The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Part 8

Solice hit is awriten, "Swa hwa swa wile beon freond isre worulde, se bi geteald G.o.des feond." Crist cwae on sumere stowe, aet "Se weig is swie nearu and sticol, see laet to heofonan rice; and se is swie rum and smee, see laet to h.e.l.le-wite." Se weig, see laet to heofenan rice, is fori nearu and sticol, fori aet we sceolon mid earfonysse geearnian urne eel. Gif we hine habban willa, we sceolon lufian mildheortnysse, and claennysse, and sofaestnysse, and rihtwisnysse, and eadmodnysse, and habban soe lufe to G.o.de and to mannum, and don aelmessan be ure maee, and habban gemet on urum bigleofan, and gehwilce oere halige ing began. as ing we ne magon don butan earfonyssum; ac gif we hi do, onne mage we mid am geswinc.u.m, urh G.o.des fultum, astigan one sticolan weg e us gelaet to am ecan life. Se weg see laet to forwyrde is fori brad and {164} smee, fori e unl.u.s.tas gebringa one man to forwyrde. Him bi swie softe, and nan geswinc aet he fylle his galnysse, and druncennysse, and gytsunge begange and modignysse, and a unstrangan berype, and don swa hwaet swa hine lyst: ac as uneawas and ore swilce gelaeda hine butan geswince to ec.u.m tintregum, buton he aer his ende yfeles geswice and G.o.d wyrce. Dysig bi se wegferenda man see nim one smean weg e hine mislaet, and forlaet one sticolan e hine gebrinc to aere byrig. Swa eac we beo solice ungerade, gif we lufia a sceortan softnysse and a hwilwendlican l.u.s.tas to an swie, aet hi us gebringan to am ecan pinungum. Ac uton niman one earforan weg, aet we her sume hwile swincon, to y aet we ecelice beon butan geswince. Eae mihte Crist, gif he wolde, on isum life wunian butan earfonyssum, and faran to his ecan rice butan rowunge, and butan deae; ac he nolde. Be am cwae Petrus se apostol, "Crist rowode for us, and sealde us bysne, aet we sceolon fyligan his fotswaum;" aet is, aet we sceolon sum ing rowian for Cristes lufon, and for urum synnum. Wel rowa se man, and G.o.de gecwemlice, see win ongean leahtras, and G.o.dnysse gefrema, swa swa he fyrmest maeg.

Se e nan ing nele on issum life rowian, he sceal rowian unances wyrsan rowunga on am toweardan life.

Nu genealaec claene tid and halig, on aere we sceolon ure gimeleaste gebetan: c.u.me fori gehwa cristenra manna to his scrifte, and his diglan gyltas geandette, and be his lareowes taecunge gebete; and tihte aelc oerne to G.o.de mid G.o.dre gebysnunge, aet eal folc cwee be us, swa swa be am blindan gecweden waes, aa his eagan waeron onlihte; aet is, Eall folc e aet wundor geseah, herede G.o.d, see leofa and rixa a butan ende. Amen.

{153} SHROVE SUNDAY.

Adsumpsit Jesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua.

It is here read in this gospel, which we now have heard from the deacon's mouth, that "Jesus took his twelve disciples apart, and said to them, Behold, we shall go to the city of Jerusalem, and then shall be fulfilled all the things that have been written of me by the prophets. I shall be betrayed to the Gentiles, and they shall mock and scourge me, and afterwards slay me, and I shall arise from death on the third day. But his disciples knew not the meaning of these words. Then it came to pa.s.s that they came near to a city which is called Jericho, and there sat a certain blind man by the way; and when he heard the pa.s.sing of the people with Jesus, he asked who was pa.s.sing there. They said to him that Jesus was pa.s.sing. Then he began to cry, and said, Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me. The men, who were going before Jesus, chided the blind man, that he might be silent. He cried then much louder, Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me. Jesus then stood, and bade them lead the blind man to him. When he came near Jesus asked him, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? He said, Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him, Look now: thy faith hath healed thee. And he immediately saw, and followed Jesus, and glorified him.

Then all the people who saw that miracle glorified G.o.d with great fervour."

