God, if I would not declare to {9} other men, by tongue or by writings, the evangelical truth, which he himself spake, and afterwards to holy teachers revealed. Very many I know in this country more learned than I am, but God manifests his wonders through whom he will. As an almighty worker he works his work through his chosen, not because he has need of our aid, but that we may earn eternal life by the performance of his work. Paul the apostle said, "We are God's assistants," and yet we do nothing for God without the assistance of God. Now I desire and beseech, in God's name, if anyone will transcribe this book, that he carefully correct it by the copy, lest we be blamed through careless writers. He does great evil who writes false, unless he correct it; it is as though he turn true doctrine to false error; therefore should everyone make that straight which he before bent crooked, if he will be guiltless at God's doom. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum prædiximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod Æthelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro. * * * * * INCIPIT LIBER CATHOLICORUM SERMONUM ANGLICE, IN ÆCCLESIA PER ANNUM RECITANDORUM. SERMO DE INITIO CREATURÆ, AD POPULUM, QUANDO VOLUERIS. An angin is ealra þinga, þæt is God Ælmihtig. He is ordfruma and ende: he is ordfruma, forði þe he wæs æfre; he is ende butan ælcere geendunge, forðan þe he bið æfre ungeendod. He is ealra cyninga Cyning, and ealra hlaforda Hlaford. He hylt mid his mihte heofonas and eorðan, and ealle gesceafta butan geswince, and he besceawað þa niwelnyssa þe under þyssere eorðan sind. He awecð ealle duna {10} mid anre handa, and ne mæg nan þing his willan wiðstandan. Ne mæg nan gesceaft fulfremedlice smeagan ne understandan ymbe god. Maran cyððe habbað englas to Gode þonne men, and þeah-hweðere hí ne magon fulfremedlice understandan ymbe God. Hé gesceop gesceafta þaða he wolde; þurh his wisdom he geworhte ealle þing, and þurh his willan hé hí ealle geliffæste. Ðeos þrynnys is án God; þæt is se Fæder and his wisdom of him sylfum æfre acenned; and heora begra willa, þæt is se Halga Gast: he nis na acenned, ac he gæð of þam Fæder and of þam Suna gelice. Ðas þry hadas sindon án Ælmihtig God, se geworhte heofenas, and eorðan, and ealle gesceafta. He gesceop tyn engla werod, þæt sind englas and heah-englas, throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, uirtutes, cherubim, seraphim. Her sindon nigon engla werod: hí nabbað nænne lichaman, ac hí sindon ealle gastas swiðe strange and mihtige and wlitige, on micelre fægernysse gesceapene, to lofe and to wurðmynte heora Scyppende. Ðæt teoðe werod abreað and awende on yfel. God hí gesceop ealle góde, and let hí habban agenne cyre, swa hí heora Scyppend lufedon and filigdon, swa hí hine forleton. Ða wæs þæs teoðan werodes ealdor swiðe fæger and wlitig gesceapen, swa þæt hé wæs geháten Leohtberend. Þa began he to modigenne for