Dhaet h['a]lige godspel us segdh, thaet "gerefan and synfulle men
genealaehton dham Haelende, and woldon his lare gehyran. Tha ceorodon dha
sunder-halgan and dha boceras Iudeiscre dheode, fordhan dhe se Haelend
underfeng dha synfullan, and him mid gereordode. Tha saede se Haelend dham
Iudeiscum bocerum dhis bigspel, Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa:" et
reliqua.
Thas word sind digle, ac se trahtnere Gregorius us geopenode thaet gastlice
andgit. Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon on dhyssere godspellican
raedinge, thaet dha synfullan genealaehton to dhaes Haelendes spraece, and
eac to his gereorde; and dha Iudeiscan boceras mid h['e]te thaet taeldon:
ac heora t['a]l naes na of rihtwisnysse, ac of nidhe. Hi waeron untrume,
dheah dhe hi dhaes ne gymdon. Tha wolde se heofenlica laece mid geswaesum
bigspelle thaet geswell heora heortan welwyllendlice gelacnian, and dhus
cwaedh, "Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa, and gif he forlysdh ['a]n
dhaera sceapa, dhonne forlaet he dha nigon and hund-nigontig on westene,
and gaedh secende thaet ['a]n dhe him losode?" Hundfeald getel is
fulfremed, and se Aelmihtiga haefde hund-teontig sceapa, dhadha engla werod
and mancynn waeron his aehta: ac him losode ['a]n sceap, dhadha se
frumsceapena mann Adam syngigende forleas neorxena-wanges bigwiste. Tha
forlet se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu eal engla werod on heofonum, and ferde to
eordhan, and sohte thaet {340} ['a]n sceap dhe him aetwunden waes. Dhadha
he hit gemette, he hit baer on his exlum to dhaere eowde blissigende.
Thadha he underfeng ure mennisce gecynd, and ure synna abaer, tha waes
thaet dweligende sceap ongean fered on his halgum exlum. Dhaera sceapa
hlaford com ham, afundenum sceape; fordhan dhe Crist, aefter dhaere
dhrowunge, dhe he mancyn mid alysde, ar['a]s of deadhe, and astah to
heofonum blissigende.
He geladhode his frynd and his nehgeburas. His frynd sind engla heapas,
fordhan dhe hi healdadh on heora stadhelfaestnysse singallice his willan.
Hi sind eac his nehgeburas, fordhan dhe hi brucadh thaere wulderfullan
beorhtnysse his gesihdhe on heora andweardnysse. He cwaedh, "Blissiadh mid
me, fordhan dhe ic gemette min forlorene sceap." Ne cwaedh he, 'Blissiadh
mid tham sceape,' ac 'mid me,' fordhan dhe ure alysednys sodhlice is his
bliss; and dhonne we beodh to dhaere heofonlican eardung-stowe gelaedde,
thonne gefylle we dha micclan maersunge his gefean. He cwaedh, "Ic secge
eow, mare bliss bidh on heofonum be anum synfullan men, gif he his synna
mid d['ae]dbote behreowsadh, dhonne sy be nigon and hund-nigontig rihtwisum
dhe nanre behreowsunge ne behofiadh." This is to smeagenne, hwi sy mare
bliss be gecyrredum synfullum, thonne be unscyldigum rihtwisum.
We habbadh gelomlice gesewen, thaet gehwylce gebrodhra, dhe ne befeollon on
healice gyltas, thaet h['i] ne beodh ealles swa carfulle to beganne dha
earfodhlican drohtnunge, swilce hi orsorge beon, fordhan dhe hi dha
healican leahtras ne gefremedon; and gehwilce odhre dhe oncnawadh tha
swaeran gyltas dhe hi on geogodhe adrugon, beodh mid micelre sarnysse
onbryrde. Hi forseodh alyfedlice dhing and gesewenlice, and mid wope
gewilniadh tha ungesewenlican and dha heofonlican. H['i] forseodh h['i]
sylfe, and geeadmettadh on eallum dhingum; and fordhi dhe h['i] dweligende
fram heora Scyppende gewiton, h['i] willadh geinnian dha aeftran hindhe mid
tham uferan gestreonum. Mare bliss bidh on heofonum be dham gecyrredum
synfullum, dhurh swilce drohtnunga, thonne sy be dham asolcenum the truwadh
be him sylfum thaet he {342} lytle and feawa gyltas gefremode, and eac
hwonlice caradh ymbe Godes beboda and his sawle dhearfe. Maran lufe nimdh
se heretoga on gefeohte to dham cempan, the aefter fleame his widherwinnan
dhegenlice oferwindh, thonne to dham the mid fleame ne aetw['a]nd, ne dheah
on nanum gecampe naht dhegenlices ne gefremode. Ealswa se yrdhling lufadh
dhone aecer, dhe aefter dhornum and bremelum genihtsume waestmas agifdh,
swidhor thonne he lufige dhone dhe dhornig naes, ne waestmbaere ne bidh.
