Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/106

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Hatton MS.]
GREGORY'S PASTORAL.
97

& hi gefeallað on ða [h]eortan ðe hiera hlyst, sua nytt sua unnyt, suæðer hie beoð. Ðurh ða earan ða word bioð onfangen, & on ðæm mode hie beoð acennedu ðurh ðæt ondgiet. Forðæm heton woroldwise menn wordsawere ðone æðelan lareow Paulus. Se ðonne se ðe bolað flow[ed]nesse his sædes he bið unclæne gecueden. Sua eac se ðe oferspræce bið, he bið nohte ðon læs mid ðære besmiten. Gif he ðonne endebyrdlice his spræce forðbringð, ðonne mæg he cennan mid ðæm ðæt tuder ryhtes geðohtes on ðara tohlystendra heortan. Gif ðonne unwærlice sio lár toflewð ðurh oferspræce, ðonne bið ðæt sæd unnnyt agoten, næs to nanre kenninge ðæs cynrenes, ac to unclennesse & to ungerisnum. Be ðam Paulus cuæð, ða he manode his cneoht ðæt he scolde standan on ðære lare, he cuæð: Ic ðe bebeóde beforan Gode & ðæm hælendum Criste, se ðe demende ís cucum & deadum, & ic ðe beode ðurh his tocyme & ðurh his rice, ðæt ðu stande on ðissum wordum, & hie lære ægðer ge gedæftlice ge [eac] ungedæftlice. Ðeah he cuæde un[ge]dæftelice, he cuæð ðeah ær gedæftelice, forðæm sio ofersmeaung mirð ða unwisan ðe hit gecnawan ne magon, & gedeð ða spræce unnytte ðæm to[h]lystendum ðonne sio ungedæftnes hit ne cann eft gedæftan.

XVI. Hu se lareow sceal bion eallum monnum efnðrowiende & foreðencende on hiora earfoðum.

Ac sie se lareow eallum monnum se niehsta & eallum mon(n)um efnðrowiende on hira gesuincum, & sie he for ealle upaðened mid ðære godcundan foresceawunge his inngeðances, ðætte ðurh ða


by his coming and kingdom to abide by these words and teach them both seasonably and unseasonably." Although he said unseasonably, yet he said before seasonably, because excessive argument injures the unwise who cannot understand it, and makes the discourse useless to the hearers, when unseasonable interference cannot set it right again.

XVI. How the teacher is to be sympathizing with and solicitous about all men in their troubles.

The teacher must be the nearest to all men and sympathizing with them in their troubles, and elevated above all with the divine foresight of his mind, that through his pious benevolence he may take