XVIII. The 6th. 7th. and 8th Commandments.

13. 14. & 15 verses. of 20 Chapter. of Exodus. I have already directed your attention to the first five of the ten commandments, we must now devote some of our time to the examination of the 6th, a precept which although it forbids what all do not consider crime, yet was decidadly necessary to regulate the conduct of that depraved people to whom God addressed it. A variety of views have been taken of it, and many doubts raised concerning it, but the commandment, is decided, all would be unhinged, if it were not, it is doubtful in its application to one case only, namely to self defence. But here are not yet more difficulties. for the inquiry is suggested, shall we except in the case of national as well as in that of personal defence, and if we do so, the precept becomes exceedingly limited. as it is difficult to distinguish between purely defensive or partly offensive war. Indeed it is easy to satisfy ourselves that we are acting on personal self defence, when we are not so, and much more, much easier, to persuade ourselves and decieve ourselves, as to defensive war. If therefore, under our economy, we except atall, we are immediately involved in difficulties. But, with the Jews, this was provided for. There were cities of refuge for the person who had killed in self defence, and their battles. were always under oracular direction. But as exceptions in certain cases have been made under such direction, we now make such exceptions generally, on the principle that what is right in one case, cannot be wrong in another. But the case is not parallel, as it would be if God were specifically to guide everything at present and to place himself at the head of all

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our affairs, We cannot take advantage of these exceptions, for they were made under peculiar auspices, and in peculiar circumstances, we know not whether in our case, they would be admitted, we ought to think that as they are contrary to this commandment they would not be so, our business is to obey the commandment just as it is given us, and not to look our for exceptions. 
But it may be said that it would be impossible to preserve any people, if they were not to act on the general principles of nations, or of self defence (unless they were defended by miracles, which do not belong to the present economy of the earth. Now we have seen that we must not refer to the Jews as an example, we must take the laws in a general sense as they were addressed to the whole of mankind, except where the deity himself has made exceptions  We must remember that whatever laws were addresed to Noah, when he came out of the ark, which were not afterwards abrogated, were addressed to the father the future father of all mankind and were therefore, as well as the code of commandments delivered on Sinai to be rules for the future conduct of all mankind. Now, in the sixth verse of the 9th chapter of Genesis, we find the word. Whoso sheddith mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed. This is decisive, the highest possible penalty is attached to murder under any circumstances. This authority dissipates all difficulties that can be started, for all such difficulties are founded on the supposition that we may take the management of affairs into our own hands. - With regard to the principle of defensive was it is still less doubtful. I might notice the example presented us in the 14 chapter. of Zachariah, in which there is a combination of many nations against the church of God, yet there is no appearance of resistance on the side of the church it stands still, and is indolent in the midst of this mighty preparation, while God himself appears on its side. he <[in(?)]> brings a tumult among the people, and the church of God dwells safely in Jerusalem. 
We have next to consider that this precept may be violated without killing, and this is referred to by the now testament, "if any man hate his brother he is a murderer and this is almost worse, at least with regard to the state of the criminal, than actual murder  For in the first case, there is a general cry against him, all at one pronounce him guilty, he is clearly so before God & man and [there(?)] is an opportunity for reflecting afforded him, by his crime being thus brought before him. but it is not so when the murder is committed in the heart, The criminal then can reason away his sin, he says to himself my aversion is not to this individual, but to

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his faults. the crime is thus not seen in its working, and there is no general cry against him to convince his mind & bring the crime home to him, and it therefore requires constant watching, and never failing care, lest when we first allow ourselves even to perceive the faults of an individual, we be found sowing such seeds of enmity in our hearts, as may afterwards spring up and flourish against him & let us so escape from the grasping of this dreadful commandment, that after having escaped all earthly tribunals, we may not, be arrainged for our secret sins before the bar of the almighty,
In verse 14 we have another precept of the same general application, unconfined to any economy. although so frequently disregarded. I speak not of publick law which prohibits its violation, but of private history. here also the crime may be committe in the heart. Matthew 5  Now it may be asked, if the more pressing of the interdict would, here, prevent the crime. It would not. To speak to the river of wickedness, and tell it you are not to do this, or you are not to do that. would be like endeavouring to shut up the tempest. No, the only way is to exert some hallowing influence. for the passions given were intended to work, and to work powerfully, and our inquiry must be, not whether they are to be indulged, but in what way they are to be indulged. We, are thus not endeavouring to annihilate, or paralyse, but to direct. We must then hold up to view the great things of God  the pure, the chaste, hallowed & Christ himself, an object sufficiently commanding to egross and interest all the affections, and this is in fact the only mode of escape from committing crime in the heart. In the 15 verse we find a prohibition of the appropriation of property, without the consent of the individual possessing it. Now stealing in the plain and ordinary acceptation of the term, is a crime from which all our senses recoil at once, but they do not so, from the possession of property by unfair means by any. even the slightest deviation from fair and honest principles which is equally an act of theft. In a commercial country like ours, how many secret violations of this commandment might be discoverabl. and indeed wihtout constant application to God. it is very difficult to watch over all our actions with such constant care as may enable us to prevent the slightest - deviaton from a strict observation of this important commandment,
The 9 and 10 commandments, are of too much importance to permit us to enter a present upon their examination but I shall make a few general observation which have been sugested to me by the consideration of these precepts. I would first of all endeavour to impress upon you the vast importance of trusting in God. We are so clearly brought in guilt by every commandment, there is no chanc of escape. no excuse, that we can offer for our con(?)

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violation of these commandments, But if we can fulfil this important duty, our despair is no quickened by the examination of our hearts. we read not our own condemnation in the code of commandments and although we know that neither by reformation nor repentance we can escape from them, yet we are able to regard them as the requirements of a kind and generous Father. and the way to fulfil which has been pointed out by him.