Read Ebook: The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici or Homilies of Ælfric in the Original Anglo-Saxon with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric Abbot Of Eynsham Thorpe Benjamin Translator

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ERRATA.

Ego AElfricus, alumnus Adelwoldi, benevoli et venerabilis Presulis, salutem exopto Domno Archiepiscopo Sigerico in Domino. Licet temere vel presumptuose, tamen transtulimus hunc codicem ex libris Latinorum, scilicet Sancte Scripture in nostram consuetam sermocinationem, ob aedificationem simplicium, qui hanc norunt tantummodo locutionem, sive legendo sive audiendo; ideoque nec obscura posuimus verba, sed simplicem Anglicam, quo facilius possit ad cor pervenire legentium vel audientium, ad utilitatem animarum suarum, quia alia lingua nesciunt erudiri, quam in qua nati sunt. Nec ubique transtulimus verbum ex verbo, sed sensum ex sensu, cavendo tamen diligentissime deceptivos errores, ne inveniremur aliqua haeresi seducti seu fallacia fuscati. Hos namque auctores in hac explanatione sumus sequuti, videlicet Augustinum Hipponensem, Hieronimum, Bedam, Gregorium, Smaragdum, et aliquando Haymonem; horum denique auctoritas ab omnibus catholicis libentissime suscipitur. Nec solum Evangeliorum tractatus in isto libello exposuimus, verum etiam Sanctorum passiones vel vitas, ad utilitatem idiotarum istius gentis. Quadraginta sententias in isto libro posuimus, credentes hoc sufficere posse per annum fidelibus, si integre eis a ministris Dei recitentur in ecclesia. Alterum vero librum modo dictando habemus in manibus, qui illos tractatus vel passiones continet quos iste omisit; nec tamen omnia Evangelia tangimus per circulum anni, sed illa tantummodo quibus speramus sufficere posse simplicibus ad animarum emendationem, quia seculares omnia nequeunt capere, quamvis ex ore doctorum audiant. Duos libros in ista translatione facimus, persuadentes ut legatur unus per annum in ecclesia Dei, et alter anno sequenti, ut non fiat tedium auscultantibus; tamen damus licentiam, si alicui melius placet, ad unum librum ambos ordinare. Ergo si alicui displicit, primum in interpretatione, quod non semper verbum ex verbo, aut quod breviorem explicationem quam tractatus auctorum habent, sive quod non per ordinem ecclesiastici ritus omnia Evangelia tractando percurrimus; condat sibi altiore interpretatione librum, quomodo intellectui ejus placet: tantum obsecro, ne pervertat nostram interpretationem, quam speramus ex Dei gratia, non causa jactantiae, nos studiose secuti valuimus interpretari. Precor modo obnixe almitatem tuam, mitissime Pater SIGERICE, ut digneris corrigere per tuam industriam, si aliquos nevos malignae haeresis, aut nebulosae fallaciae in nostra interpretatione repperies: et adscribatur dehinc hic codicillus tuae auctoritati, non utilitati nostrae despicabilis personae. Vale in Deo Omnipotenti jugiter. Amen.

PRAEFATIO.

Ic AElfric munuc and maessepreost, swa ?eah waccre ?onne swilcum hadum gebyrige, wear? asend on AE?elredes daege cyninges fram AElfeage biscope, A?elwoldes aeftergengan, to sumum mynstre ?e is Cernel gehaten, ?urh AE?elmaeres bene ?aes ?egenes, his gebyrd and goodnys sind gehwaer cu?e. ?a bearn me on mode, ic truwige ?urh Godes gife, ?aet ic ?as boc of Ledenum gereorde to Engliscre spraece awende; na ?urh gebylde mycelre lare, ac for?an ?e ic geseah and gehyrde mycel gedwyld on manegum Engliscum bocum, ?e ungelaerede menn ?urh heora bilewitnysse to micclum wisdome tealdon; and me ofhreow ?aet h? ne cu?on ne naefdon ?a godspellican lare on heora gewritum, buton ?am mannum anum ?e ?aet Leden cu?on, and buton ?am bocum ?e AElfred cyning snoterlice awende of Ledene on Englisc, ?a synd to haebbene. For ?isum antimbre ic gedyrstlaehte, on Gode truwiende, ?aet ic ?as gesetnysse undergann, and eac for?am ?e menn behofia? godre lare swi?ost on ?isum timan ?e is geendung ?yssere worulde, and beo? fela frecednyssa on mancynne aer?an ?e se ende becume, swa swa ure Drihten on his godspelle cwae? to his leorning-cnihtum, "?onne beo? swilce gedreccednyssa swilce naeron naefre aer fram frym?e middangeardes. Manega lease Cristas cuma? on minum naman, cwe?ende, 'Ic eom Crist,' and wyrca? fela tacna and wundra, to bepaecenne mancynn, and eac swylce ?a gecorenan men, gif hit gewur?an maeg: and butan se AElmihtiga God ?a dagas gescyrte, eall mennisc forwurde; ac for his gecorenum he gescyrte ?a dagas." Gehw? maeg ?e ea?elicor ?a toweardan costnunge acuman, ?urh Godes fultum, gif h? bi? ?urh boclice lare getrymmed; for?an ?e ?a beo? gehealdene ?e o? ende on geleafan ?urhwunia?. Fela gedreccednyssa and earfo?nysse becuma? on ?issere worulde ?r hire geendunge, and ?a synd ?a bydelas ?aes ecan forwyrdes on yfelum mannum, ?e for heora m?ndaedum si??an ecelice ?rowia? on ?aere sweartan helle. ?onne cym? se Antecrist, se bi? mennisc mann and so? deofol, swa swa ure Haelend is so?lice mann and God on anum hade. And se gesewenlica deofol ?onne wyrc? ungerima wundra, and cwy? ?aet he sylf God beo, and wile neadian mancynn to his gedwylde; ac his tima ne bi? na langsum; for?an ?e Godes grama hine forde?, and ?eos weoruld bi? si??an geendod. Crist ure Drihten gehaelde untrume and adlige, and ?es deofol ?e is gehaten Antecrist, ?aet is gereht, ?wyrlic Crist, aleua? and geuntruma? ?a halan, and naenne ne gehael? fram untrumnyssum, buton ?am anum ?e he sylf aer awyrde. He and his gingran awyrda? manna lichaman digellice ?urh deofles craeft, and gehaela? h? openlice on manna gesih?e; ac h? ne maeg naenne gehaelan ?e God sylf aer geuntrumode. He neada? ?urh yfelnysse ?aet men sceolon bugan fram heora Scyppendes geleafan to his leasungum, se?e is ord aelcere leasunge and yfelnysse. Se AElmihtiga God ge?afa? ?am arleasan Antecriste to wyrcenne t?cna, and wundra, and ehtnysse, to feor?an healfan geare; for?an ?e on ?am timan bi? swa micel yfelnyss and ?wyrnys betwux mancynne ?aet h? wel wyr?e beo? ?aere deoflican ehtnysse, to ecum forwyrde ?am ?e him onbuga?, and to ecere myrh?e ?am ?e him ?urh geleafan wi?cwe?a?. God ge?afa? eac ?aet his gecorenan ?egenas beon aclaensade fram eallum synnum ?urh ?a ormaetan ehtnyssa, swa swa gold bi? on fyre afandod. ?a ofslih? se deofol ?e him wi?standa?, and h? ?onne fara? mid halgum martyrdome to heofenan rice. ?a ?e his leasungum gelyfa?, ?am h? ara?, and h? habba? sy??an ?a ecan susle to edleane heora gedwyldes. Se arleasa de? ?aet fyr cym? ufan swilce of heofonum on manna gesih?e, swilce h? God AElmihtig sy, ?e ah geweald heofenas and eor?an. Ac ?a cristenan sceolon beon ?onne gemyndige hu se deofol dyde ?a ?a he baed aet Gode ?aet he moste fandian Iobes. He gemacode ?a ?aet fyr come ufan swilce of heofenum, and forbaernde ealle his scep ?t on felda, and ?a hyrdas samod, buton anum ?e hit him cy?an sceolde. Ne sende se deofol ?a fyr of heofenum, ?eah ?e hit ufan come; for?an ?e he sylf naes on heofonum, sy??an he for his modignysse of-aworpen waes. Ne eac se waelhreowa Antecrist naef? ?a mihte ?aet he heofenlic fyr asendan maege, ?eah ?e h? ?urh deofles craeft hit swa gehiwige. Bi? nu w?slicor ?aet gehwa ?is wite and cunne his geleafan, weald hwa ?a micclan yrm?e gebidan sceole. Ure Drihten bebead his discipulum ?aet h? sceoldon laeran and taecan eallum ?eodum ?a ?ing ?e he sylf him taehte; ac ?aera is nu to lyt ?e wile wel taecan and wel bysnian. Se ylca Drihten clypode ?urh his witegan Ezechiel, "Gif ?u ne gestentst ?one unrihtwisan, and hine ne manast, ?aet h? fram his arleasnysse gecyrre and lybbe, ?onne swelt se arleasa on his unrihtwisnysse, and ic wille ofgan aet ?e his blod," ?aet is his lyre. "Gif ?u ?onne ?one arleasan gewarnast, and he nele fram his arleasnysse gecyrran, ?u alysdest ?ine sawle mid ?aere mynegunge, and se arleasa swylt on his unrihtwisnysse." Eft cwae? se AElmihtiga to ?am witegan Isaiam, "Clypa and ne geswic ?u, ahefe ?ine stemne swa swa byme, and cy? minum folce heora leahtras, and Iacobes hirede heora synna." For swylcum bebodum wear? me ge?uht ?aet ic naere unscyldig wi? God, gif ic nolde o?rum mannum cy?an, o??e ?urh tungan o??e ?urh gewritu, ?a godspellican so?faestnysse ?e he sylf gecwae?, and eft halgum lareowum onwreah. For wel fela ic wat on ?isum earde gelaeredran ?onne ic sy, ac God geswutela? his wundra ?urh ?one ?e he wile. Swa swa aelmihtig wyrhta, he wyrc? his weorc ?urh his gecorenan, na swylce he behofige ures fultumes, ac ?aet we geearnion ?aet ece lif ?urh his weorces fremminge. Paulus se apostol cwae?, "We sind Godes gefylstan," and swa ?eah ne do we nan ?ing to Gode, buton Godes fultume. Nu bidde ic and halsige on Godes naman, gif hwa ?as boc awritan wylle, ?aet he h? geornlice gerihte be ?aere bysene, ?ylaes ?e we ?urh gymelease writeras geleahtrode beon. Mycel yfel de? se?e leas writ, buton he hit gerihte, swylce he gebringe ?a so?an lare to leasum gedwylde: for?i sceal gehwa gerihtlaecan ?aet ?aet he aer to woge gebigde, gif h? on Godes dome unscyldig beon wile. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum prediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod AE?elwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro.

