Accesserunt ad Jesum discipuli dicentes, Quis putas major in regno
coelorum: et reliqua.
This day's gospel says, that "The Lord's disciples approached him, thus
saying, Sir, which is the first of men in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus then
called to him a little child," etc.
Haymo expounds this gospel, and says, that the emperor's tollgatherers
asked Peter the apostle, when they were gathering toll for the emperor over
all the world; they said, "Will your lord Christ give any toll? Then Peter
said that he would. Then when Peter would ask Jesus, Jesus, who knows all
thing, prevented him, thus saying, What thinkest thou, Peter, of whom do
earthly kings take tribute or toll, of their own relations, or of
strangers? Peter said, Of {513} strangers. Jesus said, What, are their
relations free? Lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast out
thine hook, and of the fish which first swalloweth it, open the mouth, then
wilt thou find therein a golden coin: take that, and give as toll for me
and for thee."
Then for that reason, that he said, "Give for me and for thee," the
apostles imagined that Peter was first, and asked Jesus, "Who was the first
of men in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus would then heal their erroneous
thoughts with true humility, and said, that they could not come to the
kingdom of heaven, unless they were as humble and as innocent as the child
was which he called to him. A meek child desires not other men's
possessions, nor a beauteous woman; though it be vexed it holds no lasting
animosity towards those who injured it, nor feigns it with words, so that
it think one thing and say another. In like manner should God's followers,
that is, christians, have that innocence in their mind which a child has in
its age.
Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, ye shall not come to the kingdom of
heaven, unless ye are changed and become as children." He did not enjoin to
his disciples that they should be children in body, but that they should
hold the innocence of meek children in their conduct. In one place he said,
when a child was brought to him to be blessed, and his disciples reproved
it, "Suffer these children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven." Of this the apostle Paul admonished his followers, and said, "Be
ye not children in understanding, but in evilnesses: be perfect in
understanding." Jesus said, "Whosoever humbleth himself like this child, he
shall be first in the kingdom of heaven." Let us have true humility in our
lives, if we will have high dignity in God's kingdom, as Jesus said, "Every
one of those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and he who humbleth
himself shall be exalted." He has the innocence of a meek child, who is
displeasing to himself that he may {515} be pleasing to God; and he will be
so much the fairer in the sight of God as he shall be the more humble
before himself. "He who receives one such little one in my name, receives
myself." To all God's poor we should minister benefactions, though above
all to the humble and meek, who in their life's conduct conform to the
commandments of Christ; for he will be served by serving his poor, and he
himself will be received by receiving them.
He said also in another place, "He who receiveth a prophet shall have a
prophet's meed; he who receiveth a righteous man shall have a righteous
man's reward." That is, He who receives a prophet, or a righteous servant
of God, and provides sustenance for him for love of God, shall then have as
great a meed from God for his bounty, as if he himself were a prophet, or a
righteous servant of God. "He who offends one of these little ones, who
believe in me, better were it for him that an immense millstone were tied
to his neck, and he were so sunk in the deep sea." He offends another who
deceives him on the part of God, so that his soul be lost. The millstone
which turns incessantly, and accomplishes no course, betokens love of the
world, which circulates in errors, and fixes no step in the way of God. Of
such the prophet said, "The wicked turn in a circle." He who enters upon a
holy order in God's church, and afterwards by instigation or by sinful life
gives evil example to others, and perverts their understanding, then better
were it for him that he alone perished in his worldly life, than that he in
holy guise should draw others with him to perdition through his depraved
morals.
"Wo to the world for offences." The world are here called those who love
this perishable world more than everlasting life, and with divers offences
pervert themselves and others. "It is needful that offences come, yet wo to
the man from whom they come." This world is so filled with errors, that it
cannot be without offences, and yet wo to the man who {517} deceives
another in his property, or in his life, and for him it shall be worse, who
with evil instigation deceives another man's soul to eternal destruction.
"If thine hand or thy foot offend thee, cut off the limb, and cast it from
thee." This is said according to a spiritual signification, not as a bodily
precept. God commanded no man to destroy his limbs. The hand betokens our
needful friend, who with work and succour daily ministers to our need; but
yet, if such friend entice us from the way of God, then will it be better
for us that we cut off from us his fleshly love, and by separation cast it
away, than that we, through his evil instigation, together with him fall
into eternal perdition. So is it also with the foot and the eye. If any
relation be as dear to thee as thine eye, and another as needful to thee as
thy hand, and one as serviceable as thy own foot, if they then perversely
instigate thee to thy soul's destruction, better will it be for thee that
thou shun their fellowship, than that they lead thee on with them to
eternal perdition. "Take heed that ye despise no one of these little ones."
He who deceives one of God's servants angers the Lord, as he himself
through his prophet said, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to me as
offensive as if he touched the sight of mine eye."
"I say unto you, that their angels ever see the countenance of my Father
who is in heaven." By these words is manifested that over every believing
man an angel is set as a guardian, who shields him against the devil's
machination, and supports him in holy virtues, as the psalmist said of
every righteous man, "God hath commanded his angels concerning thee, that
they may preserve thee, and lift thee in their hands, lest thou dash thy
foot against a stone." It is a great honour for christian men, that every
one has from his birth an angel assigned to him in fellowship, as it is
written of the apostle Peter, when the angel led him from the prison, and
he came to his companions, and knocking prayed for {519} admission. Then
said the faithful, "It is not Peter who there knocketh, but is his angel."
But those angels, whom God has set as guardians over his chosen, never
depart from his presence; for God is everywhere, and whithersoever the
angels fly, they are ever in his presence, and partake of his glory. They
announce our works and prayers to the Almighty, though to him nothing is
hidden, as the archangel Raphael said to the man of God, Tobias, "When ye
prayed, I offered your prayers before God."
