Com.6 In mbarcafes it is lazyful"to (bed blond. Chap. 3.. q."ö the wicked, and-he that condemnetb the jug-, even they boih are abomination to the Lord, prow. faith Solomon. The (paring of the guilty, and condemning theguilders are alike hai- nous fins in the fight of God we have examples of Gods anger to fttéh as have tranfgreffed in either kind. t. For .the acquitting and fparing theguilty. Saul by Gods Command Arid Pre= sam 15 fcript was fent to defiroy the A,nalekites, and he hiving got Agág the King into his hands, fpares him; but what followed ? his utter reje&ion ; becaufe thou bait rejelied 23,, the word ofthe Lord,bebath rejeaed theefrom being King. Again, God gave Benhadad the King of Syria into the hands of King Ahab , whom he let go çontrarÿ to Gods Pre(cript. And what followed.? You (hall hear the words of the Prophet : Becaufe tb'u hag letgo out of thyhand a manwham I appointedfor utter deftrutlion, therefore tbÿ 1 Kings co 34: Arfe (hall go for his life ; A heavy lentence ! 2. For putting the innocent todeath, we fee Ahàb condemned of Murther foi Kings ara3 caufìng Naboth to be f oned : and what a fearful judgment, God denouncethagain(] him for it by. the Prophet.. As alfo againft King David for the death of /lriahe And 2s- againli jterufalem for (toning the innocent Prophets. ivIatth. 23.32. We have Peen by this time, that a Magittrate may ( without breach ofthis Com- mandment ) put Malefa&ors to death, with the reafons for it, and the evils enfuing upon the negle& of it, he keeping himfelf within' the hounds prefcribed by God. Now wemull fee what Rules mutt be obferved inputting an offender to death. And they be three. r. That it be not judiciopervert, it mull bea'right judgment. As the nocent mutt not be fpared, fo the innocent muft not be put to death, his very hairs mutt beprc- ferved : ofwhich we have fpoken before. 2; Nor judicio ufurpato, by anufurped judgment ; every Judge is to keep his own limits : v s es tit, qui judicas alienum f rvum ? faith the Apo(tle, Who art thou that Rom. 14; 4. jadgejt another mans fervant ? If beyondjar gentium, the law of Stations, any Prince patanothermans rubjed to death, it is Ufurpation. 3. Laflly, not judicio temerario, ra(hly without lawful tryal. The Judges ( faith Deùt. s-9. a8. MIJes ) (hall make diligent enquiry. He that is condemned mull befour, guilty, and 17. d. that mutt be proved uponaccufation confirmed by tetiimony of two or three Wit- 19.5 neffes. We fee this pra&ifed by men otherwife wicked ; What acctfation bring you John 18. 29. going this man ? faith Pilate, in the cafe ofour Saviour. And in Saint Paul's, Freix Ads 23. 35 the Governour toldhim, that be would hear him when his accuJers were come. Laftly, 25,16. Feftur pronounced it to be againff the cultomeofthe Romans to deliver any man to die, before he fhould anfwer his accuferaface to face. And Saint Ambrofe faith, Judicis non fat Cor. 6. eft; fine accufatore damrare : quia Dominus- yudam, licetfuillit fur, emu nonTex accu- enfatus, minime abjecit. It is not the part ofa Judge to condemn any man, without an Accufer ; for our Saviour call not 7udar ol, though he were a Thief, becaufe no man accufed him. Nor is an accufation to be received, nor bloud tóbe flied, but ei- ther upon the parties ownconfetlìon, or upon proofby the mouths of two or three witneffes. And there are the Rules,againfl which ifany man condemn another, gui ita male,4cum interfecerit, homicida judicabitur, faithSaint Auguffine ; he !hall be ac- De oiv. Dd.; counted no better than a Murtherer. lib.3. Ofthe lawfulnefs ofWàr in tome cafes: 2. The fecond cafe wherein a Prince or Magifirate may lawfully flied blood, is, in undertaking a-lawful War,. either abroad againti the Enemy, or at home againft Rebels. For as he hatha fword to govern the people of his Kingdom, his own Sub- je&s; fobath hegladium exteriorem,a fword to defend them from the Enemy abroad. Certainly had.not War been Iawful,God would not have had a whole Chapter writ. Dent. 23. ten for thedire&ion ofhis people, when they went to War. Praliaveris prolia DO- mini, faith Abigail to David, My Lordfi hteth the banelaof the Lord. So that theLord bath his battels as well as peace. And Saint Aoegu/line, Noli exiftimare niminem Deo piacere poffe qui armis bellicis minifirat ; in bio eras fanatìs David, cui Dominus Ad noaif magnum teftimonismperbibet: Be not of opinion that one that followeth the War can pleafe God ; for holy David was a Souldier, and God gibes an ample teflimony of him. Fff
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