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the body, but are not able to kill the foul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both foul and body in hell."

Object. In the case of martyrdom in the cause of Christ, it is very reasonable; but that is not the cafe.

Anf. That is a mistake. The cafe fuppofed is indeed the cafe of martyrdom in the cause of Chrift. And I confidently aver, that whofoever fuffers for the testimony of a good confcience, and because he will not break any one of the commands of God, is as true a martyr for the cause of Christ, as he that dies on a gibbet for the maintenance of any of the articles of our creed. Is not holiness the cause of Christ? Has not a man in fuch a cafe the cause of martyrdom by the end? does he not lose his life for the fake of Chrift? has he not the call to martyrdom, Suffer or Sin? may he not look for the martyrs reward? And if he redeem life by finning, falls he not under the fame fearful doom, as in that cafe, Matth. x. 39. "He that findeth his life, fhall lofe it: and he that lofeth his life for my fake, fhall find it," Mark viii. 38. “Whofoever therefore fhall be afhamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and finful generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of man be afhamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." Are not the ten commands Chrift's words, as well as the articles of faith? Whatever difference may be betwixt these cafes, an impartial confideration will manifeft the cafe fuppofed is a greater trial of faith than the other. And God will furely make up to these secret unknown martyrs at the day of judgment, the honour which the open and manifeft martyrs have beforehand.

In difcourfing further from this subject, I fhall fhew,

I. What is required in this command.

II. What is forbidden in it.

I. I am to fhew, what is required in this command. It requires, as I faid before, "All lawful endeavours to preferve our own life, or the life of others."

FIRST, It requires, that, by all lawful endeavours, we preserve our own lives. Self-prefervation is the leading duty of this command. Brute creatures have a natural instinct for it. Our kind God has given man a written law for it,

whereby it may appear that we are dearer to our God than to ourselves. We We may take up this in two things.

FIRST, Thou must preserve the life of thine own foul. When God fays, Thou shalt not kill, doth he only take care for the body? No; doubtlefs of the foul too. He looks not

to the cabinet only, overlooking the jewel. The foul is the man, at least the best and most precious part of him. Two things here are in general required.

1. The careful avoiding of all fin, which is the destruction of the foul, Prov. xi. 19. It is by fin that men wrong their own fouls; whereby they wound them, fill them with poifonous things, and prepare the way for their eternal death, Prov. viii. ult.

2. The careful ufing of all means of grace and holy exercifes, for the begetting, preferving, and promoting fpiritual life, 1 Pet. ii. 2. As we must eat and drink for the life of our bodies, fo must we use these for the life of our fouls; eating Christ's body, and drinking Chrift's blood, by faith, drinking in his word. The foul has its sickness, decays, &c. as well as the body. Let it not pine away, but nourish it. SECONDLY, Thou must by all lawful endeavours preserve the life of thine own body. We may take up this in these three things.

1. Juft felf-defence against violence offered unto us by others unjustly, Luke xxii. 36. So a man ought to defend himself, if he can, against thieves or robbers; and therefore it is faid, "If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there fhall no blood be fhed for him," Exod. xxii. 2. Yet this must be only in the cafe of neceffity, where the violence cannot be escaped but by a violent repelling it; for all violent courses must be the last remedy, Luke vi. 29. Where a foft reception will still the violence offered, it is not the spirit of Chrift, but of Satan, that repels violence with violence. And when it is neceffary, no greater violence may be offered than what is neceffary to repel the attack, Exod. ii. 2. 31.

2. Furnishing our bodies with whatever is neceffary for their health and welfare, according to our ability; taking the moderate use of the means of health and life unto ourfelves, Eph. v. 29.; for in fo far as we use not the means of preferving them, we are guilty of destroying them. Therefore it is our duty to allow ourselves a competent portion

of meat and drink, wholesome food, as the Lord lays to our hands; to provide competent houfing and clothing, to refresh our bodies with a competent measure of reft and fleep; to use moderate labour, exercise and recreations, and medicine for the removal of diftempers. The use of these is neceffary, and the immoderate ufe of them hurtful; therefore the moderate and temperate use of them is our duty.

3. Keeping our affections regular, fubduing all inordinate and evil affections; for thefe are deftructive to the body as well as to the foul. So that a patient difpofition, a quiet mind, and a contented and cheerful spirit are duties of this command, as neceffary for the welfare of our bodies: whereas inordinate paffions are the ruin of them, Prov. xvii. 22. "A merry heart doth good like a medicine: but a broken fpirit drieth the bones."

SECONDLY, This command requires, that by all lawful endeavours we preserve the life of our neighbours. We may also take up this in two things.

