Men are gods, or, The dignity of magistracy, and the duty of the magistrate…

It is the Devils work to be Abaddon, a destroyer. It is Christs work to be Goel a Redeemer. Mercy and truth preserve the King, his Throne is established by mercy, Prov. 20.28. Mercy sometime to them that sin through weakness, may be as profitable, as severity to them that sin through wilfulness.

¹It was certainly a cursed speech of that man or rather Monster, (whom the Italian Orator mentioneth) that being a Judge said, To hang many is my Jubilee, and a great execution is my great recreation.² The expression of the Roman Emperor is worthy of imitation, That he had rather save the life of one of his Subjects, then take away the lives of a thousand of his enemies. Life is a precious jewel, more worth then all this world. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life, Job 1. It is not therefore to be taken away for every trifle. I do not now dispute the question, Whether any Theft may lawfully be punished with death, but I am sure, every Theft ought not. The Romans had their Axes and Rods carried before their Consuls, to show that if the lesser punishments, as of the rods, would serve, the greater of the Axe should not be used. And they did justly lament the cruelty of those tribunals where the cheap prescription of lives made the Judgement-seat differ little from a Shambles.

¹It was certainly a cursed speech of that man or rather Monster, (whom the Italian Orator mentioneth) that being a Judge said, To hang many is my Jubile, and a great execution is my great recreation.² The expression of the Roman Emperour is worthy of imitation, That he had rather save the life of one of his Subjects, then take away the lives of a thousand of his enemies. Life is a precious jewel, more worth then all this world. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life,