Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/269

260 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. (Cotton MSS. ðære hreowsunga hælð ða scylde ðæs won weorces. Eac sint to manianne ða medtruman to ðæm ðæt hie gehealden þa stenge [strenge] ðære geðylde. Him is to sæcganne ðæt hie unablinnedlice geðencen hu manig yfel ure Dryhten & ure Aliesend geðolode mid ðæm ilcan monnum þe he self gesceop, he hu fela edwites & unnyttra worda he forbær, & hu manige hleorslegeas he underfeng æt ðæm þe hiene bismredon. Se ilca se þe ælce dæg saula gereafað of ðæs ealdan feondes hondum, se ilca þe us ðwichð mid ðy halwyndan wætre, se na ne forbeag mid his nebbe ðara treowleasana manna spatl, ðonne hie him on ðæt nebb spætton. Se ilca se us gefrioð mid his forespræce from ecium witum, se ilca swigende geðafode swingellan. Se þe us sealde ece are betweoxn his engla geferscipe, he geðafode ðæt hiene man mid fyste slog. Se þe us gehæleð from ðæm stice urra synna, he geðafode ðæt him mon sette ðyrnenne beag on ðæt heafod. Se þe us oferdrencð mid ðæs ecean lifes liðe, he gefandode gellan biternesse, ða hiene fyrste. Se þe for us gebæd to his Fæder, ðeah he him efnmihtig sie on his godhade, ða ða him man on bismer to gebæd, ða swugode he. Se se þe deadum monnum lif gearwað, & he self lif is, he becom to deaðe. Forhwy ðonne sceal ænegum men ðyncean to reðe oððe to uniede ðæt he Godes swingellan geðafige for his yfelan dædum, nu God self swæ fela yfles geðafode, swæ swæ we ær cwædon, for mancynne? Hwa sceal ðonne, ðara þe hal & god ondgiet hæbbe, Gode unðoncfull beon, forðæm, ðeah he hiene for his synnum swinge, nu se ne for butan swingellan of ðys middangearde se þe butan ælcere synne wæs & giet is?

because the secret wound of repentance heals the sin of perverse works. The sick are also to be admonished to preserve the strength of patience. They are to be told to consider incessantly how many evils our Lord and Redeemer suffered among the same men whom he him- self had created, and how much reproach and how many vain words he endured, and how many blows he received from his revilers. The same who daily snatches souls from the hands of the old foe, and who washes us with salutary water, did not turn away his face from the spittle of those faithless men, when they spat in his face. The same who frees us with his mediation from eternal punishments, silently endured stripes. He who gave us eternal honour in the company of his angels, allowed himself to be struck with fists. He who heals