different name, of man-slaughter, given it, and a different punishment prescribed for the first offence; yet in the sight of God it is as truly murder as the former, though freer from aggravations. The mischief done is done purposely; and neither passion, nor provocation, gives authority for doing it, or even any great excuse. For as God hath required us, he hath certainly enabled us, to restrain the hastiest sallies of our anger, especially from such enormities as this.

Nor doth it materially alter the nature, or lessen at all the degree of the sin, if, whilst we attack another, we give him an opportunity to defend himself, and attack us as in duelling. Still taking away his life is murder: exposing our own is so likewise; as I shall quickly shew you. And an appointment of two persons to meet for this purpose, under pretence of being bound to it by their honour, is an agreement in form to commit, for the sake of an absurd notion, or rather an unmeaning word, the most capital offence against each other, and their Maker; of which, if their intention succeed, they cannot have time to repent.

As to the manner, in which murder is committed; whether a person do it directly himself, or employ another; whether he do it by force, or fraud, or colour of justice; accusing falsely, or taking any unfair advantage: these things make little further difference in the guilt, than that the most artful and studied way is generally the worst.

And though a design of murder should not take effect; yet whoever hath done all that he could towards it, is plainly as much a sinner, as if it had. Nay, doing any thing towards it, or so much as once intending it, or assisting or encouraging any other who intends it, is the same sort of wickedness. And if a person doth not directly design the death of

another; yet if he designedly doth what he knows or suspects may probably occasion it; he is, in proportion to his knowledge, or suspicion, guilty. Nay, if he is only negligent in matters, which may affect human life; or meddles with them, when he hath cause to think he understands them not, he is far from innocent. And there are several professions and employments, in which these truths ought to be considered with a peculiar degree of seriousness.

Further yet if it be criminal to contribute in any manner towards taking a person's life immediately; it must be criminal also to contribute any thing towards shortening it, which is taking it away after a time whether by bringing any bodily disease upon him, or causing him any grief or anxiety of mind, or by what indeed will produce both, distressing him in his circumstances: concerning which the son of Sirach saith: He that taketh away his neighbour's living, slayeth him; and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire, is a blood-shedder*.

Indeed, if we cause or procure any sort of hurt to another, though it hath no tendency to deprive him of life, yet if it makes any part of his life, more or less, uneasy or uncomfortable, we deprive him so far of what makes it valuable to him: which is equivalent to taking so much of it away from him, or possibly worse.

Nay, if we do a person no harm: yet if we wish him harm, St. John hath determined the case: Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderert. For indeed, hatred not only leads to murder; and too often, when indulged, produces it unexpectedly; but it is always, though perhaps for the most part in a lower degree, the very spirit of murder in the heart; and it † 1 John iii. 15.

Ecclus. xxxiv. 22.

is by our hearts that God will judge us. Nay, should our dislike of another not rise to fixed hatred and malice; yet if it rise to unjust anger, we know our Saviour's declaration, It was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgement. But I say unto you, Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement*. That is, whosoever is angry, either with persons that he ought not, or on occasions that he ought not, or more vehemently, or sooner, or longer than he ought, is guilty in some measure of that uncharitableness of which murder is the highest act; and liable to the punishment of it in the same proportion.

Nor even yet have I carried the explanation of this commandment to the extent of our duty. Whoever doth not, as far as can be reasonably expected from him, endeavour to guard his neighbour from harm, to make peace, to relieve distress and want, fails of what love to human kind certainly requires. Now love is the fulfilling of the law†: and he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.

We are also carefully to observe, that however heinous it is, to sin against the temporal life of any one; injuring him in respect of his eternal interests, is yet unspeakably worse. If it be unlawful to kill or hurt the body, or overlook men's wordly necessities; much more is it to destroy the soul of our brother, for whom Christ died §: or any way endanger it; or even suffer it to continue in danger, if we have in our power the proper and likely means of delivering it. And, on the other hand, all that mercy and humanity, which, in the civil concerns of our neigh

*Matth. v. 21, 22.
+ 1 John iii. 14.

Rom. xiii. 10.

Rom. xiv. 15.

bours is so excellent a duty, must proportionably be still more excellent in their religious ones, and of higher value in the sight of God.

Hitherto I have considered the prohibition, Thou shalt do no murder, as respecting others: but it forbids also self-murder. As we are not to commit violence against the image of God in the person of any of our brethren: so neither in our own. As we are not to rob the society to which we belong, or any part of it, of the service, which any other of its members might do it; we are not to rob either of what we might do. As we are not to send any one else out of the world prematurely; we are not to send ourselves; but wait with patience all the days of our appointed time, till our change come*. If the sins, which persons have committed, prompt them to despair; they of all others, instead of rushing into the presence of God by adding this dreadful one to them, should earnestly desire space to repent†, which, by his grace, the worst of sinners may do, and be forgiven. If their misfortunes or sufferings make them weary of life; he hath sent them these with design, that they should not by unlawful means evade them, but go through them well; whether they be inflicted for the punishment of their faults, or the trial of their virtues. In either case, we are to submit quietly to the discipline of our heavenly Father: which he will not suffer to be heavier than we can bear, whatever we may imagine; but will support us under it, improve us by it, and in due time release us from it. But in any case for persons to make away with themselves, is to arraign the constitution of things which he hath appointed; and to refuse living where he hath put them to live: a very provoking instance of undutifulness, and made peculiarly fatal † Rev. ii. 21.

* Job. xiv. 14.

by this circumstance, that leaving usually no room for repentance, it leaves none for pardon always excepting, where it proceeds from a mind so disordered by a bodily disease, as to be incapable of judging or acting reasonably. For God knows with certainty when this is the cause, and when not and will accordingly either make due allowances, or make none.

And if destroying ourselves be a sin, doing any thing wilfully or heedlessly, that tends to our destruction, must in proportion be a sin. Where indeed necessity requires great hazards to be run by some persons for the good of others; as in war, in extinguishing dangerous fires, in several cases which might be named; or where employments and professions which somebody or other must undertake, or such diligence in any employment as men are by accidents really called to use, impair health and shorten life; there, far from being thrown away, it is laudably spent in the service of God and man. for any person to bring on himself an untimely end, by adventurous rashness, by ungoverned passion, by an immoderate anxiety, or by an obstinate or careless neglect of his own preservation, is unquestionably sinful. And above all, doing it by debauchery or immoral excess, is a most effectual way of ruining the soul and body at once.

But

Let us therefore be conscientiously watchful against every thing which may provoke, or entice us, to be injurious, either to others or ourselves. And God grant, that we may so regard the lives of our fellow-creatures, and so employ our own, that we may ever please the Giver and Lord of life; and having faithfully lived to him here, may eternally live with him hereafter, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen.