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
sometime yet the corruption and practise thereof he loves and entertaines which is sweet in his mouth and which hee hides under his tongue as Zophar saies b Iob. 20.12 as upon persevering in well doing attends eternall life so unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey and continue in unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath is their portion and tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule of man that doth evill Rom. 2.6 7 8 9.10 §. 13. Of the causes of mens adventure upon sinfull courses Reasons of mens so living The reasons why men do so desperatly venture upon such deadly courses and continue in them to the destruction of their owne soules are specially two 1. Seeming good First because the same seemes good to them in regard of the blindenesse of their minds a 2 Pet. 1.9 that cannot truly discerne things that differ and in regard of their unregenerated affections which do sympathize and comply best with such courses and because they are self-deceived by a seeming goodnesse of profit or present pleasure in them which they preferre before true morall goodnesse and therewithall do rest and content themselves in the ignorance and want of better comforts but a wise man will beware of self-deceit by trusting to his owne opinion or sense considering that there is a way that seemeth right to a man but the end thereof are the waies of death Prov. 14.12 2. Want of faith The second cause of mans boldnesse in adventuring to run an unlawfull course with the perill of the damnation of his soule is want of true faith to beleeve the threatnings of God in his word against the same or at the least they suppose that the judgments will not be so bad and intolerable as is given out or they hope they shall escpe them or they comfort themselves with conceit of their fellowes company and doe imagine God to be all mercy and no justice the reason hereof is both their not discerning nor regarding of the spirituall judgments of God upon them which are the greatest and worst and such as they see not sensibly and also because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill Eccles 8.11 the flourishing of men in their owne ill condition hardens them and staggers the godly b Psal 73.12 13. §. 14. Of spirituall self-murder by sinning against the Gospell The second kind of sinnes of commission are against the Gospell The second kind of soul-killing courses are sinnes committed against the Gospell which is the only remedy given for transgressors of the Law that when they are condemned for their disobedience to the Law they may be saved by their obedience to the Gospell without which they cannot but perish This Evangelicall obedience differs from legall obedience in foure points 1. Obedience of the Gospell differs from obedience of the Law Done by Christs power First whereas legall obedience is originally required to be done by a mans owne power and strength Evangelicall obedience is to be done by us through the power of Christ and his Spirit working in us and by us inabling us above the power of nature 2. Acceptable with infirmity Secondly no obedience of the Law is acceptable to God from those doing it as under the Law for justification by their workes except the doers thereof be pure from inherent corruption and doe their actions in their highest degree of morall perfection without any defect therein but for the obedience of the Gospell it is accepted by God from the hands of sinfull men as perfect if it be in truth and sincerity although accompanied with many involuntary defects in our beleeving and repenting 3. It includes legall obedience Thirdly perfect legall obedience yea any obedience of the Law as legall whose performance respects justification excludes Evangelicall obedience with which in that sense it cannot consist seeing justification both by workes and faith both by the Law and Gospell are incompatible as the Apostle proves Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 But Evangelicall obedience includes legall obedience as inferiour and subordinate to it for there is an Evangelicall use of the Law under the Gospell both for preparation to the beleeving of it and also for sanctification of life ordered thereby by assistance of power from Christ for manifestation of the truth of Gods grace in us to the workes whereof although imperfect a reward is due 4. It respects salvation by another Fourthly the obedience of the Law by it selfe considered respects salvation by way of morall works in our selves but the Gospell respects the same by way of application of merit from another to witt from Iesus Christ the Law cannot cure nor excuse the transgressions committed against the Gospell but the Gospell can heale and deliver us from the sinnes and judgements of the Law whatsoever they have beene and therefore it is that the transgressors against the Gospell are in farre more danger of destruction therby than by their sins against the Law §. 