Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/365

 and these  all  now,  for  their  purity,  are  dwelling

with Christ  in  everlasting  glory.

Now in  our  days,  in  the  end  of  this  world,

the devil  secretly  layeth  snares  about  us,

how he  by  vices  may  seduce  Christians,

and turn  their  minds  to  divers  sins ;

but those  are  happy  who  discern  his  snares,

and by  faith  overcome  his  cunning  deceits.

Now he  rageth  furiously,  and  warreth  on  Christians,

because he  knoweth  well  that  this  world's  ending

is very  nigh  at  hand,  and  therefore  he  maketh  haste.

We should  likewise  hasten,  and  help  our  souls

by good  services  to  the  pleasing  of  God,

because we  may  not  exist  long  in  this  life;

and that  is  [by]  God's  mercy,  although  it  be  secret.

In the  beginning  of  this  world,  when  it  was  winsome,

and men  might  live  therein  according  to  their  desires,

then life  was  prolonged  so  that  men  lived

some nine  hundred  years  in  the  patriarchs'  times,

some eight  hundred  years,  and  some  even  longer.

Now is  our  life  unlike  to  theirs,

because we  may  not  now  live  after  our  lusts,

but we  have  to  obey  our  Saviour's  commands,

and earn  by  labour  the  everlasting  life;

and that  labour  began  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.

Now hath  God  also  greatly  shortened  our  days,

even as  He  so  said;    '  Ye  shall  not  labour  too  long,

but be  ye  steadfast  unto  the  eternal  life,

where ye  shall  live  happy  without  labour.'

Now there  are  three  Chief  Virtues,  which  men  must  have,