The beginning of this gospel touched our Saviour's pa.s.sion, though he did not suffer at this time; but he would from afar and long before make known his pa.s.sion to his disciples, that they might not be too much terrified by his pa.s.sion, when the time came that he would suffer. Their mind was terrified by Christ's saying, but he again cheered them by the words which he spake, "I will arise from death on the third day." He would then strengthen and confirm {155} their faith with miracles. And they came then to the place where the blind man sat by the way, and Christ healed him before the sight of all the mult.i.tude, to the end that, with that miracle, he might bring them to belief. But the miracles which Christ wrought manifested one thing by power, and another thing they betokened by mystery.

He wrought those miracles indeed through divine power, and with those miracles confirmed the people's faith; but yet there was another hidden thing in those miracles, in a spiritual sense. The one blind man betokened all mankind, who were blinded through Adam's sin, and thrust from the joy of Paradise, and brought to this life, which is compared to a prison. Now we are shut out from the heavenly light, and we may not, in this life, enjoy the light eternal; nor know we of it more than so much as, through Christ's teaching, we read in books. This world, though it may sometimes seem gay, yet is no more like the world eternal, than is some prison to the light day. All mankind, as we before said, was blinded with lack of faith and error; but through Christ's advent we were drawn from our errors, and enlightened by faith. We have now the light in our mind, that is Christ's faith; and we have a hope of the joy of everlasting life, though we yet bodily dwell in our prison.

The blind man sat at the city which is called Jericho. Jericho is interpreted and called _moon_. The moon both waxes and wanes: for a half month it is waxing, for a half it is waning. Now the moon betokeneth our mortal life and the decay of our mortality. At the one end men are born, at the other they depart. When Christ came to the city of Jericho, which betokeneth the moon, the blind man received sight. That is, when Christ came to our mortality, and a.s.sumed our human nature, mankind was enlightened, and received sight. He sat by the way; and Christ said in {157} his gospel, "I am the way, and truth, and life." The man who knows nothing of the eternal light is blind; but if he believes in Jesus, then sits he by the way. If he will not pray for the light eternal, then sits he blind by the way, without prayer. He who rightly believes in Christ, and fervently prays for his soul's enlightening, he sits by the way praying.

Whosoever is sensible of his mind's blindness, let him cry with inward heart, as the blind man cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."

The mult.i.tude that went before Jesus chided the blind man, and bade him be still. The mult.i.tude betokens our evil desires and vices, which call to us and occupy our hearts, so that we cannot pray so fervently as we ought. It happens frequently when a man is desirous to withdraw from evil and atone for his sins, and with his whole mind turn to G.o.d, that his old misdeeds, which he had previously committed, will then come and afflict his mind, and will still his voice, that he may not cry to G.o.d. But what did the blind man, when the people would still him? He called so much the louder, until Jesus heard his voice and healed him. So should we do also, if the devil trouble us with manifold thoughts and temptations: we should call louder and louder to Jesus, that he drive the evil temptations from our hearts, and that he enlighten our mind with his grace. But if we continue praying, then may we with our cry incline Jesus to stand, who was before pa.s.sing on, and to hear our cry, and enlighten our hearts with good and pure thoughts.

Evil thoughts cannot harm us, if they are not pleasing to us; but the more the devil terrifies us with evil thoughts, so much the better shall we be, and dearer to G.o.d, if we despise the devil and all his temptations through G.o.d's a.s.sistance.

What is Jesus's standing, or what is his pa.s.sing? He pa.s.sed through his human nature, and he stood through the divine nature. He pa.s.sed through human nature, so that he {159} was born, and pa.s.sed from place to place, and suffered death, and from death arose, and ascended to heaven. This is his pa.s.sing. He stands through his divine nature; because he is, by his power, everywhere present, and needs not go from place to place; because he is in every place through his divine nature. When he was pa.s.sing he heard the blind man's cry; and when he stood he gave him sight; because through his human nature he bewails the blindness of our minds, and through his divine nature he gives us light, and enlightens our blindness. He said to the blind man, "What wilt thou that I do to thee?" Thinkest thou that he knew not what the blind man desired, he who could heal him? But he would that the blind man should pray; for he exhorts everyone very urgently to prayers: for though he says, in another place, "Your heavenly Father knoweth what ye require, before ye pray to him for anything," yet the good G.o.d desires that we should fervently pray to him; because by prayers is our heart stimulated and turned to G.o.d.

