o make him a fair countenance,
thinking that by thy drink or dinner he will shew thee like countenance.
I grant you may both laugh and make good cheer, and yet there may remain
a bag of rusty malice, twenty years old, in thy neighbour's bosom. When
he departeth from thee with a good countenance, thou thinkest all is well
then. But now, I tell thee, it is worse than it was, for by such cloaked
charity, where thou dost offend before Christ but once, thou hast
offended twice herein: for now thou goest about to give Christ a mock, if
be would take it of thee. Thou thinkest to blind thy master Christ's
commandment. Beware, do not so, for at length he will overmatch thee,
and take thee tardy whatsoever thou be; and so, as I said, it should be
better for thee not to do his message on this fashion, for it will stand
thee in no purpose. "What?" some will say, "I am sure he loveth me well
enough: he speaketh fair to my face." Yet for all that thou mayest be
deceived. It proveth not true love in a man, to speak fair. If he love
thee with his mind and heart, he loveth thee with his eyes, with his
tongue, with his feet, with his hands and his body; for all these parts
of a man's body be obedient to the will and mind. He loveth thee with
his eves, that looketh cheerfully on thee, when thou meetest with him,
and is glad to see thee prosper and do well. He loveth thee with his
tongue, that speaketh well by thee behind thy back, or giveth thee good
counsel. He loveth thee with his feet, that is willing to go to help
thee out of trouble and business. He loveth thee with his hands, that
will help thee in time of necessity, by giving some alms-deeds, or with
any other occupation of the hand. He loveth thee with his body, that
will labour with his body, or put his body in danger to do good for thee,
or to deliver thee from adversity: and so forth, with the other members
of his body. And if thy neighbour will do according to these sayings,
then thou mayest think that he loveth thee well; and thou, in like wise,
oughtest to declare and open thy love unto thy neighbour in like fashion,
or else you be bound one to reconcile the other, till this perfect love
be engendered amongst you.

It may fortune thou wilt say, "I am content to do the best for my
neighbour that I can, saving myself harmless." I promise thee, Christ
will not hear this excuse; for he himself suffered harm for our sakes,
and for our salvation was put to extreme de