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
sometime yet the corruption and practise thereof he loves and entertaines which is sweet in his mouth and which hee hides under his tongue as Zophar saies b Iob. 20.12 as upon persevering in well doing attends eternall life so unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey and continue in unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath is their portion and tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule of man that doth evill Rom. 2.6 7 8 9.10 §. 13. Of the causes of mens adventure upon sinfull courses Reasons of mens so living The reasons why men do so desperatly venture upon such deadly courses and continue in them to the destruction of their owne soules are specially two 1. Seeming good First because the same seemes good to them in regard of the blindenesse of their minds a 2 Pet. 1.9 that cannot truly discerne things that differ and in regard of their unregenerated affections which do sympathize and comply best with such courses and because they are self-deceived by a seeming goodnesse of profit or present pleasure in them which they preferre before true morall goodnesse and therewithall do rest and content themselves in the ignorance and want of better comforts but a wise man will beware of self-deceit by trusting to his owne opinion or sense considering that there is a way that seemeth right to a man but the end thereof are the waies of death Prov. 14.12 2. Want of faith The second cause of mans boldnesse in adventuring to run an unlawfull course with the perill of the damnation of his soule is want of true faith to beleeve the threatnings of God in his word against the same or at the least they suppose that the judgments will not be so bad and intolerable as is given out or they hope they shall escpe them or they comfort themselves with conceit of their fellowes company and doe imagine God to be all mercy and no justice the reason hereof is both their not discerning nor regarding of the spirituall judgments of God upon them which are the greatest and worst and such as they see not sensibly and also because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill Eccles 8.11 the flourishing of men in their owne ill condition hardens them and staggers the godly b Psal 73.12 13. §. 14. Of spirituall self-murder by sinning against the Gospell The second kind of sinnes of commission are against the Gospell The second kind of soul-killing courses are sinnes committed against the Gospell which is the only remedy given for transgressors of the Law that when they are condemned for their disobedience to the Law they may be saved by their obedience to the Gospell without which they cannot but perish This Evangelicall obedience differs from legall obedience in foure points 1. Obedience of the Gospell differs from obedience of the Law Done by Christs power First whereas legall obedience is originally required to be done by a mans owne power and strength Evangelicall obedience is to be done by us through the power of Christ and his Spirit working in us and by us inabling us above the power of nature 2. Acceptable with infirmity Secondly no obedience of the Law is acceptable to God from those doing it as under the Law for justification by their workes except the doers thereof be pure from inherent corruption and doe their actions in their highest degree of morall perfection without any defect therein but for the obedience of the Gospell it is accepted by God from the hands of sinfull men as perfect if it be in truth and sincerity although accompanied with many involuntary defects in our beleeving and repenting 3. It includes legall obedience Thirdly perfect legall obedience yea any obedience of the Law as legall whose performance respects justification excludes Evangelicall obedience with which in that sense it cannot consist seeing justification both by workes and faith both by the Law and Gospell are incompatible as the Apostle proves Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 But Evangelicall obedience includes legall obedience as inferiour and subordinate to it for there is an Evangelicall use of the Law under the Gospell both for preparation to the beleeving of it and also for sanctification of life ordered thereby by assistance of power from Christ for manifestation of the truth of Gods grace in us to the workes whereof although imperfect a reward is due 4. It respects salvation by another Fourthly the obedience of the Law by it selfe considered respects salvation by way of morall works in our selves but the Gospell respects the same by way of application of merit from another to witt from Iesus Christ the Law cannot cure nor excuse the transgressions committed against the Gospell but the Gospell can heale and deliver us from the sinnes and judgements of the Law whatsoever they have beene and therefore it is that the transgressors against the Gospell are in farre more danger of destruction therby than by their sins against the Law §. 