Part 7

Tha becom se apostol aet sumum saele to thaere byrig Pergamum, thaer dha foresaedan cnihtas i['u] aer eardodon, and gesawon heora dheowan mid godewebbe gefreatewode, and on woruldlicum wuldre scinende. Dha wurdon h['i] mid deofles flan thurhscotene, and dreorige on mode, thaet h['i] waedligende on ['a]num waclicum waefelse ferdon, and heora dheowan on woruldlicum wuldre scinende waeron. Tha undergeat se apostol dhas deoflican facn, and cwaedh, "Ic geseo thaet eower m['o]d is awend, and eower andwlita, fordhan dhe ge eowre speda thearfum daeldon, and mines Drihtnes lare fyligdon: gadh nu fordhi to wuda, and heawadh incre byrdhene gyrda, and gebringadh to me." H['i] dydon be his haese, and h['e] on Godes {64} naman dha grenan gyrda gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon to readum golde awende. Eft cwaedh se apostol Iohannes, "Gadh to dhaere s['ae]-strande, and feccadh me papolstanas." H['i] dydon swa; and Iohannes tha on Godes maegendhrymme h['i] gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon gehwyrfede to deorwurdhum gymmum. Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Gadh to smidhdhan, and fandiadh thises goldes and dhissera gymstana." H['i] dha eodon, and eft comon, thus cwedhende, "Ealle dhas goldsmidhas secgadh thaet h['i] naefre aer swa claene gold, ne swa read ne gesawon: eac dhas gym-wyrhtan secgadh thaet hi naefre swa deorwurdhe gymstanas ne gemetton." Tha cwaedh se apostol him to, "Nimadh this gold, and dhas gymstanas, and faradh, and bicgadh eow land-['a]re; fordhan the ge forluron dha heofenlican speda. Bicgadh eow paellene cyrtlas, thaet ge to lytelre hwile scinon swa swa r['o]se, thaet ge hraedlice forweornion. Beodh blowende and welige hwilwendlice, thaet ge ecelice waedlion. Hwaet la, ne maeg se Aelmihtiga Wealdend thurhteon thaet h['e] do his dheowan rice for worulde, genihtsume on welan, and unwidhmetenlice scinan? Ac he sette gec['a]mp geleaffullum sawlum, thaet hi gelyfon to geagenne tha ecan welan, dha dhe for his naman tha hwilwendan speda forh['o]giadh. Ge gehaeldon untruman on thaes Haelendes naman, ge afligdon deoflu, ge forgeafon blindum gesihdhe, and gehwilce uncodhe gehaeldon: efne nu is dheos gifu eow aetbroden, and ge sind earmingas gewordene, ge dhe waeron maere and strange. Swa micel ege stod deoflum fram eow, thaet h['i] be eowere haese tha ofsettan deofolseocan forleton; nu ge ondraedadh eow deoflu. Tha heofenlican aehta sind us eallum gemaene. Nacode we waeron acennede, and nacode we gewitadh. Thaere sunnan beorhtnys, and thaes monan leoht, and ealra tungla sind gemaene tham rican and dham heanan. R['e]n-scuras, and cyrcan duru, fulluht, and synna forgyfenys, huselgang, and Godes neosung, sind eallum gemaene, earmum and eadigum: ac se ungesaeliga gytsere wile mare habban thonne him genihtsumadh, thonne he furdhon orsorh ne bricdh his genihtsumnysse. Se gytsere haefdh aenne lichaman, and {66} menigfealde scr['u]d; he haefdh ane wambe, and thusend manna bigleofan: witodlice thaet he for gytsunge ['u]ncyste nanum odhrum syllan ne maeg, thaet he hordadh, and nat hwam; swa swa se witega cwaedh, 'On ['i]del bidh aelc man gedrefed, sedhe hordadh, and nat hwam he hit gegaderadh.' Witodlice ne bidh he thaera aehta hlaford, thonne he hi daelan ne maeg; ac he bidh thaera aehta dheowa, thonne he him eallunga theowadh; and thaer to-eacan him weaxadh untrumnyssa on his lichaman, thaet h['e] ne maeg ['ae]tes odhdhe w['ae]tes brucan. H['e] caradh daeges and nihtes thaet his feoh gehealden sy; h['e] gymdh graedelice his teolunge, his gafoles, his gebytlu; he berypdh tha w['a]nnspedigan, he fulg['ae]dh his lustum and his plegan; thonne faerlice gewitt he of dhissere worulde, nacod and forscyldigod, synna ana mid him ferigende; fordhan the he sceal ['e]ce w['i]te dhrowian."

