eoweres gedwyldes, and gelyfon on dhone sodhan God, sedhe ana is +Aelmihtig." Tha haedhengyldan dhisum cwyde gedhwaerlaehton, and Iohannes +mid geswaesum wordum thaet folc tihte, thaet h['i] ufor eodon fram tham +deofles {72} temple; and mid beorhtre stemne aetforan him eallum clypode, +"On Godes naman ahreose this tempel, mid eallum tham deofolgyldum the him +on eardiadh, thaet theos menigu tocnawe thaet dhis haedhengyld deofles +biggeng is." Hwaet dha faerlice ahreas thaet tempel grundlunga, mid eallum +his anlicnyssum to duste awende. On dham ylcan daege wurdon gebigede twelf +dhusend haedhenra manna to Cristes geleafan, and mid fulluhte gehalgode. + +Tha sceorede dha gyt se yldesta haedhengylda mid mycelre thwyrnysse, and +cwaedh thaet he nolde gelyfan buton Iohannes attor drunce, and thurh Godes +mihte dhone cwelmbaeran drenc oferswidhde. Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Theah +thu me attor sylle, thurh Godes naman hit me ne deradh." Dha cwaedh se +haedhengylda Aristodemus, "Thu scealt aerest odherne geseon drincan, and +dhaerrihte cwelan, thaet huru dhin heorte swa forhtige for dham deadbaerum +drence." Iohannes him andwyrde, "Gif dhu on God gelyfan wylt, ic unforhtmod +dhaes drences onf['o]." Tha getengde se Aristodemus to dham heahgerefan, +and gen['a]m on his cwearterne twegen dheofas, and sealde him dhone +unlybban aetforan eallum dham folce, on Iohannes gesihdhe; and hi +dhaerrihte aefter tham drence gewiton. Sydhdhan se haedhengylda eac sealde +dhone attorbaeran drenc tham apostole, and h['e] mid rodetacne his mudh, +and ealne his lichaman gew['ae]pnode, and dhone unlybban on Godes naman +halsode, and sidhdhan mid gebildum mode hine ealne gedranc. Aristodemus dha +and thaet folc beheoldon thone apostol dhreo t['i]da daeges, and gesawon +hine habban glaedne andwlitan, buton bl['a]cunge and forhtunge; and hi +ealle clypodon, "An sodh God is, sedhe Iohannes wurdhadh." Tha cwaedh se +haedhengylda to dham apostole, "Gyt me tweonadh; ac gif dhu dhas deadan +sceadhan, on dhines Godes naman araerst, thonne bidh min heorte geclaensod +fram aelcere twynunge." Dha cwaedh Iohannes, "Aristodeme, nim mine tunecan, +and lege bufon dhaera deadra manna lic, and cwedh, 'Thaes Haelendes Cristes +apostol me asende to eow, thaet ge on his naman of deadhe arison, and aelc +man oncn['a]we thaet {74} deadh and l['i]f dheowiadh minum Haelende.'" He +dha be dhaes apostoles haese baer his tunecan, and alede uppon dham tw['a]m +deadum; and h['i] dhaerrihte ansunde arison. Thadha se haedhengylda thaet +geseah, dha astrehte he hine to Iohannes fotum, and sydhdhan ferde to dham +heahgerefan, and him dha wundra mid hluddre stemne cydde. H['i] dha begen +thone apostol gesohton, his miltsunge biddende. Tha bead se apostol him +seofon nihta faesten, and hi sidhdhan gefullode; and hi aefter dham +fulluhte towurpon eall heora deofolgyld, and mid heora maga fultume, and +mid eallum craefte araerdon Gode maere cyrcan on dhaes apostoles +wurdhmynte. + +Thadha se apostol waes nigon and hund-nigontig geara, tha aeteowode him +Drihten Crist mid tham odhrum apostolum, the h['e] of dhisum life genumen +haefde, and cwaedh, "Iohannes, cum to me; tima is thaet thu mid dhinum +gebrodhrum wistfullige on minum gebeorscipe." Iohannes tha ar['a]s, and +eode widh thaes Haelendes; ac he him to cwaedh, "Nu on sunnan-daeg, mines +aeristes daege, thu cymst to me:" and aefter dham worde Drihten gewende to +heofenum. Se apostol micclum blissode on dham beh['a]te, and on tham +sunnan-uhtan aerwacol to dhaere cyrcan com, and tham folce, fram hancrede +odh undern, Godes gerihta laerde, and him maessan gesang, and cwaedh thaet +se Haelend hine on dham daege to heofonum geladhod haefde. Het dha delfan +his byrgene widh thaet weofod, and thaet greot ut-awegan. And h['e] eode +cucu and gesund into his byrgene, and astrehtum handum to Gode clypode, +"Drihten Crist, ic thancige dhe thaet thu me geladhodest to thinum wistum: +thu w['a]st thaet ic mid ealre heortan the gewilnode. Oft ic dhe baed thaet +ic moste to dhe faran, ac dhu cwaede thaet ic anbidode, thaet ic dhe mare +folc gestrynde. Thu heolde minne lichaman widh aelce besmittennysse, and +thu simle mine sawle onlihtest, and me nahwar ne forlete. Thu settest on +minum mudhe thinre sodhfaestnysse word, and ic awrat dha lare dhe ic of +dhinum mudhe gehyrde, and dha wundra dhe ic dhe wyrcan geseah. Nu ic dhe +betaece, Drihten! thine bearn, dha dhe thin geladhung, maeden and {76} +moder, thurh waeter and thone Halgan Gast, dhe gestrynde. Onfoh me to minum +gebrodhrum mid dham dhe dhu come, and me geladhodest. Geopena ongean me +lifes geat, thaet dhaera dheostra ealdras me ne gemeton. Thu eart Crist, +dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu, thu the be dhines Faeder haese middangeard +gehaeldest, and us dhone Halgan Gast asendest. The we heriadh, and +thanciadh thinra menigfealdra goda geond ungeendode worulde. Amen." + +Aefter dhysum gebede aeteowode heofenlic leoht bufon dham apostole, binnon +dhaere byrgene, ane tid swa beorhte scinende, thaet nanes mannes gesihdh +thaes leohtes leoman sceawian ne mihte; and he mid tham leohte his gast +ageaf tham Drihtne the hine to his rice geladhode. He gew['a]t swa freoh +fram deadhes sarnysse, of dhisum andweardan life, swa swa he waes aelfremed +fram lichamlicere gewemmednysse. Sodhlice sydhdhan waes his byrgen gemet +mid mannan afylled. Manna waes gehaten se heofenlica mete, the feowertig +geara afedde Israhela folc on westene. Nu waes se bigleofa gemett on +Iohannes byrgene, and nan dhing elles; and se mete is weaxende on hire odh +dhisne andweardan daeg. Thaer beodh fela tacna aeteowode, and untrume +gehaelde, and fram eallum frecednyssum alysede, thurh dhaes apostoles +dhingunge. Thaes him getidhadh Drihten Crist, tham is wuldor and wurdhmynt +mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste, ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +{59} DECEMBER XXVII. + +THE ASSUMPTION OF SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE. + +John the Evangelist, Christ's darling, was on this day, through God's +visitation, taken to the joy of the kingdom of heaven. He was the son of +Christ's maternal aunt, and he loved him particularly, not so much for the +consanguinity, as for the purity of his uncorrupted chastity. He was in +chastity chosen to God, and he ever continued in undefiled chastity. It is +read in historic narratives that he would marry, and Christ was invited to +his nuptials. Then it befell that at the nuptials wine was wanting. Jesus +then bade the serving men fill six stone vessels with pure water, and he +with his blessing turned the water to noble wine. This is the first miracle +that he openly wrought in his state of man. Now John was so stimulated by +that miracle, that he forthwith left his bride in maidenhood, and ever +afterwards followed the Lord, and was by him inwardly beloved, because he +had withdrawn himself from fleshly lusts. Verily to this beloved disciple +Jesus intrusted his mother, when, suspended on the cross, he redeemed +mankind, that his pure life might take care of the pure virgin Mary, and +that she might continue ministering to her sister's son. + +Some time after, after Christ's ascension to heaven, a cruel emperor +reigned in the Roman empire, after Nero, who was called Domitian, a +persecutor of the christians. He commanded a vat to be filled with boiling +oil, and the great evangelist to be thrust therein; but he, through God's +protection, went uninjured from that hot bath. Afterwards, when the cruel +one might not suppress the preaching of the blessed apostle, he sent him +into exile to an island that is called Patmos, that he there, through +sharpness of hunger, might perish. But the Almighty Saviour did not leave +his beloved apostle to {61} neglect, but revealed to him, in that exile, +the revelation of things to come, concerning which he wrote the book which +is called APOCALYPSE: and the cruel Domitian was slain in the same year by +the hand of his senators; and they all unanimously resolved that all his +decrees should be annulled. Then was Nerva, a very honourable man, chosen +for emperor. With his consent the apostle returned with great worship, he +who with contumely had been sent into banishment. Men and women ran to meet +him, rejoicing and saying, "Blessed is he who cometh in the name of God." + +As the apostle John was entering the city of Ephesus, there was borne +towards him the corpse of a widow to be buried; her name was Drusiana. She +was of great faith, and gave much in alms, and the poor, whom she had +bountifully fed, sad, with weeping, followed the corpse. Then the apostle +bade them set down the bier, and said, "My Lord, Jesus Christ! Raise thee, +Drusiana; arise, and return home, and prepare refection for us in thy +house." Drusiana then arose as if from sleep awakened, and, mindful of the +apostle's command, returned home. + +On the second day the apostle going in the street, observed where a +philosopher was accompanying two brothers, who had turned all their +parents' treasure into precious gems, and would crush them in the sight of +all the people as a spectacle, in contempt as it were of worldly riches. It +was common at that time for those who would sedulously learn philosophy, to +change their property for gems, and break them in pieces; or for a wedge of +gold, and throw it into the sea; lest the contemplation of those riches +should hinder them at their study. Then the apostle called the philosopher +Graton to him, and said, "It is foolish that any one should despise worldly +riches for praise of men, and be condemned at God's doom. Vain is the +medicine that cannot heal the sick; as also is vain the doctrine that +healeth not the sins and vices of the soul. {63} Verily my teacher, Christ, +enjoined a youth who desired eternal life, in these words, That he should +sell all his wealth, and distribute the value to the poor, if he would be +perfect; and he should afterwards have his treasure in heaven, and, in +addition thereto, eternal life." The philosopher Graton him answered, +"These jewels are crushed for idle vaunt; but if thy teacher is the true +God, join the fragments to soundness, that their value may benefit the +poor." John then gathered the fragments of the jewels, and looked to +heaven, thus saying, "Lord Jesus, to thee no thing is difficult; thou didst +restore this crushed world for thy faithful, through sign of the holy rood; +restore now these precious gems, by thy angels' hands, that these ignorant +men may acknowledge thy powers, and in thee believe." Lo, then suddenly the +gems became sound, so that even no sign of their former broken condition +was seen. Then the philosopher Graton, together with the youths, fell +forthwith at the feet of John, believing in God. The apostle baptized him +with all his family, and he began openly to preach God's faith. The two +brothers, Atticus and Eugenius, gave their gems, and distributed all their +wealth to the poor, and followed the apostle, and a great multitude of +believers also joined themselves to him. + +Then on a certain time the apostle came to the city of Pergamus, where the +before-mentioned youths formerly dwelt, and saw their servants decorated +with fine linen, and shining in worldly splendour. Then were they pierced +through with the devil's darts, and sad in mind, that they in poverty +should go with one miserable cloak, and their servants be shining in +worldly splendour. Then perceived the apostle the diabolical wiles, and +said, "I see that your mind and your countenance are changed, because ye +have distributed your riches to the poor, and followed my Lord's doctrine: +go now therefore to the wood, and hew a burthen of rods, and bring them to +me." They did as he had commanded, and he {65} in God's name blessed the +green rods, and they were turned to red gold. Again the apostle said, "Go +now to the sea-strand, and fetch me pebble-stones." They did so, and John +by God's majesty blessed them, and they were turned to precious gems. Then +said the apostle, "Go to the smithy, and try this gold and these gems." +They went, and came again, thus saying, "All the goldsmiths say that they +have never before seen such pure and such red gold: also the jewellers say +that they have never before met with such precious gems." Then said the +apostle to them, "Take this gold and these gems, and go and buy landed +property, seeing that ye have lost heavenly riches. Buy yourselves purple +kirtles, that ye for a little while may shine as the rose, that ye may +speedily fade. Be flourishing and rich for a season, that ye may be poor +for ever. What, may not the Almighty Ruler so act that he make his servants +powerful before the world, abounding in wealth, and incomparably to shine? +But he has placed warfare for the believing souls, that they may believe in +order to possess the eternal riches, they who for his name despise +temporary possessions. Ye healed the sick in the name of Jesus, ye drove +out devils, ye gave sight to the blind, and cured every disease. Behold, +now this gift is withdrawn from you, and ye are become poor wretches, ye +who were great and strong. The devils stood in so great awe of you, that at +your behest they forsook the possessed demoniacs; now ye yourselves dread +devils. The heavenly possessions are common to us all. Naked we were born, +and naked we depart. The brightness of the sun, and the light of the moon, +and of all the stars are common to the high and the low. Rain-showers and +the church-door, baptism and forgiveness of sins, partaking of the housel +and God's visitation, are common to all, poor and rich: but the unhappy +covetous wishes to have more than suffices him, though he enjoys not +freedom from care in his abundance. The covetous hath one body and divers +garments; he hath one belly and a {67} thousand men's sustenance; but that +which he, through the vice of avarice, cannot give to any other, he +hoardeth, and knoweth not for whom, as the prophet said, 'Vainly is every +man troubled who hoardeth, and knoweth not for whom he gathereth.' Verily +he is not lord of those possessions, when he cannot distribute them, but he +is the slave of those possessions, when he wholly serveth them; and in +addition thereto, diseases of his body increase, so that he may not enjoy +food or drink. He cares night and day that his money be preserved; he +attends greedily to his gain, his rent, his buildings; he bereaves the +indigent, he follows his lusts and his pleasure; then suddenly departs he +from this world, naked and charged with crimes, bearing with him his sins +alone; therefore shall he suffer punishment everlasting." + +Behold, while the apostle was speaking this lecture, a certain widow bare +her son to be buried, who had been married thirty days before. The +afflicted mother, together with the mourners, wailing prostrated herself at +the holy apostle's feet, praying that he would, in God's name, rear up her +son, as he did the widow Drusiana. John then, pitying the grief of the +mother and the mourners, prostrated his body on the earth, in long prayer, +and at length rising up, again with up-raised hands prayed a long time. +Having done thus thrice, he bade them unwrap the corpse of the youth, and +said, "O thou youth, who through thy flesh's lust hast early lost thy soul; +O thou youth, thou knewest not thy Creator; thou knewest not the Saviour of +men; thou knewest not the true friend, and hast therefore fallen on the +worst enemy. Now I have shed my tears, and earnestly prayed for thy +sensuality, that thou mayest from death arise, and to these two brothers, +Atticus and Eugenius, declare how great glory they have lost, and what +punishment they have earned." On this the youth Stacteus arose, and fell at +the feet of John, and began to chide the brothers who had been perverted, +thus saying, "I saw the angels who had charge of you sadly {69} weeping, +and the accursed fiend rejoicing in your destruction. For you was the +kingdom of heaven ready, and shining structures filled with repasts, and +with eternal light: these ye have lost through heedlessness, and have got +for yourselves dark dwellings filled with serpents, and with crackling +flames, full of unspeakable torments and horrible stenches; in which +groaning and howling cease not day nor night: pray, therefore, with inward +heart, this apostle of God, your teacher, that he raise you from eternal +perdition, as he hath raised me from death, and that he your souls, which +are now blotted from the living book, lead back to God's grace and mercy." + +The youth then, Stacteus, who had risen from death, together with the +brothers, prostrated himself in the footsteps of John, and the people with +them, all unanimously praying that he would intercede with God for them. +The apostle then commanded the two brothers that they for thirty days in +penitence should sacrifice to God by penance, and in that space should +earnestly pray that the golden rods might be turned again to their former +nature, and the gems to their worthlessness. After thirty days' space, when +they could not by their prayers restore the gold and the gems to their +nature, they came with weeping to the apostle, thus saying, "Ever hast thou +taught mercy, and that one should have mercy on another; and if one have +mercy on another, how much more will God show mercy to and pity men, his +handiwork! The sin which we have committed with covetous eyes, we now with +weeping eyes repent." Then answered the apostle, "Bear the rods to the +wood, and the stones to the sea-strand: they shall be restored to their +nature." When they had done this they again received God's grace, so that +they drove out devils, and healed the blind and the sick, and performed +many miracles, in the Lord's name, as they before had done. + +The apostle then converted to God all the country of Asia, which is +accounted the half part of the world; and wrote the {71} fourth book of +Christ, which treats most of Christ's divinity. The other three +evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, wrote rather of Christ's human state. +Then there sprung up heretics in God's church, who said that Christ was not +before he was born of Mary. Thereupon all the diocesan bishops besought the +holy apostle to compose the fourth book, and extinguish the audacity of the +heretics. John then ordered a general fast of three days; and after the +fast he was so greatly filled with the spirit of God, that he excelled all +God's angels and all creatures with his exalted mind, and began the +evangelical memorial with these words, "In principio erat verbum," etc., +that is in English, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with +God, and the word was God; this was in the beginning with God; all things +are made through him, and without him nothing is created." And so forth, in +all the evangelical memorial, he made known many things concerning Christ's +divinity, how he eternally without beginning was begotten of his Father, +and reigneth with him in unity of the Holy Ghost, ever without end. He +wrote few things of his human nature, because the three other evangelists +had composed their books abundantly concerning that. + +It happened at a certain time, that the idolaters, who were yet +unbelieving, said that they would force the apostle to their heathenship: +whereupon the apostle said to the idolaters, "Go all together to God's +church, and call all of you to your gods that, through their might, the +church may fall down; then will I turn to your heathenship. But if the +power of your god may not cast down the holy church, I will cast down your +temple, through the might of the Almighty God, and I will crush your idol; +and it shall then seem right that ye cease from your error, and believe in +the true God, who alone is Almighty." The idolaters assented to this +proposal, and John with kind words exhorted the people to go out from the +devil's temple; and with clear voice cried {73} before them all, "In the +name of God let this temple fall down with all the idols that dwell within +it, that this multitude may know that this idolatry is the worship of the +devil." Behold then, the temple fell suddenly to the ground, with all its +idols turned to dust. On that same day twelve thousand heathens were turned +to belief in Christ, and hallowed with baptism. + +But the chief idolater still refused with great perverseness, and said that +he would not believe unless John drank poison, and through God's might +overcame the deadly drink. Then said the apostle, "Though thou give me +poison, through God's name it shall not hurt me." Then said the idolater +Aristodemus, "Thou shalt first see another drink it, and instantly die, +that so at least thy heart may fear the death-bearing drink." John answered +him, "If thou wilt believe in God, I will fearless receive this drink." +Then Aristodemus went to the prefect, and took from his prison two thieves, +and gave them the poison before all the people, in the presence of John; +and they immediately after the drink died. Then the idolater gave the +venomous drink also to the apostle, and he having armed his mouth and all +his body with the sign of the rood, and exorcised the poison in God's name, +with bold heart drank it all. Aristodemus then and the people beheld the +apostle three hours of the day, and saw him having a glad countenance, +without paleness and fear: and they all cried, "There is one true God, whom +John worshippeth." Then said the idolater to the apostle, "Yet I doubt; but +if thou, in the name of thy God, wilt raise up these dead thieves, then +will my heart be cleansed from every doubt." Then said John, "Aristodemus, +take my tunic, and lay it on the corpses of the dead men, and say, 'The +apostle of Jesus Christ hath sent me to you, that ye in his name may arise +from death, and that every man may know that death and life minister to my +Saviour.'" He {75} then, at the apostle's command, bare his tunic, and laid +it on the two dead ones, and they forthwith rose up whole. When the +idolater saw that, he prostrated himself at the feet of John, and then went +to the prefect, and announced to him those miracles with a loud voice. Then +they both sought the apostle, praying for his compassion: whereupon the +apostle enjoined them a fast of seven days, and afterwards baptized them; +and after their baptism they cast down all their idols, and with the aid of +their kinsmen, and with all art, raised a great church to God in honour of +the apostle. + +When the apostle was ninety-nine years old the Lord Christ appeared to him +with the other apostles, whom he had taken from this life, and said, "John, +come to me; it is time that thou with thy brethren shouldst feast at my +banquet." John then arose, and went towards Jesus. But he said to him, "Lo, +on Sunday, the day of my resurrection, thou shalt come to me:" and after +those words the Lord returned to heaven. The apostle greatly rejoiced in +that promise, and at sunrise early rising came to the church, and from +cock-crowing until the third hour, taught God's law, and sang mass to them, +and said, that the Saviour had called him to heaven on that day. He then +ordered his grave to be dug opposite the altar, and the dust to be removed; +and he went quick and whole into his grave, and with outstretched hands +cried to God, "Lord Christ, I thank thee that thou hast invited me to thy +banquet: thou knowest that with all my heart I have desired thee. Oft have +I prayed thee that I might go to thee, but thou saidst that I should abide, +that I might gain more people to thee. Thou hast preserved my body against +every pollution, and thou hast ever illumined my soul, and hast nowhere +forsaken me. Thou hast set in my mouth the word of thy truth, and I have +written down the lore which I heard from thy mouth, and the wonders which I +saw thee work. Now I commit to thee, Lord! thy {77} children, those which +thy church, maiden and mother, through water and the Holy Ghost have gained +to thee. Receive me to my brothers with whom thou camest and invitedst me. +Open towards me the gate of life, that the princes of darkness may not find +me. Thou art Christ, Son of the living God, who, at thy Father's behest, +hast saved the world, and hast sent us the Holy Ghost. Thee we praise and +thank for thy manifold benefits throughout the world eternal. Amen." + +After this prayer a heavenly light appeared above the apostle, within the +grave, shining for an hour so bright, that no man's sight might look on the +rays of light; and with that light he gave up his spirit to the Lord, who +had invited him to his kingdom. He departed as joyfully from the pain of +death, from this present life, as he was exempt from bodily defilement. +Verily his grave was afterwards found filled with manna. Manna the heavenly +meat was called which for forty years fed the people of Israel in the +wilderness. Now this food was found in the grave of John, and nothing else, +and the meat is growing in it to this present day. Many miracles have there +been manifested, and sick healed, and released from all calamities through +the apostle's intercession. This hath the Lord Christ granted unto him, to +whom is glory and honour with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever without +end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +V. K[=L]. JAN. + +NATALE INNOCENTIUM INFANTUM. + +Nu to-daeg Godes geladhung geond ealne ymbhwyrft maersadh thaera eadigra +cildra freols-tide, the se waelhreowa Herodes for Cristes acennednysse mid +arleasre ehtnysse acwealde, swa swa us seo godspellice racu swutellice +cydh. + +{78} Matheus awrat, on thaere forman Cristes bec, dhysum wordum be dhaes +Haelendes gebyrd-tide, and cwaedh, "Thadha se Haelend acenned waes on +thaere Iudeiscan Bethleem, on Herodes dagum cyninges, efne dha comon fram +east-daele middangeardes thry tungel-witegan to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, +thus befrinende, Hwaer is Iudeiscra leoda Cyning, sedhe acenned is? We +gesawon sodhlice his steorran on east-d['ae]le, and we comon to dhi thaet +we ['u]s to him gebiddon. Hwaet dha Herodes cyning this gehyrende weardh +micclum astyred, and eal seo burhwaru samod mid him. He dha gesamnode ealle +tha ealdor-biscopas, and dhaes folces boceras, and befran hwaer Cristes +cenningst['o]w waere. H['i] saedon, on dhaere Iudeiscan Bethleem. Thus +sodhlice is awriten thurh dhone witegan Micheam, Eala thu Bethleem, Iudeisc +land, ne eart dhu nateshw['o]n wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: of dhe +cymdh se Heretoga sedhe gewylt and gewissadh Israhela folc. Dha clypode +Herodes tha dhry tungel-witegan on sunder-spraece, and geornlice h['i] +befr['a]n to hwilces timan se steorra him aerst aeteowode, and asende h['i] +to Bethleem, dhus cwedhende, Faradh ardlice, and befr['i]nadh be dham +cilde, and thonne ge hit gemetadh, cydhadh me, thaet ic m['a]ge me to him +gebiddan. Tha tungel-witegan ferdon aefter thaes cyninges spraece, and efne +dha se steorra, the h['i] on east-d['ae]le gesawon, glad him beforan, odh +thaet he gest['o]d bufon dham gesth['u]se, thaer thaet cild on wunode. Hi +ges['a]won dhone steorran, and thearle blissodon. Eodon dha inn, and thaet +cild gemetton mid Marian his meder, and nidherfeallende h['i] to him +geb['ae]don. Hi geopenodon heora h['o]rdfatu, and him l['a]c geoffrodon, +gold, and recels, and myrram. Hwaet dha God on swefne h['i] gewarnode and +bebead thaet hi eft ne cyrdon to dhan redhan cyninge Herode, ac thurh +odherne weg hine forcyrdon, and swa to heora edhele becomon. Efne dha Godes +engel aeteowode Iosepe, dhaes c['i]ldes foster-faeder, on swefnum, +cwedhende, 'Ar['i]s, and nim this cild mid thaere meder, and fleoh to +Egypta l['a]nde, and beo thaer odh thaet ic the eft secge: sodhlice toweard +is thaet Herodes smeadh h['u] h['e] thaet cild ford['o].' Ioseph {80} dha +ar['a]s nihtes, and thaet cild mid thaere meder samod to Egypta l['a]nde +ferede, and thaer wunode odh thaet Herodes gew['a]t; thaet seo witegung +waere gefylled, the be dhaere fare aer dhus cwaedh, Of Egypta l['a]nde ic +geclypode minne sunu." + +Nu secgadh wyrd-writeras thaet Herodes betwux dhisum weardh gewr['e]ged to +tham Romaniscan casere, the ealne middangeard on tham timan geweold. Tha +gewende he to Rome, be dhaes caseres haese, thaet he hine betealde, gif he +mihte. Tha betealde he hine swidhe geaplice, swa swa he waes snotorwyrde to +dhan swidhe, thaet se casere hine mid maran wurdhmynte ongean to Iudeiscum +rice asende. Thatha he ham com, tha gemunde he hwaet he aer be dhan cilde +gemynte, and geseah thaet he waes bepaeht fram dham tungel-witegum, and +weardh tha dhearle gegremod. Sende dha his cwelleras, and ofsloh ealle dha +hyse-cild, the w['ae]ron on thaere byrig Bethleem, and on eallum hyre +gemaerum, fram twywintrum cilde to anre nihte, be dhaere tide the h['e] +geaxode aet dham tungel-witegum. Tha waes gefylled Hieremias w['i]tegung, +the dhus witegode, "Stemn is gehyred on heannysse, micel w['o]p and +dhoterung: Rachel beweop hire cildru, and nolde beon gefrefrod, fordhan dhe +hi ne sind." + +On dham twelftan daege Cristes acennednysse comon dha dhry tungel-witegan +to Herode, and hine axodon be dham acennedan cilde; and thatha h['i] his +cenning-stowe geaxodon, tha gewendon h['i] widh thaes cildes, and noldon +dhone redhan cwellere eft gecyrran, swa swa he het. Tha ne mihte he +forbugan thaes caseres haese, and waes dha, thurh his langsume faer, thaera +cildra slege geuferod swidhor thonne he gemynt haefde; and h['i] wurdon dha +on dhysum daegtherlicum daege wuldorfullice gemartyrode; na swa-theah thaes +geares the Crist acenned waes, ac aefter twegra geara ymbryne aefter dhaes +waelhreowan hamcyme. + +Naes h['e] aedhelboren, ne him naht to tham cynecynne ne gebyrode; ac mid +syrewungum and swicdome he becom to {82} dhaere cynelican gedhincdhe; swa +swa Moyses be dham awr['a]t, Thaet ne sceolde ateorian thaet Iudeisce +cynecynn, oththaet Crist sylf come. Dha com Crist on dham timan the seo +cynelice maeigdh ateorode, and se aelfremeda Herodes thaes rices geweold. +Tha weardh he micclum afyrht and andhracode thaet his rice feallan sceolde, +thurh to-cyme thaes sodhan cyninges. Tha clypode h['e] dha tungel-witegan +on sunder-spraece, and geornlice h['i] befr['a]n, on hwilcne timan h['i] +aerest thone steorran gesawon; fordhan dhe he ondred, swa swa hit gelamp, +thaet h['i] eft hine ne gecyrdon. Tha het he fordhy acwellan ealle dha +hyse-cild thaere burhscire, fram twywintrum cilde odh anre nihte: dhohte +gif he h['i] ealle ofsloge, thaet se ['a]n ne aetburste the he sohte. Ac he +waes ungemyndig thaes halgan gewrites, dhe cwydh, "Nis n['a]n wisdom, ne +n['a]n raed naht ongean God." + +Se swicola Herodes cwaedh to dham tungel-witegum, "Faradh, and geornlice +befrinadh be dham cilde, and cydhadh me, thaet ic eac mage me to him +gebiddan." Ac he cydde sydhdhan his facenfullan syrewunge, hu he ymbe +wolde, gif he hine gemette, dhadha he ealle his efenealdan adylegode for +his anes ehtnysse. Thearflaes he syrwde ymbe Crist: ne com he fordhy thaet +he wolde his eordhlice rice, oththe aeniges odhres cyninges mid riccetere +him to geteon; ac to dhi h['e] com thaet he wolde his heofenlice rice +geleaffullum mannum forgyfan. Ne com he to dhy thaet he waere on maerlicum +cynesetle ahafen, ac thaet he waere mid hospe on rode hengene genaeglod. He +wolde dheah thaes waelhreowan syrewunge mid fleame forbugan, na fordhi +thaet he deadh forfluge, sedhe sylfwilles to dhrowienne middangearde +genealaehte; ac hit waere to hraedlic, gif he dha on cild-cradole acweald +wurde, swilce dhonne his to-cyme mancynne bed['i]glod waere; thi forhradode +Godes engel thaes arleasan getheaht, and bebead thaet se foster-faeder +thone heofenlican aetheling of dham earde ardlice ferede. + +Ne forseah Crist his geongan cempan, dheah dhe he lichamlice on heora slege +andwerd naere; ac h['e] asende h['i] fram thisum {84} wraecfullum life to +his ecan rice. Gesaelige h['i] wurdon geborene thaet hi moston for his +intingan deadh throwian. Eadig is heora yld, seodhe tha gyt ne mihte Crist +andettan, and moste for Criste throwian. H['i] waeron thaes Haelendes +gewitan, dheah dhe h['i] hine dha gyt ne cudhon. Naeron h['i] ger['i]pode +to slege, ac hi gesaeliglice theah swulton to life. Gesaelig waes heora +acennednys, fordhan dhe h['i] gemetton thaet ece lif on instaepe thaes +andweardan lifes. H['i] wurdon gegripene fram moderlicum breostum, ac hi +wurdon betaehte thaerrihte engellicum bosmum. Ne mihte se m['a]nfulla +ehtere mid nanre dhenunge tham lytlingum swa micclum fremian, swa micclum +swa h['e] him fremode mid dhaere redhan ehtnysse hatunge. H['i] sind +geh['a]tene martyra blostman, fordhan dhe h['i] waeron sw['a] sw['a] +up-aspringende blostman on middeweardan cyle ungeleaffulnysse, swilce mid +sumere ehtnysse forste forsodene. Eadige sind tha innodhas the h['i] +gebaeron, and dha breost the swylce gesihton. Witodlice dha moddru on heora +cildra martyrdome throwodon; thaet swurd dhe thaera cildra lima +thurh-['a]rn bec['o]m to dhaera moddra heortan; and neod is thaet h['i] +beon efenhlyttan thaes ecan edleanes, thonne h['i] waeron geferan dhaere +dhrowunge. H['i] waeron gehwaede and ungewittige acwealde, ac h['i] arisadh +on tham gemaenelicum dome mid fullum waestme, and heofenlicere snoternysse. +Ealle we cumadh to anre ylde on tham gemaenelicum aeriste, theah dhe we nu +on myslicere ylde of thyssere worulde gewiton. + +Thaet godspel cwedh thaet Rachel bewe['o]p hire cildra, and nolde beon +gefrefrod, fordhan the h['i] ne sind. Rachel hatte Iacobes wif, dhaes +heahfaederes, and heo getacnode Godes geladhunge, the bewypdh hire +gastlican cild; ac heo nele swa beon gefrefrod, thaet h['i] eft to +woruldlicum gecampe gehwyrfon, tha the aene mid sygefaestum deadhe +middangeard oferswidhdon, and his yrmdha aetwundon to wuldorbeagienne mid +Criste. + +Eornostlice ne breac se arleasa Herodes his cynerices mid langsumere +gesundfulnysse, ac buton yldinge him becom seo {86} godcundlice wracu, the +hine mid menigfealdre yrmdhe fordyde, and eac geswutelode on hwilcum suslum +he moste aefter fordhsidhe ecelice cwylmian. Hine gelaehte unasecgendlic +adl; his lichama barn widhutan mid langsumere haetan, and he eal innan +samod forswaeled waes, and toborsten. Him waes metes micel lust, ac dheah +mid nanum aetum his gyfernysse gefyllan ne mihte. He hridhode, and egeslice +hweos, and angsumlice siccetunga teah, swa thaet h['e] earfodhlice ordhian +mihte. Waeter-seocnyss hine ofereode, beneodhan tham gyrdle, to dhan +swidhe, thaet his gesceapu madhan weollon, and stincende attor singallice +of dham toswollenum fotum fleow. Unaberendlic gyhdha ofereode ealne dhone +lichaman, and ungelyfendlic toblawennys his innodh geswencte. Him st['o]d +st['i]ncende steam of dham mudhe, swa thaet earfodhlice aenig laece him +mihte genealaecan. Fela dhaera laeca h['e] acwealde; cwaedh thaet h['i] +hine gehaelan mihton and noldon. Hine gedrehte singal slaepleast, swa thaet +he thurhwacole niht buton slaepe adreah; and gif h['e] hwon hn['a]ppode, +dhaerrihte hine drehton nihtlice gedw['i]mor, swa thaet him dhaes slaepes +ofthuhte. Thadha h['e] mid swidhlicum luste his lifes gewilnode, tha h['e]t +h['e] hine ferigan ofer dha e['a] Iordanen, dhaerthaer waeron gehaefde +h['a]te badhu, the w['ae]ron halwende gecwedene adligendum lichaman. Weardh +tha eac his laecum gedhuht thaet h['i] on wlacum ele hine gebedhedon. Ac +dhadha h['e] waes on dhissere bedhunge gel['e]d, tha weardh se lichama eal +toslopen, swa thaet his eagan wendon on gelicnysse sweltendra manna, and +h['e] laeg cwydeleas butan andgite. Eft dhadha he com, tha het he hine +ferigan to dhaere byrig Hiericho. + +Thatha he weardh his lifes orwene, tha geladhode he him to ealle dha +Iudeiscan ealdras of gehwilcum burgum, and het h['i] on cwearterne +beclysan, and gelangode him to his swustur Salome and hire wer Alexandrum, +and cwaedh, "Ic w['a]t thaet dhis Iudeisce folc micclum blissigan wile +mines deadhes; ac ic maeg habban arwurdhfulle l['i]c-dhenunge of +heofigendre menigu, gif ge willadh minum bebodum gehyrsumian. Swa ricene +swa ic gew['i]te, ofsleadh ealle dhas Iudeiscan ealdras, dhe ic on {88} +cwearterne beclysde, thonne beodh heora siblingas to heofunge geneadode, +tha dhe wylladh mines fordhsidhes fagnian." He dha his cempan to dham slege +genamode, and het heora aelcum fiftig scyllinga to sceatte syllan, thaet hi +heora handa fram dham blodes gyte ne widhbrudon. Thadha h['e] mid ormaetre +angsumnysse waes gecwylmed, tha het he his agenne sunu Ant['i]patrem +arleaslice acwellan, to-eacan tham twam the h['e] aer acwealde. Aet nextan, +dhadha h['e] gefredde his deadhes nealaecunge, tha het he him his seax +araecan to screadigenne aenne aeppel, and hine sylfne hetelice dhyde, thaet +him on acwehte. Thyllic waes Herodes fordhsidh, the m['a]nfullice ymbe +thaes heofenlican aethelinges to-cyme syrwde, and his efen-ealdan lytlingas +unscaedhdhige arleaslice acwealde. + +Efne dha Godes engel, aefter Herodes deadhe, aeteowode Iosepe on swefnum, +on Egypta lande, thus cwedhende, "Ar['i]s, and nim thaet cild and his moder +samod, and gewend ongean to Israhela lande; sodhlice h['i] sind +fordhfarene, dhadhe ymbe thaes cildes feorh syrwdon." H['e] dha ar['a]s, +swa swa se engel him bebead, and ferode thaet cild mid thaere meder to +Israhela lande. Tha gefr['a]n Ioseph thaet Archelaus rixode on Iudea lande, +aefter his faeder Herode, and ne dorste his neawiste genealaecan. Tha +weardh he eft on swefne gemynegod thaet he to Galilea gewende, fordhan dhe +se eard naes ealles swa gehende tham cyninge, theah dhe hit his rice waere. +Thaet cild dha eardode on thaere byrig the is gehaten Nazareth, thaet seo +w['i]tegung waere gefylled, the cwaedh, thaet he sceolde beon Nazarenisc +geciged. Se engel cwaedh to Iosepe, "Tha sind fordhfarene, the embe dhaes +cildes feorh syrwdon." Mid tham worde he geswutelode thaet m['a] dhaera +Iudeiscra ealdra embe Cristes cwale smeadon; ac him getimode swidhe +rihtlice thaet h['i] mid heora arleasan hlaforde ealle forwurdon. + +Nelle we dhas race na leng teon, thylaes dhe hit eow aedhryt thince; ac +biddadh eow thingunge aet thysum unscaedhdhigum martyrum. Hi sind dha dhe +Criste folgiadh on hwitum gyrlum, {90} swa hwider swa h['e] gaedh; and +h['i] standadh aetforan his dhrymsetle, butan aelcere gewemmednysse, +haebbende heora palmtwigu on handa, and singadh thone niwan lofsang, tham +Aelmihtigan to wurdhmynte, sethe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +DECEMBER XXVIII. + +THE NATIVITY OF THE INNOCENTS. + +Now to-day God's church throughout all the globe celebrates the festival of +the blessed children whom the cruel Herod, on account of the birth of +Christ, slew in impious persecution, as the evangelical narrative +manifestly makes known to us. + +{79} Matthew wrote, in the first book of Christ, in these words, of the +birth-time of Jesus, and said, "When Jesus was born in the Judaean +Bethlehem, in the days of Herod the king, behold there came from the east +part of the earth three astrologers to the city of Jerusalem, thus +inquiring, Where is the King of the Jewish people, who is born? Verily we +saw his star in the east part, and we come in order that we may worship +him. Now king Herod hearing this was greatly troubled, and all the citizens +together with him. He then assembled all the chief bishops and scribes of +the people, and inquired where the birthplace of Christ might be. They +said, In the Judaean Bethlehem. Thus verily it is written by the prophet +Micah, Ah thou Bethlehem, Judaean land, thou art in no wise meanest of +cities among the Jewish princes: of thee shall come the Ruler who shall +rule and govern the people of Israel. Then Herod called the three +astrologers in separate discourse, and diligently questioned them at what +time the star had first appeared to them, and sent them to Bethlehem, thus +saying, Go instantly, and inquire concerning the child, and when ye find +it, let me know, that I may worship him. After the king's speech the +astrologers went, and lo, the star which they had seen in the east part +glided before them, till it stood over the inn in which the child was +staying. They saw the star and greatly rejoiced. They then went in, and +found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they worshipped him. +They opened their cases of treasure and offered him gifts, gold, and +frankincense, and myrrh. Then God warned them in a dream, and commanded, +that they should not return to the cruel king Herod, but should turn +through another way, and so come to their own country. Lo, God's angel +appeared to Joseph, the child's foster-father, in a dream, saying, 'Arise, +and take this child with the mother, and flee to the land of Egypt, and be +there until I speak to thee again: for it will come to pass that Herod will +devise how he may fordo the child.' {81} Joseph then arose by night, and +conveyed the child together with the mother to the land of Egypt, and there +staid until Herod departed; that the prophecy might be fulfilled which of +old thus spake of that journey, From the land of Egypt I have called my +son." + +Now chroniclers say that in the meanwhile Herod was accused to the Roman +emperor, who at that time ruled all the earth. He therefore went, by the +emperor's command, to Rome, that he might clear himself, if he could. He +cleared himself very cunningly, as he was so sagacious, that the emperor +sent him back with great honour to the Jewish kingdom. When he came home he +remembered what he had intended concerning the child, and saw that he had +been deceived by the astrologers, and was exceedingly irritated. He then +sent his executioners, and slew all the male children that were in the city +of Bethlehem, and in all its boundaries, from the child of two years to +that of one day, according to the time which he had inquired of the +astrologers. Then was fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah, who thus +prophesied, "A voice is heard on high, great weeping and wailing: Rachel +wept for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." + +On the twelfth day of Christ's birth the three astrologers came to Herod, +and informed him concerning the child that was born; and when they had +discovered his birthplace, they went to the child, and would not return to +the cruel murderer, as he had commanded. He might not then avoid the +emperor's command, and, therefore, through his long journey, the slaughter +of the children was delayed more than he had intended; and they were on +this present day gloriously martyred; not, however, in the year that Christ +was born, but after the course of two years after the return of the cruel +tyrant. + +He was not of noble birth, nor did he belong to the royal race; but by +artifices and deception he attained to the kingly {83} dignity; as Moses +wrote concerning him, That the royal Jewish race should not decay until +Christ himself came. Now Christ came at the time that the royal family was +decayed, and the stranger Herod ruled the kingdom. Then was he greatly +afraid and terrified lest his kingdom should fall through the coming of the +true king. He called therefore the astrologers in separate converse, and +diligently questioned them at what time they first saw the star; for he +feared, as it came to pass, that they would not return to him. He therefore +commanded all the children of that district, from the age of two years to +that of one day, to be slain, that the one might not escape whom he sought. +But he was unmindful of the holy scripture, which says, "No wisdom nor any +counsel is aught against God." + +The treacherous Herod said to the astrologers, "Go, and diligently inquire +concerning the child, and let me know, that I may worship him." But he +manifested afterwards his guileful artifice, how he would have done, if he +had found him, when he destroyed all those of equal age, for the +persecution of him alone. Needlessly he machinated against Christ: he came +not because he would acquire for himself his earthly kingdom, or any other +king's by violence; but he came because he would give his heavenly kingdom +to believing men. He came not that he might be exalted on a pompous throne, +but that he might with contumely be nailed hanging on a cross. +Nevertheless, he would avoid the machination of the cruel tyrant by flight, +not because he fled from death, who of his own will visited the world for +the purpose of suffering; but it would have been too early, if he had been +slain in the child's cradle, for his advent would then, as it were, be +hidden from mankind; God's angel, therefore, prevented the impious counsel, +and bade the foster-father convey the heavenly Prince forthwith from the +country. + +Christ despised not his young champions, though he was not bodily present +at their slaughter; but he sent them from {85} this miserable life to his +eternal kingdom. Blessed they were born that they might for his sake suffer +death. Happy is their age, which could not yet acknowledge Christ, and +might for Christ suffer. They were witnesses of Jesus, though they yet knew +him not. They were not ripened for slaughter, yet they blessedly died to +life. Blessed was their birth, because they found everlasting life at the +entrance of this present life. They were snatched from their mothers' +breasts, but they were instantly committed to the bosoms of angels. The +wicked persecutor could not by any service so greatly favour those little +ones, so greatly as he favoured them by the fierce hate of persecution. +They are called blossoms of martyrs, because they were as blossoms +springing up in the midst of the chill of infidelity, consumed, as it were, +by the frost of persecution. Blessed are the wombs which bare them, and the +breasts that such have sucked. Verily the mothers suffered through their +children's martyrdom; the sword that pierced their children's limbs entered +the hearts of the mothers, and it is needful that they be partakers of the +eternal reward, when they were companions of the suffering. They were slain +while little and witless, but they shall arise at the common doom in full +growth, and with heavenly wisdom. We shall all come to one age at the +common resurrection, although we now in various age depart from this world. + +The gospel says, that Rachel wept for her children, and would not be +comforted, because they are not. Jacob the patriarch's wife was called +Rachel, and she betokened God's church, which weeps for her ghostly +children; but it will not so be comforted, that they again return to +temporal strife, who once by a triumphant death have overcome the world, +and escaped from its miseries to be crowned with glory with Christ. + +But the impious Herod did not enjoy his kingdom in long healthfulness, for +without delay the divine vengeance came {87} upon him, which afflicted him +with manifold misery, and also manifested in what torments he must after +death eternally suffer. An unspeakable disease seized him; his body burned +without with a lasting heat, and all within he was inflamed and bursten. He +had great craving for food, but yet with no viands could he satisfy his +voracity, and fearfully rotted away, and dolefully fetched sighs, so that +he could with difficulty breathe. Dropsy came on him, beneath the girdle, +to that degree that his members swarmed with vermin, and stinking venom +ever flowed from his swollen feet. Unbearable palsies spread over his whole +body, and incredible inflation afflicted his entrails. Stinking vapour +proceeded from his mouth, so that hardly any leech could approach him. Many +of the leeches he slew; he said that they might heal him and would not. +Constant sleeplessness afflicted him, so that he passed the whole night +without sleep; and if he dozed a little, nightly phantoms immediately +tormented him, so that he repented of his sleep. As he with violent longing +desired his life, he commanded to be conveyed over the river Jordan, where +there were hot baths, which were said to be salutary to diseased bodies. It +then seemed good to his leeches that they should bathe him in lukewarm oil. +But when he was led to this bathing, the body was all relaxed, so that his +eyes turned to the likeness of dead men's, and he lay speechless, without +sense. When he came to, he commanded to be borne to the city of Jericho. + +When he was hopeless of life he called to him all the Jewish elders from +every city, and ordered them to be confined in prison, and sent for his +sister Salome and her husband Alexander, and said, "I know that this Jewish +people will greatly rejoice at my death; but I may have an honourable +funeral attendance of a mourning multitude, if ye will obey my commands. As +soon as I depart, slay all the Jewish elders whom {89} I have confined in +prison, then will their relations be compelled to mourn, who will rejoice +at my departure." He then appointed his soldiers to that slaughter, and +commanded fifty shillings as reward to be given to each of them, that they +might not withdraw their hands from the shedding of blood. When he was +tormented with intense agony he wickedly commanded his own son Antipater to +be killed, in addition to the two whom he had killed previously. At last, +when he was sensible of his death's approach, he commanded them to reach +him his knife to shred an apple, and violently stabbed himself, so that it +quaked in him. Such was the death of Herod, who wickedly machinated on the +coming of the heavenly Prince, and impiously killed the innocent little +ones, his equals in age. + +Lo, then, God's angel, after the death of Herod, appeared to Joseph in a +dream, in the land of Egypt, thus saying, "Arise, and take the child +together with his mother, and go again to the land of Israel; for they are +dead, who machinated against the child's life." He then arose, as the angel +had commanded him, and conveyed the child with the mother to the land of +Israel. Then Joseph learned that Archelaus reigned in Judaea after Herod +his father, and he durst not approach his presence. Then again he was +admonished in a dream that he should go to Galilee, because the country +there was not quite so near to the king, though it was in his kingdom. The +child then dwelt in the city which is called Nazareth, that the prophecy +might be fulfilled, which said, that he should be called a Nazarene. The +angel said to Joseph, "They are dead who machinated against the child's +life." With that word he manifested that more of the Jewish elders +meditated the slaying of Christ; but it befell them very rightly, that they +with their impious lord all perished. + +We will not longer extend this narrative, lest it may seem tedious to you, +but will pray for the intercession of these innocent martyrs for you. They +are those who follow Christ {91} in white garments, whithersoever he goeth; +and they stand before his throne, without any impurity, having their +palm-twigs in hand, and sing the new hymn in honour of the Almighty, who +liveth and ruleth ever without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +K[=L]. JA[=N]. + +OCTABAS ET CIRCUMCISIO DOMINI NOSTRI. + +Se Godspellere Lucas beleac this daegtherlice godspel mid feawum wordum, ac +hit is mid menigfealdre mihte thaere heofenlican gerynu afylled. He cwaedh, +"Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, uocatum est +nomen ejus Iesus, quod uocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero +conciperetur." Thaet is on ure gedheode, "Aefter than dhe w['ae]ron +gefyllede ehta dagas Drihtnes acennednysse thaet he ymbsniden waere, tha +waes his nama geciged Iesus, thaet is Haelend, dham naman he waes +geh['a]ten fram dham engle, aerdham the h['e] on innodhe geeacnod waere." + +Abraham se heahfaeder waes aerest manna ymbsniden, be Godes haese. Abraham +waes Godes gespreca, and God to him genam gethoftraedene aefter Noes +fl['o]de swidhost, and him to cwaedh, "Ic eom Aelmihtig Drihten, gang +beforan me, and beo fulfremed. And ic sette min wed betwux me and dhe; and +ic dhe thearle gemenigfylde, and thu bist manegra theoda faeder. Cyningas +aspringadh of dhe, and ic sette min wed betwux me and dhe, and thinum +ofspringe aefter dhe, thaet ic beo dhin God and dhines ofspringes." Abraham +hine astrehte eallum limum to eordhan, and God him to cwaedh, "Heald thu +min wed, and thin ofspring aefter dhe on heora maegdhum. Dhis is min wed, +thaet ge healdan sceolon betwux me and eow; thaet aelc hyse-cild on eowrum +cynrene beo ymbsniden: thaet t['a]cn sy betwux me and eow. Aelc hyse-cild, +thonne hit eahta nihta {92} eald bidh, sy ymbsniden, aegdher ge aethelboren +ge theowetling; and sedhe this forgaeidh his sawul losadh, fordhan the +h['e] min wed a['y]dlode. Ne beo dhu geciged heonon-fordh Abram, ac +Abraham, fordhan the ic gesette dhe manegra theoda faeder. Ne dhin wif ne +beo gehaten Sara['i], ac beo gehaten Sarra; and ic h['i] gebletsige, and of +hire ic dhe sylle sunu, thone dhu gecigest Isaac; and ic sette min wed to +him and to his ofspringe on ecere faestnunge. And aefter dhaere spraece se +Aelmihtiga up gewende." On tham ylcan daege waes Abraham ymbsniden, and eal +his hyred, and sydhdhan his sunu Isaac, on dham eahtodhan daege his +acennednysse. + +Abrahames nama waes aet fruman mid fif stafum gecweden, Abram, thaet is, +'Healic faeder'; ac God geyhte his naman mid twam stafum, and gehet hine +Abraham, thaet is, 'Manegra dheoda faeder'; fordhan the God cwaedh, thaet +he hine gesette manegum dheodum to faeder. Sara['i] waes his w['i]f +gehaten, thaet is gereht, 'Min ealdor,' ac God hi het sydhdhan Sarra, thaet +is, 'Ealdor,' thaet heo naere synderlice hire hiredes ealdor geciged, ac +fordhrihte 'Ealdor'; thaet is to understandenne ealra gelyfedra wifa moder. +Hund-teontig geara waes Abraham, and his gebedda hund-nigontig, aerdhan dhe +him cild gemaene waere. Thadha him cild com, tha com hit mid Godes +foresceawunge and bletsunge to than swidhe, thaet God behet eallum mancynne +bletsunge thurh his cynn. Dha heold Abrahames cynn symle sydhdhan Godes +wed; and se heretoga Moyses, and eal Israhela maegdh ealle hi ymbsnidon +heora cild on tham eahtodhan daege, and him naman gesceopon, odh thaet +Crist on menniscnysse acenned weardh, sedhe fulluht astealde, and dhaere +ealdan ['ae] getacnunge to gastlicere sodhfaestnysse awende. + +W['e]n is thaet eower sum nyte hwaet sy ymbsnidennys. God bebead Abrahame, +thaet he sceolde and his ofspring his wed healdan; thaet sum tacn waere on +heora lichaman to geswutelunge thaet hi on God belyfdon, and het thaet he +n['a]me scearpecgedne flint, and forcurfe sumne dael thaes felles aet {94} +foreweardan his gesceape. And thaet tacn waes dha swa micel on geleaffullum +mannum, swa micel swa nu is thaet halige fulluht, buton dham anum thaet nan +man ne mihte Godes rice gefaran, aerdhan the se come the dha ealdan ['ae] +sette, and eft on his andwerdnysse h['i] to gastlicum thingum awende: ac +gehwylce halgan andbidodon on Abrahames wununge buton tintregum, theah on +helle-wite, odhthaet se Alysend com, the dhone ealdan deofol gewylde, and +his gecorenan to heofenan rice gelaedde. + +Se ylca Haelend, the nu egefullice and halwendlice clypadh on his +godspelle, "Buton gehwa beo ge-edcenned of waetere and of tham Halgum +Gaste, ne maeg he faran into heofenan rice," se ylca clypode gefyrn thurh +dha ealdan ['ae], "Swa hwylc hyse-cild swa ne bidh ymbsniden on tham +fylmene his flaesces his sawul losadh, fordhan the he aydlode min wed." +This tacen st['o]d on Godes folce odh thaet Crist sylf com, and he sylf +waes thaere halgan ['ae] undertheod the he gesette, thaet he dha alysde the +neadwislice dhaere ['ae] undertheodde waeron. He cwaedh thaet he ne c['o]me +to dhy thaet he wolde tha ealdan ['ae] towurpan, ac gefyllan. Tha weardh he +on tham eahtodhan daege his gebyrd-tide lichamlice ymbsniden, swa swa he +sylf aer taehte; and mid tham geswutelode thaet seo ealde ['ae] waes halig +and g['o]d on hire timan, tham dhe hire gehyrsume waeron. Hit waes +gewunelic thaet tha magas sceoldon tham cilde naman gescyppan on dham +eahtodhan daege mid thaere ymbsnidennysse, ac h['i] ne dorston naenne +odherne naman Criste gescyppan thonne se heah-engel him gesette, aerdhan +the h['e] on his modor innodhe geeacnod waere, thaet is, IESUS, and on urum +gereorde, HAELEND, fordhan dhe he gehaeldh his folc fram heora synnum. + +Nis nu alyfed cristenum mannum thaet hi thas ymbsnidennysse lichamlice +healdan, ac theah-hwaedhere nan man ne bidh sodhlice cristen, buton he dha +ymbsnidennysse on gastlicum dheawum gehealde. Hwaet getacnadh thaes +fylmenes of-cyrf on dham gesceape, buton galnysse wanunge? Eadhe mihte thes +cwyde beon laewedum mannum bediglod, naere seo gastlice getacning. Hit +dhincdh ungelaeredum mannum dyselig to {96} gehyrenne; ac gif hit him +dyslic thince, thonne cide he widh God, the hit gesette, na widh us, the +hit secgadh. Ac wite gehwa to gewissan, buton he his flaesclican lustas and +galnysse gewanige, thaet he ne hylt his cristend['o]m mid rihtum biggenge. +Be dhysum dhinge ge habbadh oft gehyred, ac us is acumendlicere eower +gebelh, thonne thaes Aelmihtigan Godes grama, gif we his bebodu forsuwiadh. +Gif ge willadh aefter menniscum gesceade lybban, thonne sind ge gastlice +ymbsnidene; gif ge thonne eowere galnysse undertheodde beodh, thonne beo ge +swa se witega cwaedh, "Se mann dhadha he on wurdhmynte waes he hit ne +understod; he is fordhy widhmeten stuntum nytenum, and is him gel['i]c +geworden." + +Fordhy sealde God mannum gesce['a]d, thaet hi sceoldon oncnawan heora +Scyppend, and mid biggenge his beboda thaet ece lif geearnian. Witodlice se +fyrenfulla bidh earmra dhonne aenig nyten, fordhan the thaet nyten naefdh +nane sawle, ne naefre ne ge-edcucadh, ne tha toweardan wita ne dhrowadh. Ac +we dhe sind to Godes anlicnysse gesceapene, and habbadh ['u]nateorigendlice +saule, we sceolon of deadhe ar['i]san, and agyldan Gode gescead ealra ura +gedhohta, and worda, and weorca. Ne sceole we fordhy sinderlice on anum +lime beon ymbsnidene, ac we sceolon dha fulan galnysse symle wanian, and +ure eagan fram yfelre gesihdhe awendan, and earan from yfelre heorcnunge; +urne m['u]dh fram leasum spraecum, handa fram m['a]ndaedum; ure fotwylmas +fram deadbaerum sidhfaete, ure heortan fram facne. Gif we swa fram leahtrum +ymbsnidene beodh, thonne bidh ['u]s geset n['i]we nama; swa swa se +w['i]tega Isa['i]as cwaedh, "God gec['i]gdh his dheowan odhrum naman." Eft +se ylca w['i]tega cwaedh, "Thu bist gec['i]ged niwum naman, thone dhe Godes +m['u]dh genemnode." Se n['i]wa nama is 'Cristianus,' thaet is, Cristen. +Ealle we sind of Criste cristene geh['a]tene, ac we sceolon dhone +arwurdhfullan naman mid aedhelum theawum geglengan, thaet we ne beon lease +cristene. Gif we dhas gastlican ymbsnidennysse on urum dheawum healdadh, +thonne sind we Abrahames cynnes, aefter sodhum geleafan; swa swa se theoda +lareow Paulus {98} cwaedh to geleaffullum, "Gif ge sind Cristes, thonne +sind ge Abrahames s['ae]d, and aefter behate yrfenuman." Petrus eac se +apostol tihte geleaffulle w['i]f to eadmodnysse and gemetfaestnysse, dhus +cwedhende, "Swa swa Sarra gehyrsumode Abrahame, and hine hlaford het, +dhaere dohtra ge sind, wel donde and na ondraedende aenige gedrefednysse." + +Se eahtodha daeg, the thaet cild on ymbsniden waes, getacnode dha eahtodhan +ylde dhyssere worulde, on thaere we arisadh of deadhe ascyrede fram aelcere +brosnunge and gewemmednysse ures lichaman. Thaet staenene sex, the thaet +cild ymbsnadh, getacnode dhone st['a]n dhe se apostol cwaedh, "Se st['a]n +sodhlice waes Crist." He cwaedh waes for dhaere getacnunge, na for edwiste. +Thurh Cristes geleafan, and hiht, and sodhe lufe, beodh singallice estfulle +heortan mid daeghwonlicere ymbsnidenysse afeormode fram leahtrum, and dhurh +his gife onlihte. + +We habbadh oft gehyred thaet men hatadh thysne daeg geares daeg, swylce +thes daeg fyrmest sy on geares ymbryne; ac we ne gemetadh nane geswutelunge +on cristenum bocum, hw['i] thes daeg to geares anginne geteald sy. Tha +ealdan Romani, on haedhenum dagum, ongunnon thaes geares ymbryne on dhysum +daege; and dha Ebreiscan leoda on lenctenlicere emnihte; dha Greciscan on +sumerlicum sunstede; and tha Egyptiscan dheoda ongunnon heora geares getel +on haerfeste. Nu ongindh ure ger['i]m, aefter Romaniscre gesetnysse, on +dhysum daege, for nanum godcundlicum gesceade, ac for dham ealdan gewunan. +Sume ure dhening-b['e]c onginnadh on Aduentum Domini; nis dheah thaer +fordhy dhaes geares ord, ne eac on dhisum daege nis mid n['a]num gesceade; +theah dhe ure ger['i]m-b['e]c on thissere st['o]we ge-edlaecon. Rihtlicost +bidh gedhuht thaet thaes geares anginn on dham daege sy gehaefd, the se +Aelmihtiga Scyppend sunnan, and m['o]nan, and steorran, and ealra tida +anginn gesette; thaet is on tham daege the thaet Ebreisce folc heora geares +getel onginnadh; swa swa se heretoga Moyses on dham aelicum bocum awr['a]t. +Witodlice God cwaedh to Moysen be dham mondhe, "Thes monadh is mondha +anginn, and he bidh fyrmest on geares {100} mondhum." Nu heold thaet +Ebreisce folc dhone forman geares daeg on lenctenlicere emnihte, fordhan +dhe on dham daege wurdon gearlice tida gesette. + +Se eahteteodha daeg thaes mondhes the we h['a]tadh Martius, dhone ge hatadh +Hlyda, waes se forma daeg dhyssere worulde. On dham daege worhte God leoht, +and merigen, and aefen. Dha e['o]don thry dagas fordh buton t['i]da +gemetum; fordhan the tunglan naeron gesceapene, aer on tham feordhan daege. +On dham feordhan daege gesette se Aelmihtiga ealle tungla and gearlice +t['i]da, and h['e]t thaet h['i] w['ae]ron to t['a]cne dagum and gearum. Nu +ongynnadh tha Ebreiscan heora geares anginn on tham daege the ealle tida +gesette waeron, thaet is on dham feordhan daege woruldlicere gesceapenysse; +and se lareow Beda teldh mid micclum gesceade thaet se daeg is XII. K[=L], +dhone daeg we freolsiadh tham halgum were Benedick to wurdhmynte, for his +micclum gedhincdhum. Hwaet eac seo eordhe cydh mid hire cidhum, the dhonne +ge-edcuciadh, thaet se tima is thaet rihtlicoste geares anginn, dhe h['i] +on gesceapene waeron. + +Nu w['i]gliadh stunte men menigfealde w['i]gelunga on dhisum daege, mid +micclum gedwylde, aefter haedhenum gewunan, ongean heora cristendom, swylce +h['i] magon heora l['i]f gelengan, oththe heora gesundfulnysse, mid tham +dhe h['i] gremiadh thone Aelmihtigan Scyppend. Sind eac manega mid swa +micclum gedwylde befangene, thaet h['i] cepadh be dham monan heora faer, +and heora daeda be dagum, and nelladh heora dhing wanian on monan-daeg, for +anginne dhaere wucan; ac se monan-daeg nis na fyrmest daga on thaere wucan, +ac is se odher. Se sunnan-daeg is fyrmest on gesceapenysse and on +endebyrdnysse, and on wurdhmynte. Secgadh eac sume gedwaesmenn thaet sum +orfcyn sy the man bletsigan ne sceole, and cwedhadh thaet h['i] thurh +bletsunge misfaradh, and dhurh wyrigunge gedheodh, and brucadh thonne Godes +gife him on teonan, buton bletsunge, mid deofles awyrigednysse. Aelc +bletsung is of Gode, and wyrigung of deofle. God gesceop ealle gesceafta, +and deofol nane {102} gesceafta scyppan ne maeg, ac he is yfel tihtend, and +leas wyrcend, synna ordfruma, and sawla bepaecend. + +Tha gesceafta dhe sind thwyrlice gedhuhte, h['i] sind to wrace gesceapene +yfel-daedum. Oft halige men wunedon on westene betwux redhum wulfum and +leonum, betwux eallum deorcynne and wurmcynne, and him nan dhing derian ne +mihte; ac h['i] totaeron tha hyrnedan naeddran mid heora nacedum handum, +and tha micclan dracan eadhelice acwealdon, buton aelcere dare, thurh Godes +mihte. + +Wa dham men the br['i]cdh Godes gesceafta, buton his bletsunge, mid +deofellicum w['i]glungum, thonne se dheoda lareow cwaedh, Paulus, "Swa +hwaet swa ge dodh on worde, odhdhe on weorce, dodh symle on Drihtnes naman, +thancigende tham Aelmihtigan Faeder thurh his Bearn." Nis thaes mannes +cristendom naht, the mid deoflicum w['i]glungum his l['i]f adrihdh; he is +geh['i]wod to cristenum men, and is earm haedhengylda; swa swa se ylca +apostol be swylcum cwaedh, "Ic wene thaet ic swunce on ydel, dhadha ic eow +to Gode gebigde: nu ge cepadh dagas and mondhas mid ydelum w['i]glungum." + +Is hwaedhere aefter gecynde on gesceapennysse aelc lichamlice gesceaft dhe +eordhe acendh fulre and maegenfaestre on fullum monan thonne on gewanedum. +Swa eac treowa, gif h['i] beodh on fullum monan geheawene, h['i] beodh +heardran and langf['ae]rran to getimbrunge, and swidhost, gif h['i] beodh +unsaepige geworhte. Nis dhis nan w['i]glung, ac is gecyndelic dhincg thurh +gesceapenysse. Hwaet eac seo s['ae] wunderlice gethwaerlaecdh thaes monan +ymbrene; symle h['i] beodh geferan on waestme and on wanunge. And swa swa +se mona daeghwonlice feower pricon lator arist, swa eac seo s['ae] symle +feower pricum lator fleowdh. + +Uton besettan urne hiht and ure gesaeldha on thaes Aelmihtigan Scyppendes +foresceawunge, sedhe ealle gesceafta on dhrim dhingum gesette, thaet is on +gemete, and on getele, and on hefe. Sy him wuldor and lof ['a] on ecnysse. +Amen. + +JANUARY I. + +THE OCTAVES AND CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD. + +The evangelist Luke concluded the gospel of this day with few words, but +they are filled with a manifold power of the heavenly mysteries. He said, +"Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est +nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero +conciperetur." That is in our tongue, "After that the eight days were +accomplished from the Lord's birth, that he should be circumcised, his name +was called Jesus, that is _Saviour_, by which name he was called by the +angel before he was conceived in the womb." + +The patriarch Abraham was the first man circumcised by God's command. +Abraham spake with God, and God held converse most with him after Noah's +flood, and said, "I am the Lord Almighty; walk before me and be perfect. +And I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and I will exceedingly +multiply thee, and thou shalt be the father of many nations. Kings shall +spring from thee, and I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and thy +offspring after thee, that I am the God of thee and of thy offspring." +Abraham prostrated himself with all his limbs to the earth, and God said to +him, "Hold thou my covenant, and thy offspring after thee in their tribes. +This is my covenant, which ye shall hold betwixt me and you; that every +male child in your tribe shall be circumcised: be that a sign betwixt me +and you. Let every {93} male child, when it is eight nights old, be +circumcised, both the noble-born and the slave; and he who neglecteth this, +his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant. Now be thou +henceforth called not Abram, but Abraham, because I will establish thee as +the father of many nations. Nor be thy wife called Sarai, but be called +Sarah; and I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son whom thou +shalt call Isaac; and I will set my covenant with him and his offspring for +everlasting duration. And after this speech the Almighty went up." On the +same day Abraham was circumcised, and all his household, and afterwards his +son Isaac, on the eighth day from his birth. + +Abraham's name was at first spoken with five letters, 'Abram,' that is +_High father_; but God increased his name with two letters, and called him +Abraham, that is _Father of many nations_: for God said that he had +appointed him for father of many nations. His wife was called Sarai, which +is interpreted, _My chief_; but God called her afterwards Sarah, that is +_Chief_; that she might not be exclusively called her family's chief, but +absolutely chief; which is to be understood, mother of all believing women. +An hundred years old was Abraham, and his consort ninety, before they had a +child between them. When a child came to them, it came so much with God's +providence and blessing, that God promised blessing to all mankind through +his kin. Then Abraham's kin ever held God's covenant; and the leader Moses, +and all the tribe of Israel, circumcised their children on the eighth day, +and gave them names, until Christ was born in human nature, who established +baptism, and changed the token of the old law to spiritual righteousness. + +It is probable that some of you know not what circumcision is. God +commanded Abraham, that he and his offspring should hold his covenant; that +there might be some sign on their bodies to show that they believed in God, +and commanded him to take a sharp-edged flint, and cut off a {95} part of +the foreskin. And that token was then as great among believing men as is +now the holy baptism, excepting only that no man could go to God's kingdom, +before He came who should confirm the old law, and afterwards, by his +presence, turn it to a spiritual sense: but every holy man abode in +Abraham's dwelling, without torments, although in hell, until the Redeemer +came, who overcame the old devil, and led his chosen to the kingdom of +heaven. + +The same Saviour, who now awfully and salutarily cries in his gospel, +"Unless anyone be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot go to +the kingdom of heaven," the same cried of old, through the old law, +"Whatever male child shall not be circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh, +his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant." This sign +stood among God's people until Christ himself came, and he himself was +subject to the holy law that he had established, that he might release +those who had necessarily been subjected to the old law. He said that he +came not to overthrow, but to fulfil the old law. Then on the eighth day +from his birth he was bodily circumcised, as he himself had before taught, +and thereby manifested that the old law was holy and good in its time for +those who were obedient to it. It was usual that the parents should give a +name to the child on the eighth day, with circumcision, but they durst not +give any other name to Christ than what the archangel had fixed on for him, +before he was conceived in his mother's womb, that is, JESUS, and in our +tongue, SAVIOUR, because he shall save his people from their sins. + +It is not now allowed to christian men to observe circumcision bodily, but, +nevertheless, no man is truly a christian, unless he observe circumcision +in spiritual conduct. What does the amputation of the foreskin betoken but +decrease of lust? This discourse might easily be concealed from the laymen, +were it not for its spiritual signification. To unlearned men it seems +foolish to hear; but if it seems foolish {97} to him, let him chide God, +who established it, not us, who say it. But let everyone know for certain, +unless he diminish his fleshly lusts and wantonness, that he holds not his +christianity with right observance. Of this matter ye have often heard, but +to us your displeasure is more tolerable than the anger of Almighty God, if +we announce not his commandments. If ye will live according to human +reason, then are ye spiritually circumcised; but if ye will be subjected to +your libidinousness, then will ye be as the prophet said, "Man, when he was +in dignity understood it not; he is, therefore, compared with the foolish +beasts, and is become like unto them." + +Therefore has God given reason to men that they might acknowledge their +Creator, and by observance of his commandments, merit eternal life. Verily +the wicked man is more miserable than any beast, because the beast has no +soul, nor will ever be quickened again, nor suffer future punishments. But +we, who are created after God's likeness, and have an unperishable soul, we +shall arise from death, and render to God an account of all our thoughts, +and words, and works. Therefore we should not merely be circumcised in one +member, but should constantly diminish foul libidinousness, and turn our +eyes from evil seeing, and ears from evil hearing; our mouth from leasing +speeches, hand from wicked deeds; our footsteps from the deadly path, our +hearts from guile. If we are thus circumcised from sins, then will a new +name be given us, as the prophet Isaiah said, "God will call his servants +by other names." Again, the same prophet said, "Thou shall be called by a +new name, which the mouth of God hath named." That new name is +'Christianus,' that is, _Christian_. We are all from Christ called +christians, but we should adorn that honourable name with exalted morals, +that we be not false christians. If we observe this spiritual circumcision +in our morals, then are we of Abraham's kin, in true faith; as the apostle +of the gentiles, Paul, said to {99} the faithful, "If ye are Christ's, then +are ye of Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Peter the +apostle also exhorted faithful women to humility and modesty, thus saying, +"As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord, whose daughters ye are, well +doing and not fearing any affliction." + +The eighth day, on which the child was circumcised, betokened the eighth +age of this world, in which we shall arise from death, parted from every +earthly corruption and pollution of our body. The stone knife, which +circumcised the child, betokened the stone of which the apostle said, "The +stone verily was Christ." He said _was_, meaning a type, not in substance. +Through belief, and hope, and true love of Christ, are pious hearts +cleansed, by daily circumcision, from their sins, and through his grace +enlightened. + +We have often heard that men call this day the day of the year, as if this +day were first in the circuit of the year; but we find no explanation in +christian books, why this day is accounted the beginning of the year. The +old Romans, in heathen days, begun the circuit of the year on this day; and +the Hebrew nations on the vernal equinox; the Greeks on the summer +solstice; and the Egyptians begun their year at harvest. Now our calendar +begins, according to the Roman institution, on this day, not for any +religious reason, but from old custom. Some of our service-books begin on +the Lord's Advent; but not on that account is that the beginning of the +year, nor is it with any reason placed on this day; though our calendars, +in this place, repeat it. Most rightly it has been thought that the +beginning of the year should be observed on the day that the Almighty +Creator placed the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the beginning of +all the seasons; that is on the day that the Hebrew people begin the +calculation of their year; as the leader Moses has written in the books of +laws. Verily God said to Moses concerning that month, "This month is the +beginning of months, and it {101} is first of the months of the year." Now +the Hebrew people held the first day of the year on the vernal equinox, +because on that day the yearly seasons were set. + +The eighteenth day of the month that we call March, which ye call Hlyda, +was the first day of this world. On that day God made light, and morning, +and evening. Then three days went forth without any measure of times; for +the heavenly bodies were not created before the fourth day. On the fourth +day the Almighty fixed all the heavenly bodies, and the yearly seasons, and +commanded that they should be for a sign, for days, and for years. Now the +Hebrews begin their year on the day when all the seasons were appointed, +that is on the fourth day of the world's creation, and the doctor Beda +reckons, with great discretion, that that day is the twenty-first of March, +the day which we celebrate in honour of the holy man Benedict, for his +great excellencies. Aye, the earth also makes known by her plants, which +then return to life, that the time at which they were created is the most +correct beginning of the year. + +Now foolish men practise manifold divinations on this day, with great +error, after heathen custom, against their christianity, as if they could +prolong their life or their health, while they provoke the Almighty +Creator. Many are also possessed with such great error, that they regulate +their journeying by the moon, and their acts according to days, and will +not undertake anything on Monday, because of the beginning of the week; +though Monday is not the first day in the week, but is the second. Sunday +is the first in creation, in order, and in dignity. Some foolish men also +say, that there are some kinds of animals which one should not bless; and +say that they decline by blessing, and by cursing thrive, and so enjoy +God's grace to their injury, without blessing, with the devil's +malediction. Every blessing is of God, and curse of the devil. God created +all creatures, and the devil can create no creatures, for he is an inciter +to evil, {103} and worker of falsehood, author of sins, and deceiver of +souls. + +The creatures that are thought monstrous have been created for punishment +of evil deeds. Holy men often dwelt in the waste among fierce wolves and +lions, among all the beast kind and the worm kind, and nothing might harm +them; but they tore the horned serpents with their naked hands, and the +great snakes they easily slew, without any hurt, through God's might. + +Woe to the man who uses God's creatures, without his blessing, with +diabolical charms, when the apostle of the gentiles, Paul, has said, +"Whatsoever ye do in word or in work, do always in the name of the Lord, +thanking the Almighty Father through his Son." That man's christianity is +naught, who passes his life in diabolical charms; he is in appearance a +christian man, and is a miserable heathen; as the same apostle said of +such, "I believe that I laboured in vain when I inclined you to God, now ye +observe days and months with vain auguries." + +Every bodily creature in the creation which the earth produces, is, +however, according to nature, fuller and stronger in full moon than in +decrease. Thus trees also, if they are felled in full moon, are harder and +more lasting for building, and especially if they are made sapless. This is +no charm, but is a natural thing from their creation. The sea too agrees +wonderfully with the course of the moon; they are always companions in +their increase and waning. And as the moon rises daily four points later, +so also the sea flows always four points later. + +Let us set our hope and our happiness in the providence of the Almighty +Creator, who hath placed all creatures in three things; that is in measure, +and in number, and in weight. Be to him glory and praise ever to eternity. +Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{104} VIII. I[=D]. JAN. + +EPIPHANIA DOMINI. + +Men dha leofostan, nu for feawum dagum we oferraeddon this godspel aetforan +eow, the belimpdh to dhysses daeges dhenunge, for gereccednysse dhaere +godspellican endebyrdnysse; ac we ne hrepodon thone traht na swidhor thonne +to dhaes daeges wurdhmynte bel['a]mp: nu wille we eft oferyrnan tha ylcan +godspellican endebyrdnysse, and be dhyssere andweardan freolst['i]de +trahtnian. + +Matheus se Godspellere cwaedh, "Cum natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iudae, in +diebus Herodis regis, ecce Magi ab oriente uenerunt Hierosolimam, dicentes, +Ubi est qui natus est Rex Iudeorum?" et reliqua. "Thadha se Haelend acenned +waes on thaere Iudeiscan Bethleem, on Herodes dagum cyninges, efne dha +comon fram east-daele middangeardes dhry tungel-witegan to dhaere byrig +Hierusalem, thus befr['i]nende, Hwaer is Iudeiscra leoda Cyning, sedhe +acenned is?" etc. + +Dhes daeg is gehaten Epiphania Domini, thaet is Godes geswutelung-daeg. On +thysum daege Crist waes geswutelod tham dhrym cyningum, dhe fram east-daele +middangeardes hine mid thrimfealdum lacum gesohton. Eft embe geara ymbrynum +h['e] weardh on his fulluhte on thysum daege middangearde geswutelod, +dhadha se Halga G['a]st, on culfran h['i]we, uppon him gereste, and thaes +Faeder stemn of heofenum hl['u]de swegde, thus cwedhende, "Thes is min +leofa Sunu, the me w['e]l licadh; gehyradh him." Eac on dhisum daege he +awende waeter to aedhelum wine, and mid tham geswutelode thaet he is se +sodha Scyppend, the dha gesceafta awendan mihte. For dhisum thrym dhingum +is dhes freols-daeg Godes swutelung gecweden. On dham forman daege his +gebyrd-tide he weardh aeteowed thrym hyrdum on Iudeiscum earde, thurh dhaes +engles bodunge. On dham ylcum daege he weardh gecydd tham dhrym +tungel-witegum on east-daele, thurh dhone beorhtan steorran; ac on thysum +daege {106} h['i] comon mid heora lacum. Hit waes gedafenlic thaet se +gesceadwisa engel hine cydde tham gesceadwisum Iudeiscum, dhe Godes ['ae] +cudhon, and dham hadhenum, the dhaes godcundan gesceades nyston na dhurh +stemne, ac dhurh tacn waere geswutelod. + +Tha Iudeiscan hyrdas get['a]cnodon dha gastlican hyrdas, thaet sind dha +apostolas, the Crist geceas of Iudeiscum folce, ['u]s to hyrdum and to +lareowum. Dha tungel-witegan, dhe waeron on haedhenscipe wunigende, haefdon +getacnunge ealles haedhenes folces, dhe wurdon to Gode geb['i]gede thurh +dhaera apostola l['a]re, the waeron Iudeiscre dheode. Sodhlice se +sealm-sceop awr['a]t be Criste, thaet h['e] is se hyrn-stan the gefegdh tha +twegen weallas togaedere, fordhan dhe he getheodde his gecorenan of +Iudeiscum folce and tha geleaffullan of haedhenum, swilce twegen wagas to +anre geladhunge; be dham cwaedh Paulus se apostol, "Se Haelend bodade on +his to-cyme sibbe us dhe feorran w['ae]ron, and sibbe tham dhe gehende +w['ae]ron. He is ure sibb, sedhe dyde aegdher to anum, towurpende dha +['ae]rran feondscipas on him sylfum." Tha Iudeiscan dhe on Crist gelyfdon +waeron him geh['e]ndor st['o]wlice, and eac dhurh cydhdhe thaere ealdan +['ae]: we waeron swidhe fyrlyne, aegdher ge st['o]wlice ge dhurh uncydhdhe; +ac he us gegaderode mid ['a]num geleafan to dham healicum hyrn-stane, thaet +is to annysse his geladhunge. + +Dha easternan tungel-w['i]tegan ges['a]won n['i]wne steorran beorhtne, na +on heofenum betwux odhrum tunglum, ac waes ['a]ngenga betwux heofenum and +eordhan. Dha undergeaton h['i] thaet se seldcudha tungel gebicnode thaes +sodhan Cyninges acennednysse, on dham earde dhe he ofergl['a]d; and fordhi +comon to Iudea rice, and thone arleasan cyning Herodem mid heora bodunge +dhearle af['ae]rdon; fordhan dhe buton tweon seo eordhlice arleasnys weardh +gescynd, thadha seo heofenlice healicnyss weardh geopenod. + +Swutol is thaet dha tungel-witegan tocneowon Crist sodhne mann, dhadha +h['i] befrunon, "Hwaer is se dhe acenned is?" H['i] oncneowon hine sodhne +Cyning, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "Iudea {108} Cyning." H['i] hine wurdhodon +sodhne God, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "We comon to dhy thaet we us to him +gebiddan." Eadhe mihte God h['i] gewissian thurh dhone steorran to dhaere +byrig the thaet cild on waes, swa swa he his acennednysse thurh dhaes +steorran up-spring geswutelode; ac he wolde thaet dha Iudeiscan boceras dha +witegunge be dham raeddon, and swa his cenning-stowe geswutelodon, thaet +h['i] gehealdene waeron, gif h['i] woldon mid than tungel-witegum h['i] to +Criste gebiddan: gif h['i] thonne noldon, thaet h['i] wurdon mid thaere +geswutelunge genidherode. Tha tungel-witegan ferdon and h['i] gebaedon, and +dha Iudeiscan boceras baeftan belifon, the tha cenning-stowe thurh +b['o]clic gescead geb['i]cnodon. + +Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppendes to-cyme, buton dham arleasum +Iudeiscum anum. Heofonas oncneowon heora Scyppend, dhadha h['i] on his +acennednysse n['i]wne steorran aeteowdon. S['ae] oncneow dhadha Crist mid +drium fot-wylmum ofer hyre ydha mihtelice eode. Sunne oncneow, thatha heo +on his dhrowunge hire leoman fram mid-daege odh n['o]n behydde. Stanas +oncneowon, dhadha h['i] on his fordhsidhe sticmaelum toburston. Seo eordhe +oncneow, dhadha heo on his aeriste eall byfode. Hell oncneow, dhadha heo +hire haeftlingas undhances forlet. And dheah tha heard-heortan Iudei noldon +for eallum dham tacnum thone sodhan Scyppend tocn['a]wan, the tha dumban +gesceafta undergeaton, and mid gebicnungum geswutolodon. Naeron h['i] +swa-dheah ealle endemes ungeleaffulle, ac of heora cynne waeron aegdher ge +w['i]tegan ge apostolas, and fela dhusenda gelyfedra manna. + +Thatha dha tungel-witegan thone cyning gecyrdon, tha weardh se steorra him +ungesewen; and eft, dhadha h['i] to dham cilde gecyrdon, tha gesawon h['i] +eft dhone steorran, and he dha h['i] gelaedde to tham huse, thaer h['e] +inne wunode. Ne glad h['e] ealne weig him aetforan, ac sydhdhan h['i] comon +to Iudeiscum earde, sydhdhan he waes heora latteow, odh thaet he bufan +Cristes gesthuse aetstod. + +Herodes haefde deofles getacnunge; and se dhe fram Gode {110} bichdh to +deofle he forlyst Godes gife, thaet is his modes onlihtinge, swa swa dha +tungel-witegan dhone steorran forluron, dhadha h['i] dhone redhan cyning +gecyrdon. Gif he dhonne eft thone deofol anraedlice forl['ae]t, dhonne +gem['e]t h['e] eft thaes halgan Gastes gife, the his heortan onliht, and to +Criste gelaet. + +Us is eac to witenne, thaet waeron sume gedwolmen dhe cw['ae]don, thaet +aelc man beo acenned be steorrena gesetnyssum, and thurh heora ymbryna him +wyrd gelimpe, and n['a]mon to fultume heora gedwylde thaet n['i]we steorra +asprang thatha Drihten lichamlice acenned weardh, and cwaedon thaet se +steorra his gewyrd waere. Gew['i]te dhis gedwyld fram geleaffullum heortum, +thaet aenig gewyrd sy, buton se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe aelcum men +foresceawadh lif be his geearnungum. Nis se man for steorrum gesceapen, ac +dha steorran sint mannum to nihtlicere lihtinge gesceapene. Thadha se +steorra gl['a]d, and tha tungel-witegan gelaedde, and him dhaes cildes inn +geb['i]cnode, dha geswutelode he thaet he waes Cristes gesceaft, and +rihtlice his Scyppende thenode: ac h['e] naes his gewyrd. Eft we biddadh +thaet n['a]n geleafful man his geleafan mid thisum gedwylde ne befyle. +Witodlice Rebecca, Isa['a]ces w['i]f, acende twegen getwysan, Iacob and +Esau, on ['a]nre tide, swa thaet Iacob heold thone yldran brodher Esau be +dham f['e]t on dhaere cenninge, and hi naeron dheah gelice on dheawum, ne +on lifes geearnungum. Witodlice thaet halige gewrit cwydh thaet God lufode +Iacob, and hatode Esau; na for gewyrde, ac for mislicum geearnungum. Hit +gelimpdh forwel oft thaet on anre t['i]de acendh seo cw['e]n and seo wyln, +and dheah gedhicdh se aedheling be his gebyrdum to healicum cynesetle, and +dhaere wylne sunu wunadh eal his l['i]f on dheowte. + +Nu cwedhadh oft stunte men thaet hi be gewyrde lybban sceolon, swylce God +h['i] neadige to yfel-daedum! Ac we wylladh thyssera stuntra manna ydele +leasunge adwaescan mid deopnysse godcundra gewrita. Se Aelmihtiga Scyppend +gesceop englas thurh his godcundan mihte, and for his micclan rihtwisnysse +forgeaf him agenne cyre, thaet h['i] moston {112} dhurhwunian on ecere +gesaeldhe dhurh gehyrsumnysse, and mihton eac dha gesaeldha forleosan, na +for gewyrde, ac for ungehyrsumnysse. His deope rihtwisnys nolde h['i] +neadian to nadhrum, ac forgeaf him agenne cyre; fordhan dhe thaet is +rihtwisnys thaet gehwylcum sy his agen cyre gedhafod. Thonne waere seo +rihtwisnys aw['ae]ged, gif he h['i] neadunge to his dheowte gebigde, odhdhe +gif he h['i] to yfelnysse bescufe. Dha miswendon sume tha englas heora +agenne cyre, and thurh modignysse hy sylfe to awyrigedum deoflum geworhton. + +Eft dhadha se dhrimwealdenda Scyppend mancyn geworhte, tha forgeaf h['e] +Adame and Euan agenne cyre, swa hi, dhurh gehyrsumnysse, ['a] on ecnysse, +butan deadhe, on gesaeldhe wunodon, mid eallum heora ofspringe, swa hi, +dhurh ungehyrsumnysse, deadlice wurdon. Ac dhatha h['i] Godes bebod +forgaegdon, and thaes awyrigedan deofles lare gehyrsumodon, tha wurdon hi +deadlice, and forscyldegode thurh agenne cyre, h['i] and eall heora +ofspring; and dheah dhe naefre ne wurde sydhdhan mancynne gemiltsod, dhe +m['a] dhe dham deoflum is, dheah waere Godes rihtwisnys eallunga untaele. +Ac eft seo miccle mildheortnys ures Drihtnes us alysde thurh his +menniscnysse, gif we his bebodum mid ealre heortan gehyrsumiadh. Witodlice +dha dhe nu thurh agenne cyre and deofles tihtinge God forlaetadh, God +forlaet h['i] eac to dham ecan forwyrde. + +Georne wiste se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, aerdhan the he tha gesceafta gesceope, +hwaet toweard waes. He cudhe gewislice getel aegdher ge gecorenra engla ge +gecorenra manna, and eac dhaera modigra gasta and arleasra manna, the dhurh +heora arleasnysse forwurdhadh; ac he ne forestihte naenne to yfelnysse, +fordhan the he sylf is eall g['o]dnyss; ne h['e] naenne to forwyrde ne +gestihte, fordhan dhe he is sodh l['i]f. He forestihte dha gecorenan to +dham ecan life, fordhan dhe he wiste h['i] swilce towearde, thurh his gife +and agene gehyrsumnysse. He nolde forestihtan tha arleasan to his rice, +fordhan dhe he wiste h['i] swilce towearde, thurh heora agene +forgaegednysse and dhwyrnysse. {114} Healdadh this faeste on eowerum +heortum, thaet se Aelmihtiga and se Rihtwisa God naenne mann ne neadadh to +syngigenne, ac he w['a]t swa-dheah on ['ae]r hwilce thurh agenne willan +syngian willadh. Hw['i] ne sceal he dhonne rihtlice wrecan thaet yfel thaet +he onscunadh? He lufadh aelc g['o]d and rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe he is +gecyndelice g['o]d and rihtwis; and he hatadh ealle dha dhe unrihtwisnysse +wyrcadh, and tha fordedh the leasunge sprecadh. Witodlice tha the on God +belyfadh, hi sind thurh dhone Halgan G['a]st gewissode. Nis seo gecyrrednys +to Gode of us sylfum, ac of Godes gife, swa swa se apostol cwydh, "Thurh +Godes gife ge sind gehealdene on geleafan." + +Tha dhe ne gelyfadh dhurh agenne cyre h['i] scoriadh, na dhurh gewyrd, +fordhan dhe gewyrd nis nan dhing buton leas wena; ne nan dhing sodhlice be +gewyrde ne gewyrdh, ac ealle dhing thurh Godes dom beodh geendebyrde, sedhe +cwaedh thurh his witegan, "Ic afandige manna heortan, and heora lendena, +and aelcum sylle aefter his faerelde, and aefter his agenre afundennysse." +Ne talige nan man his yfelan daeda to Gode, ac talige aerest to tham +deofle, the mancyn besw['a]c, and to Ad['a]mes forgaegednysse; ac dheah +swidhost to him sylfum, thaet him yfel gelicadh, and ne licadh g['o]d. + +Bidh theah gelome ofsprincg forscyldegod thurh fordhfaedera m['a]ndaeda, +gif he mid yfele him geefenlaehdh. Gif dhonne se ofspring rihtwis bidh, +thonne leofadh he on his rihtwisnysse, and nateshwon his yldrena synna ne +aberdh. Ne sy n['a]n man to dhan arleas thaet h['e] Adam wyrige odhdhe +Euan, dhe nu on heofenum mid Gode rixiadh, ac geearnige swidhor Godes +mildheortnysse, swa thaet h['e] wende his agenne cyre to his Scyppendes +gehyrsumnysse and bebodum; fordhan the nan man ne bidh gehealden buton +thurh gife Haelendes Cristes: tha gife he gearcode and forestihte on ecum +raede aer middangeardes gesetnysse. + +Mine gebrodhra, ge habbadh nu gehyred be dhan leasan wenan, the ydele men +gewyrd hatadh: uton nu f['o]n on thaes godspelles trahtnunge, thaer we hit +aer forleton. {116} Tha tungel-witegan eodon into dhaes cildes gesthuse, +and hine gemetton mid thaere meder. H['i] dha mid astrehtum lichaman hi to +Criste gebaedon, and geopenodon heora hordfatu, and him geoffrodon +thryfealde l['a]c, gold, and recels, and myrran. Gold gedafenadh cyninge; +st['o]r gebyradh to Godes dhenunge; mid myrran man behwyrfdh deadra manna +l['i]c, thaet h['i] late rotian. Dhas dhr['y] tungel-w['i]tegan h['i] to +Criste geb['ae]don, and him getacnigendlice lac offrodon. Thaet gold +getacnode thaet he is sodh Cyning. Se st['o]r thaet he is sodh God. Seo +myrre thaet he waes dha deadlic; ac he thurhwunadh nu undeadlic on ecnysse. + +Sume gedwolmen waeron the gelyfdon thaet h['e] God waere, ac hi +nateshw['o]n ne gelyfdon thaet h['e] aeghwaer rixode: hi offrodon Criste +gastlice recels, and noldon him gold offrian. Eft waeron odhre gedwolmen +dhe gelyfdon thaet he sodh Cyning waere, ac hi widhsocon thaet he God +waere: dhas, buton twyn, him offrodon gold, and noldon offrian recels. Sume +gedwolan andetton thaet he sodh God waere and sodh Cyning, and widhsocon +thaet h['e] deadlic flaesc underfenge: thas witodlice him brohton gold and +st['o]r, and noldon bringan myrran thaere onfangenre deadlicnysse. + +Mine gebrodhra, uton we geoffrian urum Drihtne gold, thaet we andettan +thaet h['e] sodh Cyning sy, and aeghwaer rixige. Uton him offrian st['o]r, +thaet we gelyfon thaet h['e] ['ae]fre God waes, sedhe on thaere tide man +aeteowde. Uton him bringan myrran, thaet we gelyfan thaet he waes deadlic +on urum flaesce, sedhe is undhrowigendlic on his godcundnysse. He waes +deadlic on menniscnysse aer his dhrowunge, ac he bidh heonon-fordh +undeadlic, swa swa we ealle beodh aefter dham gemaenelicum aeriste. + +We habbadh ges['ae]d embe dhas thryfealdan lac, h['u] h['i] to Criste +belimpadh: we willadh eac secgan h['u] h['i] to ['u]s belimpadh aefter +dheawlicum andgite. Mid golde witodlice bidh wisdom get['a]cnod, swa swa +Salomon cwaedh, "Gewilnigendlic gold-hord lidh on dhaes witan mudhe." Mid +store bidh geswutelod halig {118} gebed, be dham sang se sealm-scop, +"Drihten, sy min gebed asend swa swa byrnende st['o]r on dhinre gesihdhe." +Thurh myrran is geh['i]wod cwelmbaernys ures flaesces; be dham cwedh seo +halige geladhung, "Mine handa drypton myrran." Tham acennedan Cyninge we +bringadh gold, gif we on his gesihdhe mid beorhtnysse thaes upplican +wisdomes scinende beodh. St['o]r we him bringadh, gif we ure gedhohtas +dhurh gecnyrdnysse haligra gebeda on weofode ure heortan on['ae]ladh, thaet +we magon hwaethwega wynsumlice dhurh heofenlice gewilnunge stincan. Myrran +we him offriadh, gif we dha flaesclican lustas thurh forhaefednysse +cwylmiadh. Myrra dedh, swa we aer cwaedon, thaet thaet deade flaesc +eadhelice ne rotadh. Witodlice thaet deade flaesc rotadh leahtorlice, +thonne se deadlica lichama dheowadh thaere flowendan galnysse, swa swa se +w['i]tega be sumum cwaedh, "Dha nytenu forrotedon on heora meoxe." Thonne +forrotiadh tha nytenu on heora meoxe, thonne flaesclice men on stence heora +galnysse geendiadh heora dagas. Ac gif we dha myrran Gode gastlice +geoffriadh, thonne bidh ure deadlica lichama fram galnysse stencum dhurh +forhaefednysse gehealden. + +Sum dhing miccles geb['i]cnodon tha tungel-witegan us mid tham thaet hi +dhurh odherne weg to heora earde gecyrdon. Ure eard sodhlice is +neorxna-wang, to dham we ne magon gecyrran thaes weges dhe we comon. Se +frumsceapena man and eall his ofspring weardh adraefed of neorxena-wanges +myrhdhe, thurh ungehyrsumnysse, and for dhigene thaes forbodenan bigleofan, +and dhurh modignysse, dhadha he wolde beon betera dhonne hine se Aelmihtiga +Scyppend gesceop. Ac us is micel neod thaet we dhurh odherne weg thone +swicolan deofol forbugan, thaet we moton gesaeliglice to urum edhele +becuman, the we to gesceapene waeron. + +We sceolon thurh gehyrsumnysse, and forhaefednysse, and eadmodnysse, +['a]nmodlice to urum edhele staeppan, and mid halgum maegnum dhone eard +ofgan, the we dhurh leahtras forluron. Rihtlice waes se swicola Herodes +fram tham tungel-witegum bepaeht, and he to Criste ne becom, fordhan dhe +h['e] {120} mid facenfullum mode hine sohte. He getacnode tha leasan +licceteras, dhe mid h['i]wunge God secadh, and naefre ne gemetadh. He is to +secenne mid sodhfaestre heortan, and anraedum mode, sedhe leofadh and +rixadh mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +{105} JANUARY VI. + +THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD. + +Most beloved men, a few days ago we read over this gospel before you, which +belongs to the service of this day, for the interpretation of the +evangelical narrative; but we did not touch on the exposition further than +belonged to the dignity of that day: we will now again run over the same +evangelical narrative, and expound it with regard to the present festival. + +Matthew the Evangelist said, "Cum natus esset Jesus in Bethlehem Judae, in +diebus Herodis regis, ecce Magi ab oriente venerunt Hierosolymam, dicentes, +Ubi est qui natus est Rex Judaeorum?" et reliqua. "When Jesus was born in +Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold there came from +the east part of the world three astrologers to the city of Jerusalem, thus +inquiring, Where is the King of the Jews, who is born?" etc. + +This day is called the Epiphany of the Lord, that is the day of God's +manifestation. On this day Christ was manifested to the three kings, who, +with threefold offerings, sought him from the eastern part of the world. +Again, after a course of years, he was, at his baptism, manifested to the +world, when the Holy Ghost, in likeness of a dove, rested upon him, and the +voice of the Father sounded loudly from heaven, thus saying, "This is my +beloved Son who well pleaseth me; obey him." On this day also he turned +water to noble wine, and thereby manifested that he is the true Creator who +could change his creatures. For these three reasons this festival is called +the MANIFESTATION OF GOD. On the first day of his birth he was manifested +to three shepherds in the Jewish country, through the announcement of the +angel. On the same day he was made known to the three astrologers in the +East, through the bright star: for on this day they came with {107} their +offerings. It was fitting that the discreet angel should make him known to +those discreet Jews, who knew God's law, and that he should be manifested +to the heathens, who knew not the divine purpose, not through a voice, but +by a sign. + +The Jewish shepherds betokened the spiritual shepherds, that is the +apostles, whom Christ chose from the Jewish people, as shepherds for us and +teachers. The astrologers, who were continuing in heathenism, betokened all +heathen people who should be turned to God through the teaching of the +apostles, who were of the Jewish nation. For the psalmist wrote concerning +Christ, that he is the corner-stone which joins the two walls together, +because he united his chosen of the Jewish people and the faithful of the +heathen, as two walls, to one church; concerning which Paul the apostle +said, "Jesus at his advent announced peace to us who were far off, and +peace to those who were at hand. He is our peace, who hath made both one, +abolishing all our former enmities in himself." The Jews who believed in +Christ were nearer to him locally, and also through knowledge of the old +law: we were very remote, both locally and through ignorance; but he +gathered us with one faith to the high corner-stone, that is to the unity +of his church. + +The eastern astrologers saw a new bright star, not in heaven among other +stars, but it was solitary between heaven and earth. Then understood they +that the wondrous star indicated the birth of the true King in the country +over which it glided; and they therefore came to the kingdom of Juda, and +greatly terrified the impious king Herod by their announcement; for earthly +wickedness was without doubt confounded, when the heavenly greatness was +disclosed. + +It is manifest that the astrologers knew Christ to be a true man, when they +inquired, "Where is he who is born?" They knew him to be a true king, when +they said, "King of {109} Juda." They worshipped him as true God, when they +said, "We come that we may adore him." Easily might God have directed them +by the star to the city in which the child was, as he had manifested his +birth by the rising of that star; but he would that the Jewish scribes +should read the prophecy concerning him, and so manifest his birth-place, +that they might be saved if, with the astrologers, they would worship +Christ: but if they would not, that they might by that manifestation be +condemned. The astrologers went and worshipped, and the Jewish scribes +remained behind, who had through book-knowledge pointed out the +birth-place. + +All creatures acknowledged their Creator's advent, save only the impious +Jews. The heavens acknowledged their Creator, when they at his nativity +displayed a new star. The sea acknowledged him, when Christ in his might +with dry footsteps passed over its waves. The sun acknowledged him, when at +his passion he hid his beams from mid-day till the ninth hour. The stones +acknowledged him, when at his death they burst in pieces. The earth +acknowledged him, when it all trembled at his resurrection. Hell +acknowledged him, when it unwillingly released its captives. And yet the +hard-hearted Jews would not for all those signs acknowledge the true +Creator, whom the dumb creation knew, and by tokens manifested. They were +not, however, all equally unbelieving, but of their race there were both +prophets and apostles, and many thousands of believing men. + +When the astrologers went to the king the star became invisible to them; +and afterwards, when they went to the child, they again saw the star, which +then led them to the house in which he was staying. It did not glide before +them all the way, but after they came to the Jewish country it was their +guide until it stopt above Christ's inn. + +Herod betokens the devil; and he who inclines from God {111} to the devil +loses God's grace, that is the enlightening of his understanding, as the +astrologers lost the star when they went to the cruel king. But if he +afterwards resolutely forsake the devil, then will he again have found the +grace of the Holy Ghost, which enlightens his heart and leads to Christ. + +We are also to know, that there were some heretics who said, that every man +is born according to the position of the stars, and that by their course +his destiny befalls him, and advanced in support of their error, that a new +star sprang up when the Lord was corporally born, and said that that star +was his destiny. Let this error depart from believing hearts, that there is +any destiny excepting the Almighty Creator, who provides for every man life +by his merits. Man is not created for the stars, but the stars are created +as a light by night for men. When the star glided, and led the astrologers, +and pointed out to them the Child's inn, it showed that it was Christ's +creature, and rightly ministered to its Creator: but it was not his +destiny. Again we beseech that no believing man defile his faith with this +error. Verily Rebekah, Isaac's wife, brought forth twins, Jacob and Esau, +at one time, so that Jacob held his elder brother Esau by the foot at his +birth; yet were they not alike in character, nor in the actions of their +life. Holy writ indeed says that God loved Jacob, and hated Esau; not by +destiny, but for various acts. It happens very often that the queen and the +slave bring forth at one time, and yet the prince, through his birth, grows +up for the lofty throne, and the son of the slave continues all his life in +servitude. + +Now foolish men often say that they must live according to destiny, as if +God compels them to evil deeds! But we will overthrow the idle leasing of +these foolish men with the deepness of the divine writings. The Almighty +Creator created angels by his divine power, and in his great righteousness +gave them their own choice, that they might {113} continue in eternal +happiness through obedience, and might also lose that happiness, not +through destiny, but for disobedience. His great righteousness would not +compel them to either, but gave them their own choice; for that is +righteousness, that to every one be allowed his own choice. For his +righteousness would be rendered vain, if he forcibly subjected them to his +service, or if he impelled them to evil. Then some angels abused their own +choice, and through pride transformed themselves to accursed devils. + +Again, when the glorious Creator made mankind, he gave to Adam and Eve +their own choice, whether they, through obedience, would for ever, without +death, continue in happiness, with all their offspring, or whether, through +disobedience, they would become mortal. But when they transgressed God's +command, and obeyed the instruction of the accursed devil, then they became +mortal, and guilty through their own choice, they and all their offspring; +and although mercy should never after be shown to mankind, more than to the +devils, nevertheless, the righteousness would be infinite. But the great +mercy of our Lord hath redeemed us through his humanity, if we with all our +heart will obey his commandments. Verily those who now, through their own +choice, and the devil's instigation, forsake God, God will abandon them +also to eternal perdition. + +The Almighty Father well knew, before he created his creatures, what was to +come to pass. He knew with certainty the number both of chosen angels and +of chosen men, and also of the haughty spirits and impious men, who through +their impiety perish. But he predestined no one to evil, for he himself is +all goodness; nor destined he any one to perdition, for he is true life. He +predestined the elect for eternal life, because he knew that they would be +such, through his grace and their own obedience. He would not predestine +the wicked to his kingdom, because he knew that they would be such, through +their own transgression and perversity. {115} Hold this fast in your +hearts, that the Almighty and the Righteous God compels no man to sin, but +he knows, nevertheless, beforehand who will sin through their own will. Why +then shall he not justly avenge that evil which he abominates? He loves +every good and righteousness, for he is by nature good and righteous; and +he hates all those who work unrighteousness, and fordoes those who speak +leasing. Verily those who believe in God are directed by the Holy Ghost. +The turning to God is not of ourselves, but by God's grace, as the apostle +says, "Through God's grace we are held in faith." + +Those who believe not through their own choice perish, not through destiny, +for destiny is nothing but a false imagination; for nothing takes place by +destiny, but all things are ordered by the doom of God, who said through +his prophet, "I try the hearts of men, and their loins, and give to +everyone according to his course, and according to his own invention." Let +no man ascribe his evil deeds to God, but ascribe them first to the devil, +who deceived mankind, and to Adam's transgression; but above all to +himself, that evil pleases him and good pleases him not. + +It often, however, happens that the offspring are condemned through the +wicked deeds of their forefathers, if they imitate them in evil. But if the +offspring are righteous, then will they live in their righteousness, and +will not in the least bear their parents' sins. Let no man be so impious +that he curse Adam or Eve, who now reign with God in heaven, but let him +rather merit God's mercy, so that he turn his own choice to the obedience +and commandments of his Creator; for no man will be saved, but through the +grace of Jesus Christ: that grace he prepared and preordained to last for +ever, before the foundation of the world. + +My brothers, ye have now heard concerning the false imagination, which vain +men call destiny: let us now resume the exposition of the gospel, where we +previously left it. {117} The astrologers went into the child's inn, and +found him with his mother. They then, with outstretched bodies, worshipped +Christ, and opened their coffers, and offered to him threefold gifts, gold, +and frankincense, and myrrh. Gold befits a king; frankincense belongs to +God's service; with myrrh the corpses of the dead are prepared that they +may not soon rot. These three astrologers worshipped Christ, and offered to +him significant gifts. The gold betokened that he is a true King. The +frankincense that he is true God. The myrrh that he was then mortal; but he +now continues immortal to eternity. + +There were some heretics who believed that he was God, but they in no wise +believed that he anywhere reigned: they offered frankincense to Christ +spiritually, and would not offer him gold. Again, there were other heretics +who believed that he was a true King, but they denied that he was God: +these, without doubt, offered gold to him, and would not offer +frankincense. Some heretics acknowledged that he was true God and true +King, and denied that he assumed mortal flesh: these brought him gold and +frankincense, and would not bring the myrrh of the assumed mortality. + +My brothers, let us offer to our Lord gold in acknowledgment that he is a +true King, and rules everywhere. Let us offer to him frankincense, because +we believe that he ever was God, who at that time appeared man. Let us +bring him myrrh, because we believe that he was mortal in our flesh, who is +impassible in his divine nature. He was mortal in human nature before his +passion, but he is henceforth immortal, as we all shall be after the +universal resurrection. + +We have said concerning these threefold gifts, how they apply to Christ: we +wish also to say how they, in a moral sense, apply to us. By gold is wisdom +betokened, as Solomon said, "A desirable gold-treasure lieth in the wise +man's mouth." With frankincense is manifested holy prayer, {119} concerning +which the psalmist sang, "Lord, be my prayer sent forth like burning +frankincense in thy sight." By myrrh is typified the mortality of our +flesh, concerning which the holy congregation says, "My hands dropt myrrh." +To the born King we bring gold, if we are shining in his sight with the +brightness of heavenly wisdom. Frankincense we bring him, if we, by +diligence of holy prayers, kindle our thoughts on the altar of our heart, +so that we may, through heavenly desire, give forth a sweetish savour. +Myrrh we offer him, if through continence we quell the lusts of the flesh. +Myrrh, as we have before said, acts so that dead flesh does not easily rot. +Verily the dead flesh rots flagitiously, when the mortal body is +subservient to overflowing lust, as the prophet said by one, "The beasts +rotted in their dung." Then the beasts rot in their dung, when fleshly men +end their days in the stench of their lust. But if we offer myrrh to God +spiritually, then will our mortal body be preserved through continence from +the stenches of lust. + +The astrologers pointed out to us something great by returning another way +to their country. For our country is Paradise, to which we cannot return by +the way we came. The first-created man and all his offspring were driven +from the joy of Paradise, through disobedience, and for eating the +forbidden food, and through pride, when he would be better than the +Almighty Creator had created him. But it is greatly needful to us that we +should, by another way, avoid the treacherous devil, that we may happily +come to our country, for which we were created. + +We should, by obedience, and continence, and humility, unanimously proceed +to our home, and with holy virtues require the country, which we lost +through sins. Rightly was the treacherous Herod deceived by the +astrologers, and came not to Christ; because he sought him with a guileful +{121} purpose. He betokened the false hypocrites, who in outward show seek +God, and never find him. He is to be sought with a true heart, and +steadfast mind, who liveth and ruleth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, +for ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DO[=M]. III. POST EPIPHANIA DOMINI. + + Cum descendisset Iesus de monte secute sunt eum turbe multe: et + reliqua. + +Matheus, se eadiga Godspellere awr['a]t on thissere godspellican raedinge, +thaet "se Haelend nidher-eode of anre dune, and him filigde micel menigu. +Efne dha com sum hreoflig mann, and aleat widh thaes Haelendes, thus +cwedhende, Drihten, gif thu wilt, thu miht me geclaensian. Se Haelend +astrehte his hand, and hine hrepode, and cwaedh, Ic wylle; and sy dhu +geclaensod. Tha sona weardh his hreofla eal geclaensod, and he waes +gehaeled. Dha cwaedh se Haelend him to, Warna thaet thu hit nanum menn ne +secge; ac far to Godes temple, and geswutela dhe sylfne dham sacerde, and +geoffra dhine l['a]c, sw['a] sw['a] Moyses bebead him on gewitnysse." + +Se l['a]reow Haegmon cwedh on dhissere trahtnunge thaet seo d['u]n the se +Haelend of-astah getacnode heofenan rice, of dham nidher-astah se +Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu, dhadha he underfeng ure gecynd, and to menniscum men +geflaeschamod weardh, to dhy thaet he mancynn fram deofles anwealde alysde. +He waes ungesewenlic and undhrowigendlic on his gecynde; tha weardh he +gesewenlic on urum gecynde, and throwigendlic. Seo micele menigu dhe him +filigde getacnode dha geleaffullan cristenan, the mid heora theawa staepum +Drihtne filiadh. Witodlice we folgiadh Cristes fotswadhum, gif we his +gebisnungum mid godum weorcum geefenlaecadh. "Efne dha com sum hreoflig +man, and aleat widh thaes Haelendes, thus cwedhende, Drihten, gif thu wilt, +dhu miht me geclaensian. Se Haelend {122} astrehte his hand, and hine +hrepode, and cwaedh, Ic wille; and sy dhu geclaensod. Tha sona weardh his +hreofla eal geclaensod, and he waes gehaeled." + +On dhissere daede is geswutelod Godes miht, and his eadmodnys. Moyses ['ae] +forbead to hrepenne aenigne hreoflan, ac se eadmoda Crist nolde hine +forseon, theah dhe he atelic waere, and eac geswutelode thaet h['e] waes +Hlaford thaere ealdan ['ae], and na dheow. Mihtiglice he mihte mid his +worde hine gehaelan, buton hrepunge; ac he geswutelode thaet his hrepung is +swidhe halwende geleaffullum. Geleafful waes se hreoflia, dhadha he cwaedh, +"Drihten, gif thu wilt, dhu miht me geclaensian." Se Haelend andwyrde, "Ic +wylle; and thu beo geclaensod." Godes haes sodhlice is weorc, swa swa se +sealm-wyrhta cwaedh, "He hit gecwaedh, and tha gesceafta waeron geworhte. +He bebead, and h['i] waeron gesceapene." + +On gastlicum andgite getacnode thes hreoflia man eal mancyn, the waes +atelice hreoflig, mid mislicum leahtrum on tham inran menn; ac hit gebeah +to Cristes geleafan, and gleawlice undergeat thaet hit ne mihte thaere +sawle claensunge onfon, buton thurh Drihten, the nane synne ne worhte, ne +nan facn naes on his mudhe gemet. Ladhlic bidh thaes hreoflian lic mid +menigfealdum springum and geswelle, and mid mislicum fagnyssum; ac se inra +mann, thaet is seo sawul, bidh micele atelicor, gif heo mid mislicum +leahtrum begripen bidh. We sceolon rihtlice gelyfan on Crist, thaet he ure +sawle fram synna fagnyssum gehaelan maege; and we sceolon anraedlice his +willan to dhaere fremminge biddan. His hand getacnadh his mihte and his +flaesclicnysse. Swa swa Crist mid his handa hrepunge thone hreoflian +gehaelde, swa eac he alysde us fram ure sawla synnum dhurh anfenge ures +flaesces; swa swa se witega Isaias cwaedh, "Sodhlice he sylf aetbraed ure +adlunga, and ure sarnyssa he sylf abaer." + +Mid tham dhe he forbead tham gehaeledum hreoflian thaet he hit nanum men ne +cydde, mid tham he sealde us bysne thaet we ne sceolon na w['i]dmaersian +ure wel-daeda, ac we sceolon {124} onscunian, mid inweardre heortan, thone +ydelan gylp, gif we hwaet lytles to g['o]de gedodh. Witodlice ne bidh us +mid nanum odhrum edleane forgolden, gif we go['o]d for gylpe dodh, buton +mid helle susle; fordhan dhe gilp is an heofod-leahter. + +Seo ealde ['ae] bebead thaet gehwilc hreoflig man gecome to tham sacerde, +and se sacerd sceolde hine fram mannum ascirian, gif h['e] sodhlice +hreoflig waere. Gif he naere swutelice hreoflig, waere dhonne be his dome +claene geteald. Gif se sacerd hine hreofligne tealde, and Godes miht hine +sydhdhan gehaelde, thonne sceolde he mid lace his claensunge Gode dhancian. +Swa sceal eac se dhe mid heafod-leahtrum widhinnan hreoflig bidh cuman to +Godes sacerde, and geopenian his digelnysse dham gastlican laece, and be +his raede and fultume his sawle wunda daedbetende gelacnian. Sume men +wenadh thaet him genihtsumige to fulfremedum laecedome, gif h['i] heora +synna mid onbryrdre heortan Gode ['a]num andettadh, and ne dhurfon nanum +sacerde geandettan, gif h['i] yfeles geswicadh: ac gif heora wena sodh +waere, dhonne nolde Drihten asendan thone dhe he sylf gehaelde to tham +sacerde mid aenigre lace. For dhaere ylcan gebisnunge eac h['e] asende +Paulum, thone dhe he sylf of heofenum gespraec, to dham sacerde Annanian, +thus cwedhende, "Ga inn to dhaere ceastre, and dhaer the bidh gesaed hwaet +the gedafenadh to d['o]nne." + +Ne gedyde se sacerd thone man hreofligne odhdhe unhreofligne, ac h['e] +d['e]mde thaet he sceolde beon ascyred fram manna neawiste, gif his hreofla +wyrsigende waere; odhdhe betwux mannum wunian, gif his hreofla godigende +waere. Swa sceal don se gastlica sacerd: he sceal gerihtlaecan Godes folc, +and dhone ascyrian, and am['a]nsumian fram cristenum mannum, the swa +hreoflig bidh on m['a]nfullum dheawum thaet he odhre mid his yfelnysse +besmit; be dham cwaedh se apostol Paulus, "Afyrsiadh thone yfelan fram eow, +dhyl['ae]s dhe an wannhal scep ealle dha eowde besmite." Gif his hreofla +bidh godigende, thaet is gif he yfeles geswicdh, and his dheawas dhurh +Godes ege gerihtlaecdh, {126} he haebbe wununge betwux cristenum mannum, +odh thaet he full hal sy on his drohtnungum. + +Se godspellere cwaedh, thaet "Drihten ferde aefter dhisum to anre byrig the +is geh['a]ten Capharnaum; tha genealaehte him to sum hundredes ealdor, +biddende and cwedhende, Drihten, min cniht lidh aet h['a]m bedreda, and is +yfele gedhreatod. Drihten him andwyrde, Ic cume and hine gehaele. Tha +andwyrde se hundredes ealdor, and cwaedh, Drihten, ne eom ic wyrdhe thaet +thu innfare under minum hrofe; ac cwedh thin word, and min cniht bidh +gehaeled. Ic eom ['a]n man geset under anwealde, haebbende under me cempan; +and ic cwedhe to dhisum, Far dhu, and he faerdh; to odhrum, Cum dhu, and he +cymdh; to minum dheowan, Do dhis, and he dedh. Tha wundrode se Haelend, +dhadha h['e] dhis gehyrde, and cwaedh to dhaere fyligendan menigu, Sodh ic +eow secge, ne gemette ic swa micelne geleafan on Israhela dheode. Ic secge +eow to sodhum, thaet manega cumadh fram east-daele and west-daele, and +gerestadh h['i] mid Abrahame dham heahfaedere, and Isa['a]ce, and Iacobe, +on heofenan rice. Tha r['i]can bearn beodh aworpene into dham yttrum +theostrum, thaer bidh w['o]p and todha gebitt. Dha cwaedh eft se Haelend to +tham hundredes ealdre, Far dhe h['a]m, and getimige dhe swa swa dhu +gelyfdest. And se cniht weardh gehaeled of dhaere tide." + +Thes hundredes ealdor genealaehte dham Haelende na healfunga, ac +fulfremedlice. He genealaehte mid micclum geleafan, and mid sodhre +eadmodnysse, and snotornysse, and sodhre lufe. Micelne geleafan he haefde, +thatha he cwaedh, "Drihten, cwedh thin word, and min cniht bidh hal." +Sodhlice he geswutelode micele eadmodnysse, mid tham dhe he cwaedh, +"Drihten, ne eom ic wyrdhe thaet thu innfare under mine dhecene." He haefde +micele snotornysse, thatha h['e] underst['o]d thaet Crist is aeghwaer +andweard thurh godcundnysse, sedhe lichamlice betwux mannum gesewenlic +eode. Naes he bedaeled thaere sodhan lufe, dhadha he baed Drihten for his +dheowan haele. Manega odhre men baedon Drihten, sume for heora agenre +haele, sume for heora bearna, sume for leofra freonda; {128} ac dhes dhegen +baed for his theowan haeldhe mid sodhre lufe; fordhan dhe heo ne tosc['ae]t +naenne be maeglicere sibbe. Drihten geseah dhises dhegenes menigfealdan +godnysse, and cwaedh, "Ic cume, and dhinne cniht gehaele." + +Iohannes se Godspellere awr['a]t, thaet "Sum under-cyning com to Criste, +and hine baed thaet he h['a]m mid him sidhode, and his sunu gehaelde; +fordhan the h['e] laeig aet fordhsidhe. Tha cwaedh se Haelend to dham +under-cyninge, Gew['e]nd the h['a]m, thin sunu leofadh. He gelyfde thaes +Haelendes spraece, and h['a]m sidhode. Dha comon his dhegnas him togeanes, +and cyddon thaet his sunu gesund waere. He dha befr['a]n on hwilcere tide +he gewyrpte. H['i] saedon, Gyrstan-daeg ofer midne daeg hine forl['e]t se +fefor. Tha oncneow se faeder thaet hit waes seo t['i]d on dhaere dhe se +Haelend him to cwaedh, Far dhe h['a]m, thin sunu leofadh. Se cyning gelyfde +dha on God, and eal his hired." + +Drihten nolde geladhod lichamlice sidhian to thaes cyninges untruman +bearne, ac ['u]nandweard mid his worde hine gehaelde; and he waes gearo +ungeladhod to sidhigenne lichamlice mid tham hundredes ealdre. Wel w['a]t +gehw['a] thaet cyning haefdh maran mihte thonne aenig hundredes ealdor, ac +se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu geswutelode mid thaere daede thaet we ne sceolon +dha r['i]can, for heora riccetere wurdhian, ac for menniscum gecynde; ne we +ne sceolon dha w['a]nnspedigan for heora hafenleaste forseon; ac we sceolon +Godes anlicnysse on him wurdhian. Se eadmoda Godes Sunu waes gearo to +geneosigenne thone dheowan mid his andwerdnysse, and he gehaelde thone +aedheling mid haese; be dham cwaedh se witega, "Se healica Drihten sceawadh +tha eadmodan, and tha modigan feorran oncnaewdh." + +Drihten wundrode thaes hundredes ealdres geleafan, na swilce he hine aer ne +cudhe, sedhe ealle dhing w['a]t, ac he geswutelode mannum his geleafan mid +herunge tham the he wundorlic waes. Hwanon com se geleafa tham thegene +buton of Cristes gife, sedhe hine sydhdhan thisum wordum herede? "Sodh ic +eow secge, na gemette ic swa micelne geleafan on Israhela dheode." {130} +Naes dhis gecweden be dham heahfaederum odhdhe w['i]tegum, ac be dham +andwerdan folce, dhe dha-gyt naeron swa miccles geleafan. + +Maria and Martha waeron twa geswystru swidhe on God belyfede: h['i] cwaedon +to Criste, "Drihten, gif dhu her andwerd waere, naere ure brodher +fordhfaren." Thes dhegen cwaedh to Criste, "Cwedh thin word, and min cniht +bidh hal. Ic eom man under anwealde gesett, haebbende under me cempan; and +ic secge dhisum, Far dh['u], and he faerdh; to odhrum, Cum dhu, and he +cymdh; to minum theowan, Do this, and he dedh. Hu miccle swidhor miht dhu, +the Aelmihtig God eart, thurh dhine haese gefremman swa hwaet swa dhu +wilt!" Drihten cwaedh, "Ic secge eow to sodhan, thaet manega cumadh fram +east-daele and west-daele, and gerestadh h['i] mid Abrahame tham +heahfaedere, and Isa['a]ce, and Iacobe, on heofenan rice." Thas word sind +lustbaere to gehyrenne, and h['i] micclum ure mod gladiadh, thaet manega +cumadh fram east-daele middangeardes, and fram west-daele, to heofenan +rice, and mid tham heahfaederum on ecere myrhdhe rixiadh. + +Thurh dha twegen daelas, east-dael and west-dael, sind getacnode dha feower +hwemmas ealles middangeardes, of tham beodh gegaderode Godes gecorenan of +aelcere maegdhe to thaera heahfaedera wununge, and ealra halgena. Thurh +east-dael magon beon getacnode tha dhe on geogodhe to Gode bugadh; fordhan +dhe on east-daele is thaes daeges angin. Thurh west-dael sind getacnode tha +dhe on ylde to Godes dheowdome gecyrradh; fordhan dhe on west-daele +geendadh se daeg. + +Dhes aefterfiligenda cwyde is swidhe egefull, "Tha r['i]can bearn beodh +aw['o]rpene into dham yttrum dheostrum, thaer bidh w['o]p and todha +gebitt." Dha rican bearn sind tha Iudeiscan, on dham rixode God dhurh dha +ealdan ['ae]; ac h['i] awurpon Crist, and his lare forsawon; and h['e] +awyrpdh h['i] on dha yttran theostru, dhaer bidh w['o]p and todha gebitt. +Fela riccra manna gedheodh Gode, swa-theah, gif h['i] rihtwise beodh, and +mildheorte. Rice man waes se heahfaeder Abraham, and Dauid se maera cyning, +and Zacheus, sedhe healfe his aehta thearfum daelde, and mid {132} healfum +daele forgeald be feowerfealdum swa hwaet swa he aer on unriht be anfealdum +reafode. Thas rican and heora gelican becumadh thurh gode gecyrrednysse to +dham ecan rice, dhe him naefre ne ateoradh. + +Dha sind Godes bearn gecigede, the hine lufiadh swidhor thonne thisne +middangeard; and dha sind dha rican bearn gecwedene, dhe heora heortan +wyrtruman on dhisum andwerdum life plantiadh swidhor thonne on Criste: +swylce beodh on theostru aworpene. Thaet godspel cwydh, "On tha yttran +theostru." Dha yttran theostru sind thaes lichaman blindnyssa widhutan. Dha +inran theostru sind thaes modes blindnyssa widhinnan. Se dhe on dhisum +andweardum life is widhinnan ablend, swa thaet he naefdh nan andgit ne +h['o]ga embe Godes beboda, he bidh thonne eft widhutan ablend, and aelces +leohtes bedaeled; fordhan dhe he aer his lif aspende butan Godes gemynde. +Tha earman forscyldegodan cwylmiadh on ecum fyre, and swa-dheah thaet +swearte fyr him nane lihtinge ne dedh. Wurmas toslitadh heora lichaman mid +fyrenum todhum, swa swa Crist on his godspelle cwaedh, "Thaer naefre heora +wyrm ne swylt, ne heora fyr ne bidh adwaesced." Thaer beodh thonne +geferlaehte on anre susle, tha the on life on m['a]ndaedum gedheodde +waeron, swa thaet tha manslagan togaedere ecelice on tintregum cwylmiadh; +and forl['i]gras mid forligrum, gitseras mid gytserum, sceadhan mid +sceadhum, dha forsworenan mid forsworenum, on dham bradan fire, butan +aelcere geendunge forwurdhadh. Thaer bidh w['o]p and todha gebitt, fordhan +dhe dha eagan tyradh on dham micclum bryne, and dha tedh cwaciadh eft on +swidhlicum cyle. Gif hwam twynige be dham gemaenelicum aeriste, thonne +understande he thisne drihtenlican cwyde, Thaet thaer bidh sodh aerist, +dhaer dhaer beodh wepende eagan and cearcigende tedh. + +Drihten cwaedh to tham hundredes ealdre, "Far dhe h['a]m, and getimige dhe +swa swa dhu gelyfdest; and his cniht weardh gehaeled of dhaere tide." Be +dhisum is to understandenne hu micclum tham cristenum men his agen geleafa +fremige, thonne odhres mannes swa micclum fremode. Witodlice, for dhaes +{134} hundredes ealdres geleafan weardh se bedreda gehaeled. Geleafa is +ealra maegena fyrmest; buton tham ne maeg n['a]n man Gode lician; and se +rihtwisa leofadh be his geleafan. Uton gelyfan on tha Halgan Dhrynnysse, +and on sodhe Annysse, thaet se Aelmihtiga Faeder, and his Sunu, thaet is +his wisdom, and se Halga Gast, sedhe is heora begra lufu and willa, thaet +h['i] sind thry on hadum and on namum, and ['a]n God, on ['a]nre +godcundnysse aefre wunigende, butan angynne and ende. Amen. + +THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE LORD'S EPIPHANY. + + Cum descendisset Jesus de monte secutae sunt eum turbae multae: et + reliqua. + +Matthew, the blessed Evangelist, wrote in this evangelical lecture, that +"Jesus came down from a mountain, and a great multitude followed him. +Behold, there came a leprous man, and fell down before Jesus, thus saying, +Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me. Jesus stretched forth his hand, +and touched him, and said, I will; and be thou cleansed. Then immediately +was his leprosy all cleansed, and he was healed. Then said Jesus to him, +Take care that thou say it to no man; but go to God's temple, and show +thyself to the priest, and offer thy gift, as Moses commanded for a witness +to them." + +The doctor Haymo says in exposition of this, that the mountain from which +Jesus descended betokened the kingdom of heaven, from which the Almighty +Son of God came down, when he assumed our nature, and became incarnate as a +human being, in order that he might redeem mankind from the power of the +devil. He was invisible and impassible in his nature; then he became +visible in our nature, and passible. The great multitude which followed him +betokened those faithful christians, who follow the Lord with the steps of +their moral virtues. Verily we follow Christ's foot-traces, if, with good +works, we imitate his examples. "Behold, there came a leprous man, and fell +down before Jesus, thus saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me. +Jesus {123} stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and said, I will; +and be thou cleansed. Then immediately was his leprosy all cleansed, and he +was healed." + +In this deed is manifested God's might, and his humility. The law of Moses +forbade to touch any leper, but the humble Christ would not despise him, +though he was loathsome; and also manifested that he was lord of the old +law, and not its slave. In his might he could have healed him with his +word, without touching; but he manifested that his touch is very salutary +to believers. The leper was a believer, when he cried, "Lord, if thou wilt, +thou canst cleanse me." Jesus answered, "I will; and be thou cleansed." +Verily God's behest is act, as the psalmist said, "He said it, and +creatures were made. He commanded, and they were created." + +In a spiritual sense this leper betokened all mankind, which was foully +leprous with divers sins in the inward man; but it inclined to the belief +of Christ, and wisely conceived that it could not receive a cleansing of +the soul, save through the Lord, who wrought no sin, nor was any guile +found in his mouth. Loathsome is the body of the leper with many ulcers and +tumours, and with divers scabs; but the inward man, that is the soul, is +much more loathsome, if it be seized with divers sins. We should rightly +believe in Christ, that he may heal our soul from the ulcers of sins; and +we should steadfastly implore his will to that fulfilment. His hand +betokens his might and his incarnation. As Christ by the touch of his hands +healed the leper, so also he redeemed us from the sins of our souls by the +assumption of our flesh; as the prophet Isaiah said, "Verily he took away +our diseases, and our pains he himself bare." + +When he forbade the healed leper not to make it known to any man, he +thereby gave us an example that we should not publish our good deeds, but +we should shun, with inward {125} heart, vain pride, if we do some little +good. Verily we shall be requited with no other reward, if we do good for +pride, than with hell-torment; because pride is a deadly sin. + +The old law commanded that every leper should go to the priest, and that +the priest should separate him from men, if he really were leprous. If he +were not manifestly leprous, he should then, by his judgement, be accounted +clean. If the priest accounted him leprous, and God's might afterwards +healed him, that he should then, with a gift, thank God for his cleansing. +So also should he, who is leprous within with deadly sins, go to God's +priest, and open his secret to the ghostly leech, and, by his counsel and +aid, heal by penance the wounds of his soul. Some men imagine that it will +suffice for a complete cure, if, with compunction of heart, they confess +their sins to God alone, and that they need not confess to any priest, if +they cease from evil: but if their opinion were true, the Lord would not +have sent him, whom he himself had healed, with any gift to the priest. For +the same example he also sent Paul, whom he himself had spoken to from +heaven, to the priest Ananias, thus saying, "Go into the city, and there +shall be told thee what it befitteth thee to do." + +The priest made not the man leprous or unleprous, but he judged that he +should be separated from the society of men, if his leprosy were growing +worse, or should continue among men, if his leprosy were growing better. So +should the ghostly priest do: he should cure God's people, and separate, +and excommunicate from christian men him who is so leprous with sinful +practices that he infects others with his wickedness; concerning which the +apostle Paul said, "Remove the evil man from you, lest one unsound sheep +infect all the flock." If his leprosy be amending, that is, if he cease +from evil, and, through dread of God, correct his ways, let him {127} have +a dwelling among christian men, until he be full sound in his conditions. + +The evangelist said, that "After this the Lord went to a city which is +called Capernaum; then a certain centurion approached him, praying and +saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home bedridden, and is grievously +tormented. The Lord answered him, I will come and heal him. Then the +centurion answered, and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst +enter under my roof; but say thy word, and my servant shall be healed. I am +a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this, +Go thou, and he goeth; to another, Come thou, and he cometh; to my servant, +Do this, and he doeth. Then Jesus, when he heard this, wondered, and said +to the multitude following, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so +great faith in the people of Israel. I say to you in sooth, that many shall +come from the east and the west, and shall rest with the patriarch Abraham, +and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. The rich children shall be +cast into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. +Then again said Jesus to the centurion, Go home, and betide thee as thou +hast believed. And the servant was healed from that hour." + +The centurion approached Jesus not by halves, but fully. He approached with +great faith, and with true humility, and wisdom, and true love. Great faith +he had, when he said, "Lord, say thy word, and my servant shall be healed." +But he manifested great humility, when he said, "Lord, I am not worthy that +thou shouldst enter under my roof." He had great wisdom, when he understood +that Christ is everywhere present, through his divine nature, who went +bodily visible among men. He was not void of true love, when he besought +the Lord for the health of his servant. Many other men besought the Lord, +some for their own health, some for their children's, some for their dear +friends'; but this officer prayed {129} with true love for the health of +his servant, for that makes no distinction with regard to family +relationship. The Lord saw the manifold goodness of this officer, and said, +"I will come and heal thy servant." + +John the Evangelist wrote that "An under-king came to Christ, and besought +him that he would go home with him and heal his son; for he lay at the +point of death. Then said Jesus to the under-king, Return home, thy son +liveth. He believed the speech of Jesus, and went home. Then came his +servants towards him, and informed him that his son was well. He then +inquired at what hour he recovered. They said, Yesterday, after mid-day, +the fever left him. Then the father knew that it was the hour at which +Jesus said to him, Go home, thy son liveth. The king then believed in God, +and all his family." + +The Lord would not, invited, go bodily to the king's sick son, but absent +healed him by his word; and he was ready, uninvited, to go bodily with the +centurion. Everyone well knows that a king has greater power than any +centurion, but the Almighty Son of God manifested by that deed, that we +should not honour the rich for their riches, but for human nature; nor +should we despise the indigent for their indigence; but that we should +honour God's image in them. The humble Son of God was ready to visit the +servant by his presence, and he healed the prince with his behest; on which +the prophet said, "The Lord supreme beholdeth the humble, and knoweth the +proud from afar." + +The Lord wondered at the centurion's faith, not because he knew it not +before, who knows all things, but he to whom he was wonderful manifested to +men his faith with praise. Whence came the officer's faith but of Christ's +gift, who afterwards praised him in these words? "Verily I say unto you, I +have not found so great faith in the people of Israel." {131} This was not +said of the patriarchs or prophets, but of the present people, who were not +yet of so great faith. + +Mary and Martha were two sisters of great faith in God: they said to +Christ, "Lord, if thou hadst been present, our brother would not have +died." This officer said to Christ, "Say thy word, and my servant shall be +whole. I am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me; and I +say to this, Go thou, and he goeth; to another, Come thou, and he cometh; +to my servant, Do this, and he doeth. How much more canst thou, who art +Almighty God, through thy behest, execute whatsoever thou wilt!" The Lord +said, "I say to you in sooth, that many shall come from the east and the +west, and shall rest with the patriarch Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in +the kingdom of heaven." These words are pleasant to hear, and they greatly +gladden our minds, that many shall come from the east part of the world, +and from the west part, to the kingdom of heaven, and rule with the +patriarchs in everlasting joy. + +By the two parts, the east and the west, are betokened the four corners of +the whole world, from which God's chosen shall be gathered from every +people to the dwelling of the patriarchs and of all the saints. By the east +part may be betokened those who in youth incline to God; because in the +east part is the day's beginning. By the west part are betokened those who +in age turn to God's service; because in the west part the day ends. + +The following sentence is very awful, "The rich children shall be cast into +utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The rich +children are the Jewish, over whom God ruled, by the old law; but they +rejected Christ, and despised his doctrine; and he casts them into utter +darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Many rich men, +however, thrive to God, if they are righteous and merciful. The patriarch +Abraham was a rich man, and David the great king, and Zaccheus, who gave +half his riches to the {133} poor, and with the half part compensated +fourfold for what he had before wrongfully gained. These rich and their +like come by good conversion to the everlasting kingdom, which will never +fail them. + +They are called children of God who love him more than this world; and +those are called rich children who plant the root of their hearts in this +present life more than in Christ: such shall be cast into darkness. The +gospel says, "Into utter darkness." Utter darkness is the blindness of the +body without. Inward darkness is the darkness of the mind within. He who in +this present life is blinded within, so that he has no understanding, nor +heed of God's commandments, he will then be blinded without, and deprived +of every light; because he had before spent his life without remembrance of +God. The miserable guilty ones shall suffer torment in everlasting fire, +and yet that swart fire shall give them no light. Worms shall tear their +bodies with fiery teeth, as Christ said in his gospel, "There their worm +shall never die, nor their fire be quenched." There shall be associated in +one torment, those who in life were united in evil deeds, so that murderers +shall eternally be tortured together; and adulterers with adulterers, the +rapacious with the rapacious, robbers with robbers, perjurers with +perjurers, in the broad flame, without any ending, shall perish. There +shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; for their eyes shall be tormented +in the great burning, and their teeth shall afterwards quake in the intense +cold. If any one doubt of the universal resurrection, let him understand +this divine saying, That there shall be a true resurrection, where there +shall be weeping eyes and gnashing teeth. + +The Lord said to the centurion, "Go home, and betide thee as thou hast +believed; and his servant was healed from that hour." By this is to be +understood how greatly a christian man's own faith profiteth him, when that +of another man profiteth him so greatly. Verily, for the centurion's faith +was {135} the bedridden healed. Faith is of all virtues first; without it +no man may be pleasing to God; and the righteous lives by his faith. Let us +believe in the Holy Trinity, and in true Unity, that the Almighty Father, +and his Son, that is his wisdom, and the Holy Ghost who is the love and +will of them both, that they are three in person and in name, and one God, +in one Godhead ever continuing, without beginning and end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +IIII. NON. FEB. + +IN PURIFICATIONE S[=C]E. MARIE. + + Postquam impleti sunt dies purificationis Mariae: et reliqua. + +God bebead on thaere ealdan ['ae], and