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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56215	The sword of Christian magistracy supported, or, A vindication of the Christian magistrates authority under the Gospell, to punish idolatry, apostacy, heresie, blasphemy, and obstinate schism, with corporall, and in some cases with capitall punishments ... by William Prinne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P4099; ESTC R15969	222,705	186

and capital punishments such as adored not those Idol-gods which they worshipped and reputed for the true and such as they deemed Idolaters Apostates Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and open Rebels against God Therefore Christian Kings Magistrates Nations under the Gospel ought much more to do it The Major is evident by its own light and ratified by ROM 2. 14 15. The Minor I shal make good by Scripture testimonies I shall begin with King Artaxerxes his Commission to Ezra c 7. 15 26. And thou Ezra after the wisdom of thy God that is in thine hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people which are beyond the river all such as know the Law of thy God And whosoever WIL NOT DO THE LAW OF THY GOD and the law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him WHETHER IT BE TO DEATH OR TO BANISHMENT OR TO CONFISCATION OF GOODS OR TO IMPRISONMENT Shal a meer Heathen King be so zealous as to enjoyn the Judges and Magistrates under him to inflict these corporal and capital censures upon such as wil not do the Law of God in which number all Idolaters Apostates Hereticks Blasphemers c. are included and shal not Christian Princes Magistrates Judges much more exceed him in their zeal and justice against such transgressors of Gods Law But that Decree of Nebuchadnezzer against blasphemers of God is more emphatical and pathetical DAN 3. 28 29. Then Nebuchadnezzer spake and said blessed be the Lord God of Shadrach Mesach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him c. Therefore I make a Decree that every people nation and language WHICH SPEAK ANY ERROR or any thing amisse AGAINST THE GOD of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego SHAL BE CUT IN PEECES and THEIR HOUSES SHAL BEE MADE A DUNGHIL because there is no God that can deliver after this sort If this Pagan King out of his transcendent zeal upon the sight but of one miracle was stirred up without any debates or delay to make such a severe decree as this against all those of every people nation and language that did speak any Error or Blasphemy against the true God whom these three worthies then and we now worship shal not this decree of his rise up in Judgement against all those Christian Princes Parliaments Magistrates Judges under the Gospel who professe themselves the worshippers servants children of this true God and yet shal refuse or neglect to make such strickt and severe Decrees against such Hereticks and Blasphemers who maliciously belch out most execrable blasphemies and Errors against God himself and openly maintain them in discourse and writing but especially against those who pretend and stile themselves the ONLY SAINTS and SERVANTS OF GOD how truly let this one act alone declare who professedly plead preach and write against the Corporal and Capital Punishment of such damnable Hereticks Blasphemers and the enacting of any severe Laws against them by the Parliament and civil Magistrates when as this Pagan King by his Decree commanded such to be instantly cut in peeces and their houses to be made a dunghill without any pity or pardon Were Pagan Nebuchadnezzer now alive amongst us he would new heat his Fiery Furnace to warm the kay-cold frozen zeal of such heatlesse New-Lights and zeal-lesse Saints as these or shame them into an emulation of his zeal against such Hereticks and Blasphemers I shal close up this with that saying of Augustine recorded by Gratian Quando vult Deus concitate potestatem adversus Haereticos adversus Schismaticos adversus dissipatores Ecclesiae adversus exsufflatores Christi adversus Blasphematores Christi blasphemi non mirentur quia Deus concitat ut a Sara verbaretur Agar cognoscat se Agar supponat cervicem c. Ad hoc ergo affligitur ut revertatur Nebuchadnezzer Rex decrevit dicens Quicunque dixerint blasphemiam in Deum Sidrac Misac Abednago in interitu erunt domus eorum in dispersione Ecce quomodo Rex alienigena sevit ne blasphemetur Deus Israel qui potuit tres pueros de igne liberare nolunt ut seviant Reges Christiani quia Christus exsufflatur a quo non tres pueri sed totus orbis terrarum cum ipsis regibus a gehennarum igne liberantur Quomodo ergo istireges non moveantur qui non tantum tres pueros attendunt liberatos de flamma sed seipsos de flamma Gehennae quando vident Christum a quo liberati sunt exsufflari a Christianis quando audiunt dici Christiano dic te non esse Christianum Talia facere volunt sed talia pati nolunt Nam videte qualia faciunt qualia patiuntur occidunt animas affliguntur in corpore sempiternas mortes faciunt et temporales se perpeti conqueruntur So in the 1 ESDRAS c. 6. 