The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Part 32

Hit gelamp a on sumum geare on his freols-tide, aet sum wif mid hire nywerenan cylde betwux orum mannum one halgan wer geneosode. a geendodum dagum aere freols-tide com seo s? faerlice swegende, and aet folc swilice aweg efste, and aet wif urh a faerlican styrunge ne gymde hire cildes ?ran e heo to lande becom. Heo a sarig a twelf mona adreah, and eft embe aes geares ymbryne, on aere ylcan freols-tide, for-arn am folce, and genealaehte to aere byrgene mid wope, us biddende, "u Drihten Haelend, e aere wydewan ancennedan sunu to life araerdest, beseoh me to miltse, aet ic, urh ingunge ines halgan e her gerest, beo aes tie e ic geornlice bidde." a mid yssere bene beseah heo to aere stowe aer heo aet cild ?r forlet, and gemette hit swa slapende swa heo hit ?r gelede. Heo a mid micelre blisse hit awrehte, and wepende cossode. a befran heo aet cild, betwux am cossum, hu hit macode on eallum am fyrste aes geares ymbrynes?

aet cild aere meder geandwyrde, "Modor min, nyste ic hu yses geares ymryne geendode, foran e ic softum slaepe me gereste, swa swa u me forlete, o aet u eft me nu awrehtest." aet geleaffulle folc a micclum blissigende, herode and bletsode one aelmihtigan Haelend, see his halgan mid tacnum and wundrum gewura, and swa heora geearnunga geswutela.

Oft hwonlice gelyfede menn smeaga mid heora stuntan gesceade, hwi se aelmihtiga G.o.d aefre geafian wolde aet a haeenan his halgan mid gehwilc.u.m tintregum acwellan moston; ac we wylla nu eow gereccan sume geswutelunge of aere ealdan ?, and eac of aere niwan, hu mihtiglice se Wealdenda Drihten his halgan wi haeenne here, oe waelhreowe ehteras gelome ahredde, and heora wierwinnan bysmorlice gescynde.

{568} Hit gelamp on am feowerteoan geare Ezechian cynedomes, Iudeisces cyninges, aet Sennacherib, Syria cyning, manega leoda mid micclum craefte to his anwealde gebigde, and swa wolde eac one gelyfedan cyning Ezechiam, and asende his heretogan Rapsacen to aere byrig Hierusalem mid micclum rymme, and mid aerend-gewritum aes aelmihtigan G.o.des mihte gehyrwde, us cweende to am ymbsettan folce, "Ne bep?ce Ezechias eow mid leasum hopan, aet G.o.d eow wi me ahredde. Ic gewyllde and oferwann fela eoda, and heora G.o.das ne mihton hi gescyldan wi minne rymm. Hwaet is se G.o.d e mage as burh wi minne here bewerian?" Hwaet a, se cyning Ezechias awearp his purpuran reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and baer a gewritu into G.o.des temple, and astrehtum limum hine gebaed, us cweende, "Drihten, weroda G.o.d, u e gesitst ofer engla rymm, u eart ana G.o.d ealra eoda; u geworhtest heofonas, and eoran, and ealle gesceafta. Ahyld in eare and gehyr, geopena ine eagan and geseoh as word, e Sennacherib asende to hospe and to tale e and inum folce. Solice he towende a haeenan G.o.das, and hi forbaernde, foran e hi naeron G.o.das, ac waeron manna hand-geweorc, treowene and staenene, and he hi fori tobrytte. Alys us nu, Drihten, fram his gebeote and mihte, aet ealle eoda tocnawon aet u ana eart aelmihtig G.o.d."

Ezechias eac asende his witan mid h?ran gescrydde to am witegan Isaiam, us cweende, "Ahefe ine gebedu for Israhela eode, aet se aelmihtiga G.o.d gehyre a talu e Syria cyning asende to hospe and to edwite his micclan maegenrymme." a andwyrde se witega Isaias am bodum, "Secga eowrum hlaforde, aet he unforht sy. G.o.d aelmihtig cwy, Ne ascytt Sennacherib flan into aere byrig Hierusalem, ne mid his scylde hi ne gewylt; ac ic geslea aenne wrian on his nosu, and aenne bridel on his weleras, and ic hine gel?de ongean to his leode, and ic do aet he fyl under swurdes ecge on his agenum eele; and ic a burh gescylde {570} for me and for minum eowan Dauid." a on aere nihte ferde G.o.des engel, and ofsloh aes Syrian cyninges here an hund usend manna, and fif and hund-eahtatig usenda. aes on merigen aras Sennacherib, and geseah a deadan lic, and gecyrde mid micelre sceame ongean to aere byrig Niniue. Hit gelamp a aet he hine gebaed to his deofolgylde, and his twegen suna hine mid swurde acwealdon, swa swa se witega urh G.o.des Gast gewiteG.o.de.

