The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Commandment 6
THE SIXT COMMANDEMENT.
THOV ſhalt doe no murther.
The ſcope or end of this commandement is, the preſeruation of the life & ſafetie of mens bodies, & of the welfare both of our ſelues & others. Here are forbidden al thoſe thinges which tend to the deſtruction of our life or the life of others. Now in this prohibition is named murther, thereby to take away together with the effect the proper cauſes thereof, and vnderunder the name of murther, are all ſinnes which accompanie it comprehended, that by ſignifieng thus the heinouſnes and grieuouſnes thereof, wee may bee the more effectuallie withdrawen ad deterred from committing thē. And contrarily here are commanded all thoſe things which tend to the ſafetie of our life and others. The ſubſtance and ſumme of the commandement is, that we neither harme by any externall work either our owne life, or the life of any other, or any mans ſafety and welfare of bodie, either by force or by deceit; neither wiſhe in affection or will an impairing thereof, or ſignifie by any tokens any ſuch affection or will, but of the contrary endeuour to defend and preſerue the ſame to the vtmoſt of our power.
Here is to bee proued, 1. That internal things are alſo commaunded and forbidden by this commaundement. 2. That the defence of our neighbour is commaunded. 3. That the hurting either of our ſelues or others is forbidden.
1 Internall thinges are commaunded and forbidden, 1. Becauſe when the effect is commaunded or forbidden, the cauſe is alſo commaunded or forbidden. 2. From the ſcope and end of the commaundement: God will not hauehave vsus to hurt any: Therefore hee forbiddeth the meanes alſo, whereby wee may hurt. 3 Whoſoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduiſedlie, ſhalbe culpable of iudgement.
2 The defence of our neighbor is commanded: Becauſe negatiue commandements include affirmatiues. Thou ſhalt doe no murther; Therefore thou ſhalt help & aid thy neighbour.
3 The hurting as well of our ſelues, as of others, is forbidden, becauſe the cauſes why God commandeth vsus to hauehave regard of anothers life, are the ſame in vsus. 1 The Jmage of God in man. 2. The ſimilitude and likenes of nature, and our original from our firſt Parents. We may not bee cruel againſt our owne fleſh: but as all hauehave iſſued from the ſame, namely frō our firſt Parents, & are our fleſh, ſo are we our ſelues eſpeciallie: Therfore we leſſe ought to hurt our ſelues than others. 3. The greatnes of the price and raunſome wherewith Chriſt purchaſed all the members of the Church. 4. The coniunction of Chriſts members. And ſeeing theſe cauſes are found in our ſelues alſo, it followeth that by this lawe eueryevery one is forbidden to hurt or neglect his owne life or bodie.
Wherefore, Thou ſhalt doe no murther, ſignifieth, 1 Thou ſhalt not deſire to murther either thy ſelfe, or others. For what God will hauehave not to bee doone of vsus, that dooth hee not grant to be wiſhed or deſired. 2 Neither ſhalt thou intimate or ſignifie anie deſire of murthering either thy ſelfe or others. For, the deſire and wiſhing whereof God forbiddeth, he forbiddeth alſo any inckling or ſignification thereof to be giuen either in words, or behauiour, or countenance. 3. Neither ſhalt thou put this deſire in execution. For, the deſire and ſignification whereof God forbiddeth, hee verily much more forbiddeth the practiſe and execution thereof. The contrary then is: Thou ſhalt louelove thy ſelfe and others, 1. In heart and deſire. 2. Jn ſignification. 3. In practiſe and execution. Hence ſpring and ariſe all the vertues of this commandement, and likewiſe the contrary vices vntounto them.
The vertues of this ſixt commaundement.
THOSE things that are here commaunded, tend (as it hath beene ſaide) to the preſeruation of the life or ſafetie of men. And the ſafetie of men is preſerued, either by not hurting, or by helping them. Whereby are made two diuers kindes of vertues of this commaundement; the former wherof conteineth the vertues which tend to the not hurting of mans ſafetie; the other compriſeth the vertues which tend to the helping and furthering of mens ſafety.
