meanes and instruments of their spirituall life than to the meanes of their naturall for naturall life without spirituall makes a man but subject to misery whereas the spirituall life upon the naturall makes a man everlastingly happy which should quicken in us a desire and endeavour to be borne againe according to our Saviours speech Ioh. 3.3 2 For continuance Secondly the spirituall life farre transcends the naturall in respect of its continuance the naturall life depending upon mutable and mortall ties and bonds and subject to many externall harmfull accidents is fraile and at last is swallowed up of mortality it being appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 and few and evill are our dayes in this world wherein wee have no abiding city the spirituall life is eternall without subjection to death because it is in it selfe supernaturall and advanced above the reach and power of all things that can destroy life and is preserved and upheld by such a fountaine of indeficient and omnipotent life and undecaying lively vigour and meanes of divine living that never suffers the man that hath and keeps communion with the same to be subject to death but makes him passe from death to life Iohn 5.24 the faith whereof doth free a man from the feare of losing that happy estate while he continues to love it whereas others in a loseable and mutable estate of life are by feare of being deprived thereof and being without hope of a better hindered in injoying the full comfort of the present good that here is afforded 3. For effects Thirdly spirituall life surpasses the naturall in its effects the naturall life enables a man to the doing onely of naturall actions specially concerning mans naturall good agreeable unto and flowing from naturall principles in man being in the meane time dead to any divine or supernaturall good neither actively doing that of goodnesse which is truely morall or divine nor passively receiving and enjoying that thereof which is beatificall or which makes man blessed and so he may for all that life the powers and actions thereof be miserable and perish for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15.50 The spirituall life by so neere conjunction of a man with the fountaine of life Essentiall the well-spring of infinite goodnesse not onely by that touch and union doth it make him so live but also it causeth him to be most happy both by making him able Actively to live the life of God a Gal. 2.19 and to live to the will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 and also by endowing him with passive capacity and with reall possession of all such beatificall perfections as are necessary for his advancement to and in a glorious estate farre above all other earthly creatures in this world and in the world to come whereby he becomes so happy that nothing can make him miserable but even in tribulation he hath cause of rejoycing Rom. 5.3 and when he dyes yet still he lives in more excellent manner as Paul said touching his afflictions as dying and behold we live 2 Cor. 6.9 In regard of the aforesaid excellency of this spirituall life above the naturall it was that our Saviour did command his Disciples not to feare them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather to feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Mat. 10.28 §. 6. How to obtaine spirituall life Vse 1. To get spirituall life From the former doctrine touching the excellency of this spirituall life of man diverse very necessary uses are observable First it may provoke and stirre us up to get this life above all things in this world whereof we are borne destitute yea dead in sin to which life by our manifold actuall transgressions wee doe indispose and unfit our selves but yet the Lord of his mercy hath appointed us a way whereby we may get this spirituall life so that by our conscionable use of the meanes appointed by God By meanes wee may attaine thereunto in regard of his promise and faithfulnesse that those that seeke shall finde Amos 5.6 And why to be used These meanes are wee to use in regard both of Gods commandement who thereby tries our obedience and faith and also in respect of the dispensation of God who gives his graces onely by and in his owne way which otherwise cannot be had Also the worth and necessity of this spirituall life is such as deserves our best endeavours to get it our esteeme whereof is seene by our labours for it in Gods appointed way without which God will not give it because hee will have us active about our owne salvation that the same may cost us the price of our labours to come by it that thereby we may the more comfortably know that we have it when we know how we came by it that wee may be the more carefull to keepe what wee have so laboriously purchased and may assuredly looke for the reward of our labours which God that cannot lie hath promised to those that seeke life by his appointed meanes To use no meanes to get this spirituall life is to contemne both it and God and to indeavour to get it by using other meanes than God hath appointed for that end is to tempt God or to prescribe him his waies of dispensing his grace and to preferre our owne wits and wills above Gods whereby such men lose both their labour and expectation Which they be 1. The word of God The meanes in particular to get this spirituall life are First the word of God specially the Gospell which is as the materiall and seminall cause of it 1 Pet. 1.23 2. Application Secondly the meanes vegetating and applying the Gospell to quicken us which is fourefold 1. By the ministry First the ministrie of the word by reading and preaching of it to the enlightning of the understanding and to the moving of the affections and hearts of the hearers to embrace it for Faith comes by hearing Rom 10.17 2. Christian conference Secondly the Company and conferences of those Christians that in this kind of life are by their motion and example lively and vigorous able by their warmth and livelinesse to heat and quicken those whom they touch as Elisha by his application of himselfe to the dead child made it warme and alive 2 King 4.34 and as leaven leavens the lump and every thing affects to procreate its like 3. Prayer The third meanes of the Gospells application to quicken us is servent and effectuall prayer to God from whom is all the vertue and efficacy of it that he would make it effectuall to us for although Paul do plant and Apollo water it is God that gives the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 4. Sacraments the spirits operation in them Fourthly the Sacraments and in them the powerfull operation of the spirit of Christ is that which quickens us when
and he needs be the more carefull that hee may not hurt or blemish himselfe by his manner of dying otherwise than becomes a good Christian although hee bee innocent in that speciall thing for which he is adjudged to die What men are to consider in suffering innocently yet he is to consider that hee may bee guilty of some other particulars justly deserving death and in that respect is patiently to acknowledge and submit to the stroke of divine Iustice finding out and punishing his sins or else that God wisely so orders things that hee shall so die only for triall of his passive obedience and for the glorifying of God both in the cause and manner of his death which he is to suffer well and for well doing How a condemned person is to submit to die Yet notwithstanding a person condemned to die and in the hands of the executioners is not to strive oppose or withstand them in doing execution upon him but he may and ought upon their command so to dispose and order himselfe as he may be fit and way by him may be made for them to doe their office in executing of him as for him quietly to submit to be led to the place of execution and there to be ordered by them as they please for him patiently to receive his death by their hands to open his mouth to receive poyson of their giving to him as our Saviour did the vinegar that was given him upon the Crosse Iohn 19.29 30. to lay bare his neck to the blow submit his neck to the haltar to embrace the fire entertaine applied combustible matter for dispatch of himselfe provided alwaies that the same be not first kindled or applied mortally by his own meanes the truth thereof is apparent by that which our blessed Saviour fortold Peter that hee should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him signifying by what death he should glorifie God a Ioh. 21.18 19. Reasons 1. The reason hereof is evident because a person condemned to death is no more his owne but the sonne of death in the hand of authority to be disposed of as the same pleases 2. with safety of divine right and the minister of Iustice that gives the last and fatall blow is he that properly kills the man and not the man himselfe by his active and passive submission to receive the same 3. that he may obediently in charity and peace leave this world and patiently resigne his soule to God in hope of entring upon a more happy life in exchange for this §. 2. How self-murder is against God himselfe 2. Self-murder it is against God himselfe The second particular whereby it is apparent that by religion a man may not kill himselfe is because it is a most hainous crime against God himselfe immediatly in foure severall respects In what respects 1. It defaces Gods Image First self-murder destroyes and defaces the Image of God a Gen 9.6 in the most expresse forme thereof that is in any humane creature and in the neerest proximity and possession thereof in him that kills himselfe It is treason indignly to abuse or demolish the Kings Image much more is it treason against the King of heaven and earth to deface or unworthily to intreat his sacred Image specially for them to do it to whom the entertainment preservation and honourable usage of the same is committed 2. It wrongs Gods soveraigne authority Secondly self-murder is peccant and injurious against Gods soveraigne authority who is absolute Lord of our persons and of our lives and therefore wee have no power but from him and according to his Word to dispose of ourselves seeing that wee are not our owne Superiours supreme nor subordinate which is impossible for then one must be two or else one must bee both superiour and inferiour to it selfe at the same instant and in the same case and respect than which what is more absurd to think and impossible to be Comparison If a private man should violently take a malefactor that is worthy of death from the Kings barre of Judgment and upon his owne will and authority put him to death it would justly be deemed an audacious unlawfull act and worthy of exemplary punishment both for usurping the authority that belongs not to him by thrusting of the King out of his place and jurisdiction and also for depriving of the King of opportunity of shewing mercy or executing justice according to his regall power So likewise may wee judge of a self-murderer that takes himselfe from the barre of God to dispose of himselfe as he list to the wrong of Gods soveraigne authority 3. Self-murder wrongs Gods goodnesse Thirdly self-murder or wilfull self-killing which are both one is against Gods goodnesse whereby he gives us our lives with meanes of their preservation which is a most excellent blessing in it selfe and for the good that thereby we may doe and therefore one sayes well that Life is a certaine gift Vita est quoddā donū divinitus homini attributum ejus potestati subjectum qui oc cidit vivere sacit given to man from above and is subject to his power who kills and makes alive who is only God as the Scripture tells us a Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 and therefore for a man prodigally to waste or destroy this life of his he not only doth an unlawfull act but also slights and contemnes Gods speciall goodnesse to him The most grievous sins are committed against Gods goodnesse which is more damnable than to sin against his other properties because in this consists all our happinesse and thereby God gaines most glory and for despising whereof the Apostle gives a most bitter reproofe Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse c. Rom. 2.4 4. Self-murder wrongs Gods providence Fourthly self-murder is a course against the providence and established government of God in the world about mankind which it doth disturbe by determining the time how long and the manner after what fashion we should die or live according to our owne wills without any dependence upon or respect to the will of God A self-murderer is an Atherst which necessarily imports that a self-murderer is either an Atheist holding that there is no God at all or that God takes no care of the world nor of men to order them or dispose of them but keepes himselfe onely within the circuite of the Heavens than which what can be more contrary to the reason of a good man Or rebell against God Or else by his practise he proclaimes himselfe a rebell against God to whom he will not be subject nor bee disposed according to his Word but like a devill sets himselfe in opposition against God to his owne everlasting destruction §. 3. How self-murder is against nature 3. Self-murder is against nature The third particular that makes it apparent that self-murder is
over-ruling providence hindering the execution and turning his will 2. Be observant of the tempted Secondly men should bee observant of such persons 1. To spie out the causes both to fish and spie out the outmost hidden lurking undiscovered causes thereof that the same may be removed that hinders the cure 2. To watch him that he do it not and also to watch him against all oppertunities and meanes whereby hee may accomplish his act of self-murder 3. Humane forcible restraint Thirdly they are to use outward forcible restraint to such an one as to a mad man shutting him up and keeping meanes of self-destruction from him as much as may be The putting by of the violent attempts and passions of self-murder which comes by fits ague-like not only restraines the act for the time beeing but may also counter-check and abate the rage of it that by degrees it may be prevailed against and asswaged Comparison as agues many times are cured accidentally by very impertinent modicines putting by the fits Observe None are self-murdered but by their owne fault From that which hath beene said touching the Antidotes for self-murder we may observe that it is a mans owne fault if he perish by self-murder in neglect of using the meanes against it Comparison For as there are medicines for all diseases so are there meanes of preservation against all sinnes too how great soever they be to prevent them and these meanes are within the reach of a mans power to use Note The benefits of recovery frō the temptatiōs of self-murder If a man once deeply plunged into these temptations of self-murder do christianly overcome the same and be soundly recovered he hath thereby a good pledge never to be so tried againe and hath a pawne and evidence of victory against other sinnes if he doe his best against them Vse of it And also for this deliverance such a one is bound to be ever exceeding thankefull to God Vpon the cure dangers Upon preservation and freedome out of these temptations of self-murder a man is to take heed of two great dangers 1. Security c. First security self-confidence and presumption whereby those corruptions and sinnes may closely grow upon him that may bring him into as dangerous a condition for his salvation as we see how Hezechia after his recovery out of his mortall sicknesse fell into other sins as he manifested by his oftentation to the messengers of Babylon in boastingly-shewing them his treasure and strength all which cost him deare a 2 King 20.13 2. Vnprofitable life to goodnesse The second danger to be avoided after such a recovery is unprofitable living when such a man spends not the life that God hath given him in speciall manner to Gods glory to the good of others and to his owne salvation which is the maine end why God gives us our lives and for the attainement thereof if we spend them not it were better for us not to live Observe The various states and great dangers that God carieth man through are very remarkable and Gods worke therein is gracious and wonderfull for which we should ever praise his glorious and blessed name with constant dependance upon and dutifull obsequiousnesse to him in all our life and wayes which God grant we may do Amen FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL Table of the materiall Contents of this Treatise directing to the Page where the same is contained or begun A ABsurdity Page 204 Abuse of power Page 162 Abuse of lawfull things procures indirect self-murder Page 109 Abused Scripture most harmefull Page 198 Act How one act of self-murder gives denomination to the doers Page 175 Actions are good not onely from intention Page 241 Adam In Adam all are self-murderers Page 124 Advancement Hope of advancement abused to evill Page 245 Adventuring Of mans adventuring upon sinfull courses the causes Page 69 Of adventuring for saving of soules and for Religion Page 141. 143. Adversity Persons in adversity how to be observed and helped Page 231 Advise To advise the tempted Page 323 Advisedly a self-murderer kils himselfe Page 160 Afflictions spirituall Page 164 Afflictions not simply evill Page 228 Of afflictions occasioning self-murder Page 211. c. In afflictions how men should order themselves Page 231 Afflicted persons doubly burdened ibid. Affections Head-strong affections and ambition are causes of mis-understanding the Scripture Page 197 Ambition cause of self-murder Page 216 241 Amorous discourses how hurtfull Page 195 Anger the cause of self-murder Page 232 Anger against a mans selfe for his sins Page 234 Antidotes for self-murder Page 311 Antiquity of self-murder Page 177 Apostacy Of finall apostacy Page 75 Apparent How it is apparent that men murder themselves Page 176. 178. 181 Apparent good affects the understanding Page 208 Appearing of fellons voluntarily at Assizes Page 135 Application of the meanes of self-killing Page 185 Application of the Word against temptations Page 315 Arguments against self-murder Page 262 274 How arguments are deemed weak or strong Page 191 Ashamed to do good Page 222 Authority man hath not to kill himselfe Page 281 B Badnesse Conceited badnesse of estate cause of self-murder Page 164 Baile for Fellons how by them to be freed Page 135 Being Goodnesse of being Page 259 Behaviour Godly behaviour signe of spirituall life Page 39 Gastly behaviour a signe of subsequent self-murder Page 260 Beleeve To beleeve errors men are strong Page 206 Benefit the benefit of well spending our lives Page 19 Benefit of death encourages against dangers Page 126 The benefits of recovery from temptations of self-murder Page 325 Beware of self murder Page 182 Blame Men blame God to excuse themselves Page 207 Blessing A blessing may become a judgement Page 166 Blindes What blindes men Page 209 Body of mans body and its works 81 with its threefold consideration ib. How the body suffers by and for the soule Page 82 The bodies imployment in murdring it self Page 162 Braves Of Braves Page 112 Publishing Of publishing the Gospell amongst Heathens Page 142 Burning Of burning of a Ship in fight by her own Master or company Page 138 C Calamities The diverse sorts of calamities Page 211 Calling Killing ones self in discharge of calling is not self-murder Page 174 Capacity Shallow capacity is cause of mis-understanding the Scripture Page 197 Capitall-crimes against human laws procuring death Page 121 Capitall-crimes how a man is to reveale against himselfe Page 137 How capitall-crimes make way for self-murder Page 256 Care Mans care of his naturall and spirituall life Page 4 Mans care ought to be most for his spirituall life Page 42 Our care to be preserved from soule-destruction Page 79 Mans care to live well Page 206 Our care to know and obey the truth Page 210 Carefull of what men should be most carefull Page 289 Carnall reason dislikes of strict obedience Page 62 Cases of leagnes and society of warre of infectious places or
occasion of self-murder they should not be wise-mens rules Page 252 The examples of self-murder all bad Page 282 By examples of self-murderers they are all damned that murder themselves Page 293 From examples the objection of self-murderers answered Page 303 Exchange A bad exchange Page 280 Execution of self-murder Page 187 Executioners of destruction God wants not Page 56 Exercise of spirituall life preserves it Page 40 Experience discovers self-murderers Page 181 By experience the evill of self-murder is not knowne in this world Page 188 F Faith Want of faith is cause of disobedience Page 70 Faith is a help for courage Page 128 Faith overthrowne by self-murder Page 272 Faith is against self-murder Page 274 Fasting and prayer helps to prevent self-murder Page 315 Feare A man should feare himself Page 171 Of feare occasioning self-murder Page 224 How feare makes bold ibid. Feare of sin to come how it occasions self-murder Page 237 Feare how hurtfull Page 314 Fellons When fellons are voluntarily to appeare at Assizes Page 135 Fits of self-murder Page 261 Folly of self-murderers Page 186 Food a preservative of naturall life Page 12 Food neglected cause of self-murder Page 91 Fooles Of naturall fooles killing themselves Page 250 Fortune-tellers cause of self-murder Page 202 Freedome from evill is the conceited good in self-murder Page 164 Friends when and how one may die for them Page 129 How calamities upon friends may be cause of self-murder Page 216 How to friends and posterity self-murder is hurtfull Page 273 What care friends of the tempted to self-murder should have of him Page 323 G Gallants desperatly adventuring Page 112 Generall nature of direct self-murder Page 159 Glory the end of ambition Page 242 God converts man by the Gospell Page 30 Why God converts by meanes Page 31 To depend upon God Page 180 Gods secret will is the measure of his own actions and his revealed will is the rule of ours Page 205 How men blame God Page 207 Self-murder is against God himself and how Page 267 Gods glory wronged by self-murder Page 272 Godly life is a signe of spirituall life Page 38 Good A good-conscience is a ground of choerefulnesse Page 13 Good life neglected how it is cause of indirect self-murder Page 94 For publick good one may die Page 131 The imaginary good of self-murder Page 164 Good is the object of the will Page 167 The kinds of good Page 168 How to do good is hard Page 184 Of good shame Page 222 Benefit of good imployment Page 314 Goods of self-murderers confiscate and why Page 278 Goodnesse The Goodnesse of being Page 259 Both goodnesse and truth are the objects of the understanding Page 208 Gospell The Gospell how published to all mankinde Page 24 How the gospell works spirituall life Page 30 Of the malignity of the sins against the Gospell Page 76 About publishing the Gospell how to adventure Page 142 Grace Of grace habituall and actual Page 35 How grace dies by mans negligence 63 How to cherish it ibid. Of emptinesse of grace Page 218 Conceit that the time of grace is past ibid. The use of being in the state of grace Page 311 What want of grace wrought in the heathen Page 178 Grounds of deceived judgement Page 192. 195. 207. Guilty About answering at Assizes Guilty or not Guilty Page 100 To save the guiltlesse what the guilty is to do Page 136 H Habit gives denomination Page 175 Hainousnesse of self-murder Page 286. 294 Harmefulnesse of self-murder Page 272 Hazard Of desperate hazard and cases thereof Page 112 Heathen histories manifesting self-murderers Page 178 Why Heathens murder themselves ibid. Some heathens thought self-murder in some cases to be lawfull Page 178 Heaven To heaven self-murder is not the way Page 244 For heaven wee are to wait Gods time Page 245 Heresie How self-murder is Heresie Page 233 Hieroms opinion against self-murder Page 277 Historie How by histories self-murderers are discovered Page 178 Holy-Ghost Of the sin against the Holy-Ghost Page 73. 301 Holy life is good against self-murder Page 312 Holinesse is a good meanes to understand the Scriptures Page 200 Honor How affectation of honor caused Heathens to kill themselves Page 179 Calamities upon honour occasioning self-murder Page 215 Hope a preservative of spirituall life Page 41 Humility a meanes better to understand the Scripture Page 199 Humility is a good preservative against self-murder Page 312 Hurt The hurt of self-murder Page 181 288 J Jdlenesse Of idlenesse and how men mis-spend their lives therein Page 20 Idlenesse the divels advantage Page 247 Ignorants killing themselves are not self-murderers Page 173 Ignorance Mans ignorance of Gods decree Page 204 Ignorance makes way for destruction Page 210 Ilnesse of self-murder unknowne incourages to it Page 208 Image of God defaced by self-murder Page 267 Imagination by meanes of imagination man suffers Page 164 Impatiency the cause of self-murder Page 164. 225 Impenitency a sin against the Gospell Page 72 Impertinent Doing things impertinent is mis-spending of life Page 19 Imployment The benefit of good imployment Page 314 Jmpostures of Magitians Page 202 Indifferent Of things indifferent how they become sinfull Page 152 Indirect bodily self-murder defined 84. How the same in some respects is a greater sin than direct self-murder 87. Of indirect self-murder of the body 91. Why the same is treated of in the first place Page 90 Of indirect self-murder by omission 91 Physically wrought ibid. How morally wrought 94. Of indirect self-murder by commission 109. By entring covenant and societie 118. By doing that which naturally kills the doer 121. By doing capitall crimes against humane lawes 121. By transgressing of Gods Lawes Page 122 The properties of indirect self-murderers Page 154 Indowments of man do condemne murder Page 283 Infectious Of presuming into infectious places or company Page 120 About infectious persons in some cases adventuring Page 141 Infidelity its causes and cure Page 72 Innocents suffering by some mistake Page 136 Insufficiency Afflictions insufficiency to cause a man to kill himselfe Page 228 Intention Of mans intention to kill himselfe Page 160 Intention onely makes not actions good Page 241 Invasion is to be resisted Page 17 Josephus his judgement and opposition against self-murder Page 284 Judgement perverted Page 192 How the judgement of the learned obtaines the force of a Law Page 194 How judgement abused is cause of spirituall phrensie Page 251 Justice Concerning Justice 34. and how self-murder is against it Page 263 K Killing Wilfull killing of ones selfe comprehends murder in it Page 47 Knowledge incourages Page 126 Of knowledge of the Scriptures the rules Page 199 Knowledge of a mans selfe needfull to cure his pride Page 227 L Law The transgression of Gods Lawes how dangerous Page 112 Sin against the Law of nature and of God to be avoided Page 150 151. Some Lawes cause error in judgement Page 192 What humane Lawes ought to be obeyed or not obeyed Page 194 Self-murder is against Gods Law and
LIFES PRESERVATIVE AGAINST SELF-KILLING OR AN VSEFVL TREATISE Concerning Life and Self-murder SHEWING The Kindes and Meanes of them both The Excellency and preservation of the former The Evill and prevention of the latter CONTAINING The Resolution of manifold Cases and Questions concerning that Subject with plentifull variety of necessary and usefull Observations and practicall Directions needfull for all Christians Is it lawfull to save life or to kill Mark 3.4 Non est nostrûm mortem arriperc sed oblatam patienter ferre Hieron in Jonam By JOHN SYM Minister of Leigh in Essex LONDON Printed by M. Flesher for R. Dawlman and L. Fawne at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls-Churchyard 1637. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST NOBLE LORD ROBERT EARLE OF WARWICK Lord RICH Baron of LEEZE c. My very good LORD and most noble PATRON Increase of Grace Honor and Happinesse Right Honourable THat Eminencie that is in a most excellent Maecenas to supply the defects and meannesse of an obscure Author and that Relation and obligation that a poore Clerk may have to a most noble worthie and respective Patron hath made me presume to make choise of your noble Lordship for a Guardian of this my poore tractate which is of a compounded Denomination consisting of contrary ingredients of life and death of saving and killing by such reflecting acts of the doers upon themselves as make the Agents and patients thereof to be the same individualls The discourse is of a mixt and various nature and the theame of self-killing is the subject both of Divinity and of humanity of Religion and of Law the full handling whereof may be serviceable to the Kings Majestie for preservation of the lives of his people against the blowes and mortall wounds of a self-killing hand and may be usefull for the publick good of the Church and of the Common wealth both for the safety of the soules and bodies of their members and also in point of Honour that the government of so gracious a King and the glory of so famous a Nation may not be ignominiously stayned by self-murdring practises In which respects it was most requisite that I should dedicate the treatise of that nature to such a noble Guardian as hath a most speciall care to uphold and advance both Religion and Iustice the honour of the King and kingdome and the welfare both of Church and Commonwealth in all the members of the same as your Honourable Lordship alwaies hath in the places of your imployment and residence which in cognizance of us in the Ministery is specially apparent by your noble and pious care of providing able painefull and godly Ministers to the Churches under your speciall Patronage bestowing your Church-livings both freely and to the fittest and best deserving that you can finde for those places and countenancing and furthering the Clergie what you can in all godly and legall courses whereby multitudes of soules being saved and the Church of England under our Soveraigne the King advanced and supported in the Honour of her Ministery all have cause to praise God and to pray to God for your Lordship and for your noble Family the honourable instruments of so much divine and publick good whereof many blessed soules in heaven saved by that meanes are witnesses before God to your eternall praise honour and comfort with your renowned progenitors of that practise And I confesse it is the dutie specially of us of the Ministery to write your most Illustrious name and highest Commendations with the poynt of a Dyamond in letters of Gold upon the most durable pillars of perpetuity and ever to celebrate your due praise both for honour of your noble deservings and also for vertuous and pious example and incouragement to all posterity and noble Peeres in that poynt specially of upholding and advancing true Religion and piety both in and by that carefull and conscionable course of bestowing your Church-livings and regarding of your Ministers and also by your constant profession of the truth and according to the same professedly worshipping the true God thereby publickly obliging your selfe to such holines of heart and conversation in walking with God according to the rules of true Religion as may give your Lordship sound and grounded hope of eternall life and may verifie in you the realitie of that most Christian and heroick motto Garde ta foy In a word Divine Providence and Heavens favour hath made your Lordship Rich not onely by nature and name but also in honor and manifold blessings upon you and in much good done by your meanes whereby you stand bound to be accordingly thankfull to God and to be ever mindfull that your Eminency objects your Lordship to the worlds prying observation and to mens rigid censure which requires your more carefull circumspection in your whole conversation that you may be as farre distant from all ignoble vices and sinfull courses which staines and abases Honour and greatnesse and as Illustrious in all vertues and commendable actions as your noble condition is elevated above the common ranck of men which conciliates and procures Honour and comfort of a higher nature and of more lasting continuance than that which can be had from or by Titles and humane dignities or from sycophantizing humoring and flattering that so you may attaine to eternall glory and happines after this short life ended Most noble Lord I commed this treatise to you not onely that you may put credit and respect upon it for publick favour and entertainment and to give encouragement to the Author but also with all observancie to subject it to your judicious censure and my selfe to the service of your Honour and noble Family for the furtherance of the good and salvation of you and yours by the dayly prayers and faithfull labours of him that ever remaines From your Lo ps Leigh in Essex Your Lordships devoted faithfull and obsequious servant in Christ Iohn Sym. THE PREFACE TO THE READERS OF THIS TREATISE AND To my Auditors in my Ministery specially my ever much respected loving Friends and respective Parishioners the Inhabitants of Leigh in Essex Grace and Peace be multiplyed THis Treatise I can neither commend to you from the pleasantnesse of the nature of the subject of it which is about Self-murder that is a wickednesse not to be named among Christians in regard of likeing or practice thereof nor yet can I magnifie it to you for any thing that is simply mine in it although there is much more mine in it than might have beene if there had been full and compleat Tractates made by other men of that subject whence I might have borrowed more and have had more help than now I could to have made this a more perfect and better polished peece I doubt not but it shall be found in the advised and candide perusall thereof to carry in all the passages thereof the impresse and stamp of truth for which it may be worthy of your acceptation both for information of judgment
after that wofull experience had given too great evidence of mens impudency in committing this inhumane and unnaturall sinne most severe lawes were made against the same In like case hath more woefull experience given more abundant evidence of the more then most in humane and unnaturall sinne of Self murder And I suppose that scarce an age since the beginning of the world hath afforded more examples of this desperate inhumanity than this our present age and that in all sorts of people Clergie Laity Learned unlearned Noble meane Rich poore Free bond Male Female young and old It is therefore high time that the danger of this desperate devilish and damnable practice be plainly and fully set out which to my best remembrance hath not before this beene performed by a full and just Treatise Chrysost Hom. 84. in Ioh. 19. Augustin epist 61. alisque in locis Hier. comment in Ion. cap. 1. Cic. de Fin. bon mal l. 5. Somn. Scipion. Proxima deinde tenent moesti loca qui sibi lethum Insontes peperere manu c. Virg. Aen. 6. It hath in sundry Sermons preached and published and in other printed Treatises beene spoken against and the hainousnesse and danger thereof somewhat to the quick yea and life too beene declared and that both by the Ancient Fathers and also by late Divines Yea Heathen men by the light of nature have damned it to the pit of bell where they have placed Self murderers making them againe and againe to wish themselves alive on earth though there poverty griefe shame and all other evills should befall them Surely most seasonably is this Treatise here published by an Author well fitted and enabled thereto For he is an expert Casuist by learning and experience so fully accomplished as he hath for many yeares beene accounted an Oracle where be lives and by all sorts resort is made to him to be resolved in intricate doubts In handling this Treatise like a skilfull Artist and wise builder Luke 6.48 be hath digged deep to lay his foundation sure he hath begun with life and artificially distinguished the severall sorts thereof and shewed the excellency of every sort that the hainousnesse of taking away so precious a thing might thereby be the more aggravated Many pertinent cases are here and there yea every where in this Treatise judiciously discussed and resolved So good is the wine here to be had Vino vendibili non opus est hederâ as there needs no bush to draw thee to it Let mee but perswade thee to taste it I shall need to set no greater commendation upon it I make no question but that wheresoever it findeth entertainment it will prove a most soveraigne preservative against this horrible temptation to Self-murder The Lord give such a blessing to it as it may be a meanes of keeping men from laying violent hands upon any especially upon themselves and of directing and inciting them so to preserve their temporall and spirituall life as they may bee reserved unto eternall life 18. Apr. 1637. VVILLIAM GOUGE IN DOCTISSIMVM ET ELABORATVM HVNC TRACTATVM Technas Diaboli homines ad horrendum scelus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provocantis mirâ arte pietate denudantem MOrtalibus vitae semèl scintillulam Natura cunctis indidit Tuendam ab omnibus virili prosua ad Imaginem quae condita est DEI cruore et sacro CHRISTI parta huic Larvatus invidet Serpens Hanc suffocare cordis pendulus cujus Curae anxiae cor vellicant Contendit alter nescius probi qui se Nequitiâ totum faedat Illam aestimat parvi scelestâ dexterâ Extinguit illam tertius Sic à DEO creata vitae scintilla et CHRISTI redempta sanguine Quae charior lapillis est purior Morte interit repentinâ Quis non beatum praedicabit Symeum CHRISTI facit solertem quem Gregis tuendi cura quipandit viam Quâ possit haec scintillula Vitae foveri pendulum cordis cui Iter dolores obstruunt Vocis per anfractus doloris dirigit Ad sempiterna gaudia Acumine insigni qui pandit subdolas Technas diaboli quibus Vitae struit dolum qui cunctos instruit Vitam caducam degere Vt illius peracto cursugaudijs Vitae fruantur aeternae Gregem ô beatum qui Tuo doctissimo Labore ductus abstrusa Coelstium scitorum ediscit dogmata CHRISTUS diu Tesospitet Gregem ut Tibi commissum possis quod facis Fovere scriptis vitâ T.Y. Haec amoris ergò apposuit qui gravissimum hujus Tractatus Authorem verè suscipit sincerè colit A deare Friend to the Author FRom Albion whence now we all be one with healthfull salves thou doest assay to cure Self-murders griefe that many long agone doth kill and fill dark Hell with soules impure Which sage Hippocrates and Galen sure could not prevent nor heale with all their skill But thou by thy receipts that will indure most skilfully canst soundly cure this ill Goe to therefore deare Sym God give successe Like to thy skill thy will this to redresse S.H. A TABLE OF THE Chapters and severall Sections with their Contents CHAPTER 1. The generall description of Self-murder § 1. Concerning life and death that they are things of greatest importance Page 1. § 2. Self-murder described what it is and of the three parts of the description Page 2 § 3. How self-murder is knowne by life which it destroyes why evill ever cleaves to good and that all worldly things are subject to contrary passions Page 2 3. Chap. 2. Of the kindes of the life of man naturall and spirituall and what the care of men should be of both Page 4 Chap. 3. Of naturall life in generall § 1. Of diverse sorts of life of vegetation sense and reason Page 4 5 § 2. That man onely is subject to self-murder and of the greatnesse of that sin Page 6 § 3. How naturall life is knowne in and by the man in whom it is both by sense and understanding Page 6 § 4. Of the soules double act in man for his person and his workes Page 7 Chap. 4. Of mans naturall life more specially § 1. Wherein the naturall life of man consists which is fraile Page 8 § 2. Of the sweetnesse of naturall life Page 9 § 3. How the losse of naturall life is horrible and painfull and why Page 9 § 4. How life is deare and precious with three reasons thereof Page 10 § 5. Of naturall lifes preservation the meanes thereof and of cheerefulnesse Page 12 § 6. How to use Physick with foure cautions about the same Page 14 § 7. Of three deadly things to be resisted Page 16 § 8. How to spend our lives well with three motives so to do and how men mispend their lives foure wayes Page 18 Chap. 5. Of mans spirituall life § 1. What spirituall life is Page 21 § 2. Of the acts of spirituall life which are two Page 21 § 3. Of the
