7.

12.

But then, as it is an advantage to good men to be tried by a judge, who feeth not Sam.xvi. as man feeth, but is a difcerner of the Hebr. iv. thoughts and intents of the heart: fo, on the other hand, by parity of reason, we must acknowledge, that we shall be condemned justly before the fame tribunal for the wickedness of our will; and that whenever we but attempt to do evil, with God it is executed.

When the three Jews were caft by the king of Babylon into the fiery furnace; as they were martyrs, he was a murderer: Dan, iii, though on their bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head finged, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

If the wickednefs be in the intention only, and have not broken out into an attempt; yet is it even then to be looked upon as accomplished: for the mind is the man; and his merit or guilt, what

Prov.

ever it be, is all there; it has no other habitation, nor existence.

It is poffible, you will fay, he may be touched with remorfe, and repent of his wickedness before the commiffion of it: but repentance implies guilt; and if it be fincere, is, through God's goodness in Christ Jefus, always entitled to mercy.

If you reply, that a greater obftinacy in evil may be neceffary to carry us through the execution of a wicked action, than what is implied in the mere intention; you fay what may be true fometimes; and when it is, God knows. And he also knows, when the fame external act, in two criminals, is attended with different degrees of aggravation,

Not only the attempt, and intention; the very wish to do wickedness, is wicked. Matth. v. The thought of foolishness is fin. Whosoever 28. looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath

xxiv. 9.

com

committed adultery with her already, in his heart. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a 1 John iii. murderer: Whofoever is angry without a Matth. v. caufe, fhall be in danger of the judgment.

15.

22.

Ah! who may ftand in thy fight, O Lord; Pf.lxxvi.7. thou, who art of purer eyes than to behold Hab. i. 3. iniquity? The heart is deceitful above all Jer.xvii.g. things, and defperately wicked: Yet thou feeft it's fecret thoughts, and the inmost receffes of it's malignity. How shall we appear in thy presence, or lift up our eyes, and fuch hearts to thee? let us adopt the confeffion of thy holy prophet, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, we have Dan. ix. finned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and thy judgments: O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee; but unto us confufion of face.

19,20.

Thus every mouth must be stopped, and all Rom. iii. the world become guilty before God; for by the law is the knowledge of fin; by that law

espe

especially, which makes the look only of luft to be adultery; and malice, murder.

But as guilt may be incurred, by evil thoughts and designs; fo actions may be performed materially evil, without de ferving cenfure.

It is not murder to kill a man in the just defence of yourself, or of another, from fome great violence: the blood of him that is flain is upon his own head, if his hand was lifted up to shed blood.

The fame may be said of that blood, which is fpilt in the legal execution of Deut. xix. justice. If any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rife up against him,

II.

14.

and fmite him mortally that he die; thine eye Exod.xxi. shall not pity him. If a man come preSumptuously upon his neighbour to flay him with guile, thou shalt take him from my altar that he may die. The punishment of fuch an offender is so far from bringing upon

us,

us, that it puts away the guilt of innocent

blood. The elders of his city fhall deliver Deut. xix. him into the hand of the avenger; and thou 12, 13. Shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Ifrael, that it may go well with thee. The cruelty in this cafe were to spare; and mercy were a fecond murder. Some other offences alfo, though they be less heinous than this, it may be necessary for the publick good, to punish in the fame manner: and there are examples of the like falutary severity, among the laws that came from God.

The blood that is fhed in war, may also be unavoidable: when it is fo, God knows, and will judge: it is out of our province. A common perfon, in most of these cafes, is able to frame but very imperfect notions. Put them in mind to Tit. iii. 1. be fubject to principalities and powers. We are not at liberty to cenfure, when we do not understand; nor always, when we do. We may lament however, if we do

not