¶ We ought not to desyre vengeaunce, but to for∣gyue the offence. Of the vyces of the tonge, & of the daungers therof.
CAPI. XXVIII.
HE that seketh vengeaunce,* 1.1 shall fynd [ A] vengeaunce of the Lorde, whiche shall surely kepe hym his synnes. Forgyue thy neyghboure the hurte that he hathe done the, and so shall thy synnes be forgy∣uen the also, when thou prayest. A mā that beareth hatred agaynste an other, howe dare he desyre forgyuenesse of God? He yt sheweth no mercy to a man whiche is lyke hym selfe, howe dare he aske forgyuenes of synnes? If he that is but flesshe, beareth hatred and ke∣peth it, who wyll intreate for his synnes? Rememembre the end, and let enimitye passe whiche seketh death and destruction, and a∣byde thou in the commaundementes. Remē∣bre the commaundement, so shalt thou not [ B] be rygorous ouer thy neyghboure. Thynke vpon the couenaunt of the hyghest, and for∣gyue thy neyghboures ignoraunce. Beware of stryfe, and thou shalt make thy sinnes fe∣wer.* 1.2 For an angrye man kyndleth varyaunce and the vngodly disquyeteth frēdes and put¦teth discorde amonges them that be at peax. The more wod there is, the more vehemente is the fyre: and the myghtyer the men be,* 1.3 the greater is the wrath: & the longer the stryfe endureth the more it burneth
An hastye braulynge kyndleth a fyre, and [ C] an hasty stryfe sheddeth bloud. If thou blow the sparke: it shall burne: If thou spyt vpō it: it goeth forthe,* 1.4 and bothe these go oute of thy mouth. The sclaunderer and dubble tonged is cursed, for many one that be fren∣des setteth he at varyaunce. The thyrd tong hath disquyeted many one, and dryuē them frome one lande to an other. Stronge cytyes hath it broken downe, and ouerthrowen the houses of great men. The thyrde tong hath caste out many an honest woman, and rob∣bed them of their laboures. Who so herke∣neth vnto suche, shall neuer fynde rest neuer dwell safely. The stroke of the rodde maketh yedders, but the stroke of the tonge smyteth ye bones in sundre. There be many that haue perysshed with the swerd, but many mo tho∣rowe the tonge.
Well is hym that is kepte frome an euell [ D] tonge, and commeth not in the anger therof whiche draweth not the yoke of such, and is not bounde in the bandes of it. For the yoke therof is of yron, and the band of it of stele. The death, therof is a very euyl death: hel were better for one, then suche a tonge. But the fyre of it maye not oppresse theym that feare God, and the flame therof maye not burne them. Such as forsake the Lorde, shal fall therin: and it shall burne theym, and no man shall be hable to quenche it. It shall fall vpon them as a lyon, and deuoure them as a Leoparde. Thou hedgest thy goodes wt thornes: why doest thou not rather make dores and barres for thy mouth? Thou way¦est thy golde and siluer: why doest thou not way thy wordes also vpō ye balaūce? Beware that thou slyde not in thy tōg & so fal before thyne enemyes, that laye wayte for the