CHAPTER XLII. THEREFORE We ought with all our power to inquire concerning God, that we may know what he is. Though it may not be our lot that we should know what he is, we ought nevertheless, according to the measure of understanding which he gives us, to strive after it: for, as we have already mentioned, man must know everything according to the measure of his understanding, since we are not able to know everything such as it is. Every creature, however, whether rational or irrational, testifies this, that God is eternal. For never would so many creatures, and so great and so fair, submit themselves to an inferior being, and to less power than they all are, nor indeed to equally great. Then said I: What is eternity? Then said he: Thou askest me about a great thing, and difficult to understand. If thou wouldest understand it, thou must first have the eyes of thy mind clean and clear. I cannot conceal from thee anything which I know. Knowest thou that there are three things in this middle-earth? One is temporary, which has both beginning and end; and I nevertheless know nothing of that which is temporary, neither its beginning nor its end. Another thing is eternal, and has beginning, and has no end; and I know when it begins, and I know that it never will end: that is, angels and men's souls. The third thing is eternal, without end, and without beginning, that is, God. Among the three is a very great difference. If we should inquire into the whole of it, then should we come late to the end of this book, or never! But one thing thou must necessarily first know, why God is called the highest eternity. Then said I: Why? Then said he: Because we know very little of that which was before us, except by memory, and by inquiry; and still less of that which shall be after us. That alone is truly present to us, which at the time is: but to him all is present, both what was before, and what now is, and what after us shall be; it is all present to him. His riches increase not, nor, moreover, do they ever diminish. He never recollects any forgeat. Ne recð he nanpuht. ne ne smeap. Foppam2 de he hit pat eall. Ne recp he nan puht. foɲðæm3 he nan puht ne foɲlear. Ne eht he nanpe puhte. Fop þý hmne nan puht ne mæz flion. Ne ondɲæt he nanpuht. Fondæm he nærð nænne picpan. ne fuppum nænne zelican. Simle he bip zirende. I ne panap hyr5 nærne nauht. Simle he bið ælmihtig. Foppæm he rimle pile zoo and nærpe nan yfel. Nir him naner dinges nedpeapr. Simles he bio lociende. ne flæpp he næfɲe. Simles he bip gelice manppæpe. Simle3 he bip ece. Foppam næfɲe sio tid nær þhe næɲe. ne nærpe ne pynp. Simles he bið fɲeoh. ne bip he to nanum peopce zeneded. For his zodcundlicum anpealde he is æzhpæn andpeand. Dir micelnerre ne mæz nan monn ametan. nir deah no lichomlice to penanne. ac zastlice. spа spа nu pisdom is 7 rihtpisnes. forpæm he þ relf. Ac hpæet ofenmodige ze ponne. oððe hpy ahebbe ze eop pip spa heane anpeals. Foppampe zelo nauht pip hine don ne mazon. Foppam re ecare ælmihtiga simle1l sit om þam13 heah recle hir anpealder. ponan he may call zesion. and gilt ælcum be dam nyhte13 æften hir zepỳnhtum. foppam hit nýs11 no unnýc15 dæt pe hopien to Lode. Foppam he ne pent16 no гра гpa pe dop. Ac abiddap17 hine eaðmodlice. Foppæm he rpipe nummos and spiðe mildheopt. Debbað eopen mod to him mid copum hondum biddað dæs de piht sie and eopen peapr rie. Foppam18 he eop nýle19 pýnnan. hatiap yfel fliop20 rpa ze spipost mazon. lufiap cɲæftas folgiap dæm. Le habbap micle deapre par ze rimle22 pel don. Foppam ze rimle22 befopan pam ecan pam ælmehtizan Lode dop eall ze dop. eall he hit zerihpeall he hit rongilt. AMEN. 18 13 J Cott. nerop geat. 2 Cott. Fopþæm. 3 Cott. Fopby. he him nane puht. 12 Cott. þæm. 16 Bod. pelt. 20 Cott. Fleod. 17 Cott. biddað. 21 Cott. nedbeapfe. 14 4 Cott. 7 Cott. good. lmehtga sýmle. 15 Cott. unnit. 19 Cott. nele. thing, because he never forgets anything. He neither seeks nor inquires after anything, because he knows it all. He searches for nothing, because he has lost nothing. He pursues not anything, because nothing can fly from him. He fears nothing, because he has none more powerful, nor indeed any like him. He is always giving, and nothing of his ever decreases. He is always Almighty, because he always wills good and never any evil. There is not need to him of anything. He is always seeing, he never sleeps. He is always equally gracious. He is always eternal, for the time never was when he was not, nor ever will be. He is always free; nor is he compelled to any work. By his divine power he is everywhere present. His greatness no man can measure; yet this is not to be understood bodily, but spiritually, even as wisdom is, and righteousness, for he is that himself. But what are ye then proud of, or why lift ye up yourselves against so high power? For ye can do nothing against him. For the Eternal and the Almighty always sits on the throne of his power. Thence he is able to see all, and renders to every one with justice, according to his works. Therefore it is not in vain that we have hope in God; for he changes not as we do. But pray ye to him humbly, for he is very bountiful and very merciful. Lift up your minds to him with your hands, and pray for that which is right, and is needful to you, for he will not refuse you. Hate, and fly from evil as ye best may. Love virtues and follow them. Ye have great need that ye always do well, for ye always in the presence of the Eternal and Almighty God do all that ye do. He beholds it all, and he will recompense it all. AMEN DRIPTEN ælmihtiza Lob. pyphta pealdens ealpa gesceafta. ic bidde de fon pinɲe micelan mildheoptnessan. J For pæne halezan pode tacne. J foɲ Scam Mapian mæp hade. and Fon Scem Michaeler gehýnrumnesse. J Foɲ ealpa þinɲa halzena lufan heopa eaɲnungum. Þ þu me zepissize bet ponne ic apyphte to pe. I zepissa me to dinum pillan and to minɲe saple peapfe bet donne ic rýlf cunne. J gestapela min Mod to ðinum pillan to minɲe saple peapfe. Jestranza me pið þær deofles costnungum. and aƑýðɲa Ƒɲam me ða fulan galnýrre ælc unpihtpisnýsse. I gescÿlde me pip minum pipeppinnum zesepenlicum ungerepenlicum. J cæc me dinne pillan to pyncenne. pic maze de inpeaɲdlice lufian to foɲon eallum þingum mið clænum gepance mid clænum lichaman. Foppon pe ðu eart min rceoppend. min alerend. min fultum. min fɲofeɲ, min thepner. min to hopa. si pe lofpulden nu á á á to populbe buton æghpilcum ende. AMEN. FINIS. O Lord God Almighty, Creator and Ruler of all creatures, I beseech thee by thy great mercy, and by the sign of the holy cross, and by the virginity of Saint Mary, and by the obedience of Saint Michael, and by the love of all thy saints, and by their merits; that thou wouldest direct me better than I have done towards thee: and direct me to thy will, and to my soul's need, better than I myself know: and make steadfast my mind to thy will, and to my soul's need: and strengthen me against the temptations of the devil; and remove from me impure lust, and all unrighteousness; and defend me against mine enemies visible and invisible; and teach me to do thy will; that I may inwardly love thee before all things, with pure mind, and with pure body; for thou art my Creator, and my Redeemer, my Help, my Comfort, my Trust, and my Hope. To thee be praise, and glory now and for ever, world without end. AMEN. THE END. |