Part 17

With the same three things with which the devil overcame the first-created man, Christ overcame and prostrated him. Through greediness the devil tempted Christ, when he said, "Say to these stones that they be turned to loaves, and eat." Through vain-glory he tempted him, when he would instigate him to dart down from the temple's summit. Through covetousness he tempted him, when, with leasing, he promised him the wealth of all the world, if he would fall at his feet. But the devil was overcome by Christ by the {179} same means with which he had of yore overcome Adam; so that he departed from our hearts made captive by the entrance at which he had entered and made us captives.

We have heard in this gospel that our Lord fasted forty days and forty nights together. When he had fasted so long he manifested the great power of his godhead, by which he might, in all this present life, without earthly food, have lived, if he had been willing. Afterwards, when he was hungry, he manifested that he was a true man, and therefore required food. Moses the leader fasted also forty days and forty nights, that he might receive God's law; but he fasted not through his own power, but through God's. The prophet Elijah also fasted as long through God's power, and was afterwards, without death, taken from this life.

Now this fast is appointed to be held by all Christian men in the course of every year; but we must also on each day eat our food with abstemiousness, of those meats which are permitted. Why is this fast computed for forty days? In every year there are reckoned three hundred and sixty-five days; now, if we tithe these yearly days, then will there be six and thirty tithing-days, and from this day to the holy Easter-day are two and forty days: take then the six Sundays from that number, then there will be six and thirty days of the year's tithing-days reckoned for our abstinence.

As God's law enjoins us that we should of all the things which accrue to us from our yearly tillage give the tithe to God, so should we likewise on these tithing-days tithe our body with abstinence to the praise of God. We should prepare ourselves in all things as God's servants, according to the apostle's teaching, with great patience, and with holy vigils, with fasts, and with chastity of mind and body; for it is less perilous for a Christian man to eat flesh, than at this holy tide to have intercourse with woman. Set aside all {181} quarrels and every dispute, and hold this tide with peace and with true love; for no fast will be acceptable to God without peace. And do as God taught, break thy loaf, and give the second portion to an hungry man, and lead into thy house the poor, and miserable strangers, and comfort them with thy possessions. When thou seest one naked, clothe him, and despise not thy own flesh. The man who fasts without alms does as though he spares his food, and afterwards eats that which he had previously forgone in his abstinence; but God contemns such fasting. But if thou wilt fast to God's contentment, then help poor men with the portion which thou withdrawest from thyself, and also with more, if it be thy pleasure. Avoid idle discourse and foolish pleasures, and bewail your sins; for Christ said, "Woe to you who now laugh, ye shall mourn and weep." Again he said, "Blessed are they who now weep, for they shall be comforted."

We live diversely for twelve months: now we shall at this time repair our heedlessness, and live to God, we who at other times have lived for ourselves. And whatsoever good we do, let us do it without pride and vain praise. The man who does any good for pride, to his own praise, will have no reward with God, but will have his punishment. But let us do as God hath taught, that our good works may be so known to men that they may see our goodness, and glorify and praise our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who requites an hundredfold whatsoever we do to poor men for love of him who liveth and reigneth ever without end to eternity. Amen.

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DOMINICA IN MEDIA QUADRAGESIMA.

Abiit Iesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua.

