Part 10
Nu w['i]gliadh stunte men menigfealde w['i]gelunga on dhisum daege, mid micclum gedwylde, aefter haedhenum gewunan, ongean heora cristendom, swylce h['i] magon heora l['i]f gelengan, oththe heora gesundfulnysse, mid tham dhe h['i] gremiadh thone Aelmihtigan Scyppend. Sind eac manega mid swa micclum gedwylde befangene, thaet h['i] cepadh be dham monan heora faer, and heora daeda be dagum, and nelladh heora dhing wanian on monan-daeg, for anginne dhaere wucan; ac se monan-daeg nis na fyrmest daga on thaere wucan, ac is se odher. Se sunnan-daeg is fyrmest on gesceapenysse and on endebyrdnysse, and on wurdhmynte. Secgadh eac sume gedwaesmenn thaet sum orfcyn sy the man bletsigan ne sceole, and cwedhadh thaet h['i] thurh bletsunge misfaradh, and dhurh wyrigunge gedheodh, and brucadh thonne Godes gife him on teonan, buton bletsunge, mid deofles awyrigednysse. Aelc bletsung is of Gode, and wyrigung of deofle. God gesceop ealle gesceafta, and deofol nane {102} gesceafta scyppan ne maeg, ac he is yfel tihtend, and leas wyrcend, synna ordfruma, and sawla bepaecend.
Tha gesceafta dhe sind thwyrlice gedhuhte, h['i] sind to wrace gesceapene yfel-daedum. Oft halige men wunedon on westene betwux redhum wulfum and leonum, betwux eallum deorcynne and wurmcynne, and him nan dhing derian ne mihte; ac h['i] totaeron tha hyrnedan naeddran mid heora nacedum handum, and tha micclan dracan eadhelice acwealdon, buton aelcere dare, thurh Godes mihte.
Wa dham men the br['i]cdh Godes gesceafta, buton his bletsunge, mid deofellicum w['i]glungum, thonne se dheoda lareow cwaedh, Paulus, "Swa hwaet swa ge dodh on worde, odhdhe on weorce, dodh symle on Drihtnes naman, thancigende tham Aelmihtigan Faeder thurh his Bearn." Nis thaes mannes cristendom naht, the mid deoflicum w['i]glungum his l['i]f adrihdh; he is geh['i]wod to cristenum men, and is earm haedhengylda; swa swa se ylca apostol be swylcum cwaedh, "Ic wene thaet ic swunce on ydel, dhadha ic eow to Gode gebigde: nu ge cepadh dagas and mondhas mid ydelum w['i]glungum."
Is hwaedhere aefter gecynde on gesceapennysse aelc lichamlice gesceaft dhe eordhe acendh fulre and maegenfaestre on fullum monan thonne on gewanedum. Swa eac treowa, gif h['i] beodh on fullum monan geheawene, h['i] beodh heardran and langf['ae]rran to getimbrunge, and swidhost, gif h['i] beodh unsaepige geworhte. Nis dhis nan w['i]glung, ac is gecyndelic dhincg thurh gesceapenysse. Hwaet eac seo s['ae] wunderlice gethwaerlaecdh thaes monan ymbrene; symle h['i] beodh geferan on waestme and on wanunge. And swa swa se mona daeghwonlice feower pricon lator arist, swa eac seo s['ae] symle feower pricum lator fleowdh.
Uton besettan urne hiht and ure gesaeldha on thaes Aelmihtigan Scyppendes foresceawunge, sedhe ealle gesceafta on dhrim dhingum gesette, thaet is on gemete, and on getele, and on hefe. Sy him wuldor and lof ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.
JANUARY I.
THE OCTAVES AND CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD.
The evangelist Luke concluded the gospel of this day with few words, but they are filled with a manifold power of the heavenly mysteries. He said, "Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero conciperetur." That is in our tongue, "After that the eight days were accomplished from the Lord's birth, that he should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, that is _Saviour_, by which name he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."
The patriarch Abraham was the first man circumcised by God's command. Abraham spake with God, and God held converse most with him after Noah's flood, and said, "I am the Lord Almighty; walk before me and be perfect. And I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and I will exceedingly multiply thee, and thou shalt be the father of many nations. Kings shall spring from thee, and I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and thy offspring after thee, that I am the God of thee and of thy offspring." Abraham prostrated himself with all his limbs to the earth, and God said to him, "Hold thou my covenant, and thy offspring after thee in their tribes. This is my covenant, which ye shall hold betwixt me and you; that every male child in your tribe shall be circumcised: be that a sign betwixt me and you. Let every {93} male child, when it is eight nights old, be circumcised, both the noble-born and the slave; and he who neglecteth this, his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant. Now be thou henceforth called not Abram, but Abraham, because I will establish thee as the father of many nations. Nor be thy wife called Sarai, but be called Sarah; and I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son whom thou shalt call Isaac; and I will set my covenant with him and his offspring for everlasting duration. And after this speech the Almighty went up." On the same day Abraham was circumcised, and all his household, and afterwards his son Isaac, on the eighth day from his birth.
