Part 23

{248} Se halga Augustinus trahtnode this godspel, and cwaedh, thaet seo niht getacnode tha nytennysse thisre worulde. Theos woruld is afylled mid nytennysse. Nu sceal fordhi gehw['a] arisan of dhaere nytennysse, and gan to his frynd, thaet is, thaet he sceal gebugan to Criste mid ealre geornfulnysse, and biddan thaera dhreora hlafa, thaet is, geleafan thaere Halgan Dhrynnysse. Se Aelmihtiga Faeder is God, and his Sunu is Aelmihtig God, and se Halga Gast is Aelmihtig God; na dhry Godas, ac h['i] ealle ['a]n Aelmihtig God untodaeledlic. Thonne dhu becymst to dhisum dhrym hlafum, thaet is, to andgite dhaere Halgan Dhrynnysse, thonne haefst dhu on dham geleafan l['i]f and f['o]dan dhinre sawle, and miht odherne cuman eac mid dham fedan, thaet is, dhu miht taecan dhone geleafan odhrum frynd the the dhaes bitt. He cwaedh, 'cuma,' fordhan dhe we ealle sind cuman on dhisum life, and ure eard nis na her; ac we sind her swilce wegferende menn; ['a]n cymdh, odher faerdh; se bidh acenned, se odher fordhfaerdh and rymdh him setl. Nu sceal gehw['a] fordhi gewilnian thaes geleafan thaere Halgan Dhrynnysse, fordhan dhe se geleafa hine gebrincdh to dham ecan life.

We wylladh eft embe dhone geleafan swidhor sprecan, fordhan dhe dhises godspelles traht haefdh g['o]dne tige. Se hiredes ealdor, the waes on his reste gebroht mid his cildum, is Crist, the sitt on heofonum mid his apostolum, and mid martyrum, and mid eallum tham halgum, the he on dhisum life gefette. We sceolon clypigan to Criste, and biddan dhaera dhreora hlafa. Theah h['e] ['u]s thaerrihte ne getidhige, ne sceole we fordhi thaere bene geswican. He elcadh, and wyle hwaedhere forgyfan. Thi h['e] elcadh, thaet we sceolon beon oflyste, and deorwyrdhlice healdan Godes gife. Swa hwaet swa man eadhelice begyt, thaet ne bidh na swa deorwyrdhe swa thaet thaet earfodhlice bidh begyten. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Gif he dhurhwunadh cnucigende, thonne arist se hiredes ealdor, for dhaes odhres onhrope, and him getidhadh thaes dhe he bitt, na for freondraedene, ac for his unstilnysse." Thi he cwaedh, "Na for freondraedene," fordhan dhe n['a]n man naere wyrdhe ne thaes geleafan ne dhaes ecan lifes, gif Godes mildheortnys naere {250} dhe mare ofer manncynne. Nu sceole we cnucian, and hryman to Criste, fordhan dhe h['e] wile us tidhian, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Biddadh, and eow bidh forgifen; secadh, and ge gemetadh; cnuciadh, and eow bidh geopenod." Aelc dhaera dhe geornlice bitt, and thaere bene ne geswicdh, tham getidhadh God thaes ecan lifes.

He cwaedh tha odher bigspel. "Hwilc faeder wile syllan his cilde st['a]n, gif hit hine hlafes bitt? oththe naeddran, gif hit fisces bitt? odhdhe thone wyrm dhrowend, gif hit aeges bitt?" God is ure Faeder thurh his mildheortnysse, and se fisc getacnadh geleafan, and thaet aeig dhone halgan hiht, se hl['a]f dha sodhan lufe. Thas dhreo dhing forgifdh God his gecorenum; fordhan dhe nan man ne maeg habban Godes rice, butan he haebbe dhas dhreo dhing. He sceal rihtlice gelyfan, and habban hiht to Gode, and sodhe lufe to Gode and to mannum, gif he wile to Godes rice becuman. Se fisc getacnadh geleafan, fordhan dhe his gecynd is, swa hine swidhor dha ydha wealcadh, swa he strengra bidh, and swidhor batadh. Swa eac se geleaffulla man, swa he swidhor bidh geswenct for his geleafan, swa se geleafa strengra bidh, thaer dhaer h['e] aeltaewe bidh. Gif h['e] abrydh on dhaere ehtnysse, he ne bidh thonne geleafa, ac bidh h['i]wung. Thaet aeig getacnadh hiht, fordhi dhe fugelas ne tymadh swa swa odhre nytenu, ac aerest hit bidh aeig, and seo modor sidhdhan mid hihte bret thaet aeig to bridde. Swa eac ure hiht ne becom na gyt to dham dhe he hopadh, ac is swilce h['e] sy aeig. Thonne he haefdh thaet him behaten is, he bidh fugel. Hl['a]f getacnadh tha sodhan lufe, seo is ealra maegna maest, swa swa se hl['a]f bidh ealra metta fyrmest. Micel maegen is geleafa, and micel is se sodha hiht; theah-hwaedhere seo lufu hi oferswidh, fordhan dhe heo bidh ['a] on ecnysse, and dha odhre twa geendiadh. We gelyfadh nu on God, and we hopiadh to him: eft thonne we becumadh to his r['i]ce, swa swa he us behet, thonne bidh se geleafa geendod, fordhan dhe we geseodh thonne thaet we nu gelyfadh. Ure hiht bidh eac geendod, fordhan dhe we beodh haebbende dhaes dhe we aer hopedon; ac seo lufu ne ateoradh naefre: nu is heo fordhi heora selest.