Then said the blind man, "Sir, do that I may see." The blind man prayed neither for gold, nor silver, nor any worldly things, but prayed for his sight. For naught he accounted it to pray for anything but sight; because, though the blind may have something, he cannot without light see that which he has. Let us then imitate this man who was healed by Christ, both in body and in soul: let us pray, not for deceitful riches, nor transitory honours; but let us pray to our Lord for light: not for that light which will be ended, which will be driven away by the night, that which is common to us and to the brutes; but let us pray for that light which we can see with angels only, which shall never be ended. To that light verily our faith shall bring us, as Christ said to the blind man, "Look now: thy faith hath healed thee."

Now some unbelieving man will ask, How may I desire the spiritual light which I cannot see? Now to that man I say, that the things which he understands and may {161} comprehend, he understands those things not through his body, but through his soul; yet no man sees his soul in this life. It is invisible, but, nevertheless, it guides the visible body. The body, which is visible, has life from the soul, which is invisible. If that which is invisible depart, then will the visible fall down; because it before stood not of itself. The life of the body is the soul, and the life of the soul is G.o.d. If the soul depart, the mouth cannot cry, though it gape; nor the eye see, though it be open; nor will any limb do anything, if the body be soulless. So also the soul, if G.o.d, for its sins, forsake it, it will do nothing good. No man may do anything good without G.o.d's support.

The sinful soul will not be wholly turned to naught, though it be rendered dead to good; but it will be dead to every excellence and happiness, and will be preserved to eternal death, where it will be ever continuing in torments, and yet will never perish.

How canst thou now doubt of the eternal light, though it be invisible, when thou hast life from an invisible soul, and thou doubtest not that thou hast a soul, though thou canst not see it? The blind man, when he could see, followed Jesus. That man sees and follows G.o.d, who can understand G.o.d, and does good works. That man sees and will not follow G.o.d, who understands G.o.d, and will not do good works. But let us understand G.o.d, and do good works: let us behold whither Christ goes, and follow him; that is, that we should meditate on what he teaches, and what is pleasing to him, and that with works fulfil, as he himself said, "He who will serve me, let him follow me;" that is, let him imitate me, and shun every evil, and love every good, as I do. Christ gained for himself in this life neither land nor riches, as he of himself said, "The beasts have holes, and the birds have nests, where they rest, and I have not where I may lay down {163} my head." He had as much as he recked of, and lived on the possessions of other men, he who owned all things.

We read in the book of Christ that the people resolved concerning him, that they would seize him, and set him up for king, that he might be their temporal head, as he was divinely. When Christ perceived the people's will he fled alone to a mountain, and his companions went to the sea, and Jesus was up on land. Then by night Jesus went on the water with dry feet, until he came to his disciples, where they were in a ship. He fled from worldly honour, when he was chosen king; but he fled not from reproach and scorn, when the Jews would hang him on a cross. He would not encircle his head with a golden crown, but with one of thorns, as it was done at his pa.s.sion.

He would not reign for a while in this life, who rules eternally in heaven.

This world is not our country, but is our place of exile; therefore should we not set our hope in this deceitful life, but should hasten with good deserts to our country, for which we were created, that is, to the kingdom of heaven.