PREFACE

I AElfric, monk and mass-priest, although more weakly than for such orders is fitting, was sent, in king AEthelred's day, from bishop AElfeah, AEthelwold's successor, to a minster which is called Cernel, at the prayer of AEthelmaer the thane, whose birth and goodness are known everywhere. Then it occurred to my mind, I trust through God's grace, that I would turn this book from the Latin language into the English tongue; not from confidence of great learning, but because I have seen and heard of much error in many English books, which unlearned men, through their simplicity, have esteemed as great wisdom: and I regretted that they knew not nor had not the evangelical doctrines among their writings, those men only excepted who knew Latin, and those books excepted which king AElfred wisely turned from Latin into English, which are to be had. For this cause I presumed, trusting in God, to undertake this task, and also because men have need of good instruction, especially at this time, which is the ending of this world, and there will be many calamities among mankind before the end cometh, according to what our Lord in his gospel said to his disciples, "Then shall be such tribulations as have never been from the beginning of the world. Many false Christs shall come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ,' and shall work many signs and wonders, to deceive mankind; and also the elect, if it may be. And unless Almighty God shorten those days, all mankind will perish; but for his elect he will shorten those days." Everyone may the more easily withstand the future temptation, through God's support, if he is strengthened by book learning, for they shall be preserved who continue in faith to the end. Many tribulations and hardships shall come on this world before its end, and those are the proclaimers of everlasting perdition to evil men, who afterwards for their crimes suffer eternally in the swart hell. Then Antichrist shall come, who is human man and true devil, as our Saviour is truly man and God in one person. And the visible devil shall then work innumerable miracles, and say that he himself is God, and will compel mankind to his heresy: but his time will not be long, for God's anger will destroy him, and this world will afterwards be ended. Christ our Lord healed the weak and diseased, and the devil, who is called Antichrist, which is interpreted, Opposition-Christ, weakens and enfeebles the hale, and heals no one from diseases, save those alone whom he himself had previously injured. He and his disciples injure men's bodies secretly through the devil's power, and heal them openly in the sight of men: but he may not heal those whom God himself had before afflicted. He compels, through wickedness, men to swerve from the faith of their Creator to his leasings, who is the author of all leasing and wickedness. Almighty God permits the impious Antichrist to work signs, and miracles, and persecution, for three years and a half; for in that time there will be so much wickedness and perversity among mankind, that they will be well worthy of devilish persecution, to the eternal perdition of those who incline unto him, and to the eternal joy of those who by faith resist him. God also permits that his chosen servants be cleansed from all sins through great persecutions, as gold is tried in fire. The devil slays those who withstand him, and then, with holy martyrdom, they go to the kingdom of heaven. Those who believe in his leasings, those he honours, and they shall have afterwards eternal torment for reward of their sin. The impious one will cause fire to come from above, as it were from heaven, in sight of men, as if he were God Almighty, who rules over heaven and earth; but Christians must then be mindful how the devil did, when he prayed to God that he might tempt Job; he made fire to come from above, as if from heaven, and burned all his sheep out in the field, and the shepherds also, save one who should announce it to him. The devil sent not fire from heaven, though it came from above; for he himself was not in heaven, after that he, for his pride, had been cast out. Nor also hath the cruel Antichrist the power to send down heavenly fire, though he, through the devil's craft, may so pretend. It will now be wiser that everyone know this, and know his belief, lest anyone have to await great misery. Our Lord commanded his disciples that they should instruct and teach all people the things which he had himself taught to them; but of those there are too few who will well teach and well exemplify. The Lord also cried, through his prophet Ezechiel, "If thou warnest not the unrighteous, and exhortest him not, so that he turn from his wickedness and live, then shall the wicked die in his iniquity, and I will require from thee his blood," that is, his perdition. "But if thou warnest the wicked, and he will not turn from his wickedness, thou shalt release thy soul with that admonition, and the wicked shall die in his unrighteousness." Again the Almighty spake to the prophet Isaiah, "Cry and cease thou not, raise thy voice as a trumpet, and declare to my people their crimes, and to the family of Jacob their sins." From such commands it appeared to me that I should not be guiltless before God, if I would not declare to other men, by tongue or by writings, the evangelical truth, which he himself spake, and afterwards to holy teachers revealed. Very many I know in this country more learned than I am, but God manifests his wonders through whom he will. As an almighty worker he works his work through his chosen, not because he has need of our aid, but that we may earn eternal life by the performance of his work. Paul the apostle said, "We are God's assistants," and yet we do nothing for God without the assistance of God. Now I desire and beseech, in God's name, if anyone will transcribe this book, that he carefully correct it by the copy, lest we be blamed through careless writers. He does great evil who writes false, unless he correct it; it is as though he turn true doctrine to false error; therefore should everyone make that straight which he before bent crooked, if he will be guiltless at God's doom. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum praediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod AEthelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro.

INCIPIT LIBER CATHOLICORUM SERMONUM ANGLICE, IN AECCLESIA PER ANNUM RECITANDORUM.

SERMO DE INITIO CREATURAE, AD POPULUM, QUANDO VOLUERIS.

An angin is ealra ?inga, ?aet is God AElmihtig. He is ordfruma and ende: he is ordfruma, for?i ?e he waes aefre; he is ende butan aelcere geendunge, for?an ?e he bi? aefre ungeendod. He is ealra cyninga Cyning, and ealra hlaforda Hlaford. He hylt mid his mihte heofonas and eor?an, and ealle gesceafta butan geswince, and he besceawa? ?a niwelnyssa ?e under ?yssere eor?an sind. He awec? ealle duna mid anre handa, and ne maeg nan ?ing his willan wi?standan. Ne maeg nan gesceaft fulfremedlice smeagan ne understandan ymbe god. Maran cy??e habba? englas to Gode ?onne men, and ?eah-hwe?ere h? ne magon fulfremedlice understandan ymbe God. H? gesceop gesceafta ?a?a he wolde; ?urh his wisdom he geworhte ealle ?ing, and ?urh his willan h? h? ealle geliffaeste. ?eos ?rynnys is ?n God; ?aet is se Faeder and his wisdom of him sylfum aefre acenned; and heora begra willa, ?aet is se Halga Gast: he nis na acenned, ac he gae? of ?am Faeder and of ?am Suna gelice. ?as ?ry hadas sindon ?n AElmihtig God, se geworhte heofenas, and eor?an, and ealle gesceafta. He gesceop tyn engla werod, ?aet sind englas and heah-englas, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, uirtutes, cherubim, seraphim. Her sindon nigon engla werod: h? nabba? naenne lichaman, ac h? sindon ealle gastas swi?e strange and mihtige and wlitige, on micelre faegernysse gesceapene, to lofe and to wur?mynte heora Scyppende. ?aet teo?e werod abrea? and awende on yfel. God h? gesceop ealle g?de, and let h? habban agenne cyre, swa h? heora Scyppend lufedon and filigdon, swa h? hine forleton. ?a waes ?aes teo?an werodes ealdor swi?e faeger and wlitig gesceapen, swa ?aet h? waes geh?ten Leohtberend. ?a began he to modigenne for ?aere faegernysse ?e he haefde, and cwae? on his heortan ?aet h? wolde and ea?e mihte beon his Scyppende gelic, and sittan on ?am nor?-daele heofenan rices, and habban andweald and rice ongean God AElmihtigne. ?a gefaestnode he ?isne raed wi? ?aet werod ?e h? bewiste, and h? ealle to ?am raede gebugon. ?a?a h? ealle haefdon ?ysne raed betwux him gefaestnod, ?a becom Godes grama ofer h? ealle, and h? ealle wurdon awende of ?am faegeran h?we, ?e h? on gesceapene waeron, to la?licum deoflum. And swi?e rihtlice him swa getimode, ?a?a he wolde mid modignysse beon betera ?onne he gesceapen waes, and cwae?, ?aet he mihte beon ?am AElmihtigum Gode gel?c. ?a wear? he and ealle his geferan forcu?ran and wyrsan ?onne aenig o?er gesceaft; and ?a hwile ?e he smeade hu he mihte daelan rice wi? God, ?a hwile gearcode se AElmihtiga Scyppend him and his geferum helle w?te, and h? ealle adraefde of heofenan rices myrh?e, and let befeallan on ?aet ece fyr, ?e him gegearcod waes for heora ofermettum. ?a sona ?a nigon werod, ?e ?aer to lafe waeron, bugon to heora Scyppende mid ealre ea?modnesse, and betaehton heora r?d to his willan. ?a getrymde se AElmihtiga God ?a nigon engla werod, and gesta?elfaeste swa ?aet h? naefre ne mihton ne noldon sy??an fram his willan gebugan; ne h? ne magon nu, ne h? nella? nane synne gewyrcan, ac hi aefre beo? ymbe ?aet ?n, hu hi magon Gode gehyrsumian, and him gecweman. Swa mihton eac ?a o?re ?e ?aer feollon d?n, gif hi woldon; for?i ?e God h? geworhte to wlitegum engla gecynde, and let h? habban agenne cyre, and h? naefre ne gebigde ne ne nydde mid nanum ?ingum to ?am yfelan raede; ne naefre se yfela r?d ne com of Godes ge?ance, ac com of ?aes deofles, swa swa we ?r cwaedon.

