Part 17

Easily might God, who turned water to wine, and he who wrought all creatures from nothing, easily might he have turned the stones to loaves: but he would do nothing by the devil's direction; but said to him in answer, "Man liveth not by bread alone, but liveth by the words which go from the mouth of God." As man's body lives by bread, so shall his soul live by the words of God, that is, by God's doctrine, which, through wise men, he has set in books. If the body has not food, or cannot eat food, then it decays and dies: so likewise the soul, if it has not the holy doctrine, it will be perishable and powerless. By the holy doctrine it will be strong, and stimulated to God's will.

Then was the devil _once_ overcome by Christ. "And he then took him and bare him up on the temple, and set him {171} on the summit, and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, dart down; for it is commanded to angels concerning thee, that they shall raise thee on their hands, that thou may not dash thy foot against a stone." Here the devil began to expound the holy scriptures, and he lied in his exposition; because he is false, and there is no truth in him; but he is the father of all leasing. It was not written of Christ what he there said, but was written of holy men: they require the support of angels in this life, that the devil may not tempt them so much as he would. So benevolent is God to mankind, that he has set his angels over us as guardians, that they may not allow the fierce devils to fordo us. They may tempt us, but they cannot compel us to any evil, unless we ourselves do it of our own will, through the evil instigation of the devil. We shall not be perfect unless we be tempted: through temptation we shall thrive, if we ever resist the devil and all his precepts; and if we draw nigh to our Lord with faith, and love, and good works; if we anywhere slide down, arise forthwith, and earnestly mend what shall there be broken.

Christ said to the devil, "No one shall tempt his Lord." It would have been a very proud deed if Christ had cast himself down, though he easily might, without injury of his limbs, have cast himself down, who bowed the high arch of heaven; but he would do nothing in pride, because pride is a deadly sin; so he would not cast himself down, because he would shun pride; but said, "No one shall tempt his Lord." That man tempts his Lord, who, with foolish confidence and with pride, will do something in the name of God, or who will foolishly and without need pray to God for some miracle. Then was the devil, by Christ's patience, overcome _a second time_.

"Then he took him again, and bare him up on a mountain, and showed him all the riches of the world and its glory, and said to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall at my feet, and adore me." Presumptuously spake the devil here, as he before spake, when he was in heaven, when he {173} would share the heavenly kingdom with his Creator, and be equal to God; but his presumption then cast him down into hell; and now also his presumption humbled him, when he, through Christ's passion, let mankind out of his power. He said, "These things will I give thee." It seemed to him that he possessed all the world; because no man withstood him before Christ came who subdued him.

It is written in holy books, "Earth and all its fullness, and all the globe and those who dwell on it, all are God's possessions," and not the devil's. Nevertheless, Christ said in his gospel concerning the devil, that he was the prince of the world, and he should be driven out. He is the prince of those men who love this world, and set all their hope in this life, and despise their Creator. All creatures, sun, and moon, and all stars, land, and sea, and cattle, all serve their Creator; because they perform their course after God's direction. Wicked man alone, when he despises the commandments of God, and fulfils the devil's will, either through covetousness, or through leasing, or through anger, or through other sins, then is he the devil's thrall, then is he acceptable to the devil, and despises him who created him.

"Christ then said to the devil, Go thou behind, Satan! It is written, Man shall adore his Lord, and serve him alone." Quidam dicunt non dixisse Salvatorem, "Satane, vade retro," sed tantum "Vade": sed tamen in rectioribus et vetustioribus exemplaribus habetur, "Vade retro Satanas," sicut interpretatio ipsius nominis declarat; nam diabolus _Deorsum ruens_ interpretatur. Apostolo igitur Petro dicitur a Christo, "Vade retro me," id est, _Sequere me_. Diabolo non dicitur, _Vade retro me_, sed "Vade retro," sicut jam diximus, et sic scripsit beatus Hieronymus, in una epistola. He said to the devil, "Go thou behind." The name of devil is interpreted, _Falling down_. He fell down, and he went behind from the beginning of his enterprize, when he was cut off from heavenly bliss; he went behind again through Christ's advent; {175} he shall go behind on doomsday, when he shall be shut up in hell in eternal fire, he and all his associates; and they never afterwards may burst out.

