Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 38
Verse 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an Gellius …. …. cap. 1.eye, &c.]
This law of like for like (which also was in use among the ancient Romanes) the Scribes and Pharisees had abused and detorted from its proper sense of publike Justice, to private revenge: teaching the people to render evil for evil, to pay their enemies in their own coin, and to give them as good as theyNeminem …, nisi lacessu us & injurta affectus. Cicero. brought. This is a dictate of corrupt nature, and her chief Secretary Aristotle proclaimeth it. To be avenged of our enemies is held better in point of honour, then to be reconciled unto them. FleshI … ulcisci, … quam ijs …. Arist. and bloud … that it is matter of good mettall to be quick of touch, as forward in returning as others are in offering wrong. For if a man finde his enemy, will he let him go well away? said Saul. This is quite against the principles of nature and commonRbet cap. 1. lib 9. pollicy. To turn again, and revenge, is counted courage; which yet the word of God calleth cowardlinesse, disgrace, and losse of1 …. 24. 19. victory. It is not manlinesse, but foolishnesse, Eccles. 7. 9. It'sforeign brutishnesse; Anger a dogge, and hee'l fly in your face: touch an Asse, and … kick and winch. Its basenesse, so to be led by our passions, as to be able to bear nothing, as Simeon and Levi, brethren1 Cor. 6. 7. in iniquity, that in their anger slew a man, and in their selfwill…. 49 6. digged down a wall. Their father Iacob, heard that Dinah was defiled, and held his peace; he reyned in his passions, by setting God before them: and so that divine Proverb was made good in him: He that is slow to anger is better then the mighty; and he …. 34. 5.that ruleth his spirit (as Iacob) then he that taketh a City (as his…. 16. 31. sons.) It is a godly mans part, at some times, and in some places, toTu quidem … ut … interfici …: be deaf and dumb, as if he understood not, or as men in whose mouthes are no reproof. Which as David could skill of at some times, Psal, 38 14. and in his carriage towards Shimei, so at other* foreign … Cynico Vespafianus … Dionem. times (when the flesh prevailed) he could not, Psal. 39. 2, 3. and in his expedition against Nabal. But Peter must put up his sword, if he mean to be Christs Disciple. And Christians must not so much as grudge one against another, unlesse they will be condemned: for behold, the Iudge standeth before the door, as ready to right us.… 5. 9. As if we retaliate we leave him nothing to doe, unlesse it be to turn his wrath from our enemy, on whom we have been avenged already, upon our selves, for our sin of self-revenge. We use to say, ifPro. 24. 17, 18. the Magistrate be not present, we may offend another, to defend our selves: but if the Magistrate be present, there is no excuse. Now here the Judge standeth before the door, and crieth out unto us with a loud voice: Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, but rather keep the Kings peace, and … give place to wrath; that is, to the wrath of God ready to seize upon thine adversary, if thouRom. 12. …. expounded. prevent it not by an over-hasty revenge of the wrongs offered thee. For it is Written, Vengeance is mine, mine office and royalty. Is itPsal 94. …, 2. safe to invade his part? to justle the chief Justice out of his seat? … is it fit that the same party should be both Accuser and Judge? Pope in his own cause? depose the Magistrate? at least appeal from God to himself, as if he would not sufficiently doe his office? Shall not God avenge his own, that cry night and day unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily, saith our Saviour, I will repay it, saith the Lord: but uponLuk. 18 7, 8. this condition, that we wait his leisure, and praeoccupate not his executions, saith S. Augustine. Ioseph accused by his lewd mistrisse, either pleads not, or is not …. He knew that though he suffered for a season, God would finde a time to clear his innocency, and he was not deceived. Moses complained not, but was silent, when wronged by Aaron and Miriam: God therefore struck in for him, and struck Miriam with leprosie: Aaron escaped by his …. God is their champion that strive not for themselves.… quid … quam …? Cart. I seek not mine own glory, but there is one that seeketh it, saith Christ. He, when he was …, reviled not again; when he suffered, … threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, and giveth to every transgression and trespasse a just recompence of reward. S. Paul could not have wished worse to…. 8. …. Alexander the copper-smith, then the Lord reward him aeccording 1 …. 2. ….Heb. ….to his works. This was not (saith an ancient Authour) a cursing2 Tim. 4 14. or a reviling of him, but a praediction, befitting an Apostle, thatforeign. Autor … apud Just. Mart. revenged not himself, but gave place to wrath, and delivered up his enemy to God, as David did his adversaries, as Simon Peter did Simon Magus, and the Primitive Church did Iulian the Apostate. And surely it is a fearfull thing, when the Saints shall say to God, concerning those that maligne or molest them, as David sometimes said to Solomon, Thou knowest what Ioab and Shimei did unto me: … therefore according to thy wisedom, and let not their hoar heads go down to the grave in peace. If any hurt Gods zealous witnesses, there goeth a fire out of their mouthes to devour… King. 2. 6. them, as the fire from heaven did the first and … Captain sentRev. 11. 5. for Elisha: better anger all the witches in the world then such, because God is for them. Little thought the Gibeonites, in Davids time, that the Lord had so taken to heart their wrongs, that for their sakes all Israel should suffer. Even when we thinke not of it, is the righteous Judge avenging our unrighteous ….