Postquam impleti sunt dies purificationis Mariae, etc.
God commanded in the old law, and bade the leader Moses write it among
other commandments, that every woman who had borne a child should wait
forty days after the birth, so that she should come neither into God's
temple, nor into a bed with her husband, before that space of time which we
have said: that is forty days, if it were a male child; but if it were a
maiden child, then she should abstain from entering God's house for eighty
days, and also from her husband; and after that space go with a gift to
God's house, and bear forth the child with the gift, and afterwards, with
God's blessing, approach her consort. This was established regarding women.
Now was, nevertheless, the holy maiden MARY, Christ's mother, mindful of
God's commands, and she went on this day to God's house with a gift, and
brought the child that she had given birth to, Jesus Christ, to be
presented to God's temple.
There was there, in the city of Jerusalem, a man of God, and his name was
Simeon; he was very righteous, and had {137} great fear of God, and he
awaited the comfort which was promised to the people of Israel, that is the
advent of Christ. The Holy Ghost was dwelling in Simeon, and he knew full
well that the Son of Almighty God would come to men, and assume human
nature. Then was this man very desirous of the advent of Jesus, and prayed
daily to God in his prayers, that he might see Christ ere he tasted of
death. Then, because he had so great desire of Christ's advent, there came
to him an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not taste of death ere
he had seen Christ. And he was then glad at the promise, and came to God's
temple, through admonition of the Holy Ghost. And the holy Mary came then
to the temple with the child, and the old man Simeon went towards the
child, and saw Jesus, and well knew that he was the Son of God, the
Redeemer of all the world. He took him in his arms with great feeling, and
bare him into the temple, and fervently thanked God that he was allowed to
see him. He then said, "My Lord, thou lettest me now go in peace from this
life, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy Healing One, which
thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light for the
revelation of the gentiles, and a glory to thy people Israel."
It is written in the book of Christ, and elsewhere in other books, that
many prophets and righteous men were desirous of seeing the advent of
Christ, but it was not granted to them: but it was granted to this old man;
for of him it is written, that he said daily in his prayers, "Ah! when will
the Saviour come? When will he be born? When may I see him? May I live
until I see him?" And then, for this desire, an answer came to him, that he
should not see death before he had seen Christ.
Mary, Christ's mother, bare the child, and the old Simeon went towards her,
and knew the child through revelation, and took it in his arms and bare it
into the temple. He bare {139} the child, and the child bare him. How did
the child bear him? The old Simeon bare in his arms him who preserves and
rules over all things. Little he there appeared, yet was he, nevertheless,
very great and infinite. Little he appeared, because he would fetch the
little and bring them up to his kingdom. Who are the little ones that he
would raise up to his kingdom? They are the humble. Christ sought not the
proud, those who are great in their own imagination, but those who are
little and humble in their hearts, these shall come to God's kingdom; but
thither may no pride ascend. The devil was there, who became proud, but his
pride cast him into the depth of hell; therefore our weakness may not
ascend thither, if it be proud, when the angel might not be there when he
became proud.
God, in the old law, commanded his people, that they should offer to him
every firstborn male child, or redeem it with five shillings. Of their
cattle also, to bring whatever was firstborn to God's house, and there
offer it to God. But if it were an unclean beast, then should the master
slay it, or give to God another clean beast. We need not now hold these
commands bodily, but spiritually. When in our mind something good is
brought forth and we turn it to action, then should we account that as
God's grace, and consign it to God. Our evil thoughts or actions we should
redeem with five shillings; that is, we should repent of our wickedness
with our five senses, which are, sight, and hearing, and taste, and smell,
and touch. So also as the unclean beasts betoken our unclean thoughts and
actions, these we should always kill or exchange for pure; that is, we
should always destroy our impurity and our wickedness, and forsake evil,
and do good.
The blessed Mary then offered her gift to God with the child, as it was
appointed in God's law. It was so appointed in the old law, by God's
behest, that those who could {141} accomplish it, should bring a yearling
lamb with their child, as a gift to God, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove. But
if any woman were so needy that she could not get those things, then she
should bring two young pigeons, or two turtle-doves.
