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
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
self-murder there can bee none warrantably sufficient and how arguments are deemed weak or strong Page 191 § 3. Concerning the motive to self-murder from perverted Iudgement by humane lawes and customes how both prevaile against nature How the judgement of the learned and wise hath the force of Law How lawes and customes against Scripture and reason are erroneous and not to be obeyed A caveat against vaine praise of self-murderers Page 192 § 4. Of the motive to self-murder from perverted judgment by mis-understood Scripture the three causes thereof and of foure meanes or rules of right understanding the Scriptures Page 195 § 5. Of the motive to self-murder from perverted judgment by mis-construed decree and destiny and the grounds of the same the errer of grounding ill practises upon that foundation with diverse observations about that course Page 202 § 6. Of the motive to self-murder from perverted judgment by the conceited good of self-murder and how apparent good beguiles the understanding And now the will workes upon the understanding to deceive it and how self-murder blinds the mind Page 207 § 7. Of the motive to self-murder from afflictions their severall sorts whereof three are upon the body Page 211 § 8. Of the motive to self-murder from afflictions upon a mans outward estate Page 214 § 9. Of the motive to self-murder from crosses in points of honour Page 215 § 10. Of the motive to self-murder from disasters upon friends in two eases Page 216 § 11. Of the motive to self-murder from trouble of conscience the kinds and manner of the same Page 217 § 12. Of the motive to self murder from disconcentment of mind and passion of love the kinds and causes of discontentment Page 219 § 13. Of the motive to self-murder from disgrace and shame 221. the causes effects and kinds thereof Page 222 § 14. Of the motive to self-murder from feare the causes and effects of it Page 224 § 15. Of the true causes of self-murder in afflictions which are three Page 225 § 16. That Affliction is no warrantable motive for any to kill themselves shewed by foure reasons Page 228 § 17. Of certaine uses about afflicted persons Page 230 § 18. Of the motive to self-murder from anger and revenge the kindes thereof against ones selfe and others good and bad their causes and powerfull effects Page 232 § 19. Of the motive to self-murder from care of prevention of sin to come in our selves or others and how unwarrantable it is for any to kill themselves for that end Page 237 § 20. Of the motive to self-murder from ambition and excessive desire after glory praise or a better life to come after death and how unwarrantable it is for any therefore to kill themselves Page 241 § 21. Of the motive to self-murder from the motions and temptations of the devill how he suggests the same and to whom specially how knowne to be from Satan and upon what reasons to be rejected Page 246 § 22. Of the motive to self-killing from phrensie the kinds the subjects and grounds of it Page 250 § 23. Of the motive to self-murder from the examples of such as have murdered or killed themselves and of the insufficiency of that motive for any to do the like upon such presidents Page 252 Chap. 16. Of Self-murderers introduction and entrance into the practise of self-murder § 1. Of the persons most subject to self-murder who are of foure sorts Page 254 § 2. Of the entrance into self-murder by foure particular degrees where are handled two questions 1. concerning desire of death 2. about the goodnesse of being against them that wish that they had never beene borne or never had being Page 256 § 3. Of foure signes of ensuing self-murder neere approching Page 259 Chap. 17. Arguments against self-murder proving the same to be utterly unlawfull and damnable § 1. That self-murder is contrary to Religion and how where two questions are resolved 1. Whether the Supreame Magistrate may for any capitall crime done by him either kill himselfe or be put to death pon his owne command or otherwise by his people 2. How farre a man condemned to die may be active about taking away his owne life Page 262 § 2. How self-murder is against God himselfe in foure respects Page 267 § 3. How self-murder is against nature Page 269 § 4. How self-murder is injurious to mankinde Page 270 § 5. How self-murder wrongs mans selfe in doing it Page 271 § 6. How self-murder is a sinne most harmfull and to whom Page 272 § 7. How right reason condemnes self-murder by nineteene severall arguments Page 273 Wherein also is shewed the reasons why the goods of self-murderers become confiscate and Deodands Page 278 § 8. Of certaine uses about the grievousnesse of self-murder and how men should beware of it Page 286 Chap. 18. Of the finall estate of direct selfmurderers whether they be all everlastingly damned with the devils in hell or not § 1. Of the extent of self-murder to the soules hurt and how regardlesse self-murderers be of their soules Page 288 § 2. That all that kill themselves are not properly direct