Se godspellere Lucas awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c be acennednysse Iohannes
dhaes Fulluhteres, thus cwedhende, "Sum eawfaest {352} Godes dhegen waes
geh['a]ten Zacharias, his gebedda waes geciged Elisabeth. H['i] butu waeron
rihtwise aetforan Gode, on his bebodum and rihtwisnyssum fordhstaeppende
butan t['a]le. Naes him cild gemaene:" et reliqua.
"Eal his reaf waes awefen of olfendes h['ae]rum, his bigleofa waes
stidhlic; ne dranc he wines drenc, ne nanes gemencgedes waetan, ne
gebrowenes: ofet hine fedde, and wude-hunig, and odhre waclice dhigena."
"On dham fifteodhan geare dhaes caseres rices Tyberii com Godes word ofer
Iohannem, on dham westene; and he ferde to folces neawiste, and bodade
Iudeiscum folce fulluht on synna forgyfenysse, swa swa hit awriten is on
Isaies witegunge."
Cristes fulluht he bodade toweard eallum geleaffullum, on dham is synna
forgyfenys thurh dhone Halgan G['a]st. Iohannes eac be Godes dihte fullode
dha dhe him to comon dhaera Iudeiscra dheoda, ac his fulluht ne dyde
n['a]nre synne forgyfenysse, fordhan dhe he waes Godes bydel, and na God.
He bodade mannum thaes Haelendes to-cyme mid wordum, and his halige fulluht
mid his agenum fulluhte, on dham he gefullode dhone unsynnian Godes Sunu,
dhe n['a]nre synne forgyfenysse ne beh['o]fade.
Rihtlice weordhadh Godes geladhung dhisne daeg thaes maeran Fulluhteres
gebyrd-tide, for dham manegum wundrum dhe gelumpon on his acennednysse.
Godes heah-engel Gabrihel bodade dham faeder Zachar['i]an his acennednysse,
and his healican gedhincdhu, and his maerlican drohtnunge. Thaet cild on
his modor innodhe oncneow Marian stemne, Godes cynnestran; and on innodhe
dha-gyt beclysed, mid w['i]tigendlicre faegnunge get['a]cnode thone
halwendan to-cyme ures Alysendes. On his acennednysse he aetbraed thaere
meder hire unwaestmbaernysse, and thaes faeder tungan his nama unb['a]nd,
the mid his agenre geleafleaste adumbod waes.
Dhreora manna gebyrd-tide freolsadh seo halige geladhung: dhaes Haelendes,
sedhe is God and mann, and Iohannes his bydeles, and dhaere eadigan Marian
his moder. Odhra gecorenra {354} manna, dhe dhurh martyrdom, odhdhe thurh
odhre halige geearnunga, Godes rice geferdon, heora endenextan daeg, sedhe
h['i] aefter gefyllednysse ealra earfodhnyssa sigefaeste to dham ecan life
acende, we wurdhiadh him to gebyrd-tide; and dhone daeg, dhe h['i] to
dhisum andweardan life acennede waeron, we laetadh to gymeleaste, fordhan
dhe h['i] comon hider to earfodhnyssum, and costnungum, and mislicum
fraecednyssum. Se daeg bidh gemyndig Godes dheowum dhe dha halgan, aefter
gewunnenum sige, asende to ecere myrhdhe fram eallum gedreccednyssum, and
se is heora sodhe acennednys; na w['o]plic, swa swa seo aerre, ac
blissigendlic to dham ecum life. Ac us is to wurdhigenne mid micelre
gecnyrdnysse Cristes gebyrd-tide, dhurh dha us com alysednys.
Iohannes is geendung dhaere ealdan ['ae] and anginn dhaere n['i]wan, swa
swa se Haelend be him cwaedh, "Seo ealde ['ae] and w['i]tegan waeron odh
Iohannes to-cyme." Sidhdhan ongann godspel-bodung. Nu for his micclan
halignysse is gewurdhod his acennednys, swa swa se heah-engel behet his
faeder mid dhisum wordum, "Manega blissiadh on his gebyrd-tide." Mar['i]a,
Godes cynnestre, nis nanum odhrum gelic, fordhan dhe heo is maeden and
modor, and dhone ab['ae]r dhe h['i] and ealle gesceafta gesceop: is heo
fordhi wel wyrdhe thaet hire acennednys arwurdhlice gefreolsod sy.