"Se Haelend ferde ofer dha Galileiscan s['ae], the is gehaten Tyberiadis, and him filigde micel menigu, fordhon the hi {182} beheoldon dha tacna the h['e] worhte ofer dha untruman men. Tha astah se Haelend up on ane dune, and thaer s['ae]t mid his leorning-cnihtum, and waes dha swidhe gehende seo halige Eastertid. Tha beseah se Haelend up, and geseah thaet dhaer waes mycel mennisc toweard, and cwaedh to anum his leorning-cnihta, se waes geh['a]ten Philippus, Mid hwam mage we bicgan hl['a]f dhisum folce? This he cwaedh to f['a]ndunge thaes leorning-cnihtes: he sylf wiste hwaet he d['o]n wolde. Dha andwyrde Philippus, Theah her waeron gebohte twa hund peningwurdh hlafes, ne mihte furdhon hyra aelc anne bitan of dham gelaeccan. Tha cwaedh an his leorning-cnihta, se h['a]tte Andreas, Petres brodhor, Her byrdh ['a]n cnapa fif berene hlafas, and twegen fixas, ac to hw['a]n maeg thaet to swa micclum werode? Tha cwaedh se Haelend, Dodh thaet thaet folc sitte. And thaer waes micel g['ae]rs on dhaere stowe myrige on to sittenne. And h['i] dha ealle saeton, swa swa mihte beon f['i]f dhusend wera. Dha genam se Haelend tha f['i]f hl['a]fas, and bletsode, and tobraec, and todaelde betwux dham sittendum: swa gel['i]ce eac tha fixas todaelde; and h['i] ealle genoh haefdon. Thadha h['i] ealle fulle waeron, dha cwaedh se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, Gaderiadh tha lafe, and h['i] ne losion. And hi dha gegaderodon dha bricas, and gefyldon twelf wilian mid dhaere lafe. Thaet folc, dha dhe dhis tacen geseah, cwaedh thaet Crist waere sodh witega, sedhe waes toweard to dhisum middangearde."

Seo s['ae], the se Haelend oferferde, getacnadh thas andweardan woruld, to dhaere com Crist and oferferde; thaet is, he com to dhisre worulde on menniscnysse, and dhis lif oferferde; he com to deadhe, and of deadhe aras; and astah up on ane dune, and thaer saet mid his leorning-cnihtum, fordhon dhe he astah up to heofenum, and thaer sitt nudha mid his halgum. Rihtlice is seo s['ae] widhmeten thisre worulde, fordhon dhe heo is hw['i]ltidum smylte and myrige ['o]n to rowenne, hwilon eac swidhe hreoh and egeful on to beonne. Swa is theos woruld; hw['i]ltidum heo is gesundful and myrige on to wunigenne, hwilon heo is eac swidhe styrnlic, and mid mislicum thingum {184} gemenged, swa thaet heo for oft bidh swidhe unwynsum on to eardigenne. Hwilon we beodh hale, hwilon untrume; nu blidhe, and eft on micelre unblisse; fordhy is this l['i]f, swa swa we aer cwaedon, thaere s['ae] widhmeten.

Tha se Haelend gesaet up on dhaere dune, dha ah['o]f h['e] up his eagan, and ges['e]h thaet dhaer waes micel mennisc toweard. Ealle tha dhe him to cumadh, thaet is dha dhe bugadh to rihtum geleafan, tha gesihdh se Haelend, and tham h['e] gemiltsadh, and hyra mod onliht mid his gife, thaet h['i] magon him to cuman butan gedwylde, and dham h['e] forgifdh dhone gastlican fodan, thaet h['i] ne ateorian be wege. Thadha he axode Philippum, hwanon h['i] mihton hl['a]f dham folce gebicgan, dha geswutelode h['e] Philippes nytennysse. Wel wiste Crist hwaet h['e] d['o]n wolde, and he wiste thaet Philippus thaet nyste. Dha cwaedh Andreas, thaet an cnapa thaer baere fif berene hlafas and twegen fixas. Tha cwaedh se Haelend, "Dodh thaet thaet folc sitte," and swa fordhon swa we eow aer rehton. Se Haelend geseh thaet hungrige folc, and h['e] h['i] mildheortlice fedde, aegdher ge thurh his g['o]dnysse ge thurh his mihte. Hwaet mihte seo g['o]dnys ana, buton dhaer waere miht mid thaere g['o]dnysse? His discipuli woldon eac thaet folc fedan, ac h['i] naefdon mid hwam. Se Haelend haefde thone g['o]dan willan to dham fostre, and tha mihte to dhaere fremminge.

