The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/XXXIII

by Ælfric

DOMINICA XVII. POST PENTECOSTEN.	THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.
Ibat Iesus in ciuitatem quæ uocatur Naim: et reliqua.	Ibat Jesus in civitatem quae vocatur Naim: et reliqua.
Ure Drihten ferde to sumere byrig seo is geháten Naim, and his gingran samod, and genihtsum menigu. Þaða he genealæhte þam port-geate, þa ferede man anes cnihtes líc to byrgene: et reliqua.	Our Lord went to a city which is called Nain, and his disciples with him, and a copious multitude. When he approached the port-gate, the corpse of a young man was borne to the grave, etc.
Beda se trahtnere cwæð, þæt seo burh Naim is gereht, 'yðung' oððe 'styrung.' Se deada cniht, ðe on manegra manna gesihðe wæs geferod, getácnað gehwylcne synfulne mannan þe bið mid healicum leahtrum on ðam inran menn adydd, and bið his yfelnys mannum cuð. Se cniht wæs áncenned sunu his meder, swa bið eac gehwilc cristen man gastlice ðære halgan gelaðunge sunu, seo is ure ealra modor, and ðeah-hwæðere ungewemmed mæden; forðan ðe hire team nis ná lichamlic ac gastlic. Gehwilc Godes ðeow, þonne he leornað, he bið bearn gecweden: eft, þonne he oðerne lærð, he bið modor, swa swa se apostol Paulus be ðam aslidenum mannum cwæð, "Ge synd mine bearn, ða ðe ic nu oðre siðe geeacnige, oðþæt Crist beo on eow geedníwod." Þæt port-geat getácnað sum lichamlic andgit þe menn ðurh syngiað. Se mann ðe tosæwð ungeþwærnysse betwux cristenum mannum, oððe seðe sprecð unrihtwisnysse on heannysse ðurh his muðes geat, he bið dead geferod. Se ðe behylt wimman mid galre gesihðe and fulum luste, ðurh his eagena geat, hé geswutelað his sawle deað. Se ðe idele spellunge, oððe tállice word lustlice gehyrð, þonne macað hé his eare him sylfum to deaðes geate. Swa is eac be ðam oðrum andgitum to understandenne.	Beda the expositor said, that the city of Nain is interpreted 'inundation' or 'agitation.' The dead youth, who was borne in sight of many men, betokens every sinful man who in the inward man is fordone with deadly sins, and his evilness is known to men. The youth was the only-born son of his mother, so is also every christian man spiritually a son of the holy church, which is the mother of us all, and, nevertheless, an undefiled maiden; for her family is not bodily but spiritual. Every servant of God, when he learns, is called a child: afterwards, when he teaches another, he is a mother, as the apostle Paul said of the fallen men, "Ye are my children, whom I now a second time conceive, until Christ is renewed in you." The port-gate betokens some bodily sense through which men sin. The man that sows dissension among christian men, or who speaks unrighteousness in high places through his mouth's gate, he is borne dead. He who beholds a woman with libidinous eye and foul lust, through his eyes' gate, manifests his soul's death. He who with delight hears idle discourse or contumelious words, makes his ear a gate of death to himself. So is it also to be understood of the other senses.
