The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Part 6

Mid am e he forbead am gehaeledum hreoflian aet he hit nanum men ne cydde, mid am he sealde us bysne aet we ne sceolon na widmaersian ure wel-daeda, ac we sceolon {124} onscunian, mid inweardre heortan, one ydelan gylp, gif we hwaet lytles to G.o.de gedo. Witodlice ne bi us mid nanum orum edleane forgolden, gif we good for gylpe do, buton mid h.e.l.le susle; foran e gilp is an heofod-leahter.

Seo ealde ? bebead aet gehwilc hreoflig man gecome to am sacerde, and se sacerd sceolde hine fram mannum ascirian, gif he solice hreoflig waere. Gif he naere swutelice hreoflig, waere onne be his dome claene geteald. Gif se sacerd hine hreofligne tealde, and G.o.des miht hine syan gehaelde, onne sceolde he mid lace his claensunge G.o.de ancian. Swa sceal eac se e mid heafod-leahtrum wiinnan hreoflig bi c.u.man to G.o.des sacerde, and geopenian his digelnysse am gastlican laece, and be his raede and fultume his sawle wunda daedbetende gelacnian. Sume men wena aet him genihtsumige to fulfremedum laecedome, gif hi heora synna mid onbryrdre heortan G.o.de anum andetta, and ne urfon nanum sacerde geandettan, gif hi yfeles geswica: ac gif heora wena so waere, onne nolde Drihten asendan one e he sylf gehaelde to am sacerde mid aenigre lace. For aere ylcan gebisnunge eac he asende Paulum, one e he sylf of heofenum gespraec, to am sacerde Annanian, us cweende, "Ga inn to aere ceastre, and aer e bi gesaed hwaet e gedafena to donne."

Ne gedyde se sacerd one man hreofligne oe unhreofligne, ac he demde aet he sceolde beon ascyred fram manna neawiste, gif his hreofla wyrsigende waere; oe betwux mannum wunian, gif his hreofla G.o.digende waere. Swa sceal don se gastlica sacerd: he sceal gerihtlaecan G.o.des folc, and one ascyrian, and amansumian fram cristenum mannum, e swa hreoflig bi on manfullum eawum aet he ore mid his yfelnysse besmit; be am cwae se apostol Paulus, "Afyrsia one yfelan fram eow, yl?s e an wannhal scep ealle a eowde besmite." Gif his hreofla bi G.o.digende, aet is gif he yfeles geswic, and his eawas urh G.o.des ege gerihtlaec, {126} he haebbe wununge betwux cristenum mannum, o aet he full hal sy on his drohtnungum.

Se G.o.dspellere cwae, aet "Drihten ferde aefter isum to anre byrig e is gehaten Capharnaum; a genealaehte him to sum hundredes ealdor, biddende and cweende, Drihten, min cniht li aet ham bedreda, and is yfele gereatod.

Drihten him andwyrde, Ic c.u.me and hine gehaele. a andwyrde se hundredes ealdor, and cwae, Drihten, ne eom ic wyre aet u innfare under minum hrofe; ac cwe in word, and min cniht bi gehaeled. Ic eom an man geset under anwealde, haebbende under me cempan; and ic cwee to isum, Far u, and he faer; to orum, c.u.m u, and he cym; to minum eowan, Do is, and he de. a wundrode se Haelend, aa he is gehyrde, and cwae to aere fyligendan menigu, So ic eow secge, ne gemette ic swa micelne geleafan on Israhela eode. Ic secge eow to soum, aet manega c.u.ma fram east-daele and west-daele, and geresta hi mid Abrahame am heahfaedere, and Isaace, and Iacobe, on heofenan rice. a rican bearn beo aworpene into am yttrum eostrum, aer bi wop and toa gebitt. a cwae eft se Haelend to am hundredes ealdre, Far e ham, and getimige e swa swa u gelyfdest. And se cniht wear gehaeled of aere tide."

es hundredes ealdor genealaehte am Haelende na healfunga, ac fulfremedlice.