het Moyses, thone heretogan, thaet +he hit awrite betwux odhrum bebodum, thaet aelc w['i]f dhe cild gebaere +sceolde gebidan feowertig daga aefter thaere cenninge, swa thaet heo ne +c['o]me into Godes temple, ne on anum bedde mid hire were, aer dham fyrste +the we ['ae]r cwaedon; thaet is feowertig daga, gif hit hyse-cild waere: +gif hit thonne maeden-cild waere, thonne sceolde heo forhabban fram ingange +Godes huses hund-ehtatig daga, and eac fram hire gebeddan; and aefter dham +fyrste g['a]n mid lace to Godes huse, and beran thaet cild fordh mid thaere +l['a]ce, and sydhdhan, mid Godes bletsunge, genealaecan hyre gemacan. This +waes geset be wifum. + +Nu waes dheah-hwaedhere thaet halige maeden MARIA, Cristes moder, Godes +beboda gemyndig, and eode on dhysum daege to Godes huse mid l['a]ce, and +gebrohte thaet cild the heo acende, Haelend Crist, gel['a]cod to tham Godes +temple, swa swa hit on Godes ['ae] geset waes. + +Dha waes thaer, binnan thaere byrig Hierusalem, sum Godes mann, and his +nama waes Symeon; he waes swydhe rihtwis, {136} and haefde micelne Godes +ege, and he ge-andbidode dhone frofer, dhe behaten waes tham folce Israhel, +thaet is Cristes to-cyme. Se Halga Gast waes wunigende on dhaem Symeone, +and he wiste genoh georne thaet se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu wolde to mannum +cuman, and menniscnysse underfon. Tha waes dhes man swidhe oflyst dhaes +Haelendes to-cymes, and baed aet Gode daeighwamlice on his gebedum, thaet +he moste Crist geseon aer he deadhes onbyrigde. Tha fordhy the he swa +micele gewilnunge haefde Cristes to-cymes, dha com him andswaru fram tham +Halgan Gaste, thaet he ne sceolde deadhes onbyrigan aertham dhe he Crist +gesawe. And he waes tha blidhe thaes behates, and c['o]m to Godes temple, +thurh myngunge dhaes Halgan Gastes. And seo halige Maria c['o]m dha to dham +temple mid tham cilde, and se ealda man Symeon eode togeanes tham cilde, +and geseah thone Haelend, and hine georne gecneow, thaet he waes Godes +Sunu, Alysend ealles middan-eardes. He hine genam dha on his earmas mid +micelre onbryrdnesse, and hine gebaer into tham temple, and thancode georne +Gode thaet he hine geseon moste. He cwaedh tha, "Min Drihten, dhu forlaetst +me n['u] mid sibbe of thisum life, after thinum worde; fordhon the mine +eagan gesawon thinne Halwendan, dhone dhu gearcodest aetforan ansyne ealles +folces; leoht to onwrigennysse theoda, and wuldor thinum folce Israhele." + +Hit is awriten on Cr['i]stes b['e]c, and gehwaer on othrum bocum, thaet +fela witegan and rihtwise men woldan geseon Cristes to-cyme, ac hit naes na +him getidhod, ac waes getidhod thisum ealdan men; fordham the hit is be him +awriten, thaet he cwaede daeghwamlice on his gebedum, "Ela, hwaenne cymdh +se Haelend? Hwaenne bidh he acenned? Hwaenne mot ic hine geseon? Hwaedher +ic mote lybban odhthaet ic hine geseo?" And tha for dhysre gewilnunge him +com andswaru, thaet he ne gesawe deadh, aerdham dhe he Crist gesawe. + +Maria, Cristes moder, baer thaet cild, and se ealda Symeon eode hire +togeanes, and gecneow thaet cild dhurh onwrigenysse, and hit beclypte and +baer into dham temple. He baer thaet {138} cild, and thaet cild baer hine. +Hu baer thaet cild hine? Thone baer se ealda Symeon on his earmum, the +ealle dhing hylt and gewylt. Lytel he waes dhaer gesewen, ac +dheah-hwaedhere he waes swidhe micel and ormaete. Lytel he waes gesewen, +fordhan dhe he wolde gefeccan tha lytlan, and gebringan up to his rice. +Hwaet synd dha lytlan dhe he wolde habban up to his rice? Thaet synd dha +eadhmodan. Ne sohte Crist na dha modigan, tha tha micele beodh on hyra +gethance; ac dha dhe beodh lytle and eadhmode on heora heortan, tha cumadh +to Godes rice; ac dhider ne maeg astigan n['a]n modignys. Thaer waes se +deofol dhe modegode, ac his modignes hine awearp into helle grunde; fordhy +ne maeg ure tyddernes dhyder astigan, gif heo modig bidh, thatha se engel +dhaer beon ne mihte thatha he modegode. + +God bebead, on thaere ealdan ['ae], his folce thaet hi sceoldon him offrian +aelc frumcenned hyse-cild, oththe alysan hit ut mid fif scyllingum. Eac on +heora orfe, swa hwaet swa frumcenned waere, bringan thaet to Godes huse, +and hit dhaer Gode offrian. Gif hit thonne unclaene nyten waere, thonne +sceolde se hlaford hit acwellan, oththe syllan Gode other claene nyten. We +ne thurfon thas bebodu healdan n['u] lichamlice, ac g['a]stlice. Thonne on +urum mode bidh acenned sum dhing g['o]des, and we thaet to weorce awendadh, +thonne sceole we thaet tellan to Godes gyfe, and thaet Gode betaecan. Ure +yfelan gedhohtas odhdhe weorc we sceolan alysan mid fif scyllingum; thaet +is we sceolon ure yfelnysse behreowsian mid urum fif andgitum, thaet synd +gesihth, and hlyst, and swaec, and stenc, and hrepung. Eac swa tha +unclaenan nytenu getacniadh ure unclaenan gethohtas and weorc, dha we +sceolon symle acwellan, odhdhe behwyrfan mid claenum; thaet is thaet we +sceolon ure unclaennysse and ure yfelnesse symle adwaescan, and forlaetan +yfel, and d['o]n g['o]d. + +Seo eadige Maria dha geoffrode hire l['a]c Gode mid tham cilde, swa hit on +Godes ['ae] geset waes. Hit waes swa geset on thaere ealdan ['ae] thurh +Godes haese, thaet dha the mihton {140} dhurhteon sceoldon bringan anes +geares lamb mid heora cylde, Gode to lace, and ane culfran, oththe ane +turtlan. Gif thonne hwylc wif to dham unspedig waere thaet heo dhas dhing +begytan ne mihte, thonne sceolde heo bringan twegen culfran-briddas, odhdhe +tw['a] turtlan. + +Thas laessan l['a]c, thaet sind tha fugelas, the waeron wannspedigra manna +l['a]c, waeron for Criste geoffrode. Se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu waes swidhe +gemyndig ure neoda on eallum dhingum; na thaet an thaet he wolde mann beon +for ['u]s, dhadha he God waes, ac eac swylce he wolde beon thearfa for us, +dhadha he rice waes: to dhy thaet he us forgeafe dael on his rice, and +maensumunge on his godcundnysse. Lamb getacnadh unscaedhdhinysse and tha +maran godnysse; gif we thonne swa earme beodh thaet we ne magon tha maran +godnysse Gode offrian, thonne sceole we him bringan twa turtlan, oththe +twegen culfran-briddas, thaet is twyfealdlic onbryrdnes eges and lufe. On +twa wisan bidh se man onbryrd: aerest he him ondraet helle w['i]te, and +bewepdh his synna, sydhdhan he nimdh eft lufe to Gode; thonne ongindh he to +murcnienne, and dhincdh him to lang hwaenne he beo genumen of dhyses lifes +earfodhnyssum, and gebroht to ecere reste. + +Lytel waes an lamb, odhdhe twa turtlan, Gode to bringenne; ac h['e] ne +sceawadh na thaes mannes lac swa swidhe swa h['e] sceawadh his heortan. Nis +Gode nan neod ure aehta; ealle dhing sindon his, aegdher ge heofen, ge +eordhe, and s['ae], and ealle dha dhing dhe on him wuniadh: ac he forgeaf +eordhlice dhing mannum to brice, and bebead him thaet h['i] sceoldon mid +tham eordhlicum dhingum hine oncnawan the h['i] aer forgeaf, na for his +neode, ac for mancynnes neode. Gif dhu oncnaewst dhinne Drihten mid dhinum +aehtum, be dhinre maedhe, hit fremedh the sylfum to dham ecan life: gif dhu +hine forgitst, hit hearmadh the sylfum and na Gode, and thu dholast dhaere +ecan mede. God gyrndh tha godnysse dhines modes, and na dhinra aehta. Gif +dhu hwaet dest Gode to lofe, mid cystigum mode, thonne geswutelast dhu tha +g['o]dnysse thines modes mid thaere daede; gif thu dhonne nan {142} g['o]d +d['o]n nelt, Gode to wurdhmynte, dhonne geswutelast dhu mid thaere uncyste +dhine yfelnysse, and seo yfelnys the fordedh widh God. + +On dhaere ealdan ['ae] is gehwaer gesett, thaet God het gelomlice thas +fugelas offrian on his lace, for dhaere getacnunge the h['i] getacniadh. +Nis nu nanum men alyfed thaet he healde tha ealdan ['ae] lichomlice, ac +gehealde gehwa h['i] gastlice. Culfran sind swidhe unscaedhdhige fugelas, +and bilewite, and h['i] lufiadh annysse, and fleodh him floccmaelum. Do eac +swa se cristena man; beo him ['u]nsceadhthig, and bilewite, and lufige +annysse, and brodhorraedene betwux cristenum mannum; thonne geoffradh he +gastlice Gode tha culfran-briddas. Tha turtlan getacniadh claennysse: h['i] +sind swa geworhte, gif hyra odher odherne forlyst, thonne ne secdh seo cucu +naefre hire odherne gemacan. Gif dhonne se cristena man swa dedh for Godes +lufon, thonne geoffradh he dha turtlan on tha betstan wisan. Dhas twa +fugel-cyn ne singadh na, swa swa odhre fugelas, ac hi geomeriadh, fordhan +the hi getacniadh haligra manna geomerunge on dhisum life, swa swa Crist +cwaedh to his apostolum, "Ge beodh geunrotsode on thisum life, ac eower +unrotnys bidh awend to ecere blisse." And eft he cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha +the heora synna bewepadh, fordhan dhe hi beodh gefrefrode." + +Se ealda man Symeon, the we aer embe spraecon, ne gyrnde n['a] thaet he +moste Crist gehyran sprecan, fordhan dhe he hine gecneow thaet he God waes, +dheah dhe he dha-gyt on thaere menniscnysse unsprecende waere. Sprecan he +mihte, gif he wolde; and ealswa wis he waes dha, thatha he waes anre nihte, +swa swa he waes, thatha he waes dhrittig geara; ac he wolde ab['i]dan his +waestma timan on dhaere menniscnysse, swa swa hit gecyndelic is on +mancynne. Symeon cwaedh tha, "Drihten, thu forlaetst me nu on sibbe of +dhysum life, fordhon the m['i]ne eagan habbadh gesewen dhinne Halwendan." +Se Halwenda the he embe spraec is ure Haelend Crist, sedhe com to +gehaelenne ure wunda, thaet sindon ure synna. He cwaedh tha Symeon, "Dhone +thu gearcodest aetforan gesihdhe ealles folces." Hine {144} ne gesawon na +ealle men lichomlice, ac he is gebodod eallum mannum, gelyfe sedhe wylle. +Se the on hine gelyfdh, he gesihdh hine nu mid his geleafan, and on than +ecan life mid his eagum. Symeon cwaedh tha-gyt, "He is leoht to +onwrigennysse dheoda, and wuldor thinum folce Israhel." Ealle dhas word +spraec se Symeon be dham cilde to tham heofenlican Faeder, the hine to +mannum sende. He is sodh leoht the todraefde tha theostra dhises lifes, swa +swa he sylf cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ic eom leoht ealles middangeardes, se +dhe me fyligdh, ne cymdh he na on thystrum, ac he haefdh lifes leoht." Swa +swa leoht todraefdh theostra, swa eac todraefdh Cristes lufu and his +geleafa ealle leahtras and synna fram ure heortan: and he is wuldor and +bliss ealles gelyfedes folces. + +Tha Maria, thaet halige maeden, and thaes cildes fostor-faeder, Ioseph, +waeron ofwundrode thaera worda the se ealda Symeon clypode be dham cilde. +And se Symeon him dha sealde bletsunge, and witegode gyt mare be tham +cilde, and cwaedh, "This cild is gesett manegum mannum to hryre, and +manegum to aeriste and to tacne, and tham bidh widhcweden." Swa swa dha men +the on Crist gelyfadh beodh gehealdene thurh his to-cyme, swa eac tha the +nelladh gelyfan on Crist beodh twyfealdlice fordemde. Anfealdlice hi sind +scyldige dhurh Adames synne, and twyfealdlice hi beodh fordemde, thonne +h['i] widhsacadh Cristes to-cymes, and nelladh gelyfan on dhone sodhan +Haelend. Dham ungeleaffullum mannum com Crist to hryre, and tham +geleaffullum to aeriste; and eac anum gehwilcum gelyfedum men waes Cristes +to-cyme aegdher ge hryre ge aerist. Hu dhonne? He com to dhy thaet he wolde +aelc yfel towurpan, and aelc g['o]od araeran. Nu towyrpdh he on ['u]s +leahtras, and araerdh mihta. He towyrpdh modignysse, and araerdh +eadmodnysse. He towyrpdh galnysse, and araerdh claennysse. And ealle +undheawas he towyrpdh on his gecorenum mannum, and araerdh on him ealle +godnysse. Ne maeg thaet g['o]d beon getymbrod buton thaet yfel beo aer +toworpen. "To tacne com Crist, and tham is widhcweden." His acennednys is +wundorlic tacn, fordhan dhe {146} he waes of maedene acenned, swa swa nan +odher nis; and thaet widhcwaedon tha ungeleaffullan men, and noldon +gelyfan. And eac his aeriste of deadhe, and his upstige to heofenum, and +ealle dha wundra the he worhte, ealle hit waeron tacna, and dham +widhcwaedon tha ungeleaffullan, and tha geleaffullan gelyfdon. + +Tha cwaedh se ealda Symeon to dhaere eadigan Marian, "His swurd sceal +dhurhg['a]n dhine sawle." Thaet swurd getacnode Cristes dhrowunge. Naes seo +eadige Maria na ofslegen ne gemartyrod lichomlice, ac gastlice. Dhadha heo +geseh niman hyre cild, and adrifan ['i]sene naeglas thurh tha handa and +thurh dha f['e]t, and sydhdhan mid spere gewundigan on dha sidhan, tha waes +Cristes dhrowung hire dhrowung; and heo waes mare dhonne martyr, fordhon +the mare waes hyre modes throwung thonne waere hire lichaman, gif heo +gemartyrod waere. Ne cwaedh na se Symeon thaet Cristes swurd sceolde +thurhg['a]n Marian lichaman, ac hyre sawle. Cristes swurd is her gesett, +swa swa we cwaedon, for his dhrowunge. Theah dhe Maria gelyfde thaet Crist +arisan wolde of deadhe, theah-hwaedhere eode hyre cildes throwung swidhe +thearle into hire heortan. + +Thadha se Symeon haefde gewitegod thas witegunge be Criste, tha com thaer +sum wuduwe, seo waes Anna gehaten. "Seo leofode mid hire were seofon gear, +and sydhdhan heo waes wuduwe feower and hund-eahtatig geara, and theowode +Gode on faestenum, and on gebedum, and on claennysse; and waes on eallum +tham fyrste wunigende binnan tham Godes temple; and com dha to tham cilde, +and witegode be him, and andette Gode." Rihtlice swa halig w['i]f waes +thaes wyrdhe thaet heo moste witigian embe Crist, dhadha heo swa lange on +claennesse Gode theowode. Behealde, ge w['i]f, and understandadh hu be hire +awriten is. Seofon gear heo leofode mid hire were, and sidhdhan heo waes +wunigende on wudewan h['a]de, odh feower and hund-eahtatig geara, swa +lybbende swa se apostol taehte. He cwaedh, se apostol Paulus, "Seo wuduwe +the lyfadh on estmettum, heo ne lyfadh na, ac heo is dead." Theos Anna, dhe +we {148} embe sprecadh, ne lufude heo na estmettas, ac lufude faestenu. Ne +lufude heo ydele spellunge, ac beeode hire gebedu. Ne ferde heo +w['o]rigende geond land, ac waes wunigende gethyldelice binnan Godes +temple. Gif wife getimige thaet heo hire wer forleose, dhonne nime heo +bysne be dhisre wudewan. + +Dhry hadas sindon the cydhdon gecydhnysse be Criste; thaet is maeigdh-had, +and wudewan-had, and riht sinscype. Maeden is Cristes modor, and on +maegdh-hade wunude Iohannes se Fulluhtere, the embe Crist cydde, and manega +odhre to-eacan him. Widewe waes dheos Anna, the we gefyrn aer embe +spraecon. Zacharias, Iohannes faeder, waes wer; aegdher ge he ge his w['i]f +witegodon embe Crist. Thas dhry hadas syndon Gode gecweme, gif hi rihtlice +lybbadh. Maegdh-had is aegther ge on waepmannum ge on w['i]fmannum. Tha +habbadh rihtne maegdh-had tha the fram cild-hade wuniadh on claennysse, and +ealle galnysse on him sylfum forseodh, aegdher ge modes ge lichoman, thurh +Godes fultum. Thonne habbadh hi aet Gode hundfealde mede on dham ecan life. +Widewan beodh tha the aefter heora gemacan on claennysse wuniadh for Godes +lufon: h['i] habbadh thonne syxtigfealde mede aet Gode hyra geswinces. Tha +dhe rihtlice healdadh hyra ['ae]we, and on alyfedum timan, for bearnes +gestreone, haemed beg['a]dh, h['i] habbadh thrittigfealde mede for hyra +gesceadwisnysse. Se dhe wile his galnysse gefyllan swa oft swa hine lyst, +thonne bidh he widhmeten nytenum and na mannum. Be thysum taehte se apostol +Paulus, "Tha dhe w['i]f habbadh, beon h['i] swilce h['i] nan nabbon;" +fordhan ealle hyra unlustas hi sceolon gebetan sylfwylles on thyssum life, +odhdhe unthances aefter dhyssum life; and h['i] cumadh sidhdhan to dham +ecan life mid maran earfodhnysse. Tha men the beodh butan rihtre ['ae]we, +and yrnadh fram anum to odhrum, nabbadh h['i] naenne dael ne nane bletsunge +mid Criste, buton h['i] dhaes geswicon and hit gebeton. Uton fon nu on +thaet godspel dhaer we hit aer forleton. + +Seo eadige Maria, and Ioseph, dhaes cildes fostor-faeder, {150} gecyrdon to +thaere byrig Nazareth mid tham cilde; "and thaet cild weox, and waes +gestrangod, and mid wisdome afylled, and Godes gifu waes on him wunigende." +He weox and waes gestrangod on thaere menniscnysse, and he ne behofode +nanes waestmes ne nanre strangunge on thaere godcundnysse. He aet, and +dranc, and slep, and weox on gearum, and waes theah-hwaedhere eal his lif +butan synnum. He naere na man gedhuht, gif he mannes life ne lyfode. He +waes mid wisdome afylled, forthan dhe he is himsylf wisdom, and on him +wunadh eal gefyllednys thaere godcundnysse: lichomlice Godes gifu wunude on +him. Micel gifu waes thaet dhaere menniscnysse, thaet he waes Godes Sunu +and God sylf, swa hradhe swa he ongann man to beonne. He waes aefre God of +tham Faeder acenned, and wunigende mid tham Faeder and mid tham Halgan +Gaste: h['i] dhry ['a]n God untodaeledlic; thry on hadum, and ['a]n God on +anre godcundnysse, and on anum gecynde aefre wunigende. Se Sunu ana +underfeng tha menniscnysse, and haefde anginn, sedhe aefre waes. He waes +cild, and weox on thaere menniscnysse, and throwode deadh sylfwilles, and +aras of deadhe mid tham lichaman the he aer on throwode, and astah to +heofenum, and wunadh nu aefre on godcundnysse and on menniscnysse, an +Crist, aegdher ge God ge mann, undeadlic, sedhe aer his dhrowunge waes +deadlic. He throwade, ac he ne dhrowadh heonon-fordh naefre eft, ac bidh +aefre butan ende, eallswa ['e]ce on thaere menniscnysse swa he is on thaere +godcundnysse. + +Wite gehwa eac thaet geset is on cyrclicum theawum, thaet we sceolon on +dhisum daege beran ure leoht to cyrcan, and laetan h['i] dhaer bletsian: +and we sceolon g['a]n sidhdhan mid tham leohte betwux Godes husum, and +singan dhone lofsang dhe thaerto geset is. Theah dhe sume men singan ne +cunnon, hi beron theah-hwaedhere thaet leoht on heora handum; fordhy on +dhissum daege waes thaet sodhe Leoht Crist geboren to tham temple, sedhe us +alysde fram thystrum, and us gebrincdh to tham ecan leohte, sedhe leofadh +and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +FEBRUARY II. + +ON THE PURIFICATION OF ST. MARY. + + Postquam impleti sunt dies purificationis Mariae, etc. + +God commanded in the old law, and bade the leader Moses write it among +other commandments, that every woman who had borne a child should wait +forty days after the birth, so that she should come neither into God's +temple, nor into a bed with her husband, before that space of time which we +have said: that is forty days, if it were a male child; but if it were a +maiden child, then she should abstain from entering God's house for eighty +days, and also from her husband; and after that space go with a gift to +God's house, and bear forth the child with the gift, and afterwards, with +God's blessing, approach her consort. This was established regarding women. + +Now was, nevertheless, the holy maiden MARY, Christ's mother, mindful of +God's commands, and she went on this day to God's house with a gift, and +brought the child that she had given birth to, Jesus Christ, to be +presented to God's temple. + +There was there, in the city of Jerusalem, a man of God, and his name was +Simeon; he was very righteous, and had {137} great fear of God, and he +awaited the comfort which was promised to the people of Israel, that is the +advent of Christ. The Holy Ghost was dwelling in Simeon, and he knew full +well that the Son of Almighty God would come to men, and assume human +nature. Then was this man very desirous of the advent of Jesus, and prayed +daily to God in his prayers, that he might see Christ ere he tasted of +death. Then, because he had so great desire of Christ's advent, there came +to him an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not taste of death ere +he had seen Christ. And he was then glad at the promise, and came to God's +temple, through admonition of the Holy Ghost. And the holy Mary came then +to the temple with the child, and the old man Simeon went towards the +child, and saw Jesus, and well knew that he was the Son of God, the +Redeemer of all the world. He took him in his arms with great feeling, and +bare him into the temple, and fervently thanked God that he was allowed to +see him. He then said, "My Lord, thou lettest me now go in peace from this +life, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy Healing One, which +thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light for the +revelation of the gentiles, and a glory to thy people Israel." + +It is written in the book of Christ, and elsewhere in other books, that +many prophets and righteous men were desirous of seeing the advent of +Christ, but it was not granted to them: but it was granted to this old man; +for of him it is written, that he said daily in his prayers, "Ah! when will +the Saviour come? When will he be born? When may I see him? May I live +until I see him?" And then, for this desire, an answer came to him, that he +should not see death before he had seen Christ. + +Mary, Christ's mother, bare the child, and the old Simeon went towards her, +and knew the child through revelation, and took it in his arms and bare it +into the temple. He bare {139} the child, and the child bare him. How did +the child bear him? The old Simeon bare in his arms him who preserves and +rules over all things. Little he there appeared, yet was he, nevertheless, +very great and infinite. Little he appeared, because he would fetch the +little and bring them up to his kingdom. Who are the little ones that he +would raise up to his kingdom? They are the humble. Christ sought not the +proud, those who are great in their own imagination, but those who are +little and humble in their hearts, these shall come to God's kingdom; but +thither may no pride ascend. The devil was there, who became proud, but his +pride cast him into the depth of hell; therefore our weakness may not +ascend thither, if it be proud, when the angel might not be there when he +became proud. + +God, in the old law, commanded his people, that they should offer to him +every firstborn male child, or redeem it with five shillings. Of their +cattle also, to bring whatever was firstborn to God's house, and there +offer it to God. But if it were an unclean beast, then should the master +slay it, or give to God another clean beast. We need not now hold these +commands bodily, but spiritually. When in our mind something good is +brought forth and we turn it to action, then should we account that as +God's grace, and consign it to God. Our evil thoughts or actions we should +redeem with five shillings; that is, we should repent of our wickedness +with our five senses, which are, sight, and hearing, and taste, and smell, +and touch. So also as the unclean beasts betoken our unclean thoughts and +actions, these we should always kill or exchange for pure; that is, we +should always destroy our impurity and our wickedness, and forsake evil, +and do good. + +The blessed Mary then offered her gift to God with the child, as it was +appointed in God's law. It was so appointed in the old law, by God's +behest, that those who could {141} accomplish it, should bring a yearling +lamb with their child, as a gift to God, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove. But +if any woman were so needy that she could not get those things, then she +should bring two young pigeons, or two turtle-doves. + +These smaller gifts, that is, the birds, which were the gifts of indigent +persons, were offered for Christ. The Almighty Son of God was very mindful +of our needs in all things; not only would he for us become man when he was +God, but he would also be poor for us when he was rich, that he might give +us part in his kingdom and community in his Godhead. A lamb betokens +innocence and the greater goodness; but if we are so poor that we cannot +offer to God the greater goodness, then should we bring him two +turtle-doves or two young pigeons; that is, a twofold affection of awe and +love. In two ways is a man affected: first, he dreads hell-torment, and +bewails his sins; afterwards he again feels love to God; then he begins to +murmur, and it seems to him too long when he shall be taken from the +afflictions of this life, and brought to everlasting rest. + +Little was a lamb, or two turtle-doves to bring to God; but he regards not +a man's gift so much as he regards his heart. God hath no need of our +gifts; all things are his, heaven, and earth, and sea, and all the things +which dwell in them: but he gave to men earthly things for use, and +commanded them with those earthly things to acknowledge him who first gave +them, not for His need, but for need of mankind. If thou acknowledgest thy +Lord with thy possessions, according to thy ability, it forwards thyself to +eternal life; if thou forgettest him, it harms thyself and not God, and +thou losest the everlasting meed. God desires the goodness of thy mind, and +not of thy possessions. If thou doest aught for the praise of God with +devout mind, then thou manifestest the goodness of thy mind by that deed; +but {143} if thou wilt do no good for the honour of God, then thou, by that +offence, manifestest thy wickedness, and that wickedness shall fordo thee +with God. + +In the old law it is in several places mentioned, that God frequently +commanded birds to be offered to him in sacrifice, for the betokening which +they betoken. Now it is not allowed to any man to hold the old law bodily, +but let everyone hold it spiritually. Pigeons are very innocent and gentle +birds, and they love unity, and fly flockwise. Let the christian man also +do so; let him be innocent, and gentle, and love unity and fellowship among +christian men; then offers he to God spiritually the young pigeons. The +turtle-doves betoken purity: they are so created, that if one of them lose +the other, the living one never seeks to itself another mate. But if the +christian man does so for love of God, then offers he the turtle-doves in +the best manner. These two birds sing not like other birds, but they +murmur; for they betoken the groaning of holy men in this life, as Christ +said to his apostles, "Ye will be sad in this life, but your sadness will +be turned to everlasting bliss." And again he said, "Blessed are they who +bewail their sins, for they shall be comforted." + +The old man Simeon, of whom we erewhile spoke, desired not that he might +hear Christ speak, for he knew him to be the Son of God, though he, in his +state of humanity, was yet without speech. He could have spoken, had he +been willing; and he was as wise when he was one day old as he was when he +was thirty years; but he would abide the time of his growth in human +nature, as is natural in mankind. Simeon then said, "Lord, thou wilt let me +now depart in peace from this life, for mine eyes have seen thy Healing +One." The Healing One of whom he spake is our Saviour Christ, who came to +heal our wounds, that is, our sins. Simeon then said, "Whom thou hast +prepared before the sight of all people." All men saw him not bodily, but +he is {145} announced to all men, let him believe who will. He who believes +in him, sees him now with his faith, and in the eternal life with his eyes. +Simeon yet said, "He is a light for the enlightening of the gentiles, and a +glory to thy people Israel." All these words concerning the child, Simeon +spake to the heavenly Father, who sent him to men. He is the true light who +scattered the darkness of this life, as he himself said in his gospel, "I +am the light of all the world; he who followeth me shall not come into +darkness, but he shall have the light of life." As light scatters darkness, +so also love and faith of Christ scatter all vices and sins from our heart; +and he is the glory and bliss of all believing people. + +Then the holy maiden Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, wondered +at the words which the old Simeon uttered concerning the child. And Simeon +then gave him his blessing, and prophesied yet more concerning the child, +and said, "This child is set for the fall of many men, and for the rising +of many, and for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." So as those +men who believe in Christ will be saved by his coming, so also those who +will not believe in Christ will be doubly condemned. Simply they are guilty +through Adam's sin, and doubly they will be condemned, when they deny +Christ's coming, and will not believe in the true Saviour. Christ came for +the fall of unbelieving men, and for the rising of the faithful; and also +to every believing man was Christ's coming both a fall and a rising. But +how? He came because he would cast down every evil, and rear up every good. +Now he casts down vices in us, and rears up virtues. He casts down pride, +and rears up humility. He casts down libidinousness, and rears up chastity. +And all wickedness he casts down in his chosen men, and rears up all +goodness. Good cannot be built up unless evil be previously cast down. +"Christ came for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." His birth is a +wonderful sign, {147} because he was born of a maiden, as no other is; and +against that unbelieving men spake, and would not believe. And, likewise, +his resurrection from death, and his ascension to heaven, and all the +wonders which he wrought--all these were signs, and the unbelieving spake +against them, and the faithful believed. + +Then said the old Simeon to the blessed Mary, "His sword shall pierce +through thy soul." The sword betokened Christ's passion. The blessed Mary +was not slain nor martyred bodily, but spiritually. When she saw her child +taken, and iron nails driven through his hands and through his feet, and +his side afterwards wounded with a spear, then was his suffering her +suffering; and she was then more than a martyr, for her mind's suffering +was greater than her body's would have been, had she been martyred. The old +Simeon said not that Christ's sword should pierce through Mary's body, but +her soul. Christ's sword is here set, as we said, for his passion. Though +Mary believed that Christ would arise from death, her child's suffering +went, nevertheless, very deeply into her heart. + +When Simeon had prophesied this prophecy concerning Christ, then came there +a widow, who was called Anna. "She had lived with her husband seven years; +and had afterwards been a widow eighty-four years, and served God with +fastings, and prayers, and with chastity; and was in all that time dwelling +within God's temple; and came then to the child, and prophesied concerning +him, and confessed to God." Rightly was so holy a woman worthy to prophesy +concerning Christ, since she had so long served God in chastity. Behold, ye +women, and understand how it is written concerning her. Seven years she had +lived with her husband, and was afterwards continuing in widowhood +eighty-four years; so living as the apostle taught. He, the apostle Paul, +said, "The widow who liveth in luxuries, she liveth not, but she is dead." +This Anna, of whom we speak, loved not luxuries, {149} but loved fasts. She +loved not idle discourses, but occupied herself in prayers. She went not +wandering through the land, but remained patiently within God's temple. If +it happen to a woman to lose her husband, let her take example by this +widow. + +There are three states which bare witness of Christ: that is maidenhood, +and widowhood, and lawful matrimony. A maiden is the mother of Christ, and +in maidenhood John the Baptist continued, who testified of Christ, and many +others besides him. This Anna, of whom we before spake, was a widow. +Zacharias, the father of John, was a married man; both he and his wife +prophesied concerning Christ. These three states are agreeable to God, if +men righteously live in them. Maidenhood is both in men and in women. Those +have right maidenhood who from childhood continue in chastity, and despise +in themselves all lust, both of body and mind, through God's succour. Then +shall they have from God a hundredfold meed in the everlasting life. Widows +are those who, after the death of their consorts, live in chastity for love +of God: they shall have a sixtyfold meed from God for their tribulation. +Those who rightly hold their marriage vow, and at permitted times, and for +procreation of children, have carnal intercourse, shall have a thirtyfold +meed for their discretion. He who will satiate his libidinousness as often +as he lists, shall be compared with the beasts and not with men. Concerning +this the apostle Paul taught, "Let those who have wives be as though they +had none." For they shall atone for all their evil lusts voluntarily in +this life, or involuntarily after this life; and they shall come afterwards +to the everlasting life with more difficulty. Those men who are without a +lawful consort, and run from one to other, shall have no part and no +blessing with Christ, unless they desist and make atonement. Let us now +resume the gospel where we previously left it. + +The blessed Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, {151} returned to +the city of Nazareth with the child; "and the child grew, and was +strengthened, and filled with wisdom, and God's grace was dwelling within +him." He grew and was strengthened in human nature, but he required no +growth and no strengthening in his divine nature. He ate, and drank, and +slept, and grew in years, and was, nevertheless, all his life without sins. +He would not have seemed a man, if he had not lived the life of a man. He +was filled with wisdom, because he is himself wisdom, and in him dwelleth +all fullness of the divine nature: God's grace dwelt bodily within him. A +great grace was that of his human nature, that he was the Son of God and +God himself, as soon as he began to be man. He was ever God begotten of the +Father, and dwelling with the Father and with the Holy Ghost: these three +one God indivisible; three in persons, and one God in one Godhead, and in +one nature ever continuing. The Son only assumed human nature, and had a +beginning, who was ever. He was a child, and grew in human nature, and +voluntarily suffered death, and arose from death with the body in which he +before had suffered, and ascended to heaven, and continueth now for ever in +divine nature and in human nature, one Christ, both God and man, immortal, +who before his passion was mortal. He suffered, but henceforth he will +never suffer again, but will ever be without end, as eternal in his human +nature as he is in his divine nature. + +Be it known also to everyone that it is appointed in the ecclesiastical +observances, that we on this day bear our lights to church, and let them +there be blessed: and that we should go afterwards with the light among +God's houses, and sing the hymn that is thereto appointed. Though some men +cannot sing, they can, nevertheless, bear the light in their hands; for on +this day was Christ, the true Light, borne to the temple, who redeemed us +from darkness and bringeth us to the Eternal Light, who liveth and ruleth +ever without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{152} DOMINICA IN QUINQUAGESIMA. + + Adsumpsit Iesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua. + +Her is geraed on thissum godspelle, the we nu gehyrdon of dhaes diacones +mudhe, thaet "se Haelend gename onsundron his twelf leorning-cnihtas, and +cwaedh to him, Efne we sceolon faran to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, and thonne +beodh gefyllede ealle dha dhing the waeron be me awritene thurh witegan. Ic +sceal beon bel['ae]wed dheodum, and h['i] dodh me to bysmore, and +beswingadh, and sydhdhan ofsleadh, and ic arise of deadhe on tham dhriddan +daege. Tha nyston his leorning-cnihtas nan andgit thyssera worda. Dha +gel['a]mp hit thaet h['i] genealaehton anre byrig the is gehaten Hiericho, +and dha saet thaer sum blind man be dham wege; and thatha he gehyrde thaes +folces faer mid tham Haelende, dha acsode he hwa thaer ferde. Hi cwaedon +him to, thaet thaet waere dhaes Haelendes faer. Tha begann he to hrymenne, +and cwaedh, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Dha men, the beforan +tham Haelende ferdon, ciddon ongean dhone blindan, thaet he suwian sceolde. +He clypode tha miccle swidhor, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Tha +st['o]d se Haelend, and het laedan thone blindan to him. Thadha he +genealaehte, tha acsode se Haelend hine, Hwaet wylt dhu thaet ic the d['o]? +He cwaedh, Drihten, thaet ic mage geseon. And se Haelend him cwaedh to, +Loca nu: thin geleafa haefdh dhe gehaeled. And he dhaerrihte geseah, and +fyligde tham Haelende, and hine maersode. Tha eal thaet folc, the thaet +wundor geseh, herede God mid micelre onbryrdnysse." + +Dhyses godspelles anginn hrepode ures Haelendes throwunge, theah-hwaedhere +ne dhrowade h['e] na on dhysne timan; ac h['e] wolde feorran and lange aer +cydhan his dhrowunge his leorning-cnihtum, thaet h['i] ne sceoldon beon to +swidhe afyrhte thurh dha throwunge, thonne se tima come thaet h['e] +dhrowian wolde. Heora m['o]d weardh afyrht thurh Cr['i]stes segene, ac +h['e] h['i] eft gehyrte mid tham worde the h['e] cwaedh, "Ic arise of +deadhe on tham dhriddan daege." Tha wolde he heora geleafan gestrangian +{154} and getrymman mid wundrum. And h['i] dha comon to dhaere stowe thaer +se blinda man saet be dham wege, and Crist hine gehaelde aetforan gesihdhe +ealles thaes werodes, to dhi thaet he wolde mid tham wundre h['i] to +geleafan gebringan. Theah-hwaedhere tha wundra the Crist worhte, odher +dhing h['i] aeteowdon thurh mihte, and odhre dhing h['i] getacnodon thurh +geryno. He worhte tha wundra sodhlice thurh godcunde mihte, and mid tham +wundrum thaes folces geleafan getrymde; ac hwaedhre thaer waes odher dhing +digle on dham wundrum, aefter gastlicum andgite. Thes ['a]n blinda man +getacnode eall mancynn, the weardh ablend thurh Adames gylt, and asceofen +of myrhdhe neoxena-wanges, and gebroht to dhissum life the is widhmeten +cwearterne. Nu sind we ute belocene fram dham heofenlican leohte, and we ne +magon on dhissum life thaes ecan leohtes brucan; ne we his na mare ne +cunnon buton swa micel swa we dhurh Cristes lare on bocum raedadh. Theos +woruld, theah dhe heo myrige hw['i]ltidum gedhuht sy, nis heo hwaedhere dhe +gelicere dhaere ecan worulde, the is sum cweartern leohtum daege. Eal +mancyn waes, swa we aer cwaedon, ablend mid geleaflaeste and gedwylde; ac +thurh Cristes to-cyme we wurdon abrodene of urum gedwyldum, and onlihte +thurh geleafan. Nu haebbe we thaet leoht on urum mode, thaet is Cristes +geleafa; and we habbadh thone hiht thaes ecan lifes myrhdhe, theah dhe we +gyt lichamlice on urum cwearterne wunian. + +Se blinda man saet aet thaere byrig the is geh['a]ten Hiericho. Hiericho is +gereht and geh['a]ten 'mona.' Se mona dedh aegdher ge wycxdh ge wanadh: +healfum mondhe he bidh weaxende, healfum he bidh wanigende. Nu getacnadh se +mona ure deadlice lif, and ateorunge ure deadlicnysse. On odherne ende men +beodh acennede, on otherne ende h['i] fordhfaradh. Thadha Crist com to +dhaere byrig Hiericho, the dhone monan getacnadh, tha underfeng se blinda +man gesihdhe. Thaet is, dhadha Crist com to ure deadlicnysse, and ure +menniscnysse underfeng, tha weardh mancyn onliht, and gesihdhe underfeng. +He saet widh dhone weig; and Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ic eom {156} +weig, and sodhfaestnys, and l['i]f." Se man the nan dhing ne cann dhaes +ecan leohtes, he is blind; ac gif he gelyfdh on thone Haelend, thonne sitt +he widh thone weig. Gif he nele biddan thaes ecan leohtes, he sitt dhonne +blind be dham wege unbiddende. Se dhe rihtlice gelyfdh on Cr['i]st, and +geornlice bitt his sawle onlihtinge, he sitt be dham wege biddende. Swa hwa +swa oncnaewdh tha blindnysse his modes, clypige he mid inweardre heortan, +sw['a] sw['a] se blinda cleopode, "Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa +m['i]n." + +Seo menigu the eode beforan dham Haelende ciddon dham blindan, and heton +thaet he stille waere. Seo menigu getacnadh ure unlustas and leahtras the +us hremadh, and ure heortan ofsittadh, thaet we ne magon us swa geornlice +gebiddan, swa we behofedon. Hit gelimpdh gelomlice, thonne se man wile +yfeles geswican, and his synna gebetan, and mid eallum mode to Gode +gecyrran, dhonne cumadh tha ealdan leahtras the h['e] aer geworhte, and +h['i] gedrefadh his mod, and willadh gestillan his stemne, thaet he to Gode +ne clypige. Ac hwaet dyde se blinda, thatha thaet folc hine wolde +gestyllan? He hrymde dhaes dhe swidhor, odh thaet se Haelend his stemne +gehyrde, and hine gehaelde. Swa we sceolon eac d['o]n, gif us deofol drecce +mid menigfealdum gedhohtum and costnungum: we sceolon hryman swidhor and +swidhor to dham Haelende, thaet he todraefe dha yfelan costnunga fram ure +heortan, and thaet he onlihte ure mod mid his gife. Gif we dhonne +thurhwuniadh on urum gebedum, thonne mage we gedon mid urum hreame thaet se +Haelend stent, sedhe aer eode, and wile gehyran ure clypunge, and ure +heortan onlihtan mid godum and mid claenum gedhohtum. Ne magon dha yfelan +gedhohtas ['u]s derian, gif hi ['u]s ne liciadh; ac swa ['u]s swidhor +deofol bregdh mid yfelum gedhohtum, swa we beteran beodh, and Gode leofran, +gif we dhone deofol forseodh and ealle his costnunga, dhurh Godes fultum. + +Hwaet is thaes Haelendes stede, odhdhe hwaet is his faer? He ferde dhurh +his menniscnysse, and he stod thurh tha godcundnysse. He ferde dhurh dha +menniscnysse, swa thaet he waes {158} acenned, and ferde fram stowe to +stowe, and deadh throwade, and of deadhe ar['a]s, and astah to heofenum. +This is his faer. He stent dhurh dha godcundnysse; fordhon dhe h['e] is +dhurh his mihte aeghwaer andweard, and ne dhearf na faran fram stowe to +stowe; fordhon dhe h['e] is on aelcere stowe thurh his godcundnysse. Thadha +he ferde, tha gehyrde he thaes blindan clypunge; and thatha he stod, tha +forgeaf he him gesihdhe; fordhan thurh dha menniscnysse he besargadh ures +modes blindnysse, and dhurh dha godcundnysse he forgifdh us leoht, and ure +blindnysse onliht. He cwaedh to dham blindan men, "Hwaet wilt dhu thaet ic +dhe do?" Wenst dhu thaet h['e] nyste hwaet se blinda wolde, sedhe hine +gehaelan mihte? Ac he wolde thaet se blinda baede; fordhon the h['e] tiht +aelcne swidhe gemaglice to gebedum: ac hwaedhere he cwydh on odhre stowe, +"Eower heofenlica Faeder wat hwaes ge behofiadh, aerdhan dhe ge hine +aeniges dhinges biddan," theah-hwaedhere wile se goda God thaet we hine +georne biddon; fordhan thurh dha gebedu bidh ure heorte onbryrd and gewend +to Gode. + +Dha cwaedh se blinda, "La leof, do thaet ic maege geseon." Ne baed se +blinda nadhor ne goldes, ne seolfres, ne nane woruldlice dhing, ac baed his +gesihdhe. For nahte he tealde aenig dhing to biddenne buton gesihdhe; +fordhan dheah se blinda sum dhing haebbe, he ne maeg butan leohte geseon +thaet he haefdh. Uton fordhi geefenlaecan thisum men, the waes gehaeled +fram Criste, aegdher ge on lichaman ge on sawle: ne bidde we na lease +welan, ne gewitenlice wurdhmyntas; ac uton biddan leoht aet urum Drihtne: +na thaet leoht dhe bidh geendod, the bidh mid thaere nihte todraefed, thaet +dhe is gemaene ['u]s and nytenum; ac uton biddan thaes leohtes the we magon +mid englum anum geseon, thaet dhe naefre ne bidh geendod. To dham leohte +sodhlice ure geleafa us sceal gebringan, swa swa Crist cwaedh to dham +blindan menn, "L['o]ca nu, thin geleafa dhe gehaelde." + +Nu smeadh sum ungeleafful man, Hu maeg ic gewilnian dhaes gastlican +leohtes, thaet thaet ic geseon ne maeg? Nu cwedhe ic to dham menn, thaet +dha dhing the h['e] understynt and undergytan {160} maeg, ne undergyt he +n['a] dha dhing thurh his lichaman, ac thurh his sawle; theah-hwaedhere ne +gesihdh nan man his sawle on dhisum life. Heo is ungesewenlic, ac +dheah-hwaedhere heo wissadh thone gesewenlican lichaman. Se lichama, dhe is +gesewenlic, haefdh lif of dhaere sawle, the is ungesewenlic. Gew['i]te +thaet ungesewenlice ut, thonne fyldh adune thaet gesewenlice; fordhan the +hit ne stod na aer dhurh hit sylf. Thaes lichoman lif is seo sawul, and +thaere sawle lif is God. Gewite seo sawul ut, ne maeg se mudh clypian, +theah dhe h['e] gynige; ne eage geseon, theah dhe hit open sy; ne n['a]n +limn ne dedh nan dhing, gif se lichama bidh sawulleas. Swa eac seo sawul, +gif God h['i] forlaet for synnum, ne dedh heo nan dhing to g['o]de. Ne maeg +nan man nan dhing to g['o]de gedon, butan Godes fultume. Ne bidh seo +synfulle sawul na mid ealle to nahte awend, dheah dhe heo gode adeadod sy; +ac heo bidh dead aelcere dugudhe and gesaeldhe, and bidh gehealden to dham +ecan deadhe, thaer thaer heo aefre bidh on pinungum wunigende, and +theah-hwaedhere naefre ne ateoradh. + +Hu maeg the n['u] twynian thaes ecan leohtes, dheah hit ungesewenlic sy, +thonne thu haefst l['i]f of ungesewenlicre sawle, and the ne twynadh nan +dhing thaet thu sawle haebbe, dheah dhu h['i] geseon ne mage? Se blinda, +dhadha h['e] geseon mihte, tha fyligde h['e] dham Haelende. Se man gesihdh +and fylidh Gode, sedhe cann understandan God, and g['o]d weorc wyrcdh. Se +man gesihdh and nele Gode fylian, sedhe understent God, and nele g['o]d +wyrcan. Ac uton understandan God and g['o]d weorc wyrcean: uton behealdan +hw['i]der Crist gange, and him fylian; thaet is thaet we sceolon smeagan +hwaet h['e] taece, and hwaet him licige, and thaet mid weorcum gefyllan, +swa swa h['e] sylf cwaedh, "Se dhe me thenige, fylige h['e] me;" thaet is, +geefenlaece h['e] me, and onscunige aelc yfel, and lufige aelc g['o]d, swa +swa ic do. Ne teah Crist him na to on dhisum life land ne welan, swa swa he +be him sylfum cwaedh, "Deor habbadh hola, and fugelas habbadh nest, hwaer +h['i] restadh, and ic naebbe hwider ic ahylde min {162} heafod." Swa micel +he haefde swa he rohte, and leofode be odhra manna aehtum, se dhe ealle +dhing ['a]h. + +We raedadh on Cristes bec thaet thaet folc raedde be him, thaet h['i] +woldon hine gelaeccan, and ahebban to cyninge, thaet he waere heora heafod +for worulde, swa swa he waes godcundlice. Thatha Crist ongeat dhaes folces +willan, dha fleah h['e] anstandende to anre d['u]ne, and his geferan +gewendon to s['ae], and se Haelend waes up on lande. Dha on niht eode se +Haelend up on dham waetere mid drium fotum, odhthaet he com to his +leorning-cnihtum, dhaer dhaer h['i] waeron on rewute. He forfleah thone +woruldlican wurdhmynt, thatha he waes to cyninge gecoren; ac he ne forfleah +na thaet edwit and dhone hosp, thatha dha Iudeiscan hine woldon on rode +ah['o]n. He nolde his heafod befon mid gyldenum cynehelme, ac mid +thyrnenum, swa swa hit gedon waes on his throwunge. He nolde on dhissum +life rixian hwilwendlice, sedhe ecelice rixadh on heofonum. Nis dheos +woruld na ure edhel, ac is ure wraecsidh; fordhi ne sceole we na besettan +urne hiht on thissum swicelum life, ac sceolon efstan mid godum geearnungum +to urum edhele, thaer we to gesceapene waeron, thaet is to heofenan rice. + +Sodhlice hit is awriten, "Swa hwa swa wile beon freond thisre worulde, se +bidh geteald Godes feond." Crist cwaedh on sumere stowe, thaet "Se weig is +swidhe nearu and sticol, sedhe laet to heofonan rice; and se is swidhe +r['u]m and smedhe, sedhe laet to helle-wite." Se weig, sedhe laet to +heofenan rice, is fordhi nearu and sticol, fordhi thaet we sceolon mid +earfodhnysse geearnian urne edhel. Gif we hine habban willadh, we sceolon +lufian mildheortnysse, and claennysse, and sodhfaestnysse, and +rihtwisnysse, and eadmodnysse, and habban sodhe lufe to Gode and to mannum, +and d['o]n aelmessan be ure maedhe, and habban gemet on urum bigleofan, and +gehwilce odhere halige dhing began. Thas dhing we ne magon d['o]n butan +earfodhnyssum; ac gif we h['i] dodh, thonne mage we mid tham geswincum, +dhurh Godes fultum, astigan dhone sticolan weg the us gelaet to dham ecan +life. Se weg sedhe laet to forwyrde is fordhi brad and {164} smedhe, fordhi +the ['u]nlustas gebringadh thone man to forwyrde. Him bidh swidhe softe, +and nan geswinc thaet he fylle his galnysse, and druncennysse, and gytsunge +begange and modignysse, and dha unstrangan berype, and d['o]n swa hwaet swa +hine lyst: ac dhas undheawas and odhre swilce gelaedadh hine butan geswince +to ecum tintregum, buton he aer his ende yfeles geswice and g['o]d wyrce. +Dysig bidh se wegferenda man sedhe nimdh thone smedhan weg the hine +mislaet, and forlaet dhone sticolan the hine gebrincdh to dhaere byrig. Swa +eac we beodh sodhlice ungerade, gif we lufiadh tha sceortan softnysse and +dha hwilwendlican lustas to dhan swidhe, thaet hi us gebringan to dham ecan +pinungum. Ac uton niman thone earfodhran weg, thaet we her sume hwile +swincon, to dhy thaet we ecelice beon butan geswince. Eadhe mihte Crist, +gif he wolde, on thisum life wunian butan earfodhnyssum, and faran to his +ecan rice butan dhrowunge, and butan deadhe; ac he nolde. Be dham cwaedh +Petrus se apostol, "Crist dhrowode for us, and sealde us bysne, thaet we +sceolon fyligan his fotswadhum;" thaet is, thaet we sceolon sum dhing +throwian for Cristes lufon, and for urum synnum. Wel dhrowadh se man, and +Gode gecwemlice, sedhe windh ongean leahtras, and godnysse gefremadh, swa +swa he fyrmest maeg. Se dhe nan dhing nele on dhissum life dhrowian, he +sceal dhrowian unthances wyrsan dhrowunga on tham toweardan life. + +Nu genealaecdh claene tid and halig, on thaere we sceolon ure gimeleaste +gebetan: cume fordhi gehwa cristenra manna to his scrifte, and his diglan +gyltas geandette, and be his l['a]reowes taecunge gebete; and tihte aelc +odherne to g['o]de mid godre gebysnunge, thaet eal folc cwedhe be ['u]s, +swa swa be dham blindan gecweden waes, dhadha his eagan waeron onlihte; +thaet is, Eall folc the thaet wundor geseah, herede God, sedhe leofadh and +rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +{153} SHROVE SUNDAY. + + Adsumpsit Jesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua. + +It is here read in this gospel, which we now have heard from the deacon's +mouth, that "Jesus took his twelve disciples apart, and said to them, +Behold, we shall go to the city of Jerusalem, and then shall be fulfilled +all the things that have been written of me by the prophets. I shall be +betrayed to the Gentiles, and they shall mock and scourge me, and +afterwards slay me, and I shall arise from death on the third day. But his +disciples knew not the meaning of these words. Then it came to pass that +they came near to a city which is called Jericho, and there sat a certain +blind man by the way; and when he heard the passing of the people with +Jesus, he asked who was passing there. They said to him that Jesus was +passing. Then he began to cry, and said, Jesus, Son of David, have pity on +me. The men, who were going before Jesus, chided the blind man, that he +might be silent. He cried then much louder, Jesus, Son of David, have pity +on me. Jesus then stood, and bade them lead the blind man to him. When he +came near Jesus asked him, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? He +said, Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him, Look now: thy faith hath +healed thee. And he immediately saw, and followed Jesus, and glorified him. +Then all the people who saw that miracle glorified God with great fervour." + +The beginning of this gospel touched our Saviour's passion, though he did +not suffer at this time; but he would from afar and long before make known +his passion to his disciples, that they might not be too much terrified by +his passion, when the time came that he would suffer. Their mind was +terrified by Christ's saying, but he again cheered them by the words which +he spake, "I will arise from death on the third day." He would then +strengthen and confirm {155} their faith with miracles. And they came then +to the place where the blind man sat by the way, and Christ healed him +before the sight of all the multitude, to the end that, with that miracle, +he might bring them to belief. But the miracles which Christ wrought +manifested one thing by power, and another thing they betokened by mystery. +He wrought those miracles indeed through divine power, and with those +miracles confirmed the people's faith; but yet there was another hidden +thing in those miracles, in a spiritual sense. The one blind man betokened +all mankind, who were blinded through Adam's sin, and thrust from the joy +of Paradise, and brought to this life, which is compared to a prison. Now +we are shut out from the heavenly light, and we may not, in this life, +enjoy the light eternal; nor know we of it more than so much as, through +Christ's teaching, we read in books. This world, though it may sometimes +seem gay, yet is no more like the world eternal, than is some prison to the +light day. All mankind, as we before said, was blinded with lack of faith +and error; but through Christ's advent we were drawn from our errors, and +enlightened by faith. We have now the light in our mind, that is Christ's +faith; and we have a hope of the joy of everlasting life, though we yet +bodily dwell in our prison. + +The blind man sat at the city which is called Jericho. Jericho is +interpreted and called _moon_. The moon both waxes and wanes: for a half +month it is waxing, for a half it is waning. Now the moon betokeneth our +mortal life and the decay of our mortality. At the one end men are born, at +the other they depart. When Christ came to the city of Jericho, which +betokeneth the moon, the blind man received sight. That is, when Christ +came to our mortality, and assumed our human nature, mankind was +enlightened, and received sight. He sat by the way; and Christ said in +{157} his gospel, "I am the way, and truth, and life." The man who knows +nothing of the eternal light is blind; but if he believes in Jesus, then +sits he by the way. If he will not pray for the light eternal, then sits he +blind by the way, without prayer. He who rightly believes in Christ, and +fervently prays for his soul's enlightening, he sits by the way praying. +Whosoever is sensible of his mind's blindness, let him cry with inward +heart, as the blind man cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." + +The multitude that went before Jesus chided the blind man, and bade him be +still. The multitude betokens our evil desires and vices, which call to us +and occupy our hearts, so that we cannot pray so fervently as we ought. It +happens frequently when a man is desirous to withdraw from evil and atone +for his sins, and with his whole mind turn to God, that his old misdeeds, +which he had previously committed, will then come and afflict his mind, and +will still his voice, that he may not cry to God. But what did the blind +man, when the people would still him? He called so much the louder, until +Jesus heard his voice and healed him. So should we do also, if the devil +trouble us with manifold thoughts and temptations: we should call louder +and louder to Jesus, that he drive the evil temptations from our hearts, +and that he enlighten our mind with his grace. But if we continue praying, +then may we with our cry incline Jesus to stand, who was before passing on, +and to hear our cry, and enlighten our hearts with good and pure thoughts. +Evil thoughts cannot harm us, if they are not pleasing to us; but the more +the devil terrifies us with evil thoughts, so much the better shall we be, +and dearer to God, if we despise the devil and all his temptations through +God's assistance. + +What is Jesus's standing, or what is his passing? He passed through his +human nature, and he stood through the divine nature. He passed through +human nature, so that he {159} was born, and passed from place to place, +and suffered death, and from death arose, and ascended to heaven. This is +his passing. He stands through his divine nature; because he is, by his +power, everywhere present, and needs not go from place to place; because he +is in every place through his divine nature. When he was passing he heard +the blind man's cry; and when he stood he gave him sight; because through +his human nature he bewails the blindness of our minds, and through his +divine nature he gives us light, and enlightens our blindness. He said to +the blind man, "What wilt thou that I do to thee?" Thinkest thou that he +knew not what the blind man desired, he who could heal him? But he would +that the blind man should pray; for he exhorts everyone very urgently to +prayers: for though he says, in another place, "Your heavenly Father +knoweth what ye require, before ye pray to him for anything," yet the good +God desires that we should fervently pray to him; because by prayers is our +heart stimulated and turned to God. + +Then said the blind man, "Sir, do that I may see." The blind man prayed +neither for gold, nor silver, nor any worldly things, but prayed for his +sight. For naught he accounted it to pray for anything but sight; because, +though the blind may have something, he cannot without light see that which +he has. Let us then imitate this man who was healed by Christ, both in body +and in soul: let us pray, not for deceitful riches, nor transitory honours; +but let us pray to our Lord for light: not for that light which will be +ended, which will be driven away by the night, that which is common to us +and to the brutes; but let us pray for that light which we can see with +angels only, which shall never be ended. To that light verily our faith +shall bring us, as Christ said to the blind man, "Look now: thy faith hath +healed thee." + +Now some unbelieving man will ask, How may I desire the spiritual light +which I cannot see? Now to that man I say, that the things which he +understands and may {161} comprehend, he understands those things not +through his body, but through his soul; yet no man sees his soul in this +life. It is invisible, but, nevertheless, it guides the visible body. The +body, which is visible, has life from the soul, which is invisible. If that +which is invisible depart, then will the visible fall down; because it +before stood not of itself. The life of the body is the soul, and the life +of the soul is God. If the soul depart, the mouth cannot cry, though it +gape; nor the eye see, though it be open; nor will any limb do anything, if +the body be soulless. So also the soul, if God, for its sins, forsake it, +it will do nothing good. No man may do anything good without God's support. +The sinful soul will not be wholly turned to naught, though it be rendered +dead to good; but it will be dead to every excellence and happiness, and +will be preserved to eternal death, where it will be ever continuing in +torments, and yet will never perish. + +How canst thou now doubt of the eternal light, though it be invisible, when +thou hast life from an invisible soul, and thou doubtest not that thou hast +a soul, though thou canst not see it? The blind man, when he could see, +followed Jesus. That man sees and follows God, who can understand God, and +does good works. That man sees and will not follow God, who understands +God, and will not do good works. But let us understand God, and do good +works: let us behold whither Christ goes, and follow him; that is, that we +should meditate on what he teaches, and what is pleasing to him, and that +with works fulfil, as he himself said, "He who will serve me, let him +follow me;" that is, let him imitate me, and shun every evil, and love +every good, as I do. Christ gained for himself in this life neither land +nor riches, as he of himself said, "The beasts have holes, and the birds +have nests, where they rest, and I have not where I may lay down {163} my +head." He had as much as he recked of, and lived on the possessions of +other men, he who owned all things. + +We read in the book of Christ that the people resolved concerning him, that +they would seize him, and set him up for king, that he might be their +temporal head, as he was divinely. When Christ perceived the people's will +he fled alone to a mountain, and his companions went to the sea, and Jesus +was up on land. Then by night Jesus went on the water with dry feet, until +he came to his disciples, where they were in a ship. He fled from worldly +honour, when he was chosen king; but he fled not from reproach and scorn, +when the Jews would hang him on a cross. He would not encircle his head +with a golden crown, but with one of thorns, as it was done at his passion. +He would not reign for a while in this life, who rules eternally in heaven. +This world is not our country, but is our place of exile; therefore should +we not set our hope in this deceitful life, but should hasten with good +deserts to our country, for which we were created, that is, to the kingdom +of heaven. + +Verily it is written, "Whosoever will be a friend of this world, he shall +be accounted a foe of God." Christ said in some place, that "The way is +very narrow and steep which leads to the kingdom of heaven; and it is very +wide and smooth which leads to hell-torment." The way which leads to the +kingdom of heaven is narrow and steep, in order that we should with +difficulty gain our country. If we desire to obtain it, we should love +mercy, and chastity, and truth, and righteousness, and humility, and have +true love to God and to men, and give alms according to our means, and be +moderate in our food, and observe all other holy things. These things we +cannot do without difficulties; but if we do them, then may we with those +labours, through God's support, ascend the steep way which leads us to +eternal life. The way which leads to perdition is broad and smooth, because +wicked {165} lusts bring a man to perdition. It is very soft to him and no +labour to satiate his libidinousness and drunkenness, and practise +covetousness and pride, and rob the weak, and do whatsoever he lists: but +those evil practices and others such lead him without labour to eternal +torments, unless before his end he desist from evil and do good. Foolish is +the wayfaring man who takes the smooth way that misleads him, and forsakes +the steep which brings him to the city. So also shall we be truly +inconsiderate, if we love brief voluptuousness and transitory pleasures so +greatly that they bring us to eternal torments. But let us take the more +difficult way, that we may here for some time labour, in order to be +eternally without labour. Easily might Christ, had he been willing, have +continued in this life without hardships, and gone to his everlasting +kingdom without suffering, and without death; but he would not. Concerning +which Peter the apostle said, "Christ suffered for us, and gave us an +example, that we should follow his footsteps;" that is, that we should +suffer something for love of Christ, and for our sins. Well suffers the +man, and acceptably to God, who strives against wickedness, and promotes +goodness, as he best may. He who will suffer nothing in this life, shall +suffer against his will in the life to come. + +Now is a pure and holy time drawing nigh, in which we should atone for our +remissness: let, therefore, every christian man come to his confessor, and +confess his secret sins, and amend by the teaching of his instructor; and +let everyone stimulate another to good by good example, that all people may +say of us, as was said of the blind man when his eyes were enlightened; +that is, All people who saw that miracle praised God, who liveth and +reigneth ever without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{166} DOMINICA PRIMA IN QUADRAGESIMA. + + Ductus est Iesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua. + +Ic wolde eow trahtnian this godspel, dhe mann nu beforan eow raedde, ac ic +ondraede thaet ge ne magon dha micelan deopnysse thaes godspelles swa +understandan swa hit gedafenlic sy. Nu bidde ic eow thaet ge beon +gedhyldige on eowerum gedhance, odhthaet we dhone traht mid Godes fylste +oferraedan magon. + +"Se Haelend waes gelaed fram tham Halgan Gaste to anum westene, to dhy +thaet he waere gecostnod fram deofle: and he dha faeste feowertig daga and +feowertig nihta, swa thaet he ne onbyrigde aetes ne waetes on eallum tham +fyrste: ac sidhdhan him hingrode. Tha genealaehte se costnere, and him to +cwaedh, Gif dhu sy Godes Sunu, cwedh to dhisum stanum thaet hi beon awende +to hlafum. Dha andwearde se Haelend, and cwaedh, Hit is awriten, ne leofadh +se mann na be hlafe anum, ac lyfadh be eallum dham wordum the gadh of Godes +mudhe. Tha genam se deofol hine, and gesette hine uppan dham scylfe thaes +heagan temples, and cwaedh, Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, feall nu ad['u]n: hit is +awriten, thaet englum is beboden be dhe, thaet hi dhe on hira handum +ahebbon, thaet thu furdhon ne dhurfe dhinne fot aet stane aetspurnan. Tha +cwaedh se Haelend eft him to, Hit is awriten, Ne fanda thines Drihtnes. Tha +genam se deofol hine eft, and gesette hine uppan anre swidhe heahre dune, +and aeteowde him ealles middangeardes welan, and his wuldor, and cwaedh him +to, Ealle dhas dhing ic forgife dhe, gif dhu wilt feallan to minum fotum +and gebiddan the to me. Dha cwaedh se Haelend him to, Ga dhu underbaecc, +sceocca! Hit is awriten, Gehw['a] sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne anum, +and him anum dheowian. Tha forlet se deofol hine, and him comon englas to, +and him dhenodon." + +Se Halga Gast laedde thone Haelend to tham westene, to dhy thaet he waere +thaer gecostnod. Nu wundradh gehw['a] h['u] se deofol dorste genealaecan to +dham Haelende, thaet he hine costnode: {168} ac h['e] ne dorste Cristes +f['a]ndian, gif him alyfed naere. Se Haelend com to mancynne fordhi thaet +he wolde ealle ure costnunga oferswidhan mid his costnungum, and +oferswidhan urne dhone ecan deadh mid his hwilwendlicum deadhe. Nu waes he +swa eadmod thaet he gedhafode dham deofle thaet he his fandode, and he +gedhafode lydhrum mannum thaet hi hine ofslogon. Deofol is ealra +unrihtwisra manna heafod, and tha yfelan men sind his lima: nu gedhafode +God thaet thaet heafod hine costnode, and thaet dha limu hine ahengon. + +Tham deofle waes micel twynung, Hwaet Crist waere? His l['i]f naes na +gel['o]god swa swa odhra manna l['i]f. Crist ne aet mid gyfernysse, ne he +ne dr['a]nc mid oferflowendnysse, ne his eagan ne ferdon worigende geond +mislice lustas. Tha smeade se deofol hwaet he waere; hwaedher he waere +Godes Sunu, sedhe manncynne behaten waes. Cwaedh tha on his gedhance, thaet +he fandian wolde hwaet he waere. Dha faeste Crist feowertig daga and +feowertig nihta on ['a]n, dha on eallum tham fyrste ne cwaedh se deofol to +him thaet he etan sceolde, fordhan the h['e] geseh thaet him nan dhing ne +hingrode. Eft, dhadha Crist hingrode aefter swa langum fyrste, dha wende se +deofol sodhlice thaet he God naere, and cwaedh to him, "Hwi hingradh the? +Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, wend thas stanas to hlafum, and et." + +Eadhe mihte God, sedhe awende waeter to wine, and sedhe ealle gesceafta of +nahte geworhte, eadhelice he mihte awendan dha stanas to hlafum: ac he +nolde nan dhing don be dhaes deofles taecunge; ac cwaedh him to andsware, +"Ne lifadh na se man be hlafe anum, ac lifadh be dham wordum dhe gadh of +Godes mudhe." Swa swa thaes mannes lichama leofadh be hlafe, swa sceal his +sawul lybban be Godes wordum, thaet is, be Godes lare, the he thurh wise +menn on bocum gesette. Gif se lichama naefdh mete, oththe ne maeg mete +dhicgean, thonne forweornadh he, and adeadadh: swa eac seo sawul, gif heo +naefdh tha halgan lare, heo bidh thonne weornigende and maegenleas. Thurh +dha halgan lare heo bidh strang and onbryrd to Godes willan. + +Tha waes se deofol aene oferswidhed fram Criste. "And he dha hine genam, +and baer upp on thaet templ, and hine sette aet {170} dham scylfe, and +cwaedh to him, Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, sceot ad['u]n; fordhan the englum is +beboden be dhe, thaet h['i] dhe on handum ahebban, thaet thu ne dhurfe +dhinne f['o]t aet stane aetspurnan." Her beg['a]nn se deofol to reccanne +halige gewritu, and he leah mid thaere race; fordhan dhe h['e] is leas, and +nan sodhfaestnys nis on him; ac he is faeder aelcere leasunge. Naes thaet +na awriten be Criste thaet h['e] dha saede, ac waes awriten be halgum +mannum: h['i] behofiadh engla fultumes on thissum life, thaet se deofol +h['i] costnian ne mote swa swidhe swa he wolde. Swa hold is God mancynne, +thaet he haefdh geset his englas us to hyrdum, thaet h['i] ne sceolon na +gedhafian tham redhum deoflum thaet h['i] ['u]s fordon magon. Hi moton ure +afandian, ac h['i] ne moton us nydan to nanum yfle, buton we hit sylfe +agenes willan d['o]n, thurh tha yfelan tihtinge dhaes deofles. We ne beodh +na fulfremede buton we beon afandode: thurh dha fandunge we sceolon +gedheon, gif we aefre widhsacadh deofle, and eallum his larum; and gif we +genealaecadh urum Drihtne mid geleafan, and lufe, and godum weorcum; gif we +hwaer aslidon, arisan eft thaerrihte, and betan georne thaet dhaer tobrocen +bidh. + +Crist cwaedh tha to dham deofle, "Ne sceal man fandigan his Drihtnes." +Thaet waere swidhe gilplic d['ae]d gif Crist scute dha ad['u]n, theah dhe +he eadhe mihte butan awyrdnysse his lima nydher asceotan, sedhe gebigde +thone heagan heofenlican bigels; ac he nolde nan dhing d['o]n mid gylpe; +fordhon the se gylp is an heafod-leahter; tha nolde he ad['u]n asceotan, +fordhon dhe he onscunode thone gylp; ac cwaedh, "Ne sceal man his Drihtnes +f['a]ndian." Se man f['a]ndiadh his Drihtnes, sedhe, mid dyslicum truwan +and mid gylpe, sum wundorlic dhing on Godes naman d['o]n wile, odhdhe sedhe +sumes wundres dyslice and butan neode, aet Gode abiddan wile. Tha waes se +deofol odhere sidhe thurh Cristes gedhyld oferswidhed. + +"Tha genam he hine eft, and abaer hine ['u]pp on ane dune, and aetywde him +ealles middangeardes welan and his wuldor, and cwaedh to him, Ealle dhas +dhing ic forgife dhe, gif dhu wilt afeallan to minum fotum, and the to me +gebiddan." Dyrstelice spraec se deofol her, swa swa he aer spraec, thatha +he on {172} heofenum waes, thatha he wolde daelan heofonan rice widh his +Scyppend, and beon Gode gel['i]c; ac his dyrstignys hine awearp dha into +helle; and eac nu his dyrstignys hine genidherode, thadha he, dhurh Cristes +throwunge, forlet mancynn of his anwealde. He cwaedh, "Thas dhing ic +forgife dhe." Him dhuhte thaet he ahte ealne middangeard; fordhon dhe him +ne widhstod nan man aerdham the Crist com the hine gewylde. + +Hit is awriten on halgum bocum, "Eordhe and eall hire gefyllednys, and eal +ymbhwyrft and tha dhe on dham wuniadh, ealle hit syndon Godes aehta," and +na deofles. Theah-hwaedhere Crist cwaedh on his godspelle be dham deofle, +thaet he waere middangeardes ealdor, and he sceolde beon ['u]t-adraefed. He +is dhaera manna ealdor, the lufiadh thisne middangeard, and ealne heora +hiht on thissum l['i]fe besettadh, and heora Scyppend forseodh. Ealle +gesceafta, sunne, and mona, and ealle tunglan, land, and s['ae], and +nytenu, ealle h['i] dheowiadh hyra Scyppende; fordhon the h['i] faradh +aefter Godes dihte. Se lydhra man ['a]na, thonne he forsihdh Godes beboda, +and fullg['ae]dh deofles willan, odhdhe thurh gytsunge, oththe dhurh +leasunge, odhdhe dhurh graman, odhdhe dhurh odhre leahtras, thonne bidh he +deofles dheowa, thonne he deofle gecwemdh, and thone forsihdh dhe hine +geworhte. + +"Crist cwaedh dha to dham deofle, Ga dhu underbaecc, sceocca! Hit is +awriten, Man sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne, and him anum dheowian." +Quidam dicunt non dixisse Saluatorem, "Satane, uade retro," sed tantum +"Uade": sed tamen in rectioribus et uetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, +"Uade retro Satanas," sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam +diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a +X[=po], "Uade retro me," id est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Uade +retro me_, sed, "Uade retro," sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus +Hieronimus, in una epistola. He cwaedh to dham deofle, "Ga dhu underbaec." +Deofles nama is gereht, 'Nydher-hreosende.' Nydher he ahreas, and underbaec +he eode fram frimdhe his anginnes, thadha he waes ascyred fram dhaere +heofonlican blisse; on hinder he eode {174} eft thurh Cristes to-cyme; on +hinder he sceal g['a]n on domes daege, thonne he bidh belocen on helle-wite +on ['e]cum fyre, he and ealle his geferan; and h['i] naefre sidhdhan +['u]t-brecan ne magon. + +Hit is awriten on dhaere ealdan ['ae], thaet nan man ne sceal hine gebiddan +to nanum deofelgylde, ne to nanum dhinge, buton to Gode anum; fordhon dhe +n['a]n gesceaft nys wyrdhe thaes wurdhmyntes, buton se ana sedhe Scyppend +is ealra dhinga: to him anum we sceolon ['u]s gebiddan; he ana is sodh +Hlaford and sodh God. We biddadh thingunga aet halgum mannum, thaet hi +sceolon ['u]s dhingian to heora Drihtne and to urum Drihtne; ne gebidde we +n['a], dheah-hwaedhere, us to him, swa swa we to Gode dodh, ne hi thaet +gedhafian nelladh; swa swa se engel cwaedh to Iohanne tham apostole, dhadha +he wolde feallan to his fotum: he cwaedh, "Ne do thu hit na, thaet thu to +me abuge. Ic eom Godes theowa, swa swa dhu and thine gebrodhra: gebide dhe +to Gode anum." + +"Tha forl['e]t se deofol Crist, and him comon englas to, and him dhenodon." +He waes gecostnod swa swa mann, and aefter dhaere costnunge him comon +halige englas to, and him dhenodon, swa swa heora Scyppende. Buton se +deofol gesawe thaet Crist man waere, ne gecostnode he hine; and buton he +sodh God waere, noldon dha englas him dhenian. Mycel waes ures Haelendes +eadhmodnys and his gethyld on dhisre daede. He mihte mid anum worde +besencan dhone deofol on thaere deopan nywelnysse; ac h['e] ne aeteowde his +mihte, ac mid halgum gewritum he andwyrde dham deofle, and sealde us bysne +mid his gedhylde, thaet swa oft swa we fram dhwyrum mannum aenig dhing +throwiadh, thaet we sceolon wendan ure mod to Godes lare swidhor thonne to +aenigre wrace. + +On dhreo wisan bidh deofles costnung: thaet is on tihtinge, on +lustfullunge, on gedhafunge. Deofol tiht ['u]s to yfele, ac we sceolon hit +onscunian, and ne geniman nane lustfullunge to dhaere tihtinge: gif thonne +ure mod nimdh gelustfullunge, thonne sceole we huru widhstandan, thaet +dhaer ne beo n['a]n gedhafung to dham yfelan weorce. Seo yfele tihting is +of deofle; {176} dhonne bidh oft thaes mannes m['o]d gebiged to dhaere +lustfullunge, hwilon eac asl['i]t to dhaere gedhafunge; fordhon the we sind +of synfullum flaesce acennede. Naes na se Haelend on dha wisan gecostnod; +fordhon dhe he waes of maedene acenned buton synne, and naes nan dhing +dhwyrlices on him. He mihte beon gecostnod thurh tihtinge, ac nan +lustfullung ne hrepede his m['o]d. Thaer naes eac nan gedhafung, fordhon +dhe dhaer naes nan lustfullung; ac waes dhaes deofles costnung fordhy eall +widhutan, and nan dhing widhinnan. Ungewiss com se deofol to Criste, and +ungewiss he eode aweig; fordhan the se Haelend ne geswutulode na him his +mihte, ac oferdr['a]f hine gedhyldelice mid halgum gewritum. + +Se ealda deofol gecostnode urne faeder Ad['a]m on dhreo wisan: thaet is mid +gyfernysse, and mid idelum wuldre, and mid gitsunge; and tha weardh he +oferswidhed, fordhon the he gedhafode dham deofle on eallum tham dhrim +costnungum. Thurh gyfernysse he waes oferswidhed, thatha he dhurh deofles +lare aet dhone forbodenan aeppel. Thurh idel wuldor he waes oferswidhed, +dhadha he gelyfde dhaes deofles wordum, dhadha he cwaedh, "Swa maere ge +beodh swa swa englas, gif ge of tham treowe etadh." And h['i] dha gelyfdon +his leasunge, and woldon mid idelum gylpe beon beteran thonne h['i] +gesceapene waeron: dha wurdon h['i] wyrsan. Mid gytsunge he waes +oferswidhed, thatha se deofol cwaedh to him, "And ge habbadh gescead +aegdher ge g['o]des ge ['y]feles." Nis na gytsung on feo anum, ac is eac on +gewilnunge micelre gedhincdhe. + +Mid tham ylcum dhrim dhingum the se deofol dhone frumsceapenan mann +oferswidhde, mid tham ylcan Crist oferswidhde hine, and astrehte. Thurh +gyfernysse fandode se deofol Cristes, dhadha he cwaedh, "Cwedh to dhysum +stanum thaet h['i] beon to hlafum awende, and et." Thurh idel wuldor he +fandode his, thatha he hine tihte thaet h['e] sceolde sceotan nydher of +dhaes temples scylfe. Thurh gitsunge he fandode his, dhadha he mid leasunge +him behet ealles middangeardes welan, gif he wolde feallan to his fotum. Ac +se deofol waes tha oferswidhed {178} dhurh Crist on tham ylcum gemetum the +he aer Adam oferswidhde; thaet he gewite fram urum heortum mid tham +innfaere gehaeft, mid tham the he inn-afaren waes and us gehaefte. + +We gehyrdon on dhisum godspelle thaet ure Drihten faeste feowertig daga and +feowertig nihta on ['a]n. Dhadha he swa lange faeste, tha geswutelode he +tha micelan mihte his godcundnysse, thurh dha he mihte on eallum dhisum +andweardum life butan eordhlicum mettum lybban, gif he wolde. Eft, dhadha +him hingrode, tha geswutelode he thaet h['e] waes sodh man, and fordhi +metes behofode. Moyses se heretoga faeste eac feowertig daga and feowertig +nihta, to dhi thaet he moste underfon Godes ['ae]; ac he ne faeste na thurh +his agene mihte, ac thurh Godes. Eac se witega Elias faeste ealswa lange +eac thurh Godes mihte, and sidhdhan waes genumen butan deadhe of dhisum +life. + +Nu is dhis faesten eallum cristenum mannum geset to healdenne on aelces +geares ymbryne; ac we moton aelce daeg ures metes brucan mid +forhaefednysse, dhaera metta the alyfede sind. Hw['i] is dhis faesten thus +geteald thurh feowertig daga? On eallum geare sind getealde dhreo hund daga +and fif and sixtig daga; thonne, gif we teodhiadh thas gearlican dagas, +thonne beodh thaer six and dhritig teodhing-dagas; and fram dhisum daege +odh thone halgan Easter-daeg sind twa and feowertig daga: d['o] thonne dha +six sunnan-dagas of dham getele, thonne beodh tha six and dhritig thaes +geares teodhing-dagas ['u]s to forhaefednysse getealde. + +Swa swa Godes ['ae] ['u]s bebyt thaet we sceolon ealle tha dhing the us +gesceotadh of ['u]res geares teolunge Gode tha teodhunge syllan, swa we +sceolon eac on dhisum teodhing-dagum urne lichaman mid forhaefednysse Gode +to lofe teodhian. We sceolon ['u]s gearcian on eallum dhingum swa swa Godes +thenas, aefter thaes apostoles taecunge, on micclum gedhylde, and on halgum +waeccum, on faestenum, and on claennysse modes and lichaman; fordhi laesse +pleoh bidh tham cristenum men thaet he flaesces bruce, thonne he on +dhissere halgan tide w['i]fes bruce. {180} Laetadh aweg ealle saca, and +aelc geflitt, and gehealdadh thas tid mid sibbe and mid sodhre lufe; +fordhon ne bidh nan faesten Gode andfenge butan sibbe. And dodh swa swa God +taehte, tobrec dhinne hlaf, and syle dhone otherne dael hungrium men, and +laed into thinum huse w['ae]dlan, and dha earman aelfremedan men, and +gefrefra h['i] mid thinum godum. Thonne dhu nacodne geseo, scryd hine, and +ne forseoh dhin agen flaesc. Se mann the faest buton aelmyssan, h['e] dedh +swilce h['e] sparige his mete, and eft ett thaet h['e] ['ae]r mid +forhaefednysse foreode; ac thaet faesten taeldh God. Ac gif dhu faestan +wille Gode to gecwemednysse, thonne gehelp dhu earmra manna mid tham daele +dhe dhu the sylfum oftihst, and eac mid maran, gif dhe to onhagige. +Forb['u]gadh idele spellunge, and dyslice blissa, and bewepadh eowre synna; +fordhon dhe Crist cwaedh, "W['a] eow the nu hlihgadh, ge sceolon heofian +and wepan." Eft he cwaedh, "Eadige beodh dha dhe nu wepadh, fordhon dhe hi +sceolon beon gefrefrode." + +We lybbadh mislice on twelf mondhum: nu sceole we ure gymeleaste on thysne +timan geinnian, and lybban Gode, we dhe odhrum timan us sylfum leofodon. +And swa hwaet swa we dodh to gode, uton d['o]n thaet butan gylpe and idelre +herunge. Se mann the for gylpe hwaet to g['o]de dedh, him sylfum to +herunge, naefdh he dhaes nane mede aet Gode, ac haefdh his wite. Ac uton +d['o]n swa swa God taehte, thaet ure godan weorc beon on dha wisan mannum +cudhe, thaet h['i] magon geseon ure g['o]dnysse, and thaet h['i] wuldrian +and herigan urne Heofenlican Faeder, God Aelmihtigne, sedhe forgilt mid +hundfealdum swa hwaet swa we dodh earmum mannum for his lufon, sedhe +leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen. + +{167} THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. + + Ductus est Jesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua. + +I would expound to you this gospel which has just now been read before you, +but I fear that ye cannot understand the great depth of this gospel as it +is fitting. Now I pray you to be patient in your thoughts till, with God's +assistance, we can read over the text. + +"Jesus was led by the Holy Ghost to a waste, in order that he might be +tempted by the devil: and he there fasted forty days and forty nights, so +that he tasted neither food nor drink in all that time: but he then +hungered. Then the tempter approached, and said to him, If thou art the Son +of God, say to these stones that they be turned to loaves. Then Jesus +answered, and said, It is written, Man liveth not by bread alone, but +liveth by all the words that go from the mouth of God. Then the devil took +him, and set him upon the summit of the lofty temple, and said, If thou art +the Son of God, fall now down: it is written, that angels are commanded +concerning thee, that they shall lift thee in their hands, that thou may +not dash thy foot on a stone. Then said Jesus again to him, It is written, +Tempt not thy Lord. Then the devil took him again, and set him upon a very +high mountain, and showed him all the wealth and glory of the world, and +said to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my +feet, and adore me. Then said Jesus to him, Go thou behind, Satan! It is +written, Everyone shall adore his Lord alone, and him alone serve. Then the +devil left him, and angels came to him, and ministered unto him." + +The Holy Ghost led Jesus to the waste, that he might there be tempted. Now +everyone will wonder how the devil durst approach Jesus to tempt him: but +he durst not tempt {169} Jesus, if it had not been allowed him. Jesus came +to mankind because he would overcome all our temptations by his +temptations, and overcome our eternal death with his temporary death. Now +he was so humble that he permitted the devil to tempt him, and he permitted +wicked men to slay him. The devil is the head of all unrighteous men, and +evil men are his limbs: now God permitted the head to tempt him, and the +limbs to crucify him. + +To the devil it was a great doubt, What Christ were? His life was not +ordered like the lives of other men. Christ ate not with avidity, nor did +he drink with excess, nor did his eyes pass wandering amid various +pleasures. Then the devil meditated what he were; whether he were the Son +of God, who had been promised to mankind. He said then in his thoughts, +that he would prove what he were. When Christ was fasting forty days and +forty nights together, in all that time the devil did not say to him that +he should eat, because he saw that he hungered not. Afterwards, when Christ +hungered after so long a time, then verily the devil weened that he was not +God, and said to him, "Why hungerest thou? If thou art the Son of God, turn +these stones to loaves, and eat." + +Easily might God, who turned water to wine, and he who wrought all +creatures from nothing, easily might he have turned the stones to loaves: +but he would do nothing by the devil's direction; but said to him in +answer, "Man liveth not by bread alone, but liveth by the words which go +from the mouth of God." As man's body lives by bread, so shall his soul +live by the words of God, that is, by God's doctrine, which, through wise +men, he has set in books. If the body has not food, or cannot eat food, +then it decays and dies: so likewise the soul, if it has not the holy +doctrine, it will be perishable and powerless. By the holy doctrine it will +be strong, and stimulated to God's will. + +Then was the devil _once_ overcome by Christ. "And he then took him and +bare him up on the temple, and set him {171} on the summit, and said to +him, If thou art the Son of God, dart down; for it is commanded to angels +concerning thee, that they shall raise thee on their hands, that thou may +not dash thy foot against a stone." Here the devil began to expound the +holy scriptures, and he lied in his exposition; because he is false, and +there is no truth in him; but he is the father of all leasing. It was not +written of Christ what he there said, but was written of holy men: they +require the support of angels in this life, that the devil may not tempt +them so much as he would. So benevolent is God to mankind, that he has set +his angels over us as guardians, that they may not allow the fierce devils +to fordo us. They may tempt us, but they cannot compel us to any evil, +unless we ourselves do it of our own will, through the evil instigation of +the devil. We shall not be perfect unless we be tempted: through temptation +we shall thrive, if we ever resist the devil and all his precepts; and if +we draw nigh to our Lord with faith, and love, and good works; if we +anywhere slide down, arise forthwith, and earnestly mend what shall there +be broken. + +Christ said to the devil, "No one shall tempt his Lord." It would have been +a very proud deed if Christ had cast himself down, though he easily might, +without injury of his limbs, have cast himself down, who bowed the high +arch of heaven; but he would do nothing in pride, because pride is a deadly +sin; so he would not cast himself down, because he would shun pride; but +said, "No one shall tempt his Lord." That man tempts his Lord, who, with +foolish confidence and with pride, will do something in the name of God, or +who will foolishly and without need pray to God for some miracle. Then was +the devil, by Christ's patience, overcome _a second time_. + +"Then he took him again, and bare him up on a mountain, and showed him all +the riches of the world and its glory, and said to him, All these things +will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my feet, and adore me." +Presumptuously spake the devil here, as he before spake, when he was in +heaven, when he {173} would share the heavenly kingdom with his Creator, +and be equal to God; but his presumption then cast him down into hell; and +now also his presumption humbled him, when he, through Christ's passion, +let mankind out of his power. He said, "These things will I give thee." It +seemed to him that he possessed all the world; because no man withstood him +before Christ came who subdued him. + +It is written in holy books, "Earth and all its fullness, and all the globe +and those who dwell on it, all are God's possessions," and not the devil's. +Nevertheless, Christ said in his gospel concerning the devil, that he was +the prince of the world, and he should be driven out. He is the prince of +those men who love this world, and set all their hope in this life, and +despise their Creator. All creatures, sun, and moon, and all stars, land, +and sea, and cattle, all serve their Creator; because they perform their +course after God's direction. Wicked man alone, when he despises the +commandments of God, and fulfils the devil's will, either through +covetousness, or through leasing, or through anger, or through other sins, +then is he the devil's thrall, then is he acceptable to the devil, and +despises him who created him. + +"Christ then said to the devil, Go thou behind, Satan! It is written, Man +shall adore his Lord, and serve him alone." Quidam dicunt non dixisse +Salvatorem, "Satane, vade retro," sed tantum "Vade": sed tamen in +rectioribus et vetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, "Vade retro Satanas," +sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ +interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a Christo, "Vade retro me," id +est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Vade retro me_, sed "Vade retro," +sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus Hieronymus, in una epistola. He +said to the devil, "Go thou behind." The name of devil is interpreted, +_Falling down_. He fell down, and he went behind from the beginning of his +enterprize, when he was cut off from heavenly bliss; he went behind again +through Christ's advent; {175} he shall go behind on doomsday, when he +shall be shut up in hell in eternal fire, he and all his associates; and +they never afterwards may burst out. + +It is written in the old law that no man shall worship any idol, nor +anything, save God alone; because no creature is worthy of that honour, +save him alone who is the Creator of all things: him only should we +worship; he alone is true Lord and true God. We pray for their +intercessions to holy men, that they may mediate for us with their Lord and +our Lord; still we do not worship them as we do God, nor would they permit +it; as the angel said to John the apostle, when he would fall at his feet: +he said, "Do thou it not, that thou bowest to me. I am God's servant, as +thou and thy brethren: worship God alone." + +"Then the devil left Christ, and angels came to him, and ministered to +him." He was tempted as a man, and after the temptation holy angels came to +him, and ministered to him as to their Creator. Unless the devil had seen +that Christ was a man, he would not have tempted him; and unless he had +been true God, the angels would not have ministered to him. Great was our +Saviour's meekness and his patience in this deed. He might with one word +have sunk the devil into the deep abyss; but he manifested not his might, +but answered the devil with the holy scriptures, and gave us an example by +his patience, that, as often as we suffer anything from perverse men, we +should turn our mind to God's precepts rather than to any vengeance. + +In three ways is temptation of the devil: that is in instigation, in +pleasure, in consent. The devil instigates us to evil, but we should shun +it, and take no pleasure in the instigation: but if our mind takes +pleasure, then should we at least withstand, so that there be no consent to +evil work. Instigation to evil is of the devil; but a man's mind is often +{177} bent to pleasure, sometimes also it lapses into consent; seeing that +we are born of sinful flesh. Not in this wise was Jesus tempted; because he +was born of a virgin without sin, and that there was nothing perverse in +him. He might have been tempted by instigation, but no pleasure touched his +mind. There was also no consent, because there was no pleasure; therefore +was the devil's temptation all without, and nothing within. Uncertain came +the devil to Christ, and uncertain he went away; seeing that Jesus +manifested not his power to him, but overcame him patiently by the holy +scriptures. + +The old devil tempted our father Adam in three ways: that is with +greediness, with vain-glory, and with covetousness; and then he was +overcome, because he consented to the devil in all those three temptations. +Through greediness he was overcome, when, by the devil's instruction, he +ate the forbidden apple. Through vain-glory he was overcome, when he +believed the devil's words, when he said, "Ye shall be as great as angels, +if ye eat of that tree." And they then believed his leasing, and would in +their vain-glory be better than they had been created: then became they +worse. With covetousness he was overcome, when the devil said to him, "And +ye shall have the power to distinguish good from evil." Covetousness is not +alone in money, but is also in the desire of great dignity. + +With the same three things with which the devil overcame the first-created +man, Christ overcame and prostrated him. Through greediness the devil +tempted Christ, when he said, "Say to these stones that they be turned to +loaves, and eat." Through vain-glory he tempted him, when he would +instigate him to dart down from the temple's summit. Through covetousness +he tempted him, when, with leasing, he promised him the wealth of all the +world, if he would fall at his feet. But the devil was overcome by Christ +by the {179} same means with which he had of yore overcome Adam; so that he +departed from our hearts made captive by the entrance at which he had +entered and made us captives. + +We have heard in this gospel that our Lord fasted forty days and forty +nights together. When he had fasted so long he manifested the great power +of his godhead, by which he might, in all this present life, without +earthly food, have lived, if he had been willing. Afterwards, when he was +hungry, he manifested that he was a true man, and therefore required food. +Moses the leader fasted also forty days and forty nights, that he might +receive God's law; but he fasted not through his own power, but through +God's. The prophet Elijah also fasted as long through God's power, and was +afterwards, without death, taken from this life. + +Now this fast is appointed to be held by all Christian men in the course of +every year; but we must also on each day eat our food with abstemiousness, +of those meats which are permitted. Why is this fast computed for forty +days? In every year there are reckoned three hundred and sixty-five days; +now, if we tithe these yearly days, then will there be six and thirty +tithing-days, and from this day to the holy Easter-day are two and forty +days: take then the six Sundays from that number, then there will be six +and thirty days of the year's tithing-days reckoned for our abstinence. + +As God's law enjoins us that we should of all the things which accrue to us +from our yearly tillage give the tithe to God, so should we likewise on +these tithing-days tithe our body with abstinence to the praise of God. We +should prepare ourselves in all things as God's servants, according to the +apostle's teaching, with great patience, and with holy vigils, with fasts, +and with chastity of mind and body; for it is less perilous for a Christian +man to eat flesh, than at this holy tide to have intercourse with woman. +Set aside all {181} quarrels and every dispute, and hold this tide with +peace and with true love; for no fast will be acceptable to God without +peace. And do as God taught, break thy loaf, and give the second portion to +an hungry man, and lead into thy house the poor, and miserable strangers, +and comfort them with thy possessions. When thou seest one naked, clothe +him, and despise not thy own flesh. The man who fasts without alms does as +though he spares his food, and afterwards eats that which he had previously +forgone in his abstinence; but God contemns such fasting. But if thou wilt +fast to God's contentment, then help poor men with the portion which thou +withdrawest from thyself, and also with more, if it be thy pleasure. Avoid +idle discourse and foolish pleasures, and bewail your sins; for Christ +said, "Woe to you who now laugh, ye shall mourn and weep." Again he said, +"Blessed are they who now weep, for they shall be comforted." + +We live diversely for twelve months: now we shall at this time repair our +heedlessness, and live to God, we who at other times have lived for +ourselves. And whatsoever good we do, let us do it without pride and vain +praise. The man who does any good for pride, to his own praise, will have +no reward with God, but will have his punishment. But let us do as God hath +taught, that our good works may be so known to men that they may see our +goodness, and glorify and praise our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who +requites an hundredfold whatsoever we do to poor men for love of him who +liveth and reigneth ever without end to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DOMINICA IN MEDIA QUADRAGESIMA. + + Abiit Iesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua. + +"Se Haelend ferde ofer dha Galileiscan s['ae], the is gehaten Tyberiadis, +and him filigde micel menigu, fordhon the hi {182} beheoldon dha tacna the +h['e] worhte ofer dha untruman men. Tha astah se Haelend up on ane dune, +and thaer s['ae]t mid his leorning-cnihtum, and waes dha swidhe gehende seo +halige Eastertid. Tha beseah se Haelend up, and geseah thaet dhaer waes +mycel mennisc toweard, and cwaedh to anum his leorning-cnihta, se waes +geh['a]ten Philippus, Mid hwam mage we bicgan hl['a]f dhisum folce? This he +cwaedh to f['a]ndunge thaes leorning-cnihtes: he sylf wiste hwaet he d['o]n +wolde. Dha andwyrde Philippus, Theah her waeron gebohte twa hund +peningwurdh hlafes, ne mihte furdhon hyra aelc anne bitan of dham +gelaeccan. Tha cwaedh an his leorning-cnihta, se h['a]tte Andreas, Petres +brodhor, Her byrdh ['a]n cnapa fif berene hlafas, and twegen fixas, ac to +hw['a]n maeg thaet to swa micclum werode? Tha cwaedh se Haelend, Dodh thaet +thaet folc sitte. And thaer waes micel g['ae]rs on dhaere stowe myrige on +to sittenne. And h['i] dha ealle saeton, swa swa mihte beon f['i]f dhusend +wera. Dha genam se Haelend tha f['i]f hl['a]fas, and bletsode, and tobraec, +and todaelde betwux dham sittendum: swa gel['i]ce eac tha fixas todaelde; +and h['i] ealle genoh haefdon. Thadha h['i] ealle fulle waeron, dha cwaedh +se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, Gaderiadh tha lafe, and h['i] ne +losion. And hi dha gegaderodon dha bricas, and gefyldon twelf wilian mid +dhaere lafe. Thaet folc, dha dhe dhis tacen geseah, cwaedh thaet Crist +waere sodh witega, sedhe waes toweard to dhisum middangearde." + +Seo s['ae], the se Haelend oferferde, getacnadh thas andweardan woruld, to +dhaere com Crist and oferferde; thaet is, he com to dhisre worulde on +menniscnysse, and dhis lif oferferde; he com to deadhe, and of deadhe aras; +and astah up on ane dune, and thaer saet mid his leorning-cnihtum, fordhon +dhe he astah up to heofenum, and thaer sitt nudha mid his halgum. Rihtlice +is seo s['ae] widhmeten thisre worulde, fordhon dhe heo is hw['i]ltidum +smylte and myrige ['o]n to rowenne, hwilon eac swidhe hreoh and egeful on +to beonne. Swa is theos woruld; hw['i]ltidum heo is gesundful and myrige on +to wunigenne, hwilon heo is eac swidhe styrnlic, and mid mislicum thingum +{184} gemenged, swa thaet heo for oft bidh swidhe unwynsum on to +eardigenne. Hwilon we beodh hale, hwilon untrume; nu blidhe, and eft on +micelre unblisse; fordhy is this l['i]f, swa swa we aer cwaedon, thaere +s['ae] widhmeten. + +Tha se Haelend gesaet up on dhaere dune, dha ah['o]f h['e] up his eagan, +and ges['e]h thaet dhaer waes micel mennisc toweard. Ealle tha dhe him to +cumadh, thaet is dha dhe bugadh to rihtum geleafan, tha gesihdh se Haelend, +and tham h['e] gemiltsadh, and hyra mod onliht mid his gife, thaet h['i] +magon him to cuman butan gedwylde, and dham h['e] forgifdh dhone gastlican +fodan, thaet h['i] ne ateorian be wege. Thadha he axode Philippum, hwanon +h['i] mihton hl['a]f dham folce gebicgan, dha geswutelode h['e] Philippes +nytennysse. Wel wiste Crist hwaet h['e] d['o]n wolde, and he wiste thaet +Philippus thaet nyste. Dha cwaedh Andreas, thaet an cnapa thaer baere fif +berene hlafas and twegen fixas. Tha cwaedh se Haelend, "Dodh thaet thaet +folc sitte," and swa fordhon swa we eow aer rehton. Se Haelend geseh thaet +hungrige folc, and h['e] h['i] mildheortlice fedde, aegdher ge thurh his +g['o]dnysse ge thurh his mihte. Hwaet mihte seo g['o]dnys ana, buton dhaer +waere miht mid thaere g['o]dnysse? His discipuli woldon eac thaet folc +fedan, ac h['i] naefdon mid hwam. Se Haelend haefde thone g['o]dan willan +to dham fostre, and tha mihte to dhaere fremminge. + +Fela wundra worhte God, and daeghwamlice wyrcdh; ac dha wundra sind swidhe +aw['a]code on manna gesihdhe, fordhon dhe h['i] sind swidhe gewunelice. +Mare wundor is thaet God Aelmihtig aelce daeg f['e]t ealne middangeard, and +gewissadh tha g['o]dan, thonne thaet wundor waere, thaet he tha gefylde fif +dhusend manna mid fif hlafum: ac dhaes wundredon men, na fordhi thaet hit +mare wundor waere, ac fordhi thaet hit waes ungewunelic. Hwa syldh nu +waestm urum aecerum, and gemenigfylt thaet gerip of feawum cornum, buton se +dhe dha gemaenigfylde dha fif hlafas? Seo miht waes dha on Cristes handum, +and tha fif hlafas waeron swylce hit saed waere, na on eordhan besawen, ac +gemenigfyld fram dham dhe eordhan geworhte. + +{186} This wundor is swidhe micel, and deop on getacnungum. Oft gehwa +gesihdh faegre stafas awritene, thonne heradh he dhone writere and tha +stafas, and nat hwaet hi maenadh. Se dhe cann dhaera stafa gescead, he +heradh heora faegernysse, and raed tha stafas, and understent hwaet h['i] +gemaenadh. On odhre wisan we sceawiadh metinge, and on odhre wisan stafas. +Ne gaedh na mare to metinge buton thaet thu hit geseo and herige: nis na +gen['o]h thaet thu stafas sceawige, buton dhu h['i] eac raede, and thaet +andgit understande. Swa is eac on dham wundre the God worhte mid tham fif +hlafum: ne bidh na gen['o]h thaet we thaes tacnes wundrian, oththe thurh +thaet God herian, buton we eac thaet gastlice andgit understandon. + +Tha fif hlafas dhe se cnapa baer getacniadh tha fif b['e]c dhe Moyses se +heretoga sette on dhaere ealdan ['ae]. Se cnapa dhe hi baer, and heora ne +onbyrigde, waes thaet Iudeisce folc, dhe dha fif b['e]c raeddon, and ne +cudhe thaeron nan gastlic andgit, aerdhan dhe Crist com, and tha b['e]c +geopenode, and hyra gastlice andgit onwreah his leorning-cnihtum, and hi +sidhdhan eallum cristenum folce. We ne magon nu ealle tha fif b['e]c +areccan, ac we secgadh eow thaet God sylf hi dihte, and Moyses h['i] +awr['a]t, to steore and to lare dham ealdan folce Israhel, and eac ['u]s on +gastlicum andgite. Tha b['e]c waeron awritene be Criste, ac thaet gastlice +andgit waes tham folce digle, odh thaet Crist sylf com to mannum, and +geopenede thaera boca digelnysse, aefter gastlicum andgite. + +Alii euangelistae ferunt, quia panes et pisces Dominus discipulis +distribuisset, discipuli autem ministrauerunt turbis. He tobr['ae]c dha fif +hlafas and sealde his leorning-cnihtum, and het beran dham folce; fordhon +the h['e] taehte him dha gastlican l['a]re: and h['i] ferdon geond ealne +middangeard, and bodedon, swa swa him Crist sylf taehte. Mid tham dhe h['e] +tobraec dha hlafas, tha waeron h['i] gemenigfylde, and weoxon him on +handum; fordhon dhe dha f['i]f b['e]c wurdon gastlice asmeade, and wise +{188} lareowas h['i] trahtnodon, and setton of dham bocum manega odhre +b['e]c; and we mid thaera boca lare beodh daeghwonlice gastlice gereordode. + +Tha hl['a]fas waeron berene. Bere is swidhe earfodhe to gearcigenne, and +theah-hwaedhere fet dhone mann, thonne h['e] gearo bidh. Swa waes seo ealde +['ae] swidhe earfodhe and digle to understandenne; ac dheah-hwaedhere, +thonne we cumadh to dham smedman, thaet is to dhaere getacnunge, thonne +gereordadh heo ure mod, and gestr['a]ngadh mid thaere diglan lare. Fif +hlafas dhaer waeron, and fif dhusend manna thaer waeron gereordode; fordhan +dhe thaet Iudeisce folc waes underdheodd Godes ['ae], dhe st['o]d on fif +bocum awriten. Thadha Crist axode Philippum, and he his afandode, swa swa +we aer raeddon, tha getacnode he mid thaere acsunge thaes folces +nytennysse, the waes under dhaere ['ae], and ne cudhe thaet gastlice +andgit, dhe on dhaere ['ae] bediglod waes. + +Dha twegen fixas get['a]cnodon sealm-sang and dhaera witegena cwydas. An +dhaera gecydde and bodode Cristes to-cyme mid sealm-sange, and odher mid +witegunge. Nu sind tha twa gesetnyssa, thaet is sealm-sang and witegung, +swylce h['i] syflinge waeron to dham f['i]f berenum hlafum, thaet is, to +dham f['i]f ['ae]licum bocum. Thaet folc, the dhaer gereordode, s['ae]t +['u]p on dham gaerse. Thaet gaers getacnode flaesclice gewilnunge, swa swa +se witega cwaedh, "Aelc flaesc is gaers, and thaes flaesces wuldor is +swilce wyrta blostm." Nu sceal gehw['a], sedhe wile sittan aet Godes +gereorde, and brucan thaere gastlican lare, oftredan thaet gaers and +ofsittan, thaet is, thaet he sceal dha flaesclican lustas gewyldan, and his +lichaman to Godes theowdome symle geb['i]gan. + +Thaer waeron getealde aet dham gereorde fif dhusend wera; fordhon the dha +menn, the to dham gastlican gereorde belimpadh, sceolon beon werlice +geworhte, swa swa se apostol cwaedh; he cwaedh, "Beodh wacole, and standadh +on geleafan, and onginnadh werlice, and beodh gehyrte." Dheah gif wifmann +bidh werlice geworht, and strang to Godes willan, heo bidh thonne geteald +to dham werum the aet Godes mysan sittadh. Thusend getel bidh fulfremed, +and ne astihdh n['a]n getel ofer thaet. Mid {190} tham getele bidh +get['a]cnod seo fulfremednys dhaera manna dhe gereordiadh heora sawla mid +Godes l['a]re. + +"Se Haelend het tha gegadrian tha l['a]fe, thaet h['i] losian ne sceoldon; +and h['i] dha gefyldon twelf wilion mid tham bricum." Dha l['a]fe dhaes +gereordes, thaet sind dha deopnyssa dhaere l['a]re the worold-men +understandan ne magon, tha sceolon dha lareowas gegaderian, thaet h['i] ne +losian, and healdan on heora faetelsum, thaet is, on heora heortan, and +habban aefre gearo, to teonne fordh thone wisdom and dha lare aegdher ge +dhaere ealdan ['ae] ge dhaere niwan. H['i] dha gegaderodon twelf wilian +fulle mid tham bricum. Thaet twelffealde getel getacnode tha twelf +apostolas; fordhan the h['i] underfengon tha digelnyssa thaere l['a]re, dhe +thaet laewede folc undergitan ne mihte. + +"Thaet folc, dha the thaet wundor geseah, cwaedon be Criste, thaet he waere +sodh w['i]tega, dhe toweard waes." Sodh h['i] saedon, sumera dhinga: +w['i]tega h['e] waes, fordhan dhe h['e] wiste ealle towearde thing, and eac +fela dhing w['i]tegode, dhe beodh gefyllede butan twyn. He is witega, and +he is ealra witegena witegung, fordhan dhe ealle w['i]tegan be him +witegodon, and Crist gefylde heora ealra witegunga. Thaet folc geseah dha +thaet wundor, and h['i] dhaes swidhe wundredon. Thaet wundor is awriten, +and we hit gehyrdon. Thaet dhe on him heora eagan gedydon, thaet dedh ure +geleafa on ['u]s. H['i] hit gesawon, and we his gelyfadh the hit ne +gesawon; and we sind fordhi beteran getealde, swa swa se Haelend be ['u]s +on odhre stowe cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha the me ne geseodh, and hi +hwaedhere gelyfadh on me, and mine wundra maersiadh." + +Thaet folc cwaedh dha be Criste, thaet he waere sodh witega. Nu cwedhe we +be Criste, thaet he is dhaes Lifigendan Godes Sunu, sedhe waes toweard to +alysenne ealne middangeard fram deofles anwealde, and fram helle-w['i]te. +Thaet folc ne cudhe dhaera goda, thaet h['i] cwaedon, thaet he God waere, +ac saedon, thaet he witega waere. We cwedhadh nu, mid fullum geleafan, +thaet Crist is sodh witega, and ealra witegena Witega, and thaet he is +sodhlice dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, ealswa mihtig swa his Faeder, {192} +mid dham h['e] leofadh and rixadh on annysse dhaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] +butan ende on ecnysse. Amen. + +MIDLENT SUNDAY. + + Abiit Jesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua. + +"Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is called of Tiberias, and a +great multitude followed him, because they {183} had seen the miracles +which he had wrought on the diseased men. Then Jesus went up into a +mountain, and there sat with his disciples, and the holy Easter-tide was +then very nigh. Jesus then looked up, and saw that there was a great +multitude coming, and said to one of his disciples, who was called Philip, +With what can we buy bread for this people? This he said to prove the +disciple: himself knew what he would do. Then Philip answered, Though two +hundred pennyworth of bread were bought, yet could not every one of them +get a morsel. Then said one of his disciples, who was called Andrew, +Peter's brother, Here beareth a lad five barley loaves, and two fishes, but +what is that for so great a multitude? Then said Jesus, Make the people +sit. And there was much grass on the place pleasant to sit on: and they +then all sat, about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the five loaves, and +blessed, and brake, and divided them among those sitting: in like manner +also he divided the fishes; and they all had enough. When they all were +full, Jesus said to his disciples, Gather the remainder, and let it not be +lost. And they gathered the fragments, and filled twelve baskets with the +remainder. The people, who saw this miracle, said that Christ was the true +prophet who was to come to this world." + +The sea which Jesus passed over betokeneth this present world, which Christ +came to and passed over; that is he came to this world in human nature, and +passed over this life; he came to death, and from death arose; and went up +on a mountain, and there sat with his disciples, for he ascended to heaven, +and there sits now with his saints. Rightly is the sea compared to this +world, for it is sometimes serene and pleasant to navigate on, sometimes +also very rough and terrible to be on. So is this world; sometimes it is +desirable and pleasant to dwell in, sometimes also it is very rugged, and +mingled with divers things, so that it is too {185} often very unpleasant +to inhabit. Sometimes we are hale, sometimes sick; now joyful, and again in +great affliction; therefore is this life, as we before said, compared to +the sea. + +When Jesus was sitting on the mountain, he lifted up his eyes, and saw that +there was a great multitude coming. All those who come to him, that is +those who incline to the right faith, Jesus sees, and on them he has pity, +and enlightens their understanding with his grace, that they may come to +him without error, and to these he gives ghostly food, that they may not +faint by the way. When he asked Philip, whence they could buy bread for the +people, he showed Philip's ignorance. Well Christ knew what he would do, +and he knew that Philip knew not. Then said Andrew, that a lad there bare +five barley loaves and two fishes. Then said Jesus, "Make the people sit," +and so on, as we have before repeated it to you. Jesus saw the hungry +people, and he compassionately fed them, both by his goodness and by his +might. What could his goodness alone have done, unless there had been might +with that goodness? His disciples would also have fed the people, but they +had not wherewithal. Jesus had the good will to nourish them, and the power +to execute it. + +God hath wrought many miracles and daily works; but those miracles are much +weakened in the sight of men, because they are very usual. A greater +miracle it is that God Almighty every day feeds all the world, and directs +the good, than that miracle was, that he filled five thousand men with five +loaves: but men wondered at this, not because it was a greater miracle, but +because it was unusual. Who now gives fruit to our fields, and multiplies +the harvest from a few grains of corn, but he who multiplied the five +loaves? The might was there in Christ's hands, and the five loaves were, as +it were, seed, not sown in the earth, but multiplied by him who created the +earth. + +{187} This miracle is very great, and deep in its significations. Often +some one sees fair characters written, then praises he the writer and the +characters, but knows not what they mean. He who understands the art of +writing praises their fairness, and reads the characters, and comprehends +their meaning. In one way we look at a picture, and in another at +characters. Nothing more is necessary for a picture than that you see and +praise it: but it is not enough to look at characters without, at the same +time, reading them, and understanding their signification. So also it is +with regard to the miracle which God wrought with the five loaves: it is +not enough that we wonder at the miracle, or praise God on account of it, +without also understanding its spiritual sense. + +The five loaves which the lad bare, betoken the five books which the leader +Moses appointed in the old law. The lad who bare them, and tasted not of +them, was the Jewish people, who read the five books, and knew therein no +spiritual signification, before Christ came, and opened the books, and +disclosed their spiritual sense to his disciples, and they afterwards to +all christian people. We cannot now enumerate to you all the five books, +but we will tell you that God himself dictated them, and that Moses wrote +them, for the guidance and instruction of the ancient people of Israel, and +of us also in a spiritual sense. These books were written concerning +Christ, but the spiritual sense was hidden from the people, until Christ +came himself to men, and opened the secrets of the books, according to the +spiritual sense. + +Alii evangelistae ferunt, quia panes et pisces Dominus discipulis +distribuisset, discipuli autem ministraverunt turbis. He brake the five +loaves and gave to his disciples, and bade them bear them to the people; +for he taught them the heavenly lore: and they went throughout all the +world, and preached, as Christ himself had taught. When he had broken the +loaves then were they multiplied, and grew in his hands; for the five books +were spiritually devised, and wise doctors {189} expounded them, and +founded on those books many other books; and we with the doctrine of those +books are daily spiritually fed. + +The loaves were of barley. Barley is very difficult to prepare, and, +nevertheless, feeds a man when it is prepared. So was the old law very +difficult and obscure to understand; but, nevertheless, when we come to the +flour, that is to the signification, then it feeds and strengthens our mind +with the hidden lore. There were five loaves, and there were five thousand +men fed; because the Jewish people was subject to God's law, which stood +written in five books. When Christ asked Philip, and proved him, as we +before read, by that asking he betokened the people's ignorance, who were +under that law, and knew not the spiritual sense which was concealed in +that law. + +The two fishes betokened the Psalms and the sayings of the prophets. The +one of these announced and proclaimed Christ's advent with psalm-singing, +and the other with prophecy, as if they were meat to the five barley +loaves, that is, to the five legal books. The people, who were there fed, +sat on the grass. The grass betokened fleshly desire, as the prophet said, +"Every flesh is grass, and the glory of the flesh is as the blossom of +plants." Now should everyone who will sit at God's refection, and partake +of spiritual instruction, tread and press down the grass, that is, he +should overpower his fleshly lusts, and ever dispose his body to the +service of God. + +There were counted at that refection five thousand males; because those men +who belong to the spiritual refection should be manfully made, as the +apostle said; he said, "Be watchful, and stand on faith, and undertake +manfully, and be bold." Though if a woman be manly by nature, and strong to +God's will, she will be counted among the men who sit at the table of God. +Thousand is a perfect number, and no number extends beyond it. With that +number is betokened the {191} perfection of those men who nourish their +souls with God's precepts. + +"Jesus then bade the remainder to be gathered, that it might not be lost; +and they filled twelve baskets with the fragments." The remainder of the +refection, that is the depth of the doctrine, which secular men may not +understand, that should our teachers gather, that it may not be lost, and +preserve in their scrips, that is, in their hearts, and have ever ready to +draw forth the wisdom and doctrine both of the old law and of the new. They +gathered then twelve baskets full of the fragments. The twelvefold number +betokened the twelve apostles; because they received the mysteries of the +doctrine, which the lay folk could not understand. + +"The people, who saw that miracle, said of Christ, that he was the true +prophet who was to come." In one sense they said the truth: he was a +prophet, for he knew all future things, and also prophesied many things +which will, without doubt, be fulfilled. He is a prophet, and he is the +prophecy of all prophets, for all the prophets have prophesied of him, and +Christ has fulfilled the prophecies of them all. The people saw the +miracle, and they greatly wondered at it. That miracle is recorded, and we +have heard it. What their eyes did in them, that does our faith in us. They +saw it, and we believe it, who saw it not; and we are therefore accounted +the better, as Jesus, in another place, said of us, "Blessed are they who +see me not, and, nevertheless, believe in me, and celebrate my miracles." + +The people said of Christ, that he was a true prophet. Now we say of +Christ, that he is Son of the Living God, who was to come to redeem the +whole world from the power of the devil, and from hell-torment. The people +knew not of those benefits, that they might have said that he was God, but +they said that he was a prophet. We say now, with full belief, that Christ +is a true prophet, and Prophet of all prophets, and that he is truly Son of +the Almighty God, as mighty {193} as his Father, with whom he liveth and +reigneth in unity of the Holy Ghost, ever without end to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +VIII. K[=L]. APRI[=L]. + +ANNUNCIATIO [=S]. MARIAE. + + Missus est Gabrihel Angelas: et reliqua. + +Ure se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe ealle gesceafta, buton aelcon antimbre, +thurh his wisdom gesceop, and thurh his willan gel['i]ffaeste, h['e] +gesceop mancynn to dhi thaet h['i] sceoldon mid gehyrsumnysse and +eadmodnysse dha heofenlican gedhincdhe geearnigan, the se deofol mid +ofermettum forwyrhte. Tha weardh eac se mann mid deofles lotwrencum +bepaeht, swa thaet he tobraec his Scyppendes bebod, and weardh deofle +betaeht, and eal his ofspring into helle-wite. Dha dheah-hwaedhere ofdhuhte +dham Aelmihtigum Gode ealles mancynnes yrmdha, and smeade hu he mihte his +hand-geweorc of deofles anwealde alysan; fordhi him ofhreow thaes mannes, +fordhon dhe h['e] waes bepaeht mid thaes deofles searo-craeftum. Ac him ne +ofhreow na dhaes deofles hryre; fordhan dhe h['e] naes thurh nane tihtinge +forlaered, ac h['e] sylf asmeade dha up-ahefednysse the he dhurh ahreas; +and he fordhi ['a] on ecnysse wunadh on forwyrde waelraew deofol. + +Tha fram frymdhe mancynnes cydde se Aelmihtiga God, hwilon dhurh +getacnunga, hwilon dhurh witegunga, thaet he wolde mancynn ahreddan thurh +dhone the he ealle gesceafta mid geworhte, dhurh his agen Bearn. Nu waeron +dha witegunga swidhe menigfealdlice gesette on halgum gewritum, aerdham dhe +se Godes Sunu menniscnysse underfenge. Sume waeron eac be dhaere eadigan +Marian gewitegode. An dhaera witegunga is Isaiae, se awr['a]t betwux his +witegungum, thus cwedhende, "Efne sceal maeden geeacnian on hire innodhe, +and acennan Sunu, and his nama bidh gec['i]ged Emmanuhel," thaet is gereht +{194} on urum gedheode, 'God is mid us.' Eft Ezechihel se witega geseah on +his witegunge ['a]n belocen geat on Godes huse, and him cwaedh to sum +engel, "This geat ne bidh nanum menn geopenod, ac se Hlaford ana faerdh inn +thurh thaet geat, and eft ['u]t faerdh, and hit bidh belocen on ecnysse." +Thaet beclysede geat on Godes huse getacnode thone halgan maeigdhhad thaere +eadigan Marian. Se Hlaford, ealra hlaforda Hlaford, thaet is Crist, becom +on hire innodh, and dhurh h['i] on menniscnysse weardh acenned, and thaet +geat bidh belocen on ecnysse; thaet is, thaet Maria waes maeden aer dhaere +cenninge, and maeden on dhaere cenninge, and maeden aefter dhaere cenninge. + +Tha witegunga be Cristes acennednysse and be dhaere eadigan Marian +maegdhhade sindon swidhe menigfealdlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae] gesette, and +se dhe h['i] asmeagan wile, thaer he h['i] afint mid micelre +genihtsumnysse. Eac se apostol Paulus cwaedh, "Thatha dhaera t['i]da +gefyllednys com, dha sende God Faeder his Sunu to mancynnes alysednysse." +Seo wurdhfulle s['a]nd weardh on dhisum daege gefylled, swa swa Cristes boc +us gewissadh, thus cwedhende, "Godes heah-engel, Gabrihel, waes asend fram +Gode to dhaere Galileiscan byrig Nazareth, to dham maedene the waes Maria +gehaten, and heo asprang of Dauides cynne, thaes maran cyninges, and heo +waes beweddod tham rihtwisan Iosepe:" et reliqua. + +Ure alysednysse anginn we gehyrdon on dhisre daegtherlican raedinge, thurh +dha we awurpon tha derigendlican ealdnysse, and we sind getealde betwux +Godes bearnum, thurh Cristes flaesclicnysse. Swidhe thaeslic anginn +menniscre alysednysse waes thaet tha se engel weardh asend fram Gode to +dham maedene, to cydhenne Godes acennednysse thurh h['i]; fordhan dhe se +forma intinga mennisces forwyrdes waes, thatha se deofol asende odherne +deofol, on naeddran anlicnysse, to dham frumsceapenan w['i]fe Euan, h['i] +to beswicenne. Us becom dha deadh and forwyrd thurh w['i]f, and us becom +eft lif and hredding thurh wimman. + +Se heah-engel, the cydde thaes Haelendes acennednysse, waes {196} gehaten +Gabrihel, thaet is gereht, 'Godes strengdh,' thone he bodode toweardne, the +se sealm-sceop mid thisum wordum herede, "Drihten is strang and mihtig on +gefeohte." On dham gefeohte, butan tweon, the se Haelend deofol oferwann, +and middangeard him aetbraed. + +"Maria waes beweddod Iosepe dham rihtwisan." Hw['i] wolde God beon acenned +of beweddodan maedene? For micclum gesceade, and eac for neode. Thaet +Iudeisce folc heold Godes ['ae] on tham timan: seo ['ae] taehte, thaet man +sceolde aelcne wimman the cild haefde butan rihtre aewe staenan. Nu dhonne, +gif Maria unbeweddod waere, and cild haefde, thonne wolde thaet Iudeisce +folc, aefter Godes ['ae], mid stanum h['i] oftorfian. Dha waes heo, dhurh +Godes foresceawunge, tham rihtwisan were beweddod, and gehw['a] wende thaet +he dhaes cildes faeder waere, ac he naes. Ac dhadha Ioseph undergeat thaet +Maria mid cilde waes, tha weardh he dreorig, and nolde hire genealaecan, ac +dhohte thaet he wolde h['i] diglice forlaetan. Thadha Ioseph this smeade, +tha com him to Godes engel, and bebead him, thaet sceolde habban gymene +aegdher ge dhaere meder ge thaes cildes, and cwaedh, thaet thaet cild naere +of nanum men gestryned, ac waere of tham Halgan Gaste. Nis na hwaedhere se +Halga Gast Cristes Faeder, ac h['e] is genemned to dhaere fremminge Cristes +menniscnysse; fordhan dhe he is Willa and Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna. +Nu weardh seo menniscnys thurh thone micclan Willan gefremmed, and is +dheah-hwaedhere heora Dhreora weorc untodaeledlic. Hi sind thry on +h['a]dum, Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, and an God untodaeledlic on +anre godcundnysse. Ioseph dha, swa swa him se engel bebead, haefde gymene +aegdher ge Marian ge dhaes cildes, and waes hyre gewita thaet heo maeden +waes, and waes Cristes fostor-faeder, and mid his fultume and frofre on +gehwilcum dhingum him dhenode on dhaere menniscnysse. + +Se engel grette Marian, and cwaedh, thaet heo waere mid Godes gife afylled, +and thaet hyre waes God mid, and heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum. Sodhlice +heo waes mid Godes gife {198} afylled, fordhon dhe hire waes getidhod thaet +heo dhone ab['ae]r the astealde ealle gifa and ealle sodhfaestnyssa. God +waes mid hire, fordhan dhe he waes on hire innodhe belocen, sedhe belicdh +ealne middangeard on his anre handa. And heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum, +fordhan dhe heo, butan wiflicre bysnunge, mid wlite hyre maegdhh['a]des, +waes modor thaes Aelmihtigan Godes. + +Se engel gehyrte h['i] mid his wordum, and cwaedh hire to, "Efne dhu scealt +geeacnian on dhinum innodhe, and thu acenst sunu." Oncnawadh nu, thurh thas +word, sodhne mannan acennedne of maedenlicum lichaman. His nama waes +Hiesus, thaet is Haelend, fordhan dhe h['e] gehaeldh ealle dha the on hine +rihtlice gelyfadh. "Thes bidh m['ae]re, and he bidh gec['i]ged Sunu thaes +Hexstan." Gelyfadh nu, thurh dhas w['o]rd, thaet he is sodh God of sodhum +Gode, and efen-ece his Faeder, of dham he waes aefre acenned butan anginne. +Crist heold Dauides cynesetl, na lichamlice ac gastlice; fordhan dhe he is +ealra cyninga Cyning, and rixadh ofer his gecorenan menn, aegdher ge ofer +Israhela folc ge ofer ealle odhre leodscipas, dha dhe on rihtum geleafan +wuniadh; and Crist h['i] ealle gebrincdh to his ecan rice. Israhel is +gecweden, 'God geseonde,' and Iacob is gecweden, 'Forscrencend.' Nu dha men +dhe God geseodh mid heora mode thurh geleafan, and tha dhe leahtras +forscrencadh, h['i] belimpadh to Godes r['i]ce, the naefre ne ateoradh. + +Tha cwaedh Maria to dham engle, "H['u] maeg thaet beon thaet ic cild +haebbe, fordhan dhe ic nanes weres ne bruce? Ic geteohode min lif on +maegdhhade to geendigenne: hu maeg hit dhonne gewurdhan thaet ic, butan +weres gemanan, cennan scyle?" Tha andwyrde se engel dham maedene, "Se Halga +Gast cymdh ufen on dhe, and miht dhaes Hyhstan ofersceadewadh dhe." Thurh +dhaes Halgan Gastes fremminge, swa swa we aer cwaedon, weardh Crist acenned +on dhaere menniscnysse; and Maria his modor waes ofersceadewed dhurh mihte +thaes Halgan Gastes. Hu waes heo ofersceadewod? Heo waes swa ofersceadewod +thaet heo waes geclaensod and gescyld widh ealle leahtras, thurh {200} +mihte dhaes Halgan Gastes, and mid heofenlicum gifum gefylled and gehalgod. + +Se engel cwaedh, "Thaet Halige, the of dhe bidh acenned, bidh geciged Godes +Sunu." Witodlice ealle menn beodh, swa swa se witega cwaedh, mid +unrihtwisnysse geeacnode, and mid synnum acennede, ac ure Haelend ana waes +geeacnod butan unrihtwisnysse, and butan synnum acenned; and he waes halig +thaerrihte swa hradhe swa h['e] mann waes, and fulfremed God, thaes +Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, on anum hade mann and God. Dha cwaedh Maria to dham +engle, "Ic eom Godes dhinen; getimige me aefter dhinum worde." Micel +eadmodnys wunode on hyre mode, thatha heo dhus cleopode. Ne cwaedh heo na, +Ic eom Godes modor, odhdhe, Ic eom cwen ealles middangeardes, ac cwaedh, +"Ic eom Godes thinen;" swa swa us mynegadh thaet halige gewrit, thus +cwedhende, "Thonne dhu maere sy, geeadmed the sylfne on eallum dhingum, and +dhu gemetst gife and lean mid Gode." Heo cwaedh to dham engle, "Getimige me +aefter dhinum worde:" thaet is, Gewurdhe hit swa dhu segst, thaet dhaes +Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu becume on minne innodh, and mennisce edwiste of me +genime, and to alysednysse middangeardes fordhstaeppe of m['e], swa swa +brydguma of his brydbedde. + +Thus becom ure Haelend on Marian innodh on thissum daege, dhe is gehaten +ANNUNTIATIO SANCTAE MARIAE, thaet is, Marian bodung-daeg gecweden; on tham +daege bodode se heah-engel Gabrihel dham claenum maedene Godes to-cyme to +mannum dhurh h['i], and heo gelyfde thaes engles bodunge, and swa mid +geleafan onfeng God on hyre innodh, and hine baer odh middewintres +maesse-daeg, and hine dha acende mid sodhre menniscnysse, sedhe aefre waes +wunigende on godcundnysse mid his Faeder, and mid tham Halgan Gaste, hi +dhry an God untodaeledlic. + +Nu seigdh se godspellere, thaet Maria ferde, aefter thaes engles bodunge, +to hire magan Elisabeth, seo waes Zacharian wif. H['i] butu waeron +rihtwise, and heoldon Godes beboda untaellice. {202} Dha waeron h['i] butan +cilde, odhthaet h['i] waeron forwerede menn. Dha com se ylca engel Gabrihel +to Zacharian syx mondhum aerdhan dhe h['e] come to Marian, and cydde thaet +he sceolde be his ealdan wife sunu habban, Iohannem dhone Fulluhtere. Tha +weardh he ungeleafful thaes engles bodungum. Se engel dha him cwaedh to, +"Nu dhu nylt gelyfan minum wordum, beo dhu dumb odhthaet thaet cild beo +acenned." And he dha adumbode on eallum dham fyrste, for his +ungeleaffulnysse. "Nu com dha seo eadige Maria to his huse, and grette his +w['i]f, hyre magan, Elisabeth. Dha mid tham the thaet w['i]f gehyrde thaes +maedenes gretinge, dha blissode thaet cild Iohannes on his modor innodhe, +and seo moder weardh afylled mid tham Halgan Gaste, and heo clypode to +Marian mid micelre stemne, and cwaedh, Thu eart gebletsod betwux wifum, and +gebletsod is se waestm thines innodhes. Hu getimode me thaet mines Drihtnes +moder wolde cuman to me? Efne mid tham the seo stefn dhinre gretinge swegde +on m['i]num earum, dha blissode min cild on minum innodhe, and hoppode +ongean his Drihten, the thu berst on dhinum innodhe." + +Thaet cild ne mihte na dha-gyt mid wordum his Haelend gegretan, ac he +gegrette hine mid blissigendum mode. Heo cwaedh, "Eadig eart dhu, Maria, +fordhon dhe thu gelyfdest tham wordum dhe the fram Gode gebodode waeron, +and hit bidh gefremmed swa swa hit dhe gecydd waes." Dha sang Maria +thaerrihte dhone lofsang the we singadh on Godes cyrcan, aet aelcum +aefensange, "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," and fordh odh ende. Thaet is, +"Min sawul maersadh Drihten:" et reliqua. Langsum hit bidh thaet we ealne +thisne lofsang ofertrahtnian; ac we wylladh scortlice oferyrnan dha +digelystan word. "God awearp dha rican of setle:" thaet sind dha modigan +dhe h['i] onhebbadh ofer heora maedhe. "And he ahof dha eadmodan;" swa swa +Crist sylf cwaedh on his godspelle, "Aelc dhaera the hine onhefdh, he sceal +beon geeadmet; and se dhe hine geeadmet, he sceal beon ahafen." + +"God gefyldh tha hingrigendan mid his godum;" swa swa {204} he sylf cwaedh, +"Eadige beodh tha the sind ofhingrode and oflyste rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe +h['i] sceolon beon gefyllede mid rihtwisnysse." "He forlet dha r['i]can +idele." Thaet sind dha r['i]can, tha dhe mid modignysse tha eordhlican +welan lufiadh swidhor thonne dha heofonlican. Fela riccra manna gedheodh +Gode, thaera dhe swa dodh swa swa hit awriten is, "Thaes r['i]can mannes +welan sind his sawle alysednyss." His welan beodh his sawle alysednyss, gif +h['e] mid tham gewitendlicum gestreonum beceapadh him thaet ece l['i]f, and +dha heofonlican welan mid Gode. Gif he dhis forgymeleasadh, and besett his +hiht on dham eordhlicum welan, thonne forlaet God hine idelne and aemtigne, +fram dham ecum godnyssum. + +"God underfeng his cnapan Israhel." Mid tham naman syndon getacnode ealle +dha the Gode gehyrsumiadh mid sodhre eadmodnysse, tha he underfehdh to his +werode. "Swa swa h['e] spraec to urum faederum, Abrahame and his ofspringe +on worulda." God behet dham heahfaedere Abrahame, thaet on his cynne +sceolde beon gebletsod eal mancynn. Of Abrahames cynne aspr['a]ng seo +gesaelige Maria, and of Mar['i]an com Crist, aefter dhaere menniscnysse, +and thurh Crist beodh ealle dha geleaffullan gebletsode. Ne synd we na +Abrahames cynnes flaesclice, ac gastlice, swa swa se apostol Paulus cwaedh, +"Witodlice, gif ge cristene synd, thonne beo ge Abrahames ofspring, and +yrfenuman aefter beh['a]te." Thaet aeftemyste word is dhises lofsanges, "On +worulda;" fordhan dhe ure beh['a]t, the us God behet, dhurhwunadh ['a] on +worulda woruld butan ende. + +Uton biddan nu thaet eadige and thaet gesaelige maeden Mar['i]an, thaet heo +us gedhingige to hyre agenum Suna and to hire Scyppende, Haelende Criste, +sedhe gewylt ealra dhinga mid Faeder and mid tham Halgum Gaste, ['a] on +ecnysse. Amen. + +MARCH XXV. + +THE ANNUNCIATION OF ST. MARY. + + Missus est Gabrihel Angelus: et reliqua. + +Our Almighty Creator, who created all creatures, without any matter through +his wisdom, and through his will animated them, he created mankind that +they might with obedience and humility merit those heavenly honours which +the devil through pride had forfeited. Then was man deceived by the devil's +wiles, so that he brake the command of his Creator, and was, with all his +offspring, delivered to the devil into hell-torment. Then, nevertheless, +the Almighty God was grieved for the miseries of all mankind, and he +meditated how he might redeem his handiwork from the power of the devil; +for he took pity on man, because he had been deceived by the wiles of the +devil. But he had no pity for the devil's fall, because he had not been +misled by any instigation, but had himself devised the presumption through +which he fell; and he therefore, to all eternity, dwelleth in perdition, a +bloodthirsty devil. + +Then from the beginning of mankind the Almighty God made known, sometimes +by signs, sometimes by prophecies, that he would redeem mankind through him +with whom he had made all creatures, through his own Son. Now there were +very many prophecies recorded in the holy writings, before the Son of God +assumed human nature. Some were prophesied of the blessed Mary. One of +these prophecies is of Isaiah, who wrote, among his prophecies, thus +saying, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and his +name shall be called Emanuel," that is interpreted in our {195} tongue, +_God is with us_. Also Ezechiel the prophet saw in his prophecy a closed +gate in the house of God, and an angel said to him, "This gate shall be +opened to no man, for the Lord only will go in by that gate, and again go +out, and it shall be shut for ever." That closed gate in the house of God +betokened the holy maidenhood of the blessed Mary. The Lord, of all lords +Lord, that is Christ, entered her womb, and through her was brought forth +in human nature, and that gate is shut for ever; that is, Mary was a virgin +before the birth, and a virgin at the birth, and a virgin after the birth. + +The prophecies of the birth of Christ and the virginity of the blessed Mary +are recorded very frequently in the old law, and he who searches will there +find them in great abundance. Also the apostle Paul said, "When the +fullness of times came, then God sent his Son for the redemption of +mankind." The glorious mission was on this day fulfilled, as the book of +Christ shows us, thus saying, "The archangel of God, Gabriel, was sent from +God to the Galilean city Nazareth, to the maiden who was called Mary, and +she sprang from the race of David, the great king, and she was wedded to +the righteous Joseph," etc. + +The beginning of our redemption we heard in this daily lecture, through +which we have cast off pernicious age, and are accounted among the children +of God, through Christ's incarnation. A very fitting beginning of human +redemption was that when the angel was sent from God to the virgin, to +announce the birth of God through her; because the first cause of man's +perdition was when the devil sent another devil, in likeness of a serpent, +to the first-created woman Eve, for the purpose of deceiving her. Death and +perdition befell us through a woman, and afterwards life and salvation came +to us through a woman. + +The archangel, who announced the birth of Christ, was {197} called Gabriel, +which is interpreted, _God's strength_, which he announced was to come, and +which the psalmist praised in these words, "The Lord is strong and mighty +in battle." In the battle, without doubt, in which Jesus overcame the +devil, and took from him the world. + +"Mary was wedded to the righteous Joseph." Why would God be born of a +wedded virgin? For a great reason, and also of necessity. The Jewish +people, at that time, held God's law: the old law directed, that every +woman who had a child out of lawful wedlock should be stoned. Now, +therefore, if Mary had been unmarried, and had a child, the Jewish people, +according to God's law, would have stoned her with stones. Therefore was +she, by the providence of God, married to that righteous man, and everyone +imagined that he was the child's father, but he was not. But when Joseph +understood that Mary was with child, he was sad, and would not approach +her, but thought that he would privily dismiss her. While Joseph was +meditating this God's angel came to him, and commanded him, that he should +have care both of the mother and of the child, and said, that the child was +of no man begotten, but was of the Holy Ghost. Yet is the Holy Ghost not +the father of Christ, but he is named to the accomplishment of Christ's +humanity; for he is the Will and Love of the Father and of the Son. Now the +humanity was effected through the Great Will, and is, nevertheless, the +indivisible work of the Three. They are three in persons, Father, and Son, +and Holy Ghost, and one God indivisible, in one Godhead. Joseph then, as +the angel had commanded him, had care both of Mary and of the child, and +was her witness that she was a virgin; and was Christ's foster-father, and +with his support and comfort served him in everything in his human state. + +The angel greeted Mary, and said, that she was filled with God's grace, and +that God was with her, and she was blessed among women. Verily she was +filled with God's grace, for {199} it was permitted her to bear him who +instituted all grace and all truth. God was with her, for he was shut in +her womb who compasses the whole earth with one hand. And she was blessed +among women, for she, without female example, with the beauty of +maidenhood, was mother of the Almighty God. + +The angel encouraged her with his words, and said to her, "Behold thou +shalt conceive, and thou shalt bear a Son." Acknowledge now, through these +words, a true man, born of a maiden body. His name was Jesus, that is +_Saviour_, for he shall save all those who rightly believe in him. "He +shall be great, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest." Believe +now, through these words, that he is true God of true God, and co-eternal +with his Father, of whom he was ever begotten without beginning. Christ +held David's throne, not bodily but spiritually, for he is king of all +kings, and ruleth over his chosen people, both over the people of Israel +and over all other nations which abide in the right faith; and Christ will +bring them all to his eternal kingdom. Israel is interpreted, _Seeing God_, +and Jacob is interpreted, _Withering_. Now those men who see God in their +mind, through faith, and those who wither up sins, they belong to God's +kingdom, which shall never fail. + +Then said Mary to the angel, "How may that be that I have a child, for I +have known no man? I had resolved to end my life in maidenhood: how can it +then be that I, without connexion with man, shall bring forth?" Then +answered the angel to the virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and +the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." Through the efficacy of +the Holy Ghost, as we before said, Christ was born in human nature; and +Mary his mother was overshadowed by the power of the Holy Ghost. How was +she overshadowed? She was so overshadowed that she was purified from, and +shielded against all {201} sins, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and with +heavenly grace filled and hallowed. + +The angel said, "The holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called +the Son of God." Verily all men are, as the prophet said, conceived in +iniquity and born in sins, but our Saviour alone was conceived without +iniquity, and born without sins; and he was holy as soon as he became man, +and perfect God, the Son of the Almighty God, in one person man and God. +Then said Mary to the angel, "I am God's handmaid; let it betide me +according to thy word." Great humility dwelt in her mind, when she thus +cried. She said not, I am the mother of God, or, I am queen of the whole +world, but said, "I am God's handmaid;" as the holy writ admonishes us, +thus saying, "When thou art great, humble thyself in all things, and thou +shalt find grace and reward with God." She said to the angel, "Let it +betide me according to thy word:" that is, Be it as thou sayst, that the +Son of the Almighty God enter my womb, and receive human substance from me, +and proceed from me, for the redemption of the world, as a bridegroom from +his bride-bed. + +Thus did our Saviour enter the womb of Mary on this day, which is called +Annunciatio Sanctae Mariae, which is interpreted, THE ANNUNCIATION-DAY OF +MARY; on which day the archangel Gabriel announced to the pure virgin the +advent of God to men through her, and she believed the angel's +announcement, and so with faith received God into her womb, and bare him +until midwinter's mass-day, and then brought him forth in true human +nature, who was ever dwelling in divine nature with his Father and the Holy +Ghost, those three one God indivisible. + +Now saith the evangelist, that Mary, after the annunciation