23. to 34. It is recorded that King Cyrus and Darius by their Royal Decrees commanded the Temple of Jerusalem to be built unto the Lord and offrings and prayers to bee there made to the most high GOD for the King and his children and commanded that whosoever should transgresse yea or make light of any thing afore written out of his own house should a tree be taken and HE THERE ON TO BE HANGED and ALL HIS GOODS TO BE SEISED FOR THE KING O the transcendent zeal of these Heathen Princes against the obstructers or oppugners of Gods true worship and shal not Christian Kings and Magistrates be as zealous against Hereticks Blasphemers Schismaticks Seducers Idolaters who oppugn corrupt his truth and withdraw men from his worship I proceed to Presidents of another Nature We read JUDG 6. 28. to 32. That when Gideon in the night time had thrown down the Altar of Baal and cut down the Grove that was by it in Ophrata the men of the City who worshipped Baal said one to another who hath done this thing and when they had enquired and asked they said Gideon the son of Joash hath done this Then the men of the City said unto Ioash bring out thy son THAT HE MAY DYE BECAUSE HE HATH CAST DOWN THE ALTAR OF BAAL because he hath cut down the Grove that was by it Whence it is evident that these very Idolaters deemed this afront to their Idol-god whom they beleeved adored as the true to be no lesse then a capital offence deserving death So in the 1 KING 18. 13. c. 19. 2. 10. 14. and ROM 11. 3. 4. we find that Idolatrous Queen Iezabel who worshipped Baal as the true God and drew Ahab her husband and his subjects to her Idolatry did slay the Prophets of the Lord with the sword and threw down his Altar and seek the Prophet Elijahs life who was enforced to flie to save it because shee deemed him and the Prophets she slew to be Hereticks False Prophets Blasphemers Opposers of her Idol-Baal and his Idolatrous worship then generally received as the true So DAN 3. 1.

Anabaptists do deny Secondly because Christian Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel have the self-same authority as godly Kings and Magistrates had under the Law even as Parents Masters Husbands naturall Magistrates have the self-same authority over their Children Servants Wives under the Gospel as they had under the Law ROM 13. 1. to 6. TIT. 3. 1. 1 PET. 2. 13 14 15. c. 4. 15. compared with EPH. 6. 1. to 8. c. 5. 21 22. COL 3. 18. to 25. 1 TIM 6. 1 2. 1 PET. 3. 11. 12. 13. c. 2. 18. there being no one text in the New Testament which restrains either Kings or Magistrates power given them by God in the Old Thirdly because the ends and uses for which Magistrates were instituted are the same under the New Testament and Old ROM 13. 1. to 6. 1 TIM 2. 1 2 3. 1 PET. 2. 13. 14. c. 4. 15. ISA 1. 49. 23. therefore their power and rule the same Fourthly because the precepts given to Magistrates under the Law for punishing Idolaters Apostates False Prophets Hereticks and Blasphemers are not Ceremonial or Judicial but moral and perpetual and so of equal obligation under the Law and Gospel as wel as the Decalogue and Moral Law of God Fifthly because godly Kings and Christian Magistrates ought to be as zealous for God and his truth if not more zealous under the Gospel as they were under the Law REV. 3. 19. c. 2. 14 15 16. 20. 23. compared with NUM ● 15. 11 13. 2 KING 10. 16. c. The Minor I shal ratifie by this particular Induction First for Idolatry Idolaters Apostates False Prophets and Seducers of men from the true God and Religion to Idols and Idolatry we have these expresse precepts warranting if not commanding the civil Magistrate to inflict corporal and capital punishments on them ● Levit. 20. 2. to 6. Whosoever of the children of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed to Molech that is sacrificeth any of his children or maketh them passe through the fire to that Idol LEVIT 18. 21. 2 KING 21. 10. He shal SVRELY BE PVT TO DEATH the people of the Land shal stone him with stones and I wil set my face against that man and wil cut him off from among his people because he hath given of his seed to Molech to defile my sanctuary and to prophane my holy Name And if the people of the Land do any way hide their eyes when he giveth his seed unto Molech and kil him not then I wil set my face against that man and against his family and wil cut him off and all that go a whoring after him to commit wh●rd●me with Molech from among their people From which text we may observe these particulars First that not only such stranger Idolaters who constantly worshipped Idols and never adored the true God were to be put to death by the Israelites but even such of the Israelites themselves and of the sojourners among them who turned Idolaters and sacrificed unto Molech to whom they offered their children were to be surely put to death and stoned with stones by the people without m r y being first convicted and condemned by the Magistrate Secondly that the Magistrates and peoples hiding of their eyes and sparing such as these contrary to this precept was a grievous sin Thirdly that where the Magistrates and people winked at such an Idolater and hid their eyes from him God himself in their default would set his face against him and cut him off from among his people and not only so but would set his face against his family and cut off all them that went a whoring after him from among his people whereas if the Magistrate had punished him his family had not been