He genealaehte mid micclum geleafan, and mid sore eadmodnysse, and snotornysse, and sore lufe. Micelne geleafan he haefde, aa he cwae, "Drihten, cwe in word, and min cniht bi hal." Solice he geswutelode micele eadmodnysse, mid am e he cwae, "Drihten, ne eom ic wyre aet u innfare under mine ecene." He haefde micele snotornysse, aa he understod aet Crist is aeghwaer andweard urh G.o.dcundnysse, see lichamlice betwux mannum gesewenlic eode. Naes he bedaeled aere soan lufe, aa he baed Drihten for his eowan haele. Manega ore men baedon Drihten, sume for heora agenre haele, sume for heora bearna, sume for leofra freonda; {128} ac es egen baed for his eowan haele mid sore lufe; foran e heo ne tosc?t naenne be maeglicere sibbe. Drihten geseah ises egenes menigfealdan G.o.dnysse, and cwae, "Ic c.u.me, and inne cniht gehaele."

Iohannes se G.o.dspellere awrat, aet "Sum under-cyning com to Criste, and hine baed aet he ham mid him siode, and his sunu gehaelde; foran e he laeig aet forsie. a cwae se Haelend to am under-cyninge, Gewend e ham, in sunu leofa. He gelyfde aes Haelendes spraece, and ham siode. a comon his egnas him togeanes, and cyddon aet his sunu gesund waere. He a befran on hwilcere tide he gewyrpte. Hi saedon, Gyrstan-daeg ofer midne daeg hine forlet se fefor. a oncneow se faeder aet hit waes seo tid on aere e se Haelend him to cwae, Far e ham, in sunu leofa. Se cyning gelyfde a on G.o.d, and eal his hired."

Drihten nolde gelaod lichamlice siian to aes cyninges untruman bearne, ac unandweard mid his worde hine gehaelde; and he waes gearo ungelaod to siigenne lichamlice mid am hundredes ealdre. Wel wat gehwa aet cyning haef maran mihte onne aenig hundredes ealdor, ac se aelmihtiga G.o.des Sunu geswutelode mid aere daede aet we ne sceolon a rican, for heora riccetere wurian, ac for mennisc.u.m gecynde; ne we ne sceolon a wannspedigan for heora hafenleaste forseon; ac we sceolon G.o.des anlicnysse on him wurian.

Se eadmoda G.o.des Sunu waes gearo to geneosigenne one eowan mid his andwerdnysse, and he gehaelde one aeeling mid haese; be am cwae se witega, "Se healica Drihten sceawa a eadmodan, and a modigan feorran oncnaew."

Drihten wundrode aes hundredes ealdres geleafan, na swilce he hine aer ne cue, see ealle ing wat, ac he geswutelode mannum his geleafan mid herunge am e he wundorlic waes. Hwanon com se geleafa am egene buton of Cristes gife, see hine syan isum wordum herede? "So ic eow secge, na gemette ic swa micelne geleafan on Israhela eode." {130} Naes is gecweden be am heahfaederum oe witegum, ac be am andwerdan folce, e a-gyt naeron swa miccles geleafan.

Maria and Martha waeron twa geswystru swie on G.o.d belyfede: hi cwaedon to Criste, "Drihten, gif u her andwerd waere, naere ure broer forfaren." es egen cwae to Criste, "Cwe in word, and min cniht bi hal. Ic eom man under anwealde gesett, haebbende under me cempan; and ic secge isum, Far u, and he faer; to orum, c.u.m u, and he cym; to minum eowan, Do is, and he de. Hu miccle swior miht u, e aelmihtig G.o.d eart, urh ine haese gefremman swa hwaet swa u wilt!" Drihten cwae, "Ic secge eow to soan, aet manega c.u.ma fram east-daele and west-daele, and geresta hi mid Abrahame am heahfaedere, and Isaace, and Iacobe, on heofenan rice." as word sind l.u.s.tbaere to gehyrenne, and hi micclum ure mod gladia, aet manega c.u.ma fram east-daele middangeardes, and fram west-daele, to heofenan rice, and mid am heahfaederum on ecere myrhe rixia.

urh a twegen daelas, east-dael and west-dael, sind getacnode a feower hwemmas ealles middangeardes, of am beo gegaderode G.o.des gecorenan of aelcere maege to aera heahfaedera wununge, and ealra halgena. urh east-dael magon beon getacnode a e on geogoe to G.o.de buga; foran e on east-daele is aes daeges angin. urh west-dael sind getacnode a e on ylde to G.o.des eowdome gecyrra; foran e on west-daele geenda se daeg.

