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THe fourth Argument seems to me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no small weight. If the Right 〈◊〉〈◊〉 capital punishments, and of defendin•…•… the people by force of Arms again•…•… Robbers * 1.1 and Spoilers, be taken away. thence will follow licence of wickednes•…•…
and a deluge as it were, and floud of e∣vils: when as, although Justice be now executed, that stream is hardly kept within the banks. Wherefore, had it been the mind of Christ, to bring in such a state of things, as was never heard of, doubtless he would in most plain and express terms have commanded, that none should give sentence of death, that none should bear Arms: which com∣mand he hath no where promulged: for, the alleged places are very general, or very obscure. Now equity and common reason shews, not only general words must be restrained, and doubtfull words commodiously explained, but the pro∣priety and received use of words some∣what declined, that a very incommodi∣ous and incoherent sense may be avoy∣ded.
Chrysost. in Serm. ad pat. sidelem. Propter hos sunt judicia & leges & supplicia totque poenarum modi.