These smaller gifts, that is, the birds, which were the gifts of indigent
persons, were offered for Christ. The Almighty Son of God was very mindful
of our needs in all things; not only would he for us become man when he was
God, but he would also be poor for us when he was rich, that he might give
us part in his kingdom and community in his Godhead. A lamb betokens
innocence and the greater goodness; but if we are so poor that we cannot
offer to God the greater goodness, then should we bring him two
turtle-doves or two young pigeons; that is, a twofold affection of awe and
love. In two ways is a man affected: first, he dreads hell-torment, and
bewails his sins; afterwards he again feels love to God; then he begins to
murmur, and it seems to him too long when he shall be taken from the
afflictions of this life, and brought to everlasting rest.
Little was a lamb, or two turtle-doves to bring to God; but he regards not
a man's gift so much as he regards his heart. God hath no need of our
gifts; all things are his, heaven, and earth, and sea, and all the things
which dwell in them: but he gave to men earthly things for use, and
commanded them with those earthly things to acknowledge him who first gave
them, not for His need, but for need of mankind. If thou acknowledgest thy
Lord with thy possessions, according to thy ability, it forwards thyself to
eternal life; if thou forgettest him, it harms thyself and not God, and
thou losest the everlasting meed. God desires the goodness of thy mind, and
not of thy possessions. If thou doest aught for the praise of God with
devout mind, then thou manifestest the goodness of thy mind by that deed;
but {143} if thou wilt do no good for the honour of God, then thou, by that
offence, manifestest thy wickedness, and that wickedness shall fordo thee
with God.
In the old law it is in several places mentioned, that God frequently
commanded birds to be offered to him in sacrifice, for the betokening which
they betoken. Now it is not allowed to any man to hold the old law bodily,
but let everyone hold it spiritually. Pigeons are very innocent and gentle
birds, and they love unity, and fly flockwise. Let the christian man also
do so; let him be innocent, and gentle, and love unity and fellowship among
christian men; then offers he to God spiritually the young pigeons. The
turtle-doves betoken purity: they are so created, that if one of them lose
the other, the living one never seeks to itself another mate. But if the
christian man does so for love of God, then offers he the turtle-doves in
the best manner. These two birds sing not like other birds, but they
murmur; for they betoken the groaning of holy men in this life, as Christ
said to his apostles, "Ye will be sad in this life, but your sadness will
be turned to everlasting bliss." And again he said, "Blessed are they who
bewail their sins, for they shall be comforted."
The old man Simeon, of whom we erewhile spoke, desired not that he might
hear Christ speak, for he knew him to be the Son of God, though he, in his
state of humanity, was yet without speech. He could have spoken, had he
been willing; and he was as wise when he was one day old as he was when he
was thirty years; but he would abide the time of his growth in human
nature, as is natural in mankind. Simeon then said, "Lord, thou wilt let me
now depart in peace from this life, for mine eyes have seen thy Healing
One." The Healing One of whom he spake is our Saviour Christ, who came to
heal our wounds, that is, our sins. Simeon then said, "Whom thou hast
prepared before the sight of all people." All men saw him not bodily, but
he is {145} announced to all men, let him believe who will. He who believes
in him, sees him now with his faith, and in the eternal life with his eyes.
Simeon yet said, "He is a light for the enlightening of the gentiles, and a
glory to thy people Israel." All these words concerning the child, Simeon
spake to the heavenly Father, who sent him to men. He is the true light who
scattered the darkness of this life, as he himself said in his gospel, "I
am the light of all the world; he who followeth me shall not come into
darkness, but he shall have the light of life." As light scatters darkness,
so also love and faith of Christ scatter all vices and sins from our heart;
and he is the glory and bliss of all believing people.