It is written in the old law that no man shall worship any idol, nor anything, save God alone; because no creature is worthy of that honour, save him alone who is the Creator of all things: him only should we worship; he alone is true Lord and true God. We pray for their intercessions to holy men, that they may mediate for us with their Lord and our Lord; still we do not worship them as we do God, nor would they permit it; as the angel said to John the apostle, when he would fall at his feet: he said, "Do thou it not, that thou bowest to me. I am God's servant, as thou and thy brethren: worship God alone."

"Then the devil left Christ, and angels came to him, and ministered to him." He was tempted as a man, and after the temptation holy angels came to him, and ministered to him as to their Creator. Unless the devil had seen that Christ was a man, he would not have tempted him; and unless he had been true God, the angels would not have ministered to him. Great was our Saviour's meekness and his patience in this deed. He might with one word have sunk the devil into the deep abyss; but he manifested not his might, but answered the devil with the holy scriptures, and gave us an example by his patience, that, as often as we suffer anything from perverse men, we should turn our mind to God's precepts rather than to any vengeance.

In three ways is temptation of the devil: that is in instigation, in pleasure, in consent. The devil instigates us to evil, but we should shun it, and take no pleasure in the instigation: but if our mind takes pleasure, then should we at least withstand, so that there be no consent to evil work. Instigation to evil is of the devil; but a man's mind is often {177} bent to pleasure, sometimes also it lapses into consent; seeing that we are born of sinful flesh. Not in this wise was Jesus tempted; because he was born of a virgin without sin, and that there was nothing perverse in him. He might have been tempted by instigation, but no pleasure touched his mind. There was also no consent, because there was no pleasure; therefore was the devil's temptation all without, and nothing within. Uncertain came the devil to Christ, and uncertain he went away; seeing that Jesus manifested not his power to him, but overcame him patiently by the holy scriptures.

The old devil tempted our father Adam in three ways: that is with greediness, with vain-glory, and with covetousness; and then he was overcome, because he consented to the devil in all those three temptations. Through greediness he was overcome, when, by the devil's instruction, he ate the forbidden apple. Through vain-glory he was overcome, when he believed the devil's words, when he said, "Ye shall be as great as angels, if ye eat of that tree." And they then believed his leasing, and would in their vain-glory be better than they had been created: then became they worse. With covetousness he was overcome, when the devil said to him, "And ye shall have the power to distinguish good from evil." Covetousness is not alone in money, but is also in the desire of great dignity.

With the same three things with which the devil overcame the first-created man, Christ overcame and prostrated him. Through greediness the devil tempted Christ, when he said, "Say to these stones that they be turned to loaves, and eat." Through vain-glory he tempted him, when he would instigate him to dart down from the temple's summit. Through covetousness he tempted him, when, with leasing, he promised him the wealth of all the world, if he would fall at his feet. But the devil was overcome by Christ by the {179} same means with which he had of yore overcome Adam; so that he departed from our hearts made captive by the entrance at which he had entered and made us captives.

We have heard in this gospel that our Lord fasted forty days and forty nights together. When he had fasted so long he manifested the great power of his godhead, by which he might, in all this present life, without earthly food, have lived, if he had been willing. Afterwards, when he was hungry, he manifested that he was a true man, and therefore required food. Moses the leader fasted also forty days and forty nights, that he might receive God's law; but he fasted not through his own power, but through God's. The prophet Elijah also fasted as long through God's power, and was afterwards, without death, taken from this life.

