Part 14

There was there, in the city of Jerusalem, a man of God, and his name was Simeon; he was very righteous, and had {137} great fear of God, and he awaited the comfort which was promised to the people of Israel, that is the advent of Christ. The Holy Ghost was dwelling in Simeon, and he knew full well that the Son of Almighty God would come to men, and assume human nature. Then was this man very desirous of the advent of Jesus, and prayed daily to God in his prayers, that he might see Christ ere he tasted of death. Then, because he had so great desire of Christ's advent, there came to him an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not taste of death ere he had seen Christ. And he was then glad at the promise, and came to God's temple, through admonition of the Holy Ghost. And the holy Mary came then to the temple with the child, and the old man Simeon went towards the child, and saw Jesus, and well knew that he was the Son of God, the Redeemer of all the world. He took him in his arms with great feeling, and bare him into the temple, and fervently thanked God that he was allowed to see him. He then said, "My Lord, thou lettest me now go in peace from this life, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy Healing One, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light for the revelation of the gentiles, and a glory to thy people Israel."

It is written in the book of Christ, and elsewhere in other books, that many prophets and righteous men were desirous of seeing the advent of Christ, but it was not granted to them: but it was granted to this old man; for of him it is written, that he said daily in his prayers, "Ah! when will the Saviour come? When will he be born? When may I see him? May I live until I see him?" And then, for this desire, an answer came to him, that he should not see death before he had seen Christ.

Mary, Christ's mother, bare the child, and the old Simeon went towards her, and knew the child through revelation, and took it in his arms and bare it into the temple. He bare {139} the child, and the child bare him. How did the child bear him? The old Simeon bare in his arms him who preserves and rules over all things. Little he there appeared, yet was he, nevertheless, very great and infinite. Little he appeared, because he would fetch the little and bring them up to his kingdom. Who are the little ones that he would raise up to his kingdom? They are the humble. Christ sought not the proud, those who are great in their own imagination, but those who are little and humble in their hearts, these shall come to God's kingdom; but thither may no pride ascend. The devil was there, who became proud, but his pride cast him into the depth of hell; therefore our weakness may not ascend thither, if it be proud, when the angel might not be there when he became proud.

God, in the old law, commanded his people, that they should offer to him every firstborn male child, or redeem it with five shillings. Of their cattle also, to bring whatever was firstborn to God's house, and there offer it to God. But if it were an unclean beast, then should the master slay it, or give to God another clean beast. We need not now hold these commands bodily, but spiritually. When in our mind something good is brought forth and we turn it to action, then should we account that as God's grace, and consign it to God. Our evil thoughts or actions we should redeem with five shillings; that is, we should repent of our wickedness with our five senses, which are, sight, and hearing, and taste, and smell, and touch. So also as the unclean beasts betoken our unclean thoughts and actions, these we should always kill or exchange for pure; that is, we should always destroy our impurity and our wickedness, and forsake evil, and do good.

The blessed Mary then offered her gift to God with the child, as it was appointed in God's law. It was so appointed in the old law, by God's behest, that those who could {141} accomplish it, should bring a yearling lamb with their child, as a gift to God, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove. But if any woman were so needy that she could not get those things, then she should bring two young pigeons, or two turtle-doves.

These smaller gifts, that is, the birds, which were the gifts of indigent persons, were offered for Christ. The Almighty Son of God was very mindful of our needs in all things; not only would he for us become man when he was God, but he would also be poor for us when he was rich, that he might give us part in his kingdom and community in his Godhead. A lamb betokens innocence and the greater goodness; but if we are so poor that we cannot offer to God the greater goodness, then should we bring him two turtle-doves or two young pigeons; that is, a twofold affection of awe and love. In two ways is a man affected: first, he dreads hell-torment, and bewails his sins; afterwards he again feels love to God; then he begins to murmur, and it seems to him too long when he shall be taken from the afflictions of this life, and brought to everlasting rest.

Little was a lamb, or two turtle-doves to bring to God; but he regards not a man's gift so much as he regards his heart. God hath no need of our gifts; all things are his, heaven, and earth, and sea, and all the things which dwell in them: but he gave to men earthly things for use, and commanded them with those earthly things to acknowledge him who first gave them, not for His need, but for need of mankind. If thou acknowledgest thy Lord with thy possessions, according to thy ability, it forwards thyself to eternal life; if thou forgettest him, it harms thyself and not God, and thou losest the everlasting meed. God desires the goodness of thy mind, and not of thy possessions. If thou doest aught for the praise of God with devout mind, then thou manifestest the goodness of thy mind by that deed; but {143} if thou wilt do no good for the honour of God, then thou, by that offence, manifestest thy wickedness, and that wickedness shall fordo thee with God.