The Old Law informs us that archangels are set over every nation, that they
may take care of the people, over the other angels, as Moses, in the fifth
book of the Old Law, manifested in these words, "When God on high divided
and scattered Adam's offspring, he set the boundaries of nations according
to the number of his angels." In this sense agrees the prophet Daniel in
his prophecy. An angel of God spake to Daniel concerning the archangel who
directed the Persian people, and said, "The archangel came to me, the
prince of the Grecian people, and there is none of these my supporter, save
Michael, the prince of the Hebrew folk. Lo, Michael, one of the first
princes, came to me in succour, and I continued there with the king of the
Persian nation." By these words is manifested how great care the archangels
have of their authority over mankind, when he said that Michael came to his
succour.
It is now credible that the archangel Michael has care of christian men,
who was prince of the Hebrew folk, while they believed in God; and that he
manifested when he built himself a church among a faithful people on mount
Garganus, as we have read a little before. It is done by God's
dispensation, that the great heavenly angel is the constant supporter of
christian men on earth, and their intercessor in heaven with Almighty God,
who liveth and reigneth to all eternity. Amen.
* * * * *
{520} DOMINICA XXI. POST PENTECOSTEN.
Loquebatur Iesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua.
"Drihten waes sprecende on sumere tide to his apostolum mid bigspellum,
thus cwedhende, Heofonan rice is gel['i]c sumum cyninge the worhte his suna
gyfte. Tha sende he his bydelas to geladhigenne his underdheoddan:" et
reliqua.
We folgiadh thaes papan Gregories trahtnunge on thyssere raedinge.
Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, gelomlice ic eow saede, thaet gehwaer on
halgum godspelle theos andwerde geladhung is geh['a]ten heofenan rice.
Witodlice rihtwisra manna gegaderung is gecweden heofonan rice. God cwaedh
thurh his witegan, "Heofon is min setl." Paulus se Apostol cwaedh, thaet
"Crist is Godes Miht and Godes Wisdom." Swutelice we magon understandan
thaet gehwilces rihtwises mannes sawul is heofon, thonne Crist is Godes
Wisdom, and rihtwises mannes sawul is thaes wisdomes setl, and seo heofen
is his setl. Be thisum cwaedh se sealm-sc['o]p, "Heofonas cydhadh Godes
wuldor." Godes bydelas he het heofonas. Eornostlice haligra manna geladhung
is heofonan rice, fordhan dhe heora heortan ne beodh begripene on
eordhlicum gewilnungum, ac h['i] geomriadh to dham upplican; and God nu iu
rixadh on him, swa swa on heofenlicum wunungum.
Se cyning dhe worhte his suna gifta is God Faeder, the dha halgan
geladhunge gedheodde his Bearne thurh geryno his flaesclicnysse. Seo halige
geladhung is Cristes bryd, thurh dha h['e] gestryndh daeghwomlice gastlice
bearn, and heo is ealra cristenra manna modor, and dheah-hwaedhere
ungewemmed maeden. Thurh geleafan and fulluht we beodh Gode gestrynde, and
him to gastlicum bearnum gewiscede, thurh Cristes menniscnysse, and thurh
gife thaes Halgan Gastes.
God sende his aerendracan, thaet h['e] gehwilce to dhisum giftum {522}
geladhode. Aene h['e] sende and eft; fordhan dhe h['e] sende his witegan,
the cyddon his Suna menniscnysse towearde, and he sende eft sidhdhan his
apostolas, the cyddon his to-cyme gefremmedne, swa swa dha witegan hit
['ae]r gewitegodon. Thadha h['i] noldon cuman to dham giftum, dha sende
h['e] eft, thus cwedhende, "Secgadh dham geladhodum, Efne, ic gegearcode
mine g['o]d, ic ofsl['o]h mine fearras, and mine gemaestan fugelas, and
ealle mine dhing ic gearcode: cumadh to tham giftum."
Tha fearras get['a]cniadh dha heah-faederas dhaere ealdan ['ae], the moston
dha, be leafe dhaere ealdan ['ae], on fearres wisan, heora fynd ofslean.
Hit is thus awriten on thaere ealdan ['ae], "Lufa dhinne freond, and hata
dhinne feond." Thus waes alyfed tham ealdum mannum, thaet h['i] moston
Godes widherwinnan and heora agene fynd mid stranglicere mihte ofsittan,
and mid waepne acwellan. Ac se ylca God, the thas leafe sealde thurh Moyses
gesetnysse ['ae]r his to-cyme, se ylca eft, dhadha he thurh menniscnysse to
middangearde com, awende dhone cwyde, thus cwedhende, "Ic bebeode eow,
Lufiadh eowre fynd, and doth tela tham dhe eow h['a]tiadh, and gebiddadh
for eowre ehteras, thaet ge beon bearn thaes Heofonlican Faeder, sedhe
l['ae]t his sunnan scinan ofer g['o]de and yfele, and he syldh
r['e]n-scuras and waestmas rihtwisum and unrihtwisum." Hwaet get['a]cniadh
tha fearras buton faederas dhaere ealdan ['ae]? Hwaet waeron h['i], buton
fearra gelican, thadha h['i], mid leafe thaere ealdan ['ae], heora fynd mid
horne lichamlicere mihte potedon?
