awedde: swa eac ealle ða ðwyran hæðengyldan, þe ðone apostol mid niðe to
ðam cyninge gewregdon, aweddon samod mid him, and urnon hí and he to his
byrgene, and ðær wedende swulton. Þa aspráng micel óga and gryre ofer ealle
ða ungeleaffullan, and hi ða gelyfdon, and gefullode wurdon æt ðæra
mæssepreosta handum, ðe se apostol ǽr gehádode. Þa onwreah se apostol
Bartholomeus be ðam geleaffullan cyninge Polimius, þæt he biscophád
underfenge; and ða Godes ðeowan and þæt geleaffulle folc hine anmodlice to
ðam háde gecuron. Hit gelamp ða, æfter ðære hádunge, þæt he worhte fela
tácna on Godes naman, ðurh his geleafan, and ðurhwunode twentig geara on
ðam biscopdome, and on godre drohtnunge; and fulfremedum geðincðum gewát to
Drihtne, þam is wurðmynt and wuldor á on worulde.

We magon niman bysne be ðære apostolican lare, þæt nan cristen mann ne
sceal his hæle gefeccan buton æt ðam Ælmihtigan Scyppende, ðam ðe
gehyrsumiað lif and deað, untrumnys and gesundfulnys, seðe cwæð on his
godspelle, þæt án lytel fugel ne befylð on deað butan Godes dihte. He is
swa mihtig, þæt he ealle ðing gediht and gefadað butan geswince; ac he
beswincgð mid untrumnyssum his gecorenan, swa swa he sylf cwæð, "Þa ðe ic
lufige, ða ic ðreage and beswinge." For mislicum intingum beoð cristene men
geuntrumode, hwilon for heora synnum, hwilon for fandunge, hwilon for Godes
wundrum, hwilon for gehealdsumnysse gódra drohtnunga, þæt hí ðy eadmodran
beon; ac on eallum ðisum þingum is geðyld nyd-behefe. Hwilon eac þurh Godes
wrace becymð þam arleasan menn swiðe egeslic yfel, swa þæt his wite onginð
on ðyssere worulde, and his sawul gewit to ðam ecum witum for his
wælhreawnysse; swa swa {472} Herodes ðe ða unscæððigan cild acwealde on
Cristes acennednysse, and manega oðre to-eacan him. Gif se synfulla bið
gebrocod for his unrihtwisnysse, þonne gif he mid geðylde his Drihten
herað, and his miltsunge bitt, he bið ðonne aðwogen fram his synnum ðurh ða
untrumnysse, swa swa horig hrægl þurh sapan. Gif he rihtwis bið, he hæfð
þonne maran geðincðe þurh his brocunge, gif he geðyldig bið. Se ðe bið
ungeþyldig, and mid gealgum mode ceorað ongean God on his untrumnysse, he
hæfð twyfealde geniðerunge, forðan ðe he geycð his synna mid þære ceorunge,
and ðrowað naðelæs.

God is se soða læce, þe ðurh mislice swingla his folces synna gehælð. Nis
se woruld-læce wælhreow, ðeah ðe he þone gewundodan mid bærnette, oððe mid
ceorfsexe gelácnige. Se læce cyrfð oððe bærnð, and se untruma hrymð,
þeah-hwæðere ne miltsað he þæs oðres wánunge, forðan gif se læce geswicð
his cræftes, þonne losað se forwundoda. Swa eac God gelácnað his gecorenra
gyltas mid mislicum brocum; and þeah ðe hit hefigtyme sy ðam ðrowigendum,
þeah-hwæðere wyle se góda Læce to ecere hælðe hine gelácnigan. Witodlice se
ðe náne brocunge for ðisum life ne ðrowað, he færð to ðrowunge. For agenum
synnum bið se mann geuntrumod, swa swa Drihten cwæð to sumum bedridan, ðe
him to geboren wæs, "Min bearn, ðe synd þine synna forgifene: aris nu, and
ber ham ðin leger-bed."

For fandunge beoð sume menn geuntrumode, swa swa wæs se eadiga Iob, ðaða he
wæs rihtwis, and Gode gehyrsum. Þa bæd se deofol, þæt he his fandigan
moste, and he ða anes dæges ealle his æhta amyrde, and eft hine sylfne mid
þam mæstan broce geuntrumode, swa þæt him weollon maðan geond ealne ðone
lichaman. Ac se geðyldiga Iob, on eallum ðisum ungelimpum, ne syngode mid
his muðe, ne nan ðing stuntlices ongean God ne spræc, ac cwæð, "God me
forgeaf ða æhta, and hí eft æt me genam; sy his nama gebletsod." God eac ða
hine gehælde, and his æhta mid twyfealdum him {474} forgeald. Sume menn
beoð geuntrumode for Godes tácnum, swa swa Crist cwæð be sumum blindan men,
ðaða his leorning-cnihtas hine axodon, for hwæs synnum se mann wurde swa
blind acenned. Þa cwæð se Hælend, þæt he nære for his agenum synnum, ne for
his maga, blind geboren, ac forði þæt Godes wundor þurh hine geswutelod
wære. And he þærrihte mildheortlice hine gehælde, and geswutelode þæt he is
soð Scyppend, ðe ða ungesceapenan eahhringas mid his halwendan spatle
geopenode.

For gehealdsumnysse soðre eadmodnysse beoð forwel oft Godes gecorenan
geswencte, swa swa Paulus se apostol be him sylfum cwæð, "Me is geseald
sticels mines lichaman, and se sceocca me gearplæt, þæt seo micelnys Godes
onwrigenyssa me ne onhebbe; forðan ic bæd þriwa minne Drihten, þæt he
afyrsode þæs sceoccan sticels fram me; ac hé me andwyrde, Paule, ðe
genihtsumað min gifu. Soðlice mægen bið gefremod on untrumnysse. Nu
wuldrige ic lustlice on minum untrumnyssum, þæt Cristes miht on me wunige."

Se cristena mann ðe on ænigre þissere gelicnysse bið gebrocod, and he ðonne
his hælðe secan wyle æt unalyfedum tilungum, oððe æt wyrigedum galdrum,
oþþe æt ænigum wiccecræfte, ðonne bið he ðam hæðenum mannum gelíc, þe ðam
deofolgylde geoffrodon for heora lichaman hælðe, and swa heora sawla
amyrdon. Se ðe geuntrumod beo, bidde his hæle æt his Drihtne, and
geðyldelice þa swingla forbere; loc hú lange se soða læce hit foresceawige,
and ne beceapige na ðurh ænigne deofles cræft mid his sawle ðæs lichaman
gesundfulnysse; bidde eac góddra manna bletsunge, and æt halgum reliquium
his hæle gesece. Nis nanum cristenum menn alyfed þæt he his hæle gefecce æt
nanum stane, ne æt nanum treowe, buton hit sy halig rode-tacen, ne æt nanre
stowe, buton hit sy halig Godes hus: se ðe elles deð, he begæð untwylice
hæðengild. We habbað hwæðere þa bysne on halgum bocum, þæt mot se ðe wile
mid soðum læcecræfte his lichaman getemprian, swa swa dyde se wítega
Isaias, þe {476} worhte ðam cyninge Ezechie cliðan to his dolge, and hine
gelácnode.

Se wisa Augustinus cwæð, þæt unpleolic sy þeah hwá læce-wyrte ðicge; ac þæt
hé tælð to unalyfedlicere wíglunge, gif hwá ða wyrta on him becnitte, buton
he hí to ðam dolge gelecge. Þeah-hwæðere ne sceole we urne hiht on
læce-wyrtum besettan, ac on ðone Ælmihtigan Scyppend, þe ðam wyrtum ðone
cræft forgeaf. Ne sceal nan man mid galdre wyrte besingan, ac mid Godes
wordum hí gebletsian, and swa ðicgan.

Wite ðeah-hwæðere gehwá, þæt nan man butan earfoðnyssum ne becymð to ðære
ecan reste, þaða Crist sylf nolde his agen rice butan micelre earfoðnysse
astigan: swa eac his apostoli, and ða halgan martyras mid heora agenum
feore þæt heofonlice rice beceapodon: syððan eac halige andetteras, mid
micelre drohtnunge on Godes ðeowdome, and þurh miccle forhæfednyssa and
clænnysse, halige wurdon. Hwæt wylle we endemenn ðyssere worulde, gif we
for urum synnum gebrocode beoð, buton herian urne Drihten, and eadmodlice
biddan, þæt he us þurh ða hwilwendlican swingla to ðam ecan gefean gelæde?
Sy him wuldor and lof on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.

AUGUST XXV.

THE PASSION OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE.

Historians say that there are three nations called India. The first India
lies towards the Ethiopians' realm, the second lies towards the Medes, the
third on the great ocean; this third India has on one side darkness, and on
the other the grim ocean. To this came the apostle of God BARTHOLOMEW, and
went into the temple to the idol Ashtaroth, and as a stranger there
remained. In the idol dwelt a devil such that he spake to men through the
image, and healed the sick, the blind and the halt, whom he had himself
previously afflicted. He injured men's sight, and afflicted their bodies
with divers diseases, and answered them through the image, that they should
offer to him their gifts, and he would heal them; but he helped them not
with any healing, but when they bowed to him, he ceased from the bodily
affliction, for he then possessed their souls. Then foolish men thought
that he healed them, when he ceased from afflicting them.

When the apostle went into the temple, the devil Ashtaroth became dumb, and
could not help any of those whom he had {457} afflicted, for the presence
of the holy servant of God. There lay there within the temple many sick
men, and offered daily to the idol; but when they saw that he could not
help them, nor answer any one, they went to a neighbouring city, where
another devil was worshiped, whose name was Berith, and offered to him, and
asked, why their god could not answer them? The devil Berith then answered,
and said, "Your god is so fast bound with iron chains, that he dares not
even breathe or speak since God's apostle Bartholomew came within the
temple." They asked, "Who is Bartholomew?" The devil answered, "He is a
friend of the Almighty God, and he is come to this province that he may
render vain all the idols which these Indians worship." They said,
"Describe to us his countenance, that we may know him." Berith answered
them, "He has fair and curling locks, is white of body, and has deep eyes
and moderate sized nose, and ample beard, somewhat hoary, a middling
stature, and is clad in a white upper garment, and is within six and twenty
years old: his raiment is not dirty nor threadbare, nor are his shoes worn
out. A hundred times he bows his knees by day, and a hundred times by
night, praying to his Lord. His voice is as an immense trumpet, and God's
angels go with him, who allow not hunger to hurt him, nor any faintness. He
is ever of one mind, and continues glad. All things he foresees and knows,
and he understands the tongues of all nations. Now long ago he knows what I
am saying of him, for God's angels minister and make known all things to
him. When ye seek him, if he himself will, ye will find him; if he will
not, verily ye will find him not. I pray you that ye earnestly beseech him
not to come hither, lest God's angels who are with him command to me what
they have commanded to my companion Ashtaroth." And with these words the
devil was silent.

They turned back, and beheld the countenance and garments of every man,
and, during a space of two days, they {459} did not find him. Then in the
meanwhile some madman cried through the devil's spirit, and said, "O thou
apostle of God, Bartholomew, thy prayers torment and exasperate me." The
apostle then said, "Be dumb, thou unclean devil, and depart from the man."
And straightways the man was cleansed from the foul spirit, and spake
rationally, who had been mad for many years.

Then the king Polymius heard of the maniac, how the apostle had saved him
from that madness, and he commanded him to be fetched to him, and said, "My
daughter is cruelly frantic: now I beseech thee to bring her to her wits,
as thou didst Seustius, who for many years had been afflicted with dreadful
madness." When the apostle saw the maiden bound with hard chains (because
she bit and tore everyone whom she could reach, and no man durst approach
her), he ordered her to be unbound. The servants answered him, "Who dares
to touch her?" Bartholomew answered, "I have bound the fiend that tormented
her, and ye yet fear her. Go to and unbind her, and give her to eat, and
to-morrow early lead her to me." They did then as the apostle ordered, and
the accursed spirit could no longer torment her.

Then on the morrow the king Polymius loaded gold, and silver, and precious
gems, and purple garments upon camels, and sought the apostle, but he found
him not. On the morrow the apostle came into the king's bower, the door
being closed, and asked him, "Why soughtest thou me with gold, and with
silver, and with precious gems, and garments? These gifts those require who
seek earthly wealth; but I desire no earthly treasure, nor fleshly
pleasure; but I wish thee to know that the Son of Almighty God vouchsafed
to be born of a maidenly womb, who wrought heaven and earth and all
creatures; and he had beginning in humanity who never began in his divine
nature, for he is himself beginning, {461} and to all creatures, both
visible and invisible, gave beginning. The maiden who bare him despised
every man's fellowship, and to the Almighty God promised her maidenhood. To
her came God's archangel, Gabriel, and announced to her the advent of the
Heavenly Prince into her womb, and she believed his words, and so was with
child."

The apostle then preached to the king all christianity, and the redemption
of the world through the advent of Jesus, and how he overcame the hellish
devil, and deprived him of mankind, and said, "The Lord Christ, who through
his innocent death overpowered the devil, has sent us among all nations, to
drive away the devil's ministers, who dwell in images, and to withdraw the
heathen who worship them from their power. But we receive not gold nor
silver, but despise, as Christ despised them; for we desire to be rich in
his kingdom, in which neither sickness, nor infirmity, nor sadness, nor
death, has any place, but there is eternal happiness and bliss, joy without
end with eternal riches. Therefore came I to your temple, and the devil,
who answered you through the image, is made captive by the angels of God
who sent me. And if thou consentest to be baptized, I will cause thee to
see the devil, and to hear by what craft he appears to heal sickness. The
accursed devil, after that he had deceived the first-created man, had power
over unbelieving men, over some greater, over some less: on those greater
who sin more, on those less who sin in less degree. Now the devil by his
wiles causes miserable men to fall sick, and instigates them to believe in
an idol: then ceases he from afflicting them, and has their souls in his
power; then they say to the image, Thou art my god. But the devil, which
was within your temple, is bound, and cannot answer those who pray to him.
If thou wilt prove whether I speak truth, I will command {463} him to go
into the image, and I will make him confess the same, that he is bound and
can give no answer."

Then the king answered, "Now to-morrow this folk has designed to offer him
their gifts, then will I come thereto, that I may see these wonderful
deeds." So on the second day the king with the citizens came to the temple,
and then the devil cried with terrific voice through the image, and said,
"Cease, ye miserable, cease your offerings, lest ye suffer worse torment
than I. I am bound with fiery chains by the angels of Christ, whom the Jews
hanged on a cross: they thought that death might hold him captive; but he
overcame death, and bound our prince with fiery chains, and on the third
day arose victorious, and gave his rood-sign to his apostles, and sent them
among all nations. One of them is here, who holds me bound. I pray you that
ye intercede for me to him, that I may go to some other province."

Then said the apostle Bartholomew, "Thou unclean devil, confess who has
afflicted these sick men." The unclean spirit answered, "Our prince, bound
as he now is, sent us to mankind, that we might afflict them with divers
infirmities; first their bodies, for we have no power over their souls,
unless they offer us their gifts. But when they for their bodies' health
offer to us, then cease we from afflicting the body, for we have then their
souls in our power. Then it seems as though we heal them, when we cease
from those afflictions. And men worship us for gods, while we truly are
devils, disciples of the chief whom Christ, the maiden's Son, has bound.
From the day on which his apostle Bartholomew came hither, I am grievously
tormented with burning chains, and therefore I speak what he has commanded
me; else I durst not speak in his presence, nor even our chief."

