A Guide to Godliness, Book 2 · Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
Of the duties required in the ſixth Commandement.
§. Sect. 1 Of the ſumme of this Commandement: And of anger and hatred.
IN the foure following Commandements are all thoſe common vertues and duties required, which concerne all our neighbours in generall, and all the contrary vices and ſinnes forbidden; all which concerne either their perſon and life, or the adiuncts belonging to them, as their chaſtity, goods and fame. Thoſe vertues and vices which reſpect the perſon and life, are inioyned or forbidden in the ſixth Commandement, in theſe words, Thou ſhalt not kill; which hath precedency before the other, becauſe the perſon and life are of greater worth and excellency then the adiuncts that appertaine vntounto them. The ſumme whereof is this, that wee in all our thoughts, words, and deedes, imbrace all vertues, and performe all duties which tend to the good of the perſon, and preſeruation of the life, both of our neighbours and our ſelues, and flee the contrary vices and ſinnes, whether they be inward or outward. And theſe are either the rootes and fountaines from whence the reſt doe ſpring and flow; as anger and hatred; or the fruits and ſtreames which ariſe and iſſue from them. The firſt duty commanded, is iuſt anger againſt the ſinnes of our neighbours and our Eph. 46. 26. Mar. 3. 5.ſelues; vntounto which is required, that it ariſe from iuſt cauſes, and be directed to good ends, that it be in a lawfull manner and meaſure, and continue a fit and conuenient time. And heereunto are required as the meanes of it, patience, long-ſuffering, and mildneſſe, goodneſſe, ſlowneſſe to anger, and readineſſe to forgiue. The contrary vice whereof is heere forbidden, of which I will not heere ſpeake, hauing written largely of it in another Treatiſe of Anger.place. The ſecond vertue commanded, is an holy hatred of our owne and our neighbours ſinnes, which is alwayes ioyned with the louelove of the perſons. Leuit. 19. 17, 18.Now the fruits of holy and iuſt anger and hatred, are to aPro. 19. 11. & 10. 12. Pſal. 38. 13, 14.paſſe by an offence, bMatth. 6 12, 14. & 18. 21. Col. 3. 13. Luk. 17. 3, 4. Leuit. 19. 8.freely to forgiue wrongs and iniuries, and euen to forget them; and to requite cMat 5. 44.good for euill to thoſe who hauehave wronged vsus, by dPro. 25. 21, 22.helping and ePſal. 35. 13. Act. 7. 60.praying for them; and finally, to vſe all f1. Pet 3. 8. Gen. 23. 4, 6. & 24. 19. Act. 27. 3.humanity and courteſie towards all men, acquaintance and ſtrangers.
§. Sect. 2 Of the inward duties and vertues heere required
Other more ſpeciall fruits may be diſtinguiſhed, according to the difference of perſons towards whom they are referred. As firſt, if our neighbours are in proſperity, we are not to enuie them if they bee our ſuperiours, nor to emulate them being our equals, nor to diſdaine them being our inferiours; but contrariwiſe, gNum. 11 29. Act. 26. 29.wiſh vntounto them all good things which we hauehave, or they want, and congratulate their well-fare, and communicate with them in our hRom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12. 26.reioycing at their happineſſe. If they be in aduerſity, we are not to contemne, or to bee hard-hearted towards them, much leſſe to reioyce at their euils and miſeries, but to take iLuk. 7. 13. Rom. 12. 15. Luk 6. 36.pitty and compaſſion on them, and according to our ability, to ſhew mercy vntounto them. VntoUnto theſe vertues and duties wee may adde kPro. 18. 24. Deut. 13. 6.Chriſtian friendſhip in the Lord, which ought to be ſincere and conſtant lLuk. 6. 35.Chriſtian charity, wherby wee louelove our enemies for the Lords ſake, mEph. 4. 27. Mat. 23. 