A practical exposition of the X. Commandments with a resolution of several momentous questions…A practical exposition of the X. Commandements with a resolution of several momentous questions…

and if they may endeavour the preservation of these goods, and defend themselves against such as would spoil and bereave them of them, then it's worthy of very grave consideration, if in this case the assailants wounding, mutilating, or killing poor private men, quietly following their callings for their bread, in their own lawful (at least hitherto in this so circumstantiated case by Grotius, not judged and determined unlawful) defence, vvill be found altogether free (especially if the justness of the War be doubtful, or not conscientiously inquired into) of murder: And if the aggressors themselves should be wounded or killed by these self-defendants, whether they vvill be without all culpable accession to their own self-murder; and so whether they vvill not be involved in the guilt, not only of the breach of this Eighth, but also of the Sixth Command: And whether goods and an estate acquired or increased by such means, may be brooked and possessed with solid peace, and with the well-grounded expectation of Gods blessing, which maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow therewith: This, I say, calls for grave consideration. ⟨p. 400⟩Beside that, it hath been observed, that such courses h •ve sometimes not only made these estates that were acquired by them, quickly to melt away, but also to have been a moth in the estates for the time bettered by them. Observable, and not altogether alien from this matter, is that christian and grave Act made against Prize-goods in the Town-Council of Edinburgh, the head City of this Kingdom, in great Mr. Knox his days (as one blessed fruit of the Gospel amongst many others) May 10. An. Dom. 1561. the very year after the public establishment of the reformed Protestant Religion in Scotland. The tenure whereof follows: It is ordained that no man within this Burgh buy any Prize-goods, under the pain of tinsel of his freedom for ever, and punishment at the will of the Civil Magistrate, it being contrary to a good conscience, and that we are bound to deal with every Christian Brother as we would wish to be dealt with, and the Goods not to be sold by any godly man within this Burgh.

and if they may endeavour the preservation of these goods, and defend themselves against such as vvould spoil and bereave them of them, then it's vvorthy of very grave consideration, if in this case the assailants vvounding, mutilating, or killing poor private men, quietly follovving their callings for their bread, in their ovvn lavvful (at least hitherto in this so circumstantiated case by Grotius, not judged and determined unlavvful) defence, vvill be found altogether free (especially if the justness of the War be doubtful, or not conscientiously inquired into) of murther: And if the aggressors themselves should be vvounded or killed by these self-defendants, vvhether they vvill be vvithout all culpable accession to their ovvn self-murther; and so vvhether they vvill not be involved in the guilt, not only of the breach of this Eighth, but also of the Sixth Command: And vvhether goods and an estate acquired or increased by such means, may be brooked and possessed vvith solid peace, and vvith the vvell-grounded expectation of Gods blessing, vvhich maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow therewith: This, I say, calls for grave consideration.