Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/281

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Truly may everyone know that if there is mirth and glory anywhere,

that there is unspeakable glory where He dwelleth, who created all things;

and God Himself hath promised to all them that love Him

that they shall dwell in the eternal glory

with Himself, for ever, without end.

Know now, that God never lieth,

and beware that thou never lie to Him ; if thou lie to Him,

thou canst not deceive Him, but [deceivest] thyself most direly.

There is many a wealthy man in this world

who would give much treasure and unnumbered riches

provided that — if he might purchase it — he might here live for [this] world,

without all toil, ever endlessly,

and that everything might befall him as it should please himself,

and that he might always be careless of any evil.

Even if it might be so, that he might obtain these joys

of which I spake before just now, it would yet not be more like the eternal mirth,

than it fares with the man who sitteth in prison

as compared with the man who goeth free through the land.

Now the rich man cannot here have, any more

than any of us, that sorrowless and that untiring bliss;

why then will not he, or we ourselves, purchase,

in this miserable life, the eternal joy

with good merits, and with almsdeeds

Yet we can tell you a parable concerning this.

If a thief were now being led to be put to death