Part 30
It then happened that the beggar died, and angels bare his soul to the dwelling of the patriarch Abraham; and the rich man's spirit after death was sunk into hell; and he then wished to have him for protector, to whom he would not before give his crumbs. He then bade Abraham with piteous voice, that Lazarus might moisten his tongue; but that little favour was not granted him, because Lazarus might not before in life gather the crumbs of his table. He particularly complained of his tongue, because it is usual that the wealthy in their feasting practise pernicious scoffing; therefore was his tongue, through righteous retribution, more harshly punished {333} for his scoffing speech. The patriarch Abraham said to him, "My son, be thou mindful that thou receivedst riches in thy life, and Lazarus misery." This saying is rather to be feared than expounded. The rich man was requited with transitory prosperity, if he did aught of good; and the poor man was requited with misery, if he had perpetrated aught of evil. Then the wealthy man received his happiness in reward for short enjoyment, and the indigence of the needy one cleansed away his little sins. Poverty afflicted and purified him; his abundance enriched and deceived the other.
I pray you, men most beloved, despise not God's poor, though they perpetrate anything reprehensible; because their misery cleanses that which a little superfluity corrupts. Observe each one, for good often befalls the evil for life. The patriarch said to the wealthy man, "Betwixt us and you is fixed a great vapour; though any-one will pass from us to you, he cannot; nor also from you to us." With great eagerness the wicked desire to pass from the torment in which they suffer, but the fastening of the hellish enclosure never allows them to break out. Also the holy are so filled with their Creator's righteousness, that they in no wise lament the misery of the wicked; because they see the fordone ones as greatly estranged from them, as they are thrust away from their beloved Lord.
When the rich man became hopeless of his own deliverance, the remembrance of his brothers entered into his mind; for the punishment of the wicked very often uselessly stimulates their minds to love, so that they then love their relatives, who before in life loved neither themselves nor their kinsmen. He loves not himself who binds himself with sins. He recognized Lazarus, whom he had before despised, and he remembered his brothers, whom he had left behind; for the needy one would not have been fully avenged on the rich, if {335} he in his punishment had not recognized him; and again, his punishment would not have been complete in the fire, unless he had expected the same torments for his relatives.
The sinful will now sometimes see the chosen in glory, whom they in the world despised, that the affliction of their minds may be the greater: and the righteous will ever see the unrighteous suffering in their torments, that their bliss and love to their Lord may be the greater, who rescued them from the power of the devil, and from the wicked band. That spectacle will excite no terror to the righteous, nor will their glory wane; for there will be no sorrowing for the misery of the wicked, but their torments will turn to the greater bliss of the chosen, as in a picture a dark likeness is provided, that the white may appear the brighter. The chosen will constantly see their Creator's brightness, and therefore there is nothing in creation concealed from him.
The rich man would not in life hear the teacher Moses, or God's prophets: then he thought that his brothers would also despise them as he did, and desired therefore that Lazarus might warn them, so that they came not to his torment. The patriarch answered him, "If they despise the law of Moses and the preachings of the prophets, they will not believe, though one arose from death." Those who neglect the easy commandments of the old law, how will they obey the sublime commandments of Christ's doctrine, who arose from death?
I pray you, my brethren, that ye be mindful of Lazarus's rest and of the rich man's punishment, and do as Christ himself taught, "Gain to yourselves friends among God's poor, that they at your end may receive you into eternal dwelling-places." Many Lazaruses ye have now lying at your gates, begging for your superfluity. Though they are esteemed as vile, they will, nevertheless, be hereafter your interceders with the Almighty. Verily we ought to enjoin the poor to pray for us, because they will be our protectors, who, now begging, desire sustenance of us. We should not despise their {337} vileness, for Christ himself is served through reception of the poor, as he himself said, "I was hungry, and ye fed me; I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink; I was naked, and ye clothed me."
