Next he adds testimony, saying, Hebrews 10:30-31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. For it is written: Vengeance [belongs] unto Me, I will recompense, says the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. Let us fall, it is said, into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men. Sirach 2:18 But if you repent not, you shall fall into the hands of God: that is fearful: it is nothing, to fall into the hands of men. When, he means, we see any man punished here, let us not be terrified at the things present, but shudder at the things to come. For according to His mercy, so is His wrath. And, His indignation will rest upon sinners. Sirach 5:6
At the same time too he hints at something else. For Vengeance [belongs] unto Me, he says, I will recompense. This is said in regard to their enemies, who are doing evil, not to those who are suffering evil. Here he is consoling them too, all but saying, God abides for ever and lives, so that even if they re...
Moreover, he must also diligently take care, lest by any fault of his he should at any time make an enemy; and if any one should be so shameless as to inflict injury on a good and just man, he must bear it with calmness and moderation, and not take upon himself his revenge, but reserve it for the judgment of God.
Ons any of them knew individually as neighbours, after these they hurried and bore them with them, and robbed and plundered them, setting aside the more valuable portions of their property for themselves, and scattering about the commoner articles, and such as were made of wood, and burning them on the roads, so that they made these parts present the spectacle of a city taken by the enemy. The brethren, however, simply gave way and withdrew, and, like those to whom Paul bears witness,
He who counselled that an injury should be forgotten, was still more likely to counsel the patient endurance of it. But then, when He said, "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay"
