Chapter V: K=l. Jan (4)

Sodhlice hit is awriten, "Swa hwa swa wile beon freond thisre worulde, se bidh geteald Godes feond." Crist cwaedh on sumere stowe, thaet "Se weig is swidhe nearu and sticol, sedhe laet to heofonan rice; and se is swidhe r['u]m and smedhe, sedhe laet to helle-wite." Se weig, sedhe laet to heofenan rice, is fordhi nearu and sticol, fordhi thaet we sceolon mid earfodhnysse geearnian urne edhel. Gif we hine habban willadh, we sceolon lufian mildheortnysse, and claennysse, and sodhfaestnysse, and rihtwisnysse, and eadmodnysse, and habban sodhe lufe to Gode and to mannum, and d['o]n aelmessan be ure maedhe, and habban gemet on urum bigleofan, and gehwilce odhere halige dhing began. Thas dhing we ne magon d['o]n butan earfodhnyssum; ac gif we h['i] dodh, thonne mage we mid tham geswincum, dhurh Godes fultum, astigan dhone sticolan weg the us gelaet to dham ecan life. Se weg sedhe laet to forwyrde is fordhi brad and {164} smedhe, fordhi the ['u]nlustas gebringadh thone man to forwyrde. Him bidh swidhe softe, and nan geswinc thaet he fylle his galnysse, and druncennysse, and gytsunge begange and modignysse, and dha unstrangan berype, and d['o]n swa hwaet swa hine lyst: ac dhas undheawas and odhre swilce gelaedadh hine butan geswince to ecum tintregum, buton he aer his ende yfeles geswice and g['o]d wyrce. Dysig bidh se wegferenda man sedhe nimdh thone smedhan weg the hine mislaet, and forlaet dhone sticolan the hine gebrincdh to dhaere byrig. Swa eac we beodh sodhlice ungerade, gif we lufiadh tha sceortan softnysse and dha hwilwendlican lustas to dhan swidhe, thaet hi us gebringan to dham ecan pinungum. Ac uton niman thone earfodhran weg, thaet we her sume hwile swincon, to dhy thaet we ecelice beon butan geswince. Eadhe mihte Crist, gif he wolde, on thisum life wunian butan earfodhnyssum, and faran to his ecan rice butan dhrowunge, and butan deadhe; ac he nolde. Be dham cwaedh Petrus se apostol, "Crist dhrowode for us, and sealde us bysne, thaet we sceolon fyligan his fotswadhum;" thaet is, thaet we sceolon sum dhing throwian for Cristes lufon, and for urum synnum. Wel dhrowadh se man, and Gode gecwemlice, sedhe windh ongean leahtras, and godnysse gefremadh, swa swa he fyrmest maeg. Se dhe nan dhing nele on dhissum life dhrowian, he sceal dhrowian unthances wyrsan dhrowunga on tham toweardan life.

Nu genealaecdh claene tid and halig, on thaere we sceolon ure gimeleaste gebetan: cume fordhi gehwa cristenra manna to his scrifte, and his diglan gyltas geandette, and be his l['a]reowes taecunge gebete; and tihte aelc odherne to g['o]de mid godre gebysnunge, thaet eal folc cwedhe be ['u]s, swa swa be dham blindan gecweden waes, dhadha his eagan waeron onlihte; thaet is, Eall folc the thaet wundor geseah, herede God, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.

{153} SHROVE SUNDAY.

Adsumpsit Jesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua.

It is here read in this gospel, which we now have heard from the deacon's mouth, that "Jesus took his twelve disciples apart, and said to them, Behold, we shall go to the city of Jerusalem, and then shall be fulfilled all the things that have been written of me by the prophets. I shall be betrayed to the Gentiles, and they shall mock and scourge me, and afterwards slay me, and I shall arise from death on the third day. But his disciples knew not the meaning of these words. Then it came to pass that they came near to a city which is called Jericho, and there sat a certain blind man by the way; and when he heard the passing of the people with Jesus, he asked who was passing there. They said to him that Jesus was passing. Then he began to cry, and said, Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me. The men, who were going before Jesus, chided the blind man, that he might be silent. He cried then much louder, Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me. Jesus then stood, and bade them lead the blind man to him. When he came near Jesus asked him, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? He said, Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him, Look now: thy faith hath healed thee. And he immediately saw, and followed Jesus, and glorified him. Then all the people who saw that miracle glorified God with great fervour."

The beginning of this gospel touched our Saviour's passion, though he did not suffer at this time; but he would from afar and long before make known his passion to his disciples, that they might not be too much terrified by his passion, when the time came that he would suffer. Their mind was terrified by Christ's saying, but he again cheered them by the words which he spake, "I will arise from death on the third day." He would then strengthen and confirm {155} their faith with miracles. And they came then to the place where the blind man sat by the way, and Christ healed him before the sight of all the multitude, to the end that, with that miracle, he might bring them to belief. But the miracles which Christ wrought manifested one thing by power, and another thing they betokened by mystery. He wrought those miracles indeed through divine power, and with those miracles confirmed the people's faith; but yet there was another hidden thing in those miracles, in a spiritual sense. The one blind man betokened all mankind, who were blinded through Adam's sin, and thrust from the joy of Paradise, and brought to this life, which is compared to a prison. Now we are shut out from the heavenly light, and we may not, in this life, enjoy the light eternal; nor know we of it more than so much as, through Christ's teaching, we read in books. This world, though it may sometimes seem gay, yet is no more like the world eternal, than is some prison to the light day. All mankind, as we before said, was blinded with lack of faith and error; but through Christ's advent we were drawn from our errors, and enlightened by faith. We have now the light in our mind, that is Christ's faith; and we have a hope of the joy of everlasting life, though we yet bodily dwell in our prison.

