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
the truth and Church is bound to doe the duties of his calling notwithstanding any such former restraint or danger of disobedience to it because the power of the Church is but ministeriall under and according to God rather declarative than Soveraigne therefore what she doth tyes not men here on earth to obey it to the destruction but to the edification of the Church or at least to prevent a greater mischiefe And also because the true Church may doe no such acts of deprivation or suspension whereby to intend or effect the destruction of the Church and therefore in that case transgressing of such restraints is no disobedience to the Church but rather an obeying the intent of the same as in times of persecution we have plentifull examples specially of the Church of the Iewes against the Christians A Caveat Yet herein is to be observed that such performance of duties in that case after restraint bee done in mecke patient manner without tumults or forcible opposition of authority submitting with passive obedience where they cannot lawfully performe active This extends not to warrant any schisme or heresie that esteem themselves only to be the true Church as did the Donatists and others to oppose out of feare of their owne ruine the proceedings and restraints of the more Orthodoxe and generall body of a sound Church whose authority doth preponderate and oversway her apostating members so long as by the doctrine publikely taught in her men may be saved and built up §. 30. Against commission of evill upon any humane command or threats Fourth member about commission of evill upon humane command The fourth member of the case wherein a man ought to expose his life to death in causes concerning religion is when a man is desired commanded or threatned to doe any sinne forbidden by Gods word that then hee doe it not although he therefore doe die as Iosephs practise manifests in resisting his whorish mistris a Gen. 39.12 and the three children that would not upon the Kings command worship the golden Image to save their lives Daniel 3.18 Because it is better for us to die than deliberately and wilfully to sinne against God as the woman with her seaven sonnes did choose 2 Mach. 7. according to S. Augustines judgement who sayes that if it be propounded to a man Vt aut mali aliquid faciat aut mali aliquid patiatur eligat non facere mala quam non pati mala b Epist 204. that either he should doe some evill or suffer some calamity then let him choose rather not to doe evill than not to suffer evill Observe How we are to abhorre sin For we are ever to doe that which may most neerely unite us to God our chiefe good and to shunne what may divide us from him which nothing can doe but our sinnes specially those that consist in the transgression of the negative Commandements and are most opposite to God and incompatible with him and therefore those lawes doe binde ad semper to the alwayes observing of them and cannot be dispensed withall seeing God is unchangeable The evill of sinne should be more terrible to us than death it selfe not onely for that it is the cause of death and imbitters it but also because it deprives us of a greater good of our spirituall life that farre exceeds the naturall The beatificall object that sinne deprives us of is the infinite blessed God from whom to be separated is worse than death it self and in that respect rather than we should sinne we should choose to suffer death which is a glorious kinde of Martyrdome and a meanes of advancement to happinesse for the power and practise of the truth laying downe our lives which is a more undoubted signe of grace and salvation than is the suffering of many for holding the truth in opinion and profession Wee should choose rather not to bee than not to bee happy for the originall and end of our being is better than our being it selfe in regard that our happinesse is not of and in our selves but in and from another who is both our beginning and end §. 31. Of the kindes of sinnes of commission to be avoyded Evils of sin to be avoided These sinfull evills that wee ought thus carefully to avoid and forbeare to death are of two sorts 1. Against the law of nature First those that be directly and absolutely forbidden by the Law of nature as fundamentally unlawfull at all times and in all cases for the contrariety that they have against the nature of God and against the inbred principles of reason and conscience of which no question can be made but that wee are alwaies utterly to shun them notwithstanding any humane command or inforcement that may be to the contrary because no human power can dissolve the obligation of those ingrafted Commandements of God and nature Innata Lex Rom. 2.15 that we may be discharged in conscience from keeping of them which would overthrow both divinity and humanity neither can any free us from the punishment of the transgression of them both because equity and Law requires that the soule that sins shall die and also for that there is no power matchable with Gods and natures to protect or free us by force from their vengeance 2. Against the positive Law of God Secondly the sins that wee are to shun and not wittingly and willingly to do upon any threats or worldly danger or for any profit are those that are forbidden by the positive Law and revealed will of God the violating whereof doth wrong the soveraignty and honor of God who is the absolute and onely independant King of all the world and his will the supreame unerring rule of our obedience throughout our lives our transgression whereof is a breach of that loyalty and due subjection which wee owe to that our highest Lord. To whese positive Law conformity is more properly obedience to God than conformity to the Law of nature is by it selfe considered Because the ground of our conformity to the Law of nature is naturall inclination and Reason equally binding Heathens aswell as Christians But the ground of our conformity to the positive Law of God is principally the soveraigne Authority and Will of God himselfe which kinde of obedience is that which is properly of the Church and her members to God and proceeds from faith love feare c. Evangelicall or Thelogicall graces From which obedience to God no wight can absolve or excuse us that we may lawfully and safely subject our selves to feare to please or to obey any other in opposition or contraty to him and his will Reasons 1. Because there is none above God whose will may be preferred or equalled to his to whom all is subordinate in nature state and imployment 2. Neither is any man Lord over the Conscience either to bind or discharge it contrary to the Law or will of God that we
no man should doe that whereby hee doth himselfe the greatest harme for all things naturally move for and towards their owne perfection and where hurt cannot be avoided we are ever to choose the least of two evills of punishment But to kill our selves doth us the greatest harme both naturally and morally because it makes us guilty of most hainous sin and subjects us to most fearefull judgements for the same and thereby a man destroyes his owne person that is better than all the accidents about the same when the subject and adjuncts are contra-distinguished Aristotle sayes that death is the last of terrible things and the greatest evill of the body a Vltimum terribilium corporis maximum malum and therefore is most to be abhorred specially from a mans owne hands 7. Death is not subjects to mans free-will Seventhly man may not determine and order things as he list which are not left and subjected to his freewill but dying or departing out of this life is not left or subjected to the freewill and lawfull power of man himself to die when and as he list no more than it is subjected to his freewill to make himselfe alive againe when hee is dead For for to kill and make alive belongs to Gods royall prerogative b Transitus de hac vita ad aliam non subjacet libero hominis arbitrio Thom. Aqumas 1 Sam. 2 6. but as man is onely passive in the latter for his animation so should he be in the former that he may not wrong his preservation 8. Avoide self-murder as contrary to nature Eighthly no man may doe that which is most contrary to pure nature Naturaliter quaelibet res seipsam amat conservat for as Aquinas saith Every thing naturally loves and preserves it selfe But to kill ones selfe is most contrary to pure nature for as Aristotle lib. 2. de anima sayes generation is a work most agreeable to nature and therefore death is most contrary to nature which it doth destroy and to inflict it upon a mans selfe by his owne hand is monstrous cruelty Augustine bids us to consider how great a good thing life is for saith he it is better to be and to be miserable than not to be at all therefore both those that are happy and those that we miserable doe desire to be c Consdera quantum bonum est vita non mesius est esse miserum esse quam non esse propterea beati miseri appetunt esse August l. de lib. arb 9. It is condemned by men and their laws Ninthly no man is to doe that which all wise and good men and humane and ecclesiasticall lawes doe condemne but all these doe condemne self-murder and self-murderers The Athenians would not suffer a self-murderer to be buried in their territories Plato in Phoedone sayes that when our soules are given us to keepe we must not thrust them out of doores It is an ill recompense when a man hath abused his soule all his life time to sin at last by a self-murdering hand forcibly to expell it as incestuous Amon served his sister Tamar in most ignominious manner a 2 Sam. 13.17 Philolaus the Pythagorean speaking against self murder was wont to say as he is cited by Plato and Tullie in his Tusculan questions and others Divide not the tree or ship in the way or while it is in the voyage Ne dividas in via lignum for so it must of necessity perish that is that we should not part soule and body before their due time and happy arrivall at their last port appointed of God Ierome upon Ionas sayes that it is not our duty to snatch death to our selves but patiently to beare it b Non est nosâ—ii morte arripere sed oblata patienter ferre Decret 2. pars causa 23. c. 11. when it comes Which sentence is so memorable that it is inserted into the Canon Law The Canons that beare the name of the Apostles doe call those that geld themselves homicides self murderers are worse and therefore homicides in the highest degree The first Councell of Bracara in Spaine about the time of the Pope Honorius the first did decree that for those that doe kill themselves either by weapon or by poyson or by casting themselves from high places or by hanging or by any other manner of violence there should be no commemoration made of them in the oblation .i. of prayer or sacrament neither should their bodies be conveyed to buriall with psalmes and solemnity c Placurt qui sibi ipsis aut perferâ—â—â— aut per venenit aut per praecipitiuÌ„ aut suspendium aut quoliâ—et medo violentiae inferunt morteÌ„ nulla pro illis in oblatione comemoratio fictineque cum psalmis ad sepulturam cadevera enum deducantur but they are excluded from Christian buriall which also is assumed and established in the Canon law d Decret secunda part causa 23. c. 12. seeing self-murderers doe wilfully deprive the living of their company it is just that the living should deprive them of all honour of solemnity and place of buriall holding them in detestation so as not to have communion with them after death in any thing that were not willing to continue their communion with the living in this world and so by that act they die cut off from the Church as excommunicate ipso facto never to be absolved Reasons of the confiscation of the goods of self-murderers The Civill and Common Law confiscates the estates of self-murderers specially for three reasons 1. For terror First for terror to the living that they may not attempt the like 2. For punishineÌ„t Secondly for punishment of them in their posterity who are deprived of their estates and so the sinnes of the Parents are visited upon their children without injustice because the children are both of their parents naturall substance and also part of their civill that so affection to their posterity may restraine them from killing themselves 3. For recoÌ„pence to the State Thirdly the worldly estate of self-murderers is to be seased upon by the State of the Kingdome for recompence to the Common-wealth for depriving the same of a member and is a deodand to God being as Iericho was an execrated thing because it belonged to such a person and therefore accursed and not to be enjoyed from him but from God the true originall owner thereof to whom by that vile fact they are forfaite 10. Self-murder excludes man from amendment Tenthly what a man hath not power to make or to amend after it is once ill done and shall be found to be evill and inconvenient that he ought not to do because by doing thereof he excludes himselfe from all possibility and meanes of recovering his losse as from the privation to the habit naturally there is no returne a A privatione ad habitum non
bringing himselfe to destruction Page 111 § 10. How indirect self-murder of commission is wrought by desperate hazard in six cases Page 112 The first case is concerning Braves and desperate undertakers Page 112 The second case is concerning purchase and reskue Page 112 The third case is concerning some souldiers Page 113 The fourth case is concerning Mariners Page 113 The fifth case is concerning Duells Page 114 The sixth case is concerning desperate attempts upon daring and wagering Page 116 § 11. Of indirect self-murder committed by covenant and society with persons destinate to destruction in three cases Page 118 1. Of Leagues Page 119 2. Of Warre ibid. 3. Of presuming into infectious places or company Page 120 § 12. Of indirect self-murder of commission by doing that which naturally procures that which kills the doer of it Page 121 § 13. Of indirect self-murder of commission by wilfully doing capitall crimes against humane Lawes and Authority Page 120 § 14. Of indirect self-murder of commission by wilfull transgression of Gods Laws after two severall waies Page 120 § 15. Of three exempt cases wherein men may expose their lives to death without danger of indirect self-murder Page 125 The first case is concerning venturing life upon lawfull calling ibid. § 16. A question or case of conscience resolved about Souldiers in danger of their lives fleeing without order Page 127 § 17. Of the second exempt case about adventuring of life without danger of indirect self-murder which is in urgent unavoidable necessity in three points Page 128 The first whereof is about both uncertaine death for certaine and necessary good ibid. And also certaine death for Superiours and for some friends Page 129 § 18. Of the second point which is concerning certaine death for certaine more publick good Page 131 § 19. Of six questions resolved that belong to this second point Page 133 The first where of is about a man-slayer what he is to do for whose sake his friends are pursued to death ibid. § 20. Of the second question which is about a man under deadly displeasure of Superiours what he is to do for to pacifie their mortall wrath reflecting for his sake upon his friends Page 133 § 21. The third question which is touching the voluntary appearing of Fellons or the like at liberty upon baile to submit to Iustice for freeing of their bailes with danger of their owne lives Page 135 § 22. The fourth question which is about what an unquestioned or unsuspected guilty party is to do for saving of a guiltlesse person that is brought to the doome and danger of death upon triall by error or misprision for the capitall fact of the former Page 136 § 23. The fifth question which is about a mans voluntary revealing to the Magistrate his owne secret capitall crimes touching his life in case of importable distresse of conscience for the same crimes by him done Page 137 § 24. The sixth question or case which is about burning or sinking a ship in a sea-sight and how farre such a fight is to be mainteyned against the Enemies without danger of self-murder Page 138 § 25. Of the third point of the second exempt case which is about venturing of life without danger of indirect self-murder for saving of soules Page 141 In two cases 1. About infectious persons ibid. 2. About publishing of the Gospell upon danger of death to the doer Page 142 § 26. Of the third generall exempt case wherein men may expose their lives to death without danger of indirect self-murder which is about religion and our owne salvation in foure points or cases Page 143 § 27. Of the first point or case which is about defence of Religion in peace and warre Page 144 § 28. Of the second point of the third case about adventuring and laying down our lives for religion without danger of self-murder which is about the publick confession or profession of the truth with danger of life Page 145 § 29. Of the third point belonging to the third exempt case which is about not-omitting doing necessary duties commanded by God in perill of life upon humane command or threats to the contrary and of the severall sorts of those duties and how farre they bind us And of the obedience and disobedience of Ministers to suspension deprivation and the like censures Page 146 § 30. Of the fourth point of the third exempt case which is about not-commission of any evill of sinne upon any command or inforcement of man threatning death to the disobedient Page 149 § 31. Of the kinds of sins of commission to be avoided to death in things determinatly evill of themselves both by the law of nature and also by the positive Law of God Page 150 § 32. Of indifferent things and how the use of them may be sinfull and in that respect then to be forborne Page 152 § 33. Of the diverse properties of an indirect self-murderer Page 154 § 34. Observations from indirect self-murder in three uses Page 155 Chap. 12. Of direct bodily self-murder § 1. What direct self-murder is both in the generall nature of it in foure things and also in the specificall nature of it remote and neere Page 159 § 2. Of the imaginary good conceited to be in self-murder Page 163 § 3. Concerning the wills object and its faultinesse Page 167 § 4. Of diverse observations from direct self-murder Page 169 § 5. Of certaine exempt cases of some that kill themselves and are not direct self-murderers Page 172 Chap. 13. Of direct self-murderers § 1. That practise and habit gives denomination and why Page 175 § 2. How it is apparent by Scripture that many men have murdered themselves with diverse observations from the same about self-murder and horrible crimes falling out in the Church Page 176 § 3. How self-murderers are apparent by Histories both prophane and Ecclesiasticall amongst heathens and Christians and the reasons of the same Page 178 § 4. That self-murderers are knowne by continued experience and of two uses of the same and how the motions of self-murder cleave to men and prevaile over them Page 181 Chap. 14. Of the meanes and method of self-murderers murdering themselves directly § 1. Of the meanes of self-murder how none is lawfull of two uses shewing how hard it is to do good and easie to do evill Page 183 § 2. The self-murderers application of the meanes of self-killing in premeditation and determination of the end and choise of the meanes to effect it with observation of three things therein and of two observations for instruction and use Page 185 § 3. Of the self-murderers method in executing murder upon themselves with observation of three things therein upon two reasons and how hardly resolved self-murder is withstood Page 187 Chap. 15. The self-murderers motives whereupon they directly kill themselves § 1. That men by abused reason do sin worst and that there is no true reason why any should kill themselves Page 189 § 2. Of motives to