Eft sian Nabochodonossor, se Chaldeisca cyning, het gebindan handum and fotum a ry gelyfedan cnihtas, Annanias, Azarias, Missael, and into anum byrnendum ofne awurpan; foran e hi noldon hi gebiddan to his deofolgilde.

Ac se aelmihtiga G.o.d, e hi anraedlice on belyfdon, asende his engel into am ofne mid am cnihtum, and he a tosceoc one lig of am ofne, swa aet aet fyr ne mihte him derigan, ac sloh ut of am ofne nigan and feowertig faema, and forswaelde a cwelleras e aet fyr onaeldon. a sceawode se cyning aera reora cnihta feax and lichaman, us cweende, "Sy gebletsod eower G.o.d, see asende his engel, and swa mihtelice his eowan of am byrnendan ofne alysde."

Eac syan, on Cyres dagum cyninges, wrehton a Babiloniscan one witegan Daniel, foran e he towearp heora deofolgyld, and cwaedon anmodlice to am foresaedan cyninge Cyrum, "Betaec us Daniel, e urne G.o.d Bel towearp, and one dracan acwealde, e we on belyfdon. Gif u hine forstenst, we fordylegia e and inne hyred." a geseah se cyning aet hi anmode waeron, and neadunga one witegan him to handum asceaf. Hi a hine awurpon into anum seae, on am waeron seofan leon, am mann sealde daeghwomlice twa hryeru and twa scep, ac him waes a oftogen aelces fodan six dagas, aet hi one G.o.des mann abitan sceoldon.

On aere tide waes sum oer witega on Iudea-lande, his nama waes Abacuc, se baer his ryfterum mete to aecere. a com him to G.o.des engel, and cwae, "Abacuc, baer one {572} mete to Babilone, and syle Daniele, see sitt on aera leona seae." Abacuc andwyrde am engle, "La leof, ne geseah ic naefre a burh, ne ic one sea nat." a se engel gelaehte hine be am fexe, and hine baer to Babilone, and hine sette bufan am seae. a clypode se Abacuc, "u G.o.des eowa, Daniel, nim as lac e e G.o.d sende." Daniel cwae, "Min Drihten Haelend, sy e lof and wurmynt aet u me gemundest." And he a aere sande breac. Witodlice G.o.des engel aerrihte mid swyftum flihte gebrohte one disc-en, Abacuc, aer he hine ?r genam. Se cyning a Cyrus on am seofoan daege eode dreorig to aera leona seae, and innbeseah, and efne a Daniel sittende waes gesundful on middan am leonum. a clypode se cyning mid micelre stemne, "Maere is se G.o.d e Daniel on belyf." And he a mid am worde hine ateah of am scraefe, and het inn-awurpan a e hine ?r fordon woldon. aes cyninges haes wear hraedlice gefremmed, and aes witegan ehteras wurdon asceofene betwux a leon, and hi aerrihte mid graedigum ceaflum hi ealle totaeron. a cwae se cyning, "Forhtion and ondraedon ealle eorbuende Danieles G.o.d, foran e he is Alysend and Haelend, wyrcende tacna and wundra on heofonan and on eoran."

On aere Niwan Gecynysse, aefter Cristes rowunge, and his aeriste and upstige to heofonum, wurdon a Iudeiscan mid andan afyllede ongean his apostolas, and gebrohton hi on cwearterne. On aere ylcan nihte G.o.des engel undyde a locu aes cwearternes, and hi ut-alaedde, us cweende, "Ga to am temple, and bodia am folce lifes word." And hi swa dydon. Hwaet a Iudeiscan aes on merien eahtodon embe aera apostola forwyrd, and sendon to am cwearterne, aet hi man gefette. a cwelleras a geopenodon aet cweartern, and naenne ne gemetton. Hi a cyddon heora ealdrum, "aet cweartern we fundon faeste beclysed, and a weardas wiutan standende, ac we ne gemetton naenne wiinnan."

