A50229:26
A sermon, occasioned
A sermon, occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder, preached at Boston in N.E., March 11th, 1685/6 (together with the confession, last expressions, & solemn warning of the murderer to all persons, especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end) / by Increase Mather ...
Boston: printed by R.P., 1687
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. The Object slain must be one of Man-kind. To take away the Life of another Creature is not Murder. The Sixth Commandment saith, Ye shall not kill. The Hebrew words are, LOT•RTZACH, i. e. Thou shalt not Murder. It was a •ain Opinion of the Manichees, whom Austin ⟨p. 4⟩That the Life of no Creature might be taken away because the Commandment of God saith, Thou shalt not kill. God has given express leave to all the Sons of Noah, i. e., to Mankind, that they should take away the Lives of other creatures as they should see cause; only Man being a more Divine Creature, his Life is to be Sacred: it may not be meddled with, except in cases where the Great & Sovereign God, who has an absolute power of Life and Death, hath appointed.
1. The Object slain must be one of Man-kind. To take away the Life of another Creature is not Murder. The Sixth Commandment saith, Ye shall not kill. The Hebrew words are, LOT•RTZACH, i. e. Thou shalt not Murder. It was a •ain Opinion of the Manachees, whom Austin ⟨p. 4⟩That the Life of no Creature might be taken away because the Commandment of God saith, Thou shalt not kill. God has given express leave to all the Sons of Noah, i. e., to Mankind, that they should take away the Lives of other creatures as they should see cause; only Man being a more Divine Creature, his Life is to be Sacred: it may not be medled with, except in cases where the Great & Soveraign God, who has an absolute power of Life and Death, hath appointed.
2. Capital Murder is wilful. There is a difference between Murder and casual Homicide, or accidental Manslaughter. If a man shoots an Arrow, or throws a stone, or the like, not thinking that any one will be hurt thereby; in case it should happen to kill a man, it is not Murder. If he did it ignorantly, unawares, and no way sought the harm of the slain man, he is not to be punished as a Murderer. This we see in the Context, ver. 15. to 26. The City of Refuge was for such an one;