Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/221

212 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. heredon us gefultume tæt we hie wiðermode ne gedon us mid ðære tælinge, ac ðæt sio hering getrymme & gemetgige ðæs wacmodan & ðæs unðristan monnes mod wið ða tælinge. Be ðæm se ilca Paulus cwæð, ða he ongeat ðæt folc þe Đessolonicensa hatte, ðæt hie on his lare fæste wæron, & ðeah he ongeat ðæt hie gedrefede wæron mid wacmodnesse, forðæmþe hie wendon ðæt hit near worlde endunge wære ðonne hit wære ; ða ongan he ærest herigean on him ðæt ðæt he fæstrædes wiste, & sona æfter ðone swiðe liðelice he hirde ða þe he unfæstrædes wiste, & ðus cwæð: We sculon simle sæcgean Gode ðancas for eow broður, swæ swæ hit wel wyrðe is, forðæmþe eower geleafa hæfð oferðungen swiðe monegra oðerra monna, & eower lufu is betweohxn eow swiðe genyhtsumu, swæ ðæt we apostolas sint swiðe gefeonde ealle for eowrum geleafan & for eo(w)rum geðylde. Ac sona æfter ðære liðelican spræce he cwæð: Ic eow healsige broður for ðæm tocyme Dryhtnes Hælendan Cristes & for ure gesomnunge ðæt ge no to hrædlice ne sien astyrede from eowrum gewitte, ne eow to swiðe ne [on]drædað for nanes monnes wordum ne for nanes witgan gaste, ne ðeah eow hwelc ærendgewrit cume, swelce hit from us asend sie, & ðæron cyðe ðæt se domes dæg neah sie. Swæ gedyde se soðfæsta lareow ðæt he ærest gehierdun ða heringe þe him licode forðæm ðæt hie æfter ðæm ðy lustlicor gehierden ða lare, ðætte ðæt lof hie to ðæm getrymede ðætte sio monung hie eft ne geðrycte. Đa he ongeat ðæt hie wæron onstyrede mid ðæm wenan ðæt hie ðæs endes swæ neah wendon, ða spræc he swelce he hit ðagit nyste ðæt hie hit him ða iu ondredon, ac forbead him ðæt hit ne sceolde swa weorðan, & wolde

former praise may prevent their being impatient of our blame, and that the praise may strengthen and regulate the minds of the weak and diffident for the blame. Of which the same Paul spoke when he per- ceived that the people called Thessalonians were firm in his teaching, and yet troubled with faintheartedness, because they thought the end of the world nearer than it really was; he began first to praise what he knew was their steadfastness, and immediately after, very gently admonished those whom he knew to be weakminded, and spoke thus : “We shall always have to say thanks to God on your account, brothers, as it is well meet, because your faith has surpassed that of many other men, and your love among yourselves is very abundant,