Part 20

We will say to you a parable. No man may make himself a king, for the people have the option to choose him for king who is agreeable to them: but after that he has been hallowed as king, he has power over the people, and they may not shake his yoke from their necks. In like manner every man has his own choice, before he sins, whether he will follow the devil's will, or withstand it. Then if he bind himself with the works of the devil, he cannot by his own power unbind himself, unless the Almighty God unbind him with the strong hand of his mercy. Of his own will and his own heedlessness he is bound, but through God's mercy he will be unbound, if he afterwards merit his liberation of God.

The people who cast their garments under the feet of the ass, are the martyrs, who for Christ's faith gave their own bodies to torments. Some were burnt in fire, some drowned in the sea, and slain with divers tortures; and gave us an example, that we should not, for any persecutions or hardships, forsake our faith, and incline from Christ, any more than they did. Many a man is accounted a christian in peace, who would very quickly deny Christ, if he were sentenced to that to which the martyrs were sentenced: but his christianity is not praiseworthy. But that man's christianity is praiseworthy, who will not, for any persecution, incline from Christ, neither for sword, nor for fire, nor for water, nor for hunger, nor for bonds; but ever holds his faith with the praises of God to his life's end.

Those who hewed branches of trees, and with them prepared Christ's way, are the teachers in God's church, who cull the sayings of the apostles and their successors, and with {215} them direct God's people to the faith of Christ, that they may be prepared for his way.

The people who walked before Christ, and those who followed him, all sung "Osanna Filio David," that is, in our tongue, "Hail, Son of David." Those who walked before Christ, are the patriarchs and prophets, who were before Christ's incarnation; and those who went after him, are those who inclined to Christ after his birth, and daily incline to him: and all these sing one hymn; because we and they all hold one faith, as Peter the apostle said, when he spake of the patriarchs, "We believe that we shall be saved by Christ's grace, as well as they."

They said, "Son of David," because Christ is, according to his human nature, of the great race of David. Of that race was the blessed Mary his mother. They sung, "Blessed is he who is come in the name of God." Jesus came in the name of God, for the Heavenly Father sent him for our redemption; and in all the miracles which he wrought, he praised and glorified his Father's name. "Hail, Son of David, in the highest." The Saviour's advent and his passion were salutary both to men and angels; because we increase their host which the fallen devil had diminished; concerning which the apostle Paul said, "That all heavenly and earthly things should be re-established in Christ."

Jesus was staying in the temple from this day till now on Thursday, and both with doctrine and with miracles stimulated the people to truth and to right faith. Then the chief men became envious of his doctrine, and machinated with great deliberation how they might bring him to death. Death could not have approached him, if he himself had not willed it, but he came to men because he would be obedient to his Father till death, and redeem mankind from eternal death by his temporary death. Yet did he not compel the Jewish {217} people to slay him, but the devil instigated them to the work, and God consented to it, for the redemption of all believing mankind.

We have often said, and yet say, that the justice of Christ is so great, that he would not forcibly have taken mankind from the devil, unless he had forfeited them. He forfeited them when he instigated the people to the slaying of Christ, the Almighty God; and then through his innocent death we were redeemed from eternal death, if we do not destroy ourselves. Then it befell the cruel devil as it does the greedy fish, which sees the bait, and sees not the hook which sticks in the bait; then is greedy after the bait and swallows up the hook with the bait. So it was with the devil: he saw the humanity in Christ, and not the divinity: he then instigated the Jewish people to slay him, and then felt the hook of Christ's divinity, by which he was choked to death, and deprived of all mankind who believe in God.

Christ's passion did not take place on this day, but the four evangelists recorded his sufferings in four narratives: one we read now to-day, and the others in this week. The Jews took him on Friday evening, and held him that night, and on the morrow fixed him on a cross with four nails, and with a spear wounded him. And then about the ninth hour, when he departed, there came two believing men, Joseph and Nicodemus, and buried his corpse before evening in a new tomb, enwrapt in precious garments. And his corpse lay in the sepulchre the Saturday night and Sunday night; and the Divinity was during that while in hell, and bound the old devil, and took from him Adam, the first-created man, and his wife Eve, and all those of their race who had before given pleasure to God. Then was the devil sensible of the hook which he had before greedily swallowed. And Christ arose from death on the Easter-Sunday, which will now be in seven days, of which it is more fitting then to speak more fully than it is now: but let us now speak of the dignity of this day.