fulfill the lusts thereof nor yet is it to live according to the flesh directing our waies by our owne carnall wisdome and will but thereby is intimated living in a fraile and sinfull body subject to manifold troubles and infirmities in which regard it is a fading and temporary life as Saint Iames tels us Iam. 4.14 comparing it to a vapour that vanisheth away With the which life all men that come into this world are indowed as Saint Iohn affirmes Ioh. 1.9 and this naturall life is onely for this sublunary world and not for the world to come for our lives do differ according to our estates and places wherein we are to live §. 2. The sweetnesse of naturall life In what respect naturall life is sweet Even this naturall life is sweet in regard of the union of the soule and body together and in respect of the preservation of our persons by it and for the workes that we may doe in it for Gods glory and our owne salvation 1. So that the lesse certainty that a man hath of a better life the more deare this should be unto him that therein he may enjoy the present and may provide for a better 2. and also the more zeale and desire that a man hath to doe good in glorifying of God and in benefiting of others and the more care he hath of advancement of his owne eternall happinesse the more is hee to respect his life wherein the same is to be done §. 3. The losse of naturall life is horrible and painefull How death is naturally horrible God hath so ordained that the departure of the soule from the body should ordinarily be horrible to mans apprehension and with paine and griese not onely in respect of parting two such sweet Companions which separated are imperfect the one without the other but also in respect of the utter destruction of their common naturall personall life and the cutting off of all these comfortable actions and affections that depend upon and do tend to the perfection of the same Which is to the end that man may naturally endeavour the preservation of his life against all dangers and may abhorre self-murder that deprives him of so much good §. 4. How life is deare and precious Life deare There is nothing in the world more deare to a man than his life in which regard it was that Satan said to the Lord touching Iob all that a man hath will he give for his life Iob. 2.4 and for the excellency and use of it Salomon calls it the precious life Prov. 6.26 and therefore he should not part from it or cast it away for a trifle or in a humour specially seeing he can never redeeme or recover it againe from death a Psal 49.7 Reasons 1 It preserves the person in being For three reasons especially is the life of man precious First because by it the person of man is preserved in its esse or being by personall union of soule and body which otherwise would be dissolved and undone Now betweene being and not being there is so vast a distance and opposition that a creature doth naturally desire rather to live miseraebly than not to live as is apparent by that naturall instinct whereby the creature to save its life or vitall parts objects and offers its lesse principall members to undergoe the danger choosing rather to live mutilate and wretched than for prevention thereof to die For the losse of life is not onely irrevocable and unmatchable in worth compared with that worldly thing for which it is exchanged but also it includes all other worldly losses in it and therefore it is farre the greatest losse that man can suffer 2 It makes capable of comfort Secondly it is by life that the creature is capable of any comfort or of the use and benefit of the blessings of good things that God gives us to rejoyce in in this world for to a dead man all this world and pleasure of it is gone and to him that wants sense the use and delight of all sensible things is lost in which respect Solomon saith to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope for a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon Eccles 9.4 so it is under God by the blessing of life that other good things are blessings to us and that the miseries and calamities that betide us here are lesse evills than death for that partiall and initiall evills are ever lesse than those that are compleate and full those that afflict than those that extinguish 3. For the use of it Thirdly life is precious for the use and improvement of it 1 To Gods glory First to Gods glory in spending of it in manner according to his holy word with respect to God for the end that we aime at in which regard godly Hezekiah said that not the dead but the living praise God a Esay 38.18 19. 2 To others Secondly the preciousnesse of mans life is seene in the use of it for the good that thereby is done to others both in civill and divine good offices in Church and Common-wealth as the Apostle Paul confesseth of himselfe that he did live for the spirituall benefit of the Philippians Phil. 1.24 25. As for the dead they are unprofitable to the living as appeares by Esay 63.16 saying that Abraham is ignorant of us and the Psalmist tels us that we should not put our trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man in whom there is no help and then gives the reason of it His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish b Psal 46.304 3 To a mans selfe Thirdly the excellencie and necessity of life is seene in the use and benefit of it to a mans selfe in fitting him for heaven by working up of his salvation here in this life and in advancing himselfe in glory both by adorning his person with divine and saving graces of Gods spirit and also by holy actuall obedience and dutifull performances to God in tract of living For if a man doe not at all live this naturall life he cannot be capable of eternall life and although he do live this naturall life yet if he do not endeavour to extend and employ it to the attainment of salvation but that it be cut off before salvation be wrought he cannot but of necessity perish for ever For as the tree falls so it shall lye there is no amendment of our estate and errors after death as appeares by the parable of the rich man Luke 16.25 26. if God doe give a man life and time he puts a price into his hand and gives him a great blessing for his advancement to a better life And therefore in all the aforesaid respects it is apparent that life is the most precious thing that God bestowes upon man whereby all other blessings to us are expressed as appeares by Abrahams
speech to the Lord saying Oh that Ishmael might live before thee a Gen. 17.18 Vse To preserve life The chiefe use of the former doctrine is to provoke and move us to use all lawfull meanes to preserve and prolong our lives for hee that wills the end should also will the meanes whereby he may attaine to that end §. 5. Of the meanes of lifes preservation The meanes 1. Prayer Those meanes are first prayer to God for to sustaine and preserve our lives especially in apparent dangers as David did Psal 102.24 saying Oh my God take me not away in the midst of my dayes For as our lives depend upon him that is the fountaine of life b Ioh. 1.4 so our eyes must be to him for a continuall influxe of continuing the same in regard of outward dangers and inward mortality dayly putting our lives in jeopardy which of our selves we are not able to resist 2. Foode cheerefulnesse c. The second meanes of the preservation of mans life is the moderate and cheerefull use of necessary foode and raiment with other convenient comforts and delights needfull to cherish and preserve our lives according to Solomons direction that there is nothing better for a man than that he should eate and drinke and that he should make his soule enjoy good in his labour Eccles 2.24 according to Iacobs desire Gen. 28.20 intreating God that he might have bread to eate and cloathes to put on not to hoard and lay up but for his use For a man to have plenty and yet to be in want is a miserable condition for so he defrauds and wrongs himselfe he is injurious to the creatures in not imploying them to the use for which God made and gave them and is ingratefull to God in not rightly using his blessings so as he may thereby doe God the greatest honor and service Of cheerefulnesse Cheerefulnesse is an excellent meanes of life for as Solomon saies by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken and all the dayes of the afflicted are evill but a merry heart maketh a cheerefull countenance and he that is of a merry heart hath a continuall feast a Prov. 15.13 15. and therefore Eccles 8.15 he commendeth mirth because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eate and to drinke and to be merry for that shall abide with him of his labour the daies of his life which God giveth him under the sunne and for this purpose God gives us some things that are onely for delight and of other things he often bestowes such plenty upon us as shewes it to be his pleasure that we should use them not onely for necessity but also for cheering of us that we may both taste thereby how good he is to us and also that we may the more joyfully serve him with gladnesse of heart in health and in plenty of all things Grounds of cheerefulnesse 1 A good conscience grace and hope The grounds of this Cheerefulnesse are two First inward peace of conscience in the apprehension of Gods favour and love to us in Christ Iesus in the comfortable evidence of the pardon of our sins in the undeceivable enjoying of the saving graces of Gods spirit in the truth of our conformity and obedience to God and in assured hope of everlasting life and happinesse all which will make us to rejoyce yea even in tribulation Rom. 5.3 with joy unspeakeable and glorious 2. Outward blessings The second ground of our cheerefulnesse is the outward favours and benefits that God in mercy bestowes upon us whereof wee are to take the present use and sweetnesse not depriving our selves thereof nor deading our spirits with feares of uncertaine or remote future evils according to the direction of our Saviour Mat. 6.34 Take no thought for the morrow forbidding anxious tormenting care for feare of ensuing crosses and according to the practise of Hezekiah to whom the Lord had denounced fearefull judgements upon his posterity who said Good is the word of the Lord for there shall be peace and truth in my dayes Isai 39.8 3. Physick Thirdly to preserve our lives it is requisite that we use the seasonable fit and moderate help of Physick to prevent or remove diseases which are not onely the enemies of life but are also an inchoate or begun death as Hezekiah did take a lump of figgs and laid it on his boile for his recovery 2 King 20.7 according to Gods direction by Esay the Prophet in this respect did Saint Paul direct Timothie to drinke no longer water but to use a little wine for his stomacks sake and his often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 that so a man may not be a deficient cause of the preservation of his owne life when God gives meanes to save or prolong it §. 6. How to use Physick Cautions about Physick 1. That wee trust not to it In taking of Physick wee are alwaies to observe these subsequent cautions First that wee dote not upon nor trust or ascribe too much to physicall meanes but that we carefully looke and pray to God for a blessing by the warrantable use of them For it is God that both directs the Physitians judgement and conscionable practise about a patient and also puts vertue into and gives healthfull operation to the medicines 2. Use it moderately Secondly that we use Physick moderately not out of wantonnesse but for necessity nor as our daily diet bringing our selves under a necessity of ever using it and so by repairing of the house of our body wee may waste and overthrow it neither are we then to use Physick when there is no needfull cause nor yet in such desperate cases where there is no hope of life but apparent signes of approching death lest under an intent of prolonging life wee doe shorten it or of curing wee doe kill where there is not strength of nature to help physick to work its due effect 3. Use it not rashly Thirdly our care about Physick must be that wee doe not unadvisedly and rashly use it either by practising upon our selves or others beyond our skill or calling or else by taking Physick from others that be either presumptuous-ignorant Empericks or prophane and desperate dispensers and undertakers neither conscionable in their owne lives nor tender of the lives of others but are more desirous of their patients monies than of their healths and therefore our endeavour should be to take physick both seasonably for time and also by the counsell and direction of such as be both skilfull persons in that facultie and also conscionable for religion and piety that God may blesse their labours the better who will be tender and carefull of mens lives working by safe courses and in manner fit for their patients good and herein what ever the effect be men may have comfort when they shall have insisted in a warrantable way 4. Not to be perplexed about the event
Fourthly wee are to take heed that we be not anxiously perplexed and troubled when upon the using or forbearing of Physick upon warrantable grounds the effect answers not our desire or expectation But suppose the patient dies or labours under any griefe unrecovered without hope of cure it is folly to vexe our selves because we have not used this body or that body this medicine or that medicine thinking or saying if we had done this or that our selves or some other patient belonging to us had beene recovered just as Mary said to Christ Lord if thou hadst beene here my Brother had not died a Ioh. 11.32 When a thing contrarie to our desire is done wherein we are not faultie when wee worke according to our present knowledge and meanes we should rest content with the will of God how adverse or crosse soever it seemes to us considering that as God appoints the end and thing that doe come to passe so doth he likewise direct and order the meanes to accomplish the same For God oftentimes over-rules our purpose mens skill and the nature and effects of Physick to the bringing to passe of his owne purposes contrary to our expectation which must bee attributed to God the soveraigne Lord and is not to bee imputed to unblameable men and meanes that are but the instruments under God and subject to his controle and disposition and therefore touching the events thereupon following wee must bee content to be crossed of our wils sometime that God at all times may have his §. 7. Of deadly things to be resisted 4. Opposition of deadly things Fourthly and lastly to preserve his life every man is bound to decline and oppose all things that tend to the unlawfull taking of it away for that which other creatures do by Antipathie and instinct of nature for shunning that which is contrary or pernicious to them man is by the meanes of his reason and will to do the like for his preservation who by his intellectuall parts can better foresee and discerne what is hurtfull and dangerous to him or his life 1 Invasion The things that especially he is to decline and beware of are First Forcible invasion whereby his life is assaulted or indangered and his death attempted by others For besides the perill that a mans life is in by that inbred poyson of diseases and mortality in himselfe it is lyable to death by meanes from without himselfe whereof a man is to be carefull both to foresee the same and to prevent it or to extricate and free himselfe out of it as we see how Paul understanding of a conspiracy of above 40. men lying in waite to take away his life used his best indeavours to decline and prevent the same by discovery thereof to the chiefe Captaine Act. 23.17 and so our Saviour himselfe gave commandement to his Disciples that when their enemies did persecute them in one citie they should flee to another Mat 10.23 according to his own practise who to avoid and escape the bloody hands of Herod was carried into Egypt 1 Mat. 2. which course is abundantly warranted by manifold arguments and examples in Scripture and upon just reason is so good that necessity of saving a mans life against unjust and violent invasion warrants him both in the Courts of Heaven and Earth in his owne lawfull defence to kill rather than to suffer himselfe to be unjustly killed because that love which is the fulfilling of the Law b Rom. 13.10 begins at a mans selfe it being the rule that we should love our neighbours as our selves How can it bee expected that he will preserve other mens lives that is carelesse of his owne Qui sibi nequam cui bonus 2. Dangerous undertakings Secondly for preservation of mans life he must not onely not submit himselfe passively to private deadly cruelties of others but also he must not actively expose himselfe to hazard the losse of his life upon self-will'd dangerous undertakings without a lawfull calling and sufficiency of strength to undertake or go safely through the enterprise as our Saviour intimates Luk. 14.31 in the parable of the King going to warre that would not undertake above his power 3. Motions of self-murder Thirdly the thing that a man is to decline for preservation of his life is that he do abhorre and reject all unnaturall motions or resolutions of self-murder That the heart of man may neither be suffered to breed nor to entertaine the thoughts of his owne destruction like a viper conceiving and somenting such an issue as in the birth thereof destroyes the parent that gave it being The thoughts of evill that a man doth at first but dally withall and fearelesly beholds in his mind presuming of his power over them at length possesse him and master him and therefore above all things wee are to keep our heart for out of it proceeds all evill Prov. 4.23 Mat. 15.19 if the seed and spawne of sin in the motions of it in the heart be extinguished and destroyed then there is no feare of the breaking of it out in act for as Saint Iames saith Lust first conceives before it brings forth sin a Jam. 1.15 §. 8. Of spending our lives well To spend our lives well Another generall use of the former doctrine of the pretiousnesse of mans life is that wee be the more carefull to husband and spend it well to the glory of God our owne good and comfort and for the good of others among whom we live considering that our life is too good to be spent away in idlenesse to bee wasted prodigally or to bee mis-imployed in the service of sinne and Sathan and is irrevocable when it is past that it cannot be had backe againe that it might be better spent and former errors be undone and therefore we doe ever need with the Psalmist to intreat that God would so teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto wisdome b Psal 90.12 being ever mindfull of the Apostles admonition redeeme the time because the dayes are evill Eph. 5.16 Motives The motives that may move us to spend our time and life well are specially these three following First 1. Badnesse of the times the wickednesse of the world which should make us more watchfull to catch at all opportunities to do good that our life that will waste away with the rust of doing nothing may bee comfortably spent in well doing Happy shall that servant be whom his Lord when he comes shall find doing so Mat. 24.46 2. Shortnesse of our lives Secondly the shortnesse and uncertainty of our lives which passes as a shadow or a vapour that appeares no more puts us in mind not to deferre but while it is called to day requires us with sobriety and watchfulnesse to be couragious and incessant in well doing Post est occasio calva the morrow is not ours and if we be cut off
before it comes our worke being undone how then will it grieve us that we were so slothfull 3. The benefit of well-spending them Thirdly the weightinesse of that which depends upon well-spending of our lives here as the comfort of our soules and everlasting salvation hereafter calls upon us to consider that no estate or stock need be so frugally spent as the short life and few dayes of man than which nothing is more wastefully worthlesly vainely nor worse mis-spent specially three wayes to which we may adde a fourth How men mis-pend their lives 1. By doing evill First in doing of naughtinesse and evill which wee ought not to doe it being forbidden by God whereby many men take great paines in vile courses of prophanenesse filthinesse drunkennesse fighting against the truth and the like mis-spending their meanes and lives to oppose God and to get and goe to hell by rightly imploying whereof they might with farre lesse trouble and adoe happily do much good and attaine to heaven and everlasting glory 2. By doing things impertinent Secondly by doing that which is little or nothing to the purpose for a mans true happinesse and comfort as impertinent studies pursuite of curiosity and vanity hunting immoderately and prosecuting eagerly after the profits and pleasures of this world that before God will availe a man nothing for his salvation and eternall or spirituall comfort when the things whereupon the same depends have beene neglected for as the Apostle sayes bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable to all things a 1 Tim. 4.8 3. By idlenesse Thirdly men do often mis-spend their lives by wasting it in sluggish idlenesse when they minde and indeavour nothing so much as how they may sleepe at ease or passe away their time in sloath or sottishnesse so driving their dayes and lives to an end in doing nothing although none have more to do than they while others complaine of want of time in their imployments about their commendable affaires these object that they have more time than they know what to doe with Such are iners inutile pondus an unprofitable burthen and the excrements of the Church and Commonwealth dead while they live and as hoggs more profitable by their deaths than by their lives like ciphers they keepe a place but are of no value or worth they go out of the world before they regard why they came into the world when they are present they are unprofitable and when they are gone they are not missed for any good they ever did Causes of idlenesse The causes of which idle course of life are affectation of their owne bodily and worldly ease contenting the flesh with doing of nothing and care onely to avoid trouble which attends upon active and industrious godly imployment but wee finde the sentence of condemnation passed no lesse against those that omitted to doe their duties b Mat. 25.43 than against them who committed that evill which was forbidden Wilfull defects and omissions of doing good bring damnation He that wanted his wedding garment was thrust out of doores and cast into utter darkenesse Mat. 22.13 Why was Meroz cursed because they came not out to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Iudg. 5.23 An idle and slothfull spending of a manlife is every where in Scripture condemned and by nature the Bees expell the Droanes 4. By over-charging ones selfe in doing good There is another way of mis-spending a mans life proceeding from good affection in a pious manner by his over-tasking or overcharging himselfe in religious performances or good duties above his strength as in fasting and prayer in studies and labours in the Word Neque immoderata imperamus jejunia Hieron ad Demetriadem and the like whereby a mans life is soone spent like a sudden blaze consumed in a present flame which by more frugall ordering of it according to his ability might last much longer to the greater benefit both of Church and Commonwealth and thus I have done with the discourse of mans naturall life CHAP. 5. Of mans spirituall life §. 1. What spirituall life is Spirituall life what WEe are now to consider of mans spirituall life which is not properly the life of his spirit whereby the spirits of all men doe live but it is the life of a man whereby he personally considered lives a spirituall and supernaturall life Which consists in the gratious union of man with God in Christ who is our life a Ioh 14.6 whom God sent into the world that we might live through him 1 Ioh. 4.9 by whom we are delivered from death by his spirit because of the spiritualnesse of this our life it is said to be hid with God in Christ Col. 3.3 §. 2. The acts of spirituall life Acts of it 1. Of this spirituall life there are two acts First that whereby we that were dead in trespasses and sinnes are quickned Ephes 2.1 being translated into a state of spirituall and eternall life and indowed with a new lively principle of grace inabling us to spirituall motion 2. The second act of this life is that whereby we walke and worke according to the direction of Gods word and the good motions of the good spirit so being made conformable to God and walking with God as new creatures in the estate of regeneration §. 3. The degrees of spirituall life Degrees of it Of this life there are two degrees 1. First that which is by faith in the state of grace in this world as our Saviour tells us that hee that beleeveth on him hath eternall life Ioh. 6.47 by this life we are to live according to God in the spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 and also if wee live in the spirit wee are also to walke in the spirit a Gal 5.25 Faith and good workes as the cause and effects are alwaies together Iam. 2.20 The second degree of our spirituall life is that which is by vision or sight in glorie whereof Saint Iohn tells us that we shall be like to Christ for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3.2 and touching those things wherein it consists Saint Paul saies that eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him b 1 Cor. 2.9 And he himselfe having beene rapt up into the third heaven confesseth that there he heard unspeakable words c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not lawfull for him to utter d 2 Cor. 12.4 in regard of impossibility there being want of words to expresse such supernaturall matter and his conceiving being lesse than could comprehend what was represented to him This spirituall life in the estate of grace in this world is apprehended first in the understanding Heb. 11.1 but in the state of glory in heaven it is visibly injoyed by way of a spirituall sensiblenesse Note In the former
others and for glory to God before it be glorified with God The grounds of it The grounds and originall motives of this grace and holinesse that consists in actuall obedience to God are three 1. First habituall grace in man not considered as in an unformed masse but as formed in its severall species or kindes of definable vertues is the ground and living spring whence issues this actuall holinesse according to the kinds and degrees of the seminall or radicall vertue whence it proceeds without which all outward holiness is but vanishing hypocrisie 2. The second motive is the externall impulsion of Gods word in the ministery and use thereof Gods vvord directing and exhorting us in way of morall perswasion to doe our duty so stirring up the grace of God in us to shew it selfe in putting forth the vertue thereof in action 3. The third motive is that influence and motion of the Spirit of God which at times The Spirit both stirres up the graces of God in us to make them lively to put forth their strength to make resistance against sinne and to undertake and prosecute the doing of good and also it suppeditates and conveyes increase of grace and spirituall abilities into a regenerated man whereby he growes and goeth on both in habituall and actuall holinesse for being dead to sinne it is requisite that we doe live to righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 in regard that the Prophet tells us That be that doth that which is lawfull and right shall live thereby a Ezek 33.19 §. 11. Of the signes of spirituall life Signes of spirituall life are Now it followes that wee doe make inquiry and search to find out the signes of this spirituall life whereby we may know whether we have it or want it whereof I will give you some notes 1. First it is discernable by a mans thoughts and affections for Heavenly thoughts and affections if he have spirituall life both his minde and thoughts will be taken up most with God and heavenly things and also his affections will be most set upon them both with ardency of desires to have them and also with abundant joy in the hope and fruition of them according to the command of the Apostle who bids us to Set our affections on things above not on things on the earth because our life is bid with Christ in God Colos 3.2 3. 2. The second note of this spirituall life is the powerfull active effects of it His life godly whereby the man that hath it doth live for his divine and morall manner of living according to the direction of Gods holy Word and the motion of the spirit of God in manner and degree farre surpassing the power of nature and contrary to the disposition of flesh and blood being hereunto moved and strengthened not onely by outward morall perswasions but specially after a divine or renewed manner by a spirituall principle of supernaturall vitall motion within himselfe whereby after a sort in some measure he becomes a rule and Law to himselfe of good life as those that have the law not onely written in their hearts but have also a power with activity of endeavour to do the same with respect to a spitituall and supernaturall end and in this respect also it is said that the Law is not made for a righteous man a 1 Tim. 1.9 3. The third signe of spirituall life in man is his comfortable suffering for the things belonging to that life Patient suffering when he subsists under afflictions for goodnesse with unrelenting courage adhering to the truth and persisting in his integrity against all opposition 1. Which manifests it selfe first in the measure of these afflictions when he beares the same with ability above naturall strength as did Moses seeing him that is invisible b Heb. 11.27 by whose vertue he was supported 2. Secondly by the manner of his undergoing of afflictions in voluntary and active submission and not onely passive or by way of coaction and inforcement wholly against his will subjected to them but induring with joyfulnesse a Rom. 5.3 as those that the Scripture speakes of who tooke joyfully the spoyling of their goods Heb. 10.34 which cannot bee done but by such as are indowed with this spirituall life whereby they live even when they die 4. Heavenly behaviour in the vvorld The fourth note of this spirituall living is the regulatity of such a mans godly behaviour and conversation in the worlds eye in all his actions subject to the direction of God and moving from and according to supernaturall principles of habituall grace not walking after the judgement and examples of the world or of flesh and blood For he that is indowed with this spirituall life is a compleat now creature having judgment will affections qualities senses and deportment farre differing from the vulgar crew and common course in a life as if not of the world but as he were a pilgrim in the world so his carriage in a manner is strange to the world And as the life of every creature is so it affects the element fit for it as fishes affect the water the Salamander to be in the fire and other creatures some to be on the earth and others to flie in the aire so that a man that hath spirituall life delights to live with God and good men as did the Prophet David Psal 84. and doth desire to feed constantly upon such divine ordinances and graces as do cherith that life delighting to be exercised therein as in his proper element as David confessed of himselfe to God O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day b Psal 119 97. §. 12. How spirituall life may be preserved Meanes of preservation of spirituall life I will now briesly shew you how a man that hath this spirituall life may preserve and strengthen it which is done especially by sixe things 1. Use of the meanes vvhereby it is gotter First by the constant and conscionable use of the same meanes still whereby he got it for the procreant cause of any thing is also the conservant cause of the same because of their homogenean nature and sympathie between the patient and the agent except in those things that are brought forth by accident or by the power of an efficient overswaying the instrument and other causes contrary to their naturall disposition So that such a Christian must never be weary nor give over the continued exercise of the same course of godly meanes whereby at the first he found this life of grace wrought in him 2. Exercise in spirituall vvorkes The second meanes to preserve this spirituall life in those that have it is to exercise it in all the offices and works thereof both in beleeving in Christ with application of the promises and also in doing and suffering what God requires or imposes for as faith drawes this
Secondly actively as he is an agent in and about his owne death working to effect the same either meritoriously or efficiently and so he is a self-murderer and guilty of his owne death §. 2. Of the meanes of losing life naturall Meanes of losse of life are 1. Internall Mans life is loseable by two sorts of meanes First internall arising from and within a mans selfe that kills him as the worme that breeds of and in the tree and destroyes it so in mans bodie doe distempers and diseases breed of and from it selfe whereby hee is in deaths hands and by degrees dies daily also in the soule of man sinne doth breed that kills his spirituall life and so he hath in himselfe the principles and meanes of the destruction both of his soule and body of his life both naturall and spirituall 2. Externall The second meanes is externall inflicted from without a man tending to that taking away of his life and the same is either casuall or voluntary 1. Casuall Casuall or accidentall is when besides the intension of the agent and proper nature and end of the action it falls out and comes to passe that thereby the life of man is hurt or taken away as when in felling of wood the axe flees off the helve and unawares to him that uses it kills a man a Deut. 19.5 herein the life of man is taken away not without concurrence of the providence of God who is pleased by suffering such an accident to lay a crosse upon the agent to whom it is a kinde of calamity or punishment to be a meanes against his will of the death of any man Also to this casuall destruction of mans life belongs the perishing of the soules of those that unjustly take offence at other mens estates and lives b 1 Cor. 1.23 for that which they lawfully and necessarily doe or suffer in their callings and Christian condition whereby such persons flee off from the truth and fall into or persist in evill and damnable course to their eternall perdition without any fault of theirs by whose occasion they of their own wretchednesse stumble and miscarry and so goe guilty of their owne spirituall death by abusing of that which is good to their hurt and damnation so falling and ruinating themselves by other mens rising and standing 2. Voluntary Or else the externall meanes of taking away a mans life doe of themselves in their proper nature and direct use and in the intension of the agent tend to the effecting thereof which about our life that is naturall is done either justly upon lawfull causes in just manner Justly by those those that are sufficiently authorized to doe the same or else it is done unjustly when the same is without just cause Unjustly not by the hands of persons lawfully authorized to doe it or is not performed in a just and warrantable manner §. 3. Of the meanes of the destruction of spirituall life 2. Of the soule Also touching our spirituall life the same is externally or by meanes without a mans selfe destroyed eyther by the justice of God 1. By God when he most righteously in his act of vindicative and distributive justice punishes man with eternall destruction for his sinnes Mat. 10.28 in which case man in respect of his owne merits and deservings is guilty of his owne perishing and not God 2. By men two waies Or else our spirituall life may miscarry by meanes of men 1. who First by their corrupt doctrine and evill examples doe draw others with them to perdition as did the Scribes and Pharisees that did compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte whom when they had wonne they made him twosold more the child of hell than themselves Mat. 23.15 or by depriving them of the meanes of their salvation they are subjected to destruction 2. Secondly when men by compulsory meanes of unjust lawes and severe threatnings and punishments are driven and forced from the waies of righteousnesse into sinnefull courses as by Ieroboam Manasses c. soules are destroied with a twofold guilt both of them that force others and also of them that yeeld themselves to evill upon such constraint Life is taken avvay 1 By others 2. By a mans selfe Againe the externall meanes of depriving a man of his life is inflicted either by others sometime lawfully sometimes unlawfull or else by a mans owne hands and procurement which is ever in all cases unlawfull for him to doe mediately or immediately directly or indirectly But it is to be noted that no man loseth his spirituall life but by his owne meanes and merits procuring the same for the spirituall life of man is subject to no mans power who can kill onely the body and doe no more Mat. 10.28 And God that is esseatially and absolutely just subjects not man to suffer that which actively he hath not first some way procured by his owne doings and deservings Observ How subject man is to death From hence it is observable that the lives of no creatures are longer and with more adoe hatchedup and maintained than the lives of men and yet the lives of no creatures are subject to so many dangers inward and outward of destruction and sooner overthrowne than mans we being like brittle glasses that containe precious balsame and as choise flowers hardly cherished up and soone blasted which shewes both our weakenesse and want of self-sufficiency to uphold our selves and also how we are possessed and compassed about with things adverse and dangerous to our lives both of soule and body of all creatures man onely being a stranger and pilgrim on earth hath therefore the least kinde entertainment in this world and the most uncertaine possession of it and is alwaies neerest to be thrust out of it walking here but as a shadow Vse 1 Therefore wee should be more carefull to cleave the more closely to our God who is the preserver of men that by him we may be upheld and protected against all dangers 2. And againe we should be the more watchfull against carnall security that wee doe not presume upon our uncertaine lives nor suffer our selves to be intangled with this world and the things of it but that we be ever heavenly minded and ready for our departure hence labouring to get and keepe that spirituall and eternall life §. 4. Of murder in self-killing Killing of a mans selfe is murder 1. In a mans taking away of his owne life two things are to be considered First that it is murder in regard of the nature of the act of it 2. Secondly that it is murder of ones selfe in respect of the object thereof and so self-murder is a compounded sinne of more degrees than one and that in such a kind as is the most hainous and most to be abhorred in humane society in regard that this destroyes the substantiall being of that which ought to bee of