es aefterfiligenda cwyde is swie egefull, "a rican bearn beo aworpene into am yttrum eostrum, aer bi wop and toa gebitt." a rican bearn sind a Iudeiscan, on am rixode G.o.d urh a ealdan ?; ac hi awurpon Crist, and his lare forsawon; and he awyrp hi on a yttran eostru, aer bi wop and toa gebitt. Fela riccra manna geeo G.o.de, swa-eah, gif hi rihtwise beo, and mildheorte. Rice man waes se heahfaeder Abraham, and Dauid se maera cyning, and Zacheus, see healfe his aehta earfum daelde, and mid {132} healfum daele forgeald be feowerfealdum swa hwaet swa he aer on unriht be anfealdum reafode. as rican and heora gelican bec.u.ma urh G.o.de gecyrrednysse to am ecan rice, e him naefre ne ateora.

a sind G.o.des bearn gecigede, e hine lufia swior onne isne middangeard; and a sind a rican bearn gecwedene, e heora heortan wyrtruman on isum andwerdum life plantia swior onne on Criste: swylce beo on eostru aworpene. aet G.o.dspel cwy, "On a yttran eostru." a yttran eostru sind aes lichaman blindnyssa wiutan. a inran eostru sind aes modes blindnyssa wiinnan. Se e on isum andweardum life is wiinnan ablend, swa aet he naef nan andgit ne hoga embe G.o.des beboda, he bi onne eft wiutan ablend, and aelces leohtes bedaeled; foran e he aer his lif aspende butan G.o.des gemynde. a earman forscyldeG.o.dan cwylmia on ec.u.m fyre, and swa-eah aet swearte fyr him nane lihtinge ne de. Wurmas toslita heora lichaman mid fyrenum toum, swa swa Crist on his G.o.dspelle cwae, "aer naefre heora wyrm ne swylt, ne heora fyr ne bi adwaesced." aer beo onne geferlaehte on anre susle, a e on life on mandaedum geeodde waeron, swa aet a manslagan togaedere ecelice on tintregum cwylmia; and forligras mid forligrum, gitseras mid gytserum, sceaan mid sceaum, a forsworenan mid forsworenum, on am bradan fire, butan aelcere geendunge forwura. aer bi wop and toa gebitt, foran e a eagan tyra on am micclum bryne, and a te cwacia eft on swilic.u.m cyle. Gif hwam twynige be am gemaenelic.u.m aeriste, onne understande he isne drihtenlican cwyde, aet aer bi so aerist, aer aer beo wepende eagan and cearcigende te.

Drihten cwae to am hundredes ealdre, "Far e ham, and getimige e swa swa u gelyfdest; and his cniht wear gehaeled of aere tide." Be isum is to understandenne hu micclum am cristenum men his agen geleafa fremige, onne ores mannes swa micclum fremode. Witodlice, for aes {134} hundredes ealdres geleafan wear se bedreda gehaeled. Geleafa is ealra maegena fyrmest; buton am ne maeg nan man G.o.de lician; and se rihtwisa leofa be his geleafan. Uton gelyfan on a Halgan rynnysse, and on soe Annysse, aet se aelmihtiga Faeder, and his Sunu, aet is his wisdom, and se Halga Gast, see is heora begra lufu and willa, aet hi sind ry on hadum and on namum, and an G.o.d, on anre G.o.dcundnysse aefre wunigende, butan angynne and ende. Amen.

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE LORD'S EPIPHANY.

c.u.m descendisset Jesus de monte secutae sunt eum turbae multae: et reliqua.

Matthew, the blessed Evangelist, wrote in this evangelical lecture, that "Jesus came down from a mountain, and a great mult.i.tude followed him.

Behold, there came a leprous man, and fell down before Jesus, thus saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me. Jesus stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and said, I will; and be thou cleansed. Then immediately was his leprosy all cleansed, and he was healed. Then said Jesus to him, Take care that thou say it to no man; but go to G.o.d's temple, and show thyself to the priest, and offer thy gift, as Moses commanded for a witness to them."