Now this fast is appointed to be held by all Christian men in the course of every year; but we must also on each day eat our food with abstemiousness, of those meats which are permitted. Why is this fast computed for forty days? In every year there are reckoned three hundred and sixty-five days; now, if we tithe these yearly days, then will there be six and thirty tithing-days, and from this day to the holy Easter-day are two and forty days: take then the six Sundays from that number, then there will be six and thirty days of the year's tithing-days reckoned for our abstinence.

As God's law enjoins us that we should of all the things which accrue to us from our yearly tillage give the tithe to God, so should we likewise on these tithing-days tithe our body with abstinence to the praise of God. We should prepare ourselves in all things as God's servants, according to the apostle's teaching, with great patience, and with holy vigils, with fasts, and with chastity of mind and body; for it is less perilous for a Christian man to eat flesh, than at this holy tide to have intercourse with woman. Set aside all {181} quarrels and every dispute, and hold this tide with peace and with true love; for no fast will be acceptable to God without peace. And do as God taught, break thy loaf, and give the second portion to an hungry man, and lead into thy house the poor, and miserable strangers, and comfort them with thy possessions. When thou seest one naked, clothe him, and despise not thy own flesh. The man who fasts without alms does as though he spares his food, and afterwards eats that which he had previously forgone in his abstinence; but God contemns such fasting. But if thou wilt fast to God's contentment, then help poor men with the portion which thou withdrawest from thyself, and also with more, if it be thy pleasure. Avoid idle discourse and foolish pleasures, and bewail your sins; for Christ said, "Woe to you who now laugh, ye shall mourn and weep." Again he said, "Blessed are they who now weep, for they shall be comforted."

We live diversely for twelve months: now we shall at this time repair our heedlessness, and live to God, we who at other times have lived for ourselves. And whatsoever good we do, let us do it without pride and vain praise. The man who does any good for pride, to his own praise, will have no reward with God, but will have his punishment. But let us do as God hath taught, that our good works may be so known to men that they may see our goodness, and glorify and praise our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who requites an hundredfold whatsoever we do to poor men for love of him who liveth and reigneth ever without end to eternity. Amen.

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DOMINICA IN MEDIA QUADRAGESIMA.

Abiit Iesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua.

"Se Haelend ferde ofer dha Galileiscan s['ae], the is gehaten Tyberiadis, and him filigde micel menigu, fordhon the hi {182} beheoldon dha tacna the h['e] worhte ofer dha untruman men. Tha astah se Haelend up on ane dune, and thaer s['ae]t mid his leorning-cnihtum, and waes dha swidhe gehende seo halige Eastertid. Tha beseah se Haelend up, and geseah thaet dhaer waes mycel mennisc toweard, and cwaedh to anum his leorning-cnihta, se waes geh['a]ten Philippus, Mid hwam mage we bicgan hl['a]f dhisum folce? This he cwaedh to f['a]ndunge thaes leorning-cnihtes: he sylf wiste hwaet he d['o]n wolde. Dha andwyrde Philippus, Theah her waeron gebohte twa hund peningwurdh hlafes, ne mihte furdhon hyra aelc anne bitan of dham gelaeccan. Tha cwaedh an his leorning-cnihta, se h['a]tte Andreas, Petres brodhor, Her byrdh ['a]n cnapa fif berene hlafas, and twegen fixas, ac to hw['a]n maeg thaet to swa micclum werode? Tha cwaedh se Haelend, Dodh thaet thaet folc sitte. And thaer waes micel g['ae]rs on dhaere stowe myrige on to sittenne. And h['i] dha ealle saeton, swa swa mihte beon f['i]f dhusend wera. Dha genam se Haelend tha f['i]f hl['a]fas, and bletsode, and tobraec, and todaelde betwux dham sittendum: swa gel['i]ce eac tha fixas todaelde; and h['i] ealle genoh haefdon. Thadha h['i] ealle fulle waeron, dha cwaedh se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, Gaderiadh tha lafe, and h['i] ne losion. And hi dha gegaderodon dha bricas, and gefyldon twelf wilian mid dhaere lafe. Thaet folc, dha dhe dhis tacen geseah, cwaedh thaet Crist waere sodh witega, sedhe waes toweard to dhisum middangearde."