Sind dheah-hwaedhere forwel maenige rihtwise unscyldige widh
heafod-leahtras, and habbadh hwaedhere ealswa stidhe drohtnunge swylce hi
mid eallum synnum geancsumede waeron. Tham ne maeg nan d['ae]dbeta beon
geefenlaeht, fordhan dhe h['i] sind rihtwise and behreowsigende. Be dham is
to smeagenne hu micclum se rihtwisa mid eadmodre heofunge God gegladige,
gif se unrihtwisa mid sodhre d['ae]dbote hine gegladian maeg.
Drihten rehte dha-gyt odher b['i]gspel be tyn scyllingum, and dhaera ['a]n
losode and weardh gemet. Thaet b['i]gspel getacnadh eft nigon engla werod.
To dham teodhan werode waes mancyn gesceapen; fordhan dhe thaet teodhe
weardh mid modignysse forscyldigod, and hi ealle to awyrgedum deoflum
wurdon awende, and of dhaere heofonlican blisse to helle suslum bescofene.
Nu sind dha nigon heapas genemnede, angeli, archangeli, uirtutes,
potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubin, seraphin. Thaet
teodhe forweardh. Tha waes mancynn gesceapen to ge-edstadhelunge dhaes
forlorenan heapes.
Angeli sind gecwedene Godes bodan; archangeli, healice bodan; uirtutes,
mihta, dhurh dha wyrcdh God fela wundra. Potestates sind ['a]nwealdu, dhe
habbadh anweald ofer dha awyrgedan gastas, thaet hi ne magon geleaffulra
manna heortan swa micclum costnian swa hi willadh. Principatus sind
ealdorscipas, dhe dhaera godra engla gymadh, and hi be heora dihte dha
godcundlican gerynu gefylladh. Dominationes sind hlafordscypas gecwedene,
fordhan dhe him gehyrsumiadh odhra engla werod mid micelre underdheodnysse.
Throni sind thrymsetl, tha beodh gefyllede mid swa micelre gife dhaere
Aelmihtigan {344} Godcundnysse, thaet se Eallwealdenda God on him wunadh,
and dhurh hi his domas tosceat. Cherubin is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes,
odhdhe gewittes: hi sind afyllede mid gewitte swa miccle swidhor, swa hi
gehendran beodh heora Scyppende, dhurh wurdhscipe heora geearnunga.
Seraphim sind gecwedene byrnende, odhdhe, onaelende: hi sind swa miccle
swidhor byrnende on Godes lufe, swa micclum swa hi sind to him gedheodde;
fordhan dhe nane odhre englas ne sind betweonan him and dham Aelmihtigan
Gode. Hi sind byrnende na on fyres wisan, ac mid micelre lufe thaes
Wealdendan Cyninges. Godes rice bidh gelogod mid engla weredum and
gedhungenum mannum, and we gelyfadh thaet of mancynne swa micel getel
astige thaet uplice rice, swa micel swa on heofonum bel['a]f haligra gasta
aefter dham hryre dhaera awyrgedra gasta.