The blind man sat at the city which is called Jericho. Jericho is interpreted and called _moon_. The moon both waxes and wanes: for a half month it is waxing, for a half it is waning. Now the moon betokeneth our mortal life and the decay of our mortality. At the one end men are born, at the other they depart. When Christ came to the city of Jericho, which betokeneth the moon, the blind man received sight. That is, when Christ came to our mortality, and assumed our human nature, mankind was enlightened, and received sight. He sat by the way; and Christ said in {157} his gospel, "I am the way, and truth, and life." The man who knows nothing of the eternal light is blind; but if he believes in Jesus, then sits he by the way. If he will not pray for the light eternal, then sits he blind by the way, without prayer. He who rightly believes in Christ, and fervently prays for his soul's enlightening, he sits by the way praying. Whosoever is sensible of his mind's blindness, let him cry with inward heart, as the blind man cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."

The multitude that went before Jesus chided the blind man, and bade him be still. The multitude betokens our evil desires and vices, which call to us and occupy our hearts, so that we cannot pray so fervently as we ought. It happens frequently when a man is desirous to withdraw from evil and atone for his sins, and with his whole mind turn to God, that his old misdeeds, which he had previously committed, will then come and afflict his mind, and will still his voice, that he may not cry to God. But what did the blind man, when the people would still him? He called so much the louder, until Jesus heard his voice and healed him. So should we do also, if the devil trouble us with manifold thoughts and temptations: we should call louder and louder to Jesus, that he drive the evil temptations from our hearts, and that he enlighten our mind with his grace. But if we continue praying, then may we with our cry incline Jesus to stand, who was before passing on, and to hear our cry, and enlighten our hearts with good and pure thoughts. Evil thoughts cannot harm us, if they are not pleasing to us; but the more the devil terrifies us with evil thoughts, so much the better shall we be, and dearer to God, if we despise the devil and all his temptations through God's assistance.

What is Jesus's standing, or what is his passing? He passed through his human nature, and he stood through the divine nature. He passed through human nature, so that he {159} was born, and passed from place to place, and suffered death, and from death arose, and ascended to heaven. This is his passing. He stands through his divine nature; because he is, by his power, everywhere present, and needs not go from place to place; because he is in every place through his divine nature. When he was passing he heard the blind man's cry; and when he stood he gave him sight; because through his human nature he bewails the blindness of our minds, and through his divine nature he gives us light, and enlightens our blindness. He said to the blind man, "What wilt thou that I do to thee?" Thinkest thou that he knew not what the blind man desired, he who could heal him? But he would that the blind man should pray; for he exhorts everyone very urgently to prayers: for though he says, in another place, "Your heavenly Father knoweth what ye require, before ye pray to him for anything," yet the good God desires that we should fervently pray to him; because by prayers is our heart stimulated and turned to God.

Then said the blind man, "Sir, do that I may see." The blind man prayed neither for gold, nor silver, nor any worldly things, but prayed for his sight. For naught he accounted it to pray for anything but sight; because, though the blind may have something, he cannot without light see that which he has. Let us then imitate this man who was healed by Christ, both in body and in soul: let us pray, not for deceitful riches, nor transitory honours; but let us pray to our Lord for light: not for that light which will be ended, which will be driven away by the night, that which is common to us and to the brutes; but let us pray for that light which we can see with angels only, which shall never be ended. To that light verily our faith shall bring us, as Christ said to the blind man, "Look now: thy faith hath healed thee."

Now some unbelieving man will ask, How may I desire the spiritual light which I cannot see? Now to that man I say, that the things which he understands and may {161} comprehend, he understands those things not through his body, but through his soul; yet no man sees his soul in this life. It is invisible, but, nevertheless, it guides the visible body. The body, which is visible, has life from the soul, which is invisible. If that which is invisible depart, then will the visible fall down; because it before stood not of itself. The life of the body is the soul, and the life of the soul is God. If the soul depart, the mouth cannot cry, though it gape; nor the eye see, though it be open; nor will any limb do anything, if the body be soulless. So also the soul, if God, for its sins, forsake it, it will do nothing good. No man may do anything good without God's support. The sinful soul will not be wholly turned to naught, though it be rendered dead to good; but it will be dead to every excellence and happiness, and will be preserved to eternal death, where it will be ever continuing in torments, and yet will never perish.

How canst thou now doubt of the eternal light, though it be invisible, when thou hast life from an invisible soul, and thou doubtest not that thou hast a soul, though thou canst not see it? The blind man, when he could see, followed Jesus. That man sees and follows God, who can understand God, and does good works. That man sees and will not follow God, who understands God, and will not do good works. But let us understand God, and do good works: let us behold whither Christ goes, and follow him; that is, that we should meditate on what he teaches, and what is pleasing to him, and that with works fulfil, as he himself said, "He who will serve me, let him follow me;" that is, let him imitate me, and shun every evil, and love every good, as I do. Christ gained for himself in this life neither land nor riches, as he of himself said, "The beasts have holes, and the birds have nests, where they rest, and I have not where I may lay down {163} my head." He had as much as he recked of, and lived on the possessions of other men, he who owned all things.

We read in the book of Christ that the people resolved concerning him, that they would seize him, and set him up for king, that he might be their temporal head, as he was divinely. When Christ perceived the people's will he fled alone to a mountain, and his companions went to the sea, and Jesus was up on land. Then by night Jesus went on the water with dry feet, until he came to his disciples, where they were in a ship. He fled from worldly honour, when he was chosen king; but he fled not from reproach and scorn, when the Jews would hang him on a cross. He would not encircle his head with a golden crown, but with one of thorns, as it was done at his passion. He would not reign for a while in this life, who rules eternally in heaven. This world is not our country, but is our place of exile; therefore should we not set our hope in this deceitful life, but should hasten with good deserts to our country, for which we were created, that is, to the kingdom of heaven.

