The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Part 27

IIII. K[=L]. SEPT.

DECOLLATIO S[=CI] IOHANNIS BAPTISTae.

Misit Herodes et tenuit Iohannem: et reliqua.

Marcus se G.o.dspellere awrat on Cristes bec be am maeran Fulluhtere Iohanne, aet "se waelhreowa cyning Herodes hine gehaefte, and on cwearterne sette, for his broor wife Herodiaden:" et reliqua.

es Iohannes waes se maerosta mann, swa swa Crist be him cynysse gecydde. He cwae, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne {478} aras nan maerra man onne Iohannes se Fulluhtere." Nu haebbe ge oft gehyred be his maeran drohtnunge and be his enunge, nu wylle we embe ises G.o.dspelles trahtnunge sume swutelunge eow gereccan.

es Herodes, e Iohannem beheafdian het, and on aes Haelendes rowunge Pilate am ealdormenn geafode, and hine to his dome betaehte, waes aes ores Herodes sunu, e on am timan rixode e Crist geboren waes; ac hit waes swa gewunelic on am timan aet rice menn sceopon heora bearnum naman be him sylfum, aet hit waere geuht aes e mare gemynd aes faeder, aa se sunu, his yrfenuma, waes geciged aes faeder naman. Se waelhreowa faeder Herodes laefde fif suna, ry he het acwellan on his feorh-adle, aeran e he gewite. a wear he hreowlice and hraedlice dead aefter am e he a cild acwealde for Cristes acennednysse. a feng Archelaus his sunu to rice. a embe tyn geara fyrst wear he ascofen of his cynesetle, foran e aet Iudeisce folc wrehton his modignysse to am casere, and he a hine on wraecsi asende. a daelde se casere aet Iudeisce rice on feower, and sette aerto feower gebrora: a sind gecwedene aefter Grecisc.u.m gereorde, tetrarche, aet sind, fyerrican.

Fyerrica bi se e haef feoran dael rices. a waes an yssera gebrora Philippus gehaten, se gewifode on aes cyninges dehter Arethe, Arabiscre eode, seo hatte Herodias. a aefter sumum fyrste wurdon hi ungesome, Philippus and Arethe, and he genam a dohtor of his aumme, and forgeaf hi his breer Herode; foran e he waes furor on hlisan and on mihte. Herodes a awearp his riht aewe, and forligerlice manfulles sinscipes breac.

a on am timan bodade Iohannes se Fulluhtere G.o.des rihtwisnysse eallum Iudeisc.u.m folce, and reade one Herodem, for am fulan sinscipe.

Aecclesiastica historia ita narrat: a geseah Herodes aet eal seo Iudeisce meniu arn to Iohannes lare, and his mynegungum geornlice {480} gehyrsumodon, a wear he afyrht, and wende aet hi woldon for Iohannes lare his cynedom forseon, and wolde a forhradian, and gebrohte hine on cwearterne on anre byrig e is gecweden Macherunta. Hwaet a Iohannes asende of am cwearterne twegen leorning-cnihtas to Criste, and hine befran, us cweende, "Eart u se e toweard is, oe we ores andbidian sceolon?"

Swilce he cwaede, Geswutela me, gyf u sylf wylle nyer-astigan to h.e.l.lwarum for manna alysednysse, swa swa u woldest acenned beon for manna alysednysse; oe gif ic sceole cyan inne to-cyme h.e.l.lwarum, swa swa ic middangearde e toweardne bodade, geswutela. Hwaet a se Haelend on aere ylcan tide, swa swa Lucas se G.o.dspellere awrat, gehaelde manega untruman fram mislic.u.m coum, and wodum mannum gewitt forgeaf, and blindum gesihe; and cwae syan to Iohannes aerendrac.u.m, "Fara nu to Iohanne, and cya him a ing e ge gesawon and gehyrdon. Efne nu blinde geseo, and a healtan ga, and hreoflige men synd geclaensode, deafe gehyra, and a deadan arisa, and earfan bodia G.o.dspel; and se bi eadig e on me ne bi geaeswicod." Swylce he cwaede to Iohanne, yllice wundra ic wyrce, ac swa-eah ic wylle deae sweltan for mancynnes alysednysse, and e sweltende aefterfyligan, and se bi gesaelig e mine wundra nu hera, gif he minne dea ne forsih, and for am deae ne geortruwa aet ic G.o.d eom. us onwreah se Haelend Iohanne aet he wolde hine sylfne gemedemian to deae, and syan h.e.l.lwara geneosian.

