The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/XXI

by Ælfric

SERMO IN ASCENSIONE DOMINI.	SERMON ON THE LORD'S ASCENSION.
Primum quidem sermonem feci: et reliqua.	Primum quidem sermonem feci: et reliqua.
Lucas se Godspellere ús manode on ðisre pistol-rædinge, þus cweðende, "Se Hælend, middangeardes Alysend, æteowde hine sylfne cucenne his gingrum, æfter his þrowunge and his æriste, on manegum ðrafungum, geond feowertig daga, and him to spræc ymbe Godes rice, samod mid him reordigende: and bebead him þæt hi of ðære byrig Hierusalem ne gewiton, ac þæt hi ðær anbidedon his Fæder behátes, he cwæð, þe ge of minum muðe gehyrdon. Forðan ðe Iohannes se Fulluhtere gefullode on wætere, and ge beoð gefullode on ðam Halgan Gaste nu æfter feawum dagum. Eornostlice seo gegaderung his leorning-cnihta cwæð ða ánmodlice, Drihten leof, wilt ðu nu gesettan ende þysre worulde? He him andwyrde, Nis na eow to gewitenne ða tíd oððe ða hand-hwile þe min Fæder gesette þurh his mihte: ac ge underfoð þæs Halgan Gastes mihte, and ge beoð mine gewitan on Iudea lande, and on eallum middangearde, oð þæt endenexte land. And hé lædde hí ða út of ðære byrig up to anre dune ðe is gecweden mons Oliueti, and hi gebletsode up-ahafenum handum. Þa mid þære bletsunge ferde hé to heofonum, him on locigendum; and þæt heofonlice wolcn leat wið his, and hine genam fram heora gesihðum."	Luke the Evangelist has informed us in this epistolary reading, thus saying, "Jesus, the Redeemer of the world, showed himself living to his disciples, after his passion and his resurrection, by many reproofs, for forty days, and spake to them concerning the kingdom of God, eating and drinking together with them: and commanded them that they should not depart from the city of Jerusalem, but that they should await there the promise of his Father which (he said) ye have heard from my mouth. For John the Baptist baptized with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost now after a few days. The assembly of his disciples therefore said unanimously, Beloved Lord, wilt thou now put an end to this world? He answered them, It is not for you to know the time or the moment which my Father hath appointed through his might: but ye shall receive the might of the Holy Ghost, and ye shall be my witnesses in Judea, and in all the world, unto the uttermost land. And he led them then out of the city up to a hill which is called the mount of Olives, and blessed them with uplifted hands. Then after that blessing he went to heaven, they looking on; and a heavenly cloud descended towards him, and took him from their sight."
"Ðaða hi up to heofonum starigende stodon, ða gesawon hi ðær twegen englas on hwitum gerelan, þus cweðende, Ge Galileisce weras, hwi stande ge ðus starigende wið heofenas weard? Se Hælend, þe is nu genumen of eowrum gesihðum to heofonum, swa he cymð eft swa swa ge gesawon þæt he to heofonum astáh. Hi ða gecyrdon to ðære byrig Hierusalem mid micelre blisse, and astigon upp on ane upfleringe, and þær wunedon oð Pentecosten on gebedum and on Godes herungum, oðþæt se Halga Gast him to com, swa swa se æðela Cyning him ær behét."	"While they stood gazing up to heaven, they saw there two angels in white garments, thus saying, Ye Galilean men, why stand ye thus gazing towards heaven? Jesus, who is now taken from your sight to heaven, shall so come again as ye have seen that he ascended to heaven. They then returned to the city of Jerusalem with great joy, and went up on an upper flooring, and there stayed till Pentecost in prayers and in praises of God, until the Holy Ghost came to them, as the noble King had before promised them."
