Part 24

Let him who desires to be good call to him who ever is good, that he make him good. A man has gold, that is good in its kind: he has land and riches, they are good. But the man is not good through these things, unless he do good with them, as the prophet said, "He distributed his wealth, and divided it among the poor, and his righteousness continueth for ever." He diminished his money, and increased his righteousness. He diminished that which he must leave, and that will be increased which he shall have to eternity. Thou praisest the merchant who gets gold for lead, and wilt not praise him who gets righteousness and the kingdom of heaven for perishable money. The rich and the poor are wayfarers in this world. The rich now bears the heavy burthen of his treasures, and the poor goes empty. The rich bears more provisions for his journey than he requires, the other bears an empty scrip. Therefore should the rich share his burthen with the poor; then will he lessen the burthen of his sins, and help the poor. We are all God's poor; let us therefore acknowledge the poor who ask of us, that God {257} may acknowledge us, when we ask our needs of him. Who are those that ask of us? Men poor, and feeble, and mortal. Of whom ask they? Of men poor, and feeble, and mortal. Except the possessions, alike are those who ask and those of whom they ask. How canst thou for shame ask anything of God, if thou refuse to thy fellow that which thou canst most easily grant him? But the rich looks on his purple garments, and says, 'The wretch with his rags is not my fellow.' But the apostle Paul beards him with these words, "We brought nothing to this world, nor may we take with us anything hence."

If a rich woman, and a poor one bring forth together, let them go away; thou knowest not which is the rich woman's child, which the poor one's. Again, if we open the graves of dead men, thou knowest not which are the rich man's bones, which the poor one's. But covetousness is of all evil things the root, and those who follow covetousness swerve from God's faith, and fall into divers temptations, and pernicious lusts, which sink them into perdition. It is one thing, that a man be rich, if his parents have bequeathed him possessions; another thing, if any one become rich through covetousness. The covetousness of the latter is accused before God, not the other's wealth, if his heart be not inflamed with covetousness. For such men the apostle Paul enjoined, "Enjoin the rich that they be not proud, and that they hope not in their uncertain wealth; but let them be rich in good works, and give to God's poor with bountiful spirit, and God will requite them an hundredfold for whatsoever they do for the poor for love of him."

The rich and the poor are needful to each other. The wealthy is made for the poor, and the poor for the wealthy. It is incumbent on the affluent, that he scatter and distribute; on the indigent it is incumbent, that he pray for the distributor. The poor is the way that leads us to the kingdom of God. The poor gives to the rich more than he {259} receives from him. The rich gives him bread that will be turned to ordure, and the poor gives to the rich everlasting life: yet not he, but Christ, who thus said, "That which ye do for the poor in my name, that ye do for myself," who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without end. Amen.

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FERIA III.

DE DOMINICA ORATIONE.

Se Haelend Crist, sydhdhan he to dhisum life c['o]m, and man weardh geweaxen, thadha h['e] waes dhritig wintra eald on thaere menniscnysse, tha beg['a]nn he wundra to wyrcenne, and geceas dha twelf leorning-cnihtas, tha dhe we apostolas hatadh. Tha waeron mid him aefre sydhdhan, and he him taehte ealne thone wisdom dhe on halgum bocum stent, and thurh h['i] ealne cristendom astealde. Tha cwaedon hi to dham Haelende, "L['e]['o]f, taece ['u]s hu we magon us gebiddan." Dha andwyrde se Haelend, and thus cwaedh, "Gebiddadh eow mid thisum wordum to minum Faeder and to eowrum Faeder, Gode Aelmihtigum: Pater noster, thaet is on Englisc, Thu, ure Faeder, the eart on heofonum, Sy th['i]n nama gehalgod. Cume dh['i]n r['i]ce. Sy dh['i]n wylla on eordhan swa swa on heofonum. Syle ['u]s to-daeg urne daeghwamlican hl['a]f. And forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfadh dham the widh us agyltadh. And ne l['ae]d dhu na us on costnunge. Ac alys us fram yfele. Sy hit swa."