a betwux isum gelamp aet Herodes, swa we ?r cwaedon, his witan gefeormode on am daege e he geboren waes; foran e hi haefdon on am timan micele blisse on heora gebyrd-tidum. Seo dohtor a, swa swa we ?r saedon, pleG.o.de mid hire maedenum on am gebeorscipe, him eallum to gecwemednysse, and se faeder a mid ae behet, aet he wolde hire forgyfan swa hwaes swa heo gewilnode. reo arleasa scylda we gehyrdon,--ungesaelige maersunge his gebyrd-tide, and a unstaeigan hleapunge aes maedenes, and aes faeder {482} dyrstigan asware. am rim ingum us gedafena aet we wicweon on urum eawum. We ne moton ure gebyrd-tide to nanum freols-daege mid idelum maersungum awendan, ne ure acennednysse on swilc.u.m gemynde habban; ac we sceolon urne endenextan daeg mid behreowsunge and d?dbote forhradian, swa swa hit awriten is, "On eallum ingum beo u gemyndig ines endenextan daeges, and u ne syngast on ecnysse." Ne us ne gedafena aet we urne lichaman, e G.o.de is gehalG.o.d on am halwendan fulluhte, mid unaeslic.u.m plegan and higleaste gescyndan; foran e ure lichaman sind G.o.des lima, swa swa Paulus cwae, "And he bebead, aet we sceolon gearcian ure lichaman liflice onsaegednysse, and halige, and G.o.de andfenge." Se lichama bi liflic onsaegednys e wi heafod-leahtras bi gescyld, and urh halige maegnu G.o.de bi andfenge and halig. G.o.d sylf forbyt aelcne a cristenum mannum, us cweende, "Ne swera u urh heofenan, foran e heo is G.o.des rymsetl. Ne swera u urh eoran, foran e heo is G.o.des fotsceamol. Ne swera u urh in agen heafod, foran e u ne miht wyrcan an h?r ines feaxes hwit oe blacc. Ic secge eow, Ne swerige ge urh nan ing, ac beo eower spraec us geendod, Hit is swa ic secge, oe hit nis swa. Swa hwaet swa aer mare bi urh a, aet bi of am yfelan."

Crist sylf gefaestnode his spraece, aa he spraec to anum Samaritaniscan wife mid isum worde, "Crede mihi:" aet is, "Gelyf me." eah-hwaeere gif we hwaer unwaerlice swerion, and se a us geneadige to wyrsan daede, onne bi us r?dlicor aet we one maran gylt forbugon, and one a wi G.o.d gebetan.

Witodlice Dauid swor urh G.o.d aet he wolde one stuntan wer Nabal ofslean, and ealle his ing adylegian; ac aet aere forman ingunge aes snoteran wifes Abigail, he awende his swurd into aere sceae, and herode aes wifes snoternysse, e him forwyrnde one pleolican mannsliht. Herodes swor urh stuntnysse aet he wolde aere hleapendan dehter forgyfan swa hwaet swa heo baede: a foram e he {484} nolde fram his gebeorum beon gecweden manswara, one beorscipe mid blode gemencgde, and aes maeran witegan dea aere lyran hoppystran hire gliges to mede forgeaf. Micele selre him waere aet he one a tobraece, onne he swylcne witegan acwellan hete.

On eallum ingum we sceolon carfullice hogian, gif we awar, urh deofles syrwunge, on twam frecednyssum samod befealla, aet we symle one maran gylt forfleon urh utfaere aes laessan, swa swa de se e his feondum ofer sumne weall aetfleon wile, onne cep he hwaer se weall unhehst sy, and aer oferscyt. Witodlice Herodes, ae he nolde, urh Iohannes mynegunge, one unclaenan sinscipe awendan, a wear he to manslihte befeallen; and waes seo laesse synn intinga aere maran, aet he for his fulan forligre, e he georne wiste aet G.o.de andsaete waes, aes witegan blod ageat, e he wiste aet G.o.de gecweme waes. is is se cwyde aes G.o.dcundlican domes, be am e is gecweden, "Se e dera, derige he gyt swyor; and se e on fulnyssum wuna, befyle hine gyt swyor." es cwyde gelamp am waelhreowan Herode. Nu is oer cwyde be G.o.dum mannum sceortlice gecweden, "Se e halig is, beo he gyt swyor gehalG.o.d." is gelamp am Fulluhtere Iohanne, se e waes halig urh menigfealde geearnunga; and he waes gyt swyor gehalG.o.d, aa he urh sofaestnysse bodunge becom to sigefaestum martyrdome.

