Part 49

Tha cwaedon his twegen leorning-cnihtas, Febus and Cornelius, "Eala ge gebrodhra, uton anmodlice biddan urne Drihten, thaet h['e] us geswutelige dha arwurdhfullan andweardnysse his halgan cydheres." Hwaet dha, seo s['ae], dhurh Godes h['ae]se, ['u]tflowende, him gerymde threora mila dries faereldes, swa thaet tha cristenan bealdlice inn-eodon, and gemetton niwe dhruh of marmanst['a]ne on cyrcan wison gesceapene, and thaes halgan cydheres l['i]c dhaer-binnan dhurh engla dhenunge gelogod, and thone ancran widh his sidan licgende. Tha weardh him geswutelod thaet he aet Gode ab['ae]de, thaet on aelces geares ymbryne, ymbe his dhrowung-t['i]de, seo s['ae] seofan dagas dr['i]gne grund tham folce gegearcige, thaet h['i] binnan dham fyrste his halgan lichaman gesecan magon. Thaet belimpdh to lofe and herunge ures Haelendes, sedhe his halgan cydhere dha arwurdhan byrgene gegearcode. Tha dhurh dhis t['a]cn wurdon ealle tha ungeleaffullan cristene, swa thaet nateshw['o]n naes gem['e]t on dham earde nadhor ne haedhen ne Iudeisc dhe naere geb['i]ged to cristenum geleafan. Sodhlice aet thaere halgan thr['y]h sind getidhode heofonlice lacnunga adlium lichaman, thurh dhingunge dhaes halgan cydheres. Swa hw['a] swa on his freols-tide untrum his byrgene gesehdh, he gewent blissigende and gesundful ongean. Thaer beodh blinde onlihte, and deofolseoce gewittige, and gehwilce {566} gedrehte thaer beodh geblissode; and ealle geleaffulle his weldaeda brucadh, and mid wurthmynte Godes gerynu dhaer beodh gefyllede.

Hit gel['a]mp dha on sumum geare on his freols-tide, thaet sum w['i]f mid hire nywerenan cylde betwux odhrum mannum thone halgan wer geneosode. Tha geendodum dagum thaere freols-tide com seo s['ae] faerlice swegende, and thaet folc swidhlice aweg efste, and thaet w['i]f dhurh dha faerlican styrunge ne gymde hire cildes ['ae]rdhan the heo to l['a]nde becom. Heo dha s['a]rig tha twelf monadh adreah, and eft embe dhaes geares ymbryne, on thaere ylcan freols-tide, for-arn dham folce, and genealaehte to thaere byrgene mid wope, thus biddende, "Thu Drihten Haelend, the dhaere wydewan ancennedan sunu to life araerdest, beseoh me to miltse, thaet ic, dhurh dhingunge thines halgan the her gerest, beo dhaes tidhe the ic geornlice bidde." Tha mid thyssere bene beseah heo to dhaere stowe dhaer heo thaet cild ['ae]r forl['e]t, and gemette hit swa slapende swa heo hit ['ae]r gelede. Heo dha mid micelre blisse hit awrehte, and wepende cossode. Tha befr['a]n heo thaet cild, betwux dham cossum, h['u] hit macode on eallum dham fyrste thaes geares ymbrynes? Thaet cild thaere meder geandwyrde, "Modor min, nyste ic h['u] dhyses geares ymryne geendode, fordhan dhe ic softum slaepe me gereste, swa swa dhu me forlete, odh thaet thu eft me nu awrehtest." Thaet geleaffulle folc dha micclum blissigende, herode and bletsode thone Aelmihtigan Haelend, sedhe his halgan mid t['a]cnum and wundrum gewurdhadh, and swa heora geearnunga geswuteladh.

Oft hw['o]nlice gelyfede menn smeagadh mid heora stuntan gesceade, hw['i] se Aelmihtiga God aefre gedhafian wolde thaet tha haedhenan his halgan mid gehwilcum tintregum acwellan moston; ac we wylladh nu eow gereccan sume geswutelunge of dhaere ealdan ['ae], and eac of dhaere niwan, h['u] mihtiglice se Wealdenda Drihten his halgan widh haedhenne here, oththe waelhreowe ehteras gelome ahredde, and heora widherwinnan bysmorlice gescynde.

