them in Christ's ftead, they would be much more fenfible of their Obligations towards them, and would think that they owed their very felves to them (as the A pottle fpeaks, Phil. v. 19.) that is, all their best and mott folid Comforts here, and all their Hopes of Happinefs hereafter. But alas! there is fo little Senfe of Religion among us, that many are apt to look upon their Minifter, rather as an Incumbrance upon the Parish, and to think they could live better and eafier without him. In short, if we confider the general Neglect and Con tempt of our Superiours of all Ranks and Degrees whatfoever. We fhall find reafon enough to Pray, Lord have Mercy upon us, and incline our Hearts to keep this

Law.

LECTURE XVI.

Com. VI. Thou shalt do no Purther.

THE defign of this Precept is, that we should do no manner of hurt to the Perfon of our Neigh bour, but on the contrary all the Good we can. that hereiu,

So

I. We are commanded to use all lawful Means for the Prefervation of our own Life, and the Lives of others. And to this end, if it be poffible, and as much as lieth inus, we are to live peaceably with all Men, Rom. 12. 18. We are alfo hereby requir'd to love all Men, for Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Ch. 13. 10. And this (under the Gofpel) reaches even to our Enemies, Matth. 5:43, 44. Te bave heard that it hath been faid, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thineE nemy: But I fay unto you, love your Enemies, blefs them that Curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you and Perfecute you. This

made

ני

W

*

made Tertullian fay, That it was the manner of all Men to love their Friends, but the peculiar Glory of Chriftians to love their Enemies. And indeed this feems to have been the common Rule among the Heathens, † to love thofe that lov'd them (as our Saviour fays of the Publicans, v. 46.) Yet fome of them feem to have attain'd to an higher pitch of Charity, and which may be Matter of Shame to fome Chriftians. As he in Plutarch, who faid, We ought not only to love our Friends, but alfo endeavour to make our Enemies Friends. And of this he elsewhere gives us a remarkable Instance in two Brothers, one of which was fo grievoufly offended, that he broke out into this bitter Expreffion, Let me perish if I be not revenged on you: To which the other mildly anfwer'd, And let me perish if I do not prevail with you to be reconcil'd

II. We are forbidden all manner of Murther or BloodShed, directly or indirectly, and all things leading to it, how much foever we may be provok'd thereto. But for the clearer Explication of this Prohibition, it will be needful to confider the feveral forts of Murther, or what is included, and may come under that Denomination. And,

1. There is the Murther of the Hand, or actual Mur ther; which is the Killing of any Perfon wilfully, by Stabbing, Drowning, Strangling, Poifoning, or any other way. Now the Law against Murther was in force long before the time of Mofes, even immediately after the Flood, Gen. 9. 6. Whofo Sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man fhall bis Blood be fhed: For in the image of God made be Man. Where the Penalty annex'd is Death, whereas before, when Cain flew his Brother Abel, Gen. 4. 12. he was only punished with Banishment: A

* Amicos diligere eft omnium, inimicos autem folorum Christianorum. † τὸν φιλέοντα φιλεν.

*

Fugitive and a Vagabond fhalt thou be in the Earth, and a Mark was fet upon him, left any finding him (hould kill him, v. 15. One reafon of which might be the few. nefs ofiinhabitants on the Earth at that time to replenish it. And fince the eating of Flesh seems to have been unknown before the Flood, and by confequence the kil ling of Beafts, or the like, 'tis fuppos'd by the Learned Grotius, that no Victims were Sacrific'd till afterwards, because nothing was wont to be Offer'd in Sacrifice to God, but what was of ufe to. Man. And another Reafon may be drawn from the Scarcity of Creatures at the beginning, which 'tis not likely that God would have leffen'd meerly for his own Honour to the Prejudice of Mankind. For tho' we read that Abel Offered of the Firstlings of the Flock, and of the Fat thereof, Gen. 4. 4. The Learned Monfieur Le Clerc, obferves that the Hebrew word there ufed, fignifies Milk as well as Fat, and fo by the Figure Hendiadys, which is very ufual with the Hebrews, and very frequent in Scripture, the Senfe of the Words may be this, That Abel brought of the Milk of the Firfilings of his Flock. And 'tis probable, that by this Rite God would fignifie that the Increase of all Creatures was owing to him. But when Noah began to build an Altar unto the Lord, and of every clean Beaft, and every clean Fowl to Offer Burnt-offerings on the Altar, Gen. 8. 20. And when a Commiffion was given them to eat Flesh, Ch. 9. 3. as well as Herbs and the Fruits of the Earth, which before was their only Food; it feem'd neceffary, after they were thus accustomed to the Slaying of Beafts, to affix a greater Penalty to the Prohibition againft Killing of Men. And this diftinguishing Reafon is given of it, For in the Image of God made he Man: So that this is an Affront to God, as well as an Injury to Man; and a kind of Treafon against the Divine Majefty.

