Thou shalt not kill.
] Not meaning any sort of creatures, for there are some to be
killed for the food and nourishment of men, and others for their
safety and preservation; but rational creatures, men, women, and
children, any of the human species, of every age, sex, condition,
or nation; no man has a right to take away his own life, or the
life of another; by this law is forbidden suicide, or
self-murder, parricide or murder of parents, homicide or the
murder of man; yet killing of men in lawful war, or in defence of
a man's self, when his own life is in danger, or the execution of
malefactors by the hands or order of the civil magistrate, and
killing a man at unawares, without any design, are not to be
reckoned breaches of this law; but taking away the life of
another through private malice and revenge, and even stabbing of
a man's character, and so all things tending to or designed for
the taking away of life, and all plots, conspiracies, and
contrivances for that purpose, even all sinful anger, undue wrath
and envy, rancour of all mind, all malice in thought, word, or
deed, are contrary to this precept, see ( Matthew 5:21
Matthew
5:22 ) and which, on the other hand, requires that men should
do all they can for the ease, peace, and preservation of the
lives of men: this is the sixth command, but, in the Septuagint,
the strict order in which this and the two following precepts lie
is not observed, rehearsing them thus, "thou shall not commit
adultery, thou shall not steal, thou shall not kill"; and so in (
Mark 10:19 ) (
Romans 13:9 )
the order is inverted.