Efne dhadha se apostol thas lare sprecende waes, dha baer sum wuduwe hire suna lic to bebyrgenne, se haefde gewifod thritigum nihtum ['ae]r. Seo dreorige modor tha samod mid tham licmannum rarigende h['i] astrehte aet thaes halgan apostoles fotum, biddende thaet he hire sunu on Godes naman araerde, swa swa he dyde tha wydewan Drusianam. Iohannes dha ofhreow thaere meder and dhaera licmanna dreorignysse, and astrehte his lichaman to eordhan on langsumum gebede, and dha aet nextan ar['a]s, and eft up-ahafenum handum langlice baed. Thadha he dhus dhriwa ged['o]n haefde, dha het he unwindan thaes cnihtes l['i]c, and cwaedh, "Eala dhu cniht, dhe thurh dhines flaesces lust hraedlice dhine sawle forlure; eala thu cniht, thu ne cudhest dhinne Scyppend; thu ne cudhest manna Haelend; thu ne cudhest dhone sodhan freond; and fordhi thu beurne on thone wyrstan feond. Nu ic ageat mine tearas, and for dhinre nytennysse geornlice baed, thaet thu of deadhe arise, and thisum twam gebrodhrum, Attico and Eugenio, cydhe h['u] micel wuldor h['i] forluron, and hwilc wite h['i] geearnodon." Mid dham tha ar['a]s se cniht Stacteus, and feoll to Iohannes fotum, and begann to dhreagenne tha gebrodhru the miswende w['ae]ron, thus cwedhende, "Ic geseah tha englas, the eower gymdon, dreorige {68} wepan, and dha awyrigedan sceoccan blissigende on eowerum forwyrde. Eow waes heofenan rice gearo, and scinende gebytlu mid wistum afyllede, and mid ecum leohte: tha ge forluron thurh unwaerscipe, and ge begeaton eow dheosterfulle wununga mid dracum afyllede, and mid brastligendum ligum, mid unasecgendlicum witum afyllede, and mid andhraecum stencum; on dham ne ablindh granung and thoterung daeges oththe nihtes: biddadh fordhi mid inweardre heortan dhysne Godes apostol, eowerne lareow, thaet he eow fram dham ecum forwyrde araere, swa swa he me fram deadhe araerde; and he eowre saula, the nu synd adylegode of thaere liflican b['e]c, gelaede eft to Godes gife and miltsunge."

Se cniht tha Stacteus, dhe of deadhe ar['a]s, samod mid tham gebrodhrum, astrehte hine to Iohannes f['o]tswadhum, and thaet folc fordh mid ealle, anmodlice biddende thaet he him to Gode gethingode. Se apostol tha bebead dham twam gebrodhrum thaet hi dhritig daga be hreowsunge daedbetende Gode geoffrodon, and on faece geornlice baedon, thaet dha gyldenan gyrda eft to than aerran gecynde awendon, and tha gymstanas to heora wacnysse. Aefter dhritigra daga faece, thatha h['i] ne mihton mid heora benum thaet gold and tha gymstanas to heora gecynde awendan, dha comon hi mid wope to tham apostole, thus cwedhende, "Symle dhu taehtest mildheortnysse, and thaet man odhrum miltsode; and gif man odhrum miltsadh, hu micele swidhor wile God miltsian and arian mannum his hand-geweorce! Thaet thaet we mid gitsigendum eagum agylton, thaet we nu mid wependum eagum bereowsiadh." Dha andwyrde se apostol, "Beradh dha gyrda to wuda, and tha stanas to s['ae]-strande: hi synd gecyrrede to heora gecynde." Thadha hi this gedon haefdon, dha underfengon hi eft Godes gife, swa thaet hi adraefdon deoflu, and blinde, and untrume gehaeldon, and fela tacna on Drihtnes naman gefremedon, swa swa hi aer dydon.