God Faeder Aelmihtig haefdh aenne Sunu gecyndelice and menige gewiscendlice. Crist is Godes Sunu, swa thaet se Faeder hine gestrynde of him sylfum, butan aelcere meder. Naefdh se Faeder naenne lichaman, ne he on dha wisan his Bearn ne gestrynde the menn dodh: ac his Wisdom, the h['e] mid ealle gesceafta geworhte, se is his Sunu, se is aefre of dham Faeder, and mid tham Faeder, God of Gode, ealswa mihtig swa se Faeder. We men sind Godes bearn, fordhon the h['e] us {260} geworhte; and eft, dhadha we forwyrhte waeron, he sende his agen Bearn us to alysednysse. Nu sind we Godes bearn, and Crist is ure brodher, gif we dham Faeder onriht gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum mode hine weordhiadh. Crist is ure heafod, and we sind his lima: he is mid ure menniscnysse befangen, and he haefdh urne lichaman, thone dhe h['e] of dham halgan maedene Mar['i]an genam; fordhi we magon cudhlice to him clypian, swa swa to urum bredher, gif we dha brodherraedene swa healdadh swa swa he us taehte; thaet is, thaet we ne sceolon na gedhafian thaet deofol mid aenigum undheawum us gew['e]me fram Cristes brodhorraedene.

Witodlice se man the deofle geefenlaecdh, se bidh deofles bearn, na thurh gecynd odhdhe thurh gesceapenysse, ac dhurh tha geefenlaecunge and yfele geearnunga. And se man dhe Gode gecwemdh, he bidh Godes bearn, na gecyndelice, ac thurh gesceapenysse and dhurh gode geearnunga, swa swa Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Se dhe wyrcdh mines Faeder willan sedhe is on heofonum, he bidh min brodher, and min moder, and min sweoster." Fordhi nu ealle cristene men, aegdher ge r['i]ce ge heane, ge aedhelborene ge unaedhelborene, and se hlaford, and se dheowa, ealle h['i] sind gebrodhra, and ealle h['i] habbadh aenne Faeder on heofonum. Nis se welega na betera on dhisum naman thonne se dhearfa. Eallswa bealdlice m['o]t se dheowa clypigan God him to Faeder ealswa se cyning. Ealle we sind gelice aetforan Gode, buton hw['a] odherne mid godum weorcum fordheo. Ne sceal se r['i]ca for his welan thone earman forse['o]n; fordhan oft bidh se earma betera aetforan Gode thonne se r['i]ca. God is ure Faeder, thi we sceolon ealle beon gebrodhru on Gode, and healdan thone brodherlican bend unforedne; thaet is, dha sodhan sibbe, swa thaet ure aelc odherne lufige swa swa hine sylfne, and nanum ne gebeode thaet thaet he nelle thaet man him gebeode. Se dhe dhis hylt, he bidh Godes bearn, and Crist, and ealle halige men dhe Gode gedheodh, beodh his gebrodhru and his gesweostru.

We cwedhadh, "Pater noster qui es in celis," thaet is, "Ure {262} Faeder dhe eart on heofonum;" fordhan the God Faeder is on heofonum, and he is aeghwar, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Ic gefylle mid me sylfum heofonas and eordhan." And eft thaet halige godspel be him thus cwydh, "Heofon is his thrymsetl, and eordhe is his fot-sceamul." We wendadh ['u]s eastweard thonne we us gebiddadh, fordhan dhe dhanon arist seo heofen: na swilce on east-daele synderlice sy his wunung, and forlaete west-dael, odhdhe odhre daelas, se the aeghwar is andweard, na dhurh rymyt thaere stowe, ac thurh his maegendhrymmes andweardnysse. Thonne we wendadh ure neb to east-daele, thaer seo heofen arist, seodhe is ealra lichomlicra dhinga oferstigende, thonne sceal ure m['o]d beon mid tham gemyngod, thaet hit beo gewend to dham hehstan and tham fyrmestan gecynde, thaet is, God. We sceolon eac witan, thaet se synfulla is eordhe geh['a]ten, and se rihtwisa is heofen geh['a]ten; fordhan the on rihtwisum mannum is Godes wunung, and se goda man bidh thaes Halgan Gastes templ. Swa eac dhaer-togeanes se ford['o]na man bidh deofles templ, and deofles wunung: fordhi thonne swa micel is betwux g['o]dum mannum and yfelum, swa micel swa bidh betwux heofenan and eordhan.

