Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/271

 and to  everlasting  deliverance,  and  to  their  destruction;

they are  very  guilty  for  their  wiles,

and to  them  is  adjudged  according  to  that  which  they  did,

though our  Lord  permitted  them  [to  do]  the  deeds.

Evil were  the  persecutors  and  the  impious  murderers

who slew  the  martyrs,  but  nevertheless  it  became

glory and  everlasting  worship  to  the  saints,

and the  persecutors  have  perpetual  abasement.

There would  not  have  been  so  many  martyrs  had  there  not

been this  great  persecution

which the  devil  stirred  up,  against  the  Lord's  saints,

through his  wicked  servants  who  loved   heathenism.

God permitteth  nevertheless,  for  His  goodness,

that His  sun  shineth  over  the  sinful  heathen,

and He  sends  His  showers  of  rain  both  to  righteous  men

and to  the  evil,  for  His  great  bounty,

and feedeth  us  all,  both  evil  and  good.

God created  the  heathen,  though  they  know  Him  not,

but nevertheless  they  will  not  be  without  punishment  hereafter,

because they  might  easily  understand  the  Almighty

by means  of  the  creatures  which  they  see  in  the  world.

Heaven and  earth,  and  other  creatures,

sun and  moon,  magnify  their  Creator,

and men  may  discern  that  He  is  the  great  God

alone Almighty,  Who  created  them  all.

Now are  the  heathen,  without  excuse,

rightly condemned  with  the  devil  in  hell,

because they  did  not  acknowledge  Christ  by  faith,

Who gave  them  life,  and  provided  them  with  sustenance.

One natural  law  is  appointed  to  all  mankind,

that no  man  may  do  harm  to  another  man,

even as  the  Saviour  said  in  His  holy  gospel;

'That which  thou  desirest  not  to  befall  thyself  in  thy  life,

that do  not  to  another  man.'     This  said  the  Lord  Himself.

But the  heathen  vex  and  plunder  the  Christians,