24.placableneſſe and deſire of reconciliation, abſtayning from all enmity, open hoſtility, and ſecret grudge; nPro. 6. 1…, 19. & 17. 9.a deſire and forwardneſſe to preſerue friendſhip betweene others, and to reſtore it being diſſolued, by making peace and amity. Toward thoſe which are vnderunder our power, we muſt abſtaine from all oPro. 12. 10. & 11. 17.cruelty, backed either with our authority or might, and vſe all pIude v. 22. 23. Tit. 3. 2. Pro▪ 17. 14. Gen. 13. 8. Mat. 17. 26. Rom. 12. 13. 1. Pet. 4. 9. Heb. 13. 2. Gen. 4. 6. 1. Sam. 18. 9. Mat. 27. 39. Pſal. 37. 12.clemency towards them, as much as will ſtand with their good; and contrariwiſe, from indulgence and fond cockering, not bearing with their ſinnes, for fooliſh louelove to the parties, but vſing due and neceſſary ſeuerity, when vices can no otherwiſe bee reformed and amended. VntoUnto thoſe who dwell in the ſame ſociety, wee are to vſe concord and peaceableneſſe, to which purpoſe we muſt reſiſt the beginnings of contention, take away the occaſions, and ſometimes depart from our owne right, to preſerue or redeeme peace. And towards ſtrangers, our dutie is to vſe good hoſpitality, eſpecially to the poore and harbourleſſe. Finally, as wee are to preſerue our neighbours perſon and life, by performing all theſe inward duties vntounto them, ſo are wee to ſhew the outward ſignes of them in our countenance, eyes, geſture, and voyce, which muſt be ſo milde, ſweet, and gracious, that they promiſe to the beholders and hearers nothing but humanity, brotherly louelove, and good will.
§. Sect. 3 Of outward duties here required, reſpecting the perſon of our neighbours.
The outward duties, tending to the preſeruation of our neighbours Pſal. 34 12, 13. Pro. 12. 18. Pro. 17. 19. Mat. 5. 22. Eph. 6 9. Phil. 2. 14. Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 12. 14. Leuit. 19. 16. Ezech. 22. 9. Pro. 25. 23. Pſal. 82. 4. Iob 29. 12. Mat. 27. 24. Pro. 24. 11, 12. Exod. 21. 33. Deut. 22. 8. Tit. 3. 2. Mat. 26. 52. Exod. 21. 24. Leuit. 24. 19. Tit. 1. 7. Pſ. 26. 6. Gen. 9. 6. Num. 35. 33. Apoc. 22 15. Heb. 13. 16. Gal. 6. 10. & 5. 22. Rom. 12. 13.perſon and life, reſpect our words or deedes. In reſpect of the former, there is required, that wee hauehave a peaceable tongue, which ſpeaketh all good and no euill, to and of our neighbours. VntoUnto them, wee muſt vſe louing and courteous ſpeeches, and abſtaine from all brawling and ſcolding, rayling and reuiling, ſcoffing and ſcorning, vnchriſtian menacings towards inferiours, and murmuring towards ſuperiours; and curſings and imprecations towards any man. And of them, we muſt not behind their backes vſe tale-bearing, and ſlandering, nor lend our eares to thoſe who offer theſe wrongs vntounto them. In reſpect of our deeds, all our workes and actions muſt tend to the preſeruation and defence of our neighbours life and perſon, but eſpecially of his immortall ſoule, which ought, as it is moſt precious in it ſelfe, ſo to be moſt deare vntounto vsus. In which regard, we muſt omit no duty which may defend and preſerue the life and perſon of our neighbours, when we can and may lawfully performe it. We muſt not by our negligence leaue any thing vndone, nor by our wilfulneſſe doe any thing whereby they may be indangered. Neither muſt we commit any act which tendeth to his hurt and hazard. But we muſt hauehave peaceable hands, and not in time of peace, quarrell and fight; and innocent hands, free and cleane from blood, neither hurting and wounding the body of our neighbours, nor killing and taking away his life; but contrariwiſe we muſt be beneficent, and in all our actions doe them all good; vſing humanity and mercy to all, and brotherly louelove and kindneſſe towards thoſe who are of the houſhold of faith.
§. Sect. 4 Of the duties which we owe to our neighbours ſoule.
