Part 22

Now the pope Gregory, expounding this gospel, says, that everyone wonders how Jesus came in to his apostles, and yet the doors were shut. But again St. Gregory says, that Christ's body came in, the doors being closed, which was born of the Virgin Mary, of a closed womb. What wonder is it, that Jesus with an everlasting body came in, the doors being closed, who with a mortal body was born of the closed womb of the virgin?

We read in the book which is called The Acts of the Apostles, that the chief men of the Jewish people brought Christ's apostles into prison: then by night God's angel came to them, and led them out of the prison, and on the morrow the prison stood fast shut up. God can do all things: therefore we should wonder at his might, and also believe. He showed the body to be touched which he had brought in, the doors being closed. His body was tangible, and, nevertheless, incorruptible; he showed himself tangible and incorruptible, for his body was of the same nature that it before was, but was yet of another glory.

Jesus said to them, "Peace be among you." For peace Christ came to men, and peace he enjoined and taught, and nothing is to him acceptable which is done without peace. {233} "As my Father sent me so I send you. The Father loveth the Son, but yet he sendeth him to suffering for the redemption of men." Christ also loved his apostles, and yet he established them not as kings, nor as governors, nor in worldly bliss; but he sent them over all the earth, to preach baptism and the faith which he himself had taught. They preached until the wicked slew them, and they went triumphant to their Lord.

Christ blew on the apostles, and said, "Receive the Holy Ghost." Twice came the Holy Ghost over the apostles; once now, and again another time at Christ's ascension. Christ blew the Holy Ghost over the apostles, while yet continuing on earth, for a token that every christian man should love his neighbour as himself. Again, after he had ascended to heaven, he sent the Holy Ghost in semblance of fire over the apostles, to the end that we should love God above all other things. The Holy Ghost is one, though he came twice over the apostles. So there is also one love, and two commandments, that we should love God and men. But we should learn in men how we may come to the love of God, as John the apostle said, "He who loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not bodily?" Before that time the Holy Ghost was dwelling in the apostles, but they were not stimulated to that degree, that they could boldly preach God's faith, as they could afterwards, through the grace of the Holy Ghost. They sat, for fear of the Jewish people, shut in a house; but after they were filled with the Holy Ghost, they were so encouraged, and so bold, that they freely proclaimed the name of God to fierce and bloodthirsty kings.

Christ said to the apostles, "Those men's sins which ye forgive, they shall be forgiven; and those from whom ye withdraw forgiveness, from them it shall be withdrawn." This power Christ gave to the apostles and to all bishops, if they righteously hold it. But if the bishop act by his own will, {235} and will bind the innocent, and loose the guilty, then loses he the power which God gave him. To those men he shall grant forgiveness of sins, whom he sees that they are stimulated by God's grace, and to those he shall be obdurate who have no repentance of their misdeeds. Christ raised from death the stinking Lazarus, and when he was quickened, he said to his disciples, "Loose his bands, that he may go." They loosed the bands of the requickened man, whom Christ had raised to life. Therefore should our teachers unbind from their sins those whom Christ quickens by stimulation. Every sinful man who conceals his sins, lies dead in the sepulchre; but if he confess his sins through stimulation, then he goes from the sepulchre, as Lazarus did, when Christ bade him arise: then shall the teacher unbind him from the eternal punishment, as the apostles bodily unbound Lazarus. But the layman shall stand in awe of the bishop's word, though he be guiltless; lest he become guilty through pride.

It happened to the apostle Thomas not unprovidentially, that he was unbelieving of Christ's resurrection, but it happened by the providence of God; for through his touching we are believing. Of greater benefit to us was his doubt than the faith of the other apostles; for when he was brought to belief by that touching, doubt was thereby taken from us. Easily might Christ have arisen from death without scars, but he held the scars, because he would thereby confirm the doubtful. He said to Thomas, "Thou believest, because thou hast seen me." He saw the body and the scars, and he believed that he was God, who had raised the body from death. Greatly gladden us the words which here follow, "Blessed are they who have not seen me, and yet believe in me." By that saying are betokened all those who have not seen Christ in the body, and, nevertheless, hold him in their mind through faith. For he believes in God, who by works practises that which he believes. He who acknowledges that {237} he knows God, and performs evil works, denies God by those works. Faith without good works is dead. These are the words of the apostles, receive them with careful mind.