The vertues not hurting the ſafetie of men.
THESE are of three ſortes. For we are ſaid not to hurt three waies: to wit, either being not hurt or prouoked, or being prouoked, or both waies. In the firſt maner of not hurting conſiſteth Particular iuſtice, hurting no man. This particular iuſtice not hurting anie man, is a vertue ſhunning all harmings, which are done either by violence, or by deceit, or by neglect of our owne and others ſafetie: and ſo neither by indeuour, nor by neglect hurting the life or bodie of any of whome wee are not hurt, except God commaund it. This is expreſſed in the woordes, Thou ſhalt doe no murther.
In the ſecond manner of not hurting conſiſt Mildnes & Equabilitie. For vntounto theſe vertues is it proper, not to hurt, albeit we be prouoked. Mildnes or placabilitie, or eaſineſſe in forgiuing, is a vertue moderatreſſe and gouerneſſe of anger, which ſhunneth al iuſt anger, ſo that a mild man wil neither be angry for no cauſe, neither vpō a light cauſe; & where there is cauſe of iuſt anger, he doth then alſo ſo moderat that iuſt anger, as that he is not angry beyond meaſure, or paſſeth the bounds and limits by God preſcribed: that is, he doth not wiſh the deſtruction of the perſon that hurt him, nether burneth with a deſire of reuenge, but pardoneth offences, and alſo grieuous iniuries; and is diſpleaſed only at the reproch of Gods name, or for vniuſtice, or for the hurt of his neighbour, admitting not into his mind the deſire of reuenging any iniury, be it neuer ſo great; and wiſhing alſo from his heart the ſafety and good eſtate of his enemies, and ſuch as hauehave ill deſerued of him; and endeuouring to maintain the ſame, according to his ability, and their neceſſity. Matt. 5.5. Bleſſed are the meeke: for thy ſhal inherit the earth. Equabilitie or equity, is a vertue of neere affinitie with mildeneſſe; which is a moderatreſſe of ſtrict iuſtice (which equalleth puniſhments with the faults) vponupon good and reaſonable cauſe: as when in reſpect of the publique ſafety or priuate ſafetie of them which tranſgreſſe, or for the auoiding of offence, or for anie other good cauſe, we yeeld ſomwhat of our right, in puniſhing offences, or in purſuing iniuries. Gal. 6. Brethren, if a man bee fallen by occaſion into anie fault, yee which are ſpiritual, reſtore ſuch a one with the ſpirite of meeknes, conſidering thy ſelfe leaſt thou alſo be tempted.
In the third maner of not hurting conſiſteth peaceableneſſe, which is a vertue ſhunning al offences, and occaſions of enmities and diſcords, and endeuouring to take them away, if any doe ariſe. Briefly, Jt is a ſtudie of peace and concord, that is, a diligence both in auoiding cauſes and occaſions of offences, diſcords, contentions, and hatreds: and alſo in reconciling thoſe which are offended either with vsus or with others, and laſtly in reteining and keeping of peace, for the reteining whereof not to refuſe troubles & the diſſembling and forbearing of iniuries, whereby we hauehave bin harmed, ſo as it bee without the reproch of Gods name, and any grieuous impairing either of our owne or others ſafety.
The vertues helping and furthering mens ſafety.
GOD wil not onelyonly that we hurt no man, but alſo that we help both our ſelues and others according to our power. And wee are ſaide to helpe two waies. 1. By repelling euils, daungers, and iniuries. 2. By doing good, or by benefiting our ſelues or others. Of Helping vertues then there are two ſortes, namelie, vertues repelling euils, and vertues benefiting and doing good.
