Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

We be evil spoken of (sayeth he) and speak well, we suffer persecution & take it patiently: Men curse us, & we gently entreat. Thus s. Paul taught that he did, & he did that he taught: Bless you (sayeth he) them that persecute ⟨image 87⟩you, bless you, & curse not. Is it a great thing to speak well to of & thine adversary, to whom Christ doth command the to do well? David when Shimei did call him all to naught, did not chide again, but said patiently: suffer him to speak evil, it perchance the Lord will have mercy on me. Histories be full of examples of Heathen men, that toke very meekly, both opprobrious words, & injurious deeds. And shall those Heathen men, excel in patience, us that profess Christ, the teacher & example of all patience? Lysander when one did rage against him, in reviling of him, he was nothing moved, but said: go to, go to, speak against me as much, & as oft as thou wilt, and leave out nothing, if perchance by this means thou mayest discharge the of those naughty things, with the which it seemeth, that thou art full laden. Many men speak evil of all men, because they can speak well of no man. After this sort, this wise man avoided from him, the injurious words spoken unto him: imputing and laying them to the natural sickness of his adversary.

We be euill spoken of (saieth he) and speake well, we suffre persecucion & take it paciētly: Men curse vs, & we gently entreate. Thus s. Paul taught that he did, & he dyd that he taughte: Blesse you (sayeth he) them yt persecute ⟨image 87⟩you, blesse you, & curse not. Is it a great thyng to speake wel to of & thyne aduersary, to whō Christ doth cōmaūd the to do wel? Dauid whē Semei dyd call him al to naught, did not chide agayn, but saide paciently: suffre hym to speake euil, it perchaūce the Lorde will haue mercy on me. Hystories be full of examples of Heathen men, that toke very mekely, bothe opprobrious wordes, & iniurious dedes. And shall those Heathen men, excel in pacience, vs yt professe Christ, the teacher & example of all paciēce? Lisander when one did rage agaynst him, in reuilinge of him, he was nothing moued, but said: go to, go to, speke agaynst me asmuch, & as oft as thou wilt, and leaue out nothynge, if perchaunce by thys meanes thou maiest discharge the of those naughtie thynges, with the which it semeth, that thou arte full laden. Many men speake euill of all men, because thei can speake wel of no man. After this sorte, thys wyse man auoyded from hym, the iniurious wordes spoken vnto hym: imputyng and laiyng them to the naturall sickenes of hys aduersary.