so we may take a further view of the odiousnesse of the same Surely if we looke vp to the first Murtherer that euer was may we not obserue that Enuy prouoked him therevnto because his brothers was accepted and his sacrifice was teiected therefore did Cain saith the Apostle stay his brother Abell that was more righteous then he And was not the pride of his heart the occasion of this enuy because Caine was not respected according to the conceit of his owne worth therefore he enuied his owne brother that was better respected of God then himselfe and so through enuy shed his innocent bloud Was not Ioseph sold through enuy by his brethren Consider we the next Murtherer recorded in the booke of God Was not Lamech an Adulterer and thereupon a murtherer either inflamed thereto by iealousie which is the rage of a man and therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance or enraged thereto by lust which will admit no partner therein Did not Dauids adultery end in murther 2. Sam. 11. Is not lust the firebrand to contentions and murthers Iam. 4. 1. 2. was not lust the cause of that treacherous murther of the Shechemites Did not lust bring a whole Tribe in Israel to this end And what caused Absolon to seeke his fathers life was it not ambition and desire of soueraignty What mooued Ahab to take away Naboths life was it not a couetous desire to enioy his Vineyard was not Iudas blinded by couetousnesse to betray his Master to the death And may we not see all these causes concurring together in those cruell Iewes that murthered the Lord of Life To conclude Is not rage and furie vsually the spurre hereunto Haue not bitter words sometimes ended in bloudy broyles and barbarous murthers And is not drunkennesse an ordinary harnenger to this sinne not onely murthering hereby it master suddenly but also prouoking in his cuppes to spill the blood of others so iust is the Lord to meete with sinners in their kinde that they which make no conscience to abuse and spill the good creatures of God seruing for the encrease of bloud and maintenance of life but haue béene bretheren in such horrible sinnes shall bee giuen vp to shed the bloud of each other and so depriue themselues of that blessing which they haue abused These are some causes and occasions of this grieuous sinne vnto which if we shall adde what may bee collected from the consideration of the subiect formerly deciphered we may conclude that as the want of Gods feare is a speciall cause of falling into this sinne so obstinacy and hardnesse of heart proceeding there-from doth much enflame and harden therein yea an enraged and guilty soule doth oft-times prouoke hereunto out of hellish despaire As touching the Effects of this grieuous sinne let that suffice which hath beene spoken concerning the haynousnesse thereof onely giue mee leaue to adde some cautions herein That though it be a grieuous sinne to shed bloud yet this neither doth debarre the Magistrate and his Instruments from executing of Iustice against Malefactors because they are Deputies vnto the Lord herein and haue authority hereunto from his Word neither doth it priuiledge any Priuate man vpon any instinct whatsoeuer to presume hereunto though some inferiour calling in the Family hath beene wickedly thought by some to warrant the same because the power of life death is in the hands of the Supreame Magistrate and such as are immediately deputed from him thereunto Though aboue all other murthers that of our selues is most vnnaturall and monstrous therefore as wee may not iustifie any such particular sinnes by any example of Sampson or particular instinct So wee must bee meruailous chary and tender in condemning absolutely their estates that through violence of Tentation or such like distempers haue made away themselues because either they were not themselues in that distemper and so it shall not be imputed vnto them or it was done not without some reluctation and so the Lord may haue mercy vpon them onely let vs be carefull not to imitate them herein and so leaue them to the Lord to whom they fall or stand Thus of the Effects and Iudgement of this sinne Proceed we now in the last place to consider such Antidotes as may preuent the same The principall whereof is to maintaine peace with our God because if our wayes do please him he will not only make our enemies to be at peace with vs that we may not feare to be prouoked either by bridling their corruptions as he did sometimes Labans Esaus or turning their hearts towards vs as he hath done the hearts of many persecutors But will also incline our hearts to be at peace with our enemies either by giuing vs wisedome to ouercome their euill with good or affording vs Patience to beare with our enemies or sustaining vs with meeknesse neither to prouoke nor be prouoked by them Now we shall wisely Maintaine peace with God How 1 If we walke closely with him according to his will with all power and diligence not leaning to our owne Wisedome but relying on his reuealed word and not presuming of ought either beyond or short thereof 2 If though we faile and slip daily