15. Of Infidelity Sins against the Gospell Of these soul-killing transgressions against the Gospell there are foure branches 1. Infidelity First positive unbeliefe or infidelity when a man will not beeleve savingly in Christ to have him to bee both his Saviour and Lord neither beleeves truly the Gospell in its full latitude and contents although litterally hee knowes the same but holds and beleeves deceitfull errors defending the same and applauding himselfe therein and therefore seeing that now there is no salvation but by true faith in Christ those that will not so beleeve according to the Gospell must needs perish a Iob. 3.18 1. Causes of infidelity The chiefe causes of this infidelity are First an innated habit to beleeve error before the truth 2. Secondly our carnall reason deceitfull fancies and humane presumptions upon false principles overswaying our faith contrary to the word of God whereby men turne aside to their owne crooked wayes and perish as it were in the gainsaying of Corah b Psal 125.5 Cure For prevention of this infidelity I conclude with the Apostle take heed brethren lest there bee in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God c Heb. 3.12 §. 16. Of Impenitency 2. Impenitency The second kind of sinnes against the Gospell whereby men kill their owne soules is finall impenitency when they neither care nor indeavour to repent for their sins past nor to reforme their lives for time to come but goe on in their sinnes out of love or carelesnesse of them remorse for sinnes in respect of the punishment of them is not true repentance if it bee not specially for the offence of God by them and if a man bee sorrowfull for some grosse sinnes committed by him and doe restraine his practise therefrom it is not sound repentance
consideration of nor are subject to self-murder because the law against murder is not given to them who are not properly capable of the same by meanes of their want of reason neither are they subject to this fact and sin of self-murder which by instinct of nature they abhorre and doe alwaies naturally indeavour their owne preservation 3. Rationall life The third kinde of naturall life is that which is called rationall or of reasonable creatures which is proper to men whereby they live besides the life of vegetation and sense common with other earthly living creatures according to reason or in a rationall manner both for the essentiall forme of their natures whereby they are called rationall creatures and also for their thoughts and actions which for their originall principle whence they flow and for the rule whereby they are ordered are reasonable morall and more divine in all their motions than are other earthly creatures if the same be not perverted by some other exorbitant principles or accidents In and under this rationall life of man both the other lives are comprehended as things inferior and subordinate are contained in their superiour and summary head Note Mans perfection The perfections of all other earthly creatures are in man together with or comprehended in that which is proper to himselfe whereby he transcends them all §. 2. Man only is subject to self-murder Notwithstanding that man indowed with understanding hath the greatest helps against self-murder and hath the greatest reason of all worldly creatures to preserve his life it being so excellent above theirs yet he onely of them all is subject to this fault and mischiefe of self-murder The greatnesse of the sin of self-murder And as all the aforesaid three kinds of lives are comprehended for faculty and vertue in mans reasonable life flowing from his reasonable soule as we see in the ceasing of them all in man at once upon the departure of his soule from the body Note so the killing destroying of mans life is absolutely farre greater than the destroying of the lives of all other earthly creatures because both the lives of them all for kinds and also mans own proper life that farre excells them all in the destruction of mans life are destroyed and also all other creatures were made for man for the comfort of whose life all their lives do serve §. 3. How naturall life is knowne by man in whom it is Touching the knowledge of the naturall life of man a reasonable living creature apprehends the same both by sense and understanding This life is knowne 1. by sense by sense a reasonable creature not onely descernes that it lives but also feeles this life by the effects of it to be a quickning power of inlivening the body inwardly and disposing and inabling it to action outwardly 2. By understanding By understanding a man knowes that this life is an act of the spirit or soule in the body of man or a quickning vertue of it in a continued fluxe by the personall union of the soule and body together §. 