Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/437

 according to  the  instruction  of  Gregory,  the  faithful  pope.

Be glory  and  praise  to  the  benevolent  Creator,

who delivered  our  fathers  from  their  foes,

and disposed  them  to  baptism  by  means  of  His  preachers. Amen.

It is  now  also  to  wit  that  we  very  often  punish

wicked robbers  and  treacherous  thieves,

but they  shall  have  no  reward  from  Almighty  God,

but rather  the  everlasting  torments  for  their  cruelty,

because they  lived  by  rapine,  like  savage  wolves,

and oftentimes  snatched  away  from  the  righteous  their  subsistence.

Would that  at  least  the  miserable  man  would  bethink  himself,

and confess  his  sins  with  true  contrition,

at least  when  he  is  in  bonds  and  is  led  to  death,

even as  the  thief  did,  who  hung  condemned

with the  Saviour  Christ,  and  said  to  him  with  faith,

'Lord and  Master,  have  pity  on  me  when  Thou  comest  into  Thy kingdom.'

The Saviour  answered  him,  'Verily  I  say  unto  thee,

now to-day  thou  shalt  be  with  Me  in  Paradise.'

Thus earned  the  wicked  thief,

in his  death-throes,  the  eternal  life  with  Christ,

because he  believed  in  Christ,  and  besought  His  mercy.

Evilly doeth  he  to  himself  who  provides  for  himself  fraudulently,

and he  shall    be  the  companion  of    robbers,  whom   men   punish ignominiously.

The deceiver  concealeth  his  deeds  from  man,