Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/100

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Hatton MS.]
GREGORY'S PASTORAL.
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sie, ðæt he wiðstonde ealle mægene ðæm ðe on woh wiellen for ðære ryhtwisnesse lufan. Be ðæm was eft gecueden to ðæm scyldegan folce eowre witgan eow witgodan dysig & leasunga, & noldon eow gecyðan eowre [un]ryhtwisnesse, ðæt hie eow gebrohten on hreowsunge. Ða godan lareowas beoð oft genemnede on halgum gewritum wietgan, forðæm hie gereccað ðis andwearde lif fleonde, & ðæt towearde gesueotoligeað. Ða ðonne ðe sio godcundde stefn ðreade, & cuæð ðæt hie scolden leasunga witgian, ðæt sindon ða ða ðe him ondrædað ðæt hie menn for hira scyldum ðreagen, ac mid iedelre olicunge orsorgnesse gehatað ðæm scyldegan, & mid nanum ðingum nyllað geopenian ðæm syngiendum hiera unryht, ac suigiað ðara ðreaunga. Ðæt word ðære ðreau[n]ge is cæg, forðæm hit oft anlycð & geopenað ða scylde ðe se him self ær nyste se hie ðurhteah. Be ðæm cuæð Paulus ðæt se lareow sceolde beon miehtig to tyhtanne on halwende lare, & eac to ðreanne ða ðe him [wið]stondan wiellen. Eft was gecueden ður[h] Zacharias: Sio æ sceal beon soht on ðæs sacerdes muðe, & his weleras gehaldað ðæt andgit, forðæm he bið Godes boda to ðam folce. Forðam myndgode Dryhten ðurh Essaiam ðone witgan & cuæð: Cleopa & ne blin, hefe úp ðine stefne sua ðes bime. Forðæm se se ðe ðone sacerdhád onfehð, he onfehð friccan scire & foreryneles ða her iernað beforan kyningum, & bodigeað hira færelt & hiera willan hlydende. Sua sculun ða sacerdas nu faran hlydende & bodiende beforan ðæm egeslican deman ðe him suiðe andrysnlic æfter gæð. Gif ðonne se sacerd bio ungerad ðas lareowdomes, hwæt forstent ðonne his gehlyd? Hwæt mæg he bodigean má ðonne se dumba fryccea? Ac for ðeosum was geworden


trine, and also to reprove those who oppose him. Again it was said through Zachariah: "The law must be sought in the mouth of the priest, and his lips contain understanding, for he is God's messenger to the people." Therefore the Lord admonished through the prophet Isaiah, saying: "Cry aloud and cease not, raise thy voice like a trumpet." For he who undertakes the priesthood undertakes the office of herald and footmen who run before kings, loudly proclaiming their journey and will. Thus priests ought to run and proclaim loudly before the awful Judge, who follows them in great majesty. But if the teacher is unskilled in instruction, what avails his cry? What more can he proclaim than the dumb herald? Therefore the Holy Ghost in the shape of tongues settled on the apostles, for without doubt whom-