The vertues repelling euils, which namely are exerciſed in driuing away euils and iniuries, are theſe: Commutatiue iuſtice in puniſhmentes, fortitude, and indignation. Commutatiue iuſtice in puniſhmentes, is a vertue obſeruing equality of offences and puniſhmentes, inflicting either equall puniſhmentes vntounto the faultes, or leſſer, beeing induced thereto vponupon good cauſe, according to the reſpect and conſideration to be had of circumſtaunces in ciuil iudgement, for the mainteinaunce of Gods glory, and for the preſeruation of mens ſociety. For when God forbiddeth the ſociety of men to be harmed or impaired, and wil hauehave the Magiſtrate to be the maintainer of diſcipline according to the whole decalogue, he wil alſo hauehave them with iuſt puniſhmentes reſtrained that make any grieuous breach of this order. Wherefore a Magiſtrate may offend not onelyonly in cruelty, or vniuſt ſeuerity, but alſo in lenity or remiſnes, and in licencing men to hurt & iniury others. 1. King. 20.42. Becauſe thou haſt let go out of thine hands a man, whom I appointed to dy, thy life ſhal goe for his life, and thy people for his people. Leuit. 24.17. He that killeth anie man, he ſhal be put to death. Num. 35.31. Ye ſhal take no recompence for the life of the murtherer, which is worthy to die: but he ſhal be put to death. Exod. 21.23. Life for life, eie for eie, tooth for tooth, Deut. 24.16. The fathers ſhall not bee put to death for the children, nor the children put to death for the fathers, but euerie man ſhal be put to death for his owne ſinne. Deut. 19. Thou ſhalt make citties of refuge, that innocent bloud be not ſhed within thy land. Here therefore is commaunded, for the defence and ſafegard of mens ſafety, ſeuere iuſtice, which remitteth not puniſhment without good cauſe, and obſerueth equality of the offence & puniſhment. Whereof it is manifeſt, that this commaundement doth not take away, but ordaine and eſtabliſh the office of the Magiſtrate in puniſhing tranſgreſſours. For when God commaundeth a man to be ſlaine, not men now, but God himſelfe putteth him to death by them, vntounto whō he giueth this in charge. And that the licentiouſneſſe of doing violence or outrage might not grow ſtrong and encreaſe, he would hauehave transgreſſours to bee curbed and kept ſhort by puniſhmentes. Wherefore the reuenge due to Magiſtrates is comprehended in that ſaying, Roman. 13.19. Vengeaunce is mine, J wil repaie, ſaith the Lord. And hereby is aunſwere made vntounto this obiection: It is ſaid here, Thou ſhalt doe no murther: Therefore we muſt not at al put anie man to death, & by conſequent, this iuſtice doth not appertain to this commandement, as which cannot be kept, except manie be put to death. VntoUnto which wee aunſwere, 1. We muſt therfore put ſome to death, leaſt the ſociety of men be deſtroied by theeues and robbers. 2. Jt is ſaid, Thou ſhalt doe no murther, that is, not according to thy owne pleaſure and luſt. For God puniſheth, when the Magiſtrate puniſheth.
Fortitude is a vertue which aduentureth dangers according to the rule of wel informed reaſon, that is, ſuch daungers as right and ruled reaſon willeth to aduenture, & that for the glory of God, the ſafety of his Church, the defence and preſeruation either of our ſelues, or ours, or others againſt grieuous iniuries. Nowe this Fortitude of Gods Saintes ariſeth from faith, and hope, and the louelove of God & their neighbor. But that heroical fortitude, which is a ſpecial gift of god, as in Ioſua, Sampſon, Gideon, Dauid, is to be diſtinguiſhed from that preſentnes of minde and courage, which through a cogitation and thinking on Gods wil ought to bee raiſed and ſtirred vp in al, eſpecially in gouernours. 1. King. 2.2. Bee ſtrong and ſhew thy ſelfe a man. Hither appertaineth the example of the ſpies of the land of Canaan, and of the people being out of heart and deſpairing for euer compaſſing and poſſeſſing of it. Numb. 13. and. 14. Like vntounto this vertue is warlike fortitude, which is a defendres of iuſtice, & an vndertaking of the iuſt defence of our ſelues or others, albeit it be not without peril and danger. War, is either a neceſſary defence againſt thoſe that exerciſe robbery, and outrages or cruelty againſt the people, or a iuſt puniſhment for grieuous iniuries ſuſtained, which is vndertaken by force of armes.
