Part 18

"The people, who saw that miracle, said of Christ, that he was the true prophet who was to come." In one sense they said the truth: he was a prophet, for he knew all future things, and also prophesied many things which will, without doubt, be fulfilled. He is a prophet, and he is the prophecy of all prophets, for all the prophets have prophesied of him, and Christ has fulfilled the prophecies of them all. The people saw the miracle, and they greatly wondered at it. That miracle is recorded, and we have heard it. What their eyes did in them, that does our faith in us. They saw it, and we believe it, who saw it not; and we are therefore accounted the better, as Jesus, in another place, said of us, "Blessed are they who see me not, and, nevertheless, believe in me, and celebrate my miracles."

The people said of Christ, that he was a true prophet. Now we say of Christ, that he is Son of the Living God, who was to come to redeem the whole world from the power of the devil, and from hell-torment. The people knew not of those benefits, that they might have said that he was God, but they said that he was a prophet. We say now, with full belief, that Christ is a true prophet, and Prophet of all prophets, and that he is truly Son of the Almighty God, as mighty {193} as his Father, with whom he liveth and reigneth in unity of the Holy Ghost, ever without end to eternity. Amen.

* * * * *

VIII. K[=L]. APRI[=L].

ANNUNCIATIO [=S]. MARIAE.

Missus est Gabrihel Angelas: et reliqua.

Ure se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe ealle gesceafta, buton aelcon antimbre, thurh his wisdom gesceop, and thurh his willan gel['i]ffaeste, h['e] gesceop mancynn to dhi thaet h['i] sceoldon mid gehyrsumnysse and eadmodnysse dha heofenlican gedhincdhe geearnigan, the se deofol mid ofermettum forwyrhte. Tha weardh eac se mann mid deofles lotwrencum bepaeht, swa thaet he tobraec his Scyppendes bebod, and weardh deofle betaeht, and eal his ofspring into helle-wite. Dha dheah-hwaedhere ofdhuhte dham Aelmihtigum Gode ealles mancynnes yrmdha, and smeade hu he mihte his hand-geweorc of deofles anwealde alysan; fordhi him ofhreow thaes mannes, fordhon dhe h['e] waes bepaeht mid thaes deofles searo-craeftum. Ac him ne ofhreow na dhaes deofles hryre; fordhan dhe h['e] naes thurh nane tihtinge forlaered, ac h['e] sylf asmeade dha up-ahefednysse the he dhurh ahreas; and he fordhi ['a] on ecnysse wunadh on forwyrde waelraew deofol.

Tha fram frymdhe mancynnes cydde se Aelmihtiga God, hwilon dhurh getacnunga, hwilon dhurh witegunga, thaet he wolde mancynn ahreddan thurh dhone the he ealle gesceafta mid geworhte, dhurh his agen Bearn. Nu waeron dha witegunga swidhe menigfealdlice gesette on halgum gewritum, aerdham dhe se Godes Sunu menniscnysse underfenge. Sume waeron eac be dhaere eadigan Marian gewitegode. An dhaera witegunga is Isaiae, se awr['a]t betwux his witegungum, thus cwedhende, "Efne sceal maeden geeacnian on hire innodhe, and acennan Sunu, and his nama bidh gec['i]ged Emmanuhel," thaet is gereht {194} on urum gedheode, 'God is mid us.' Eft Ezechihel se witega geseah on his witegunge ['a]n belocen geat on Godes huse, and him cwaedh to sum engel, "This geat ne bidh nanum menn geopenod, ac se Hlaford ana faerdh inn thurh thaet geat, and eft ['u]t faerdh, and hit bidh belocen on ecnysse." Thaet beclysede geat on Godes huse getacnode thone halgan maeigdhhad thaere eadigan Marian. Se Hlaford, ealra hlaforda Hlaford, thaet is Crist, becom on hire innodh, and dhurh h['i] on menniscnysse weardh acenned, and thaet geat bidh belocen on ecnysse; thaet is, thaet Maria waes maeden aer dhaere cenninge, and maeden on dhaere cenninge, and maeden aefter dhaere cenninge.

