Part 43

Now says the expositor, that no wild beast, neither among the four-footed nor the creeping, is to be compared with an evil woman. What among the four-footed is fiercer than a lion? or what among the serpent-kind is more cruel than a dragon? But the wise Solomon said, that it were better to dwell with lion and dragon than with an evil and loquacious woman. Now John had dwelt in the waste unhurt among all the beast-kind, and among serpents, and asps, and all the {489} worm-kind, and they dreaded him. But the accursed Herodias slew him by beheading, and received the death of so great a man as a gift for her daughter's dancing. Daniel the prophet lay seven nights among seven lions in one den uninjured, but the accursed woman Jezabel betrayed the righteous Naboth to his death by false witness. The prophet Jonah was preserved unconsumed in the belly of the whale for three nights, and the treacherous Dalila deceived the strong Samson with flattery, and, his locks being shorn, betrayed him to his foes. Verily there is no worm-kind nor wild beast-kind like in evilness to an evil woman.

The historian Josephus wrote in the ecclesiastical history, that the cruel Herod, a little while after the death of John, ruled his kingdom, but first for his wicked deeds his army was slain in battle, and himself afterwards driven from his kingdom, and sent into exile, by a very righteous judgement, when he would not listen to John's exhortations to eternal life, that he suddenly with disgrace should lose his transitory kingdom. The wise Augustine exhorts us with these words, and says, "Consider, I pray you, my brethren, with understanding, how wretched is this present life, and yet ye dread leaving it too speedily. Ye love this life in which ye exist with toil; thou carest about thy need; thou runnest, and art filled with anxiety; thou ploughest, and sowest, and afterwards gatherest; thou grindest, and bakest; thou weavest and preparest garments, and hardly knowest the number of all thy needs, both on sea and on land, and shalt end all these aforesaid things, and also thy life with tribulation. Learn now, therefore, that ye may be able to earn the eternal life, in which ye will suffer none of these toils, but with God will reign to eternity."

In this life we faint, if we sustain not ourselves with food; if we drink not, we are destroyed by thirst; if we watch too long, we faint; if we stand long, we are fatigued, and then sit; again, if we sit too long, our limbs sleep. Consider {491} also after this, that there is no stability of our body: childhood passes to boyhood, and boyhood to full growth; full growth bows to age, and age is ended by death. Verily our age stands on no stability, but so much as the body grows so greatly are its days diminished. Everywhere in our life are faintness and weariness, and decay of the body, and yet every one desires that he may live long. What is to live long but long to toil? It happens to few men in these days to live eighty years in health, and whatsoever he lives over that, it is toil to him and pain, as the prophet said, "Evil are our days," and the worse that we love them. So this world flatters very many, that they are unwilling to end this life of exile. A true and blessed life it will be, when we from death arise and reign with Christ. In that life will be good days, yet not many days, but one, which knows no rise nor no ending, which no tomorrow follows, because no yesterday preceded it; but the one day will for ever be unended without any night, without afflictions, without all the toils, which we a little before in this lecture recounted. This day and this life are promised to righteous christians, to whom may the merciful Lord lead us, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever without end. Amen.

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DOMINICA XVII. POST PENTECOSTEN.

Ibat Iesus in ciuitatem quae uocatur Naim: et reliqua.

Ure Drihten ferde to sumere byrig seo is geh['a]ten Naim, and his gingran samod, and genihtsum menigu. Thadha he genealaehte tham port-geate, tha ferede man anes cnihtes l['i]c to byrgene: et reliqua.