as who can cleare himselfe therein yet we shall daily iudge our selues and by repentance renue our couenant with the Lord warring daily with our corruptions and maintaining the spirituall combat hereby we may preserue our Peace with God 3 If séeing our best workes are mixed with such corruption that if the Lord should be seuere to marke what is done amisse euen when we doe our best we shall neuer be able to abide it we shall therefore daily deny our best righteousnesse and labour to be found in Christ renuing our right in him hereby we shall renue and Maintaine our Peace with God 4 And yet seeing the grace of God shal be sufficient for vs in what soeuer wants or extreamities may befall if now we can in patience possesse our soules not repining at the dispensation of our God but being contented therewith in all occasions we shall so hunger after what wee want as that we can be thankfull for that which we haue and so husband the same with all vprightnes and diligence to the glory of our God and the generall good this is an excellent meanes to maintaine Peace with God Lastly that we may maintaine Peace with God let vs still nourish enmity against the world because the Amity of the World is Enmity against God so vsing the good therein that we hate the euill thereof and so vsing the good that we trust not therein so enioying the things thereof as that we are still ready to part with them at the Pleasure of the giuer accounting all things as doing that we may win Christ and yet by our wise husbandrie laying vp a good foundation by them against the day of Christ. Thus may we
attaine some such motion of the Deity as may puffe him vp therewith yet is hereby made more inexcusable and farther off from the inward search of the Power thereof And yet the wayes of the Lord herein most equall and righteous As both tendering the meanes indifferently vnto all so that the wicked cannot say but he hath had his choyce thereof and liberty therein with the best yea the pacience of the Lord in leading him to Repentance accompanyed with such an answering to his desires concerning present ends as it must much more iustifie the Lord. What could he haue done vnto him which he hath not done so it shall also make him much more inexcusable And if so now the Lord deny vnto him his grace for the effectuating of the meanes As he not bound thereunto because he will haue mercy vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he heardneth so seeing the wicked doe neither dreame of any such assistance of his grace as beeing blinded by selfe-loue they cannot see the want thereof nay being puffed vp with carnall wisedome they doe vtterly despise and reiect the same Is it any meruaile if they want the supply of that grace which they so abase and contemne Is it not iust with God that the scorner shall seeke wisedome and yet not finde it Because he despiseth the substance white hee hunts after the shaddow And if now it please the righteous Lord to giue him his desire and send leanenesse into his soule that not onely that which he seemed to haue shall be taken away from him the light hee hath shall be quenched and by degrees extinguished yea the spirit of God instead of restrayning him formerly from some outward euils and so happily affrighting his conscience with sense of inward rottennesse shall now giue him vp to his owne lusts euen to commit sinne with greedinesse Is not this the happinesse that hee specially dreames of to be past feeling of sinne that so hee may make vp his measure without controulement Are not the wayes of God most equall herein Shall not the mouth of iniquity be vtterly stopped Haue not the wicked herein more at the hands of God then they can desire Doth not he giue them herein much more then he oweth them of all outward blessings Doth he not affoord them more plenty of spirituall meanes then they doe desire Doth hee not respite them in his great patience many a time beyond their owne fond and counterfeit vowes in the day of their distresse sparing them further then themselues doe wish and repealing that sentence which in their suddaine flashes they haue pronounced against themselues if they should hereafter turne to their vomit againe yea still drawing them to him with the cords of Loue when they haue cast off his cords and fall desperately from him Is not the Iustice of God most righteous euen his enemies being Iudges And surely as is the Lord so is his Word heerein most holy and righteous If it crosse the wicked in their desires to discouer that inward corruption whereof they are ignorant and wherein they fauour themselues Is it any lesse then stands with the Power of the Word euen as fire to search the hidden parts yea as the light to lay open the darkest corners And if now the wicked vpon their first entertainement of the word desirous happily to gaine credit and applause thereby be iustly confounded by the power thereof enraging their consciences by it inward search is not the wisedome of God admirable thus taking them in their craftinesse Is not his goodnesse iustifiable thus preparing them hereby to repentance