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ton…spinning provinces； have communed with no Reality； or awful Presence of a Fact； godlike or diabolic； in this Universe or this unfathomable Life at all。 Hunger…stricken asphyxied hearts； which have nourished themselves on what they call religions； Christian religions。 Good Heaven； once more fancy the Christian religion of Oliver Cromwell； or of some noble Christian man； whom you yourself may have been blessed enough； once； long since； in your life； to know！ These are not _untrue_ religions； they are the putrescences and foul residues of religions that are extinct； that have plainly to every honest nostril been dead some time； and the remains of whichO ye eternal Heavens； will the nostril never be delivered from them！Such hearts； when they get upon platforms； and into questions not involving money； can 〃believe〃 many things！
I take the liberty of asserting that there is one valid reason； and only one； for either punishing a man or rewarding him in this world； one reason； which ancient piety could well define： That you may do the will and commandment of God with regard to him； that you may do justice to him。 This is your one true aim in respect of him； aim thitherward； with all your heart and all your strength and all your soul； thitherward； and not elsewhither at all！ This aim is true； and will carry you to all earthly heights and benefits； and beyond the stars and Heavens。 All other aims are purblind； illegitimate； untrue； and will never carry you beyond the shop…counter； nay very soon will prove themselves incapable of maintaining you even there。 Find out what the Law of God is with regard to a man； make that your human law； or I say it will be ill with you； and not well！ If you love your thief or murderer； if Nature and eternal Fact love him； then do as you are now doing。 But if Nature and Fact do _not_ love him？ If they have set inexorable penalties upon him； and planted natural wrath against him in every god…created human heart；then I advise you； cease； and change your hand。
Reward and punishment？ Alas； alas； I must say you reward and punish pretty much alike！ Your dignities； peerages； promotions； your kingships； your brazen statues erected in capital and county towns to our select demigods of your selecting； testify loudly enough what kind of heroes and hero…worshippers you are。 Woe to the People that no longer venerates； as the emblem of God himself； the aspect of Human Worth； that no longer knows what human worth and unworth is！ Sure as the Decrees of the Eternal； that People cannot come to good。 By a course too clear； by a necessity too evident； that People will come into the hands of the unworthy； and either turn on its bad career； or stagger downwards to ruin and abolition。 Does the Hebrew People prophetically sing 〃Ou' clo'！〃 in all thoroughfares； these eighteen hundred years in vain？
To reward men according to their worth： alas； the perfection of this； we know； amounts to the millennium！ Neither is perfect punishment； according to the like rule； to be attained；nor even； by a legislator of these chaotic days； to be too zealously attempted。 But when he does attempt it；yes； when he summons out the Society to sit deliberative on this matter； and consult the oracles upon it； and solemnly settle it in the name of God； then； if never before； he should try to be a little in the right in settling it！In regard to reward of merit； I do not bethink me of any attempt whatever； worth calling an attempt； on the part of modern Governments； which surely is an immense oversight on their part； and will one day be seen to have been an altogether fatal one。 But as to the punishment of crime； happily this cannot be quite neglected。 When men have a purse and a skin； they seek salvation at least for these； and the Four Pleas of the Crown are a thing that must and will be attended to。 By punishment； capital or other； by treadmilling and blind rigor； or by whitewashing and blind laxity； the extremely disagreeable offences of theft and murder must be kept down within limits。
And so you take criminal caitiffs； murderers； and the like； and hang them on gibbets 〃for an example to deter others。〃 Whereupon arise friends of humanity； and object。 With very great reason； as I consider； if your hypothesis be correct。 What right have you to hang any poor creature 〃for an example〃？ He can turn round upon you and say； 〃Why make an 'example' of me； a merely ill…situated； pitiable man？ Have you no more respect for misfortune？ Misfortune； I have been told； is sacred。 And yet you hang me； now I am fallen into your hands； choke the life out of me； for an example！ Again I ask； Why make an example of me； for your own convenience alone？〃All 〃revenge〃 being out of the question； it seems to me the caitiff is unanswerable； and he and the philanthropic platforms have the logic all on their side。
The one answer to him is： 〃Caitiff； we hate thee； and discern for some six thousand years now； that we are called upon by the whole Universe to do it。 Not with a diabolic but with a divine hatred。 God himself； we have always understood； 'hates sin；' with a most authentic； celestial； and eternal hatred。 A hatred； a hostility inexorable； unappeasable； which blasts the scoundrel； and all scoundrels ultimately； into black annihilation and disappearance from the sum of things。 The path of it as the path of a flaming sword： he that has eyes may see it； walking inexorable； divinely beautiful and divinely terrible； through the chaotic gulf of Human History； and everywhere burning； as with unquenchable fire； the false and death…worthy from the true and life…worthy； making all Human History； and the Biography of every man； a God's Cosmos in place of a Devil's Chaos。 So is it； in the end； even so； to every man who is a man； and not a mutinous beast； and has eyes to see。 To thee； caitiff； these things were and are； quite incredible； to us they are too awfully certain；the Eternal Law of this Universe； whether thou and others will believe it or disbelieve。 We； not to be partakers in thy destructive adventure of defying God and all the Universe； dare not allow thee to continue longer among us。 As a palpable deserter from the ranks where all men； at their eternal peril； are bound to be： palpable deserter； taken with the red band fighting thus against the whole Universe and its Laws； wesend thee back into the whole Universe； solemnly expel thee from our community； and will； in the name of God； not with joy and exultation； but with sorrow stern as thy own； hang thee on Wednesday next； and so end。〃
Other ground on which to deliberately slay a disarmed fellow…man I can see none。 Example； effects upon the public mind； effects upon this and upon that： all this is mere appendage and accident； of all this I make no attempt to keep account；sensible that no arithmetic will or can keep account of it； that its 〃effects；〃 on this hand and on that； transcend all calculation。 One thing； if I can calculate it； will include all； and produce beneficial effects beyond calculation； and no ill effect at all； anywhere or at any time： What the Law of the Universe； or Law of God； is with regard to this caitiff？ That； by all sacred research and considerat