Men dha leofostan, nu for feawum dagum we oferraeddon this godspel aetforan
eow, the belimpdh to dhysses daeges dhenunge, for gereccednysse dhaere
godspellican endebyrdnysse; ac we ne hrepodon thone traht na swidhor thonne
to dhaes daeges wurdhmynte bel['a]mp: nu wille we eft oferyrnan tha ylcan
godspellican endebyrdnysse, and be dhyssere andweardan freolst['i]de
trahtnian.
Matheus se Godspellere cwaedh, "Cum natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iudae, in
diebus Herodis regis, ecce Magi ab oriente uenerunt Hierosolimam, dicentes,
Ubi est qui natus est Rex Iudeorum?" et reliqua. "Thadha se Haelend acenned
waes on thaere Iudeiscan Bethleem, on Herodes dagum cyninges, efne dha
comon fram east-daele middangeardes dhry tungel-witegan to dhaere byrig
Hierusalem, thus befr['i]nende, Hwaer is Iudeiscra leoda Cyning, sedhe
acenned is?" etc.
Dhes daeg is gehaten Epiphania Domini, thaet is Godes geswutelung-daeg. On
thysum daege Crist waes geswutelod tham dhrym cyningum, dhe fram east-daele
middangeardes hine mid thrimfealdum lacum gesohton. Eft embe geara ymbrynum
h['e] weardh on his fulluhte on thysum daege middangearde geswutelod,
dhadha se Halga G['a]st, on culfran h['i]we, uppon him gereste, and thaes
Faeder stemn of heofenum hl['u]de swegde, thus cwedhende, "Thes is min
leofa Sunu, the me w['e]l licadh; gehyradh him." Eac on dhisum daege he
awende waeter to aedhelum wine, and mid tham geswutelode thaet he is se
sodha Scyppend, the dha gesceafta awendan mihte. For dhisum thrym dhingum
is dhes freols-daeg Godes swutelung gecweden. On dham forman daege his
gebyrd-tide he weardh aeteowed thrym hyrdum on Iudeiscum earde, thurh dhaes
engles bodunge. On dham ylcum daege he weardh gecydd tham dhrym
tungel-witegum on east-daele, thurh dhone beorhtan steorran; ac on thysum
daege {106} h['i] comon mid heora lacum. Hit waes gedafenlic thaet se
gesceadwisa engel hine cydde tham gesceadwisum Iudeiscum, dhe Godes ['ae]
cudhon, and dham hadhenum, the dhaes godcundan gesceades nyston na dhurh
stemne, ac dhurh tacn waere geswutelod.
Tha Iudeiscan hyrdas get['a]cnodon dha gastlican hyrdas, thaet sind dha
apostolas, the Crist geceas of Iudeiscum folce, ['u]s to hyrdum and to
lareowum. Dha tungel-witegan, dhe waeron on haedhenscipe wunigende, haefdon
getacnunge ealles haedhenes folces, dhe wurdon to Gode geb['i]gede thurh
dhaera apostola l['a]re, the waeron Iudeiscre dheode. Sodhlice se
sealm-sceop awr['a]t be Criste, thaet h['e] is se hyrn-stan the gefegdh tha
twegen weallas togaedere, fordhan dhe he getheodde his gecorenan of
Iudeiscum folce and tha geleaffullan of haedhenum, swilce twegen wagas to
anre geladhunge; be dham cwaedh Paulus se apostol, "Se Haelend bodade on
his to-cyme sibbe us dhe feorran w['ae]ron, and sibbe tham dhe gehende
w['ae]ron. He is ure sibb, sedhe dyde aegdher to anum, towurpende dha
['ae]rran feondscipas on him sylfum." Tha Iudeiscan dhe on Crist gelyfdon
waeron him geh['e]ndor st['o]wlice, and eac dhurh cydhdhe thaere ealdan
['ae]: we waeron swidhe fyrlyne, aegdher ge st['o]wlice ge dhurh uncydhdhe;
ac he us gegaderode mid ['a]num geleafan to dham healicum hyrn-stane, thaet
is to annysse his geladhunge.