Tha gem['ae]stan fugelas get['a]cniadh tha halgan l['a]reowas thaere
N['i]wan Gecydhnysse. Tha sind gemaeste mid gife thaes Halgan Gastes to
dham swidhe, thaet h['i] wilniadh thaes upplican faereldes mid fydherum
gastlicere drohtnunge. Hwaet is thaet man besette his gedhanc on
nydherlicum thingum, buton swilce modes hlaennys? Se dhe mid f['o]dan
thaere upplican lufe bidh gefylled, he bidh swilce he sy mid rumlicum
mettum gemaest. Mid thyssere faetnysse wolde se sealm-wyrhta beon gemaest,
dhadha h['e] cwaedh, "Beo min sawul gefylled swa swa mid rysle and mid
ungele."
{524} Hwaet is, "Mine fearras sind ofslagene, and mine gemaestan fugelas,"
buton swilce he cwaede, 'Behealdadh dhaera ealdfaedera drohtnunga, and
understandadh thaera w['i]tegena gyddunge, and thaera apostola bodunge embe
mines Bearnes menniscnysse, and cumadh to dham giftum'? Thaet is, 'Cumadh
mid geleafan, and gedheodadh eow to dhaere halgan geladhunge, dhe is his
bryd and eower modor.'
"H['i] hit forgymeleasodon, and ferdon, sume to heora tunum, sume to heora
ceape." Se faerdh to his tune and forsihdh Godes gearcunge, sedhe
ungemetlice eordhlice teolunge begaedh to dhan swidhe, thaet he his Godes
d['ae]l forgymeleasadh. Se faerdh embe his mangunge, sedhe mid gytsunge
woruldlicra gestreona cepdh swidhor thonne dhaes ecan lifes welan.
Eornostlice thonne h['i] sume mid eordhlicum teolungum ungefohlice h['i]
gebysgiadh, and sume mid woruldlicum hordum, thonne ne magon h['i] for
dhaere bysga smeagan embe thaes Haelendes menniscnysse; and eac him bidh
swidhe h['e]figtyme gedhuht, thaet h['i] heora theawas be his regole
geemnetton. Sume eac beodh swa dhwyrlice gem['o]dode, thaet h['i] ne magon
Godes bodunge gehyran, ac mid ehtnysse Godes bydelas geswencadh, swa swa
thaet godspel her baeftan cwaedh, "Sume h['i] gelaehton tha bydelas, and
mid teonan gewaehton, and ofslogon. Ac se cyning, dhadha he this geaxode,
sende his here to, and tha manslagan fordyde, and heora burh forbaernde."
Tha manslagan he fordyde, fordhan dhe h['e] dha arleasan ehteras hreowlice
acwealde, swa swa we gehw['ae]r on martyra throwungum raedadh. Nero, se
waelhreowa casere, [h['e]t ah['o]n Petrum, and Paulum beheafdian, ac he
weardh faerlice of his rice aflymed, and hine wulfas totaeron. Herodes
beheafdode thone apostol Iacob, and Petrum gebrohte on cwearterne; ac God
hine ahredde of his haeftnede, and thadha se cyning smeade h['u] he of dham
cwearterne come, tha aefter than him com to Godes engel, and hine to deadhe
gesloh. Astriges, se Indisca cyning, the Bartholomeum ofsloh, awedde, and
on tham wodan dreame gew['a]t. Ealswa Egeas, the Andream ahencg, thaerrihte
on {526} wodan dreame geendode. Langsum bidh to gereccenne ealra thaera
arleasra ehtera geendunga, h['u] gramlice se Aelmihtiga God his halgena
throwunga on him gewraec. Dhaet godspel cwydh, thaet he heora burh
forbaernde, forthan dhe hi beodh aegdher ge mid sawle ge mid lichaman on
ecere susle forbaernde. "He sende his here t['o]," forthan dhe he thurh his
englas tha m['a]nfullan fordedh. Hwaet sind thaera engla werod buton here
thaes Heofonlican Cyninges? He is geh['a]ten Dominus Sabaodh, thaet is
'Heres Hlaford,' odhdhe 'Weroda Drihten.'
Se cyning cwaedh dha to his thegnum, "Dhas gyfta sind gearowe, ac tha dhe
ic thaert['o] geladhode naeron his wyrdhe. Faradh nu to wega utscytum, and
swa hwylce swa ge gemetadh, lathiadh to tham gyftum." Wegas sind mislice
manna daeda. Utscytas thaera wega sind ateorung woruldlicera weorca; and
tha for wel oft becumadh to Gode, the on eordhlicum weorcum hwonlice
speowdh. Hwaet dha dhaes cyninges aerendracan ferdon geond wegas,
gadrigende ealle tha dhe hi gemetton, aegdher ge yfele ge gode, and
gesetton tha gifta endemes. On thyssere andwerdan geladhunge sind gemengde
yfele and gode, swa swa claene corn mid fulum coccele: ac on ende thyssere
worulde se sodha Dema haet his englas gadrian thone coccel byrthenmaelum,
and awurpan into dham unadwaescendlicum fyre. Byrthenmaelum hi gadriadh tha
synfullan fram tham rihtwisum: thonne dha manslagan beodh togaedere
getigede innon tham hellicum fyre, and sceathan mid sceathum, gytseras mid
gytserum, forliras mid forlirum; and swa gehwylce m['a]nfulle geferan on
tham ecum tintregum samod gewrithene cwylmiadh; and se claena hwaete bidh
gebroht on Godes berne: thaet is, thaet dha rihtwisan beodh gebrohte to
tham ecan life, thaer ne cymdh storm ne nan unweder thaet dham corne derie.
Dhonne ne beodh tha godan nahwar buton on heofenum, and tha yfelan nahwar
buton on helle.