FIRST, We must endeavour to preserve the life of their fouls,

1. By giving them the example of a holy life, for that edifies and builds up, Matth. v. 16.; whereas a scandalous walk is a foul-murdering practice.

2. By instructing, warning, reproving, and admonishing them as we have opportunity, where the cafe of their fin requires it, Jude 23.; and comforting them in distress, 1 Theff. v. 16.; and praying for them, Gen. xliii. 29. No man must say with Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" We are required to watch over one another. If our neighbour's ox or his afs fall into the ditch, we must also help them out: how much more when his foul is in hazard of falling into hell?

SECONDLY, We muft by all lawful endeavours preserve the life of our neighbour's body. Here God requires of us,

1. To protect and defend the innocent against unjust violence, according to every one's power, as they have a fair call to exercise the fame, whether it be in refpect of their name, goods, or life, Pfal. lxxxii. 3. 4. Prov. xxiv. 11. 12. And fo it is a duty of this command to reprefs tyranny, whereof we have commended example in the interpofition of the people to fave the life of Jonathan, 1 Sam. xiv. 45. VOL. II. No. 22. H

"And the people said unto Saul, fhall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great falvation in Ifrael? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, their fhall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not."

2. To give unto others the neceffaries of life, when in want, according to our ability. For as he that feeds not the fire puts it out, fo unmerciful people that shut up their bowels from the needy, are guilty of their blood before the Lord, Jam. ii. 15. 16.

3. To entertain fuch affections towards our neighbour, as may keep us back from injuring of him, and him from doing harm to himself; fuch as, charitable thoughts, love, compaffion, meeknefs, gentleness, kindness. These are as water to quench fire in us which may burn up others, and as oil unto others to refresh them, Eph. iv. ult.

4. A peaceable, mild, and courteous converfation, Prov. xv. 1. in looks, fpeech, and behaviour.

5. Lastly, With refpect to injuries, we ought to take all things in the best sense, 1 Cor. xiii. 5. 7. to avoid all occafions of ftrife, yea, even to part fometimes with our right for peace, as Abraham with Lot; to bear real injuries, Col. iii. 12. 13.; to forbear and be ready to be reconciled, and forgive injuries, yea, to requite good for evil, Matth. v. 44.

With respect to both our own life and the life of others, we are called to refift all thoughts, fubdue all paffions, avoid all occafions, temptations, and practices tending to the deftruction of our own life, or that of others of foul or body.

Who can understand his errors? What fhall come of us, if God enter into judgment with us? Our omiffions would ruin us, even in those things where we judge ourselves to be in the least hazard.

II. I come now to fhew, what is forbiden in the fixth commandment. It forbids "the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour, unjustly, and whatsoever tendeth thereunto."

Here I fhall confider this command as relating to our own life, and the life of our neighbour.

FIRST, I fhall confider this command as relating to our

own life; and that, 1. With respect to our fouls; and, 2. With refpect to our bodies.

FIRST, Thou shalt not kill thine own foul. Our kind God forbids us to be felf murderers and foul-murderers. We become guilty of the blood of our own fouls thefe

ways:

1. By neglecting of the means of grace and falvation, Prov. viii. 34. 36. The life of our fouls is a flame that must be kindled from above, and fed by means of grace. Whofo then neglect them, are guilty of their own blood. Confider this, ye prayerless perfons, ye that are at no pains to get knowledge, flighters of public ordinances, private duties, reading, meditation, &c,

2. By oppofing and fighting against the Lord's quickening work in the foul. They that murder convictions, murder their own fouls, as if they were refolved that they should never ftir in them, Prov. xxix. 1. Some, with Felix, put them off with fair promises; fome, with Cain, with the noise of axes and hammers; which is in effect, they will not let their fouls

recover.

3. By continuing in fin impénitent. God calls by his word and providence to the man, as Paul to the jailor, " Do thyself no harm." But, as if he were refolute on his own ruin, he will not forbear these courses. Wilful impenitency is the groffeft felf-murder, because foul-murder, Ezek. xviii. 30. 31. His foul is standing under a decayed roof, tell him that it will fall on him; but he will not stir a foot; is not his blood then on his own head?

4. By unbelief, and not coming to Chrift by faith, John v. 40. Many means are effayed to preserve the foul; but ftill it is ruined, because the main cure is neglected. Let a man use never so many remedies for his health, if he will not use the main cure neceffary, he is his own murderer. So refolutions, watchings, engagements, are tried; but if faith, and employing of Chrift for fanctification, is not tried, he is ftill a murderer.

O firs, confider this. Murder, felf-murder, foul-murder, is a crying fin. What wonder the man perifh who will perish? Will God fpare the fhedding of the blood of that foul, which the man himself is fo liberal of?

And hence fee that people not only may, but this command of God obliges them to feek the welfare and good of

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