self-murderers nor are in their state of damnation and who be exempted and upon what grounds Page 290 § 3. That all proper and direct self-murderers are reprobates without the state of grace and are in the state of eternall damnation and the reasons thereof Page 291 § 4. That by the Testimony of the Scriptures both in doctrine and also in all examples of self-murderers recorded therein all proper and direct self-murderers are everlastingly damned Page 293 § 5. That self-murder is a transcendent sin beyond both law and mercy and subjects the doers of it to damnation ibid. § 6. That self-murderers want all true saving repentance and likewise salvation Page 296 § 7. How the Church testifies by her judgement and usage of direct self-murderers that they are all damned in hell Page 297 § 8. Of certaine uses Page 299 § 9. Of certaine objections made in favour of the salvation of self-murderers answered and first touching that which is taken from the nature of self-murder compared with other the most damnable sins committed against the Law and Gospell Page 300 § 10. The second objection answered which is made from the example of self-killers such as Sampson Pelagia and others who are saved Page 303 § 11. The third objection answered which is taken from the antecedent prayer and repentance of self-murderers for the intended fact of self-murder to come that for the same the doer of it may not be damned Page 306 Chap. 19. Antidotes for prevention of self-murder § 1. What a man is to do of and by himself to prevent self-murder in eight severall particulars Page 311 § 2. How to others wee should make confession of our temptations motives and progresse to self-murder that we may prevent the same and of the manisold caveats and observations about confession Page 317 § 3. Of the meanes to
shall have performed some desperate hazardous enterprise agreed upon for him in that consideration onely to undertake and attempt the same with the danger of the losse of his life as to walke under the water to crosse the Ocean in a Wherry in a few dayes to goe backward or blindfold a long journey in a dangerous way or some such unreasonable needlesse dangerous mad and idle vaine-glorious prancks with adventure and losse of life whereby such are indirectly self-murderers and those that lay such wagers with them are accessary to their death thereby hireing and provoking them to a mortall course of self-destruction For such a course is no warrantable way and calling of Gods appointment thereby to adventure or get goods and therefore no blessing can be therein nor thereby expected it is a needlesse tempting of God to commit themselves to such a mortall course which they may well avoyd and can looke for no protection in it nor comfort of the action wherein they perish being guilty of their owne death therein Such desperate enterprises upon wagering whereby a man may lose his life proceede either from covetousnesse to be rich or from necessity to live but by unlawfull meanes never destinated of God to that end neither of them can comfortably be expected nor endeavoured it seemes that such men either value their lives to be little worth or apprehend their present condition to be most miserable that they preferre the uncertaine attaining of a little lucre and worldly goods before them and had rather die than live as they are and therefore goe to seeke up death where they can find him to make an end of their dayes by this desperate and last shift that they doe use when otherwise they cannot live That man is neere driven that cannot subsist but by courses of selfe-ruine and he is very destitute of good parts and of vertuous actions that despaires of better fame and repute in the world than he can procure by such needlesse vaine undertakings and accomplishments which are but the pastime of fooles and the ludibrie and scorne of the wise and uncomfortable vanity and sinne of the performers §. 11. Of indirect self-murder committed by covenant and society with persons destinate to destruction 6 Branch of indirect self-murder by commission The sixt branch of indirect self-murder by commission is by wilfull contracting and keeping society with those that are under a curse and apparent danger of destruction whereby all such are most probably like to share with them that have neere communion with them which falls out specially in three cases Case 1. Of leagues First when a man unwarrantably enters a league or bond of neere amity and society with persons Princes or States worthy of and as it were marked out to destruction as Iehoram did contract and keepe with Ahaziah a 2 King 9.27 whereby hee involved and inwrapped himselfe into the same ruine with him Which barres not conclusions for commerce of trade and also for intercourse of correspondency with them at such a distance and degree whereby hurt from them may be avoyded and use made of them for warrantable advantage as the Scripture requires that wee should have peace with all men if it be possible b Heb. 12.14 Case 2. Concerning warre The second case of indirect self-murdring society is when a man takes up armes