Fela wundra worhte God, and daeghwamlice wyrcdh; ac dha wundra sind swidhe aw['a]code on manna gesihdhe, fordhon dhe h['i] sind swidhe gewunelice. Mare wundor is thaet God Aelmihtig aelce daeg f['e]t ealne middangeard, and gewissadh tha g['o]dan, thonne thaet wundor waere, thaet he tha gefylde fif dhusend manna mid fif hlafum: ac dhaes wundredon men, na fordhi thaet hit mare wundor waere, ac fordhi thaet hit waes ungewunelic. Hwa syldh nu waestm urum aecerum, and gemenigfylt thaet gerip of feawum cornum, buton se dhe dha gemaenigfylde dha fif hlafas? Seo miht waes dha on Cristes handum, and tha fif hlafas waeron swylce hit saed waere, na on eordhan besawen, ac gemenigfyld fram dham dhe eordhan geworhte.

{186} This wundor is swidhe micel, and deop on getacnungum. Oft gehwa gesihdh faegre stafas awritene, thonne heradh he dhone writere and tha stafas, and nat hwaet hi maenadh. Se dhe cann dhaera stafa gescead, he heradh heora faegernysse, and raed tha stafas, and understent hwaet h['i] gemaenadh. On odhre wisan we sceawiadh metinge, and on odhre wisan stafas. Ne gaedh na mare to metinge buton thaet thu hit geseo and herige: nis na gen['o]h thaet thu stafas sceawige, buton dhu h['i] eac raede, and thaet andgit understande. Swa is eac on dham wundre the God worhte mid tham fif hlafum: ne bidh na gen['o]h thaet we thaes tacnes wundrian, oththe thurh thaet God herian, buton we eac thaet gastlice andgit understandon.

Tha fif hlafas dhe se cnapa baer getacniadh tha fif b['e]c dhe Moyses se heretoga sette on dhaere ealdan ['ae]. Se cnapa dhe hi baer, and heora ne onbyrigde, waes thaet Iudeisce folc, dhe dha fif b['e]c raeddon, and ne cudhe thaeron nan gastlic andgit, aerdhan dhe Crist com, and tha b['e]c geopenode, and hyra gastlice andgit onwreah his leorning-cnihtum, and hi sidhdhan eallum cristenum folce. We ne magon nu ealle tha fif b['e]c areccan, ac we secgadh eow thaet God sylf hi dihte, and Moyses h['i] awr['a]t, to steore and to lare dham ealdan folce Israhel, and eac ['u]s on gastlicum andgite. Tha b['e]c waeron awritene be Criste, ac thaet gastlice andgit waes tham folce digle, odh thaet Crist sylf com to mannum, and geopenede thaera boca digelnysse, aefter gastlicum andgite.

Alii euangelistae ferunt, quia panes et pisces Dominus discipulis distribuisset, discipuli autem ministrauerunt turbis. He tobr['ae]c dha fif hlafas and sealde his leorning-cnihtum, and het beran dham folce; fordhon the h['e] taehte him dha gastlican l['a]re: and h['i] ferdon geond ealne middangeard, and bodedon, swa swa him Crist sylf taehte. Mid tham dhe h['e] tobraec dha hlafas, tha waeron h['i] gemenigfylde, and weoxon him on handum; fordhon dhe dha f['i]f b['e]c wurdon gastlice asmeade, and wise {188} lareowas h['i] trahtnodon, and setton of dham bocum manega odhre b['e]c; and we mid thaera boca lare beodh daeghwonlice gastlice gereordode.