Seo s['ae], the se Haelend oferferde, getacnadh thas andweardan woruld, to dhaere com Crist and oferferde; thaet is, he com to dhisre worulde on menniscnysse, and dhis lif oferferde; he com to deadhe, and of deadhe aras; and astah up on ane dune, and thaer saet mid his leorning-cnihtum, fordhon dhe he astah up to heofenum, and thaer sitt nudha mid his halgum. Rihtlice is seo s['ae] widhmeten thisre worulde, fordhon dhe heo is hw['i]ltidum smylte and myrige ['o]n to rowenne, hwilon eac swidhe hreoh and egeful on to beonne. Swa is theos woruld; hw['i]ltidum heo is gesundful and myrige on to wunigenne, hwilon heo is eac swidhe styrnlic, and mid mislicum thingum {184} gemenged, swa thaet heo for oft bidh swidhe unwynsum on to eardigenne. Hwilon we beodh hale, hwilon untrume; nu blidhe, and eft on micelre unblisse; fordhy is this l['i]f, swa swa we aer cwaedon, thaere s['ae] widhmeten.

Tha se Haelend gesaet up on dhaere dune, dha ah['o]f h['e] up his eagan, and ges['e]h thaet dhaer waes micel mennisc toweard. Ealle tha dhe him to cumadh, thaet is dha dhe bugadh to rihtum geleafan, tha gesihdh se Haelend, and tham h['e] gemiltsadh, and hyra mod onliht mid his gife, thaet h['i] magon him to cuman butan gedwylde, and dham h['e] forgifdh dhone gastlican fodan, thaet h['i] ne ateorian be wege. Thadha he axode Philippum, hwanon h['i] mihton hl['a]f dham folce gebicgan, dha geswutelode h['e] Philippes nytennysse. Wel wiste Crist hwaet h['e] d['o]n wolde, and he wiste thaet Philippus thaet nyste. Dha cwaedh Andreas, thaet an cnapa thaer baere fif berene hlafas and twegen fixas. Tha cwaedh se Haelend, "Dodh thaet thaet folc sitte," and swa fordhon swa we eow aer rehton. Se Haelend geseh thaet hungrige folc, and h['e] h['i] mildheortlice fedde, aegdher ge thurh his g['o]dnysse ge thurh his mihte. Hwaet mihte seo g['o]dnys ana, buton dhaer waere miht mid thaere g['o]dnysse? His discipuli woldon eac thaet folc fedan, ac h['i] naefdon mid hwam. Se Haelend haefde thone g['o]dan willan to dham fostre, and tha mihte to dhaere fremminge.

Fela wundra worhte God, and daeghwamlice wyrcdh; ac dha wundra sind swidhe aw['a]code on manna gesihdhe, fordhon dhe h['i] sind swidhe gewunelice. Mare wundor is thaet God Aelmihtig aelce daeg f['e]t ealne middangeard, and gewissadh tha g['o]dan, thonne thaet wundor waere, thaet he tha gefylde fif dhusend manna mid fif hlafum: ac dhaes wundredon men, na fordhi thaet hit mare wundor waere, ac fordhi thaet hit waes ungewunelic. Hwa syldh nu waestm urum aecerum, and gemenigfylt thaet gerip of feawum cornum, buton se dhe dha gemaenigfylde dha fif hlafas? Seo miht waes dha on Cristes handum, and tha fif hlafas waeron swylce hit saed waere, na on eordhan besawen, ac gemenigfyld fram dham dhe eordhan geworhte.

