Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 39
Verse 39.
But I say vntounto you, resist not euill: but whosoeuer shall strike thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him the other also.
In this and the three next verses, Christ confutes the false interpretation of this law. The summe of his answer stands in two points; the first is an inhibition, resist not euill, which is explained by three examples in the words following. The second, is a cōmandement to requite good for euill, vers. 42.
For the first, by euill is meant, the iniurie or wrong that is done toExposition. man; or more properly, the euil one, that is, the euill man that doth the wrong. Resist not] that is, rise not against the euill one, to requite like for like, according to the iniurie he hath done vntounto thee; so much the word foreignsignifieth. Now Christ forbiddeth not resisting by a lawfull defence, but by way of priuate reuenge; for he speaketh to his Disciples, and to priuate men, saying, I say vntounto you which heare, (as Saint Luke hath it, Ch. 6. 27.) Yet further to cleare this interpretation, wee must know, the Scripture mentioneth two kinds of reuenge, Publike, and Priuate: Publike Reuenge twofold. … ▪ Publike.reuenge, is when the Magistrate according to iustice, and the law of God, punisheth an euill person, that wrongeth his brother. Priuate reuenge, 2. Priuate.is when those that are no Magistrates, wil reuenge themselues on such as doe them wrong. The publike reuenge is allowed by Saint Paul, calling the Magistrate, hRom. 13. 4.Gods minister, for the executing of reuenge vponupon euill doers. Priuate reuenge, is forbidden by the same Apostle, iRom. 12. 17Reuenge not thy selfe. Now by this doctrine it is plaine, that our Sauiour Christ here forbidding reuenge, meaneth not publike, but priuate reuenge.
First, here we see those men confuted, who thinke it vnlawfull for aThe …s…. …. Magistracie lawfull. Christian to be a Magistrate, to execute reuenge vponupon malefactors by the sword, or to make warre against the common enemies: these men are deceiued, by mistaking this text, which forbiddeth onelyonly priuate, & not publik reuenge. Secōdly, here we see, that al priuate reuenge is flatly2 condemned, as a sinne against the sixt commandement. This pointPriuate reuenge vnlawfull. must be remembred, because it is our naturall opinion, and our hearts desire to requite like for like in priuate cases, when wee are iniuried.
Now that wee may see more into this sinne, we are to knowe that priuate reuenge is two-folde, Inward, and Outward; Inward priuate Kinds of priuat reuenge. 1. Iaward.reuenge, is a purpose in the heart, to doe a man an euill turne; this is commonly called the bearing of a grudge, and it is here condemned. Outward reuenge, is when the spite of the heart comes into action,2. Outward. either by word or deede: by word, when a man giues out threatning speeches; as that hee will sit on his skirt, or be euen with him, if it lie in his lot, and such like; or vseth cursing speeches, as a plague take thee, a murraine or pestilence light vponupon thee; or raileth or chideth, calling another knaue, villaine, &c. By deede and action men shew outward reuenge, when they be at a word and a blowe, vsing to fight and to strike one another, by way of priuate reuenge. Hereto also we may referre an ordinarie bad practise of some Magistrates and Superiours, though (it may be) few thinke it to be a fault; to wit, when the Magistrate doth aggrauate the punishment vponupon a malefactour, for some priuate grudge he beareth to him, for then hee vseth priuate reuenge: as also when Parents or Masters correct their seruants and children in furie and rage; for though they be publike persons in this regard, yet to giuegive correction in a chollericke moode, is to ease the heart by way of reuenge.