{574} Eft sian Herodes, Iudea cyning, sette one apostol Petrum on cwearterne mid twam racenteagum gebundenne, and weardas wiinnan and wiutan gesette: ac on aere nihte e se arleasa cyning hine on merigen acwellan wolde, com G.o.des engel scinende of heofonum, and gelaedde hine ut urh a isenan gatu; and stod eft on merigen aet cweartern faeste belocen.

Domicia.n.u.s, se haeena casere, het awurpan one G.o.dspellere Iohannem on weallendne ele, ac he, urh G.o.des gescyldnysse, swa gesundfull ut eode swa he inn aworpen waes. am ylcan Iohanne sealde sum haeengylda attor drincan, ac he, aefter am drence, ansund and ungederod urhwunode.

Paulus se apostol awrat be him sylfum, and cwae, aet he aenne daeg and ane niht on s?-grunde adruge. Eft, aet sumum saele hine gelaehte an naeddre be am fingre, ac he ascoc hi into byrnendum fyre, and he aes aettres nan ing ne gefredde.

Ne maeg nan eorlic mann mid gewritum cyan, ne mid tungan gereccan hu oft se aelmihtiga Wealdend his gecorenan fram mislic.u.m frecednyssum ahredde, to lofe and to wurmynte his maegenrymnysse. Ac he geafa forwel oft aet a arleasan his halgan earle geswenca, hwilon mid hefigtymre ehtnysse, hwilon mid slege, aet seo ree ehtnyss bec.u.me am rihtwisan to ecere reste, and am cwellerum to ec.u.m wite. Se sealm-scop cwae, "Fela sind aera rihtwisra gedreccednyssa, ac Drihten fram eallum ysum hi alyst." On twa wisan alyst G.o.d his gecorenan, openlice and digellice. Openlice hi beo alysede, onne hi on manna gesihe beo ahredde, swa swa we nu eow rehton.

Digellice hi beo alysede, onne hi urh martyrdom bec.u.ma to heofonlic.u.m geinc.u.m. Gif hi for soum geleafan oe for rihtwisnysse rowia, hi beo onne martyras. Gif hi onne unscyldige gecwylmede beo, heora unscaeignyss hi gel?t to G.o.des halgena geferraedene; foran e unscaeignyss aefre orsorh wuna. Gif hwa onne for synnum ehtnysse ola, and hine sylfne oncnaew, {576} swa aet he G.o.des mildheortnysse inweardlice bidde, onne forscyt aet hwilwendlice wite a ecan genierunge. For mandaedum waeron a twegen sceaan gewitnode e mid Criste hanG.o.don, ac heora oer mid micclum geleafan gebaed hine to Criste, us cweende, "Drihten, geenc min onne u to inum rice becymst." Crist him andwyrde, "So ic e secge, nu to-daeg u bist mid me on neorxna-w.a.n.ges myrhe." Unwilles we magon forleosan a hwilwendlican G.o.d, ac we ne forleosa naefre unwilles a ecan G.o.d. eah se rea reafere us aet aehtum bereafige, oe feores benaeme, he ne maeg us aetbredan urne geleafan ne aet ece lif, gif we us sylfe mid agenum willan ne forpaera. Se soa Drihten us ahredde fram eallum frecednyssum, and to am ecan life gel?de, see leofa and rixa 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 G.o.d'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 pa.s.sion 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 c.l.i.tus, 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 pa.s.sion 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 G.o.ds with contumely, but with bookly reasoning manifested to them what they were, and where born whom they honoured as their G.o.ds, and showed to them, with manifest proofs, their lives and ends; and said that they themselves might easily attain to G.o.d's mercy, if they would wholly turn from their erroneous wors.h.i.+p. The favour of the Jewish people he got, because he truly proved that their forefathers were called friends of G.o.d, and that G.o.d appointed them a holy law for their lives' direction; and said, that they would have been foremost in G.o.d'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, G.o.d'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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d had provided so great grace for Clement, that the heathen judge bewailed his journey with weeping, thus saying, "May the G.o.d whom thou wors.h.i.+pest comfort and support thee in thy exile." And he then ordered him to be led to a s.h.i.+p, and all his needs to be provided for, which he might have for sustenance. The s.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 s.p.a.ce 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 wors.h.i.+p, through Clement, the christians' bishop. Then was the heathen emperor, Trajan, greatly excited, and sent a cruel commander, his name was Aufidia.n.u.s, 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, Aufidia.n.u.s, 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 mult.i.tude 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 Phbus 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 G.o.d's behest, flowing out, cleared for them three miles of dry s.p.a.ce, 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 G.o.d, that in the course of every year, at the time of his pa.s.sion, 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 G.o.d'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 pa.s.sed 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 G.o.d 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 a.s.syria, 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 G.o.d, thus saying to the beleaguered folk, "Let not Hezekiah deceive you with false hope, that G.o.d will save you from me. I have conquered and overcome many nations, and their G.o.ds could not s.h.i.+eld them against my host. Who is the G.o.d 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 G.o.d's temple, and with outstretched limbs prayed, thus saying, "Lord, G.o.d of hosts, thou who sittest above the company of angels, thou alone art G.o.d 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 G.o.ds, for they were not G.o.ds, 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 G.o.d."

