Page images
PDF
EPUB

Masters, for I know their Sorrows. - And I have also feen the Oppreffion, wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

The Oppreffion, which Pharaoh, and his People were guilty of towards the Ifraelites, was the requiring of them unreasonable Labours, and setting over them Task-Masters, to afflict them with their Burdens, Exod. i. 11.

But this Abuse of Authority, and Power, this Mistreatment, Tyranny, and Cruelty towards Inferiors is very provoking to the merciful God.

It is an Iniquity which God has threatened terribly to punish. In Ifa. xlix. 20. God says to his People, I will feed them that oppress thee with their own Flesh, and they shall be drunken with their own Blood, as with Sweet Wine, and in Jer. xxx. 26. the Almighty says I will punish all that oppress them.

Thus Speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, Execute true Judgment, and shew Mercy, and Compaffion, every Man to bis Brother. And oppress not the Widow, nor the Fatherless, nor the Stranger, nor the Poor, and let none of you imagine Evil against his Brother, in your Heart. Zech. vii. 9, 10.

I will be a fwift Witness-against those that oppress.. the Hireling in his Wages, the Widow, and the Fatherless, and that turn afide the Stranger from his Right, and fear not me, faith the LORD of Hosts. Mal. iii. 5.

If Parents treat their Children with unreasonable Severity, and withold from them, what, according to their Rank, and Circumstances in Life, and the Occafions of the Children, should be allowed them, they are guilty of the Sin of Oppreffion.

If Masters make their Servants to serve with Rigour, and by exacting unreasonable Labours, or by not allowing them Food convenient in sufficient Quantity, they imbitter their Lives, they are alfo guilty of Oppreffion.

If Men of Riches, or Power, bear hard on their Inferiors, retrench the Liberties they have a Right unto, or put them unreasonably to Trouble, they are guilty of Oppreffion. St. James faid, Do not rich Men oppress you, and draw you before the Fudg ment-Seats? James ii. 6.

But the LORD will be a Refuge for the oppressed, Pfal. ix. 9. Thus faith the LORD, execute Judgment in the Morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the Hand of the Oppressor, left my Fury go out like Fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the Evil of your Doings, Jer. xxi. 12.

As these Words shew the Indignation of the righteous God against those who can, and will not deliver the Oppressed from their Oppreffors, so they manifeft that the Wrath of almighty God is greatly provoked by the Iniquity, and Cruelty of Oppressors; and that fuch unmerciful Persons have Reason to expect Punishment, not only hereafter, but even in this World, when the righteous God visits a People for their Sins. For he shall have Judgment without Mercy, that hath shewed no Mercy: Saith the Word of the Lord, James ii. 13.

X. MURDERERS must be reckoned one Sort of Persons appointed to fuffer the Vengeance of God both in this World, and the next.

He is a Murderer, that designedly, and maliciously takes away the Life of another, and he is a Tranfgreffor of the fixth Commandment, which says, Thou shalt not kill, Exod. xx. 13.

And the just God has appointed that all fuch shall be put to death. Whoso sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man shall his Blood be shed, faid the sovereign Lord of Life and Death. Gen. ix. 6. He that smiteth a Man so that he die, shall surely be put to Death, Exod. xxi. 13. If a Man come presumptuously upon his Neighbour, to lay him with Guile, thou shalt take bim from mine Altar, that he may die, says God, Exod. xxi. 13, 14. In Numb. xxi. 1.3. the Almighty says, Ye shall take no Satisfaction for the Life of a Murderer, which is guilty of Death: But he shall surely be put to Death.

The Confideration of these Laws should deter all Men from the Crime of Duelling.

There is no DUEL fought, but one of the Parties gives the Challenge; and the Occasion of it is some Injury, some Provocation either imaginary, or real. Oftentimes it is imaginary, fome Words or Behaviour of the Person challenged, misrepresented, or misunderstood; and a cool Inquiry into the Cafe, would prevent a Quarrel, and confirm a Friendship.

But suppose the Challenger has indeed been miftreated, and fuffered a real Injury, the Laws of God, and of the Land have provided a Remedy, and the Law is open to be used for obtaining Justice to one, any Way really injured.