Tha magas setton dham cilde naman, Zacharias, ac seo modor him widhcwaedh
mid wordum, and se dumba faeder mid gewrite; fordhan dhe se engel, dhe hine
cydde toweardne, him gesceop naman be Godes dihte, IOHANNES. Ne mihte se
dumba faeder cydhan his wife hu se engel his cilde naman gesette, ac, dhurh
Godes Gastes onwrigenysse, se nama hire weardh cudh. Zacharias is gereht,
'Gemindig Godes;' and Iohannes, 'Godes gifu;' fordhan dhe he bodade mannum
Godes gife, and Crist toweardne, the ealne middangeard mid his gife
gewissadh. He waes asend toforan Drihtne, swa swa se daegsteorra gaedh
beforan dhaere sunnan, swa swa bydel aetforan deman, swa swa seo Ealde
Gecydhnys aetforan dhaere Niwan; {356} fordhan dhe seo ealde ['ae] waes
swilce sceadu, and seo Niwe Gecydhnys is sodhfaestnys dhurh dhaes Haelendes
gife.
Anes geares cild h['i] waeron, Crist and Iohannes. On dhisum daege acende
seo unwaestmbaere moder dhone maeran witegan Iohannem, se is geh['e]rod mid
thisum wordum, dhurh Cristes mudh, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne ar['a]s nan
maerra man dhonne is Iohannes se Fulluhtere."
On middes wintres maesse-daege acende thaet halige maeden Maria thone
Heofenlican Aedheling, se nis geteald to wifa bearnum, fordhon dhe he is
Godes Sunu on dhaere Godcundnysse, and Godes and maedenes Bearn dhurh
menniscnysse. Iohannes forfleah folces neawiste on geogodhe, and on westene
mid stidhre drohtnunge synna forbeah. Se Haelend betwux synfullum unwemme
fram aelcere synne dhurhwunode. Se bydel gebigde on dham timan micelne heap
Israhela dheode to heora Scyppende mid his bodunge. Drihten daeghwamlice of
eallum dheodum to his geleafan, dhurh onlihtinge dhaes Halgan Gastes,
ungerim sawla gebigdh.
Thaet halige godspel cwydh be dham Fulluhtere, thaet he forestope dham
Haelende on gaste and on mihte thaes witegan Helian; fordhan dhe he waes
his forrynel aet dham aerran to-cyme, swa swa Helias bidh aet dham aeftran
togeanes Antecriste. Nis butan getacnunge thaet dhaes bydeles acennednys on
dhaere tide waes gefremod dhe se woruldlica daeg wanigende bidh, and on
Drihtnes gebyrd-tide weaxende bidh. Thas getacnunge onwreah se ylca
Iohannes mid dhisum wordum, "Criste gedafenadh thaet he weaxe, and me thaet
ic wanigende beo." Iohannes waes hradhor mannum cudh thurh his maerlican
drohtnunga, thonne Crist waere, fordhan dhe h['e] ne aeteowde his godcundan
mihte, aerdham dhe h['e] waes dhritig geara on dhaere menniscnysse. Tha
waes he gedhuht dham folce thaet h['e] witega waere, and Iohannes Crist.
Hwaet dha Crist geswutelode hine sylfne dhurh miccle tacna, and his hlisa
weox geond ealne middangeard, thaet he sodh God waes, sedhe waes aerdhan
witega gedhuht. Iohannes sodhlice waes wanigende on his hlisan, fordhan dhe
he {358} weardh oncnawen witega, and bydel dhaes Heofonlican Aedhelinges,
sedhe waes lytle aer Crist geteald mid ungewissum wenan. Thas wanunge
getacnadh se wanigenda daeg his gebyrd-tide, and se dheonda daeg dhaes
Haelendes acennednysse geb['i]cnadh his dheondan mihte aefter dhaere
menniscnysse.
