Delphi Collected Works of Ælfric of Eynsham Illustrated E-Book

Ælfric of Eynsham

• Herausgeber: Delphi Publishing Ltd
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Medieval Library
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 3761

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

The tenth century abbot Aelfric of Eynsham is considered the greatest Anglo-Saxon author of his time. He wrote both to instruct the monks and to spread the learning of the monastic revival. His ‘Homilies’ provided orthodox sermons, based on the Church Fathers. He also composed a celebrated ‘Lives of the Saints’, the ‘Hexateuch’ (a vernacular language version of the first seven books of the Bible), as well as important treatises on religious theory. Delphi’s Medieval Library provides eReaders with rare and precious works of the Middle Ages, with noted English translations and the original texts. This eBook presents Ælfric’s collected works, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Ælfric's life and works
* Features the collected works of Ælfric, in both English translation and the original Old English
* Concise introductions to the major works
* Excellent formatting of the texts
* Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables
* Includes Ælfric’s rare treatises, recently translated by Brandon W. Hawk
* Provides a special dual English and Old English text of ‘Homilies’, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph — ideal for students
* Features a bonus biography — discover Ælfric’s medieval world

CONTENTS:

The Translations
The Homilies (tr. Benjamin Thorpe)
Lives of Saints (tr. Walter W. Skeat)
On False Gods (Anonymous tr.)
Life of Saint Edmund, King and Martyr (Anonymous tr.)
Sermon on Judith (tr. Brandon W. Hawk)
Preface to the ‘Hexateuch’ (tr. Brandon W. Hawk)
The Hexateuch (tr. Richard Challoner,)
A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments (tr. Brandon W. Hawk)

The Original Text
The Homilies (Old English Text)

The Dual Text
The Homilies (Old English and Modern English Text)

The Biography
Ælfric (1900) by William Hunt

Leseprobe

The Collected Works of

ÆLFRIC

(c. 955-c. 1010)

Contents

The Translations

The Homilies

Lives of Saints

On False Gods

Life of Saint Edmund, King and Martyr

Sermon on Judith

Preface to the ‘Hexateuch’

The Hexateuch

A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments

The Original Text

The Homilies (Old English Text)

The Dual Text

The Homilies (Old English and Modern English Text)

The Biography

Ælfric (1900) by William Hunt

The Delphi Classics Catalogue

© Delphi Classics 2024

Version 1

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Medieval Library

ÆLFRIC OF EYNSHAM

By Delphi Classics, 2024

COPYRIGHT

Collected Works of Ælfric of Eynsham

First published in the United Kingdom in 2024 by Delphi Classics.

© Delphi Classics, 2024.

The translations of Sermon on Judith, Preface to the ‘Hexateuch’ and A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments appear here under the kind permission of Brandon W. Hawk, 2015.

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

ISBN: 978 1 80170 204 1

Delphi Classics

is an imprint of

Delphi Publishing Ltd

Hastings, East Sussex

United Kingdom

Contact: [email protected]

www.delphiclassics.com

The Translations

Winchester Cathedral — Ælfric was educated in the Benedictine Old Minster at Winchester.

Modern tiles outline the site of the minster next to Winchester Cathedral

The Homilies

Translated by Benjamin Thorpe, 1844

A tenth century abbot and author, Ælfric of Eynsham was educated in the Benedictine Old Minster at Winchester under Saint Æthelwold, who served as bishop there from 963 to 984. Æthelwold had carried on the tradition of Dunstan in his government of the abbey of Abingdon and at Winchester he continued his strenuous support for the English Benedictine Reform. He reportedly took part in the teaching activities of the abbey. In short time, Ælfric gained the reputation of an accomplished scholar and by 987, when the abbey of Cerne (Cerne Abbas in Dorset) was finished, he was sent by Bishop Ælfheah, Æthelwold’s successor, at the request of the chief benefactor of the abbey, the ealdorman Æthelmær the Stout, to teach the Benedictine monks sequestered there.

While serving at Cerne and partly at the desire of Æthelweard, Ælfric planned two series of English homilies, compiled from the Christian fathers, and dedicated to Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury from 990 to 994. The series were edited by Benjamin Thorpe and published in 1844-1846 for the Ælfric Society. The Latin preface to the first series provides some of Ælfric’s authorities, the chief of whom was Gregory the Great, though the list does not state all of the authors he had consulted. In the preface to the first volume he regrets that, except for Alfred’s translations, Englishmen had no means of learning the true doctrine as expounded by the Latin fathers. Some believe he wished to correct the apocryphal “superstitious” teaching of the earlier Blickling Homilies.

The first series of forty Homilies is devoted to plain and direct exposition of the chief events of the Christian year, while the second deals more fully with church doctrine and history.

England in the late ninth century

The beginning of the sermon for Christmas, the First Series of ‘Homilies’, Cerne, c. 990, Royal MS 7 C XII, f. 9v

CONTENTS

PREFACE.

INCIPIT PRÆFATIO HUJUS LIBRI.

PREFACE.

HERE BEGINNETH THE BOOK OF CATHOLIC SERMONS IN ENGLISH, TO BE RECITED IN CHURCH DURING THE YEAR.