If now the loue of sinne will giue no way to sound repentance Is not yet the wisedome of God herein more admirable that whereas the wicked desire some sleight euidence to conceit a false conception their slauish humiliation shall further hereunto and hereby flatter them in a new birth And if thus conceiting a false conuersion for a true because they cannot endure the trauell of a true birth they shall now encroach vpon the priueledges of the new man mis-applying and challenging those ioyes and comforts vnto their festered and ranckling soares which belong onely to those that are healed and so instéed of being further searched and launched by the law of God shall vnseasonably apply vnto themselues the sweete promises of the Gospell and will endure nothing but leuitures and cordials Is the word of God vnequall because they vnfitly apply it nay is it not most equall in offering that indifferently vnto them which if they could wisely apply would proue soueraigne vnto them Yea though they apply it amisse yet herein is iustifiable in that themselues are their owne caruers in the misapplying thereof If now vpon the misapplying of the Plaister before the soare be soundly healed it doth hereby more fester and putrifie inwardly and so breake out to a cancerous vlcer As the word was not first to be blamed in discouering the soare that so it might bée prepared to it cure because if there had beene no pray the Lyon would not haue roared So now much lesse may it be iustly challenged to be the cause of it further ranckling seeing the misapplying thereof hath effected the same And therefore as it were extreame folly to charge the heat of the Sunne to be the cause of stench and putrifieation in these inferior bodies which being well disposed are purified thereby and are onely subiect to tainture by their owne indisposition and aptnesse thereunto so let it be the shame of Popish glory to hate the light because their vvorkes are euill Yea let this be the confusion of their carnall wisedome to challenge the glorious light of the preaching of the Word as the cause of sinnes aboundance that hereby they might colour their despising and persecuting thereof not onely in that by opposing the light they make vp the measure of their owne sinnes by denying to themselues and others the meanes of life and happinesse But hereby also prouoking the righteous Lord to auenge vpon them the contempt of his word in giuing them vp to such outrage and monstrous wickednesse of combustions and murthers which the true wisedome of flesh for it owne safety can no way indure that so her owne louers euen out of loue to themselues must néedes hate the whore and make her desolate and so the Iustice of the Lord may shine more gloriously in rewarding her as she hath done to others and sheathing her owne sword in her owne bowels And is not the Word glorious in iudging the Whore euen by her owne mouth and taking her in the snare that she hath layd for others and so ouertaking her in hee moneth and ripenesse of iniquity Who so is wise he shall vnderstand these things and to whom the arme of the Lord shall reueale them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the iust shall walke therein but the transgressor shall fall in them Let it therefore be the shame
The Cry and Reuenge of Blood Expressing the Nature and haynousnesse of wilfull Murther Exemplified In a most lamentable History thereof committed at Halsworth in High Suffolk and Lately Conuicted at Bury Assize 1620. LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for Iohn Wright dwelling in Pie-corner 1620. â—O THE RIGHT Honorable Sir Henry Mountague Lord Chiefe Iustice of England and his thrice honoured Lady all encrease of honour and true happinesse SEeing it hath pleased your good Honour to giue life to this poore Infant by that gratious breath of yours whereby you prepared the guitlie deseruedly to their death Pardon I beseech you my boldnes in committing it to bee fostered vnder your Honorable Patronage who already haue a vowed the better part thereof Long haue I bene desirous to approue my selfe vnto your honour in what poore measure I haue bene able not only in respect of many fauors vndeseruedly receiued from your honorable Lady in my former afflictions but especially in regard of your Lordships gratious clemencie in releasing a poore distressed neighbour at my request whose follie by how much the more it prouoked your honours iust displeasure by so much the greater was your benignitie in remitting his offence And therefore obseruing your meekenes extended to so vndeseruing I haue bene the rather emboldned to put my selfe and these poore labours vnder the couert thereof that so the Church of God may more warrantablie entertaine and make better vse of this discouerie being commended vnto them vnder such iustifiable protection and the Countrie may more earnestlie pray for yours honours happie returne amongst them for the full discouery and censure of what yet lies hidden concerning this most hellish and execrable murther Among whom my selfe also vnfaynedly wait Gods holy prouidence