To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
THE punishment threatned to the slanderer, is destruction, or cutting off, if the case so require: as Deut. 19.19. And where the Prophet thus minaceth the slanderer, his meaning is, that he will prosecute him with all the extreamitie he can shew, though it be vnto death if the qualitie of the offence deserue it. And he will not so doe onely, when himselfe shall
be slandered, or it shall be his friend, or neere kinsman who is slaundered; but if any Neighbour, or Subiect, kins∣man, or other man, friend or not friend be so slandered, hee will cut off the slan∣derer.
* 1.1The point to be learned is; Gods Ma∣gistrates must indifferently administer punishments and rewards. As men sin, so they must be punished, and as they doe well, so they must haue praise for well doing. This the Lord commanded by Moses, Deut. 25.2.3: Where he that deserued chastisement was to be beaten according to his trespasse: for, according to the qua∣litie of his offence; he was to receiue moe, or fewer stripes. From the Throne procee∣ded lightnings and thunders. Apoc. 4.5. So from earthly thrones should come light∣nings, that is, warnings; and thunders, that is, strokes and claps, and sometimes, and for some faults, the bolt it selfe, which is present death. In Rome-heathen, the Ma∣gistrates had caried before them a bundle of roddes, and an Axe: the roddes for lesser faults, the Axe for greater. And this equitie should be obserued by all
those to whom is committed the power of life and death.
As in the last iudgement, euery one shall receiue the things that he hath done in his bodie, according to that which he hath done, good or euill. 2 Corinth. 5.10: so in mans iudgement, the qualitie must be conside∣red of that good or euill that shall be re∣warded, or must be corrected by him. Secondly, as the Lord iudgeth according to right, Gen. 18: so ought they also, who are his Ministers. Now, it is right that euery one should beare his sinne, that is, haue the punishment that it deserueth, and that he who soweth iniquitie, should reape the same. Ioh. 5.29. Thirdly, iudge∣ment is to be giuen in respect of matter, without respect of persons, Deuter. 1.17. Magistrates must not further the euill cause of a good man, nor hinder the good cause of an euill man. Though hee be a good man, if his cause be naught, they must iudge it, and though he be an euill man, if his cause be iust, they must heare it. In a stranger, they must consider iu∣stice, which is the friend; and in a friend,
proceede against wrong, which is the stranger.
* 1.2An admonition to Magistrates to be men of such courage in their iudgements, and of such experience in matters, that they may discerne what is right, & know∣ing what is iust, no consideration mortall may draw them from it. But more was spoken to this purpose (before) vpon the first verse. So much for the first kinde of euill persons: the second fol∣loweth.
Doct.
Vse.