Nu ?enc? menig man and smea? hwanon deofol come; ?onne wite he ?aet God gesceop to maeran engle ?one ?e nu is deofol: ac God ne gesceop hine na to deofle; ac ?a?a he waes mid ealle ford?n and forscyldgod ?urh ?a miclan up-ahefednysse and wi?erweardnysse, ?a wear? he to deofle awend, se?e ?r waes maere engel geworht. ?a wolde God gefyllan and geinnian ?one lyre ?e forloren waes of ?am heofenlicum werode, and cwae? ?aet h? wolde wyrcan mannan of eor?an, ?aet se eor?lica man sceolde ge?eon and geearnian mid eadmodnysse ?a wununga on heofenan rice, ?e se deofol forwyrhte mid modignysse. And God ?a geworhte aenne mannan of l?me, and him on ableow gast, and hine gel?ffaeste, and he wear? ?a mann gesceapen on sawle and on lichaman; and God him sette naman Ad?m, and he waes ?a sume hwile ?nstandende. God ?a hine gebrohte on neorxna-wange, and hine ?aer gelogode, and him to cwae?, "Ealra ?aera ?inga ?e on neorxna-wange sindon ?u most brucan, and h? ealle beo? ?e betaehte, buton anum treowe ?e stent on middan neorxna-wange: ne hrepa ?u ?aes treowes waestm, for?an ?e ?u bist deadlic, gif ?u ?aes treowes waestm geetst." Hw? wolde God swa lytles ?inges him forwyrnan, ?e him swa miccle o?re ?ing betaehte? Gyse hu mihte Ad?m tocnawan hwaet h? waere, buton h? waere gehyrsum on sumum ?ince his Hlaforde. Swylce God ew?de to him, "Nast ?u na ?aet ic eom ?in Hlaford and ?aet ?u eart min ?eowa, buton ?u do ?aet ic ?e h?te, and forg?ng ?aet ic ?e forbeode. Hwaet maeg hit ?onne beon ?aet ?u forg?n sceole: ic ?e secge, forgang ?u anes treowes waestm, and mid ?aere ea?elican gehyrsumnysse ?u geearnast heofenan rices myrh?u and ?one stede ?e se deofol of-afeoll ?urh ungehyrsumnesse. Gif ?u ?onne ?is lytle beb?d tobrecst, ?u scealt dea?e sweltan." And ?a waes Adam swa w?s ?aet God gelaedde to him nytenu, and deorcynn, and fugelcynn, ?a?a he h? gesceapene haefde; and Adam him eallum naman gesceop; and swa swa h? h? ?a genamode swa h? sindon gyt gehatene. ?a cwae? God, "Nis na gedafenlic ?aet ?es man ana beo, and naebbe naenne fultum; ac uton gewyrcan him gemacan, him to fultume and to frofre." And God ?a geswefode ?one Adam, and ?a?a he slep ?a genam he an rib of his sidan, and geworhte of ?am ribbe aenne wifman, and axode Adam hu heo hatan sceolde. ?a cwae? Adam, "Heo is ban of minum banum, and flaesc of minum flaesce; beo hire nama Uirago, ?aet is faemne; for?an ?e heo is of hire were genumen." ?a sette Adam eft hire o?erne naman, Aeua, ?aet is lif; for?an ?e heo is ealra lybbendra modor.

Ealle gesceafta, heofonas and englas, sunnan and monan, steorran and eor?an, ealle nytenu and fugelas, s? and ealle fixas, and ealle gesceafta God gesceop and geworhte on six dagum; and on ?am seofo?an daege h? geendode his weorc, and geswac ?a and gehalgode ?one seofo?an daeg, for?an ?e h? on ?am daege his weorc geendode. And he beheold ?a ealle his weorc ?e he geworhte, and h? waeron ealle swi?e gode. Ealle ?ing he geworhte buton aelcum antimbre. He cwae?, "Geweor?e leoht," and ?aerrihte waes leoht geworden. He cwae? eft, "Geweor?e heofen," and ?aerrihte waes heofen geworht, swa swa he mid his wisdome and mid his willan hit gedihte. He cwae? eft, and het ?a eor?an ?aet heo sceolde for?laedan cuce nytenu; and h? ?a gesceop of ?aere eor?an eall nytencynn, and deorcynn, ealle ?a ?e on feower fotum ga?; ealswa eft of waetere he gesceop fixas and fugelas, and sealde ?am fixum sund, and ?am fugelum fliht; ac he ne sealde nanum nytene ne nanum fisce nane sawle; ac heora blod is heora lif, and swa hra?e swa hi beo? deade, swa beo? h? mid ealle geendode. ?a?a he worhte ?one mann Ad?m, he ne cwae? n?, "Geweor?e man geworht," ac he cwae?, "Uton gewyrcan mannan to ure anlicnysse," and h? worhte ?a ?one man mid his handum, and him on ableow sawle; for?i is se man betera, gif h? g?de ge?ih?, ?onne ealle ?a nytenu sindon; for?an ?e h? ealle gewur?a? to nahte, and se man is ece on anum daele, ?aet is on ?aere sawle; heo ne geenda? naefre. Se lichama is deadlic ?urh Adames gylt, ac ?eah-hwae?ere God araer? eft ?one lichaman to ecum ?ingum on domes daeg. Nu cwaedon gedwolmen ?aet deofol gesceope sume gesceafta, ac h? leoga?; ne maeg h? nane gesceafta gescyppan, for?an ?e he nis na Scyppend, ac is atelic sceocca, and mid leasunge he wile beswican and ford?n ?one unwaran; ac he ne maeg naenne man to nanum leahtre geneadian, buton se mon his agenes willes to his lare gebuge. Swa hwaet swa is on gesceaftum wi?erweardlic ge?uht and mannum derige, ?aet is eall for urum synnum and yfelum geearnungum.

?a ongeat se deofol ?aet Adam and Eua waeron to ?y gesceapene ?aet hi sceolon mid eadmodnysse and mid gehyrsumnysse geearnian ?a wununge on heofenan rice ?e h? of-afeoll for his up-ahefednysse, ?a nam h? micelne graman and ?ndan to ?am mannum, and smeade h? h? h? ford?n mihte. He com ?a on naeddran hiwe to ?am twam mannum, aerest to ?am wife, and hire to cwae?, "Hw? forbead God eow ?aes treowes waestm, ?e stent on middan neorxna-wange?" ?a cwae? ?aet w?f, "God us forbead ?aes treowes waestm, and cwae? ?aet we sceoldon dea?e sweltan, gif we his on byrigdon." ?a cwae? se deofol, "Nis hit na swa ?u segst, ac God w?t genoh geare, gif ge of ?am treowe geeta?, ?onne beo? eowere eagan geopenode, and ge magon geseon and tocn?wan aeg?er ge g?d ge yfel, and ge beo? englum gelice." Naeron h? blinde gesceapene, ac God h? gesceop swa bilewite ?aet h? ne cu?on nan ?ing yfeles, na?or ne on gesih?e, ne on spraece, ne on weorce. Wear? ?eah ?aet w?f ?a forspanen ?urh ?aes deofles l?re, and genam of ?aes treowes waestme, and geaet, and sealde hire were, and h? geaet. ?a waeron h? butu deadlice, and cu?on aeg?er ge g?d ge yfel; and h? waeron ?a nacode, and him ?aes sceamode. ?a com God and axode hwi he his bebod tobraece? and adraefde h? butu of neorxna-wange, and cwae?, "For?an ?e ?u waere gehyrsum ?ines wifes wordum, and min bebod forsawe, ?u scealt mid earfo?nyssum ?e metes tilian, and seo eor?e ?e is awyriged on ?inum weorce, syl? ?e ?ornas and bremblas. ?u eart of eor?an genumen, and ?u awenst to eor?an. ?u eart dust, and ?u awentst to duste." God him worhte ?a reaf of fellum, and h? waeron mid ?am fellum gescrydde.

