The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

§. 10. He that would know how far punishment is necessary to the ends of Government, must first know how far the Penal Law it self is necessary; for the first and chiefest benefit to the Common-wealth is from the Law, and the next from the Execution.

¹The first benefit is to constrain men to duty, and to restrain them from doing ill. This is done immediately by the fear of punishment, (with the expectation of the benefit): This fear of punishment is to be caused by the rational expectation of it, if they do offend. This expectation is to be caused by the commination of the Law. When the Law saith, [He that sinneth shall suffer] the Subject avoideth sin for fear of suffering. Therefore the Subject must believe that the Law-giver meaneth as he speaketh, even to govern and judge in Justice according to that Law: and he that can but make the Subject believe, that the Governor doth but affright men with a lie, and meaneth not to execute his penalties, shall easily make his Laws of none effect, and turn loose offenders to presumptuous disobedience. Therefore the fore-belief of execution is necessary to the efficacy of the Law, which else is but as a Mawkin to affright away birds, and fit to work on none but fools. And if it be so necessary a duty to the Subject to believe that the Law shall be the Norma judicii, and shall be executed; then in our present case it is certainly true: For God cannot lie, nor make it the duty of the world to believe a lie, nor need so vile a means to keep the world in order. So that it is most evident, that if the Law be necessary, the execution of it is ordinarily necessary; and either the execution, or some means as effectual to the ends of Government, is ever necessary.

¹The first benefit is to constrain men to duty, and to restrain them from doing ill. This is done immediately by the fear of punishment, (with the expectation of the benefit): This fear of punishment is to be caused by the rational expectation of it, if they do offend. This expectation is to be caused by the commination of the Law. When the Law saith, [He that sinneth shall suffer] the Subject avoideth sin for fear of suffering. Therefore the Subject must believe that the Law-giver meaneth as he speaketh, even to govern and judge in Justice according to that Law: and he that can but make the Subject believe, that the Governour doth but affright men with a lie, and meaneth not to execute his penalties, shall easily make his Laws of none effect, and turn loose offendors to presumptuous disobedience. Therefore the fore-belief of execution is necessary to the efficacy of the Law, which else is but as a Mawkin to affright away birds, and fit to work on none but fools. And if it be so necessary a duty to the Subject to believe that the Law shall be the Norma judicii, and shall be executed; then in our present case it is certainly true: For God cannot lie, nor make it the duty of the world to believe a lie, nor need so vile a means to keep the world in order. So that it is most evident, that if the Law be necessary, the execution of it is ordinarily necessary; and either the execution, or some means as effectual to the ends of Government, is ever necessary.