Hezekiah also sent his counsellors clad in haircloth to the prophet Isaiah, thus saying, "Raise thy prayers for the people of Israel, that the Almighty G.o.d may hear the calumnies which the king of a.s.syria has sent in scorn and reproach of his great majesty." Then answered the prophet Isaiah to the messengers, "Say to your lord that he be fearless. G.o.d Almighty saith, Sennacherib shall not shoot arrows into the city of Jerusalem, nor with his s.h.i.+eld overpower it; but I will cast a hook into his nose, and a bridle on his lips, and I will lead him back to his people, and I will cause him to fall under the sword's edge in his own country; and I will {571} s.h.i.+eld the city for myself and for my servant David." Then on that night G.o.d's angel went, and slew of the a.s.syrian king's army a hundred and eighty-five thousand men. On the morrow Sennacherib arose, and saw the dead bodies, and turned with great shame back to the city of Nineveh. It happened then that he was praying to his idol, and his two sons slew him with the sword, as the prophet through the Spirit of G.o.d had prophesied.

After that Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean king, commanded the three believing youths, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, to be bound hands and feet, and cast into a burning oven; because they would not pray to his idol. But the Almighty G.o.d, in whom they stedfastly believed, sent his angel into the oven with the youths, and he scattered the flame from the oven, so that the fire might not hurt them, but struck out of the oven nine and forty fathoms, and burned the executioners who had kindled the fire. Then the king beheld the hair and bodies of the three youths, thus saying, "Blessed be your G.o.d, who hath sent his angel, and so mightily released his servants from the burning oven."

Also afterwards, in the days of Cyrus the king, the Babylonians accused the prophet Daniel, because he had cast down their idol, and said unanimously to the beforesaid king Cyrus, "Deliver unto us Daniel, who hath cast down our G.o.d Bel, and slain the dragon, in which we believed. If thou protectest him, we will destroy thee and thine household." Then the king saw that they were unanimous, and unwillingly delivered the prophet into their hands.

They then cast him into a pit, in which were seven lions, to which were given daily two oxen and two sheep, but then all food had been withheld from them for six days, that they might devour the man of G.o.d.

At that time there was another prophet in the land of Judah, his name was Habakkuk, who bare for his reapers meat to the field. Then G.o.d's angel came to him, and said, {573} "Habakkuk, bear the meat to Babylon, and give it to Daniel, who sitteth in the lions' pit." Habakkuk answered the angel, "Sir, I never saw the city, nor know I the pit." Then the angel seized him by the hair, and bare him to Babylon, and set him above the pit. Then Habakkuk cried, "Thou servant of G.o.d, Daniel, take this gift which G.o.d hath sent thee." Daniel said, "My Lord Jesus, be to thee praise and honour, for that thou hast remembered me." And he then ate of the dish. And the angel of the Lord straightways brought the minister of food, Habakkuk, to the place whence he had before taken him. Then the king Cyrus on the seventh day went sad to the lions' pit, and looked in, and behold, there was Daniel sitting unhurt in the midst of the lions. Then the king cried with a loud voice, "Great is the G.o.d in whom Daniel believeth." And he then with that word drew him from the den, and ordered those to be cast in who before would fordo him. The king's command was quickly executed, and the prophet's persecutors were thrust among the lions, and they straightways with greedy jaws tore them all in pieces. Then said the king, "Let all dwellers on earth fear and dread the G.o.d of Daniel, for he is the Redeemer and Saviour, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth."