Here then wee must learne, that wee may not requite euill for euill,Vse. 1. in thought, word, or deede, to those that doe vsus wrong, any manner of way, but must rather suffer iniurie, and referre the reuenge vntounto God that iudgeth righteously. And because this dutie goes against our naturall disposition, I will vse some reasons to perswadeReasons against priuat reuenge. our hearts to yeeld vntounto it: First, the Apostle teacheth out of Deuteronomie, that kRom. 12. 19.vengeance is the Lords: if then we shal priuately1 reuenge our selues, we rob God of his right, & so sinne against the first commandement. Secondly, in the next words he addeth, and I will repay saith the Lord: where God takes vponupon him to be our debter in the case2 of iniustice, and therefore when we are wronged, wee must not be rash to reuenge our selues, but must waite with patience vponupon the Lord, laying downe our iniurie at his feet; for he will repaie in due time, to them that hauehave wronged vsus. Thirdly, consider the examples of worthie men3 in this case; for our Sauiour Christ neuer sought reuenge, but bare wrong patiently, committing all to him that iudgeth righteously, leauing vsus an example to doe likewise, 1. Peter, 2. 10. Yea, when hee was cruelly and vniustly crucified, he praied for his persecutors, Luke 23. 34. Steuen also praied for them that stoned him, Act. 7. 16. and Dauid, though a King, would not suffer reuenge to be taken on Shime… that cursed him, 2. Sam. 19. 9, 10. neither would hee euer touch Saul, who sought his life, though he had him l1. Sam. 24. 5, 6.often in his hands: nay, mCap. 26. 9, 10.his heart smote him, for cutting off the lap of his coate: so farre was he from seeking reuenge. Fourthly, in the fift petition wee pray, Forgiue vsus our sinnes, as we forgiue our trespasses: but if wee carrie grudging in our4 hearts, we praie God not to forgiue vsus, but to condemne vsus; for we will not forgiue, but be reuenged on them that offend vsus. Now this is a most fearefull case, that a man should pray for vengeance vponupon himselfe. Fiftly, it is not meete in common reason, that the same partie5 should be the accuser and the Iudge; and yet, if a man might reuenge himselfe, this should be so: and therefore, …f wee would be Christs Disciples, we must arme our selues with patience, in suffering wrong, and referre reuenge to God that iudgeth righteously.
Yet some will say, If we alwaies put vp and suffer wrong, wee shall neuer bee in quiet, but still be abused. Answer. Though in our own person we may not reuenge our selues, yet wee may craue the helpe of the Magistrate, either for the preuenting, or for the punishment of wrong done vntounto vsus; for the Magistrate is Gods Liuetenant, to releeue the oppressed, and to execute vengeance on malefactours: thus did nAct. 23. 17.Paul send to the chiefe Captaine, to preuent a conspiracie that the Iewes intended against him, and oAct. 25. 10.appealed to Caesar, to auoyde the danger of the Iewes at Ierusalem: and yet when wrong is done vntounto vsus, wee must beare it patiently, without seeking priuate Reuenge, although the wrong were doubled or trebled vponupon vsus.
Thirdly, our Sauiour Christ here calling the wrong doer an euill Wrong doing the propertie of an euil man.one, giueth vsus to vnderstand, that it is the propertie of an euill man to doe wrong vntounto others; and this title is giuen to the wrong doer, to teach vsus, that wee must suffer wrong patiently, though hee bee an euill man that offereth it vntounto vsus. It is the propertie of a good man to doe good continually, but to doe wrong is the marke of an euill man, who herein is like the deuill: which must teach vsus, not to doe wrong to any one, in his bodie; goods, or name, either by word or deede; but rather applie our selues to doe all the good we can, to eueryevery one within the compasse of our calling. Hereby wee shall see what our estate is, for if in our callings wee set our selues to hurt others, either by word or deede, wee are in the sight of God euil men: such are our vsurers, and extortioners, and all those that vse fraud and deceite in their callings. But if wee would shewe our selues to be good men, approoued of God in Christ, then wee must referre our bodies and soules, and all that wee hauehave, to the good of others. Although men by nature be like to pIsay 11 6. …sauage beasts, as Lyons, Woolues, Cock …trices, &c. whose propertie is, to deuoure and hurt other creatures; yet when it pleaseth God to receiue them to merciemercy, and to place them in his kingdome, then they laie aside their cruell nature, and liue peaceably one with another; for in all the Mountaine of Gods holinesse, none shall hurt or destroie, verse 9. It is a prophecie of Christs kingdome, that therein the sword and speare, which are weapons of warre, shall bee turned into scythes and mattocks, which are instruments of common good in time of peace; whereby was signified, that when men are conuerted, and become true children vntounto God, they laie aside all malice, and giuegive themselues to doe good, and become seruiceable vntounto all for the good of all. This was notably verefied in Paul, who of a qAct. … 21.persecuter became a preacher: yea, r1. Cor. 9. 22he became all things to all men, that by all meanes hee might win some. And thus doing, we are like to our heauēly father, who doth good to all; but if we giuegive our selues to wrong doing, we are euill ones, and herein like to the deuill himselfe.
