The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/XXIV

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1216814The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church — The Fourth Sunday after PentecostBenjamin ThorpeÆlfric

DOMINICA IIII. POST PENTECOSTEN.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

Ðæt hálige godspel us segð, þæt "gerefan and synfulle men genealæhton ðam Hælende, and woldon his lare gehyran. Þa ceorodon ða sunder-halgan and ða boceras Iudeiscre ðeode, forðan ðe se Hælend underfeng ða synfullan, and him mid gereordode. Þa sæde se Hælend ðam Iudeiscum bocerum ðis bigspel, Hwilc eower hæfð hund-teontig sceapa:" et reliqua. The holy gospel tells us, that "publicans and sinners approached Jesus, and desired to hear his doctrine. Then the pharisees and the scribes of the Jewish people murmured, because Jesus received the sinful, and ate and drank with them. Then said Jesus to the Jewish scribes this parable, Which of you hath an hundred sheep," etc.
Þas word sind digle, ac se trahtnere Gregorius us geopenode þæt gastlice andgit. Mine gebroðra þa leofostan, ge gehyrdon on ðyssere godspellican rædinge, þæt ða synfullan genealæhton to ðæs Hælendes spræce, and eac to his gereorde; and ða Iudeiscan boceras mid héte þæt tældon: ac heora tál næs na of rihtwisnysse, ac of niðe. Hi wæron untrume, ðeah ðe hi ðæs ne gymdon. Þa wolde se heofenlica læce mid geswæsum bigspelle þæt geswell heora heortan welwyllendlice gelacnian, and ðus cwæð, "Hwilc eower hæfð hund-teontig sceapa, and gif he forlysð án ðæra sceapa, ðonne forlæt he ða nigon and hund-nigontig on westene, and gæð secende þæt án ðe him losode?" Hundfeald getel is fulfremed, and se Ælmihtiga hæfde hund-teontig sceapa, ðaða engla werod and mancynn wæron his æhta: ac him losode án sceap, ðaða se frumsceapena mann Adam syngigende forleas neorxena-wanges bigwiste. Þa forlet se Ælmihtiga Godes Sunu eal engla werod on heofonum, and ferde to eorðan, and sohte þæt án sceap ðe him ætwunden wæs. Ðaða he hit gemette, he hit bær on his exlum to ðære eowde blissigende. Þaða he underfeng ure mennisce gecynd, and ure synna abær, þa wæs þæt dweligende sceap ongean fered on his halgum exlum. Ðæra sceapa hlaford com ham, afundenum sceape; forðan ðe Crist, æfter ðære ðrowunge, ðe he mancyn mid alysde, arás of deaðe, and astah to heofonum blissigende. These words are obscure, but the expounder Gregory has opened to us the ghostly meaning. My dearest brothers, ye have heard in this evangelical lesson, that the sinful approached to the speech of Jesus, and also to his refection; and the Jewish scribes censured that with heat; but their censure was not from righteousness, but from envy. They were sick, though they observed it not. Then would the heavenly leech with a pleasant parable benevolently heal the swelling of their hearts, and thus said, "Which of you hath an hundred sheep, and if he lose one of the sheep, then leaveth he [not] the ninety and nine in the waste, and goeth seeking the one that he lost?" An hundredfold number is perfect, and the Almighty had an hundred sheep, when the host of angels and mankind were his possessions: but he lost one sheep, when the first-created man Adam through sin lost the food of Paradise. Then the Almighty Son of God left all the host of angels in heaven, and went to earth, and sought that one sheep that had escaped from him. When he had found it, he bare it on his shoulders to the flock rejoicing. When he assumed our human nature, and bare our sins, then was the wandering sheep brought back on his holy shoulders. The master of the sheep came home, having found his sheep; for Christ after his passion, whereby he redeemed mankind, arose from death, and ascended to heaven rejoicing.
