Ælfric

“ Tell me everything for God's sake; for thou wilt not say anything for vainglory or ostentation, but to satisfy me, who am a sinner and unworthy. For I trust in God, for whom thou livest and with whom thou hast converse, that for this very cause I was directed to this wilderness, that God might make manifest the things concerning thee. For it is not in our power to resist the judgments of God. ”

“ But command now, O glorious lady, that for me, unworthy though I be, the doors may be unclosed to let me greet the divine Rood, and I will give myself up to thee and choose thee for my protector against thine own Son; and I promise you both that I will never hereafter pollute my body with the dire lust of evil fornication; but, as soon as I see the Rood of thy Son, O holy virgin, I will thereupon forsake this world and its deeds with all things that are therein ”

“ Afterwards John perceived how to amend some of the customs of the minster, as the saint had predicted; but, with God's help, he soon amended them. And Zosimus continued serving in the minster for a hundred years, and then departed to God. Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth, ever world without end. ”

“ Tell also John, the abbot of the minster in which thou art, diligently to take heed to himself and to his flock also, because that there are some customs there for him to set right and to improve. But I desire that thou wilt not tell him these things at this present time, before God bid thee.' Thus saying, she also asked the old man for a prayer, and quickly hastened to the inner part of the wilderness. Then Zosimus prostrated himself on the ground, kissing the spot on which her feet had stood, praising God, and giving many thanks; and so returned, praising and blessing our Lord Jesus Christ. ”

“ When the time came for reverencing the Holy Rood, then I began violently to push among the people against the people, and so with much toil I, poor wretch, arrived at the temple-door with those who were entering therein. When I ought to have entered at the door, the rest began to enter without any hindrance; but the divine might prevented me from going in, and I was soon thrust out from amid all the people, until I stood behind alone in the vestibule. ”

“ Zosimus wondering and endeavouring to bend his knees before her, she began to cry aloud from the waters and to forbid him, and spake thus: ' What art thou doing, abbot? Know that thou art God's priest, and hast with thee the divine mysteries.' He then, obeying her, at once rose up. As soon as she came off the water, she said to him: ' Father, bless me.' Verily, extreme amazement came upon him at so wondrous a miracle, and he thus spake: ' Oh! thou truthful one, good is he who promises for those who early purify themselves to be like Himself ”

“ Nevertheless, because thou hast said that Christ's true love brought thee hither to us, to seek us as a humble monk; now dwell here with us if thou camest for that purpose, and may the Good Shepherd feed us all together with the grace of the Holy Ghost.' At these words thus spoken by the abbot, Zosimus bowed his knees; and, after the performance of prayer, dwelt in the minster, where he saw verily all the elders shining in manners and deeds, fervent in spirit, and serving the Lord ”

“ She could in no wise be hindered; but again [began] to touch the Jordan by dipping in it the mark of the holy rood, and went over the water's soft waves just as she 748 did before thitherwards. Then Zosimus returned with great joy, and was suddenly filled with great awe. Regretfully he reproached himself that he had [not] asked the Saint's name. Nevertheless he hoped that, in the succeeding year, he might know it. Then, after the space of a year had passed away, he came to the wilderness, and diligently hastened towards the wonderful vision ”

“ Be now satisfied with this; for I wonder how the sea could suffer and endure my unrighteous desires, or how the earth at any rate did not open her mouth, and sink me all alive down into hell, who led so many 408 souls into the snare of perdition, except that I suppose God sought my repentance. He who suffereth none to perish, but saveth all who believe upon Him. For verily He desireth not the death of the sinner, but patiently expecteth his conversion. ”

“ But because grace is not discovered by (personal) merit, but [its] wont is to be witnessed by the soul's deeds; bless thou me for the Lord's sake, I pray thee, and give me the prayer, never to be taken away, of thy perfection.'
Then she began to sympathise with the wise old man's steadfastness, and said, ' God be blessed who taketh care for the salvation of souls.' Then she gave Zosimus [her blessing, he] answering, ' Amen.'
Then they both arose from the earth. Then began the woman again to speak to the old man, and thus said: ' Oh man, for what purpose camest thou to me, a sinner? ”

“ The most praiseworthy conversion, both in deeds and in morals, and the great repentance, and the very valiant conflict of the venerable Mary of Egypt, and how she fulfilled her life-time in the desert, all this did Paul, the venerable deacon of the church of holy Neapolis, translate from the Greek language into Latin.
Verily it is read, that Raphael the archangel was speaking to Tobit, after the loss of his eyes, and again after their glorious enlightenment, and after the past dangers from which he was delivered, thus saying: 'Truly it is very harmful that the secrets of mankind be revealed ”

“ Verily this was the rule of the minster, and thus perfectly was each one preserved, as I before said, so that he joined himself to God in the desert; and they fought with themselves in order that they might not please men, but only God Himself.
Then verily Zosimus, according to the customary law of the minster, went over the river Jordan, having with him a very little for the necessities of the body; and in the observance of his rule went across the desert, taking at due time a meal, and [supplying] the necessity of nature, sitting at night upon the earth, and resting little ”

“ Then he immediately ran thither, and washed her feet with his tears; he did not dare to touch any other part of the body. Then, with much weeping, he performed the burial-service, with psalm-singing and other prayers that belonged to that matter. Then he began to think whether this would have pleased her. Whilst he thought this, there was pointed out to him a writing upon the earth, thus expressed; ' Abbot Zosimus, bury and compassionate the body of Mary; render to the earth that which is the earth's, and dust to dust. ”

“ Thinking these [things] , and others like to these within himself, there stood before him an angel and said to him, ' Oh, thou Zosimus! very well-pleasingly hast thou done; nevertheless there is no man that showeth himself perfect. Much greater is the conflict which is before thee than that which is passed, though thou know it not ”

“ He hath made known to me that I may fall into the disgraceful sentence of the slothful servant, who hid the talent received from his Lord, without increase, in the earth; but let no man be too unbelieving in me, when writing about those things, which I have heard and learnt by enquiry in this wise ”

“ And again, in the early morning, [he kept] proceeding on his journey as he was unceasingly determined, and going about, because he desired, as he said afterwards, to meet a father in the desert who might edify him in some thing which he himself knew not before. And thus for six and twenty days he continued his journey, as if he were certainly going towards some man. When the hour of noon approached, he stopped for some time, abstaining from the journey, and turning eastwards ”

“ At the same time they had verily an unfailing [custom] , that is to say, divine conversations. Their bodies indeed they fed with mere necessaries alone, viz. with bread and water, to the end that they might show themselves the keener in the true love of God. ”