Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 9 · Section 8 – Section 9
Of reſiſting of violence.
In Rom. 12 verſe. 19.19 A chriſtian man is not forbidden, but that he may repell violence by violence; when either he is ſuddenlie ſet vponupon in a deſolate place, or can not otherwiſe call for aid and helpe of the magiſtrate. For ſéeing the lawes made by a iuſt magiſtrate, doo giuegive this leaue vntounto him; he dooth not this act as a priuate man, but as a publike miniſter, armed by iuſt and publike lawes. Matt. 5, 39.Chriſt ſaid, If a man giuegive to the a blowe on thy right cheeke, turne vntounto him the other. But this muſt be doone, when thou ſéeſt, that by this meanes thou maiſt profit thy brother, or that it furthereth the aduancement of Gods glorie. And out of theſe caſes, Iohn. 18, 23. Acts. 23, 3.it is not neceſſarie ſo to doo, as both Chriſt and Paule by their example hauehave taught. But while we repell violence by violence, we muſt vſe a moderation of a iuſt defenſe of our ſelues, (as the lawiers ſpeake,) that we ſéeke not to hurt or to kill him, that dooth vsus violence. And this muſt be diligentlie regarded, that with as litle harme to him as thou canſt, thou repell from thée his force or violence. Vndoubtedlie, if it had not béene lawfull to repell violence by violence; the apoſtles following Chriſt would not hauehave borne ſwords with them. But they had ſwords: for they ſaid vntounto Chriſt, at his laſt ſupper; Luk. 22, 38.Behold heere be two ſwords. And Peter, when Chriſt ſhould be taken; Shall we ſmite (ſaith he) with the ſword? Ibidem. 49.Héereby it is manifeſt enough, that the apoſtles to this vſe ware ſwords. If this had béene repugnant to the lawe of God, Chriſt would neuer hauehave permitted it: for he was a moſt earneſt mainteiner of the commandements of his father.
Of curſſings, imprecations, or bannings.
In …o. 11, 9 Looke 1. Cor. 16. at the end, and Iud. 5. 23. Gen. 9, 25.20 It ſhall now be verie conuenient for vsus, to intreat ſomewhat of imprecations, and of bannings, or curſſings. The vſe of malediction and curſſing is verie ancient in the holie ſcriptures. Noah curſſed his nephew Chanaan; Curſed be Chanaan, let him be a ſeruant to his brethren. Baalac alſo the ſonne of Zippor, Num. 22, 5. Deut. 27, 13called Baalam to curſſe Iſrael. In Deuteronomie we read; Curſſed ſhalt thou be in the towne, and in the field, in the barne, & in the ſtore. Curſſed be the fruit of the wombe. Theſe execrations were to be recited vponupon mount Hebal. The law of geloſie hath alſo, Num. 5, 19.in the booke of Numbers, proper imprecations; namelie, Ibidem. 21.that The bellie ſhould ſwell and breake, and the thighes rot. All which things could not hurt the woman, if ſhe were innocent: but vntounto an adultereſſe they were recited, not without force and effect. Ioſua. 6, 26Ioſua curſſed him, which would reedifie Iericho, with the death of his children. And this happened vnderunder Achab, 1. King. 6, 34 Nehe. 13, 25 Or 2. of Eſdras.as the hiſtorie of the Kings mentioneth. And Nehemias ſaith; that he not onlie rebuked thoſe, which had married ſtrange wiues, but alſo curſſed them. In the new teſtament alſo, there want not examples, the which ſhall be afterward alledged.
Yea and the Ethniks likewiſe vſed curſſings. Acteius a Tribune of the people of Rome, Other write A…te…us.(as Plutarch declareth in the life of M. Craſſus) when he could by no other meanes diſſuade him from his expedition into Parthia, at the length, in the waie, by the which Craſſus ſhould paſſe out of the citie, he ſet a chafing diſh of coles, in the midſt of the ſtréet. And when Craſſus came againſt it, he caſt in certeine perfumes, and with moſt horrible and bitter curſſes, curſſed the generall, and all his hoſt. Which curſſes were not in vaine, as the euent ouer well declared. Oedipus alſo (as the Poets tell) with bannings curſſed his two ſonnes Adraſtes and Polynices; namelie, that they ſhould be without citie and houſe, that they ſhould be beggers and wanderers abroad, and ſo at variance in themſelues, that the one ſhould kill the other. Which effects, according to his wiſh, came to paſſe. And Horace ſaith; I will vtterlie curſſe you, and this bitter curſſe can no ſacrifice appeaſe. Neither is that to be paſſed in ſilence, which Auguſtine mentioneth concerning Paule and Palladia. For they being curſſed of their mother, miſerablie wandred about from countrie to countrie; vntill at the laſt they were deliuered at the toombe of S. Steeuen.
