Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/42

Hatton MS.] GREGORY'S PASTORAL. on ðæm wél deð, he hæfð dæs gód lean, gif he yfle deð, læsse wite he ðrowað ón helle, gif he ana ðider cymð, ðonne he dó, gif he oðerne mid him ðider bringð.

III. Be ðære byrðenne ðæs reccenddomes, & hu he scyle eall earfoðu forsion, & hu for(h)t he sceal beon for ælcre orsorgnesse.

Fordon we ðiss feawum wordum sædon, ðy we woldon gecyðan hu micel sio byrðen bið ðæs lareowdomes, ðylæs ænig hine underfón durre ðara ðe his unwierðe sie, ðylæs hie ðurh ða wilnunga ðære woroldáre underfó ðone latteowdom ðæs forlores. Suiðe medomlice Iacobus se apostol his stirde, ða he cuæð: Broðor ne beo eower to fela [lareowa]. Forðæm se wealhstod [self] Godes & monna, ðæt is Crist, fleah eorðrice to underfonne. Se se ðe ealne ðon[e] wisdom ðara uferrenna gæsta oferstigð & ær worolde ricsode on hefenum, hit is awriten on ðæm godspelle, Iudeas comon & woldon hine dón niedenga to cyninge. Đa se Hælend ðæt ongeat, ða becierde he hie & gehydde hiene. Hwa meahte ieð monnum rædan butan scylde, ðonne se ðe hi gescop? Ne fleah he ðy rice ðy his ænig monn bét wyrðe wære, ac he wolde us ða bisene astellan, ðæt we his to suiðe ne gitseden ; & eac wolde for us ðrowian. He nolde beon cyning, & his agnum willan he com to rode gealgan. Đa weorðmynde cynehades he fleah, & ðæt wite ðæs fraceðlecestan deaðes he geceas, forðam ðætte we, ðe his liomu sindon, leornedon æt him ðæt we flugen ða oliccunga ðisses middangeardes ; & eac ðæt ðæt we his ege & his brogan us ne óndreden, &

you.” Therefore the mediator himself between God and men, that is Christ, shunned undertaking earthly rule. He who sur- passes all the wisdom of the higher spirits, and reigned in heaven before the world was, it is written in the Gospel that the Jews came and wished to make him king by force. When the Saviour perceived it, he dismissed them and hid himself. Who could easier rule men without sin than he who created them ? He did not shun supremacy because any man was worthier of it, but he wished to set us an example of not coveting it too much ; and also wished to suffer for us. He wished not to be king, yet of his own free will he came to the cross. He shunned the honour of reigning, and chose the punishment of the most ignominious death, 3