Seofon geb['e]du sint on tham Pater noster. On tham twam formum wordum ne synd nane gebedu, ac sind herunga: thaet is, "Ure Faeder the eart on heofonum." Thaet forme geb['e]d is, "Sanctificetur nomen tuum:" thaet is, "Sy dhin nama gehalgod." Nis thaet na sw['a] to understandenne, swylce Godes nama ne sy genoh halig, sedhe aefre waes halig, and aefre bidh, and h['e] us ealle gebletsadh and gehalgadh: ac this word is sw['a] to understandenne, thaet his nama sy on us gehalgod, and he us thaes getidhige, thaet we moton his naman mid urum mudhe gebletsian, and he us sylle thaet gedh['a]nc, thaet we magon understandan thaet nan dhing nis swa halig swa his nama.

Thaet odher geb['e]d is, "Adueniat regnum tuum:" thaet is, on urum gereorde, "Cume dhin r['i]ce." Aefre waes Godes r['i]ce, and aefre bidh: ac hit is sw['a] to understandenne, thaet his r['i]ce beo ofer ['u]s, and he on us rixige, and we him mid ealre {264} gehyrsumnysse undertheodde syn, and thaet ure r['i]ce beo us gel['ae]st and gefylled, swa swa Crist us beh['e]t, thaet he wolde ['u]s ['e]ce r['i]ce forgyfan, thus cwedhende, "Cumadh, ge gebletsode mines Faeder, and gehabbadh thaet r['i]ce thaet eow gegearcod waes fram anginne middangeardes." This bidh ure r['i]ce, gif we hit nu geearniadh; and we beodh Godes r['i]ce, thonne Crist ['u]s betaecdh his Faeder on domes daege, swa swa thaet h['a]lige gewrit cwydh, "Cum tradiderit regnum Patri suo:" thaet is, "Thonne h['e] betaecdh r['i]ce his Faeder." Hwaet is thaet r['i]ce thaet h['e] betaecdh his Faeder, buton dha halgan menn, aegdher ge weras ge w['i]f, tha the h['e] alysde fram helle-w['i]te mid his agenum deadhe? Tha he betaecdh his agenum Faeder on ende thisre worulde, and h['i] beodh thonne Godes r['i]ce, and mid Gode on ecnysse rixiadh, aegdher ge mid sawle ge mid lichaman, and beodh thonne gelice englum.

Thaet dhridde geb['e]d is, "Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra:" thaet is, "Geweordhe th['i]n willa on eordhan swa swa on heofonum." Thaet is, Swa swa englas on heofonum the gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum gemete to dhe gedheodadh, swa eac menn the on eordhan sind, and of eordhan geworhte, beon h['i] dhinum willan gehyrsume, and to dhe mid ealre geornfulnysse gedheodan. On tham mannum sodhlice gewyrdh Godes willa, the to Godes willan gewyrceadh. Ure sawul is heofonlic, and ure lichama is eordhlic. Nu bidde we eac mid thisum wordum, thaet Godes willa geweordhe, aegdher ge on ure sawle ge on urum lichaman, thaet aegdher him gehyrsumige, and he aegdher gehealde and gescylde, ge ure sawle ge urne lichaman, fram deofles costnungum.