Dha easternan tungel-w['i]tegan ges['a]won n['i]wne steorran beorhtne, na
on heofenum betwux odhrum tunglum, ac waes ['a]ngenga betwux heofenum and
eordhan. Dha undergeaton h['i] thaet se seldcudha tungel gebicnode thaes
sodhan Cyninges acennednysse, on dham earde dhe he ofergl['a]d; and fordhi
comon to Iudea rice, and thone arleasan cyning Herodem mid heora bodunge
dhearle af['ae]rdon; fordhan dhe buton tweon seo eordhlice arleasnys weardh
gescynd, thadha seo heofenlice healicnyss weardh geopenod.
Swutol is thaet dha tungel-witegan tocneowon Crist sodhne mann, dhadha
h['i] befrunon, "Hwaer is se dhe acenned is?" H['i] oncneowon hine sodhne
Cyning, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "Iudea {108} Cyning." H['i] hine wurdhodon
sodhne God, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "We comon to dhy thaet we us to him
gebiddan." Eadhe mihte God h['i] gewissian thurh dhone steorran to dhaere
byrig the thaet cild on waes, swa swa he his acennednysse thurh dhaes
steorran up-spring geswutelode; ac he wolde thaet dha Iudeiscan boceras dha
witegunge be dham raeddon, and swa his cenning-stowe geswutelodon, thaet
h['i] gehealdene waeron, gif h['i] woldon mid than tungel-witegum h['i] to
Criste gebiddan: gif h['i] thonne noldon, thaet h['i] wurdon mid thaere
geswutelunge genidherode. Tha tungel-witegan ferdon and h['i] gebaedon, and
dha Iudeiscan boceras baeftan belifon, the tha cenning-stowe thurh
b['o]clic gescead geb['i]cnodon.
Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppendes to-cyme, buton dham arleasum
Iudeiscum anum. Heofonas oncneowon heora Scyppend, dhadha h['i] on his
acennednysse n['i]wne steorran aeteowdon. S['ae] oncneow dhadha Crist mid
drium fot-wylmum ofer hyre ydha mihtelice eode. Sunne oncneow, thatha heo
on his dhrowunge hire leoman fram mid-daege odh n['o]n behydde. Stanas
oncneowon, dhadha h['i] on his fordhsidhe sticmaelum toburston. Seo eordhe
oncneow, dhadha heo on his aeriste eall byfode. Hell oncneow, dhadha heo
hire haeftlingas undhances forlet. And dheah tha heard-heortan Iudei noldon
for eallum dham tacnum thone sodhan Scyppend tocn['a]wan, the tha dumban
gesceafta undergeaton, and mid gebicnungum geswutolodon. Naeron h['i]
swa-dheah ealle endemes ungeleaffulle, ac of heora cynne waeron aegdher ge
w['i]tegan ge apostolas, and fela dhusenda gelyfedra manna.
Thatha dha tungel-witegan thone cyning gecyrdon, tha weardh se steorra him
ungesewen; and eft, dhadha h['i] to dham cilde gecyrdon, tha gesawon h['i]
eft dhone steorran, and he dha h['i] gelaedde to tham huse, thaer h['e]
inne wunode. Ne glad h['e] ealne weig him aetforan, ac sydhdhan h['i] comon
to Iudeiscum earde, sydhdhan he waes heora latteow, odh thaet he bufan
Cristes gesthuse aetstod.
Herodes haefde deofles getacnunge; and se dhe fram Gode {110} bichdh to
deofle he forlyst Godes gife, thaet is his modes onlihtinge, swa swa dha
tungel-witegan dhone steorran forluron, dhadha h['i] dhone redhan cyning
gecyrdon. Gif he dhonne eft thone deofol anraedlice forl['ae]t, dhonne
gem['e]t h['e] eft thaes halgan Gastes gife, the his heortan onliht, and to
Criste gelaet.
