Part 5

We will, for the confirmation of your faith, relate to you the nativity of our Saviour, according to the order of the gospel: how he on this present day was born in true humanity in divine nature.

Luke the Evangelist wrote in the book of Christ, that at {31} that time the Roman emperor Octavianus made proclamation that all the world should be set down in writing. This enrolment was set forth from Cyrenius, the governor of Syria--that every man in general should declare his birth and his possession in the city to which he belonged. Then Joseph, the foster-father of Christ, went from the land of Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to the Jewish city, which was of David, and was called Bethlehem, because he was of the tribe of David, and would acknowledge with Mary her birth, who was then great with child. Then it came to pass, while they were sojourning in the city of Bethlehem, that her time was fulfilled that she should bring forth, and she brought forth then her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid the child in their asses' bin, because there was no room in the inn. And there were shepherds in the country watching over their flock; and lo, the angel of God stood before them, and God's brightness shone on them, and they were much afraid. Then said the angel of God to the shepherds, "Fear not, lo, I announce to you great joy, which shall come to all people; for now to-day is born to you a Saviour, Christ, in the city of David. Ye shall see this token, ye shall find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a bin." Then suddenly, after the angel's speech, there was seen a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and singing, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis," that is in our tongue, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men who are of good will." And the angels then withdrew from their sight to heaven. The shepherds then spake among themselves, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word that God hath manifested unto us." They came then quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child laid in a bin, as the angel had announced to them. But the shepherds understood the word that had been said to them concerning the child, and all wondered that heard it, and also at that which the shepherds said unto them. But Mary held {33} all these words, pondering them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as had been said to them by the angel.

My dearest brethren, our Saviour, the Son of God, co-eternal with, and equal to his Father, who was ever with him without beginning, vouchsafed that he would on this present day, for the redemption of the world, be corporally born of the Virgin Mary. He is Prince and Author of all things good and of peace, and he sent before his birth unwonted peace, for never was there such peace before that period in the world, as there was at the time of his birth; so that all the world was subjected to the empire of one man, and all mankind paid royal tribute to him alone. Verily in such great peace was Christ born, who is our peace, because he united angels and men to one family through his incarnation. He was born in the days of the emperor who was called Octavianus, who extended the Roman empire to that degree that all the world bowed to him, and he was, therefore, named Augustus, that is, _Increasing his empire_. The name befits the heavenly King Christ, who was born in his time, who increased his heavenly empire, and replenished with mankind the loss which the falling devil had caused in the host of angels. Not only did he simply supply its loss, but also greatly increased it. Verily as great a number of mankind cometh, through Christ's incarnation, to the hosts of angels, as there remained of holy angels in heaven after the devil's fall. The emperor's decree, which commanded all the world to be inscribed, betokened manifestly the deed of the heavenly King, who came into the world that he might gather his chosen from all nations, and write their names in everlasting bliss. This decree sprang from the governor Cyrenius--Cyrenius is interpreted _Heir_, and he betokened Christ, who is the true heir of the eternal Father; and he granteth us to be heirs with him, and partakers of his glory. {35} All nations then went that each separately might declare concerning himself, in the city to which he belonged. As at that time, according to the emperor's proclamation, each one singly, in their cities, declared concerning himself, so also now do our teachers make known to us Christ's proclamation, that we gather us to his holy congregation, and therein, with devout mind, pay to him the tribute of our faith, that our names may be written in the book of life with his chosen.

The Lord was born in the city which is named Bethlehem, because it was so before prophesied in these words, "Thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, thou art not meanest of cities among the Jewish princes, for of thee shall come the guide that shall govern the people of Israel." Christ would be born on journey, that he might be concealed from his persecutors. Bethlehem is interpreted _Bread house_, and in it was Christ, the true bread, brought forth, who saith of himself, "I am the vital bread, which descended from heaven, and he who eateth of this bread shall not die to eternity." This holy bread we taste when we with faith go to housel; because the holy housel is spiritually Christ's body; and through that we are redeemed from eternal death. Mary brought forth her firstborn son on this present day, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and, for want of room, laid him in a bin. That child is not called her firstborn child because she afterwards brought forth another, but because Christ is the firstborn of many spiritual brothers. All christian men are his spiritual brothers, and he is the firstborn, in grace and in godliness only-begotten of the Almighty Father. He was wrapped in mean swaddling clothes, that he might give us the immortal garment which we lost by the first created man's transgression. The Almighty Son of God, whom the heavens could not contain, was laid in a narrow bin, that he might redeem us from the narrowness of hell. Mary was there a stranger, as the gospel tells us; and through the concourse of people the inn was greatly crowded.

