Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/233

294 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. Hwæt, ðu meaht gesion lytelne cið on ðines broður eagan, & ne meaht gefredan micelne beam on ðinum agnan. Sio gedrefednes ðære ungeðylde on ðæm mode ðæt is se smala ciid, ac se yfela willa on ðære heortan ðæt is se greata beam. Đone ungeðyldegan ðonne swiðe lytel scúr ðære costunga mæg onhreran, swæ swæ lytel wind mæg ðone cið awecggean, ac ðone yfelan fæstrædan willan folneah nan wind ne mæg awecggean. Be ðæm cwæð eft Dryhten: Đu licettere, aweorp ærest of ðinum agnum eagan ðone greatan beam, & cunna siððan hwæðer ðu mæge adón ðone cið of ðines broður eagan. Swelce he cwæde to ðæm unryhtwisan mode, þe innan bið gnorniende, & utan licet geðyld : Adó ærest from ðe ða byrðenne ðæs yflan willan, & tæl siððan oðerne for his ungeðylde & for his leohtmodnesse; forðæm, ðonne ðu ne wilnast ðæt ðu oferswiðe ðone yfelan willan, & forlæte ða licettunge on ðe selfum, ðonne meaht ðu ðy wyrs geðyldgian oðres monnes yfel. And oft ðeah gebyreð ðæm geðyldegan, ðeah him mon hwæt wiðerweardes do, oððe he hwelce scande gehiere be him selfum, ðæt he ðonne nanwuht æt ðæm cirre ne bið astired, ac gebærð swæ geðyldelice swelce he hit hæbbe mid ealre heortan forlæten. Ac ðonne he hit eft ofman æfter lytlum fæce, ðonne ofðyncð him ðæs ilcan þe he ær forbær, & bið eft onæled mid ðy fyre ðæs sares. Sec ðonne & smeað hu he hit gewrecan mæge, & ða manðwærnesse þe he ær turhtogen hæfde eft ðeahtigende on yfel gewent. Ac ðæm mæg bion swiðe hræde geholpen from his lareowe, gif he him sægð hwonon ðæt cymð, & hu se lytega dioful styreð gewinn & gefeoht betweox him twam: oðerne he lærð ðæt he onginne sume sconde be ðæm oðrum

not perceive a great beam in thine own." The agitation of impatience in the mind is the little mote, but the evil will in the heart is the great beam. A very small breeze of tempation can stir the impatient, as a little wind can move the mote; but the evil, obstinate will almost no wind can move. Therefore the Lord said again : “Thou hypocrite, cast first out of thine own eye the great beam, and then try if thou canst remove the mote from thy brother's eye.” As if he had said to the unrighteous heart, which is afflicted internally, while externally it simulates patience : “Remove first from thee the burden of the evil will, and then blame another for his impatience and frivolity ; because, whilst thou dost not desire to overcome the evil will, and relinquish thine own impatience, thou wilt be the worse able to suffer another man's faults."