Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Doth not the Gospell vtterly abolish politick order in pro∣hibiting Reuenge?

No: for reuenge is twofold, one ordinate, or publick, which is done by the Magistrate in a certaine order, by certaine lawes, to a good end, without hatred to the person, which the Gospell forbiddeth not: nay it is a part of the magistrates office, whereu∣pon. Paul. Rom. 13.4. doth expresly call the Magistrate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an auenger of him that doth euill, and it is most agreeable to the Lawe of nature, and consonant to that Deut. 32.35. Ʋengeance is mine and I will repay it: for God the iust iudge doth punish sins, either without mans helpe, as in the destruction of Sodome, or by ordinarie punishments, which hee hath committed to Ma∣gistrates.

2. The second is inordinate, proceeding from an euill affection, tending to the hurt or ouerthrowe of him, of whome wee seeke to bee reuenged; and is, when either the Magistrate himselfe, contrarie to law, vpon priuate grudge, doth abuse his authoritie, and hurt the harmelesse, as, when Saule seekes to kill Dauid, or when a priuate man, vpon hatred, emulation, and malice, pursues a wrong, and seekes not so much his owne defence, as the ruine of his aduersarie, or without lawfull knowledge, will bee his owne iudge, and auenger, as when Ioab would kill Abnera, of this kinde the Poet saith, At vindicta bonum, vita iucundius ipsa,

Reuenge is good to men of strife, Sweeter to them then is the life.

This kinde of reuenge the Gospell forbids. Rom. 12.17. Recom∣pence,

to no man euill for euill. Mat. 5.36. Resist not euill. Deu. 32.35. Ʋengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and I will repay. So Prou. 24.29. Say not as he hath done to me, so I will doe to him. To this bee∣longeth that precept, thou shalt not kill, to wit, vpon priuate af∣fection, and pleasure, and contrarie to the order instituted, and approued by God: yet let the Magistrate, according to Law, pu∣nish malefectors euen with death.

But, that Elias caused fire to descend from heauen vpon them, who came to take him. 2. King. 1, 10, and Elisha cursed the children that scorned him. Chap. 2.24. it proceeded from an heroicall spirit, and was an effect, not of a priuate wrong, but of such an one as was done against GOD and his Church.

Therefore Celsus, Iulian and others, did falsly accuse the Gospell, writing that it by prohibiting reuenge, did take a∣way magistrates: but by this it appeareth that the Doctrine of the Gospoll doth not forbid all kinde of reuenge.

Notes

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  2. Sam. 3.27