mid hira sculdrum oðerra byrðenna toeacan hiera agnum; he ne mæg his agne áberan, & wolde ðeah maran habban.
VIII. Be ðæm ðe wilnað biscephád to underfonne, hu hie gegripað ðone cwide ðæs apostoles Paules hiora gitsunge to fultome.
Ac ða ðe willað gripan on swelcne folgað for hiera gitsunge hie doð him to leafe ðone cwide de sanctus Paulus cwæð: Se ðe biscephade gewilnað, god weorc he gewilnað. Gif he hit ða herede & on tyhte, eft he stierde ðære gewilnunge ða he cwæð: Biscepe gedafnað ðæt he sie tælleas. Ðærbufan is geteald hwelc he beon sceal, gif he untælwierde bið. Mid oðrum worde he hierte, mid oðrum he bregde, swelce he openlice cwæde: Ic herige ðæt ge secað, ac leorniað ðæt ge witen hwæt hit sie, ac gif ge agiemeleasiað ðæt ge ameten eow selfe hwelce ge sien, sua eow ón hierran folgoðe ahebbað, swa ge sweotolran & widmærran gedoð eowre tælweorðlicnesse. Sua se micla cræftiga hiertende toscyfð, & egesiende stierð ofermetta mid ðære tælinge his hieremonnum, ðæt he hie gebringe on life. Eac is to geðencanne ðæt ón ða tiid ðe se biscephad swa gehiered wæs, sua huelc swa hine underfeng, he underfeng martyrdom. On ða tiid wæs to herigeanne ðæt mon wilnode biscephades, ða ðe nan twio næs ðæt he ðurh ðone sceolde cuman to hefegum martyrdome. Ðæt is to tacne ðæt mon endebyrðlice ðone biscepdóm healde, ðæt he hine on godum weorcum geendige. Fordon hit is gecweden: Se ðe biscephad gewilnað, gód
openly said: "I praise your desire, but learn to know what it is, and if ye neglect to estimate yourselves at your real worth, the higher the authority ye attain to, the more manifest and notorious will ye make your unfitness." Thus the great craftsman incites and encourages his disciples, and sternly rebukes their pride by blaming them, that he may bring them to life. We must also reflect that at the time when the office of bishop was in such high estimation, he who accepted it accepted martyrdom. At that time it was praiseworthy for a man to desire to become a bishop, for there was no doubt that through it he would arrive at a cruel martyrdom. It is a proof of a bishop's holding his office well for him to end it with good works. Therefore it is said: "He who desires the office of