Se Hælend wearð astyred mid mildheortnysse ofer ðære meder, þæt he us bysene sealde his arfæstnysse; and he ðone deadan syððan arærde, þæt he us to his geleafan getrymede. He genealæhte and hreopode þa bǽre, and þa bǽrmenn ætstodon. Seo bǽr ðe þone deadan ferode is þæt orsorge ingehyd þæs orwenan synfullan. Soðlice ða byrðeras, ðe hine to byrgenne feredon, synd olæcunga lyffetyndra geferena, þe mid olæcunge and geættredum swæsnyssum þone synfullan tihtað and heriað, swa swa se wítega cwæð, "Se synfulla bið geherod on his lustum, and se unrihtwisa bið gebletsod: þonne he bið mid idelum hlisan and lyffetungum befángen, þonne bið hit swylce he sy mid sumere mold-hypan ofhroren." Be swylcum cwæð se Hælend to ánum his gecorenan, ðaða hé wolde his fæder líc bebyrian: he cwæð, "Geðafa þæt ða deadan bebyrion heora deadan: far ðu, and boda Godes rice." Witodlice ða deadan bebyriað oðre deadan, þonne gehwilce synfulle menn oðre heora gelícan mid derigendlicere herunge geólæcað, and mid gegaderodum hefe þære wyrstan lyffetunge ofðriccað. Be swylcum is gecweden on oðre stowe, "Lyffetyndra tungan gewriðað manna sawla on synnum."	Jesus was moved with compassion for the mother, that he might give us an example of his piety; and he afterwards raised the dead, that he might confirm us to his faith. He approached and touched the bier, and the biermen stood still. The bier which bare the dead is the heedless mind of the hopeless sinful. But the bearers, who bare him to the grave, are the blandishments of flattering companions, who with blandishment and envenomed suavities stimulate and praise the sinful, as the prophet said, "The sinful is praised in his lusts, and the unrighteous is blessed: when he is surrounded by empty fame and flatteries, then is it as though he were overwhelmed by a mould-heap." Of such Jesus said to one of his chosen, when he would bury his father's corpse: he said, "Allow the dead to bury their dead: go thou, and preach God's kingdom." Verily the dead bury other dead, when sinful men court others their like with pernicious praise, and oppress with the accumulated weight of the worst flattery. Of such it is said in another place, "The tongues of flatterers bind the souls of men in sins."
Mid þam ðe Drihten hrepode ða bære, ða ætstodon þa bǽrmenn. Swa eac, gif ðæs synfullan ingehyd bið gehrepod mid fyrhte þæs upplican domes, þonne wiðhæfð he ðam unlustum and ðam leasum lyffeterum, and clypigendum Drihtne to ðam ecan life cáflice geandwyrt, swylce he of deaðe arise. Drihten cwæð to ðam cnihte, "Ic secge ðe, Aris, and he ðærrihte gesǽt and spræc, and se Hælend betæhte hine his meder." Se ge-edcucoda sitt, þonne se synfulla mid godcundre onbryrdnysse cucað. He sprecð, þonne he mid Godes herungum his muð gebysgað, and mid soðre andetnysse Godes mildheortnysse secþ. He bið his meder betæht, þonne he bið þurh sacerda ealdordóm gemǽnscipe ðære halgan gelaðunge geferlæht. Þæt folc wearð mid micclum ege ablicged; forðan swa swa mann fram marum synnum gecyrð to Godes mildheortnysse, and his ðeawas æfter Godes bebodum gerihtlæcð, swa má manna beoð gecyrrede ðurh his gebysnunge to Godes herunge.	When the Lord touched the bier, the biermen stood still. So also, if the mind of the sinful is touched by fear of the heavenly doom, then he withstands evil lusts and false flatteries, and to the Lord calling to eternal life promptly answers, as if he had arisen from death. The Lord said to the youth, "I say unto thee, Arise. And he forthwith sat and spake, and Jesus delivered him to his mother." The requickened sits, when the sinful with divine stimulation quickens. He speaks, when he employs his mouth with God's praises, and with true confession seeks God's mercy. He is delivered to his mother, when through the priest's authority he is associated in communion of the holy church. The folk was astonished with great awe; for so as a man turns from great sins to God's mercy, and corrects his conduct after God's commandments, so more men will be turned through his example to the praise of God.