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
be used by the tempted privatly and publickly with others against the temptations to self-murder with the grounds of hope of comfortable successe to prevaile against them Page 322 § 4. Of the course that others without or against the wil of the tempted are to use to save him against the temptations and danger of self-murder Page 324 And lastly the conclusion shewing the great benefit of recovery from the temptations and danger of self-murder by the use of the former course Page 326 LIFES PRESERVATIVE AGAINST SELF-KILLING CHAP. 1. The generall description of Self-murder §. 1. Concerning life and death Life and death things of great importance and much to be regarded are not rightly cared for LIfe and Death are two things of the greatest importance in this world both in respect of what they are and whereto they tend that is their Essence and the great consequences that depend upon them and yet there is nothing wherof many men are more regardlesse than of their lives how wretchedly they spend and end them and of their Deaths how desperately they incurre and contract them casting themselves into the danger of it by the hands of others or of themselves although the sinnes in which they die can never afterwards be recovered or eternall destruction be avoided And therefore considering the dangerous and damnable practise of divers persons desperately destroying their owne lives and murdering themselves with so great prejudice to the Honour of God and his truth imbraced amongst us and with so much hurt to themselves and others I have adventured to treat more largely of the point of self-murder than yet I have seene the same done by others Touching which I will first describe in generall what it is §. 2. Self-murder described What it is Self-murder is the voluntary destroying of a mans owne life by himselfe or his owne meanes and procurement 1. In which description we are for the better understanding of it to consider First the object of self-murder and that is the life of man 2. Secondly the act it selfe which is the voluntary taking away of life or unjustly destroying of it which makes it to be murder 3. Thirdly the efficient cause or meanes of the destruction of mans life and that in this case is a mans owne selfe by his owne procurement which specifies the act and makes it to be properly self-murder §. 3. Self-murder is knowne by life Life In explicating these in order I will begin at life as first in nature and more auspicable which is the object of self-murder For self-murder being death and death being onely a privation it cannot be knowne what it is but by the knowledge of life which is its contrarie for no privation can be defined in regard of its want of entitie in it selfe but by its opposite habit as no man that knows not in some measure what light is can know what darknesse is Evill cleaves to good And self-murder being in it selfe evill it cannot be but in and about that thing which of it selfe is good 1. For evill cleaves and adheres to good for two reasons first that it may subsist which extra subjectum bonum without the subject of good cannot be for evill is like to the disease called the woolfe which maintains it self by eating feeding upon the body wherein it is For as non datur summum malum nec datur merum malum per se existens There is nothing absolutely evill neither is there a meere evill subsisting by it selfe but in that which is good 2. Secondly evill adheres to that which is good that it may convert and turne the good subject wherein it is into the quality of it selfe so making it nought and destroying it as loaven that sowreth the whole lump wherein it is the nature of all evill is ever active and destructive of that good that entertaines it or that it is exercised about it being as the worm that destroyes the tree wherein it breeds and harbours Observe All things are subject in this world to contraric passions From whence we may observe that as all created substances are mutable so are they capable of and subject unto contrary passions and qualities in this world and by how much the more excellent any good thing in this world is so much the worse is the contrary evill that attends upon and corrupts it and therefore the better that any created thing is on earth the more danger it is in and needs the greater care and indeavour to be had about it to preserve it against its opposite evill so life being of the nature and number of the best things it is in danger of the worst evils and therefore is with the greater care and circumspection to be watched over for its preservation CHAP. 2. Of the kindes of the life of man THat we may know what life is because there be divers kinds of it which it is that in self murder is destroyed by death we are to consider there are two kinds of the life of man Kinds of life naturall and spirituall the first is naturall the second is spirituall according as he consists of two natures and is an inhabitant of two worlds being made of heaven and earth to inhabit both there is no creature in the world that consists of such various different composition as man nor is indowed with such multiplicity of vitall operations or such variety of properties and qualities fitted for diversity of actions of so many kindes and thereupon is subject to so many and opposite motions and temptations Observ Mans care must be of two lives From the divers kindes of mans life we may observe that mans care must not bee as the brute beasts to live according to the instinct of nature but that he may live by a supernaturall principle and divine direction a spirituall life even here in this naturall life as he expects to arrive and attaine to a more excellent and heavenly end of advancement than other earthly creatures do or shall and there is a taske of more and greater porformances required to be done by him than from any other creature on earth CHAP. 3. Of naturall life in generall §. 1. of divers sorts of life Kindes of naturall life FOr our better understanding of naturall life wee are generally to consider that according to the distinction of earthly living creatures there be three kindes of naturall lives 1. Of vegetation First that which is called the life of vegetation which is the life of trees plants corne and the like whereby they grow and encrease both in their severall kindes and in their individuals 2. Life of sense Secondly the life of sense whereby irrationall and sensitive creatures do besides their life of vegetation common with plants live inlived with sense and motion Now these two kindes of lives considered specifically in the aforesaid severall kindes of creatures fall not under the
before it comes our worke being undone how then will it grieve us that we were so slothfull 3. The benefit of well-spending them Thirdly the weightinesse of that which depends upon well-spending of our lives here as the comfort of our soules and everlasting salvation hereafter calls upon us to consider that no estate or stock need be so frugally spent as the short life and few dayes of man than which nothing is more wastefully worthlesly vainely nor worse mis-spent specially three wayes to which we may adde a fourth How men mis-pend their lives 1. By doing evill First in doing of naughtinesse and evill which wee ought not to doe it being forbidden by God whereby many men take great paines in vile courses of prophanenesse filthinesse drunkennesse fighting against the truth and the like mis-spending their meanes and lives to oppose God and to get and goe to hell by rightly imploying whereof they might with farre lesse trouble and adoe happily do much good and attaine to heaven and everlasting glory 2. By doing things impertinent Secondly by doing that which is little or nothing to the purpose for a mans true happinesse and comfort as impertinent studies pursuite of curiosity and vanity hunting immoderately and prosecuting eagerly after the profits and pleasures of this world that before God will availe a man nothing for his salvation and eternall or spirituall comfort when the things whereupon the same depends have beene neglected for as the Apostle sayes bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable to all things a 1 Tim. 4.8 3. By idlenesse Thirdly men do often mis-spend their lives by wasting it in sluggish idlenesse when they minde and indeavour nothing so much as how they may sleepe at ease or passe away their time in sloath or sottishnesse so driving their dayes and lives to an end in doing nothing although none have more to do than they while others complaine of want of time in their imployments about their commendable affaires these object that they have more time than they know what to doe with Such are iners inutile pondus an unprofitable burthen and the excrements of the Church and Commonwealth dead while they live and as hoggs more profitable by their deaths than by their lives like ciphers they keepe a place but are of no value or worth they go out of the world before they regard why they came into the world when they are present they are unprofitable and when they are gone they are not missed for any good they ever did Causes of idlenesse The causes of which idle course of life are affectation of their owne bodily and worldly ease contenting the flesh with doing of nothing and care onely to avoid trouble which attends upon active and industrious godly imployment but wee finde the sentence of condemnation passed no lesse against those that omitted to doe their duties b Mat. 25.43 than against them who committed that evill which was forbidden Wilfull defects and omissions of doing good bring damnation He that wanted his wedding garment was thrust out of doores and cast into utter darkenesse Mat. 22.13 Why was Meroz cursed because they came not out to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Iudg. 5.23 An idle and slothfull spending of a manlife is every where in Scripture condemned and by nature the Bees expell the Droanes 4. By over-charging ones selfe in doing good There is another way of mis-spending a mans life proceeding from good affection in a pious manner by his over-tasking or overcharging himselfe in religious performances or good duties above his strength as in fasting and prayer in studies and labours in the Word Neque immoderata imperamus jejunia Hieron ad Demetriadem and the like whereby a mans life is soone spent like a sudden blaze consumed in a present flame which by more frugall ordering of it according to his ability might last much longer to the greater benefit both of Church and Commonwealth and thus I have done with the discourse of mans naturall life CHAP. 5. Of mans spirituall life §. 1. What spirituall life is Spirituall life what WEe are now to consider of mans spirituall life which is not properly the life of his spirit whereby the spirits of all men doe live but it is the life of a man whereby he personally considered lives a spirituall and supernaturall life Which consists in the gratious union of man with God in Christ who is our life a Ioh 14.6 whom God sent into the world that we might live through him 1 Ioh. 4.9 by whom we are delivered from death by his spirit because of the spiritualnesse of this our life it is said to be hid with God in Christ Col. 3.3 §. 2. The acts of spirituall life Acts of it 1. Of this spirituall life there are two acts First that whereby we that were dead in trespasses and sinnes are quickned Ephes 2.1 being translated into a state of spirituall and eternall life and indowed with a new lively principle of grace inabling us to spirituall motion 2. The second act of this life is that whereby we walke and worke according to the direction of Gods word and the good motions of the good spirit so being made conformable to God and walking with God as new creatures in the estate of regeneration §. 3. The degrees of spirituall life Degrees of it Of this life there are two degrees 1. First that which is by faith in the state of grace in this world as our Saviour tells us that hee that beleeveth on him hath eternall life Ioh. 6.47 by this life we are to live according to God in the spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 and also if wee live in the spirit wee are also to walke in the spirit a Gal 5.25 Faith and good workes as the cause and effects are alwaies together Iam. 2.20 The second degree of our spirituall life is that which is by vision or sight in glorie whereof Saint Iohn tells us that we shall be like to Christ for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3.2 and touching those things wherein it consists Saint Paul saies that eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him b 1 Cor. 2.9 And he himselfe having beene rapt up into the third heaven confesseth that there he heard unspeakable words c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not lawfull for him to utter d 2 Cor. 12.4 in regard of impossibility there being want of words to expresse such supernaturall matter and his conceiving being lesse than could comprehend what was represented to him This spirituall life in the estate of grace in this world is apprehended first in the understanding Heb. 11.1 but in the state of glory in heaven it is visibly injoyed by way of a spirituall sensiblenesse Note In the former