21 Séeing therefore ſo great plentie of curſſings and bannings hath alwaies béen, as well among the Iewes, as alſo among the Gentiles; is it poſſible, that it ſhould altogither be vniuſt, or be ſinne, to curſſe, or to wiſh euill vntounto anie man, ſo that it ſhould be lawfull at no time? Auguſtine.Auguſtine vndoubtedlie was of this mind, that it is not lawfull: and he intreateth of this matter, towards the end of his firſt booke De ſermone Domini in monte. He alſo writeth, Curſſes in the prophets, are propheſies.that thoſe imprecations, which are read in the prophets, perteine onelie vntounto propheſies; ſo that, vnderunder that forme of praier, they onelie foretold the things, which they ſawe ſhould come to paſſe. And wheras they vſe the Optatiue mood, in ſtéed of the Indicatiue, that (he ſaith) is not to be woondered at among the Hebrues: ſéeing they often times vſe ſuch figures in their ſpéeches. For manie times they vſe one Tenſe for an other, putting the time paſt for the time to come: as; Wherefore hauehave the Gentils raged, Pſalm. 2, 1.and the people imagined vaine things? Pſal. 22, 29.Againe; They diuided my garments among them. Theſe things were for to come, and were foreſpoken concerning Chriſt; when as neuertheleſſe they were written, as things alreadie paſt. Howbeit, he confeſſeth, that otherwhile we praie, that ſome may be puniſhed and chaſtiſed for their amendement: which is not (ſaith he) to praie againſt them, A place out of the Apocalypſe. Apoc. 6, 10.but for them. And he citeth a place out of the Apocalypſe, the ſixt chapter, where the martyrs crie vnderunder the altar; Take vengeance vponupon the earth for our bloud, which is ſhed.
And it ſéemeth vntounto him, that thereby is ment, that theſe martyrs praied againſt the kingdome of ſinne. And ſinne may be deſtroied two maner of waies. Sinne two maner of waies deſtroied.Firſt, if a contrarie diſpoſition be induced: ſo that ſinne being excluded, there ſuccéedeth mortification of luſts, righteouſneſſe, honeſtie, and all kind of vertues. Againe, ſinne is ſubdued vntounto God, when puniſhment is applied vntounto the ſame; for while it is vnpuniſhed, it hath nothing in it that is good: but ſo ſoone as it is puniſhed, forſomuch as that puniſhment is a part of iuſtice, ſinne is at the leaſt wiſe ſomewhat reſtreined and bridled thereby, from ranging anie further abroad. And this alſo is profitable vntounto wretched ſinners. Wherefore, if we will iudge vprightlie; The martyrs praie for the end of the worldthe martyrs, in ſo praieng, praied rather for them, than againſt them. Neither alſo were it abſurd, if they ſhould praie for the end of the world, wherein they hauehave ſuffered ſo gréeuous things, that vngodlineſſe may once hauehave an end. Although I thinke not, that all the elder fathers are of this mind, that we ſhould praie for the end of the world; ſéeing rather on the contrarie part, Tertullian in his apollogie ſaith, that the chriſtians in their congregations, praie for prolonging of the end of the world. And in the ſame place he writeth, that our men, by the determinate rule of the holie ſcriptures, praied not onelie for emperours, but alſo for the long preſeruation of the world. For after this monarchie of the Romans, as Paule writeth to the Theſſalonians, ſhall come Antichriſt, and the end. 2. Theſ. 2, 8.Wherefore ſome of the godlie ſort praied, that the time might be prolonged; partlie, that the tribulation which ſhould come through Antichriſt, might be deferred; & partlie, that the children of the election might be gathered togither.
