Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

We have had for some considerable time a great deal of discourse about Penal Laws, and men have been much divided in their sentiments and apprehensions concerning them; for my part, I think that Nation is extremely deficient which is altogether without them, the Hedge of it is taken away, the Wall of it is broken, and it will easily be trodden down. But I heartily wish and pray that all Penal Laws may be framed according to the mind of the Supreme Law-giver; Let the axe be whetted as sharp as it should be, so that its edge be once turned and always kept the right way. Spare neither odious Idolatry, nor unsociable Popery, nor damnable Heresy, nor destructive profaneness, but under your shadow let Religion, Truth and the Power of godliness live, and a Scriptural Reformation grow and be carried on towards its perfection.

We have had for some considerable time a great deal of discourse about Penal Laws, and men have been much divided in their sentiments and apprehensions concerning them; for my part, I think that Nation is extreamly deficient which is altogether without them, the Hedge of it is taken away, the Wall of it is broken, and it will easily be troden down. But I heartily wish and pray that all Penal Laws may be framed according to the mind of the Supream Law-giver; Let the ax be whetted as sharp as it should be, so that its edge be once turn'd and always kept the right way. Spare neither odious Idolatry, nor unsociable Popery, nor damnable Heresy, nor destructive prophaneness, but under your shadow let Religion, Truth and the Power of godliness live, and a Scriptural Reformation grow and be carried on towards its perfection.

Fourthly, Let righteous and good Laws, that are made, have their free course, and the Sword of Justice be drawn, and not suffered to lye rusting in the Scabbard, as it will certainly do when put into the hand of a careless Gallio, or of persons that allow themselves in the Commission of those sins which the Law condemns, or in the hand of those that have not something of courage and a greatness of Spirit▪ Justice at all times is not to be expected from a wicked and ⟨p. 350⟩