Herodes hiwode hine sylfne unrotne, a seo dohtor hine aes heafdes baed; ac he blissode on his digelnyssum, foran e heo aes mannes dea baed e he ?r acwellan wolde, gif he intingan haefde. Witodlice gif aet cild b?de aes wifes heafod, mid micclum graman he wolde hire wicwean. Naes Iohannes mid ehtnysse geneadod aet he Criste wisoce, ac eah he sealde his lif for Criste, aa he waes for sofaestnysse gemartyrod. Crist sylf cwae, "Ic eom sofaestnys." Iohannes waes Cristes forrynel on his acennednysse and on his bodunge, on fulluhte, on rowunge, and hine to h.e.l.lwarum {486} mid deorwurum deae forestop. aa he beheafdod waes, a comon his leorning-cnihtas, and his halige lic ferodon to anre byrig seo is gecweden Sebaste, and hi aer hine geledon. aet halige heafod wear on Hierusalem bebyrged.

Sume gedwolmenn cwaedon aet aet heafod sceolde ablawan aes cyninges wif Herodiaden, e he fore acweald waes, swa aet heo ferde mid windum geond ealle woruld; ac hi dwelodon mid aere segene, foran e heo leofode hire lif o ende aefter Iohannes slege. Solice Iohannes heafod wear syan geswutelod twam easternum munec.u.m, e mid gebedum a burh geneosodon, and hi anon one deorwuran mam feredon to sumere byrig e is Edissa gehaten; and se aelmihtiga G.o.d urh aet heafod ungerime wundra geswutelode. His ban, aefter langum fyrste, wurdon gebrohte to aere maeran byrig Alexandria, and aer mid micclum wurmynte geloG.o.de.

Nu is to besceawigenne humeta se aelmihtiga G.o.d, be his gecorenan and a gelufedan enas, a e he to am ecan life forestihte, geafa aet hi mid swa micclum witum beon fornumene and tobrytte on isum andweardan life. Ac se apostol Paulus andwyrde be isum, and cwae, aet "G.o.d rea and beswing aelcne e he underfeh to his rice, and swa he forsewenlicor bi gewitnod for G.o.des naman, swa his wuldor bi mare for G.o.de." Eft cwae se ylca apostol on ore stowe, "Ne sind na to wimetenne a rowunga yssere tide am toweardan wuldre e bi on us geswutelod."

Nu cwy se trahtnere, aet nan wilde deor, ne on fyerfotum ne on creopendum, nis to wimetenne yfelum wife. Hwaet is betwux fyerfotum rere onne leo? oe hwaet is waelhreowre betwux naeddercynne onne draca? Ac se wisa Salomon cwae, aet selre waere to wunigenne mid leon and dracan onne mid yfelan wife and oferspraec.u.m. Witodlice Iohannes on westene wunade betwux eallum deorcynne ungederod, and betwux drac.u.m, and aspidum, and eallum {488} wyrmcynne, and hi hine ondredon. Solice seo awyrigede Herodias mid beheafdunge hine acwealde, and swa m?res mannes dea to gife hire dehter hleapunge underfeng. Danihel se witega laeg seofan niht betwux seofan leonum on anum seae ungewemmed, ac aet awyrigede wif Gezabel beswac one rihtwisan Nabo to his feore, urh lease gewitnysse. Se witega Ionas waes gehealden unformolten on aes hwaeles innoe reo niht, and seo swicole Dalila one strangan Samson mid olaecunge bepaehte, and besceorenum fexe his feondum belaewde. Eornostlice nis nan wyrmcynn ne wilddeora cynn on yfelnysse gelic yfelum wife.