{219} The custom exists in God's church, by its doctors established, that everywhere in God's congregation the priest should bless palm-twigs on this day, and distribute them so blessed to the people; and God's servants should then sing the hymn which the Jewish people sang before Christ, when he was approaching to his passion. We imitate the faithful of that people with this deed, for they bare palm-twigs with hymn before Jesus. Now we should hold our palm until the singer begins the offering-song, and then offer to God the palm for its betokening. Palm betokens victory. Victorious was Christ when he overcame the great devil and rescued us: and we should also be victorious through God's might, so that we overcome our evil practices, and all sins, and the devil, and adorn ourselves with good works, and at the end of our life deliver the palm to God, that is, our victory, and thank him fervently, that we, through his succour, have overcome the devil, so that he could not deceive us.

The death of sinful men is evil and miserable, because they pass from this short life to everlasting torments: and the death of righteous men is precious, for when they end this life of tribulation they will be brought to the life eternal, and then will their end be as a beginning; for they will not be dead, but will be turned from death to life. The body, which is the garment of the soul, will await the great doom, and though it be rotted to dust, God will raise it, and will bring together soul and body to eternal life; and then will Christ's promise be fulfilled, who thus said, "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in their Father's kingdom," who liveth and ruleth ever without end to eternity. Amen.

Church customs forbid any sermon to be said on the three still days.

* * * * *

{220} DOMINICA S[=C]E PASCE.

Oft ge gehyrdon embe dhaes Haelendes aerist, h['u] h['e] on dhisum daege of deadhe ar['a]s; ac we willadh eow myngian, thaet hit ne gange eow of gemynde.

"Thadha Crist bebyrged waes, tha cwaedon tha Iudeiscan to heora ealdormenn Pilate, La leof, se swica dhe her ofslegen is, cwaedh gelomlice, thatha h['e] on l['i]fe waes, thaet h['e] wolde arisan of deadhe on tham dhriddan daege:" et reliqua.

We cwedhadh nu, gif hw['a] his lic forstaele, nolde he hine unscrydan, fordhan dhe stalu ne lufadh nane yldinge. Crist weardh aeteowed on dham ylcan daege Petre, and odhrum twam his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] gefrefrode. "Tha aet nextan com se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, thaer h['i] gegaderode waeron, and cwaedh him to, Sy sibb betwux eow; ic hit eom, ne beo ge na afyrhte. Tha wurdon h['i] afaerede, and wendon thaet hit sum gast waere. Dha cwaedh he him to, Hw['i] sind ge afaerede, and mislice dhencadh be me? Sceawiadh mine handa and mine f['e]t, the waeron mid naeglum thurhdrifene. Grapiadh and sceawiadh: gif ic gast waere, dhonne naefde ic flaesc and ban:" et reliqua.

Se Haelend weardh tha gelomlice aet['i]wed his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] gewissode to dhaere lare and to dham geleafan, h['u] h['i] eallum mancynne taecan sceoldon; and on dham feowertigodhan daege his aeristes h['e] ast['a]h lichamlice to heofonum to his Faeder. Ac we habbadh n['u] micele maran endebyrdnysse thaere Cristes bec ges['ae]d thonne dhis daegdherlice godspel behaefdh, for trymminge eowres geleafan. Nu wylle we eow gereccan thaes daegtherlican godspelles traht, aefter dhaes halgan papan Gregories trahtnunge.

Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon thaet tha halgan w['i]f, the Drihtne on life filigdon, comon to his byrgene mid thaere deorwyrdhan sealfe, and thone dhe h['i] lufedon on l['i]fe tham h['i] woldon deadum mid menniscre gecneordnysse dhenian. Ac {222} dheos d['ae]d getacnadh sum dhing to d['o]nne on Godes geladhunge. We dhe gelyfadh Cristes aeristes, we cumadh gewislice to his byrgene mid deorwyrdhre sealfe, gif we beodh gefyllede mid braedhe haligra mihta, and gif we mid hlysan godra weorca urne Drihten secadh. Tha w['i]f dhe dha sealfe brohton, hi gesawon englas; fordhan dhe dha geseodh tha heofonlican englas, tha the mid braedhum godra weorca gewilniadh thaes upplican faereldes. Se engel awylte thaet hl['i]d of dhaere dhryh; na thaet h['e] Criste ['u]tganges rymde, ac he geswutelode mannum thaet h['e] arisen waes. Se dhe com deadhlic to dhisum middangearde, acenned thurh beclysedne innodh thaes maedenes, se ylca, butan tw['e]on, dhadha h['e] ar['a]s undeadhlic, mihte belocenre dhr['i]h faran of middangearde. Se engel saet on dha swidhran healfe dhaere byrgene. Seo swidhre hand getacnadh thaet ece l['i]f, and seo wynstre dhis andwearde l['i]f. Rihtlice saet se engel on dha swidhran hand, fordhon the he cydde thaet se Haelend haefde dha oferfaren dha brosnunga dhises andweardan lifes, and waes dha wunigende on ecum dhingum undeadhlic. Se bydel waes ymbscryd mid scinendum reafe, fordhan dhe he bodade tha blisse thisre freols-t['i]de, and ure maerdha. Hwaedher cwedhe we, dhe ure dhe dhaera engla? We cwedhadh sodhlice, aegdher ge ure ge heora. Thaes Haelendes aerist is ure freols-t['i]d and bliss, fordhan dhe he gelaedde us mid his aeriste to dhaere undeadlicnysse the we to gesceapene waeron. His aerist waes thaera engla bliss, fordhon dhe God gefyldh heora getel, thonne he ['u]s to heofonum gebrincdh.

