Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/347

338 gesæd ðæt he for ðy getæled wære ðy he oðre men reafode, ac forðyðy he his agnes ungemetlice breac, & oðrum mondum nauht ne sealde; & ðeah æfter ðisse worlde he underfong helle wite, nalles no forðyðe he auht unaliefodes dyde, ac forðæmþe he ðæs aliefdan nanwuht nolde forlætan, ac his swiðe ungemetlice breac, & hiene selfne eallenga gesealde ðissum worldwelum. Eac sint to manianne ða fæsthafolan ðæt hie ongieten ðæt ðæt sint ða forman læððo þe hie Gode gedon mægen, ðæt hie ðæm nan wuht ne dón þe him eall sealde ðæt hie habbað. Be ðæm cwæð se psalmscop: He ne sealde Gode nanne medsceat for his saule ne nænne geðingsceat wið his miltse. Đæt is ðonne se medsceat wið his saule ðæt he him gilde god weorc for ðære gife ðe he him ær sealde. Be ðæm ilcan cwæð Iohannes: Ælc triow man sceal ceorfan, þe gode wæstmas ne birt, & weorpan on fyr, & forbærnan. Nu is ðonne sio æx asett on ðonne wyrttruman ðæs treowes, ac ondræden him ðonne dynt swæ neah, ða þe noht to gode ne doð, & ðeah wenað ðæt hie sien unscyldige, forðæmþe hie nan lað ne doð. Ac him is ðearf ðæt hie forlæten ða orsorgnense & ðæt dysig hiora slæwðe, ðylæs hie weorðen awyrtwalode of ðys andweardan life. Swæ swe ðæt treow þe ða wyrttruman biod forcorfene forsearað, swæ hie magon ondrædan ðæt him weorden ða wyrttruman forcorfene on ðys andweardan life, gif hie for hiora giemelieste nyllað beran ða bleda godra weorca. Ongean ðæt sint to manianne ða þe willað sellan ðæt ðæt hie habbað, & ðeah nyllað forlætan ðæt hie oðre men ne reafen; hie sint to manianne ðæt hie geðencen, ongemang ðæm þe hie wilniað ðæt hie giofole ðyncen, ðæt hie for ðæt godan hlisan by forcuðran ne

he enjoyed his own immoderately, and gave nothing to others ; and yet after this world he received the punishment of hell, not at all because he had done anything unlawful, but because he would not abstain from anything of what was lawful, but enjoyed it very immo- derately, and gave himself up altogether to these worldly riches. The miserly are also to be admonished to understand that the chief in- jury they can inflict on God consists in doing nothing for him, who gave them all that they have. Of which the Psalmist said: “He gave God no price for his soul, nor any ransom for his mercy." The price of his soul is, paying him good works for the gift he for- merly granted him. Of the same John the Evangelist spoke : "Every !