Þæt folc cwæð þæt mære witega arás betwux ús, and þæt God his folc geneosode. Soð hí sædon be Criste, þæt he mære witega is; ac he is witegena Witega, and heora ealra witegung; forðan ðe ealle be him witegodon, and he ðurh his to-cyme heora ealra witegunge gefylde. We cweðað nu mid maran geleafan, þæt he is mære witega, forðan ðe he wát ealle ðing, and eac fela witegode, and he is soð God of soðum Gode, Ælmihtig Sunu of ðam Ælmihtigan Fæder, seðe his folc geneosode þurh his menniscnysse, and fram deofles ðeowte alysde.	The folk said, "That a great prophet hath arisen among us," and, "That God hath visited his folk." Truly they said of Christ, that he is a great prophet; for he is a Prophet of prophets, and the prophecy of them all; for they all prophesied of him, and by his advent he fulfilled the prophecy of them all. We say now with great faith, that he is a great prophet, for he knows all things, and also prophesied many, and he is true God of true God, Almighty Son of the Almighty Father, who visited his folk through his humanity, and relieved them from the thraldom of the devil.
We rædað gehwær on bocum, þæt se Hælend fela deade to lífe arærde, ac ðeah-hwæðere nis nán godspell gesett be heora nanum buton ðrim anum. An is þes cniht þe we nu embe spræcon, oðer wæs anes ealdormannes dohtor, þridde wæs Lazarus, Marthan broðer and Marian. Þyssera ðreora manna ærist getácnað þæt ðryfealde ærist synfullra sawla. Þære sawle deað is þreora cynna: án is yfel geðafung, oðer is yfel weorc, ðridda is yfel gewuna. Ðæs ealdormannes dohtor læig æt forðsiðe, and se fæder gelaðode ðone Hælend þærto, forðan ðe he wæs on ðam timan þær on neawiste. Heo ða forðferde ærðan ðe he hire to come. Þaða he com, ða genam hé hí be ðære hánda, and cwæð, "Þu mæden, ic secge ðe, Arís. And heo ðærrihte arás, and metes bæd."	We read everywhere in books, that Jesus raised many dead to life, but yet there is no gospel composed of any of them save three only. One is the youth of whom we have just spoken, the second was an ealdorman's daughter, the third was Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. The resurrection of these three persons betokens the threefold resurrection of sinful souls. The soul's death is of three kinds: one is evil assent, the second is evil work, the third is evil habit. The ealdorman's daughter lay at the point of death, and the father called Jesus thereto, because he was at that time there in the neighbourhood. She had departed before he came to her. When he came, he took her by the hand, and said, "Thou maiden, I say unto thee, Arise. And she straightways arose, and asked for meat."
Þis mæden ðe inne læg on deaðe geswefod, getácnað þære synfullan sawle deað, ðe gelustfullað on yfelum lustum digellice, and ne bið gyt mannum cuð, þæt heo þurh synna dead is; ac Crist geswutelode þæt hé wolde swa synfulle sawle gelíffæstan, gif hé mid geornfullum gebedum to gelaðod bið, þaða he arærde þæt mæden binnan ðam huse, swa swa digelne leahter on menniscre heortan lutigende. Nu syndon oðre synfulle þe gelustfulliað on derigendlicum lustum mid geðafunge, and eac heora yfelnysse mid weorcum cyðað; swilce getácnode se deada cniht, ðe wæs on þæs folces gesihðe geférod. Swilce synfulle arærð Crist, gif hí heora synna behreowsiað, and betæcð hí heora meder, þæt is, þæt he hi geferlæcð on annysse his gelaðunge.	This maiden, who lay therein sleeping in death, betokens the death of the sinful soul, which delights secretly in evil pleasures, and it is not yet known to men, that it, through sins, is dead; but Christ manifested that he would quicken so sinful a soul, if with fervent prayers he be thereto called, when he raised the maiden within the house, like as secret sin lurking in the human heart. Now there are other sinful, who delight in pernicious lusts by assent, and also manifest their evilness by works; such the dead youth betokened, who was borne in sight of the people. Such sinners Christ raises, if they repent of their sins, and delivers them to their mother, that is, he associates them in the unity of his church.