Se engel gehyrte dha w['i]f, thus cwedhende, "Ne beo ge afyrhte:" swilce he swa cwaede, Forhtian dha dhe ne lufiadh engla to-cyme; beon dha ofdraedde tha the sint ofsette mid flaesclicum lustum, and nabbadh naenne hiht to engla werode. Hwi forhtige ge, ge dhe geseodh eowre geferan? "His wlite waes swilce l['i]get, and his reaf swa hw['i]t swa sn['a]w." Sodhlice on l['i]gette is ['o]ga, and on sn['a]we lidhnys thaere beorhtnysse. Rihtlice waes se bydel Cristes aeristes swa geh['i]wod; fordhan thonne he sylf cymdh to dham micclan dome, thonne bidh he swidhe egeful dham synfullum, and swidhe lidhe tham rihtwisum. {224} He cwaedh, "Ge secadh thone Haelend: h['e] ar['a]s: nis h['e] her." He naes dha lichamlice on dhaere byrgene, sedhe aeghwaer bidh thurh his godcundan mihte. Thaer l['ae]ig thaet reaf baeftan the he mid bewunden waes, fordhon dhe h['e] ne rohte thaes eordhlican reafes, sydhdhan he of deadhe ar['a]s. Theah man deadne mannan mid reafe bewinde, ne arist thaet reaf na dhe hradhor eft mid tham men, ac he bidh mid tham heofenlicum reafe gescryd aefter his aeriste.

Wel is gecweden be dham Haelende, thaet he wolde cuman togeanes his geferon on Galilea. Galilea is gecweden 'Oferfaereld.' Se Haelend waes dha afaren fram dhrowunge to ['ae]riste, fram deadhe to life, fram wite to wuldre. And gif we faradh fram leahtrum to halgum maegnum, thonne mote we geseon dhone Haelend aefter urum faerelde of dhisum life. Twa l['i]f sind sodhlice: thaet ['a]n we cunnon, thaet odher us waes uncudh aer Cristes to-cyme. Thaet ['a]n l['i]f is deadlic, thaet odher undeadlic. Ac se Haelend com and underfeng thaet ['a]n l['i]f, and geswutelode thaet odher. Thaet ['a]n l['i]f he aeteowde mid his deadhe, and thaet odher mid his aeriste. Gif he us deadlicum mannum aerist and thaet ece l['i]f behete, and theah-hwaedhere nolde hit thurh hine sylfne geswutelian, hwa wolde thonne his behatum gelyfan? Ac dhadha he man beon wolde, dha gemedemode h['e] hine sylfne eac to deadhe agenes willan, and he ar['a]s of deadhe thurh his godcundan mihte, and geswutelode thurh hine sylfne thaet thaet he us beh['e]t.

Nu cwydh sum man on his gedhance, 'Eadhe mihte he arisan of deadhe, fordhan dhe he is God: ne mihte se deadh hine gehaeftan.' Gehyre se mann the this smeadh andsware his smeagunge. Crist fordhferde ana on dham timan, ac he ne ar['a]s na ana of deadhe, ac ar['a]s mid micclum werede. Se godspellere Matheus awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet manega halige menn, dhe waeron on dhaere ealdan ['ae] fordhfarene, thaet h['i] arison mid Criste; and thaet saedon gehwilce w['i]se l['a]reowas, thaet hi habbadh gefremod heora aerist to dham ecan l['i]fe, swa swa we ealle d['o]n sceolon on ende thisre worulde. Tha l['a]reowas cwaedon, {226} thaet dha araeredan menn naeron sodhlice gewitan Cristes aeristes, gif h['i] naeron ecelice araerde. Nu sind adwaescede ealle geleaflystu, thaet nan man ne sceal ortruwian be his agenum aeriste, thonne se godspellere awr['a]t thaet fela arison mid Criste, dhe waeron anfealde men, dheah dhe Crist God sy.