Us is eac to witenne, thaet waeron sume gedwolmen dhe cw['ae]don, thaet
aelc man beo acenned be steorrena gesetnyssum, and thurh heora ymbryna him
wyrd gelimpe, and n['a]mon to fultume heora gedwylde thaet n['i]we steorra
asprang thatha Drihten lichamlice acenned weardh, and cwaedon thaet se
steorra his gewyrd waere. Gew['i]te dhis gedwyld fram geleaffullum heortum,
thaet aenig gewyrd sy, buton se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe aelcum men
foresceawadh lif be his geearnungum. Nis se man for steorrum gesceapen, ac
dha steorran sint mannum to nihtlicere lihtinge gesceapene. Thadha se
steorra gl['a]d, and tha tungel-witegan gelaedde, and him dhaes cildes inn
geb['i]cnode, dha geswutelode he thaet he waes Cristes gesceaft, and
rihtlice his Scyppende thenode: ac h['e] naes his gewyrd. Eft we biddadh
thaet n['a]n geleafful man his geleafan mid thisum gedwylde ne befyle.
Witodlice Rebecca, Isa['a]ces w['i]f, acende twegen getwysan, Iacob and
Esau, on ['a]nre tide, swa thaet Iacob heold thone yldran brodher Esau be
dham f['e]t on dhaere cenninge, and hi naeron dheah gelice on dheawum, ne
on lifes geearnungum. Witodlice thaet halige gewrit cwydh thaet God lufode
Iacob, and hatode Esau; na for gewyrde, ac for mislicum geearnungum. Hit
gelimpdh forwel oft thaet on anre t['i]de acendh seo cw['e]n and seo wyln,
and dheah gedhicdh se aedheling be his gebyrdum to healicum cynesetle, and
dhaere wylne sunu wunadh eal his l['i]f on dheowte.
Nu cwedhadh oft stunte men thaet hi be gewyrde lybban sceolon, swylce God
h['i] neadige to yfel-daedum! Ac we wylladh thyssera stuntra manna ydele
leasunge adwaescan mid deopnysse godcundra gewrita. Se Aelmihtiga Scyppend
gesceop englas thurh his godcundan mihte, and for his micclan rihtwisnysse
forgeaf him agenne cyre, thaet h['i] moston {112} dhurhwunian on ecere
gesaeldhe dhurh gehyrsumnysse, and mihton eac dha gesaeldha forleosan, na
for gewyrde, ac for ungehyrsumnysse. His deope rihtwisnys nolde h['i]
neadian to nadhrum, ac forgeaf him agenne cyre; fordhan dhe thaet is
rihtwisnys thaet gehwylcum sy his agen cyre gedhafod. Thonne waere seo
rihtwisnys aw['ae]ged, gif he h['i] neadunge to his dheowte gebigde, odhdhe
gif he h['i] to yfelnysse bescufe. Dha miswendon sume tha englas heora
agenne cyre, and thurh modignysse hy sylfe to awyrigedum deoflum geworhton.
Eft dhadha se dhrimwealdenda Scyppend mancyn geworhte, tha forgeaf h['e]
Adame and Euan agenne cyre, swa hi, dhurh gehyrsumnysse, ['a] on ecnysse,
butan deadhe, on gesaeldhe wunodon, mid eallum heora ofspringe, swa hi,
dhurh ungehyrsumnysse, deadlice wurdon. Ac dhatha h['i] Godes bebod
forgaegdon, and thaes awyrigedan deofles lare gehyrsumodon, tha wurdon hi
deadlice, and forscyldegode thurh agenne cyre, h['i] and eall heora
ofspring; and dheah dhe naefre ne wurde sydhdhan mancynne gemiltsod, dhe
m['a] dhe dham deoflum is, dheah waere Godes rihtwisnys eallunga untaele.
Ac eft seo miccle mildheortnys ures Drihtnes us alysde thurh his
menniscnysse, gif we his bebodum mid ealre heortan gehyrsumiadh. Witodlice
dha dhe nu thurh agenne cyre and deofles tihtinge God forlaetadh, God
forlaet h['i] eac to dham ecan forwyrde.