He gelaðode his frynd and his nehgeburas. His frynd sind engla heapas, forðan ðe hi healdað on heora staðelfæstnysse singallice his willan. Hi sind eac his nehgeburas, forðan ðe hi brucað þære wulderfullan beorhtnysse his gesihðe on heora andweardnysse. He cwæð, "Blissiað mid me, forðan ðe ic gemette min forlorene sceap." Ne cwæð he, 'Blissiað mid þam sceape,' ac 'mid me,' forðan ðe ure alysednys soðlice is his bliss; and ðonne we beoð to ðære heofonlican eardung-stowe gelædde, þonne gefylle we ða micclan mærsunge his gefean. He cwæð, "Ic secge eow, mare bliss bið on heofonum be anum synfullan men, gif he his synna mid dǽdbote behreowsað, ðonne sy be nigon and hund-nigontig rihtwisum ðe nanre behreowsunge ne behofiað." Þis is to smeagenne, hwi sy mare bliss be gecyrredum synfullum, þonne be unscyldigum rihtwisum. He invited his friends and his neighbours. His friends are companies of angels, because they in their steadfastness constantly observe his will. They are also his neighbours, because they enjoy the glorious brightness of his sight in their presence. He said, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep." He said not, 'Rejoice with the sheep,' but 'with me,' because our redemption is truly his joy; and when we are led to the heavenly dwelling-place, we then complete the great celebration of his gladness. He said, "I say unto you, there is more joy in heaven over one sinful man, if he rue his sins with repentance, than there is over ninety and nine righteous, who need no repentance." This is to be investigated, why there is more joy over a converted sinner, than over the innocent righteous.
We habbað gelomlice gesewen, þæt gehwylce gebroðra, ðe ne befeollon on healice gyltas, þæt hí ne beoð ealles swa carfulle to beganne ða earfoðlican drohtnunge, swilce hi orsorge beon, forðan ðe hi ða healican leahtras ne gefremedon; and gehwilce oðre ðe oncnawað þa swæran gyltas ðe hi on geogoðe adrugon, beoð mid micelre sarnysse onbryrde. Hi forseoð alyfedlice ðing and gesewenlice, and mid wope gewilniað þa ungesewenlican and ða heofonlican. Hí forseoð hí sylfe, and geeadmettað on eallum ðingum; and forði ðe hí dweligende fram heora Scyppende gewiton, hí willað geinnian ða æftran hinðe mid þam uferan gestreonum. Mare bliss bið on heofonum be ðam gecyrredum synfullum, ðurh swilce drohtnunga, þonne sy be ðam asolcenum þe truwað be him sylfum þæt he lytle and feawa gyltas gefremode, and eac hwonlice carað ymbe Godes beboda and his sawle ðearfe. Maran lufe nimð se heretoga on gefeohte to ðam cempan, þe æfter fleame his wiðerwinnan ðegenlice oferwinð, þonne to ðam þe mid fleame ne ætwánd, ne ðeah on nanum gecampe naht ðegenlices ne gefremode. Ealswa se yrðling lufað ðone æcer, ðe æfter ðornum and bremelum genihtsume wæstmas agifð, swiðor þonne he lufige ðone ðe ðornig næs, ne wæstmbære ne bið. Sind ðeah-hwæðere forwel mænige rihtwise unscyldige wið heafod-leahtras, and habbað hwæðere ealswa stiðe drohtnunge swylce hi mid eallum synnum geancsumede wæron. Þam ne mæg nan dǽdbeta beon geefenlæht, forðan ðe hí sind rihtwise and behreowsigende. Be ðam is to smeagenne hu micclum se rihtwisa mid eadmodre heofunge God gegladige, gif se unrihtwisa mid soðre dǽdbote hine gegladian mæg. We have frequently seen that those brethren, who have not fallen into deadly sins, are not altogether so careful to practise a hard course of life, as though they were careless because they had not perpetrated deadly sins; and that others who acknowledge the grievous sins that they have committed in youth, are pricked with great affliction. They despise permitted and visible things, and with weeping desire those invisible and heavenly. They despise and humble themselves in all things; and because through error they have departed from their Creator, they desire to repair the consequent injury with heavenly gains. Greater joy there will be in heaven over the converted sinner, through such endurances, than over a remiss one who is confident in himself, that he has perpetrated little and few sins, and at the same time cares but little about God's commandments and his soul's need. Greater love a general feels in battle for the soldier who after flight boldly overcomes his adversary, than for him who never took to flight, nor yet in any conflict performed any deed of valour. In like manner the husbandman loves the field which after thorns and brambles yields abundant fruits, more than he loves that which was not thorny nor is fruitful. There are, nevertheless, very many righteous guiltless of deadly sins, and yet practise as severe a course of life as though they were troubled with all sins. With these can no penitent sinner be compared, because they are righteous and repentant. By this is to be judged how greatly the righteous with humble lamentation gladdens God, if the unrighteous with true penitence can gladden him.