Beda se trahtnere cwaedh, thaet seo burh Naim is gereht, {492} 'ydhung' odhdhe 'styrung.' Se deada cniht, dhe on manegra manna gesihdhe waes geferod, get['a]cnadh gehwylcne synfulne mannan the bidh mid healicum leahtrum on dham inran menn adydd, and bidh his yfelnys mannum cudh. Se cniht waes ['a]ncenned sunu his meder, swa bidh eac gehwilc cristen man gastlice dhaere halgan geladhunge sunu, seo is ure ealra modor, and dheah-hwaedhere ungewemmed maeden; fordhan dhe hire team nis n['a] lichamlic ac gastlic. Gehwilc Godes dheow, thonne he leornadh, he bidh bearn gecweden: eft, thonne he odherne laerdh, he bidh modor, swa swa se apostol Paulus be dham aslidenum mannum cwaedh, "Ge synd mine bearn, dha dhe ic nu odhre sidhe geeacnige, odhthaet Crist beo on eow geedn['i]wod." Thaet port-geat get['a]cnadh sum lichamlic andgit the menn dhurh syngiadh. Se mann dhe tosaewdh ungethwaernysse betwux cristenum mannum, odhdhe sedhe sprecdh unrihtwisnysse on heannysse dhurh his mudhes geat, he bidh dead geferod. Se dhe behylt wimman mid galre gesihdhe and fulum luste, dhurh his eagena geat, h['e] geswuteladh his sawle deadh. Se dhe idele spellunge, odhdhe t['a]llice word lustlice gehyrdh, thonne macadh h['e] his eare him sylfum to deadhes geate. Swa is eac be dham odhrum andgitum to understandenne.

Se Haelend weardh astyred mid mildheortnysse ofer dhaere meder, thaet he us bysene sealde his arfaestnysse; and he dhone deadan sydhdhan araerde, thaet he us to his geleafan getrymede. He genealaehte and hreopode tha b['ae]re, and tha b['ae]rmenn aetstodon. Seo b['ae]r dhe thone deadan ferode is thaet orsorge ingehyd thaes orwenan synfullan. Sodhlice dha byrdheras, dhe hine to byrgenne feredon, synd olaecunga lyffetyndra geferena, the mid olaecunge and geaettredum swaesnyssum thone synfullan tihtadh and heriadh, swa swa se w['i]tega cwaedh, "Se synfulla bidh geherod on his lustum, and se unrihtwisa bidh gebletsod: thonne he bidh mid idelum hlisan and lyffetungum bef['a]ngen, thonne bidh hit swylce he sy mid sumere mold-hypan ofhroren." Be swylcum cwaedh se Haelend to ['a]num his gecorenan, dhadha h['e] wolde his faeder l['i]c bebyrian: he cwaedh, "Gedhafa thaet dha {494} deadan bebyrion heora deadan: far dhu, and boda Godes rice." Witodlice dha deadan bebyriadh odhre deadan, thonne gehwilce synfulle menn odhre heora gel['i]can mid derigendlicere herunge ge['o]laecadh, and mid gegaderodum hefe thaere wyrstan lyffetunge ofdhriccadh. Be swylcum is gecweden on odhre stowe, "Lyffetyndra tungan gewridhadh manna sawla on synnum."

Mid tham dhe Drihten hrepode dha baere, dha aetstodon tha b['ae]rmenn. Swa eac, gif dhaes synfullan ingehyd bidh gehrepod mid fyrhte thaes upplican domes, thonne widhhaefdh he dham unlustum and dham leasum lyffeterum, and clypigendum Drihtne to dham ecan life c['a]flice geandwyrt, swylce he of deadhe arise. Drihten cwaedh to dham cnihte, "Ic secge dhe, Aris, and he dhaerrihte ges['ae]t and spraec, and se Haelend betaehte hine his meder." Se ge-edcucoda sitt, thonne se synfulla mid godcundre onbryrdnysse cucadh. He sprecdh, thonne he mid Godes herungum his mudh gebysgadh, and mid sodhre andetnysse Godes mildheortnysse secth. He bidh his meder betaeht, thonne he bidh thurh sacerda ealdord['o]m gem['ae]nscipe dhaere halgan geladhunge geferlaeht. Thaet folc weardh mid micclum ege ablicged; fordhan swa swa mann fram marum synnum gecyrdh to Godes mildheortnysse, and his dheawas aefter Godes bebodum gerihtlaecdh, swa m['a] manna beodh gecyrrede dhurh his gebysnunge to Godes herunge.

