Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/23

Rh

beloved, we told you erewhile how our Saviour Christ was on this day born in true human nature of the holy Virgin Mary. Nevertheless, we now desire, for the honour of this day, to stir up your minds by ghostly teaching for your happiness, by the grace of God. There were certain heretics beguiled by the devil, so that they said that Christ the Son of God was not eternally dwelling with the Holy Father, but there was a certain time (period) before He was born; but the holy Gospel hath full oft surpassed the understanding of such heretics. The Jews asked Christ who He was; then answered He them thus: Ego sum principium qui et loquor vobis: 'I who speak unto you am the beginning.' Now have ye heard how Jesus spake of Himself, that He is the Originator and Beginning of all things, together with His Heavenly Father and with the Holy Ghost. The Father is the Beginning, and the Son is the Beginning, and the Holy Ghost is the Beginning; they are not three Beginnings, but they all three are one Beginning, and One