of the angel, +went to her cousin Elizabeth, who was the wife of Zacharias. They were both +righteous, and held God's {203} commandments blamelessly. They were both +childless, till they were worn-out persons. But the same angel Gabriel came +to Zacharias six months before he came to Mary, and announced that he +should have a son by his aged wife, John the Baptist. But he believed not +the annunciation of the angel. The angel then said to him, "Since thou wilt +not believe my words, be thou dumb till the child shall be born." And he +was dumb during all that time for his disbelief. "Now came the blessed Mary +to his house, and greeted his wife Elizabeth, her cousin. When the woman +heard the virgin's greeting, the child John rejoiced in his mother's womb, +and the mother was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she cried to Mary with a +loud voice, and said, Thou art blessed among women, and blessed is the +fruit of thy womb. How hath it befallen me, that the mother of my Lord +should come to me? Lo, when the voice of thy greeting sounded in mine ears, +my child rejoiced in my womb, and leaped towards his Lord, whom thou +bearest in thy womb." + +The child could not yet with words greet his Lord, but he greeted him with +a rejoicing mind. She said, "Blessed art thou, Mary, for thou hast believed +the words that were announced to thee from God, and it shall be +accomplished so as it hath been declared to thee." Then forthwith Mary sang +the hymn which we sing in God's church at every evensong, "Magnificat anima +mea Dominum," and so forth to the end. That is "My soul magnifieth the +Lord," etc. It will be tedious for us to expound all this hymn, but we will +shortly run over its most obscure words. "God hath cast the mighty from +their seat:" these are the proud, who lift themselves above their degree. +"And he hath exalted the humble;" as Christ himself said in his gospel, +"Everyone who exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he who humbleth +himself shall be exalted." + +"God filleth the hungry with his good things;" as he {205} himself said, +"Blessed are they who are hungry and desirous of righteousness, for they +shall be filled with righteousness." "He hath sent the rich empty away." +Those are the rich, who with pride love earthly riches more than heavenly. +Many rich men thrive to God, those who do as it is written, "The rich man's +wealth is his soul's redemption." His wealth is his soul's redemption, if +he with those transitory treasures buy for himself eternal life, and +heavenly wealth with God. If he neglect this, and place his hope in earthly +wealth, then will God send him away void and empty, from everlasting good. + +"God hath received his servant Israel." By that name are betokened all +those who obey God with true humility, whom he receives into his company. +"As he spake to our fathers, Abraham and his offspring for ever." God +promised the patriarch Abraham, that in his race all mankind should be +blessed. From the race of Abraham sprang the blessed Mary, and from Mary +came Christ, according to his human nature, and through Christ shall all +the faithful be blessed. We are not of Abraham's race after the flesh, but +spiritually, as the apostle Paul said, "Verily if ye are christians, then +are ye of Abraham's offspring, and heirs according to the promise." The +last words of this hymn are "For ever;" because our promise, which God hath +promised to us, continueth for ever and ever without end. + +Let us now pray the blessed and happy Virgin Mary, that she intercede for +us to her own Son and Creator, Jesus Christ, who governs all things with +the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{206} IN DOMINICA PALMARUM. + + Cum adpropinquasset Iesus Hierosolimis, et uenisset Bethfage ad montem + Oliueti: et reliqua. + +Cristes dhrowung waes geraedd nu beforan ['u]s, ac we willadh eow secgan nu +['ae]rest h['u] h['e] com to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, and genealaehte his +agenum deadhe, and nolde dha throwunge mid fleame forbugan. + +"Se Haelend ferde to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, and dhadha h['e] genealaehte +dhaere dune Oliueti, tha sende he his twegen leorning-cnihtas, thus +cwedhende, G['a]dh to dhaere byrig the eow ongean is, and ge gem['e]tadh +thaerrihte get['i]gedne assan and his folan samod: untygadh h['i], and +laedadh to me:" et reliqua. + +Tham folce weardh cudh thaet se Haelend araerde lytle aer Lazarum of +deadhe, sedhe laeg stincende feower niht on byrgene: tha comon tha togeanes +Criste the geleaffulle waeron, mid tham wurdhmynte, swa we aer cwaedon. +Comon eac sume dha ungeleaffullan, mid nanum wurdhmynte, ac mid micclum +graman, swa swa Iohannes se Godspellere cwaedh, Thaet "dha heafod-menn +thaes folces smeadon betwux him thaet hi woldon ofslean thone Lazarum, the +Crist of deadhe awrehte; fordhan dhe manega dhaes folces menn gelyfdon on +thone Haelend, thurh dhaes deadan mannes aerist." We wylladh nu fon on +thone traht thissere raedinge. + +Tha twegen leorning-cnihtas the Crist sende aefter tham assan, h['i] +getacnodon tha l['a]reowas the God sende mancynne to laerenne. Twegen h['i] +waeron, for dhaere getacnunge the l['a]reow habban sceal. He sceal habban +lare, thaet he mage Godes folc mid wisdome laeran to rihtum geleafan, and +he sceal mid godum weorcum dham folce wel bysnian, and swa mid tham twam +dhingum, thaet is mid lare and godre bysnunge thaet laewede folc gebige +symle to Godes willan. + +Se get['i]geda assa and his fola getacniadh twa folc, thaet is Iudeisc and +haedhen: Ic cwedhe, haedhen, fordhi the eal mennisc waes dha-gyt wunigende +on haedhenscipe, buton tham anum {208} Iudeiscan folce, the heold tha +ealdan ['ae] on dham timan. H['i] waeron get['i]gede, fordhan dhe eal +mancyn waes mid synnum bebunden, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "Anra gehwilc +manna is gewridhen mid rapum his synna." Tha sende God his apostolas and +heora aeftergengan to gebundenum mancynne, and het h['i] unt['i]gan, and to +him laedan. H['u] untigdon hi dhone assan and thone folan? H['i] bodedon +dham folce rihtne geleafan and Godes beboda, and eac mid micclum wundrum +heora bodunge getrymdon. Tha abeah thaet folc fram deofles theowdome to +Cristes biggencum, and waeron alysede fram eallum synnum thurh thaet halige +fulluht, and to Criste gelaedde. + +Assa is stunt nyten, and unclaene, and toforan odhrum nytenum ungesceadwis, +and byrdhen-strang. Swa waeron men, aer Cristes to-cyme, stunte and +unclaene, dhadha h['i] dheowedon deofolgyldum and mislicum leahtrum, and +bugon to tham anlicnyssum the hi sylfe worhton, and him cwaedon to, "Thu +eart min God." And swa hwilce byrdhene swa him deofol on-besette, tha h['i] +baeron. Ac dhadha Crist com to mancynne, tha awende he ure stuntnysse to +ger['a]de, and ure unclaennysse to claenum dheawum. Se getemeda assa haefde +getacnunge thaes Iudeiscan folces, the waes getemed under thaere ealdan +['ae]. Se wilda fola haefde getacnunge ealles odhres folces, the waes +tha-gyt haedhen and ungetemed; ac h['i] wurdon getemede and geleaffulle +thatha Crist sende his leorning-cnihtas geond ealne middangeard, thus +cwedhende, "Faradh geond ealne middangeard, and laeradh ealle dheoda, and +fulliadh h['i] on naman thaes Faeder, and thaes Suna, and thaes Halgan +Gastes; and beodadh thaet hi healdon ealle dha beboda the ic eow taehte." + +Thaera assena hlaford axode, hw['i] h['i] untigdon his assan? Swa eac dha +heafod-men gehwilces leodscipes woldon thwyrlice widhcwedhan Godes bodunge. +Ac dhadha h['i] gesawon thaet tha bydelas gehaeldon, thurh Godes mihte, +healte and blinde, and dumbum spraece forgeafon, and eac dha deadan to life +araerdon, tha ne mihton h['i] widhstandan tham wundrum, ac bugon ealle +endemes to Gode. Cristes leorning-cnihtas cwaedon, "Se {210} Hlaford +beh['o]fadh thaera assena, and sent hi eft ongean." Ne cwaedon h['i] na Ure +Hlaford, ne Dhin Hlaford, ac fordhrihte, Hlaford; fordhon dhe Crist is +ealra hlaforda Hlaford, aegdher ge manna ge ealra gesceafta. Hi cwaedon, +"He sent h['i] eft ongean." We sind gemanode and geladhode to Godes rice, +ac we ne sind na genedde. Thonne we sind geladhode, thonne sind we +untigede; and dhonne we beodh forlaetene to urum agenum cyre, thonne bidh +hit swilce we beon ongean asende. Godes myldheortnys is thaet we untigede +syndon; ac gif we rihtlice lybbadh, thaet bidh aegdher ge Godes gifu ge eac +ure agen geornfulnyss. We sceolon symle biddan Drihtnes fultum, fordhan dhe +ure agen cyre naefdh naenne fordhgang, buton he beo gefyrdhrod thurh thone +Aelmihtigan. + +Ne het Crist him to laedan modigne stedan mid gyldenum geraedum +gefreatewodne, ac thone wacan assan he geceas him to byrdhre; fordhon the +he taehte symle eadmodnysse, and dhurh hine sylfne tha bysne sealde, and +dhus cwaedh, "Leorniadh aet me, thaet ic eom lidhe and swidhe eadmod, and +ge gemetadh reste eowrum sawlum." This waes gewitegod be Criste, and ealle +dha dhing the he dyde, aerdhan the he to men geboren waere. + +Si['o]n is an d['u]n, and heo is gecweden, 'Sceawung-stow;' and Hierusalem, +'Sibbe gesihdh.' Si['o]nes dohtor is seo geladhung geleaffulra manna, the +belimpdh to dhaere heofenlican Hierusalem, on thaere is symle sibbe +gesihdh, butan aelcere sace, to dhaere us gebrincdh se Haelend, gif we him +gelaestadh. + +Cristes leorning-cnihtas ledon hyra reaf uppan than assan, fordhan the +h['e] nolde on nacedum assan ridan. Reaf getacniadh rihtwisnysse weorc, swa +swa se w['i]tega cwaedh, "Drihten, thine sacerdas sind ymbscrydde mid +rihtwisnysse." Se nacoda assa bidh mid reafum gesadelod, dhonne se idela +man bidh mid wisra l['a]reowa mynegungum and gebisnungum to Godes handa +gefraetwod; and he dhonne byrdh Crist, swa swa se apostol cwaedh, "Ge sind +gebohte mid micclum wurdhe; wuldriadh fordhi, and beradh God on eowrum +lichaman." God we beradh on urum lichaman, fordhan dhe we beodh tempel and +{212} faetels thaes Halgan Gastes, gif we us widh fule leahtras gescyldadh: +be dham cwaedh se ylca apostol swidhe egeslice, "Se dhe gewemdh Godes +tempel, God hine fordedh." Se dhe ne bidh Godes tempel, he bidh deofles +tempel, and byrdh swidhe swaere byrdhene on his baece. + +We wylladh secgan eow sum bigspell. Ne maeg nan man hine sylfne to cynge +gedon, ac thaet folc haefdh cyre to ceosenne thone to cyninge the him +sylfum licadh: ac sidhdhan he to cyninge gehalgod bidh, thonne haefdh h['e] +anweald ofer thaet folc, and h['i] ne magon his geoc of heora swuran +asceacan. Swa eac gehwilc man haefdh agenne cyre, aerdham the h['e] +syngige, hwedher h['e] wille filian deofles willan, odhdhe widhsacan. +Thonne gif h['e] mid deofles weorcum hine sylfne bebint, dhonne ne maeg he +mid his agenre mihte hine unbindan, buton se Aelmihtiga God mid strangre +handa his mildheortnysse hine unbinde. Agenes willan and agenre gymeleaste +he bidh gebunden, ac thurh Godes mildheortnysse he bidh unbunden, gif he +dha alysednysse eft aet Gode geearnadh. + +Thaet folc dhe heora reaf wurpon under thaes assan f['e]t, thaet sind tha +martyras, the for Cristes geleafan sealdon heora agenne lichaman to +tintregum. Sume hi waeron on fyre forbaernde, sume on s['ae] adrencte, and +mid mislicum pinungum acwealde; and sealdon us bysne thaet we ne sceolon, +for nanum ehtnyssum odhdhe earfodhnyssum, urne geleafan forlaetan, and fram +Criste bugan, dhe m['a] dhe h['i] dydon. Menig man is cristen geteald on +sibbe, the wolde swidhe hradhe widhsacan Criste, gif him man bude thaet man +bead tham martyrum: ac his cristendom nis na herigendlic. Ac dhaes mannes +cristendom is herigendlic, sedhe nele, for nanre ehtnysse, bugan fram +Criste, ne for swurde, ne for fyre, ne for waetere, ne for hungre, ne for +bendum; ac aefre hylt his geleafan mid Godes h['e]rungum, odh his lifes +ende. + +Tha dhe dhaera treowa bogas heowon, and mid tham Cristes weig gedaefton, +thaet sind tha lareowas on Godes cyrcan, the plucciadh tha cwydas dhaera +apostola and heora aeftergengena, {214} and mid tham Godes folce gewisiadh +to Cristes geleafan, thaet h['i] beon gearwe to his faerelde. + +Thaet folc dhe Criste beforan st['o]p, and thaet dhe him fyligde, ealle +h['i] sungon, "Osanna Filio Dauid," thaet is on urum gedheode, "Sy h['ae]lo +Dauides Bearne." Tha dhe Criste beforan stopon, tha sind dha heahfaederas +and tha w['i]tegan, dhe waeron ['ae]r Cristes flaesclicnysse; and dha dhe +him baeftan eodon, thaet sind dha dhe aefter Cristes acennednysse to him +gebugon, and daeghwamlice bugadh: and ealle h['i] singadh aenne lofsang; +fordhan dhe w['e] and h['i] ealle healdadh aenne geleafan, swa swa Petrus +se apostol cwaedh, dhadha he spraec be dham heahfaederum, "We gelyfadh +thaet we beon gehealdene thurh Cristes gife, swa swa h['i]." + +H['i] cwaedon "Dauides Bearn," fordhan the Crist is thaes maeran +cyne-cynnes Dauides, aefter thaere menniscnysse. Of dham cynne waes seo +eadige Maria his modor. Hi sungon, "Gebletsod is se dhe com on Godes +naman." Se Haelend com on Godes naman, fordhan the se Heofenlica Faeder +hine asende ['u]s to alysednysse; and ealle dha wundra the h['e] worhte, on +eallum he herede and wuldrode his Faeder naman. "Sy haelo Dauides Bearne on +heahnyssum." Thaes Haelendes to-cyme and his dhrowung waes halwendlic +aegdher ge mannum ge englum; fordhan dhe w['e] geeacniadh heora werod, the +se feallenda deofol gewanode; be dham cwaedh se apostol Paulus, "Thaet +sceoldon ealle heofenlice dhing and eordhlice beon ge-edstadhelode on +Criste." + +Se Haelend waes wunigende binnan dham temple of dhisum daege odh nu on +dhunres-daeg, and aegdher ge mid l['a]re ge mid wundrum thaet folc tihte to +sodhfaestnysse and to rihtum geleafan. Tha namon dha heafod-men ['a]ndan +ongean his l['a]re, and syrwedon mid micelre smeaunge, hu hi mihton hine to +deadhe gebringan. Ne mihte se deadh him genealaecan, gif he sylf nolde, ac +he com to mannum to dhi thaet he wolde beon gehyrsum his Faeder odh deadh, +and mancynn alysan fram dham ecan deadhe mid his hwilwendlicum deadhe. +Theah-hwaedhere {216} ne nydde he na thaet Iudeisce folc to his cwale, ac +deofol h['i] tihte to dham weorce, and God thaet gedhafode, to alysednysse +ealles geleaffulles mancynnes. + +We habbadh oft gesaed, and g['i]t secgadh, thaet Cristes rihtwisnys is swa +micel, thaet he nolde niman mancyn neadunga of dham deofle, buton he hit +forwyrhte. He hit forwyrhte dhadha he tihte thaet folc to Cristes cwale, +thaes Aelmihtigan Godes; and dha thurh his unscaedhdhigan deadh wurdon we +alysede fram dham ecan deadhe, gif we us sylfe ne forpaeradh. Tha getimode +dham redhan deofle swa swa dedh tham graedigan fisce, the gesihdh thaet +['ae]s, and ne gesihdh dhone angel dhe on dham aese sticadh; bidh thonne +graedig thaes aeses, and forswylcdh thone angel fordh mid tham aese. Swa +waes tham deofle: he geseh dha menniscnysse on Criste, and na dha +godcundnysse: dha sprytte he thaet Iudeisce folc to his slege, and gefredde +dha thone angel Cristes godcundnysse, thurh dha h['e] waes to deadhe +aceocod, and ben['ae]med ealles mancynnes thara dhe on God belyfadh. + +Naes na Cristes dhrowung gefremmed on thisum daege, ac dha feower +godspelleras awriton his dhrowunga on feower gesetnyssum; tha ane we +raedadh nu to-daeg, and dha odhre on dhisre wucan. Tha Iudei gen['a]mon +hine on frige-aefen, and heoldon hine dha niht, and dhaes on merigen h['i] +hine gefaestnodon on rode mid feower naegelum, and mid spere gewundedon. +And dha embe n['o]n-tid, thatha h['e] fordhferde, tha comon twegen gelyfede +men, Ioseph and Nichodemus, and bebyrigdon his l['i]c aer aefene, on niwere +dhryh, mid deorwyrdhum reafum bewunden. And his l['i]c laeg on byrgene tha +saeter-niht and sunnan-niht; and seo godcundnys waes on dhaere hwile on +helle, and gewradh thone ealdan deofol, and him of-anam Ad['a]m, thone +frumsceapenan man, and his w['i]f Euan, and ealle dha dhe of heora cynne +Gode ['ae]r gecwemdon. Tha gefredde se deofol thone angel the he ['ae]r +graedelice forswealh. And Crist ar['a]s of deadhe on thone easterlican +sunnan-daeg, the nu bidh on seofon nihtum; be dham is gelimplicor thonne +mare to reccenne thonne nu sy: ac uton nu sprecan be dhyses daeges +wurdhmynte. + +{218} Se gewuna stent on Godes cyrcan, thurh lareowas geset, thaet gehwaer +on Godes geladhunge se sacerd bletsian sceole palm-twigu on dhisum daege, +and h['i] swa gebletsode dham folce daelan; and sceolon dha Godes theowas +singan dhone lofsang, the thaet Iudeisce folc sang togeanes Criste, thatha +he genealaehte his dhrowunge. We geeuenlaecadh tham geleaffullum of dham +folce mid thisre daede, fordhan dhe hi baeron palm-twigu mid lofsange +togeanes tham Haelende. Nu sceole we healdan urne palm, odhthaet se sangere +onginne dhone offring-s['a]ng, and geoffrian thonne Gode dhone palm, for +dhaere getacnunge. Palm getacnadh syge. Sygefaest waes Crist thatha he +dhone micclan deofol oferwann, and us generede: and we sceolon beon eac +sygefaeste thurh Godes mihte, swa thaet we ure undheawas, and ealle +leahtras, and dhone deofol oferwinnan, and ['u]s mid godum weorcum +geglencgan, and on ende ures lifes betaecan Gode dhone palm, thaet is, ure +sige, and dhancian him georne, thaet we, dhurh his fultum, deoful +oferwunnon, thaet he us beswican ne mihte. + +Synfulra manna deadh is yfel and earmlic, fordhan dhe h['i] faradh of +dhisum scortan life to ecum pinungum: and rihtwisra manna deadh is +deorwyrdhe, fordhi dhonne h['i] geendiadh dhis geswincfulle l['i]f, thonne +beodh h['i] gebrohte to dham ecan life, and bidh thonne swylce heora ende +beo anginn; fordhan dhe h['i] ne beodh na deade, ac beodh awende of deadhe +to life. Se lichama, dhe is thaere sawle reaf, anbidadh thaes micclan +domes; and dheah he beo to duste formolsnod, God hine araerdh, and +gebrincdh togaedere sawle and lichaman to dham ecan life; and bidh thonne +gefylled Cristes beh['a]t, dhe dhus cwaedh, "Thonne sc['i]nadh dha +rihtwisan swa swa sunne on heora Faeder r['i]ce," sedhe leofadh and rixadh +['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen. + +Circlice dheawas forbeodadh to secgenne aenig spel on tham thrym +swig-dagum. + +{207} FOR PALM SUNDAY. + + Cum adpropinquasset Jesus Hierosolymis, et venisset Bethfage ad montem + Oliveti: et reliqua. + +Christ's passion has just been read before us, but we will first say to you +how he came to the city of Jerusalem, and approached his own death, and +would not by flight avoid his passion. + +"Jesus went to the city of Jerusalem, and when he approached the mount of +Olives, he sent two of his disciples, thus saying, Go to the town which is +before you, and ye shall straightways find an ass tied and its foal also: +untie them, and lead them to me," etc. + +It was known to the people that Christ a little before had raised Lazarus +from death, who had lain stinking four nights in the grave: then those, who +were believing, came to meet Christ with the honours which we have already +mentioned. Some also who believed not came, with no honours, but with great +wrath, as John the Evangelist said, That "the chief priests of the people +consulted among themselves how they should slay Lazarus, whom Christ had +raised from the dead; because many men of the people believed in Jesus, by +reason of the dead man's rising." We will now proceed to the exposition of +this text. + +The two disciples whom Christ sent after the ass betokened the teachers +whom God sends to instruct mankind. They were two, because of the character +which a teacher should have. He should have learning, that he may with +wisdom instruct God's people in true belief, and he should, by good works, +give good example to the people, and so, with those two things, that is, +with learning and good example, ever incline the lay folk to God's will. + +The tied ass and its foal betoken two people, that is, the Jewish and the +heathen: I say, heathen, because all mankind was yet continuing in +heathenism, save only the Jews, {209} who observed the old law at that +time. They were tied; for all mankind was bound with sins, as the prophet +said, "Every man is bound with the ropes of his sins." Then God sent his +apostles and their successors to bound mankind, and bade untie, and lead +them to him. How untied they the ass and the foal? They preached to the +people right belief and God's commandments, and also by many miracles +confirmed their preaching. The people then inclined from the service of the +devil to the worship of Christ, and were freed from all sins, through holy +baptism, and led to Christ. + +An ass is a foolish beast, and unclean, and stupid, compared with other +beasts, and strong for burthens. So were men, before Christ's advent, +foolish and unclean, while they ministered to idols, and divers sins, and +bowed to the images, which they themselves had wrought, and said to them, +"Thou art my God." And whatsoever burthen the devil set on them they bare. +But when Christ came to mankind, then turned he our foolishness to reason, +and our uncleanness to pure morals. The tamed ass betokened the Jewish +people, who were tamed under the old law. The wild foal betokened all other +people, who were heathen and untamed; but they became tamed and believing +when Christ sent his disciples over the whole earth, thus saying, "Go over +all the earth, and teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and command that they hold +all the precepts which I have taught you." + +The master of the asses asked, why they untied his asses? In like manner +the chief men of every people would perversely oppose the preaching of God. +But when they saw that the preachers, through God's might, healed the halt +and the blind, and gave speech to the dumb, and also raised the dead to +life, then could they not withstand those miracles, but all at last +inclined to God. Christ's disciples said, "The {211} Lord hath need of the +asses, and sends for them." They did not say Our Lord, nor Thy Lord, but +simply, The Lord; for Christ is Lord of all lords, both of men and of all +creatures. They said, "He sends for them." We are exhorted and invited to +God's kingdom, but we are not forced. When we are invited, then are we +untied; and when we are left to our own election, then is it as though we +are sent for. It is God's mercy that we are untied; but if we live rightly, +that will be both God's grace and our own zeal. We should constantly pray +for the Lord's support; seeing that our own election has no success, unless +it be promoted by the Almighty. + +Christ did not command them to lead to him a proud steed adorned with +golden trappings, but the mean ass he chose to bear him; for he ever taught +humility, and in himself gave the example, and thus said, "Learn of me, who +am meek and very humble, and ye shall find rest for your souls." This was +prophesied of Christ, and all the things which he did before he was born as +man. + +Sion is a hill, and it is interpreted, _A place of contemplation_; and +Jerusalem, _Sight of peace_. The daughter of Sion is the congregation of +believing men, who belong to the heavenly Jerusalem, in which is ever _a +sight of peace_, without any strife, to which Jesus will bring us, if we +follow him. + +Christ's disciples laid their garments upon the ass, because he would not +ride on a naked ass. Garments betoken works of righteousness, as the +prophet said, "Lord, thy priests are clothed with righteousness." The naked +ass is saddled with garments, when the simple man is equipped to the hand +of God with the exhortations and examples of wise instructors; and he then +bears Christ, as the apostle said, "Ye are bought with great price; glorify +therefore, and bear God on your bodies." We bear God on our bodies, because +we are a temple and shrine of the Holy Ghost, if we {213} guard ourselves +against foul sins: of which the same apostle said very awfully, "He who +defiles the temple of God, God will fordo him." He who is not a temple of +God is a temple of the devil, and bears a very heavy burthen on his back. + +We will say to you a parable. No man may make himself a king, for the +people have the option to choose him for king who is agreeable to them: but +after that he has been hallowed as king, he has power over the people, and +they may not shake his yoke from their necks. In like manner every man has +his own choice, before he sins, whether he will follow the devil's will, or +withstand it. Then if he bind himself with the works of the devil, he +cannot by his own power unbind himself, unless the Almighty God unbind him +with the strong hand of his mercy. Of his own will and his own heedlessness +he is bound, but through God's mercy he will be unbound, if he afterwards +merit his liberation of God. + +The people who cast their garments under the feet of the ass, are the +martyrs, who for Christ's faith gave their own bodies to torments. Some +were burnt in fire, some drowned in the sea, and slain with divers +tortures; and gave us an example, that we should not, for any persecutions +or hardships, forsake our faith, and incline from Christ, any more than +they did. Many a man is accounted a christian in peace, who would very +quickly deny Christ, if he were sentenced to that to which the martyrs were +sentenced: but his christianity is not praiseworthy. But that man's +christianity is praiseworthy, who will not, for any persecution, incline +from Christ, neither for sword, nor for fire, nor for water, nor for +hunger, nor for bonds; but ever holds his faith with the praises of God to +his life's end. + +Those who hewed branches of trees, and with them prepared Christ's way, are +the teachers in God's church, who cull the sayings of the apostles and +their successors, and with {215} them direct God's people to the faith of +Christ, that they may be prepared for his way. + +The people who walked before Christ, and those who followed him, all sung +"Osanna Filio David," that is, in our tongue, "Hail, Son of David." Those +who walked before Christ, are the patriarchs and prophets, who were before +Christ's incarnation; and those who went after him, are those who inclined +to Christ after his birth, and daily incline to him: and all these sing one +hymn; because we and they all hold one faith, as Peter the apostle said, +when he spake of the patriarchs, "We believe that we shall be saved by +Christ's grace, as well as they." + +They said, "Son of David," because Christ is, according to his human +nature, of the great race of David. Of that race was the blessed Mary his +mother. They sung, "Blessed is he who is come in the name of God." Jesus +came in the name of God, for the Heavenly Father sent him for our +redemption; and in all the miracles which he wrought, he praised and +glorified his Father's name. "Hail, Son of David, in the highest." The +Saviour's advent and his passion were salutary both to men and angels; +because we increase their host which the fallen devil had diminished; +concerning which the apostle Paul said, "That all heavenly and earthly +things should be re-established in Christ." + +Jesus was staying in the temple from this day till now on Thursday, and +both with doctrine and with miracles stimulated the people to truth and to +right faith. Then the chief men became envious of his doctrine, and +machinated with great deliberation how they might bring him to death. Death +could not have approached him, if he himself had not willed it, but he came +to men because he would be obedient to his Father till death, and redeem +mankind from eternal death by his temporary death. Yet did he not compel +the Jewish {217} people to slay him, but the devil instigated them to the +work, and God consented to it, for the redemption of all believing mankind. + +We have often said, and yet say, that the justice of Christ is so great, +that he would not forcibly have taken mankind from the devil, unless he had +forfeited them. He forfeited them when he instigated the people to the +slaying of Christ, the Almighty God; and then through his innocent death we +were redeemed from eternal death, if we do not destroy ourselves. Then it +befell the cruel devil as it does the greedy fish, which sees the bait, and +sees not the hook which sticks in the bait; then is greedy after the bait +and swallows up the hook with the bait. So it was with the devil: he saw +the humanity in Christ, and not the divinity: he then instigated the Jewish +people to slay him, and then felt the hook of Christ's divinity, by which +he was choked to death, and deprived of all mankind who believe in God. + +Christ's passion did not take place on this day, but the four evangelists +recorded his sufferings in four narratives: one we read now to-day, and the +others in this week. The Jews took him on Friday evening, and held him that +night, and on the morrow fixed him on a cross with four nails, and with a +spear wounded him. And then about the ninth hour, when he departed, there +came two believing men, Joseph and Nicodemus, and buried his corpse before +evening in a new tomb, enwrapt in precious garments. And his corpse lay in +the sepulchre the Saturday night and Sunday night; and the Divinity was +during that while in hell, and bound the old devil, and took from him Adam, +the first-created man, and his wife Eve, and all those of their race who +had before given pleasure to God. Then was the devil sensible of the hook +which he had before greedily swallowed. And Christ arose from death on the +Easter-Sunday, which will now be in seven days, of which it is more fitting +then to speak more fully than it is now: but let us now speak of the +dignity of this day. + +{219} The custom exists in God's church, by its doctors established, that +everywhere in God's congregation the priest should bless palm-twigs on this +day, and distribute them so blessed to the people; and God's servants +should then sing the hymn which the Jewish people sang before Christ, when +he was approaching to his passion. We imitate the faithful of that people +with this deed, for they bare palm-twigs with hymn before Jesus. Now we +should hold our palm until the singer begins the offering-song, and then +offer to God the palm for its betokening. Palm betokens victory. Victorious +was Christ when he overcame the great devil and rescued us: and we should +also be victorious through God's might, so that we overcome our evil +practices, and all sins, and the devil, and adorn ourselves with good +works, and at the end of our life deliver the palm to God, that is, our +victory, and thank him fervently, that we, through his succour, have +overcome the devil, so that he could not deceive us. + +The death of sinful men is evil and miserable, because they pass from this +short life to everlasting torments: and the death of righteous men is +precious, for when they end this life of tribulation they will be brought +to the life eternal, and then will their end be as a beginning; for they +will not be dead, but will be turned from death to life. The body, which is +the garment of the soul, will await the great doom, and though it be rotted +to dust, God will raise it, and will bring together soul and body to +eternal life; and then will Christ's promise be fulfilled, who thus said, +"Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in their Father's kingdom," who +liveth and ruleth ever without end to eternity. Amen. + +Church customs forbid any sermon to be said on the three still days. + + * * * * * + + +{220} DOMINICA S[=C]E PASCE. + +Oft ge gehyrdon embe dhaes Haelendes aerist, h['u] h['e] on dhisum daege of +deadhe ar['a]s; ac we willadh eow myngian, thaet hit ne gange eow of +gemynde. + +"Thadha Crist bebyrged waes, tha cwaedon tha Iudeiscan to heora ealdormenn +Pilate, La leof, se swica dhe her ofslegen is, cwaedh gelomlice, thatha +h['e] on l['i]fe waes, thaet h['e] wolde arisan of deadhe on tham dhriddan +daege:" et reliqua. + +We cwedhadh nu, gif hw['a] his lic forstaele, nolde he hine unscrydan, +fordhan dhe stalu ne lufadh nane yldinge. Crist weardh aeteowed on dham +ylcan daege Petre, and odhrum twam his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] +gefrefrode. "Tha aet nextan com se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, thaer +h['i] gegaderode waeron, and cwaedh him to, Sy sibb betwux eow; ic hit eom, +ne beo ge na afyrhte. Tha wurdon h['i] afaerede, and wendon thaet hit sum +gast waere. Dha cwaedh he him to, Hw['i] sind ge afaerede, and mislice +dhencadh be me? Sceawiadh mine handa and mine f['e]t, the waeron mid +naeglum thurhdrifene. Grapiadh and sceawiadh: gif ic gast waere, dhonne +naefde ic flaesc and ban:" et reliqua. + +Se Haelend weardh tha gelomlice aet['i]wed his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] +gewissode to dhaere lare and to dham geleafan, h['u] h['i] eallum mancynne +taecan sceoldon; and on dham feowertigodhan daege his aeristes h['e] +ast['a]h lichamlice to heofonum to his Faeder. Ac we habbadh n['u] micele +maran endebyrdnysse thaere Cristes bec ges['ae]d thonne dhis daegdherlice +godspel behaefdh, for trymminge eowres geleafan. Nu wylle we eow gereccan +thaes daegtherlican godspelles traht, aefter dhaes halgan papan Gregories +trahtnunge. + +Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon thaet tha halgan w['i]f, the +Drihtne on life filigdon, comon to his byrgene mid thaere deorwyrdhan +sealfe, and thone dhe h['i] lufedon on l['i]fe tham h['i] woldon deadum mid +menniscre gecneordnysse dhenian. Ac {222} dheos d['ae]d getacnadh sum dhing +to d['o]nne on Godes geladhunge. We dhe gelyfadh Cristes aeristes, we +cumadh gewislice to his byrgene mid deorwyrdhre sealfe, gif we beodh +gefyllede mid braedhe haligra mihta, and gif we mid hlysan godra weorca +urne Drihten secadh. Tha w['i]f dhe dha sealfe brohton, hi gesawon englas; +fordhan dhe dha geseodh tha heofonlican englas, tha the mid braedhum godra +weorca gewilniadh thaes upplican faereldes. Se engel awylte thaet hl['i]d +of dhaere dhryh; na thaet h['e] Criste ['u]tganges rymde, ac he geswutelode +mannum thaet h['e] arisen waes. Se dhe com deadhlic to dhisum middangearde, +acenned thurh beclysedne innodh thaes maedenes, se ylca, butan tw['e]on, +dhadha h['e] ar['a]s undeadhlic, mihte belocenre dhr['i]h faran of +middangearde. Se engel saet on dha swidhran healfe dhaere byrgene. Seo +swidhre hand getacnadh thaet ece l['i]f, and seo wynstre dhis andwearde +l['i]f. Rihtlice saet se engel on dha swidhran hand, fordhon the he cydde +thaet se Haelend haefde dha oferfaren dha brosnunga dhises andweardan +lifes, and waes dha wunigende on ecum dhingum undeadhlic. Se bydel waes +ymbscryd mid scinendum reafe, fordhan dhe he bodade tha blisse thisre +freols-t['i]de, and ure maerdha. Hwaedher cwedhe we, dhe ure dhe dhaera +engla? We cwedhadh sodhlice, aegdher ge ure ge heora. Thaes Haelendes +aerist is ure freols-t['i]d and bliss, fordhan dhe he gelaedde us mid his +aeriste to dhaere undeadlicnysse the we to gesceapene waeron. His aerist +waes thaera engla bliss, fordhon dhe God gefyldh heora getel, thonne he +['u]s to heofonum gebrincdh. + +Se engel gehyrte dha w['i]f, thus cwedhende, "Ne beo ge afyrhte:" swilce he +swa cwaede, Forhtian dha dhe ne lufiadh engla to-cyme; beon dha ofdraedde +tha the sint ofsette mid flaesclicum lustum, and nabbadh naenne hiht to +engla werode. Hwi forhtige ge, ge dhe geseodh eowre geferan? "His wlite +waes swilce l['i]get, and his reaf swa hw['i]t swa sn['a]w." Sodhlice on +l['i]gette is ['o]ga, and on sn['a]we lidhnys thaere beorhtnysse. Rihtlice +waes se bydel Cristes aeristes swa geh['i]wod; fordhan thonne he sylf cymdh +to dham micclan dome, thonne bidh he swidhe egeful dham synfullum, and +swidhe lidhe tham rihtwisum. {224} He cwaedh, "Ge secadh thone Haelend: +h['e] ar['a]s: nis h['e] her." He naes dha lichamlice on dhaere byrgene, +sedhe aeghwaer bidh thurh his godcundan mihte. Thaer l['ae]ig thaet reaf +baeftan the he mid bewunden waes, fordhon dhe h['e] ne rohte thaes +eordhlican reafes, sydhdhan he of deadhe ar['a]s. Theah man deadne mannan +mid reafe bewinde, ne arist thaet reaf na dhe hradhor eft mid tham men, ac +he bidh mid tham heofenlicum reafe gescryd aefter his aeriste. + +Wel is gecweden be dham Haelende, thaet he wolde cuman togeanes his geferon +on Galilea. Galilea is gecweden 'Oferfaereld.' Se Haelend waes dha afaren +fram dhrowunge to ['ae]riste, fram deadhe to life, fram wite to wuldre. And +gif we faradh fram leahtrum to halgum maegnum, thonne mote we geseon dhone +Haelend aefter urum faerelde of dhisum life. Twa l['i]f sind sodhlice: +thaet ['a]n we cunnon, thaet odher us waes uncudh aer Cristes to-cyme. +Thaet ['a]n l['i]f is deadlic, thaet odher undeadlic. Ac se Haelend com and +underfeng thaet ['a]n l['i]f, and geswutelode thaet odher. Thaet ['a]n +l['i]f he aeteowde mid his deadhe, and thaet odher mid his aeriste. Gif he +us deadlicum mannum aerist and thaet ece l['i]f behete, and theah-hwaedhere +nolde hit thurh hine sylfne geswutelian, hwa wolde thonne his behatum +gelyfan? Ac dhadha he man beon wolde, dha gemedemode h['e] hine sylfne eac +to deadhe agenes willan, and he ar['a]s of deadhe thurh his godcundan +mihte, and geswutelode thurh hine sylfne thaet thaet he us beh['e]t. + +Nu cwydh sum man on his gedhance, 'Eadhe mihte he arisan of deadhe, fordhan +dhe he is God: ne mihte se deadh hine gehaeftan.' Gehyre se mann the this +smeadh andsware his smeagunge. Crist fordhferde ana on dham timan, ac he ne +ar['a]s na ana of deadhe, ac ar['a]s mid micclum werede. Se godspellere +Matheus awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet manega halige menn, dhe waeron on +dhaere ealdan ['ae] fordhfarene, thaet h['i] arison mid Criste; and thaet +saedon gehwilce w['i]se l['a]reowas, thaet hi habbadh gefremod heora aerist +to dham ecan l['i]fe, swa swa we ealle d['o]n sceolon on ende thisre +worulde. Tha l['a]reowas cwaedon, {226} thaet dha araeredan menn naeron +sodhlice gewitan Cristes aeristes, gif h['i] naeron ecelice araerde. Nu +sind adwaescede ealle geleaflystu, thaet nan man ne sceal ortruwian be his +agenum aeriste, thonne se godspellere awr['a]t thaet fela arison mid +Criste, dhe waeron anfealde men, dheah dhe Crist God sy. + +Nu cwaedh Gregorius se trahtnere, thaet him come to gemynde, hu dha +Iudeiscan clypodon be Criste, thadha he waes on dhaere rode gefaestnod. +H['i] cwaedon, "Gif he sy Israhela cyning, thonne astige he nu of dhaere +rode, and we gelyfadh on hine." Gif he dha of dhaere rode astige, and nolde +heora hosp forberan, thonne, butan tweon, ne sealde he us nane bysne his +gedhyldes: ac he ab['a]d hwon, and forbaer heora hosp, and haefde gedhyld. +Ac se dhe nolde of dhaere rode abrecan, se ar['a]s of dhaere byrgene. Mare +wundor waes, thaet h['e] of deadhe ar['a]s, thonne he cucu of dhaere rode +abraece. Mare miht waes, thaet he dhone deadh mid his aeriste tobraec, +thonne he his l['i]f geheolde, of dhaere rode astigende. Ac dhadha h['i] +gesawon thaet he ne astah of dhaere rode for heora hospum, ac dhaeron +deadhes geb['a]d, tha gelyfdon h['i] thaet he oferswidhed waere, and his +nama adwaesced: ac hit gelamp swa, thaet of dham deadhe asprang his nama +geond ealne middangeard. Tha weardh hyra bliss awend to dham maestan sare; +fordhan dhe heora sorh bidh endeleas. + +Thas dhing getacnode se stranga Samson, se haefde faehdhe to dham folce dhe +is gehaten Philistei. Dha getimode hit thaet he becom to heora byrig the +waes Gaza gehaten: tha waeron dha Philistei swidhe blidhe, and ymbsaeton +dha burh. Ac se stranga Samson ar['a]s on midre nihte, and gelaehte dha +burh-geatu, and abaer hi uppon ane dune, to bismere his gefaan. Se stranga +Samson getacnode Crist, seo burh Gaza getacnode helle, and dha Philistei +haefdon Iudeisces folces getacnunge, the besaeton Cristes byrgene. Ac se +Samson nolde gan ydel of dhaere byrig, ac he abaer dha gatu up to dhaere +dune; fordhon the {228} ure Haelend Crist tobraec helle-gatu, and generode +Adam, and Euan, and his gecorenan of heora cynne, and freolice of deadhe +ar['a]s, and h['i] samod, and astah to heofonum. Tha m['a]nfullan he l['e]t +baeftan to dham ecum witum. And is nu helle-geat belocen rihtwisum mannum, +and aefre open unrihtwisum. + +Ungesaelig waes thaet Iudeisce folc, thaet h['i] swa ungeleaffulle waeron. +Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppend, buton dham Iudeiscum anum. +Heofonas oncneowon Cristes acennednysse; fordhan dhadha h['e] acenned waes, +tha weardh gesewen n['i]we steorra. S['ae] oncneow Crist, dhadha h['e] eode +mid drium fotum uppon hire ydhum. Eordhe oncneow, thatha heo eal bifode on +Cristes aeriste. Seo sunne oncneow, thatha heo weardh adhystrod on Cristes +dhrowunge fram mid-daege odh n['o]n. Stanas oncneowon, thatha h['i] +toburston on heora Scyppendes fordhsidhe. Hell oncneow Crist, dhadha heo +forl['e]t hyre haeftlingas ['u]t, thurh dhaes Haelendes hergunge. And dha +heardheortan Iudei dheah thurh ealle dha tacna noldon gebugan mid geleafan +to dham mildheortan Haelende, sedhe wile eallum mannum gehelpan on hine +gelyfendum. Ac uton we gelyfan thaet God Faeder waes aefre butan anginne, +and aefre waes se Sunu of dham Faeder acenned; fordhan dhe he is se Wisdom +and Miht dhe se Faeder ealle gesceafta thurh gesceop; and h['i] ealle +wurdon gel['i]ffaeste thurh dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe is Willa and Lufu +thaes Faeder and thaes Suna; h['i] dhry ['a]n God untodaeledlic, on ['a]nre +godcundnysse wunigende, h['i] ealle gel['i]ce mihtige; fordhan swa hwaet +swa laesse bidh and unmihtigre, thaet ne bidh na God. Ac se Faeder sende +dhone Sunu to ure alysednysse, and he ['a]na underfeng dha menniscnysse, +and throwode deadh be his agenum willan, and ar['a]s of deadhe on dhisum +daege, and astah to heofonum on dham feowertigedhan daege his aeristes, +aetforan manegra manna gesihdhe, and rixadh mid tham Aelmihtigan Faeder and +dham Halgum Gaste, n['u] and ['a] on ecnysse. Amen. + +{221} EASTER SUNDAY. + +Ye have often heard concerning the Saviour's resurrection, how he on this +day arose from death; but we will remind you, that it may not pass from +your memory. + +"When Christ was buried, the Jews said to their governor Pilate, O Sir, the +deceiver, who hath here been slain, said oftentimes, while he was living, +that he would arise from death on the third day," etc. + +We say now, if any one had stolen his corpse, he would not have stript him, +for theft loves no delay. Christ appeared on the same day to Peter and to +two others his disciples, and comforted them. "Then at last Jesus came to +his disciples, where they were assembled, and said to them, Peace be unto +you; it is I, be ye not afraid. Then they were afraid, and weened it were a +ghost. Then said he to them, Why are ye afraid, and think divers things of +me? Behold my hands and my feet, that were pierced with nails. Grasp and +behold: if I were a ghost, I should not have flesh and bones," etc. + +Jesus then frequently appeared to his disciples, and directed them to +doctrine and to faith, how they should teach all mankind; and on the +fortieth day of his resurrection he ascended bodily to heaven to his +Father. But we have now said much more of the tenour of the book of Christ +than this present day's gospel requires for the confirmation of your faith. +We will now give you the explanation of this day's gospel, according to the +exposition of the holy pope Gregory. + +My dearest brothers, ye have heard that the holy women, who followed the +Lord in life, came with precious ointment to his sepulchre, and him whom +they had loved in life they would when dead serve with human devotion. But +this deed {223} betokens something to be done in God's church. We who +believe in the resurrection of Christ come assuredly to his sepulchre with +precious ointment, if we are filled with the breath of holy virtues, and if +we with the fame of good works seek our Lord. The women who brought the +ointment saw angels; for they see the heavenly angels, who with the breath +of good works yearn after the upward journey. The angel rolled the lid from +the tomb; not that he would make way for Christ's departure, but he would +manifest to men that he was risen. He who came mortal to this world, born +of the closed womb of the virgin, he, without doubt, might, when he arose +immortal, though in a closed tomb, depart from the world. The angel sat on +the right side of the sepulchre. The right hand betokens the eternal life, +and the left this present life. Rightly sat the angel on the right hand, +for he manifested that Jesus had surmounted the corruptions of this present +life, and was then dwelling immortal in eternity. The messenger was clad in +a shining garment, because he announced the happiness of this +festival-tide, and our glories. But we ask, ours or the angels? We say +verily, both ours and theirs. The resurrection of Jesus is our +festival-tide, for by his resurrection he led us to the immortality for +which we were created. His resurrection was bliss to the angels, because +God fills up their number when he brings us to heaven. + +The angel cheered the women, thus saying, "Be ye not afraid:" as if he had +said thus, Let those fear who love not the advent of angels; let those be +terrified who are beset with fleshly lusts, and have no joy in the host of +angels. Why fear ye, ye who see your companions? "His countenance was like +lightning, and his raiment as white as snow." Verily in lightning is +terror, and in snow the mildness of brightness. Rightly was the messenger +of Christ's resurrection so figured; for when he himself shall come to the +great doom, he will be very awful to the sinful, and very mild {225} to the +righteous. He said, "Ye seek Jesus: he is risen: he is not here." He was +not then bodily in the sepulchre, who is everywhere through his divine +power. There lay the garment behind in which he had been wrapt, for he +recked not of an earthly garment, after he had arisen from death. Though a +dead man be wrapt in a garment, that garment does not the sooner rise again +with the man, but he will be clad with the heavenly garment after his +resurrection. + +It is well said of Jesus, that he would meet his companions in Galilee. +Galilee is interpreted, _Passing over_. Jesus passed over from passion to +resurrection, from death to life, from torment to glory. And if we pass +from sins to holy virtues, then may we see Jesus after our passage from +this life. For there are two lives: the one we know, the other was unknown +to us before Christ's advent. The one life is mortal, the other immortal. +But Jesus came and assumed the one life, and made manifest the other. The +one life he manifested by his death, and the other by his resurrection. If +he to us mortal men had promised resurrection and life eternal, and yet had +not been willing to manifest them in himself, who would have believed in +his promises? But when he would become man, then he also voluntarily +humbled himself to death, and he arose from death through his divine power, +and manifested in himself that which he had promised to us. + +Now will some man say in his thoughts, 'Easily might he arise from death, +because he is God: death could not hold him captive.' Let the man who +imagines this hear an answer to his imagination. Christ departed at that +time alone, but he arose not from death alone, but arose with a great host. +The evangelist Matthew wrote in the book of Christ, that many holy men, who +had died in the old law, arose with Christ; and all wise doctors have said +that they have effected their resurrection to eternal life, as we all shall +do at the end of this world. Those doctors said, that the raised men would +{227} not truly have been witnesses of Christ's resurrection, if they had +not been raised for ever. Now are extinguished all infidelities, so that no +man may despair of his own resurrection, when the evangelist wrote that +many arose with Christ, who were simple men, although Christ be God. + +Now said the expounder Gregory, that it came to his mind, how the Jews +cried out concerning Christ, when he was fastened on the cross. They said, +"If he be the king of Israel, then let him now descend from the cross, and +we will believe in him." If he had then descended from the cross, and would +not have borne their mockery, he had certainly not given us any example of +his patience: but he remained a while, and bare their mockery, and had +patience. But he who would not break from the cross, arose from the +sepulchre. A greater miracle it was, that he arose from death, than that he +living should have broken from the cross. A greater miracle it was, that he +brake death in pieces, through his resurrection, than that he should have +preserved his life by descending from the cross. But when they saw that he +descended not from the cross, for their mockery, but thereon awaited death, +they believed that he was vanquished and his name extinguished: but it so +fell out, that from death his name sprang forth over the whole earth. Then +was their joy turned to the greatest pain; for their sorrow shall be +endless. + +The strong Samson betokened these things, who had enmity to the people +called Philistines. Then it befell that he came to their city which was +called Gaza: whereupon the Philistines were very joyful, and surrounded the +city. But the strong Samson arose at midnight, and took the city gates, and +bare them up on a hill, in derision of his foes. The strong Samson +betokened Christ, the city of Gaza betokened hell, and the Philistines were +a token of the Jewish people, who beset the sepulchre of Christ. But Samson +would not go empty-handed from the city, but he {229} bare the gates up to +the hill; for our Saviour Christ brake the gates of hell, and delivered +Adam, and Eve, and his chosen of their kin, and joyfully from death arose, +and they with him, and ascended to heaven. The wicked he left behind to +eternal torments. And now is the gate of hell shut to righteous men, and +ever open to the unrighteous. + +Unhappy was the Jewish people, that they were so unbelieving. All creatures +acknowledged their Creator, save only the Jews. Heaven acknowledged the +birth of Christ; for when he was born a new star was seen. The sea +acknowledged Christ, when he went with dry feet on its waves. Earth +acknowledged him, when it all trembled at Christ's resurrection. The sun +acknowledged him, when it was darkened at Christ's passion from mid-day to +the ninth hour. The stones acknowledged him, when they burst asunder at +their Creator's departure. Hell acknowledged Christ, when it let forth its +captives, through the harrowing of Jesus. And yet the hardhearted Jews, +through all these signs, would not incline with faith to the merciful +Jesus, who will help all men who believe in him. But let us believe that +God the Father was ever without beginning, and that the Son was ever +begotten of the Father; for he is the Wisdom and Power through which the +Father hath created all creatures; and they were all quickened by the Holy +Ghost who is the Will and Love of the Father and of the Son; these three +one God indivisible, existing in one Godhead, all equally powerful; for +whatsoever is less and less powerful, that is not God. But the Father sent +the Son for our redemption, and he alone assumed human nature, and suffered +death of his own will, and arose from death on this day, and ascended to +heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection, before the sight of many +men, and ruleth with the Almighty Father and the Holy Ghost, now and ever +to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{230} DOMINICA PRIMA POST PASCA. + + Cum esset sero die illo una sabbatorum: et reliqua. + +"Aefter dhaes Haelendes ['ae]riste waeron his discipuli belocene on anum +huse for dhaes Iudeiscan folces ['o]gan:" et reliqua. + +Nu cwydh se godspellere Iohannes, thaet se Haelend worhte fela odhre tacna +on gesihdhe his leorning-cnihta, the naeron gesette on Cristes b['e]c. Thas +wundra sind awritene to dhi thaet ge sceolon gelyfan thaet se Haelend is +Godes Sunu, and ge sceolon habban thaet ece l['i]f thurh dhone geleafan. + +Nu trahtnadh se papa Gregorius dhis godspel, and cwydh, thaet gehw['a] +wundradh hu se Haelend become in to his apostolum, and waeron +dheah-hwaedhere dha dura belocene. Nu cwydh eft se halga Gregorius, thaet +Cristes lichama com inn, beclysedum durum, sedhe weardh acenned of dham +maedene Marian beclysedum innodhe. Hwilc wundor is thaet se Haelend mid +ecum lichaman come inn, belocenum durum, sedhe mid deadlicum lichaman +weardh acenned of beclysedum innodhe thaes maedenes? + +We raedadh on dhaere bec dhe is geh['a]ten Actus Apostolorum, thaet tha +heafod-men Iudeisces folces gebrohton Cristes apostolas on cwearterne: tha +on niht com him to Godes engel, and laedde h['i] ['u]t of dham cwearterne, +and st['o]d on merigen thaet cweartern faeste belocen. God maeig d['o]n +ealle dhing: nu sceole we wundrian his mihte, and eac gelyfan. Thone +lichaman he aeteowde to grapigenne, thone dhe he inn-brohte beclysedum +durum. His lichama waes grapigendlic, and dheah-hwaedhere unbrosnigendlic; +he aeteowde hine grapigendlicne and unbrosnigendlicne, fordhan dhe his +lichama waes thaes ylcan gecyndes dhe he ['ae]r waes, ac waes hwaedhere +theah odhres wuldres. + +Se Haelend cwaedh to him, "Beo sibb betwux eow." For sibbe com Crist to +mannum, and sibbe he bead and taehte, and nis nan dhing him gecweme the +bidh butan sibbe ged['o]n. {232} "Swa swa min Faeder sende me swa sende ic +eow. Se Faeder lufadh thone Sunu, ac dheah-hwaedhere he sende hine to +dhrowunge for manna alysednysse." Crist lufode eac his apostolas, and +dheah-hwaedhere ne sette he h['i] to cynegum, ne to ealdormannum, ne to +woruldlicere blisse; ac tosende h['i] geond ealne middangeard, to bodigenne +fulluht and dhone geleafan dhe he sylf taehte. Tha bododon h['i] swa lange +odh thaet tha dhweoran h['i] ofslogon, and h['i] ferdon sigefaeste to heora +Drihtne. + +Crist bleow on dha apostolas, and cwaedh, "Onfodh Haligne Gast." Tuwa com +se Halga Gast ofer dha apostolas; nu ['ae]ne, and eft odhre sidhe aefter +Cristes upstige. Crist ableow thone Halgan Gast ofer dha apostolas, dha-gyt +wunigende on eordhan, for dhaere getacnunge, thaet aelc cristen mann sceal +lufian his nextan swa swa hine sylfne. Eft sidhdhan he to heofenum +ast['a]h, he sende thone ylcan Gast on fyres h['i]we ofer dha apostolas, to +dhi thaet we sceolon lufian God ofer ealle odhre dhing. An is se Halga +Gast, theah dhe he tuwa become ofer dha apostolas. Swa is eac ['a]n lufu, +and tw['a] bebodu, thaet we sceolon lufian God and men. Ac we sceolon +geleornian on mannum hu we magon becuman to Godes lufe, swa swa Iohannes se +apostol cwaedh, "Se dhe ne lufadh his brodhor, thone dhe h['e] gesihdh, hu +maeg he lufian God, thone dhe he ne gesihdh lichamlice?" Aer dham fyrste +waes se Halga Gast wunigende on dham apostolum, ac h['i] naeron to dhan +swidhe onbryrde, thaet h['i] mihton swa bealdlice Godes geleafan bodian, +swa swa h['i] sidhdhan mihton, thurh gife dhaes Halgan Gastes. H['i] saeton +beclysede, for ['o]gan Iudeisces folces, on anum huse; ac sydhdhan h['i] +waeron gefyllede mid tham Halgum Gaste, h['i] wurdon swa gehyrte, and swa +cene, thaet h['i] bodedon freolice Godes naman redhum cynegum and +waelreowum. + +Crist cwaedh to dham apostolum, "Thaera manna synna the ge forgyfadh, +thaera beodh forgifene; and dham dhe ge ofteodh tha forgifenysse, dham bidh +oftogen." Thisne anweald forgeaf Crist tham apostolum and eallum bisceopum, +gif h['i] hit on riht healdadh. Ac gif se bisceop dedh be his agenum +willan, and wile {234} b['i]ndan thone ['u]nscyldigan, and thone scyldigan +alysan, thonne forlyst h['e] dha mihte dhe him God forgeaf. Tham mannum he +sceal d['o]n synna forgifenysse, the h['e] gesihdh thaet beodh onbryrde +dhurh Godes gife, and tham he sceal aheardian the n['a]ne behreowsunge +nabbadh heora misdaeda. Crist araerde of deadhe thone stincendan Lazarum, +and thatha h['e] cucu waes, tha cwaedh h['e] to his leorning-cnihtum, +"Tolysadh his bendas, thaet h['e] g['a]n maege." Tha alysdon h['i] thaes +ge-edcucedan mannes bendas, the Crist araerde to life. Fordhi sceolon dha +l['a]reowas dha unbindan fram heora synnum tha dhe Crist gel['i]ffaest +thurh onbryrdnysse. Aelc synful man the his synna bedigladh, he lidh dead +on byrgene; ac gif he his synna geandett thurh onbryrdnysse, thonne gaedh +he of thaere byrgene, swa swa Lazarus dyde, thadha Crist hine arisan het: +thonne sceal se lareow hine unbindan fram dham ecum w['i]te, swa swa dha +apostoli lichamlice Lazarum alysdon. Ac se laeweda mann sceal him ondraedan +thaes bisceopes cwyde, theah h['e] unscyldig sy; thylaes dhe he dhurh +modignysse scyldig weordhe. + +Ne getimode tham apostole Thome unforsceawodlice, thaet he ungeleafful waes +Cristes aeristes, ac hit getimode thurh Godes forsceawunge; fordhan dhurh +his grapunge we sind geleaffulle. Mare ['u]s fremode his tweonung thonne +dhaera odhra apostola geleaffulnys; fordhan dhadha h['e] waes gebroht to +geleafan mid dhaere grapunge, tha weardh seo twynung thurh thaet ['u]s +aetbroden. Eadhe mihte Crist arisan of deadhe butan dolhswadhum, ac to dhi +he heold tha dolhswadhu, thaet he wolde mid tham tha twynigendan getrymman. +He cwaedh to Thoman, "Thu gelyfst, fordhan dhe dhu me gesawe." He geseah +dhone lichaman and tha dolhswadhu, and he gelyfde thaet he waes God, sedhe +araerde thone lichaman of deadhe. Swidhe blissiadh thas w['o]rd ['u]s the +her aefterfiliadh, "Gesaelige beodh tha the me ne gesawon, and theah on me +gelyfadh." Mid dham cwyde sind tha ealle getacnode the Crist on lichaman ne +gesawon, and dheah-hwaedhere hine healdadh on heora mode thurh geleafan. Se +gelyfdh sodhlice on God, sedhe mid weorcum begaedh thaet thaet h['e] {236} +gelyfdh. Se dhe andet thaet h['e] God cunne, and yfele weorc begaedh, +thonne widhsaecdh he God mid tham weorcum. Se geleafa the bidh butan godum +weorcum, se is dead. This sind dhaera apostola word, undernimadh h['i] mid +carfullum mode. + +We sprecadh embe aerist. Nu sind sume men the habbadh twynunge be aeriste, +and dhonne hi geseodh deadra manna b['a]n, thonne cwedhadh h['i], Hu magon +dhas b['a]n beon ge-edcucode? Swilce h['i] w['i]slice sprecon! Ac we +cwedhadh thaer-togeanes, thaet God is Aelmihtig, and maeg eal thaet he +wile. He geworhte heofonas and eordhan and ealle gesceafta butan antimbre. +Nu is gedhuht thaet him sy sumera dhinga eadhelicor to araerenne dhone +deadan of dham duste, thonne him waere to wyrcenne ealle gesceafta of +nahte: ac sodhlice him sind ealle dhing gelice eadhe, and n['a]n dhing +earfodhe. He worhte Adam of l['a]me. Nu ne mage we asmeagan h['u] h['e] of +dham l['a]me flaesc worhte, and blod b['a]n and fell, fex and naeglas. Men +geseodh oft thaet of anum lytlum cyrnele cymdh micel treow, ac we ne magon +geseon on tham cyrnele nadhor ne wyrtruman, ne rinde, ne b['o]gas, ne leaf: +ac se God the fordhtihdh of dham cyrnele treow, and waestmas, and leaf, se +ylca maeg of duste ar['ae]ran flaesc and b['a]n, sina and fex, swa swa he +cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ne sceal eow beon forloren an h['ae]r of eowrum +heafde." + +Se apostol Paulus cwaedh, thaet we sceolon arisan of deadhe on dhaere ylde +the Crist waes thadha he dhrowade, thaet is embe threo and dhritig geara. +Theah cild fordhfare, odhdhe forwerod man, theah-hwaedhere h['i] cumadh to +thaere ylde dhe we aer cwaedon; haefdh theah gehw['a] his agenne waestm, +the he on thissum life haefde, odhdhe habban sceolde, gif he his gebide. +Gif hw['a] alefed waere, odhdhe limleas on thissum life, he bidh thonne swa +hit awriten is, thaet "Ealle dha the to Godes rice gebyrigadh, nabbadh +nadhor ne womm ne awyrdnysse on heora lichaman." Hwaet sceole we smeagan +embe dha odhre the gew['i]tadh to dham ecum forwyrde, hwaedher h['i] +alefede beon odhdhe limlease, thonne h['i] beodh on ecere susle wunigende? + +Hit bidh thonne swa swa Crist cwaedh, thaet "Nan wer ne {238} wifadh, ne +wif ne ceorladh, ne team ne bidh getymed, ne h['i] deadhes ne abyrigadh +sidhdhan, ac beodh englum gelice, thonne h['i] mid englum wuniadh." Ne him +ne lyst nanre galnysse, ne h['i] naefre sidhdhan synna ne gewyrceadh. Ne +bidh thaer sorh, ne s['a]r, ne nan gedreccednys, ac bidh fulfremed sib and +singal bliss, and beodh cudhe ge dha the aer cudhe waeron ge dha the +uncudhe waeron, wunigende on brodhorlicre lufe mid Gode ['a] on ecnysse. +Amen. + +{231} THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. + + Cum esset sero die illo una sabbatorum: et reliqua. + +"After the resurrection of Jesus his disciples were shut in a house for +dread of the Jews," etc. + +Now says the evangelist John, that Jesus wrought many other miracles in the +sight of his disciples, which have not been recorded in the book of Christ. +These miracles are written to the end that ye may believe that Jesus is the +Son of God, and that ye may have eternal life through that belief. + +Now the pope Gregory, expounding this gospel, says, that everyone wonders +how Jesus came in to his apostles, and yet the doors were shut. But again +St. Gregory says, that Christ's body came in, the doors being closed, which +was born of the Virgin Mary, of a closed womb. What wonder is it, that +Jesus with an everlasting body came in, the doors being closed, who with a +mortal body was born of the closed womb of the virgin? + +We read in the book which is called The Acts of the Apostles, that the +chief men of the Jewish people brought Christ's apostles into prison: then +by night God's angel came to them, and led them out of the prison, and on +the morrow the prison stood fast shut up. God can do all things: therefore +we should wonder at his might, and also believe. He showed the body to be +touched which he had brought in, the doors being closed. His body was +tangible, and, nevertheless, incorruptible; he showed himself tangible and +incorruptible, for his body was of the same nature that it before was, but +was yet of another glory. + +Jesus said to them, "Peace be among you." For peace Christ came to men, and +peace he enjoined and taught, and nothing is to him acceptable which is +done without peace. {233} "As my Father sent me so I send you. The Father +loveth the Son, but yet he sendeth him to suffering for the redemption of +men." Christ also loved his apostles, and yet he established them not as +kings, nor as governors, nor in worldly bliss; but he sent them over all +the earth, to preach baptism and the faith which he himself had taught. +They preached until the wicked slew them, and they went triumphant to their +Lord. + +Christ blew on the apostles, and said, "Receive the Holy Ghost." Twice came +the Holy Ghost over the apostles; once now, and again another time at +Christ's ascension. Christ blew the Holy Ghost over the apostles, while yet +continuing on earth, for a token that every christian man should love his +neighbour as himself. Again, after he had ascended to heaven, he sent the +Holy Ghost in semblance of fire over the apostles, to the end that we +should love God above all other things. The Holy Ghost is one, though he +came twice over the apostles. So there is also one love, and two +commandments, that we should love God and men. But we should learn in men +how we may come to the love of God, as John the apostle said, "He who +loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth +not bodily?" Before that time the Holy Ghost was dwelling in the apostles, +but they were not stimulated to that degree, that they could boldly preach +God's faith, as they could afterwards, through the grace of the Holy Ghost. +They sat, for fear of the Jewish people, shut in a house; but after they +were filled with the Holy Ghost, they were so encouraged, and so bold, that +they freely proclaimed the name of God to fierce and bloodthirsty kings. + +Christ said to the apostles, "Those men's sins which ye forgive, they shall +be forgiven; and those from whom ye withdraw forgiveness, from them it +shall be withdrawn." This power Christ gave to the apostles and to all +bishops, if they righteously hold it. But if the bishop act by his own +will, {235} and will bind the innocent, and loose the guilty, then loses he +the power which God gave him. To those men he shall grant forgiveness of +sins, whom he sees that they are stimulated by God's grace, and to those he +shall be obdurate who have no repentance of their misdeeds. Christ raised +from death the stinking Lazarus, and when he was quickened, he said to his +disciples, "Loose his bands, that he may go." They loosed the bands of the +requickened man, whom Christ had raised to life. Therefore should our +teachers unbind from their sins those whom Christ quickens by stimulation. +Every sinful man who conceals his sins, lies dead in the sepulchre; but if +he confess his sins through stimulation, then he goes from the sepulchre, +as Lazarus did, when Christ bade him arise: then shall the teacher unbind +him from the eternal punishment, as the apostles bodily unbound Lazarus. +But the layman shall stand in awe of the bishop's word, though he be +guiltless; lest he become guilty through pride. + +It happened to the apostle Thomas not unprovidentially, that he was +unbelieving of Christ's resurrection, but it happened by the providence of +God; for through his touching we are believing. Of greater benefit to us +was his doubt than the faith of the other apostles; for when he was brought +to belief by that touching, doubt was thereby taken from us. Easily might +Christ have arisen from death without scars, but he held the scars, because +he would thereby confirm the doubtful. He said to Thomas, "Thou believest, +because thou hast seen me." He saw the body and the scars, and he believed +that he was God, who had raised the body from death. Greatly gladden us the +words which here follow, "Blessed are they who have not seen me, and yet +believe in me." By that saying are betokened all those who have not seen +Christ in the body, and, nevertheless, hold him in their mind through +faith. For he believes in God, who by works practises that which he +believes. He who acknowledges that {237} he knows God, and performs evil +works, denies God by those works. Faith without good works is dead. These +are the words of the apostles, receive them with careful mind. + +We will speak concerning the resurrection. Now there are some men who have +doubt of the resurrection, and when they see the bones of dead men, they +say, How can these bones be again quickened? as if they speak wisely! But +we say against them, that God is Almighty, and can do all that he will. He +wrought heaven and earth and all creatures without matter. Now it seems +that it is somewhat easier to him to raise the dead from the dust, than it +was to him to make all creatures from naught: but truly to him are all +things alike easy, and nothing difficult. He wrought Adam of loam. Now we +cannot investigate how of that loam he made flesh and blood, bones and +skin, hair and nails. Men often see that of one little kernel comes a great +tree, but in the kernel we can see neither root, nor rind, nor boughs, nor +leaves: but the same God who draws forth from the kernel tree, and fruits, +and leaves, may from dust raise flesh and bones, sinews and hair, as he +said in his gospel, "There shall not be lost to you one hair of your head." + +The apostle Paul said, that we should arise from death at the age that +Christ was when he suffered, that is about three and thirty years. Though a +child depart, or a worn-out man, they will, nevertheless, come to the age +we before said; yet will everyone have his own growth, which he had in this +life, or should have had, if he had awaited it. If any one be maimed, or +limbless in this life, he will be as it is written, that "All those who +belong to God's kingdom, shall have neither blemish nor hurt on their +bodies." What shall we suppose concerning those others who depart to +everlasting perdition, whether they are maimed or limbless, when they are +dwelling in eternal torment? + +It will then be as Christ said, that "No man taketh to {239} wife, nor +woman to husband, nor family is begotten, nor taste they of death, but will +be like unto the angels, when they dwell with angels." No libidinousness +will give them pleasure, nor will they ever perpetrate sins. No sorrow nor +pain will be there, nor no affliction, but there will be perfect peace and +continual bliss, and there will be known both those who were known before +and those who were unknown, dwelling in brotherly love with God ever to +eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DOMINICA II. POST PASCA. + + Dixit Iesus discipulis suis, Ego sum pastor bonus: et reliqua. + +This godspel, the n['u] geraed waes, cwydh, thaet se Haelend cwaede be him +sylfum, "Ic eom g['o]d hyrde: se g['o]da hyrde syldh his agen l['i]f for +his sceapum. Se hyra, sedhe nis riht hyrde, he gesihdh thone wulf cuman, +and he forlaet dha sc['e]p and flyhdh; and se wulf sum gelaecdh and dha +odhre tostencdh," et reliqua. + +Crist is go['o]d gecyndelice, and sodhlice nis nan dhing g['o]d butan Gode +anum. Gif aenig gesceaft is g['o]d, thonne is seo g['o]dnys of dham +Scyppende, sedhe is healice g['o]d. He cwaedh, "Se g['o]da hyrde syldh his +agen l['i]f for his sceapum." Ure Alysend is se g['o]da hyrde, and we +cristene men sind his sc['e]p, and he sealde his agen l['i]f for ure +alysednysse. He dyde swa swa he manede, and mid tham he geswutelode hwaet +he bebead. G['o]d hyrde waes Petrus, and g['o]d waes Paulus, and g['o]de +waeron dha apostoli, dhe hyra l['i]f sealdon for Godes folce and for rihtum +geleafan; ac heora g['o]dnys waes of dham heafde, thaet is Crist, dhe is +heora heafod, and h['i] sind his lima. + +Aelc bisceop and aelc l['a]reow is to hyrde gesett Godes folce, thaet h['i] +sceolon thaet folc widh dhone wulf gescyldan. Se wulf {240} is deofol, the +syrwdh ymbe Godes geladhunge, and cepdh hu he mage cristenra manna sawla +mid leahtrum ford['o]n. Thonne sceal se hyrde, thaet is se bisceop odhdhe +odher l['a]reow, widhstandan tham redhan wulfe mid l['a]re and mid gebedum. +Mid lare he sceal him taecan, thaet hi cunnon hwaet deofol taechdh mannum +to forwyrde, and hwaet God beb['y]t to gehealdenne, for begeate thaes ecan +lifes. He sceal him fore-gebiddan, thaet God gehealde tha str['a]ngan, and +gehaele dha untruman. Se bidh to str['a]ngum geteald, sethe widhstent +deofles lare; se bidh untrum, sedhe on leahtrum fyldh. Ac se l['a]reow bidh +unscyldig, gif he thaet folc mid lare gewissadh, and him widh God +gedhingadh. Tha twa dhing he sceal dham folce d['o]n, and eac mid his +agenum odhrum gehelpan; and gif hit swa get['i]madh, his agen l['i]f syllan +for dhaes folces hreddinge. + +"Se hyra flihdh thonne he dhone wulf gesihdh." Se is hyra and na hyrde, +sedhe bidh begripen on woruld-dhingum, and lufadh thone wurdhmynt and dha +ateorigendlican edlean, and naefdh inweardlice lufe to Godes sceapum. He +cepdh thaera sceatta, and blissadh on dham wurdhmynte, and haefdh his mede +for dhisum life, and bidh bescyred thaere ecan mede. Nast dhu hw['a] bidh +hyra, hw['a] hyrde, aerdham dhe se wulf cume; ac se wulf geswuteladh mid +hwilcum mode he gymde thaera sceapa. Se wulf cymdh to dham sceapum, and +sume h['e] abitt, sume h['e] tostencdh, thonne se redha deofol tihdh tha +cristenan men, sume to forl['i]gre, sume h['e] ontent to gytsunge, sume +h['e] araerdh to modignysse, sume h['e] thurh graman totwaemdh, and mid +mislicum costnungum gastlice ofslihdh. Ac se hyra ne bidh nadhor ne mid +ware ne mid lufe astyred, ac flyhdh, fordhan the h['e] smeadh embe dha +woruldlican hydhdha, and l['ae]t to gymeleaste thaere sceapa lyre. Ne +flyhdh he na mid lichaman, ac mid mode. He flyhdh, fordhan the h['e] geseh +unrihtwisnysse and suwade. H['e] flyhdh fordhan dhe he is hyra, and n['a] +hyrde, swilce hit swa gecweden sy, Ne maeg se standan ongean fraecednyssa +thaera sceapa, sedhe ne gymdh thaera sceapa mid lufe, ac {242} tyladh his +sylfes; thaet is thaet h['e] lufadh tha eordhlican gestreon, and na Godes +folc. + +Wulf bidh eac se unrihtwisa rica, dhe bereafadh tha cristenan, and dha +eadmodan mid his riccetere ofsitt: ac se hyra, odhdhe se m['e]dgylda ne +gedyrstlaecdh thaet he his unrihtwisnysse widhstande, thaet he ne forleose +his wurdhmynt, and dha woruldlican gestreon dhe he lufadh swidhor dhonne +tha cristenan menn. Be dhisum awr['a]t se w['i]tega Ezechiel, thus +cwedhende, "Ge hyrdas, gehyradh Godes word: Mine sc['e]p sint tostencte +dhurh eowre gymeleaste, and sind ab['i]tene. Ge cariadh embe eowerne +bigleofan, and n['a] embe thaera sceapa; fordhi ic wille ofg['a]n dha +sc['e]p aet eowrum handum; and ic do thaet ge gesw['i]cadh thaere w['i]can, +and ic wylle ahreddan mine eowde widh eow. Ic sylf wylle gadrian mine +sc['e]p the waeron tostencte, and ic wylle hi healdan on genihtsumere +laese: thaet thaet losode thaet ic wylle s['e]can and ongean laedan; thaet +thaet alefed waes, thaet ic gehaele; thaet untrume ic wylle getrymman, and +thaet strange gehealdan, and ic h['i] laeswige on dome and on +rihtwisnysse." + +Thas word spraec God thurh dhone w['i]tegan Ezechiel, be l['a]reowum and be +his folce. Ge sceolon beon geornfulle to eower agenre dhearfe, theah hit +swa getimige thaet se l['a]reow gimeleas beo, and dodh swa swa Crist +taehte, "Gif se l['a]reow wel t['ae]ce and yfele bysnige, dodh swa swa he +taecdh, and na be dham the h['e] bysnadh." Se Haelend cwaedh be him, "Ic +eom g['o]d hyrde, and ic oncnawe mine sc['e]p, and h['i] oncnawadh me." +Thaet is, ic lufige h['i], and h['i] lufiadh me. Se dhe ne lufadh +sodhfaestnysse, ne oncneow he na gyt God. Ac behealde ge hwaedher ge sind +Godes sc['e]p, hwaedher ge hine gyt oncneowon, hwaedher ge mid +sodhfaestnysse hine lufiadh. H['e] cwaedh, "Swa swa min Faeder oncn['ae]wdh +me, and ic oncn['a]we hine, and ic sylle min agen lif for minum sceapum." +He oncn['ae]wdh his Faeder dhurh hine sylfne, and we oncnawadh thurh hine. +Mid thaere lufe the h['e] wolde for mancynne sweltan, mid thaere h['e] +cydhde h['u] micclan h['e] lufadh his Faeder. He cwaedh, "Ic haebbe odhre +sc['e]p the ne sind na of dhisre eowde, and dha ic sceal laedan, {244} and +hi gehyradh mine stemne, and sceal beon ['a]n eowd, and ['a]n hyrde." + +This h['e] spraec on Iudea-lande: dhaer waes ['a]n eowd of dham mannum the +on God belyfdon on dham leodscipe. Tha odhre sc['e]p syndon tha the of +eallum odhrum eardum to Gode b['u]gadh; and Crist h['i] gebrincdh ealle on +['a]nre eowde on dham ecan life. Manega sind hyrdas under Criste, and +dheah-hwaedhere he is ['a]na heora ealra Hyrde, sedhe leofadh and rixadh +mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste, ['a] on ecnysse. Amen. + +THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. + + Dixit Jesus discipulis suis, Ego sum pastor bonus: et reliqua. + +This gospel, which has now been read, says, that Jesus said of himself, "I +am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his own life for his sheep. +The hireling, who is not the right shepherd, seeth the wolf coming, and he +forsaketh the sheep and fleeth; and the wolf teareth one, and scattereth +the others," etc. + +Christ is good by nature, and in sooth there is nothing good, save God +only. If any creature is good, then is its goodness of the Creator, who is +supremely good. He said, "The good shepherd giveth his own life for his +sheep." Our Redeemer is the good shepherd, and we christian men are his +sheep, and he gave his own life for our redemption. He did as he exhorted, +and he thereby manifested what he enjoined. A good shepherd was Peter, and +good was Paul, and good were the apostles, who gave their lives for God's +people and for the right faith; but their goodness was of the head, which +is Christ, who is their head, and they are his limbs. + +Every bishop and every teacher is placed as a shepherd over God's people, +that they may shield the people against {241} the wolf. The wolf is the +devil, who lies in ambush about God's church, and watches how he may fordo +the souls of christian men with sins. Then shall the shepherd, that is, the +bishop or other teacher, withstand the fierce wolf with doctrine and with +prayers. With doctrine he shall teach them, that they may know what the +devil teaches for men's perdition, and what God commands to be observed for +the attainment of everlasting life. He shall pray for them, that God may +preserve the strong and heal the weak. He is to be accounted strong who +withstands the precepts of the devil; he is weak who falls into sins. But +the teacher will be guiltless, if he direct the people with doctrine, and +mediate for them with God. These two things he shall do for the people, and +also help others with his own; and if it so happen, give his own life for +the saving of the people. + +"The hireling fleeth when he seeth the wolf." He is a hireling and not a +shepherd, who is engaged in worldly things, and loves dignity and +perishable rewards, and has no inward love for God's sheep. He takes heed +of treasures, and rejoices in dignity, and has his reward in this life, and +will be cut off from the everlasting reward. Thou knowest not who is a +hireling, who a shepherd, before the wolf comes; but the wolf makes +manifest in what manner he watches the sheep. The wolf comes to the sheep, +and some he devours, some he scatters, when the fierce devil instigates +christian men, some to adultery, some he inflames to covetousness, some he +lifts up to pride, some through anger he divides, and with divers +temptations spiritually slays: for the hireling is excited neither by care +nor love, but flees, because he considers worldly advantages, and leaves +unheeded the loss of the sheep. He flees not with body, but with mind. He +flees because he saw iniquity and held silence. He flees because he is a +hireling and not a shepherd, as though it were so said, He cannot stand +against the perils of the sheep, who guardeth not the sheep with love, but +provideth {243} for himself; that is, he loves worldly gain, and not God's +folk. + +The unrighteous powerful man also is a wolf, who robs christians, and +oppresses the humble with his power: for the hireling, or the mercenary, +dares not withstand his unrighteousness lest he lose his dignity, and the +worldly gain which he loves more than christian men. Concerning this the +prophet Ezechiel wrote, thus saying, "Ye shepherds, hear the word of God: +My sheep are scattered through your heedlessness, and are devoured. Ye care +for your own sustenance, and not for that of the sheep; therefore I will +require the sheep at your hands, and I will cause you to depart from the +fold, and I will deliver my flock from you. I myself will gather my sheep +that were scattered, and I will feed them in an abundant pasture: that +which was lost I will seek and bring again; that which was maimed I will +heal; the sick I will strengthen, and feed the strong, and I will pasture +them in judgement and in righteousness." + +These words spake God through the prophet Ezechiel, concerning teachers and +concerning his people. Ye should be zealous for your own need (though it so +happen that the teacher be heedless), and do as Christ taught, "If the +teacher teach well, and give evil example, do as he teacheth, and not +according to his example." Jesus says of himself, "I am a good shepherd, +and I know my sheep, and they know me." That is, I love them, and they love +me. He who loves not truth, he yet knows not God. But consider whether ye +are God's sheep, whether ye yet know him, whether ye with truth love him. +He said, "As my Father knoweth me, I also know him, and I give my own life +for my sheep." He knows his Father through himself, and we know him through +him. With that love with which he would die for mankind, he manifested how +greatly he loves his Father. He said, "I have other sheep which are not of +this fold, and those I {245} shall bring, and they will hear my voice, and +there shall be one fold and one shepherd." + +This he spake in the land of Juda: there was a fold of men who believed in +God in that nation. The other sheep are those of all other countries who +incline to God; and Christ will bring them all to one fold in eternal life. +Many are the shepherds under Christ, and yet he alone is Shepherd of them +all, who liveth and ruleth with the Father and with the Holy Ghost ever to +eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +IN LETANIA MAIORE. + +Dhas dagas synd gehatene LETANIAE, thaet sint, GEBED-DAGAS. On dhisum dagum +we sceolon gebiddan ure eordhlicra waestma genihtsumnysse, and us sylfum +gesundfulnysse and sibbe, and, thaet g['y]t mare is, ure synna +forgyfenysse. + +We raedadh on b['o]cum, thaet dheos gehealdsumnys wurde ar['ae]red on dhone +timan dhe gel['a]mp on anre byrig, dhe Uigenna is gecweden, micel +eordh-styrung, and feollon cyrcan and h['u]s, and comon wilde beran and +wulfas, and ab['i]ton dhaes folces micelne d['ae]l, and thaes cynges botl +weardh mid heofonlicum fyre forbaerned. Tha bead se biscop Mamertus dhreora +daga faesten, and seo gedreccednys dha geswac; and se gewuna dhaes +faestenes dhurhwunadh gehwaer on geleaffulre geladhunge. + +H['i] namon tha bysne dhaes faestenys aet dham Niniueiscan folce. Thaet +folc waes swidhe fyrenful: tha wolde God h['i] ford['o]n, ac h['i] +gegladodon hine mid heora behreowsunge. God spraec to anum w['i]tegan, se +waes Ionas geh['a]ten, "Far to dhaere byrig Niniuen, and boda dhaer dha +word the ic the secge. Tha weardh se w['i]tega afyrht, and wolde forfleon +Godes gesihdhe, ac h['e] ne mihte. Ferde dha to s['ae], and stah on scip. +Dhadha tha scypmen comon ut on s['ae], tha sende him God to micelne {246} +wind and hreohnysse, swa thaet h['i] waeron ['o]rwene heora l['i]fes. Hi +dha wurpon heora waru oforbord, and se w['i]tega laeg and sl['e]p. Hi +wurpon dha t['a]n betweox him, and baedon thaet God sceolde geswutulian +hwanon him thaet ungelimp become. Tha com dhaes w['i]tegan t['a] upp. Hi +axodon hine, Hwaet h['e] waere, odhdhe h['u] h['e] faran wolde? He cwaedh, +thaet h['e] waere Godes dheow, sedhe gesceop s['ae] and l['a]nd, and thaet +h['e] fleon wolde of Godes gesihdhe. H['i] cwaedon, H['u] do we ymbe dhe? +H['e] andwyrde, Weorpadh me oforbord, thonne geswicdh theos gedreccednys. +H['i] dha swa dydon, and seo hreohnys weardh gestilled, and h['i] offrodon +Gode heora l['a]c, and tugon fordh." + +God dha gegearcode aenne hw['ae]l, and h['e] forswealh thone w['i]tegan, +and ab['ae]r hine to dham lande the he t['o] sceolde, and hine dhaer +['u]t-asp['a]w. Tha com eft Godes w['o]rd to dham w['i]tegan, and cwaedh, +"Ar['i]s nu, and ga to dhaere mycelan byrig Niniu['e]n, and boda swa swa ic +dhe aer saede." He ferde, and bodode, thaet him waes Godes grama +['o]nsigende, gif h['i] to Gode bugan noldon. Dha ar['a]s se cyning of his +cynesetle, and awearp his deorwyrdhe reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and +axan uppan his heafod, and bead thaet aelc man swa d['o]n sceolde; and +aegdher ge men ge dha sucendan cild and eac dha nytenu ne onbyrigdon nanes +dhinges binnan dhrim dagum. Tha, dhurh tha gecyrrednysse, thaet h['i] +yfeles geswicon, and dhurh thaet strange faesten, him gemildsode God, and +nolde hi ford['o]n, swa swa he ['ae]r tha twa burhwara Sodomam and +Gomorram, for heora leahtrum, mid heofonlicum fyre forbaernde. + +We sceolon eac on dhissum dagum beg['a]n ure gebedu, and fyligan urum +haligdome ut and inn, and dhone Aelmihtigan God mid geornfulnysse herian. +We wylladh nu this godspel eow gereccan, the her nu geraed waes: "Quis +uestrum habebit amicum:" et reliqua. "Se Haelend cwaedh to his +leorning-cnihtum, Hwilc eower is the haefdh sumne freond, and gaedh him to +on middere nihte, and cwydh": et reliqua. + +{248} Se halga Augustinus trahtnode this godspel, and cwaedh, thaet seo +niht getacnode tha nytennysse thisre worulde. Theos woruld is afylled mid +nytennysse. Nu sceal fordhi gehw['a] arisan of dhaere nytennysse, and gan +to his frynd, thaet is, thaet he sceal gebugan to Criste mid ealre +geornfulnysse, and biddan thaera dhreora hlafa, thaet is, geleafan thaere +Halgan Dhrynnysse. Se Aelmihtiga Faeder is God, and his Sunu is Aelmihtig +God, and se Halga Gast is Aelmihtig God; na dhry Godas, ac h['i] ealle +['a]n Aelmihtig God untodaeledlic. Thonne dhu becymst to dhisum dhrym +hlafum, thaet is, to andgite dhaere Halgan Dhrynnysse, thonne haefst dhu on +dham geleafan l['i]f and f['o]dan dhinre sawle, and miht odherne cuman eac +mid dham fedan, thaet is, dhu miht taecan dhone geleafan odhrum frynd the +the dhaes bitt. He cwaedh, 'cuma,' fordhan dhe we ealle sind cuman on +dhisum life, and ure eard nis na her; ac we sind her swilce wegferende +menn; ['a]n cymdh, odher faerdh; se bidh acenned, se odher fordhfaerdh and +rymdh him setl. Nu sceal gehw['a] fordhi gewilnian thaes geleafan thaere +Halgan Dhrynnysse, fordhan dhe se geleafa hine gebrincdh to dham ecan life. + +We wylladh eft embe dhone geleafan swidhor sprecan, fordhan dhe dhises +godspelles traht haefdh g['o]dne tige. Se hiredes ealdor, the waes on his +reste gebroht mid his cildum, is Crist, the sitt on heofonum mid his +apostolum, and mid martyrum, and mid eallum tham halgum, the he on dhisum +life gefette. We sceolon clypigan to Criste, and biddan dhaera dhreora +hlafa. Theah h['e] ['u]s thaerrihte ne getidhige, ne sceole we fordhi +thaere bene geswican. He elcadh, and wyle hwaedhere forgyfan. Thi h['e] +elcadh, thaet we sceolon beon oflyste, and deorwyrdhlice healdan Godes +gife. Swa hwaet swa man eadhelice begyt, thaet ne bidh na swa deorwyrdhe +swa thaet thaet earfodhlice bidh begyten. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Gif he +dhurhwunadh cnucigende, thonne arist se hiredes ealdor, for dhaes odhres +onhrope, and him getidhadh thaes dhe he bitt, na for freondraedene, ac for +his unstilnysse." Thi he cwaedh, "Na for freondraedene," fordhan dhe n['a]n +man naere wyrdhe ne thaes geleafan ne dhaes ecan lifes, gif Godes +mildheortnys naere {250} dhe mare ofer manncynne. Nu sceole we cnucian, and +hryman to Criste, fordhan dhe h['e] wile us tidhian, swa swa he sylf +cwaedh, "Biddadh, and eow bidh forgifen; secadh, and ge gemetadh; cnuciadh, +and eow bidh geopenod." Aelc dhaera dhe geornlice bitt, and thaere bene ne +geswicdh, tham getidhadh God thaes ecan lifes. + +He cwaedh tha odher bigspel. "Hwilc faeder wile syllan his cilde st['a]n, +gif hit hine hlafes bitt? oththe naeddran, gif hit fisces bitt? odhdhe +thone wyrm dhrowend, gif hit aeges bitt?" God is ure Faeder thurh his +mildheortnysse, and se fisc getacnadh geleafan, and thaet aeig dhone halgan +hiht, se hl['a]f dha sodhan lufe. Thas dhreo dhing forgifdh God his +gecorenum; fordhan dhe nan man ne maeg habban Godes rice, butan he haebbe +dhas dhreo dhing. He sceal rihtlice gelyfan, and habban hiht to Gode, and +sodhe lufe to Gode and to mannum, gif he wile to Godes rice becuman. Se +fisc getacnadh geleafan, fordhan dhe his gecynd is, swa hine swidhor dha +ydha wealcadh, swa he strengra bidh, and swidhor batadh. Swa eac se +geleaffulla man, swa he swidhor bidh geswenct for his geleafan, swa se +geleafa strengra bidh, thaer dhaer h['e] aeltaewe bidh. Gif h['e] abrydh on +dhaere ehtnysse, he ne bidh thonne geleafa, ac bidh h['i]wung. Thaet aeig +getacnadh hiht, fordhi dhe fugelas ne tymadh swa swa odhre nytenu, ac +aerest hit bidh aeig, and seo modor sidhdhan mid hihte bret thaet aeig to +bridde. Swa eac ure hiht ne becom na gyt to dham dhe he hopadh, ac is +swilce h['e] sy aeig. Thonne he haefdh thaet him behaten is, he bidh fugel. +Hl['a]f getacnadh tha sodhan lufe, seo is ealra maegna maest, swa swa se +hl['a]f bidh ealra metta fyrmest. Micel maegen is geleafa, and micel is se +sodha hiht; theah-hwaedhere seo lufu hi oferswidh, fordhan dhe heo bidh +['a] on ecnysse, and dha odhre twa geendiadh. We gelyfadh nu on God, and we +hopiadh to him: eft thonne we becumadh to his r['i]ce, swa swa he us behet, +thonne bidh se geleafa geendod, fordhan dhe we geseodh thonne thaet we nu +gelyfadh. Ure hiht bidh eac geendod, fordhan dhe we beodh haebbende dhaes +dhe we aer hopedon; ac seo lufu ne ateoradh naefre: nu is heo fordhi heora +selest. + +{252} Seo naeddre is geset on dham godspelle ongean dhone fisc. On naeddran +h['i]we besw['a]c se deofol Adam; and aefre h['e] windh nu ongean urne +geleafan: ac seo gescyldnys is aet urum Faeder gelang. Se wyrm dhrowend, +the is geset ongean thaet aeig, is aettren, and slihdh mid tham taegle to +deadhe. Tha dhing dhe we geseodh on dhisum l['i]fe, dha sind +ateorigendlice; tha dhe we ne geseodh, and us sind beh['a]tene, hi sind +['e]ce: strece dhaerto thinne hiht, and anbida odhthaet dhu hi haebbe. Ne +loca dhu underbaec; ondraed the dhone dhrowend the ge['ae]ttradh mid tham +taegle. Se man locadh underbaec, the geortruwadh Godes mildheortnysse; +thonne bidh his hiht geaettrod mid thaes dhrowendes taegle. Ac we sceolon +aeigdher ge on earfodhnyssum, ge on gelimpe and on ungelimpe, cwedhan, swa +swa se witega cwaedh, "Ic herige minne Drihten on aelcne t['i]man." +Getimige ['u]s tela on lichaman, getimige ['u]s untela, symle we sceolon +thaes Gode dhancian, and his naman bletsian; thonne bidh ure hiht gehealden +widh thaes wyrmes slege. + +St['a]n is gesett ongean dhone hl['a]f, fordhan dhe heardmodnys is +widherraede sodhre lufe. Heardheort bidh se mann, dhe nele thurh lufe +odhrum fremigan, thaer dhaer h['e] maeg. Thaet godspel cwaedh, "Gif ge +cunnon, tha dhe yfele sind, syllan dha g['o]dnysse eowrum bearnum, hu +micele swidhor wile eower Heofonlica Faeder forgyfan g['o]dne gast him +biddendum." Hwaet sind dha g['o]d the men sylladh heora cildum? +Hwilwendlice g['o]dnyssa, swylce swa thaet godspel hrepode, hl['a]f, and +fisc, and aeig. G['o]de sind thas dhing be heora maedhe, fordhan dhe se +eordhlica lichama behofadh thaes fodan. Nu ge, gleawe men, nelladh syllan +eowrum cildum naeddran for fisce, nele eac ure Heofonlica Faeder us syllan +thaes deofles geleaflaeste, gif we hine biddadh thaet he ['u]s sylle sodhne +geleafan. And dhu nelt syllan dhinum bearne throwend for ['ae]ge, nele eac +God us syllan orwenysse for hihte. And dhu nelt dhinum bearne syllan +st['a]n for hl['a]fe, nele eac God us syllan heardheortnysse for sodhre +lufe. Ac se goda Heofonlica Faeder forgifdh us geleafan, and {254} hiht, +and dha sodhan lufe, and dedh thaet we habbadh g['o]dne gast, thaet is, +g['o]dne willan. + +Us is to smeagenne thaet word the he cwaedh, "Ge dhe sind yfele." Yfele we +sind, ac we habbadh g['o]dne Faeder. We habbadh gehyred urne naman, "Ge dhe +synt yfele." Ac hw['a] is ure Faeder? Se Aelmihtiga God. And hwilcera manna +Faeder is he? Swutelice hit is ges['ae]d, yfelra manna. And hwilc is se +Faeder? Be dham the is gecweden, "Nis nan man g['o]d butan Gode anum." Se +dhe aefre is g['o]d, he brincdh us yfele to g['o]dum mannum, gif we bugadh +fram yfele, and dodh g['o]d. G['o]d waes se man gesceapen Adam, ac dhurh +his agenne cyre, and deofles tihtinge, he weardh yfel, and eal his +ofspring. Se dhe synful bidh, he bidh yfel, and n['a]n man nis on l['i]fe +butan sumere synne. Ac ure g['o]da Faeder us geclaensadh and gehaeldh, swa +swa se witega cwaedh, "Drihten, gehael me, and ic beo gehaeled; geheald thu +me, and ic beo gehealden." + +Se dhe g['o]d beon wile, clypige to dham the aefre is g['o]d, thaet he hine +g['o]dne gewyrce. Se man haefdh gold, thaet is g['o]d be his maedhe: he +haefdh land and welan, tha sint g['o]de. Ac ne bidh se man g['o]d thurh +dhas dhing, butan he mid tham g['o]d wyrce, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "He +aspende his dhing, and todaelde dhearfum, and his rihtwisnys wunadh ['a] on +worulde." He gewanode his feoh and geihte his rihtwisnysse. He gewanode +thaet he forlaetan sceal, and thaet bidh geiht thaet thaet he habban sceal +on ecnysse. Thu herast dhone mancgere dhe begytt gold mid leade, and nelt +herigan dhone dhe begytt rihtwisnysse and heofonan rice mid brosnigendlicum +feo. Se r['i]ca and se dhearfa sind wegferende on dhisre worulde. Nu berdh +se r['i]ca swaere byrdhene his gestreona, and se dhearfa gaedh aemtig. Se +r['i]ca berdh mare thonne he beh['o]fige to his formettum, se odher berdh +aemtigne pusan. Fordhi sceal se r['i]ca daelan his byrdhene widh thone +dhearfan, thonne wanadh he dha byrdhene his synna, and dham thearfan +gehelpdh. Ealle we sind Godes thearfan; uton fordhi oncnawan tha dhearfan +the us biddadh, thaet {256} God oncnawe us, thonne we hine biddadh ure +neoda. Hwaet sind tha dhe us biddadh? Earme men, and tiddre, and deadlice. +Aet hwam biddadh h['i]? Aet earmum mannum, and tiddrum, and deadlicum. +Butan tham aehtum, gelice sind tha the dhaer biddadh, and dhadhe h['i] +aetbiddadh. H['u] mihtu for sceame aeniges dhinges aet Gode biddan, gif dhu +forwyrnst dhinum gel['i]can thaes dhe dhu foreadhelice him getidhian miht? +Ac se r['i]ca besihdh on his paellenum gyrlum, and cwydh, 'Nis se loddere +mid his taettecon m['i]n gel['i]ca.' Ac se apostol Paulus hine nebbadh mid +thisum wordum, "Ne brohte we n['a]n dhing to dhisum middangearde, ne we +n['a]n dhing heonon mid ['u]s laedan ne magon." + +Gif r['i]ce w['i]f, and earm acennadh togaedere, gangon h['i] aweig; nast +dhu hwaedher bidh thaes r['i]can w['i]fan cild, hwaedher thaes earman. Eft, +gif man openadh deaddra manna byrgynu, nast dhu hwaedher beodh thaes +r['i]can mannes b['a]n, hwaedher thaes dhearfan. Ac seo gytsung is ealra +yfelra dhinga wyrtruma; and tha dhe fyligadh thaere gytsunge, h['i] +dweliadh fram Godes geleafan, and hi befealladh on mislice costnunga and +derigendlice lustas, dhe hi besencadh on forwyrd. Odher is thaet hw['a] +r['i]ce beo, gif his yldran him aehta becwaedon; odher is, gif hw['a] thurh +gytsunge r['i]ce gewurdhe. Thises mannes gytsung is gewreht widh God, na +dhaes odhres aeht, gif his heorte ne bidh ontend mid thaere gytsunge. +Swilcum mannum bebead se apostol Paulus, "Bebeodadh tham ricum thaet h['i] +ne modigan, ne h['i] ne h['o]pian on heora ungewissum welan; ac beon h['i] +rice on godum weorcum, and syllan Godes dhearfum mid cystigum mode, and God +him forgylt mid hundfealdum swa hwaet swa he dedh tham earman for his +lufon." + +Se r['i]ca and se thearfa sind him betwynan nyd-behefe. Se welega is +geworht for dhan dhearfan, and se dhearfa for than welegan. Tham spedigum +gedafenadh thaet he spende and daele; dham waedlan gedafenadh thaet he +gebidde for dhane daelere. Se earma is se weg the laet us to Godes rice. +Mare syldh se {258} dhearfa tham r['i]can thonne he aet him nime. Se +r['i]ca him syldh thone hl['a]f dhe bidh to meoxe awend, and se dhearfa +syldh tham r['i]can thaet ['e]ce l['i]f: na h['e] swa-dheah, ac Crist, +sedhe thus cwaedh, "Thaet thaet ge dodh anum dhearfan on m['i]num naman, +thaet ge dodh me sylfum," sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder and mid +Halgum Gaste ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +ON THE GREATER LITANY. + +These days are called LITANIAE, that is, PRAYER-DAYS. On these days we +should pray for abundance of our earthly fruits, and health for ourselves, +and peace, and, what is yet more, forgiveness of our sins. + +We read in books, that this observance was established at the time when +there happened in a city, which is called Vienna, a great earthquake, and +churches and houses fell, and there came wild bears and wolves, and +devoured a large portion of the people, and the king's palace was burnt +with heavenly fire. Then the bishop Mamertus commanded a fast of three +days, and the affliction ceased; and the custom of the fast continues +everywhere in the faithful church. + +They took the example of the fast from the people of Nineveh. That people +was very sinful: then would God destroy them, but they appeased him with +their penitence. God spake to a prophet who was called Jonah, "Go to the +city of Nineveh, and announce there the words which I say to thee. Then was +the prophet afraid, and would flee from God's presence, but he could not. +He went to the sea, and entered a ship. When the shipmen came out to sea, +God {247} sent to them a great wind and tempest, so that they were hopeless +of their lives. They therefore cast their wares overboard, and the prophet +lay and slept. They then cast lots among them, and prayed that God would +manifest to them whence that affliction came upon them. Then the prophet's +lot came up. They asked him who he was, or how he would go? He said that he +was a servant of God, who created sea and land, and that he would flee from +God's presence. They said, How shall we do regarding thee? He answered, +Cast me overboard, then will this affliction cease. They then did so, and +the tempest was stilled, and they offered their gifts to God, and went on +their course." + +God then prepared a whale, and it swallowed up the prophet, and bare him to +the land to which he should go, and there vomited him out. Then again came +the word of God to the prophet, and said, "Arise now, and go to the great +city Nineveh, and preach as I before said to thee." He went and preached, +that God's anger was about to descend on them, if they would not incline to +God. Then, the king arose from his throne, and cast off his precious robes, +and put sackcloth on his body, and ashes upon his head, and commanded that +every man should so do; and that both men and sucking children and also the +cattle should not taste of anything within three days. Then through that +conversion, that they desisted from evil, and through that strict fast, God +had mercy on them, and would not destroy them, as he had before, for their +crimes, burnt the inhabitants of the two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, with +heavenly fire. + +We also on these days should offer up our prayers, and follow our relics +out and in, and with fervour praise Almighty God. We will now expound to +you this gospel which has just been read: "Quis vestrum habebit amicum": et +reliqua. "Jesus said to his disciples, Which of you who hath a friend, and +goeth to him at midnight, and saith," etc. + +{249} Saint Augustine expounded this gospel, and said, that the night +betokened the ignorance of this world. This world is filled with ignorance. +Now therefore should everyone arise from that ignorance, and go to his +friend, that is, he should incline to Christ with all fervour, and pray for +the three loaves, that is, belief in the Holy Trinity. The Almighty Father +is God, and his Son is Almighty God, and the Holy Ghost is Almighty God; +not three Gods, but they all one Almighty God indivisible. When thou comest +to those three loaves, that is, to an understanding of the Holy Trinity, +then hast thou, in that belief, life and food for thy soul, and mayest +therewith feed another stranger also, that is, thou mayest teach the faith +to another friend who shall ask it of thee. He said a 'stranger,' because +we are all strangers in this life, and our country is not here; but we are +here as wayfaring men; one comes, another goes; this is born, the other +departs and yields up his seat to him. Now therefore should everyone desire +faith in the Holy Trinity, for that faith will bring him to everlasting +life. + +We will again speak more concerning faith, because the exposition of this +gospel has a good deduction. The master of the family, who was gone to rest +with his children, is Christ, who sits in heaven with his apostles, and +with martyrs, and with all the saints whom he fetched in this life. We +should call to Christ, and pray for the three loaves. Though he do not +forthwith grant them to us, we should not on that account desist from +prayer. He delays, and yet will give. He delays, that we may be desirous, +and dearly hold the grace of God. Whatsoever a man gets easily is not so +precious as that which is gotten with difficulty. Jesus said, "If he +continue knocking, the master of the family will arise, because of the +other's importunity, and grant him what he asks, not for friendship, but +for his clamour." He said, "Not for friendship," because no man were worthy +either of that faith, or of eternal life, if God's mercy were not the {251} +greater towards mankind. We should knock, and call to Christ, because he +will give to us, as he himself said, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; +seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." To everyone +who fervently asks, and ceases not from prayer, God will grant everlasting +life. + +He then said another parable. "What father will give his child a stone, if +he ask for bread? or a serpent, if he ask for a fish? or a scorpion, if he +ask for an egg?" God is our Father through his mercy, and the fish betokens +faith, and the egg holy hope, the bread true love. These three things God +gives to his chosen; for no man can have God's kingdom, unless he have +these three things. He must rightly believe, and have hope in God, and true +love to God and to men, if he will come to God's kingdom. The fish betokens +faith, because its nature is, that the more it is tossed by the waves, the +stronger it is, and the more vigorously it strikes. In like manner the +believing man, the more he is afflicted for his faith, the stronger will be +his faith, wherever it is sound. If it sink under persecution, it is then +not faith, but is hypocrisy. The egg betokens hope, seeing that birds teem +not like other animals, but first it is an egg, and the mother then with +hope cherishes the egg to a young bird. In like manner our hope comes not +yet to that which it hopes, but is, as it were, an egg. When it has that +which is promised it, it is a bird. Bread betokens true love, which of all +virtues is greatest, as bread is of all food the principal. Faith is a +great virtue, and a great virtue is true hope; yet love excels them, +forasmuch as it is ever to eternity, and the other two will end. We now +believe in God, and we hope in him: but after we come to his kingdom, as he +has promised us, then will faith be ended, for we shall then see what we +now believe. Our hope will also be ended, because we shall be in possession +of what we had previously hoped for; but love will never decay: therefore +is it the most excellent of them. + +{253} The serpent is placed in the gospel in opposition to the fish. In a +serpent's form the devil deceived Adam; and he is now ever striving against +our faith: but our protection is in the hand of our Father. The scorpion, +which is set in opposition to the egg, is venomous, and stings with its +tail to death. Those things which we see in this life are perishable; those +which we see not, and which are promised to us are eternal: stretch thereto +thy hope, and wait until thou have them. Look not behind; dread the +scorpion which envenoms with its tail. The man looks behind, who despairs +of God's mercy; then is his hope envenomed by the scorpion's tail. But we +should both in difficulties, and in chances and in mischances, say as the +prophet said, "I will praise the Lord at every time." Betide us good in +body, betide us evil, we ought ever to thank God, and bless his name; then +will our hope be preserved from the scorpion's sting. + +A stone is set in opposition to bread, because hardness of mind is contrary +to true love. Hardhearted is the man who will not through love promote the +welfare of others where he can. The gospel says, "If ye can, who are evil, +give to your children what is good, how much more will your Heavenly Father +give a good spirit to those asking him?" What are the good things that men +give to their children? Transitory goods, such as the gospel touched on, +bread, and fish, and an egg. These things are good in their degree, because +the earthly body requires food. Now ye, prudent men, will not give your +children a serpent for a fish, nor also will your Heavenly Father give us +the devil's unbelief, if we pray to him to give us true faith. And thou +wilt not give thy child a scorpion for an egg, nor also will God give us +despair for hope. And thou wilt not give thy child a stone for bread, nor +also will God give us hardheartedness for true love. But the good Heavenly +Father will give us faith, and hope, and {255} true love, and will cause us +to have a good spirit, that is, good will. + +We have to consider the words which he said, "Ye who are evil." We are +evil, but we have a good Father. We have heard our name, "Ye who are evil." +But who is our Father? The Almighty God. And of what men is he the Father? +It is manifestly said, of evil men. And of what kind is the Father? Of whom +it is said, "No one is good save God only." He who ever is good will bring +us who are evil to be good men, if we will eschew evil and do good. The man +Adam was created good, but by his own election and the instigation of the +devil, he and all his offspring became evil. He who is sinful is evil, and +there is no man in life without some sin. But our good Father will cleanse +and heal us, as the prophet said, "Lord, heal me, and I shall be healed; +preserve thou me, and I shall be preserved." + +Let him who desires to be good call to him who ever is good, that he make +him good. A man has gold, that is good in its kind: he has land and riches, +they are good. But the man is not good through these things, unless he do +good with them, as the prophet said, "He distributed his wealth, and +divided it among the poor, and his righteousness continueth for ever." He +diminished his money, and increased his righteousness. He diminished that +which he must leave, and that will be increased which he shall have to +eternity. Thou praisest the merchant who gets gold for lead, and wilt not +praise him who gets righteousness and the kingdom of heaven for perishable +money. The rich and the poor are wayfarers in this world. The rich now +bears the heavy burthen of his treasures, and the poor goes empty. The rich +bears more provisions for his journey than he requires, the other bears an +empty scrip. Therefore should the rich share his burthen with the poor; +then will he lessen the burthen of his sins, and help the poor. We are all +God's poor; let us therefore acknowledge the poor who ask of us, that God +{257} may acknowledge us, when we ask our needs of him. Who are those that +ask of us? Men poor, and feeble, and mortal. Of whom ask they? Of men poor, +and feeble, and mortal. Except the possessions, alike are those who ask and +those of whom they ask. How canst thou for shame ask anything of God, if +thou refuse to thy fellow that which thou canst most easily grant him? But +the rich looks on his purple garments, and says, 'The wretch with his rags +is not my fellow.' But the apostle Paul beards him with these words, "We +brought nothing to this world, nor may we take with us anything hence." + +If a rich woman, and a poor one bring forth together, let them go away; +thou knowest not which is the rich woman's child, which the poor one's. +Again, if we open the graves of dead men, thou knowest not which are the +rich man's bones, which the poor one's. But covetousness is of all evil +things the root, and those who follow covetousness swerve from God's faith, +and fall into divers temptations, and pernicious lusts, which sink them +into perdition. It is one thing, that a man be rich, if his parents have +bequeathed him possessions; another thing, if any one become rich through +covetousness. The covetousness of the latter is accused before God, not the +other's wealth, if his heart be not inflamed with covetousness. For such +men the apostle Paul enjoined, "Enjoin the rich that they be not proud, and +that they hope not in their uncertain wealth; but let them be rich in good +works, and give to God's poor with bountiful spirit, and God will requite +them an hundredfold for whatsoever they do for the poor for love of him." + +The rich and the poor are needful to each other. The wealthy is made for +the poor, and the poor for the wealthy. It is incumbent on the affluent, +that he scatter and distribute; on the indigent it is incumbent, that he +pray for the distributor. The poor is the way that leads us to the kingdom +of God. The poor gives to the rich more than he {259} receives from him. +The rich gives him bread that will be turned to ordure, and the poor gives +to the rich everlasting life: yet not he, but Christ, who thus said, "That +which ye do for the poor in my name, that ye do for myself," who liveth and +reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +FERIA III. + +DE DOMINICA ORATIONE. + +Se Haelend Crist, sydhdhan he to dhisum life c['o]m, and man weardh +geweaxen, thadha h['e] waes dhritig wintra eald on thaere menniscnysse, tha +beg['a]nn he wundra to wyrcenne, and geceas dha twelf leorning-cnihtas, tha +dhe we apostolas hatadh. Tha waeron mid him aefre sydhdhan, and he him +taehte ealne thone wisdom dhe on halgum bocum stent, and thurh h['i] ealne +cristendom astealde. Tha cwaedon hi to dham Haelende, "L['e]['o]f, taece +['u]s hu we magon us gebiddan." Dha andwyrde se Haelend, and thus cwaedh, +"Gebiddadh eow mid thisum wordum to minum Faeder and to eowrum Faeder, Gode +Aelmihtigum: Pater noster, thaet is on Englisc, Thu, ure Faeder, the eart +on heofonum, Sy th['i]n nama gehalgod. Cume dh['i]n r['i]ce. Sy dh['i]n +wylla on eordhan swa swa on heofonum. Syle ['u]s to-daeg urne daeghwamlican +hl['a]f. And forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfadh dham the widh us +agyltadh. And ne l['ae]d dhu na us on costnunge. Ac alys us fram yfele. Sy +hit swa." + +God Faeder Aelmihtig haefdh aenne Sunu gecyndelice and menige +gewiscendlice. Crist is Godes Sunu, swa thaet se Faeder hine gestrynde of +him sylfum, butan aelcere meder. Naefdh se Faeder naenne lichaman, ne he on +dha wisan his Bearn ne gestrynde the menn dodh: ac his Wisdom, the h['e] +mid ealle gesceafta geworhte, se is his Sunu, se is aefre of dham Faeder, +and mid tham Faeder, God of Gode, ealswa mihtig swa se Faeder. We men sind +Godes bearn, fordhon the h['e] us {260} geworhte; and eft, dhadha we +forwyrhte waeron, he sende his agen Bearn us to alysednysse. Nu sind we +Godes bearn, and Crist is ure brodher, gif we dham Faeder onriht +gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum mode hine weordhiadh. Crist is ure heafod, and +we sind his lima: he is mid ure menniscnysse befangen, and he haefdh urne +lichaman, thone dhe h['e] of dham halgan maedene Mar['i]an genam; fordhi we +magon cudhlice to him clypian, swa swa to urum bredher, gif we dha +brodherraedene swa healdadh swa swa he us taehte; thaet is, thaet we ne +sceolon na gedhafian thaet deofol mid aenigum undheawum us gew['e]me fram +Cristes brodhorraedene. + +Witodlice se man the deofle geefenlaecdh, se bidh deofles bearn, na thurh +gecynd odhdhe thurh gesceapenysse, ac dhurh tha geefenlaecunge and yfele +geearnunga. And se man dhe Gode gecwemdh, he bidh Godes bearn, na +gecyndelice, ac thurh gesceapenysse and dhurh gode geearnunga, swa swa +Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Se dhe wyrcdh mines Faeder willan sedhe is +on heofonum, he bidh min brodher, and min moder, and min sweoster." Fordhi +nu ealle cristene men, aegdher ge r['i]ce ge heane, ge aedhelborene ge +unaedhelborene, and se hlaford, and se dheowa, ealle h['i] sind gebrodhra, +and ealle h['i] habbadh aenne Faeder on heofonum. Nis se welega na betera +on dhisum naman thonne se dhearfa. Eallswa bealdlice m['o]t se dheowa +clypigan God him to Faeder ealswa se cyning. Ealle we sind gelice aetforan +Gode, buton hw['a] odherne mid godum weorcum fordheo. Ne sceal se r['i]ca +for his welan thone earman forse['o]n; fordhan oft bidh se earma betera +aetforan Gode thonne se r['i]ca. God is ure Faeder, thi we sceolon ealle +beon gebrodhru on Gode, and healdan thone brodherlican bend unforedne; +thaet is, dha sodhan sibbe, swa thaet ure aelc odherne lufige swa swa hine +sylfne, and nanum ne gebeode thaet thaet he nelle thaet man him gebeode. Se +dhe dhis hylt, he bidh Godes bearn, and Crist, and ealle halige men dhe +Gode gedheodh, beodh his gebrodhru and his gesweostru. + +We cwedhadh, "Pater noster qui es in celis," thaet is, "Ure {262} Faeder +dhe eart on heofonum;" fordhan the God Faeder is on heofonum, and he is +aeghwar, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Ic gefylle mid me sylfum heofonas and +eordhan." And eft thaet halige godspel be him thus cwydh, "Heofon is his +thrymsetl, and eordhe is his fot-sceamul." We wendadh ['u]s eastweard +thonne we us gebiddadh, fordhan dhe dhanon arist seo heofen: na swilce on +east-daele synderlice sy his wunung, and forlaete west-dael, odhdhe odhre +daelas, se the aeghwar is andweard, na dhurh rymyt thaere stowe, ac thurh +his maegendhrymmes andweardnysse. Thonne we wendadh ure neb to east-daele, +thaer seo heofen arist, seodhe is ealra lichomlicra dhinga oferstigende, +thonne sceal ure m['o]d beon mid tham gemyngod, thaet hit beo gewend to +dham hehstan and tham fyrmestan gecynde, thaet is, God. We sceolon eac +witan, thaet se synfulla is eordhe geh['a]ten, and se rihtwisa is heofen +geh['a]ten; fordhan the on rihtwisum mannum is Godes wunung, and se goda +man bidh thaes Halgan Gastes templ. Swa eac dhaer-togeanes se ford['o]na +man bidh deofles templ, and deofles wunung: fordhi thonne swa micel is +betwux g['o]dum mannum and yfelum, swa micel swa bidh betwux heofenan and +eordhan. + +Seofon geb['e]du sint on tham Pater noster. On tham twam formum wordum ne +synd nane gebedu, ac sind herunga: thaet is, "Ure Faeder the eart on +heofonum." Thaet forme geb['e]d is, "Sanctificetur nomen tuum:" thaet is, +"Sy dhin nama gehalgod." Nis thaet na sw['a] to understandenne, swylce +Godes nama ne sy genoh halig, sedhe aefre waes halig, and aefre bidh, and +h['e] us ealle gebletsadh and gehalgadh: ac this word is sw['a] to +understandenne, thaet his nama sy on us gehalgod, and he us thaes +getidhige, thaet we moton his naman mid urum mudhe gebletsian, and he us +sylle thaet gedh['a]nc, thaet we magon understandan thaet nan dhing nis swa +halig swa his nama. + +Thaet odher geb['e]d is, "Adueniat regnum tuum:" thaet is, on urum +gereorde, "Cume dhin r['i]ce." Aefre waes Godes r['i]ce, and aefre bidh: ac +hit is sw['a] to understandenne, thaet his r['i]ce beo ofer ['u]s, and he +on us rixige, and we him mid ealre {264} gehyrsumnysse undertheodde syn, +and thaet ure r['i]ce beo us gel['ae]st and gefylled, swa swa Crist us +beh['e]t, thaet he wolde ['u]s ['e]ce r['i]ce forgyfan, thus cwedhende, +"Cumadh, ge gebletsode mines Faeder, and gehabbadh thaet r['i]ce thaet eow +gegearcod waes fram anginne middangeardes." This bidh ure r['i]ce, gif we +hit nu geearniadh; and we beodh Godes r['i]ce, thonne Crist ['u]s betaecdh +his Faeder on domes daege, swa swa thaet h['a]lige gewrit cwydh, "Cum +tradiderit regnum Patri suo:" thaet is, "Thonne h['e] betaecdh r['i]ce his +Faeder." Hwaet is thaet r['i]ce thaet h['e] betaecdh his Faeder, buton dha +halgan menn, aegdher ge weras ge w['i]f, tha the h['e] alysde fram +helle-w['i]te mid his agenum deadhe? Tha he betaecdh his agenum Faeder on +ende thisre worulde, and h['i] beodh thonne Godes r['i]ce, and mid Gode on +ecnysse rixiadh, aegdher ge mid sawle ge mid lichaman, and beodh thonne +gelice englum. + +Thaet dhridde geb['e]d is, "Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra:" +thaet is, "Geweordhe th['i]n willa on eordhan swa swa on heofonum." Thaet +is, Swa swa englas on heofonum the gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum gemete to +dhe gedheodadh, swa eac menn the on eordhan sind, and of eordhan geworhte, +beon h['i] dhinum willan gehyrsume, and to dhe mid ealre geornfulnysse +gedheodan. On tham mannum sodhlice gewyrdh Godes willa, the to Godes willan +gewyrceadh. Ure sawul is heofonlic, and ure lichama is eordhlic. Nu bidde +we eac mid thisum wordum, thaet Godes willa geweordhe, aegdher ge on ure +sawle ge on urum lichaman, thaet aegdher him gehyrsumige, and he aegdher +gehealde and gescylde, ge ure sawle ge urne lichaman, fram deofles +costnungum. + +Thaet feordhe geb['e]d is, "Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:" thaet +is, on urum gereorde, "Syle us nu to-daeg urne daeghwamlican hl['a]f." +Thaet is on dhrim andgitum to understandenne: thaet h['e] us sylle fodan +urum lichaman, and sylle eac ure sawle thone gastlican hl['a]f. Se gastlica +hl['a]f is Godes bebod, thaet we sceolon smeagan daeghwamlice, and mid +weorce {266} gefyllan; fordhan swa swa se lichama leofadh be lichamlicum +mettum, swa sceal seo sawul lybban be Godes l['a]re, and be gastlicum +smeagungum. Hradhe se lichama aswint and forweornadh, gif him bidh oftogen +his bigleofa: swa eac seo sawul forwyrdh, gif heo naefdh thone gastlican +bigleofan, thaet sind Godes beboda, on tham heo sceal gedheon and beon +geg['o]dad. Eac se gastlica hl['a]f is thaet halige husel, mid tham we +getrymmadh urne geleafan; and dhurh dhaes halgan husles th['y]gene ['u]s +beodh ure synna forgyfene, and we beodh gestrangode ongean deofles +costnunge. Thi we sceolon gelomlice mid tham gastlican gereorde ure sawle +geclaensian and getrymman. Ne sceal theah se dhe bidh mid healicum synnum +ford['o]n, gedyrstlaecan thaet he Godes husel thicge, buton he his synna +aer gebete: gif he elles dedh, hit bidh him sylfum to bealowe gedhyged. Se +hl['a]f getacnadh dhreo dhing, swa swa we cwaedon. An is thaes lichaman +b['i]gleofa; odher is dhaere sawle; dhridde is thaes halgan husles dhygen. +Thyssera dhreora dhinga we sceolon daeghwamlice aet urum Drihtne biddan. + +Thaet fifte geb['e]d is, "Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos +dimittimus debitoribus nostris:" thaet is, "Forgif us ure gyltas, swa swa +we forgifadh tham mannum the widh us agyltadh." We sceolon d['o]n swa swa +we on dhisum wordum behatadh; thaet is, thaet we beon mildheorte us +betwynan, and, for dhaere micclan lufe Godes, forgyfan dham mannum the widh +us agyltadh, thaet God Aelmihtig forgyfe us ure synna. Gif we dhonne +nelladh forgyfan tha lytlan gyltas dhaera manna the us gegremedon, thone +nele eac God us forgyfan ure synna mycele and manega: swa swa Crist sylf +cwaedh, "Thonne ge standadh on eowrum geb['e]dum, forgyfadh swa hwaet swa +ge habbadh on eowrum mode to aenigum men, and eower Faeder, the on heofonum +is, forgyfdh eow eowre synna. Gif ge thonne nelladh forgyfan mid inweardre +heortan tham dhe eow gremiadh, thonne eac eower Faeder, dhe on heofonum is, +nele eow forgyfan eowre synna; ac he haet eow gebindan, and on cwearterne +settan, thaet is on helle-w['i]te; and eow dhaer deofol getintregadh, +odhthaet ge habban ealle eowre gyltas gedhrowade, odhthaet {268} ge cumon +to anum feordhlincge." Is hwaedhere getaeht, aefter Godes gesetnysse, thaet +wise men sceolon settan steore dysigum mannum, swa thaet hi thaet dysig and +dha undheawas alecgan, and theah dhone man lufigan swa swa agenne brodhor. + +Thaet sixte geb['e]d is, "Et ne nos inducas in temptationem:" thaet is, "Ne +gedhafa, dhu God, thaet we beon gelaedde on costnunge." Odher is costnung, +odher is fandung. God ne costnadh naenne mannan; ac hwaedhere n['a]n man ne +cymdh to Godes r['i]ce, buton he sy afandod: fordhi ne sceole we na biddan +thaet God ure ne afandige, ac we sceolon biddan thaet God us gescylde, +thaet we ne abreodhon on dhaere fandunge. Deofol m['o]t aelces mannes +afandigan, hwaedher he aht sy, odhdhe naht; hwaedher he God mid +inweardlicre heortan lufige, odhdhe he mid h['i]wunge f['a]re. Swa swa man +afandadh gold on fyre, swa afandadh God thaes mannes mod on mislicum +fandungum, hwaedher h['e] ['a]nraede sy. Genoh wel w['a]t God hu hit +getimadh on thaere fandunge; ac hwaedhere se man naefdh na mycele +gedhincdhe, buton he afandod sy. Thurh dha fandunge he sceal gedheon, gif +he tham costnungum widhstent. Gif he fealle, he eft astande: thaet is, gif +he agylte, he hit georne gebete, and sydhdhan gesw['i]ce; fordhi ne bidh +n['a]n b['o]t naht, buton thaer beo geswicenes. Se man the gelomlice wile +syngian, and gelomlice betan, he gremadh God; and swa he swidhor syngadh +swa he deofle gewyldra bidh, and hine thonne God forlaet, and he faerdh swa +him deofol wissadh, swa swa tobrocen sc['i]p on s['ae], the swa faerdh swa +hit se wind drifdh. Se goda man swa he swidhor afandod bidh swa he rotra +bidh, and near Gode, odhthaet h['e] mid fulre gedhincdhe faerdh of dhisum +life to dham ecan life. And se yfela swa he oftor on dhaere fandunge +abrydh, swa he forcudhra bidh, and deofle near, odhthaet he faerdh of +dhisum life to dham ecan wite, gif he aer geswican nolde, thatha he mihte +and moste. Fordhi anbidadh God oft thaes yfelan mannes, and laet him fyrst, +thaet he his m['a]ndaeda geswice, and his m['o]d to Gode gecyrre aer his +ende, gif he wile. Gif he thonne nele, thaet {270} he beo butan aelcere +ladunge swidhe rihtlice to deofles handa asceofen. Fordhi is nu selre +cristenum mannum, thaet hi mid earfodhnyssum and mid geswince geearnian +thaet ['e]ce r['i]ce and dha ['e]can blisse mid Gode and mid eallum his +halgum, dhonne hi mid softnysse and mid yfelum lustum geearnian tha ecan +tintrega mid eallum deoflum on helle-w['i]te. + +Thaet seofodhe geb['e]d is, "Set libera nos a malo:" thaet is, "Ac alys us +fram yfele:" alys us fram deofle and fram eallum his syrwungum. God lufadh +us, and deofol us hatadh. God us fett and gefrefradh, and deofol us wile +ofslean, gif he m['o]t; ac him bidh forwyrned thurh Godes gescyldnysse, gif +we us sylfe nelladh ford['o]n mid undheawum. Fordhi we sceolon forbugan and +forseon thone lydhran deoful mid eallum his lotwrencum, fordhan dhe him ne +gebyradh naht to ['u]s, and we sceolon lufian and filigan urum Drihtne, +sedhe us l['ae]t to dham ecan life. + +Seofon geb['e]du, swa swa we aer saedon, beodh on dham Pater noster. Tha +dhreo forman geb['e]du beodh us ongunnene on dhysre worulde, ac h['i] beodh +['a] ungeendode on thaere toweardan worulde. Seo halgung thaes maeran naman +Godes ongann ['u]s mannum thatha Crist weardh geflaeschamod mid ure +menniscnysse; ac seo ylce halgung wunadh on ecnysse, fordhan dhe we on dham +ecan life bletsiadh and herigadh aefre Godes naman. And God rixadh nu, and +his r['i]ce stent aefre butan ende, and Godes willa bidh gefremod on dhisum +life dhurh g['o]de menn: se ylca willa wunadh ['a] on ecnysse. Tha odhre +feower geb['e]du belimpadh to dhisum life, and mid thisum life geendiadh. + +On dhisum l['i]fe we beh['o]fiadh hl['a]fes, and l['a]re, and husel-ganges. +On tham toweardan l['i]fe we ne beh['o]fiadh nanes eordhlices bigleofan, +fordhan dhe we thonne mid tham heofonlicum mettum beodh gereordode. Her we +beh['o]fiadh l['a]re and wisdomes. On dham heofonlican life beodh ealle ful +w['i]se, and on gastlicre lare full ger['a]de, tha dhe nu, thurh w['i]sra +manna l['a]re, beodh Godes bebodum undertheodde. And her we beh['o]fiadh +dhaes halgan husles {272} dhygene for ure beterunge, sodhlice on dhaere +heofonlican wununge we habbadh mid us Cristes lichaman, mid tham he rixadh +on ecnysse. + +On thyssere worulde we biddadh ure synna forgyfenysse, and na on thaere +toweardan. Se man dhe nele his synna behreowsian on his life, ne begyt he +nane forgyfenysse on dham toweardan. And on dhisum life we biddadh thaet +God us gescylde widh deofles costnunga, and us alyse fram yfele. On dham +ecan life ne bidh n['a]n costnung ne n['a]n yfel; fordhi dhaer ne cymdh +n['a]n deofol ne n['a]n yfel mann, dhe us maege dreccan odhdhe derian. +Thaer beodh gethwaere sawul and lichama, the nu on dhisum life him +betweonan winnadh. Dhaer ne bidh n['a]n untrumnys, ne geswinc, ne wana +nanre g['o]dnysse, ac Crist bidh mid ['u]s eallum, and ['u]s ealle dhing +dedh, butan edwite, mid ealre blisse. + +Crist gesette this geb['e]d, and swa beleac mid feawum wordum, thaet ealle +ure neoda, aegdher ge gastlice ge lichamlice, dhaeron sind belocene; and +this geb['e]d he gesette eallum cristenum mannum gemaenelice. Ne cwydh na +on dham geb['e]de, 'Min Faeder, thu dhe eart on heofonum,' ac cwydh, "Ure +Faeder;" and swa fordh ealle dha word dhe thaer-aefter fyligadh sprecadh +gemaenelice be eallum cristenum mannum. On dham is geswutelod hu swidhe God +lufadh ['a]nnysse and gethwaernysse on his folce. Aefter Godes gesetnysse +ealle cristene men sceoldon beon swa gedhwaere swilce hit ['a]n man waere: +fordhi wa dham men the dha annysse tobrycdh. Swa swa we habbadh on anum +lichaman manega lima, and hi ealle ['a]num heafde gehyrsumiadh, swa eac we +sceolon manega cristene men Criste on ['a]nnysse gehyrsumian; fordhon the +he is ure heafod, and we synd his lima. We magon geseon on urum agenum +lichaman h['u] aelc lim odhrum thenadh. Tha f['e]t beradh ealne dhone +lichaman, and dha eagan laedadh dha f['e]t, and tha handa gearciadh dhone +bigleofan. Hradhe lidh thaet heafod ad['u]ne, gif tha f['e]t hit ne +feriadh; and hradhe ealle dha lima togaedere forweordhadh, gif tha handa ne +dodh thone bigleofan tham mudhe. Swa eac se r['i]ca man, the sitt on his +heahsetle, hradhe geswicdh he his {274} gebeorscipes, gif dha dheowan +geswicadh dhaera teolunga. Beo se r['i]ca gemyndig thaet he sceal ealra +dhaera g['o]da the him God alaende agyldan gescead hu he dha atuge. + +Se bidh dhin hand odhdhe dhin f['o]t, sedhe the dhine neoda dedh. Se bidh +thin eage, sedhe the wisdom taecdh, and on rihtne weg the gebrincdh. Se dhe +the m['u]ndadh swa swa faeder, he bidh swylce h['e] dhin heafod sy. Ealswa +wel beh['o]fadh thaet heafod thaera odhera lima, swa swa dha lima +beh['o]fiadh thaes heafdes. Gif ['a]n lim bidh untrum, ealle dha odhre +throwiadh mid tham anum. Swa we sceolon eac, gif bidh an ure geferena on +sumre earfodhnysse, ealle we sceolon his yfel bes['a]rgian, and h['o]gian +embe dha bote, gif we hit gebetan magon. And on eallum dhingum we sceolon +healdan sibbe and annysse, gif we willadh habban tha micclan gedhincdhe +thaet we beon Godes bearn, sedhe on heofonum is, on dhaere he rixadh mid +eallum his halgum on ealra worulda woruld on ecnysse. Amen. + +TUESDAY. + +ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. + +Jesus Christ, after he came to this life, and was grown to manhood, when he +was thirty years old in his human nature, began to work miracles, and chose +the twelve disciples whom we call apostles. These were afterwards always +with him, and he taught them all the wisdom which stands in holy books, and +through them established all christianity. Then said they to Jesus, "Sir, +teach us how we may pray." Jesus answered, and thus said, "Pray in these +words to my Father and your Father, God Almighty: Pater noster, that is in +English, Thou, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy +kingdom come. Be thy will on earth as in heaven. Give us to-day our daily +bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass +against us. And lead thou us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. +So be it." + +God, the Father Almighty, has one Son naturally, and many adoptively. +Christ is the Son of God, seeing that the Father begot him of himself +without any mother. The Father has no body, nor begot he his Son in that +wise which men do: but his Wisdom, with which he wrought all creatures, is +his Son, who is ever of the Father and with the Father, God of God, as +mighty as the Father. We men are children of God, because he made us; and +afterwards, when we were undone, {261} he sent his own Son for our +redemption. Now are we children of God, and Christ is our brother, if we +will duly obey the Father, and with all our mind worship him. Christ is our +head, and we are his limbs: he is invested with our humanity, and he has +our body, which he received of the holy maiden Mary; therefore may we +manifestly cry to him, as to our brother, if we so observe our brotherhood +as he has taught us; that is, that we should not allow the devil with any +evil practices to seduce us from the brotherhood of Christ. + +Verily the man who imitates the devil is a child of the devil, not by +nature nor by creation, but by that imitation and evil deserts. And the man +who makes himself acceptable to God is a child of God, not naturally, but +by creation and by good deserts, as Christ said in his gospel, "He who +doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and my +mother, and my sister." Now therefore all christian men, whether high or +low, noble or ignoble, and the lord, and the slave, are all brothers, and +have all one Father in heaven. The wealthy is not better on that account +than the needy. As boldly may the slave call God his Father as the king. We +all are alike before God, unless any one excel another in good works. The +rich for his wealth is not to despise the poor; for the poor is before God +often better than the rich. God is our Father, therefore should we all be +brothers in God, and hold the brotherly bond unbroken; that is, true peace, +so that each of us love other as himself, and command to no one that which +he would not another should command to him. He who observes this is a child +of God, and Christ, and all holy persons who thrive to God, are his +brothers and his sisters. + +We say, "Pater noster qui es in coelis," that is, "Our {263} Father which +art in heaven;" for God the Father is in heaven, and he is everywhere, as +he himself said, "I fill with myself heaven and earth." And again, the holy +gospel says thus concerning him, "Heaven is his throne, and earth is his +footstool." We turn eastward when we pray, because from thence the heaven +rises; not as though his dwelling be particularly in the east part, and +that he forsakes the west or other parts, who is everywhere present, not +through the space of the place, but by the presence of his majesty. When we +turn our face to the east part, where the heaven rises, which rises over +all bodily things, then should our mind be thereby admonished that it turn +to the highest and first nature, that is, God. We should also know that the +sinful is called earth, and the righteous is called heaven; for in +righteous men is a dwelling-place of God, and the good man is a temple of +the Holy Ghost. So also, on the other hand, the wicked man is a temple of +the devil, and an habitation of the devil: therefore there is as great a +difference between good and evil men as there is between heaven and earth. + +In the Pater noster are seven prayers. In the first two words are no +prayers, but praises: that is, "Our Father which art in heaven." The first +prayer is, "Sanctificetur nomen tuum:" that is, "Hallowed be thy name." +This is not to be so understood as if the name of God were not sufficiently +holy, who ever was holy, and ever will be, and who blesses and hallows us +all: but these words are thus to be understood, that his name be hallowed +in us, and that he grant us that we may bless his name with our mouth, and +give us the thought that we may understand that nothing is so holy as his +name. + +The second prayer is, "Adveniat regnum tuum:" that is, in our tongue, "Thy +kingdom come." Ever was God's kingdom, and ever will be: but it is so to be +understood, that his kingdom be over us, and he reign in us, and that we +{265} with all obedience be subject to him, and that our kingdom be +realized and fulfilled to us, as Christ has promised to us, that he would +give us an eternal kingdom, thus saying, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, +and possess the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the +world." This will be our kingdom, if we now will merit it; and we shall be +God's kingdom, when Christ delivers us to his Father on doomsday, as the +holy writ says, "Cum tradiderit regnum Patri suo:" that is, "When he shall +deliver the kingdom to his Father." What is the kingdom that he shall +deliver to his Father, but those holy persons, both men and women, which he +redeemed from hell-torment by his own death? These he will deliver to his +own Father at the end of this world, and they will then be God's kingdom, +and will reign with God for ever, both with soul and with body, and will +then be like unto angels. + +The third prayer is, "Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo et in terra:" that +is, "Thy will be done on earth as in heaven." That is, As the angels in +heaven obey thee, and in every way attach themselves to thee, so also may +men, who are on earth and formed of earth, be obedient to thy will, and +with all fervour attach themselves to thee. In those men verily God's will +is done, who work according to God's will. Our soul is heavenly, and our +body is earthly. Now, with these words, we also pray that God's will be +done both in our soul and in our body, that both may obey him, and that he +may preserve and shield both our soul and our body from the temptations of +the devil. + +The fourth prayer is, "Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie:" that is, +in our tongue, "Give us to-day our daily bread." This is to be understood +in three senses: that he give us food for our body, and give ghostly bread +to our soul. The ghostly bread is the commandment of God, on which we +should daily meditate, and with works fulfil; for as {267} the body lives +by bodily meats, so shall the soul live by the precepts of God, and by +ghostly meditations. The body quickly wastes away and decays, if its +sustenance is withdrawn from it; in like manner the soul perishes, if it +has not ghostly sustenance, that is, God's commandments, on which it shall +thrive and be cherished. The ghostly bread is also the holy housel, with +which we confirm our belief; and through partaking of the holy housel our +sins will be forgiven us, and we shall be strengthened against the +temptations of the devil. Therefore should we frequently cleanse and +confirm our soul with ghostly refection. Yet may not he who is polluted +with deadly sins dare to partake of God's housel, unless he first atone for +his sins: if he do otherwise, he will partake of it to his own injury. The +bread, as we said, betokens three things. One is sustenance of the body; +the second, of the soul; the third is the partaking of the holy housel. For +these three things we should pray daily to the Lord. + +The fifth prayer is, "Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos +dimittimus debitoribus nostris:" that is, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we +forgive those men who trespass against us." We should do as we promise in +these words, that is, we should be merciful to each other, and, for the +great love of God, forgive those men who trespass against us, that God +Almighty may forgive us our sins. But if we will not forgive the little +trespasses of those men who have angered us, then will not God forgive us +our great and many sins: as Christ himself said, "When ye stand at your +prayers, forgive whatever ye have in your mind against any man, and your +Father, which is in heaven, will forgive you your sins. But if ye will not, +with inward heart, forgive those who anger you, then your Father, which is +in heaven, will not forgive you your sins; but he will command you to be +bound and set in prison, that is, in hell-torment; and there the devil will +torture you, until ye shall have suffered for all your trespasses, until ye +{269} come to one farthing." It is, however, taught, according to the book +of God, that wise men should institute correction for foolish men, so that +they lay aside their folly and their evil practices, and should, +nevertheless, love the man as their own brother. + +The sixth prayer is, "Et ne nos inducas in tentationem:" that is, "Permit +not, thou, O God, that we be led into temptation." One thing is temptation, +another thing is trial. God tempts no man, but, nevertheless, no man comes +to the kingdom of God, unless he has been tried: therefore we should not +pray that God try us not, but we should pray to God to shield us, so that +we sink not under trial. The devil may try every man, whether he be aught +or naught; whether he love God with inward heart, or act with hypocrisy. As +a man tries gold in the fire, so God tries the mind of man in divers +trials, whether he be steadfast. God knows full well, how it befalls in +trial; but yet a man will have no great honour, unless he have been tried. +By trial he shall flourish, if he withstand temptations. If he fall, let +him rise again: that is, if he sin, let him earnestly atone for it, and +cease therefrom afterwards; for no atonement will avail, if there be not +cessation. The man who frequently sins and frequently atones, angers God; +and the more he sins the more he will be subject to the devil, and God will +then forsake him, and he will go as the devil shall direct him, as a +shattered ship at sea, which goes as the wind drives it. The good man the +more he is tried the more cheerful he will be, and the nearer to God, until +with full honour he shall go from this life to the life eternal. And the +evil man, the oftener he sinks under trial, the more wicked he will be, and +the nearer to the devil, until he goes from this life to eternal torment, +if he would not cease previously, when he could and might. God therefore +often awaits the evil man, and leaves him time, that he may cease from his +wicked deeds, and before his end turn his mind to God, if he will. But if +he will not, that he be, {271} without any exculpation, very justly be +thrust into the hand of the devil. Therefore is it now better for christian +men, that with hardships and toil they earn the everlasting kingdom and +eternal bliss with God and with all his saints, than that they by softness +and evil lusts earn eternal tortures with all the devils in hell-torment. + +The seventh prayer is, "Sed libera nos a malo:" that is, "But deliver us +from evil:" deliver us from the devil and from all his wiles. God loves us, +and the devil hates us. God feeds and comforts us, and the devil will slay +us if he may; but he will be prevented through the protection of God, if we +will not fordo ourselves with evil practices. Therefore should we eschew +and despise the vicious devil with all his devices, for there behoves him +nothing for us, and we should love and follow our Lord, who will lead us to +everlasting life. + +In the Pater noster there are, as we before said, seven prayers. The first +three prayers are begun by us in this world, but they will ever be unended +in the world to come. The hallowing of the great name of God began with us +men when Christ became incarnate with our humanity; but the same hallowing +will continue to eternity, because in the life eternal we shall ever bless +and praise the name of God. And God reigns now, and his kingdom stands for +ever, without end, and the will of God will be fulfilled in this life by +good men: the same will will continue to all eternity. The other four +prayers belong to this life, and with this life end. + +In this life we require bread, and instruction, and partaking of the +housel. In the life to come we require no earthly food, for we shall then +be nourished with heavenly meats. Here we require instruction and wisdom. +In the heavenly life all will be full wise, and in ghostly lore full +skilled, those who now, through the precepts of wise men, are obedient to +the commandments of God. And here we require to partake of the {273} holy +housel for our amendment, for in the heavenly dwelling we shall have the +body of Christ with us, with which he reigns to eternity. + +In this world we pray for forgiveness of our sins, and not in that to come. +The man who will not repent of his sins in this life, will obtain no +forgiveness in that to come. And in this life we pray God to shield us +against the temptations of the devil, and to deliver us from evil. In the +life eternal there will be no temptation and no evil; for there will come +no devil nor evil man who may trouble or hurt us. There will be in concord +soul and body, which now in this life strive with each other. There will be +no sickness, no toil, no lack of any goodness, but Christ will be with us +all, and will do all things for us, without reproach, with all alacrity. + +Christ instituted this prayer, and so confined it