Then the holy maiden Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, wondered
at the words which the old Simeon uttered concerning the child. And Simeon
then gave him his blessing, and prophesied yet more concerning the child,
and said, "This child is set for the fall of many men, and for the rising
of many, and for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." So as those
men who believe in Christ will be saved by his coming, so also those who
will not believe in Christ will be doubly condemned. Simply they are guilty
through Adam's sin, and doubly they will be condemned, when they deny
Christ's coming, and will not believe in the true Saviour. Christ came for
the fall of unbelieving men, and for the rising of the faithful; and also
to every believing man was Christ's coming both a fall and a rising. But
how? He came because he would cast down every evil, and rear up every good.
Now he casts down vices in us, and rears up virtues. He casts down pride,
and rears up humility. He casts down libidinousness, and rears up chastity.
And all wickedness he casts down in his chosen men, and rears up all
goodness. Good cannot be built up unless evil be previously cast down.
"Christ came for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." His birth is a
wonderful sign, {147} because he was born of a maiden, as no other is; and
against that unbelieving men spake, and would not believe. And, likewise,
his resurrection from death, and his ascension to heaven, and all the
wonders which he wrought--all these were signs, and the unbelieving spake
against them, and the faithful believed.
Then said the old Simeon to the blessed Mary, "His sword shall pierce
through thy soul." The sword betokened Christ's passion. The blessed Mary
was not slain nor martyred bodily, but spiritually. When she saw her child
taken, and iron nails driven through his hands and through his feet, and
his side afterwards wounded with a spear, then was his suffering her
suffering; and she was then more than a martyr, for her mind's suffering
was greater than her body's would have been, had she been martyred. The old
Simeon said not that Christ's sword should pierce through Mary's body, but
her soul. Christ's sword is here set, as we said, for his passion. Though
Mary believed that Christ would arise from death, her child's suffering
went, nevertheless, very deeply into her heart.
When Simeon had prophesied this prophecy concerning Christ, then came there
a widow, who was called Anna. "She had lived with her husband seven years;
and had afterwards been a widow eighty-four years, and served God with
fastings, and prayers, and with chastity; and was in all that time dwelling
within God's temple; and came then to the child, and prophesied concerning
him, and confessed to God." Rightly was so holy a woman worthy to prophesy
concerning Christ, since she had so long served God in chastity. Behold, ye
women, and understand how it is written concerning her. Seven years she had
lived with her husband, and was afterwards continuing in widowhood
eighty-four years; so living as the apostle taught. He, the apostle Paul,
said, "The widow who liveth in luxuries, she liveth not, but she is dead."
This Anna, of whom we speak, loved not luxuries, {149} but loved fasts. She
loved not idle discourses, but occupied herself in prayers. She went not
wandering through the land, but remained patiently within God's temple. If
it happen to a woman to lose her husband, let her take example by this
widow.
There are three states which bare witness of Christ: that is maidenhood,
and widowhood, and lawful matrimony. A maiden is the mother of Christ, and
in maidenhood John the Baptist continued, who testified of Christ, and many
others besides him. This Anna, of whom we before spake, was a widow.
Zacharias, the father of John, was a married man; both he and his wife
prophesied concerning Christ. These three states are agreeable to God, if
men righteously live in them. Maidenhood is both in men and in women. Those
have right maidenhood who from childhood continue in chastity, and despise
in themselves all lust, both of body and mind, through God's succour. Then
shall they have from God a hundredfold meed in the everlasting life. Widows
are those who, after the death of their consorts, live in chastity for love
of God: they shall have a sixtyfold meed from God for their tribulation.
Those who rightly hold their marriage vow, and at permitted times, and for
procreation of children, have carnal intercourse, shall have a thirtyfold
meed for their discretion. He who will satiate his libidinousness as often
as he lists, shall be compared with the beasts and not with men. Concerning
this the apostle Paul taught, "Let those who have wives be as though they
had none." For they shall atone for all their evil lusts voluntarily in
this life, or involuntarily after this life; and they shall come afterwards
to the everlasting life with more difficulty. Those men who are without a
lawful consort, and run from one to other, shall have no part and no
blessing with Christ, unless they desist and make atonement. Let us now
resume the gospel where we previously left it.