In the old law it is in several places mentioned, that God frequently commanded birds to be offered to him in sacrifice, for the betokening which they betoken. Now it is not allowed to any man to hold the old law bodily, but let everyone hold it spiritually. Pigeons are very innocent and gentle birds, and they love unity, and fly flockwise. Let the christian man also do so; let him be innocent, and gentle, and love unity and fellowship among christian men; then offers he to God spiritually the young pigeons. The turtle-doves betoken purity: they are so created, that if one of them lose the other, the living one never seeks to itself another mate. But if the christian man does so for love of God, then offers he the turtle-doves in the best manner. These two birds sing not like other birds, but they murmur; for they betoken the groaning of holy men in this life, as Christ said to his apostles, "Ye will be sad in this life, but your sadness will be turned to everlasting bliss." And again he said, "Blessed are they who bewail their sins, for they shall be comforted."

The old man Simeon, of whom we erewhile spoke, desired not that he might hear Christ speak, for he knew him to be the Son of God, though he, in his state of humanity, was yet without speech. He could have spoken, had he been willing; and he was as wise when he was one day old as he was when he was thirty years; but he would abide the time of his growth in human nature, as is natural in mankind. Simeon then said, "Lord, thou wilt let me now depart in peace from this life, for mine eyes have seen thy Healing One." The Healing One of whom he spake is our Saviour Christ, who came to heal our wounds, that is, our sins. Simeon then said, "Whom thou hast prepared before the sight of all people." All men saw him not bodily, but he is {145} announced to all men, let him believe who will. He who believes in him, sees him now with his faith, and in the eternal life with his eyes. Simeon yet said, "He is a light for the enlightening of the gentiles, and a glory to thy people Israel." All these words concerning the child, Simeon spake to the heavenly Father, who sent him to men. He is the true light who scattered the darkness of this life, as he himself said in his gospel, "I am the light of all the world; he who followeth me shall not come into darkness, but he shall have the light of life." As light scatters darkness, so also love and faith of Christ scatter all vices and sins from our heart; and he is the glory and bliss of all believing people.

Then the holy maiden Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, wondered at the words which the old Simeon uttered concerning the child. And Simeon then gave him his blessing, and prophesied yet more concerning the child, and said, "This child is set for the fall of many men, and for the rising of many, and for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." So as those men who believe in Christ will be saved by his coming, so also those who will not believe in Christ will be doubly condemned. Simply they are guilty through Adam's sin, and doubly they will be condemned, when they deny Christ's coming, and will not believe in the true Saviour. Christ came for the fall of unbelieving men, and for the rising of the faithful; and also to every believing man was Christ's coming both a fall and a rising. But how? He came because he would cast down every evil, and rear up every good. Now he casts down vices in us, and rears up virtues. He casts down pride, and rears up humility. He casts down libidinousness, and rears up chastity. And all wickedness he casts down in his chosen men, and rears up all goodness. Good cannot be built up unless evil be previously cast down. "Christ came for a sign, and which shall be spoken against." His birth is a wonderful sign, {147} because he was born of a maiden, as no other is; and against that unbelieving men spake, and would not believe. And, likewise, his resurrection from death, and his ascension to heaven, and all the wonders which he wrought--all these were signs, and the unbelieving spake against them, and the faithful believed.

Then said the old Simeon to the blessed Mary, "His sword shall pierce through thy soul." The sword betokened Christ's passion. The blessed Mary was not slain nor martyred bodily, but spiritually. When she saw her child taken, and iron nails driven through his hands and through his feet, and his side afterwards wounded with a spear, then was his suffering her suffering; and she was then more than a martyr, for her mind's suffering was greater than her body's would have been, had she been martyred. The old Simeon said not that Christ's sword should pierce through Mary's body, but her soul. Christ's sword is here set, as we said, for his passion. Though Mary believed that Christ would arise from death, her child's suffering went, nevertheless, very deeply into her heart.