DECEMBER XXV.

DECEMBER XXVI.

DECEMBER XXVII.

DECEMBER XXVIII.

JANUARY I.

JANUARY VI.

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE LORD’S EPIPHANY.

FEBRUARY II.

SHROVE SUNDAY.

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.

MIDLENT SUNDAY.

MARCH XXV.

FOR PALM SUNDAY.

EASTER SUNDAY.

THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

ON THE GREATER LITANY.

TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY.

SERMON ON THE LORD’S ASCENSION.

FOR THE HOLY DAY OF PENTECOST.

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

JUNE XXIV.

JUNE XXIX.

OF THE PASSION OF THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL.

JUNE XXX.

GOSPEL.

THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

AUGUST X.

AUGUST XV.

AUGUST XXV.

AUGUST XXIX.

THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

SEPTEMBER XXIX.

GOSPEL.

THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

NOVEMBER I.

GOSPEL.

NOVEMBER XXIII.

NOVEMBER XXX.

PASSION OF THE SAME.

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN THE LORD’S ADVENT.

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN THE LORD’S ADVENT.

King Edgar seated between Saint Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester, and Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, as depicted on the eleventh-century manuscript ‘Regularis Concordia’.

PREFACE.

THEWORKNOWpresented to the Members of the Ælfric Society, the first fruit of its praiseworthy attempt to rescue from oblivion the literary remains of our forefathers, was selected for the earliest publication of the Society, on account both of its valuable matter and the beautiful medium by which it is conveyed.

Of the author of the Sermones Catholici we know nothing with certainty beyond his name, though from the words of his own preface, where he speaks of king Æthelred’s days as past, and informs us that in those days he was only a monk and mass-priest, it follows that he was not Ælfric archbishop of Canterbury, who died in the year 1006, or ten years before the death of king Æthelred.

With better foundation we may assume him to have been Ælfric archbishop of York, who presided over that see from the year 1023 to 10511. Against this supposition there seems no objection on the score of dates, and that the composer of the ‘Sermones’ was a person of eminence during the life of archbishop Wulfstan, of whom, according to our hypothesis, he was the immediate successor, is evident from the language of his Canons, and of his Pastoral Epistle to Wulfstan, in which he speaks as one having authority; though in the first-mentioned of these productions he styles himself simply “humilis frater,” and in the other “Ælfricus abbas2,” and afterwards “biscop.”

Of Ælfric’s part in these Homilies, whether, as it would seem from his preface, it was that of a mere translator from the several works he therein names3, or whether he drew aught from his own stores, my pursuits do not enable me to speak, though it seems that no one of his homilies is, generally speaking, a mere translation from any one given Latin original, but rather a compilation from several. Be this, however, as it may, his sermons in either case equally exhibit what were the doctrines of the Anglo-Saxon church at the period in which they were compiled or translated, and are for the most part valuable in matter, and expressed in language which may be pronounced a pure specimen of our noble, old, Germanic mother-tongue. Of those doctrines it would not be consistent with the object of the Society, nor am I qualified to hazard an opinion: my labour has, consequently, been limited to that of a faithful transcription of what I believe to be the most complete manuscript, and to a conscientiously correct translation of that transcript, as literal as my acquaintance with the language and my notions of good taste permitted4; and I venture to hope that such a translation, though unattended by a commentary, will be regarded with interest by the members of each of the great communities into which the Christian world is divided.

Besides the Homilies, the chief works attributed to our Ælfric are, —

I. A Grammar of the Latin tongue, printed at the end of Somner’s Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, with a Glossary of Anglo-Saxon words5.

II. A short astronomical treatise, entitled De Temporibus Anni6.

III. An abridgment in Anglo-Saxon of the Pentateuch, the book of Joshua, and the book of Judges, printed by Thwaites7.

IV. A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments8.

V. Excerpta ex Libro Æthelwoldi de Consuetudine Monachorum9.

VI. A Latin Dialogue, with an interlinear Anglo-Saxon gloss10.

VII. Ecclesiastical Canons, addressed to Wulsine, bishop of Sherborne.

VIII. A Pastoral Epistle, written by command of archbishop Wulfstan.

IX. An Epistle entitled “Quando dividis Chrisma11.”

X. A Collection of Homilies on the Saints’ days observed by the Anglo-Saxon Church.

Though the present is the first edition of these most ancient sermons in any of the Germanic tongues, it may be interesting to some readers to be informed that two attempts at publishing them were made in the early part of the last century by Mrs. Elizabeth Elstob, which failed through want of encouragement, a few leaves only having been printed12.