Jndignation or zeale is a vertue iuſtly offended, & wrath for the reproch of Gods name, the vniuſt hurting of our neighbor, & for ſome grieuous iniury, which is done either againſt God, or our innocent neighbor, hauing moreouer a deſire, as ability and ſtrength affordeth, to repel and reuenge the iniury done againſt God or our neighbours, according to Gods commaundement. Judg. 8. Gideon ſaid to Zebah, & Zalmunna: The men that ye ſlue at Tabor, were my brethren, euen my Mothers children: as the Lord liueth, if ye had ſaued their liues, I would not ſlaie you. And Iud. cap. 20. The Iſraelites wage war againſt the Beniamites for the wickednes cōmitted againſt the Leuites wife. As therfore vniuſt wars are forbidden by this commaundement, ſo iuſt warre is allowed, in the fift commaundement, as a part of the Magiſtrates duty towardes his ſubiectes, and in this commaundement, as a defence both of his owne and others ſafety & life, and conſiſteth partly in iuſtice not hurting and puniſhing, partly in fortitude and indignation. For either it is, as before was ſaid, a neceſſary defence againſt thoſe that exerciſe robbery, and violence, or cruelty againſt the people, or a iuſt puniſhment for grieuous iniuries, which is vndertaken by ordinary autority with force of arms. 1. Sam. 25.28. My Lord fighteth the battles of the Lord. Hither alſo belongeth the defence of their owne life and their neighbours, which priuate men vſe againſt vniuſt force and violence when neceſſity ſuffereth not the Magiſtrates aide to be required. For when the Lawes and the Magiſtrate arme a priuate man againſt a robber or adulterer, he vſeth then the ſword, not vnaduiſedly taken, but iuſtly deliuered into his hand by the Magiſtrate, as beeing the Magiſtrates deputy and miniſter. So Moſes ſlue the Aegyptian in defence of the Iſraelite.
The vertues benefiting or doing good, which namely conſiſt in doing good turns, are theſe; Humanity, & Mercy, & Amity. Humanitie or the louelove of man, is a true & ſincere good will both in mind, and wil, and heart, towards others, and a declaration thereof in words, behauiour, and duties conuenient and poſſible. This ſelfe ſame vertue in the Scriptures is called the louelove of our neighbour, which in Philoſophy is termed Humanitie: for by this vertue all men perfourme that vntounto others which they woulde hauehave to bee doone vntounto them-ſelues. Roman. 12.10. Bee affectioned to louelove one another with brotherlie louelove. Galath. 6.10. Let vsus doe good vntounto all men, but eſpeciallie vntounto them which are of the houſe-holde of faith.
MercieMercy is a vertu, which hath a fellow-feeling, and taketh compaſſion of the calamities of good men, or of thoſe, who ſinne through ignorance or infirmity, & endeuoreth to take thē away or to aſſuage them, as much as equitie & gods glory permitteth, neither reioiceth at the calamities of the very enemies themſelues. Or, it is ſorrow for the calamities of innocent men, or ſuch as fal through ignorance, or infirmity, & a deſire to aſſwage or take away their calamities by honeſt means. Amity, is a vertue cōprehended vnderunder humanity as a ſpecial vnderunder his general, & it is a mutual & ſincere good wil between good men wel known one to another, performing mutual and poſſible duties: or, It is a vertue rendring mutual and ſincere good wil, and perfourming mutual duties, ſuch as are iuſt, lawfull, and poſſible: kindled by the knowledge of vertue, and by communication in both parties. Jt is different from louelove; in that louelove ſtretcheth both to the knowen and vnknowen, but amity or frindſhip extendeth onelyonly vntounto thoſe that are knowen one to another, & that for ſome vertues appearing in them. The partes then of al that which is commanded vsus in this commandement are, 1. That our neighbour liue. 2. That hee liue wel, by our aſſiſtaunce and endeuor vntounto the vtmoſt of our power.