or puts himselfe into military service or joynes with others in warre offensive or defensive either to hinder or oppresse equity and truth or in opposition of Gods Church to prejudice or oppresse the Gospell and true religion by this latter fighting against and provoking God and by the former irritating mankind justly to destroy such as goe about to overthrow Gods Kingdome and humane justice on earth without which the world cannot subsist in which course of Combination or society whosoever perishes is guilty of indirect self-murder by death of his owne unwarrantable procurement Although warre bee lawfull yet it is a violent course of justice the decision whereof is hereby cast upon the omnipotent Lord God for him to determine the same as he pleases by victory or vanquishment And therefore none should dare voluntarily to engage himselfe in that course upon his life where hee knowes that just and powerfull Iudge to bee party for the truth against him lest he perish by this indirect self-murder whereas to bee safe therefrom wee should ever bee party on Gods side Crosse event of warre That the event falls out contrary so that the Abetters in a good cause do often fall and the propugners of an evill do prosper it comes to passe by Gods speciall wise providence for three causes Reasons 1. First to chastise some sinnes or to exercise some vertues in the vanquished 2. Secondly to make men more loath to fall to warre and blood-shed upon presumption of their strength and cause but rather with some losse to make peaceable composition 3. Thirdly that God may shew and exercise his absolute soveraignty over the world disposing humane things as he pleases in the demolishing and translating of Empyres and dominion by the ruines of one making way for the building of another that it may be apparent that by him Kings Raigne and that as many Principalities and Empires are raised and stand upon the foundation of invasion latrocinies rapines and blood so shall they answer for the same and bee shaken to peeces by a divine hand of Iustice as wee may see expressed by the dashing of the Image to peeces by that small stone out of the divine hand of God Daniel 2.33 Case 3. Presuming into infectious places and company The third case of indirect self-murdering society is when men do wilfully presume without necessity or warrantable calling into deadly infectious places and companies wherein or by which meanes if they miscarry or perish they are guilty of their owne death in a higher degree of indirect self-murder as also are those that doe without a warrantable calling put themselves into such places or imployments as doe procure or hasten their deaths §. 12. Of indirect self-murder by doing that which naturally procures that which kills the doer 7. Branch Seventhly if a man doe willingly and wittingly any such unlawfull act as proves the cause or occasion of that which by Gods providence in just judgement kills him or takes away his life he indirectly murders himselfe as a drunken man that falls into a ditch or a pit and is drowned breakes his neck off his horse dies by surfeits or the like he is in this degree guilty of his owne death for the cause of the cause is the cause of the effect Causa causae est causa causati such a mans precedent unlawfull course or disposition is so farre from excusing the consequent effect that in a sort it doubles his sin a man that kills another when he is drunk is not excused but hanged when he is sober §. 13.
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
degrees of spirituall life which are two and subordinate Page 22 § 4. Who may have spirituall life which is denyed to none and by whose fault doth any misse of it or lose it How the Gospell was published to Adam and to all his posterity who for unbeliefe of the same are justly punishable Page 24 § 5. Of the excellency of spirituall life in three respects Page 26 § 6. How to obtaine spirituall life by meanes which wee are to use to get it and grow in it Page 28 § 7. How the Gospell works life not physically or ethically but supernaturally by the power of God working according to his owne will upon mans heart that is the subject of conversion Page 30 § 8. Why God uses meanes to convert us reasons three Page 31 § 9. How the power of the Holy Spirit is manifested and seene upon us in the meanes by foure degrees of operation And of three evidences of the Spirits application of Christ to us Page 32 § 10. How the Spirit works holinesse in us in two degrees with their uses and of three grounds of actuall obedience Page 35 § 11. Of the foure signes of spirituall life Page 37 § 12. How spirituall life may be preserved by use of six meanes Page 39 § 13. How mans care of his spirituall life should be great preferring it above his naturall life Page 42 Chap. 6. Of lifes destruction and of murder in generall § 1. How mans life maybe lost both passively and actively Page 43 § 2. How naturall life may be lost by meanes both internall and externall casuall and voluntary justly and unjustly Page 44 § 3. Of the meanes of the destruction of spirituall life by the