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;" [9111] and malice, on the other, is always [9112] odious to the Lord; in this case indeed most of all, when, being provoked by a neighbour's malice, it constitutes itself superior [9113] in following out revenge, and by paying wickedness doubles that which has once been done. Revenge, in the estimation of error, [9114] 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. [9115] Like deed involves like merit. How shall we observe that principle, if in our loathing [9116] 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 corrupt [9117] --earthen vessels. [9118] With our own servant-boys, [9119] 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-exacted [9120] 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;" [9121] that is, Leave patience to me, and I will reward patience. For when He says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged," [9122] 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. [9123] 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.
[9111] See Gal. v. 26; Phil. ii. 3.
[9112] Nunquam non.
[9113] i.e. perhaps superior in degree of malice.
[9114] i.e. of the world and its erroneous philosophies.
[9115] Rom. xii. 17.
[9116] Fastidientes, i.e. our loathing or abhorrence of sin. Perhaps the reference may be to Rom. xii. 9.
[9117] Isa. lxiv. 6.
[9118] Isa. lxiv. 8; 2 Cor. iv. 7.
[9119] Servulis.
[9120] Præsumpsissent.
[9121] Deut. xxxii. 35; Ps. xciv. 1; Rom. xii. 19; Heb. x. 30.
[9122] Matt. vii. 1; Luke vi. 37.
[9123] i.e. the penalty which the law will inflict.
Chapter XI.--Further Reasons for Practising Patience. Its Connection with the Beatitudes.
After these principal material causes of impatience, registered to the best of our ability, why should we wander out of our way among the rest,--what are found at home, what abroad? Wide and diffusive is the Evil One's operation, hurling manifold irritations of our spirit, and sometimes trifling ones, sometimes very great. But the trifling ones you may contemn from their very littleness; to the very great ones you may yield in regard of their overpoweringness. Where the injury is less, there is no necessity for impatience; but where the injury is greater, there more necessary is the remedy for the injury--patience. Let us strive, therefore, to endure the inflictions of the Evil One, that the counter-zeal of our equanimity may mock the zeal of the foe. If, however, we ourselves, either by imprudence or else voluntarily, draw upon ourselves anything, let us meet with equal patience what we have to blame ourselves for. Moreover, if we believe that some inflictions are sent on us by the Lord, to whom should we more exhibit patience than to the Lord? Nay, He teaches [9124] us to give thanks and rejoice, over and above, at being thought worthy of divine chastisement. "Whom I love," saith He, "I chasten." [9125] O blessed servant, on whose amendment the Lord is intent! with whom He deigns to be wroth! whom He does not deceive by dissembling His reproofs! On every side, therefore, we are bound to the duty of exercising patience, from whatever quarter, either by our own errors or else by the snares of the Evil One, we incur the Lord's reproofs. Of that duty great is the reward--namely, happiness. For whom but the patient has the Lord called happy, in saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens?" [9126] No one, assuredly, is "poor in spirit," except he be humble. Well, who is humble, except he be patient? For no one can abase himself without patience, in the first instance, to bear the act of abasement. "Blessed," saith He, "are the weepers and mourners." [9127] Who, without patience, is tolerant of such unhappinesses? And so to such, "consolation" and "laughter" are promised. "Blessed are the gentle:" [9128] under this term, surely, the impatient cannot possibly be classed. Again, when He marks "the peacemakers" [9129] with the same title of felicity, and names them "sons of God," pray have the impatient any affinity with "peace?" Even a fool may perceive that. When, however, He says, "Rejoice and exult, as often as they shall curse and persecute you; for very great is your reward in heaven," [9130] of course it is not to the impatience of exultation [9131] that He makes that promise; because no one will "exult" in adversities unless he have first learnt to contemn them; no one will contemn them unless he have learnt to practise patience.
[9124] Docet. But a plausible conjecture, "decet," "it becomes us," has been made.
[9125] Prov. iii. 11, 12; Heb. xii. 5, 6; Rev. iii. 19.
[9126] Matt. v. 3.
[9127] Matt. v. 4.
[9128] Matt. v. 5.
[9129] Matt. v. 9.
[9130] Matt. v. 11, 12, inexactly quoted.
[9131] Exultationis impatientiæ.