Abraham's name was at first spoken with five letters, 'Abram,' that is _High father_; but God increased his name with two letters, and called him Abraham, that is _Father of many nations_: for God said that he had appointed him for father of many nations. His wife was called Sarai, which is interpreted, _My chief_; but God called her afterwards Sarah, that is _Chief_; that she might not be exclusively called her family's chief, but absolutely chief; which is to be understood, mother of all believing women. An hundred years old was Abraham, and his consort ninety, before they had a child between them. When a child came to them, it came so much with God's providence and blessing, that God promised blessing to all mankind through his kin. Then Abraham's kin ever held God's covenant; and the leader Moses, and all the tribe of Israel, circumcised their children on the eighth day, and gave them names, until Christ was born in human nature, who established baptism, and changed the token of the old law to spiritual righteousness.
It is probable that some of you know not what circumcision is. God commanded Abraham, that he and his offspring should hold his covenant; that there might be some sign on their bodies to show that they believed in God, and commanded him to take a sharp-edged flint, and cut off a {95} part of the foreskin. And that token was then as great among believing men as is now the holy baptism, excepting only that no man could go to God's kingdom, before He came who should confirm the old law, and afterwards, by his presence, turn it to a spiritual sense: but every holy man abode in Abraham's dwelling, without torments, although in hell, until the Redeemer came, who overcame the old devil, and led his chosen to the kingdom of heaven.
The same Saviour, who now awfully and salutarily cries in his gospel, "Unless anyone be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot go to the kingdom of heaven," the same cried of old, through the old law, "Whatever male child shall not be circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh, his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant." This sign stood among God's people until Christ himself came, and he himself was subject to the holy law that he had established, that he might release those who had necessarily been subjected to the old law. He said that he came not to overthrow, but to fulfil the old law. Then on the eighth day from his birth he was bodily circumcised, as he himself had before taught, and thereby manifested that the old law was holy and good in its time for those who were obedient to it. It was usual that the parents should give a name to the child on the eighth day, with circumcision, but they durst not give any other name to Christ than what the archangel had fixed on for him, before he was conceived in his mother's womb, that is, JESUS, and in our tongue, SAVIOUR, because he shall save his people from their sins.
It is not now allowed to christian men to observe circumcision bodily, but, nevertheless, no man is truly a christian, unless he observe circumcision in spiritual conduct. What does the amputation of the foreskin betoken but decrease of lust? This discourse might easily be concealed from the laymen, were it not for its spiritual signification. To unlearned men it seems foolish to hear; but if it seems foolish {97} to him, let him chide God, who established it, not us, who say it. But let everyone know for certain, unless he diminish his fleshly lusts and wantonness, that he holds not his christianity with right observance. Of this matter ye have often heard, but to us your displeasure is more tolerable than the anger of Almighty God, if we announce not his commandments. If ye will live according to human reason, then are ye spiritually circumcised; but if ye will be subjected to your libidinousness, then will ye be as the prophet said, "Man, when he was in dignity understood it not; he is, therefore, compared with the foolish beasts, and is become like unto them."
Therefore has God given reason to men that they might acknowledge their Creator, and by observance of his commandments, merit eternal life. Verily the wicked man is more miserable than any beast, because the beast has no soul, nor will ever be quickened again, nor suffer future punishments. But we, who are created after God's likeness, and have an unperishable soul, we shall arise from death, and render to God an account of all our thoughts, and words, and works. Therefore we should not merely be circumcised in one member, but should constantly diminish foul libidinousness, and turn our eyes from evil seeing, and ears from evil hearing; our mouth from leasing speeches, hand from wicked deeds; our footsteps from the deadly path, our hearts from guile. If we are thus circumcised from sins, then will a new name be given us, as the prophet Isaiah said, "God will call his servants by other names." Again, the same prophet said, "Thou shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of God hath named." That new name is 'Christianus,' that is, _Christian_. We are all from Christ called christians, but we should adorn that honourable name with exalted morals, that we be not false christians. If we observe this spiritual circumcision in our morals, then are we of Abraham's kin, in true faith; as the apostle of the gentiles, Paul, said to {99} the faithful, "If ye are Christ's, then are ye of Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Peter the apostle also exhorted faithful women to humility and modesty, thus saying, "As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord, whose daughters ye are, well doing and not fearing any affliction."