Drihten rehte ða-gyt oðer bígspel be tyn scyllingum, and ðæra án losode and wearð gemet. Þæt bígspel getacnað eft nigon engla werod. To ðam teoðan werode wæs mancyn gesceapen; forðan ðe þæt teoðe wearð mid modignysse forscyldigod, and hi ealle to awyrgedum deoflum wurdon awende, and of ðære heofonlican blisse to helle suslum bescofene. Nu sind ða nigon heapas genemnede, angeli, archangeli, uirtutes, potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubin, seraphin. Þæt teoðe forwearð. Þa wæs mancynn gesceapen to ge-edstaðelunge ðæs forlorenan heapes. The Lord yet said another parable concerning ten shillings, and of which one was lost and was found. That parable again betokens the nine hosts of angels. Instead of the tenth host mankind was created; for the tenth had been found guilty of pride, and thrust from heavenly bliss to hell torments. There are now nine companies, named, angeli, archangeli, virtutes, potestates, principatus, dominationes, throni, cherubim, seraphim. The tenth perished. Then was mankind created to supply the place of the lost company.
Angeli sind gecwedene Godes bodan; archangeli, healice bodan; uirtutes, mihta, ðurh ða wyrcð God fela wundra. Potestates sind ánwealdu, ðe habbað anweald ofer ða awyrgedan gastas, þæt hi ne magon geleaffulra manna heortan swa micclum costnian swa hi willað. Principatus sind ealdorscipas, ðe ðæra godra engla gymað, and hi be heora dihte ða godcundlican gerynu gefyllað. Dominationes sind hlafordscypas gecwedene, forðan ðe him gehyrsumiað oðra engla werod mid micelre underðeodnysse. Throni sind þrymsetl, þa beoð gefyllede mid swa micelre gife ðære Ælmihtigan Godcundnysse, þæt se Eallwealdenda God on him wunað, and ðurh hi his domas tosceat. Cherubin is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes, oððe gewittes: hi sind afyllede mid gewitte swa miccle swiðor, swa hi gehendran beoð heora Scyppende, ðurh wurðscipe heora geearnunga. Seraphim sind gecwedene byrnende, oððe, onælende: hi sind swa miccle swiðor byrnende on Godes lufe, swa micclum swa hi sind to him geðeodde; forðan ðe nane oðre englas ne sind betweonan him and ðam Ælmihtigan Gode. Hi sind byrnende na on fyres wisan, ac mid micelre lufe þæs Wealdendan Cyninges. Godes rice bið gelogod mid engla weredum and geðungenum mannum, and we gelyfað þæt of mancynne swa micel getel astige þæt uplice rice, swa micel swa on heofonum beláf haligra gasta æfter ðam hryre ðæra awyrgedra gasta. Angeli are interpreted, God's messengers; archangeli, high messengers; virtutes, powers, by which God works many miracles. Potestates are powers which have power over the accursed spirits, that they may not tempt the hearts of believing men so much as they desire. Principatus are authorities which have charge of the good angels, and they by their direction fulfil the divine mysteries. Dominationes are interpreted, lordships, because the other hosts of angels obey them with great subjection. Throni are thrones which are filled with such great grace of the Almighty Godhead, that the All-powerful God dwells on them, and through them decides his dooms. Cherubim are interpreted, fullness of knowledge or understanding: they are filled with so much the more understanding as they are nearer to their Creator through the worthiness of their deserts. Seraphim are interpreted burning, or inflaming: they are so much the more burning in love of God as they are associated with him; for there are no other angels between them and the Almighty God. They are burning, not in wise of fire, but with great love of the Powerful King. God's kingdom is composed of hosts of angels and of religious men, and we believe that of mankind as great a number will ascend to that sublime realm as there remained of holy spirits in heaven after the fall of the accursed spirits.