"On ðyssere geferrædene wæron Petrus and Iohannes, Iacob and Andreas, Philippus and Thomas, Bartholomeus and Matheus, se oðer Iacob and Simon, se oðer Iudas and Maria þæs Hælendes modor, and gehwilce oðre, ægðer ge weras ge wíf. Eal seo menigu wæs an hund manna and twentig, anmodlice on gebedum wunigende."	"In this fellowship were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, the other James and Simon, the other Judas and Mary the mother of Jesus, and several others, both men and women. The whole multitude was an hundred and twenty persons, unanimously continuing in prayers."
Se Hælend tæhte ða halgan lare his leorning-cnihtum ær his ðrowunge, and æfter his æriste he wæs wunigende betwux him þas feowertig daga, fram ðære halgan Easter-tide oð þisne dægðerlican dæg, and on manegum wisum ðrafode and afandode his gingran, and ge-edlæhte þæt þæt he ær tæhte, to fulre lare and rihtum geleafan. He gereordode hine æfter his æriste, na forði þæt he syððan eorðlices bigleofan behófode, ac to ði þæt he geswutelode his soðan lichaman. He æt þurh mihte, na for neode. Swa swa fyr fornimð wæteres dropan, swa fornam Cristes godcundlice miht ðone geðigedan mete. Soðlice æfter ðam gemænelicum æriste ne behófiað ure lichaman nanre strangunge eorðlicra metta, ac se Hælend us deð ealle ure neoda mid heofenlicum ðingum, and we beoð mid wuldre gewelgode, and mihtige to gefremmenne swa hwæt swa us licað, and we beoð ful swyfte to farenne geond ealle wídgylnyssa Godes rices.	Jesus taught the holy lore to his disciples before his passion, and after his resurrection he was continuing among them these forty days, from the holy Easter-tide until this present day, and in many ways reproved and tried his disciples, and repeated that which he had before taught, for the perfection of doctrine and right faith. He ate and drank after his resurrection, not because he then had need of earthly food, but because he would manifest his true body. He ate through power, not for need. As fire consumes drops of water, so did the divine power of Christ consume the received meat. Verily after the universal resurrection our bodies will require no strengthening of earthly meats, for Jesus will supply all our needs with heavenly things, and we shall be enriched with glory, and mighty to execute whatsoever is pleasing to us, and we shall be full swift to go through all the immensities of the kingdom of God.
He behét his gingrum nu and gelome þæt he wolde him sendan þone Halgan Gast, and þus cwæð, "Þonne he cymð he eow tiht and gewissað to eallum ðam ðingum ðe ic eow sæde." Þa com se Halga Gast on fyres hiwe to ðam halgum hyrede on þam endleoftan dæge Cristes upstiges, and hi ealle onælde mid úndergendlicum fyre, and hí wurdon afyllede mid þære heofonlican láre, and cuðon ealle woruldlice gereord, and bodedon unforhtlice geleafan and fulluht ricum and reðum.	He promised to his disciples then and frequently that he would send to them the Holy Ghost, and thus said, "When he comes he will stimulate and direct you to all the things which I have said unto you." Then came the Holy Ghost in semblance of fire to the holy company on the eleventh day after Christ's ascension, and inflamed them all with innoxious fire, and they were filled with heavenly lore, and knew all worldly tongues, and fearlessly preached faith and baptism to the powerful and cruel.
Se halga heap befrán Crist, hwæðer he wolde on ðam timan þisne middangeard geendian. He ða cwæð him to andsware, "Nis na eower mǽð to witenne þone timan, þe min Fæder þurh his mihte gesette." He cwæð eac on oðre stowe, "Nát nán man ðone dæg ne ðone timan ðysre worulde geendunge, ne englas, ne nan halga, buton Gode anum." Þeah-hwæðere, be ðam tacnum þe Crist sæde, we geseoð þæt seo geendung is swiðe gehende, þeah ðe heo us uncuð sy.	The holy company asked Christ, whether he would at that time put an end to this world. He said to them in answer, "It is not for you to know the time which my Father hath through his power appointed." He said also in another place, "No man knoweth the day or the time of the ending of this world, nor the angels, nor any saint, save God only." Yet by the tokens which Christ mentioned, we see that the ending is very near at hand, though it be unknown to us.