{252} Seo naeddre is geset on dham godspelle ongean dhone fisc. On naeddran h['i]we besw['a]c se deofol Adam; and aefre h['e] windh nu ongean urne geleafan: ac seo gescyldnys is aet urum Faeder gelang. Se wyrm dhrowend, the is geset ongean thaet aeig, is aettren, and slihdh mid tham taegle to deadhe. Tha dhing dhe we geseodh on dhisum l['i]fe, dha sind ateorigendlice; tha dhe we ne geseodh, and us sind beh['a]tene, hi sind ['e]ce: strece dhaerto thinne hiht, and anbida odhthaet dhu hi haebbe. Ne loca dhu underbaec; ondraed the dhone dhrowend the ge['ae]ttradh mid tham taegle. Se man locadh underbaec, the geortruwadh Godes mildheortnysse; thonne bidh his hiht geaettrod mid thaes dhrowendes taegle. Ac we sceolon aeigdher ge on earfodhnyssum, ge on gelimpe and on ungelimpe, cwedhan, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "Ic herige minne Drihten on aelcne t['i]man." Getimige ['u]s tela on lichaman, getimige ['u]s untela, symle we sceolon thaes Gode dhancian, and his naman bletsian; thonne bidh ure hiht gehealden widh thaes wyrmes slege.

St['a]n is gesett ongean dhone hl['a]f, fordhan dhe heardmodnys is widherraede sodhre lufe. Heardheort bidh se mann, dhe nele thurh lufe odhrum fremigan, thaer dhaer h['e] maeg. Thaet godspel cwaedh, "Gif ge cunnon, tha dhe yfele sind, syllan dha g['o]dnysse eowrum bearnum, hu micele swidhor wile eower Heofonlica Faeder forgyfan g['o]dne gast him biddendum." Hwaet sind dha g['o]d the men sylladh heora cildum? Hwilwendlice g['o]dnyssa, swylce swa thaet godspel hrepode, hl['a]f, and fisc, and aeig. G['o]de sind thas dhing be heora maedhe, fordhan dhe se eordhlica lichama behofadh thaes fodan. Nu ge, gleawe men, nelladh syllan eowrum cildum naeddran for fisce, nele eac ure Heofonlica Faeder us syllan thaes deofles geleaflaeste, gif we hine biddadh thaet he ['u]s sylle sodhne geleafan. And dhu nelt syllan dhinum bearne throwend for ['ae]ge, nele eac God us syllan orwenysse for hihte. And dhu nelt dhinum bearne syllan st['a]n for hl['a]fe, nele eac God us syllan heardheortnysse for sodhre lufe. Ac se goda Heofonlica Faeder forgifdh us geleafan, and {254} hiht, and dha sodhan lufe, and dedh thaet we habbadh g['o]dne gast, thaet is, g['o]dne willan.