Then said the apostle, "Why wilt thou not heal the sick, as thy custom
was?" The devil answered, "When we injure {465} the bodies of men, unless
we can injure the soul, the bodies continue in their affliction."
Bartholomew said, "And how come ye to the affliction of the soul?" The
devil answered, "When they believe that we are gods, and offer to us, then
the Almighty God forsakes them, and we then leave the body undiseased, and
attend to the soul that has bowed to us, and which is then in our power."

Then said the apostle to all the people, "Lo, now ye have heard what sort
of god this is that ye thought healed you; but hear now the true God your
Creator, who dwells in heaven; and believe not henceforth in vain images:
and if ye will that I intercede for you with God, and that these sick
receive health, overthrow and break this image. If this ye do, then will I
hallow this temple in the name of Christ, and therein wash you with his
baptism from all sins." The king then commanded the image to be cast down.
The people then promptly cast ropes about it, and plied it with poles, but
they could not, for the devil, stir the image.

Then the apostle commanded the ropes to be loosed, and said to the accursed
spirit which staid in it, "If thou wilt that I send thee not into the
abyss, depart from this image, and break it, and go to the waste, where no
bird flies, nor husbandman ploughs, nor voice of man sounds." He forthwith
came out, and brake the image piecemeal, and crushed all the carvings
within the temple. The people then with one voice cried, "There is one
Almighty God, whom Bartholomew preaches." The apostle then stretched out
his hand towards heaven, thus praying, "Thou Almighty God, in whom Abraham
believed, and Isaac, and Jacob; thou who hast sent thine only begotten Son,
that he might redeem us with his precious blood from the devil's thraldom,
and hath made us to be thy children; thou art the unbegotten Father, he is
the Son ever of thee begotten, and the Holy Ghost is {467} ever proceeding
from thee and thy Son, who hath given us in his name this power, to heal
the sick, and give light to the blind, cleanse lepers, drive out devils,
raise the dead, and hath said unto us, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye
pray for in my name, of my Father, it shall be granted unto you. Now I pray
in his name that this sick multitude be healed, that they all may know that
thou alone art God in heaven, and on earth, and on sea, thou who restorest
health through the same our Lord, who with thee and with the Holy Ghost
liveth and reigneth for ever and ever." While they were answering "Amen,"
all the sick multitude was healed: and there came then flying God's angel
shining as the sun, and flew over the four corners of the temple, and
graved with his finger the sign of the cross on the four-cornered stones,
and said, "The God who sendeth me said, That so as these sick are healed
from all diseases, so hath he cleansed this temple from the devil's
foulness, whom the apostle hath commanded to retire to the waste. And God
hath bidden me that I first make manifest the devil to your sights. Be ye
not afraid at the sight of him, but mark the sign of the rood on your
foreheads, and every evil shall depart from you."

And the angel then showed to the people the accursed spirit in this
likeness. He appeared as an immense Ethiop, with sharp visage and ample
beard. His locks hung to his ancles, his eyes were scattering fiery sparks;
sulphureous flame stood in his mouth, he was frightfully feather-clad, and
his hands were bound to his back. Then said God's angel to the hideous
devil, "Because thou wast obedient to the apostle's commands, and didst
break the diabolical image, now, according to his promise, I will unbind
thee, that thou mayest go to the waste, there where no man's converse is;
and there dwell until the great doom." And the angel then unbound him, and
he with woful lamentation went away, and nowhere afterwards appeared. The
angel then, all looking on him, flew to heaven.

{469} Then the king Polymius, with his wife and his two sons, and with all
his people, believed in the true God, and was baptized, and cast away his
crown together with his purple garments, and would not let God's apostle
depart. After this all the perverse and reprobate assembled, and accused
the king to his brother Astryges, who was king in another country, and
said, "Thy brother is become the follower of a magician, who appropriates
to himself our temples, and breaks our gods." Then was the king Astryges
enraged, and sent a thousand armed soldiers, that they might bring the
apostle to him bound. When the apostle was led to him, the king said, "Why
hast thou corrupted my brother with thy magic?" Bartholomew answered, "I
have not corrupted him, but I have turned him from heathenism to the true
God." The king said to him, "Why hast thou cast down our gods?" He
answered, "I gave that power to the devils, that they might crush the vain
image in which they dwelt, that mankind might turn from their errors, and
believe in the true God." Then said the king, "So as thou hast made my
brother forsake his god and believe in thy god, so also will I make thee
forsake thy god and believe in mine." Then answered the apostle, "The god
that thy brother worshiped I showed to him bound, and I commanded that he
should himself break his image. If thou canst do this to my God, then wilt
thou incline me to the worship of thy god; but if thou canst not do this to
my God, I will break all thy gods, and do thou then believe in the true God
whom I preach."

While he was saying this, some man announced to the king that his greatest
god Baldath had fallen, and burst asunder piecemeal. The king then tore his
purple robe, and commanded the apostle to be beaten with stiff clubs, and
afterwards beheaded. And he on this day, so martyred, departed to the
eternal life. But after this the brother came with his people and bore away
the holy body with glorious {471} hymns, and built a monastery of wondrous
greatness, and in that honourably placed his holy remains. But on the
thirtieth day the king Astryges, who had commanded the apostle to be slain,
was seized with a fiendlike spirit, and dreadfully became frantic: so also
the perverse idolaters, who through envy had accused the apostle to the
king, became frantic together with him, and they and he ran to his grave,
and there raving died. Then sprang up great dread and horror over all the
unbelieving, and they then believed and were baptized at the hands of the
mass-priests whom the apostle had before ordained. Then the apostle
Bartholomew revealed respecting the believing king Polymius, that he should
receive the episcopal order; and the servants of God and the believing
people chose him unanimously to that order. It happened then, after the
ordination, that he wrought many miracles in the name of God through his
belief, and continued twenty years in the episcopal office, and in good
course of life; and in full dignity departed to the Lord, to whom is honour
and glory for ever and ever.

We may take example by the apostolic doctrine, that no christian man shall
fetch his salvation save from the Almighty Creator, whom life and death,
sickness and health obey, who hath said in his gospel, that a little bird
falls not in death without God's direction. He is so mighty, that he
directs and orders without toil; but he scourges his chosen with diseases,
as he himself said, "Those whom I love I chastise and scourge." For divers
causes are christian men afflicted with disease, sometimes for their sins,
sometimes for trial, sometimes for God's miracles, sometimes for
preservation of good courses, that they may be the humbler; but in all
these things patience is needful. Sometimes also through God's vengeance
comes very dreadful evil to the impious man, so that his punishment begins
in this world, and his soul departs to eternal punishments for his cruelty;
as Herod who slew the {473} innocent children at the birth of Christ, and
many others besides him. If the sinful be afflicted with disease for his
unrighteousness, then if he with patience praise his Lord, and pray for his
mercy, he shall be washed from his sins by that sickness, as a foul garment
by soap. If he be righteous, he shall have greater honour through his
sickness, if he be patient. He who is impatient, and with froward mind
murmurs against God in his sickness, shall have double condemnation, for he
increases his sins by that murmuring, and suffers nevertheless.

God is the true leech, who by divers afflictions heals the sins of his
people. The world's leech is not cruel, though he cure the wounded with
burning or with the amputation-knife. The leech cuts or burns, and the
patient cries, yet has he no mercy on the other's moaning, for if the leech
desist from his craft, then will the wounded perish. So also God cures the
sins of his chosen with divers diseases; and though it be wearisome to the
sufferer, yet will the good Leech cure him to everlasting health. But he
who suffers no sickness in this life, he goes to suffering. For his own
sins a man is afflicted with disease, as the Lord said to one bedridden,
who was borne to him, "My son, thy sins are forgiven thee: arise now, and
bear home thy sick-bed."

For trial are some men afflicted with disease, as was the blessed Job, when
he was righteous and obedient to God. Then the devil prayed that he might
try him, and he in one day destroyed all his possessions, and afterwards
afflicted himself with the greatest disease, so that worms rolled over all
his body. But the patient Job, in all these calamities, sinned not with his
mouth, nor spake anything foolish against God, but said, "God gave me
possessions, and afterwards took them from me; be his name blessed." God
also then healed him, and restored him his possessions twofold. Some {475}
men are afflicted for the miracles of God, as Christ said of some blind
man, when his disciples asked him, for whose sins the man was thus born
blind. Then said Jesus, that he was born blind not for his own nor for his
parents' sins, but because that God's miracles might be manifested through
him. And he forthwith mercifully healed him, and manifested that he is the
true Creator, who opened the unshapen eye-rings with his salutary spittle.

For preservation of true humility are God's chosen very often afflicted, as
Paul the apostle said of himself, "To me is given a goad of my body, and
the devil buffeteth me, that the greatness of God's revelations may not
exalt me; for I thrice besought my Lord to remove the devil's goad from me;
but he answered me, Paul, my grace will suffice thee. Verily power is
promoted in weakness. I now glorify joyfully in my weaknesses, that
Christ's might may dwell in me."

The christian man, who in any of this like is afflicted, and he then will
seek his health at unallowed practices, or at accursed enchantments, or at
any witchcraft, then will he be like to those heathen men, who offered to
an idol for their bodies' health, and so destroyed their souls. Let him who
is sick pray for his health to his Lord, and patiently endure the stripes;
let him behold how long the true Leech provides, and buy not, through any
devil's craft, with his soul, his body's health; let him also ask the
blessing of good men, and seek his health at holy relics. It is not allowed
to any christian man to fetch his health from any stone, nor from any tree,
unless it be the holy sign of the rood, nor from any place, unless it be
the holy house of God: he who does otherwise, undoubtedly commits idolatry.
We have, nevertheless, examples in holy books, that he who will may cure
his body with true leechcraft, as the prophet Isaiah did, who wrought {477}
for the king Hezekiah a plaster for his sore, and cured him.

The wise Augustine said, that it is not perilous, though any one eat a
medicinal herb; but he reprehends it as an unallowed charm, if any one bind
those herbs on himself, unless he lay them on a sore. Nevertheless we
should not set our hope in medicinal herbs, but in the Almighty Creator,
who has given that virtue to those herbs. No man shall enchant a herb with
magic, but with God's words shall bless it, and so eat it.

Let every one, however, know, that no man comes to the eternal rest without
tribulations, when Christ himself would not ascend to his own kingdom
without great tribulation: so also his apostles, and the holy martyrs with
their own lives bought the heavenly kingdom: afterwards also holy
confessors with great perseverance in God's service, and through great
privations and chastity became holy. What shall we, the end-men of this
world, desire, if for our sins we are with sickness afflicted, but to
praise our Lord, and humbly pray that he through transient stripes lead us
to everlasting joy? To him be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

IIII. K[=L]. SEPT.

DECOLLATIO S[=CI] IOHANNIS BAPTISTÆ.

    Misit Herodes et tenuit Iohannem: et reliqua.

Marcus se Godspellere awrát on Cristes béc be ðam mæran Fulluhtere Iohanne,
þæt "se wælhreowa cyning Herodes hine gehæfte, and on cwearterne sette, for
his broðor wife Herodiaden:" et reliqua.

Þes Iohannes wæs se mærosta mann, swa swa Crist be him cyðnysse gecydde. He
cwæð, "Betwux wifa bearnum ne {478} arás nán mærra man þonne Iohannes se
Fulluhtere." Nu hæbbe ge oft gehyred be his mæran drohtnunge and be his
ðenunge, nu wylle we embe ðises godspelles trahtnunge sume swutelunge eow
gereccan.

Þes Herodes, ðe Iohannem beheafdian hét, and on ðæs Hælendes ðrowunge
Pilate ðam ealdormenn geðafode, and hine to his dome betæhte, wæs ðæs oðres
Herodes sunu, ðe on ðam timan rixode ðe Crist geboren wæs; ac hit wæs swa
gewunelic on ðam timan þæt rice menn sceopon heora bearnum naman be him
sylfum, þæt hit wære geðuht þæs ðe mare gemynd þæs fæder, ðaða se sunu, his
yrfenuma, wæs geciged þæs fæder naman. Se wælhreowa fæder Herodes læfde fif
suna, þry he hét acwellan on his feorh-adle, ærðan ðe he gewite. Þa wearð
he hreowlice and hrædlice dead æfter ðam ðe he ða cild acwealde for Cristes
acennednysse. Þa feng Archelaus his sunu to rice. Ða embe tyn geara fyrst
wearð hé ascofen of his cynesetle, forðan þe þæt Iudeisce folc wrehton his
modignysse to ðam casere, and he ða hine on wræcsið asende. Þa dælde se
casere þæt Iudeisce rice on feower, and sette ðærto feower gebroðra: ða
sind gecwedene æfter Greciscum gereorde, tetrarche, þæt sind, fyðerrican.
Fyðerrica bið se ðe hæfð feorðan dæl rices. Þa wæs án ðyssera gebroðra
Philippus geháten, se gewifode on ðæs cyninges dehter Arethe, Arabiscre
ðeode, seo hatte Herodias. Þa æfter sumum fyrste wurdon hí ungesome,
Philippus and Arethe, and he genam ða dohtor of his aðumme, and forgeaf hí
his breðer Herode; forðan ðe he wæs furðor on hlisan and on mihte. Herodes
ða awearp his riht æwe, and forligerlice mánfulles sinscipes breac.

Þa on ðam timan bodade Iohannes se Fulluhtere Godes rihtwisnysse eallum
Iudeiscum folce, and þreade ðone Herodem, for ðam fulan sinscipe.
Aecclesiastica historia ita narrat: Þa geseah Herodes þæt eal seo Iudeisce
meniu arn to Iohannes lare, and his mynegungum geornlice {480}
gehyrsumodon, þa wearð hé afyrht, and wende þæt hí woldon for Iohannes lare
his cynedom forseon, and wolde ða forhradian, and gebrohte hine on
cwearterne on anre byrig þe is gecweden Macherunta. Hwæt ða Iohannes asende
of ðam cwearterne twegen leorning-cnihtas to Criste, and hine befrán, þus
cweðende, "Eart ðu se ðe toweard is, oþþe we oðres andbidian sceolon?"
Swilce hé cwæde, Geswutela me, gyf ðu sylf wylle nyðer-astigan to hellwarum
for manna alysednysse, swa swa ðu woldest acenned beon for manna
alysednysse; oððe gif ic sceole cyðan ðinne to-cyme hellwarum, swa swa ic
middangearde þe toweardne bodade, geswutela. Hwæt ða se Hælend on ðære
ylcan tide, swa swa Lucas se godspellere awrát, gehælde manega untruman
fram mislicum coðum, and wodum mannum gewitt forgeaf, and blindum gesihðe;
and cwæð syððan to Iohannes ærendracum, "Farað nu to Iohanne, and cyðað him
þa ðing þe ge gesawon and gehyrdon. Efne nu blinde geseoð, and ða healtan
gað, and hreoflige men synd geclænsode, deafe gehyrað, and ða deadan
arisað, and ðearfan bodiað godspel; and se bið eadig þe on me ne bið
geæswicod." Swylce hé cwæde to Iohanne, Þyllice wundra ic wyrce, ac
swa-ðeah ic wylle deaðe sweltan for mancynnes alysednysse, and ðe sweltende
æfterfyligan, and se bið gesælig þe mine wundra nu herað, gif he minne deað
ne forsihð, and for ðam deaðe ne geortruwað þæt ic God eom. Þus onwreah se
Hælend Iohanne þæt he wolde hine sylfne gemedemian to deaðe, and syððan
hellwara geneosian.