within a few words, that +all our needs, both ghostly and bodily, are therein included; and this +prayer he instituted for all christian men in common. He says not in that +prayer, 'My Father, which art in heaven,' but says, "Our Father;" and so +forth all the words which follow speak universally of all christian men. +Herein is manifested how much God loves unity and concord among his people. +According to the book of God all christian men should be so united as +though they were one man: wo therefore to the man who breaks that unity +asunder. So as we have in one body many limbs, and they all obey one head, +so also we many christian men should obey Christ in unity; for he is our +head, and we are his limbs. We may see in our own bodies how each limb +serves another. The feet bear the whole body, and the eyes lead the feet, +and the hands prepare the sustenance. Soon will the head lie down, if the +feet bear it not; and soon will all the limbs perish together, if the hands +put not the sustenance to the mouth. In like manner the rich man, who sits +on his high seat, will soon discontinue his feasting, if the servants {275} +discontinue their toils. Let the rich be mindful that of all the good +things which God has lent him, he shall render an account how he employed +them. + +He is thy hand or thy foot, who supplieth thy wants. He is thine eye who +teacheth thee wisdom, and bringeth thee into the right way. He who +protecteth thee as a father is, as it were, thy head. As the head requireth +the other members, so these members require the head. If one limb be +diseased, all the others suffer with that one. So also should we, if one of +our fellows be in any distress, all lament his evil, and meditate +concerning its reparation, if we can repair it. And in all things we should +hold peace and unity, if we will have the great distinction of being +children of God, who is in heaven, in which he ruleth with all his saints, +through all ages, to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +FERIA IIII. + +DE FIDE CATHOLICA. + +Aelc cristen man sceal aefter rihte cunnan aegdher ge his Pater noster ge +his Credan. Mid tham Pater nostre he sceal hine gebiddan, mid dham Credan +he sceal his geleafan getrymman. We habbadh gesaed embe thaet Pater noster, +nu we wylladh secgan eow thone geleafan the on dham Credan stent, swa swa +se w['i]sa Augustinus be dhaere Halgan Thrynnysse trahtnode. + +An Scyppend is ealra dhinga, gesewenlicra and ungesewenlicra; and we +sceolon on hine gelyfan, fordhon dhe h['e] is sodh God and ['a]na +Aelmihtig, sedhe naefre ne ongann ne anginn naefde; ac he sylf is anginn, +and he eallum gesceaftum anginn and ordfruman forgeaf, thaet h['i] beon +mihton, and thaet h['i] haefdon agen gecynd, swa swa hit thaere +godcundlican fadunge {276} gelicode. Englas he worhte, tha sind gastas, and +nabbadh naenne lichaman. Menn he gesceop mid gaste and mid lichaman. Nytenu +and deor, fixas and fugelas he gesceop on flaesce butan s['a]wle. Mannum he +gesealde uprihtne gang; dha nytenu he l['e]t g['a]n alotene. Mannum he +forgeaf hl['a]f to bigleofan, and tham nytenum gaers. + +Nu mage ge, gebrodhru, understandan, gif ge wylladh, thaet twa dhing +syndon: ['a]n is Scyppend, odher is gesceaft. He is Scyppend sedhe gesceop +and geworhte ealle dhing of nahte. Thaet is gesceaft thaet se sodha +Scyppend gesceop. Thaet sind aerest heofonas, and englas the on heofonum +wuniadh, and sydhdhan theos eordhe mid eallum dham dhe hire on eardiadh, +and s['ae] mid eallum dham the hyre on swymmadh. Nu ealle dhas dhing synd +mid anum naman genemnode, gesceaft. Hi naeron aefre wunigende, ac God hi +gesceop. Tha gesceafta sind fela. An is se Scyppend the hi ealle gesceop, +se ana is Aelmihtig God. He waes aefre, and aefre he bidh thurhwunigende on +him sylfum and dhurh hine sylfne. Gif he ongunne and anginn haefde, butan +tweon ne mihte he beon Aelmihtig God; sodhlice thaet gesceaft dhe ongann +and gesceapen is, naefdh nane godcundnysse; fordhi aelc edwist thaette God +nys, thaet is gesceaft; and thaet the gesceaft nis, thaet is God. + +Se God wunadh on Dhrynnysse ['u]ntodaeledlic, and on ['a]nnysse ['a]nre +Godcundnysse, sodhlice odher is se Faeder, odher is se Sunu, odher is se +Halga Gast; ac theah-hwaedhere dhaera dhreora is ['a]n Godcundnys, and +gel['i]c wuldor, and efen-ece maegendhrymnys. Aelmihtig God is se Faeder, +Aelmihtig God is se Sunu, Aelmihtig God is se Halga Gast; ac +theah-hwaedhere ne sind dhry Aelmihtige Godas, ac ['a]n Aelmihtig God. Dhry +h['i] sind on hadum and on naman, and ['a]n on Godcundnysse. Thry, fordhi +the se Faeder bidh aefre Faeder, and se Sunu bidh aefre Sunu, and se Halga +Gast bidh aefre Halig Gast; and hyra n['a]n ne awent naefre of dham dhe he +is. Nu habbadh ge gehyred tha Halgan Thrynnysse; ge sceolon eac gehyran dha +sodhan Annysse. + +{278} Sodhlice se Faeder, and se Sunu, and se Halga Gast, habbadh ['a]ne +Godcundnysse, and ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]n weorc. Ne worhte se Faeder n['a]n +dhing ne ne wyrcdh, butan dham Suna, odhdhe butan tham Halgan Gaste. Ne +heora n['a]n ne wyrcdh n['a]n dhing butan odhrum; ac him eallum is ['a]n +weorc, and ['a]n r['ae]d, and ['a]n willa. Aefre waes se Faeder, and aefre +waes se Sunu, and aefre waes se Halga Gast ['a]n Aelmihtig God. Se is +Faeder, sedhe nis nadher ne geboren ne gesceapen fram nanum odhrum. Se is +Faeder geh['a]ten, fordhan dhe he haefdh Sunu, dhone dhe he of him sylfum +gestrynde, butan aelcre meder. Se Faeder is God of nanum Gode. Se Sunu is +God of dham Faeder Gode. Se Halga Gast is God fordhstaeppende of dham +Faeder and of dham Suna. Thas word sind sceortlice gesaede, and eow is neod +thaet we hi swutelicor eow onwreon. + +Hwaet is se Faeder? Aelmihtig Scyppend, na geworht ne acenned, ac h['e] +sylf gestrynde Bearn him sylfum efen-ece. Hwaet is se Sunu? He is dhaes +Faeder Wisdom, and his Word, and his Miht, thurh dhone se Faeder gesceop +ealle dhing and gefadode. Nis se Sunu na geworht ne gesceapen, ac he is +acenned. Acenned he is, and theah-hwaethere he is efen-eald and efen-ece +his Faeder. Nis na swa on his acennednysse swa swa bidh on ure +acennednysse. Thonne se mann sunu gestryndh, and his cild acenned bidh, +thonne bidh se faeder mara, and se sunu laessa. Hw['i] swa? Fordhi thonne +se sunu wyxdh, thonne ealdadh se faeder. Ne fintst thu na gelice on mannum +faeder and sunu. Ac ic dhe sylle bysne, hu dhu Godes acennednysse thy bet +understandan miht. Fyr acendh of him beorhtnysse, and seo beorhtnys is +efen-eald tham fyre. Nis na thaet fyr of dhaere beorhtnysse, ac seo +beorhtnys is of dham fyre. Thaet fyr acendh tha beorhtnysse, ac hit ne bidh +naefre butan dhaere beorhtnysse. Nu dhu gehyrst thaet seo beorhtnys is +ealswa eald swa thaet fyr the heo of cymdh; gedhafa nu fordhi thaet God +mihte gestrynan ealswa eald Bearn, and ealswa ece swa he sylf is. Se dhe +maeg understandan thaet ure Haelend Crist is on dhaere Godcundnysse ealswa +eald swa his Faeder, {280} h['e] dhancige thaes Gode, and blissige. Sedhe +understandan ne maeg, he hit sceal gelyfan, thaet he hit understandan +maege; fordhan thaes witegan word ne maeg beon a['i]dlod, dhe thus cwaedh, +"Buton ge hit gelyfan, ne mage ge hit understandan." Nu habbadh ge gehyred +thaet se Sunu is of dham Faeder butan aelcum anginne; fordhan dhe he is +thaes Faeder Wisdom, and he waes aefre mid tham Faeder, and aefre bidh. + +Uton nu gehyran be dhan Halgan Gaste, hwaet he s['y]. He is se Willa and +seo sodhe Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna, dhurh dhone sind ealle dhing +gel['i]ffaeste and gehealdene, be dham is thus gecweden, "Godes Gast +gefyldh ealne ymbhwyrft middangeardes, and he hylt ealle dhing, and he +haefdh ingeh['y]d aelces gereordes." Nis h['e] geworht, ne gesceapen, ne +acenned, ac h['e] is fordhstaeppende, thaet is ofgangende, of dham Faeder +and of dham Suna, tham h['e] is gelic and efen-ece. Nis se Halga Gast na +Sunu, fordhan dhe h['e] nis na acenned, ac h['e] gaedh of dham Faeder and +of dham Suna gelice; fordhan dhe h['e] is heora beigra Willa and Lufu. +Crist cwaedh thus be him on his godspelle, "Se Frofor-g['a]st, the ic eow +asendan wille, Gast dhaere sodhfaestnysse, dhe of minum Faeder gaedh, he +cydh gecydhnysse be me." Thaet is, He is min gewita thaet ic eom Godes +Sunu. And eac se rihta geleafa us taecdh, thaet we sceolon gelyfan on dhone +Halgan Gast: he is se liffaestenda God, se gaedh of dham Faeder and of dham +Suna. Hu gaedh h['e] of him? Se Sunu is thaes Faeder Wisdom, aefre of dham +Faeder; and se Halga Gast is heora beigra Willa, aefre of him b['a]m. Is +fordhi thonne ['a]n Faeder, sedhe aefre is Faeder, and ['a]n Sunu, sedhe +aefre bidh Sunu, and ['a]n Halig Gast, sedhe aefre is Halig Gast. + +Aefre waes se Faeder, butan anginne; and aefre waes se Sunu mid tham +Faeder, fordhan dhe he is thaes Faeder Wisdom; aefre waes se Halga Gast, +sedhe is heora beigra Willa and Lufu. Nis se Faeder of nanum odhrum, ac he +waes aefre. Se Sunu is acenned of dham Faeder, ac he waes aefre on dhaes +Faeder {282} bosme, fordhan dhe he is his Wisdom, and he is of dham Faeder +eal thaet he is. Aefre waes se Halga Gast, fordhan dhe he is, swa we ['ae]r +cwaedon, Willa and sodh Lufu thaes Faeder and dhaes Suna; sodhlice willa +and lufu getacniadh an dhing: thaet thaet thu wylt, thaet dhu lufast; and +thaet thaet dhu nelt, thaet dhu ne lufast. + +Seo sunne dhe ofer us scindh is lichamlic gesceaft, and haefdh swa-dheah +dhreo agennyssa on hire: an is seo lichamlice edwist, thaet is dhaere +sunnan trendel; odher is se leoma odhdhe beorhtnys aefre of dhaere sunnan, +seodhe onliht ealne middangeard; thridde is seo haetu, the mid tham leoman +cymdh to ['u]s. Se leoma is aefre of dhaere sunnan, and aefre mid hire; and +dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu is aefre of dham Faeder acenned, and aefre mid +him wunigende; be dham cwaedh se apostol, thaet he waere his Faeder wuldres +beorhtnys. Dhaere sunnan haetu gaedh of hire and of hire leoman; and se +Halga Gast gaedh aefre of dham Faeder and of tham Suna gelice; be dham is +thus awriten, "Nis n['a]n the hine behydan maege fram his haetan." + +Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast ne magon beon togaedere genamode, ac h['i] +ne beodh swa-theah nahw['a]r totwaemede. Nis se Aelmihtiga God na +dhryfeald, ac is Dhrynnys. God is se Faeder, and se Sunu is God, and se +Halga Gast is God: na dhry Godas, ac h['i] ealle dhry ['a]n Aelmihtig God. +Se Faeder is eac wisdom of nanum odhrum wisdome. Se Sunu is wisdom of dham +wisan Faeder. Se Halga Gast is wisdom. Ac dheah-hwaedhere h['i] sind ealle +aetgaedere ['a]n wisdom. Eft se Faeder is sodh lufu, and se Sunu is sodh +lufu, and se Halga Gast is sodh lufu; and h['i] ealle aetgaedere ['a]n God +and ['a]n sodh lufu. Eac swilce is se Faeder gast and halig, and se Sunu is +gast and halig untwylice; theah-hwaedhere se Halga Gast is synderlice +geh['a]ten Halig Gast, thaet thaet h['i] ealle dhry sind gemaenelice. + +Swa micel gelicnys is on dhyssere Halgan Dhrynnysse, thaet se Faeder nis na +mare thonne se Sunu on dhaere Godcundnysse; {284} ne se Sunu nis na mare +thonne se Halgan Gast; ne nan heora ['a]n nis na laesse thonne eall seo +Dhrynnys. Swa hwaer swa heora ['a]n bidh, thaer h['i] beodh ealle dhry, +aefre ['a]n God untodaeledlic. Nis heora n['a]n m['a]re thonne odher, ne +n['a]n laessa dhonne odher; ne n['a]n beforan odhrum, ne n['a]n baeftan +odhrum; fordhan swa hwaet swa laesse bidh thonne God, thaet ne bidh na God; +thaet thaet lator bidh, thaet haefdh anginn, ac God naefdh n['a]n anginn. +Nis na se Faeder ana Dhrynnys, odhdhe se Sunu Dhrynnys, odhdhe se Halga +Gast Dhrynnys, ac thas dhry hadas sindon ['a]n God on anre Godcundnysse. +Thonne dhu gehyrst nemnan thone Faeder, thonne understenst dhu thaet he +haefdh Sunu. Eft, thonne thu cwyst Sunu, thu wast, butan tweon, thaet he +haefdh Faeder. Eft, we gelyfadh thaet se Halga Gast is aegdher ge dhaes +Faeder ge dhaes Suna Gast. + +Ne bepaece n['a]n man hine sylfne, swa thaet he secge odhdhe gelyfe thaet +dhry Godas syndon; odhdhe aenig h['a]d on thaere Halgan Thrynnysse sy +unmihtigra thonne odher. Aelc dhaera threora is God, theah-hwaedhere h['i] +ealle ['a]n God; fordhan dhe h['i] ealle habbadh ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]ne +godcundnysse, and ['a]ne edwiste, and ['a]n gedheaht, and ['a]n weorc, and +['a]ne maegendhrymnysse, and gel['i]c wuldor, and efen-ece r['i]ce. Is +hwaedhere se Sunu ana geflaeschamod and geboren to men, of dham halgan +maedene Marian. Ne weardh se Faeder mid menniscnysse befangen, ac hwaedhere +h['e] asende his Sunu to ure alysednysse, and him aefre mid waes, aegdher +ge on life ge on dhrowunge, and on his aeriste, and on his upstige. Eac eal +Godes geladhung andet, on dham rihtum geleafan, thaet Crist is acenned of +dham claenan maedene Marian, and of dham Halgan Gaste. Nis se Halga Gast +theah-hwaedhere Cristes Faeder; ne n['a]n cristen man thaet naefre ne sceal +gelyfan: ac se Halga Gast is Willa thaes Faeder and dhaes Suna; fordhi +thonne swidhe rihtlice is awriten on urum geleafan, thaet Cristes +menniscnys weardh gefremmed thurh dhone Halgan Willan. + +Beheald thas sunnan mid gleawnysse, on dhaere is, swa we aer cwaedon, haetu +and beorhtnys; ac seo haetu drygdh, and {286} seo beorhtnys onlyht. Odher +dhing dedh seo haetu, and odher seo beorhtnys; and dheah dhe h['i] ne magon +beon totwaemde: belimpdh, hwaedhere dheah, seo haedhung to dhaere haetan, +and seo onlihting belimpdh to dhaere beorhtnysse. Swa eac Crist ana +underfeng dha menniscnysse, and na se Faeder, ne se Halga Gast: +theah-hwaedhere h['i] waeron aefre mid him on eallum his weorcum and on +ealre his fare. + +We sprecadh ymbe God, deadhlice be Undeadhlicum, tyddre be Aelmihtigum, +earmingas be Mildheortum; ac hw['a] maeg weordhfullice sprecan be dham dhe +is ['u]nasecgendlic? He is butan gemete, fordhy dhe he is aeghwaer. He is +butan getele, fordhon dhe he is aefre. He is butan h['e]fe, fordhon the he +hylt ealle gesceafta butan geswince; and he h['i] ealle gelogode on tham +dhrim dhingum, thaet is on gemete, and on getele, and on h['e]fe. Ac wite +ge thaet n['a]n man ne maeg fullice embe God sprecan, thonne we furdhon tha +gesceafta the he gesceop ne magon asmeagan, ne areccan. Hw['a] maeg mid +wordum dhaere heofenan freatewunge asecgan? Odhdhe hw['a] dhaere eordhan +waestmbaernysse? Odhdhe hw['a] heradh genihtsumlice ealra tida ymbhwyrft? +Odhdhe hw['a] ealle odhre dhing, thonne we furdhon tha lichomlican dhing, +the we onlociadh, ne magon fullice bef['o]n mid ure gesihdhe? Efne dhu +gesihst dhone mannan beforan dhe, ac on dhaere tide the dhu his neb +gesihst, thu ne gesihst na his hricg. Ealswa, gif dhu sumne cladh sceawast, +ne miht dhu hine ealne togaedere geseon, ac wenst abutan, thaet dhu ealne +hine geseo. Hwylc wundor is, gif se Aelmihtiga God is unasecgendlic and +unbefangenlic, sedhe aeghwaer is eall, and nahwar todaeled? + +Nu smeadh sum undeopdhancol man, hu God maege be['o]n aeghwaer aetgaedere, +and nahwar todaeled. Beheald thas sunnan, hu heage heo astihdh, and hu heo +asent hyre leoman geond ealne middangeard, and hu heo onliht ealle dhas +eordhan the mancynn on-eardadh. Swa hradhe swa heo up-asprincdh on aerne +merigen, heo scindh on Hierusalem, and on Romebyrig, and on dhisum earde, +and on eallum eardum aetgaedere; and {288} hwaedhere heo is gesceaft, and +gaedh be Godes dihte. Hwaet wenst dhu hu miccle swidhor is Godes +andweardnys, and his miht, and his neosung aeghwaer. Him ne widhstent nan +dhing, nadher ne staenen weall ne bryden w['a]h, swa swa hi widhstandadh +thaere sunnan. Him is nan dhing digle ne uncudh. Thu gesceawast dhaes +mannes neb, and God sceawadh his heortan. Godes gast afandadh ealra manna +heortan; and dha dhe on hine gelyfadh and hine lufiadh, tha he claensadh +and gegladadh mid his neosunge, and dhaera ungeleaffulra manna heortan he +forbyhdh and onscunadh. + +Wite eac gehw['a], thaet aelc man haefdh threo dhing on him sylfum +untodaeledlice and togaedere wyrcende, swa swa God cwaedh, thatha h['e] +aerest mann gesceop. He cwaedh, "Uton gewyrcean mannan to ure gelicnysse." +And h['e] worhte dha Ad['a]m to his anlicnysse. On hwilcum daele haefdh se +man Godes anlicnysse on him? On thaere sawle, na on dham lichaman. Thaes +mannes sawl haefdh on hire gecynde thaere Halgan Thrynnysse anlicnysse; +fordhan the heo haefdh on hire dhreo dhing, thaet is gemynd, and andgit, +and willa. Thurh thaet gemynd se man gedhencdh tha dhing dhe he gehyrde, +oththe geseah, oththe geleornode. Thurh thaet andgit he underst['e]nt ealle +dha dhing dhe he gehyrdh odhdhe gesihdh. Of dham willan cumadh gedhohtas, +and word, and weorc, aegdher ge yfele ge gode. An sawul is, and an l['i]f, +and an edwist, seodhe haefdh thas dhreo dhing on hire togaedere wyrcende +untodaeledlice; fordhi thaer thaet gemynd bidh thaer bidh thaet andgit and +se willa, and aefre h['i] beodh togaedere. Theah-hwaedhere nis nan dhaera +dhreora seo sawul, ac seo sawul thurh thaet gemynd gemandh, thurh thaet +andgit heo understent, thurh dhone willan heo wile swa hwaet swa hire +licadh; and heo is hwaedhere ['a]n sawl and ['a]n l['i]f. Nu haefdh heo +fordhi Godes anlicnysse on hire, fordhan dhe heo haefdh threo dhing on hire +untodaeledlice wyrcende. Is hwaedhere se man ['a]n man, and na dhrynnys: +God sodhlice, Faeder and Sunu and H['a]lig Gast, thurhwunadh on dhrynnysse +hada, and on annysse anre godcundnysse. Nis na se man on dhrynnysse {290} +wunigende, swa swa God, ac he haefdh hwaedhere Godes anlicnysse on his +sawle thurh dha dhreo dhing the we aer cwaedon. + +Arrius hatte an gedwolman, se fl['a]t widh aenne bisceop the waes genemned +Alexander, w['i]s and riht-gelyfed. Tha cwaedh se gedwolman thaet Crist, +Godes Sunu, ne mihte na beon his Faeder gelic, ne swa mihtig swa he; and +cwaedh, thaet se Faeder waere aer se Sunu, and nam bysne be mannum, hu aelc +sunu bidh gingra thonne se faeder on dhisum life. Tha cwaedh se halga +bisceop Alexander him togeanes, "God waes aefre, and aefre waes his Wisdom +of him acenned, and se Wisdom is his Sunu, ealswa mihtig swa se Faeder." +Tha begeat se gedwola thaes caseres fultum to his gedwylde, and cwaedh +gem['o]t ongean dhone bisceop, and wolde gebigan eal thaet folc to his +gedwyldum. Tha wacode se bisceop ane niht on Godes cyrcan, and clypode to +his Drihtne, and dhus cwaedh, "Dhu Aelmihtiga God, d['e]m rihtne d['o]m +betwux me and Arrium." Hi comon dha thaes on mergen to dham gemote. Tha +cwaedh se gedwola to his geferum, thaet he wolde g['a]n embe his neode +fordh. Thadha he to gange c['o]m and he ges['ae]t, tha gewand him ['u]t +eall his innewearde aet his setle, and he saet thaer dead. Tha geswutulode +God thaet he waes swa geaemtogod on his innodhe swa swa he waes ['ae]r on +his geleafan. He wolde d['o]n Crist laessan thonne he is, and his +godcundnysse wurdhmynt wanian; tha weardh him swa bysmorlic deadh geseald +swa swa he wel wyrdhe waes. + +Odher gedwolman waes se hatte Sabellius. He cwaedh, thaet se Faeder waere, +thatha he wolde, Faeder; and eft, dhadha he wolde, he waere Sunu; and eft, +dhadha he wolde, waere H['a]lig Gast; and waere fordhi ['a]n God. Tha +forweardh eac thes gedwola mid his gedwylde. + +Nu eft thaet Iudeisce folc dhe Crist ofslogon, swa swa h['e] sylf wolde and +gedhafode, secgadh thaet h['i] willadh gelyfan on thone Faeder, and na on +dhone Sunu dhe hyra magas ofslogon. Heora geleafa is naht, and hi fordhi +losiadh. For ure alysednysse Crist gedhafode thaet h['i] hine ofslogon. Hit +ne mihte {292} eal mancynn ged['o]n, gif he sylf nolde; ac se Halga Faeder +gesceop and geworhte mancyn thurh his Sunu, and he wolde eft thurh dhone +ylcan us alysan fram helle-w['i]te, dhadha we forwyrhte waeron. Buton +aelcere dhrowunge he mihte us habban, ac him dhuhte thaet unrihtlic. Ac se +deofol forwyrhte hine sylfne, dhadha h['e] tihte thaet Iudeisce folc to +dhaes Haelendes slege, and we wurdon alysede, thurh his unscyldigan deadh, +fram dham ecan deadhe. + +We habbadh thone geleafan dhe Crist sylf taehte his apostolum, and hi +eallum mancynne; and dhone geleafan God haefdh mid manegum wundrum +getrymmed and gefaestnod. Aerest Crist dhurh hine sylfne dumbe and deafe, +healte and blinde, wode and hreoflige gehaelde, and dha deadan to l['i]fe +araerde: sydhdhan, thurh his apostolas and odhre halige men, thas ylcan +wundra geworhte. Nu eac on urum timan, gehwaer thaer halige men h['i] +restadh, aet heora deadum banum God wyrcdh fela wundra, to dhi thaet he +wile folces geleafan mid tham wundrum getrymman. Ne wyrcdh God na thas +wundra aet nanes Iudeisces mannes byrgene, ne aet nanes odhres gedwolan, ac +aet riht-gelyfedra manna byrgenum, dha dhe gelyfdon on dha Halgan +Dhrynnysse, and on sodh Annysse anre Godcundnysse. + +Wite gehw['a] eac, thaet nan man ne mot beon tuwa gefullod; ac gif se man +aefter his fulluhte aslide, we gelyfadh thaet he maege beon gehealden, gif +he his synna mid wope behreowsiadh, and be lareowa taecunge h['i] gebet. We +sceolon gelyfan thaet aelces mannes sawul bidh thurh God gesceapen, ac +hwaedhere heo ne bidh na of Godes agenum gecynde. Thaes mannes lichaman +antimber bidh of dham faeder and of dhaere meder, ac God gescypdh thone +lichaman of dham antimbre, and asent on thone lichaman sawle. Ne bidh seo +sawl nahwar wunigende ['ae]ror, ac God h['i] gescypdh thaerrihte, and beset +on dhone lichaman, and laet h['i] habban agenne cyre, swa heo syngige swa +heo synna forbuge. Theah-hwaedhere heo beh['o]fadh aefre Godes fultumes, +thaet heo maege synna forbugan, and eft to hyre Scyppende gecuman thurh +gode geearnunga; fordhon dhe nan man ne dedh butan Gode nan dhing to +g['o]de. + +{294} Eac we sceolon gelyfan thaet aelc lichama dhe sawle underfeng sceal +arisan on domes daege mid tham ylcum lichaman the he nu haefdh, and sceal +onf['o]n edlean ealra his daeda: thonne habbadh dha g['o]dan ece l['i]f mid +Gode, and he syldh tha m['e]de aelcum be his geearnungum. Tha synfullan +beodh on helle-wite ['a] dhrowigende, and heora wite bidh eac gemetegod +aelcum be his ge-earnungum. Uton fordhi geearnian thaet ece l['i]f mid Gode +thurh dhisne geleafan, and dhurh gode geearnunga, sedhe thurhwunadh on +Dhrynnysse ['a]n Aelmihtig God ['a]['a] on ecnysse. Amen. + +WEDNESDAY. + +OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH. + +Every christian man should by right know both his Pater noster and his +Creed. With the Pater noster he should pray, with the Creed he should +confirm his faith. We have spoken concerning the Pater noster, we will now +declare to you the faith which stands in the Creed, according to the wise +Augustine's exposition of the Holy Trinity. + +There is one Creator of all things, visible and invisible; and we should +all believe in him, for he is true and God alone Almighty, who never either +began or had beginning; but he is himself beginning, and he to all +creatures gave beginning and origin, that they might be, and that they +might have their own nature, so as it seemed good to the divine +dispensation. {277} Angels he created, which are spirits, and have no body. +Men he created with spirit and with body. Cattle and other beasts, fishes +and birds he created in flesh without soul. To men he gave an upright gait; +the cattle he let go bending downwards. To men he gave bread for +sustenance, and to the cattle grass. + +Now, brethren, ye may understand, if ye will, that there are two things: +one is the Creator, the other is the creature. He is the Creator who +created and made all things of naught. That is a creature which the true +Creator created. These are, first, heaven, and the angels which dwell in +heaven; and then this earth with all those which inhabit it, and sea with +all those that swim in it. Now all these things are named by one name, +creature. They were not always existing, but God created them. The +creatures are many. The Creator, who created them all, is one, who alone is +Almighty God. He was ever, and ever he will continue in himself and through +himself. If he had begun and had origin, without doubt he could not be +Almighty God; for the creature that began and is created, has no divinity; +therefore every substance that is not God is a creature; and that which is +not a creature is God. + +God exists in Trinity indivisible, and in unity of one Godhead, for the +Father is one, the Son is one, the Holy Ghost is one; and yet of these +three there is one Godhead, and like glory, and coeternal majesty. The +Father is Almighty God, the Son is Almighty God, the Holy Ghost is Almighty +God; but yet there are not three Almighty Gods, but one Almighty God. They +are three in persons and in name, and one in Godhead. Three, because the +Father will be ever Father, and the Son will be ever Son, and the Holy +Ghost will be ever Holy Ghost; and neither of them will ever change from +what he is. Ye have now heard concerning the Holy Trinity; ye shall also +hear concerning the true Unity. + +{279} Verily the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, have one Godhead, +and one nature, and one work. The Father created nothing nor creates, +without the Son, or without the Holy Ghost. Nor does one of them anything +without the others; but they have all one work, and one counsel, and one +will. The Father was ever, and the Son was ever, and the Holy Ghost was +ever One Almighty God. He is the Father, who was neither born of nor +created by any other. He is called Father, because he has a Son, whom he +begot of himself, without any mother. The Father is God of no God. The Son +is God of God the Father. The Holy Ghost is God proceeding from the Father +and from the Son. These words are shortly said, and it is needful for you +that we more plainly expound them. + +What is the Father? The Almighty Creator, not created nor born, but he +himself begot a Child coeternal with himself. What is the Son? He is the +Wisdom of the Father, and his Word, and his Might, through whom the Father +created and disposed all things. The Son is neither made nor created, but +he is begotten. He is begotten, and yet he is coeval and coeternal with his +Father. It is not with his birth as it is with our birth. When a man begets +a son, and his child is born, the father is greater and the son less. Why +so? Because when the son waxes the father grows old. Thou findest not among +men father and son alike. But I will give thee an example, whereby thou +mayest the better understand the birth of God. Fire begets brightness of +itself, and the brightness is coeval with the fire. The fire is not of the +brightness, but the brightness is of the fire. The fire begets the +brightness, and it is never without the brightness. Now thou hearest that +the brightness is as old as the fire of which it comes; allow therefore +that God might beget a Child as old and as eternal as he himself is. Let +him who can understand that our Saviour Christ is in the Godhead as old as +his {281} Father, thank God therefore and rejoice. He who cannot understand +it shall believe it, that he may understand it; for the word of the prophet +may not be rendered void, who thus spake, "Unless ye believe it ye cannot +understand it." Ye have now heard that the Son is of the Father without any +beginning; for he is the Wisdom of the Father, and he was ever with the +Father, and ever will be. + +Let us now hear concerning the Holy Ghost, what he is. He is the Will and +the true Love of the Father and of the Son, through whom all things are +quickened and preserved, concerning whom it is thus said, "The Spirit of +God filleth all the circumference of earth, and he holdeth all things, and +he hath knowledge of every speech." He is not made, nor created, nor +begotten, but he is proceeding, that is going from, the Father and from the +Son, with whom he is equal and coeternal. The Holy Ghost is not a son, for +he is not begotten, but he proceeds from the Father and from the Son; for +he is the Will and Love of them both. Christ spake of him thus in his +gospel, "The Spirit of comfort whom I will send unto you, the Spirit of +truth, which proceedeth from my Father, will bear testimony concerning me." +That is, He is my witness that I am the Son of God. And the right faith +also teaches us, that we should believe in the Holy Ghost: he is the +quickening God, who proceeds from the Father and from the Son. How proceeds +he from him? The Son is the Wisdom of the Father, ever of the Father; and +the Holy Ghost is the Will of them both, ever of them both. There is +therefore one Father, who is ever Father; and one Son, who is ever Son; and +one Holy Ghost, who is ever Holy Ghost. + +Ever was the Father, without beginning; and ever was the Son with the +Father, for he is the Wisdom of the Father; ever was the Holy Ghost, who is +the Will and Love of them both. The Father is of no other, for he was ever. +The Son is begotten of the Father, for he was ever in the bosom of {283} +the Father, for he is his Wisdom, and he is of the Father all that he is. +Ever was the Holy Ghost, for he is, as we before said, the Will and true +Love of the Father and of the Son; for will and love betoken one thing: +that which thou wilt thou lovest; and that which thou wilt not, thou lovest +not. + +The sun which shines over us is a bodily creature, and has, nevertheless, +three properties in itself: one is the bodily substance, that is the sun's +orb; the second is the beam or brightness ever of the sun, which illumines +all the earth; the third is the heat, which with the beam comes to us. The +beam is ever of the sun, and ever with it; and the Son of Almighty God is +ever of the Father begotten, and ever with him existing, of whom the +apostle said, that he was the brightness of his Father's glory. The heat of +the sun proceeds from it and from its beam; and the Holy Ghost proceeds +ever from the Father and from the Son equally; of whom it is thus written, +"There is no one who may hide himself from his heat." + +Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, may not be named together, but yet they +are nowhere separated. The Almighty God is not threefold, but is Trinity. +The Father is God, and the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God: not three +Gods, but they all three one Almighty God. The Father is also Wisdom of no +other wisdom. The Son is Wisdom of the wise Father. The Holy Ghost is +Wisdom. But yet they are all together one Wisdom. Again, the Father is true +Love, and the Son is true Love, and the Holy Ghost is true Love; and they +all together one God and one true Love. In like manner the Father is ghost +and holy, and the Son is ghost and holy undoubtedly; nevertheless the Holy +Ghost is specially called Holy Ghost, that which they all three are in +common. + +There is so great likeness in this Holy Trinity, that the Father is no +greater than the Son in the Godhead; nor is the {285} Son greater than the +Holy Ghost; nor is one of them less than the whole Trinity. Wheresoever one +of them is, there they are all three, ever one God indivisible. No one of +them is greater than other, nor one less than other, nor one before other, +nor one after other; for whatsoever is less than God, that is not God; that +which is later has beginning, but God has no beginning. The Father alone is +not Trinity, nor is the Son Trinity, nor the Holy Ghost Trinity, but these +three persons are one God in one Godhead. When thou hearest the Father +named, then thou wilt understand that he has a Son. Again, when thou +sayest, Son, thou knowest, without doubt, that he has a Father. Again, we +believe that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit both of the Father and of the +Son. + +Let no man deceive himself so as to say or to believe that there are three +Gods, or that any person in the Holy Trinity is less mighty than other. +Each of the three is God, yet they are all one God; for they all have one +nature, and one Godhead, and one substance, and one counsel, and one work, +and one majesty, and like glory, and coeternal rule. But the Son alone was +incarnate and born to man of the holy maiden Mary. The Father was not +invested with human nature, but yet he sent his Son for our redemption, and +was ever with him, both in life and in passion, and at his resurrection, +and at his ascension. Also all the church of God confesses, according to +true faith, that Christ was born of the pure maiden Mary, and of the Holy +Ghost. Yet is not the Holy Ghost the Father of Christ; never shall any +christian man believe that: but the Holy Ghost is the Will of the Father +and of the Son; therefore is it very rightly written in our belief, that +Christ's humanity was accomplished by the Holy Ghost. + +Behold the sun with attention, in which there is, as we before said, heat +and brightness; but the heat dries, and the {287} brightness gives light. +The heat does one thing, and the brightness another; and though they cannot +be separated, the heating, nevertheless, belongs to the heat, and the +giving light to the brightness. In like manner Christ alone assumed human +nature, and not the Father, nor the Holy Ghost: they were, nevertheless, +ever with him in all his works and in all his course. + +We speak of God, mortals of the Immortal, feeble of the Almighty, miserable +beings of the Merciful; but who may worthily speak of that which is +unspeakable? He is without measure, because he is everywhere. He is without +number, for he is ever. He is without weight, for he holds all creatures +without toil; and he disposed them all in three things, that is in measure, +and in number, and in weight. But know ye that no man can speak fully +concerning God, when we cannot even investigate or reckon the creatures +which he has created. Who by words can tell the ornaments of heaven? Or who +the fruitfulness of earth? Or who shall adequately praise the circuit of +all the seasons? Or who all other things, when we cannot even fully +comprehend with our sight the bodily things on which we look? Behold thou +seest the man before thee, but at the time thou seest his face, thou seest +not his back. So also if thou lookest at a cloth, thou canst not see it all +together, but turnest it about, that thou mayest see it all. What wonder is +it, if the Almighty God is unspeakable and incomprehensible, who is +everywhere all, and nowhere divided? + +Now some shallow-thinking man will inquire, how God can be everywhere at +once, and nowhere divided. Behold this sun, how high he ascends, and how he +sends his beams over all the world, and how he enlightens all this earth +which mankind inhabit. As soon as he rises up at early morn, he shines on +Jerusalem, and on Rome, and on this country, and on all countries at once; +and yet he is a creature, and goes {289} by God's direction. How much +ampler then is God's presence, and his might, and his visitation +everywhere! Him nothing withstands, neither stone wall nor broad barrier, +as they withstand the sun. To him nothing is hidden or unknown. Thou seest +a man's face, but God seeth his heart. The spirit of God tries the hearts +of all men; and those who believe in him and love him he purifies and +gladdens with his visitation, and the hearts of unbelieving men he passes +by and shuns. + +Let everyone also know that every man has three things in himself +indivisible and working together, as God said when he first created man. He +said, "Let us make man in our own likeness." And he then made Adam in his +own likeness. In which part has man the likeness of God in him? In the +soul, not in the body. The soul of man has in its nature a likeness to the +Holy Trinity; for it has in it three things, these are memory, and +understanding, and will. By the memory a man thinks on the things which he +has heard, or seen, or learned. By the understanding he comprehends all the +things which he hears or sees. Of the will come thoughts, and words, and +works, both evil and good. There is one soul, and one life, and one +substance, which has these three things in it working together inseparably; +for where memory is there is understanding and will, and they are ever +together. Yet is none of these three the soul, but the soul through the +memory reminds, through the understanding comprehends, through the will it +wills whatsoever it likes; and it is, nevertheless, one soul and one life. +It has therefore God's likeness in itself, because it has three things in +it inseparably working. Yet is the man one man, and not a trinity: but God, +Father and Son and Holy Ghost, exists in a trinity of persons and in the +unity of one Godhead. Man exists not {291} in trinity as God, but he has, +nevertheless, the likeness of God in his soul, by reason of the three +things of which we have before spoken. + +There was a heretic called Arius, who disputed with a bishop who was named +Alexander, a wise and orthodox man. The heretic said, that Christ the Son +of God could not be equal to his Father, nor so mighty as he; and said, +that the Father was before the Son, and took example from men, how every +son is younger than his father in this life. Then said the holy bishop +Alexander in opposition to him, "God was ever, and ever was his Wisdom of +him begotten, and the Wisdom is his Son, as mighty as his Father." Then the +heretic got the emperor's support to his heresy, and proclaimed a synod +against the bishop, and would bend all the people to his heresies. Then the +bishop watched one night in God's church, and cried to his Lord, and thus +said, "Thou Almighty God, judge right judgement between me and Arius." On +the morrow they came to the synod. The heretic then said to his companions, +that he would go forth for his need. When he came to the place and sat, all +his entrails came out, while he was sitting, and he sat there dead. Thus +God manifested that he was as void in his inside as he had before been in +his belief. He would make Christ less than he is, and diminish the dignity +of his Godhead; when a death was given him as ignominious as he was well +worthy of. + +There was another heretic who was called Sabellius. He said, that the +Father was, whenever he would, Father; and again, when he would, he was +Son; and again, when he would, was Holy Ghost; and was therefore one God. +Then this heretic also perished with his heresy. + +Now again, the Jewish people who slew Christ, as he himself would and +permitted, say that they will believe in the Father, and not in the Son +whom their forefathers slew. Their belief is naught, and they will +therefore perish. For our redemption Christ permitted them to slay him. All +{293} mankind could not have done it, if he himself had not willed it; but +the Holy Father created and made mankind through his Son, and he would +afterwards through the same redeem us from hell-torment, when we were +undone. Without any passion he might have had us, but that seemed to him +unjust. But the devil undid himself, when he instigated the Jewish people +to the slaying of Jesus, and we were redeemed by his innocent death from +the eternal death. + +We have the belief that Christ himself taught to his apostles, and they to +all mankind; and that belief God has confirmed and established by many +miracles. First Christ by himself healed dumb and deaf, halt and blind, mad +and leprous, and raised the dead to life: after, by his apostles and other +holy men, he wrought the same miracles. Now also in our time, everywhere +where holy men rest, at their dead bones God works many miracles, because +he will with those miracles confirm people's faith. God works not these +miracles at any Jewish man's sepulchre, nor at any other heretic's, but at +the sepulchres of orthodox men, who believed in the Holy Trinity, and in +the true Unity of one Godhead. + +Let everyone know also, that no man may be twice baptized; but if a man err +after his baptism, we believe that he may be saved, if with weeping he +repent of his sins, and, according to the teaching of his instructors, +atone for them. We are to believe that the soul of every man is created by +God, but yet it is not of God's own nature. The matter of a man's body is +from the father and from the mother, but God creates the body from the +matter, and sends a soul into the body. The soul is nowhere existing +previously, but God creates it forthwith, and sets it in the body, and lets +it have its own election, whether it shall sin, whether it shall eschew +sins. Nevertheless it ever needs God's support, that it may eschew sins, +and again come to its Creator through good deserts; for no man doeth +anything good without God. + +{295} We are also to believe that every body which has received a soul +shall arise at doomsday with the same body that he now has, and shall +receive the reward of all his deeds: then will the good have eternal life +with God, and he will give a meed to everyone according to his deserts. The +sinful will be ever suffering in hell-torment, and their torment will also +be measured to everyone according to his deserts. Let us therefore merit +eternal life with God through this faith, and through good deserts, who +existeth in Trinity One Almighty God ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +SERMO IN ASCENSIONE DOMINI. + + Primum quidem sermonem feci: et reliqua. + +Lucas se Godspellere ['u]s manode on dhisre pistol-raedinge, thus +cwedhende, "Se Haelend, middangeardes Alysend, aeteowde hine sylfne cucenne +his gingrum, aefter his throwunge and his aeriste, on manegum dhrafungum, +geond feowertig daga, and him to spraec ymbe Godes rice, samod mid him +reordigende: and bebead him thaet hi of dhaere byrig Hierusalem ne gewiton, +ac thaet hi dhaer anbidedon his Faeder beh['a]tes, he cwaedh, the ge of +minum mudhe gehyrdon. Fordhan dhe Iohannes se Fulluhtere gefullode on +waetere, and ge beodh gefullode on dham Halgan Gaste nu aefter feawum +dagum. Eornostlice seo gegaderung his leorning-cnihta cwaedh dha +['a]nmodlice, Drihten leof, wilt dhu nu gesettan ende thysre worulde? He +him andwyrde, Nis na eow to gewitenne dha t['i]d odhdhe dha hand-hwile the +min Faeder gesette thurh his mihte: ac ge underfodh thaes Halgan Gastes +mihte, and ge beodh mine gewitan on Iudea lande, and on eallum +middangearde, odh thaet endenexte land. And h['e] laedde h['i] dha ['u]t of +dhaere byrig up to anre dune dhe is gecweden mons Oliueti, and hi +gebletsode up-ahafenum handum. Tha mid thaere bletsunge ferde h['e] to +{296} heofonum, him on locigendum; and thaet heofonlice wolcn leat widh +his, and hine genam fram heora gesihdhum." + +"Dhadha hi up to heofonum starigende stodon, dha gesawon hi dhaer twegen +englas on hwitum gerelan, thus cwedhende, Ge Galileisce weras, hwi stande +ge dhus starigende widh heofenas weard? Se Haelend, the is nu genumen of +eowrum gesihdhum to heofonum, swa he cymdh eft swa swa ge gesawon thaet he +to heofonum ast['a]h. Hi dha gecyrdon to dhaere byrig Hierusalem mid +micelre blisse, and astigon upp on ane upfleringe, and thaer wunedon odh +Pentecosten on gebedum and on Godes herungum, odhthaet se Halga Gast him to +com, swa swa se aedhela Cyning him aer beh['e]t." + +"On dhyssere geferraedene waeron Petrus and Iohannes, Iacob and Andreas, +Philippus and Thomas, Bartholomeus and Matheus, se odher Iacob and Simon, +se odher Iudas and Maria thaes Haelendes modor, and gehwilce odhre, aegdher +ge weras ge w['i]f. Eal seo menigu waes an hund manna and twentig, +anmodlice on gebedum wunigende." + +Se Haelend taehte dha halgan lare his leorning-cnihtum aer his dhrowunge, +and aefter his aeriste he waes wunigende betwux him thas feowertig daga, +fram dhaere halgan Easter-tide odh thisne daegdherlican daeg, and on +manegum wisum dhrafode and afandode his gingran, and ge-edlaehte thaet +thaet he aer taehte, to fulre lare and rihtum geleafan. He gereordode hine +aefter his aeriste, na fordhi thaet he sydhdhan eordhlices bigleofan +beh['o]fode, ac to dhi thaet he geswutelode his sodhan lichaman. He aet +thurh mihte, na for neode. Swa swa fyr fornimdh waeteres dropan, swa fornam +Cristes godcundlice miht dhone gedhigedan mete. Sodhlice aefter dham +gemaenelicum aeriste ne beh['o]fiadh ure lichaman nanre strangunge +eordhlicra metta, ac se Haelend us dedh ealle ure neoda mid heofenlicum +dhingum, and we beodh mid wuldre gewelgode, and mihtige to gefremmenne swa +hwaet swa us licadh, and we beodh ful swyfte to farenne geond ealle +w['i]dgylnyssa Godes rices. + +{298} He beh['e]t his gingrum nu and gelome thaet he wolde him sendan thone +Halgan Gast, and thus cwaedh, "Thonne he cymdh he eow tiht and gewissadh to +eallum dham dhingum dhe ic eow saede." Tha com se Halga Gast on fyres hiwe +to dham halgum hyrede on tham endleoftan daege Cristes upstiges, and hi +ealle onaelde mid ['u]ndergendlicum fyre, and h['i] wurdon afyllede mid +thaere heofonlican l['a]re, and cudhon ealle woruldlice gereord, and +bodedon unforhtlice geleafan and fulluht ricum and redhum. + +Se halga heap befr['a]n Crist, hwaedher he wolde on dham timan thisne +middangeard geendian. He dha cwaedh him to andsware, "Nis na eower m['ae]dh +to witenne thone timan, the min Faeder thurh his mihte gesette." He cwaedh +eac on odhre stowe, "N['a]t n['a]n man dhone daeg ne dhone timan dhysre +worulde geendunge, ne englas, ne nan halga, buton Gode anum." +Theah-hwaedhere, be dham tacnum the Crist saede, we geseodh thaet seo +geendung is swidhe gehende, theah dhe heo us uncudh sy. + +Tha apostoli waeron gewitan Cristes weorca, fordhan dhe h['i] bodedon his +dhrowunge, and his aerist, and upstige, aerst Iudeiscre dheode, and +sydhdhan becom heora stemn to aelcum lande, and heora word to gemaerum +ealles ymbhwyrftes; fordhan dhe h['i] awriton Cristes wundra, and dha bec +thurhwuniadh on cristenre dheode, aegdher ge dhaer thaer dha apostoli +lichamlice bodedon, ge thaer dhaer h['i] na ne becomon. + +Ealle gesceafta dheniadh heora Scyppende. Thatha Crist acenned waes, tha +sende seo heofen niwne steorran, dhe bodade Godes acennednysse. Eft, dhadha +he to heofonum astah, tha abeah thaet heofonlice wolcn widh his, and hine +underfeng: na thaet thaet wolcn hine ferede, fordhan dhe he hylt heofona +dhrymsetl, ac he sidhode mid tham wolcne of manna gesihdhum. Thaer waeron +dha gesewene twegen englas on hwitum gyrelum. Eac swilce on his +acennednysse waeron englas gesewene; ac thaet halige godspel ne ascyrde hu +hi gefreatwode waeron; fordhan dhe God com to us swidhe eadmod. On his +upstige waeron gesewene englas mid hwitum gyrlum geglengede. Bliss is {300} +getacnod on hwitum reafe, fordhon dhe Crist ferde heonon mid micelre blisse +and mid micclum dhrymme. On his acennednysse waes gedhuht swilce seo +Godcundnys waere geeadmet, and on his upstige waes seo menniscnys ahafen +and gemaersod. Mid his upstige is adylegod thaet cyrographum ure +genidherunge, and se cwyde ure brosnunge is awend. + +Thadha Adam agylt haefde, tha cwaedh se Aelmihtiga Wealdend him to, "Thu +eart eordhe, and thu gewenst to eordhan. Dhu eart dust, and thu gewenst to +duste." Nu to-daeg thaet ylce gecynd ferde unbrosnigendlic into heofenan +rice. Tha twegen englas saedon thaet Crist cymdh swa swa he uppferde, +fordhan dhe he bidh gesewen on dham micclum dome on menniscum hiwe, thaet +his slagan hine magon oncnawan, the hine aer to deadhe gedydon, and eac dha +dhe his lare forsawon, thaet hi dhonne rihtlice onf['o]n thaet ece wite mid +deofle. Thaet halige gewrit cwydh, "Tollatur impius ne uideat gloriam Dei:" +"Sy dham arleasan aetbroden seo gesihdh Godes wuldres." Ne geseodh tha +arleasan Cristes wuldor, dhe hine aer on life forsawon, ac hi geseodh +thonne egefulne thone dhe hi eadmodne forhygedon. + +Recumbentibus undecim discipulis: et reliqua. We habbadh nu geraed Lucas +gesetnysse embe Cristes upstige; nu wende we ure smeagunge to dham odhrum +godspellere Marcum, the cwaedh on dhisum daegdherlicum godspelle, thaet se +Haelend aeteowde hine sylfne his apostolum and cidde him, fordhan dhe hi +noldon aet fruman gelyfan his aeristes of deadhe, dhadha hit him gecydd +waes. Tha cwaedh se Wealdend to his gingrum, "Faradh geond ealne +middangeard, and bodiadh godspel eallum gesceafte: sedhe gelyfdh and bidh +gefullod, se bidh gehealden; se dhe ne gelyfdh, he bidh genydherod. Dhas +tacnu fyligadh tham mannum the gelyfadh," etc. This godspel is nu +anfealdlice ges['ae]d, ac we willadh nu, aefter Gregories trahtnunge, tha +digelnysse eow onwre['o]n. + +Dhaera apostola tweonung be Cristes aeriste naes na swa swidhe heora +ungeleaffulnys, ac waes ure trumnys. Laes us {302} fremodon tha dhe hradhe +gelyfdon, dhonne dha the twynigende waeron; fordhan dhe hi sceawedon and +grapodon dha dolhswadhu Cristes wunda, and swa adraefdon ealle twynunga +fram ure heortan. Tha dhreade se Haelend his leorning-cnihta twynunge, +dhadha h['e] lichamlice h['i] forlaetan wolde, to dhi thaet h['i] gemyndige +waeron dhaera worda the h['e] on his sidhe him saede. He cwaedh tha, +"Faradh geond ealne middangeard, and bodiadh godspel eallum gesceafte." +Godspel is us to gehyrenne, and dhearle lufigendlic, thaet we moton +forbugan helle-wite and dha hreowlican tintrega thurh dhaes Haelendes +menniscnysse, and becuman to engla werode thurh his eadmodnysse. He cwaedh, +"Bodiadh eallum gesceafte:" ac mid tham naman is se mann ['a]na getacnod. +Stanas sind gesceafta, ac h['i] nabbadh nan l['i]f, ne h['i] ne gefredadh. +Gaers and treowa lybbadh butan felnysse; h['i] ne lybbadh na dhurh sawle, +ac dhurh heora grennysse. Nytenu lybbadh and habbadh felnysse, butan +gesceade: h['i] nabbadh nan gescead, fordhan dhe h['i] sind sawullease. +Englas lybbadh, and gefredadh, and tosceadadh. Nu haefdh se mann ealra +gesceafta sum dhing. Him is gemaene mid stanum, thaet he beo wunigende; him +is gemaene mid treowum, thaet he lybbe; mid nytenum, thaet he gefrede; mid +englum, thaet he understande. Nu is se mann gecweden 'eall gesceaft,' +fordhan dhe he haefdh sum dhing gemaene mid eallum gesceafte. Thaet godspel +bidh gebodad eallum gesceafte, thonne hit bidh dham menn anum gebodad, +fordhan dhe ealle eordhlice thing sind gesceapene for dham men anum, and +h['i] ealle habbadh sume gelicnysse to dham men, swa swa we aer saedon. + +"Se dhe gelyfdh, and bidh gefullod, he bidh gehealden; and se dhe ne +gelyfdh, he bidh genidherod." Se geleafa bidh sodh sedhe ne widhcwydh mid +thweorum dheawum thaet thaet he gelyfdh; be dham cwaedh Iohannes se +apostol, "Se dhe cwydh thaet he God cunne, and his beboda ne hylt, he is +leas." Eft cwydh se apostol Iacobus, "Se geleafa dhe bidh butan godum +weorcum, se bidh dead." Eft he cwaedh, "Hwaet fremadh the thaet dhu haebbe +geleafan, gif dhu naefst dha godan weorc? Ne maeg {304} se geleafa dhe +gehealdan butan dham weorcum. Deoflu gelyfadh, ac h['i] forhtiadh." Tha +deoflu gesawon Crist on dhisum life on dhaere menniscnysse, ac hi feollon +to his fotum, and hrymdon, and cwaedon, "Thu eart Godes Sunu, fordhi dhu +come thaet dhu woldest us ford['o]n." Se man dhe nele gelyfan on God, ne +naenne Godes ege naefdh, he bidh wyrsa thonne deofol. Se dhe gelyfdh, and +haefdh ege, and nele dheah-hwaedhere g['o]d wyrcan, se bidh thonne deoflum +gelic. + +In quodam tractu, qui estimatur S[=ci] Hilarii fuisse, sic inuenimus +scriptum, sicut Anglice hic interpretauimus, et ad testimonium ipsam +Latinitatem posuimus: "Demones credunt et contremescunt; qui autem non +credit, et non contremescit demonibus deterior est: qui autem credit, et +contremescit, et ueritatem operibus non agit demonibus similis est." Se dhe +rihtlice gelyfdh, and rihtlice his lif leofadh, and mid Godes ege g['o]d +weorc begaedh odh ende his lifes, se bidh gehealden, and he haefdh ece +l['i]f mid Gode, and mid eallum his halgum. Drihten cwaedh, tha dhe +gelyfadh, him fyligadh thas tacnu, "On minum naman h['i] adraefadh deoflu; +h['i] sprecadh mid niwum gereordum; h['i] afyrsiadh naeddran; and dheah dhe +h['i] unlybban drincan, hit him ne deradh; h['i] settadh heora handa ofer +adlige men, and him bidh tela." + +Thas wundra waeron nyd-behefe on anginne cristendomes, fordhan dhurh dha +tacna weardh thaet haedhene folc gebiged to geleafan. Se man dhe plantadh +treowa odhdhe wyrta, swa lange he h['i] waeteradh odhthaet h['i] beodh +cidhfaeste; sydhdhan h['i] growende beodh he geswycdh thaere waeterunge: +swa eac se Aelmihtiga God, swa lange he aeteowde his wundra dham haedhenum +folce, odhthaet h['i] geleaffulle waeron: sydhdhan se geleafa sprang geond +ealne middangeard, sidhdhan geswicon dha wundra. Ac dheah-hwaedhere Godes +geladhung wyrcdh gyt daeghwamlice tha ylcan wundra gastlice the dha +apostoli dha worhton lichamlice. Thonne se preost cristnadh thaet cild, +thonne adraefdh he dhone deofol of dham cilde; fordhan dhe aelc haedhen man +bidh deofles, ac thurh {306} thaet halige fulluht he bidh Godes, gif he hit +gehylt. Se dhe forlaet bysmorlice spellunga, and talu, and derigendlice +gaffetunga, and gebysegadh his mudh mid Godes herungum and gebedum, he +sprecdh thonne mid niwum gereordum. Se dhe ungeradum odhdhe ungedhyldigum +styrdh, and tha biternysse his heortan gestildh, he afyrsadh tha naeddran, +fordhan dhe he adwaescdh tha yfelnyssa his modes. Se dhe bidh forspanen to +forligre, and dheah-hwaedhere ne bidh gebiged to dhaere fremminge, he +drincdh unlybban, ac hit him ne deradh, gif he mid geb['e]dum to Gode +flihdh. Gif hwa bidh geuntrumod on his anginne, and asolcen fram godre +drohtnunge, gif hine hwa dhonne mid tihtinge and gebisnungum godra weorca +getrymdh and araerdh, thonne bidh hit swilce he sette his handa ofer +untrumne and hine gehaele. + +Tha gastlican wundra sind maran thonne tha lichamlican waeron, fordhan dhe +dhas wundra gehaeladh thaes mannes sawle, dhe is ece, and dha aerran tacna +gehaeldon thone deadlican lichaman. Tha aerran wundra worhton aegdher ge +g['o]de men ge yfele. Yfel waes Iudas, dhe Crist belaewde, theah he worhte +wundra aeror dhurh Godes naman. Be swylcum mannum cwaedh Crist on odhre +stowe, "Ic secge eow, manega cwedhadh to me on dham micclan daege, Drihten, +Drihten, la h['u] ne witegode we on dhinum naman, and we adraefdon deoflo +of wodum mannum, and we micele mihta on thinum naman gefremedon? Thonne +andette ic him, Ne can ic eow: gewitadh fram me, ge unrihtwise wyrhtan." +Mine gebrodhru, ne lufige ge dha wundra the magon beon gemaene godum and +yfelum, ac lufiadh tha tacna the sind sinderlice godra manna, thaet synd +sodhre lufe and arfaestnysse tacna. Naefdh se yfela dha sodhan lufe, ne se +g['o]da nys hyre bedaeled. Thas tacna sind digle and unpleolice, and h['i] +habbadh swa miccle maran edlean aet Gode, swa micclum swa heora wuldor is +laesse mid mannum. Se Wealdenda Drihten, aefter dhisum wordum, waes genumen +to heofonum, and sitt on dha swidhran hand his Faeder. + +We raedadh on dhaere ealdan ['ae], thaet twegen Godes men, {308} Enoh and +Helias, waeron ahafene to heofonum butan deadhe: ac h['i] elciadh ongean +dhone deadh, and mid ealle ne forfleodh. H['i] sind genumene to lyftenre +heofenan na to rodorlicere, and drohtniadh on sumum diglan earde mid +micelre strencdhe lichaman and sawle, odhthaet hi eft ongean cyrron, on +ende thisre worulde, togeanes Antecriste, and deadhes onfodh. Ure +Aelmihtiga Alysend ne elcode na ongean thone deadh, ac he hine oferswidhde +mid his aeriste, and geswutulode his wuldor thurh his upstige to dham +yfemystan thrymsetle. + +We raedadh be dham witegan Heliam, thaet englas hine feredon on heofonlicum +craete, fordhan dhe seo untrumnys his gecyndes behofode sumes byrdhres. Ure +Alysend Crist naes geferod mid craete ne dhurh engla fultum; fordhan se dhe +ealle dhing geworhte, he waes geferod mid his agenre mihte ofer ealle +gesceafta. Se aerra man Enoh waes geferod to lyftenre heofonan, and Helias +waes mid craete up-awegen; ac se Aelmihtiga Haelend naes gefered ne awegen, +ac he dhurhferde dha roderlican heofonan thurh his agene mihte. + +Us is to smeagenne hu seo claennys waes dheonde geond tha geferedan dhenas, +and thurh dhone astigendan Haelend. Enoh waes geferod, sedhe waes mid +haemede gestryned, and mid haemede waes strynende. Helias waes on craete +geferod, sedhe waes thurh haemed gestryned, ac he ne strynde thurh haemed, +fordhan dhe he wunade on his life butan wife. Se Haelend astah to heofonum, +sedhe naes mid haemede gestryned, ne he sylf strynende naes; fordhan dhe he +is ord and anginn ealra claennyssa, and him is seo claennys swidhe +lufigendlic maegen, thaet he geswutulode dhadha he geceas him maeden-mann +to meder. And eall se halga heap dhe him fyligde waes on claennysse +wunigende, swa swa he cwaedh sumum godspelle, "Se dhe to me cymdh, ne maeg +he beon min leorning-cniht, buton he his wif hatige." + +Se godspellere Marcus awr['a]t on dhisum godspelle, thaet ure Drihten, +aefter his upstige, saete on his Faeder swidhran hand; and se forma martyr +Stephanus cwaedh, thaet he gesawe {310} heofonas opene, and dhone Haelend +standan on his Faeder swidhran. Nu cwydh se trahtnere, "Thaet rihtlice is +gecweden, thaet he saete aefter his upstige, fordhan dhe deman gedafnadh +setl." Crist is se sodha dema, the demdh and toscaet ealle dhing, nu and +eac on dham endenextan daege. Se martyr hine geseah standan, fordhan dhe +h['e] waes his gefylsta on dhaere dhrowunge his martyrdomes, and dhurh his +gife he waes gebyld ongean dha redhan ehteras, dhe hine waelhreowlice +staendon. + +Se ende is dhises godspelles, Thaet Cristes apostoli "ferdon and bodedon +gehwaer, Drihtne samod wyrcendum, and dha spraece getrymmendum mid +aefterfyligendum tacnum." Tha apostoli, thaet sind Godes bydelas, toferdon +geond ealne middangeard. Petrus bodade on Iudea-lande, Paulus on haedhenum +folce, Andreas on Scithia, Iohannes on Asia, Bartholomeus on India, Matheus +on Ethiopia, and swa heora gehwilc on his daele, and Godes miht him waes +mid, to gefremminge heora bodunga and ungerimra tacna; fordhan dhe Crist +cwaedh, "Ne mage ge n['a]n dhing d['o]n butan me." Eft he cwaedh, "Ic beo +mid eow eallum dagum, odh thisre worulde geendunge," sedhe lyfadh and +rixadh mid tham Aelmihtigan Faeder and dham Halgum Gaste ['a] on ecnysse. +Amen. + +SERMON ON THE LORD'S ASCENSION. + + Primum quidem sermonem feci: et reliqua. + +Luke the Evangelist has informed us in this epistolary reading, thus +saying, "Jesus, the Redeemer of the world, showed himself living to his +disciples, after his passion and his resurrection, by many reproofs, for +forty days, and spake to them concerning the kingdom of God, eating and +drinking together with them: and commanded them that they should not depart +from the city of Jerusalem, but that they should await there the promise of +his Father which (he said) ye have heard from my mouth. For John the +Baptist baptized with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost +now after a few days. The assembly of his disciples therefore said +unanimously, Beloved Lord, wilt thou now put an end to this world? He +answered them, It is not for you to know the time or the moment which my +Father hath appointed through his might: but ye shall receive the might of +the Holy Ghost, and ye shall be my witnesses in Judea, and in all the +world, unto the uttermost land. And he led them then out of the city up to +a hill which is called the mount of Olives, and blessed them with uplifted +hands. Then after {297} that blessing he went to heaven, they looking on; +and a heavenly cloud descended towards him, and took him from their sight." + +"While they stood gazing up to heaven, they saw there two angels in white +garments, thus saying, Ye Galilean men, why stand ye thus gazing towards +heaven? Jesus, who is now taken from your sight to heaven, shall so come +again as ye have seen that he ascended to heaven. They then returned to the +city of Jerusalem with great joy, and went up on an upper flooring, and +there stayed till Pentecost in prayers and in praises of God, until the +Holy Ghost came to them, as the noble King had before promised them." + +"In this fellowship were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and +Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, the other James and Simon, the other Judas +and Mary the mother of Jesus, and several others, both men and women. The +whole multitude was an hundred and twenty persons, unanimously continuing +in prayers." + +Jesus taught the holy lore to his disciples before his passion, and after +his resurrection he was continuing among them these forty days, from the +holy Easter-tide until this present day, and in many ways reproved and +tried his disciples, and repeated that which he had before taught, for the +perfection of doctrine and right faith. He ate and drank after his +resurrection, not because he then had need of earthly food, but because he +would manifest his true body. He ate through power, not for need. As fire +consumes drops of water, so did the divine power of Christ consume the +received meat. Verily after the universal resurrection our bodies will +require no strengthening of earthly meats, for Jesus will supply all our +needs with heavenly things, and we shall be enriched with glory, and mighty +to execute whatsoever is pleasing to us, and we shall be full swift to go +through all the immensities of the kingdom of God. + +{299} He promised to his disciples then and frequently that he would send +to them the Holy Ghost, and thus said, "When he comes he will stimulate and +direct you to all the things which I have said unto you." Then came the +Holy Ghost in semblance of fire to the holy company on the eleventh day +after Christ's ascension, and inflamed them all with innoxious fire, and +they were filled with heavenly lore, and knew all worldly tongues, and +fearlessly preached faith and baptism to the powerful and cruel. + +The holy company asked Christ, whether he would at that time put an end to +this world. He said to them in answer, "It is not for you to know the time +which my Father hath through his power appointed." He said also in another +place, "No man knoweth the day or the time of the ending of this world, nor +the angels, nor any saint, save God only." Yet by the tokens which Christ +mentioned, we see that the ending is very near at hand, though it be +unknown to us. + +The apostles were witnesses of Christ's works, for they preached his +passion, and his resurrection, and ascension, first to the Jewish people, +and afterwards their voice came to every land, and their words to the +boundaries of the whole globe; for they recorded the miracles of Christ, +and the books exist among christian people, both where the apostles bodily +preached, and where they did not come. + +All creatures serve their Creator. When Christ was born, heaven sent forth +a new star, which announced the birth of God. Again, when he ascended to +heaven, the heavenly cloud bowed down towards him, and received him: not +that the cloud bare him, for he holds the throne of heaven, but he passed +with the cloud from the sight of men. There were seen two angels in white +garments. In like manner at his birth angels were seen; but the holy gospel +has not explained how they were adorned; for God came to us very humble. At +his ascension were seen angels adorned with white garments. Joy is +betokened by white garments, for {301} Christ departed hence with great joy +and with great majesty. At his birth it seemed as though the Godhead were +humbled, and at his ascension humanity was exalted and magnified. With his +ascension is annulled the writ of our condemnation, and the sentence of our +destruction is abrogated. + +When Adam had sinned, the Almighty Ruler said to him, "Thou art earth, and +thou shalt to earth return. Thou art dust, and thou shalt return to dust." +Now to-day that same nature went incorruptible into the kingdom of heaven. +The two angels said that Christ would come as he ascended, because at the +great doom he will be seen in human form, that his slayers may recognize +him whom they formerly put to death, and also that those who despised his +precepts may then justly receive eternal punishment with the devil. Holy +writ says, "Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam Dei:" "Be the sight of God's +glory taken away from the impious." The impious will not see the glory of +Christ, whom they had before despised in life, but they will then see him +awful whom humble they had contemned. + +Recumbentibus undecim discipulis: et reliqua. We have now read the +narrative of Luke concerning Christ's ascension; we will now turn our +consideration to the other evangelist Mark, who said in the present day's +gospel, that Jesus appeared to his apostles, and chid them, because they +would not at first believe his resurrection from death, when it was +announced to them. Then said the Lord to his disciples, "Go over all the +world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he who believeth and is +baptized shall be saved; he who believeth not shall be damned. These signs +shall follow those men who believe," etc. This gospel is here now simply +said, but we will now unfold its mysteries to you, according to the +exposition of Gregory. + +The apostles' doubt as to the resurrection of Christ was not so much their +lack of faith, but was our confirmation. Less {303} have benefited us those +who quickly believed than those who were doubting; for they beheld and +touched the scars of Christ's wounds, and so drove out all doubts from our +hearts. Jesus then reproved his disciples for their doubt, when he would +bodily leave them, that they might be mindful of the words which he said to +them on his way. He said, "Go over all the world, and preach the gospel to +every creature." The gospel is for us to hear and exceedingly loving, that +we may avoid hell-torment and cruel tortures through the incarnation of +Jesus, and come to the host of angels through his humility. He said, +"Preach to every creature:" but by that name is man alone betokened. Stones +are creatures, but they have no life, nor have they sense. Grass and trees +live without feeling; they live not by a soul, but by their greenness. +Beasts live and have feeling without reason; they have no reason, because +they are soulless. Angels live, and have sense, and use reason. Now man has +something of all creatures. He has in common with the stones, that he is +existing; he has in common with the trees, that he lives; with the beasts, +that he has sense; with angels, that he understands. Man is therefore +called 'every creature,' because he has something in common with every +creature. The gospel is preached to every creature, when it is preached to +man alone; for all earthly things are created for man alone, and they all +have some likeness to man, as we before said. + +"He who believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; and he who believeth +not shall be damned." That faith is true which gainsays not by wicked +practices that which it believes; of which spake John the apostle; "He who +saith that he knoweth God, and holdeth not his commandments, is a liar." +Again, the apostle James says, "The faith which is without good works is +dead." Again, he said, "What profiteth it thee that thou have faith, if +thou hast not good works? Faith {305} cannot save thee without works. The +devils believe, but they tremble." The devils saw Christ in this life, in +his human state, but they fell at his feet, and cried, and said, "Thou art +the Son of God, therefore thou art come that thou mightest fordo us." The +man who will not believe in God, nor has any awe of God, is worse than a +devil. He who believes, and has awe, and, nevertheless, will not do good, +is like unto a devil. + +In quodam tractu, qui aestimatur Sancti Hilarii fuisse, sic invenimus +scriptum, sicut Anglice hic interpretavimus, et ad testimonium ipsam +Latinitatem posuimus: "Daemones credunt et contremescunt; qui autem non +credit, et non contremescit daemonibus deterior est: qui autem credit, et +contremescit, et veritatem operibus non agit, daemonibus similis est." He +who rightly believes, and rightly lives his life, and with awe of God +practises good works to the end of his life, shall be saved, and shall have +everlasting life with God, and with all his saints. The Lord said, these +signs shall follow those who believe in him, "In my name they shall cast +out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall drive away +serpents; and though they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; +they shall set their hands over sick men, and it shall be well with them." + +These wonders were needful at the beginning of christianity, for by these +signs was the heathen folk inclined to faith. The man who plants trees or +herbs, waters them so long until they have taken root; when they are +growing he ceases from watering: so also the Almighty God so long showed +his miracles to the heathen folk, until they were believing: when faith had +sprung up over all the world, then miracles ceased. But, nevertheless, +God's church still works daily the same miracles spiritually which the +apostles then wrought bodily. When the priest christens the child, then +casts he out the devil from that child; for every heathen man is the +devil's, but through the holy baptism he is God's, {307} if he observe it. +He who forsakes opprobrious speeches and calumnies, and injurious +scoffings, and busies his mouth with the praises of God and with prayers, +speaks then in new tongues. He who corrects thoughtlessness or impatience, +and stills the bitterness of his heart, drives away serpents, for he +extinguishes the evilnesses of his mind. He who is allured to fornication, +but yet is not induced to its accomplishment, drinks a deadly drink, but it +shall not hurt him, if with prayers he flees to God. If any-one be weakened +in his purpose, and slothful for good living, then if any-one, with +exhortation and examples of good works, strengthen and raise him up, it +will be as though he set his hand over the sick and heal him. + +The spiritual miracles are greater than the bodily ones were, for these +miracles heal a man's soul, which is eternal, but the former signs healed +the mortal body. The former miracles were wrought both by good men and by +evil. Judas, who betrayed Christ, was evil, though he had previously +wrought miracles in the name of God. Of such men Christ in another place +said, "I say unto you, many will say to me on that great day, Lord, Lord, +lo! have we not prophesied in thy name, and have driven devils out of mad +men, and have performed great miracles in thy name? Then will I profess to +them, I know you not: depart from me, ye unrighteous doers." My brothers, +love not those miracles which may be common to the good and to the evil, +but love those signs which are exclusively good men's, which are the signs +of true love and of piety. The evil has not true love, nor is the good +devoid of it. These signs are mysterious and not perilous, and they have so +much the greater reward with God as their glory is less with men. The +Omnipotent Lord, after these words, was taken to heaven, and sits on the +right hand of his Father. + +We read in the old law, that two men of God, Enoch and {309} Elijah, were +lifted up to heaven without death: but they await death, and will by no +means escape from it. They are taken to the aerial heaven, not to the +ethereal, and continue in some secret dwelling-place with great strength of +body and soul, until they shall return again, at the end of this world, +against Antichrist, and shall receive death. Our Almighty Redeemer waited +not for death, but he overcame it with his resurrection, and manifested his +glory by his ascension to the highest throne. + +We read of the prophet Elijah, that angels conveyed him in a heavenly +chariot, because the infirmity of his nature required some supporter. Our +Redeemer Christ was not conveyed in a chariot nor by angels' help; for he +who wrought all things was borne by his own might over all creatures. The +first-mentioned man, Enoch, was conveyed to the aerial heaven, and Elijah +was borne up in a chariot; but the Almighty Saviour was not conveyed nor +borne, but he passed through the ethereal heaven by his own might. + +We have to consider how chastity was cherished by the ministers who were +thus conveyed, and by the ascending Jesus. Enoch was conveyed, who was +begotten by coition, and who begot by coition. Elijah was conveyed in a +chariot, who was begotten by coition, but he begot not by coition, for he +continued during his life without a wife. Jesus ascended to heaven, who was +not begotten by coition, nor did he himself beget; for he is the origin and +beginning of all chastities, and to him chastity is a very amiable virtue, +which he manifested when he chose him a maiden for mother. And all the holy +company which followed him was living in chastity, as he says in one of his +gospels, "He who comes to me, may not be my disciple, unless he hate his +wife." + +The evangelist Mark wrote in this gospel, that our Lord, after his +ascension, sat on the right hand of his Father; and the first martyr, +Stephen, said that he saw the heavens open, {311} and Jesus standing on his +Father's right. Now says the expounder, "That is rightly said, that he sat +after his ascension, because a seat is befitting a judge." Christ is the +true Judge, who will judge and decide all things, now, and also on the last +day. The martyr saw him standing, for he was his supporter in the suffering +of his martyrdom, and through his grace he was rendered bold against the +fierce persecutors, who cruelly stoned him. + +The end of this gospel is, that Christ's apostles "went and preached +everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs +following." The apostles, that is, God's preachers, went over all the +world. Peter preached in Judea, Paul among the heathen folk, Andrew in +Scythia, John in Asia, Bartholomew in India, Matthew in Ethiopia, and so +each of them in his part, and the might of God was with them, for the +efficacy of their preaching and of numberless signs; for Christ said, "Ye +can do nothing without me." Again he said, "I will be with you on all days, +until the ending of this world," who liveth and reigneth with the Almighty +Father and the Holy Ghost ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +IN DIE S[=CO] PENTECOSTEN. + +Fram dham halgan easterlican daege sind getealde fiftig daga to thysum +daege, and thes daeg is geh['a]ten Pentecostes, thaet is, se fifteogodha +daeg dhaere easterlican tide. Thes daeg waes on dhaere ealdan ['ae] gesett +and gehalgod. God bebead Moyse, on Egypta-lande, thaet h['e] and eall +Israhela folc sceoldon offrian aet aelcum h['i]wisce Gode an lamb anes +geares, and mearcian mid tham blode rode-tacn on heora gedyrum and +oferslegum, dha on dhaere nihte ferde Godes engel, and acwealde on aelcum +huse dhaes Egyptiscan folces thaet frumcennyde cild and thaet {312} +leofoste. And Israhela folc ferde on dhaere ylcan nihte of dham leodscipe, +and God h['i] laedde ofer dha Readan s['ae] mid drium fotum. Tha tengde se +Pharao aefter mid mycelre fyrde. Dhadha he com on middan dhaere s['ae], tha +waes thaet Godes folc up-ag['a]n, and God dha besencte dhone Pharao and eal +his werod. Dha bebead God Moyse and tham folce thaet h['i] heoldon dha tid +mid micelre arwurdhnysse, on aelces geares ymbrene. Tha waes seo tid tham +folce geset to Easter-tide, fordhan dhe God h['i] hredde widh heora fynd, +and heora ehteras fordyde. Tha thaes ymbe fiftig daga sette God tham folce +['ae], and waes gesewen Godes wuldor upp on anre dune the is geh['a]ten +Syn['a]y. Thaer com micel leoht, and egeslic sweg, and blawende byman. Tha +clypode God thone Moysen him to, and he waes mid Gode feowertig daga, and +awr['a]t dha ealdan ['ae] be Godes dihte. Tha waes se daeg PENTECOSTES +geh['a]ten on dhaere Ealdan Gesetnysse. + +Thaet geoffrode l['a]mb getacnode Cristes slege, sedhe unscaedhdhig waes +his Faeder geoffrod for ure alysednysse. Nu is his dhrowung and his aerist +ure Easter-t['i]d, fordhan dhe he us alysde fram deofles theowdome, and ure +ehteras beodh besencte thurh thaet halige fulluht, swa swa waes Pharao mid +his leode on dhaere Readan s['ae]. Thas fiftig daga fram dham easterlican +daege sind ealle gehalgode to anre maersunge, and thes daegdherlica daeg is +ure Pentecostes, thaet is, se fifteogodha daeg fram dham Easter-daege. On +dham ealdan Pentecosten sette God ['ae] dham Israhela folce, and on dhisum +daege com se Halga Gast on fyres hiwe to Godes hirede; fordhi ealswa thaet +lamb getacnode Cristes dhrowunge, swa eac seo ealde ['ae] getacnode +godspel-bodunge under Godes gife. Threo tida sind on dhysre worulde: ['a]n +is seo dhe waes butan ['ae]; odher is seo dhe waes under ['ae]; seo dhridde +is nu aefter Cristes to-cyme. Theos t['i]d is gecweden 'under Godes gife.' +We ne sind na butan ['ae], ne we ne moton healdan Moyses ['ae] lichamlice, +ac Godes gifu ['u]s gewissadh to his willan, gif we gemyndige beodh Cristes +bebodum and dhaera apostola lare. + +{314} Hit is gereht on dhyssere pistol-raedinge, hu se Halga Gast on dhisum +daege com to dham geleaffullan heape Cristes hyredes. Lucas se Godspellere +awr['a]t on dhaere b['e]c 'Actus Apostolorum,' thaet "se halga hyred waes +wunigende ['a]nmodlice on gebedum on anre upflora, aefter Cristes upstige, +anbidigende his behates; tha on dhisum daege, the is Pentecostes gecweden, +com faerlice micel sweg of heofonum and gefylde ealle dha upfleringe mid +fyre; and waes aeteowed bufon heora aelcum swylce fyrene tungan, and h['i] +wurdon dha ealle gefyllede mid tham Halgum Gaste, and ongunnon to sprecenne +mid mislicum gereordum, be dham the se Halga Gast him taehte. Tha waeron +gegaderode binnan dhaere byrig Hierusalem eawfaeste weras of aelcere dheode +dhe under heofonum eardiadh; and tha apostoli spraecon to dhaes folces +gegaderunge, and heora aelc oncneow his agen gereord." + +"Dha weardh seo menigu swidhe ablicged, and mid wundrunge cwaedon, La +h['u], ne sind thas dhe her sprecadh Galileisce? And ure aelc gehyrde hu hi +spraecon urum gereordum, on dham dhe we acennede waeron! We gehyrdon h['i] +sprecan Godes maerdha mid urum gereordum. La hwaet dhis beon sceole? Tha +cwaedon dha Iudeiscan mid hospe, Thas men sindon mid muste fordrencte. Tha +andwyrde Petrus, Hit is undern-t['i]d; hu mihte we on dhysre tide beon +fordrencte? Ac dhaes witegan cwyde Ioheles is nu gefylled. God cwaedh thurh +dhaes witegan mudh, thaet he wolde his Gast asendan ofer mennisc flaesc; +and manna bearn sceolon witigian, and ic sylle mine forebeacn ufan of +heofonum, and mine t['a]cna nidher on eordhan. Wite ge sodhlice thaet Crist +ar['a]s of deadhe, and on ure gewitnysse astah to heofonum, and sitt aet +his Faeder swidhran, swa swa Dauid be him witegode, thus cwedhende, Drihten +cwaedh to minum Drihtne, Site to minre swidhran, odhthaet ic alecge dhine +fynd under thinum fot-scamele. Tha thaet folc dhis gehyrde, dha wurdon +h['i] onbryrde, and cwaedon to dham apostolon, La leof, hwaet is us to +donne? Tha andwyrde Petrus, Behreowsiadh eowre synna, and underfodh fulluht +on Cristes naman, and eowre synna beodh {316} adylegode, and ge underfodh +thone Halgan Gast. Tha underfengon hi his lare, and bugon to fulluhte on +dham daege dhreo dhusend manna. Tha waeron ealle on annysse mid tham +apostolum, and beceapodon heora aehta, and thaet feoh betaehton dham +apostolum, and hi daeldon aelcum be his neode." + +"Eft on odhre bodunge gelyfdon fif dhusend wera on Crist, and weardh eall +seo geleaffulle menigu swa anmod swilce h['i] ealle haefdon ane heortan and +ane sawle; ne heora nan naefde synderlice aehta, ac him eallum waes gemaene +heora dhing, ne dhaer naes n['a]n waedla betwux him. Tha dhe land-are +haefdon hi hit beceapodon, and thaet wurdh brohton to dhaera apostola +fotum: h['i] dha daeldon aelcum be his neode." + +"Tha worhte God fela tacna on dham folce dhurh dhaera apostola handa, swa +thaet hi gelogodon dha untruman be dhaere straet thaer Petrus fordh eode, +and swa hradhe swa his sceadu hi hreopode, hi wurdon gehaelede fram eallum +untrumnyssum. Tha arn micel menigu to of gehendum burgum, and brohton heora +untruman and dha deofol-seocan, and h['i] ealle wurdon gehaelede aet dhaera +apostola handum. Hi setton heora handa ofer gelyfede men, and h['i] +underfengon thone Halgan Gast." + +"Tha waes sum dhegen, Annanias geh['a]ten, and his w['i]f Saph['i]ra: h['i] +cwaedon him betweonan, thaet h['i] woldon bugan to dhaera apostola +geferraedene. Namon dha to raede, thaet him waerlicor waere, thaet h['i] +sumne dael heora landes wurdhes aethaefdon, weald him getimode. Com dha se +dhegen mid feo to dham apostolum. Tha cwaedh Petrus, Annania, deofol +bepaehte dhine heortan, and dhu haefst alogen tham Halgan Gaste. Hw['i] +woldest dhu swician on dhinum agenum? Ne luge dhu na mannum, ac Gode. Tha +h['e] thas word gehyrde, tha feol h['e] ad['u]ne and gew['a]t. Thadha he +bebyrged waes, tha com his wif Saph['i]ra, and nyste hu hire were gelumpen +waes. Dha cwaedh Petrus, Sege me, beceapode ge dhus micel landes? Heo +andwyrde, Gea, leof, swa micel. Eft dha cwaedh Petrus, Hw['i] geweardh inc +swa, thaet gyt dorston fandian Godes? Heo feoll dhaerrihte and gew['a]t, +and h['i] man {318} bebyrigde to hyre were. Tha weardh micel ege on Godes +geladhunge and on eallum the thaet geaxodon." + +Tha apostoli sidhdhan, aerdham dhe hi toferdon, gesetton Iacobum, the waes +geh['a]ten Rihtw['i]s, on Cristes setle, and eal seo geleaffulle geladhung +him gehyrsumode, aefter Godes taecunge. He dha gesaet thaet setl dhritig +geara, and aefter him Symeon, thaes Haelendes maeg. Aefter dhaere +gebysnunge wurdon araerede munec-l['i]f mid thaere gehealdsumnysse, thaet +hi drohtnian on mynstre, be heora ealdres dihte, on claennesse, and him +beon heora aehta eallum gemaene, swa dha apostoli hit astealdon. + +Ge gehyrdon lytle ['ae]r, on dhisre raedinge, thaet se Halga Gast com ofer +dha apostolas on fyrenum tungum, and him forgeaf ingehyd ealra gereorda; +fordhan dhe se eadmoda heap geearnode aet Gode thaet i['u] ['ae]r thaet +modige werod forleas. Hit getimode aefter Noes flode, thaet entas woldon +araeran ane burh, and aenne stypel swa heahne, thaet his hrof astige odh +heofon. Tha waes an gereord on eallum mancynne, and thaet weorc waes +begunnen ongean Godes willan. God eac fordhi h['i] tostencte, swa thaet he +forgeaf aelcum dhaera wyrhtena seltcudh gereord, and heora n['a]n ne cudhe +odhres spraece tocnawan. H['i] dha geswicon dhaere getimbrunge, and +toferdon geond ealne middangeard; and waeron sidhdhan swa fela gereord swa +dhaera wyrhtena waes. Nu eft on dhisum daege, thurh dhaes Halgan Gastes +to-cyme, wurdon ealle gereord ge-anlaehte and gedhwaere; fordhan dhe eal se +halga heap Cristes hyredes waes sprecende mid eallum gereordum; and eac +thaet wunderlicor waes, dhadha heora ['a]n bodade mid anre spraece, aelcum +waes gedhuht, dhe dha bodunge gehyrde, swilce he spraece mid his gereorde, +waeron h['i] Ebreisce, odhdhe Grecisce, odhdhe Romanisce, odhdhe Egyptisce, +odhdhe swa hwilcere dheode swa h['i] waeron the dha lare gehyrdon. On +dhysre geferraedene geearnode heora eadmodnys thas mihte, and dhaera enta +modignys geearnode gescyndnysse. + +Se Halga Gast waes aeteowod ofer dha apostolas on fyres {320} hiwe, and +ofer Criste, on his fulluhte, on anre culfran anlicnysse. Hw['i] ofer +Criste on culfran hiwe? Hw['i] ofer Cristes hirede on fyres gelicnysse? On +bocum is geraedd be dham fugelcynne thaet his gecynd is swidhe bilewite, +and unscaedhdhig, and gesibsum. Se Haelend is ealles mancynnes dema, ac he +ne com na to demenne mancynn, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, ac to gehaelenne. Gif +he dha wolde deman mancynn, dhadha he aerest to middangearde com, hwa wurde +thonne gehealden? Ac he nolde mid his to-cyme dha synfullan fordeman, ac +wolde to his rice gegaderian. Aerest he wolde us mid lidhnysse styran, +thaet he sidhdhan mihte on his dome us gehealdan. Fordhi waes se Halga Gast +on culfran anlicnysse gesewen bufan Criste, fordhan dhe h['e] waes +drohtnigende on dhisre worulde mid bilewitnysse, and unscaedhdhignysse, and +gesibsumnysse. He ne hrymde, ne he biterwyrde naes, ne he sace ne astyrede, +ac forbaer manna yfelnysse thurh his lidhnysse. Ac se dhe on dham aerran +to-cyme lidhegode, tham synfullum to gecyrrednysse, se demdh stidhne dom +tham receleasum aet dham aefteran to-cyme. + +Se Halga Gast waes gesewen on fyrenum tungum bufon dham apostolon, fordhan +dhe h['e] dyde thaet hi waeron byrnende on Godes willan, and bodigende ymbe +Godes rice. Fyrene tungan h['i] haefdon, dhadha h['i] mid lufe Godes +maerdha bodedon, thaet dhaera haedhenra manna heortan, dhe cealde waeron +thurh geleaflaeste and flaesclice gewilnunga, mihton beon ontende to dham +heofenlicum bebodum. Gif se Halga Gast ne laerdh thaes mannes m['o]d +widhinnan, on idel beodh thaes bydeles word widhutan geclypode. Fyres +gecynd is thaet hit fornimdh swa hwaet swa him gehende bidh: swa sceal se +l['a]reow d['o]n, sedhe bidh mid tham Halgan Gaste onbryrd, aerest on him +sylfum aelcne leahter adwaescan, and sidhdhan on his underdheoddum. + +On culfran anlicnysse and on fyres hiwe waes Godes Gast aeteowod; fordhan +dhe h['e] dedh thaet dha beodh bilewite on unscaedhdhignysse, and byrnende +on Godes willan, the he mid his gife gefyldh. Ne bidh seo bilewitnys Gode +gecweme butan {322} snoternysse, ne seo snoternys butan bilewitnysse; swa +swa gecweden is be dham eadigan I['o]b, thaet he waes bilewite and rihtwis. +Hwaet bidh rihtwisnys butan bilewitnysse? Odhdhe hwaet bidh bilewitnys +butan rihtwisnysse? Ac se Halga Gast, dhe taehdh rihtwisnysse and +bilewitnysse, sceolde beon aeteowod aegdher ge on fyre ge on culfran, +fordhan dhe h['e] dedh thaera manna heortan dhe h['e] onliht mid his gife, +thaet hi beodh lidhe thurh unscaedhdhignysse, and onaelede dhurh lufe and +snoternysse. God is, swa swa Paulus cwaedh, fornymende fyr. He is +['u]nasecgendlic fyr, and ungesewenlic. Be dham fyre cwaedh se Haelend, "Ic +com to dhi thaet ic wolde sendan fyr on eordhan, and ic wylle thaet hit +byrne." He sende dhone Halgan Gast to eordhan, and he mid his blaede +onaelde eordhlicra manna heortan. Thonne byrndh seo eordhe, thonne dhaes +eordhlican mannes heorte bidh ontend to Godes lufe, seodhe aer waes ceald +thurh flaesclice lustas. + +Nis na se Halga Gast wunigende on his gecynde, swa swa h['e] gesewen waes, +fordhan dhe he is ungesewenlic; ac for dhaere getacnunge, swa we aer +cwaedon, he waes aeteowod on culfran, and on fyre. He is gehaten on +Greciscum gereorde, Paraclitus, thaet is, Frofor-gast, fordhi dhe he +frefradh tha dreorian, the heora synna behreowsiadh, and syldh him +forgyfenysse hiht, and heora unrotan m['o]d gelidhegadh. He forgyfdh synna, +and he is se weg to forgyfenysse ealra synna. He syldh his gife dham dhe he +wile. Sumum men he forgifdh wisdom and spraece, sumum g['o]d ingehyd, sumum +micelne geleafan, sumum mihte to gehaelenne untruman, sumum witegunge, +sumum toscead godra gasta and yfelra; sumum he forgifdh mislice gereord, +sumum gereccednysse mislicra spraeca. Ealle dhas dhing dedh se Halga Gast, +todaelende aeghwilcum be dham dhe him gewyrdh; fordham dhe he is Aelmihtig +Wyrhta, and swa hradhe swa he thaes mannes mod onliht, he hit awent fram +yfele to gode. He onlihte Dauides heortan, dhadha he on iugodhe hearpan +lufode, and worhte hine to psalm-wyrhtan. Amos hatte sum hrydher-hyrde, +thone awende se Halga Gast to maerum {324} witegan. Petrus waes fiscere, +thone awende se ylca Godes Gast to apostole. Paulus ehte cristenra manna, +thone he geceas to lareowe eallum dheodum. Matheus waes tollere, thone he +awende to godspellere. Tha apostoli ne dorston bodian thone sodhan +geleafan, for ['o]gan Iudeisces folces; ac sidhdhan h['i] waeron onaelede +thurh dhone Halgan Gast, h['i] forsawon ealle lichamlice pinunga, and +orsorhlice Godes maerdha bodedon. + +Thyses daeges wurdhmynt is to maersigenne, fordhan dhe se Aelmihtiga God, +thaet is se Halga Gast, gemedemode hine sylfne thaet he wolde manna bearn +on dhisre tide geneosian. On Cristes acennednysse weardh se Aelmihtiga +Godes Sunu to menniscum men gedon, and on dhisum daege wurdon geleaffulle +men godas, swa swa Crist cwaedh, "Ic cwaedh, Ge sind godas, and ge ealle +sind bearn thaes Hehstan." Tha gecorenan sind Godes bearn, and eac godas, +na gecyndelice, ac dhurh gife thaes Halgan Gastes. An God is gecyndelice on +dhrim hadum, Faeder, and his Sunu, thaet is his Wisdom, and se Halga Gast, +sedhe is heora begra Lufu and Willa. Heora gecynd is untodaeledlic, aefre +wunigende on anre Godcundnysse. Se ylca cwaedh theah-hwaedhere be his +gecorenum, "Ge sint godas." Thurh Cristes menniscnysse wurdon menn alysede +fram deofles dheowte, and dhurh to-cyme thaes Halgan Gastes, mennisce men +wurdon gedone to godum. Crist underfeng menniscnysse on his to-cyme, and +men underfengon God thurh neosunge thaes Halgan Gastes. Se man dhe naefdh +Godes Gast on him nis h['e] Godes. Aelces mannes weorc cydhadh hwilc gast +hine wissadh. Godes Gast wissadh symble to halignysse and g['o]dnysse; +deofles gast wissadh to leahtrum and to m['a]ndaedum. + +Se Halga Gast becom tuwa ofer dha apostolas. Crist ableow dhone Halgan Gast +upon dha apostolas ['ae]r his upstige, thus cwedhende, "Onfodh Haligne +Gast." Eft, on dhisum daege, asende se Aelmihtiga Faeder and se Sunu heora +begra Gast to dham geleaffullan heape, on dhysre worulde wunigende. Se +Haelend ableow his Gast on his gingran, for dhaere getacnunge {326} thaet +h['i] and ealle cristene men sceolon lufigan heora nehstan swa swa h['i] +sylfe. He sende eft, swa swa h['e] ['ae]r behet, dhone ylcan Gast of +heofonum, to dhi thaet we sceolon lufian God ofer ealle odhre dhing. An is +se Halga Gast, theah dhe he tuwa become ofer dha apostolas. Swa is eac +['a]n lufu and twa bebodu, Thaet we sceolon lufian God and menn. Ac we +sceolon leornian on mannum hu we magon becuman to Godes lufe, swa swa +Iohannes se apostol cwaedh, "Se dhe ne lufadh his brodhor, dhone dhe he +gesihdh, hu maeg h['e] lufian God, thone the he ne gesihdh lichamlice?" + +We wurdhiadh thaes Halgan Gastes to-cyme mid lofsangum seofon dagas, +fordhan dhe he onbryrt ure m['o]d mid seofonfealdre gife, thaet is, mid +wisdome and andgyte, mid gedheahte and strencdhe, mid ingehyde and +arfaestnysse, and he us gefyldh mid Godes ege. Se dhe thurh gode geearnunga +becymdh to dhissum seofonfealdum gifum thaes Halgan Gastes, he haefdh +thonne ealle gedhincdhe. Ac se dhe wile to dhisre gedhincdhe becuman, he +sceal gelyfan on dha Halgan Dhrynnysse, and on Sodhe Annysse, thaet se +Faeder, and his Sunu, and heora begra Gast syndon dhry on hadum, and ['a]n +God untodaeledlic, on anre Godcundnysse wunigende. Thysne geleafan +getacnodon dha dhreo dhusend the aerest gebugon to geleafan, aefter dhaes +Halgan Gastes to-cyme. Swa swa dha dhreo thusend waeron ['a]n werod, swa is +seo Halige Dhrynnys ['a]n God. And thaet werod waes swa ['a]nmod swilce him +eallum waere ['a]n heorte and ['a]n sawul; fordhan dhe thaere Halgan +Thrynnysse is ['a]n godcundnyss, and ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]n willa, and +['a]n weorc unascyrigendlice. + +Tha geleaffullan brohton heora feoh, and ledon hit aet dhaera apostola +foton. Mid tham is geswutelod thaet cristene men ne sceolon heora hiht +besettan on woroldlice gestreon, ac on Gode anum. Se g['i]tsere dhe beset +his hiht on his goldhord, he bidh swa swa se apostol cwaedh, "tham gel['i]c +the deofolgyld begaedh." + +Hi heoldon thaet gold unwurdhlice, fordhan dhe seo gitsung naefde naenne +stede on heora heortan: fordhi h['i] dydon heora {328} dhing him gemaene, +thaet h['i] on sodhre sibbe butan gytsunge beon mihton. H['i] setton heora +handa ofer geleaffulle men, and him com to se Halga Gast dhurh heora +biscepunge. Biscopas sind thaes ylcan h['a]des on Godes geladhunge, and +healdadh tha gesetnysse on heora biscepunge, swa thaet h['i] settadh heora +handa ofer gefullude menn, and biddadh thaet se Aelmihtiga Wealdend him +sende dha seofonfealdan gife his Gastes, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] +butan ende. Amen. + +FOR THE HOLY DAY OF PENTECOST. + +From the holy day of Easter are counted fifty days to this day, and this +day is called Pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day of Easter-tide. This day +was in the old law appointed and hallowed. God commanded Moses in Egypt, +that he and all the people of Israel should offer, for every household, a +lamb of one year to God, and mark with the blood the sign of the cross on +their door-posts and lintels, as on that night God's angel went and slew in +every house of the Egyptian folk the firstborn child and the dearest. And +the people of {313} Israel went on the same night from the nation, and God +led them over the Red sea with dry feet. Pharaoh then hastened after them +with a great army. When he came into the middle of the sea, the people of +God were gone up, and God then sank Pharaoh and all his host. God then +commanded Moses and the people that they should keep that tide with great +reverence in the circuit of every year. The tide was then appointed to the +people for Easter-tide, because God had saved them from their foes, and +destroyed their persecutors. Then fifty days after this God appointed a law +for the people, and the glory of God was seen on a hill which is called +Sinai. There came a great light, and an awful sound, and blowing trumpets. +Then God called Moses to him, and he was with God forty days, and wrote +down the old law by God's direction. Then was the day called PENTECOST in +the Old Testament. + +The offered lamb betokened the slaying of Christ, who innocent was offered +to his Father for our redemption. Now is his passion and his resurrection +our Easter-tide, because he redeemed us from the thraldom of the devil, and +our persecutors are sunk by the holy baptism, as Pharaoh was with his +people in the Red sea. These fifty days from the day of Easter are all +hallowed to one celebration, and this present day is our Pentecost, that +is, the fiftieth day from Easter-day. On the old Pentecost God appointed a +law to the people of Israel, and on this day the Holy Ghost came in +semblance of fire to God's company; for as the lamb betokened the passion +of Christ, so also the old law betokened the preaching of the gospel under +the grace of God. There are three periods in this world: one is that which +was without law; the second is that which was under the law; the third is +now after the advent of Christ. This period is called 'under God's grace.' +We are not without law, nor may we hold bodily the law of Moses, but God's +grace directs us to his will, if we be mindful of Christ's commandments and +of the precepts of the apostles. + +{315} It is related in this epistolary lesson, how the Holy Ghost on this +day came to the faithful company of Christ's followers. Luke the Evangelist +wrote in the book 'The Acts of the Apostles,' that "the holy company was +living unanimously in prayers on an upper floor, after Christ's ascension, +awaiting his behest; when, on this day, which is called Pentecost, there +came suddenly a great sound from heaven, and filled all the upper flooring +with fire, and there appeared above each of them as it were fiery tongues, +and they were then all filled with the Holy Ghost, and begun to speak with +divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost taught them. Then there were +gathered within the city of Jerusalem pious men of every nation dwelling +under heaven; and the apostles spake to the gathering of people, and every +of them recognized his own tongue." + +"Then was the multitude greatly amazed, and with wonder said, Lo, are not +these which here speak Galileans? And each of us hath heard how they speak +in our tongues, in which we were born! We have heard them declare the +glories of God in our tongues. Lo, what should this be? Then said the Jews +in mockery, These men are drunken with new wine. But Peter answered, It is +the third hour; how might we at this time be drunken? But the saying of the +prophet Joel is now fulfilled. God spake through the prophet's mouth, that +he would send his spirit over human flesh, and the children of men shall +prophesy, and I will give my foretokens from heaven above, and my signs on +earth beneath. For know ye that Christ arose from death, and in our sight +ascended to heaven, and sitteth on his Father's right, as David had +prophesied concerning him, thus saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on +my right until I lay thy foes under thy footstool. When the people heard +this they were stimulated, and said to the apostles, Alas! what have we to +do? Then Peter answered, Repent of your sins, and receive baptism in the +name of Christ, and your sins shall be blotted out, and ye {317} shall +receive the Holy Ghost. They then received his doctrine, and there +submitted to baptism on that day three thousand men. And they were all in +unity with the apostles, and sold their possessions, and delivered the +money to the apostles, and they distributed to each according to his need." + +"Again, at another preaching, five thousand men believed in Christ, and all +the believing multitude was as unanimous as if they all had one heart and +one soul; not one of them had separate possessions, but their things were +common to them all, nor was there any poor person among them. Those who had +land-property sold it, and brought the worth to the feet of the apostles: +they then distributed it to each according to his need." + +"Then God wrought many signs among the people by the hands of the apostles, +so that they placed the sick along the street where Peter passed, and as +his shadow touched them, they were healed of all sicknesses. Then ran a +great multitude from the neighbouring towns, and brought their sick and +those possessed with devils, and they were all healed at the hands of the +apostles. They set their hands on believing men, and they received the Holy +Ghost." + +"Then was a thane, called Ananias, and his wife Sapphira: they said between +themselves, that they would incline to the fellowship of the apostles. They +then resolved, that it would be safer to withhold a portion of the worth of +their land, in case aught befell them. The thane then came with the money +to the apostles. Then said Peter, Ananias, the devil hath cheated thy +heart, and thou hast lied to the Holy Ghost. Why wouldst thou deceive in +thine own? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God. When he had heard these +words, he fell down and departed. When he was buried, his wife Sapphira +came, and knew not how it had befallen her husband. Then Peter said, Tell +me, sold ye thus much land? She answered, Yes, sir, so much. Again said +Peter, Why have ye so done, that ye durst tempt God? She {319} straightways +fell down and departed, and they buried her by her husband. Then there was +great fear in God's church, and on all those who heard of it." + +The apostles afterwards, before they separated, set James, who was called +Righteous, on the seat of Christ, according to God's instruction. He sat on +that seat thirty years, and after him Simeon, the kinsman of Jesus. From +that example monastic life arose with abstinence, so that they live in a +monastery, according to the direction of their principal, in chastity, and +their possessions are common to them all, as the apostles established it. + +Ye heard a little before, in this lesson, that the Holy Ghost came over the +apostles as fiery tongues, and gave them knowledge of all languages; for +the humble company merited of God that which long of yore the proud host +had lost. It happened after Noah's flood, that giants would raise up a +city, and a tower so high, that its roof should ascend to heaven. There was +then one language among all mankind, and the work was begun against the +will of God. God therefore scattered them, so that he gave to each of the +workmen an unknown language, and not one of them could understand another's +speech. They then ceased from the building, and went divers ways over all +the world; and there were afterwards as many languages as there were +workmen. Now again, on this day, through the advent of the Holy Ghost, all +languages became united and concordant; for all the holy company of +Christ's followers were speaking in all languages; and also, what was more +wonderful, when one of them preached in one tongue, it seemed to everyone +who heard the preaching as though he spake in his language, whether they +were Hebrews, or Greeks, or Romans, or Egyptians, or of whatsoever nation +they might be who heard that doctrine. In this fellowship their humility +gained them this power, and the pride of the giants gained shame. + +The Holy Ghost appeared over the apostles in semblance {321} of fire, and +over Christ, at his baptism, in likeness of a dove. Why over Christ in +semblance of a dove? Why over the followers of Christ in likeness of fire? +In books it is read concerning that kind of birds that its nature is very +meek, and innocent, and peaceful. The Saviour is the Judge of all mankind, +but he came not to judge mankind, as he himself said, but to save. If he +then would have judged mankind, when he first came on earth, who would have +been saved? But he would not by his advent condemn the sinful, but would +gather them to his kingdom. He would first with gentleness direct us, that +he might afterwards preserve us at his judgement. Therefore was the Holy +Ghost seen in likeness of a dove above Christ, because he was living in +this world in meekness, and innocence, and peacefulness. He cried not out, +nor was he inclined to bitterness, nor did he stir up strife, but endured +man's wickedness through his meekness. But he who at his first advent +mitigated, for the conversion of the sinful, will deem stern doom to the +reckless at his second advent. + +The Holy Ghost was seen as fiery tongues above the apostles; for he +effected that they were burning in God's will, and preaching of God's +kingdom. They had fiery tongues when with love they preached the greatness +of God, that the hearts of the heathen men, which were cold through +infidelity and fleshly desires, might be kindled to the heavenly commands. +If the Holy Ghost teach not a man's mind within, in vain will be the words +of the preacher proclaimed without. It is the nature of fire to consume +whatsoever is near to it: so shall the teacher do, who is inspired by the +Holy Ghost, first extinguish every sin in himself, and afterwards in those +under his care. + +In likeness of a dove and in semblance of fire was the Spirit of God +manifested; for he causes those to be meek in innocence, and burning in the +will of God, whom he fills with his grace. Meekness is not pleasing to God +without wisdom, {323} nor wisdom without meekness; as it is said by the +blessed Job, that he was meek and righteous. What is righteousness without +meekness? Or what is meekness without righteousness? But the Holy Ghost, +who teaches both righteousness and meekness, should be manifested both as +fire and as a dove, for he causes the hearts of those men whom he +enlightens with his grace to be meek through innocence, and kindled by love +and wisdom. God is, as Paul said, a consuming fire. He is a fire +unspeakable and invisible. Concerning that fire Jesus said, "I come because +I would send fire on earth, and I will that it burn." He sent the Holy +Ghost on earth, and he by his inspiration kindled the hearts of earthly +men. Then burns the earth, when the earthly man's heart is kindled to love +of God, which before was cold through fleshly lusts. + +The Holy Ghost is not in his nature existing as he was seen, for he is +invisible; but for the sign, as we before said, he appeared as a dove and +as fire. He is called in the Greek tongue [Greek: Parakletos], that is, +Comforting Spirit, because he comforts the sad, who repent of their sins, +and gives them hope of forgiveness, and alleviates their sorrowful minds. +He forgives sins, and he is the way to forgiveness of all sins. He gives +his grace to whom he will. To one man he gives wisdom and eloquence, to one +good knowledge, to one great faith, to one power to heal the sick, to one +prophetic power, to one discrimination of good and evil spirits; to one he +gives divers tongues, to one interpretation of divers sayings. The Holy +Ghost does all these things, distributing to everyone as to him seems good; +for he is the Almighty Worker, and as soon as he enlightens the mind of a +man, he turns it from evil to good. He enlightened the heart of David, when +in youth he loved the harp, and made him to be a psalmist. There was a +cow-herd called Amos, whom the Holy Ghost turned to a great prophet. Peter +was a fisher, whom the {325} same Spirit of God turned to an apostle. Paul +persecuted christian men, whom he chose for instructer of all nations. +Matthew was a toll-gatherer, whom he turned to an evangelist. The apostles +durst not preach the true faith, for fear of the Jewish folk; but after +that they were fired by the Holy Ghost, they despised all bodily tortures, +and fearlessly preached the greatness of God. + +The dignity of this day is to be celebrated, because Almighty God, that is +the Holy Ghost, himself vouchsafed to visit the children of men at this +time. At the birth of Christ the Almighty Son of God became human man, and +on this day believing men became gods, as Christ said; "I said, Ye are +gods, and ye are all children of the Highest." The chosen are children of +God, and also gods, not naturally, but through grace of the Holy Ghost. One +God is naturally in three persons, the Father, and his Son, that is, his +Wisdom, and the Holy Ghost, who is the Love and Will of them both. Their +nature is indivisible, ever existing in one Godhead. The same has, +nevertheless, said of his chosen, "Ye are gods." Through Christ's humanity +men were redeemed from the thraldom of the devil, and through the coming of +the Holy Ghost human men were made gods. Christ received human nature at +his advent, and men received God through visitation of the Holy Ghost. The +man who has not in him the Spirit of God is not God's. Every man's works +show what spirit directs him. The Spirit of God ever directs to holiness +and goodness; the spirit of the devil directs to sins and deeds of +wickedness. + +The Holy Ghost came twice over the apostles. Christ blew the Holy Ghost on +the apostles before his resurrection, thus saying, "Receive the Holy +Ghost." Again, on this day, the Almighty Father and the Son sent the Spirit +of both to the faithful company dwelling in this world. Jesus blew his +Spirit on his disciples for a sign that they and all christian {327} men +should love their neighbours as themselves. He sent afterwards, as he had +before promised, the Holy Ghost from heaven, to the end that we should love +God above all other things. The Holy Ghost is one, though he came twice +over the apostles. So also there is one love and two commandments, That we +should love God and men. But we should learn by men how we may come to the +love of God, as John the apostle said, "He who loveth not his brother, whom +he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not bodily?" + +We celebrate the advent of the Holy Ghost with hymns for seven days, +because he stimulates our mind with a sevenfold gift, that is, with wisdom +and understanding, with counsel and strength, with knowledge and piety, and +he fills us with awe of God. He who through good deserts attains to these +sevenfold gifts of the Holy Ghost will have all honour. But he who will +attain to this honour shall believe in the Holy Trinity, and in True Unity, +that the Father, and his Son, and the Spirit of them both are three in +persons, and one God indivisible, existing in one Godhead. This faith was +betokened by the three thousand who first inclined to belief, after the +advent of the Holy Ghost. As those three thousand were one company, so is +the Holy Trinity one God. And that company was as unanimous as though they +all had one heart and one soul; for of the Holy Trinity there is one +Godhead, and one nature, and one will, and one work inseparable. + +The faithful brought their money, and laid it at the feet of the apostles. +By this is manifested that christian men should not set their delight in +worldly treasure, but in God alone. The covetous who sets his delight in +his gold-hoard, is, as the apostle said, "like unto him who practiseth +idolatry." + +They held the gold as worthless, because covetousness had no place in their +hearts: they made their goods in common, {329} that they might be in true +peace without covetousness. They set their hands over believing men, and +the Holy Ghost came to them through their bishoping. Bishops are of the +same order in God's church, and hold that institution in their bishoping, +so that they set their hands over baptized men, and pray the Almighty Ruler +to send them the sevenfold gift of his Spirit, who liveth and reigneth ever +without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DOMINICA SECUNDA POST PENTECOSTEN. + + Homo quidam erat diues: et reliqua. + +Se Wealdenda Drihten saede dhis b['i]gspell his gingrum, thus cwedhende, +"Sum welig man waes mid purpuran and godewebbe geglenged, and daeghwamlice +maerlice leofode. Tha laeg sum waedla at his geate, and his nama waes +Lazarus, se waes lic-dhrowere:" et reliqua. + +This godspel is nu anfealdlice ges['ae]d. Se halga papa Gregorius us +onwreah dha digelnysse dhisre raedinge. He cwaedh, "Ne saede thaet halige +godspel thaet se r['i]ca reafere waere, ac waes uncystig and modegode on +his welum." Be dhisum is to smeagenne, hu se beo gewitnod the odherne +berypdh, thonne se bidh to helle fordemed se his agen nolde for Godes lufon +syllan. Dhises mannes uncyst and up-ahefednys hine besencte on cwycsusle, +fordhan dhe he naefde nane mildheortnysse, thaet he mid his gestreone his +agene sawle alysde. Nu wenadh sume menn thaet nan pleoh ne sy on +deorwurdhum gyrlum; ac gif hit gylt naere, thonne ne geswutulode thaet +halige godspel swa gewislice be dham rican, thaet he waere mid purpuran and +mid godewebbe geglencged. Ne cepdh nan man deorwyrdhra reafa buton for +ydelum gylpe, sodhlice thaet he sy toforan odhrum mannum thurh his glencge +geteald. Drihten on odhre stowe herede {330} Iohannem dhone Fulluhtere for +dhaere teartnysse his reafes, fordhan dhe h['e] waes mid olfendes haerum +gescryd, w['a]clice and stidhlice. + +Thadha se Haelend spraec be dham rican, tha cwaedh he, "Sum rice man waes." +Eft be dham waedlan, "Sum dhearfa waes geh['a]ten Lazarus." Cudh is eow +thaet se rica bidh namcudhre on his leode thonne se thearfa; +theah-hwaedhere ne nemde se Haelend thone welegan, ac dhone waedlan; +fordhan dhe him is cudh thaera eadmodra manna naman dhurh gecorennysse, ac +he ne cann dha modigan dhurh heora aworpennysse. Sume beladunge mihte se +rica habban his uncyste, gif se reoflia waedla ne laege aetforan his +gesihdhe: eac waere dham earman leohtre on mode, gif he dhaes rican mannes +welan ne gesawe. Mislice angsumnyssa he forbaer, dhadha he naefde ne +bigleofan, ne haeldhe, ne haetera, and geseah dhone rican halne and +deorweordhlice geglencgedne brucan his estmettas. Genoh waere tham waedlan +his untrumnys, theah dhe he wiste haefde; and eft him waere genoh his +hafenleast, dheah dhe he gesundful waere. Ac seo menigfealde earfodhnys +waes his sawle claensung, and dhaes rican uncyst and up-ahefednys waes his +genidherung; fordhon dhe he geseah dhaes odhres yrmdhe, and hine mid +todhundenum mode forseah. Ac dhadha he waes fram mannum forsewen, dha +genealaehton dha hundas, and his wunda geliccedon. Hundes liccung gehaeldh +wunda. + +Tha gelamp hit thaet se waedla gew['a]t, and englas ferodon his sawle to +dhaes heahfaederes wununge Abrah['a]mes; and dhaes rican gast aefter +fordhsidhe weardh on helle besenct; and he dha dhone wolde habban him to +mundboran, tham dhe he nolde ['ae]r his cruman syllan. He baed tha Abraham +mid earmlicre stemne thaet Lazarus moste his tungan drypan; ac him naes +getidhod dhaere lytlan lisse, fordhan dhe Lazarus ne moste ['ae]r on life +hedan dhaera crumena his mysan. His tungan he maende swidhost, fordhan dhe +hit is gewunelic thaet dha welegan on heora gebeorscipe begadh derigendlice +gafetunge; tha waes seo tunge, dhurh rihtwisnysse edlean, teartlicor +gew['i]tnod for his {332} gegafspraece. Se heahfaeder Abraham him cwaedh +to, "Dhu, m['i]n bearn, beo dhe gemyndig thaet dhu underfenge welan on +dhinum life, and Lazarus yrmdhe." Thes cwyde is swidhor to ondraedenne +thonne to trahtnigenne. Dham rican waes forgolden mid dham hwilwendlicum +spedum, gif he hwaet to gode gefremode; and dham dhearfan waes forgolden +mid dhaere yrmdhe, gif he hwaet to yfle gefremode. Tha underfeng se welega +his gesaeldhe to edleane to sceortum brice, and thaes dhearfan hafenleast +aclaensode his lytlan gyltas. Hine geswencte seo waedlung, and afeormode; +thone odherne gewelgode his genihtsumnys, and bepaehte. + +Ic bidde eow, men dha leofostan, ne forseo ge Godes dhearfan, dheah dhe hi +tallice hwaet gefremman; fordhan dhe heora yrmdh afeormadh thaet thaet seo +gehwaede oferflowendnys gewemdh. H['a]wiadh be gehwilcum, fordhan dhe oft +getimadh yfelum teala for life. Se heahfaeder cwaedh to dham welegan, +"Betwux us and eow is gefaestnod micel dhrosm; theah hwa wille fram ['u]s +to eow, he ne maeg; ne eac fram eow to ['u]s." Mid micelre geornfulnysse +gewilniadh tha widhercoran thaet hi moton of dhaere susle dhe hi on +cwylmiadh, ac seo faestnung dhaere hellican clysinge ne gedhafadh thaet hi +aefre ut-abrecon. Eac dha halgan beodh mid heora Scyppendes rihtwisnysse +swa afyllede, thaet hi nateshwon ne besargiadh dhaera widhercorenra yrmdhe; +fordhan dhe hi geseodh tha ford['o]nan swa micclum fram him geaelfremode, +swa micclum swa hi beodh fram heora leofan Drihtne ascofene. + +Sidhdhan se rica weardh orwene his agenre alysednysse, dha be['a]rn him on +mod his gebrodhra gemynd; fordhan dhe dhaera widhercorenra wite tiht for +wel oft heora mod unnytwurdhlice to lufe, swilce hi thonne lufian heora +siblingas, dhe ['ae]r on life ne hi sylfe ne heora magas ne lufedon. Ne +lufadh se hine sylfne sedhe hine mid synnum bebint. He oncneow Lazarum, +dhone dhe he ['ae]r forseah, and he gemunde his gebrodhra, dha dhe he +baeftan forlet; fordhan dhe se dhearfa naere fullice gewrecen on dham +rican, gif he on his wite hine ne oncneowe; and eft {334} naere his wite +fulfremed on dham fyre, buton he dha ylcan pinunga his siblingum gewende. + +Tha synfullan geseodh nu hwiltidum dha gecorenan on wuldre, dhe hi forsawon +on worulde, thaet seo angsumnys heora modes dhe mare sy: and dha rihtwisan +symle geseodh dha unrihtwisan on heora tintregum cwylmigende, thaet heora +bliss dhe mare sy, and lufu to heora Drihtne, the hi ahredde fram deofles +anwealde, and fram dham m['a]nfullum heape. Ne astyradh thaera rihtwisra +gesihdh him naenne ['o]gan, ne heora wuldor ne wanadh; fordhan dhe dhaer ne +bidh n['a]n besargung dhaera m['a]nfulra yrmdhe, ac heora tintrega becymdh +tham gecorenum to maran blisse, swa swa on metinge bidh forsewen seo blace +anlicnys, thaet seo hwite sy beorhtre gesewen. Tha gecorenan geseodh symle +heora Scyppendes beorhtnysse, and fordhi nis nan dhing on gesceaftum him +bediglod. + +Se welega nolde on life gehyran dhone lareow Moysen, ne Godes witegan: dha +wende he eac thaet his gebrodhra h['i] woldon forseon, swa swa he dyde, and +gyrnde fordhi thaet Lazarus h['i] moste warnigan, thaet h['i] ne becomon to +his susle. Se heahfaeder him andwyrde, "Gif hi forseodh Moyses ['ae] and +dhaera witegena bodunga, nelladh h['i] gelyfan, theah hw['a] of deadhe +arise." Tha dhe forgimeleasiadh tha eadhelican beboda thaere ealdan ['ae], +hu willadh h['i] dhonne gehyrsumian tham healicum bebodum Cristes lare, dhe +of deadhe ar['a]s? + +Ic bidde eow, mine gebrodhra, thaet ge beon gemyndige dhaes Lazares reste +and dhaes rican wite, and dodh swa swa Crist sylf taehte, "Tiliadh eow +freonda on Godes dhearfum, thaet h['i] on eowrum geendungum onfon eow into +ecum eardung-stowum." Manega Lazaras ge habbadh nu licgende aet eowrum +gatum, biddende eowre oferflowendnysse. Dheah dhe h['i] syn w['a]clice +gedhuhte, theah-hwaedhere h['i] beodh eft eowre dhingeras widh dhone +Aelmihtigan. Sodhlice we sceoldon beodan tham dhearfum thaet h['i] us +biddadh, fordhan dhe h['i] beodh ure mundboran, tha dhe nu waedligende aet +us bigleofan wilniadh. Ne sceole we forseon {336} heora w['a]cnysse, +fordhan dhe Criste bidh gedhenod thurh dhearfena anfenge, swa swa he sylf +cwaedh, "Me hingrode, and ge me gereordodon; me dhyrste, and ge me +scencton; ic waes nacod, and ge me scryddon." + +Nu cwedh se halga Gregorius, thaet sum arwurdhe munuc waes on dham earde +Licaonia, swidhe eawfaest, his nama waes Martirius. Se ferde, be his +abbudes haese, to sumum odhrum mynstre, on his aerende: dha gemette he be +wege sumne lic-dhrowere licgende eal toc['i]nen, and nahte his fedhes +geweald: cwaedh thaet he wolde genealaecan his hulce, gif he mihte. Tha +ofhreow dham munece thaes hreoflian maegenleast, and bewand hine mid his +caeppan and baer to mynstreweard. Tha weardh his abbude geswutelod hwaene +he baer, and hrymde mid micelre stemne, and cwaedh, "Yrnadh, yrnadh, and +undodh thaes mynstres geat ardlice, fordhan dhe ure brodhor Martyrius berdh +thone Haelend on his baece." Thadha se munuc genealaehte dhaes mynstres +geate, tha w['a]nd se of his swuran the waes hreoflig gedhuht, and weardh +gesewen on Cristes gelicnysse. Dha beseah se munuc up, and beheold hu he to +heofonum astah. Tha cwaedh se Haelend mid dham upstige, "Mart['i]ri, ne +sceamode dhe m['i]n ofer eordhan, ne me ne sceamadh thin on heofonum." Tha +efste se abbud widh thaes muneces, and neodlice cwaedh, "Brodhor min, hwaer +is se dhe dhu feredest?" He cwaedh, "Gif ic wiste hwaet he waere, ic wolde +licgan aet his fotum. Thadha ic hine baer ne gefredde ic nanre byrdhene +swaernysse." Hu mihte h['e] gefredan aeniges hefes swaernysse, dhadha he +dhone ferode dhe hine baer? Nu cwedh se halga Gregorius, thaet se Haelend +dha gesedhde dhone cwyde the he sylf cwaedh, "Thaet thaet ge dodh thearfum +on minum naman, thaet ge dodh me sylfum." + +Hwaet is on menniscum gecynde swa maerlic swa Cristes menniscnys? and hwaet +is atelicor gedhuht on menniscum gecynde thonne is dhaes hreoflian l['i]c, +mid todhundennesse, and springum, and reocendum stence? Ac se dhe is +arwurdhful ofer ealle gesceafta, he gemedemode hine sylfne thaet he waere +gesewen on dham atelican h['i]we, to dhi thaet we sceolon besargian {338} +menniscra manna yrmdhe, and be ure mihte gefrefrian, for lufe dhaes +mildheortan and dhaes eadmodan Haelendes; thaet he us getidhige wununge on +his rice to ecum life, sedhe us ahredde fram deofles haeftnydum; sedhe +rixadh on ecnysse mid tham Aelmihtigan Faeder and tham Halgan Gaste, hi +dhry on anre Godcundnysse wunigende, butan anginne and ende, ['a] on +worulde. Amen. + +THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. + + Homo quidam erat dives: et reliqua. + +The Sovereign Lord spake this parable to his disciples, thus saying, "There +was a certain rich man adorned with purple and fine linen, and daily lived +sumptuously. A certain poor man lay at his gate, and his name was Lazarus, +who was a leper," etc. + +This gospel is now simply said. The holy pope Gregory has revealed to us +the mystery of this text. He said, "The holy gospel did not express that +the rich man was a robber, but that he was parsimonious, and exulted in his +wealth." By this it is to be considered how he will be punished who +bereaves another, when he is condemned to hell, who would not give his own +for love of God. This man's parsimony and pride sank him into quick +torment, because he had no compassion, so that with his treasure he might +have redeemed his own soul. Now some men will imagine that there is no +peril in precious garments, but if there were no sin, the holy gospel would +not have so evidently manifested with respect to the rich man, that he was +adorned with purple and with fine linen. No man heeds precious garments +save for vain pride, verily that he may through his splendour be accounted +before other men. The Lord in another place praised John {331} the Baptist +for the rudeness of his garment, because he was clothed with camel's hair, +poorly and ruggedly. + +When Jesus spake of the rich man he said, "There was a certain rich man." +Again, of the poor man, "There was a certain poor man called Lazarus." It +is known to you that a rich man is more known by name among his people than +a poor one; nevertheless Jesus named not the wealthy man, but the needy +one; because the names of humble men are known to him through election, but +he knows not the proud through their rejection. Some excuse the rich man +might have had for his parsimony, if the leprous beggar had not lain before +his sight: the mind of the poor man would also have been easier, if he had +not seen the rich man's wealth. Divers afflictions he endured, seeing that +he had neither nourishment, nor health, nor garments, and saw the rich man, +hale and sumptuously decorated, enjoying his luxuries. For the beggar his +infirmity had been enough, though he had had food; and again, his indigence +had been enough for him, although he had been healthful. But the manifold +hardship was the cleansing of his soul, and the parsimony and pride of the +rich man were his condemnation; because he saw the other's misery, and with +inflated mind despised him. But when he was despised of men, the dogs +approached, and licked his wounds. The licking of a dog heals wounds. + +It then happened that the beggar died, and angels bare his soul to the +dwelling of the patriarch Abraham; and the rich man's spirit after death +was sunk into hell; and he then wished to have him for protector, to whom +he would not before give his crumbs. He then bade Abraham with piteous +voice, that Lazarus might moisten his tongue; but that little favour was +not granted him, because Lazarus might not before in life gather the crumbs +of his table. He particularly complained of his tongue, because it is usual +that the wealthy in their feasting practise pernicious scoffing; therefore +was his tongue, through righteous retribution, more harshly punished {333} +for his scoffing speech. The patriarch Abraham said to him, "My son, be +thou mindful that thou receivedst riches in thy life, and Lazarus misery." +This saying is rather to be feared than expounded. The rich man was +requited with transitory prosperity, if he did aught of good; and the poor +man was requited with misery, if he had perpetrated aught of evil. Then the +wealthy man received his happiness in reward for short enjoyment, and the +indigence of the needy one cleansed away his little sins. Poverty afflicted +and purified him; his abundance enriched and deceived the other. + +I pray you, men most beloved, despise not God's poor, though they +perpetrate anything reprehensible; because their misery cleanses that which +a little superfluity corrupts. Observe each one, for good often befalls the +evil for life. The patriarch said to the wealthy man, "Betwixt us and you +is fixed a great vapour; though any-one will pass from us to you, he +cannot; nor also from you to us." With great eagerness the wicked desire to +pass from the torment in which they suffer, but the fastening of the +hellish enclosure never allows them to break out. Also the holy are so +filled with their Creator's righteousness, that they in no wise lament the +misery of the wicked; because they see the fordone ones as greatly +estranged from them, as they are thrust away from their beloved Lord. + +When the rich man became hopeless of his own deliverance, the remembrance +of his brothers entered into his mind; for the punishment of the wicked +very often uselessly stimulates their minds to love, so that they then love +their relatives, who before in life loved neither themselves nor their +kinsmen. He loves not himself who binds himself with sins. He recognized +Lazarus, whom he had before despised, and he remembered his brothers, whom +he had left behind; for the needy one would not have been fully avenged on +the rich, if {335} he in his punishment had not recognized him; and again, +his punishment would not have been complete in the fire, unless he had +expected the same torments for his relatives. + +The sinful will now sometimes see the chosen in glory, whom they in the +world despised, that the affliction of their minds may be the greater: and +the righteous will ever see the unrighteous suffering in their torments, +that their bliss and love to their Lord may be the greater, who rescued +them from the power of the devil, and from the wicked band. That spectacle +will excite no terror to the righteous, nor will their glory wane; for +there will be no sorrowing for the misery of the wicked, but their torments +will turn to the greater bliss of the chosen, as in a picture a dark +likeness is provided, that the white may appear the brighter. The chosen +will constantly see their Creator's brightness, and therefore there is +nothing in creation concealed from him. + +The rich man would not in life hear the teacher Moses, or God's prophets: +then he thought that his brothers would also despise them as he did, and +desired therefore that Lazarus might warn them, so that they came not to +his torment. The patriarch answered him, "If they despise the law of Moses +and the preachings of the prophets, they will not believe, though one arose +from death." Those who neglect the easy commandments of the old law, how +will they obey the sublime commandments of Christ's doctrine, who arose +from death? + +I pray you, my brethren, that ye be mindful of Lazarus's rest and of the +rich man's punishment, and do as Christ himself taught, "Gain to yourselves +friends among God's poor, that they at your end may receive you into +eternal dwelling-places." Many Lazaruses ye have now lying at your gates, +begging for your superfluity. Though they are esteemed as vile, they will, +nevertheless, be hereafter your interceders with the Almighty. Verily we +ought to enjoin the poor to pray for us, because they will be our +protectors, who, now begging, desire sustenance of us. We should not +despise their {337} vileness, for Christ himself is served through +reception of the poor, as he himself said, "I was hungry, and ye fed me; I +was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink; I was naked, and ye clothed me." + +Now says the holy Gregory, there was a reverend monk in the country of +Lycaonia, very pious, his name was Martyrius. He went by order of his abbot +to some other monastery, on his errand, when he found a leper lying by the +way all chapped, and having no power of his feet: he said he wished to +reach his hut, if he could. Then the monk was grieved for the helplessness +of the leper, and he wrapt him in his cloak and bare him towards his +monastery. Then it was disclosed to his abbot whom he was bearing, and he +cried with a loud voice, and said, "Run, run, and undo the gate of the +monastery quickly, for our brother Martyrius bears Jesus on his back." When +the monk had reached the gate of the monastery, he who seemed a leper +quitted his neck, and appeared in the likeness of Christ. The monk then +looked up, and beheld how he ascended to heaven. Then said Jesus, while +ascending, "Martyrius, thou wast not ashamed of me on earth, nor will I be +ashamed of thee in heaven." Then the abbot hastened towards the monk, and +eagerly said, "My brother, where is he whom thou didst carry?" He said, "If +I had known who he was, I would have lain at his feet. When I bore him I +felt no heaviness of any burthen." How could he feel the heaviness of any +weight, when he carried one who bore him? Now says the holy Gregory, Jesus +verified the saying which he himself said, "That which ye do for the poor +in my name, that ye do for myself." + +What is there in human nature so glorious as the humanity of Christ, and +what is esteemed more foul in human nature than the carcase of the leper, +with tumours, and ulcers, and reeking stench? But he who is to be venerated +above all creatures, vouchsafed to appear in that foul form, to the end +that we might pity the misery of human beings, and {339} according to our +power comfort them, for love of the merciful and humble Jesus; that he may +grant us a dwelling in his kingdom to eternal life, who rescued us from the +devil's thraldom; who reigneth to eternity with the Almighty Father and the +Holy Ghost, those three existing in one Godhead, without beginning and end, +ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DOMINICA IIII. POST PENTECOSTEN. + +Dhaet h['a]lige godspel us segdh, thaet "gerefan and synfulle men +genealaehton dham Haelende, and woldon his lare gehyran. Tha ceorodon dha +sunder-halgan and dha boceras Iudeiscre dheode, fordhan dhe se Haelend +underfeng dha synfullan, and him mid gereordode. Tha saede se Haelend dham +Iudeiscum bocerum dhis bigspel, Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa:" et +reliqua. + +Thas word sind digle, ac se trahtnere Gregorius us geopenode thaet gastlice +andgit. Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon on dhyssere godspellican +raedinge, thaet dha synfullan genealaehton to dhaes Haelendes spraece, and +eac to his gereorde; and dha Iudeiscan boceras mid h['e]te thaet taeldon: +ac heora t['a]l naes na of rihtwisnysse, ac of nidhe. Hi waeron untrume, +dheah dhe hi dhaes ne gymdon. Tha wolde se heofenlica laece mid geswaesum +bigspelle thaet geswell heora heortan welwyllendlice gelacnian, and dhus +cwaedh, "Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa, and gif he forlysdh ['a]n +dhaera sceapa, dhonne forlaet he dha nigon and hund-nigontig on westene, +and gaedh secende thaet ['a]n dhe him losode?" Hundfeald getel is +fulfremed, and se Aelmihtiga haefde hund-teontig sceapa, dhadha engla werod +and mancynn waeron his aehta: ac him losode ['a]n sceap, dhadha se +frumsceapena mann Adam syngigende forleas neorxena-wanges bigwiste. Tha +forlet se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu eal engla werod on heofonum, and ferde to +eordhan, and sohte thaet {340} ['a]n sceap dhe him aetwunden waes. Dhadha +he hit gemette, he hit baer on his exlum to dhaere eowde blissigende. +Thadha he underfeng ure mennisce gecynd, and ure synna abaer, tha waes +thaet dweligende sceap ongean fered on his halgum exlum. Dhaera sceapa +hlaford com ham, afundenum sceape; fordhan dhe Crist, aefter dhaere +dhrowunge, dhe he mancyn mid alysde, ar['a]s of deadhe, and astah to +heofonum blissigende. + +He geladhode his frynd and his nehgeburas. His frynd sind engla heapas, +fordhan dhe hi healdadh on heora stadhelfaestnysse singallice his willan. +Hi sind eac his nehgeburas, fordhan dhe hi brucadh thaere wulderfullan +beorhtnysse his gesihdhe on heora andweardnysse. He cwaedh, "Blissiadh mid +me, fordhan dhe ic gemette min forlorene sceap." Ne cwaedh he, 'Blissiadh +mid tham sceape,' ac 'mid me,' fordhan dhe ure alysednys sodhlice is his +bliss; and dhonne we beodh to dhaere heofonlican eardung-stowe gelaedde, +thonne gefylle we dha micclan maersunge his gefean. He cwaedh, "Ic secge +eow, mare bliss bidh on heofonum be anum synfullan men, gif he his synna +mid d['ae]dbote behreowsadh, dhonne sy be nigon and hund-nigontig rihtwisum +dhe nanre behreowsunge ne behofiadh." This is to smeagenne, hwi sy mare +bliss be gecyrredum synfullum, thonne be unscyldigum rihtwisum. + +We habbadh gelomlice gesewen, thaet gehwylce gebrodhra, dhe ne befeollon on +healice gyltas, thaet h['i] ne beodh ealles swa carfulle to beganne dha +earfodhlican drohtnunge, swilce hi orsorge beon, fordhan dhe hi dha +healican leahtras ne gefremedon; and gehwilce odhre dhe oncnawadh tha +swaeran gyltas dhe hi on geogodhe adrugon, beodh mid micelre sarnysse +onbryrde. Hi forseodh alyfedlice dhing and gesewenlice, and mid wope +gewilniadh tha ungesewenlican and dha heofonlican. H['i] forseodh h['i] +sylfe, and geeadmettadh on eallum dhingum; and fordhi dhe h['i] dweligende +fram heora Scyppende gewiton, h['i] willadh geinnian dha aeftran hindhe mid +tham uferan gestreonum. Mare bliss bidh on heofonum be dham gecyrredum +synfullum, dhurh swilce drohtnunga, thonne sy be dham asolcenum the truwadh +be him sylfum thaet he {342} lytle and feawa gyltas gefremode, and eac +hwonlice caradh ymbe Godes beboda and his sawle dhearfe. Maran lufe nimdh +se heretoga on gefeohte to dham cempan, the aefter fleame his widherwinnan +dhegenlice oferwindh, thonne to dham the mid fleame ne aetw['a]nd, ne dheah +on nanum gecampe naht dhegenlices ne gefremode. Ealswa se yrdhling lufadh +dhone aecer, dhe aefter dhornum and bremelum genihtsume waestmas agifdh, +swidhor thonne he lufige dhone dhe dhornig naes, ne waestmbaere ne bidh. +Sind dheah-hwaedhere forwel maenige rihtwise unscyldige widh +heafod-leahtras, and habbadh hwaedhere ealswa stidhe drohtnunge swylce hi +mid eallum synnum geancsumede waeron. Tham ne maeg nan d['ae]dbeta beon +geefenlaeht, fordhan dhe h['i] sind rihtwise and behreowsigende. Be dham is +to smeagenne hu micclum se rihtwisa mid eadmodre heofunge God gegladige, +gif se unrihtwisa mid sodhre d['ae]dbote hine gegladian maeg. + +Drihten rehte dha-gyt odher b['i]gspel be tyn scyllingum, and dhaera ['a]n +losode and weardh gemet. Thaet b['i]gspel getacnadh eft nigon engla werod. +To dham teodhan werode waes mancyn gesceapen; fordhan dhe thaet teodhe +weardh mid modignysse forscyldigod, and hi ealle to awyrgedum deoflum +wurdon awende, and of dhaere heofonlican blisse to helle suslum bescofene. +Nu sind dha nigon heapas genemnede, angeli, archangeli, uirtutes, +potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubin, seraphin. Thaet +teodhe forweardh. Tha waes mancynn gesceapen to ge-edstadhelunge dhaes +forlorenan heapes. + +Angeli sind gecwedene Godes bodan; archangeli, healice bodan; uirtutes, +mihta, dhurh dha wyrcdh God fela wundra. Potestates sind ['a]nwealdu, dhe +habbadh anweald ofer dha awyrgedan gastas, thaet hi ne magon geleaffulra +manna heortan swa micclum costnian swa hi willadh. Principatus sind +ealdorscipas, dhe dhaera godra engla gymadh, and hi be heora dihte dha +godcundlican gerynu gefylladh. Dominationes sind hlafordscypas gecwedene, +fordhan dhe him gehyrsumiadh odhra engla werod mid micelre underdheodnysse. +Throni sind thrymsetl, tha beodh gefyllede mid swa micelre gife dhaere +Aelmihtigan {344} Godcundnysse, thaet se Eallwealdenda God on him wunadh, +and dhurh hi his domas tosceat. Cherubin is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes, +odhdhe gewittes: hi sind afyllede mid gewitte swa miccle swidhor, swa hi +gehendran beodh heora Scyppende, dhurh wurdhscipe heora geearnunga. +Seraphim sind gecwedene byrnende, odhdhe, onaelende: hi sind swa miccle +swidhor byrnende on Godes lufe, swa micclum swa hi sind to him gedheodde; +fordhan dhe nane odhre englas ne sind betweonan him and dham Aelmihtigan +Gode. Hi sind byrnende na on fyres wisan, ac mid micelre lufe thaes +Wealdendan Cyninges. Godes rice bidh gelogod mid engla weredum and +gedhungenum mannum, and we gelyfadh thaet of mancynne swa micel getel +astige thaet uplice rice, swa micel swa on heofonum bel['a]f haligra gasta +aefter dham hryre dhaera awyrgedra gasta. + +Nigon engla werod thaer waeron to lafe, and thaet teodhe forferde. Nu bidh +eft seo micelnys gedhungenra manna swa micel swa dhaera stadhelfaestra +engla waes; and we beodh geendebyrde to heora weredum, aefter urum +geearnungum. Menige geleaffulle men sind the habbadh lytel andgit to +understandenne dha deopnysse Godes lare, and willadh theah-hwaedhere odhrum +mannum mid arfaestnysse cydhan ymbe Godes maerdha, be heora andgites +maedhe: thas beodh geendebyrde to englum, thaet is, to Godes bydelum. Tha +gecorenan dhe magon asmeagan Godes digelnysse, and odhrum bodian mid +gastlicre lare, hi beodh getealde to heah-englum, thaet is to healicum +bodum. Tha halgan, dhe on life wundra wyrceadh, beodh geendebyrde betwux +dham heofenlicum mihtum the Godes tacna gefremmadh. Sind eac sume gecorene +menn dhe aflyadh tha awyrgedan gastas fram ofsettum mannum, dhurh mihte +heora bena: hwaerto beodh thas geendebyrde buton to dham heofenlicum +anwealdum, be gewyldadh tha feondlican costneras? Tha gecorenan dhe dhurh +healice geearnunga tha laessan gebrodhru oferstigadh mid ealdorscipe, tha +habbadh eac heora dael betwux dham heofenlicum ealderdomum. Sume beodh swa +gedhungene thaet h['i] wealdadh mid heora hlafordscipe ealle uncysta and +leahtras on him sylfum, swa thaet hi {346} beodh godas getealde dhurh dha +healican claennysse: be dham cwaedh se Aelmihtiga to Moysen, "Ic dhe +gesette, thaet thu waere Pharaones god." Thas Godes dhegnas, the beodh on +swa micelre gedhincdhe on gesihdhe thaes Aelmihtigan thaet hi sind godas +getealde, hwider gescyt dhonne heora endebyrdnysse, buton to dham werode +dhe sind hlafordscipas gecwedene? fordhan dhe him odhre englas underdheodde +beodh. + +On sumum gecorenum mannum, dhe mid micelre gimene on andweardum life +drohtniadh, bidh Godes Gastes gifu swa micel, thaet he on heora heortan +swilce on dhrimsetle sittende tosc['ae]t and d['e]mdh wundorlice odhra +manna daeda. Hwaet sind thas buton dhrymsetl heora Scyppendes, on dham dhe +he wunigende mannum d['e]mdh? Seo sodhe lufu is gefyllednys Godes ['ae], +and se dhe on his dheawum hylt Godes lufe and manna, he bidh thonne +cherubim rihtlice geh['a]ten; fordhan dhe eal gewitt and ingehyd is belocen +on twam wordum, thaet is Godes lufu and manna. Sume Godes dheowan sind +onaelede mid swa micelre gewilnunge heora Scyppendes neawiste, thaet hi +forseodh ealle woruldlice ymbhydignysse, and mid byrnendum mode ealle dha +ateorigendlican gedhincdhu oferstigadh, and mid dham micclan bryne dhaere +heofenlican lufe odhre ontendadh, and mid larlicre spraece getrymmadh. Hu +magon dhas beon gecigede buton seraphim, thonne hi dhurh dhone micclan +bryne Godes lufe sind toforan odhrum eordhlicum his neawiste gehendost? + +Nu cwedh se eadiga Gregorius, "Wa dhaere sawle dhe orhlyte hyre lif adrihdh +thaera haligra mihta," the we nu sceortlice eow gerehton. Ac seo dhe +bedaeled is tham godnyssum, heo geomrige and gewilnige thaet se cystiga +Wealdend thurh his gife h['i] gedheode tham hlyte his gecorenra. Nabbadh +ealle menn gelice gife aet Gode, fordhan dhe he forgifdh dha gastlican +gedhincdhu aelcum be his gecneordnyssum. Se dhe laessan gife haebbe, ne +['a]ndige he on dham foredheondum, fordhan dhe dha halgan dhreatas dhaera +eadigra engla sind swa geendebyrde, thaet hi sume mid undertheodnysse +odhrum hyrsumiadh, and sume mid oferstigendre wurdhfulnysse dham odhrum +sind foresette. + +{348} Micel getel is dhaera haligra gasta, the on Godes rice eardiadh, be +dham cwaedh se witega Daniel, "Thusend dhusenda dhenodon tham Heofonlican +Wealdende, and ten dhusend sidhan hundfealde dhusenda him mid wunodon." +Odher is dhenung, odher is mid-wunung. Tha englas dheniadh Gode the bodiadh +his willan middangearde, and dha dhing gefylladh the him liciadh. Dha odhre +werod, the him mid wuniadh, brucadh thaere incundan embwl['a]tunge his +godcundnysse, swa thaet h['i] nateshwon fram his andweardnysse asende ne +gewitadh. Sodhlice dha dhe to us asende becumadh, swa h['i] gefremmadh +heora Scyppendes haese widhutan, thaet hi dheah-hwaedhere naefre ne +gewitadh fram his godcundan myrhdhe; fordham dhe God is aeghwaer, theah dhe +se engel stowlic sy. Nis se Aelmihtiga Wealdend stowlic, fordhan dhe he is +on aelcere stowe, and swa hwider swa se stowlica engel flihdh, he bidh +befangen mid his andwerdnysse. + +Hi habbadh sume synderlice gife fram heora Scyppende, and dheah-hwaedhere +heora wurdhscipe him bidh eallum gemaene, and thaet thaet gehwilc on him +sylfum be daele haefdh, thaet he haefdh on odhrum werode fulfremodlice; be +dham cwaedh se sealm-wyrhta, "Drihten, dhu dhe sitst ofer cherubin, +geswutela dhe sylfne." + +We saedon litle aer on dhisre raedinge, thaet thaes Aelmihtigan dhrymsetl +waere betwux dham werode dhe sind throni gecigede: ac hw['a] maeg beon +eadig, buton he his Scyppendes wununge on him sylfum haebbe? Seraphim sind +dha gastas gecigede, dhe beodh on Drihtnes lufe byrnende, and +dheah-hwaedhere eal thaet heofonlice maegen samod beodh onaelede mid his +lufe. Cherubim is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes odhdhe gewittes, and dheah +hwilc engel is on Godes andwerdnysse dhe ealle dhing nyte? Ac fordhi is +gehwilc dhaera weroda tham naman geciged, dhe dha gife getacnadh the he +fulfremedlicor underfeng. + +Ac uton suwian hwaethwega be dham digelnyssum dhaera heofenlicra +ceastergewarena, and smeagan be us sylfum, and geomrian mid behreowsunge +ure synna, thaet we, dhurh Drihtnes mildheortnysse, dha heofonlican +wununge, swa swa he us beh['e]t, {350} habban moton. He cwaedh on sumere +stowe, "On mines Faeder huse sind fela wununga;" fordhan gif sume beodh +strengran on geearnungum, sume rihtwisran, sume mid maran halignysse +geglengede, thaet heora nan ne beo geaelfremod fram dham micclan huse, +thaer dhaer gehwilc onfehdh wununge be his geearnungum. + +Se miltsienda Drihten cwaedh, thaet micel blis waere on heofonum be anum +d['ae]dbetan; ac se ylca cwaedh thurh his witegan, "Gif se rihtwisa gecyrdh +fram his rihtwisnysse, and begaedh unrihtwisnysse arleaslice, ealle his +rihtwisnysse ic forgyte; and gif se arleasa behreowsadh his arleasnysse, +and begaedh rihtwisnysse, ne gemune ic nanra his synna." Behreowsigendum +mannum he miltsadh, ac h['e] ne beh['e]t tham elcigendum gewiss l['i]f odh +merigen. Nis fordhi nanum synfullum to yldigenne agenre gecyrrednysse, +dhylaes dhe he mid sleacnysse forleose dha t['i]d Godes fyrstes. Smeage +gehwilc man his aerran daeda, and eac his andweardan drohtnunge, and fleo +to dham mildheortan Deman mid w['o]pe, dha hwile dhe he anbidadh ure +betrunge, sedhe is rihtwis and mildheort. Sodhlice behreowsadh his gedwyld +sedhe ne ge-edlaehdh tha aerran daeda; be dham cwaedh se Haelend to dham +gehaeledan bedredan, "Efne nu dhu eart gehaeled, ne synga dhu heonon-fordh, +thylaes dhe dhe sum dhing wyrse gelimpe." + +Geleaffullum mannum maeg beon micel truwa and hopa to dham menniscum Gode +Criste, sedhe is ure Mundbora and Dema, sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid +Faeder, on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. + +The holy gospel tells us, that "publicans and sinners approached Jesus, and +desired to hear his doctrine. Then the pharisees and the scribes of the +Jewish people murmured, because Jesus received the sinful, and ate and +drank with them. Then said Jesus to the Jewish scribes this parable, Which +of you hath an hundred sheep," etc. + +These words are obscure, but the expounder Gregory has opened to us the +ghostly meaning. My dearest brothers, ye have heard in this evangelical +lesson, that the sinful approached to the speech of Jesus, and also to his +refection; and the Jewish scribes censured that with heat; but their +censure was not from righteousness, but from envy. They were sick, though +they observed it not. Then would the heavenly leech with a pleasant parable +benevolently heal the swelling of their hearts, and thus said, "Which of +you hath an hundred sheep, and if he lose one of the sheep, then leaveth he +[not] the ninety and nine in the waste, and goeth seeking the one that he +lost?" An hundredfold number is perfect, and the Almighty had an hundred +sheep, when the host of angels and mankind were his possessions: but he +lost one sheep, when the first-created man Adam through sin lost the food +of Paradise. Then the Almighty Son of God left all the host of angels in +heaven, and went to earth, and sought that one {341} sheep that had escaped +from him. When he had found it, he bare it on his shoulders to the flock +rejoicing. When he assumed our human nature, and bare our sins, then was +the wandering sheep brought back on his holy shoulders. The master of the +sheep came home, having found his sheep; for Christ after his passion, +whereby he redeemed mankind, arose from death, and ascended to heaven +rejoicing. + +He invited his friends and his neighbours. His friends are companies of +angels, because they in their steadfastness constantly observe his will. +They are also his neighbours, because they enjoy the glorious brightness of +his sight in their presence. He said, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my +lost sheep." He said not, 'Rejoice with the sheep,' but 'with me,' because +our redemption is truly his joy; and when we are led to the heavenly +dwelling-place, we then complete the great celebration of his gladness. He +said, "I say unto you, there is more joy in heaven over one sinful man, if +he rue his sins with repentance, than there is over ninety and nine +righteous, who need no repentance." This is to be investigated, why there +is more joy over a converted sinner, than over the innocent righteous. + +We have frequently seen that those brethren, who have not fallen into +deadly sins, are not altogether so careful to practise a hard course of +life, as though they were careless because they had not perpetrated deadly +sins; and that others who acknowledge the grievous sins that they have +committed in youth, are pricked with great affliction. They despise +permitted and visible things, and with weeping desire those invisible and +heavenly. They despise and humble themselves in all things; and because +through error they have departed from their Creator, they desire to repair +the consequent injury with heavenly gains. Greater joy there will be in +heaven over the converted sinner, through such endurances, than over a +remiss one who is confident in himself, that he has perpetrated little +{343} and few sins, and at the same time cares but little about God's +commandments and his soul's need. Greater love a general feels in battle +for the soldier who after flight boldly overcomes his adversary, than for +him who never took to flight, nor yet in any conflict performed any deed of +valour. In like manner the husbandman loves the field which after thorns +and brambles yields abundant fruits, more than he loves that which was not +thorny nor is fruitful. There are, nevertheless, very many righteous +guiltless of deadly sins, and yet practise as severe a course of life as +though they were troubled with all sins. With these can no penitent sinner +be compared, because they are righteous and repentant. By this is to be +judged how greatly the righteous with humble lamentation gladdens God, if +the unrighteous with true penitence can gladden him. + +The Lord yet said another parable concerning ten shillings, and of which +one was lost and was found. That parable again betokens the nine hosts of +angels. Instead of the tenth host mankind was created; for the tenth had +been found guilty of pride, and thrust from heavenly bliss to hell +torments. There are now nine companies, named, angeli, archangeli, +virtutes, potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubim, +seraphim. The tenth perished. Then was mankind created to supply the place +of the lost company. + +Angeli are interpreted, God's messengers; archangeli, high messengers; +virtutes, powers, by which God works many miracles. Potestates are powers +which have power over the accursed spirits, that they may not tempt the +hearts of believing men so much as they desire. Principatus are authorities +which have charge of the good angels, and they by their direction fulfil +the divine mysteries. Dominationes are interpreted, lordships, because the +other hosts of angels obey them with great subjection. Throni are thrones +which are filled with such great grace of the Almighty Godhead, that the +{345} All-powerful God dwells on them, and through them decides his dooms. +Cherubim are interpreted, fullness of knowledge or understanding: they are +filled with so much the more understanding as they are nearer to their +Creator through the worthiness of their deserts. Seraphim are interpreted +burning, or inflaming: they are so much the more burning in love of God as +they are associated with him; for there are no other angels between them +and the Almighty God. They are burning, not in wise of fire, but with great +love of the Powerful King. God's kingdom is composed of hosts of angels and +of religious men, and we believe that of mankind as great a number will +ascend to that sublime realm as there remained of holy spirits in heaven +after the fall of the accursed spirits. + +Nine hosts of angels were left, and the tenth perished. Now the multitude +of religious men will be as great as was that of the steadfast angels; and +we shall be annexed to their hosts, according to our deserts. Many faithful +men there are who have little intellect to understand the deepness of God's +lore, and will, nevertheless, with piety declare to other men concerning +the glories of God, according to the measure of their intellect: these will +be annexed to the angels, that is, to God's messengers. The chosen, who can +investigate the mysteries of God, and preach with ghostly lore to others, +will be numbered with the archangels, that is, with the high messengers. +The holy, who work wonders in life, will be disposed among the heavenly +powers who execute God's miracles. There are also some chosen men who drive +out the accursed spirits from men possessed, by power of their prayers: +whereto shall these be annexed except to the heavenly powers, who control +the fiendlike tempters? Those chosen ones, who through high deserts excel +their humbler brethren in authority, will have their portion also among the +heavenly princes. Some there are so pious that they control with their +authority all vices and sins in themselves, so that they are accounted +{347} gods through their exalted purity: of these the Almighty said to +Moses, "I will set thee that thou be Pharaoh's god." These servants of God, +who are in so great honour in the sight of the Almighty that they are +accounted gods, to what order are they assigned, unless to the host which +is called lordships? for to them other angels are subordinate. + +In some chosen men, who live with great heedfulness in the present life, +the grace of God's Spirit is so great, that he, sitting on their hearts as +it were on a throne, decides and judges wondrously the deeds of other men. +What are these but thrones of their Creator, on which abiding he judges +men? True love is the completion of God's law, and he who in his moral +conduct holds love of God and of men, will be rightly called cherubim; for +all understanding and knowledge is contained in two words, namely, love of +God and of men. Some servants of God are inflamed with so great a desire +for the presence of their Creator, that they despise all worldly care, and +with burning mind rise above all perishing honours, and with the great heat +of heavenly love enkindle others, and with instructive speech confirm them. +How may these be called but seraphim, when through the great heat of love +of God they are before other mortals nearest to his presence? + +Now says the blessed Gregory, "Woe to the soul that passes its life devoid +of the holy virtues," which we have just shortly explained to you. But let +the soul which is deprived of those excellences mourn, and desire that the +bountiful Ruler will, through his grace, associate it to the lot of his +chosen. All men have not like grace from God, for he gives ghostly honours +to every one according to his endeavours. Let him who has less grace envy +not those more excellent, because the holy companies of blessed angels are +so ordered, that some in subordination obey others, and some with +transcending dignity are set before others. + +{349} Great is the number of the holy spirits which dwell in God's kingdom, +of whom the prophet Daniel said, "Thousand thousands ministered to the +Heavenly Ruler, and ten thousand times hundredfold thousands dwelt with +him." One thing is ministry, another is, co-dwelling. Those angels minister +to God who announce his will to the world, and perform the things which are +pleasing to him. The other hosts, that dwell with him, enjoy the closest +contemplation of his Godhead, so that they on no account, sent forth, +withdraw from his presence. But those who are sent to us so execute their +Creator's behest without, that they, nevertheless, depart never from his +divine joy; for God is everywhere, though the angel be local. The Almighty +Ruler is not local, for he is in every place, and whithersoever the local +angel flieth, he will be surrounded with His presence. + +Some of them have especial grace from their Creator, and yet their dignity +is common to all, and that which each one has in himself partially, he has +in another host perfectly; of which the psalmist said, "Lord, thou who +sittest above the cherubim, manifest thyself." + +We said a little before in this lesson, that the throne of the Almighty was +among the host which are called throni: but who may be happy, unless he +have his Creator's dwelling in himself? Seraphim the spirits are called who +are burning with love of the Lord, and yet all the heavenly power together +is inflamed with his love. Cherubim is interpreted fullness of knowledge or +understanding, and yet what angel is there in God's presence who knows not +all things? But each of those hosts is therefore called by the name which +betokens the gift that it has more perfectly received. + +But let us cease a little from speaking of the mysteries of the heavenly +inhabitants, and meditate on ourselves, and bewail with repentance our +sins, that we, through the Lord's mercy, may, as he has promised us, attain +to the heavenly {351} dwelling. He said in some place, "In my Father's +house are many dwellings," for if some be stronger in deserts, some more +righteous, some adorned with greater holiness, none of them may be +estranged from the great house, where everyone shall receive a dwelling +according to his deserts. + +The merciful Lord said, that there was great joy in heaven for one +penitent; but the Same said through his prophet, "If the righteous turn +from his righteousness, and impiously commit unrighteousness, all his +righteousness I will forget; and if the impious repent of his impiety, and +do righteousness, I will not remember any of his sins." To repentant men he +is merciful, but to the procrastinating he promises not certain life till +the morrow. No sinner ought therefore to procrastinate his own repentance, +lest he by remissness lose the time of God's respite. Let every man +meditate on his former deeds, and also on his present conduct, and fly to +the merciful Judge with weeping, while he, who is righteous and merciful, +awaits our bettering. He truly repents of his sins who repeats not his +former deeds; concerning which Jesus said to the healed bedridden, "Behold, +now thou art healed, sin not henceforth, lest something worse befall thee." + +Believing men may have great trust and hope to the human God Christ, who is +our Protector and Judge, who liveth and reigneth with the Father, in unity +of the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +VIII. [=KL]. JUL. + +NATIUITAS S[=CI] IOHANNIS BAPTISTAE. + +Se godspellere Lucas awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c be acennednysse Iohannes +dhaes Fulluhteres, thus cwedhende, "Sum eawfaest {352} Godes dhegen waes +geh['a]ten Zacharias, his gebedda waes geciged Elisabeth. H['i] butu waeron +rihtwise aetforan Gode, on his bebodum and rihtwisnyssum fordhstaeppende +butan t['a]le. Naes him cild gemaene:" et reliqua. + +"Eal his reaf waes awefen of olfendes h['ae]rum, his bigleofa waes +stidhlic; ne dranc he wines drenc, ne nanes gemencgedes waetan, ne +gebrowenes: ofet hine fedde, and wude-hunig, and odhre waclice dhigena." + +"On dham fifteodhan geare dhaes caseres rices Tyberii com Godes word ofer +Iohannem, on dham westene; and he ferde to folces neawiste, and bodade +Iudeiscum folce fulluht on synna forgyfenysse, swa swa hit awriten is on +Isaies witegunge." + +Cristes fulluht he bodade toweard eallum geleaffullum, on dham is synna +forgyfenys thurh dhone Halgan G['a]st. Iohannes eac be Godes dihte fullode +dha dhe him to comon dhaera Iudeiscra dheoda, ac his fulluht ne dyde +n['a]nre synne forgyfenysse, fordhan dhe he waes Godes bydel, and na God. +He bodade mannum thaes Haelendes to-cyme mid wordum, and his halige fulluht +mid his agenum fulluhte, on dham he gefullode dhone unsynnian Godes Sunu, +dhe n['a]nre synne forgyfenysse ne beh['o]fade. + +Rihtlice weordhadh Godes geladhung dhisne daeg thaes maeran Fulluhteres +gebyrd-tide, for dham manegum wundrum dhe gelumpon on his acennednysse. +Godes heah-engel Gabrihel bodade dham faeder Zachar['i]an his acennednysse, +and his healican gedhincdhu, and his maerlican drohtnunge. Thaet cild on +his modor innodhe oncneow Marian stemne, Godes cynnestran; and on innodhe +dha-gyt beclysed, mid w['i]tigendlicre faegnunge get['a]cnode thone +halwendan to-cyme ures Alysendes. On his acennednysse he aetbraed thaere +meder hire unwaestmbaernysse, and thaes faeder tungan his nama unb['a]nd, +the mid his agenre geleafleaste adumbod waes. + +Dhreora manna gebyrd-tide freolsadh seo halige geladhung: dhaes Haelendes, +sedhe is God and mann, and Iohannes his bydeles, and dhaere eadigan Marian +his moder. Odhra gecorenra {354} manna, dhe dhurh martyrdom, odhdhe thurh +odhre halige geearnunga, Godes rice geferdon, heora endenextan daeg, sedhe +h['i] aefter gefyllednysse ealra earfodhnyssa sigefaeste to dham ecan life +acende, we wurdhiadh him to gebyrd-tide; and dhone daeg, dhe h['i] to +dhisum andweardan life acennede waeron, we laetadh to gymeleaste, fordhan +dhe h['i] comon hider to earfodhnyssum, and costnungum, and mislicum +fraecednyssum. Se daeg bidh gemyndig Godes dheowum dhe dha halgan, aefter +gewunnenum sige, asende to ecere myrhdhe fram eallum gedreccednyssum, and +se is heora sodhe acennednys; na w['o]plic, swa swa seo aerre, ac +blissigendlic to dham ecum life. Ac us is to wurdhigenne mid micelre +gecnyrdnysse Cristes gebyrd-tide, dhurh dha us com alysednys. + +Iohannes is geendung dhaere ealdan ['ae] and anginn dhaere n['i]wan, swa +swa se Haelend be him cwaedh, "Seo ealde ['ae] and w['i]tegan waeron odh +Iohannes to-cyme." Sidhdhan ongann godspel-bodung. Nu for his micclan +halignysse is gewurdhod his acennednys, swa swa se heah-engel behet his +faeder mid dhisum wordum, "Manega blissiadh on his gebyrd-tide." Mar['i]a, +Godes cynnestre, nis nanum odhrum gelic, fordhan dhe heo is maeden and +modor, and dhone ab['ae]r dhe h['i] and ealle gesceafta gesceop: is heo +fordhi wel wyrdhe thaet hire acennednys arwurdhlice gefreolsod sy. + +Tha magas setton dham cilde naman, Zacharias, ac seo modor him widhcwaedh +mid wordum, and se dumba faeder mid gewrite; fordhan dhe se engel, dhe hine +cydde toweardne, him gesceop naman be Godes dihte, IOHANNES. Ne mihte se +dumba faeder cydhan his wife hu se engel his cilde naman gesette, ac, dhurh +Godes Gastes onwrigenysse, se nama hire weardh cudh. Zacharias is gereht, +'Gemindig Godes;' and Iohannes, 'Godes gifu;' fordhan dhe he bodade mannum +Godes gife, and Crist toweardne, the ealne middangeard mid his gife +gewissadh. He waes asend toforan Drihtne, swa swa se daegsteorra gaedh +beforan dhaere sunnan, swa swa bydel aetforan deman, swa swa seo Ealde +Gecydhnys aetforan dhaere Niwan; {356} fordhan dhe seo ealde ['ae] waes +swilce sceadu, and seo Niwe Gecydhnys is sodhfaestnys dhurh dhaes Haelendes +gife. + +Anes geares cild h['i] waeron, Crist and Iohannes. On dhisum daege acende +seo unwaestmbaere moder dhone maeran witegan Iohannem, se is geh['e]rod mid +thisum wordum, dhurh Cristes mudh, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne ar['a]s nan +maerra man dhonne is Iohannes se Fulluhtere." + +On middes wintres maesse-daege acende thaet halige maeden Maria thone +Heofenlican Aedheling, se nis geteald to wifa bearnum, fordhon dhe he is +Godes Sunu on dhaere Godcundnysse, and Godes and maedenes Bearn dhurh +menniscnysse. Iohannes forfleah folces neawiste on geogodhe, and on westene +mid stidhre drohtnunge synna forbeah. Se Haelend betwux synfullum unwemme +fram aelcere synne dhurhwunode. Se bydel gebigde on dham timan micelne heap +Israhela dheode to heora Scyppende mid his bodunge. Drihten daeghwamlice of +eallum dheodum to his geleafan, dhurh onlihtinge dhaes Halgan Gastes, +ungerim sawla gebigdh. + +Thaet halige godspel cwydh be dham Fulluhtere, thaet he forestope dham +Haelende on gaste and on mihte thaes witegan Helian; fordhan dhe he waes +his forrynel aet dham aerran to-cyme, swa swa Helias bidh aet dham aeftran +togeanes Antecriste. Nis butan getacnunge thaet dhaes bydeles acennednys on +dhaere tide waes gefremod dhe se woruldlica daeg wanigende bidh, and on +Drihtnes gebyrd-tide weaxende bidh. Thas getacnunge onwreah se ylca +Iohannes mid dhisum wordum, "Criste gedafenadh thaet he weaxe, and me thaet +ic wanigende beo." Iohannes waes hradhor mannum cudh thurh his maerlican +drohtnunga, thonne Crist waere, fordhan dhe h['e] ne aeteowde his godcundan +mihte, aerdham dhe h['e] waes dhritig geara on dhaere menniscnysse. Tha +waes he gedhuht dham folce thaet h['e] witega waere, and Iohannes Crist. +Hwaet dha Crist geswutelode hine sylfne dhurh miccle tacna, and his hlisa +weox geond ealne middangeard, thaet he sodh God waes, sedhe waes aerdhan +witega gedhuht. Iohannes sodhlice waes wanigende on his hlisan, fordhan dhe +he {358} weardh oncnawen witega, and bydel dhaes Heofonlican Aedhelinges, +sedhe waes lytle aer Crist geteald mid ungewissum wenan. Thas wanunge +getacnadh se wanigenda daeg his gebyrd-tide, and se dheonda daeg dhaes +Haelendes acennednysse geb['i]cnadh his dheondan mihte aefter dhaere +menniscnysse. + +Fela witegan mid heora witegunge bodedon Drihten toweardne, sume feorran +sume ne['a]n, ac Iohannes his to-cyme mid wordum bodade, and eac mid fingre +gebicnode, dhus cwedhende, "Loca nu! Efne her gaedh Godes Lamb, sedhe +aetbret middangeardes synna." Crist is manegum naman genemned. He is Wisdom +geh['a]ten, fordhan dhe se Faeder ealle gesceafta thurh hine geworhte. He +is Word gecweden, fordhan the word is wisdomes geswutelung. Be dham Worde +ongann se godspellere Iohannes tha godspellican gesetnysse, dhus cwedhende, +"On frymdhe waes Word, and thaet Word waes mid Gode, and thaet Word waes +God." He is Lamb geh['a]ten, for dhaere unscaedhdhignysse lambes gecyndes; +and waes unscyldig, for ure alysednysse, his Faeder liflic onsaegednys, on +lambes wisan geoffrod. He is Leo geciged of Iudan maegdhe, Dauides +wyrtruma, fordhan dhe he, dhurh his godcundlican strencdhe, thone miclan +deofol mid sige his dhrowunge oferswidhde. + +Se halga Fulluhtere, dhe we ymbe sprecadh, astealde stidhlice drohtnunge, +aegdher ge on scrude ge on b['i]gwiste, swa swa we hwene aeror rehton; +fordhan dhe se Wealdenda Haelend thus be him cwedhende waes, "Fram Iohannes +dagum Godes rice dholadh neadunge, and dha strecan-m['o]d hit gegripadh." +Cudh is gehwilcum snoterum mannum, thaet seo ealde ['ae] waes eadhelicre +thonne Cristes Gesetnys sy, fordhan dhe on dhaere naes micel forhaefednys, +ne dha gastlican drohtnunga the Crist sidhdhan gesette, and his apostoli. +Odher is seo gesetnys dhe se cyning bytt dhurh his ealdormenn odhdhe +gerefan, odher bidh his agen gebann on his andweardnysse. Godes rice is +gecweden on dhisre stowe seo h['a]lige geladhung, thaet is eal cristen +folc, the sceal mid neadunge and strecum mode thaet heofonlice rice +geearnian. {360} Hu maeg beon butan strece and neadunge, thaet gehw['a] mid +claennysse thaet g['a]le gecynd thurh Godes gife gewylde? Odhdhe hw['a] +gestildh hatheortnysse his modes mid gedhylde, butan earfodhnysse? odhdhe +hw['a] awent modignysse mid sodhre eadmodnysse? odhdhe hw['a] druncennysse +mid syfernysse? odhdhe hw['a] gitsunge mid r['u]mgifulnysse, butan strece? +Ac se dhe his dheawas mid anmodnysse, thurh Godes fultum, swa awent, he +bidh dhonne to odhrum menn geworht; odher he bidh thurh g['o]dnysse, and se +ylca dhurh edwiste, and he gelaecdh dhonne dhurh strece thaet heofenlice +rice. + +Twa forhaefednysse cynn syndon, ['a]n lichamlic, odher gastlic. An is, +thaet gehw['a] hine sylfne getemprige mid gemete on ['ae]te and on waete, +and werlice dha oferflowendlican dhygene him sylfum aetbrede. Odher +forhaefednysse cynn is deorwurdhre and healicre, dheah seo odher g['o]d sy: +styran his modes styrunge mid singalre gemetfaestnysse, and campian +daeghwamlice widh leahtras, and hine sylfne dhreagian mid styrnysse dhaere +gastlican steore, swa thaet h['e] dha redhan deor eahta heafod-leahtra +swilce mid isenum midlum gewylde. Deorwyrdhe is theos forhaefednys, and +wulderfull dhrowung on Godes gesihdhe, dha yfelan gedhohtas and unlustas +mid agenre cynegyrde gestyran, and fram derigendlicere spraece, and +pleolicum weorce hine sylfne forhabban, swa swa fram cwylmbaerum mettum. Se +dhe dhas dhing gecneordlice begaedh, he gripdh untweolice thaet beh['a]tene +r['i]ce mid Gode and eallum his halgum. Micel strec bidh, thaet mennisce +menn mid eadmodum geearnungum dha heofenlican myrhdhe begytan, dhe dha +heofenlican englas dhurh modignysse forluron. + +Us gelustfulladh gyt furdhur to sprecenne be dhan halgan were Iohanne, him +to wurdhmynte and ['u]s to beterunge. Be him awr['a]t se witega Isaias, +thaet he is "stemn clypigendes on westene, Gearciadh Godes weig, dodh rihte +his padhas. Aelc dene bidh gefylled, and aelc d['u]n bidh geeadmet, and +ealle wohnyssa beodh gerihte, and scearpnyssa gesmedhode." Se witega hine +het stemn, fordhan dhe he forest['o]p Criste, dhe is Word {362} gehaten: na +swilc word swa menn sprecadh, ac he is dhaes Faeder Wisdom, and word bidh +wisdomes geswutelung. Thaet Word is Aelmihtig God, Sunu mid his Faeder. On +aelcum worde bidh stemn gehyred, ['ae]r thaet word fullice gecweden sy. Swa +swa stemn forestaepdh worde, swa forest['o]p Iohannes dham Haelende on +middangearde; fordhan dhe God Faeder hine sende aetforan gesihdhe his +Bearnes, thaet he sceolde gearcian and daeftan his weig. Hwaet dha Iohannes +to mannum clypode thas ylcan word, "Gearciadh Godes weig." Se bydel dhe +bodadh rihtne geleafan and gode weorc, he gearcadh thone weig cumendum Gode +to dhaera heorcnigendra heortan. + +Godes weg bidh gegearcod on manna heortan, thonne h['i] dhaere +Sodhfaestnysse spraece eadmodlice gehyradh, and gearuwe beodh to Lifes +bebodum; be dham cwaedh se Haelend, "Se dhe me lufadh, he hylt min bebod, +and min Faeder hine lufadh, and wit cumadh to him, and mid him wuniadh." +His padhas beodh gerihte, thonne dhurh gode bodunge aspringadh claene +gedhohtas on mode dhaera hlystendra. Dena get['a]cniadh tha eadmodan, and +d['u]na dha modigan. On Drihtnes to-cyme wurdon dena afyllede, and d['u]na +geeadmette, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Aelc dhaera dhe hine onhefdh bidh +geeadmet, and se dhe hine geeadmet bidh geuferod." Swa swa waeter scyt of +dhaere d['u]ne, and aetstent on dene, swa forflihdh se Halga Gast modigra +manna heortan, and nimdh wununge on dham eadmodan, swa swa se witega +cwaedh, "On hwam gerest Godes Gast buton on dham eadmodan?" Dhwyrnyssa +beodh gerihte, thonne dhwyrlicra manna heortan, the beodh dhurh +unrihtwisnysse h['o]cas awegde, eft dhurh regol-sticcan dhaere sodhan +rihtwisnysse beodh geemnode. Scearpnyssa beodh awende to smedhum wegum, +dhonne dha yrsigendan mod, and unlidhe gecyrradh to mandhwaernysse, thurh +ongyte dhaere upplican gife. + +Langsumlic bidh us to gereccenne, and eow to gehyrenne ealle dha deopnyssa +dhaes maeran Fulluhteres bodunge: hu he dha heardheortan Iudeiscre dheode +mid stearcre dhreale and {364} stidhre myngunge to l['i]fes wege gebigde, +and aefter his dhrowunge hellwarum Cristes to-cyme cydde, swa swa he on +life mancynne agene alysednysse mid hludre stemne bealdlice bodade. + +Uton nu biddan dhone Wealdendan Haelend, thaet he, dhurh his dhaes maeran +Forryneles and Fulluhteres dhingunge, ['u]s gemiltsige on andweardum +l['i]fe, and to dham ecan gelaede, dham sy wuldor and l['o]f mid Faeder and +Halgum Gaste ['a] on ecnysse. Amen. + +JUNE XXIV. + +THE NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. + +The evangelist Luke wrote in the book of Christ concerning the birth of +John the Baptist, thus saying, "There was a {353} certain pious servant of +God called Zacharias, his wife was called Elizabeth. They were both +righteous before God, walking forth in his commandments and righteousnesses +without blame. They had no child in common," etc. + +"All his garment was woven of camel's hair, his food was coarse; he drank +not drink of wine, nor of any mixed or prepared fluid: fruit fed him and +wood-honey, and other common things. + +"In the fifteenth year of the reign of the emperor Tiberius, the word of +God came upon John, in the waste, and he went into the presence of people, +and preached to the Jewish folk baptism for the forgiveness of sins, as it +is written in the prophecy of Isaiah." + +The baptism of Christ to come he preached to all believers, in which is +forgiveness of sins through the Holy Ghost. John also, by God's direction, +baptized those who came to him of the Jewish nations, but his baptism +wrought no forgiveness of sin, for he was God's messenger, and not God. He +announced to men the advent of Jesus with words, and His holy baptism with +his own baptism, with which he baptized the sinless Son of God, who needed +no forgiveness of sin. + +Rightly does God's church honour this day, the birth-tide of the great +Baptist, for the many wonders which happened at his birth. God's archangel +Gabriel announced his birth to Zacharias his father, and his high honours, +and his illustrious life. The child in his mother's womb knew the voice of +Mary, the parent of God; and in the womb yet closed, betokened with +prophetic joy the salutary advent of our Redeemer. At his birth he removed +from his mother her barrenness, and his name unbound the tongue of his +father, who by his own want of belief had been made dumb. + +The holy church celebrates the birth-tide of three persons,--of Jesus, who +is God and man, and of John his messenger, and of the blessed Mary his +mother. Of other chosen {355} persons, who, through martyrdom, or through +other holy merits, have gone to the kingdom of God, we celebrate as their +birth-tide their last day, which, after the fulfilment of all their +labours, brought them forth victorious to eternal life; and the day on +which they were born to this present life we let pass unheeded, because +they came hither to hardships, and temptations, and divers perils. The day +is memorable to the servants of God which sends his saints, after victory +won, to eternal joy from all afflictions, and which is their true birth; +not tearful as the first, but exulting in eternal life. But the birth-tide +of Christ is to be celebrated with great care, through which came our +redemption. + +John is the ending of the old law and the beginning of the new, as Jesus +said of him, "The old law and the prophets were till the coming of John." +Afterwards began the gospel-preaching. Now, on account of his great +holiness, his birth is honoured, as the archangel promised his father with +these words, "Many shall rejoice in his birth-tide." Mary, the parent of +God, is like to none other, for she is maiden and mother, and bare him who +created her and all creatures: therefore is she well worthy that her birth +should be honourably celebrated. + +The relatives bestowed on the child the name of Zacharias, but the mother +contradicted them by words, and the dumb father by writing; because the +angel who had announced that he was to come, had, by God's direction, given +him the name of JOHN. The dumb father could not have informed his wife how +the angel had bestowed a name on his child, but by revelation of the Spirit +of God the name was known to her. Zacharias is interpreted, 'Mindful of +God;' and John, 'God's grace;' because he preached to men the grace of God, +and that Christ was to come, who directs all the earth with his grace. He +was sent before the Lord, as the day-star goes before the sun, as the +beadle before the judge, as the Old Testament before the New; for the Old +Law was {357} as a shadow, and the New Testament is truth through the grace +of Jesus. + +They were children of the same year, Christ and John. On this day the +barren mother brought forth the great prophet John, who is praised in these +words by the mouth of Christ, "Among the children of men there hath not +arisen a greater man than is John the Baptist." + +On the mass-day of midwinter the holy maiden Mary brought forth the +Heavenly Prince, who is not numbered with the children of men, because he +is the Son of God in his Godhead, and the Son of God and of a maiden by his +human nature. John fled from the presence of people in his youth, and in +the waste, with austere life-course, avoided sin. Jesus continued among the +sinful pure from every sin. The crier inclined, at that time, a great body +of the people of Israel to their Creator by his announcement. The Lord +daily inclines souls without number of all nations to his faith, through +enlightening of the Holy Ghost. + +The holy gospel says of the Baptist, that he preceded Jesus in spirit and +in power of the prophet Elias; because he was his forerunner at his first +advent, as Elias will be at the second against Antichrist. It is not +without signification that the birth of the crier was completed on the day +when the worldly day is waning, and that it is waxing on the birth-tide of +the Lord. This signification the same John revealed in these words, "It is +befitting Christ that he wax, and me that I be waning." John was sooner +known to men, through his illustrious life-course, than Christ was, for He +manifested not his divine power, ere that he had been thirty years in human +nature. Then it seemed to the people that he was a prophet, and that John +was Christ. But Christ manifested himself by many great miracles, and his +fame waxed through all the world, that he was true God, who before that had +seemed a prophet. But John was waning in his fame, for he was {359} +acknowledged a prophet, and the proclaimer of the Heavenly Prince, who a +little before had by uncertain supposition been accounted Christ. The +waning day of his birth-tide betokens this waning, and the increasing day +of the birth of Jesus signifies his increasing power according to his human +nature. + +Many prophets by their prophecy announced the Lord to come, some from afar +some near, but John announced his advent by words, and also with his finger +signified it, thus saying, "Look now! Behold here goeth the Lamb of God, +who shall take away the sins of the world." Christ is named by many names. +He is called Wisdom, because the Father wrought all things through him. He +is called Word, because a word is the manifestation of wisdom. The +evangelist John began the evangelical memorial with the Word, thus saying, +"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was +God." He is called Lamb, from the innocence of the lamb's nature; and was +guiltless, for our redemption, offered a living sacrifice to his Father in +the manner of a lamb. He is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root +of David, because, through his godly strength he overcame the great devil +by the victory of his passion. + +The holy Baptist of whom we are speaking, established a rigid life-course, +both in raiment and in food, as we have mentioned a little before; for the +Mighty Jesus was thus saying of him, "From the days of John the kingdom of +God suffereth compulsion, and the violent seize it." It is known to every +intelligent man, that the old law was easier than the Institute of Christ +is, for in it there was no great continence nor the ghostly courses which +Christ and his apostles afterwards established. One thing is the institute +which the king ordains through his nobles or officials, another is his own +edict in his presence. The holy church is in this place called God's +kingdom, that is, all christian people, who shall with force and violence +earn the heavenly kingdom. {361} How can it be without violence and +compulsion, that any one by chastity overcomes libidinous nature through +God's grace? Or who shall still the frenzy of his mind with patience, +without difficulty? or who shall exchange pride for true humility? or who +drunkenness for soberness? or who covetousness for munificence, without +violence? But he who, through God's support, so changes his ways with +steadfastness, will then be made another man; another he will be in +goodness, and the same in substance, and he will then by violence seize the +heavenly kingdom. + +There are two kinds of continence, one bodily, the other ghostly. One is, +that everyone govern himself with moderation in food and in drink, and +manfully remove from himself superfluous aliment. The second kind of +continence is more precious and exalted,--though the other is good,--to +guide the agitation of his mind with constant moderation, and fight daily +against sins, and chastise himself with the sternness of ghostly +correction, so that he restrain the fierce beast of the eight capital sins +as it were with iron bonds. Precious is this continence and glorious +suffering in the sight of God, to govern evil thoughts and sinful pleasures +with our own sceptre, and to abstain from injurious speech and perilous +work, as from death-bearing meats. He who sedulously performs these things, +seizes undoubtedly the promised kingdom with God and all his saints. Great +violence it is through which human beings with humble merits obtain that +heavenly joy, which the heavenly angels lost through pride. + +It delights us to speak yet further of the holy man John, for his honour +and our bettering. Of him the prophet Isaiah wrote, that he is "the voice +of one crying in the waste, Prepare the way of God, make right his paths. +Every valley shall be filled, and every hill shall be lowered, and all +crookednesses shall be straightened, and sharpnesses smoothed." The prophet +called himself a voice, because he preceded {363} Christ, who is called the +Word: not such a word as men speak, but he is the Wisdom of the Father, and +a word is the manifestation of wisdom. The Word is Almighty God, the Son +with his Father. In every word the voice is heard before the word is fully +spoken. As the voice precedes the word, so did John precede Jesus on earth; +for God the Father sent him before the sight of his Son, that he might +prepare and make ready his way. But John cried these same words to men, +"Prepare the way of God." The crier who announces right belief and good +works, prepares the way for the coming God to the heart of the hearkeners. + +The way of God is prepared in the heart of men, when they humbly hear the +speech of Truth, and are ready to the commandments of Life; of whom Jesus +said, "He who loveth me holdeth my commandment, and my Father loveth him, +and we will come to him, and will dwell with him." His paths shall be +straight, when, through good preaching, pure thoughts spring up in the mind +of the listeners. Valleys betoken the humble, and hills the proud. At the +Lord's advent valleys shall be filled, and hills lowered, as he himself +said, "Everyone of them who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he who +humbleth himself shall be exalted." As water rushes from the hill and +stands in the valley, so flees the Holy Ghost from the heart of proud men, +and takes his dwelling in the humble, as the prophet said, "In whom resteth +the Spirit of God but in the humble?" Crookednesses shall be straight, when +the hearts of perverse men, which are agitated by the hooks of +unrighteousness, are again made even by the ruling-rods of true +righteousness. Sharpnesses shall be turned to smooth ways, when angry and +ungentle minds turn to gentleness through infusion of the heavenly grace. + +Tedious it would be for us to recount and for you to hear all the depths of +the great Baptist's preaching: how with strong reproof and severe +admonition he inclined the {365} hard-hearted of the Jewish people to the +way of life, and after his suffering announced Christ's advent to the +inhabitants of hell, as he in life had with loud voice boldly preached +their own redemption to mankind. + +Let us now pray the Powerful Saviour, that he, through the mediation of the +great Forerunner and Baptist, be merciful to us in the present life, and +lead us to the life eternal, to whom be glory and praise with the Father +and the Holy Ghost, ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +III. K[=AL]. I[=UL]. + +PASSIO APOSTOLORUM PETRI ET PAULI. + + Venit Iesus in partes Caesareae Philippi: et reliqua. + +Matheus se Godspellere awr['a]t on dhaere godspellican gesetnysse, dhus +cwedhende, "Drihten com to anre burhscire, dhe is geciged Cesarea Philippi, +and befr['a]n his gingran hu menn be him cwyddedon. H['i] andwyrdon, Sume +menn cwedhadh thaet dhu sy Iohannes se Fulluhtere, sume secgadh thaet dhu +sy Hel['i]as, sume Hieremias, odhdhe sum odher witega. Se Haelend dha +cwaedh, Hwaet secge ge thaet ic sy? Petrus him andwyrde, Thu eart Crist, +dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu. Drihten him cwaedh to andsware, Eadig eart +dhu, Simon, culfran bearn, fordhan dhe flaesc and blod the ne onwreah +dhisne geleafan, ac min Faeder sedhe on heofonum is. Ic dhe secge, thaet +thu eart staenen, and ofer dhysne st['a]n ic timbrige mine cyrcan, and +helle gatu naht ne magon ongean h['i]. Ic betaece dhe heofonan rices caege; +and swa hwaet swa dhu bintst on eordhan, thaet bidh gebunden on heofonum; +and swa hwaet swa dhu unbintst ofer eordhan, thaet bidh unbunden on +heofonum." + +Beda se trahtnere us onwrihdh tha deopnysse dhysre raedinge, and cwydh, +thaet Philippus se fydherr['i]ca dha buruh Cesarea getimbrode, and on +wurdhmynte thaes caseres Tiberii, dhe he under {366} rixode, dhaere byrig +naman gesceop, 'Cesaream,' and for his agenum gemynde to dham naman geyhte, +'Philippi,' dhus cwedhende, 'Cesarea Philippi,' swilce seo burh him b['a]m +to wurdhmynte swa genemned waere. + +Thadha se Haelend to dhaere burhscire genealaehte, tha befr['a]n h['e], hu +woruld-menn be him cwyddedon: na swilce h['e] nyste manna cwyddunga be him, +ac h['e] wolde, mid sodhre andetnysse dhaes rihtan geleafan, adwaescan +dhone leasan wenan dweligendra manna. His apostoli him andwyrdon, "Sume men +cwyddiadh thaet dhu sy Iohannes se Fulluhtere, sume secgadh thaet dhu sy +Helias, sume Hieremias, odhdhe ['a]n dhaera witegena." Drihten dha +befr['a]n, "Hwaet secge ge thaet ic sy?" swylce he swa cwaede, 'Nu +woruld-menn dhus dwollice me oncnawadh, ge dhe godas sind, hu oncnawe ge +me?' Se trahtnere cwaedh 'godas,' fordhan dhe se sodha God, sedhe ana is +Aelmihtig, haefdh geunnen dhone wurdhmynt his gecorenum, thaet h['e] h['i] +godas gecigdh. Him andwyrde se gehyrsuma Petrus, "Dhu eart Crist, thaes +lifigendan Godes Sunu." He cwaedh 'thaes lifigendan Godes,' for twaeminge +dhaera leasra goda, dha dhe haedhene dheoda, mid mislicum gedwylde +bepaehte, wurdhodon. + +Sume h['i] gelyfdon on deade entas, and him deorwurdhlice anlicnyssa +araerdon, and cwaedon thaet h['i] godas waeron, for dhaere micelan +strencdhe dhe h['i] haefdon: waes dheah heora l['i]f swidhe m['a]nfullic +and bysmurfull; be dham cwaedh se witega, "Dhaera haedhenra anlicnyssa sind +gyldene and sylfrene, manna handgeweorc: h['i] habbadh dumne mudh and +blinde eagan, deafe earan and ungrapigende handa, f['e]t butan fedhe, bodig +butan life." Sume h['i] gelyfdon on dha sunnan, sume on dhone monan, sume +on fyr, and on manega odhre gesceafta: cwaedon thaet h['i] for heora +faegernysse godas waeron. + +Nu todaelde Petrus swutelice dhone sodhan geleafan, dhadha he cwaedh, "Thu +eart Crist, dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu." Se is lybbende God the haefdh +l['i]f and wununge dhurh hine sylfne, butan anginne, and sedhe ealle +gesceafta thurh his agen Bearn, thaet is, his Wisdom, gesceop, and him +eallum l['i]f forgeaf dhurh {368} dhone Halgan Gast. On dhissum dhrym +h['a]dum is an Godcundnys, and ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]n weorc +untodaeledlice. + +Drihten cwaedh to Petre, "Eadig eart dhu, culfran sunu." Se Halga Gast waes +gesewen ofer Criste on culfran anlicnysse. Nu gecigde se Haelend Petrum +culfran bearn, fordhan dhe he waes afylled mid bilewitnysse and gife dhaes +Halgan Gastes. He cwaedh, "Ne onwreah dhe flaesc ne blod thisne geleafan, +ac min Faeder sedhe on heofenum is." Flaesc and blod is gecweden, his +flaesclice maeidh. Naefde he thaet andgit dhurh maeglice lare, ac se +Heofenlica Faeder, dhurh dhone Halgan Gast, dhisne geleafan on Petres +heortan forgeaf. + +Drihten cwaedh to Petre, "Thu eart staenen." For dhaere strencdhe his +geleafan, and for anraednysse his andetnysse he underfencg dhone naman, +fordhan dhe he gedheodde hine sylfne mid faestum mode to Criste, sedhe is +'st['a]n' gecweden fram dham apostole Paule. "And ic timbrige mine cyrcan +uppon dhisum stane:" thaet is, ofer dhone geleafan dhe dhu andetst. Eal +Godes geladhung is ofer dham stane gebytlod, thaet is ofer Criste; fordhan +dhe he is se grundweall ealra dhaera getimbrunga his agenre cyrcan. Ealle +Godes cyrcan sind getealde to anre geladhunge, and seo is mid gecorenum +mannum getimbrod, na mid deadum stanum; and eal seo bytlung dhaera liflicra +stana is ofer Criste gelogod; fordhan dhe we beodh, thurh dhone geleafan, +his lima getealde, and h['e] ure ealra heafod. Se dhe ne bytladh of dham +grundwealle, his weorc hryst to micclum lyre. + +Se Haelend cwaedh, "Ne magon helle gatu naht togeanes minre cyrcan." +Leahtras and dwollic l['a]r sindon helle gatu, fordhan dhe h['i] laedadh +thone synfullan swilce dhurh geat into helle wite. Manega sind dha gatu, ac +heora nan ne maeg ongean dha halgan geladhunge, dhe is getimbrod uppon dham +faestan stane, Criste; fordhan dhe se gelyfeda, thurh Cristes gescyldnysse, +aetwint dham frecednyssum dhaera deoflicra costnunga. + +He cwaedh, "Ic dhe betaece heofonan rices caege." Nis seo caeig gylden, ne +sylfren, ne of nanum antimbre gesmidhod, ac is se anweald the him Crist +forgeaf, thaet nan man ne cymdh {370} into Godes rice, buton se halga +Petrus him geopenige thaet infaer. "And swa hwaet swa dhu bintst ofer +eordhan, thaet bidh gebunden on heofonum; and swa hwaet swa dhu unbintst +ofer eordhan, thaet bidh unbunden on heofenan." Thisne anweald he forgeaf +nu Petre, and eac sydhdhan, ['ae]r his upstige, eallum his apostolum, +dhadha he him on-ableow, dhus cwaedhende, "Onfodh Haligne Gast: dhaera +manna synna the ge forgyfadh, beodh forgyfene; and dham dhe ge forgifenysse +ofunnon, him bidh oftogen seo forgyfenys." + +Nelladh dha apostoli naenne rihtwisne mid heora mansumunge gebindan, ne eac +dhone m['a]nfullan miltsigende unbindan, butan he mid sodhre d['ae]dbote +gecyrre to lifes wege. Thone ylcan andweald haefdh se Aelmihtiga getidhod +biscopum and halgum maesse-preostum, gif h['i] hit aefter dhaere +godspellican gesetnysse carfullice healdadh. Ac fordhi is seo caeig Petre +sinderlice betaeht, thaet eal dheodscipe gleawlice tocn['a]we, thaet swa +hw['a] swa odhscyt fram annysse dhaes geleafan dhe Petrus dha andette +Criste, thaet him ne bidh getidhod nadhor ne synna forgyfenys ne infaer +thaes heofenlican rices. + +DE PASSIONE APOSTOLORUM PETRI ET PAULI. + +We wylladh aefter dhisum godspelle eow gereccan dhaera apostola drohtnunga +and geendunge, mid scortre race; fordhan dhe heora dhrowung is gehwaer on +Engliscum gereorde fullice geendebyrd. + +Aefter Drihtnes upstige waes Petrus bodigende geleafan dham leodscipum dhe +sind gecwedene Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithinia, Asia, Italia. Sydhdhan, ymbe +tyn geara fyrst, h['e] gewende to Romebyrig, bodigende godspel; and on +dhaere byrig h['e] gesette his biscop-setl, and dhaer gesaet fif and +twentig geara, laerende dha Romaniscan ceastregewaran Godes maerdha, mid +micclum tacnum. His widherwinna waes on eallum his faerelde sum dr['y], se +waes Simon geh['a]ten. Thes dr['y] waes mid {372} dham awyrgedum gaste to +dham swydhe afylled, thaet he cwaedh thaet he waere Crist, Godes Sunu, and +mid his drycraefte dhaes folces geleafan amyrde. + +Tha gel['a]mp hit thaet man ferede anre wuduwan suna l['i]c dhaer Petrus +bodigende waes. He dha cwaedh to dham folce and to dham dr['y], +"Geneal['ae]cadh dhaere baere, and gelyfadh thaet dhaes bodung sodh sy, dhe +dhone deadan to life araerdh." Hwaet dha Simon weardh gebyld thurh deofles +gast, and cwaedh, "Swa hradhe swa ic thone deadan ar['ae]re, acwelladh +minne widherwinnan Petrum." Thaet folc him andwyrde, "Cucenne we hine +forbaernadh." Simon dha mid deofles craefte dyde thaet dhaes deadan l['i]c +styrigende waes. Tha wende thaet folc thaet he geedcucod waere. Petrus dha +ofer eall clypode, "Gif he geedcucod sy, sprece to ['u]s, and astande; +onbyrige metes, and ham gecyrre." Thaet folc dha hrymde hl['u]ddre stemne, +"Gif Simon dhis ne dedh, h['e] sceal thaet wite dholian dhe h['e] dhe +gemynte." Simon to dhisum wordum hine gebealh and fleonde waes, ac thaet +folc mid orm['ae]tum edwite hine gehaefte. + +Se Godes apostol dha genealaehte dham lice mid adhenedum earmum, dhus +biddende, "Dhu, leofa Drihten, dhe ['u]s sendest to bodigenne dhinne +geleafan, and ['u]s behete thaet we mihton, dhurh dhinne naman, deoflu +todraefan, and untrume gehaelan, and dha deadan araeran, ar['ae]r nu dhisne +cnapan, thaet dhis folc oncn['a]we thaet nan God nys buton dhu ana, mid +dhinum Faeder, and dham Halgan Gaste." Aefter dhisum gebede ar['a]s se +deada, and geb['i]gedum cneowum to Petre cwaedh, "Ic geseah Haelend Crist, +and h['e] sende his englas fordh for dhinre bene, thaet h['i] me to life +gelaeddon." Thaet folc dha mid anre stemne clypigende cwaedh, "An God is +dhe Petrus bodadh:" and woldon forb['ae]rnan dhone dr['y], ac Petrus him +forwyrnde; cwaedh, thaet se Haelend him taehte dhone regol, thaet h['i] +sceoldon yfel mid g['o]de forgyldan. + +Simon, dhadha he dham folce aetwunden waes, get['i]gde aenne orm['ae]tne +rydhdhan innan dham geate thaer Petrus inn haefde, thaet {374} he +f['ae]rlice hine ab['i]tan sceolde. Hwaet dha Petrus c['o]m, and dhone +rydhdhan unt['i]gde mid dhisum bebode, "Yrn, and sege Simone, thaet he leng +mid his drycraefte Godes folc ne bepaece, dhe h['e] mid his agenum blode +gebohte." And h['e] sona getengde widh thaes dr['y]s, and hine on fleame +gebrohte. Petrus weardh aefterweard thus cwedhende, "On Godes naman ic dhe +bebeode, thaet dhu naenne todh on his lice ne gefaestnige." Se hund, dhadha +h['e] ne moste his lichaman derian, totaer his haeteru sticmaelum of his +baece, and hine dr['a]f geond dha weallas, dheotende swa swa wulf, on dhaes +folces gesihdhe. He dha aetbaerst dham hunde, and to l['a]ngum fyrste +sidhdhan, for dhaere sceame, naes gesewen on Romana-byrig. + +Sydhdhan eft on fyrste he begeat sumne dhe hine bespraec to dham casere +Nerone, and gel['a]mp dha thaet se awyrgeda ehtere thone deofles dhen his +freondscipum gedheodde. Mid dham dhe hit dhus ged['o]n waes, dha aeteowde +Crist hine sylfne Petre on gastlicere gesihdhe, and mid dhyssere tihtinge +hine gehyrte, "Se dr['y] Simon and se waelhreowa Nero sind mid deofles +gaste afyllede, and syrwiadh ongean dhe; ac ne beo dhu afyrht; ic beo mid +the, and ic sende minne dheowan Paulum dhe to frofre, se staepdh to merigen +into Romana-byrig, and g['y]t mid gastlicum gecampe winnadh ongean dhone +dr['y], and hine awurpadh into helle grunde: and g['y]t sidhdhan samod to +minum rice becumadh mid sige martyrdomes." + +Non passus est Paulus, quando uinctus Romam perductus est, sed post aliquot +annos, quando sponte illuc iterum reuersus est. This gel['a]mp swa +sodhlice. On dhone odherne daeg com Paulus into dhaere byrig, and heora +aegdher odherne mid micelre blisse underfeng, and waeron togaedere +bodigende binnan dhaere byrig seofon mondhas tham folce lifes weig. Beah +dha ungerim folces to cristendome thurh Petres lare; and eac dhaes caseres +gebedda Libia, and his heah-gerefan w['i]f Agrippina wurdon swa gelyfede +thaet h['i] forbugon heora wera neawiste. Thurh Paules bodunge gelyfdon +dhaes caseres dhegnas and {376} h['i]redcnihtas, and aefter heora fulluhte +noldon gecyrran to his h['i]rede. + +Simon se dr['y] worhte dha aerene naeddran, styrigende swylce heo cucu +waere; and dyde thaet dha anlicnyssa dhaera haedhenra hlihhende waeron and +styrigende; and he sylf weardh faerlice upp on dhaere lyfte gesewen. +Thaer-to-geanes gehaelde Petrus blinde, and healte, and deofol-seoce, and +dha deadan araerde, and cwaedh to dham folce thaet h['i] sceoldon forfleon +thaes deofles dr['y]craeft, dhylaes dhe h['i] mid his lotwrencum bepaehte +wurdon. Tha weardh dhis dham casere gecydd, and he het dhone dr['y] him to +gefeccan, and eac dha apostolas. Simon braed his hiw aetforan dham casere, +swa thaet he weardh faerlice gedhuht cnapa, and eft h['a]rwenge; +hw['i]ltidum on wimmannes hade, and eft dhaerrihte on cnihthade. + +Tha Nero thaet geseah, dha wende h['e] thaet he Godes Sunu waere. Petrus +cwaedh thaet h['e] Godes widhersaca waere, and mid leasum dr['y]craefte +forscyldigod, and cwaedh thaet he waere gewiss deofol on menniscre edwiste. +Simon cwaedh, "Nis na gedafenlic thaet dhu, cyning, hlyste anes leases +fisceres wordum; ac ic dhisne hosp leng ne forbere: nu ic beode minum +englum thaet h['i] me on dhisum fiscere gewrecon." Petrus cwaedh, "Ne +ondraede ic dhine awyrgedan gastas, ac h['i] weordhadh afyrhte thurh mines +Drihtnes geleafan." Nero cwaedh, "Ne ondraetst dhu dhe, Petrus, Simones +mihta, dhe mid wundrum his godcundnysse geswuteladh?" Petrus cwaedh, "Gif +he godcundnysse haebbe, dhonne secge he hwaet ic dhence, odhdhe hwaet ic +d['o]n wylle." Nero cwaedh, "Sege me, Petrus, on sundor-spraece hwaet dhu +dhence." He dha leat to dhaes caseres eare, and het him beran diglice +berenne hl['a]f; and he bletsode dhone hl['a]f, and tobraec, and bewand on +his twam slyfum, dhus cwedhende, "Sege nu, Simon, hwaet ic dhohte, odhdhe +cwaede, oththe gedyde." He dha gebealh hine, fordhan the he ne mihte +geopenian Petres digelnysse, and dyde tha mid dr['y]craefte thaet dhaer +comon micele hundas, and raesdon widh Petres weard; ac Petrus aeteowde +dhone gebletsodan hl['a]f dham hundum, and h['i] dhaerrihte of heora {378} +gesihdhe fordwinon. He dha cwaedh to dham casere, "Simon me mid his englum +gedhiwde, nu sende he hundas to me; fordhan dhe he naefdh godcundlice +englas, ac haefdh hundlice." Nero cwaedh, "Hwaet is nu, Simon? Ic wene wit +sind oferswidhde." Simon andwyrde, "Thu goda cyning, nat n['a]n man manna +gedhohtas buton Gode anum." Petrus andwyrde, "Untwylice thu lihst thaet thu +God sy, nu dhu nast manna gedhohtas." + +Tha bewende Nero hine to Paulum, and cwaedh, "Hw['i] ne cwest dhu n['a]n +word? Odhdhe hwa teah dhe? odhdhe hwaet laerdest dhu mid thinre bodunge?" +Paulus him andwyrde, "La leof, hwaet wille ic dhisum forlorenum widhersacan +geandwyrdan? Gif dhu wilt his wordum gehyrsumian, thu amyrst dhine sawle +and eac dhinne cynedom. Be minre lare, the dhu axast, ic dhe andwyrde. Se +Haelend, the Petrum laerde on his andweardnysse, se ylca me laerde mid +onwrigenysse; and ic gefylde mid Godes lare fram Hierusalem, odhthaet ic +com to Iliricum. Ic laerde thaet men him betweonan lufodon and +ge['a]rwurdhedon. Ic taehte dham r['i]can, thaet h['i] ne onhofon h['i], ne +heora hiht on leasum welan ne besetton, ac on Gode anum. Ic taehte dham +medeman mannum, thaet h['i] gehealdene waeron on heora bigwiste and scrude. +Ic bebead thearfum, thaet h['i] blissodon on heora hafenleaste. Faederas ic +manode, thaet h['i] mid steore Godes eges heora cild gedheawodon. Tham +cildum ic bead, thaet h['i] gehyrsume waeron faeder and meder to halwendum +mynegungum. Ic laerde weras, thaet h['i] heora ['ae]we heoldon, fordhan +thaet se wer gewitnadh on aewbraecum wife, thaet wrecdh God on +['ae]wbraecum were. Ic manode ['ae]wfaeste w['i]f, thaet h['i] heora weras +inweardlice lufodon, and him mid ege gehyrsumodon, swa swa hlafordum. Ic +laerde hlafordas, thaet h['i] heora dheowum lidhe waeron; fordhan dhe h['i] +sind gebrodhru for Gode, se hlaford and se dheowa. Ic bebead dheowum +mannum, thaet h['i] getreowlice, and swa swa Gode heora hlafordum theowdon. +Ic taehte eallum geleaffullum mannum, thaet h['i] wurdhian aenne God +Aelmihtigne and ungesewenlicne. Ne leornode ic dhas lare aet nanum +eordhlicum menn, ac Haelend {380} Crist of heofonum me spraec to, and sende +me to bodigenne his l['a]re eallum dheodum, dhus cwedhende, 'Far dhu geond +thas woruld, and ic beo mid the; and swa hwaet swa dhu cwyst oththe dest, +ic hit gerihtwisige.'" Se casere weardh tha ablicged mid thisum wordum. + +Simon cwaedh, "Dhu g['o]da cyning, ne understenst dhu dhisra twegra manna +gereonunge ongean me. Ic com Sodhfaestnys, ac dhas dhweorigadh widh me. +H['a]t nu araeran aenne heahne torr, thaet ic dhone astige; fordhan dhe +mine englas nelladh cuman to me on eordhan betwux synfullum mannum: and ic +wylle astigan to minum faeder, and ic bebeode minum englum, thaet hi dhe to +minum rice gefeccan." Nero dha cwaedh, "Ic wylle geseon gif dhu dhas +beh['a]t mid weorcum gefylst;" and het dha dhone torr mid micclum ofste on +smedhum felda araeran, and bebead eallum his folce thaet hi to dhyssere +waefersyne samod comon. Se dr['y] astah dhone torr aetforan eallum dham +folce, and astrehtum earmum ongann fleogan on dha lyft. + +Paulus cwaedh to Petre, "Brodher, thu waere Gode gecoren aer ic, dhe +gedafnadh thaet thu dhisne deofles dhen mid dhinum benum afylle; and ic eac +mine cneowu gebige to dhaere bene." Tha beseah Petrus to dham fleondan +dr['y], thus cwedhende, "Ic halsige eow awirigede gastas, on Cristes naman, +thaet ge forlaeton dhone dr['y] dhe ge betwux eow feriadh;" and dha deoflu +thaerrihte hine forleton, and he feallende tobaerst on feower sticca. Tha +feower sticca clifodon to feower stanum, dha sind to gewitnysse dhaes +apostolican siges odh thisne andweardan daeg. Petres gedhyld gedhafode +thaet dha hellican fynd hine up geond tha lyft sume hwile feredon, thaet he +on his fylle thy hetelicor hreosan sceolde; and se dhe lytle aer beotlice +mid deoflicum fidherhaman fleon wolde, thaet he dha faerlice his fedhe +forlure. Him gedafenode thaet h['e] on heannysse ahafen wurde, thaet h['e] +on gesihdhe ealles folces hreosende dha eordhan gesohte. + +Hwaet dha, Nero bebead Petrum and Paulum on bendum gehealdan, and dha +sticca Simones hreawes mid wearde {382} besettan: wende thaet h['e] of +deadhe on dham dhriddan daege arisan mihte. Petrus cwaedh, "Dhes Simon ne +ge-edcucadh ['ae]r dham gem['ae]num aeriste, ac he is to ecum witum +genidherod." Se Godes widherwinna dha, Nero, mid gedheahte his heah-gerefan +Agrippan, het Paulum beheafdian, and Petrum on rode ah['o]n. Paulus dha, be +dhaes cwelleres haese, underbeah swurdes ecge, and Petrus rode-hengene +astah. Thadha h['e] to dhaere rode gelaed waes, he cwaedh to dham +cwellerum, "Ic bidde eow, wendadh min heafod ad['u]ne, and astreccadh mine +f['e]t widh heofonas weard: ne eom ic wyrdhe thaet ic swa hangige swa min +Drihten. He astah of heofonum for middangeardes alysednysse, and waeron +fordhi his f['e]t nidher awende. Me he clypadh nu to his rice; awendadh +fordhi mine f['o]twelmas to dhan heofonlican wege." And dha cwelleras him +dha thaes getidhodon. + +Tha wolde thaet cristene folc dhone casere acwellan, ac Petrus mid thisum +wordum h['i] gestilde: "M['i]n Drihten for feawum dagum me geswutelode +thaet ic sceolde mid thysre dhrowunge his f['o]tswadhum fylian: nu, mine +bearn, ne gelette ge minne weg. Mine f['e]t sind nu awende to dham +heofenlican life. Blissiadh mid me; nu to-daeg ic onf['o] minre +earfodhnysse edlean." He waes dha biddende his Drihten mid thisum wordum: +"Haelend m['i]n, ic dhe betaece dhine scep, the dhu me befaestest: ne beodh +hi hyrdelease thonne h['i] dhe habbadh." And h['e] mid thisum wordum ageaf +his gast. + +Samod h['i] ferdon, Petrus and Paulus, on dhisum daege, sigefaeste to +dhaere heofonlican wununge, on tham syx and thrittegodhan geare aefter +Cristes dhrowunge, mid tham h['i] wuniadh on ecnysse. Igitur Hieronimus et +quique alii auctores testantur, quod in una die simul Petrus et Paulus +martirizati sunt. + +Aefter heora dhrowunge thaerrihte comon wlitige weras, and uncudhe eallum +folce: cwaedon thaet hi comon fram Hierusalem, to dhy thaet hi woldon +dhaera apostola l['i]c bebyrian; and swa dydon mid micelre arwurdhnysse, +and saedon tham folce, thaet {384} h['i] micclum blissian mihton, fordhan +dhe hi swylce mundboran on heora neawiste habban moston. + +Wite ge eac thaet dhes wyrresta cyning Nero rice aefter cwale thisra +apostola healdan ne m['o]t. Hit gel['a]mp dha thaet eal dhaes waelhreowan +caseres folc samod hine hatode, swa thaet hi raeddon anmodlice thaet man +hine gebunde, and odh deadh swunge. Nero, dhadha he dhaes folces dheaht +geacsode, weardh to feore afyrht, and mid fleame to wuda getengde. Tha +sprang thaet word thaet h['e] swa lange on dham holte on cyle and on hungre +dwelode, odhthaet hine wulfas totaeron. + +Tha gel['a]mp hit aefter dham, thaet Grecas gelaehton dhaera apostola +lichaman, and woldon east mid him laedan. Tha faeringa geweardh micel +eordh-styrung, and thaet Romanisce folc dhyder onette, and dha l['i]c +ahreddan, on dhaere stowe dhe is geh['a]ten Catacumbas; and h['i] dhaer +heoldon odher healf gear, odhthaet dha stowa getimbrode waeron, dhe h['i] +sidhdhan on al['e]de waeron, mid wuldre and l['o]fsangum. Cudh is geond +ealle dheodscipas thaet fela wundra gelumpon aet dhaera apostola byrgenum, +dhurh dhaes Haelendes tidhe, dham sy wuldor and l['o]f ['a] on ecnysse. +Amen. + +JUNE XXIX. + +THE PASSION OF THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL. + + Venit Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi: et reliqua. + +Matthew the Evangelist wrote in the evangelical Testament, thus saying, +"The Lord came to a district, which is called Caesarea Philippi, and asked +his disciples how men spake concerning him. They answered, Some men say +that thou art John the Baptist; some men say that thou art Elias; some +Jeremias, or some other prophet. Jesus then said, What say ye that I am? +Peter answered him, Thou art Christ, Son of the living God. The Lord said +to him in answer, Blessed art thou, Simon, son of a dove, for flesh and +blood hath not revealed to thee this belief, but my Father who is in +heaven. I say to thee, thou art of stone, and on this stone I will build my +church, and the gates of hell may not aught against it. I will commit to +thee the key of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on +earth, that shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt unbind on +earth, that shall be unbound in heaven." + +Beda the expositor reveals to us the mystery of this reading, and says, +that Philip the tetrarch built the city of Caesarea, and, in honour of the +emperor Tiberius, under whom {367} he governed, devised for the city the +name of Caesarea, and in memorial of himself added to the name, 'Philippi,' +thus saying, 'Caesarea Philippi,' as though the city were so named in +honour of them both. + +When Jesus drew near to the district, he asked, how the men of the world +spake of him: not as though he knew not the speeches of men concerning him, +but he would, by a true confession of the right belief, destroy the false +imagination of erring men. His apostles answered him, "Some men say that +thou art John the Baptist, some say that thou art Elias, some Jeremias, or +one of the prophets." The Lord then asked, "What say ye that I am?" as if +he had thus said, 'Now the men of the world thus erroneously know me, how +do ye, who are gods, know me?' The expositor said 'gods,' because the true +God, who alone is Almighty, has granted that dignity to his chosen, that he +calls them gods. The obedient Peter answered him, "Thou art Christ, Son of +the living God." He said 'of the living God,' in distinction from the false +gods, which the heathen nations, by various error deceived, worshipped. + +Some of them believed in dead giants, and raised precious idols to them, +and said that they were gods, on account of the great strength they had: +yet were their lives very criminal and opprobrious; of whom the prophet +said, "The idols of the heathen are of gold and of silver, men's handiwork: +they have a dumb mouth and blind eyes, deaf ears and unhandling hands, feet +without pace, body without life." Some of them believed in the sun, some in +the moon, some in fire, and in many other creatures: they said that on +account of their fairness they were gods. + +Now Peter manifestly distinguished the true belief, when he said, "Thou art +Christ, Son of the living God." He is the living God who has life and +existence through himself, without beginning, and who created all creatures +through his own Son, that is, his Wisdom, and to them all gave life {369} +through the Holy Ghost. In these three persons is one Godhead, and one +nature, and one work indivisibly. + +The Lord said to Peter, "Blessed art thou, son of a dove." The Holy Ghost +appeared over Christ in likeness of a dove. Now Jesus called Peter the +child of a dove, because he was filled with meekness and with the grace of +the Holy Ghost. He said, "Neither flesh nor blood hath revealed unto thee +this belief, but my Father who is in heaven." His fleshly condition is +called flesh and blood. He had not that intelligence through parental love, +but the Heavenly Father gave this belief into Peter's heart through the +Holy Ghost. + +The Lord said to Peter, "Thou art of stone." For the strength of his +belief, and for the steadfastness of his profession he received that name, +because he had attached himself with firm mind to Christ, who is called +'stone' by the apostle Paul. "And I will build my church upon this stone:" +that is, on that faith which thou professest. All God's church is built on +that stone, that is, upon Christ; for he is the foundation of all the +fabrics of his own church. All God's churches are accounted as one +congregation, and that is constructed of chosen men, not of dead stones; +and all the building of those living stones is founded on Christ; for we, +through that belief, are accounted his limbs, and he is the head of us all. +He who builds not from that foundation, his work falls to great perdition. + +Jesus said, "The gates of hell may not aught against my church." Sins and +erroneous doctrine are the gates of hell, because they lead the sinful, as +it were through a gate, into hell-torment. Many are the gates, but none of +them can do aught against the holy church, which is built upon that fast +stone, Christ; for the faithful man, through the protection of Christ, +avoids the perils of diabolical temptations. + +He said, "I will commit to thee the key of the kingdom of heaven." That key +is not of gold nor of silver, nor forged of any substance, but is the power +which Christ gave him, {371} that no man shall come into God's kingdom, +unless the holy Peter open to him the entrance. "And whatsoever thou shalt +bind on earth, that shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt +unbind on earth, that shall be unbound in heaven." This power he then gave +to Peter and likewise afterwards, ere his ascension, to all his apostles, +when he blew on them, thus saying, "Receive the Holy Ghost: the sins of +those men which ye forgive shall be forgiven; and from those to whom ye +refuse forgiveness, forgiveness shall be withdrawn." + +The apostles will not bind any righteous man with their anathema, nor also +mercifully unbind the sinful, unless he with true repentance return to the +way of life. The same power has the Almighty granted to bishops and holy +mass-priests, if they carefully hold it according to the evangelical +volume. But the key is especially committed to Peter, that every people may +with certainty know, that whosoever deviates from the unity of the faith +which Peter then professed to Christ, to him will be granted neither +forgiveness of sins nor entrance into the kingdom of heaven. + +OF THE PASSION OF THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL. + +We will after this gospel relate to you the lives and end of those apostles +in a short narrative, because their passion is everywhere fully set forth +in the English tongue. + +After the Lord's ascension Peter was preaching the faith to the nations +which are called Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Asia, Italy. Afterwards, +after a space of ten years, he returned to Rome, preaching the gospel; and +in that city he set his episcopal seat, and there sat five and twenty +years, teaching the Roman citizens the glories of God, with many miracles. +His adversary in all his course was a certain magician, who was called +Simon. This magician was filled {373} with the accursed spirit to that +degree, that he said that he was Christ, the Son of God, and with his magic +corrupted the faith of the people. + +Then it happened that the corpse of a widow's son was borne where Peter was +preaching. He said to the people and to the magician, "Draw near to the +bier, and believe that his preaching is true who raises the dead to life." +Simon was hereupon emboldened by the spirit of the devil, and said, "As +soon as I shall have raised the dead, kill my adversary Peter." The people +answered him, "We will burn him alive." Simon then, through the devil's +craft, made the corpse of the dead to move. The people then imagined that +he was restored to life: but Peter cried above all, "If he be restored to +life, let him speak to us, and stand up; let him taste food, and return +home." The people then exclaimed with loud voice, "If Simon do this not, he +shall undergo the punishment which he devised for thee." Simon at these +words was angry, and was fleeing away, but the people with unmeasured +reproach seized on him. + +The apostle of God then drew near to the corpse with outstretched arms, +thus praying, "Thou, beloved Lord, who hast sent us to preach thy faith, +and hast promised us that we might, through thy name, drive away devils, +and heal the sick, and raise up the dead, raise up now this lad, that this +people may know that there is no God but thou alone, with thy Father and +the Holy Ghost." After this prayer the dead rose up, and with bended knees +said to Peter, "I saw Jesus Christ, and he sent his angels forth at thy +prayer, that they might lead me to life." The people then crying with one +voice said, "There is one God that Peter preaches:" and would burn the +magician, but Peter forbade them, saying, that Jesus had taught them the +rule, that they should requite evil with good. + +Simon, when he had escaped from the people, tied a huge mastiff within the +gate where Peter had his dwelling, that he {375} might suddenly devour him. +But Peter came and untied the mastiff with this injunction, "Run, and say +to Simon, that he no longer with his magic deceive God's people, whom he +bought with his own blood." And he forthwith hastened towards the magician, +and put him to flight. Peter afterwards thus spake, "In the name of God I +command thee that thou fasten no tooth on his body." The dog, when he might +not hurt his body, tore his garments piecemeal from his back, and, howling +like a wolf, drove him along the walls, in sight of the people. He then +escaped from the dog, and for a long time after, for shame, was not seen in +Rome. + +After a time he got some one to speak of him to the emperor Nero, and it +happened that the accursed persecutor associated the devil's minister in +his friendship. When this had taken place, Christ appeared to Peter in a +ghostly vision, and encouraged him with this incitement, "The magician +Simon and the cruel Nero are filled with the spirit of the devil, and +machinate against thee, but be thou not afraid; I will be with thee, and I +will send my servant Paul for thy comfort, who shall enter into Rome +to-morrow, and ye shall fight in ghostly conflict against the magician, and +shall cast him into the abyss of hell, and ye shall afterwards together +come to my kingdom with the triumph of martyrdom." + +Non passus est Paulus, quando vinctus Romam perductus est, sed post aliquot +annos, quando sponte illuc iterum reversus est. This in sooth so happened. +On the next day Paul came into the city, and each of them received the +other with great joy, and they were together seven months preaching within +the city the way of life to the people. People without number then inclined +to christianity through the teaching of Peter; and also Livia the emperor's +consort, and the wife of his chief officer, Agrippina, were so imbued with +the faith, that they eschewed the intercourse of their husbands. Through +the preaching of Paul the servants and domestics of the {377} emperor +believed, and after their baptism would not return to his family. + +Simon the magician then wrought a brazen serpent, moving as if it were +alive, and made the idols of the heathens laughing and moving; and he +himself suddenly appeared up in the air. On the other hand Peter healed the +blind, and the halt, and the possessed of devils, and raised up the dead, +and said to the people that they should flee from the magic of the devil, +lest they should be deceived by his wiles. This was then made known to the +emperor, and he commanded the magician to be fetched to him, and also the +apostles. Simon changed his appearance before the emperor, so that he +suddenly seemed a boy, and afterwards a hoary man; sometimes in a woman's +person, and again instantly in childhood. + +When Nero saw that, he imagined that he was the Son of God. Peter said that +he was God's adversary, and guilty of false magic, and said that he was +certainly the devil in human substance. Simon said, "It is not fitting that +thou, king, shouldst listen to the words of a false fisher; but I will no +longer bear this contumely: I will now command my angels to avenge me on +this fisher." Peter said, "I fear not thy accursed spirits, but they will +become terrified through the faith of my Lord." Nero said, "Fearest thou +not, Peter, the powers of Simon, who manifests to thee his divinity by +miracles? " Peter said, "If he have divinity, then let him say what I +think, or what I will do." Nero said, "Tell me, Peter, in speech apart, +what thou thinkest." He then bent to the emperor's ear, and ordered a +barley loaf to be privately brought to him; and he blessed the loaf, and +brake, and wrapt it in his two sleeves, thus saying, "Say now, Simon, what +I thought, or said, or did." He was then wroth, for he could not open +Peter's secret, and caused by magic large dogs to come, and rush towards +Peter; but Peter showed the blessed bread to the dogs, and they +straightways vanished from their {379} sight. He then said to the emperor, +"Simon threatened me with his angels, now he sends dogs to me; because he +has not divine angels, but has doglike." Nero said, "What is now, Simon? I +ween we are overcome." Simon answered, "Thou good king, no one knows men's +thoughts but God alone." Peter answered, "Undoubtedly thou liest that thou +art God, now thou knowest not men's thoughts." + +Nero then turned to Paul, and said, "Why sayest thou no word? Or who has +taught thee? or what hast thou taught with thy preaching?" Paul answered +him, "O sir, why shall I answer this lost adversary? If thou wilt obey his +words, thou wilt injure thy soul, and also thy kingdom. Concerning my +teaching, which thou askest, I will answer thee. Jesus, who while present +taught Peter, the same by revelation taught me; and I have filled with the +precepts of God from Jerusalem until I came to Illyricum. I taught that men +should love and honour each other. I taught the rich not to exalt +themselves, nor to place their hope in false wealth, but in God alone. I +taught men of moderate means to be frugal in their food and clothing. I +enjoined the poor to rejoice in their indigence. Fathers I exhorted to +bring up their children in the fear of God. Children I enjoined to be +obedient to the salutary admonitions of father and mother. I taught +husbands to keep inviolate their wedlock, because that which a man punishes +in an adulterous wife, God will avenge in an adulterous husband. I exhorted +pious wives inwardly to love their husbands, and with awe obey them as +masters. I taught masters to be kind to their servants; because they are +brothers before God, the master and the servant. I commanded serving men +faithfully and as God to serve their masters. I taught all believing men to +worship one God Almighty and invisible. I learned not this lore of any +earthly man, but {381} Jesus Christ spake to me from heaven, and sent me to +preach his doctrine to all nations, thus saying, 'Go thou throughout the +world, and I will be with thee, and whatsoever thou sayest or doest, I will +justify it.'" The emperor was then astonished at these words. + +Simon said, "Thou good king, thou understandest not the plot of these two +men against me. I am the Truth, but these thwart me. Command now a high +tower to be raised, that I may ascend it; for my angels will not come to me +on earth among sinful men: and I will ascend to my father, and I will +command my angels to fetch thee to my kingdom." Nero then said, "I will see +if thou fulfillest these promises by deeds;" and then bade the tower be +raised with great haste on the smooth field, and commanded all his people +to come together to this spectacle. The magician then ascended the tower +before all the people, and with outstretched arms began to fly in the air. + +Paul said to Peter, "Brother, thou wast chosen of God before me, to thee it +is fitting that thou cast down this minister of the devil with thy prayers; +and I will also bend my knees to that prayer." Peter then looked towards +the flying magician, thus saying, "I conjure you, accursed spirits, in the +name of Christ, to forsake the magician whom ye bear betwixt you;" and the +devils instantly forsook him, and he falling brake into four pieces. The +four pieces clave to four stones, which are for witness of the apostolic +triumph to this day. Peter's patience allowed the hellish fiends to bear +him somewhile up through the air, that in his fall he might descend the +more violently; and that he, who menacingly a little before would fly with +devilish wings, might suddenly lose his footing. It was befitting him to be +raised up on high, that, in the sight of all the people, falling down, he +might seek the earth. + +Nero then commanded Peter and Paul to be held in bonds, and the pieces of +Simon's carcase to be guarded by a watch: {383} he weened that he could +arise from death on the third day. Peter said, "This Simon will not be +requickened before the general resurrection, but he is condemned to +everlasting torments." Then God's adversary, Nero, with the counsel of his +chief officer Agrippa, commanded Paul to be beheaded, and Peter hanged on a +cross. Paul then, at the executioner's command, bowed his neck under the +sword's edge, and Peter ascended the cross. While he was being led to the +cross, he said to the executioners, "I beseech you, turn my head down, and +stretch my feet towards heaven: I am not worthy to hang as my Lord. He +descended from heaven for the redemption of the world, and therefore were +his feet turned downwards. He now calls me to his kingdom; turn therefore +my foot-soles to the heavenly way." And the executioners granted him this. + +Then would the christian people slay the emperor, but Peter stilled them +with these words: "My Lord a few days ago manifested to me that I should +follow his footsteps with this suffering: now, my children, hinder not my +way. My feet are now turned to the heavenly life. Rejoice with me; now +to-day I shall receive the reward of my tribulation." He was then praying +his Lord with these words: "My Saviour, I commit to thee thy sheep, which +thou didst entrust to me: they will not lack a shepherd when they have +thee." And with these words he gave up his ghost. + +Together they went, Peter and Paul, on this day, triumphant to the heavenly +dwelling, in the six and thirtieth year after Christ's passion, with whom +they continue to eternity. Igitur Hieronymus et quique alii auctores +testantur, quod in una die simul Petrus et Paulus martyrizati sunt. + +Immediately after their passion there came beauteous men, and unknown to +all the people: they said that they came from Jerusalem, that they might +bury the bodies of the apostles; and so did with great honour, and said to +the people, that {385} they might greatly rejoice at having such patrons in +their proximity. + +Know ye also that this worst of kings, Nero, could not hold his realm after +the death of these apostles. It befell that all the people together of the +cruel emperor hated him, so that they resolved unanimously to bind and +scourge him to death. When Nero heard of the people's counsel he was +mortally afraid, and hastened in flight to the wood. Then the rumour sprang +up that he continued so long in the wood, in cold and hunger, until wolves +tore him in pieces. + +It happened after that, that Greeks seized the bodies of the apostles, and +would take them with them eastward. There then was suddenly a great +earthquake, and the Roman people hastened thither, and rescued the bodies, +in the place which is called the Catacombs, and they preserved them there a +year and a half, until the places were built in which they were afterwards +laid, with glory and hymns. It is known among all nations that many wonders +happened at the tombs of those apostles, through permission of Jesus, to +whom be glory and praise ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +II. KA[=L]. JUL. + +NATALE S[=CI] PAULI APOSTOLI. + +Godes geladhung wurdhadh thisne daeg dham maeran apostole PAULE to +wurdhmynte, fordham dhe he is gecweden ealra dheoda l['a]reow: thurh +sodhfaeste lare waes dheah-hwaedhere his martyrd['o]m samod mid dham +eadigan Petre gefremmed. H['e] waes fram cildh['a]de on dhaere ealdan ['ae] +getogen, and mid micelre gecnyrdnysse on dhaere begriwen waes. Aefter +Cristes dhrowunge, dhadha se sodha geleafa aspr['a]ng thurh dhaera apostola +bodunge, dha ehte he cristenra manna thurh his nytennysse, and sette on +cwearterne, and eac waes on gedhafunge aet dhaes forman cydheres {386} +Stephanes slege: nis dheah-hwaedhere be him geraed, thaet h['e] handlinga +aenigne man acwealde. + +"He nam dha gewrit aet dham ealdor-biscopum to dhaere byrig Damascum, thaet +h['e] moste gebindan dha cristenan dhe h['e] on dhaere byrig gemette, and +gelaedan to Hierusalem. Tha gelamp hit on tham sidhe thaet him com faerlice +to micel leoht, and hine astrehte to eordhan, and he gehyrde stemne ufan +thus cwedhende, Saule, Saule, hw['i] ehtst dhu m['i]n? Yfel bidh dhe sylfum +thaet dhu spurne ongean dha g['a]de. He dha mid micelre fyrhte andwyrde +thaere stemne, Hwaet eart dhu, leof Hlaford? Him andwyrde seo clypung +thaere godcundan stemne, Ic eom se Haelend the dhu ehtst: ac ar['i]s nu, +and far fordh to dhaere byrig; thaer dhe bidh ges['ae]d hwaet dhe +gedafenige to donne. H['e] ar['a]s dha, ablendum eagum, and his geferan +hine swa blindne to dhaere byrig gelaeddon. And he dhaer andbidigende ne +onbyrigde aetes ne waetes binnan dhreora daga faece." + +"Waes dha sum Godes dhegen binnan dhaere byrig, his nama waes Annan['i]as, +to dham spraec Drihten dhysum wordum, Annan['i]a, ar['i]s, and gecum to +minum dheowan Saulum, se is biddende minre miltsunge mid eornestum mode. He +andwyrde dhaere drihtenlican stemne, Min Haelend, hu maeg ic hine +gesprecan, sedhe is ehtere dhinra halgena, dhurh mihte dhaera +ealdor-biscopa? Drihten cwaedh, Far swa ic dhe saede, fordhan dhe h['e] is +me gecoren faetels, thaet h['e] tobere minne naman dheodum, and cynegum, +and Israhela bearnum; and he sceal fela dhrowian for minum naman. +Annan['i]as dha becom to dham gecorenan cempan, and sette his handa him +on-uppan mid thisre gretinge, Saule, min brodhor, se Haelend, the dhe be +wege gespraec, sende me widh dh['i]n, thaet thu geseo, and mid tham Halgan +Gaste gefylled sy. Tha, mid dhisum wordum, feollon swylce fylmena of his +eagum, and he dhaerrihte gesihdhe underfeng, and to fulluhte beah. Wunode +dha sume feawa daga mid tham Godes dheowum binnan dhaere byrig, and mid +micelre bylde tham Iudeiscum bodade, thaet Crist, dhe h['i] widhsocon, is +dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu. H['i] wurdon swidhlice {388} ablicgede, and +cwaedon, La h['u], ne is dhes se waelhreowa ehtere cristenra manna: +h['u]meta bodadh he Cristes geleafan? Saulus sodhlice micclum swydhrode, +and dha Iudeiscan gescende, mid anraednysse sedhende, thaet Crist is Godes +Sunu." + +"Hwaet dha, aefter manegum dagum gereonodon dha Iudeiscan, h['u] h['i] +dhone Godes cempan acwellan sceoldon, and setton dha weardas to aelcum +geate dhaere ceastre. Paulus ongeat heora syrwunge, and dha cristenan hine +genamon, and on anre wilian aleton ofer dhone weall. And he ferde ongean to +Hierusalem, and hine gecudhlaehte to dham halgan heape Cristes hiredes, and +him cydde h['u] se Haelend hine of heofenum gespraec. Sydhdhan, aefter +sumum fyrste, com clypung of dham Halgan Gaste to dham geleaffullan werode, +thus cwedhende, Asendadh Paulum and Barnaban to dham weorce dhe ic h['i] +gecoren haebbe. Se halga heap dha, be Godes haese and gecorennysse, h['i] +asendon to laerenne eallum leodscipum be Cristes to-cyme for middangeardes +alysednysse." + +"Barnabas waes dha Paules gefera aet dhaere bodunge to langum fyrste. Dha +aet nextan weardh him gedhuht thaet hi ontwa ferdon, and swa dydon. Paulus +weardh tha afylled and gefrefrod mid thaes Halgan Gastes gife, and ferde to +manegum leodscipum, sawende Godes saed. On sumere byrig he waes twelf +monadh, on sumere twa gear, on sumere dhreo, and gesette biscopas, and +maesse-preostas, and Godes dheowas; ferde sidhdhan fordh to odhrum +leodscipe, and dyde swa gelice. Asende thonne eft ongean aerend-gewritu to +dham geleaffullum dhe he aer taehte, and h['i] swa mid tham gewritum tihte +and getrymde to lifes wege." + +We willadh nu mid sumere scortre trahtnunge thas raedinge oferyrnan, and +geopenian, gif heo hwaet digles on hyre haebbende sy. Paulus ehte cristenra +manna, na mid nidhe, swa swa dha Iudeiscan dydon, ac he waes midspreca and +bewerigend thaere ealdan ['ae] mid micelre anraednysse: wende thaet Cristes +geleafa waere widherwinna dhaere ealdan gesetnysse: ac se Haelend dhe +gesette dha ealdan ['ae] mid mislicum {390} getacnungum, se ylca eft on his +andweardnysse h['i] awende to sodhfaestnysse aefter gastlicre getacnunge. +Tha nyste Paulus dha gastlican getacnunge dhaere ['ae], and waes fordhi +hyre forespreca, and ehtere Cristes geleafan. God Aelmihtig, the ealle +dhing w['a]t, geseah his gedhanc, thaet h['e] ne ehte geleaffulra manna +dhurh andan, ac dhurh ware dhaere ealdan ['ae], and hine dha gespraec of +heofonum, dhus cwedhende, "Saule, hw['i] ehtst dhu m['i]n? Ic eom seo +Sodhfaestnys dhe dhu werast; geswic dhaere ehtnysse: derigendlic bidh dhe +thaet thu spurne ongean tha g['a]de. Gif se oxa spyrndh ongean dha g['a]de, +hit deredh him sylfum; swa eac hearmadh the dhin gewinn togeanes me." He +cwaedh, "Hw['i] ehtst dhu m['i]n?" fordhan dhe he is cristenra manna +heafod, and besargadh swa hwaet swa his lima on eordhan dhrowiadh, swa swa +he dhurh his witegan cwaedh, "Se dhe eow hrepadh, hit me bidh swa egle +swylce he hreppe dha seo mines eagan." He weardh astreht, thus cwedhende, +"Hwaet eart dhu, Hlaford?" His modignes weardh astreht, and seo sodhe +eadmodnys weardh on him araered. He feoll unrihtwis, and weardh araered +rihtwis. Feallende he forleas lichamlice gesihdhe, arisende he underfeng +his modes onlihtinge. Thry dagas he wunode butan gesihdhe, fordhan dhe he +widhs['o]c Cristes aerist on dham dhriddan daege. + +Annanias is gereht, on Hebreiscum gereorde, 'sc['e]p.' Thaet bilewite +sc['e]p dha gefullode dhone arleasan Saulum, and worhte hine arfaestne +Paulum. He gefullode dhone wulf and geworhte to lambe. He awende his naman +mid dheawum; and waes dha sodhfaest bydel Godes geladhunge, sedhe aer mid +redhre ehtnysse hi geswencte. He wolde forfleon syrewunge Iudeiscre dheode, +and gedhafode thaet hine man on anre wilian ofer dhone weall nydher +al['e]t: na thaet h['e] nolde for Cristes geleafan deadh throwian, ac +fordhi he forfleah dhone ungeripedan deadh, fordhan dhe he sceolde aerest +menigne mann mid his micclum wisdome to Gode gestrynan, and sydhdhan mid +micelre gedhincdhe to martyrdome his swuran astreccan. Micele maran witu he +dhrowode sidhdhan for Cristes naman, dhonne he ['ae]r his gecyrrednysse +{392} cristenum mannum gebude. Saulus se arleasa besw['a]ng dha cristenan, +ac aefter dhaere gecyrrednysse waes se arfaesta Paulus for Cristes naman +oft beswungen. Aene h['e] waes gestaened odh deadh, swa thaet dha ehteras +hine for deadne leton, ac dhaes on merigen h['e] ar['a]s, and ferde ymbe +his bodunge. He waes gelomlice on mycelre frecednysse, aegdher ge on s['ae] +ge on l['a]nde, on westene, betwux sceadhum, on hungre and on dhurste, and +on manegum waeccum, on cyle, and on naecednysse, and on manegum +cwearternum: swa h['e] onette mid thaere bodunge, swylce h['e] eal mennisc +to Godes r['i]ce gebringan wolde: aegdher ge mid l['a]re, ge mid gebedum, +ge mid gewritum h['e] symle tihte to Godes willan. He waes gelaed to +heofonan odh dha dhriddan fleringe, and thaer h['e] geseh and gehyrde Godes +digelnysse, dha h['e] ne moste nanum men cydhan. H['e] besargode mid wope +odhra manna synna, and eallum geleaffullum h['e] aeteowde faederlice lufe. +Mid his hand-craefte he teolode his and his geferena fordhdaeda, and +dhaer-to-eacan nis nan dhing tocnawen on sodhre eawfaestnysse thaet his +lareowdom ne gestadhelode. Tha odhre apostoli, be Godes haese, leofodon be +heora l['a]re unpleolice; ac dheah-hwaedhere Paulus ana, sedhe waes on +woruld-craefte teld-wyrhta, nolde dha alyfdan bigleofan onf['o]n, ac mid +agenre teolunge his and his geferena neode foresceawode. His l['a]ra and +his drohtnunga sind ['u]s unasmeagendlice, ac se bidh gesaelig the his +mynegungum mid gecneordnysse gehyrsumadh. + +EUANGELIUM. + +Dixit Simon Petrus ad Iesum: et reliqua. + +"He forl['e]t ealle woruld-dhing, and dham Haelende anum folgode," swa swa +dhis godspel cwydh, dhe ge n['u] aet dhisre dhenunge gehyrdon. + +"On dhaere t['i]de cwaedh Petrus se apostol to dham Haelende, Efne we +forleton ealle woruld-dhing, and dhe ['a]num fyligadh: hwaet dest dhu us +thaes to leane?" et reliqua. + +Micel truwa hwearftlode on Petres heortan: he ['a]na spraec {394} for ealne +dhone heap, "We forleton ealle dhing." Hwaet forlet Petrus? He waes +fiscere, and mid dham craefte his teolode, and dheah h['e] spraec mid +micelre bylde, "We forleton ealle dhing." Ac micel he forl['e]t, and his +gebrodhru, dhadha h['i] forleton dhone willan to agenne. Theah hw['a] +forlaete micele aehta, and ne forlaet dha gitsunge, ne forlaet he ealle +dhing. Petrus forlet lytle dhing, scripp and net, ac he forlet ealle dhing, +dhadha he, for Godes lufon, nan dhing habban nolde. He cwaedh, "We fyligadh +dhe." Nis na fulfremedlic fela aehta to forlaetenne, buton he Gode folgige. +Sodhlice dha haedhenan udhwitan fela dhinga forleton, swa swa dyde +Socrates, sedhe ealle his aehta behwyrfde widh anum gyldenum wecge, and +sydhdhan awearp dhone wecg on w['i]dre s['ae], thaet seo gitsung dhaera +aehta his willan ne hr['e]mde, and abrude fram dhaere woruldlican lare dhe +he lufode: ac hit ne fremede him swa ged['o]n, fordhan dhe he ne fyligde +Gode, ac his agenum willan, and fordhi naefde dha heofenlican edlean mid +tham apostolum, the ealle woruld-dhing forsawon for Cristes lufon, and mid +gehyrsumnysse him fyligdon. + +Petrus dha befr['a]n, "Hwaet sceal us getimian? We dydon swa swa dhu us +hete, hwaet dest dhu us to edleane? Se Haelend andwyrde, Sodh ic eow secge, +thaet ge dhe me fyligadh sceolon sittan ofer twelf d['o]msetl on dhaere +edcynninge, dhonne ic sitte on setle mines maegendhrymmes; and ge dhonne +demadh twelf Israhela maegdhum." Edcynninge he het thaet gemaenelice +aerist, on dham beodh ure lichaman ge-edcynnede to unbrosnunge, thaet is to +ecum dhingum. Tuwa we beodh on dhisum life acennede: seo forme acennednys +is flaesclic, of faeder and of meder; seo odher acennednys is gastlic, +dhonne we beodh ge-edcennede on dham halgan fulluhte, on dham us beodh +ealle synna forgyfene, dhurh dhaes Halgan Gastes gife. Seo dhridde +acennednys bidh on dham gemaenelicum aeriste, on dham beodh ure lichaman +ge-edcennede to unbrosnigendlicum lichaman. + +On dham aeriste sittadh tha twelf apostoli mid Criste on heora {396} +domsetlum, and demadh tham twelf maeigdhum Israhela dheode. This +twelffealde getel haefdh micele getacnunge. Gif dha twelf maegdha ['a]na +beodh gedemede aet dham micclum dome, hwaet dedh thonne seo dhreotteodhe +maeigdh, Leui? Hwaet dodh ealle dheoda middangeardes? Wenst dhu thaet h['i] +beodh asyndrode fram dham dome? Ac dhis twelffealde getel is geset for +eallum mancynne ealles ymbhwyrftes, for dhaere fulfremednysse his +getacnunge. Twelf tida beodh on dham daege, and twelf mondhas on geare; +twelf heahfaederas sind, twelf witegan, twelf apostoli; and dhis getel +haefdh maran getacnunge dhonne dha ungelaeredan undergitan magon. Is nu +fordhi mid dhisum twelffealdum getele ealles middangeardes ymbhwyrft +getacnod. + +Tha apostoli and ealle dha gecorenan dhe him geefenlaehton beodh deman on +dham micclum daege mid Criste. Thaer beodh feower werod aet dham dome, twa +gecorenra manna, and twa widhercorenra. Thaet forme werod bidh thaera +apostola and heora efenlaecendra, tha dhe ealle woruld-dhing for Godes +naman forleton: h['i] beodh dha demeras, and him ne bidh nan d['o]m +gedemed. Odher endebyrdnys bidh geleaffulra woruld-manna: him bidh d['o]m +gesett, swa thaet hi beodh asyndrede fram gemanan dhaera widhercorenra, +thus cwedhendum Drihtne, "Cumadh to me, ge gebletsode mines Faeder, and +onfodh thaet r['i]ce dhe eow is gegearcod fram frymdhe middangeardes." An +endebyrdnys bidh thaera widhercorenra, tha the cidhdhe haefdon to Gode, ac +h['i] ne beeodon heora geleafan mid Godes bebodum: dhas beodh fordemede. +Odher endebyrdnys bidh thaera haedhenra manna, the nane cydhdhe to Gode +naefdon: thisum bidh gelaest se apostolica cwyde, "Dha dhe butan Godes +['ae] syngodon, h['i] eac losiadh butan aelcere ['ae]." To dhisum twam +endebyrdnyssum cwedh thonne se rihtwisa Dema, "Gewitadh fram me, ge +awyrigedan, into dham ecum fyre, the is gegearcod deofle and his awyrgedum +gastum." + +Thaet godspel cwydh fordh gyt, "Aelc dhaera dhe forlaet, for {398} minum +naman, faeder odhdhe moder, gebrodhru odhdhe geswystru, w['i]f odhdhe +bearn, land odhdhe gebytlu, be hundfealdum him bidh forgolden, and he +haefdh dhaer-to-eacan thaet ece l['i]f." Hundfeald getel is fulfremed, and +se dhe forlaet dha ateorigendlican dhing for Godes naman, he underfehdh tha +gastlican mede be hundfealdum aet Gode. Dhes cwyde belimpdh swydhe to +munuch['a]des mannum, dha dhe for heofenan r['i]ces myrhdhe forlaetadh +faeder, and moder, and flaesclice siblingas. H['i] underfodh manega +gastlice faederas and gastlice gebrodhru, fordhan dhe ealle thaes h['a]des +menn, dhe regollice lybbadh, beodh him to faederum and to gebrodhrum +getealde, and thaer-to-eacan h['i] beodh mid edleane thaes ecan lifes +gewelgode. Tha dhe ealle woruld-dhing be Godes haese forseodh, and on +gemaenum dhingum bigwiste habbadh, h['i] beodh fulfremede, and to dham +apostolum geendebyrde. Dha odhre dhe dhas gedhincdhe nabbadh, thaet hi +ealle heora aehta samod forlaetan magon, h['i] d['o]n thonne dhone dael for +Godes naman dhe him to onhagige, and him bidh be hundfealdum ['e]celice +geleanod swa hwaet swa h['i] be anfealdum hwilwendlice daeladh. + +Micel tod['a]l is betwux tham gecyrredum mannum: sume h['i] geefenlaecadh +tham apostolum, sume h['i] geefenlaecadh Iudan, Cristes bel['ae]wan, sume +Annanian and Saphiran, sume Giezi. Tha dhe ealle gewitendlice dhing to +dhaera apostola efenlaecunge forseodh, for intingan thaes ['e]can lifes, +h['i] habbadh l['o]f and dha ['e]can edlean mid Cristes apostolum. Se dhe +betwux munecum drohtnigende, on mynstres aehtum mid f['a]cne swicadh, he +bidh Iudan gefera, dhe Crist belaewde, and his wite mid hellwarum +underfehdh. Se dhe mid twyfealdum gedhance to mynsterlicre drohtnunge +gecyrdh, and sumne dael his aehta daeldh, sumne him sylfum gehylt, and +naefdh naenne truwan to dham Aelmihtigan, thaet he him foresceawige +andlyfene and gew['ae]da and odhere neoda, he underfehdh thone awyrgedan +cwyde mid Annanian and Saphiran, the swicedon on heora agenum aehtum, and +mid faerlicum deadhe aetforan dham apostolum steorfende {400} afeollon. Se +dhe on muneclicere drohtnunge earfodhhylde bidh, and gyrndh dhaera dhinga +dhe h['e] on woruldlicere drohtnunge naefde, odhdhe begitan ne mihte, buton +twyn him genealaehdh se hreofla Giezi, thaes witegan cnapan, and thaet +thaet he on lichaman gedhrowade, thaet dhrowadh thes on his sawle. Se cnapa +folgode dham maeran witegan Eliseum: tha com him to sum rice mann of tham +leodscipe the is Siria geh['a]ten, his nama waes N['a]['a]m['a]n, and he +waes hreoflig. Tha becom h['e] to dham Godes witegan Eliseum, on Iudea +lande, and he dhurh Godes mihte fram dhaere codhe hine gehaelde. Tha bead +he dham Godes menn, for his haeldhe, deorwurdhe sceattas. Se witega him +andwyrde, "Godes miht the gehaelde, na ic. Ne underf['o] ic dhin feoh: +dhanca Gode dhinre gesundfulnysse, and br['u]c dhinra aehta." +N['a]['a]m['a]n dha gecyrde mid ealre his fare to his agenre leode. + +Tha waes dhaes witegan cnapa, Gyezi, mid gitsunge undercropen, and of-arn, +dhone dhegen N['a]['a]m['a]n dhus mid wordum liccetende, "Nu faerlice comon +tweigra witegena bearn to minum lareowe: asend him twa scrud and sum pund." +Se dhegen him andwyrde, "Waclic bidh him swa lytel to sendenne; ac genim +feower scrud and twa pund." He dha gewende ongean mid tham sceattum, and +bediglode his faer widh thone witegan. Se witega hine befr['a]n, "Hwanon +come dhu, Giezi?" He andwyrde, "Leof, naes ic on nanre fare." Se witega +cwaedh, "Ic geseah, dhurh Godes G['a]st, tha se dhegen alyhte of his +craete, and eode togeanes dhe, and dhu name his sceattas on feo and on +reafe. Hafa dhu eac fordh mid dham sceattum his hreoflan, dhu and eal dhin +ofspring on ecnysse." And h['e] gewende of his gesihdhe mid snaw-hwitum +hreoflan beslagen. + +Is nu fordhi munuch['a]des mannum mid micelre gecnyrdnysse to forbugenne +dhas yfelan gebysnunga, and geefenlaecan tham apostolum, thaet h['i], mid +him and mid Gode, thaet ['e]ce l['i]f habban moton. Amen. + +JUNE XXX. + +THE NATIVITY OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE. + +The church of God celebrates this day in honour of the great Apostle PAUL, +for he is called the teacher of all nations: though his martyrdom, for true +doctrine, was accomplished with the blessed Peter's. He had from childhood +been bred up in the old law, and by great diligence was therein deeply +imbued. After Christ's passion, when the true faith had sprung up through +the preaching of the apostles, he persecuted christian men through his +ignorance, and set them in prison, and was also consenting to the slaying +of the first {387} martyr Stephen: it is not, however, read of him that he +killed any man with his own hands. + +"He took then letters of the high priests for the city of Damascus, that he +might bind the christians that he found in the city, and lead them to +Jerusalem. Then it happened on the journey that a great light came suddenly +on him, and prostrated him on the earth, and he heard a voice from above +thus saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Evil will it be to thee +to spurn against the goad. He then in great fright answered the voice, Who +art thou, dear Lord? The calling of the divine voice answered him, I am +Jesus whom thou persecutest: but arise now, and go forth to the city; there +shall it be said unto thee what it befitteth thee to do. He arose then with +blinded eyes, and his companions led him thus blind to the city. And there +abiding he tasted neither meat nor drink for a space of three days." + +"There was then a servant of God within the city, his name was Ananias, to +whom the Lord spake in these words, Ananias, arise, and go to my servant +Saul, who is praying for my mercy with earnest mind. He answered the divine +voice, My Saviour, how may I speak to him who is the persecutor of thy +saints, through the power of the chief priests? The Lord said, Go as I have +said to thee, for he is to me a chosen vessel, to bear my name to nations, +and to kings, and to the children of Israel; and he shall suffer much for +my name. Ananias went then to the chosen champion, and set his hands upon +him with this greeting, Saul, my brother, Jesus, who spake to thee on the +way, hath sent me to thee, that thou mayest see, and be filled with the +Holy Ghost. Then with these words there fell as it were films from his +eyes, and he straightways received sight, and submitted to baptism. He +continued then some few days with the servants of God within the city, and +with great boldness preached to the Jews, that Christ, whom they had +denied, is the Son of Almighty God. They were greatly astonished, and said, +What! is not this {389} the cruel persecutor of christian men: how +preacheth he the faith of Christ? But Saul increased much in strength, and +shamed the Jews, with steadfastness verifying that Christ is the Son of +God." + +"Then after many days the Jews deliberated how they might kill the champion +of God, and set wards at every gate of the city. Paul got knowledge of +their machination, and the christians took him, and let him down over the +wall in a basket. And he went again to Jerusalem, and announced himself to +the holy fellowship of Christ's family, and made known to them how Jesus +had spoken to him from heaven. After some time a voice came from the Holy +Ghost, to the faithful company, thus saying, Send Paul and Barnabas to the +work for which I have chosen them. The holy fellowship then, by God's +command and election, sent them to teach all countries concerning the +coming of Christ for the redemption of the world." + +"Thus was Barnabas Paul's companion in preaching for a long time, when at +last it seemed good to them to go apart, and they did so. Paul was then +filled and comforted with the grace of the Holy Ghost, and went to many +countries, sowing God's seed. In one city he was twelve months, in one two +years, in one three, and appointed bishops, and mass-priests, and servants +of God; he went afterwards to another country, and did in like manner. But +he sent back letters to those whom he before had taught, and so by those +letters stimulated and confirmed them in the way of life." + +We will now run over this reading with a short exposition, and explain any +obscurity there may be contained in it. Paul persecuted christian men, not +with hate, as the Jews did, but he was a partizan and defender of the old +law with great steadfastness: he thought that the faith of Christ was an +adversary to the old covenant: but Jesus who had established the old law by +divers miracles, the same afterwards by his {391} presence changed it to +truth, according to its ghostly signification. Now Paul knew not the +ghostly signification of that law, and was therefore its advocate, and a +persecutor of the faith of Christ. God Almighty, who knows all things, saw +his thoughts, that he did not persecute faithful men from rancour, but for +the defence of the old law, and spake to him from heaven, thus saying, +"Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am the Truth which thou defendest; cease +from persecution: hurtful will it be to thee to spurn against the goad. If +the ox spurneth against the goad, it hurteth himself; so also harmeth thee +thy warfare against me." He said, "Why persecutest thou me?" because he is +the head of christian men, and bewails whatsoever his limbs suffer on +earth, as he said through his prophet, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to +me as painful as if he touched the sight of my eye." He was prostrated, +thus saying, "Who art thou, Lord?" His pride was prostrated, and true +humility was raised up in him. He fell unrighteous, and was raised +righteous. Falling he lost bodily sight, rising he received his mind's +enlightening. Three days he continued without sight, because he had denied +the resurrection of Christ on the third day. + +Ananias signifies in the Hebrew tongue, _sheep_. The gentle sheep then +baptized the impious Saul, and made him the pious Paul. He baptized the +wolf and made him a lamb. He changed his name with his character; and he +was then a true proclaimer of God's church, who had before afflicted it +with fierce persecution. He would flee from the machination of the Jewish +people, and consented to be let down in a basket over the wall: not because +he would not suffer death for the faith of Christ, but because he would +flee from immature death; for he had first to gain many a man to God by his +great wisdom, and afterwards with great honour stretch out his neck to +martyrdom. Much greater torments he suffered afterwards for Christ's name, +than he had ordered for {393} christian men before his conversion. Saul the +impious scourged the christians, but after his conversion the pious Paul +for the name of Christ was often scourged. Once he was stoned almost to +death, so that his persecutors left him for dead, but in the morning he +arose and went about his preaching. He was frequently in great peril, both +by sea and by land, in the waste, among thieves, from hunger and from +thirst, and from many watchings, from cold, and from nakedness, and from +many prisons: he so hastened with his preaching, as though he would bring +all mankind to God's kingdom: as well with precepts as with prayers and +with letters, he ever stimulated to the will of God. He was led to heaven +as far as the third flooring, and there he saw and heard God's secret, +which he might not make known to any man. He bewailed with weeping the sins +of other men, and to all the faithful he showed fatherly love. By his +handicraft he toiled for his own and his companions' support, and in +addition thereto there was nothing known in true piety which his +instruction did not confirm. The other apostles lived, by God's command, by +their teaching, free from danger; but, nevertheless, Paul alone, who by +worldly craft was a tent-wright, would not receive the sustenance allowed, +but by his own toil provided for his own and his companions' need. His +precepts and his acts are to us inscrutable, but happy will he be who obeys +his admonitions with diligence. + +GOSPEL. + + Dixit Simon Petrus ad Jesum: et reliqua. + +"He forsook all worldly things, and followed Jesus only," as this gospel +says, which ye now at this service have heard. + +"At that time Peter the apostle said to Jesus, Behold we have left all +worldly things, and follow thee only: what wilt thou do for us in reward +thereof?" etc. + +Great trust revolved in the heart of Peter: he alone spake {395} for the +whole company, "We have forsaken all things." What did Peter forsake? He +was a fisher, and by that craft provided for himself, and yet he spake with +great boldness, "We have forsaken all things." But he and his brothers +forsook much, when they forsook the will to possess. Though any one forsake +great possessions, and forsake not avarice, he forsakes not all things. +Peter forsook little things, scrip and net, but he forsook all things, +when, for love of God, he would have nothing. He said, "We follow thee." It +is not complete to forsake many possessions, unless a man follow God. For +the heathen philosophers forsook many things, as Socrates did, who +exchanged all his possessions for a wedge of gold, and then cast the wedge +into the wide sea, that desire of possessions might not obstruct his will, +and draw it from the worldly lore that he loved: but it profited him not so +to do, because he did not follow God, but his own will, and had not +therefore heavenly reward with the apostles, who, for love of Christ, +despised all worldly things, and with obedience followed him. + +Peter then asked, "What shall become of us? We have done as thou +commandedst us, what wilt thou do for us in reward? Jesus answered, Verily +I say unto you, that ye who follow me shall, at the regeneration, sit on +twelve judgement-seats, when I shall sit on the seat of my majesty; and ye +then shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel." He called the common +resurrection, regeneration, at which our bodies will be regenerated to +incorruption, that is to eternity. Twice we are born in this life: the +first birth is fleshly, of father and of mother; the second birth is +ghostly, when we are regenerated at the holy baptism, in which all our sins +will be forgiven us, through grace of the Holy Ghost. The third birth is at +the common resurrection, at which our bodies will be regenerated to +incorruptible bodies. + +At the resurrection the twelve apostles will sit with Christ {397} on their +judgement-seats, and will judge the twelve tribes of the people of Israel. +This twelvefold number has great signification. If the twelve tribes only +will be judged at the great doom, what then will the thirteenth tribe, +Levi, do? What will do all the nations of the world? Thinkest thou that +they will be sundered from the doom? But this twelvefold number is set for +all mankind of all the orb, for the perfectness of its signification. There +are twelve hours in the day, and twelve months in the year; there are +twelve patriarchs, twelve prophets, twelve apostles; and this number has a +greater import than the unlearned may understand. By this twelvefold number +therefore the orb of the whole earth is now signified. + +The apostles and all the chosen who imitated them will be judges on the +great day with Christ. There will be four assemblages at the great doom, +two of chosen men, and two of rejected. The first assemblage will be of the +apostles and their imitators, who forsook all worldly things for the name +of God: they will be the judges, and to them shall no judgement be judged. +The second class will be of faithful men of this world: on them will doom +be set, so that they will be sundered from the fellowship of the rejected, +the Lord thus saying, "Come to me, ye blessed of my Father, and receive the +kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." One +class will be of those rejected, who had knowledge of God, but did not +cultivate their faith with God's commandments: these will be condemned. The +other class is of those heathen men, who have had no knowledge of God: on +these will be fulfilled the apostolic sentence, "Those who have sinned +without God's law, shall perish also without any law." To these two classes +the righteous Judge will then say, "Depart from me, ye accursed, into the +everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his accursed +spirits." + +The gospel says yet further, "Everyone who forsaketh, {399} for my name, +father or mother, brothers or sisters, wife or children, land or dwellings, +shall be requited an hundredfold, and he shall have, in addition thereunto, +everlasting life." An hundredfold number is perfect, and he who forsakes +perishable things for the name of God, will receive from God ghostly meed +an hundredfold. This saying is especially applicable to men of monastic +order, who, for the joy of heaven's kingdom, forsake father, and mother, +and fleshly relations. They receive many ghostly fathers and ghostly +brothers, for all men of that order, who live after rule, are accounted as +their fathers and brothers, and, in addition thereto, they will be enriched +with the reward of everlasting life. Those who, at God's behest, despise +all worldly things, and have their subsistence in common, are perfect, and +will be classed with the apostles. Others, who have not the merit of being +able to forsake all their possessions together, let them then give, for the +name of God, what portion it may please them, and they will be eternally +rewarded an hundredfold for whatsoever they singly and temporarily +distribute. + +There is a great difference among converted men: some imitate the apostles, +some imitate Judas the betrayer of Christ, some Ananias and Sapphira, some +Gehazi. Those who, in imitation of the apostles, despise all transitory +things for the sake of everlasting life, shall have praise and everlasting +reward with Christ's apostles. He who, living among monks, guilefully +deceives in the property of the monastery, will be the companion of Judas, +who betrayed Christ, and will receive his punishment with the inmates of +hell. He who with twofold thoughts turns to monastic life, and bestows one +part of his property, holds one to himself, and has no trust in the +Almighty, that he will provide for him food and garments and other needs, +will receive the accursed sentence with Ananias and Sapphira, who deceived +in their own property, and fell dying with sudden death before the +apostles. {401} He who in monastic life is ill-inclined, and yearns for the +things which he had not in worldly life nor could obtain, without doubt to +him approximates the leper Gehazi, the prophet's servant, and that which he +suffered in body, this suffers in his soul. The servant followed the great +prophet Elisha: then there came to him a rich man of the nation which is +called Syria, his name was Naaman, and he was leprous. He came then to +God's prophet, Elisha, in Judea, and he, through God's might, healed him +from that disease. He then offered to the man of God, for his health, +precious treasures. The prophet answered him, "God's might hath healed +thee, not I. I will not receive thy money: thank God for thy health, and +enjoy thy possessions." Naaman then returned with all his company to his +own people. + +Then was the prophet's servant, Gehazi, beguiled by avarice, and he ran +off, the officer Naaman thus deceiving by words, "Now suddenly the sons of +two prophets are come to my master: send him two garments and a pound." The +officer answered him, "It will be mean to send him so little; but take four +garments and two pounds." He then returned with the treasures, and +concealed his journey from the prophet. The prophet asked him, "Whence +comest thou, Gehazi?" He answered, "Sir, I was on no journey." The prophet +said, "I saw through the Spirit of God, that the officer alighted from his +chariot, and went towards thee, and thou tookest his treasures in money and +in raiment. Have also henceforth with the treasures his leprosy, thou and +all thy offspring for ever." And he turned from his sight stricken with +snow-white leprosy. + +Now it is therefore for monastic men to shun with great care these evil +examples, and to imitate the apostles, that they, with them and with God, +may have everlasting life. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{402} DOMINICA XI. POST PENTECOSTEN. + + Cum adpropinquaret Iesus Hierusalem: et reliqua. + +"On sumere tide waes se Haelend farende to Hierusalem: dhadha he +genealaehte thaere ceastre and h['e] h['i] geseah, dha weop h['e] ofer +h['i]:" et reliqua. + +Gregorius se trahtnere cwaedh, thaet se Haelend beweope dhaere ceastre +toworpennysse, dhe gelamp aefter his dhrowunge, for dhaere wrace heora +m['a]ndaeda, thaet h['i] dhone heofenlican Aedheling m['a]nfullice acwellan +woldon. He spraec mid woplicre stemne, na to dham weorc-st['a]num, odhdhe +to dhaere getimbrunge, ac spraec to dham ceastergewarum, tha h['e] mid +faederlicere lufe besargode, fordhan dhe h['e] wiste heora forwyrd +hraedlice toweard. Feowertig geara fyrst Godes mildheortnys forl['e]t dham +waelhreowum ceastergewarum to behreowsunge heora m['a]ndaeda, ac h['i] ne +gymdon nanre daedbote, ac maran m['a]ndaeda gefremedon, swa thaet h['i] +oftorfodon mid stanum dhone forman Godes cydhere Stephanum, and Iacobum, +Iohannes brodher, beheafdodon. Eac dhone rihtwisan Iacobum h['i] ascufon of +dham temple, and acwealdon, and ehtnysse on dha odhre apostolas setton. Seo +Godes geladhung, the on dhaere byrig, aefter Cristes dhrowunge, under tham +rihtwisan Iacobe drohtnigende waes, ferde eal samod of dhaere byrig to anre +w['i]c widh dha ['e]['a] Iordanen; fordhan dhe him com to Godes h['ae]s, +thaet hi sceoldon fram dhaere m['a]nfullan stowe faran, aerdham dhe seo +wracu come. God dha oncneow thaet dha Iudeiscan nanre d['ae]dbote ne +gymdon, ac m['a] and m['a] heora m['a]ndaeda geyhton: sende him dha to +Romanisc folc, and h['i] ealle fordyde. + +Uespasianus hatte se casere, dhe on dham dagum geweold ealles middangeardes +cynedomes. S['e] asende his sunu Titum to oferwinnenne dha earman +Iudeiscan. Tha gel['a]mp hit swa thaet h['i] waeron gesamnode binnan dhaere +byrig Hierusalem, six hund dhusend manna, swylce on anum cwearterne +beclysede; and h['i] wurdon dha utan ymbsette mid Romaniscum here swa lange +thaet dhaer fela dhusenda mid hungre wurdon acwealde; and for dhaere menigu +man ne mihte h['i] bebyrigan, ac awurpon {404} dha l['i]c ofer dhone weall. +Sume dheah for maeiglicre sibbe h['i] bebyrigan woldon, ac h['i] hraedlice +for maegenleaste swulton. Gif hwa hwaet lytles aeniges bigwistes him sylfum +gearcode, him scuton sona to reaferas, and dhone mete him of dham mudhe +abrudon. Sume h['i] cuwon heora gesc['y], sume heora haetera, sume streaw, +for dhaere micclan angsumnysse dhaes hatan hungres. Hit nis na gedafenlic +thaet we on dhisum halgan godspelle ealle dha sceamlican yrmdhu gereccan +the gelumpon dham ymbsettum Iudeiscum, aerdhan dhe hi on hand g['a]n +woldon. Weardh dha se maesta dael dhaera arleasra mid tham bysmerlicum +hungre adyd, and tha lafe dhaes hungres ofsloh se Romanisca here, and dha +burh grundlunga towurpon, swa thaet dhaer ne bel['a]f st['a]n ofer +st['a]ne, swa swa se Haelend ['ae]r mid wope gew['i]tegode. Thaera cnapena +dhe binnan syxtyne geara ylde waeron, hund-nigontig dhusenda h['i] tosendon +to gehwylcum leodscipum to dheowte, and on dham earde ne bel['a]f nan dhing +dhaes awyrgedan cynnes. Seo burh weardh sydhdhan on odhre st['o]we +getimbrod, and mid dham Sarasceniscum gesett. + +Se Haelend geswutelode for hwilcum intingan dheos tostencednys thaere byrig +gelumpe, dhadha h['e] cwaedh, "Fordhan the dhu ne oncneowe dhone timan +dhinre geneosunge." He geneosode dha buruhware dhurh his menniscnysse, ac +h['i] naeron his gemyndige, nadhor ne dhurh lufe ne thurh ege. Be dhaere +gymeleaste spraec se witega mid ceorigendre stemne, dhus cwedhende, "Storc +and swalewe heoldon dhone timan heora to-cymes, and this folc ne oncneow +Godes d['o]m." Drihten cwaedh to dhaere byrig, "Gif thu wistest hwaet the +toweard is, thonne weope dhu mid me. Witodlice on dhisum daege thu wunast +on sibbe, ac dha toweardan wraca sind nu bediglode fram dhinum eagum." Seo +buruhwaru waes wunigende on woruldlicere sibbe, thatha heo orsorhlice waes +underdheodd flaesclicum lustum, and hwonlice h['o]gode ymbe dha toweardan +yrmdha, dhe hyre dha-gyt bediglode waeron. Gif heo dhaere yrmdhe forewittig +waere, ne mihte heo mid orsorgum mode dhaere gesundfulnysse andweardes +lifes brucan. + +{406} Drihten adraefde of dham temple dha c['y]pmen, thus cwedhende, "Hit +is awriten, thaet min h['u]s is gebed-h['u]s, and ge hit habbadh gedon +sceadhum to screafe." Thaet tempel waes Gode gehalgod, to his dhenungum and +lofsangum, and to gebedum dham geleaffullum; ac dha gytsigendan +ealdor-biscopas gedhafedon thaet dhaer cyping binnan gehaefd waere. +Drihten, dhadha he thaet unriht geseah, he worhte ['a]ne swipe of r['a]pum, +and h['i] ealle mid gebeate ['u]t-ascynde. Theos todraefednys getacnode dha +toweardan toworpennysse dhurh thone Romaniscan here, and se hryre gel['a]mp +swydhost thurh gyltas dhaera ealdor-biscopa dhe, binnan dham temple +wunigende, mid gehywedre halignysse thaes folces l['a]c underfengon, and +dhaera manna ehton dhe butan lace thaet tempel gesohton. Hwaet waes thaet +tempel buton swylce sceadhena scraef, thatha dha ealdor-biscopas mid +swylcere gytsunge gefyllede waeron, and dha leaslican ceapas binnan dham +Godes huse gedhafedon? Hit is on odhrum godspelle awriten, thaet dhaer +saeton myneteras, and dhaer waeron gecype hrydheru, and sc['e]p, and +culfran. On dham dagum, aefter gesetnysse dhaere ealdan ['ae], man offrode +hrydheru, and sc['e]p, and culfran, for getacnunge Cristes dhrowunge: dha +tihte seo gitsung tha sacerdas thaet man dhillic orf thaer to ceape haefde, +gif hw['a] feorran come, and wolde his l['a]c Gode offrian, dhaet h['e] on +gehendnysse to bicgenne gearu haefde. Drihten dha adraefde dhillice cypan +of dham halgan temple, fordhan dhe hit naes to nanum ceape araered, ac to +gebedum. + +"Him dha to genealaehton blinde and healte, and he hi gehaelde, and waes +laerende thaet folc daeghwomlice binnan dham temple." Se mildheorta +Drihten, dhe laet scinan his sunnan ofer dha rihtwisan and unrihtwisan +gelice, and sent renas and eordhlice waestmas g['o]dum and yfelum, nolde +ofteon his lare tham dhwyrum Iudeiscum, fordhan dhe manega waeron g['o]de +betwux tham yfelan, the mid dhaere lare gebeterode waeron, theah dhe dha +thwyran hyre widhcwaedon. H['e] eac mid wundrum dha lare getrymde, thaet +dha gecorenan dhy geleaffulran waeron: and dha widhercorenan nane beladunge +nabbadh, fordhan dhe h['i] ne {408} dhurh godcunde tacna, ne thurh +l['i]flice lare, tham sodhfaestan Haelende gelyfan noldon. Nu cwydh se +eadiga Gregorius, thaet heora toworpennys haefdh sume gelicnysse to +gehwilcum thwyrlicum mannum, the blissiadh on yfel-daedum, and on dham +wyrstan dhingum faegniadh. Swilcera manna besargadh se mildheorta Drihten +daeghwomlice, sedhe dha tha losigendlican buruhware mid tearon bem['ae]nde. +Ac gif h['i] oncneowon dha genidherunge the him onsihdh, h['i] mihton h['i] +sylfe mid sarigendre stemne heofian. + +Sodhlice dhaere losigendlican sawle belimpdh thes aefterfiligenda cwyde, +"On dhysum daege thu wunast on sibbe, ac seo towearde wracu is nu bediglod +fram dhinum eagum." Witodlice seo dhwyre sawul is on sibbe wunigende on +hire daege, thonne heo on gewitendlicere tide blissadh, and mid wurdhmyntum +bidh up-ahafen, and on hwilwendlicum bricum bidh ungefoh, and on +flaesclicum lustum bidh tolysed, and mid nanre fyrhte thaes toweardan wites +ne bidh geegsod, ac bedygeladh hire sylfre dha aefterfiligendan yrmdha; +fordhan gif heo embe dha smeadh, thonne bidh seo woruldlice bliss mid +thaere smeagunge gedrefed. Heo haefdh dhonne sibbe on hire daege, dhonne +heo nele dha andweardan myrhdhe gew['ae]can mid n['a]nre care thaere +toweardan ungesaeldhe, ac gaedh mid beclysedum eagum to dham witnigendlicum +fyre. Seo sawul dhe on dhas wisan nu drohtnadh, heo is to geswencenne +dhonne dha rihtwisan blissiadh; and ealle dha ateorigendlican dhing, the +heo nu to sibbe and blisse taladh, beodh hire dhonne to byternysse and to +ceaste awende; fordhan dhe heo micele sace widh h['i] sylfe haefdh, hw['i] +heo dha genidherunge, dhe heo dhonne dholadh, nolde aer on life mid aenigre +carfulnysse foresceawian. Be dham is awriten, "Eadig bidh se man the symle +bidh forhtigende; and sodhlice se heardmoda befyldh on yfel." Eft on odhre +stowe mynegadh thaet halige gewrit, "On eallum dhinum weorcum beo dhu +gemyndig thines endenextan daeges, and on ecnysse dhu ne syngast." + +Seo halige raeding cwydh, "Se tyma cymdh thaet dhine fynd dhe ymbsittadh +mid ymbtrymminge, and dhe on aelce healfe {410} genyrwiadh, and to eordhan +the astreccadh, and dhine bearn samod dhe on dhe sind." Thaera sawla fynd +sind dha hellican gastas the besittadh thaes mannes fordhsidh, and his +sawle, gif heo fyrenful bidh, to dhaere geferr['ae]dene heora agenre +genidherunge mid micelre angsumnysse laedan willadh. Tha deoflu aeteowiadh +thaere synfullan sawle aegdher ge hyre yfelan gedhohtas, and dha +derigendlican spraeca, and dha m['a]nfullan daeda, and h['i] mid +maenigfealdum dhreatungum geangsumiadh, thaet heo on dham fordhsidhe +oncn['a]we mid hwilcum feondum heo ymbset bidh, and dheah n['a]n ut-faer ne +gemet, hu heo dham feondlicum gastum odhfleon mage. To eordhan heo bidh +astreht dhurh hire scylda oncnawennysse, dhonne se lichama the heo on +leofode to duste bidh formolsnod. Hire bearn on deadhe hreosadh, dhonne dha +['u]nalyfedlican gedhohtas, dhe heo nu acendh, beodh on dhaere endenextan +wrace eallunga toworpene, swa swa se sealm-sceop be dham gyddigende sang, +"Nelladh ge getruwian on ealdormannum, ne on manna bearnum, on dham nis nan +h['ae]l. Heora gast gewit, and h['i] to eordhan gehwyrfadh, and on dham +daege losiadh ealle heora gedhohtas." + +Sodhlice on dham godspelle fyligdh, "And h['i] ne forl['ae]tadh on dhe +st['a]n ofer st['a]ne." Thaet dhwyre mod, thonne hit geh['y]pdh yfel ofer +yfele, and thwyrnysse ofer thwyrnysse, hwaet dedh hit buton swilce hit +lecge st['a]n ofer st['a]ne? Ac dhonne seo sawul bidh to hire witnunge +gelaed, dhonne bidh eal seo getimbrung hire smeagunge toworpen; fordhan dhe +heo ne oncneow dha t['i]d hire geneosunge. On manegum gemetum geneosadh se +Aelmihtiga God manna sawla; hwiltidum mid lare, hwilon mid wundrum, hwilon +mit untrumnyssum; ac gif heo dhas geneosunga forgymeleasadh, dham feondum +heo bidh betaeht on hire geendunge, to ecere witnunge, tham dhe heo ['ae]r +on life mid healicum leahtrum gehyrsumode. Thonne beodh dha hire witneras +on dhaere hellican susle, dha dhe ['ae]r mid mislicum lustum hi to dham +leahtrum forspeonon. + +Drihten eode into dham temple, and mid swipe dha cypan ut-adraefde. Tha +cypmen binnon dham temple getacnodon {412} unrihtwise l['a]reowas on Godes +geladhunge. Dhaer waeron gecype oxan, and sc['e]p, and culfran, and thaer +saeton myneteras. Oxa teoladh his hlaforde, and se lareow syldh oxan on +Godes cyrcan, gif he begaedh his hlafordes teolunga, thaet is, gif he +bodadh godspel his underdheoddum, for eordhlicum gestreonum, and na for +godcundre lufe. Mid sceapum he mangadh, gif he dysigra manna herunga cepdh +on arfaestum weorcum. Be swylcum cwaedh se Haelend, "Hi underfengon edlean +heora weorca;" thaet is se hlisa idelre herunge, dhe him gecweme waes. + +Se l['a]reow bidh culfran cypa, the nele dha gife, dhe him God forgeaf +butan his geearnungum, odhrum mannum butan sceattum nytte d['o]n; swa swa +Crist sylf taehte, "Butan ceape ge underfengon dha gife, sylladh h['i] +odhrum butan ceape." Se dhe mid gehywedre halignysse him sylfum teoladh on +Godes geladhunge, and nateshw['o]n ne caradh ymbe Cristes teolunge, se bidh +untwylice mynet-cypa getalod. Ac se Haelend todraefdh swylce cypan of his +huse, dhonne h['e] mid genidherunge fram geferraedene his gecorenra h['i] +totwaemdh. + +"Min h['u]s is gebed-h['u]s, and ge hit habbadh ged['o]n sceadhum to +scraefe." Hit get['i]madh forwel oft thaet dha dhwyran becumadh to micclum +h['a]de on Godes geladhunge, and h['i] dhonne gastlice ofsleadh mid heora +yfelnysse heora underdheoddan, dha dhe h['i] sceoldon mid heora benum +gel['i]ffaestan. Hwaet sind dhyllice buton sceadhan? Anes gehwilces +geleaffulles mannes m['o]d is Godes h['u]s, swa swa se apostol cwaedh, +"Godes tempel is halig, thaet ge sind." Ac thaet m['o]d ne bidh na +gebed-h['u]s, ac sceadhena scraef, gif hit forlysdh unscaedhdhignysse and +bilewitnysse sodhre halignysse, and mid dhwyrlicum gedhohtum h['o]gadh +odhrum dara. + +"And he waes taecende daeghwomlice binnan dham temple." Crist laerde dha +thaet folc on his andweardnysse, and he laerdh nu daeghwomlice geleaffulra +manna m['o]d mid godcundre l['a]re smeadhancellice, thaet h['i] yfel +forbugon and g['o]d gefremman. Ne bidh na fulfremedlic tham gelyfedan thaet +h['e] yfeles geswice, buton h['e] g['o]d gefremme. Se eadiga Gregorius +cwaedh, "Mine gebrodhru, ic wolde eow ane lytle race gereccan, seo maeig +dhearle eower m['o]d getimbrian, gif ge mid gymene h['i] gehyran {414} +wylladh. Sum aedhelboren mann waes on dhaere scire Ualeria, se waes +geh['a]ten Crisaurius, se waes swa micclum mid leahtrum afylled swa micclum +swa h['e] waes mid eordhlicum welum gewelgod. He waes todhunden on +modignysse, and his flaesclicum lustum underdheod, and mid ungefohre +gytsunge ontend. Ac dhadha God gemynte his yfelnysse to geendigenne, dha +weardh h['e] geuntrumod, and to fordhsidhe gebroht. Tha on dhaere ylcan +tide the h['e] geendian sceolde, dha beseah h['e] up, and stodon him abutan +swearte gastas, and mid micclum dhreate him onsigon, thaet h['i] his sawle +on dham fordhsidhe mid him to hellicum clysungum gegripon. He ong['a]nn dha +bifian and bl['a]cian, and ungefohlice swaetan, and mid micclum hreame +fyrstes biddan, and his sunu Maximus, dhone ic geseah munuc sydhdhan, mid +gedrefedre stemne clypode, and cwaedh, Min cild, Maxime, gehelp min; onfoh +me on dhinum geleafan: naes ic dhe derigende on aenigum dhingum. Se sunu +dha Maximus mid micclum heofe gedrefed, him to c['o]m. H['e] wand tha swa +swa wurm; ne mihte gedholian tha egeslican gesihdhe dhaera awyrgedra gasta. +H['e] wende hine to wage, dhaer hi him aetwaeron; he wende eft ongean, +thaer h['e] h['i] funde. Thadha h['e] swa swidhe geancsumod his sylfes +['o]rwene waes, dha hrymde h['e] mid micelre stemne, and dhus cwaedh, +Laetadh me fyrst odh to merigen, huru-dhinga fyrst odh to merigen: ac mid +dhisum hreame dha blacan fynd tugon dha sawle of dham lichaman, and aw['e]g +gelaeddon." Be dham is swutol, thaet seo gesihdh him weardh aeteowod for +odhra manna beterunge, na for his agenre. La hwaet fremode him, dheah dhe +h['e] on fordhsidhe tha sweartan gastas gesawe, dhonne he ne moste thaes +fyrstes habban dhe he gewilnode? Ac uton we beon carfulle, thaet ure tima +mid ydelnysse ['u]s ne losige, and we dhonne to wel-daedum gecyrran willan, +dhonne us se deadh to fordhsidhe gedhreatadh. + +Thu, Aelmihtiga Drihten, gemiltsa us synfullum, and urne fordhsidh swa +gefada, thaet we, gebettum synnum, aefter dhisum frecenfullum life, dhinum +halgum geferlaehte beon moton. Sy dhe l['o]f and wuldor on ealra worulda +woruld. Amen. + +{403} THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. + + Cum adpropinquaret Jesus Hierusalem: et reliqua. + +"On a time Jesus was going to Jerusalem: when he came near to the city and +saw it, he wept over it," etc. + +Gregory the expounder said, that Jesus bewailed the overthrow of the city, +which happened after his passion, in vengeance of their crimes, because +they would sinfully slay the heavenly Prince. He spake with weeping voice, +not to the work-stones, nor to the building, but spake to the inhabitants, +whom he bewailed with fatherly love, because he knew that their destruction +was speedily to take place. A space of forty years the mercy of God left +the cruel inhabitants for repentance of their crimes, but they cared for no +penitence, but perpetrated greater crimes, so that they slew with stones +Stephen, the first martyr of God, and beheaded James, the brother of John. +The righteous James also they thrust from the temple, and slew, and raised +persecution against the other apostles. The congregation of God which, +after Christ's passion, was continuing in the city under the righteous +James, went all together from the city to a village on the river Jordan; +for God's command had come to them, that they should go from the wicked +place, ere the vengeance came. God knew then that the Jews cared for no +penitence, but more and more increased their crimes: he therefore sent to +them the Roman people, and they ruined them all. + +Vespasian the emperor was called, who in those days ruled the kingdom of +the whole world. He sent his son Titus to conquer the miserable Jews. It +then so happened that they were assembled within the city of Jerusalem, six +hundred thousand men, enclosed as it were in a prison; and they were +surrounded without by the Roman army so long that many thousands were +killed by hunger; and they could not bury them by reason of the number, but +cast the corpses over the {405} wall. Some, however, would bury them for +the sake of kinship, but they soon died from weakness. If any one had +provided any little sustenance for himself, robbers would suddenly rush on +him, and pull the meat from his mouth. Some chewed their shoes, some their +garments, some straw, for the great anguish of hot hunger. It is not +fitting that we, in this holy gospel, recount all the shameful miseries +which befell the besieged Jews before they would yield. The greater part of +the wicked ones was then destroyed by the ignominious famine, and the Roman +host slew the leavings of the famine, and razed the city to the ground, so +that there remained not stone over stone, as Jesus had erewhile with +weeping prophesied. Of boys who were within sixteen years of age, they sent +ninety thousand to all nations in slavery, and in the country there +remained nothing of the accursed race. The city was afterwards built in +another place, and peopled with Saracens. + +Jesus showed for what cause this dispersion of the city happened, when he +said, "Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." He visited the +inhabitants in his humanity, but they were not mindful of him, neither by +love nor by fear. Of that heedlessness the prophet spake with lamenting +voice, thus saying, "The stork and the swallow keep the time of their +coming, and this people knew not the doom of God." The Lord said to the +city, "If thou knewest what is to befall thee, then wouldst thou weep with +me. Verily on this day thou dwellest in peace, for the vengeances to come +are now hidden from thine eyes." The inhabitants were dwelling in worldly +peace, while they were heedlessly subservient to fleshly lusts, and little +thought of the miseries to come, which were yet hidden from them. If they +had been foreknowing of that misery, they could not with heedless mind have +enjoyed the prosperity of the present life. + +{407} The Lord drove the chapmen from the temple, thus saying, "It is +written, that my house is a house of prayer, and ye have made it a den for +thieves." The temple was hallowed to God, for his services, and songs of +praise, and prayers of the faithful; but the covetous high-priests allowed +chapping to be held therein. The Lord, when he saw that wickedness, made a +scourge of ropes, and with beating hurried them all out. This dispersion +betokened the future destruction by the Roman army, and the ruin happened +chiefly through the sins of the high-priests, who, dwelling within the +temple, with pretended holiness received the people's offerings, and +persecuted those men who sought the temple without offerings. What was that +temple but, as it were, a den of thieves, when the chief priests were +filled with such covetousness, and allowed false bargains within the house +of God? It is written in another gospel, that there sat moneyers, and there +were oxen for sale, and sheep, and doves. In those days, according to the +institute of the old law, they offered oxen, and sheep, and doves, in token +of Christ's passion: then covetousness stimulated the priests to have such +animals there for sale, that, if any one came from afar, and would offer +his gift to God, he might have it ready at hand to buy. The Lord then drove +such chapmen from the holy temple, because it was not raised for any +trading, but for prayers. + +"Then the blind and the halt drew near unto him, and he healed them, and +was teaching the folk daily within the temple." The merciful Lord, who lets +his sun shine over the righteous and unrighteous alike, and sends rains and +earthly fruits to the good and evil, would not withdraw his instruction +from the perverse Jews, because many were good among the evil, who were +bettered by that instruction, although the perverse opposed it. He also +confirmed his instruction by miracles, that the chosen might be the more +believing: and the rejected shall have no excuse, because they neither by +divine {409} signs, nor by vital lore, would believe in the true Saviour. +Now the blessed Gregory says, that their desolation has some likeness to +all perverse men, who exult in evil deeds, and rejoice in the worst things. +Such men the merciful Lord bewails daily, who then the perishing townsfolk +with tears bemoaned. But if they knew the condemnation that hangs over +them, they would themselves lament with sorrowing voice. + +Verily this following sentence applies to the perishing soul, "On this day +thou dwellest in peace, for the vengeance to come is now hidden from thine +eyes." The perverse soul is indeed dwelling in peace in its day, when in +transient time it rejoices, and is exalted with dignities, and in temporary +enjoyments is immoderate, and is dissolved in fleshly lusts, and is awed by +no fear of future punishment, but hides from itself the miseries following +after; because if it reflect on them, then will worldly bliss be troubled +by that reflection. It has then peace in its day, when it will not afflict +the present mirth with any care for the future unhappiness, but goes with +closed eyes to the penal fire. The soul which in this wise now lives, shall +be afflicted when the righteous rejoice; and all the perishable things, +which it now accounts as peace and bliss, shall then be turned for it to +bitterness and strife; for it will have great contention with itself, why +it would not before in life with any carefulness foresee the condemnation +which it then is suffering. Concerning which it is written, "Blessed is the +man who is ever fearing; and verily the hardened shall fall into evil." +Again in another place holy writ admonishes, "In all thy works be thou +mindful of thy last day, and in eternity thou wilt not sin." + +The holy lesson says, "The time cometh that thy foes shall encompass thee +with a leaguer, and shall straiten thee on {411} every side, and shall +prostrate thee to earth, together with thy children which are in thee." The +foes of the soul are the hellish spirits which beset a man's departure, and +with great tribulation will lead his soul, if it be sinful, to the +fellowship of their own damnation. The devils show to the sinful soul its +evil thoughts, and pernicious speeches, and wicked deeds, and with manifold +reproaches afflict it, that on its departure it may know by what foes it is +beset, and yet find no outlet whereby it may flee from the hostile spirits. +To earth it shall be prostrated by a knowledge of its sins, when the body +in which it lived shall be rotted to dust. Its children shall fall in +death, when the unallowed thoughts, which it now gives birth to, shall, in +the last vengeance, be wholly rendered vain, as the psalmist melodiously +sang, "Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is +no health. Their spirit departs, and they return to earth, and in that day +all their thoughts perish." + +Verily in the gospel it follows, "And they shall not leave in thee stone +over stone." The perverse mind, when it heaps evil over evil, and +perversity over perversity, what does it, but as though it lay stone over +stone? But when the soul shall be led to its punishment, then will all the +structure of its cogitation be overthrown; for it knew not the time of its +visitation. In many ways the Almighty God visits the souls of men; +sometimes with instruction, sometimes with miracles, sometimes with +diseases; but if it neglect these visitations, it will be at its end +delivered for eternal punishment to fiends, whom it had previously with +deadly sins obeyed in life. Then shall those be its tormentors in +hell-torment, who had before allured it by divers pleasures to those sins. + +The Lord went into the temple, and with a scourge drove out the chapmen. +The chapmen within the temple betokened {413} unrighteous