Abbot of Eynsham Aelfric

“ Blessed are the wombs which bare them, and the breasts that such have sucked. Verily the mothers suffered through their children's martyrdom; the sword that pierced their children's limbs entered the hearts of the mothers, and it is needful that they be partakers of the eternal reward, when they were companions of the suffering. They were slain while little and witless, but they shall arise at the common doom in full growth, and with heavenly wisdom. ”

“ To these twelve apostles said the Almighty Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world: let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Ye are my friends, and I make known unto you whatsoever I have heard from my Father." Verily the Lord gave power to his twelve apostles to work the same wonders which he himself performed in the world. And whatsoever they bind on earth, that shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever they unbind on earth, that shall be unbound in heaven. ”

“ Lawrence said, "For what reason does the devil compel you to urge christian men to his worship? If it be right that we should pray to devils rather than to the Almighty God, judge which is worthy of that honour, he who is made, or he who created all things." The emperor then answered, "What is he who is made, or what is he who made?" God's martyr said, "The Almighty Father of our Saviour is the Creator of all creatures, and thou sayest that I shall pray to dumb stones, which are carved by the hands of men." ”

“ Having done thus thrice, he bade them unwrap the corpse of the youth, and said, "O thou youth, who through thy flesh's lust hast early lost thy soul; O thou youth, thou knewest not thy Creator; thou knewest not the Saviour of men; thou knewest not the true friend, and hast therefore fallen on the worst enemy. Now I have shed my tears, and earnestly prayed for thy sensuality, that thou mayest from death arise, and to these two brothers, Atticus and Eugenius, declare how great glory they have lost, and what punishment they have earned." ”

“ The powers of heaven are angels and archangels, thrones, principalities, lordships and powers. These hosts of angels will appear visible to our sights at the advent of the severe Judge, that they may sternly exact from us that which the invisible Creator patiently forbears. Then we shall see the Son of man coming in clouds, with great might and majesty. The Lord called himself the Son of man oftener than the Son of God, from the humility of his assumed humanity, that he may admonish us with the nature which he for us received. ”

“ Some of them were slain with weapons, some burned in flame, others beaten with scourges, others transfixed with stakes, some slain on the cross, some sunk in the wide sea, others flayed alive, others torn with iron claws, some overwhelmed with stones, some afflicted with winterly cold, some slain by hunger, some with hands and feet cut off, as a spectacle to people, for their faith and the holy name of Jesus Christ. ”

“ Our Almighty Creator, who created all creatures, without any matter through his wisdom, and through his will animated them, he created mankind that they might with obedience and humility merit those heavenly honours which the devil through pride had forfeited. Then was man deceived by the devil's wiles, so that he brake the command of his Creator, and was, with all his offspring, delivered to the devil into hell-torment. Then, nevertheless, the Almighty God was grieved for the miseries of all mankind, and he meditated how he might redeem his handiwork from the power of the devil ”

“ Verily it befits us not to be always delicate in our faith, as a tender child, but we should hasten to perfect excellence through the observance of God's commandments. We should shake sluggish sleep from us, and forsake the devil's works, and go in the light, that is, in good works. Of old the light of knowledge shone over the circumference of earth, and very many shine in the way of truth, who go through the evangelic path to the joy of everlasting life. ”

“ What is righteousness without meekness? Or what is meekness without righteousness? But the Holy Ghost, who teaches both righteousness and meekness, should be manifested both as fire and as a dove, for he causes the hearts of those men whom he enlightens with his grace to be meek through innocence, and kindled by love and wisdom. God is, as Paul said, a consuming fire. He is a fire unspeakable and invisible. Concerning that fire Jesus said, "I come because I would send fire on earth, and I will that it burn." ”

“ Behold this sun, how high he ascends, and how he sends his beams over all the world, and how he enlightens all this earth which mankind inhabit. As soon as he rises up at early morn, he shines on Jerusalem, and on Rome, and on this country, and on all countries at once; and yet he is a creature, and goes {289}by God's direction. How much ampler then is God's presence, and his might, and his visitation everywhere! Him nothing withstands, neither stone wall nor broad barrier, as they withstand the sun. To him nothing is hidden or unknown. Thou seest a man's face, but God seeth his heart. ”

“ But let friendship for this world depart from the hearts of believing men, and depart from them who believe the other life to come, and really love it. They should mourn for the destruction of the world who have planted the root of their heart in its love, who seek not the life to come, nor even believe in it: but we, who full well know the joys of the heavenly country, should unanimously hasten to it. ”