We will speak concerning the resurrection. Now there are some men who have doubt of the resurrection, and when they see the bones of dead men, they say, How can these bones be again quickened? as if they speak wisely! But we say against them, that God is Almighty, and can do all that he will. He wrought heaven and earth and all creatures without matter. Now it seems that it is somewhat easier to him to raise the dead from the dust, than it was to him to make all creatures from naught: but truly to him are all things alike easy, and nothing difficult. He wrought Adam of loam. Now we cannot investigate how of that loam he made flesh and blood, bones and skin, hair and nails. Men often see that of one little kernel comes a great tree, but in the kernel we can see neither root, nor rind, nor boughs, nor leaves: but the same God who draws forth from the kernel tree, and fruits, and leaves, may from dust raise flesh and bones, sinews and hair, as he said in his gospel, "There shall not be lost to you one hair of your head."

The apostle Paul said, that we should arise from death at the age that Christ was when he suffered, that is about three and thirty years. Though a child depart, or a worn-out man, they will, nevertheless, come to the age we before said; yet will everyone have his own growth, which he had in this life, or should have had, if he had awaited it. If any one be maimed, or limbless in this life, he will be as it is written, that "All those who belong to God's kingdom, shall have neither blemish nor hurt on their bodies." What shall we suppose concerning those others who depart to everlasting perdition, whether they are maimed or limbless, when they are dwelling in eternal torment?

It will then be as Christ said, that "No man taketh to {239} wife, nor woman to husband, nor family is begotten, nor taste they of death, but will be like unto the angels, when they dwell with angels." No libidinousness will give them pleasure, nor will they ever perpetrate sins. No sorrow nor pain will be there, nor no affliction, but there will be perfect peace and continual bliss, and there will be known both those who were known before and those who were unknown, dwelling in brotherly love with God ever to eternity. Amen.

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DOMINICA II. POST PASCA.

Dixit Iesus discipulis suis, Ego sum pastor bonus: et reliqua.

This godspel, the n['u] geraed waes, cwydh, thaet se Haelend cwaede be him sylfum, "Ic eom g['o]d hyrde: se g['o]da hyrde syldh his agen l['i]f for his sceapum. Se hyra, sedhe nis riht hyrde, he gesihdh thone wulf cuman, and he forlaet dha sc['e]p and flyhdh; and se wulf sum gelaecdh and dha odhre tostencdh," et reliqua.

Crist is go['o]d gecyndelice, and sodhlice nis nan dhing g['o]d butan Gode anum. Gif aenig gesceaft is g['o]d, thonne is seo g['o]dnys of dham Scyppende, sedhe is healice g['o]d. He cwaedh, "Se g['o]da hyrde syldh his agen l['i]f for his sceapum." Ure Alysend is se g['o]da hyrde, and we cristene men sind his sc['e]p, and he sealde his agen l['i]f for ure alysednysse. He dyde swa swa he manede, and mid tham he geswutelode hwaet he bebead. G['o]d hyrde waes Petrus, and g['o]d waes Paulus, and g['o]de waeron dha apostoli, dhe hyra l['i]f sealdon for Godes folce and for rihtum geleafan; ac heora g['o]dnys waes of dham heafde, thaet is Crist, dhe is heora heafod, and h['i] sind his lima.

Aelc bisceop and aelc l['a]reow is to hyrde gesett Godes folce, thaet h['i] sceolon thaet folc widh dhone wulf gescyldan. Se wulf {240} is deofol, the syrwdh ymbe Godes geladhunge, and cepdh hu he mage cristenra manna sawla mid leahtrum ford['o]n. Thonne sceal se hyrde, thaet is se bisceop odhdhe odher l['a]reow, widhstandan tham redhan wulfe mid l['a]re and mid gebedum. Mid lare he sceal him taecan, thaet hi cunnon hwaet deofol taechdh mannum to forwyrde, and hwaet God beb['y]t to gehealdenne, for begeate thaes ecan lifes. He sceal him fore-gebiddan, thaet God gehealde tha str['a]ngan, and gehaele dha untruman. Se bidh to str['a]ngum geteald, sethe widhstent deofles lare; se bidh untrum, sedhe on leahtrum fyldh. Ac se l['a]reow bidh unscyldig, gif he thaet folc mid lare gewissadh, and him widh God gedhingadh. Tha twa dhing he sceal dham folce d['o]n, and eac mid his agenum odhrum gehelpan; and gif hit swa get['i]madh, his agen l['i]f syllan for dhaes folces hreddinge.

