Part 21

Nu cwydh sum man on his gedhance, 'Eadhe mihte he arisan of deadhe, fordhan dhe he is God: ne mihte se deadh hine gehaeftan.' Gehyre se mann the this smeadh andsware his smeagunge. Crist fordhferde ana on dham timan, ac he ne ar['a]s na ana of deadhe, ac ar['a]s mid micclum werede. Se godspellere Matheus awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet manega halige menn, dhe waeron on dhaere ealdan ['ae] fordhfarene, thaet h['i] arison mid Criste; and thaet saedon gehwilce w['i]se l['a]reowas, thaet hi habbadh gefremod heora aerist to dham ecan l['i]fe, swa swa we ealle d['o]n sceolon on ende thisre worulde. Tha l['a]reowas cwaedon, {226} thaet dha araeredan menn naeron sodhlice gewitan Cristes aeristes, gif h['i] naeron ecelice araerde. Nu sind adwaescede ealle geleaflystu, thaet nan man ne sceal ortruwian be his agenum aeriste, thonne se godspellere awr['a]t thaet fela arison mid Criste, dhe waeron anfealde men, dheah dhe Crist God sy.

Nu cwaedh Gregorius se trahtnere, thaet him come to gemynde, hu dha Iudeiscan clypodon be Criste, thadha he waes on dhaere rode gefaestnod. H['i] cwaedon, "Gif he sy Israhela cyning, thonne astige he nu of dhaere rode, and we gelyfadh on hine." Gif he dha of dhaere rode astige, and nolde heora hosp forberan, thonne, butan tweon, ne sealde he us nane bysne his gedhyldes: ac he ab['a]d hwon, and forbaer heora hosp, and haefde gedhyld. Ac se dhe nolde of dhaere rode abrecan, se ar['a]s of dhaere byrgene. Mare wundor waes, thaet h['e] of deadhe ar['a]s, thonne he cucu of dhaere rode abraece. Mare miht waes, thaet he dhone deadh mid his aeriste tobraec, thonne he his l['i]f geheolde, of dhaere rode astigende. Ac dhadha h['i] gesawon thaet he ne astah of dhaere rode for heora hospum, ac dhaeron deadhes geb['a]d, tha gelyfdon h['i] thaet he oferswidhed waere, and his nama adwaesced: ac hit gelamp swa, thaet of dham deadhe asprang his nama geond ealne middangeard. Tha weardh hyra bliss awend to dham maestan sare; fordhan dhe heora sorh bidh endeleas.

Thas dhing getacnode se stranga Samson, se haefde faehdhe to dham folce dhe is gehaten Philistei. Dha getimode hit thaet he becom to heora byrig the waes Gaza gehaten: tha waeron dha Philistei swidhe blidhe, and ymbsaeton dha burh. Ac se stranga Samson ar['a]s on midre nihte, and gelaehte dha burh-geatu, and abaer hi uppon ane dune, to bismere his gefaan. Se stranga Samson getacnode Crist, seo burh Gaza getacnode helle, and dha Philistei haefdon Iudeisces folces getacnunge, the besaeton Cristes byrgene. Ac se Samson nolde gan ydel of dhaere byrig, ac he abaer dha gatu up to dhaere dune; fordhon the {228} ure Haelend Crist tobraec helle-gatu, and generode Adam, and Euan, and his gecorenan of heora cynne, and freolice of deadhe ar['a]s, and h['i] samod, and astah to heofonum. Tha m['a]nfullan he l['e]t baeftan to dham ecum witum. And is nu helle-geat belocen rihtwisum mannum, and aefre open unrihtwisum.