Þa apostoli wæron gewitan Cristes weorca, forðan ðe hí bodedon his ðrowunge, and his ærist, and upstige, ærst Iudeiscre ðeode, and syððan becom heora stemn to ælcum lande, and heora word to gemærum ealles ymbhwyrftes; forðan ðe hí awriton Cristes wundra, and ða bec þurhwuniað on cristenre ðeode, ægðer ge ðær þær ða apostoli lichamlice bodedon, ge þær ðær hí na ne becomon.	The apostles were witnesses of Christ's works, for they preached his passion, and his resurrection, and ascension, first to the Jewish people, and afterwards their voice came to every land, and their words to the boundaries of the whole globe; for they recorded the miracles of Christ, and the books exist among christian people, both where the apostles bodily preached, and where they did not come.
Ealle gesceafta ðeniað heora Scyppende. Þaþa Crist acenned wæs, þa sende seo heofen niwne steorran, ðe bodade Godes acennednysse}}. Eft, ðaða he to heofonum astah, þa abeah þæt heofonlice wolcn wið his, and hine underfeng: na þæt þæt wolcn hine ferede, forðan ðe he hylt heofona ðrymsetl, ac he siðode mid þam wolcne of manna gesihðum. Þær wæron ða gesewene twegen englas on hwitum gyrelum. Eac swilce on his acennednysse wæron englas gesewene; ac þæt halige godspel ne ascyrde hu hi gefreatwode wæron; forðan ðe God com to us swiðe eadmod. On his upstige wæron gesewene englas mid hwitum gyrlum geglengede. Bliss is getacnod on hwitum reafe, forðon ðe Crist ferde heonon mid micelre blisse and mid micclum ðrymme. On his acennednysse wæs geðuht swilce seo Godcundnys wære geeadmet, and on his upstige wæs seo menniscnys ahafen and gemærsod. Mid his upstige is adylegod þæt cyrographum ure geniðerunge, and se cwyde ure brosnunge is awend.	All creatures serve their Creator. When Christ was born, heaven sent forth a new star, which announced the birth of God. Again, when he ascended to heaven, the heavenly cloud bowed down towards him, and received him: not that the cloud bare him, for he holds the throne of heaven, but he passed with the cloud from the sight of men. There were seen two angels in white garments. In like manner at his birth angels were seen; but the holy gospel has not explained how they were adorned; for God came to us very humble. At his ascension were seen angels adorned with white garments. Joy is betokened by white garments, for Christ departed hence with great joy and with great majesty. At his birth it seemed as though the Godhead were humbled, and at his ascension humanity was exalted and magnified. With his ascension is annulled the writ of our condemnation, and the sentence of our destruction is abrogated.
Þaða Adam agylt hæfde, þa cwæð se Ælmihtiga Wealdend him to, "Þu eart eorðe, and þu gewenst to eorðan. Ðu eart dust, and þu gewenst to duste." Nu to-dæg þæt ylce gecynd ferde unbrosnigendlic into heofenan rice. Þa twegen englas sædon þæt Crist cymð swa swa he uppferde, forðan ðe he bið gesewen on ðam micclum dome on menniscum hiwe, þæt his slagan hine magon oncnawan, þe hine ær to deaðe gedydon, and eac ða ðe his lare forsawon, þæt hi ðonne rihtlice onfón þæt ece wite mid deofle. Þæt halige gewrit cwyð, "Tollatur impius ne uideat gloriam Dei:" "Sy ðam arleasan ætbroden seo gesihð Godes wuldres." Ne geseoð þa arleasan Cristes wuldor, ðe hine ær on life forsawon, ac hi geseoð þonne egefulne þone ðe hi eadmodne forhygedon.	When Adam had sinned, the Almighty Ruler said to him, "Thou art earth, and thou shalt to earth return. Thou art dust, and thou shalt return to dust." Now to-day that same nature went incorruptible into the kingdom of heaven. The two angels said that Christ would come as he ascended, because at the great doom he will be seen in human form, that his slayers may recognize him whom they formerly put to death, and also that those who despised his precepts may then justly receive eternal punishment with the devil. Holy writ says, "Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam Dei:" "Be the sight of God's glory taken away from the impious." The impious will not see the glory of Christ, whom they had before despised in life, but they will then see him awful whom humble they had contemned.
