Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 39 – Verse 41
Verse 39. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil.]
For here to resist, is to be overcome, saith S. Paul, Rom. 12. 21. And in aIn rixa, is inferior est, qui victor est. matter of strife or disagreement, he hath the worst that … it, saith S. Basil. Yea Aristotle himself he yeeldeth, that of the twainforeign. it is better to suffer the greatest wrong, then to doe the least. And it was a heavy challenge and charge upon … carnall Corinthians, Arist. Ethic.that had strife, divisions, and law-suits amongst them; Why doe ye not rather take wrong? why doe ye not suffer your selves to 1 Cor. 6. 7, 8.… defrauded? Nay, you … wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. … be not deceived, saith he, to wit, with vain hope of impunity, for Non … mali est referre injuriam, … inserre ….God is the avenger of all such, as like the angry Bee, care not to … another, though it be to the losse of their own lives. Besides that, in resisting evil, we give place to the devil, whom if by patience and forbearance we could resist, he would sly from us. We wrestle Ephes 6. 12.not against flesh and bloud (as we thinke we doe, when we conflict… infirmissimorum bominum injurijs? Dum haec … eminas project a frangamus, a diabolo … Roloc. in locum. with men … our selves, that have done us injury) but against … and powers, &c. q. d. whiles we are basie in breaking those darts, that men shoot from afarre against us; we are oppressed by the devil nearer-hand us, Ephes. 4. 26. Here by the way, Magistrates must be admonished to take heed how they aggravate punishment upon a malefactour, out of private …: Parents also and Masters, how they correct in a rage and fury. For although they be publike persons, yet to give correction in a … mood, is to … their heart, by way of revenge, it is a degree of resisting evil. The tyrant saith, foreign, it is in my power to doe it; the good Governour saith, foreign, it concerneth me to doe it, in point of duty, quoth a Philosopher.
But whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek]
Socrates a Heathen, when … had received a box on the ear, answered, WhatQuam … est … homines quando prodire debeant cum galea? an ill thing is it, that men cannot fore-… when they should put on a helmet, before they go abroad? And when he was … by another, If an Asse should kick me, said he, should I spurn him again? … we have …, that … to be …, lest they should seem to be Anabaptists, in taking two blows for one, will give two blows for one, yea for none, sometimes; it is but a word and a blow with them, as it was with Cain, Lamech, …, who said, The daies of mourning for my father are at hand, then I will …, ….… my brother Iacob. In which words he either threatneth his … (as Luther thinketh) for blessing his brother, q. d. I will be the death of my brother, and so cause my father to …: Or else he threatneth his brother (as most Interpreters sense it) after his fathers head is once laid, without any respect at all to his mother, whom he not so much as mentioneth. He took no great care, how she would take it: and his deferring till his fathers death, was more out of fear of a curse, then conscience of a duty. There are that read the words by way of a wish, Let the dayes of mourning for my father draw nigh, &c. And then it is a double …. Sure we are, that as concerning his brother, he comforted himself, … 42.purposing to kill him. He threatned him, saith the Septuagint, q. d. foreignI will sit upon his skirts, and be even with him. The nature offoreign. ungodly men is vindictive, and rejoicing in other mens …, (which is the devils disease) especially if provoked by any injury or indignity, as smiting on the cheek: But God will … them on the cheek bone so hard, as that he will break the teeth of the ungodly; smite them in the hinder parts, where we use to whipDixit … cum ab …. …. …. 3 7. froward children, and so put them to a perpetuall reproach. Neither only will he smite upon their loyns, but thorow them, yea he will crack their crowns, cleave their …, wound their hairy Psal. …. 6.scalps, be their locks … so bushy, their looks never so … Deut. …. 11.and terrible, that count it courage to turn again, and revenge,Lacones … ad …. which every Turk and Heathen, nay every bull and boar can doe. The Lamb of God gave his cheeks to the smiters, so did … Psal. 68. 21.the meek, Iob the just, and Paul the patient; yet not so patient,Isa. 50. 6. but he could set forth his priviledge, when he was to be scourged,Joh. 18. 23. and clear his innocency … meeknesse of wisedom: and so1 King. 22. 24. may we; yea, we may safely decline a likely danger, in some casesActs … 2, 3. Job 16 10.especially, as our Saviour did.Apud … serunt paucas … tites esse, qued temere li ….
