Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

And so in going about to revenge evil, we show our selves to be evil, and while we will punish and revenge another mans folly, we double and augment our own folly. But many pretences find they, that be wilful, to colour their impatience. Mine enemy (say they) is not worthy to have gentle words or deeds, being so full of malice, or frowardness. The less he is worthy, the more art thou allowed of God, the more art thou commended of Christ, for whose sake thou should render good for evil, because he hath commanded thee, & also deserved that thou shouldest so do. Thine neighbour hath peradventure with a word offended thee: call thou to thy remembrance, with how many words & deeds, how grievously thou hast offended thy lord God. What was man, when Christ dyed for him? Was he not his enemy, and unworthy to have his favour and mercy? Even so, with what gentleness & patience doeth he forbear, & tolerate ⟨image 87⟩thee, although he is daily offended by thee? Forgive therefore a light trespass to thy neighbour, that Christ may forgive thee, many thousands of trespasses, which art every day an offender. For if thou forgive thy brother, being to the a trespasser, then hast thou a sure sign and token, that God will forgive thee, to whom all men be debtors or trespassers. How wouldest thou have God merciful to thee, if thou wilt be cruel unto thy brother? Canst thou not find in thine hart to do that towards an other, that is thy fellow, which God hath done to thee, that art but his servant? Ought not one sinner to forgive another, seeing that Christ which was no sinner, did pray to his father for them, that without mercy and despitefully put him to death? Who, when he was reviled,¹ did not use reviling words again, and when he suffered wrongfully, he did not threaten, but gave all vengeance, to the judgement of his father, which judgeth rightfully. And what crackest thou of thy head? If thou labour not to be in the body, thou canst be no member of Christ: if thou follow not the steppes of Christ,² who (as the Prophet sayeth) was led to death like a lamb, not opening his mouth to reviling, but opening his mouth to praying for them that crucified him, saying: Father,³ forgive them, for they cannot tell what they do. The which example, anon after Christ, saint Stephen did follow,