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X

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3    Men þa leofestæ, we wullæð eow sæggæn bi þare halȝæ tide þe nu
4toweard is, þe we onsundren mare fæsten & mare forhæfdnesse
5on habbað, þonne on oðre tide ȝemænelice; þonne do we ꝥ to bote &
6to clænsunge ure sawlæ, & eac for þam þe Crist sylf us þæs fæstenes
7bysne onstealde. Hit is iwriten ꝥ þe Hælend sonæ æfter his fuluhte
8ferde on sume wæsten & þær festæ feowertiȝ daȝe & feowertiȝ nihtæ
9togædere ær þam þe he moncyn ofer all openlice lærde. Ne fæste
10he na forþan ðæt he æfre æniȝ sunne wrohte ꝥ he mid þam festen
11beten þurfte. Ac he feste ꝥ he walde monncynnes sunnæn hælen
12& alesæn, & us bisne onstællæn, ꝥ wæ witen þat ælc þare mannæ
13þe ðencþ ꝥ he ða heofenlice murhþe biȝete, ꝥ he sceal nu þurh
14festen, & þurh ælmes, & þurh lomlice ȝebeden, & þurh lichamlice
15forhæfdnesse,
16her on weorlde earniæn; & na þurh ȝifernesse, ne ðurh
17druncennesse, ne ðurh lichamlice lustæs. Crist þolede eac on þam
18wæsten þene awariȝede deofel hine fandiæn, swa we nu heræfter secgæn
19wullæð. Sanctus Matheus wrat, þe godspellere, þis dæȝþerlice
20godspel, æfter þissere endeburdnesse, þus cwæðende. Ductus est Ihesus
21in desertum a Spiritu ut temptaretur a diabolo. He cwæð, 'Þe Hælend
22wæs ilæd fram Gaste on wæsten ꝥ he were ifondod of deofle.' Monie
23men tweoniæð fram hwylce gaste Crist wære on ꝥ westen ilæd, nu
24hit swa cuðlice on þissum godspellicæn lare sæȝð ꝥ ðe wariȝede
25deofel hine þær swa openlice costniæn ongon. Hit is buton tweon
26to lyfen & to ȝeare to witenne ꝥ ðe Haliȝe Gast him
27wunsumlice on ꝥ wæsten lædde, & þæt he sylfwilles þider ferde ꝥ
28he wolde deofle þa durstinesse ȝyfæn ꝥ he him þær costniæn ongon.
29Na for þam ꝥ þe deofel hæfde æniȝ fare to ure Hælende oðer his
30mæð wære ꝥ he him ahwær on neawste come, ȝif he hit for ure lufe

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31ne ȝeðafede. Ac he hit dude ure life to bisene ꝥ he wælde ꝥ we
32wisten hu eaðelice he þene deofel ofercom - na mid his godcunlice
33mihte ane, ac mid þare mænniscæ rihtwisnesse. Swa eac nu mæȝ
34ealc mon deofel ofercumen, ȝif he on rihtwisnesse & on gode weorcum
35his lif adrihð. Ða sonæ þa ðe Hælend on ꝥ wæsten becom, þa fæste
36he feowertiȝ daȝa & nihte togædere; æfter þam he sæȝde ꝥ hine
37hingrede. Witerlice on þam hit wæs fulcuð ꝥ he hæfde soðne
38lichame þa him hingriæn mihte. Hit is iwriten on þare ealde laȝe
39ꝥ twæȝe men herbiforen þis festen festen. Moyses feste feowertiȝ
40daȝe & nihte togedere þa he wæs on Synai þære dune æt Drihtines
41spece; & Drihten him sealde þa ealde laȝe þe he mid his aȝene fingre
42wrat on twam stænene bræden, & þam folce sende, & het ꝥ heo alle
43þeræfter lyfedon. Elias þe witegæ feste eac ꝥ ilce festen feowertiȝ
44daȝe & nihtæ tosomme, æfter þan ðe he æt þene mæte ðe þe engel
45to him brohte, & he wearð þa þurh ðone mete istrongæd swa ꝥ he
46þæt fæsten feste. & æfter þæm fæsten he wearð mid wisdomes gaste
47ifulled, & him þa toweardæn þing unwreah & swytelode, ꝥ he heom
48wiste swa ȝeare swa þa ðe he on andweardnesse iseah. Nu eft on
49þis ytemeste tide þe Hælend hine eadmedede to þam ꝥ he þis ylce
