Part 23

They took the example of the fast from the people of Nineveh. That people was very sinful: then would God destroy them, but they appeased him with their penitence. God spake to a prophet who was called Jonah, "Go to the city of Nineveh, and announce there the words which I say to thee. Then was the prophet afraid, and would flee from God's presence, but he could not. He went to the sea, and entered a ship. When the shipmen came out to sea, God {247} sent to them a great wind and tempest, so that they were hopeless of their lives. They therefore cast their wares overboard, and the prophet lay and slept. They then cast lots among them, and prayed that God would manifest to them whence that affliction came upon them. Then the prophet's lot came up. They asked him who he was, or how he would go? He said that he was a servant of God, who created sea and land, and that he would flee from God's presence. They said, How shall we do regarding thee? He answered, Cast me overboard, then will this affliction cease. They then did so, and the tempest was stilled, and they offered their gifts to God, and went on their course."

God then prepared a whale, and it swallowed up the prophet, and bare him to the land to which he should go, and there vomited him out. Then again came the word of God to the prophet, and said, "Arise now, and go to the great city Nineveh, and preach as I before said to thee." He went and preached, that God's anger was about to descend on them, if they would not incline to God. Then, the king arose from his throne, and cast off his precious robes, and put sackcloth on his body, and ashes upon his head, and commanded that every man should so do; and that both men and sucking children and also the cattle should not taste of anything within three days. Then through that conversion, that they desisted from evil, and through that strict fast, God had mercy on them, and would not destroy them, as he had before, for their crimes, burnt the inhabitants of the two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, with heavenly fire.

We also on these days should offer up our prayers, and follow our relics out and in, and with fervour praise Almighty God. We will now expound to you this gospel which has just been read: "Quis vestrum habebit amicum": et reliqua. "Jesus said to his disciples, Which of you who hath a friend, and goeth to him at midnight, and saith," etc.

{249} Saint Augustine expounded this gospel, and said, that the night betokened the ignorance of this world. This world is filled with ignorance. Now therefore should everyone arise from that ignorance, and go to his friend, that is, he should incline to Christ with all fervour, and pray for the three loaves, that is, belief in the Holy Trinity. The Almighty Father is God, and his Son is Almighty God, and the Holy Ghost is Almighty God; not three Gods, but they all one Almighty God indivisible. When thou comest to those three loaves, that is, to an understanding of the Holy Trinity, then hast thou, in that belief, life and food for thy soul, and mayest therewith feed another stranger also, that is, thou mayest teach the faith to another friend who shall ask it of thee. He said a 'stranger,' because we are all strangers in this life, and our country is not here; but we are here as wayfaring men; one comes, another goes; this is born, the other departs and yields up his seat to him. Now therefore should everyone desire faith in the Holy Trinity, for that faith will bring him to everlasting life.

We will again speak more concerning faith, because the exposition of this gospel has a good deduction. The master of the family, who was gone to rest with his children, is Christ, who sits in heaven with his apostles, and with martyrs, and with all the saints whom he fetched in this life. We should call to Christ, and pray for the three loaves. Though he do not forthwith grant them to us, we should not on that account desist from prayer. He delays, and yet will give. He delays, that we may be desirous, and dearly hold the grace of God. Whatsoever a man gets easily is not so precious as that which is gotten with difficulty. Jesus said, "If he continue knocking, the master of the family will arise, because of the other's importunity, and grant him what he asks, not for friendship, but for his clamour." He said, "Not for friendship," because no man were worthy either of that faith, or of eternal life, if God's mercy were not the {251} greater towards mankind. We should knock, and call to Christ, because he will give to us, as he himself said, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." To everyone who fervently asks, and ceases not from prayer, God will grant everlasting life.

He then said another parable. "What father will give his child a stone, if he ask for bread? or a serpent, if he ask for a fish? or a scorpion, if he ask for an egg?" God is our Father through his mercy, and the fish betokens faith, and the egg holy hope, the bread true love. These three things God gives to his chosen; for no man can have God's kingdom, unless he have these three things. He must rightly believe, and have hope in God, and true love to God and to men, if he will come to God's kingdom. The fish betokens faith, because its nature is, that the more it is tossed by the waves, the stronger it is, and the more vigorously it strikes. In like manner the believing man, the more he is afflicted for his faith, the stronger will be his faith, wherever it is sound. If it sink under persecution, it is then not faith, but is hypocrisy. The egg betokens hope, seeing that birds teem not like other animals, but first it is an egg, and the mother then with hope cherishes the egg to a young bird. In like manner our hope comes not yet to that which it hopes, but is, as it were, an egg. When it has that which is promised it, it is a bird. Bread betokens true love, which of all virtues is greatest, as bread is of all food the principal. Faith is a great virtue, and a great virtue is true hope; yet love excels them, forasmuch as it is ever to eternity, and the other two will end. We now believe in God, and we hope in him: but after we come to his kingdom, as he has promised us, then will faith be ended, for we shall then see what we now believe. Our hope will also be ended, because we shall be in possession of what we had previously hoped for; but love will never decay: therefore is it the most excellent of them.