Verily it is written, "Whosoever will be a friend of this world, he shall be accounted a foe of G.o.d." Christ said in some place, that "The way is very narrow and steep which leads to the kingdom of heaven; and it is very wide and smooth which leads to h.e.l.l-torment." The way which leads to the kingdom of heaven is narrow and steep, in order that we should with difficulty gain our country. If we desire to obtain it, we should love mercy, and chast.i.ty, and truth, and righteousness, and humility, and have true love to G.o.d and to men, and give alms according to our means, and be moderate in our food, and observe all other holy things. These things we cannot do without difficulties; but if we do them, then may we with those labours, through G.o.d's support, ascend the steep way which leads us to eternal life. The way which leads to perdition is broad and smooth, because wicked {165} l.u.s.ts bring a man to perdition. It is very soft to him and no labour to satiate his libidinousness and drunkenness, and practise covetousness and pride, and rob the weak, and do whatsoever he lists: but those evil practices and others such lead him without labour to eternal torments, unless before his end he desist from evil and do good. Foolish is the wayfaring man who takes the smooth way that misleads him, and forsakes the steep which brings him to the city. So also shall we be truly inconsiderate, if we love brief voluptuousness and transitory pleasures so greatly that they bring us to eternal torments. But let us take the more difficult way, that we may here for some time labour, in order to be eternally without labour. Easily might Christ, had he been willing, have continued in this life without hardships, and gone to his everlasting kingdom without suffering, and without death; but he would not. Concerning which Peter the apostle said, "Christ suffered for us, and gave us an example, that we should follow his footsteps;" that is, that we should suffer something for love of Christ, and for our sins. Well suffers the man, and acceptably to G.o.d, who strives against wickedness, and promotes goodness, as he best may. He who will suffer nothing in this life, shall suffer against his will in the life to come.

Now is a pure and holy time drawing nigh, in which we should atone for our remissness: let, therefore, every christian man come to his confessor, and confess his secret sins, and amend by the teaching of his instructor; and let everyone stimulate another to good by good example, that all people may say of us, as was said of the blind man when his eyes were enlightened; that is, All people who saw that miracle praised G.o.d, who liveth and reigneth ever without end. Amen.

{166} DOMINICA PRIMA IN QUADRAGESIMA.

Ductus est Iesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua.

Ic wolde eow trahtnian is G.o.dspel, e mann nu beforan eow raedde, ac ic ondraede aet ge ne magon a micelan deopnysse aes G.o.dspelles swa understandan swa hit gedafenlic sy. Nu bidde ic eow aet ge beon geyldige on eowerum geance, oaet we one traht mid G.o.des fylste oferraedan magon.

"Se Haelend waes gelaed fram am Halgan Gaste to anum westene, to y aet he waere gecostnod fram deofle: and he a faeste feowertig daga and feowertig nihta, swa aet he ne onbyrigde aetes ne waetes on eallum am fyrste: ac sian him hingrode. a genealaehte se costnere, and him to cwae, Gif u sy G.o.des Sunu, cwe to isum stanum aet hi beon awende to hlafum. a andwearde se Haelend, and cwae, Hit is awriten, ne leofa se mann na be hlafe anum, ac lyfa be eallum am wordum e ga of G.o.des mue. a genam se deofol hine, and gesette hine uppan am scylfe aes heagan temples, and cwae, Gif u G.o.des Sunu sy, feall nu adun: hit is awriten, aet englum is beboden be e, aet hi e on hira handum ahebbon, aet u furon ne urfe inne fot aet stane aetspurnan. a cwae se Haelend eft him to, Hit is awriten, Ne fanda ines Drihtnes. a genam se deofol hine eft, and gesette hine uppan anre swie heahre dune, and aeteowde him ealles middangeardes welan, and his wuldor, and cwae him to, Ealle as ing ic forgife e, gif u wilt feallan to minum fotum and gebiddan e to me. a cwae se Haelend him to, Ga u underbaecc, sceocca! Hit is awriten, Gehwa sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne anum, and him anum eowian. a forlet se deofol hine, and him comon englas to, and him enodon."