15. Of Infidelity Sins against the Gospell Of these soul-killing transgressions against the Gospell there are foure branches 1. Infidelity First positive unbeliefe or infidelity when a man will not beeleve savingly in Christ to have him to bee both his Saviour and Lord neither beleeves truly the Gospell in its full latitude and contents although litterally hee knowes the same but holds and beleeves deceitfull errors defending the same and applauding himselfe therein and therefore seeing that now there is no salvation but by true faith in Christ those that will not so beleeve according to the Gospell must needs perish a Iob. 3.18 1. Causes of infidelity The chiefe causes of this infidelity are First an innated habit to beleeve error before the truth 2. Secondly our carnall reason deceitfull fancies and humane presumptions upon false principles overswaying our faith contrary to the word of God whereby men turne aside to their owne crooked wayes and perish as it were in the gainsaying of Corah b Psal 125.5 Cure For prevention of this infidelity I conclude with the Apostle take heed brethren lest there bee in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God c Heb. 3.12 §. 16. Of Impenitency 2. Impenitency The second kind of sinnes against the Gospell whereby men kill their owne soules is finall impenitency when they neither care nor indeavour to repent for their sins past nor to reforme their lives for time to come but goe on in their sinnes out of love or carelesnesse of them remorse for sinnes in respect of the punishment of them is not true repentance if it bee not specially for the offence of God by them and if a man bee sorrowfull for some grosse sinnes committed by him and doe restraine his practise therefrom it is not sound repentance
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
most violent and indivertible that are led by it because it moves with nature and not against it and hath will in men more propense that way which by griefe is rather forced than seconded §. 4. How absolutly direct self-murder is the greatest Direct self-murder is the greater sinne and why Notwithstanding Direct self-murder is the farre more grievous sin in three respects 1. End intended First in respect of the direct intention of the will and of its immediate object of murder of a mans selfe whereby it partakes more properly and fully of the nature of self-murder than indirect self-murder doth For what is under a common Genus or generall directly partakes more of the nature of that Genus than that which is under it but by reduction or indirectly So then although direct and indirect self-murder be both self-murder Etiamsiaequè non tamen aequaliter yet they are not equall self-murder but the former is the greater 2. The consequences of their acts Secondly for the consequences of the acts of them both direct self-murder brings more certaine and sudden inevitable destruction than indirect which in this latter may better be prevented by having time of repentance than it can be in the former and death in this is an accidentall effect besides the intention of the agent and nature of the meanes which in the former is perse and of the nature of the action so purposely ordered to that end 3. Company of other sinnes Thirdly direct self-murder hath more and greater sinnes complicated in it than indirect hath both by extension in kindes and number against God others and our selves and also for intension in degrees by reason of circumstances of the party doing the same against the light and reluctancie of nature with direct intention to kill himselfe §. 5. Of the degrees of sinne and how to escape the greatest and its end Vses The uses of this doctrine of the distinction of self-murder into direct and indirect and of the differences betweene them are specially two 1. Degrees of sin First to teach us that there are differences and degrees in the same kindes of sinnes some being more grievous than other some So that although we be not guilty of sinne in the same degree yet we may be in the same kinde as appeares by the Iewes convicted in their consciences of uncleannesse although they were not taken in the act as the Woman was Iohn 8.9 How to escape great sins And therefore to escape falling into the highest degrees of sinne wee should be carefull to avoide and to be free of the same generall kindes of sinne both as they are unformed and confused in originall corruption as in their seminall Chaos and also as they are formed in their distinct habits so improperly called because after the manner of habits they either are in the place of true habits or unite themselves in and with them that they may both brooke one common name and so we should labour to be cleare of sinne both habitually and actually Observe Wee should not bee conceited and blesse our selves so much because we are not fallen into the fowlest degrees of sinne as we should be humble and penitently confesse our guiltinesse in the kindes thereof the difference herein being betweene us and others but in magis and minus in greater and lesser where the least degree makes way and disposes us for the greatest and makes us liable to the same kinde of punishment although not to the same measure of it The same end severall vvaies attained The second use serves to instruct us that men doe come to the same dismall ends as Saul and others did by severall courses being guilty of their owne deaths in diverse manners as men may come into the same prison at and by severall doores Comparison For although a man can draw a right or straight line betwixt the same points but one way yet he may draw crooked lines many waies and they all be terminated in the same points Therefore as a man would beware of any evill end so should he shunne all the courses that may lead or bring him to it For it is no benefit to a man in misery to consider how and by what sinfull course hee came thither so long as he is in that woefull state Wee see many men come and end their daies together upon the same Gallowes but by severall courses and differing crimes some for pettie treason some for wilfull murder some for burglary some for pettie larceny and yet to him that is hanged for the lesser offence it is small ease and comfort because he suffers not for a greater so long as it is for any that he dies CHAP. II. Of Indirect self-murder of the body §. 