acting in it selfe can bee destroyed by man whereby it ever lives to be capable of eternall misery or glory For such a death it cannot die without being reduced into nothing and quite extinguished in regard of the spirituall simplicity thereof void of composition and the nature of it is an act but this death is onely of that superadded supernaturall beatificall life of grace and glory whereof a man may misse and come short and be guilty of the losse thereof although he were never personally possessed of it as those that are said 1 Tim. 1.19 to have put away faith and a good conscience §. 3. Of soul-murder by deprivation of life Tvvo degrees of it 1. Of soul-murder there are two degrees the first is deprivation of spirituall life which is poena damni or punishment of losse 2. the second is subjection to misery in positive manner which is called the second death and is poena sensus or punishment of sensible feeling because man was indowed at first as it were habitually with a spirituall life in gracious indowments and communion with God and now by mans owne fault that habit of spirituall life being destroyed it may be truly said that hee himselfe hath killed it in regard that he was radically and implicitely in Adam when he first destroyed and lost the same §. 4. Of mans deficiency to be saved Meanes of mans deprivation of 〈…〉 all life his deficiency The principall meanes of mans deprivation of this spirituall life is his neglect of meanes when himselfe is the immediate cause and procurer thereof by his owne deficiency and that two waies 1. In Adaw First as he is originally confidered in Adam who was the roote of mankind and whose first sinne and effects thereof are equally reckoned to bee all mens in common who then were in him and so thus radically in Adam all men have deprived themselves of spirituall life by their owne act of neglect of eating of the tree of life and of others permitted for their use and by their eating of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evill 2. By himselfe personally considered Secondly as he is personally considered by himselfe a man may deprive himselfe of spirituall life and so in that respect be a self-murderer of his soule which is done by his voluntary omission of duties upon which life is promised every man is dead in trespasses and sins a Ephes 2. and thereby subject to death but the Lord hath abundantly provided us of meanes to advance us to life which if we do wilfully neglect or contemne to use there being no other safety of necessiry wee must perish and bee guilty of our owne destruction as were the Iewes by rejecting of the Gospell Act. 28.25 Foure-fold omission Of this degree of self-soule-murder or deprivdtion of life a man may bee guilty by a foure-fold omission of things that ought to be done by him for his salvation 1. Neglect of the outward meanes First when a man willfully neglects the conscionable and diligent use of the outward ordinances of Gods word worship and Sacraments the blessed meanes of life appointed by God without which no man of discretion in the visible Church can be saved the Apostle Rom. 10.13 limits salvation to calling upon the name of the Lord which cannot be without hearing of the word of God This neglect of spirituall meanes is either by not going where they may be had and sincerely used or if hee may have them his neglect may be in not frequenting and carefully using them in conscionable manner nor submitting himselfe to bee wrought upon that he may be moulded in the forme and frame of the word a Rom. 6.17 But doth come to the meanes either with a prejudicate opinion against the truth or with a resolution to continue still in his unregenerated estate and in his sinfull courses as those that with their mouth shewed much love but their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33.31 and as those that Ieremie speakes of Ier. 18.12 who said Wee will walke after our owne devices and wee will every one doe the imagination of his evill heart such persons are as guilty of their owne damnation as a man is of self-murder of his body that out of stubbornnesse or sullennesse will not eate but in the midst of plenty starve himselfe to death §. 5. Of mans neglect of the power of the meanes 2. The contempt of the power of the meanes The second omission procuting deprivation of spirituall life and so consequently effecting self-soule-murder in that degree is a mans contempt and regardlesnesse of the spirituall efficacy and power of the meanes for inward change of his spirituall and morall state and condition and for power of enabling him to all holy practise of life and conversation whereby he may be borne againe and be made a new creature a Iob. 3.3 which is a thing most necessary and availeable for salvation Gal. 6.15 Such men are either utterly carelesse and regardlesse of grace and spirituall life from their undervaluing of the worth of it or from their esteeming of the same to be needlesse Or else they harden their hearts as did Pharaoh and set themselves against the power of the Word that it may neither enter into their hearts nor make any divine change in their states or lives as if they had made a league with hell and death What be those Contemners Such are ever learning but never attaine to saving knowledge they are ever sowing but never reape they are ever in the hand of the workeman but are never framed anew they are fairely featured by some outward profession but are without life and sound grace the reason hereof is because such an one rests upon and pleases himselfe in his owne sufficiency using the meanes without consideration of the end why God gave the meanes and why we are couse them and without looking and seeking to God for a blessing upon the meanes that they may be effectuall to his salvation §. 6. Of mans defect in obedience 3. Want of obediencs The third omission whereby a man excludes himselfe from this spiritnall life and so consequently subjects himselfe to spirituall death is wilfull want of obedience to Gods word and that in a double respect 1 Evangelicall First in regard of the Gospell when he doth not savingly beleeve in Christ as the Gospell requires but remaines in privative unbeliefe whereby a man is destitute or deprived of Christ our life and Saviour For we are frequently said to live by faith b Habak 2.4 Heb. 10.38 Rom. 1.17 and therefore without it we are dead and so such as do not savingly beleeve and repent which are the acts of Evangelicall obedience doe deprive themselves of salvation through their owne default which is evident because they are willingly impenitent unbeleevers resisting the motions of the word and Spirit not sorrowing for nor striving against
their unbeliefe and hard impenitency of heart but are secure and doe please themselves therein 2. Legall Secondly want of obedience to Gods word that deprives us of life is in respect of the law in omitting of performing and doing the affirmative Commandements thereof upon observation whereof all the promises of life eternall are intayled so that without the same wee cannot be saved and therefore we should keep the Commandements as our life the want of obedience to the affirmative Commandements excludes from life as the breaking of the negative Commandements subjects the transgressors to destruction §. 7. Of the reasons of defect of obedience Causes of vvant of obedience There are foure speciall causes of mens neglect of the affirmative Commandements both of the Law and Gospell 1. Omissions First because the sinnes of that kind are but omissions which are not so contrary to God nor doe so much trouble the conscience as siunes of commission neither do the affirmative Commandements binde ad semper to the ever doing of them all at all times and therefore intermission being next to omission men doe easily fall from the former into the latter 2. Carnal reason Secondly because carnall men would subject Gods Lawes and ordinances to their owne naturall reason which neither allowes nor likes the spiritualnesse nor strictnesse of Gods Commandements such men doe give dispensations to themselves for carnall moderation or omission of duties as Naaman the Syrian did 2 King 5.18 pleasing themselves therein so long as their owne wit can coyne them excuses evasions and pretenses that they may preferre their owne will and waies before Gods wisdome and Lawes 3. Contrariety of nature Thirdly because mens owne naturall dispositions and course of life are contrary to the vertues commanded therefore in favour of their old man of sinne that raignes in them they forbeare to do what may crosse or hurt the same Compatison as the naturall mother that would not have her owne child divided 1 King 3.26 the law of sinne within them prevailing against the Law of God and his Spirit neglect of duties and vertues ever attends upon their opposite contrary master-raigning sins 4. Prosit and pleasure Fourthly because that the observation of the affirmative Commandements doth more crosse a mans profit and pleasure and brings him under more opposition and hatred of the world than the keeping of the negative Commandements doth he therefore is the more apt and inclined to omit the duties of the affirmative as more troublesome to observe because they doe include the observation of the negative and are more subject to the censure of men being more sensibly discernable than the negative and doth make a greater distance and difference from the world than bare omission of evill because doing of morall good puts a man into a remoter extreame from worldlings and unconverted persons than only not doing evill §. 8. Of grace dying by mans neglect 4. Neglect of cherishing grace The fourth omission whereby a man deprives himselfe of eternall life is neglect to cherish and foment the graces of Gods Spirit begun to bee wrought in him by the meanes but le ts them die before Christ bee fully formed in him The reason because he doth not constantly and conscionably use the meanes to perfect them both in their nature and degrees neither doth improve and exercise the talent and gifts that hee hath but suffers them to perish in languishing idlenesse nor doth he indeavour to approve himselfe to God in all sincerity and holinesse according to the utmost of his power nor yet encourages himselfe to aspire after perfection by the consideration and hope of everlasting glory we should be carefull and industrious that we lose not the things that wee have wrought 2 Ioh. 8. For those onely that hold out unto the end shall bee saved a Mat. 24.13 by neglect and sloth that life of grace languishes and dies which wee might seeme to have and might be in some degrees and motions of the Spirit begun Vses The uses of this point of doctrine touching this degree of self-soule-murder by omission of the meanes of life are diverse §. 9. The harme of omission of duty 1. Omission deprives men of life First to informe our judgement wee may see that by this neglect and omission a man may cut off himselfe from spirituall life and be in this degree a self-murderer of his owne soule Want of grace deprives a man of happinesse as the Virgins want of oyle b Mat. 22.12 and the mans want of his wedding garment excluded them from the presence of the Bridegroome c and 25.12 It is not enough that a man be not an ill man by sins of commission against the negative Commandements of God except he be also a good man by his conformity to GODS affirmative Commands For it is requisite that as a man would not onely not be damned in hell but would also bee glorified in heaven that hee bee not onely carefull to avoid the sins that may subject him to the former but also that he doe embrace the vertues and doe the duties whereby hee may be fitted for and advanced to the latter and as a man is made capable of vertue and glory so should hee not onely labour to be cleare of vice but also to be indowed with vertue and holinesse Negative righteousnesse Negative righteousnesse in abstinence from sinne whereof bruits and inanimates are free is an improper and lame righteousnesse which is next to a non ens so long as it is not accompanied with vertue Omission of good duties is a more generall meanes of destruction in exclusion from life eternall than commission of evill for many doe die before they are able to doe actually any evill and many others have beene civill harmelesse men as the Philosophers and yet perished For except our righteousnesse doe exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees wee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven a Mat. 5.20 And againe commission of evill is ever accompanied with omission of the contrary good but omission of good is not alwaies so accompanied with commission of evill as we see in Infants the greatest losse and mischiefe that can betide us in our deprivation of life and happinesse which consists in the fruition of God that is infinitely good and is lost by want and omission of good for without holinesse none shall see God Punishment of damage greater than of feeling The losse of eternall life is poena damni the punishment of damage which is farre greater than the punishment of feeling and smart although it bee not so to mans seeming therefore Cain complained that he was cast out from Gods presence b Gen. 4.4 because the objects doe so farre differ as finite and infinite and the glorified in Heaven shall be more affected with that happinesse that they shall possesse than the
damned in hell can be for that sensible misery that they shall suffer both in respect of the differing degrees and also of the natures of the things but punishment of damage and privation of life and happinesse proceeds from want and omission of good whereof wee are to beware §. 10. Of indeavour after spirituall life and of the lets thereof 2. The second use is to stirre us up to indeavour after life spirituall both to get and keepe it by the conscionable use of the meanes thereof For as God gives not this life without our using of appointed meanes so these meanes are within the reach of our power and none do perish but such as are wanting to themselves therein For no man perishes or is saved by an absolute decree of God without respect to his owne courses in the accomplishment thereof as Act. 13.48 it is said that as many as were ordained to life beleeved By a mans constant carefulnesse in the use of the meanes and walking in the waies of salvation it is apparent that he is appointed to life as the Apostle tells us 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing your election for our Gospell came unto you in power c. this life is worth the labouring for if we doe our parts for a thing of that price we may have assurance and comfort of it against the servile feare of the contrary death Letts The lets and hinderances of this endeavour and the causes of this omission whereby men deprive themselves of this spirituall life are specially three 1. Perverted judgment First a perverted judgement and stupid understanding undervaluing the worth of that life as not so excellent and necessary as it is it being not subject to our present naturall senses nor regarded by the world 2. Mis-placed affections Secondly the preferment of the world in the profits and pleasures thereof before it in place or degree after which ungodly men doe more eagerly hunt and therein have more content because they have the same in present possession and it agrees best with their estate and disposition insomuch that it may be said of such men that it is better to be their bodies than their soules as the Emperour said of Herod Macrobius that it was better being his hog than his Son because he killed his Son but spared and fatted his hogs 3. Presumption Thirdly groundlesse presumption that either he hath that life already or that he hath time enough to get it long afterwards or that it may be easily had without meanes or at least without so much adoe makes a man to omit endeavouring after it in due time in use of the meanes and so he misses that life §. 11. Of spirituall self-murder by subjection to death through commission of evill The second degree of self-soul-murder The second degree of self-soul-murder is subjection to spirituall destruction in damnation and everlasting misery whereof man himselfe is the efficient meritorious cause by his owne activity in committing and wilfully doing those sinnes for which death and destruction is threatned a Ezek. 18.4 and is assuredly inflicted upon the impenitent perseverers therein For as by a mans omission of his duty he deprives himselfe of life so by his commission of sinnes hee subjects himselfe to the contrary death the former being as terminus à quo the terme from which men move the latter as terminus ad quem the terme to which they move both which are inseparably united in the same person in whom thereby this spirituall self-murder is consummate to the highest perfection or degree of it whereby it properly may be called self-soule-murder §. 12. Of the meanes of destruction by breaking the Law By sins of commission The deadly meanes whereby men kill their owne soules and subject the same to eternall positive destruction are the sins that they wilfully commit and continue in in such kinds and degrees and manner as cannot consist in them with grace and salvation and are of two sorts 1. Against the Law of negative commands First such as be against the prime law of Nature by transgressing the negative Commandements of God whereby the transgressours doe subject themselves to that punishment which is called poena sensus or punishment of smart or damnation in hell For by sinne entred death Rom 5.12 Rev. 21.8 Prov. 19 16. The properties of soul-murdring sinnes The properties of the course and sinnes of Commission whereby a man becomes guilty of self-murder of his soule are foure 1. They are grosse Although the nature of all sinnes be mortall deserves death and disposes a man for it yet those that be of the grossest kinds and in the highest degrees of exorbitancy such as Hosea speakes of cap. 4.2 are specially said to be mortall for their extreame contrariety that they have to God and his justice their inconsistency with grace and for their apting and disposing of those to destruction that live in them so that by committing such sinnes men doe cast their owne soules into the gulfe of perdition 2. Wilfull Secondly when they that commit those sinnes or any of them doe willingly doe the same and live in them against the light and checks of their owne consciences as our Saviour charges the Pharisees Iohn 9.41 then are they self-condemned and do wittingly destroy their owne soules without excuse of ignorance or of want of power to have avoyded the same seeing as there is in some naturall notions of the Law in the minde such as the Gentiles have Rom. 2.14 So likewise all men have some remainder of power to forbeare sinnes in their grossest kinds and degrees if they were not wanting to themselves and therefore as all men specially the wicked within the Church shall be judged by the Law so they shall have nothing to plead to excuse why they should not be damned for their grosse transgressing of it 3. Obstinate Thirdly when men commit those sinnes with eagernesse and delight from and upon advised judgment and wilfull resolution with contentment in the acting of them and defending or excusing them when they are done as did Saul 1 Sam. 13.12 and do fall to opposing censuring and condemning the contrary course of vertue and godlinesse in the persons that doe practise the same whom therefore they hate and persecute a 1 Thes 2.15 such persons are in a course of destroying their owne soules by setting themselves with a high hand against God provoking him to his face to fall upon them for revenge 4. Presevered in Fourthly by this course of sinning a man murders his own soule when he goeth on and incorrigibly perseveres therein passing from evill to worse hardning his owne heart against all reproofes and amendment storming against and abusing all the meanes of his recovery to his deeper plunging in wickednesse and destruction for although hee would willingly misse hell and bee rid of the guilt of his sinne that troubles his conscience
Law for if a man doe sinne against the Law he hath the Gospell as a City of refuge to flee to to save him from the killing and damnation of the Law but if a man doe sinne as aforesaid against the Gospell there remaines no further meanes or hope of safety but a fearefull expectation of eternall destruction by his own wilfull procurement murdering his owne soule Observe From the consideration of the aforesaid sins of Commission against the Law and the Gospell with their deadly effects we may observe 1. Sin costs deare First that there is nothing that costs so deare as sin it selfe is a thing of nought but wonderfully deare to buy and possesse and therefore before we meddle with it we should consider the price of it whether we be willing to die eternally for it otherwise abstaine from it 2. To have our wills brings destruction Secondly we may see that we cannot have our own wills in sinfull courses but with the destruction of our soules our folly is seene in undoing our selves by our owne workes and wayes so that a mans course of sinning and following of his lusts is indeed but a course of Gods heavy spirituall judgements upon him wherein he is rather to be pittied as miserable than to be envyed as formidable God will have his will in mans destruction when man will not let God have his will in his Commandements §. 20. The improvement of the knowledge of spirituall self-murder Vses The Vses of the knowledge of the aforesaid spirituall self-murder are specially Foure 1. Sin is a course of self-murder First It serves to informe our judgement what to think and esteeme of the sinfull and carelesse courses of many that live wilfully and impenitently transgressing both Law and Gospell namely that the same is a vile course of self-murder of their own soules for by those courses onely men doe perish and in those courses none escape destruction as one sayes Picol Vitium est non ens recessus ab ente vivus interitus ipsius esse virtus est vita ipsius esse Vice is a non-ens and a departure from entity and a living destruction of beeing it selfe whereas vertue is the life of being For although such men intend not directly to destroy their owne soules but to indulgere genio and live in self-content and pleasure yet the courses that they directly intend prosecute being such as of themselves destroy the soule which thing they know and are warned of they are no lesse self-murderers of their soules than they that intending to prevent or ease themselves of some present evill doe cut their own throats by a lesser evill as they thinke preventing a greater and therefore such are infamous self-murderers and cannot at the day of judgement be excused therefrom by charging the blame of their destruction upon any others And Numb 13.36 especially such persons as live under the light and profession of the Gospell in such sinfull courses and transgressions are most guilty and shall be most deepely damned in hell having least to plead in excuse for themselves and therefore our Saviour sayes that it shall be easier at the day of judgement for Tyre and Sidon than for such Mat. 11.22 Vse 2. Spirituall self-murder is most hainous and damnable The soule killed The second use of the point is to shew us that this spirituall self-murder is farre greater and worser than men ordinarily thinke it to be which is apparent in three respects First In regard of the thing killed which in spirituall self-murder is the soule of man that is much more excellent than the body both for the nature of it that cannot be valued with earthly things and also for the use thereof rationall and spirituall whereby man excells all other earthly creatures and by the murdering thereof he dejects himselfe in state beneath them all in misery and contemptiblenesse 2. The body with the soul killed Secondly for that they that kill their owne soules doe consequently thereby also kill their owne bodies because the body partakes in estate with the soule a Rev. 20.15 and so are both cast into hell Mat. 10.28 the nobler part drawes the other into identity of condition 3. The quality of this kinde of self-murder Thirdly it is the worst of murders in regard of the quality of the death it selfe this murder of the soule is spirituall and eternall not onely depriving a mans self of spirituall good but also subjecting him to all misery of sense and smart that the idevill himself the capitall enemy of mankinde cannot doe nor desire worse to man than in this case he doth to himself Murder of the body although it be vile and odious yet of it self it is but a privation from temporary good leaving the body without sense or feeling of evill and at the last day the body shall be raised againe to life in the union of it with its owne soule and therefore of all self-murderers the self-soul-murderer should be most miserable Vs 3. Endeavour to be saved and preserved from soul-destruction The third use is that as all men by naturall instinct do desire to be saved and to escape hell and damnation we should be carefull to use the meanes and to walke in the way whereby wee may attaine to life and avoide destruction for both are diversly entailed unto and depend upon severall contrary courses and appertaine to men of contrary lives and qualifications without the which they cannot have the same Although that many men doe divide the end from the meanes supposing that notwithstanding their unregenerate estate and wicked lives they shall escape destruction and that although they neither love nor practise goodnesse they shall bee saved and doe well enough and so flattering and self-beguiling themselves in their owne courses they run securely and precipitate themselves into perdition and therefore I conclude with Solomon Let thine eyes looke right on and let thine eye lids looke straight before thee ponder the path of thy feete and let all thy wayes be established turne not to the right hand nor to the lest remove thy foote from evill b Prov. 4.25 Vse 4. Our courses in this life foreshew our estates what they shall be in the world to come The fourth use is to direct us how we may rightly judge of our selves and of our spirituall estates and future ends by the courses that we take If the same bee deadly wayes of sin that we doe embrace and persist in then must we die and as those courses are of our owne voluntary choise so cannot we blame any but cry out of our selves and our owne wayes as did the Prophet Woe unto us that we have sinned Lament 5.16 that so in time we may labour to prevent our destruction by speedy repentance Againe if our wayes and state be good and such as life is promised unto wee may have assurance and
comfort that upon our perseverance we shall have happinesse and life eternall So that we need not pleade uncertainty and ignorance of whether we are going to heaven or hell or whether in the state or course we live in we shall be saved or damned seeing that the Scripture makes it manifest what shall be the reward and event of every man according to the state and course he lives and dyes in that we need neither put off the knowledge nor the blame or cause of whether we shall be saved or damned upon our praedestination when wee doe determine the same in the accomplishment thereof by our owne courses CHAP. 9. Of bodily self-murder in speciall §. 1. How bodily self-murder is defined and differenced NOw we are to prosecute the second branch of self-murder which is called bodily self-murder and is thus defined Bodily self-murder is the killing of a mans owne body in destroying of his naturall life by himself his owne voluntary meanes or procurement This kind of self-murder is differenced from spirituall self-murder by two things First by the object that is killed in this the soule and spirituall life is destroyed in that the body or mans naturall life is undone Secondly they differ in the meanes and manner of killing of them the soule or spirituall life is slaine by spirituall and morall meanes the body by naturall or bodily self-willed waies §. 2. Of Mans body and its works Touching the body of man in this case we are to consider three things 1. Considerations First that it is an essentiall part and not onely an integrall part constituting the person of man without which he cannot be a man personally considered and therefore by killing of his body he destroyes his person that it ceases from being or subsisting in this world 2. Secondly the body of man is the organ or instrument whereby the soule works organically and therefore hee that kills his owne body destroyes all those works that the soule was to worke in it and which it cannot doe without it The soules morall workes in the body 1. The morall organicall works of mans soule in the body are of three sorts First such as immediatly intend and concerne the advancement of the glory of God in this life where the living and not the dead do praise him 2. Secondly such works as are serviceable for the morall and spirituall good of the person himselfe which is to bee attained and procured by life before we can come to enjoy it by death 3. Thirdly such works as promore the good of the Church and Common-wealth of both which every Christian is a member and can onely by his life and not after death benefit the same so that by killing himselfe a man wrongs God himselfe the Church and Common-wealth in bereaving them of that service and good which they all might have by his life 3. Consideration The third thing here considerable in mans body is that it with the soule makes the person and so in that respect is the subject or seate of Gods Image and therefore a man in killing of his owne body not only dishonours but also in a sort doth what in him lieth to kill God himselfe as he is similitudinarily in him and incurres the horrible crime of Laesae majestatis divinae or treason against the sacred Majesty of God Observ The body suffers by and for the soule So then the body which is the soules instrument or servant and is no way culpable or nocent but by partnership with and inserviceablenesse to the soule is ill rewarded and indignely suffers by its owne master abusing it to sinne and subjecting it to misery and punishment who is not content to weare it out but after his owne lust breakes and spoyles it whereof hee cannot turne one haire to be white or black hee spares his soule in its sinnes which he should mortifie and in a sinfull course kills his body which he should spare Naturall life is both a blessing of it selfe and also is a meanes of blessing God and others in this world and whereby wee may attaine to everlasting blessednesse hereafter Life is unsure of all which a man deprives himselfe by thus killing of himselfe which cannot be done but against the light and reluctancie of nature in all men whereby the actors declare themselves to bee unnaturall and barbarou monsters Naturall life that is a tenant at will in man is most uncertaine and soone thrust out at doores when it is not secure from him that owes it Man is unworthy of this life that is no more thankfull for it neither more values it nor makes better use of it but after his wastefull expence of it in sinfull courses desperately destroyes it God in his Word never appointed nor commended any meanes for a man to kill himselfe by because where God appoints not the end he appoints not the meanes to attaine it yet man wants not meanes to doe it by perverting his power and skill to that end and abusing other things contrary to the use for which God made them when he purposes to doe such an act so abusing both himselfe and all other things to his owne ruine The body is passive The body is but a passive subject in respect of the soule to whose power and will it is obnoxious and therefore it is the more subject to suffer and it is the more inexcusable sinne to misuse it seeing it neither deserves to be ill intreated at his hand that owes it nor yet hath it power to resist or defend it selfe against the invasions of him to whom it is committed to preserve it In this bodily self-murder not onely doth the soule turne enemy to the body but it moreover makes an unnaturall mutinie against and amongst the members raising by faction a partie for it selfe so causing the hand to stab the body and the parts to be instruments to undoe the whole and thus by intestine opposition a man subverts and pulls downe upon his owne head the tabernacle of his owne body as Samson did the house wherein he was whereby he crushes and undoeth himselfe ordinarily in body and soule §. 3. Of the degrees of self-murder and pronenesse of men to it The degrees of self-murder This self-murder of the body is either inchoate and begun only in purposes and courses tending to the effecting thereof in time if it be not seasonably prevented or else it is consummate in the full accomplishment thereof No man falls into the highest extremities of evill but by degrees the least whereof makes way for and drawes on the greatest Causes of pronenesse to self bodily murder The causes why men often are prone to the self-murdering of their bodies are two 1. First the meannesse of it in comparison of the soule for nature and durance it being but earthly and fraile whereby it must naturally die 2. Secondly in regard that by it the soule is
way of omission if out of sullennesse griefe or nigardize or by undiscreet punishment of his body he shall stubbornly and foolishly refuse to eate or drinke in that measure or kinde that is requisite for his preservation by abstinency and sparing either starving himselfe to death or breeding in himselfe and contracting that which kills him somewhat like hereunto was the practise of Ahab 1 King 21.4 who because Naboth would not let him have his vineyard heavie and displeased layd him downe upon his bed and turned away his face and would eat no bread 1 Tim. 5.23 the contrary whereof Paul commanded Timothy A Caveat Yet to avoid this danger men may not Gormandize or excessively pamper themselves indulgendo Genio but may and ought at set times to fast both for civill and divine ends with respect to the good both of soule and body 2. Contempt of Physick Secondly in this kinde of omission a man may indirectly murder himselfe by wilfull contempt of the lawfull use of Physick or Chirurgery either to cure or prevent apparent mortall diseases or griefes or when he will not be ordered by the wholesome direction of the skilfull in their calling or doth not depend upon God for a blessing upon the meanes who by his over-ruling providence directs the course and blesses the meanes A Caveat Yet men must herein be carefull that they slavishly enthrall not themselves to the meanes nor anxiously perplexe themselves if they cannot have them or that the successe answers not their expectation because the Lord disposes things so as he also may effect his worke and will often by crossing ours Neglect of prevention of dangers Thirdly a man may incurre indirect self-murder by regardlesnesse of preserving himself against mortall dangers from without himself as in not seeking to God for reconciliation by humiliation and repentance in some imminent judgements that threaten from God our destruction that we may bee preserved either from them or in them Or as when wee are in danger of invasion by enemies for a man then regardlesly to shut his eyes from foreseeing the same that it may suddenly surprise him or that he should not prepare himself and do his utmost endeavours in his owne defence to save his life if by resisting it may be done or otherwise to provide for himselfe by flight or other prudent diversion or preventing of the evill that he may not carelesly suffer his life to be lost So then the cowardise of men in extremities by Sea or land that will not doe their utmost endeavours for their owne preservation as likewise the griplenesse of those that to spare their goods indanger the losse of their lives for want of military furniture and meanes to make opposition are much to be blamed for this course of indirect self-murder A caveat But yet touching this point men should be wary that they neither be so carefull to preserve their lives that they should spare to venture them where they ought and may comfortably spend and lay them downe nor yet have their eyes and confidence so upon earthly meanes of humane strength and provision that they should forget or neglect to seeke to God and to depend upon him for safety and victorious successe 4. Not avoiding dangerous persons places Fourthly of indirect self-murder a man may be guilty by not avoiding and fleeing from persons and places destinated to destruction which are under a curse or in a course of mortall judgements when we are not necessarily tyed by duty or calling to commerce and bee with them as is apparent by Lots forsaking of Sodome and by the command of Moses to the Israelites Gen. 19. Numb 17.26 to depart from the tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram and by that divine commandement charging all the godly to come out of Babylon that they might not be partakers of her sins and that they might not receive of her plagues Rev. 18.4 And therefore such as out of unwarrantable presumption or carnall security avoid not persons and places infected with the pestilence or subjected to perdition when their presence is unnecessary not to be justified and pernicious to themselves they must be cast upon the inditement of indirect self-murder if by the aforesaid meanes they doe miscary §. 4. Of indirect self-murder by omission morally wrought 2. Morally By way of deficiency or omission of indirect self-murder a man may be guilty by a morall meritorious default two wayes 1. By neglect of good life First by his wilfull neglect or contempt to live and walke in the wayes of godlinesse and obedience to gods affirmative commandements whereunto the promises of life and protection are annexed a Gal. 3.12 and which we may certainly expect so long as we keepe our selves within compasse of morall obedience to the Law and Gospell and within the limits and precincts of our speciall callings so that if therein or therefore we should lose our lives we shall be free of the imputation of self-murder any way in that respect 2. Neglect of prayer c. Secondly in meritorious morall manner a man may miscary and be indirectly guilty of his own death by wilfull omission and neglect of commending himselfe in constant and ordinary prayer to God for divine preservation and safety of his life against all evills and dangers which may hurt him and over which and over him God hath a soveraigne power and command Unbeliefe And also by his unbeliefe and not trusting in God in all estates for preservation under whose wings he may securely rest a man may be justly deserted and given over to perish and sinke as Peter when he doubted was in danger of drowning b Mat. 14.30 31 Whence it proceeds This neglect of thus depending upon God ariseth either from self-confidence in mans owne power and meanes whereupon he rests as secure or else from Atheisticall conceits of the providence of God as if he were regardlesse of humane affaires and that all things did fall out by chance and fortune because they doe see all things in this world fall out alike to all men which being more exactly considered manifests rather the free and soveraigne powerfull providence of God over-ruling all things A caveat Yet this divine preservation by faith and prayer to God excludes not but includes the conscionable use of lawfull meanes and walking in appointed courses without which we can expect safety no more than Paul and his company could if they did let the mariners forsake the Ship a Acts 27.31 if a man by the aforesaid neglect of prayer and dependance upon God doe not perish it is Gods speciall worke reserving him either for repentance and amendment of his life or for some worse end and heavier judgement Observe Neglect of meanes is tempting of God From this degree of indirect self-murder by omission of meanes wee may observe that when God gives meanes of life if