Mine gebrothra, gif ge g['o]de sind, thonne sceole ge emlice withercorenra
manna yfelnysse forberan, swa lange swa ge on {528} thisum andweardan life
wuniadh. Ne bidh se g['o]d sethe yfelne forberan nele. Be thisum cwaedh
Godes stemn to tham witegan Ezechiel, "Dhu mannes bearn, ungeleaffulle and
yfel tihtende sind mid the, and thu wunast mid tham wyrstan wyrmcynne." Eft
Paulus se Apostol geleaffulra manna l['i]f herode and getrymde, thus
tihtende, "Gewuniadh betwux thwyrum mancynne: scinadh betwux tham swa swa
steorran, l['i]fes word healdende."
"Se cyning eode inn, and gesceawode tha gebeoras, tha geseah he thaer aenne
mann the naes gescryd mid gyftlicum reafe." Thaet giftlice reaf
get['a]cnadh tha sodhan lufe Godes and manna. Tha lufe ure Scyppend us
geswutelode thurh hine sylfne, thadha he gemedemode thaet he us fram tham
ecan deathe mid his deorwurthan blode alysde, swa swa Iohannes se
Godspellere cwaedh, "Swa swithe lufode God thysne middangeard, thaet he his
['a]ncennedan Sunu sealde for us." Se Godes Sunu, the dhurh lufe to mannum
becom, gebicnode on tham godspelle thaet dhaet giftlice reaf
get['a]cnode,--tha sodhan lufe. Aelc thaera the mid geleafan and fulluhte
to Gode gebihdh, he cymdh to tham gyftum; ac he ne cymdh na mid gyftlicum
reafe, gif he tha sothan lufe ne hylt. Witodlice ge geseodh thaet gehwam
sceamadh, gif he geladhod bidh to woruldlicum gyftum, thaet he w['a]clice
gescryd cume to thaere scortan blisse; ac micele mare sceamu bidh tham dhe
mid horium reafe cymdh to Godes gyftum, thaet he for his fulum gyrelan fram
thaere ecan blisse ascofen beo into ecum theostrum. Swa swa reaf wlitegadh
thone man lichamlice, swa eac seo sodhe lufu wlitegadh ure sawle mid
gastlicere faegernysse. Dheah se mann haebbe fullne geleafan, and aelmessan
wyrce, and fela to gode gedo, eal him bidh ydel, swa hwaet swa he dedh,
buton he haebbe sothe lufe to Gode and to eallum cristenum mannum. Seo is
sodh lufu, thaet gehw['a] his freond lufie on gode, and his feond for gode.
Daeghwamlice gaedh se Heofonlica Cyning into tham gyftum, thaet is, into
his geladhunge, and sceawadh hwaedher we be['o]n mid tham gyftlicum reafe
innan gescrydde; and swa hwylcne swa he gemet {530} butan sothre lufe,
dhaene he befrindh mid graman, thus cwedhende, "Thu freond, humeta dorstest
dhu g['a]n to minre gearcunge buton gyftlicum reafe?" "Freond" he hine het,
and theah awearp fram his gebeorum. Freond he waes dhurh geleafan, and
withercora thurh weorc. He thaerrihte adumbode, forthan the aet Godes dome
ne bidh n['a]n beladung ne withertalu; ac se Dema the widhutan threadh, is
gewita his ingehides widhinnan. Dheah dhe hw['a] tha sothan lufe gyt
fulfremedlice naebbe, ne sceal he dheah his sylfes geortruwian, fordhan dhe
se witega be swylcum cwaedh to Gode, "Min Drihten, thine eagan gesawon mine
unfulfremednysse, and on thinre b['e]c ealle] sind awritene."
Se cyning cwaedh to his dhegnum, "Bindadh thone misscryddan h['a]ndum and
f['o]tum, and wurpadh into dham yttrum theostrum, thaer bidh w['o]p and
todha gebitt." Tha h['a]nda and tha f['e]t the n['u] ne beodh gebundene mid
Godes ege fram thwyrlicum weorcum, hi beodh thonne thurh strecnysse Godes
domes faeste gewridhene. Tha f['e]t dhe nelladh untrumne geneosian, and tha
h['a]nda the n['a]n dhing thearfum ne sylladh, tha beodh thonne mid wite
gebundene; fordhan the h['i] synd n['u] sylfwilles fram g['o]dum weorcum
gewridhene. Se misscrydda waes aworpen on dha yttran theostru. Tha inran
theostru sind thaere heortan blindnys. Tha yttran theostru is seo swearte
niht thaere ecan genidherunge. Se ford['e]mda thonne throwadh on tham
yttrum theostrum neadunge, fordhan dhe he n['u] sylfwilles his l['i]f
adrihdh on blindnysse his heortan, and naefdh n['a]n gemynd thaes sodhan
leohtes, thaet is, Crist, the be him sylfum cwaedh, "Ic eom middangeardes
leoht; se dhe me fyligdh, ne g['ae]dh he on theostrum, ac he haefdh lifes
leoht." On dham yttrum theostrum bidh w['o]p and todha gebit. Thaer wepadh
dha eagan on dham hellican lige, the n['u] dhurh unalyfedlice gewilnunga
goretende hwearftliadh; and tha t['e]dh, the n['u] on ofer-aete blissiadh,
sceolon thaer cearcian on tham unasecgendlicum pinungum, the Godes
widherwinnum gegearcod is. Tha eagan sodhlice for swidhlicum smice tyradh,
and tha t['e]dh for micclum cyle cwaciadh; fordhan dhe dha widhercoran
{532} unacumendlice haetu throwiadh, and unasecgendlicne cyle. Witodlice
thaet hellice fyr haefdh unasecgendlice h['ae]tan and n['a]n leoht, ac
['e]celice byrndh on sweartum dheostrum.