herein and shal not cease to coÌ„mend your honour in my best deuotions vnto the God of Iustice to continue your Lordship in all health and happines not only to the finishing of this worke so worthily proceeded in hitherto but also to the perfiting of your saluation in his feare in a full discharge of this great and honorable calling hee hath placed you in And so I commend your honour with your gratious Ladie to the grace of God From my house in White-crosse streete this 24. of August 1620. Resting in the Lord at your Honours and the Churches seruice THO. COOPER TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR HENRY NORTH HIGH SHEriffe of the County of Suffolk together withthe rest of his Maiesties Iustice of peace in that County RIght Worshipfull It fell out by Gods good prouidence that at the last Assize at Berrie I was an eare-witnesse of the Discouery of the most strange and cruell Murther that euer I read of The Detection whereof together with the most fayre and honourable carriage of the businesse did so affect me that I could not think my time better spent then in taking notes of such speciall Passages as fell out therein Which howsoeuer I then onely entended for my priuate vse yet considering that such wonderful works of God are to be declared to posterity and being solicited by some Worthies of the Shire to that end I thought it good to condiscend to their requests with the soonest the rather to preuent such flying and suspitious pamphlets wherewith the world in such cases is too much abused and so informe the world in the right vse of such strange occurrents Wherein if your Worships shall find ought that may reuiue in your memory â—o wonderfull a discouery and shall stirre vp your affections to magnifie the prouidence of God herein As I shall haue herein what I principally desire so shall I not faile to take any other good occasion to testifie my thankefulnesse vnto your Worships as God shall offer the same to whose gracious protection I doe most hartily commend you all Resting in him Your Worships poore remembrancer at the Throne of Grace THO. COOPER The Contents CHAPTER 1. The Introduction to the History where of the Prouidence of God in permitting and ordering such horrible wickednesse 1. For the confusion of the Atheist And secondly awaking of the secure and prophane Christians CHAP. 2. Wherein first an entrance is made by way of Application vnto the Particular sinne of Murther being the proper subiect of this Treatise where 2. The Progeny and heynousnesse of this sinne is discouered and enlarged 3. The causes and occasions thereof in generall are explained 4. The Dangerous Effects and consequences thereof are detected And so 5. Such seuerall vses are propounded as both tend to the preuenting of this sinne as also for the wise suppressing and weeding out thereof CHAPTER 3. Of the particular Murther at Halsworth And first of the occasions and causes thereof 2 Of the Actors and Accessaries therein 3 Of the Parties that were Murthered 4 Of the Manner and Circumstances how they were made away 5 Of the Meanes to conceale the Murther beeing committed 6 And diuerse obseruations considerable on either side CHAP. 4. Where first of the Reason why howsoeuer other sinnes come after Iudgement yet this sinne of Murther is seldome left vndiscouered 2. Of the Many wayes whereby the Lord hath discouered Murther from time to time with diuers instances thereof 3. That it was the Finger of God that detected this blood 4. Of the Manner and Instruments imployed herein 5. And the seuerall Vses to bee made thereof CHAP. 5. Declareth the Conuiction of the Murtherers 1. Where the Euidences against them are published and opened by the Iudge 2 Their Inditements found hereupon by the Iury 3 Their Obstinacy vpon their finding declared and discussed with the Vse of all CHAP. 6. Of the Condemnation and Iudgement giuen vpon the Malefactors where after entrance made hereto 1 The religious and learned Speech of the thrice reuerend Iudge is published tending to iustifie the righteous hand of God herein as also to prepare the delinquents to an holy vse thereof 2 The Sentence it selfe followeth with the great clemency and moderation thereof 3 With diuers passages and profitable vses of the same CHAP. 7. 1 Containing the execution of the Murtherers 2 And such accidents as fell out therein 3 Together with such Vses as may be made thereof CHAP. 8. Containing the conclusion of the whole With promise of further light The Cry and Reuenge of Bloud CHAPTER 1. The Introduction to the History whereof the Prouidence of God in permitting and ordering such horrible wickednesse 1. For the confusion of the Atheist And secondly awakening of the secure and prophane Christians IT may seeme very strange and almost incredible to carnall apprehension that such glorious light of the Gospell especially so long continued among vs and that not without some gracious effect should yet notwithstanding abound with so many strange and monstrous sinnes as doe dayly breake out and are strengthned with so high an hand of obstinacy and deeperate Impenitency For whereas the powerfull preaching of the word hath this gracious promise annexed with it that as at the