4. The soules double act of life in man The soules act of life in man This act of the soule in its union with the body is twofold 1. Making the subiect to live First that which respects the bodie it self or rather mans person in that worke or lively energie which we may in some respect call opus ad intra or a reflexe worke of man upon himselfe upon the personall union of the soule and bodie whereby he becomes a living soule Gen. 2.7 for extension in all his parts and for intensiox in fulnesse of lively power for his subsisting and growth to his appointed period and for use of all his organs and faculties for their proper function being thereby also able to discerne take notice and judge of himselfe his state and actions For not the soule only nor the body onely is to be properly said to live after their union together but the person consisting both of soule and body doth live this life which is not the life of either of the natures or parts of man by themselves considered Man lives or dies personally considered but the life of the person of man consisting of both natures personally united And therefore when one kills a man we say not properly that he hath onely killed an earthly body but we say properly that he hath killed such a person as consists of a soule and a body and therefore it is said in Scripture that there were so many soules slaine a Joshua 10.28 not that the immortall spirit is in it selfe subject to such a death or can be slaine but in regard of its Acting and working in its personall union with the bodie whereby both of them live personally together that life which is the life of the person which is destroyed and ceases upon death which is further apparent by this Reason because the murder of a man is so hainous a crime in regard of the destruction of the Image of God in man which is not onely in the body or onely in the soule but is in the whole person of man so long as the same lives 2 Making the subject to worke The second lively act of the soule in this union with the body personally considered is that whereby it makes the body organically fitly disposed and active to those duties which we call opera ad extra works about objects not it selfe which works are the common outward workes of the person consisting of those two natures and not of either of them apart Observe Upon life depends the subsisting and working of the person Whereupon wee may observe that upon this life depends both the subsisting of the person of man in its being and also all its actions naturall civill and morall so that he that kills a man destroyes his person and abolishes all his personall actions and activity whereby he might be serviceable and usefull to God to himselfe to the Church or Commonwealth And yet we see no thing more passionately and rashly enterprised than killing of men than the which nothing should be more deliberately and upon weightier causes done it being no lesser matter than to dissolve heaven and earth by destruction of a person consisting of an heavenly spirit and of an earthly body to destroy the noblest naturall life and to deprive God and the world of the most glorious and profitable workes Such a thing is this naturall life of man generally considered CHAP. 4. Of mans naturall life more specially §. 1. Wherein the naturall life of man consists Mans naturall life is fraile Phil. 1.22 expounded MAns naturall life consists as in part wee have heard in the Act of the soule united personally with the body by meanes of the animall naturall and vitall spirits which the Apostle calls living in the flesh Philip. 1.22 which is to live neither to the flesh to
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
this degree followes after faith 2. Begetting faith Secondly the power of the spirit in us by the meanes is seene by the working of true saith in us which the Apostle ascribes to the same 1 Cor. 12.9 Ephes 2.8 It is by this faith that wee do divinely and spiritually live c Rom. 1.17 Halak 2.4 in the act of beleeving uniting our selves to the saving and lively object Christ Iesus with his gracious promises by us adhered unto and thereunto conforming our selves without Christ we have no life in us as himselfe tells us Ioh. 6.57 and without faith wee can neither have him nor his blessed promises but by saith we have them both that so by this spirituall instrument spirituall blessings may be spiritually enjoyed whereof the soule is the immediate subject and secondarily the body onely by the soule to this faith our Saviour attributes this spirituall life when he sayes That whosoever beleeveth in him though he were dead yet shall he live d John 11.25 therefore it neerely concernes us all to labour to get true saving faith and that we doe make use of the same in and about its proper objects And for our comfort it behooves us to know that we have this faith but because the signes how to discerne it is the generall subject of most men in their bookes and sermons I passe it over with reference to them 3. Applying of Christ Thirdly the Spirit of God manifests the power of it in us by the meanes in the application of Christ and his merits to us whereby we become one with Christ and being grafted into him have the adoption of the sonnes of God a Ephes 1.5 Rom. 8.16 and free justification from all our sins sealed up and assured to us by the same Spirit whereupon we may apprehend the sweet favour of God toward us