Gif hwam twynige be aeriste, thonne maeg h['e] understandan on thisum
godspelle, thaet thaer bidh sodh aerist thaer dhaer beodh eagan and
t['e]dh. Eagan sind flaescene, and t['e]dh baenene; fordhan the we sceolon,
wylle we nelle we, arisan on ende thyssere worulde mid flaesce and mid
bane, and onf['o]n edlean ealra ura daeda, odhdhe wununge mid Gode for
g['o]dum geearnungum, oththe helle-wite mid deofle for m['a]ndaedum. Be
thisum cwaedh se eadiga Iob, "Ic gelyfe thaet min Alysend leofadh, and ic
sceal on tham endenextan daege of eordhan arisan, and eft ic beo mid minum
felle befangen, and on minum flaesce ic geseo God, ic sylf, and na odher."
Thaet is, na odher hiw thurh me, ac ic sylf hine geseo.
Thises godspelles geendung is swidhe egefull: "Fela sind gec['i]gede and
feawa gecorene." Efne nu ure ealra stemn clypadh Crist, ac ure ealra l['i]f
ne clypadh; fordhan dhe manega widhcwedhadh on heora dheawum thaet thaet
h['i] mid heora stemne geandettadh. Sume menn habbadh g['o]d anginn sume
hwile, ac h['i] geendiadh on yfele. Sume habbadh yfel anginn, and wel
geendiadh thurh sodhe d['ae]dbote. Sume onginnadh wel, and bet geendiadh.
Nu sceal gehw['a] hine sylfne micclum ondraedan, theah the h['e] g['o]de
drohtnunge haebbe, and nateshwon be him sylfum gedyrstlaecan; fordhan the
h['e] n['a]t hwaedher h['e] wurdhe is into tham ecan rice. Ne he ne sceal
be odhrum geortruwian, theah dhe he on leahtras befealle; fordhan dhe he
n['a]t tha menigfealdan welan Godes mildheortnysse.
Cwydh nu S[=cs] Gregorius, thaet sum brodhor gecyrde to anum mynstre the he
sylf gestadhelode, and aefter regollicere f['a]ndunge munuch['a]d
underfeng. Tham filigde sum flaesclic brodhor to mynstre, na for
gecnyrdnysse g['o]ddre drohtnunge, ac for flaesclicere lufe. Se gastlica
brodhor eallum tham mynster-munecum thearle dhurh g['o]de drohtnunge
gelicode; and his flaesclica brodhor micclum his lifes dheawum mid
thwyrnysse {534} widhcwaedh. He leofode on mynstre for neode swidhor thonne
for beterunge. He waes gegaf spraece, and thwyr on d['ae]dum; wel besewen
on reafe, and yfele on dheawum. He nahte gedhyld, gif hine hw['a] to
g['o]ddre drohtnunge tihte. Weardh dha his l['i]f swidhe h['e]figtyme dham
gebrodhrum, ac hi hit emlice forbaeron for his brodher g['o]dnysse. He ne
mihte n['a]n dhing to gode ged['o]n, ne he nolde n['a]n g['o]d gehyran. Tha
weardh h['e] faerlice mid sumere codhe gestanden, and to deadhe gebroht.
Thadha h['e] to fordhsidhe ah['a]fen waes, dha comon tha gebrodhra to dhi
thaet h['i] his sawle becwaedon. He laeg acealdod on nytheweardum limum: on
dham breoste anum ordhode dha-gyt se gast. Tha gebrodhra dha swa micel
geornfullicor for hine gebaedon, swa micclum swa h['i] gesawon thaet he
hraedlice gew['i]tan sceolde. He dha faerlice hrymde, thus cwedhende,
"Gewitadh fram me. Efne her is cumen an draca the me sceal forswelgan, ac
he ne maeg for eower andwerdnysse. Min heafod he haefdh mid his ceaflum
befangen. Rymadh him, thaet he me l['e]ng ne swence. Gif ic thisum dracan
to forswelgenne geseald eom, hw['i] sceal ic elcunge throwian for eowerum
oferstealle?"
Tha gebrodhra him cwaedon to, "Hw['i] sprecst thu mid swa micelre
orwennysse? Mearca dhe sylfne mid t['a]cne thaere halgan r['o]de." He
andwyrde be his mihte, "Ic wolde lustbaere mid t['a]cne thaere halgan
r['o]de me bletsian, ac ic naebbe dha mihte, fordhan dhe se draca me
thearle ofthryhdh." Hwaet dha munecas dha h['i] astrehton mid w['o]pe to
eordhan, and ongunnon geornlicor for his hreddinge thone Wealdendan God
biddan. Efne dha faerlice awyrpte se adliga cniht, and mid blissigendre
stemne cwaedh, "Ic thancige Gode: efne nu se draca, the me forswelgan
wolde, is afl['i]ged for eowerum benum. He is fram me ascofen, and standan
ne mihte ongean eowre thingunge. Beodh nu mine dhingeras, biddende for
minum synnum; fordhan dhe ic eom gearo to gecyrrenne to munuclicere
drohtnunge, and woruldlice dheawas ealle forlaetan." His cealdan limu tha
ge-edcucodon, and he mid ealre heortan to {536} Gode gecyrde, and mid
langsumum broce on his gecyrrednysse weardh gerihtlaeced, and aet nextan on
thaere ylcan untrumnysse gew['a]t; ac he ne geseah thone dracan on his
fordhsidhe, fordhan dhe he hine oferswidhde mid gecyrrednysse his heortan.