The doctor Haymo says in exposition of this, that the mountain from which Jesus descended betokened the kingdom of heaven, from which the Almighty Son of G.o.d came down, when he a.s.sumed our nature, and became incarnate as a human being, in order that he might redeem mankind from the power of the devil. He was invisible and impa.s.sible in his nature; then he became visible in our nature, and pa.s.sible. The great mult.i.tude which followed him betokened those faithful christians, who follow the Lord with the steps of their moral virtues. Verily we follow Christ's foot-traces, if, with good works, we imitate his examples. "Behold, there came a leprous man, and fell down before Jesus, thus saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me.

Jesus {123} stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and said, I will; and be thou cleansed. Then immediately was his leprosy all cleansed, and he was healed."

In this deed is manifested G.o.d's might, and his humility. The law of Moses forbade to touch any leper, but the humble Christ would not despise him, though he was loathsome; and also manifested that he was lord of the old law, and not its slave. In his might he could have healed him with his word, without touching; but he manifested that his touch is very salutary to believers. The leper was a believer, when he cried, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me." Jesus answered, "I will; and be thou cleansed."

Verily G.o.d's behest is act, as the psalmist said, "He said it, and creatures were made. He commanded, and they were created."

In a spiritual sense this leper betokened all mankind, which was foully leprous with divers sins in the inward man; but it inclined to the belief of Christ, and wisely conceived that it could not receive a cleansing of the soul, save through the Lord, who wrought no sin, nor was any guile found in his mouth. Loathsome is the body of the leper with many ulcers and tumours, and with divers scabs; but the inward man, that is the soul, is much more loathsome, if it be seized with divers sins. We should rightly believe in Christ, that he may heal our soul from the ulcers of sins; and we should steadfastly implore his will to that fulfilment. His hand betokens his might and his incarnation. As Christ by the touch of his hands healed the leper, so also he redeemed us from the sins of our souls by the a.s.sumption of our flesh; as the prophet Isaiah said, "Verily he took away our diseases, and our pains he himself bare."

When he forbade the healed leper not to make it known to any man, he thereby gave us an example that we should not publish our good deeds, but we should shun, with inward {125} heart, vain pride, if we do some little good. Verily we shall be requited with no other reward, if we do good for pride, than with h.e.l.l-torment; because pride is a deadly sin.

The old law commanded that every leper should go to the priest, and that the priest should separate him from men, if he really were leprous. If he were not manifestly leprous, he should then, by his judgement, be accounted clean. If the priest accounted him leprous, and G.o.d's might afterwards healed him, that he should then, with a gift, thank G.o.d for his cleansing.

So also should he, who is leprous within with deadly sins, go to G.o.d's priest, and open his secret to the ghostly leech, and, by his counsel and aid, heal by penance the wounds of his soul. Some men imagine that it will suffice for a complete cure, if, with compunction of heart, they confess their sins to G.o.d alone, and that they need not confess to any priest, if they cease from evil: but if their opinion were true, the Lord would not have sent him, whom he himself had healed, with any gift to the priest. For the same example he also sent Paul, whom he himself had spoken to from heaven, to the priest Ananias, thus saying, "Go into the city, and there shall be told thee what it befitteth thee to do."

The priest made not the man leprous or unleprous, but he judged that he should be separated from the society of men, if his leprosy were growing worse, or should continue among men, if his leprosy were growing better. So should the ghostly priest do: he should cure G.o.d's people, and separate, and excommunicate from christian men him who is so leprous with sinful practices that he infects others with his wickedness; concerning which the apostle Paul said, "Remove the evil man from you, lest one unsound sheep infect all the flock." If his leprosy be amending, that is, if he cease from evil, and, through dread of G.o.d, correct his ways, let him {127} have a dwelling among christian men, until he be full sound in his conditions.

The evangelist said, that "After this the Lord went to a city which is called Capernaum; then a certain centurion approached him, praying and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home bedridden, and is grievously tormented. The Lord answered him, I will come and heal him. Then the centurion answered, and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but say thy word, and my servant shall be healed. I am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this, Go thou, and he goeth; to another, Come thou, and he cometh; to my servant, Do this, and he doeth. Then Jesus, when he heard this, wondered, and said to the mult.i.tude following, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in the people of Israel. I say to you in sooth, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall rest with the patriarch Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. The rich children shall be cast into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then again said Jesus to the centurion, Go home, and betide thee as thou hast believed. And the servant was healed from that hour."