Ungesaelig waes thaet Iudeisce folc, thaet h['i] swa ungeleaffulle waeron. Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppend, buton dham Iudeiscum anum. Heofonas oncneowon Cristes acennednysse; fordhan dhadha h['e] acenned waes, tha weardh gesewen n['i]we steorra. S['ae] oncneow Crist, dhadha h['e] eode mid drium fotum uppon hire ydhum. Eordhe oncneow, thatha heo eal bifode on Cristes aeriste. Seo sunne oncneow, thatha heo weardh adhystrod on Cristes dhrowunge fram mid-daege odh n['o]n. Stanas oncneowon, thatha h['i] toburston on heora Scyppendes fordhsidhe. Hell oncneow Crist, dhadha heo forl['e]t hyre haeftlingas ['u]t, thurh dhaes Haelendes hergunge. And dha heardheortan Iudei dheah thurh ealle dha tacna noldon gebugan mid geleafan to dham mildheortan Haelende, sedhe wile eallum mannum gehelpan on hine gelyfendum. Ac uton we gelyfan thaet God Faeder waes aefre butan anginne, and aefre waes se Sunu of dham Faeder acenned; fordhan dhe he is se Wisdom and Miht dhe se Faeder ealle gesceafta thurh gesceop; and h['i] ealle wurdon gel['i]ffaeste thurh dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe is Willa and Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna; h['i] dhry ['a]n God untodaeledlic, on ['a]nre godcundnysse wunigende, h['i] ealle gel['i]ce mihtige; fordhan swa hwaet swa laesse bidh and unmihtigre, thaet ne bidh na God. Ac se Faeder sende dhone Sunu to ure alysednysse, and he ['a]na underfeng dha menniscnysse, and throwode deadh be his agenum willan, and ar['a]s of deadhe on dhisum daege, and astah to heofonum on dham feowertigedhan daege his aeristes, aetforan manegra manna gesihdhe, and rixadh mid tham Aelmihtigan Faeder and dham Halgum Gaste, n['u] and ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

{221} EASTER SUNDAY.

Ye have often heard concerning the Saviour's resurrection, how he on this day arose from death; but we will remind you, that it may not pass from your memory.

"When Christ was buried, the Jews said to their governor Pilate, O Sir, the deceiver, who hath here been slain, said oftentimes, while he was living, that he would arise from death on the third day," etc.

We say now, if any one had stolen his corpse, he would not have stript him, for theft loves no delay. Christ appeared on the same day to Peter and to two others his disciples, and comforted them. "Then at last Jesus came to his disciples, where they were assembled, and said to them, Peace be unto you; it is I, be ye not afraid. Then they were afraid, and weened it were a ghost. Then said he to them, Why are ye afraid, and think divers things of me? Behold my hands and my feet, that were pierced with nails. Grasp and behold: if I were a ghost, I should not have flesh and bones," etc.

Jesus then frequently appeared to his disciples, and directed them to doctrine and to faith, how they should teach all mankind; and on the fortieth day of his resurrection he ascended bodily to heaven to his Father. But we have now said much more of the tenour of the book of Christ than this present day's gospel requires for the confirmation of your faith. We will now give you the explanation of this day's gospel, according to the exposition of the holy pope Gregory.

My dearest brothers, ye have heard that the holy women, who followed the Lord in life, came with precious ointment to his sepulchre, and him whom they had loved in life they would when dead serve with human devotion. But this deed {223} betokens something to be done in God's church. We who believe in the resurrection of Christ come assuredly to his sepulchre with precious ointment, if we are filled with the breath of holy virtues, and if we with the fame of good works seek our Lord. The women who brought the ointment saw angels; for they see the heavenly angels, who with the breath of good works yearn after the upward journey. The angel rolled the lid from the tomb; not that he would make way for Christ's departure, but he would manifest to men that he was risen. He who came mortal to this world, born of the closed womb of the virgin, he, without doubt, might, when he arose immortal, though in a closed tomb, depart from the world. The angel sat on the right side of the sepulchre. The right hand betokens the eternal life, and the left this present life. Rightly sat the angel on the right hand, for he manifested that Jesus had surmounted the corruptions of this present life, and was then dwelling immortal in eternity. The messenger was clad in a shining garment, because he announced the happiness of this festival-tide, and our glories. But we ask, ours or the angels? We say verily, both ours and theirs. The resurrection of Jesus is our festival-tide, for by his resurrection he led us to the immortality for which we were created. His resurrection was bliss to the angels, because God fills up their number when he brings us to heaven.

