Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/343

 and he  had  to  depart  then  into  far  distant  lands

to heathen  nations,  to  teach  them.

Then he  desired  first  of  all  to  write  the  Gospel

for his  own  people,  before  he  departed  from  them.

The second  Evangelist  is  Mark,  who  was  by  the  Apostle  Peter

educated in  doctrine,  and  converted  to  the  faith.

Peter was  his  godfather,  and  begat  him  to  God,

and he  so  long  followed  his  baptismal  father  Peter,

until he  had  written,  with  true  faith,

the second  book  of  Christ,  in  the  land  of  Italy.

He never  saw  Christ  in  life,  but  he  learned,  nevertheless,

from Peter's  preaching,  how  he  should  write  the  book,

and Peter  examined  it,  and  delivered  it  to  be  read.

The third  Evangelist  is  Luke,  who  was  a  physician  in  the  world,

and dwelt  with  the  apostles,  and  with  Paul  afterward,

serving the  Almighty  without  any  sin

in a  pure  life,  ever  without  a  wife,  filled  with  God's  Spirit,

and he  wrote  and  wisely  arranged  the  Gospel,

and he  also  wrote  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.

He wrote  his  Gospel  in  the  land  of  Achaia,

and departed  to  God,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,

when he  was  four  and  eighty  years  of  age.

The fourth  Evangelist  is  John,  Christ's  aunt's  son;

he was  so  dear  to  Christ  that  he  leaned  upon  His  breast

in which  was  hidden  the  heavenly  wisdom,

as if  he  thence  might  drink  the  deep  learning

which he  afterward  wrote  in  wonderfuller  writings,

so that  he  surpassed  all  creatures,

and declared  the  words  which  angels  durst  not.