Se Halga Gast laedde one Haelend to am westene, to y aet he waere aer gecostnod. Nu wundra gehwa hu se deofol dorste genealaecan to am Haelende, aet he hine costnode: {168} ac he ne dorste Cristes fandian, gif him alyfed naere. Se Haelend com to mancynne fori aet he wolde ealle ure costnunga oferswian mid his costnungum, and oferswian urne one ecan dea mid his hwilwendlic.u.m deae. Nu waes he swa eadmod aet he geafode am deofle aet he his fandode, and he geafode lyrum mannum aet hi hine ofslogon. Deofol is ealra unrihtwisra manna heafod, and a yfelan men sind his lima: nu geafode G.o.d aet aet heafod hine costnode, and aet a limu hine ahengon.

am deofle waes micel twynung, Hwaet Crist waere? His lif naes na geloG.o.d swa swa ora manna lif. Crist ne aet mid gyfernysse, ne he ne dranc mid oferflowendnysse, ne his eagan ne ferdon worigende geond mislice l.u.s.tas. a smeade se deofol hwaet he waere; hwaeer he waere G.o.des Sunu, see manncynne behaten waes. Cwae a on his geance, aet he fandian wolde hwaet he waere. a faeste Crist feowertig daga and feowertig nihta on an, a on eallum am fyrste ne cwae se deofol to him aet he etan sceolde, foran e he geseh aet him nan ing ne hingrode. Eft, aa Crist hingrode aefter swa langum fyrste, a wende se deofol solice aet he G.o.d naere, and cwae to him, "Hwi hingra e? Gif u G.o.des Sunu sy, wend as stanas to hlafum, and et."

Eae mihte G.o.d, see awende waeter to wine, and see ealle gesceafta of nahte geworhte, eaelice he mihte awendan a stanas to hlafum: ac he nolde nan ing don be aes deofles taecunge; ac cwae him to andsware, "Ne lifa na se man be hlafe anum, ac lifa be am wordum e ga of G.o.des mue." Swa swa aes mannes lichama leofa be hlafe, swa sceal his sawul lybban be G.o.des wordum, aet is, be G.o.des lare, e he urh wise menn on boc.u.m gesette. Gif se lichama naef mete, oe ne maeg mete icgean, onne forweorna he, and adeada: swa eac seo sawul, gif heo naef a halgan lare, heo bi onne weornigende and maegenleas. urh a halgan lare heo bi strang and onbryrd to G.o.des willan.

a waes se deofol aene oferswied fram Criste. "And he a hine genam, and baer upp on aet templ, and hine sette aet {170} am scylfe, and cwae to him, Gif u G.o.des Sunu sy, sceot adun; foran e englum is beboden be e, aet hi e on handum ahebban, aet u ne urfe inne fot aet stane aetspurnan." Her begann se deofol to reccanne halige gewritu, and he leah mid aere race; foran e he is leas, and nan sofaestnys nis on him; ac he is faeder aelcere leasunge. Naes aet na awriten be Criste aet he a saede, ac waes awriten be halgum mannum: hi behofia engla fultumes on issum life, aet se deofol hi costnian ne mote swa swie swa he wolde. Swa hold is G.o.d mancynne, aet he haef geset his englas us to hyrdum, aet hi ne sceolon na geafian am reum deoflum aet hi us fordon magon. Hi moton ure afandian, ac hi ne moton us nydan to nanum yfle, buton we hit sylfe agenes willan don, urh a yfelan tihtinge aes deofles. We ne beo na fulfremede buton we beon afandode: urh a fandunge we sceolon geeon, gif we aefre wisaca deofle, and eallum his larum; and gif we genealaeca urum Drihtne mid geleafan, and lufe, and G.o.dum weorc.u.m; gif we hwaer aslidon, arisan eft aerrihte, and betan georne aet aer tobrocen bi.

Crist cwae a to am deofle, "Ne sceal man fandigan his Drihtnes." aet waere swie gilplic d?d gif Crist scute a adun, eah e he eae mihte butan awyrdnysse his lima nyer asceotan, see gebigde one heagan heofenlican bigels; ac he nolde nan ing don mid gylpe; foron e se gylp is an heafod-leahter; a nolde he adun asceotan, foron e he onscunode one gylp; ac cwae, "Ne sceal man his Drihtnes fandian." Se man fandia his Drihtnes, see, mid dyslic.u.m truwan and mid gylpe, sum wundorlic ing on G.o.des naman don wile, oe see sumes wundres dyslice and butan neode, aet G.o.de abiddan wile. a waes se deofol oere sie urh Cristes geyld oferswied.