thus cut of by God Fourthly that it is not sufficient to leave Idolaters Hereticks and Blasphemers to Gods own vengeance and execution who wil certainly cut them and their families off if they repent not but themselves must likewise cut them off as God commands before God proceeds to do it they being his Ministers and Executioners appointed for this end who must not put off the Execution of such to God the supream Judge no more then the Hang●● man amongst us may transfer the Execution of a Felon or Traytor to the Judge who condemns them which answers and refutes one main objection of our opposites that we must leave Idolaters Hereticks and False Teachers unto Gods Judgement and Execution if we cannot convert them by the Word and let such tares to grow til the harvest amongst the Corn. Secondly Deut. 13. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and giveth thee a signor a wonder and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying let us go after other gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet or that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul yee shal walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his Commandments and obey his voyce and you shal serve him and cleave unto him And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shal be put to death because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God which brought you out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known thou nor thy fathers namely of the gods of the people which are round about you or nigh unto thee or far off from thee from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shal thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him But thou shalt surely kil him thine hand shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hands of all the people And thou shalt stone him with stones that he dye because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage And all Israel shal hear and fear and shal do no more any such wickednesse as this is among you If thou shalt hear say in one of thy Cities which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwel there saying Certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you and have withdrawn the Inhabitants

of their City saying Let us go and serve other gods which we have not known Then shalt thou inquire and make search and ask diligently And behold if it be truth and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought amongst you Thou shalt surely smite the Inhabitants of that City with the edge of the sword destroying it utterly and all that is therein and the cattle thereof with the edge of the sword And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof and shalt burn with fire the City and all the spoil thereof every whit for the Lord thy God and it shal bee an heap for ever it shal not be built again And there shal cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand that the Lord may turn from the fiercenesse of his anger and shew thee mercy and have compassion upon thee and multiply thee as he hath sworn unto thy fathers When thou shalt hearken to the vo●c of the Lord thy God to keep all his Commandments which I command thee this day to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God Which is thus seconded Deut. 17. 2. to 8. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the Sun or the Moon or any of the host of heaven which I have not commanded And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and shalt stone them with stones til they dye At the mouth of two witnesses shal ●e that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witnesse he shal not be put to death The hands of the witnesses shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hands of all the people so thou shalt put the evil away from among you From which two Texts I shal deduce these undeniable Conclusions First That false Prophets and Dreamers of dreams may arise among Gods own people and do signs wonders and predict things which may come to pass which is more I suppose then any of our pretended New-Lights Dreamers or false Prophets now can do Secondly That the end of such Dreamers and false Prophets is but to draw people to go after other gods which they have not formerly known and to serve them or to worship the true God in an undue newfangled manner Thirdly That God suffers such false Prophets and New seducing Lights to arise among his people of purpose to prove them to know whether they love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul Fourthly That Gods people must not hearken to such false Prophets Dreamers and New-Lights though they do signs and wonders but walk after the Lord their God and fear him and keep his Commandments and obey his voyce and serve and cleave unto him and that those that follow such false Prophets and Dreamers do neither truly love fear serve obey nor cleave to God Fifthly That such false Prophets and Dreamers were by Gods express Command to be PUT TO DEATH by the Magistrate and people though they actually seduced none from God even because they had spoken revolt against the Lord their God to turn them away from him to thrust them out of the way which the Lord their God commanded them to walk in Sixthly That the putting of such