wherein consisteth life Psal 30.5 and may be filled with a lively vigour of consolation in the apprehension of the pardon of our sinnes and upon the assurance of the graces and blessings of God to us for our eternall happinesse in which respect it is called the Spirit of Consolation b Iob. 14.26 which makes us cheerefully to endure afflictions and to runne the way of Gods Commandements when thus we are enlarged by the spirit and by the same possessed of Christ and his graces by and in whom we spiritually live there is nothing in this world that we should be so carefull of as to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit giving testimony of our adoption by our good works Evidences of the vvorke of the Spirit in us applying Christ 1. But of the aforesaid worke of the Spirit in us we may have some comfortable evidences upon these ensuing grounds First by the sense of the vertue from Christ quickning us wee may assuredly discerne that we touch him and have communion with him being in him as members under our head and partaking in and from him of all his merits and graces 2. Secondly the same is evident by the change of our estates morally considered in regard of what our dispositions and lives formerly have beene and now are touching vertue and vice goodnesse and evill concerning both which a supernaturall change cannot be but by a supernaturall efficient and divine principle and so from the effects we doe conclude the eause to precede or goe before 3. Thirdly the aforesaid worke of the Spirit is manifested and discerned by our subsisting and keeping our standing in goodnesse and in adhering to God and to his Word in states and times of great and manifold trialls wherein experiment is made of our strength and sincerities and cleaving to God in which condition when the unsound fall away those that are built upon the rocke Christ a Mat. 7.24 25. and from him are supernaturally furnished with all needfull graces by beholding and relying upon him that is invisible they doe receive from above a continual influxe of assistance and abilities whereby they stand fast and endure as did Moses Heb. 11.27 4. The Spirits vvorke in sanctisication Fourthly the Spirits worke in us by the meanes is powerfully manifested by these lively seeds and divine principles of grace which it infuseth or worketh in us called by the Apostle Peter a divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby the regenerated man is furnished with all sufficiency of heavenly and new inherent principles for the right ordering of himselfe in divine manner even as the naturall man is stored with his principles of reason thereby to square his judgement and life in naturall manner §. 10. Of the degrees of the Spirits worke of holinesse in us The degrees of grace 1. Habituall Which is the holinesse of mans new nature The degrees of this worke of grace and holinesse of Gods Spirit in us are two First that which consists in habituall divine qualities diffused throughout all the powers and faculties of the man in whom the same is which are wrought or infused gradually from one degree to another These are opposite to mans naturall pollution of sinne and malice inherent in him upon the which they being superinducted they doc by degrees weaken dispossesse and abolish the same as the light doth the darknesse Use of it So then the office and use of this habituall holinesse and qualification of man with inherent graces of Gods spirit is threefold 1. First it serves to adorne accomplish and beautifie in spirituall manner the regenerate man 2. Secondly it subdues mortifies and expells the contrary vice in equall measure of extension and degree as it selfe is 3. Thirdly it qualifies and inables a man that hath it to the actuall doing of all holy duties according to the quality and greatnesse of those divine principles of grace that is the inherent originall of the same so being both the materiall and also exemplary cause of actuall holinesse of life this cannot be without that 2. Degree is actuall obedience which is the holinesse of mans actions The second degree of this spirituall holinesse is that which consists in actuall obedience to Gods will in all holy performances rightly ordering all our thoughts all the inclinations of our wills all the motions of our affections all the morall postures of our behaviour all the words of our mouthes and all the actions of our lives in abstaining in sustaining and in active performance exactly according to Gods commandments with perfection of integrity and sincerity The use of it 1. The use of this degree of holinesse consisting in actuall obedience is threefold First to manifest the truth and power of mans in ward and habituall grace 2. Secondly to oppose and keepe our corruption and sin out of that possession which formerly they had of our actions and hearts 3. Thirdly that the body which is to be saved with the soule may in all the organes and powers thereof bee honoured in holy imployment for good example to
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