The blessed Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, {151} returned to
the city of Nazareth with the child; "and the child grew, and was
strengthened, and filled with wisdom, and God's grace was dwelling within
him." He grew and was strengthened in human nature, but he required no
growth and no strengthening in his divine nature. He ate, and drank, and
slept, and grew in years, and was, nevertheless, all his life without sins.
He would not have seemed a man, if he had not lived the life of a man. He
was filled with wisdom, because he is himself wisdom, and in him dwelleth
all fullness of the divine nature: God's grace dwelt bodily within him. A
great grace was that of his human nature, that he was the Son of God and
God himself, as soon as he began to be man. He was ever God begotten of the
Father, and dwelling with the Father and with the Holy Ghost: these three
one God indivisible; three in persons, and one God in one Godhead, and in
one nature ever continuing. The Son only assumed human nature, and had a
beginning, who was ever. He was a child, and grew in human nature, and
voluntarily suffered death, and arose from death with the body in which he
before had suffered, and ascended to heaven, and continueth now for ever in
divine nature and in human nature, one Christ, both God and man, immortal,
who before his passion was mortal. He suffered, but henceforth he will
never suffer again, but will ever be without end, as eternal in his human
nature as he is in his divine nature.
Be it known also to everyone that it is appointed in the ecclesiastical
observances, that we on this day bear our lights to church, and let them
there be blessed: and that we should go afterwards with the light among
God's houses, and sing the hymn that is thereto appointed. Though some men
cannot sing, they can, nevertheless, bear the light in their hands; for on
this day was Christ, the true Light, borne to the temple, who redeemed us
from darkness and bringeth us to the Eternal Light, who liveth and ruleth
ever without end. Amen.
* * * * *
{152} DOMINICA IN QUINQUAGESIMA.
Adsumpsit Iesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua.
Her is geraed on thissum godspelle, the we nu gehyrdon of dhaes diacones
mudhe, thaet "se Haelend gename onsundron his twelf leorning-cnihtas, and
cwaedh to him, Efne we sceolon faran to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, and thonne
beodh gefyllede ealle dha dhing the waeron be me awritene thurh witegan. Ic
sceal beon bel['ae]wed dheodum, and h['i] dodh me to bysmore, and
beswingadh, and sydhdhan ofsleadh, and ic arise of deadhe on tham dhriddan
daege. Tha nyston his leorning-cnihtas nan andgit thyssera worda. Dha
gel['a]mp hit thaet h['i] genealaehton anre byrig the is gehaten Hiericho,
and dha saet thaer sum blind man be dham wege; and thatha he gehyrde thaes
folces faer mid tham Haelende, dha acsode he hwa thaer ferde. Hi cwaedon
him to, thaet thaet waere dhaes Haelendes faer. Tha begann he to hrymenne,
and cwaedh, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Dha men, the beforan
tham Haelende ferdon, ciddon ongean dhone blindan, thaet he suwian sceolde.
He clypode tha miccle swidhor, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Tha
st['o]d se Haelend, and het laedan thone blindan to him. Thadha he
genealaehte, tha acsode se Haelend hine, Hwaet wylt dhu thaet ic the d['o]?
He cwaedh, Drihten, thaet ic mage geseon. And se Haelend him cwaedh to,
Loca nu: thin geleafa haefdh dhe gehaeled. And he dhaerrihte geseah, and
fyligde tham Haelende, and hine maersode. Tha eal thaet folc, the thaet
wundor geseh, herede God mid micelre onbryrdnysse."