{568} Hit gel['a]mp on dham feowerteodhan geare Ezech['i]an cynedomes, Iudeisces cyninges, thaet Sennacherib, Syria cyning, manega leoda mid micclum craefte to his anwealde geb['i]gde, and swa wolde eac thone gelyfedan cyning Ezech['i]am, and asende his heretogan Rapsacen to thaere byrig Hierusalem mid micclum dhrymme, and mid aerend-gewritum thaes Aelmihtigan Godes mihte gehyrwde, thus cwedhende to dham ymbsettan folce, "Ne bep['ae]ce Ezech['i]as eow mid leasum hopan, thaet God eow widh me ahredde. Ic gewyllde and oferw['a]nn fela dheoda, and heora godas ne mihton h['i] gescyldan widh minne dhrymm. Hwaet is se god the mage dhas burh widh minne here bewerian?" Hwaet dha, se cyning Ezech['i]as awearp his purpuran reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and baer dha gewritu into Godes temple, and astrehtum limum hine gebaed, thus cwedhende, "Drihten, weroda God, thu dhe gesitst ofer engla dhrymm, thu eart ana God ealra dheoda; thu geworhtest heofonas, and eordhan, and ealle gesceafta. Ahyld dhin eare and gehyr, geopena dhine eagan and geseoh dhas w['o]rd, the Sennacherib asende to hospe and to t['a]le dhe and thinum folce. Sodhlice h['e] towende tha haedhenan godas, and h['i] forbaernde, fordhan dhe h['i] naeron godas, ac waeron manna hand-geweorc, treowene and staenene, and he h['i] fordhi tobrytte. Alys us nu, Drihten, fram his gebeote and mihte, thaet ealle dheoda tocnawon thaet thu ['a]na eart Aelmihtig God."

Ezech['i]as eac asende his witan mid h['ae]ran gescrydde to dham witegan Isaiam, thus cwedhende, "Ahefe dhine gebedu for Israhela dheode, thaet se Aelmihtiga God gehyre tha talu dhe Syria cyning asende to hospe and to edwite his micclan maegendhrymme." Tha andwyrde se witega Isaias tham bodum, "Secgadh eowrum hlaforde, thaet h['e] unforht sy. God Aelmihtig cwydh, Ne ascytt Sennacherib fl['a]n into dhaere byrig Hierusalem, ne mid his scylde h['i] ne gewylt; ac ic geslea aenne wridhan on his nosu, and aenne bridel on his weleras, and ic hine gel['ae]de ongean to his leode, and ic do thaet he fyldh under swurdes ecge on his agenum edhele; and ic dha burh gescylde {570} for me and for minum dheowan Dauid." Tha on dhaere nihte ferde Godes engel, and ofsloh dhaes Syrian cyninges here ['a]n hund thusend manna, and fif and hund-eahtatig thusenda. Thaes on merigen ar['a]s Sennacherib, and geseah dha deadan l['i]c, and gecyrde mid micelre sceame ongean to thaere byrig Niniu['e]. Hit gel['a]mp dha thaet he hine gebaed to his deofolgylde, and his twegen suna hine mid swurde acwealdon, swa swa se witega thurh Godes Gast gewitegode.

Eft sidhdhan Nabochodonossor, se Chaldeisca cyning, het gebindan handum and fotum tha dhry gelyfedan cnihtas, Annanias, Azarias, Missael, and into ['a]num byrnendum ofne awurpan; forthan dhe h['i] noldon h['i] gebiddan to his deofolgilde. Ac se Aelmihtiga God, the h['i] anraedlice on belyfdon, asende his engel into dham ofne mid tham cnihtum, and he dha tosceoc thone l['i]g of dham ofne, swa thaet thaet fyr ne mihte him derigan, ac sloh ['u]t of dham ofne nigan and feowertig faethma, and forswaelde tha cwelleras the thaet fyr onaeldon. Tha sceawode se cyning thaera dhreora cnihta feax and lichaman, thus cwedhende, "Sy gebletsod eower God, sedhe asende his engel, and swa mihtelice his dheowan of tham byrnendan ofne alysde."