Recumbentibus undecim discipulis: et reliqua. We habbað nu geræd Lucas gesetnysse embe Cristes upstige; nu wende we ure smeagunge to ðam oðrum godspellere Marcum, þe cwæð on ðisum dægðerlicum godspelle, þæt se Hælend æteowde hine sylfne his apostolum and cidde him, forðan ðe hi noldon æt fruman gelyfan his æristes of deaðe, ðaða hit him gecydd wæs. Þa cwæð se Wealdend to his gingrum, "Farað geond ealne middangeard, and bodiað godspel eallum gesceafte: seðe gelyfð and bið gefullod, se bið gehealden; se ðe ne gelyfð, he bið genyðerod. Ðas tacnu fyligað þam mannum þe gelyfað," etc. Þis godspel is nu anfealdlice gesǽd, ac we willað nu, æfter Gregories trahtnunge, þa digelnysse eow onwreón.	Recumbentibus undecim discipulis: et reliqua. We have now read the narrative of Luke concerning Christ's ascension; we will now turn our consideration to the other evangelist Mark, who said in the present day's gospel, that Jesus appeared to his apostles, and chid them, because they would not at first believe his resurrection from death, when it was announced to them. Then said the Lord to his disciples, "Go over all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he who believeth not shall be damned. These signs shall follow those men who believe," etc. This gospel is here now simply said, but we will now unfold its mysteries to you, according to the exposition of Gregory.
Ðæra apostola tweonung be Cristes æriste næs na swa swiðe heora ungeleaffulnys, ac wæs ure trumnys. Læs us fremodon þa ðe hraðe gelyfdon, ðonne ða þe twynigende wæron; forðan ðe hi sceawedon and grapodon ða dolhswaðu Cristes wunda, and swa adræfdon ealle twynunga fram ure heortan. Þa ðreade se Hælend his leorning-cnihta twynunge, ðaða hé lichamlice hí forlætan wolde, to ði þæt hí gemyndige wæron ðæra worda þe hé on his siðe him sæde. He cwæð þa, "Farað geond ealne middangeard, and bodiað godspel eallum gesceafte." Godspel is us to gehyrenne, and ðearle lufigendlic, þæt we moton forbugan helle-wite and ða hreowlican tintrega þurh ðæs Hælendes menniscnysse, and becuman to engla werode þurh his eadmodnysse. He cwæð, "Bodiað eallum gesceafte:" ac mid þam naman is se mann ána getacnod. Stanas sind gesceafta, ac hí nabbað nan líf, ne hí ne gefredað. Gærs and treowa lybbað butan felnysse; hí ne lybbað na ðurh sawle, ac ðurh heora grennysse. Nytenu lybbað and habbað felnysse, butan gesceade: hí nabbað nan gescead, forðan ðe hí sind sawullease. Englas lybbað, and gefredað, and tosceadað. Nu hæfð se mann ealra gesceafta sum ðing. Him is gemæne mid stanum, þæt he beo wunigende; him is gemæne mid treowum, þæt he lybbe; mid nytenum, þæt he gefrede; mid englum, þæt he understande. Nu is se mann gecweden 'eall gesceaft,' forðan ðe he hæfð sum ðing gemæne mid eallum gesceafte. Þæt godspel bið gebodad eallum gesceafte, þonne hit bið ðam menn anum gebodad, forðan ðe ealle eorðlice þing sind gesceapene for ðam men anum, and hí ealle habbað sume gelicnysse to ðam men, swa swa we ær sædon.	The apostles' doubt as to the resurrection of Christ was not so much their lack of faith, but was our confirmation. Less have benefited us those who quickly believed than those who were doubting; for they beheld and touched the scars of Christ's wounds, and so drove out all doubts from our hearts. Jesus then reproved his disciples for their doubt, when he would bodily leave them, that they might be mindful of the words which he said to them on his way. He said, "Go over all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The gospel is for us to hear and exceedingly loving, that we may avoid hell-torment and cruel tortures through the incarnation of Jesus, and come to the host of angels through his humility. He said, "Preach to every creature:" but by that name is man alone betokened. Stones are creatures, but they have no life, nor have they sense. Grass and trees live without feeling; they live not by a soul, but by their greenness. Beasts live and have feeling without reason; they have no reason, because they are soulless. Angels live, and have sense, and use reason. Now man has something of all creatures. He has in common with the stones, that he is existing; he has in common with the trees, that he lives; with the beasts, that he has sense; with angels, that he understands. Man is therefore called 'every creature,' because he has something in common with every creature. The gospel is preached to every creature, when it is preached to man alone; for all earthly things are created for man alone, and they all have some likeness to man, as we before said.