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
unlawfull Ergo. To be more carefull to provide for the safety of their worldly goods than of their soules is wretchednesse and desperate folly which all those doe which by unlawfull meanes would preserve their estates Such mutes are so farre from being worthy of having their estates preserved by this course that therefore they should the rather lose them and themselves be the more cruelly and ignominiously entreated for being guilty of two horrible crimes first that whereof they are indited and for which they refuse to answer to be legally tryed the second is their contumacious rejecting of all just and legall courses of tryall and active obedient subjection to authority requiring their submission Touching their second and third motives of standing mute with respect onely to the matter of their worldly credit the same is meere folly because by this course they doe farre more discredit and make themselves infamous in regard that ipso facto they make themselves guilty of a double crime both of that whereof they are indited and also of contumacy against authority and law and the death of pressing that they suffer is the just reward of their obstinate mutenesse besides all their other demerits it is chiefly the morall manner of dying that is comfortable and honourable wherein such mutes are wanting Their fourth motive which is from feare proud impaciencie of suffering uniustly or inimically by others in the course of ordinary legall triall is most vaine for why should we wrong our selves that we may escape being wronged or insulted over by others this was the practise of Saul to kill himself that he might prevent being insulted over and mocked by the uncircumcised Philistims the matter of the greatest triumph to our enemies over us is to give them a victory by our owne hands both over our bodies and mindes as such mutes doe to their eternall destruction Such mutes are not onely guilty of their owne deaths but also by that course they subiect themselves to everlasting damnation both in soule and body both because they die impenitently and wilfully in a sinfull way of their owne obstinate procurement and choise and also doe cast away their soules in departing this world in uncharitable manner without either confession or clearing of themselves in lawfull manner of the crimes for which they are indited and arraigned and so perish as outlaws against both God and humane authority whose fact is equivalent to direct self-murder by wittingly and willingly doing that unlawfull act which they know will inevitably subiect them to death without hope of escape §. 6. About malefactors arraigned for crimes how they are to answer to the question Guilty or not guilty Question 2. A second question considerable about the foresaid subject is touching malefactors indited and arraigned at the barre of Iustice before a lawfull magistrate to be tryed upon their lives for some capitall crimes that they have done as petty treason burglary murder or the like touching their lives whether when they hold up their hands at the barre and are in legall manner asked the question whether they be guilty or not guilty of such a fact whereof they are indited and which indeed they themselves know they have done whether I say are they bound in conscience and may they answer affirmatively that they are guilty without any danger of being indirectly guilty of self-murder Answer They that confesse themselves to be guilty are indirect self-murderers For resolution of this question I answer that when a man is accused of such a capitall crime and is therefore brought to a legall triall whereunto he is subjected for finding or not finding him to be guilty of that fact upon the verdict of which enquiry Law and Authority is satisfied and determines their proceeding with the party for him upon that question whether he be guilty or not guilty before the triall to confesse himselfe to be guilty so by his owne onely witnesse and verdict casting himselfe upon the losse of his life hee may in a strict construction and in some sort be accompted culpable of indirect self-murder Exception Except it be in case to save innocents from suffering wrongfully for his fault or that it be for greater good of the State of the Church or of his owne Soule when the fact can no otherwise be knowne or proved against him but by his owne confession Touching a voluntary and full confession after conviction and condemnation I know none that is not of opinion that it is necessary for the salvation of the malefactors soule although his body do perish as Achan did Ioshua 7.20 That such an affirmative answer of guilty to that question makes the answerer I say in some sort indirectly guilty of self-murder although they are not the worst men morally considered that doe so I will make it plaine Reasons 1. First a malefactor by such an affirmative answer anticipates and deprives himselfe of that legall triall whereby it were possible for him to have escaped and not to have beene found guilty of that capitall fact for which he is indited