Eac sydhdhan, on Cyres dagum cyninges, wrehton dha Babiloniscan thone witegan Daniel, fordhan dhe he towearp heora deofolgyld, and cwaedon anmodlice to dham foresaedan cyninge Cyrum, "Betaec us Daniel, dhe urne god B['e]l towearp, and thone dracan acwealde, the we on belyfdon. Gif dhu hine forstenst, we fordylegiadh the and dhinne hyred." Tha geseah se cyning thaet h['i] anmode waeron, and neadunga thone witegan him to handum asceaf. Hi dha hine awurpon into anum seadhe, on tham waeron seofan leon, tham mann sealde daeghwomlice twa hrydheru and twa sc['e]p, ac him waes dha oftogen aelces fodan six dagas, thaet h['i] dhone Godes mann abitan sceoldon.

On thaere tide waes sum odher witega on Iudea-lande, his nama waes Abacuc, se baer his ryfterum mete to aecere. Tha com him to Godes engel, and cwaedh, "Abacuc, baer dhone {572} mete to Babilone, and syle Daniele, sedhe sitt on dhaera leona seadhe." Abacuc andwyrde tham engle, "La leof, ne geseah ic naefre dha burh, ne ic dhone seadh n['a]t." Tha se engel gelaehte hine be dham fexe, and hine baer to Babilone, and hine sette bufan dham seadhe. Dha clypode se Abacuc, "Thu Godes dheowa, Daniel, nim dhas lac dhe the God sende." Daniel cwaedh, "Min Drihten Haelend, sy dhe lof and wurdhmynt thaet thu me gemundest." And he dha dhaere sande breac. Witodlice Godes engel thaerrihte mid swyftum flihte gebrohte dhone disc-dhen, Abacuc, thaer he hine ['ae]r genam. Se cyning dha Cyrus on dham seofodhan daege eode dreorig to dhaera leona seadhe, and innbeseah, and efne dha Daniel sittende waes gesundful on middan tham leonum. Tha clypode se cyning mid micelre stemne, "Maere is se God the Daniel on belyfdh." And he dha mid tham worde hine ateah of dham scraefe, and het inn-awurpan dha the hine ['ae]r ford['o]n woldon. Thaes cyninges haes weardh hraedlice gefremmed, and thaes witegan ehteras wurdon asceofene betwux dha leon, and hi dhaerrihte mid graedigum ceaflum h['i] ealle totaeron. Tha cwaedh se cyning, "Forhtion and ondraedon ealle eordhbuende Danieles God, fordhan dhe he is Alysend and Haelend, wyrcende t['a]cna and wundra on heofonan and on eordhan."

On dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, aefter Cristes dhrowunge, and his aeriste and upstige to heofonum, wurdon dha Iudeiscan mid ['a]ndan afyllede ongean his apostolas, and gebrohton h['i] on cwearterne. On dhaere ylcan nihte Godes engel undyde tha locu dhaes cwearternes, and h['i] ['u]t-alaedde, thus cwedhende, "Gadh to dham temple, and bodiadh tham folce lifes word." And h['i] swa dydon. Hwaet dha Iudeiscan thaes on merien dheahtodon embe dhaera apostola forwyrd, and sendon to dham cwearterne, thaet h['i] man gefette. Tha cwelleras dha geopenodon thaet cweartern, and naenne ne gemetton. H['i] dha cyddon heora ealdrum, "Thaet cweartern we fundon faeste beclysed, and dha weardas widhutan standende, ac we ne gemetton naenne widhinnan."

{574} Eft sidhdhan Herodes, Iudea cyning, sette dhone apostol Petrum on cwearterne mid twam racenteagum gebundenne, and weardas widhinnan and widhutan gesette: ac on dhaere nihte the se arleasa cyning hine on merigen acwellan wolde, com Godes engel scinende of heofonum, and gelaedde hine ['u]t dhurh dha isenan gatu; and st['o]d eft on merigen thaet cweartern faeste belocen.