Now says the holy Gregory, there was a reverend monk in the country of Lycaonia, very pious, his name was Martyrius. He went by order of his abbot to some other monastery, on his errand, when he found a leper lying by the way all chapped, and having no power of his feet: he said he wished to reach his hut, if he could. Then the monk was grieved for the helplessness of the leper, and he wrapt him in his cloak and bare him towards his monastery. Then it was disclosed to his abbot whom he was bearing, and he cried with a loud voice, and said, "Run, run, and undo the gate of the monastery quickly, for our brother Martyrius bears Jesus on his back." When the monk had reached the gate of the monastery, he who seemed a leper quitted his neck, and appeared in the likeness of Christ. The monk then looked up, and beheld how he ascended to heaven. Then said Jesus, while ascending, "Martyrius, thou wast not ashamed of me on earth, nor will I be ashamed of thee in heaven." Then the abbot hastened towards the monk, and eagerly said, "My brother, where is he whom thou didst carry?" He said, "If I had known who he was, I would have lain at his feet. When I bore him I felt no heaviness of any burthen." How could he feel the heaviness of any weight, when he carried one who bore him? Now says the holy Gregory, Jesus verified the saying which he himself said, "That which ye do for the poor in my name, that ye do for myself."
What is there in human nature so glorious as the humanity of Christ, and what is esteemed more foul in human nature than the carcase of the leper, with tumours, and ulcers, and reeking stench? But he who is to be venerated above all creatures, vouchsafed to appear in that foul form, to the end that we might pity the misery of human beings, and {339} according to our power comfort them, for love of the merciful and humble Jesus; that he may grant us a dwelling in his kingdom to eternal life, who rescued us from the devil's thraldom; who reigneth to eternity with the Almighty Father and the Holy Ghost, those three existing in one Godhead, without beginning and end, ever to eternity. Amen.
* * * * *
DOMINICA IIII. POST PENTECOSTEN.
Dhaet h['a]lige godspel us segdh, thaet "gerefan and synfulle men genealaehton dham Haelende, and woldon his lare gehyran. Tha ceorodon dha sunder-halgan and dha boceras Iudeiscre dheode, fordhan dhe se Haelend underfeng dha synfullan, and him mid gereordode. Tha saede se Haelend dham Iudeiscum bocerum dhis bigspel, Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa:" et reliqua.
Thas word sind digle, ac se trahtnere Gregorius us geopenode thaet gastlice andgit. Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon on dhyssere godspellican raedinge, thaet dha synfullan genealaehton to dhaes Haelendes spraece, and eac to his gereorde; and dha Iudeiscan boceras mid h['e]te thaet taeldon: ac heora t['a]l naes na of rihtwisnysse, ac of nidhe. Hi waeron untrume, dheah dhe hi dhaes ne gymdon. Tha wolde se heofenlica laece mid geswaesum bigspelle thaet geswell heora heortan welwyllendlice gelacnian, and dhus cwaedh, "Hwilc eower haefdh hund-teontig sceapa, and gif he forlysdh ['a]n dhaera sceapa, dhonne forlaet he dha nigon and hund-nigontig on westene, and gaedh secende thaet ['a]n dhe him losode?" Hundfeald getel is fulfremed, and se Aelmihtiga haefde hund-teontig sceapa, dhadha engla werod and mancynn waeron his aehta: ac him losode ['a]n sceap, dhadha se frumsceapena mann Adam syngigende forleas neorxena-wanges bigwiste. Tha forlet se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu eal engla werod on heofonum, and ferde to eordhan, and sohte thaet {340} ['a]n sceap dhe him aetwunden waes. Dhadha he hit gemette, he hit baer on his exlum to dhaere eowde blissigende. Thadha he underfeng ure mennisce gecynd, and ure synna abaer, tha waes thaet dweligende sceap ongean fered on his halgum exlum. Dhaera sceapa hlaford com ham, afundenum sceape; fordhan dhe Crist, aefter dhaere dhrowunge, dhe he mancyn mid alysde, ar['a]s of deadhe, and astah to heofonum blissigende.