and therefore by dying upon his owne onely confession witnesse and verdict which hee needed not to have done he is guilty of indirect self-murder Now for a man that hath in danger of life lawfull choise of two waies the one most certainely mortall the other more doubtfully deadly if hee choose and perish by the former he is indirectly a self murderer because he willingly rejected the latter and safer whereby he might have lived thus it is in this case of answering guilty before the triall 2. Secondly it is a naturall axiome that no man is bound to betray himself Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum quisque tenetur defendere seipsum Vnusquisque praesupponitur esse bonus donec probetur esse malus and that every one is tied to defend himselfe A Traytour saies D. Kellet Miscel li. 1. p. 164. may without sin plead not guilty that is not proved guilty at your barre where every one is presupposed to be good untill he is proved to be bad I am not guilty so farre that I am bound to accuse my selfe and this is saies hee the allowed generall acceptation of that usance For further manifestation hereof it is to be considered that the question and answer is made in a humane civill Court wherein hee is demanded not whether in Conscience but whether in Law he be guilty whereby he is bound to confesse no more against his life than can be legally proved against him specially seeing he answers not upon oath or adjuration which binds the examinate or prisoner at the barre in conscience upon obligation of religion to depose the truth concerning himselfe knowne onely to that deponent and according to whose owne testimony hee is to be acquited or condemned Of answering upon oath about crimes concerning a mans selfe but this being most unreasonable to make a man witnesse Jurie and Judge in his owne cause
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
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
so great as is sinne in respect both of the nature thereof whereby it is most contrary to God who is the greatest and chiefest good and also in regard of the merits and effects thereof procuring and imbittering all evill to those that sin For of evill properly comes nothing but evill as of nought and nought comes nothing but nought the effect cannot exceed in goodnesse the nature and vertue of its cause §. 2. Of motives in generall to self-murder there can be none warrantably sufficient Externall motives to self-murder Neither is there indeed any externall motive sufficient of it selfe to induce and perswade a man to kill himself by any true reason that can be in or from the motive to doe such an act without respect of a conceit of good ensuing upon the act of self murder to the self-murderer But in regard that these motives worke not upon all to doe that act of self-murder it is from the disposition and qualities of the persons that are therewith affected and wrought upon to doe the same and not properly from the motives themselves for then all men by the same motives should doe the same act of self-murder Divers The motives are divers that doe diversly move divers persons to kill themselves for all self-murderers do not kill themselves upon the same occasions some are not affected with one motive that are affected with another to doe that fact Arguments how weak and strong For arguments are weake or strong to severall persons as they are of deep or shallow judgement or as they stand differently affected and possessed with prejudices sutable to their humours designes and ends Whereby to some weake arguments are strong and strong are weake and by few are they apprehended according to their due worth which is the cause of much unreconcileable opposition and division in the world and of the building of weighty conclusions upon weake premises and foundations and of indivertible resolutions and practises founded more upon passionate wilfulnesse than upon judicious reasons Comparison as we see about the objects of bodily sight the which is represented and conceived by us to be according to the disposition of the medium or meane and of the organ or eye whereby wee see them Note Which shewes how needfull it is for matter of reason and judgement that wee looke upon the same as it is without all distemperature and prejudices in our mindes §. 