{253} The serpent is placed in the gospel in opposition to the fish. In a serpent's form the devil deceived Adam; and he is now ever striving against our faith: but our protection is in the hand of our Father. The scorpion, which is set in opposition to the egg, is venomous, and stings with its tail to death. Those things which we see in this life are perishable; those which we see not, and which are promised to us are eternal: stretch thereto thy hope, and wait until thou have them. Look not behind; dread the scorpion which envenoms with its tail. The man looks behind, who despairs of God's mercy; then is his hope envenomed by the scorpion's tail. But we should both in difficulties, and in chances and in mischances, say as the prophet said, "I will praise the Lord at every time." Betide us good in body, betide us evil, we ought ever to thank God, and bless his name; then will our hope be preserved from the scorpion's sting.

A stone is set in opposition to bread, because hardness of mind is contrary to true love. Hardhearted is the man who will not through love promote the welfare of others where he can. The gospel says, "If ye can, who are evil, give to your children what is good, how much more will your Heavenly Father give a good spirit to those asking him?" What are the good things that men give to their children? Transitory goods, such as the gospel touched on, bread, and fish, and an egg. These things are good in their degree, because the earthly body requires food. Now ye, prudent men, will not give your children a serpent for a fish, nor also will your Heavenly Father give us the devil's unbelief, if we pray to him to give us true faith. And thou wilt not give thy child a scorpion for an egg, nor also will God give us despair for hope. And thou wilt not give thy child a stone for bread, nor also will God give us hardheartedness for true love. But the good Heavenly Father will give us faith, and hope, and {255} true love, and will cause us to have a good spirit, that is, good will.

We have to consider the words which he said, "Ye who are evil." We are evil, but we have a good Father. We have heard our name, "Ye who are evil." But who is our Father? The Almighty God. And of what men is he the Father? It is manifestly said, of evil men. And of what kind is the Father? Of whom it is said, "No one is good save God only." He who ever is good will bring us who are evil to be good men, if we will eschew evil and do good. The man Adam was created good, but by his own election and the instigation of the devil, he and all his offspring became evil. He who is sinful is evil, and there is no man in life without some sin. But our good Father will cleanse and heal us, as the prophet said, "Lord, heal me, and I shall be healed; preserve thou me, and I shall be preserved."

Let him who desires to be good call to him who ever is good, that he make him good. A man has gold, that is good in its kind: he has land and riches, they are good. But the man is not good through these things, unless he do good with them, as the prophet said, "He distributed his wealth, and divided it among the poor, and his righteousness continueth for ever." He diminished his money, and increased his righteousness. He diminished that which he must leave, and that will be increased which he shall have to eternity. Thou praisest the merchant who gets gold for lead, and wilt not praise him who gets righteousness and the kingdom of heaven for perishable money. The rich and the poor are wayfarers in this world. The rich now bears the heavy burthen of his treasures, and the poor goes empty. The rich bears more provisions for his journey than he requires, the other bears an empty scrip. Therefore should the rich share his burthen with the poor; then will he lessen the burthen of his sins, and help the poor. We are all God's poor; let us therefore acknowledge the poor who ask of us, that God {257} may acknowledge us, when we ask our needs of him. Who are those that ask of us? Men poor, and feeble, and mortal. Of whom ask they? Of men poor, and feeble, and mortal. Except the possessions, alike are those who ask and those of whom they ask. How canst thou for shame ask anything of God, if thou refuse to thy fellow that which thou canst most easily grant him? But the rich looks on his purple garments, and says, 'The wretch with his rags is not my fellow.' But the apostle Paul beards him with these words, "We brought nothing to this world, nor may we take with us anything hence."