The angel cheered the women, thus saying, "Be ye not afraid:" as if he had said thus, Let those fear who love not the advent of angels; let those be terrified who are beset with fleshly lusts, and have no joy in the host of angels. Why fear ye, ye who see your companions? "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment as white as snow." Verily in lightning is terror, and in snow the mildness of brightness. Rightly was the messenger of Christ's resurrection so figured; for when he himself shall come to the great doom, he will be very awful to the sinful, and very mild {225} to the righteous. He said, "Ye seek Jesus: he is risen: he is not here." He was not then bodily in the sepulchre, who is everywhere through his divine power. There lay the garment behind in which he had been wrapt, for he recked not of an earthly garment, after he had arisen from death. Though a dead man be wrapt in a garment, that garment does not the sooner rise again with the man, but he will be clad with the heavenly garment after his resurrection.

It is well said of Jesus, that he would meet his companions in Galilee. Galilee is interpreted, _Passing over_. Jesus passed over from passion to resurrection, from death to life, from torment to glory. And if we pass from sins to holy virtues, then may we see Jesus after our passage from this life. For there are two lives: the one we know, the other was unknown to us before Christ's advent. The one life is mortal, the other immortal. But Jesus came and assumed the one life, and made manifest the other. The one life he manifested by his death, and the other by his resurrection. If he to us mortal men had promised resurrection and life eternal, and yet had not been willing to manifest them in himself, who would have believed in his promises? But when he would become man, then he also voluntarily humbled himself to death, and he arose from death through his divine power, and manifested in himself that which he had promised to us.

Now will some man say in his thoughts, 'Easily might he arise from death, because he is God: death could not hold him captive.' Let the man who imagines this hear an answer to his imagination. Christ departed at that time alone, but he arose not from death alone, but arose with a great host. The evangelist Matthew wrote in the book of Christ, that many holy men, who had died in the old law, arose with Christ; and all wise doctors have said that they have effected their resurrection to eternal life, as we all shall do at the end of this world. Those doctors said, that the raised men would {227} not truly have been witnesses of Christ's resurrection, if they had not been raised for ever. Now are extinguished all infidelities, so that no man may despair of his own resurrection, when the evangelist wrote that many arose with Christ, who were simple men, although Christ be God.

Now said the expounder Gregory, that it came to his mind, how the Jews cried out concerning Christ, when he was fastened on the cross. They said, "If he be the king of Israel, then let him now descend from the cross, and we will believe in him." If he had then descended from the cross, and would not have borne their mockery, he had certainly not given us any example of his patience: but he remained a while, and bare their mockery, and had patience. But he who would not break from the cross, arose from the sepulchre. A greater miracle it was, that he arose from death, than that he living should have broken from the cross. A greater miracle it was, that he brake death in pieces, through his resurrection, than that he should have preserved his life by descending from the cross. But when they saw that he descended not from the cross, for their mockery, but thereon awaited death, they believed that he was vanquished and his name extinguished: but it so fell out, that from death his name sprang forth over the whole earth. Then was their joy turned to the greatest pain; for their sorrow shall be endless.

The strong Samson betokened these things, who had enmity to the people called Philistines. Then it befell that he came to their city which was called Gaza: whereupon the Philistines were very joyful, and surrounded the city. But the strong Samson arose at midnight, and took the city gates, and bare them up on a hill, in derision of his foes. The strong Samson betokened Christ, the city of Gaza betokened hell, and the Philistines were a token of the Jewish people, who beset the sepulchre of Christ. But Samson would not go empty-handed from the city, but he {229} bare the gates up to the hill; for our Saviour Christ brake the gates of hell, and delivered Adam, and Eve, and his chosen of their kin, and joyfully from death arose, and they with him, and ascended to heaven. The wicked he left behind to eternal torments. And now is the gate of hell shut to righteous men, and ever open to the unrighteous.