Tha hl['a]fas waeron berene. Bere is swidhe earfodhe to gearcigenne, and theah-hwaedhere fet dhone mann, thonne h['e] gearo bidh. Swa waes seo ealde ['ae] swidhe earfodhe and digle to understandenne; ac dheah-hwaedhere, thonne we cumadh to dham smedman, thaet is to dhaere getacnunge, thonne gereordadh heo ure mod, and gestr['a]ngadh mid thaere diglan lare. Fif hlafas dhaer waeron, and fif dhusend manna thaer waeron gereordode; fordhan dhe thaet Iudeisce folc waes underdheodd Godes ['ae], dhe st['o]d on fif bocum awriten. Thadha Crist axode Philippum, and he his afandode, swa swa we aer raeddon, tha getacnode he mid thaere acsunge thaes folces nytennysse, the waes under dhaere ['ae], and ne cudhe thaet gastlice andgit, dhe on dhaere ['ae] bediglod waes.

Dha twegen fixas get['a]cnodon sealm-sang and dhaera witegena cwydas. An dhaera gecydde and bodode Cristes to-cyme mid sealm-sange, and odher mid witegunge. Nu sind tha twa gesetnyssa, thaet is sealm-sang and witegung, swylce h['i] syflinge waeron to dham f['i]f berenum hlafum, thaet is, to dham f['i]f ['ae]licum bocum. Thaet folc, the dhaer gereordode, s['ae]t ['u]p on dham gaerse. Thaet gaers getacnode flaesclice gewilnunge, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "Aelc flaesc is gaers, and thaes flaesces wuldor is swilce wyrta blostm." Nu sceal gehw['a], sedhe wile sittan aet Godes gereorde, and brucan thaere gastlican lare, oftredan thaet gaers and ofsittan, thaet is, thaet he sceal dha flaesclican lustas gewyldan, and his lichaman to Godes theowdome symle geb['i]gan.

Thaer waeron getealde aet dham gereorde fif dhusend wera; fordhon the dha menn, the to dham gastlican gereorde belimpadh, sceolon beon werlice geworhte, swa swa se apostol cwaedh; he cwaedh, "Beodh wacole, and standadh on geleafan, and onginnadh werlice, and beodh gehyrte." Dheah gif wifmann bidh werlice geworht, and strang to Godes willan, heo bidh thonne geteald to dham werum the aet Godes mysan sittadh. Thusend getel bidh fulfremed, and ne astihdh n['a]n getel ofer thaet. Mid {190} tham getele bidh get['a]cnod seo fulfremednys dhaera manna dhe gereordiadh heora sawla mid Godes l['a]re.

"Se Haelend het tha gegadrian tha l['a]fe, thaet h['i] losian ne sceoldon; and h['i] dha gefyldon twelf wilion mid tham bricum." Dha l['a]fe dhaes gereordes, thaet sind dha deopnyssa dhaere l['a]re the worold-men understandan ne magon, tha sceolon dha lareowas gegaderian, thaet h['i] ne losian, and healdan on heora faetelsum, thaet is, on heora heortan, and habban aefre gearo, to teonne fordh thone wisdom and dha lare aegdher ge dhaere ealdan ['ae] ge dhaere niwan. H['i] dha gegaderodon twelf wilian fulle mid tham bricum. Thaet twelffealde getel getacnode tha twelf apostolas; fordhan the h['i] underfengon tha digelnyssa thaere l['a]re, dhe thaet laewede folc undergitan ne mihte.

"Thaet folc, dha the thaet wundor geseah, cwaedon be Criste, thaet he waere sodh w['i]tega, dhe toweard waes." Sodh h['i] saedon, sumera dhinga: w['i]tega h['e] waes, fordhan dhe h['e] wiste ealle towearde thing, and eac fela dhing w['i]tegode, dhe beodh gefyllede butan twyn. He is witega, and he is ealra witegena witegung, fordhan dhe ealle w['i]tegan be him witegodon, and Crist gefylde heora ealra witegunga. Thaet folc geseah dha thaet wundor, and h['i] dhaes swidhe wundredon. Thaet wundor is awriten, and we hit gehyrdon. Thaet dhe on him heora eagan gedydon, thaet dedh ure geleafa on ['u]s. H['i] hit gesawon, and we his gelyfadh the hit ne gesawon; and we sind fordhi beteran getealde, swa swa se Haelend be ['u]s on odhre stowe cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha the me ne geseodh, and hi hwaedhere gelyfadh on me, and mine wundra maersiadh."