The centurion approached Jesus not by halves, but fully. He approached with great faith, and with true humility, and wisdom, and true love. Great faith he had, when he said, "Lord, say thy word, and my servant shall be healed."

But he manifested great humility, when he said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof." He had great wisdom, when he understood that Christ is everywhere present, through his divine nature, who went bodily visible among men. He was not void of true love, when he besought the Lord for the health of his servant. Many other men besought the Lord, some for their own health, some for their children's, some for their dear friends'; but this officer prayed {129} with true love for the health of his servant, for that makes no distinction with regard to family relationship. The Lord saw the manifold goodness of this officer, and said, "I will come and heal thy servant."

John the Evangelist wrote that "An under-king came to Christ, and besought him that he would go home with him and heal his son; for he lay at the point of death. Then said Jesus to the under-king, Return home, thy son liveth. He believed the speech of Jesus, and went home. Then came his servants towards him, and informed him that his son was well. He then inquired at what hour he recovered. They said, Yesterday, after mid-day, the fever left him. Then the father knew that it was the hour at which Jesus said to him, Go home, thy son liveth. The king then believed in G.o.d, and all his family."

The Lord would not, invited, go bodily to the king's sick son, but absent healed him by his word; and he was ready, uninvited, to go bodily with the centurion. Everyone well knows that a king has greater power than any centurion, but the Almighty Son of G.o.d manifested by that deed, that we should not honour the rich for their riches, but for human nature; nor should we despise the indigent for their indigence; but that we should honour G.o.d's image in them. The humble Son of G.o.d was ready to visit the servant by his presence, and he healed the prince with his behest; on which the prophet said, "The Lord supreme beholdeth the humble, and knoweth the proud from afar."

The Lord wondered at the centurion's faith, not because he knew it not before, who knows all things, but he to whom he was wonderful manifested to men his faith with praise. Whence came the officer's faith but of Christ's gift, who afterwards praised him in these words? "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in the people of Israel." {131} This was not said of the patriarchs or prophets, but of the present people, who were not yet of so great faith.

Mary and Martha were two sisters of great faith in G.o.d: they said to Christ, "Lord, if thou hadst been present, our brother would not have died." This officer said to Christ, "Say thy word, and my servant shall be whole. I am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this, Go thou, and he goeth; to another, Come thou, and he cometh; to my servant, Do this, and he doeth. How much more canst thou, who art Almighty G.o.d, through thy behest, execute whatsoever thou wilt!" The Lord said, "I say to you in sooth, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall rest with the patriarch Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." These words are pleasant to hear, and they greatly gladden our minds, that many shall come from the east part of the world, and from the west part, to the kingdom of heaven, and rule with the patriarchs in everlasting joy.

By the two parts, the east and the west, are betokened the four corners of the whole world, from which G.o.d's chosen shall be gathered from every people to the dwelling of the patriarchs and of all the saints. By the east part may be betokened those who in youth incline to G.o.d; because in the east part is the day's beginning. By the west part are betokened those who in age turn to G.o.d's service; because in the west part the day ends.

The following sentence is very awful, "The rich children shall be cast into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The rich children are the Jewish, over whom G.o.d ruled, by the old law; but they rejected Christ, and despised his doctrine; and he casts them into utter darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Many rich men, however, thrive to G.o.d, if they are righteous and merciful. The patriarch Abraham was a rich man, and David the great king, and Zaccheus, who gave half his riches to the {133} poor, and with the half part compensated fourfold for what he had before wrongfully gained. These rich and their like come by good conversion to the everlasting kingdom, which will never fail them.

They are called children of G.o.d who love him more than this world; and those are called rich children who plant the root of their hearts in this present life more than in Christ: such shall be cast into darkness. The gospel says, "Into utter darkness." Utter darkness is the blindness of the body without. Inward darkness is the darkness of the mind within. He who in this present life is blinded within, so that he has no understanding, nor heed of G.o.d's commandments, he will then be blinded without, and deprived of every light; because he had before spent his life without remembrance of G.o.d. The miserable guilty ones shall suffer torment in everlasting fire, and yet that swart fire shall give them no light. Worms shall tear their bodies with fiery teeth, as Christ said in his gospel, "There their worm shall never die, nor their fire be quenched." There shall be a.s.sociated in one torment, those who in life were united in evil deeds, so that murderers shall eternally be tortured together; and adulterers with adulterers, the rapacious with the rapacious, robbers with robbers, perjurers with perjurers, in the broad flame, without any ending, shall perish. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; for their eyes shall be tormented in the great burning, and their teeth shall afterwards quake in the intense cold. If any one doubt of the universal resurrection, let him understand this divine saying, That there shall be a true resurrection, where there shall be weeping eyes and gnashing teeth.