Unhappy was the Jewish people, that they were so unbelieving. All creatures acknowledged their Creator, save only the Jews. Heaven acknowledged the birth of Christ; for when he was born a new star was seen. The sea acknowledged Christ, when he went with dry feet on its waves. Earth acknowledged him, when it all trembled at Christ's resurrection. The sun acknowledged him, when it was darkened at Christ's passion from mid-day to the ninth hour. The stones acknowledged him, when they burst asunder at their Creator's departure. Hell acknowledged Christ, when it let forth its captives, through the harrowing of Jesus. And yet the hardhearted Jews, through all these signs, would not incline with faith to the merciful Jesus, who will help all men who believe in him. But let us believe that God the Father was ever without beginning, and that the Son was ever begotten of the Father; for he is the Wisdom and Power through which the Father hath created all creatures; and they were all quickened by the Holy Ghost who is the Will and Love of the Father and of the Son; these three one God indivisible, existing in one Godhead, all equally powerful; for whatsoever is less and less powerful, that is not God. But the Father sent the Son for our redemption, and he alone assumed human nature, and suffered death of his own will, and arose from death on this day, and ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection, before the sight of many men, and ruleth with the Almighty Father and the Holy Ghost, now and ever to eternity. Amen.

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{230} DOMINICA PRIMA POST PASCA.

Cum esset sero die illo una sabbatorum: et reliqua.

"Aefter dhaes Haelendes ['ae]riste waeron his discipuli belocene on anum huse for dhaes Iudeiscan folces ['o]gan:" et reliqua.

Nu cwydh se godspellere Iohannes, thaet se Haelend worhte fela odhre tacna on gesihdhe his leorning-cnihta, the naeron gesette on Cristes b['e]c. Thas wundra sind awritene to dhi thaet ge sceolon gelyfan thaet se Haelend is Godes Sunu, and ge sceolon habban thaet ece l['i]f thurh dhone geleafan.

Nu trahtnadh se papa Gregorius dhis godspel, and cwydh, thaet gehw['a] wundradh hu se Haelend become in to his apostolum, and waeron dheah-hwaedhere dha dura belocene. Nu cwydh eft se halga Gregorius, thaet Cristes lichama com inn, beclysedum durum, sedhe weardh acenned of dham maedene Marian beclysedum innodhe. Hwilc wundor is thaet se Haelend mid ecum lichaman come inn, belocenum durum, sedhe mid deadlicum lichaman weardh acenned of beclysedum innodhe thaes maedenes?

We raedadh on dhaere bec dhe is geh['a]ten Actus Apostolorum, thaet tha heafod-men Iudeisces folces gebrohton Cristes apostolas on cwearterne: tha on niht com him to Godes engel, and laedde h['i] ['u]t of dham cwearterne, and st['o]d on merigen thaet cweartern faeste belocen. God maeig d['o]n ealle dhing: nu sceole we wundrian his mihte, and eac gelyfan. Thone lichaman he aeteowde to grapigenne, thone dhe he inn-brohte beclysedum durum. His lichama waes grapigendlic, and dheah-hwaedhere unbrosnigendlic; he aeteowde hine grapigendlicne and unbrosnigendlicne, fordhan dhe his lichama waes thaes ylcan gecyndes dhe he ['ae]r waes, ac waes hwaedhere theah odhres wuldres.

Se Haelend cwaedh to him, "Beo sibb betwux eow." For sibbe com Crist to mannum, and sibbe he bead and taehte, and nis nan dhing him gecweme the bidh butan sibbe ged['o]n. {232} "Swa swa min Faeder sende me swa sende ic eow. Se Faeder lufadh thone Sunu, ac dheah-hwaedhere he sende hine to dhrowunge for manna alysednysse." Crist lufode eac his apostolas, and dheah-hwaedhere ne sette he h['i] to cynegum, ne to ealdormannum, ne to woruldlicere blisse; ac tosende h['i] geond ealne middangeard, to bodigenne fulluht and dhone geleafan dhe he sylf taehte. Tha bododon h['i] swa lange odh thaet tha dhweoran h['i] ofslogon, and h['i] ferdon sigefaeste to heora Drihtne.