about and for things secret to bring him to publick judicature and censure it is not in use among us The seeming contrary practise in this Kingdome is as I take it onely in Courts of Conscience having more spirituall power to bee used specially for the good of mens soules without blood-shedding or danger of their lives who are not required upon oath to depose of criminall matters concerning themselves but where there are first promoters and accusers offering to prove the same in which case for the better informing and resolving of the Court from the conscience of the accused in favour of whom it is originally allowed from the supreme governour and Judge of that Judicature that hee may answer his knowledge upon his oath to the articles of his accusation not with legall intention by that course to make him unnaturally to accuse or condemne himselfe where none others can or are about to doe the same but for answere in his owne defence touching the things that he is accused of thereby either to make his innocency to appeare if he be blamelesse or otherwise by his owne confession of his faults for the good of the Church and his soules health to discover the danger and shew his ingenuity that hee may repent amend and find favour Objection 1. It may be objected that such a malefactor is bound in this case to answere according to his owne conscience and knowledge that he is guilty because if he answer not guilty when he is indeed guilty he lies which is unlawfull for him to doe Answer 1. To this I reply first that the malefactors answer is to be made according to the intention of the Law and of the Iudge that moves the question Cont. Maâ—c oÌ„ lib. 4. Justa digna praescriptio est in omni quaestione ad propositum interrogationis pertinere debere sensum respensionis aliud consulenti aliud re spondere dementis est Sensus respoÌ„sionis non est ad aliud dirigendus qu im ad proposaum interrogationis according as Tertullian saith it is a just and worthy rule that in every question the answer should bee applied to the same sense and purpose to which the interrogation is made To answer of one thing when he is asked another is the part of a mad man Agaeine the sense of the answer is not to be directed to any other thing than that which was propounded in the interrogation Now the Iudge propounding according to Law this question to the prisoner at the barre art thou guilty or not guilty of this felony or the like intends not that he should answer from his onely conscience guilty which is unnaturall and suspitious for him to give witnesse and virdict against himselfe to the taking away of his owne life but that he should answer not guilty in law at the barre whereof hee stands arraigned that so for finding of him guilty of that whereof hee is indited hee may legally bee put upon the triall of God and the Countrey For the question being propounded in a disjunctive proposition art thou guilty or art thou not guilty both gives a free choise which of them to answer and also puts in minde and poynts rather to the latter as more naturall and equall than to insist upon the former It is a free and lawfull election offered in mercy and favour to the prisoner from the King by the Iudge for the indicted person to choose which he will whether voluntarily to confesse the fact or rather to put himselfe upon the triall of God and the Countrey for the same His negative answer of not guilty is but his choise and imbracing of the latter triall which is most agreeable to nature to the Law and the Kings favour and mercy in this case which he can no otherwise have but by first pleading to the indictment not guilty And so his answer and plea of not guilty is no lye although hee have done the fact whereof he pleads he is not guilty and for triall thereof puts himselfe upon God and the Country Objection 2. If it be againe objected that seeing the Law that makes this disjunctive question accepts of the prisoners affirmative answer and thereupon condemnes and executes him as David did with the Amalckite upon his confession that he had slaine Saul 2 Sam. 1.16 it seemes to be lawfull and requisite for all malefactors to answer to the question affirmatively touching the things that in conscience they are guilty of Answer I answer it is lawfull and fit for Magistrates to use many meanes to winde out the truth of facts from delinquents which malefactors are not bound upon such questions or inquisition to reveale against their owne lives in regard that every one severally is to order their practise and course according to the rules proper and pertinent to their owne conditions and callings The Law indeed accepts of the malefactors answer of Guilty and accordingly proceeds to condemne and execute him because by his confession giving testimony and verdict against himselfe he cuts of prevents and excludes himselfe from triall by others whereby he might be either cleared or condemned in regard that it is justly supposed that none other can know a man and his actions so well as himselfe doth and therefore the Law for ease certainty other politick respects doth permit and accept of such an affirmative answer but neither commands nor commends it because the Law takes notice of things and censures them politically and not theologically considered Objection 3. Thirdly it may perhaps be here replied that when a man besides his owne knowledge of his capitall fact hath upon examination before a Iustice confessed the fact under his hand which is produced against him at the Triall how can he plead negatively to the inditement Not guilty without lying either in the former or in the latter seeing of coÌ„tradictioÌ„s of necessity one must be false Answer I answer that for such an one to answer at the Barre Not guilty is not a lie nor properly a contradiction to his former confession or to his owne knowledge neither is that negative plea any concealement of the truth from being then and there knowne by such lawfull meanes as by Law and the Iudge is intended for discovery of the same which is by other evidence than a mans owne confession For clearing of the truth whereof it is to be observed that the question made to him touching his fact is propounded to him and hee charged with the fact in his Inditement in such a nature and forme of Law termes as it may be he properly understands not as whether he be guilty of that treason felony burglary or the like in which respect or Law notion put upon his fact his life is questioned and in danger to bee taken away And therefore when the question requires an answer touching his fact as it is vested in that forme or Law terme and notion he lies not nor contradicts
himselfe in answering negatively Not guilty For although hee knowes and hath elsewhere confessed himselfe to bee guilty of the fact materially considered in the substance of it yet he may be ignorant as most men are whether that fact of his formally considered is or may be found to be treason felony burglary or the like as by the inditement it is charged upon him and in which respect he is to suffer death for it if he do answer affirmatively And although he should certainly know that his fact were such in construction and termes of Law as by his Inditement the same is charged upon him yet is he not to answer affirmatively because not he but the present impannelled Iury are the competent and lawfull Iudges to find or not to find it to be such in that forme and Law quality And therefore hee is bound in conscience to answer negatively Not guilty of such a fact under that forme or terme and Law notion whereby and wherefore his life in that respect may be taken away And so by pleading not guilty hee lies not nor contradicts himselfe but thereby takes the allowed benefit of putting it to a legall triall whether his fact shall bee found against him in that sense and forme as in those Law termes he is charged with the same in his inditement and in which respect onely he can be put to death for it which course if hee should not use of answering Not guilty but that he should stand mute or answer affirmatively Guilty he should be indirectly a self-murderer as hath beene shewed Repli But then it may be further replied when such a malefactor shall after his pleading to the Inditement not guilty bee publickly examined by the Iudge about his fact considered in the substance of it without the vesture of such termes or Law notions put upon it how can he answer negatively against his conscience and former confession before a Justice Answer I answer first the Iudges questions to such an one at publick triall after his negative plea to the bill of Inditement are ministred in favour of the party arraigned both that he may upon better advisement traverse his former confession by his negative answer contrary to the which confession hee is allowed at the barre to plead not guilty And also that hee may not bee cast or condemned upon any evidence or verdit of others against him before he bee heard answer for himselfe what hee can say for the negative in his owne defence against the affirmative evidence or sentence produced against him where it is to be considered that the primary intention and expectation of the Iudge in his questions at triall is that by the prisoners answers hee may the better decerne the truth or falshood of the evidence of others against him and how himselfe may proceed in accepting of the verdit and in giving judgement according to justice and not thereby to wring affirmative answers from the arraigned against their owne lives when others cannot touch them which is contrary to the Law of nature and of God Secondly it is alwaies to be observed by every malefactor that in his answers hee doe not to save his life make any lie neither directly nor yet by equivocation or mentall reservation and also that he doe not so confesse the truth against his owne life that he should thereby make himselfe guilty of indirect self-murder Both which evils hee may avoid by the medium or middle course either of traverse and demurrer delaying and putting off the Iudge and Iury from himselfe to informe themselves by other evidences than his owne or else by silence after his generall negative plea of not guilty replying nothing to such questions as the answers thereof may intangle him either in a lie or in indirect self-murder after which manner of answering nothing our blessed Saviour behaved himself before Pilate Iohn 19.9 Although that such silence or not answering directly may be construed to be an acknowledgement of the fact that he is indited for yet thereby he shall not be active but onely passive in being found guilty and so condemned to die whereby he shall be free of indirect self-murder in that respect The confession of a malefactor upon examination before a Iustice when the same is against his owne life may bee construed to have beene either rashly and unwarrantably done by the Examinate against which therefore he is allowed at his Triall to plead not guilty or else that hee did the same upon some motives and reasons of conscience for the good and salvation of his soule which are things properly belonging to another Court And therefore in humane Courts of Assize the questions and answers in this case reach not so farre as to rack or discover the conscience of a man to the taking away of his owne life by his owne confession which the Law of nature and of God binds a man to preserve Although a capitall malefactor is bound in conscience not to lie in his answers yet he is not bound to reveale all the truth he knowes against himselfe specially where hee is not tied by some speciall divine bond so to doe A negative answer at triall is as strong to save a man as his former affirmative in confession before a Iustice can be to condemne him except either he publickly at his triall acknowledge the same or that there be some other proofe or evidence against him And therefore I conclude that it is not necessary in conscience that whatsoever truth such a man in this case hath once confessed that he should every where and at all times upon interrogatories to be answered at will confesse the same with perill of his life but that hee may be silent or forbeare to answer otherwise than he is bound by the lawes of the Court where he answers For if another be bound to keepe close a mans confession made to him of his secret faults that man is not compellable to disclose the same of himselfe specially against his owne life when he cannot doe the same without being guilty of indirect self-murder as in this case I have shewed by the rules of divinity and right reason for resolving of weak consciences in this point not intermedling to argue and determine the same by the rules of the Common-law of this Kingdome which is impertinent to my profession and beyond my understanding and therefore I leave that worke to the learned of that most Honourable profession to whose cognizance this subject legally considered doth appertaine §. 7. Of indirect self-murder by commission The second degree of indirect self-murder is by commission in divers branches The second meanes of indirect self-murder is by a course of commission or of doing things unlawfully tending to bring a man to his death which is a degree grosser than the former and consists in divers branches 1. Abuse of lawfull things First by abusing lawfull things in transgressing due moderation in their use for time
Of indirect self-murder by doing of capitall crimes against humane Lawes and authority 8. Branch Capital crimes Eightly men doe commit indirect self-murder by their breaking out into capitall courses and crimes in transgressing and violating capitall good humane Lawes the penalty whereof is death whereby they bring themselves under the sword of Iustice thereby to lose their lives as do Traitors and rebellious persons against the King State or Kingdome spoylers of other mens lives or goods as murderers Pirates Robbers and the like which is a thing both just and expedient in reason that for preserving upholding of the whole body publick or the more noble parts thereof inferiour and rotten members should suffer amputation who by their owne vile practises have subjected themselves to the penall censure of death by their misdeserving courses being indirectly self-murderers their blood being upon themselves and not upon the Magistrate by whose hands they justly fall as is apparent Levit. 20.9 where the blood of him that was put to death for cursing his Father is said to be upon himselfe and 2 Sam. 1.16 touching him that David killed for saying that hee had slaine Saul he said that his blood was upon his head as also 1 King 2.32 37. touching Ioab for his murder and Sbimei for his railing it is said that their blood was upon their owne heads for that they were the wilfull meritorious cause although not the immediate instruments of their owne deaths And so thus all men that die by the merits of their owne actions morally or civilly considered are murderers of their owne naturall lives and bodies as man may truly be said to be the overthrower of the salvation of his owne soule by the merits of his owne sins §. 14. Of indirect self-murder by wilfull transgression of Gods Lawes 9. Branch Transgression against Gods Law Ninthly men indirectly murder their owne bodies by wilfully and impenitently walking in a course of transgression of Gods Law in such kinds and degrees as are accompanied with fearefull threatnings of death and destruction to bee inflicted not onely upon the soules but also upon the bodies of such transgressours by fearefull judgments even in this life as we see it was done to Pharaoh which is performed two waies 1. Kills after a naturall manner First in a physicall or naturall manner by the very nature and act of some sinnes themselves immediatly wasting filling the body with diseases and at last killing it as by drunkennesse and gluttony distempring and surfeiting the body according as Solomon saies that to those that tarrie long at the Wine and that do goe to seeke mixt Wine is woe sorrow contentious babling wounds without cause and rednesse of the eyes Prov. 23.29.30 Also by whoredome and bodily uncleannesse the strength is wasted as the Apostle shewes how such doe sin against their owne bodies 1 Cor. 6.18 and Solomon tells us that the house of a strange woman inclines to death Prov. 2.18 and by her a mans flesh and body is consumed Prov. 5.11 and the adultresse hunteth after the pretious life Of Passions And also by the immoderatenesse of the passions of the minde in giving way and liberty to them to break out and have dominion over us wherby the vitall spirits are suffocated or wasted as by excesse of choler fretfulnes or griefe or the like extinguishing the life of man as a fire is put out by oppressing it with water or by wastefully burning up suddenly the fewell of the maintenance of it therefore it is needfull that we suffer no commotion to be raised in our passions and affections but upon just cause and ground and that then therein we do keepe due moderation by the command of reason Note and by the possessing and taking of them up with divine and heavenly objects and imployment about things concerning a better life it is a very dangerous and costly contentment that a man hath by giving immoderate scope to his unruly affections and passions with the consumption of his owne life thereby in this course of indirect self-murder 2. A morall meritorious manner of self-killing Secondly men by their self-willed sinfull courses are indirect self-murderers of their bodies efficiently in a moral manner and by way of merit according to the justice of God threatning and punishing disobedient prophanenesse and wickednesse from heaven not onely inwrapping transgressors into publick generall judgements with others but also by inflicting particular personall destruction upon them as God did upon Corah Dathan and Abiram a Numb 16.38 and upon some for their unworthy and prophane receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper did die b 1 Cor. 11.30 by their owne meritorious procurement and wee are taught in the Proverbs c Prov. 1.8 31 32. that sinners do lay waite for their owne blood and eate the fruit of their owne way and that the turning away of the simple shall slay him In the Prophet Ezekiel Robbers adulterers and usurers d Ezek. 18.13 are threatned with death and there it is said that their blood shall be upon their owne heads which intimates that they are guilty of their own deaths And againe secure persons not repenting after admonition are threatned with death and that their blood shall be upon their owne heads e Ezek. 33.4 5. Yea all the damned in hell whose bodies with their soules shall be subject to the second death by meanes of their owne sins are and shall be guilty of their own deaths both of soule and body and so are self-murderers also of their bodies at least indirectly In Adam and by his first sin all men naturally are self-murderers Moreover Adam and all mankinde in him lapsed are indirectly self-murderers by merit of that first transgression for and through which death entred into the world according to the testimony of the Apostle who saith that by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 So that no man can blame any for his death in regard of originall merit and desert but himselfe Now that this death of our selves may not be imputed to our selves that we should stand guilty before God of this indirect self-murder we must labour to get our pardon from God in Christ for the comfort of our consciences and for our security from the avenger of blood upon our reconciliation with our God and bee carefull that we live not wilfully and impenitently in any knowne sinne without which care all stand guilty before God of this sinne of self-murder and shall suffer for it Observe The world is full of self-murderers From hence we may observe that there are many more self-murderers than the world takes notice of or that do thinke themselves to be such yea the world is full of them whose sinnes are more haynous than they conceive and specially against themselves most pernicious and therefore it is no
points 1. Vncertaine death for certaine good The second Case wherein we may wittingly and willingly without danger of self-murder adventure the losse of our lives is a present urgent and unavoidable necessity for a certaine greater more eligible good which falls out in three points First not only when with an uncertaine danger of our owne lives wee seeke to redeeme the certaine destruction of our neighbours as to cast our selves into the water being skilfull to swimme to save him from assured drowning who hath no other meanes of safety or to cast our selves into desperate dangers for rescue of our wives children or friends from out of the fire or out of the hands of our enemies as did Abraham for Lot a Gen. 14.14 and David for his wives b 1 Sam. 30. or to minister to the necessities of our sick houshold that they perish not in neglect wee ought to venture our lives with them in their infectious diseases But further also to save another from certainly perishing sometimes men may object themselves to certaine death Certaine death for Superiours as if the person be a publicke Magistrate or Prince or evidently of more use and worth in Church or Common-wealth than our selves we may exchange our selves to passe for him as the Scripture intimates with commendation that peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die Rom. 6.7 and the peoples esteeme of David was that he was worth ten thousand of them and therefore would not let him adventure himselfe where if halfe of them should die the enemies would not care for them 2 Sam. 18.3 this respect and preferment of eminency and vertue is not only from love of themselves but also from love of that publike body to which those persons by their lives may be beneficiall For a friend Also a man may for preservation of his deare friend put himselfe upon assured death as our Saviour implies by way of commending the same when he sayes Greater love hath no man than this Ambros lib. 3. officiarum c. 12. de duobus Pythagoraeis Virgil. me me adsum qui seei in me converene serrwn that a man lay downe his life for his friends Therefore this degree of love hee may have and was practised by divers as betweene Nisus and Euryalus Damon and Pythias Pylades and Orestes Object The thing that may seeme to withstand the lawfulnesse of this practice is that generall rule of loving our neighbours as our selves and not otherwise Answ But this is easily answered first by the right understanding of the rule as our selves which notes not the degree or measure of our love 1. It is required that our love be sincere for then must we love all men alike if the rule of the measure be one for quae conveniunt in uno tertio conveniunt inter se they that agree in any one third thing doe agree within themselves but that we are to love all men alike is absurd and against the practice of our Saviour Christ who loved Iohn above the rest of the Apostles then as our selves notes the sincerity of our love for as the Apostle tells us No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Ephes 5.29 So then here is commanded first that we should love our neighbours secondly that for the quality of this love it should be in truth and as we would that others should love us which doth not exclude such a superlative degree of love as may expresse it selfe by a mans dying for his friend as if it were an unlawfull excesse 2. To dye for a friend may bee self-love and lawfull Secondly this doubt may be resolved by the true interpretation of such a mans act because in that degree of love so expressed for his friend he loves himselfe both by the consummation and earthly perfection of the vertue of friendship in him which in some sort beatifies the subject wherein it is and also thereby he gaines to himselfe the honour to be counted more worthy of a friend than a friend was of him Amicus est after ego lovers are said to live rather in those that they doe love than in themselves so that without such friends their lives would be but a languishing dying With mee in this point accords Cardinall Folet upon a Idem ibid. Iohn 15.13 and David à Mauden in his tenth discourse upon the sixt Commandement is peremptory and sayes that * Id non facit ex amore vitae alterius sed ex amore virtutis amicitiae ad ahorum exemplum quod dum sacit se plus quaÌ„ amicum diligit Certum est licitum esse vitam suam certo periculo exponere pro servanda amicivita temporali ex motivo honestatis amicitiae quandoquidem honestas virtutis majus bonum sit quà m vita propria corporalis It is certaine that it is lawfull for a man to expose his life to certaine danger for to preserve the temporall life of his friend upon the motive of honesty and friendship seeing the honesty of vertue is a greater good than his owne corporall life From hence he sayes Licitum esse aiunt Doctores amico peste laboranti inservire cum aequi certo per culo mertis in communi naufragio takulam soâ—io cedere unde si duo amici simul naufragium secissent usque residua eset tal ula cu jus subsidio alteruter ex illis tantum po Yet salvari posset quidem alter eâ non uti ut sibi cam amicus assumeret cujus saluti consultum crpit in kee tamen eventu cavendum est ne quis per positivam aliquam actionem directè neci suae ecoperetur hoc enimilliciâ—â—n est Disetus 10. in praecept 6. numer 3.5 Ema Sa in vocabulo vita that the Doctors affirme that it is lawfull to doe service to a friend that is sick of the pestilence with equally certaine danger of death and in a common shipwrack to yeeld a board to a fellow companion as if two friends have suffered shipwrack together and that there were a board remaining to them by the help whereof only one of them could be saved the one of them may forbeare to make use of the same that his friend whose safety he desires may take it to himselfe Notwithstanding in this case heed must be taken that no man doe directly by any positive action cooperate to his owne death for that is unlawfull Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes affirmes as much §. 18. Of the second point which is concerning certaine death for certaine more publike good The second point The second point concerning present urgent necessity wherein a man may adventure the losse of his life for a greater good without any danger of self-murder is when by the losse of one or of a few lives many more are preserved Certaine death for greater pub like good for bonum commune est praeferendum proprio
the publike good is to be preferred before our owne private which argueth the greater charity for extension of it abroad and as we are not made every one for himselfe onely but for the good one of another So should wee endeavour the same by life and death as the Apostle commands that we should not looke every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others Phil. 2.4 In the publike good the good of every particular is comprehended and therefore the members severally considered are to expose themselves to suffer for the good and preservation of the Whole Thomas of Aquine sayes well that Charitas communia propriis anteponit a Tho 2.2 quaest 26. arlic 4. ad 3. Charity preferres the publike before the private In this also David a Mauden is cleare when he sayes in his aforenamed discourse Laudabiliter facit qui pro bono publico se periculo exponit Sicut enim in naturalibus pars una corporis rectè periculo exponitur pro servando toto corpore ita in politicis particulare Reipub. membrum pro servanda tota Republica That man doth commendably that exposes himselfe to danger for the publike good as even in naturall things one part of the body is rightly exposed to save the whole body so also in things politique a particular member of the common wealth is to be exposed for to save the whole And therefore the Prophet David upon this ground accompanied with a speciall instinct and motion of the Spirit for the generall good of his nation undertooke with the perill of his life a dangerous combate against the Gyant Goliah b 1 Sam. 17. Caiaphas did tell a truth when he said that it was better that one man should die for the people than that the whole Nation should perish c John 11.50 Eleazar is commended Qui se in mortem dedit ut populum suum liberaret Who gave himselfe that he might deliver his people sayes Mauden Examples of this practice are frequent among the Heathen and by them celebrated with greate praise As Codrus the Athenian King if I be not mistaken who thrust himselfe into death among his enemies that hee might procure victory to his people according to the Oracle Also of Curtius the Romane it is said that Se pro Republica praecipitavit in hiatum terrae for preservation of the common-wealth hee did throw himselfe into a gulfe of the earth But of this kinde many might be alleadged Vpon this ground it is that the keeping of a Passe the defending of a Town or Fort or the making of a Stand to check the pursuing enemy may be committed to a few against an unresistable multitude of enemies which charge and service those few are not to decline nor disert and quitt although they doe foresee that in that service they must all die upon the place when it is apparent that by the losse of the lives of those few after that brave manner the lives of many others are preserved with a more generall publike good of that body and State whereof they are members So Sampson-like doing more good by their thus dying than they ever did or could by otherwise living §. 19. Of certaine questions resolved Questions 1. About a man-flayer for whose sake his friends are pursued to death To this point belongs the decision of divers questions As first if a man have killed another and escaped for revenge whereof the kindred and friends of the slaine in their pursuit of the manslayer for justice doe fall upon his kindred and friends that favour or entertaine him whereby may follow the effusion of much innocent blood where there is not sufficient power and authority to order and protect men against such outrages then is such a manslayer bound in conscience to put himselfe betweene his friends and such harme and to offer himselfe a sacrifice to appease wrath and to prevent a more generall bloodshed mortality and deadly feud Whereby for his sake many of his dearest friends might perish It is better that one should die for preserving of many than that many should die for preserving one of no more worth and use than any one of the other which is apparent by Ioabs demand in his pursuit of Sheba at Abel of Bethmaachah requiring him to bee delivered up to him upon promise that he would depart from the City which was done accordingly a 2 Sam. 20.21 §. 20. About a man under deadly displeasure of Superiours Question 2. Secondly if a man be fallen so farre under the displeasure of his Prince or State although unjustly and undeservedly that they pursue him with that eagernesse to death that for his sake and life a storme of destruction is like to light upon and consume his dearest and nearest friends then ought he for their safety to put himselfe into the hands of implacable authority to bee thereby heaved as Ionas a Jonah 2.15 into the high grown sea of Superiours displeasure that the same may cease from the raging thereof Which practise and care seemes to have beene used by our Saviour Christ when he said if you seeke me let these go their way b Iohn 18.8 to make a party if hee were able to resist were to make an innocent man guilty of rebellion and the meanes of more generall ruine An objection If it be replied that self-love is against this course and that the preservation of justice is to be preferred above many mens lives and that such yeelding doth condemne the sufferer as guilty and encourages the persecutors in their injustice Answer 1. About love I answer that the love of the whole or more generall body or principaller parts thereof is to be preferred before the love of any particular or inferiour member of the body as is cleared by what is spoken already 2. About Justice To the second I reply that of justice in generall it is true that it is to be preferred before the bodies and lives of many men 1. In generall because neither trade humane society nor the world can consist without it and therefore it is that for maintenance therof Kingdome is justly armed against Kingdome to reduce and keepe those to justice that otherwise transgressing the same would confound all in tyrannie or anarchy 2. In particular But the case is not so in particular execution of justice about every individuall person when by seeking or preserving of Iustice in particulars wee open a way for greater injustice using a medicine worse than the disease But our Saviour Christ fully cleares this point in the fift of Mathew when he saies Yee have heard that it hath beene said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you that yee resist not evill but whosoever shall smite thee on the right Cheeke turne to him the other also And if any man sue thee at the Law and take away thy
of Iustice cuts men off not onely for punishment of mischiefe done but also specially for prevention of evill to come The barre removed The barre that may hinder such a man from taking this course may bee the feare of immortall shame and disgrace that he thinks he should never be able to indure if hee should live and the Magistrate not put him to death after this publick accusation of himselfe But to that it is easily answered that the comfort and ease of the conscience would bee such upon that course and the opinion and respect of the godly and wise concerning him that all that feared shame and disgrace would vanish in the ayre and he be the better approved §. 24. A sixt question about burning or sinking of a Ship in sea fight A Sea case For conclusion of this point I will propound a sea case to wit whether it be lawfull for a Captaine or Master of a Ship being overcharched with enemies in a Sea fight rather to fire or sink his Ship with himselfe and his company to perish in her than to yeild and bee at the mercy of his enemies Touching a Sea fight Answer Touching Ships Royall When to susteine untill the ship be burnt or sunk without danger of self-murder I answer if the Ship do belong to the King and is in service for the State and committed to her Commanders with charge rather to burne or sink her than to yeeld then are they to follow their Commission in obedience to their Superiours alwaies being carefull that they neither directly burne nor sink the ship with themselves in her but as the same may be done by the invading enemies or accidentally by themselves in their owne defence as by blowing up the Ship with intention to destroy their enemies although they do see that they cannot doe the same without the death of themselves thereby as Sampson did When a man himselfe may burne or sink his owne ship without danger of self-murder A proviso Furthermore such a Commander may himselfe burne or sink such a Ship so committed to him when he is no longer able to keepe her out of his enemies hands for that he is to deprive the enemies of all the strength hee can provided that he and the remnant of his Company do forsake her and shift for their lives otherwise as they best can that they may not bee guilty of selfe-murder But if a Captaine or Master have Command of such a Ship without such peremptory charge then is he no further bound in conscience touching yeelding keeping sinking or burning of her in such a desperate case than such a Captaine or Master that Commands at or by his owne discretion according to the Lawes and Customes of the Sea the determination whereof is touched in the next Touching a Merchant man whē to sustaine untill she be burnt or sunk without danger of self-murder But if so be that the Ship be a merchant-man and is commanded by her Captaine or Master at his owne discretion according to the Lawes and Customes of the Sea if so be that he be so oppressed in fight with his enemies that he is not able to make longer resistance or to escape and shall certainely foreknow that if he his Ship and Company do fall into the hands of their enemies their adversaries will thereby be so encouraged and strengthned that the Nation or State to which such a ship did belong shall suffer much more harme and damage by the imployment of her her Company and goods against the same than if so be that such a Ship should have perished in the Sea with all her company and goods or if so be that such a Commander do foresee that his yeelding will bring him and his men to a captivity or death more tedious than what by resistance they can suffer then ought such a Commander to choose the best of the two evils of damage and rather die in resisting induring the Ship to be sunk or fired by his enemies or to doe it himselfe A proviso alwaies being carefull in such a case for preservation of their lives as long as they can by quitting her and shifting as they can in the Sea at the mercy of their enemies and of the waters when Gods providence unevitably casts them into their hands In such a desperate pinch to blow up the Ship whereby they foresee that themselves also must perish is no more unlawfull than Sampsons pulling downe the house upon his enemies and himselfe so long as their intention is not to kill themselves but their enemies in their owne just defence which in this case they cannot doe without killing themselves accidentally But if there bee not so great danger and losse like to ensue by their enemies taking such a Ship as by perishing in resisting then is such a Commander to yeeld that he may not bee guilty of indirect self-murder as hath beene said about fighting beyond our warrant or upon desperate disadvantages and that he may save himselfe and his Company for further service of God his Countrey and friends When to yeeld §. 25. Of adventuring about saving of soules The third point saving of soules The third point concerning the second case about present urgent necessity wherein a man may adventure the losse of his life for a greater good without any danger of self-murder is when the necessity and opportunity of saving mens soules requires the adventuring of the losse of a mans naturall life to doe it which may fall out in two Cases Case 1. Of adventuring to infectious persons First if a man be sick of some pestilent infectious mortall disease and labours not only under the feare and pangs of death But also lyes oppressed with the horror of a troubled conscience like to be swallowed up in utter despaire languishing and longing for meanes and comfort of salvation then may the Minister within whose charge such a one is or in his default some other either Minister or private Christian upon outward calling from the party or by Gods providence inviting him finding withall an inward motion and inclination of the spirit to take the opportunity to save a soule then I say may one of these adventure into such infectious places and to such infected persons out of love and zeale to save a soul in danger of perishing so they indanger no other lives than their owne by so adventuring 1. Grounds of adventuring The grounds of which adventure are first confidence of Gods protection in that warrantable pious imployment so farre as God sees good 2. Secondly comfort that if in that service a man doe die he had a lawfull calling and his adventure was for saving that which is better than many lives for which the deare Son of God did die upon the crosse A Caveat Yet men are herein to be observant that they tempt not God by their rash presumption or self-confidence needlesly or beyond
