Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 9 · Section 20
Of Reuenge.
56 Reuenge is of two ſorts; one publike, In Gen. 42, verſe. 7. Looke part. 4, chap. 15. art. 16.and an other priuate. And as for publike, which ought to be exerciſed by the magiſtrate; ſo far is it off from prohibiting therof, as God commandeth the ſame; warning alwaies the magiſtrates, that they ſhould execute iuſtice and iudgement, and not ſuffer wickedneſſe to eſcape vnpuniſhed. It is lawfull to repell violence by violence.But it is not lawfull for priuate men to reuenge, vnleſſe it be, according to the prouerbe, To repell violence by violence. This is not prohibited them, when the magiſtrate cannot helpe them. For ſomtime the caſe happeneth ſo vponupon the ſudden, as a man cannot ſtraitwaie flie to the helpe of the publike power. Wherefore we may then defend our ſelues, vſing neuertheleſſe great moderation; to wit, that we onelie indeuour to defend our ſelues, and them that be committed vntounto vsus, not wiſhing with a mind of reuenge to hurt our aduerſaries; in ſuch ſort as that action may procéed, not of hatred, but of charitie. Yet neuertheleſſe, publike reuenge (as we hauehave ſaid) is commanded by God. By the which precept, not onelie magiſtrates are bound, but the guiltie alſo are bound, that they ſhould with a patient mind beare the correction and puniſhment, that is laid vponupon them by the ſuperiour power, for the crime which they hauehave committed. Which if they doo, let them vnderſtand, that it belongeth vntounto the commendation of iuſtice.
But doo not thou obiect vntounto me the ſaieng of Ariſtotle, in his Rhetoriks, that according to other vertues, it is honeſt and laudable, not onlie to doo, but alſo to ſuffer. And he onelie excepteth iuſtice: for he ſaith; They which are puniſhed, and doo ſuffer iuſtlie, muſt rather be diſpraiſed than praiſed. For that, which he héere ſaith, is true; if thou reſpect the cauſe, for the which they be puniſhed: that without doubt is not praiſe-worthie; ſith they are puniſhed for offenſes. Yet on the other ſide, if thou reſpect his mind in ſuffering, which for a publike commoditie, and for other mens inſtruction, bicauſe of the commandement of God, that he may obeie him, and in deteſtation of the wickedneſſe committed, dooth willinglie ſubmit him ſelfe to the lawes which are decréed; it muſt not be denied, but that ſuch a one dooth iuſtlie, and is to be praiſed in ſuch a ſtedfaſtneſſe, & iuſt determination of his mind. But yet the praier of Samſon may ſéeme at the firſt ſight not to be verie godlie: Iud. 16, 28. Whether the praier of Samſon in the 16. of Iudges were good or ill.for he praieth, that it might be granted him to take reuenge vponupon his enimies; bicauſe they put out both his eies. In verie truth, if he had ment to fulfill his wrath, we might not iuſtlie allow of his praier: for he ſhould no more hauehave béene allowed of God, than if he had ſaid expreſlie; I beſéech thée Lord to proſper either my theft or my adulterie.
Auguſtine ſaith, that Samſon did theſe things, not of his owne accord; but by the drift and counſell of the holie Ghoſt. Beſides, we muſt not thinke of Samſon, as of a priuate man; but as of a magiſtrate, whom God himſelfe had appointed. And ſurelie, it was not lawfull for him, as a priuate man, to reuenge iniuries; but as a magiſtrate, both he might, and ſhould doo it. If we ſpeake of a priuate cauſe, that muſt be of force, Rom. 12, 19.which Paule ſaid; GiueGive place vntounto wrath; vengeance is mine, and I will repaie, ſaith the Lord. But in a publike cauſe, the magiſtrate, by the commandement and authoritie of GOD, muſt reuenge the iniurie doone vntounto him: for he is Gods deputie vponupon the earth. And God himſelfe, although that oftentimes he reuengeth ſinnes immediatlie, as they ſaie, by himſelfe; yet dooth he for the moſt part puniſh by magiſtrats. Wherefore thoſe words; Vengeance is mine, and I will repaie, doo nothing at all hinder the ſeueritie of magiſtrates, whereby they puniſh offenders. For they be the miniſters of God; and that which they doo, God himſelfe dooth it by them.