Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/357

 and John  established  the  ascetic  life

in the  New  Testament,  as  Christ  instructed  him,

and he  belonged  both  to  the  Law  and  to  the  Gospel,

like a  landmark  between  Moses  and  us,

so constant  a  man  of  God,  that  God  Himself  said  of  him,

that no  greater  man  was  there  upon  earth,

born of  man  and  of  woman;    thus  God  honoured  him.

Behold then,  our  Saviour,  the  Son  of  the  heavenly  God,

showed forth  His  great  love  which  He  had  to  us  men,

so that  He  was  born  of  a  pure  virgin,

without man's  commerce,  and  was  manifested  as  Man,

in soul  and  in  body,  Very  God  and  Very  Man,

to the  end  that  He  might  redeem  those  of  us  who  believe  in  Him

from the  eternal  death,  by  His  guiltless  death.

Thereby we  may  perceive  Christ's  humility,

in that  the  high  God  so  humbled  Himself,

that He  stooped  to  that  death,  and  overcame  the  devil

by that  incarnation,  and  so  redeemed  mankind;

He is  over  all  things. Almighty Creator,

and He  would  nevertheless  suffer  punishment  for  us.

Now is  His  humility  incomparable  with  ours,

because we  are  sinful,  and  ought  to  be  humble,

will we,  nill  we;   and  He  would  of  His  own  will

give us  the  example,  even  as  He  Himself  said,

'Discite a  me,  quia  mitis  sum  et  humilis  corde,  et  invenietis  requiem animahus  vestris;'  [that  is  in  English:]

' Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek

and lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest

unto your  souls; '    thus  said  the  Lord.

He did  not  bid  us  learn  to  make  the  heavens  [do  great  things],

but He  bade  us  be  humble,  that  we  might  get  to  heaven,