Tha witegunga be Cristes acennednysse and be dhaere eadigan Marian maegdhhade sindon swidhe menigfealdlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae] gesette, and se dhe h['i] asmeagan wile, thaer he h['i] afint mid micelre genihtsumnysse. Eac se apostol Paulus cwaedh, "Thatha dhaera t['i]da gefyllednys com, dha sende God Faeder his Sunu to mancynnes alysednysse." Seo wurdhfulle s['a]nd weardh on dhisum daege gefylled, swa swa Cristes boc us gewissadh, thus cwedhende, "Godes heah-engel, Gabrihel, waes asend fram Gode to dhaere Galileiscan byrig Nazareth, to dham maedene the waes Maria gehaten, and heo asprang of Dauides cynne, thaes maran cyninges, and heo waes beweddod tham rihtwisan Iosepe:" et reliqua.

Ure alysednysse anginn we gehyrdon on dhisre daegtherlican raedinge, thurh dha we awurpon tha derigendlican ealdnysse, and we sind getealde betwux Godes bearnum, thurh Cristes flaesclicnysse. Swidhe thaeslic anginn menniscre alysednysse waes thaet tha se engel weardh asend fram Gode to dham maedene, to cydhenne Godes acennednysse thurh h['i]; fordhan dhe se forma intinga mennisces forwyrdes waes, thatha se deofol asende odherne deofol, on naeddran anlicnysse, to dham frumsceapenan w['i]fe Euan, h['i] to beswicenne. Us becom dha deadh and forwyrd thurh w['i]f, and us becom eft lif and hredding thurh wimman.

Se heah-engel, the cydde thaes Haelendes acennednysse, waes {196} gehaten Gabrihel, thaet is gereht, 'Godes strengdh,' thone he bodode toweardne, the se sealm-sceop mid thisum wordum herede, "Drihten is strang and mihtig on gefeohte." On dham gefeohte, butan tweon, the se Haelend deofol oferwann, and middangeard him aetbraed.

"Maria waes beweddod Iosepe dham rihtwisan." Hw['i] wolde God beon acenned of beweddodan maedene? For micclum gesceade, and eac for neode. Thaet Iudeisce folc heold Godes ['ae] on tham timan: seo ['ae] taehte, thaet man sceolde aelcne wimman the cild haefde butan rihtre aewe staenan. Nu dhonne, gif Maria unbeweddod waere, and cild haefde, thonne wolde thaet Iudeisce folc, aefter Godes ['ae], mid stanum h['i] oftorfian. Dha waes heo, dhurh Godes foresceawunge, tham rihtwisan were beweddod, and gehw['a] wende thaet he dhaes cildes faeder waere, ac he naes. Ac dhadha Ioseph undergeat thaet Maria mid cilde waes, tha weardh he dreorig, and nolde hire genealaecan, ac dhohte thaet he wolde h['i] diglice forlaetan. Thadha Ioseph this smeade, tha com him to Godes engel, and bebead him, thaet sceolde habban gymene aegdher ge dhaere meder ge thaes cildes, and cwaedh, thaet thaet cild naere of nanum men gestryned, ac waere of tham Halgan Gaste. Nis na hwaedhere se Halga Gast Cristes Faeder, ac h['e] is genemned to dhaere fremminge Cristes menniscnysse; fordhan dhe he is Willa and Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna. Nu weardh seo menniscnys thurh thone micclan Willan gefremmed, and is dheah-hwaedhere heora Dhreora weorc untodaeledlic. Hi sind thry on h['a]dum, Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, and an God untodaeledlic on anre godcundnysse. Ioseph dha, swa swa him se engel bebead, haefde gymene aegdher ge Marian ge dhaes cildes, and waes hyre gewita thaet heo maeden waes, and waes Cristes fostor-faeder, and mid his fultume and frofre on gehwilcum dhingum him dhenode on dhaere menniscnysse.

Se engel grette Marian, and cwaedh, thaet heo waere mid Godes gife afylled, and thaet hyre waes God mid, and heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum. Sodhlice heo waes mid Godes gife {198} afylled, fordhon dhe hire waes getidhod thaet heo dhone ab['ae]r the astealde ealle gifa and ealle sodhfaestnyssa. God waes mid hire, fordhan dhe he waes on hire innodhe belocen, sedhe belicdh ealne middangeard on his anre handa. And heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum, fordhan dhe heo, butan wiflicre bysnunge, mid wlite hyre maegdhh['a]des, waes modor thaes Aelmihtigan Godes.

