Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/161

 Though a  man  wave  about  wonderfully  with  his  hand,

nevertheless it  is  not  a  blessing  except  he  make  the  sign

of the  holy  cross;  and  forthwith  the  fierce  fiend

will be  terrified  on  account  of  the  victorious  token.

With three  fingers  must  a  man  make  the  sign  and  bless  himself

for the  Holy  Trinity,  which  is  a  glory-ruling  God.

Sometimes priests  say  that  Christ's  betrayer,

the impious  Judas,  shall  not  hereafter  be  condemned

in the  great  day  (of  doom)  to  the  deep  hell;

and they  say  that  he  may  excuse  himself  to  Christ,

as if  he  of  necessity  committed  that  treachery  against  Him.

But against  that  we  say,  that  Christ's  word  is  not  false;

He said  concerning  Judas,  that  it  were  better  for  him

that he  were  not  born,  than  that  he  should  be  His  betrayer.

Neither the  Jews  nor  that  secret  traitor

were compelled  by  God  to  that  horrible  intention;

but when  that  Christ,  who  seeth  all  things,

saw their  evil  will. He then  turned  it  to  good,

so that  their  wickedness  became  to  us  for  salvation.

Each man  who  does  evil  with  evil  will

is guilty  before  God,  though  it  may  benefit  some;

and each  man  who  does  good  with  good  will,

hath his  reward  of  God,  though  it  may  do  harm  to  some;

because the  righteous  judge  giveth  to  each  the  reward

according  as    he   himself    determined   and    his   will    dictated  to him.

Now are  the  Jews  and  the  shameless  traitor  (Judas),

who plotted  against  Him,  guilty  of  Christ's  death,

though that  it  became  to  us  for  everlasting  redemption,

and none  of  them  shall  ever  come  to  Christ's  kingdom

unless they  have  repented  of  it  and  turn  to  Christ. io

The Saviour  is  so  merciful,  that  He  would  have  mercy