inflict such punishment, but when man, having increased and multiplied, had been organized into a working theocracy, the law of a life for a life was clearly defined and strictly enforced.
In Genesis ix. 6 we read, " Whosoever sheds man's blood, his blood shall be shed," and in the following books we find the evolutions of this law and civil society keeping equal pace in recounting and specifying the numerous crimes worthy of death. Though the spirit of God grieves over the necessity of such drastic measures, still (Eccl. xv. 18) " before man is life and death, good and evil, and that which he shall choose shall be given to him," and hence holy Job (Job xix. 29) admonishes us to " flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquities." The consequences also of undue leniency are set forth where the prophet of God announces to Achab (III. Kings xx. 42) : " Because thou hast spared King Benadad, a man worthy of death, thy life shall be for his life," and tardy justice is reproved (Eccl. viii. 11): "Because sentence not being speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evil without fear." It may be objected that the old law of " an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth " was explicitly abrogated by the Saviour, and such indeed is the case as between man and man, but not as regards civil government and the punishment of capital crimes. Christ rebuked Peter's murderous assault on Malchus, " because," He said (Matt. xxvi. 52), " all that take the sword shall perish with the sword." The power of the sword is here denied to the indi-