1. Why Indirect self-murder is first treated of Indirect self-murder is handled first ALthough that by logicall method I should treat first of Direct self-murder because that which is directly under a Genus or generall head should bee handled before that which is but indirectly under it for the neerenesse thereof unto the same and for the light that it may afford for the better understanding of the other yet for all that I will heere begin with indirect self-murder for three causes Reasons 1. Imitation of nature First because I will herein imitate nature which proceeds frō things lesse perfect tothings more perfect because perfectiō is her ultimate end Indirect self-murder is lesse perfect self-murder than direct self-murder because the Genus of self-murder agrees more properly and primarily to direct self-murder than to indirect 2. Precedency in execution Secondly indirect self-murder is ordinarily both the way and the cause of direct self-murder and therefore may be fitly treated of first the rather because direct self-murder never goeth before indirect but this goeth often before and without that 3. End intended Thirdly because my intention is to insist specially upon direct self-murder and by meanes of it onely doe I speake of indirect self-murder therefore I purpose first to dispatch it as an accessary to the other which I principally intend as my last end in this treatise therewithall to conclude the same §. 2. Of Indirect self-murder by omission How indirect self-murder is performed Having shewed what indirect self-murder is and how it is differenced from direct self-murder I will now declare how men doe fall into the same which is done two waies First by omission Secondly by commission 1. By omission By omission a man may indirectly murder himselfe being the deficient cause of the preservation of his life two waies either in a physicall naturall manner or in a morall meritorious course §. 3. Of indirect self-murder by omission physically wrought Wayes how 1. Physically diverse waies First physically and after a naturall manner a man may indirectly murder himselfe divers waies as 1. Neglect of food First a man may indirectly murder himselfe by
we use them not to that end we tempt God to follow our owne wills while we will not follow his and if we use the meanes with trusting in them then we make gods of the meanes and therefore in that respect it is just with God to disappoint us of our expectation and to condemne us of indirect self-murder upon our miscarying in not using the meanes For all meanes as they are meanes have relation to the end why and whereunto they are appointed and so in their use to that end consists their perfection without which they were uselesse and needlesse and therefore by the omission of the use of the meanes of life which men would enjoy they either tempt God to doe things otherwise than he hath ordained or else they doe shew themselves regardlesse of God preferring their owne wills above his expecting to have their owne purposes without him whereby many men deceive themselves §. 5. A question resolved about standers mute at tryall About mutes refusing to undergoe the ordinary legall triall for their lives To this branch of indirect self-murder by omission belongs the case about mutes who are persons standing legally indited and arraigned for some capitall crimes that doe wilfully and obstinately decline and refuse either to confesse themselves guilty of the same or to submit themselves to be tryed by God and the Country notwithstanding that they certainly know that for their stubborne mutenesse they shall in fearefull manner bee pressed to death in which respect they are indirect self-murderers although that they are thereunto moved especially by foure seeming reasons Their reasons 1. First because that by that way they would save their estates if they have any from being confiscate to the King that their heires may enjoy the same 2. Secondly that so they may escape the death that is most ignominious in their eyes and infamous in the world to their memories friends and posterities whereunto they foresee they should be subject if so be they should undergoe an ordinary tryall 3. Thirdly that it may not be said that they suffered and dyed for so odious and shamefull crimes and facts as they are accused of and indited for 4. Fourthly that they may not be cast condemned or suffer by the meanes wills and hands of such prosecutors witnesses Iury or Indges as they take to be their capitall enemies they choose to die by that course of their owne election wherein their adversaries can least as they thinke have their will of them They should die and why But whatever be their reasons of standing mute in that case it is most just that therefore they should bee put to death in most terrible and ignominious manner for two reasons 1. First because of the intollerable wrong that thereby they doe to authority and justice tending to the overthrow of the same by refusing to subject their lives