The eighth day, on which the child was circumcised, betokened the eighth age of this world, in which we shall arise from death, parted from every earthly corruption and pollution of our body. The stone knife, which circumcised the child, betokened the stone of which the apostle said, "The stone verily was Christ." He said _was_, meaning a type, not in substance. Through belief, and hope, and true love of Christ, are pious hearts cleansed, by daily circumcision, from their sins, and through his grace enlightened.
We have often heard that men call this day the day of the year, as if this day were first in the circuit of the year; but we find no explanation in christian books, why this day is accounted the beginning of the year. The old Romans, in heathen days, begun the circuit of the year on this day; and the Hebrew nations on the vernal equinox; the Greeks on the summer solstice; and the Egyptians begun their year at harvest. Now our calendar begins, according to the Roman institution, on this day, not for any religious reason, but from old custom. Some of our service-books begin on the Lord's Advent; but not on that account is that the beginning of the year, nor is it with any reason placed on this day; though our calendars, in this place, repeat it. Most rightly it has been thought that the beginning of the year should be observed on the day that the Almighty Creator placed the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the beginning of all the seasons; that is on the day that the Hebrew people begin the calculation of their year; as the leader Moses has written in the books of laws. Verily God said to Moses concerning that month, "This month is the beginning of months, and it {101} is first of the months of the year." Now the Hebrew people held the first day of the year on the vernal equinox, because on that day the yearly seasons were set.
The eighteenth day of the month that we call March, which ye call Hlyda, was the first day of this world. On that day God made light, and morning, and evening. Then three days went forth without any measure of times; for the heavenly bodies were not created before the fourth day. On the fourth day the Almighty fixed all the heavenly bodies, and the yearly seasons, and commanded that they should be for a sign, for days, and for years. Now the Hebrews begin their year on the day when all the seasons were appointed, that is on the fourth day of the world's creation, and the doctor Beda reckons, with great discretion, that that day is the twenty-first of March, the day which we celebrate in honour of the holy man Benedict, for his great excellencies. Aye, the earth also makes known by her plants, which then return to life, that the time at which they were created is the most correct beginning of the year.
Now foolish men practise manifold divinations on this day, with great error, after heathen custom, against their christianity, as if they could prolong their life or their health, while they provoke the Almighty Creator. Many are also possessed with such great error, that they regulate their journeying by the moon, and their acts according to days, and will not undertake anything on Monday, because of the beginning of the week; though Monday is not the first day in the week, but is the second. Sunday is the first in creation, in order, and in dignity. Some foolish men also say, that there are some kinds of animals which one should not bless; and say that they decline by blessing, and by cursing thrive, and so enjoy God's grace to their injury, without blessing, with the devil's malediction. Every blessing is of God, and curse of the devil. God created all creatures, and the devil can create no creatures, for he is an inciter to evil, {103} and worker of falsehood, author of sins, and deceiver of souls.
The creatures that are thought monstrous have been created for punishment of evil deeds. Holy men often dwelt in the waste among fierce wolves and lions, among all the beast kind and the worm kind, and nothing might harm them; but they tore the horned serpents with their naked hands, and the great snakes they easily slew, without any hurt, through God's might.
Woe to the man who uses God's creatures, without his blessing, with diabolical charms, when the apostle of the gentiles, Paul, has said, "Whatsoever ye do in word or in work, do always in the name of the Lord, thanking the Almighty Father through his Son." That man's christianity is naught, who passes his life in diabolical charms; he is in appearance a christian man, and is a miserable heathen; as the same apostle said of such, "I believe that I laboured in vain when I inclined you to God, now ye observe days and months with vain auguries."
Every bodily creature in the creation which the earth produces, is, however, according to nature, fuller and stronger in full moon than in decrease. Thus trees also, if they are felled in full moon, are harder and more lasting for building, and especially if they are made sapless. This is no charm, but is a natural thing from their creation. The sea too agrees wonderfully with the course of the moon; they are always companions in their increase and waning. And as the moon rises daily four points later, so also the sea flows always four points later.
Let us set our hope and our happiness in the providence of the Almighty Creator, who hath placed all creatures in three things; that is in measure, and in number, and in weight. Be to him glory and praise ever to eternity. Amen.
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{104} VIII. I[=D]. JAN.
EPIPHANIA DOMINI.