Thaet folc cwaedh dha be Criste, thaet he waere sodh witega. Nu cwedhe we be Criste, thaet he is dhaes Lifigendan Godes Sunu, sedhe waes toweard to alysenne ealne middangeard fram deofles anwealde, and fram helle-w['i]te. Thaet folc ne cudhe dhaera goda, thaet h['i] cwaedon, thaet he God waere, ac saedon, thaet he witega waere. We cwedhadh nu, mid fullum geleafan, thaet Crist is sodh witega, and ealra witegena Witega, and thaet he is sodhlice dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, ealswa mihtig swa his Faeder, {192} mid dham h['e] leofadh and rixadh on annysse dhaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen.

MIDLENT SUNDAY.

Abiit Jesus trans mare Galileae: et reliqua.

"Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is called of Tiberias, and a great multitude followed him, because they {183} had seen the miracles which he had wrought on the diseased men. Then Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat with his disciples, and the holy Easter-tide was then very nigh. Jesus then looked up, and saw that there was a great multitude coming, and said to one of his disciples, who was called Philip, With what can we buy bread for this people? This he said to prove the disciple: himself knew what he would do. Then Philip answered, Though two hundred pennyworth of bread were bought, yet could not every one of them get a morsel. Then said one of his disciples, who was called Andrew, Peter's brother, Here beareth a lad five barley loaves, and two fishes, but what is that for so great a multitude? Then said Jesus, Make the people sit. And there was much grass on the place pleasant to sit on: and they then all sat, about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the five loaves, and blessed, and brake, and divided them among those sitting: in like manner also he divided the fishes; and they all had enough. When they all were full, Jesus said to his disciples, Gather the remainder, and let it not be lost. And they gathered the fragments, and filled twelve baskets with the remainder. The people, who saw this miracle, said that Christ was the true prophet who was to come to this world."

The sea which Jesus passed over betokeneth this present world, which Christ came to and passed over; that is he came to this world in human nature, and passed over this life; he came to death, and from death arose; and went up on a mountain, and there sat with his disciples, for he ascended to heaven, and there sits now with his saints. Rightly is the sea compared to this world, for it is sometimes serene and pleasant to navigate on, sometimes also very rough and terrible to be on. So is this world; sometimes it is desirable and pleasant to dwell in, sometimes also it is very rugged, and mingled with divers things, so that it is too {185} often very unpleasant to inhabit. Sometimes we are hale, sometimes sick; now joyful, and again in great affliction; therefore is this life, as we before said, compared to the sea.

When Jesus was sitting on the mountain, he lifted up his eyes, and saw that there was a great multitude coming. All those who come to him, that is those who incline to the right faith, Jesus sees, and on them he has pity, and enlightens their understanding with his grace, that they may come to him without error, and to these he gives ghostly food, that they may not faint by the way. When he asked Philip, whence they could buy bread for the people, he showed Philip's ignorance. Well Christ knew what he would do, and he knew that Philip knew not. Then said Andrew, that a lad there bare five barley loaves and two fishes. Then said Jesus, "Make the people sit," and so on, as we have before repeated it to you. Jesus saw the hungry people, and he compassionately fed them, both by his goodness and by his might. What could his goodness alone have done, unless there had been might with that goodness? His disciples would also have fed the people, but they had not wherewithal. Jesus had the good will to nourish them, and the power to execute it.

God hath wrought many miracles and daily works; but those miracles are much weakened in the sight of men, because they are very usual. A greater miracle it is that God Almighty every day feeds all the world, and directs the good, than that miracle was, that he filled five thousand men with five loaves: but men wondered at this, not because it was a greater miracle, but because it was unusual. Who now gives fruit to our fields, and multiplies the harvest from a few grains of corn, but he who multiplied the five loaves? The might was there in Christ's hands, and the five loaves were, as it were, seed, not sown in the earth, but multiplied by him who created the earth.