?a deadan fell getacnodon ?aet h? waeron ?a deadlice ?e mihton beon undeadlice, gif hi heoldon ?aet ea?elice Godes bebod. Ne ?orfte Adam ne eal mancynn ?e him si??an ofacom naefre dea?es onbyrian, gif ?aet treow moste standan ungehrepod, and his nan man ne onbyrigde; ac sceolde Adam and his ofspring tyman on asettum tyman, swa swa nu do? claene nytenu, and si??an ealle buton dea?e faran to ?an ecan life. Naes him gesceapen fram Gode, ne h? naes genedd ?aet h? sceolde Godes bebod tobrecan; ac God hine l?t frigne, and sealde him agenne cyre, swa h? waere gehyrsum, swa h? waere ungehyrsum. H? wear? ?a deofle gehyrsum, and Gode ungehyrsum, and wear? betaeht, h? and eal mancynn, aefter ?isum l?fe, into helle-w?te, mid ?am deofle ?e hine forlaerde. ?a wiste God hwae?ere ?aet h? waes forlaered, and smeade hu he mihte his and ealles mancynnes eft gemiltsian.

On twam ?ingum haefde God ?aes mannes sawle gegodod; ?aet is mid undeadlicnysse, and mid gesael?e. ?a ?urh deofles swicdom and Adames gylt we forluron ?a gesael?e ure sawle, ac we ne forluron n? ?a undeadlicnysse; heo is ?ce, and naefre ne geenda?, ?eah se lichama geendige, ?e sceal eft ?urh Godes mihte arisan to ecere wununge. Adam ?a waes wunigende on ?isum life mid geswince, and h? and his w?f ?a bearn gestryndon, aeg?er ge suna ge dohtra; and he leofode nigon hund geara and ?rittig geara, and si??an swealt, swa swa him aer behaten waes, for ?an gylte; and his sawul gewende to helle.

Nu smeagia? sume men hwanon him come sawul? hwae?er ?e of ?am faeder, ?e of ?aere meder? We cwe?a? of heora na?rum; ac se ylca God ?e gesceop Adam mid his handum, he gescyp? aelces mannes lichaman on his modor inno?e; and se ylca se?e able?w on Ad?mes lichaman, and him forgeaf sawle, se ylca forgyf? cildum sawle and l?f on heora modor inno?e, ?onne h? gesceapene beo?; and he laett h? habban agenne cyre, ?onne h? geweaxene beo?, swa swa Ad?m haefde.

?a wear? ?a hraedlice micel mennisc geweaxen, and waeron swi?e manega on yfel awende, and gegremodon God mid mislicum leahtrum, and swi?ost mid forligere. ?a wear? God to ?an swi?e gegremod ?urh manna m?ndaeda ?aet he cwae? ?aet him of?uhte ?aet h? aefre mancynn gesceop. ?a waes hwae?ere ?n man rihtwis aetforan Gode, se waes N?e geh?ten. ?a cwae? God to him, "Ic wylle ford?n eal mancynn mid waetere, for heora synnum, ac ic wylle gehealdan ?e aenne, and ?in w?f, and ?ine ?ry suna, Sem, and Cham, and Iafeth, and heora ?reo w?f; for?an ?e ?u eart rihtwis, and me gecweme. Wyrc ?e n? aenne arc, ?reo hund fae?ma lang, and fiftig fae?ma w?d, and ?ritig fae?ma heah: gehref hit eall, and gecl?m ealle ?a seamas mid tyrwan, and g? inn sy??an mid ?inum h?wum. Ic gegaderige in to ?e of deorcynne, and of fugelcynne symble gemacan, ?aet h? eft to fostre beon. Ic wille sendan flod ofer ealne middangeard." He dyde ?a swa him God bebead, and God beleac h? bynnan ?am arce, and asende r?n of heofonum feowertig daga togaedere, and geopenode ?aer togeanes ealle wyll-springas and waeter-?eotan of ?aere micclan niwelnysse. ?aet flod weox ?a and ab?r up ?one arc, and hit oferstah ealle d?na. Wear? ?a aelc ?ing cuces adrenct, buton ?am ?e binnon ?am arce waeron; of ?am wear? eft ge-edsta?elod eall middangeard. ?a beh?t God ?aet h? nolde naefre eft eal mancynn mid waetere acwellan, and cwae? to Noe and to his sunum, "Ic wylle settan m?n wedd betwux me and eow to ?isum beh?te; ?aet is, ?onne ic oferteo heofenas mid w?lcnum, ?onne bi? aeteowod min r?nboga betwux ?am wolcnum, ?onne beo ic gemyndig mines weddes, ?aet ic nelle heonon-for? mancynn mid waetere adrencan." Noe leofode on eallum his life, aer ?am flode and aefter ?am flode, nigon hund geara and fiftig geara, and he ?a for?ferde.

?a waes ?a sume hw?le Godes ege on mancynne aefter ?am flode, and waes ?n gereord on him eallum. ?a cwaedon hi betwux him ?aet hi woldon wyrcan ane burh, and aenne stypel binnon ?aere byrig, swa heahne ?aet his hrof astige up to heofenum: and begunnon ?a to wyrcenne. ?a com God ?aerto, ?a?a h? swi?ost worhton, and sealde aelcum men ?e ?aer waes synderlice spraece. ?a waeron ?aer swa fela gereord swa ?aer manna waeron; and heora n?n nyste hwaet o?er cwae?. And h? ?a geswicon ?aere getimbrunge, and toferdon geond ealne middangeard.

?a aet nextan, ?a se tima com ?e God foresceawode, ?a asende he his engel Gabrihel to anum maedene of ?am cynne, seo waes Mar?a gehaten. ?a com se engel to hire, and h? gegrette mid Godes wordum, and cydde h?re, ?aet Godes Sunu sceolde beon acenned of hire, buton weres gemanan. And heo ?a gelyfde his wordum, and wear? mid cilde. ?a?a hire t?ma com heo acende, and ?urhwunode maeden. ?aet cild is tuwa acenned: he is acenned of ?am Faeder on heofonum, buton aelcere meder, and eft ?a?a h? man gewear?, ?a waes h? acenned of ?am claenan maedene Mar?an, buton aelcum eor?licum faeder. God Faeder geworhte mancynn and ealle gesceafta ?urh ?one Sunu, and eft, ?a?a we forwyrhte waeron, ?a asende h? ?one ylcan Sunu to ?re alysednesse. Seo halige moder Mar?a ?a afedde ?aet cild mid micelre arwur?nesse, and hit weox swa swa o?re cild do?, buton synne anum.

He waes buton synnum acenned, and his l?f waes eal buton synnum. Ne worhte he ?eah n?ne w?ndra openlice ?r?an ?e h? waes ?ritig wintre on ?aere menniscnysse: ?a si??an geceas he him leorning-cnihtas; aerest twelf, ?a we h?ta? apostolas, ?aet sind aerendracan. Si??an h? geceas tw? and hund-seofontig, ?a sind genemnede discipuli, ?aet sind leorning-cnihtas. ?a worhte h? fela wundra, ?aet men mihton gelyfan ?aet he waes Godes Bearn. H? awende waeter to wine, and eode ofer s? mid drium fotum, and he gestilde windas mid his haese, and h? forgeaf blindum mannum gesih?e, and healtum and lamum rihtne g?ng, and hreoflium sme?nysse, and haelu heora lichaman; dumbum h? forgeaf getingnysse, and deafum heorcnunge; deofolseocum and wodum h? sealde gewitt, and ?a deoflu todraefde, and aelce untrumnysse he gehaelde; deade men h? araerde of heora byrgenum to l?fe; and laerde ?aet folc ?e h? to com mid micclum wisdome; and cwae? ?aet n?n man ne maeg beon gehealden, buton he rihtlice on God gelyfe, and he beo gefullod, and his geleafan mid godum weorcum geglenge; he onscunode aelc unriht and ealle leasunga, and taehte rihtwisnysse and so?faestnysse.

?a nam ?aet Iudeisce folc micelne ?ndan ongean his l?re, and smeadon h? h? mihton h?ne to dea?e ged?n. ?a wear? ?n ?aera twelfa Cristes geferena, se waes Iudas gehaten, ?urh deofles tihtinge beswicen, and h? eode to ?am Iudeiscum folce, and smeade wi? h?, hu he Crist him bel?wan mihte. ?eah ?e eal mennisc w?re gegaderod, ne mihton h? ealle hine acwellan, gif he sylf nolde; for?i he c?m to us ?aet h? wolde for ?s dea? ?rowian, and swa eal mancynn ?a ?e gelyfa? mid his agenum dea?e alysan fram helle-wite. H? nolde geniman ?s neadunge of deofles anwealde, buton he hit forwyrhte; ?a h? hit forwyrhte gen?h swi?e, ?a?a h? gehwette and tihte ?aera Iudeiscra manna heortan to Cristes slege. Crist ?a ge?afode ?aet ?a waelhreowan hine gen?mon and gebundon, and on r?de hengene acwealdon. Hwaet ?a twegen gelyfede men hine arwur?lice bebyrigdon, and Crist on ?aere hwile to helle gewende, and ?one deofol gewylde, and him of-an?m Ad?m and Euan, and heora ofspring, ?one d?l ?e him ?r gecwemde, and gelaedde h? to heora lichaman, and ar?s of dea?e mid ?am micclum werede on ?am ?riddan daege his ?rowunge. C?m ?a to his apostolum, and h? gefrefrode, and geond feowertigra daga fyrst him mid wunode; and ?a ylcan lare ?e h? him ?r taehte eft ge-edlaehte, and het h? faran geond ealne middangeard, bodigende fulluht and so?ne geleafan. Drihten ?a on ?am feowerteogo?an daege his aeristes astah to heofenum, aetforan heora ealra gesih?e, mid ?am ylcan lichaman ?e h? on ?rowode, and sitt on ?a swi?ran his Faeder, and ealra gesceafta gewylt. H? haef? gerymed rihtwisum mannum infaer to his rice, and ?a ?e his beboda eallunga forseo? beo? on helle besencte. Witodlice h? cym? on ende ?yssere worulde mid micclum maegen?rymme on wolcnum, and ealle ?a ?e aefre sawle underfengon arisa? of dea?e him togeanes; and h? ?onne ?a m?nfullan deofle betaec? into ?am ecan fyre helle susle; ?a rihtwisan he laet mid him into heofonan rice, on ?am h? rixia? ? on ecnysse.