Nigon engla werod þær wæron to lafe, and þæt teoðe forferde. Nu bið eft seo micelnys geðungenra manna swa micel swa ðæra staðelfæstra engla wæs; and we beoð geendebyrde to heora weredum, æfter urum geearnungum. Menige geleaffulle men sind þe habbað lytel andgit to understandenne ða deopnysse Godes lare, and willað þeah-hwæðere oðrum mannum mid arfæstnysse cyðan ymbe Godes mærða, be heora andgites mæðe: þas beoð geendebyrde to englum, þæt is, to Godes bydelum. Þa gecorenan ðe magon asmeagan Godes digelnysse, and oðrum bodian mid gastlicre lare, hi beoð getealde to heah-englum, þæt is to healicum bodum. Þa halgan, ðe on life wundra wyrceað, beoð geendebyrde betwux ðam heofenlicum mihtum þe Godes tacna gefremmað. Sind eac sume gecorene menn ðe aflyað þa awyrgedan gastas fram ofsettum mannum, ðurh mihte heora bena: hwærto beoð þas geendebyrde buton to ðam heofenlicum anwealdum, be gewyldað þa feondlican costneras? Þa gecorenan ðe ðurh healice geearnunga þa læssan gebroðru oferstigað mid ealdorscipe, þa habbað eac heora dæl betwux ðam heofenlicum ealderdomum. Sume beoð swa geðungene þæt hí wealdað mid heora hlafordscipe ealle uncysta and leahtras on him sylfum, swa þæt hi beoð godas getealde ðurh ða healican clænnysse: be ðam cwæð se Ælmihtiga to Moysen, "Ic ðe gesette, þæt þu wære Pharaones god." Þas Godes ðegnas, þe beoð on swa micelre geðincðe on gesihðe þæs Ælmihtigan þæt hi sind godas getealde, hwider gescyt ðonne heora endebyrdnysse, buton to ðam werode ðe sind hlafordscipas gecwedene? forðan ðe him oðre englas underðeodde beoð. Nine hosts of angels were left, and the tenth perished. Now the multitude of religious men will be as great as was that of the steadfast angels; and we shall be annexed to their hosts, according to our deserts. Many faithful men there are who have little intellect to understand the deepness of God's lore, and will, nevertheless, with piety declare to other men concerning the glories of God, according to the measure of their intellect: these will be annexed to the angels, that is, to God's messengers. The chosen, who can investigate the mysteries of God, and preach with ghostly lore to others, will be numbered with the archangels, that is, with the high messengers. The holy, who work wonders in life, will be disposed among the heavenly powers who execute God's miracles. There are also some chosen men who drive out the accursed spirits from men possessed, by power of their prayers: whereto shall these be annexed except to the heavenly powers, who control the fiendlike tempters? Those chosen ones, who through high deserts excel their humbler brethren in authority, will have their portion also among the heavenly princes. Some there are so pious that they control with their authority all vices and sins in themselves, so that they are accounted gods through their exalted purity: of these the Almighty said to Moses, "I will set thee that thou be Pharaoh's god." These servants of God, who are in so great honour in the sight of the Almighty that they are accounted gods, to what order are they assigned, unless to the host which is called lordships? for to them other angels are subordinate.
On sumum gecorenum mannum, ðe mid micelre gimene on andweardum life drohtniað, bið Godes Gastes gifu swa micel, þæt he on heora heortan swilce on ðrimsetle sittende toscǽt and démð wundorlice oðra manna dæda. Hwæt sind þas buton ðrymsetl heora Scyppendes, on ðam ðe he wunigende mannum démð? Seo soðe lufu is gefyllednys Godes ǽ, and se ðe on his ðeawum hylt Godes lufe and manna, he bið þonne cherubim rihtlice geháten; forðan ðe eal gewitt and ingehyd is belocen on twam wordum, þæt is Godes lufu and manna. Sume Godes ðeowan sind onælede mid swa micelre gewilnunge heora Scyppendes neawiste, þæt hi forseoð ealle woruldlice ymbhydignysse, and mid byrnendum mode ealle ða ateorigendlican geðincðu oferstigað, and mid ðam micclan bryne ðære heofenlican lufe oðre ontendað, and mid larlicre spræce getrymmað. Hu magon ðas beon gecigede buton seraphim, þonne hi ðurh ðone micclan bryne Godes lufe sind toforan oðrum eorðlicum his neawiste gehendost? In some chosen men, who live with great heedfulness in the present life, the grace of God's Spirit is so great, that he, sitting on their hearts as it were on a throne, decides and judges wondrously the deeds of other men. What are these but thrones of their Creator, on which abiding he judges men? True love is the completion of God's law, and he who in his moral conduct holds love of God and of men, will be rightly called cherubim; for all understanding and knowledge is contained in two words, namely, love of God and of men. Some servants of God are inflamed with so great a desire for the presence of their Creator, that they despise all worldly care, and with burning mind rise above all perishing honours, and with the great heat of heavenly love enkindle others, and with instructive speech confirm them. How may these be called but seraphim, when through the great heat of love of God they are before other mortals nearest to his presence?