In the New Testament, after Christ's pa.s.sion, and his resurrection and ascension to heaven, the Jews were filled with envy towards his apostles, and brought them into prison. In the same night G.o.d's angel undid the locks of the prison, and led them out, thus saying, "Go to the temple, and preach to the folk the word of life." And they so did. Then the Jews on the morrow deliberated concerning the destruction of the apostles, and sent to the prison, that they might be fetched. The executioners then opened the prison, and found no one. They then announced to their elders, "We have found the prison fast closed, and the wards standing without, but we found no one within."

{575} After that Herod, king of Judah, set the apostle Peter in prison bound with two chains, and set wards within and without: but on the night when the impious king would slay him on the morrow, G.o.d's angel came s.h.i.+ning from heaven, and led him out through the iron gates, and on the morrow the prison again stood fast locked.

Domitian, the heathen emperor, commanded the evangelist John to be cast into boiling oil, but he, through G.o.d's protection, went out as unhurt as when he was cast in. To the same John an idolater gave poison to drink, but he, after the draught, continued sound and uninjured.

Paul the apostle wrote concerning himself, and said, that he pa.s.sed one day and one night at the bottom of the sea. Again, on a time a serpent seized him by the finger, but he shook it into the burning fire, and he felt nothing of the poison.

No earthly man may by writings make known, nor with tongue relate how often the Almighty Ruler has saved his chosen from divers perils, to the praise and honour of his majesty. But he very often allows the impious greatly to afflict his saints, sometimes with painful persecution, sometimes with slaying, that fierce persecution may end for the righteous in eternal rest, and for the murderers in eternal torment. The psalmist said, "Many are the tribulations of the righteous, but the Lord from all these will release them." In two ways G.o.d releases his chosen, openly and secretly. Openly they are released, when in sight of men they are saved, as we have now recounted to you. Secretly they are released, when through martyrdom they come to heavenly honours. If they suffer for true faith or for righteousness, they will then be martyrs. But if they are slain guiltless, their innocence will lead them to the fellows.h.i.+p of G.o.d's saints; for innocence ever continues secure. But if any one suffers persecution for sins, and knows himself, so that he {577} inwardly pray for G.o.d's mercy, then will the transient punishment prevent eternal d.a.m.nation. For crimes were the two thieves punished who were crucified with Christ, but one of them with great faith prayed to Christ, thus saying, "Lord, think of me when thou comest to thy kingdom." Christ answered him, "Verily I say unto thee, now to-day thou shalt be with me in the joy of paradise." Against our will we may lose the transitory good, but against our will we never lose the eternal good. Though the cruel robber bereave us of our property, or deprive us of life, he cannot take from us our faith or the eternal life, if we do not of our own will pervert ourselves. May the true Lord save us from all perils, and lead us to everlasting life, who liveth and reigneth ever without end. Amen.

II. K[=L]. D[=EC].

NATALE S[=CI] ANDREAE APOSTOLI.

Ambulans Iesus juxta mare Galileae: et reliqua.

Crist on sumere tide ferde wi aere Galileiscan s?, and geseah twegen gebrora, Simonem, se waes geciged Petrus, and his broor Andream: et reliqua.

Swa swa hi ?r mid nette fixodon on s?lic.u.m yum, swa dyde Crist aet hi sian mid his heofonlican lare manna sawla gefixodon; foran e hi aetbrudon folces menn fram flaesclic.u.m l.u.s.tum, and fram woruldlic.u.m gedwyldum to staolfaestnysse lybbendra eoran, aet is to am ecan ele, be am cwae se witega urh G.o.des Gast, "Ic asende mine fisceras, and hi gefixia hi; mine huntan, and hi huntia hi of aelcere dune and of aelcere hylle."