The duties which tend to the preſeruation of the life of our neighbours ſoule, are either naturall or ſpirituall. In the former reſpect wee Gen. 45. 27. Pro. 17. 22. Gen. 27. 46. Exod. 1. 14. Pro. 10. 1. 1. Sam. 1. 6, 7. 1. Cor. 10 32. 1. Ioh. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 9. 19, 2.ought to preſerue their liues, in cheering and comforting them by our ſweete and Chriſtian conuerſation; and not vniuſtly offer vntounto them any occaſion whereby they may be vexed and grieued. In reſpect of the latter, we are not to hinder by any meanes the ſaluation of others, nor to be any wayes an offence vntounto them, neglecting their ſaluation, as though it were a thing not belonging to vsus; but contrariwiſe, vſe all good meanes whereby they may be wonne to Chriſt, edified in their moſt holy faith, and furthered in the way of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, which will bring them to euerlaſting happineſſe. To which end, we muſt not commit any act whereby we may be ſcandalous vntounto another, and a cauſe of his ſinne, either by a1. Kin. 21. 7, 25.prouocation, b2. Sam. 16. 21. Mat. 16. 23.euill counſell, or cRom. 14. 15.bad example; but contrarywiſe performe cheerefully all duties belonging to the communion of Saints eRom. 1. 11, 12. 1. Theſ. 5. 11, 14. Iam. 1. 19.in ſpirituall things, as mutuall fHeb. 10.obſeruation one of another, gDan. 12. 3.inſtructing the ignorant, confuting, conuincing and reclaiming him that erreth, that he may be ſound in the faith, admoniſhing and hHeb 3. 12, 13.exhorting the negligent and backward, iLeuit. 19. 17. Gal. 6. 1.reproouing thoſe that offend, k1. Theſ. 5. 14.comforting the comfortleſſe; and lMat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12.ſhining before all in the light of a good life and holy example.
§. Sect. 5 Of duties belonging to our owne perſons.
Beſides which duties which we owe to our neighbours, there are diuers others required in this Commandement, which are to bee performed to our ſelues, for the good, preſeruation, and defence of our perſons and liues, and eſpecially for the ſaluation of our ſoules. In reſpect of our bodies and liues heere is required, that wee vſe all good and lawfull meanes Mat. 6., 1. Pro. 17. 22. Eccl. 3. 22.whereby our health may be preſerued, as temperance and ſobriety in diet, moderate ſleepe and labour, honeſt and moderate recreations of body and minde, cheerefulneſſe and honeſt ioy, reioycing in the fruition of Gods bleſſings; or if it be loſt and impaired, whereby wee may recouer it, as good diet, phyſicke, &c. Secondly, that we by all good and lawfull meanes preſerue our ſafety, by auoyding vnneceſſary dangers, or recouer Mat. 4. 6. Num. 16. 38. 1. Sam. 31. 4.our ſelues out of them, if we be falne into them; by repelling groſſe iniuries, and auoyding cauſleſſe quarrels, and all other meanes, whereby our liues are needleſly hazarded. But aboue all, heere is required, that we earneſtly indeuour in the vſe of all good meanes which may further the ſaluation of our ſoules, and auoid the contrary whereby it may be hindred. The which muſt not be delayed, nor poſted off from time to time, as it is the practice of thoſe, who from day to day deferre their repentance; but we muſt firſt ſeeke the Kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe, both Mat. 6. 33.in order and time, giuing it the precedencie; and alſo in degree, more earneſtly in our iudgements eſteeming, in our affections imbracing, and in our practice ſeeking and labouring after the meanes of our ſaluation, eſpecially our effectuall calling and conuerſion, our iuſtification by a liuely Eccl. 2. 11. Phil. 3. 8. 1. Ioh. 2. 15.faith, and ſanctification vntounto holineſſe of life, then in any thing in the world beſides; yea contemning and reiecting all earthly pleaſures, profits, and preferments, as vaine and vnprofitable in compariſon of them. And with the like care and indeuour, we muſt auoyd all meanes whereby our ſaluation may be hindred, eſpecially ſinne, which is the bane of the ſoule, and not giuegive way to the committing of it wittingly and willingly, though for hire, the whole world were offered vntounto vsus, the gaine whereof, will in Mark. 8. 36.no ſort recompence the loſſe of our ſoules, as our Sauiour telleth vsus. Or if we be ouertaken with it, and by the law of our members, warring againſt Rom. 7. 24. Pro. 28. 13.the law of our mindes, be led captiue vntounto ſinne: our next care muſt be, not to lye in it, no not for an houre, but to riſe out of it ſpeedily by vnfained repentance, and by humble confeſſion and earneſt ſuite for pardon and remiſſion, ſeeke reconciliation with God through Ieſus Chriſt.