In assigning to Ælfric, archbishop of York, the honour of being the author of the Homilies and other works enumerated above, it would have been gratifying to add, that the character of that prelate given by the chroniclers was beyond a doubt all that could be desired, and such as to render it highly probable that to him we are indebted for those noble and holy labours. Unfortunately the case is otherwise, the few facts recorded of Ælfric of York being for the most part quite irreconcileable with the portrait of the pious student which our imagination spontaneously draws, on calling to mind the exertions in the cause of religion and learning attributed to our Ælfric. Of the archbishop, Malmesbury speaks in terms of no ordinary severity, asserting, that at his instigation Hardacnut caused the corpse of his brother Harald Harefoot to be taken from the grave and decapitated, and afterwards thrown into the Thames; also, that being exasperated against the people of Worcester, who had rejected him for their bishop, he again instigated the same king to burn their city and confiscate their property, under the pretext of their having resisted the royal tax-gatherers13. The better testimony of Florence of Worcester, with regard to the first of these transactions, is, however, less prejudicial to the character of Ælfric: he says merely, that Ælfric, archbishop of York, with others was sent to London by the king for the purpose of digging up the body of Harald and casting it into a fen14. Of the second transaction Florence makes no mention. But the earliest account is that in the Saxon Chronicle15, and in this it is simply said, that “he (Harthacnut) caused the dead body of Harald to be taken up, and had it cast into a fen:” to Ælfric and the others there is no allusion whatever. In the same record his death is mentioned in the following terms of respect: “This year (1052) died Ælfric, archbishop of York, a very venerable and wise man.” It is also stated that he was the accuser of earl Godwine, of the earl of Kent, and of Living, bishop of Worcester, as the murderers of the young Ælfred, the son of Æthelred16.

The manuscript from which the text of the present volume is taken belongs to the Public Library at Cambridge. It is a small folio and probably coeval with its author, though hardly, as it has been supposed, his own autograph copy17. It is not perfect, having suffered mutilation in several places, but its defects are all supplied in the present work from another MS. in the British Museum18. For the most liberal use of the Cambridge manuscript, I beg leave, on the part of the Ælfric Society, to express the sincerest thanks to the Syndics of that University.

To W. E. Buckley, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose College, and Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Oxford, I return my sincere thanks for his kindness in removing my doubts of the integrity of the text by collation with the Bodleian manuscript; also to my greatly respected friend, the Reverend Daniel Rock, D.D., I acknowledge myself much indebted for the kind promptness with which he at all times satisfied my inquiries respecting the ancient observances of the Church, as well as other points of doubt, which his deep knowledge of ecclesiastical antiquities so well qualifies him to solve.

The second volume, containing Homilies for another year, is in preparation, and will, it is hoped, be laid before the Members of the Society in the course of the year 1845.

B. T.

ENDNOTES

1 See also H. Whartoni Anglia Sacra, t. i. p. 125.

2 He was abbot of Eynsham. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 482, n. ‡

3 Among his sources he mentions Smaragdus and Haymo: of these the former was abbot of St. Mihiel, a monastery in the diocese of Verdun, in the eighth century. He wrote commentaries on the Scriptures, Sermons, etc. Haymo was bishop of Halberstadt, about the middle of the ninth century: he compiled, from the works of the fathers, commentaries on almost every part of the Scriptures. There was also a Haymo of Canterbury, who wrote commentaries on the Pentateuch, Isaiah, etc., of whom see Biogr. Britan. Lit. vol. i. p. 510. The other sources mentioned by Ælfric are too well known to need further notice.

4 It is right to observe, that in the MS. the texts taken from the Gospels are frequently of very great length; these I have ventured to abridge, presuming that all readers of the Homilies have a copy of the N. T. either in Anglo-Saxon or English.

5 Ælfrici Abbatis Grammatica Latino-Saxonica, cum Glossario suo ejusdem generis. Folio. Oxon. 1659. That the author of the Grammar, the compiler of the Homilies and the translator of the Heptateuch was the same individual, is evident from the prefaces to those works.

6 Published at the expense of the Historical Society of Science, in a volume entitled ‘Popular Treatises on Science written during the Middle Ages,’ edited by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., etc. etc. 8vo. 1841. That this work is by our Ælfric is evident from his own words immediately following his last homily: Her æfter fyligð án lytel cwyde be gearlicum tidum, þæt nis to spelle geteald, ac elles to rædenne þam ðe hit licað. — Hereafter follows a little discourse concerning yearly tides, which is not reckoned as a sermon, but is else to be read by those whom it pleases. MS. Cantab. p. 492.

7 Heptateuchus, Liber Job, et Evangelium Nicodemi; Anglo-Saxonice. Historiæ Judith Fragmentum; Dano-Saxonice. Edidit, etc. Edwardus Thwaites. Oxon. 8vo. 1699.

8 A Saxon Treatise concerning the Old and New Testament, written about the time of king Edgar by Ælfricus Abbas, etc., by William L’Isle of Wilburgham, Esquier for the King’s bodie, etc. 4to. Lond. 1623.

9 An edition of the Anglo-Saxon text of this work, with a translation by W. E. Buckley, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose Coll. and Prof. of A.-S. in the Univ. of Oxf., is announced for early publication by the Ælfric Society. The ealdorman Æthelweard, son of Æthelmær, mentioned in the preface to the Homilies and other works of Ælfric, is without doubt the chronicler of that name, concerning whom see Literary Introd. to Lappenberg’s ‘History of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings,’ p. xlv.

