JOS On the Punishment for 



written code existed for the govern- 

 mciit of mankind. This Divine com- 

 mand, however, was afterwards incor- 

 porated into the body of the Jewish 

 laws; and, notwith.standin<; six Cities 

 of Refuge were ap|)ointed for the safety 

 of such as were guilty of manslaugh- 

 ter, yet these were to aflord no secu- 

 rity to the murderer ; he w as certainly 

 to be put to deatli. Tlie statute thus 

 enjoined by Divine authority, con- 

 formable with the principle of the Lex- 

 talionis upon which a great part of the 

 Hebrew law was founded, remained in 

 force for a period of 1500 years, till 

 the coming of our Saviour. Through 

 Him an essential change was efi'ected 

 in the Divine administration, by the 

 introduction of a new code, opposed 

 to the fornior in many particulars. 

 The chief ciiaracterislic in this new 

 code was mercy, and its great design 

 tiie reformation of the offender, conso- 

 nant with the practice of its Divine 

 author, who declared, " That lie came 

 not to destroy men's lives, but to save 

 them ; and that he willed not the death 

 of any, but that all should come unto 

 him, and live." Now St. Paul says, 

 "If the first covenant had been found 

 faultless, then liad no place been 

 sought for the second." And it is 

 surely somewhat remarkable, that, 

 though this second and more perfect 

 one has been introduced, and is allow- 

 ed by religionists to contain all that is 

 essential for the instruction of man ; 

 yet the clause inflicting death on the 

 murderer is left out. The safest so- 

 lution of this appears to be, that it was 

 never designed to be in; indeed, had 

 it been introduced, there might be 

 some difficulty to reconcile it with (he 

 mild and redeeming sjjirit of that law 

 of which it would form a part. 



The Apostle says, in his Epistle to 

 Titus, "That our Saviour gave himself 

 for us, that he might redeem us from 

 all iniquity ;" and we know that his 

 law cannot be opposed to this. Now 

 it may be well to consider how far the 

 punishment of death, under the cir- 

 cumstances in which it is iiiflicled, is 

 found in conl'ormity with the example 

 of the one, or precepts of the otlier. 

 The design of both united is the salva- 

 tion of the soul ; but where is the 

 redeeming spirit n)anifest in that act 

 which takes away the lile of man at a 

 time when accunuilated and unrepeut- 

 ed-of guilt has destined him to a place 

 anionu the lost forever! Surely,if there 



Murder by Death? [April ?, 



be a period in his sinful career, if there 

 be a limit to which he has the farthest 

 estranged himself from the presence of 

 God, it must be at the moment when he 

 could be guilty of the perpetration of 

 murder ; and at no time can there be a 

 louder call for his fellow men to unite 

 their energies in attempting his rescue 

 than this. Exertions should be made 

 in proportion to the turpitude of his 

 heart. Heaven was designed for man, 

 and earth the place in which he should 

 be fitted for it ; and he that succeeds 

 in restoring a fallen brother, will in 

 .some measure realize the cheering 

 picture of the shepherd returning, and 

 calling together his (riends and neigh- 

 bours, saying unto them, "Rejoice 

 with me, for I have found the sheep 

 that was lost." " I say unto you (were 

 the words of our Saviour, to those at 

 the lime this parable was S})oken,) 

 thiit likewise joy shall be in heaven 

 over one sinner that repenteth, more 

 than over ninety and nine just persons 

 that need no repentance." 



Hence we sie the value and im- 

 portance in which every soul is held ; 

 and, so far from any limit being hiid 

 down, beyond which no attempt shall 

 be made lor its recover}^ a reward is 

 offered to all who shall succeed in 

 effecting it ; for, " Whoso convcrteth 

 a sinner from the error of his ways, 

 saveth a soul from death, and shall 

 hide a multitude of sins." 



To judge that any act, however 

 enormous, ought to deprive a man of 

 time for repentance, and, consecjuent- 

 ly, of the benefits which this may 

 bring, — is surely not judging in the 

 spirit of that beautiful monition of our 

 Lord's, in his sermon on tlie Mount, 

 when he says, " Blessed are the mer- 

 ciful, for they shall obtain mercy." 



It is the boast of many Civilians, 

 who have written in commendation of 

 the English law, that its superstruc- 

 ture is raised upon, and in conformity 

 with. Christian principles. But the 

 design of Christ and his scheme Is the 

 redemption and life of man ; sins, 

 whether of the crimson or scarlet dye, 

 are, upon repentance, to be forgiven ; 

 whereas that act in our criminal code, 

 which inflicts (he punishment of death, 

 deprives the criminal of proper time 

 for repenting ; and, so far from pro- 

 moting the object for which Chist 

 came, and the intention of his law, is 

 Ojiposed to both. 



'Jhis punishment will a!.so appear 

 contrary 