Verily it is written, "Whosoever will be a friend of this world, he shall be accounted a foe of God." Christ said in some place, that "The way is very narrow and steep which leads to the kingdom of heaven; and it is very wide and smooth which leads to hell-torment." The way which leads to the kingdom of heaven is narrow and steep, in order that we should with difficulty gain our country. If we desire to obtain it, we should love mercy, and chastity, and truth, and righteousness, and humility, and have true love to God and to men, and give alms according to our means, and be moderate in our food, and observe all other holy things. These things we cannot do without difficulties; but if we do them, then may we with those labours, through God's support, ascend the steep way which leads us to eternal life. The way which leads to perdition is broad and smooth, because wicked {165} lusts bring a man to perdition. It is very soft to him and no labour to satiate his libidinousness and drunkenness, and practise covetousness and pride, and rob the weak, and do whatsoever he lists: but those evil practices and others such lead him without labour to eternal torments, unless before his end he desist from evil and do good. Foolish is the wayfaring man who takes the smooth way that misleads him, and forsakes the steep which brings him to the city. So also shall we be truly inconsiderate, if we love brief voluptuousness and transitory pleasures so greatly that they bring us to eternal torments. But let us take the more difficult way, that we may here for some time labour, in order to be eternally without labour. Easily might Christ, had he been willing, have continued in this life without hardships, and gone to his everlasting kingdom without suffering, and without death; but he would not. Concerning which Peter the apostle said, "Christ suffered for us, and gave us an example, that we should follow his footsteps;" that is, that we should suffer something for love of Christ, and for our sins. Well suffers the man, and acceptably to God, who strives against wickedness, and promotes goodness, as he best may. He who will suffer nothing in this life, shall suffer against his will in the life to come.

Now is a pure and holy time drawing nigh, in which we should atone for our remissness: let, therefore, every christian man come to his confessor, and confess his secret sins, and amend by the teaching of his instructor; and let everyone stimulate another to good by good example, that all people may say of us, as was said of the blind man when his eyes were enlightened; that is, All people who saw that miracle praised God, who liveth and reigneth ever without end. Amen.

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{166} DOMINICA PRIMA IN QUADRAGESIMA.

Ductus est Iesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua.

Ic wolde eow trahtnian this godspel, dhe mann nu beforan eow raedde, ac ic ondraede thaet ge ne magon dha micelan deopnysse thaes godspelles swa understandan swa hit gedafenlic sy. Nu bidde ic eow thaet ge beon gedhyldige on eowerum gedhance, odhthaet we dhone traht mid Godes fylste oferraedan magon.

"Se Haelend waes gelaed fram tham Halgan Gaste to anum westene, to dhy thaet he waere gecostnod fram deofle: and he dha faeste feowertig daga and feowertig nihta, swa thaet he ne onbyrigde aetes ne waetes on eallum tham fyrste: ac sidhdhan him hingrode. Tha genealaehte se costnere, and him to cwaedh, Gif dhu sy Godes Sunu, cwedh to dhisum stanum thaet hi beon awende to hlafum. Dha andwearde se Haelend, and cwaedh, Hit is awriten, ne leofadh se mann na be hlafe anum, ac lyfadh be eallum dham wordum the gadh of Godes mudhe. Tha genam se deofol hine, and gesette hine uppan dham scylfe thaes heagan temples, and cwaedh, Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, feall nu ad['u]n: hit is awriten, thaet englum is beboden be dhe, thaet hi dhe on hira handum ahebbon, thaet thu furdhon ne dhurfe dhinne fot aet stane aetspurnan. Tha cwaedh se Haelend eft him to, Hit is awriten, Ne fanda thines Drihtnes. Tha genam se deofol hine eft, and gesette hine uppan anre swidhe heahre dune, and aeteowde him ealles middangeardes welan, and his wuldor, and cwaedh him to, Ealle dhas dhing ic forgife dhe, gif dhu wilt feallan to minum fotum and gebiddan the to me. Dha cwaedh se Haelend him to, Ga dhu underbaecc, sceocca! Hit is awriten, Gehw['a] sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne anum, and him anum dheowian. Tha forlet se deofol hine, and him comon englas to, and him dhenodon."

Se Halga Gast laedde thone Haelend to tham westene, to dhy thaet he waere thaer gecostnod. Nu wundradh gehw['a] h['u] se deofol dorste genealaecan to dham Haelende, thaet he hine costnode: {168} ac h['e] ne dorste Cristes f['a]ndian, gif him alyfed naere. Se Haelend com to mancynne fordhi thaet he wolde ealle ure costnunga oferswidhan mid his costnungum, and oferswidhan urne dhone ecan deadh mid his hwilwendlicum deadhe. Nu waes he swa eadmod thaet he gedhafode dham deofle thaet he his fandode, and he gedhafode lydhrum mannum thaet hi hine ofslogon. Deofol is ealra unrihtwisra manna heafod, and tha yfelan men sind his lima: nu gedhafode God thaet thaet heafod hine costnode, and thaet dha limu hine ahengon.

Tham deofle waes micel twynung, Hwaet Crist waere? His l['i]f naes na gel['o]god swa swa odhra manna l['i]f. Crist ne aet mid gyfernysse, ne he ne dr['a]nc mid oferflowendnysse, ne his eagan ne ferdon worigende geond mislice lustas. Tha smeade se deofol hwaet he waere; hwaedher he waere Godes Sunu, sedhe manncynne behaten waes. Cwaedh tha on his gedhance, thaet he fandian wolde hwaet he waere. Dha faeste Crist feowertig daga and feowertig nihta on ['a]n, dha on eallum tham fyrste ne cwaedh se deofol to him thaet he etan sceolde, fordhan the h['e] geseh thaet him nan dhing ne hingrode. Eft, dhadha Crist hingrode aefter swa langum fyrste, dha wende se deofol sodhlice thaet he God naere, and cwaedh to him, "Hwi hingradh the? Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, wend thas stanas to hlafum, and et."

Eadhe mihte God, sedhe awende waeter to wine, and sedhe ealle gesceafta of nahte geworhte, eadhelice he mihte awendan dha stanas to hlafum: ac he nolde nan dhing don be dhaes deofles taecunge; ac cwaedh him to andsware, "Ne lifadh na se man be hlafe anum, ac lifadh be dham wordum dhe gadh of Godes mudhe." Swa swa thaes mannes lichama leofadh be hlafe, swa sceal his sawul lybban be Godes wordum, thaet is, be Godes lare, the he thurh wise menn on bocum gesette. Gif se lichama naefdh mete, oththe ne maeg mete dhicgean, thonne forweornadh he, and adeadadh: swa eac seo sawul, gif heo naefdh tha halgan lare, heo bidh thonne weornigende and maegenleas. Thurh dha halgan lare heo bidh strang and onbryrd to Godes willan.