If a rich woman, and a poor one bring forth together, let them go away; thou knowest not which is the rich woman's child, which the poor one's. Again, if we open the graves of dead men, thou knowest not which are the rich man's bones, which the poor one's. But covetousness is of all evil things the root, and those who follow covetousness swerve from God's faith, and fall into divers temptations, and pernicious lusts, which sink them into perdition. It is one thing, that a man be rich, if his parents have bequeathed him possessions; another thing, if any one become rich through covetousness. The covetousness of the latter is accused before God, not the other's wealth, if his heart be not inflamed with covetousness. For such men the apostle Paul enjoined, "Enjoin the rich that they be not proud, and that they hope not in their uncertain wealth; but let them be rich in good works, and give to God's poor with bountiful spirit, and God will requite them an hundredfold for whatsoever they do for the poor for love of him."

The rich and the poor are needful to each other. The wealthy is made for the poor, and the poor for the wealthy. It is incumbent on the affluent, that he scatter and distribute; on the indigent it is incumbent, that he pray for the distributor. The poor is the way that leads us to the kingdom of God. The poor gives to the rich more than he {259} receives from him. The rich gives him bread that will be turned to ordure, and the poor gives to the rich everlasting life: yet not he, but Christ, who thus said, "That which ye do for the poor in my name, that ye do for myself," who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without end. Amen.

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FERIA III.

DE DOMINICA ORATIONE.

Se Haelend Crist, sydhdhan he to dhisum life c['o]m, and man weardh geweaxen, thadha h['e] waes dhritig wintra eald on thaere menniscnysse, tha beg['a]nn he wundra to wyrcenne, and geceas dha twelf leorning-cnihtas, tha dhe we apostolas hatadh. Tha waeron mid him aefre sydhdhan, and he him taehte ealne thone wisdom dhe on halgum bocum stent, and thurh h['i] ealne cristendom astealde. Tha cwaedon hi to dham Haelende, "L['e]['o]f, taece ['u]s hu we magon us gebiddan." Dha andwyrde se Haelend, and thus cwaedh, "Gebiddadh eow mid thisum wordum to minum Faeder and to eowrum Faeder, Gode Aelmihtigum: Pater noster, thaet is on Englisc, Thu, ure Faeder, the eart on heofonum, Sy th['i]n nama gehalgod. Cume dh['i]n r['i]ce. Sy dh['i]n wylla on eordhan swa swa on heofonum. Syle ['u]s to-daeg urne daeghwamlican hl['a]f. And forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfadh dham the widh us agyltadh. And ne l['ae]d dhu na us on costnunge. Ac alys us fram yfele. Sy hit swa."

God Faeder Aelmihtig haefdh aenne Sunu gecyndelice and menige gewiscendlice. Crist is Godes Sunu, swa thaet se Faeder hine gestrynde of him sylfum, butan aelcere meder. Naefdh se Faeder naenne lichaman, ne he on dha wisan his Bearn ne gestrynde the menn dodh: ac his Wisdom, the h['e] mid ealle gesceafta geworhte, se is his Sunu, se is aefre of dham Faeder, and mid tham Faeder, God of Gode, ealswa mihtig swa se Faeder. We men sind Godes bearn, fordhon the h['e] us {260} geworhte; and eft, dhadha we forwyrhte waeron, he sende his agen Bearn us to alysednysse. Nu sind we Godes bearn, and Crist is ure brodher, gif we dham Faeder onriht gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum mode hine weordhiadh. Crist is ure heafod, and we sind his lima: he is mid ure menniscnysse befangen, and he haefdh urne lichaman, thone dhe h['e] of dham halgan maedene Mar['i]an genam; fordhi we magon cudhlice to him clypian, swa swa to urum bredher, gif we dha brodherraedene swa healdadh swa swa he us taehte; thaet is, thaet we ne sceolon na gedhafian thaet deofol mid aenigum undheawum us gew['e]me fram Cristes brodhorraedene.