Fela witegan mid heora witegunge bodedon Drihten toweardne, sume feorran
sume ne['a]n, ac Iohannes his to-cyme mid wordum bodade, and eac mid fingre
gebicnode, dhus cwedhende, "Loca nu! Efne her gaedh Godes Lamb, sedhe
aetbret middangeardes synna." Crist is manegum naman genemned. He is Wisdom
geh['a]ten, fordhan dhe se Faeder ealle gesceafta thurh hine geworhte. He
is Word gecweden, fordhan the word is wisdomes geswutelung. Be dham Worde
ongann se godspellere Iohannes tha godspellican gesetnysse, dhus cwedhende,
"On frymdhe waes Word, and thaet Word waes mid Gode, and thaet Word waes
God." He is Lamb geh['a]ten, for dhaere unscaedhdhignysse lambes gecyndes;
and waes unscyldig, for ure alysednysse, his Faeder liflic onsaegednys, on
lambes wisan geoffrod. He is Leo geciged of Iudan maegdhe, Dauides
wyrtruma, fordhan dhe he, dhurh his godcundlican strencdhe, thone miclan
deofol mid sige his dhrowunge oferswidhde.
Se halga Fulluhtere, dhe we ymbe sprecadh, astealde stidhlice drohtnunge,
aegdher ge on scrude ge on b['i]gwiste, swa swa we hwene aeror rehton;
fordhan dhe se Wealdenda Haelend thus be him cwedhende waes, "Fram Iohannes
dagum Godes rice dholadh neadunge, and dha strecan-m['o]d hit gegripadh."
Cudh is gehwilcum snoterum mannum, thaet seo ealde ['ae] waes eadhelicre
thonne Cristes Gesetnys sy, fordhan dhe on dhaere naes micel forhaefednys,
ne dha gastlican drohtnunga the Crist sidhdhan gesette, and his apostoli.
Odher is seo gesetnys dhe se cyning bytt dhurh his ealdormenn odhdhe
gerefan, odher bidh his agen gebann on his andweardnysse. Godes rice is
gecweden on dhisre stowe seo h['a]lige geladhung, thaet is eal cristen
folc, the sceal mid neadunge and strecum mode thaet heofonlice rice
geearnian. {360} Hu maeg beon butan strece and neadunge, thaet gehw['a] mid
claennysse thaet g['a]le gecynd thurh Godes gife gewylde? Odhdhe hw['a]
gestildh hatheortnysse his modes mid gedhylde, butan earfodhnysse? odhdhe
hw['a] awent modignysse mid sodhre eadmodnysse? odhdhe hw['a] druncennysse
mid syfernysse? odhdhe hw['a] gitsunge mid r['u]mgifulnysse, butan strece?
Ac se dhe his dheawas mid anmodnysse, thurh Godes fultum, swa awent, he
bidh dhonne to odhrum menn geworht; odher he bidh thurh g['o]dnysse, and se
ylca dhurh edwiste, and he gelaecdh dhonne dhurh strece thaet heofenlice
rice.
Twa forhaefednysse cynn syndon, ['a]n lichamlic, odher gastlic. An is,
thaet gehw['a] hine sylfne getemprige mid gemete on ['ae]te and on waete,
and werlice dha oferflowendlican dhygene him sylfum aetbrede. Odher
forhaefednysse cynn is deorwurdhre and healicre, dheah seo odher g['o]d sy:
styran his modes styrunge mid singalre gemetfaestnysse, and campian
daeghwamlice widh leahtras, and hine sylfne dhreagian mid styrnysse dhaere
gastlican steore, swa thaet h['e] dha redhan deor eahta heafod-leahtra
swilce mid isenum midlum gewylde. Deorwyrdhe is theos forhaefednys, and
wulderfull dhrowung on Godes gesihdhe, dha yfelan gedhohtas and unlustas
mid agenre cynegyrde gestyran, and fram derigendlicere spraece, and
pleolicum weorce hine sylfne forhabban, swa swa fram cwylmbaerum mettum. Se
dhe dhas dhing gecneordlice begaedh, he gripdh untweolice thaet beh['a]tene
r['i]ce mid Gode and eallum his halgum. Micel strec bidh, thaet mennisce
menn mid eadmodum geearnungum dha heofenlican myrhdhe begytan, dhe dha
heofenlican englas dhurh modignysse forluron.
