Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/90

Hatton MS.] XIV. Hu se lareow sceal beon ón his weorcum fyrmest.

Se lareow sceal bion on his weorcum [h]ealic, ðæt he on his life gecyðe lifes weg his hieremonnum, ðætte sio hiord se ðe folgað ðæm wordum & ðæm ðeawum ðæs hierdes ðætte sio heord mæge bét gán æfter his ðeawum ðonne æfter his wordum. He bið genied mid ðæm folgoðe ðæt he sceal healice sprecan; geðence he ðonne ðæt him is efnmicel nied, siððan he hit gesprecen hæfð ðæt he eac sua doo sua sua he lærð, forðon sio stefn ðæs lariowes micle ieðelicor ðurhfærð ða heortan ðæs gehirendes, gif he mid his ðeawum hi ðæron gefæsðnað; ðæt is ðæt he sprecende bebiet ðæt he ðæt wyrcende oðiewe, ðæt hit ðurh ne fultum sie forðgenge. Bi ðæm wæs gecueden ðurh ðone witgan: Ðu wilt godspellian Sion, astig ofer heane munt. Ðæt is ðætte se sceal, se ðe wile brucan ðara godcundra ðinga & ðara hefonlicra lara, forlætan ða[s] niðerlican & ðas eorðlecan weorc, forðæm he bið gesewen standende on ðæm hrofe godcun(d)ra ðinga. Sua micle he mæg ieð his hieremenn geteon to beteran, & he bið sua micle sel gehiered sua he ufor gestent on his lifes geearnungum. Forðæm bebiet sio halige ǽ ðæt se sacerd scyle onfon ðone suiðran bógh ðæt ðære of[f]runge, & se sceolde bion asyndred from ðæm oðrum flæsce. Ðæt ðonne tacnað ðæt ðæs sacerdes weorc s[c]ulon beon asyndred from oðerra monna weorcum. Nalles na ðæt an ðæt he gód doo gemang oðrum mo[n]num ac eac synderlice sua suæ he on ðyncðum bið furður ðonne oðre, ðæt he eac sie on his weorcum & ðeawum sua micle furður. Eac him mon scolde sellan ða breosð ðæs neates toeacan ðæm boge, ðæt [is ðæt] he geleornige ðæt

prophet: "If thou wishest to preach to Zion, ascend a lofty mountain." That is, that he who desires to enjoy divine things and heavenly instruction must forsake low and earthly works, since he is seen standing on the roof of divine things. He can the more easily improve his disciples, and the better he will be heard, the higher he stands in his life's merits. Therefore the holy law commands the priest to receive the right shoulder of the offering, which is to be separated from the rest of the carcass. This signifies that the works of the priest are to be separated from those of other men, not only by bis doing good among men, but also specially by his excelling as much in good works and virtue as in rank. He was also to have the breast of the beast as