"Se hyra flihdh thonne he dhone wulf gesihdh." Se is hyra and na hyrde, sedhe bidh begripen on woruld-dhingum, and lufadh thone wurdhmynt and dha ateorigendlican edlean, and naefdh inweardlice lufe to Godes sceapum. He cepdh thaera sceatta, and blissadh on dham wurdhmynte, and haefdh his mede for dhisum life, and bidh bescyred thaere ecan mede. Nast dhu hw['a] bidh hyra, hw['a] hyrde, aerdham dhe se wulf cume; ac se wulf geswuteladh mid hwilcum mode he gymde thaera sceapa. Se wulf cymdh to dham sceapum, and sume h['e] abitt, sume h['e] tostencdh, thonne se redha deofol tihdh tha cristenan men, sume to forl['i]gre, sume h['e] ontent to gytsunge, sume h['e] araerdh to modignysse, sume h['e] thurh graman totwaemdh, and mid mislicum costnungum gastlice ofslihdh. Ac se hyra ne bidh nadhor ne mid ware ne mid lufe astyred, ac flyhdh, fordhan the h['e] smeadh embe dha woruldlican hydhdha, and l['ae]t to gymeleaste thaere sceapa lyre. Ne flyhdh he na mid lichaman, ac mid mode. He flyhdh, fordhan the h['e] geseh unrihtwisnysse and suwade. H['e] flyhdh fordhan dhe he is hyra, and n['a] hyrde, swilce hit swa gecweden sy, Ne maeg se standan ongean fraecednyssa thaera sceapa, sedhe ne gymdh thaera sceapa mid lufe, ac {242} tyladh his sylfes; thaet is thaet h['e] lufadh tha eordhlican gestreon, and na Godes folc.

Wulf bidh eac se unrihtwisa rica, dhe bereafadh tha cristenan, and dha eadmodan mid his riccetere ofsitt: ac se hyra, odhdhe se m['e]dgylda ne gedyrstlaecdh thaet he his unrihtwisnysse widhstande, thaet he ne forleose his wurdhmynt, and dha woruldlican gestreon dhe he lufadh swidhor dhonne tha cristenan menn. Be dhisum awr['a]t se w['i]tega Ezechiel, thus cwedhende, "Ge hyrdas, gehyradh Godes word: Mine sc['e]p sint tostencte dhurh eowre gymeleaste, and sind ab['i]tene. Ge cariadh embe eowerne bigleofan, and n['a] embe thaera sceapa; fordhi ic wille ofg['a]n dha sc['e]p aet eowrum handum; and ic do thaet ge gesw['i]cadh thaere w['i]can, and ic wylle ahreddan mine eowde widh eow. Ic sylf wylle gadrian mine sc['e]p the waeron tostencte, and ic wylle hi healdan on genihtsumere laese: thaet thaet losode thaet ic wylle s['e]can and ongean laedan; thaet thaet alefed waes, thaet ic gehaele; thaet untrume ic wylle getrymman, and thaet strange gehealdan, and ic h['i] laeswige on dome and on rihtwisnysse."

Thas word spraec God thurh dhone w['i]tegan Ezechiel, be l['a]reowum and be his folce. Ge sceolon beon geornfulle to eower agenre dhearfe, theah hit swa getimige thaet se l['a]reow gimeleas beo, and dodh swa swa Crist taehte, "Gif se l['a]reow wel t['ae]ce and yfele bysnige, dodh swa swa he taecdh, and na be dham the h['e] bysnadh." Se Haelend cwaedh be him, "Ic eom g['o]d hyrde, and ic oncnawe mine sc['e]p, and h['i] oncnawadh me." Thaet is, ic lufige h['i], and h['i] lufiadh me. Se dhe ne lufadh sodhfaestnysse, ne oncneow he na gyt God. Ac behealde ge hwaedher ge sind Godes sc['e]p, hwaedher ge hine gyt oncneowon, hwaedher ge mid sodhfaestnysse hine lufiadh. H['e] cwaedh, "Swa swa min Faeder oncn['ae]wdh me, and ic oncn['a]we hine, and ic sylle min agen lif for minum sceapum." He oncn['ae]wdh his Faeder dhurh hine sylfne, and we oncnawadh thurh hine. Mid thaere lufe the h['e] wolde for mancynne sweltan, mid thaere h['e] cydhde h['u] micclan h['e] lufadh his Faeder. He cwaedh, "Ic haebbe odhre sc['e]p the ne sind na of dhisre eowde, and dha ic sceal laedan, {244} and hi gehyradh mine stemne, and sceal beon ['a]n eowd, and ['a]n hyrde."

