Chapter XX.

62. And, indeed, in these three classes of examples, I see that no class of injury is passed over.184    Exemplum citatur injuriæ privatæ, forensis, curialis (Bengel). For all matters in which we suffer any injustice are divided into two classes: of which the one is, where restitution cannot be made; the other, where it can. But in that case where restitution cannot be made, a compensation in revenge is usually sought. For what does it profit, that on being struck you strike in return? Is that part of the body which was injured for that reason restored to its original condition? But an excited mind desires such alleviations. Things of that sort, however, afford no pleasure to a healthy and firm one; nay, such an one judges rather that the other’s infirmity is to be compassionately borne with, than that his own (which has no existence) should be soothed by the punishment of another.

63. Nor are we thus precluded from inflicting such punishment [requital]185    Vindicta. as avails for correction, and as compassion itself dictates; nor does it stand in the way of that course proposed, where one is prepared to endure more at the hand of him whom he wishes to set right. But no one is fit for inflicting this punishment except the man who, by the greatness of his love, has overcome that hatred wherewith those are wont to be inflamed who wish to avenge themselves. For it is not to be feared that parents would seem to hate a little son when, on committing an offence, he is beaten by them that he may not go on offending. And certainly the perfection of love is set before us by the imitation of God the Father Himself when it is said in what follows: “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them186    Pro eis qui vos persequuntur; Vulgate, pro persequentibus. which persecute you;” and yet it is said of Him by the prophet, “For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; yea, He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”187    Prov. iii. 12. So the LXX. English version: “even as a father the son in whom he delighteth,” following the Hebrew. The Lord also says, “The servant that knows not188    Nescit; Vulgate, non cognovit. his Lord’s will, and does things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes; but the servant that knows his Lord’s will, and does things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with many stripes.”189    Luke xii. 48, 47. No more, therefore, is sought for, except that he should punish to whom, in the natural order of things, the power is given; and that he should punish with the same goodwill which a father has towards his little son, whom by reason of his youth he cannot yet hate. For from this source the most suitable example is drawn, in order that it may be sufficiently manifest that sin can be punished in love rather than be left unpunished; so that one may wish him on whom he inflicts it not to be miserable by means of punishment, but to be happy by means of correction, yet be prepared, if need be, to endure with equanimity more injuries inflicted by him whom he wishes to be corrected, whether he may have the power of putting restraint upon him or not.

64. But great and holy men, although they at the time knew excellently well that that death which separates the soul from the body is not to be dreaded, yet, in accordance with the sentiment of those who might fear it, punished some sins with death, both because the living were struck with a salutary fear, and because it was not death itself that would injure those who were being punished with death, but sin, which might be increased if they continued to live. They did not judge rashly on whom God had bestowed such a power of judging. Hence it is that Elijah inflicted death on many, both with his own hand190    1 Kings xviii. 40. and by calling down fire from heaven;191    2 Kings i. 10. as was done also without rashness by many other great and godlike men, in the same spirit of concern for the good of humanity. And when the disciples had quoted an example from this Elias, mentioning to the Lord what had been done by him, in order that He might give to themselves also the power of calling down fire from heaven to consume those who would not show Him hospitality, the Lord reproved in them, not the example of the holy prophet, but their ignorance in respect to taking vengeance, their knowledge being as yet elementary;192    Luke ix. 52–56. perceiving that they did not in love desire correction, but in hated desired revenge. Accordingly, after He had taught them what it was to love one’s neighbour as oneself, and when the Holy Spirit had been poured out, whom, at the end of ten days after His ascension, He sent from above, as He had promised,193    Acts ii. 1–4. there were not wanting such acts of vengeance, although much more rarely than in the Old Testament. For there, for the most part, as servants they were kept down by fear; but here mostly as free they were nourished by love. For at the words of the Apostle Peter also, Ananias and his wife, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, fell down dead, and were not raised to life again, but buried.

65. But if the heretics who are opposed to the Old Testament194    i.e., The Manicheans. will not credit this book, let them contemplate the Apostle Paul, whose writings they read along with us, saying with respect to a certain sinner whom he delivered over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, “that the spirit may be saved.”195    1 Cor. v. 5. And if they will not here understand death (for perhaps it is uncertain), let them acknowledge that punishment [requital] of some kind or other was inflicted by the apostle through the instrumentality of Satan; and that he did this not in hatred, but in love, is made plain by that addition, “that the spirit may be saved.” Or let them notice what we say in those books to which they themselves attribute great authority, where it is written that the Apostle Thomas imprecated on a certain man, by whom he had been struck with the palm of the hand, the punishment of death in a very cruel form, while yet commending his soul to God, that it might be spared in the world to come,—whose hand, torn from the rest of his body after he had been killed by a lion, a dog brought to the table at which the apostle was feasting. It is allowable for us not to credit this writing, for it is not in the catholic canon; yet they both read it, and honour it as being thoroughly uncorrupted and thoroughly truthful, who rage very fiercely (with I know not what blindness) against the corporeal punishments which are in the Old Testament, being altogether ignorant in what spirit and at what stage in the orderly distribution of times they were inflicted.

