there is an Injury of an higher Nature, may be offered to the Soul. And that is, Sin and the Punishment of it. For Sin, without God's pardoning Mercy, will certainly destroy both Soul and Body in Hell. The Sick Man therefore is to Examine and Recollect, What Persons, and in what Manner, he hath Tempted to any Sin : Either by his Command, his Perfwafion, or Example. And wherein he finds himself Guilty (having first humbly begg'd Pardon of God) let him make Reparation to the Persons Injured, as far as he can. Which he may attempt in this Method. Of : 1. Of Reftitution with respect to L ledgment ET him make an Acknowof his Faults, to the Persons he hath Seduced (fo far, and in fuch a manner, as becomes the Relation he stands in to them.) 2. Let him endeavour, by Instruction and Counsel, to reclaim them from those Sins, which he Tempted them to. And so to recover them out of the Snare of the Devil. Let him never be at rest, till he hath done as much, or more, for the Furtherance of their Salvation, and helping them forwards towards Heaven, as he did contribute before to their Ruin and Destruction. 3. If he hath been so monftroufly Wicked (and there are fome fuch Wretches) as to turn Factor for the Devil's Kingdom, by Publishing Atheistical Books : Or, by Writing Filthy, Obscene, Lascivious Tracts and Poems: Let him first as Publickly as he can, declare his Abhorrence of fuch his Wickedness; and then take the most effectual Methods, to call in, stifle, and Suppress those Cursed Books. Thus the Sick Perfon is to make Restitution, with respect to his Neighbour's Soul. 2. Of Injuries done to our W Rongs or Injuries which may be done to the Bo dy, are of feveral Degrees. 1. The highest is Killing. Or taking away the Life. Which we call Murther. Now Now Murther may be commit ted, 1. By open Violence. When a Man either by Sword, or any other Infirument, takes away another's Life. 2. Murther may be committed Secretly, and Treacheroufly. As by Poyfon, False Accufation, with fuch like concealed Ways. And for the Sick Man's Conviction: And that he may distinctly examine his Confcience, how far he may have been guilty of Murther, I must remind him of this Rule, frequently mentioned by Divines; viz. In the Negative Part of a Commandment, where any Sin is forbidden, there all Causes and Occasions of that Sin, are likewise forbidden. According to which Rule, the Sixth Commandment, Chou halt do no Murther, is thus to be Interpreted. Thou shalt not Kill. Neither fhalt thou do any Thing, which may be the Cause or Occasion, of taking away the Life of thy Neighbour. Which I shall explain very pertinently to our present purpose, in these Two Instances. 1. A Man, for his Diverhon, makes another Drunk. Who being thus Distemper'd, breaks his Neck off his Horfe : Falls down a Precipice; or by fome other fad Accident, is brought to his Death. He who thus Debauched him, (though Human Laws cannot Punish him, yet) in the fight of God, he is not free from his Blood, 2. A Man, out of a Malicious Design, mutually reports falfe and injurious Stories betwixt Two Per Sons. Upon which a Duel or Rencounter happens, in which one of them is killd. He |