The Lord said to the centurion, "Go home, and betide thee as thou hast believed; and his servant was healed from that hour." By this is to be understood how greatly a christian man's own faith profiteth him, when that of another man profiteth him so greatly. Verily, for the centurion's faith was {135} the bedridden healed. Faith is of all virtues first; without it no man may be pleasing to G.o.d; and the righteous lives by his faith. Let us believe in the Holy Trinity, and in true Unity, that the Almighty Father, and his Son, that is his wisdom, and the Holy Ghost who is the love and will of them both, that they are three in person and in name, and one G.o.d, in one G.o.dhead ever continuing, without beginning and end. Amen.

IIII. NON. FEB.

IN PURIFICATIONE S[=C]E. MARIE.

Postquam impleti sunt dies purificationis Mariae: et reliqua.

G.o.d bebead on aere ealdan ?, and het Moyses, one heretogan, aet he hit awrite betwux orum bebodum, aet aelc wif e cild gebaere sceolde gebidan feowertig daga aefter aere cenninge, swa aet heo ne come into G.o.des temple, ne on anum bedde mid hire were, aer am fyrste e we ?r cwaedon; aet is feowertig daga, gif hit hyse-cild waere: gif hit onne maeden-cild waere, onne sceolde heo forhabban fram ingange G.o.des huses hund-ehtatig daga, and eac fram hire gebeddan; and aefter am fyrste gan mid lace to G.o.des huse, and beran aet cild for mid aere lace, and syan, mid G.o.des bletsunge, genealaecan hyre gemacan. is waes geset be wifum.

Nu waes eah-hwaeere aet halige maeden MARIA, Cristes moder, G.o.des beboda gemyndig, and eode on ysum daege to G.o.des huse mid lace, and gebrohte aet cild e heo acende, Haelend Crist, gelacod to am G.o.des temple, swa swa hit on G.o.des ? geset waes.

a waes aer, binnan aere byrig Hierusalem, sum G.o.des mann, and his nama waes Symeon; he waes swye rihtwis, {136} and haefde micelne G.o.des ege, and he ge-andbidode one frofer, e behaten waes am folce Israhel, aet is Cristes to-cyme. Se Halga Gast waes wunigende on aem Symeone, and he wiste genoh georne aet se aelmihtiga G.o.des Sunu wolde to mannum c.u.man, and menniscnysse underfon. a waes es man swie oflyst aes Haelendes to-cymes, and baed aet G.o.de daeighwamlice on his gebedum, aet he moste Crist geseon aer he deaes...o...b..rigde. a fory e he swa micele gewilnunge haefde Cristes to-cymes, a com him andswaru fram am Halgan Gaste, aet he ne sceolde deaes...o...b..rigan aeram e he Crist gesawe. And he waes a blie aes behates, and com to G.o.des temple, urh myngunge aes Halgan Gastes. And seo halige Maria com a to am temple mid am cilde, and se ealda man Symeon eode togeanes am cilde, and geseah one Haelend, and hine georne gecneow, aet he waes G.o.des Sunu, Alysend ealles middan-eardes. He hine genam a on his earmas mid micelre onbryrdnesse, and hine gebaer into am temple, and ancode georne G.o.de aet he hine geseon moste. He cwae a, "Min Drihten, u forlaetst me nu mid sibbe of isum life, after inum worde; foron e mine eagan gesawon inne Halwendan, one u gearcodest aetforan ansyne ealles folces; leoht to onwrigennysse eoda, and wuldor inum folce Israhele."

