The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 52
MEDITAT. LII. Of Revenge:
UNder this Head of Fantaſtical Pleaſures, I bring in Revenge, partly becauſe I do not foreſee any Head that it will be ſo fitly reduc'd to; and partly, becauſe I think it is more uſually terminated in the Fancy, than other ſins are. If a man be of a proud, luſtful, covetous Fancy, it is ten to one but he will ſhew it one time or other, in Words, Actions, or Behaviors, that ſhall be ſignificant: But Revenge may be, and I doubt is uſually terminated in the Fancy, for want of power or opportunity to ſhew it ſelf.
Revengefulneſs is a temper that does moſt certainly conclude the predominance of the Worldly Nature above the Divine.
It ſeems, in ſhort, to be nothing elſe, but a retaliation or retribution of Injuries either contriv'd or executed; which is a thing ſo difficult and nice, and requires ſo much clearneſs of apprehenſion, and purity of mind, that no mortal man may meddle with it: It is beyond all created Skill, and therefore God does challenge and appropriate it to himſelf alone. He allows men to ſhare with him in his other Perfections; to imitate his Wiſdom, Mercy, Patience, Juſtice: But Vengeance is mine, I will repay, ſaith the Lord, Rom. 12. 19. And again, Vengeance belongeth to me, ſaith the Lord, Heb. 10. 30.
It is a great miſtake in men, to imagine that ſo long as they hold their hands, they have committed no Murder, becauſe (forſooth) no one can Indict or Arraign them: For a revengeful temper is Murder; He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer, 1 John 3. 15.
Revenge does not conſiſt in the doing of miſchief: To deſire it, to contrive it, to meditate with pleaſure upon it, to rejoice in it if done by any other, is Revenge: yea, to ſuſpend neceſſary and uſual kindneſſes, not to give meat to an Enemy if he hunder; yea, not to love an Enemy, is a degree of Revenge.
The Goſpel excels all Philoſophy, in the Doctrine of Revenge. The Philoſophers, yea, and the Jews generally held it no ſin, to do evil to one that had hurt or wronged them: They ſaid, Thou ſhalt hate thine Enemy. But the Goſpel forbids all hatred, even of an Enemy, and conſequently all Revenge: For there can be no revengefulneſs, without ſome degree of hatred.
It is a very ſpiritual and cloſe ſin; it may be, and yet not be diſcerned. It puts on divers ſhapes: Sometimes it would be miſtaken for Zeal, as in the caſe of the two Diſciples, calling for fire from Heaven, themſelves in the mean time little better than ſet on fire from Hell. Sometimes it mingles it ſelf with Juſtice: Bring her forth, ſaid Judge Judah, and let her be burnt: Yes, burn her by all means, rather than Shelah my youngest Son ſhall marry her, lest he dye as his Brethren dyed. Yea, ſometimes it would fain paſs for kindneſs, and be interpreted good Nature. Thus the kind King of Iſrael gave his daughter Michal to Captain David, to be a ſnare to him: And the crook-footed Philoſopher very charitably wiſh'd, His ſhoes might fit the feet of him that had ſtolen them: So far was he (good man) from Revenge. A charitable revengeful man gives his Neighbor the hook. Malicious Abſalom entertain'd his Brother Amnon to his deſtruction. They ſay the Devils Gifts are Donata Hamata, there is a Hook under the Bait. And no doubt but the Devil, as ill-natur'd as he is, does help ſome men to be rich; as he prefer'd the Dog Hazael to be King of Syria, for no good will to him, but ill will to Iſrael.
Neither is Revengefulneſs the ſin of great men only: A poor man may be as revengeful, and take as much pleaſure in fancying and meditating Revenge, as the Blades of the World in executing it; who, for a word ſpoke awry, (forſooth) preſently term'd an Affront, muſt have Satisfaction.
And to the Carnal, whether Rich or Poor, no doubt but Revenge is very ſweet; and the Fancy as much tickled and delighted with the ſpeeulation of it, as the bodily Senſes, with any Act of Intemperance or Uncleanneſs. Who can chuſe but apprehend the pleaſure that the ſwaggering Giant took, in fancying Revenge to be taken upon Ulyſſes, who had befool'd and blinded him, when he hears the Poet expreſſing it thus—O ſi quis referat mihi caſus Ulyſſem. Aut aliquem ex ſociis, in quem mea ſaeviat ira, viſcera cujuſdam, &c.
Oh that ſome happy luck would bring
That Rogue Ulyſſes, who's the King
Of that damn'd Crew, or any other
Belonging to him, Son or Brother!
That I might tear him limb from limb,
Before Life hath forſaken him,
Whoſe very Guts I'ld rend and eat,
(My fattest Veniſon not ſuch meat.)
How would I make my Teeth to meet
In's trembling Head and Hands, and Feet!
Oh how I'ld quaff the Rogues Hearts blood,
Till in my Throat I made a Flood!
One would think he ſaw him tearing the Fleſh, and drinking the Blood of theſe men.
And indeed what was the greateſt part of the Renowned Bravery of the Romans and Grecians in their Wars, but Revenge. But if we will ſtand a little, and compare the provocations done to Chriſt Jeſus, and his Behavior under them all, we muſt confeſs and ſay, ſo great Fortitude all the revengeful Champions in the World never ſhew'd, as he, in not revenging himſelf at all; as he, in his Father forgive them, they know not what they do: No, nor as his dear Diſciple Stephen, in his Lord lay not this ſin to their charge, Acts 7. ult.
I do not think it is ſimply unlawful to go to Law: But if any man go to Law without the leaſt mixture of Uncharitableneſs, or Revengefulneſs, the ſame is a perfect man. I doubt Lawyers do as truly live upon the Diſeaſes of mens Minds, as Phyſicians of their Bodies.
Well, I ſee there is no Revenge allow'd me towards my Neighbor, and yet there is ſuch a kind of Appetite in my Nature, I will ſpend it therefore upon its proper Object. Though Self-Murder is the worſt of of Murders, yet Self-Revenge is the beſt of Revenges.
Be reveng'd upon thine eyes, O my Soul; not by pulling them out, but by ſhutting them, by bringing them into Covenant. Have thy Senſes betray'd thee? Deny them their liberty in ſome things lawful. Keep under that Body, that has been petulam and troubleſome. It was too ſevere Revenge in the Pepiſh Saint, who cut off his right hand that had ſuffered a too affectionate kiſs of a Female: But if thy Senſes abuſe their liberty, retrench them; deny them ſometimes of things lawful, if they will adventure upon things unlawful.
Oh bleſſed God, whoſe infinite Purity, impartial Juſtice, all-wiſe Love, do render thee alone fit to take Revenge, and to retaliate thine own injuries and mine too; perfectly mortifie in me this Appetite, and all that Pride and Self-love, that are the fuel of it. And inaſmuch as I ſee it is by no means ſafe that ſuch a Sword be committed into the hands of ſuch a mad fool as I am, help me to commit my Cauſe to him that judgeth righteouſly, without foreſtalling him, or preſcribing to him; not determining the way, nor haſtening the time, nor ſo much as deſiring the thing! Oh that I may be able to ſay, I have not deſired the evil day, Lord thou knowest: that I may ſeek the peace of Babylon, though I be a Captive in it; yea, though in her peace I ſhould be no ſharer!