Crist bleow on dha apostolas, and cwaedh, "Onfodh Haligne Gast." Tuwa com se Halga Gast ofer dha apostolas; nu ['ae]ne, and eft odhre sidhe aefter Cristes upstige. Crist ableow thone Halgan Gast ofer dha apostolas, dha-gyt wunigende on eordhan, for dhaere getacnunge, thaet aelc cristen mann sceal lufian his nextan swa swa hine sylfne. Eft sidhdhan he to heofenum ast['a]h, he sende thone ylcan Gast on fyres h['i]we ofer dha apostolas, to dhi thaet we sceolon lufian God ofer ealle odhre dhing. An is se Halga Gast, theah dhe he tuwa become ofer dha apostolas. Swa is eac ['a]n lufu, and tw['a] bebodu, thaet we sceolon lufian God and men. Ac we sceolon geleornian on mannum hu we magon becuman to Godes lufe, swa swa Iohannes se apostol cwaedh, "Se dhe ne lufadh his brodhor, thone dhe h['e] gesihdh, hu maeg he lufian God, thone dhe he ne gesihdh lichamlice?" Aer dham fyrste waes se Halga Gast wunigende on dham apostolum, ac h['i] naeron to dhan swidhe onbryrde, thaet h['i] mihton swa bealdlice Godes geleafan bodian, swa swa h['i] sidhdhan mihton, thurh gife dhaes Halgan Gastes. H['i] saeton beclysede, for ['o]gan Iudeisces folces, on anum huse; ac sydhdhan h['i] waeron gefyllede mid tham Halgum Gaste, h['i] wurdon swa gehyrte, and swa cene, thaet h['i] bodedon freolice Godes naman redhum cynegum and waelreowum.

Crist cwaedh to dham apostolum, "Thaera manna synna the ge forgyfadh, thaera beodh forgifene; and dham dhe ge ofteodh tha forgifenysse, dham bidh oftogen." Thisne anweald forgeaf Crist tham apostolum and eallum bisceopum, gif h['i] hit on riht healdadh. Ac gif se bisceop dedh be his agenum willan, and wile {234} b['i]ndan thone ['u]nscyldigan, and thone scyldigan alysan, thonne forlyst h['e] dha mihte dhe him God forgeaf. Tham mannum he sceal d['o]n synna forgifenysse, the h['e] gesihdh thaet beodh onbryrde dhurh Godes gife, and tham he sceal aheardian the n['a]ne behreowsunge nabbadh heora misdaeda. Crist araerde of deadhe thone stincendan Lazarum, and thatha h['e] cucu waes, tha cwaedh h['e] to his leorning-cnihtum, "Tolysadh his bendas, thaet h['e] g['a]n maege." Tha alysdon h['i] thaes ge-edcucedan mannes bendas, the Crist araerde to life. Fordhi sceolon dha l['a]reowas dha unbindan fram heora synnum tha dhe Crist gel['i]ffaest thurh onbryrdnysse. Aelc synful man the his synna bedigladh, he lidh dead on byrgene; ac gif he his synna geandett thurh onbryrdnysse, thonne gaedh he of thaere byrgene, swa swa Lazarus dyde, thadha Crist hine arisan het: thonne sceal se lareow hine unbindan fram dham ecum w['i]te, swa swa dha apostoli lichamlice Lazarum alysdon. Ac se laeweda mann sceal him ondraedan thaes bisceopes cwyde, theah h['e] unscyldig sy; thylaes dhe he dhurh modignysse scyldig weordhe.

Ne getimode tham apostole Thome unforsceawodlice, thaet he ungeleafful waes Cristes aeristes, ac hit getimode thurh Godes forsceawunge; fordhan dhurh his grapunge we sind geleaffulle. Mare ['u]s fremode his tweonung thonne dhaera odhra apostola geleaffulnys; fordhan dhadha h['e] waes gebroht to geleafan mid dhaere grapunge, tha weardh seo twynung thurh thaet ['u]s aetbroden. Eadhe mihte Crist arisan of deadhe butan dolhswadhum, ac to dhi he heold tha dolhswadhu, thaet he wolde mid tham tha twynigendan getrymman. He cwaedh to Thoman, "Thu gelyfst, fordhan dhe dhu me gesawe." He geseah dhone lichaman and tha dolhswadhu, and he gelyfde thaet he waes God, sedhe araerde thone lichaman of deadhe. Swidhe blissiadh thas w['o]rd ['u]s the her aefterfiliadh, "Gesaelige beodh tha the me ne gesawon, and theah on me gelyfadh." Mid dham cwyde sind tha ealle getacnode the Crist on lichaman ne gesawon, and dheah-hwaedhere hine healdadh on heora mode thurh geleafan. Se gelyfdh sodhlice on God, sedhe mid weorcum begaedh thaet thaet h['e] {236} gelyfdh. Se dhe andet thaet h['e] God cunne, and yfele weorc begaedh, thonne widhsaecdh he God mid tham weorcum. Se geleafa the bidh butan godum weorcum, se is dead. This sind dhaera apostola word, undernimadh h['i] mid carfullum mode.