wee are cast into the frame and mould of the Gospell untill Christ be formed in us a Gal. 4.19 so that in this worke the spirit is the principall efficient cause as our Saviour tells us Iohn 6.63 it is the spirit that quickneth §. 7. How the Gospell workes life 1. Hovv the Gospell workes not So then the Gospell works not this life in us in a Physicall or naturall manner as having vertue naturally inherent in the words to produce such an effect in those that heare it 1. Not physically For then men should be converted and regenerated in a naturall and not in a divine manner and also then the Gospell would worke alike upon all men that heare it that were alike disposed and did not ponere obicem or lay a barre of their owne to hinder it except God should restraine the naturall power of it in working but so the conversion of man must be within the power of his owne act and God could not be justified in his withholding grace The word is a supernturall instrument of salvation But the conversion of a sinner is wrought by a greater vertue than can naturally and subjectively be in the words and sentences of the Gospell for the word of God is not instrumentum physicum a naturall instrument but a morall or rather metaphysicall instrument of effecting such a supernaturall worke according to the will of the first agent 2. Not Ethically Neither in an Ethicall manner doth the Gospell worke this spirituall life in us onely by morall perswasion as morall Philosophers and Rhetoricians doe affect and draw their hearers by reasons and exhortations stirring up a latent power inherent in us and inclining our wills by rationall motives and objects to be made alive then must it depend upon us that wee are saved and be from a power of our owne exuscitated by the word 2. How God works by the Gospell according to his own will But God works by his word as a more puissant and independent agent that inintends and remits his power in working according to his owne will by the meanes and uses meanes not as necessary for him but that he can doe as much without them in regard that the effect is his owne and man the passive subject of it Mans will is the subject of conversion It is the will of a naturall man that is most dead to God-ward and most averse from him and therefore it is the will that is chiefly to be wrought upon and made alive in conversion whereupon all depends but wee know that nothing can make it selfe alive when it is dead but he that is the fountaine of life the Son of God Rom 1.4 Note Of the heart The illumination of the understanding which is common to the wicked and the godly is presupposed as requisite to fit a man for conversion and therefore in the worke of regeneration the scripture takes notice specially of the heart insomuch that the old Testament uses no other word to expresse the understanding because in Divinity no knowledge without intertainement in the heart and without conformity of the will and practise to the truth is saving action being the end of Theological knowledge in this life words of knowledge in Scripture commonly comprehend affections in them §. 8. Why God uses meanes Although that God could if he pleased convey grace into a sinfull man by immediate influxe or inspiration from which wee cannot utterly exclude all seeing the worke of grace depends absolutely neither upon the nature of the meanes nor upon the abilities and will of the converted and elected whereof many are not by that method of meanes capable but upon God who workes according to the good pleasure of his will yet he uses meanes not to help himselfe as if otherwise he could not doe the worke but in respect of us that are naturall men indowed with senses as well as reason hee appoints meanes Reasons of using of means 1. that by our using thereof we may be active about the worke of our owne salvation and may attaine the same by a way and course within the compasse of our owne power and indeavours as the reward and blessing of God upon our labours to our commendation before God and men 2. Againe meanes are appointed by God for our obtaining of salvation that by using of them our saith in Gods promises and power may be tried in expecting thereby so glorious effects farre above their nature and also our obedience may be proved by doing what God commands us to doe within the reach of our power to get life albeit it doe transcend reason how by this way it can be had as appeares by Naaman the Syrian 2 King 5.13 14. 3. And finally God appoints the use of meanes for our comfort that by our constant conscionable using of the same we may be assured of grace and life as certainly as we are of the use of the meanes appointed to get and by which God hath promised to give it by the working of his holy Spirit §. 9. How the Spirits power is manifested and seene Vse To finde the Spirits power by the meanes in us Now further from the consideration of the excellency of this spirituall life to be wrought in us by meanes our use should be to end eavour to find and feele both the Spirits quickning vertue of regeneration by the meanes powerfully working upon and in us and also to discerne this spirituall life to be in our selves seeing our comfort lyes herein and that the one can never bee without the other Manifest in 4. degrees of operation The vertue of the Spirit in us by the meanes manifests it selfe in foure degrees of operation not to speake of illumination First both in making us see and feele with griefe of heart our owne wretchednesse and sinfull deadnesse 1. Against sinne and also by turning us from our sins and ungodly courses with detestation of them and with resolution and constant indeavours against them it being the worke of the spirit to lust against the slesh because they are contrary the one to the other a Gal 5.17 c. both in nature and effects In which respect the Prophet Hosea tells us that if we will live we must turne Hosea 6.1 for our sinfull courses are the waies of death therefore we should labour to be and find our selves mortified to sinne with some kinde not onely of voluntary indisposition but also of strong antipathie and detestation of committing the same as formerly wee were prone and affected with delight to doe and that at the presence of sinne in its habit or act we may with indignation be displeased and sad having no joy nor contentment in that condition For the motions of sin entertained do worke in our members to bring forth fruit unto death b Rom. 7.5 Which by a contrary life of grace are mortified and subdued but I confesse that
life from the fountaine of life whereby we live as men say actu primo so by the imployment and exercise of this life in obedience to God we live actu secundo preserving and nourishing this life For we see that by rest and idlenesse things are not onely often frustrate of the end of their being but doe also languish and die which by action according to their naturall faculties and proper use are preserved For all things that are in the way to their end as spirituall life is here are maintained and perfected by their motion to that end where at last they are to rest there not being an ultra or more-over for them to aspire after 3. Zeale Thirdly this spirituall life is somented and cherished by stirring up and blowing the coale of godly zeale for goodnesse and against evill whereby a man may quicken the things that are ready to die this zeale is as the lively spirits that quicken this life to make it active whereby it growes and is vigorous The vveakenes of zeale The things that weaken this zeale are three First wearisomenesse and satiety contracted by the length of time in assiduity about good things and divine exercises 2. Secondly by diseouragements from all examples and from opposition of goodnesse 3. Thirdly for the prevailing of vice in our selves or generally in others caried with a high hand and from the languishing of grace in our selves and from the generall discountenancing of it by others Meanes to quicken zeale 1. The meanes to quicken this zeale are First the serious consideration both of the excellency and also of the usefulnesse of goodnesse whereby wee may bee inslamed with the love and desire of it 2. Secondly the odiousnesse and dangerousnesse of iniquity and sinfull prevailing courses in others may by antipathie and antiparistasis kindle our zeale the more against it as David confesses of himselfe that rivers of waters did runne downe his eyes because men kept not Gods Law Psal 119.136 4. Gods promises Fourthly this spirituall life is maintained by observing and collecting the promises of the word of God and marking how God fulfills the same to his people and so by meditating and relying upon them wee shall find incouragement and a lively influence come from the same to uphold this spirituall life in us in all estates when all other things do faile As the Prophet saith unlesse thy Law had beene my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction a Psal 119.42 5. Preseverance Fiftly spirituall life is upheld in us by having our eyes fixt upon God in constant perseverance in all well doing as did Iehosaphat b 2 Chro 20.12 from whom there proceeds to us a gracious influence of divine life as light from the sunne to the moone when she is within the aspect of it 6. Hope of happincsse The sixt meanes of preservation of this spirituall life is hope set upon our future happinesse as did our Saviour Christ who for the hope that was set before him indured the crosse Heb. 12.2 by this anchor of hope a man rides safe in all stormes as held up by the chinne that hee can never bee drowned when this anchor is cast upward within the vaile whither Christ our forerunner is gone c Heb 6.19 drawing us after him §. 13. Of mans care of spirituall life Vse 2. Mans great charge The second use of the excellency of mans spirituall life is to instructus that man hath the greatest adventure and charge to save or lose of any creature in the world for as he hath both a soule and a body so hath he both a naturall and a spirituall life to save or lose and upon the miscarying of the spirituall depends the misery of the naturall Therefore it is that man is subject to most dangers of all earthly creatures and needs to be most vigilant and carefull of himselfe for by how much the more excellent he may be if he be saved so much the more miserable shall he be if he perish And therefore as of a ship lade with rich goods more care is to be had than of a ship lade with coales or chalke Comparison so more care is to be had of a man than of any other worldly creature in regard of the greatnesse of the aforesaid adventurer which may be fitly represented by the answer of a certaine Philosopher to a wretched fellow when they were both at sea in danger to be drowned together whereof the Philosopher was much more fearefull than the other who upbraided him for the same and demanded the reason thereof to whom the Philosopher replyed that the losse was farre the greater for him to miscarry than for many such fellowes as the other was who were nought worth Vse 3. The third use observable from hence is that if it come into competition whether wee should yeeld to lose our naturall life or our spirituall when both cannot be enjoyed to ether then wee are to preferre the preservation of our spirituall life before our naturall and for saving of this to do nothing to hurt or prejudice that remembring that our Saviour saith be that loveth his life shall lose it Terent S. naturall before naturall life and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it unto life eternall Iohn 12.25 for obtaining whereof many of Gods people little respected their naturall life as they who Heb. 11.35 did not accept deliverance from death that they might obtaine a better resurrection Paul said that his life was not deare to him but that he was ready to die for the name of Iesus Christ Act. 21.13 which was the ease of all the Martyrs such was their esteeme of and affection to spirituall life We that live saith Paul are delivered to death for Iesus sake that his life may bee manifest in us Which coademnes those that Esau-like set light by this spirituall life preterring the world their lusts their pleasures or naturall life before it because they neither know the worth nor comfort of it nor have part or hope of it which whosoever hath will choose rather a thousand times to die this temporall death than to lose his spirituall life CHAP. 6. Of lifes destruction and of murder in generall §. 1. How mans life may be lost HAving spoken of mans life which is the object of Self murder now it followes in the next place that we consider the act it selfe of taking away this life specially in unjust manner Life may be lost Of both the aforesaid kinds of life naturall and spirituall a man may bee deprived and that after two severall wayes 1. Passively First passively as he therein is immediately but a sufferer although mediatly or by originall merit he may be said to be efficient in procurement of his owne destruction but as he is meerely passive he cannot be deemed to be guilty thereof 2. Actively
generall mans wicked heart and the devill are the parents for the inward principle of motion to that vile sinne and also the passive subject entertaining the same is mans owne wicked disposition inclining him by inbred hatred to that horrible mischiefe For out of the heart proceeds murder a Mat. 15.19 saies our Saviour Christ which is a just recompence from God that man for his rebellion and disobedience against God should be given over in revenge of Gods quarrell to destroy with his owne hands his owne kinde and selfe So that he that will not agree with God and love him cannot agree with nor love himselfe nor his neighbour Satan is the principall and active parent of murder who was a murderer from the beginning and now is still in spite against God and man a provoker and stirrer up of man to murder affording him occasions and opportunities to doe the deed to the staining of the honor of God and defacing of mankinde and therefore murderers are most especially the children of the devill b Iob. 8.44 and obedient to him both in disposition and practise they that wilfully doe the greater sin do babitually and dispositively not stick at the lesser seeing that the lesser are ever in some sort comprehended in the greater It was an act of impotency This effect in mans taking away the life of man shewes that mans ability lyes specially in spoyling and destroying of Gods handiworks and argues rather impotency than power in him where there is no stronger power of preservation opposing of him For the proper effect of power is entity or being and non-entity or not being is the effect of weakenesse We see that although a man can kill yet he cannot restore againe to life because it is God onely that hath power over the spirit and that kills and makes alive againe Vse To bevvare of murder And therefore all men should be carefull how they take away the life of any man For although by repentance they may make their owne peace with God for their murder yet they can never restore the losse or damage none can call back the spirit but the Father of spirits to aenimate a dead body neither hath any man absolute power over the creatures to do with them as he list but as he is limited by Gods commission and will Observ To terrifie a man from killing himselfe he ought to consider how he is limited and restrained by his Soveraigne Lord God from rashly attempting or medling to hurt the lives of any men Man is restrained from murder whom he may not use or dispose of according to his owne self-will'd lust but according to the good will of God who is the supreme and absolute Lord and master of all mankinde in speciall manner Also he is to consider the odionsnesse and punishment of simple murder It is odious in any man and how loath he himselfe would be to doe it upon any other man that so he may much more abhorre to doe it upon himselfe sinnes are more discernable by us in others than in our selves as a visible object close upon the sense of seeing cannot bee seene so well as at a greater fit distance what wee doe see to be unlawfull and odious in others others doe see to be no lesse but rather more odious in us if we excell them in place or personall parts where there is no accident or circumstance that may extenuate the same A man cannot possibly kill himselfe but that thereby he is in the lesser degree of this sinne a murderer in state common with Barrabas and others that murderously kill other men than themselves and thereby is lyable to the like detestation and punishment but withall in a farre greater degree for killing himselfe Note It is remarkeable that no man can kill or murder another but withall he must kill himselfe both soule and body No man can murder another vvithout murdring of himselfe For by his sinne of murder he stabs his owne souls and subjects it to the vengeance of God And also thereby hee makes his person obnoxious to the stroke of justice by the hand either of God or man to suffer death for that horrible sinne according to the threatnings and judgements of God and the apprehension of the murderers owne conscience and the hatred wherewith all men doe prosecute such detestable persons as enemies of mankind and of humane society a Gen. 9.5 Deut 19.12 13. Gen. 4.14 CHAP. 7. Of murder as it is of ones selfe §. 1. Of the specificall difference of self-murder BEsides the consideration of murder in a mans killing of himselfe the third point in the generall description of self-murder is the efficient cause or meanes of it and that is a mans owne selfe by his owne precurement who is also the immediate object of that vile fact whereof now I am to speake Self-murders specificall difference Here is now the specificall difference of this sort of murder wherby it transcends and is distinguished from all other murders and consists in restraint of the act of killing in regard of its individual object to a mans own life self which is the greatest and cruellest act of hostility in the world when a man who by nature is most bound to preserve himself reflects upon himselfe to destroy himselfe the horriblenes whereof is so monstrous that we read no Law made against it as if it were a thing not to bee supposed possible And this sinne of all others is most against the Law of nature for that self-preservation armes a man to turne upon others unlawfully invading him to kill him And also it is against that self-love which is the rule of our love to others and therefore what wee may not lawfully in this case doe to others we can lesse lawfully doe it to our selves against this generall law of love in breaking whereof specially towards our selves we violate the whole law the generall summe whereof is love §. 2. Of the evill and greatnesse of self-murder Whence it proceeds This is the malice of Satan and our own wretchednesse to set us at division and enmity against our selves and in a monstrous manner to make a man both the active and passive subject of his owne action and utter destruction of himselfe the greatest mischiefe that can betide him in this world and so a mans selfe becomes his owne executioner by his owne hands or meanes principall or accessary by command or otherwise Comparison If parricide be a grievous sinne as wilfully to kill our owne parents children wives husbands c. who are distinct persous from our selves much more is self-murder abhominable For by unitie things are preserved and individualls are principally one and therefore if individualls be divided against themselves the world cannot stand when things shall cease to be true and amically disposed to themselves §. 3. Of lawfull self-killing Lawfull selfe-killing Of our