He geladhode his frynd and his nehgeburas. His frynd sind engla heapas, fordhan dhe hi healdadh on heora stadhelfaestnysse singallice his willan. Hi sind eac his nehgeburas, fordhan dhe hi brucadh thaere wulderfullan beorhtnysse his gesihdhe on heora andweardnysse. He cwaedh, "Blissiadh mid me, fordhan dhe ic gemette min forlorene sceap." Ne cwaedh he, 'Blissiadh mid tham sceape,' ac 'mid me,' fordhan dhe ure alysednys sodhlice is his bliss; and dhonne we beodh to dhaere heofonlican eardung-stowe gelaedde, thonne gefylle we dha micclan maersunge his gefean. He cwaedh, "Ic secge eow, mare bliss bidh on heofonum be anum synfullan men, gif he his synna mid d['ae]dbote behreowsadh, dhonne sy be nigon and hund-nigontig rihtwisum dhe nanre behreowsunge ne behofiadh." This is to smeagenne, hwi sy mare bliss be gecyrredum synfullum, thonne be unscyldigum rihtwisum.
We habbadh gelomlice gesewen, thaet gehwylce gebrodhra, dhe ne befeollon on healice gyltas, thaet h['i] ne beodh ealles swa carfulle to beganne dha earfodhlican drohtnunge, swilce hi orsorge beon, fordhan dhe hi dha healican leahtras ne gefremedon; and gehwilce odhre dhe oncnawadh tha swaeran gyltas dhe hi on geogodhe adrugon, beodh mid micelre sarnysse onbryrde. Hi forseodh alyfedlice dhing and gesewenlice, and mid wope gewilniadh tha ungesewenlican and dha heofonlican. H['i] forseodh h['i] sylfe, and geeadmettadh on eallum dhingum; and fordhi dhe h['i] dweligende fram heora Scyppende gewiton, h['i] willadh geinnian dha aeftran hindhe mid tham uferan gestreonum. Mare bliss bidh on heofonum be dham gecyrredum synfullum, dhurh swilce drohtnunga, thonne sy be dham asolcenum the truwadh be him sylfum thaet he {342} lytle and feawa gyltas gefremode, and eac hwonlice caradh ymbe Godes beboda and his sawle dhearfe. Maran lufe nimdh se heretoga on gefeohte to dham cempan, the aefter fleame his widherwinnan dhegenlice oferwindh, thonne to dham the mid fleame ne aetw['a]nd, ne dheah on nanum gecampe naht dhegenlices ne gefremode. Ealswa se yrdhling lufadh dhone aecer, dhe aefter dhornum and bremelum genihtsume waestmas agifdh, swidhor thonne he lufige dhone dhe dhornig naes, ne waestmbaere ne bidh. Sind dheah-hwaedhere forwel maenige rihtwise unscyldige widh heafod-leahtras, and habbadh hwaedhere ealswa stidhe drohtnunge swylce hi mid eallum synnum geancsumede waeron. Tham ne maeg nan d['ae]dbeta beon geefenlaeht, fordhan dhe h['i] sind rihtwise and behreowsigende. Be dham is to smeagenne hu micclum se rihtwisa mid eadmodre heofunge God gegladige, gif se unrihtwisa mid sodhre d['ae]dbote hine gegladian maeg.
Drihten rehte dha-gyt odher b['i]gspel be tyn scyllingum, and dhaera ['a]n losode and weardh gemet. Thaet b['i]gspel getacnadh eft nigon engla werod. To dham teodhan werode waes mancyn gesceapen; fordhan dhe thaet teodhe weardh mid modignysse forscyldigod, and hi ealle to awyrgedum deoflum wurdon awende, and of dhaere heofonlican blisse to helle suslum bescofene. Nu sind dha nigon heapas genemnede, angeli, archangeli, uirtutes, potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubin, seraphin. Thaet teodhe forweardh. Tha waes mancynn gesceapen to ge-edstadhelunge dhaes forlorenan heapes.