Sume synfulle men geðafiað heora lustum, and ðurh yfele dæda mannum cyðað heora synna, and eac gewunelice syngigende hí sylfe gewemmað: þyllice getácnode Lazarus, þe læg on byrgene feower niht fule stincende. Witodlice Godes nama is Ælmihtig, forðan ðe hé mæg ealle ðing gefremman. He mæg ða synfullan sawle ðurh his gife geliffæstan, ðeah ðe heo on gewunelicum synnum fule stince, gif heo mid carfulre drohtnunge Godes mildheortnysse secð; ac swa mare wund swa heo maran læcedomes behófað. Þæt geswutelode se Hælend, þaþa hé mid leohtlicere stemne þæt mæden arærde on feawra manna gesihðe; forðan ðe hé ne geðafode þæt ðæra má manna inne wære, buton se fæder, and seo modor, and his ðry leorning-cnihtas: and he cwæð ða, "Þu mæden, Arís."	Some sinful men assent to their lusts, and by evil deeds manifest their sins to men, and also habitually sinning defile themselves: such Lazarus betokened, who lay four days foully stinking in the sepulchre. Verily God's name is Almighty, for he can accomplish all things. He can through his grace quicken the sinful soul, though it foully stink in habitual sins, if with careful conduct it seek God's mercy; but the more it is wounded so much more medicament does it require. That Jesus manifested, when with clear voice he raised the maiden in sight of few persons; for he allowed not more persons to be therein than the father, and the mother, and his three disciples: and he said then, "Thou maiden, Arise."
Swa bið eac se digla deað ðære sawle eaþelicor to arǽrenne, þe on geðafunge digelice syngað, þonne synd ða openan leahtras to gehælenne. Þone cniht he arærde on ealles folces gesihðe, and mid þysum wordum getrymede, "Þu cniht, ic secge ðe, Arís." Þa diglan gyltas man sceal digelice betan, and ða openan openlice, þæt ða beon getimbrode þurh his behreowsunge, ðe ǽr wæron þurh his mándæda geæswicode.	So also is the secret death of the soul, which sins secretly by assent, easier to raise than open vices are to be healed. He raised the youth in sight of all the people, and confirmed by these words, "Thou youth, I say unto thee, Arise." Secret sins shall be expiated secretly, and open openly, that those may be edified by his repentance, who had ere been seduced by his sins.
Drihten ðaða he Lazarum stincendne arærde, ða gedrefde he hine sylfne, and tearas ageat, and mid micelre stemne clypode, "Lazare, ga forð:" ða he geswutelode þæt se ðe swiðe langlice and gewunelice syngode, þæt he eac mid micelre behreowsunge and wope sceal his yfelan gewunan to Godes rihtwisnysse gewéman. Nis nán synn swa micel þæt man ne mæge gebétan, gif he mid inneweardre heortan be ðæs gyltes mæðe on soðre dǽdbote þurhwunað. Is þeah-hwæðere micel smeagung be anum worde þe Crist cwæð: he cwæð, "Ælc synn and tál bið forgífen behreowsigendum mannum, ac þæs Halgan Gastes tál ne bið næfre forgífen. Þeah ðe hwá cweðe tállic word ongean me, him bið forgífen, gif he deð dǽdbote; soðlice se ðe cweð word ongan ðone Halgan Gast, ne bið hit him forgífen on ðyssere worulde, ne on ðære towerdan." Nis nán synna forgífenys buton ðurh ðone Halgan Gast. An Ælmihtig Fæder is, se gestrynde ænne Sunu of him sylfum. Nis se Fæder gehæfd gemænelice Fæder fram ðam Suna and þam Halgan Gaste, forðan ðe hé nis heora begra sunu. Se Halga Gast soðlice is gemænelice gehæfd fram ðam Fæder and þam Suna, forðan ðe hé is heora begra Gast, þæt is heora begra Lufu and Willa, þurh ðone beoð synna forgyfene. Witodlice ðære Halgan Ðrynnysse weorc is æfre untodæledlic, þeah-hwæðere belimpð ælc forgífenys to ðam Halgan Gaste, swa swa seo acennednys belimpð to Criste ánum.	The Lord when he raised the stinking Lazarus was troubled and shed tears, and with a loud voice cried, "Lazarus, go forth:" he then manifested that he who has very long and habitually sinned, shall also with great repentance and weeping turn his evil habits to God's righteousness. There is no sin so great that a man may not expiate it, if, with inward heart, according to the degree of the sin, he continue in true penitence. There is, nevertheless, great disquisition concerning one sentence which Christ said: he said, "Every sin and calumny shall be forgiven to repenting men, but calumny of the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. Though any one speak a calumnious word against me, he shall be forgiven, if he do penance; but he who says a word against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven in this world nor in that to come." There is no forgiveness of sins but through the Holy Ghost. There is one Almighty Father, who begot a Son of himself. The Father is not called Father in common from the Son and the Holy Ghost, for the latter is not the son of them both. But the Holy Ghost is called in common from the Father and the Son, for he is the Spirit of them both, that is the Love and Will of them both, through whom sins are forgiven. Verily the work of the Holy Trinity is ever indivisible, yet all forgiveness belongs to the Holy Ghost, as birth belongs to Christ alone.