old man There is a lawfull and commanded killing of our selves For understanding whereof it is to be observed that every one of us hath in him a self-old-man of sinfulnesse lively and powerfull in manifold lusts and wicked actions of which the Apostle tells us Rom. 7.5 That when we were in the flesh the motions of sinnes which were by the Law did worke in our members to bring forth fruit unto death when the Commandement came sinne revived the living whereof doth kill us In this case even for our owne preservation it is necessary and lawfull for us to kill our self-old-man with the lusts thereof as the Apostle commands us to mortifie our memhers that the body of sinne might be destroyed we should put off the old man Ephes 4.22 Col. 3.9 so that we should become dead to trespasses and sinnes wherein formerly we were dead The kinds of it This killing of our selves is metaphoricall and morall by which death we are made alive For if we doe not thus die wee cannot live as the sowne corne must first die before it can live and grow Comparison Hovv done 1. In Christ This our self-old-man is slaine by three severall acts or blowes First the same after a sort was crucified in Christ Rom. 6.6 That the body of sinne might be destroyed although not the individuall persons but the common nature of mankind aslumed by Christ did suffer death in him 2. By change of our estate in Justification Secondly our self-old-man is killed by change of our state upon our grafting into Christ by faith so that we are in that respect said to be dead to the Law by the body of Christ Rom. 7.4.6 and that we are dead to the Law that we might live unto God Gal. 2.19 this is done at one entire act or blow in the act of our justification so by this death freeing us from him that hath the power of death even the devill 3. By the Spirit Thirdly our self-old-man and the lusts thereof are killed as touching the dominion and corruption of them by the Spirit of God in the act of sanctification touching which the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.13 That if we through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body which is the worke of our whole life we shall live How we are actors in it This killing of our self-old-man should be done by our selves being the executioners of it by assistance of divine power from God in three severall acts 1. First by our act of savingly beleeving in Christ whereby our state is changed from death to life 2. Secondly by our constant indeavours to be conformed to Gods Image and will by daily renovation 3. Thirdly by our continuall warfare against our corruptions and temptations touching which the Apostle saies that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 they are so contrary the one to the other that there is no living for either of them but by the death of its opposite neither is there any peace untill one of them be dead Observe The use of our Christian armour Wee should therefore ever use our Christian armour and imploy our utmost indeavours to destroy our self-old-man against which if we doe turne the edge of our spirituall sword to slaughter it with the lusts thereof we shall be diverted not onely from unjustly killing of others but much more from killing our selves in any other respect but when we as Saul doe spare the life of this Agag or self-old-man it causes us by a just hand of God to fall upon our selves to take away that life of our owne which we should both spare and cherish §. 4. Diverse observations from the generall consideration of self-murder Observ 1. Man is in greatest danger From the consideration of self-murder we may observe First that man stands in more danger of destruction than any other creature for no creature is subject to attempts against the life of it by it selfe but onely man who is invironed also with mortall dangers from without but specially of his owne procurement by opening the way for others to invade and hurt him by breaches and armes of his owne making 2. God vvants not executioners of his justice Secondly wee here see that God wants not meanes of execution of his judgements upon man seeing he can leave a man to fall upon himselfe and be his owne executioner Vse Feare God The use hereof is to make us afraid to offend God or to provoke him to be our enemie or to live unreconciled with him destitute of the assurance of his peace and favour Distrust our selves Neither are we over-confidently to trust our selves with our selves of whom wee have so little assurance for security and safety from self-mischiefe and therefore we are carefully to cleave to God for preservation praying him not to give us up to our selves who are mercilesly cruell to our selves when wee fall into our owne hands for the neerer that any are linked and knit together in condition or affection the more desperately opposite they are when they fall into division because of the want of a fit medium or mediatour of reconciliation betweene a mans selfe and himselfe what meane is there either to keepe himselfe from himselfe or to reconcile himselfe to himselfe when himselfe is fallen out into murdercus resolutions against himselfe CHAP. 8. Of spirituall self-murder in speciall §. 1. All perishing soules are self-murdered Soule-murder OF self-murder thus generally defined there are two kinds or specialls to wit spirituall and bodily Although some may be said to be murderers of other mens soules by their scandalous practises or by their corrupt doctrine or by depriving them of the meanes of their salvation and the like yet no soule can perish without the intervening and concurring of the assistance and meanes of him that owes that soule whereby it comes to paffe that all soules that miscarry are in some sort Is also self-murder self-murdered For although it is against nature to desire to bee absolutely miserable and that he should in his last existing in his last principles bee undone or wretched albeit he may affect the dissolution of his personall subsisting upon intention and hope by his change to bee bettered in his future estate subsisting in his remaining principles yet he may wittingly and willingly doe that which may be the destruction of his soule although he doth not intend that effect and so commit not direct but indirect self-soule-murder §. 2. Spirituall self-murder defined What spirituall self-murder is Now that wee may know what it is Spirituall self-murder is the killing of a mans soule or spirituall life by himselfe or his owne meanes That which distinguishes this from bodily self-murder is the subject killed which is the soule or spiritual life not that the soule essextially considered or its naturall life of being and
acting in it selfe can bee destroyed by man whereby it ever lives to be capable of eternall misery or glory For such a death it cannot die without being reduced into nothing and quite extinguished in regard of the spirituall simplicity thereof void of composition and the nature of it is an act but this death is onely of that superadded supernaturall beatificall life of grace and glory whereof a man may misse and come short and be guilty of the losse thereof although he were never personally possessed of it as those that are said 1 Tim. 1.19 to have put away faith and a good conscience §. 3. Of soul-murder by deprivation of life Tvvo degrees of it 1. Of soul-murder there are two degrees the first is deprivation of spirituall life which is poena damni or punishment of losse 2. the second is subjection to misery in positive manner which is called the second death and is poena sensus or punishment of sensible feeling because man was indowed at first as it were habitually with a spirituall life in gracious indowments and communion with God and now by mans owne fault that habit of spirituall life being destroyed it may be truly said that hee himselfe hath killed it in regard that he was radically and implicitely in Adam when he first destroyed and lost the same §. 4. Of mans deficiency to be saved Meanes of mans deprivation of 〈…〉 all life his deficiency The principall meanes of mans deprivation of this spirituall life is his neglect of meanes when himselfe is the immediate cause and procurer thereof by his owne deficiency and that two waies 1. In Adaw First as he is originally confidered in Adam who was the roote of mankind and whose first sinne and effects thereof are equally reckoned to bee all mens in common who then were in him and so thus radically in Adam all men have deprived themselves of spirituall life by their owne act of neglect of eating of the tree of life and of others permitted for their use and by their eating of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evill 2. By himselfe personally considered Secondly as he is personally considered by himselfe a man may deprive himselfe of spirituall life and so in that respect be a self-murderer of his soule which is done by his voluntary omission of duties upon which life is promised every man is dead in trespasses and sins a Ephes 2. and thereby subject to death but the Lord hath abundantly provided us of meanes to advance us to life which if we do wilfully neglect or contemne to use there being no other safety of necessiry wee must perish and bee guilty of our owne destruction as were the Iewes by rejecting of the Gospell Act. 28.25 Foure-fold omission Of this degree of self-soule-murder or deprivdtion of life a man may bee guilty by a foure-fold omission of things that ought to be done by him for his salvation 1. Neglect of the outward meanes First when a man willfully neglects the conscionable and diligent use of the outward ordinances of Gods word worship and Sacraments the blessed meanes of life appointed by God without which no man of discretion in the visible Church can be saved the Apostle Rom. 10.13 limits salvation to calling upon the name of the Lord which cannot be without hearing of the word of God This neglect of spirituall meanes is either by not going where they may be had and sincerely used or if hee may have them his neglect may be in not frequenting and carefully using them in conscionable manner nor submitting himselfe to bee wrought upon that he may be moulded in the forme and frame of the word a Rom. 6.17 But doth come to the meanes either with a prejudicate opinion against the truth or with a resolution to continue still in his unregenerated estate and in his sinfull courses as those that with their mouth shewed much love but their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33.31 and as those that Ieremie speakes of Ier. 18.12 who said Wee will walke after our owne devices and wee will every one doe the imagination of his evill heart such persons are as guilty of their owne damnation as a man is of self-murder of his body that out of stubbornnesse or sullennesse will not eate but in the midst of plenty starve himselfe to death §. 5. Of mans neglect of the power of the meanes 2. The contempt of the power of the meanes The second omission procuting deprivation of spirituall life and so consequently effecting self-soule-murder in that degree is a mans contempt and regardlesnesse of the spirituall efficacy and power of the meanes for inward change of his spirituall and morall state and condition and for power of enabling him to all holy practise of life and conversation whereby he may be borne againe and be made a new creature a Iob. 3.3 which is a thing most necessary and availeable for salvation Gal. 6.15 Such men are either utterly carelesse and regardlesse of grace and spirituall life from their undervaluing of the worth of it or from their esteeming of the same to be needlesse Or else they harden their hearts as did Pharaoh and set themselves against the power of the Word that it may neither enter into their hearts nor make any divine change in their states or lives as if they had made a league with hell and death What be those Contemners Such are ever learning but never attaine to saving knowledge they are ever sowing but never reape they are ever in the hand of the workeman but are never framed anew they are fairely featured by some outward profession but are without life and sound grace the reason hereof is because such an one rests upon and pleases himselfe in his owne sufficiency using the meanes without consideration of the end why God gave the meanes and why we are couse them and without looking and seeking to God for a blessing upon the meanes that they may be effectuall to his salvation §. 6. Of mans defect in obedience 3. Want of obediencs The third omission whereby a man excludes himselfe from this spiritnall life and so consequently subjects himselfe to spirituall death is wilfull want of obedience to Gods word and that in a double respect 1 Evangelicall First in regard of the Gospell when he doth not savingly beleeve in Christ as the Gospell requires but remaines in privative unbeliefe whereby a man is destitute or deprived of Christ our life and Saviour For we are frequently said to live by faith b Habak 2.4 Heb. 10.38 Rom. 1.17 and therefore without it we are dead and so such as do not savingly beleeve and repent which are the acts of Evangelicall obedience doe deprive themselves of salvation through their owne default which is evident because they are willingly impenitent unbeleevers resisting the motions of the word and Spirit not sorrowing for nor striving against
damned in hell can be for that sensible misery that they shall suffer both in respect of the differing degrees and also of the natures of the things but punishment of damage and privation of life and happinesse proceeds from want and omission of good whereof wee are to beware §. 10. Of indeavour after spirituall life and of the lets thereof 2. The second use is to stirre us up to indeavour after life spirituall both to get and keepe it by the conscionable use of the meanes thereof For as God gives not this life without our using of appointed meanes so these meanes are within the reach of our power and none do perish but such as are wanting to themselves therein For no man perishes or is saved by an absolute decree of God without respect to his owne courses in the accomplishment thereof as Act. 13.48 it is said that as many as were ordained to life beleeved By a mans constant carefulnesse in the use of the meanes and walking in the waies of salvation it is apparent that he is appointed to life as the Apostle tells us 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing your election for our Gospell came unto you in power c. this life is worth the labouring for if we doe our parts for a thing of that price we may have assurance and comfort of it against the servile feare of the contrary death Letts The lets and hinderances of this endeavour and the causes of this omission whereby men deprive themselves of this spirituall life are specially three 1. Perverted judgment First a perverted judgement and stupid understanding undervaluing the worth of that life as not so excellent and necessary as it is it being not subject to our present naturall senses nor regarded by the world 2. Mis-placed affections Secondly the preferment of the world in the profits and pleasures thereof before it in place or degree after which ungodly men doe more eagerly hunt and therein have more content because they have the same in present possession and it agrees best with their estate and disposition insomuch that it may be said of such men that it is better to be their bodies than their soules as the Emperour said of Herod Macrobius that it was better being his hog than his Son because he killed his Son but spared and fatted his hogs 3. Presumption Thirdly groundlesse presumption that either he hath that life already or that he hath time enough to get it long afterwards or that it may be easily had without meanes or at least without so much adoe makes a man to omit endeavouring after it in due time in use of the meanes and so he misses that life §. 11. Of spirituall self-murder by subjection to death through commission of evill The second degree of self-soul-murder The second degree of self-soul-murder is subjection to spirituall destruction in damnation and everlasting misery whereof man himselfe is the efficient meritorious cause by his owne activity in committing and wilfully doing those sinnes for which death and destruction is threatned a Ezek. 18.4 and is assuredly inflicted upon the impenitent perseverers therein For as by a mans omission of his duty he deprives himselfe of life so by his commission of sinnes hee subjects himselfe to the contrary death the former being as terminus à quo the terme from which men move the latter as terminus ad quem the terme to which they move both which are inseparably united in the same person in whom thereby this spirituall self-murder is consummate to the highest perfection or degree of it whereby it properly may be called self-soule-murder §. 