The vices contrarie to the vertues of this ſixt commaundement.
VNTOUNTO particular iuſtice hurting no man, is oppoſed, 1. Iniuſtice hurting men, namely a wil to hurt men, and al vniuſt endammaging, hurting, or iniuring. 2. Remiſneſſe, when they are not hurt, who are to be hurt, by them vntounto whom the execution thereof belongeth.
VntoUnto mildneſſe is repugnaunt, 1. Vniuſt anger, haſtineſſe, grudging, immoderate reuenge, hatred, and ſpite. Anger is a ſhort madneſſe: Haſtineſſe is angrineſſe or a readineſſe vntounto anger. 2. Remiſnes, when a man is not moued for grieuous iniuries.
VntoUnto equabilitie or equitie is repugnant, 1. Jmmoderate Rigour, when there is had no regard of circumſtances: whereof it is ſaide, Extreme right is extreme wrong, likewiſe, cruelty, and vniuſt ſeuerity. 2. Remiſneſſe, that is, not to be moued at ſuch things, whereat we ought to be moued, & when god commandeth. Likewiſe partiality & accepting of perſons.
VntoUnto peaceableneſſe is oppoſed, 1. Jn the exceſſe, Remiſneſſe, when as thou ſo coueteſt to keepe peace, that thou doeſt not reſpect Gods glory, neither thine owne and thy neighbours ſafety. This is an vniuſt gratifieng. 2. Jn the defect, al vniust or vnneceſſarie ſpeeches; Contentions, backbitinges, ſlanders, whiſperings.
VntoUnto iuſtice commutatiue in puniſhmentes, is contrary, 1. In the defect remiſneſſe, when that is not puniſhed, which ought to bee puniſhed. 2. Jn the exceſſe, cruelty, & vniuſt and ouer-great ſeuerity, priuate reuenge, falſe pretending of ſtrict iustice. Briefly, vntounto puniſhing iuſtice, is repugnaunt iniuſtice, which either doth not at al puniſh, or doth vniuſtly puniſh.
VntoUnto fortitude is oppoſed, In the defect, timerouſneſſe, & the betraying of anothers ſafety, when thou art able to vndertake his defence: likewiſe a ſhunning of ſuch daungers as God hath commanded vsus to vndergoe. 2. In the exceſſe, raſhneſſe, or fool-hardineſſe, which is, to vndertake things vnneceſſary, or impoſſible.
VntoUnto indignation are contrary, 1. Vniuſt anger. 2. Remiſneſſe and ſlowneſſe, when there is no ſharpneſſe or earneſtnes ſhewed in being iuſtly offended with iniuries, & in reuenging them. Likewiſe vntounto this are the ſame repugnaunt which are vntounto peaceablenes.
VntoUnto humanitie are oppoſed, 1. Selfe-louelove, with a neglect of others. 2. Jnhumanitie. 3. Spitefulnes or hatred againſt others, or a ſhewe hereof. 4. Vniuſt pleaſurings and gratifiengs.
VntoUnto merciemercy, are contrary, 1. In the defect, vnmercifulnes, crueltie, hard-heartedneſſe, not to hauehave compaſſion of thoſe, of whom we are to hauehave compaſſion: Likewiſe Reioicing at another mans harme, and vncompaſſionateneſſe voide of al griefe. In the exceſſe, Remiſneſſe, when they are ſpared whom God wil not hauehave ſpared, which is cruel pitty, whereby the whole ſocietie of men is hurt, yea & he himſelf alſo who is ſpared.
VntoUnto Amitie or Frindſhip, are oppoſed, 1. Jn the defect, al iniuſtice and treacherie, whereby frindſhip is violated, enmitie, neglect of frindes, deniall of good wil and mutual duties, a faigned ſhew of frindſhip. 2. Jn the exceſſe, flatterie, or vniuſt gratifieng, likewiſe lightnes in ioining, and looſing friendſhip.