Ne sceole we beon ormode, theah dhe on thyssere andweardan geladhunge fela
syndon yfele and feawa g['o]de; fordhan dhe Noes arc on ythum dhaes micclan
flodes haefde get['a]cnunge thyssere geladhunge, and h['e] waes on
nydheweardan w['i]d, and on ufeweardan nearo. On dhaere nydhemystan
bytminge wunodon tha redhan deor and creopende wurmas. On othre fleringe
wunodon fugelas and claene nytenu. On thaere dhriddan fleringe wunode Noe
mid his wife, and his dhry suna mid heora thrim wifum. On dhaere bytminge
waes se arc r['u]m, thaer dha redhan deor wunedon, and widhufan genyrwed,
thaer dhaera manna wunung waes; fordhan dhe seo halige geladhung on
flaesclicum mannum is swidhe br['a]d, and on gastlicum nearo. Heo
tospr['ae]t hire bosm thaer dhaer tha redhan wuniadh on nytenlicum dheawum,
and heo is genyrwed on thone ende the tha gesceadwisan wuniadh, on
gastlicum dheawum drohtnigende; fordhan swa h['i] haligran beodh on
thyssere andwerdan geladhunge, swa heora laes bidh. Micele ma is thaera
manna the lybbadh be agenum lustum, dhonne thaera sy the heora lifes
dheawas aefter Godes bebodum gerihtlaecadh: theah-hwaedhere symle bidh
haligra manna getel geeacnod thurh arleasra manna wanunge. Nis thaet getel
Godes gecorenra lytel, swa swa Crist on odhre stowe cwaedh, "Manega cumadh
fram east-daele and fram west-daele, and sittadh mid tham heahfaedere
Abrah['a]me, and Isaace, and Iacobe on heofonan rice." Eft, se sealm-wyrhta
be Godes gecorenum cwaedh, "Ic h['i] getealde, and heora getel is mare
dhonne sand-ceosol." On dhisum andweardan life sind tha gecorenan feawa
gedhuhte ongean getel thaera widhercorenra, ac thonne h['i] to dham ecan
life gegaderode beodh, heora tel bidh swa menigfeald, thaet hit oferstihdh,
be dhaes witegan cwyde, sand-ceosles ger['i]m.
{538} L['ae]d us, Aelmihtig God, to getele dhinra gecorenra halgena, inn to
thaere ecan blisse dhines rices, the thu gearcodest fram frymdhe
middangeardes the lufigendum, thu dhe leofast and rixast mid tham Ecan
Faeder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.
{521} THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.
Loquebatur Jesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua.
"The Lord was speaking at a certain time to his apostles in parables, thus
saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king who made a
marriage for his son. Then sent he his messengers to invite his subjects,"
etc.
We follow in this text the exposition of pope Gregory.
My dearest brothers, I have frequently told you, that everywhere in the
holy gospel this present church is called the kingdom of heaven. Verily a
gathering of righteous men is called the kingdom of heaven. God said
through his prophet, "Heaven is my seat." Paul the Apostle said that
"Christ is God's Might and God's Wisdom." Clearly we may understand that
the soul of every righteous man is heaven, when Christ is God's Wisdom, and
the soul of a righteous man is the seat of wisdom, and heaven is his seat.
Of this the psalmist said, "The heavens make known the glory of God." He
calls the heavens God's messengers. But the congregation of holy men is the
kingdom of heaven, because their hearts are not occupied in earthly
desires, but they sigh for that which is above; and God now long since
reigns in them, as in the heavenly dwellings.
The king who made a marriage for his son is God the Father, who associated
the holy church with his Son through the mystery of his incarnation. The
holy church is Christ's bride, by which he daily begets spiritual children,
and she is the mother of all christian men, and, nevertheless, an undefiled
maiden. Through belief and baptism we are begotten to God, and adopted as
his spiritual children, through Christ's humanity, and through grace of the
Holy Ghost.
God sent his messengers, that he might invite everyone to {523} this
marriage. He sent once and again; for he sent his prophets, who announced
his Son's humanity to come, and again, he afterwards sent his apostles, who
announced his advent accomplished, as the prophets had erst prophesied it.
When they would not come to the marriage, he sent again, thus saying, "Say
to those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my meats, I have slain my
oxen and my fatted fowls, and have prepared all my things: come to the
marriage."
The oxen betoken the patriarchs of the old law, who might then, by
permission of the old law, slay their foes in the manner of an ox. It is
thus written in the old law, "Love thy friend, and hate thy foe." Thus it
was allowed to men of old, that they might with strong might oppress, and
with weapons slay the adversaries of God and their own foes. But the same
God, who gave this permission through the law of Moses before his advent,
the same afterwards, when he through human nature came to the world,
changed the mandate, thus saying, "I command you, Love your foes, and do
good to those who hate you, and pray for your persecutors, that ye may be
children of the Heavenly Father, who letteth his sun shine over good and
evil, and he giveth rain-showers and fruits to the righteous and to the
unrighteous." What betoken the oxen but the fathers of the old law? What
were they but the like of oxen, when, by permission of the old law, they
struck their foes with the horn of bodily might?
The fatted fowls betoken the holy teachers of the New Testament. These are
fatted with the grace of the Holy Ghost to that degree, that they desire
the heavenly journey with the wings of spiritual life. What is it for a man
to set his thoughts on sublunary things but, as it were, a tenuity of mind?
He who is filled with the food of heavenly love, is as though he were
fatted with generous meats. With this fatness the psalmist would be fatted,
when he said, "Be my soul filled as with fat and with tallow."