Men ?a leofestan, smeaga? ?ysne cwyde, and mid micelre gymene forbuga? unrihtwysnysse, and geearnia? mid godum weorcum ?aet ?ce l?f mid Gode se?e ?na on ecnysse rixa?. Amen.

HERE BEGINNETH THE BOOK OF CATHOLIC SERMONS IN ENGLISH, TO BE RECITED IN CHURCH DURING THE YEAR.

SERMON ON THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, TO THE PEOPLE, WHENEVER YOU WILL.

There is one origin of all things, that is God Almighty. He is beginning and end: he is beginning, because he was ever; he is end without any ending, because he is ever unended. He is King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. He holdeth with his might heavens, and earth, and all creatures, without toil, and he beholdeth the depths which are under this earth. He weigheth all hills with one hand, and no thing may withstand his will. No creature may perfectly search out nor understand concerning God: greater affinity have angels to God than men, and yet they may not perfectly understand concerning God. He created those creatures that he would; through his wisdom he wrought all things, and through his will he endued them all with life. This Trinity is one God, that is, the Father, and his Wisdom, of himself ever produced; and the Will of them both, that is, the Holy Ghost: he is not born, but he goeth alike from the Father and from the Son. These three persons are one Almighty God, who wrought the heavens, and the earth, and all creatures. He created ten hosts of angels, that is angels and archangels, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, virtutes, cherubim, seraphim. Here are nine hosts of angels: they have no body, but they are all spirits, very strong, and mighty, and beautiful, formed with great fairness, to the praise and glory of their Creator. The tenth host rebelled and turned to evil. God created them all good, and let them have their own discretion, whether they would love and follow their Creator, or would forsake him. Now the prince of the tenth host was formed very fair and beauteous, so that he was called 'Light-bearing' . Then he began to wax proud by reason of the comeliness that he had, and said in his heart that he would and easily might be equal to his Creator, and sit in the north part of heaven's kingdom, and have power and sway against God Almighty. Then he confirmed this resolve with the host over which he ruled, and they all bowed to that resolve. When they all had confirmed this resolve among themselves, God's anger came over them all, and they were all changed from the fair form in which they were created to loathly devils. And very rightly it so befell him, when he would in pride be better than he was created, and said that he might be equal to Almighty God. Then became he and all his associates more wicked and worse than any other creatures; and while he meditated how he might share power with God, the Almighty Creator prepared hell-torment for him and his associates, and drove them all from the joy of heaven's kingdom, and caused them to fall into the eternal fire that was prepared for them for their pride. Then forthwith the nine hosts that were left bowed to their Creator with all humbleness, and resigned their purpose to his will. Then the Almighty God confirmed and established the nine hosts of angels, so that they never might or would afterwards swerve from his will; nor can they now perpetrate any sin, but they are ever meditating only how they may obey God and be acceptable to him. So might also the others who fell have done if they had been willing; seeing that God had made them of the beauteous nature of angels, and let them have their own will, and would never have inclined nor forced them in any way to that evil counsel; for the evil counsel never came from God's conception, but came from the devil's, as we before said.

All creatures, heavens and angels, sun and moon, stars and earth, all beasts and birds, the sea and all fishes, and all creatures, God created and wrought in six days; and on the seventh day he ended his work, and ceased, and hallowed the seventh day, because on that day he ended his work. And he beheld then all his works that he had wrought, and they were all exceedingly good. All things he wrought without any matter. He said, "Let there be light," and instantly there was light. He said again, "Let there be heaven," and instantly heaven was made, as he with his wisdom and his will had appointed it. He said again, and bade the earth bring forth all living cattle, and he then created of earth all the race of cattle, and the brute race, all those which go on four feet; in like manner of water he created fishes and birds, and gave the power of swimming to the fishes, and flight to the birds; but he gave no soul to any beast, nor to any fish; but their blood is their life, and as soon as they are dead they are totally ended. When he had made the man Adam, he did not say, "Let man be made," but he said, "Let us make man in our likeness," and he then made man with his hands, and blew into him a soul; therefore is man better, if he grow up in good, than all the beasts are; because they will all come to naught, and man is in one part eternal, that is in the soul; that will never end. The body is mortal through Adam's sin, but, nevertheless, God will raise again the body to eternity on doomsday. Now the heretics say that the devil created some creatures, but they lie; he can create no creatures, for he is not a creator, but is a loathsome fiend, and with leasing he will deceive and fordo the unwary; but he may not compel any man to any crime, unless the man voluntarily incline to his teaching. Whatsoever among things created seems pernicious and is injurious to men, is all for our sins and evil deserts.

When the devil understood that Adam and Eve were created, that they might with meekness and obedience merit the dwelling in the kingdom of heaven from which he had fallen for his haughtiness, then he felt great anger and envy towards those persons, and meditated how he might fordo them. He came then in a serpent's form to the two persons, first to the woman, and said to her, "Why has God forbidden you the fruit of this tree, which stands in the middle of Paradise?" Then said the woman, "God forbade us the fruit of the tree and said, that we should perish by death, if we tasted its fruit." Then said the devil, "It is not as thou sayest, but God knows full well, if ye eat of that tree that your eyes will then be opened, and ye can see and know both good and evil, and ye will be like to angels." They were not created blind, but God created them so simple-minded that they knew nothing evil, neither by sight, nor by speech, nor by deed. But the woman was seduced by the devil's counsel, and took of the fruit of the tree, and ate, and gave to her consort, and he ate. Then they both became mortal, and knew both good and evil; and they were naked, and thereat they were ashamed. Then came God and asked why he had broken his commandment? and drove them both from Paradise, and said, "Because thou wast obedient to the words of thy wife, and despisedst my commandment, thou shalt get thee food with hardships, and the earth, which is accursed through thy deed, shall give thee thorns and brambles. Thou art taken from earth, and thou shalt to earth return. Thou art dust, and thou shalt turn to dust." God then wrought for them garments of skins, and they were clothed with the skins.

The dead skins betokened that they were then mortal who might have been immortal, if they had held that easy command of God. Neither Adam nor all mankind that have since come from him needed ever to have tasted of death, if that tree could have stood untouched, and no one had tasted of it; but Adam and his offspring would have propagated at set times, as the clean beasts now do, and afterwards, without death, have gone to eternal life. It was not ordained him from God, nor was he compelled to break God's commandment; for God left him free, and gave him his own choice, whether he would be obedient, or whether he would be disobedient. Then was he to the devil obedient, and to God disobedient, and was delivered, he and all mankind, after this life, to hell-torment, with the devil who seduced him. But God knew, however, that he had been seduced, and meditated how he might again be merciful to him and all mankind.

With two things had God endowed this man's soul; that is immortality and with happiness. Then through the devil's treachery and Adam's guilt we lost the happiness of our soul, but we lost not the immortality: that is eternal and never ends, though the body ends, which shall again, through God's might, arise to everlasting duration. Adam then was continuing in this life with toil, and he and his wife begat children, both sons and daughters; and he lived nine hundred and thirty years, and then died, as had been promised him for that sin; and his soul went to hell.

Now some men will inquire, whence came his soul? whether from the father or from the mother? We say, from neither of them; but the same God who created Adam with his hands, createth every man's body in his mother's womb: and the same who blew into Adam's body, and gave him a soul, that same giveth a soul and life to children in their mother's womb, when they are created; and he letteth them have their own will, when they are grown up, as Adam had.

Then there was rapidly a great increase of people, and very many were turned to evil, and exasperated God with various crimes, and above all with fornication. Then was God so exasperated through the wicked deeds of men that he said, that he repented that he had ever created mankind. Nevertheless, there was one man righteous before God, who was called Noah. Then said God to him, "I will destroy all mankind with water, for their sins, but I will preserve thee alone, and thy wife, and thy three sons, Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and their three wives; because thou art righteous and acceptable unto me. Make thee now an ark, three hundred fathoms long, and fifty fathoms wide, and thirty fathoms high: roof it all, and smear all the seams with tar, and then go in with thy family. I will gather in to thee of beast-kind and of bird-kind mates of each, that they may hereafter be for foster. I will send a flood over all the earth." He did as God bade him, and God shut them within the ark, and sent rain from heaven forty days together, and opened, to meet it, all the well-springs and water-torrents of the great deep. The flood then waxed and bare up the ark, and it rose above all the hills. Then was everything living drowned, save those who were within the ark, by whom was again established all the earth. Then God promised that he would never again destroy all mankind with water, and said to Noah and to his sons: "I will set my covenant betwixt me and you for this promise: that is, when I overspread the heavens with clouds, then shall be shown my rainbow betwixt the clouds, then will I be mindful of my covenant, that I will not henceforth drown mankind with water." Noah lived in all his life, before the flood and after the flood, nine hundred and fifty years, and then he departed.