{187} This miracle is very great, and deep in its significations. Often some one sees fair characters written, then praises he the writer and the characters, but knows not what they mean. He who understands the art of writing praises their fairness, and reads the characters, and comprehends their meaning. In one way we look at a picture, and in another at characters. Nothing more is necessary for a picture than that you see and praise it: but it is not enough to look at characters without, at the same time, reading them, and understanding their signification. So also it is with regard to the miracle which God wrought with the five loaves: it is not enough that we wonder at the miracle, or praise God on account of it, without also understanding its spiritual sense.

The five loaves which the lad bare, betoken the five books which the leader Moses appointed in the old law. The lad who bare them, and tasted not of them, was the Jewish people, who read the five books, and knew therein no spiritual signification, before Christ came, and opened the books, and disclosed their spiritual sense to his disciples, and they afterwards to all christian people. We cannot now enumerate to you all the five books, but we will tell you that God himself dictated them, and that Moses wrote them, for the guidance and instruction of the ancient people of Israel, and of us also in a spiritual sense. These books were written concerning Christ, but the spiritual sense was hidden from the people, until Christ came himself to men, and opened the secrets of the books, according to the spiritual sense.

Alii evangelistae ferunt, quia panes et pisces Dominus discipulis distribuisset, discipuli autem ministraverunt turbis. He brake the five loaves and gave to his disciples, and bade them bear them to the people; for he taught them the heavenly lore: and they went throughout all the world, and preached, as Christ himself had taught. When he had broken the loaves then were they multiplied, and grew in his hands; for the five books were spiritually devised, and wise doctors {189} expounded them, and founded on those books many other books; and we with the doctrine of those books are daily spiritually fed.

The loaves were of barley. Barley is very difficult to prepare, and, nevertheless, feeds a man when it is prepared. So was the old law very difficult and obscure to understand; but, nevertheless, when we come to the flour, that is to the signification, then it feeds and strengthens our mind with the hidden lore. There were five loaves, and there were five thousand men fed; because the Jewish people was subject to God's law, which stood written in five books. When Christ asked Philip, and proved him, as we before read, by that asking he betokened the people's ignorance, who were under that law, and knew not the spiritual sense which was concealed in that law.

The two fishes betokened the Psalms and the sayings of the prophets. The one of these announced and proclaimed Christ's advent with psalm-singing, and the other with prophecy, as if they were meat to the five barley loaves, that is, to the five legal books. The people, who were there fed, sat on the grass. The grass betokened fleshly desire, as the prophet said, "Every flesh is grass, and the glory of the flesh is as the blossom of plants." Now should everyone who will sit at God's refection, and partake of spiritual instruction, tread and press down the grass, that is, he should overpower his fleshly lusts, and ever dispose his body to the service of God.

There were counted at that refection five thousand males; because those men who belong to the spiritual refection should be manfully made, as the apostle said; he said, "Be watchful, and stand on faith, and undertake manfully, and be bold." Though if a woman be manly by nature, and strong to God's will, she will be counted among the men who sit at the table of God. Thousand is a perfect number, and no number extends beyond it. With that number is betokened the {191} perfection of those men who nourish their souls with God's precepts.

"Jesus then bade the remainder to be gathered, that it might not be lost; and they filled twelve baskets with the fragments." The remainder of the refection, that is the depth of the doctrine, which secular men may not understand, that should our teachers gather, that it may not be lost, and preserve in their scrips, that is, in their hearts, and have ever ready to draw forth the wisdom and doctrine both of the old law and of the new. They gathered then twelve baskets full of the fragments. The twelvefold number betokened the twelve apostles; because they received the mysteries of the doctrine, which the lay folk could not understand.