Angeli sind gecwedene Godes bodan; archangeli, healice bodan; uirtutes, mihta, dhurh dha wyrcdh God fela wundra. Potestates sind ['a]nwealdu, dhe habbadh anweald ofer dha awyrgedan gastas, thaet hi ne magon geleaffulra manna heortan swa micclum costnian swa hi willadh. Principatus sind ealdorscipas, dhe dhaera godra engla gymadh, and hi be heora dihte dha godcundlican gerynu gefylladh. Dominationes sind hlafordscypas gecwedene, fordhan dhe him gehyrsumiadh odhra engla werod mid micelre underdheodnysse. Throni sind thrymsetl, tha beodh gefyllede mid swa micelre gife dhaere Aelmihtigan {344} Godcundnysse, thaet se Eallwealdenda God on him wunadh, and dhurh hi his domas tosceat. Cherubin is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes, odhdhe gewittes: hi sind afyllede mid gewitte swa miccle swidhor, swa hi gehendran beodh heora Scyppende, dhurh wurdhscipe heora geearnunga. Seraphim sind gecwedene byrnende, odhdhe, onaelende: hi sind swa miccle swidhor byrnende on Godes lufe, swa micclum swa hi sind to him gedheodde; fordhan dhe nane odhre englas ne sind betweonan him and dham Aelmihtigan Gode. Hi sind byrnende na on fyres wisan, ac mid micelre lufe thaes Wealdendan Cyninges. Godes rice bidh gelogod mid engla weredum and gedhungenum mannum, and we gelyfadh thaet of mancynne swa micel getel astige thaet uplice rice, swa micel swa on heofonum bel['a]f haligra gasta aefter dham hryre dhaera awyrgedra gasta.
Nigon engla werod thaer waeron to lafe, and thaet teodhe forferde. Nu bidh eft seo micelnys gedhungenra manna swa micel swa dhaera stadhelfaestra engla waes; and we beodh geendebyrde to heora weredum, aefter urum geearnungum. Menige geleaffulle men sind the habbadh lytel andgit to understandenne dha deopnysse Godes lare, and willadh theah-hwaedhere odhrum mannum mid arfaestnysse cydhan ymbe Godes maerdha, be heora andgites maedhe: thas beodh geendebyrde to englum, thaet is, to Godes bydelum. Tha gecorenan dhe magon asmeagan Godes digelnysse, and odhrum bodian mid gastlicre lare, hi beodh getealde to heah-englum, thaet is to healicum bodum. Tha halgan, dhe on life wundra wyrceadh, beodh geendebyrde betwux dham heofenlicum mihtum the Godes tacna gefremmadh. Sind eac sume gecorene menn dhe aflyadh tha awyrgedan gastas fram ofsettum mannum, dhurh mihte heora bena: hwaerto beodh thas geendebyrde buton to dham heofenlicum anwealdum, be gewyldadh tha feondlican costneras? Tha gecorenan dhe dhurh healice geearnunga tha laessan gebrodhru oferstigadh mid ealdorscipe, tha habbadh eac heora dael betwux dham heofenlicum ealderdomum. Sume beodh swa gedhungene thaet h['i] wealdadh mid heora hlafordscipe ealle uncysta and leahtras on him sylfum, swa thaet hi {346} beodh godas getealde dhurh dha healican claennysse: be dham cwaedh se Aelmihtiga to Moysen, "Ic dhe gesette, thaet thu waere Pharaones god." Thas Godes dhegnas, the beodh on swa micelre gedhincdhe on gesihdhe thaes Aelmihtigan thaet hi sind godas getealde, hwider gescyt dhonne heora endebyrdnysse, buton to dham werode dhe sind hlafordscipas gecwedene? fordhan dhe him odhre englas underdheodde beodh.