Se wyrdwritere Iosephus awrat, on aere cyrclican gereccednysse, aet se waelhreowa Herodes lytle hwile aefter Iohannes deae rices weolde, ac wear for his mandaedum aerest his here on gefeohte ofslegen, and he sylf sian of his cynerice ascofen, and on wraecsi asend, swie rihtwisum dome, aa he nolde hlystan Iohannes lare to am ecan life, aet he eac hraedlice his hwilwendan cynedom mid hospe forlure. Augustinus se wisa us mana mid isum wordum, and cwy, "Besceawia, ic bidde eow, mine gebrora, mid gleawnysse hu wraecfull is andwyrde lif is; and eah ge ondraeda eow aet ge hit to hraedlice forlaeton. Ge lufia is lif, on am e ge mid geswince wunia; u hogast embe ine neode; u yrnst, and byst geancsumod; u erast, and saewst, and eft gegaderast; u grinst, and baecst; u wyfst, and waeda tylast, and earfolice wast ealra inra neoda getel, aeger ge on s? ge on lande, and scealt ealle as foresaedan ing, and eac in agen lif mid earfonysse geendian. Leornia nu fori, aet ge cunnon aet ece lif geearnian, on am e ge nan yssera geswinca ne rowia, ac on ecnysse mid G.o.de rixia."

On isum life we ateoria, gif we us mid bigleofan ne fercia; gif we ne drinca, we beo mid urste fornumene; gif we to lange wacia, we ateoria; gif we lange standa, we beo gewaehte, and onne sitta; eft, gif we to lange {490} sitta, us slapa a lima. Sceawia eac aefter isum, aet nan stede nis ures lichaman: cildhad gewit to cnihthade, and cnihthad to geungenum waestme; se fulfremeda waestm gebyh to ylde, and seo yld bi mid deae geendod. Witodlice ne stent ure yld on nanre staolfaestnysse, ac swa micclum swa se lichama wext swa micclum beo his dagas gewanode. Gehwaer is on urum life ateorung, and werignys, and brosnung aes lichaman, and eah-hwaeere wilna gehwa aet he lange lybbe. Hwaet is lange lybban buton lange swincan? Feawum mannum gelimp on isum dagum, aet he gesundfull lybbe hund-eahtatig geara, and swa hwaet swa he ofer am leofa, hit bi him geswinc and sarnyss, swa swa se witega cwae, "Yfele sind ure dagas," and aes e wyrsan e we hi lufia. Swa olaec es middangeard forwel menige, aet hi nella heora wraecfulle lif geendian. So lif and gesaelig aet is, onne we arisa of deae, and mid Criste rixia. On am life beo G.o.de dagas, na swa-eah manega dagas, ac an, se nat naenne upspring ne nane geendunge, am ne fylig merigenlic daeg, foran e him ne forestop se gysternlica; ac se an daeg bi ece aefre ungeendod butan aelcere nihte, butan gedreccednyssum, butan eallum geswinc.u.m, e we hwene ?r on yssere raedinge tealdon. es daeg and is lif is behaten rihtwisum cristenum, to am us gelaede se mildheorta Drihten, see leofa and rixa mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste a butan ende.

Amen.

AUGUST XXIX.

THE DECOLLATION OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.

Misit Herodes et tenuit Johannem: et reliqua.

Mark the Evangelist wrote in the book of Christ concerning the great Baptist John, that "the cruel king Herod bound him, and set him in prison, for the sake of his brother's wife Herodias," etc.

This John was the greatest man, as Christ bore witness concerning him. He said, "Among the children of women {479} there hath not arisen any greater man than John the Baptist." Now ye have often heard of his great course and of his ministry, now we will relate to you some explanation touching the exposition of this gospel.

This Herod, who commanded John to be beheaded, and agreed with Pilate the ealdorman in the suffering of Jesus, and delivered him to his judgement, was the son of the other Herod, who reigned at the time when Christ was born; for it was usual at that time for rich men to give their children names after themselves, that it might seem the greater remembrance of the father, when the son, his heir, was called by his father's name. The cruel father, Herod, left five sons; three he commanded to be slain in his last illness, ere he departed. Then he died miserably and suddenly after he had slain the children on account of the birth of Christ; when Archelaus his son succeeded to the kingdom. Then after a s.p.a.ce of ten years he was driven from his throne, because the Jewish people complained of his pride to the emperor, and he then sent him into exile. The emperor then divided the Jewish kingdom into four, and placed therein four brothers, who, according to the Greek tongue, are called 'tetrarchs,' that is, _rulers over a fourth_. A tetrarch is he who has a fourth part of a kingdom. One of these brothers was called Philip, who took to wife the daughter of the king Arethe, of an Arabian people, who was called Herodias. Then after some time they, Philip and Arethe, were at variance, and he took his daughter from his son-in-law, and gave her to his brother Herod; because he was greater in fame and in power. Herod then cast off his lawful wife, and adulterously lived in criminal union.