Then for some time after the flood there was fear of God among mankind, and there was one language among them all. Then said they among themselves that they would make a city, and a tower within that city, so high that its roof should mount up to heaven: and they begun to work. Then came God thereto, when they were most busily working, and gave to every man who was there a separate speech. Then were there as many languages as there were men, and none of them knew what other said. And they then ceased from the building, and went divers ways over all the earth.

Then afterwards mankind was deceived by the devil, and turned from God's belief, so that they wrought them images, some of gold, some of silver, some also of stones, some of wood, and devised names for them; the names of those men who were giants, and evil-doing. Afterwards when they were dead then said the living that they were gods, and worshipped them, and offered sacrifices to them; and the devils then came to their images, and dwelt therein, and spake to men as though they were gods; and the deceived human race fell on their knees to those images, and said, "Ye are our gods, and we place our belief and our hope in you." Then sprang up this error through all the earth, and the true Creator, who alone is God, was despised and dishonoured. There was, nevertheless, one family which had never bent to any idol, but had ever worshipped the true God. That family sprang from Noah's eldest son, who was called Shem: he lived six hundred years, and his son was called Arphaxad, who lived three hundred and thirty-three years, and his son was called Salah, who lived four hundred and thirty-three years, when he begat a son who was called Eber, from whom sprang the Hebrew people, whom God loved: and from that race came all the patriarchs and prophets, those who announced Christ's advent to this life; that he would be man before the end of this world, for our redemption, he who ever was God with the supreme Father. And for this race God gave and established a law, and he led them over the sea with dry feet, and he fed them forty years with heavenly bread, and wrought many miracles among the people; because he would choose him a mother from this race.

Then at last, when the time came that God had foreseen, he sent his angel Gabriel to a maiden of that race, who was called Mary. Then came the angel to her, and greeted her with God's words, and announced to her, that God's Son should be born of her, without communion of man. And she believed his words, and became with child. When her time was come she brought forth, and continued a maiden. That child is twice born: he is born of the Father in heaven, without any mother, and again, when he became man, he was born of the pure virgin Mary, without any earthly father. God the Father made mankind and all creatures through the Son; and again, when we were fordone, he sent that same Son for our redemption. The holy mother Mary then nourished that child with great veneration, and it waxed, as other children do, without any sin.

He was born without sins, and his life was all without sins. But he wrought no miracles openly ere that he had been thirty years in a state of man: then afterwards he chose to him disciples; first twelve, whom we call apostles, that is messengers: after that he chose seventy-two, who are denominated disciples, that is learners. Then he wrought many miracles, that men might believe that he was God's Child. He turned water to wine, and went over the sea with dry feet, and he stilled the winds by his behest, and he gave to blind men sight, and to the halt and lame a right gait, and to lepers smoothness and health to their bodies; to the dumb he gave power of speech, and hearing to the deaf; to the possessed of devils and the mad he gave sense, and drove away the devils, and every disease he healed; dead men he raised from their sepulchres to life; and taught the people to which he came with great wisdom; and said, that no man might be saved, except he rightly believe in God, and be baptized, and adorn his faith with good works; he eschewed all injustice and all leasings, and taught righteousness and truth.

Then the Jewish people showed great envy of his doctrine, and meditated how they might put him to death. Now was one of the twelve of Christ's companions, who was called Judas, seduced by the instigation of the devil, and he went to the Jewish people, and consulted with them how he might betray Christ unto them. Though all people were gathered together they all might not destroy him, if he himself willed it not; therefore he came to us because he would suffer death for us, and so, by his own death, redeem all mankind who believe from hell's torment. He would not take us forcibly from the devil's power, unless he had forfeited it; but he forfeited it entirely when he whetted and instigated the hearts of the Jewish men to the slaying of Christ. Then Christ consented that the bloodthirsty ones should take him, and bind, and, hung on a cross, slay him. Verily then two believing men honourably buried him; and Christ, in that time, went to hell, and overcame the devil, and took from him Adam and Eve, and their offspring, that portion which had previously been most acceptable to him, and led them to their bodies, and arose from death with that great host on the third day of his passion: then came to his apostles, and comforted them, and for a space of forty days sojourned with them, and repeated the same doctrine which he had before taught them, and bade them go over all the earth, preaching baptism and true faith. Then, on the fortieth day of his resurrection, the Lord ascended to heaven in sight of them all, with the same body in which he had suffered, and sitteth on the right hand of his Father, and governeth all creatures. He hath opened to righteous men the entrance to his kingdom, and those who wholly despise his commandments shall be cast down into hell. Verily he shall come at the end of this world with great majesty, in clouds, and all those who have ever received a soul shall arise from death towards him; and he will then deliver the wicked to the devil, into the eternal fire of hell-torment; the righteous he will lead with him into the kingdom of heaven, in which they shall rule to all eternity.

Men most beloved, consider this discourse, and with great care eschew unrighteousness, and merit with good works the eternal life with God, who alone ruleth to eternity. Amen.

We wylla? to trymminge eowres geleafan eow gereccan ?aes Haelendes acennednysse be ?aere godspellican endebyrdnysse: h? he on ?ysum daeg?erlicum daege on so?re menniscnysse acenned waes on godcundnysse.

Lucas se Godspellere awr?t on Cristes b?c, ?aet on ?am timan se Romanisca casere Octauianus sette geb?nn, ?aet waere on gewritum asett eall ymbhwyrft. ?eos towritennys wear? araered fram ?am ealdormen Cyrino, of Sirian lande, ?aet aelc man ofer-heafod sceolde cennan his gebyrde, and his ?re on ?aere byrig ?e h? to gehyrde. ?a ferde Ioseph, Cristes foster-faeder, fram Galileiscum earde, of ?aere byrig Nazare?, to Iudeiscre byrig, seo waes Dauides, and waes geciged Bethle?m, for?an ?e h? waes of Dauides maeg?e, and wolde andettan mid Mar?an hire gebyrde, ?e waes ?a g?t bearn-eaca. ?a gel?mp hit, ?a?a h? on ?aere byrig Bethle?m w?codon, ?aet hire tima waes gefylled ?aet heo cennan sceolde, and acende ?a hyre frumcennedan sunu, and mid cild-cla?um bew?nd, and al?de ?aet cild on heora assena binne, for?an ?e ?aer naes n?n rymet on ?am gesthuse. ?a waeron hyrdas on ?am earde waciende ofer heora eowede; and efne ?a Godes engel st?d on emn h?, and Godes beorhtnys h? bescean, and h? wurdon micclum afyrhte. ?a cwae? se Godes engel to ?am hyrdum, "Ne ondreda? eow; efne ic eow bodige micelne gefean, ?e becym? eallum folce; for?an ?e nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre. Ge geseo? ?is t?cen, ge gem?ta? ?aet cild mid cild-cla?um bewunden, and on binne gel?d." ?a faerlice, aefter ?aes engles spraece, wear? gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes God herigendra and singendra, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone uoluntatis," ?aet is on urum gereorde, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eor?an sibb mannum, ?am ?e beo? godes willan." And ?a englas ?a gewiton of heora gesih?e to heofonum. Hwaet ?a hyrdas ?a him betweonan spraecon, "Uton faran to Bethleem, and geseon ?aet word ?e us God aeteowde." H? comon ?a hraedlice, and gemetton Mar?an, and Ioseph, and ?aet cild geled on anre binne, swa swa him se engel cydde. ?a hyrdas so?lice oncneowon be ?am worde ?e him gesaed waes be ?am cilde, and ealle wundrodon ?e ?aet gehyrdon, and eac be ?am ?e ?a hyrdas him s?don. Mar?a so?lice heold ealle ?as w?rd ar?fniende on hire heortan. ?a gecyrdon ?a hyrdas ongean wuldrigende and herigende God on eallum ?am ?ingum ?e h? gehyrdon and gesawon, swa swa him fram ?am engle ges?d waes.

