Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/313

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Many of the people variously murmured often,

and tempted God, and blasphemed in speech,

but God wreaked it speedily, so that they died somehow,

because such murmuring is very hateful to God,

and specially when men provoke Him by words.

And it is very hateful to God in the faithful people,

that they shall be disagreeing, and perverse among themselves;

and Christ said in His Gospel, that no kingdom

can stand anywhile entire, if it be not peaceable,

because God loveth integrity and peace among men.

Again, David the king, though He were pleasing to God,

sinned very grievously, and then God sent to him

the prophet Gad, saying these words to him,

' Choose thee now a punishment, since thou art deserving [of it],

either three years' famine, or three months' war,

that thou shalt flee for so long from thine enemies, if thou may,

or three days' pestilence.' Then said David to him,

'This is hard to me, but it is better for me nevertheless

that I should fall into God's hands rather than that I should fall into man's hands;

because His mercies are manifold.'

Then God straightway sent an angel to him,

and the angel slew seventy thousand

in David's dominion, all males.

Then came the angel where the king himself was,

and would have slain the citizens,

but God had pity then, and quickly said to the angel,