{186} This wundor is swidhe micel, and deop on getacnungum. Oft gehwa gesihdh faegre stafas awritene, thonne heradh he dhone writere and tha stafas, and nat hwaet hi maenadh. Se dhe cann dhaera stafa gescead, he heradh heora faegernysse, and raed tha stafas, and understent hwaet h['i] gemaenadh. On odhre wisan we sceawiadh metinge, and on odhre wisan stafas. Ne gaedh na mare to metinge buton thaet thu hit geseo and herige: nis na gen['o]h thaet thu stafas sceawige, buton dhu h['i] eac raede, and thaet andgit understande. Swa is eac on dham wundre the God worhte mid tham fif hlafum: ne bidh na gen['o]h thaet we thaes tacnes wundrian, oththe thurh thaet God herian, buton we eac thaet gastlice andgit understandon.

Tha fif hlafas dhe se cnapa baer getacniadh tha fif b['e]c dhe Moyses se heretoga sette on dhaere ealdan ['ae]. Se cnapa dhe hi baer, and heora ne onbyrigde, waes thaet Iudeisce folc, dhe dha fif b['e]c raeddon, and ne cudhe thaeron nan gastlic andgit, aerdhan dhe Crist com, and tha b['e]c geopenode, and hyra gastlice andgit onwreah his leorning-cnihtum, and hi sidhdhan eallum cristenum folce. We ne magon nu ealle tha fif b['e]c areccan, ac we secgadh eow thaet God sylf hi dihte, and Moyses h['i] awr['a]t, to steore and to lare dham ealdan folce Israhel, and eac ['u]s on gastlicum andgite. Tha b['e]c waeron awritene be Criste, ac thaet gastlice andgit waes tham folce digle, odh thaet Crist sylf com to mannum, and geopenede thaera boca digelnysse, aefter gastlicum andgite.

Alii euangelistae ferunt, quia panes et pisces Dominus discipulis distribuisset, discipuli autem ministrauerunt turbis. He tobr['ae]c dha fif hlafas and sealde his leorning-cnihtum, and het beran dham folce; fordhon the h['e] taehte him dha gastlican l['a]re: and h['i] ferdon geond ealne middangeard, and bodedon, swa swa him Crist sylf taehte. Mid tham dhe h['e] tobraec dha hlafas, tha waeron h['i] gemenigfylde, and weoxon him on handum; fordhon dhe dha f['i]f b['e]c wurdon gastlice asmeade, and wise {188} lareowas h['i] trahtnodon, and setton of dham bocum manega odhre b['e]c; and we mid thaera boca lare beodh daeghwonlice gastlice gereordode.

Tha hl['a]fas waeron berene. Bere is swidhe earfodhe to gearcigenne, and theah-hwaedhere fet dhone mann, thonne h['e] gearo bidh. Swa waes seo ealde ['ae] swidhe earfodhe and digle to understandenne; ac dheah-hwaedhere, thonne we cumadh to dham smedman, thaet is to dhaere getacnunge, thonne gereordadh heo ure mod, and gestr['a]ngadh mid thaere diglan lare. Fif hlafas dhaer waeron, and fif dhusend manna thaer waeron gereordode; fordhan dhe thaet Iudeisce folc waes underdheodd Godes ['ae], dhe st['o]d on fif bocum awriten. Thadha Crist axode Philippum, and he his afandode, swa swa we aer raeddon, tha getacnode he mid thaere acsunge thaes folces nytennysse, the waes under dhaere ['ae], and ne cudhe thaet gastlice andgit, dhe on dhaere ['ae] bediglod waes.