Tha waes se deofol aene oferswidhed fram Criste. "And he dha hine genam, and baer upp on thaet templ, and hine sette aet {170} dham scylfe, and cwaedh to him, Gif dhu Godes Sunu sy, sceot ad['u]n; fordhan the englum is beboden be dhe, thaet h['i] dhe on handum ahebban, thaet thu ne dhurfe dhinne f['o]t aet stane aetspurnan." Her beg['a]nn se deofol to reccanne halige gewritu, and he leah mid thaere race; fordhan dhe h['e] is leas, and nan sodhfaestnys nis on him; ac he is faeder aelcere leasunge. Naes thaet na awriten be Criste thaet h['e] dha saede, ac waes awriten be halgum mannum: h['i] behofiadh engla fultumes on thissum life, thaet se deofol h['i] costnian ne mote swa swidhe swa he wolde. Swa hold is God mancynne, thaet he haefdh geset his englas us to hyrdum, thaet h['i] ne sceolon na gedhafian tham redhum deoflum thaet h['i] ['u]s fordon magon. Hi moton ure afandian, ac h['i] ne moton us nydan to nanum yfle, buton we hit sylfe agenes willan d['o]n, thurh tha yfelan tihtinge dhaes deofles. We ne beodh na fulfremede buton we beon afandode: thurh dha fandunge we sceolon gedheon, gif we aefre widhsacadh deofle, and eallum his larum; and gif we genealaecadh urum Drihtne mid geleafan, and lufe, and godum weorcum; gif we hwaer aslidon, arisan eft thaerrihte, and betan georne thaet dhaer tobrocen bidh.

Crist cwaedh tha to dham deofle, "Ne sceal man fandigan his Drihtnes." Thaet waere swidhe gilplic d['ae]d gif Crist scute dha ad['u]n, theah dhe he eadhe mihte butan awyrdnysse his lima nydher asceotan, sedhe gebigde thone heagan heofenlican bigels; ac he nolde nan dhing d['o]n mid gylpe; fordhon the se gylp is an heafod-leahter; tha nolde he ad['u]n asceotan, fordhon dhe he onscunode thone gylp; ac cwaedh, "Ne sceal man his Drihtnes f['a]ndian." Se man f['a]ndiadh his Drihtnes, sedhe, mid dyslicum truwan and mid gylpe, sum wundorlic dhing on Godes naman d['o]n wile, odhdhe sedhe sumes wundres dyslice and butan neode, aet Gode abiddan wile. Tha waes se deofol odhere sidhe thurh Cristes gedhyld oferswidhed.

"Tha genam he hine eft, and abaer hine ['u]pp on ane dune, and aetywde him ealles middangeardes welan and his wuldor, and cwaedh to him, Ealle dhas dhing ic forgife dhe, gif dhu wilt afeallan to minum fotum, and the to me gebiddan." Dyrstelice spraec se deofol her, swa swa he aer spraec, thatha he on {172} heofenum waes, thatha he wolde daelan heofonan rice widh his Scyppend, and beon Gode gel['i]c; ac his dyrstignys hine awearp dha into helle; and eac nu his dyrstignys hine genidherode, thadha he, dhurh Cristes throwunge, forlet mancynn of his anwealde. He cwaedh, "Thas dhing ic forgife dhe." Him dhuhte thaet he ahte ealne middangeard; fordhon dhe him ne widhstod nan man aerdham the Crist com the hine gewylde.

Hit is awriten on halgum bocum, "Eordhe and eall hire gefyllednys, and eal ymbhwyrft and tha dhe on dham wuniadh, ealle hit syndon Godes aehta," and na deofles. Theah-hwaedhere Crist cwaedh on his godspelle be dham deofle, thaet he waere middangeardes ealdor, and he sceolde beon ['u]t-adraefed. He is dhaera manna ealdor, the lufiadh thisne middangeard, and ealne heora hiht on thissum l['i]fe besettadh, and heora Scyppend forseodh. Ealle gesceafta, sunne, and mona, and ealle tunglan, land, and s['ae], and nytenu, ealle h['i] dheowiadh hyra Scyppende; fordhon the h['i] faradh aefter Godes dihte. Se lydhra man ['a]na, thonne he forsihdh Godes beboda, and fullg['ae]dh deofles willan, odhdhe thurh gytsunge, oththe dhurh leasunge, odhdhe dhurh graman, odhdhe dhurh odhre leahtras, thonne bidh he deofles dheowa, thonne he deofle gecwemdh, and thone forsihdh dhe hine geworhte.

"Crist cwaedh dha to dham deofle, Ga dhu underbaecc, sceocca! Hit is awriten, Man sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne, and him anum dheowian." Quidam dicunt non dixisse Saluatorem, "Satane, uade retro," sed tantum "Uade": sed tamen in rectioribus et uetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, "Uade retro Satanas," sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a X[=po], "Uade retro me," id est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Uade retro me_, sed, "Uade retro," sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus Hieronimus, in una epistola. He cwaedh to dham deofle, "Ga dhu underbaec." Deofles nama is gereht, 'Nydher-hreosende.' Nydher he ahreas, and underbaec he eode fram frimdhe his anginnes, thadha he waes ascyred fram dhaere heofonlican blisse; on hinder he eode {174} eft thurh Cristes to-cyme; on hinder he sceal g['a]n on domes daege, thonne he bidh belocen on helle-wite on ['e]cum fyre, he and ealle his geferan; and h['i] naefre sidhdhan ['u]t-brecan ne magon.