Then at that time John the Baptist preached G.o.d's righteousness to all the Jewish people, and reproved Herod for that foul union. Ecclesiastica Historia ita narrat: When Herod saw that all the Jewish mult.i.tude ran to John's teaching, and zealously obeyed his admonitions, he was afraid, {481} and imagined that through John's teaching they would despise his government, and would antic.i.p.ate them, and brought him into prison in a town which is called Machaeruntia. John sent then two disciples from the prison to Christ, and inquired of him, thus saying, "Art thou he who is to come, or are we to await another?" As though he had said, Manifest to me whether thou thyself wilt descend to the inmates of h.e.l.l for the redemption of men, as I have preached to the world that thou wast to come,--manifest.

Jesus then, at the same time as the evangelist Luke wrote, was healing many sick from divers diseases, and giving reason to insane men, and sight to the blind, and said then to John's messengers, "Go now to John, and make known to him the things which ye have seen and heard. Behold now blind see, and the halt go, and lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, and the dead arise, and poor preach the gospel; and he is happy who shall not be offended in me." As though he had said to John, Such wonders I work, and yet will I perish by death for the redemption of mankind, and follow thee dying, and happy shall he be who now praiseth my wonders, if he despise not my death, and on account of that death doubt not that I am G.o.d. Thus Jesus revealed to John that he himself would vouchsafe to die, and afterwards visit the inmates of h.e.l.l.

Then meanwhile it befell that Herod, as we before said, feasted his councillors on the day on which he was born; for at that time they had great rejoicing on their birth-tides. The daughter then, as we before said, played with her maidens at the feast, to the pleasure of them all, and the father then promised on oath that he would give her whatsoever she desired.

Of three impious sins we have heard,--the unholy celebration of his birth-tide, and the giddy dancing of the maiden, and the father's presumptuous oath. These {483} three things it befitteth us to oppose in our conduct. We may not with vain celebrations turn our birth-tide to any holyday, nor have our birth in such remembrance; but we should antic.i.p.ate our last day with penitence and penance, so as it is written, "In all things be thou mindful of thy last day, and thou wilt sin not to eternity."

It is not fitting to us to pollute our body, which is hallowed to G.o.d in the salutary baptism, with indecent and foolish play; for our bodies are limbs of G.o.d, as St. Paul said, "And he enjoined, that we should prepare our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, and acceptable to G.o.d." The body is a living sacrifice which is shielded against deadly sins, and through holy virtues is acceptable to G.o.d and holy. G.o.d himself forbids every oath to christian men, thus saying, "Swear thou not by heaven, for it is G.o.d's throne. Swear thou not by earth, for it is G.o.d's footstool. Swear thou not by thine own head, for thou canst not make one hair of thy locks white or black. I say unto you, swear ye not by anything, but be your speech thus ended, It is as I say, or it is not so. Whatsoever there is more by oath, that is of evil."

Christ himself confirmed his speech, when he spake to a Samaritan woman with these words, "Crede mihi," that is, "Believe me." Yet if we anywhere heedlessly swear, and the oath compel us to a worse deed, then will it be more advisable for us to avoid the greater guilt, and atone to G.o.d for the oath. David, for example, swore by G.o.d that he would slay the foolish man Nabal, and destroy all his things; but at the first intercession of the prudent woman Abigail, he returned his sword into the sheath, and praised the woman's prudence, who forbade him that perilous murder. Herod through folly swore that he would give the dancing daughter whatsoever she might ask: then, because he would {485} not be called a perjurer by his guests, he stained the feast with blood, and gave the death of the great prophet to the lewd dancer in reward of her play. Much better for him had it been to have broken the oath, than to have commanded such a prophet to be slain.