to the triall and judgement thereof and by their deaths as it may be truly interpreted depriving their highest Soveraignes on earth both of the commendation of Iust and also of opportunity of shewing mercy and giving pardon to delinquents and so not submitting to the judicature they actually declare themselves to be rebellious outlawes for which they are justly to die 2. Secondly be cause such persons by declining so just a way of trial by God and their Peeres doe in iust construction declare themselves to bee guilty of the facts and crimes whereof they are indited and for which they ought to die but seeke to crosse the law in the proper kindes of punishment due for the same And that they are guilty of their owne deaths by a grosse course of indirect self-murder is evident by foure reasons Mutes are self-murderers Reasons 1. First because such an one wilfully and obstinately reiects that lawfull and ordinary course of triall whereby it is possible that he might escape with his life either by not being found guilty or else by replevin or pardon from the execution and chooses that illegall course of standing mute whereby and for which hee certainly knowes he shall die and as certaine it is that so dying he is an indirect self-murderer in regard that he casts away his life wilfully by that course which was in his owne power most lawfully to have avoyded 2. Secondly by choise of that course of standing mute when he is called to a lawfull tryall he dies not only for that contumacy against authority and law but also thereby he unnaturally witnesses and gives verdict against himselfe to be guilty of the originall fact or crime for which he is indited and ought to die if it can bee proved and found against him which thing hee by his mutenesse doing in that respect hee justly perishes by his owne meanes and is indirectly a self murderer for no innocent would decline so just and lawfull a tryall by God and his Peeres when he knowes that by so refusing hee shall surely die 3. Thirdly it is apparent that such a body is indirectly a self-murderer because of the morall nature of their course of standing mute which is most wicked and unlawfull both by Gods law and mans For by the law of God and nature every man is bound to plead and doe the best he can by all lawfull meanes to prolong or preserve his life but standers mute in case of triall upon their lives doe not so but utterly neglect the use of lawfull meanes to prolong or save their lives and therefore are of this kinde of self-murderers By mans law for a person arraigned to stand mute is most unlawfull because it crosses the execution of Justice and is justly punished by a most terrible kinde of death by pressing Man hath not an allowed choise given him by law either to submit to triall or to be mute as he shall please for if the choise were lawfull why then should hee bee punished for doing that which hee may lawfully choose which could not be done by the magistrate without great injustice 4. Fourthly that such mutes are indirect self-murderers is evident by the voluntary disposition of their wills in the free choise of that mortall course and by the proper nature of their death and by the meritorious cause and reason of it all proceeding from themselves in active manner Whereas touching their deaths and course of inflicting thereof they should passively and obediently submit to God and lawfull authority to live or die as they please where no lawfull choise is given in mortall courses there no man can choose that which is unlawfull without being an indirect self-murderer as it is in this case Answer to their motives The motives whereupon any persons doe stand mute refusing to be tryed in an ordinary lawfull manner are altogether insufficient to justifie their practise For answer to the first it is certaine that we should do nothing that is unlawfull to save our worldly estates for our heires but this course is
Case 4. The fourth Case is of those that trade by Sea who often runne into mortall and desperate adventures out of eagernesse to make their voyages either putting to Sea in such weather and seasons as is like to endanger all or putting for the Port upon desperate hazards of miscarying by stormes sands or rocks or running presumptuously into the danger of Pyrates or other mortall ingagement by Sea either through wilfull negligence or through self confidence of skill or power more than they have so tempting God Observe The true occasion of which miscariages of men by Sea is often given by Merchants upon the Land who praise and respect men for fortunate and valiant according to the successe careat successibus opto Quisquisab eventu facta probanda putat and the event of their courses without respect to the due rules of the managing the same which makes many a man come short home by adventuring to please their Merchants contrary to the rules of art and wisdome Note In this case I would advise men rather to looke to do what they may warrantably justifie and may therein have peace in their consciences although the successe answer not their desire than to endeavour contrary to wisdome and art to please their owners and Merchants by such courses of desperate and unwarrantable adventures as if they or their charge miscary therein will over-cloud them with just blame ignominie and will bereave them of that comfort in their consciences which should cheere and uphold them under their crosses a course of accidentall good