Se engel gehyrte h['i] mid his wordum, and cwaedh hire to, "Efne dhu scealt geeacnian on dhinum innodhe, and thu acenst sunu." Oncnawadh nu, thurh thas word, sodhne mannan acennedne of maedenlicum lichaman. His nama waes Hiesus, thaet is Haelend, fordhan dhe h['e] gehaeldh ealle dha the on hine rihtlice gelyfadh. "Thes bidh m['ae]re, and he bidh gec['i]ged Sunu thaes Hexstan." Gelyfadh nu, thurh dhas w['o]rd, thaet he is sodh God of sodhum Gode, and efen-ece his Faeder, of dham he waes aefre acenned butan anginne. Crist heold Dauides cynesetl, na lichamlice ac gastlice; fordhan dhe he is ealra cyninga Cyning, and rixadh ofer his gecorenan menn, aegdher ge ofer Israhela folc ge ofer ealle odhre leodscipas, dha dhe on rihtum geleafan wuniadh; and Crist h['i] ealle gebrincdh to his ecan rice. Israhel is gecweden, 'God geseonde,' and Iacob is gecweden, 'Forscrencend.' Nu dha men dhe God geseodh mid heora mode thurh geleafan, and tha dhe leahtras forscrencadh, h['i] belimpadh to Godes r['i]ce, the naefre ne ateoradh.

Tha cwaedh Maria to dham engle, "H['u] maeg thaet beon thaet ic cild haebbe, fordhan dhe ic nanes weres ne bruce? Ic geteohode min lif on maegdhhade to geendigenne: hu maeg hit dhonne gewurdhan thaet ic, butan weres gemanan, cennan scyle?" Tha andwyrde se engel dham maedene, "Se Halga Gast cymdh ufen on dhe, and miht dhaes Hyhstan ofersceadewadh dhe." Thurh dhaes Halgan Gastes fremminge, swa swa we aer cwaedon, weardh Crist acenned on dhaere menniscnysse; and Maria his modor waes ofersceadewed dhurh mihte thaes Halgan Gastes. Hu waes heo ofersceadewod? Heo waes swa ofersceadewod thaet heo waes geclaensod and gescyld widh ealle leahtras, thurh {200} mihte dhaes Halgan Gastes, and mid heofenlicum gifum gefylled and gehalgod.

Se engel cwaedh, "Thaet Halige, the of dhe bidh acenned, bidh geciged Godes Sunu." Witodlice ealle menn beodh, swa swa se witega cwaedh, mid unrihtwisnysse geeacnode, and mid synnum acennede, ac ure Haelend ana waes geeacnod butan unrihtwisnysse, and butan synnum acenned; and he waes halig thaerrihte swa hradhe swa h['e] mann waes, and fulfremed God, thaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, on anum hade mann and God. Dha cwaedh Maria to dham engle, "Ic eom Godes dhinen; getimige me aefter dhinum worde." Micel eadmodnys wunode on hyre mode, thatha heo dhus cleopode. Ne cwaedh heo na, Ic eom Godes modor, odhdhe, Ic eom cwen ealles middangeardes, ac cwaedh, "Ic eom Godes thinen;" swa swa us mynegadh thaet halige gewrit, thus cwedhende, "Thonne dhu maere sy, geeadmed the sylfne on eallum dhingum, and dhu gemetst gife and lean mid Gode." Heo cwaedh to dham engle, "Getimige me aefter dhinum worde:" thaet is, Gewurdhe hit swa dhu segst, thaet dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu becume on minne innodh, and mennisce edwiste of me genime, and to alysednysse middangeardes fordhstaeppe of m['e], swa swa brydguma of his brydbedde.