Hit is awriten on dhaere ealdan ['ae], thaet nan man ne sceal hine gebiddan to nanum deofelgylde, ne to nanum dhinge, buton to Gode anum; fordhon dhe n['a]n gesceaft nys wyrdhe thaes wurdhmyntes, buton se ana sedhe Scyppend is ealra dhinga: to him anum we sceolon ['u]s gebiddan; he ana is sodh Hlaford and sodh God. We biddadh thingunga aet halgum mannum, thaet hi sceolon ['u]s dhingian to heora Drihtne and to urum Drihtne; ne gebidde we n['a], dheah-hwaedhere, us to him, swa swa we to Gode dodh, ne hi thaet gedhafian nelladh; swa swa se engel cwaedh to Iohanne tham apostole, dhadha he wolde feallan to his fotum: he cwaedh, "Ne do thu hit na, thaet thu to me abuge. Ic eom Godes theowa, swa swa dhu and thine gebrodhra: gebide dhe to Gode anum."

"Tha forl['e]t se deofol Crist, and him comon englas to, and him dhenodon." He waes gecostnod swa swa mann, and aefter dhaere costnunge him comon halige englas to, and him dhenodon, swa swa heora Scyppende. Buton se deofol gesawe thaet Crist man waere, ne gecostnode he hine; and buton he sodh God waere, noldon dha englas him dhenian. Mycel waes ures Haelendes eadhmodnys and his gethyld on dhisre daede. He mihte mid anum worde besencan dhone deofol on thaere deopan nywelnysse; ac h['e] ne aeteowde his mihte, ac mid halgum gewritum he andwyrde dham deofle, and sealde us bysne mid his gedhylde, thaet swa oft swa we fram dhwyrum mannum aenig dhing throwiadh, thaet we sceolon wendan ure mod to Godes lare swidhor thonne to aenigre wrace.

On dhreo wisan bidh deofles costnung: thaet is on tihtinge, on lustfullunge, on gedhafunge. Deofol tiht ['u]s to yfele, ac we sceolon hit onscunian, and ne geniman nane lustfullunge to dhaere tihtinge: gif thonne ure mod nimdh gelustfullunge, thonne sceole we huru widhstandan, thaet dhaer ne beo n['a]n gedhafung to dham yfelan weorce. Seo yfele tihting is of deofle; {176} dhonne bidh oft thaes mannes m['o]d gebiged to dhaere lustfullunge, hwilon eac asl['i]t to dhaere gedhafunge; fordhon the we sind of synfullum flaesce acennede. Naes na se Haelend on dha wisan gecostnod; fordhon dhe he waes of maedene acenned buton synne, and naes nan dhing dhwyrlices on him. He mihte beon gecostnod thurh tihtinge, ac nan lustfullung ne hrepede his m['o]d. Thaer naes eac nan gedhafung, fordhon dhe dhaer naes nan lustfullung; ac waes dhaes deofles costnung fordhy eall widhutan, and nan dhing widhinnan. Ungewiss com se deofol to Criste, and ungewiss he eode aweig; fordhan the se Haelend ne geswutulode na him his mihte, ac oferdr['a]f hine gedhyldelice mid halgum gewritum.

Se ealda deofol gecostnode urne faeder Ad['a]m on dhreo wisan: thaet is mid gyfernysse, and mid idelum wuldre, and mid gitsunge; and tha weardh he oferswidhed, fordhon the he gedhafode dham deofle on eallum tham dhrim costnungum. Thurh gyfernysse he waes oferswidhed, thatha he dhurh deofles lare aet dhone forbodenan aeppel. Thurh idel wuldor he waes oferswidhed, dhadha he gelyfde dhaes deofles wordum, dhadha he cwaedh, "Swa maere ge beodh swa swa englas, gif ge of tham treowe etadh." And h['i] dha gelyfdon his leasunge, and woldon mid idelum gylpe beon beteran thonne h['i] gesceapene waeron: dha wurdon h['i] wyrsan. Mid gytsunge he waes oferswidhed, thatha se deofol cwaedh to him, "And ge habbadh gescead aegdher ge g['o]des ge ['y]feles." Nis na gytsung on feo anum, ac is eac on gewilnunge micelre gedhincdhe.

Mid tham ylcum dhrim dhingum the se deofol dhone frumsceapenan mann oferswidhde, mid tham ylcan Crist oferswidhde hine, and astrehte. Thurh gyfernysse fandode se deofol Cristes, dhadha he cwaedh, "Cwedh to dhysum stanum thaet h['i] beon to hlafum awende, and et." Thurh idel wuldor he fandode his, thatha he hine tihte thaet h['e] sceolde sceotan nydher of dhaes temples scylfe. Thurh gitsunge he fandode his, dhadha he mid leasunge him behet ealles middangeardes welan, gif he wolde feallan to his fotum. Ac se deofol waes tha oferswidhed {178} dhurh Crist on tham ylcum gemetum the he aer Adam oferswidhde; thaet he gewite fram urum heortum mid tham innfaere gehaeft, mid tham the he inn-afaren waes and us gehaefte.

We gehyrdon on dhisum godspelle thaet ure Drihten faeste feowertig daga and feowertig nihta on ['a]n. Dhadha he swa lange faeste, tha geswutelode he tha micelan mihte his godcundnysse, thurh dha he mihte on eallum dhisum andweardum life butan eordhlicum mettum lybban, gif he wolde. Eft, dhadha him hingrode, tha geswutelode he thaet h['e] waes sodh man, and fordhi metes behofode. Moyses se heretoga faeste eac feowertig daga and feowertig nihta, to dhi thaet he moste underfon Godes ['ae]; ac he ne faeste na thurh his agene mihte, ac thurh Godes. Eac se witega Elias faeste ealswa lange eac thurh Godes mihte, and sidhdhan waes genumen butan deadhe of dhisum life.

Nu is dhis faesten eallum cristenum mannum geset to healdenne on aelces geares ymbryne; ac we moton aelce daeg ures metes brucan mid forhaefednysse, dhaera metta the alyfede sind. Hw['i] is dhis faesten thus geteald thurh feowertig daga? On eallum geare sind getealde dhreo hund daga and fif and sixtig daga; thonne, gif we teodhiadh thas gearlican dagas, thonne beodh thaer six and dhritig teodhing-dagas; and fram dhisum daege odh thone halgan Easter-daeg sind twa and feowertig daga: d['o] thonne dha six sunnan-dagas of dham getele, thonne beodh tha six and dhritig thaes geares teodhing-dagas ['u]s to forhaefednysse getealde.