Us is to smeagenne thaet word the he cwaedh, "Ge dhe sind yfele." Yfele we sind, ac we habbadh g['o]dne Faeder. We habbadh gehyred urne naman, "Ge dhe synt yfele." Ac hw['a] is ure Faeder? Se Aelmihtiga God. And hwilcera manna Faeder is he? Swutelice hit is ges['ae]d, yfelra manna. And hwilc is se Faeder? Be dham the is gecweden, "Nis nan man g['o]d butan Gode anum." Se dhe aefre is g['o]d, he brincdh us yfele to g['o]dum mannum, gif we bugadh fram yfele, and dodh g['o]d. G['o]d waes se man gesceapen Adam, ac dhurh his agenne cyre, and deofles tihtinge, he weardh yfel, and eal his ofspring. Se dhe synful bidh, he bidh yfel, and n['a]n man nis on l['i]fe butan sumere synne. Ac ure g['o]da Faeder us geclaensadh and gehaeldh, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "Drihten, gehael me, and ic beo gehaeled; geheald thu me, and ic beo gehealden."

Se dhe g['o]d beon wile, clypige to dham the aefre is g['o]d, thaet he hine g['o]dne gewyrce. Se man haefdh gold, thaet is g['o]d be his maedhe: he haefdh land and welan, tha sint g['o]de. Ac ne bidh se man g['o]d thurh dhas dhing, butan he mid tham g['o]d wyrce, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "He aspende his dhing, and todaelde dhearfum, and his rihtwisnys wunadh ['a] on worulde." He gewanode his feoh and geihte his rihtwisnysse. He gewanode thaet he forlaetan sceal, and thaet bidh geiht thaet thaet he habban sceal on ecnysse. Thu herast dhone mancgere dhe begytt gold mid leade, and nelt herigan dhone dhe begytt rihtwisnysse and heofonan rice mid brosnigendlicum feo. Se r['i]ca and se dhearfa sind wegferende on dhisre worulde. Nu berdh se r['i]ca swaere byrdhene his gestreona, and se dhearfa gaedh aemtig. Se r['i]ca berdh mare thonne he beh['o]fige to his formettum, se odher berdh aemtigne pusan. Fordhi sceal se r['i]ca daelan his byrdhene widh thone dhearfan, thonne wanadh he dha byrdhene his synna, and dham thearfan gehelpdh. Ealle we sind Godes thearfan; uton fordhi oncnawan tha dhearfan the us biddadh, thaet {256} God oncnawe us, thonne we hine biddadh ure neoda. Hwaet sind tha dhe us biddadh? Earme men, and tiddre, and deadlice. Aet hwam biddadh h['i]? Aet earmum mannum, and tiddrum, and deadlicum. Butan tham aehtum, gelice sind tha the dhaer biddadh, and dhadhe h['i] aetbiddadh. H['u] mihtu for sceame aeniges dhinges aet Gode biddan, gif dhu forwyrnst dhinum gel['i]can thaes dhe dhu foreadhelice him getidhian miht? Ac se r['i]ca besihdh on his paellenum gyrlum, and cwydh, 'Nis se loddere mid his taettecon m['i]n gel['i]ca.' Ac se apostol Paulus hine nebbadh mid thisum wordum, "Ne brohte we n['a]n dhing to dhisum middangearde, ne we n['a]n dhing heonon mid ['u]s laedan ne magon."

Gif r['i]ce w['i]f, and earm acennadh togaedere, gangon h['i] aweig; nast dhu hwaedher bidh thaes r['i]can w['i]fan cild, hwaedher thaes earman. Eft, gif man openadh deaddra manna byrgynu, nast dhu hwaedher beodh thaes r['i]can mannes b['a]n, hwaedher thaes dhearfan. Ac seo gytsung is ealra yfelra dhinga wyrtruma; and tha dhe fyligadh thaere gytsunge, h['i] dweliadh fram Godes geleafan, and hi befealladh on mislice costnunga and derigendlice lustas, dhe hi besencadh on forwyrd. Odher is thaet hw['a] r['i]ce beo, gif his yldran him aehta becwaedon; odher is, gif hw['a] thurh gytsunge r['i]ce gewurdhe. Thises mannes gytsung is gewreht widh God, na dhaes odhres aeht, gif his heorte ne bidh ontend mid thaere gytsunge. Swilcum mannum bebead se apostol Paulus, "Bebeodadh tham ricum thaet h['i] ne modigan, ne h['i] ne h['o]pian on heora ungewissum welan; ac beon h['i] rice on godum weorcum, and syllan Godes dhearfum mid cystigum mode, and God him forgylt mid hundfealdum swa hwaet swa he dedh tham earman for his lufon."