"Se ðe gelyfð, and bið gefullod, he bið gehealden; and se ðe ne gelyfð, he bið geniðerod." Se geleafa bið soð seðe ne wiðcwyð mid þweorum ðeawum þæt þæt he gelyfð; be ðam cwæð Iohannes se apostol, "Se ðe cwyð þæt he God cunne, and his beboda ne hylt, he is leas." Eft cwyð se apostol Iacobus, "Se geleafa ðe bið butan godum weorcum, se bið dead." Eft he cwæð, "Hwæt fremað þe þæt ðu hæbbe geleafan, gif ðu næfst ða godan weorc? Ne mæg se geleafa ðe gehealdan butan ðam weorcum. Deoflu gelyfað, ac hí forhtiað." Þa deoflu gesawon Crist on ðisum life on ðære menniscnysse, ac hi feollon to his fotum, and hrymdon, and cwædon, "Þu eart Godes Sunu, forði ðu come þæt ðu woldest us fordón." Se man ðe nele gelyfan on God, ne nænne Godes ege næfð, he bið wyrsa þonne deofol. Se ðe gelyfð, and hæfð ege, and nele ðeah-hwæðere gód wyrcan, se bið þonne deoflum gelic.	"He who believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; and he who believeth not shall be damned." That faith is true which gainsays not by wicked practices that which it believes; of which spake John the apostle; "He who saith that he knoweth God, and holdeth not his commandments, is a liar." Again, the apostle James says, "The faith which is without good works is dead." Again, he said, "What profiteth it thee that thou have faith, if thou hast not good works? Faith cannot save thee without works. The devils believe, but they tremble." The devils saw Christ in this life, in his human state, but they fell at his feet, and cried, and said, "Thou art the Son of God, therefore thou art come that thou mightest fordo us." The man who will not believe in God, nor has any awe of God, is worse than a devil. He who believes, and has awe, and, nevertheless, will not do good, is like unto a devil.
In quodam tractu, qui estimatur Sci Hilarii fuisse, sic inuenimus scriptum, sicut Anglice hic interpretauimus, et ad testimonium ipsam Latinitatem posuimus: "Demones credunt et contremescunt; qui autem non credit, et non contremescit demonibus deterior est: qui autem credit, et contremescit, et ueritatem operibus non agit demonibus similis est." Se ðe rihtlice gelyfð, and rihtlice his lif leofað, and mid Godes ege gód weorc begæð oð ende his lifes, se bið gehealden, and he hæfð ece líf mid Gode, and mid eallum his halgum. Drihten cwæð, þa ðe gelyfað, him fyligað þas tacnu, "On minum naman hí adræfað deoflu; hí sprecað mid niwum gereordum; hí afyrsiað næddran; and ðeah ðe hí unlybban drincan, hit him ne derað; hí settað heora handa ofer adlige men, and him bið tela."	In quodam tractu, qui æstimatur Sancti Hilarii fuisse, sic invenimus scriptum, sicut Anglice hic interpretavimus, et ad testimonium ipsam Latinitatem posuimus: "Dæmones credunt et contremescunt; qui autem non credit, et non contremescit dæmonibus deterior est: qui autem credit, et contremescit, et veritatem operibus non agit, dæmonibus similis est." He who rightly believes, and rightly lives his life, and with awe of God practises good works to the end of his life, shall be saved, and shall have everlasting life with God, and with all his saints. The Lord said, these signs shall follow those who believe in him, "In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall drive away serpents; and though they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall set their hands over sick men, and it shall be well with them."
