Chapter XVIII: K=l. Sept (4)

"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.

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{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.

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[=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.