Witodlice se man the deofle geefenlaecdh, se bidh deofles bearn, na thurh gecynd odhdhe thurh gesceapenysse, ac dhurh tha geefenlaecunge and yfele geearnunga. And se man dhe Gode gecwemdh, he bidh Godes bearn, na gecyndelice, ac thurh gesceapenysse and dhurh gode geearnunga, swa swa Crist cwaedh on his godspelle, "Se dhe wyrcdh mines Faeder willan sedhe is on heofonum, he bidh min brodher, and min moder, and min sweoster." Fordhi nu ealle cristene men, aegdher ge r['i]ce ge heane, ge aedhelborene ge unaedhelborene, and se hlaford, and se dheowa, ealle h['i] sind gebrodhra, and ealle h['i] habbadh aenne Faeder on heofonum. Nis se welega na betera on dhisum naman thonne se dhearfa. Eallswa bealdlice m['o]t se dheowa clypigan God him to Faeder ealswa se cyning. Ealle we sind gelice aetforan Gode, buton hw['a] odherne mid godum weorcum fordheo. Ne sceal se r['i]ca for his welan thone earman forse['o]n; fordhan oft bidh se earma betera aetforan Gode thonne se r['i]ca. God is ure Faeder, thi we sceolon ealle beon gebrodhru on Gode, and healdan thone brodherlican bend unforedne; thaet is, dha sodhan sibbe, swa thaet ure aelc odherne lufige swa swa hine sylfne, and nanum ne gebeode thaet thaet he nelle thaet man him gebeode. Se dhe dhis hylt, he bidh Godes bearn, and Crist, and ealle halige men dhe Gode gedheodh, beodh his gebrodhru and his gesweostru.

We cwedhadh, "Pater noster qui es in celis," thaet is, "Ure {262} Faeder dhe eart on heofonum;" fordhan the God Faeder is on heofonum, and he is aeghwar, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, "Ic gefylle mid me sylfum heofonas and eordhan." And eft thaet halige godspel be him thus cwydh, "Heofon is his thrymsetl, and eordhe is his fot-sceamul." We wendadh ['u]s eastweard thonne we us gebiddadh, fordhan dhe dhanon arist seo heofen: na swilce on east-daele synderlice sy his wunung, and forlaete west-dael, odhdhe odhre daelas, se the aeghwar is andweard, na dhurh rymyt thaere stowe, ac thurh his maegendhrymmes andweardnysse. Thonne we wendadh ure neb to east-daele, thaer seo heofen arist, seodhe is ealra lichomlicra dhinga oferstigende, thonne sceal ure m['o]d beon mid tham gemyngod, thaet hit beo gewend to dham hehstan and tham fyrmestan gecynde, thaet is, God. We sceolon eac witan, thaet se synfulla is eordhe geh['a]ten, and se rihtwisa is heofen geh['a]ten; fordhan the on rihtwisum mannum is Godes wunung, and se goda man bidh thaes Halgan Gastes templ. Swa eac dhaer-togeanes se ford['o]na man bidh deofles templ, and deofles wunung: fordhi thonne swa micel is betwux g['o]dum mannum and yfelum, swa micel swa bidh betwux heofenan and eordhan.

Seofon geb['e]du sint on tham Pater noster. On tham twam formum wordum ne synd nane gebedu, ac sind herunga: thaet is, "Ure Faeder the eart on heofonum." Thaet forme geb['e]d is, "Sanctificetur nomen tuum:" thaet is, "Sy dhin nama gehalgod." Nis thaet na sw['a] to understandenne, swylce Godes nama ne sy genoh halig, sedhe aefre waes halig, and aefre bidh, and h['e] us ealle gebletsadh and gehalgadh: ac this word is sw['a] to understandenne, thaet his nama sy on us gehalgod, and he us thaes getidhige, thaet we moton his naman mid urum mudhe gebletsian, and he us sylle thaet gedh['a]nc, thaet we magon understandan thaet nan dhing nis swa halig swa his nama.

Thaet odher geb['e]d is, "Adueniat regnum tuum:" thaet is, on urum gereorde, "Cume dhin r['i]ce." Aefre waes Godes r['i]ce, and aefre bidh: ac hit is sw['a] to understandenne, thaet his r['i]ce beo ofer ['u]s, and he on us rixige, and we him mid ealre {264} gehyrsumnysse undertheodde syn, and thaet ure r['i]ce beo us gel['ae]st and gefylled, swa swa Crist us beh['e]t, thaet he wolde ['u]s ['e]ce r['i]ce forgyfan, thus cwedhende, "Cumadh, ge gebletsode mines Faeder, and gehabbadh thaet r['i]ce thaet eow gegearcod waes fram anginne middangeardes." This bidh ure r['i]ce, gif we hit nu geearniadh; and we beodh Godes r['i]ce, thonne Crist ['u]s betaecdh his Faeder on domes daege, swa swa thaet h['a]lige gewrit cwydh, "Cum tradiderit regnum Patri suo:" thaet is, "Thonne h['e] betaecdh r['i]ce his Faeder." Hwaet is thaet r['i]ce thaet h['e] betaecdh his Faeder, buton dha halgan menn, aegdher ge weras ge w['i]f, tha the h['e] alysde fram helle-w['i]te mid his agenum deadhe? Tha he betaecdh his agenum Faeder on ende thisre worulde, and h['i] beodh thonne Godes r['i]ce, and mid Gode on ecnysse rixiadh, aegdher ge mid sawle ge mid lichaman, and beodh thonne gelice englum.