Thaet folc cwaedh thaet maere witega ar['a]s betwux ['u]s, and thaet God his folc geneosode. Sodh h['i] saedon be Criste, thaet he maere witega is; ac he is witegena Witega, and heora ealra witegung; fordhan dhe ealle be him witegodon, and he dhurh his to-cyme heora ealra witegunge gefylde. We cwedhadh nu mid maran geleafan, thaet he is maere witega, fordhan dhe he w['a]t ealle dhing, and eac fela witegode, and he is sodh God of sodhum Gode, Aelmihtig Sunu of dham Aelmihtigan Faeder, sedhe his folc geneosode thurh his menniscnysse, and fram deofles dheowte alysde.

We raedadh gehwaer on bocum, thaet se Haelend fela deade to l['i]fe araerde, ac dheah-hwaedhere nis n['a]n godspell gesett be {496} heora nanum buton dhrim anum. An is thes cniht the we nu embe spraecon, odher waes anes ealdormannes dohtor, thridde waes Lazarus, Marthan brodher and Marian. Thyssera dhreora manna aerist get['a]cnadh thaet dhryfealde aerist synfullra sawla. Thaere sawle deadh is threora cynna: ['a]n is yfel gedhafung, odher is yfel weorc, dhridda is yfel gewuna. Dhaes ealdormannes dohtor laeig aet fordhsidhe, and se faeder geladhode dhone Haelend thaerto, fordhan dhe he waes on dham timan thaer on neawiste. Heo dha fordhferde aerdhan dhe he hire to come. Thadha he com, dha genam h['e] h['i] be dhaere h['a]nda, and cwaedh, "Thu maeden, ic secge dhe, Ar['i]s. And heo dhaerrihte ar['a]s, and metes baed."

This maeden dhe inne laeg on deadhe geswefod, get['a]cnadh thaere synfullan sawle deadh, dhe gelustfulladh on yfelum lustum digellice, and ne bidh gyt mannum cudh, thaet heo thurh synna dead is; ac Crist geswutelode thaet h['e] wolde swa synfulle sawle gel['i]ffaestan, gif h['e] mid geornfullum gebedum to geladhod bidh, thadha he araerde thaet maeden binnan dham huse, swa swa digelne leahter on menniscre heortan lutigende. Nu syndon odhre synfulle the gelustfulliadh on derigendlicum lustum mid gedhafunge, and eac heora yfelnysse mid weorcum cydhadh; swilce get['a]cnode se deada cniht, dhe waes on thaes folces gesihdhe gef['e]rod. Swilce synfulle araerdh Crist, gif h['i] heora synna behreowsiadh, and betaecdh h['i] heora meder, thaet is, thaet he hi geferlaecdh on annysse his geladhunge.

Sume synfulle men gedhafiadh heora lustum, and dhurh yfele daeda mannum cydhadh heora synna, and eac gewunelice syngigende h['i] sylfe gewemmadh: thyllice get['a]cnode Lazarus, the laeg on byrgene feower niht fule stincende. Witodlice Godes nama is Aelmihtig, fordhan dhe h['e] maeg ealle dhing gefremman. He maeg dha synfullan sawle dhurh his gife geliffaestan, dheah dhe heo on gewunelicum synnum fule stince, gif heo mid carfulre drohtnunge Godes mildheortnysse secdh; ac swa mare wund swa heo maran laecedomes beh['o]fadh. Thaet geswutelode se Haelend, thatha h['e] mid leohtlicere stemne thaet maeden araerde {498} on feawra manna gesihdhe; fordhan dhe h['e] ne gedhafode thaet dhaera m['a] manna inne waere, buton se faeder, and seo modor, and his dhry leorning-cnihtas: and he cwaedh dha, "Thu maeden, Ar['i]s."

Swa bidh eac se digla deadh dhaere sawle eathelicor to ar['ae]renne, the on gedhafunge digelice syngadh, thonne synd dha openan leahtras to gehaelenne. Thone cniht he araerde on ealles folces gesihdhe, and mid thysum wordum getrymede, "Thu cniht, ic secge dhe, Ar['i]s." Tha diglan gyltas man sceal digelice betan, and dha openan openlice, thaet dha beon getimbrode thurh his behreowsunge, dhe ['ae]r waeron thurh his m['a]ndaeda geaeswicode.