Mine gebro?ra ?a leofostan, ure Haelend, Godes Sunu, euen-ece and gelic his Faeder, se?e mid him waes aefre buton anginne, gemedemode hine sylfne ?aet he wolde on ?isum daeg?erlicum daege, for middangeardes alysednysse beon lichamlice acenned of ?am maedene Mar?an. He is Ealdor and Scyppend ealra g?dnyssa and sibbe, and he foresende his acennednysse ungewunelice sibbe, for?an ?e naefre naes swilc sibb aer ?am fyrste on middangearde, swilc swa waes on his gebyrde-tide, swa ?aet eall middangeard waes anes mannes rice under?eod, and eal mennisc him anum cynelic gafol ageaf. Witodlice on swa micelre sibbe waes Crist acenned, se?e is ure sib, for?an ?e h? ge?eodde englas and men to ?num hirede, ?urh his menniscnysse. H? waes acenned on ?aes caseres dagum ?e waes Octauianus geh?ten, se gerymde Romana rice to ?an swi?e ?aet him eal middangeard to beah, and he waes for?i Augustus geciged, ?aet is ge?cende his rice. Se nama gedafena? ?am heofonlican Cyninge Criste, ?e on his timan acenned waes, se?e his heofonlice rice geyhte, and ?one hryre, ?e se feallenda deofol on engla werode gewanode, mid menniscum gecynde eft gefylde. Na ?aet ?n ?aet he ?one lyre anfealdlice gefylde, ac eac swylce micclum geihte. So?lice swa micel getel mancynnes becym? ?urh Cristes menniscnysse to engla werodum, swa micel swa on heofonum bel?f haligra engla aefter ?aes deofles hryre. ?aes caseres gebann, ?e het ealne middangeard awritan, getacnode swutellice ?aes heofonlican Cyninges daede, ?e to ?i com on middangeard ?aet he of eallum ?eodum his gecorenan gegaderode, and heora naman on ecere eadignysse awrite. ?eos towritennys asprang fram ?am ealdormen Cyrino: Cyrinus is gereht Yrfenuma, and he getacnode Crist, se?e is so? yrfenuma ?aes ecan Faeder; and he us forgif? ?aet we mid him beon yrfenuman and efenhlyttan his wuldres. Ealle ?eoda ?a ferdon ?aet aelc synderlice be him sylfum cennan sceolde, on ?aere byrig ?e he to hyrde. Swa swa on ?am timan be ?aes caseres gebanne gehwilce aenlipige on heora burgum be him sylfum cendon, swa eac nu us cy?a? l?reowas Cristes gebann, ?aet we ?s gegadrian to his halgan gela?unge, and on ?aere ures geleafan gafol mid estfullum mode him agifan, ?aet ure naman beon awritene on lifes bec mid his gecorenum.

Drihten waes acenned on ?aere byrig ?e is gehaten Bethleem; for?an ?e hit waes swa ?r gewitegod ?isum wordum, "?u Bethleem, Iudeisc land, ne eart ?u wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: so?lice of ?e cym? se latteow ?e gewylt Israhela ?eoda." Crist wolde on ytinge beon acenned, to ?i ?aet he wurde his ehterum bedigelod. Bethleem is gereht 'Hlaf-h?s,' and on hire waes Crist, se so?a hlaf, acenned, ?e be him sylfum cwae?, "Ic eom se liflica hl?f, ?e of heofenum ast?h, and se?e of ?am hlafe geett ne swylt h? on ecnysse." ?aes hlafes we onbyria? ?onne we mid geleafan to husle ga?; for?an ?e ?aet halige husel is gastlice Cristes lichama; and ?urh ?one we beo? alysede fram ?am ecan dea?e. Mar?a acende ?a hire frumcennedan sunu on ?isum andweardan daege, and hine mid cild-cla?um bew?nd, and for rymetleaste on anre binne gel?de. Naes ?aet cild for?i gecweden hire frumcennede cild swilce heo o?er si??an acende, ac for?i ?e Crist is frumcenned of manegum gastlicum gebro?rum. Ealle cristene men sind his gastlican gebro?ra, and h? is se frumcenneda, on gife and on godcundnysse ancenned of ?am AElmihtigan Faeder. H? waes mid wacum cild-cla?um bewaefed, ?aet he ?s forgeafe ?a undeadlican tunecan, ?e we forluron on ?aes frumsceapenan mannes forgaegednysse. Se AElmihtiga Godes Sunu, ?e heofenas befon ne mihton, waes geled on nearuwre binne, to ?i ?aet he ?s fram hellicum nyrwette alysde. Mar?a waes ?a cuma ?aer, swa swa ?aet godspel ?s seg?; and for ?aes folces ge?ryle waes ?aet gesthus ?earle genyrwed.

Se Godes Sunu waes on his gesthuse genyrwed, ?aet he us rume wununge on heofonan rice forgife, gif we his willan gehyrsumia?. Ne bitt h? us n?nes ?inges to edleane his geswinces, buton ure sawle haelo, ?aet we ?s sylfe claene and ungewemmede him gegearcian, to blisse and to ecere myrh?e. ?a hyrdas ?e wacodon ofer heora eowode on Cristes acennednysse, getacnodon ?a halgan lareowas on Godes gela?unge, ?e sind gastlice hyrdas geleaffulra sawla: and se engel cydde Cristes acennednysse hyrdemannum, for?am ?e ?an gastlicum hyrdum, ?aet sind lareowas, is swi?ost geopenod embe Cristes menniscnysse, ?urh boclice lare; and h? sceolon gecneordlice heora under?eoddum bodian, ?aet ?aet him geswutelod is, swa swa ?a hyrdas ?a heofenlican gesih?e gew?dmaersodan. ?am lareowe gedafena? ?aet h? symle wacol sy ofer Godes eowode, ?aet se ungesewenlica wulf Godes scep ne tostence.

Gel?me wurdon englas mannum aeteowode on ?aere ealdan ?, ac hit nis awriten ?aet h? mid leohte comon, ac se wur?mynt waes ?ises daeges maer?e gehealden, ?aet h? mid heofenlicum leohte h? geswutelodon, ?a?a ?aet so?e leoht aspr?ng on ?eostrum riht ge?ancodum, se mildheorta and se rihtwisa Drihten. Se engel cwae? to ?am hyrdum, "Ne beo ge afyrhte; efne ic bodige eow micelne gefean, ?e eallum folce becym?, for?an ?e nu to-daeg is acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre." So?lice h? bodade micelne gefean, se?e naefre ne geenda?; for?an ?e Cristes acennednys gegladode heofenwara, and eor?wara, and helwara. Se engel cwae?, "Nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre:" Rihtlice h? cwae? on daege, and n? on nihte, for?an ?e Crist is se so?a daeg, se?e todraefde mid his to-cyme ealle nytennysse ?aere ealdan nihte, and ealne middangeard mid his gife onlihte. ?aet t?cen ?e se engel ?am hyrdum saede we sceolon symle on urum gemynde healdan, and ?ancian ?am Haelende ?aet he gemedemode hine sylfne to ?an ?aet h? daelnimend waere ure deadlicnysse, mid menniscum flaesce befangen, and mid w?clicum cild-cla?um bewunden. ?a f?rlice, aefter ?aes engles spraece, wear? gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes God herigendra and singendra, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eor?an sibb ?am mannum ?e beo? godes willan." An engel bodade ?am hyrdum ?aes heofonlican Cyninges acennednysse, and ?a faerlice wurdon aeteowode fela ?usend engla, ?y laes ?e w?re ge?uht anes engles ealdordom to hwonlic to swa micelre bodunge: and h? ealle samod mid gedremum sange Godes wuldor hleo?rodon, and godum mannum sibbe bodedon, swutellice aeteowiende ?aet ?urh his acennednysse men beo? gebigede to anes geleafan sibbe, and to wuldre godcundlicere herunge. H? sungon, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eor?an sibb mannum, ?am ?e beo? godes willan." ?as word geswutelia? ?aet ?aer wuna? Godes sibb ?aer se goda willa bi?. Eornostlice mancynn haefde unge?waernysse to englum aer Drihtnes acennednysse; for?an ?e we waeron ?urh synna aelfremede fram Gode; ?a wurde we eac aelfremede fram his englum getealde: ac si??an se heofenlica Cyning urne eor?lican lichaman underfeng, si??an gecyrdon his englas to ure sibbe; and ?a ?e h? aer?an untrume forsawon, ?a hi wur?ia? nu him to geferum. Witodlice on ?aere ealdan ?, Lo?, and Iosue, and gehwilce o?re ?e englas gesawon, h? luton wi? heora, and to him gebaedon, and ?a englas ?aet ge?afodon: ac Iohannes se Godspellere, on ?aere Niwan Gecy?nysse, wolde hine gebiddan to ?am engle ?e him to spraec, ?a forwyrnde se engel him ?aes, and cwae?, "Beheald ?aet ?u ?as daede ne d?; ic eom ?in efen-?eowa, and ?inra gebro?ra; gebide ?e to Gode anum." Englas ge?afodon aer Drihtnes to-cyme ?aet mennisce men him to feollon, and aefter his to-cyme ?aes forwyrndon; for?an ?e h? ges?won ?aet heora Scyppend ?aet gecynd underfeng ?e h? aer ?an w?clic tealdon, and ne dorston hit forseon on ?s, ?onne h? hit wur?ia? bufon him sylfum on ?am heofonlican Cyninge. Ne h? manna geferraedene ne forh?gia?, ?onne h? feallende h? to ?am menniscum Gode gebidda?. Nu we sind getealde Godes ceaster-gewaran, and englum gel?ce; uton for?i h?gian ?aet leahtras us ne totwaemon fram ?isum micclum wur?mynte. So?lice men syndon godas gecigede; heald for?i, ?u mann, ?inne godes wur?scipe wi? leahtras; for?an ?e God is geworden mann for ?e.