Thaet feordhe geb['e]d is, "Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:" thaet is, on urum gereorde, "Syle us nu to-daeg urne daeghwamlican hl['a]f." Thaet is on dhrim andgitum to understandenne: thaet h['e] us sylle fodan urum lichaman, and sylle eac ure sawle thone gastlican hl['a]f. Se gastlica hl['a]f is Godes bebod, thaet we sceolon smeagan daeghwamlice, and mid weorce {266} gefyllan; fordhan swa swa se lichama leofadh be lichamlicum mettum, swa sceal seo sawul lybban be Godes l['a]re, and be gastlicum smeagungum. Hradhe se lichama aswint and forweornadh, gif him bidh oftogen his bigleofa: swa eac seo sawul forwyrdh, gif heo naefdh thone gastlican bigleofan, thaet sind Godes beboda, on tham heo sceal gedheon and beon geg['o]dad. Eac se gastlica hl['a]f is thaet halige husel, mid tham we getrymmadh urne geleafan; and dhurh dhaes halgan husles th['y]gene ['u]s beodh ure synna forgyfene, and we beodh gestrangode ongean deofles costnunge. Thi we sceolon gelomlice mid tham gastlican gereorde ure sawle geclaensian and getrymman. Ne sceal theah se dhe bidh mid healicum synnum ford['o]n, gedyrstlaecan thaet he Godes husel thicge, buton he his synna aer gebete: gif he elles dedh, hit bidh him sylfum to bealowe gedhyged. Se hl['a]f getacnadh dhreo dhing, swa swa we cwaedon. An is thaes lichaman b['i]gleofa; odher is dhaere sawle; dhridde is thaes halgan husles dhygen. Thyssera dhreora dhinga we sceolon daeghwamlice aet urum Drihtne biddan.

Thaet fifte geb['e]d is, "Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris:" thaet is, "Forgif us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgifadh tham mannum the widh us agyltadh." We sceolon d['o]n swa swa we on dhisum wordum behatadh; thaet is, thaet we beon mildheorte us betwynan, and, for dhaere micclan lufe Godes, forgyfan dham mannum the widh us agyltadh, thaet God Aelmihtig forgyfe us ure synna. Gif we dhonne nelladh forgyfan tha lytlan gyltas dhaera manna the us gegremedon, thone nele eac God us forgyfan ure synna mycele and manega: swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh, "Thonne ge standadh on eowrum geb['e]dum, forgyfadh swa hwaet swa ge habbadh on eowrum mode to aenigum men, and eower Faeder, the on heofonum is, forgyfdh eow eowre synna. Gif ge thonne nelladh forgyfan mid inweardre heortan tham dhe eow gremiadh, thonne eac eower Faeder, dhe on heofonum is, nele eow forgyfan eowre synna; ac he haet eow gebindan, and on cwearterne settan, thaet is on helle-w['i]te; and eow dhaer deofol getintregadh, odhthaet ge habban ealle eowre gyltas gedhrowade, odhthaet {268} ge cumon to anum feordhlincge." Is hwaedhere getaeht, aefter Godes gesetnysse, thaet wise men sceolon settan steore dysigum mannum, swa thaet hi thaet dysig and dha undheawas alecgan, and theah dhone man lufigan swa swa agenne brodhor.

Thaet sixte geb['e]d is, "Et ne nos inducas in temptationem:" thaet is, "Ne gedhafa, dhu God, thaet we beon gelaedde on costnunge." Odher is costnung, odher is fandung. God ne costnadh naenne mannan; ac hwaedhere n['a]n man ne cymdh to Godes r['i]ce, buton he sy afandod: fordhi ne sceole we na biddan thaet God ure ne afandige, ac we sceolon biddan thaet God us gescylde, thaet we ne abreodhon on dhaere fandunge. Deofol m['o]t aelces mannes afandigan, hwaedher he aht sy, odhdhe naht; hwaedher he God mid inweardlicre heortan lufige, odhdhe he mid h['i]wunge f['a]re. Swa swa man afandadh gold on fyre, swa afandadh God thaes mannes mod on mislicum fandungum, hwaedher h['e] ['a]nraede sy. Genoh wel w['a]t God hu hit getimadh on thaere fandunge; ac hwaedhere se man naefdh na mycele gedhincdhe, buton he afandod sy. Thurh dha fandunge he sceal gedheon, gif he tham costnungum widhstent. Gif he fealle, he eft astande: thaet is, gif he agylte, he hit georne gebete, and sydhdhan gesw['i]ce; fordhi ne bidh n['a]n b['o]t naht, buton thaer beo geswicenes. Se man the gelomlice wile syngian, and gelomlice betan, he gremadh God; and swa he swidhor syngadh swa he deofle gewyldra bidh, and hine thonne God forlaet, and he faerdh swa him deofol wissadh, swa swa tobrocen sc['i]p on s['ae], the swa faerdh swa hit se wind drifdh. Se goda man swa he swidhor afandod bidh swa he rotra bidh, and near Gode, odhthaet h['e] mid fulre gedhincdhe faerdh of dhisum life to dham ecan life. And se yfela swa he oftor on dhaere fandunge abrydh, swa he forcudhra bidh, and deofle near, odhthaet he faerdh of dhisum life to dham ecan wite, gif he aer geswican nolde, thatha he mihte and moste. Fordhi anbidadh God oft thaes yfelan mannes, and laet him fyrst, thaet he his m['a]ndaeda geswice, and his m['o]d to Gode gecyrre aer his ende, gif he wile. Gif he thonne nele, thaet {270} he beo butan aelcere ladunge swidhe rihtlice to deofles handa asceofen. Fordhi is nu selre cristenum mannum, thaet hi mid earfodhnyssum and mid geswince geearnian thaet ['e]ce r['i]ce and dha ['e]can blisse mid Gode and mid eallum his halgum, dhonne hi mid softnysse and mid yfelum lustum geearnian tha ecan tintrega mid eallum deoflum on helle-w['i]te.

