also was standing by and con^cnti <j: to his death." He that gives consent is accessary to the murder. — 10. By not hindering the death of another when in our power. Pi- late knew Christ was innocent, " I find no fault in him ;" but he did not hinder his death ; therefore he was guilty. It was not washing his hands in water, could wash away the guilt of Christ's blood. — 11. By unmercifulness. (1.) By taking away that which is necessary for the sustentation of life : as to take away those tools or utensils whereby a man gets his living, Deut. xxiv. C, " No man shall take the upper or the nether millstone to pledge, for he taketh a man's life." (2.) By not helping him when he is ready to perish. You may be the death of another, as well by not relieving him, as by offering him violence. Simon parens, occidisti, Amb. If thou dost not feed him that is starving, thou killest him. And then, how many are guilty of the breach of this commandment. — 12. By not executing the law upon capital offenders. A felon having committed six murders, the judge may be said to be guilty of five of them, because he did not execute the felon for his first offence.
The next thing I shall speak to, is, to shew the aggravations of this sin of mur- der : As,
1. To shed the blood of another cause- less ; as to kill another in an humour or frolic. A bee will not sting unless provok- ed, but many when they are not provoked, will take away the life of another. This makes tlie sin of blood more bloody. The less provocation to a sin the greater sin.
2. To shed the blood of another contra- ry to promise. Thus, after the princes of Israel had sworn to the (libeonites, that they should live. Josh. ix. 15., Saul slew them, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Here were two sins twisted together, — breach of oath, and mur- der.
3. To take away the life of any public person enhanceth the murder, and makes it greater; as, (1.) To kill a judge upon the bench, because he represents the king's per- son. (2.) To murder a person whose office is sacred, and comes on the King of heaven's embassage : the murdering of him may be the murdering of many. Herod added tliis
OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
S09
sin uhovc all, tliat lie shut up John Baptist in prison, Luke iii. 20., thou much more to behead John in ])risou. (3.) To stain one's hands with royal blood. David's heart smote him, because h<i did but cut off the lap of kin<j Saul's garment, 1 Sam. xxiv. 5. How would David's heart have smitten him, if he had cut off Saul's head ?
4, To shed the blood of a near relation, aggravates the murder, and dyes it of a deeper crimson. For a son to kill his Fa- ther is horrid. Parricides are monsters in nature. Qui occidit palrem, p/un'ma connnit- tit pcccato in vno. CicEuo. ' He who takes away his father's life, committcth many sins in one;' he is not only guilty of murder, but of disobedience, ingratitude, ostracism, aTid diabolical cruelty. Exod. xxi. 15., " He who smiteth his father or mother, shall be surely put to death." Then hoiv many deaths is he worthy of that destroys his father or mother ? Such a monster was Nero, who caused his mother Agrij[)pina to be slain.
5. To shed the blood of any righteous person, aggravates the sin. (1.) Hereby justice is perverted. Such a person, being innocent, is unworthy of death. (2.) A saint being a public blessing, he lies in the breach to turn away wrath ; so that to des- troy him, is to go to pull down the pillars of a nation. (3) He is precious to God, Isa. XV. 43, 44. He is a member of Christ's body; therefore what injury is offered to him is done to God himself, Acts ix. 4.
Caution 1st. Though this commandnieut, " Thou shalt not kill," forbids j)rivate per- sons to shed the blood of an<)ther, (unless in their own defence) yet such as are in of- fice must punish {)ublic offenders, yea, with death, else they sin. To kill an offender is not murder, but justice. A private person sins, if he draws the sword ; a public person sins, if he puts up the sword. A magis- trate ought not to let the sword of justice rust in the scabbaid. As the magistrates should not let the sword be too sharp by severity, so neither should the edge of it be blunted by too much lenity.
Caution 2d. Neither doth this command- ment, " Thou shalt not kill," prohibit a just war. When men's sins grow r\\)o, and lotig plenty hath bred surfeit, then (iod saith,
" Sword, go througli the land,** Ezek. xiv. 17. God did abet the war between the tribes of Israel and Benjamin; when the initjuity of the Amorites was full, then God sent Israel to commence a war against them, Judges xi. 21.