The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-02-24

thy right cheek, turn to him the other al
so.-Matt. 5c.-3S, 39v.
We then that are strong ought to beal
the iDfrmites of the weak, and not tt
please ourselves.-Rom. Is c.-lv.
Therefore all things whatsoever u
would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them: for this is the law and
the prophets.-Matt. c.-12v.
This teaches US Enthusiastically that il
is our duty to be charitable and merciful
and that the law and the prophets SO far
as they relate to US, are reduced to
this: That we should do to others as
we would have them to do unto U.s.
Then everything in the law and the
prophets not consistent with this is re-
pealed, or superseded.
The following verses I believe are gen.
orally strongly and mainly relied upon
by the advocates of capital punishment.
Think not that am come to destroy
the law or the prophets: 1 am not come
to destroy, but to fulfill. For verify say
unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one title shall in 40 wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled
Matt. c.-l7, I6v.
Now, it is we'll known that the term
''law" has different meanings, owing to
the sense in which it is used. The above
however, in connection with the "proph-
cts" appears to have reference to the
prophecies and Decalogue; for, when he
said, 81 come not to destroy the law, or
the prophets" he meant evidently that
he came to verify the predictions of the
prophets and to confirm the decalogue.-
For If he had not come the prophets pre-
dictions would not have been fulfilled,
and hence would have been Destroyed
And that nothing should pass from the
law till all be fulfilled, N ost undoubtedly
has reference to the commandments, and
not to the law of Moses, as many suppose.
The following passages prove that the
Mosaic code is repealed:
For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not un0er the lar bit un-
der grace.-Rom. 6 c.-l4v.
Grace is defined to mean the free favor
of God bestowed upon men without any
merit or claim on their part. The New
Testament reveals the plan by which this
grace is bestowed consistently with the
divine attrbutes-the atouoment, medi-
alton, and intercession of Christ. This
shows clearly that We are not under the
law of Moses, as the word claw" in this
case has reference to, but that We are un-
der the teachings of the New Testament
as explained or proru!g gated by Christ
We admit that the Law of God or the
Commandments, were established or con-
frmed by Christ. But where can the
advocates of Capital punishment find any
thing in the Decslogue, that can pos
sibly be Interpreted to sanction the taking
of human life; but on the contrary, we
are strictly forbidden to take human life:
God says: "IHow shalt not kaU." Who
shall not kill =! Why, man shall not kill
his fellow-man. 1s it not remarkable
that the advocates of capital punishment,
will quote this same commandment to
justify them in numbering an unfortunate,
to say the least of it, fellow beingl Has
Commonwealth better right to murder
than a private individuall We think
that the individual is much more excuse
able than the Com monwealth, for the in
dividual is often void of education; of
low intellect and imperfectly developed
moral perceptions; whereas the Com
monwea!th has the benefit of all these ad.
vautages. One more passage which to us
is conclusive that the Mosaic code is SUI.
perceded
The law and the prophets acere until
John: since that time the kingdom of
God is preached, and man presseth into
it-Luke l6 c.-l6v.
The kingdom of God, denotes the gos-
pei dispensatioD under the government
of the Messiah in distinction from the
typical kingdom of the Jews. Here
Christ distinctly and unequisocally states
that the law and the prophets, (tbat is,
Moses and the Prophets acere until john
the direct Specification of which is, that
after John, there was new dispensation
which superseded Moses and
the prophets. This is not only signiied
but distinctly stated. Then, in order for
the advocates of capital punishment to
find authority according to the law of
God, for the taking of human life, they
are compelled to fnd it 10 the New Tes.
lament as DromulO sted hy Christ Tb;s