Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/131

 so  that  his  dearest  men  lay  there  fallen  clown,

and they  prayed  the  saints  then  that  they  would  go  thence.

And they  then  with  hymns  journied  again  to  the  wilderness.

God's servants  ought  to  preserve  (their)  harmlessness,

even as  Christ  set  the  example  through  Himself,

when he  commanded  Peter  to  hide  his  sword,

and healed  by  bis  might  the  man's  ear

that Peter  cut  off,  and  manifested  his  goodness.

Now the  monk  that  submits  to  Benedict's  rule,

and leaves  all  worldly  things,  why  will  he  again  return

to worldly  weapons,  and  cast  aside  his  straggle

against the  invisible  enemies,  to  vex  his  Creator

The servant  of  God  may  not  fight  along  with  worldly  men

if he  is  to  have  success  in  the  spiritual  combat.

There was  no  holy  servant  of  God  after  the  Saviour's  passion,

that would  ever  defile  his  hands  with  fighting,

but they  bore  the  persecution  of  impious  tormentors,

and gave  up  their  lives  with  harmlessness

for God's  belief,  and  they  now  live  with  God,

because they  would  not  even  put  to  death  a  bird.

After Augustine  came  to  England

there was  a  noble  king  called  Oswald

in the  land  of  the  Northumbrians,  who  believed  greatly  in  God.