Drihten dhadha he Lazarum stincendne araerde, dha gedrefde he hine sylfne, and tearas ageat, and mid micelre stemne clypode, "Lazare, ga fordh:" dha he geswutelode thaet se dhe swidhe langlice and gewunelice syngode, thaet he eac mid micelre behreowsunge and wope sceal his yfelan gewunan to Godes rihtwisnysse gew['e]man. Nis n['a]n synn swa micel thaet man ne maege geb['e]tan, gif he mid inneweardre heortan be dhaes gyltes maedhe on sodhre d['ae]dbote thurhwunadh. Is theah-hwaedhere micel smeagung be anum worde the Crist cwaedh: he cwaedh, "Aelc synn and t['a]l bidh forg['i]fen behreowsigendum mannum, ac thaes Halgan Gastes t['a]l ne bidh naefre forg['i]fen. Theah dhe hw['a] cwedhe t['a]llic word ongean me, him bidh forg['i]fen, gif he dedh d['ae]dbote; sodhlice se dhe cwedh word ongan dhone Halgan Gast, ne bidh hit him forg['i]fen on dhyssere worulde, ne on dhaere towerdan." Nis n['a]n synna forg['i]fenys buton dhurh dhone Halgan Gast. An Aelmihtig Faeder is, se gestrynde aenne Sunu of him sylfum. Nis se Faeder gehaefd gemaenelice Faeder fram dham Suna and tham Halgan Gaste, fordhan dhe h['e] nis heora begra sunu. Se Halga Gast sodhlice is gemaenelice gehaefd fram dham Faeder and tham Suna, fordhan dhe h['e] is heora begra Gast, thaet is heora begra Lufu and Willa, thurh dhone beodh synna forgyfene. Witodlice dhaere Halgan Dhrynnysse weorc is aefre untodaeledlic, theah-hwaedhere {500} belimpdh aelc forg['i]fenys to dham Halgan Gaste, swa swa seo acennednys belimpdh to Criste ['a]num.

H['i] ne magon beon togaedere genemnede, Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, ac h['i] ne beodh mid aenigum faece fram him sylfum awar totwaemede. On eallum weorcum h['i] beodh togaedere, theah dhe to dham Faeder synderlice belimpe thaet he Bearn gestrynde, and to dham Suna belimpe seo acennednys, and to tham Halgan Gaste seo fordhstaeppung. Se Sunu is dhaes Faeder Wisdom aefre of dham Faeder acenned; se Halga Gast nis na acenned, fordhan dhe he nis na sunu, ac he is heora begra Lufu and Willa, aefre of him b['a]m fordhstaeppende, thurh dhone we habbadh synna forgyfenysse, swa swa we habbadh thurh Crist alysednysse; and theah-hwaedhere on aegdhrum weorce is seo Halige Thrynnys wyrcende untodaeledlice.

Se cwydh t['a]l ongean dhone Halgan Gast, sedhe mid unbehreowsigendre heortan thurhwunadh on m['a]ndaedum, and forsihdh tha forgyfenysse dhe stent on dhaes Halgan Gastes gife: thonne bidh his scyld unalysendlic, fordhan dhe he sylf him belicdh thaere forg['i]fenysse weg mid his heardheortnysse. Behreowsigendum bidh forg['i]fen, forseondum naefre. Uton we biddan thone Aelmihtigan Faeder, sedhe us thurh his wisdom geworhte, and thurh his Halgan Gast geliffaeste, thaet he dhurh dhone ylcan Gast us do ure synna forgyfenysse, swa swa he us dhurh his aenne ['a]ncennedan Sunu fram deofles dheowte alysde.

Sy lof and wuldor tham ecan Faeder, sedhe naefre ne ongann, and his ['a]num Bearne, sedhe aefre of him is, and tham Halgan Gaste, sedhe aefre is of him b['a]m, hi dhry ['a]n Aelmihtig God untodaeledlic, ['a] on ecnysse rixigende. Amen.

THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

Ibat Jesus in civitatem quae vocatur Naim: et reliqua.

Our Lord went to a city which is called Nain, and his disciples with him, and a copious multitude. When he approached the port-gate, the corpse of a young man was borne to the grave, etc.

Beda the expositor said, that the city of Nain is interpreted {493} 'inundation' or 'agitation.' The dead youth, who was borne in sight of many men, betokens every sinful man who in the inward man is fordone with deadly sins, and his evilness is known to men. The youth was the only-born son of his mother, so is also every christian man spiritually a son of the holy church, which is the mother of us all, and, nevertheless, an undefiled maiden; for her family is not bodily but spiritual. Every servant of God, when he learns, is called a child: afterwards, when he teaches another, he is a mother, as the apostle Paul said of the fallen men, "Ye are my children, whom I now a second time conceive, until Christ is renewed in you." The port-gate betokens some bodily sense through which men sin. The man that sows dissension among christian men, or who speaks unrighteousness in high places through his mouth's gate, he is borne dead. He who beholds a woman with libidinous eye and foul lust, through his eyes' gate, manifests his soul's death. He who with delight hears idle discourse or contumelious words, makes his ear a gate of death to himself. So is it also to be understood of the other senses.

Jesus was moved with compassion for the mother, that he might give us an example of his piety; and he afterwards raised the dead, that he might confirm us to his faith. He approached and touched the bier, and the biermen stood still. The bier which bare the dead is the heedless mind of the hopeless sinful. But the bearers, who bare him to the grave, are the blandishments of flattering companions, who with blandishment and envenomed suavities stimulate and praise the sinful, as the prophet said, "The sinful is praised in his lusts, and the unrighteous is blessed: when he is surrounded by empty fame and flatteries, then is it as though he were overwhelmed by a mould-heap." Of such Jesus said to one of his chosen, when he would bury his father's corpse: he said, "Allow the dead to bury their dead: go thou, and {495} preach God's kingdom." Verily the dead bury other dead, when sinful men court others their like with pernicious praise, and oppress with the accumulated weight of the worst flattery. Of such it is said in another place, "The tongues of flatterers bind the souls of men in sins."

When the Lord touched the bier, the biermen stood still. So also, if the mind of the sinful is touched by fear of the heavenly doom, then he withstands evil lusts and false flatteries, and to the Lord calling to eternal life promptly answers, as if he had arisen from death. The Lord said to the youth, "I say unto thee, Arise. And he forthwith sat and spake, and Jesus delivered him to his mother." The requickened sits, when the sinful with divine stimulation quickens. He speaks, when he employs his mouth with God's praises, and with true confession seeks God's mercy. He is delivered to his mother, when through the priest's authority he is associated in communion of the holy church. The folk was astonished with great awe; for so as a man turns from great sins to God's mercy, and corrects his conduct after God's commandments, so more men will be turned through his example to the praise of God.

The folk said, "That a great prophet hath arisen among us," and, "That God hath visited his folk." Truly they said of Christ, that he is a great prophet; for he is a Prophet of prophets, and the prophecy of them all; for they all prophesied of him, and by his advent he fulfilled the prophecy of them all. We say now with great faith, that he is a great prophet, for he knows all things, and also prophesied many, and he is true God of true God, Almighty Son of the Almighty Father, who visited his folk through his humanity, and relieved them from the thraldom of the devil.

We read everywhere in books, that Jesus raised many dead to life, but yet there is no gospel composed of any of them {497} save three only. One is the youth of whom we have just spoken, the second was an ealdorman's daughter, the third was Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. The resurrection of these three persons betokens the threefold resurrection of sinful souls. The soul's death is of three kinds: one is evil assent, the second is evil work, the third is evil habit. The ealdorman's daughter lay at the point of death, and the father called Jesus thereto, because he was at that time there in the neighbourhood. She had departed before he came to her. When he came, he took her by the hand, and said, "Thou maiden, I say unto thee, Arise. And she straightways arose, and asked for meat."

