Nowe it is expressely sayde: That the Iewes shall bee reuenged vppon Amalec when they haue the lande in possession, which was promised vnto them: And it serueth to shewe that wee ought to bee as quiet as may bee in executing GODS vengeaunce. For when men reuenge them∣selues of their enemyes, wee see they are alto∣gether troubled with those bickeringes which they haue with them, and they are set all on fire by their passions. And that is the cause [ 10] why reuenginges are forbidden vs, when they proceede not from GOD, but that men thrust themselues so into them without any measure or discretion. Will wee then iustifie any re∣uenge of ours? Wee must bee at peace within our selues: that is to saye, wee must not haue an eye to our owne losse or gayne; wee must not bee mooued with any excessiue passion; to bee shorte, wee must haue a stayed and setled minde; and aboue all, the zeale of God [ 20] must abide in vs and gouerne vs. Neuerthe∣later, we may not vnder this colour that GOD sayde vnto his people, Remember the Amale∣kites, for I will haue them rooted out of the worlde; wee may not (I say) take occasion thereupon to reuenge our selues after our owne lust and liking. And why? For God layde not the bridle on his peoples necke, to say, Doe what you thinke good, you shall haue leaue to doe what you liste: but hee woulde haue the re∣uenge [ 30] to proceede from himselfe: whereuppon wee haue to note two thinges. The one is that wee must bee appoynted of God, or otherwyse it shall not be lawfull for vs to lift vp so much as a finger to punish any offences. The other is that although wee haue this calling, and that God putteth the sworde in our handes, yet ne∣uerthelesse wee must not bring with vs our owne affections which alwayes driue vs on forewarde and ouermaster vs: but wee must behaue our [ 40] selues so simply and plainely in this vocation of ours, that the spirit of GOD may gouerne both our heartes and our handes. As touching the first poynt, I tolde you that hee which hath no expresse commaundement of God to that pur∣pose, may not punish offences. If I see a man offend, although I ought to set my selfe against him to the vtmost of my power, and to with∣stand his wickednesse: yet bycause I am a pri∣uate person, I may not attempt to punish the [ 50] offender any way. For GOD hath charged mee with no such thing: and men may not on their owne heades, take vppon them any such charge. For although at ye first sight a man would take it for a great vertue if I shoulde fall vpon a wicked man and apprehend him: insomuch that if he beate or abuse a poore man, & I come and maintaine the good cause, it would be taken for a good deede: yet in verye deede I passe my boundes, and take more vppon mee than God [ 60] hath commaunded mee; and this deede of mine may not be accounted for a vertue. Yee see then what stayednesse the faithfull ought to keepe in their liuing, to wit, that they attempt not any thing but what God hath giuen them in charge to doe. That is to be noted for one poynt. Nowe for the second, wee must note that vnder co∣lour that God hath armed them with authoritie to punish vices, men must not fall into heates through their carnall affections and passions, to reuenge their owne quarels, but must doe that which they knowe GOD liketh of, and yet to no other ende or meaning than hee hath appoynted.
And herewithall let vs note, that they which are ordained and appointed of God to execute Iustice, ought to keepe themselues in the high beaten way, wherein God willeth them to goe without taking vnto themselues any new lesson. For it is not for earthly Iudges to make lawes at their pleasure, and to say euery day: I will doe thus, and I will doe otherwise: but they must haue a carefull eye to their office and duetie. Beholde it is GOD which speaketh, wee must execute that which hee commaundeth; and therefore let men holde themselues thereunto, and not presume to alter his commaundement in any wise: for otherwise a man may pretende goodly excuses, but God liketh better of the o∣bedience which men yeelde vnto him, than of al that euer they can alleage in reason, although it haue neuer so great likelyhood. Moreouer (as I haue alreadie touched) when wee heare concer∣ning Amalec, that GOD woulde haue him cleane rooted out: a man might reply and say: What if a man should handle this people gent∣ly and spare them? Were it not a reasonable thing? Should a man deale so extremelie with them? Surely when the people of Israel left it vndone, their shewing of mercie was a kynde of despysing GOD; and it is certayne that their so dooyng turned to their owne confusion, ac∣cording whereunto wee see howe it was sayde, You haue not executed the vengeaunce of your GOD, and therefore those whome you haue suffered to lyue must bee as thornes in your sides to pricke and to punch you; or rather to put out your eyes: you shall surelye finde it so bycause yee haue not doone as GOD comman∣ded you. This serueth then to shewe vs that euerye man must followe that which is appoin∣ted him, and when hee once knoweth what his office and calling requireth, hee must simply obey God.
And moreouer let vs alwaies haue recourse to this point, that seeing God sheweth himselfe a friend to our friends and an enemie to our ene∣mies; we must put our whole trust & confidence in him; & hiding our selues vnder his wings, wee must not doubt but that he will shew in the ende what care hee hath had of our welfare. For hee sayth, I am moued with iealousie, I am inflamed with choler, bicause of ye iniuries which my peo∣ple hath suffered. In deede God is not subiect to any passions, he is not moued after the maner of men: neuerthelesse, to shewe howe deare∣lye hee accounteth of our welfare, and by∣cause wee conceiue it not excepte hee doe (as yee woulde say) transfigure himselfe and vtter himselfe vnto vs in such wyse as wee maye