Dha twegen fixas get['a]cnodon sealm-sang and dhaera witegena cwydas. An dhaera gecydde and bodode Cristes to-cyme mid sealm-sange, and odher mid witegunge. Nu sind tha twa gesetnyssa, thaet is sealm-sang and witegung, swylce h['i] syflinge waeron to dham f['i]f berenum hlafum, thaet is, to dham f['i]f ['ae]licum bocum. Thaet folc, the dhaer gereordode, s['ae]t ['u]p on dham gaerse. Thaet gaers getacnode flaesclice gewilnunge, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "Aelc flaesc is gaers, and thaes flaesces wuldor is swilce wyrta blostm." Nu sceal gehw['a], sedhe wile sittan aet Godes gereorde, and brucan thaere gastlican lare, oftredan thaet gaers and ofsittan, thaet is, thaet he sceal dha flaesclican lustas gewyldan, and his lichaman to Godes theowdome symle geb['i]gan.

Thaer waeron getealde aet dham gereorde fif dhusend wera; fordhon the dha menn, the to dham gastlican gereorde belimpadh, sceolon beon werlice geworhte, swa swa se apostol cwaedh; he cwaedh, "Beodh wacole, and standadh on geleafan, and onginnadh werlice, and beodh gehyrte." Dheah gif wifmann bidh werlice geworht, and strang to Godes willan, heo bidh thonne geteald to dham werum the aet Godes mysan sittadh. Thusend getel bidh fulfremed, and ne astihdh n['a]n getel ofer thaet. Mid {190} tham getele bidh get['a]cnod seo fulfremednys dhaera manna dhe gereordiadh heora sawla mid Godes l['a]re.

"Se Haelend het tha gegadrian tha l['a]fe, thaet h['i] losian ne sceoldon; and h['i] dha gefyldon twelf wilion mid tham bricum." Dha l['a]fe dhaes gereordes, thaet sind dha deopnyssa dhaere l['a]re the worold-men understandan ne magon, tha sceolon dha lareowas gegaderian, thaet h['i] ne losian, and healdan on heora faetelsum, thaet is, on heora heortan, and habban aefre gearo, to teonne fordh thone wisdom and dha lare aegdher ge dhaere ealdan ['ae] ge dhaere niwan. H['i] dha gegaderodon twelf wilian fulle mid tham bricum. Thaet twelffealde getel getacnode tha twelf apostolas; fordhan the h['i] underfengon tha digelnyssa thaere l['a]re, dhe thaet laewede folc undergitan ne mihte.

"Thaet folc, dha the thaet wundor geseah, cwaedon be Criste, thaet he waere sodh w['i]tega, dhe toweard waes." Sodh h['i] saedon, sumera dhinga: w['i]tega h['e] waes, fordhan dhe h['e] wiste ealle towearde thing, and eac fela dhing w['i]tegode, dhe beodh gefyllede butan twyn. He is witega, and he is ealra witegena witegung, fordhan dhe ealle w['i]tegan be him witegodon, and Crist gefylde heora ealra witegunga. Thaet folc geseah dha thaet wundor, and h['i] dhaes swidhe wundredon. Thaet wundor is awriten, and we hit gehyrdon. Thaet dhe on him heora eagan gedydon, thaet dedh ure geleafa on ['u]s. H['i] hit gesawon, and we his gelyfadh the hit ne gesawon; and we sind fordhi beteran getealde, swa swa se Haelend be ['u]s on odhre stowe cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha the me ne geseodh, and hi hwaedhere gelyfadh on me, and mine wundra maersiadh."

Thaet folc cwaedh dha be Criste, thaet he waere sodh witega. Nu cwedhe we be Criste, thaet he is dhaes Lifigendan Godes Sunu, sedhe waes toweard to alysenne ealne middangeard fram deofles anwealde, and fram helle-w['i]te. Thaet folc ne cudhe dhaera goda, thaet h['i] cwaedon, thaet he God waere, ac saedon, thaet he witega waere. We cwedhadh nu, mid fullum geleafan, thaet Crist is sodh witega, and ealra witegena Witega, and thaet he is sodhlice dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, ealswa mihtig swa his Faeder, {192} mid dham h['e] leofadh and rixadh on annysse dhaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen.

MIDLENT SUNDAY.