successe and a course of direct ill successe are not so to be compared together that for the former a man should venture upon the latter with the guilt of self-murder to be imputed to him if therein he doe perish Concerning Duells Case 5. The fifth Case of desperate adventure is of those that undertake Duells or doe give or accept challenges of single combats upon their owne private motion for private revenge or for supposed maintenance of impeached honour who if they perish in the attempt or by meanes of the conslict are guilty of more than indirect self-murder because that course so unwarrantably and needlefly undertaken is commonly where the wronged may have better redresse with lesse adventure of life Duellers what they b. and those Duellers or single combattants doe by such challenges shew themselves to be lawlesse contemners of authority whose allowance they have not as they ought for such a triall by battle to make the same just but by usurpation they make themselves Kings in contempt and prejudice of lawfull authority in erecting a tribunall for Iustice of their owne making in their own case where themselves alone are Parties Iurie Witnesse Iudge and Sheriffe whereas it is the prerogative of Kings to make warre and peace and independently to execute justice under God It also argueth in them both great folly and impotency of minde so lightly to adventure or give away their lives a price so far exceeding the worth of the purchase that they contend for and which they may have decided farre better without any such desperate danger and also it proclaimes their pusillanimity and weaknesse in that they cannot beare crosses and injuries And finally it makes their cause apparently unjust when they passe by or neglect a peaceable triall by equall justice and reason and doe put it to be decided by bodily strength and chance of warre in a course more beseeming beasts than men It seemes that such men doe account themselves and their lives little worth and that they are weary of living who so rashly expose the same by thrasonicall provocations and darings to be taken away and destroyed in such a manner wherein having abandoned the command of reason they become beasts and becomming slaves to their vilest passions of fury madnesse cruelty and the like whereby they are overcome who would in that course overcome others Duellers degenerate into incarnate devills And while they thus contend to gain or maintaine reputation of Honour and Valour by this most dishonourable and base brutish course of impetuous self-revenge by Duells they justly lose that for which they contend and otherwise might have had Concerning desperate attempts upon daring and wagering Case 6. The sixt case of desperate hazzard and adventure whereby men may indirectly be self-murderers 1. About daring is in the point of provocation by others for proofe of their courage and valour challenging them to dare to attempt the effecting of some deadly enterprise beyond all warrantable calling or lawfull meanes safely and lawfully to accomplish the same as for a man needlesly to conflict with a Lyon to run over rocks to provoke or assault Adversaries too potent for him to resist or offend with safety of his life or upon such daring to doe some capitall act or mischiefe whereby he is most like to perish and not thereby without just imputation to himselfe of guiltinesse of his owne death in regard of the unlawfulnesse of that his course wherein hee cannot warrantably looke for any blessing or protection from God neither doe such unjustifiable daring-practises argue any true fortitude and valour but onely bewraie temerarious audaciousnesse which is in excesse contrary to fortitude because true valour is seene in couragiously undertaking and accomplishing dangerous performances upon advised reason by lawfull courses to just and necessary ends but rash audaciousnesse in daring to doe unwarrantable attempts is manifest by the unreasonablenesse and unnecessarinesse thereof undertaken upon unadvised passion and foole-hardy presumption with arrogancy in the manner of accomplishing and folly in the end of it A truly valorous man manifests his fortitude by his unconquerablenesse upon any provocation of darring to doe any thing that is not fit and warrantable for him to undertake upon good grounds and reason that if he bee crossed or perish in atchieving it hee may have honour and peace and no way be guilty of his owne death So that although daring audaciousnesse exceeds true fortitude in unwarrantably adventuring beyond it yet it comes short of valorous fortitude in the grounds and manner of enterprising and of consequent effects and honour of it A valorous man is his owne master in disposing of himselfe and his actions about dangerous enterprises according to his owne minde sound reason and advised resolution Whereas an audacious man is but as a servant to others by whose will and daring provocations he orders himself and his actions as they list at their pleasure and for their service that he must needs doe whatsoever desperate attempts they will dare him to doe even to the perill of the losse of his life without any lawfull reason and calling 2. Wagering To this case also belongs desperate undertakings with danger of life upon wagers as for a man either upon a naked contract for a certaine summe or upon assumpsit of ten for one or the like to be paid to him when he
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.