“ Be flourishing and rich for a season, that ye may be poor for ever. What, may not the Almighty Ruler so act that he make his servants powerful before the world, abounding in wealth, and incomparably to shine? But he has placed warfare for the believing souls, that they may believe in order to possess the eternal riches, they who for his name despise temporary possessions. Ye healed the sick in the name of Jesus, ye drove out devils, ye gave sight to the blind, and cured every disease. ”

“ If any one cannot obtain the means of offering a visible gift to God, let him offer an invisible one, that is, good will, which incomparably excels earthly treasures. What is good will but goodness, so that he grieves for another man's misfortune and rejoices in his prosperity; loves his friend not for the world, but for good; to bear with his foe with love, to command to no one that which he likes not himself, to help his neighbour's need according to his power, and to be willing beyond his power? ”

“ Inward darkness is the darkness of the mind within. He who in this present life is blinded within, so that he has no understanding, nor heed of God's commandments, he will then be blinded without, and deprived of every light; because he had before spent his life without remembrance of God. The miserable guilty ones shall suffer torment in everlasting fire, and yet that swart fire shall give them no light. ”

“ For ye see that everyone is ashamed, if he is invited to a worldly marriage, to come meanly clad to that short pleasure; but a much greater shame is it for him who with a sordid garment comes to God's marriage, so that for his foul habit he shall be cast from eternal bliss into eternal darkness. So as a garment adorns a man bodily, so also true love adorns our soul with spiritual fairness. Though a man have full faith, and give alms, and do much good, all will be vain, whatsoever he does, unless he have true love for God and for all christian men. ”

“ He grew and was strengthened in human nature, but he required no growth and no strengthening in his divine nature. He ate, and drank, and slept, and grew in years, and was, nevertheless, all his life without sins. He would not have seemed a man, if he had not lived the life of a man. He was filled with wisdom, because he is himself wisdom, and in him dwelleth all fullness of the divine nature: God's grace dwelt bodily within him. A great grace was that of his human nature, that he was the Son of God and God himself, as soon as he began to be man. ”

“ As if he had manifestly exhorted his chosen, 'When the torments of the world shall thicken, when the dread of the great doom shall appear, raise then your heads, that is, be glad in your minds, for then this world shall be ended, which ye loved not; then shall be at hand the redemption which ye sought.' In holy writ head is very frequently put for the mind of man, because the head directs the other members, as the mind devises the thoughts. We lift up our heads when we raise our minds to the joys of the heavenly country. ”

“ But the man is not good through these things, unless he do good with them, as the prophet said, "He distributed his wealth, and divided it among the poor, and his righteousness continueth for ever." He diminished his money, and increased his righteousness. He diminished that which he must leave, and that will be increased which he shall have to eternity. Thou praisest the merchant who gets gold for lead, and wilt not praise him who gets righteousness and the kingdom of heaven for perishable money. The rich and the poor are wayfarers in this world. ”

“ But the miracles which Christ wrought manifested one thing by power, and another thing they betokened by mystery. He wrought those miracles indeed through divine power, and with those miracles confirmed the people's faith; but yet there was another hidden thing in those miracles, in a spiritual sense. The one blind man betokened all mankind, who were blinded through Adam's sin, and thrust from the joy of Paradise, and brought to this life, which is compared to a prison. Now we are shut out from the heavenly light, and we may not, in this life, enjoy the light eternal ”

“ An angel announced to the shepherds the heavenly King's nativity, and suddenly appeared many thousand angels, lest the preeminence of one angel should seem too inadequate for so great an announcement: and they all together, with melodious song, God's glory celebrated, and to good men announced peace, manifestly showing that through his birth men shall be inclined to the peace of one faith, and to the glory of divine praise. ”

“ The gospel is for us to hear and exceedingly loving, that we may avoid hell-torment and cruel tortures through the incarnation of Jesus, and come to the host of angels through his humility. He said, "Preach to every creature:" but by that name is man alone betokened. Stones are creatures, but they have no life, nor have they sense. Grass and trees live without feeling; they live not by a soul, but by their greenness. Beasts live and have feeling without reason; they have no reason, because they are soulless. Angels live, and have sense, and use reason. Now man has something of all creatures. ”