"a genam he hine eft, and abaer hine upp on ane dune, and aetywde him ealles middangeardes welan and his wuldor, and cwae to him, Ealle as ing ic forgife e, gif u wilt afeallan to minum fotum, and e to me gebiddan."

Dyrstelice spraec se deofol her, swa swa he aer spraec, aa he on {172} heofenum waes, aa he wolde daelan heofonan rice wi his Scyppend, and beon G.o.de gelic; ac his dyrstignys hine awearp a into h.e.l.le; and eac nu his dyrstignys hine genierode, aa he, urh Cristes rowunge, forlet mancynn of his anwealde. He cwae, "as ing ic forgife e." Him uhte aet he ahte ealne middangeard; foron e him ne wistod nan man aeram e Crist com e hine gewylde.

Hit is awriten on halgum boc.u.m, "Eore and eall hire gefyllednys, and eal ymbhwyrft and a e on am wunia, ealle hit syndon G.o.des aehta," and na deofles. eah-hwaeere Crist cwae on his G.o.dspelle be am deofle, aet he waere middangeardes ealdor, and he sceolde beon ut-adraefed. He is aera manna ealdor, e lufia isne middangeard, and ealne heora hiht on issum life besetta, and heora Scyppend forseo. Ealle gesceafta, sunne, and mona, and ealle tunglan, land, and s?, and nytenu, ealle hi eowia hyra Scyppende; foron e hi fara aefter G.o.des dihte. Se lyra man ana, onne he forsih G.o.des beboda, and fullg? deofles willan, oe urh gytsunge, oe urh leasunge, oe urh graman, oe urh ore leahtras, onne bi he deofles eowa, onne he deofle gecwem, and one forsih e hine geworhte.

"Crist cwae a to am deofle, Ga u underbaecc, sceocca! Hit is awriten, Man sceal hine gebiddan to his Drihtne, and him anum eowian." Quidam dic.u.n.t non dixisse Saluatorem, "Satane, uade retro," sed tantum "Uade": sed tamen in rectioribus et uetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, "Uade retro Satanas,"

sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a X[=po], "Uade retro me," id est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Uade retro me_, sed, "Uade retro,"

sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus Hieronimus, in una epistola. He cwae to am deofle, "Ga u underbaec." Deofles nama is gereht, 'Nyer-hreosende.' Nyer he ahreas, and underbaec he eode fram frime his anginnes, aa he waes ascyred fram aere heofonlican blisse; on hinder he eode {174} eft urh Cristes to-cyme; on hinder he sceal gan on domes daege, onne he bi belocen on h.e.l.le-wite on ec.u.m fyre, he and ealle his geferan; and hi naefre sian ut-brecan ne magon.

Hit is awriten on aere ealdan ?, aet nan man ne sceal hine gebiddan to nanum deofelgylde, ne to nanum inge, buton to G.o.de anum; foron e nan gesceaft nys wyre aes wurmyntes, buton se ana see Scyppend is ealra inga: to him anum we sceolon us gebiddan; he ana is so Hlaford and so G.o.d. We bidda ingunga aet halgum mannum, aet hi sceolon us ingian to heora Drihtne and to urum Drihtne; ne gebidde we na, eah-hwaeere, us to him, swa swa we to G.o.de do, ne hi aet geafian nella; swa swa se engel cwae to Iohanne am apostole, aa he wolde feallan to his fotum: he cwae, "Ne do u hit na, aet u to me abuge. Ic eom G.o.des eowa, swa swa u and ine gebrora: gebide e to G.o.de anum."

"a forlet se deofol Crist, and him comon englas to, and him enodon." He waes gecostnod swa swa mann, and aefter aere costnunge him comon halige englas to, and him enodon, swa swa heora Scyppende. Buton se deofol gesawe aet Crist man waere, ne gecostnode he hine; and buton he so G.o.d waere, noldon a englas him enian. Mycel waes ures Haelendes eamodnys and his geyld on isre daede. He mihte mid anum worde besencan one deofol on aere deopan nywelnysse; ac he ne aeteowde his mihte, ac mid halgum gewritum he andwyrde am deofle, and sealde us bysne mid his geylde, aet swa oft swa we fram wyrum mannum aenig ing rowia, aet we sceolon wendan ure mod to G.o.des lare swior onne to aenigre wrace.