Men dha leofostan, nu for feawum dagum we oferraeddon this godspel aetforan eow, the belimpdh to dhysses daeges dhenunge, for gereccednysse dhaere godspellican endebyrdnysse; ac we ne hrepodon thone traht na swidhor thonne to dhaes daeges wurdhmynte bel['a]mp: nu wille we eft oferyrnan tha ylcan godspellican endebyrdnysse, and be dhyssere andweardan freolst['i]de trahtnian.
Matheus se Godspellere cwaedh, "Cum natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iudae, in diebus Herodis regis, ecce Magi ab oriente uenerunt Hierosolimam, dicentes, Ubi est qui natus est Rex Iudeorum?" et reliqua. "Thadha se Haelend acenned waes on thaere Iudeiscan Bethleem, on Herodes dagum cyninges, efne dha comon fram east-daele middangeardes dhry tungel-witegan to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, thus befr['i]nende, Hwaer is Iudeiscra leoda Cyning, sedhe acenned is?" etc.
Dhes daeg is gehaten Epiphania Domini, thaet is Godes geswutelung-daeg. On thysum daege Crist waes geswutelod tham dhrym cyningum, dhe fram east-daele middangeardes hine mid thrimfealdum lacum gesohton. Eft embe geara ymbrynum h['e] weardh on his fulluhte on thysum daege middangearde geswutelod, dhadha se Halga G['a]st, on culfran h['i]we, uppon him gereste, and thaes Faeder stemn of heofenum hl['u]de swegde, thus cwedhende, "Thes is min leofa Sunu, the me w['e]l licadh; gehyradh him." Eac on dhisum daege he awende waeter to aedhelum wine, and mid tham geswutelode thaet he is se sodha Scyppend, the dha gesceafta awendan mihte. For dhisum thrym dhingum is dhes freols-daeg Godes swutelung gecweden. On dham forman daege his gebyrd-tide he weardh aeteowed thrym hyrdum on Iudeiscum earde, thurh dhaes engles bodunge. On dham ylcum daege he weardh gecydd tham dhrym tungel-witegum on east-daele, thurh dhone beorhtan steorran; ac on thysum daege {106} h['i] comon mid heora lacum. Hit waes gedafenlic thaet se gesceadwisa engel hine cydde tham gesceadwisum Iudeiscum, dhe Godes ['ae] cudhon, and dham hadhenum, the dhaes godcundan gesceades nyston na dhurh stemne, ac dhurh tacn waere geswutelod.
Tha Iudeiscan hyrdas get['a]cnodon dha gastlican hyrdas, thaet sind dha apostolas, the Crist geceas of Iudeiscum folce, ['u]s to hyrdum and to lareowum. Dha tungel-witegan, dhe waeron on haedhenscipe wunigende, haefdon getacnunge ealles haedhenes folces, dhe wurdon to Gode geb['i]gede thurh dhaera apostola l['a]re, the waeron Iudeiscre dheode. Sodhlice se sealm-sceop awr['a]t be Criste, thaet h['e] is se hyrn-stan the gefegdh tha twegen weallas togaedere, fordhan dhe he getheodde his gecorenan of Iudeiscum folce and tha geleaffullan of haedhenum, swilce twegen wagas to anre geladhunge; be dham cwaedh Paulus se apostol, "Se Haelend bodade on his to-cyme sibbe us dhe feorran w['ae]ron, and sibbe tham dhe gehende w['ae]ron. He is ure sibb, sedhe dyde aegdher to anum, towurpende dha ['ae]rran feondscipas on him sylfum." Tha Iudeiscan dhe on Crist gelyfdon waeron him geh['e]ndor st['o]wlice, and eac dhurh cydhdhe thaere ealdan ['ae]: we waeron swidhe fyrlyne, aegdher ge st['o]wlice ge dhurh uncydhdhe; ac he us gegaderode mid ['a]num geleafan to dham healicum hyrn-stane, thaet is to annysse his geladhunge.
Dha easternan tungel-w['i]tegan ges['a]won n['i]wne steorran beorhtne, na on heofenum betwux odhrum tunglum, ac waes ['a]ngenga betwux heofenum and eordhan. Dha undergeaton h['i] thaet se seldcudha tungel gebicnode thaes sodhan Cyninges acennednysse, on dham earde dhe he ofergl['a]d; and fordhi comon to Iudea rice, and thone arleasan cyning Herodem mid heora bodunge dhearle af['ae]rdon; fordhan dhe buton tweon seo eordhlice arleasnys weardh gescynd, thadha seo heofenlice healicnyss weardh geopenod.