Þas wundra wæron nyd-behefe on anginne cristendomes, forðan ðurh ða tacna wearð þæt hæðene folc gebiged to geleafan. Se man ðe plantað treowa oððe wyrta, swa lange he hí wæterað oðþæt hí beoð ciðfæste; syððan hí growende beoð he geswycð þære wæterunge: swa eac se Ælmihtiga God, swa lange he æteowde his wundra ðam hæðenum folce, oðþæt hí geleaffulle wæron: syððan se geleafa sprang geond ealne middangeard, siððan geswicon ða wundra. Ac ðeah-hwæðere Godes gelaðung wyrcð gyt dæghwamlice þa ylcan wundra gastlice þe ða apostoli ða worhton lichamlice. Þonne se preost cristnað þæt cild, þonne adræfð he ðone deofol of ðam cilde; forðan ðe ælc hæðen man bið deofles, ac þurh þæt halige fulluht he bið Godes, gif he hit gehylt. Se ðe forlæt bysmorlice spellunga, and talu, and derigendlice gaffetunga, and gebysegað his muð mid Godes herungum and gebedum, he sprecð þonne mid niwum gereordum. Se ðe ungeradum oððe ungeðyldigum styrð, and þa biternysse his heortan gestilð, he afyrsað þa næddran, forðan ðe he adwæscð þa yfelnyssa his modes. Se ðe bið forspanen to forligre, and ðeah-hwæðere ne bið gebiged to ðære fremminge, he drincð unlybban, ac hit him ne derað, gif he mid gebédum to Gode flihð. Gif hwa bið geuntrumod on his anginne, and asolcen fram godre drohtnunge, gif hine hwa ðonne mid tihtinge and gebisnungum godra weorca getrymð and arærð, þonne bið hit swilce he sette his handa ofer untrumne and hine gehæle.	These wonders were needful at the beginning of christianity, for by these signs was the heathen folk inclined to faith. The man who plants trees or herbs, waters them so long until they have taken root; when they are growing he ceases from watering: so also the Almighty God so long showed his miracles to the heathen folk, until they were believing: when faith had sprung up over all the world, then miracles ceased. But, nevertheless, God's church still works daily the same miracles spiritually which the apostles then wrought bodily. When the priest christens the child, then casts he out the devil from that child; for every heathen man is the devil's, but through the holy baptism he is God's, if he observe it. He who forsakes opprobrious speeches and calumnies, and injurious scoffings, and busies his mouth with the praises of God and with prayers, speaks then in new tongues. He who corrects thoughtlessness or impatience, and stills the bitterness of his heart, drives away serpents, for he extinguishes the evilnesses of his mind. He who is allured to fornication, but yet is not induced to its accomplishment, drinks a deadly drink, but it shall not hurt him, if with prayers he flees to God. If any-one be weakened in his purpose, and slothful for good living, then if any-one, with exhortation and examples of good works, strengthen and raise him up, it will be as though he set his hand over the sick and heal him.
