Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/265

256 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. Swæ eac, ðonne ðæt flæsc bið gelet mid sumum broce, hit getacnað ðæm mode for ðære swingan hwæt Godes willa bið, ðone ilcan willan þe ðæt mod hwilum ongietan ne mæg þe ofer ðæm flæsce sitt, & his waldan sceolde, forðæm ðæt flæsc oft lett ða geornfulnesse & ðone willan ðæs ðeondan modes her on worlde. Swæ swæ mon oft lett fundiendne monnan, & his færelt gælð, swæ gælð se lichoma ðæt mod, oððæt he gebrocod wierð mid sumre mettrymnesse, & ðonne ðurh ða mettrymnesse getacnað se lichoma ðæm mode ðone ungesewenan engel þe him togeanes stent, & him wiernð his unnytta færelta ðurh ðæs lichoman mettrymnesse. Be ðæm cwæð sanctus Petrus swiðe ryhtlice : Đæt dumbe & ðæt gehæfte neat ðreade ðone witgan for his yflan willan, ða hit clipode swæ swæ mann, & mid ðy gestierde ðæm witgan his unryhtre & dysigre [dysiglicre] wilnunge. Đonne ðreað ðæt dumbe neat ðone unwisan monn, ðonne ðæt gebrocode flæsc gelærð ðæt upahafene mod to ryhtre & to nytwierdre eaðmodnesse. Forðæm ne meahte Balaham geearnian ða Godes gife þe he biddende wæs, ða he Israhela folc wiergean wolde & for hiene selfne gebiddan ; forðæm he wearð untygða þe he hwierfde his stemne nalles his mod : ðæt wæs ðæt he spræc oðer, oðer he sprecan wolde. Eac sint ða siocan to manianne ðæt hie ongieten hu micel Godes giefu him bið [tæs added] flæsces geswinc, forðæmþe hit ægðer ge ða gedonan synna onweg aðwiehð, ge hiene eac ðara gelett þe he dón wolde, gif he meahte, fortæm ðonne he bið gesargod on ðæs lichoman wundum, ðonne gewyrceað ða wunda on ðæm gebrocedan mode hreowsunge wunda. Be ðæm is eac gecweden [awriten] on Salomonnes cwidbocum ðætte sio

any affliction, it shows the mind with the castigation what God's will is, the same will which the mind, which presides over the flesh, and should control it, cannot sometimes perceive, because the flesh often balks the zeal and will of the flourishing mind here in the world. As a man in a hurry is often balked, and his journey delayed, so the body delays the mind until it is afflicted with some disease, and then with the disease the body shows the mind the unseen angel standing in front of it, and preventing its useless journey with the bodily disease. Therefore St. Peter said very rightly: “The dumb and captive beast rebuked the prophet for his evil desire, when it spoke like a man, and so restrained the wicked and foolish desire of the prophet.” The dumb beast rebukes the foolish man, when the afflicted flesh trains the