Georne wiste se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, aerdhan the he tha gesceafta gesceope,
hwaet toweard waes. He cudhe gewislice getel aegdher ge gecorenra engla ge
gecorenra manna, and eac dhaera modigra gasta and arleasra manna, the dhurh
heora arleasnysse forwurdhadh; ac he ne forestihte naenne to yfelnysse,
fordhan the he sylf is eall g['o]dnyss; ne h['e] naenne to forwyrde ne
gestihte, fordhan dhe he is sodh l['i]f. He forestihte dha gecorenan to
dham ecan life, fordhan dhe he wiste h['i] swilce towearde, thurh his gife
and agene gehyrsumnysse. He nolde forestihtan tha arleasan to his rice,
fordhan dhe he wiste h['i] swilce towearde, thurh heora agene
forgaegednysse and dhwyrnysse. {114} Healdadh this faeste on eowerum
heortum, thaet se Aelmihtiga and se Rihtwisa God naenne mann ne neadadh to
syngigenne, ac he w['a]t swa-dheah on ['ae]r hwilce thurh agenne willan
syngian willadh. Hw['i] ne sceal he dhonne rihtlice wrecan thaet yfel thaet
he onscunadh? He lufadh aelc g['o]d and rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe he is
gecyndelice g['o]d and rihtwis; and he hatadh ealle dha dhe unrihtwisnysse
wyrcadh, and tha fordedh the leasunge sprecadh. Witodlice tha the on God
belyfadh, hi sind thurh dhone Halgan G['a]st gewissode. Nis seo gecyrrednys
to Gode of us sylfum, ac of Godes gife, swa swa se apostol cwydh, "Thurh
Godes gife ge sind gehealdene on geleafan."
Tha dhe ne gelyfadh dhurh agenne cyre h['i] scoriadh, na dhurh gewyrd,
fordhan dhe gewyrd nis nan dhing buton leas wena; ne nan dhing sodhlice be
gewyrde ne gewyrdh, ac ealle dhing thurh Godes dom beodh geendebyrde, sedhe
cwaedh thurh his witegan, "Ic afandige manna heortan, and heora lendena,
and aelcum sylle aefter his faerelde, and aefter his agenre afundennysse."
Ne talige nan man his yfelan daeda to Gode, ac talige aerest to tham
deofle, the mancyn besw['a]c, and to Ad['a]mes forgaegednysse; ac dheah
swidhost to him sylfum, thaet him yfel gelicadh, and ne licadh g['o]d.
Bidh theah gelome ofsprincg forscyldegod thurh fordhfaedera m['a]ndaeda,
gif he mid yfele him geefenlaehdh. Gif dhonne se ofspring rihtwis bidh,
thonne leofadh he on his rihtwisnysse, and nateshwon his yldrena synna ne
aberdh. Ne sy n['a]n man to dhan arleas thaet h['e] Adam wyrige odhdhe
Euan, dhe nu on heofenum mid Gode rixiadh, ac geearnige swidhor Godes
mildheortnysse, swa thaet h['e] wende his agenne cyre to his Scyppendes
gehyrsumnysse and bebodum; fordhan the nan man ne bidh gehealden buton
thurh gife Haelendes Cristes: tha gife he gearcode and forestihte on ecum
raede aer middangeardes gesetnysse.
Mine gebrodhra, ge habbadh nu gehyred be dhan leasan wenan, the ydele men
gewyrd hatadh: uton nu f['o]n on thaes godspelles trahtnunge, thaer we hit
aer forleton. {116} Tha tungel-witegan eodon into dhaes cildes gesthuse,
and hine gemetton mid thaere meder. H['i] dha mid astrehtum lichaman hi to
Criste gebaedon, and geopenodon heora hordfatu, and him geoffrodon
thryfealde l['a]c, gold, and recels, and myrran. Gold gedafenadh cyninge;
st['o]r gebyradh to Godes dhenunge; mid myrran man behwyrfdh deadra manna
l['i]c, thaet h['i] late rotian. Dhas dhr['y] tungel-w['i]tegan h['i] to
Criste geb['ae]don, and him getacnigendlice lac offrodon. Thaet gold
getacnode thaet he is sodh Cyning. Se st['o]r thaet he is sodh God. Seo
myrre thaet he waes dha deadlic; ac he thurhwunadh nu undeadlic on ecnysse.
Sume gedwolmen waeron the gelyfdon thaet h['e] God waere, ac hi
nateshw['o]n ne gelyfdon thaet h['e] aeghwaer rixode: hi offrodon Criste
gastlice recels, and noldon him gold offrian. Eft waeron odhre gedwolmen
dhe gelyfdon thaet he sodh Cyning waere, ac hi widhsocon thaet he God
waere: dhas, buton twyn, him offrodon gold, and noldon offrian recels. Sume
gedwolan andetton thaet he sodh God waere and sodh Cyning, and widhsocon
thaet h['e] deadlic flaesc underfenge: thas witodlice him brohton gold and
st['o]r, and noldon bringan myrran thaere onfangenre deadlicnysse.