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
so great as is sinne in respect both of the nature thereof whereby it is most contrary to God who is the greatest and chiefest good and also in regard of the merits and effects thereof procuring and imbittering all evill to those that sin For of evill properly comes nothing but evill as of nought and nought comes nothing but nought the effect cannot exceed in goodnesse the nature and vertue of its cause §. 2. Of motives in generall to self-murder there can be none warrantably sufficient Externall motives to self-murder Neither is there indeed any externall motive sufficient of it selfe to induce and perswade a man to kill himself by any true reason that can be in or from the motive to doe such an act without respect of a conceit of good ensuing upon the act of self murder to the self-murderer But in regard that these motives worke not upon all to doe that act of self-murder it is from the disposition and qualities of the persons that are therewith affected and wrought upon to doe the same and not properly from the motives themselves for then all men by the same motives should doe the same act of self-murder Divers The motives are divers that doe diversly move divers persons to kill themselves for all self-murderers do not kill themselves upon the same occasions some are not affected with one motive that are affected with another to doe that fact Arguments how weak and strong For arguments are weake or strong to severall persons as they are of deep or shallow judgement or as they stand differently affected and possessed with prejudices sutable to their humours designes and ends Whereby to some weake arguments are strong and strong are weake and by few are they apprehended according to their due worth which is the cause of much unreconcileable opposition and division in the world and of the building of weighty conclusions upon weake premises and foundations and of indivertible resolutions and practises founded more upon passionate wilfulnesse than upon judicious reasons Comparison as we see about the objects of bodily sight the which is represented and conceived by us to be according to the disposition of the medium or meane and of the organ or eye whereby wee see them Note Which shewes how needfull it is for matter of reason and judgement that wee looke upon the same as it is without all distemperature and prejudices in our mindes §. 3. Concerning perverted Iudgement by Laws and Custome These externall motives of self-murder I will for memory and method reduce into eight rankes The first motive to self-murder is error of judgement The first whereof is errour of judgement when men thinke and beleeve upon deceitfull grounds that they ought or may lawfully kill themselves either absolutely when they list or in some cases when they see it requisite in regard of some circumstances Grounds of it The unsound grounds of this perverted judgement are foure 1. Lawes and Customes First Lawes and Customes in some places seeming to require and warrant people in some cases to kill themselves As among the Heathens and Indians In India where by custome or law servants and wives in testimony of love to their Masters and Husbands were wont to cast themselves into the fire to bee burnt with the corps of their dead masters and husbands but the true cause of that Law was to restraine the frequent poysoning of masters and husbands by their servants and wives and that law and custome was practised to avoide suspition and ignominie that they lived in if they did not so kill themselves Plutarch reports of the Virgins of Lemnos In Lemnos that customarily they hanged themselves upon no other knowne cause but custome and from that vile practise could not be restrained untill the same was punished by drawing of their bodies naked through the streets after that they were dead by sensible ignominie reforming a bad and odious custome Also among the Turkes In Turkie servants in testimony of their obedience at their living masters command doe throw themselves over rocks or into rivers or the like as Baldwin a Lib. 3. cap. 4. Cas 13. circa melancholicos the Casuist reports but it is most like that they doe it to prevent a greater misery if they should disobey But they that did so were thought to doe well and were therefore commended and the parties themselves did verily thinke that either they did but their duties or that which was best for them to doe which if they did not then were they evill thought of and evill intreated The prevailing of lawes and customes against nature Thus farre doe law and custome prevaile against the light of nature among the Heathen because they knew no higher rule to examine and try their lawes by and therefore submit to humane ordinances absolutely bee they good or bad Custome which is another nature maketh it familiar and to seeme lawfull and commendable in the judgement of sense that in the judgement of right reason is most abominable Custome is a tyrant captivating both judement and practise to her lore because what by generall practise seemes to have the approbation of all is deemed best and most reasonable for peaceable conformity both in opinion and practise from which to be singular is odious The judgement of the learned hath the force of a Law That also which in this case obtains the force of a law is the judgement of the learned the practise of persons in esteem commended by posterity for the same As among the Philosophers the Stoicks did in some cases both direct commend and practise self-murder which historians and Poets magnifie in their high praises of Lucretia Cato and others for the same The high esteeme of the persons of men of that opinion and of the practisers of that act and ambition of like praises for the like thing hath forcibly driven many men contrary to their owne minde to cast themselves away upon this infernall rock The error of this ground The deceitfulnesse of this ground is that it is meerely humane against divinity and that more is attributed to it and built upon it than it can beare It is contrary to religion and reason For all lawes customes opinions and practises of men are to be regulated and ordered by sound reason according to Gods word and are subordinate to the same and thereby to be tryed and examined Note So that no law or custome no opinions or practise of any men is to be imbraced and obeyed when the same is manifestly impious or against Gods Law and right reason As we see by the practise of the Apostles Acts 4.19 For that in such cases in conforming to man we cannot be excused before God for transgressing his will An inferiour hath no power over the right of his superiour to dispense therewith Observe to examine In judgement of discretion therefore customes laws