Se apostol tha gebigde to Gode ealne thone eard Asiam, se is geteald to healfan daele middan-eardes; and awrat dha {70} feordhan Cristes b['o]c, seo hrepadh swydhost ymbe Cristes godcundnysse. Dha odhre thry godspelleras, Matheus, Marcus, Lucas, awriton aeror be Cristes menniscnysse. Tha asprungon gedwolmenn on Godes geladhunge, and cwaedon thaet Crist naere aer he acenned waes of Marian. Tha baedon ealle tha leod-bisceopas dhone halgan apostol thaet he tha feordhan b['o]c gesette, and thaera gedwolmanna dyrstignesse adwaescte. Iohannes tha bead dhreora daga faesten gemaenelice; and he aefter dham faestene weardh swa miclum mid Godes gaste afylled, thaet he ealle Godes englas, and ealle gesceafta, mid heahlicum mode oferst['a]h, and mid dhysum wordum tha godspellican gesetnysse ongan, "In principio erat uerbum, et uerbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat uerbum, et reliqua:" thaet is on Englisc, "On frymdhe waes word, and thaet word waes mid Gode, and thaet word waes God; this waes on frymdhe mid Gode; ealle dhing sind thurh hine geworhte, and nis nan thing buton him gesceapen." And swa fordh on ealre thaere godspellican gesetnysse, he cydde fela be Cristes godcundnysse, hu he ecelice butan angynne of his Faeder acenned is, and mid him rixadh on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] butan ende. Feawa he awrat be his menniscnysse, fordhan the tha dhry odhre godspelleras genihtsumlice be tham heora bec setton.

Hit gelamp aet sumum saele thaet tha deofolgyldan the tha g['y]t ungeleaffulle w['ae]ron, gecwaedon thaet hi woldon thone apostol to heora haedhenscipe geneadian. Tha cwaedh se apostol to dham haedhengyldum, "Gadh ealle endemes to Godes cyrcan, and clypiadh ealle to eowerum godum, thaet seo cyrce afealle dhurh heora mihte; dhonne buge ic to eowerum haedhenscipe. Gif dhonne eower godes miht tha halgan cyrcan towurpan ne maeg, ic towurpe eower tempel thurh dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes mihte, and ic tocwyse eower deofolgyld; and bidh thonne rihtlic gedhuht thaet ge geswycon eoweres gedwyldes, and gelyfon on dhone sodhan God, sedhe ana is Aelmihtig." Tha haedhengyldan dhisum cwyde gedhwaerlaehton, and Iohannes mid geswaesum wordum thaet folc tihte, thaet h['i] ufor eodon fram tham deofles {72} temple; and mid beorhtre stemne aetforan him eallum clypode, "On Godes naman ahreose this tempel, mid eallum tham deofolgyldum the him on eardiadh, thaet theos menigu tocnawe thaet dhis haedhengyld deofles biggeng is." Hwaet dha faerlice ahreas thaet tempel grundlunga, mid eallum his anlicnyssum to duste awende. On dham ylcan daege wurdon gebigede twelf dhusend haedhenra manna to Cristes geleafan, and mid fulluhte gehalgode.