?a hyrdas ?a spraecon him betweonan, aefter ?aera engla fram-faerelde, "Uton gefaran to Bethle?m, and geseon ?aet word ?e geworden is, and God us geswutelode." Eala h? rihtlice h? andetton ?one halgan geleafan mid ?isum wordum, "On frym?e waes w?rd, and ?aet word waes mid Gode, and ?aet w?rd waes God"! Word bi? wisdomes geswutelung, and ?aet Word, ?aet is se Wisdom, is acenned of ?am AElmihtigum Faeder, butan anginne; for?an ?e h? waes aefre God of Gode, Wisdom of ?am wisan Faeder. Nis h? na geworht, for?an ?e he is God, and na gesceaft; ac se AElmihtiga Faeder gesceop ?urh ?one Wisdom ealle gesceafta, and hi ealle ?urh ?one Halgan Gast gel?ffaeste. Ne mihte ure mennisce gecynd Crist on ?aere godcundlican acennednysse geseon; ac ?aet ylce Word waes geworden flaesc, and wunode on ?s, ?aet we hine geseon mihton. Naes ?aet Word to flaesce awend, ac hit waes mid menniscum flaesce befangen. Swa swa anra gehwilc manna wuna? on sawle and on lichaman ?n mann, swa eac Crist wuna? on godcundnysse and menniscnysse, on ?num hade ?n Crist. H? cwaedon, "Uton geseon ?aet word ?e geworden is," for?an ?e h? ne mihton hit geseon aer ?an ?e hit geflaeschamod waes, and to menn geworden. Nis ?eahhwae?re seo godcundnys gemenged to ?aere menniscnysse, ne ?aer nan twaeming nys. We mihton eow secgan ane lytle bysne, gif hit to w?clic naere; Sceawa n? on anum aege, h? ?aet hwite ne bi? gemenged to ?am geolcan, and bi? hwae?ere ?n aeg. Nis eac Cristes godcundnys gerunnen to ?aere menniscnysse, ac he ?urhwuna? ?eah ? on ecnysse on anum hade untotwaemed.

Hraedlice ?a comon ?a hyrdas and gemetton Marian and Ioseph, and ?aet cild gel?d on ?aere binne. Maria waes be Godes dihte ?am rihtwisan Iosepe beweddod, for micclum gebeorge; for?an ?e hit waes swa gewunelic on Iudeiscre ?eode, aefter Moyses ?, ?aet gif aenig wimman cild haefde butan be rihtre aewe, ?aet h? man sceolde mid stanum oftorfian. Ac God asende his engel to Iosepe, ?a Mar?a eacnigende waes, and bead ?aet he hire gymene haefde, and ?aes cildes foster-faeder waere. ?a waes ge?uht ?am Iudeiscum swilce Ioseph ?aes cildes faeder waere, ac h? naes; for?an ?e hit naes nan neod ?am AElmihtigum Scyppende ?aet h? of w?fe acenned waere; ac h? genam ?a menniscnysse of Mar?an inno?e, and forlet h? maeden na gewemmed, ac gehalgod ?urh his acennednysse. Ne oncneow heo weres gemanan, and heo acende butan sare, and ?urhwuna? on maeg?hade. ?a hyrdas gesawon, and oncneowon be ?am cilde, swa swa him ges?d waes. Nis nan eadignys butan Godes oncnawennesse, swa swa Crist sylf cwae? ?a?a he us his Faeder betaehte, "?aet is ece l?f, ?aet hi ?e oncnawon so?ne God, and ?one ?e ?u asendest Haelend Crist." Hwaet ?a ealle ?a ?e ?aet gehyrdon micclum ?aes wundrodon, and be ?am ?e ?a hyrdas saedon. Mar?a so?lice heold ealle ?as w?rd araefniende on hire heortan. Heo nolde widmaersian Cristes digelnesse, ac anbidode o? ?aet he sylf ?a?a he wolde h? geopenode. Heo cu?e Godes ?, and on ?aera witegena gesetnysse raedde, ?aet maeden sceolde God acennan. ?a blissode heo micclum ?aet heo hit beon moste. Hit waes gewitegod ?aet h? on ?aere byrig Bethleem acenned wurde, and heo ?earle wundrode ?aet heo aefter ?aere witegunge ?aer acende. Heo gemunde hwaet sum witega cwae?, "Se oxa oncneow his hlaford, and se assa his hlafordes binne." ?a geseah heo ?aet cild licgan on binne, ?aer se oxa and se assa gewunelice fodan seca?. Godes heah-engel Gabrihel bodode Mar?an ?aes Haelendes to-cyme on hire inno?e, and heo geseah ?a ?aet his bodung unleaslice gefylled waes. ?yllice word Mar?a heold araefnigende on hire heortan. And ?a hyrdas gecyrdon ongean wuldrigende and herigende God, on eallum ?am ?ingum ?e h? gehyrdon and ges?won, swa swa him gesaed waes.

?yssera ?reora hyrda gemynd is gehaefd be eastan Bethleem ?ne mile, on Godes cyrcan geswutelod, ?am ?e ?a stowe geneosia?. We sceolon geefenlaecan ?ysum hyrdum, and wuldrian and h?rian urne Drihten on eallum ?am ?ingum ?e he for ure lufe gefremode, ?s to alysednysse and to ecere blisse, ?am sy wuldor and lof mid ?am AElmihtigum Faeder, on annysse ?aes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.

SERMON ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD.

We will, for the confirmation of your faith, relate to you the nativity of our Saviour, according to the order of the gospel: how he on this present day was born in true humanity in divine nature.

Luke the Evangelist wrote in the book of Christ, that at that time the Roman emperor Octavianus made proclamation that all the world should be set down in writing. This enrolment was set forth from Cyrenius, the governor of Syria--that every man in general should declare his birth and his possession in the city to which he belonged. Then Joseph, the foster-father of Christ, went from the land of Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to the Jewish city, which was of David, and was called Bethlehem, because he was of the tribe of David, and would acknowledge with Mary her birth, who was then great with child. Then it came to pass, while they were sojourning in the city of Bethlehem, that her time was fulfilled that she should bring forth, and she brought forth then her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid the child in their asses' bin, because there was no room in the inn. And there were shepherds in the country watching over their flock; and lo, the angel of God stood before them, and God's brightness shone on them, and they were much afraid. Then said the angel of God to the shepherds, "Fear not, lo, I announce to you great joy, which shall come to all people; for now to-day is born to you a Saviour, Christ, in the city of David. Ye shall see this token, ye shall find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a bin." Then suddenly, after the angel's speech, there was seen a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and singing, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis," that is in our tongue, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men who are of good will." And the angels then withdrew from their sight to heaven. The shepherds then spake among themselves, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word that God hath manifested unto us." They came then quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child laid in a bin, as the angel had announced to them. But the shepherds understood the word that had been said to them concerning the child, and all wondered that heard it, and also at that which the shepherds said unto them. But Mary held all these words, pondering them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as had been said to them by the angel.

The Son of God was crowded in his inn, that he might give us a spacious dwelling in the kingdom of heaven, if we obey his will. He asks nothing of us as reward for his toil, except our soul's health, that we may prepare ourselves for him pure and uncorrupted in bliss and everlasting joy. The shepherds that watched over their flock at Christ's birth, betokened the holy teachers in God's church, who are the spiritual shepherds of faithful souls: and the angel announced Christ's birth to the herdsmen, because to the spiritual shepherds, that is, teachers, is chiefly revealed concerning Christ's humanity, through book-learning: and they shall sedulously preach to those placed under them, that which is manifested to them, as the shepherds proclaimed the heavenly vision. It beseemeth the teacher to be ever watchful over God's flock, that the invisible wolf scatter not the sheep.

The shepherds then spake among themselves, after the departure of the angels, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word which is come to pass, and that God hath revealed unto us." O how rightly they acknowledged the holy faith with these words, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and that word was God"! A word is the manifestation of wisdom, and the Word, that is Wisdom, is begotten of the Almighty Father, without beginning; for he was ever God of God, Wisdom of the wise Father. He is not made, for he is God, and not a creature; for the Almighty Father created all creatures through that Wisdom, and endowed them all with life through the Holy Ghost. Our human nature could not see Christ in that divine nativity; but that same Word became flesh and dwelt in us, that we might see him. The Word was not turned to flesh, but it was invested with human flesh. As every man existeth in soul and in body one man, so also Christ existeth in divine nature and human nature, in one person one Christ. They said, "Let us see the word that is come to pass," because they could not see it before it was incarnate, and become man. Nevertheless, the divine nature is not mingled with the human nature, nor is there any separation. We might tell unto you a little simile, if it were not too mean; Look now on an egg, how the white is not mingled with the yolk, and yet it is one egg. Nor also is Christ's divinity confounded with human nature, but he continueth to all eternity in one person undivided.

Then came the shepherds quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child laid in the bin. Mary was, by God's direction, betrothed to the righteous Joseph, for the greater security; because it was thus customary among the Jewish people, according to the law of Moses, that if any woman had a child, save in lawful wedlock, she should be slain with stones. But God sent his angel to Joseph, when Mary was pregnant, and commanded that he should have care of her, and be the child's foster-father. Then it seemed to the Jews that Joseph was father of the child, but he was not; because the Almighty Creator had no need to be born of woman; but he took human nature from the womb of Mary, and left her a virgin undefiled, but hallowed through his birth. She knew no society of man, and she brought forth without pain, and continued in maidenhood. The shepherds saw and recognized the child, as had to them been told. Now all who heard that wondered greatly thereat, and at what the shepherds said. But Mary held all these words, pondering them in her heart. She would not publish Christ's mystery, but waited until he himself, when it pleased him, should divulge it. She knew God's law, and in the book of the prophets had read, that a virgin should give birth to God. Then she greatly rejoiced that she might be it. It was prophesied that he should be born in the city of Bethlehem, and she greatly wondered that, according to that prophecy, she was there delivered. She remembered that a prophet had said, "The ox knows his master, and the ass his master's bin." Then saw she the child lying in the bin, where the ox and the ass usually seek food. God's archangel Gabriel had announced to Mary the Saviour's coming into her womb, and she then saw that his announcement was truly fulfilled. Such words Mary held, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all those things which they had heard and seen, as had been told unto them.

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