Domicianus, se haedhena casere, het awurpan thone godspellere Iohannem on weallendne ele, ac he, thurh Godes gescyldnysse, swa gesundfull ['u]t eode swa he inn aworpen waes. Tham ylcan Iohanne sealde sum haedhengylda attor drincan, ac h['e], aefter dham drence, ansund and ['u]ngederod dhurhwunode.

Paulus se apostol awr['a]t be him sylfum, and cwaedh, thaet h['e] aenne daeg and ane niht on s['ae]-grunde adruge. Eft, aet sumum saele hine gelaehte ['a]n naeddre be dham fingre, ac he ascoc h['i] into byrnendum fyre, and he dhaes aettres n['a]n dhing ne gefredde.

Ne maeg n['a]n eordhlic mann mid gewritum cydhan, ne mid tungan gereccan h['u] oft se Aelmihtiga Wealdend his gecorenan fram mislicum frecednyssum ahredde, to lofe and to wurdhmynte his maegenthrymnysse. Ac he gedhafadh forwel oft thaet dha arleasan his halgan dhearle geswencadh, hwilon mid hefigtymre ehtnysse, hwilon mid slege, thaet seo redhe ehtnyss becume dham rihtwisan to ecere reste, and dham cwellerum to ecum wite. Se sealm-scop cwaedh, "Fela sind thaera rihtwisra gedreccednyssa, ac Drihten fram eallum dhysum h['i] alyst." On tw['a] wisan alyst God his gecorenan, openlice and digellice. Openlice h['i] beodh alysede, thonne h['i] on manna gesihdhe beodh ahredde, swa swa we nu eow rehton. Digellice h['i] beodh alysede, thonne h['i] dhurh martyrdom becumadh to heofonlicum gedhincdhum. Gif h['i] for sodhum geleafan odhdhe for rihtwisnysse throwiadh, h['i] beodh thonne martyras. Gif hi dhonne unscyldige gecwylmede beodh, heora unscaedhdhignyss h['i] gel['ae]t to Godes halgena geferraedene; fordhan the unscaedhdhignyss aefre orsorh wunadh. Gif hw['a] dhonne for synnum ehtnysse dholadh, and hine sylfne oncnaewdh, {576} swa thaet he Godes mildheortnysse inweardlice bidde, thonne forscyt thaet hwilwendlice wite dha ecan genidherunge. For m['a]ndaedum waeron tha twegen sceadhan gewitnode dhe mid Criste hangodon, ac heora odher mid micclum geleafan gebaed hine to Criste, thus cwedhende, "Drihten, gedhenc m['i]n thonne dhu to thinum rice becymst." Crist him andwyrde, "Sodh ic the secge, nu to-daeg thu bist mid me on neorxna-wanges myrhdhe." Unwilles we magon forleosan dha hwilwendlican g['o]d, ac we ne forleosadh naefre unwilles dha ecan g['o]d. Theah se redha reafere ['u]s aet aehtum bereafige, odhdhe feores benaeme, h['e] ne maeg us aetbredan urne geleafan ne thaet ece l['i]f, gif we us sylfe mid agenum willan ne forpaeradh. Se sodha Drihten us ahredde fram eallum frecednyssum, and to dham ecan life gel['ae]de, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.

NOVEMBER XXIII.

THE NATIVITY OF ST. CLEMENT THE MARTYR.

Most beloved men, your faith will be the firmer, if ye hear concerning God's saints, how they earned the heavenly kingdom; and ye may the more certainly call to them, if the course of their lives be known to you through the preaching of teachers.