justice of God and by the meanes of men and of mans subjection to death Page 45 § 4. Of murder in self-killing how the same is horrible and of foure things observable in it Page 47 § 5. How murder is vile in three respects Page 49 § 6. Of the originall of murder how it selfe is an act of impotency which we are to abhorre and how none can murder another without murdering themselves Page 51 Chap. 7. Of murder as it is of ones selfe § 1. Of the specificall nature of self-murder Page 53 § 2. Of the evill and greatnesse of the sin of self-murder Page 54 § 3. Of lawfull self-killing of our old-man of the kind of that killing and how it is done Page 54 § 4. Of diverse observations from the generall consideration of self-murder for informing of our judgement and directing of our practise Page 56 Chap. 8. Of spirituall self-murder in speciall § 1. That all perishing-soules are self-murdered and how soule-murder is self-murder Page 57 § 2. Spirituall self-murder defined what it is Page 58 § 3. Of soule-murder in two degrees by deprivation of life Page 58 § 4. Of mans deficiency to be saved in Adam and in our selves by a fourefold omission of doing our duties in use of meanes Page 59 § 5. Of mans neglect and contempt of the power of the meanes that he uses Page 60 § 6. Of mans defect in obedience both Evangelicall and Legall Page 61 § 7. Of the reasons of our defect of obedience which are foure Page 62 § 8. How and why grace dies by mans neglect Page 63 § 9. How the harme of omission of dutie is deprivation of life spirituall and of negative righteousnesse and how the punishment of damage is greater than that of smart Page 64 § 10. Of the endeavour after spirituall life wherein it consists and of the lets thereof Page 66 § 11. Of the second degree of spirituall self-murder which is in subjection to death by sinnes of commission Page 67 § 12. Of the meanes of mans destruction by breaking the Law of negative commands and of foure properties of soul-murdring sins Page 67 68. § 13. Of two causes of mens adventuring upon sinfull courses against the law Page 69 § 14. Of spirituall self-murder by sinning against the Gospell and how the obedience of the Gospell differs from the obedience of the Law in foure points Page 70 § 15. Of infidelity against the Gospell and of the causes and cure thereof Page 72 § 16. Of impenitency Page 72 § 17. Of the sin against the holy Ghost and things observable about it Page 73 § 18. Of finall Apostacy and of the difference of sinnes Page 75 § 19. Of the malignity of the sinnes against the Gospell above those that are committed against the Law for three reasons Page 76 § 20. The uses and improvement of the doctrine of spirituall self-murder Page 77 Chap. 9. Of bodily self-murder in speciall § 1. How bodily self-murder is defined and differenced from spirituall self-murder Page 80 § 2. Of mans body in a threefold consideration with its works and of the soules three sorts of morall works in the body and how the body suffers by and for the soule Page 81 § 3. Of the degrees of bodily self-murder and the pronenesse of man to it upon two causes which are removed by answers to both Page 83 Chap. 10. Of the kindes of bodily self-murder direct and indirect § 1. Direct and indirect self-murder are defined Page 84 § 2. Of the difference betweene direct and indirect self-murder in three things Page 85 § 3. How indirect self-murder is greater in two respects than direct Page 87 § 4. How direct self-murder is absolutely the greater in three respects Page 88 § 5. Of the degrees of sin and how to escape the greatest and its end Page 89 Chap. 11. Of indirect self-murder of the body § 1. The reasons why indirect self-murder is first treated of Page 90 § 2. How indirect self-murder is wrought two wayes by omission and commission Page 91 § 3. How indirect self-murder by omission is physically effected foure waies ibid. § 4. How indirect self-murder by omission is morally wrought two waies and that neglect of meanes of preservation is tempting of God and how Page 94 § 5. A question resolved about standers mute or those that refuse to answer legally and to submit to lawfull triall when they are arraigned at the barre for some capitall crime the reasons pro and contra with the conclusion that such mutes are indirect self-murderers Page 96 § 6. The resolution of the question concerning malefactors arraigned for capitall crimes wherof they know themselves guilty whether they ought in conscience to answer affirmatively or negatively to the question made to them at the Barre whether they be Guilty or Not Guilty the reasons on both sides with the conclusion for the negative that they may avoid indirect self-murmurder Page 100 § 7. Of indirect self-murder of commission by distemperature and needlesse mutilation of body or members whereupon death ensues Page 109 § 8. Of indirect self-murder of commission by unwarrantable practising of Physick or Chirurgery upon ones selfe thereby killed Page 111 § 9. Of indirect self-murder of commission by a mans unthriftinesse and prodigality
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