66. Hence, in this class of injuries which is atoned for by punishment, such a measure will be preserved by Christians, that, on an injury being received, the mind will not mount up into hatred, but will be ready, in compassion for the infirmity, to endure even more; nor will it neglect the correction, which it can employ either by advice, or by authority, or by [the exercise of] power. There is another class of injuries, where complete restitution is possible, of which there are two species: the one referring to money, the other to labour. And therefore examples are subjoined: of the former in the case of the coat and cloak, of the latter in the case of the compulsory service of one and two miles; for a garment may be given back, and he whom you have assisted by labour may also assist you, if it should be necessary. Unless, perhaps, the distinction should rather be drawn in this way: that the first case which is supposed, in reference to the cheek being struck, means all injuries that are inflicted by the wicked in such a way that restitution cannot be made except by punishment; and that the second case which is supposed, in reference to the garment, means all injuries where restitution can be made without punishment; and therefore, perhaps, it is added, “if any man will sue thee at the law,” because what is taken away by means of a judicial sentence is not supposed to be taken away with such a degree of violence as that punishment is due; but that the third case is composed of both, so that restitution may be made both without punishment and with it. For the man who violently exacts labour to which he has no claim, without any judicial process, as he does who wickedly compels a man to go with him, and forces in an unlawful way assistance to be rendered to himself by one who is unwilling, is able both to pay the penalty of his wickedness and to repay the labour, if he who endured the wrong should ask it again. In all these classes of injuries, therefore, the Lord teaches that the disposition of a Christian ought to be most patient and compassionate, and thoroughly prepared to endure more.

67. But since it is a small matter merely to abstain from injuring, unless you also confer a benefit as far as you can, He therefore goes on to say, “Give to every one that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” “To every one that asketh,” says He; not, Everything to him that asketh: so that you are to give that which you can honestly and justly give. For what if he should ask money, wherewith he may endeavour to oppress an innocent man? what if, in short, he should ask something unchaste?196    “To give everything to every one—the sword to the madman, the alms to the impostor, the criminal request to the temptress—would be to act as the enemy of others and ourselves” (Alford). Paul’s willingness to spend and be spent illustrates a proper conformity to the precept. But not to recount many examples, which are in fact innumerable, that certainly is to be given which may hurt neither thyself nor the other party, as far as can be known or supposed by man; and in the case of him to whom you have justly denied what he asks, justice itself is to be made known, so that you may not send him away empty. Thus you will give to every one that asketh you, although you will not always give what he asks; and you will sometimes give something better, when you have set him right who was making unjust requests.

68. Then, as to what He says, “From him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away,” it is to be referred to the mind; for God loveth a cheerful giver.197    2 Cor. ix. 7. Moreover, every one who accepts anything borrows, even if he himself is not going to pay it; for inasmuch as God pays back more to the merciful, whosoever does a kindness lends at interest. Or if it does not seem good to understand the borrower in any other sense than of him who accepts of anything with the intention of repaying it, we must understand the Lord to have included those two methods of doing a favour. For we either give in a present what we give in the exercise of benevolence, or we lend to one who will repay us. And frequently men who, setting before them the divine reward, are prepared to give away in a present, become slow to give what is asked in loan, as if they were destined to get nothing in return from God, inasmuch as he who receives pays back the thing which is given him. Rightly, therefore, does the divine authority exhort us to this mode of bestowing a favour, saying, “And from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away:” i.e., do not alienate your goodwill from him who asks it, both because your money will be useless, and because God will not pay you back, inasmuch as the man has done so; but when you do that from a regard to God’s precept, it cannot be unfruitful with Him who gives these commands.198    This section, which concerns the law of retaliation, grew out of a rule of every-day life which the Pharisees constructed upon a principle of judicature laid down, Exod. xxi. 24 (Tholuck). The spirit, not the exact letter, of the illustrations is to be observed, and, when the spirit of the precept would demand it, the exact letter. Christians are taught to bear witness by enduring, yielding, and giving. “Sin is to be conquered by being made to feel the power of goodness.” Christ gave a good example at His trial, without following the letter of His precept here; and Paul followed Him (1 Cor. iv. 12, 13).