{37} The Son of God was crowded in his inn, that he might give us a spacious dwelling in the kingdom of heaven, if we obey his will. He asks nothing of us as reward for his toil, except our soul's health, that we may prepare ourselves for him pure and uncorrupted in bliss and everlasting joy. The shepherds that watched over their flock at Christ's birth, betokened the holy teachers in God's church, who are the spiritual shepherds of faithful souls: and the angel announced Christ's birth to the herdsmen, because to the spiritual shepherds, that is, teachers, is chiefly revealed concerning Christ's humanity, through book-learning: and they shall sedulously preach to those placed under them, that which is manifested to them, as the shepherds proclaimed the heavenly vision. It beseemeth the teacher to be ever watchful over God's flock, that the invisible wolf scatter not the sheep.

Oftentimes, in the ancient law, angels appeared to men, but it is not written that they came with light, for that honour was reserved for the greatness of this day, that they should manifest themselves with heavenly light, when that true light sprang up in darkness to the right thinkers, the merciful and righteous Lord. The angel said to the shepherds, "Be ye not afraid, lo, I announce to you great joy, which shall come to all people, for to-day is born a Saviour Christ in the city of David." Verily he announced great joy, which shall never end; for Christ's nativity gladdened the inhabitants of heaven, and of earth, and of hell. The angel said, "Now to-day is born to you a Saviour Christ, in the city of David:" rightly he said _to-day_, and not to-night, for Christ is the true day who scattered with his advent all the ignorance of the ancient night, and illumined all the world with his grace. The sign which the angel said to the shepherds we ought ever to hold in our remembrance, and to thank the Saviour that he so humbled himself that he was the partaker of our mortality, with human flesh invested, and wrapt in mean swaddling clothes. Then suddenly, after the angel's speech, was seen a great multitude {39} of the heavenly host, praising God and singing, "Be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men who are of good will." An angel announced to the shepherds the heavenly King's nativity, and suddenly appeared many thousand angels, lest the preeminence of one angel should seem too inadequate for so great an announcement: and they all together, with melodious song, God's glory celebrated, and to good men announced peace, manifestly showing that through his birth men shall be inclined to the peace of one faith, and to the glory of divine praise. They sung, "Be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, to those who are of good will." These words manifest that where the peace of God dwelleth, there is good will. But mankind had discord with angels before the Lord's nativity; because we were through sins estranged from God; then were we accounted estranged also from his angels: but after that the heavenly King assumed our earthly body, his angels turned to peace with us; and those whom they had before despised as mean they now honour as their companions. But in the ancient law, Lot, and Joshua, and certain others who saw angels, bowed before them, and prayed to them, and the angels allowed it: but when John the Evangelist, in the New Testament, would pray to the angel who spake to him, the angel forbade him, and said, "See that thou do not this deed; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren: pray to God only." Angels permitted, before the advent of the Lord, mortal men to fall down before them, and after his advent forbade it; because they saw that their Creator had assumed that nature which they had before accounted mean, and durst not despise it in us, when they honour it above themselves in the heavenly King. Nor despise they the fellowship of men, when falling down they pray to the human God. Now we are accounted citizens of God, and like to angels; let us, therefore, take care that sins do not separate us from this great dignity. {41} Verily men are called gods; preserve, therefore, thou man, thy dignity of a god against sins, since God became man for thee.

The shepherds then spake among themselves, after the departure of the angels, "Let us go to Bethlehem, and see the word which is come to pass, and that God hath revealed unto us." O how rightly they acknowledged the holy faith with these words, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and that word was God"! A word is the manifestation of wisdom, and the Word, that is Wisdom, is begotten of the Almighty Father, without beginning; for he was ever God of God, Wisdom of the wise Father. He is not made, for he is God, and not a creature; for the Almighty Father created all creatures through that Wisdom, and endowed them all with life through the Holy Ghost. Our human nature could not see Christ in that divine nativity; but that same Word became flesh and dwelt in us, that we might see him. The Word was not turned to flesh, but it was invested with human flesh. As every man existeth in soul and in body one man, so also Christ existeth in divine nature and human nature, in one person one Christ. They said, "Let us see the word that is come to pass," because they could not see it before it was incarnate, and become man. Nevertheless, the divine nature is not mingled with the human nature, nor is there any separation. We might tell unto you a little simile, if it were not too mean; Look now on an egg, how the white is not mingled with the yolk, and yet it is one egg. Nor also is Christ's divinity confounded with human nature, but he continueth to all eternity in one person undivided.