Þa betwux ðisum gelamp þæt Herodes, swa we ǽr cwædon, his witan gefeormode
on ðam dæge þe he geboren wæs; forðan ðe hi hæfdon on ðam timan micele
blisse on heora gebyrd-tidum. Seo dohtor ða, swa swa we ǽr sædon, plegode
mid hire mædenum on ðam gebeorscipe, him eallum to gecwemednysse, and se
fæder ða mid aðe behét, þæt he wolde hire forgyfan swa hwæs swa heo
gewilnode. Þreo arleasa scylda we gehyrdon,--ungesælige mærsunge his
gebyrd-tide, and ða unstæððigan hleapunge þæs mædenes, and ðæs fæder {482}
dyrstigan aðsware. Þam ðrim ðingum us gedafenað þæt we wiðcweðon on urum
ðeawum. We ne moton ure gebyrd-tide to nanum freols-dæge mid idelum
mærsungum awendan, ne ure acennednysse on swilcum gemynde habban; ac we
sceolon urne endenextan dæg mid behreowsunge and dǽdbote forhradian, swa
swa hit awriten is, "On eallum ðingum beo ðu gemyndig þines endenextan
dæges, and þu ne syngast on ecnysse." Ne ús ne gedafenað þæt we urne
lichaman, ðe Gode is gehalgod on ðam halwendan fulluhte, mid unþæslicum
plegan and higleaste gescyndan; forðan ðe ure lichaman sind Godes lima, swa
swa Paulus cwæð, "And he bebead, þæt we sceolon gearcian ure lichaman
líflice onsægednysse, and halige, and Gode andfenge." Se lichama bið líflic
onsægednys ðe wið heafod-leahtras bið gescyld, and ðurh halige mægnu Gode
bið andfenge and halig. God sylf forbyt ælcne að cristenum mannum, þus
cweðende, "Ne swera ðu þurh heofenan, forðan ðe heo is Godes þrymsetl. Ne
swera ðu þurh eorðan, forðan ðe heo is Godes fotsceamol. Ne swera þu ðurh
ðin agen heafod, forðan ðe ðu ne miht wyrcan an hǽr þines feaxes hwít oððe
blacc. Ic secge eow, Ne swerige ge þurh nan þing, ac beo eower spræc ðus
geendod, Hit is swa ic secge, oþþe hit nis swa. Swa hwæt swa ðær mare bið
þurh að, þæt bið of ðam yfelan."

Crist sylf gefæstnode his spræce, þaða hé spræc to anum Samaritaniscan wífe
mid ðisum worde, "Crede mihi:" þæt is, "Gelyf me." Þeah-hwæðere gif we hwær
unwærlice swerion, and se að ús geneadige to wyrsan dæde, þonne bið us
rǽdlicor þæt we ðone maran gylt forbugon, and ðone að wið God gebétan.
Witodlice Dauid swor þurh God þæt he wolde þone stuntan wer Nabal ofslean,
and ealle his ðing adylegian; ac æt ðære forman þingunge þæs snoteran wifes
Abigail, hé awende his swúrd into ðære sceaðe, and hérode ðæs wifes
snoternysse, ðe him forwyrnde þone pleolican mannsliht. Herodes swór þurh
stuntnysse þæt he wolde ðære hleapendan dehter forgyfan swa hwæt swa heo
bæde: þa forðam ðe he {484} nolde fram his gebeorum beon gecweden mánswara,
ðone beorscipe mid blode gemencgde, and ðæs mæran witegan deað þære lyðran
hoppystran hire glíges to mede forgeaf. Micele selre him wære þæt he ðone
að tobræce, þonne he swylcne witegan acwellan hete.

On eallum ðingum we sceolon carfullice hógian, gif we awar, þurh deofles
syrwunge, on twam frecednyssum samod befeallað, þæt we symle ðone maran
gylt forfleon þurh útfære þæs læssan, swa swa deð se ðe his feondum ofer
sumne weall ætfleon wile, ðonne cepð hé hwær se weall unhehst sy, and ðær
oferscyt. Witodlice Herodes, ðaðe he nolde, þurh Iohannes mynegunge, þone
unclænan sinscipe awendan, ða wearð hé to manslihte befeallen; and wæs seo
læsse synn intinga þære maran, þæt he for his fulan forlígre, ðe he georne
wiste þæt Gode andsæte wæs, ðæs wítegan blod ageat, þe he wiste þæt Gode
gecweme wæs. Þis is se cwyde þæs godcundlican domes, be ðam þe is gecweden,
"Se ðe derað, derige he gyt swyðor; and se ðe on fulnyssum wunað, befyle
hine gyt swyðor." Þes cwyde gelamp þam wælhreowan Herode. Nu is oðer cwyde
be gódum mannum sceortlice gecweden, "Se ðe halig is, beo he gyt swyðor
gehalgod." Þis gelamp þam Fulluhtere Iohanne, se ðe wæs halig þurh
menigfealde geearnunga; and he wæs gyt swyðor gehalgod, ðaða he ðurh
soðfæstnysse bodunge becom to sigefæstum martyrdome.

Herodes híwode hine sylfne unrótne, ða seo dohtor hine þæs heafdes bæd; ac
hé blissode on his digelnyssum, forðan ðe heo þæs mannes deað bæd ðe hé ǽr
acwellan wolde, gif hé intingan hæfde. Witodlice gif þæt cild bǽde þæs
wífes heafod, mid micclum graman hé wolde hire wiðcweðan. Næs Iohannes mid
ehtnysse geneadod þæt he Criste wiðsoce, ac ðeah he sealde his líf for
Criste, ðaða he wæs for soðfæstnysse gemartyrod. Crist sylf cwæð, "Ic eom
soðfæstnys." Iohannes wæs Cristes forrynel on his acennednysse and on his
bodunge, on fulluhte, on ðrowunge, and hine to hellwarum {486} mid
deorwurðum deaðe forestóp. Þaða he beheafdod wæs, ða comon his
leorning-cnihtas, and his halige líc ferodon to anre byrig seo is gecweden
Sebaste, and hi ðær hine gelédon. Þæt hálige heafod wearð on Hierusalem
bebyrged.

Sume gedwolmenn cwædon þæt þæt heafod sceolde abláwan ðæs cyninges wíf
Herodiaden, ðe he fore acweald wæs, swa þæt heo ferde mid windum geond
ealle woruld; ac hí dwelodon mid þære segene, forðan ðe heo leofode hire
líf oð ende æfter Iohannes slege. Soðlice Iohannes heafod wearð syððan
geswutelod twam easternum munecum, þe mid gebedum ða burh geneosodon, and
hi ðanon þone deorwurðan maðm feredon to sumere byrig þe is Edissa geháten;
and se Ælmihtiga God þurh þæt heafod ungerime wundra geswutelode. His bán,
æfter langum fyrste, wurdon gebrohte to ðære mæran byrig Alexandria, and
þær mid micclum wurðmynte gelogode.

Nu is to besceawigenne húmeta se Ælmihtiga God, be his gecorenan and ða
gelufedan ðenas, þa ðe he to ðam ecan life forestihte, geðafað þæt hí mid
swa micclum witum beon fornumene and tobrytte on ðisum andweardan lífe. Ac
se apostol Paulus andwyrde be ðisum, and cwæð, þæt "God þreað and beswingð
ælcne ðe he underfehð to his rice, and swa hé forsewenlicor bið gewitnod
for Godes naman, swa his wuldor bið mare for Gode." Eft cwæð se ylca
apostol on oðre stowe, "Ne sind na to wiðmetenne ða þrowunga þyssere tide
ðam toweardan wuldre þe bið on ús geswutelod."

Nu cwyð se trahtnere, þæt nán wilde deor, ne on fyðerfotum ne on
creopendum, nis to wiðmetenne yfelum wife. Hwæt is betwux fyðerfotum reðre
þonne leo? oððe hwæt is wælhreowre betwux næddercynne ðonne draca? Ac se
wisa Salomon cwæð, þæt selre wære to wunigenne mid leon and dracan þonne
mid yfelan wífe and oferspræcum. Witodlice Iohannes on westene wunade
betwux eallum deorcynne ungederod, and betwux dracum, and aspidum, and
eallum {488} wyrmcynne, and hí hine ondredon. Soðlice seo awyrigede
Herodias mid beheafdunge hine acwealde, and swa mǽres mannes deað to gife
hire dehter hleapunge underfeng. Danihel se witega læg seofan niht betwux
seofan leonum on anum seaðe ungewemmed, ac þæt awyrigede wíf Gezabel beswác
ðone rihtwisan Naboð to his feore, þurh lease gewitnysse. Se witega Ionas
wæs gehealden unformolten on ðæs hwæles innoðe ðreo niht, and seo swicole
Dalila þone strangan Samson mid olæcunge bepæhte, and besceorenum fexe his
feondum belæwde. Eornostlice nis nan wyrmcynn ne wilddeora cynn on
yfelnysse gelíc yfelum wífe.

Se wyrdwritere Iosephus awrát, on ðære cyrclican gereccednysse, þæt se
wælhreowa Herodes lytle hwile æfter Iohannes deaðe rices weolde, ac wearð
for his mándædum ærest his here on gefeohte ofslegen, and he sylf siððan of
his cynerice ascofen, and on wræcsið asend, swiðe rihtwisum dome, ðaða he
nolde hlystan Iohannes láre to ðam ecan life, þæt hé eac hrædlice his
hwilwendan cynedom mid hospe forlure. Augustinus se wisa ús manað mid þisum
wordum, and cwyð, "Besceawiað, ic bidde eow, mine gebroðra, mid gleawnysse
hú wræcfull ðis andwyrde líf is; and ðeah ge ondrædað eow þæt ge hit to
hrædlice forlæton. Ge lufiað þis líf, on ðam þe ge mid geswince wuniað; ðu
hógast embe ðine neode; ðu yrnst, and byst geancsumod; þu erast, and sæwst,
and eft gegaderast; þu grinst, and bæcst; þu wyfst, and wæda tylast, and
earfoðlice wast ealra ðinra neoda getel, ægðer ge on sǽ ge on lande, and
scealt ealle þas foresædan ðing, and eac ðin agen líf mid earfoðnysse
geendian. Leorniað nu forði, þæt ge cunnon þæt ece líf geearnian, on ðam ðe
ge nán ðyssera geswinca ne ðrowiað, ac on ecnysse mid Gode rixiað."

On ðisum lífe we ateoriað, gif we ús mid bígleofan ne ferciað; gif we ne
drincað, we beoð mid þurste fornumene; gif we to lange waciað, we ateoriað;
gif we lange standað, we beoð gewæhte, and þonne sittað; eft, gif we to
lange {490} sittað, ús slapað ða lima. Sceawiað eac æfter ðisum, þæt nán
stede nis ures lichaman: cildhád gewit to cnihtháde, and cnihthád to
geðungenum wæstme; se fulfremeda wæstm gebyhð to ylde, and seo yld bið mid
deaðe geendod. Witodlice ne stent ure yld on nanre staþolfæstnysse, ac swa
micclum swa se lichama wext swa micclum beoð his dagas gewanode. Gehwær is
on urum lífe ateorung, and werignys, and brosnung ðæs lichaman, and
ðeah-hwæðere wilnað gehwá þæt he lange lybbe. Hwæt is lange lybban buton
lange swincan? Feawum mannum gelimpð on ðisum dagum, þæt he gesundfull
lybbe hund-eahtatig geara, and swa hwæt swa he ofer ðam leofað, hit bið him
geswinc and sárnyss, swa swa se wítega cwæð, "Yfele sind ure dagas," and
ðæs þe wyrsan þe we hí lufiað. Swa olæcð þes middangeard forwel menige, þæt
hí nellað heora wræcfulle líf geendian. Soð líf and gesælig þæt is, þonne
we arisað of deaðe, and mid Criste rixiað. On ðam life beoð gode dagas, na
swa-ðeah manega dagas, ac án, se nát nænne upspring ne nane geendunge, ðam
ne fyligð merigenlic dæg, forðan ðe him ne forestóp se gysternlica; ac se
án dæg bið ece æfre ungeendod butan ælcere nihte, butan gedreccednyssum,
butan eallum geswincum, þe we hwene ǽr on ðyssere rædinge tealdon. Þes dæg
and þis líf is beháten rihtwisum cristenum, to ðam us gelæde se mildheorta
Drihten, seðe leofað and rixað mid Fæder and mid Halgum Gaste á 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 space 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 God'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 multitude 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 anticipate them, and brought him into prison in a
town which is called Machæruntia. 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 hell 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 God. Thus Jesus revealed
to John that he himself would vouchsafe to die, and afterwards visit the
inmates of hell.

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 anticipate
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 God in
the salutary baptism, with indecent and foolish play; for our bodies are
limbs of God, as St. Paul said, "And he enjoined, that we should prepare
our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, and acceptable to God." The body
is a living sacrifice which is shielded against deadly sins, and through
holy virtues is acceptable to God and holy. God himself forbids every oath
to christian men, thus saying, "Swear thou not by heaven, for it is God's
throne. Swear thou not by earth, for it is God'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 God for the
oath. David, for example, swore by God 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 God, shed the prophet's blood, who he
knew was acceptable to God. 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 hell. 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 God,
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 God 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 "God correcteth and chastiseth
every one whom he receiveth into his kingdom, and the more ignominiously he
is tortured for the name of God, so much shall his glory be greater before
God." 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 God 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 passes 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 quæ uocatur Naim: et reliqua.

Ure Drihten ferde to sumere byrig seo is geháten Naim, and his gingran
samod, and genihtsum menigu. Þaða he genealæhte þam port-geate, þa ferede
man anes cnihtes líc to byrgene: et reliqua.

Beda se trahtnere cwæð, þæt seo burh Naim is gereht, {492} 'yðung' oððe
'styrung.' Se deada cniht, ðe on manegra manna gesihðe wæs geferod,
getácnað gehwylcne synfulne mannan þe bið mid healicum leahtrum on ðam
inran menn adydd, and bið his yfelnys mannum cuð. Se cniht wæs áncenned
sunu his meder, swa bið eac gehwilc cristen man gastlice ðære halgan
gelaðunge sunu, seo is ure ealra modor, and ðeah-hwæðere ungewemmed mæden;
forðan ðe hire team nis ná lichamlic ac gastlic. Gehwilc Godes ðeow, þonne
he leornað, he bið bearn gecweden: eft, þonne he oðerne lærð, he bið modor,
swa swa se apostol Paulus be ðam aslidenum mannum cwæð, "Ge synd mine
bearn, ða ðe ic nu oðre siðe geeacnige, oðþæt Crist beo on eow geedníwod."
Þæt port-geat getácnað sum lichamlic andgit þe menn ðurh syngiað. Se mann
ðe tosæwð ungeþwærnysse betwux cristenum mannum, oððe seðe sprecð
unrihtwisnysse on heannysse ðurh his muðes geat, he bið dead geferod. Se ðe
behylt wimman mid galre gesihðe and fulum luste, ðurh his eagena geat, hé
geswutelað his sawle deað. Se ðe idele spellunge, oððe tállice word
lustlice gehyrð, þonne macað hé his eare him sylfum to deaðes geate. Swa is
eac be ðam oðrum andgitum to understandenne.