10 According to the Oxford MS. of this Colloquium, it was originally composed by Ælfric (of Canterbury or York?) and enlarged by his pupil Ælfric Bata. It is printed in the ‘Analecta Anglo-Saxonica.’ For more ample information concerning the Ælfrics the reader is referred to Mr. Wright’s interesting and useful publication, ‘Biographia Britannica Literaria; Anglo-Saxon Period,’ edited for the Royal Society of Literature.

11 The three last-mentioned works are printed, with a translation, in the ‘Ancient Laws and Institutes of England.’ It appears from a note at the end of Matthew in the C.C.C.C. MS. of the Saxon Gospels, that an Ælfric was either the translator or copier of the Gospel of St. Matthew, if not of the four Gospels. See Notes to my edition of the Anglo-Saxon Gospels.

12 Elfrici Homiliæ, edit. El. Elstob. (fol. Oxon. 1715.) Of this first attempt only thirty-six pages were printed. Her second attempt was under the title, “The English-Saxon Homilies of Ælfric, Archb. of Cant., who flourished in the latter end of the tenth century and the beginning of the eleventh. Being a course of Sermons collected out of the writings of the ancient Latin Fathers, containing the Doctrines, etc. of the Church of England before the Norman Conquest, etc. etc. Now first printed, and translated into the language of the present times by Eliz. Elstob. fol. Oxon. 1715.” Of this only two leaves were printed. A copy of both is in the Brit. Mus. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 493. Mrs. Elstob also published Ælfric’s Homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory, with a translation. 8vo. 1709. Reprinted with some account of Mrs. Elstob in 1839.

13 De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum, lib. iii.

14 Fl. Wigorn. Chron. ad a. 1040.

15 Ad ann. 1046.

16 R. Wendover, t. i. p. 478.

17 The handwriting, though very nearly alike, is not the same in the two parts of the MS.; they also occasionally differ in orthography, ‘middangeard,’ for instance, in the first part being in the second constantly written ‘middaneard.’

18 MS. Reg. 7. c. xii.

INCIPIT PRÆFATIO HUJUS LIBRI.

IN NOMINE DOMINI.

EGO ÆLFRICUS, ALUMNUSAdelwoldi, benevoli et venerabilis Presulis, salutem exopto Domno Archiepiscopo Sigerico in Domino. Licet temere vel presumptuose, tamen transtulimus hunc codicem ex libris Latinorum, scilicet Sancte Scripture in nostram consuetam sermocinationem, ob ædificationem simplicium, qui hanc norunt tantummodo locutionem, sive legendo sive audiendo; ideoque nec obscura posuimus verba, sed simplicem Anglicam, quo facilius possit ad cor pervenire legentium vel audientium, ad utilitatem animarum suarum, quia alia lingua nesciunt erudiri, quam in qua nati sunt. Nec ubique transtulimus verbum ex verbo, sed sensum ex sensu, cavendo tamen diligentissime deceptivos errores, ne inveniremur aliqua hæresi seducti seu fallacia fuscati. Hos namque auctores in hac explanatione sumus sequuti, videlicet Augustinum Hipponensem, Hieronimum, Bedam, Gregorium, Smaragdum, et aliquando Haymonem; horum denique auctoritas ab omnibus catholicis libentissime suscipitur. Nec solum Evangeliorum tractatus in isto libello exposuimus, verum etiam Sanctorum passiones vel vitas, ad utilitatem idiotarum istius gentis. Quadraginta sententias in isto libro posuimus, credentes hoc sufficere posse per annum fidelibus, si integre eis a ministris Dei recitentur in ecclesia. Alterum vero librum modo dictando habemus in manibus, qui illos tractatus vel passiones continet quos iste omisit; nec tamen omnia Evangelia tangimus per circulum anni, sed illa tantummodo quibus speramus sufficere posse simplicibus ad animarum emendationem, quia seculares omnia nequeunt capere, quamvis ex ore doctorum audiant. Duos libros in ista translatione facimus, persuadentes ut legatur unus per annum in ecclesia Dei, et alter anno sequenti, ut non fiat tedium auscultantibus; tamen damus licentiam, si alicui melius placet, ad unum librum ambos ordinare. Ergo si alicui displicit, primum in interpretatione, quod non semper verbum ex verbo, aut quod breviorem explicationem quam tractatus auctorum habent, sive quod non per ordinem ecclesiastici ritus omnia Evangelia tractando percurrimus; condat sibi altiore interpretatione librum, quomodo intellectui ejus placet: tantum obsecro, ne pervertat nostram interpretationem, quam speramus ex Dei gratia, non causa jactantiæ, nos studiose secuti valuimus interpretari. Precor modo obnixe almitatem tuam, mitissime Pater Sigerice, ut digneris corrigere per tuam industriam, si aliquos nevos malignæ hæresis, aut nebulosæ fallaciæ in nostra interpretatione repperies: et adscribatur dehinc hic codicillus tuæ auctoritati, non utilitati nostræ despicabilis personæ. Vale in Deo Omnipotenti jugiter. Amen.

PREFACE.