Thaet dhridde geb['e]d is, "Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra:" thaet is, "Geweordhe th['i]n willa on eordhan swa swa on heofonum." Thaet is, Swa swa englas on heofonum the gehyrsumiadh, and mid eallum gemete to dhe gedheodadh, swa eac menn the on eordhan sind, and of eordhan geworhte, beon h['i] dhinum willan gehyrsume, and to dhe mid ealre geornfulnysse gedheodan. On tham mannum sodhlice gewyrdh Godes willa, the to Godes willan gewyrceadh. Ure sawul is heofonlic, and ure lichama is eordhlic. Nu bidde we eac mid thisum wordum, thaet Godes willa geweordhe, aegdher ge on ure sawle ge on urum lichaman, thaet aegdher him gehyrsumige, and he aegdher gehealde and gescylde, ge ure sawle ge urne lichaman, fram deofles costnungum.

Thaet feordhe geb['e]d is, "Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:" thaet is, on urum gereorde, "Syle us nu to-daeg urne daeghwamlican hl['a]f." Thaet is on dhrim andgitum to understandenne: thaet h['e] us sylle fodan urum lichaman, and sylle eac ure sawle thone gastlican hl['a]f. Se gastlica hl['a]f is Godes bebod, thaet we sceolon smeagan daeghwamlice, and mid weorce {266} gefyllan; fordhan swa swa se lichama leofadh be lichamlicum mettum, swa sceal seo sawul lybban be Godes l['a]re, and be gastlicum smeagungum. Hradhe se lichama aswint and forweornadh, gif him bidh oftogen his bigleofa: swa eac seo sawul forwyrdh, gif heo naefdh thone gastlican bigleofan, thaet sind Godes beboda, on tham heo sceal gedheon and beon geg['o]dad. Eac se gastlica hl['a]f is thaet halige husel, mid tham we getrymmadh urne geleafan; and dhurh dhaes halgan husles th['y]gene ['u]s beodh ure synna forgyfene, and we beodh gestrangode ongean deofles costnunge. Thi we sceolon gelomlice mid tham gastlican gereorde ure sawle geclaensian and getrymman. Ne sceal theah se dhe bidh mid healicum synnum ford['o]n, gedyrstlaecan thaet he Godes husel thicge, buton he his synna aer gebete: gif he elles dedh, hit bidh him sylfum to bealowe gedhyged. Se hl['a]f getacnadh dhreo dhing, swa swa we cwaedon. An is thaes lichaman b['i]gleofa; odher is dhaere sawle; dhridde is thaes halgan husles dhygen. Thyssera dhreora dhinga we sceolon daeghwamlice aet urum Drihtne biddan.

Thaet fifte geb['e]d is, "Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris:" thaet is, "Forgif us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgifadh tham mannum the widh us agyltadh." We sceolon d['o]n swa swa we on dhisum wordum behatadh; thaet is, thaet we beon mildheorte us betwynan, and, for dhaere micclan lufe Godes, forgyfan dham mannum the widh us agyltadh, thaet God Aelmihtig forgyfe us ure synna. Gif we dhonne nelladh forgyfan tha lytlan gyltas dhaera manna the us gegremedon, thone nele eac God us forgyfan ure synna mycele and manega: swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh, "Thonne ge standadh on eowrum geb['e]dum, forgyfadh swa hwaet swa ge habbadh on eowrum mode to aenigum men, and eower Faeder, the on heofonum is, forgyfdh eow eowre synna. Gif ge thonne nelladh forgyfan mid inweardre heortan tham dhe eow gremiadh, thonne eac eower Faeder, dhe on heofonum is, nele eow forgyfan eowre synna; ac he haet eow gebindan, and on cwearterne settan, thaet is on helle-w['i]te; and eow dhaer deofol getintregadh, odhthaet ge habban ealle eowre gyltas gedhrowade, odhthaet {268} ge cumon to anum feordhlincge." Is hwaedhere getaeht, aefter Godes gesetnysse, thaet wise men sceolon settan steore dysigum mannum, swa thaet hi thaet dysig and dha undheawas alecgan, and theah dhone man lufigan swa swa agenne brodhor.