Twa forhæfednysse cynn syndon, án lichamlic, oðer gastlic. An is, þæt gehwá hine sylfne getemprige mid gemete on ǽte and on wæte, and werlice ða oferflowendlican ðygene him sylfum ætbrede. Oðer forhæfednysse cynn is deorwurðre and healicre, ðeah seo oðer gód sy: styran his modes styrunge mid singalre gemetfæstnysse, and campian dæghwamlice wið leahtras, and hine sylfne ðreagian mid styrnysse ðære gastlican steore, swa þæt hé ða reðan deor eahta heafod-leahtra swilce mid isenum midlum gewylde. Deorwyrðe is þeos forhæfednys, and wulderfull ðrowung on Godes gesihðe, ða yfelan geðohtas and unlustas mid agenre cynegyrde gestyran, and fram derigendlicere spræce, and pleolicum weorce hine sylfne forhabban, swa swa fram cwylmbærum mettum. Se ðe ðas ðing gecneordlice begæð, he gripð untweolice þæt behátene ríce mid Gode and eallum his halgum. Micel strec bið, þæt mennisce menn mid eadmodum geearnungum ða heofenlican myrhðe begytan, ðe ða heofenlican englas ðurh modignysse forluron. Us gelustfullað gyt furður to sprecenne be ðan halgan were Iohanne, him to wurðmynte and ús to beterunge. Be him awrát se witega Isaias, þæt he is "stemn clypigendes on westene, Gearciað Godes weig, doð rihte his paðas. Ælc dene bið gefylled, and ælc dún bið geeadmet, and ealle wohnyssa beoð gerihte, and scearpnyssa gesmeðode." Se witega hine het stemn, forðan ðe he forestóp Criste, ðe is Word {362} gehaten: na swilc word swa menn sprecað, ac he is ðæs Fæder Wisdom, and word bið wisdomes geswutelung. Þæt Word is Ælmihtig God, Sunu mid his Fæder. On ælcum worde bið stemn gehyred, ǽr þæt word fullice gecweden sy. Swa swa stemn forestæpð worde, swa forestóp Iohannes ðam Hælende on middangearde; forðan ðe God Fæder hine sende ætforan gesihðe his Bearnes, þæt he sceolde gearcian and dæftan his weig. Hwæt ða Iohannes to mannum clypode þas ylcan word, "Gearciað Godes weig." Se bydel ðe bodað rihtne geleafan and gode weorc, he gearcað þone weig cumendum Gode to ðæra heorcnigendra heortan.