Nu cweð se eadiga Gregorius, "Wa ðære sawle ðe orhlyte hyre lif adrihð þæra haligra mihta," þe we nu sceortlice eow gerehton. Ac seo ðe bedæled is þam godnyssum, heo geomrige and gewilnige þæt se cystiga Wealdend þurh his gife hí geðeode þam hlyte his gecorenra. Nabbað ealle menn gelice gife æt Gode, forðan ðe he forgifð ða gastlican geðincðu ælcum be his gecneordnyssum. Se ðe læssan gife hæbbe, ne ándige he on ðam foreðeondum, forðan ðe ða halgan ðreatas ðæra eadigra engla sind swa geendebyrde, þæt hi sume mid underþeodnysse oðrum hyrsumiað, and sume mid oferstigendre wurðfulnysse ðam oðrum sind foresette. Now says the blessed Gregory, "Woe to the soul that passes its life devoid of the holy virtues," which we have just shortly explained to you. But let the soul which is deprived of those excellences mourn, and desire that the bountiful Ruler will, through his grace, associate it to the lot of his chosen. All men have not like grace from God, for he gives ghostly honours to every one according to his endeavours. Let him who has less grace envy not those more excellent, because the holy companies of blessed angels are so ordered, that some in subordination obey others, and some with transcending dignity are set before others.
Micel getel is ðæra haligra gasta, þe on Godes rice eardiað, be ðam cwæð se witega Daniel, "Þusend ðusenda ðenodon þam Heofonlican Wealdende, and ten ðusend siðan hundfealde ðusenda him mid wunodon." Oðer is ðenung, oðer is mid-wunung. Þa englas ðeniað Gode þe bodiað his willan middangearde, and ða ðing gefyllað þe him liciað. Ða oðre werod, þe him mid wuniað, brucað þære incundan embwlátunge his godcundnysse, swa þæt hí nateshwon fram his andweardnysse asende ne gewitað. Soðlice ða ðe to us asende becumað, swa hí gefremmað heora Scyppendes hæse wiðutan, þæt hi ðeah-hwæðere næfre ne gewitað fram his godcundan myrhðe; forðam ðe God is æghwær, þeah ðe se engel stowlic sy. Nis se Ælmihtiga Wealdend stowlic, forðan ðe he is on ælcere stowe, and swa hwider swa se stowlica engel flihð, he bið befangen mid his andwerdnysse. Great is the number of the holy spirits which dwell in God's kingdom, of whom the prophet Daniel said, "Thousand thousands ministered to the Heavenly Ruler, and ten thousand times hundredfold thousands dwelt with him." One thing is ministry, another is, co-dwelling. Those angels minister to God who announce his will to the world, and perform the things which are pleasing to him. The other hosts, that dwell with him, enjoy the closest contemplation of his Godhead, so that they on no account, sent forth, withdraw from his presence. But those who are sent to us so execute their Creator's behest without, that they, nevertheless, depart never from his divine joy; for God is everywhere, though the angel be local. The Almighty Ruler is not local, for he is in every place, and whithersoever the local angel flieth, he will be surrounded with His presence.
Hi habbað sume synderlice gife fram heora Scyppende, and ðeah-hwæðere heora wurðscipe him bið eallum gemæne, and þæt þæt gehwilc on him sylfum be dæle hæfð, þæt he hæfð on oðrum werode fulfremodlice; be ðam cwæð se sealm-wyrhta, "Drihten, ðu ðe sitst ofer cherubin, geswutela ðe sylfne." Some of them have especial grace from their Creator, and yet their dignity is common to all, and that which each one has in himself partially, he has in another host perfectly; of which the psalmist said, "Lord, thou who sittest above the cherubim, manifest thyself."