12. Of the meanes of destruction by breaking the Law By sins of commission The deadly meanes whereby men kill their owne soules and subject the same to eternall positive destruction are the sins that they wilfully commit and continue in in such kinds and degrees and manner as cannot consist in them with grace and salvation and are of two sorts 1. Against the Law of negative commands First such as be against the prime law of Nature by transgressing the negative Commandements of God whereby the transgressours doe subject themselves to that punishment which is called poena sensus or punishment of smart or damnation in hell For by sinne entred death Rom 5.12 Rev. 21.8 Prov. 19 16. The properties of soul-murdring sinnes The properties of the course and sinnes of Commission whereby a man becomes guilty of self-murder of his soule are foure 1. They are grosse Although the nature of all sinnes be mortall deserves death and disposes a man for it yet those that be of the grossest kinds and in the highest degrees of exorbitancy such as Hosea speakes of cap. 4.2 are specially said to be mortall for their extreame contrariety that they have to God and his justice their inconsistency with grace and for their apting and disposing of those to destruction that live in them so that by committing such sinnes men doe cast their owne soules into the gulfe of perdition 2. Wilfull Secondly when they that commit those sinnes or any of them doe willingly doe the same and live in them against the light and checks of their owne consciences as our Saviour charges the Pharisees Iohn 9.41 then are they self-condemned and do wittingly destroy their owne soules without excuse of ignorance or of want of power to have avoyded the same seeing as there is in some naturall notions of the Law in the minde such as the Gentiles have Rom. 2.14 So likewise all men have some remainder of power to forbeare sinnes in their grossest kinds and degrees if they were not wanting to themselves and therefore as all men specially the wicked within the Church shall be judged by the Law so they shall have nothing to plead to excuse why they should not be damned for their grosse transgressing of it 3. Obstinate Thirdly when men commit those sinnes with eagernesse and delight from and upon advised judgment and wilfull resolution with contentment in the acting of them and defending or excusing them when they are done as did Saul 1 Sam. 13.12 and do fall to opposing censuring and condemning the contrary course of vertue and godlinesse in the persons that doe practise the same whom therefore they hate and persecute a 1 Thes 2.15 such persons are in a course of destroying their owne soules by setting themselves with a high hand against God provoking him to his face to fall upon them for revenge 4. Presevered in Fourthly by this course of sinning a man murders his own soule when he goeth on and incorrigibly perseveres therein passing from evill to worse hardning his owne heart against all reproofes and amendment storming against and abusing all the meanes of his recovery to his deeper plunging in wickednesse and destruction for although hee would willingly misse hell and bee rid of the guilt of his sinne that troubles his conscience
so long as hee is not grieved for his sinnes of omission nor makes conscience to doe his duty in keeping the affirmative Commandements of God Of the danger of this course of impenitency the Apostle Paul gives his censure in these words But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgements of God Rom. 2.5 Cure To prevent this impenitency we must beware of custome in sinne and of slighting our spirituall estates §. 17. Of the sinne against the Holy Ghost 3. The sinne against the Holy Ghost The third branch of the sinnes against the Gospell whereby a man kills his owne soule is the sinne against the Holy Ghost which consists in hating and opposing the knowne saving truth of the Gospell a Mat. 12.31 and is called a sinne unto death 1 Ioh. 5.16 from which there is no recovery not onely because it is ever accompanied with finall impenitency but specially for that the nature of that sinne is so directly against the meanes of salvation that thereby a man cuts himselfe utterly off from it and deprives himselfe of the suffrages and prayers of the Church b 1 Ioh. 5.16 every sinne disposes a man lesse or more to this sinne which is the transcendency of all sinnes and therefore that all men may feare and not presume upon any sinfull course God hath set bounds to his mercy how farre in what cases and to whom he will shew the same and in what cases and to whom not It behooves all men as they would escape damnation to beware of this sinne which at last often causes men to lay violent hands upon themselves and to end their lives in desperation The sinnes neere approaching to it are those that men doe wilfully with a high hand commit and stand in with hatred and persecuting of the contrary vertuous courses in others Cure To avoid this sinne against the Holy Ghost wee must be carefull that wee sinne not presumptuously nor hate goodnesse and good people Things observable in it It is by way of enlargement further to be observed that this sinne against the Holy Ghost is both incident onely to persons inlightned with certaine knowledge of Christ and the Gospell a Heb. 6.4 by the Spirits illumination and are indowed with some competent measure of Evangelicall graces by the power and worke of the Holy Ghost and also that the nature of it consists in an obstinate malicious opposition of Iesus Christ and his merits and of the Gospell and of Evangelicall grace and goodnesse against divine light and convincing illumination of the Holy Ghost in those that doe it who in their very act of their opposition of Evangelicall truth and the professors and obeyers thereof doe the same with malicious refisting the very motion working and perswasion of the Spirit within them to the contrary at that very instant Observ Many more doe now in the time of the Gospell commit this sinne against the Holy Ghost How many now do commit it than could doe it in the time of the Law and many now doe come so neere unto it that they fall into the desperate estate of impenitencie and of a reprobate sense in regard of the clearenesse and abundance of the light of the Gospell contrary to which and to their owne conscience they runne with greedinesse to all excesse of wickednesse and prophanenesse with hatred and opposition of goodnesse and of the power of the Gospell and of those in that respect that are godly Note None that are affraid they have committed the sinne against the Holy Ghost or are troubled about it or grieved for it can in that case commit it neither have committed it because this sinne is done with the whole consent of will and sway of affections in a totall Apostacy with impenitency and unreconcileable hatred and persecution of the truth of the Gospell and of the professors thereof §. 18. Of Apostacy Finall Apostacy Fourthly the soule murdering sinnes committed against the Gospell are apostacy from the profession or power of it occasioned by an evill heart of unbeliefe by the profits honors pleasures or examples and temptations of the world in those that are hypocrites and unsound as were Demas a 2 Tim. 4 10. and Simon Magus b Act. 8.21 and by renouncing of God and the Gospell by compact explicit or implicit with Satan as Witches and Magitians doe resigning their soules to him and to eternall destruction Where it is to be observed that Apostates in Gods just judgement not onely runne into all excesse of impiety and prophanenesse but doe also become most bitter haters and persecuters of the profession and professors which formerly they seemed to embrace being not content to perish themselves but also are grieved that any should bee saved and stand fast in the truth Apostates are hardly ever recovered and their damnation is greater because they fall from a higher pitch than other men and against more meanes of knowledge and reluctancy whereby they are self-condemned and often at last end their dayes in despaire graduall apostacy or relecting in the power and wayes of godlinesse is incident to the godly and recoverable as wee see Revel 2.5 and therefore is not comprenended in this ranck of soul-killing-apostacy which is not fallen into at once but by degrees To persevere in the truth we must labour to be sound in the faith and to love and delight in the truth above all things The difference of sinnes Although it is certaine that all sinnes are damnable for nature in regard of their contrariety to God and his Law and are also of a condemning property in respect of their merit of due punishment of damnation For the soule that sins shall dye Ezek. 18.4 yet all sinnes are not alike as the Stoicks affirme but some are more mischievous and more repugnant than others to God himselfe and to our salvation and to the good of others and are more incompatible with justice and charity than others are as Idolatry perjury c. §. 19. Of the malignity of the sinnes against the Gospell above those committed against the Law Sinues against the Gospell worse than against the Law The sinnes that are done immediately against the Gospell are more dangerous and worse than those that are committed immediatly against the Law whereof I will give three reasons Reasons 1. First for their nature they are of a higher straine than the sinnes of the Law as the Gospell is more eminent than the Law which is intimated Heb. 10.28 29. 2. Secondly these sinnes against the Gospell are done with more opposition against more abundant meanes and grace by those that now live in the Church than the sins of the Law as Paul manifests to us 2 Cor. 3.8 3. Thirdly the sinnes against the Gospell are committed with farre more inevitable destruction than the sinnes against the
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
unlawfull Ergo. To be more carefull to provide for the safety of their worldly goods than of their soules is wretchednesse and desperate folly which all those doe which by unlawfull meanes would preserve their estates Such mutes are so farre from being worthy of having their estates preserved by this course that therefore they should the rather lose them and themselves be the more cruelly and ignominiously entreated for being guilty of two horrible crimes first that whereof they are indited and for which they refuse to answer to be legally tryed the second is their contumacious rejecting of all just and legall courses of tryall and active obedient subjection to authority requiring their submission Touching their second and third motives of standing mute with respect onely to the matter of their worldly credit the same is meere folly because by this course they doe farre more discredit and make themselves infamous in regard that ipso facto they make themselves guilty of a double crime both of that whereof they are indited and also of contumacy against authority and law and the death of pressing that they suffer is the just reward of their obstinate mutenesse besides all their other demerits it is chiefly the morall manner of dying that is comfortable and honourable wherein such mutes are wanting Their fourth motive which is from feare proud impaciencie of suffering uniustly or inimically by others in the course of ordinary legall triall is most vaine for why should we wrong our selves that we may escape being wronged or insulted over by others this was the practise of Saul to kill himself that he might prevent being insulted over and mocked by the uncircumcised Philistims the matter of the greatest triumph to our enemies over us is to give them a victory by our owne hands both over our bodies and mindes as such mutes doe to their eternall destruction Such mutes are not onely guilty of their owne deaths but also by that course they subiect themselves to everlasting damnation both in soule and body both because they die impenitently and wilfully in a sinfull way of their owne obstinate procurement and choise and also doe cast away their soules in departing this world in uncharitable manner without either confession or clearing of themselves in lawfull manner of the crimes for which they are indited and arraigned and so perish as outlaws against both God and humane authority whose fact is equivalent to direct self-murder by wittingly and willingly doing that unlawfull act which they know will inevitably subiect them to death without hope of escape §. 6. About malefactors arraigned for crimes how they are to answer to the question Guilty or not guilty Question 2. A second question considerable about the foresaid subject is touching malefactors indited and arraigned at the barre of Iustice before a lawfull magistrate to be tryed upon their lives for some capitall crimes that they have done as petty treason burglary murder or the like touching their lives whether when they hold up their hands at the barre and are in legall manner asked the question whether they be guilty or not guilty of such a fact whereof they are indited and which indeed they themselves know they have done whether I say are they bound in conscience and may they answer affirmatively that they are guilty without any danger of being indirectly guilty of self-murder Answer They that confesse themselves to be guilty are indirect self-murderers For resolution of this question I answer that when a man is accused of such a capitall crime and is therefore brought to a legall triall whereunto he is subjected for finding or not finding him to be guilty of that fact upon the verdict of which enquiry Law and Authority is satisfied and determines their proceeding with the party for him upon that question whether he be guilty or not guilty before the triall to confesse himselfe to be guilty so by his owne onely witnesse and verdict casting himselfe upon the losse of his life hee may in a strict construction and in some sort be accompted culpable of indirect self-murder Exception Except it be in case to save innocents from suffering wrongfully for his fault or that it be for greater good of the State of the Church or of his owne Soule when the fact can no otherwise be knowne or proved against him but by his owne confession Touching a voluntary and full confession after conviction and condemnation I know none that is not of opinion that it is necessary for the salvation of the malefactors soule although his body do perish as Achan did Ioshua 7.20 That such an affirmative answer of guilty to that question makes the answerer I say in some sort indirectly guilty of self-murder although they are not the worst men morally considered that doe so I will make it plaine Reasons 1. First a malefactor by such an affirmative answer anticipates and deprives himselfe of that legall triall whereby it were possible for him to have escaped and not to have beene found guilty of that capitall fact for which he is indited and therefore by dying upon his owne onely confession witnesse and verdict which hee needed not to have done he is guilty of indirect self-murder Now for a man that hath in danger of life lawfull choise of two waies the one most certainely mortall the other more doubtfully deadly if hee choose and perish by the former he is indirectly a self murderer because he willingly rejected the latter and safer whereby he might have lived thus it is in this case of answering guilty before the triall 2. Secondly it is a naturall axiome that no man is bound to betray himself Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum quisque tenetur defendere seipsum Vnusquisque praesupponitur esse bonus donec probetur esse malus and that every one is tied to defend himselfe A Traytour saies D. Kellet Miscel li. 1. p. 164. may without sin plead not guilty that is not proved guilty at your barre where every one is presupposed to be good untill he is proved to be bad I am not guilty so farre that I am bound to accuse my selfe and this is saies hee the allowed generall acceptation of that usance For further manifestation hereof it is to be considered that the question and answer is made in a humane civill Court wherein hee is demanded not whether in Conscience but whether in Law he be guilty whereby he is bound to confesse no more against his life than can be legally proved against him specially seeing he answers not upon oath or adjuration which binds the examinate or prisoner at the barre in conscience upon obligation of religion to depose the truth concerning himselfe knowne onely to that deponent and according to whose owne testimony hee is to be acquited or condemned Of answering upon oath about crimes concerning a mans selfe but this being most unreasonable to make a man witnesse Jurie and Judge in his owne cause
