1Use. 1. This Use is for instruction. Hence we observe the heinousness of the sin of murder, as being that which defaces the image of God after a vile manner. What greater evil can there be? He that clips the Kings coin is a traitor; but if a man maims the body of a Prince, every man thinks no punishment is enough for him. That creature, for the creation of which, there was a consultation; that creature, upon whom the image ⟨p. 187⟩of God was imprinted, on whom all the works of the Trinity were expressed, of the Father in Creation, of the Son in Redemption, of the Spirit in Sanctification, which was the master-piece of Gods workmanship, to blemish that image, and overthrow the workmanship of God therein, what sin more heinous! It is therefore called a crying sin, as it was said to Cain, Gen. 4.10. The blood of thy brother cries up to heaven: Murder calls for vengeance, and will have no nay, Gen. 9.6. He that sheds blood, by man shall his blood be shed: because God made him after his image, therefore God pursueth the malefactor with unconceivable horror of heart. The reason is not only ⟨p. 188⟩because of the unnaturalness of it, (though that be great, for, Lions and Lions, Tigers and Tigers will lie together;) but herein also appears the vileness, in that all the attributes of God are up in arms against a murderer, because they have all been wronged. Drunkenness wrongs sobriety, adultery wrongs chastity; these sins wrong particular graces only, and a drunkard may honour God by sobriety, as he hath dishonoured him by drunkenness; but murder defaces the image of God, never to be recovered. There was a gracious tongue, but when it is murdered, it will never speak more; a wise head,2 but now will never plot business more.
1Use. 1. This Use is for instruction. Hence wee observe the hainousnesse of the sin of murther, as being that which defaces the image of God after a vile manner. What greater evill can there bee? He that clips the Kings coyne is a traitour; but if a man maimes the body of a Prince, every man thinkes no punishment is enough for him. That creature, for the creation of which, there was a consultation; that creature, upon whom the image ⟨p. 187⟩of God was imprinted, on whom all the works of the Trinity were expressed, of the Father in Creation, of the Sonne in Redemption, of the Spirit in Sanctification, which was the master-piece of Gods workmanship, to blemish that image, and overthrow the workmanship of God therein, what sinne more hainous! It is therefore called a crying sinne, as it was said to Cain, Gen. 4.10. The bloud of thy brother cries up to heaven: Murther calls for vengeance, and will have no nay, Gen. 9.6. Hee that sheds bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed: because God made him after his image, therefore God pursueth the malefactor with unconceiveable horrour of heart. The reason is not only ⟨p. 188⟩because of the unnaturalnes of it, (though that bee great, for, Lions and Lions, Tygers and Tygers will lie together;) but herein also appeares the vilenesse, in that all the attributes of God are up in armes against a murtherer, because they have all been wronged. Drunkennesse wrongs sobriety, adultery wrongs chastity; these sinnes wrong particular graces only, and a drunkard may honor God by sobriety, as hee hath dishonoured him by drunkennesse; but murther defaces the image of God, never to bee recovered. There was a gracious tongue, but when it is murthered, it will never speake more; a wise head,2 but now will never plot businesse more.
- 1Murder an heinous sin.Murther an hainous sin.
- 2Grace in the heart appears in the body.