{525} What is, "My oxen and my fatted fowls are slain," but as though he
had said, 'Behold the lives of the old fathers, and understand the singing
of the prophets, and the preaching of the apostles concerning my Son's
humanity, and come to the marriage'? That is, 'Come with faith, and
associate yourselves to the holy church, which is his bride and your
mother.'
"They neglected it, and went, some to their farms, some to their
merchandise." He goes to his farm and neglects God's preparation, who
immoderately attends to earthly pursuits to that degree that he neglects
God's portion. He goes about his traffic, who with covetousness heeds
worldly gains more than the riches of eternal life. But when they busy
themselves immoderately, some with earthly pursuits and some with worldly
treasures, then they cannot for that business meditate on the humanity of
Jesus; and it also seems to them very irksome to adjust their conduct to
his rule. Some also are so perversely minded, that they may not hear God's
preaching, but with persecution afflict God's messengers, as the gospel
hereafter says, "Some seized the messengers, and with injury afflicted
them, and slew them. But the king, when he was informed of this, sent his
army, and destroyed the murderers and burned their city."
He destroyed the murderers, because he fiercely slew the impious
persecutors, as we read everywhere in the passions of the martyrs. Nero,
the cruel emperor, [commanded Peter and Paul to be beheaded, but he was
suddenly driven from his realm, and wolves tore him in pieces. Herod
beheaded the apostle James, and brought Peter into prison, but God saved
him from his captivity, and when the king was inquiring how he came out of
the prison, God's angel came to him afterwards and slew him to death.
Astryges, the Indian king, who slew Bartholomew, became mad, and in a fit
of madness departed. In like manner Egeas, who {527} crucified Andrew,
ended forthwith in a fit of madness. Longsome would it be to recount the
ends of all the impious persecutors, how sternly the Almighty God avenged
on them the sufferings of his saints. The gospel says, that he burned their
city, because they will be, both with soul and with body, burned in
everlasting torment. "He sent his army," because through his angels he
destroys the wicked. What are the hosts of angels but the army of the
Heavenly King? He is called Dominus Sabaoth, that is 'Lord of an army,' or
'Lord of Hosts.'
The king then said to his servants, "The marriage is ready, but those whom
I have thereto invited were not worthy of it. Go now to the outlets of the
ways, and whomsoever ye find, invite to the marriage." Ways are the various
deeds of men. Outlets of ways are the perishing of worldly works; and those
very often come to God, who in earthly works but little prosper. Hereupon
the king's messengers went through the ways, gathering all whom they found,
both evil and good, and at length made the marriage. In this present church
are mingled evil and good, as clean corn with foul cockle: but at the end
of this world the true Judge will bid his angels gather the cockle by
burthens, and cast it into the unquenchable fire. By burthens they will
gather the sinful from the righteous: then will murderers be tied together
within the hellish fire, and robbers with robbers, the covetous with the
covetous, adulterers with adulterers; and so all wicked associates, bound
together, shall suffer in everlasting torments; and the clean wheat shall
be brought into God's barn: that is, the righteous shall be brought to
everlasting life, where storm comes not nor any tempest that may injure the
corn. Then will the good be nowhere but in heaven, and the evil nowhere but
in hell.
My brothers, if ye are good, then should ye bear with equanimity the
evilness of reprobate men, as long as ye {529} continue in this present
life. He is not good who will not bear with the evil. On this the voice of
God said to the prophet Ezekiel, "Thou son of man, unbelieving and
prompters to evil are with thee, and thou dwellest with the worst
wormkind." Again Paul the Apostle praised and confirmed the lives of
believing men, thus stimulating them, "Dwell among perverse mankind: shine
among them as stars, holding the word of life."
"The king went in, and beheld the guests, when he saw one man there who was
not clad in a marriage garment." The marriage garment betokens the true
love of God and men. That love our Creator manifested to us in himself,
when he vouchsafed to redeem us from eternal death with his precious blood,
as John the Evangelist said, "So greatly God loved this world, that he gave
his only-begotten Son for us." The Son of God, who through love came to
men, signified in the gospel that which the marriage garment
betokened,--true love. Every of those who with faith and baptism incline to
God, comes to the marriage; but he comes not with a marriage garment, if he
holds not true love. For ye see that everyone is ashamed, if he is invited
to a worldly marriage, to come meanly clad to that short pleasure; but a
much greater shame is it for him who with a sordid garment comes to God's
marriage, so that for his foul habit he shall be cast from eternal bliss
into eternal darkness. So as a garment adorns a man bodily, so also true
love adorns our soul with spiritual fairness. Though a man have full faith,
and give alms, and do much good, all will be vain, whatsoever he does,
unless he have true love for God and for all christian men. It is true
love, that everyone love his friend well, and his foe for his good. The
Heavenly King goes daily to the marriage, that is, into his church, and
looks whether we are clad within in the marriage garment; and whomsoever he
finds without {531} true love, him he questions with wrath, thus saying,
"Thou friend, how durstest thou come to my preparation without a marriage
garment?" "Friend" he called him, and, nevertheless, cast him from his
guests. A friend he was through faith, and a reprobate in works. He was
forthwith silent, because at God's doom there is no exculpation nor
defence; for the Judge who convicts without, is cognizant of his mind
within. Though any one have not true love perfectly, yet should he not
despair of himself, for of such the prophet spake to God, "My Lord, thine
eyes have seen my imperfections, and in thy book all] are written."