Swutol is thaet dha tungel-witegan tocneowon Crist sodhne mann, dhadha h['i] befrunon, "Hwaer is se dhe acenned is?" H['i] oncneowon hine sodhne Cyning, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "Iudea {108} Cyning." H['i] hine wurdhodon sodhne God, thadha h['i] cwaedon, "We comon to dhy thaet we us to him gebiddan." Eadhe mihte God h['i] gewissian thurh dhone steorran to dhaere byrig the thaet cild on waes, swa swa he his acennednysse thurh dhaes steorran up-spring geswutelode; ac he wolde thaet dha Iudeiscan boceras dha witegunge be dham raeddon, and swa his cenning-stowe geswutelodon, thaet h['i] gehealdene waeron, gif h['i] woldon mid than tungel-witegum h['i] to Criste gebiddan: gif h['i] thonne noldon, thaet h['i] wurdon mid thaere geswutelunge genidherode. Tha tungel-witegan ferdon and h['i] gebaedon, and dha Iudeiscan boceras baeftan belifon, the tha cenning-stowe thurh b['o]clic gescead geb['i]cnodon.
Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppendes to-cyme, buton dham arleasum Iudeiscum anum. Heofonas oncneowon heora Scyppend, dhadha h['i] on his acennednysse n['i]wne steorran aeteowdon. S['ae] oncneow dhadha Crist mid drium fot-wylmum ofer hyre ydha mihtelice eode. Sunne oncneow, thatha heo on his dhrowunge hire leoman fram mid-daege odh n['o]n behydde. Stanas oncneowon, dhadha h['i] on his fordhsidhe sticmaelum toburston. Seo eordhe oncneow, dhadha heo on his aeriste eall byfode. Hell oncneow, dhadha heo hire haeftlingas undhances forlet. And dheah tha heard-heortan Iudei noldon for eallum dham tacnum thone sodhan Scyppend tocn['a]wan, the tha dumban gesceafta undergeaton, and mid gebicnungum geswutolodon. Naeron h['i] swa-dheah ealle endemes ungeleaffulle, ac of heora cynne waeron aegdher ge w['i]tegan ge apostolas, and fela dhusenda gelyfedra manna.
Thatha dha tungel-witegan thone cyning gecyrdon, tha weardh se steorra him ungesewen; and eft, dhadha h['i] to dham cilde gecyrdon, tha gesawon h['i] eft dhone steorran, and he dha h['i] gelaedde to tham huse, thaer h['e] inne wunode. Ne glad h['e] ealne weig him aetforan, ac sydhdhan h['i] comon to Iudeiscum earde, sydhdhan he waes heora latteow, odh thaet he bufan Cristes gesthuse aetstod.
Herodes haefde deofles getacnunge; and se dhe fram Gode {110} bichdh to deofle he forlyst Godes gife, thaet is his modes onlihtinge, swa swa dha tungel-witegan dhone steorran forluron, dhadha h['i] dhone redhan cyning gecyrdon. Gif he dhonne eft thone deofol anraedlice forl['ae]t, dhonne gem['e]t h['e] eft thaes halgan Gastes gife, the his heortan onliht, and to Criste gelaet.
Us is eac to witenne, thaet waeron sume gedwolmen dhe cw['ae]don, thaet aelc man beo acenned be steorrena gesetnyssum, and thurh heora ymbryna him wyrd gelimpe, and n['a]mon to fultume heora gedwylde thaet n['i]we steorra asprang thatha Drihten lichamlice acenned weardh, and cwaedon thaet se steorra his gewyrd waere. Gew['i]te dhis gedwyld fram geleaffullum heortum, thaet aenig gewyrd sy, buton se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe aelcum men foresceawadh lif be his geearnungum. Nis se man for steorrum gesceapen, ac dha steorran sint mannum to nihtlicere lihtinge gesceapene. Thadha se steorra gl['a]d, and tha tungel-witegan gelaedde, and him dhaes cildes inn geb['i]cnode, dha geswutelode he thaet he waes Cristes gesceaft, and rihtlice his Scyppende thenode: ac h['e] naes his gewyrd. Eft we biddadh thaet n['a]n geleafful man his geleafan mid thisum gedwylde ne befyle. Witodlice Rebecca, Isa['a]ces w['i]f, acende twegen getwysan, Iacob and Esau, on ['a]nre tide, swa thaet Iacob heold thone yldran brodher Esau be dham f['e]t on dhaere cenninge, and hi naeron dheah gelice on dheawum, ne on lifes geearnungum. Witodlice thaet halige gewrit cwydh thaet God lufode Iacob, and hatode Esau; na for gewyrde, ac for mislicum geearnungum. Hit gelimpdh forwel oft thaet on anre t['i]de acendh seo cw['e]n and seo wyln, and dheah gedhicdh se aedheling be his gebyrdum to healicum cynesetle, and dhaere wylne sunu wunadh eal his l['i]f on dheowte.