their due bounds thrusting themselves into such dangers but that they doe use as great caution and as good preservatives as they can with carnest prayer to God to give him successe and safety that if they doe die by meanes of such dangerous enterprises their conscience may not justly accuse them that they were wilfully negligent of their own lives and so thereby accessary to their owne deaths Case 2. Of adventuring among heathens to preach the Gospell Secondly in such times and places where the publike preaching of the truth necessary to salvation is wholly wanting or powerfully suppressed and grosse ignorance or damnable error and heresies prevailes as among the heathens and grosse Idolaters then and there is any Christian man that hath a warrantable calling and opportunity to teach others the truth and to warne them of errors although they cannot doe the same without danger of persecution and death this course we finde warranted not onely by the practise of the Apostles who ceased not to preach Christ both publikely and from house to house although they were otherwise charged and therefore threatned and persecuted to death a Acts 20.20 But even others more private Christians did so as Aquila and Priscilla and those that were scattered from Ierusalem b Acts 5.28 29. Acts 18.16 Acts 8.4 whose labours God greatly blessed to the advancement of the Church Of such examples Ecclesiasticall histories are full in times of the primitive persecutions as Theodoret reports hist lib. 1. cap. 23. of two yong men called Aedesius and Frumentius who while they were lay men did teach among the Indians a Quoniam in vero Dei cultu educatierant mercatores qui eò commeabant cohortati sunt ut in unum congregati divina ministeria obirent And of Christian Merchants Socrates affirmes that they did instruct some of the Indians in the principles of religion b Christiani illi quosdam ex Indis fidei principiis instituentes also Theodoret makes mention hist l. 1. c. 24. of a certaine captive Christian woman who did convert the nation of the Iberians to the Faith c Mulier quaedam capta in bello Iberes ad veritatem traduxit with whose report consents Sozomen lib. 2. cap. 6. speaking of the conversion of the Iberians he sayes that the fame was that that Nation did leave their ancient religion upon the perswasion of a captive woman d Fama est hanc Iberiam suasu mulicris Christianae captivae patriam avitam religionem deseruise And Socrates speaking of the King and Queene of Iberia converted by the woman hee sayes that both the King and Queene did preach Christ He to the men and Shee to the women c Vtrique Christū praedicant Rex viris Regina mulieribus Deut. 6.7 Colos 3.16 Extraordinary things and accidents are not bounded and regulated by ordinary rules and so much doth God himselfe require us to doe in many places that the soules of our brethren may not perish for lack of his saving truth which all are bound to maintaine §. 26. Of adventuring for salvation and religion The third generall case About religion The third generall case wherein men may expose their lives to death without any danger of indirect self-murder is in the cause of religion for maintenance of the truth for advancing of Gods glory and for the conversion and confirmation of others both in profession and practise although the same should cost us our lives as we see was done by Daniel and his three companions a Daniel 6.10 and 3.17 Whereunto wee are bound by that love that we owe both to God and our Neighbour According to which David à Mauden sayes well David à Maupraecept 6. discurs 10. that Ex charitate tenetur quis fidem profiteri cum periculo vitae quando honor Dei id exigit aut externa confessio necessaria est ad aliquorum conversionem ad fidem vel in eadem vacillantium confirmationem seu quando credit minus firmos in fide eam facilè vel bonorum temporalium amore vel vitae conservandae causae negaturos that is A man is bound by charity to professe his faith with danger of his life when the glory of God requires the same or when our outward confession is necessary for the conversion of some to the faith or to confirme those that waver in it or when a man beleeves that the weake in faith will easily out of love of temporall goods or to preserve their lives deny the faith This adventuring of our lives for religion consists of foure points or members §. 27. Of the first case or point which is about defence of religion Members of it 1. First in the defence of the truth and religion both by speaking and writing for it when the same is reproached impugned Defence of the truth and slandered with endeavouring to overthrow it although that such a course of patrociny were capitall to the undertakers for which we have a luculent warrant and example in the practise of Hester in the like case b Hest 4.14 16. and in the practise of Iustin Martyr against the Heathen upon no lesse danger yet herein it were to be wished that men would rather content themselves to prove and commend what they hold to bee the truth and fit for godly edifying than for to multiply unprofitable controversies and to alienate affections by bitter disgracefull imputations and railing confutations of the errors of others And also we are to defend the truth and religion by objecting our selves with perill of our lives to resist by force armes the unjust invasion of hostility endeavouring to roote out the professors of the same only for the truths sake when the enemies doe endeavour quite to extirpate the truth of God Note Although that force and armes in hostile invasion is not to bee used to propagate and spread the truth and to reforme errours and abuses in religion which is to be done by teaching and perswasions to draw and not to force the conscience about divine things Moderation of warre for religion Yet in just defence a man may oppose himselfe with force and armes against forraigne or usurping unjust invaders that violently would thrust him out of his possession of the truth because the course taken against him is most tyrannically unjust in usurping to domineere over mens consciences which are subject onely to God and if for spreading of religion and rooting out of errors it were lawfull to make hostile invasion then might the whole world be in a flaming fire of warre every nation and people one against another according as they differ in opinions and customes about religion seeing that every one thinkes his owne religion best and condemnes and dislikes all others And againe of all the goods a man hath true religion is the chiefe and doth most neerely concerne him to keepe it above his life and it is the choisest
the truth and Church is bound to doe the duties of his calling notwithstanding any such former restraint or danger of disobedience to it because the power of the Church is but ministeriall under and according to God rather declarative than Soveraigne therefore what she doth tyes not men here on earth to obey it to the destruction but to the edification of the Church or at least to prevent a greater mischiefe And also because the true Church may doe no such acts of deprivation or suspension whereby to intend or effect the destruction of the Church and therefore in that case transgressing of such restraints is no disobedience to the Church but rather an obeying the intent of the same as in times of persecution we have plentifull examples specially of the Church of the Iewes against the Christians A Caveat Yet herein is to be observed that such performance of duties in that case after restraint bee done in mecke patient manner without tumults or forcible opposition of authority submitting with passive obedience where they cannot lawfully performe active This extends not to warrant any schisme or heresie that esteem themselves only to be the true Church as did the Donatists and others to oppose out of feare of their owne ruine the proceedings and restraints of the more Orthodoxe and generall body of a sound Church whose authority doth preponderate and oversway her apostating members so long as by the doctrine publikely taught in her men may be saved and built up §. 30. Against commission of evill upon any humane command or threats Fourth member about commission of evill upon humane command The fourth member of the case wherein a man ought to expose his life to death in causes concerning religion is when a man is desired commanded or threatned to doe any sinne forbidden by Gods word that then hee doe it not although he therefore doe die as Iosephs practise manifests in resisting his whorish mistris a Gen. 39.12 and the three children that would not upon the Kings command worship the golden Image to save their lives Daniel 3.18 Because it is better for us to die than deliberately and wilfully to sinne against God as the woman with her seaven sonnes did choose 2 Mach. 7. according to S. Augustines judgement who sayes that if it be propounded to a man Vt aut mali aliquid faciat aut mali aliquid patiatur eligat non facere mala quam non pati mala b Epist 204. that either he should doe some evill or suffer some calamity then let him choose rather not to doe evill than not to suffer evill Observe How we are to abhorre sin For we are ever to doe that which may most neerely unite us to God our chiefe good and to shunne what may divide us from him which nothing can doe but our sinnes specially those that consist in the transgression of the negative Commandements and are most opposite to God and incompatible with him and therefore those lawes doe binde ad semper to the alwayes observing of them and cannot be dispensed withall seeing God is unchangeable The evill of sinne should be more terrible to us than death it selfe not onely for that it is the cause of death and imbitters it but also because it deprives us of a greater good of our spirituall life that farre exceeds the naturall The beatificall object that sinne deprives us of is the infinite blessed God from whom to be separated is worse than death it self and in that respect rather than we should sinne we should choose to suffer death which is a glorious kinde of Martyrdome and a meanes of advancement to happinesse for the power and practise of the truth laying downe our lives which is a more undoubted signe of grace and salvation than is the suffering of many for holding the truth in opinion and profession Wee should choose rather not to bee than not to bee happy for the originall and end of our being is better than our being it selfe in regard that our happinesse is not of and in our selves but in and from another who is both our beginning and end §. 31. Of the kindes of sinnes of commission to be avoyded Evils of sin to be avoided These sinfull evills that wee ought thus carefully to avoid and forbeare to death are of two sorts 1. Against the law of nature First those that be directly and absolutely forbidden by the Law of nature as fundamentally unlawfull at all times and in all cases for the contrariety that they have against the nature of God and against the inbred principles of reason and conscience of which no question can be made but that wee are alwaies utterly to shun them notwithstanding any humane command or inforcement that may be to the contrary because no human power can dissolve the obligation of those ingrafted Commandements of God and nature Innata Lex Rom. 2.15 that we may be discharged in conscience from keeping of them which would overthrow both divinity and humanity neither can any free us from the punishment of the transgression of them both because equity and Law requires that the soule that sins shall die and also for that there is no power matchable with Gods and natures to protect or free us by force from their vengeance 2. Against the positive Law of God Secondly the sins that wee are to shun and not wittingly and willingly to do upon any threats or worldly danger or for any profit are those that are forbidden by the positive Law and revealed will of God the violating whereof doth wrong the soveraignty and honor of God who is the absolute and onely independant King of all the world and his will the supreame unerring rule of our obedience throughout our lives our transgression whereof is a breach of that loyalty and due subjection which wee owe to that our highest Lord. To whese positive Law conformity is more properly obedience to God than conformity to the Law of nature is by it selfe considered Because the ground of our conformity to the Law of nature is naturall inclination and Reason equally binding Heathens aswell as Christians But the ground of our conformity to the positive Law of God is principally the soveraigne Authority and Will of God himselfe which kinde of obedience is that which is properly of the Church and her members to God and proceeds from faith love feare c. Evangelicall or Thelogicall graces From which obedience to God no wight can absolve or excuse us that we may lawfully and safely subject our selves to feare to please or to obey any other in opposition or contraty to him and his will Reasons 1. Because there is none above God whose will may be preferred or equalled to his to whom all is subordinate in nature state and imployment 2. Neither is any man Lord over the Conscience either to bind or discharge it contrary to the Law or will of God that we
description wee are to observe two things First the generall and then the specificall nature of direct self-murder Generall nature of it Touching the genericall or generall nature of direct self-murder which is as the matter of it 1. A morall act we are to consider first that it is a morall act proceeding from mans will and therefore is good or bad and so wee are to bee the more carefull how we doe purpose or performe it 2. The object of it Life Secondly we are to observe touching that action the object thereof about which it is exercised and that is the naturall life of man who hath no such other precious worldly thing and therefore we should be very wary how we venture to deale therewith 3. The subject of it Mans selfe Thirdly the subject of this action is a mans selfe by whom and upon whom the same is done and so is both the active and passive subject of the same act and so it doth neerely concerne a man that he may well consider both what he doth and suffers in that case seeing he may bee guilty of a double blame if he doth both doe and suffer that which he ought not by his owne hands 4. The end of it To destroy Fourthly the end of this action is remarkable that it is not to cherish and preserve but to destroy and take away a mans owne life It is the end that makes or marres even a good action and increases the maliciousnesse of an evill And therefore it concernes us much in all our actions to consider well their ends whether the same be good or evill The specificall nature of it The specificall nature of direct self-murder is that which is the true forme of it whereby it is properly and directly self-murder This specificall nature of it is remota proxima remote and next Remote The remote nature of direct self-murder consists in two things 1. Restraint of the act it selfe First in the restraint or limitation of the act of killing for agent and patient for choise and application of the meanes to a mans owne selfe who thereby reflects and returnes upon himselfe in an act of the greatest hostility and cruelty that can be in the world to destroy himselfe and his owne life by his owne meanes so becomming his owne Burrio and executioner 2. The Agent understanding what he doth Secondly the remote nature of direct self-murder consists in the disposition of the agent both in his understanding and will in respect of his understanding the actour of it doth the same advisedly and wittingly Advisedly Advisedly he doth it when after premeditation in his minde of killing of himselfe and after approbation of the fact in his judgement he resolves upon his unwarrantable motives to doe it and devises and plots the meanes and manner how to doe it after deliberation and conflict with himselfe betweene oppofite reasons and when withall the understanding works and prevailes upon the will to draw the same to concurre in the resolution to doe it and to command and imploy the body in consent with both the understanding and the will to execute their pleasure to its owne destruction as is manifest in the practise of Ahitophel a 2 Sam. 17.23 and Iudas b Mat. 27.5 Then it is an advised act done by a man in such advised manner and so cannot be excused by ignorance or inconsiderate haste but is done with the fullest careere of morall motion and with the greatest ingagement of the whole man in an action of the highest nature of self-mischiefe Note The vilest actions are often done upon greatest advisement and deliberation which makes them the worse and more odious Mans wisdome is madnesse when he is left to himselfe and a depraved judgement perverts the will and leads a man into many vile practises seeing the will followes the last determination of the practicall understanding If the light of understanding that is in man be darknesse how great then is that darknesse Wittingly Wittingly a man doth take away his owne life when at the very time of doing the act hee knowes both that he is doing such an act materially considered and also that the same act for the nature and forme of it tends directly to his own destruction and is wicked and unlawfull to be done and yet for all that doth not desist whereby man that is a rationall creature able to judge of his owne actions is self-condemned in his own conscience while he is about and in doing the act it selfe Willingly The disposition of the agent or actour in direct self-murder in respect of his will is that he doth it willingly as to bang or stab or poyson himselfe or the like For violence or inforcement cannot be done to the will in its act of willing which necessarily must be free either absolutely or conditionally Willingnesse This willingnesse in a man to kill himselfe is twofold 1. Antecedent Ahitophel accessit sobrius ad perdendm scipsâ—â— ut Caesar ad perdendam Rempub First that which is antecedent before the fact whereby he wills not only that he were dead but also wills that such a murderous act should be done by himselfe upon himselfe to take away his owne life which by a contrary act and change of his will might be prevented as it is said of Ahitophel that he came sober to destroy himselfe as Caesar came sober to ruinate the common wealth Concomitant Secondly he hath a willingnesse concomitant at the act doing so that when it is in his power to suspend his act and not to doe it yet he wills and doth it indeed which is so much the more grievous by how much the more it hath of wilfulnesse as will is both the originall fountaine of sin and is so essentiall to it that absolutely against or without mans will he hath no actuall sin neither can have any The proximate or neerest nature of direct self-murder The next or neerest specificall nature of direct self-murder consists of two subordinate branches 1. Mans intention First in the immediate intention of a men which is to kill himselfe and doth conclude the joynt act therein both of his judgement and will because such an intention is grounded upon and proceeds from advisement and deliberation and doth also respect the fact that he minds to doe sub ratione finis under consideration of an end and so in his judgement good and therefore it includes his will desiring and endeavouring that it may be done and so to him such a fact falls not out by acdident or unexpected or not intended but it is the thing he aymes at 2. The bodies imployment The second branch of the neerest specificall nature of direct self murder is the actuall imployment of the body and the strength thereof upon direction of the understanding and command of the will fully to accomplish his intention and
effect the killing of a mans selfe by his owne hands or meanes whereby it is perfected and consummated with self-perdition in a wicked conspiracy of self-destruction by soul and body against themselves Observe Abuse of power and of obedience Wherein is to be observed and condemned both the wretched abuse of the authority and power of mans understanding and will directing and commanding the inferiour faculties and body to doe that which tends directly to destruction both of their parts and-whole and also we may see herein a patterne of unwarrantable obedience in the bodies yeelding to doe that which is unlawfull and ruinates it selfe the superiority of the understanding derstanding and will frees not the body from blame for then why should it suffer with the soule for that act But the sin is the greater by how much the further it extends to involve partizans or accessaries and makes many guilty of the same crime who are to be condemned not only for the fact done by them but also for violating the rights and duties of their places in unlawfully commanding and obeying in that which is evill contrary to an higher rule §. 2. Of the imaginary good conceited to bee in self-murder Object Excl cannot be an end It may be objected that for a man advisedly wittingly and willingly to propound to himselfe and to ayme at that for his end that is his destruction is against nature because the end is or ought ever to be the perfection of the thing that desires it and endeavours to have it and good only is desirable and to be sought after which may content us in the enjoying thereof and therefore the conclusion may seeme to be good that no man can advisedly wittingly and willingly purpose and endeavour to kill himselfe Answ Death is not the ultimate cad Whereunto may be answered although death bee the immediate end intended and sought in direct self-murder yet it is not the ultimate or last end neither is it sought for at any time for it selfe but accidentally and for another thing which is good for obtaining whereof a self-murderer would use that as a meanes Comparison As Physick is immediately desired and taken not for it selfe but for health thereby which is the patients ultimate end in taking of medicines therefore one sayes Mors ut malum non estoptabilis nec optatur per se sed gratiâ alteriê° Death as it is an evill thing is not desirable neither is it of it selfe desired but in respect of some other thing and so is desired per consequutionem non per se by consequution and not of it selfe for death is never desired by a naturall appetite as opposite to that appetite or desire that followes reason either right or depraved because nature is materiatum quid some materiated thing belonging to the person in respect both of matter and forme soule and body so long as they are united and therefore ever desired the good and preservation of the person in that union The imaginary good of self-murder The good ultimately intended and conceited to bee obtained by self-murder is twofold 1. Freedome from evill First freedome from greater evill felt or feared reall or but imaginary which in a self-murderers opinion is no other way avoidable and they despaire to be able to beare it measuring themselves by themselves so as if they cannot shake off the yoke then will they violently dissolve themselves Causes 1. Conceited badnesse of estate The true causes hereof are first the self-murderers conceit that his present or feared condition is worse than any other that can betide him or that he can shift into by death 2. Want of meanes Secondly his want of having or foreseeing meanes of prevention or deliverance from the evils that he despaires to be able to beare causes him to fall upon this wicked damnable course of ridding himselfe from them 3. Impatience Thirdly disobedient impatiency that will not let a man in all things submit to bee ordered by God and an evill heart of unbeliefe that hinders him from trusting and depending upon God for supportation and deliverance Note 1. By meanes of his reason man suffers Man by meanes of his understanding and reason is subject to many more miseries and troubles than any bruite beasts because he fancies many imaginary calamities to himselfe from possibilities in reason that doe as much sometimes affect and trouble the minde as if they were reall although they never be insticted And present troubles men doe aggravate in their esteeme and opinion for measure and extent beyond that which they are in truth and sense so making them needlesly the more importable 2. By meanes of memory And troubles future and past man by his imagination makes present by helpe of his memory and feare overcharging himself with the burden of more than ever God did lay upon him at once Spirituall afflictions And finally in his minde he is capable by meanes of reason of manifold spirituall afflictions farre exceeding those that are upon the body and where of no irrationall creature is capable Imagination And yet of all these troubles the greatest part is imaginary of mans owne needlesse and voluntary contracting by meanes of his abused reason and doe worke most reall and desperate effects even to self murder Although that self-murder be no fit or appropriated meanes to preserve or deliver a man from misery or troubles yet a self-murderer doth use it deeming according to the Philosophers that a lesser evill compared with a worse obtaines the place of good and is to be desired for good a Arist ad Nicom lib. 5. c. 6. Picol grad pol. Minus malum comparatu cum detertore obtinet lotie boni pro bono optabile est which is onely to be understood of the evill of punishment and not of the evill of sin for for to avoid all punishment we are to doe no sin which to doe were a greater punishment and would draw punishment more abundantly upon the doers of the same in evils of sinne there is no choise or lawfull election where all is forbidden 2. Advancement to good The second imaginary good conceited to be had by self-murder is the advancement of a mans selfe thereby to more good or to a better estate than he hath at present either to an estate really better as to absolute good in heavenly happinesse or to fancied or comparative good in comparison of greater evill in the self-murderers apprehension that he may be in an estate lesse miserable as he thinks than that is which he feeles or feares which in that respect he esteemes to be better than the present In these regards self-murderers are willing to exchange their lives by death but of evill properly there comes no good For men gather not grapes of thornes neither will any expect it that is not spiritually mad Oh miserable state of life that is more tedious to a
their owne accord leape into the fire with divine and unutterable cheerefulnesse and Ambrose Ambros lib. 3. de virginibus and others doe note divers professors to have done the like as Pelagia Apollonia and many others Observe Which shewes to us that as all mankinde are sprung from the same roote and are infected with the same disease so are we all lyable to commit the same sins if the Lord doe not renew and keepe us All are sick of the same disease So that wee need not so much to think it strange a member of the visible Church kills himselfe as to admire the gratious goodnesse of God in keeping of us that very many doe not the same in regard both of our owne wicked naturall disposition and outward temptations whereby what betydes men may betyde all men in the same case Observe To depend upon God Here we are to observe that those examples of self-murder recorded within the Church are not registred for imitation but for caution that all Christians may be stirred up the more carefully to cleave to God and thank him for their preservation even from this horrible act of self-murder whereinto many professing Christianity have fallen §. 4. Self-murderers knowne by experience The third way of discovery of self-murderers Experience Thirdly that many do murder themselves it is cleare by wofull experience in all places and ages notwithstanding that they may be terrified frō the same both by the fearefull examples of manifold wreckes of that kinde and also by the doctrine of the truth condemning that vile practise besides manifold other restraints and ignominious censures of that odious course against all which such breakings out doe shew the continued rage and power of Satan against Mankinde and manifest mans madnesse and perversenesse still in all places furiously running upon this most horrible and dismall sinne Hurt of self-murder Whereby men doe most ignominiously shut up the period of their lives with the losse of their good names and with the destruction of their soules for ever depriving their posterity of their estates and uncomfortably overshadowing them with the shamefull disgrace and ill example of their execrable fact of self-murder Vses The uses of this point are specially two 1. To be observant of occurrences First it serves to teach us to be observant of the daily occurrences that fall out from time to time that thereby wee may grow by sense in experimentall knowledge both of facts done and also of the nature and causes of the same whereby we may be wise not only for to direct our owne course aright but also may be able prudently to advise others and to give a right estimate of things that fall out and make a holy use of them So that the longer we live and the world stands we should bee the wiser and better in regard of the helps that we have to know Gods will both by his Word and workes that we may not be carelesly secure of the most haynous crimes Note but without grace and Gods protection neither doctrine nor example is sufficient to withstand mens impetuous wilfull running upon destruction The lamentable spectacles of manifold executions for murders and robberies we may thinke might affright all men from committing the like crimes which we see it doth not Comparison So as the multitude of Shipwracks terrifies not men from going to Sea neither doe examples of frequent miscariages by self-murder prevaile with gracelesse men to hinder them from the like facts Self-murderers not deterred from the fact who doe thereby rather harden themselves to attempt and perpetrate the same Vse 2. Beware of self-muder The second use of this point is to admonish us to abhorre and beware of this odious sin of self-murder which runnes through all times and sorts of people although we may seeme to be out of danger of it in regard of the present distance and opposition betweene us and it yet are we not to be over-secure For the sins which at first we seeme to loath afterwards by degrees through negligence or venturing upon the causes and occasions thereof men doe embrace and commit as we see by the example of Hazael 2 Kings 8.13 Motions of self-murder most hardly shaken off And of all sinnes even the motions and setled purposes of self-murder are most hardly shaken off because all unnaturall and hideous sins breaking impetuously through the strongest hedges and pales of opposition and outragiously overflowing the bankes of all resistance both of nature and grace have nothing left of sufficient force to withstand them but that they rage in that high and transcendent degree without shame or restraint as they list Note the most grosse and unnaturall sinnes are ever done by desperately wicked men with the least remorse of conscience and with the greatest shamelessenesse and obstinacy of will and indivertiblenesse of indeavours The use of examples Touching the use of the examples of self-murderers Augustine sayes well Non quaerimus utrum factum sed utrum faciendum Sana ratio exemplis anteponenda est We enquire not whether self-murder hath beene done but whether it ought to have been done Sound reason is to be preferred before examples CHAP. 14. Of the usuall means and furtherances of self-murdering §. 1. Of the meanes of self-murdering 1. Meanes ABout the fact of Self-murder we are to consider the meanes thereunto used and the application and method thereof by self-murderers None lawfull for that use Meanes there are none proper of lawfull ordination for to doe evill because that the same ought not at all to be done but man either abuses good or devises ill meanes of his owne invention to doe naughtinesse and mischiefe withall Meanes abused The meanes abused by self-murderers to kill themselves are of two sorts 1. Good First such as be destinated and appropriated by God for the good and preservation of mans life as water fire swords are and the like which a self-murderer perverts to drowne burne stab himselfe to death c. 2. Evill The second kinde of meanes of self-murder be those that be evill and sinfull in themselves fitter to destroy than to save such as eating and drinking of poyson throwing ones selfe over rocks as did the Circumcellians or out of windowes or from off high places and turrets with intent to kill themselves as the devill would have had our Saviour Christ to have done a Mat. 4.6 going unwarrantably into the mouth of destruction with purpose to be slaine commanding others to doe it as Abimelech did Iudg. 9.54 hanging ones selfe as Iudas and Ahitophel did fretting or starving ones selfe purposely to death as Pomponius Atticus did or in mortall sicknesse or wounds rejecting the helps of cure by Physick or other meanes and disordering ones selfe purposely that they may thereby die and the like so that for this vile act men are inabled by all the
and the people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsell determined before to be done a Acts 4.27 28. Will any man therefore say that neither Iudas nor any of those were blameable for betraying and putting our blessed Saviour so cruelly and spitefully to death If Gods decrees were sufficient to warrant men to doe evill then either there could bee no sinne in the world whatsoever men doe or else God must be the author of sinne and the onely sinner which is a thing most blasphemous to thinke 2. Ignorance The second reason that manifests the error of those who thinke themselves warranted to doe whatsoever God hath decreed is both their ignorance of what God hath decreed which for the most part he keepes so seeret that it is not certainly known but by the event and effect what it is and in this case the Scripture sayes that the secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deut. 29.29 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Gods secret will is the rule of his owne actions And also it is their ignorance of the use of Gods decree which is properly his owne will whereby and according to which he in wise and in soveraigne manner orders all things according to his owne good pleasure But it is not that which he would have alwayes to bee our will and according to which we should order our wills and practise for which he hath given us his revealed word and law which is to be in all practicall things the measure of our wills and wayes Gods revealed will is the rule of our actions And therefore so long as Gods word forbids self-murder we are not to dare upon pretence of destiny or Gods decree to entertaine thoughts to attempt it Gods secret decrees containe no formall commandements to us what we should doe nor put any reall influxe to incline us to sin nor subject us to compulsory necessity of sinning contrary to our owne wills or to the meanes and Commandements that we have against the same Observe So then it is certaine that our fulfilling of the secret will and decree of God by our wretched courses and the accidentall good that may come to others thereby cannot excuse us from damnation for running a course contrary to the revealed wil of Gods Commandements and to the meanes whereby we are to order our practise in obedience to God No man is saved for fulfilling the will of Gods decree which no man can overthrow It is not in the power of the most wretched and malicious men in the world to crosse but must fulfill the secret decree of God neither is any man commended or saved for fulfilling that decree which no man can disappoint But all men are commended or condemned for those courses and meanes which they use according as the same is commanded or forbidden in the Word whereby the severall decrees of God for mans salvation or destruction are voluntarily accomplished by men themselves Note Mans care should be to live well Mans only care in all estates should be to live well in conformity to Gods revealed will and word not being solicitous so much for our deaths which after a good life can never be ill We serve not such a master as will not be carefull of our good in which regard worthy is that speech of dying S. Ambrose recorded by Paulinus in his life Non ita inter vos vixi ut pudcat me vivere nec timco mori quoniam Dominum benum habenus I have not so lived in the world that I am ashamed to live neither am I affraid to die because wee have a good Lord. Where wee have no commandement we should be passive about our deaths Although that God is active and workes in all things about us and that we are to cooperate with him in all things where hee gives us a commandement to worke yet in those workes of God where wee have no commandement of his to worke with him as in and about our deaths there we are only to be passive Observe Three things we are to observe from this point of deceit of the judgement 1. Men are strong to beleeve errors First we may here see that people that are weakest in faith and most diffident to beleeve Gods word and saving truth upon the credit and authority of God himselfe are often strongest and most consident in beliefe of errors upon any seeming ground as Solomon saith The simple beleeveth every word a Prov. 14.15 The reason hereof is plaine because such persons are overswayed by prejudices and strength of passion so farre that they rather suspect and reject Gods sacred and infallible truth than their owne fancies and Satans suggestions Note When men leave the truth they become both superstitious and vainely credulous They therefore that beleeve God and in God are freed from many errours and much needlesse feare 2. Disobedients to God are forward to obey the devill Secondly we may from hence observe that many persons that are most disobedient to Gods lawes by keeping whereof they might live are most forward to obey Satan and their owne lusts to their owne destruction For a man cannot serve both these contrary masters at once b Mat. 6.24 Such people like well to have God to be their friend but they care not for having him to be their master but would live as they list but when they forsake him they are unhappy in their choise when they can serve none other but to their owne ruine 3. Men to excuse themselves blame God Thirdly from hence we may see that many men are willing to doe evill but are loth to beare the burden of the blame thereof and therefore they turne it upon God and would make him a party with them against himself in breaking of his owne lawes Men that would not have their courses framed by the right rule of Gods truth labour to frame all reason and divinity by their owne crooked fancies and courses whereby they doe as farre as they can deturb and cast downe God from his throne and advance themselves unto the same by their perverting the order established by him and by making themselves gods to live by their owne wills as the supreme rule of all their actions Which shewes to us how needfull it is for us to labour for self-deniall and that wee may resignē our selves wholly to God to bee ordered and disposed wholly by him in all things as he pleases which is the onely meanes of our preservation from sin and damnation §. 6. Of conceited good by self-murder perverting the judgement The fourth ground of error in judgement is conceit of benefit The fourth and last ground of a mistaken understanding which causes or occasions self-murder is both the conceit of good that
