Exposition of the Shorter Catechism, Question 67 - 69
Of the sixth Commandment.
Quest. 67. WHich is the sixth Commandment?
A. The sixth Commandment is, [Thou shalt not kill.]
Quest. 68. What is required in the sixth Commandment?
A. The sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others.
Quest. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth Commandment?
A. The sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our Neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.
Q. 1. What is the natural order of these Commandments in the second Table?
A. In these Commands God begins with the nearest concern of Man, which is Life, Iob 2.4. —Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath, will he give for his life. Next to that his Command guards his nearest Relative, from whom the best outward comfort is to rise, his Wife ▪ Mark 10.8. And they twain shall be one flesh, &c. After that his good Name, which is very precious to him ▪ Eccles. 7.1. A good name is better than precious oyntment. And then his Goods, which support his life, Isa. 3.1. For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hasts, doth take away from Ierusalem, and from Iudah, the …ay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water.
Q. 2. How far doth this Command extend it self?
A. It prohibits all Cruelt…, and commands all Help, Care, and Pity, so far as Mens hearts and hands can go, for the relief and preservation of others, Psal. 119.96. —But thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Q 3. Doth this Command respect only the outward action, or also the inward passion of the Soul?
A. It respects and bridles the inward Passion of the Soul, as well as outward Actions; as Hatred, 1 Iohn 3.15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, &c. And causless Anger, Matth. 5.22. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, &c.
Q. 4. Doth this Command only respect the lives of others?
A. No, it primarily respects our own lives, and forbids us all things that tend to the shortening and ruin of them, Eph. 5.29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.
Q. 5. How many ways may men sin against this Command, with respect to their own lives?
A. A Man sinneth against his own Life, not only by destroying himself, as the Jaylour would have done. Acts 16.27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled; But by refusing Food or Physick to preserve Life, or macerating our Bodies with excessive Sorrows. 2 Cor. 7.10. —But the sorrow of the world worketh death, or envy at others felicity: Prov. 14.30. —But envy the rottenness of the bones.
Q. 6. How are men guilty of murther with respect to others?
A. Murther with respect to others, may be either with relation to their Bodies; Numb. 35.30. Whoso killeth any person, the murtherer shall be put to death, &c. Or to their Souls, which is the most heinous murder in the World; Ezek. 3.18. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt sure…y dye, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life; the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Q. 7. Is all destruction of anothers Life, murder in the account of God?
A. No, it is not, if the Life of a Person be taken away in the course of Justice ▪ Gen. 9.6. Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Or in a just and necessary War, Iudges 5.23. Curse ye Meroz (said the Angel of the Lord) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; becau…e they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Or by pure Accident, Deut. 19.5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour that he dye, he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live. Or in self defence, Ex…d. 22.2. If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he dye, there shall no blood be shed for him.
Q. 8. Is there no other way of breaking this Command?
A. Yes, there is: Innocents may be murdered under the forms and solemnities both of Justice and Religion. So Naboth was murdered by Iezebel, 1 Kings 21.12, 13. They proclaimed a fast, and sit Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men children of Belia…, and sat before him: And the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones that he dyed. And the Martyrs by bloody Papists. And this strongly proves a day of Judgment ▪ Eccles. 3.16, 17. And moreover, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose, and for every work.
Q. 9. Are Duels forbidden in this Commandment?
A. Yes▪ they are, for whatever point of Honour be touched, or whatever Provocation be given, we are not to be our own avengers; Rom. 12.19. Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, &c.
Q. 1…. What's the first Inference hence?
A. That we have great cause to bless God for his protecting Law, and for Humane Laws grounded upon his Law for the protection of our Lives; Rom. 13.4. —For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath, upon him that doth evil.
Q. 11. What's the second Inference hence?
A. That all that are guilty of this Sin, have great cause to be humbled and afflicted: For it's a crying Sin, Gen. 4.10. —The voice of thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground. Yet not to despair of Mercy upon true Repentance. Manasseth shed innocent blood, and yet was pardoned upon Repentance, 2 Kin. 21.16. Moreover Manasseth shed innocent blood very much, till he had f…ed Ierusalem from one end to another, &c.
Q. 12. What…s the third Inference hence?
A. Let all Men watch against Pride, Passion, Malice and Revenge, the Sins of the Heart, from which this horrid Sin proceeds ▪ Matth. 15.18, 19. — For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, &c.