Mine gebrodhra, uton we geoffrian urum Drihtne gold, thaet we andettan
thaet h['e] sodh Cyning sy, and aeghwaer rixige. Uton him offrian st['o]r,
thaet we gelyfon thaet h['e] ['ae]fre God waes, sedhe on thaere tide man
aeteowde. Uton him bringan myrran, thaet we gelyfan thaet he waes deadlic
on urum flaesce, sedhe is undhrowigendlic on his godcundnysse. He waes
deadlic on menniscnysse aer his dhrowunge, ac he bidh heonon-fordh
undeadlic, swa swa we ealle beodh aefter dham gemaenelicum aeriste.
We habbadh ges['ae]d embe dhas thryfealdan lac, h['u] h['i] to Criste
belimpadh: we willadh eac secgan h['u] h['i] to ['u]s belimpadh aefter
dheawlicum andgite. Mid golde witodlice bidh wisdom get['a]cnod, swa swa
Salomon cwaedh, "Gewilnigendlic gold-hord lidh on dhaes witan mudhe." Mid
store bidh geswutelod halig {118} gebed, be dham sang se sealm-scop,
"Drihten, sy min gebed asend swa swa byrnende st['o]r on dhinre gesihdhe."
Thurh myrran is geh['i]wod cwelmbaernys ures flaesces; be dham cwedh seo
halige geladhung, "Mine handa drypton myrran." Tham acennedan Cyninge we
bringadh gold, gif we on his gesihdhe mid beorhtnysse thaes upplican
wisdomes scinende beodh. St['o]r we him bringadh, gif we ure gedhohtas
dhurh gecnyrdnysse haligra gebeda on weofode ure heortan on['ae]ladh, thaet
we magon hwaethwega wynsumlice dhurh heofenlice gewilnunge stincan. Myrran
we him offriadh, gif we dha flaesclican lustas thurh forhaefednysse
cwylmiadh. Myrra dedh, swa we aer cwaedon, thaet thaet deade flaesc
eadhelice ne rotadh. Witodlice thaet deade flaesc rotadh leahtorlice,
thonne se deadlica lichama dheowadh thaere flowendan galnysse, swa swa se
w['i]tega be sumum cwaedh, "Dha nytenu forrotedon on heora meoxe." Thonne
forrotiadh tha nytenu on heora meoxe, thonne flaesclice men on stence heora
galnysse geendiadh heora dagas. Ac gif we dha myrran Gode gastlice
geoffriadh, thonne bidh ure deadlica lichama fram galnysse stencum dhurh
forhaefednysse gehealden.
Sum dhing miccles geb['i]cnodon tha tungel-witegan us mid tham thaet hi
dhurh odherne weg to heora earde gecyrdon. Ure eard sodhlice is
neorxna-wang, to dham we ne magon gecyrran thaes weges dhe we comon. Se
frumsceapena man and eall his ofspring weardh adraefed of neorxena-wanges
myrhdhe, thurh ungehyrsumnysse, and for dhigene thaes forbodenan bigleofan,
and dhurh modignysse, dhadha he wolde beon betera dhonne hine se Aelmihtiga
Scyppend gesceop. Ac us is micel neod thaet we dhurh odherne weg thone
swicolan deofol forbugan, thaet we moton gesaeliglice to urum edhele
becuman, the we to gesceapene waeron.
We sceolon thurh gehyrsumnysse, and forhaefednysse, and eadmodnysse,
['a]nmodlice to urum edhele staeppan, and mid halgum maegnum dhone eard
ofgan, the we dhurh leahtras forluron. Rihtlice waes se swicola Herodes
fram tham tungel-witegum bepaeht, and he to Criste ne becom, fordhan dhe
h['e] {120} mid facenfullum mode hine sohte. He getacnode tha leasan
licceteras, dhe mid h['i]wunge God secadh, and naefre ne gemetadh. He is to
secenne mid sodhfaestre heortan, and anraedum mode, sedhe leofadh and
rixadh mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.
{105} JANUARY VI.