Se r['i]ca and se thearfa sind him betwynan nyd-behefe. Se welega is geworht for dhan dhearfan, and se dhearfa for than welegan. Tham spedigum gedafenadh thaet he spende and daele; dham waedlan gedafenadh thaet he gebidde for dhane daelere. Se earma is se weg the laet us to Godes rice. Mare syldh se {258} dhearfa tham r['i]can thonne he aet him nime. Se r['i]ca him syldh thone hl['a]f dhe bidh to meoxe awend, and se dhearfa syldh tham r['i]can thaet ['e]ce l['i]f: na h['e] swa-dheah, ac Crist, sedhe thus cwaedh, "Thaet thaet ge dodh anum dhearfan on m['i]num naman, thaet ge dodh me sylfum," sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder and mid Halgum Gaste ['a] butan ende. Amen.

ON THE GREATER LITANY.

These days are called LITANIAE, that is, PRAYER-DAYS. On these days we should pray for abundance of our earthly fruits, and health for ourselves, and peace, and, what is yet more, forgiveness of our sins.

We read in books, that this observance was established at the time when there happened in a city, which is called Vienna, a great earthquake, and churches and houses fell, and there came wild bears and wolves, and devoured a large portion of the people, and the king's palace was burnt with heavenly fire. Then the bishop Mamertus commanded a fast of three days, and the affliction ceased; and the custom of the fast continues everywhere in the faithful church.

They took the example of the fast from the people of Nineveh. That people was very sinful: then would God destroy them, but they appeased him with their penitence. God spake to a prophet who was called Jonah, "Go to the city of Nineveh, and announce there the words which I say to thee. Then was the prophet afraid, and would flee from God's presence, but he could not. He went to the sea, and entered a ship. When the shipmen came out to sea, God {247} sent to them a great wind and tempest, so that they were hopeless of their lives. They therefore cast their wares overboard, and the prophet lay and slept. They then cast lots among them, and prayed that God would manifest to them whence that affliction came upon them. Then the prophet's lot came up. They asked him who he was, or how he would go? He said that he was a servant of God, who created sea and land, and that he would flee from God's presence. They said, How shall we do regarding thee? He answered, Cast me overboard, then will this affliction cease. They then did so, and the tempest was stilled, and they offered their gifts to God, and went on their course."

God then prepared a whale, and it swallowed up the prophet, and bare him to the land to which he should go, and there vomited him out. Then again came the word of God to the prophet, and said, "Arise now, and go to the great city Nineveh, and preach as I before said to thee." He went and preached, that God's anger was about to descend on them, if they would not incline to God. Then, the king arose from his throne, and cast off his precious robes, and put sackcloth on his body, and ashes upon his head, and commanded that every man should so do; and that both men and sucking children and also the cattle should not taste of anything within three days. Then through that conversion, that they desisted from evil, and through that strict fast, God had mercy on them, and would not destroy them, as he had before, for their crimes, burnt the inhabitants of the two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, with heavenly fire.

We also on these days should offer up our prayers, and follow our relics out and in, and with fervour praise Almighty God. We will now expound to you this gospel which has just been read: "Quis vestrum habebit amicum": et reliqua. "Jesus said to his disciples, Which of you who hath a friend, and goeth to him at midnight, and saith," etc.

{249} Saint Augustine expounded this gospel, and said, that the night betokened the ignorance of this world. This world is filled with ignorance. Now therefore should everyone arise from that ignorance, and go to his friend, that is, he should incline to Christ with all fervour, and pray for the three loaves, that is, belief in the Holy Trinity. The Almighty Father is God, and his Son is Almighty God, and the Holy Ghost is Almighty God; not three Gods, but they all one Almighty God indivisible. When thou comest to those three loaves, that is, to an understanding of the Holy Trinity, then hast thou, in that belief, life and food for thy soul, and mayest therewith feed another stranger also, that is, thou mayest teach the faith to another friend who shall ask it of thee. He said a 'stranger,' because we are all strangers in this life, and our country is not here; but we are here as wayfaring men; one comes, another goes; this is born, the other departs and yields up his seat to him. Now therefore should everyone desire faith in the Holy Trinity, for that faith will bring him to everlasting life.