Thaet seofodhe geb['e]d is, "Set libera nos a malo:" thaet is, "Ac alys us fram yfele:" alys us fram deofle and fram eallum his syrwungum. God lufadh us, and deofol us hatadh. God us fett and gefrefradh, and deofol us wile ofslean, gif he m['o]t; ac him bidh forwyrned thurh Godes gescyldnysse, gif we us sylfe nelladh ford['o]n mid undheawum. Fordhi we sceolon forbugan and forseon thone lydhran deoful mid eallum his lotwrencum, fordhan dhe him ne gebyradh naht to ['u]s, and we sceolon lufian and filigan urum Drihtne, sedhe us l['ae]t to dham ecan life.

Seofon geb['e]du, swa swa we aer saedon, beodh on dham Pater noster. Tha dhreo forman geb['e]du beodh us ongunnene on dhysre worulde, ac h['i] beodh ['a] ungeendode on thaere toweardan worulde. Seo halgung thaes maeran naman Godes ongann ['u]s mannum thatha Crist weardh geflaeschamod mid ure menniscnysse; ac seo ylce halgung wunadh on ecnysse, fordhan dhe we on dham ecan life bletsiadh and herigadh aefre Godes naman. And God rixadh nu, and his r['i]ce stent aefre butan ende, and Godes willa bidh gefremod on dhisum life dhurh g['o]de menn: se ylca willa wunadh ['a] on ecnysse. Tha odhre feower geb['e]du belimpadh to dhisum life, and mid thisum life geendiadh.

On dhisum l['i]fe we beh['o]fiadh hl['a]fes, and l['a]re, and husel-ganges. On tham toweardan l['i]fe we ne beh['o]fiadh nanes eordhlices bigleofan, fordhan dhe we thonne mid tham heofonlicum mettum beodh gereordode. Her we beh['o]fiadh l['a]re and wisdomes. On dham heofonlican life beodh ealle ful w['i]se, and on gastlicre lare full ger['a]de, tha dhe nu, thurh w['i]sra manna l['a]re, beodh Godes bebodum undertheodde. And her we beh['o]fiadh dhaes halgan husles {272} dhygene for ure beterunge, sodhlice on dhaere heofonlican wununge we habbadh mid us Cristes lichaman, mid tham he rixadh on ecnysse.

On thyssere worulde we biddadh ure synna forgyfenysse, and na on thaere toweardan. Se man dhe nele his synna behreowsian on his life, ne begyt he nane forgyfenysse on dham toweardan. And on dhisum life we biddadh thaet God us gescylde widh deofles costnunga, and us alyse fram yfele. On dham ecan life ne bidh n['a]n costnung ne n['a]n yfel; fordhi dhaer ne cymdh n['a]n deofol ne n['a]n yfel mann, dhe us maege dreccan odhdhe derian. Thaer beodh gethwaere sawul and lichama, the nu on dhisum life him betweonan winnadh. Dhaer ne bidh n['a]n untrumnys, ne geswinc, ne wana nanre g['o]dnysse, ac Crist bidh mid ['u]s eallum, and ['u]s ealle dhing dedh, butan edwite, mid ealre blisse.