at least from the sense of it As did Lucretia who having beene ravished by Tarquinius stabd her selfe to avoide the shame of it of whom Augustine sayes Faediinse coâ—missi sceleris aegra atque impatiens se peremit turpitudmis aliaenae in se commissae Romana mulier laudis avida ne putaretur libenter passa that being sick and impatient of the villany committed against her she killed her selfe The Romane Lady ambitious of praise was ashamed of another mans filthinesse committed against her and therefore that she might not be thought to have willingly suffered that abuse she destroyed her selfe And Ovid sayes of her that Succubuit famae victa puella metu The Damosell fell overcome with feare of shame Also Curtius makes mention in his ninth booke of one Dioxippus of Athens that when he was falsly accused to have stollen a cup from Alexanders table hee was so ashamed to be so disgraced by the imputation of theft that he presently went out and hanged himselfe for to prevent or get out of insupportable confusion and ignominy So intollerable a thing is shame to some specially of the noblest natures that they thinke the same worse than death and that they had rather not to bee than to live in shame it confounds the judgement and drives into desperate shifts and praectises to be rid of it Effects of shame shame will both make a man doe evill and sin when the contrary goodnesse and vertuous courses procure contempt and disgrace with men and also it is a punishment of sin in the end a Rom. 6.21 upon which it doth ever attend as true honour doth upon well doing b Rom. 2.7 according as Iob sayes That the baters of God shall be clothed with shame Iob 8. ult and the Psalmist imprecates shame upon his enemies as one of the greatest judgements Psal 35.4.26 Of earthly creatures only man is capable of glory and of all blessings glory is counted the chiefe wherein also man doth analogically partake with God Man only capable of shame So contrarily no earthly creature but man is capable of shame or greatly affected withall whereunto he is subject in regard of his understanding and reason and of all punishments this shame is the greatest which immediately affects the soule in a high degree for being abased either by our owne practises or in the esteeme or usage of others Kindes of shame 1. Good shame There are two kindes of shame first that which is good and godly and is both that which goes before sinne and restraines men from daring to doe evill and also that which followes after sinne whereby they are driven or moved to repentance for their sinnes past wherof they are ashamed c Rom. 6.21 So that to be shamelesse and impudent opens the way for such to rush into any wickednesse and hardens their hearts from repentance Note 2. Vngodly shame Secondly there is an ungodly and wicked shame 1. ashamed to do good and that is first when a man is ashamed to doe good or to reforme his life which falls out when goodnesse is in common disgrace with the world which he labours to please and to curry favour withall or when wickednesse is habituated in him by a long continued practise and he is a stranger to vertue and goodnesse he is then ashamed to attempt to doe that which to him is strange and at which he is unskilfull and for which he feares he shall be mocked by his former companions Hee is a weake man whom a puffe of a winde disgracefull words and flouts keepes or beates back from goodnesse and yet there is nothing generally more powerfull with most people to effect the same than this hobgoblin of worldly disgrace 2. Shame of confusion Secondly wicked shame is that which is the shame of confusion proper to the wicked and is their portion in hell whereby they are swallowed up of desperation and which makes them seeke and endeavour their owne utter destruction sometimes in this life by self-murder and ever in hell wishing and desiring that they were quite extinct raging with and against themselves for being the meritorious cause of that their owne damnation so that besides all other torments themselves are against themselves Observe Here we may observe how men are lyable and subject to shame for evill and that shame is one of the greatest punishments that can betide man and is a most forcible motive to good or evill Evill brings shame Therefore our care should be to keepe it within its due bounds by fearing to sinne or to continue in sinne but that we doe alwayes walke in warrantable courses to be shamefully intreated for well-doing is most honourable a 2 Thess 2. Job 31.35 36. and matter of rejoycing That shame should move a man to kill himselfe is a mad and unreasonable practise because it is the way to bring a man into farre greater shame and everlasting and unrecoverable disgrace Self-murder cannot cure shame and so to thinke to free himselfe from shame by running into a course of greater shame is as if a man to cure his head-ache should knock out his braines §. 14. Of feare occasioning self-murder Fourth kinde of the mindes trouble The fourth kinde of the mindes trouble that may occasion self-murder is servile and excessive feare Feare Occasioned 1. wherewith a man may be surprised and possessed either from the present evills that he suffers which he conceives are beyond his strength to beare and out of which hee sees no meanes of delivery to be freed so soone as he would but by killing himselfe 2. or else from apprehension of inevitable miseries that as he foresees in their causes will fall upon himselfe or upon his which he conceives he is not able to avoide nor yet to beare with any comfort and therefore to escape what feare hath made more certaine and terrible by fancy than it is in it selfe self-murder is often resolved upon as the back-doore of evasion Note Panicke feare makes men flee before their owne shadowes and at the noise of their enemies as did the Araemites or Syrians a Kings 7.6 7. If men would absolutely submit in all things to Gods will and trust in his promises and power they might be secure in all estates But when they are guided by their owne wisdome and wills then are they most in danger of miscarying and when as they thinke to saile by their owne compasse most securely then doe they runne into the greatest dangers Observ How feare makes bold It is observable here how feare the mother of cowardize makes men daring and bold wittingly and willingly to run into the jawes of farre more horrible dangers and mischiefes than those be from which feare makes them to flee as for a man or a woman to dare to kill themselves that never durst in anger draw blood of any other body and that those who out
is borne by many Be observant and helpfull 2. How men are to order themselves in afflictions The second use or observation from the point is that people in distresse do fit themselves and so order their course and behaviour as is most pertinent and best becomming their present estate that they may not be overcome by it 1. First by their care to live by faith a Habak 2.4 and not by sense and that they may ride by the anchor of hope cast upward within the vaile b Heb. 6.19 2. Secondly by humbly submitting themselves under the mighty hand of God with passive obedience rather cutting our masts of self-will and pride by the board than to hazard being over-set by a high saile in the storme of troubles 3. Thirdly they should labour to possesse themselves in patience that they may stand fast and overcome by suffering 4. Fourthly they should endeavour to be chearefull under the crosse 5. Fiftly they should not be carefull of future events so long as they walke in a good course but commend themselves by prayer to God a Phil. 4.6 Mat. 6.25 and rest confidently upon him being imployed and taken up with meditation of the gratious promises and dealing of God towards those that depend upon him By neglect of which course the Devill prevailes much against people in that estate even sometimes to self-murder §. 18. Concerning anger and revenge The third generall motive of self-murder Anger and revenge The third generall motive of self-murder is the rage of Anger and the unsatiable desire of revenge which are most furious passioÌ„s that most spoile and are least subject to the command of reason or religion and can most hardly be supprest or kept within any due compasse which when they cannot ease themselves by vent upon others will reflect upon the subject wherein they are to destroy the same Kinds of it This anger and revenge is of two sorts 1. Against a mans selfe First that which is directly against a mans owne selfe and that is either for what he hath done or else for what he presently is Sometimes men fall into that degree of anger and revenge against themselves for what they are or have done or beene that nothing will content them Propter peccata admissa For sinnes done but murdring of themselves as for some hainous crime or flagitious course of life whereby they finde themselves upon sight and sense hereof subjected either to importable shame and punishment or to intolerable griefe of conscience as those that are guilty of some horrible capitall crimes done against their consciences such as wilfull murder spitefull blasphemie against God and the like in regard of the former wee see how Indas hanged himselfe and the more secret that such crimes have beene kept and secure from the stroke of humane justice the more is man armed and bent with self-murder to destroy himselfe whom divine justice will not suffer to live Viciousnesse of nature and wicked motions Againe for the present when a man labours in a continuall conflict against the execrable viciousnesse of his nature and against the horrible motions of his minde and inclinations of his heart with much uncomfortable molestation and trouble without hope of overcomming the same finding the same more and more to prevaile against him so that hee concludes that if he doe live hee shall be quite overcome by it and caried headlong to all evill to his greater shame and eternall ruine which that hee may prevent or bee revenged upon his wretched flesh and corruption out of his furious zeale he by the instigation of Satan murders himselfe and so upon pretence of destroying sinne hee destroyes himselfe in and by the most horrible sinne of self-murder He esie Touching this killing of a mans selfe in griefe and revenge for his sinnes committed Alphonsus à Castro adversus haereses de Martyrio haeresi secunda Haeresis est quae docet cos quise pro peccatointerimunt delore Martyres numupari pro cò quod puâ—unâ—in se quod dolent commisesse sayes it is an heresie which teaches that those that kill themselves for their sinne ought to be called Martyres because they doe punish in themselves that for which they grieve that they have committed it The Author of which heresie he sayes was Petilian the Donatist against whom St. Augustine wrote which name of heresie it may well brooke if we consider the damnable danger of it specially accompanied with obstinacy in opinion against the judgement and advice of the Church Than to bee counted an heretick nothing was more odious because the same excludes a man both from the Communion and priviledges of the Church on earth and also from the fruition of glory in Heaven to which for punishment self-murder is equivalent and if in any case it bee held obstinately in opinion to bee lawfull it is directly and formally an heresie because the contrary is according to truth determined by the Church as a point concerning salvation Twofold revenge upon oxes selfe for sinne There is a twofold revenge upon ones self for sin a good and a bad 1. Good In three things The good is that whereof the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 7.11 Behold what revenge which flowes from griefe for offending God and consists in three things 1. Mortifying humiliation First godly revenge upon ones selfe for their sinnes is in our chastising of our selves and afflicting of our soules before God in penitent manner in mortifying humiliation subduing our bodies by discipline abstinence c. whereby through Christ both the guilt and love of sinne is extinguished in us and also the power of the corruption of it is killed 2. Curbing our lusts Secondly it is in the restraining and curbing of our owne lusts and wills to subdue them wholly to the will of God which cannot bee done without both much trouble and paines and dislike to the old man of nature Cutting off the meanes of sin And also it is in the stinting or depriving of our selves of the use of those things by which the flesh hath or doth take occasion to sin against God as delights and pleasures or things above necessity when wee abuse them which is as to pluck out the right eye or to cut off the right hand 3. Strictnesse Thirdly it is in a more strict tasking of our selves to religious observances to holy duties and good life and to opportunities and offices of doing good to ourselves and others so cutting our selves short of that liberty whereby wee are apt to breake out to dishonour God and so bringing our selves under the yoake of more severe spirituall subjection and discipline to God wee shall subdue and mortifie our old man of sinne in which three points lyes the revenge here allowed The second kind of revenge upon ones self Bad. The second kind of revenge upon ones selfe for sinne is that
only good meanes that we may looke for a blessing from God upon them Actions are not good onely from intention Againe we must not measure and judge an action to be good only by the good end and intention of the doers thereof in their act of doing the same for Saul offered sacrifice a 1 Sam. 13.12 and Paul persecuted the Church b Acts 22.4 both of them with a good intention and yet for all that their actions were evill Because to make an action good there are many other things necessary than the good intention of the doers of it it is sufficient to make an action morally evill if it be defective in any thing requisite for to make it good but to be good it must be every way perfect §. 20. Concerning ambition The fifth generall motive Ambition The fifth generall motive of self-murderers to kill themselves is Ambition either to keep or get a greater good by killing themselves than they can have or enjoy by living any longer as they thinke which profitable exchange makes them thinke it both lawfull and expedient to kill themselves This good is of two kindes whereof man is ambitious to death and for which some kill themselves Kinds of good aimed at by ambition 1. Glory and praise First it is worldly glory and praise which they think to purchase to themselves Ethnicitanquam insignem fortitudinē celebrârūt by the very acting and doing of self-murder touching which the heathen hath commended such for their fortitude specially when they did it to preserve their personall liberties from falling under subjection to their enemies as did Cato to whom I may apply that of Brutus that it was the love of his countrey and excessive ambition of praise that made him to kill himselfe Amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido And when they did the same lest they should either suffer or doe any thing as they thought more disgracefull Vaine-glory and popular praise is so powerfull a motive that for the same it is said that Empedocles killed himselfe 2. A better life after death The second good for ambition whereof some kill themselves that they may hasten to attaine the same Ad assequendam gloriam aeternam is another and better life after death as did Cleombrotus who upon reading in Plato of another more happy life after this which cannot bee attained but by death did precipitate himselfe into the mouth of death and so killed himselfe as Cicero in the first booke of his Tusculan questions makes report In such esteeme was that life even with naturall men that they did willingly run into death that they might enjoy that whereof they had but a small glimpse and little assurance Which may condemne many Christians who have greater knowledge and better evidences for the same and doe so lightly regard it that for it they will not forsake their pleasures and lusts nor will doe duties of easier performance according to Gods appointment to have it Men would willingly be saved and go to heaven but by their owne wayes and courses and not by Gods although their owne bee more tedious and chargeable than his so farre is man wedded to his self-will and so ready to doe what himselfe devises Note Men are more deceived in the meanes than in the ends Men are not so much deceived in the ends that they project to themselves which commonly are good but especially the last as they are self-beguiled in the meanes and wayes that they use of their self-devising and pleasing to attaine their ends whereupon it comes to passe that so many are frustrated of their desires and expectatation For good ends which be morally and beatifically such are never got but by good meanes of Gods owne appointment whereabouts man is to deny his own will and only to follow Gods who never disappoints us thereby of good successe according to our hearts desire in the attainement of our last end Insufficiency of the former motive touching the first branch The insufficiency of the former motive of praise and fortitude justly to cause a man to kill himselfe is apparent by that which Augustine sayes of Cato that it was not fortitude but a softnesse that made him kill himselfe because he was not able to beare adversity a Non fortitudo sed mollities non potuit serre res adversas and did it out of impatiency at Caesars empire but being impatiently self-willed would not submit to Gods providence he sayes his fact was great but not good b Magnum potius sactum quam bene Fortiterille facit qui miser esse potest Sene. Epist 59. Imbecillis est ignavus qui propter dolorem moritur Arist 3. Nicomach cap. 7. Molles sunt qui amoris gratia vel paupertatis sibi mortem consciseunt non posse pati non est vera fortitudo sed magis quaedam mollities animi non valentis mala poenalia sustinere Tho. 2.2 q. 64. art 5. and further affirmes that it is pufillanimity not to be able to suffer which is a thing whereunto the weakest as women are most apt both for want of strength to endure to suffer and also for want of wisdome to make choise of that which indeed is best for them for as the Philosopher saith no man kills himselfe nisi depravata ratione c Arist Eth. lib. 3. cap. 8. but by depravation of his reason and so is as it were a mad man that is worse than a beast Praise is got by well-doing The true way and meanes for a man to gaine true honour and praise is well-doing according to the will and commandements of God as the Apostle sayes Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good a Rom. 2.10 which extends it selfe to all eternity in the presence and with the commendation of God his holy angels and of all Gods people whereas of evill doing there comes nothing but shame and confusion eternall for even to bee commended by vaine and wicked persons for doing good casts some suspition or aspersion upon the commended much more is it disgracefull to be praised by such for evill doing which is the matter of mans shame and therefore upon that motive not to be done About the second branch the insufficiency of the motive from a better life kill ones selfe For the second branch of the aforesaid motive viz. about a better life the insufficiency thereof to make a man undertake to kill himselfe thereby the sooner to come to eternity is evident by foure particulars 1. Self-murder is not the way to heaven First self-murder being a most grievous sin it cannot be the way to heaven and life but to hell and death The Saints of God that did most long for this eternall life of happinesse and to whom their naturall lives were not deare for them to spend them to attaine it did not therfore kill themselves to have it which
discerne and feele the wofulnesse of their estates being under the desperate sense and importable horrour of their sinnes and judgements due for the same then are they in danger to conclude their wretched dayes by self-murder Observ To know our tempers and watch our selves Therefore people should well consider their owne tempers and states with the severall dangers that attend upon the same and are to be wise to fortifie themselves where they are weakest and so wisely to demeane and behave themselves that they neither entertaine nor give way to any thing in themselves that may bring them to destruction but by faith and good workes to walke with God whereby they may be sure to live for ever §. 2. Of the entrance into self-murder 2. Entrances into self-murder The second thing considerable in the acting of self-murder is the first entrances degrees or approaches into it which are specially foure 1. Crying capitall crimes Parricide proceeds First grievous capitall crying sinnes of blood as murder knowne or secret parricide which is killing of parents children wives or husbands 1. From love of them that are killed which flowes either from exuberancy of carnall affection to them whom they kill whereby they take occasion to kill them by prevention to free them from miseries or to have them with them out of this world being by their owne hands about to rid themselves out of this life 2. From hatred of them Or else it proceeds from unnaturall or monstrous hatred to them for wrong sustained by them for keeping some good from them 3. From love of some other things or for the supposed evill they may bring upon them as whores that kill their infants to avoide shame and punishment children that kill their aged parents to come to their estates mothers in law that kill their children in law to derive estates to their owne widdowes that kill their children to ease themselves of charge and to preferre themselves by mariage These persons as they kill their owne soules by such vile sins so are they justly given over of God in recompense of their owne wayes to destroy their own bodies by their owne self-murdering hands 2. Desperation The second degree of entrance or approach into self-murder is desperation of pardon of sins or of freedome from calamities which rather than some will endure they will kill themselves seeing no other way of easing themselves and their minds whereof some resemblance may bee seene in Iobs Wifes counsell to her Husband Job 2.9 expounded advising him in his extremitie to curse God and die that is that he would take a course to be rid out of his miseries either by blasphemy provoking God to kill him or by dispatching himselfe with his owne hands after that he had blessed God in making peace with him for the safety of his soule 3 Entertainment of self-murderous motions Thirdly a further degree of entrance into self-murder is the advised entertainment of temptations and motions for a man to kill himselfe voluntarily suffering the same to seise upon him with some liking thereof searching and pleading reasons and examples to beguile himselfe whereby he may thinke it lawfull or lesse-evill in that case to kill himselfe and begins to plot the manner how he may best accomplish it with a fluttering wavering resolution to doe it 4. Impatient desire of death The fourth degree of entrance into self-murder is the impatient wishing and desiring of death and a lothing and wearisomnesse of life which so farre prevailes upon some that their whole study and endeavours are how to get out of their lives and to dispatch themselves by their owne hands rather than to live here A question concerning desire of death It is here a pertinent question whether it be at all lawfull to desire that we were dead Answer For resolution whereof it is to bee considered that there are two sorts of desires of death the one is holy the other is sinfull 1 A holy desire of death How it is holy A holy desire of death is that which desires not to be unclothed but to be clothed upon 2 Cor. 5.2 4. the things that make this desire to be holy are two 1 By subordination to Gods will First when it is conditionall and moderate with respect and subordination to the good will of God being content to live if God will have it so and while wee are in this life such holy desires of our dissolution from hence doe not hinder but further all such performances as tend to the glorifying of God and to the edification of our selves and others 2 In the motives thereof Secondly the holinesse of the desire of death consists in the motives thereof the which are two 1 The first is to bee with Christ that we may enjoy God in him to our full happinesse Philip. 1.23 The second is that we may be wholly freed from sinning against God and may be beatifically perfit in having the fulnesse of that whereof we now have the first fruits as the Apostle professes touching himselfe that he did forget those things that are behinde and did reach forth to those that are before and did presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus a Phil. 3.13 14. yet for to be translated no man is purposely to doe any thing to hasten his death nor to omit any thing due for preservation of his life or to bee more negligent in doing the things which are pertinent for him to doe in this life Vnlawfull desires of death A sinfull desire of death consists in three things First in absolutely desiring it according to our owne wills how and when to die with using meanes as wee list to effect it neglecting the preservation of life and well imployment of the same in doing all those duties for which God doth give it to us 2 Secondly when our desire of dying is from lothing of life and envying the benefit of it to ones selfe for Gods glory and the good of others which wee postpone and subject to our owne self-wills 3. Thirdly when our eager desire of the same is more for freedome from some temporary evills b 1 Kings 19.4 Job 3.3 Jer. 20.14 Rev 6.16 than for to enjoy spirituall and eternall good which ought not to be because God is as much if not more glorified and our selves and others truly benefited by our passive obedience as by our active Note for by the former God hath his will more than by the latter Our chiefe care should be for the happy estate of our soules and of both soule and body for evermore Non pro vitandis naturae vel fortunae malis sed pro vitando malo animi ossequendo potiore bono And therefore as one saith Wee may not desire death to shunne and escape the evills of nature or fortune but to avoide the
under their generall Againe Gen. 9.5 God saies That at the hand of man he will require mans blood even at a mans owne hand that is a mans owne blood at his owne hand if he kill himselfe as Peter Martyr interprets it And if by the Word of God it had beene lawfull for a man to kill himselfe then would not the Apostle Paul have cryed out to the Iaylor that was about to kill himselfe That he should doe himselfe no harme a Act. 16.28 for why should he have letted him from doing a lawfull thing or have called it a doing of himselfe harme in any morall consideration Self-murder is against love the summe of the Law Furthermore self-murder is an odious fact contrary to the generall summe of the Law which is love and justice it is against that love that we owe to God in respect whereof wee are to keep his Law and to affect to enjoy him and it is against that love wherewith wee ought to love our selves and whereby we should endeavour our owne wel-fare and happinesse and according to which we should love our neighbours Who can expect better measure at a mans hand than he performes to himselfe if the rule be not straight all that is measured by it must be crooked the Apostle delivers it as an axiome no man yet ever hated his owne flesh Ephes 5.29 and againe he condemnes those that under pretence of wil-worship did not spare their owne bodies b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.23 Self-murder is also contrary to the love that we owe to our neighbours by depriving them thereby both of our selves and of all the good and comfort that they might have by our lives Self-murder is against the generall justice of the Law It is likewise against the generall justice of the Law which requires that wee should give to every man his due For self-murder deprives God our neighbours and our selves of their rights God of obedience and glory c Rom. 13.7 by our lives and our neighbours and our selves of that benefit that both should have by our living Question About Superiours Here a question may be moved whether a Magistrate that hath no superiour over him on earth and is guilty of a capitall crime or crimes may justly in punishment of himselfe therefore put himselfe to death or cause others to do it and whether a capitall malefactor whose hainous offence falls not under mans cognizance or being knowne is neglected to be punished as privy murder or blasphemy in the highest degree against God may not in this case or where he is a subject to none other man kill himselfe or cause another to do it in execution of justice Answer I answer to the first branch of the question with Thomas Aquinas negatively because he cannot be his owne capitall Iudge in his owne cause a Sccūdasccuda q. 64. Art 5. Nullus est Judex sui ipsius and so Magistrates that have no earthly superiour over them are lyable to be punished onely by God either immediatly as was Herod b Act. 12.23 or mediatly by extraordinary meanes of Gods raysing up as was Belthazzar by Darius c Dan. 5.30 31. A Magistrate may not kill himselfe nor may be slaine by his people 2 Sam. 11. 12. Magistrates are under the same morall Lawes in equall strictnesse and extent as any other men for before God there is no respect of persons and therefore a Magistrate can no more lawfully kill himselfe than a private man can kill himselfe as wee see in King David who neither did put himselfe nor was put to death by others for his adultery and murder Reasons 1. Finally for no crime can a Magistrate in any case kill himselfe because he is not his owne but the Common-wealths and therefore cannot dispose of himselfe in that respect as he list 2. neither hath the body punitive power of jurisdiction over its head 3. neither is hee to bee valued and esteemed simply as an individuall man who as David was may be worth thousands and therefore for crimes punishable in their particular subjects by death is not to be put to death by his people nor yet to kill himselfe whose losse that way may bring farre more damage than such an execution of Iustice upon him can do good in such a tomerarious manner Magistrates neglect and secret capitall crimes belong not to any to redresse by death upon themselves For answer to the second branch I referre the reader to that which is said before touching insufficiency of the third generall motive to self-murder And further adde that things secret belong to God and the Magistrates omissions and aberrations belong to God and not to private men from private motion in authoritative manner to amend Such a man if to punish himselfe he kill himselfe cannot do it but either as a Magistrate or as a private man then in neither respects can he do it as we have heard and therefore he cannot lawfully do it at all A Case About persons condemned to death what they may do to prevent or hasten it I would here further determine a case which is this Suppose a man be condemned ignominiously to die may he poyson or famish or bleed himselfe to death may hee stab himselfe hang himselfe cut his owne throat break his neck or cast himselfe off the ladder leap into the water or fire either to hasten his death that he is adjudged to or to prevent it specially when it is undeserved Answer They may not kill themselves although commanded to do it although the Iudge should command him to do the same hee ought not to doe it I answer that much lesse may he doe it of his owne accord Reasons 1. because it is against the Law of God and of nature for one to kill himselfe 2. and is an act of self-condemnation as if in his owne opinion he were neither worthy nor fit to live nor yet to die in a warrantable manner by the hand of justice 3. the lengthning of life is a blessing to be imbraced for the good that thereby we may do or get 4. to prevent justice in the execution thereof doth wrong it by invading and usurping the right thereof with injury to the Common-wealth by a self-willed cutting off the members therof in such a disorderly course as opens a way to overthrow the same death is an act of suffering and not of agency of him that is to die 5. self-murder is a more shamefull and uncomfortable death than any other that a man can suffer 6. and it is not the death inflicted by others but the cause thereof in our selves that makes it honourable or disgracefull according to the deserts of our lives If a man be undeservedly condemned to die it is the more honourable and comfortable for him to suffer a 1 Pet. 3.14 17. c. 4. v. 15 16.
unlawfull by the rules of religion is because it is against nature it selfe and against that naturall affection and propensnesse whereby it endeavours to preserve and cherish it selfe and to withstand and repell all that is destructive of it and inimicall to it Religion requites the observation of the law of nature that religion requires the observation of the law of nature is manifest because religion and natures law are not repugnant but differ in extent and degrees of perfection the law of nature being more universall and lesse divinely perfit The Scripture it selfe commends the keeping and condemnes the transgressing of the law of nature In which respect the Apostle blames the Gentiles that knowing God by nature they did not glorifie him as God a Rom. 1.21 And againe he commends them for doing by nature the things contained in the Law b Rom. 2.14 15. and which naturally was written in their hearts Hee blames the Incestuous Corinthian for doing a sin so hainous as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles c 1 Cor. 5.1 And further he condemnes mens wearing of long haire contrary to the law of nature when he sayes Doth not even nature it selfe teach you that if a man have long haire it is a shame unto him d 1 Cor. 11.14 Thomas Aquinas sayes e Quod aliquis scipsum occidat est contra inelinationem naturalem contra charitatem that for any man to kill himselfe is against naturall inclination and charity The devill knew that man naturally will give all he hath for his life Iob 2.4 the soule and body of a man doe naturally affect to be united together because of the unity of the person that consists of them both personally joyned together by whose dissolution it is destroyed The soule and body are neither of them perfit without the other and therefore affect to be united together And the soule and body are so made one for another that they are not nor can be perfit the one without the other neither with naturall nor beatificall perfection for beside a partiall perfection there is that full perfection that is of the whole and in the whole The soule doth not willingly leave the body but with respect of advancement of the person whereof it is the soule by entring upon possession of that partiall perfection whereof it is capable and the whole for measure and degree is due to the person constituted of soule and body and for which union and adeption of perfit glory of the person there shall be a resurrection of the body at the last day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore is the body in the meane time called Nephesh a Psal 16.10 by the Hebrewes And God is said by our Saviour himselfe speaking of the dead to be the God of the living b Mat. 22.32 whose bodies although they were dead yet themselves are said to be alive in regard of their living soules who cannot be personally considered but in their union together that by death cannot be dissolved in Gods consideration of us and in respect of the naturall inclination of each mans proper soule and body the one to the other for their full perfection and in regard of the resurrection when they shall be united everlastingly to live together betweene which time and the day of our death there is no sensible distance of time to us nor length of time with God §. 4. How self-murder is injurious to mankinde 4. Self-murder wrongs mankinde The fourth particular that makes it evident that self-murder is condemned by religion is because it is injurious to mankinde and to the common-wealth whereof the self-murderer is a member who by that fact of killing himselfe hurts humane society by such hainous disorders and pernicious examples for others to follow to their destruction and by the unrecoverable damage and losse of its members and of the good that the same might have by their lives For as Thomas sayes Every man is a part of a Commonalty and he that kills himselfe doth an injury to that Commonalty a Quilibet homo est pars comunitaetis qui scipsum intersicit injuriam sacit Communitati Examples The commendable examples and practise of the godly hath ever beene opposite to self-murder as well as their opinion and have had a care to preserve their lives not only for their own good but also for the good of others who had an interest in them as is manifest by the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.24 25. and 2.17 Who seeing his life to be needfull for the Philippians was willing to abide and continue with them For the furtherance and joy of their faith and did joy and rejoyce to be offered upon the sacrifice and service of the same It is hurtfull to the common-wealth If self-murder were not unlawfull even in respect of the wrong thereby done to the common-wealth why should David have commanded to take away the life of the yong man the Amalekite that did help Saul to kill himselfe whom David asked How he was not affraid to stretch forth his hand to destroy the Lords annointed and so caused to put him to death not simply for unjustly killing an innocent man but specially in consideration of killing of the King the head of the land which by his death was wronged and was a dangerous president to passe unpunished § 5. How self-murder wrongs mans selfe doing it 5. It wrongs a mans selfe and how The fifth particular demonstrating how unlawfull self-murder is by religion is the sin and wrong which the self-murderer doth thereby to himselfe in three speciall respects 1. It overthrowes faith and love in a man First in regard of the principall saving graces of God in man which are faith and love self-murder is against faith and trust in God and overthrowes the same by desperation that neither in adversity can a person that is resolved to kill himselfe have any true comfort nor any hope of life eternall by a course that he knowes is the way to damnation Touching love we have heard before how it cannot consist with self-murder they being contrary For as one sayes Quisque debet plus amare seipsum quam proximum Filliue Every one ought to love himselfe more than his neighbour For the neerenesse of our selves to our selves and for the perfection that should be in the rule or measure whereby we are to love others 2 It marres our duty Secondly in regard of our duty which is not to dispose of or doe that which is not in our power nor within our authority such as to kill ones selfe is For when a man kills himselfe he either kills an innocent and so in that respect grievously sinnes or else hee kills a malefactor and then he sinnes that doth it without lawfull authority to warrant his action which no man hath to kill himselfe but expresse command to the contrary 3.