We will again speak more concerning faith, because the exposition of this gospel has a good deduction. The master of the family, who was gone to rest with his children, is Christ, who sits in heaven with his apostles, and with martyrs, and with all the saints whom he fetched in this life. We should call to Christ, and pray for the three loaves. Though he do not forthwith grant them to us, we should not on that account desist from prayer. He delays, and yet will give. He delays, that we may be desirous, and dearly hold the grace of God. Whatsoever a man gets easily is not so precious as that which is gotten with difficulty. Jesus said, "If he continue knocking, the master of the family will arise, because of the other's importunity, and grant him what he asks, not for friendship, but for his clamour." He said, "Not for friendship," because no man were worthy either of that faith, or of eternal life, if God's mercy were not the {251} greater towards mankind. We should knock, and call to Christ, because he will give to us, as he himself said, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." To everyone who fervently asks, and ceases not from prayer, God will grant everlasting life.

He then said another parable. "What father will give his child a stone, if he ask for bread? or a serpent, if he ask for a fish? or a scorpion, if he ask for an egg?" God is our Father through his mercy, and the fish betokens faith, and the egg holy hope, the bread true love. These three things God gives to his chosen; for no man can have God's kingdom, unless he have these three things. He must rightly believe, and have hope in God, and true love to God and to men, if he will come to God's kingdom. The fish betokens faith, because its nature is, that the more it is tossed by the waves, the stronger it is, and the more vigorously it strikes. In like manner the believing man, the more he is afflicted for his faith, the stronger will be his faith, wherever it is sound. If it sink under persecution, it is then not faith, but is hypocrisy. The egg betokens hope, seeing that birds teem not like other animals, but first it is an egg, and the mother then with hope cherishes the egg to a young bird. In like manner our hope comes not yet to that which it hopes, but is, as it were, an egg. When it has that which is promised it, it is a bird. Bread betokens true love, which of all virtues is greatest, as bread is of all food the principal. Faith is a great virtue, and a great virtue is true hope; yet love excels them, forasmuch as it is ever to eternity, and the other two will end. We now believe in God, and we hope in him: but after we come to his kingdom, as he has promised us, then will faith be ended, for we shall then see what we now believe. Our hope will also be ended, because we shall be in possession of what we had previously hoped for; but love will never decay: therefore is it the most excellent of them.

{253} The serpent is placed in the gospel in opposition to the fish. In a serpent's form the devil deceived Adam; and he is now ever striving against our faith: but our protection is in the hand of our Father. The scorpion, which is set in opposition to the egg, is venomous, and stings with its tail to death. Those things which we see in this life are perishable; those which we see not, and which are promised to us are eternal: stretch thereto thy hope, and wait until thou have them. Look not behind; dread the scorpion which envenoms with its tail. The man looks behind, who despairs of God's mercy; then is his hope envenomed by the scorpion's tail. But we should both in difficulties, and in chances and in mischances, say as the prophet said, "I will praise the Lord at every time." Betide us good in body, betide us evil, we ought ever to thank God, and bless his name; then will our hope be preserved from the scorpion's sting.

A stone is set in opposition to bread, because hardness of mind is contrary to true love. Hardhearted is the man who will not through love promote the welfare of others where he can. The gospel says, "If ye can, who are evil, give to your children what is good, how much more will your Heavenly Father give a good spirit to those asking him?" What are the good things that men give to their children? Transitory goods, such as the gospel touched on, bread, and fish, and an egg. These things are good in their degree, because the earthly body requires food. Now ye, prudent men, will not give your children a serpent for a fish, nor also will your Heavenly Father give us the devil's unbelief, if we pray to him to give us true faith. And thou wilt not give thy child a scorpion for an egg, nor also will God give us despair for hope. And thou wilt not give thy child a stone for bread, nor also will God give us hardheartedness for true love. But the good Heavenly Father will give us faith, and hope, and {255} true love, and will cause us to have a good spirit, that is, good will.

We have to consider the words which he said, "Ye who are evil." We are evil, but we have a good Father. We have heard our name, "Ye who are evil." But who is our Father? The Almighty God. And of what men is he the Father? It is manifestly said, of evil men. And of what kind is the Father? Of whom it is said, "No one is good save God only." He who ever is good will bring us who are evil to be good men, if we will eschew evil and do good. The man Adam was created good, but by his own election and the instigation of the devil, he and all his offspring became evil. He who is sinful is evil, and there is no man in life without some sin. But our good Father will cleanse and heal us, as the prophet said, "Lord, heal me, and I shall be healed; preserve thou me, and I shall be preserved."