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Ten Commandments
5th Commandment ⇐ ⇒ 7th Commandment
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“Thou shalt not murder.”
Ex. 20:13
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Subsections
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Order of Contents
Articles 14+
Play-Fighting & Training 1
Sports Damaging the Body 3
Latin 2
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Articles
1500’s
Bullinger, Henry – The Decades ed. Thomas Harding (1549; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1849), vol. 1, 2nd Decade
6th Sermon, ‘Of the 2nd Precept of the 2nd Table…’ 298-322
7th Sermon, ‘Of the office of the magistrate, whether the care of religion appertain to him or no, and whether he may make laws and ordinances in cases of religion’ 323-44
Calvin, John – 6th Commandment in Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 1, bk. 2, pp. 470-71
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 2
9. ‘The Sixth Precept: of Friendship’ 384
‘Of Homicide, or Manslaughter’ 385
‘Of the fact of Elijah, and that a perverse imitating of him must be avoided’ 386
‘Whether Elijah did well in killing of the Baalites’ 388
‘Of Parricide’ 390
‘Of Sword-Play’ 390
‘Whether it be lawful for any man to kill himself’ 391
‘Of Repelling of Violence’ 397
‘Of Cursings, Imprecations & Bannings’ 397
‘How far it may be lawful to rejoice in our enemy’s overthrow’ 400
‘Of a Curse & Shunning of Revenge’ 403
‘Of Affects, or Affections in General, out of the Commentaries upon Aristotle’s Ethics’ 405
‘Of Some of the Affects Severally’ 411
‘Of Shamefastness’ 411
‘Of Temperance’ 412
‘Of Mercy, & the Affect called ‘Nemesis’’ 412
‘Of Cruelty’ 414
‘Of Envy’ 416
‘Of Emulation’ 417
‘Of Revenge’ 417
Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563)
6th Commandment 76.b
Things to be considered in this precept 76.b
He says not, ‘Be not angry,’ but ‘Kill not.’ 77.b
How men do sin against this law 78.a
Who kill themselves 78.a
Of Sampson in Judg. 16 78.b
The magistrate’s sword does good service to his law 79.a
Gen. 9 79.b
The rightness of the justice is to be judged by the authority of God’s will 79.b
Casual murder or by chance medley 80.b
Defensive murder 80.b
Of them which, though not in act, yet in word become murderers 81.a
Of them which be murderers in heart 82.b
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (London: Veale, 1573), The Exposition of the Preface of the Law
Ursinus, Zachary
The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (Oxford, 1587)
The Virtues of this Sixth Commandment
The Virtues not hurting the safety of men
The Virtues helping and furthering men’s safety
The Vices contrary to the virtues of this Sixth Commandment
20. Of the Six First Commandments in Rules & Axions of Certain Chief Points of Christianity in A Collection of Certain Learned Discourses… (Oxford, 1600)
Beza, Theodore, Anthony Faius & Students – 35. ‘Upon the Sixth Commandment’ in Propositions & Principles of Divinity Propounded & Disputed in the University of Geneva by Certain Students of Divinity there, under Mr. Theodore Beza & Mr. Anthony Faius… (Edinburgh: Waldegrave, 1591), pp. 86-89
Virel, Matthew – 6th Commandment in A Learned & Excellent Treatise Containing All the Principal Grounds of Christian Religion (London, 1594), bk. 2, 1. Of Good Works, 1st Part, Exposition of the Moral Law
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1600’s
Perkins, William – 25. 6th Commandment in A Golden Chain (Cambridge: Legat, 1600)
Ames, William – ch. 18, ‘Humanity toward our Neighbor’ in The Marrow of Theology tr. John D. Eusden (1623; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, pp. 314-17
Ames (1576-1633) was an English, puritan, congregationalist, minister, philosopher and controversialist. He spent much time in the Netherlands, and is noted for his involvement in the controversy between the reformed and the Arminians. Voet highly commended Ames’s Marrow for learning theology.
Wolleb, Johannes – 10. ‘The Virtues and Works Connected with the Sixth Commandment’ in Abridgment of Christian Divinity (1626) in ed. John Beardslee, Reformed Dogmatics: J. Wollebius, G. Voetius & F. Turretin (Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), bk. 2, pp. 234-38
Wolleb (1589–1629) was a Swiss reformed theologian. He was a student of Amandus Polanus.
Leigh, Edward – A System or Body of Divinity… (London, A.M., 1654)
bk. 4
22. ‘Of Railing… Revenge…’ 372-77
24. ‘Of… Violence… Unkindness…’ 381-87
bk. 9
ch. 7, The Sixth Commandment 749-57
Turretin, Francis – 17. ‘Are the rights of war and punishment contained under this commandment? Are suicide (autocheiria) and duelling prohibited? The former we deny; the latter we affirm.’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 2, 11th Topic, p. 112 ff.
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1700’s
à Brakel, Wilhelmus – ch. 51, ‘The Sixth Commandment’ in The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vol. 3 ed. Joel Beeke, trans. Bartel Elshout Buy (1700; RHB, 1992/1999), pp. 195-205
a Brakel (1635-1711) was a contemporary of Voet and Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation.
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On the Lawfulness of Play-Fighting, Safe Training & Sports
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Martin Bucer
On the Reign of Christ in Melanchthon & Bucer, ed. Wilhelm Pauck (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1969), bk. 2, ch. 54, ‘Honest Games’, pp. 352-53
“Now from gymnastic art those sports will have to be proposed to youth which, besides what they contribute to the health and preservation of the body and the production of graceful movements, also render men fit and ready for military service and the advantageous use of arms.