Se Hælend wearð astyred mid mildheortnysse ofer ðære meder, þæt he us
bysene sealde his arfæstnysse; and he ðone deadan syððan arærde, þæt he us
to his geleafan getrymede. He genealæhte and hreopode þa bǽre, and þa
bǽrmenn ætstodon. Seo bǽr ðe þone deadan ferode is þæt orsorge ingehyd þæs
orwenan synfullan. Soðlice ða byrðeras, ðe hine to byrgenne feredon, synd
olæcunga lyffetyndra geferena, þe mid olæcunge and geættredum swæsnyssum
þone synfullan tihtað and heriað, swa swa se wítega cwæð, "Se synfulla bið
geherod on his lustum, and se unrihtwisa bið gebletsod: þonne he bið mid
idelum hlisan and lyffetungum befángen, þonne bið hit swylce he sy mid
sumere mold-hypan ofhroren." Be swylcum cwæð se Hælend to ánum his
gecorenan, ðaða hé wolde his fæder líc bebyrian: he cwæð, "Geðafa þæt ða
{494} deadan bebyrion heora deadan: far ðu, and boda Godes rice." Witodlice
ða deadan bebyriað oðre deadan, þonne gehwilce synfulle menn oðre heora
gelícan mid derigendlicere herunge geólæcað, and mid gegaderodum hefe þære
wyrstan lyffetunge ofðriccað. Be swylcum is gecweden on oðre stowe,
"Lyffetyndra tungan gewriðað manna sawla on synnum."

Mid þam ðe Drihten hrepode ða bære, ða ætstodon þa bǽrmenn. Swa eac, gif
ðæs synfullan ingehyd bið gehrepod mid fyrhte þæs upplican domes, þonne
wiðhæfð he ðam unlustum and ðam leasum lyffeterum, and clypigendum Drihtne
to ðam ecan life cáflice geandwyrt, swylce he of deaðe arise. Drihten cwæð
to ðam cnihte, "Ic secge ðe, Aris, and he ðærrihte gesǽt and spræc, and se
Hælend betæhte hine his meder." Se ge-edcucoda sitt, þonne se synfulla mid
godcundre onbryrdnysse cucað. He sprecð, þonne he mid Godes herungum his
muð gebysgað, and mid soðre andetnysse Godes mildheortnysse secþ. He bið
his meder betæht, þonne he bið þurh sacerda ealdordóm gemǽnscipe ðære
halgan gelaðunge geferlæht. Þæt folc wearð mid micclum ege ablicged; forðan
swa swa mann fram marum synnum gecyrð to Godes mildheortnysse, and his
ðeawas æfter Godes bebodum gerihtlæcð, swa má manna beoð gecyrrede ðurh his
gebysnunge to Godes herunge.

Þæt folc cwæð þæt mære witega arás betwux ús, and þæt God his folc
geneosode. Soð hí sædon be Criste, þæt he mære witega is; ac he is witegena
Witega, and heora ealra witegung; forðan ðe ealle be him witegodon, and he
ðurh his to-cyme heora ealra witegunge gefylde. We cweðað nu mid maran
geleafan, þæt he is mære witega, forðan ðe he wát ealle ðing, and eac fela
witegode, and he is soð God of soðum Gode, Ælmihtig Sunu of ðam Ælmihtigan
Fæder, seðe his folc geneosode þurh his menniscnysse, and fram deofles
ðeowte alysde.

We rædað gehwær on bocum, þæt se Hælend fela deade to lífe arærde, ac
ðeah-hwæðere nis nán godspell gesett be {496} heora nanum buton ðrim anum.
An is þes cniht þe we nu embe spræcon, oðer wæs anes ealdormannes dohtor,
þridde wæs Lazarus, Marthan broðer and Marian. Þyssera ðreora manna ærist
getácnað þæt ðryfealde ærist synfullra sawla. Þære sawle deað is þreora
cynna: án is yfel geðafung, oðer is yfel weorc, ðridda is yfel gewuna. Ðæs
ealdormannes dohtor læig æt forðsiðe, and se fæder gelaðode ðone Hælend
þærto, forðan ðe he wæs on ðam timan þær on neawiste. Heo ða forðferde
ærðan ðe he hire to come. Þaða he com, ða genam hé hí be ðære hánda, and
cwæð, "Þu mæden, ic secge ðe, Arís. And heo ðærrihte arás, and metes bæd."

Þis mæden ðe inne læg on deaðe geswefod, getácnað þære synfullan sawle
deað, ðe gelustfullað on yfelum lustum digellice, and ne bið gyt mannum
cuð, þæt heo þurh synna dead is; ac Crist geswutelode þæt hé wolde swa
synfulle sawle gelíffæstan, gif hé mid geornfullum gebedum to gelaðod bið,
þaða he arærde þæt mæden binnan ðam huse, swa swa digelne leahter on
menniscre heortan lutigende. Nu syndon oðre synfulle þe gelustfulliað on
derigendlicum lustum mid geðafunge, and eac heora yfelnysse mid weorcum
cyðað; swilce getácnode se deada cniht, ðe wæs on þæs folces gesihðe
geférod. Swilce synfulle arærð Crist, gif hí heora synna behreowsiað, and
betæcð hí heora meder, þæt is, þæt he hi geferlæcð on annysse his
gelaðunge.

Sume synfulle men geðafiað heora lustum, and ðurh yfele dæda mannum cyðað
heora synna, and eac gewunelice syngigende hí sylfe gewemmað: þyllice
getácnode Lazarus, þe læg on byrgene feower niht fule stincende. Witodlice
Godes nama is Ælmihtig, forðan ðe hé mæg ealle ðing gefremman. He mæg ða
synfullan sawle ðurh his gife geliffæstan, ðeah ðe heo on gewunelicum
synnum fule stince, gif heo mid carfulre drohtnunge Godes mildheortnysse
secð; ac swa mare wund swa heo maran læcedomes behófað. Þæt geswutelode se
Hælend, þaþa hé mid leohtlicere stemne þæt mæden arærde {498} on feawra
manna gesihðe; forðan ðe hé ne geðafode þæt ðæra má manna inne wære, buton
se fæder, and seo modor, and his ðry leorning-cnihtas: and he cwæð ða, "Þu
mæden, Arís."

Swa bið eac se digla deað ðære sawle eaþelicor to arǽrenne, þe on geðafunge
digelice syngað, þonne synd ða openan leahtras to gehælenne. Þone cniht he
arærde on ealles folces gesihðe, and mid þysum wordum getrymede, "Þu cniht,
ic secge ðe, Arís." Þa diglan gyltas man sceal digelice betan, and ða
openan openlice, þæt ða beon getimbrode þurh his behreowsunge, ðe ǽr wæron
þurh his mándæda geæswicode.

Drihten ðaða he Lazarum stincendne arærde, ða gedrefde he hine sylfne, and
tearas ageat, and mid micelre stemne clypode, "Lazare, ga forð:" ða he
geswutelode þæt se ðe swiðe langlice and gewunelice syngode, þæt he eac mid
micelre behreowsunge and wope sceal his yfelan gewunan to Godes
rihtwisnysse gewéman. Nis nán synn swa micel þæt man ne mæge gebétan, gif
he mid inneweardre heortan be ðæs gyltes mæðe on soðre dǽdbote þurhwunað.
Is þeah-hwæðere micel smeagung be anum worde þe Crist cwæð: he cwæð, "Ælc
synn and tál bið forgífen behreowsigendum mannum, ac þæs Halgan Gastes tál
ne bið næfre forgífen. Þeah ðe hwá cweðe tállic word ongean me, him bið
forgífen, gif he deð dǽdbote; soðlice se ðe cweð word ongan ðone Halgan
Gast, ne bið hit him forgífen on ðyssere worulde, ne on ðære towerdan." Nis
nán synna forgífenys buton ðurh ðone Halgan Gast. An Ælmihtig Fæder is, se
gestrynde ænne Sunu of him sylfum. Nis se Fæder gehæfd gemænelice Fæder
fram ðam Suna and þam Halgan Gaste, forðan ðe hé nis heora begra sunu. Se
Halga Gast soðlice is gemænelice gehæfd fram ðam Fæder and þam Suna, forðan
ðe hé is heora begra Gast, þæt is heora begra Lufu and Willa, þurh ðone
beoð synna forgyfene. Witodlice ðære Halgan Ðrynnysse weorc is æfre
untodæledlic, þeah-hwæðere {500} belimpð ælc forgífenys to ðam Halgan
Gaste, swa swa seo acennednys belimpð to Criste ánum.

Hí ne magon beon togædere genemnede, Fæder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, ac hí
ne beoð mid ænigum fæce fram him sylfum awar totwæmede. On eallum weorcum
hí beoð togædere, þeah ðe to ðam Fæder synderlice belimpe þæt he Bearn
gestrynde, and to ðam Suna belimpe seo acennednys, and to þam Halgan Gaste
seo forðstæppung. Se Sunu is ðæs Fæder Wisdom æfre of ðam Fæder acenned; se
Halga Gast nis na acenned, forðan ðe he nis na sunu, ac he is heora begra
Lufu and Willa, æfre of him bám forðstæppende, þurh ðone we habbað synna
forgyfenysse, swa swa we habbað þurh Crist alysednysse; and þeah-hwæðere on
ægðrum weorce is seo Halige Þrynnys wyrcende untodæledlice.

Se cwyð tál ongean ðone Halgan Gast, seðe mid unbehreowsigendre heortan
þurhwunað on mándædum, and forsihð þa forgyfenysse ðe stent on ðæs Halgan
Gastes gife: þonne bið his scyld unalysendlic, forðan ðe he sylf him belicð
þære forgífenysse weg mid his heardheortnysse. Behreowsigendum bið
forgífen, forseondum næfre. Uton we biddan þone Ælmihtigan Fæder, seðe us
þurh his wisdom geworhte, and þurh his Halgan Gast geliffæste, þæt he ðurh
ðone ylcan Gast us do ure synna forgyfenysse, swa swa he us ðurh his ænne
áncennedan Sunu fram deofles ðeowte alysde.

Sy lof and wuldor þam ecan Fæder, seðe næfre ne ongann, and his ánum
Bearne, seðe æfre of him is, and þam Halgan Gaste, seðe æfre is of him bám,
hi ðry án Ælmihtig God untodæledlic, á on ecnysse rixigende. Amen.

THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

    Ibat Jesus in civitatem quae vocatur Naim: et reliqua.

Our Lord went to a city which is called Nain, and his disciples with him,
and a copious multitude. When he approached the port-gate, the corpse of a
young man was borne to the grave, etc.

Beda the expositor said, that the city of Nain is interpreted {493}
'inundation' or 'agitation.' The dead youth, who was borne in sight of many
men, betokens every sinful man who in the inward man is fordone with deadly
sins, and his evilness is known to men. The youth was the only-born son of
his mother, so is also every christian man spiritually a son of the holy
church, which is the mother of us all, and, nevertheless, an undefiled
maiden; for her family is not bodily but spiritual. Every servant of God,
when he learns, is called a child: afterwards, when he teaches another, he
is a mother, as the apostle Paul said of the fallen men, "Ye are my
children, whom I now a second time conceive, until Christ is renewed in
you." The port-gate betokens some bodily sense through which men sin. The
man that sows dissension among christian men, or who speaks unrighteousness
in high places through his mouth's gate, he is borne dead. He who beholds a
woman with libidinous eye and foul lust, through his eyes' gate, manifests
his soul's death. He who with delight hears idle discourse or contumelious
words, makes his ear a gate of death to himself. So is it also to be
understood of the other senses.

Jesus was moved with compassion for the mother, that he might give us an
example of his piety; and he afterwards raised the dead, that he might
confirm us to his faith. He approached and touched the bier, and the
biermen stood still. The bier which bare the dead is the heedless mind of
the hopeless sinful. But the bearers, who bare him to the grave, are the
blandishments of flattering companions, who with blandishment and envenomed
suavities stimulate and praise the sinful, as the prophet said, "The sinful
is praised in his lusts, and the unrighteous is blessed: when he is
surrounded by empty fame and flatteries, then is it as though he were
overwhelmed by a mould-heap." Of such Jesus said to one of his chosen, when
he would bury his father's corpse: he said, "Allow the dead to bury their
dead: go thou, and {495} preach God's kingdom." Verily the dead bury other
dead, when sinful men court others their like with pernicious praise, and
oppress with the accumulated weight of the worst flattery. Of such it is
said in another place, "The tongues of flatterers bind the souls of men in
sins."

When the Lord touched the bier, the biermen stood still. So also, if the
mind of the sinful is touched by fear of the heavenly doom, then he
withstands evil lusts and false flatteries, and to the Lord calling to
eternal life promptly answers, as if he had arisen from death. The Lord
said to the youth, "I say unto thee, Arise. And he forthwith sat and spake,
and Jesus delivered him to his mother." The requickened sits, when the
sinful with divine stimulation quickens. He speaks, when he employs his
mouth with God's praises, and with true confession seeks God's mercy. He is
delivered to his mother, when through the priest's authority he is
associated in communion of the holy church. The folk was astonished with
great awe; for so as a man turns from great sins to God's mercy, and
corrects his conduct after God's commandments, so more men will be turned
through his example to the praise of God.

The folk said, "That a great prophet hath arisen among us," and, "That God
hath visited his folk." Truly they said of Christ, that he is a great
prophet; for he is a Prophet of prophets, and the prophecy of them all; for
they all prophesied of him, and by his advent he fulfilled the prophecy of
them all. We say now with great faith, that he is a great prophet, for he
knows all things, and also prophesied many, and he is true God of true God,
Almighty Son of the Almighty Father, who visited his folk through his
humanity, and relieved them from the thraldom of the devil.

We read everywhere in books, that Jesus raised many dead to life, but yet
there is no gospel composed of any of them {497} save three only. One is
the youth of whom we have just spoken, the second was an ealdorman's
daughter, the third was Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. The
resurrection of these three persons betokens the threefold resurrection of
sinful souls. The soul's death is of three kinds: one is evil assent, the
second is evil work, the third is evil habit. The ealdorman's daughter lay
at the point of death, and the father called Jesus thereto, because he was
at that time there in the neighbourhood. She had departed before he came to
her. When he came, he took her by the hand, and said, "Thou maiden, I say
unto thee, Arise. And she straightways arose, and asked for meat."

This maiden, who lay therein sleeping in death, betokens the death of the
sinful soul, which delights secretly in evil pleasures, and it is not yet
known to men, that it, through sins, is dead; but Christ manifested that he
would quicken so sinful a soul, if with fervent prayers he be thereto
called, when he raised the maiden within the house, like as secret sin
lurking in the human heart. Now there are other sinful, who delight in
pernicious lusts by assent, and also manifest their evilness by works; such
the dead youth betokened, who was borne in sight of the people. Such
sinners Christ raises, if they repent of their sins, and delivers them to
their mother, that is, he associates them in the unity of his church.

Some sinful men assent to their lusts, and by evil deeds manifest their
sins to men, and also habitually sinning defile themselves: such Lazarus
betokened, who lay four days foully stinking in the sepulchre. Verily God's
name is Almighty, for he can accomplish all things. He can through his
grace quicken the sinful soul, though it foully stink in habitual sins, if
with careful conduct it seek God's mercy; but the more it is wounded so
much more medicament does it require. That Jesus manifested, when with
clear voice he raised the maiden in sight of few persons; for he allowed
{499} not more persons to be therein than the father, and the mother, and
his three disciples: and he said then, "Thou maiden, Arise."

So also is the secret death of the soul, which sins secretly by assent,
easier to raise than open vices are to be healed. He raised the youth in
sight of all the people, and confirmed by these words, "Thou youth, I say
unto thee, Arise." Secret sins shall be expiated secretly, and open openly,
that those may be edified by his repentance, who had ere been seduced by
his sins.