Coate let him have thy Cloake also and whosoever shall compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine a Mat. 5.38 39 40.41 For no man is so farre bound to contend for justice in his owne particular but that he may upon good reasons forbeare or dispense with his owne right whereby he incurres onely an evill of damage and not of sin 3. Of yeelding to suffer Thirdly this yeelding is not a making of the innocent sufferer to be guilty nor of the nocent wrong doer to be just or more obstinately to persist in his unjust courses no more than the not applying of medicines to the disease called No li me tangere doth foment it when the medling with it would inrage it and make it worse This course of yeelding to suffer wrongs makes way and place for passive obedience and for God the great and righteous Iudge of the world to do justice even upon the highest and to worke his owne glorious works with redresse of all such evills as neither by right nor might can bee by man reformed in which course of suffering wrong wee have the Martyrs for examples to follow §. 21. Touching the voluntary appearance of Felons at liberty upon baile to free their baile Third question Touching the voluntary appearing of Fellons to receive justice A third question reducible to this point is whether a man that for some capitall crime is under bond of his owne promise or upon some penall summe of money or upon bond of a friend for him of body for body for his personall appearing at the Assizes ought thereupon to appeare when he certainely foresees that there he shall be cast and die as put the case it be for battery or wounding of a man mortally who dies thereupon after such bond given Answer When they ought I answer if the bond for his appearance bee his owne promise hee ought in conscience to appeare because Gods Word and Law bindes us to keepe our promises if the same be not to doe sin although the same may bee damageable to us a Psal 15. but if so bee that his bond for appearance be a penall summe of money onely by sureties then all that a man hath he will give for his life so that in this case I see not that he is bound in conscience to appeare where he foresees his owne death when the Magistrate hath accepted a penall summe for fiduciary caution in stead of his personall imprisonment or other assurance for his appearance and so may shift himselfe for his safety to some place as a City of refuge to keep himselfe from the hands of the avenger of blood When againe they ought But if hee bee at liberty upon his friends bond of body for body for appearance then ought hee in conscience to appeare although hee certainely foresee that there hee shall die that he may free his friend by his meanès and for his sake so ingaged both in respect of the Law of friendship and in regard of the cause that is not his friends but his owne that by his meanes and for him an innocent man do not perish which were his grievous sinne §. 22. What a guilty person ought to do to free the innocent Fourth question Concerning an innocent mans suffering by misprision or error in stead of the nocent and what the guilty ought in that case to doe A fourth question that belongeth to this point may be this if a burglary or a murder be committed and an innocent man be attached arraigned found guilty and upon presumptions be condemned for it to die the true fellon not being knowne as it fell out where a certaine young man a Suiter to a Maid was taken cast and condemned to death and suffered for the murder and death of that maide with whom he was late in company after the rest of the family were in bed and she the next morning found murdered which fact was done by a Villaine that was hid about the house and not by the young man-suiter as the Fellon afterward confessed Whether is not the true actor of such a fact bound in conscience to discover himselfe and confesse that hee may save the life of an innocent that for his sinne he may not die Answer The nocent ought to discover himselfe I answer that hee is bound in conscience so to doe for otherwise he is guilty both by his fact and silence of the death of such an innocent man so suffering whom he might and ought to rescue now it is certaine that no man is to doe or omit that which by the doing or omission thereof either multiplies or aggravates his sin to his owne worse and eternall condemnation And how againe he is bound not to suffer other men to sinne either by rashnesse or malice in the witnesses or jurie when it is in his power to prevent it by true information as in this case he may yet I thinke he is to do it with as great circumspection for safety of his owne life as he can being sure that he leave not the truth undiscovered nor suffer the innocent to perish through his feare or neglect §. 23. About a mans voluntary revealing to the Magistrate his own secret capitall crimes Fift question A fift question hitherto belonging to bee resolved is if a man have committed a capitall crime as murder Polygamy or the like which was done so long agoe or so farre off or so secretly that none knowes or will accuse him thereof About secret capitall crimes and is so troubled in conscience about it that upon his private confession to Divines thereof and their counsell and consolations ministred to him he hath no rest nor comfort but in revenge upon himselfe is strongly tempted to destroy himselfe by his owne hands and cannot prevaile against his resolutions of doing it whether then is he to accuse himselfe of the crime and to put himselfe into the hands of Iustice to suffer for it Answer When and how the delinquent is to reveale his crimes that are capitall In this case I think such an one ought so to do both for the easing of his conscience that no otherwise can have rest that thereupon others may be affraid to venture upon sinne with presumption of secrecy when they shall see the force of conscience compelling men to blaze their owne crimes and shame And also for preventing of self-murder by submission to the sword of Iustice and to the mercy of the Magistrate who perhaps will hardly in such a case condemne a man upon his owne inditement and witnesse where there is no other that doth the same and when the act seemes to be unreasonable that any man should seeke his death where none accuseth and if he were in this case condemned it is most like that the supreme Magistrate would save such a one by pardon or replevin for the usefulnesse of his life in time to come for the sword
and most necessary thing that he can provide preserve and commend to his posterity So that if there be any thing of worth in this world for which he ought to contend to death a Jud. 3. it must be the true religion that through his neglect or fearefulnesse he suffer it not violently by force of forraigne armes to be opprest and himselfe and his to be tyrannically thrust out of his just possession of it without which to be were better not to bee when therefore he shall bee forcibly inthralled and subjected to that which he is perswaded is erroneous and hereticall and the bane of his soule §. 28. About the publike confession or profession of the truth The second member about confession of the truth 1. The second member of the case wherein a man ought to expose his life to death in cause of religion is in point of confession of the Gospell and true religion with danger of our lives for the same which is to bee done both when wee are called to declare our faith and opinion about the truth so that then we are neither to dissemble nor deny it but are commanded to make profession of it 1 Pet. 3.15 as was practised by Iohn the Baptist Iohn 1.20 and so by all the blessed Martyrs 2. And also when we doe see that our concealement of our profession may prejudice the truth dishonour God strengthen and confirme the adversaries or may discourage and offend the weake Christians whereby they may droope or fall then no feare of death should cause a man to forbeare to declare himselfe in point of religion lest that of our Saviour Christ be verified upon him He that loveth his life sholl lose it a John 12.25 Whereas contrariwise He that hateth his life in this world or as it is in Matthew Ioseth it for Christs sake b Mat. 10.39 shall keep it unto life eternall By failing in this point many a man standers himselfe causing the people of God to thinke worse of him than he is indeed and deprives himselfe of much honour and comfort that he might have by exposing himselfe to all hazzards for Gods cause to whom that in the fifth of the Iudges concerning Ruben may be applyed that for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to heare the bleatings of the flocks c Judges 5.15 16.23.18 And againe that concerning Meroz Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty Whereas contrariwise in the same cause it is said with commendation Zebulon and Napthalie were a people that jeoparded their lives unto death §. 29. Touching not omission of necessary duties commanded of God in any perill of life for the same The third member is about omission of duty The third member of the ease wherein a man ought to expose his life to death in cause of religion is when he is charged and bidden by any humane command or authority upon threatning paine of death to forbeare doing of that which God commands him to doe whether the same be personall duties of generall obedience to Gods lawes that are proper to all men or officiall respecting some conditions of men in their speciall places and relations as officers and the like if they have the same in charge immediately from God without dispensation 1. Personall then a man is not upon any humane prohibition to omit doing of such duties which he is bound by immediate authority from God to performe a Dan. 6.10 as honouring of our parents and all the other affirmatives of Gods morall Commandements which no man can release or dispense withall to discharge a man before God for his omission of them 2. Officiall Also for officiall duties which are so proper to mens particular places and relations wherein they are that without performance of those duties these relations and places would be marred a man is not to omit them upon any threatning and danger so long as he stands in such relation or place 1. Of divine institution because both the places and duties belonging to them are of divine and not humane ordination and dependance as the places and duties of parents children husbands wives masters servants magistrates subjects c. who are not upon any humane command or danger to omit their duties to those to whom they owe them upon divine bond which is so plaine that it is professed of the Pope that he cannot nor will not absolve subjects from their allegiance and obedience due to their Princes b Bellar. in dialogismo adversus Borclaium c. 31. but only from obedience to such as by heresie contumacy or the like are fallen from their places of Kingly authority which they had being unworthy of it and of the duties and respects due to the same 2. Of humane institution But it is to be observed that for those places and their duties which are wholly of humane ordination as offices of State or Common-wealth they are to bee executed or suspended by the superiour authority although our endeavours are not to concurre in it mainly and clearely to crosse the morall rules of equity and religion Also for callings that are fundamentally of divine ordination the manner of execution whereof depends upon the rules of Gods direction in his Word as is the Ministry of the Gospell so long as the persons that exercise that function have their calling thereunto by men who are the Church of God by the same power they may be discharged and put out of place or while they are in it be suspended from liberty of exercising their publike office and ministry for the same power that makes may unmake and the affirmative Commandements of God doe not binde ad semper to the doing of them alwayes Of obedience to suspension and deprivation specially when the intermission only or restraint of exercise of those duties is intended by the deprivers or suspenders so long as there is sufficient provision by others to perform the same without so great dānge to the Church as might arise to the same by the Ministers doing of the duties of his calling contrary to the said authority then such a deprivation or suspension Exception against suspension and deprivation of ministers by the Church of Rome although it were unjust is to be obeyed and for a man in that case to suffer for his disobedience to the same he can have no comfort nor just incouragement except such restraint were so generall that there were not men enough in places to discharge the duties of that function without which a true Church cannot subsist so as therein and by the doctrine thereof men may be saved then in that case of extreame necessity such a deprived or suspended Minister by the rule of charity which warrants lay-men to help to uphold
should dare upon any motive of humane will profit or penalty wilfully to transgresse the same 3. God is our ultimate or last end that we are to aime at that we may both enjoy and please him in whom consists our happinesse 4. All promises of blessings are made to the doers of Gods will and all threatnings of judgements to the transgressors of the same a Rom. 2. v. 6 7 8 9 10. which reward no humane power can hinder or frustate And therefore wee cannot dispense with our selves upon any humane pretence or motive to do any thing contrary to Gods word and positive Law although for not transgressing the same we should incurre death §. 32. Of indifferent things how they become sinfull Indifferents accidentally evill But in subject ò indifferente in things that are of themselves but indifferent whose use is neither directly nor absolutely commanded nor forbidden by Gods word as are kinds of meate drinke apparrell and the like and for which we ought not to command to death the using or not using of them becomes sinfull onely accidentally either by reason of externall circumstances about the action or omission of them or of some erroneous qualities in the agents or omitters and not from the intrinsecall nature of the things or morall disposition of the action or omission absolutely considered without respect of circumstances and Law The individual acts of things indifferent are not indifferent when they are done For touching the use of indifferent things onely mans individuall voluntary actions about them specially proceeding from deliberate judgment are morally either good or evill well done or ill done because they are accompanied and indowed with such actionall circumstances as do so affect and qualifie them that they are no more indifferent Not Physically either Physically to be done or not done for Vnumquodque dum est necessario est Every thing when it is it is necessarily and then cannot be otherwise than it is Nor morally or morally because if the same were otherwise than it is it must necessarily be either better or worse than it is For no action can stand equally morally affected with differing circumstances and at the same time to be done Tho. prima secundae quaest 18. artic 9. Cum enim rationis sit ordinare actus a ratione deliberativa procedens si non sit ad debitū finē ordinatus ex hoc ipso repugnat rationi et habet rationem mali si vero ordinetur ad debitū finē convenit ad eum ordine rationis unde habet rationem beni Ex Filliucio To. 2. p. 3. Patet actiones humanas quatenus à ratiene volūtate diriguntur dici morales hoc est dignas laude velvituperatione ex Arist Ethic. c. 13. actio homini propria est voluntaria libera adeodigna laude aut vituperatione Tho. 1.2 q. 1. art 1. Azor. l. 1. c. 1. or not to bee done cannot be equally morally indifferent For Thomas Aquinas saies That it falls out that an action may be indifferent secundum speciem in the generall kind of it qui tamen est bonus vel malus in individuo consideratus which notwithstanding is either good or evill considered in its individuall subject and act Whereof hee gives the reason quia actus moralis non solum habet bonitatem ex objecto à quo habet speciem sed etiam ex circumstantijs because a morall action hath its goodnesse not onely from its object by which it is specified for kinde but also from circumstances of which every individuall act of necessity hath some whereby it is drawne to be good or bad Ad minus ex parte intentionis finis at least in respect of the end intended And therefore he concludes properly necesse est omnem actum hominis à deliberativa ratione procedentem in individuo consideratum bonum esse vel malum it is of necessity that every act of man proceeding from deliberate reason and considered in its individuall performance and subject is good or evill For seeing the will of man rightly ordered is subject to right reason and divine Law then all actions proceeding from it as it is so guided in all performances are morally good or bad and as all things are destinated to an ultimate end of Gods glory and to other particular subordinate ends of effecting any good so is their use subject to proportionable rules and Lawes for ordering the same thereby that they may attaine their end intended and in that respect when they are done they are morally either well or ill done according to that proportion or disproportion that their use then hath to their due ends and rules and to be a fit and effectuall meanes of accomplishing the same or contrariewise Conclusion So now wee have seene how that for to prevent suffering and death we are not wittingly and willingly to doe evill of sin in any case specially or any thing directly against Gods Law And therefore doe conclude with David à Mauden touching the aforesaid three generall cases wherein a man suffering to death is exempted from indirect self-murder pro bono publico fide religione Catholica alijsque de causis bonis honestis vitam propriam periculo expouere non solum laudabile sed etiam interdum necessarium est For a man to expose his owne life to danger for the publike good for his faith for the true religion and for other good and honest causes it is not onely commendable but also sometimes necessary §. 33. Of the properties of an indirect selfe-murderer An indirect self-murderer hath two bad properties The first property Folly First hee is foolish in advisedly and wilfully using mortall meanes and fatall to himselfe and yet thinks not thereby to die but to live more happily as Eve in eating of the forbidden fruit that was the meanes of death did conceit to attaine thereby to a more excellent life as if a man should looke to gather grapes of thornes and good comfort of deadly courses Frō unbeleefe Which proceeds from the stupid unbeleefe of man who would rather make God a lyer than he will be diverted from his desperate courses or will beleeve more than hee comprehends or conceives by his senses being as the horse or mule which have no understanding whose mouth must be kept in with bit and bridle as the Prophet tells us Psal 32.9 The second property Wicked Secondly an indirect self-murderer is wicked for knowing both his course and the event thereof to bee evill opposite both to the will of God and to his owne future good he doth wilfully continue in and prosecute it still which is damnable impiety The ground of it self-content Which flowes from the self-contentment that men take in their owne sinfull waies and from their misconstruction and abuse of the long patience of God not executing his threatned judgements speedily upon such as themselves are