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
Coate let him have thy Cloake also and whosoever shall compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine a Mat. 5.38 39 40.41 For no man is so farre bound to contend for justice in his owne particular but that he may upon good reasons forbeare or dispense with his owne right whereby he incurres onely an evill of damage and not of sin 3. Of yeelding to suffer Thirdly this yeelding is not a making of the innocent sufferer to be guilty nor of the nocent wrong doer to be just or more obstinately to persist in his unjust courses no more than the not applying of medicines to the disease called No li me tangere doth foment it when the medling with it would inrage it and make it worse This course of yeelding to suffer wrongs makes way and place for passive obedience and for God the great and righteous Iudge of the world to do justice even upon the highest and to worke his owne glorious works with redresse of all such evills as neither by right nor might can bee by man reformed in which course of suffering wrong wee have the Martyrs for examples to follow §. 21. Touching the voluntary appearance of Felons at liberty upon baile to free their baile Third question Touching the voluntary appearing of Fellons to receive justice A third question reducible to this point is whether a man that for some capitall crime is under bond of his owne promise or upon some penall summe of money or upon bond of a friend for him of body for body for his personall appearing at the Assizes ought thereupon to appeare when he certainely foresees that there he shall be cast and die as put the case it be for battery or wounding of a man mortally who dies thereupon after such bond given Answer When they ought I answer if the bond for his appearance bee his owne promise hee ought in conscience to appeare because Gods Word and Law bindes us to keepe our promises if the same be not to doe sin although the same may bee damageable to us a Psal 15. but if so bee that his bond for appearance be a penall summe of money onely by sureties then all that a man hath he will give for his life so that in this case I see not that he is bound in conscience to appeare where he foresees his owne death when the Magistrate hath accepted a penall summe for fiduciary caution in stead of his personall imprisonment or other assurance for his appearance and so may shift himselfe for his safety to some place as a City of refuge to keep himselfe from the hands of the avenger of blood When againe they ought But if hee bee at liberty upon his friends bond of body for body for appearance then ought hee in conscience to appeare although hee certainely foresee that there hee shall die that he may free his friend by his meanès and for his sake so ingaged both in respect of the Law of friendship and in regard of the cause that is not his friends but his owne that by his meanes and for him an innocent man do not perish which were his grievous sinne §. 22. What a guilty person ought to do to free the innocent Fourth question Concerning an innocent mans suffering by misprision or error in stead of the nocent and what the guilty ought in that case to doe A fourth question that belongeth to this point may be this if a burglary or a murder be committed and an innocent man be attached arraigned found guilty and upon presumptions be condemned for it to die the true fellon not being knowne as it fell out where a certaine young man a Suiter to a Maid was taken cast and condemned to death and suffered for the murder and death of that maide with whom he was late in company after the rest of the family were in bed and she the next morning found murdered which fact was done by a Villaine that was hid about the house and not by the young man-suiter as the Fellon afterward confessed Whether is not the true actor of such a fact bound in conscience to discover himselfe and confesse that hee may save the life of an innocent that for his sinne he may not die Answer The nocent ought to discover himselfe I answer that hee is bound in conscience so to doe for otherwise he is guilty both by his fact and silence of the death of such an innocent man so suffering whom he might and ought to rescue now it is certaine that no man is to doe or omit that which by the doing or omission thereof either multiplies or aggravates his sin to his owne worse and eternall condemnation And how againe he is bound not to suffer other men to sinne either by rashnesse or malice in the witnesses or jurie when it is in his power to prevent it by true information as in this case he may yet I thinke he is to do it with as great circumspection for safety of his owne life as he can being sure that he leave not the truth undiscovered nor suffer the innocent to perish through his feare or neglect §. 