Nu cwaedh Gregorius se trahtnere, thaet him come to gemynde, hu dha Iudeiscan clypodon be Criste, thadha he waes on dhaere rode gefaestnod. H['i] cwaedon, "Gif he sy Israhela cyning, thonne astige he nu of dhaere rode, and we gelyfadh on hine." Gif he dha of dhaere rode astige, and nolde heora hosp forberan, thonne, butan tweon, ne sealde he us nane bysne his gedhyldes: ac he ab['a]d hwon, and forbaer heora hosp, and haefde gedhyld. Ac se dhe nolde of dhaere rode abrecan, se ar['a]s of dhaere byrgene. Mare wundor waes, thaet h['e] of deadhe ar['a]s, thonne he cucu of dhaere rode abraece. Mare miht waes, thaet he dhone deadh mid his aeriste tobraec, thonne he his l['i]f geheolde, of dhaere rode astigende. Ac dhadha h['i] gesawon thaet he ne astah of dhaere rode for heora hospum, ac dhaeron deadhes geb['a]d, tha gelyfdon h['i] thaet he oferswidhed waere, and his nama adwaesced: ac hit gelamp swa, thaet of dham deadhe asprang his nama geond ealne middangeard. Tha weardh hyra bliss awend to dham maestan sare; fordhan dhe heora sorh bidh endeleas.

Thas dhing getacnode se stranga Samson, se haefde faehdhe to dham folce dhe is gehaten Philistei. Dha getimode hit thaet he becom to heora byrig the waes Gaza gehaten: tha waeron dha Philistei swidhe blidhe, and ymbsaeton dha burh. Ac se stranga Samson ar['a]s on midre nihte, and gelaehte dha burh-geatu, and abaer hi uppon ane dune, to bismere his gefaan. Se stranga Samson getacnode Crist, seo burh Gaza getacnode helle, and dha Philistei haefdon Iudeisces folces getacnunge, the besaeton Cristes byrgene. Ac se Samson nolde gan ydel of dhaere byrig, ac he abaer dha gatu up to dhaere dune; fordhon the {228} ure Haelend Crist tobraec helle-gatu, and generode Adam, and Euan, and his gecorenan of heora cynne, and freolice of deadhe ar['a]s, and h['i] samod, and astah to heofonum. Tha m['a]nfullan he l['e]t baeftan to dham ecum witum. And is nu helle-geat belocen rihtwisum mannum, and aefre open unrihtwisum.

Ungesaelig waes thaet Iudeisce folc, thaet h['i] swa ungeleaffulle waeron. Ealle gesceafta oncneowon heora Scyppend, buton dham Iudeiscum anum. Heofonas oncneowon Cristes acennednysse; fordhan dhadha h['e] acenned waes, tha weardh gesewen n['i]we steorra. S['ae] oncneow Crist, dhadha h['e] eode mid drium fotum uppon hire ydhum. Eordhe oncneow, thatha heo eal bifode on Cristes aeriste. Seo sunne oncneow, thatha heo weardh adhystrod on Cristes dhrowunge fram mid-daege odh n['o]n. Stanas oncneowon, thatha h['i] toburston on heora Scyppendes fordhsidhe. Hell oncneow Crist, dhadha heo forl['e]t hyre haeftlingas ['u]t, thurh dhaes Haelendes hergunge. And dha heardheortan Iudei dheah thurh ealle dha tacna noldon gebugan mid geleafan to dham mildheortan Haelende, sedhe wile eallum mannum gehelpan on hine gelyfendum. Ac uton we gelyfan thaet God Faeder waes aefre butan anginne, and aefre waes se Sunu of dham Faeder acenned; fordhan dhe he is se Wisdom and Miht dhe se Faeder ealle gesceafta thurh gesceop; and h['i] ealle wurdon gel['i]ffaeste thurh dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe is Willa and Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna; h['i] dhry ['a]n God untodaeledlic, on ['a]nre godcundnysse wunigende, h['i] ealle gel['i]ce mihtige; fordhan swa hwaet swa laesse bidh and unmihtigre, thaet ne bidh na God. Ac se Faeder sende dhone Sunu to ure alysednysse, and he ['a]na underfeng dha menniscnysse, and throwode deadh be his agenum willan, and ar['a]s of deadhe on dhisum daege, and astah to heofonum on dham feowertigedhan daege his aeristes, aetforan manegra manna gesihdhe, and rixadh mid tham Aelmihtigan Faeder and dham Halgum Gaste, n['u] and ['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

{221} EASTER SUNDAY.

Ye have often heard concerning the Saviour's resurrection, how he on this day arose from death; but we will remind you, that it may not pass from your memory.