I ÆLFRIC, MONKand mass-priest, although more weakly than for such orders is fitting, was sent, in king Æthelred’s day, from bishop Ælfeah, Æthelwold’s successor, to a minster which is called Cernel, at the prayer of Æthelmær the thane, whose birth and goodness are known everywhere. Then it occurred to my mind, I trust through God’s grace, that I would turn this book from the Latin language into the English tongue; not from confidence of great learning, but because I have seen and heard of much error in many English books, which unlearned men, through their simplicity, have esteemed as great wisdom: and I regretted that they knew not nor had not the evangelical doctrines among their writings, those men only excepted who knew Latin, and those books excepted which king Ælfred wisely turned from Latin into English, which are to be had. For this cause I presumed, trusting in God, to undertake this task, and also because men have need of good instruction, especially at this time, which is the ending of this world, and there will be many calamities among mankind before the end cometh, according to what our Lord in his gospel said to his disciples, “Then shall be such tribulations as have never been from the beginning of the world. Many false Christs shall come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ,’ and shall work many signs and wonders, to deceive mankind; and also the elect, if it may be. And unless Almighty God shorten those days, all mankind will perish; but for his elect he will shorten those days.” Everyone may the more easily withstand the future temptation, through God’s support, if he is strengthened by book learning, for they shall be preserved who continue in faith to the end. Many tribulations and hardships shall come on this world before its end, and those are the proclaimers of everlasting perdition to evil men, who afterwards for their crimes suffer eternally in the swart hell. Then Antichrist shall come, who is human man and true devil, as our Saviour is truly man and God in one person. And the visible devil shall then work innumerable miracles, and say that he himself is God, and will compel mankind to his heresy: but his time will not be long, for God’s anger will destroy him, and this world will afterwards be ended. Christ our Lord healed the weak and diseased, and the devil, who is called Antichrist, which is interpreted, Opposition-Christ, weakens and enfeebles the hale, and heals no one from diseases, save those alone whom he himself had previously injured. He and his disciples injure men’s bodies secretly through the devil’s power, and heal them openly in the sight of men: but he may not heal those whom God himself had before afflicted. He compels, through wickedness, men to swerve from the faith of their Creator to his leasings, who is the author of all leasing and wickedness. Almighty God permits the impious Antichrist to work signs, and miracles, and persecution, for three years and a half; for in that time there will be so much wickedness and perversity among mankind, that they will be well worthy of devilish persecution, to the eternal perdition of those who incline unto him, and to the eternal joy of those who by faith resist him. God also permits that his chosen servants be cleansed from all sins through great persecutions, as gold is tried in fire. The devil slays those who withstand him, and then, with holy martyrdom, they go to the kingdom of heaven. Those who believe in his leasings, those he honours, and they shall have afterwards eternal torment for reward of their sin. The impious one will cause fire to come from above, as it were from heaven, in sight of men, as if he were God Almighty, who rules over heaven and earth; but Christians must then be mindful how the devil did, when he prayed to God that he might tempt Job; he made fire to come from above, as if from heaven, and burned all his sheep out in the field, and the shepherds also, save one who should announce it to him. The devil sent not fire from heaven, though it came from above; for he himself was not in heaven, after that he, for his pride, had been cast out. Nor also hath the cruel Antichrist the power to send down heavenly fire, though he, through the devil’s craft, may so pretend. It will now be wiser that everyone know this, and know his belief, lest anyone have to await great misery. Our Lord commanded his disciples that they should instruct and teach all people the things which he had himself taught to them; but of those there are too few who will well teach and well exemplify. The Lord also cried, through his prophet Ezechiel, “If thou warnest not the unrighteous, and exhortest him not, so that he turn from his wickedness and live, then shall the wicked die in his iniquity, and I will require from thee his blood,” that is, his perdition. “But if thou warnest the wicked, and he will not turn from his wickedness, thou shalt release thy soul with that admonition, and the wicked shall die in his unrighteousness.” Again the Almighty spake to the prophet Isaiah, “Cry and cease thou not, raise thy voice as a trumpet, and declare to my people their crimes, and to the family of Jacob their sins.” From such commands it appeared to me that I should not be guiltless before God, if I would not declare to other men, by tongue or by writings, the evangelical truth, which he himself spake, and afterwards to holy teachers revealed. Very many I know in this country more learned than I am, but God manifests his wonders through whom he will. As an almighty worker he works his work through his chosen, not because he has need of our aid, but that we may earn eternal life by the performance of his work. Paul the apostle said, “We are God’s assistants,” and yet we do nothing for God without the assistance of God. Now I desire and beseech, in God’s name, if anyone will transcribe this book, that he carefully correct it by the copy, lest we be blamed through careless writers. He does great evil who writes false, unless he correct it; it is as though he turn true doctrine to false error; therefore should everyone make that straight which he before bent crooked, if he will be guiltless at God’s doom. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum prædiximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod Æthelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro.

HERE BEGINNETH THE BOOK OF CATHOLIC SERMONS IN ENGLISH, TO BE RECITED IN CHURCH DURING THE YEAR.

SERMON ON THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, TO THE PEOPLE, WHENEVER YOU WILL.