23. About a mans voluntary revealing to the Magistrate his own secret capitall crimes Fift question A fift question hitherto belonging to bee resolved is if a man have committed a capitall crime as murder Polygamy or the like which was done so long agoe or so farre off or so secretly that none knowes or will accuse him thereof About secret capitall crimes and is so troubled in conscience about it that upon his private confession to Divines thereof and their counsell and consolations ministred to him he hath no rest nor comfort but in revenge upon himselfe is strongly tempted to destroy himselfe by his owne hands and cannot prevaile against his resolutions of doing it whether then is he to accuse himselfe of the crime and to put himselfe into the hands of Iustice to suffer for it Answer When and how the delinquent is to reveale his crimes that are capitall In this case I think such an one ought so to do both for the easing of his conscience that no otherwise can have rest that thereupon others may be affraid to venture upon sinne with presumption of secrecy when they shall see the force of conscience compelling men to blaze their owne crimes and shame And also for preventing of self-murder by submission to the sword of Iustice and to the mercy of the Magistrate who perhaps will hardly in such a case condemne a man upon his owne inditement and witnesse where there is no other that doth the same and when the act seemes to be unreasonable that any man should seeke his death where none accuseth and if he were in this case condemned it is most like that the supreme Magistrate would save such a one by pardon or replevin for the usefulnesse of his life in time to come for the sword
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
a Eccles 8.11 which takes away from them all remorse for their evill courses and all care of reformation to be better §. 34. Observations from indirect self-murder Vses The uses of the former doctrine about indirect self-murder are specially three 1. Men self-deceived First it serves for our instruction that we may see that many men are deceived in their self-pleasing courses whereby they promise to themselves much comfort and good but indeed reape death and destruction by their own meanes and procurements according to the Proverb There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the waies of death b Prov. 14 12. as is apparent by the course of our first parents Adam and Eve destroying themselves and us in them by following their own wits and wills without obedience to their Maker Causes of self-deceit The true causes of this deceit and errour of man in this point are foure 1. Vnbeliefe First unbeliefe of Gods threatnings while men trust to lying vanities upon groundlesse presumptions and erroneous carnall principles and misinformations and misconstructions willing to bee perswaded and to beleeve that which stands best with their liking and sinfull condition so corrupting their understanding to give a false verdict against the truth of God to their owne destruction 2. Self-conceit Secondly men are self-beguiled by self-conceit of the goodnesse of their unsound estates and by being taken up with contentment in the present seeming good of their self-pleasing sinfull courses for that they did never throughly see and apprehend the miserable badnesse of their owne wretched estates nor did truly see and taste the excellency and sweetnesse of a better 3. Prosperity of the wicked Thirdly men are here self-deceived by resting upon the present visible dealing of God with many as bad or worse than themselves whom they see still to prosper in their ill courses Because judgement is not speedily executed therefore their hearts are set to doe evill being perswaded that it shall bee as well with them as others of their owne ranke that they see flourish and doe well enough as they thinke 4. Shifting the blame Fourthly men deceive themselves by shifting off the blame of their ill course from themselves to other concurring or accessary causes of their evill wayes as Adam did to Eve as if they were freed by the temptations or partnership of others with them in evill But the condemnation of accessaries doth condemne and not cleare the principals Predestination is blamelesse But they that to cleare or encourage themselves in their naughty courses shift off the blame thereof to Gods Predestination are impudently impious by both making God the author of sin and also by traducing his justice for unjustly punishing them that by their owne verdict are blamelesse But God Predestinates no man to an end without respect of meanes whose use is within the compasse of a mans power and wherein he himselfe is a voluntary agent so that predestination offers no force to any mans will and therefore a man living in a sinfull course of his owne choosing and liking cannot blame God or his Predestination seeing that God both gives him sufficient meanes and invitation to come out of that sinfull state Observe Men self-binded So men that runne into evill courses are by their own meanes darkened in their judgements and doe wilfully put out their owne eyes of their understandings that they may fearelesly goe on to their own ruine in their owne wayes of destruction Who is so blinde as he that will not see Deceived Many mens estates are found by themselves in the end to be farre worse and more