This holy man Clement, whom we honour on this present {559} festival, was a disciple of the blessed apostle Peter. Then was he thriving in ghostly lore and study so greatly, that the apostle Peter chose him for pope of the Roman people after his day, and before his passion ordained him pope, and placed him in his episcopal seat, that he might have care of christian men. He had ordained two bishops previously, Linus and Clitus, but he did not place them in his seat, as he did this holy man, whom to-day we honour. Clement then after Peter's passion thrived in fairness of good morals, so that he was acceptable to Jews, and heathens, and christians together. He was liked by the heathen people, because he did not insult their gods with contumely, but with bookly reasoning manifested to them what they were, and where born whom they honoured as their gods, and showed to them, with manifest proofs, their lives and ends; and said that they themselves might easily attain to God's mercy, if they would wholly turn from their erroneous worship. The favour of the Jewish people he got, because he truly proved that their forefathers were called friends of God, and that God appointed them a holy law for their lives' direction; and said, that they would have been foremost in God's election, if with belief they had obeyed his commandments. By the christians he was most beloved, because he had all countries by name in his memory, and permitted not the indigent christians of those countries to be reduced to public mendicity, but by daily preaching he exhorted the rich and affluent to alleviate the poverty of the christians with their affluence, lest by the gifts of heathen men they should be corrupted.

And Dionysius, God's martyr, who through the lore and miracles of Paul the Apostle had with holy life turned to the faith of Christ, returned at that time from Greece to the holy pope Clement, Peter's successor, and he received him with great honour, and in veneration expressly remitted to him his {561} holy life, and with love retained him. Again, after a time, said the blessed Clement to the holy man Dionysius, "Be to thee given might to bind and to loose, so as there is to me; and go thou to the realm of the Franks, and preach to them the gospel and the glory of heaven's kingdom." Dionysius was then obedient to his commands, and with his companions went to Frankland, preaching christianity with great miracles so effectually, that the fierce heathen, as soon as they saw him, either falling sought his feet, obeying him and God, or if any one of them was hostile, he was seized with such great fear, that he straightways fled from his presence. Then was all the realm of the Franks inclined to God's faith, through the preaching and miracles of the blessed man Dionysius; and he also sent some of his companions to Spain, to announce the word of life to that nation.

After this, Clement, the Romans' pope, was accused to the emperor Trajan, for the great christianity which he had raised everywhere in his realm. Then sent the emperor Trajan letters back, that the holy pope Clement should bow to heathenism, or should be sent over sea in exile to a waste, to which christian men condemned for belief were banished. The emperor's command was then carried into effect, and the Almighty God had provided so great grace for Clement, that the heathen judge bewailed his journey with weeping, thus saying, "May the God whom thou worshipest comfort and support thee in thy exile." And he then ordered him to be led to a ship, and all his needs to be provided for, which he might have for sustenance. The ship was then filled with christian men, who would not forsake the holy pope.

When he came to the waste, he found there more than two thousand christian men, who by a longsome condemnation were set to the digging of marble, who greatly rejoiced at his coming, with one voice saying, "Behold here is our shepherd, behold here is the comforter of our tribulation and work." {563} When he with persuasive words had confirmed and comforted their afflicted minds, he was informed that they daily fetched water for themselves on their shoulders more than six miles. Then said the blessed bishop, "Let us with firm faith pray to the Lord Jesus, to open nearer at hand for us his professors the veins of his wellsprings, that we may rejoice in his benefits." When this prayer was ended, the bishop beheld on each side, and saw on the right side a white lamb standing, which beckoned with his right foot, as if it would show the water-vein. Then Clement understood the lamb's beckoning, and said, "Open the earth in this place where the lamb beckoned." His companions fulfilled his command, and straightways at the first digging an immense wellspring sounded out, and ran forth in a great stream. Whereupon they all greatly rejoiced, and thanked God for this alleviation of their tribulation. Then was the saying fulfilled, which they said at the bishop's coming, "Behold here is our shepherd, behold here is the comforter of our tribulation."

This miracle then became known through the neighbouring provinces, and they all visited the holy bishop with reverence, praying that he would confirm them with his lore. He then inclined them all to God's faith, and within a few days baptized there five hundred men; and many churches were raised everywhere, and idols overthrown; so that within the space of one year idolatry was not found over a neighbourhood of a hundred miles.