The Lord when he raised the stinking Lazarus was troubled and shed tears,
and with a loud voice cried, "Lazarus, go forth:" he then manifested that
he who has very long and habitually sinned, shall also with great
repentance and weeping turn his evil habits to God's righteousness. There
is no sin so great that a man may not expiate it, if, with inward heart,
according to the degree of the sin, he continue in true penitence. There
is, nevertheless, great disquisition concerning one sentence which Christ
said: he said, "Every sin and calumny shall be forgiven to repenting men,
but calumny of the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. Though any one speak
a calumnious word against me, he shall be forgiven, if he do penance; but
he who says a word against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven in this
world nor in that to come." There is no forgiveness of sins but through the
Holy Ghost. There is one Almighty Father, who begot a Son of himself. The
Father is not called Father in common from the Son and the Holy Ghost, for
the latter is not the son of them both. But the Holy Ghost is called in
common from the Father and the Son, for he is the Spirit of them both, that
is the Love and Will of them both, through whom sins are forgiven. Verily
the work of the Holy Trinity {501} is ever indivisible, yet all forgiveness
belongs to the Holy Ghost, as birth belongs to Christ alone.

They may not be named together, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, but they
are not by any space anywhere separated from themselves. In all works they
are together, though to the Father it exclusively belongs that he begot a
Son, and to the Son belongs birth, and to the Holy Ghost procession. The
Son is the Wisdom of the Father ever begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost
is not begotten, for he is not a son, but is the Love and Will of them
both, ever proceeding from them both, through whom we have forgiveness of
sins, as through Christ we have redemption; and yet in either work is the
Holy Trinity working indivisibly.

He speaks calumny against the Holy Ghost, who with unrepenting heart
continues in deeds of wickedness, and despises the forgiveness which stands
in the grace of the Holy Ghost: then shall his sin be unredeemable, for he
himself besets the way of forgiveness with his hardheartedness. The
repenting shall be forgiven, the despising never. Let us pray to the
Almighty Father, who hath through his Wisdom made us, and through his Holy
Spirit quickened us, that he through the same Spirit grant us forgiveness
of our sins, as, through his only begotten Son, he has redeemed us from the
thraldom of the devil.

Be praise and glory to the eternal Father who never began, and to his only
Son who ever is of him, and to the Holy Ghost who ever is of them both,
those three one Almighty God indivisible, reigning ever to eternity. Amen.

{502} III. K[=AL]. OCTOB.

DEDICATIO AECCLESIE S[=CI] MICHAELIS ARCHANGELI.

Manegum mannum is cuð seo halige stów S[=ce] Michaheles, on þære dúne þe is
geháten Garganus. Seo dún stent on Campania landes gemæron, wið þa sǽ
Adriaticum, twelf mila on upstige fram anre byrig þe is geháten Sepontina.
Of ðære stowe wearð aræred þises dæges freols geond geleaffulle gelaðunge.
Þær eardode sum þurhspedig mann Garganus geháten: of his gelimpe wearð seo
dún swa gecíged. Hit gelámp, þaþa seo ormæte micelnyss his orfes on ðære
dune læswede, þæt sum modig fearr wearð ángencga, and þære heorde-drafe
oferhógode. Hwæt se hláford þa Garganus gegaderode micele menigu his
in-cnihta, and ðone fearr gehwær on ðam westene sohte, and æt nextan hine
gemette standan uppon ðam cnolle þære healican dune, æt ánes scræfes
inngange; and he ða mid graman wearð astyred, hwí se fearr ángenga his
heorde forsáwe, and gebende his bogan, and mid geættrode flan hine
ofsceotan wolde; ac seo geættrode flá wende ongean swilce mid windes blæde
aðrawen, and þone ðe hi sceat þærrihte ofsloh.

His magas ða and nehgeburas wurdon þearle þurh ða dæde ablicgede, and heora
nán ne dorste ðam fearre genealæcan. Hí ða heora biscop rǽdes befrunon,
hwæt him be ðam to donne wære. Se biscop ða funde him to rǽde, þæt hí mid
þreora daga fæstene, swutelunge þæs wundres æt Gode bædon. Þa on ðære
ðriddan nihte þæs fæstenes æteowde se heah-engel Michahel hine sylfne þam
biscope on gastlicere gesihðe, þus cweðende, "Wislice ge dydon, þæt ge to
Gode sohton þæt þæt mannum digle wæs. Wite ðu gewislice, þæt se mann ðe mid
his agenre flán ofscoten wæs, þæt hit is mid minum willan gedón. Ic eom
Michahel se heah-engel Godes Ælmihtiges, and ic symle on his gesihðe
wunige. Ic secge ðe, þæt ic ða stowe þe se fearr geealgode synderlice
lufige, {504} and ic wolde mid þære gebícnunge geswutelian þæt ic eom ðære
stowe hyrde; and ealra ðæra tácna ðe ðær gelimpað, ic eom sceawere and
gymend." And se heah-engel mid þisum wordum to heofonum gewát.

Se biscop rehte his gesihðe þam burhwarum, and hi ða syððan gewunelice
þider sohton, and þone lifigendan God and his heah-engel Michahel geornlice
bædon. Twá dura hí gesawon on ðære cyrcan, and wæs seo suþ duru sume dæle
mare, fram ðære lagon stapas to ðam west-dæle; ac hí ne dorston þæt halige
hús mid ingange geneosian, ac dæghwomlice geornlice æt ðære dura hí
gebædon.

Þa on ðære ylcan tíde Neapolite, þe wæron ða-gyt on hæðenscipe wunigende,
cwædon gefeoht togeanes þære burhware Sepontiniscre ceastre, þe þa halgan
stowe wurðodon, and togeanes Beneuentanos. Hí ða, mid heora biscopes
mynegungum gelærde, bædon þreora daga fæc, þæt hi binnon þam ðrim dagum mid
fæstene þæs heah-engles Michaheles fultum bædon. Þa hæðenan eac swilce mid
lacum and offrungum heora leasra goda gecneordlice múnde and gescyldnysse
bædon.

Efne ða on ðære nihte þe þæt gefeoht on merigen toweard wæs, æteowde se
heah-engel Michahel hine sylfne ðam biscope, and cwæð, þæt he heora bena
gehyrde, and his fultum him behét, and het þæt hí ane tíd ofer undern hí
getrymedon ongean heora fynd. Hí ða on merigen bliðe and orsorge, þurh ðæs
engles behát, and mid truwan his fultumes, ferdon togeanes ðam hæðenum. Þa
sona on anginne þæs gefeohtes wæs se múnt Garganus bifigende mid ormætre
cwacunge, and micel liget fleah of ðære dúne swilce flán wið þæs hæðenan
folces, and þæs múntes cnoll mid þeosterlicum genipum eal oferhangen wæs.
Hwæt ða hæðenan ða forhtmode fleames cepton, and gelice hí wurdon mid þam
fyrenum {506} flanum ofscotene, gelice mid þæra cristenra wæpnum hindan
ofsette, oðþæt hi heora burh Neapolim sámcuce gesohton. Soðlice ða ðe ða
frecednyssa ætflugon, oncneowon þæt Godes engel ðam cristenum to fultume
becom, and hí ðærrihte heora swuran Criste underþeoddon, and mid his
geleafan gewæpnode wurdon. Witodlice þæs wæles wæs geteald six hund manna
mid þam fyrenum flanum ofsceotene. Þa cristenan ða sigefæste mid micelre
bylde and blisse hám gecyrdon, and ðam Ælmihtigan Gode and his heah-engle
Michahele heora behát to ðam temple gebrohton. Þa gesawon hí ætforan ðære
cyrcan norð-dura, on þam marmanstane, swilce mannes fótlæsta fæstlice on
ðam stane geðyde, and hí ða undergeaton þæt se heah-engel Michahel þæt
tácen his andwerdnysse geswutelian wolde. Hi ða sona ðær-ofer cyrcan
arǽrdon and weofod, þam heah-engle to lofe, ðe him on þam stede fylstende
stód.

Þa wearð micel twynung betwux ðære burhware be ðære cyrcan, hwæðer hí
inn-eodon, oððe hí halgian sceoldon. Hwæt hí ða on þam east-dæle ðære stowe
cyrcan arærdon, and þam apostole Petre to wurðmynte gehalgodon, and
þær-binnan S[=ce] Marian, and Iohanne ðam Fulluhtere weofod asetton. Þa æt
nextan sende se biscop to ðam papan, and hine befrán, hú him embe þæs
heah-engles getimbrunge to dónne wære. Se papa þisum ærende ðus geandwyrde,
"Gif mannum alyfed is þæt hi ða cyrcan ðe se heah-engel sylf getimbrode
halgian moton, þonne gebyrað seo halgung on ðam dæge þe hé eow sige
forgeaf, þurh unnan ðæs Ælmihtigan. Gif ðonne hwæt elles þam heah-engle
gelicige, axiað his willan on þam ylcan dæge." Þaða ðeos andswaru þam
biscope gecydd wæs, þa bead hé his ceastergewarum þreora daga fæsten, and
bǽdon þa Halgan Þrynnysse þæt him wurde geswutelod sum gewiss beácn embe
heora twynunge. Se heah-engel ða Michahel, on ðære ðriddan nihte þæs
fæstenes, cwæð to ðam biscope on swefne, "Nis eow nan neod þæt ge ða cyrcan
halgion þe ic getimbrode. Ic sylf hi getimbrode {508} and gehalgode. Ac gað
eow into ðære cyrcan unforhtlice, and me ætstandendum geneosiað þa stowe
æfter gewunan mid gebedum; and þu þær to-merigen mæssan gesing, and þæt
folc æfter godcundum ðeawe to husle gange; and ic þonne geswutelige hú ic
ða stowe ðurh me sylfne gehalgode."

Hi ða sona þæs on merigen ðider mid heora offrungum bliðe comon, and mid
micelre ánrædnysse heora bena on ðam suþ-dæle inn-eodon. Efne ða hí gesawon
an láng portic on ðam norð-dæle astreht for nean to ðam marmanstane þe se
engel onstandende his fótlæste æteowde. On ðam east-dæle wæs gesewen micel
cyrce to ðære hí stæpmælum astigon. Seo cyrce mid hire portice mihte fif
hund manna eaðelice befón on hire rymette: and þær stód, gesett wið middan
þæs suð-wages, arwurðe weofod, mid readum pælle gescrydd. Næs þæt hús æfter
manna gewunan getimbrod, ac mid mislicum torrum gehwemmed, to gelicnysse
sumes scræfes. Se hróf eac swylce hæfde mislice heahnysse: on sumere stowe
hine man mihte mid heafde gerǽcan, on sumere mid handa earfoðlice. Ic
gelyfe þæt se heah-engel mid þam geswutelode þæt he micele swiðor sohte and
lufode þære heortan clænnysse þonne ðæra stána frætwunge. Þæs muntes cnoll
wiðutan is sticmælum mid wuda oferwexen, and eft sticmælum mid grenum felda
oferbræded.

Soðlice æfter ðære mæssan and ðam halgan husel-gange gecyrde gehwá mid
micclum gefean to his agenum. Se biscop ða ðær Godes ðeowas gelogode,
sangeras, and ræderas, and sacerdas, þæt hi dæghwomlice ðær Godes þenunge
mid þæslicere endebyrdnysse gefyldon; and him ðær mynsterlic botl timbrian
hét. Nis þeah-hwæðere nan mann to ðam dyrstig þæt hé on nihtlicere tide
binnan ðære cyrcan cuman durre, ac on dǽgrede, þa Godes þeowas þær-binnan
Godes lof singað. Of ðam hróf-stane on norþ-dæle þæs halgan weofodes yrnð
dropmælum swiðe hluttor wæter, and wered, þæt gecigdon ða ðe on þære stowe
wunodon, stillam, þæt is, {510} dropa. Þær is ahangen sum glæsen fǽt mid
sylfrenne racenteage, and þæs wynsuman wætan onfehð. Þæs folces gewuna is,
þæt hí æfter þam halgan husel-gange stæpmælum to ðam fæte astigað, and þæs
heofonlican wætan onbyriað. Se wæta is swiðe wynsum on swæcce, and swiðe
hálwende on hrepunge. Witodlice forwel menige æfter langsumum fefere and
mislicum mettrumnyssum, þurh ðises wætan þigene hrædlice heora hæle brucað.
Eac swilce on oðrum gemete, ungerime untruman þær beoð oft and gelome
gehælede, and menigfealde wundra þurh ðæs heah-engles mihte ðær beoð
gefremode; and ðeah swiðost on þysum dæge, ðonne þæt folc of gehwilcum
leodscipe þa stowe geneosiað, and þæs engles andwerdnyss mid sumum gemete
ðær swiðost bið, þæt ðæs apostoles cwyde beo lichamlice gefylled, þæt þæt
hé gastlice gecwæð: he cwæð, þæt "englas beoð to ðening-gastum fram Gode
hider on worulde asende, þæt hi beon on fultume his gecorenum, þæt hi ðone
ecan eðel onfón mid him."

EUANGELIUM.

    Accesserunt ad Iesum discipuli dicentes, Quis putas maior in regno
    cœlorum: et reliqua.

Þis dægþerlice godspell cwyð, þæt "Drihtnes leorning-cnihtas to him
genealæhton, þus cweðende, La leof, hwá is fyrmest manna on heofenan rice?
Se Hælend him ða to clypode sum gehwǽde cild:" et reliqua.

Hægmon trahtnað þis godspell, and segð, hú ðæs caseres tolleras axodon
Petrus ðone apostol, ðaða hi geond ealne middangeard ðam casere toll
gegaderodon; hi cwædon, "Wyle eower láreow Crist ænig toll syllan? Þa cwæð
Petrus, þæt he wolde. Þa mid þam ðe Petrus wolde befrínan þone Hælend, þa
forsceat se Hælend hine, ðe ealle ðing wát, þus cweðende, Hwæt ðincð þe,
Petrus, æt hwam nimað eorðlice cynegas gafol oððe toll, æt heora
gesiblingum, oþþe æt ælfremedum? Petrus cwæð, Æt ælfremedum. {512} Se
Hælend cwæð, Hwæt la synd heora siblingas frige? Þe lǽs ðe we hí æswicion,
ga to ðære sǽ, and wurpe út ðinne angel, and þone fisc ðe hine hraðost
forswelhð, geopena his muð, þonne fintst þu ðær-on ænne gyldenne wecg: nim
ðone, and syle to tolle for me and for ðe."

Þa for ðam intingan þe hé cwæð, "Syle for me and for ðe," wendon þa
apostolas þæt Petrus wære fyrmest, and axodon ða ðone Hælend, "Hwá wære
fyrmest manna on heofonan rice?" Þa wolde se Hælend heora dwollican
geþohtas mid soðre eadmodnysse gehælan, and cwæð, þæt hí ne mihton becuman
to heofonan rice, buton hí wæron swa eadmode, and swa unscæððige swa þæt
cild wæs ðe he him to clypode. Bilewite cild ne gewilnað oðra manna æhta,
ne wlitiges wifes; þeah ðe hit beo gegremod, hit ne hylt langsume
ungeþwærnysse to ðam ðe him derode, ne hit ne híwað mid wordum, þæt hit
oðer ðence, and oðer sprece. Swa eac sceolon Godes folgeras, þæt synd þa
cristenan, habban þa unscæððignysse on heora mode þe cild hæfð on ylde.