Fourthly, Christ here forbidding priuate reuenge, which is vnlawful,Of lawfull reuenge. doth hereby establish that reuenge, which is lawfull and iust. Now lawfull reuenge (to speake somewhat hereof) is the worke of a iust and lawfull power, requiting euill for euill. This iust reuenge is two-folde, Diuine, and Humane; Diuine reuenge, is the worke of Gods absolute power,1 Diuine. taking vengeance vponupon offenders: of the lawfulnesse of this reuenge in God, there is no question: onelyonly this we must remember, that God executes this vengeance daiely, in the manifold miseries of this life▪ and likewise in the iust condemnation of the impenitent after death. Indeed as a father he chasteneth his Church and children, for vengeance in Christ becomes nurturement; but as a seuere iudge hee plagues the wicked, powring vengeance on them, both temporall and eternall. Humane reuenge is the ordinance of God, whereby men beeing therevnto2 Humane. called by God, doe execute vengeance in the name of God; and itExtraordinarie. is twofold, extraordinarie, or ordinarie: Extraordinarie, when men are extraordinarily stirred vp by the spirit of God, to execute vengeance vponupon offenders, in the name of God. Thus sN…. 25. 7, 8, ….P…i…e…as slew Zimri and Cosbie: and thus many of the Iudges of Israel, specially tI… …. ….Ehud & u… ▪ 1… ▪ 19. & …. 1…. ….Sampson, tooke reuenge vponupon the enemies of Gods people: thus Elias the Prophet slew Baals priests, 1. King. 18. 40. and destroyed the two Captaines and their fifties, with fire from heauen, 2. King. 1. 10. 12. thus xA… ▪ …. A… ▪ …. 10.Peter killed Ananias and Saphira: and Paul stro…ke Elimas with blindnesse. This kind of reueng is now rare, for wee are not to looke for extraordinarie instincts: we know Christ rebuked his zLuk. 2. 54. 55.Disciples, for seeking to execute this extraordinarie reuenge vponupon the Samaritans; and therefore when we hauehave a conceit hereof in our selues, wee may iustly suspect what spirit it is that mooueth vsus. Ordinarie reuenge, isOrdinarie. that which men ordinarily put in execution, in the Church and common wealth, according to Gods will, beeing thereto called by God: & it is twofold, Lesser, or Soueraigne. Lesser reuenge, is the inflicting of lawfull correction vponupon offenders, in word or deede, not reaching to the case of life and death; this kinde of reuenge is committed to parents ouer their children, and masters ouer their seruants, to schoolemasters ouer their schollers, and Tutors ouer their pupils. Soueraigne reuenge, is that whereby the Magistrate may lawfully punish men according to their offences, in bodie, goods, or life it selfe; this I call soueraigne, not simply, but because it is the highest that agreeth vntounto man, beeing of life and death. This reuenge is executed partly in peace, and partly in warre; In peace, by the confiscation of goods, by imprisonment, banishment, and (if the offence deserue it) by taking away of life, for the good of the state publike. In time of warre, when as (not for eueryevery case) but for the iust repelling or requiting of wrongs, warre is made against the enemies of the state. Now though it belong to the Magistrate only, to execute publike reuenge, yet eueryevery priuate man may hauehave the benefit hereof, & may vponupon iust causes vse the Magistrates helpe for his reuenge: as first, if his cause be waightie wherein he is wronged: 2. ifWherein we may seek to the Magistrate for reuenge. it be necessarie: & 3. if it be for his iust defence, for the common good, & the punishment of the offender; and the Magistrate in these cases may lawfully, nay he must put in executiō, reuenge for priuate men: for without this, neither church, nor cōmon wealth, nor any society could stand.
Thus we see what iust reuenge is; now considering it is the ordinance of God, this must admonish vsus to eschewe all outward offences, that we may so escape the iust reuenge of the Magistrate; and also to make conscience of all sinnes, that so we may auoide the vengeance of God. And thus much of the generall rule.
