loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Now if hee bee no lesse guiltlesse of false witnesse that testifieth falsely against him-selfe, then hee that doth so against his neighbour (since that in that commandement, wherein false witnesse is forbidden, it is forbidden to be practised against ones neighbor, whence mis∣vnderstanding conceits may suppose that it is not forbiddē to beare false wit∣nesse against ones selfe) how much plainer is it to bee vnderstood, that a man may not kill him-selfe, seeing that vnto the commandement (Thou shalt not kil) nothing being added, excludes al exception both of others, & of him to whom the command is giuen? And therefore some would extend the intent of this precept, euen vnto beasts and cattell, and would haue it vnlawfull to kill any of them. But why not vnto hearbes also, and all things that grow and are nou∣rished by the earth? for though these kindes cannot bee said to haue (a) sence or feeling, yet they are said to be liuing: and therfore they may die; and conse∣quently by violent vsage be killed. VVherfore the Apostle speaking of these kinde of seedes, saith thus. Foole, that which thou sowest, is not quickened, except (first) it die. And the Psalmist saith: He destrored their vines with baile: but what? Shall wee therefore thinke it sinne to cutte vp a twigge, because the com∣mandement sayes, thou shalt not kill, and so involue our selues in the foule er∣ror of the Manichees? VVherefore setting aside these dotages, when we read this precept: Thou shalt not kill; If wee hold it not to bee meant of fruites or trees, because they are not sensitiue; nor of vnreasonable creatures, either go∣ing, flying, swimming or creeping, because they haue no society with vs in reason, which God the Creator hath not made common both to them and vs; and therefore by his iust ordinance, their deaths and liues are both most ser∣uiceable and vse-full vnto vs; then it followes necessarily, that thou shalt not kil, is meant only ofmen: Thou shalt not kill, namely, Neither thy self, or another. For he that kils him-selfe, kils no other but a man.
L. VIVES.
TO haue (a) sence] Aristotle saith that plants are animate, and liuing creatures, but yet not sensitiue. But Plato being of Empedocles his opinion, holds them both liuing and sensitiue: Either may be: they may die because they do liue, howsoeuer.