Se Hælend cwæð, "Soð ic eow secge, Ne becume ge to heofonan rice, buton ge
beon awende, and gewordene swa swa lyttlingas." Ne bebead he his gingrum
þæt hí on lichaman cild wæron, ac þæt hí heoldon bilewitra cildra
unscæððignysse on heora þeawum. On sumere stowe he cwæð, þaða him man to
bær cild to bletsigenne, and his gingran þæt bemændon, "Geðafiað þæt ðas
cild to me cumon; swilcera is soðlice heofonan rice." Be ðisum manode se
apostol Paulus his underðeoddan, and cwæð, "Ne beo ge cild on andgite, ac
on yfelnyssum: beoð on andgite fulfremede." Se Hælend cwæð, "Swa hwá swa
hine sylfne geeadmet, swa swa ðis cild, he bið fyrmest on heofonan rice."
Uton habban ða soðan eadmodnysse on urum life, gif we willað habban ða
healican geðincðe on Godes rice; swa swa se Hælend cwæð, "Ælc ðæra ðe hine
onhefð bið geeadmet, and se ðe hine geeadmet, he bið aháfen." Se hæfð
bilewites cildes unscæððignysse, þe him sylfum mislicað to ði þæt he Gode
gelicige; {514} and he bið swa micele wlitegra ætforan Godes gesihðe, swa
he swiðor ætforan him sylfum eadmodra bið. "Se ðe underfehð ænne swilcne
lyttling on minum naman, hé underfehð me sylfne." Eallum Godes ðearfum man
sceall wel-dǽda þenian, ac ðeah swiðost þam eadmodum and liðum, þe mid
heora lífes ðeawum Cristes bebodum geþwæriað; forðam him bið geðenod mid
his ðearfena þenunge, and hé sylf bið underfangen on heora anfenge.

He cwæð eac on oðre stowe, "Se ðe wítegan underfehð, he hæfð wítegan mede;
se ðe rihtwisne underfehð, he hæfð rihtwises mannes edlean." Þæt is, Se ðe
witegan, oððe sumne rihtwisne Godes ðeow underfehð, and him for Godes lufon
bigwiste foresceawað, þonne hæfð he swa micele mede his cystignysse æt
Gode, swilce hé him sylf wítega wære, oþþe rihtwis Godes þeow. "Se ðe
geǽswicað anum ðyssera lyttlinga, ðe on me gelyfað, selre him wære þæt him
wære getiged án ormæte cwyrnstán to his swuran, and he swa wurde on deoppre
sǽ besenced." Se ǽswicað oðrum þe hine on Godes dæle beswicð, þæt his sawul
forloren beo. Se cwyrnstán þe tyrnð singallice, and nænne færeld ne
ðurhtihð, getácnað woruld-lufe, ðe on gedwyldum hwyrftlað, and nænne stæpe
on Godes wege ne gefæstnað. Be swylcum cwæð se witega, "Þa arleasan turniað
on ymbhwyrfte." Se ðe genealæhð halgum háde on Godes gelaðunge, and siððan
mid yfelre tihtinge oþþe mid leahterfullre drohtnunge oðrum yfele bysnað,
and heora ingehyd towyrpð, þonne wære him selre þæt he on woruldlicere
drohtnunge ana losode, þonne hé on halgum híwe oðre mid him þurh his
ðwyrlican þeawas to forwyrde getuge.

"Wá middangearde for ǽswicungum." Middangeard is her gecweden þa ðe þisne
ateorigendlican middangeard lufiað swiðor þonne þæt ece líf, and mid
mislicum swicdomum hí sylfe and oðre forpærað. "Neod is þæt æswicunga
cumon, ðeah-hwæðere wá ðam menn ðe hi ofcumað." Þeos woruld is swa mid
gedwyldum afylled, þæt heo ne mæg beon butan {516} ǽswicungum, and þeah wá
ðam menn ðe oðerne æt his æhtum, oððe æt his feore beswicð, and ðam bið
wyrs, þe mid yfelum tihtingum oþres mannes sawle to ecum forwyrdum beswicð.
"Gif ðin hand oððe ðin fót þe ǽswicige, ceorf of þæt lim, and awurp fram
ðe." Þis is gecweden æfter gastlicere getácnunge, na æfter lichamlicere
gesetnysse. Ne bebead God nanum menn þæt he his lima awyrde. Seo hánd
getácnað urne nydbehefan freond, þe us dæghwomlice mid weorce and fultume
ure neode deð; ac ðeah, gif swilc freond us fram Godes wege gewémð, þonne
bið us selre þæt we his flæsclican lufe fram ús aceorfon, and mid twǽminge
awurpon, þonne we, þurh his yfelan tihtinge, samod mid him on ece forwyrd
befeallon. Ealswa is be ðam fét and be ðam eagan. Gif hwilc sibling þe bið
swa deorwurðe swa ðin eage, and oðer swa behefe swa ðin hand, and sum swa
geðensum swilce ðin agen fót, gif hi ðonne þe þwyrlice tihtað to ðinre
sawle forwyrde, þonne bið þe selre þæt þu heora geðeodrædene forbúge, þonne
hi ðe forð mid him to ðam ecan forwyrde gelædon. "Behealdað þæt ge ne
forseon ænne of þysum lytlingum." Se ðe bepæhð ænne Godes þeowena, he
geǽbiligð ðone Hlaford, swa swa he sylf þurh his witegan cwæð, "Se ðe eow
hrepað, hit bið me swa egle swilce hé hreppe mines eagan séo."

"Ic secge eow þæt heora englas symle geseoð mines Fæder ansyne seðe on
heofonum is." Mid þisum wordum is geswutelod þæt ælcum geleaffullum men is
engel to hyrde geset, þe hine wið deofles syrwunge gescylt, and on halgum
mægnum gefultumað, swa swa se sealm-scóp be gehwilcum rihtwisum cwæð, "God
bebead his englum be ðe, þæt hi ðe healdon, and on heora handum hebban,
þelǽs ðe ðu æt stane þinne fót ætspurne." Micel wurðscipe is cristenra
manna, þæt gehwilc hæbbe fram his acennednysse him betæhtne engel to
hyrdrædene, swa swa be ðam apostole Petre awriten is, þaða se engel hine of
ðam cwearterne gelædde, and he to his geferum becom, and cnucigende
inganges bæd. Þa cwædon þa {518} geleaffullan, "Nis hit na Petrus þæt ðær
cnucað, ac is his engel." Þa englas soðlice ðe God gesette to hyrdum his
gecorenum, hí ne gewitað næfre fram his andweardnysse; forðan ðe God is
æghwær, and swa hwider swa ða englas fleoð, æfre hí beoð binnan his
andwerdnysse, and his wuldres brucað. Hi bodiað ure weorc and gebedu þam
Ælmihtigan, þeah ðe him nán ðing digle ne sy, swa swa se heah-engel
Raphahel cwæð to ðam Godes menn, Tobían, "Þaða ge eow gebædon, ic offrode
eower gebedu ætforan Gode."

Seo Ealde Æ ús sægð, þæt heah-englas sind gesette ofer gehwilce leodscipas,
þæt hi ðæs folces gymon, ofer ða oðre englas, swa swa Moyses, on ðære
fiftan béc ðære Ealdan Æ, þysum wordum geswutelode, "Þaða se healica God
todælde and tostencte Adames ofspring, þa sette he ðeoda gemæru æfter
getele his engla." Þisum andgite geþwærlæcð se witega Danihel on his
witegunge. Sum Godes engel spræc to Danihele embe ðone heah-engel þe
Perscisce ðeode bewiste, and cwæð, "Me com to se heah-engel, Greciscre
þeode ealdor, and nis heora nán mín gefylsta, buton Michahel, Ebreisces
folces ealdor. Efne nú Michahel, án ðæra fyrmestra ealdra, com me to
fultume, and ic wunode ðær wið þone cyning Persciscre ðeode." Mid þisum
wordum is geswutelod hú micele care ða heah-englas habbað heora ealdordomes
ofer mancynn, ðaða he cwæð, þæt Michahel him come to fultume.

Is nu geleaflic þæt se heah-engel Michahel hæbbe gymene cristenra manna,
seðe wæs ðæs Ebreiscan folces ealdor, þa hwile ðe hí on God belyfdon; and
þæt he geswutelode, þaða he him sylfum cyrcan getimbrode betwux geleaffulre
ðeode, on ðam munte Gargano, swa swa we hwene ǽr ræddon. Þæt is gedón be
Godes fadunge, þæt se mǽra heofonlica engel beo singallice cristenra manna
gefylsta on eorðan, and þingere on heofonum to ðam Ælmihtigan Gode, seðe
leofað and rixað á on ecnysse. Amen.

{503} SEPTEMBER XXIX.

DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL.

To many men is known the holy place of St. Michael, on the mountain which
is called Garganus. The mountain stands on the borders of the land of
Campania, towards the Adriatic sea, twelve miles in ascent from a town
which is called Sepontina. From that place originated this day's festival
throughout the faithful church. There dwelt a very rich man called
Garganus: from his adventure the mountain was so named. It happened when
the immense multitude of his cattle was grazing on the mountain, that an
unruly bull wandered alone and despised the drove. Hereupon the master
Garganus gathered a great many of his household servants, and sought the
bull everywhere in the waste, and at last found him standing on the knoll
of the high mountain, at the entrance of a cavern; and he was then moved
with anger, because the solitary bull had despised his herd, and bent his
bow, and would shoot him with a poisoned arrow; but the poisoned arrow
turned back as if thrown by the wind's blast, and instantly slew him who
had shot it.

His kinsmen then and neighbours were greatly astonished by that deed, and
not one of them durst approach the bull. They then asked counsel of their
bishop, what they should do in the matter. The bishop then found it
advisable, that they should ask from God an explanation of the miracle with
a fast of three days. On the third night of the fast the archangel Michael
appeared to the bishop in a ghostly vision, thus saying, "Wisely ye did to
seek at God that which was hidden to men. Know thou for certain, that the
man who was shot with his own arrow, that it was done with my will. I am
Michael, the archangel of God Almighty, and I continue ever in his sight. I
say to thee that I especially love {505} the place which the bull defended,
and I would by that sign manifest that I am the guardian of the place; and
of all the miracles which there happen, I am the spectator and observer."
And with these words the archangel departed to heaven.

The bishop recounted his vision to the townsfolk, and they afterwards
usually resorted thither, and fervently prayed the living God and his
archangel Michael. Two doors they saw in the church, and the south door was
somewhat larger, from which there lay steps to the west part: but they
durst not visit the holy house with entrance, but daily prayed fervently at
the door.

Then at the same time the Neapolitans, who yet continued in heathenism,
declared war against the inhabitants of the city of Sepontina, who
worshiped the holy place, and against those of Benevento. They then,
instructed by the admonitions of their bishop, prayed for a space of three
days, that they might, in those three days, implore with fasting the
succour of the archangel Michael. The heathen also in like manner, with
gifts and offerings, diligently implored the guardianship and protection of
their false gods.

Lo, on the night then on the morrow of which the fight was to take place,
the archangel Michael appeared to the bishop, and said that he had heard
their prayers, and promised them his succour, and commanded them to array
themselves against their foes one hour after morning-tide. They then on the
morrow blithe and free from care, through the angel's promise, and with
confidence in his succour, marched against the heathen. Then immediately at
the beginning of the fight the mount Garganus was trembling with immense
quaking, and great lightning flew from the mountain as it were arrows
against the heathen folk, and the knoll of the mount was all overhung with
dark clouds. Whereupon the heathen with affrighted mind took to flight, and
at the same time that they were shot with fiery arrows, they {507} were
overwhelmed from behind by the weapons of the christians, until half-dead
they sought their city Naples. But those who escaped from those perils,
acknowledged that God's angel came to the succour of the christians, and
they straightways subjected their necks to Christ, and became armed with
his faith. Verily in that slaughter there were counted six hundred men shot
with the fiery arrows. The christians then victorious returned home with
great confidence and joy, and brought their promise to the temple to
Almighty God and his archangel Michael. Then saw they before the north door
of the church, on the marble stone, as it were a man's footsteps, firmly
impressed on the stone, and they then understood that the archangel Michael
would manifest that token of his presence. They then forthwith raised a
church and an altar thereover, to the praise of the archangel, who had
stood in that place succouring them.

There was then a great doubt among the townsfolk concerning the church,
whether they should go in, or should hallow it. Whereupon they raised a
church in the east part of the place, and hallowed it to the honour of the
apostle Peter, and therein placed an altar to St. Mary and John the
Baptist. Then at last the bishop sent to the pope, and asked him, how they
were to do concerning the archangel's structure. To this errand the pope
answered thus, "If it is allowed to men to hallow the church which the
archangel himself constructed, then the hallowing ought to be on the day on
which, through the grace of the Almighty, he gave you victory. But if aught
else should be pleasing to the archangel, ask his will on the same day."
When this answer was announced to the bishop, he enjoined to his
fellow-citizens a fast of three days, and prayed to the Holy Trinity that
some certain sign might be shown him concerning their doubt. The archangel
Michael then, on the third night of the fast, said to the bishop in a
dream, "There is no need for you to hallow the church which I have
constructed. I {509} myself constructed and hallowed it. But go into the
church fearlessly, and in my presence visit the place according to custom
with prayers; and do thou sing mass there to-morrow, and let the people,
after the divine rites, go to housel; and I will then show how I through
myself hallowed the place."

They then straightways on the morrow went joyfully thither with their
offerings, and with great unity of their prayers went in on the south part.
Lo then they saw a long portico on the north part stretching very near to
the marble stone, on which the angel standing had manifested his
foot-marks. On the east part was seen a great church to which they step by
step ascended. The church with its portico could easily contain in its
space five hundred men: and there stood, placed against the middle of the
south wall, a venerable altar covered with a red pall. That house was not
constructed after the fashion of men, but had divers towers at the corners,
in likeness of a cave. The roof also was of various height: in one place a
man might reach it with his head, in another hardly with his hand. I
believe that the archangel would thereby manifest that he much more sought
and loved cleanness of heart than the adornment of stones. The mountain's
knoll without is partly overgrown with wood, and again partly overspread
with the green field.

But after the mass and the holy housel every one with great joy returned to
his own. The bishop then placed God's servants there, singers, and readers,
and priests, that they might daily there perform God's service in a fitting
manner; and commanded a monastic house to be there built for them. There
is, however, no man daring to that degree that he dares to come within the
church in the night-time, but at dawn, when God's servants are singing
God's praise therein. From the roof-stone on the north part of the holy
altar there runs drop by drop water very pure and sweet, which those who
dwelt in the place called 'stilla,' that is _drop_. There is {511} hung a
glass vessel with a silver chain, which receives the pleasant fluid. It is
the people's wont, after the housel, to go up step by step to the vessel,
and taste the heavenly fluid. The fluid is very pleasant of taste, and very
salutary to the touch. Verily very many after a tedious fever and divers
sicknesses, by drinking this fluid, speedily enjoy their health. Also in
another manner, innumerable sick are there often and frequently healed, and
many miracles, through the archangel's power, are there performed; but
chiefly on this day, when the people from every nation visit the place, and
the angel's presence is there in some measure most sensible, that the words
of the apostle may be bodily fulfilled, that which he spake spiritually: he
said, that "angels shall be sent as ministering spirits from God hither
into the world, that they may be for a succour to his chosen, that they may
receive the eternal country with him."

GOSPEL.

    Accesserunt ad Jesum discipuli dicentes, Quis putas major in regno
    cœlorum: et reliqua.