of Popery thus to traduce the light and let it be the glory of the Gospell thus to discouer their shame for if it were not powerfull why doe they spurne against it if they being galled thereby doe spurne against the same let them thanke their owne rottennesse and iustifie the powerfull Word But if being couered thus with shame they will not seeke the face of God in Iesus Christ the Lord will further glorifie his Word in hastening their confusion and gathering in the first borne to his glorious appearance And shall the blasphemous Atheist escape any better Surely as it is extreme folly in him to barke against the Moone because it giues him light to his desperate wickednesse for what wisedome is there to condemne that which is so fauourable vnto vs so doth this folly threaten his confusion as both discouering his accursed spirit imputing that obstinacy in sinne to the Word which ariseth from his ignorance of the power thereof and Rebellion against the same and thereby hardening his neck against all hope of reclaiming as reiecting the Word which is onely auayleable hereunto For what though as the heate of the Sunne doth harden the clay so the power of the word indirectly occasions the encrease of sinne in the froward heart Is the word in vaine while it doeth that vnto which it is appoynted Is not the wisedome of God herein more glorious who as he would neuer haue permitted euill but that he can bring good out of it so he turneth the rage of man to his glorious praise Not onely making way hereby to the iust confusion of the wicked for the aduancement of the glory of his righteous iustice but also discouering herein the riches of his Free Grace in softning the hearts of his Elect by the same meanes whereby the wicked are hardened and so by these contrary effects aduancing the Power of his mighty Word which with the same breath is thus able to kill and to quicken And therefore as the Atheist hath no iust cause to stumble at the power of the Word because Iniquity is discouered and enraged thereby so much lesse may hee iustly challeng the prouidence of God in accompanying his word with such great patience and common fauours seeing as the Lord hereby giues him his desire to inioy the pleasures of sinne that so he may haue nothing iustly to except against his goodnesse so by this his long suffering hee doth also inuite him to repentance and so makes him more inexcusable if he abuse the same But howsoeuer the filthy will be filthy still yet let the seruants of God magnifie his wonderfull mercy and free kindnesse towards them in softning them by the same meanes whereby hee hardens the wicked yea turning about the hardening of the reprobate to bee the meanes of their more close walking with their God and dependance on his free grace in the sense of their fayling when they doe their best yea let them euermore blesse the name of the Lord that seeing the righteous shall hardly be saued they may yet haue some hope of Life in so great conscience of their corruptions that they can yet follow after righteousnesse notwithstanding the streame runnes contrary and their labour is so thanklesse and dangerous in regard of present successe seeing iniquity doth so swarme and preuaile yea let this bee their euidence that Christ raignes ouer them euen in the midst of their enemies that euen where Satan hath his throne there God shall haue his glory Antipas his faithfull seruant shall seale it vp with his bloud or if this bee not yet the triall yet Ieremie shall be smitten with the tongue and holy Iob shall esteeme the booke that his Aduersaries writ against him to bee the most glorious Crowne that may adorne his head Yea the more that the word of God is blasphemed by the wicked the more watchfull shall his children be that they giue no iust offence that so either they which speake of them as euill doers shall glorifie God on their behalfe and so by their holy conuersation be won to the obedience of the Gospell or bee made more inexcusable when their mouthes shall bee iustly stopped if yet they shall not cease to speake euill of the righteous wayes of God And this may also stop the prophane mouth of the filthy Libertine that though hee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse imagining his security and senselesnesse in sinne to bee the assurance of his happinesse yet the Word is holy yeelding no apperance much lesse allowance hereunto yea righteous herein is the mighty Word in giuing him vp to such a reprobate sense through his peruerting of the chiefe errand thereof the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to repentant sinners which if he could rightly apply might make him capable thereof yea meruailous is the wisedome of God herein that by the contrary apprehension of the promise and preparation thereunto by his seruants hee confounds the peruersenesse and prophanenesse of the Libertine If yet the filthy will be filthy still let him know this for his further confusion that as the Lord will not faile