We sprecadh embe aerist. Nu sind sume men the habbadh twynunge be aeriste, and dhonne hi geseodh deadra manna b['a]n, thonne cwedhadh h['i], Hu magon dhas b['a]n beon ge-edcucode? Swilce h['i] w['i]slice sprecon! Ac we cwedhadh thaer-togeanes, thaet God is Aelmihtig, and maeg eal thaet he wile. He geworhte heofonas and eordhan and ealle gesceafta butan antimbre. Nu is gedhuht thaet him sy sumera dhinga eadhelicor to araerenne dhone deadan of dham duste, thonne him waere to wyrcenne ealle gesceafta of nahte: ac sodhlice him sind ealle dhing gelice eadhe, and n['a]n dhing earfodhe. He worhte Adam of l['a]me. Nu ne mage we asmeagan h['u] h['e] of dham l['a]me flaesc worhte, and blod b['a]n and fell, fex and naeglas. Men geseodh oft thaet of anum lytlum cyrnele cymdh micel treow, ac we ne magon geseon on tham cyrnele nadhor ne wyrtruman, ne rinde, ne b['o]gas, ne leaf: ac se God the fordhtihdh of dham cyrnele treow, and waestmas, and leaf, se ylca maeg of duste ar['ae]ran flaesc and b['a]n, sina and fex, swa swa he cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ne sceal eow beon forloren an h['ae]r of eowrum heafde."

Se apostol Paulus cwaedh, thaet we sceolon arisan of deadhe on dhaere ylde the Crist waes thadha he dhrowade, thaet is embe threo and dhritig geara. Theah cild fordhfare, odhdhe forwerod man, theah-hwaedhere h['i] cumadh to thaere ylde dhe we aer cwaedon; haefdh theah gehw['a] his agenne waestm, the he on thissum life haefde, odhdhe habban sceolde, gif he his gebide. Gif hw['a] alefed waere, odhdhe limleas on thissum life, he bidh thonne swa hit awriten is, thaet "Ealle dha the to Godes rice gebyrigadh, nabbadh nadhor ne womm ne awyrdnysse on heora lichaman." Hwaet sceole we smeagan embe dha odhre the gew['i]tadh to dham ecum forwyrde, hwaedher h['i] alefede beon odhdhe limlease, thonne h['i] beodh on ecere susle wunigende?

Hit bidh thonne swa swa Crist cwaedh, thaet "Nan wer ne {238} wifadh, ne wif ne ceorladh, ne team ne bidh getymed, ne h['i] deadhes ne abyrigadh sidhdhan, ac beodh englum gelice, thonne h['i] mid englum wuniadh." Ne him ne lyst nanre galnysse, ne h['i] naefre sidhdhan synna ne gewyrceadh. Ne bidh thaer sorh, ne s['a]r, ne nan gedreccednys, ac bidh fulfremed sib and singal bliss, and beodh cudhe ge dha the aer cudhe waeron ge dha the uncudhe waeron, wunigende on brodhorlicre lufe mid Gode ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

{231} THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

Cum esset sero die illo una sabbatorum: et reliqua.

"After the resurrection of Jesus his disciples were shut in a house for dread of the Jews," etc.

Now says the evangelist John, that Jesus wrought many other miracles in the sight of his disciples, which have not been recorded in the book of Christ. These miracles are written to the end that ye may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that ye may have eternal life through that belief.