Dhyses godspelles anginn hrepode ures Haelendes throwunge, theah-hwaedhere
ne dhrowade h['e] na on dhysne timan; ac h['e] wolde feorran and lange aer
cydhan his dhrowunge his leorning-cnihtum, thaet h['i] ne sceoldon beon to
swidhe afyrhte thurh dha throwunge, thonne se tima come thaet h['e]
dhrowian wolde. Heora m['o]d weardh afyrht thurh Cr['i]stes segene, ac
h['e] h['i] eft gehyrte mid tham worde the h['e] cwaedh, "Ic arise of
deadhe on tham dhriddan daege." Tha wolde he heora geleafan gestrangian
{154} and getrymman mid wundrum. And h['i] dha comon to dhaere stowe thaer
se blinda man saet be dham wege, and Crist hine gehaelde aetforan gesihdhe
ealles thaes werodes, to dhi thaet he wolde mid tham wundre h['i] to
geleafan gebringan. Theah-hwaedhere tha wundra the Crist worhte, odher
dhing h['i] aeteowdon thurh mihte, and odhre dhing h['i] getacnodon thurh
geryno. He worhte tha wundra sodhlice thurh godcunde mihte, and mid tham
wundrum thaes folces geleafan getrymde; ac hwaedhre thaer waes odher dhing
digle on dham wundrum, aefter gastlicum andgite. Thes ['a]n blinda man
getacnode eall mancynn, the weardh ablend thurh Adames gylt, and asceofen
of myrhdhe neoxena-wanges, and gebroht to dhissum life the is widhmeten
cwearterne. Nu sind we ute belocene fram dham heofenlican leohte, and we ne
magon on dhissum life thaes ecan leohtes brucan; ne we his na mare ne
cunnon buton swa micel swa we dhurh Cristes lare on bocum raedadh. Theos
woruld, theah dhe heo myrige hw['i]ltidum gedhuht sy, nis heo hwaedhere dhe
gelicere dhaere ecan worulde, the is sum cweartern leohtum daege. Eal
mancyn waes, swa we aer cwaedon, ablend mid geleaflaeste and gedwylde; ac
thurh Cristes to-cyme we wurdon abrodene of urum gedwyldum, and onlihte
thurh geleafan. Nu haebbe we thaet leoht on urum mode, thaet is Cristes
geleafa; and we habbadh thone hiht thaes ecan lifes myrhdhe, theah dhe we
gyt lichamlice on urum cwearterne wunian.
Se blinda man saet aet thaere byrig the is geh['a]ten Hiericho. Hiericho is
gereht and geh['a]ten 'mona.' Se mona dedh aegdher ge wycxdh ge wanadh:
healfum mondhe he bidh weaxende, healfum he bidh wanigende. Nu getacnadh se
mona ure deadlice lif, and ateorunge ure deadlicnysse. On odherne ende men
beodh acennede, on otherne ende h['i] fordhfaradh. Thadha Crist com to
dhaere byrig Hiericho, the dhone monan getacnadh, tha underfeng se blinda
man gesihdhe. Thaet is, dhadha Crist com to ure deadlicnysse, and ure
menniscnysse underfeng, tha weardh mancyn onliht, and gesihdhe underfeng.
He saet widh dhone weig; and Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ic eom {156}
weig, and sodhfaestnys, and l['i]f." Se man the nan dhing ne cann dhaes
ecan leohtes, he is blind; ac gif he gelyfdh on thone Haelend, thonne sitt
he widh thone weig. Gif he nele biddan thaes ecan leohtes, he sitt dhonne
blind be dham wege unbiddende. Se dhe rihtlice gelyfdh on Cr['i]st, and
geornlice bitt his sawle onlihtinge, he sitt be dham wege biddende. Swa hwa
swa oncnaewdh tha blindnysse his modes, clypige he mid inweardre heortan,
sw['a] sw['a] se blinda cleopode, "Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa
m['i]n."
