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 inflict such  punishment,  but  when  man,  having  increased and  multiplied,  had  been  organized  into  a working  theocracy,  the  law  of  a  life  for  a  life  was clearly defined  and  strictly  enforced.

In Genesis  ix. 6 we  read,  "  Whosoever  sheds  man's blood,  his  blood  shall  be  shed,"  and  in  the  following books we  find  the  evolutions  of  this  law  and  civil  society keeping  equal  pace  in  recounting  and  specifying the numerous  crimes  worthy  of  death. Though the spirit of  God  grieves  over  the  necessity  of  such drastic measures,  still  (Eccl.  xv.  18)  "  before  man  is life  and  death,  good  and  evil,  and  that  which  he  shall choose  shall  be  given  to  him,"  and  hence  holy  Job (Job xix.  29)  admonishes  us  to  "  flee  from  the  face  of the  sword,  for  the  sword  is  the  revenger  of  iniquities." The consequences  also  of  undue  leniency  are  set  forth where the  prophet  of  God  announces  to  Achab (III. Kings  xx.  42) :  "  Because  thou  hast  spared  King Benadad,  a  man  worthy  of  death,  thy  life  shall  be  for his  life,"  and  tardy  justice  is  reproved  (Eccl.  viii.  11): "Because sentence  not  being  speedily  pronounced against  the  evil,  the  children  of  men  commit  evil without  fear." It may  be  objected  that  the  old  law of "  an  eye  for  an  eye  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth  "  was explicitly abrogated  by  the  Saviour,  and  such  indeed is the  case  as  between  man  and  man,  but  not  as  regards civil  government  and  the  punishment  of  capital crimes. Christ rebuked  Peter's  murderous  assault on Malchus,  "  because,"  He  said  (Matt.  xxvi.  52), " all  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword." The power  of  the  sword  is  here  denied  to  the  indi-