eft-soones to awaken his senselesse conscience with some inward quawmes or outward crosses to confound him in his security that so hee may bee forced to acknowledge and seeke to the power of the Word which hee hath so abased so if for all this he will not be reclaimed but by mistaking and mis-applying the mercy of God shall thereby bee cast into a deeper sleepe the Lord shall glorifie his Word in giuing him vp to a spirit of giddinesse euen to heape vp teachers vnto himselfe according vnto his lusts that may answer him according to the stumbling blocke of iniquity which he hath set vp in his heart that so he which could not commit sinne so securely but that his heart did sometimes smite him for the same might new continue in it more freely and desperately as being warranted hereunto by such accursed deceiuers Behold here the wisedome of the wicked in sin and obserue withall the wisedome of God in taking them in their craftines that they may securely reuell in wickednes their first policy is to make their conscience senselesse and that they may bring it to this passe their desperate wisedome is to multiply sin with greedines that so by this custome and outrage they may grow to an habite and so by often putting the iron in the fire may in the end harden and stupifie their harts that as it falls out with those which often drinke strong payson that in the end they can digest the same without any sense or danger so the wicked by often drinking in of iniquitie with gréedines become senselesse at length both of the euill and of the danger thereof wherby as they take occasion to commit any notorious outrage whatsoeuer so they become hereby obuious to the scandall and danger of the world which cannot but take notice of what themselues are senselesse of by it clamorus
and iust scandall either awaken them to repentance or conuince them to punishment Behold how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines They desire to be senselesse of sin that they may commit it more greedily and the more greedily they commit the same the more they prouoke the world through their scandall and it one danger to awaken them thereout what remedie is now left in carnall wisedome to make vp the breach and lull them a sléepe againe Behold againe the hight of this wisedome in sin and obserue how the Lord takes the wicked in their craftines If Elia will Prophesy no good but euill vnto vs while wee sleepe in sin yet welfare Zidkiah that will warrant good successe therein flattering vs that wee may go vp and prosper because hitherto it hath gone well with vs and though he lie falsely yet he will walke in the spirit that hee may deceiue more effectually yea hee wants not his rough garment of tything mint and comin yea he will not spare herein to humble flesh by voluntary deuotions of Pilgrimage penances and such like trash to the satisfying of the flesh euen in a great shew of wisedome to abase the same And what now shall be spared for the sinne of the soule though it be to the parting with our substance yea our first borne and all yea which is the hight of this delusion shall not a greater sinne be made a price for the lesse shall not the murther of Princes become an expiation for all our personall sinnes Behold here the depth of the Mistery of iniquity and admire with me the Justice of God in taking the whore and her accursed brood in their owne craftines that while they estéeme their owne blood vile that they may murther the Lords annoynted they haue iustly brought the Kings of the earth vpon their heads to secure themselues in subuerting Antichrist whom otherwise they could haue bene contented still to haue made their band for the satisfying of their lusts Oh! the vnsearchable riches of the wisedome and mercy of our God who turnes about the carnall wisedome of man tending only to it present bodily good to be meanes of remouing that great stumbling blocke whereby their soules were ensnared that so they might ascribe vnto him alone the glorie of their true happines so farre aboue and contrary to their corrupt intent Well thus we see how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines That the world may securely reuel in sin the false Prophet must bee a snare vpon Mispah to cry ayme thereto that so the blind leading the blind both may fall into the ditch And is not this prouidence of God very remarkeable in these daungerous dayes of the contempt and peruerting of the word of God that though the Lord feedeth the hungry with good and wholesome food yet the daintie and full stomake is either choaked with chaffe or puffed vp with wind that so seeming that which he is not he may not see what truely he is and thereby be both preuented of sound curing and withall hardened to destruction Behold here then some further light to iustifie the Prouidence of God in the ouer-flowing of sinne amidst so glorious light of the Gospell Not that the word is any true cause thereof but onely a meanes to discouer and conuince the same whereby as through our naturall rebellion the more sinne is conuinced the more it is enraged and so encreased