50fæsten feste feowertiȝæ daȝæ & nihtæ togadere. For hwon nolde
51þe deofel fanden Moysen & Heliam swa he ure Hælend fondode,
52buten for þon ðe he underȝeat ꝥ heo mennisce men wæren, & þurh
53Adames gult ibundene, & eac ꝥ heo on summe þinge isyngod
54hæfden? For næs næfræ nan mon on þisse middænearde swa haliȝ,
55ꝥ he on summe þinge ne sunegode buten Crist ane, þe ðe is soð God
56& soð mon; him næs næfre nan sunne on. Ac þa ðe deofel com to
57him, þa iseah he ꝥ he hæfde soðne lichame & ꝥ he wæs unilic ælle
58oðre monnum þe he on middænearde eafre imette, & ꝥ on him næs
59nare synne wem. Þa ondredde þe deofel ꝥ hit wære - swa swa hit
60wæs - þæs lifiende Godes Sune, & þohte þa ꝥ he walde mid þare
61costunge fonden hu hit wære. Ber þa to him þa ylce costungæ þe
62he þa ereste men Adam & Euam mid forcostode & biswaac, & his

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63wylles weald on him æhte; ꝥ wæs þurh ȝifernesse, & ȝytsunge, &
64ydelȝylp. Þa wolde Crist þone awariede deofel ofercumen on þam
65ylce þrem costunge þe ðe deofel ær þa ereste men mid biswaac.
66Ða neahlæchede þe deofel to þam Hælende & cwæð to him, 'Gyf þu
67eart Godes Sune, hat ꝥ þæs stanes to lafes wurþen.' Næs Criste
68nan earfoðnesse ꝥ he þa stanes mid his worde to lafes wrohte; for
69ȝif he hit icwæde, hit wære sone iworden, & þenne wiste ðe deofel
70ful wisslice ꝥ he wære þe ylce Drihten þe þe æt frymþe wæs, þa þa
71he alle sceafte isceop & wrohte; & he cwæð, 'Gewurðe liht,' & þa
72wæs sone iworden liht; & swa he alle sceafte iscop &
73iwrohtæ; þenne he walde ꝥ heo weren, þenne weron heo sonæ.
74Þa nolde þa ȝyt Crist haten ꝥ ða stanes to lafes wurðen, ac he walde
75ꝥ his godcundlice miht wære ȝyt þam deofle bihud, þæh heo wære
76him æft ful stronge iopenod: & he þa þuldelice to him spec & þus
77cwæð, 'Hit is iwritæn; ꝥ monnes lif ne bið na on lafe ane, ac bið
78on ælc þare worde þe of Godes muðe forþstepð.' Hwæt we witen
79ꝥ monnes lichame sceal bi mete libban, þa hwile þe he on þisse life
80bið; swa sceal eac þeo sawle libbæn bi Godes worde - þæt is ꝥ
81heo sceal Godes lare ȝeorne lystæn, & his bode æfre healden - ȝyf heo
82sceal ꝥ ece lif habben. Ða nam þe deofel þene Hælend on þære
83halȝan buriȝ & sette hine ofer þæs temples yppan þær þære larþeawselt
84wæs. Hit þuncꝥ moniȝe monnum wunderlice to herenne, & eac
85uneaðelic to lyfene, hu deofel æfre þa durstinesse hæfde ꝥ he Cristes
86lichame ætrinæn durste, oðer forðen ꝥ he him on neawste cumen
87moste. Ealæ! ȝif we wullæþ iþencean his oðre dæde þe mucele
88mare & eadmodlicre beoð, þenne maȝe we þisses þe æð ilyfæn.
89Crist is alle haliȝe monnæ heofod, & alle haliȝe men beoð his limen:
90& deofel is eac alle synfulle monnæ heafod, & alle sunfulle men beoð
91his limen. Soðlice þa Iudeus wæren alle deofles limen, þa ðæ ure
92Hælend to deaþe demdon. Pilatus wæs eac deofles lim, þe ðe ure
93Drihten lichamlice ahon hæt. Hwylc wunder wæs þenne þeah Crist
94ða durstinesse deofle sealde ꝥ he his lichame rinæn moste, þa he
95walde þurh deofles lime ꝥ is þurh sunfulle monnæ honden lichamlice

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96deaþ ðrowiæn? Ealæ! hwæt ꝥ wæs mucele mare & eadmodlicre
97þonne þæs deofles ætrine, & he hit þeah for monnæ hæle þrowode.