Seo menigu the eode beforan dham Haelende ciddon dham blindan, and heton
thaet he stille waere. Seo menigu getacnadh ure unlustas and leahtras the
us hremadh, and ure heortan ofsittadh, thaet we ne magon us swa geornlice
gebiddan, swa we behofedon. Hit gelimpdh gelomlice, thonne se man wile
yfeles geswican, and his synna gebetan, and mid eallum mode to Gode
gecyrran, dhonne cumadh tha ealdan leahtras the h['e] aer geworhte, and
h['i] gedrefadh his mod, and willadh gestillan his stemne, thaet he to Gode
ne clypige. Ac hwaet dyde se blinda, thatha thaet folc hine wolde
gestyllan? He hrymde dhaes dhe swidhor, odh thaet se Haelend his stemne
gehyrde, and hine gehaelde. Swa we sceolon eac d['o]n, gif us deofol drecce
mid menigfealdum gedhohtum and costnungum: we sceolon hryman swidhor and
swidhor to dham Haelende, thaet he todraefe dha yfelan costnunga fram ure
heortan, and thaet he onlihte ure mod mid his gife. Gif we dhonne
thurhwuniadh on urum gebedum, thonne mage we gedon mid urum hreame thaet se
Haelend stent, sedhe aer eode, and wile gehyran ure clypunge, and ure
heortan onlihtan mid godum and mid claenum gedhohtum. Ne magon dha yfelan
gedhohtas ['u]s derian, gif hi ['u]s ne liciadh; ac swa ['u]s swidhor
deofol bregdh mid yfelum gedhohtum, swa we beteran beodh, and Gode leofran,
gif we dhone deofol forseodh and ealle his costnunga, dhurh Godes fultum.
Hwaet is thaes Haelendes stede, odhdhe hwaet is his faer? He ferde dhurh
his menniscnysse, and he stod thurh tha godcundnysse. He ferde dhurh dha
menniscnysse, swa thaet he waes {158} acenned, and ferde fram stowe to
stowe, and deadh throwade, and of deadhe ar['a]s, and astah to heofenum.
This is his faer. He stent dhurh dha godcundnysse; fordhon dhe h['e] is
dhurh his mihte aeghwaer andweard, and ne dhearf na faran fram stowe to
stowe; fordhon dhe h['e] is on aelcere stowe thurh his godcundnysse. Thadha
he ferde, tha gehyrde he thaes blindan clypunge; and thatha he stod, tha
forgeaf he him gesihdhe; fordhan thurh dha menniscnysse he besargadh ures
modes blindnysse, and dhurh dha godcundnysse he forgifdh us leoht, and ure
blindnysse onliht. He cwaedh to dham blindan men, "Hwaet wilt dhu thaet ic
dhe do?" Wenst dhu thaet h['e] nyste hwaet se blinda wolde, sedhe hine
gehaelan mihte? Ac he wolde thaet se blinda baede; fordhon the h['e] tiht
aelcne swidhe gemaglice to gebedum: ac hwaedhere he cwydh on odhre stowe,
"Eower heofenlica Faeder wat hwaes ge behofiadh, aerdhan dhe ge hine
aeniges dhinges biddan," theah-hwaedhere wile se goda God thaet we hine
georne biddon; fordhan thurh dha gebedu bidh ure heorte onbryrd and gewend
to Gode.
Dha cwaedh se blinda, "La leof, do thaet ic maege geseon." Ne baed se
blinda nadhor ne goldes, ne seolfres, ne nane woruldlice dhing, ac baed his
gesihdhe. For nahte he tealde aenig dhing to biddenne buton gesihdhe;
fordhan dheah se blinda sum dhing haebbe, he ne maeg butan leohte geseon
thaet he haefdh. Uton fordhi geefenlaecan thisum men, the waes gehaeled
fram Criste, aegdher ge on lichaman ge on sawle: ne bidde we na lease
welan, ne gewitenlice wurdhmyntas; ac uton biddan leoht aet urum Drihtne:
na thaet leoht dhe bidh geendod, the bidh mid thaere nihte todraefed, thaet
dhe is gemaene ['u]s and nytenum; ac uton biddan thaes leohtes the we magon
mid englum anum geseon, thaet dhe naefre ne bidh geendod. To dham leohte
sodhlice ure geleafa us sceal gebringan, swa swa Crist cwaedh to dham
blindan menn, "L['o]ca nu, thin geleafa dhe gehaelde."