Swa swa Godes ['ae] ['u]s bebyt thaet we sceolon ealle tha dhing the us gesceotadh of ['u]res geares teolunge Gode tha teodhunge syllan, swa we sceolon eac on dhisum teodhing-dagum urne lichaman mid forhaefednysse Gode to lofe teodhian. We sceolon ['u]s gearcian on eallum dhingum swa swa Godes thenas, aefter thaes apostoles taecunge, on micclum gedhylde, and on halgum waeccum, on faestenum, and on claennysse modes and lichaman; fordhi laesse pleoh bidh tham cristenum men thaet he flaesces bruce, thonne he on dhissere halgan tide w['i]fes bruce. {180} Laetadh aweg ealle saca, and aelc geflitt, and gehealdadh thas tid mid sibbe and mid sodhre lufe; fordhon ne bidh nan faesten Gode andfenge butan sibbe. And dodh swa swa God taehte, tobrec dhinne hlaf, and syle dhone otherne dael hungrium men, and laed into thinum huse w['ae]dlan, and dha earman aelfremedan men, and gefrefra h['i] mid thinum godum. Thonne dhu nacodne geseo, scryd hine, and ne forseoh dhin agen flaesc. Se mann the faest buton aelmyssan, h['e] dedh swilce h['e] sparige his mete, and eft ett thaet h['e] ['ae]r mid forhaefednysse foreode; ac thaet faesten taeldh God. Ac gif dhu faestan wille Gode to gecwemednysse, thonne gehelp dhu earmra manna mid tham daele dhe dhu the sylfum oftihst, and eac mid maran, gif dhe to onhagige. Forb['u]gadh idele spellunge, and dyslice blissa, and bewepadh eowre synna; fordhon dhe Crist cwaedh, "W['a] eow the nu hlihgadh, ge sceolon heofian and wepan." Eft he cwaedh, "Eadige beodh dha dhe nu wepadh, fordhon dhe hi sceolon beon gefrefrode."

We lybbadh mislice on twelf mondhum: nu sceole we ure gymeleaste on thysne timan geinnian, and lybban Gode, we dhe odhrum timan us sylfum leofodon. And swa hwaet swa we dodh to gode, uton d['o]n thaet butan gylpe and idelre herunge. Se mann the for gylpe hwaet to g['o]de dedh, him sylfum to herunge, naefdh he dhaes nane mede aet Gode, ac haefdh his wite. Ac uton d['o]n swa swa God taehte, thaet ure godan weorc beon on dha wisan mannum cudhe, thaet h['i] magon geseon ure g['o]dnysse, and thaet h['i] wuldrian and herigan urne Heofenlican Faeder, God Aelmihtigne, sedhe forgilt mid hundfealdum swa hwaet swa we dodh earmum mannum for his lufon, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen.

{167} THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.

Ductus est Jesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua.

I would expound to you this gospel which has just now been read before you, but I fear that ye cannot understand the great depth of this gospel as it is fitting. Now I pray you to be patient in your thoughts till, with God's assistance, we can read over the text.

"Jesus was led by the Holy Ghost to a waste, in order that he might be tempted by the devil: and he there fasted forty days and forty nights, so that he tasted neither food nor drink in all that time: but he then hungered. Then the tempter approached, and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, say to these stones that they be turned to loaves. Then Jesus answered, and said, It is written, Man liveth not by bread alone, but liveth by all the words that go from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him, and set him upon the summit of the lofty temple, and said, If thou art the Son of God, fall now down: it is written, that angels are commanded concerning thee, that they shall lift thee in their hands, that thou may not dash thy foot on a stone. Then said Jesus again to him, It is written, Tempt not thy Lord. Then the devil took him again, and set him upon a very high mountain, and showed him all the wealth and glory of the world, and said to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my feet, and adore me. Then said Jesus to him, Go thou behind, Satan! It is written, Everyone shall adore his Lord alone, and him alone serve. Then the devil left him, and angels came to him, and ministered unto him."

The Holy Ghost led Jesus to the waste, that he might there be tempted. Now everyone will wonder how the devil durst approach Jesus to tempt him: but he durst not tempt {169} Jesus, if it had not been allowed him. Jesus came to mankind because he would overcome all our temptations by his temptations, and overcome our eternal death with his temporary death. Now he was so humble that he permitted the devil to tempt him, and he permitted wicked men to slay him. The devil is the head of all unrighteous men, and evil men are his limbs: now God permitted the head to tempt him, and the limbs to crucify him.

To the devil it was a great doubt, What Christ were? His life was not ordered like the lives of other men. Christ ate not with avidity, nor did he drink with excess, nor did his eyes pass wandering amid various pleasures. Then the devil meditated what he were; whether he were the Son of God, who had been promised to mankind. He said then in his thoughts, that he would prove what he were. When Christ was fasting forty days and forty nights together, in all that time the devil did not say to him that he should eat, because he saw that he hungered not. Afterwards, when Christ hungered after so long a time, then verily the devil weened that he was not God, and said to him, "Why hungerest thou? If thou art the Son of God, turn these stones to loaves, and eat."

Easily might God, who turned water to wine, and he who wrought all creatures from nothing, easily might he have turned the stones to loaves: but he would do nothing by the devil's direction; but said to him in answer, "Man liveth not by bread alone, but liveth by the words which go from the mouth of God." As man's body lives by bread, so shall his soul live by the words of God, that is, by God's doctrine, which, through wise men, he has set in books. If the body has not food, or cannot eat food, then it decays and dies: so likewise the soul, if it has not the holy doctrine, it will be perishable and powerless. By the holy doctrine it will be strong, and stimulated to God's will.

