shake the Peace and Happiness of Mankind, by reversing and confounding all Discipline, and Order among Men.

Besides which, we consider'd, the taking away the Life of Man: which may be the following several Ways; (1st.) In Vindication of God's Honour; As Sampson slew those who had met in Dagon's Hall, to deride Jehovah in the Person of Sampson. (2dly,) At the Command of the King in an unjust War, waged to gratify his Ambition. (3dly,) The destroying innocent Women and Children in the same Ship or Castle with Pirates and Rebels, by burning that Castle or Ship with all things in it. (In which three Cases we may presume to think their does not lye any Sin in the Actions of a private Man.) 4thly, Murther committed, and never known by the Committer; As in the Person who throwing a Stone over a Wall, slew an indulgent and well-lov'd Father. (5thly,) Murther accidental, but known at the same time; for which the Jews fled to the Horns of the Altar. (6thly,) The Murther of an Assaulter or Robber, in defence of our own Life. (In which three Cases, the Occasion being Neglect, or Necessity, we may hope they will not be plac'd to our Account at the Last Great Day.) (7thly,) Murther committed in Excess of Passion. (8thly,) Murther with premeditated Malice. (9thly,) Where that malicious Murther has destroy'd a Labouring Man, whose Death has ruin'd a large Family of Children, and caused some of them to perish. (10thly,) We mention'd the Last and blackest Case, where Nature and Kindred should have gain'd Affection, and led to especial Love. Esaiah saith, Can a Woman forget her sucking Child: That she should not have Compassion on the Fruit of her Womb? (Ch. 49. V. 15.) If the Prophet asks this Question in a Jewish Country, we find it in Practice answer'd in a Christian Nation; having Instances frequent and repeated of Mothers who can see their Infants smile in their Faces, and tear 'em to pieces at the same time with their Hands: Who can hear unconcern'd the Cries of their tender Babes, while they are pulling out their Bowels, and bathing in their Blood. To such Actions as these, what can we say? Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the Streets of Ascalon! lest the Heathens rejoyce; lest the barbarous Nations Triumph! Besides which we mention'd the Murther of a Friend and Acquaintance; the sending an Innocent Person unprepar'd into the other World; to appear before God with all her Sins about her; and without that space which the Law allows a Condemn'd Malefactor. Against such Deeds as these, we need not have recourse to Religion; as Nature itself will loudly here exclaim, O Earth, hide not my Blood.

THIRDLY, We consider'd the Apostle's Reason; For he who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can be love, &c. That tho' we do see God daily in an effectual Way to make us love; as in the Works of Creation, and his hourly Care and Concern for us; yet, the Apostle might well say, we have not seen God; as God in his full Radiance, and caelestial Glory, is not visible by Man. And tho' the seeing our Friends, in our Affairs and Business with them, in a fuller Manner, does generally lead us to dislike them, and to think meanlier of them than if we knew them a little at a distance, as by secret Kindnesses they had done us; yet that is owing to the Infirmity of our Nature, which will not always suffer Intimacy and Respect to continue