to death is so far from being an evil or sin of persecution that it is the only way to put away the evill of Idolatry False-Worship sin plague and punishment from the midst of them ver 5. Seventhly that if not onely such false Prophets and dreamers but even any mans own natural brother son daughter wife nighest bosome and most endeared friend which is as his own soul should entice him secretly to go and serve other gods or the true God in a new and false manner which he and his fathers had not known be it what fals god soever he must neither consent nor hearken to them neither shal his eye pity them neither shal he spare nor conceal them but he SHAL SURELY KIL THEM without mercy and his own hand shal be first upon them to put them to death and afterwards the hands of all the people and they shal stone them with stones that they dye not because they actually seduced him or others but because they sought to thrust him away from the Lord his God If then the nearest and dearest of all others to us must be put to death without mercy in such a case then much more others who are not so neerly related to us Gods glory and our zeal to preserve his sincere Worship must admit of no respect of persons no toleration connivance or compassion in such a case as this Eighthly That exemplary capital punishments upon private or open enticers to Idolatry and False-Worship is a special means appointed by God to preserve and convert others from Idolatry and Apostacy Verse 11. And all Israel shal hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this is among you The Sword of Justice wil by Gods own Institution suppress prevent yea reform Idolatry Apostacy False-Worship and Heresie as wel as the Word the Sword of the Spirit and prevails herein many times when the Word it self is ineffectual Ninthly That Magistrates are to make diligent search and inquiry after False-Teachers Apostates Seducers of men to serve new gods embrace new religions and if a whole City be thus seduced and such abomination certainly wrought among them they must surely smite the Inhabitants of that City especially of obstinate and impenitent with the edge of the sword destroying it utterly and all that is therein and the cattel thereof and burn all the spoil and City and every parcel thereof with fire and make it an heap for ever By which it is apparent that not only private Idolaters Apostates Hereticks but even whole Cities Churches and Congregations of them are so far from being tolerated that they ought to be destroyed utterly if they continue obstinate Tenthly That the tolerating of Idolaters Apostates and Hereticks is a means to provoke God to pour out the fierceness of his anger against his own people but the utter exterpation of them without mercy is a special means of divine institution to cau●e the Lord to turn from the fiercenesse of his anger to shew them mercy and compassion and multiply them as he hath promised And is so far from being against the Word of God and displeasing to him that it is a keeping of

Altar A memorable example of zeal and reformation after their solemn Covenant And should not we be as zealous after our Covenant against Idolatrous Priests False Prophets Hereticks Apostates Blasphemers as they were against the Priests of Baal The seventh President is enrolled in the 2 CHRON. 15. 9 to 17. where godly King Asa having gathered all Juda and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh and out of Simeon to Jerusalem in the fifteenth year of his reign they all entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel SHOVLD BE PVT TO DEATH WHETHER SMAL OR GREAT MAN OR WOMAN And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shoutings and with trumpets and with cornets And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the King he removed her from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a grove and Asa cut down her Idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron Whence we shal observe First that this godly King and all his people bound themselves by a solemn Oath and Covenant much like to ours TO PUT ALL Idolaters Apostates Hereticks and Blasphemers and whosoever would not seek the Lord of what quality or sort soever TO DEATH Secondly that this Oath and Covenant was so wel pleasing to God and agreeable to his Law that whereas immediately before their entring into it here was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City as they are now among us for God did vex them with all adversity Vor. 5 6. Yet no sooner was this Oath and Covenant taken but the Lord was found of them and gave them rest round about Verse 15. as no doubt he would do to us were we as zealous against Apostates Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers against God and the sacred Trinity as they and would put the Ringleaders of such to death whether smal or great whether man or woman as they did Thirdly that Asa did depose his own Queen mother from being Queen for her Idolatry and cut down and burnt her Idol and her grove A memorable example both of zeal and justice to shame the luke warmness the partiality of our times which have connived at and countenanced Queen mother and Queen daughter too in their Idolatries yea erected publick Gro●es and Chappels for their Idols and Idol-worship Eightly to these I might accumulate EXOD. 23. 