teachers in God's +church. There were for sale oxen, and sheep, and doves, and there sat +moneyers. The ox toils for his lord, and the teacher sells oxen in God's +church, if he perform his Lord's tillage, that is, if he preach the gospel +to those under his care, for earthly gains, and not for godly love. With +sheep he traffics, if he seek after the praises of foolish men in pious +works. Of such Jesus said, "They have received the reward of their works;" +that is the fame of idle praise, which was pleasing to them. + +The teacher is a chapman of doves, who will not without money give for use +of other men, the gift which God, without his deserts, has given to him; as +Christ himself taught, "Without price ye have received the gift, give it to +others without price." He who with assumed holiness toils for himself in +God's church, and cares nothing for Christ's tillage, will undoubtedly be +accounted a money-chapman. But Jesus will drive such chapmen from his +house, when, with condemnation, he shall separate them from the fellowship +of his chosen. + +"My house is a prayer-house, and ye have made it a den for thieves." It +happens too often that the perverse come to great dignity in God's church, +and they then, with their evilness, spiritually slay those placed under +their care, whom they ought with their prayers to quicken. What are such +but thieves? The mind of every believing man is a house of God, as the +apostle said, "The temple of God is holy, which ye are." But the mind will +be no prayer-house, but a den of thieves, if it lose the innocence and +meekness of true holiness, and with perverse thoughts meditate harm to +others. + +"And he was teaching daily within the temple." Christ then taught the +people in his presence, and he now daily teaches the minds of believing men +with godly lore, by meditation, to eschew evil and perform good. It is not +perfect for the believing man to cease from evil, unless he performs good. +The blessed Gregory said, "My brothers, I would relate to you a little +narrative, which may greatly edify your minds, if ye with heedfulness will +hear it. There was a {415} certain nobleman in the province of Valeria, who +was called Chrysaurius, who was as much filled with sins as he was enriched +with earthly riches. He was inflated with pride, and a slave to his fleshly +lusts, and inflamed with excessive covetousness. But when God designed to +put an end to his wickedness, he became sick, and brought to departure +hence. Then at the very time that he should die, he looked up, and there +stood about him swart spirits, and in a great company descended on him, +that they might snatch his soul, on its departure, with them to the +barriers of hell. He began then to tremble and grow pale, and incredibly to +sweat, and with great cry to pray for a respite, and with troubled voice +called his son Maximus, whom I afterwards saw as a monk, and said, My +child, Maximus, help me; receive me in thy faith: I have not in any way +been hurtful to thee. The son Maximus then, troubled with great sorrowing, +came to him. He was then turning like a worm; he could not endure the +dreadful sight of the accursed spirits. He turned himself to the wall, +there they were present to him; he turned back again, there he found them. +When he, so greatly afflicted, was hopeless of himself, he cried with a +loud voice, and thus said, Grant me a respite till to-morrow, at least a +respite till to-morrow: and with this cry the black fiends drew the soul +from the body, and led it away." From this it is manifest, that the vision +was shown to him for the bettering of other men, not for his own. Alas, +what did it profit him, though, on his departure, he saw the swart spirits, +when he might not have the respite which he desired? But let us be careful, +that our time escape not from us in vanity, and we turn to good deeds, when +death urges us to departure. + +Thou, Almighty Lord, have mercy on us sinful, and so order our departure, +that we, having atoned for our sins, may, after this perilous life, be +associated with thy saints. To thee be praise and glory for ever and ever. +Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{416} IIII. IDUS AUGUSTI. + +PASSIO BEATI LAURENTII MARTYRIS. + +On Decies daege, thaes waelhreowan caseres, waes se halga biscop Sixtus on +Romana byrig drohtnigende. Dha faerlice het h['e] his gesihum, dhone biscop +mid his preostum samod geandwerdian. Sixtus dha unforhtmod to his preostum +clypode, "Mine gebrodhra, ne beo ge afyrhte, cumadh, and eower nan him ne +ondraede dha scortan tintregunga. Tha halgan martyras gedhrowodon fela +pinunga, thaet h['i] orsorge becomon to wulder-beage thaes ecan lifes." Tha +andwyrdon his twegen diaconas, Felicissimus and Agapitus, "Dhu, ure faeder, +hwider fare we butan dhe?" On dhaere nihte weardh se biscop mid his tw['a]m +diaconum hraedlice to dham redhum ehtere gebroht. Se casere Decius him +cwaedh to, "Geoffra dhine l['a]c dham undeadlicum godum, and beo dhu thaera +sacerda ealdor." Se eadiga Sixtus him andwyrde, "Ic symle geoffrode, and +g['y]t offrige mine l['a]c dham Aelmihtigan Gode, and his Suna, Haelendum +Criste, and dham Halgum Gaste, hluttre onsaegednysse and ungewemmede." +Decius cwaedh, "Gebeorh dhe and dhinum preostum, and geoffra. Sodhlice gif +dhu ne dest, thu scealt beon eallum odhrum to bysne." Sixtus sodhlice +andwyrde, "Hwene aer ic dhe saede, thaet ic symle geoffrige dham +Aelmihtigum Gode." Decius dha cwaedh to his cempum, "Laedadh hine to dham +temple Martis, thaet he dham gode Marti geoffrige: gif he nelle offrian, +beclysadh hine on dham cwearterne Mamortini." Tha cempan hine laeddon to +dham deofolgylde, and hine dhreatodon thaet he dhaere deadan anlicnysse his +l['a]c offrian sceolde. Thadha he dhaes caseres haese forseah, and dham +deofolgylde offrian nolde, dha gebrohton hi hine mid his twam diaconum +binnan dham blindan cwearterne. + +Tha betwux dham com LAURENTIUS, his erce-diacon, and dhone halgan biscop +mid dhisum wordum gespraec, "Dhu, m['i]n faeder, hwider sidhast dhu butan +dhinum bearne? Thu halga {418} sacerd, hwider efst dhu butan dhinum +diacone? Naes dhin gewuna thaet dhu butan dhinum diacone Gode geoffrodest. +Hwaet mislicode dhe, min faeder, on me? Geswutela dhine mihte on dhinum +bearne, and geoffra Gode thone dhe dhu getuge, thaet thu dhy orsorglicor +becume to dham aedhelan wulder-beage." Thadha se eadiga Laurentius mid +thisum wordum and ma odhrum bem['ae]nde thaet he ne moste mid his lareowe +dhrowian, dha andwyrde se biscop, "Min bearn, ne forlaete ic dhe, ac dhe +gerist mara campdom on dhinum gewinne. We underfodh, swa swa ealde men, +scortne ryne thaes leohtran gewinnes; sodhlice thu geonga underfehst miccle +wulderfulran sige aet dhisum redhan cyninge. Min cild, geswic dhines wopes: +aefter dhrim dagum dhu cymst sigefaest to me to dham ecum life. Nim nu ure +cyrcan madhmas, and dael cristenum mannum, be dhan dhe dhe gewyrdh." + +Se erce-diacon dha, Laurentius, be dhaes biscopes haese ferde and daelde +thaere cyrcan madhmas preostum, and aeldheodigum dhearfum, and wudewum, +aelcum be his neode. He com to sumere wudewan, hire nama waes Quiriaca, seo +haefde behyd on hire hame preostas and manega laewede cristenan. Dha se +eadiga Laurentius dhwoh heora ealra f['e]t, and dha wudewan fram hefigtimum +heafod-ece gehaelde. Eac sum ymesene man mid wope his f['e]t gesohte, +biddende his haele. Laurentius dha mearcode rode-tacen on dhaes blindan +eagan, and he dhaerrihte beorhtlice geseah. Se erce-diacon dha-gyt geaxode +m['a] cristenra manna gehwaer, and h['i] aer his dhrowunge mid gastlicere +sibbe and mid f['o]t-dhweale geneosode. + +Thadha h['e] dhanon gewende, dha waes his l['a]reow Sixtus mid his twam +diaconum of dham cwearterne gelaedd, aetforan dham casere Decium. He weardh +tha geh['a]thyrt ongean dhone halgan biscop, dhus cwedhende, "Witodlice we +beorgadh dhinre ylde: gehyrsuma urum bebodum, and geoffra dham undeadhlicum +godum." Se eadiga biscop him andwyrde, "Dhu earming, beorh dhe sylfum, and +wyrc daedbote for dhaera halgena blode {420} dhe dhu agute." Se waelhreowa +cwellere mid gebolgenum mode cwaedh to his heah-gerefan, Ualeriane, "Gif +dhes bealdwyrda biscop acweald ne bidh, sidhdhan ne bidh ure ege +ondraedendlic." Ualerianus him andwyrde, "Beo he heafde becorfen. Hat h['i] +eft to dhaes godes temple Martis gel['ae]dan, and gif h['i] nelladh to him +gebigedum cneowum gebiddan, and heora l['a]c offrian, underf['o]n h['i] +beheafdunge on dhaere ylcan stowe." Thaes caseres cempan hine laeddon to +dham deofolgylde mid his twam diaconum: dha beseah se biscop widh dhaes +temples, and dhus cwaedh, "Thu dumba deofolgyld, thurh dhe forleosadh earme +menn thaet ece lif: towurpe dhe se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu." Tha mid tham +worde tobaerst sum dael dhaes temples mid faerlicum hryre. Laurentius dha +clypode to dham biscope, "Thu halga faeder, ne forl['ae]t dhu me, fordhan +dhe ic aspende dhaere cyrcan madhmas swa swa dhu me bebude." Hwaet dha +cempan dha hine gelaehton, fordhan dhe h['i] gehyrdon hine be dham +cyrclicum madmum sprecan. Sixtus dha sodhlice underhn['a]h swurdes ecge, +and his twegen diaconas samod, Felicissimus and Agapitus, aetforan dham +temple, on dham sixtan daege thyses mondhes. + +Laurentius witodlice weardh sidhdhan gebroht to dham casere, and se redha +cwellere hine dha befr['a]n, "Hwaer sind dhaere cyrcan madmas dhe dhe +betaehte waeron?" Se eadiga Laurentius mid nanum worde him ne geandwyrde. +On dham ylcan daege betaehte se Godes feond dhone halgan diacon his +heah-gerefan Ualeriane, mid dhysum bebode, "Ofgang dha madmas mid +geornfulnysse, and hine gebig to dham undeadlicum godum." Se gerefa dha +hine betaehte his gingran, dhaes nama waes Ypolitus, and he hine beclysde +on cwearterne mid manegum odhrum. Tha gemette h['e] on dham cwearterne +aenne haedhenne man, se waes dhurh micelne w['o]p ablend. Dha cwaedh he him +to, "Lucille, gif dhu gelyfst on Haelend Crist, he onliht dhine eagan." He +andwyrde, "Aefre ic gewilnode thaet ic on Cristes naman gefullod waere." +Laurentius him to cwaedh, "Gelyfst dhu mid ealre heortan?" He andwyrde mid +wope, "Ic {422} gelyfe on Haelend Crist, and dham leasum deofolgyldum +widhsace." Ypolitus mid gedhylde heora wordum heorcnode. Se gesaeliga +Laurentius taehte dha dham blindan sodhne geleafan dhaere Halgan +Thrynnysse, and hine gefullode. Lucillus aefter dham fulluht-baedhe mid +beorhtre stemne clypode, "Sy gebletsod se Eca God, Haelend Crist, dhe me +dhurh his diacon onlihte. Ic waes blind b['a]m eagum, nu ic beorhtlice +leohtes bruce." Witodlice dha fela odhre blinde mid wope comon to dham +eadigan diacone, and h['e] asette his handa ofer heora eagan, and h['i] +wurdon onlihte. + +Se t['u]n-gerefa Ypolitus cwaedh dha to dham diacone, "Geswutela me dhaere +cyrcan madmas." Laurentius cwaedh, "Eala dhu Ypolite, gif dhu gelyfst on +God Faeder, and on his Sunu Haelend Crist, ic dhe geswutelige dha madmas, +and thaet ece l['i]f behate." Ypolitus cwaedh, "Gif dhu dhas word mid +weorcum gefylst, dhonne do ic swa dhu me tihst." Laurentius dha halgode +fant, and hine gefullode. Sodhlice Ypolitus aefter dham fulluht-baedhe waes +clypigende mid beorhtre stemne, "Ic geseah unscaedhdhigra manna sawla on +Gode blissigan." And he mid tearum to dham eadigan diacone cwaedh, "Ic +halsige dhe on dhaes Haelendes naman, thaet eal min h['i]wraeden gefullod +wurdhe." Witodlice Laurentius mid blidhum mode him dhaes getidhode, and +nigontyne wera and wifa his h['i]wisces mid wuldre gefullode. + +Aefter dhisum sende se heah-gerefa, and bebead Ypolite thaet he Laurentium +to dhaes cynges cafer-tune gelaedde. Ypolitus thaet bebod mid eadmodre +spraece cydde dham eadigan Laurentie. He cwaedh, "Uton faran, fordhan dhe +me and dhe is wuldor gegearcod." Hi dha hraedlice comon, and unforhte him +aetforan stodon. Tha cwaedh Ualerianus to dham halgan cydhere, "Awurp nu +dhine anwilnysse, and agif dha madmas." Se Godes cydhere him andwyrde, "On +Godes dhearfum ic h['i] aspende, and h['i] sind dha ecan madmas, dhe naefre +ne beodh gewanode." Se gerefa cwaedh, "Hwaet fagettest dhu mid wordum? +Geoffra dhine l['a]c urum gudum, and forl['ae]t dhone {424} drycraeft dhe +dhu on getruwast." Laurentius cwaedh, "For hwilcum dhingum neadadh se +deofol eow thaet ge cristene men to his biggengum dhreatniadh? Gif hit riht +sy thaet we to deoflum us gebiddon swidhor thonne to dham Aelmihtigan Gode, +deme ge hw['a] thaes wurdhmyntes wurdhe sy, se dhe geworht is, odhdhe se +dhe ealle dhing gesceop." Se casere dha andwyrde, "Hwaet is se dhe geworht +is, odhdhe hwaet is se dhe geworhte?" Godes cydhere cwaedh, "Se Aelmihtiga +Faeder ures Haelendes is Scyppend ealra gesceafta, and dhu cwyst thaet ic +me gebiddan sceole to dumbum stanum, dha dhe sind agrafene dhurh manna +handa." Hwaet se casere dha hine gebealh, and het on his gesihdhe dhone +diacon unscrydan, and waelhreowlice swingan, and se casere sylf clypode, +"Ne hyrw dhu ure godas." Se eadiga Laurentius on dham tintregum cwaedh, +"Witodlice ic dhancige minum Gode, the me gemedemode to his halgum; and +dhu, earming, eart geancsumod on dhinre gewitleaste." Decius cwaedh to dham +cwellerum, "Araeradh hine upp, and aeteowiadh his gesihdhum eal thaet +wita-t['o]l." Tha wurdon hraedlice fordhaborene isene clutas, and isene +clawa, and isen bedd, and leadene swipa and odhre gepilede swipa. Tha +cwaedh se casere, "Geoffra dhine l['a]c urum godum, odhdhe thu bist mid +eallum dhisum pinung-t['o]lum getintregod." Se eadiga diacon cwaedh, "Thu +ungesaeliga, thas estmettas ic symle gewilnode: h['i] beodh me to wuldre, +and dhe to wite." Se casere cwaedh, "Geswutela us ealle dha m['a]nfullan +dhine gelican, thaet dheos burh beo geclaensod; and dhu sylf geoffra urum +godum, and ne truwa dhu nateshwon on dhinum gold-hordum." Tha cwaedh se +halga martyr, "Sodhlice ic truwige, and ic eom orsorh be minum hordum." +Decius andwyrde, "Wenst dhu la thaet thu beo alysed mid dhinum hordum fram +dhisum tintregum?" and het dha mid gramlicum mode thaet tha cwelleras mid +stearcum saglum hine beoton. Witodlice Laurentius on dham gebeate clypode, +"Thu earming, undergyt huru nu thaet ic s['i]grige be Cristes madmum, and +ic dhine tintregu naht ne gefrede." Decius cwaedh, "Lecgadh dha isenan +clutas hate glowende to {426} his sidan." Se eadiga martyr dha waes +biddende his Drihten, and cwaedh, "Haelend Crist, God of Gode, gemiltsa +thinum dheowan, fordhan dhe ic gewreged dhe ne widhsoc, befrinen ic dhe +geandette." Tha het se casere hine araeran, and cwaedh, "Ic geseo thaet +dhu, dhurh dhinne drycraeft, dhas tintregan gebysmerast; dheah-hwaedhere ne +scealt dhu me gebysmrian. Ic swerige dhurh ealle godas and gydena, thaet +thu scealt geoffrian, odhdhe ic dhe mid mislicum pinungum acwelle." +Laurentius dha bealdlice clypode, "Ic on mines Drihtnes naman nateshwon ne +forhtige for dhinum tintregum, dhe sind hwilwendlice: ne ablin dhu thaet +dhu begunnen haefst." + +Tha weardh se casere mid swydhlicere h['a]theortnysse geyrsod, and het +dhone halgan diacon mid leadenum swipum langlice swingan. Laurentius dha +clypode, "Haelend Crist, thu dhe gemedemodest thaet dhu to menniscum menn +geboren waere, and us fram deofles dheowte alysdest, onfoh minne g['a]st." +On dhaere ylcan tide him com andswaru of heofonum, thus cwedhende, "Gyt dhu +scealt fela gewinn habban on dhinum martyrdome." Decius dha geh['a]thyrt +clypode, "Romanisce weras, gehyrde ge dhaera deofla frofor on dhisum +eawbraecum, dhe ure godas geyrsode ne ondraet, ne dha asmeadan tintregan? +Astreccadh hine, and mid gepiledum swipum swingende geangsumiadh." +Laurentius dha astreht on dhaere hengene, mid hlihendum mudhe dhancode his +Drihtne, "Drihten God, Faeder Haelendes Cristes, sy dhu gebletsod, the us +forgeafe dhine mildheortnysse; cydh nu dhine arfaestnysse, thaet dhas +ymbstandendan oncnawon thaet dhu gefrefrast dhine dheowan." On dhaere tide +gelyfde ['a]n dhaera cempena, dhaes nama waes Romanus, and cwaedh to dham +Godes cydhere, "Laurentie, ic geseo Godes engel standende aetforan dhe mid +hand-cladhe, and wipadh dhine swatigan limu. Nu halsige ic dhe, thurh God, +thaet thu me ne forlaete." Tha weardh Decius mid facne afylled, and cwaedh +to his heah-gerefan, "Me dhincdh thaet we sind dhurh drycraeft +oferswidhde." And he het dha alysan dhone diacon of dhaere hengene, and +betaecan dham t['u]n-gerefan Ypolite, and nyste dha-g['y]t thaet h['e] +cristen waes. + +{428} Tha betwux dham brohte se gelyfeda cempa Romanus ceacfulne waeteres, +and mid wope dhaes halgan Laurenties f['e]t gesohte, fulluhtes biddende. +Laurentius dha hraedlice thaet waeter gehalgode, and dhone geleaffullan +dhegen gefullode. Thadha Decius thaet geaxode, dha het he hine w['ae]dum +bereafian, and mid stearcum stengum beatan. Romanus dha ungeaxod clypode on +dhaes caseres andwerdnysse, "Ic eom cristen." On dhaere ylcan tide het se +redha cwellere hine underhn['i]gan swurdes ecge. Eft on dhaere ylcan nihte, +aefter dhaes cempan martyrdome, ferde Decius to dham hatum badhum widh +thaet botl Salustii, and het dhone halgan Laurentium him to gefeccan. Tha +ongann Ypolitus sarlice heofian, and cwaedh, "Ic wylle mid dhe sidhian, and +mid hluddre stemne hryman, thaet ic cristen eom, and mid the licgan." +Laurentius cwaedh, "Ne wep dhu, ac swidhor suwa and blissa, fordhan dhe ic +fare to Godes wuldre. Eft aefter lytlum fyrste, dhonne ic dhe clypige, +gehyr mine stemne, and cum to me." + +Decius dha het gearcian eal thaet pinung-t['o]l aetforan his d['o]msetle, +and Laurentius him weardh to gelaed. Decius cwaedh, "Awurp dhone truwan +dhines drycraeftes, and gerece ['u]s dhine maegdhe." Se eadiga Laurentius +andwyrde, "Aefter menniscum gebyrde ic eom Hispanienscis, Romanisc +fostor-cild, and cristen fram cild-cradole, getogen on ealre godcundre +['ae]." Decius andwyrde, "Sodhlice is seo ['ae] godcundlic dhe dhe swa +gebylde thaet dhu nelt ure godas wurdhian, ne dhu nanes cynnes tintregan +the ne ondraetst." Laurentius cwaedh, "On Cristes naman ne forhtige ic for +dhinum tintregum." Se waelhreowa casere dha cwaedh, "Gif dhu ne offrast +urum godum, eall dheos niht sceal beon aspend on dhe mid mislicum +pinungum." Laurentius cwaedh, "Naefdh min niht nane forsworcennysse, ac heo +mid beorhtum leohte scindh." Tha het se waelhreowa mid stanum dhaes halgan +mudh cnucian. Hwaet dha Laurentius weardh gestrangod dhurh Godes gife, and +mid hlihendum mudhe cwaedh, "Sy dhe l['o]f, Drihten, fordhan dhe dhu eart +ealra dhinga God." Decius cwaedh to dham cwellerum, {430} "Ahebbadh thaet +isene bed to dham fyre, thaet se modiga Laurentius hine dhaeron gereste." +H['i] dhaerrihte hine waedon bereafodon, and on dham heardan bedde +astrehton, and mid byrnendum gledum thaet bed undercrammodon, and hine ufan +mid isenum geaflum dhydon. + +Decius cwaedh dha to tham Godes cydhere, "Geoffra nu urum godum." +Laurentius andwyrde, "Ic offrige me sylfne dham Aelmihtigan Gode on braedhe +wynsumnysse; fordhan the se gedrefeda gast is Gode andfenge onsaegednys." +Sodhlice dha cwelleras tugon dha gleda singallice under thaet bedd, and +widh-ufan mid heora forcum hine dhydon. Dha cwaedh Laurentius, "Eala ge +ungesaeligan, ne undergyte ge thaet eowre gleda nane h['ae]tan minum +lichaman ne gedodh, ac swidhor c['e]linge?" He dha eft mid tham wlitegostan +nebbe cwaedh, "Haelend Crist, ic dhancige dhe thaet dhu me gestrangian +wylt." He dha beseah widh thaes caseres, thus cwedhende, "Efne dhu, +earming, braeddest aenne dael mines lichaman, wend nu thone odherne, and +et." He cwaedh dha eft, "Haelend Crist, ic dhancige dhe mid inweardre +heortan, thaet ic m['o]t faran into dhinum rice." And mid thysum worde +h['e] ageaf his gast, and mid swylcum martyrdome thaet uplice rice geferde, +on dham he wunadh mid Gode ['a] on ecnysse. Tha forl['e]t se waelhreowa +casere dhone halgan lichaman uppon dham isenan hyrdle, and tengde mid his +heahgerefan to dham botle Tyberianum. + +Ypolitus dha bebyrigde dhone halgan lichaman mid micelre arwurdhnysse on +dhaere wudewan leger-stowe Quiriace, on dhysum daegdherlicum daege. +Witodlice aet dhaere byrgene wacode micel menigu cristenra manna mid +swidhlicere heofunge. Se halga sacerd Iustinus dha him eallum gemaessode +and gehuslode. Aefter dhisum gecyrde Ypolitus to his hame, and mid Godes +sibbe his hywan gecyste, and h['i] ealle gehuslode. Tha faerlice, mid dham +dhe h['e] gesaet, comon dhaes caseres cempan, and hine gelaehton, and to +dham cwellere gelaeddon. Hine befr['a]n dha Decius mid smercigendum mudhe, +"Hwaet la, eart dhu to dry awend, fordhan dhe dhu bebyrigdest Laurentium?" +{432} He andwyrde, "Thaet ic dyde na swa swa dry, ac swa swa cristen." +Decius dha yrsigende het mid stanum his mudh cnucian, and hine unscrydan, +and cwaedh, "La h['u], naere dhu geornful biggenga ura goda? and nu dhu +eart swa stunt geworden thaet furdhon dhe ne sceamadh dhinre naecednysse." +Ypolitus andwyrde, "Ic waes stunt, and ic eom nu w['i]s and cristen. Thurh +nytenysse ic gelyfde on thaet gedwyld the dhu gelyfst." Decius cwaedh, +"Geoffra dham godum dhylaes dhe dhu thurh tintrega forwurdhe, swa swa +Laurentius." He andwyrde, "Eala gif ic moste dham eadigan Laurentium +geefenlaecan!" Decius cwaedh, "Astreccadh hine swa nacodne, and mid stidhum +saglum beatadh." Thadha h['e] langlice gebeaten waes, tha dhancode he Gode. +Decius cwaedh, "Ypolitus gebysmradh eowre stengas; swingadh hine mid +gepiledum swipum." Hi dha swa dydon, odhthaet h['i] ateorodon. Ypolitus +clypode mid hluddre stemne, "Ic eom cristen." Eornostlice se redha casere, +dhadha he ne mihte mid nanum pinungum hine geweman fram Cristes geleafan, +dha het he his heah-gerefan thaet h['e] mid waelhreawum deadhe hine +acwellan sceolde. + +On dham ylcan daege asmeade Ualerianus his aehta, and gemette nygontyne +wera and wifa his h['i]wisces, dhe waeron aet dhaes eadigan Laurenties +handum gefullode. To dham cwaedh Ualerianus, "Sceawiadh eowre ylde, and +beorgadh eowrum feore, dhylaes dhe ge samod losian mid eowrum hlaforde +Ypolite." Hi dha anmodlice andwyrdon, "We wilniadh mid urum hlaforde +claenlice sweltan, swidhor dhonne unclaenlice mid eow lybban." Tha weardh +Ualerianus dhearle geh['a]thyrt, and het laedan Ypolitum of dhaere ceastre +mid his hiwum. Dha se eadiga Ypolitus gehyrte his hired, and cwaedh, "Mine +gebrodhra, ne beo ge dreorige ne afyrhte, fordhan dhe ic and ge habbadh +aenne Hlaford, God Aelmihtigne." Sodhlice Ualerianus het beheafdian on +Ypolitus gesihdhe ealle his hiwan, and hine sylfne het tigan be dham fotum +to ungetemedra horsa swuran, and swa teon geond dhornas and bremelas: and +he dha mid tham tige his gast ageaf on dham dhreotteodhan daege {434} +thises mondhes. On dhaere ylcan nihte gegaderode se halga Iustinus heora +ealra lic, and bebyrigde. + +Eornostlice aefter dhaera halgena dhrowunge, ferde Decius on gyldenum +craete and Ualerianus samod to heora haedhenum gylde, thaet h['i] dha +cristenan to heora m['a]nfullum offrungum gedhreatodon. Dha weardh Decius +faerlice mid feondlicum gaste aw['e]d, and hrymde, "Eala dhu, Ypolite, +hwider tihst dhu me gebundenne mid scearpum racenteagum?" Ualerianus eac +aw['e]d hrymde, "Eala dhu, Laurentius, unsoftlice tihst dhu me gebundenne +mid byrnendum racenteagum." And he dhaerrihte swealt. Witodlice Decius +egeslice awedde, and binnon dhrym dagum mid deoflicre stemne singallice +hrymde, "Ic halsige dhe, Laurentius, abl['i]n hwaethwega dhaera +tintregena." Hwaet dha, la asprang micel heofung and sarlic w['o]p on dham +hame, and dhaes caseres w['i]f h['e]t ['u]t-alaedan ealle dha cristenan dhe +on cwearterne waeron, and Decius on dham dhriddan daege mid micclum +tintregum gew['a]t. + +Sodhlice seo cw['e]n Triphonia gesohte dhaes halgan sacerdes f['e]t +Iustines mid biterum tearum, and hire dohtor Cyrilla samod, biddende thaes +halgan fulluhtes. Iustinus dha mid micelre blisse h['i] underfeng, and him +bebead seofon dagena faesten, and h['i] sydhdhan mid tham halgum +fulluht-baedhe fram eallum heora m['a]ndaedum adhwoh. Thadha thaes caseres +dhegnas gehyrdon thaet seo cw['e]n Triphonia and Decius dohtor Cyrilla to +Cristes geleafan, and to dham halwendum fulluhte gebogene waeron, h['i] dha +mid heora wifum gesohton dhone halgan sacerd, and baedon miltsunge and +fulluhtes. Se eadiga Iustinus, dhisum gewordenum, raedde widh tha cristenan +hwaene h['i] to bisceope ceosan woldon on Sixtes setle. Hi dha anmodlice +sumne arwurdhfulne wer gecuron, dhaes nama waes Dionisius, dhone gehadode +se bisceop Maximus, of dhaere byrig Ostiensis, to dham Romaniscum +bisceop-setle, widh wurdhmynte. + +Uton nu biddan mid eadmodre stemne dhone halgan Godes cydhere Laurentium, +thaes freols-t['i]d geswuteladh thes andwerda daeg ealre geleaffulre +geladhunge, thaet he us dhingige widh dhone {436} Heofenlican Cyning, for +dhaes naman he dhrowode mid cenum mode menigfealde tintregu, mid dham he +orsorhlice on ecnysse wuldradh. Amen. + +{417} AUGUST X. + +THE PASSION OF THE BLESSED MARTYR LAWRENCE. + +In the time of Decius, the cruel emperor, the holy bishop Sixtus was +dwelling in Rome. Then he suddenly commanded his counts to bring the bishop +together with his priests before him. Sixtus then with fearless mind called +to his priests, "My brothers, be ye not afraid, come, and let none of you +dread short torments. The holy martyrs suffered many tortures, that they +might fearless come to the glory-crown of everlasting life." His two +deacons, Felicissimus and Agapetus, then answered, "Thou, our father, +whither shall we go without thee?" On that night the bishop with his two +deacons was quickly brought to the cruel persecutor. The emperor Decius +said to him, "Offer thy gift to the immortal gods, and be thou the chief of +the priests." The blessed Sixtus answered him, "I have ever offered and +will yet offer my gift to the Almighty God, and his Son, Jesus Christ, and +to the Holy Ghost, in pure and unpolluted sacrifice." Decius said, "Take +heed for thyself and thy priests, and offer; for if thou dost not, thou +shalt be an example to all others." But Sixtus answered, "A little before I +said to thee, that I always offer to Almighty God." Decius then said to his +soldiers, "Lead him to the temple of Mars, that he may offer to the god +Mars: if he will not offer, shut him in the prison Mamortinum." The +soldiers led him to the temple, and urged him to offer his gift to the dead +image. When he despised the emperor's command, and would not offer to the +idol, they brought him with his two deacons into the dark prison. + +Then among them came his archdeacon LAWRENCE, and spake to the holy bishop +in these words, "Thou, my father, whither goest thou without thy child? +Thou holy priest, {419} whither hastenest thou without thy deacon? It was +not thy wont to offer to God without thy deacon. What has displeased thee, +my father, in me? Show thy power on thy child, and offer to God him whom +thou hast trained up, that thou the less sorrowfully attain to the noble +crown of glory." When the blessed Lawrence had, with these words and others +more, lamented that he might not suffer with his teacher, the bishop +answered, "My child, I forsake thee not, but thee befits a greater struggle +in thy conflict. We, as old men, shall undergo the short course of a +lighter conflict: but thou, a young man, wilt undergo a much more glorious +triumph from this cruel king. My child, cease thy weeping: after three days +thou wilt come to me triumphant to everlasting life. Take thou our church's +treasures, and distribute to christian men, as it may seem good unto thee." + +The archdeacon Lawrence then, at the bishop's command, went and distributed +the church's treasures to priests, and poor strangers, and widows, to each +according to his need. He came to a widow, whose name was Quiriaca, who had +hidden in her dwelling priests and many lay christians. Then the blessed +Lawrence washed the feet of them all, and healed the widow of a wearisome +headache. A blind man also with weeping sought his feet, praying for his +cure. Lawrence then marked the sign of the rood on the blind man's eyes, +and he straightways saw brightly. The archdeacon heard yet of more +christian men elsewhere, and before his passion visited them with ghostly +peace and with foot-washing. + +When he returned thence, his teacher Sixtus with his two deacons was led +from the prison, before the emperor Decius. He was then exasperated against +the holy bishop, thus saying, "Verily we have regard for thy age: obey our +commands, and offer to the immortal gods." The holy bishop answered him, +"Thou wretch, have regard for thyself, and make atonement for the blood of +the saints which thou hast {421} shed." The bloodthirsty executioner with +wrathful mind said to his chief officer Valerianus, "If this audacious +bishop be not slain, awe for us will be no longer formidable." Valerianus +answered him, "Let his head be cut off. Order them again to the temple of +the god, and if they will not pray to him with bended knees, and offer +their gifts, let them suffer decapitation on the same place." The emperor's +soldiers led him to the temple with his two deacons: then the bishop looked +towards the temple, and thus said, "Thou dumb idol, through thee miserable +men lose everlasting life: may the Almighty Son of God overthrow thee!" +Then at that word a part of the temple burst asunder with a sudden fall. +Lawrence then cried to the bishop, "Thou holy father, forsake me not, for I +have distributed the church's treasures as thou commandedst." At this the +soldiers seized him, for they heard him speak of the church's treasures. +Sixtus then sank under the sword's edge, and his two deacons with him, +Felicissimus and Agapetus, before the temple, on the sixth day of this +month. + +But Lawrence was afterwards brought to the emperor, and the fierce +executioner asked him, "Where are the church's treasures which were +committed to thee?" The blessed Lawrence answered him not a word. On the +same day the foe of God committed the holy deacon to his chief officer +Valerianus, with this command, "Exact the treasures with importunity, and +make him bow to the immortal gods." The officer then committed him to his +junior, whose name was Hippolytus, and he shut him in a prison with many +others. He found in the prison a heathen man, who was blind through great +weeping. He said to him, "Lucillus, if thou wilt believe in Jesus Christ, +he will enlighten thine eyes." He answered, "I have ever desired to be +baptized in the name of Christ." Lawrence said to him, "Believest thou with +all thy heart?" He answered with weeping, "I believe in Jesus {423} Christ, +and renounce the false idols." Hippolytus with patience listened to their +words. The blessed Lawrence then taught the blind man true belief in the +Holy Trinity, and baptized him. Lucillus, after the baptismal bath, cried +with clear voice, "Blessed be the Eternal God, Jesus Christ, who has +enlightened me through his deacon. I was blind with both eyes, now I +clearly enjoy the light." Then there came many other blind with weeping to +the blessed deacon, and he set his hand over their eyes, and they were +enlightened. + +The town-reeve, Hippolytus, said to the deacon, "Show me the church's +treasures." Lawrence answered, "O thou Hippolytus, if thou wilt believe in +God the Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, I will show thee the +treasures, and promise thee everlasting life." Hippolytus said, "If thou +wilt indeed fulfil those words, I will do as thou exhortest me." Lawrence +then hallowed a font, and baptized him. Verily Hippolytus, after the +baptismal bath, cried with a clear voice, "I saw the souls of innocent men +rejoicing in God." And he said with tears to the blessed deacon, "I beseech +thee, in the name of Jesus, that all my household might be baptized." +Lawrence granted him this with cheerful mind, and with glory baptized +nineteen men and women of his family. + +After this the chief officer sent, and commanded Hippolytus to lead +Lawrence to the king's court. Hippolytus with humble speech made known that +command to the blessed Lawrence. He said, "Let us go, for glory is prepared +for me and for thee." They went quickly, and stood fearless before him. +Then said Valerianus to the holy martyr, "Cast away now thy obstinacy, and +give up the treasures." The martyr of God answered him, "On God's poor I +have spent them, and they are the everlasting treasures which will never be +diminished." The officer said, "Why playest thou with words? Offer thy gift +to our gods, and forsake the magic {425} in which thou trustest." Lawrence +said, "For what reason does the devil compel you to urge christian men to +his worship? If it be right that we should pray to devils rather than to +the Almighty God, judge which is worthy of that honour, he who is made, or +he who created all things." The emperor then answered, "What is he who is +made, or what is he who made?" God's martyr said, "The Almighty Father of +our Saviour is the Creator of all creatures, and thou sayest that I shall +pray to dumb stones, which are carved by the hands of men." The emperor was +then wroth, and commanded the deacon to be unclothed in his sight, and +cruelly scourged, and the emperor himself cried, "Insult not our gods." The +blessed Lawrence said in torments, "Verily I thank my God, who has +vouchsafed to number me with his holy; and thou, wretch, art afflicted in +thy foolishness." Decius said to the executioners, "Raise him up, and +manifest to his sight all the torture-tools." Then were quickly brought +forth iron plates, and iron claws, and an iron bed, and leaden whips, and +other leaded whips. Then said the emperor, "Offer thy gift to our gods, or +thou shalt be tortured with all these torture-tools." The blessed deacon +said, "Thou unblessed, these luxuries I have ever desired; they will be to +me a glory, and to thee a torment." The emperor said, "Declare to us all +the wicked thy like, that this city may be cleansed; and do thou thyself +offer to our gods, and trust thou in no wise to thy treasures." Then said +the holy martyr, "Verily I trust, and I am careless for my treasures." +Decius answered, "Thinkest thou then that thou wilt be redeemed by thy +treasures from these torments?" and then in angry mood commanded the +executioners to beat him with stout clubs. But Lawrence, during the +beating, cried, "Thou wretch, know at least that I triumph regarding +Christ's treasures, and I feel not thy torments." Decius said, "Lay the +{427} iron plates glowing hot to his side." The blessed martyr then was +praying to his Lord, and said, "Saviour Christ, God of God, have mercy on +thy servant, for, accused, I denied thee not; questioned, I acknowledged +thee." Then the emperor commanded him to be raised, and said, "I see that +thou, through thy magic, mockest these torments; nevertheless thou shalt +not mock me. I swear by all the gods and goddesses, that thou shalt offer, +or I will slay thee by divers tortures." Lawrence then boldly cried, "I, in +the name of my Lord, in no wise fear thy torments, which are transitory: +cease thou not from what thou hast begun." + +Then was the emperor excited with violent fury, and commanded the holy +deacon to be scourged a long time with leaden whips. Lawrence then cried, +"Saviour Christ, thou who hast vouchsafed to be born a mortal man, and hast +redeemed us from the devil's thraldom, receive my spirit." At the same time +an answer came to him from heaven, thus saying, "Yet thou shalt have much +affliction in thy martyrdom." Decius then furious cried, "Roman men, heard +ye the comfort of the devils to this impious, who dreads not our irritated +gods, nor the devised torments? Stretch him, and, scourging with leaded +whips, afflict him." Lawrence then, stretched on the cross, with laughing +mouth thanked his Lord, "Lord God, Father of Jesus Christ, be thou blessed, +who hast given us thy mercy; manifest now thy favour, that these standing +about may know that thou comfortest thy servants." At that time one of the +soldiers, whose name was Romanus, believed, and said to the martyr of God, +"Lawrence, I see God's angel standing before thee with a hand-cloth, and +wiping thy sweating limbs. I now beseech thee, through God, that thou +forsake me not." Then was Decius filled with guile, and said to his chief +officer, "Methinks that we are overcome by magic." And he then ordered the +holy deacon to be loosened from the cross, and delivered to the town-reeve +Hippolytus, and knew not yet that he was a christian. + +{429} Then meanwhile the believing soldier Romanus brought a jugful of +water, and with weeping sought the feet of the holy Lawrence, craving +baptism. Lawrence then quickly hallowed the water, and baptized the +believing servant. When Decius heard of it, he ordered him to be stript of +his garments and beaten with stout staves. Romanus then unasked cried in +the emperor's presence, "I am a christian." At the same time the fierce +executioner ordered him to fall under the sword's edge. Again, on the same +night, after the soldier's martyrdom, Decius went to the hot baths, +opposite the house of Sallust, and commanded the holy Lawrence to be +fetched to him. Then Hippolytus began sorely to lament, and said, "I will +go with thee, and with loud voice cry that I am a christian, and lie with +thee." Lawrence said, "Weep not, but rather be silent and rejoice, for I go +to God's glory. After a little time hence, when I call, hear my voice, and +come to me." + +Decius then commanded all the torture-tools to be prepared, before his +doom-seat, and Lawrence was led to him. Decius said, "Cast away trust in +thy magic, and recount to us of thy family." The blessed Lawrence answered, +"According to human birth I am Spanish, a Roman foster-child, and a +christian from my cradle, trained up in all divine law." Decius answered, +"In sooth the law is divine, which has so emboldened thee that thou wilt +not worship our gods, nor dreadest any kind of torment." Lawrence said, "In +the name of Christ I fear not for thy torments." The cruel emperor then +said, "If thou offerest not to our gods, all this night shall be spent on +thee with divers tortures." Lawrence said, "My night has no darkness, but +shines with bright light." Then the cruel one commanded the mouth of the +saint to be struck with stones. But Lawrence was strengthened through the +grace of God, and said with laughing mouth, "Lord, be to thee praise, for +thou of all things art God." Decius said to the executioners, "Raise the +iron bed to the {431} fire, that the proud Lawrence may rest thereon." They +straightways bereft him of his garments, and stretched him on the hard bed, +and filled the bed underneath with burning coals, and from above pierced +him with iron forks. + +Decius said to the martyr of God, "Offer now to our gods." Lawrence +answered, "I will offer myself to the Almighty God, in the odour of +pleasantness; for the afflicted spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God." +But the executioners drew the burning coals constantly under the bed, and +from above pierced him with their forks. Then said Lawrence, "O ye +unblessed, understand ye not that your glowing embers cause no heat to my +body, but rather cooling?" He then again with the most beautiful +countenance said, "Saviour Christ, I thank thee that thou wilt strengthen +me." He then looked towards the emperor, thus saying, "Behold, thou, +wretch, hast roasted one part of my body, turn now the other, and eat." He +then said again, "Saviour Christ, I thank thee with inward heart, that I +may go into thy kingdom." And with these words he gave up his ghost, and +with such martyrdom went to the realm on high, in which he dwelleth with +God through all eternity. The cruel emperor then left the holy body on the +iron hurdle, and with his chief officer hastened to the house of Tiberius. + +Hippolytus then buried the holy body with great reverence in the +burial-place of the widow Quiriaca, on this present day. But at the grave +there watched a great many christian men with great lamentation. The holy +priest Justin celebrated mass to and houseled them all. After this +Hippolytus returned to his home, and with God's peace kissed his family, +and houseled them all. Then suddenly, while he was sitting, the emperor's +soldiers came, and seized him, and led him to the executioner. Decius then +asked him with smiling mouth, "What, art thou turned magician, since thou +hast buried {433} Lawrence?" He answered, "I did not that as a magician, +but as a christian." Decius then in wrath ordered his mouth to be stricken +with stones, and him to be stript, and said, "How, wast thou not a diligent +worshiper of our gods? and now thou art become so foolish that thou art not +ashamed of thy nakedness." Hippolytus answered, "I was foolish, and I am +now wise and a christian. Through ignorance I believed in the error in +which thou believest." Decius said, "Offer to the gods, lest, as Lawrence, +thou perish by torments." He answered, "O, if I might imitate the blessed +Lawrence!" Decius said, "Stretch him thus naked, and beat him with strong +clubs." When he had long been beaten he thanked God. Decius said, +"Hippolytus mocks your staves, scourge him with leaded whips." They then +did so, till they were worn out. Hippolytus cried with a loud voice, "I am +a christian." So the fierce emperor, when he could not, by any torments, +seduce him from belief in Christ, commanded his chief officer to slay him +by the most cruel death. + +On the same day Valerianus took an account of his property, and found +nineteen men and women of his family, who had been baptized at the hands of +the blessed Lawrence. To them said Valerianus, "Consider your age, and have +regard for your life, lest ye perish together with your lord Hippolytus." +They unanimously answered, "We desire to die purely with our lord, rather +than to live impurely with you." Then was Valerianus greatly irritated, and +ordered Hippolytus to be led from the city with his household. The blessed +Hippolytus then cheered his household, and said, "My brothers, be ye not +sad nor afraid, for I and ye have one Lord, God Almighty." So Valerianus +ordered, in the sight of Hippolytus, all his domestics to be beheaded, and +himself he ordered to be tied by the feet to the necks of untamed horses, +and so to be drawn through thorns and brambles: and he with that binding +gave up his ghost on the thirteenth day of {435} this month. On the same +night the holy Justin gathered the bodies of them all and buried them. + +But after the passion of those saints, Decius and Valerianus went together +in a golden chariot to their temple, that they might force the christians +to their wicked offerings. Then became Decius suddenly frantic with a +fiendlike spirit, and cried, "O thou, Hippolytus, whither drawest thou me +bound with sharp chains?" Valerianus also frantic cried, "O thou, Lawrence, +unsoftly thou drawest me bound with burning chains." And he forthwith died. +But Decius became horribly frantic, and for three days, with fiendlike +voice, constantly cried, "I beseech thee, Lawrence, cease somewhat of those +torments." Hereupon great lamentation and sore weeping arose in the +dwelling, and the emperor's wife ordered all the christians who were in +prison to be led out, and on the third day Decius in great torments +departed. + +But the queen Tryphonia, together with her daughter Cyrilla, sought the +feet of the holy priest Justin with bitter tears, praying for holy baptism. +Justin then with great joy received them, and enjoined them a fast of seven +days, and afterwards, by the holy baptismal bath, washed them from all +their sins. When the emperor's thanes heard that the queen Tryphonia and +the daughter of Decius, Cyrilla, had turned to the faith of Christ and to +the salutary baptism, they with their wives sought the holy priest, and +prayed for mercy and baptism. The blessed Justin, these things being done, +took counsel with the christians, whom they would choose for bishop in the +chair of Sixtus. They then unanimously chose a venerable man whose name was +Dionysius, whom the bishop Maximus, of the city of Ostia, consecrated to +the Roman episcopal see with honour. + +Let us now pray with humble voice the holy martyr of God, Lawrence, whose +festival this present day makes known to all the faithful church, that he +intercede for us with the {437} Heavenly King, for whose name he suffered +with bold mind many torments, with whom he free from care glorieth to +eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +XVIII. K[=L]. SEPT. + +DE ASSUMPTIONE BEATAE MARIAE. + +Hieronimus se halga sacerd awr['a]t aenne pistol be fordhsidhe thaere +eadigan MARIAN, Godes cennestran, to sumum halgan maedene, hyre nama waes +Eustochium, and to hyre meder Paulam, seo waes gehalgod wydewe. To thysum +twam wifmannum awr['a]t se ylca Hieronimus, menigfealde traht-bec, fordhan +dhe hi waeron haliges lifes men, and swidhe gecneordlaecende on boclicum +smeagungum. Thes Hieronimus waes halig sacerd, and getogen on Hebreiscum +gereorde, and on Greciscum, and on Ledenum fulfremedlice; and he awende ure +bibliothecan of Hebreiscum bocum to Leden spraece. He is se fyrmesta +wealhstod betwux Hebreiscum, and Grecum, and Ledenwarum. Twa and +hund-seofontig boca thaere ealdan ['ae] and thaere niwan he awende on Leden +to anre Bibliothecan, buton odhrum menigfealdum traht-bocum dhe he mid +gecneordum andgite deopdhancollice asmeade. Dha aet nextan he dihte thisne +pistol to thaere halgan wydewan Paulam, and to tham Godes maedene +Eustochium, hyre dehter, and to eallum tham maedenlicum werode, the him mid +drohtnigende waeron, thus cwedhende: + +Witodlice ge neadiadh me thaet ic eow recce hu seo eadige Maria, on dhisum +daegdherlicum daege to heofonlicere wununge genumen waes, thaet eower +maedenlica heap haebbe thas lac Ledenre spraece, hu thes maera freolsdaeg +geond aeghwylces geares ymbryne beo aspend mid heofonlicum lofe, and mid +gastlicere blisse gemaersode sy, thylaes the eow on hand {438} becume seo +lease gesetnys dhe thurh gedwolmen wide tosawen is, and ge thonne tha +gehiwedan leasunge for sodhre race underfon. + +Sodhlice fram anginne thaes halgan godspelles ge geleornodon hu se +heah-engel Gabriel tham eadigan maedene Marian thaes heofonlican +Aedhelinges acennednysse gecydde, and thaes Haelendes wundra, and thaere +gesaeligan Godes cennestran thenunge, and hyre lifes daeda on tham feower +godspellicum bocum geswutollice oncneowon. Iohannes se Godspellere awr['a]t +on Cristes throwunge, thaet he sylf and Maria stodon mid dreorigum mode +widh dhaere halgan rode, the se Haelend on gefaestnod waes. Dha cwaedh he +to his agenre meder, "Dhu faemne, efne her is thin sunu." Eft he cwaedh to +Iohanne, "Loca nu, her stent thin modor." Sydhdhan, of tham daege, haefde +se Godspellere Iohannes gymene thaere halgan Marian, and mid carfulre +thenunge, swa swa agenre meder, gehyrsumode. + +Drihten, thurh his arfaestnysse, betaehte thaet eadige maeden his +cennestran tham claenan men Iohanne, sedhe on claenum maegdhhade symle +wunode; and he fordhy synderlice tham Drihtne leof waes, to dhan swidhe, +thaet he him thone deorwurdhan madhm, ealles middangeardes cw['e]ne, +betaecan wolde; gewislice thaet hire claenesta maegdhh['a]d tham claenan +men getheod waere mid gecwemre geferraedene on wynsumre drohtnunge. On him +b['a]m waes an miht ansundes maegdhhades, ac odher intinga on Marian; on +hire is waestmbaere maegdhh['a]d, swa swa on nanum odhrum. Nis on nanum +odhrum men maegdhh['a]d, gif thaer bidh waestmbaernys; ne waestmbaernys, +gif thaer bidh ansund maegdhh['a]d. Nu is fordhi gehalgod aegdher ge Marian +maegdhh['a]d ge hyre waestmbaernys thurh tha godcundlican acennednysse; and +heo ealle odhre oferstihdh on maegdhhade and on waestmbaernysse. +Dheah-hwaedhere, theah heo synderlice Iohannes gymene betaeht waere, +hwaedhere heo drohtnode gemaenelice, aefter Cristes upstige, mid tham +apostolicum werode, infarende and utfarende betwux him, and hi ealle mid +micelre arwurdhnysse and lufe hire thenodon, and heo him {440} cudhlice +ealle thing ymbe Cristes menniscnysse gewissode; fordhan the heo fram +frymdhe gewislice thurh thone Halgan Gast hi ealle geleornode, and mid +agenre gesihdhe geseah; theah dhe tha apostoli thurh thone ylcan Gast ealle +thing undergeaton, and on ealre sodhfaestnysse gelaerede wurdon. Se +heah-engel Gabriel hi ungewemmede geheold, and heo wunode on Iohannes and +on ealra thaera apostola gymene, on thaere heofonlican scole, embe Godes +['ae] smeagende, odhthaet God on thysum daege hi genam to dham heofonlican +thrymsetle, and hi ofer engla weredum geufrode. + +Nis geraed on nanre bec nan swutelre gewissung be hire geendunge, buton +thaet heo nu to-daeg wuldorfullice of tham lichaman gew['a]t. Hyre byrigen +is swutol eallum onlociendum odh thysne andweardan daeg, on middan thaere +dene Iosaphat. Seo dene is betwux thaere dune Sion and tham munte Oliueti, +and seo byrigen is aeteowed open and emtig, and thaer on-uppon on hire +wurdhmynte is araered maere cyrce mid wundorlicum st['a]n-geweorce. Nis +nanum deadlicum men cudh h['u], odhdhe on hwylcere tide hyre halga lichama +thanon gebroden waere, odhdhe hwider he ahafen sy, odhdhe hwaedher heo of +deadhe arise: cwaedon theah gehwylce lareowas, thaet hyre Sunu, sedhe on +tham thriddan daege mihtilice of deadhe ar['a]s, thaet he eac his moder +lichaman of deadhe araerde, and mid undeadlicum wuldre on heofonan rice +gelogode. Eac swa gelice forwel menige lareowas on heora bocum setton, be +dham ge-edcucedum mannum the mid Criste of deadhe arison, thaet hi ecelice +araerede synd. Witodlice hi andetton thaet dha araeredan men naeron +sodhfaeste gewitan Cristes aeristes, buton hi waeron ecelice araerede. Ne +widhcwedhe we be thaere eadigan Marian tha ecan aeriste, theah, for +waerscipe gehealdenum geleafan, us gedafenadh thaet we hit wenon swidhor +thonne we unraedlice hit gesethan thaet dhe is uncudh buton aelcere +fraecednysse. + +We raedadh gehwaer on bocum, thaet forwel oft englas comon to godra manna +fordhsidhe, and mid gastlicum lofsangum heora sawla to heofonum gelaeddon. +And, thaet gyt swutollicor is, {442} men gehyrdon on tham fordhsidhe +waepmanna sang and wifmanna sang, mid micclum leohte and swetum bredhe: on +dham is cudh thaet tha halgan men the to Godes rice thurh gode geearnunga +becomon, thaet hi on odhra manna fordhsidhe heora sawla underfodh, and mid +micelre blisse to reste gelaedadh. Nu gif se Haelend swilcne wurdhmynt on +his halgena fordhsidhe oft geswutelode, and heora gastas mid heofonlicum +lofsange to him gefeccan het, hu miccle swidhor wenst thu thaet he nu +to-daeg thaet heofonlice werod togeanes his agenre meder sendan wolde, +thaet hi mid ormaetum leohte and unasecgendlicum lofsangum hi to tham +thrymsetle gelaeddon the hire gegearcod waes fram frymdhe middangeardes. + +Nis nan twynung thaet eall heofonlic thrym tha mid unasecgendlicere blisse +hire to-cymes faegnian wolde. Sodhlice eac we gelyfadh thaet Drihten sylf +hire togeanes come, and wynsumlice mid gefean to him on his thrymsetle hi +gesette: witodlice he wolde gefyllan thurh hine sylfne thaet he on his +['ae] bebead, thus cwedhende, "Arwurdha thinne faeder and thine moder." He +is his agen gewita thaet he his Faeder gearwurdhode, swa swa he cwaedh to +tham Iudeiscum, "Ic arwurdhige minne Faeder, and ge unarwurdhiadh me." On +his menniscnysse he arwurdhode his moder, thadha he waes, swa swa thaet +halige godspel segdh, hire underdheod on his geogodhhade. Micele swidhor is +to gelyfenne thaet he his modor mid unasecgendlicere arwurdhnysse on his +rice gewurdhode, thadha he wolde aefter dhaere menniscnysse on thysum life +hyre gehyrsumian. + +Dhes symbel-daeg oferstihdh unwidhmetenlice ealra odhra halgena +maesse-dagas swa micclum swa this halige maeden, Godes modor, is +unwidhmetenlic eallum odhrum maedenum. Dhes freolsdaeg is us gearlic, ac he +is heofonwarum singallic. Be dhysre heofonlican cw['e]ne upstige wundrode +se Halga Gast on lofsangum, dhus befrinende, "Hwaet is dheos dhe her +astihdh swilce arisende daeg-rima, swa wlitig swa m['o]na, swa gecoren swa +sunne, and swa egeslic swa fyrd-truma?" Se Halga Gast wundrode, fordhan dhe +he dyde thaet eal heofonwaru {444} wundrode dhysre faemnan upfaereldes. +Maria is wlitigre dhonne se m['o]na, fordhan dhe heo scindh buton +aeteorunge hire beorhtnysse. Heo is gecoren swa swa sunne mid leoman +healicra mihta, fordhan dhe Drihten, sedhe is rihtwisnysse sunne, h['i] +geceas him to cennestran. Hire faer is widhmeten fyrdlicum truman, fordhan +dhe heo waes mid halgum maegnum ymbtrymed, and mid engla threatum. + +Be dhissere heofonlican cw['e]ne is gecweden gyt thurh dhone ylcan Godes +Gast: he cwaedh, "Ic geseah dha wlitegan swilce culfran astigende ofer +streamlicum ridhum, and unasecgendlic braedh stemde of hire gyrlum; and, +swa swa on lengctenlicere tide, rosena blostman and lilian hi ymtrymedon." +Dhaera rosena blostman getacniadh mid heora readnysse martyrdom, and dha +lilian mid heora hwitnysse getacniadh dha scinendan claennysse ansundes +maegdhh['a]des. Ealle dha gecorenan dhe Gode gethugon dhurh martyrdom +odhdhe thurh claennysse, ealle hi gesidhodon mid thaere eadigan cw['e]ne; +fordhan dhe heo sylf is aegdher ge martyr ge maeden. Heo is swa wlitig swa +culfre, fordhan dhe heo lufode dha bilewitnysse, the se Halga Gast +getacnode, dhadha he waes gesewen on culfran gelicnysse ofer Criste on his +fulluhte. Odhre martyras on heora lichaman throwodon martyrdom for Cristes +geleafan, ac seo eadige Maria naes na lichamlice gemartyrod, ac hire sawul +waes swidhe geangsumod mid micelre throwunge, thadha heo stod dreorig foran +ongean Cristes rode, and hire leofe cild geseah mid isenum naeglum on +heardum treowe gefaestnod. Nu is heo mare thonne martyr, fordhan dhe heo +dhrowode thone martyrdom on hire sawle dhe odhre martyras dhrowodon on +heora lichaman. Heo lufode Crist ofer ealle odhre men, and fordhy waes eac +hire sarnys be him toforan odhra manna, and heo dyde his deadh hire agenne +deadh, fordhan dhe his dhrowung swa swa swurd dhurhferde hire sawle. + +Nis heo nanes haliges maegnes bedaeled, ne nanes wlites, ne nanre +beorhtnysse; and fordhy heo waes ymbtrymed mid rosan and lilian, thaet hyre +mihta waeron mid mihtum {446} underwridhode, and hire faegernys mid +claennysse wlite waere geyht. Godes gecorenan scinadh on heofonlicum wuldre +aelc be his gedhingcdhum; nu is geleaflic thaet seo eadige] cw['e]n mid swa +micclum wuldre and beorhtnysse odhre oferstige, swa micclum swa hire +gedhincdhu odhra halgena unwidhmetenlice sind. + +Drihten cwaedh aer his upstige, thaet on his Faeder huse sindon fela +wununga: sodhlice we gelyfadh thaet he nu to-daeg tha wynsumestan wununge +his leofan meder forgeafe. Godes gecorenra wuldor is gemetegod be heora +geearnungum, and nis hwaedhere n['a]n ceorung ne ['a]nda on heora aenigum, +ac h['i] ealle wuniadh on sodhre lufe and healicere sibbe, and aelc +blissadh on odhres gedhincdhum swa swa on his agenum. + +Ic bidde eow, blissiadh on dhyssere freols-tide: witodlice nu to-daeg thaet +wuldorfulle maeden heofonas astah, thaet heo unasecgendlice mid Criste +ahafen on ecnysse rixige. Seo heofenlice cw['e]n weardh to-daeg generod +fram dhyssere m['a]nfullan worulde. Eft ic cwedhe, faegniadh fordhan dhe +heo becom orsorhlice to dham heofonlicum botle. Blissige eal middangeard, +fordhan dhe nu to-daeg us eallum is dhurh hire geearnunga h['ae]l geyht. +Thurh ure ealdan modor Euan us weardh heofonan rices geat belocen, and eft +dhurh Marian hit is us geopenod, thurh thaet heo sylf nu to-daeg +wuldorfullice inn-ferde. + +God dhurh his witegan us bebead thaet we sceolon hine herian and +m['ae]rsian on his halgum, on dham he is wundorlic: micele swidhor +gedafenadh thaet we hine on dhisre maeran freols-tide his eadigan meder mid +lofsangum and wurdhfullum herungum wurdhian sceolon; fordhan dhe untwylice +eal hire wurdhmynt is Godes herung. Uton nu fordhi mid ealre estfulnysse +ures modes dhas maeran freols-tide wurdhian, fordhan dhe thaet sidhfaet ure +h['ae]le is on lofsangum ures Drihtnes. Tha dhe on maeigdhh['a]de wuniadh +blission h['i], fordhan dhe h['i] geearnodon thaet beon thaet h['i] +heriadh: habbon h['i] h['o]ge thaet h['i] syn swilce thaet h['i] +wurdhfullice herigan magon. Tha dhe on claenan wudewanh['a]de sind, herion +h['i] and arwurdhion, fordhan dhe swutol is thaet h['i] ne magon beon +claene buton dhurh Cristes gife, seodhe waes {448} fulfremedlice on Marian +dhe h['i] herigadh. Herigan eac and wurdhian dha dhe on sinscipe wuniadh, +fordhan dhe dhanon flewdh eallum mildheortnys and gifu thaet h['i] herigan +magon. Gif hwa synful sy, he andette, and nal['ae]s herige, dheah dhe ne +beo wlitig l['o]f on dhaes synfullan mudhe; hwaedhere ne geswice h['e] +dhaere herunge, fordhan dhe dhanon him is beh['a]ten forgyfenys. + +Thes pistol is swidhe menigfeald ['u]s to gereccenne, and eow swidhe deop +to gehyrenne. Nu ne onhagadh ['u]s na swidhor be dham to sprecenne, ac we +wylladh sume odhre trimminge be dhaere maeran Godes meder gereccan, to +eowre gebetrunge. Sodhlice Maria is se maesta frofer and fultum cristenra +manna, thaet is forwel oft geswutelod, swa swa we on bocum raedadh. + +Sum man waes mid drycraefte bepaeht, swa thaet h['e] Criste widhs['o]c, and +wr['a]t his hand-gewrit tham awyrgedan deofle, and him mannraedene +befaeste. His nama waes Theophilus. He dha eft sydhdhan hine bedhohte, and +dha hellican pinunge on his mode weolc; and ferde dha to sumere cyrcan the +waes to lofe dhaere eadigan Marian gehalgod, and dhaer-binnan swa lange mid +wope and faestenum hire fultumes and dhingunge baed, odhthaet heo sylf mid +micclum wuldre him to com, and cwaedh, thaet heo him gedhingod haefde widh +thone Heofenlican Deman, hire agenne Sunu. + +We wylladh eac eow gereccan be geendunge dhaes arleasan Godes widhersacan +Iulianes. + +Sum halig biscop waes Basilius geh['a]ten, se leornode on anre scole, and +se ylca Iulianus samod. Tha gelamp hit swa thaet Basilius weardh to biscope +gecoren to anre byrig dhe is geh['a]ten Cappadocia, and Iulianus to casere, +theah dhe he aeror to preoste bescoren waere. Iulianus dha ongann to +lufigenne haedhengyld, and his cristendome widhs['o]c, and mid eallum mode +haedhenscipe beeode, and his leode to dhan ylcan genydde. Tha aet suman +cyrre tengde h['e] to fyrde ongean Perscisne leodscipe, and gemette dhone +biscop, and cwaedh him to, "Eala, dhu Basili, nu ic haebbe dhe oferdhogen +on udhwitegunge." Se biscop him andwyrde, "God forgeafe thaet dhu +udhwitegunge {450} beeodest:" and h['e] mid tham worde him bead swylce +l['a]c swa he sylf breac, thaet waeron dhry berene hlafas, for bletsunge. +Tha het se widhersaca onfon dhaera hlafa, and agifan dham biscope togeanes +gaers, and cwaedh, "He bead ['u]s nytena f['o]dan, underfo h['e] gaers to +leanes." Basilius underfeng thaet gaers, dhus cwedhende, "Eala dhu casere, +sodhlice we budon dhe dhaes dhe we sylfe brucadh, and dhu us sealdest to +edleane ungesceadwisra nytena andlyfene, na us to f['o]dan, ac to hospe." +Se Godes widhersaca hine dha gehathyrte, and cwaedh, "Thonne ic fram fyrde +gecyrre ic towurpe dhas burh, and hi gesmedhige, and to yrdhlande awende, +swa thaet heo bidh cornbaere swidhor thonne mannbaere. Nis me uncudh thin +dyrstignys, and dhissere burhware, dhe dhurh dhine tihtinge dha anlicnysse, +dhe ic araerde and me to gebaed, tobraecon and towurpon." And h['e] mid +dhisum wordum ferde to Persciscum earde. + +Hwaet dha Basilius cydde his ceastergewarum dhaes redhan caseres dheowrace, +and him selost raedbora weardh, thus cwedhende, "Mine gebrodhra, bringadh +eowre sceattas, and uton cunnian, gif we magon, dhone redhan widhersacan on +his geancyrre gegladian." Hi dha mid glaedum mode him to brohton goldes, +and seolfres, and deorwurdhra gimma ungerime hypan. Se bisceop dha +underfeng dha madmas, and bebead his preostum and eallum dham folce, thaet +h['i] heora l['a]c geoffrodon binnon dham temple dhe waes to wurdhmynte +dhaere eadigan Marian gehalgod, and het h['i] dhaer-binnon andbidigan mid +dhreora daga faestene, thaet se Aelmihtiga Wealdend, thurh his moder +dhingraedene towurpe thaes unrihtwisan caseres andgit. Tha on dhaere +dhriddan nihte dhaes faestenes geseah se bisceop micel heofenlic werod on +aelce healfe dhaes temples, and on middan dham werode saet seo heofenlice +cw['e]n Maria, and cwaedh to hire aetstandendum, "Gel['a]ngiadh me dhone +martyr Mercurium, thaet he gewende widh dhaes arleasan widhersacan +Iulianes, and hine acwelle, sedhe mid todhundenum mode God minne Sunu +forsihdh." Se halga cydhere Mercurius gew['ae]pnod hraedlice {452} c['o]m, +and be hyre haese ferde. Tha eode se bisceop into dhaere odhre cyrcan, +thaer se martyr inne laeig, and befr['a]n dhone cyrcweard hwaer dhaes +halgan waepnu waeron? He sw['o]r thaet h['e] on aefnunge aet his heafde +witodlice h['i] gesawe. And he dhaerrihte wende to S[=ca] Marian temple, +and dham folce gecydde his gesihdhe, and dhaes waelhreowan forwyrd. Tha +eode h['e] eft ongean to dhaes halgan martyres byrgenne, and funde his +spere standan mid blode begleddod. + +Tha aefter dhrim dagum com ['a]n dhaes caseres dhegna, Libanius hatte, and +gesohte dhaes bisceopes f['e]t, fulluhtes biddende, and cydde him and ealre +dhaere buruhware thaes arleasan Iulianes deadh: cwaedh thaet seo fyrd +w['i]code widh dha ea Eufraten, and seofon weard-setl wacodon ofer dhone +casere. Tha com dhaer staeppende sum uncudh cempa, and hine hetelice +dhurhdhyde, and dhaerrihte of hyra gesihdhum fordw['a]n; and Iulianus dha +mid andhraecum hreame forswealt. Swa weardh seo burhwaru ahred thurh S[=ca] +Marian widh dhone Godes widhersacan. Tha bead se bisceop dham +ceastergewarum hyra sceattas, ac hi cwaedon thaet hi udhon dhaera laca tham +undeadlican Cyninge, dhe hi swa mihtelice generede, micele bet dhonne dham +deadlican cwellere. Se bisceop dheah nydde thaet folc thaet hi dhone +dhriddan dael thaes feos underfengon, and he mid tham twam daelum thaet +mynster geg['o]dode. + +Gif hw['a] smeage hu dhis gewurde, thonne secge we, thaet dhes martyr his +l['i]f adreah on laewedum hade; dha weardh he dhurh haedhenra manna +ehtnysse for Cristes geleafan gemartyrod; and cristene men sydhdhan his +halgan lichaman binnon dham temple wurdhfullice gel['o]gedon, and his +waepna samod. Eft, dhadha seo halige cw['e]n hine asende, swa swa we n['u] +hwene ['ae]r saedon, tha ferde his gast swyftlice, and mid lichamlicum +waepne dhone Godes feond ofst['a]ng, his weard-setlum onlocigendum. + +Mine gebrodhra dha leofostan, uton clypigan mid singalum benum to dhaere +halgan Godes meder, thaet heo ['u]s on urum {454} nydthearfnyssum to hire +Bearne gedhingige. Hit is swidhe geleaflic thaet he hyre miceles dhinges +tidhian wylle, sedhe hine sylfne gemedemode thaet he dhurh h['i], for +middangeardes alysednysse, to menniscum men acenned wurde, sedhe aefre is +God butan anginne, and nu dhurhwunadh, on anum hade, sodh man and sodh God, +['a] on ecnysse. Swa swa gehwilc man wunadh on sawle and on lichaman ['a]n +mann, swa is Crist, God and mann, ['a]n Haelend, sedhe leofadh and rixadh +mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +AUGUST XV. + +ON THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED MARY. + +Jerome the holy priest wrote an epistle on the decease of the blessed MARY, +the mother of God, to a holy maiden, whose name was Eustochium, and to her +mother Paula, who was a hallowed widow. To these two women the same Jerome +wrote several treatises; for they were persons of holy life, and very +diligent in book-studies. This Jerome was a holy priest, and instructed in +the Hebrew tongue, and in Greek and Latin perfectly; and he turned our +library of Hebrew books into the Latin speech. He is the first interpreter +betwixt the Hebrews, and Greeks, and Latins. Seventy-two books of the old +and of the new law he turned into Latin, to one 'Bibliotheca,' besides many +other treatises which he profoundly devised with diligent understanding. +Then at last he composed this epistle to the holy widow Paula, and to the +maiden of God, Eustochium, her daughter, and to all the maidenly company +who were living with them, thus saying: + +Verily ye compel me to relate to you how the blessed Mary, on this present +day was taken to the heavenly dwelling, that your maidenly society may have +this gift in the Latin speech, how this great festival, in the course of +every year, is passed with heavenly praise, and celebrated with ghostly +bliss, lest the false account should come to your {439} hand which has been +widely disseminated by heretics, and ye then receive the feigned leasing +for a true narrative. + +Verily from the beginning of the holy gospel ye have learned how the +archangel Gabriel declared to the blessed Mary the birth of the Heavenly +Prince, and the miracles of Jesus, and the ministry of the blessed mother +of God and the deeds of her life ye have manifestly known from the four +evangelical books. John the Evangelist wrote that, at Christ's passion, he +himself and Mary stood with sorrowing mind opposite the holy rood, on which +Jesus was fastened. Then said he to his own mother, "Thou woman, behold, +here is thy son." Again he said to John, "Look now, here standeth thy +mother." Afterwards, from that day, the Evangelist John had charge of the +holy Mary, and with careful ministry obeyed her as his mother. + +The Lord, through his piety, committed the blessed maiden his mother to the +chaste man John, who had ever lived in pure virginity; and on that account +he was especially dear to the Lord, so much so that he would commit to him +that precious treasure, the queen of the whole world: no doubt, that her +most pure virginity might be associated with that chaste man with grateful +fellowship in pleasant converse. In them both was one virtue of unbroken +chastity, but a second attribute in Mary; in her is fruitful virginity, so +as in no other. In no other person is there virginity, if there be +fruitfulness; nor fruitfulness, if there be perfect virginity. Therefore +now are hallowed both the virginity of Mary and her fruitfulness through +the divine birth; and she excels all others in virginity and in +fruitfulness. Nevertheless, though she was especially committed to the care +of John, yet she lived in common, after Christ's ascension, with the +apostolic company, going in and going out among them, and they all with +great piety and love ministered to her, and she fully {441} informed them +of all things touching Christ's humanity; for she had from the beginning +accurately learned them through the Holy Ghost, and seen them with her own +sight; though the apostles understood all things through the same Ghost, +and were instructed in all truth. The archangel Gabriel held her +uncorrupted, and she continued in the care of John and of all the apostles, +in the heavenly company, meditating on God's law, until God, on this day, +took her to the heavenly throne, and exalted her above the hosts of angels. + +There is not read in any book any more manifest information of her end, but +that she on this day gloriously departed from the body. Her sepulchre is +visible to all beholders to this present day, in the midst of the valley of +Jehosaphat. The valley is between Mount Sion and the mount of Olives, and +the sepulchre appears open and empty, and thereupon is raised, in her +honour, a large church, with wondrous stone-work. To no mortal man is it +known how, or at what time her holy body was brought from thence, or +whither it be borne, or whether she arose from death: though some doctors +say, that her Son, who on the third day mightily from death arose, that he +also raised his mother's body from death, and placed it with immortal glory +in the kingdom of heaven. In like manner very many doctors have set in +their books concerning the requickened men who arose from death with +Christ, that they are raised for ever. They profess verily that those +raised men would not have been true witnesses of Christ's resurrection, +unless they had been raised for ever. Nor do we deny the eternal +resurrection of the blessed Mary, though for caution, preserving our +belief, it befits us that we rather hope it, than rashly assert what is +unknown without any danger. + +We read here and there in books, that very often angels came at the +departure of good men, and with ghostly hymns led their souls to heaven. +And, what is yet more certain, {443} men, at their departure, have heard +the song of men and women, with a great light and sweet odour: by which is +known that those holy men who through good deserts come to God's kingdom, +that they, at the departure of other men, receive their souls, and with +great joy lead them to rest. Now if Jesus has often showed such honour at +the death of his saints, and has commanded their souls to be conducted to +him with heavenly hymn, how much rather thinkest thou he would now to-day +send the heavenly host to meet his own mother, that they with light +immense, and unutterable hymns might lead her to the throne which was +prepared for her from the beginning of the world. + +There is no doubt that all the heavenly host then with unspeakable bliss +would rejoice in her advent. Verily we also believe that the Lord himself +came to meet her, and benignly with delight placed her by him on his +throne: for he would fulfil in himself what he had in his law enjoined, +thus saying, "Honour thy father and thy mother." He is his own witness that +he honoured his Father, as he said to the Jews, "I honour my Father, and ye +dishonour me." In his human state he honoured his mother, when he was, as +the holy gospel says, subjected to her in his youth. Much more is it to be +believed that he honoured his mother with unspeakable veneration in his +kingdom, when he would, according to human nature, obey her in this life. + +This festival excels incomparably all other saints' mass-days, as much as +this holy maiden, the mother of God, is incomparable with all other +maidens. This feast-day to us is yearly, but to heaven's inmates it is +perpetual. At the ascension of this heavenly queen the Holy Ghost in hymns +uttered his wonder, thus inquiring, "What is this that here ascends like +the rising dew of morn, as beauteous as the moon, as choice as the sun, and +as terrible as a martial band?" The Holy Ghost wondered, for he caused all +{445} heaven's inmates to wonder at the ascension of this woman. Mary is +more beauteous than the moon, for she shines without decrease of her +brightness. She is choice as the sun with beams of holy virtues, for the +Lord, who is the sun of righteousness, chose her for his mother. Her course +is compared to a martial band, for she was surrounded with heavenly powers +and with companies of angels. + +Of this heavenly queen it is yet said by the same Spirit of God, "I saw the +beauteous one as a dove mounting above the streaming rills, and an +ineffable fragrance exhaled from her garments; and, so as in the +spring-tide, blossoms of roses and lilies encircled her." The blossoms of +roses betoken by their redness martyrdom, and the lilies by their whiteness +betoken the shining purity of inviolate maidenhood. All the chosen who have +thriven to God through martyrdom or through chastity, they all journeyed +with the blessed queen; for she is herself both martyr and maiden. She is +as beauteous as a dove, for she loved meekness, which the Holy Ghost +betokened, when he appeared in likeness of a dove over Christ at his +baptism. Other martyrs suffered martyrdom in their bodies for Christ's +faith, but the blessed Mary was not bodily martyred, but her soul was +sorely afflicted with great suffering, when she stood sad before Christ's +rood, and saw her dear child fastened with iron nails on the hard tree. +Therefore is she more than a martyr, for she suffered that martyrdom in her +soul which other martyrs suffered in their bodies. She loved Christ above +all other men, and, therefore, was her pain also for him greater than other +men's, and she made his death as her own death, for his suffering pierced +her soul as a sword. + +She is void of no holy virtue, nor any beauty, nor any brightness; and +therefore was she encircled with roses and lilies, that her virtues might +be supported by virtues, and her {447} fairness increased by the beauty of +chastity. God's chosen shine in heavenly glory, each according to his +merits; it is therefore credible that the blessed] queen with so much glory +and brightness excels others, as much as her merits are incomparable with +those of the other saints. + +The Lord said before his ascension, that in his Father's house are many +dwellings: therefore we believe that he now to-day gave to his mother the +most pleasant dwelling. The glory of God's chosen is measured by their +deserts, and yet there is no murmuring nor envy in any of them, but they +all dwell in true love and profound peace, and each rejoices in another's +honours as in his own. + +I pray you, rejoice in this festival: verily now to-day that glorious +maiden ascended to heaven, that she, ineffably exalted with Christ, may for +ever reign. The heavenly queen was to-day snatched from this wicked world. +Again I say, rejoice that she, void of sorrow, is gone to the heavenly +mansion. Let all earth be glad, for now to-day, through her deserts, +happiness is increased to us all. Through our old mother Eve the gate of +heaven's kingdom was closed against us, and again, through Mary it is +opened to us, by which she herself has this day gloriously entered. + +God has commanded us through his prophets, that we should praise and +magnify him in his saints, in whom he is wonderful: much more fitting is it +that we, on this great festival of his blessed mother, should worship him +with hymns and honourable praises; for undoubtedly all honour to her is +praise of God. Let us now, therefore, with all the devotion of our mind +honour this great festival, for the way of our salvation is in hymns to our +Lord. Let those who continue in maidenhood rejoice, for they have attained +to be that which they praise: let them have care that they be such that +they may praise worthily. Let those who are in pure widowhood praise and +honour her, for it is manifest that they cannot be pure but through grace +of Christ, which was {449} perfect in Mary whom they praise. Let those also +who are in wedlock praise and honour her, for thence flow mercy and grace +to all that they may praise her. If any one be sinful, let him confess, and +not the less praise, though praise be not beautiful in the mouth of the +sinful; yet let him not cease from praise, for thence is promised to him +forgiveness. + +This epistle is very complex for us to expound, and very deep for you to +hear. It does not now seem good to us to speak more concerning it, but we +will relate for your bettering some other edifying matter of the great +mother of God. Verily Mary is the greatest comfort and support of christian +men, which is very often manifested, as we read in books. + +Some man was so deluded by magic that he denied Christ, and wrote his +chirograph to the accursed devil, and entered into a compact with him. His +name was Theophilus. He afterwards bethought himself, and revolved in his +mind the torment of hell; and went then to a church that was hallowed to +the praise of the blessed Mary, and therein so long with weeping and fasts +prayed for her aid and intercession, till she herself with great glory came +to him, and said, that she had interceded for him with the Heavenly Judge, +her own Son. + +We will also relate to you concerning the end of the impious adversary of +God, Julian. + +There was a certain bishop named Basilius, who had learned in a school +together with this same Julian. It so happened that Basilius was chosen to +be bishop of a place called Cappadocia, and Julian to be emperor, though he +earlier had been shorn for a priest. Julian then began to love idolatry, +and renounced his christianity, and with all his mind cultivated +heathenism, and compelled his people to the same. Then at a certain time he +went on an expedition against the Persian nation, and met the bishop, and +said to him, "O thou Basilius, I have now excelled thee in philosophy." The +bishop answered, "God has granted to you to cultivate philosophy:" {451} +and with that word he offered him such a gift as he himself partook of, +that was three barley loaves, for a blessing. Then the apostate commanded +the loaves to be received, and grass to be given to the bishop in return, +and said, "He has offered us the food of beasts, let him receive grass in +reward." Basilius received the grass, thus saying, "O thou emperor, verily +we have offered to thee what we ourselves partake of, and thou hast given +us in reward the sustenance of irrational beasts, not as food for us but as +insult." The adversary of God then became angry, and said, "When I return +from the expedition I will overthrow this city, and level it, and turn it +to arable land, so that it shall be cornbearing rather than manbearing. Thy +audacity and that of these citizens is not unknown to me, who at thy +instigation brake and cast down the image which I had raised and prayed +to." And with these words he went to the Persian territory. + +Hereupon Basilius made known to his fellow-citizens the cruel emperor's +threat, and was a most excellent counsellor to them, thus saying, "My +brothers, bring your treasures, and let us endeavour, if we can, to gladden +the cruel apostate on his return." They then with glad mind brought to him +of gold, and silver, and precious gems an immense heap. Thereupon the +bishop received the treasures, and commanded his priests and all the people +to offer their gifts within the temple that was hallowed to the honour of +the blessed Mary, and bade them therein abide, with a fast of three days, +that the Almighty Ruler, through his mother's intercession, might turn to +naught the resolve of the unrighteous emperor. Then on the third night of +the fast the bishop saw a great heavenly host on each side of the temple, +and in the midst of the host sat the heavenly queen Mary, and said to her +attendants, "Bring to me the martyr Mercurius, that he may go against the +impious apostate Julian, and slay him, who with inflated mind despises God +my Son." The holy martyr Mercurius {453} came armed speedily, and went by +her command. The bishop then went into the other church, in which the +martyr lay, and asked the churchward, where the weapons of the saint were? +He swore that he certainly saw them at his head in the evening. And he +straightways returned to St. Mary's temple, and made known to the people +what he had seen, and the destruction of the tyrant. He then went again to +the holy martyr's sepulchre, and found his spear standing stained with +blood. + +Then after three days came one of the emperor's officers called Libanius, +and sought the bishop's feet, praying for baptism, and informed him and all +the citizens of the death of the impious Julian: he said that the army was +encamped on the river Euphrates, and seven watches watched over the +emperor. Then came there walking an unknown warrior, and violently pierced +him through, and straightways vanished from their sight; and Julian then +with a horrible cry expired. So were the citizens saved through St. Mary +from the adversary of God. Then the bishop offered their treasures to the +citizens, but they said, that they would give those gifts to the Immortal +King, who had so powerfully saved them, much rather than to the mortal +murderer. The bishop, nevertheless, compelled the people to receive a third +part of the money, and with the two parts endowed the monastery. + +If any one ask how this happened, we say, that this martyr had spent his +life in a lay condition, when, through the persecution of heathen men, for +belief in Christ, he was martyred; and christian men afterwards honourably +deposited his holy body within the temple, together with his weapons. +Afterwards, when the holy queen sent him, as we have said a little before, +his spirit swiftly went, and with a bodily weapon stabbed the foe of God, +while his guards were looking on. + +My dearest brothers, let us call with constant prayers to the holy mother +of God, that she may intercede for us in {455} our necessities with her +Son. It is very credible that he will grant much to her, who vouchsafed +through her to be born a human being for the redemption of the world, who +is ever God without beginning, and now exists, in one person, true man and +true God, ever to eternity. So as every man exists in soul and body one +man, so is Christ, God and man, one Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with +the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +VIII. [=KL]. SEPT. + +PASSIO S[=CI] BARTHOLOMEI APOSTOLI. + +Wyrd-writeras secgadh thaet dhry leodscipas sind geh['a]tene India. Seo +forme India lidh to dhaera Silhearwena rice, seo odher lidh to Medas, seo +dhridde to dham micclum garsecge; theos dhridde India haefdh on anre sidan +theostru, and on odhere dhone grimlican garsecg. To dhyssere bec['o]m Godes +apostol BARTHOLOMEUS, and eode into dham temple to dham deofolgylde +Astarodh, and swa swa aeldheodig dhaer wunade. On dham deofolgylde wunade +swilc deofol dhe to mannum thurh dha anlicnysse spraec, and gehaelde +untruman, blinde and healte, tha dhe he sylf ['ae]r awyrde. He derode manna +gesihdhum, and heora lichaman mid mislicum untrumnyssum awyrde, and +andwyrde him dhurh dha anlicnysse, thaet hi him heora l['a]c offrian +sceoldon, and he hi gehaelde; ac he him ne heolp mid nanre haele, ac dhadha +hi to him bugon, dha geswac he dhaere lichamlican gedreccednysse, fordhan +dhe he ahte dha heora sawla. Tha wendon dysige men thaet he h['i] gehaelde, +dhadha he dhaere dreccednysse geswac. + +Tha mid tham dhe se apostol into dham temple eode, dha adumbode se deofol +Astarodh, and ne mihte nanum dhaera dhe h['e] {456} awyrde gehelpan, for +dhaes halgan Godes dhegnes neawiste. Tha lagon dhaer binnan dham temple +fela adligra manna, and daeghwomlice tham deofolgylde offrodon; ac thadha +h['i] gesawon thaet he heora helpan ne mihte, ne nanum andwyrdan, tha +ferdon h['i] to gehendre byrig, thaer dhaer odher deofol waes gewurdhod, +thaes nama waes Beridh, and him offrodon, and befrunon, hwi heora god him +andwyrdan ne mihte? Se deofol dha Beridh andwyrde, and cwaedh, "Eower god +is swa faeste mid isenum racenteagum gewridhen thaet he ne gedyrstlaecdh +thaet he furdhon ordhige odhdhe sprece sydhdhan se Godes apostol +Bartholomeus binnan thaet tempel becom." H['i] axodon, "Hwaet is se +Bartholomeus?" Se deofol andwyrde, "He is freond thaes Aelmihtigan Godes, +and dhi he com to dhyssere scire thaet he aidlige ealle dha haedhengyld the +dhas Indiscan wurdhiadh." H['i] cwaedon, "Sege us his nebwlite, thaet we +hine oncnawan magon." Beridh him andwyrde, "He is blaecfexede and cyrps, +hwit on lichaman, and he haefdh steape eagan, and medemlice nosu, and side +beardas, hwon h['a]rwencge, medemne waestm, and is ymbscryd mid hwitum +oferslype, and binnan six and twentig geara faece: naes his reaf h['o]rig +ne tosigen, ne his scos forwerode. Hund sidhon he bigdh his cneowa on +daege, and hund sidhon on nihte, biddende his Drihten. His stemn is swylce +ormaete byme, and him faradh mid Godes englas, dhe ne gedhafiadh thaet him +hunger derige, odhdhe aenig ateorung. Aefre he bidh anes modes, and glaed +thurhwunadh. Ealle dhing he foresceawadh and w['a]t, and ealra dheoda +gereord he cann. Nu iu he w['a]t hwaet ic sprece be him, fordhan dhe Godes +englas him dheowiadh, and ealle dhing cydhadh. Thonne ge hine secadh, gif +he sylf wyle, ge hine gemetadh; gif he nele, sodhlice ne finde ge hine. Ic +bidde eow thaet ge hine geornlice biddon thaet he hider ne gewende, thelaes +dhe Godes englas dhe him mid synd me gebeodon thaet hi minum geferan +Astarodh gebudon." And se deofol mid thisum wordum suwode. + +Hi gecyrdon ongean, and sceawodon aelces aeldheodiges mannes andwlitan and +gyrlan, and hi nateshwon, binnan {458} twegra daga faece, hine ne gemetton. +Tha betwux dhisum hrymde sum w['o]d mann dhurh deofles gast, and cwaedh, +"Eala dhu Godes apostol, Bartholomee, dhine gebedu geancsumiadh me, and +ontendadh." Se apostol dha cwaedh, "Adumba, dhu unclaena deofol, and gewit +of dham menn." And dhaerrihte weardh se mann geclaensod fram dham fulan +gaste, and gewittiglice spraec, sedhe for manegum gearum awedde. + +Tha geaxode se cyning Polimius be dham witseocum menn, hu se apostol hine +fram dhaere w['o]dnysse ahredde, and het hine to him gelangian, and cwaedh, +"Min dohtor is hreowlice awed: nu bidde ic dhe thaet thu h['i] on gewitte +gebringe, swa swa dhu dydest Seustium, sedhe for manegum gearum mid +egeslicere w['o]dnysse gedreht waes." Thadha se apostol thaet maeden geseah +mid heardum racenteagum gebunden, fordhan dhe heo b['a]t and totaer aelcne +dhe heo geraecan mihte, and hire nan man genealaecan ne dorste, dha het se +apostol h['i] unbindan. Tha dhenas him andwyrdon, "Hwa dearr hi hreppan?" +Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ic haebbe gebunden dhone feond the hi drehte, and +ge g['y]t hi ondraedadh. Gadh to and unbindadh hi, and gereordigadh, and on +aerne merigen l['ae]dadh h['i] to me." Hi dha dydon be dhaes apostoles +haese, and se awyrigeda gast ne mihte na leng hi dreccan. + +Tha dhaes on merigen se cyning Polimius gesymde gold, and seolfor, and +deorwurdhe gymmas, and paellene gyrlan uppan olfendas, and sohte dhone +apostol, ac he hine nateshwon ne gemette. Eft dhaes on merigen com se +apostol into dhaes cyninges bure, beclysedre dura, and hine befr['a]n, "Hwi +sohtest dhu me mid golde, and mid seolfre, and mid deorwurdhum gymmum and +gyrlum? Thas l['a]c behofiadh tha dhe eordhlice welan secadh; ic sodhlice +nanes eordhlices gestreones, ne flaesclices lustes ne gewilnige; ac ic +wille thaet thu wite thaet dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu gemedemode hine +sylfne thaet h['e] dhurh maedenlicne innodh acenned weardh, sedhe geworhte +heofonas and eordhan and ealle gesceafta; and he haefde anginn on dhaere +menniscnysse, sedhe naefre ne ongann on {460} godcundnysse, ac he sylf is +anginn, and eallum gesceaftum, aegdher ge gesewenlicum ge ungesewenlicum, +anginn forgeaf. Thaet maeden dhe hine gebaer forhogode aelces weres +gemanan, and dham Aelmihtigan Gode hire maegdhhad behet. Hire com to Godes +heah-engel Gabriel, and hire cydde thaes heofonlican Aedhelinges to-cyme on +hire innodh, and heo his wordum gelyfde, and swa mid tham cilde weardh." + +Se apostol dha tham cyninge bodade ealne cristendom, and middangeardes +alysednysse dhurh dhaes Haelendes to-cyme, and hu he dhone hellican deofol +gewylde, and him mancynnes benaemde, and cwaedh, "Drihten Crist, sedhe +dhurh his unscyldigan deadh thone deofol oferswidhde, sende us geond ealle +dheoda, thaet we todraefdon deofles dhenas, dha dhe on anlicnyssum wuniadh, +and thaet we dha haedhenan dhe hi wurdhiadh of heora anwealde aetbrudon. Ac +we ne underfodh gold ne seolfor, ac forseodh, swa swa Crist forseah; +fordhan dhe we gewilniadh thaet we rice beon on his rice, on dham naefdh +adl, ne untrumnyss, ne unrotnyss, ne deadh, naenne stede, ac thaer is ece +gesaeldh and eadignys, gefea butan ende mid ecum welum. Fordhi ic ferde to +eowerum temple, and se deofol dhe eow dhurh dha anlicnysse geandwyrde, +dhurh Godes englas dhe me sende, is gehaeft. And gif dhu to fulluhte +gebihst, ic do thaet thu dhone deofol gesihst, and gehyrst mid hwilcum +craefte he is gedhuht thaet he untrumnysse gehaele. Se awyrigeda deofol, +sidhdhan he dhone frumsceapenan mann besw['a]c, sydhdhan he haefde anweald +on ungelyfedum mannum, on sumum maran, on sumum laessan: on dham maran dhe +swidhor syngadh, on dham laessan dhe hwonlicor syngadh. Nu dedh se deofol +mid his lotwrencum thaet dha earman men geuntrumiadh, and tiht h['i] thaet +h['i] sceolon gelyfan on deofolgyld: thonne geswicdh he dhaere +gedreccednysse, and haefdh heora sawla on his anwealde; thonne h['i] +cwedhadh to dhaere deofollican anlicnysse, Thu eart min god. Ac dhes +deofol, dhe binnan eowrum temple waes, is gebunden, and ne maeg +nateshw['o]n andwyrdan dham the him to gebiddadh. Gif dhu wylt afandian +thaet ic sodh secge, ic hate hine faran into dhaere {462} anlicnysse, and +ic do thaet he andet this ylce, thaet he is gewridhen, and nane andsware +syllan ne maeg." + +Tha andwyrde se cyning, "Nu to-merigen haefdh this folc gemynt thaet h['i] +heora l['a]c him offrion, dhonne cume ic dhaerto, thaet ic geseo dhas +wunderlican daeda." Witodlice on dham odhrum daege com se cyning mid thaere +burhware to dham temple, and dha hrymde se deofol mid egeslicere stemne +dhurh dha anlicnysse, and cwaedh, "Geswicadh, earme, geswicadh eowra +offrunga, dhelaes dhe ge wyrsan pinunge dhrowion dhonne ic. Ic eom gebunden +mid fyrenum racenteagum fram Cristes englum, dhone dhe dha Iudeiscan on +r['o]de ah['e]ngon: wendon thaet se deadh hine gehaeftan mihte; he sodhlice +dhone deadh oferswydhde, and urne ealdor mid fyrenum bendum gewradh, and on +dham dhriddan daege sigefaest ar['a]s, and sealde his rode-t['a]cen his +apostolum, and tosende h['i] geond ealle dheoda. An dhaera is her, dhe me +gebundenne hylt. Ic bidde eow thaet ge me to him gedhingion, thaet ic mote +faran to sumere odhre scire." + +Tha cwaedh se apostol Bartholomeus, "Thu unclaena deofol, andette hw['a] +awyrde dhas untruman menn." Se unclaena gast andwyrde, "Ure ealdor, swa +gebunden swa he is, sent us to mancynne, thaet we h['i] mid mislicum +untrumnyssum awyrdon; aerest heora lichaman, fordhan dhe we nabbadh naenne +anweald on heora sawlum, buton hi heora l['a]c us geoffrion. Ac dhonne +h['i] for heora lichaman haeldhe us offriadh, thonne geswice we dhaes +lichaman gedreccednysse, fordhan dhe we habbadh sydhdhan heora sawla on +urum gewealde. Thonne bidh gedhuht swilce we hi gehaelon, dhonne we +geswicadh thaera awyrdnyssa. And menn us wurdhiadh for godas, thonne we +sodhlice deoflu sind, thaes ealdres gingran dhe Crist thaes maedenes Sunu +gewradh. Fram dham daege the his apostol Bartholomeus hider com, ic eom mid +byrnendum racenteagum dhearle fornumen, and fordhi ic sprece dhe he me het; +elles ic ne dorste on his andwerdnysse sprecan, ne furdhon ure ealdor." + +Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Hwi nelt dhu gehaelan dhas untruman, swa swa dhin +gewuna waes?" Se sceocca andwyrde, "Thonne {464} we manna lichaman +derigadh, buton we dhaere sawle derian magon, dha lichaman thurhwuniadh on +heora awyrdnysse." Bartholomeus cwaedh, "And h['u] becume ge to dhaere +sawle awyrdnysse?" Se deofol andwyrde, "Thonne h['i] gelyfadh thaet we +godas sind, and us offriadh, thonne forl['ae]t se Aelmihtiga God h['i], and +we dhonne forl['ae]tadh dhone lichaman ungebrocodne, and cepadh dhaere +sawle the ['u]s to gebeah, and heo dhonne on ure anwealde bidh." + +Tha cwaedh se apostol to eallum dham folce, "Efne nu ge habbadh gehyred +hwilc dhes god is dhe ge wendon thaet eow gehaelde; ac gehyradh nu dhone +sodhan God, eowerne Scyppend, the on heofonum eardadh; and ne gelyfe ge +heonon-fordh on idele anlicnyssa: and gif ge willadh thaet ic eow to Gode +gedhingige, and thaet dhas untruman haeldhe underfon, towurpadh thonne dhas +anlicnysse, and tobrecadh. Gif ge dhis dodh, thonne halgige ic dhis tempel +on Cristes naman, and eow dhaer on-innan mid his fulluhte fram eallum +synnum adhwea." Tha het se cyning dha anlicnysse towurpan. Hwaet thaet folc +dha caflice mid rapum hi bewurpon, and mid stengum awegdon; ac hi ne mihton +for dham deofle tha anlicnysse styrian. + +Tha het se apostol tolysan dha rapas, and cwaedh to dham awyrgedan gaste +dhe hire on sticode, "Gyf dhu wylle thaet ic dhe on niwelnysse ne asende, +gewit of dhyssere anlicnysse, and tobrec h['i], and far to westene, thaer +nan fugel ne flyhdh, ne yrdhling ne eradh, ne mannes stemn ne swegdh." He +dhaerrihte ['u]t-gew['a]t, and sticmaelum tobraec dha anlicnysse, and ealle +dha graeftas binnon dham temple tobrytte. Thaet folc dha mid anre stemne +clypode, "An Aelmihtig God is, dhone dhe Bartholomeus bodadh." Se apostol +dha astrehte his handa widh heofonas weard, thus biddende, "Thu Aelmihtiga +God, on dham dhe Abraham gelyfde, and Isaac, and Iacob; thu dhe asendest +dhinne ancennedan Sunu, thaet he us alysde mid his deorwurdhan blode fram +deofles dheowdome, and haefdh us geworht dhe to bearnum; thu eart unacenned +Faeder, he is Sunu of dhe aefre acenned, and se Halga Gast is aefre +fordhstaeppende of dhe and of dhinum {466} Bearne, se forgeaf us on his +naman dhas mihte, thaet we untrume gehaelon, and blinde onlihton, hreoflige +geclaensian deoflu aflian, deade araeran, and cwaedh to ['u]s, Sodh ic eow +secge, Swa hwaet swa ge biddadh on minum naman aet minum Faeder, hit bidh +eow getidhod. Nu bidde ic on his naman thaet theos untrume menigu sy +gehaeled, thaet hi ealle oncnawon thaet dhu eart ana God on heofonan, and +on eordhan, and on s['ae], thu dhe haeldhe ge-edstadhelast dhurh dhone +ylcan urne Drihten, sedhe mid dhe and mid tham Halgan Gaste leofadh and +rixadh on ealra worulda woruld." Mid tham dhe h['i] andwyrdon, "Amen," tha +weardh eall seo untrume menigu gehaeled: and dhaer com dha fleogende Godes +engel scinende swa swa sunne, and fleah geond dha feower hwemmas thaes +temples, and agrof mid his fingre rode-tacn on dham fydherscytum st['a]num, +and cwaedh, "Se God dhe me sende cwaedh, Thaet swa swa dhas untruman synd +gehaelede fram eallum codhum, swa he geclaensode this templ fram thaes +deofles fulnyssum, dhone dhe se apostol het to westene gewitan. And God +bebead me thaet ic dhone deofol eowrum gesihdhum aer aeteowige. Ne beo ge +afyrhte thurh his gesihdhe, ac mearciadh rode-tacen on eowrum foreheafdum, +and aelc yfel gewit fram eow." + +And se engel dha aeteowde tham folce dhone awyrigedan gast on dhyssere +gelicnysse. He weardh dha aeteowod swylce ormaete Silhearwa, mid scearpum +nebbe, mid sidum bearde. His loccas hangodon to dham anccleowum, his eagan +waeron fyrene spearcan sprengende; him st['o]d swaeflen l['i]g of dham +mudhe, he waes egeslice gefidherhamod, and his handa to his baece +gebundene. Tha cwaedh se Godes engel to dham atelican deofle, "Fordhan dhe +dhu waere gehyrsum dhaes apostoles haesum, and tobraece thas deofellican +anlicnysse, nu aefter his behate ic dhe unbinde, thaet thu fare to westene, +thaer dhaer nanes mannes drohtnung nis; and dhu thaer wunige odh thone +micclan dom." And se engel hine dha unband, and he mid hreowlicere +w['a]nunge aweg-gew['a]t, and nawar sidhdhan ne aeteowde. Se engel dha, him +eallum onlocigendum, fleah to heofonum. + +{468} Hwaet dha se cyning Polimius, mid his wife and his twam sunum, and +mid ealre his leode, gelyfde on dhone sodhan God, and weardh gefullod, and +awearp his cynehelm samod mid his purpuran gyrlum, and nolde dhone Godes +apostol forlaetan, Aefter dhisum gesamnodon gehwylce dhwyrlice widhercoran, +and wrehton dhone cyning to his bredher Astrigem, se waes cyning on odhrum +leodscipe, and cwaedon, "Thin brodher is geworden anes dryes folgere, se +geagnadh him ure tempel, and ure godas tobrycdh." Tha weardh se cyning +Astriges gehathyrt, and sende dhusend gewaepnodra cempena, thaet hi dhone +apostol gebundenne to him bringan sceoldon. Thadha se apostol him to gelaed +waes, dha cwaedh se cyning, "Hw['i] amyrdest dhu minne brodhor mid thinum +drycraefte?" Bartholomeus andwyrde, "Ne amyrde ic hine, ac ic hine awende +fram haedhenum gylde to dham sodhan Gode." Se cyning him to cwaedh, "Hw['i] +towurpe dhu ure godas?" He andwyrde, "Ic sealde dha mihte dham deoflum, +thaet h['i] tocwysdon dha idelan anlicnysse the h['i] on wunodon, thaet +thaet mennisce folc fram heora gedwyldum gecyrde, and on dhone ecan God +gelyfde." Tha cwaedh se cyning, "Swa swa dhu dydest minne brodhor his god +forlaetan, and on dhinne god gelyfan, swa do ic eac dhe forlaetan dhinne +god, and on minne gelyfan." Tha andwyrde se apostol, "Ic aeteowode thone +god dhe dhin brodhor wurdhode him gebundenne, and ic het thaet he sylf his +anlicnysse tobraece. Gif dhu miht dhis d['o]n minum Gode, thonne gebigst +dhu me to dhines godes biggengum: gif dhu dhonne this minum Gode d['o]n ne +miht, ic tobryte ealle dhine godas, and dhu dhonne gelyf on dhone sodhan +God the ic bodige." + +Mid tham dhe h['i] dhis spraecon, tha cydde sum man tham cyninge thaet his +maesta god Baldadh feolle, and sticmaelum toburste. Se cyning dha totaer +his purpuran reaf, and het mid stidhum saglum dhone apostol beatan, and +sidhdhan beheafdian. And he dha on dhisum daege swa gemartyrod to dham ecan +life gew['a]t. Witodlice aefter dhisum com se brodhor mid his folce, and +dhone halgan lichaman mid wulderfullum lofsangum {470} aweg ferodon, and +getimbrodon mynster wundorlicere micelnysse, and on dham his halgan +reliquias arwurdhlice gelogedon. Eornostlice on dham thrittigodhan daege, +se cyning Astriges, dhe dhone apostol ofslean het, weardh mid feondlicum +gaste gegripen, and egeslice awedde: swa eac ealle dha dhwyran +haedhengyldan, the dhone apostol mid nidhe to dham cyninge gewregdon, +aweddon samod mid him, and urnon h['i] and he to his byrgene, and dhaer +wedende swulton. Tha aspr['a]ng micel ['o]ga and gryre ofer ealle dha +ungeleaffullan, and hi dha gelyfdon, and gefullode wurdon aet dhaera +maessepreosta handum, dhe se apostol ['ae]r geh['a]dode. Tha onwreah se +apostol Bartholomeus be dham geleaffullan cyninge Polimius, thaet he +biscoph['a]d underfenge; and dha Godes dheowan and thaet geleaffulle folc +hine anmodlice to dham h['a]de gecuron. Hit gelamp dha, aefter dhaere +h['a]dunge, thaet he worhte fela t['a]cna on Godes naman, dhurh his +geleafan, and dhurhwunode twentig geara on dham biscopdome, and on godre +drohtnunge; and fulfremedum gedhincdhum gew['a]t to Drihtne, tham is +wurdhmynt and wuldor ['a] on worulde. + +We magon niman bysne be dhaere apostolican lare, thaet nan cristen mann ne +sceal his haele gefeccan buton aet dham Aelmihtigan Scyppende, dham dhe +gehyrsumiadh lif and deadh, untrumnys and gesundfulnys, sedhe cwaedh on his +godspelle, thaet ['a]n lytel fugel ne befyldh on deadh butan Godes dihte. +He is swa mihtig, thaet he ealle dhing gediht and gefadadh butan geswince; +ac he beswincgdh mid untrumnyssum his gecorenan, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, +"Tha dhe ic lufige, dha ic dhreage and beswinge." For mislicum intingum +beodh cristene men geuntrumode, hwilon for heora synnum, hwilon for +fandunge, hwilon for Godes wundrum, hwilon for gehealdsumnysse g['o]dra +drohtnunga, thaet h['i] dhy eadmodran beon; ac on eallum dhisum thingum is +gedhyld nyd-behefe. Hwilon eac thurh Godes wrace becymdh tham arleasan menn +swidhe egeslic yfel, swa thaet his wite ongindh on dhyssere worulde, and +his sawul gewit to dham ecum witum for his waelhreawnysse; swa swa {472} +Herodes dhe dha unscaedhdhigan cild acwealde on Cristes acennednysse, and +manega odhre to-eacan him. Gif se synfulla bidh gebrocod for his +unrihtwisnysse, thonne gif he mid gedhylde his Drihten heradh, and his +miltsunge bitt, he bidh dhonne adhwogen fram his synnum dhurh dha +untrumnysse, swa swa horig hraegl thurh sapan. Gif he rihtwis bidh, he +haefdh thonne maran gedhincdhe thurh his brocunge, gif he gedhyldig bidh. +Se dhe bidh ungethyldig, and mid gealgum mode ceoradh ongean God on his +untrumnysse, he haefdh twyfealde genidherunge, fordhan dhe he geycdh his +synna mid thaere ceorunge, and dhrowadh nadhelaes. + +God is se sodha laece, the dhurh mislice swingla his folces synna gehaeldh. +Nis se woruld-laece waelhreow, dheah dhe he thone gewundodan mid baernette, +odhdhe mid ceorfsexe gel['a]cnige. Se laece cyrfdh odhdhe baerndh, and se +untruma hrymdh, theah-hwaedhere ne miltsadh he thaes odhres w['a]nunge, +fordhan gif se laece geswicdh his craeftes, thonne losadh se forwundoda. +Swa eac God gel['a]cnadh his gecorenra gyltas mid mislicum brocum; and +theah dhe hit hefigtyme sy dham dhrowigendum, theah-hwaedhere wyle se +g['o]da Laece to ecere haeldhe hine gel['a]cnigan. Witodlice se dhe n['a]ne +brocunge for dhisum life ne dhrowadh, he faerdh to dhrowunge. For agenum +synnum bidh se mann geuntrumod, swa swa Drihten cwaedh to sumum bedridan, +dhe him to geboren waes, "Min bearn, dhe synd thine synna forgifene: aris +nu, and ber ham dhin leger-bed." + +For fandunge beodh sume menn geuntrumode, swa swa waes se eadiga Iob, +dhadha he waes rihtwis, and Gode gehyrsum. Tha baed se deofol, thaet he his +fandigan moste, and he dha anes daeges ealle his aehta amyrde, and eft hine +sylfne mid tham maestan broce geuntrumode, swa thaet him weollon madhan +geond ealne dhone lichaman. Ac se gedhyldiga Iob, on eallum dhisum +ungelimpum, ne syngode mid his mudhe, ne nan dhing stuntlices ongean God ne +spraec, ac cwaedh, "God me forgeaf dha aehta, and h['i] eft aet me genam; +sy his nama gebletsod." God eac dha hine gehaelde, and his aehta mid +twyfealdum him {474} forgeald. Sume menn beodh geuntrumode for Godes +t['a]cnum, swa swa Crist cwaedh be sumum blindan men, dhadha his +leorning-cnihtas hine axodon, for hwaes synnum se mann wurde swa blind +acenned. Tha cwaedh se Haelend, thaet he naere for his agenum synnum, ne +for his maga, blind geboren, ac fordhi thaet Godes wundor thurh hine +geswutelod waere. And he thaerrihte mildheortlice hine gehaelde, and +geswutelode thaet he is sodh Scyppend, dhe dha ungesceapenan eahhringas mid +his halwendan spatle geopenode. + +For gehealdsumnysse sodhre eadmodnysse beodh forwel oft Godes gecorenan +geswencte, swa swa Paulus se apostol be him sylfum cwaedh, "Me is geseald +sticels mines lichaman, and se sceocca me gearplaet, thaet seo micelnys +Godes onwrigenyssa me ne onhebbe; fordhan ic baed thriwa minne Drihten, +thaet he afyrsode thaes sceoccan sticels fram me; ac h['e] me andwyrde, +Paule, dhe genihtsumadh min gifu. Sodhlice maegen bidh gefremod on +untrumnysse. Nu wuldrige ic lustlice on minum untrumnyssum, thaet Cristes +miht on me wunige." + +Se cristena mann dhe on aenigre thissere gelicnysse bidh gebrocod, and he +dhonne his haeldhe secan wyle aet unalyfedum tilungum, odhdhe aet wyrigedum +galdrum, oththe aet aenigum wiccecraefte, dhonne bidh he dham haedhenum +mannum gel['i]c, the dham deofolgylde geoffrodon for heora lichaman +haeldhe, and swa heora sawla amyrdon. Se dhe geuntrumod beo, bidde his +haele aet his Drihtne, and gedhyldelice tha swingla forbere; loc h['u] +lange se sodha laece hit foresceawige, and ne beceapige na dhurh aenigne +deofles craeft mid his sawle dhaes lichaman gesundfulnysse; bidde eac +g['o]ddra manna bletsunge, and aet halgum reliquium his haele gesece. Nis +nanum cristenum menn alyfed thaet he his haele gefecce aet nanum stane, ne +aet nanum treowe, buton hit sy halig rode-tacen, ne aet nanre stowe, buton +hit sy halig Godes hus: se dhe elles dedh, he begaedh untwylice +haedhengild. We habbadh hwaedhere tha bysne on halgum bocum, thaet mot se +dhe wile mid sodhum laececraefte his lichaman getemprian, swa swa dyde se +w['i]tega Isaias, the {476} worhte dham cyninge Ezechie clidhan to his +dolge, and hine gel['a]cnode. + +Se wisa Augustinus cwaedh, thaet unpleolic sy theah hw['a] laece-wyrte +dhicge; ac thaet h['e] taeldh to unalyfedlicere w['i]glunge, gif hw['a] dha +wyrta on him becnitte, buton he h['i] to dham dolge gelecge. +Theah-hwaedhere ne sceole we urne hiht on laece-wyrtum besettan, ac on +dhone Aelmihtigan Scyppend, the dham wyrtum dhone craeft forgeaf. Ne sceal +nan man mid galdre wyrte besingan, ac mid Godes wordum h['i] gebletsian, +and swa dhicgan. + +Wite dheah-hwaedhere gehw['a], thaet nan man butan earfodhnyssum ne becymdh +to dhaere ecan reste, thadha Crist sylf nolde his agen rice butan micelre +earfodhnysse astigan: swa eac his apostoli, and dha halgan martyras mid +heora agenum feore thaet heofonlice rice beceapodon: sydhdhan eac halige +andetteras, mid micelre drohtnunge on Godes dheowdome, and thurh miccle +forhaefednyssa and claennysse, halige wurdon. Hwaet wylle we endemenn +dhyssere worulde, gif we for urum synnum gebrocode beodh, buton herian urne +Drihten, and eadmodlice biddan, thaet he us thurh dha hwilwendlican swingla +to dham ecan gefean gelaede? Sy him wuldor and lof on ealra worulda woruld. +Amen. + +AUGUST XXV. + +THE PASSION OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE. + +Historians say that there are three nations called India. The first India +lies towards the Ethiopians' realm, the second lies towards the Medes, the +third on the great ocean; this third India has on one side darkness, and on +the other the grim ocean. To this came the apostle of God BARTHOLOMEW, and +went into the temple to the idol Ashtaroth, and as a stranger there +remained. In the idol dwelt a devil such that he spake to men through the +image, and healed the sick, the blind and the halt, whom he had himself +previously afflicted. He injured men's sight, and afflicted their bodies +with divers diseases, and answered them through the image, that they should +offer to him their gifts, and he would heal them; but he helped them not +with any healing, but when they bowed to him, he ceased from the bodily +affliction, for he then possessed their souls. Then foolish men thought +that he healed them, when he ceased from afflicting them. + +When the apostle went into the temple, the devil Ashtaroth became dumb, and +could not help any of those whom he had {457} afflicted, for the presence +of the holy servant of God. There lay there within the temple many sick +men, and offered daily to the idol; but when they saw that he could not +help them, nor answer any one, they went to a neighbouring city, where +another devil was worshiped, whose name was Berith, and offered to him, and +asked, why their god could not answer them? The devil Berith then answered, +and said, "Your god is so fast bound with iron chains, that he dares not +even breathe or speak since God's apostle Bartholomew came within the +temple." They asked, "Who is Bartholomew?" The devil answered, "He is a +friend of the Almighty God, and he is come to this province that he may +render vain all the idols which these Indians worship." They said, +"Describe to us his countenance, that we may know him." Berith answered +them, "He has fair and curling locks, is white of body, and has deep eyes +and moderate sized nose, and ample beard, somewhat hoary, a middling +stature, and is clad in a white upper garment, and is within six and twenty +years old: his raiment is not dirty nor threadbare, nor are his shoes worn +out. A hundred times he bows his knees by day, and a hundred times by +night, praying to his Lord. His voice is as an immense trumpet, and God's +angels go with him, who allow not hunger to hurt him, nor any faintness. He +is ever of one mind, and continues glad. All things he foresees and knows, +and he understands the tongues of all nations. Now long ago he knows what I +am saying of him, for God's angels minister and make known all things to +him. When ye seek him, if he himself will, ye will find him; if he will +not, verily ye will find him not. I pray you that ye earnestly beseech him +not to come hither, lest God's angels who are with him command to me what +they have commanded to my companion Ashtaroth." And with these words the +devil was silent. + +They turned back, and beheld the countenance and garments of every man, +and, during a space of two days, they {459} did not find him. Then in the +meanwhile some madman cried through the devil's spirit, and said, "O thou +apostle of God, Bartholomew, thy prayers torment and exasperate me." The +apostle then said, "Be dumb, thou unclean devil, and depart from the man." +And straightways the man was cleansed from the foul spirit, and spake +rationally, who had been mad for many years. + +Then the king Polymius heard of the maniac, how the apostle had saved him +from that madness, and he commanded him to be fetched to him, and said, "My +daughter is cruelly frantic: now I beseech thee to bring her to her wits, +as thou didst Seustius, who for many years had been afflicted with dreadful +madness." When the apostle saw the maiden bound with hard chains (because +she bit and tore everyone whom she could reach, and no man durst approach +her), he ordered her to be unbound. The servants answered him, "Who dares +to touch her?" Bartholomew answered, "I have bound the fiend that tormented +her, and ye yet fear her. Go to and unbind her, and give her to eat, and +to-morrow early lead her to me." They did then as the apostle ordered, and +the accursed spirit could no longer torment her. + +Then on the morrow the king Polymius loaded gold, and silver, and precious +gems, and purple garments upon camels, and sought the apostle, but he found +him not. On the morrow the apostle came into the king's bower, the door +being closed, and asked him, "Why soughtest thou me with gold, and with +silver, and with precious gems, and garments? These gifts those require who +seek earthly wealth; but I desire no earthly treasure, nor fleshly +pleasure; but I wish thee to know that the Son of Almighty God vouchsafed +to be born of a maidenly womb, who wrought heaven and earth and all +creatures; and he had beginning in humanity who never began in his divine +nature, for he is himself beginning, {461} and to all creatures, both +visible and invisible, gave beginning. The maiden who bare him despised +every man's fellowship, and to the Almighty God promised her maidenhood. To +her came God's archangel, Gabriel, and announced to her the advent of the +Heavenly Prince into her womb, and she believed his words, and so was with +child." + +The apostle then preached to the king all christianity, and the redemption +of the world through the advent of Jesus, and how he overcame the hellish +devil, and deprived him of mankind, and said, "The Lord Christ, who through +his innocent death overpowered the devil, has sent us among all nations, to +drive away the devil's ministers, who dwell in images, and to withdraw the +heathen who worship them from their power. But we receive not gold nor +silver, but despise, as Christ despised them; for we desire to be rich in +his kingdom, in which neither sickness, nor infirmity, nor sadness, nor +death, has any place, but there is eternal happiness and bliss, joy without +end with eternal riches. Therefore came I to your temple, and the devil, +who answered you through the image, is made captive by the angels of God +who sent me. And if thou consentest to be baptized, I will cause thee to +see the devil, and to hear by what craft he appears to heal sickness. The +accursed devil, after that he had deceived the first-created man, had power +over unbelieving men, over some greater, over some less: on those greater +who sin more, on those less who sin in less degree. Now the devil by his +wiles causes miserable men to fall sick, and instigates them to believe in +an idol: then ceases he from afflicting them, and has their souls in his +power; then they say to the image, Thou art my god. But the devil, which +was within your temple, is bound, and cannot answer those who pray to him. +If thou wilt prove whether I speak truth, I will command {463} him to go +into the image, and I will make him confess the same, that he is bound and +can give no answer." + +Then the king answered, "Now to-morrow this folk has designed to offer him +their gifts, then will I come thereto, that I may see these wonderful +deeds." So on the second day the king with the citizens came to the temple, +and then the devil cried with terrific voice through the image, and said, +"Cease, ye miserable, cease your offerings, lest ye suffer worse torment +than I. I am bound with fiery chains by the angels of Christ, whom the Jews +hanged on a cross: they thought that death might hold him captive; but he +overcame death, and bound our prince with fiery chains, and on the third +day arose victorious, and gave his rood-sign to his apostles, and sent them +among all nations. One of them is here, who holds me bound. I pray you that +ye intercede for me to him, that I may go to some other province." + +Then said the apostle Bartholomew, "Thou unclean devil, confess who has +afflicted these sick men." The unclean spirit answered, "Our prince, bound +as he now is, sent us to mankind, that we might afflict them with divers +infirmities; first their bodies, for we have no power over their souls, +unless they offer us their gifts. But when they for their bodies' health +offer to us, then cease we from afflicting the body, for we have then their +souls in our power. Then it seems as though we heal them, when we cease +from those afflictions. And men worship us for gods, while we truly are +devils, disciples of the chief whom Christ, the maiden's Son, has bound. +From the day on which his apostle Bartholomew came hither, I am grievously +tormented with burning chains, and therefore I speak what he has commanded +me; else I durst not speak in his presence, nor even our chief." + +Then said the apostle, "Why wilt thou not heal the sick, as thy custom +was?" The devil answered, "When we injure {465} the bodies of men, unless +we can injure the soul, the bodies continue in their affliction." +Bartholomew said, "And how come ye to the affliction of the soul?" The +devil answered, "When they believe that we are gods, and offer to us, then +the Almighty God forsakes them, and we then leave the body undiseased, and +attend to the soul that has bowed to us, and which is then in our power." + +Then said the apostle to all the people, "Lo, now ye have heard what sort +of god this is that ye thought healed you; but hear now the true God your +Creator, who dwells in heaven; and believe not henceforth in vain images: +and if ye will that I intercede for you with God, and that these sick +receive health, overthrow and break this image. If this ye do, then will I +hallow this temple in the name of Christ, and therein wash you with his +baptism from all sins." The king then commanded the image to be cast down. +The people then promptly cast ropes about it, and plied it with poles, but +they could not, for the devil, stir the image. + +Then the apostle commanded the ropes to be loosed, and said to the accursed +spirit which staid in it, "If thou wilt that I send thee not into the +abyss, depart from this image, and break it, and go to the waste, where no +bird flies, nor husbandman ploughs, nor voice of man sounds." He forthwith +came out, and brake the image piecemeal, and crushed all the carvings +within the temple. The people then with one voice cried, "There is one +Almighty God, whom Bartholomew preaches." The apostle then stretched out +his hand towards heaven, thus praying, "Thou Almighty God, in whom Abraham +believed, and Isaac, and Jacob; thou who hast sent thine only begotten Son, +that he might redeem us with his precious blood from the devil's thraldom, +and hath made us to be thy children; thou art the unbegotten Father, he is +the Son ever of thee begotten, and the Holy Ghost is {467} ever proceeding +from thee and thy Son, who hath given us in his name this power, to heal +the sick, and give light to the blind, cleanse lepers, drive out devils, +raise the dead, and hath said unto us, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye +pray for in my name, of my Father, it shall be granted unto you. Now I pray +in his name that this sick multitude be healed, that they all may know that +thou alone art God in heaven, and on earth, and on sea, thou who restorest +health through the same our Lord, who with thee and with the Holy Ghost +liveth and reigneth for ever and ever." While they were answering "Amen," +all the sick multitude was healed: and there came then flying God's angel +shining as the sun, and flew over the four corners of the temple, and +graved with his finger the sign of the cross on the four-cornered stones, +and said, "The God who sendeth me said, That so as these sick are healed +from all diseases, so hath he cleansed this temple from the devil's +foulness, whom the apostle hath commanded to retire to the waste. And God +hath bidden me that I first make manifest the devil to your sights. Be ye +not afraid at the sight of him, but mark the sign of the rood on your +foreheads, and every evil shall depart from you." + +And the angel then showed to the people the accursed spirit in this +likeness. He appeared as an immense Ethiop, with sharp visage and ample +beard. His locks hung to his ancles, his eyes were scattering fiery sparks; +sulphureous flame stood in his mouth, he was frightfully feather-clad, and +his hands were bound to his back. Then said God's angel to the hideous +devil, "Because thou wast obedient to the apostle's commands, and didst +break the diabolical image, now, according to his promise, I will unbind +thee, that thou mayest go to the waste, there where no man's converse is; +and there dwell until the great doom." And the angel then unbound him, and +he with woful lamentation went away, and nowhere afterwards appeared. The +angel then, all looking on him, flew to heaven. + +{469} Then the king Polymius, with his wife and his two sons, and with all +his people, believed in the true God, and was baptized, and cast away his +crown together with his purple garments, and would not let God's apostle +depart. After this all the perverse and reprobate assembled, and accused +the king to his brother Astryges, who was king in another country, and +said, "Thy brother is become the follower of a magician, who appropriates +to himself our temples, and breaks our gods." Then was the king Astryges +enraged, and sent a thousand armed soldiers, that they might bring the +apostle to him bound. When the apostle was led to him, the king said, "Why +hast thou corrupted my brother with thy magic?" Bartholomew answered, "I +have not corrupted him, but I have turned him from heathenism to the true +God." The king said to him, "Why hast thou cast down our gods?" He +answered, "I gave that power to the devils, that they might crush the vain +image in which they dwelt, that mankind might turn from their errors, and +believe in the true God." Then said the king, "So as thou hast made my +brother forsake his god and believe in thy god, so also will I make thee +forsake thy god and believe in mine." Then answered the apostle, "The god +that thy brother worshiped I showed to him bound, and I commanded that he +should himself break his image. If thou canst do this to my God, then wilt +thou incline me to the worship of thy god; but if thou canst not do this to +my God, I will break all thy gods, and do thou then believe in the true God +whom I preach." + +While he was saying this, some man announced to the king that his greatest +god Baldath had fallen, and burst asunder piecemeal. The king then tore his +purple robe, and commanded the apostle to be beaten with stiff clubs, and +afterwards beheaded. And he on this day, so martyred, departed to the +eternal life. But after this the brother came with his people and bore away +the holy body with glorious {471} hymns, and built a monastery of wondrous +greatness, and in that honourably placed his holy remains. But on the +thirtieth day the king Astryges, who had commanded the apostle to be slain, +was seized with a fiendlike spirit, and dreadfully became frantic: so also +the perverse idolaters, who through envy had accused the apostle to the +king, became frantic together with him, and they and he ran to his grave, +and there raving died. Then sprang up great dread and horror over all the +unbelieving, and they then believed and were baptized at the hands of the +mass-priests whom the apostle had before ordained. Then the apostle +Bartholomew revealed respecting the believing king Polymius, that he should +receive the episcopal order; and the servants of God and the believing +people chose him unanimously to that order. It happened then, after the +ordination, that he wrought many miracles in the name of God through his +belief, and continued twenty years in the episcopal office, and in good +course of life; and in full dignity departed to the Lord, to whom is honour +and glory for ever and ever. + +We may take example by the apostolic doctrine, that no christian man shall +fetch his salvation save from the Almighty Creator, whom life and death, +sickness and health obey, who hath said in his gospel, that a little bird +falls not in death without God's direction. He is so mighty, that he +directs and orders without toil; but he scourges his chosen with diseases, +as he himself said, "Those whom I love I chastise and scourge." For divers +causes are christian men afflicted with disease, sometimes for their sins, +sometimes for trial, sometimes for God's miracles, sometimes for +preservation of good courses, that they may be the humbler; but in all +these things patience is needful. Sometimes also through God's vengeance +comes very dreadful evil to the impious man, so that his punishment begins +in this world, and his soul departs to eternal punishments for his cruelty; +as Herod who slew the {473} innocent children at the birth of Christ, and +many others besides him. If the sinful be afflicted with disease for his +unrighteousness, then if he with patience praise his Lord, and pray for his +mercy, he shall be washed from his sins by that sickness, as a foul garment +by soap. If he be righteous, he shall have greater honour through his +sickness, if he be patient. He who is impatient, and with froward mind +murmurs against God in his sickness, shall have double condemnation, for he +increases his sins by that murmuring, and suffers nevertheless. + +God is the true leech, who by divers afflictions heals the sins of his +people. The world's leech is not cruel, though he cure the wounded with +burning or with the amputation-knife. The leech cuts or burns, and the +patient cries, yet has he no mercy on the other's moaning, for if the leech +desist from his craft, then will the wounded perish. So also God cures the +sins of his chosen with divers diseases; and though it be wearisome to the +sufferer, yet will the good Leech cure him to everlasting health. But he +who suffers no sickness in this life, he goes to suffering. For his own +sins a man is afflicted with disease, as the Lord said to one bedridden, +who was borne to him, "My son, thy sins are forgiven thee: arise now, and +bear home thy sick-bed." + +For trial are some men afflicted with disease, as was the blessed Job, when +he was righteous and obedient to God. Then the devil prayed that he might +try him, and he in one day destroyed all his possessions, and afterwards +afflicted himself with the greatest disease, so that worms rolled over all +his body. But the patient Job, in all these calamities, sinned not with his +mouth, nor spake anything foolish against God, but said, "God gave me +possessions, and afterwards took them from me; be his name blessed." God +also then healed him, and restored him his possessions twofold. Some {475} +men are afflicted for the miracles of God, as Christ said of some blind +man, when his disciples asked him, for whose sins the man was thus born +blind. Then said Jesus, that he was born blind not for his own nor for his +parents' sins, but because that God's miracles might be manifested through +him. And he forthwith mercifully healed him, and manifested that he is the +true Creator, who opened the unshapen eye-rings with his salutary spittle. + +For preservation of true humility are God's chosen very often afflicted, as +Paul the apostle said of himself, "To me is given a goad of my body, and +the devil buffeteth me, that the greatness of God's revelations may not +exalt me; for I thrice besought my Lord to remove the devil's goad from me; +but he answered me, Paul, my grace will suffice thee. Verily power is +promoted in weakness. I now glorify joyfully in my weaknesses, that +Christ's might may dwell in me." + +The christian man, who in any of this like is afflicted, and he then will +seek his health at unallowed practices, or at accursed enchantments, or at +any witchcraft, then will he be like to those heathen men, who offered to +an idol for their bodies' health, and so destroyed their souls. Let him who +is sick pray for his health to his Lord, and patiently endure the stripes; +let him behold how long the true Leech provides, and buy not, through any +devil's craft, with his soul, his body's health; let him also ask the +blessing of good men, and seek his health at holy relics. It is not allowed +to any christian man to fetch his health from any stone, nor from any tree, +unless it be the holy sign of the rood, nor from any place, unless it be +the holy house of God: he who does otherwise, undoubtedly commits idolatry. +We have, nevertheless, examples in holy books, that he who will may cure +his body with true leechcraft, as the prophet Isaiah did, who wrought {477} +for the king Hezekiah a plaster for his sore, and cured him. + +The wise Augustine said, that it is not perilous, though any one eat a +medicinal herb; but he reprehends it as an unallowed charm, if any one bind +those herbs on himself, unless he lay them on a sore. Nevertheless we +should not set our hope in medicinal herbs, but in the Almighty Creator, +who has given that virtue to those herbs. No man shall enchant a herb with +magic, but with God's words shall bless it, and so eat it. + +Let every one, however, know, that no man comes to the eternal rest without +tribulations, when Christ himself would not ascend to his own kingdom +without great tribulation: so also his apostles, and the holy martyrs with +their own lives bought the heavenly kingdom: afterwards also holy +confessors with great perseverance in God's service, and through great +privations and chastity became holy. What shall we, the end-men of this +world, desire, if for our sins we are with sickness afflicted, but to +praise our Lord, and humbly pray that he through transient stripes lead us +to everlasting joy? To him be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +IIII. K[=L]. SEPT. + +DECOLLATIO S[=CI] IOHANNIS BAPTISTAE. + + Misit Herodes et tenuit Iohannem: et reliqua. + +Marcus se Godspellere awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c be dham maeran Fulluhtere +Iohanne, thaet "se waelhreowa cyning Herodes hine gehaefte, and on +cwearterne sette, for his brodhor wife Herodiaden:" et reliqua. + +Thes Iohannes waes se maerosta mann, swa swa Crist be him cydhnysse +gecydde. He cwaedh, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne {478} ar['a]s n['a]n maerra man +thonne Iohannes se Fulluhtere." Nu haebbe ge oft gehyred be his maeran +drohtnunge and be his dhenunge, nu wylle we embe dhises godspelles +trahtnunge sume swutelunge eow gereccan. + +Thes Herodes, dhe Iohannem beheafdian h['e]t, and on dhaes Haelendes +dhrowunge Pilate dham ealdormenn gedhafode, and hine to his dome betaehte, +waes dhaes odhres Herodes sunu, dhe on dham timan rixode dhe Crist geboren +waes; ac hit waes swa gewunelic on dham timan thaet rice menn sceopon heora +bearnum naman be him sylfum, thaet hit waere gedhuht thaes dhe mare gemynd +thaes faeder, dhadha se sunu, his yrfenuma, waes geciged thaes faeder +naman. Se waelhreowa faeder Herodes laefde fif suna, thry he h['e]t +acwellan on his feorh-adle, aerdhan dhe he gewite. Tha weardh he hreowlice +and hraedlice dead aefter dham dhe he dha cild acwealde for Cristes +acennednysse. Tha feng Archelaus his sunu to rice. Dha embe tyn geara fyrst +weardh h['e] ascofen of his cynesetle, fordhan the thaet Iudeisce folc +wrehton his modignysse to dham casere, and he dha hine on wraecsidh asende. +Tha daelde se casere thaet Iudeisce rice on feower, and sette dhaerto +feower gebrodhra: dha sind gecwedene aefter Greciscum gereorde, tetrarche, +thaet sind, fydherrican. Fydherrica bidh se dhe haefdh feordhan dael rices. +Tha waes ['a]n dhyssera gebrodhra Philippus geh['a]ten, se gewifode on +dhaes cyninges dehter Arethe, Arabiscre dheode, seo hatte Herodias. Tha +aefter sumum fyrste wurdon h['i] ungesome, Philippus and Arethe, and he +genam dha dohtor of his adhumme, and forgeaf h['i] his bredher Herode; +fordhan dhe he waes furdhor on hlisan and on mihte. Herodes dha awearp his +riht aewe, and forligerlice m['a]nfulles sinscipes breac. + +Tha on dham timan bodade Iohannes se Fulluhtere Godes rihtwisnysse eallum +Iudeiscum folce, and threade dhone Herodem, for dham fulan sinscipe. +Aecclesiastica historia ita narrat: Tha geseah Herodes thaet eal seo +Iudeisce meniu arn to Iohannes lare, and his mynegungum geornlice {480} +gehyrsumodon, tha weardh h['e] afyrht, and wende thaet h['i] woldon for +Iohannes lare his cynedom forseon, and wolde dha forhradian, and gebrohte +hine on cwearterne on anre byrig the is gecweden Macherunta. Hwaet dha +Iohannes asende of dham cwearterne twegen leorning-cnihtas to Criste, and +hine befr['a]n, thus cwedhende, "Eart dhu se dhe toweard is, oththe we +odhres andbidian sceolon?" Swilce h['e] cwaede, Geswutela me, gyf dhu sylf +wylle nydher-astigan to hellwarum for manna alysednysse, swa swa dhu +woldest acenned beon for manna alysednysse; odhdhe gif ic sceole cydhan +dhinne to-cyme hellwarum, swa swa ic middangearde the toweardne bodade, +geswutela. Hwaet dha se Haelend on dhaere ylcan tide, swa swa Lucas se +godspellere awr['a]t, gehaelde manega untruman fram mislicum codhum, and +wodum mannum gewitt forgeaf, and blindum gesihdhe; and cwaedh sydhdhan to +Iohannes aerendracum, "Faradh nu to Iohanne, and cydhadh him tha dhing the +ge gesawon and gehyrdon. Efne nu blinde geseodh, and dha healtan gadh, and +hreoflige men synd geclaensode, deafe gehyradh, and dha deadan arisadh, and +dhearfan bodiadh godspel; and se bidh eadig the on me ne bidh geaeswicod." +Swylce h['e] cwaede to Iohanne, Thyllice wundra ic wyrce, ac swa-dheah ic +wylle deadhe sweltan for mancynnes alysednysse, and dhe sweltende +aefterfyligan, and se bidh gesaelig the mine wundra nu heradh, gif he minne +deadh ne forsihdh, and for dham deadhe ne geortruwadh thaet ic God eom. +Thus onwreah se Haelend Iohanne thaet he wolde hine sylfne gemedemian to +deadhe, and sydhdhan hellwara geneosian. + +Tha betwux dhisum gelamp thaet Herodes, swa we ['ae]r cwaedon, his witan +gefeormode on dham daege the he geboren waes; fordhan dhe hi haefdon on +dham timan micele blisse on heora gebyrd-tidum. Seo dohtor dha, swa swa we +['ae]r saedon, plegode mid hire maedenum on dham gebeorscipe, him eallum to +gecwemednysse, and se faeder dha mid adhe beh['e]t, thaet he wolde hire +forgyfan swa hwaes swa heo gewilnode. Threo arleasa scylda we +gehyrdon,--ungesaelige maersunge his gebyrd-tide, and dha unstaedhdhigan +hleapunge thaes maedenes, and dhaes faeder {482} dyrstigan adhsware. Tham +dhrim dhingum us gedafenadh thaet we widhcwedhon on urum dheawum. We ne +moton ure gebyrd-tide to nanum freols-daege mid idelum maersungum awendan, +ne ure acennednysse on swilcum gemynde habban; ac we sceolon urne +endenextan daeg mid behreowsunge and d['ae]dbote forhradian, swa swa hit +awriten is, "On eallum dhingum beo dhu gemyndig thines endenextan daeges, +and thu ne syngast on ecnysse." Ne ['u]s ne gedafenadh thaet we urne +lichaman, dhe Gode is gehalgod on dham halwendan fulluhte, mid unthaeslicum +plegan and higleaste gescyndan; fordhan dhe ure lichaman sind Godes lima, +swa swa Paulus cwaedh, "And he bebead, thaet we sceolon gearcian ure +lichaman l['i]flice onsaegednysse, and halige, and Gode andfenge." Se +lichama bidh l['i]flic onsaegednys dhe widh heafod-leahtras bidh gescyld, +and dhurh halige maegnu Gode bidh andfenge and halig. God sylf forbyt +aelcne adh cristenum mannum, thus cwedhende, "Ne swera dhu thurh heofenan, +fordhan dhe heo is Godes thrymsetl. Ne swera dhu thurh eordhan, fordhan dhe +heo is Godes fotsceamol. Ne swera thu dhurh dhin agen heafod, fordhan dhe +dhu ne miht wyrcan an h['ae]r thines feaxes hw['i]t odhdhe blacc. Ic secge +eow, Ne swerige ge thurh nan thing, ac beo eower spraec dhus geendod, Hit +is swa ic secge, oththe hit nis swa. Swa hwaet swa dhaer mare bidh thurh +adh, thaet bidh of dham yfelan." + +Crist sylf gefaestnode his spraece, thadha h['e] spraec to anum +Samaritaniscan w['i]fe mid dhisum worde, "Crede mihi:" thaet is, "Gelyf +me." Theah-hwaedhere gif we hwaer unwaerlice swerion, and se adh ['u]s +geneadige to wyrsan daede, thonne bidh us r['ae]dlicor thaet we dhone maran +gylt forbugon, and dhone adh widh God geb['e]tan. Witodlice Dauid swor +thurh God thaet he wolde thone stuntan wer Nabal ofslean, and ealle his +dhing adylegian; ac aet dhaere forman thingunge thaes snoteran wifes +Abigail, h['e] awende his sw['u]rd into dhaere sceadhe, and h['e]rode dhaes +wifes snoternysse, dhe him forwyrnde thone pleolican mannsliht. Herodes +sw['o]r thurh stuntnysse thaet he wolde dhaere hleapendan dehter forgyfan +swa hwaet swa heo baede: tha fordham dhe he {484} nolde fram his gebeorum +beon gecweden m['a]nswara, dhone beorscipe mid blode gemencgde, and dhaes +maeran witegan deadh thaere lydhran hoppystran hire gl['i]ges to mede +forgeaf. Micele selre him waere thaet he dhone adh tobraece, thonne he +swylcne witegan acwellan hete. + +On eallum dhingum we sceolon carfullice h['o]gian, gif we awar, thurh +deofles syrwunge, on twam frecednyssum samod befealladh, thaet we symle +dhone maran gylt forfleon thurh ['u]tfaere thaes laessan, swa swa dedh se +dhe his feondum ofer sumne weall aetfleon wile, dhonne cepdh h['e] hwaer se +weall unhehst sy, and dhaer oferscyt. Witodlice Herodes, dhadhe he nolde, +thurh Iohannes mynegunge, thone unclaenan sinscipe awendan, dha weardh +h['e] to manslihte befeallen; and waes seo laesse synn intinga thaere +maran, thaet he for his fulan forl['i]gre, dhe he georne wiste thaet Gode +andsaete waes, dhaes w['i]tegan blod ageat, the he wiste thaet Gode gecweme +waes. This is se cwyde thaes godcundlican domes, be dham the is gecweden, +"Se dhe deradh, derige he gyt swydhor; and se dhe on fulnyssum wunadh, +befyle hine gyt swydhor." Thes cwyde gelamp tham waelhreowan Herode. Nu is +odher cwyde be g['o]dum mannum sceortlice gecweden, "Se dhe halig is, beo +he gyt swydhor gehalgod." This gelamp tham Fulluhtere Iohanne, se dhe waes +halig thurh menigfealde geearnunga; and he waes gyt swydhor gehalgod, +dhadha he dhurh sodhfaestnysse bodunge becom to sigefaestum martyrdome. + +Herodes h['i]wode hine sylfne unr['o]tne, dha seo dohtor hine thaes heafdes +baed; ac h['e] blissode on his digelnyssum, fordhan dhe heo thaes mannes +deadh baed dhe h['e] ['ae]r acwellan wolde, gif h['e] intingan haefde. +Witodlice gif thaet cild b['ae]de thaes w['i]fes heafod, mid micclum graman +h['e] wolde hire widhcwedhan. Naes Iohannes mid ehtnysse geneadod thaet he +Criste widhsoce, ac dheah he sealde his l['i]f for Criste, dhadha he waes +for sodhfaestnysse gemartyrod. Crist sylf cwaedh, "Ic eom sodhfaestnys." +Iohannes waes Cristes forrynel on his acennednysse and on his bodunge, on +fulluhte, on dhrowunge, and hine to hellwarum {486} mid deorwurdhum deadhe +forest['o]p. Thadha he beheafdod waes, dha comon his leorning-cnihtas, and +his halige l['i]c ferodon to anre byrig seo is gecweden Sebaste, and hi +dhaer hine gel['e]don. Thaet h['a]lige heafod weardh on Hierusalem +bebyrged. + +Sume gedwolmenn cwaedon thaet thaet heafod sceolde abl['a]wan dhaes +cyninges w['i]f Herodiaden, dhe he fore acweald waes, swa thaet heo ferde +mid windum geond ealle woruld; ac h['i] dwelodon mid thaere segene, fordhan +dhe heo leofode hire l['i]f odh ende aefter Iohannes slege. Sodhlice +Iohannes heafod weardh sydhdhan geswutelod twam easternum munecum, the mid +gebedum dha burh geneosodon, and hi dhanon thone deorwurdhan madhm feredon +to sumere byrig the is Edissa geh['a]ten; and se Aelmihtiga God thurh thaet +heafod ungerime wundra geswutelode. His b['a]n, aefter langum fyrste, +wurdon gebrohte to dhaere maeran byrig Alexandria, and thaer mid micclum +wurdhmynte gelogode. + +Nu is to besceawigenne h['u]meta se Aelmihtiga God, be his gecorenan and +dha gelufedan dhenas, tha dhe he to dham ecan life forestihte, gedhafadh +thaet h['i] mid swa micclum witum beon fornumene and tobrytte on dhisum +andweardan l['i]fe. Ac se apostol Paulus andwyrde be dhisum, and cwaedh, +thaet "God threadh and beswingdh aelcne dhe he underfehdh to his rice, and +swa h['e] forsewenlicor bidh gewitnod for Godes naman, swa his wuldor bidh +mare for Gode." Eft cwaedh se ylca apostol on odhre stowe, "Ne sind na to +widhmetenne dha throwunga thyssere tide dham toweardan wuldre the bidh on +['u]s geswutelod." + +Nu cwydh se trahtnere, thaet n['a]n wilde deor, ne on fydherfotum ne on +creopendum, nis to widhmetenne yfelum wife. Hwaet is betwux fydherfotum +redhre thonne leo? odhdhe hwaet is waelhreowre betwux naeddercynne dhonne +draca? Ac se wisa Salomon cwaedh, thaet selre waere to wunigenne mid leon +and dracan thonne mid yfelan w['i]fe and oferspraecum. Witodlice Iohannes +on westene wunade betwux eallum deorcynne ungederod, and betwux dracum, and +aspidum, and eallum {488} wyrmcynne, and h['i] hine ondredon. Sodhlice seo +awyrigede Herodias mid beheafdunge hine acwealde, and swa m['ae]res mannes +deadh to gife hire dehter hleapunge underfeng. Danihel se witega laeg +seofan niht betwux seofan leonum on anum seadhe ungewemmed, ac thaet +awyrigede w['i]f Gezabel besw['a]c dhone rihtwisan Nabodh to his feore, +thurh lease gewitnysse. Se witega Ionas waes gehealden unformolten on dhaes +hwaeles innodhe dhreo niht, and seo swicole Dalila thone strangan Samson +mid olaecunge bepaehte, and besceorenum fexe his feondum belaewde. +Eornostlice nis nan wyrmcynn ne wilddeora cynn on yfelnysse gel['i]c yfelum +w['i]fe. + +Se wyrdwritere Iosephus awr['a]t, on dhaere cyrclican gereccednysse, thaet +se waelhreowa Herodes lytle hwile aefter Iohannes deadhe rices weolde, ac +weardh for his m['a]ndaedum aerest his here on gefeohte ofslegen, and he +sylf sidhdhan of his cynerice ascofen, and on wraecsidh asend, swidhe +rihtwisum dome, dhadha he nolde hlystan Iohannes l['a]re to dham ecan life, +thaet h['e] eac hraedlice his hwilwendan cynedom mid hospe forlure. +Augustinus se wisa ['u]s manadh mid thisum wordum, and cwydh, "Besceawiadh, +ic bidde eow, mine gebrodhra, mid gleawnysse h['u] wraecfull dhis andwyrde +l['i]f is; and dheah ge ondraedadh eow thaet ge hit to hraedlice forlaeton. +Ge lufiadh this l['i]f, on dham the ge mid geswince wuniadh; dhu h['o]gast +embe dhine neode; dhu yrnst, and byst geancsumod; thu erast, and saewst, +and eft gegaderast; thu grinst, and baecst; thu wyfst, and waeda tylast, +and earfodhlice wast ealra dhinra neoda getel, aegdher ge on s['ae] ge on +lande, and scealt ealle thas foresaedan dhing, and eac dhin agen l['i]f mid +earfodhnysse geendian. Leorniadh nu fordhi, thaet ge cunnon thaet ece +l['i]f geearnian, on dham dhe ge n['a]n dhyssera geswinca ne dhrowiadh, ac +on ecnysse mid Gode rixiadh." + +On dhisum l['i]fe we ateoriadh, gif we ['u]s mid b['i]gleofan ne ferciadh; +gif we ne drincadh, we beodh mid thurste fornumene; gif we to lange +waciadh, we ateoriadh; gif we lange standadh, we beodh gewaehte, and thonne +sittadh; eft, gif we to lange {490} sittadh, ['u]s slapadh dha lima. +Sceawiadh eac aefter dhisum, thaet n['a]n stede nis ures lichaman: +cildh['a]d gewit to cnihth['a]de, and cnihth['a]d to gedhungenum waestme; +se fulfremeda waestm gebyhdh to ylde, and seo yld bidh mid deadhe geendod. +Witodlice ne stent ure yld on nanre statholfaestnysse, ac swa micclum swa +se lichama wext swa micclum beodh his dagas gewanode. Gehwaer is on urum +l['i]fe ateorung, and werignys, and brosnung dhaes lichaman, and +dheah-hwaedhere wilnadh gehw['a] thaet he lange lybbe. Hwaet is lange +lybban buton lange swincan? Feawum mannum gelimpdh on dhisum dagum, thaet +he gesundfull lybbe hund-eahtatig geara, and swa hwaet swa he ofer dham +leofadh, hit bidh him geswinc and s['a]rnyss, swa swa se w['i]tega cwaedh, +"Yfele sind ure dagas," and dhaes