Us gelustfulladh gyt furdhur to sprecenne be dhan halgan were Iohanne, him
to wurdhmynte and ['u]s to beterunge. Be him awr['a]t se witega Isaias,
thaet he is "stemn clypigendes on westene, Gearciadh Godes weig, dodh rihte
his padhas. Aelc dene bidh gefylled, and aelc d['u]n bidh geeadmet, and
ealle wohnyssa beodh gerihte, and scearpnyssa gesmedhode." Se witega hine
het stemn, fordhan dhe he forest['o]p Criste, dhe is Word {362} gehaten: na
swilc word swa menn sprecadh, ac he is dhaes Faeder Wisdom, and word bidh
wisdomes geswutelung. Thaet Word is Aelmihtig God, Sunu mid his Faeder. On
aelcum worde bidh stemn gehyred, ['ae]r thaet word fullice gecweden sy. Swa
swa stemn forestaepdh worde, swa forest['o]p Iohannes dham Haelende on
middangearde; fordhan dhe God Faeder hine sende aetforan gesihdhe his
Bearnes, thaet he sceolde gearcian and daeftan his weig. Hwaet dha Iohannes
to mannum clypode thas ylcan word, "Gearciadh Godes weig." Se bydel dhe
bodadh rihtne geleafan and gode weorc, he gearcadh thone weig cumendum Gode
to dhaera heorcnigendra heortan.
Godes weg bidh gegearcod on manna heortan, thonne h['i] dhaere
Sodhfaestnysse spraece eadmodlice gehyradh, and gearuwe beodh to Lifes
bebodum; be dham cwaedh se Haelend, "Se dhe me lufadh, he hylt min bebod,
and min Faeder hine lufadh, and wit cumadh to him, and mid him wuniadh."
His padhas beodh gerihte, thonne dhurh gode bodunge aspringadh claene
gedhohtas on mode dhaera hlystendra. Dena get['a]cniadh tha eadmodan, and
d['u]na dha modigan. On Drihtnes to-cyme wurdon dena afyllede, and d['u]na
geeadmette, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Aelc dhaera dhe hine onhefdh bidh
geeadmet, and se dhe hine geeadmet bidh geuferod." Swa swa waeter scyt of
dhaere d['u]ne, and aetstent on dene, swa forflihdh se Halga Gast modigra
manna heortan, and nimdh wununge on dham eadmodan, swa swa se witega
cwaedh, "On hwam gerest Godes Gast buton on dham eadmodan?" Dhwyrnyssa
beodh gerihte, thonne dhwyrlicra manna heortan, the beodh dhurh
unrihtwisnysse h['o]cas awegde, eft dhurh regol-sticcan dhaere sodhan
rihtwisnysse beodh geemnode. Scearpnyssa beodh awende to smedhum wegum,
dhonne dha yrsigendan mod, and unlidhe gecyrradh to mandhwaernysse, thurh
ongyte dhaere upplican gife.
Langsumlic bidh us to gereccenne, and eow to gehyrenne ealle dha deopnyssa
dhaes maeran Fulluhteres bodunge: hu he dha heardheortan Iudeiscre dheode
mid stearcre dhreale and {364} stidhre myngunge to l['i]fes wege gebigde,
and aefter his dhrowunge hellwarum Cristes to-cyme cydde, swa swa he on
life mancynne agene alysednysse mid hludre stemne bealdlice bodade.
Uton nu biddan dhone Wealdendan Haelend, thaet he, dhurh his dhaes maeran
Forryneles and Fulluhteres dhingunge, ['u]s gemiltsige on andweardum
l['i]fe, and to dham ecan gelaede, dham sy wuldor and l['o]f mid Faeder and
Halgum Gaste ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.