It destroyes our persons Thirdly self-murder is much against our selves both by the destruction of our persons in this world and by running of our selves into everlasting damnation in the world to come by such a damnable and wicked practise whereby we are sinners against our owne soules §. 6. How self-murder is most harmefull Self-murder is most harmfull Now it followes to bee shewed how self-murder is most harmefull and damageable which may bee seene in foure particulars 1. To Gods glory First it is hurtfull to the glory and honour of God who is thereby dishonoured not only by the transgression of his Law but also by the wrong that thereby is done to the Soveraigne authority and to the image of God 2. To the Church and common-wealth Secondly it is hurtfull to the Church and Common-wealth by bereaving the same unjustly of their members and by drawing downe Gods judgements upon them for such damnable facts committed within the same 3. To friends and posterity Thirdly it is harmefull to a mans friends and posterity both in overshadowing their credit and honour by the darke and disgracefull cloud of such a fact and over-lading them with troubles griefe and shame for the same And also by depriving them of that earthly estate and meanes whereby otherwise they might have been helpfull to them for their livelihood or advancement 4. To a mans selfe Fourthly self-murder is harmefull to a mans selfe both by depriving him of life and also by subjecting him to misery with losse of happinesse and good name Ierome sayes in the name of God I receive not such soules as have come out of their bodies against my will a Non recipio tales animas quae me nolente exierunt è corpore Hierom. ad Marcellam de obitu Blesellae and the Philosophers that did kill themselves he calls them Martyrs of foolish philosophy b Martyres stultae philosophiae Virgil places self-murderers in the third circle or region of hell qui sibi lethum Insontes peperêre manu Self-murderers are fooles and mad men For a man wittingly and willingly to doe that which of it selfe is wholly morally evill and whereof nothing but evill and mischiefe redounds to others and to the doers thereof especially is extreame folly and madnesse And therefore self murder being a thing of that kinde those that kill themselves doe thereby proclaime themselves to be damnable fooles or mad men or worse and so in regard of the damage thereof self-murder is to be abhorred of all §. 7. How reason condemnes self-murder Self-murder is against reason It remaines that it be demonstrated by reason that self-murder is wicked and unlawfull and that no man may kill himselfe upon any pretence whereof the reasons are many some whereof I will here subjoyne 1. It is evill First that which is every way evil is not to be done but to kill ones selfe is every way evill 1 Cor. 15.26 peccantly and penally naturally and morally The Apostle calls death an enemy it is threatned by God as a punishment for sin it is privative of life and therefore opposite to God who is life and a pure act of eternall living Life is promised as a blessing and in that respect to be desired and imbraced It makes us by our vitall being conformable to the first being and capable of happinesse The degrees of the creatures being And the higher that any thing is raised upon the foundation of being the liker it is to God as vegetables doe more resemble God than inanimates that have but simple being and sensitives more than vegetables and rationall creatures as men approach neerer to God than sensitives and intellectuall creatures or spirituall intelligences as Angels are neerer to God than rationall creatures on earth and those that are of the longest lives resemble the ancient of dayes most So that to live long in an estate of neerest proximity to God every man should affect whereunto self-murder is contrary 2. Self-murder is against faith Secondly whatsoever wee doe morally considered should be an act of faith and obedience but self-murder cannot be an act of faith and obedience both because Gods word is against it and also for that it proceeds from desperation and mans domineering self will which is contrary to faith and holy obedience 3. It is not to bee desired to be done by others nor to others Thirdly what a man may neither naturally nor morally desire nor endeavour that another should doe to him nor he to another that may not he doe to himselfe because wee ought to doe as wee would be done to which is the summe of the Law and the Prophets a Mat. 7.12 our judgement and practise should agree But no man rightly disposed in his wits may nor can advisedly desire or endeavour that another should kill him or that he should kill another undeservedly and upon private motion the latter is literally forbidden by the sixth Commandement and against the former nature and religion bids and armes a man to defend himselfe for preservation of his life Nature rightly disposed erres not in and about its proper object seeing it is a proper judge of things properly belonging to it and is from God and not contrary to his Word And therefore a man may not kill himselfe contrary to the dictate of nature 4. It makes him unlike to God How self-murder makes a man unlike to God Fourthly no man may do that which makes him most unlike to God for the Creator and creature must hold proportion together and our happinesse stands in our likenesse to him and communion with him 1 Iohn 3.2 But for a man to kill himselfe makes him most unlike to God both by his sinne and also by the effect of his fact For for a man by his own hands to make himselfe not to be is contrary to him who hath his being and living of himselfe and doth everlastingly live he being naturally the fountaine of life and his living and essence are reciprocall or convertible and is absolutely immortall and so the more that any preserves their lives and the longer they live the liker they are to God and the more that they are impotently passive and the sooner they cease to bee the unliker they are to God The being and living of creatures is the ground of all other blessings wherewith they are or can be indowed therefore no man should kill himselfe when death deprives him of so much good 5. Life is a blessing Fifthly wee should most carefully keepe the greatest naturall blessing that God bestowes upon us which is our life and be thankfull to God for it because it is the first blessing and the ground of all the rest that God bestowes upon us and therefore we ought most to abhorre self-murder because it is most contrary to life 6. Self murder most harmfull to a mans selfe should cause us to avoide it Sixthly
no man should doe that whereby hee doth himselfe the greatest harme for all things naturally move for and towards their owne perfection and where hurt cannot be avoided we are ever to choose the least of two evills of punishment But to kill our selves doth us the greatest harme both naturally and morally because it makes us guilty of most hainous sin and subjects us to most fearefull judgements for the same and thereby a man destroyes his owne person that is better than all the accidents about the same when the subject and adjuncts are contra-distinguished Aristotle sayes that death is the last of terrible things and the greatest evill of the body a Vltimum terribilium corporis maximum malum and therefore is most to be abhorred specially from a mans owne hands 7. Death is not subjects to mans free-will Seventhly man may not determine and order things as he list which are not left and subjected to his freewill but dying or departing out of this life is not left or subjected to the freewill and lawfull power of man himself to die when and as he list no more than it is subjected to his freewill to make himselfe alive againe when hee is dead For for to kill and make alive belongs to Gods royall prerogative b Transitus de hac vita ad aliam non subjacet libero hominis arbitrio Thom. Aqumas 1 Sam. 2 6. but as man is onely passive in the latter for his animation so should he be in the former that he may not wrong his preservation 8. Avoide self-murder as contrary to nature Eighthly no man may doe that which is most contrary to pure nature Naturaliter quaelibet res seipsam amat conservat for as Aquinas saith Every thing naturally loves and preserves it selfe But to kill ones selfe is most contrary to pure nature for as Aristotle lib. 2. de anima sayes generation is a work most agreeable to nature and therefore death is most contrary to nature which it doth destroy and to inflict it upon a mans selfe by his owne hand is monstrous cruelty Augustine bids us to consider how great a good thing life is for saith he it is better to be and to be miserable than not to be at all therefore both those that are happy and those that we miserable doe desire to be c Consdera quantum bonum est vita non mesius est esse miserum esse quam non esse propterea beati miseri appetunt esse August l. de lib. arb 9. It is condemned by men and their laws Ninthly no man is to doe that which all wise and good men and humane and ecclesiasticall lawes doe condemne but all these doe condemne self-murder and self-murderers The Athenians would not suffer a self-murderer to be buried in their territories Plato in Phoedone sayes that when our soules are given us to keepe we must not thrust them out of doores It is an ill recompense when a man hath abused his soule all his life time to sin at last by a self-murdering hand forcibly to expell it as incestuous Amon served his sister Tamar in most ignominious manner a 2 Sam. 13.17 Philolaus the Pythagorean speaking against self murder was wont to say as he is cited by Plato and Tullie in his Tusculan questions and others Divide not the tree or ship in the way or while it is in the voyage Ne dividas in via lignum for so it must of necessity perish that is that we should not part soule and body before their due time and happy arrivall at their last port appointed of God Ierome upon Ionas sayes that it is not our duty to snatch death to our selves but patiently to beare it b Non est nosâ—ii morte arripere sed oblata patienter ferre Decret 2. pars causa 23. c. 11. when it comes Which sentence is so memorable that it is inserted into the Canon Law The Canons that beare the name of the Apostles doe call those that geld themselves homicides self murderers are worse and therefore homicides in the highest degree The first Councell of Bracara in Spaine about the time of the Pope Honorius the first did decree that for those that doe kill themselves either by weapon or by poyson or by casting themselves from high places or by hanging or by any other manner of violence there should be no commemoration made of them in the oblation .i. of prayer or sacrament neither should their bodies be conveyed to buriall with psalmes and solemnity c Placurt qui sibi ipsis aut perferâ—â—â— aut per venenit aut per praecipitiuÌ„ aut suspendium aut quoliâ—et medo violentiae inferunt morteÌ„ nulla pro illis in oblatione comemoratio fictineque cum psalmis ad sepulturam cadevera enum deducantur but they are excluded from Christian buriall which also is assumed and established in the Canon law d Decret secunda part causa 23. c. 12. seeing self-murderers doe wilfully deprive the living of their company it is just that the living should deprive them of all honour of solemnity and place of buriall holding them in detestation so as not to have communion with them after death in any thing that were not willing to continue their communion with the living in this world and so by that act they die cut off from the Church as excommunicate ipso facto never to be absolved Reasons of the confiscation of the goods of self-murderers The Civill and Common Law confiscates the estates of self-murderers specially for three reasons 1. For terror First for terror to the living that they may not attempt the like 2. For punishineÌ„t Secondly for punishment of them in their posterity who are deprived of their estates and so the sinnes of the Parents are visited upon their children without injustice because the children are both of their parents naturall substance and also part of their civill that so affection to their posterity may restraine them from killing themselves 3. For recoÌ„pence to the State Thirdly the worldly estate of self-murderers is to be seased upon by the State of the Kingdome for recompence to the Common-wealth for depriving the same of a member and is a deodand to God being as Iericho was an execrated thing because it belonged to such a person and therefore accursed and not to be enjoyed from him but from God the true originall owner thereof to whom by that vile fact they are forfaite 10. Self-murder excludes man from amendment Tenthly what a man hath not power to make or to amend after it is once ill done and shall be found to be evill and inconvenient that he ought not to do because by doing thereof he excludes himselfe from all possibility and meanes of recovering his losse as from the privation to the habit naturally there is no returne a A privatione ad habitum non
which hee may well do he is to be willing and therefore to kill himselfe hee should not be willing because hee cannot well do it which is against the Law both of God and of nature 17. The examples of self-murder are wicked Seventeenthly the quality and esteeme of the persons that kill themselves may demonstrate the odiousnesse of that fact in any for generally they are wicked persons and their names execrable in the Church such as were Saul Ahitophel Zimrs Iudas and the like And therefore as a man would not bee ranked with them nor be subject to their infamie in this world nor would partake with them in their estate of misery and damnation in the world to come so he should be most carefull that he have no communion with them in their ill courses and wretched practises in this world specially that he may not shut up his life with them in the same damnable manner of self murder For any godly persons that have killed themselves whose names are under a charitable censure of commendation it was done by them either out of blamelesse ignorance of the morall forme of the fact or else by speciall motion of the holy Spirit warranting them to do what they did b Ex ignorantia intalpata vel motu spectait Spiritus sancti and are charitably excused or commended not for their fact of killing themselves but for their precedent good lives and for their heavenly mindednesse and holy dispositions which apparently they had for which they did and when they did out of their weakenesse that unlawfull fact extraordinary and exempt cases which stand upon some speciall and transcendent circumstances are not to be made rules and precedents nor to bee imitated for and in ordinary practise none can dispense or make exceptions but he that hath power over the Law which is the rule of our lives who is God alone 18. The verdit of nature in the creatures condemnes self-murder Eighteenthly self-murder is abominated and condemned by the generall verdite of the furie of all the creatures inanimate and irrationall whose universall practise for self-preservation utterly condemnes all self-murderers upon natures evidence against them We see how the Hare flees before the Hound and useth many naturall slights and stratagems to escape the danger So doth the Partridge to avoyd the talons of the Falcon yea a worme trod upon turnes againe The like is observable also in senselesse creatures we see every element fleeing from its contrary to the place of the conservation of it selfe Yea even also in man himselfe it is apparent how nature abhorres and shuns self-murder where we see how by naturall instinct in suddaine perils when a man hath leasure to thinke of avoyding of them as when a blow is suddenly and unexspectedly reached at a man the hand naturally and of it selfe will instantly object it self to save life which demonstrates that for a man to turne his hands against himself to kill himself is unnaturall and monstrous 19. Man 's own indowments condemnes self-murder Lastly those indowments abilities and meanes that man hath naturally to preserve himselfe and his life utterly condemnes his self-killing as impious and monstrous For first he is indowed with self-love every man naturally is a friend to himselfe sayes the Philosopher a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby every man may have a desire to preserve himselfe Secondly man is indowed with feare of whatsoever may hurt or destroy him Feare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certaine preservative whereby men labour to preserve themselves Thirdly man is qualified and furnished with understanding and memory which gives knowledge and experience whence flowes the morall habit of prudence by which man is enabled both to foresee and to prevent dangers and to be Iudge and Master of his owne actions for his owne good and preservation so that a man cannot kill himselfe without being self-condemned in the doing of the act contrary to naturall instinct to reason and to all the indowments and meanes that he hath to the contrary and must perish without all plea of excuse I will conclude the arguments against self-murder with the grave and most serious judgement and determination of Iosephus disswading his Countrey-men from the same De bello Iudaico lib. 3. cap. 14. when they were most desperately and instantly urging the doing thereof to whom he said as followeth Wherefore ô my friends quoth he are wee become murderers of our selves Wherefore doe we make war betweene things so united as are the soule and the body If the Romans our adversaries thinke good to spare their enemies should not we think it good likewise to spare our owne selves it is meere folly to do that to our owne selves for which we sight against our enemies He is not onely to be judged a coward who refuseth to die when need requireth but aelso he that will die when no need urgeth Shall we make that certaine to our selves that wee feare at our enemies bands You will say it is the part of him that is valiant to kill himselfe nay truly it is the part of a very coward For I thinke him to bee a timorous sea-man who perceiving a tempest coming before it fall sinketh the ship wherein he is Moreover it is against the Law of nature and the nature of all creatures to kill themselves and thereby wee should commit a hainous crime against God there is no living creature that of his owne seeking would willingly die for every one feeleth in himselfe the strong and forcible law of nature whereby they desire to live and for this cause wee judge them for our enemies that seeke to take it from us and doe punish them that doe take it indeed And doe you thinke it is not a greater contempt of God for a man to despise his gift For we of him received our first beeing and from him let us expect our ending The body is mortall framed of corruptible matter but our soules are immortall and there is a little part of God placed in our bodies If any one abuseth that which another man putteth him in trust with presently we thinke him a perfidious and wicked man and shall we thinke that if we cast away out of our bodies that which God hath put us in trust withall and placed in the same that he shall not know of it whom we have so abused we hold those slaves worthy to be punished that run away from bad masters and shall not we then be held for impious who flee from so good a master as God is doe you not know that they who according to the Law of nature depart out of this life and render that to God which they received of him when he who gave it requires it shall leave behind them a perpetuall name to their posterity and family And that unto those soules who are obedient to their Creator when he calls them he gives a holy and sacred mansion in
heaven and that they who wrought their owne death goe into dark hell and that God punisheth this their offence upon all their posterity Hence it is that God is displeased therewith and it is forbidden by our most wise Law giver For if any amongst us kill themselves it is decreed that till the Sunne goe downe they shall be unburyed yet we hold it lawfull to bury our enemies Other nations cause their right hands to be cut off who have killed themselves Iudging that as the soule thereby was made a stranger to the body even so by that fact was the hand made a stranger unto it Thus farre Iosephus §. 8. Of certaine uses The uses or observations from all these arguments proving the unlawfulnesse of self-murder are three First hereby we may see the bainousnesse and damnablenesse of self-murder For the more lawes that any sin transgresses the greater it is and the more directly and in the higher degrees it violates those lawes and the more and eminenter the persons bee that it wronges and the more and greater the reasons be that are against it the more grievous it is Self-murder transgresses the lawes of God of nature and of men it is against them in their most prime and literall sense so smiting justice spightfully on the face of it it is against God and against men it is against all publicke bodyes of society and against every private person it is against heaven and against earth it empties these to fill hell in so much that well it may be a question or rather a certaine conclusion that not any who hath true grace can in its full formality commit this sinne neither any that doth so perpetrate this sinne can be saved 2. Self-murderers doe sinne most grievously Secondly from the consideration of that which is said against self-murder it is to be observed that they that kill themselves wittingly and willingly doe sinne thereby against a great light and strength of arguments to the contrary whereby they are self-convinced in their consciences that it is a grievous sinne and are self-condemned upon their resolution to doe it and therefore they must have a great and horrible conflict within themselves before they doe it that they may first overcome and remove the many and strong obstacles that stand in their way to hinder them that they may blind-fold themselves from sight of the truth and may subdue their wills and faculties against all reason to bee obedient to doe it Whereby a self-murderer is guilty and damnable not onely for his horrible fact of self-murder simply considered but also for his holding of the truth in unrighteousnesse a Rom. 1.18 opposing checking and withstanding the graces and worke of God in him and by others which tend to and labour for his preservation and for his abusing and perverting of Gods ordinances and blessings to his owne destruction so that in spight of heaven and earth hee will not be saved but in a high and uncontrouleable manner will domineere to over-rule all things according to his owne peevish self-will to his owne wicked ends and ruine that safety may not save him having heaven and earth God and Angells men and himselfe against himselfe 3. To take heed of self-murder Thirdly we are here to observe how much it concerns all men to take beed and be ware of self-murder For we being reasonable creatures and Christians it concernes us that we doe nothing contrary to reason and religion but that we doe advise with and frame all our courses according to the same that being in qualification men and in profession Christians we may not in degenerate manner bee in our practice worse than brute beasts or incarnate devils who will not be divided against themselves or destroy themselves a Math. 12.26 Now we see that there is no one point that hath more reason religion against it than self-murder hath therefore one might think that there is no feare that any Christian creature should bee in danger of it but alas the devill labours to make men break their necks over the highest rocks that so they may be unrecoverable when they shal have climbed past over so many obstacles lets of arguments over the top of them all have cast themselves headlong into the gulph of self-murder And man that is a rationall creature having transgressed and rejected the direction and command of reason and religion is subject to breake out into the most damnable exorbitances and unbounded excesses having nothing left to stay him from comming into most horrible extremities and therefore to be preserved from self-murder it is requisite to keep our selves and our courses within the compasse of sound reason and true religion Note For such sinnes as are done against the greatest reason and power of resistance and upon the least temptation and those that are more from self-will than from frailtie and want of power are neerest to the sinne of the devill and makes men likest to him in quality state and damnation CHAP. 18. Whether all self-murderers bee damned everlastingly with the Devill in hell §. 1. Of the extent of self-murder to the soules hurt Circumspection in determining INdetermining of this question about the finall estate of salvation or damnation of self-murderers wee must deale warily that wee may neither dash our selves against the rocke of extreamity rigorous uncharitablonesse in adjudging all to damnation whereof wee may finde some at the last day to be inheritours of heaven and contrariwise that we may not by an excesse of charity extenuate that horrible sinne or excuse the doers thereof whereby wee may adjudge those to heaven which are fire-brands of hell and may encourage others to doe the like fact or at least to make men lesse to regard or to abhorre and beware of it Self-murder doth prejudice the soule most I will begin and shew that the execrable fact of detestable self-murder concernes not onely the body the life and substance whereof it destroyes but also it specially in a higher nature touches the soule both in polluting of it with a most shamefull and odious sinne and also by thrusting of it out off its bodily habitation and condition wherein it was placed and injoyed peaceable possession by God himselfe and where it might doe good and get grace and salvation most wretchedly and desperately expelling it to its unavoydable place of the darkest hell and everlasting destruction It respects not onely this life present whereof and of all blessings and comforts in this world it utterly deprives the man that commits it but also it farre more neerely concernes a mans future and eternall estate in the world to come wherein a self-murderer debarres himselfe from all beatificall happinesse subjects himself to everlasting misery by that woefull exchange Observe Whereof men should be most carefull And therefore are all men that have any care of the good and comfort of their soules or of
their eternall future happinesse in the world to come to abandon all thoughts of self-murder that consideration of present things may not wholy possesse and take them up from minding and intending the spirituall good of their soules and the future felicity of a better life but that they may order all their wayes and actions so as the same may not prejudice but advantage the good of their soules and advance them to and in the estate of glory Self-murderers regard not their souks But it seemes by the practice of self-murder that self-murderers either thinke that they have no soules but are as irrationall brutes of whom death ends all or else that they undervalue their soules as things nought worth and are regardlesse of their future estate in the world to come as if neither of them were worth their care and respect that for the same they should frame their course and order their practice and otherwise than they list themselves and in that respect are wilfull mad Atheists What they should consider If self-murderers doe conceive that they have soules that are superstites remaining after their death and beleeve that there is a life of happinesse or misery to come after this then should they be mindfull of the same and consider what shall become of their poore soules and what their state shall be if they doe kill and rid themselves out of this life and world and whether salvation or damnation is the portion of self-murderers §. 2. That all that kill themselves are not properly Self-murderers nor in their estate of damnation All self-killers are not properly self-murderers About determining this great question concerning the sinall estate of self-murderers whether they bee all damned in hell or any of them saved in heaven we are first to consider that all that fall by their owne hands or meanes are not self-murderers as hath beene formerly shewed in divers exempt cases in the chapter of direct bodely self-murder Chap. 12. §. 5. to which I referre the reader For although all self-murderers are self-killers yet all self-killers are not self-murderers they are not termes convertible or reciprocall because although they may agree and be the same in themateriall part or substance of the action They differ formally yet they doe differ in their forme and nature of Anomy or sinfulnesse which doeth varie and alter the kinde that it is not the same properly with the other and so it is not simply subject to the same effects and Consequences thereof Whereupon not only by the verdict of divine reason but even also by the Courts of humane Iudicature about feloes de so such are acquitted as are expressed Chap. 12. § 5. In the exempt cases As if a Child kill it selfe that hath not attained to age of discretion or to use of reason or if a man or woman kill himselfe that is an Ideote or naturall foole or is mad constantly or in a fit of Lunacie or of a Fever or Calenture or in a fit of Phrensie how ever involuntarily contracted or by mischance no Court of equity or Iustice in advised well informed proceeding will condemne such an one for a self murderer and accordingly so dispose of his body and goods as of self-murderers For for them to exempt such from the number and censures of self-murderers their reason is good because it is most inbumane and unreasonable so ignominiously to condemne and censure persons for self-murderers whose case deserves pitty and commiseration for their lamentable suffering both in their death and also in that evill of calamity which is the cause of it against or at least without the free consent of their wills and therefore to punish a fact neither of their proper effecting nor advised approving by addition of more misery were most unjust Hereupon it necessarily followes that the persons justly acquitted and exempted from the number and censure of self-murderers by the verdict and Judgement of men as such to whom usually the Church grants communion of Christian buriall with other priviledges of holy Church after their death cannot in charity be denyed by it the happinesse of salvation §. 3. That proper and direct self-murderers are all reprobates and without the state of grace All self-murderers are damned The proper subject of this question about salvation are not the persons aforesaid salling by their owne hands in the foresaid cases who are not properly self-murderers But those only that out of deliberate Iudgement doe advisedly wittingly and willingly kill themselves contrary to the meanes and power that they have to the contrary if they list to use the same as they might of these I say and doe peremptorily conclude that they all and every of them that so murder themselves are certainly and infallibly damned soule and body for evermore without redemption which I will pregnantly prove by five strong and undenyable arguments and reasons Reasons 1. None in the state of salvation can be properly a self-murderer First because none doe nor can so murder themselves but unregenerated and reprobate persons who dying in that estate cannot possibly be saved For both the transcendent greatnesse of that sinne of self murder in it selfe and perfect forme considered and in all the circumstances thereof for manner of doing of it And also the full measure of the wills exorbitancy in a plenary consent and the indivertible indeavours of the minde and all the powers and faculties of these self murderers presumptuously to doe this vile execrable act against all resistance and helps to the contrarie is such as cannot be incident to any godly body that shall be saved Of the regenerated preserved Because in those that are truly adopted of God both the power of sinne formally considered in that degree of Anomie and excesse of enormity is by saving grace and the Spirits working in them broken and bridled that they cannot breake out into the same so extremely as others doe And also their wills are brought under such conformity to the rule and command of God and of his spirit and all their powers faculties and dispositions are in some measure so-inclined to goodnesse and divine obedience that they can never transgresse into any odious grosse sin without far more reluctancy opposition and hinderance in themselves against it from light of Iudgement divine restraint and from antipathy of renewed inclination than can be in any that is wicked or unconverted who running in an unregenerate estate with such a full Careere sometimes upon the rock of self-murder doe therein outstrip others so farre that they overshoote themselves beyond all bounds of salvation and are all certainly damned even in the judgement of men here on earth who have no better esteeme of them but as of damned Reprobates who by their owne meanes and procurement perish for ever not onely by and for the odious act of murdering themselves but together with that for their former wicked impenitent life and are not saved
accidentally to kill himselfe but in all the aforesaid respects he was wholly bent to destroy his enemies the Philistims which he could not doe but with and by the death of himselfe which is apparent by the story Iudg. 16.28 2. Secondly he was a Iudge of the people of Israel to free and avenge them of their enemies the Philistims and therefore by vertue of his office was warranted to destroy them as he should be able in which execution although he perished through his owne voluntary act according to his owne certaine foreknowledge he could not be a self-murderer from which sinne his office and calling of God to that work freed him 3. Thirdly for that act and last worke of Sampson whereby himselfe died God called him to it that then and there he might so do it both by his providence giving him such an opportunitie against his enemies so assembled as he could never have the like againe and also by the extraordinary supernaturall assistance of the Spirit of God that came upon him Spiritus latenter hoc jusserat Decreti secunda pars causa 23. c. 9. si non licet and strengthned him to do the deed which it never doth for any wicked act which is rather the work of the devill Whereby it is manifest that Sampsons act was not self-murder 4. That Sampsons act was warrantable and no fact of self-murder is evident by his intending and going about it in subordination to God and his will manifested by his Spirits assistance and obtained by lawfull and pious prayer which no self-murderer doth who preferre their owne wills above Gods in satisfying whereof they cannot comfortably pray for Gods assistance to doe the deed which in their owne consciences they know is unlawfull and wicked and therefore were horrible to entreat him to be an actor of the same with them 5. Fiftly this last act of Sampson is spoken of in the history of it Iudg. 16.30 with commendation when it is said that the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life and Heb. 11.32 himselfe is honoured among the faithfull as being one of them whereas the facts of self-murder and the persons of self-murderers are never spoken of but with aspersion of blame and disgrace and therefore Sampson is no self-murderer 6. Sixtly things may be done lawfully in a type of figure upon divine instinct or ordination which otherwise were unlawfull to be done as a Certaine man of the sonnes of the Prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord smite me I pray thee and the man refused to smite him then said he unto him because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord behold assoone as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee and assoone as he was departed from him a Lyon found him and slew him Then he found another man and said smite me I pray thee and the man smote him so that in smiting he wounded him 1 King 20.35 36 37. Which act otherwise had beene unlawfull that here done upon divine command and for a type or figure was good Sampsons manner of so dying was a type or figure of Christ who by his death slew more than in his life and therefore in this respect it was lawfull and he no self-murderer 2. About Pelagia and others not self-murderers Secondly I answer touching Pelagia and others in the Primitive Church who killed themselves to avoid either doing of sin themselves or suffering sin to be done upon them that they were charitably thought of and favourably censured because of their precedent pious godly life and of their good intention although the act were wicked and are excused 1. By allegation of their ignorance of the morall nature and of the danger of the fact to their soules 2. And by the suddaine invasion and surprisall of them by violence of their unadvised passions which can be no president for ordinary practise either to warrant the fact to be lawfull or to comfort the persons doing it with expectation of the like event and safety But of this see more cap. 12 § 5. and cap. 15. § 23. and cap. 17. § 7. argument 17. supra § 4. Whereby it appeares evidently that those and such persons were not proper self-murderers and so not of that number and ranck of self-killers that are certainely and finally excluded from salvation And so this objection is of no force against the former conclusion of the damnation of all proper and transcendent self-murderers because the instances given are insufficient and impertinent to make proofe or to give any comfort and hope of salvation to any proper self-murderer in regard that the same are of another kinde for although by falling by their owne hands or meanes they were self-killers yet they were not proper and direct self-murderers seeing these two are not alwaies convertible and of equall extent as hath beene shewed §. 11. About antecedent Prayer and repentance for pardon of sinnes to come 3. Object From mens preparation to God-ward before they murder themselves The third objection that may be alledged in favour of the salvation of self-murderers is that a self-murderer purposing and resolved to murder himselfe may before the fact make his peace with God by humiliation and repentance for all his sinnes past and in particular for his hainous sin of self murder to come praying instantly to God to forgive him both the guiltinesse and punishment of that vile fact that he is bent suddainely to do and beseeching him through Christ and his merits to receive him into mercy and to save his soule for the same casting himselfe upon and beleeving in Christ And so thereupon dispatches and murders himselfe by his owne meanes or hands hoping and expecting to be saved whereby and in which case such an one seemes to die in a good minde in peace with God and in charity with all the world and in an estare sure enough of heaven for his soule and of perfection of salvation for both at the resurrection and great day of Judgement Answer A self-murderer cannot make peace with God To this objection I answer that no man can make or be at peace with God when and so long as he wilfully intends and persists in such a sinfull course or practise as offends enrages and makes God his implacable enemie in that case such is the state of an indivertibly-resolved self-murderer and therefore it is impossible that so long as he is in that minde to murder himselfe he can make or be at peace with God whom by his vile sin he inrages against him so that he cannot die that way but in vengeance from God both thereby punishing his former sinnes and also thus dispatching him away to hell Antecedent prayer and repentance for self-murder is uneffectuall Neither can any man truly repent before hand for that grosse sinne which he is purposed and fully