CAPUT XX.---62. In his sane generibus trium exemplorum nullum genus injuriae praetermissum esse video. Namque omnia in quibus improbitatem aliquam patimur, in duo genera dividuntur: quorum alterum est quod restitui non potest; alterum quod potest. Sed in illo quod restitui non potest, vindictae solatium quaeri solet. Quid enim prodest quod percussus repercutis? Numquid propterea illud quod in corpore laesum est, restituitur in integrum? Sed tumidus animus talia fomenta desiderat: sanum autem firmumque ista non juvant; quin potius misericorditer perferendam alterius infirmitatem judicat, quam alieno supplicio suam mitigandam, quae nulla est.

63. Neque hic ea vindicta prohibetur, quae ad correctionem valet: etiam ipsa enim pertinet ad misericordiam; nec impedit illud propositum, quo quisque paratus est ab eo quem correctum esse vult, plura perferre. Sed huic vindictae referendae non est idoneus, nisi qui odium quo solent flagrare qui se vindicare desiderant, dilectionis magnitudine superaverit . Non 1262 enim metuendum est ne odisse parvulum filium parentes videantur, cum ab eis vapulat peccans, ne peccet ulterius. Et certe perfectio dilectionis ipsius Dei Patris imitatione nobis proponitur, cum in sequentibus dicitur, Diligite inimicos vestros, benefacite his qui oderunt vos, et orate pro eis qui vos persequuntur: et tamen de ipso dicitur per prophetam. Quem enim diligit Dominus, corripit; flagellat autem omnem filium quem recipit (Prov. III, 12). Dicit et Dominus: Servus qui nescit voluntatem domini sui, et facit digna plagis, vapulabit pauca; servus autem qui scit voluntatem domini sui, et facit digna plagis, vapulabit multa (Luc. XII, 48, 47). Non ergo quaeritur, nisi ut et ille vindicet, cui rerum ordine potestas data est; et ea voluntate vindicet, qua pater in parvulum filium, quem per aetatem odisse nondum potest. Hinc enim aptissimum exemplum ducitur, quo satis appareat posse peccatum amore potius vindicari, quam impunitum relinqui: ut illum in quem vindicat non poena miserum, sed correctione beatum velit; paratus tamen, si opus sit, aequo animo plura tolerare ab eo illata, quem vult esse correctum, sive in eum habeat potestatem coercendi, sive non habeat.

64. Magni autem et sancti viri, qui jam optime scirent mortem istam quae animam dissolvit a corpore, non esse formidandam, secundum eorum tamen animum qui illam timerent, nonnulla peccata morte punierunt, quod et viventibus utilis metus incuteretur, et illis qui morte puniebantur, non ipsa mors noceret, sed peccatum, quod augeri posset, si viverent. Non temere illi judicabant, quibus tale judicium donaverat Deus. Inde est quod Elias multos morte affecit, et propria manu (III Reg. XVIII, 40), et igne divinitus impetrato (IV Reg. I, 10): quod et alii multi magni et divini viri eodem spiritu consulendi rebus humanis non temere fecerunt. De quo Elia cum exemplum dedissent discipuli, Domino commemorantes quid ab eo factum sit, ut etiam ipsis daret potestatem petendi de coelo ignem ad consumendum eos qui sibi hospitium non praeberent; reprehendit in eis Dominus non exemplum prophetae sancti, sed ignorantiam vindicandi, quae adhuc erat in rudibus (Luc. IX, 52-56): animadvertens eos non amore correctionem, sed odio desiderare vindictam. Itaque posteaquam eos docuit quid esset diligere proximum tanquam seipsum, infuso etiam Spiritu sancto, quem decem diebus completis post ascensionem suam desuper, ut promiserat, misit (Act. II, 1-4), non defuerunt tales vindictae, quamvis multo rarius quam in Veteri Testamento. Ibi enim ex majore parte servientes timore premebantur; hic autem maxime dilectione liberi nutriebantur. Nam et verbis apostoli Petri Ananias et uxor ejus, sicut in Actibus Apostolorum legimus, exanimes ceciderunt, nec resuscitati sunt, sed sepulti (Id. V, 1-10).