We sædon litle ær on ðisre rædinge, þæt þæs Ælmihtigan ðrymsetl wære betwux ðam werode ðe sind throni gecigede: ac hwá mæg beon eadig, buton he his Scyppendes wununge on him sylfum hæbbe? Seraphim sind ða gastas gecigede, ðe beoð on Drihtnes lufe byrnende, and ðeah-hwæðere eal þæt heofonlice mægen samod beoð onælede mid his lufe. Cherubim is gecweden gefyllednys ingehydes oððe gewittes, and ðeah hwilc engel is on Godes andwerdnysse ðe ealle ðing nyte? Ac forði is gehwilc ðæra weroda þam naman geciged, ðe ða gife getacnað þe he fulfremedlicor underfeng. We said a little before in this lesson, that the throne of the Almighty was among the host which are called throni: but who may be happy, unless he have his Creator's dwelling in himself? Seraphim the spirits are called who are burning with love of the Lord, and yet all the heavenly power together is inflamed with his love. Cherubim is interpreted fullness of knowledge or understanding, and yet what angel is there in God's presence who knows not all things? But each of those hosts is therefore called by the name which betokens the gift that it has more perfectly received.
Ac uton suwian hwæthwega be ðam digelnyssum ðæra heofenlicra ceastergewarena, and smeagan be us sylfum, and geomrian mid behreowsunge ure synna, þæt we, ðurh Drihtnes mildheortnysse, ða heofonlican wununge, swa swa he us behét, habban moton. He cwæð on sumere stowe, "On mines Fæder huse sind fela wununga;" forðan gif sume beoð strengran on geearnungum, sume rihtwisran, sume mid maran halignysse geglengede, þæt heora nan ne beo geælfremod fram ðam micclan huse, þær ðær gehwilc onfehð wununge be his geearnungum. But let us cease a little from speaking of the mysteries of the heavenly inhabitants, and meditate on ourselves, and bewail with repentance our sins, that we, through the Lord's mercy, may, as he has promised us, attain to the heavenly dwelling. He said in some place, "In my Father's house are many dwellings," for if some be stronger in deserts, some more righteous, some adorned with greater holiness, none of them may be estranged from the great house, where everyone shall receive a dwelling according to his deserts.
Se miltsienda Drihten cwæð, þæt micel blis wære on heofonum be anum dǽdbetan; ac se ylca cwæð þurh his witegan, "Gif se rihtwisa gecyrð fram his rihtwisnysse, and begæð unrihtwisnysse arleaslice, ealle his rihtwisnysse ic forgyte; and gif se arleasa behreowsað his arleasnysse, and begæð rihtwisnysse, ne gemune ic nanra his synna." Behreowsigendum mannum he miltsað, ac hé ne behét þam elcigendum gewiss líf oð merigen. Nis forði nanum synfullum to yldigenne agenre gecyrrednysse, ðylæs ðe he mid sleacnysse forleose ða tíd Godes fyrstes. Smeage gehwilc man his ærran dæda, and eac his andweardan drohtnunge, and fleo to ðam mildheortan Deman mid wópe, ða hwile ðe he anbidað ure betrunge, seðe is rihtwis and mildheort. Soðlice behreowsað his gedwyld seðe ne ge-edlæhð þa ærran dæda; be ðam cwæð se Hælend to ðam gehæledan bedredan, "Efne nu ðu eart gehæled, ne synga ðu heonon-forð, þylæs ðe ðe sum ðing wyrse gelimpe." The merciful Lord said, that there was great joy in heaven for one penitent; but the Same said through his prophet, "If the righteous turn from his righteousness, and impiously commit unrighteousness, all his righteousness I will forget; and if the impious repent of his impiety, and do righteousness, I will not remember any of his sins." To repentant men he is merciful, but to the procrastinating he promises not certain life till the morrow. No sinner ought therefore to procrastinate his own repentance, lest he by remissness lose the time of God's respite. Let every man meditate on his former deeds, and also on his present conduct, and fly to the merciful Judge with weeping, while he, who is righteous and merciful, awaits our bettering. He truly repents of his sins who repeats not his former deeds; concerning which Jesus said to the healed bedridden, "Behold, now thou art healed, sin not henceforth, lest something worse befall thee."
Geleaffullum mannum mæg beon micel truwa and hopa to ðam menniscum Gode Criste, seðe is ure Mundbora and Dema, seðe leofað and rixað mid Fæder, on annysse þæs Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen. Believing men may have great trust and hope to the human God Christ, who is our Protector and Judge, who liveth and reigneth with the Father, in unity of the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.