THEREISONEorigin of all things, that is God Almighty. He is beginning and end: he is beginning, because he was ever; he is end without any ending, because he is ever unended. He is King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. He holdeth with his might heavens, and earth, and all creatures, without toil, and he beholdeth the depths which are under this earth. He weigheth all hills with one hand, and no thing may withstand his will. No creature may perfectly search out nor understand concerning God: greater affinity have angels to God than men, and yet they may not perfectly understand concerning God. He created those creatures that he would; through his wisdom he wrought all things, and through his will he endued them all with life. This Trinity is one God, that is, the Father, and his Wisdom, of himself ever produced; and the Will of them both, that is, the Holy Ghost: he is not born, but he goeth alike from the Father and from the Son. These three persons are one Almighty God, who wrought the heavens, and the earth, and all creatures. He created ten hosts of angels, that is angels and archangels, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, virtutes, cherubim, seraphim. Here are nine hosts of angels: they have no body, but they are all spirits, very strong, and mighty, and beautiful, formed with great fairness, to the praise and glory of their Creator. The tenth host rebelled and turned to evil. God created them all good, and let them have their own discretion, whether they would love and follow their Creator, or would forsake him. Now the prince of the tenth host was formed very fair and beauteous, so that he was called ‘Light-bearing’ (Lucifer). Then he began to wax proud by reason of the comeliness that he had, and said in his heart that he would and easily might be equal to his Creator, and sit in the north part of heaven’s kingdom, and have power and sway against God Almighty. Then he confirmed this resolve with the host over which he ruled, and they all bowed to that resolve. When they all had confirmed this resolve among themselves, God’s anger came over them all, and they were all changed from the fair form in which they were created to loathly devils. And very rightly it so befell him, when he would in pride be better than he was created, and said that he might be equal to Almighty God. Then became he and all his associates more wicked and worse than any other creatures; and while he meditated how he might share power with God, the Almighty Creator prepared hell-torment for him and his associates, and drove them all from the joy of heaven’s kingdom, and caused them to fall into the eternal fire that was prepared for them for their pride. Then forthwith the nine hosts that were left bowed to their Creator with all humbleness, and resigned their purpose to his will. Then the Almighty God confirmed and established the nine hosts of angels, so that they never might or would afterwards swerve from his will; nor can they now perpetrate any sin, but they are ever meditating only how they may obey God and be acceptable to him. So might also the others who fell have done if they had been willing; seeing that God had made them of the beauteous nature of angels, and let them have their own will, and would never have inclined nor forced them in any way to that evil counsel; for the evil counsel never came from God’s conception, but came from the devil’s, as we before said.

Now many a man will think and inquire, whence the devil came? be it, therefore, known to him that God created as a great angel him who is now the devil: but God did not create him as the devil: but when he was wholly fordone and guilty towards God, through his great haughtiness and enmity, then became he changed to the devil, who before was created a great angel. Then would God supply and make good the loss that had been suffered in the heavenly host, and said that he would make man of earth, so that the earthly man should prosper, and merit with meekness those dwellings in the kingdom of heaven which the devil through his pride had forfeited. And God then wrought a man of clay, and blew spirit into him, and animated him, and he became a man formed with soul and body; and God bestowed on him the name of Adam, and he was for some time standing alone. God then brought him into Paradise, and established him there, and said unto him, “Of all the things which are in Paradise thou mayest eat, and they shall all be committed to thee, save one tree which stands in the middle of Paradise: touch thou not the fruit of this tree; for thou shalt be mortal if thou eatest the fruit of this tree.” Why would God forbid him so little a thing, when he had committed to him other things so great? But how could Adam know what he was, unless he were obedient in some thing to his Lord? as if God had said to him, “Thou knowest not that I am thy Lord, and that thou art my servant, unless thou dost that which I command, and forgoest that which I forbid thee. But what may it be that thou shalt forgo? I say unto thee, forgo thou the fruit of one tree, and with that easy obedience thou shalt merit the joys of heaven, and the place from which the devil fell through disobedience. But if thou breakest this little commandment, thou shalt perish by death.” And then was Adam so wise that God led to him the cattle, and brute race, and bird race, when he had created them; and Adam made names for them all; and so as he named them are they yet called. Then said God, “It is not fitting that this man be alone, and have no help; now let us make him a mate for help and comfort.” And God then caused Adam to sleep, and as he slept, he took a rib from his side, and of that rib wrought a woman, and asked Adam how she should be called. Then said Adam, “She is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; be her name Virago, that is female; because she is taken from her husband.” Then Adam afterwards bestowed on her another name, Eva, that is life; because she is the mother of all living.

All creatures, heavens and angels, sun and moon, stars and earth, all beasts and birds, the sea and all fishes, and all creatures, God created and wrought in six days; and on the seventh day he ended his work, and ceased, and hallowed the seventh day, because on that day he ended his work. And he beheld then all his works that he had wrought, and they were all exceedingly good. All things he wrought without any matter. He said, “Let there be light,” and instantly there was light. He said again, “Let there be heaven,” and instantly heaven was made, as he with his wisdom and his will had appointed it. He said again, and bade the earth bring forth all living cattle, and he then created of earth all the race of cattle, and the brute race, all those which go on four feet; in like manner of water he created fishes and birds, and gave the power of swimming to the fishes, and flight to the birds; but he gave no soul to any beast, nor to any fish; but their blood is their life, and as soon as they are dead they are totally ended. When he had made the man Adam, he did not say, “Let man be made,” but he said, “Let us make man in our likeness,” and he then made man with his hands, and blew into him a soul; therefore is man better, if he grow up in good, than all the beasts are; because they will all come to naught, and man is in one part eternal, that is in the soul; that will never end. The body is mortal through Adam’s sin, but, nevertheless, God will raise again the body to eternity on doomsday. Now the heretics say that the devil created some creatures, but they lie; he can create no creatures, for he is not a creator, but is a loathsome fiend, and with leasing he will deceive and fordo the unwary; but he may not compel any man to any crime, unless the man voluntarily incline to his teaching. Whatsoever among things created seems pernicious and is injurious to men, is all for our sins and evil deserts.