therefore we are to beware that upon no pretence we approach neere to that sin which brings to so certaine and eternall destruction CHAP. 19. Antidotes for prevention of self-murder §. 1. What we are to do of our selves to prevent self-murder The kinds of Antidotes three IT followes now that wee consider the Antidotes and meanes whereby self-murder may be prevented which are of three sorts First that which wee are to use in private by our selves Secondly those that we are to use joyntly with others Thirdly those that are to be used by others about those that are under the strong temptations of self-murder 1. Meanes by our selves to prevēt self-murder The meanes that we are to use by our selves whereby we may prevent self-murder are specially eight 1. To be in state of grace First to prevent the prevailing temptations of self-murder we should be carefull of our spirituall and morall estates that the same be good both by being in the state of grace and favour of God by faith in Christ whereby we may have comfort in the forgivenesse of our sins a Psal 32.1 and in assurance of Gods promises 1 Cor. 3.22 Rom. 8.28 and may have supply of all necessary strength against all execrable temptations by our depending upon God in Christ who will not suffer us to bee tempted above that which we are able to beare Holy lives And also our care for our morall estate that the same may be good should be that our lives and conversations be holy in compleat obedience to Gods Word and that for the sinnes that trouble our consciences we should in true repentance labour to get the pardon of them Repentance resolving and striving against all sin and iniquity for time to come whereof self-murder is one and so it will be detestable to us as we are regenerated By this course we shall not onely cut off the occasions of self-murder such as the horror of conscience and matter of sin but shall also be accomplished with all needfull strength against that evill besides that hereby wee shall be in an estate more specially priviledged from self-murder and out of which a man can have no security no not against himselfe from this fact 2. Indowment of vertues 1. Humility Secondly to prevent self-murder we should labour for humility and self-denîall which our Saviour commended to his Disciples Mark 9.35 and Mark 8.34 For pride in over-valuing our selves and self-will in headstrongnesse in our owne way do often bring men to self-murder 2. Contentmēt We should also endeavour to be content and cheerefull in our present estates a Rom. 5.3 whatsoever the same be so long as we are in Christ 1 Tim. 6.6 these vertues are so contrary to the temptations of self-murder and doe so indispose the subjects wherein they are to such a fact that they utterly exclude self-murder How to get these vertues The way for a man to attaine these vertues is 1. Consideration of Gods wisdome and goodnesse First the serious consideration of the infinite Wisdom and Goodnesse of God whereby we may know that his will in all things is the best both for the rightnesse and goodnesse thereof to us in all his dealings with and concerning us to whom we know all things worke together for good while we serve him b Rom. 8.28 2. Our estates better than our deserts Secondly wee are to consider that our estates and troubles what ever they be are much better than wee do deserve which wee cannot amend but make much worse by self-murder 3. Others better suffer more Thirdly wee are to cast our eyes upon many others who are farre better than wee and doe patiently suffer much worse and heavier things than we doe at the hands of God in this world 4. God our Father orders all things Fourthly wee are to observe in all the matters of our discontentment that the same is wholy ordered by our loving Father without whose providence a haire cannot fall from our heads who moderates our afflictions and crosses how great and how long they shall be gives strength to beare them grace to profit by them and directs them all to an happy end 5. The end of our troubles good Fiftly we are to consider the end of all our crosses and troubles both that which God intends and propounds and also that which we by patient waiting for shall at last obtaine which is in those that feare God ever glory to God and increase of happinesse to our selves as the Apostle Paul tells us 2 Cor. 4.17 and also St. Iames tells us of Iob Iam. 5.11 Note Therefore in all troubles we must be carefull that we fixe not our eyes upon their beginnings and present countenance lest wee despaire or faint but that we looke through them to the comfortable fruit and end thereof which will contentedly uphold our hearts in hope as did our Saviour Heb. 12.2 3. live by faith Habakuk 2 4. Thirdly to prevent self-murder we must be carefull to live by faith in all estates after that we are first thereby spiritually made alive in Christ 4. Withstand temptations and feare Fourthly to prevent self-murder when we are under the temptations of it wee must not yeeld too much to them or be negligent and faint-hearted to resist or shake them off as those doe who give too much way to the feare of killing themselves which they manifest divers wayes as 1. Inforbearing lawfull use of weapons or knives 2. Shunning to goe upon lawfull calling into solitary retired places over waters bridges upon battlements of houses or neere steepe downe places when they have motions of self-murder in their minds 3. Shunning to be alone or in darke places Feare entertained is harmfull These entertained feares of self-murder doe much incourage and advantage the devill against us and doe hurt our selves seeing that what evill men doe strongly conceit and feare they shall doe they cannot be quiet untill they fall upon attempting the doing of it indeed And therefore wee must remember to resist the devill that hee may fly from us b Iam. 4 7. at first wee should despise and outface the temptations of self-murder that wee may expell the feare of it which by resistance and 〈◊〉 doth often vanish away But if so be that the temptations of it doe prevalle to some kind of resolution to kill ones selfe then are such to avoide all the meanes and opportunities whereby they may accomplish that wicked designe and to use all the helps they can against it Note 5. Good imploiment Fiftly to prevent self-murder we should be constantly and diligently imployed in holy and civill exercises of our callings that wee may ever bee found in Gods way and well imployed as Ierome adviseth his Friend that hee should alwayes be doing some good worke c Facito aliquid operis ut tesemper inveuiat diabolus occupatum
company Page 102 119 Sixe cases of desperate hazard Page 112 Three exempt cases Page 125. 127. 143. Two cases Page 141 Foure cases of adventuring life for Religion and salvation Page 143 144 145 146. 149 Of five exempt cases Page 172 Caveat A caveat against vaine praise of self-murderers Page 194 Cause there is no true cause of sinfull evill Page 191 The true causes of self-murder upon the occasion of afflictions Page 225 Censuring of censuring beware Page 231 Certainty Of the certainty that many men murder themselves Page 176 Cheerefulnesse a preservative of naturall life Page 13 Christians murdering themselves are most blameable Page 179 Self-murdering Christians are indeed worse than Heathens Page 180 Church In the Church self-murder fals out Page 177 To the Church self-murder is hurtfull Page 273 The Churches judgement of self-murderers Page 297 Commission of evill how to be avoided Page 149 Of Common-place Preaching Page 196 Common-wealth The Common-wealth is wronged by self-murder Page 271 Condemned persons may not kill themselves Page 265 How a condemned person is to submit to take his inflicted death Page 266 Concealement Of concealement of troubles beware Page 231 Conference Christian conference and company how usefull Page 29 Confession Of confession to prevent self-murder with the Caveats benefits and hinderances of it Page 316 unto page 323 Of confession of truth with danger of life for the same Page 145 Confiscation Of confiscation of the goods of self-murderers Page 278 Conscience A troubled conscience an occasion of self-killing Page 217 For case of conscience troubled about crimes what is to be done Page 137 Ease of conscience is not from our selves Page 219 About ease of conscience by ill meanes Page 235 For peace of conscience what is to be done Page 236 Distressed conscience cause of spirituall phrensie Page 251 Consider What men should consider Page 289 Consideration of our courses Page 157 Contemners of the meanes of life Page 61 Contentment good against self-murder Page 312 Conversion Of mans conversion Page 30 Covenant Of covenant with persons destinate to destruction Page 119 Course Our morall course in this life fore-shewes our future estate Page 79 Ill courses are harmfull Page 158 Covetousness cause of self-murder Page 215 Councill of Bracara against self-murder Page 277 Creatures The most noble creatures faile most Page 189 The degrees of the creatures being Page 274 The creatures by nature condemne self-murder Page 283 Custome Some customes cause of error in judgement Page 192 Custome in India and Lemnos Page 193 Of custome contrary to reason and Religion Page 194 Customes ought to bee examined whether they be wicked ibid. D Damneds misery in hell Page 166 Danger Prevention of dangers neglected cause of self-murder Page 92 Danger of self-murder how not knowne Page 188 Dangers upon delivery from temptations of self-murder Page 325 Dangerous undertakings how to be shunned Page 17 Dangerous persons and places are occasions of indirect self-murder Page 93 It is dangerous to give way to Satan Page 188 Darings Deadly attempts upon darings self-murderous Page 116 Deadly things to be resisted Page 16 Death is a thing of great importance Page 1 Of death in murder Page 48 Benefit of death encourages Page 126 Vncertaine death for certaine publick good Page 128 Certaine death for Superiours and friends Page 129 Certaine death for certaine and greater publick good Page 131 Death is not the ultimate end of self-murder Page 163 Touching our deaths we are onely to be passive Page 206 Death worse than affliction Page 229 Death is not subjected by God to mans free will Page 276 Deceived Many men are deceived in their estates Page 155 Men are more deceived in the meanes than in the end Page 143 Discerne How to discerne things that differ Page 172 Destinie How conceit of destiny perverts judgement Page 201 Decrees Mans ignorance of Gods decree Page 204 No man is saved for fulfilling the will of Gods decree Page 205 The will of Gods decree none can overthrow ibid. Defence In defence of Religion what is to be done Page 144 Deficiency of man in Adam and in himselfe to be saved Page 59. unto 66. Degrees Of the degrees of sin Page 89 Denomination is given from habit and practise Page 175 Deodands How self-murderers goods be deodands Page 278. 299 Desire of death lawfull and unlawfull Page 257 Desperation cause of wicked revenge of sin upon ones selfe Page 235 Desperation a degree of entrance into self-murder Page 256 Destroy To destroy is the effect and end of self-murder Page 160 Destruction For destruction way is made by ignorance Page 210 Die To die in what estate is bad Page 281 Difference of sins Page 76 Difference betweene direct and indirect self-murder Page 85 Direct bodily self-murder defined Page 84 How direct bodily self-murder is greater than indirect Page 88 Direct bodily self-murder what it is in the nature of it Page 159 Of direct self-murderers Page 175 Direct self-murder is a morall and mortall act Page 159 Disappointment of mens passions and affections Page 219 Discontentment cause of self-murder ibid. Disease Of the same disease all are sick Page 180 Inbred diseases occasioning self-murder Page 212 Disposition Mans disposition is cause of easinesse to do evill Page 184 Distrust Wee ought to distrust our selves Page 57 Divell The divels malice against the truth and Church by self-murder Page 177 The divell hinders good and furthers evill Page 184 Who bee forward to obey the divell Page 206 Of the divels motions cause of self-murder Page 246 Whence the divell hath his power ibid What persons the divell haunts most and how he tempts Page 247 Duels The unlawfulnesse of duels Page 114 Dutie of divine commands is not to be omitted Page 146 Of the kinds of duties Page 147 Of neglect of duties Page 260 Mans dutie marred by self-murder Page 272 E Election Of election of meanes to self-murder Page 185 End The same end severall wayes attained Page 89 Our last end crossed by self-murder Page 279 Error in judgement Page 192 Error of understanding the Scripture how to be prevented Page 199 Mens errour about decree and destiny Page 204 Men are strong to beleeve errours Page 206 Estate Of calamities upon mens estates Page 214 The present estate of the godly is then best for them Page 245 Evill How and why evill cleaves to good Page 3 How by doing evill men mis-spend their lives Page 19 Evill of commission how to be avoided Page 150 Evils of sin determinate by lawes of God and nature Page 151 Evill cannot be an end Page 163 From evils to be freed Heathens murdered themselves Page 179 It is easie to doe evill Page 184. 186 Of evill of sinne there is no proper cause Page 191 Evill of sin brings shame Page 223 Future evill is but contingent Page 240 Evill not to bee done to accomplish good Page 241 Examples By examples self-murderers not deterred Page 282 Vse of examples not to be rules ibid. Examples
furniture and power of hell and what their owne wit can invent or abuse for that end Observ It is hard to do good easie to doe evill From hence wee may observe First that whereas when wee are to do good wee are hardly drawne to it and do excuse our backwardnesse by pretence of disability and want of meanes and by alledging of impediments and letts as Moses did a Exod. 4.10 13. the sluggard pretends that a Lion is in the way b Prov. 26.13 But when wee are about to do evill we make no such objections but finde abundance of helps with opportunities and great frowardnesse and readinesse to doe the same Causes 1. Mans disposition The causes hereof are specially two First internall in mans owne will and disposition far more prone to evill than to good where will and inclination are to a thing they will find meanes Causes 2. The devill and evils easinesse Secondly there is an externall cause hereof to witt the devill who doth powerfully instigate and help to do mischiefe according to mens tempers and the outward occasion and the work of doing evill is farre more easie than of doing good because of the entitie that is in goodnesse and the non entity that is in evill goodnesse is an effect of power and evill is more properly an effect of impotency to pull downe is more easie than to build up to erre than to go aright Observe 2. Self-murderers are guilty of abuse of Gods Creatures Secondly we may here observe that he that is a self-murderer is guilty not onely of the vile act of self-murder but also of the abuse of Gods good creatures and of his owne abilities in perverting the same to that unnaturall end contrary to Gods ordination whereby they are in this respect subject to vanity c Rom. 8.20 so that a self-murderer erects a counterwork of creation and use of things against God while he gives being to self-murder against both nature and religion so setting up his owne works of evill against Gods that are good and disposing of Gods good works to his owne vile ends contrary to Gods will and ordination Note whereby it is apparent that such wicked persons are factiously-rebellious against God and disturbers of the peace and tranquillity of all the frame of nature and grace contrary to the Lawes and ordinances of God Sinne is in the world as pestilentiall humors in the body which disorder and indanger all where they are §. 2. Of the application of the meanes of self-killing 2. Application For application of the aforesaid meanes to the wicked act of self-murder there are three things considerable In it 3. things considerable 1. Predestination and determination of the end First the self-murderers premeditation and determination of the end which is his owne death to be effected by himselfe so setting limits to his owne daies as if he were his owne absolute Master and that he were so unhappy that his life were worse than death which death all other creatures do abhorre and that he were so desperate and forlorne for want of present mercy or future hope and that he were so forsaken of all that he can finde none to rid him out of his life and misery but that he must kill himselfe so hastening himselfe by a most wofull exchange into a farre greater misery by so doing than ever it was possible for him to suffer in this world by living although that therein he should live for ever under the most exquisite torments that here he can be capable of 2. Election of meanes The second thing considerable in the application of the meanes to the acting of self-murder is the election and choise of the particular meanes to effect the same all self-murderers do not choose to die by the same meanes For then the way of so dying would be unvariably one and the same in them all Wherein a self-murderer observes three things In election of meanes to kill himselfe a self-murderer observes specially three things 1. Such as best agree with his temper First he is carefull to make choise of such meanes as do best fit and agree with his naturall temper and sexe and are least formidable and terrible to his fancie or sense in the execution such as are familiar to him by daily use or such as in his judgement or sense are least horrible or painfull as Cleopatra that chose to kill her selfe by Aspes making her die sleeping 2. Such as be readiest Secondly a self-murderer makes choise of such meanes to kill himselfe that are readiest at hand and easiest for him to have according to his sexe calling occasions or imployment 3. Most certaine to effect death Thirdly he chooses to use those meanes which in his opinion are most certaine to effect that end most easily speedily and unperceivedly from the knowledge of others that he may not be crost of his designe and aime nor be long in paine Observe 1. It is easie to do evill Here we may observe that there is variety and choise of meanes to doe any one evill or sinne which shewes with what facility and ease we may sinne and perish and with what difficulty and hardnesse wee may doe good and bee saved which cannot bee done by such multiplicity of meanes and waies a right line can bee drawne but one way and the truth is simple and not manifold 2. The folly and madnesse of self-murderers Secondly here appeares the folly and madnesse of those that are so circumspect and carefull about choise of the meanes whereby they would die and are so regardlesse of the morall maner how they die and of their consequent condition that will follow upon such a death Observe every grosse and notorious sin is ever committed with a spice of madnesse accompanying the same because it is done against the dictat of sound reason and of true religion and therefore such men are so frequently in the Proverbs called fooles in respect not onely of the thing they doe but also in regard both of the reasons of their proceedings and also of the fruit and end of their courses touching whom it may be said that they have sowne the wind and they shall reap the whirle winde as sayes the Prophet a Hosea 8.7 §. 3. Of the method of self-murderers The method and maner of execution of self-murder The method and manner that a self-murderer observes in execution of self-murder consists in three branches 1. He observes opportunities First he watches and hunts after all opportunities and affects retired solitarinesse that he may without hinderance kill himselfe 2. Secrecy Secondly hee affects secrecie and expedition to accomplish that vile act upon performing whereof all his indeavours and power being bent and being deserted and left of God and his good Angels and the devill instigating and helping him and all meanes fitly concurring for that execution the
self-murderers successe and atchievement herein is quick and great beyond expectation except the Lord be minded here to punish such an one with paine as well as in the life to come 3. Obstinacy Thirdly a self-murderer is constant or rather obstinate in his resolution and indeavours to kill himselfe contrary to all good counsell let ts and impediments objected to hinder him from the same in so much that if such self-murderers at any time be crossed of their opportunities and disappointed in their attempts of killing themselves or that they be hindered or do but hurt and not forthwith kill themselves they are sorry for their disappointment and do continue more desperately their resolutions and indeavours untill it be done by them the medicine doth here irritate the disease which is a deplored and desperate case so that they must perish if the Lord God do not mercifully step in to pull them by repentance out of that fire of destruction or by some other over-ruling meanes prevent it that by living they may be saved Observe It is dangerous to give way to Satan in this point wherein he is hardly resisted Here wee may learne how dangerous and pernicious a thing it is to give way to Satan or to our owne exorbitant thoughts in this or in any such ill or unnaturall motions to sinne For by entertainment thereof we are taught from hell to be pregnant ingenious industrious diligent and obstinately desperate to commit the same in the meane time being restlesse untill it be done the execution or performance whereof is most hardly prevented where the doing of it is peremptorily resolved and all our indeavours set to accomplish it the reasons hereof are two Reason 1. Against knowledge and resistance First in regard that it is concluded and resolved upon and attempted with the overthrow or contempt of so great knowledge and resistance naturall and divine against which when such purposes prevaile there is nothing left to withstand the performing of the same but that such outragious corruption having broken over the banks that impaled it may rage and range without resistance as it list Reason 2. The danger of self-murder not knowne by experience Secondly the performance of self-murder resolved upon is hardly prevented because the true danger and evill thereof in the full extent and latitude thereof is not knowne by experience to the living for of those that die so by their owne hands none doe returne to tell tales how it fares with them afterwards except we credit the report of Virgill who affirmes from Aeneas his observation in his fained descent into hell who there did see self-murderers in a very low region and miserable estate that would now full gladly indure poverty and all hard travell and miseries in this world so as they might be in it againe out of their present miseries Virgil. Quà m vellent aethere in alto Nunc pauperiem duros perferre labores Self-murder is such an act as a man can doe but once in all because it concludes and finishes his life so as hee can have no more time either to get experimentall knowledge of it what it is or yet to be able by repentance to reforme it seeing it is not in mans power to quicken and give himselfe life againe that hee may use it better than he hath done And therefore in this respect self-murder is the most dangerous and worst sinne that a man can commit for after other sinnes how hainous soever a man may have time and meanes of repentance and salvation but after this he can have none CHAP. 15. The self-murderers motives to kill themselues §. 1. Men by abused reason sin worst The noblest creatures faile most ALthough that the crime of self-murder be naturally most horrible yet men only of all creatures do venture upon it and doe it the noblest creatures are subject to commit the foulest errors as men and Angels and of men the inlightned only can sinne that mortall sin against the holy Ghost for they that are able to doe most good by perverting of their abilities are able to doe most mischiefe David in that respect was more affraid of Ahitophel a 2 Sam. 15.31 than of all the rest that were against him Reason abused But that man may doe this horrible fact of self murder more boldly and securely without being over-ruled by the check of his conscience he abuses his reason to encourage him to doe that the uglinesse and unnaturalnesse whereof might otherwise deterre and astonish him from it For all such grosse facts condemned by the light of nature and apparent reason man doth vaile and maske under specious pretexts before hee dares venture to enterprise the doing of them in cold blood and likewise he obscures the contrary vertuous courses by aspersions of titles and names of disgrace labouring if it were possible to make vertue vice and vice vertue condemning the generation of the righteous and justifying the wicked turning hell into heaven and heaven into hell because the majesty and glory of the truth is such that none dares to looke it on the open face and revile and smite it but as they first attire and maske it under the habit and name of vice as the wicked Iewes did first blind-fold our blessed Saviour and then stroke him on the face a Luke 22.64 So farre doth man abuse his reason whereby hee excells beasts that thereby he doth make himselfe worse than the worst of beasts of whom none will kill themselves in any case No reason for self-murder For a man to murder himselfe there is no reason indeed for although he doth it not but as hee thinkes upon good reason yet this reason of his is neither from the nature of that action as if it were in it selfe a lawfull duty to be done nor yet is it reason elicite or drawn out from inbred principles and motives in nature or from other light acquire by the truth of God because there can be no good reason against the Word and Law of God who is the Lord of nature For reason is never repugnant or contradictory to it selfe neither is any thing opposite to reason in any thing but in unreasonablenesse as nothing is opposite to truth but error And for nature in man it cannot naturally yeeld any reason from it selfe why it should destroy it selfe because it is monstrous that one should be two and that division should be in unity and that instead of good it should attract to it selfe evill But all the pretense of reason that a self-murderer can have to kill himselfe is onely from externall motives which are without a mans selfe whereupon and from whence self-murderers doe impertinently conclude and endeavour to kill themselves No true cause of evill But there is no true cause or reason why any man should doe evill no not for the greatest good should we doe the least sinne because there is no evill
of feare least others should abuse their bodies would to prevent the same kill themselves as we read of many in the histories of the Church Note And so men taking their owne wayes without advising with God runne into the mischiefe that they would shunne which shewes that mans wisdome is folly and his courses without God madnesse §. 15. Of the true causes of self-murder in afflictions The true causes of self-murder upon this motive of mans sufferings Although these things in this second generall motive doe commonly beare the blame of self-murder in this case because they are most sensible and apparent yet there are other four things more secret and latent which are indeed the true causes of the same 1. Vnbeliefe The first cause is mans unbeliefe whereby he neither beleeves in God from whom and by whom hee might have power in Christ to stand fast in all estates nor yet doth he firmely beleeve and credit God in the Scriptures to entertaine and cleave to the direction of his Word and to rest upon his promises and to be perswaded of the gracious intent and nature of Gods dealing with his in afflictions and of the blessed end thereof Remedy Our eyes to God but as by faith we live so by unbeliefe wee die Iehosaphats drooping heart in his distresse was revived and upheld when his eyes were towards God and hee depended upon him Peter when he doubted he sunke O you self murderers of little faith why doe you doubt in your troubles why doe you not as David rebuke your owne soules and say every one of you Why art thou cast down ô my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God a Psal 42.11 2. Impatiency The second true cause of self-murder upon the motive of evill of punishment or calamities of affliction is unruly impatiency and pusillanimity when a man apprehends himself to be overburdened with miseries beyond the meanes that he sees of deliverance out of the same and beyond the strength that he hath in himselfe with any comfort to beare it conceiving his afflictions to bee excessive above his strength or deserving or that they are all from God in his wrath which because he thinkes he cannot beare nor shake them off hee labours to rid himselfe from by killing himselfe The hurt of impatiency Impatiency makes all evills the more intolerable to be borne because it hinders the minde from submitting to the burthen and troubles it by seeking subterfuges of evasion or opportunities to shake off the yoke Who be most impatient To impatiency some are more strongly inclined than others either by naturall temper of excessive choler or else by the deep apprehension of understanding and sense of the objects of discontentment whereunto melancholick persons are most incident Remedies of impatiency In this case to help men against this impatiency they should consider 1. First that they have no good but great hurt thereby both to their bodies and their mindes 2. Secondly their afflictions come from God and are ordered by him who is our wise powerfull and loving father for our good 3. Thirdly the same is the portion of others that are better than we and doe endure more than we doe 4. Fourthly our sufferings are lesse than our deservings 5. Fifthly God turnes them to be blessings to his owne people they are momentany and light wherein God assists those that in them trust in him that they may comfortably above humane strength beare the same 6. Sixthly in the end they shall be recompensed with a farre greater and eternall weight of glory a 2 Cor. 4.17 So that a man shall lose no more by his passive than by his active obedience yea his gaine and reward shall be greater as is the honour of Martyrs above Confessors 3. Pride The third true cause of self-murder upon afflictions is stubborne Pride that will not let a man in whom it is buckle to be willingly in that estate of adversity wherein God would have him to bee Est factum hominum superborum pusillâ—nimorum mortem sibi inserentium David a Mauden but will rather make him venture breaking of the mast than to let him lower his sailes in a storme This pride proceeds from an over-weining conceit either of our owne worth for deservings or of our owne wisdome for intelligence and prudence whereby we conceive that the estate that we would have is more due and fit for us than that wherein wee are Whence pride proceeds Whereupon wee preferre our owne wills before Gods and accordingly to have our wills we are apt to use the meanes of our own fond devising how unlawfull soever they bee even to self-murder Remedies against pride 1. Knowledge of a mans selfe The best remedy against this pride is first a thorow knowledge by the Word of a mans selfe how unworthy and unsufficient he is and the apprehension of Gods mercifull affection and dealing towards him having his eye cast ever upon the promises of God to support him 2. Self-deniall Secondly pride is overthrowne by mans self-deniall when he doth in all things so farre resigne himselfe to God that he denies his owne wisdome will and wayes submitting himselfe to be disposed of by Gods will and obediently conforming himselfe thereunto as David did 2 Sam. 15.26 God resists the proud and exalts the humble 4. Pusillanimity The fourth cause of self-murder upon crosses and afflictions is pusillanimity or weaknesse of minde whereby some are not able to indure to live to brooke or suffer some kinde of wrongs done to them indeed or as they conceive as husbands and wives under extremity of Iealonsie or certainty of knowledge that their conjugall consorts doe give their loves and make their bodies common to others And as passionate suters and persons deeply inamoured and over-ingaged in their affections to those whom they ambitiously and over-eagerly seeke or presume to enjoy who see or conceit themselves to be repudiated neglected or forsaken by their wel-beleved after past promises or strong hopes or immoderate desires of enjoying them of both which sorts of people divers doe choose rather to die by their owne hands than that they will indure to live rejected and to see others to enjoy that which they would as their lives possesse alone to themselves Vnreasonablenesse of the fact of self-murder in this case But this is most unreasonable and impious that any one for another bodies fault should do a worse themselves and that hee or shee in recompense of such a wrong done to them should doe themselves a far greater injury in their owne unrecoverable self-destruction passion prevailing makes mad and weaknesse makes men doe the greatest acts of impotency If wee in Christ enjoy our good God and if withall we possesse the peace of
our consciences in well-doing and be our selves taken up about heavenly things and holy imployments then is it not in the hand of any creature to make us miserable or weary of our lives the comfort whereof depends not upon any earthly wight our repudiating desertion and wrong by those here on earth that should least faile us should make us cleave the more close to God and to live here as possessing none of these things 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. that for our want of them or suffering by them we may care the lesse considering what little assurance we have of them at any time which at all times are accompanied with dislikes §. 16. Of afflictions unwarrantablenesse to kill ones selfe Insufficiency of this motive of crosses for a man to kill himselfe 1. Afflictions are not simply evill The insufficiency of this ground of affliction to warrant any man to murder himselfe is apparent by foure things First by the consideration of the nature of the things that men by self-murder would rid themselves from which are afflictions and therefore in that respect not properly evill much lesse so bad as self-murder which is the course men take to free themselves from the former It is certainely madnesse for any body wittingly and willingly to cast themselves into a greater evill that they may free themselves from a lesser For a man to get out of trouble by making a stollen escape Non enim poena vitatur furtiva discessiene sed crescit he encreases his deserved punishment wee must not breake prison but wait Gods leisure 2. Death is worse than afflictioÌ„s Secondly if a man consider what hee parts from namely his life to bee freed from troubles he may see the folly of such a course of self-murder upon this motive For the goods of nature and of the world Donum vilae majus est ijs ommbus Filli. are farre inferiour to a mans selfe and to the worth of his life because in them consists not a mans chiefe happinesse and therefore for the same should not a man kill himself The Philosopher sayes that Poverty is not horrible or to bee feared neither death neither any thing at all besides sinne a Arist asserit nec paupertatem esse horribilem aut pertinvescendam nec mortem nec omn no quicquam praeter culpam Therefore why should a man kill himselfe for that whereof he should not be afraid and why should hee make so bad an exchange in giving away his life for ease from that which cannot by its presence make miserable and for to precipitate himselfe into endlesse misery 3. A self-murderer is deceived Thirdly if a self-murderer did consider how he is deceived in his expectation of being eased or delivered from troubles by killing himselfe VltimuÌ„ malorum hujus vitae maxime terriâ—ile est mors et iccireo inferre sibi morteÌ„ ad alias hujus vitae misertas evadendas est majus malum assumere ad minoris mass vitaâ—ienem Tho. 2.2 q. 64. Art 5. when thereby he casts himselfe into infinite greater miseries hee might see what little force this motive hath in it to worke and justifie this effect Seeing life is more proper and effectuall than such a death to procure happinesse Although that self-murder be a quick way of dispatch and of putting out all feeling of bodily paine it is not therefore better when the exchange is for the worse ease and expedition in doing self-murder is no argument of commendation seeing evill of sin is most easily performed as the Apostle shewes Rom. 7.21 Heb. 12.1 Because it is not an act of power but of impotency Peter Martyr wonders at the Stoicks that place happy life in vertue and doe hold that adversity is not evill that they should to free themselves from troubles kill themselves and sayes What kind of happinesse is that which death doth perfit if life be happie then should wee labour to abide therein what happinesse is that which may be overcome by those things that are not evill a Quaenam est foelicitas quae morte est perficienda Si vita est beata in ea est manendum quae est faelicitas quaevinci potest ab ijs quae non sunt mala For persecution our Saviour bids us flee from it or patiently to endure it and no where allowes that we should kill ourselves to prevent or escape it our blessed Saviour although he were to lay downe his life yet would not kill himselfe for accomplishment of that worke that necessarily was to be done Ludovicus Vives cites out of Plutarch and he out of Menander That it is not the part of a good and valiant man to say I will not suffer this but to say I will not doe this b Non est boni et fortis viri dicere hee non patiar sed hoc nonfaciaÌ„ 4. He resists Gods will Fourthly he that kills himselfe for to free himselfe thereby out of troubles and afflictions resists the will of God by shaking off that burden which God hath laid upon him to beare during his good pleasure to which all are subject And thereunto the Son of God submitted himselfe when he said to Peter The cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drinke it c Iohn 18.11 And therefore we are bound in this case to fulfill the will of God by passive obedience when we cannot doe the contrary without offending God neither did the Saints of God use self-murder to free themselves out of troubles whereof we have neither precept nor commendable example §. 17. Of certaine uses about afflicted persons Observe The uses or observations observable from this motive generally considered are two Afflicted persons are doubly burdened First we are here to observe that persons in trouble and adversity are under a double burden both of their afflictions which they suffer and also of strong temptations wherby thereupon Satan assaults them both which the persons in distresse doe commonly aggravate so making their estates more tedious and unsupportable than otherwise they would be Note in which condition men should beware of hard uncharitable conclusions against themselves Beware of censuring either in censuring themselves to be reprobates forsaken of God or the like or in determining rashly of or against themselves what they will doe with themselves or to themselves in that case otherwise than they have warrant from God Beware of concealement Againe in that estate they should take heed of over-close concealement of their troubles from those that may advise and help them to beare their burdens concealed griefe is most dangerous to sink a man but vent gives ease and procures help Finally of persons in adversity others are to be observant how they doe and to be helpfull to them by their countenance counsell and aide of assistance from themselves and by their intercession from others that so that may be easily borne that