Thus becom ure Haelend on Marian innodh on thissum daege, dhe is gehaten ANNUNTIATIO SANCTAE MARIAE, thaet is, Marian bodung-daeg gecweden; on tham daege bodode se heah-engel Gabrihel dham claenum maedene Godes to-cyme to mannum dhurh h['i], and heo gelyfde thaes engles bodunge, and swa mid geleafan onfeng God on hyre innodh, and hine baer odh middewintres maesse-daeg, and hine dha acende mid sodhre menniscnysse, sedhe aefre waes wunigende on godcundnysse mid his Faeder, and mid tham Halgan Gaste, hi dhry an God untodaeledlic.

Nu seigdh se godspellere, thaet Maria ferde, aefter thaes engles bodunge, to hire magan Elisabeth, seo waes Zacharian wif. H['i] butu waeron rihtwise, and heoldon Godes beboda untaellice. {202} Dha waeron h['i] butan cilde, odhthaet h['i] waeron forwerede menn. Dha com se ylca engel Gabrihel to Zacharian syx mondhum aerdhan dhe h['e] come to Marian, and cydde thaet he sceolde be his ealdan wife sunu habban, Iohannem dhone Fulluhtere. Tha weardh he ungeleafful thaes engles bodungum. Se engel dha him cwaedh to, "Nu dhu nylt gelyfan minum wordum, beo dhu dumb odhthaet thaet cild beo acenned." And he dha adumbode on eallum dham fyrste, for his ungeleaffulnysse. "Nu com dha seo eadige Maria to his huse, and grette his w['i]f, hyre magan, Elisabeth. Dha mid tham the thaet w['i]f gehyrde thaes maedenes gretinge, dha blissode thaet cild Iohannes on his modor innodhe, and seo moder weardh afylled mid tham Halgan Gaste, and heo clypode to Marian mid micelre stemne, and cwaedh, Thu eart gebletsod betwux wifum, and gebletsod is se waestm thines innodhes. Hu getimode me thaet mines Drihtnes moder wolde cuman to me? Efne mid tham the seo stefn dhinre gretinge swegde on m['i]num earum, dha blissode min cild on minum innodhe, and hoppode ongean his Drihten, the thu berst on dhinum innodhe."

Thaet cild ne mihte na dha-gyt mid wordum his Haelend gegretan, ac he gegrette hine mid blissigendum mode. Heo cwaedh, "Eadig eart dhu, Maria, fordhon dhe thu gelyfdest tham wordum dhe the fram Gode gebodode waeron, and hit bidh gefremmed swa swa hit dhe gecydd waes." Dha sang Maria thaerrihte dhone lofsang the we singadh on Godes cyrcan, aet aelcum aefensange, "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," and fordh odh ende. Thaet is, "Min sawul maersadh Drihten:" et reliqua. Langsum hit bidh thaet we ealne thisne lofsang ofertrahtnian; ac we wylladh scortlice oferyrnan dha digelystan word. "God awearp dha rican of setle:" thaet sind dha modigan dhe h['i] onhebbadh ofer heora maedhe. "And he ahof dha eadmodan;" swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh on his godspelle, "Aelc dhaera the hine onhefdh, he sceal beon geeadmet; and se dhe hine geeadmet, he sceal beon ahafen."

"God gefyldh tha hingrigendan mid his godum;" swa swa {204} he sylf cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha the sind ofhingrode and oflyste rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe h['i] sceolon beon gefyllede mid rihtwisnysse." "He forlet dha r['i]can idele." Thaet sind dha r['i]can, tha dhe mid modignysse tha eordhlican welan lufiadh swidhor thonne dha heofonlican. Fela riccra manna gedheodh Gode, thaera dhe swa dodh swa swa hit awriten is, "Thaes r['i]can mannes welan sind his sawle alysednyss." His welan beodh his sawle alysednyss, gif h['e] mid tham gewitendlicum gestreonum beceapadh him thaet ece l['i]f, and dha heofonlican welan mid Gode. Gif he dhis forgymeleasadh, and besett his hiht on dham eordhlicum welan, thonne forlaet God hine idelne and aemtigne, fram dham ecum godnyssum.