Then came the shepherds quickly, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child laid in the bin. Mary was, by God's direction, betrothed to the righteous Joseph, for the greater security; because it was thus customary among the Jewish people, according to the law of Moses, that if any woman {43} had a child, save in lawful wedlock, she should be slain with stones. But God sent his angel to Joseph, when Mary was pregnant, and commanded that he should have care of her, and be the child's foster-father. Then it seemed to the Jews that Joseph was father of the child, but he was not; because the Almighty Creator had no need to be born of woman; but he took human nature from the womb of Mary, and left her a virgin undefiled, but hallowed through his birth. She knew no society of man, and she brought forth without pain, and continued in maidenhood. The shepherds saw and recognized the child, as had to them been told. (There is no happiness without knowledge of God, as Christ himself said, when he committed us to his Father, "That is eternal life that they acknowledge Thee, the true God, and him whom thou hast sent, the Saviour Christ.") Now all who heard that wondered greatly thereat, and at what the shepherds said. But Mary held all these words, pondering them in her heart. She would not publish Christ's mystery, but waited until he himself, when it pleased him, should divulge it. She knew God's law, and in the book of the prophets had read, that a virgin should give birth to God. Then she greatly rejoiced that she might be it. It was prophesied that he should be born in the city of Bethlehem, and she greatly wondered that, according to that prophecy, she was there delivered. She remembered that a prophet had said, "The ox knows his master, and the ass his master's bin." Then saw she the child lying in the bin, where the ox and the ass usually seek food. God's archangel Gabriel had announced to Mary the Saviour's coming into her womb, and she then saw that his announcement was truly fulfilled. Such words Mary held, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all those things which they had heard and seen, as had been told unto them.

The memory of these three shepherds is preserved one mile to the east of Bethlehem, and manifested in God's church {45} to those who visit the place. We should imitate these shepherds, and glorify and praise our Lord for all those things which he hath done for love of us, for our redemption and eternal bliss, to whom be glory and praise with the Almighty Father, in unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

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VII. K[=L]. JAN.

PASSIO BEATI STEPHANI, PROTOMARTYRIS.