23 24. 32. 33 c. 34. 12 13 4 15. NUM 21. 2 3. c. 31. 8. 17. DEUT. 7. 2 3 4 5. c. 12. 2 3. JOSM 23. 5. to 14. JUDG 2. 2. Where God commanded Moses Ioshua and the Israelites his own people when he should deliver the Hittites Gergasites Amarites Canaanites Per●zites Hivites Iebusites and Midianites into their hands to smite utterly destroy and slay them with the sword and to make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them and to destroy break down and burn their Altars Groves Images and to make no marriages with their sons or daughters least they should turn them away from following him to serve other gods and so should the anger of the Lord be kindled against them and destroy them sodainly Whereupon they did utterly destroy all the Idolatrous Inhabitants of the Cities they took with the edge of the sword without sparing any but Rahab and her family JOSH. 6. 21 22 24. c. 8. 20. to 30. c. 9. 24 26. c. 10. 1. 10. to the end specially v. 40. c. 11 12. NUM 21. 2 3. c. 31. 16. 17. 2 CHRON. 31. 1 2. as the Lord commanded them From all which Precepts and Presidents as also from JOH 31. 26 27 28. EXOD. 22. 20. He that sacrificeth unto any other god save unto the Lord only HE SHAL BE VTTERLY DESTROYED that is by the Magistrates and people or in their default by God himself it is undeniable that godly Kings and Magistrates under the Law were by Gods own special command to punish obstinate Idolaters Apostates False Prophets and Teachers who seduced or endeavored to seduce the people from the ways truth and true worship of God were they Jews or Gentiles Israelites or Heathens with death and capital punishments to prevent or remove Gods wrath procure his favor and blessing and keep others from pollution and seduction to the ruine of their souls Secondly That they had power to punish Blasphemy and Blasphemers of God even with death by an express Commission from God himself is as clear as the Noonday Sun by these ensuing Texts LEVIT 24. 10. to 17. and the Isra●litish womans sonne blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed and they brought him unto Moses and put him in Ward that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying bring forth him that hath cursed without the Camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and let all the Congregation STONE HIM And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying whosoever shal curse his God shal bear his sin And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord SHAL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH and ALL THE CONGREGATION SHAL CERTAINLY STONE HIM as wel the stranger as he that is born in the Land WHEN HE BLASPHEMETH THE NAME OF THE LORD SHAL BE PUT TO DEATH A most punctuall Law extending to all blasphemers of God and his name be they Natives or Forraigners of what sex or quality soever coupled in the next Verse with this penal Statute Ver. 17. AND HE THAT KILLETH ANY MAN SHAL BE PVT TO DEATH so that those who at this day question or deny the Magistrates power to put Blasphemers or gross Hereticks who deny Christs Divinity c. whose very assentions are direct blasphemies to death may upon the self-same grounds and with equal reason deny the Magistrates power to put Murtherers to death the one Law being as moral as perpetual as the other Yea the equity of that other Law EXOD. 21. 17. and LEVIT 20. 9. Every one that curseth his father and mother shal SVRELY BE PVT TO DEATH his blood shal be upon him must hold more strongly of him that shal curse and blaspheme his heavenly then his earthy Father in as much as the one is infinitly greater and more to be reverenced feared honored obeyed then the other This Law was so obligatory and Authentick among the Israelites even in the reign of King Ahab and Jezebel that the Nobles and Elders upon Jezebels Letter and the witnesses testimony suborned by her condemned Naboth for that he did blalpheme God

justissime contra vos custodiendum esse decernunt His ergo exemplis a collegis meis mihi propositis cessi c. Therefore I am of Osianders Mr Calvins minde that none do plead against the Magistrates coercive power and sword of justice but such who out of a consciousnesse of their own Heresies Errors Schismes or misdeeds are in danger and afraid of suffering by it and therefore would wrest the sword out of the Christian Magistrates hand that they might persevere in their Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies and offences without any punishment or remorse Adde to this that if the Apostle by Christs direction commands men to be delivered over to Satan himself to afflict and torment them for the destruction of the flesh that their spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus and that they might learn not to blaspheme when the very Gospel and other means would not reform them Then certainly Gods delivery over of an Heretick Schismatick Blasphemer or other malefactor to the hand of the christian Magistrate and his transferring him after sentence to the hands of the Executioner to be punished according to Gods command may and oft-times doth by the self-same reason effectually tend not only to the destruction of his flesh but to the saving of his soul in the day of the Lord