Note The higher that this ground of error of judgement is the more obstinate are the resolutions that are built upon the same Because such conclusions are to the deceived matters of conscience founded as they think upon divine authority farre above the countermand of any humane reason or argument and testimony of truth diffenting from their tenets and opinions Observe Abused Scripture harmefull From hence we may observe that although God hath graciously given us his holy Scriptures to be the powerfull meanes of life a Rom. 1.16 yet many men do abuse and make the same the meanes of their owne destruction as Peter speakes of the unlearned and unstable who did wrest the Episties of Paul as they did also the other Scriptures unto their owne destruction b 2 Pet. 3.16 and so the Commandement that was ordained to life is found to bee unto death to them Rom. 7.10 as the Gospell that is the savour of life to life to those that are saved is the savour of death to death to those that perish c 2 Cor. 2.16 Nothing doth so much hurt when it is abused as that which may do most good when it is rightly used There is no heresie or practise or opinion so vile in the Christian world that pretends not and abuses not Scripture or something in it or from it in defence or excuse of the same and upon that ground chiefly prevailes upon mens consciences and holds them captivated in their errors and ill courses and so men do turne the sweetest Manna into the bitterest gall of Aspes to their owne perdition Compatison As a man by managing a sword by its handle may defend himselfe thereby so by taking and using it by the point or edges mischiefes himselfe by the same Therefore wee need take heed how wee use the sword of the Word Prevention of this error by not following the letter against the true meaning of the Scripture For prevention of error of judgement from this ground of abused Scripture wee are to be carefull that we be not moved with the letter of the Scripture without its proper sense agreeable to the truth contrary to which the abused letter of the Scripture is no warrant for us to beleeve or do any thing as wee see by our Saviour Christs replie to Satan who a Mat 4.6 in tempting of him alledged Scriptures after his manner to perswade him to doe evill Observe Our faith and practise should be founded upon sound knowledge otherwise all our building will fall that is reared up upon a rotten foundation and wee shall commit two faults at once one in error of our judgment another in our unwarrantable practise according to the same Rules or meanes of knowledge of the Scripture Therefore that we may not wrest the Scripture from its true sense to our meaning that wee shall please to give it or that wee should take it in a carnall or grosse sense contrary to its owne interpretation we are to observe foure rules or helps that wee may rightly understand the Scripture 1. Humility First it is needfull that we be indowed with humility of spirit that denying our owne selves and carnall reason wee may submit to take such sence and meaning of the Scripture as it of it selfe affords with the assistance of the helps of the Church and not to impose upon it any sense of our owne making or to wrythe or wrest it to favour our conceits or purposes but that laying aside all ambition of over-ruling the Scripture to force it to patronize and countenance any new fangled humorous opinions or old errors of ours for our vaine ostentation or sinfull profit we are humbly to conforme all our opinions and courses to the Scriptures and not to bring the Scriptures into subjection to our opinions and practise God will guide the meeke in judgement and the meeke will he teach his wayes saies David Psal 25.9 2. Holinesse The second meanes whereby we may be able rightly to understand the Scriptures is holinesse of heart and conversation as our Saviour tells us that if any man will do his will he shall know of his doctrine whether it be of God Iohn 7.17 For as the Philosopher saies Every evill body is an ignorant Omnis malus est ignorans Arist Ethic. l. 3. and persons prepossessed with error and vice labour to interpret all Scripture in favour of the same Whereas godly people indowed with a new divine nature as Peter tels us a 2 Pet. 1.4 are thereby inclined so to expound the Scripture as best agrees with the truth and grace of God in them who are divinely illightned whereby they are able to try things that differ b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.10 When others are blinde and cannot see a farre off 2 Pet. 1.9 3. Prayer The third meanes to help us rightly to understand the Scriptures is Prayer to God that he would both reveale and manifest to us his truth and also would give us grace rightly to conceive it in our minds and hearts as the Prophet David praies Teach me good judgment and knowledge Psal 119.66 that so we may be taught of God c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 4.9 For the matter of the Scripture is in many points so supernaturall and high and wee so dull and grosse in conceiving such truths that as flesh and blood cannot reveale them to us neither can the naturall man receive the things of the Spirit of God d 1 Cor. 2 14. without divine help procured by prayer 4. The Spirit of God The fourth meanes of rightly understanding the Scripture is the Spirit of God in and by our use of hearing and reading and conferring illightning our mindes and perswading our consciences of the truth according to the promise of our Saviour touching the holy Spirit whom he said he would send and that when this Spirit of truth is come he would guide us into all truth which he manifests to us by a twofold light Twofold light of the Spirit 1. In the Word First that which accompanies the Word and truth it selfe whereby it makes it selfe conspicuous to all that have eyes to see it Comparison even as the Sun manifests it selfe by its owne light and splendour to the world 2. In our mindes The second kind of light whereby the Spirit manifests the truth of the Scripture to us is that light that hee endowes our minds withall whereby we are enabled and made capable to see and apprehend the former light of truth in the Word Compatison as a blind man that can see nothing before that he hath both an inward faculty of sight restored to him and also an externall light to make the object visible So then none can truly nor fully understand the truth of the Scriptures but by the same Spirit that gave them For as the Apostle saith The things of God knoweth no
and the people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsell determined before to be done a Acts 4.27 28. Will any man therefore say that neither Iudas nor any of those were blameable for betraying and putting our blessed Saviour so cruelly and spitefully to death If Gods decrees were sufficient to warrant men to doe evill then either there could bee no sinne in the world whatsoever men doe or else God must be the author of sinne and the onely sinner which is a thing most blasphemous to thinke 2. Ignorance The second reason that manifests the error of those who thinke themselves warranted to doe whatsoever God hath decreed is both their ignorance of what God hath decreed which for the most part he keepes so seeret that it is not certainly known but by the event and effect what it is and in this case the Scripture sayes that the secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deut. 29.29 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Gods secret will is the rule of his owne actions And also it is their ignorance of the use of Gods decree which is properly his owne will whereby and according to which he in wise and in soveraigne manner orders all things according to his owne good pleasure But it is not that which he would have alwayes to bee our will and according to which we should order our wills and practise for which he hath given us his revealed word and law which is to be in all practicall things the measure of our wills and wayes Gods revealed will is the rule of our actions And therefore so long as Gods word forbids self-murder we are not to dare upon pretence of destiny or Gods decree to entertaine thoughts to attempt it Gods secret decrees containe no formall commandements to us what we should doe nor put any reall influxe to incline us to sin nor subject us to compulsory necessity of sinning contrary to our owne wills or to the meanes and Commandements that we have against the same Observe So then it is certaine that our fulfilling of the secret will and decree of God by our wretched courses and the accidentall good that may come to others thereby cannot excuse us from damnation for running a course contrary to the revealed wil of Gods Commandements and to the meanes whereby we are to order our practise in obedience to God No man is saved for fulfilling the will of Gods decree which no man can overthrow It is not in the power of the most wretched and malicious men in the world to crosse but must fulfill the secret decree of God neither is any man commended or saved for fulfilling that decree which no man can disappoint But all men are commended or condemned for those courses and meanes which they use according as the same is commanded or forbidden in the Word whereby the severall decrees of God for mans salvation or destruction are voluntarily accomplished by men themselves Note Mans care should be to live well Mans only care in all estates should be to live well in conformity to Gods revealed will and word not being solicitous so much for our deaths which after a good life can never be ill We serve not such a master as will not be carefull of our good in which regard worthy is that speech of dying S. Ambrose recorded by Paulinus in his life Non ita inter vos vixi ut pudcat me vivere nec timco mori quoniam Dominum benum habenus I have not so lived in the world that I am ashamed to live neither am I affraid to die because wee have a good Lord. Where wee have no commandement we should be passive about our deaths Although that God is active and workes in all things about us and that we are to cooperate with him in all things where hee gives us a commandement to worke yet in those workes of God where wee have no commandement of his to worke with him as in and about our deaths there we are only to be passive Observe Three things we are to observe from this point of deceit of the judgement 1. Men are strong to beleeve errors First we may here see that people that are weakest in faith and most diffident to beleeve Gods word and saving truth upon the credit and authority of God himselfe are often strongest and most consident in beliefe of errors upon any seeming ground as Solomon saith The simple beleeveth every word a Prov. 14.15 The reason hereof is plaine because such persons are overswayed by prejudices and strength of passion so farre that they rather suspect and reject Gods sacred and infallible truth than their owne fancies and Satans suggestions Note When men leave the truth they become both superstitious and vainely credulous They therefore that beleeve God and in God are freed from many errours and much needlesse feare 2. Disobedients to God are forward to obey the devill Secondly we may from hence observe that many persons that are most disobedient to Gods lawes by keeping whereof they might live are most forward to obey Satan and their owne lusts to their owne destruction For a man cannot serve both these contrary masters at once b Mat. 6.24 Such people like well to have God to be their friend but they care not for having him to be their master but would live as they list but when they forsake him they are unhappy in their choise when they can serve none other but to their owne ruine 3. Men to excuse themselves blame God Thirdly from hence we may see that many men are willing to doe evill but are loth to beare the burden of the blame thereof and therefore they turne it upon God and would make him a party with them against himself in breaking of his owne lawes Men that would not have their courses framed by the right rule of Gods truth labour to frame all reason and divinity by their owne crooked fancies and courses whereby they doe as farre as they can deturb and cast downe God from his throne and advance themselves unto the same by their perverting the order established by him and by making themselves gods to live by their owne wills as the supreme rule of all their actions Which shewes to us how needfull it is for us to labour for self-deniall and that wee may resignē our selves wholly to God to bee ordered and disposed wholly by him in all things as he pleases which is the onely meanes of our preservation from sin and damnation §. 6. Of conceited good by self-murder perverting the judgement The fourth ground of error in judgement is conceit of benefit The fourth and last ground of a mistaken understanding which causes or occasions self-murder is both the conceit of good that
our consciences in well-doing and be our selves taken up about heavenly things and holy imployments then is it not in the hand of any creature to make us miserable or weary of our lives the comfort whereof depends not upon any earthly wight our repudiating desertion and wrong by those here on earth that should least faile us should make us cleave the more close to God and to live here as possessing none of these things 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. that for our want of them or suffering by them we may care the lesse considering what little assurance we have of them at any time which at all times are accompanied with dislikes §. 16. Of afflictions unwarrantablenesse to kill ones selfe Insufficiency of this motive of crosses for a man to kill himselfe 1. Afflictions are not simply evill The insufficiency of this ground of affliction to warrant any man to murder himselfe is apparent by foure things First by the consideration of the nature of the things that men by self-murder would rid themselves from which are afflictions and therefore in that respect not properly evill much lesse so bad as self-murder which is the course men take to free themselves from the former It is certainely madnesse for any body wittingly and willingly to cast themselves into a greater evill that they may free themselves from a lesser For a man to get out of trouble by making a stollen escape Non enim poena vitatur furtiva discessiene sed crescit he encreases his deserved punishment wee must not breake prison but wait Gods leisure 2. Death is worse than afflictioÌ„s Secondly if a man consider what hee parts from namely his life to bee freed from troubles he may see the folly of such a course of self-murder upon this motive For the goods of nature and of the world Donum vilae majus est ijs ommbus Filli. are farre inferiour to a mans selfe and to the worth of his life because in them consists not a mans chiefe happinesse and therefore for the same should not a man kill himself The Philosopher sayes that Poverty is not horrible or to bee feared neither death neither any thing at all besides sinne a Arist asserit nec paupertatem esse horribilem aut pertinvescendam nec mortem nec omn no quicquam praeter culpam Therefore why should a man kill himselfe for that whereof he should not be afraid and why should hee make so bad an exchange in giving away his life for ease from that which cannot by its presence make miserable and for to precipitate himselfe into endlesse misery 3. A self-murderer is deceived Thirdly if a self-murderer did consider how he is deceived in his expectation of being eased or delivered from troubles by killing himselfe VltimuÌ„ malorum hujus vitae maxime terriâ—ile est mors et iccireo inferre sibi morteÌ„ ad alias hujus vitae misertas evadendas est majus malum assumere ad minoris mass vitaâ—ienem Tho. 2.2 q. 64. Art 5. when thereby he casts himselfe into infinite greater miseries hee might see what little force this motive hath in it to worke and justifie this effect Seeing life is more proper and effectuall than such a death to procure happinesse Although that self-murder be a quick way of dispatch and of putting out all feeling of bodily paine it is not therefore better when the exchange is for the worse ease and expedition in doing self-murder is no argument of commendation seeing evill of sin is most easily performed as the Apostle shewes Rom. 7.21 Heb. 12.1 Because it is not an act of power but of impotency Peter Martyr wonders at the Stoicks that place happy life in vertue and doe hold that adversity is not evill that they should to free themselves from troubles kill themselves and sayes What kind of happinesse is that which death doth perfit if life be happie then should wee labour to abide therein what happinesse is that which may be overcome by those things that are not evill a Quaenam est foelicitas quae morte est perficienda Si vita est beata in ea est manendum quae est faelicitas quaevinci potest ab ijs quae non sunt mala For persecution our Saviour bids us flee from it or patiently to endure it and no where allowes that we should kill ourselves to prevent or escape it our blessed Saviour although he were to lay downe his life yet would not kill himselfe for accomplishment of that worke that necessarily was to be done Ludovicus Vives cites out of Plutarch and he out of Menander That it is not the part of a good and valiant man to say I will not suffer this but to say I will not doe this b Non est boni et fortis viri dicere hee non patiar sed hoc nonfaciaÌ„ 4. He resists Gods will Fourthly he that kills himselfe for to free himselfe thereby out of troubles and afflictions resists the will of God by shaking off that burden which God hath laid upon him to beare during his good pleasure to which all are subject And thereunto the Son of God submitted himselfe when he said to Peter The cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drinke it c Iohn 18.11 And therefore we are bound in this case to fulfill the will of God by passive obedience when we cannot doe the contrary without offending God neither did the Saints of God use self-murder to free themselves out of troubles whereof we have neither precept nor commendable example §. 