The eighteenth Chapter. Whether Captiues ought to be kept or put to death.
BVt whether Captiues should be slaine, 1 or saued, it cannot be determined in one sentence. For otherwhile, they which haue saued them are blamed, and elsewhere some are called backe from slaying them. 2 And God reprooueth the crueltie of the Babylonians against the Israelites. Furthermore Achab because he spared Benhadab, heard of y e Prophet: Thy life shall goe for his life, 3 and thy people for his people. And Saul was defeated of his kingdome, because he spared the king of the Amalechites. 4 Wherefore sometimes we must spare them, and sometimes they must be put to death. Which thing may wel be knowen in one and the selfe same Elias: who hauing slaine the first two bandes of fiftie with fire from heauen, saued the thirde: which no doubt happened according to their diuerse affection. For the two first fifties were altogether wicked men, contemners of the word of God and of the Prophets: But the other declared by prayers and humble spéeche, whereby they approoued themselues vnto the Prophet that some godlinesse and faith did sticke in their mind. 5 Also he thought it not méete to spare the Prophets of Baal because they were men wholy giuen to vngodlinesse, neither woulde they yéelde when they were openly ouercome: nay rather they were alwaies prepared and readie to amplifie and defende most shamefull Idolatrie, wherefore it is néedefull to weigh the offences. For we account none to be our enemies for any other cause, but that they haue offended and must be kept vnder subiection. But amo~g other things, 6 which lighten or aggrauate the fault, are knowledge and ignorance. And that the fault is no small deale lightened by not knowing of the thing, it is certaine: because séeing it hindereth the will, they which sinne in such wise, séeme not to haue sinned willingly, but rather against their will. But we must vnderstand that ignorance is of two sortes. One is said to be of the fact, and another of the law. That which is of the fact, doeth all wholie take awaie the nature of sinne. As if a man meaning to kill a wilde beast slayeth his owne father, being hidden among the shrubbes & bushes where he was not accustomed to bee at another time. Neuerthelesse the ignorance of the law doeth not generally excuse, for euerie man is bounde to knowe the lawes, especiallie the common lawes and lawes of nature: and it behooueth the faithfull men of God to vnderstand the principall points of the holy lawes. But if he that sinneth by this ignorance, and he that committeth those things, which he knoweth to be against right and lawes, be compared together; this [latter] is worthie of the more grieuous punishment. Wherefore Christ saith: 7 A seruant knowing the will of his Maister & doing it not, shall haue double punishment. And there is much difference betwéene him which willingly and of his owne proper naughtinesse rashlie runneth into grieuous crimes, and another which is not stirred vp of his owne accord, but by another man: and especiallie by him which hath him at commaundement: As were those souldiers which are spoken of in the Bookes of Kings. 8 For the king of Syria sent them to apprehend the man of God. Further they went to Samaria, not by their owne will, but being after a sort led by y e hand of God. For they went not of their owne minde vnto y e Citie, being populous, & which they might not resist. Besides this also, they came thither without any harme dooing: For they spoyled not the fieldes, nor fortresses, nor Townes, but followed the Prophet the right waie.