3. Concerning perverted Iudgement by Laws and Custome These externall motives of self-murder I will for memory and method reduce into eight rankes The first motive to self-murder is error of judgement The first whereof is errour of judgement when men thinke and beleeve upon deceitfull grounds that they ought or may lawfully kill themselves either absolutely when they list or in some cases when they see it requisite in regard of some circumstances Grounds of it The unsound grounds of this perverted judgement are foure 1. Lawes and Customes First Lawes and Customes in some places seeming to require and warrant people in some cases to kill themselves As among the Heathens and Indians In India where by custome or law servants and wives in testimony of love to their Masters and Husbands were wont to cast themselves into the fire to bee burnt with the corps of their dead masters and husbands but the true cause of that Law was to restraine the frequent poysoning of masters and husbands by their servants and wives and that law and custome was practised to avoide suspition and ignominie that they lived in if they did not so kill themselves Plutarch reports of the Virgins of Lemnos In Lemnos that customarily they hanged themselves upon no other knowne cause but custome and from that vile practise could not be restrained untill the same was punished by drawing of their bodies naked through the streets after that they were dead by sensible ignominie reforming a bad and odious custome Also among the Turkes In Turkie servants in testimony of their obedience at their living masters command doe throw themselves over rocks or into rivers or the like as Baldwin a Lib. 3. cap. 4. Cas 13. circa melancholicos the Casuist reports but it is most like that they doe it to prevent a greater misery if they should disobey But they that did so were thought to doe well and were therefore commended and the parties themselves did verily thinke that either they did but their duties or that which was best for them to doe which if they did not then were they evill thought of and evill intreated The prevailing of lawes and customes against nature Thus farre doe law and custome prevaile against the light of nature among the Heathen because they knew no higher rule to examine and try their lawes by and therefore submit to humane ordinances absolutely bee they good or bad Custome which is another nature maketh it familiar and to seeme lawfull and commendable in the judgement of sense that in the judgement of right reason is most abominable Custome is a tyrant captivating both judement and practise to her lore because what by generall practise seemes to have the approbation of all is deemed best and most reasonable for peaceable conformity both in opinion and practise from which to be singular is odious The judgement of the learned hath the force of a Law That also which in this case obtains the force of a law is the judgement of the learned the practise of persons in esteem commended by posterity for the same As among the Philosophers the Stoicks did in some cases both direct commend and practise self-murder which historians and Poets magnifie in their high praises of Lucretia Cato and others for the same The high esteeme of the persons of men of that opinion and of the practisers of that act and ambition of like praises for the like thing hath forcibly driven many men contrary to their owne minde to cast themselves away upon this infernall rock The error of this ground The deceitfulnesse of this ground is that it is meerely humane against divinity and that more is attributed to it and built upon it than it can beare It is contrary to religion and reason For all lawes customes opinions and practises of men are to be regulated and ordered by sound reason according to Gods word and are subordinate to the same and thereby to be tryed and examined Note So that no law or custome no opinions or practise of any men is to be imbraced and obeyed when the same is manifestly impious or against Gods Law and right reason As we see by the practise of the Apostles Acts 4.19 For that in such cases in conforming to man we cannot be excused before God for transgressing his will An inferiour hath no power over the right of his superiour to dispense therewith Observe to examine In judgement of discretion therefore customes laws
which is bad and it is either a wilfull debiliating of ones selfe to good or killing of ones selfe for his sin by excessve griefe against which wee have already spoken in some sort or else this revenge is in laying violent hands upon ones selfe purposely to mutilate or kill himselfe out of indignation for his sinne Causes The causes hereof are specially two 1. Desperation First desperation in regard of the horriblenesse and grievousnesse of the sinnes whereof a man is guilty and by which hee is confounded in his conscience and for that withall hee conceives and perswades himselfe that God will never be mercifull to him to pardon him 2. Ease of conscience Secondly affectation indeavour to ease ones troubled and restlesse conscience for some unnaturall cruelties and crying crimes by satisfaction of Iustice according to his demerits makes himself to destroy himself but of this case we have spoken before The saul inesse of this revenge This revenge upon ones selfe in this manner upon this cause is many wayes faulty 1. First because of the opinion of expiation of sinne thereby which nothing can doe away or can quiet the conscience but onely the blood of our blessed Saviour Christ 2. Secondly because sinne cannot be done away by sin and such as is worse than the former no more than fire can be quenched by addition of more fire to it the punishment of sinne belongs to God and his Vicegerents whose lawes are violated 3. Thirdly no man is a competent judge over