In all things we should carefully consider, if we anywhere, through the devil's machinations, fall at once into two perils, that we always flee from the greater guilt by the outlet of the less, as he does who will flee from his foes over a wall, then observes he where the wall is lowest, and there darts over. But Herod, when he would not, through John's remonstrance, turn from the unclean connexion, fell into murder, and the smaller sin was the cause of the greater, so that he for his foul adultery, which he well knew was hateful to G.o.d, shed the prophet's blood, who he knew was acceptable to G.o.d. This is the sentence of the divine judgement, by which it is said, "Let him who injureth, injure yet more; and let him who liveth in foulness, defile himself yet more." This sentence befell the cruel Herod. Now there is another sentence shortly said concerning good men, "Let him who is holy be yet more hallowed." This befell the Baptist John, who was holy through manifold deserts; and was yet more hallowed, when he through the preaching of truth came to triumphant martyrdom.

Herod feigned himself sad, when the daughter prayed him for the head; but he rejoiced in secret, because she prayed for the death of that man whom he would before have slain, if he had had a pretext. But if the child had prayed for the woman's head, he would with great anger have refused her.

John was not by persecution compelled to deny Christ, but, nevertheless, he gave his life for Christ, when he was martyred for truth. Christ himself said, "I am the truth." John was Christ's forerunner in his birth, and in his preaching, in baptism, in suffering, and in his precious death preceded him {487} to h.e.l.l. When he was beheaded, his disciples came, and bare his holy body to a city which is called Sebastia, and they laid him there. The holy head was buried at Jerusalem.

Some heretics said that the head blew the king's wife Herodias, for whom he had been slain, so that she went with winds over all the world; but they erred in that saying, for she lived to the end of her life after the slaying of John. But John's head was afterwards manifested to two eastern monks, who with prayers visited that city, and they bare the precious treasure thence to a city which is called Edessa; and the Almighty G.o.d, through that head, manifested innumerable miracles. His bones after a long time were brought to the great city of Alexandria, and there with great honour deposited.

Now it is to be considered why the Almighty G.o.d allows that his chosen and his beloved servants, whom he has predestined to eternal life, be destroyed with so many pains, and broken in this present life. But the apostle Paul has answered concerning this, and said, that "G.o.d correcteth and chastiseth every one whom he receiveth into his kingdom, and the more ignominiously he is tortured for the name of G.o.d, so much shall his glory be greater before G.o.d." Again, the same apostle said in another place, "The sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the future glory which will be manifested in us."

Now says the expositor, that no wild beast, neither among the four-footed nor the creeping, is to be compared with an evil woman. What among the four-footed is fiercer than a lion? or what among the serpent-kind is more cruel than a dragon? But the wise Solomon said, that it were better to dwell with lion and dragon than with an evil and loquacious woman. Now John had dwelt in the waste unhurt among all the beast-kind, and among serpents, and asps, and all the {489} worm-kind, and they dreaded him. But the accursed Herodias slew him by beheading, and received the death of so great a man as a gift for her daughter's dancing. Daniel the prophet lay seven nights among seven lions in one den uninjured, but the accursed woman Jezabel betrayed the righteous Naboth to his death by false witness. The prophet Jonah was preserved unconsumed in the belly of the whale for three nights, and the treacherous Dalila deceived the strong Samson with flattery, and, his locks being shorn, betrayed him to his foes. Verily there is no worm-kind nor wild beast-kind like in evilness to an evil woman.

The historian Josephus wrote in the ecclesiastical history, that the cruel Herod, a little while after the death of John, ruled his kingdom, but first for his wicked deeds his army was slain in battle, and himself afterwards driven from his kingdom, and sent into exile, by a very righteous judgement, when he would not listen to John's exhortations to eternal life, that he suddenly with disgrace should lose his transitory kingdom. The wise Augustine exhorts us with these words, and says, "Consider, I pray you, my brethren, with understanding, how wretched is this present life, and yet ye dread leaving it too speedily. Ye love this life in which ye exist with toil; thou carest about thy need; thou runnest, and art filled with anxiety; thou ploughest, and sowest, and afterwards gatherest; thou grindest, and bakest; thou weavest and preparest garments, and hardly knowest the number of all thy needs, both on sea and on land, and shalt end all these aforesaid things, and also thy life with tribulation. Learn now, therefore, that ye may be able to earn the eternal life, in which ye will suffer none of these toils, but with G.o.d will reign to eternity."