The injured Person must not murder the Man that has offended him; fuch a cruel Action, is a fubverting, in that Cafe, all the Laws, divine, and human, made to prevent fo heinous a Crime.

And what is the Apology for his wicked Challenge? Is it that his Innocence of something he has been falsely accused of may be vindicated, and made manifeft?

This is best done in an open Court of civil Judicature, where the real State of Things may become evident by the 'Testimony of Witnesses on both Sides. But his Innocence can never be cleared by his endeavouring to kill, and murder the Person that has falsely accused him, nor by his exposing himfelf to be murdered by the other. And the true State of the Case between the Duellers after their Battle, may continue to the Publick, in as much Darkness and Uncertainty as before, because of the different Accounts of it by the Friends of each Party. Or, is the Reason of the Challenge to get Satiffaction Sentence of the Magistrate, according to the divine Law.

And although he may permit some of them for a while to remain undiscovered, yet in the Day of his Visitation for Sin, when he shall make Inquifition for Blood, they may be sure he will remember them, and they have Reason to fear that he will deal with them according to their Blood-guiltiness.

XI. DRUNKARDS, Gluttons, and riotous Livers, are another Sort of Persons, against whom terrible Threatnings of God are recorded in the holy Scriptures.

These likewise are Transgressors of the fixth Commandment, as by their Intemperance, and frequent Excesses, they impair their own Health, and shorten their Lives; that is, put an End to them as certainly, as if they thrust themselves through with a Sword, though not in so speedy a Manner.

And then by importuning their Companions to eat, or to drink to Excess, or to indulge themselves in any Pleasure inconsistent with Health, they are instrumental in destroying their Health, and haftening their Death.

But what faith the Word of God concerning such as these ? In Ifa. xxviii. 1, 3. it says, Wo to the Drunkards of Ephraim, the Drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under Feet.

In Prov. xxiii. 21. it is declared, that the Drunkard, and the Glutton shall come to Poverty; and there are frequent Instances of this.

In Joel i. 5. God by his Prophet fays, Awake ye Drunkards, and Weep, and bowl all ye Drinkers of Wine.

The Prophet Nahum faid, The Lord is good, a Strong Hold in the Day of Trouble (i. e. to those who love and serve him) and be knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overflowing Flood, he will make

[ocr errors]

an atter End of the Place thereof, and Darkness shall pursue his Enemies. What do ye imagine against the LORD? He will make an utter End: Affliction shall not rise up the second Time. For while they be folden together as Thorns, and while they are drunken as Drunkards, they shall be devoured as Stubble fully dry, Nahum i. 7, 8, 9, 10.

In Ifa. v. 11-14. it is faid, Wo unto them that rise up early in the Morning, that they may follow Strong Drink, that continue until Night till Wine inflame them. And the Harp, and the Viol, the Tabret, and the Pipe, and Wine, are in their Feasts: But they regard not the Work of the LORD, neither confider the Operation of his Hands. Therefore my People are gone into Captivity, because they have no Knowledge, and their honourable Men are famished, and their Multitudes dried up with Thirst. Therefore Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her Mouth without Measure: And their Glory, and their Multitude, and their Pomp, and be that rejoiceth shall descend into it. In Verse 22. it is added, Wo unto them that are mighty to drink Wine, and Men of strength to mingle Strong Drink, i. e. if they abuse their Strength by drinking to Excess, and that is Excess, which is more than needful to the healthful Nourishment, and Chearfulness of the Body.

The Prophet further adds, in Verse 25. Therefore is the Anger of the LORD kindled against his People, and be bath stretched forth his Hands against them, and bath smitten them: And the Hills did tremble, and their Carcaffes were torn in the midst of the Streets: For all this his Anger is not turned away, but his Hand is ftretched out ftill.

These, and fuch like Declarations do plainly shew, that they who indulge their Appetites with Excesses in Meats and Drinks, and they who perfuade, and tempt others to do so, have Reason to fear the Judgments

D

« PreviousContinue »