I Aelfric, monk and mass-priest, although more weakly than for such orders
is fitting, was sent, in king Aethelred's day, from bishop Aelfeah,
Aethelwold's successor, to a minster which is called Cernel, at the prayer
of Aethelmaer the thane, whose birth and goodness are known everywhere.
Then it occurred to my mind, I trust through God's grace, that I would turn
this book from the Latin language into the English tongue; not from
confidence of great learning, but because I have seen and heard of much
error in many English books, which unlearned men, through their simplicity,
have esteemed as great wisdom: and I regretted that they knew not nor had
not the evangelical doctrines among their writings, those men only excepted
who knew Latin, and those books excepted which king Aelfred wisely turned
from Latin into English, which are to be had. For this cause I presumed,
trusting in God, to undertake this task, and also because men have need of
good instruction, especially at this time, which is the ending of this
world, and there will be many calamities among mankind before the end
cometh, according to what our Lord in his gospel said to his disciples,
"Then shall {5} be such tribulations as have never been from the beginning
of the world. Many false Christs shall come in my name, saying, 'I am
Christ,' and shall work many signs and wonders, to deceive mankind; and
also the elect, if it may be. And unless Almighty God shorten those days,
all mankind will perish; but for his elect he will shorten those days."
Everyone may the more easily withstand the future temptation, through God's
support, if he is strengthened by book learning, for they shall be
preserved who continue in faith to the end. Many tribulations and hardships
shall come on this world before its end, and those are the proclaimers of
everlasting perdition to evil men, who afterwards for their crimes suffer
eternally in the swart hell. Then Antichrist shall come, who is human man
and true devil, as our Saviour is truly man and God in one person. And the
visible devil shall then work innumerable miracles, and say that he himself
is God, and will compel mankind to his heresy: but his time will not be
long, for God's anger will destroy him, and this world will afterwards be
ended. Christ our Lord healed the weak and diseased, and the devil, who is
called Antichrist, which is interpreted, Opposition-Christ, weakens and
enfeebles the hale, and heals no one from diseases, save those alone whom
he himself had previously injured. He and his disciples injure men's bodies
secretly through the devil's power, and heal them openly in the sight of
men: but he may not heal those whom God himself had before afflicted. He
compels, through wickedness, men to swerve from the faith of their Creator
to his leasings, who is the author of all leasing and wickedness. Almighty
God permits the impious Antichrist to work signs, and miracles, and
persecution, for three years and a half; for in that time there will be so
much wickedness and perversity among mankind, that they will be well worthy
of devilish persecution, to the eternal perdition of those who incline unto
him, and to the eternal joy of those who by faith resist him. God also
permits that {7} his chosen servants be cleansed from all sins through
great persecutions, as gold is tried in fire. The devil slays those who
withstand him, and then, with holy martyrdom, they go to the kingdom of
heaven. Those who believe in his leasings, those he honours, and they shall
have afterwards eternal torment for reward of their sin. The impious one
will cause fire to come from above, as it were from heaven, in sight of
men, as if he were God Almighty, who rules over heaven and earth; but
Christians must then be mindful how the devil did, when he prayed to God
that he might tempt Job; he made fire to come from above, as if from
heaven, and burned all his sheep out in the field, and the shepherds also,
save one who should announce it to him. The devil sent not fire from
heaven, though it came from above; for he himself was not in heaven, after
that he, for his pride, had been cast out. Nor also hath the cruel
Antichrist the power to send down heavenly fire, though he, through the
devil's craft, may so pretend. It will now be wiser that everyone know
this, and know his belief, lest anyone have to await great misery. Our Lord
commanded his disciples that they should instruct and teach all people the
things which he had himself taught to them; but of those there are too few
who will well teach and well exemplify. The Lord also cried, through his
prophet Ezechiel, "If thou warnest not the unrighteous, and exhortest him
not, so that he turn from his wickedness and live, then shall the wicked
die in his iniquity, and I will require from thee his blood," that is, his
perdition. "But if thou warnest the wicked, and he will not turn from his
wickedness, thou shalt release thy soul with that admonition, and the
wicked shall die in his unrighteousness." Again the Almighty spake to the
prophet Isaiah, "Cry and cease thou not, raise thy voice as a trumpet, and
declare to my people their crimes, and to the family of Jacob their sins."
From such commands it appeared to me that I should not be guiltless before
God, if I would not declare to {9} other men, by tongue or by writings, the
evangelical truth, which he himself spake, and afterwards to holy teachers
revealed. Very many I know in this country more learned than I am, but God
manifests his wonders through whom he will. As an almighty worker he works
his work through his chosen, not because he has need of our aid, but that
we may earn eternal life by the performance of his work. Paul the apostle
said, "We are God's assistants," and yet we do nothing for God without the
assistance of God. Now I desire and beseech, in God's name, if anyone will
transcribe this book, that he carefully correct it by the copy, lest we be
blamed through careless writers. He does great evil who writes false,
unless he correct it; it is as though he turn true doctrine to false error;
therefore should everyone make that straight which he before bent crooked,
if he will be guiltless at God's doom. Quid necesse est in hoc codice
capitula ordinare, cum praediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat?
excepto quod Aethelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro.
* * * * *
INCIPIT LIBER CATHOLICORUM SERMONUM ANGLICE, IN AECCLESIA PER ANNUM
RECITANDORUM.