Tha sceorede dha gyt se yldesta haedhengylda mid mycelre thwyrnysse, and cwaedh thaet he nolde gelyfan buton Iohannes attor drunce, and thurh Godes mihte dhone cwelmbaeran drenc oferswidhde. Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Theah thu me attor sylle, thurh Godes naman hit me ne deradh." Dha cwaedh se haedhengylda Aristodemus, "Thu scealt aerest odherne geseon drincan, and dhaerrihte cwelan, thaet huru dhin heorte swa forhtige for dham deadbaerum drence." Iohannes him andwyrde, "Gif dhu on God gelyfan wylt, ic unforhtmod dhaes drences onf['o]." Tha getengde se Aristodemus to dham heahgerefan, and gen['a]m on his cwearterne twegen dheofas, and sealde him dhone unlybban aetforan eallum dham folce, on Iohannes gesihdhe; and hi dhaerrihte aefter tham drence gewiton. Sydhdhan se haedhengylda eac sealde dhone attorbaeran drenc tham apostole, and h['e] mid rodetacne his mudh, and ealne his lichaman gew['ae]pnode, and dhone unlybban on Godes naman halsode, and sidhdhan mid gebildum mode hine ealne gedranc. Aristodemus dha and thaet folc beheoldon thone apostol dhreo t['i]da daeges, and gesawon hine habban glaedne andwlitan, buton bl['a]cunge and forhtunge; and hi ealle clypodon, "An sodh God is, sedhe Iohannes wurdhadh." Tha cwaedh se haedhengylda to dham apostole, "Gyt me tweonadh; ac gif dhu dhas deadan sceadhan, on dhines Godes naman araerst, thonne bidh min heorte geclaensod fram aelcere twynunge." Dha cwaedh Iohannes, "Aristodeme, nim mine tunecan, and lege bufon dhaera deadra manna lic, and cwedh, 'Thaes Haelendes Cristes apostol me asende to eow, thaet ge on his naman of deadhe arison, and aelc man oncn['a]we thaet {74} deadh and l['i]f dheowiadh minum Haelende.'" He dha be dhaes apostoles haese baer his tunecan, and alede uppon dham tw['a]m deadum; and h['i] dhaerrihte ansunde arison. Thadha se haedhengylda thaet geseah, dha astrehte he hine to Iohannes fotum, and sydhdhan ferde to dham heahgerefan, and him dha wundra mid hluddre stemne cydde. H['i] dha begen thone apostol gesohton, his miltsunge biddende. Tha bead se apostol him seofon nihta faesten, and hi sidhdhan gefullode; and hi aefter dham fulluhte towurpon eall heora deofolgyld, and mid heora maga fultume, and mid eallum craefte araerdon Gode maere cyrcan on dhaes apostoles wurdhmynte.

Thadha se apostol waes nigon and hund-nigontig geara, tha aeteowode him Drihten Crist mid tham odhrum apostolum, the h['e] of dhisum life genumen haefde, and cwaedh, "Iohannes, cum to me; tima is thaet thu mid dhinum gebrodhrum wistfullige on minum gebeorscipe." Iohannes tha ar['a]s, and eode widh thaes Haelendes; ac he him to cwaedh, "Nu on sunnan-daeg, mines aeristes daege, thu cymst to me:" and aefter dham worde Drihten gewende to heofenum. Se apostol micclum blissode on dham beh['a]te, and on tham sunnan-uhtan aerwacol to dhaere cyrcan com, and tham folce, fram hancrede odh undern, Godes gerihta laerde, and him maessan gesang, and cwaedh thaet se Haelend hine on dham daege to heofonum geladhod haefde. Het dha delfan his byrgene widh thaet weofod, and thaet greot ut-awegan. And h['e] eode cucu and gesund into his byrgene, and astrehtum handum to Gode clypode, "Drihten Crist, ic thancige dhe thaet thu me geladhodest to thinum wistum: thu w['a]st thaet ic mid ealre heortan the gewilnode. Oft ic dhe baed thaet ic moste to dhe faran, ac dhu cwaede thaet ic anbidode, thaet ic dhe mare folc gestrynde. Thu heolde minne lichaman widh aelce besmittennysse, and thu simle mine sawle onlihtest, and me nahwar ne forlete. Thu settest on minum mudhe thinre sodhfaestnysse word, and ic awrat dha lare dhe ic of dhinum mudhe gehyrde, and dha wundra dhe ic dhe wyrcan geseah. Nu ic dhe betaece, Drihten! thine bearn, dha dhe thin geladhung, maeden and {76} moder, thurh waeter and thone Halgan Gast, dhe gestrynde. Onfoh me to minum gebrodhrum mid dham dhe dhu come, and me geladhodest. Geopena ongean me lifes geat, thaet dhaera dheostra ealdras me ne gemeton. Thu eart Crist, dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu, thu the be dhines Faeder haese middangeard gehaeldest, and us dhone Halgan Gast asendest. The we heriadh, and thanciadh thinra menigfealdra goda geond ungeendode worulde. Amen."