"God underfeng his cnapan Israhel." Mid tham naman syndon getacnode ealle dha the Gode gehyrsumiadh mid sodhre eadmodnysse, tha he underfehdh to his werode. "Swa swa h['e] spraec to urum faederum, Abrahame and his ofspringe on worulda." God behet dham heahfaedere Abrahame, thaet on his cynne sceolde beon gebletsod eal mancynn. Of Abrahames cynne aspr['a]ng seo gesaelige Maria, and of Mar['i]an com Crist, aefter dhaere menniscnysse, and thurh Crist beodh ealle dha geleaffullan gebletsode. Ne synd we na Abrahames cynnes flaesclice, ac gastlice, swa swa se apostol Paulus cwaedh, "Witodlice, gif ge cristene synd, thonne beo ge Abrahames ofspring, and yrfenuman aefter beh['a]te." Thaet aeftemyste word is dhises lofsanges, "On worulda;" fordhan dhe ure beh['a]t, the us God behet, dhurhwunadh ['a] on worulda woruld butan ende.

Uton biddan nu thaet eadige and thaet gesaelige maeden Mar['i]an, thaet heo us gedhingige to hyre agenum Suna and to hire Scyppende, Haelende Criste, sedhe gewylt ealra dhinga mid Faeder and mid tham Halgum Gaste, ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

MARCH XXV.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF ST. MARY.

Missus est Gabrihel Angelus: et reliqua.

Our Almighty Creator, who created all creatures, without any matter through his wisdom, and through his will animated them, he created mankind that they might with obedience and humility merit those heavenly honours which the devil through pride had forfeited. Then was man deceived by the devil's wiles, so that he brake the command of his Creator, and was, with all his offspring, delivered to the devil into hell-torment. Then, nevertheless, the Almighty God was grieved for the miseries of all mankind, and he meditated how he might redeem his handiwork from the power of the devil; for he took pity on man, because he had been deceived by the wiles of the devil. But he had no pity for the devil's fall, because he had not been misled by any instigation, but had himself devised the presumption through which he fell; and he therefore, to all eternity, dwelleth in perdition, a bloodthirsty devil.

Then from the beginning of mankind the Almighty God made known, sometimes by signs, sometimes by prophecies, that he would redeem mankind through him with whom he had made all creatures, through his own Son. Now there were very many prophecies recorded in the holy writings, before the Son of God assumed human nature. Some were prophesied of the blessed Mary. One of these prophecies is of Isaiah, who wrote, among his prophecies, thus saying, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and his name shall be called Emanuel," that is interpreted in our {195} tongue, _God is with us_. Also Ezechiel the prophet saw in his prophecy a closed gate in the house of God, and an angel said to him, "This gate shall be opened to no man, for the Lord only will go in by that gate, and again go out, and it shall be shut for ever." That closed gate in the house of God betokened the holy maidenhood of the blessed Mary. The Lord, of all lords Lord, that is Christ, entered her womb, and through her was brought forth in human nature, and that gate is shut for ever; that is, Mary was a virgin before the birth, and a virgin at the birth, and a virgin after the birth.

The prophecies of the birth of Christ and the virginity of the blessed Mary are recorded very frequently in the old law, and he who searches will there find them in great abundance. Also the apostle Paul said, "When the fullness of times came, then God sent his Son for the redemption of mankind." The glorious mission was on this day fulfilled, as the book of Christ shows us, thus saying, "The archangel of God, Gabriel, was sent from God to the Galilean city Nazareth, to the maiden who was called Mary, and she sprang from the race of David, the great king, and she was wedded to the righteous Joseph," etc.

The beginning of our redemption we heard in this daily lecture, through which we have cast off pernicious age, and are accounted among the children of God, through Christ's incarnation. A very fitting beginning of human redemption was that when the angel was sent from God to the virgin, to announce the birth of God through her; because the first cause of man's perdition was when the devil sent another devil, in likeness of a serpent, to the first-created woman Eve, for the purpose of deceiving her. Death and perdition befell us through a woman, and afterwards life and salvation came to us through a woman.

The archangel, who announced the birth of Christ, was {197} called Gabriel, which is interpreted, _God's strength_, which he announced was to come, and which the psalmist praised in these words, "The Lord is strong and mighty in battle." In the battle, without doubt, in which Jesus overcame the devil, and took from him the world.