On sumum gecorenum mannum, dhe mid micelre gimene on andweardum life drohtniadh, bidh Godes Gastes gifu swa micel, thaet he on heora heortan swilce on dhrimsetle sittende tosc['ae]t and d['e]mdh wundorlice odhra manna daeda. Hwaet sind thas buton dhrymsetl heora Scyppendes, on dham dhe he wunigende mannum d['e]mdh? Seo sodhe lufu is gefyllednys Godes ['ae], and se dhe on his dheawum hylt Godes lufe and manna, he bidh thonne cherubim rihtlice geh['a]ten; fordhan dhe eal gewitt and ingehyd is belocen on twam wordum, thaet is Godes lufu and manna. Sume Godes dheowan sind onaelede mid swa micelre gewilnunge heora Scyppendes neawiste, thaet hi forseodh ealle woruldlice ymbhydignysse, and mid byrnendum mode ealle dha ateorigendlican gedhincdhu oferstigadh, and mid dham micclan bryne dhaere heofenlican lufe odhre ontendadh, and mid larlicre spraece getrymmadh. Hu magon dhas beon gecigede buton seraphim, thonne hi dhurh dhone micclan bryne Godes lufe sind toforan odhrum eordhlicum his neawiste gehendost?
Nu cwedh se eadiga Gregorius, "Wa dhaere sawle dhe orhlyte hyre lif adrihdh thaera haligra mihta," the we nu sceortlice eow gerehton. Ac seo dhe bedaeled is tham godnyssum, heo geomrige and gewilnige thaet se cystiga Wealdend thurh his gife h['i] gedheode tham hlyte his gecorenra. Nabbadh ealle menn gelice gife aet Gode, fordhan dhe he forgifdh dha gastlican gedhincdhu aelcum be his gecneordnyssum. Se dhe laessan gife haebbe, ne ['a]ndige he on dham foredheondum, fordhan dhe dha halgan dhreatas dhaera eadigra engla sind swa geendebyrde, thaet hi sume mid undertheodnysse odhrum hyrsumiadh, and sume mid oferstigendre wurdhfulnysse dham odhrum sind foresette.
{348} Micel getel is dhaera haligra gasta, the on Godes rice eardiadh, be dham cwaedh se witega Daniel, "Thusend dhusenda dhenodon tham Heofonlican Wealdende, and ten dhusend sidhan hundfealde dhusenda him mid wunodon." Odher is dhenung, odher is mid-wunung. Tha englas dheniadh Gode the bodiadh his willan middangearde, and dha dhing gefylladh the him liciadh. Dha odhre werod, the him mid wuniadh, brucadh thaere incundan embwl['a]tunge his godcundnysse, swa thaet h['i] nateshwon fram his andweardnysse asende ne gewitadh. Sodhlice dha dhe to us asende becumadh, swa h['i] gefremmadh heora Scyppendes haese widhutan, thaet hi dheah-hwaedhere naefre ne gewitadh fram his godcundan myrhdhe; fordham dhe God is aeghwaer, theah dhe se engel stowlic sy. Nis se Aelmihtiga Wealdend stowlic, fordhan dhe he is on aelcere stowe, and swa hwider swa se stowlica engel flihdh, he bidh befangen mid his andwerdnysse.
Hi habbadh sume synderlice gife fram heora Scyppende, and dheah-hwaedhere heora wurdhscipe him bidh eallum gemaene, and thaet thaet gehwilc on him sylfum be daele haefdh, thaet he haefdh on odhrum werode fulfremodlice; be dham cwaedh se sealm-wyrhta, "Drihten, dhu dhe sitst ofer cherubin, geswutela dhe sylfne."
We saedon litle aer on dhisre raedinge, thaet thaes Aelmihtigan dhrymsetl waere betwux dham werode dhe sind throni gecigede: ac hw['a] maeg beon eadig, buton he his Scyppendes wununge on him sylfum haebbe? Seraphim sind dha gastas gecigede, dhe beodh on Drihtnes lufe byrnende, and dheah-hwaedhere eal thaet heofonlice maegen samod beodh onaelede mid his lufe. Cherubim is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes odhdhe gewittes, and dheah hwilc engel is on Godes andwerdnysse dhe ealle dhing nyte? Ac fordhi is gehwilc dhaera weroda tham naman geciged, dhe dha gife getacnadh the he fulfremedlicor underfeng.