Þa gastlican wundra sind maran þonne þa lichamlican wæron, forðan ðe ðas wundra gehælað þæs mannes sawle, ðe is ece, and ða ærran tacna gehældon þone deadlican lichaman. Þa ærran wundra worhton ægðer ge góde men ge yfele. Yfel wæs Iudas, ðe Crist belæwde, þeah he worhte wundra æror ðurh Godes naman. Be swylcum mannum cwæð Crist on oðre stowe, "Ic secge eow, manega cweðað to me on ðam micclan dæge, Drihten, Drihten, la hú ne witegode we on ðinum naman, and we adræfdon deoflo of wodum mannum, and we micele mihta on þinum naman gefremedon? Þonne andette ic him, Ne can ic eow: gewitað fram me, ge unrihtwise wyrhtan." Mine gebroðru, ne lufige ge ða wundra þe magon beon gemæne godum and yfelum, ac lufiað þa tacna þe sind sinderlice godra manna, þæt synd soðre lufe and arfæstnysse tacna. Næfð se yfela ða soðan lufe, ne se góda nys hyre bedæled. Þas tacna sind digle and unpleolice, and hí habbað swa miccle maran edlean æt Gode, swa micclum swa heora wuldor is læsse mid mannum. Se Wealdenda Drihten, æfter ðisum wordum, wæs genumen to heofonum, and sitt on ða swiðran hand his Fæder.	The spiritual miracles are greater than the bodily ones were, for these miracles heal a man's soul, which is eternal, but the former signs healed the mortal body. The former miracles were wrought both by good men and by evil. Judas, who betrayed Christ, was evil, though he had previously wrought miracles in the name of God. Of such men Christ in another place said, "I say unto you, many will say to me on that great day, Lord, Lord, lo! have we not prophesied in thy name, and have driven devils out of mad men, and have performed great miracles in thy name? Then will I profess to them, I know you not: depart from me, ye unrighteous doers." My brothers, love not those miracles which may be common to the good and to the evil, but love those signs which are exclusively good men's, which are the signs of true love and of piety. The evil has not true love, nor is the good devoid of it. These signs are mysterious and not perilous, and they have so much the greater reward with God as their glory is less with men. The Omnipotent Lord, after these words, was taken to heaven, and sits on the right hand of his Father.
We rædað on ðære ealdan ǽ, þæt twegen Godes men, Enoh and Helias, wæron ahafene to heofonum butan deaðe: ac hí elciað ongean ðone deað, and mid ealle ne forfleoð. Hí sind genumene to lyftenre heofenan na to rodorlicere, and drohtniað on sumum diglan earde mid micelre strencðe lichaman and sawle, oðþæt hi eft ongean cyrron, on ende þisre worulde, togeanes Antecriste, and deaðes onfoð. Ure Ælmihtiga Alysend ne elcode na ongean þone deað, ac he hine oferswiðde mid his æriste, and geswutulode his wuldor þurh his upstige to ðam yfemystan þrymsetle.	We read in the old law, that two men of God, Enoch and Elijah, were lifted up to heaven without death: but they await death, and will by no means escape from it. They are taken to the aërial heaven, not to the ethereal, and continue in some secret dwelling-place with great strength of body and soul, until they shall return again, at the end of this world, against Antichrist, and shall receive death. Our Almighty Redeemer waited not for death, but he overcame it with his resurrection, and manifested his glory by his ascension to the highest throne.
We rædað be ðam witegan Heliam, þæt englas hine feredon on heofonlicum cræte, forðan ðe seo untrumnys his gecyndes behofode sumes byrðres. Ure Alysend Crist næs geferod mid cræte ne ðurh engla fultum; forðan se ðe ealle ðing geworhte, he wæs geferod mid his agenre mihte ofer ealle gesceafta. Se ærra man Enoh wæs geferod to lyftenre heofonan, and Helias wæs mid cræte up-awegen; ac se Ælmihtiga Hælend næs gefered ne awegen, ac he ðurhferde ða roderlican heofonan þurh his agene mihte.	We read of the prophet Elijah, that angels conveyed him in a heavenly chariot, because the infirmity of his nature required some supporter. Our Redeemer Christ was not conveyed in a chariot nor by angels' help; for he who wrought all things was borne by his own might over all creatures. The first-mentioned man, Enoch, was conveyed to the aërial heaven, and Elijah was borne up in a chariot; but the Almighty Saviour was not conveyed nor borne, but he passed through the ethereal heaven by his own might.