Nigon engla werod thaer waeron to lafe, and thaet teodhe forferde. Nu bidh
eft seo micelnys gedhungenra manna swa micel swa dhaera stadhelfaestra
engla waes; and we beodh geendebyrde to heora weredum, aefter urum
geearnungum. Menige geleaffulle men sind the habbadh lytel andgit to
understandenne dha deopnysse Godes lare, and willadh theah-hwaedhere odhrum
mannum mid arfaestnysse cydhan ymbe Godes maerdha, be heora andgites
maedhe: thas beodh geendebyrde to englum, thaet is, to Godes bydelum. Tha
gecorenan dhe magon asmeagan Godes digelnysse, and odhrum bodian mid
gastlicre lare, hi beodh getealde to heah-englum, thaet is to healicum
bodum. Tha halgan, dhe on life wundra wyrceadh, beodh geendebyrde betwux
dham heofenlicum mihtum the Godes tacna gefremmadh. Sind eac sume gecorene
menn dhe aflyadh tha awyrgedan gastas fram ofsettum mannum, dhurh mihte
heora bena: hwaerto beodh thas geendebyrde buton to dham heofenlicum
anwealdum, be gewyldadh tha feondlican costneras? Tha gecorenan dhe dhurh
healice geearnunga tha laessan gebrodhru oferstigadh mid ealdorscipe, tha
habbadh eac heora dael betwux dham heofenlicum ealderdomum. Sume beodh swa
gedhungene thaet h['i] wealdadh mid heora hlafordscipe ealle uncysta and
leahtras on him sylfum, swa thaet hi {346} beodh godas getealde dhurh dha
healican claennysse: be dham cwaedh se Aelmihtiga to Moysen, "Ic dhe
gesette, thaet thu waere Pharaones god." Thas Godes dhegnas, the beodh on
swa micelre gedhincdhe on gesihdhe thaes Aelmihtigan thaet hi sind godas
getealde, hwider gescyt dhonne heora endebyrdnysse, buton to dham werode
dhe sind hlafordscipas gecwedene? fordhan dhe him odhre englas underdheodde
beodh.
On sumum gecorenum mannum, dhe mid micelre gimene on andweardum life
drohtniadh, bidh Godes Gastes gifu swa micel, thaet he on heora heortan
swilce on dhrimsetle sittende tosc['ae]t and d['e]mdh wundorlice odhra
manna daeda. Hwaet sind thas buton dhrymsetl heora Scyppendes, on dham dhe
he wunigende mannum d['e]mdh? Seo sodhe lufu is gefyllednys Godes ['ae],
and se dhe on his dheawum hylt Godes lufe and manna, he bidh thonne
cherubim rihtlice geh['a]ten; fordhan dhe eal gewitt and ingehyd is belocen
on twam wordum, thaet is Godes lufu and manna. Sume Godes dheowan sind
onaelede mid swa micelre gewilnunge heora Scyppendes neawiste, thaet hi
forseodh ealle woruldlice ymbhydignysse, and mid byrnendum mode ealle dha
ateorigendlican gedhincdhu oferstigadh, and mid dham micclan bryne dhaere
heofenlican lufe odhre ontendadh, and mid larlicre spraece getrymmadh. Hu
magon dhas beon gecigede buton seraphim, thonne hi dhurh dhone micclan
bryne Godes lufe sind toforan odhrum eordhlicum his neawiste gehendost?
Nu cwedh se eadiga Gregorius, "Wa dhaere sawle dhe orhlyte hyre lif adrihdh
thaera haligra mihta," the we nu sceortlice eow gerehton. Ac seo dhe
bedaeled is tham godnyssum, heo geomrige and gewilnige thaet se cystiga
Wealdend thurh his gife h['i] gedheode tham hlyte his gecorenra. Nabbadh
ealle menn gelice gife aet Gode, fordhan dhe he forgifdh dha gastlican
gedhincdhu aelcum be his gecneordnyssum. Se dhe laessan gife haebbe, ne
['a]ndige he on dham foredheondum, fordhan dhe dha halgan dhreatas dhaera
eadigra engla sind swa geendebyrde, thaet hi sume mid undertheodnysse
odhrum hyrsumiadh, and sume mid oferstigendre wurdhfulnysse dham odhrum
sind foresette.
{348} Micel getel is dhaera haligra gasta, the on Godes rice eardiadh, be
dham cwaedh se witega Daniel, "Thusend dhusenda dhenodon tham Heofonlican
Wealdende, and ten dhusend sidhan hundfealde dhusenda him mid wunodon."
