Chapter III: 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.

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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.

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