Ac uton suwian hwaethwega be dham digelnyssum dhaera heofenlicra ceastergewarena, and smeagan be us sylfum, and geomrian mid behreowsunge ure synna, thaet we, dhurh Drihtnes mildheortnysse, dha heofonlican wununge, swa swa he us beh['e]t, {350} habban moton. He cwaedh on sumere stowe, "On mines Faeder huse sind fela wununga;" fordhan gif sume beodh strengran on geearnungum, sume rihtwisran, sume mid maran halignysse geglengede, thaet heora nan ne beo geaelfremod fram dham micclan huse, thaer dhaer gehwilc onfehdh wununge be his geearnungum.
Se miltsienda Drihten cwaedh, thaet micel blis waere on heofonum be anum d['ae]dbetan; ac se ylca cwaedh thurh his witegan, "Gif se rihtwisa gecyrdh fram his rihtwisnysse, and begaedh unrihtwisnysse arleaslice, ealle his rihtwisnysse ic forgyte; and gif se arleasa behreowsadh his arleasnysse, and begaedh rihtwisnysse, ne gemune ic nanra his synna." Behreowsigendum mannum he miltsadh, ac h['e] ne beh['e]t tham elcigendum gewiss l['i]f odh merigen. Nis fordhi nanum synfullum to yldigenne agenre gecyrrednysse, dhylaes dhe he mid sleacnysse forleose dha t['i]d Godes fyrstes. Smeage gehwilc man his aerran daeda, and eac his andweardan drohtnunge, and fleo to dham mildheortan Deman mid w['o]pe, dha hwile dhe he anbidadh ure betrunge, sedhe is rihtwis and mildheort. Sodhlice behreowsadh his gedwyld sedhe ne ge-edlaehdh tha aerran daeda; be dham cwaedh se Haelend to dham gehaeledan bedredan, "Efne nu dhu eart gehaeled, ne synga dhu heonon-fordh, thylaes dhe dhe sum dhing wyrse gelimpe."
Geleaffullum mannum maeg beon micel truwa and hopa to dham menniscum Gode Criste, sedhe is ure Mundbora and Dema, sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder, on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.
The holy gospel tells us, that "publicans and sinners approached Jesus, and desired to hear his doctrine. Then the pharisees and the scribes of the Jewish people murmured, because Jesus received the sinful, and ate and drank with them. Then said Jesus to the Jewish scribes this parable, Which of you hath an hundred sheep," etc.
These words are obscure, but the expounder Gregory has opened to us the ghostly meaning. My dearest brothers, ye have heard in this evangelical lesson, that the sinful approached to the speech of Jesus, and also to his refection; and the Jewish scribes censured that with heat; but their censure was not from righteousness, but from envy. They were sick, though they observed it not. Then would the heavenly leech with a pleasant parable benevolently heal the swelling of their hearts, and thus said, "Which of you hath an hundred sheep, and if he lose one of the sheep, then leaveth he [not] the ninety and nine in the waste, and goeth seeking the one that he lost?" An hundredfold number is perfect, and the Almighty had an hundred sheep, when the host of angels and mankind were his possessions: but he lost one sheep, when the first-created man Adam through sin lost the food of Paradise. Then the Almighty Son of God left all the host of angels in heaven, and went to earth, and sought that one {341} sheep that had escaped from him. When he had found it, he bare it on his shoulders to the flock rejoicing. When he assumed our human nature, and bare our sins, then was the wandering sheep brought back on his holy shoulders. The master of the sheep came home, having found his sheep; for Christ after his passion, whereby he redeemed mankind, arose from death, and ascended to heaven rejoicing.
He invited his friends and his neighbours. His friends are companies of angels, because they in their steadfastness constantly observe his will. They are also his neighbours, because they enjoy the glorious brightness of his sight in their presence. He said, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep." He said not, 'Rejoice with the sheep,' but 'with me,' because our redemption is truly his joy; and when we are led to the heavenly dwelling-place, we then complete the great celebration of his gladness. He said, "I say unto you, there is more joy in heaven over one sinful man, if he rue his sins with repentance, than there is over ninety and nine righteous, who need no repentance." This is to be investigated, why there is more joy over a converted sinner, than over the innocent righteous.