Odher is dhenung, odher is mid-wunung. Tha englas dheniadh Gode the bodiadh
his willan middangearde, and dha dhing gefylladh the him liciadh. Dha odhre
werod, the him mid wuniadh, brucadh thaere incundan embwl['a]tunge his
godcundnysse, swa thaet h['i] nateshwon fram his andweardnysse asende ne
gewitadh. Sodhlice dha dhe to us asende becumadh, swa h['i] gefremmadh
heora Scyppendes haese widhutan, thaet hi dheah-hwaedhere naefre ne
gewitadh fram his godcundan myrhdhe; fordham dhe God is aeghwaer, theah dhe
se engel stowlic sy. Nis se Aelmihtiga Wealdend stowlic, fordhan dhe he is
on aelcere stowe, and swa hwider swa se stowlica engel flihdh, he bidh
befangen mid his andwerdnysse.
Hi habbadh sume synderlice gife fram heora Scyppende, and dheah-hwaedhere
heora wurdhscipe him bidh eallum gemaene, and thaet thaet gehwilc on him
sylfum be daele haefdh, thaet he haefdh on odhrum werode fulfremodlice; be
dham cwaedh se sealm-wyrhta, "Drihten, dhu dhe sitst ofer cherubin,
geswutela dhe sylfne."
We saedon litle aer on dhisre raedinge, thaet thaes Aelmihtigan dhrymsetl
waere betwux dham werode dhe sind throni gecigede: ac hw['a] maeg beon
eadig, buton he his Scyppendes wununge on him sylfum haebbe? Seraphim sind
dha gastas gecigede, dhe beodh on Drihtnes lufe byrnende, and
dheah-hwaedhere eal thaet heofonlice maegen samod beodh onaelede mid his
lufe. Cherubim is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes odhdhe gewittes, and dheah
hwilc engel is on Godes andwerdnysse dhe ealle dhing nyte? Ac fordhi is
gehwilc dhaera weroda tham naman geciged, dhe dha gife getacnadh the he
fulfremedlicor underfeng.
Ac uton suwian hwaethwega be dham digelnyssum dhaera heofenlicra
ceastergewarena, and smeagan be us sylfum, and geomrian mid behreowsunge
ure synna, thaet we, dhurh Drihtnes mildheortnysse, dha heofonlican
wununge, swa swa he us beh['e]t, {350} habban moton. He cwaedh on sumere
stowe, "On mines Faeder huse sind fela wununga;" fordhan gif sume beodh
strengran on geearnungum, sume rihtwisran, sume mid maran halignysse
geglengede, thaet heora nan ne beo geaelfremod fram dham micclan huse,
thaer dhaer gehwilc onfehdh wununge be his geearnungum.
Se miltsienda Drihten cwaedh, thaet micel blis waere on heofonum be anum
d['ae]dbetan; ac se ylca cwaedh thurh his witegan, "Gif se rihtwisa gecyrdh
fram his rihtwisnysse, and begaedh unrihtwisnysse arleaslice, ealle his
rihtwisnysse ic forgyte; and gif se arleasa behreowsadh his arleasnysse,
and begaedh rihtwisnysse, ne gemune ic nanra his synna." Behreowsigendum
mannum he miltsadh, ac h['e] ne beh['e]t tham elcigendum gewiss l['i]f odh
merigen. Nis fordhi nanum synfullum to yldigenne agenre gecyrrednysse,
dhylaes dhe he mid sleacnysse forleose dha t['i]d Godes fyrstes. Smeage
gehwilc man his aerran daeda, and eac his andweardan drohtnunge, and fleo
to dham mildheortan Deman mid w['o]pe, dha hwile dhe he anbidadh ure
betrunge, sedhe is rihtwis and mildheort. Sodhlice behreowsadh his gedwyld
sedhe ne ge-edlaehdh tha aerran daeda; be dham cwaedh se Haelend to dham
gehaeledan bedredan, "Efne nu dhu eart gehaeled, ne synga dhu heonon-fordh,
thylaes dhe dhe sum dhing wyrse gelimpe."
Geleaffullum mannum maeg beon micel truwa and hopa to dham menniscum Gode
Criste, sedhe is ure Mundbora and Dema, sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid
Faeder, on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.