150 . i Chap. 2o. fault with , and complains oftheviolence that was offered vnto om.T3.i7.19. them. So in the Epiflle to the Romans., Recompence to no.man euillfor mill. Deerey beloued,auenge notyourfeluec,butgiue place: for it is written , Vengeance is mine, Iwillrepay,faith the Lord. N. j' Firf}, it is an vlurpation ofGods office , as the Text lati allea- z gedBoth teilifte , and an intrufion into his place : the trefpaffes againft men are finnes againft him, andhe is mofi offended ther- by : he alone knoweth the greatnefleofthe iniury, as beholding all thecircumflances, and piercing into the moti hidden and fe- cret thoughts of the hart , that he may render them a'proportio- nable recompence : and he only hathan abfolute power to re- uenge in tech manner and ineafîire, as he (hallknow to be right and expedient and therefore he hath referued that as apreroga- tive peculiar to himfelfe. So that he which will vndertake to be a reuenger, doth take vpon him to be a God, and attempteth to thrufl theLord ou t ofhis Imperial] Throne. 2 Secondly, it is a wrong to the party on whome it is executed ;. foralbeit a wrong doerdeferue iuflly judgments at Gods hand, yet there is no commifion giuen to them that be wronged to take reuenge vpon him with their ownehandes. The Magif}rate indeede is theMini(}er andSubflitute of the Lord, appointed to inflia punifhment in his name , vpon vnrighteous perfons : and for this purpofe is armed with ftrength and authority, that with a flayed minde he fhould confider the qualitieoftheir offences, andwithout any troublous pafion reprefle the boldnes of thofc which are hurtfull one to an other. It is pernicious to the reuenger himfelfe,who receiuethmuch more harme thereby, then he canpoflibly doe to his aduerfary: for he is lure tohurt his owne foule, and to wound himfelfe in- wardly, whereasall that he candoe againft the other, is but vp- onhis body, or eftate, or that which tendeth to fòme inconue- nience outwardly: and often it commeth topaffe,that euen that way allo, himfelfe bath the worft, and increafeth the hurtwhich lie formerly rcceiued. Sometimesnot bearing wordes,he is dri- ven to fuftaine both blówes and woundes : fometimes not fit- ting dowse by a finaller Joffe, he is compelled todepart with greater fi nznes : fotnetimes not putting vp a little difgrace, he is made
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=