This agrees with that ancient law, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man
shall his blood be shed (Gen. ix. 6), and proclaims, 1. The doom of the
shedder of blood. He that has committed murder, though he flees for his
life, shall be continually haunted with terrors, shall himself flee to
the pit, betray himself, and torment himself, like Cain, who, when he
had killed his brother, became a fugitive and a vagabond, and trembled
continually. 2. The duty of the avenger of blood, whether the
magistrate or the next of kin, or whoever are concerned in making
inquisition for blood, let them be close and vigorous in the
prosecution, and let it not be bought off. Those that acquit the
murderer, or do any thing to help him off, come in sharers in the guilt
of blood; nor can the land be purged from blood but by the blood of him
that shed it, Num. xxxv. 33.