Sermons on the Card | Page 8

false opinion in them, as prove well the
three last other sentences following the first part of this card.
Now, as touching the three other sentences, you must note and take
heed, what difference is between these three manner of offences: to be
angry with your neighbour; to call your neighbour "brainless," or any
such word of disdain; or to call your neighbour "fool." Whether these
three manner of offences be of themselves more grievous one than the
other, it is to be opened unto you. Truly, as they be of themselves
divers offences, so they kill diversly, one more than the other; as you
shall perceive by the first of these three, and so forth. A man which
conceiveth against his neighbour or brother ire or wrath in his mind, by
some manner of occasion given unto him, although he be angry in his
mind against his said neighbour, he will peradventure express his ire by
no manner of sign, either in word or deed: yet, nevertheless, he
offendeth against God, and breaketh this commandment in killing his
own soul; and is therefore "in danger of judgment."
Now, to the second part of these three: That man that is moved with ire
against his neighbour, and in his ire calleth his neighbour "brainless,"
or some other like word of displeasure; as a man might say in a fury, "I
shall handle thee well enough;" which words and countenances do
more represent and declare ire to be in this man, than in him that was
but angry, and spake no manner of word nor shewed any countenance
to declare his ire. Wherefore as he that so declareth his ire either by
word or countenance offendeth more against God, so he both killeth his
own soul, and doth that in him is to kill his neighbour's soul in moving
him unto ire, wherein he is faulty himself; and so this man is "in danger

of council."
Now to the third offence, and last of these three: That man that calleth
his neighbour "fool," doth more declare his angry mind toward him,
than he that called his neighbour but "brainless," or any such words
moving ire: for to call a man "fool," that word representeth more envy
in a man than "brainless" doth. Wherefore he doth most offend, because
he doth most earnestly with such words express his ire, and so he is "in
danger of hell-fire."
Wherefore you may understand now, these three parts of this card be
three offences, and that one is more grievous to God than the other, and
that one killeth more the soul of man than the other.
Now peradventure there be some that will marvel, that Christ did not
declare this commandment by some greater faults of ire, than by these
which seem but small faults, as to be angry and speak nothing of it, to
declare it and to call a man "brainless," and to call his neighbour "fool:"
truly these be the smallest and the least faults that belong to ire, or to
killing in ire. Therefore beware how you offend in any kind of ire:
seeing that the smallest be damnable to offend in, see that you offend
not in the greatest. For Christ thought, if he might bring you from the
smallest manner of faults, and give you warning to avoid the least, he
reckoned you would not offend in the greatest and worst, as to call your
neighbour thief, whoreson, whore, drab, and so forth, into more
blasphemous names; which offences must needs have punishment in
hell, considering how that Christ hath appointed these three small faults
to have three degrees of punishment in hell, as appeareth by these three
terms, judgment, council, and hell-fire. These three terms do signify
nothing else but three divers punishments in hell, according to the
offences. Judgment is less in degree than council, therefore it signifieth
a lesser pain in hell, and it is ordained for him that is angry in his mind
with his neighbour, and doth express his malice neither by word nor
countenance: council is a less degree in hell than hell-fire, and is a
greater degree in hell than judgment; and it is ordained for him that
calleth his neighbour "brainless," or any such word, that declareth his
ire and malice: wherefore it is more pain than judgment. Hell-fire is

more pain in hell than council or judgment, and it is ordained for him
that calleth his neighbour "fool," by reason that in calling his neighbour
"fool," he declareth more his malice, in that it is an earnest word of ire:
wherefore hell-fire is appointed for it; that is, the most pain of the three
punishments.
Now you have heard, that to these divers offences of ire and killing be
appointed punishments