The Gréeke Scholies write, that thoſe holie martyrs praied againſt the diuell, that his power might be bridled and brought to an end. And thus much of Auguſtines opinion, who was alſo of the ſame mind againſt Fauſtus, who ſaith; Theſe words of execration, which we read in the prophets, ſéeme to be the words of thoſe, which fore-ſpeake, not deſires of them that accurſſe. But as touching this matter, I would thinke it ſhould thus be determined; to wit, that when there is an enimie, which both wiſheth euill vntounto vsus, and alſo to the vttermoſt of his power worketh euill againſt vsus; we firſt of all ſhould make a diſtinction of the cauſe, for the which he hateth vsus. For either it is our owne proper cauſe, humane and ciuill; or elſe it is, bicauſe he hateth God and his truth. Next that, A diſtinction of the men that curſſe.we make a diſtinction as touching men: for ſome are led by an accuſtomed affection of their owne; and other ſome are mooued by God, who reuealeth to them, both what he will doo, or what is the ſtate of the wicked, & ſtirreth them vp to ſpeake the things, A diſtinction of the euils which we praie for.which they doo ſpeake. Neither is this in the meane time to be paſſed ouer, that the euils, which we praie for, are either temporall, or eternall. After theſe diſtinctions, I thinke we ought thus to ſaie; That if our owne cauſe onelie be in hand, therein we ought to be patient, In our owne cauſe we muſt be patient. Rom. 12, 14long ſuffering, and gentle. Bleſſe, and curſſe not: thus the ſcripture commandeth. We muſt alſo praie for them that perſecute vsus. We are by God created men, let vsus not ſpit out the venom of ſerpents: and forſomuch as we are men, let vsus not ſuffer ourſelues to be changed into brute beaſts. They which hurt vsus, are mad, and are forced by furie; and therefore are rather woorthie of compaſſion, than of reuenge or curſſings. A mouth is giuen vntounto vsus, by it to helpe and remedie; and not that we ſhould curſſe and ban with the ſame. Otherwiſe God ſaith of ſuch execrations; I commanded thée, that thou ſhouldeſt praie for thine enimies, why dooeſt thou prouoke me now againſt them? Wilt thou hauehave me to be a helper of thée to tranſgreſſe my lawes, and to be thine executioner?
A certeine prieſt of Athens could not be induced to curſſe Alcibiades: for he ſaid, An example of a prieſt of Athens.that he was made a prieſt to praie for men, and not to curſſe them. And among the Romans it was not lawfull for the high prieſt of Iupiter to ſweare; for that oftentimes, the end and concluſion of an oth is execration. For they ſaie; Let theſe or thoſe things fall vponupon me, vnleſſe I performe this or that. And ſéeing it was not lawfull for the prieſt to curſſe himſelfe, much leſſe was it lawfull for him to curſſe others. Wherefore, if our owne cauſe be in hand, we ought not to vſe curſings, but rather praiers, compaſſions, and bleſſings. But when Gods cauſe is in hand, and that this indignation commeth on vsus, by reaſon of ſinnes and wicked acts; In Gods cauſe imprecations are ſometime lawfull.there is nothing to let, but that we may ſomtime vſe imprecations, in ſuch maner as we ſhall expreſſe. And it oftentimes happeneth, that our owne cauſe is ioined with the glorie of God; and is ſo ioined, as it cannot be diſtinctlie iudged of, but onelie by a diligent and attentiue conſideration. As if a miniſter of the church ſée himſelfe contemned and derided, although he often times regard not his owne dignitie: yet notwithſtanding, neither can he, nor ought he, quietlie ſuffer the word of God (which he miniſtreth) to be cōtemned. For this cauſe, the prophets ſéemed manie times to be verie angrie, for that their meſſages and propheſies were derided. Wherefore I grant, that in this caſe, both imprecations and curſſings were iuſtlie admitted.