desperate than they expected and this also many come not to see untill it is too late and past all hope of amendment or recovery which by carefulnesse and good heed taking in time might have been prevented Vse 2. Consideration of our courses The second use is for admonition that wee doe well consider our courses what they be and whither they tend that we may not dare to venture upon that which may make us accessary to our owne destruction It is dishonourable and uncomfortable for a man to suffer by his owne deservings or procurement And therefore we are to observe how the Apostle Peter advises us That none of us doe suffer as an evill doer 1 Pet 4 15. Repent and reforme If we be entred upon an unwarrantable course then are we to breake off and to make hast to returne by true repentance and to walk in the way that leades to life And therefore I conclude with the Prophet Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die ô house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turne your selves and live yee Ezek. 18.31 32. That we may doe so we must beware of self-conceitednesse and obstinacy in our owne self-will'd wayes and be carefull to listen to good counsell and advertisement and to consider the latter end and not the present contentment and faining flattery of evill courses Vse 3. Men sin against themselves The third use is an intimation to shew unto those that doe desperately or carelesly venture upon courses tending to their owne self-destruction that they are not only guilty of sinnes against God and their Neighbours immediately but even also against themselves in self-murder a crime of the vilest nature for which they shall be arraigned before God and suffer their owne wrongs being revenged upon themselves and their own unjust and unnaturall suffering at their owne hands being punished upon themselves by the hand of God Observe 1. Ill courses are most harmfull to the doers of them Where it is observable that man being both the wrong-doer and wrong-sufferer in the same act by himselfe doth justly suffer by the hand of God for wronging his creature and for breaking his Law in mans self-respect and usage of himselfe The consideration of which terrible end of such courses redounding to the destruction of the doers should affright men from them Observe 2. Where it is also remarkable that a man cannot wrong God or others but by ruinating himselfe therewithall and so all ill courses doe prove a punishment to the doers of them and therefore if there were any true love in such persons to themselves they would abandon all such courses as tend to the ruine and perdition of the entertainers or proceeders in the same CHAP. 12. Of direct bodily self-murder §. 1. What it is Now it followes that we treate of direct self-murder and first shew what it is Direct bodily self-murder is an advised witting and willing intention and effectuall endeavour of a man by his owne hands or meanes to take away or destroy his owne life whereby he doth indeed kill himselfe In which
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
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
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
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
Page 311 Prevention of sinne occasioning self-murder Page 237 Prevention of error Page 199 Pride cause of self-murder Page 215. 226 Prodigality cause of self-murder Page 111 Professors How in professors gross sins are most offensive Page 178 Promises Gods promises cherish spirituall life Page 41 Properties of self-murdring sins Page 68 Prosperity of the wicked ground of self-deceit Page 156 Proud ambitious persons in danger of self-murder Page 255 Providence Gods providence how wronged by self-murder Page 268 Punishment of damage is worse than of smart Page 65 Purchase Of desperate purchase Page 112 Pusillanimity the cause of self murder in affliction Page 227 Q Questions Sixe questions resolved Page 133 135 136 137 138. R Reason Man by meanes of his reason suffers 164. Man wanting the use of reason no self-murderer Page 172 Reason abused to self-murder Page 189 Reason condemnes self-murder Page 273 Regardlesness Of regardlesness Page 260 Regenerated The regenerated preserved from self-murder Page 291 Religion For religion to adventure life 143. The defence of religion 144 Self-murder is contrary to religion 262. Religion requires the observation of the Law of nature Page 269 Repent To repent Page 157 Repentance True repentance self-murderers have not 296. 306. The use of it against self-murder Page 312 Reskue Of desperate reskue Page 112 Restraint Of forcible restraint of self-murderers Page 325 Resolution a help to obedience Page 128 What resolution is hardly altered Page 188 Resolutions of self-killing injected by Satan Page 246 Revealing Of revealing a mans own capitall faults Page 137 Revenge good and bad Page 232 Rules for understanding the Scripture Page 199 S Salvation In state of salvation none can be properly a self-murderer Page 292 Sampson proved no self-murderer Page 303 Sanctification How sanctification is wrought in us by the holy Spirit 32. 