Aefter dhysum gebede aeteowode heofenlic leoht bufon dham apostole, binnon dhaere byrgene, ane tid swa beorhte scinende, thaet nanes mannes gesihdh thaes leohtes leoman sceawian ne mihte; and he mid tham leohte his gast ageaf tham Drihtne the hine to his rice geladhode. He gew['a]t swa freoh fram deadhes sarnysse, of dhisum andweardan life, swa swa he waes aelfremed fram lichamlicere gewemmednysse. Sodhlice sydhdhan waes his byrgen gemet mid mannan afylled. Manna waes gehaten se heofenlica mete, the feowertig geara afedde Israhela folc on westene. Nu waes se bigleofa gemett on Iohannes byrgene, and nan dhing elles; and se mete is weaxende on hire odh dhisne andweardan daeg. Thaer beodh fela tacna aeteowode, and untrume gehaelde, and fram eallum frecednyssum alysede, thurh dhaes apostoles dhingunge. Thaes him getidhadh Drihten Crist, tham is wuldor and wurdhmynt mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste, ['a] butan ende. Amen.

{59} DECEMBER XXVII.

THE ASSUMPTION OF SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE.

John the Evangelist, Christ's darling, was on this day, through God's visitation, taken to the joy of the kingdom of heaven. He was the son of Christ's maternal aunt, and he loved him particularly, not so much for the consanguinity, as for the purity of his uncorrupted chastity. He was in chastity chosen to God, and he ever continued in undefiled chastity. It is read in historic narratives that he would marry, and Christ was invited to his nuptials. Then it befell that at the nuptials wine was wanting. Jesus then bade the serving men fill six stone vessels with pure water, and he with his blessing turned the water to noble wine. This is the first miracle that he openly wrought in his state of man. Now John was so stimulated by that miracle, that he forthwith left his bride in maidenhood, and ever afterwards followed the Lord, and was by him inwardly beloved, because he had withdrawn himself from fleshly lusts. Verily to this beloved disciple Jesus intrusted his mother, when, suspended on the cross, he redeemed mankind, that his pure life might take care of the pure virgin Mary, and that she might continue ministering to her sister's son.

Some time after, after Christ's ascension to heaven, a cruel emperor reigned in the Roman empire, after Nero, who was called Domitian, a persecutor of the christians. He commanded a vat to be filled with boiling oil, and the great evangelist to be thrust therein; but he, through God's protection, went uninjured from that hot bath. Afterwards, when the cruel one might not suppress the preaching of the blessed apostle, he sent him into exile to an island that is called Patmos, that he there, through sharpness of hunger, might perish. But the Almighty Saviour did not leave his beloved apostle to {61} neglect, but revealed to him, in that exile, the revelation of things to come, concerning which he wrote the book which is called APOCALYPSE: and the cruel Domitian was slain in the same year by the hand of his senators; and they all unanimously resolved that all his decrees should be annulled. Then was Nerva, a very honourable man, chosen for emperor. With his consent the apostle returned with great worship, he who with contumely had been sent into banishment. Men and women ran to meet him, rejoicing and saying, "Blessed is he who cometh in the name of God."

As the apostle John was entering the city of Ephesus, there was borne towards him the corpse of a widow to be buried; her name was Drusiana. She was of great faith, and gave much in alms, and the poor, whom she had bountifully fed, sad, with weeping, followed the corpse. Then the apostle bade them set down the bier, and said, "My Lord, Jesus Christ! Raise thee, Drusiana; arise, and return home, and prepare refection for us in thy house." Drusiana then arose as if from sleep awakened, and, mindful of the apostle's command, returned home.