In imprecations we muſt beware that the fleſh be not ſtirred vp.22 Howbeit, this I thinke neceſſarie to admoniſh you of, that we deale verie warilie. For our fleſh is woont, vnderunder the pretence of Gods glorie and honor, to fight and brall for our owne honor and eſtimation. Moreouer, it muſt not be neglected, that we diligentlie ſeuer ſinnes from nature, and that in anie wiſe we wiſh well vntounto nature it ſelfe, that is, vntounto men: but let vsus curſſe and hate ſinnes. And for ſo much as it happeneth oftentimes, that men, when they hauehave béene corrected by ſome afflictions and puniſhments, doo repent: ſo, if vntounto wicked men, being ſtrangers from God, and tranſgreſſors of his lawes, we ſometimes wiſh ſome diſcommodities and aduerſities of the fleſh, to the end they may féele the wrath of God, I ſée nothing to the contrarie. And this without controuerſie we may wiſh vntounto our ſelues, and that iuſtlie; that God will rather afflict and ſcourge vsus, than ſuffer vsus to fall into ſinnes: or if we ſinne, that he will at the leaſt wiſe, by this meanes, call vsus backe to him. And if we may wiſh theſe, and ſuch like things vntounto our ſelues; whie ſhould we not wiſh them vntounto others, ſéeing we are commanded to louelove our neighbours as our ſelues? 1. kin. 17, 1.So Elias ſhut vp heauen. So God drew home againe vntounto himſelfe ſome of his elect, which went aſtraie: for there be ſome diſpoſitions of men ſo blockiſh, that they can not be brought home againe, but by this meanes. Wherefore the pſalme ſaith; Fill their faces with ignominie, Pſal. 83, 17.and they will ſeeke after thy name. So then, we may wiſh the croſſe of affliction, both vntounto our ſelues, and alſo vntounto others, for amendement and correction. In which cauſe yet nothing ought ouer haſtilie to be doone: for often times it happeneth, that ſome by afflictions are not amended, but rather made woorſe.
The beſt waie of curſing.But the better waie were to praie vntounto God, to correct them: and not to wiſh aduerſities vntounto them, except it be with this condition, to conuert them, or that the glorie of God may thereof inſue. And this waie (ſaith Auguſtine) we ſhould not praie againſt them, but for them. Howbeit we muſt vnderſtand, that among men there be ſome, which are the ambaſſadors of God, who deale not as priuate men; but they execute an extraordinarie miniſterie. And theſe by the ſpirit of propheſieng doubt nothing of the will of God: for in their praiers they talke togither with God, and in that talke they ſée and vnderſtand manie things, as concerning the mind, and are woonderfullie affected. Séeing then, that God ſheweth vntounto them, that ſinners ſhall be brought to amendement of ſome kind of puniſhments, & that he hath determined to puniſh them; or elſe that ſome are now paſt all hope of ſaluation, and ſhall without doubt be puniſhed with eternall miſerie: ſéeing (I ſaie) that ſuch things are ſhewed vntounto holie men, and that they in no wiſe doubt, but that they are decréed by the moſt excellent God (the which being choſen by him, muſt of neceſſitie be good) how can it be but that they pleaſe them, how can it be choſen but that they are wiſhed of them, when as they continuallie praie; Matt. 6, 10.Thy will be doone? Wherefore when they ſée thoſe things, they praie, they make imprecations, they powre out ſuch execrations and curſſings, as we read in the prophets and holie hiſtories.
23 Hereof the godlie doo take conſolation, who thereby vnderſtand, in what ſort wicked men ſhall at the length be handeled: and the weaker and wandering ſort, which perteine vntounto the flocke of God, are by theſe things corrected, and doo take héed vntounto themſelues, that they deſerue not the like. For this cauſe Gregorie, vponupon thoſe words of Iob, wherein he curſſed the daie of his birth, prudentlie wrote, that the execrations of the ſaints procéed not of malice; that is, from a fleſhlie deſire and worldlie hatred, but from a iuſt conſideration, namelie, in that they doo ſée the ſame to be allowed by the will of God. But (ſaith he) theſe things are not praied for by wiſhing and deſiring. VntoUnto which laſt ſaieng of his I aſſent not: for (as I hauehave alreadie ſaid) the ſaints can not but allow, and earneſtlie wiſh that, which they ſée GOD willeth; ſo that they be aſſured, that God hath thus firmelie decréed. Acts. 13, 11. Acts. 5, 5. and .9.In this manner Paule made blind Elimas the ſorcerer: Peter ſlue Ananias and Saphyra. So likewiſe the ſame Peter ſaid vntounto Simon the ſorcerer; Acts. 8, 20. 1. Cor. 5, 5.Thy monie and thou be deſtroied togither. Paule deliuered vntounto ſatan, him that committed inceſt, and ſaid; Gal. 5, 12.I would to God they were cut off, which trouble you! 2. kin. 1, 10.Neither did Elias anie other wiſe command the fire to come downe from heauen, the which deuoured the capteins ouer fiftie, with their fiftie ſoldiers. 2. kin. 2, 24.Elizaeus alſo curſſed the children which derided him, and they were torne in ſunder of the beares. What difference is there, whether God execute by himſelfe, or by others, whom he hath appointed to be his miniſters? Wherefore, that which he dooth by himſelfe, he can doo in like ſort by his ſaints and prophets.