98Þa cwæð þe deofel to Criste, 'Gif þu eard Godes Sune, þenne asend
99þu nu þe adun of þissere uppon: for þæmþam hit is iwriten bi Godes Sune;
100ꝥ he beodeþ his englum bi þe ꝥ heo þe on heoræ handen habbæð ꝥ ðin
101fot ne ðurfe forðon æt stane spurnen.' On þesne ænne godspel we
102rædæþ ꝥ deofel ongan haliȝe bec to reccan, ah he þa sone þone forme
103cwide leah, - swa him ealc lyȝe, & elc leasunge bilimpð. Næs hit næfre
104sunderlice bi Criste iseid ꝥ him sceoldon englæs on fultume cumen: ac
105hit wæs isungen & iwriten bi haliȝe men & bi haliȝe sawlen. For þan
106þe englæs beoð heom on fultume hær on weorlde; & æft þenne heo of
107þisse lifæ faræð, þonne cumæð heo þær sonæ þam sawle to hælpe &
108to burȝene & heom scyldæþ wið hearde stane, ꝥ is deofel, ꝥ heo næfre
109æt þam ne spurneð; ac þa englas healdæþ heom wið his yfel &
110wið his niþes grymnesse. Ða andswerede Crist þam awariȝede gaste
111& cwæð to him, 'Hit is iwriten, ꝥ mon ne sceal oferhiȝendlice his
112Drihten God fondiæn.' Hwæt! Crist mihte eaðe mid ane worde
113þenne deofel senden on ece lure, ȝif he him his godcundæn mihte
114cuþen wolde; ac he to him þuldelice spec & hine ofercom mid
115mennisce rihtwisnesse, na mid þam anwealde his godcundnesse.
116Ac he us þa bysene onstealde ꝥ we sceolon yfelræ
117mannæ hate & heora niþæs ðuldelice forberæn, & symle Godes bocæ
118teachunge ȝeorne fylȝean. Eft þe deofel nam þonne Hælend & lædde
119hine on ane swiðe heahne dune & sceawede him alles middæneardes
120rice & his blisse. Witerlice næs Criste nohte wurð þisses middeneardes
121rices ne þysses witiȝendæn wuldres þissere weorlde bihyd
122oþer forstolen, ac he alle ricen, æȝþer ȝe heofenlice ȝe eorþlicen,
123wissæð, & alle isceaftæ on his weald hæfð, & heom alle æfter his
124willæn reccæð & styreð. Ac þe deofel hæfde þeah mid leasunge
125þurh his syncrefte middaneardes murhþe & all weorldlice feȝernesse
126togædere æthiwod. Þeah hit ðenne allungæ mon wære þe him þære
127wið speke, þenne mihte he þeah alle weorldlice feȝernesse togadere
128iseon þurð deofles hywunge; for þam ðe ðe deofel mæȝ felæ þingæ
129dwymorlice hywiæn before monnæ eaȝum, þonne him ilyfed bið.