This day's gospel says, that "The Lord's disciples approached him, thus
saying, Sir, which is the first of men in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus then
called to him a little child," etc.

Haymo expounds this gospel, and says, that the emperor's tollgatherers
asked Peter the apostle, when they were gathering toll for the emperor over
all the world; they said, "Will your lord Christ give any toll? Then Peter
said that he would. Then when Peter would ask Jesus, Jesus, who knows all
thing, prevented him, thus saying, What thinkest thou, Peter, of whom do
earthly kings take tribute or toll, of their own relations, or of
strangers? Peter said, Of {513} strangers. Jesus said, What, are their
relations free? Lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast out
thine hook, and of the fish which first swalloweth it, open the mouth, then
wilt thou find therein a golden coin: take that, and give as toll for me
and for thee."

Then for that reason, that he said, "Give for me and for thee," the
apostles imagined that Peter was first, and asked Jesus, "Who was the first
of men in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus would then heal their erroneous
thoughts with true humility, and said, that they could not come to the
kingdom of heaven, unless they were as humble and as innocent as the child
was which he called to him. A meek child desires not other men's
possessions, nor a beauteous woman; though it be vexed it holds no lasting
animosity towards those who injured it, nor feigns it with words, so that
it think one thing and say another. In like manner should God's followers,
that is, christians, have that innocence in their mind which a child has in
its age.

Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, ye shall not come to the kingdom of
heaven, unless ye are changed and become as children." He did not enjoin to
his disciples that they should be children in body, but that they should
hold the innocence of meek children in their conduct. In one place he said,
when a child was brought to him to be blessed, and his disciples reproved
it, "Suffer these children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven." Of this the apostle Paul admonished his followers, and said, "Be
ye not children in understanding, but in evilnesses: be perfect in
understanding." Jesus said, "Whosoever humbleth himself like this child, he
shall be first in the kingdom of heaven." Let us have true humility in our
lives, if we will have high dignity in God's kingdom, as Jesus said, "Every
one of those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and he who humbleth
himself shall be exalted." He has the innocence of a meek child, who is
displeasing to himself that he may {515} be pleasing to God; and he will be
so much the fairer in the sight of God as he shall be the more humble
before himself. "He who receives one such little one in my name, receives
myself." To all God's poor we should minister benefactions, though above
all to the humble and meek, who in their life's conduct conform to the
commandments of Christ; for he will be served by serving his poor, and he
himself will be received by receiving them.

He said also in another place, "He who receiveth a prophet shall have a
prophet's meed; he who receiveth a righteous man shall have a righteous
man's reward." That is, He who receives a prophet, or a righteous servant
of God, and provides sustenance for him for love of God, shall then have as
great a meed from God for his bounty, as if he himself were a prophet, or a
righteous servant of God. "He who offends one of these little ones, who
believe in me, better were it for him that an immense millstone were tied
to his neck, and he were so sunk in the deep sea." He offends another who
deceives him on the part of God, so that his soul be lost. The millstone
which turns incessantly, and accomplishes no course, betokens love of the
world, which circulates in errors, and fixes no step in the way of God. Of
such the prophet said, "The wicked turn in a circle." He who enters upon a
holy order in God's church, and afterwards by instigation or by sinful life
gives evil example to others, and perverts their understanding, then better
were it for him that he alone perished in his worldly life, than that he in
holy guise should draw others with him to perdition through his depraved
morals.

"Wo to the world for offences." The world are here called those who love
this perishable world more than everlasting life, and with divers offences
pervert themselves and others. "It is needful that offences come, yet wo to
the man from whom they come." This world is so filled with errors, that it
cannot be without offences, and yet wo to the man who {517} deceives
another in his property, or in his life, and for him it shall be worse, who
with evil instigation deceives another man's soul to eternal destruction.
"If thine hand or thy foot offend thee, cut off the limb, and cast it from
thee." This is said according to a spiritual signification, not as a bodily
precept. God commanded no man to destroy his limbs. The hand betokens our
needful friend, who with work and succour daily ministers to our need; but
yet, if such friend entice us from the way of God, then will it be better
for us that we cut off from us his fleshly love, and by separation cast it
away, than that we, through his evil instigation, together with him fall
into eternal perdition. So is it also with the foot and the eye. If any
relation be as dear to thee as thine eye, and another as needful to thee as
thy hand, and one as serviceable as thy own foot, if they then perversely
instigate thee to thy soul's destruction, better will it be for thee that
thou shun their fellowship, than that they lead thee on with them to
eternal perdition. "Take heed that ye despise no one of these little ones."
He who deceives one of God's servants angers the Lord, as he himself
through his prophet said, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to me as
offensive as if he touched the sight of mine eye."

"I say unto you, that their angels ever see the countenance of my Father
who is in heaven." By these words is manifested that over every believing
man an angel is set as a guardian, who shields him against the devil's
machination, and supports him in holy virtues, as the psalmist said of
every righteous man, "God hath commanded his angels concerning thee, that
they may preserve thee, and lift thee in their hands, lest thou dash thy
foot against a stone." It is a great honour for christian men, that every
one has from his birth an angel assigned to him in fellowship, as it is
written of the apostle Peter, when the angel led him from the prison, and
he came to his companions, and knocking prayed for {519} admission. Then
said the faithful, "It is not Peter who there knocketh, but is his angel."
But those angels, whom God has set as guardians over his chosen, never
depart from his presence; for God is everywhere, and whithersoever the
angels fly, they are ever in his presence, and partake of his glory. They
announce our works and prayers to the Almighty, though to him nothing is
hidden, as the archangel Raphael said to the man of God, Tobias, "When ye
prayed, I offered your prayers before God."

The Old Law informs us that archangels are set over every nation, that they
may take care of the people, over the other angels, as Moses, in the fifth
book of the Old Law, manifested in these words, "When God on high divided
and scattered Adam's offspring, he set the boundaries of nations according
to the number of his angels." In this sense agrees the prophet Daniel in
his prophecy. An angel of God spake to Daniel concerning the archangel who
directed the Persian people, and said, "The archangel came to me, the
prince of the Grecian people, and there is none of these my supporter, save
Michael, the prince of the Hebrew folk. Lo, Michael, one of the first
princes, came to me in succour, and I continued there with the king of the
Persian nation." By these words is manifested how great care the archangels
have of their authority over mankind, when he said that Michael came to his
succour.

It is now credible that the archangel Michael has care of christian men,
who was prince of the Hebrew folk, while they believed in God; and that he
manifested when he built himself a church among a faithful people on mount
Garganus, as we have read a little before. It is done by God's
dispensation, that the great heavenly angel is the constant supporter of
christian men on earth, and their intercessor in heaven with Almighty God,
who liveth and reigneth to all eternity. Amen.

{520} DOMINICA XXI. POST PENTECOSTEN.

    Loquebatur Iesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua.

"Drihten wæs sprecende on sumere tide to his apostolum mid bigspellum, þus
cweðende, Heofonan rice is gelíc sumum cyninge þe worhte his suna gyfte. Þa
sende he his bydelas to gelaðigenne his underðeoddan:" et reliqua.

We folgiað þæs papan Gregories trahtnunge on þyssere rædinge.

Mine gebroðra þa leofostan, gelomlice ic eow sæde, þæt gehwær on halgum
godspelle þeos andwerde gelaðung is geháten heofenan rice. Witodlice
rihtwisra manna gegaderung is gecweden heofonan rice. God cwæð þurh his
witegan, "Heofon is min setl." Paulus se Apostol cwæð, þæt "Crist is Godes
Miht and Godes Wisdom." Swutelice we magon understandan þæt gehwilces
rihtwises mannes sawul is heofon, þonne Crist is Godes Wisdom, and
rihtwises mannes sawul is þæs wisdomes setl, and seo heofen is his setl. Be
þisum cwæð se sealm-scóp, "Heofonas cyðað Godes wuldor." Godes bydelas he
het heofonas. Eornostlice haligra manna gelaðung is heofonan rice, forðan
ðe heora heortan ne beoð begripene on eorðlicum gewilnungum, ac hí geomriað
to ðam upplican; and God nu iu rixað on him, swa swa on heofenlicum
wunungum.

Se cyning ðe worhte his suna gifta is God Fæder, þe ða halgan gelaðunge
geðeodde his Bearne þurh geryno his flæsclicnysse. Seo halige gelaðung is
Cristes bryd, þurh ða hé gestrynð dæghwomlice gastlice bearn, and heo is
ealra cristenra manna modor, and ðeah-hwæðere ungewemmed mæden. Þurh
geleafan and fulluht we beoð Gode gestrynde, and him to gastlicum bearnum
gewiscede, þurh Cristes menniscnysse, and þurh gife þæs Halgan Gastes.

God sende his ærendracan, þæt hé gehwilce to ðisum giftum {522} gelaðode.
Æne hé sende and eft; forðan ðe hé sende his witegan, þe cyddon his Suna
menniscnysse towearde, and he sende eft siððan his apostolas, þe cyddon his
to-cyme gefremmedne, swa swa ða witegan hit ǽr gewitegodon. Þaða hí noldon
cuman to ðam giftum, ða sende hé eft, þus cweðende, "Secgað ðam gelaðodum,
Efne, ic gegearcode mine gód, ic ofslóh mine fearras, and mine gemæstan
fugelas, and ealle mine ðing ic gearcode: cumað to þam giftum."

Þa fearras getácniað ða heah-fæderas ðære ealdan ǽ, þe moston ða, be leafe
ðære ealdan ǽ, on fearres wisan, heora fynd ofslean. Hit is þus awriten on
þære ealdan ǽ, "Lufa ðinne freond, and hata ðinne feond." Þus wæs alyfed
þam ealdum mannum, þæt hí moston Godes wiðerwinnan and heora agene fynd mid
stranglicere mihte ofsittan, and mid wæpne acwellan. Ac se ylca God, þe þas
leafe sealde þurh Moyses gesetnysse ǽr his to-cyme, se ylca eft, ðaða he
þurh menniscnysse to middangearde com, awende ðone cwyde, þus cweðende, "Ic
bebeode eow, Lufiað eowre fynd, and doþ tela þam ðe eow hátiað, and
gebiddað for eowre ehteras, þæt ge beon bearn þæs Heofonlican Fæder, seðe
lǽt his sunnan scinan ofer góde and yfele, and he sylð rén-scuras and
wæstmas rihtwisum and unrihtwisum." Hwæt getácniað þa fearras buton fæderas
ðære ealdan ǽ? Hwæt wæron hí, buton fearra gelican, þaða hí, mid leafe þære
ealdan ǽ, heora fynd mid horne lichamlicere mihte potedon?

Þa gemǽstan fugelas getácniað þa halgan láreowas þære Níwan Gecyðnysse. Þa
sind gemæste mid gife þæs Halgan Gastes to ðam swiðe, þæt hí wilniað þæs
upplican færeldes mid fyðerum gastlicere drohtnunge. Hwæt is þæt man
besette his geðanc on nyðerlicum þingum, buton swilce modes hlænnys? Se ðe
mid fódan þære upplican lufe bið gefylled, he bið swilce he sy mid rumlicum
mettum gemæst. Mid þyssere fætnysse wolde se sealm-wyrhta beon gemæst, ðaða
hé cwæð, "Beo min sawul gefylled swa swa mid rysle and mid ungele."

{524} Hwæt is, "Mine fearras sind ofslagene, and mine gemæstan fugelas,"
buton swilce he cwæde, 'Behealdað ðæra ealdfædera drohtnunga, and
understandað þæra wítegena gyddunge, and þæra apostola bodunge embe mines
Bearnes menniscnysse, and cumað to ðam giftum'? Þæt is, 'Cumað mid
geleafan, and geðeodað eow to ðære halgan gelaðunge, ðe is his bryd and
eower modor.'

"Hí hit forgymeleasodon, and ferdon, sume to heora tunum, sume to heora
ceape." Se færð to his tune and forsihð Godes gearcunge, seðe ungemetlice
eorðlice teolunge begæð to ðan swiðe, þæt he his Godes dǽl forgymeleasað.
Se færð embe his mangunge, seðe mid gytsunge woruldlicra gestreona cepð
swiðor þonne ðæs ecan lifes welan. Eornostlice þonne hí sume mid eorðlicum
teolungum ungefohlice hí gebysgiað, and sume mid woruldlicum hordum, þonne
ne magon hí for ðære bysga smeagan embe þæs Hælendes menniscnysse; and eac
him bið swiðe héfigtyme geðuht, þæt hí heora þeawas be his regole
geemnetton. Sume eac beoð swa ðwyrlice gemódode, þæt hí ne magon Godes
bodunge gehyran, ac mid ehtnysse Godes bydelas geswencað, swa swa þæt
godspel her bæftan cwæð, "Sume hí gelæhton þa bydelas, and mid teonan
gewæhton, and ofslogon. Ac se cyning, ðaða he þis geaxode, sende his here
to, and þa manslagan fordyde, and heora burh forbærnde."

Þa manslagan he fordyde, forðan ðe hé ða arleasan ehteras hreowlice
acwealde, swa swa we gehwǽr on martyra þrowungum rædað. Nero, se wælhreowa
casere, [hét ahón Petrum, and Paulum beheafdian, ac he wearð færlice of his
rice aflymed, and hine wulfas totæron. Herodes beheafdode þone apostol
Iacob, and Petrum gebrohte on cwearterne; ac God hine ahredde of his
hæftnede, and þaða se cyning smeade hú he of ðam cwearterne come, þa æfter
þan him com to Godes engel, and hine to deaðe gesloh. Astriges, se Indisca
cyning, þe Bartholomeum ofsloh, awedde, and on þam wodan dreame gewát.
Ealswa Egeas, þe Andream ahencg, þærrihte on {526} wodan dreame geendode.
Langsum bið to gereccenne ealra þæra arleasra ehtera geendunga, hú gramlice
se Ælmihtiga God his halgena þrowunga on him gewræc. Ðæt godspel cwyð, þæt
he heora burh forbærnde, forþan ðe hi beoð ægðer ge mid sawle ge mid
lichaman on ecere susle forbærnde. "He sende his here tó," forþan ðe he
þurh his englas þa mánfullan fordeð. Hwæt sind þæra engla werod buton here
þæs Heofonlican Cyninges? He is geháten Dominus Sabaoð, þæt is 'Heres
Hlaford,' oððe 'Weroda Drihten.'

Se cyning cwæð ða to his þegnum, "Ðas gyfta sind gearowe, ac þa ðe ic þærtó
gelaðode næron his wyrðe. Farað nu to wega utscytum, and swa hwylce swa ge
gemetað, laþiað to þam gyftum." Wegas sind mislice manna dæda. Utscytas
þæra wega sind ateorung woruldlicera weorca; and þa for wel oft becumað to
Gode, þe on eorðlicum weorcum hwonlice speowð. Hwæt ða ðæs cyninges
ærendracan ferdon geond wegas, gadrigende ealle þa ðe hi gemetton, ægðer ge
yfele ge gode, and gesetton þa gifta endemes. On þyssere andwerdan
gelaðunge sind gemengde yfele and gode, swa swa clæne corn mid fulum
coccele: ac on ende þyssere worulde se soða Dema hæt his englas gadrian
þone coccel byrþenmælum, and awurpan into ðam unadwæscendlicum fyre.
Byrþenmælum hi gadriað þa synfullan fram þam rihtwisum: þonne ða manslagan
beoð togædere getigede innon þam hellicum fyre, and sceaþan mid sceaþum,
gytseras mid gytserum, forliras mid forlirum; and swa gehwylce mánfulle
geferan on þam ecum tintregum samod gewriþene cwylmiað; and se clæna hwæte
bið gebroht on Godes berne: þæt is, þæt ða rihtwisan beoð gebrohte to þam
ecan life, þær ne cymð storm ne nan unweder þæt ðam corne derie. Ðonne ne
beoð þa godan nahwar buton on heofenum, and þa yfelan nahwar buton on
helle.