This h['e] spraec on Iudea-lande: dhaer waes ['a]n eowd of dham mannum the on God belyfdon on dham leodscipe. Tha odhre sc['e]p syndon tha the of eallum odhrum eardum to Gode b['u]gadh; and Crist h['i] gebrincdh ealle on ['a]nre eowde on dham ecan life. Manega sind hyrdas under Criste, and dheah-hwaedhere he is ['a]na heora ealra Hyrde, sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste, ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

Dixit Jesus discipulis suis, Ego sum pastor bonus: et reliqua.

This gospel, which has now been read, says, that Jesus said of himself, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his own life for his sheep. The hireling, who is not the right shepherd, seeth the wolf coming, and he forsaketh the sheep and fleeth; and the wolf teareth one, and scattereth the others," etc.

Christ is good by nature, and in sooth there is nothing good, save God only. If any creature is good, then is its goodness of the Creator, who is supremely good. He said, "The good shepherd giveth his own life for his sheep." Our Redeemer is the good shepherd, and we christian men are his sheep, and he gave his own life for our redemption. He did as he exhorted, and he thereby manifested what he enjoined. A good shepherd was Peter, and good was Paul, and good were the apostles, who gave their lives for God's people and for the right faith; but their goodness was of the head, which is Christ, who is their head, and they are his limbs.

Every bishop and every teacher is placed as a shepherd over God's people, that they may shield the people against {241} the wolf. The wolf is the devil, who lies in ambush about God's church, and watches how he may fordo the souls of christian men with sins. Then shall the shepherd, that is, the bishop or other teacher, withstand the fierce wolf with doctrine and with prayers. With doctrine he shall teach them, that they may know what the devil teaches for men's perdition, and what God commands to be observed for the attainment of everlasting life. He shall pray for them, that God may preserve the strong and heal the weak. He is to be accounted strong who withstands the precepts of the devil; he is weak who falls into sins. But the teacher will be guiltless, if he direct the people with doctrine, and mediate for them with God. These two things he shall do for the people, and also help others with his own; and if it so happen, give his own life for the saving of the people.

"The hireling fleeth when he seeth the wolf." He is a hireling and not a shepherd, who is engaged in worldly things, and loves dignity and perishable rewards, and has no inward love for God's sheep. He takes heed of treasures, and rejoices in dignity, and has his reward in this life, and will be cut off from the everlasting reward. Thou knowest not who is a hireling, who a shepherd, before the wolf comes; but the wolf makes manifest in what manner he watches the sheep. The wolf comes to the sheep, and some he devours, some he scatters, when the fierce devil instigates christian men, some to adultery, some he inflames to covetousness, some he lifts up to pride, some through anger he divides, and with divers temptations spiritually slays: for the hireling is excited neither by care nor love, but flees, because he considers worldly advantages, and leaves unheeded the loss of the sheep. He flees not with body, but with mind. He flees because he saw iniquity and held silence. He flees because he is a hireling and not a shepherd, as though it were so said, He cannot stand against the perils of the sheep, who guardeth not the sheep with love, but provideth {243} for himself; that is, he loves worldly gain, and not God's folk.

The unrighteous powerful man also is a wolf, who robs christians, and oppresses the humble with his power: for the hireling, or the mercenary, dares not withstand his unrighteousness lest he lose his dignity, and the worldly gain which he loves more than christian men. Concerning this the prophet Ezechiel wrote, thus saying, "Ye shepherds, hear the word of God: My sheep are scattered through your heedlessness, and are devoured. Ye care for your own sustenance, and not for that of the sheep; therefore I will require the sheep at your hands, and I will cause you to depart from the fold, and I will deliver my flock from you. I myself will gather my sheep that were scattered, and I will feed them in an abundant pasture: that which was lost I will seek and bring again; that which was maimed I will heal; the sick I will strengthen, and feed the strong, and I will pasture them in judgement and in righteousness."

These words spake God through the prophet Ezechiel, concerning teachers and concerning his people. Ye should be zealous for your own need (though it so happen that the teacher be heedless), and do as Christ taught, "If the teacher teach well, and give evil example, do as he teacheth, and not according to his example." Jesus says of himself, "I am a good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and they know me." That is, I love them, and they love me. He who loves not truth, he yet knows not God. But consider whether ye are God's sheep, whether ye yet know him, whether ye with truth love him. He said, "As my Father knoweth me, I also know him, and I give my own life for my sheep." He knows his Father through himself, and we know him through him. With that love with which he would die for mankind, he manifested how greatly he loves his Father. He said, "I have other sheep which are not of this fold, and those I {245} shall bring, and they will hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."