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130Hwilon he sceawæð hine seluen on engles hywe & bið þeahweðere
131awariȝed gast swa swa he ær wæs. Ða cwæð þe deofel to Criste,
132'Alle þas ðing ic þe ȝyfe & sylle, gyf þu wult fallen to mine fotum
133& wurhȝiæn me.' Elæ! hwæt ælc þare monnæ sarlice ȝefalleð þe
134hine nu to deofle ȝeeadmodeþ! Nis nan mon ꝥ æfre þam deofle ȝeorne
135ihyre, ꝥ he æft æt him þe bætere are finden maȝe; ac æfre swa he
136him nu ȝeornere hereð, swa he eft him grimmere wurð, a ꝥ he hine
137on ende on ecere yrmþe bringæð. Þa cwæð Crist to þam deofle,
138'Ga heonne on hinderling, þu awariȝedæ sceoccæ; soðlice hit is
139iwritæn; ꝥ mon sceal to Drihten ane him biddæn, & him ane
140þeowiæn.' Þa syðæn weron deofles mihtæ on hinderling afulled, &
141Cristes lare wæs a syðæn waxende ȝeond þæsne middaneard, ærest
142þurh him syluen, & syðan þurh his apostolas & þurh þa haliȝe
143larþeowæs þe syðon wæren. Crist cwæð ꝥ mon sceal to Gode
144Almihtiȝ ane biddan & him ane þeowian. Soþlice ne sceole we us
145biddæn naþor ne to englum ne to oþre haliȝe monnum, buton to
146ure Drihtne ane þe þe is soð God. Ac we sceolen þeah ælcne Godes
147halȝe biddæn to fultume, & to þingunge, & þeahhwæþre to nan
148oðre us ne biddan, buton to þam ane þe is soð God. Ða forlet þe
149deofel þene Hælend & awæȝ awat; & engles him sone neahlæcedon &
150him seruedon. On þis we maȝen openlice underȝyten ure Hælendes
151cynde, ꝥ he is æȝðer ȝe soð God ȝe soð mon. Iwislice ne durste þe
152deofel fondien hine, ȝif he ful ȝeare ne cneowæ ꝥ he wære soð mon;
153ne eac him englæs ne þenedon, ȝif he nære soð God. Ofte siþæs
154hit ilamp, & nu ȝyt deþ, ꝥ englæs beoð ofte hyder on middanearde
155isende, monnum to hælpe & to fultume. Be þam cwæð þe apostol,
156'Englæs beoð þeiniendlice gastes'; & heo beoð hider on middanearde
157isende to þeiniȝen allæ þam monnum þe nu earniæn wyllæð mid
158gode weorcum ꝥ heo to þære eadiȝnesse, þe ece is, bicumen moten.
159Mucel is þeo wurðscipe þe God Almihtiȝ us hafð iȝyfen, gif we moten
160beon his bearn icwædene & engle ilice, ȝif we nu his bodu
161healdæn wullæð. Uten ȝemunen hu þe apostol us munede & tæhte
162& lærde, & þus cwæð, 'Nu is þe anfenge tid, & nu beoð þe halwende

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163daȝes,' ꝥ ælc mon mæȝ him seolfen ꝥ ece lif earniæn mid ure Drihtne,
164ȝif he his lif rihtlice libbæn wule æfter larþeowæs tæcinge. Ne
165sceole we nenne mon bylȝen, læs þe ure bene ne beo noht; ac on alle
166þinge ȝearwie we us sylfe swa swa Godes þeines, ꝥ is ærest on mucele
167þulde, & on dræfednesse, & on haliȝe wæcce, & on festene, & on
168clænnesse, & on þolemodnesse, & on clæne þonce, & on soðe lufe
169Godes & monnæ. Þas mæȝnu lædeþ þæs monnes sawle on heofene
170rice þe heom on him hæfð. Soðlice hit wæs iboden & ihaten on
171þare ealde æ ꝥ ylc mon sceolde æfre embe twelf monðe þone teoðe
172dæl his weorldæhtæ Gode syllen; & hit is nu eac on þare niwæ
173laȝe æfter bocæ tæcinge rihtlic & Gode cwæmlic to donne. Gif hit
174þonne hwylcum men on his mode to earfoþlic & to uneaþelic þynce,
175tylie he ꝥ he hyre þone teoþe dæl his dage for Gode feste. Hwæt
176we witen ꝥ on twelf monþe beoð þreo hundred daȝæ & fif & sixtiȝ
177daȝe, & six tidæ; & þisses festenes is twea & feowertiȝ daȝene: & ȝif
178we þa six sunendaȝæn of adoþ, þe we swæsendo on habbæþ, þonne
179ne beoð þær buton six ant þrittiȝ daȝene þæs fæstenes, þonne bið ꝥ
180þe teoþe dæl þare twelf monþe. Swa hwylc mon swa wule on
181ylce tid heardlice & forwyrnedlice libbæn, þe bið fulfremed. Gyf
182hit þonne hwylcum men to earfoþlice þince, tilie he þenne ꝥ he hure
183þis fæsten selost feste, æȝþer ȝe on psealmsonge - þe þe ðæt cunne, -
184ȝe on ælmesdæde, ȝe on halȝe bedum, & wæccum, & on ælce þære
185gode, þe he for Gode to gode don maȝe: ꝥ we alle moten on þis haliȝe
186tid æȝþer ȝe for Godæ ȝe for weorlde þe bliþelycor lybbæn, þam
187Drihtne fultumiende, þe ðe leofæð & rixæð aa on ecenesse. Amen.