When the devil understood that Adam and Eve were created, that they might with meekness and obedience merit the dwelling in the kingdom of heaven from which he had fallen for his haughtiness, then he felt great anger and envy towards those persons, and meditated how he might fordo them. He came then in a serpent’s form to the two persons, first to the woman, and said to her, “Why has God forbidden you the fruit of this tree, which stands in the middle of Paradise?” Then said the woman, “God forbade us the fruit of the tree and said, that we should perish by death, if we tasted its fruit.” Then said the devil, “It is not as thou sayest, but God knows full well, if ye eat of that tree that your eyes will then be opened, and ye can see and know both good and evil, and ye will be like to angels.” They were not created blind, but God created them so simple-minded that they knew nothing evil, neither by sight, nor by speech, nor by deed. But the woman was seduced by the devil’s counsel, and took of the fruit of the tree, and ate, and gave to her consort, and he ate. Then they both became mortal, and knew both good and evil; and they were naked, and thereat they were ashamed. Then came God and asked why he had broken his commandment? and drove them both from Paradise, and said, “Because thou wast obedient to the words of thy wife, and despisedst my commandment, thou shalt get thee food with hardships, and the earth, which is accursed through thy deed, shall give thee thorns and brambles. Thou art taken from earth, and thou shalt to earth return. Thou art dust, and thou shalt turn to dust.” God then wrought for them garments of skins, and they were clothed with the skins.

The dead skins betokened that they were then mortal who might have been immortal, if they had held that easy command of God. Neither Adam nor all mankind that have since come from him needed ever to have tasted of death, if that tree could have stood untouched, and no one had tasted of it; but Adam and his offspring would have propagated at set times, as the clean beasts now do, and afterwards, without death, have gone to eternal life. It was not ordained him from God, nor was he compelled to break God’s commandment; for God left him free, and gave him his own choice, whether he would be obedient, or whether he would be disobedient. Then was he to the devil obedient, and to God disobedient, and was delivered, he and all mankind, after this life, to hell-torment, with the devil who seduced him. But God knew, however, that he had been seduced, and meditated how he might again be merciful to him and all mankind.

With two things had God endowed this man’s soul; that is immortality and with happiness. Then through the devil’s treachery and Adam’s guilt we lost the happiness of our soul, but we lost not the immortality: that is eternal and never ends, though the body ends, which shall again, through God’s might, arise to everlasting duration. Adam then was continuing in this life with toil, and he and his wife begat children, both sons and daughters; and he lived nine hundred and thirty years, and then died, as had been promised him for that sin; and his soul went to hell.

Now some men will inquire, whence came his soul? whether from the father or from the mother? We say, from neither of them; but the same God who created Adam with his hands, createth every man’s body in his mother’s womb: and the same who blew into Adam’s body, and gave him a soul, that same giveth a soul and life to children in their mother’s womb, when they are created; and he letteth them have their own will, when they are grown up, as Adam had.

Then there was rapidly a great increase of people, and very many were turned to evil, and exasperated God with various crimes, and above all with fornication. Then was God so exasperated through the wicked deeds of men that he said, that he repented that he had ever created mankind. Nevertheless, there was one man righteous before God, who was called Noah. Then said God to him, “I will destroy all mankind with water, for their sins, but I will preserve thee alone, and thy wife, and thy three sons, Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and their three wives; because thou art righteous and acceptable unto me. Make thee now an ark, three hundred fathoms long, and fifty fathoms wide, and thirty fathoms high: roof it all, and smear all the seams with tar, and then go in with thy family. I will gather in to thee of beast-kind and of bird-kind mates of each, that they may hereafter be for foster. I will send a flood over all the earth.” He did as God bade him, and God shut them within the ark, and sent rain from heaven forty days together, and opened, to meet it, all the well-springs and water-torrents of the great deep. The flood then waxed and bare up the ark, and it rose above all the hills. Then was everything living drowned, save those who were within the ark, by whom was again established all the earth. Then God promised that he would never again destroy all mankind with water, and said to Noah and to his sons: “I will set my covenant betwixt me and you for this promise: that is, when I overspread the heavens with clouds, then shall be shown my rainbow betwixt the clouds, then will I be mindful of my covenant, that I will not henceforth drown mankind with water.” Noah lived in all his life, before the flood and after the flood, nine hundred and fifty years, and then he departed.