* Nihil Dco facrari folet, nifi quod in ufu fit hominum.

But

But there are two forts of this Sin more efpecially to be avoided, tho' too often practis'd, viz. Self-murther and Duels. The former of thefe is certainly condemn'd here, the words being indefinite, Thou shalt not Kill, without any Limitation or Exception, and therefore is equally against those who Murther themfelves as well as others. Nay, this is more heinous, as being more Unnatural, and more dangerous by cutting off all poffibility of Repentance, and more vain and foolish in plunging themselves into certain Mifery, 'to avoid those that are uncertain, and expofing then to thofe that are intolerable and endless, to avoid thofe that are light and momentary; and which only Pride or Paffion, Impatience or Unbelief renders unea fie to them, and which afterwards they would be very glad to return and undergo; according to that of the Poet, Virg. Æn.6.

Quam vellent athere in alto

Nunc & pauperiem & duros preferre labores!

The other of Duels is certainly Murther, whether they kill or be killed. And thefe are ufually occafion'd, either by fome falfe Notion of Honour, whereby they thew themselves more afraid of the Reproaches of Men, and Difgrace in the World, than of the Wrath and Dif pleasure of God; and are lefs unwilling to lefe their Lives than their Souls: Or elfe through a vehement Defire of Revenge for fome pretended Injury, which might be righted a more legal way; and which however they have no Authority to Punith in fuch a manner, fince this is to be Fudges in their own Cause, and to take God's Office out of his hand, who has faid, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it. And to this Head may be refer'd (tho' in a lower degree) all Quarrelling and Fighting with an Intention to Maim or Wound another, to which a proportionable Punishment is affign'd, Lev. 24. 19. If a Man cause a blemish. in his Neighbour, as he has done, fo Shall it be done to bim; Breach for Breach,

KA

Breach, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, and the like, was order'd by the Lex Talionis among the Romans and other Nations. And by the way, we may learn from hence, as well as from that great Law, that whofoever Sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man fhall his Blood be fhed; befides the frequent Commands of God in Scripture, and the common practice of all Nations; that two forts of Perfons are exempted from the Penalty of this Law, viz. Such as are employ'd in the Execution of Juftice, and fuch as are engag'd in a just and lawful War. But,

2. There is the Murther of the Tongue, that is, by Slandering, Reproaching and Reviling another. For (as St. James fays) The Tougue is a World of Iniquity, Chap. 3. 6. And as therewith blefs we God, even the Fa ther, fo therewith alfo curfe we Men, which are made after the Similitude of God, Ver. 9. Which is the very Reafon affigned in the Law against Murther. And therefore to this Head may well be refer'd thofe Curfes and Execrations fo frequently practis'd by many People. But as to Railing and Reviling, thefe are exprefly reduc'd to this Prohibition by our Saviour himself, in his Expofition of this Commandment, Matth. 5. 21, 22. Te bave heard that it was faid by them of old time, Thou fhalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, fhall be in danger of the Fudgment: But I fay unto you, that whofoever shall fay to his Brother, Raca, Shall be in danger of the Council; but whofoever shall fay, thou Fool, Shall be in danger of Hell-fire.

3. There is the Murther of the Heart, which is when the Heart is filled with Hatred, Envy, Malice and Revenge against any one. So 1 John 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer. And our Saviour fays, That out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murthers, &c. Matth. 15. 19. And in the forecited place, Matth. 5. 22. Te have heard that it was faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill :-- But I fay unto you, That whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Caufe, Shall