This maiden, who lay therein sleeping in death, betokens the death of the sinful soul, which delights secretly in evil pleasures, and it is not yet known to men, that it, through sins, is dead; but Christ manifested that he would quicken so sinful a soul, if with fervent prayers he be thereto called, when he raised the maiden within the house, like as secret sin lurking in the human heart. Now there are other sinful, who delight in pernicious lusts by assent, and also manifest their evilness by works; such the dead youth betokened, who was borne in sight of the people. Such sinners Christ raises, if they repent of their sins, and delivers them to their mother, that is, he associates them in the unity of his church.

Some sinful men assent to their lusts, and by evil deeds manifest their sins to men, and also habitually sinning defile themselves: such Lazarus betokened, who lay four days foully stinking in the sepulchre. Verily God's name is Almighty, for he can accomplish all things. He can through his grace quicken the sinful soul, though it foully stink in habitual sins, if with careful conduct it seek God's mercy; but the more it is wounded so much more medicament does it require. That Jesus manifested, when with clear voice he raised the maiden in sight of few persons; for he allowed {499} not more persons to be therein than the father, and the mother, and his three disciples: and he said then, "Thou maiden, Arise."

So also is the secret death of the soul, which sins secretly by assent, easier to raise than open vices are to be healed. He raised the youth in sight of all the people, and confirmed by these words, "Thou youth, I say unto thee, Arise." Secret sins shall be expiated secretly, and open openly, that those may be edified by his repentance, who had ere been seduced by his sins.

The Lord when he raised the stinking Lazarus was troubled and shed tears, and with a loud voice cried, "Lazarus, go forth:" he then manifested that he who has very long and habitually sinned, shall also with great repentance and weeping turn his evil habits to God's righteousness. There is no sin so great that a man may not expiate it, if, with inward heart, according to the degree of the sin, he continue in true penitence. There is, nevertheless, great disquisition concerning one sentence which Christ said: he said, "Every sin and calumny shall be forgiven to repenting men, but calumny of the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. Though any one speak a calumnious word against me, he shall be forgiven, if he do penance; but he who says a word against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven in this world nor in that to come." There is no forgiveness of sins but through the Holy Ghost. There is one Almighty Father, who begot a Son of himself. The Father is not called Father in common from the Son and the Holy Ghost, for the latter is not the son of them both. But the Holy Ghost is called in common from the Father and the Son, for he is the Spirit of them both, that is the Love and Will of them both, through whom sins are forgiven. Verily the work of the Holy Trinity {501} is ever indivisible, yet all forgiveness belongs to the Holy Ghost, as birth belongs to Christ alone.

They may not be named together, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, but they are not by any space anywhere separated from themselves. In all works they are together, though to the Father it exclusively belongs that he begot a Son, and to the Son belongs birth, and to the Holy Ghost procession. The Son is the Wisdom of the Father ever begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost is not begotten, for he is not a son, but is the Love and Will of them both, ever proceeding from them both, through whom we have forgiveness of sins, as through Christ we have redemption; and yet in either work is the Holy Trinity working indivisibly.

He speaks calumny against the Holy Ghost, who with unrepenting heart continues in deeds of wickedness, and despises the forgiveness which stands in the grace of the Holy Ghost: then shall his sin be unredeemable, for he himself besets the way of forgiveness with his hardheartedness. The repenting shall be forgiven, the despising never. Let us pray to the Almighty Father, who hath through his Wisdom made us, and through his Holy Spirit quickened us, that he through the same Spirit grant us forgiveness of our sins, as, through his only begotten Son, he has redeemed us from the thraldom of the devil.

Be praise and glory to the eternal Father who never began, and to his only Son who ever is of him, and to the Holy Ghost who ever is of them both, those three one Almighty God indivisible, reigning ever to eternity. Amen.

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{502} III. K[=AL]. OCTOB.

DEDICATIO AECCLESIE S[=CI] MICHAELIS ARCHANGELI.