Crist gesette this geb['e]d, and swa beleac mid feawum wordum, thaet ealle ure neoda, aegdher ge gastlice ge lichamlice, dhaeron sind belocene; and this geb['e]d he gesette eallum cristenum mannum gemaenelice. Ne cwydh na on dham geb['e]de, 'Min Faeder, thu dhe eart on heofonum,' ac cwydh, "Ure Faeder;" and swa fordh ealle dha word dhe thaer-aefter fyligadh sprecadh gemaenelice be eallum cristenum mannum. On dham is geswutelod hu swidhe God lufadh ['a]nnysse and gethwaernysse on his folce. Aefter Godes gesetnysse ealle cristene men sceoldon beon swa gedhwaere swilce hit ['a]n man waere: fordhi wa dham men the dha annysse tobrycdh. Swa swa we habbadh on anum lichaman manega lima, and hi ealle ['a]num heafde gehyrsumiadh, swa eac we sceolon manega cristene men Criste on ['a]nnysse gehyrsumian; fordhon the he is ure heafod, and we synd his lima. We magon geseon on urum agenum lichaman h['u] aelc lim odhrum thenadh. Tha f['e]t beradh ealne dhone lichaman, and dha eagan laedadh dha f['e]t, and tha handa gearciadh dhone bigleofan. Hradhe lidh thaet heafod ad['u]ne, gif tha f['e]t hit ne feriadh; and hradhe ealle dha lima togaedere forweordhadh, gif tha handa ne dodh thone bigleofan tham mudhe. Swa eac se r['i]ca man, the sitt on his heahsetle, hradhe geswicdh he his {274} gebeorscipes, gif dha dheowan geswicadh dhaera teolunga. Beo se r['i]ca gemyndig thaet he sceal ealra dhaera g['o]da the him God alaende agyldan gescead hu he dha atuge.

Se bidh dhin hand odhdhe dhin f['o]t, sedhe the dhine neoda dedh. Se bidh thin eage, sedhe the wisdom taecdh, and on rihtne weg the gebrincdh. Se dhe the m['u]ndadh swa swa faeder, he bidh swylce h['e] dhin heafod sy. Ealswa wel beh['o]fadh thaet heafod thaera odhera lima, swa swa dha lima beh['o]fiadh thaes heafdes. Gif ['a]n lim bidh untrum, ealle dha odhre throwiadh mid tham anum. Swa we sceolon eac, gif bidh an ure geferena on sumre earfodhnysse, ealle we sceolon his yfel bes['a]rgian, and h['o]gian embe dha bote, gif we hit gebetan magon. And on eallum dhingum we sceolon healdan sibbe and annysse, gif we willadh habban tha micclan gedhincdhe thaet we beon Godes bearn, sedhe on heofonum is, on dhaere he rixadh mid eallum his halgum on ealra worulda woruld on ecnysse. Amen.

TUESDAY.

ON THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Jesus Christ, after he came to this life, and was grown to manhood, when he was thirty years old in his human nature, began to work miracles, and chose the twelve disciples whom we call apostles. These were afterwards always with him, and he taught them all the wisdom which stands in holy books, and through them established all christianity. Then said they to Jesus, "Sir, teach us how we may pray." Jesus answered, and thus said, "Pray in these words to my Father and your Father, God Almighty: Pater noster, that is in English, Thou, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Be thy will on earth as in heaven. Give us to-day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us. And lead thou us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. So be it."

God, the Father Almighty, has one Son naturally, and many adoptively. Christ is the Son of God, seeing that the Father begot him of himself without any mother. The Father has no body, nor begot he his Son in that wise which men do: but his Wisdom, with which he wrought all creatures, is his Son, who is ever of the Father and with the Father, God of God, as mighty as the Father. We men are children of God, because he made us; and afterwards, when we were undone, {261} he sent his own Son for our redemption. Now are we children of God, and Christ is our brother, if we will duly obey the Father, and with all our mind worship him. Christ is our head, and we are his limbs: he is invested with our humanity, and he has our body, which he received of the holy maiden Mary; therefore may we manifestly cry to him, as to our brother, if we so observe our brotherhood as he has taught us; that is, that we should not allow the devil with any evil practices to seduce us from the brotherhood of Christ.