go in." Such are those that persecute o- thers for their religion. Drunken meet- ings shall escape punishments ; but, if men meet to serve God, then let all severity be used. These are resolved to shipwreck o- thers, though they themselves are cast a- way in the storm. Oh ! take heed of this, of murdering your own souls ; no creature but man doth willingly kill itself. So I have done with the first, the sin forbidden in this commandment, ' thou shalt not kill.'
ExoD. XX. 13. Thou shalt not kill.
II. THE duty implied is, that we should do all the good we can to ourselves and o- thers.
1*;. In reference to others : we should endeavour to preserve the lives and souls of others. 2d. In reference to ourselves : to preserve our own life and soul.
\st. In reference to others. 1. To pre- serve the life of others. Comfort them in their sorrows, — relieve them in their wants, — be as the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into their wounds: Job xxix. 16., "I was a father to the poor; v. 13. The bless- ing of him that was ready to perish came upon me." This is a great means of pre- serving the life of another, by relieving him when he is ready to perish. Pompey, when there was a great dearth in Rome, provided corn for their relief; and when the mariners were backward to sail thither in a tempest, said he, " It is not necessary that we should live, but it is necessary that Rome be relieved." Grace makes the heart tender, — it causeth sympatliy and charity ; as it melts the heart, in contrition towards God, so in compassion towards o- thers, Ps. cxii. 9., " He hath dispersed, — he hath given to the poor." This the com- mandment implies, that we should be so far from ruining others, that we should do all we can to preserve the lives of others When we see the picture of death drawn in their faces, administer to tlieir necessi- ties,— be temporal saviours to tliem, — draw them out of tlie waters of affliction with a sil- ver cord of charity. That I may persuade you to this, let me lay before you arguments :
First. Works of charity evidence grace.
1. Faith. James ii. 18., " I will show thee my faith by my works." Works are faith's letters of credence to show. We judge of the health of the body by the pulse where the blood stirs and operates : Chris- tian, judge of the health of thy faith by the pulse of charity : the word of God is the rule of faith, and good works are the wit- nesses of faith.
2. Love. Love loves mercy : it is a no- ble bountiful grace. Mary loved Christ, and how liberal was her love ! She be- stowed on Christ her tears, kisses, costly ointments. Love, like a full vessel, will have vent ; it vents itself in acts of libe- rality.
Secondly. To communicate to the ne- cessities of others, is not arbitrary (it is not left to our choice whether we will or no) but it is a duty incumbent, 1 Tim. \\. 17, 18., " Charge them that arc rich in this world that they do good, tliat they be rich in good works." This is not only a counsel, but a charge. If God should lay a charge upon the inanimate creatures, they would obey ; if he would charge the rocks, they would send forth water ; if he should charge the clouds, they would melt info showers ; if he sliould charge the stones, they would become bread. And shall we be harder than the stones not to obey God, when he chargeth us to " be rich in good works?"
Thirdly. God supplies our wants, and shall not we su])ply the wants of others ? " We could not live without mercy." God
OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
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makes every creature lielpful to us ; ths Run doth enricli us witli its golden beams, — the earth yields us its increase, veins of gold, crops of corn, store of flowers. God opens the treasury of his mercy ; he feeds us every day out of the alms-basket of his providence : " Tliou openest thy hand, and eatisflest the desire of every living thing," Ps. cxlv. 16. Now, doth God supply our wants, and shall not we minister to the wants of others? Shall we be only as a spunge to suck in mercy, and not as breasts to milk it out to others?
Fourthly. Herein we resemble God, to be doing good to others. It is our excel- lency to be like God : ' godliness is God- likeness.' And wherein are we more like to him, than in acts of bounty and munifi- cence ? Ps. cxix. 68., " Thou art good, and doest good." " Thou art good," — there is God's essential goodness ; and "doest good," — there is his communicative goodness. Tlie more helpful we are to others, the more like we are to God ; we cannot be like God in omnisciency or in working mi- racles, but we may be like him in doing works of mercy.