Nu smeadh sum ungeleafful man, Hu maeg ic gewilnian dhaes gastlican
leohtes, thaet thaet ic geseon ne maeg? Nu cwedhe ic to dham menn, thaet
dha dhing the h['e] understynt and undergytan {160} maeg, ne undergyt he
n['a] dha dhing thurh his lichaman, ac thurh his sawle; theah-hwaedhere ne
gesihdh nan man his sawle on dhisum life. Heo is ungesewenlic, ac
dheah-hwaedhere heo wissadh thone gesewenlican lichaman. Se lichama, dhe is
gesewenlic, haefdh lif of dhaere sawle, the is ungesewenlic. Gew['i]te
thaet ungesewenlice ut, thonne fyldh adune thaet gesewenlice; fordhan the
hit ne stod na aer dhurh hit sylf. Thaes lichoman lif is seo sawul, and
thaere sawle lif is God. Gewite seo sawul ut, ne maeg se mudh clypian,
theah dhe h['e] gynige; ne eage geseon, theah dhe hit open sy; ne n['a]n
limn ne dedh nan dhing, gif se lichama bidh sawulleas. Swa eac seo sawul,
gif God h['i] forlaet for synnum, ne dedh heo nan dhing to g['o]de. Ne maeg
nan man nan dhing to g['o]de gedon, butan Godes fultume. Ne bidh seo
synfulle sawul na mid ealle to nahte awend, dheah dhe heo gode adeadod sy;
ac heo bidh dead aelcere dugudhe and gesaeldhe, and bidh gehealden to dham
ecan deadhe, thaer thaer heo aefre bidh on pinungum wunigende, and
theah-hwaedhere naefre ne ateoradh.
Hu maeg the n['u] twynian thaes ecan leohtes, dheah hit ungesewenlic sy,
thonne thu haefst l['i]f of ungesewenlicre sawle, and the ne twynadh nan
dhing thaet thu sawle haebbe, dheah dhu h['i] geseon ne mage? Se blinda,
dhadha h['e] geseon mihte, tha fyligde h['e] dham Haelende. Se man gesihdh
and fylidh Gode, sedhe cann understandan God, and g['o]d weorc wyrcdh. Se
man gesihdh and nele Gode fylian, sedhe understent God, and nele g['o]d
wyrcan. Ac uton understandan God and g['o]d weorc wyrcean: uton behealdan
hw['i]der Crist gange, and him fylian; thaet is thaet we sceolon smeagan
hwaet h['e] taece, and hwaet him licige, and thaet mid weorcum gefyllan,
swa swa h['e] sylf cwaedh, "Se dhe me thenige, fylige h['e] me;" thaet is,
geefenlaece h['e] me, and onscunige aelc yfel, and lufige aelc g['o]d, swa
swa ic do. Ne teah Crist him na to on dhisum life land ne welan, swa swa he
be him sylfum cwaedh, "Deor habbadh hola, and fugelas habbadh nest, hwaer
h['i] restadh, and ic naebbe hwider ic ahylde min {162} heafod." Swa micel
he haefde swa he rohte, and leofode be odhra manna aehtum, se dhe ealle
dhing ['a]h.
We raedadh on Cristes bec thaet thaet folc raedde be him, thaet h['i]
woldon hine gelaeccan, and ahebban to cyninge, thaet he waere heora heafod
for worulde, swa swa he waes godcundlice. Thatha Crist ongeat dhaes folces
willan, dha fleah h['e] anstandende to anre d['u]ne, and his geferan
gewendon to s['ae], and se Haelend waes up on lande. Dha on niht eode se
Haelend up on dham waetere mid drium fotum, odhthaet he com to his
leorning-cnihtum, dhaer dhaer h['i] waeron on rewute. He forfleah thone
woruldlican wurdhmynt, thatha he waes to cyninge gecoren; ac he ne forfleah
na thaet edwit and dhone hosp, thatha dha Iudeiscan hine woldon on rode
ah['o]n. He nolde his heafod befon mid gyldenum cynehelme, ac mid
thyrnenum, swa swa hit gedon waes on his throwunge. He nolde on dhissum
life rixian hwilwendlice, sedhe ecelice rixadh on heofonum. Nis dheos
woruld na ure edhel, ac is ure wraecsidh; fordhi ne sceole we na besettan
urne hiht on thissum swicelum life, ac sceolon efstan mid godum geearnungum
to urum edhele, thaer we to gesceapene waeron, thaet is to heofenan rice.
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.
* * * * *
{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.
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