Chapter X.—Of Revenge.

There is, too, another chief spur of impatience, the lust of revenge, dealing with the business either of glory or else of malice. But “glory,” on the one hand, is everywhere “vain;”98    See Gal. v. 26; Phil. ii. 3. and malice, on the other, is always99    Nunquam non. odious to the Lord; in this case indeed most of all, when, being provoked by a neighbour’s malice, it constitutes itself superior100    i.e. perhaps superior in degree of malice. in following out revenge, and by paying wickedness doubles that which has once been done. Revenge, in the estimation of error,101    i.e. of the world and its erroneous philosophies. seems a solace of pain; in the estimation of truth, on the contrary, it is convicted of malignity. For what difference is there between provoker and provoked, except that the former is detected as prior in evil-doing, but the latter as posterior? Yet each stands impeached of hurting a man in the eye of the Lord, who both prohibits and condemns every wickedness. In evil doing there is no account taken of order, nor does place separate what similarity conjoins. And the precept is absolute, that evil is not to be repaid with evil.102    Rom. xii. 17. Like deed involves like merit. How shall we observe that principle, if in our loathing103    Fastidientes, i.e. our loathing or abhorrence of sin. Perhaps the reference may be to Rom. xii. 9. we shall not loathe revenge? What honour, moreover, shall we be offering to the Lord God, if we arrogate to ourselves the arbitrament of vengeance? We are corrupt104    Isa. lxiv. 6.—earthen vessels.105    Isa. lxiv. 8; 2 Cor. iv. 7. With our own servant-boys,106    Servulis. if they assume to themselves the right of vengeance on their fellow-servants, we are gravely offended; while such as make us the offering of their patience we not only approve as mindful of humility, of servitude, affectionately jealous of the right of their lord’s honour; but we make them an ampler satisfaction than they would have pre-exacted107    Præsumpsissent. for themselves. Is there any risk of a different result in the case of a Lord so just in estimating, so potent in executing? Why, then, do we believe Him a Judge, if not an Avenger too? This He promises that He will be to us in return, saying, “Vengeance belongeth to me, and I will avenge;”108    Deut. xxxii. 35; Ps. xciv. 1; Rom. xii. 19; Heb. x. 30. that is, Leave patience to me, and I will reward patience. For when He says, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,”109    Matt. vii. 1; Luke vi. 37. does He not require patience? For who will refrain from judging another, but he who shall be patient in not revenging himself? Who judges in order to pardon? And if he shall pardon, still he has taken care to indulge the impatience of a judger, and has taken away the honour of the one Judge, that is, God. How many mischances had impatience of this kind been wont to run into! How oft has it repented of its revenge! How oft has its vehemence been found worse than the causes which led to it!—inasmuch as nothing undertaken with impatience can be effected without impetuosity:  nothing done with impetuosity fails either to stumble, or else to fall altogether, or else to vanish headlong.  Moreover, if you avenge yourself too slightly, you will be mad; if too amply, you will have to bear the burden.110    i.e. the penalty which the law will inflict. What have I to do with vengeance, the measure of which, through impatience of pain, I am unable to regulate? Whereas, if I shall repose on patience, I shall not feel pain; if I shall not feel pain, I shall not desire to avenge myself.

CAPUT X.

Est et alius summus impatientiae stimulus, ultionis 1264B libido, negotium curans aut gloriae, aut malitiae. Sed et gloria utique vana et malitia nunquam non Domino odiosa, hoc quidem loco maxime, cum alterius malitia provocata superiorem se in exsequenda ultione constituit, et remunerans nequam duplicat quod semel factum est. Ultio penes errorem solatium videtur doloris, penes veritatem certe redarguitur malignitatis . Quid enim refert inter provocantem et provocatum, nisi quod ille prior in maleficio deprehenditur, at ille posterior? Tamen uterque laesi hominis Domino reus est, qui omne nequam et prohibet et damnat. Nulla in maleficio ordinis ratio est; nec locus secernit, quod similitudo conjungit. Absolute itaque praecipitur malum malo non rependendum (Rom. XII). Par factum, 1264C par habet meritum. Quomodo id observabimus, 1265A si fastiditi ante in fastidio ultionis non erimus? Quem autem honorem litabimus Domino Deo si nobis arbitrium defensionis arrogaverimus? Nos utres , vasa fictilia, servulis nostris, assumentibus sibi de conservis ultionem, graviter offendimur; eosque qui nobis patientiam obtulerint suam, ut memores humilitatis, servitutis, jus dominici honoris diligentes, non probamus modo, sed ampliorem, quam ipsi sibi praesumpsissent, satisfactionem facimus. Id nobis in Domino tam justo ad aestimandum, tam potenti ad perficiendum periclitatur? Quid ergo credimus judicem illum, si non et ultorem? Hoc se nobis repromittit, dicens (Deut., XXXII): Vindictam mihi et ego vindicabo; id est, Patientiam mihi, et ego patientiam remunerabo. Cum enim dicit (Matth., VII) 1265B Nolite judicare, ne judicemini, nonne patientiam flagitat? Quis enim non judicabit alium nisi qui patiens erit non defendendi ? Quis idcirco judicat , ut ignoscat? Ac si ignoscet, tamen judicantis impatientiam cavit , et honorem unici judicis, id est Dei, abstulit. Quantos vero casus hujusmodi impatientia incursare consuevit ! Quotiens poenituit defensionem! Quotiens instantia ejus deterior facta est caussis suis! Quoniam nihil impatientia susceptum, sine impetu transigi novit; nihil impetu actum, aut non offendit, aut corruit, aut praeceps abiit. Jam si levius defendaris, insanies: si uberius, oneraberis. Quid 1266A mihi cum ultione, cujus modum regere non possum per impatientiam doloris? Quod si patientiae incubabo , non dolebo: si non dolebo, ulcisci non desiderabo.