On reo wisan bi deofles costnung: aet is on tihtinge, on l.u.s.tfullunge, on geafunge. Deofol tiht us to yfele, ac we sceolon hit onscunian, and ne geniman nane l.u.s.tfullunge to aere tihtinge: gif onne ure mod nim gel.u.s.tfullunge, onne sceole we huru wistandan, aet aer ne beo nan geafung to am yfelan weorce. Seo yfele tihting is of deofle; {176} onne bi oft aes mannes mod gebiged to aere l.u.s.tfullunge, hwilon eac aslit to aere geafunge; foron e we sind of synfullum flaesce acennede. Naes na se Haelend on a wisan gecostnod; foron e he waes of maedene acenned buton synne, and naes nan ing wyrlices on him. He mihte beon gecostnod urh tihtinge, ac nan l.u.s.tfullung ne hrepede his mod. aer naes eac nan geafung, foron e aer naes nan l.u.s.tfullung; ac waes aes deofles costnung fory eall wiutan, and nan ing wiinnan. Ungewiss com se deofol to Criste, and ungewiss he eode aweig; foran e se Haelend ne geswutulode na him his mihte, ac oferdraf hine geyldelice mid halgum gewritum.

Se ealda deofol gecostnode urne faeder Adam on reo wisan: aet is mid gyfernysse, and mid idelum wuldre, and mid gitsunge; and a wear he oferswied, foron e he geafode am deofle on eallum am rim costnungum.

urh gyfernysse he waes oferswied, aa he urh deofles lare aet one forbodenan aeppel. urh idel wuldor he waes oferswied, aa he gelyfde aes deofles wordum, aa he cwae, "Swa maere ge beo swa swa englas, gif ge of am treowe eta." And hi a gelyfdon his leasunge, and woldon mid idelum gylpe beon beteran onne hi gesceapene waeron: a wurdon hi wyrsan. Mid gytsunge he waes oferswied, aa se deofol cwae to him, "And ge habba gescead aeger ge G.o.des ge feles." Nis na gytsung on feo anum, ac is eac on gewilnunge micelre geince.

Mid am ylc.u.m rim ingum e se deofol one frumsceapenan mann oferswide, mid am ylcan Crist oferswide hine, and astrehte. urh gyfernysse fandode se deofol Cristes, aa he cwae, "Cwe to ysum stanum aet hi beon to hlafum awende, and et." urh idel wuldor he fandode his, aa he hine tihte aet he sceolde sceotan nyer of aes temples scylfe. urh gitsunge he fandode his, aa he mid leasunge him behet ealles middangeardes welan, gif he wolde feallan to his fotum. Ac se deofol waes a oferswied {178} urh Crist on am ylc.u.m gemetum e he aer Adam oferswide; aet he gewite fram urum heortum mid am innfaere gehaeft, mid am e he inn-afaren waes and us gehaefte.

We gehyrdon on isum G.o.dspelle aet ure Drihten faeste feowertig daga and feowertig nihta on an. aa he swa lange faeste, a geswutelode he a micelan mihte his G.o.dcundnysse, urh a he mihte on eallum isum andweardum life butan eorlic.u.m mettum lybban, gif he wolde. Eft, aa him hingrode, a geswutelode he aet he waes so man, and fori metes behofode. Moyses se heretoga faeste eac feowertig daga and feowertig nihta, to i aet he moste underfon G.o.des ?; ac he ne faeste na urh his agene mihte, ac urh G.o.des.

Eac se witega Elias faeste ealswa lange eac urh G.o.des mihte, and sian waes genumen butan deae of isum life.

Nu is is faesten eallum cristenum mannum geset to healdenne on aelces geares ymbryne; ac we moton aelce daeg ures metes brucan mid forhaefednysse, aera metta e alyfede sind. Hwi is is faesten us geteald urh feowertig daga?