Mine gebroþra, gif ge góde sind, þonne sceole ge emlice wiþercorenra manna
yfelnysse forberan, swa lange swa ge on {528} þisum andweardan life wuniað.
Ne bið se gód seþe yfelne forberan nele. Be þisum cwæð Godes stemn to þam
witegan Ezechiel, "Ðu mannes bearn, ungeleaffulle and yfel tihtende sind
mid þe, and þu wunast mid þam wyrstan wyrmcynne." Eft Paulus se Apostol
geleaffulra manna líf herode and getrymde, þus tihtende, "Gewuniað betwux
þwyrum mancynne: scinað betwux þam swa swa steorran, lífes word healdende."

"Se cyning eode inn, and gesceawode þa gebeoras, þa geseah he þær ænne mann
þe næs gescryd mid gyftlicum reafe." Þæt giftlice reaf getácnað þa soðan
lufe Godes and manna. Þa lufe ure Scyppend us geswutelode þurh hine sylfne,
þaða he gemedemode þæt he us fram þam ecan deaþe mid his deorwurþan blode
alysde, swa swa Iohannes se Godspellere cwæð, "Swa swiþe lufode God þysne
middangeard, þæt he his áncennedan Sunu sealde for us." Se Godes Sunu, þe
ðurh lufe to mannum becom, gebicnode on þam godspelle þæt ðæt giftlice reaf
getácnode,--þa soðan lufe. Ælc þæra þe mid geleafan and fulluhte to Gode
gebihð, he cymð to þam gyftum; ac he ne cymð na mid gyftlicum reafe, gif he
þa soþan lufe ne hylt. Witodlice ge geseoð þæt gehwam sceamað, gif he
gelaðod bið to woruldlicum gyftum, þæt he wáclice gescryd cume to þære
scortan blisse; ac micele mare sceamu bið þam ðe mid horium reafe cymð to
Godes gyftum, þæt he for his fulum gyrelan fram þære ecan blisse ascofen
beo into ecum þeostrum. Swa swa reaf wlitegað þone man lichamlice, swa eac
seo soðe lufu wlitegað ure sawle mid gastlicere fægernysse. Ðeah se mann
hæbbe fullne geleafan, and ælmessan wyrce, and fela to gode gedo, eal him
bið ydel, swa hwæt swa he deð, buton he hæbbe soþe lufe to Gode and to
eallum cristenum mannum. Seo is soð lufu, þæt gehwá his freond lufie on
gode, and his feond for gode. Dæghwamlice gæð se Heofonlica Cyning into þam
gyftum, þæt is, into his gelaðunge, and sceawað hwæðer we beón mid þam
gyftlicum reafe innan gescrydde; and swa hwylcne swa he gemet {530} butan
soþre lufe, ðæne he befrinð mid graman, þus cweðende, "Þu freond, humeta
dorstest ðu gán to minre gearcunge buton gyftlicum reafe?" "Freond" he hine
het, and þeah awearp fram his gebeorum. Freond he wæs ðurh geleafan, and
wiþercora þurh weorc. He þærrihte adumbode, forþan þe æt Godes dome ne bið
nán beladung ne wiþertalu; ac se Dema þe wiðutan þreað, is gewita his
ingehides wiðinnan. Ðeah ðe hwá þa soþan lufe gyt fulfremedlice næbbe, ne
sceal he ðeah his sylfes geortruwian, forðan ðe se witega be swylcum cwæð
to Gode, "Min Drihten, þine eagan gesawon mine unfulfremednysse, and on
þinre béc ealle] sind awritene."

Se cyning cwæð to his ðegnum, "Bindað þone misscryddan hándum and fótum,
and wurpað into ðam yttrum þeostrum, þær bið wóp and toða gebitt." Þa hánda
and þa fét þe nú ne beoð gebundene mid Godes ege fram þwyrlicum weorcum, hi
beoð þonne þurh strecnysse Godes domes fæste gewriðene. Þa fét ðe nellað
untrumne geneosian, and þa hánda þe nán ðing þearfum ne syllað, þa beoð
þonne mid wite gebundene; forðan þe hí synd nú sylfwilles fram gódum
weorcum gewriðene. Se misscrydda wæs aworpen on ða yttran þeostru. Þa inran
þeostru sind þære heortan blindnys. Þa yttran þeostru is seo swearte niht
þære ecan geniðerunge. Se fordémda þonne þrowað on þam yttrum þeostrum
neadunge, forðan ðe he nú sylfwilles his líf adrihð on blindnysse his
heortan, and næfð nán gemynd þæs soðan leohtes, þæt is, Crist, þe be him
sylfum cwæð, "Ic eom middangeardes leoht; se ðe me fyligð, ne gǽð he on
þeostrum, ac he hæfð lifes leoht." On ðam yttrum þeostrum bið wóp and toða
gebit. Þær wepað ða eagan on ðam hellican lige, þe nú ðurh unalyfedlice
gewilnunga goretende hwearftliað; and þa téð, þe nú on ofer-æte blissiað,
sceolon þær cearcian on þam unasecgendlicum pinungum, þe Godes wiðerwinnum
gegearcod is. Þa eagan soðlice for swiðlicum smice tyrað, and þa téð for
micclum cyle cwaciað; forðan ðe ða wiðercoran {532} unacumendlice hætu
þrowiað, and unasecgendlicne cyle. Witodlice þæt hellice fyr hæfð
unasecgendlice hǽtan and nán leoht, ac écelice byrnð on sweartum ðeostrum.

Gif hwam twynige be æriste, þonne mæg hé understandan on þisum godspelle,
þæt þær bið soð ærist þær ðær beoð eagan and téð. Eagan sind flæscene, and
téð bænene; forðan þe we sceolon, wylle we nelle we, arisan on ende þyssere
worulde mid flæsce and mid bane, and onfón edlean ealra ura dæda, oððe
wununge mid Gode for gódum geearnungum, oþþe helle-wite mid deofle for
mándædum. Be þisum cwæð se eadiga Iob, "Ic gelyfe þæt min Alysend leofað,
and ic sceal on þam endenextan dæge of eorðan arisan, and eft ic beo mid
minum felle befangen, and on minum flæsce ic geseo God, ic sylf, and na
oðer." Þæt is, na oðer hiw þurh me, ac ic sylf hine geseo.

Þises godspelles geendung is swiðe egefull: "Fela sind gecígede and feawa
gecorene." Efne nu ure ealra stemn clypað Crist, ac ure ealra líf ne
clypað; forðan ðe manega wiðcweðað on heora ðeawum þæt þæt hí mid heora
stemne geandettað. Sume menn habbað gód anginn sume hwile, ac hí geendiað
on yfele. Sume habbað yfel anginn, and wel geendiað þurh soðe dǽdbote. Sume
onginnað wel, and bet geendiað. Nu sceal gehwá hine sylfne micclum
ondrædan, þeah þe hé góde drohtnunge hæbbe, and nateshwon be him sylfum
gedyrstlæcan; forðan þe hé nát hwæðer hé wurðe is into þam ecan rice. Ne he
ne sceal be oðrum geortruwian, þeah ðe he on leahtras befealle; forðan ðe
he nát þa menigfealdan welan Godes mildheortnysse.

Cwyð nu S[=cs] Gregorius, þæt sum broðor gecyrde to anum mynstre þe he sylf
gestaðelode, and æfter regollicere fándunge munuchád underfeng. Þam filigde
sum flæsclic broðor to mynstre, na for gecnyrdnysse góddre drohtnunge, ac
for flæsclicere lufe. Se gastlica broðor eallum þam mynster-munecum þearle
ðurh góde drohtnunge gelicode; and his flæsclica broðor micclum his lifes
ðeawum mid þwyrnysse {534} wiðcwæð. He leofode on mynstre for neode swiðor
þonne for beterunge. He wæs gegaf spræce, and þwyr on dǽdum; wel besewen on
reafe, and yfele on ðeawum. He nahte geðyld, gif hine hwá to góddre
drohtnunge tihte. Wearð ða his líf swiðe héfigtyme ðam gebroðrum, ac hi hit
emlice forbæron for his broðer gódnysse. He ne mihte nán ðing to gode
gedón, ne he nolde nán gód gehyran. Þa wearð hé færlice mid sumere coðe
gestanden, and to deaðe gebroht. Þaða hé to forðsiðe aháfen wæs, ða comon
þa gebroðra to ði þæt hí his sawle becwædon. He læg acealdod on nyþeweardum
limum: on ðam breoste anum orðode ða-gyt se gast. Þa gebroðra ða swa micel
geornfullicor for hine gebædon, swa micclum swa hí gesawon þæt he hrædlice
gewítan sceolde. He ða færlice hrymde, þus cweðende, "Gewitað fram me. Efne
her is cumen an draca þe me sceal forswelgan, ac he ne mæg for eower
andwerdnysse. Min heafod he hæfð mid his ceaflum befangen. Rymað him, þæt
he me léng ne swence. Gif ic þisum dracan to forswelgenne geseald eom, hwí
sceal ic elcunge þrowian for eowerum oferstealle?"

Þa gebroðra him cwædon to, "Hwí sprecst þu mid swa micelre orwennysse?
Mearca ðe sylfne mid tácne þære halgan róde." He andwyrde be his mihte, "Ic
wolde lustbære mid tácne þære halgan róde me bletsian, ac ic næbbe ða
mihte, forðan ðe se draca me þearle ofþryhð." Hwæt ða munecas ða hí
astrehton mid wópe to eorðan, and ongunnon geornlicor for his hreddinge
þone Wealdendan God biddan. Efne ða færlice awyrpte se adliga cniht, and
mid blissigendre stemne cwæð, "Ic þancige Gode: efne nu se draca, þe me
forswelgan wolde, is aflíged for eowerum benum. He is fram me ascofen, and
standan ne mihte ongean eowre þingunge. Beoð nu mine ðingeras, biddende for
minum synnum; forðan ðe ic eom gearo to gecyrrenne to munuclicere
drohtnunge, and woruldlice ðeawas ealle forlætan." His cealdan limu þa
ge-edcucodon, and he mid ealre heortan to {536} Gode gecyrde, and mid
langsumum broce on his gecyrrednysse wearð gerihtlæced, and æt nextan on
þære ylcan untrumnysse gewát; ac he ne geseah þone dracan on his forðsiðe,
forðan ðe he hine oferswiðde mid gecyrrednysse his heortan.

Ne sceole we beon ormode, þeah ðe on þyssere andweardan gelaðunge fela
syndon yfele and feawa góde; forðan ðe Noes arc on yþum ðæs micclan flodes
hæfde getácnunge þyssere gelaðunge, and hé wæs on nyðeweardan wíd, and on
ufeweardan nearo. On ðære nyðemystan bytminge wunodon þa reðan deor and
creopende wurmas. On oþre fleringe wunodon fugelas and clæne nytenu. On
þære ðriddan fleringe wunode Noe mid his wife, and his ðry suna mid heora
þrim wifum. On ðære bytminge wæs se arc rúm, þær ða reðan deor wunedon, and
wiðufan genyrwed, þær ðæra manna wunung wæs; forðan ðe seo halige gelaðung
on flæsclicum mannum is swiðe brád, and on gastlicum nearo. Heo tosprǽt
hire bosm þær ðær þa reðan wuniað on nytenlicum ðeawum, and heo is genyrwed
on þone ende þe þa gesceadwisan wuniað, on gastlicum ðeawum drohtnigende;
forðan swa hí haligran beoð on þyssere andwerdan gelaðunge, swa heora læs
bið. Micele ma is þæra manna þe lybbað be agenum lustum, ðonne þæra sy þe
heora lifes ðeawas æfter Godes bebodum gerihtlæcað: þeah-hwæðere symle bið
haligra manna getel geeacnod þurh arleasra manna wanunge. Nis þæt getel
Godes gecorenra lytel, swa swa Crist on oðre stowe cwæð, "Manega cumað fram
east-dæle and fram west-dæle, and sittað mid þam heahfædere Abraháme, and
Isaace, and Iacobe on heofonan rice." Eft, se sealm-wyrhta be Godes
gecorenum cwæð, "Ic hí getealde, and heora getel is mare ðonne
sand-ceosol." On ðisum andweardan life sind þa gecorenan feawa geðuhte
ongean getel þæra wiðercorenra, ac þonne hí to ðam ecan life gegaderode
beoð, heora tel bið swa menigfeald, þæt hit oferstihð, be ðæs witegan
cwyde, sand-ceosles gerím.

{538} Lǽd us, Ælmihtig God, to getele ðinra gecorenra halgena, inn to þære
ecan blisse ðines rices, þe þu gearcodest fram frymðe middangeardes þe
lufigendum, þu ðe leofast and rixast mid þam Ecan Fæder and Halgum Gaste on
ealra worulda woruld. Amen.

{521} THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

    Loquebatur Jesus cum discipulis suis in parabolis, dicens: et reliqua.

"The Lord was speaking at a certain time to his apostles in parables, thus
saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king who made a
marriage for his son. Then sent he his messengers to invite his subjects,"
etc.

We follow in this text the exposition of pope Gregory.

My dearest brothers, I have frequently told you, that everywhere in the
holy gospel this present church is called the kingdom of heaven. Verily a
gathering of righteous men is called the kingdom of heaven. God said
through his prophet, "Heaven is my seat." Paul the Apostle said that
"Christ is God's Might and God's Wisdom." Clearly we may understand that
the soul of every righteous man is heaven, when Christ is God's Wisdom, and
the soul of a righteous man is the seat of wisdom, and heaven is his seat.
Of this the psalmist said, "The heavens make known the glory of God." He
calls the heavens God's messengers. But the congregation of holy men is the
kingdom of heaven, because their hearts are not occupied in earthly
desires, but they sigh for that which is above; and God now long since
reigns in them, as in the heavenly dwellings.

The king who made a marriage for his son is God the Father, who associated
the holy church with his Son through the mystery of his incarnation. The
holy church is Christ's bride, by which he daily begets spiritual children,
and she is the mother of all christian men, and, nevertheless, an undefiled
maiden. Through belief and baptism we are begotten to God, and adopted as
his spiritual children, through Christ's humanity, and through grace of the
Holy Ghost.

God sent his messengers, that he might invite everyone to {523} this
marriage. He sent once and again; for he sent his prophets, who announced
his Son's humanity to come, and again, he afterwards sent his apostles, who
announced his advent accomplished, as the prophets had erst prophesied it.
When they would not come to the marriage, he sent again, thus saying, "Say
to those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my meats, I have slain my
oxen and my fatted fowls, and have prepared all my things: come to the
marriage."

The oxen betoken the patriarchs of the old law, who might then, by
permission of the old law, slay their foes in the manner of an ox. It is
thus written in the old law, "Love thy friend, and hate thy foe." Thus it
was allowed to men of old, that they might with strong might oppress, and
with weapons slay the adversaries of God and their own foes. But the same
God, who gave this permission through the law of Moses before his advent,
the same afterwards, when he through human nature came to the world,
changed the mandate, thus saying, "I command you, Love your foes, and do
good to those who hate you, and pray for your persecutors, that ye may be
children of the Heavenly Father, who letteth his sun shine over good and