Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/13

 mus! very well-pleasingly  hast  thou  done;  nevertheless  there  is no  man  that  showeth  himself  perfect. Much greater  is  the  conflict which is  before  thee  than  that  which  is  passed,  though  thou  know it not;  but  that  thou  mayest  perceive  and  understand  how  great are other  ways  of  salvation,  go  out  of  thy  native  country  and  come to the  minster  that  is  placed  near  Jordan.'     Then,  verily,  he  departed immediately  from  that  minster  wherein  he  had  lived  from his childhood,  and  came  to  Jordan,  the  holiest  of  all  waters;  he went  then  within  the  minster  to  which  the  angel  had  directed  him. Then began  he  first  to  speak  to  the  monk  who  kept  the  minster-gate,  and   he  made   him  known  to  the  abbot,  and  brought  him to him.

Then after  the  performance  of  prayer,  as   is  the  custom  with monks, he  said  to  him,  'When  camest  thou  hither,  brother,  or  for what reason  hast  thou  joined  thyself  to   such  humble    monks ? ' Zosimus answered  him,  '  There  is  no  need  for  me,  father,  to  tell thee whence  I  come;   but  I  have  sought  you  here  for  the  sake of learning,  because  I  have  heard  of  many  spiritual  habits  here amongst you,  such   as    are  well-pleasing   to  God  beyond  expression.'      The    abbot    said   to    him,    '  God,    who    alone    preserveth and   healeth    so    many    infirmities,    strengthen     thee    and   us   in His   divine    commands,  and    direct    us   to   perform   those    works which please  Him. No man  may  edify  another  unless  he  frequently look to  himself,  and  unless  he  be  himself  working  with  sober  mind, having God  for  a  witness. Nevertheless, because  thou  hast  said that Christ's  true  love  brought  thee  hither  to  us,  to  seek  us  as  a humble  monk;    now  dwell  here  with  us  if  thou  camest  for  that purpose, and  may  the  Good  Shepherd  feed  us  all  together  with  the grace of  the  Holy  Ghost.'  At  these  words  thus  spoken  by  the  abbot, Zosimus bowed  his  knees;  and,  after  the  performance  of  prayer, dwelt in  the  minster,  where  he  saw  verily  all  the  elders  shining  in manners  and  deeds,  fervent  in  spirit,  and  serving  the  Lord;  where was unceasing  steadfastness  in  God's  praise  every  day,  and  also by night.

And there  were  never  useless  speeches  there,  nor  thought  of  gold and silver,  or  of  other  treasures;  nor  even  was  the  name  [of  them]