24 Furthermore, if anie man hauehave a great deſire to curſſe other, and pretend the imitation of the prophets and apoſtles; let him fore-ſée, whether he hauehave their ſpirit. For euen as no man ought to vſe the ſword, but a magiſtrate onelie; ſo let none vſe theſe execrations, Curſſings & the ſword of reuenge are compared togither.but they which are moſt priuie to the will of God, and which are mooued by the ſpirit to giuegive thoſe curſſes. This place is alike, yea rather all one with that place, which concerneth reuenge. Priuate reuenge is forbidden; yet not publike reuenge, and that which is doone by princes. So then, let them, which be of the common ſort abſteine from execrations: eſpeciallie let them not wiſh anie croſſe to anie man, as touching eternall damnation, but vponupon condition, that it may doo good. And let them knowe, that they are bound by this common rule; Rom, …2, 14. Matth. 5, 24Bleſſe and curſſe not; praie for them which perſecute you. And they, which by Gods motion vſe anie execration or imprecation, let them alwaies hauehave before their eies the amendement of ſinne: or at the leaſt-waie, the diminiſhing of the malice thereof, through paines and puniſhments, that the righteous may not be hindered from the worſhipping of God, Pſal. 24, 4.and alſo may not ſtretch foorth their hands vntounto iniquities: and finallie, let them onelie ſéeke, that the will of God may hauehave place; & let them not be deſirous of their owne cōmodities.
Neither ought it to ſéeme a woonder to anie man, that that common rule (which preſcribeth to vsus To bleſſe, and not to curſſe, and to wiſh well vntounto them which perſecute vsus) admitteth anie exceptions: for that happeneth alſo in other commandements. Is it not elſe-where ordeined, that We ſhould praie for all men? 1. Tim. 2, 1.And vntounto Timothie the reaſon is added; for that God will hauehave all men to be ſaued. 1. Iohn. 5, 16And yet Iohn ſaith; that Some doo ſinne vntounto death, and for them (ſaith he) we ought not to praie. What ſinne we muſt not praie for.Which yet we ought to vnderſtand, when we plainelie perceiue, that they hauehave ſinned vntounto the death. Now then, as touching that trope or figure of Auguſtine, wherein he ſaith, that theſe imprecations of the ſaints, were predictions or foretellings (as we doo not vtterlie reiect it:) euen ſo we ſaie, that it is not neceſſarie. Neither doo we grant, that in the execrations of the prophets, and of the apoſtles, there were not earneſt requeſts and deſires. For how could they but deſire that, which they ſawe God had willed and decréed; vnleſſe peraduenture by requeſt and deſire he ment the ſenſe of the fleſh, or of reaſon, as it is led by mens counſels? Laſt of all, this is to be noted; that it is not abſurd, that in one and the ſelfe-ſame will of godlie men, Contrarie motions in one will of the godlie.are contrarie motions: ſith they happen not in reſpect of one and the ſelfe-ſame thing, but in reſpect of diuers. For, in that they looke vponupon the will and decrée of God, and the deſtruction of ſinne, and ſuch like; they cannot but reioiſe in the puniſhments of the wicked: but as they looke vponupon them being men ioined vntounto them by nature, of one and the ſelfe-ſame fleſh and lumpe, An example of Samuel toward Saule. 1. Sa. 15, 11.they are excéedinglie ſorrie for their deſtruction. Thus Samuel moorned for Saule being reiected by God: as we hauehave it in the 15. chapter of the firſt booke of Kings.