thereby so through carnall wisedome the light being peruerted becomes a broker vnto sinne and thereby proues a further meanes to encrease and ripen the same And yet all this in great Iustice and exceeding Equity The Lord herein giuing the wicked their desires for the accomplishment of his righteous decree in their condemnation in that themselues are their owne caruers in the meanes there vnto And all this executed by his mighty word becomming thus vnto the wicked a sauour of death vnto death whereby as he taketh the wise Papist and Atheist in their Craftines so doth he also iustly confound the Prophane Libertine who while he fathers that vpon the Word which proceeds from his owne corrupt sense and application thereof doth therefore Iustifie the word in his hardening thereby and so is Iudged by the Word while he peruerteth the same to such ends as are contrary thereunto And thus hitherto for the Iustifying of Gods prouidence in disposing of such greuious sinnes as do accompany and preuaile euen in the most glorious light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 2. Wherein first an entrance is made by way of Application vnto the Particular sinne of Murther being the proper subiect of this Treatise where 2. The Progeny and heynousnesse of this sinne is discouered and enlarged 3. The causes and occasions thereof in generall are explained 4. The Dangerous Effects and consequences thereof are detected And so 5. Such seuerall vses are propounded as both tend to the preuenting of this sinne as also for the wise suppressing and weeding out thereof FRom that which hitherto hath bene discoursed concerning the Prouidence of God in disposing of such multiplicity and encrease of sinne in this glorious light of the Gospell we may gather these Conclusions First that the Gospell is not properly the cause of these euils but onely 1 the ignorance thereof 2 peruerting the light to the iustifying of sinne or else our want of loue and so obedience thereunto 2 That as Ignorance breeding Error and so Disobedience to the truth is the Mother of all that grosse wickednesse that is discouered thereby So in that Popery is the chiefe and onely Patron of ignorance so it becomes also the very Chaos of all errors and delusions and so proues the maine Broker to all grosse and desperate wickednesse 3 That whereas the weapons of Popish warfare are only carnall and diuellish vsing these as her last refuge when her Paper bolts and enchantments will not preuaile to roote out and destroy all her opposits as being that Scarlet-coloured Whore whom nothing will secure and satisfie but the bloud of Saints and all such as shall oppose her Tyranny Therefore howsoeuer all other sinnes are harbored in her bosome as beeing ashamed to haue them knowne to the world Yet this sinne of Murther is her cheife darling and glorious sinne whereof she is so farre from being ashamed as that she raignes only thereby and triumphs therewith not onely vpon her pretended power of the secular sword whereby she arrogates supreme authority ouer life death But especially vpon pretence of the Power of her Keyes whereby presuming ouer the soules as well as the bodies of men she thereby confirmes and iustifies this her vnsatiable thirst of bloud as either seruing for the good of their soules whose bodies she butchered or else by cutting off such supposed Leapers thereby securing the estates of others Thus doth her Progeny declare the same who is of her Father the Diuell that was a murtherer from the beginning So her condition doth
them into Prison that so his misery might terrifie the rest where either by some secret stratagem or else as the most credible report is being debarred of necessary sustenance his friends not being suffered to minister vnto him and his Iaylor happily beeing feed to restraine him thereof he pined euen through want and so perished in the Goale This was the first Scoene of this bloudy Tragedy Whereon before we go further let vs pause a little and obserue somewhat thereout for our better instruction both to iustifie the former discourse of Murther as also to preuent the like ends in our selues laying to our hearts such things as may be gathered hence First obserue we the Roote and foundation of this misery and that the rather because it is not our owne conceit but the sensure of the right Honorable and thrice Reuerend Iudge who vpon Nortons appearing at the Barre did so diuinely challenge him that he was the roote of this practise the other that were his instruments therein were but the branches springing vp there-from he was the sword that cut those innocents liues asunder his agents were but the hands to execute therewith This roote thus branded and layd open in his colours Obserue we further therein these Particulars 1 his inward condition as being a Papist in heart and so as making no bones of any sinne so especially lesse sticking at the sinne of blood as being the glory of his Idol and prop to maintaine the same therefore honoured with no lesse then the imputation of merit And yet withall being a Protestant in shew that so hee might