Young men should therefore exercise themselves in running, jumping, wrestling, horseback riding, the handling of all arms and weapons which are used for open and hand-to-hand combat, the arrangement of battle formations, the positioning of camp, and mock battle (Plato, Laws, VII, 803c, 813d-e). To these, nobles may add the exercise of hunting.
These exercises which pertain to military science ought to be so constituted and conducted in such a serious manner that they approximate as much as possible the actual operations of war, as Plato has said (Plato, Laws VII, 824 a-c)… according to the words of the psalm: ‘It is God who girds me with strength for war and prepares my path’ (Ps. 18:32).
In charge of these sports, as of the kind previously mentioned, there should always be men singularly experienced in the field involved, men of universal wisdom most zealous for all piety and virtue, who are admired and therefore have the authority and power to relate and to adapt all youthful sport to a zeal for and practice of the virtues, which is the one goal of all sports among Christians; for we have been created for the praise of God…”
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On the Sinfulness of Sports Significantly Damaging to the Body & on Watching them Approvingly
Order of Quotes
Westminster
Vermigli
Morton
Baxter
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Westminster Larger Catechism 136
“The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves,[c] or of others,[d] except in case of publick justice,[e] lawful ward, or necessary defence;[f] the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life;[g] sinful anger,[h] hatred,[i] envy,[k] desire of revenge;[l] all excessive passions,[m]… immoderate use of… recreations;[r] provoking words,[s] oppression,[t] quarrelling,[v] striking, wounding,[w] and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any.[x]
[c] Acts 16:28.
[d] Gen. 9:6.
[e] Num. 35:31,33.
[f] Jer. 48:10. Deut. 20.
[g] Exod. 22:2,3.
[h] Matt. 25:42,43. James 2:15,16. Eccl. 6:1,2.
[i] Matt. 5:22.
[k] 1 John 3:15. Lev. 19:17.
[l] Prov. 14:30.
[m] Rom. 12:19.
[r] Isa. 5:12.
[s] Prov. 15:1. Prov. 12:18.
[t] Ezek. 18:18. Exod. 1:14.
[v] Gal. 5:15. Prov. 23:29.
[w] Num. 35:16-18,21.
[x] Exod. 21:18-36“
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1500’s
Peter Martyr Vermigli
The Common Places… (London: Rowe, 1583), pt. 2, ch. 12, 8th Commandment, ‘Of Plays or Pastimes,’ p. 526
“So at this day, the public weal does sometime promise rewards unto such as can best handle their weapons, to the intent their citizens may be the better exercised. Howbeit, there must be heed taken, that the kinds of plays be not hurtful and pernicious, and that therein be no danger of killing, maiming, or miserable tearing them, which either exercise themselves or be present, or be assembled to behold.
And this kind of games is forbidden Ad legem Aquiliam, in the law, Nam ludus, and in the decrees De tormentis. Those things which of their owne nature be not evil, but are evil oftentimes through that which ensues ought to be forbidden.”
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1600’s
Richard Baxter
Christian Directory… (London: White, 1673), pt. 1, ch. 10, pt. 2, ‘Directions about Sports & Recreations, & Against Excess & Sin Therein’, p. 461
“§19. Qualification 15. Cruel recreations also are unlawful: as taking pleasure in the beholding of duelers, fighters, or any that abuse each other, or any other creatures that needlessly torment each other.”
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Charles Morton
The Gaming-Humor Considered & Reproved… (London: Cockerill, 1684), p. 9 Morton (1627-1698) was an English, puritan, nonconformist minister.
“Therefore if those exercises were so ordered that there were no probability of hurt to ensue, as if the races be very short and upon safe ground, if the combatant with the bull have a safe retreat, if cocks spur with huffles and fencers play with foils (that commonly do no harm) these and such-like spectacles may be well allowed for honest recreation.”
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Latin
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert
6th Commandment in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 1 Abbr.
Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht, 1667), vol. 4
21. ‘On Murder & Hurting of Oneself, even of Voluntary Flagellation’ 244
. Appendix 1: Problems 270
. Appendix 2: ‘On the Burning of One’s Own Ship’ 281-92
22. Of a Plague, or on the Spiritual Antidote of a Plague 292
50. ‘A Syllabus of Questions on the Whole Decalogue’, 6th Commandment
On mildness, tolerance and placability, and the opposites: wrath, having a temper, lust for vengeance, envy and apathy 798
On fortitude and its opposites: timidity and audacity 798
On concord, discord and bursting, divisive and harsh words 799
On harming and mutilation of oneself or others 799
On suicide 799
On killing others 800
On abortion, babies that repulse from liquid, the malformed, dead humans and the exposing of infants 800
On cruelty and clemency toward beasts 801
On avoiding and fleeing hazards, land or sea offering themselves, the same regarding pestilence, leprosy, dysentery and other contagious diseases 801
Of medicine and physicians 802
Of the care and conservation of life and health 802
On the conservation and care of the life and health of one’s neighbor 803
On the moderating of an innocent guardian, and on vindication 803
On the punishment of homicide, of asylums and of pardons 803
On war in general 804
Of the opposites of war, namely tumult, sedition, rebellion, robbery, piracy, peace and judgments 806
Of the Belgic War 806
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