Then was the devil _once_ overcome by Christ. "And he then took him and bare him up on the temple, and set him {171} on the summit, and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, dart down; for it is commanded to angels concerning thee, that they shall raise thee on their hands, that thou may not dash thy foot against a stone." Here the devil began to expound the holy scriptures, and he lied in his exposition; because he is false, and there is no truth in him; but he is the father of all leasing. It was not written of Christ what he there said, but was written of holy men: they require the support of angels in this life, that the devil may not tempt them so much as he would. So benevolent is God to mankind, that he has set his angels over us as guardians, that they may not allow the fierce devils to fordo us. They may tempt us, but they cannot compel us to any evil, unless we ourselves do it of our own will, through the evil instigation of the devil. We shall not be perfect unless we be tempted: through temptation we shall thrive, if we ever resist the devil and all his precepts; and if we draw nigh to our Lord with faith, and love, and good works; if we anywhere slide down, arise forthwith, and earnestly mend what shall there be broken.

Christ said to the devil, "No one shall tempt his Lord." It would have been a very proud deed if Christ had cast himself down, though he easily might, without injury of his limbs, have cast himself down, who bowed the high arch of heaven; but he would do nothing in pride, because pride is a deadly sin; so he would not cast himself down, because he would shun pride; but said, "No one shall tempt his Lord." That man tempts his Lord, who, with foolish confidence and with pride, will do something in the name of God, or who will foolishly and without need pray to God for some miracle. Then was the devil, by Christ's patience, overcome _a second time_.

"Then he took him again, and bare him up on a mountain, and showed him all the riches of the world and its glory, and said to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my feet, and adore me." Presumptuously spake the devil here, as he before spake, when he was in heaven, when he {173} would share the heavenly kingdom with his Creator, and be equal to God; but his presumption then cast him down into hell; and now also his presumption humbled him, when he, through Christ's passion, let mankind out of his power. He said, "These things will I give thee." It seemed to him that he possessed all the world; because no man withstood him before Christ came who subdued him.

It is written in holy books, "Earth and all its fullness, and all the globe and those who dwell on it, all are God's possessions," and not the devil's. Nevertheless, Christ said in his gospel concerning the devil, that he was the prince of the world, and he should be driven out. He is the prince of those men who love this world, and set all their hope in this life, and despise their Creator. All creatures, sun, and moon, and all stars, land, and sea, and cattle, all serve their Creator; because they perform their course after God's direction. Wicked man alone, when he despises the commandments of God, and fulfils the devil's will, either through covetousness, or through leasing, or through anger, or through other sins, then is he the devil's thrall, then is he acceptable to the devil, and despises him who created him.

"Christ then said to the devil, Go thou behind, Satan! It is written, Man shall adore his Lord, and serve him alone." Quidam dicunt non dixisse Salvatorem, "Satane, vade retro," sed tantum "Vade": sed tamen in rectioribus et vetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, "Vade retro Satanas," sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a Christo, "Vade retro me," id est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Vade retro me_, sed "Vade retro," sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus Hieronymus, in una epistola. He said to the devil, "Go thou behind." The name of devil is interpreted, _Falling down_. He fell down, and he went behind from the beginning of his enterprize, when he was cut off from heavenly bliss; he went behind again through Christ's advent; {175} he shall go behind on doomsday, when he shall be shut up in hell in eternal fire, he and all his associates; and they never afterwards may burst out.

It is written in the old law that no man shall worship any idol, nor anything, save God alone; because no creature is worthy of that honour, save him alone who is the Creator of all things: him only should we worship; he alone is true Lord and true God. We pray for their intercessions to holy men, that they may mediate for us with their Lord and our Lord; still we do not worship them as we do God, nor would they permit it; as the angel said to John the apostle, when he would fall at his feet: he said, "Do thou it not, that thou bowest to me. I am God's servant, as thou and thy brethren: worship God alone."

"Then the devil left Christ, and angels came to him, and ministered to him." He was tempted as a man, and after the temptation holy angels came to him, and ministered to him as to their Creator. Unless the devil had seen that Christ was a man, he would not have tempted him; and unless he had been true God, the angels would not have ministered to him. Great was our Saviour's meekness and his patience in this deed. He might with one word have sunk the devil into the deep abyss; but he manifested not his might, but answered the devil with the holy scriptures, and gave us an example by his patience, that, as often as we suffer anything from perverse men, we should turn our mind to God's precepts rather than to any vengeance.

In three ways is temptation of the devil: that is in instigation, in pleasure, in consent. The devil instigates us to evil, but we should shun it, and take no pleasure in the instigation: but if our mind takes pleasure, then should we at least withstand, so that there be no consent to evil work. Instigation to evil is of the devil; but a man's mind is often {177} bent to pleasure, sometimes also it lapses into consent; seeing that we are born of sinful flesh. Not in this wise was Jesus tempted; because he was born of a virgin without sin, and that there was nothing perverse in him. He might have been tempted by instigation, but no pleasure touched his mind. There was also no consent, because there was no pleasure; therefore was the devil's temptation all without, and nothing within. Uncertain came the devil to Christ, and uncertain he went away; seeing that Jesus manifested not his power to him, but overcame him patiently by the holy scriptures.

The old devil tempted our father Adam in three ways: that is with greediness, with vain-glory, and with covetousness; and then he was overcome, because he consented to the devil in all those three temptations. Through greediness he was overcome, when, by the devil's instruction, he ate the forbidden apple. Through vain-glory he was overcome, when he believed the devil's words, when he said, "Ye shall be as great as angels, if ye eat of that tree." And they then believed his leasing, and would in their vain-glory be better than they had been created: then became they worse. With covetousness he was overcome, when the devil said to him, "And ye shall have the power to distinguish good from evil." Covetousness is not alone in money, but is also in the desire of great dignity.

With the same three things with which the devil overcame the first-created man, Christ overcame and prostrated him. Through greediness the devil tempted Christ, when he said, "Say to these stones that they be turned to loaves, and eat." Through vain-glory he tempted him, when he would instigate him to dart down from the temple's summit. Through covetousness he tempted him, when, with leasing, he promised him the wealth of all the world, if he would fall at his feet. But the devil was overcome by Christ by the {179} same means with which he had of yore overcome Adam; so that he departed from our hearts made captive by the entrance at which he had entered and made us captives.