Then for some time after the flood there was fear of God among mankind, and there was one language among them all. Then said they among themselves that they would make a city, and a tower within that city, so high that its roof should mount up to heaven: and they begun to work. Then came God thereto, when they were most busily working, and gave to every man who was there a separate speech. Then were there as many languages as there were men, and none of them knew what other said. And they then ceased from the building, and went divers ways over all the earth.

Then afterwards mankind was deceived by the devil, and turned from God’s belief, so that they wrought them images, some of gold, some of silver, some also of stones, some of wood, and devised names for them; the names of those men who were giants, and evil-doing. Afterwards when they were dead then said the living that they were gods, and worshipped them, and offered sacrifices to them; and the devils then came to their images, and dwelt therein, and spake to men as though they were gods; and the deceived human race fell on their knees to those images, and said, “Ye are our gods, and we place our belief and our hope in you.” Then sprang up this error through all the earth, and the true Creator, who alone is God, was despised and dishonoured. There was, nevertheless, one family which had never bent to any idol, but had ever worshipped the true God. That family sprang from Noah’s eldest son, who was called Shem: he lived six hundred years, and his son was called Arphaxad, who lived three hundred and thirty-three years, and his son was called Salah, who lived four hundred and thirty-three years, when he begat a son who was called Eber, from whom sprang the Hebrew people, whom God loved: and from that race came all the patriarchs and prophets, those who announced Christ’s advent to this life; that he would be man before the end of this world, for our redemption, he who ever was God with the supreme Father. And for this race God gave and established a law, and he led them over the sea with dry feet, and he fed them forty years with heavenly bread, and wrought many miracles among the people; because he would choose him a mother from this race.

Then at last, when the time came that God had foreseen, he sent his angel Gabriel to a maiden of that race, who was called Mary. Then came the angel to her, and greeted her with God’s words, and announced to her, that God’s Son should be born of her, without communion of man. And she believed his words, and became with child. When her time was come she brought forth, and continued a maiden. That child is twice born: he is born of the Father in heaven, without any mother, and again, when he became man, he was born of the pure virgin Mary, without any earthly father. God the Father made mankind and all creatures through the Son; and again, when we were fordone, he sent that same Son for our redemption. The holy mother Mary then nourished that child with great veneration, and it waxed, as other children do, without any sin.

He was born without sins, and his life was all without sins. But he wrought no miracles openly ere that he had been thirty years in a state of man: then afterwards he chose to him disciples; first twelve, whom we call apostles, that is messengers: after that he chose seventy-two, who are denominated disciples, that is learners. Then he wrought many miracles, that men might believe that he was God’s Child. He turned water to wine, and went over the sea with dry feet, and he stilled the winds by his behest, and he gave to blind men sight, and to the halt and lame a right gait, and to lepers smoothness and health to their bodies; to the dumb he gave power of speech, and hearing to the deaf; to the possessed of devils and the mad he gave sense, and drove away the devils, and every disease he healed; dead men he raised from their sepulchres to life; and taught the people to which he came with great wisdom; and said, that no man might be saved, except he rightly believe in God, and be baptized, and adorn his faith with good works; he eschewed all injustice and all leasings, and taught righteousness and truth.

Then the Jewish people showed great envy of his doctrine, and meditated how they might put him to death. Now was one of the twelve of Christ’s companions, who was called Judas, seduced by the instigation of the devil, and he went to the Jewish people, and consulted with them how he might betray Christ unto them. Though all people were gathered together they all might not destroy him, if he himself willed it not; therefore he came to us because he would suffer death for us, and so, by his own death, redeem all mankind who believe from hell’s torment. He would not take us forcibly from the devil’s power, unless he had forfeited it; but he forfeited it entirely when he whetted and instigated the hearts of the Jewish men to the slaying of Christ. Then Christ consented that the bloodthirsty ones should take him, and bind, and, hung on a cross, slay him. Verily then two believing men honourably buried him; and Christ, in that time, went to hell, and overcame the devil, and took from him Adam and Eve, and their offspring, that portion which had previously been most acceptable to him, and led them to their bodies, and arose from death with that great host on the third day of his passion: then came to his apostles, and comforted them, and for a space of forty days sojourned with them, and repeated the same doctrine which he had before taught them, and bade them go over all the earth, preaching baptism and true faith. Then, on the fortieth day of his resurrection, the Lord ascended to heaven in sight of them all, with the same body in which he had suffered, and sitteth on the right hand of his Father, and governeth all creatures. He hath opened to righteous men the entrance to his kingdom, and those who wholly despise his commandments shall be cast down into hell. Verily he shall come at the end of this world with great majesty, in clouds, and all those who have ever received a soul shall arise from death towards him; and he will then deliver the wicked to the devil, into the eternal fire of hell-torment; the righteous he will lead with him into the kingdom of heaven, in which they shall rule to all eternity.

Men most beloved, consider this discourse, and with great care eschew unrighteousness, and merit with good works the eternal life with God, who alone ruleth to eternity. Amen.

DECEMBER XXV.

SERMON ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD.

WEWILL, FORthe 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 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 bonæ 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 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. 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.

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 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. Verily men are called gods; preserve, therefore, thou man, thy dignity of a god against sins, since God became man for thee.