beare the burdens of the weaker Satan hinders confession The devill labours to keep men in these temptations of self-murder from disclosing the same as hath beene shewed that so the same by concealement prevailing against them they may in the end certainly perish His motives 1. Feare of shame The motives he uses to effect it are first feare of shame and disgrace with men if they should know it which such persons cannot endure as they suppose it is certaine that the more vile and unreasonable that any opinion and practice is the more loath and ashamed are men to discover the same in regard of shame and punishment But if it be a disgrace and shame to be knowne to be tainted with such temptations how much more shamefull is it willingly to harbour them and to bee overcome by them to kill themselves Note When upon confession such afflicted persons shall understand from others that such temptations are incident to many that are godly the shame of the same will vanish not only by knowledge of the commonnesse of them but specially because in such temptations men are rather sufferers than agents which is manifest by our sorrowfull confessing of them and striving against them 2. Self-murderers desire to have their will The second motive that Satan useth to make men to conceale these temptations is that the tempted may have their will to accomplish their designes in killing themselves without interruption or hinderance there is nothing that a man so affects as not to be orossed in his will and by that it is that the devill prevailes our care therefore should be to have our wils subordinate to Gods and freed out of the power of the devill and that we be not self-willed to prosecute an ill course 3. Suspicion of all men that he dates not trust them The third motive whereby Satan works upon a man under these temptations to conceale them is misprision and suspicion of all men that he knowes none that hee dares trust or trouble so farre or that is able to doe him any good conceiting that they are not so trusty nor well offected to him nor so humbly compassionate towards him nor sufficient to help him and therefore hee will not communicate his griefe to them Observe From whence we may observe that as a man growes into inimicall and unnaturall resolutions against himselfe so he growes into strangenesse and alienation in heart and conversation from all mankinde Self-murderers grow strange to men The more indisposed that any under self-murdering temptations is to discover his estate by confession to others and the longer that hee deferres it by concealement the more dangerous is his estate and the more incurable therefore men in that case should shake off that loathnesse and against all these obstacles use confession the meanes appointed of God in such difficulties and distresse for certaine help §. 3. Of the meanes to be used with others against temptations to self-murder The second kinde of Antidotes are with others The second sort of Antidotes and meanes to be used for prevention of self-murder is the course that they that labour under such temptations are to take jointly with others which is either privatly with a few or publickly with the Church 1. With a few To advise and pray First with a few to whom by confession such a partie so afflicted hath discovered his estate as hath been said he is both to advise by conference for setling his judgement resolving and comforting his conscience and for right ordering of his practise and also to use fasting and prayer together with such friends in private whereby he may get power from God to overcome the temptation and to be freed from danger of the fact For we have a promise that where there are two or three assembled together in Christs name there he will be in the midst of them and will grant them whatsoever they shall aske in his name a Mat. 18.19 20. Note The care of friends to the tempted The care of private friends so farre interessed by confession in this case should be not only to advise and pray for those that are under these temptations in company with them but also to pray for them by themselves and towards such they should shew themselves pitifull and compassionate about their estate such persons distemper is better allayed palpando quam pulsando by gentlenesse than by rigour they should often deale with them and question them about their successe against their temptations for what cannot be effected at once repetition may worke and the victory be got and the cure be accomplished suddaine cures are commonly unsound and to leave them over-soone argues too much neglect of them and also the disease is not fully discovered when they suppose the same is healed Note How self-murder is best prevented by removall of the motives to it Self-murder is prevented not so much by arguments against the fact which disswades from the conclusion as by the discovery and removall of the motives and causes whereupon they are tempted to do the same Comparison as diseases are cured by removing of the causes rather than of their symptomes and practicall conclusions are overthrowne by solid confutation of the premises and arguments upon which they do depend in logicall discourse conclusions are neither properly the matter of denyall nor of confutation so long as the premises and reasons whereupon the same stands are passed by as allowed or granted 2. With the Church Secondly when as the temptations of self-murder still prevaile against all the former meanes then it remaines for the tempted to flee unto and to make use of the more publick helps and assistance of the Church which as a tender Mother both compassionatly pities her distressed Children and also by her counsell and comfort to them and by her intercession and prayers to God with and for them is ever readie as well in her publick assemblies as in private to relieve and succour all those that resort to her for the same which from and by her meanes is more certainly and comfortably to bee expected and to be had than by any other course as the publick Church is more prevalent with God than private Christians and the promises of God more ample to her for regard and audience than to her particular members §. 4. Of the course that others without the tempted are to take to save him 3. By others powerfull restraint The third sort of Antidotes or preservatives against self-murder is when after the use of all the foresaid meanes the temptation of self-murder still continues and prevailes in a party resolved to kill himselfe and seeking and attempting all the meanes that he can to do it then all others are to be carefull 1. Required of God by Prayer First not to cease to pray to God instantly for him that he would keepe him and deliver him by his
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
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