Verse 40. And if any man sue thee at the Law, and take away thy coat]
Rather remit of thy right, and sit down by the losse, then suffer the trouble of a vexatious law-suit: Quiet is to be sought above …: therefore Isaac removed his dwelling so oft, when the spitefull Philistims strove with him about the wells he had …. Not but that we may take the benefit of the Law, and craveActs …. … the helpe of the Magistrate, for preventing or punishing of wrongActs …. …. …: as Paul sent to the chief Captain, and appealed to …. …, …, …, … potest. Owen. ….But this must be done, neither with a vindictive, nor a … minde, as the manner is. Therefore after Who made … Iudge? our Savionr presently addeth, Take heed of covetousnesse. He that complaineth of another to the Magistrate, must 1. Love his enemies. 2. Prosecute, with continuall respect, to Gods glory and the publike gnod. 3. Use the benefit of the law with charitySordida … quidam baud … quosdam …: … exercent. and mercy, without cruelty and extremity. 4. Use it as an utmost …, when it cannot otherwise be; lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a Lawyer, and thou mourn at last (with Solomons fool) when thine estate is consumed upon him: there being but few such as Servius Sulpitius, of whom Tully reports, that he was not more a Lawyer then a Justicer, referring all things to moderation and equity, and not stirringColu ella Leguletorum …. up suits, but composing them.
Verse 41. And whosoever shall compell thee to goe a mile,]
Under colour of the Magistrates authority, which he abuseth; rather then by resisting thou shouldest revenge thy self, goe with himPhilip. 9. two miles, yea as farre as the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel foreign, Persis … quos bodie … as ….of peace can carry thee. In the course of a mans life many wrongs are to be put up, which whoso cannot frame to, let him make up his pack, and be gone out of the world: for here's no… 6. being for him. Many pills are to be swallowed down whole,Qui … vivere; ut Saul 1 Sam. 10 27. which, if we should chew them, would stick in our teeth, and prove very bitter. Patience is of cont nuall use to us at every turn: its as bread or salt, which we cannot make one good mealLevius fit patientiá … corrigere est nesas. without. Its a cloak, to keep off all storms; a helmet, to bear off all blows; a paring-knife, that cuts the crosse lesse and lesse, till it comes to nothing. As there be two kindes of Antidotes against poison, viz. hot and cold: so against tribulation and temptation,Cedamus, leve sit … fertur onus. praier and patience; the one, hot; the other, cold; the one, quenching; the other, quickning, Dan. 6. 20. The King Pondus … inco … fit. S. n.cried unto Daniel with a lamentable voice, verl. 21. Then Daniel talked with the King, &c. with a voice not distressed, as that of the King was; for as by faith he stopped the mouths of the lions: …. 11.so by patience he possessed his own soul, l. uk. 21. 19. he became master of himself; which is the only true man-hood. So patience Jam. 1. 4.had her perfect work in Joseph: therefore he became, as St James hath it, perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Julius Caesar beholding the picture of … in Hercules Temple at Gades, lamented that he had done no worthy exploit at those years, wherein … had conquered the whole world. Joseph at thirty shewed more true vertue, valour, piety, patience, purity, pollicy, knowledge of secrets, skill in government, &c. then either of them. Giles of Brussels, a Dutch-Martyr, when theAct and …. sol. 8. 1. Friers at any time did miscall him, he ever held his peace at such private injuries, insomuch that those blasphemers would say abroad, That he had a dumb devil in him. And Cassianus reporteth, that when a Christian was held captive of infidels, and … with divers pains, and ignominious taunts, being demanded by way of scorn; Tell us what miracle thy Christ hath …? he answered, He hath done what you see, that I am not moved at all the cruelties and contumelies you cast upon me. Godly people can bear wrongs best of any: and although corrupt nature in them bustles eftsoons and bestir it self, yet they soon club it down, they reason themselves patient, as David, and pray downPsal. 43. their distempers, as Paul. And albeit, with those two sonnes of2 Cor. 12. thunder, they could finde in their hearts to call for fire from heaven upon their adversaries, yet they'll doe nothing without leave. As they came to Christ, and said, Wilt thou that we command fire from heaven? &c. which when Christ disliked and denied,Luk. 9 54. they were soon satisfied. We must take up our crosses, and when God bids us yoke, he is the wisest man that yeelds his neck mostGal 6. 9 willingly. Our Saviour gave Judas his mouth to be kissed, whenGive such before they ask, Psal. 41. 1. he came to betray him, leaving us a patern of like equanimity and patience.….