Iesus and present reformation of his Heresies Blasphemies Errors crimes as well as his delivery over unto Satan the very worst and vilest of all Gods instruments as Augustine and Gratian thence conclude which is largely proved in Gratian Causa 23. qu. 4 5. by many authorities of the Antients by Hugo Grotius de Iure belli pacis l. 2. cap. 20. de poenis by Alexander ab Alexandro Genialium Dierum l. 3. c. 5. and by most Commentators on Deut. 13. and Rom. 13. And as punishments oft work a reformation in the persons punished so likewise upon others who behold or hear of them as the forenamed Authors assert Hence was that speech of Philo Iudaeus Poena SEPE CORRIGIT ET EMENDAT EVM QVI PECCAVIT quod si id non eveniat CERTE ALIOS quorum ad notitiam pervenit MVLTOS enim MELIORES FACIVNT ALIENA SVPPLICIA paris mali formidine And that excellent saying of Seneca In vindicandis injuriis haec trialex secuta est quae Princeps quoque sequi debet ut aut eum quem punit EMENDET ut aut poena ejus CETEROS MELIORE● reddat aut ut sublatis malis securiores caeteri vivant who seconds it elsewhere thus Omne poenae genus remedii loco admoneo varia in tot animis vitia video civitati curandae adhibitus sum pro cuiusque morbo medicina quaeratur Hunc sanet verecundia hunc dolor hunc egestas hunc perigrinatio And if men become incorrigible that neither ob●●rgation nor infamy nor pain nor publick imprisonment nor banishment will reform them then saith he in such a case Optimum misericordiae genus est occidere it is the best kinde of mercy to put such an one to death and he gives his advice to the Magistrate to observe this double use of punishments ut sciat alterum ●dhiberi ut EMENDET MALOS alterum ut tollat one to reforme evill men another to cut them off when they will not be reformed themselves that others may be reformed and amendeded by their example Now that exemplary punishments as they oft times reforme the parties themselves do likewise amend and convert others who are spectators or hearers of them is evident by Deut. 13. 11. 1● 12 13. And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall do NO MORE any such wickednesse as this is among them And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously even by reason of the exemplary justice and corporall punishments inflicted on others Upon this very ground Rom. 13. 1 2 4. The Magistrate is called Gods ordinance and the Minister of God to thee FOR GOOD as well morall and spirituall as naturall and civill good even as he is a revenger to execute wrath on those that doe evill as sundry Commentators observe And that in these respects First if he inflict corporall or capitall punishments on thee for thy own evill doings he is a Minister to thee for thy good in bringing thee by this means to an open sight repentance loathing and forsaking of those sins for the future which have brought judgement shame and open punishment on thee for the present Whereas if the Magistrate had not punished thee thou wouldest have persevered impenitently in these sinnes And if he punish thee wrongfully as ungodly Persecutors did the Martyrs yet he is an instrument for thy good by encreasing thy graces weaning thee from the world and honouring thee with the Crowne of Martyrdome which else thou hadst not obtained Secondly he is a Minister of God for thy good by inflicting punishments upon thee for the profit and good of others or on others for thy good whose exemplary punishments God doth or may sanctifie to make thee forbear the selfe same or the like offences to avoid the like infamous punishments Thirdly he is an instrument of God for thy good in keeping off and removing Gods publick judgements from the kingdome and place wherein thou livest by punishing those open scandalous sinnes and sinners which would bring destruction and Gods wrath upon thee and them Fourthly By his godly exhortations reprehensions to them and others like those of Moses Ioshua David Hezekiah Asa Ichosaphat Iosiah Nehemiah Constantine the great and others to their people which seconded with their corrections may and doe no doubt reforme and convert many as well as the ministery of the Word Therefore in these respects it is most clear and undeniable that Magistrates outward and corporall punishments do both much reform and convert the inner man soul spirit even morally and divinely too as well as the outward and stop the current of mens sins So as Mr Dels bold assertion to the contrary is most false and dangerous contradicted by Scripture the testimony and experience of all times ages and if we may believe his fellow Chaplain Mr Peters by some late experiments in the Army it self where many Souldiers by severe martiall discipline and censures at the Counsel of War have been not only outwardly reformed but inwardly converted And therefore I shall adjure him to recant this wicked Paradox or else make it good by better proofs then any he hath yet produced his own bare averment onely being no infalible Oracle nor of weight enough to overpoise all the pre●es The seventh Objection much pressed and insisted on is this Externall 〈◊〉 and the Magistrates coercive power to suppresse Schismes Heresies c. is of proper and direct tendency to make men twofold more the children of sinne and so of wrath then they were before in