A sermon, occasioned

There is a Printed Relation concerning ^(h)a Person of Quality that was hanged for a Crime laid to his charge, and when he came to dye, he confessed, that he had been much addicted to that sinful Recreation of Card-Playing, and that many times when the Game went otherwise than he wished for, he would in his passion, wish that he might he hanged if it were so, and once he wished he might be hanged if ever he played again; and therefore (said he) God is just in bringing me to such a death as this. And when Anger shall break out into Blows, Quarrelling, and Fighting between Neighbours that ⟨p. 18⟩ought to live in peace, there is great Evil in it. This miserable creature before us, acknowledgeth that it was so with him. In his mad passions he cared not who he did strike or hurt. It is not good for them that have lawful power to strike others, to do it in passion. It is not good for Parents to strike their children, or Masters their Servants, or School-masters their Scholars in heat of Anger, le•t they become guilty of breaking the sixth Commandment. A moral Heathen, when his servant had committed a fault that greatly in•en•ed him, said to him, If I were not angry with the•, I would strike thee, but I will stay till my passion is over before I punish thee. Again, a spirit of Revenge is an evil thing: it is Murder in God's sight, 1. Joh. 3. 15. He that hateth his brother is a Murderer. Hatred never rests but in the destruction of the thing ha•ed. To say no more here; Cruelty is a degree of Murder, and a great Evil: and most of all for men to be cruel to those that stand in nearest Relation to them (as this Malefactor owns that he has been) whom they ought to love dearly, is an high degree of Inhumanity. No man that acted like a man, ever hated his own flesh. To be cruel, tho to a Servant or Slave, is a very sinful thing. Nay, Cruelty tho to a Beast argueth a murderous, bloody Disposition. The Scripture saith, a good man is merciful to his Beast. They then that make themselves sport with Putting ⟨p. 19⟩