to kill ourselves, or others, eiaway our own or others life; my thing that tendeth thereunto. upon any account kill ourwe shall prevent others from torture and disgrace, as Cato who slew themselves, and Saul, word, that he might not be slain ircumcised Pilistines?

in any case to kill carselves, Although the beat counted art of a brave heroical spirit, in emselves, yet the law of God al

but accounteth such persons was Saul's sin to die in that act ought rather to submit ourselves are of others, ich is their sin, ds upon ourselves, and to die in a time por place for repenting of

for them that kill themselves to can be no repenting afterwards

for some to give themselves judet repent before they die, s is very rare. 2. It is posare children of God, may in a the advantage to inject temptahemselves, and yet through ha

tance to attain salvation.

any case to kill others?

kill others: 1. In the execution of the public law, especially on murderers, Num. xxxv. 20. son, the murderer shall be put lal war, Jer. xlviii. 10. Cursed Held his sword from blood. 3. In Exod. xxii. 2 If a thief be hd be smitten that he die, there for him.

fight and kill one another in a

their life be unjustly sought by God's enemies; as Rahab by a lie saved the lives of the Israelites in her house, for which she is recorded with commendation, and herself and her house were saved, when all the city besides were destroyed?

A. 1. No lie must be used upon this or any account, the loss of the lives of the most righteous not being so evil, as the least evil of sin. 2. Rahab was commended and spared for her faith, and because of the promise which the Israelites had made unto her, not because of her lie, which was her sin, which sin without a pardon, would have been punished in hell, Heb. xi. 31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she received the spies with peace. Q. 9. How may and ought we to endeavour the preservation of others lives?

A. 1. Such as are magistrates, judges, and have power in their hands, ought to defend the innocent when oppressed, wronged, and in danger of death, Psalm lxxxii. 3, 4. Defend the poor and fatherless : deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hands of the wicked, Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. 2. All ought to distribute necessaries of life according to their ability, unto such as are poor, and in want, James ii. 15, 16. 3. All ought to forbear all wrongs, and doing any injury unto any persons, and to forgive such injuries as are done unto us, returning good for evil, Philip. ii. 15. Blameless and harmless, the children of God without rebuke, Col. iii. 13. Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any, Rom. xii. 21. Be not overcome of evil: but overcome evil with good. 69. Q. 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, and whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

Q. I. Whom doth the sixth commandment forbid us to kill?

A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth us to kill, either ourselves or others.

Q. 2. How are we forbidden to kill ourselves or others?

A. We are forbidden to kill ourselves, or others, either directly, by taking away our own or others life; or indirectly, by doing any thing that tendeth thereunto.

Q. S. Is it unlawful upon any account to kill ourselves, as when hereby we shall prevent others from putting us to death by torture and disgrace, as Cato and other heathens, who slew themselves, and Saul, who fell upon his own sword, that he might not be slain and abused by the uncircumcised Philistines?

A. 1. It is unlawful in any case to kill ourselves, Acts xvi. 27, 28. 2. Although the heathen counted it a virtue, and the part of a brave heroical spirit, in some cases, to kill themselves, yet the law of God alloweth no such things, but accounteth such persons self-murderers. 3. It was Saul's sin to die in that act of self-murder, and we ought rather to submit ourselves to any abuse, and torture of others, which is their sin, than to lay violent hands upon ourselves, and to die in a sin, which there is no time nor place for repenting of afterwards.

Q. 4. Is it possible for them that kill themselves to be saved, when there can be no repenting afterwards for this sin?

A. 1. It is possible for some to give themselves their death's wound, and yet repent before they die, and be saved, although this is very rare. 2. It is possible that some who are children of God, may in a frenzy (Satan taking the advantage to inject 'temptations hereunto) kill themselves, and yet through habitual faith and repentance to attain salvation.

Q. 5. Is it lawful in any case to kill others?

A. 1. It is lawful to kill others: 1. In the execution of the just sentence of the public law, especially on such who have been murderers, Num. xxxv. 20. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death. 2. In lawful war, Jer. xlviii. 10. Cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood. 3. In necessary self-defence, Exod. xxii. 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

Q.-6. Is it lawful to fight and kill one another in a duel?

A. 1. It is unlawful to fight a private duel, except a man be set upon another, and he cannot avoid it, then it is lawful for a man in his own defence to fight and slay his enemy that assaulteth him. 2. It is lawful to fight a public duel, if a single enemy at the head of an army do make a challange, and it may be the means to prevent the effusion of more blood; as David did well to fight with and kill Goliah.

Q. 7. May we not be guilty of the murder of ourselves or others, any other ways than by directly taking away our own, or others life?

A. We may be guilty of the murder of ourselves or others, indirectly, by doing any thing that tendeth to take away our own or others lives. As, 1. By neg lecting or withholding the lawful and necessary means for the preservation of life, such as meat, drink, sleep, clothes, physic, needful recreations, and the like: when we forbear to make use of the necessary preservatives of life ourselves, either through a pinching humour, or Satan's temptations that we have no right to them, and thereby hasten our end, we are guilty of self-murder: when we deny the necessaries of life to others in extreme want through covetousness, and want of pity, we are guilty of their murder. 2. By excess in eating, drinking, carking care, envy, immoderate sorrow,or doing any thing which may break and debilitate, or take off the vigour of our minds, and which may breed distempers in our bodies, this tendeth to self-murder, Luke xxi. 34. Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, Prov. xiv. 30. Envy is the rottenness of the bones, Prov. xvii. 22. A broken spirit drieth the bones. 3. By hatred, sinful anger, malice, bitter speeches, oppression; especially by striking, wounding, and any ways hurting the bodies of others; this tendeth to the taking away the lives of others, and is murder in God's account, 1 John iii. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, Mat. v. 21, 22. Gal. v. 15. If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another, Prov. xii. 18. There is that speaketh like the pierc ing of his sword, Prov. xxii. 7.