We raedadh on dhaere b['e]c the is geh['a]ten Actus Apostolorum, th['ae]t dha apostolas geh['a]dodon seofon diaconas on dhaere geladhunge the of Iudeiscum folce to Cristes geleafan beah, aefter his dhrowunge, and ['ae]riste of deadhe, and upstige to heofenum. Thaera diacona waes se forma STEPHANUS, the we on dhisum daege wurdhiadh. He waes swidhe geleafful, and mid tham Halgum Gaste afylled. Tha odhre six waeron gecigede dhisum namum: Stephanus waes se fyrmesta, odher Philippus, thridda Procorus, feordha Nicanor, fifta Timotheus, sixta Parmenen, seofodha Nicolaus. Dhas seofon h['i] gecuron and gesetton on dhaera apostola gesihdhe, and hi dha mid gebedum and bletsungum to diaconum gehadode wurdon. Weox dha daeghwonlice Godes bodung, and waes gemenigfylld thaet getel cristenra manna thearle on Hierusalem. Tha weardh se eadiga Stephanus mid Godes gife, and mid micelre strencdhe afylled, and worhte forebeacena and micele t['a]cna on dham folce. Dha astodon sume dha ungeleaffullan Iudei, and woldon mid heora gedwylde thaes eadigan martyres l['a]re oferswidhan; ac hi ne mihton his wisdome widhstandan, ne dham Halgum Gaste, dhe dhurh hine spraec. Tha setton h['i] lease gewitan, dhe hine forlugon, and cwaedon, thaet h['e] t['a]llice word spraece be Moyse and be Gode. Thaet folc weardh dha micclum astyred, and tha heafod-menn, and tha Iudeiscan boceras, and gelaehton Stephanum, and tugon to heora getheahte; and dha leasan gewitan him on {46} besaedon, "Ne geswicdh dhes man to sprecenne tallice word ongean thas halgan stowe and Godes ['ae]. We gehyrdon hine secgan thaet Crist towyrpdh thas stowe, and towent dha gesetnysse dhe ['u]s Moyses taehte." Tha beheoldon dha hine dhe on tham gedheahte saeton, and gesawon his nebwlite swylce sumes engles ansyne. Dha cwaedh se ealdor-biscop to dham eadigan cydhere, "Is hit swa h['i] secgadh?" Dha wolde se halga wer Stephanus heora ungeleaffullan heortan gerihtlaecan mid heora fordhfaedera gebysnunge and gemynde, and to sodhfaestnysse wege mid ealre lufe gebigan. Begann dha him to reccenne be dham heahfaedere Abrahame, hu se heofenlica God hine geceas him to gethoftan, and him behet, thaet ealle dheoda on his ofspringe gebletsode wurdon, for his gehyrsumnesse. Swa eac dhaera odhra heahfaedera gemynd, mid langsumere race, aetforan him geniwode; and hu Moyses, dhurh Godes mihte, heora foregengan ofer dha Readan Sae wundorlice gelaedde, and h['u] h['i] sidhdhan feowertig geara on westene waeron, mid heofenlicum bigleofan daeghwonlice gereordode; and hu God h['i] laedde to dham Iudeiscan earde, and dha haedhenan dheoda aetforan heora gesihdhum eallunga adwaescte; and be Dauides maerdhe, thaes maeran cyninges, and Salomones wuldre, dhe Gode thaet maere tempel araerde. Cwaedh tha aet nextan, "Ge widhstandadh tham Halgum Gaste mid stidhum swuran, and ungeleaffulre heortan; ge sind meldan and manslagan, and ge dhone rihtwisan Crist nidhfullice acwealdon; ge underfengon ['ae] on engla gesetnysse, and ge hit ne heoldon." Hwaet dha Iudeiscan tha wurdon thearle on heora heortan astyrode, and biton heora tedh him togeanes. Se halga Stephanus weardh tha afylled mid tham Halgum Gaste, and beheold widh heofonas weard, and geseah Godes wuldor, and thone Haelend standende aet his Faeder swidhran; and he cwaedh, "Efne ic geseo heofenas opene, and mannes Sunu standende aet Godes swidhran." Iudei dha, mid micelre stemne hrymende, heoldon heora earan, and anmodlice him to scuton, and hi hine gelaehton, and of dhaere byrig gelaeddon to staenenne. Tha leas-gewitan dha l['e]don heora {48} hacelan aetforan fotum sumes geonges cnihtes, se waes geciged SAULUS. Ongunnon dha oftorfian mid heardum stanum dhone eadigan Stephanum; and h['e] clypode, and cwaedh, "Drihten H['ae]lend, onf['o]h minne gast." And gebigde his cneowu, mid micelre stemne clypigende, "Min Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas daeda him to synne." And h['e] mid tham worde dha gew['a]t to dhan Aelmihtigum Haelende, the he on heofenan healicne standende geseah.

Se wisa Augustinus spraec ymbe dhas raedinge, and smeade hw['i] se halga cydhere Stephanus cwaede thaet he gesawe mannes bearn standan aet Godes swydhran, and nolde cwedhan Godes bearn; thonne dhe is gethuht wurdhlicor be Criste to cwedhenne Godes Bearn dhonne mannes Bearn. Ac hit gedafenode thaet se Haelend swa geswutelod waere on heofenum, and swa gebodod on middangearde. Eall dhaera Iudeiscra teona aras thurh thaet, hw['i] Drihten Crist, sedhe aefter flaesce sodhlice is mannes Sunu, eac swilce waere gecweden Godes Sunu? fordhi gemunde swidhe gedafenlice thaet godcunde gewrit, mannes Sunu standan aet Godes swidhran to gescyndenne thaera Iudeiscra ['u]ngeleaffulnysse. Crist waes aeteowed his eadigan cydhere Stephane on heofenum, sedhe fram ungeleaffullum on middangearde acweald waes, and seo heofenlice sodhfaestnyss be dham cydde gecydhnysse, thone seo eordhlice arleasnyss huxlice taelde. Hw['a] maeg beon rihtlice gec['i]ged mannes Bearn, buton Criste anum, thonne aelc man is twegra manna bearn, buton him anum? Se eadiga Stephanus geseah Crist standan, fordhan the he waes his gefylsta on dham gastlicum gefeohte his martyrdomes. Witodlice we andettadh on urum credan, thaet Drihten sitt aet his Faeder swidhran. Setl gedafenadh d['e]man, and steall fylstendum odhdhe feohtendum. Nu andet ure geleafa Cristes setl, fordhan dhe h['e] is se sodha d['e]ma lybbendra and deadra: and se eadiga cydhere Stephanus h['i]ne geseah standende, fordhan dhe he waes his gefylsta, swa swa we ['ae]r saedon. Ealra gecorenra halgena deadh is deorwurdhe on Godes gesihdhe; ac dheah-hwaedhere is gethuht, gif aenig tod['a]l beon maeg betwux {50} martyrum, thaet se is healicost sedhe dhone martyrdom aefter Gode astealde. Witodlice Stephanus waes to diacone geh['a]dod aet dhaera apostola handum; ac h['e] h['i] forest['o]p on heofenan rice mid sigefaestum deadhe; and swa se dhe waes neodhor on endebyrdnysse, weardh fyrmest on dhrowunge; and se dhe waes leorning-cniht on h['a]de, ongann wesan l['a]reow on martyrdome. Dhone deadh sodhlice the se Haelend gemedemode for mannum throwian, dhone ageaf Stephanus fyrmest manna tham Haelende. He is gecweden protomartyr, thaet is se forma cydhere, fordhan dhe h['e] aefter Cristes dhrowunge aerest martyrd['o]m gedhrowode. Stephanus is Grecisc nama, thaet is on Leden, Coronatus, thaet we cwedhadh on Englisc, Gewuldorbeagod; fordhan dhe h['e] haefdh thone ecan wuldorbeah, swa swa his nama him forew['i]tegode. Tha leasan gewitan, dhe hine forsaedon, h['i]ne ongunnon aerest to torfienne; fordhan the Moyses ['ae] taehte, thaet swa hw['a] swa odherne to deadhe fors['ae]de, sceolde wurpan dhone forman st['a]n to dham dhe h['e] aer mid his tungan acwealde. Dha redhan Iudei wedende thone halgan st['ae]ndon: and h['e] clypode, and cwaedh, "Drihten, ne sete dhu dhas d['ae]da him to synne."