In this life we faint, if we sustain not ourselves with food; if we drink not, we are destroyed by thirst; if we watch too long, we faint; if we stand long, we are fatigued, and then sit; again, if we sit too long, our limbs sleep. Consider {491} also after this, that there is no stability of our body: childhood pa.s.ses to boyhood, and boyhood to full growth; full growth bows to age, and age is ended by death. Verily our age stands on no stability, but so much as the body grows so greatly are its days diminished. Everywhere in our life are faintness and weariness, and decay of the body, and yet every one desires that he may live long. What is to live long but long to toil? It happens to few men in these days to live eighty years in health, and whatsoever he lives over that, it is toil to him and pain, as the prophet said, "Evil are our days," and the worse that we love them. So this world flatters very many, that they are unwilling to end this life of exile. A true and blessed life it will be, when we from death arise and reign with Christ. In that life will be good days, yet not many days, but one, which knows no rise nor no ending, which no tomorrow follows, because no yesterday preceded it; but the one day will for ever be unended without any night, without afflictions, without all the toils, which we a little before in this lecture recounted. This day and this life are promised to righteous christians, to whom may the merciful Lord lead us, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without end. Amen.

DOMINICA XVII. POST PENTECOSTEN.

Ibat Iesus in ciuitatem quae uocatur Naim: et reliqua.

Ure Drihten ferde to sumere byrig seo is gehaten Naim, and his gingran samod, and genihtsum menigu. aa he genealaehte am port-geate, a ferede man anes cnihtes lic to byrgene: et reliqua.

Beda se trahtnere cwae, aet s...o...b..rh Naim is gereht, {492} 'yung' oe 'styrung.' Se deada cniht, e on manegra manna gesihe waes geferod, getacna gehwylcne synfulne mannan e bi mid healic.u.m leahtrum on am inran menn adydd, and bi his yfelnys mannum cu. Se cniht waes ancenned sunu his meder, swa bi eac gehwilc cristen man gastlice aere halgan gelaunge sunu, seo is ure ealra modor, and eah-hwaeere ungewemmed maeden; foran e hire team nis na lichamlic ac gastlic. Gehwilc G.o.des eow, onne he leorna, he bi bearn gecweden: eft, onne he oerne laer, he bi modor, swa swa se apostol Paulus be am aslidenum mannum cwae, "Ge synd mine bearn, a e ic nu ore sie geeacnige, oaet Crist beo on eow geedniwod."

aet port-geat getacna sum lichamlic andgit e menn urh syngia. Se mann e tosaew ungewaernysse betwux cristenum mannum, oe see sprec unrihtwisnysse on heannysse urh his mues geat, he bi dead geferod. Se e behylt wimman mid galre gesihe and fulum l.u.s.te, urh his eagena geat, he geswutela his sawle dea. Se e idele spellunge, oe tallice word l.u.s.tlice gehyr, onne maca he his eare him sylfum to deaes geate. Swa is eac be am orum andgitum to understandenne.

Se Haelend wear astyred mid mildheortnysse ofer aere meder, aet he us bysene sealde his arfaestnysse; and he one deadan syan araerde, aet he us to his geleafan getrymede. He genealaehte and hreopode a b?re, and a b?rmenn aetstodon. s...o...b..r e one deadan ferode is aet orsorge ingehyd aes orwenan synfullan. Solice a byreras, e hine to byrgenne feredon, synd olaecunga lyffetyndra geferena, e mid olaecunge and geaettredum swaesnyssum one synfullan tihta and heria, swa swa se witega cwae, "Se synfulla bi geherod on his l.u.s.tum, and se unrihtwisa bi gebletsod: onne he bi mid idelum hlisan and lyffetungum befangen, onne bi hit swylce he sy mid sumere mold-hypan ofhroren." Be swylc.u.m cwae se Haelend to anum his gecorenan, aa he wolde his faeder lic bebyrian: he cwae, "Geafa aet a {494} deadan bebyrion heora deadan: far u, and boda G.o.des rice." Witodlice a deadan bebyria ore deadan, onne gehwilce synfulle menn ore heora gelican mid derigendlicere herunge geolaeca, and mid gegaderodum hefe aere wyrstan lyffetunge ofricca. Be swylc.u.m is gecweden on ore stowe, "Lyffetyndra tungan gewria manna sawla on synnum."