On eallum geare sind getealde reo hund daga and fif and sixtig daga; onne, gif we teoia as gearlican dagas, onne beo aer six and ritig teoing-dagas; and fram isum daege o one halgan Easter-daeg sind twa and feowertig daga: do onne a six sunnan-dagas of am getele, onne beo a six and ritig aes geares teoing-dagas us to forhaefednysse getealde.

Swa swa G.o.des ? us bebyt aet we sceolon ealle a ing e us gesceota of ures geares teolunge G.o.de a teounge syllan, swa we sceolon eac on isum teoing-dagum urne lichaman mid forhaefednysse G.o.de to lofe teoian. We sceolon us gearcian on eallum ingum swa swa G.o.des enas, aefter aes apostoles taecunge, on micclum geylde, and on halgum waecc.u.m, on faestenum, and on claennysse modes and lichaman; fori laesse pleoh bi am cristenum men aet he flaesces bruce, onne he on issere halgan tide wifes bruce.

{180} Laeta aweg ealle saca, and aelc geflitt, and gehealda as tid mid sibbe and mid sore lufe; foron ne bi nan faesten G.o.de andfenge butan sibbe. And do swa swa G.o.d taehte, tobrec inne hlaf, and syle one oerne dael hungrium men, and laed into inum huse w?dlan, and a earman aelfremedan men, and gefrefra hi mid inum G.o.dum. onne u nacodne geseo, scryd hine, and ne forseoh in agen flaesc. Se mann e faest buton aelmyssan, he de swilce he sparige his mete, and eft ett aet he ?r mid forhaefednysse foreode; ac aet faesten tael G.o.d. Ac gif u faestan wille G.o.de to gecwemednysse, onne gehelp u earmra manna mid am daele e u e sylfum oftihst, and eac mid maran, gif e to onhagige. Forbuga idele spellunge, and dyslice blissa, and bewepa eowre synna; foron e Crist cwae, "Wa eow e nu hlihga, ge sceolon heofian and wepan." Eft he cwae, "Eadige beo a e nu wepa, foron e hi sceolon beon gefrefrode."

We lybba mislice on twelf monum: nu sceole we ure gymeleaste on ysne timan geinnian, and lybban G.o.de, we e orum timan us sylfum leofodon. And swa hwaet swa we do to G.o.de, uton don aet butan gylpe and idelre herunge.

Se mann e for gylpe hwaet to G.o.de de, him sylfum to herunge, naef he aes nane mede aet G.o.de, ac haef his wite. Ac uton don swa swa G.o.d taehte, aet ure G.o.dan weorc beon on a wisan mannum cue, aet hi magon geseon ure G.o.dnysse, and aet hi wuldrian and herigan urne Heofenlican Faeder, G.o.d aelmihtigne, see forgilt mid hundfealdum swa hwaet swa we do earmum mannum for his lufon, see leofa and rixa a butan ende on ecnysse. Amen.

{167} THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.

Ductus est Jesus in desertum a Spiritu: et reliqua.

I would expound to you this gospel which has just now been read before you, but I fear that ye cannot understand the great depth of this gospel as it is fitting. Now I pray you to be patient in your thoughts till, with G.o.d's a.s.sistance, we can read over the text.

"Jesus was led by the Holy Ghost to a waste, in order that he might be tempted by the devil: and he there fasted forty days and forty nights, so that he tasted neither food nor drink in all that time: but he then hungered. Then the tempter approached, and said to him, If thou art the Son of G.o.d, say to these stones that they be turned to loaves. Then Jesus answered, and said, It is written, Man liveth not by bread alone, but liveth by all the words that go from the mouth of G.o.d. Then the devil took him, and set him upon the summit of the lofty temple, and said, If thou art the Son of G.o.d, fall now down: it is written, that angels are commanded concerning thee, that they shall lift thee in their hands, that thou may not dash thy foot on a stone. Then said Jesus again to him, It is written, Tempt not thy Lord. Then the devil took him again, and set him upon a very high mountain, and showed him all the wealth and glory of the world, and said to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my feet, and adore me. Then said Jesus to him, Go thou behind, Satan! It is written, Everyone shall adore his Lord alone, and him alone serve. Then the devil left him, and angels came to him, and ministered unto him."