It happened then that certain heathens were stimulated by envy, and sent their errand to the emperor, and announced to him that his folk were at last all excited, and wholly turned from his worship, through Clement, the christians' bishop. Then was the heathen emperor, Trajan, greatly excited, and sent a cruel commander, his name was Aufidianus, who with divers torments had killed many christian men, that he might destroy the holy bishop with the {565} faithful folk. The impious murderer then, Aufidianus, when he could not by any threats terrify the christians, for they all rejoicing together hastened to martyrdom, left the folk and would compel the bishop alone to idolatry; but when he saw that he could not in any way incline him, he said to those under him, "Lead him to the middle of the sea, and tie an anchor to his neck, and thrust him out into the middle of the deep." It was then done by command of the cruel murderer, and a great multitude of the christians stood on the sea strand, weeping and praying to the Almighty, who created sea and earth, that they might attend his holy body with their services.

Then said his two disciples Phoebus and Cornelius, "O ye brothers, let us unanimously pray to our Lord, that he manifest to us the venerable presence of his holy martyr." Whereupon the sea, at God's behest, flowing out, cleared for them three miles of dry space, so that the christians boldly went in, and found a new coffin of marble shaped in form of a church, and the holy martyr's body placed therein through the ministry of angels, and the anchor lying by his side. Then was manifested to them that they should obtain from God, that in the course of every year, at the time of his passion, the sea for seven days should prepare dry ground for the people, that they within that time might seek his holy body. That happens to the praise and honour of our Saviour, who prepared the honourable sepulchre for his holy martyr. Then through this miracle all the unbelieving became christians, so that there was not found in the country either heathen or Jew that was not converted to the christian faith. But at the holy coffin heavenly cures are permitted for diseased bodies, through the intercession of the holy martyr. Whosoever sick seeks his sepulchre on his festival, returns rejoicing and healthy. There are the blind enlightened, and {567} the possessed with devils restored to reason, and all afflicted are there made joyful; and all the faithful enjoy his benefits, and with reverence God's mysteries are there fulfilled.

It happened in one year at his festival, that a woman with her tender child among other persons visited the holy man. When the days of the festival were ended, the sea came suddenly sounding, and the folk hastened away with all speed, and the woman, through the sudden tumult, heeded not her child before she came to land. She then passed the twelve months in sorrow, and again after the expiration of the year, at the same festival, ran before the folk, and approached the sepulchre with weeping, thus praying, "Thou Lord Jesus, who didst raise the widow's only son to life, look on me in mercy, that I, through the intercession of thy holy one who here resteth, may obtain that for which I fervently pray." Then with this prayer she looked to the place where she had before left the child, and found it so sleeping as she had previously laid it. She then with great joy awakened it, and weeping kissed it. Then she asked the child, between the kisses, how it had fared in all the time of the year's course? The child answered the mother, "My mother, I know not how this year's course has ended, for I was resting in soft sleep, as thou didst leave me, until thou now again hast awakened me." The believing folk then greatly rejoicing, praised and blessed the Almighty Jesus, who honours his saints with signs and wonders, and so manifests their merits.

Oft men of slight faith inquire with their foolish reason, why the Almighty God would ever permit that the heathen should slay his saints with all kinds of torments; but we will now relate to you some manifestation from the old law, and also from the new, how mightily the Powerful Lord has frequently saved his holy from the heathen host or from cruel persecutors, and ignominiously confounded their adversaries.

{569} It happened in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, the Jewish king, that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had bowed many nations with great craft to his power, and so would he also the faithful king Hezekiah, and sent his general Rabshakeh to the city of Jerusalem with a great host, and by his letters contemned the power of the Almighty God, thus saying to the beleaguered folk, "Let not Hezekiah deceive you with false hope, that God will save you from me. I have conquered and overcome many nations, and their gods could not shield them against my host. Who is the god that can defend this city against my army?" Hereupon the king Hezekiah cast off his purple robe, and put haircloth on his body, and bare the letter into God's temple, and with outstretched limbs prayed, thus saying, "Lord, God of hosts, thou who sittest above the company of angels, thou alone art God of all nations; thou wroughtest heavens, and earth, and all creatures. Incline thine ear and hear, open thine eyes and see these words, which Sennacherib hath sent in scorn and reproach to thee and thy folk. Verily he overthrew and burned the heathen gods, for they were not gods, but were the handiwork of men, of wood and of stone, and he therefore brake them in pieces. Redeem us now, Lord, from his threatening and might, that all nations may know that thou alone art Almighty God."