himselfe in this case either to cleare or to condemne himselfe Non est quis idâ—neus judex inse in propria causa Nemo halet in se authoritate est non sit seipso superior Filli. Because it is impossible that he should bee both Superiour and inferiour to himselfe or that he should not be partially inclined in his affection to himself either in love or hatred 4. Fourthly not by killing our selves which deprives us of the necessary time of repentance but by repentance and faith in Christ our past sinnes are to be done away how grievous soever they be Sibi adimit necessariuÌ„ poenisteÌ„tiae sepus Tho. 2.2 q. 64. Art 5. by living according to the will of God and not by dying by our owne hands our sinnes are reformed and God glorified God sayes that he wills not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. why then should we will it 5. For peace of con cience what is to be done in this case Fiftly for peace of conscience in that case God hath appointed other meanes as 1. First humiliation and repentance before God 2. Secondly confession to godly Ministers for advice and comfort 3. Thirdly if the former will not do then are we to put our selves to open shame for private faults by publick penance in the Church or to put our selves into the hands of the Magistrates to suffer for our crimes by the civill sword Second kind of revenge Against others The second kinde of revenge is intended against others by ones killing of himselfe when he is implacably offended by others from whom he can neither have satisfaction nor reformation of his grievances and when his death by his owne hands may redound to the hurt or disgrace as he thinks of those that have wronged him Who in this respect are most subject to self-murder Which practise of self-murder upon this motive is most incident to persons of the weakest sexe and worst disposition and condition such as be women and servants and men sympathizing with them in qualities as a Wife that because shee cannot have her will of or with her Husband kils her selfe to the intent to disgrace him with the reproach of being the occasion of that fact to grieve and vexe him and to deprive him of all benefit and comfort that he might have by her life and to hurt him by all the evill that can betide him by her death The unreasonablenesse of the practise Which is a mad course for one to pull out both their owne eyes to the end that another may lose one of his Such persons doe die in implacable malice and are certainely damned by their owne act and manner of concluding their life A good revenge There is a good and lawfull revenge to bee exercised upon those that wroug us which is in killing that evill in them whereby they offend God and us by instructing and reforming them by holy admonitions and example and also in killing their enmity with preservation of their persons by our love and good dealing towards them making them our friends both in affection and behaviour whereby our enemies are destroyed and our selves benefited Touching killing a mans selfe in revenge for his sins S. Augustine sayes that We affirme that no man ought for his sinnes past to kill himselfe Hoc asserimus neminem propter sua peccata praeterita propter que magis â—ac vita opus est ut possit poeniteudo sanari cum fructuosam agere possumus poeniteâ—â—â—â— apud Deum Jude sacium meritò detestamur cum se liqueo suspendit seeleratae illiâ—s traditionis auxisse potiùs quam expiâsse commissùm quoniam Dei miscricerdiam desperando exiâ—â—abiliter penitus nullum sibi salubris poenitentiae locum reliquit suae mertis reus sinivil â—ane vitam quia licet propter suum scelus alio seclere suo eccisus est for which hee hath rather need of his life that by repentance they may be healed And condemnes the same when we may by living performe profitable repentance before God And further sayes that we doe justly abhorre the fact of Iudas seeing when hee hanged himselfe he did rather increase than expiate the fact of his flagitious treason because damnably despairing of the mercy of God he left no place of saving repentance to himselfe he ended this life being guilty of his own death for although he was flaine for his owne vile fact yet it was by another vile fact of his owne And so it is apparent that for sinne past or for revenge no man can murder himselfe warrantably §. 19. Concerning prevention of sin to come The fourth generall motive to self-murder Prevention of sinne The fourth generall motive of men to self-murder is prevention of sin to come which a man conceives will inevitably be effected to Gods dishonour and his owne disgrace if he doe still live and may by his death be prevented and therefore doth he hasten and inflict the same with his owne hands Those sins for which hee would kill himselfe to prevent them are of two sorts 1. The sins of others First they are the sinnes of others for which a man would kill himselfe either that he may not see them to his griefe or that he may not be the object or subject of other mens committing of them As those women that to avoide ravishment and of being deflowred