the wyrsan the we h['i] lufiadh. Swa +olaecdh thes middangeard forwel menige, thaet h['i] nelladh heora +wraecfulle l['i]f geendian. Sodh l['i]f and gesaelig thaet is, thonne we +arisadh of deadhe, and mid Criste rixiadh. On dham life beodh gode dagas, +na swa-dheah manega dagas, ac ['a]n, se n['a]t naenne upspring ne nane +geendunge, dham ne fyligdh merigenlic daeg, fordhan dhe him ne forest['o]p +se gysternlica; ac se ['a]n daeg bidh ece aefre ungeendod butan aelcere +nihte, butan gedreccednyssum, butan eallum geswincum, the we hwene ['ae]r +on dhyssere raedinge tealdon. Thes daeg and this l['i]f is beh['a]ten +rihtwisum cristenum, to dham us gelaede se mildheorta Drihten, sedhe +leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +AUGUST XXIX. + +THE DECOLLATION OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. + + Misit Herodes et tenuit Johannem: et reliqua. + +Mark the Evangelist wrote in the book of Christ concerning the great +Baptist John, that "the cruel king Herod bound him, and set him in prison, +for the sake of his brother's wife Herodias," etc. + +This John was the greatest man, as Christ bore witness concerning him. He +said, "Among the children of women {479} there hath not arisen any greater +man than John the Baptist." Now ye have often heard of his great course and +of his ministry, now we will relate to you some explanation touching the +exposition of this gospel. + +This Herod, who commanded John to be beheaded, and agreed with Pilate the +ealdorman in the suffering of Jesus, and delivered him to his judgement, +was the son of the other Herod, who reigned at the time when Christ was +born; for it was usual at that time for rich men to give their children +names after themselves, that it might seem the greater remembrance of the +father, when the son, his heir, was called by his father's name. The cruel +father, Herod, left five sons; three he commanded to be slain in his last +illness, ere he departed. Then he died miserably and suddenly after he had +slain the children on account of the birth of Christ; when Archelaus his +son succeeded to the kingdom. Then after a space of ten years he was driven +from his throne, because the Jewish people complained of his pride to the +emperor, and he then sent him into exile. The emperor then divided the +Jewish kingdom into four, and placed therein four brothers, who, according +to the Greek tongue, are called 'tetrarchs,' that is, _rulers over a +fourth_. A tetrarch is he who has a fourth part of a kingdom. One of these +brothers was called Philip, who took to wife the daughter of the king +Arethe, of an Arabian people, who was called Herodias. Then after some time +they, Philip and Arethe, were at variance, and he took his daughter from +his son-in-law, and gave her to his brother Herod; because he was greater +in fame and in power. Herod then cast off his lawful wife, and adulterously +lived in criminal union. + +Then at that time John the Baptist preached God's righteousness to all the +Jewish people, and reproved Herod for that foul union. Ecclesiastica +Historia ita narrat: When Herod saw that all the Jewish multitude ran to +John's teaching, and zealously obeyed his admonitions, he was afraid, {481} +and imagined that through John's teaching they would despise his +government, and would anticipate them, and brought him into prison in a +town which is called Machaeruntia. John sent then two disciples from the +prison to Christ, and inquired of him, thus saying, "Art thou he who is to +come, or are we to await another?" As though he had said, Manifest to me +whether thou thyself wilt descend to the inmates of hell for the redemption +of men, as I have preached to the world that thou wast to come,--manifest. +Jesus then, at the same time as the evangelist Luke wrote, was healing many +sick from divers diseases, and giving reason to insane men, and sight to +the blind, and said then to John's messengers, "Go now to John, and make +known to him the things which ye have seen and heard. Behold now blind see, +and the halt go, and lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, and the dead arise, +and poor preach the gospel; and he is happy who shall not be offended in +me." As though he had said to John, Such wonders I work, and yet will I +perish by death for the redemption of mankind, and follow thee dying, and +happy shall he be who now praiseth my wonders, if he despise not my death, +and on account of that death doubt not that I am God. Thus Jesus revealed +to John that he himself would vouchsafe to die, and afterwards visit the +inmates of hell. + +Then meanwhile it befell that Herod, as we before said, feasted his +councillors on the day on which he was born; for at that time they had +great rejoicing on their birth-tides. The daughter then, as we before said, +played with her maidens at the feast, to the pleasure of them all, and the +father then promised on oath that he would give her whatsoever she desired. +Of three impious sins we have heard,--the unholy celebration of his +birth-tide, and the giddy dancing of the maiden, and the father's +presumptuous oath. These {483} three things it befitteth us to oppose in +our conduct. We may not with vain celebrations turn our birth-tide to any +holyday, nor have our birth in such remembrance; but we should anticipate +our last day with penitence and penance, so as it is written, "In all +things be thou mindful of thy last day, and thou wilt sin not to eternity." +It is not fitting to us to pollute our body, which is hallowed to God in +the salutary baptism, with indecent and foolish play; for our bodies are +limbs of God, as St. Paul said, "And he enjoined, that we should prepare +our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, and acceptable to God." The body +is a living sacrifice which is shielded against deadly sins, and through +holy virtues is acceptable to God and holy. God himself forbids every oath +to christian men, thus saying, "Swear thou not by heaven, for it is God's +throne. Swear thou not by earth, for it is God's footstool. Swear thou not +by thine own head, for thou canst not make one hair of thy locks white or +black. I say unto you, swear ye not by anything, but be your speech thus +ended, It is as I say, or it is not so. Whatsoever there is more by oath, +that is of evil." + +Christ himself confirmed his speech, when he spake to a Samaritan woman +with these words, "Crede mihi," that is, "Believe me." Yet if we anywhere +heedlessly swear, and the oath compel us to a worse deed, then will it be +more advisable for us to avoid the greater guilt, and atone to God for the +oath. David, for example, swore by God that he would slay the foolish man +Nabal, and destroy all his things; but at the first intercession of the +prudent woman Abigail, he returned his sword into the sheath, and praised +the woman's prudence, who forbade him that perilous murder. Herod through +folly swore that he would give the dancing daughter whatsoever she might +ask: then, because he would {485} not be called a perjurer by his guests, +he stained the feast with blood, and gave the death of the great prophet to +the lewd dancer in reward of her play. Much better for him had it been to +have broken the oath, than to have commanded such a prophet to be slain. + +In all things we should carefully consider, if we anywhere, through the +devil's machinations, fall at once into two perils, that we always flee +from the greater guilt by the outlet of the less, as he does who will flee +from his foes over a wall, then observes he where the wall is lowest, and +there darts over. But Herod, when he would not, through John's +remonstrance, turn from the unclean connexion, fell into murder, and the +smaller sin was the cause of the greater, so that he for his foul adultery, +which he well knew was hateful to God, shed the prophet's blood, who he +knew was acceptable to God. This is the sentence of the divine judgement, +by which it is said, "Let him who injureth, injure yet more; and let him +who liveth in foulness, defile himself yet more." This sentence befell the +cruel Herod. Now there is another sentence shortly said concerning good +men, "Let him who is holy be yet more hallowed." This befell the Baptist +John, who was holy through manifold deserts; and was yet more hallowed, +when he through the preaching of truth came to triumphant martyrdom. + +Herod feigned himself sad, when the daughter prayed him for the head; but +he rejoiced in secret, because she prayed for the death of that man whom he +would before have slain, if he had had a pretext. But if the child had +prayed for the woman's head, he would with great anger have refused her. +John was not by persecution compelled to deny Christ, but, nevertheless, he +gave his life for Christ, when he was martyred for truth. Christ himself +said, "I am the truth." John was Christ's forerunner in his birth, and in +his preaching, in baptism, in suffering, and in his precious death preceded +him {487} to hell. When he was beheaded, his disciples came, and bare his +holy body to a city which is called Sebastia, and they laid him there. The +holy head was buried at Jerusalem. + +Some heretics said that the head blew the king's wife Herodias, for whom he +had been slain, so that she went with winds over all the world; but they +erred in that saying, for she lived to the end of her life after the +slaying of John. But John's head was afterwards manifested to two eastern +monks, who with prayers visited that city, and they bare the precious +treasure thence to a city which is called Edessa; and the Almighty God, +through that head, manifested innumerable miracles. His bones after a long +time were brought to the great city of Alexandria, and there with great +honour deposited. + +Now it is to be considered why the Almighty God allows that his chosen and +his beloved servants, whom he has predestined to eternal life, be destroyed +with so many pains, and broken in this present life. But the apostle Paul +has answered concerning this, and said, that "God correcteth and chastiseth +every one whom he receiveth into his kingdom, and the more ignominiously he +is tortured for the name of God, so much shall his glory be greater before +God." Again, the same apostle said in another place, "The sufferings of +this life are not to be compared with the future glory which will be +manifested in us." + +Now says the expositor, that no wild beast, neither among the four-footed +nor the creeping, is to be compared with an evil woman. What among the +four-footed is fiercer than a lion? or what among the serpent-kind is more +cruel than a dragon? But the wise Solomon said, that it were better to +dwell with lion and dragon than with an evil and loquacious woman. Now John +had dwelt in the waste unhurt among all the beast-kind, and among serpents, +and asps, and all the {489} worm-kind, and they dreaded him. But the +accursed Herodias slew him by beheading, and received the death of so great +a man as a gift for her daughter's dancing. Daniel the prophet lay seven +nights among seven lions in one den uninjured, but the accursed woman +Jezabel betrayed the righteous Naboth to his death by false witness. The +prophet Jonah was preserved unconsumed in the belly of the whale for three +nights, and the treacherous Dalila deceived the strong Samson with +flattery, and, his locks being shorn, betrayed him to his foes. Verily +there is no worm-kind nor wild beast-kind like in evilness to an evil +woman. + +The historian Josephus wrote in the ecclesiastical history, that the cruel +Herod, a little while after the death of John, ruled his kingdom, but first +for his wicked deeds his army was slain in battle, and himself afterwards +driven from his kingdom, and sent into exile, by a very righteous +judgement, when he would not listen to John's exhortations to eternal life, +that he suddenly with disgrace should lose his transitory kingdom. The wise +Augustine exhorts us with these words, and says, "Consider, I pray you, my +brethren, with understanding, how wretched is this present life, and yet ye +dread leaving it too speedily. Ye love this life in which ye exist with +toil; thou carest about thy need; thou runnest, and art filled with +anxiety; thou ploughest, and sowest, and afterwards gatherest; thou +grindest, and bakest; thou weavest and preparest garments, and hardly +knowest the number of all thy needs, both on sea and on land, and shalt end +all these aforesaid things, and also thy life with tribulation. Learn now, +therefore, that ye may be able to earn the eternal life, in which ye will +suffer none of these toils, but with God will reign to eternity." + +In this life we faint, if we sustain not ourselves with food; if we drink +not, we are destroyed by thirst; if we watch too long, we faint; if we +stand long, we are fatigued, and then sit; again, if we sit too long, our +limbs sleep. Consider {491} also after this, that there is no stability of +our body: childhood passes to boyhood, and boyhood to full growth; full +growth bows to age, and age is ended by death. Verily our age stands on no +stability, but so much as the body grows so greatly are its days +diminished. Everywhere in our life are faintness and weariness, and decay +of the body, and yet every one desires that he may live long. What is to +live long but long to toil? It happens to few men in these days to live +eighty years in health, and whatsoever he lives over that, it is toil to +him and pain, as the prophet said, "Evil are our days," and the worse that +we love them. So this world flatters very many, that they are unwilling to +end this life of exile. A true and blessed life it will be, when we from +death arise and reign with Christ. In that life will be good days, yet not +many days, but one, which knows no rise nor no ending, which no tomorrow +follows, because no yesterday preceded it; but the one day will for ever be +unended without any night, without afflictions, without all the toils, +which we a little before in this lecture recounted. This day and this life +are promised to righteous christians, to whom may the merciful Lord lead +us, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without +end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +DOMINICA XVII. POST PENTECOSTEN. + + Ibat Iesus in ciuitatem quae uocatur Naim: et reliqua. + +Ure Drihten ferde to sumere byrig seo is geh['a]ten Naim, and his gingran +samod, and genihtsum menigu. Thadha he genealaehte tham port-geate, tha +ferede man anes cnihtes l['i]c to byrgene: et reliqua. + +Beda se trahtnere cwaedh, thaet seo burh Naim is gereht, {492} 'ydhung' +odhdhe 'styrung.' Se deada cniht, dhe on manegra manna gesihdhe waes +geferod, get['a]cnadh gehwylcne synfulne mannan the bidh mid healicum +leahtrum on dham inran menn adydd, and bidh his yfelnys mannum cudh. Se +cniht waes ['a]ncenned sunu his meder, swa bidh eac gehwilc cristen man +gastlice dhaere halgan geladhunge sunu, seo is ure ealra modor, and +dheah-hwaedhere ungewemmed maeden; fordhan dhe hire team nis n['a] +lichamlic ac gastlic. Gehwilc Godes dheow, thonne he leornadh, he bidh +bearn gecweden: eft, thonne he odherne laerdh, he bidh modor, swa swa se +apostol Paulus be dham aslidenum mannum cwaedh, "Ge synd mine bearn, dha +dhe ic nu odhre sidhe geeacnige, odhthaet Crist beo on eow geedn['i]wod." +Thaet port-geat get['a]cnadh sum lichamlic andgit the menn dhurh syngiadh. +Se mann dhe tosaewdh ungethwaernysse betwux cristenum mannum, odhdhe sedhe +sprecdh unrihtwisnysse on heannysse dhurh his mudhes geat, he bidh dead +geferod. Se dhe behylt wimman mid galre gesihdhe and fulum luste, dhurh his +eagena geat, h['e] geswuteladh his sawle deadh. Se dhe idele spellunge, +odhdhe t['a]llice word lustlice gehyrdh, thonne macadh h['e] his eare him +sylfum to deadhes geate. Swa is eac be dham odhrum andgitum to +understandenne. + +Se Haelend weardh astyred mid mildheortnysse ofer dhaere meder, thaet he us +bysene sealde his arfaestnysse; and he dhone deadan sydhdhan araerde, thaet +he us to his geleafan getrymede. He genealaehte and hreopode tha b['ae]re, +and tha b['ae]rmenn aetstodon. Seo b['ae]r dhe thone deadan ferode is thaet +orsorge ingehyd thaes orwenan synfullan. Sodhlice dha byrdheras, dhe hine +to byrgenne feredon, synd olaecunga lyffetyndra geferena, the mid olaecunge +and geaettredum swaesnyssum thone synfullan tihtadh and heriadh, swa swa se +w['i]tega cwaedh, "Se synfulla bidh geherod on his lustum, and se +unrihtwisa bidh gebletsod: thonne he bidh mid idelum hlisan and lyffetungum +bef['a]ngen, thonne bidh hit swylce he sy mid sumere mold-hypan ofhroren." +Be swylcum cwaedh se Haelend to ['a]num his gecorenan, dhadha h['e] wolde +his faeder l['i]c bebyrian: he cwaedh, "Gedhafa thaet dha {494} deadan +bebyrion heora deadan: far dhu, and boda Godes rice." Witodlice dha deadan +bebyriadh odhre deadan, thonne gehwilce synfulle menn odhre heora +gel['i]can mid derigendlicere herunge ge['o]laecadh, and mid gegaderodum +hefe thaere wyrstan lyffetunge ofdhriccadh. Be swylcum is gecweden on odhre +stowe, "Lyffetyndra tungan gewridhadh manna sawla on synnum." + +Mid tham dhe Drihten hrepode dha baere, dha aetstodon tha b['ae]rmenn. Swa +eac, gif dhaes synfullan ingehyd bidh gehrepod mid fyrhte thaes upplican +domes, thonne widhhaefdh he dham unlustum and dham leasum lyffeterum, and +clypigendum Drihtne to dham ecan life c['a]flice geandwyrt, swylce he of +deadhe arise. Drihten cwaedh to dham cnihte, "Ic secge dhe, Aris, and he +dhaerrihte ges['ae]t and spraec, and se Haelend betaehte hine his meder." +Se ge-edcucoda sitt, thonne se synfulla mid godcundre onbryrdnysse cucadh. +He sprecdh, thonne he mid Godes herungum his mudh gebysgadh, and mid sodhre +andetnysse Godes mildheortnysse secth. He bidh his meder betaeht, thonne he +bidh thurh sacerda ealdord['o]m gem['ae]nscipe dhaere halgan geladhunge +geferlaeht. Thaet folc weardh mid micclum ege ablicged; fordhan swa swa +mann fram marum synnum gecyrdh to Godes mildheortnysse, and his dheawas +aefter Godes bebodum gerihtlaecdh, swa m['a] manna beodh gecyrrede dhurh +his gebysnunge to Godes herunge. + +Thaet folc cwaedh thaet maere witega ar['a]s betwux ['u]s, and thaet God +his folc geneosode. Sodh h['i] saedon be Criste, thaet he maere witega is; +ac he is witegena Witega, and heora ealra witegung; fordhan dhe ealle be +him witegodon, and he dhurh his to-cyme heora ealra witegunge gefylde. We +cwedhadh nu mid maran geleafan, thaet he is maere witega, fordhan dhe he +w['a]t ealle dhing, and eac fela witegode, and he is sodh God of sodhum +Gode, Aelmihtig Sunu of dham Aelmihtigan Faeder, sedhe his folc geneosode +thurh his menniscnysse, and fram deofles dheowte alysde. + +We raedadh gehwaer on bocum, thaet se Haelend fela deade to l['i]fe +araerde, ac dheah-hwaedhere nis n['a]n godspell gesett be {496} heora nanum +buton dhrim anum. An is thes cniht the we nu embe spraecon, odher waes anes +ealdormannes dohtor, thridde waes Lazarus, Marthan brodher and Marian. +Thyssera dhreora manna aerist get['a]cnadh thaet dhryfealde aerist +synfullra sawla. Thaere sawle deadh is threora cynna: ['a]n is yfel +gedhafung, odher is yfel weorc, dhridda is yfel gewuna. Dhaes ealdormannes +dohtor laeig aet fordhsidhe, and se faeder geladhode dhone Haelend thaerto, +fordhan dhe he waes on dham timan thaer on neawiste. Heo dha fordhferde +aerdhan dhe he hire to come. Thadha he com, dha genam h['e] h['i] be dhaere +h['a]nda, and cwaedh, "Thu maeden, ic secge dhe, Ar['i]s. And heo +dhaerrihte ar['a]s, and metes baed." + +This maeden dhe inne laeg on deadhe geswefod, get['a]cnadh thaere synfullan +sawle deadh, dhe gelustfulladh on yfelum lustum digellice, and ne bidh gyt +mannum cudh, thaet heo thurh synna dead is; ac Crist geswutelode thaet +h['e] wolde swa synfulle sawle gel['i]ffaestan, gif h['e] mid geornfullum +gebedum to geladhod bidh, thadha he araerde thaet maeden binnan dham huse, +swa swa digelne leahter on menniscre heortan lutigende. Nu syndon odhre +synfulle the gelustfulliadh on derigendlicum lustum mid gedhafunge, and eac +heora yfelnysse mid weorcum cydhadh; swilce get['a]cnode se deada cniht, +dhe waes on thaes folces gesihdhe gef['e]rod. Swilce synfulle araerdh +Crist, gif h['i] heora synna behreowsiadh, and betaecdh h['i] heora meder, +thaet is, thaet he hi geferlaecdh on annysse his geladhunge. + +Sume synfulle men gedhafiadh heora lustum, and dhurh yfele daeda mannum +cydhadh heora synna, and eac gewunelice syngigende h['i] sylfe gewemmadh: +thyllice get['a]cnode Lazarus, the laeg on byrgene feower niht fule +stincende. Witodlice Godes nama is Aelmihtig, fordhan dhe h['e] maeg ealle +dhing gefremman. He maeg dha synfullan sawle dhurh his gife geliffaestan, +dheah dhe heo on gewunelicum synnum fule stince, gif heo mid carfulre +drohtnunge Godes mildheortnysse secdh; ac swa mare wund swa heo maran +laecedomes beh['o]fadh. Thaet geswutelode se Haelend, thatha h['e] mid +leohtlicere stemne thaet maeden araerde {498} on feawra manna gesihdhe; +fordhan dhe h['e] ne gedhafode thaet dhaera m['a] manna inne waere, buton +se faeder, and seo modor, and his dhry leorning-cnihtas: and he cwaedh dha, +"Thu maeden, Ar['i]s." + +Swa bidh eac se digla deadh dhaere sawle eathelicor to ar['ae]renne, the on +gedhafunge digelice syngadh, thonne synd dha openan leahtras to gehaelenne. +Thone cniht he araerde on ealles folces gesihdhe, and mid thysum wordum +getrymede, "Thu cniht, ic secge dhe, Ar['i]s." Tha diglan gyltas man sceal +digelice betan, and dha openan openlice, thaet dha beon getimbrode thurh +his behreowsunge, dhe ['ae]r waeron thurh his m['a]ndaeda geaeswicode. + +Drihten dhadha he Lazarum stincendne araerde, dha gedrefde he hine sylfne, +and tearas ageat, and mid micelre stemne clypode, "Lazare, ga fordh:" dha +he geswutelode thaet se dhe swidhe langlice and gewunelice syngode, thaet +he eac mid micelre behreowsunge and wope sceal his yfelan gewunan to Godes +rihtwisnysse gew['e]man. Nis n['a]n synn swa micel thaet man ne maege +geb['e]tan, gif he mid inneweardre heortan be dhaes gyltes maedhe on sodhre +d['ae]dbote thurhwunadh. Is theah-hwaedhere micel smeagung be anum worde +the Crist cwaedh: he cwaedh, "Aelc synn and t['a]l bidh forg['i]fen +behreowsigendum mannum, ac thaes Halgan Gastes t['a]l ne bidh naefre +forg['i]fen. Theah dhe hw['a] cwedhe t['a]llic word ongean me, him bidh +forg['i]fen, gif he dedh d['ae]dbote; sodhlice se dhe cwedh word ongan +dhone Halgan Gast, ne bidh hit him forg['i]fen on dhyssere worulde, ne on +dhaere towerdan." Nis n['a]n synna forg['i]fenys buton dhurh dhone Halgan +Gast. An Aelmihtig Faeder is, se gestrynde aenne Sunu of him sylfum. Nis se +Faeder gehaefd gemaenelice Faeder fram dham Suna and tham Halgan Gaste, +fordhan dhe h['e] nis heora begra sunu. Se Halga Gast sodhlice is +gemaenelice gehaefd fram dham Faeder and tham Suna, fordhan dhe h['e] is +heora begra Gast, thaet is heora begra Lufu and Willa, thurh dhone beodh +synna forgyfene. Witodlice dhaere Halgan Dhrynnysse weorc is aefre +untodaeledlic, theah-hwaedhere {500} belimpdh aelc forg['i]fenys to dham +Halgan Gaste, swa swa seo acennednys belimpdh to Criste ['a]num. + +H['i] ne magon beon togaedere genemnede, Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, +ac h['i] ne beodh mid aenigum faece fram him sylfum awar totwaemede. On +eallum weorcum h['i] beodh togaedere, theah dhe to dham Faeder synderlice +belimpe thaet he Bearn gestrynde, and to dham Suna belimpe seo acennednys, +and to tham Halgan Gaste seo fordhstaeppung. Se Sunu is dhaes Faeder Wisdom +aefre of dham Faeder acenned; se Halga Gast nis na acenned, fordhan dhe he +nis na sunu, ac he is heora begra Lufu and Willa, aefre of him b['a]m +fordhstaeppende, thurh dhone we habbadh synna forgyfenysse, swa swa we +habbadh thurh Crist alysednysse; and theah-hwaedhere on aegdhrum weorce is +seo Halige Thrynnys wyrcende untodaeledlice. + +Se cwydh t['a]l ongean dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe mid unbehreowsigendre +heortan thurhwunadh on m['a]ndaedum, and forsihdh tha forgyfenysse dhe +stent on dhaes Halgan Gastes gife: thonne bidh his scyld unalysendlic, +fordhan dhe he sylf him belicdh thaere forg['i]fenysse weg mid his +heardheortnysse. Behreowsigendum bidh forg['i]fen, forseondum naefre. Uton +we biddan thone Aelmihtigan Faeder, sedhe us thurh his wisdom geworhte, and +thurh his Halgan Gast geliffaeste, thaet he dhurh dhone ylcan Gast us do +ure synna forgyfenysse, swa swa he us dhurh his aenne ['a]ncennedan Sunu +fram deofles dheowte alysde. + +Sy lof and wuldor tham ecan Faeder, sedhe naefre ne ongann, and his ['a]num +Bearne, sedhe aefre of him is, and tham Halgan Gaste, sedhe aefre is of him +b['a]m, hi dhry ['a]n Aelmihtig God untodaeledlic, ['a] on ecnysse +rixigende. Amen. + +THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. + + Ibat Jesus in civitatem quae vocatur Naim: et reliqua. + +Our Lord went to a city which is called Nain, and his disciples with him, +and a copious multitude. When he approached the port-gate, the corpse of a +young man was borne to the grave, etc. + +Beda the expositor said, that the city of Nain is interpreted {493} +'inundation' or 'agitation.' The dead youth, who was borne in sight of many +men, betokens every sinful man who in the inward man is fordone with deadly +sins, and his evilness is known to men. The youth was the only-born son of +his mother, so is also every christian man spiritually a son of the holy +church, which is the mother of us all, and, nevertheless, an undefiled +maiden; for her family is not bodily but spiritual. Every servant of God, +when he learns, is called a child: afterwards, when he teaches another, he +is a mother, as the apostle Paul said of the fallen men, "Ye are my +children, whom I now a second time conceive, until Christ is renewed in +you." The port-gate betokens some bodily sense through which men sin. The +man that sows dissension among christian men, or who speaks unrighteousness +in high places through his mouth's gate, he is borne dead. He who beholds a +woman with libidinous eye and foul lust, through his eyes' gate, manifests +his soul's death. He who with delight hears idle discourse or contumelious +words, makes his ear a gate of death to himself. So is it also to be +understood of the other senses. + +Jesus was moved with compassion for the mother, that he might give us an +example of his piety; and he afterwards raised the dead, that he might +confirm us to his faith. He approached and touched the bier, and the +biermen stood still. The bier which bare the dead is the heedless mind of +the hopeless sinful. But the bearers, who bare him to the grave, are the +blandishments of flattering companions, who with blandishment and envenomed +suavities stimulate and praise the sinful, as the prophet said, "The sinful +is praised in his lusts, and the unrighteous is blessed: when he is +surrounded by empty fame and flatteries, then is it as though he were +overwhelmed by a mould-heap." Of such Jesus said to one of his chosen, when +he would bury his father's corpse: he said, "Allow the dead to bury their +dead: go thou, and {495} preach God's kingdom." Verily the dead bury other +dead, when sinful men court others their like with pernicious praise, and +oppress with the accumulated weight of the worst flattery. Of such it is +said in another place, "The tongues of flatterers bind the souls of men in +sins." + +When the Lord touched the bier, the biermen stood still. So also, if the +mind of the sinful is touched by fear of the heavenly doom, then he +withstands evil lusts and false flatteries, and to the Lord calling to +eternal life promptly answers, as if he had arisen from death. The Lord +said to the youth, "I say unto thee, Arise. And he forthwith sat and spake, +and Jesus delivered him to his mother." The requickened sits, when the +sinful with divine stimulation quickens. He speaks, when he employs his +mouth with God's praises, and with true confession seeks God's mercy. He is +delivered to his mother, when through the priest's authority he is +associated in communion of the holy church. The folk was astonished with +great awe; for so as a man turns from great sins to God's mercy, and +corrects his conduct after God's commandments, so more men will be turned +through his example to the praise of God. + +The folk said, "That a great prophet hath arisen among us," and, "That God +hath visited his folk." Truly they said of Christ, that he is a great +prophet; for he is a Prophet of prophets, and the prophecy of them all; for +they all prophesied of him, and by his advent he fulfilled the prophecy of +them all. We say now with great faith, that he is a great prophet, for he +knows all things, and also prophesied many, and he is true God of true God, +Almighty Son of the Almighty Father, who visited his folk through his +humanity, and relieved them from the thraldom of the devil. + +We read everywhere in books, that Jesus raised many dead to life, but yet +there is no gospel composed of any of them {497} save three only. One is +the youth of whom we have just spoken, the second was an ealdorman's +daughter, the third was Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. The +resurrection of these three persons betokens the threefold resurrection of +sinful souls. The soul's death is of three kinds: one is evil assent, the +second is evil work, the third is evil habit. The ealdorman's daughter lay +at the point of death, and the father called Jesus thereto, because he was +at that time there in the neighbourhood. She had departed before he came to +her. When he came, he took her by the hand, and said, "Thou maiden, I say +unto thee, Arise. And she straightways arose, and asked for meat." + +This maiden, who lay therein sleeping in death, betokens the death of the +sinful soul, which delights secretly in evil pleasures, and it is not yet +known to men, that it, through sins, is dead; but Christ manifested that he +would quicken so sinful a soul, if with fervent prayers he be thereto +called, when he raised the maiden within the house, like as secret sin +lurking in the human heart. Now there are other sinful, who delight in +pernicious lusts by assent, and also manifest their evilness by works; such +the dead youth betokened, who was borne in sight of the people. Such +sinners Christ raises, if they repent of their sins, and delivers them to +their mother, that is, he associates them in the unity of his church. + +Some sinful men assent to their lusts, and by evil deeds manifest their +sins to men, and also habitually sinning defile themselves: such Lazarus +betokened, who lay four days foully stinking in the sepulchre. Verily God's +name is Almighty, for he can accomplish all things. He can through his +grace quicken the sinful soul, though it foully stink in habitual sins, if +with careful conduct it seek God's mercy; but the more it is wounded so +much more medicament does it require. That Jesus manifested, when with +clear voice he raised the maiden in sight of few persons; for he allowed +{499} not more persons to be therein than the father, and the mother, and +his three disciples: and he said then, "Thou maiden, Arise." + +So also is the secret death of the soul, which sins secretly by assent, +easier to raise than open vices are to be healed. He raised the youth in +sight of all the people, and confirmed by these words, "Thou youth, I say +unto thee, Arise." Secret sins shall be expiated secretly, and open openly, +that those may be edified by his repentance, who had ere been seduced by +his sins. + +The Lord when he raised the stinking Lazarus was troubled and shed tears, +and with a loud voice cried, "Lazarus, go forth:" he then manifested that +he who has very long and habitually sinned, shall also with great +repentance and weeping turn his evil habits to God's righteousness. There +is no sin so great that a man may not expiate it, if, with inward heart, +according to the degree of the sin, he continue in true penitence. There +is, nevertheless, great disquisition concerning one sentence which Christ +said: he said, "Every sin and calumny shall be forgiven to repenting men, +but calumny of the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. Though any one speak +a calumnious word against me, he shall be forgiven, if he do penance; but +he who says a word against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven in this +world nor in that to come." There is no forgiveness of sins but through the +Holy Ghost. There is one Almighty Father, who begot a Son of himself. The +Father is not called Father in common from the Son and the Holy Ghost, for +the latter is not the son of them both. But the Holy Ghost is called in +common from the Father and the Son, for he is the Spirit of them both, that +is the Love and Will of them both, through whom sins are forgiven. Verily +the work of the Holy Trinity {501} is ever indivisible, yet all forgiveness +belongs to the Holy Ghost, as birth belongs to Christ alone. + +They may not be named together, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, but they +are not by any space anywhere separated from themselves. In all works they +are together, though to the Father it exclusively belongs that he begot a +Son, and to the Son belongs birth, and to the Holy Ghost procession. The +Son is the Wisdom of the Father ever begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost +is not begotten, for he is not a son, but is the Love and Will of them +both, ever proceeding from them both, through whom we have forgiveness of +sins, as through Christ we have redemption; and yet in either work is the +Holy Trinity working indivisibly. + +He speaks calumny against the Holy Ghost, who with unrepenting heart +continues in deeds of wickedness, and despises the forgiveness which stands +in the grace of the Holy Ghost: then shall his sin be unredeemable, for he +himself besets the way of forgiveness with his hardheartedness. The +repenting shall be forgiven, the despising never. Let us pray to the +Almighty Father, who hath through his Wisdom made us, and through his Holy +Spirit quickened us, that he through the same Spirit grant us forgiveness +of our sins, as, through his only begotten Son, he has redeemed us from the +thraldom of the devil. + +Be praise and glory to the eternal Father who never began, and to his only +Son who ever is of him, and to the Holy Ghost who ever is of them both, +those three one Almighty God indivisible, reigning ever to eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{502} III. K[=AL]. OCTOB. + +DEDICATIO AECCLESIE S[=CI] MICHAELIS ARCHANGELI. + +Manegum mannum is cudh seo halige st['o]w S[=ce] Michaheles, on thaere +d['u]ne the is geh['a]ten Garganus. Seo d['u]n stent on Campania landes +gemaeron, widh tha s['ae] Adriaticum, twelf mila on upstige fram anre byrig +the is geh['a]ten Sepontina. Of dhaere stowe weardh araered thises daeges +freols geond geleaffulle geladhunge. Thaer eardode sum thurhspedig mann +Garganus geh['a]ten: of his gelimpe weardh seo d['u]n swa gec['i]ged. Hit +gel['a]mp, thatha seo ormaete micelnyss his orfes on dhaere dune laeswede, +thaet sum modig fearr weardh ['a]ngencga, and thaere heorde-drafe +oferh['o]gode. Hwaet se hl['a]ford tha Garganus gegaderode micele menigu +his in-cnihta, and dhone fearr gehwaer on dham westene sohte, and aet +nextan hine gemette standan uppon dham cnolle thaere healican dune, aet +['a]nes scraefes inngange; and he dha mid graman weardh astyred, hw['i] se +fearr ['a]ngenga his heorde fors['a]we, and gebende his bogan, and mid +geaettrode flan hine ofsceotan wolde; ac seo geaettrode fl['a] wende ongean +swilce mid windes blaede adhrawen, and thone dhe hi sceat thaerrihte +ofsloh. + +His magas dha and nehgeburas wurdon thearle thurh dha daede ablicgede, and +heora n['a]n ne dorste dham fearre genealaecan. H['i] dha heora biscop +r['ae]des befrunon, hwaet him be dham to donne waere. Se biscop dha funde +him to r['ae]de, thaet h['i] mid threora daga faestene, swutelunge thaes +wundres aet Gode baedon. Tha on dhaere dhriddan nihte thaes faestenes +aeteowde se heah-engel Michahel hine sylfne tham biscope on gastlicere +gesihdhe, thus cwedhende, "Wislice ge dydon, thaet ge to Gode sohton thaet +thaet mannum digle waes. Wite dhu gewislice, thaet se mann dhe mid his +agenre fl['a]n ofscoten waes, thaet hit is mid minum willan ged['o]n. Ic +eom Michahel se heah-engel Godes Aelmihtiges, and ic symle on his gesihdhe +wunige. Ic secge dhe, thaet ic dha stowe the se fearr geealgode synderlice +lufige, {504} and ic wolde mid thaere geb['i]cnunge geswutelian thaet ic +eom dhaere stowe hyrde; and ealra dhaera t['a]cna dhe dhaer gelimpadh, ic +eom sceawere and gymend." And se heah-engel mid thisum wordum to heofonum +gew['a]t. + +Se biscop rehte his gesihdhe tham burhwarum, and hi dha sydhdhan gewunelice +thider sohton, and thone lifigendan God and his heah-engel Michahel +geornlice baedon. Tw['a] dura h['i] gesawon on dhaere cyrcan, and waes seo +suth duru sume daele mare, fram dhaere lagon stapas to dham west-daele; ac +h['i] ne dorston thaet halige h['u]s mid ingange geneosian, ac daeghwomlice +geornlice aet dhaere dura h['i] gebaedon. + +Tha on dhaere ylcan t['i]de Neapolite, the waeron dha-gyt on haedhenscipe +wunigende, cwaedon gefeoht togeanes thaere burhware Sepontiniscre ceastre, +the tha halgan stowe wurdhodon, and togeanes Beneuentanos. H['i] dha, mid +heora biscopes mynegungum gelaerde, baedon threora daga faec, thaet hi +binnon tham dhrim dagum mid faestene thaes heah-engles Michaheles fultum +baedon. Tha haedhenan eac swilce mid lacum and offrungum heora leasra goda +gecneordlice m['u]nde and gescyldnysse baedon. + +Efne dha on dhaere nihte the thaet gefeoht on merigen toweard waes, +aeteowde se heah-engel Michahel hine sylfne dham biscope, and cwaedh, thaet +he heora bena gehyrde, and his fultum him beh['e]t, and het thaet h['i] ane +t['i]d ofer undern h['i] getrymedon ongean heora fynd. H['i] dha on merigen +blidhe and orsorge, thurh dhaes engles beh['a]t, and mid truwan his +fultumes, ferdon togeanes dham haedhenum. Tha sona on anginne thaes +gefeohtes waes se m['u]nt Garganus bifigende mid ormaetre cwacunge, and +micel liget fleah of dhaere d['u]ne swilce fl['a]n widh thaes haedhenan +folces, and thaes m['u]ntes cnoll mid theosterlicum genipum eal oferhangen +waes. Hwaet dha haedhenan dha forhtmode fleames cepton, and gelice h['i] +wurdon mid tham fyrenum {506} flanum ofscotene, gelice mid thaera cristenra +waepnum hindan ofsette, odhthaet hi heora burh Neapolim s['a]mcuce +gesohton. Sodhlice dha dhe dha frecednyssa aetflugon, oncneowon thaet Godes +engel dham cristenum to fultume becom, and h['i] dhaerrihte heora swuran +Criste undertheoddon, and mid his geleafan gewaepnode wurdon. Witodlice +thaes waeles waes geteald six hund manna mid tham fyrenum flanum +ofsceotene. Tha cristenan dha sigefaeste mid micelre bylde and blisse +h['a]m gecyrdon, and dham Aelmihtigan Gode and his heah-engle Michahele +heora beh['a]t to dham temple gebrohton. Tha gesawon h['i] aetforan dhaere +cyrcan nordh-dura, on tham marmanstane, swilce mannes f['o]tlaesta +faestlice on dham stane gedhyde, and h['i] dha undergeaton thaet se +heah-engel Michahel thaet t['a]cen his andwerdnysse geswutelian wolde. Hi +dha sona dhaer-ofer cyrcan ar['ae]rdon and weofod, tham heah-engle to lofe, +dhe him on tham stede fylstende st['o]d. + +Tha weardh micel twynung betwux dhaere burhware be dhaere cyrcan, hwaedher +h['i] inn-eodon, odhdhe h['i] halgian sceoldon. Hwaet h['i] dha on tham +east-daele dhaere stowe cyrcan araerdon, and tham apostole Petre to +wurdhmynte gehalgodon, and thaer-binnan S[=ce] Marian, and Iohanne dham +Fulluhtere weofod asetton. Tha aet nextan sende se biscop to dham papan, +and hine befr['a]n, h['u] him embe thaes heah-engles getimbrunge to +d['o]nne waere. Se papa thisum aerende dhus geandwyrde, "Gif mannum alyfed +is thaet hi dha cyrcan dhe se heah-engel sylf getimbrode halgian moton, +thonne gebyradh seo halgung on dham daege the h['e] eow sige forgeaf, thurh +unnan dhaes Aelmihtigan. Gif dhonne hwaet elles tham heah-engle gelicige, +axiadh his willan on tham ylcan daege." Thadha dheos andswaru tham biscope +gecydd waes, tha bead h['e] his ceastergewarum threora daga faesten, and +b['ae]don tha Halgan Thrynnysse thaet him wurde geswutelod sum gewiss +be['a]cn embe heora twynunge. Se heah-engel dha Michahel, on dhaere +dhriddan nihte thaes faestenes, cwaedh to dham biscope on swefne, "Nis eow +nan neod thaet ge dha cyrcan halgion the ic getimbrode. Ic sylf hi +getimbrode {508} and gehalgode. Ac gadh eow into dhaere cyrcan unforhtlice, +and me aetstandendum geneosiadh tha stowe aefter gewunan mid gebedum; and +thu thaer to-merigen maessan gesing, and thaet folc aefter godcundum dheawe +to husle gange; and ic thonne geswutelige h['u] ic dha stowe dhurh me +sylfne gehalgode." + +Hi dha sona thaes on merigen dhider mid heora offrungum blidhe comon, and +mid micelre ['a]nraednysse heora bena on dham suth-daele inn-eodon. Efne +dha h['i] gesawon an l['a]ng portic on dham nordh-daele astreht for nean to +dham marmanstane the se engel onstandende his f['o]tlaeste aeteowde. On +dham east-daele waes gesewen micel cyrce to dhaere h['i] staepmaelum +astigon. Seo cyrce mid hire portice mihte fif hund manna eadhelice bef['o]n +on hire rymette: and thaer st['o]d, gesett widh middan thaes sudh-wages, +arwurdhe weofod, mid readum paelle gescrydd. Naes thaet h['u]s aefter manna +gewunan getimbrod, ac mid mislicum torrum gehwemmed, to gelicnysse sumes +scraefes. Se hr['o]f eac swylce haefde mislice heahnysse: on sumere stowe +hine man mihte mid heafde ger['ae]can, on sumere mid handa earfodhlice. Ic +gelyfe thaet se heah-engel mid tham geswutelode thaet he micele swidhor +sohte and lufode thaere heortan claennysse thonne dhaera st['a]na +fraetwunge. Thaes muntes cnoll widhutan is sticmaelum mid wuda oferwexen, +and eft sticmaelum mid grenum felda oferbraeded. + +Sodhlice aefter dhaere maessan and dham halgan husel-gange gecyrde gehw['a] +mid micclum gefean to his agenum. Se biscop dha dhaer Godes dheowas +gelogode, sangeras, and raederas, and sacerdas, thaet hi daeghwomlice dhaer +Godes thenunge mid thaeslicere endebyrdnysse gefyldon; and him dhaer +mynsterlic botl timbrian h['e]t. Nis theah-hwaedhere nan mann to dham +dyrstig thaet h['e] on nihtlicere tide binnan dhaere cyrcan cuman durre, ac +on d['ae]grede, tha Godes theowas thaer-binnan Godes lof singadh. Of dham +hr['o]f-stane on north-daele thaes halgan weofodes yrndh dropmaelum swidhe +hluttor waeter, and wered, thaet gecigdon dha dhe on thaere stowe wunodon, +stillam, thaet is, {510} dropa. Thaer is ahangen sum glaesen f['ae]t mid +sylfrenne racenteage, and thaes wynsuman waetan onfehdh. Thaes folces +gewuna is, thaet h['i] aefter tham halgan husel-gange staepmaelum to dham +faete astigadh, and thaes heofonlican waetan onbyriadh. Se waeta is swidhe +wynsum on swaecce, and swidhe h['a]lwende on hrepunge. Witodlice forwel +menige aefter langsumum fefere and mislicum mettrumnyssum, thurh dhises +waetan thigene hraedlice heora haele brucadh. Eac swilce on odhrum gemete, +ungerime untruman thaer beodh oft and gelome gehaelede, and menigfealde +wundra thurh dhaes heah-engles mihte dhaer beodh gefremode; and dheah +swidhost on thysum daege, dhonne thaet folc of gehwilcum leodscipe tha +stowe geneosiadh, and thaes engles andwerdnyss mid sumum gemete dhaer +swidhost bidh, thaet dhaes apostoles cwyde beo lichamlice gefylled, thaet +thaet h['e] gastlice gecwaedh: he cwaedh, thaet "englas beodh to +dhening-gastum fram Gode hider on worulde asende, thaet hi beon on fultume +his gecorenum, thaet hi dhone ecan edhel onf['o]n mid him." + +EUANGELIUM. + + Accesserunt ad Iesum discipuli dicentes, Quis putas maior in regno + coelorum: et reliqua. + +This daegtherlice godspell cwydh, thaet "Drihtnes leorning-cnihtas to him +genealaehton, thus cwedhende, La leof, hw['a] is fyrmest manna on heofenan +rice? Se Haelend him dha to clypode sum gehw['ae]de cild:" et reliqua. + +Haegmon trahtnadh this godspell, and segdh, h['u] dhaes caseres tolleras +axodon Petrus dhone apostol, dhadha hi geond ealne middangeard dham casere +toll gegaderodon; hi cwaedon, "Wyle eower l['a]reow Crist aenig toll +syllan? Tha cwaedh Petrus, thaet he wolde. Tha mid tham dhe Petrus wolde +befr['i]nan thone Haelend, tha forsceat se Haelend hine, dhe ealle dhing +w['a]t, thus cwedhende, Hwaet dhincdh the, Petrus, aet hwam nimadh +eordhlice cynegas gafol odhdhe toll, aet heora gesiblingum, oththe aet +aelfremedum? Petrus cwaedh, Aet aelfremedum. {512} Se Haelend cwaedh, Hwaet +la synd heora siblingas frige? The l['ae]s dhe we h['i] aeswicion, ga to +dhaere s['ae], and wurpe ['u]t dhinne angel, and thone fisc dhe hine +hradhost forswelhdh, geopena his mudh, thonne fintst thu dhaer-on aenne +gyldenne wecg: nim dhone, and syle to tolle for me and for dhe." + +Tha for dham intingan the h['e] cwaedh, "Syle for me and for dhe," wendon +tha apostolas thaet Petrus waere fyrmest, and axodon dha dhone Haelend, +"Hw['a] waere fyrmest manna on heofonan rice?" Tha wolde se Haelend heora +dwollican gethohtas mid sodhre eadmodnysse gehaelan, and cwaedh, thaet +h['i] ne mihton becuman to heofonan rice, buton h['i] waeron swa eadmode, +and swa unscaedhdhige swa thaet cild waes dhe he him to clypode. Bilewite +cild ne gewilnadh odhra manna aehta, ne wlitiges wifes; theah dhe hit beo +gegremod, hit ne hylt langsume ungethwaernysse to dham dhe him derode, ne +hit ne h['i]wadh mid wordum, thaet hit odher dhence, and odher sprece. Swa +eac sceolon Godes folgeras, thaet synd tha cristenan, habban tha +unscaedhdhignysse on heora mode the cild haefdh on ylde. + +Se Haelend cwaedh, "Sodh ic eow secge, Ne becume ge to heofonan rice, buton +ge beon awende, and gewordene swa swa lyttlingas." Ne bebead he his gingrum +thaet h['i] on lichaman cild waeron, ac thaet h['i] heoldon bilewitra +cildra unscaedhdhignysse on heora theawum. On sumere stowe he cwaedh, +thadha him man to baer cild to bletsigenne, and his gingran thaet +bemaendon, "Gedhafiadh thaet dhas cild to me cumon; swilcera is sodhlice +heofonan rice." Be dhisum manode se apostol Paulus his underdheoddan, and +cwaedh, "Ne beo ge cild on andgite, ac on yfelnyssum: beodh on andgite +fulfremede." Se Haelend cwaedh, "Swa hw['a] swa hine sylfne geeadmet, swa +swa dhis cild, he bidh fyrmest on heofonan rice." Uton habban dha sodhan +eadmodnysse on urum life, gif we willadh habban dha healican gedhincdhe on +Godes rice; swa swa se Haelend cwaedh, "Aelc dhaera dhe hine onhefdh bidh +geeadmet, and se dhe hine geeadmet, he bidh ah['a]fen." Se haefdh bilewites +cildes unscaedhdhignysse, the him sylfum mislicadh to dhi thaet he Gode +gelicige; {514} and he bidh swa micele wlitegra aetforan Godes gesihdhe, +swa he swidhor aetforan him sylfum eadmodra bidh. "Se dhe underfehdh aenne +swilcne lyttling on minum naman, h['e] underfehdh me sylfne." Eallum Godes +dhearfum man sceall wel-d['ae]da thenian, ac dheah swidhost tham eadmodum +and lidhum, the mid heora l['i]fes dheawum Cristes bebodum gethwaeriadh; +fordham him bidh gedhenod mid his dhearfena thenunge, and h['e] sylf bidh +underfangen on heora anfenge. + +He cwaedh eac on odhre stowe, "Se dhe w['i]tegan underfehdh, he haefdh +w['i]tegan mede; se dhe rihtwisne underfehdh, he haefdh rihtwises mannes +edlean." Thaet is, Se dhe witegan, odhdhe sumne rihtwisne Godes dheow +underfehdh, and him for Godes lufon bigwiste foresceawadh, thonne haefdh he +swa micele mede his cystignysse aet Gode, swilce h['e] him sylf w['i]tega +waere, oththe rihtwis Godes theow. "Se dhe ge['ae]swicadh anum dhyssera +lyttlinga, dhe on me gelyfadh, selre him waere thaet him waere getiged +['a]n ormaete cwyrnst['a]n to his swuran, and he swa wurde on deoppre +s['ae] besenced." Se ['ae]swicadh odhrum the hine on Godes daele beswicdh, +thaet his sawul forloren beo. Se cwyrnst['a]n the tyrndh singallice, and +naenne faereld ne dhurhtihdh, get['a]cnadh woruld-lufe, dhe on gedwyldum +hwyrftladh, and naenne staepe on Godes wege ne gefaestnadh. Be swylcum +cwaedh se witega, "Tha arleasan turniadh on ymbhwyrfte." Se dhe genealaehdh +halgum h['a]de on Godes geladhunge, and sidhdhan mid yfelre tihtinge oththe +mid leahterfullre drohtnunge odhrum yfele bysnadh, and heora ingehyd +towyrpdh, thonne waere him selre thaet he on woruldlicere drohtnunge ana +losode, thonne h['e] on halgum h['i]we odhre mid him thurh his dhwyrlican +theawas to forwyrde getuge. + +"W['a] middangearde for ['ae]swicungum." Middangeard is her gecweden tha +dhe thisne ateorigendlican middangeard lufiadh swidhor thonne thaet ece +l['i]f, and mid mislicum swicdomum h['i] sylfe and odhre forpaeradh. "Neod +is thaet aeswicunga cumon, dheah-hwaedhere w['a] dham menn dhe hi +ofcumadh." Theos woruld is swa mid gedwyldum afylled, thaet heo ne maeg +beon butan {516} ['ae]swicungum, and theah w['a] dham menn dhe odherne aet +his aehtum, odhdhe aet his feore beswicdh, and dham bidh wyrs, the mid +yfelum tihtingum othres mannes sawle to ecum forwyrdum beswicdh. "Gif dhin +hand odhdhe dhin f['o]t the ['ae]swicige, ceorf of thaet lim, and awurp +fram dhe." This is gecweden aefter gastlicere get['a]cnunge, na aefter +lichamlicere gesetnysse. Ne bebead God nanum menn thaet he his lima awyrde. +Seo h['a]nd get['a]cnadh urne nydbehefan freond, the us daeghwomlice mid +weorce and fultume ure neode dedh; ac dheah, gif swilc freond us fram Godes +wege gew['e]mdh, thonne bidh us selre thaet we his flaesclican lufe fram +['u]s aceorfon, and mid tw['ae]minge awurpon, thonne we, thurh his yfelan +tihtinge, samod mid him on ece forwyrd befeallon. Ealswa is be dham f['e]t +and be dham eagan. Gif hwilc sibling the bidh swa deorwurdhe swa dhin eage, +and odher swa behefe swa dhin hand, and sum swa gedhensum swilce dhin agen +f['o]t, gif hi dhonne the thwyrlice tihtadh to dhinre sawle forwyrde, +thonne bidh the selre thaet thu heora gedheodraedene forb['u]ge, thonne hi +dhe fordh mid him to dham ecan forwyrde gelaedon. "Behealdadh thaet ge ne +forseon aenne of thysum lytlingum." Se dhe bepaehdh aenne Godes theowena, +he ge['ae]biligdh dhone Hlaford, swa swa he sylf thurh his witegan cwaedh, +"Se dhe eow hrepadh, hit bidh me swa egle swilce h['e] hreppe mines eagan +s['e]o." + +"Ic secge eow thaet heora englas symle geseodh mines Faeder ansyne sedhe on +heofonum is." Mid thisum wordum is geswutelod thaet aelcum geleaffullum men +is engel to hyrde geset, the hine widh deofles syrwunge gescylt, and on +halgum maegnum gefultumadh, swa swa se sealm-sc['o]p be gehwilcum rihtwisum +cwaedh, "God bebead his englum be dhe, thaet hi dhe healdon, and on heora +handum hebban, thel['ae]s dhe dhu aet stane thinne f['o]t aetspurne." Micel +wurdhscipe is cristenra manna, thaet gehwilc haebbe fram his acennednysse +him betaehtne engel to hyrdraedene, swa swa be dham apostole Petre awriten +is, thadha se engel hine of dham cwearterne gelaedde, and he to his geferum +becom, and cnucigende inganges baed. Tha cwaedon tha {518} geleaffullan, +"Nis hit na Petrus thaet dhaer cnucadh, ac is his engel." Tha englas +sodhlice dhe God gesette to hyrdum his gecorenum, h['i] ne gewitadh naefre +fram his andweardnysse; fordhan dhe God is aeghwaer, and swa hwider swa dha +englas fleodh, aefre h['i] beodh binnan his andwerdnysse, and his wuldres +brucadh. Hi bodiadh ure weorc and gebedu tham Aelmihtigan, theah dhe him +n['a]n dhing digle ne sy, swa swa se heah-engel Raphahel cwaedh to dham +Godes menn, Tob['i]an, "Thadha ge eow gebaedon, ic offrode eower gebedu +aetforan Gode." + +Seo Ealde Ae ['u]s saegdh, thaet heah-englas sind gesette ofer gehwilce +leodscipas, thaet hi dhaes folces gymon, ofer dha odhre englas, swa swa +Moyses, on dhaere fiftan b['e]c dhaere Ealdan Ae, thysum wordum +geswutelode, "Thadha se healica God todaelde and tostencte Adames ofspring, +tha sette he dheoda gemaeru aefter getele his engla." Thisum andgite +gethwaerlaecdh se witega Danihel on his witegunge. Sum Godes engel spraec +to Danihele embe dhone heah-engel the Perscisce dheode bewiste, and cwaedh, +"Me com to se heah-engel, Greciscre theode ealdor, and nis heora n['a]n +m['i]n gefylsta, buton Michahel, Ebreisces folces ealdor. Efne n['u] +Michahel, ['a]n dhaera fyrmestra ealdra, com me to fultume, and ic wunode +dhaer widh thone cyning Persciscre dheode." Mid thisum wordum is geswutelod +h['u] micele care dha heah-englas habbadh heora ealdordomes ofer mancynn, +dhadha he cwaedh, thaet Michahel him come to fultume. + +Is nu geleaflic thaet se heah-engel Michahel haebbe gymene cristenra manna, +sedhe waes dhaes Ebreiscan folces ealdor, tha hwile dhe h['i] on God +belyfdon; and thaet he geswutelode, thadha he him sylfum cyrcan getimbrode +betwux geleaffulre dheode, on dham munte Gargano, swa swa we hwene ['ae]r +raeddon. Thaet is ged['o]n be Godes fadunge, thaet se m['ae]ra heofonlica +engel beo singallice cristenra manna gefylsta on eordhan, and thingere on +heofonum to dham Aelmihtigan Gode, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] on +ecnysse. Amen. + +{503} SEPTEMBER XXIX. + +DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL. + +To many men is known the holy place of St. Michael, on the mountain which +is called Garganus. The mountain stands on the borders of the land of +Campania, towards the Adriatic sea, twelve miles in ascent from a town +which is called Sepontina. From that place originated this day's festival +throughout the faithful church. There dwelt a very rich man called +Garganus: from his adventure the mountain was so named. It happened when +the immense multitude of his cattle was grazing on the mountain, that an +unruly bull wandered alone and despised the drove. Hereupon the master +Garganus gathered a great many of his household servants, and sought the +bull everywhere in the waste, and at last found him standing on the knoll +of the high mountain, at the entrance of a cavern; and he was then moved +with anger, because the solitary bull had despised his herd, and bent his +bow, and would shoot him with a poisoned arrow; but the poisoned arrow +turned back as if thrown by the wind's blast, and instantly slew him who +had shot it. + +His kinsmen then and neighbours were greatly astonished by that deed, and +not one of them durst approach the bull. They then asked counsel of their +bishop, what they should do in the matter. The bishop then found it +advisable, that they should ask from God an explanation of the miracle with +a fast of three days. On the third night of the fast the archangel Michael +appeared to the bishop in a ghostly vision, thus saying, "Wisely ye did to +seek at God that which was hidden to men. Know thou for certain, that the +man who was shot with his own arrow, that it was done with my will. I am +Michael, the archangel of God Almighty, and I continue ever in his sight. I +say to thee that I especially love {505} the place which the bull defended, +and I would by that sign manifest that I am the guardian of the place; and +of all the miracles which there happen, I am the spectator and observer." +And with these words the archangel departed to heaven. + +The bishop recounted his vision to the townsfolk, and they afterwards +usually resorted thither, and fervently prayed the living God and his +archangel Michael. Two doors they saw in the church, and the south door was +somewhat larger, from which there lay steps to the west part: but they +durst not visit the holy house with entrance, but daily prayed fervently at +the door. + +Then at the same time the Neapolitans, who yet continued in heathenism, +declared war against the inhabitants of the city of Sepontina, who +worshiped the holy place, and against those of Benevento. They then, +instructed by the admonitions of their bishop, prayed for a space of three +days, that they might, in those three days, implore with fasting the +succour of the archangel Michael. The heathen also in like manner, with +gifts and offerings, diligently implored the guardianship and protection of +their false gods. + +Lo, on the night then on the morrow of which the fight was to take place, +the archangel Michael appeared to the bishop, and said that he had heard +their prayers, and promised them his succour, and commanded them to array +themselves against their foes one hour after morning-tide. They then on the +morrow blithe and free from care, through the angel's promise, and with +confidence in his succour, marched against the heathen. Then immediately at +the beginning of the fight the mount Garganus was trembling with immense +quaking, and great lightning flew from the mountain as it were arrows +against the heathen folk, and the knoll of the mount was all overhung with +dark clouds. Whereupon the heathen with affrighted mind took to flight, and +at the same time that they were shot with fiery arrows, they {507} were +overwhelmed from behind by the weapons of the christians, until half-dead +they sought their city Naples. But those who escaped from those perils, +acknowledged that God's angel came to the succour of the christians, and +they straightways subjected their necks to Christ, and became armed with +his faith. Verily in that slaughter there were counted six hundred men shot +with the fiery arrows. The christians then victorious returned home with +great confidence and joy, and brought their promise to the temple to +Almighty God and his archangel Michael. Then saw they before the north door +of the church, on the marble stone, as it were a man's footsteps, firmly +impressed on the stone, and they then understood that the archangel Michael +would manifest that token of his presence. They then forthwith raised a +church and an altar thereover, to the praise of the archangel, who had +stood in that place succouring them. + +There was then a great doubt among the townsfolk concerning the church, +whether they should go in, or should hallow it. Whereupon they raised a +church in the east part of the place, and hallowed it to the honour of the +apostle Peter, and therein placed an altar to St. Mary and John the +Baptist. Then at last the bishop sent to the pope, and asked him, how they +were to do concerning the archangel's structure. To this errand the pope +answered thus, "If it is allowed to men to hallow the church which the +archangel himself constructed, then the hallowing ought to be on the day on +which, through the grace of the Almighty, he gave you victory. But if aught +else should be pleasing to the archangel, ask his will on the same day." +When this answer was announced to the bishop, he enjoined to his +fellow-citizens a fast of three days, and prayed to the Holy Trinity that +some certain sign might be shown him concerning their doubt. The archangel +Michael then, on the third night of the fast, said to the bishop in a +dream, "There is no need for you to hallow the church which I have +constructed. I {509} myself constructed and hallowed it. But go into the +church fearlessly, and in my presence visit the place according to custom +with prayers; and do thou sing mass there to-morrow, and let the people, +after the divine rites, go to housel; and I will then show how I through +myself hallowed the place." + +They then straightways on the morrow went joyfully thither with their +offerings, and with great unity of their prayers went in on the south part. +Lo then they saw a long portico on the north part stretching very near to +the marble stone, on which the angel standing had manifested his +foot-marks. On the east part was seen a great church to which they step by +step ascended. The church with its portico could easily contain in its +space five hundred men: and there stood, placed against the middle of the +south wall, a venerable altar covered with a red pall. That house was not +constructed after the fashion of men, but had divers towers at the corners, +in likeness of a cave. The roof also was of various height: in one place a +man might reach it with his head, in another hardly with his hand. I +believe that the archangel would thereby manifest that he much more sought +and loved cleanness of heart than the adornment of stones. The mountain's +knoll without is partly overgrown with wood, and again partly overspread +with the green field. + +But after the mass and the holy housel every one with great joy returned to +his own. The bishop then placed God's servants there, singers, and readers, +and priests, that they might daily there perform God's service in a fitting +manner; and commanded a monastic house to be there built for them. There +is, however, no man daring to that degree that he dares to come within the +church in the night-time, but at dawn, when God's servants are singing +God's praise therein. From the roof-stone on the north part of the holy +altar there runs drop by drop water very pure and sweet, which those who +dwelt in the place called 'stilla,' that is _drop_. There is {511} hung a +glass vessel with a silver chain, which receives the pleasant fluid. It is +the people's wont, after the housel, to go up step by step to the vessel, +and taste the heavenly fluid. The fluid is very pleasant of taste, and very +salutary to the touch. Verily very many after a tedious fever and divers +sicknesses, by drinking this fluid, speedily enjoy their health. Also in +another manner, innumerable sick are there often and frequently healed, and +many miracles, through the archangel's power, are there performed; but +chiefly on this day, when the people from every nation visit the place, and +the angel's presence is there in some measure most sensible, that the words +of the apostle may be bodily fulfilled, that which he spake spiritually: he +said, that "angels shall be sent as ministering spirits from God hither +into the world, that they may be for a succour to his chosen, that they may +receive the eternal country with him." + +GOSPEL. + + Accesserunt ad Jesum discipuli dicentes, Quis putas major in regno + coelorum: et reliqua. + +This day's gospel says, that "The Lord's disciples approached him, thus +saying, Sir, which is the first of men in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus then +called to him a little child," etc. + +Haymo expounds this gospel, and says, that the emperor's tollgatherers +asked Peter the apostle, when they were gathering toll for the emperor over +all the world; they said, "Will your lord Christ give any toll? Then Peter +said that he would. Then when Peter would ask Jesus, Jesus, who knows all +thing, prevented him, thus saying, What thinkest thou, Peter, of whom do +earthly kings take tribute or toll, of their own relations, or of +strangers? Peter said, Of {513} strangers. Jesus said, What, are their +relations free? Lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast out +thine hook, and of the fish which first swalloweth it, open the mouth, then +wilt thou find therein a golden coin: take that, and give as toll for me +and for thee." + +Then for that reason, that he said, "Give for me and for thee," the +apostles imagined that Peter was first, and asked Jesus, "Who was the first +of men in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus would then heal their erroneous +thoughts with true humility, and said, that they could not come to the +kingdom of heaven, unless they were as humble and as innocent as the child +was which he called to him. A meek child desires not other men's +possessions, nor a beauteous woman; though it be vexed it holds no lasting +animosity towards those who injured it, nor feigns it with words, so that +it think one thing and say another. In like manner should God's followers, +that is, christians, have that innocence in their mind which a child has in +its age. + +Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, ye shall not come to the kingdom of +heaven, unless ye are changed and become as children." He did not enjoin to +his disciples that they should be children in body, but that they should +hold the innocence of meek children in their conduct. In one place he said, +when a child was brought to him to be blessed, and his disciples reproved +it, "Suffer these children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of +heaven." Of this the apostle Paul admonished his followers, and said, "Be +ye not children in understanding, but in evilnesses: be perfect in +understanding." Jesus said, "Whosoever humbleth himself like this child, he +shall be first in the kingdom of heaven." Let us have true humility in our +lives, if we will have high dignity in God's kingdom, as Jesus said, "Every +one of those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and he who humbleth +himself shall be exalted." He has the innocence of a meek child, who is +displeasing to himself that he may {515} be pleasing to God; and he will be +so much the fairer in the sight of God as he shall be the more humble +before himself. "He who receives one such little one in my name, receives +myself." To all God's poor we should minister benefactions, though above +all to the humble and meek, who in their life's conduct conform to the +commandments of Christ; for he will be served by serving his poor, and he +himself will be received by receiving them. + +He said also in another place, "He who receiveth a prophet shall have a +prophet's meed; he who receiveth a righteous man shall have a righteous +man's reward." That is, He who receives a prophet, or a righteous servant +of God, and provides sustenance for him for love of God, shall then have as +great a meed from God for his bounty, as if he himself were a prophet, or a +righteous servant of God. "He who offends one of these little ones, who +believe in me, better were it for him that an immense millstone were tied +to his neck, and he were so sunk in the deep sea." He offends another who +deceives him on the part of God, so that his soul be lost. The millstone +which turns incessantly, and accomplishes no course, betokens love of the +world, which circulates in errors, and fixes no step in the way of God. Of +such the prophet said, "The wicked turn in a circle." He who enters upon a +holy order in God's church, and afterwards by instigation or by sinful life +gives evil example to others, and perverts their understanding, then better +were it for him that he alone perished in his worldly life, than that he in +holy guise should draw others with him to perdition through his depraved +morals. + +"Wo to the world for offences." The world are here called those who love +this perishable world more than everlasting life, and with divers offences +pervert themselves and others. "It is needful that offences come, yet wo to +the man from whom they come." This world is so filled with errors, that it +cannot be without offences, and yet wo to the man who {517} deceives +another in his property, or in his life, and for him it shall be worse, who +with evil instigation deceives another man's soul to eternal destruction. +"If thine hand or thy foot offend thee, cut off the limb, and cast it from +thee." This is said according to a spiritual signification, not as a bodily +precept. God commanded no man to destroy his limbs. The hand betokens our +needful friend, who with work and succour daily ministers to our need; but +yet, if such friend entice us from the way of God, then will it be better +for us that we cut off from us his fleshly love, and by separation cast it +away, than that we, through his evil instigation, together with him fall +into eternal perdition. So is it also with the foot and the eye. If any +relation be as dear to thee as thine eye, and another as needful to thee as +thy hand, and one as serviceable as thy own foot, if they then perversely +instigate thee to thy soul's destruction, better will it be for thee that +thou shun their fellowship, than that they lead thee on with them to +eternal perdition. "Take heed that ye despise no one of these little ones." +He who deceives one of God's servants angers the Lord, as he himself +through his prophet said, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to me as +offensive as if he touched the sight of mine eye." + +"I say unto you, that their angels ever see the countenance of my Father +who is in heaven." By these words is manifested that over every believing +man an angel is set as a guardian, who shields him against the devil's +machination, and supports him in holy virtues, as the psalmist said of +every righteous man, "God hath commanded his angels concerning thee, that +they may preserve thee, and lift thee in their hands, lest thou dash thy +foot against a stone." It is a great honour for christian men, that every +one has from his birth an angel assigned to him in fellowship, as it is +written of the apostle Peter, when the angel led him from the prison, and +he came to his companions, and knocking prayed for {519} admission. Then +said the faithful, "It is not Peter who there knocketh, but is his angel." +But those angels, whom God has set as guardians over his chosen, never +depart from his presence; for God is everywhere, and whithersoever the +angels fly, they are ever in his presence, and partake of his glory. They +announce our works and prayers to the Almighty, though to him nothing is +hidden, as the archangel Raphael said to the man of God, Tobias, "When ye +prayed, I offered your prayers before God." + +The Old Law informs us that archangels are set over every nation, that they +may take care of the people, over the other angels, as Moses, in the fifth +book of the Old Law, manifested in these words, "When God on high divided +and scattered Adam's offspring, he set the boundaries of nations according +to the number of his angels." In this sense agrees the prophet Daniel in +his prophecy. An angel of God spake to Daniel concerning the archangel who +directed the Persian people, and said, "The archangel came to me, the +prince of the Grecian people, and there is none of these my supporter, save +Michael, the prince of the Hebrew folk. Lo, Michael, one of the first +princes, came to me in succour, and I continued there with the king of the +Persian nation." By these words is manifested how great care the archangels +have of their authority over mankind, when he said that Michael came to his +succour. + +It is now credible that the archangel Michael has care of christian men, +who was prince of the Hebrew folk, while they believed in God; and that he +manifested when he built himself a church among a faithful people on mount +Garganus, as we have read a little before. It is done by God's +dispensation, that the great heavenly angel is the constant supporter of +christian men on earth, and their intercessor in heaven with Almighty God, +who liveth and reigneth to all eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{520} DOMINICA XXI. POST PENTECOSTEN. + + Loquebatur Iesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua. + +"Drihten waes sprecende on sumere tide to his apostolum mid bigspellum, +thus cwedhende, Heofonan rice is gel['i]c sumum cyninge the worhte his suna +gyfte. Tha sende he his bydelas to geladhigenne his underdheoddan:" et +reliqua. + +We folgiadh thaes papan Gregories trahtnunge on thyssere raedinge. + +Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, gelomlice ic eow saede, thaet gehwaer on +halgum godspelle theos andwerde geladhung is geh['a]ten heofenan rice. +Witodlice rihtwisra manna gegaderung is gecweden heofonan rice. God cwaedh +thurh his witegan, "Heofon is min setl." Paulus se Apostol cwaedh, thaet +"Crist is Godes Miht and Godes Wisdom." Swutelice we magon understandan +thaet gehwilces rihtwises mannes sawul is heofon, thonne Crist is Godes +Wisdom, and rihtwises mannes sawul is thaes wisdomes setl, and seo heofen +is his setl. Be thisum cwaedh se sealm-sc['o]p, "Heofonas cydhadh Godes +wuldor." Godes bydelas he het heofonas. Eornostlice haligra manna geladhung +is heofonan rice, fordhan dhe heora heortan ne beodh begripene on +eordhlicum gewilnungum, ac h['i] geomriadh to dham upplican; and God nu iu +rixadh on him, swa swa on heofenlicum wunungum. + +Se cyning dhe worhte his suna gifta is God Faeder, the dha halgan +geladhunge gedheodde his Bearne thurh geryno his flaesclicnysse. Seo halige +geladhung is Cristes bryd, thurh dha h['e] gestryndh daeghwomlice gastlice +bearn, and heo is ealra cristenra manna modor, and dheah-hwaedhere +ungewemmed maeden. Thurh geleafan and fulluht we beodh Gode gestrynde, and +him to gastlicum bearnum gewiscede, thurh Cristes menniscnysse, and thurh +gife thaes Halgan Gastes. + +God sende his aerendracan, thaet h['e] gehwilce to dhisum giftum {522} +geladhode. Aene h['e] sende and eft; fordhan dhe h['e] sende his witegan, +the cyddon his Suna menniscnysse towearde, and he sende eft sidhdhan his +apostolas, the cyddon his to-cyme gefremmedne, swa swa dha witegan hit +['ae]r gewitegodon. Thadha h['i] noldon cuman to dham giftum, dha sende +h['e] eft, thus cwedhende, "Secgadh dham geladhodum, Efne, ic gegearcode +mine g['o]d, ic ofsl['o]h mine fearras, and mine gemaestan fugelas, and +ealle mine dhing ic gearcode: cumadh to tham giftum." + +Tha fearras get['a]cniadh dha heah-faederas dhaere ealdan ['ae], the moston +dha, be leafe dhaere ealdan ['ae], on fearres wisan, heora fynd ofslean. +Hit is thus awriten on thaere ealdan ['ae], "Lufa dhinne freond, and hata +dhinne feond." Thus waes alyfed tham ealdum mannum, thaet h['i] moston +Godes widherwinnan and heora agene fynd mid stranglicere mihte ofsittan, +and mid waepne acwellan. Ac se ylca God, the thas leafe sealde thurh Moyses +gesetnysse ['ae]r his to-cyme, se ylca eft, dhadha he thurh menniscnysse to +middangearde com, awende dhone cwyde, thus cwedhende, "Ic bebeode eow, +Lufiadh eowre fynd, and doth tela tham dhe eow h['a]tiadh, and gebiddadh +for eowre ehteras, thaet ge beon bearn thaes Heofonlican Faeder, sedhe +l['ae]t his sunnan scinan ofer g['o]de and yfele, and he syldh +r['e]n-scuras and waestmas rihtwisum and unrihtwisum." Hwaet get['a]cniadh +tha fearras buton faederas dhaere ealdan ['ae]? Hwaet waeron h['i], buton +fearra gelican, thadha h['i], mid leafe thaere ealdan ['ae], heora fynd mid +horne lichamlicere mihte potedon? + +Tha gem['ae]stan fugelas get['a]cniadh tha halgan l['a]reowas thaere +N['i]wan Gecydhnysse. Tha sind gemaeste mid gife thaes Halgan Gastes to +dham swidhe, thaet h['i] wilniadh thaes upplican faereldes mid fydherum +gastlicere drohtnunge. Hwaet is thaet man besette his gedhanc on +nydherlicum thingum, buton swilce modes hlaennys? Se dhe mid f['o]dan +thaere upplican lufe bidh gefylled, he bidh swilce he sy mid rumlicum +mettum gemaest. Mid thyssere faetnysse wolde se sealm-wyrhta beon gemaest, +dhadha h['e] cwaedh, "Beo min sawul gefylled swa swa mid rysle and mid +ungele." + +{524} Hwaet is, "Mine fearras sind ofslagene, and mine gemaestan fugelas," +buton swilce he cwaede, 'Behealdadh dhaera ealdfaedera drohtnunga, and +understandadh thaera w['i]tegena gyddunge, and thaera apostola bodunge embe +mines Bearnes menniscnysse, and cumadh to dham giftum'? Thaet is, 'Cumadh +mid geleafan, and gedheodadh eow to dhaere halgan geladhunge, dhe is his +bryd and eower modor.' + +"H['i] hit forgymeleasodon, and ferdon, sume to heora tunum, sume to heora +ceape." Se faerdh to his tune and forsihdh Godes gearcunge, sedhe +ungemetlice eordhlice teolunge begaedh to dhan swidhe, thaet he his Godes +d['ae]l forgymeleasadh. Se faerdh embe his mangunge, sedhe mid gytsunge +woruldlicra gestreona cepdh swidhor thonne dhaes ecan lifes welan. +Eornostlice thonne h['i] sume mid eordhlicum teolungum ungefohlice h['i] +gebysgiadh, and sume mid woruldlicum hordum, thonne ne magon h['i] for +dhaere bysga smeagan embe thaes Haelendes menniscnysse; and eac him bidh +swidhe h['e]figtyme gedhuht, thaet h['i] heora theawas be his regole +geemnetton. Sume eac beodh swa dhwyrlice gem['o]dode, thaet h['i] ne magon +Godes bodunge gehyran, ac mid ehtnysse Godes bydelas geswencadh, swa swa +thaet godspel her baeftan cwaedh, "Sume h['i] gelaehton tha bydelas, and +mid teonan gewaehton, and ofslogon. Ac se cyning, dhadha he this geaxode, +sende his here to, and tha manslagan fordyde, and heora burh forbaernde." + +Tha manslagan he fordyde, fordhan dhe h['e] dha arleasan ehteras hreowlice +acwealde, swa swa we gehw['ae]r on martyra throwungum raedadh. Nero, se +waelhreowa casere, [h['e]t ah['o]n Petrum, and Paulum beheafdian, ac he +weardh faerlice of his rice aflymed, and hine wulfas totaeron. Herodes +beheafdode thone apostol Iacob, and Petrum gebrohte on cwearterne; ac God +hine ahredde of his haeftnede, and thadha se cyning smeade h['u] he of dham +cwearterne come, tha aefter than him com to Godes engel, and hine to deadhe +gesloh. Astriges, se Indisca cyning, the Bartholomeum ofsloh, awedde, and +on tham wodan dreame gew['a]t. Ealswa Egeas, the Andream ahencg, thaerrihte +on {526} wodan dreame geendode. Langsum bidh to gereccenne ealra thaera +arleasra ehtera geendunga, h['u] gramlice se Aelmihtiga God his halgena +throwunga on him gewraec. Dhaet godspel cwydh, thaet he heora burh +forbaernde, forthan dhe hi beodh aegdher ge mid sawle ge mid lichaman on +ecere susle forbaernde. "He sende his here t['o]," forthan dhe he thurh his +englas tha m['a]nfullan fordedh. Hwaet sind thaera engla werod buton here +thaes Heofonlican Cyninges? He is geh['a]ten Dominus Sabaodh, thaet is +'Heres Hlaford,' odhdhe 'Weroda Drihten.' + +Se cyning cwaedh dha to his thegnum, "Dhas gyfta sind gearowe, ac tha dhe +ic thaert['o] geladhode naeron his wyrdhe. Faradh nu to wega utscytum, and +swa hwylce swa ge gemetadh, lathiadh to tham gyftum." Wegas sind mislice +manna daeda. Utscytas thaera wega sind ateorung woruldlicera weorca; and +tha for wel oft becumadh to Gode, the on eordhlicum weorcum hwonlice +speowdh. Hwaet dha dhaes cyninges aerendracan ferdon geond wegas, +gadrigende ealle tha dhe hi gemetton, aegdher ge yfele ge gode, and +gesetton tha gifta endemes. On thyssere andwerdan geladhunge sind gemengde +yfele and gode, swa swa claene corn mid fulum coccele: ac on ende thyssere +worulde se sodha Dema haet his englas gadrian thone coccel byrthenmaelum, +and awurpan into dham unadwaescendlicum fyre. Byrthenmaelum hi gadriadh tha +synfullan fram tham rihtwisum: thonne dha manslagan beodh togaedere +getigede innon tham hellicum fyre, and sceathan mid sceathum, gytseras mid +gytserum, forliras mid forlirum; and swa gehwylce m['a]nfulle geferan on +tham ecum tintregum samod gewrithene cwylmiadh; and se claena hwaete bidh +gebroht on Godes berne: thaet is, thaet dha rihtwisan beodh gebrohte to +tham ecan life, thaer ne cymdh storm ne nan unweder thaet dham corne derie. +Dhonne ne beodh tha godan nahwar buton on heofenum, and tha yfelan nahwar +buton on helle. + +Mine gebrothra, gif ge g['o]de sind, thonne sceole ge emlice withercorenra +manna yfelnysse forberan, swa lange swa ge on {528} thisum andweardan life +wuniadh. Ne bidh se g['o]d sethe yfelne forberan nele. Be thisum cwaedh +Godes stemn to tham witegan Ezechiel, "Dhu mannes bearn, ungeleaffulle and +yfel tihtende sind mid the, and thu wunast mid tham wyrstan wyrmcynne." Eft +Paulus se Apostol geleaffulra manna l['i]f herode and getrymde, thus +tihtende, "Gewuniadh betwux thwyrum mancynne: scinadh betwux tham swa swa +steorran, l['i]fes word healdende." + +"Se cyning eode inn, and gesceawode tha gebeoras, tha geseah he thaer aenne +mann the naes gescryd mid gyftlicum reafe." Thaet giftlice reaf +get['a]cnadh tha sodhan lufe Godes and manna. Tha lufe ure Scyppend us +geswutelode thurh hine sylfne, thadha he gemedemode thaet he us fram tham +ecan deathe mid his deorwurthan blode alysde, swa swa Iohannes se +Godspellere cwaedh, "Swa swithe lufode God thysne middangeard, thaet he his +['a]ncennedan Sunu sealde for us." Se Godes Sunu, the dhurh lufe to mannum +becom, gebicnode on tham godspelle thaet dhaet giftlice reaf +get['a]cnode,--tha sodhan lufe. Aelc thaera the mid geleafan and fulluhte +to Gode gebihdh, he cymdh to tham gyftum; ac he ne cymdh na mid gyftlicum +reafe, gif he tha sothan lufe ne hylt. Witodlice ge geseodh thaet gehwam +sceamadh, gif he geladhod bidh to woruldlicum gyftum, thaet he w['a]clice +gescryd cume to thaere scortan blisse; ac micele mare sceamu bidh tham dhe +mid horium reafe cymdh to Godes gyftum, thaet he for his fulum gyrelan fram +thaere ecan blisse ascofen beo into ecum theostrum. Swa swa reaf wlitegadh +thone man lichamlice, swa eac seo sodhe lufu wlitegadh ure sawle mid +gastlicere faegernysse. Dheah se mann haebbe fullne geleafan, and aelmessan +wyrce, and fela to gode gedo, eal him bidh ydel, swa hwaet swa he dedh, +buton he haebbe sothe lufe to Gode and to eallum cristenum mannum. Seo is +sodh lufu, thaet gehw['a] his freond lufie on gode, and his feond for gode. +Daeghwamlice gaedh se Heofonlica Cyning into tham gyftum, thaet is, into +his geladhunge, and sceawadh hwaedher we be['o]n mid tham gyftlicum reafe +innan gescrydde; and swa hwylcne swa he gemet {530} butan sothre lufe, +dhaene he befrindh mid graman, thus cwedhende, "Thu freond, humeta dorstest +dhu g['a]n to minre gearcunge buton gyftlicum reafe?" "Freond" he hine het, +and theah awearp fram his gebeorum. Freond he waes dhurh geleafan, and +withercora thurh weorc. He thaerrihte adumbode, forthan the aet Godes dome +ne bidh n['a]n beladung ne withertalu; ac se Dema the widhutan threadh, is +gewita his ingehides widhinnan. Dheah dhe hw['a] tha sothan lufe gyt +fulfremedlice naebbe, ne sceal he dheah his sylfes geortruwian, fordhan dhe +se witega be swylcum cwaedh to Gode, "Min Drihten, thine eagan gesawon mine +unfulfremednysse, and on thinre b['e]c ealle] sind awritene." + +Se cyning cwaedh to his dhegnum, "Bindadh thone misscryddan h['a]ndum and +f['o]tum, and wurpadh into dham yttrum theostrum, thaer bidh w['o]p and +todha gebitt." Tha h['a]nda and tha f['e]t the n['u] ne beodh gebundene mid +Godes ege fram thwyrlicum weorcum, hi beodh thonne thurh strecnysse Godes +domes faeste gewridhene. Tha f['e]t dhe nelladh untrumne geneosian, and tha +h['a]nda the n['a]n dhing thearfum ne sylladh, tha beodh thonne mid wite +gebundene; fordhan the h['i] synd n['u] sylfwilles fram g['o]dum weorcum +gewridhene. Se misscrydda waes aworpen on dha yttran theostru. Tha inran +theostru sind thaere heortan blindnys. Tha yttran theostru is seo swearte +niht thaere ecan genidherunge. Se ford['e]mda thonne throwadh on tham +yttrum theostrum neadunge, fordhan dhe he n['u] sylfwilles his l['i]f +adrihdh on blindnysse his heortan, and naefdh n['a]n gemynd thaes sodhan +leohtes, thaet is, Crist, the be him sylfum cwaedh, "Ic eom middangeardes +leoht; se dhe me fyligdh, ne g['ae]dh he on theostrum, ac he haefdh lifes +leoht." On dham yttrum theostrum bidh w['o]p and todha gebit. Thaer wepadh +dha eagan on dham hellican lige, the n['u] dhurh unalyfedlice gewilnunga +goretende hwearftliadh; and tha t['e]dh, the n['u] on ofer-aete blissiadh, +sceolon thaer cearcian on tham unasecgendlicum pinungum, the Godes +widherwinnum gegearcod is. Tha eagan sodhlice for swidhlicum smice tyradh, +and tha t['e]dh for micclum cyle cwaciadh; fordhan dhe dha widhercoran +{532} unacumendlice haetu throwiadh, and unasecgendlicne cyle. Witodlice +thaet hellice fyr haefdh unasecgendlice h['ae]tan and n['a]n leoht, ac +['e]celice byrndh on sweartum dheostrum. + +Gif hwam twynige be aeriste, thonne maeg h['e] understandan on thisum +godspelle, thaet thaer bidh sodh aerist thaer dhaer beodh eagan and +t['e]dh. Eagan sind flaescene, and t['e]dh baenene; fordhan the we sceolon, +wylle we nelle we, arisan on ende thyssere worulde mid flaesce and mid +bane, and onf['o]n edlean ealra ura daeda, odhdhe wununge mid Gode for +g['o]dum geearnungum, oththe helle-wite mid deofle for m['a]ndaedum. Be +thisum cwaedh se eadiga Iob, "Ic gelyfe thaet min Alysend leofadh, and ic +sceal on tham endenextan daege of eordhan arisan, and eft ic beo mid minum +felle befangen, and on minum flaesce ic geseo God, ic sylf, and na odher." +Thaet is, na odher hiw thurh me, ac ic sylf hine geseo. + +Thises godspelles geendung is swidhe egefull: "Fela sind gec['i]gede and +feawa gecorene." Efne nu ure ealra stemn clypadh Crist, ac ure ealra l['i]f +ne clypadh; fordhan dhe manega widhcwedhadh on heora dheawum thaet thaet +h['i] mid heora stemne geandettadh. Sume menn habbadh g['o]d anginn sume +hwile, ac h['i] geendiadh on yfele. Sume habbadh yfel anginn, and wel +geendiadh thurh sodhe d['ae]dbote. Sume onginnadh wel, and bet geendiadh. +Nu sceal gehw['a] hine sylfne micclum ondraedan, theah the h['e] g['o]de +drohtnunge haebbe, and nateshwon be him sylfum gedyrstlaecan; fordhan the +h['e] n['a]t hwaedher h['e] wurdhe is into tham ecan rice. Ne he ne sceal +be odhrum geortruwian, theah dhe he on leahtras befealle; fordhan dhe he +n['a]t tha menigfealdan welan Godes mildheortnysse. + +Cwydh nu S[=cs] Gregorius, thaet sum brodhor gecyrde to anum mynstre the he +sylf gestadhelode, and aefter regollicere f['a]ndunge munuch['a]d +underfeng. Tham filigde sum flaesclic brodhor to mynstre, na for +gecnyrdnysse g['o]ddre drohtnunge, ac for flaesclicere lufe. Se gastlica +brodhor eallum tham mynster-munecum thearle dhurh g['o]de drohtnunge +gelicode; and his flaesclica brodhor micclum his lifes dheawum mid +thwyrnysse {534} widhcwaedh. He leofode on mynstre for neode swidhor thonne +for beterunge. He waes gegaf spraece, and thwyr on d['ae]dum; wel besewen +on reafe, and yfele on dheawum. He nahte gedhyld, gif hine hw['a] to +g['o]ddre drohtnunge tihte. Weardh dha his l['i]f swidhe h['e]figtyme dham +gebrodhrum, ac hi hit emlice forbaeron for his brodher g['o]dnysse. He ne +mihte n['a]n dhing to gode ged['o]n, ne he nolde n['a]n g['o]d gehyran. Tha +weardh h['e] faerlice mid sumere codhe gestanden, and to deadhe gebroht. +Thadha h['e] to fordhsidhe ah['a]fen waes, dha comon tha gebrodhra to dhi +thaet h['i] his sawle becwaedon. He laeg acealdod on nytheweardum limum: on +dham breoste anum ordhode dha-gyt se gast. Tha gebrodhra dha swa micel +geornfullicor for hine gebaedon, swa micclum swa h['i] gesawon thaet he +hraedlice gew['i]tan sceolde. He dha faerlice hrymde, thus cwedhende, +"Gewitadh fram me. Efne her is cumen an draca the me sceal forswelgan, ac +he ne maeg for eower andwerdnysse. Min heafod he haefdh mid his ceaflum +befangen. Rymadh him, thaet he me l['e]ng ne swence. Gif ic thisum dracan +to forswelgenne geseald eom, hw['i] sceal ic elcunge throwian for eowerum +oferstealle?" + +Tha gebrodhra him cwaedon to, "Hw['i] sprecst thu mid swa micelre +orwennysse? Mearca dhe sylfne mid t['a]cne thaere halgan r['o]de." He +andwyrde be his mihte, "Ic wolde lustbaere mid t['a]cne thaere halgan +r['o]de me bletsian, ac ic naebbe dha mihte, fordhan dhe se draca me +thearle ofthryhdh." Hwaet dha munecas dha h['i] astrehton mid w['o]pe to +eordhan, and ongunnon geornlicor for his hreddinge thone Wealdendan God +biddan. Efne dha faerlice awyrpte se adliga cniht, and mid blissigendre +stemne cwaedh, "Ic thancige Gode: efne nu se draca, the me forswelgan +wolde, is afl['i]ged for eowerum benum. He is fram me ascofen, and standan +ne mihte ongean eowre thingunge. Beodh nu mine dhingeras, biddende for +minum synnum; fordhan dhe ic eom gearo to gecyrrenne to munuclicere +drohtnunge, and woruldlice dheawas ealle forlaetan." His cealdan limu tha +ge-edcucodon, and he mid ealre heortan to {536} Gode gecyrde, and mid +langsumum broce on his gecyrrednysse weardh gerihtlaeced, and aet nextan on +thaere ylcan untrumnysse gew['a]t; ac he ne geseah thone dracan on his +fordhsidhe, fordhan dhe he hine oferswidhde mid gecyrrednysse his heortan. + +Ne sceole we beon ormode, theah dhe on thyssere andweardan geladhunge fela +syndon yfele and feawa g['o]de; fordhan dhe Noes arc on ythum dhaes micclan +flodes haefde get['a]cnunge thyssere geladhunge, and h['e] waes on +nydheweardan w['i]d, and on ufeweardan nearo. On dhaere nydhemystan +bytminge wunodon tha redhan deor and creopende wurmas. On othre fleringe +wunodon fugelas and claene nytenu. On thaere dhriddan fleringe wunode Noe +mid his wife, and his dhry suna mid heora thrim wifum. On dhaere bytminge +waes se arc r['u]m, thaer dha redhan deor wunedon, and widhufan genyrwed, +thaer dhaera manna wunung waes; fordhan dhe seo halige geladhung on +flaesclicum mannum is swidhe br['a]d, and on gastlicum nearo. Heo +tospr['ae]t hire bosm thaer dhaer tha redhan wuniadh on nytenlicum dheawum, +and heo is genyrwed on thone ende the tha gesceadwisan wuniadh, on +gastlicum dheawum drohtnigende; fordhan swa h['i] haligran beodh on +thyssere andwerdan geladhunge, swa heora laes bidh. Micele ma is thaera +manna the lybbadh be agenum lustum, dhonne thaera sy the heora lifes +dheawas aefter Godes bebodum gerihtlaecadh: theah-hwaedhere symle bidh +haligra manna getel geeacnod thurh arleasra manna wanunge. Nis thaet getel +Godes gecorenra lytel, swa swa Crist on odhre stowe cwaedh, "Manega cumadh +fram east-daele and fram west-daele, and sittadh mid tham heahfaedere +Abrah['a]me, and Isaace, and Iacobe on heofonan rice." Eft, se sealm-wyrhta +be Godes gecorenum cwaedh, "Ic h['i] getealde, and heora getel is mare +dhonne sand-ceosol." On dhisum andweardan life sind tha gecorenan feawa +gedhuhte ongean getel thaera widhercorenra, ac thonne h['i] to dham ecan +life gegaderode beodh, heora tel bidh swa menigfeald, thaet hit oferstihdh, +be dhaes witegan cwyde, sand-ceosles ger['i]m. + +{538} L['ae]d us, Aelmihtig God, to getele dhinra gecorenra halgena, inn to +thaere ecan blisse dhines rices, the thu gearcodest fram frymdhe +middangeardes the lufigendum, thu dhe leofast and rixast mid tham Ecan +Faeder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +{521} THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. + + Loquebatur Jesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua. + +"The Lord was speaking at a certain time to his apostles in parables, thus +saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king who made a +marriage for his son. Then sent he his messengers to invite his subjects," +etc. + +We follow in this text the exposition of pope Gregory. + +My dearest brothers, I have frequently told you, that everywhere in the +holy gospel this present church is called the kingdom of heaven. Verily a +gathering of righteous men is called the kingdom of heaven. God said +through his prophet, "Heaven is my seat." Paul the Apostle said that +"Christ is God's Might and God's Wisdom." Clearly we may understand that +the soul of every righteous man is heaven, when Christ is God's Wisdom, and +the soul of a righteous man is the seat of wisdom, and heaven is his seat. +Of this the psalmist said, "The heavens make known the glory of God." He +calls the heavens God's messengers. But the congregation of holy men is the +kingdom of heaven, because their hearts are not occupied in earthly +desires, but they sigh for that which is above; and God now long since +reigns in them, as in the heavenly dwellings. + +The king who made a marriage for his son is God the Father, who associated +the holy church with his Son through the mystery of his incarnation. The +holy church is Christ's bride, by which he daily begets spiritual children, +and she is the mother of all christian men, and, nevertheless, an undefiled +maiden. Through belief and baptism we are begotten to God, and adopted as +his spiritual children, through Christ's humanity, and through grace of the +Holy Ghost. + +God sent his messengers, that he might invite everyone to {523} this +marriage. He sent once and again; for he sent his prophets, who announced +his Son's humanity to come, and again, he afterwards sent his apostles, who +announced his advent accomplished, as the prophets had erst prophesied it. +When they would not come to the marriage, he sent again, thus saying, "Say +to those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my meats, I have slain my +oxen and my fatted fowls, and have prepared all my things: come to the +marriage." + +The oxen betoken the patriarchs of the old law, who might then, by +permission of the old law, slay their foes in the manner of an ox. It is +thus written in the old law, "Love thy friend, and hate thy foe." Thus it +was allowed to men of old, that they might with strong might oppress, and +with weapons slay the adversaries of God and their own foes. But the same +God, who gave this permission through the law of Moses before his advent, +the same afterwards, when he through human nature came to the world, +changed the mandate, thus saying, "I command you, Love your foes, and do +good to those who hate you, and pray for your persecutors, that ye may be +children of the Heavenly Father, who letteth his sun shine over good and +evil, and he giveth rain-showers and fruits to the righteous and to the +unrighteous." What betoken the oxen but the fathers of the old law? What +were they but the like of oxen, when, by permission of the old law, they +struck their foes with the horn of bodily might? + +The fatted fowls betoken the holy teachers of the New Testament. These are +fatted with the grace of the Holy Ghost to that degree, that they desire +the heavenly journey with the wings of spiritual life. What is it for a man +to set his thoughts on sublunary things but, as it were, a tenuity of mind? +He who is filled with the food of heavenly love, is as though he were +fatted with generous meats. With this fatness the psalmist would be fatted, +when he said, "Be my soul filled as with fat and with tallow." + +{525} What is, "My oxen and my fatted fowls are slain," but as though he +had said, 'Behold the lives of the old fathers, and understand the singing +of the prophets, and the preaching of the apostles concerning my Son's +humanity, and come to the marriage'? That is, 'Come with faith, and +associate yourselves to the holy church, which is his bride and your +mother.' + +"They neglected it, and went, some to their farms, some to their +merchandise." He goes to his farm and neglects God's preparation, who +immoderately attends to earthly pursuits to that degree that he neglects +God's portion. He goes about his traffic, who with covetousness heeds +worldly gains more than the riches of eternal life. But when they busy +themselves immoderately, some with earthly pursuits and some with worldly +treasures, then they cannot for that business meditate on the humanity of +Jesus; and it also seems to them very irksome to adjust their conduct to +his rule. Some also are so perversely minded, that they may not hear God's +preaching, but with persecution afflict God's messengers, as the gospel +hereafter says, "Some seized the messengers, and with injury afflicted +them, and slew them. But the king, when he was informed of this, sent his +army, and destroyed the murderers and burned their city." + +He destroyed the murderers, because he fiercely slew the impious +persecutors, as we read everywhere in the passions of the martyrs. Nero, +the cruel emperor, [commanded Peter and Paul to be beheaded, but he was +suddenly driven from his realm, and wolves tore him in pieces. Herod +beheaded the apostle James, and brought Peter into prison, but God saved +him from his captivity, and when the king was inquiring how he came out of +the prison, God's angel came to him afterwards and slew him to death. +Astryges, the Indian king, who slew Bartholomew, became mad, and in a fit +of madness departed. In like manner Egeas, who {527} crucified Andrew, +ended forthwith in a fit of madness. Longsome would it be to recount the +ends of all the impious persecutors, how sternly the Almighty God avenged +on them the sufferings of his saints. The gospel says, that he burned their +city, because they will be, both with soul and with body, burned in +everlasting torment. "He sent his army," because through his angels he +destroys the wicked. What are the hosts of angels but the army of the +Heavenly King? He is called Dominus Sabaoth, that is 'Lord of an army,' or +'Lord of Hosts.' + +The king then said to his servants, "The marriage is ready, but those whom +I have thereto invited were not worthy of it. Go now to the outlets of the +ways, and whomsoever ye find, invite to the marriage." Ways are the various +deeds of men. Outlets of ways are the perishing of worldly works; and those +very often come to God, who in earthly works but little prosper. Hereupon +the king's messengers went through the ways, gathering all whom they found, +both evil and good, and at length made the marriage. In this present church +are mingled evil and good, as clean corn with foul cockle: but at the end +of this world the true Judge will bid his angels gather the cockle by +burthens, and cast it into the unquenchable fire. By burthens they will +gather the sinful from the righteous: then will murderers be tied together +within the hellish fire, and robbers with robbers, the covetous with the +covetous, adulterers with adulterers; and so all wicked associates, bound +together, shall suffer in everlasting torments; and the clean wheat shall +be brought into God's barn: that is, the righteous shall be brought to +everlasting life, where storm comes not nor any tempest that may injure the +corn. Then will the good be nowhere but in heaven, and the evil nowhere but +in hell. + +My brothers, if ye are good, then should ye bear with equanimity the +evilness of reprobate men, as long as ye {529} continue in this present +life. He is not good who will not bear with the evil. On this the voice of +God said to the prophet Ezekiel, "Thou son of man, unbelieving and +prompters to evil are with thee, and thou dwellest with the worst +wormkind." Again Paul the Apostle praised and confirmed the lives of +believing men, thus stimulating them, "Dwell among perverse mankind: shine +among them as stars, holding the word of life." + +"The king went in, and beheld the guests, when he saw one man there who was +not clad in a marriage garment." The marriage garment betokens the true +love of God and men. That love our Creator manifested to us in himself, +when he vouchsafed to redeem us from eternal death with his precious blood, +as John the Evangelist said, "So greatly God loved this world, that he gave +his only-begotten Son for us." The Son of God, who through love came to +men, signified in the gospel that which the marriage garment +betokened,--true love. Every of those who with faith and baptism incline to +God, comes to the marriage; but he comes not with a marriage garment, if he +holds not true love. For ye see that everyone is ashamed, if he is invited +to a worldly marriage, to come meanly clad to that short pleasure; but a +much greater shame is it for him who with a sordid garment comes to God's +marriage, so that for his foul habit he shall be cast from eternal bliss +into eternal darkness. So as a garment adorns a man bodily, so also true +love adorns our soul with spiritual fairness. Though a man have full faith, +and give alms, and do much good, all will be vain, whatsoever he does, +unless he have true love for God and for all christian men. It is true +love, that everyone love his friend well, and his foe for his good. The +Heavenly King goes daily to the marriage, that is, into his church, and +looks whether we are clad within in the marriage garment; and whomsoever he +finds without {531} true love, him he questions with wrath, thus saying, +"Thou friend, how durstest thou come to my preparation without a marriage +garment?" "Friend" he called him, and, nevertheless, cast him from his +guests. A friend he was through faith, and a reprobate in works. He was +forthwith silent, because at God's doom there is no exculpation nor +defence; for the Judge who convicts without, is cognizant of his mind +within. Though any one have not true love perfectly, yet should he not +despair of himself, for of such the prophet spake to God, "My Lord, thine +eyes have seen my imperfections, and in thy book all] are written." + +The king said to his servants, "Bind the misclad hands and feet, and cast +him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The +hands and the feet which are not now bound through awe of God from perverse +works, shall then, through the sternness of God's doom, be fast bound. The +feet which will not visit the sick, and the hands which give nothing to the +poor, shall then be bound in torment; because they are now wilfully bound +from good works. The misclad was cast into outer darkness. The inner +darkness is the blindness of the heart. The outer darkness is the swart +night of eternal condemnation. The condemned will then by compulsion suffer +in outer darkness, because he now wilfully passes his life in blindness of +heart, and has no remembrance of the true light, that is, Christ, who said +of himself, "I am the light of the world; he who followeth me goeth not in +darkness, but hath the light of life." In the outer darkness shall be +weeping and gnashing of teeth. There the eyes shall weep in the hellish +flame, which now libidinously roll about with unallowed desires; and the +teeth, which now rejoice in gluttony, shall there grate in the unspeakable +torments, which are prepared for the adversaries of God. Verily the eyes +will smart with the powerful smoke, and the teeth quake with the great +chill; for the reprobates shall suffer intolerable {533} heat, and +unspeakable chill. Verily the hellish fire has unspeakable heat and no +light, but burns eternally in swart darkness. + +If any one doubt concerning the resurrection, he may in this gospel +understand, that there will be a true resurrection, where there are eyes +and teeth. Eyes are of flesh, and teeth of bone; for we shall, whether we +will or not, arise at the end of this world with flesh and with bone, and +receive the reward of all our deeds, either a dwelling with God for good +deserts, or hell-torment with the devil for deeds of wickedness. Of this +the blessed Job said, "I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall +on the last day from earth arise, and that I shall again be clothed in my +flesh, and that in my flesh I shall see God, I myself, and no other." That +is, no other form through me, but I myself shall see him. + +The ending of this gospel is very awful: "Many are called and few chosen." +Behold now the voices of us all call Christ, but the lives of us all call +him not; for many deny in their practices that which they profess with +their voice. Some men have a good beginning for some while, but they end in +evil. Some have an evil beginning, and end well through true penitence. +Some begin well and end better. Now everyone should greatly fear, though he +lead a good life, and not presume on himself; for he knows not whether he +is worthy to enter into the eternal kingdom. Nor should he despair of +another, though he fall into vices; for he knows not the manifold abundance +of God's mercy. + +St. Gregory now says, that a certain brother entered into a monastery which +he himself had founded, and after regular probation received monkhood. A +fleshly brother followed him to the monastery, not for desire of a good +life, but for fleshly love. The ghostly brother, through his good life, was +exceedingly liked by the monks of the monastery; and his fleshly brother +with perverseness greatly contradicted {535} the usages of his life. He +lived in the monastery rather from necessity than for bettering. He was +idle of speech, and perverse in deeds; appearing well in raiment, and evil +in morals. He had no patience, if any one exhorted him to a good course. +Hence was his life very irksome to the brothers, but they endured it calmly +on account of his brother's goodness. He could do nothing good, nor would +he hear any good. He was then suddenly seized with some disease, and +brought to death. When he was raised up for departure, the brothers came +that they might pray for his soul. He lay chilled in his lower limbs: in +his breast alone the spirit yet breathed. The brothers then prayed for him +the more fervently, the more they saw that he would quickly depart. He then +suddenly cried, thus saying, "Depart from me. Lo here is a dragon come +which is to swallow me, but he cannot for your presence. He has seized my +head in his jaws. Give place to him, that he may no longer afflict me. If I +am given to this dragon to be swallowed, why should I suffer delay through +your presence?" + +The brothers said to him, "Why speakst thou with such great despair? Mark +thyself with the sign of the holy rood." He answered as he was able, "I +would joyfully bless myself with the sign of the holy rood, but I have not +the power, for the dragon sorely oppresses me." Whereupon the monks +prostrated themselves with weeping to the earth, and begun more fervently +to pray to the Powerful God for his salvation. Lo then, the sick man +suddenly started, and with exulting voice said, "I thank God: behold now +the dragon which would swallow me is put to flight through your prayers. He +is driven from me, and could not stand against your intercession. Be now my +interceders, praying for my sins; for I am ready to turn to monastic life, +and to forsake all worldly practices." His cold limbs then requickened, and +he turned {537} with all his heart to God, and by long sickness in his +conversion was justified, and at length died of the same disease; but he +saw not the dragon at his departure, for he had overcome him by the +conversion of his heart. + +We should not be hopeless, though in this present church many are evil and +few good; for Noah's ark on the waves of the great flood was a type of this +church, and it was in the lower part wide and in the upper narrow. In the +lowermost bottom dwelt the fierce beasts and creeping worms. On the second +flooring dwelt birds and clean animals. On the third flooring dwelt Noah +with his wife, and his three sons with their three wives. In the bottom the +ark was roomy, where the fierce beasts dwelt, and narrowed above, where the +dwelling of men was; for the holy church is in fleshly men very broad, and +in spiritual narrow. She spreads her bosom where the rugged dwell in brutal +habits, and she is narrowed at the end which the discreet inhabit, living +in spiritual practices; for the holier they are in this present church, so +the less of them there is. Much more is there of those men who live for +their own lusts, than there is of those who regulate their life's actions +after the commandments of God: yet is the number of holy men ever increased +through the diminution of impious men. The number of God's chosen is not +little, as Christ said in another place, "Many shall come from the east +part and from the west, and shall sit with the patriarch Abraham, and +Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Again, the psalmist said of +God's chosen, "I counted them, and their number is greater than the +sand-grains." In this present life the chosen appear few in comparison with +the number of the reprobates, but when they shall be gathered to the +eternal life, their number will be so manifold, that it will exceed, +according to the prophet's saying, the number of the sand-grains. + +{539} Lead us, Almighty God, to the number of thy chosen saints, into the +everlasting bliss of thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared from the +beginning of the world for those who love thee, thou who livest and +reignest with the Eternal Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. +Amen. + + * * * * * + + +[=KL]. NOUE[=MB]. + +NATALE OMNIUM SANCTORUM. + +Halige l['a]reowas raeddon thaet seo geleaffulle geladhung thisne daeg +EALLUM HALGUM to wurthmynte maersige, and arwurdhlice freolsige; fordhan +dhe h['i] ne mihton heora aelcum synderlice freolstide gesettan, ne +n['a]num menn on andweardum life nis heora eallra nama cudh, swa swa +Iohannes se Godspellere on his gastlican gesihdhe awr['a]t, thus cwedhende, +"Ic geseah swa micele menigu, swa n['a]n man geryman ne maeg, of eallum +dheodum and of aelcere maegdhe, standende aetforan Godes thrym-setle, ealle +mid hwitum gyrlum gescrydde, healdende palm-twigu on heora handum, and +sungon mid hluddre stemne, Sy h['ae]lu urum Gode the sitt ofer his +thrym-setle. And ealle englas stodon on ymbhwyrfte his dhrym-setles, and +aluton to Gode, thus cwedhende, Sy urum Gode bletsung and beorhtnys, wisdom +and thancung, wurdhmynt and strengdh, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen." + +Godes halgan sind englas and menn. Englas sind gastas butan lichaman. Tha +gesceop se Aelmihtiga Wealdend on micelre faegernysse, him sylfum to lofe, +and to wuldre and wurdhmynte his maegenthrymme on ecnysse. Be tham we +forhtiadh fela to sprecenne, fordhan dhe Gode anum is to gewitenne h['u] +heora ungesewenlice gecynd, butan aelcere besmitennysse oththe wanunge, on +['e]cere hluttornysse thurhwunadh. Theah-hwaedhere we oncn['a]wadh on +halgum gewritum, thaet nigon {540} engla werod sind wunigende on +heofonlicum thrymme, the naefre n['a]ne synne ne gefremedon. Thaet teodhe +werod thurh modignesse losode, and to awyrgedum gastum behwyrfede wurdon, +and ascofene of heofonlicere myrhdhe inn to hellicere susle. + +Sodhlice sume dhaera haligra gasta, the mid heora Scyppende thurhwunodon, +to us asende cumadh, and towearde dhing cydhadh. Sume h['i] wyrcadh, be +Godes dihte, t['a]cna and gelomlice wundra on middangearde. Sume h['i] synd +ealdras gesette tham odhrum englum, to gefyllenne tha godcundlican gerynu. +Thurh sume gesett God and toscaet his domas. Sume h['i] sind swa micclum to +Gode gedheodde, thaet n['a]ne odhre him betwynan ne synd, and h['i] dhonne +on swa micclan maran lufe byrnende beodh, swa micclum swa h['i] Godes +beorhtnysse scearplicor sceawiadh. Nu is thes daeg thisum englum +arwurdhlice gehalgod, and eac tham halgum mannum, the thurh miccle +gedhincdha fram frymdhe middangeardes Gode gethugon. Of thisum waeron +['ae]rest heahfaederas, eawfaeste and wuldorfulle weras on heora life, +witegena faederas, thaera gemynd ne bidh forgiten, and heora nama +thurhwunadh on ecnysse; fordhan dhe hi waeron Gode gecweme thurh geleafan, +and rihtwisnysse, and gehyrsumnysse. Thisum fyligdh thaera witegena +gecorennys: h['i] waeron Godes gesprecan, and tham he aeteowde his +digelnysse, and hi onlihte mid gife thaes Halgan Gastes, swa thaet hi +wiston tha towerdan dhing, and mid witigendlicere gyddunge bododon. +Witodlice tha gecorenan witegan mid manegum t['a]cnum and foreb['i]cnungum +on heora life scinende waeron. Hi gehaeldon manna untrumnysse, and deaddra +manna l['i]c to life araerdon. H['i] eac for folces thwyrnysse heofonan +scuras oftugon, and eft miltsigende getithodon. Hi heofodon folces synna, +and heora wrace on him sylfum forscytton. Cristes menniscnysse, and his +dhrowunge, and aerist, and upstige, and dhone micclan d['o]m, thurh dhone +Halgan Gast gelaerede, h['i] witegodon. + +On dhaere Nywan Gecydhnysse fordhst['o]p Iohannes se {542} Fulluhtere, +sedhe mid witegunge Cristes to-cyme bodode, and eac mid his fingre hine +geb['i]cnode. "Betwux wifa bearnum ne ar['a]s n['a]n maerra mann thonne is +Iohannes se Fulluhtere." Thisum Godes cempan gethwaerlaecdh thaet +twelffealde getel Cristes apostola, the he sylf geceas him to +leorning-cnihtum, and hi mid rihtum geleafan and sodhre l['a]re geteah, and +eallum dheodum to l['a]reowum gesette, swa thaet se sw['e]g heora bodunge +ferde geond ealle eordhan, and heora word becomon to gemaerum ealles +ymbhwyrftes. To dhisum twelf apostolum cwaedh se Aelmihtiga Haelend, "Ge +sind middangeardes leoht: scine eower leoht swa aetforan mannum, thaet hi +geseon eowre g['o]dan weorc, and wuldrian eowerne Faeder the on heofonum +is. Ge sind mine frynd, and ic cydhe eow swa hwaet swa ic aet minum Faeder +gehyrde." Eornostlice Drihten forgeaf tha mihte his twelf apostolum, thaet +hi dha ylcan wundra worhton the h['e] sylf on middangearde gefremode. And +swa hwaet swa h['i] bindadh ofer eordhan, thaet bidh on heofonum gebunden; +and swa hwaet swa h['i] unbindadh ofer eordhan, thaet bidh unbunden on +heofonum. Eac he him behet mid sodhfaestum beh['a]te, thaet h['i] on dham +micclum dome ofer twelf d['o]m-setl sittende beodh, to d['e]menne eallum +mannum the aefre on lichaman l['i]f underfengon. + +Aefter tham apostolican werode we wurdhiadh thone gefaestan heap Godes +cydhera, the dhurh mislice tintrega Cristes dhrowunge werlice +geefenlaehton, and dhurh martyrdom thaet upplice rice geferdon. Sume hi +waeron mid waepnum ofslagene, sume on l['i]ge forswaelede, odhre mid swipum +ofbeatene, othre mid stengum thurhdhyde, sume on h['e]ngene gecwylmede, +sume on widdre s['ae] besencte, odhre cuce behylde, odhre mid ['i]senum +clawum totorene, sume mid st['a]num ofhrorene, sume mid winterlicum cyle +geswencte, sume mid hungre gecwylmede, sume handum and fotum forcorfene, +folce to waefersyne, for geleafan and halgum naman Haelendes Cristes. Thas +sind tha sigefaestan Godes frynd, the dhaera forscyldgodra ealdormanna +haesa forsawon, and nu h['i] sind gewuldor-beagode midsige {544} heora +throwunga on ['e]cere myrhdhe. Hi mihton beon lichamlice acwealde, ac hi ne +mihton fram Gode thurh n['a]ne tintregunga beon geb['i]gede. Heora hiht +waes mid undeadlicnysse afylled, theah dhe h['i] aetforan mannum +getintregode waeron. H['i] waeron sceortlice gedrehte, and langlice +gefrefrode; fordhan dhe God heora af['a]ndode swa swa gold on ['o]fne, and +he afunde hi him wyrdhe, and swa swa halige offrunga, hi underfeng to his +heofonlican rice. + +Aefter ablunnenre ehtnysse redhra cynega and ealdormanna, on siblicere +drohtnunge Godes geladhunge, waeron halige sacerdas Gode dhe['o]nde, tha +mid sodhre l['a]re and mid halgum gebysnungum folces menn to Gode symle +geb['i]gdon. Heora m['o]d waes hluttor, and mid claennysse afylled, and hi +mid claenum handum Gode Aelmihtigum aet his weofode dhenodon, maersigende +tha halgan gerynu Cristes lichaman and his blodes. Eac h['i] offrodon h['i] +sylfe Gode l['i]flice onsaegednysse butan womme, oththe gemencgednysse +thwyrlices weorces. Hi befaeston Godes l['a]re heora undertheoddum, to +unateorigendlicum gafele, and heora m['o]d mid threatunge, and bene, and +micelre gymene to lifes wege geb['i]gdon, and for n['a]num woruldlicum ege +Godes riht ne forsuwodon; and dheah dhe h['i] swurdes ecge ne gefreddon, +theah dhurh heora l['i]fes geearnunga h['i] ne beodh martyrdomes bedaelede, +fordhan the martyrdom bidh gefremmed na on blodes gyte anum, ac eac swylce +on synna forhaefednysse, and on b['i]ggenge Godes beboda. + +Thysum fyligdh ancersetlena drohtnung, and synderlic ingehyd. Tha on +westenum wunigende, woruldlice ['e]stas and gaelsan mid strecum mode and +stidhum life fortraedon. Hi forflugon woruld-manna gesihdhe and herunge, +and on w['a]clicum screafum odhdhe hulcum lutigende, deorum geferlaehte, to +engelicum spraecum gewunode, on micclum wundrum sc['i]nende waeron. Blindum +h['i] forgeafon gesihdhe, healtum faereld, deafum hlyst, dumbum spraece. +Deoflu h['i] oferswydhdon and afligdon, and dha deadan thurh Godes mihte +araerdon. Seo b['o]c the is geh['a]ten Uitae Patrum sprecdh menigfealdlice +{546} embe thyssera ancersetlena, and eac gemaenelicra muneca drohtnunge, +and cwydh, thaet heora waes fela dhusenda gehwaer on westenum and on +mynstrum wundorlice drohtnigende, ac swa-theah swydhost on Egypta-lande. +Sume h['i] leofodon be ['o]fete and wyrtum, sume be agenum geswince, sumum +dhenodon englas, sumum fugelas, odhthaet englas eft on eadhelicum +fordhsidhe h['i] to Gode feredon. + +Eala dhu, eadige Godes cennestre, symle maeden Maria, tempel dhaes Halgan +Gastes, maeden ['ae]r geeacnunge, maeden on geeacnunge, maeden aefter +geeacnunge, micel is dhin maerdh on dhisum freols-daege betwux tham +foresaedum halgum; fordhan dhe dhurh thine claenan cenninge him eallum +becom halignyss and dha heofonlican gedhincdhu. We sprecadh be dhaere +heofonlican cwene endebyrdlice aefter w['i]fh['a]de, theah-hwaedhere eal +seo geleaffulle geladhung getreowfullice be hire singdh, thaet heo is +geuferod and ah['a]fen ofer engla werod to tham wuldorfullan heahsetle. Nis +be nanum odhrum halgan gecweden, thaet heora aenig ofer engla werod +ah['a]fen sy, buton be Marian ['a]nre. Heo aeteowde mid hire gebysnungum +thaet heofonlice l['i]f on eordhan, fordhan the maegdhh['a]d is ealra +maegna cw['e]n and gefera heofonlicra engla. Dhyses maedenes gebysnungum +and f['o]tswadhum fyligde unger['i]m heap maegdhh['a]des manna on +claennysse thurhwunigende, forlaetenum giftum, to dham heofonlicum +brydguman Criste getheodende mid ['a]nraedum mode, and haligre drohtnunge, +and sidefullum gyrlan, to than swidhe, thaet heora for wel menige for +maeigdhh['a]de martyrdom gedhrowodon, and swa mid twyfealdum sige to +heofonlicum eardung-stowum wuldorfulle becomon. + +Eallum dhisum foresaedum halgum, thaet is, englum and Godes gecorenum +mannum, is thyses daeges wurdhmynt gemaersod on geleaffulre geladhunge, him +to wurdhmynte and us to fultume, thaet we dhurh heora thingraedene him +geferlaehte beon moton. Thaes ['u]s getidhige se mildheorta Drihten, the +h['i] ealle and ['u]s mid his deorwurdhan blode fram deofles haeftnedum +alysde. We sceolon on dhyssere maerlican freols-tide {548} mid halgum +gebedum and lofsangum us geinnian, swa hwaet swa we on odhrum freols-dagum +ealles geares ymbrynes, thurh mennisce tyddernysse hw['o]nlicor gefyldon, +and carfullice h['o]gian thaet we to dhaere ecan freols-tide becumon. + +EUANGELIUM. + + Videns Iesus turbas ascendit in montem: et reliqua. + +Dhaet h['a]lige godspel, the nu lytle ['ae]r aetforan eow geraedd waes, +micclum gethwaerlaecdh thyssere freols-tide, fordhan dhe hit geendebyrt tha +eahta eadignyssa dhe dha halgan to heofonlicum gedhincdhum gebrohton. + +Matheus awr['a]t on thysum daegtherlican godspelle, thaet se Haelend on +sumere tide "gesawe micele menigu him fyligende; tha astah he upp on ane +dune. Thadha h['e] gesaet, tha genealaehton his leorning-cnihtas him to, +and h['e] undyde his mudh, and hi laerde, thus cwedhende, Eadige beodh tha +gastlican dhearfan:" et reliqua. + +Se wisa Augustinus trahtnode this godspel, and saede, thaet seo d['u]n the +se Haelend astah get['a]cnadh dha healican bebodu sodhre Rihtwisnysse: tha +laessan beboda waeron gesette dham Iudeiscan folce. An God theah-hwaedhere +gesette, thurh his halgan witegan, tha laessan bebodu Iudeiscre dheode, the +mid ['o]gan dha-gyt gebunden waes; and he gesette, thurh his agenne Sunu, +tha maran bebodu cristenum folce, tha dhe he mid sodhre lufe to alysenne +com. Sittende he taehte: thaet belimpdh to wurdhscipe l['a]reowdomes. Him +to genealaehton his discipuli, thaet h['i] gehendran waeron lichamlice, tha +dhe mid mode his bebodum genealaehton. Se Haelend geopenode his mudh. +Witodlice se geopenode his mudh to thaere godspellican l['a]re, sedhe on +dhaere ealdan ['ae] gewunelice openode thaera witegena mudh. +Theah-hwaedhere his mudhes geopenung get['a]cnadh tha deoplican spraece dhe +he dha fordh-ateah. He cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha gastlican dhearfan, +fordhan the heora is heofonan rice." Hwaet sind dha gastlican dhearfan +buton dha eadmodan, the Godes ege {550} habbadh, and nane todhundennysse +nabbadh? Godes ege is wisdomes angynn, and modignyss is aelcere synne +anginn. Fela sind dhearfan thurh hafenleaste, and na on heora gaste, +fordhan dhe h['i] gewilniadh fela to haebbenne. Sind eac odhre dhearfan, na +dhurh hafenleaste ac on gaste, fordhan the h['i] synd, aefter thaes +apostolican cwyde, "Swa swa naht haebbende, and ealle dhing geagnigende." +On thas wisan waes Abraham dhearfa, and Iacob, and Dauid, sedhe, on his +cynesetle ah['a]fen, hine sylfne geswutelode thearfan on gaste, thus +cwedhende, "Ic sodhlice eom waedla and thearfa." Tha m['o]digan rican ne +beodh thearfan ne thurh hafenleaste ne on gaste, fordhan dhe h['i] synd +gewelgode mid aehtum, and todhundene on mode. Thurh hafenleaste and on +gaste synd thearfan dha fullfremedan munecas, the for Gode ealle dhing +forlaetadh to dhan swidhe, thaet hi nelladh habban heora agenne lichaman on +heora anwealde, ac lybbadh be heora gastlican l['a]reowas wissunge; and +fordhi swa micclum swa h['i] her for Gode on hafenleaste wuniadh, swa +micclum h['i] beodh eft on dham toweardan wuldre gewelgode. + +"Eadige beodh tha lidhan, fordhan the h['i] thaet l['a]nd geagniadh." Tha +synd lidhe and gedefe, tha dhe ne widhstandadh yfelum, ac oferswydhadh mid +heora g['o]['o]dnysse thone yfelan: hi habbadh thaet l['a]nd the se +sealm-sceop embe spraec, "Drihten, thu eart min hiht: beo min dael on +thaera lybbendra eordhan." Thaera lybbendra eordhe is seo stadhelfaestnyss +thaes ecan eardes, on dham gerest seo sawul swa swa se lichama on eordhan. +Se eard is rest and l['i]f gecorenra halgena. + +"Eadige beodh dha the heofiadh, fordhan dhe hi beodh gefrefrode." Na beodh +tha eadige, the for hyndhum odhdhe lirum hwilwendlicra hydhdha heofiadh; ac +dha beodh eadige, dhe heora synna bewepadh, fordhan the se Halga Gast h['i] +gefrefradh, sedhe dedh forgyfenysse ealra synna, se is geh['a]ten +Paraclitus, thaet is, Frefrigend, fordhan dhe he frefradh thaera +behreowsigendra heortan thurh his gife. + +"Eadige beodh tha the sind ofhingrode and ofthyrste aefter rihtwisnysse, +fordhan dhe hi beodh gefyllede." Se bidh {552} ofhingrod and ofdhyrst +aefter rihtwisnysse, sedhe Godes beboda lustlice gehyrdh, and lustlicor mid +weorcum gefyldh: se bidh thonne mid tham mete gefylled dhe Drihten embe +spraec, "Min mete is, thaet ic wyrce mines Faeder willan, thaet is +rihtwisnys." Thonne maeg h['e] cwedhan mid tham sealm-sceope, "Drihten, ic +beo aeteowed mid rihtwisnysse on dhinre gesihdhe, and ic beo gefylled, +thonne dhin wuldor geswutelod bidh." + +"Eadige beodh tha mildheortan, fordhan the h['i] begytadh mildheortnysse." +Eadige beodh tha dhe earmra manna thurh mildheortnysse gehelpadh, fordhan +dhe him bidh swa geleanod, thaet h['i] sylfe beodh fram yrmdhe alysede. + +"Eadige beodh tha claenheortan, fordhan dhe h['i] geseodh God sylfne." +Stunte synd tha dhe gewilniadh God to geseonne mid flaesclicum eagum, +thonne he bidh mid thaere heortan gesewen; ac heo is to claensigenne fram +leahtrum, thaet heo God geseon mage. Swa swa eordhlic leoht ne maeg beon +gesewen buton mid claenum eagum, swa eac ne bidh God gesewen buton mid +claenre heortan. + +"Eadige beodh tha gesibsuman, fordhan dhe h['i] beodh Godes bearn +gec['i]gede." On sibbe is fulfremednyss thaer dhaer n['a]n dhing ne +thwyradh: fordhi synd tha gesibsuman Godes bearn, fordhan dhe n['a]n dhing +on him ne widheradh ongean God. Gesibsume sind tha on him sylfum, dhe ealle +heora modes styrunga mid gesceade gel['o]giadh, and heora flaesclican +gewilnunga gewyldadh swa thaet h['i] sylfe beodh Godes rice. Dheos is seo +sib dhe is forgyfen on eordhan tham mannum the beodh g['o]des willan. God +ure Faeder is gesibsum; witodlice fordhi gedafenadh tham bearnum thaet hi +heora Faeder geefenlaecon. + +"Eadige beodh dha dhe tholiadh ehtnysse for rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe heora +is heofonan rice." Fela sind dha dhe ehtnysse dholiadh for mislicum +intingum, swa swa dodh mannslagan, and sceadhan, and gehwilce fyrnfulle; ac +seo ehtnys him ne becymdh to n['a]nre eadignysse; ac seo ehtnys ana the +bidh for rihtwisnysse gedholod becymdh to ecere eadignysse. Nis to +ondr['ae]denne dhwyrra manna ehtnys, ac m['a] to fordhyldigenne, {554} swa +swa Drihten to his leorning-cnihtum cwaedh, "Ne ondraede ge eow dha dhe +eowerne lichaman ofsleadh, fordhan dhe h['i] ne magon eowre sawle ofslean, +ac ondraedadh God, dhe maeg aegdher ge sawle ge lichaman on helle-susle +ford['o]n." Ne sceole we dheah tha dhwyran to ure ehtnysse gremian, ac +swidhor, gif h['i] astyrede beodh, mid rihtwisnysse gestillan. Gif hi +dhonne thaere ehtnysse geswycan nelladh, selre ['u]s bidh thaet we ehtnysse +dholion thonne we riht forlaeton. + +Eahta eadignyssa synd on thisum godspelle geendebyrde; is dheah gyt an +cwyde baeftan, dhe is gedhuht swilce he sy se nygodha staepe, ac he +sodhlice belimpdh to dhaere eahteodhan eadignysse, fordhan dhe hi butu +sprecadh be ehtnysse for rihtwisnysse and for Criste. Tha eahta eadignyssa +belimpadh to eallum geleaffullum mannum, and se aeftemysta cwyde, theah dhe +he synderlice to tham apostolum gecweden waere, belimpdh eac to eallum +Cristes limum, fordhan dhe h['e] nis se nygodha, ac fyligdh thaere +eahteodhan eadignysse, swa swa we ['ae]r saedon. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Eadige +ge beodh thonne man eow wyrigdh, and eower eht, and aelc yfel ongean eow +sprecdh leogende for me." Se bidh eadig and gesaelig the for Criste dholadh +wyriunge and hospas fram leasum licceterum, fordhan dhe seo lease wyriung +becymdh tham rihtwisum to eadigre bletsunge. + +"Blissiadh and faegniadh, fordhan dhe eower m['e]d is menigfeald on +heofonum." Geleaffullum gedafenadh thaet hi wuldrion on gedrefednyssum, +fordhan dhe seo gedrefednys wyrcdh gedhyld, and thaet gedhyld af['a]ndunge, +and seo af['a]ndung hiht. Se hiht sodhlice ne bidh naefre gescynd, fordhan +the Godes lufu is ag['o]ten on urum heortum thurh dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe +us is forg['i]fen. Be thisum cwaedh se apostol Iacobus, "Eala ge mine +gebrodhra, wenadh eow aelcere blisse, thonne ge beodh on mislicum +costnungum, fordhan the seo af['a]ndung eowres geleafan is miccle +deorwurdhre thonne gold the bidh dhurh fyr af['a]ndod." Eft cwydh thaet +halige gewrit, "Laemene fatu beodh on ofne af['a]ndode, and rihtwise menn +on gedrefednysse heora costnunge." Be thisum cwaedh eac se Haelend on odhre +{556} stowe to his leorning-cnihtum, "Gif dhes middangeard eow hatadh, wite +ge thaet h['e] me hatode ['ae]r eow; and gif h['i] min ehton, thonne ehtadh +hi eac eower." Crist sylf waes fram arleasum mannum acweald, and swa eac +his leorning-cnihtas and martyras; and ealle dha dhe gewilniadh arfaestlice +to drohtnigenne on geleaffulre geladhunge, h['i] sceolon ehtnysse dholian, +odhdhe fram ungesewenlicum deofle odhdhe fram gesewenlicum arleasum deofles +limum: ac thas hwilwendlican ehtnyssa oththe gedrefednyssa we sceolon mid +gefean for Cristes naman gedhafian, fordhan dhe he thus behet eallum +gedhyldigum, "Blissiadh and faegniadh, efne eower m['e]d is menigfeald on +heofonum." + +We mihton dhas halgan raedinge menigfealdlicor trahtnian, aefter Augustines +smeagunge, ac us twynadh hwaedher ge magon maran deopnysse dhaeron +thearflice tocnawan; ac uton biddan mid inweardre heortan thone Aelmihtigan +Wealdend, sedhe ['u]s mid menigfealdre maersunge ealra his halgena nu +to-daeg geblissode, thaet he us getidhige genihtsumnysse his miltsunge +thurh heora menigfealdan thingraedena, thaet we on ['e]cere gesihdhe mid +him blission, swa swa we nu mid hwilwendlicere thenunge h['i] wurdhiadh. + +Sy wuldor and l['o]f Haelendum Criste, sedhe is anginn and ende, Scyppend +and Alysend ealra halgena, mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste, ['a] on +ecnysse. Amen. + +NOVEMBER I. + +THE NATIVITY OF ALL SAINTS. + +Holy doctors have counselled that the faithful church should celebrate and +piously solemnize this day to the honour of ALL SAINTS; because they could +not appoint a festival separately for each of them, nor to any man in the +present life are the names of all of them known, as John the Evangelist +wrote in his ghostly vision, thus saying, "I saw so great a multitude as no +man may number, of all nations and of every tribe, standing before the +throne of God, all clad in white garments, holding palm-twigs in their +hands, and they sung with a loud voice, Salvation be to our God who sitteth +on his throne. And all the angels stood around his throne, and bowed down +to God, thus saying, Be to our God blessing and brightness, wisdom and +thanksgiving, honour and strength, for ever and ever. Amen." + +God's saints are angels and men. Angels are spirits without body. These the +Almighty Ruler created in great fairness, for his own praise, and to the +glory and honour of his majesty for ever. Of these we fear to speak much, +because for God alone is it to know how their invisible nature continues, +without any pollution or decay, in eternal purity. Nevertheless we know +from holy writings, that there are nine hosts {541} of angels existing in +heavenly majesty, who never committed any sin. The tenth host perished +through pride, and were turned into accursed spirits, and driven from +heavenly joy into hell-torment. + +But some of those holy spirits, who continued with their Creator, come sent +to us, and announce future things. Some of them, by God's direction, work +signs and frequently miracles in the world. Some of them are chiefs set +over other angels for the fulfilment of the divine mysteries. Through some +God establishes and decides his dooms. Some are so closely associated with +God, that no others are between them, and they are then burning in so much +greater love, as they more clearly behold the brightness of God. Now is +this day piously hallowed to these angels, and also to those holy men, who +through great excellences have thriven to God from the beginning of the +world. Of these were first the patriarchs, religious and glorious men in +their lives, the fathers of the prophets, whose memory shall not be +forgotten, and their names shall last for ever, because they were +acceptable to God through faith, and righteousness, and obedience. These +were followed by the chosen company of prophets: they held speech with God, +and to them he manifested his secrets, and enlightened them with the grace +of the Holy Ghost, so that they knew the things to come, and announced them +in prophetic song. Verily the chosen prophets by many signs and foretokens +were in their lives illustrious. They healed the sickness of men, and the +bodies of dead men they raised to life. They also, for the people's +perversity, withdrew the showers of heaven, and again in mercy permitted +them. They bewailed the people's sins, and their punishment prevented on +themselves. Christ's humanity, and his passion, and resurrection, and +ascension, and the great doom, instructed by the Holy Ghost, they +prophesied. + +In the New Testament John the Baptist stept forth, who {543} with prophecy +preached the advent of Christ, and also with his finger pointed him out. +"Among the children of women there hath arisen no greater man than is John +the Baptist." With these champions of God accords the twelvefold number of +Christ's apostles, whom he himself chose for his disciples, and instructed +them in right belief and true doctrine, and set them as teachers to all +nations, so that the sound of their preaching went over all the earth, and +their words came to the boundaries of the whole world. To these twelve +apostles said the Almighty Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world: let your +light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify +your Father who is in heaven. Ye are my friends, and I make known unto you +whatsoever I have heard from my Father." Verily the Lord gave power to his +twelve apostles to work the same wonders which he himself performed in the +world. And whatsoever they bind on earth, that shall be bound in heaven; +and whatsoever they unbind on earth, that shall be unbound in heaven. He +also promised them with a true promise, that at the great doom they shall +be sitting on twelve judgement-seats, to judge all men who have ever +received life in the body. + +After the apostolic company we honour the steadfast band of God's martyrs, +who through divers torments courageously imitated the passion of Christ, +and through martyrdom passed to the realm on high. Some of them were slain +with weapons, some burned in flame, others beaten with scourges, others +transfixed with stakes, some slain on the cross, some sunk in the wide sea, +others flayed alive, others torn with iron claws, some overwhelmed with +stones, some afflicted with winterly cold, some slain by hunger, some with +hands and feet cut off, as a spectacle to people, for their faith and the +holy name of Jesus Christ. These are the triumphant friends of God, who +despised the behests of those criminal princes, and now they are +glory-crowned with the triumph {545} of their sufferings in eternal joy. +They might be slain bodily, but they could not by any torments be turned +from God. Their hope was filled with immortality, though before men they +were tormented. They were for a short time afflicted, and lastingly +comforted, for God tried them as gold in a furnace, and he found them +worthy of him, and as holy offerings received them into his heavenly +kingdom. + +After the persecution of the cruel kings and princes had ceased, in the +peaceful condition of God's church, there were holy priests thriving to +God, who with true doctrine and holy examples ever inclined the men of the +people to God. Their minds were pure, and filled with cleanness, and with +clean hands they served God Almighty at his altar, celebrating the holy +mystery of Christ's body and his blood. They likewise offered themselves a +living sacrifice to God, without blemish or admixture of perverse work. +They delivered God's doctrine to their followers, as an imperishable +revenue, and with chastisement, and prayer, and great care inclined them to +the way of life, and for no awe of the world refrained from preaching God's +law; and though they felt not the sword's edge, yet, through the merits of +their lives, are they not deprived of martyrdom, for martyrdom is not +effected by bloodshed only, but also by abstinence from sins, and by the +observance of God's commandments. + +This is followed by the life and extraordinary knowledge of anchorites. +These dwelling in the waste, trampled with stern mind and rigid life on +worldly delicacies and luxuries. They fled from the sight and praise of +worldly men, and, crouching in miserable caves or huts, associated with +beasts, accustomed to angelic speeches, were shining in great wonders. To +the blind they gave sight, gait to the halt, hearing to the deaf, speech to +the dumb. Devils they overcame and drove away, and through God's might +raised the dead. The book which is called Vitae Patrum speaks manifoldly +{547} concerning the lives of these anchorites, and also of common monks, +and says that there were many thousands of them living wonderfully +everywhere in the deserts and in monasteries, but yet especially in Egypt. +Some of them lived on fruit and herbs, some by their own labour, some were +served by angels, some by birds, until angels afterwards by an easy death +bore them to God. + +O thou, blessed parent of God, ever maiden Mary, temple of the Holy Ghost, +maiden before conception, maiden in conception, maiden after conception, +great is thy glory on this festival among the beforesaid saints; because +through thy pure childbirth holiness and heavenly honours came to them all. +We speak of the heavenly queen, as is usual, according to her womanhood, +yet all the faithful church confidently sing of her, that she is exalted +and raised above the hosts of angels to the glorious throne. Of no other +saints is it said, that any of them is raised above the hosts of angels, +but of Mary alone. She manifested by her example the heavenly life on +earth, for maidenhood is of all virtues queen, and the associate of the +heavenly angels. The example and footsteps of this maiden were followed by +an innumerable body of persons in maidenhood, living in purity, renouncing +marriage, attaching themselves to the heavenly bridegroom Christ with +steadfast mind and holy converse, and with wide garments, to that degree, +that very many of them suffered martyrdom for maidenhood, and so with +twofold victory went glorious to the heavenly dwelling-places. + +To all these beforesaid saints, that is, angels and God's chosen men, is +the honour of this day celebrated in the faithful church, in honour to them +and in aid to us, that we, through their intercession, may be with them +associated. May the merciful Lord grant us this, who redeemed them all and +us with his precious blood from the devil's thraldom. We should, on this +great festival, complete, with holy prayers {549} and hymns, whatsoever we +on other festivals of the whole circuit of the year have, through human +weakness, less perfectly performed, and carefully cogitate that we may come +to the eternal festival. + +GOSPEL. + + Videns Jesus turbas ascendit in montem: et reliqua. + +The holy gospel, that has just now been read before you, accords greatly +with this festival, for it sets forth in order the eight beatitudes, which +have brought the holy to heavenly honours. + +Matthew wrote in this day's gospel, that Jesus at a certain time "saw a +great multitude following him; then he went up on a mount. When he sat his +disciples approached him, and he opened his mouth, and taught them, thus +saying, Blessed are the spiritual poor," etc. + +The wise Augustine expounded this gospel, and said, that the mount which +Jesus ascended betokens the high commandments of true Righteousness: the +less commandments were appointed for the Jewish folk. One God, +nevertheless, appointed, through his holy prophets, the less commandments +to the Jewish nation, which was yet bound by fear; and he appointed, +through his own Son, the greater commandments for the christian folk, whom +he with true love came to redeem. He taught sitting: that belongs to the +dignity of teachership. His disciples approached him, that they might be +nearer bodily, who with mind approached to his commandments. Jesus opened +his mouth. Verily he opened his mouth to the evangelic lore, who in the old +law was wont to open the mouths of the prophets. Yet the opening of his +mouth betokens the deep speech which he then drew forth. He said, "Blessed +are the spiritual poor, for of them is the kingdom of heaven." Who are the +spiritual poor but the humble, who have awe of God, and have no {551} +arrogance? Awe of God is the beginning of wisdom, and pride is the +beginning of every sin. Many are poor through indigence, and not in their +spirit, because they desire to have much. There are also other poor, not +through indigence but in spirit, because they are, according to the +apostolic saying, "As having nought and possessing all things." In this way +Abraham was poor, and Jacob, and David, who, raised on his throne, showed +himself poor in spirit, thus saying, "I truly am poor and needy." The proud +rich are not needy through indigence nor in spirit, for they are enriched +with possessions and swelled up in mind. Poor through indigence and in +spirit are those perfect monks, who for God so completely forsake all +things, that they will not have their own bodies in their power, but live +by direction of their ghostly teacher; and therefore as much as they here +for God continue in indigence, so much will they be hereafter enriched in +the glory to come. + +"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land." They are meek and +gentle, who withstand not the evil, but with their goodness overcome the +evil: they shall have the land of which the psalmist spake, "Lord, thou art +my hope: be my portion in the earth of the living." The earth of the living +is the stability of the eternal country, in which the soul rests as the +body does on earth. That country is the rest and life of the chosen saints. + +"Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." They are not +blessed who mourn for calamities or losses of transitory comforts; but they +are blessed who bewail their sins, for the Holy Ghost will comfort them, +who grants forgiveness of all sins, who is called Paraclete, that is +Comforter, because he comforts the hearts of the penitent by his grace. + +"Blessed are they who are hungry and thirsty after righteousness, for they +shall be filled." He is hungry and thirsty {553} after righteousness who +joyfully hears God's commandments and more joyfully by works fulfils them: +he will then be filled with the meat of which the Lord spake, "My meat is, +that I work my Father's will, that is righteousness." Then may he say with +the psalmist, "Lord, I will appear with righteousness in thy sight, and I +shall be filled, then will thy glory be manifested." + +"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall get mercy." Blessed are they who +help miserable men through mercy, for they shall be so rewarded that they +themselves shall be redeemed from misery. + +"Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God himself." Foolish +are they who desire to see God with fleshly eyes, when he will be seen with +the heart; but it is to be cleansed from sins, that it may see God. So as +earthly light cannot be seen but with clean eyes, so also God cannot be +seen but with a clean heart. + +"Blessed are the peaceful, for they shall be called children of God." In +peace there is perfectness where nothing thwarts: therefore are the +peaceful children of God, because nothing in them is adverse to God. +Peaceful are they in themselves, who order all the perturbations of their +mind with reason, and govern their fleshly desires so that they are +themselves God's kingdom. This is the peace which is given on earth to +those men who are of good will. God our Father is peaceful; verily +therefore it befitteth the children to imitate their Father. + +"Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness, for theirs is +the kingdom of heaven." Many are they who suffer persecution for divers +causes, so as murderers do, and robbers and all criminals; but to them +persecution leads to no beatitude; but the persecution only which is +suffered for righteousness leads to everlasting beatitude. The persecution +of perverse men is not to be dreaded, but rather {555} to be patiently +borne, as the Lord said to his disciples, "Fear not those who slay your +body, for they cannot slay your soul, but dread God, who can fordo both +soul and body in hell-torment." Yet should we not irritate the perverse to +persecute us, but rather, if they be provoked, still them with +righteousness. But if they will not cease from persecution, better will it +be for us to suffer persecution than to forsake the right. + +Eight beatitudes are set forth in this gospel; but there is yet one +sentence remaining, which seems as though it were the ninth step, but it +truly belongs to the eighth beatitude, for they both speak of persecution +for righteousness and for Christ. The eight beatitudes belong to all +believing men, and the last sentence, though it was particularly said to +the apostles, belongs also to all members of Christ, for it is not the +ninth, but follows the eighth beatitude, as we before said. Jesus said, +"Blessed are ye when men curse you, and persecute you, and lying speak +every evil against you for me." He will be blessed and happy who for Christ +suffers malediction and insults from false hypocrites, because false +malediction becomes a blessed benediction to the righteous. + +"Rejoice and be glad, for your meed is manifold in heaven." It befits the +faithful to glory in tribulations, for tribulation works patience, and +patience trial, and trial hope. But hope is never confounded, because the +love of God is poured into our hearts, by the Holy Ghost who is given to +us. Of this spake the apostle James, "O ye my brothers, hope for yourselves +every bliss, when ye are in divers temptations, for the trial of your faith +is much more precious than gold which has been tried by fire." Again, holy +writ says, "Vessels of clay are tried in a furnace, and righteous men in +the affliction of their temptation." Of these said Jesus also {557} in +another place to his disciples, "If this world hate you, know ye that it +hated me before you; and if they persecuted me, then will they also +persecute you." Christ himself was slain by impious men, and so also his +disciples and martyrs; and all those who desire to live religiously in the +faithful church shall suffer persecution, either from the invisible devil +or from visible impious limbs of the devil: but these transitory +persecutions or tribulations we should with joy undergo for Christ's name, +because he has thus promised to all the patient, "Exult and rejoice, behold +your meed is manifold in heaven." + +We might more elaborately expound this holy text, according to the +interpretation of Augustine, but we doubt whether ye can accurately judge +of greater deepness therein; but let us with inward heart pray to the +Almighty Ruler, who has gladdened us to-day with the manifold celebration +of all his saints, that he grant us abundance of his mercy through their +manifold intercessions, so that we ever in their sight may rejoice with +them, as we now with transitory service honour them. + +Be glory and praise to Jesus Christ, who is the beginning and end, Creator +and Redeemer of all saints, with Father and with Holy Ghost, ever to +eternity. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +IX. K[=L]. D[=EC]. + +NATALE S[=CI] CLEMENTIS MARTYRIS. + +Menn dha leofostan, eower geleafa bidh the trumra, gif ge gehyradh be Godes +halgum, h['u] hi thaet heofonlice rice geearnodon; and ge magon dhe +cudhlicor to him clypian, gif heora lifes drohtnunga eow thurh l['a]reowa +bodunge cudhe beodh. + +Thes halga wer Clemens, the we on dhisum andweardan {558} freols-daege +wurdhiadh, waes thaes eadigan Petres apostoles leorning-cniht. Tha waes he +dheonde on gastlicere l['a]re and gecneordnysse to dhan swidhe, thaet se +apostol Petrus hine geceas to papan Romaniscre dheode aefter his daege, and +['ae]r his dhrowunge hine to papan geh['a]dode, and on his biscop-setle +gesette, to dhi thaet he dhaera cristenra manna gymene haefde. H['e] +geh['a]dode twegen biscopas ['ae]r dhan, Linum et Cletum, ac h['e] ne sette +na h['i] on his setle, swa swa h['e] dyde thisne halgan wer, the we to-daeg +wurdhiadh. Hwaet dha, Clemens aefter Petres dhrowunge gedheah on +faegernysse g['o]ddra dheawa, swa thaet he gecweme waes Iudeiscum, and +haedhenum, and cristenum samod. Tham haedhenum leodum he gelicode, fordhan +dhe he mid hospe heora godas ne gebysmrode, ac mid b['o]clicum gesceade him +geswutelode hwaet h['i] waeron, and hwaer acennede tha dhe h['i] him to +godum wurdhodon, and heora drohtnunge and geendunge mid swutelum sedhungum +gewissode; and cwaedh, thaet h['i] sylfe eadhelice mihton to Godes +miltsunge becuman, gif h['i] fram heora dwollicum biggengum eallunga +gecyrdon. Iudeiscre dheode hylde he begeat, fordhan the he sodhlice +gesedhde thaet heora fordhfaederas Godes frynd gec['i]gede waeron, and him +God halige ['ae] sette to heora lifes rihtinge; and cwaedh, thaet h['i] +fyrmeste on Godes gecorennysse waeron, gif h['i] mid geleafan his bebodum +gehyrsumodon. Fram cristenum he waes swidhost gelufod, fordhan dhe he +gehwilce eardas namcudhlice on gemynde haefde, and tha wanspedigan +cristenan dhaera earda ne gedhafode thaet h['i] openre waedlunge +underdheodde wurdon, ac mid daeghwomlicere bodunge h['e] gem['a]node tha +rican and tha spedigan, thaet hi dhaera cristenra waedlunge mid heora +spedum gefrefrodon, the-laes dhe h['i] dhurh haedhenra manna gifa besmitene +wurdon. + +And Dionisius, Godes cydhere, sedhe thurh Paules Apostoles l['a]re and +t['a]cna to Cristes geleafan mid haligre drohtnunge gecyrde, gewende on +dham timan fram Greclande to dham halgan papan Clementem, Petres +aeftergencgan, and he hine mid micclum wurdhmynte underfeng, and for +arwurdhnysse {560} his halgan lifes him cudhlice tol['e]t, and mid lufe +geheold. Eft aefter fyrste cwaedh se eadiga Clemens to dham halgan were +Dionisium, "Si dhe forgyfen miht to gebindenne and to alysenne, swa swa me +is; and thu far to dhaera Francena rice, and boda him godspel and heofonan +rices wuldor." Dionisius tha weardh his haesum gehyrsum, and mid geferum +ferde to Franclande, cristendom bodigende mid micclum wundrum to dhan +swidhe thaet tha redhan haedhenan, swa hradhe swa hi hine gesawon, odhdhe +h['i] feallende his f['e]t gesohton, him and Gode gehyrsumigende, odhdhe +gif heora hwylc dhwyrode, thonne weardh se mid swa micelre fyrhte fornumen, +thaet h['e] dhaerrihte his andweardnysse forfleah. Weardh dha geb['i]ged +eal Francena rice to Godes geleafan, thurh bodunge and wundra thaes eadigan +weres Dionisii; and h['e] eac sume his geferan to Ispanian gesende, thaet +hi dham leodscipe lifes word gecyddon. + +Hwaet dha, Clemens Romana papa weardh gewreht to dham casere Traianum, for +dham micclan cristendome the he gehwaer on his rice araerde. Tha sende se +casere Traianus gewritu ongean, thaet se halga papa Clemens to haedhengylde +gebugan sceolde, odhdhe hine mann asende ofer s['ae] on wraecsidh to sumum +westene, on tham the cristene menn for geleafan fordemde wraecsidhedon. +Thaes caseres h['ae]s weardh tha fordhgencge, and swa micele gife +foresceawode se Aelmihtiga God Clemente, thaet se haedhena dema his sidh +mid wope bemaende, thus cwedhende, "Se God the dhu wurdhast gefrefrige dhe, +and fultumige on dhinum wraecsidhe." And het dha hine to scipe l['ae]dan, +and ealle his neoda foresceawian, the h['e] to bigwiste habban mihte. +Weardh dha thaet scip gefylled mid cristenum mannum, the thone halgan papan +forl['ae]tan noldon. + +Thadha h['e] to dham westene becom, tha gemette he dhaer m['a] thonne twa +dhusend cristenra manna, the mid langsumere genydherunge to +marmst['a]n-gedelfe gesette waeron, the his tocymes micclum faegnodon, mid +anre stemne cwedhende, "Efne her is ure hyrde, efne her is se frefrigend +ures geswinces {562} and weorces." Thadha h['e] mid tihtendlicum wordum +heora gew['ae]htan m['o]d getrymde and gefrefrode, dha geaxode h['e] thaet +h['i] daeghwomlice ofer six mila him waeter on heora exlum gefetton. Dha +cwaedh se eadiga biscop, "Uton biddan mid faestum geleafan Drihten Haelend, +thaet h['e] us his andetterum dha aeddran his wyllspringes gehendor +geopenige, thaet we on his wel-daedum blission." Thadha dhis gebed gefylled +waes, tha beheold se biscop on aelce healfe, and geseah dha on tha swidhran +healfe an hw['i]t lamb standan, the b['i]cnode mid his swydhran f['e]t, +swilce hit tha waeter-aeddran geswutelian wolde. Dha undergeat Clemens +thaes lambes geb['i]cnunge, and cwaedh, "Geopeniadh thas eordhan on +thyssere stowe thaer dhaer thaet lamb to-geb['i]cnode." His geferan dha his +haese gefyldon, and thaerrihte aet dham forman gedelfe swegde ['u]t ormaete +wyllspring, and mid micclum streame fordh-yrnende waes. Hwaet h['i] ealle +dha micclum blissodon, and Gode dhancodon heora geswinces lisse. Tha waes +se cwyde gefylled, the h['i] on dhaes biscopes to-cyme gecwaedon, "Efne her +is ure hyrde, efne her is se frefrigend ures geswinces." + +Dhis wundor dha asprang geond tha gehendan scira, and h['i] ealle thone +halgan biscop mid arwurdhnysse geneosodon, biddende thaet h['e] h['i] mid +his l['a]re getrymde. He dha hi ealle to Godes geleafan geb['i]gde, and +binnan feawum dagum thaer fif hund manna gefullode; and wurdon dha fela +cyrcan gehwaer araerede, and deofolgild toworpene; swa thaet binnan anes +geares fyrste naes gemet haedhengild geond hund-teontig mila neawiste. + +Tha gel['a]mp hit thaet sume dha haedhenan wurdon mid ['a]ndan getyrigde, +and heora aerende to dham casere asendon, and him cyddon thaet his folc +eall endemes astyred waere, and eallunga fram his biggencgum gecyrred, +thurh Clementem dhaera cristenra biscop. Tha weardh se haethena casere +Traianus mycclum astyred, and asende aenne waelhreowne heretogan, his nama +waes Aufidianus, se mid mislicum witum fela cristenra manna acwealde, thaet +he thone halgan biscop mid tham geleaffullan {564} folce adylegian sceolde. +Se arleasa cwellere dha, Aufidianus, dhadha he ne mihte mid n['a]num +theowracan dha cristenan geegsian, fordhan dhe hi ealle samod blissigende +to martyrdome onetton, tha forl['e]t he thaet folc, and dhone biscop aenne +to tham haedhengylde genydde; ac dhadha he geseah thaet h['e] nateshwon +hine geb['i]gan ne mihte, tha cwaedh he to his underdheoddum, "Laedadh hine +to middere s['ae], and getigadh aenne ancran to his swuran, and ascufadh +hine ['u]t on middan thaere dypan." Hit weardh tha ged['o]n be h['ae]se +thaes waelhreowan cwelleres, and micel menigu thaera cristenra st['o]d on +thaere s['ae]-strande, wepende and biddende thone Aelmihtigan, the s['ae] +and eordhan gesceop, thaet h['i] moston his halige l['i]c mid heora +dhenungum behwurfan. + +Tha cwaedon his twegen leorning-cnihtas, Febus and Cornelius, "Eala ge +gebrodhra, uton anmodlice biddan urne Drihten, thaet h['e] us geswutelige +dha arwurdhfullan andweardnysse his halgan cydheres." Hwaet dha, seo +s['ae], dhurh Godes h['ae]se, ['u]tflowende, him gerymde threora mila dries +faereldes, swa thaet tha cristenan bealdlice inn-eodon, and gemetton niwe +dhruh of marmanst['a]ne on cyrcan wison gesceapene, and thaes halgan +cydheres l['i]c dhaer-binnan dhurh engla dhenunge gelogod, and thone ancran +widh his sidan licgende. Tha weardh him geswutelod thaet he aet Gode +ab['ae]de, thaet on aelces geares ymbryne, ymbe his dhrowung-t['i]de, seo +s['ae] seofan dagas dr['i]gne grund tham folce gegearcige, thaet h['i] +binnan dham fyrste his halgan lichaman gesecan magon. Thaet belimpdh to +lofe and herunge ures Haelendes, sedhe his halgan cydhere dha arwurdhan +byrgene gegearcode. Tha dhurh dhis t['a]cn wurdon ealle tha ungeleaffullan +cristene, swa thaet nateshw['o]n naes gem['e]t on dham earde nadhor ne +haedhen ne Iudeisc dhe naere geb['i]ged to cristenum geleafan. Sodhlice aet +thaere halgan thr['y]h sind getidhode heofonlice lacnunga adlium lichaman, +thurh dhingunge dhaes halgan cydheres. Swa hw['a] swa on his freols-tide +untrum his byrgene gesehdh, he gewent blissigende and gesundful ongean. +Thaer beodh blinde onlihte, and deofolseoce gewittige, and gehwilce {566} +gedrehte thaer beodh geblissode; and ealle geleaffulle his weldaeda +brucadh, and mid wurthmynte Godes gerynu dhaer beodh gefyllede. + +Hit gel['a]mp dha on sumum geare on his freols-tide, thaet sum w['i]f mid +hire nywerenan cylde betwux odhrum mannum thone halgan wer geneosode. Tha +geendodum dagum thaere freols-tide com seo s['ae] faerlice swegende, and +thaet folc swidhlice aweg efste, and thaet w['i]f dhurh dha faerlican +styrunge ne gymde hire cildes ['ae]rdhan the heo to l['a]nde becom. Heo dha +s['a]rig tha twelf monadh adreah, and eft embe dhaes geares ymbryne, on +thaere ylcan freols-tide, for-arn dham folce, and genealaehte to thaere +byrgene mid wope, thus biddende, "Thu Drihten Haelend, the dhaere wydewan +ancennedan sunu to life araerdest, beseoh me to miltse, thaet ic, dhurh +dhingunge thines halgan the her gerest, beo dhaes tidhe the ic geornlice +bidde." Tha mid thyssere bene beseah heo to dhaere stowe dhaer heo thaet +cild ['ae]r forl['e]t, and gemette hit swa slapende swa heo hit ['ae]r +gelede. Heo dha mid micelre blisse hit awrehte, and wepende cossode. Tha +befr['a]n heo thaet cild, betwux dham cossum, h['u] hit macode on eallum +dham fyrste thaes geares ymbrynes? Thaet cild thaere meder geandwyrde, +"Modor min, nyste ic h['u] dhyses geares ymryne geendode, fordhan dhe ic +softum slaepe me gereste, swa swa dhu me forlete, odh thaet thu eft me nu +awrehtest." Thaet geleaffulle folc dha micclum blissigende, herode and +bletsode thone Aelmihtigan Haelend, sedhe his halgan mid t['a]cnum and +wundrum gewurdhadh, and swa heora geearnunga geswuteladh. + +Oft hw['o]nlice gelyfede menn smeagadh mid heora stuntan gesceade, hw['i] +se Aelmihtiga God aefre gedhafian wolde thaet tha haedhenan his halgan mid +gehwilcum tintregum acwellan moston; ac we wylladh nu eow gereccan sume +geswutelunge of dhaere ealdan ['ae], and eac of dhaere niwan, h['u] +mihtiglice se Wealdenda Drihten his halgan widh haedhenne here, oththe +waelhreowe ehteras gelome ahredde, and heora widherwinnan bysmorlice +gescynde. + +{568} Hit gel['a]mp on dham feowerteodhan geare Ezech['i]an cynedomes, +Iudeisces cyninges, thaet Sennacherib, Syria cyning, manega leoda mid +micclum craefte to his anwealde geb['i]gde, and swa wolde eac thone +gelyfedan cyning Ezech['i]am, and asende his heretogan Rapsacen to thaere +byrig Hierusalem mid micclum dhrymme, and mid aerend-gewritum thaes +Aelmihtigan Godes mihte gehyrwde, thus cwedhende to dham ymbsettan folce, +"Ne bep['ae]ce Ezech['i]as eow mid leasum hopan, thaet God eow widh me +ahredde. Ic gewyllde and oferw['a]nn fela dheoda, and heora godas ne mihton +h['i] gescyldan widh minne dhrymm. Hwaet is se god the mage dhas burh widh +minne here bewerian?" Hwaet dha, se cyning Ezech['i]as awearp his purpuran +reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and baer dha gewritu into Godes temple, +and astrehtum limum hine gebaed, thus cwedhende, "Drihten, weroda God, thu +dhe gesitst ofer engla dhrymm, thu eart ana God ealra dheoda; thu +geworhtest heofonas, and eordhan, and ealle gesceafta. Ahyld dhin eare and +gehyr, geopena dhine eagan and geseoh dhas w['o]rd, the Sennacherib asende +to hospe and to t['a]le dhe and thinum folce. Sodhlice h['e] towende tha +haedhenan godas, and h['i] forbaernde, fordhan dhe h['i] naeron godas, ac +waeron manna hand-geweorc, treowene and staenene, and he h['i] fordhi +tobrytte. Alys us nu, Drihten, fram his gebeote and mihte, thaet ealle +dheoda tocnawon thaet thu ['a]na eart Aelmihtig God." + +Ezech['i]as eac asende his witan mid h['ae]ran gescrydde to dham witegan +Isaiam, thus cwedhende, "Ahefe dhine gebedu for Israhela dheode, thaet se +Aelmihtiga God gehyre tha talu dhe Syria cyning asende to hospe and to +edwite his micclan maegendhrymme." Tha andwyrde se witega Isaias tham +bodum, "Secgadh eowrum hlaforde, thaet h['e] unforht sy. God Aelmihtig +cwydh, Ne ascytt Sennacherib fl['a]n into dhaere byrig Hierusalem, ne mid +his scylde h['i] ne gewylt; ac ic geslea aenne wridhan on his nosu, and +aenne bridel on his weleras, and ic hine gel['ae]de ongean to his leode, +and ic do thaet he fyldh under swurdes ecge on his agenum edhele; and ic +dha burh gescylde {570} for me and for minum dheowan Dauid." Tha on dhaere +nihte ferde Godes engel, and ofsloh dhaes Syrian cyninges here ['a]n hund +thusend manna, and fif and hund-eahtatig thusenda. Thaes on merigen ar['a]s +Sennacherib, and geseah dha deadan l['i]c, and gecyrde mid micelre sceame +ongean to thaere byrig Niniu['e]. Hit gel['a]mp dha thaet he hine gebaed to +his deofolgylde, and his twegen suna hine mid swurde acwealdon, swa swa se +witega thurh Godes Gast gewitegode. + +Eft sidhdhan Nabochodonossor, se Chaldeisca cyning, het gebindan handum and +fotum tha dhry gelyfedan cnihtas, Annanias, Azarias, Missael, and into +['a]num byrnendum ofne awurpan; forthan dhe h['i] noldon h['i] gebiddan to +his deofolgilde. Ac se Aelmihtiga God, the h['i] anraedlice on belyfdon, +asende his engel into dham ofne mid tham cnihtum, and he dha tosceoc thone +l['i]g of dham ofne, swa thaet thaet fyr ne mihte him derigan, ac sloh +['u]t of dham ofne nigan and feowertig faethma, and forswaelde tha +cwelleras the thaet fyr onaeldon. Tha sceawode se cyning thaera dhreora +cnihta feax and lichaman, thus cwedhende, "Sy gebletsod eower God, sedhe +asende his engel, and swa mihtelice his dheowan of tham byrnendan ofne +alysde." + +Eac sydhdhan, on Cyres dagum cyninges, wrehton dha Babiloniscan thone +witegan Daniel, fordhan dhe he towearp heora deofolgyld, and cwaedon +anmodlice to dham foresaedan cyninge Cyrum, "Betaec us Daniel, dhe urne god +B['e]l towearp, and thone dracan acwealde, the we on belyfdon. Gif dhu hine +forstenst, we fordylegiadh the and dhinne hyred." Tha geseah se cyning +thaet h['i] anmode waeron, and neadunga thone witegan him to handum asceaf. +Hi dha hine awurpon into anum seadhe, on tham waeron seofan leon, tham mann +sealde daeghwomlice twa hrydheru and twa sc['e]p, ac him waes dha oftogen +aelces fodan six dagas, thaet h['i] dhone Godes mann abitan sceoldon. + +On thaere tide waes sum odher witega on Iudea-lande, his nama waes Abacuc, +se baer his ryfterum mete to aecere. Tha com him to Godes engel, and +cwaedh, "Abacuc, baer dhone {572} mete to Babilone, and syle Daniele, sedhe +sitt on dhaera leona seadhe." Abacuc andwyrde tham engle, "La leof, ne +geseah ic naefre dha burh, ne ic dhone seadh n['a]t." Tha se engel gelaehte +hine be dham fexe, and hine baer to Babilone, and hine sette bufan dham +seadhe. Dha clypode se Abacuc, "Thu Godes dheowa, Daniel, nim dhas lac dhe +the God sende." Daniel cwaedh, "Min Drihten Haelend, sy dhe lof and +wurdhmynt thaet thu me gemundest." And he dha dhaere sande breac. Witodlice +Godes engel thaerrihte mid swyftum flihte gebrohte dhone disc-dhen, Abacuc, +thaer he hine ['ae]r genam. Se cyning dha Cyrus on dham seofodhan daege +eode dreorig to dhaera leona seadhe, and innbeseah, and efne dha Daniel +sittende waes gesundful on middan tham leonum. Tha clypode se cyning mid +micelre stemne, "Maere is se God the Daniel on belyfdh." And he dha mid +tham worde hine ateah of dham scraefe, and het inn-awurpan dha the hine +['ae]r ford['o]n woldon. Thaes cyninges haes weardh hraedlice gefremmed, +and thaes witegan ehteras wurdon asceofene betwux dha leon, and hi +dhaerrihte mid graedigum ceaflum h['i] ealle totaeron. Tha cwaedh se +cyning, "Forhtion and ondraedon ealle eordhbuende Danieles God, fordhan dhe +he is Alysend and Haelend, wyrcende t['a]cna and wundra on heofonan and on +eordhan." + +On dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, aefter Cristes dhrowunge, and his aeriste and +upstige to heofonum, wurdon dha Iudeiscan mid ['a]ndan afyllede ongean his +apostolas, and gebrohton h['i] on cwearterne. On dhaere ylcan nihte Godes +engel undyde tha locu dhaes cwearternes, and h['i] ['u]t-alaedde, thus +cwedhende, "Gadh to dham temple, and bodiadh tham folce lifes word." And +h['i] swa dydon. Hwaet dha Iudeiscan thaes on merien dheahtodon embe dhaera +apostola forwyrd, and sendon to dham cwearterne, thaet h['i] man gefette. +Tha cwelleras dha geopenodon thaet cweartern, and naenne ne gemetton. H['i] +dha cyddon heora ealdrum, "Thaet cweartern we fundon faeste beclysed, and +dha weardas widhutan standende, ac we ne gemetton naenne widhinnan." + +{574} Eft sidhdhan Herodes, Iudea cyning, sette dhone apostol Petrum on +cwearterne mid twam racenteagum gebundenne, and weardas widhinnan and +widhutan gesette: ac on dhaere nihte the se arleasa cyning hine on merigen +acwellan wolde, com Godes engel scinende of heofonum, and gelaedde hine +['u]t dhurh dha isenan gatu; and st['o]d eft on merigen thaet cweartern +faeste belocen. + +Domicianus, se haedhena casere, het awurpan thone godspellere Iohannem on +weallendne ele, ac he, thurh Godes gescyldnysse, swa gesundfull ['u]t eode +swa he inn aworpen waes. Tham ylcan Iohanne sealde sum haedhengylda attor +drincan, ac h['e], aefter dham drence, ansund and ['u]ngederod dhurhwunode. + +Paulus se apostol awr['a]t be him sylfum, and cwaedh, thaet h['e] aenne +daeg and ane niht on s['ae]-grunde adruge. Eft, aet sumum saele hine +gelaehte ['a]n naeddre be dham fingre, ac he ascoc h['i] into byrnendum +fyre, and he dhaes aettres n['a]n dhing ne gefredde. + +Ne maeg n['a]n eordhlic mann mid gewritum cydhan, ne mid tungan gereccan +h['u] oft se Aelmihtiga Wealdend his gecorenan fram mislicum frecednyssum +ahredde, to lofe and to wurdhmynte his maegenthrymnysse. Ac he gedhafadh +forwel oft thaet dha arleasan his halgan dhearle geswencadh, hwilon mid +hefigtymre ehtnysse, hwilon mid slege, thaet seo redhe ehtnyss becume dham +rihtwisan to ecere reste, and dham cwellerum to ecum wite. Se sealm-scop +cwaedh, "Fela sind thaera rihtwisra gedreccednyssa, ac Drihten fram eallum +dhysum h['i] alyst." On tw['a] wisan alyst God his gecorenan, openlice and +digellice. Openlice h['i] beodh alysede, thonne h['i] on manna gesihdhe +beodh ahredde, swa swa we nu eow rehton. Digellice h['i] beodh alysede, +thonne h['i] dhurh martyrdom becumadh to heofonlicum gedhincdhum. Gif h['i] +for sodhum geleafan odhdhe for rihtwisnysse throwiadh, h['i] beodh thonne +martyras. Gif hi dhonne unscyldige gecwylmede beodh, heora unscaedhdhignyss +h['i] gel['ae]t to Godes halgena geferraedene; fordhan the unscaedhdhignyss +aefre orsorh wunadh. Gif hw['a] dhonne for synnum ehtnysse dholadh, and +hine sylfne oncnaewdh, {576} swa thaet he Godes mildheortnysse inweardlice +bidde, thonne forscyt thaet hwilwendlice wite dha ecan genidherunge. For +m['a]ndaedum waeron tha twegen sceadhan gewitnode dhe mid Criste hangodon, +ac heora odher mid micclum geleafan gebaed hine to Criste, thus cwedhende, +"Drihten, gedhenc m['i]n thonne dhu to thinum rice becymst." Crist him +andwyrde, "Sodh ic the secge, nu to-daeg thu bist mid me on neorxna-wanges +myrhdhe." Unwilles we magon forleosan dha hwilwendlican g['o]d, ac we ne +forleosadh naefre unwilles dha ecan g['o]d. Theah se redha reafere ['u]s +aet aehtum bereafige, odhdhe feores benaeme, h['e] ne maeg us aetbredan +urne geleafan ne thaet ece l['i]f, gif we us sylfe mid agenum willan ne +forpaeradh. Se sodha Drihten us ahredde fram eallum frecednyssum, and to +dham ecan life gel['ae]de, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen. + +NOVEMBER XXIII. + +THE NATIVITY OF ST. CLEMENT THE MARTYR. + +Most beloved men, your faith will be the firmer, if ye hear concerning +God's saints, how they earned the heavenly kingdom; and ye may the more +certainly call to them, if the course of their lives be known to you +through the preaching of teachers. + +This holy man Clement, whom we honour on this present {559} festival, was a +disciple of the blessed apostle Peter. Then was he thriving in ghostly lore +and study so greatly, that the apostle Peter chose him for pope of the +Roman people after his day, and before his passion ordained him pope, and +placed him in his episcopal seat, that he might have care of christian men. +He had ordained two bishops previously, Linus and Clitus, but he did not +place them in his seat, as he did this holy man, whom to-day we honour. +Clement then after Peter's passion thrived in fairness of good morals, so +that he was acceptable to Jews, and heathens, and christians together. He +was liked by the heathen people, because he did not insult their gods with +contumely, but with bookly reasoning manifested to them what they were, and +where born whom they honoured as their gods, and showed to them, with +manifest proofs, their lives and ends; and said that they themselves might +easily attain to God's mercy, if they would wholly turn from their +erroneous worship. The favour of the Jewish people he got, because he truly +proved that their forefathers were called friends of God, and that God +appointed them a holy law for their lives' direction; and said, that they +would have been foremost in God's election, if with belief they had obeyed +his commandments. By the christians he was most beloved, because he had all +countries by name in his memory, and permitted not the indigent christians +of those countries to be reduced to public mendicity, but by daily +preaching he exhorted the rich and affluent to alleviate the poverty of the +christians with their affluence, lest by the gifts of heathen men they +should be corrupted. + +And Dionysius, God's martyr, who through the lore and miracles of Paul the +Apostle had with holy life turned to the faith of Christ, returned at that +time from Greece to the holy pope Clement, Peter's successor, and he +received him with great honour, and in veneration expressly remitted to him +his {561} holy life, and with love retained him. Again, after a time, said +the blessed Clement to the holy man Dionysius, "Be to thee given might to +bind and to loose, so as there is to me; and go thou to the realm of the +Franks, and preach to them the gospel and the glory of heaven's kingdom." +Dionysius was then obedient to his commands, and with his companions went +to Frankland, preaching christianity with great miracles so effectually, +that the fierce heathen, as soon as they saw him, either falling sought his +feet, obeying him and God, or if any one of them was hostile, he was seized +with such great fear, that he straightways fled from his presence. Then was +all the realm of the Franks inclined to God's faith, through the preaching +and miracles of the blessed man Dionysius; and he also sent some of his +companions to Spain, to announce the word of life to that nation. + +After this, Clement, the Romans' pope, was accused to the emperor Trajan, +for the great christianity which he had raised everywhere in his realm. +Then sent the emperor Trajan letters back, that the holy pope Clement +should bow to heathenism, or should be sent over sea in exile to a waste, +to which christian men condemned for belief were banished. The emperor's +command was then carried into effect, and the Almighty God had provided so +great grace for Clement, that the heathen judge bewailed his journey with +weeping, thus saying, "May the God whom thou worshipest comfort and support +thee in thy exile." And he then ordered him to be led to a ship, and all +his needs to be provided for, which he might have for sustenance. The ship +was then filled with christian men, who would not forsake the holy pope. + +When he came to the waste, he found there more than two thousand christian +men, who by a longsome condemnation were set to the digging of marble, who +greatly rejoiced at his coming, with one voice saying, "Behold here is our +shepherd, behold here is the comforter of our tribulation and work." {563} +When he with persuasive words had confirmed and comforted their afflicted +minds, he was informed that they daily fetched water for themselves on +their shoulders more than six miles. Then said the blessed bishop, "Let us +with firm faith pray to the Lord Jesus, to open nearer at hand for us his +professors the veins of his wellsprings, that we may rejoice in his +benefits." When this prayer was ended, the bishop beheld on each side, and +saw on the right side a white lamb standing, which beckoned with his right +foot, as if it would show the water-vein. Then Clement understood the +lamb's beckoning, and said, "Open the earth in this place where the lamb +beckoned." His companions fulfilled his command, and straightways at the +first digging an immense wellspring sounded out, and ran forth in a great +stream. Whereupon they all greatly rejoiced, and thanked God for this +alleviation of their tribulation. Then was the saying fulfilled, which they +said at the bishop's coming, "Behold here is our shepherd, behold here is +the comforter of our tribulation." + +This miracle then became known through the neighbouring provinces, and they +all visited the holy bishop with reverence, praying that he would confirm +them with his lore. He then inclined them all to God's faith, and within a +few days baptized there five hundred men; and many churches were raised +everywhere, and idols overthrown; so that within the space of one year +idolatry was not found over a neighbourhood of a hundred miles. + +It happened then that certain heathens were stimulated by envy, and sent +their errand to the emperor, and announced to him that his folk were at +last all excited, and wholly turned from his worship, through Clement, the +christians' bishop. Then was the heathen emperor, Trajan, greatly excited, +and sent a cruel commander, his name was Aufidianus, who with divers +torments had killed many christian men, that he might destroy the holy +bishop with the {565} faithful folk. The impious murderer then, Aufidianus, +when he could not by any threats terrify the christians, for they all +rejoicing together hastened to martyrdom, left the folk and would compel +the bishop alone to idolatry; but when he saw that he could not in any way +incline him, he said to those under him, "Lead him to the middle of the +sea, and tie an anchor to his neck, and thrust him out into the middle of +the deep." It was then done by command of the cruel murderer, and a great +multitude of the christians stood on the sea strand, weeping and praying to +the Almighty, who created sea and earth, that they might attend his holy +body with their services. + +Then said his two disciples Phoebus and Cornelius, "O ye brothers, let us +unanimously pray to our Lord, that he manifest to us the venerable presence +of his holy martyr." Whereupon the sea, at God's behest, flowing out, +cleared for them three miles of dry space, so that the christians boldly +went in, and found a new coffin of marble shaped in form of a church, and +the holy martyr's body placed therein through the ministry of angels, and +the anchor lying by his side. Then was manifested to them that they should +obtain from God, that in the course of every year, at the time of his +passion, the sea for seven days should prepare dry ground for the people, +that they within that time might seek his holy body. That happens to the +praise and honour of our Saviour, who prepared the honourable sepulchre for +his holy martyr. Then through this miracle all the unbelieving became +christians, so that there was not found in the country either heathen or +Jew that was not converted to the christian faith. But at the holy coffin +heavenly cures are permitted for diseased bodies, through the intercession +of the holy martyr. Whosoever sick seeks his sepulchre on his festival, +returns rejoicing and healthy. There are the blind enlightened, and {567} +the possessed with devils restored to reason, and all afflicted are there +made joyful; and all the faithful enjoy his benefits, and with reverence +God's mysteries are there fulfilled. + +It happened in one year at his festival, that a woman with her tender child +among other persons visited the holy man. When the days of the festival +were ended, the sea came suddenly sounding, and the folk hastened away with +all speed, and the woman, through the sudden tumult, heeded not her child +before she came to land. She then passed the twelve months in sorrow, and +again after the expiration of the year, at the same festival, ran before +the folk, and approached the sepulchre with weeping, thus praying, "Thou +Lord Jesus, who didst raise the widow's only son to life, look on me in +mercy, that I, through the intercession of thy holy one who here resteth, +may obtain that for which I fervently pray." Then with this prayer she +looked to the place where she had before left the child, and found it so +sleeping as she had previously laid it. She then with great joy awakened +it, and weeping kissed it. Then she asked the child, between the kisses, +how it had fared in all the time of the year's course? The child answered +the mother, "My mother, I know not how this year's course has ended, for I +was resting in soft sleep, as thou didst leave me, until thou now again +hast awakened me." The believing folk then greatly rejoicing, praised and +blessed the Almighty Jesus, who honours his saints with signs and wonders, +and so manifests their merits. + +Oft men of slight faith inquire with their foolish reason, why the Almighty +God would ever permit that the heathen should slay his saints with all +kinds of torments; but we will now relate to you some manifestation from +the old law, and also from the new, how mightily the Powerful Lord has +frequently saved his holy from the heathen host or from cruel persecutors, +and ignominiously confounded their adversaries. + +{569} It happened in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, the +Jewish king, that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had bowed many nations with +great craft to his power, and so would he also the faithful king Hezekiah, +and sent his general Rabshakeh to the city of Jerusalem with a great host, +and by his letters contemned the power of the Almighty God, thus saying to +the beleaguered folk, "Let not Hezekiah deceive you with false hope, that +God will save you from me. I have conquered and overcome many nations, and +their gods could not shield them against my host. Who is the god that can +defend this city against my army?" Hereupon the king Hezekiah cast off his +purple robe, and put haircloth on his body, and bare the letter into God's +temple, and with outstretched limbs prayed, thus saying, "Lord, God of +hosts, thou who sittest above the company of angels, thou alone art God of +all nations; thou wroughtest heavens, and earth, and all creatures. Incline +thine ear and hear, open thine eyes and see these words, which Sennacherib +hath sent in scorn and reproach to thee and thy folk. Verily he overthrew +and burned the heathen gods, for they were not gods, but were the handiwork +of men, of wood and of stone, and he therefore brake them in pieces. Redeem +us now, Lord, from his threatening and might, that all nations may know +that thou alone art Almighty God." + +Hezekiah also sent his counsellors clad in haircloth to the prophet Isaiah, +thus saying, "Raise thy prayers for the people of Israel, that the Almighty +God may hear the calumnies which the king of Assyria has sent in scorn and +reproach of his great majesty." Then answered the prophet Isaiah to the +messengers, "Say to your lord that he be fearless. God Almighty saith, +Sennacherib shall not shoot arrows into the city of Jerusalem, nor with his +shield overpower it; but I will cast a hook into his nose, and a bridle on +his lips, and I will lead him back to his people, and I will cause him to +fall under the sword's edge in his own country; and I will {571} shield the +city for myself and for my servant David." Then on that night God's angel +went, and slew of the Assyrian king's army a hundred and eighty-five +thousand men. On the morrow Sennacherib arose, and saw the dead bodies, and +turned with great shame back to the city of Nineveh. It happened then that +he was praying to his idol, and his two sons slew him with the sword, as +the prophet through the Spirit of God had prophesied. + +After that Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean king, commanded the three believing +youths, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, to be bound hands and feet, and +cast into a burning oven; because they would not pray to his idol. But the +Almighty God, in whom they stedfastly believed, sent his angel into the +oven with the youths, and he scattered the flame from the oven, so that the +fire might not hurt them, but struck out of the oven nine and forty +fathoms, and burned the executioners who had kindled the fire. Then the +king beheld the hair and bodies of the three youths, thus saying, "Blessed +be your God, who hath sent his angel, and so mightily released his servants +from the burning oven." + +Also afterwards, in the days of Cyrus the king, the Babylonians accused the +prophet Daniel, because he had cast down their idol, and said unanimously +to the beforesaid king Cyrus, "Deliver unto us Daniel, who hath cast down +our god Bel, and slain the dragon, in which we believed. If thou protectest +him, we will destroy thee and thine household." Then the king saw that they +were unanimous, and unwillingly delivered the prophet into their hands. +They then cast him into a pit, in which were seven lions, to which were +given daily two oxen and two sheep, but then all food had been withheld +from them for six days, that they might devour the man of God. + +At that time there was another prophet in the land of Judah, his name was +Habakkuk, who bare for his reapers meat to the field. Then God's angel came +to him, and said, {573} "Habakkuk, bear the meat to Babylon, and give it to +Daniel, who sitteth in the lions' pit." Habakkuk answered the angel, "Sir, +I never saw the city, nor know I the pit." Then the angel seized him by the +hair, and bare him to Babylon, and set him above the pit. Then Habakkuk +cried, "Thou servant of God, Daniel, take this gift which God hath sent +thee." Daniel said, "My Lord Jesus, be to thee praise and honour, for that +thou hast remembered me." And he then ate of the dish. And the angel of the +Lord straightways brought the minister of food, Habakkuk, to the place +whence he had before taken him. Then the king Cyrus on the seventh day went +sad to the lions' pit, and looked in, and behold, there was Daniel sitting +unhurt in the midst of the lions. Then the king cried with a loud voice, +"Great is the God in whom Daniel believeth." And he then with that word +drew him from the den, and ordered those to be cast in who before would +fordo him. The king's command was quickly executed, and the prophet's +persecutors were thrust among the lions, and they straightways with greedy +jaws tore them all in pieces. Then said the king, "Let all dwellers on +earth fear and dread the God of Daniel, for he is the Redeemer and Saviour, +working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth." + +In the New Testament, after Christ's passion, and his resurrection and +ascension to heaven, the Jews were filled with envy towards his apostles, +and brought them into prison. In the same night God's angel undid the locks +of the prison, and led them out, thus saying, "Go to the temple, and preach +to the folk the word of life." And they so did. Then the Jews on the morrow +deliberated concerning the destruction of the apostles, and sent to the +prison, that they might be fetched. The executioners then opened the +prison, and found no one. They then announced to their elders, "We have +found the prison fast closed, and the wards standing without, but we found +no one within." + +{575} After that Herod, king of Judah, set the apostle Peter in prison +bound with two chains, and set wards within and without: but on the night +when the impious king would slay him on the morrow, God's angel came +shining from heaven, and led him out through the iron gates, and on the +morrow the prison again stood fast locked. + +Domitian, the heathen emperor, commanded the evangelist John to be cast +into boiling oil, but he, through God's protection, went out as unhurt as +when he was cast in. To the same John an idolater gave poison to drink, but +he, after the draught, continued sound and uninjured. + +Paul the apostle wrote concerning himself, and said, that he passed one day +and one night at the bottom of the sea. Again, on a time a serpent seized +him by the finger, but he shook it into the burning fire, and he felt +nothing of the poison. + +No earthly man may by writings make known, nor with tongue relate how often +the Almighty Ruler has saved his chosen from divers perils, to the praise +and honour of his majesty. But he very often allows the impious greatly to +afflict his saints, sometimes with painful persecution, sometimes with +slaying, that fierce persecution may end for the righteous in eternal rest, +and for the murderers in eternal torment. The psalmist said, "Many are the +tribulations of the righteous, but the Lord from all these will release +them." In two ways God releases his chosen, openly and secretly. Openly +they are released, when in sight of men they are saved, as we have now +recounted to you. Secretly they are released, when through martyrdom they +come to heavenly honours. If they suffer for true faith or for +righteousness, they will then be martyrs. But if they are slain guiltless, +their innocence will lead them to the fellowship of God's saints; for +innocence ever continues secure. But if any one suffers persecution for +sins, and knows himself, so that he {577} inwardly pray for God's mercy, +then will the transient punishment prevent eternal damnation. For crimes +were the two thieves punished who were crucified with Christ, but one of +them with great faith prayed to Christ, thus saying, "Lord, think of me +when thou comest to thy kingdom." Christ answered him, "Verily I say unto +thee, now to-day thou shalt be with me in the joy of paradise." Against our +will we may lose the transitory good, but against our will we never lose +the eternal good. Though the cruel robber bereave us of our property, or +deprive us of life, he cannot take from us our faith or the eternal life, +if we do not of our own will pervert ourselves. May the true Lord save us +from all perils, and lead us to everlasting life, who liveth and reigneth +ever without end. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +II. K[=L]. D[=EC]. + +NATALE S[=CI] ANDREAE APOSTOLI. + + Ambulans Iesus juxta mare Galileae: et reliqua. + +Crist on sumere tide ferde widh thaere Galileiscan s['ae], and geseah +twegen gebrodhra, Simonem, se waes gec['i]ged Petrus, and his brodhor +Andream: et reliqua. + +Swa swa h['i] ['ae]r mid nette fixodon on s['ae]licum ydhum, swa dyde Crist +thaet h['i] sidhdhan mid his heofonlican l['a]re manna sawla gefixodon; +fordhan dhe h['i] aetbrudon folces menn fram flaesclicum lustum, and fram +woruldlicum gedwyldum to stadholfaestnysse lybbendra eordhan, thaet is to +dham ecan edhle, be dham cwaedh se witega thurh Godes Gast, "Ic asende mine +fisceras, and h['i] gefixiadh h['i]; mine huntan, and h['i] huntiadh h['i] +of aelcere dune and of aelcere hylle." Fisceras and ungetogene menn geceas +Drihten him to leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] swa geteah, thaet heora l['a]r +oferst['a]h ealne woruld-wisdom, and h['i] mid heora bodunge caseras and +cyningas to sodhum {578} geleafan gebigdon. Gif se Haelend gecure aet +fruman getinge l['a]reowas, and woruldlice udhwitan, and dhyllice to +bodigenne sende, thonne waere gedhuht swilce se sodha geleafa ne asprunge +dhurh Godes mihte, ac of woruldlicere getingnysse. He geceas fisceras +['ae]rdhan dhe h['e] cure caseras, fordhan dhe betere is thaet se casere, +thonne h['e] to Romebyrig becymdh, thaet he wurpe his cynehelm, and +gecneowige aet dhaes fisceres gemynde, thonne se fiscere cneowige aet thaes +caseres gemynde. Caseras h['e] geceas, ac dheah h['e] geendebyrde thone +unspedigan fiscere aetforan dham rican casere. Eft sidhdhan h['e] geceas +dha welegan; ac him waere gedhuht swilce h['i] gecorene waeron for heora +aehtum, gif h['e] ['ae]r ne gecure thearfan. H['e] geceas sidhdhan +woruldlice udhwitan, ac h['i] modegodon, gif he ['ae]r ne gecure tha +ungetogenan fisceras. + +Smeagadh nu h['u] Drihten mancynne aetbraed wuldor, thaet h['e] him wuldor +forgeafe. H['e] aetbraed ['u]s ure idele wuldor, thaet h['e] us thaet ece +forgeafe. Ne scealt dhu on dhe silfum wuldrian, ac, swa swa se apostol +cwaedh, "Se dhe wuldrige wuldrige on Gode." + +Petrus and Andreas, be Cristes haese, dhaerrihte forleton heora nett, and +him fyligdon. Ne gesawon h['i] dha-gyt hine aenige wundra wyrcan, ne h['i] +naht ne gehyrdon dha-gyt aet his mudhe be m['e]de thaes ecan edleanes, and +h['i] dheah, aefter stemne anre haese, thaet thaet hi haefdon forgeaton. +Fela Godes wundra we habbadh gehyred and eac gesewene; mid manegum +swingelum gel['o]me we sind geswencte, and mid menigfealdum dheowracena +teartnyssum gebregede, and swa-dheah we forseodh Godes haese, and him to +l['i]fes wege fylian nelladh. Nu h['e] sitt on heofonum, mid thaere +menniscnysse gescrydd the h['e] on dhisum l['i]fe gefette, and mynegadh +['u]s be ure gecyrrednysse, thaet we ure dheawas fram leahtrum symle +claension, and be his bebodum gerihtlaecon. Eallunga h['e] underdheodde +dheoda swuran his geoce, h['e] astrehte middangeardes wuldor, and mid +gelomlaecendum hryrum nealaecunge his strecan domes geswuteladh, and +swa-dheah ure modige m['o]d nele sylfwilles {580} forlaetan thaet thaet hit +daeghwomlice forlyst neadunge. Mine gebrodhra, hwilcere tale mage we brucan +on his dome, nu we nelladh bugan fram dhyssere andweardan woruld-lufe, +thurh his beboda, ne we ne synd thurh his swingla gerihtlaehte. + +W['e]n is thaet eower sum cwedhe to him sylfum on stillum gedhohtum, Hwaet +forleton has gebrodhru, Petrus and Andreas, the for nean n['a]n dhing +naefdon? ac we sceolon on thisum dhinge heora gewilnunge swidhor asmeagan +thonne heora gestreon. Micel forlaet se dhe him sylfum n['a]n dhing ne +gehylt. Witodlice we healdadh ure aehta mid micelre lufe, and dha dhing the +we nabbadh we secadh mid ormaetre gewilnunge. Micel forl['e]t Petrus and +Andreas, dhadha heora aegdher thone willan to haebbenne eallunga forl['e]t, +and agenum lustum widhs['o]c. Cwydh nu sum mann, Ic wolde geefenlaecan tham +apostolum, the ealle woruld-dhing forsawon, ac ic naebbe n['a]ne aehta to +forlaetenne. Ac God sceawadh thaes mannes heortan, and na his aehta. Ne +h['e] ne teldh h['u] miccle speda we on his lacum aspendon, ac cepdh mid +h['u] micelre gewilnunge we dha l['a]c him geoffrion. Efne nu thas halgan +c['y]pan, Petrus and Andreas, mid heora nettum and scipe him thaet ece +l['i]f geceapodon. + +Naefdh Godes rice n['a]nes wurdhes lofunge, ac bidh gelofod be dhaes mannes +haefene. Heofonan rice waes alaeten thisum foresaedum gebrodhrum for heora +nette and scipe, and eft sydhdhan dham rican Zache['o] to healfum daele his +aehta, and sumere wudewan to ['a]num feordhlinge, and sumum menn to anum +waeteres drence. Ic wene thaet thas word ne sind eow full cudhe, gif we +h['i] openlicor eow ne onwreodh. "Zach['e]us waes sum rice mann, and cepte +thaes Haelendes faer, and wolde geseon hwilc h['e] waere; ac he ne mihte +for dhaere menigu dhe him mid ferde, fordhan dhe h['e] waes scort on +waestme. Tha for['a]rn h['e] dham Haelende, and stah uppon an treow, thaet +he hine geseon mihte. Crist dha beseah upp widh thaes rican, and cwaedh, +Zach['e]e, st['i]h ardlice ad['u]n, fordhan dhe me gedafenadh thaet ic nu +to-daeg the gecyrre. Zach['e]us dha swyftlice of dham treowe alihte, and +hine blissigende underfeng." Thadha Zach['e]us Crist {582} geladhod haefde, +dha ast['o]d he aetforan him, and him anmodlice to cwaedh, "Drihten, efne +ic todaele healfne d['ae]l minra g['o]da dhearfum, and swa hwaet swa ic mid +f['a]cne berypte, thaet ic wylle be feowerfealdum forgyldan." Drihten him +to cwaedh, "Nu to-daeg is dhisum hirede hael gefremmed, fordhan dhe he is +Abrahames ofspring. Ic com to secenne and to gehaelenne thaet the on +mancynne losode." Tha haefde Zacheus beceapod heofonan rice mid healfum +d['ae]le his aehta: dhone otherne dael he heold to dhy thaet h['e] wolde +tham be feowerfealdum forgyldan, the h['e] ['ae]r unrihtlice bereafode. + +Eft, "Aet sumum saele gesaet se Haelend binnan dham temple on Hierusalem, +aetforan dham madhm-huse, and beheold h['u] thaet folc heora aelmyssan +wurpon into dham madhm-huse, and dha fela rican brohton micele dhing. Tha +com dhaer an earm wudewe, and geoffrode Gode aenne feordhling. Drihten dha +cwaedh to his leorning-cnihtum, Ic secge eow to sodhan, thaet theos earme +wydewe brohte maran l['a]c thonne aenig dhyssera riccra manna. H['i] ealle +sealdon thone dael heora speda the him gedhuhte, ac dheos wydewe ealne hire +bigleofan mid estfullum mode geoffrode." Tha haefde seo earme wudewe mid +lytlum feo, thaet is, mid ['a]num feordhlinge, thaet ece l['i]f geceapod. + +Se Haelend cwaedh on sumere stowe to his apostolum, "Sodh ic eow secge, Swa +hw['a] swa syldh ceald waeter drincan anum thurstigan menn dhaera dhe on me +gelyfadh, ne bidh his m['e]d forloren." Mine gebrodhra, scrutniadh nu dha +mid h['u] w['a]clicum wurdhe Godes rice bidh geboht, and h['u] deorwurdhe +hit is to geagenne. Se ceap ne maeg widh n['a]num sceatte beon geeht, ac +h['e] bidh aelcum men gelofod be his agenre h['ae]fene. + +We raedadh on Cristes acennednysse thaet heofonlice englas waeron gesewene +bufan dham acennedan cilde, and h['i] dhisne l['o]fsang mid micclum dreame +gesungon, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, and in terra pax hominibus bone +uoluntatis:" thaet is on urum gereorde, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and +on eordhan sibb dham mannum dhe synd g['o]des willan." Ne {584} bidh n['a]n +l['a]c Gode swa gecweme swa se g['o]da willa. Gif hw['a] ne mage dhurhteon +tha speda thaet h['e] gesewenlice l['a]c Gode offrige, h['e] offrige dha +ungesewenlican, thaet is, se g['o]da willa, the dha eordhlican sceattas +['u]nwidhmetenlice oferstihdh. Hwaet is g['o]d willa buton g['o]dnys, thaet +he odhres mannes ungelimp besargige, and on his gesundfulnysse faegnige, +his freond na for middangearde, ac for gode lufige; his feond mid lufe +forberan, n['a]num gebeodan thaet him sylfum ne licige, his nextan neode be +his mihte gehelpan, and ofer his mihte wyllan? Hwaet is aenig l['a]c widh +thisum willan, dhonne seo sawul h['i] sylfe Gode geoffradh on weofode hire +heortan? Be dhisum cwaedh se sealm-scop, "In me sunt, Deus, uota tua, quae +reddam laudationes tibi:" "God Aelmihtig, on me synd thine beh['a]t, tha ic +dhe forgylde dhurh h['e]runga." Swilce h['e] openlice cwaede, Theah dhe ic +naebbe dha uttran l['a]c dhe to offrigenne, ic gem['e]te swa-theah on me +sylfum hwaet ic lecge on weofode thinre herunge; fordhan dha thu ne leofast +be ['u]re sylene, ac dhu bist swidhor gegladod on offrunge ure heortan. Ne +maeg dheos offrung beon on dhaere heortan dhe mid gytsunge odhdhe ['a]ndan +gebysgod bidh, fordhan dhe h['i] dhwyriadh widh thone g['o]dan willan, and +swa hradhe swa h['i] thaet m['o]d hreppadh, swa gewit se g['o]da willa: +fordhi noldon tha halgan bydelas n['a]n dhing on dhyssere worulde mid +gitsunge gewilnian, ne n['a]ne synderlice aehta habban, to dhy thaet h['i] +mihton butan ['a]ndan inweardlice him betwynan lufian. + +Witodlice dhas apostolas geseah se witega Isaias towearde, dhadha he thurh +Godes Gast cwaedh, "Hwaet sind thas the her fleogadh swa swa wolcnu, and +swa swa culfran to heora eh-dhyrlum?" Se witega h['i] geseah dha eordhlican +haefene forseon, and mid heora mode heofonum genealaecan, and on lifes +wordum genihtsumian, on wundrum sc['i]nan, and gec['i]gde h['i] culfran, +and fleogende wolcnu. Ure eh-dhyrla sind ure eagan, thurh dha besceawadh +ure sawul swa hwaet swa heo widhutan gewilnadh. Culfre is bilewite nyten, +and fram geallan biternysse aelfremed. Sodhlice dha halgan apostolas waeron +swilce {586} culfran aet heora eh-dhyrlum, dhadha h['i] n['a]n dhing on +thisum middangearde ne gewilnodon, ac h['i] ealle dhing bilewitlice +sceawodon, and naeron mid gecnyrdnysse aeniges reaflaces getogene to dham +dhe hi widhutan sceawodon. Se dhe thurh reaflac gewilnadh dha dhing the +h['e] mid his eagum widhutan sceawadh, se is glida, na culfre aet his +eh-dhyrlum. + +We habbadh nu dhyses godspelles traht be daele oferurnen, nu wylle we eow +secgan dha get['a]cnunge dhaera feowera apostola namena, the Crist aet +fruman geceas. Eornostlice Simon is gereht 'gehyrsum,' and Petrus +'oncnawende,' Andreas 'dhegenlic,' Iacob is gecweden 'forscrencend,' and +Iohannes 'Godes gifu:' thas get['a]cnunge sceal gehwilc cristen mann on his +drohtnunge eallunga healdan. Petrus waes gec['i]ged Simon ['ae]r his +gecyrrednysse, ac Crist hine gehet Petrus, thaet get['a]cnadh, +'oncnawende,' fordhan dhe he oncneow Crist mid sodhum geleafan, thadha he +cwaedh, "thu eart Crist, dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu." Untwylice se dhe God +rihtlice oncnaewdh, and him gehyrsumadh, he hylt on his drohtnunge thyssera +twegra namena get['a]cnunge. Gif he dhegenlice, for Godes naman, +earfodhnysse forberdh, and werlice deofles costnungum widhstent, dhonne +gefyldh h['e] on his dheawum Andrees get['a]cnunge, the is gereht +'dhegenlic.' Iacob is gecweden 'forscrencend,' and se bidh unleas +forscrencend, the mid gleawnysse his flaesclican leahtras, and deofles +tihtinge forscrencdh. Iohannes is gecweden 'Godes gifu.' Se bidh gelimplice +Godes gifu gec['i]ged, the dhurh g['o]de geearnunga Godes gife begyt, to +dhi thaet h['e] his beboda geornlice gefylle. + +PASSIO EJUSDEM. + +Se apostol Andreas, aefter Cristes dhrowunge, ferde to dham lande the is +geh['a]ten Achaia, and dhaer bodade Drihtnes geleafan and middangeardes +alysednysse dhurh his dhrowunge. Tha wolde Egeas, sum waelhreow dema, his +bodunge adwaescan, and dha cristenan geneadian to dham deofellicum +biggengum. Andreas {588} him cwaedh to, "The gedafenode, nu dhu manna dema +eart, thaet thu oncneowe dhinne Deman, dhe on heofonum is, and hine +wurdhodest, sedhe is sodh God, and dhin m['o]d awendest fram dham leasum +godum." Egeas him andwyrde, "Eart dhu Andreas, the towyrpst ura goda +tempel, and tihtst dhis mennisce to dhaere ydelan l['a]re dhe Romanisce +ealdras awurpon, and adwaescan heton?" Andreas him andwyrde, "Romanisce +ealdras gyt ne oncneowon Godes sodhfaestnysse, h['u] Godes Sunu to mannum +c['o]m, and taehte thaet thas deofolgyld, the ge begadh, ne synd na godas, +ac synd dha wyrstan deoflu, manncynna fynd, dhe thaet mannum taecadh h['u] +hi dhone Aelmihtigan God gremion, and h['e] h['i] dhonne forl['ae]t, and se +deofol h['i] gebysmradh swa lange, odhthaet h['i] gewitadh of heora +lichaman scyldige and nacode, naht mid him ferigende buton synna anum." +Egeas cwaedh, "Thas synd ydele word. Witodlice dha eower Haelend dhas +w['o]rd bodade, tha gefaestnodon Iudei hine on rode gealgan." Andreas him +andwyrde, "Eala gif dhu witan woldest thaere halgan rode gerynu, mid h['u] +sceadwisre lufe manncynna Ealdor, for ure edstadhelunge thaere rode gealgan +underfeng, na geneadod, ac sylfwilles." Egeas saede, "H['u]meta segst dhu +sylfwilles, dhadha he waes belaewed, and be dhaera Iudeiscra bene, thurh +dhaes ealdormannes cempan ahangen?" Andreas andwyrde, "Fordhi ic cwaedh +sylfwilles, fordhan dhe ic waes samod mid him dhadha he fram his +leorning-cnihte belaewed waes, and h['e] on ['ae]r his dhrowunge us +fores['ae]de, and thaet he wolde on dham thriddan daege of deadhe arisan: +cwaedh thaet he haefde mihte his sawle to syllenne, and mihte h['i] eft to +onfonne." Egeas cwaedh, "Ic wundrige dhe snoterne wer, thaet dhu dhyssere +l['a]re fylian wylt, swa h['u] swa hit gewurde, sylfwilles odhdhe neadunge, +thaet h['e] on rode gefaestnod waere." Andreas him andwyrde, "Micel is +dhaere rode gerynu, dha ic dhe geopenige, gif dhu me gehyran wylt." Egeas +saede, "Hit ne maeg sodhlice beon ges['ae]d gerynu, ac wite." Andreas +cwaedh, "Thaet sylfe wite thu ongytst beon gerynu mancynnes {590} +edniwunge, gif dhu gedhyldelice me gehyran wylt." Egeas andwyrde, "Ic dhe +gedhyldelice gehyre, ac gif dhu me ne gehyrsumast, dhu scealt onfon dhaere +ylcan rode gerynu on dhe sylfum." Andreas him andwyrde, "Gif ic me ondrede +thaere rode gealgan, thonne nolde ic dhaere rode wuldor bodian." Egeas +saede, "Thin gewitlease spraec bodadh rode wite to wuldre, fordhan dhe dhu +thurh dyrstignysse the ne ondraetst deadhes wite." Andreas andwyrde, "Na +dhurh dyrstignysse, ac dhurh geleafan ic me ne ondraede deadhes wite. +Rihtwisra manna deadh is deorwyrdhe, and synfulra manna deadh is forcudh." +Egeas saede, "Buton dhu offrige l['a]c urum aelmihtigum godum, on dhaere +ylcan rode dhe dhu herast ic dhe hate gewaehtne afaestnian." Andreas him +cwaedh to, "Daeghwomlice ic offrige mine l['a]c dham Aelmihtigan Gode, +sedhe ana is sodh God. Na hlowendra fearra flaesc, odhdhe buccena bl['o]d, +ac ic offrige daeghwomlice on weofode thaere halgan rode thaet ungewemmede +lamb, and hit dhurhwunadh ansund and cucu sydhdhan eal folc his flaesc et, +and his bl['o]d drincdh." Egeas befr['a]n, "H['u] maeg thaet swa +gewurdhan?" Andreas him andwyrde, "Gif dhu leornian wille h['u] thaet +gewurdhan maege, thonne undernim dhu leorning-cnihtes h['i]w, thaet thu +dhas gerynu leornian maege." Egeas saede, "Ic wille mid tintregum aet dhe +ofgan dhises dhinges insiht." Se halga apostol andwyrde, "Ic wundrige +dhearle dhin, h['u]meta thu sy to swa micelre stuntnysse gehworfen, thaet +dhu wenst me for tintregum dhe geopenian dha godcundan gerynu. Thu +gehyrdest dhaere halgan offrunge gerynu; nu, gif dhu gelyfst thaet Crist, +Godes Sunu, sedhe waes on rode ahangen, sy sodh God, thonne geopenige ic +dhe h['u] thaet l['a]mb on his rice dhurhwunadh ansund and ungewemmed, +sydhdhan hit geoffrod bidh, and his flaesc geeten, and his bl['o]d +gedruncen. Gif dhu dhonne gelyfan nelt, ne becymst dhu naefre to insihte +thyssere sodhfaestnysse." + +Hwaet dha, Egeas hine gebealh, and het sceofan thone apostol on sweartum +cwearterne. Thaer com dha micel menigu ealre dhaere scire to dham +cwearterne, and woldon Egeam acwellan, {592} and alaedan dhone apostol of +dham cwearterne. Dha cwaedh Andreas to ealre dhaere menigu, "Mine +gebrodhra, ne astyrige ge dhone stillan Drihten to aenigre yrsunge mid +eowerum anginne. Ure Haelend waes bel['ae]wed, and he haefde gedhyld: he ne +fl['a]t ne ne hrymde, ne n['a]n mann his stemne on straetum ne gehyrde. +Habbadh eow nu stilnysse and sibbe, and ne hremmadh minne martyrdom, ac +swidhor gearciadh eow sylfe swa swa Godes cempan, thaet ge mid ['u]nforhtum +m['o]de ealle dheowracan and lichamlice wita dhurh gedhyld oferswydhon. Gif +aenig ['o]ga is to ondraedenne, thonne is se to ondraedenne the naenne ende +naefdh. Witodlice mannes ege is smice gel['i]c, and hraedlice, thonne h['e] +astyred bidh, fordwindh. Tha s['a]rnyssa on dhyssere worulde odhdhe h['i] +sind leohte and acumenlice, odhdhe h['i] sind swaere, and hraedlice dha +sawle ['u]t adraefadh. Tha s['a]rnyssa dhe on dhaere towerdan worulde +yfelum gegearcode synd, tha beodh ece; dhaer bidh daeghwomlice w['o]p, and +wanung, and heofung, and endeleas cwylming, to dham on['e]t Egeas +unforwandodlice. Beodh swydhor gearwe to dham thaet ge dhurh hwilwendlice +gedreccednysse becumon to dham ecum gefean, thaer ge symle blissiadh, +blowende and mid Criste rixigende." + +Thadha se apostol dhyllice word tham folce geond ealle tha niht laerde, dha +on daegrede sende Egeas to dham cwearterne, and het him laedan to thone +halgan apostol, and cwaedh, "Ic wende thaet thu on nihtlicere smeagunge +sceoldest dhin m['o]d fram dwaesnysse awendan, and geswican dhaere herunge +thines Cristes, thaet dhu mihtest mid ['u]s lifes gefean brucan. Dyslic +bidh thaet man sylfwilles to rode gealgan efste, and hine sylfne to +tintregum asende." Andreas andwyrde, "Blisse ic maeg mid the habban, gif +dhu on Crist gelyfst, and dhine deofolgild forlaetst. Crist me sende to +dhyssere scire, on dhaere ic him gestrynde unlytel folc." Egeas cwaedh, +"Fordhi ic dhreatige dhe to ura goda offrunge, thaet dhis folc dhe dhu +bepaehtest forleton dha idelnysse dhinre l['a]re, thaet h['i] urum godum +geoffrian magon dhancwurdhe onsaegednysse. Ne bel['a]f n['a]n ceaster on +eallum dhisum earde, on dhaere the naeron ure goda templa forlaetene, {594} +and nu sceal eft beon ge-edstadhelod ura goda biggeng dhurh dhe, thaet +h['i] magon beon [on] dhe gegladode, and dhu on urum freondscipe beon mage. +Gif dhu this nelt, dhonne scealt dhu, for ware ura goda, mislice wita +dhrowian, and sydhdhan on rode-gealgan, dhe dhu herodest, hangigende +ateorian." Se apostol him andwyrde, "Thu deadhes bearn, geh['y]r me, and +dhu ceaf, ecum ontendnyssum gegearcod, geh['y]r me, Godes dheowan, and +Haelendes Cristes apostol. Odh this ic spraec dhe lidhelice to, thaet thu +mid gesceade dhone sodhan geleafan oncneowe; ac nu dhu dhurhwunast on +dhinre sceamleaste, and wenst thaet ic sceole for dhinum dheowracum +forhtian. Swa hwaet swa dhe is gedhuht gyt m['a]re on tintregum asmea. Swa +micclum ic beo andfengra minum Cyninge, swa micclum swa ic for his naman on +tintregum mid andetnysse thurhwunige." + +Tha h['e]t se redha cwellere hine astreccan, and hine seofon sidhon +beswingan; het hine sydhdhan araeran, and cwaedh him to, "Andreas, geh['y]r +me, and awend thinne r['ae]d for agotennysse thines blodes. Gif dhu swa ne +dest, ic do thaet thu losast on rode-gealgan." Se apostol andwyrde, "Ic eom +Cristes dheowa, and ic sceal his rode sigor swidhor wiscan dhonne +ondraedan. Thu sodhlice miht aetberstan tham ecum cwylmingum the dhe synd +gemynte, gif dhu on Crist gelyfst, sydhdhan dhu mine anraednysse +af['a]ndast. Ic me ondraede thin forwyrd, and ic for minre dhrowunge ne eom +gedrefed. Min dhrowung geendadh on ['a]num daege, odhdhe on twam, odhdhe be +dham maestan on thrim; sodhlice dhin cwylming ne maeg binnon dhusend geara +to ende gecuman. Fordhi, earming, ne ge['y]c dhu swidhor thine yrmdha, and +ne onael dhu dhe sylfum thaet ece fyr." + +Hwaet dha, Egeas ge['ae]byligd h['e]t hine ah['o]n on rode-hencgene, and +bebead dham cwellerum thaet h['i] hine mid widhdhum handum and fotum on +thaere rode gebundon, thaet he langlice dhrowian sceolde. Tha ['a]rn thaet +cristen folc togeanes dham cwellerum dhe hine to thaere rode laeddon, +clypigende and cwedhende, {596} "Hwaet haefdh thes rihtwisa mann and Godes +freond gefremod, thaet h['e] rode-hengene wyrdhe sy?" Andreas sodhlice baed +thaet folc thaet h['i] his dhrowunge ne geletton. Eode him mid blidhum mode +faegnigende, and thaet folc l['ae]rende. He ofseah dha feorran dha rode the +him gegearcod waes, and clypode mid micelre stemne, dhus cwedhende, "H['a]l +sy dhu, r['o]d, the on Cristes lichaman gehalgod waere, and mid his limum +gefraetwod, swa swa mid meregrotum. Thu haefdest eordhlicne ege, aerdhan +dhe ure Drihten the astige; nu dhu haefst heofonlice lufe, and byst astigen +for behate. Orsorh and blissigende ic cume to dhe, swa thaet dhu me +blissigende underf['o], dhaes leorning-cniht dhe on dhe hangode, fordhan +dhe ic the symle lufode, and ic gewilnode dhe to ymbclyppenne. Eala dhu +g['o]de rod, the wlite and faegernysse of Drihtnes lymum underfenge, dhu +waere gefyrn gewilnod and carfullice gelufod, butan to-forlaetennysse +gesoht, and nu aet nextan minum wilnigendum mode gegearcod. Onfoh me fram +mannum, and ag['i]f me minum L['a]reowe, thaet he dhurh dhe me underfo, +sedhe thurh dhe me alysde." + +Aefter dhisum wordum he hine unscrydde, and tham cwellerum his gew['ae]da +betaehte. H['i] dha genealaehton, and hine on dhaere rode ah['o]fon, and +ealne his lichaman mid stearcum widhdhum, swa swa him beboden waes, +gewridhon. Thaer stodon dha m['a] thonne twentig dhusend manna mid Egeas +bredher, samod clypigende, "Unriht wisdom, thaet se halga wer swa +dhrowode." Se halga Andreas sodhlice of dhaere rode gehyrte dhaera +geleaffulra manna m['o]d, tihtende to hwilwendlicum gedhylde, secgende +thaet theos sceorte throwung nis to widhmetenne tham ecan edleane. + +Tha betwux dhisum eode eall thaet folc to Egeas botle, ealle samod +clypigende and cwedhende, thaet swa halig wer hangian ne sceolde; sidefull +mann, and mid theawum gefraetwod, aedhele l['a]reow, arfaest and ged['e]fe, +gesceadwis and s['y]fre ne sceolde swa dhrowian, ac sceolde beon alysed +lybbende of dhaere rode; fordhan dhe he ne geswicdh sodh to bodigenne, nu +twegen dagas cucu hangigende. Hwaet dha, Egeas him ondred dha menigu, {598} +and beh['e]t thaet h['e] wolde hine alysan, swa swa h['i] gewilnodon, and +eode fordh mid. Tha befr['a]n se apostol, mid tham dhe he hine geseah, +"Hwaet nu, Egeas, hw['i] come dhu to us? Gif dhu wylt gelyfan gyt on dhone +Haelend, the bidh gemiltsod, swa swa ic dhe beh['e]t. Gif dhu to dhi come +thaet thu me alyse, nelle ic beon alysed lybbende heonon. Nu ic geare geseo +minne sodhan Cyning; ic stande on his gesihdhe to him me gebiddende. Dhin +me ofhrywdh, and thinre yrmdhe, fordhan dhe th['i]n andbidadh thaet ['e]ce +forwyrd. Efst nu, earming, tha hw['i]le dhe dhu aenig dhing miht, dhe-laes +dhe dhu wille thonne dhe forwyrned bidh." Tha woldon hi hine alysan, ac +heora handa astifedon, swa hw['a] swa hreopode tha rode mid handum. Tha +clypode se apostol to Haelendum Criste mid ormaetre stemne, thus biddende, +"Min g['o]da L['a]reow, ne l['ae]t dhu me alysan, buton thu underf['o] aer +minne gast." + +Aefter dhisum wordum weardh gesewen leoht micel of heofonum faerlice +cumende to dham apostole, and hine ealne ymbsce['a]n, swa thaet mennisce +eagan hine ne mihton ges['e]on, for dham heofonlican leohte dhe hine +befeng. Thaet leoht dhurhwunode swa for nean ane tide, and Andreas ageaf +his gast on dham leohte, and ferde to Criste samod mid tham leoman, tham is +['a] wuldor geond ealle woruld. + +Egeas weardh gelaeht fram atelicum deofle hamwerd be wege, aerdhan dhe +h['e] to h['u]se come, and h['e] dhearle awedde, aworpen to eordhan on +manna gesihdhe the him mid eodon. He gew['a]t dha of worulde waelhreow to +helle, and his brodhor heold thaes halgan Andreas l['i]c mid micelre +arwurdhnysse, thaet h['e] aetwindan moste. Swa micel ['o]ga asprang ofer +eallum dham mennisce, thaet dhaer n['a]n ne bel['a]f dhe ne gelyfde on God. + +Thas dhrowunge awriton thaere dheode preostas and dha ylcan diaconas dhe +hit eal gesawon, dhy-laes the hwam twynige thyssere gereccednysse. Uton nu +biddan dhone Aelmihtigan Wealdend, thaet his eadiga apostol ure dhingere +beo, swa swa h['e] wunode his geladhunge bydel. Sy dham Metodan Drihtne +wurthmynt and l['o]f ['a] on ecnysse. Amen we cwedhadh. + +NOVEMBER XXX. + +THE NATIVITY OF ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE. + + Ambulans Jesus juxta mare Galileae: et reliqua. + +Christ on a time went along the Galilean sea, and saw two brothers, Simon, +who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, etc. + +As they before with a net had fished on the sea waves, so Christ caused +them afterwards by his heavenly lore to fish for the souls of men; for they +withdrew the people from fleshly lusts, and from worldly errors to the +stability of the earth of the living, that is, to the eternal country, of +which the prophet, through God's Spirit, said, "I will send my fishers, and +they shall fish for them; my hunters, and they shall hunt them from every +down and from every hill." Fishers and uneducated men the Lord chose to him +for disciples, and so instructed them, that their lore excelled all worldly +wisdom, and they by their preaching inclined emperors and {579} kings to +the true faith. If Jesus had chosen at first eloquent teachers, and sent +worldly philosophers, and the like to preach, then would it have appeared +as if the true faith had not sprung up through God's might, but from +worldly eloquence. He chose fishers ere he chose emperors, because it is +better that the emperor, when he comes to Rome, cast aside his crown, and +kneel at the fisher's memorial, than that the fisher kneel at the emperor's +memorial. Emperors he chose, but yet he ranked the indigent fisher before +the rich emperor. Afterwards he chose the wealthy; but it would have +appeared as if they had been chosen for their possessions, if he had not +previously chosen the needy. He then chose worldly philosophers, but they +would have waxed proud, had he not before chosen the uneducated fishers. + +Consider now how the Lord took glory away from mankind, that he might give +them glory. He took from us our vain glory, that he might give us the +eternal. Thou shalt not glory in thyself, but, as the apostle said, "Let +him who glorieth glory in God." + +Peter and Andrew, by Christ's behest, straightways left their nets, and +followed him. They had not yet seen him work any wonders, nor had they yet +heard from his mouth of the meed of everlasting reward, and yet, after the +utterance of one command, they forgot that which they had. Many of God's +miracles we have heard of and also seen; by many stripes we are oftentimes +afflicted, and by manifold asperities of threats terrified, and yet we +despise God's behest, and will not follow him to the way of life. Now he +sits in heaven, clothed with the humanity which he fetched in this life, +and admonishes us of our conversion, that we constantly cleanse our lives +from sins, and direct them by his commandments. He has wholly subjected the +necks of nations to his yoke, he has prostrated the glory of the world, and +by frequent destructions manifests the approach of his rigid doom, and, +nevertheless, our proud mind will not {581} voluntarily forsake that which +it loses daily by compulsion. My brothers, what excuse can we use at his +doom, now that we will not turn from this present love of the world, +through his commandments, nor are we corrected by his stripes. + +It is to be expected that one of you in his still thoughts say to himself, +What did the brothers, Peter and Andrew, leave, who had almost nothing? but +in this case we should rather consider their desire than their possession. +Much he leaves who holds nothing for himself. Verily we hold our +possessions with great love, and the things which we have not we seek with +infinite desire. Peter and Andrew left much, when both of them wholly left +the will to have, and renounced their own lusts. Some man will now say, I +would imitate the apostles, who despised all worldly things, but I have no +possessions to leave. But God beholds the man's heart, and not his +possessions. He reckons not what great riches we spend in gifts to him, but +observes with how great desire we offer to him our gifts. Behold now these +holy chapmen, Peter and Andrew, with their nets and ship bought for +themselves everlasting life. + +God's kingdom has no price of worth, but is priced according to a man's +property. The kingdom of heaven was given to these beforesaid brothers for +their net and ship, and afterwards to the rich Zacchaeus for the half part +of his possessions, and to a widow for one farthing, and to a man for a +drink of water. I imagine that these words will not be quite clear to you, +if we do not explain them to you more openly. "Zacchaeus was a rich man, +and had observed the Saviour's course, and would see who he was; but he +could not for the many that went with him, because he was short of stature. +He then ran before Jesus, and ascended a tree, that he might see him. +Christ then looked up towards the rich man, and said, Zacchaeus, descend +quickly, for it seemeth good to me that I now to-day enter thy dwelling. +Zacchaeus then swiftly alighted from the tree, and received him {583} +rejoicing." When Zacchaeus had invited Christ, he stood before him, and +unhesitatingly said to him, "Lord, behold I distribute the half part of my +goods to the poor, and whatsoever I have robbed by fraud, that I am willing +to compensate fourfold." The Lord said to him, "Now to-day is salvation +accomplished to this household, for he is Abraham's offspring. I come to +seek and to save that which was lost among mankind." Thus had Zacchaeus +bought the kingdom of heaven with the half part of his possessions: the +other part he held to the end that he might indemnify those fourfold whom +he had unjustly bereaved. + +Again, "At a time Jesus sat within the temple at Jerusalem, before the +treasury, and beheld how the folk cast their alms into the treasury, and +the many rich brought great things. Then came there a poor widow, and +offered to God one farthing. The Lord then said to his disciples, I say +unto you in sooth, that this poor widow hath brought a greater gift than +any of these rich men. They all gave that part of their riches which seemed +good unto them, but this widow hath offered all her substance with +bountiful mind." Thus had the poor widow bought eternal life with a little +money, that is, with one farthing. + +Jesus said in some place to his apostles, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever +giveth cold water to drink to one thirsty man of those who believe in me, +his meed shall not be lost." My brothers, consider now with how trifling +value God's kingdom is bought, and how precious it is to possess. The +purchase may not be augmented for any treasure, but it will be priced to +every man according to his own property. + +We read that at Christ's birth heavenly angels were seen above the born +child, and that they with great delight sung this hymn, "Gloria in excelsis +Deo, and in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis:" that is in our tongue, +"Be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those men who are of +good will." No gift is so acceptable to God as good {585} will. If any one +cannot obtain the means of offering a visible gift to God, let him offer an +invisible one, that is, good will, which incomparably excels earthly +treasures. What is good will but goodness, so that he grieves for another +man's misfortune and rejoices in his prosperity; loves his friend not for +the world, but for good; to bear with his foe with love, to command to no +one that which he likes not himself, to help his neighbour's need according +to his power, and to be willing beyond his power? What is any gift in +comparison with this will, when the soul offers itself to God on the altar +of its heart? Of this said the psalmist, "In me sunt, Deus, vota tua, quae +reddam laudationes tibi:" "God Almighty, in me are thy promises, which I +will pay through praises." As if he had openly said, Though I have not +outward gifts to offer unto thee, yet will I find in myself that which I +may lay on the altar of thy praise; for thou livest not by our gift, but +thou art more gladdened by the offering of our hearts. This offering cannot +be in the heart which is occupied with covetousness or envy, for they are +adverse to good will, and as soon as they touch the mind, the good will +departs: therefore the holy preachers would desire nothing in this world +with covetousness, nor have any separate possessions, to the end that they +might without envy inwardly love each other. + +Verily the prophet Isaiah saw the apostles to come, when, through the +Spirit of God he said, "Who are these that here fly as clouds, and as doves +to their windows?" The prophet saw them despising earthly possession, and +with their minds approaching to heaven, and abounding in the words of life, +in wonders shining, and called them doves, and flying clouds. Our windows +are our eyes, through which our soul beholds whatsoever it desires without. +A dove is a meek animal, and a stranger to the bitterness of gall. Verily +the holy apostles were as doves at their windows, when they {587} desired +nothing in this world, but they meekly beheld all things, and were not +drawn by desire of any rapine to that which they beheld without. He who by +rapine desires the things that he beholds with his eyes without, is a kite, +not a dove at his windows. + +We have now in part run over the exposition of this gospel, now we will say +to you the signification of the names of those four apostles, whom Christ +first chose. Simon is interpreted _obedient_, and Peter _acknowledging_, +Andrew _bold_, James is interpreted _withering_, and John _God's grace_: +this signification every christian man should certainly hold in his life. +Peter was called Simon before his conversion, but Christ called him Peter, +which signifies _acknowledging_, because he acknowledged Christ with true +belief, when he said, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." +Undoubtedly he who rightly acknowledges God, and obeys him, holds in his +life the signification of these two names. If he boldly, for the name of +God, endures hardship, and manfully withstands the temptations of the +devil, then fulfils he in his conduct the signification of Andrew, which is +interpreted _bold_. James is called _withering_, and he is truly withering, +who with prudence withers his fleshly vices, and the instigation of the +devil. John is interpreted _God's grace_. He is aptly called God's grace, +who obtains the grace of God through good deserts, to the end that he may +zealously fulfil his commandments. + +PASSION OF THE SAME. + +The apostle Andrew, after Christ's passion, went to the land which is +called Achaia, and there preached the faith of the Lord, and the redemption +of the world through his passion. Then Aegeas, a cruel judge, would +suppress his preaching, and force the christians to idolatrous worship. +Andrew said {589} to him, "It were fitting, now thou art a judge of men, +that thou shouldest know thy Judge who is in heaven, and worship him, who +is the true God, and turn thy mind from the false gods." Aegeas answered +him, "Art thou Andrew, who castest down the temples of our gods, and +instigatest this people to the vain doctrine which the Roman senators have +rejected, and ordered to be suppressed?" Andrew answered him, "The Roman +senators know not yet God's truth, how the Son of God came to men, and +taught that these idols which ye worship are not gods, but are the worst +devils, foes of mankind, who teach men how they may exasperate the Almighty +God, and he then forsakes them, and the devil deludes them so long, until +they depart from their bodies guilty and naked, bearing nothing with them +but sins alone." Aegeas said, "These are idle words; for when your Jesus +preached these words, the Jews fastened him on a cross." Andrew answered +him, "O, if thou wouldst know the mystery of the holy cross, with what +discerning love the Prince of mankind received the cross for our +re-establishment, not compelled, but of his own will." Aegeas said, "How +sayest thou of his own will, when he was betrayed, and at the prayer of the +Jews was crucified by the soldiers of the governor?" Andrew answered, "For +this reason I said of his own will, because I was together with him when he +was betrayed by his disciple, and he before his passion foretold it to us, +and that on the third day he would arise from death: he said that he had +power to give his soul, and power to receive it again." Aegeas said, "I +wonder that thou, a sagacious man, wilt follow this doctrine, let it have +been as it might, of his own will or by compulsion, that he was fastened on +a cross." Andrew answered him, "Great is the mystery of the cross, which I +will disclose to thee, if thou wilt hear me." Aegeas said, "It cannot truly +be called a mystery, but a punishment." Andrew said, "That same punishment +thou wilt understand to be the mystery of the {591} renovation of mankind, +if thou wilt patiently hear me." Aegeas answered, "I will hear thee +patiently, but if thou obeyest me not, thou shalt receive the same mystery +of the cross in thyself." Andrew answered him, "If I feared the cross, then +would I not preach the glory of the cross." Aegeas said, "Thy witless +speech preaches the punishment of the cross as a glory, because through +audacity thou dreadest not the punishment of death." Andrew answered, "Not +through audacity, but through faith I dread not the punishment of death. +The death of righteous men is precious, and the death of sinful men is +execrable." Aegeas said, "Unless thou offerest gifts to our almighty gods, +on the same cross which thou praisest I will order thee afflicted to be +fastened." Andrew said to him, "Daily I offer my gift to the Almighty God, +who alone is the true God. Not flesh of lowing oxen, or blood of bucks, but +I offer daily on the altar of the holy cross the undefiled lamb, and it +continues sound and living after all folk have eaten its flesh, and drunk +its blood." Aegeas asked, "How can that so be?" Andrew answered him, "If +thou wilt learn how that can be, take a disciple's form, that thou mayest +learn this mystery." Aegeas said, "I will with torments extort from thee an +insight into this matter." The holy apostle answered, "I wonder greatly at +thee, how thou art turned to such great folly, that thou imaginest that for +torments I will disclose to thee the divine mystery. Thou hast heard the +mystery of the holy offering; now, if thou believest that Christ, the Son +of God, who was hanged on a cross, is true God, then will I disclose to +thee how the lamb continues sound and undefiled in its kingdom, after it is +offered, and its flesh eaten, and its blood drunken. But if thou wilt not +believe, thou wilt never come to an insight of this truth." + +Hereupon Aegeas was wroth, and ordered the apostle to be thrust into a +swart prison. There came then a great multitude of all the province to the +prison, and would slay Aegeas, {593} and lead the apostle from the prison. +Then said Andrew to all the multitude, "My brothers, excite not the +peaceful Lord to any anger with your design. Our Saviour was betrayed, and +he had patience: he strove not, nor cried, nor did any man hear his voice +in the streets. Have now quiet and peace, and hinder not my martyrdom, but +rather prepare yourselves, as God's soldiers, that ye with fearless mind +may overcome all threats and bodily torments by patience. If any terror is +to be dreaded, then is that to be dreaded which has no end. Verily awe of +man is like smoke, and quickly, when it is agitated, vanishes. The pains in +this world are either light and bearable, or they are heavy, and quickly +drive out the soul. The pains which in the world to come are prepared for +the evil, will be eternal; there will be daily weeping, and wailing, and +groaning, and endless torment, to which Aegeas fearlessly hastens. Be +rather ready, that through transitory tribulation ye may come to the +eternal joy, where ye will ever rejoice, blooming and reigning with +Christ." + +When the apostle had through all the night taught the folk in such words, +Aegeas sent to the prison at dawn, and ordered the holy apostle to be led +to him, and said, "I weened that thou in nightly meditation wouldst turn +thy mind from folly, and cease from the praise of thy Christ, that thou +mightest with us enjoy the delights of life. It is foolish that a man +should hurry wilfully to the cross, and send himself to torments." Andrew +answered, "Joy I may have with thee, if thou wilt believe in Christ and +abandon thy idolatry. Christ sent me to this province, in which I have +gained him no little folk." Aegeas said, "Therefore do I force thee to +offer to our gods, that this folk, whom thou hast deceived, may forsake the +vanity of thy lore, that they may offer to our gods a grateful sacrifice. +Not a city has remained in all this country in which the temples of our +gods have not been forsaken, {595} and now the worship of our gods shall be +again established through thee, that they may be gladdened in thee, and +that thou mayst be in our friendship. If thou wilt not this, then shalt +thou, for the security of our gods, suffer divers torments, and afterwards +perish, hanging on the cross which thou hast praised." The apostle answered +him, "Thou child of death, hear me, and thou chaff, prepared for +everlasting kindling, hear me, God's servant, and apostle of Jesus Christ. +Until now I have spoken to thee meekly, that thou with reason mightest +acknowledge the true belief; but now thou persistest in thy shamelessness, +and weenest that I shall fear for thy threats. Devise whatsoever appears to +thee yet greater in torments. By so much the more acceptable I shall be to +my King by as much as I for his name shall with profession continue in +torments." + +Then the cruel murderer ordered him to be stretched out, and scourged seven +times; he afterwards ordered him to be raised, and said to him, "Andrew, +hear me, and change thy resolve for the shedding of thy blood. If thou +doest not so, I will cause thee to perish on the cross." The apostle +answered, "I am Christ's servant, and I shall rather wish than dread the +triumph of his cross. But thou mayst escape from the eternal torments that +are designed for thee, if thou wilt believe in Christ, after thou shalt +have tried my steadfastness. I dread thy destruction, and for my suffering +I am not afflicted. My suffering will end in one day, or in two, or at most +in three; but thy torment cannot come to an end within a thousand years. +Therefore, miserable, increase not more thy miseries, and kindle not for +thyself the everlasting fire." + +Hereupon Aegeas exasperated ordered him to be hanged on a cross, and +commanded the executioners to bind him on the cross with withies hands and +feet, that he might slowly suffer. Then the christian folk ran towards the +executioners who led him to the cross, crying and saying, "What has this +{597} righteous man and friend of God perpetrated, that he is worthy of the +cross?" But Andrew besought the folk not to hinder his suffering. He went +with them rejoicing blithe of mind, and instructing the folk. He saw then +from afar the cross which was prepared for him, and cried with a loud +voice, thus saying, "Hail be to thee, cross, which wast hallowed by the +body of Christ, and with his limbs adorned as with pearls. Thou hadst +earthly awe before our Lord ascended thee; now thou hast heavenly love, and +art ascended for promise. Cheerful and rejoicing I come to thee, that thou +mayst joyfully receive me the disciple of him who hung on thee, for I have +ever loved thee, and I have desired to embrace thee. O thou good cross, +which didst receive beauty and fairness from the limbs of the Lord, thou +hast been of old desired and carefully loved, without intermission sought +by, and now at last prepared for my longing mind. Receive me from men, and +give me to my Teacher, that he through thee receive me, who through thee +hath redeemed me." + +After these words he unclothed himself, and delivered his weeds to the +executioners. They then approached, and raised him on the cross, and bound +all his body with strong withies, as they had been commanded. There stood +more than twenty thousand men with Aegeas's brother, together crying, +"Unjust wisdom, that the holy man should thus suffer." But the holy Andrew +from the cross cheered the minds of those faithful men, stimulating them to +temporary patience, saying that this short suffering is not to be compared +with the everlasting reward. + +Then in the meanwhile all the folk went to the house of Aegeas, all crying +together and saying, that so holy a man ought not to hang; a man strict of +conduct, adorned with pure morals, a noble teacher, pious and meek, +discreet and sober, ought not so to suffer, but should be loosed living +from the cross; for he ceases not from preaching truth, now hanging two +days alive. Hereupon Aegeas feared the multitude, and {599} promised that +he would release him as they desired, and went forth with them. Then the +apostle, when he saw them, asked, "How now, Aegeas, why comest thou to us? +If thou wilt yet believe in Jesus, thou shalt have mercy, as I promised +thee. If thou comest to release me, I will not be released hence living. +Now I already see my true King; I stand in his sight praying to him. For +thee and thy misery I grieve, for eternal perdition awaits thee. Hasten +now, wretch, while thou canst do anything, lest thou desire when it is +forbidden thee." They would then release him, but their hands stiffened, +whosoever touched the cross with hands. Then the apostle, with loudest +voice, cried to Jesus Christ, thus praying, "My good Master, let me not be +released, but do thou first receive my spirit." + +After these words a great light was seen suddenly coming from heaven to the +apostle, and illumined him all around, so that human eyes might not see him +for the heavenly light that surrounded him. The light continued nearly an +hour, and Andrew gave up his ghost in that light, and went to Christ +together with that beam, to whom is ever glory throughout all the world. + +Aegeas was seized by the horrid devil on the way homeward, before he came +to his house, and he became exceedingly frantic, being cast to the earth in +the sight of the men who went with him. He then departed from the world +bloodthirsty to hell, and his brother held the corpse of the holy Andrew +with great reverence, that he might enwrap it. So great awe sprang up over +all that people, that not one there remained who believed not in God. + +The priests of that nation, and the same deacons who saw it all, recorded +this passion, lest any one should doubt concerning this narrative. Let us +now pray to the Almighty Ruler, that his apostle may be our intercessor, as +he had been the preacher of his church. Be to the Lord Creator honour and +praise ever to eternity. Amen we say. + + * * * * * + + +{600} DOMINICA PRIMA IN ADUENTUM DOMINI. + +Thyses daeges thenung, and dhyssere tide maerdh sprecadh embe Godes +to-cyme. Theos t['i]d odh midne winter is gecweden, ADUENTUS DOMINI, thaet +is DRIHTNES TO-CYME. His to-cyme is his menniscnys. He com to us dhadha he +genam ure gecynd to his Aelmihtigan Godcundnysse, to dhi thaet h['e] us +fram deofles anwealde alysde. + +Nu stent se gewuna on Godes geladhunge, thaet ealle Godes dheowan on +cyrclicum dhenungum, aegdher ge on halgum raedingum ge on gedremum +lofsangum, dhaera witegena gyddunga singallice on thyssere tide reccadh. +Tha witegan, thurh Godes Gast, witegodon Cristes to-cyme dhurh +menniscnysse, and be dham manega bec setton, dha dhe we nu oferraedadh aet +Godes dheowdome aetforan his gebyrd-tide, him to wurdhmynte, thaet he ['u]s +swa mildheortlice geneosian wolde. Crist com on dham timan to mancynne +gesewenlice, ac he bidh aefre ungesewenlice mid his gecorenum theowum, swa +swa he sylf beh['e]t, thus cwedhende, "Efne ic beo mid eow eallum dagum, +odh thissere worulde gefyllednysse." Mid dhisum wordum he geswutelode thaet +aefre beodh, odh middangeardes geendunge, him gecorene menn, dhe thaes +wyrdhe beodh thaet h['i] Godes wununge mid him habban moton. + +Tha halgan witegan witegodon aegdher ge dhone aerran to-cyme on dhaere +acennednysse, and eac dhone aeftran aet dham micclum dome. We eac, Godes +dheowas, getrymmadh urne geleafan mid thyssere tide thenungum, fordhan dhe +we on urum lofsangum geandettadh ure alysednysse thurh his aerran to-cyme, +and we ['u]s sylfe m['a]niadh thaet we on his aeftran to-cyme gearwe beon, +thaet we moton fram dham dome him folgian to dham ecan l['i]fe, swa swa +h['e] us beh['e]t. Be dhyssere tide maersunge spraec se apostol Paulus on +dhyssere pistol-raedinge to Romaniscum leodum, and eac to eallum +geleaffullum mannum, thus m['a]nigende, "Mine gebrodhra, wite ge thaet nu +is tima ['u]s of slaepe {602} to arisenne: ure h['ae]l is gehendre thonne +we gelyfdon. Seo niht gew['a]t, and se daeg genealaehte. Uton awurpan +dheostra weorc, and beon ymbscrydde mid leohtes waepnum, swa thaet we on +daege arwurdhlice faron; na on oferaetum and druncennyssum, na on +forliger-beddum and unclaennyssum, na on geflite and ['a]ndan; ac beodh +ymbscrydde thurh Drihten Haelend Crist." + +Se apostol ['u]s awrehte thaet we of slaepe ure asolcennysse and +ungeleaffulnysse aet sumon saele arison, swa swa ge on dhyssere andwerdan +r['ae]dinge gehyrdon. "Mine gebrodhra, wite ge thaet nu is tima ['u]s of +slaepe to arisenne." Witodlice ne gedafenadh ['u]s thaet we symle hnesce +beon on urum geleafan, swa swa dhas merwan cild, ac we sceolon onettan to +fulfremedre gedhincdhe, thurh gehealdsumnysse Godes beboda. We sceolon +asceacan dhone sleacan sl['ae]p us fram, and deofles weorc forl['ae]tan, +and g['a]n on leohte, thaet is, on godum weorcum. Gefyrn scean leoht +ingehydes geond eordhan ymbhwyrft, and forwel menige scinadh on +sodhfaestnysse wege, tha dhe faradh dhurh godspellic sidhfaet to dhaes ecan +lifes gefean. Efne nu "ure hael is gehendre thonne we gelyfdon." Thurh +dheonde ingehyd and g['o]dne willan, anum gehwilcum is hael gehendre dhonne +him waere dhadha h['e] aet fruman gelyfde, and fordhi h['e] sceal symle +gedheon on daeghwomlicere gecnyrdnysse, swa swa se sealm-sc['o]p cwaedh be +Godes gecorenum, "Tha halgan faradh fram mihte to mihte." + +Eac is gehwilcum men his endenexta daeg near and near; and se gemaenelica +d['o]m daeghwomlice genealaehdh, on dham underfehdh anra gehwilc be dham +dhe h['e] geearnode on lichaman, swa g['o]d swa yfel. Uton fordhi aelc yfel +forfleon, and g['o]d be ure mihte gefremman, thy-l['ae]s dhe we dhonne +willon dhonne we ne magon, and we dhonne fyrstes biddon dhonne us se deadh +to fordhsidhe geneadadh. "Seo niht gew['a]t, and se daeg genealaehte." +H['e]r asette se apostol niht for dhaere ealdan nytennysse, dhe rixode +geond ealne middangeard ['ae]r Cristes to-cyme; ac he toscoc dha dwollican +nytennysse dhurh onlihtinge his {604} andwerdnysse, swa swa se beorhta daeg +todraefdh tha dimlican theostru dhaere sweartan nihte. Deofol is eac niht +gecweden, and Crist daeg, sedhe us mildheortlice fram deofles dheostrum +alysde, and us forgeaf leoht ingehydes and sodhfaestnysse. "Uton awurpan +theostra weorc, and beon ymbscrydde mid leohtes waepnum, swa thaet we on +daege arwurdhlice faron." Uton awurpan dhurh andetnysse and behreowsunge +tha fordhgewitenan yfelu, and uton heonon-fordh stranglice widhstandan +deofles tihtingum, swa swa se ylca apostol on odhre stowe his underdheoddan +m['a]node, "Widhstandadh tham deofle, and he flihdh fram eow; genealaecadh +Gode, and he genealaehdh to eow." Leohtes waepna synd rihtwisnysse weorc +and sodhfaestnysse. Mid dham waepnum we sceolon beon ymbscrydde, swa thaet +we on daege arwurdhlice faron. Swa swa daeges leoht forwyrndh gehwilcne to +gefremmenne thaet thaet seo niht gedhafadh, swa eac sodhfaestnysse ingehyd, +thaet is, gedhoht ures Drihtnes willan, ['u]s ne gedhafadh m['a]ndaeda to +gefremmenne. + +Symle we beodh fram Gode gesewene, aegdher ge widhutan ge widhinnan; thi +sceal eac gehw['a] sedhe ford['e]med beon nele eallunga warnian thaet h['e] +Godes beboda ne forg['ae]ge, na on ofer['ae]tum and druncennyssum. We +sceolon habban gastlice gereordunge, swa swa se ylca apostol dhisum wordum +taehte, "Thonne ge eow to gereorde gaderiadh, haebbe eower gehwilc halwende +l['a]re on mudhe, and sealm-boc on handa." Druncennys is cwylmbaere dhing, +and galnysse antimber. Salomon cwaedh, "Ne bidh n['a]n dhing digle thaer +dhaer druncennys rixadh." On odhre stowe beweop se ylca apostol +ungemetegodra manna l['i]f, dhus cwedhende, "Heora w['a]mb is heora God, +and heora ende is forwyrd, and heora wuldor on gescyndnysse." Na on +forliger-beddum and on unclaennyssum, ac beo arwyrdhe sinscipe betwux +gelyfedum mannum, swa thaet furdhon n['a]n forliger ne unclaennyss ne sy +genemned on Godes geladhunge; na on geflite and ['a]ndan. Crist cwaedh be +gesibsumum mannum, thaet hi sind Godes bearn g['e]cigede, and witodlice dha +geflitfullan sind deofles lyma. Se yfela secdh symle ceaste, and {606} +waelhreaw engel bidh asend togeanes him. Anda is derigendlic leahter, and +aefre bidh se nidhfulla wunigende on gedrefednysse, fordhan dhe se ['a]nda +ablent his m['o]d, and aelcere gastlicere blisse benaemdh. Thurh ['a]ndan +bepaehte se deofol thone frumsceapenan mann, and se nidhfulla is thaera +deofla daelnimend. Seo sodhe sibb afligdh ungedhwaernysse, and dhaes modes +digelnysse onliht, and witodlice se ['a]nda gemenigfylt yrsunge. + +Se apostol beleac thisne pistol mid thisum wordum, "Ac beodh ymbscrydde +dhurh Drihten Haelend Crist." Ealle dha dhe on Criste beodh gefullode, +h['i] beodh mid Criste ymbscrydde, gif hi dhone cristendom mid rihtwisnysse +weorcum geglengadh. Dhas gewaedu awr['a]t se ylca apostol swutellicor on +odhre stowe, dhus cwedhende, "Ymbscrydadh eow, swa swa Godes gecorenan, mid +mildheortnysse and mid welwillendnysse, mid eadmodnysse, mid +gemetfaestnysse, mid gedhylde, and habbadh eow, toforan eallum dhingum, dha +sodhan lufe, seodhe is b['e]nd ealra fulfremednyssa; and Cristes sib +blissige on eowrum heortum, on dhaere ge sind gec['i]gede on anum lichaman. +Beodh thancfulle, and Godes word wunige betwux eow genihtsumlice, on eallum +wisdome taecende and tihtende eow betwynan, on sealmsangum and gastlicum +l['o]fsangum, singende mid gife Godes on eowrum heortum. Swa hwaet swa ge +dodh on worde odhdhe on weorce, dodh symle on Drihtnes naman, thancigende +dham Aelmihtigan Faeder dhurh his Bearn, the mid him symle on ['a]nnysse +thaes Halgan Gastes wunadh." + +Uton fordhi us gearcian mid thisum foresaedum reafum, be dhaes apostoles +mynegunge, thaet we to dhaere wundorlican gebyrd-tide ures Drihtnes mid +freolslicere dhenunge becumon, tham sy wuldor and l['o]f ['a] on ecnysse. +Amen. + +{601} THE FIRST SUNDAY IN THE LORD'S ADVENT. + +The service of this day, and the celebration of this tide speak concerning +God's advent. This tide until midwinter is called ADVENTUS DOMINI, that is +THE LORD'S COMING. His advent is his humanity. He came to us when he took +our nature to his Almighty Godhead, to the end that he might redeem us from +the power of the devil. + +The custom now stands in God's church, that all God's servants in the +church-services, both in holy readings and in harmonious hymns, constantly +at this tide recite the songs of the prophets. The prophets, through the +Spirit of God, prophesied Christ's advent through humanity, and of that +composed many books, which we now read over at God's service before his +birth-tide, to his honour, for that he would so mercifully visit us. Christ +came at that time to mankind visibly, but he is ever invisibly with his +chosen servants, as he himself promised, thus saying, "Lo I will be with +you on all days until the consummation of this world." By these words he +manifested that there will ever be, until the ending of the world, men +chosen to him, who will be worthy that with him they may have habitation +with God. + +The holy prophets prophesied both the first advent at the birth, and also +the latter at the great doom. We also, God's servants, confirm our faith +with the services of this tide, because we in our hymns confess our +redemption through his first advent, and we admonish ourselves to be ready +on his latter advent, that we may from that doom follow him to everlasting +life, as he has promised us. Of the celebration of this tide the apostle +Paul, in this epistle to the Roman people, and also to all believing men, +spake, thus admonishing, "My brothers, know ye that it is now time for us +to arise from {603} sleep: our salvation is nearer than we believed. The +night is departed, and the day has approached. Let us cast away works of +darkness, and be invested with weapons of light, so that we by day may go +honestly; not in gluttony and drunkenness, not in adulteries and +uncleannesses, not in strife and envy; but be invested by the Lord Jesus +Christ." + +The apostle has excited us to arise at some time from the sleep of our +sluggishness and disbelief, as ye in this present lesson have heard. "My +brothers, know ye that it is now time for us to arise from sleep." Verily +it befits us not to be always delicate in our faith, as a tender child, but +we should hasten to perfect excellence through the observance of God's +commandments. We should shake sluggish sleep from us, and forsake the +devil's works, and go in the light, that is, in good works. Of old the +light of knowledge shone over the circumference of earth, and very many +shine in the way of truth, who go through the evangelic path to the joy of +everlasting life. Lo now "our salvation is nearer than we believed." +Through increasing knowledge and good will, salvation is nearer to every +one than it was to him when he at first believed, and therefore he should +ever increase in daily diligence, as the psalmist said of God's chosen, +"The holy go from virtue to virtue." + +Also to every man is his last day nearer and nearer; and the common doom +approaches daily, at which every one will receive according to what he has +merited in body, whether good or evil. Let us then flee from every evil, +and do good according to our power, lest we be willing when we cannot, and +pray for time when death compels us to depart. "The night is departed, and +the day has approached." Here the apostle has placed night for the old +ignorance, which reigned through all the world before Christ's advent; but +he scattered the erroneous ignorance by the illumination of his {605} +presence, as the bright day drives away the dim darkness of the swart +night. The devil is also called night, and Christ day, who has mercifully +released us from the devil's darkness, and given us the light of knowledge +and truth. "Let us cast away works of darkness, and be invested with +weapons of light, so that we by day may go honestly." Let us by confession +and repentance cast away the forthgone evils, and let us henceforth +strongly withstand the instigations of the devil, as the same apostle in +another place exhorted his followers, "Withstand the devil, and he will +flee from you; draw near unto God, and he will draw near unto you." The +weapons of light are works of righteousness and truth. With those weapons +we should be invested, so that we by day may go honestly. As the light of +day forbids everyone to perpetrate that which the night allows, so also the +knowledge of truth, that is, the thought of our Lord's will, allows us not +to perpetrate deeds of wickedness. + +We are ever seen by God, both without and within; therefore should everyone +who wills not to be condemned especially take care that he transgress not +God's commandments, either by gluttony or drunkenness. We should have +ghostly refection, as the same apostle taught in these words, "When ye +gather yourselves to refection, let each of you have salutary lore in +mouth, and psalm-book in hand." Drunkenness is a death-bearing thing, and +the material of libidinousness. Solomon said, "Nothing is secret where +drunkenness reigns." In another place the same apostle bewailed the life of +intemperate men, thus saying, "Their belly is their God, and their end is +perdition, and their glory in pollution." Not in adulteries and +uncleannesses, but let there be honourable union between believing persons, +so that at least no adultery nor uncleanness be named in God's church; not +in strife and envy. Christ said of peaceful men, that they are called +children of God; and verily the strifeful are limbs of the devil. The evil +ever seeks contention, and a cruel angel will {607} be sent against him. +Envy is a pernicious vice, and ever will the envious be continuing in +affliction, because envy blinds his mind and deprives it of every ghostly +bliss. Through envy the devil deceived the first-created man, and the +envious is a participator with the devils. True peace drives away discord, +and enlightens the darkness of the mind, and envy certainly multiplies +anger. + +The apostle closed this epistle with these words, "But be invested by the +Lord Jesus Christ." All those who are baptized in Christ are invested with +Christ, if they adorn their christianity with works of righteousness. Of +these weeds the same apostle wrote more plainly in another place, thus +saying, "Clothe yourselves, as God's chosen, with mercy and with +benevolence, with humility, with moderation, with patience, and have, +before all things, true love, which is the bond of all perfections; and let +Christ's peace rejoice in your hearts, in which ye are called in one body. +Be thankful, and let God's word dwell among you abundantly, in all wisdom +teaching and stimulating among yourselves, in psalms and ghostly hymns, +singing with God's grace in your hearts. Whatsoever ye do in word or in +work, do it ever in the name of the Lord, thanking the Almighty Father +through his Son, who with him ever continueth in unity of the Holy Ghost." + +Let us then prepare ourselves with these before-said garments, according to +the apostle's admonition, that we may come to the wonderful birth-tide of +our Lord with solemn service, to whom be glory and praise ever to eternity. +Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{608} DOMINICA II. IN ADUENTUM DOMINI. + + Erunt signa in sole et luna et stellis: et reliqua. + +Se Godspellere Lucas awr['a]t on dhisum daegdherlican godspelle, thaet ure +Drihten waes sprecende thisum wordum to his leorning-cnihtum, be dham +t['a]cnum dhe ['ae]r thyssere worulde geendunge gelimpadh. Drihten cwaedh, +"T['a]cna gewurdhadh on sunnan, and on m['o]nan, and on steorrum, and on +eordhan bidh theoda ofdhryccednyss:" et reliqua. + +Se halga Gregorius us trahtnode thyses godspelles digelnysse thus +undergynnende: Drihten ure Alysend ['u]s gewilnadh gearwe gemetan, and +forthi cydde dha yfelnyssa dhe folgiadh tham ealdigendan middangearde, +thaet h['e] us fram his lufe gestilde. He geswutelode h['u] fela dhrowunga +forestaeppadh thyssere worulde geendunge, gif we God on smyltnysse +ondraedan nelladh, thaet we huru his genealaecendan d['o]m, mid mislicum +swinglum af['ae]rede, ondraedon. Her widhufan on thyssere r['ae]dinge +cwaedh se Haelend, "Dheod arist ongean dheode, and rice ongean rice, and +micele eordhstyrunga beodh gehwaer, and cwealm, and hunger." And sydhdhan +betwux dham thus cwaedh, "T['a]cna beodh on sunnan, and on m['o]nan, and on +steorrum, and on eordhan dheoda ofdhriccednys, for gemencgednysse +s['ae]licra ydha and sweges." + +Sume dhas t['a]cna we gesawon gefremmede, sume we ondraedadh us towearde. +Witodlice on dhisum niwum dagum arison dheoda ongean dheoda, and heora +ofdhriccednyss on eordhan gel['a]mp swidhor thonne we on ealdum bocum +raedadh. Oft eordhstyrung gehw['ae]r fela burhga ofhreas, swa swa gel['a]mp +on Tyberies daege thaes caseres, thaet dhreottyne byrig dhurh eordhstyrunge +afeollon. Mid cwealme and mid hungre we sind gelome geswencte, ac we +nateshwon gyta swutele t['a]cna on sunnan, and on m['o]nan, and on steorrum +ne ges['a]won. We raedadh on tungelcraefte thaet seo sunne bidh hwiltidum +thurh dhaes monelican trendles underscyte adhystrod, and eac se fulla +m['o]na faerlice fagettadh, thonne he dhaes sunlican leohtes bedaeled {610} +bidh dhurh dhaere eordhan sceadwunge. Sind eac sume steorran leoht-beamede, +faerlice ar['i]sende, and hraedlice gew['i]tende, and h['i] symle sum dhing +n['i]wes mid heora upspringe geb['i]cniadh: ac ne maende Drihten dhas +t['a]cna on dhaere godspellican witegunge, ac dha egefullan t['a]cna the +dham micclan daege forestaeppadh. Matheus se Godspellere awr['a]t +swutelicor thas t['a]cna, thus cwedhende, "Thaerrihte aefter dhaere micclan +gedrefednysse, bidh seo sunne adhystrod, and se m['o]na ne syldh n['a]n +leoht, and steorran fealladh of heofonum, and heofonan mihta beodh +astyrode, and dhonne bidh aeteowed Cristes r['o]de-t['a]cn on heofonum, and +ealle eordhlice maegdha heofiadh." Dhaere s['ae] gemengednyssa, and daera +ydha sweg ungewunelice gyt ne asprungon, ac dhonne fela dhaera foresaedra +t['a]cna gefyllede sind, nis n['a]n twynung thaet tha feawa dhe thaer to +lafe sind witodlice gefyllede be['o]n. + +Mine gebrodhra, thas dhing sind awritene thaet ure m['o]d thurh waerscipe +wacole beon, thaet hi dhurh orsorhnysse ne asleacion, ne dhurh nytennysse +geadlion; ac thaet symle se ['o]ga h['i] gebysgige, and seo embhydignys on +g['o]dum weorcum getrymme. Drihten cwaedh, "Menn forseariadh for ['o]gan +and andbidunge dhaera dhinga the becumadh ofer ealne middangeard. Witodlice +heofonan mihta beodh astyrode." Heofonan mihta sind englas and heah-englas, +thrymsetl, ealdorscipas, hlafordscipas and anwealdu. Thas engla werod beodh +aeteowde gesewenlice urum gesihdhum on to-cyme dhaes strecan D['e]man, +thaet h['i] stidhlice aet ['u]s ofgan thaet thaet se ungesewenlica Scyppend +emlice forberdh. Thonne we geseodh mannes Bearn cumende on wolcnum, mid +micelre mihte and maegendhrymme. Drihten gec['i]gde hine sylfne mannes +Bearn gelomlicor dhonne Godes Bearn, for eadmodnysse thaere underfangenan +menniscnysse, thaet h['e] us mynegige mid tham gecynde the he for ['u]s +underfeng. He is sodhlice mannes Bearn, and ne manna Bearn, and nis n['a]n +odher anes mannes bearn buton Crist ['a]na. He bidh on mihte and on +maegendhrymme geswutelod tham dhe hine on eadmodnysse wunigende gehyran +noldon, thaet h['i] dhonne gefredon his {612} mihte swa miccle stidhlicor, +swa micclum swa h['i] nu heora swuran to his gedhylde nelladh gebigan. Thas +word sind gecwedene be dham widhercorenum, ac her fyliadh tha word dhe dha +gecorenan frefriadh. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Thonne dhas wundra ongynnadh, +ahebbadh thonne eowre heafda and behealdadh, fordhan dhe eower alysednyss +genealaehdh." Swilce h['e] swutellice his gecorenan m['a]node, 'Thonne +middangeardes wita gelomlaecadh, thonne se ['o]ga dhaes micclan domes bidh +aeteowod, ahebbadh thonne eowre heafda, thaet is, gladiadh on eowrum mode, +fordhi dhonne thes middangeard bidh geendod, the ge ne lufodon; thonne bidh +gehende seo alysednyss dhe ge sohton.' On halgum gewrite bidh gelomlice +heafod gesett for thaes mannes mode, fordhan dhe thaet heafod gewissadh +tham odhrum limum, swa swa thaet m['o]d gediht dha gedhohtas. We ahebbadh +ure heafda thonne we ure m['o]d araeradh to gefean thaes heofonlican +edhles. Tha dhe God lufiadh, h['i] sind gem['a]node thaet h['i] gladion on +middangeardes geendunge, fordhan thonne he gew['i]t, dhe h['i] ne lufodon, +dhonne witodlice h['i] gemetadh thone dhe h['i] lufodon. + +Ne gewurdhe hit la, thaet aenig geleafful, sedhe gewilnadh God to geseonne, +thaet h['e] heofige for middangeardes hryrum; hit is sodhlice awriten, "Swa +hw['a] swa wile beon freond thyssere worulde, he bidh Godes feond geteald." +Witodlice se dhe ne blissadh on nealaecunge middangeardes geendunge, se +geswuteladh thaet he his freond waes, and bidh thonne oferstaeled thaet he +Godes feond is. Ac gew['i]te thises middangeardes freondscipe fram +geleaffulra manna heortan, and gew['i]te fram dham dhe thaet odher l['i]f +gelyfadh toweard, and hit dhurh weorc lufiadh. Tha sceolon heofian for +middangeardes toworpennysse, tha dhe heora heortan wyrtruman on his lufe +aplantodon, tha dhe thaet towearde l['i]f ne secadh, ne his furdhon ne +gelyfadh: we sodhlice, dhe thaes heofonlican edhles gefean eallunga +oncneowon, sceolon anmodlice to dham ['o]nettan. Us is to gewiscenne thaet +we hraedlice to dham faron, and thurh dhone scyrtran weg becumon, fordhan +dhe dhes middangeard is mid menigfealdum unr['o]tnyssum gedhread, and mid +dhwyrnyssum geangsumod. + +{614} Hwaet is dhis deadlice l['i]f buton weg? Understandadh nu hwilc sy on +weges geswince to ateorigenne, and dheah nelle thone weg geendigan. Drihten +cwaedh, "Behealdadh thaes f['i]ctreowa and ealle odhre treowa, thonne h['i] +spryttadh, dhonne wite ge thaet hit sumorlaehdh. Swa eac ge magon witan, +dhonne ge dhas foresaedan t['a]cna geseodh, thaet Godes rice genealaehdh." +Sodhlice mid thisum wordum is geswutelod thaet dhises middangeardes waestm +is hryre. To dham h['e] wext thaet he fealle; to dhy he sprytt thaet h['e] +mid cwyldum fornyme swa hwaet swa h['e] aer sprytte. Thes middangeard is +dham ealdigendan menn gel['i]c: on iugodhe bidh se lichama theonde on +strangum breoste, on fullum limum and halum; witodlice on ealdlicum gearum +bidh thaes mannes waestm geb['i]ged, his swura aslacod, his neb gerifod, +and his lima ealle gewaehte; his breost bidh mid sicetungum gedhread, and +betwux wordum his ordhung ateoradh; theah dhe him adl ['o]n ne sitte, theah +forwel oft his hael him bidh adl. Swa is dhisum middangearde: aet fruman +h['e] waes dheonde swylce on geogodhh['a]de, he waes on lichamlicere +haeldhe growende, and on sp['e]da genihtsumnysse faett, langsum on life, +stille on langsumere sibbe; ac h['e] is nu mid ylde ofsett, swylce mid +gelomlaecendum h['e]figtymnyssum to deadhe gedhread. + +Mine gebrodhra, ne lufige ge thisne middangeard the ge geseodh thaet lange +wunian ne maeg. Be dhisum cwaedh se apostol, "Ne lufige ge middangeard, ne +dha dhing dhe him on wuniadh, fordhan swa hw['a] swa middangeard lufadh, +naefdh h['e] Godes lufe on him." + +Wel is Godes rice sumerlicere tide widhmeten, fordhi dhonne gewitadh tha +genipu ure dreorignysse, and lifes dagas dhurh beorhtnysse thaere ecan +sunnan scinadh. + +Ealle dhas foresaedan dhing sind mid micelre gewissunge getrymde thurh +dhisne aefterfyligendan cwyde, "Sodh ic eow secge, Ne gew['i]t dheos +maegdh, odhthaet ealle dhas dhing gewurdhadh." Thas word spraec Drihten to +Iudeiscre maegdhe, and heora {616} cynn ne gew['i]t thurh ateorunge, +aerdhan dhe thes middangeard geendadh. Be dhisum andgite cwaedh se apostol +Paulus, thaet "Drihten sylf astihdh of heofonum on stemne thaes +heah-engles, and mid Godes byman, and dha deadan aerest arisadh; sydhdhan +we dhe lybbadh, and on lichaman beodh gemette beodh gelaehte fordh mid tham +odhrum on wolcnum togeanes Criste, and we swa symle sydhdhan mid Gode +beodh. Frefriadh e['o]w mid thisum wordum." Eac on dhisum andgite +gedhwaerlaehdh se Godspellere Matheus, thisum wordum, "Drihten asent his +englas mid byman and micelre stemne, and h['i] gaderiadh his gecorenan fram +feower windum, of eallum eordhlicum gemaerum odh dha he['a]lican heofonan." + +Se apostol cwaedh, "We dhe lybbadh." Ne maende he hine sylfne mid tham +worde, ac dha dhe on life thurhwuniadh oth geendunge thyssere worulde. Mid +tham is eac geswutelod, thaet mancynn mid ealle ne ateoradh aer dhaere +geendunge, ac h['i] habbadh hwaedhere sceortne deadh, tha dhe thonne on +life gemette beodh; fordhan dhe heofonlic fyr ofergaedh ealne middangeard +mid anum bryne, and dha deadan arisadh of heora byrgenum mid dham fyre, and +dha lybbendan beodh acwealde thurh dhaes fyres haetan, and dhaerrihte eft +ge-edcucode to ecum dhingum. Ne deradh thaet fyr n['a]n dhing tham +rihtwisum, dhe ['ae]r fram synnum geclaensode waeron; ac swa hw['a] swa +ungeclaensod bidh, he gefret thaes fyres ['ae]dhm; and we dhonne ealle to +dham d['o]me becumadh. Ne bidh se d['o]m on n['a]num eordhlicum felda +ged['e]med, ac bidh swa swa se apostol her widhufan on thyssere r['ae]dinge +cwaedh, thaet we beodh gegripene on wolcnum togeanes Criste, geond thas +lyft; and thaer bidh seo twaeming rihtwisra manna and arleasra. Tha +rihtwisan nahwar sydhdhan ne wuniadh buton mid Gode on heofonan rice, and +dha arleasan nahwar buton mid deofle on helle suslum. + +Se Haelend beleac this godspel mid thisum wordum: "Heofen and eordhe +gew['i]tadh, and mine word naefre ne gew['i]tadh." Ne awendadh heofon and +eordhe to nahte, ac hi beodh awende of dham hiwe dhe h['i] nu on wuniadh to +beteran hiwe, swa swa {618} Iohannes se Godspellere cwaedh, "Thonne bidh +niwe heofon and niwe eordhe." Ne beodh witodlice odhre gesceapene, ac dhas +beodh ge-edniwode. Heofon and eordhe gew['i]tadh, and dheah dhurhwuniadh, +fordhan dhe h['i] beodh fram dham hiwe dhe h['i] nu habbadh thurh fyr +geclaensode, and swa-dheah symle on heora gecynde standadh. Thonne bidh seo +sunne be seofonfealdum beorhtre thonne heo nu sy, and se m['o]na haefdh +thaere sunnan leoht. + +Dauid sodhlice be Cristes to-cyme thisum wordum witegode: "God cymdh +swutellice, and h['e] ne suwadh. Fyr byrndh on his gesihdhe, and on his +ymbhwyrfte bidh swidhlic storm." Se storm adhwyhdh swa hwaet swa thaet fyr +forswaeldh. Be dham daege cwaedh se witega Sofonias, "Se miccla Godes daeg +is swidhe gehende, and dhearle swyft: biter bidh thaes daeges stemn: thaer +bidh se str['a]nga gedrefed. Se daeg is yrres daeg, and gedrefednysse daeg +and angsumnysse, yrmdhe daeg and w['a]nunge, theostra daeg and dimnysse, +byman daeg and cyrmes." + +Mine gebrodhra, settadh thises daeges gemynd aetforan eowrum eagum, and swa +hwaet swa bidh nu h['e]figtyme gedhuht, eal hit bidh on his widhmetennysse +gelidhegod. Gerihtlaecadh eower l['i]f, and awendadh eowre dheawas, +witniadh mid wope eowre yfelan daeda, widhstandadh deofles costnungum; +bugadh fram yfele, and dodh g['o]d, and ge beodh swa micclum orsorgran on +to-cyme thaes ecan D['e]man, swa micclum swa ge nu his strecnysse mid ege +forhr['a]diadh. Se witega cwaedh, thaet se miccla Godes daeg is swidhe +gehende, and thearle swyft. Theah dhe gyt waere odher thusend geara to dham +daege, naere hit langsum; fordhan swa hwaet swa geendadh, thaet bidh sceort +and hraed, and bidh swilce hit naefre ne gewurde, thonne hit geendod bidh. +Hwaet theah hit langsum waere to dham daege, swa hit nis, theah ne bidh ure +t['i]ma langsum, and on ['u]re geendunge us bidh ged['e]med, hwaedher we on +reste oththe on wite dhone gem['ae]nelican d['o]m anbidian sceolon. Uton +fordhi brucan thaes fyrstes dhe us God forgeaf, and geearnian thaet ece +l['i]f mid him sedhe leofadh and rixadh in ealra worulda woruld. Amen. + +{609} THE SECOND SUNDAY IN THE LORD'S ADVENT. + + Erunt signa in sole et luna et stellis: et reliqua. + +The Evangelist Luke wrote in this day's gospel, that our Lord was speaking +in these words to his disciples, concerning the signs which will happen +before the ending of this world. The Lord said, "There shall be signs in +the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and on earth there shall be +affliction of nations," etc. + +The holy Gregory has expounded for us the obscurity of this gospel, thus +beginning: The Lord our Redeemer is desirous to find us ready, and +therefore chid the evils which follow the senescent world, that he might +wean us from its love. He manifested how many sufferings will precede the +ending of this world, if we will not dread God in serenity, that at least, +terrified with many tribulations, we may dread his approaching doom. Here +above in this lesson Jesus said, "Nation shall arise against nation, and +kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be everywhere, and +pestilence, and hunger." And afterwards among them thus said, "There shall +be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and on earth +affliction of nations, for the mingling of the sea-waves and sound." + +Some of these signs we have seen accomplished, some we fear are to come. +Verily in these new days nations have arisen against nations, and their +affliction on earth has happened greater than we in old books read. Oft an +earthquake in divers places has overthrown many cities, as it happened in +the days of the emperor Tiberius, that thirteen cities fell through an +earthquake. With pestilence and with hunger we are frequently afflicted, +but we have not yet seen manifest signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in +the stars. We read in astronomy, that the sun is sometimes darkened by the +intervention of the lunar orb, and also the full moon suddenly becomes +dusky, when it is deprived of the solar light {611} by the shadow of the +earth. There are also some stars beamed with light, suddenly rising, and +quickly departing, and they by their uprise ever indicate something new: +but the Lord meant not these signs in the evangelical prophecy, but the +awful signs which will precede the great day. Matthew the Evangelist wrote +more plainly of these signs, thus saying, "Straightways after the great +tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall give no light, +and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be +agitated, and then shall appear the sign of Christ's cross in the heavens, +and all earthly powers shall mourn." The minglings of the sea, and the +sound of the waves have not yet unusually happened, but when many of the +before-said signs have been fulfilled, there is no doubt that the few which +are remaining will also be fulfilled. + +My brothers, these things are written that our minds may be vigilant +through heedfulness, that through security they slacken not, nor through +ignorance become void; but that terror ever occupy, and attention to good +works confirm them. The Lord said, "Men shall wither for terror and for +awaiting the things which shall come over all the world: for the powers of +heaven shall be agitated." The powers of heaven are angels and archangels, +thrones, principalities, lordships and powers. These hosts of angels will +appear visible to our sights at the advent of the severe Judge, that they +may sternly exact from us that which the invisible Creator patiently +forbears. Then we shall see the Son of man coming in clouds, with great +might and majesty. The Lord called himself the Son of man oftener than the +Son of God, from the humility of his assumed humanity, that he may admonish +us with the nature which he for us received. He is truly Son of man, and +not Son of men, and there is no other son of one man but Christ alone. He +will be manifested in might and in majesty to those who would not obey him +while existing in humility, that they then may feel his {613} might by so +much the more severely as they now will not bow their necks to his +patience. These words are said of the reprobates, but here follow the words +which comfort the chosen. Jesus said, "When these wonders begin, then lift +up your heads and behold, for your redemption approacheth." As if he had +manifestly exhorted his chosen, 'When the torments of the world shall +thicken, when the dread of the great doom shall appear, raise then your +heads, that is, be glad in your minds, for then this world shall be ended, +which ye loved not; then shall be at hand the redemption which ye sought.' +In holy writ _head_ is very frequently put for the mind of man, because the +head directs the other members, as the mind devises the thoughts. We lift +up our heads when we raise our minds to the joys of the heavenly country. +Those whom God loves are exhorted to be glad for the ending of the world, +for when that passes away, which they loved not, then certainly they will +find that which they loved. + +O let it not be, that any believer, who desires to see God, mourn for the +fall of the world; for it is written, "Whosoever will be a friend of this +world, will be accounted a foe of God." But he who rejoices not at the +approach of the ending of the world, manifests that he was its friend, and +will then be convicted that he is God's foe. But let friendship for this +world depart from the hearts of believing men, and depart from them who +believe the other life to come, and really love it. They should mourn for +the destruction of the world who have planted the root of their heart in +its love, who seek not the life to come, nor even believe in it: but we, +who full well know the joys of the heavenly country, should unanimously +hasten to it. It is for us to wish that we may go to it quickly, and arrive +by the shorter way, for this world is afflicted with manifold tribulations, +and with crosses tormented. + +{615} What is this deathlike life but a way? Understand now what it is to +faint through the toil of the way, and yet not to desire the way to end. +The Lord said, "Behold these figtrees and all other trees, when they +sprout, then ye know that summer is near. So likewise ye may know, when ye +see these before-said signs, that God's kingdom draweth near." Verily by +these words it is manifested that the fruit of this world is falling. It +grows that it may fall; it sprouts that it may destroy with diseases +whatsoever it had before sprouted. This world is like to a senescent man: +in youth the body is thriving with strong breast, with full and hale limbs; +but in senile years the man's stature is bowed, his neck slackened, his +face wrinkled, and his limbs all afflicted; his breast is tormented with +sighs, and between his words his breath fails; though disease sit not on +him, yet too often his health is a disease to him. So it is with this +world: at first it was thriving as in youth, it was growing in bodily +health, and fat in abundance of good things, long in life, still in long +peace; but now it is with age oppressed, as it were with frequent +tribulations afflicted to death. + +My brothers, love not this world which ye see cannot long exist. Of this +the apostle said, "Love not the world, nor anything that dwelleth on it, +for whosoever loveth the world, hath not love of God in him." + +Well is the kingdom of God compared with the summer season, for then the +clouds of our dreariness pass away, and the days of life shine through the +brightness of the eternal sun. + +All these before-said things are with great certainty confirmed by this +following sentence, "Verily I say unto you, This tribe shall not pass away, +until all these things shall take place." These words the Lord spake to the +Jewish {617} tribe, and their kin will not pass away through decay, before +this world ends. Of this sentence the apostle Paul said, that "the Lord +himself shall descend from heaven with the voice of the archangel, and with +the trumpet of God, and the dead will first arise; afterwards, we who live, +and shall be found in the body, will be caught forth with the others in +clouds towards Christ, and so we shall ever after be with God. Comfort +yourselves with these words." Also in this sentence the Evangelist Matthew +agrees, in these words, "The Lord will send his angels with trumpet and +loud voice, and they shall gather his chosen from the four winds, from all +earthly boundaries to the high heavens." + +The apostle said, "We who live." He did not mean himself by those words, +but those who continue in life until the ending of this world. By that it +is likewise manifested, that mankind will not wholly perish before the +ending, but that they will, nevertheless, have a short death who shall then +be found in life; for heavenly fire will pass over all the world with one +burning, and the dead will arise from their graves with that fire, and the +living will be slain by the fire's heat, and straightways after requickened +to eternity. The fire will in no wise injure the righteous who had before +been cleansed from sins; but whosoever is uncleansed shall eat the fire's +breath; and we shall then all come to the doom. The doom will be deemed on +no earthly field, but will be as the apostle here above in this lesson +said, that we shall be seized up in clouds towards Christ, through the air; +and there will be the separation of righteous and impious men. The +righteous will afterwards dwell nowhere but with God in the kingdom of +heaven, and the impious nowhere but with the devil in hell-torments. + +Jesus concluded this gospel with these words: "Heaven and earth shall pass +away, but my words shall never pass away." Heaven and earth will not turn +to naught, but they will be changed from the form in which they now exist +to a {619} better form, as John the Evangelist said, "Then there shall be a +new heaven and a new earth." There will not indeed be others created, but +these will be renewed. Heaven and earth will pass away, but will, +nevertheless, continue, for they will be cleansed by fire from the form +which they now have, and will yet stand ever in their own nature. Then will +the sun be sevenfold brighter than it now is, and the moon will have the +light of the sun. + +David verily prophesied of Christ's advent in these words: "God shall come +manifestly, and he will not keep silence. Fire shall burn in his sight, and +round about him shall be a mighty storm." The storm will wash whatsoever +the fire burns. Of that day the prophet Zephaniah said, "The great day of +God is very near at hand, and exceedingly swift: bitter shall be the voice +of that day: there shall the strong be afflicted. That day is a day of +wrath, and a day of affliction and anxiety, a day of misery and wail, a day +of darkness and dimness, a day of the trumpet and of outcry." + +My brothers, set the remembrance of this day before your eyes, and +whatsoever now appears to be trouble, it shall all be mitigated on +comparison with it. Correct your lives, and change your conduct, punish +your evil deeds with weeping, withstand the temptations of the devil; +eschew evil and do good, and ye will be by so much the more secure at the +advent of the eternal Judge, as ye now with terror anticipate his severity. +The prophet said, that the great day of God is very near at hand and very +swift. Though there were yet another thousand years to that day, it would +not be long; for whatsoever ends is short and quick, and will be as it had +never been, when it is ended. But though it were long to that day, as it is +not, yet will our time not be long, and at our ending it will be adjudged +to us, whether we in rest or in torment shall await the common doom. Let +us, therefore, profit by the time which God has given us, and merit the +everlasting life with him who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + + +{620} + +NOTES. + + _Page 2, l. 5 from bot._ undergann--_here a finite verb seems wanting_. + + --_2, l. 3 f. b._ geendung thyssere worulde. _It was an universal + belief at the time throughout Europe, that the world was to end in the + year 1000_: M. Michelet _has collected the principal passages to be + found in the old writers relative to this superstition_. Concil. Trosl. + a. 909 (Mansi, xviii. p. 266): "_Dum jam jamque adventus imminet illius + in majestate terribili, ubi omnes cum gregibus suis venient pastores in + conspectum Pastoris aeterni_," etc.--Trithemii Chron. a. 960: "_Diem + jamjam imminere dicebat_ (Bernhardus, eremita Thuringiae) _extremum, et + mundum in brevi consummandum_."--Abb. Floriac. a. 990 (Gallandius, xiv. + 141): "_De fine mundi coram populo sermonem in ecclesia Parisiorum + audivi, quod statim finito mille annorum numero Antichristus adveniret, + et non longo post tempore universale judicium succederet_."--Will. + Godelli Chron. ap. Scriptt. Fr. x. 262: "_A.D._ MX, _in multis locis + per orbem tali rumore audito, timor et moeror corda plurimorum + occupavit, et suspicati sunt multi finem saeculi adesse_."--Rad. + Glaber, l. iv. ibid. 49: "_Aestimabatur enim ordo temporum et + elementorum praeterita ab initio moderans saecula in chaos decidisse + perpetuum, atque humani generis interitum_." Hist. de France, t. ii. p. + 300, _note_, ed. Bruxelles. + + --_6, l. 8._ heofenas. Sic MS. _for_ heofenes _or_ heofenan. + + --_8, l. ult._ awecdh. MS. Reg. _has_ awyhtdh, _and after_ anre handa + _adds_ and ealle eordhan he belicdh on his handa. {621} + + --_10, l. 11 f. b._ nordh-daele. _So Caedmon_, p. 3, l. 8. + + tha he worde cwaedh, + . . . . . + thaet he on nordh-daele + h['a]m and heah-setl + heofena rices + agan wolde. + + _In fact the whole beginning of the work ascribed to Caedmon appears to + be a metrical paraphrase of this homily._ Andweald _is corrupt + orthography for_ anweald. + + --_26, l. 13 f. b._ _for_ geferena, MS. Reg. _has_ thegena. + + --_28, l. 2 f. b._ _After_ acenned waes, MS. Reg. _adds_, sedhe aefre + buton anginne of tham Aelmihtigan Faeder acenned waes. + + --_42, l. 12._ Nis nan ... Haelend Crist. _These words seem an + interpolation, or incidental remark of Aelfric; they are therefore + inclosed as a parenthesis in the translation._ + + --_58, l. 9._ maegdhhad _should correctly have been rendered_ + virginity. + + --_84, l. 9 f. b._ _This passage concerning Rachel is not clear: it may + possibly refer to some rabbinic tradition about her children._ + + --_98, l. 8 f. b._ on thissere stowe, _in this place_. _The place where + Aelfric composed the homily, probably Cerne abbey_ (Cernel). + + --_100, l. 10 f. b._ nelladh heora thing wanian. _This passage is + obscure, and the translation purely conjectural. Monday was accounted + an unlucky day by the old Germans._ _See_ Grimm, D. M. p. 662, _and on + superstitions connected with the moon_, ib. p. 407. + + --_108, l. 13._ _This passage is evidently the original of the lines in + the_ Codex Exoniensis, p. 69, 30 _sq., and contribute to strengthen the + opinion that Cynewulf was the author of that work, as well as of the + Vercelli poetry. To him Aelfric dedicated his Life of S. Aethelwold._ + + --_174, l. 9._ _On praying to saints for their intercession, see also_ + Theodori Lib. Poeniten. xlviii. 1, 2. _in_ 'Ancient Laws and Institutes + of England.' + + --_190, l. 13 f. b._ we his gelyfadh. _The construction with the + genitive is worthy of notice: in another place we have_, we dhe + gelyfadh Cristes aeristes. + + --_242, l. 16._ alefed. _This word is probably akin to_ laepeo (T. + Roffens. laeweo) _in the_ Laws of Eadward and Guthrum, x. {622} (Anc. + LL. and Inst.), _which in the old Latin version is rendered_, membris + disfactus. + + --_244._ Rubric. "_The_ Litania Major _is St. Mark's day, and the_ + Litania Minor _is for the Rogation time, or the three days preceding + the feast of the Ascension, by the Anglo-Saxons called_ Gang-days. _The + service both on St. Mark's day, and on the three Rogation days before + the Ascension is the same, and from the present homily it seems, that + on the Rogation days the Litany in the time of Aelfric was called + Major, as it is also in the Canons of Charlemagne, and in some very old + MSS. of the Liturgy; though by the Council of Clovesho_, A.D. 747, _the + service used on St. Mark's day was called_ 'Litania Major,' _leaning + for the use of the term on the authority of Rome. The distinction is + still strictly observed, the_ Litania Major _signifying St. Mark's day, + the other the Rogation week_."--R. + + --_244, l. 16._ Uigenna, Vienne _in the former province of + Dauphin['e]_. + + --_246, l. 6 f. b._ haligdom _may here probably signify_ the host. + + --_294, l. 13._ Lucas se Godspellere. _See_ Homily p. 314, _where the + book of_ The Acts of the Apostles _is ascribed to St. Luke_. + + --_298, l. 5 f. b._ twegen englas, etc. _See_ Cod. Exon. p. 28. + + --_322, l. 15 f. b._ _See_ Cod. Exon. p. 295. + + --_338, l. 8 f. b._ thonne. _In_ Matt. xviii. 12. _and_ Luke xv. 4. hu + ne. + + --_436._ Hom. de Assumptione, etc. _Here some leaves have been cut out + of the MS.; the part wanting, reaching to p. 446, l. 3, is supplied + from _MS. Reg._ It is also supplied (apparently by the hand of + Wheelocke) in the MS. itself, but in a text far too corrupt for use._ + + --_448, l. 4._ _For_ nalaes, MS. Reg. _reads here_, ne laes, _which is + followed in the version; but the entire passage is still far from + clear_. + + --_524, l. 9 f. b._ _Here a leaf has been cut out; the part wanting, + reaching to p. 530, l. 11, is supplied from_ MS. Reg. + + --_534, l. 9._ "_This passage refers to a ceremony once in very general + usage. It was the custom to spread out a sheet of sackcloth on the + floor, and on this to sprinkle ashes in the shape of a cross. Just as + the dying person was in the last agony, he was taken out of bed, and + stretched on the sackcloth and ashes; it being deemed more becoming, + that sinful man should yield up {623} his soul thus, than on a soft + bed, when his divine Redeemer died on the hard wood of the cross._"--R. + + _This usage was not obsolete about twenty-five years since._ + + --_566, l. 5._ nywerenan (MS. Bodl. niwernan). _In the_ Bodley MS. + _this word (which I do not recollect to have seen elsewhere) is glossed + by_ tenero. + + --_586, l. 6 f. b_. _An account of the passion of St. Andrew wholly + different from that contained in this homily, is that on which the poem + entitled_ The Legend of St. Andrew _is founded, for the details of + which the reader is referred to the preface of Mr. Kemble's edition of_ + The Poetry of the Codex Vercellensis. _In a very mutilated manuscript + of Anglo-Saxon homilies at Blickling Hall, for the loan of which the + Society is indebted to the kindness of_ THE DOWAGER LADY SUFFIELD, + _there is a fragment of a homily which, it seems highly probable, was + the immediate original of the Vercelli poem_. + + --_598, l. 8 f. b._ aetwindan. _The meaning of this word here I do not + understand: can it be an error for_ hit windan? + + --_608, l. 9._ undergynnende. _I am not aware of the occurrence of this + word elsewhere. In Aelfric's Preface to the Heptateuch_ (Analecta A.-S. + p. 25) _we find_ underbeginnenne _in the sense of_ to understand. + +END OF VOL. I. + +PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN E. TAYLOR, +RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. + + * * * * * + + +Corrections made to printed original. + +P. 20:--"forluron tha gesaeldhe ure sawle"; 'gesaeldhae' in original. + +Ibid.:--"we ne forluron n['a] tha undeadlicnysse"; 'undeadlicnyssae' in +original. + +P. 34:--"Ic eom se liflica hl['a]f"; 'lifllica' in original. + +P. 46:--"mid heora fordhfaedera gebysnunge"; 'gebysnungae' in original. + +P. 69:--"all the country of Asia"; 'allthe' in original. + +P. 100:--"wyrigung of deofle"; 'deofie' in original. + +P. 124:--"be dham cwaedh se apostol Paulus"; 'ce dham' in original. + +P. 130:--"gefremman swa hwaet swa dhu wilt"; 'gefremmam' in original. + +P. 186:--"Alii euangelistae ferunt"; 'euangeliste' in original. + +P. 274:--"agyldan gescead hu he dha atuge"; 'ges cead huhe' in original. + +P. 298:--"dhe bodade Godes acennednysse"; 'accennednysse' in original. + +P. 519:--"whithersoever the angels fly"; 'whithersover' in original. + +P. 571:--"Deliver unto us Daniel"; 'unto to' in original. + +P. 591:--"Aegeas said, "I will with torments ...""; 'Egeas' in original. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church, by Ælfric + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOMILIES *** + +***** This file should be named 38334.txt or 38334.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/3/38334/ + +Produced by Julie Barkley, Keith Edkins and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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