Next Part 3 (The SIXTH Commandment)

Oppression. Psalm 12:5.

Sodomy. Gen 18:21.

Bloodshed. This cries so loud, that it drowns all the other cries. "The voice of your brother's blood cries unto me from the ground." Gen 4:10. Abel's blood had as many tongues as drops, to cry aloud for vengeance! This sin of blood lay heavy on David's conscience; though he had sinned by adultery—yet, what he cried out for most was, this crimson sin of blood. "Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God." Psalm 51:14. Though the Lord visits for every sin—yet he will in a special manner make "inquisition for blood." Psalm 9:12. If an animal killed a man—it was to be stoned, and its flesh was not to be eaten. Exodus 21:28. If God would have an animal stoned, which killed a man, which had not the use of reason to restrain it; much more will he be incensed against those who, against both reason and conscience, take away the life of a man.

(3) Murder is a diabolical sin. It makes a man the devil's first born, for he was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44. By saying to our first parents, "You shall not die," he brought death into the world.

(4) Murder is a cursed sin. If there is a curse for him who smites his neighbour secretly, he is doubly cursed, who kills him. Deut 27:24. The first man who was born was a murderer. "And now are you cursed from the earth." Gen 4:11. He was an excommunicated person, banished from the place of God's public worship. God set a mark upon bloody Cain. Gen 4:15. Some think that mark was horror of mind, which, above all sins, accompanies the sin of blood. Others think it was a continual shaking and trembling in his flesh. He carried a curse along with him.

(5) Murder is a wrath-procuring sin. 2 Kings 24:4.

It procures temporal judgments. Phocas, to get the empire, put to death all the sons of Mauritius the emperor, and then slew the emperor himself; but he was pursued by Priscus, his son-in-law, who cut off his ears and feet, and then killed him. Charles IX, who caused the massacre of so many Christians at Paris, died from blood issuing out of several parts of his body. Albania killed a man and made of his skull a cup to drink in. His own wife, soon afterwards, caused him to be murdered in his bed. Vengeance as a bloodhound pursues the murderer. "Bloody men shall not live out half their days." Psalm 55:23.

It brings eternal judgments. It binds men over to hell. The Papists make nothing of massacres, because theirs is a bloody religion; they give a license for murder, if it is to propagate the Catholic cause. If a cardinal puts his red hat upon the head of a murderer going to execution, he saves him from death. Let all impenitent murderers read their doom in Rev 21:8: "Murderers shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." We read of "fire mingled with blood." Rev 8:7. Such as have their hands full of blood must undergo the wrath of God. Here is fire mingled with blood, and this fire is inextinguishable. Mark 9:44. Time will not finish it, tears will not quench it.

[3] We must not injure another in his SOUL. This is the greatest murder of all, because there is more of God's image in the soul, than in the body. Though the soul cannot be annihilated, it is said to be murdered when it is deprived of its eternal happiness, and is forever in torment. How many are soul-murderers!

(1) Soul-murderers are those who corrupt others by

bad example. The world is led by example; especially by the examples of great ones, which are very pernicious. We are apt to do as we see others before us, especially those above us. Such as are placed in high power, are like the pillar of cloud; where that went, Israel went. When great ones move, others will follow them, though it is to hell. Evil magistrates, like the tail of the dragon, draw the "third part of the stars after them."

(2) Soul-murderers are those who entice others to sin. The harlot by curling her hair, rolling her eyes, laying open her breasts—does what in her lies to be both a tempter and a murderer. Such a one was Messalina, wife to Claudius the emperor. "Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. She took hold of him and kissed him." Prov 7:10, 13. Better are the reproofs of a friend, than the kisses of a harlot.

(3) Ministers are murderers, who either starve, or poison, or infect souls. "When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood." Ezekiel 3:18

[1] Who starve souls. "Feed the flock of God which is among you." 1 Pet 5:2. These feed themselves and starve the flock; either through non-residing, they do not preach, or through insufficiency, they cannot. There are many in the ministry so ignorant that they had need to be taught the "first principles of the oracles of God." Heb 5:12. Was he fit to be a preacher in Israel, do you think, who being asked something concerning the decalogue, answered that he never saw any such book?

[2] Who poison souls. Such are heterodox ministers, who poison people with error. The basilisk poisons herbs and flowers by breathing on them; so the breath of heretical ministers poisons souls. The Socinian, who would rob Christ of his Godhead; the Arminian, who by advancing the power of the will, would take off the crown from the head of free-grace; the Antinomian, who denies the use of the moral law to a believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date—poison men's souls. Error is as damnable as vice. "There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies." 2 Pet 2:1.

[3] Who infect souls by their scandalous lives. "Let the priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves." Exodus 19:22. Ministers who by their office, are nearer to God, should be holier than others. The higher the elements are, the purer they are; air is purer than water; fire is purer than air. The higher men are in office, the holier they should be. John the Baptist was a shining lamp. But there are many who infect their people with their bad life; they preach one thing, and live another. "They make a show of goodness—but live a life of riot." Like Eli's sons, they are in white linen—but have scarlet sins. A golden cup full of dirt—is a fit emblem of such ministers as have a golden office—but are dirty and polluted in their lives. They are murderers, and the blood of souls will cry against them at the last day.

(4) Such as destroy others by getting them into bad company, and so make them proselytes to the devil. "Our vices leap on the man next to us." Seneca. A man cannot live in the Ethiopian climate but he will be blackened with the sun, nor can he be in bad company but he will partake of their evil. One drunkard makes another; as the prophet speaks in another sense. "I set before them pots full of wine, and cups, and said unto them, Drink wine;" so the wicked set pots of wine before others, and made them drink until reason be stupefied, and lust inflamed. Jer 35:5. Such are guilty of the breach of this commandment. How sad will it be for those, who have not only their own sins—but the blood of others to answer for! So much for the first thing forbidden in the commandment, the injuring of others.

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