We have heard in this gospel that our Lord fasted forty days and forty nights together. When he had fasted so long he manifested the great power of his godhead, by which he might, in all this present life, without earthly food, have lived, if he had been willing. Afterwards, when he was hungry, he manifested that he was a true man, and therefore required food. Moses the leader fasted also forty days and forty nights, that he might receive God's law; but he fasted not through his own power, but through God's. The prophet Elijah also fasted as long through God's power, and was afterwards, without death, taken from this life.

Now this fast is appointed to be held by all Christian men in the course of every year; but we must also on each day eat our food with abstemiousness, of those meats which are permitted. Why is this fast computed for forty days? In every year there are reckoned three hundred and sixty-five days; now, if we tithe these yearly days, then will there be six and thirty tithing-days, and from this day to the holy Easter-day are two and forty days: take then the six Sundays from that number, then there will be six and thirty days of the year's tithing-days reckoned for our abstinence.

As God's law enjoins us that we should of all the things which accrue to us from our yearly tillage give the tithe to God, so should we likewise on these tithing-days tithe our body with abstinence to the praise of God. We should prepare ourselves in all things as God's servants, according to the apostle's teaching, with great patience, and with holy vigils, with fasts, and with chastity of mind and body; for it is less perilous for a Christian man to eat flesh, than at this holy tide to have intercourse with woman. Set aside all {181} quarrels and every dispute, and hold this tide with peace and with true love; for no fast will be acceptable to God without peace. And do as God taught, break thy loaf, and give the second portion to an hungry man, and lead into thy house the poor, and miserable strangers, and comfort them with thy possessions. When thou seest one naked, clothe him, and despise not thy own flesh. The man who fasts without alms does as though he spares his food, and afterwards eats that which he had previously forgone in his abstinence; but God contemns such fasting. But if thou wilt fast to God's contentment, then help poor men with the portion which thou withdrawest from thyself, and also with more, if it be thy pleasure. Avoid idle discourse and foolish pleasures, and bewail your sins; for Christ said, "Woe to you who now laugh, ye shall mourn and weep." Again he said, "Blessed are they who now weep, for they shall be comforted."

We live diversely for twelve months: now we shall at this time repair our heedlessness, and live to God, we who at other times have lived for ourselves. And whatsoever good we do, let us do it without pride and vain praise. The man who does any good for pride, to his own praise, will have no reward with God, but will have his punishment. But let us do as God hath taught, that our good works may be so known to men that they may see our goodness, and glorify and praise our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who requites an hundredfold whatsoever we do to poor men for love of him who liveth and reigneth ever without end to eternity. Amen.

* * * * *

DOMINICA IN MEDIA QUADRAGESIMA.

Abiit Iesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua.

"Se Haelend ferde ofer dha Galileiscan s['ae], the is gehaten Tyberiadis, and him filigde micel menigu, fordhon the hi {182} beheoldon dha tacna the h['e] worhte ofer dha untruman men. Tha astah se Haelend up on ane dune, and thaer s['ae]t mid his leorning-cnihtum, and waes dha swidhe gehende seo halige Eastertid. Tha beseah se Haelend up, and geseah thaet dhaer waes mycel mennisc toweard, and cwaedh to anum his leorning-cnihta, se waes geh['a]ten Philippus, Mid hwam mage we bicgan hl['a]f dhisum folce? This he cwaedh to f['a]ndunge thaes leorning-cnihtes: he sylf wiste hwaet he d['o]n wolde. Dha andwyrde Philippus, Theah her waeron gebohte twa hund peningwurdh hlafes, ne mihte furdhon hyra aelc anne bitan of dham gelaeccan. Tha cwaedh an his leorning-cnihta, se h['a]tte Andreas, Petres brodhor, Her byrdh ['a]n cnapa fif berene hlafas, and twegen fixas, ac to hw['a]n maeg thaet to swa micclum werode? Tha cwaedh se Haelend, Dodh thaet thaet folc sitte. And thaer waes micel g['ae]rs on dhaere stowe myrige on to sittenne. And h['i] dha ealle saeton, swa swa mihte beon f['i]f dhusend wera. Dha genam se Haelend tha f['i]f hl['a]fas, and bletsode, and tobraec, and todaelde betwux dham sittendum: swa gel['i]ce eac tha fixas todaelde; and h['i] ealle genoh haefdon. Thadha h['i] ealle fulle waeron, dha cwaedh se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, Gaderiadh tha lafe, and h['i] ne losion. And hi dha gegaderodon dha bricas, and gefyldon twelf wilian mid dhaere lafe. Thaet folc, dha dhe dhis tacen geseah, cwaedh thaet Crist waere sodh witega, sedhe waes toweard to dhisum middangearde."

Seo s['ae], the se Haelend oferferde, getacnadh thas andweardan woruld, to dhaere com Crist and oferferde; thaet is, he com to dhisre worulde on menniscnysse, and dhis lif oferferde; he com to deadhe, and of deadhe aras; and astah up on ane dune, and thaer saet mid his leorning-cnihtum, fordhon dhe he astah up to heofenum, and thaer sitt nudha mid his halgum. Rihtlice is seo s['ae] widhmeten thisre worulde, fordhon dhe heo is hw['i]ltidum smylte and myrige ['o]n to rowenne, hwilon eac swidhe hreoh and egeful on to beonne. Swa is theos woruld; hw['i]ltidum heo is gesundful and myrige on to wunigenne, hwilon heo is eac swidhe styrnlic, and mid mislicum thingum {184} gemenged, swa thaet heo for oft bidh swidhe unwynsum on to eardigenne. Hwilon we beodh hale, hwilon untrume; nu blidhe, and eft on micelre unblisse; fordhy is this l['i]f, swa swa we aer cwaedon, thaere s['ae] widhmeten.