35. the degrees of it ibid. Satan To give any way to Satan is dangerous 188. Of his powerfull motions in the mind Page 247 Saved No man is saved for fulfilling the will of Gods decree Page 205 Saving For saving of soules to adventure life Page 141 Scripture mis-understood perverts judgement 195. the causes of mis-understanding of it Page 196. Abused Scripture harmefull Page 198 How rightly to understand it Page 199 It is apparent by the Scripture that men murder themselves Page 176 Sea-fight Of a sea-fight Page 138 Secrecie The reason of affectation of secrecy about self-murder Page 211 Secret When a man is to reveale his secret capitall crimes to the Magistrate Page 137 Seeming-good is cause of disobedience Page 70 Selfe Mans selfe is subject to self-murder 159. How self should behave himselfe to self Page 171 Self-blinded How man is self-blinded Page 155 Self-conceit a ground of self-deceit Page 156 Not to be self-conceited Page 210 Self-content in indirect self-murder Page 155 Self-deceived and causes of self-deceit Page 156 Self-deniall is cure of pride Page 227 Self-killing To self-killing who are most subject Page 236 Self-killing is no lawfull meanes to prevent sin Page 240 Self-killers What self-killers be not self-murderers Page 172. 290 Self-murder described what it is 2 How known by life 2. it is horrible comprehends in it murder 47. the degrees of it why slighted Page 83 Of bodily self-murder the kinds 84 defined and differenced Page 85 How self-murder is horrible and great 162. It falls our in the Church and is most blameable in Christians Page 176. 180. The meanes and way of self-murder 183. Motives of it 189 how it is heresie 233. it is proved unlawfull Page 262 How self-murder extends to the soule to hurt it 288. it is a transcendent sin and how 295. 302. It is equivalent to the sin against the holy Ghost Page 301 Self-murders antidotes 311. and how best prevented Page 323 Self-murderers many 124 how known by Scripture history and experience 178. 181. their follie 186. their secrecy 187. they are deceived 229 their goods confiscate 278. how they sin most grievously 286. they are Atheists 278. they regard not their soules 288. they are all damned 291. they want faith and true repentance 296. they are debarred from Christian buriall and why 287. their antecedent prayer and repentance is vaine and they cannot be at peace with God Page 306 Service Our service must be done before we receive our reward Page 245 Shame Of shame causing self-murder the kinds of shame Page 221 Shortnesse of life a motive to spend it well Page 19 Similies By similies self-murder condemned Page 279 Sins of commission against negative coÌ„mandements subjects to death 67 Of sins against the Gospell 70. 77. sin costs deare 77. men sin against themselves 158. how to prevent sin men murder themselves 237. sinne blinds 208. men sinning think they sin not 203. the worst sins are committed against Gods goodnesse 268 Some sins beyond Law and mercy Page 294 Sinning is a course of self-murder Page 77 Sinking or burning a ship in fight Page 138 Society with persons destinate to destruction Page 118 Solitarinesse of self-murderers Page 259 Soule The soules double act in man 7 its works in the body Page 81 The soules relation to its owne body Page 270 Soule-murder how it is self-murder 57 the degrees of it Page 58 Soule-murdering sins Page 68 Souldiers About souldiers Page 112. 127 Speeches Manner of speeches of self-murderers Page 260 Spend How to spend our lives well Page 18 Spirit Of the Spirits operation quickning us 29. how it manifests its power in the meanes 32. the evidences of its work 34. the degrees of its working 35. its worke in us about obedience 36. how it is a meanes in us to know the Scripture Page 200 Spirituall life what it is 21. the acts of it ibid. degrees of it 22. who may have it and how it is lost 24 the nature and excellency of it 26. the continuance and effects of it ibid. how to obtain it 8. 66. the signes of it 37 how preserved 39. and to be preferred 39. ibid. how it is destroyed Page 45 Spirituall-self-murder defined and differenced 58. how done by omission 59. by commission â—7 by sinning against the Gospell 70. by sinning against the Law 68. spirituall self-murder most damnable Page 78 Strictness in religious observances Page 234 Superiours For â—uperiors men should choose to die 29 Of their displeasure to be appeased and how Page 133 T Teachers False Teachers cause of mis-understanding the Scriptures Page 196 Temper of people Satan observes to tempt them Page 248 Our own tempers we should know Page 255 Temptations People under spirituall temptations are in danger of self-murder Page 254 Temptations of self-murder to be withstood Page 313 Thoughts Mans thoughts heavenly a signe of spirituall life Page 38 Our thoughts to bee rightly ordered Page 315 Torments inflicted occasion of self-murder Page 212 Transgression How transgression of Gods Law kills Page 122 Trouble of conscience and grounds thereof Page 218 Truth to be confessed 145. it is blamelesse 177. we should know and obey it