Such, and which are wont to be Palliated under various Pretences, and Falfe Colours of Vindication; fo, on the other Hand, there are fome Cafes, wherein one Man may Violently take away another Man's Life, without any Violation of the Commandment in the Text.

The Lawfulness of doing This, in the Cafe of Self-Prefervation, is so Certain and Obvious, that it can scarce admit of any Mistake, fo long as this Neceffary Caution is obferved, That a Man fhould not presently invade his Neighbour's Life, upon every Little Sufpicion or Appearance of Danger to himself, though he may Innocently do it, when the Danger is Manifeft, and when he must, Unavoidably, either Give or Receive the Fatal Stroke.

The Lawfulness of War likewife, upon fome Occafions, and under certain Restrictions and Regulations, is plainly Warranted by the Authority of Holy * Scripture, as well as by the Nature

*The Texts are numerous. See particularly Deut. xx. and compare 1 Sam. xv. 2, 3, 13, 18. And what is thus plainly Approv'd and Directed in the Old Teftament, is perfect

and Reasons of Things, and the Situation and Circumftances of Humane Affairs; wherein it frequently becomes Impoffible for a State or Kingdom, to fupport and maintain its Juft Rights, or even fometimes to Preferve it felf, or its Allies, from utter Ruin, by any other means than Hoftility.

And equally needlefs must it be to prove, that * Magiftrates are invested with a Just Authority to inflict Capital: Punishments upon Offenders, unless any Man could be fuppofed Ignorant enough to want a Proof, that Magiftrates are the Representatives and Vicegerents of God, in the Societies of Men; or, that it is Juft, to cut off the Corrupted Members of the Body Politick, as well as Natural, for the Prefervation and Benefit of the Whole.

Abundantly clear is the Innocence of That Person also, who, through Pure

ly Agreable to the Gospel. Texts noted to this Purpose, by St. Auftin, and afterwards by Scholaftic Writers, and fince Them, by the Learned Bishop Andrews and other Judicious English Authors, are Matth. viii. 10. Luke iii. 14. Matth.

xxii. 21.

* Exod. xxi. 23. xxii, 18. Deut. xix. 21. xxii. 24. Acts XXV. 10, 11. Rom. xiii. 4.

Ignorance,

Ignorance, or Unforeseen and Unavoidable Accident, deprives another of his Life. For an Action which has no Foundation in the Will and Intention of the Agent, is not properly a Moral Action, and cannot confequently be Criminal. And therefore under the Mofaical Dif penfation, a Sanctuary was, by Divine Appointment *, provided for every one who was fo Innocently Unfortunate, as to kill his Neighbour Ignorantly and at unawares, left the Avenger of Blood should pursue and flay him, before his Innocence could be fufficiently clear'd up.

Indeed the Juftification of Abraham, in Defigning and Attempting to Sacrifice his Son, does not fall Directly under any of these Reasons or Obfervations, but Depends upon Circumftances which were Peculiar to his own Perfon; and fuch as never were, nor ever can be drawn out into a Precedent, or with any Colour of Reason, be affigned as a Vindication of any Private Perfon, who fhould make an Attempt upon his Neighbour's Life: This

*Exod. xxi. 13.

Deut. xix. 2---10. Numb. xXXV. 10

Friend and Favourite of God, who had fo frequent and familiar Communications with Him, could not Poffibly be Miftaken in his Call to This Extraordinary Enterprise; but was Undoubtedly and Infallibly Convinced, by Clear Revelation made to him, that God did Directly and Immediately Require him to * Offer Ifaac for a Burnt-Offering: Otherwise, the Holy + Scriptures would never have been fo Full and Remarkable as they are in Teftifying, that his Readiness to perform this Sacrifice was a moft Excellent and Acceptable Inftance of his Faith, and Obedience to God.

But whatsoever Private Perfon, without Supernatural Manifeft Revelation, (and fuch Extraordinary Revelations, 'tis univerfally agreed, are now long fince ceased) and not Ignorantly or Accidentally, but Knowingly and Defignedly, and that without any Neceffity arifing from the Imminent, and, otherwife, Unavoidable Danger of his own Destruction, does take away or invade his Neighbour's Life,

* Gen. xxii. 2. † Gen. xxii. 12, 16, 17, 18. Heb. xi. 17, 18, 19. Jam. ii. 21, 22, 23.

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is chargeable with the Guilt of the Sin forbidden in the Text. And this Imputation of Murther falls properly upon Them who fo deprive their Neighbour of his Life either by Open Affault and Violence, or by Stratagem and Secret Contrivance; either by fhedding his Blood Themselves, or by Engaging other Hands to be Imbrued in it; either by Acting as Principals or Acceffaries; either by Command or by Perfuafion; either by Threatning or Encouragement; either by Direct Concert and Confultation, or by Suggeftions and Infinuations; either by bearing False Witness against him, in their own Perfons, or by their Subordination of Others; or, Finally, by any Inftruments, or Means, or Methods whatsoever, which are not allowed by Divine Authority. For All Such do evidently fall under the Prohibition now before us. And hence it will follow in the

Second Place, that every Perfon, who knowingly and wilfully deftroys his own Life, is guilty of Murther. For he hath no Colour of Allowance from Divine Authority, to become the Author or

Caufe