When Simeon had prophesied this prophecy concerning Christ, then came there a widow, who was called Anna. "She had lived with her husband seven years; and had afterwards been a widow eighty-four years, and served God with fastings, and prayers, and with chastity; and was in all that time dwelling within God's temple; and came then to the child, and prophesied concerning him, and confessed to God." Rightly was so holy a woman worthy to prophesy concerning Christ, since she had so long served God in chastity. Behold, ye women, and understand how it is written concerning her. Seven years she had lived with her husband, and was afterwards continuing in widowhood eighty-four years; so living as the apostle taught. He, the apostle Paul, said, "The widow who liveth in luxuries, she liveth not, but she is dead." This Anna, of whom we speak, loved not luxuries, {149} but loved fasts. She loved not idle discourses, but occupied herself in prayers. She went not wandering through the land, but remained patiently within God's temple. If it happen to a woman to lose her husband, let her take example by this widow.

There are three states which bare witness of Christ: that is maidenhood, and widowhood, and lawful matrimony. A maiden is the mother of Christ, and in maidenhood John the Baptist continued, who testified of Christ, and many others besides him. This Anna, of whom we before spake, was a widow. Zacharias, the father of John, was a married man; both he and his wife prophesied concerning Christ. These three states are agreeable to God, if men righteously live in them. Maidenhood is both in men and in women. Those have right maidenhood who from childhood continue in chastity, and despise in themselves all lust, both of body and mind, through God's succour. Then shall they have from God a hundredfold meed in the everlasting life. Widows are those who, after the death of their consorts, live in chastity for love of God: they shall have a sixtyfold meed from God for their tribulation. Those who rightly hold their marriage vow, and at permitted times, and for procreation of children, have carnal intercourse, shall have a thirtyfold meed for their discretion. He who will satiate his libidinousness as often as he lists, shall be compared with the beasts and not with men. Concerning this the apostle Paul taught, "Let those who have wives be as though they had none." For they shall atone for all their evil lusts voluntarily in this life, or involuntarily after this life; and they shall come afterwards to the everlasting life with more difficulty. Those men who are without a lawful consort, and run from one to other, shall have no part and no blessing with Christ, unless they desist and make atonement. Let us now resume the gospel where we previously left it.

The blessed Mary, and Joseph, the child's foster-father, {151} returned to the city of Nazareth with the child; "and the child grew, and was strengthened, and filled with wisdom, and God's grace was dwelling within him." He grew and was strengthened in human nature, but he required no growth and no strengthening in his divine nature. He ate, and drank, and slept, and grew in years, and was, nevertheless, all his life without sins. He would not have seemed a man, if he had not lived the life of a man. He was filled with wisdom, because he is himself wisdom, and in him dwelleth all fullness of the divine nature: God's grace dwelt bodily within him. A great grace was that of his human nature, that he was the Son of God and God himself, as soon as he began to be man. He was ever God begotten of the Father, and dwelling with the Father and with the Holy Ghost: these three one God indivisible; three in persons, and one God in one Godhead, and in one nature ever continuing. The Son only assumed human nature, and had a beginning, who was ever. He was a child, and grew in human nature, and voluntarily suffered death, and arose from death with the body in which he before had suffered, and ascended to heaven, and continueth now for ever in divine nature and in human nature, one Christ, both God and man, immortal, who before his passion was mortal. He suffered, but henceforth he will never suffer again, but will ever be without end, as eternal in his human nature as he is in his divine nature.

Be it known also to everyone that it is appointed in the ecclesiastical observances, that we on this day bear our lights to church, and let them there be blessed: and that we should go afterwards with the light among God's houses, and sing the hymn that is thereto appointed. Though some men cannot sing, they can, nevertheless, bear the light in their hands; for on this day was Christ, the true Light, borne to the temple, who redeemed us from darkness and bringeth us to the Eternal Light, who liveth and ruleth ever without end. Amen.

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{152} DOMINICA IN QUINQUAGESIMA.

Adsumpsit Iesus XII. discipulos suos: et reliqua.

Her is geraed on thissum godspelle, the we nu gehyrdon of dhaes diacones mudhe, thaet "se Haelend gename onsundron his twelf leorning-cnihtas, and cwaedh to him, Efne we sceolon faran to dhaere byrig Hierusalem, and thonne beodh gefyllede ealle dha dhing the waeron be me awritene thurh witegan. Ic sceal beon bel['ae]wed dheodum, and h['i] dodh me to bysmore, and beswingadh, and sydhdhan ofsleadh, and ic arise of deadhe on tham dhriddan daege. Tha nyston his leorning-cnihtas nan andgit thyssera worda. Dha gel['a]mp hit thaet h['i] genealaehton anre byrig the is gehaten Hiericho, and dha saet thaer sum blind man be dham wege; and thatha he gehyrde thaes folces faer mid tham Haelende, dha acsode he hwa thaer ferde. Hi cwaedon him to, thaet thaet waere dhaes Haelendes faer. Tha begann he to hrymenne, and cwaedh, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Dha men, the beforan tham Haelende ferdon, ciddon ongean dhone blindan, thaet he suwian sceolde. He clypode tha miccle swidhor, Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n. Tha st['o]d se Haelend, and het laedan thone blindan to him. Thadha he genealaehte, tha acsode se Haelend hine, Hwaet wylt dhu thaet ic the d['o]? He cwaedh, Drihten, thaet ic mage geseon. And se Haelend him cwaedh to, Loca nu: thin geleafa haefdh dhe gehaeled. And he dhaerrihte geseah, and fyligde tham Haelende, and hine maersode. Tha eal thaet folc, the thaet wundor geseh, herede God mid micelre onbryrdnysse."