65. Sed si huic libro haeretici qui adversantur Veteri Testamento, nolunt credere, Paulum apostolum quem nobiscum legunt, intueantur dicentem de quodam peccatore quem tradidit satanae in interitum carnis, 1263 ut anima salva sit (I Cor. V, 5). Et si nolunt hic mortem intelligere (fortasse enim incertum est), quamlibet vindictam per satanam factam ab Apostolo fateantur: quod non eum odio, sed amore fecisse manifestat illud adjectum, ut anima salva sit. Aut in illis libris quibus ipsi magnam tribuunt auctoritatem, animadvertant quod dicimus, ubi scriptum est apostolum Thomam imprecatum cuidam, a quo palma percussus esset, atrocissimae mortis supplicium, anima tamen ejus commendata, ut in futuro ei saeculo parceretur: cujus a leone occisi, a caetero corpore discerptam manum canis intulit mensis in quibus convivabatur Apostolus. Cui scripturae licet nobis non credere; non est enim in catholico canone: illi tamen eam et legunt, et tanquam incorruptissimam verissimamque honorant, qui adversus corporales vindictas quae sunt in Veteri Testamento, nescio qua caecitate acerrime saeviunt, quo animo et qua distributione temporum factae sint omnino nescientes.

66. Tenebitur ergo in hoc injuriarum genere, quod per vindictam luitur, iste a Christianis modus , ut accepta injuria non surgat in odium, sed infirmitatis misericordia paratus sit animus plura perpeti; nec correctionem negligat, qua vel consilio, vel auctoritate, vel potestate uti potest. Aliud injuriarum genus est, quod in integrum restitui potest: cujus duae species, una ad pecuniam, altera ad operam pertinet. Quapropter illius de tunica et vestimento, hujus de angaria mille passuum et duum millium exempla subjecta sunt: quia et reddi vestimentum potest; et quem adjuveris opera, potest te etiam ipse, si opus fuerit, adjuvare. Nisi forte ita potius distinguendum est, ut prius quod positum est de percussa maxilla, omnia significet quae sic ingeruntur ab improbis, ut restitui non possint nisi vindicta: secundum quod positum est de vestimento omnia significet quae possunt restitui sine vindicta; et ideo forte additum est, Qui voluerit tecum judicio contendere, quia quod per judicium aufertur, non ea vi putatur auferri, cui vindicta debeatur: tertium vero ex utroque confectum sit, ut et sine vindicta et cum vindicta possit restitui. Nam qui operam indebitam violenter exigit sine ullo judicio, sicut facit qui angariat hominem improbe, et cogit se illicite adjuvari ab invito, et poenam improbitatis potest luere, et operam reddere, si hanc ille repetat qui improbum pertulit. In his ergo omnibus generibus injuriarum Dominus docet patientissimum et misericordissimum, et ad plura perferenda paratissimum animum christiani esse oportere.

67. Sed quoniam parum est non nocere, nisi etiam praestes beneficium quantum potes, consequenter adjungit, et dicit: Omni petenti te da, et qui voluerit mutuari a te, ne aversatus fueris. Omni petenti, inquit; non, omnia petenti: ut id des quod dare honeste et juste potes. Quid si enim pecuniam petat, qua innocentem conetur opprimere? quid si postremo stuprum petat? Sed ne multa persequar quae sunt 1264 innumerabilia, id profecto dandum est quod nec tibi nec alteri noceat, quantum sciri aut credi ab homine potest: et cui juste negaveris quod petit, indicanda est ipsa justitia, ut non eum inanem dimittas. Ita omni petenti te dabis, quamvis non semper id quod petit dabis; et aliquando melius aliquid dabis, cum petentem injusta correxeris.

68. Quod autem, ait, Qui voluerit a te mutuari, ne aversatus fueris; ad animum referendum est. Hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus (II Cor. IX, 7). Mutuatur autem omnis qui accipit, etiam si non ipse soluturus est: cum enim misericordibus Deus plura restittat, omnis qui beneficium praestat, feneratur. Aut si non placet accipere mutuantem nisi eum qui accipit redditurus, intelligendum est Dominum duo ipsa genera praestandi esse complexum. Namque aut donamus quod damus benevole, aut reddituro commodamus. Et plerumque homines, qui proposito divino praemio donare parati sunt, ad dandum quod mutuum petitur pigri fiunt, quasi nihil recepturi a Deo, cum rem quae datur, ille qui accipit exsolvat. Recte itaque ad hoc beneficii tribuendi genus nos divina hortatur auctoritas dicens, Et qui voluerit a te mutuari, ne aversatus fueris: id est, ne propterea voluntatem alienes ab eo qui petit, quia et pecunia tua vacabit , et Deus tibi non redditurus est, cum homo reddiderit; sed cum id ex praecepto Dei facis, apud illum qui haec jubet, infructuosum esse non potest.