On the second day the apostle going in the street, observed where a philosopher was accompanying two brothers, who had turned all their parents' treasure into precious gems, and would crush them in the sight of all the people as a spectacle, in contempt as it were of worldly riches. It was common at that time for those who would sedulously learn philosophy, to change their property for gems, and break them in pieces; or for a wedge of gold, and throw it into the sea; lest the contemplation of those riches should hinder them at their study. Then the apostle called the philosopher Graton to him, and said, "It is foolish that any one should despise worldly riches for praise of men, and be condemned at God's doom. Vain is the medicine that cannot heal the sick; as also is vain the doctrine that healeth not the sins and vices of the soul. {63} Verily my teacher, Christ, enjoined a youth who desired eternal life, in these words, That he should sell all his wealth, and distribute the value to the poor, if he would be perfect; and he should afterwards have his treasure in heaven, and, in addition thereto, eternal life." The philosopher Graton him answered, "These jewels are crushed for idle vaunt; but if thy teacher is the true God, join the fragments to soundness, that their value may benefit the poor." John then gathered the fragments of the jewels, and looked to heaven, thus saying, "Lord Jesus, to thee no thing is difficult; thou didst restore this crushed world for thy faithful, through sign of the holy rood; restore now these precious gems, by thy angels' hands, that these ignorant men may acknowledge thy powers, and in thee believe." Lo, then suddenly the gems became sound, so that even no sign of their former broken condition was seen. Then the philosopher Graton, together with the youths, fell forthwith at the feet of John, believing in God. The apostle baptized him with all his family, and he began openly to preach God's faith. The two brothers, Atticus and Eugenius, gave their gems, and distributed all their wealth to the poor, and followed the apostle, and a great multitude of believers also joined themselves to him.

Then on a certain time the apostle came to the city of Pergamus, where the before-mentioned youths formerly dwelt, and saw their servants decorated with fine linen, and shining in worldly splendour. Then were they pierced through with the devil's darts, and sad in mind, that they in poverty should go with one miserable cloak, and their servants be shining in worldly splendour. Then perceived the apostle the diabolical wiles, and said, "I see that your mind and your countenance are changed, because ye have distributed your riches to the poor, and followed my Lord's doctrine: go now therefore to the wood, and hew a burthen of rods, and bring them to me." They did as he had commanded, and he {65} in God's name blessed the green rods, and they were turned to red gold. Again the apostle said, "Go now to the sea-strand, and fetch me pebble-stones." They did so, and John by God's majesty blessed them, and they were turned to precious gems. Then said the apostle, "Go to the smithy, and try this gold and these gems." They went, and came again, thus saying, "All the goldsmiths say that they have never before seen such pure and such red gold: also the jewellers say that they have never before met with such precious gems." Then said the apostle to them, "Take this gold and these gems, and go and buy landed property, seeing that ye have lost heavenly riches. Buy yourselves purple kirtles, that ye for a little while may shine as the rose, that ye may speedily fade. Be flourishing and rich for a season, that ye may be poor for ever. What, may not the Almighty Ruler so act that he make his servants powerful before the world, abounding in wealth, and incomparably to shine? But he has placed warfare for the believing souls, that they may believe in order to possess the eternal riches, they who for his name despise temporary possessions. Ye healed the sick in the name of Jesus, ye drove out devils, ye gave sight to the blind, and cured every disease. Behold, now this gift is withdrawn from you, and ye are become poor wretches, ye who were great and strong. The devils stood in so great awe of you, that at your behest they forsook the possessed demoniacs; now ye yourselves dread devils. The heavenly possessions are common to us all. Naked we were born, and naked we depart. The brightness of the sun, and the light of the moon, and of all the stars are common to the high and the low. Rain-showers and the church-door, baptism and forgiveness of sins, partaking of the housel and God's visitation, are common to all, poor and rich: but the unhappy covetous wishes to have more than suffices him, though he enjoys not freedom from care in his abundance. The covetous hath one body and divers garments; he hath one belly and a {67} thousand men's sustenance; but that which he, through the vice of avarice, cannot give to any other, he hoardeth, and knoweth not for whom, as the prophet said, 'Vainly is every man troubled who hoardeth, and knoweth not for whom he gathereth.' Verily he is not lord of those possessions, when he cannot distribute them, but he is the slave of those possessions, when he wholly serveth them; and in addition thereto, diseases of his body increase, so that he may not enjoy food or drink. He cares night and day that his money be preserved; he attends greedily to his gain, his rent, his buildings; he bereaves the indigent, he follows his lusts and his pleasure; then suddenly departs he from this world, naked and charged with crimes, bearing with him his sins alone; therefore shall he suffer punishment everlasting."