Dhyses godspelles anginn hrepode ures Haelendes throwunge, theah-hwaedhere ne dhrowade h['e] na on dhysne timan; ac h['e] wolde feorran and lange aer cydhan his dhrowunge his leorning-cnihtum, thaet h['i] ne sceoldon beon to swidhe afyrhte thurh dha throwunge, thonne se tima come thaet h['e] dhrowian wolde. Heora m['o]d weardh afyrht thurh Cr['i]stes segene, ac h['e] h['i] eft gehyrte mid tham worde the h['e] cwaedh, "Ic arise of deadhe on tham dhriddan daege." Tha wolde he heora geleafan gestrangian {154} and getrymman mid wundrum. And h['i] dha comon to dhaere stowe thaer se blinda man saet be dham wege, and Crist hine gehaelde aetforan gesihdhe ealles thaes werodes, to dhi thaet he wolde mid tham wundre h['i] to geleafan gebringan. Theah-hwaedhere tha wundra the Crist worhte, odher dhing h['i] aeteowdon thurh mihte, and odhre dhing h['i] getacnodon thurh geryno. He worhte tha wundra sodhlice thurh godcunde mihte, and mid tham wundrum thaes folces geleafan getrymde; ac hwaedhre thaer waes odher dhing digle on dham wundrum, aefter gastlicum andgite. Thes ['a]n blinda man getacnode eall mancynn, the weardh ablend thurh Adames gylt, and asceofen of myrhdhe neoxena-wanges, and gebroht to dhissum life the is widhmeten cwearterne. Nu sind we ute belocene fram dham heofenlican leohte, and we ne magon on dhissum life thaes ecan leohtes brucan; ne we his na mare ne cunnon buton swa micel swa we dhurh Cristes lare on bocum raedadh. Theos woruld, theah dhe heo myrige hw['i]ltidum gedhuht sy, nis heo hwaedhere dhe gelicere dhaere ecan worulde, the is sum cweartern leohtum daege. Eal mancyn waes, swa we aer cwaedon, ablend mid geleaflaeste and gedwylde; ac thurh Cristes to-cyme we wurdon abrodene of urum gedwyldum, and onlihte thurh geleafan. Nu haebbe we thaet leoht on urum mode, thaet is Cristes geleafa; and we habbadh thone hiht thaes ecan lifes myrhdhe, theah dhe we gyt lichamlice on urum cwearterne wunian.

Se blinda man saet aet thaere byrig the is geh['a]ten Hiericho. Hiericho is gereht and geh['a]ten 'mona.' Se mona dedh aegdher ge wycxdh ge wanadh: healfum mondhe he bidh weaxende, healfum he bidh wanigende. Nu getacnadh se mona ure deadlice lif, and ateorunge ure deadlicnysse. On odherne ende men beodh acennede, on otherne ende h['i] fordhfaradh. Thadha Crist com to dhaere byrig Hiericho, the dhone monan getacnadh, tha underfeng se blinda man gesihdhe. Thaet is, dhadha Crist com to ure deadlicnysse, and ure menniscnysse underfeng, tha weardh mancyn onliht, and gesihdhe underfeng. He saet widh dhone weig; and Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ic eom {156} weig, and sodhfaestnys, and l['i]f." Se man the nan dhing ne cann dhaes ecan leohtes, he is blind; ac gif he gelyfdh on thone Haelend, thonne sitt he widh thone weig. Gif he nele biddan thaes ecan leohtes, he sitt dhonne blind be dham wege unbiddende. Se dhe rihtlice gelyfdh on Cr['i]st, and geornlice bitt his sawle onlihtinge, he sitt be dham wege biddende. Swa hwa swa oncnaewdh tha blindnysse his modes, clypige he mid inweardre heortan, sw['a] sw['a] se blinda cleopode, "Haelend, Dauides Bearn, gemiltsa m['i]n."