"When Christ was buried, the Jews said to their governor Pilate, O Sir, the deceiver, who hath here been slain, said oftentimes, while he was living, that he would arise from death on the third day," etc.

We say now, if any one had stolen his corpse, he would not have stript him, for theft loves no delay. Christ appeared on the same day to Peter and to two others his disciples, and comforted them. "Then at last Jesus came to his disciples, where they were assembled, and said to them, Peace be unto you; it is I, be ye not afraid. Then they were afraid, and weened it were a ghost. Then said he to them, Why are ye afraid, and think divers things of me? Behold my hands and my feet, that were pierced with nails. Grasp and behold: if I were a ghost, I should not have flesh and bones," etc.

Jesus then frequently appeared to his disciples, and directed them to doctrine and to faith, how they should teach all mankind; and on the fortieth day of his resurrection he ascended bodily to heaven to his Father. But we have now said much more of the tenour of the book of Christ than this present day's gospel requires for the confirmation of your faith. We will now give you the explanation of this day's gospel, according to the exposition of the holy pope Gregory.

My dearest brothers, ye have heard that the holy women, who followed the Lord in life, came with precious ointment to his sepulchre, and him whom they had loved in life they would when dead serve with human devotion. But this deed {223} betokens something to be done in God's church. We who believe in the resurrection of Christ come assuredly to his sepulchre with precious ointment, if we are filled with the breath of holy virtues, and if we with the fame of good works seek our Lord. The women who brought the ointment saw angels; for they see the heavenly angels, who with the breath of good works yearn after the upward journey. The angel rolled the lid from the tomb; not that he would make way for Christ's departure, but he would manifest to men that he was risen. He who came mortal to this world, born of the closed womb of the virgin, he, without doubt, might, when he arose immortal, though in a closed tomb, depart from the world. The angel sat on the right side of the sepulchre. The right hand betokens the eternal life, and the left this present life. Rightly sat the angel on the right hand, for he manifested that Jesus had surmounted the corruptions of this present life, and was then dwelling immortal in eternity. The messenger was clad in a shining garment, because he announced the happiness of this festival-tide, and our glories. But we ask, ours or the angels? We say verily, both ours and theirs. The resurrection of Jesus is our festival-tide, for by his resurrection he led us to the immortality for which we were created. His resurrection was bliss to the angels, because God fills up their number when he brings us to heaven.

The angel cheered the women, thus saying, "Be ye not afraid:" as if he had said thus, Let those fear who love not the advent of angels; let those be terrified who are beset with fleshly lusts, and have no joy in the host of angels. Why fear ye, ye who see your companions? "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment as white as snow." Verily in lightning is terror, and in snow the mildness of brightness. Rightly was the messenger of Christ's resurrection so figured; for when he himself shall come to the great doom, he will be very awful to the sinful, and very mild {225} to the righteous. He said, "Ye seek Jesus: he is risen: he is not here." He was not then bodily in the sepulchre, who is everywhere through his divine power. There lay the garment behind in which he had been wrapt, for he recked not of an earthly garment, after he had arisen from death. Though a dead man be wrapt in a garment, that garment does not the sooner rise again with the man, but he will be clad with the heavenly garment after his resurrection.

It is well said of Jesus, that he would meet his companions in Galilee. Galilee is interpreted, _Passing over_. Jesus passed over from passion to resurrection, from death to life, from torment to glory. And if we pass from sins to holy virtues, then may we see Jesus after our passage from this life. For there are two lives: the one we know, the other was unknown to us before Christ's advent. The one life is mortal, the other immortal. But Jesus came and assumed the one life, and made manifest the other. The one life he manifested by his death, and the other by his resurrection. If he to us mortal men had promised resurrection and life eternal, and yet had not been willing to manifest them in himself, who would have believed in his promises? But when he would become man, then he also voluntarily humbled himself to death, and he arose from death through his divine power, and manifested in himself that which he had promised to us.

Now will some man say in his thoughts, 'Easily might he arise from death, because he is God: death could not hold him captive.' Let the man who imagines this hear an answer to his imagination. Christ departed at that time alone, but he arose not from death alone, but arose with a great host. The evangelist Matthew wrote in the book of Christ, that many holy men, who had died in the old law, arose with Christ; and all wise doctors have said that they have effected their resurrection to eternal life, as we all shall do at the end of this world. Those doctors said, that the raised men would {227} not truly have been witnesses of Christ's resurrection, if they had not been raised for ever. Now are extinguished all infidelities, so that no man may despair of his own resurrection, when the evangelist wrote that many arose with Christ, who were simple men, although Christ be God.