The king said to his servants, "Bind the misclad hands and feet, and cast
him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The
hands and the feet which are not now bound through awe of God from perverse
works, shall then, through the sternness of God's doom, be fast bound. The
feet which will not visit the sick, and the hands which give nothing to the
poor, shall then be bound in torment; because they are now wilfully bound
from good works. The misclad was cast into outer darkness. The inner
darkness is the blindness of the heart. The outer darkness is the swart
night of eternal condemnation. The condemned will then by compulsion suffer
in outer darkness, because he now wilfully passes his life in blindness of
heart, and has no remembrance of the true light, that is, Christ, who said
of himself, "I am the light of the world; he who followeth me goeth not in
darkness, but hath the light of life." In the outer darkness shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. There the eyes shall weep in the hellish
flame, which now libidinously roll about with unallowed desires; and the
teeth, which now rejoice in gluttony, shall there grate in the unspeakable
torments, which are prepared for the adversaries of God. Verily the eyes
will smart with the powerful smoke, and the teeth quake with the great
chill; for the reprobates shall suffer intolerable {533} heat, and
unspeakable chill. Verily the hellish fire has unspeakable heat and no
light, but burns eternally in swart darkness.
If any one doubt concerning the resurrection, he may in this gospel
understand, that there will be a true resurrection, where there are eyes
and teeth. Eyes are of flesh, and teeth of bone; for we shall, whether we
will or not, arise at the end of this world with flesh and with bone, and
receive the reward of all our deeds, either a dwelling with God for good
deserts, or hell-torment with the devil for deeds of wickedness. Of this
the blessed Job said, "I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall
on the last day from earth arise, and that I shall again be clothed in my
flesh, and that in my flesh I shall see God, I myself, and no other." That
is, no other form through me, but I myself shall see him.
The ending of this gospel is very awful: "Many are called and few chosen."
Behold now the voices of us all call Christ, but the lives of us all call
him not; for many deny in their practices that which they profess with
their voice. Some men have a good beginning for some while, but they end in
evil. Some have an evil beginning, and end well through true penitence.
Some begin well and end better. Now everyone should greatly fear, though he
lead a good life, and not presume on himself; for he knows not whether he
is worthy to enter into the eternal kingdom. Nor should he despair of
another, though he fall into vices; for he knows not the manifold abundance
of God's mercy.
St. Gregory now says, that a certain brother entered into a monastery which
he himself had founded, and after regular probation received monkhood. A
fleshly brother followed him to the monastery, not for desire of a good
life, but for fleshly love. The ghostly brother, through his good life, was
exceedingly liked by the monks of the monastery; and his fleshly brother
with perverseness greatly contradicted {535} the usages of his life. He
lived in the monastery rather from necessity than for bettering. He was
idle of speech, and perverse in deeds; appearing well in raiment, and evil
in morals. He had no patience, if any one exhorted him to a good course.
Hence was his life very irksome to the brothers, but they endured it calmly
on account of his brother's goodness. He could do nothing good, nor would
he hear any good. He was then suddenly seized with some disease, and
brought to death. When he was raised up for departure, the brothers came
that they might pray for his soul. He lay chilled in his lower limbs: in
his breast alone the spirit yet breathed. The brothers then prayed for him
the more fervently, the more they saw that he would quickly depart. He then
suddenly cried, thus saying, "Depart from me. Lo here is a dragon come
which is to swallow me, but he cannot for your presence. He has seized my
head in his jaws. Give place to him, that he may no longer afflict me. If I
am given to this dragon to be swallowed, why should I suffer delay through
your presence?"
The brothers said to him, "Why speakst thou with such great despair? Mark
thyself with the sign of the holy rood." He answered as he was able, "I
would joyfully bless myself with the sign of the holy rood, but I have not
the power, for the dragon sorely oppresses me." Whereupon the monks
prostrated themselves with weeping to the earth, and begun more fervently
to pray to the Powerful God for his salvation. Lo then, the sick man
suddenly started, and with exulting voice said, "I thank God: behold now
the dragon which would swallow me is put to flight through your prayers. He
is driven from me, and could not stand against your intercession. Be now my
interceders, praying for my sins; for I am ready to turn to monastic life,
and to forsake all worldly practices." His cold limbs then requickened, and
he turned {537} with all his heart to God, and by long sickness in his
conversion was justified, and at length died of the same disease; but he
saw not the dragon at his departure, for he had overcome him by the
conversion of his heart.
We should not be hopeless, though in this present church many are evil and
few good; for Noah's ark on the waves of the great flood was a type of this
church, and it was in the lower part wide and in the upper narrow. In the
lowermost bottom dwelt the fierce beasts and creeping worms. On the second
flooring dwelt birds and clean animals. On the third flooring dwelt Noah
with his wife, and his three sons with their three wives. In the bottom the
ark was roomy, where the fierce beasts dwelt, and narrowed above, where the
dwelling of men was; for the holy church is in fleshly men very broad, and
in spiritual narrow. She spreads her bosom where the rugged dwell in brutal
habits, and she is narrowed at the end which the discreet inhabit, living
in spiritual practices; for the holier they are in this present church, so
the less of them there is. Much more is there of those men who live for
their own lusts, than there is of those who regulate their life's actions
after the commandments of God: yet is the number of holy men ever increased
through the diminution of impious men. The number of God's chosen is not
little, as Christ said in another place, "Many shall come from the east
part and from the west, and shall sit with the patriarch Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Again, the psalmist said of
God's chosen, "I counted them, and their number is greater than the
sand-grains." In this present life the chosen appear few in comparison with
the number of the reprobates, but when they shall be gathered to the
eternal life, their number will be so manifold, that it will exceed,
according to the prophet's saying, the number of the sand-grains.
{539} Lead us, Almighty God, to the number of thy chosen saints, into the
everlasting bliss of thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared from the
beginning of the world for those who love thee, thou who livest and
reignest with the Eternal Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever.
Amen.
* * * * *
[=KL]. NOUE[=MB].