Understandadh nu, mine gebrodhra, tha micclan lufe thaes eadigan weres. On deadhe h['e] waes gesett, and dheah he baed mid sodhre lufe for his cwelleras; and betwux dhaera stana hryre, dhadha gehw['a] mihte his leofostan frynd forgytan, dha betaehte h['e] his fynd Gode, thus cwedhende, "Drihten, ne sete thu dhas daeda him to synne." Swidhor he besorgade tha heora synna thonne his agene wunda; swidhor heora arleasnysse thonne his sylfes deadh; and rihtlice swidhor, fordhan dhe heora arleasnysse fyligde se eca deadh, and thaet ece l['i]f fyligde his deadhe. Saulus heold dhaera leasra gewitena reaf, and heora mod to thaere staeninge geornlice tihte. Stephanus sodhlice gebigedum cneowum Drihten baed thaet h['e] Saulum alysde. Weardh dha Stephanes b['e]n fram Gode gehyred, and Saulus weardh alysed. Se ['a]rfaesta waes gehyred, and se arleasa weardh gerihtwisod.

On dhyssere daede is geswutelod hu micclum fremige thaere {52} sodhan lufe gebed. Witodlice naefde Godes geladhung Paulum to lareowe, gif se halga martyr Stephanus swa ne baede. Efne n['u] Paulus blissadh mid Stephane on heofenan rice; mid Stephane h['e] bricdh Cristes beorhtnysse, and mid him h['e] rixadh. Thider dhe Stephanus forest['o]p, mid Saules stanum oftorfod, dhider folgode Paulus gefultumod thurh Stephanes gebedu. Thaer nis Paulus gescynd thurh Stephanes slege, ac Stephanus gladadh on Paules gefaerraedene; fordhan the seo sodhe lufu on heora aegdhrum blissadh. Seo sodhe lufu oferwann dhaera Iudeiscra redhnysse on Stephane, and seo ylce lufu oferwreah synna micelnysse on Paule, and heo on heora aegdhrum samod geearnode heofenan rice. Eornostlice seo sodhe lufu is wylspring and ordfruma ealra godnyssa and aedhele trumnys, and se weg the l['ae]t to heofonum. Se dhe faerdh on sodhre lufe ne maeg h['e] dwelian, ne forhtian: heo gewissadh, and gescylt, and gelaet. Thurh tha sodhan lufe waes thes halga martyr swa gebyld thaet he bealdlice dhaera Iudeiscra ungeleaffulnysse dhreade, and he ['o]rsorh betwux dham greatum hagolstanum thurhwunode; and he for dham staenendum welwillende gebaed, and thaer to-eacan dha heofenlican healle cucu and gewuldorbeagod inn-ferde.