"Mary was wedded to the righteous Joseph." Why would God be born of a wedded virgin? For a great reason, and also of necessity. The Jewish people, at that time, held God's law: the old law directed, that every woman who had a child out of lawful wedlock should be stoned. Now, therefore, if Mary had been unmarried, and had a child, the Jewish people, according to God's law, would have stoned her with stones. Therefore was she, by the providence of God, married to that righteous man, and everyone imagined that he was the child's father, but he was not. But when Joseph understood that Mary was with child, he was sad, and would not approach her, but thought that he would privily dismiss her. While Joseph was meditating this God's angel came to him, and commanded him, that he should have care both of the mother and of the child, and said, that the child was of no man begotten, but was of the Holy Ghost. Yet is the Holy Ghost not the father of Christ, but he is named to the accomplishment of Christ's humanity; for he is the Will and Love of the Father and of the Son. Now the humanity was effected through the Great Will, and is, nevertheless, the indivisible work of the Three. They are three in persons, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, and one God indivisible, in one Godhead. Joseph then, as the angel had commanded him, had care both of Mary and of the child, and was her witness that she was a virgin; and was Christ's foster-father, and with his support and comfort served him in everything in his human state.

The angel greeted Mary, and said, that she was filled with God's grace, and that God was with her, and she was blessed among women. Verily she was filled with God's grace, for {199} it was permitted her to bear him who instituted all grace and all truth. God was with her, for he was shut in her womb who compasses the whole earth with one hand. And she was blessed among women, for she, without female example, with the beauty of maidenhood, was mother of the Almighty God.

The angel encouraged her with his words, and said to her, "Behold thou shalt conceive, and thou shalt bear a Son." Acknowledge now, through these words, a true man, born of a maiden body. His name was Jesus, that is _Saviour_, for he shall save all those who rightly believe in him. "He shall be great, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest." Believe now, through these words, that he is true God of true God, and co-eternal with his Father, of whom he was ever begotten without beginning. Christ held David's throne, not bodily but spiritually, for he is king of all kings, and ruleth over his chosen people, both over the people of Israel and over all other nations which abide in the right faith; and Christ will bring them all to his eternal kingdom. Israel is interpreted, _Seeing God_, and Jacob is interpreted, _Withering_. Now those men who see God in their mind, through faith, and those who wither up sins, they belong to God's kingdom, which shall never fail.

Then said Mary to the angel, "How may that be that I have a child, for I have known no man? I had resolved to end my life in maidenhood: how can it then be that I, without connexion with man, shall bring forth?" Then answered the angel to the virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." Through the efficacy of the Holy Ghost, as we before said, Christ was born in human nature; and Mary his mother was overshadowed by the power of the Holy Ghost. How was she overshadowed? She was so overshadowed that she was purified from, and shielded against all {201} sins, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and with heavenly grace filled and hallowed.

The angel said, "The holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Verily all men are, as the prophet said, conceived in iniquity and born in sins, but our Saviour alone was conceived without iniquity, and born without sins; and he was holy as soon as he became man, and perfect God, the Son of the Almighty God, in one person man and God. Then said Mary to the angel, "I am God's handmaid; let it betide me according to thy word." Great humility dwelt in her mind, when she thus cried. She said not, I am the mother of God, or, I am queen of the whole world, but said, "I am God's handmaid;" as the holy writ admonishes us, thus saying, "When thou art great, humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace and reward with God." She said to the angel, "Let it betide me according to thy word:" that is, Be it as thou sayst, that the Son of the Almighty God enter my womb, and receive human substance from me, and proceed from me, for the redemption of the world, as a bridegroom from his bride-bed.

Thus did our Saviour enter the womb of Mary on this day, which is called Annunciatio Sanctae Mariae, which is interpreted, THE ANNUNCIATION-DAY OF MARY; on which day the archangel Gabriel announced to the pure virgin the advent of God to men through her, and she believed the angel's announcement, and so with faith received God into her womb, and bare him until midwinter's mass-day, and then brought him forth in true human nature, who was ever dwelling in divine nature with his Father and the Holy Ghost, those three one God indivisible.