Hí ne magon beon togædere genemnede, Fæder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, ac hí ne beoð mid ænigum fæce fram him sylfum awar totwæmede. On eallum weorcum hí beoð togædere, þeah ðe to ðam Fæder synderlice belimpe þæt he Bearn gestrynde, and to ðam Suna belimpe seo acennednys, and to þam Halgan Gaste seo forðstæppung. Se Sunu is ðæs Fæder Wisdom æfre of ðam Fæder acenned; se Halga Gast nis na acenned, forðan ðe he nis na sunu, ac he is heora begra Lufu and Willa, æfre of him bám forðstæppende, þurh ðone we habbað synna forgyfenysse, swa swa we habbað þurh Crist alysednysse; and þeah-hwæðere on ægðrum weorce is seo Halige Þrynnys wyrcende untodæledlice.	They may not be named together, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, but they are not by any space anywhere separated from themselves. In all works they are together, though to the Father it exclusively belongs that he begot a Son, and to the Son belongs birth, and to the Holy Ghost procession. The Son is the Wisdom of the Father ever begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost is not begotten, for he is not a son, but is the Love and Will of them both, ever proceeding from them both, through whom we have forgiveness of sins, as through Christ we have redemption; and yet in either work is the Holy Trinity working indivisibly.
Se cwyð tál ongean ðone Halgan Gast, seðe mid unbehreowsigendre heortan þurhwunað on mándædum, and forsihð þa forgyfenysse ðe stent on ðæs Halgan Gastes gife: þonne bið his scyld unalysendlic, forðan ðe he sylf him belicð þære forgífenysse weg mid his heardheortnysse. Behreowsigendum bið forgífen, forseondum næfre. Uton we biddan þone Ælmihtigan Fæder, seðe us þurh his wisdom geworhte, and þurh his Halgan Gast geliffæste, þæt he ðurh ðone ylcan Gast us do ure synna forgyfenysse, swa swa he us ðurh his ænne áncennedan Sunu fram deofles ðeowte alysde.	He speaks calumny against the Holy Ghost, who with unrepenting heart continues in deeds of wickedness, and despises the forgiveness which stands in the grace of the Holy Ghost: then shall his sin be unredeemable, for he himself besets the way of forgiveness with his hardheartedness. The repenting shall be forgiven, the despising never. Let us pray to the Almighty Father, who hath through his Wisdom made us, and through his Holy Spirit quickened us, that he through the same Spirit grant us forgiveness of our sins, as, through his only begotten Son, he has redeemed us from the thraldom of the devil.
Sy lof and wuldor þam ecan Fæder, seðe næfre ne ongann, and his ánum Bearne, seðe æfre of him is, and þam Halgan Gaste, seðe æfre is of him bám, hi ðry án Ælmihtig God untodæledlic, á on ecnysse rixigende. Amen.	Be praise and glory to the eternal Father who never began, and to his only Son who ever is of him, and to the Holy Ghost who ever is of them both, those three one Almighty God indivisible, reigning ever to eternity. Amen.