Hit is awriten on Cristes bec, and gehwaer on orum boc.u.m, aet fela witegan and rihtwise men woldan geseon Cristes to-cyme, ac hit naes na him getiod, ac waes getiod isum ealdan men; foram e hit is be him awriten, aet he cwaede daeghwamlice on his gebedum, "Ela, hwaenne cym se Haelend? Hwaenne bi he acenned? Hwaenne mot ic hine geseon? Hwaeer ic mote lybban oaet ic hine geseo?" And a for ysre gewilnunge him com andswaru, aet he ne gesawe dea, aeram e he Crist gesawe.

Maria, Cristes moder, baer aet cild, and se ealda Symeon eode hire togeanes, and gecneow aet cild urh onwrigenysse, and hit beclypte and baer into am temple. He baer aet {138} cild, and aet cild baer hine. Hu baer aet cild hine?

one baer se ealda Symeon on his earmum, e ealle ing hylt and gewylt.

Lytel he waes aer gesewen, ac eah-hwaeere he waes swie micel and ormaete.

Lytel he waes gesewen, foran e he wolde gefeccan a lytlan, and gebringan up to his rice. Hwaet synd a lytlan e he wolde habban up to his rice? aet synd a eamodan. Ne sohte Crist na a modigan, a a micele beo on hyra geance; ac a e beo lytle and eamode on heora heortan, a c.u.ma to G.o.des rice; ac ider ne maeg astigan nan modignys. aer waes se deofol e modeG.o.de, ac his modignes hine awearp into h.e.l.le grunde; fory ne maeg ure tyddernes yder astigan, gif heo modig bi, aa se engel aer beon ne mihte aa he modeG.o.de.

G.o.d bebead, on aere ealdan ?, his folce aet hi sceoldon him offrian aelc frumcenned hyse-cild, oe alysan hit ut mid fif scyllingum. Eac on heora orfe, swa hwaet swa frumcenned waere, bringan aet to G.o.des huse, and hit aer G.o.de offrian. Gif hit onne unclaene nyten waere, onne sceolde se hlaford hit acwellan, oe syllan G.o.de oer claene nyten. We ne urfon as bebodu healdan nu lichamlice, ac gastlice. onne on urum mode bi acenned sum ing G.o.des, and we aet to weorce awenda, onne sceole we aet tellan to G.o.des gyfe, and aet G.o.de betaecan. Ure yfelan geohtas oe weorc we sceolan alysan mid fif scyllingum; aet is we sceolon ure yfelnysse behreowsian mid urum fif andgitum, aet synd gesih, and hlyst, and swaec, and stenc, and hrepung. Eac swa a unclaenan nytenu getacnia ure unclaenan geohtas and weorc, a we sceolon symle acwellan, oe behwyrfan mid claenum; aet is aet we sceolon ure unclaennysse and ure yfelnesse symle adwaescan, and forlaetan yfel, and don G.o.d.

Seo eadige Maria a geoffrode hire lac G.o.de mid am cilde, swa hit on G.o.des ? geset waes. Hit waes swa geset on aere ealdan ? urh G.o.des haese, aet a e mihton {140} urhteon sceoldon bringan anes geares lamb mid heora cylde, G.o.de to lace, and ane culfran, oe ane turtlan. Gif onne hwylc wif to am unspedig waere aet heo as ing begytan ne mihte, onne sceolde heo bringan twegen culfran-briddas, oe twa turtlan.

as laessan lac, aet sind a fugelas, e waeron wannspedigra manna lac, waeron for Criste geoffrode. Se aelmihtiga G.o.des Sunu waes swie gemyndig ure neoda on eallum ingum; na aet an aet he wolde mann beon for us, aa he G.o.d waes, ac eac swylce he wolde beon earfa for us, aa he rice waes: to y aet he us forgeafe dael on his rice, and maensumunge on his G.o.dcundnysse. Lamb getacna unscaeinysse and a maran G.o.dnysse; gif we onne swa earme beo aet we ne magon a maran G.o.dnysse G.o.de offrian, onne sceole we him bringan twa turtlan, oe twegen culfran-briddas, aet is twyfealdlic onbryrdnes eges and lufe. On twa wisan bi se man onbryrd: aerest he him ondraet h.e.l.le wite, and bewep his synna, syan he nim eft lufe to G.o.de; onne ongin he to murcnienne, and inc him to lang hwaenne he beo genumen of yses lifes earfonyssum, and gebroht to ecere reste.