the better colour and shuffell vp his sinne and with the harlot wipe his mouth as if he had done no iniquitie whereby 1 wee may take the true scantling of a branded Papist that though hee be humble like the lambe his pretence be saluation yet he speakes like the dragon nothing but blood and fire when he cannot deceiue otherwise he pretendeth like the harlot offerings of peace and payment of vowes yet her wayes go downe to hell and her pathes to destruction And so wee may be aduised to looke for no better at their hands who eate of our bread and go vp into the house of God with vs thē as Dauid complained of such treacherous friends euen to lift vp the heele against vs and if they can doe it finely euen to Poyson vs with the host which they haue consecrated for our welfare And therefore of all other to bee most iealous of such hollow friends 2 From the inward condition of this bitter Roote also proceed we further to his outward estate And that first in regard of his meanes being of faire reuenew sufficient if hee could haue bene content to his bountefull mantenance yet if we cōsider withal his abuse of this large portion by royoting and prodigality wee may easily discerne euen great feare of want in much aboundance and thereby imagine what such feare of want may prouoke vnto euen an vnlawfull desire of what is not our owne as a iust punishment for the abuse of our owne and so as opportunity and power is on our hand such an effecting our desires as by the close conuayance thereof may be free from blame or shame Behold here then the causes and prouocations to this bloody sin Luxurie threatens want and feare of want breeds couetousnesse couetousnesse leads vs blindfold to make pray where we fasten first and opposition begets murther to conceale or Iustifie the same Thus Ahabs prodigality in maintayning Baals Priests prouokes him through diuine iustice to couet his Neighbours vineyard y t so his violation of Gods honor might be iustly auenged by the crie of y e innocent blood which he so cruelly spilled and that hee might cloake and iustifie his deuouring thereof the blood of Naboth must write the deed and pretence of religion and iustce must peale and confirme the same And thus our Ahabs prodigality in maintayning happily such croaking frogges as runne vp and downe the world to make combustions and massacres prouokes him to couet his Neighbour Leesons vinyard that lay pat for his tooth and that he might more securely make pray thereof the blood of her children must confirme the same when otherwise by cunning fairer meanes they will not be brought thereto and pretence of law equity must colour the fact that so it may passe currant with men what is abhominable in the sight of God Whereby we may learne as to walke frugally in that competency which God hath allowed vs least otherwise a great deale may proue too little and that in smallest measure we may be content remember we that our liues consists not in aboundance but in the blessing of God who makes a small thing sufficient where he affords no more labouring with all dilligence to husband that little we haue that so in the hand of the diligent may be plenty whereas the reuenues of the sluggard do soone fade and molter away A thing of very fearefull experience for the most part in our Gentry that as no reuenue will vsually serue their luxurie and excesse so they are so fine fingred that they cannot labour and so high minded they are that they are ashamed to begge and therefore their last refuge is either to turne Cheators in gaming or huntsmen on the high way or Pandors to baudy houses or which is the fayrest Laysie Abby-lubbers I should say Almes-men to be fatted vp in the sty and hardned to destruction Before I passe this first Scoene obserue wee yet one thing more in this bitter roote namely his manner of proceeding in this Bloody Tragedy At the first very Fayre and charitable to the outward shew féeding them with money and feasting them with good cheere sorting them with boone companions to passe the time away mercily but indeede to cheat them of their money and make them secure At the next bout more roughly yet conuayed with great cunning and secrecy vnder pretence of Law casting into prison and if this will not doe the feat then at the last murther confusion iust so dealt Pharaoh with the Israelits and so this bloudy Pharaoh dealt with these Widdowes children and surely such are all the wayes of sinne such and no better is the successe of all sinners though the wine bee pleasant in the cuppe and sweete in the going downe yet in the end it bites like a serpent and kils like a Coskatrice though Iael inuite Sisera into her Tent and lull him asleepe yet in the end shee fastens him with a naile to the ground Looke we therefore to the end of sinne and so the sweete beginning shall not deceiue vs and distrust wee then the wicked most when they most fawne vpon vs because though their lips drop hony yet swords are in their hearts and they may be sheathed in our bowels before wee are aware of them Thus of the first Scoene of this Bloody Tragedy The second followes