Now because this generall rule might seeme to bee hard, therefore Christ explaines the same in 3. particular examples, wherein hee shewes1. Example of …u…f…ing wrong. how men are to behaue themselues when they are wronged. The first example is in these words, Whosoeuer shall smi…e thee on the right cheeke, turne to him the other also: vnderunder which, are comprehended all iniuries done to mens bodies, not onelyonly by blowes & words, but also in the contempt of their persons, signified by striking on the right cheeke: for vsually men strike with the right hand, which directly should light on the left cheeke, and if the right cheeke be smitten it is commonly with the backe of the hand, which is a blow with contempt: now, say a man is abused in his bodie, euen by blows of contempt, yet he must not reuenge himselfe, but turne the other cheek also:] which words must not simply be vnderstood, but by comparison, thus; rather then thou reuenge thy selfe, and resist the euill one that hath stricken thee on the right cheek, turne to him the other: for this particular example comprehendeth in it the generall rule of not resisting euill by priuate reuenge: and that it may not simply be taken may herby appeare: first, because Christ should then command the sufferer, to giuegive further occasion of wrong doing to the euill man, which is not his meaning: againe, Christ himselfe who gaue this rule, did not so practise it, when he was smitten by the seruant of the high Priest. Ioh. 18. 22, 23.
First, by this example Christ condemneth the common practise ofThe vse. Chalenging the field vnlawfull. chalenging the field for personall wrongs, and of taking that chalenge when it is giuen; as also the fighting the single combate▪ for Christ teacheth, that a man must take many wrongs, before he seek to reuenge himselfe by any such course: if it be saide, it is a disgrace to refuse a chalenge; we must know, that true grace and credit standeth in yeilding obedience vntounto God, and not in sinning against him for the sauing of our reputation with men.
Secondly, the common practise of fighting and quarelling, is hereFighting, & quarelling. condemned: many hold it vnlawfull to giuegive the first blow, but yet if an other strike them, then they thinke they may strike againe: but this Christ here condemnes, and his owne example is against it: for when he was smitten before the high Priest, he aIoh. 1…. 22▪ 23.smote not againe: when Paul bAct. 23. 3.was smitten, he onelyonly defended himselfe in word, but smote not againe. And Christ checketh Peter for taking the sword, to resist the officers that apprehended him in the garden; indeede he permitted his Disciples to weare weapons, yet not for reuenge, but for their iust defense onelyonly.
Thirdly, Christ here condemneth their opinion, that make it a matter of praise for a man that he will not turne his face from any man. It is indeede the praise of the Magistrate to be couragious, and not to feare the face of man. But yet a priuate man, be he neuer so strong, ought to turne his face from the aduersarie, vnlesse it be in the case of his necessarie defence: for a man must suffer double or treble wrong, rather then defend himselfe. If any shall thinke this to be a great disgrace, still he must remember, that our chiefest honour consisteth in approouing our selues vntounto God, by obeying his wil, who here commandeth vsus rather to turne our backs and flie, then to resist in our own reuenge.
Question. But what if a man be assaulted, either on the high way, orWhat a man may doe, being vnlawfully assaulted. in his house, may he not then resist to saue his life, and his goods? Answer. In such a case he may doe two things: First, hee may to the vttermost of his power, defend himselfe and his goods; for this Text speaketh not against defence, but against reuenge. Secondly, if a man can see no way to escape, either by flight, or calling for helpe of the Magistrate, then he is to stand so farre in his owne defence, that hee is rather to kill then be killed; for in this case, God puts the sword into a priuate mans hand, and makes him a Magistrate, to execute reuenge vponupon his aduersarie: and thus might a man lawfully kill a thiefe in the night without the guilt of blood, Exod. 22. 2.
Fourthly, hence obserue, that no priuate man may lawfully kill aPriuate mens dutie towards Tyrants. Prince, though he should tyrannically destroy both Church & commō wealth; for this Rule must square the actions of priuate men, they must rather beare double and treble wrong, then by way of priuate reuenge resist the euill one. The reuenge of euill Magistrates must be referred to God, to whom it iustly belongeth, as Dauid did, 1. Sam. 26. 10. and Psal. 43. 1.
Lastly, in this first example of particular iniurie, we may see one propertieQuarrelling notes an euil person. of an euill man; namely, to be giuen to fighting, quarrelling, and contending: such a one may thinke himselfe a goodly fellow, but yet he that vseth his strength to ordinarie quarrelling, and wrong doing to others, is here made an euill one, by the sentence of our Sauiour Christ: and therefore such as excell in strength, if they would be approoued of Christ, must make conscience of quarrelling and fighting, and offer violence to no man.