Mid am e Drihten hrepode a baere, a aetstodon a b?rmenn. Swa eac, gif aes synfullan ingehyd bi gehrepod mid fyrhte aes upplican domes, onne wihaef he am unl.u.s.tum and am leasum lyffeterum, and clypigendum Drihtne to am ecan life caflice geandwyrt, swylce he of deae arise. Drihten cwae to am cnihte, "Ic secge e, Aris, and he aerrihte ges?t and spraec, and se Haelend betaehte hine his meder." Se ge-edcucoda sitt, onne se synfulla mid G.o.dcundre onbryrdnysse cuca. He sprec, onne he mid G.o.des herungum his mu gebysga, and mid sore andetnysse G.o.des mildheortnysse sec. He bi his meder betaeht, onne he bi urh sacerda ealdordom gem?nscipe aere halgan gelaunge geferlaeht. aet folc wear mid micclum ege ablicged; foran swa swa mann fram marum synnum gecyr to G.o.des mildheortnysse, and his eawas aefter G.o.des bebodum gerihtlaec, swa ma manna beo gecyrrede urh his gebysnunge to G.o.des herunge.

aet folc cwae aet maere witega aras betwux us, and aet G.o.d his folc geneosode. So hi saedon be Criste, aet he maere witega is; ac he is witegena Witega, and heora ealra witegung; foran e ealle be him witeG.o.don, and he urh his to-cyme heora ealra witegunge gefylde. We cwea nu mid maran geleafan, aet he is maere witega, foran e he wat ealle ing, and eac fela witeG.o.de, and he is so G.o.d of soum G.o.de, aelmihtig Sunu of am aelmihtigan Faeder, see his folc geneosode urh his menniscnysse, and fram deofles eowte alysde.

We raeda gehwaer on boc.u.m, aet se Haelend fela deade to life araerde, ac eah-hwaeere nis nan G.o.dspell gesett be {496} heora nanum buton rim anum.

An is es cniht e we nu embe spraecon, oer waes anes ealdormannes dohtor, ridde waes Lazarus, Marthan broer and Marian. yssera reora manna aerist getacna aet ryfealde aerist synfullra sawla. aere sawle dea is reora cynna: an is yfel geafung, oer is yfel weorc, ridda is yfel gewuna. aes ealdormannes dohtor laeig aet forsie, and se faeder gelaode one Haelend aerto, foran e he waes on am timan aer on neawiste. Heo a forferde aeran e he hire to come. aa he com, a genam he hi be aere handa, and cwae, "u maeden, ic secge e, Aris. And heo aerrihte aras, and metes baed."

is maeden e inne laeg on deae geswefod, getacna aere synfullan sawle dea, e gel.u.s.tfulla on yfelum l.u.s.tum digellice, and ne bi gyt mannum cu, aet heo urh synna dead is; ac Crist geswutelode aet he wolde swa synfulle sawle geliffaestan, gif he mid geornfullum gebedum to gelaod bi, aa he araerde aet maeden binnan am huse, swa swa digelne leahter on menniscre heortan lutigende. Nu syndon ore synfulle e gel.u.s.tfullia on derigendlic.u.m l.u.s.tum mid geafunge, and eac heora yfelnysse mid weorc.u.m cya; swilce getacnode se deada cniht, e waes on aes folces gesihe geferod. Swilce synfulle araer Crist, gif hi heora synna behreowsia, and betaec hi heora meder, aet is, aet he hi geferlaec on annysse his gelaunge.

Sume synfulle men geafia heora l.u.s.tum, and urh yfele daeda mannum cya heora synna, and eac gewunelice syngigende hi sylfe gewemma: yllice getacnode Lazarus, e laeg on byrgene feower niht fule stincende. Witodlice G.o.des nama is aelmihtig, foran e he maeg ealle ing gefremman. He maeg a synfullan sawle urh his gife geliffaestan, eah e heo on gewunelic.u.m synnum fule stince, gif heo mid carfulre drohtnunge G.o.des mildheortnysse sec; ac swa mare wund swa heo maran laecedomes behofa. aet geswutelode se Haelend, aa he mid leohtlicere stemne aet maeden araerde {498} on feawra manna gesihe; foran e he ne geafode aet aera ma manna inne waere, buton se faeder, and seo modor, and his ry leorning-cnihtas: and he cwae a, "u maeden, Aris."