Fisceras and ungetogene menn geceas Drihten him to leorning-cnihtum, and hi swa geteah, aet heora lar oferstah ealne woruld-wisdom, and hi mid heora bodunge caseras and cyningas to soum {578} geleafan gebigdon. Gif se Haelend gecure aet fruman getinge lareowas, and woruldlice uwitan, and yllice to bodigenne sende, onne waere geuht swilce se soa geleafa ne asprunge urh G.o.des mihte, ac of woruldlicere getingnysse. He geceas fisceras ?ran e he cure caseras, foran e betere is aet se casere, onne he to Romebyrig becym, aet he wurpe his cynehelm, and gecneowige aet aes fisceres gemynde, onne se fiscere cneowige aet aes caseres gemynde. Caseras he geceas, ac eah he geendebyrde one unspedigan fiscere aetforan am rican casere. Eft sian he geceas a welegan; ac him waere geuht swilce hi gecorene waeron for heora aehtum, gif he ?r ne gecure earfan. He geceas sian woruldlice uwitan, ac hi modeG.o.don, gif he ?r ne gecure a ungetogenan fisceras.

Smeaga nu hu Drihten mancynne aetbraed wuldor, aet he him wuldor forgeafe.

He aetbraed us ure idele wuldor, aet he us aet ece forgeafe. Ne scealt u on e silfum wuldrian, ac, swa swa se apostol cwae, "Se e wuldrige wuldrige on G.o.de."

Petrus and Andreas, be Cristes haese, aerrihte forleton heora nett, and him fyligdon. Ne gesawon hi a-gyt hine aenige wundra wyrcan, ne hi naht ne gehyrdon a-gyt aet his mue be mede aes ecan edleanes, and hi eah, aefter stemne anre haese, aet aet hi haefdon forgeaton. Fela G.o.des wundra we habba gehyred and eac gesewene; mid manegum swingelum gelome we sind geswencte, and mid menigfealdum eowracena teartnyssum gebregede, and swa-eah we forseo G.o.des haese, and him to lifes wege fylian nella. Nu he sitt on heofonum, mid aere menniscnysse gescrydd e he on isum life gefette, and mynega us be ure gecyrrednysse, aet we ure eawas fram leahtrum symle claension, and be his bebodum gerihtlaecon. Eallunga he undereodde eoda swuran his geoce, he astrehte middangeardes wuldor, and mid gelomlaecendum hryrum nealaecunge his strecan domes geswutela, and swa-eah ure modige mod nele sylfwilles {580} forlaetan aet aet hit daeghwomlice forlyst neadunge.

Mine gebrora, hwilcere tale mage we brucan on his dome, nu we nella bugan fram yssere andweardan woruld-lufe, urh his beboda, ne we ne synd urh his swingla gerihtlaehte.

Wen is aet eower sum cwee to him sylfum on stillum geohtum, Hwaet forleton has gebroru, Petrus and Andreas, e for nean nan ing naefdon? ac we sceolon on isum inge heora gewilnunge swior asmeagan onne heora gestreon. Micel forlaet se e him sylfum nan ing ne gehylt. Witodlice we healda ure aehta mid micelre lufe, and a ing e we nabba we seca mid ormaetre gewilnunge. Micel forlet Petrus and Andreas, aa heora aeger one willan to haebbenne eallunga forlet, and agenum l.u.s.tum wisoc. Cwy nu sum mann, Ic wolde geefenlaecan am apostolum, e ealle woruld-ing forsawon, ac ic naebbe nane aehta to forlaetenne. Ac G.o.d sceawa aes mannes heortan, and na his aehta. Ne he ne tel hu miccle speda we on his lac.u.m aspendon, ac cep mid hu micelre gewilnunge we a lac him geoffrion. Efne nu as halgan cpan, Petrus and Andreas, mid heora nettum and scipe him aet ece lif geceapodon.

Naef G.o.des rice nanes wures lofunge, ac bi gelofod be aes mannes haefene.

Heofonan rice waes alaeten isum foresaedum gebrorum for heora nette and scipe, and eft syan am rican Zacheo to healfum daele his aehta, and sumere wudewan to anum feorlinge, and sumum menn to anum waeteres drence. Ic wene aet as word ne sind eow full cue, gif we hi openlicor eow ne onwreo.