“ Then said the apostle Bartholomew, "Thou unclean devil, confess who has afflicted these sick men." The unclean spirit answered, "Our prince, bound as he now is, sent us to mankind, that we might afflict them with divers infirmities; first their bodies, for we have no power over their souls, unless they offer us their gifts. But when they for their bodies' health offer to us, then cease we from afflicting the body, for we have then their souls in our power. ”

“ Be praise and glory to the eternal Father who never began, and to his only Son who ever is of him, and to the Holy Ghost who ever is of them both, those three one Almighty God indivisible, reigning ever to eternity. ”

“ Open towards me the gate of life, that the princes of darkness may not find me. Thou art Christ, Son of the living God, who, at thy Father's behest, hast saved the world, and hast sent us the Holy Ghost. ”

“ Ways are the various deeds of men. Outlets of ways are the perishing of worldly works; and those very often come to God, who in earthly works but little prosper. Hereupon the king's messengers went through the ways, gathering all whom they found, both evil and good, and at length made the marriage. In this present church are mingled evil and good, as clean corn with foul cockle: but at the end of this world the true Judge will bid his angels gather the cockle by burthens, and cast it into the unquenchable fire. ”

“ Some man will now say, I would imitate the apostles, who despised all worldly things, but I have no possessions to leave. But God beholds the man's heart, and not his possessions. He reckons not what great riches we spend in gifts to him, but observes with how great desire we offer to him our gifts. Behold now these holy chapmen, Peter and Andrew, with their nets and ship bought for themselves everlasting life. ”

“ The Almighty Son of God was very mindful of our needs in all things; not only would he for us become man when he was God, but he would also be poor for us when he was rich, that he might give us part in his kingdom and community in his Godhead. A lamb betokens innocence and the greater goodness; but if we are so poor that we cannot offer to God the greater goodness, then should we bring him two turtle-doves or two young pigeons; that is, a twofold affection of awe and love. In two ways is a man affected: first, he dreads hell-torment, and bewails his sins ”

“ A hundred times he bows his knees by day, and a hundred times by night, praying to his Lord. His voice is as an immense trumpet, and God's angels go with him, who allow not hunger to hurt him, nor any faintness. He is ever of one mind, and continues glad. All things he foresees and knows, and he understands the tongues of all nations. Now long ago he knows what I am saying of him, for God's angels minister and make known all things to him. ”

“ If any relation be as dear to thee as thine eye, and another as needful to thee as thy hand, and one as serviceable as thy own foot, if they then perversely instigate thee to thy soul's destruction, better will it be for thee that thou shun their fellowship, than that they lead thee on with them to eternal perdition. ”

“ And whatsoever good we do, let us do it without pride and vain praise. The man who does any good for pride, to his own praise, will have no reward with God, but will have his punishment. But let us do as God hath taught, that our good works may be so known to men that they may see our goodness, and glorify and praise our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who requites an hundredfold whatsoever we do to poor men for love of him who liveth and reigneth ever without end to eternity. ”

“ Thou knowest not who is a hireling, who a shepherd, before the wolf comes; but the wolf makes manifest in what manner he watches the sheep. The wolf comes to the sheep, and some he devours, some he scatters, when the fierce devil instigates christian men, some to adultery, some he inflames to covetousness, some he lifts up to pride, some through anger he divides, and with divers temptations spiritually slays: for the hireling is excited neither by care nor love, but flees, because he considers worldly advantages, and leaves unheeded the loss of the sheep. ”

“ Each of the three is God, yet they are all one God; for they all have one nature, and one Godhead, and one substance, and one counsel, and one work, and one majesty, and like glory, and coeternal rule. But the Son alone was incarnate and born to man of the holy maiden Mary. The Father was not invested with human nature, but yet he sent his Son for our redemption, and was ever with him, both in life and in passion, and at his resurrection, and at his ascension. ”

“ Though some men cannot sing, they can, nevertheless, bear the light in their hands; for on this day was Christ, the true Light, borne to the temple, who redeemed us from darkness and bringeth us to the Eternal Light, who liveth and ruleth ever without end. ”

“ Show thy power on thy child, and offer to God him whom thou hast trained up, that thou the less sorrowfully attain to the noble crown of glory." When the blessed Lawrence had, with these words and others more, lamented that he might not suffer with his teacher, the bishop answered, "My child, I forsake thee not, but thee befits a greater struggle in thy conflict. We, as old men, shall undergo the short course of a lighter conflict: but thou, a young man, wilt undergo a much more glorious triumph from this cruel king. ”