Us is to smeagenne hu seo clænnys wæs ðeonde geond þa geferedan ðenas, and þurh ðone astigendan Hælend. Enoh wæs geferod, seðe wæs mid hæmede gestryned, and mid hæmede wæs strynende. Helias wæs on cræte geferod, seðe wæs þurh hæmed gestryned, ac he ne strynde þurh hæmed, forðan ðe he wunade on his life butan wife. Se Hælend astah to heofonum, seðe næs mid hæmede gestryned, ne he sylf strynende næs; forðan ðe he is ord and anginn ealra clænnyssa, and him is seo clænnys swiðe lufigendlic mægen, þæt he geswutulode ðaða he geceas him mæden-mann to meder. And eall se halga heap ðe him fyligde wæs on clænnysse wunigende, swa swa he cwæð sumum godspelle, "Se ðe to me cymð, ne mæg he beon min leorning-cniht, buton he his wif hatige."	We have to consider how chastity was cherished by the ministers who were thus conveyed, and by the ascending Jesus. Enoch was conveyed, who was begotten by coition, and who begot by coition. Elijah was conveyed in a chariot, who was begotten by coition, but he begot not by coition, for he continued during his life without a wife. Jesus ascended to heaven, who was not begotten by coition, nor did he himself beget; for he is the origin and beginning of all chastities, and to him chastity is a very amiable virtue, which he manifested when he chose him a maiden for mother. And all the holy company which followed him was living in chastity, as he says in one of his gospels, "He who comes to me, may not be my disciple, unless he hate his wife."
Se godspellere Marcus awrát on ðisum godspelle, þæt ure Drihten, æfter his upstige, sæte on his Fæder swiðran hand; and se forma martyr Stephanus cwæð, þæt he gesawe heofonas opene, and ðone Hælend standan on his Fæder swiðran. Nu cwyð se trahtnere, "Þæt rihtlice is gecweden, þæt he sæte æfter his upstige, forðan ðe deman gedafnað setl." Crist is se soða dema, þe demð and toscæt ealle ðing, nu and eac on ðam endenextan dæge. Se martyr hine geseah standan, forðan ðe hé wæs his gefylsta on ðære ðrowunge his martyrdomes, and ðurh his gife he wæs gebyld ongean ða reðan ehteras, ðe hine wælhreowlice stændon.	The evangelist Mark wrote in this gospel, that our Lord, after his ascension, sat on the right hand of his Father; and the first martyr, Stephen, said that he saw the heavens open, and Jesus standing on his Father's right. Now says the expounder, "That is rightly said, that he sat after his ascension, because a seat is befitting a judge." Christ is the true Judge, who will judge and decide all things, now, and also on the last day. The martyr saw him standing, for he was his supporter in the suffering of his martyrdom, and through his grace he was rendered bold against the fierce persecutors, who cruelly stoned him.
Se ende is ðises godspelles, Þæt Cristes apostoli "ferdon and bodedon gehwær, Drihtne samod wyrcendum, and ða spræce getrymmendum mid æfterfyligendum tacnum." Þa apostoli, þæt sind Godes bydelas, toferdon geond ealne middangeard. Petrus bodade on Iudea-lande, Paulus on hæðenum folce, Andreas on Scithia, Iohannes on Asia, Bartholomeus on India, Matheus on Ethiopia, and swa heora gehwilc on his dæle, and Godes miht him wæs mid, to gefremminge heora bodunga and ungerimra tacna; forðan ðe Crist cwæð, "Ne mage ge nán ðing dón butan me." Eft he cwæð, "Ic beo mid eow eallum dagum, oð þisre worulde geendunge," seðe lyfað and rixað mid þam Ælmihtigan Fæder and ðam Halgum Gaste á on ecnysse. Amen.	The end of this gospel is, that Christ's apostles "went and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following." The apostles, that is, God's preachers, went over all the world. Peter preached in Judea, Paul among the heathen folk, Andrew in Scythia, John in Asia, Bartholomew in India, Matthew in Ethiopia, and so each of them in his part, and the might of God was with them, for the efficacy of their preaching and of numberless signs; for Christ said, "Ye can do nothing without me." Again he said, "I will be with you on all days, until the ending of this world," who liveth and reigneth with the Almighty Father and the Holy Ghost ever to eternity. Amen.