This he spake in the land of Juda: there was a fold of men who believed in God in that nation. The other sheep are those of all other countries who incline to God; and Christ will bring them all to one fold in eternal life. Many are the shepherds under Christ, and yet he alone is Shepherd of them all, who liveth and ruleth with the Father and with the Holy Ghost ever to eternity. Amen.

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IN LETANIA MAIORE.

Dhas dagas synd gehatene LETANIAE, thaet sint, GEBED-DAGAS. On dhisum dagum we sceolon gebiddan ure eordhlicra waestma genihtsumnysse, and us sylfum gesundfulnysse and sibbe, and, thaet g['y]t mare is, ure synna forgyfenysse.

We raedadh on b['o]cum, thaet dheos gehealdsumnys wurde ar['ae]red on dhone timan dhe gel['a]mp on anre byrig, dhe Uigenna is gecweden, micel eordh-styrung, and feollon cyrcan and h['u]s, and comon wilde beran and wulfas, and ab['i]ton dhaes folces micelne d['ae]l, and thaes cynges botl weardh mid heofonlicum fyre forbaerned. Tha bead se biscop Mamertus dhreora daga faesten, and seo gedreccednys dha geswac; and se gewuna dhaes faestenes dhurhwunadh gehwaer on geleaffulre geladhunge.

H['i] namon tha bysne dhaes faestenys aet dham Niniueiscan folce. Thaet folc waes swidhe fyrenful: tha wolde God h['i] ford['o]n, ac h['i] gegladodon hine mid heora behreowsunge. God spraec to anum w['i]tegan, se waes Ionas geh['a]ten, "Far to dhaere byrig Niniuen, and boda dhaer dha word the ic the secge. Tha weardh se w['i]tega afyrht, and wolde forfleon Godes gesihdhe, ac h['e] ne mihte. Ferde dha to s['ae], and stah on scip. Dhadha tha scypmen comon ut on s['ae], tha sende him God to micelne {246} wind and hreohnysse, swa thaet h['i] waeron ['o]rwene heora l['i]fes. Hi dha wurpon heora waru oforbord, and se w['i]tega laeg and sl['e]p. Hi wurpon dha t['a]n betweox him, and baedon thaet God sceolde geswutulian hwanon him thaet ungelimp become. Tha com dhaes w['i]tegan t['a] upp. Hi axodon hine, Hwaet h['e] waere, odhdhe h['u] h['e] faran wolde? He cwaedh, thaet h['e] waere Godes dheow, sedhe gesceop s['ae] and l['a]nd, and thaet h['e] fleon wolde of Godes gesihdhe. H['i] cwaedon, H['u] do we ymbe dhe? H['e] andwyrde, Weorpadh me oforbord, thonne geswicdh theos gedreccednys. H['i] dha swa dydon, and seo hreohnys weardh gestilled, and h['i] offrodon Gode heora l['a]c, and tugon fordh."

God dha gegearcode aenne hw['ae]l, and h['e] forswealh thone w['i]tegan, and ab['ae]r hine to dham lande the he t['o] sceolde, and hine dhaer ['u]t-asp['a]w. Tha com eft Godes w['o]rd to dham w['i]tegan, and cwaedh, "Ar['i]s nu, and ga to dhaere mycelan byrig Niniu['e]n, and boda swa swa ic dhe aer saede." He ferde, and bodode, thaet him waes Godes grama ['o]nsigende, gif h['i] to Gode bugan noldon. Dha ar['a]s se cyning of his cynesetle, and awearp his deorwyrdhe reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and axan uppan his heafod, and bead thaet aelc man swa d['o]n sceolde; and aegdher ge men ge dha sucendan cild and eac dha nytenu ne onbyrigdon nanes dhinges binnan dhrim dagum. Tha, dhurh tha gecyrrednysse, thaet h['i] yfeles geswicon, and dhurh thaet strange faesten, him gemildsode God, and nolde hi ford['o]n, swa swa he ['ae]r tha twa burhwara Sodomam and Gomorram, for heora leahtrum, mid heofonlicum fyre forbaernde.

We sceolon eac on dhissum dagum beg['a]n ure gebedu, and fyligan urum haligdome ut and inn, and dhone Aelmihtigan God mid geornfulnysse herian. We wylladh nu this godspel eow gereccan, the her nu geraed waes: "Quis uestrum habebit amicum:" et reliqua. "Se Haelend cwaedh to his leorning-cnihtum, Hwilc eower is the haefdh sumne freond, and gaedh him to on middere nihte, and cwydh": et reliqua.