Seo menigu the eode beforan dham Haelende ciddon dham blindan, and heton thaet he stille waere. Seo menigu getacnadh ure unlustas and leahtras the us hremadh, and ure heortan ofsittadh, thaet we ne magon us swa geornlice gebiddan, swa we behofedon. Hit gelimpdh gelomlice, thonne se man wile yfeles geswican, and his synna gebetan, and mid eallum mode to Gode gecyrran, dhonne cumadh tha ealdan leahtras the h['e] aer geworhte, and h['i] gedrefadh his mod, and willadh gestillan his stemne, thaet he to Gode ne clypige. Ac hwaet dyde se blinda, thatha thaet folc hine wolde gestyllan? He hrymde dhaes dhe swidhor, odh thaet se Haelend his stemne gehyrde, and hine gehaelde. Swa we sceolon eac d['o]n, gif us deofol drecce mid menigfealdum gedhohtum and costnungum: we sceolon hryman swidhor and swidhor to dham Haelende, thaet he todraefe dha yfelan costnunga fram ure heortan, and thaet he onlihte ure mod mid his gife. Gif we dhonne thurhwuniadh on urum gebedum, thonne mage we gedon mid urum hreame thaet se Haelend stent, sedhe aer eode, and wile gehyran ure clypunge, and ure heortan onlihtan mid godum and mid claenum gedhohtum. Ne magon dha yfelan gedhohtas ['u]s derian, gif hi ['u]s ne liciadh; ac swa ['u]s swidhor deofol bregdh mid yfelum gedhohtum, swa we beteran beodh, and Gode leofran, gif we dhone deofol forseodh and ealle his costnunga, dhurh Godes fultum.

Hwaet is thaes Haelendes stede, odhdhe hwaet is his faer? He ferde dhurh his menniscnysse, and he stod thurh tha godcundnysse. He ferde dhurh dha menniscnysse, swa thaet he waes {158} acenned, and ferde fram stowe to stowe, and deadh throwade, and of deadhe ar['a]s, and astah to heofenum. This is his faer. He stent dhurh dha godcundnysse; fordhon dhe h['e] is dhurh his mihte aeghwaer andweard, and ne dhearf na faran fram stowe to stowe; fordhon dhe h['e] is on aelcere stowe thurh his godcundnysse. Thadha he ferde, tha gehyrde he thaes blindan clypunge; and thatha he stod, tha forgeaf he him gesihdhe; fordhan thurh dha menniscnysse he besargadh ures modes blindnysse, and dhurh dha godcundnysse he forgifdh us leoht, and ure blindnysse onliht. He cwaedh to dham blindan men, "Hwaet wilt dhu thaet ic dhe do?" Wenst dhu thaet h['e] nyste hwaet se blinda wolde, sedhe hine gehaelan mihte? Ac he wolde thaet se blinda baede; fordhon the h['e] tiht aelcne swidhe gemaglice to gebedum: ac hwaedhere he cwydh on odhre stowe, "Eower heofenlica Faeder wat hwaes ge behofiadh, aerdhan dhe ge hine aeniges dhinges biddan," theah-hwaedhere wile se goda God thaet we hine georne biddon; fordhan thurh dha gebedu bidh ure heorte onbryrd and gewend to Gode.

Dha cwaedh se blinda, "La leof, do thaet ic maege geseon." Ne baed se blinda nadhor ne goldes, ne seolfres, ne nane woruldlice dhing, ac baed his gesihdhe. For nahte he tealde aenig dhing to biddenne buton gesihdhe; fordhan dheah se blinda sum dhing haebbe, he ne maeg butan leohte geseon thaet he haefdh. Uton fordhi geefenlaecan thisum men, the waes gehaeled fram Criste, aegdher ge on lichaman ge on sawle: ne bidde we na lease welan, ne gewitenlice wurdhmyntas; ac uton biddan leoht aet urum Drihtne: na thaet leoht dhe bidh geendod, the bidh mid thaere nihte todraefed, thaet dhe is gemaene ['u]s and nytenum; ac uton biddan thaes leohtes the we magon mid englum anum geseon, thaet dhe naefre ne bidh geendod. To dham leohte sodhlice ure geleafa us sceal gebringan, swa swa Crist cwaedh to dham blindan menn, "L['o]ca nu, thin geleafa dhe gehaelde."