17. Of certaine uses about afflicted persons Observe The uses or observations observable from this motive generally considered are two Afflicted persons are doubly burdened First we are here to observe that persons in trouble and adversity are under a double burden both of their afflictions which they suffer and also of strong temptations wherby thereupon Satan assaults them both which the persons in distresse doe commonly aggravate so making their estates more tedious and unsupportable than otherwise they would be Note in which condition men should beware of hard uncharitable conclusions against themselves Beware of censuring either in censuring themselves to be reprobates forsaken of God or the like or in determining rashly of or against themselves what they will doe with themselves or to themselves in that case otherwise than they have warrant from God Beware of concealement Againe in that estate they should take heed of over-close concealement of their troubles from those that may advise and help them to beare their burdens concealed griefe is most dangerous to sink a man but vent gives ease and procures help Finally of persons in adversity others are to be observant how they doe and to be helpfull to them by their countenance counsell and aide of assistance from themselves and by their intercession from others that so that may be easily borne that
which is bad and it is either a wilfull debiliating of ones selfe to good or killing of ones selfe for his sin by excessve griefe against which wee have already spoken in some sort or else this revenge is in laying violent hands upon ones selfe purposely to mutilate or kill himselfe out of indignation for his sinne Causes The causes hereof are specially two 1. Desperation First desperation in regard of the horriblenesse and grievousnesse of the sinnes whereof a man is guilty and by which hee is confounded in his conscience and for that withall hee conceives and perswades himselfe that God will never be mercifull to him to pardon him 2. Ease of conscience Secondly affectation indeavour to ease ones troubled and restlesse conscience for some unnaturall cruelties and crying crimes by satisfaction of Iustice according to his demerits makes himself to destroy himself but of this case we have spoken before The saul inesse of this revenge This revenge upon ones selfe in this manner upon this cause is many wayes faulty 1. First because of the opinion of expiation of sinne thereby which nothing can doe away or can quiet the conscience but onely the blood of our blessed Saviour Christ 2. Secondly because sinne cannot be done away by sin and such as is worse than the former no more than fire can be quenched by addition of more fire to it the punishment of sinne belongs to God and his Vicegerents whose lawes are violated 3. Thirdly no man is a competent judge over himselfe in this case either to cleare or to condemne himselfe Non est quis idâ—neus judex inse in propria causa Nemo halet in se authoritate est non sit seipso superior Filli. Because it is impossible that he should bee both Superiour and inferiour to himselfe or that he should not be partially inclined in his affection to himself either in love or hatred 4. Fourthly not by killing our selves which deprives us of the necessary time of repentance but by repentance and faith in Christ our past sinnes are to be done away how grievous soever they be Sibi adimit necessariuÌ„ poenisteÌ„tiae sepus Tho. 2.2 q. 64. Art 5. by living according to the will of God and not by dying by our owne hands our sinnes are reformed and God glorified God sayes that he wills not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. why then should we will it 5. For peace of con cience what is to be done in this case Fiftly for peace of conscience in that case God hath appointed other meanes as 1. First humiliation and repentance before God 2. Secondly confession to godly Ministers for advice and comfort 3. Thirdly if the former will not do then are we to put our selves to open shame for private faults by publick penance in the Church or to put our selves into the hands of the Magistrates to suffer for our crimes by the civill sword Second kind of revenge Against others The second kinde of revenge is intended against others by ones killing of himselfe when he is implacably offended by others from whom he can neither have satisfaction nor reformation of his grievances and when his death by his owne hands may redound to the hurt or disgrace as he thinks of those that have wronged him Who in this respect are most subject to self-murder Which practise of self-murder upon this motive is most incident to persons of the weakest sexe and worst disposition and condition such as be women and servants and men sympathizing with them in qualities as a Wife that because shee cannot have her will of or with her Husband kils her selfe to the intent to disgrace him with the reproach of being the occasion of that fact to grieve and vexe him and to deprive him of all benefit and comfort that he might have by her life and to hurt him by all the evill that can betide him by her death The unreasonablenesse of the practise Which is a mad course for one to pull out both their owne eyes to the end that another may lose one of his Such persons doe die in implacable malice and are certainely damned by their owne act and manner of concluding their life A good revenge There is a good and lawfull revenge to bee exercised upon those that wroug us which is in killing that evill in them whereby they offend God and us by instructing and reforming them by holy admonitions and example and also in killing their enmity with preservation of their persons by our love and good dealing towards them making them our friends both in affection and behaviour whereby our enemies are destroyed and our selves benefited Touching killing a mans selfe in revenge for his sins S. Augustine sayes that We affirme that no man ought for his sinnes past to kill himselfe Hoc asserimus neminem propter sua peccata praeterita propter que magis â—ac vita opus est ut possit poeniteudo sanari cum fructuosam agere possumus poeniteâ—â—â—â— apud Deum Jude sacium meritò detestamur cum se liqueo suspendit seeleratae illiâ—s traditionis auxisse potiùs quam expiâsse commissùm quoniam Dei miscricerdiam desperando exiâ—â—abiliter penitus nullum sibi salubris poenitentiae locum reliquit suae mertis reus sinivil â—ane vitam quia licet propter suum scelus alio seclere suo eccisus est for which hee hath rather need of his life that by repentance they may be healed And condemnes the same when we may by living performe profitable repentance before God And further sayes that we doe justly abhorre the fact of Iudas seeing when hee hanged himselfe he did rather increase than expiate the fact of his flagitious treason because damnably despairing of the mercy of God he left no place of saving repentance to himselfe he ended this life being guilty of his own death for although he was flaine for his owne vile fact yet it was by another vile fact of his owne And so it is apparent that for sinne past or for revenge no man can murder himselfe warrantably §. 19. Concerning prevention of sin to come The fourth generall motive to self-murder Prevention of sinne The fourth generall motive of men to self-murder is prevention of sin to come which a man conceives will inevitably be effected to Gods dishonour and his owne disgrace if he doe still live and may by his death be prevented and therefore doth he hasten and inflict the same with his owne hands Those sins for which hee would kill himselfe to prevent them are of two sorts 1. The sins of others First they are the sinnes of others for which a man would kill himselfe either that he may not see them to his griefe or that he may not be the object or subject of other mens committing of them As those women that to avoide ravishment and of being deflowred
only good meanes that we may looke for a blessing from God upon them Actions are not good onely from intention Againe we must not measure and judge an action to be good only by the good end and intention of the doers thereof in their act of doing the same for Saul offered sacrifice a 1 Sam. 13.12 and Paul persecuted the Church b Acts 22.4 both of them with a good intention and yet for all that their actions were evill Because to make an action good there are many other things necessary than the good intention of the doers of it it is sufficient to make an action morally evill if it be defective in any thing requisite for to make it good but to be good it must be every way perfect §. 20. Concerning ambition The fifth generall motive Ambition The fifth generall motive of self-murderers to kill themselves is Ambition either to keep or get a greater good by killing themselves than they can have or enjoy by living any longer as they thinke which profitable exchange makes them thinke it both lawfull and expedient to kill themselves This good is of two kindes whereof man is ambitious to death and for which some kill themselves Kinds of good aimed at by ambition 1. Glory and praise First it is worldly glory and praise which they think to purchase to themselves Ethnicitanquam insignem fortitudinē celebrârūt by the very acting and doing of self-murder touching which the heathen hath commended such for their fortitude specially when they did it to preserve their personall liberties from falling under subjection to their enemies as did Cato to whom I may apply that of Brutus that it was the love of his countrey and excessive ambition of praise that made him to kill himselfe Amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido And when they did the same lest they should either suffer or doe any thing as they thought more disgracefull Vaine-glory and popular praise is so powerfull a motive that for the same it is said that Empedocles killed himselfe 2. A better life after death The second good for ambition whereof some kill themselves that they may hasten to attaine the same Ad assequendam gloriam aeternam is another and better life after death as did Cleombrotus who upon reading in Plato of another more happy life after this which cannot bee attained but by death did precipitate himselfe into the mouth of death and so killed himselfe as Cicero in the first booke of his Tusculan questions makes report In such esteeme was that life even with naturall men that they did willingly run into death that they might enjoy that whereof they had but a small glimpse and little assurance Which may condemne many Christians who have greater knowledge and better evidences for the same and doe so lightly regard it that for it they will not forsake their pleasures and lusts nor will doe duties of easier performance according to Gods appointment to have it Men would willingly be saved and go to heaven but by their owne wayes and courses and not by Gods although their owne bee more tedious and chargeable than his so farre is man wedded to his self-will and so ready to doe what himselfe devises Note Men are more deceived in the meanes than in the ends Men are not so much deceived in the ends that they project to themselves which commonly are good but especially the last as they are self-beguiled in the meanes and wayes that they use of their self-devising and pleasing to attaine their ends whereupon it comes to passe that so many are frustrated of their desires and expectatation For good ends which be morally and beatifically such are never got but by good meanes of Gods owne appointment whereabouts man is to deny his own will and only to follow Gods who never disappoints us thereby of good successe according to our hearts desire in the attainement of our last end Insufficiency of the former motive touching the first branch The insufficiency of the former motive of praise and fortitude justly to cause a man to kill himselfe is apparent by that which Augustine sayes of Cato that it was not fortitude but a softnesse that made him kill himselfe because he was not able to beare adversity a Non fortitudo sed mollities non potuit serre res adversas and did it out of impatiency at Caesars empire but being impatiently self-willed would not submit to Gods providence he sayes his fact was great but not good b Magnum potius sactum quam bene Fortiterille facit qui miser esse potest Sene. Epist 59. Imbecillis est ignavus qui propter dolorem moritur Arist 3. Nicomach cap. 7. Molles sunt qui amoris gratia vel paupertatis sibi mortem consciseunt non posse pati non est vera fortitudo sed magis quaedam mollities animi non valentis mala poenalia sustinere Tho. 2.2 q. 64. art 5. and further affirmes that it is pufillanimity not to be able to suffer which is a thing whereunto the weakest as women are most apt both for want of strength to endure to suffer and also for want of wisdome to make choise of that which indeed is best for them for as the Philosopher saith no man kills himselfe nisi depravata ratione c Arist Eth. lib. 3. cap. 8. but by depravation of his reason and so is as it were a mad man that is worse than a beast Praise is got by well-doing The true way and meanes for a man to gaine true honour and praise is well-doing according to the will and commandements of God as the Apostle sayes Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good a Rom. 2.10 which extends it selfe to all eternity in the presence and with the commendation of God his holy angels and of all Gods people whereas of evill doing there comes nothing but shame and confusion eternall for even to bee commended by vaine and wicked persons for doing good casts some suspition or aspersion upon the commended much more is it disgracefull to be praised by such for evill doing which is the matter of mans shame and therefore upon that motive not to be done About the second branch the insufficiency of the motive from a better life kill ones selfe For the second branch of the aforesaid motive viz. about a better life the insufficiency thereof to make a man undertake to kill himselfe thereby the sooner to come to eternity is evident by foure particulars 1. Self-murder is not the way to heaven First self-murder being a most grievous sin it cannot be the way to heaven and life but to hell and death The Saints of God that did most long for this eternall life of happinesse and to whom their naturall lives were not deare for them to spend them to attaine it did not therfore kill themselves to have it which
and he needs be the more carefull that hee may not hurt or blemish himselfe by his manner of dying otherwise than becomes a good Christian although hee bee innocent in that speciall thing for which he is adjudged to die What men are to consider in suffering innocently yet he is to consider that hee may bee guilty of some other particulars justly deserving death and in that respect is patiently to acknowledge and submit to the stroke of divine Iustice finding out and punishing his sins or else that God wisely so orders things that hee shall so die only for triall of his passive obedience and for the glorifying of God both in the cause and manner of his death which he is to suffer well and for well doing How a condemned person is to submit to die Yet notwithstanding a person condemned to die and in the hands of the executioners is not to strive oppose or withstand them in doing execution upon him but he may and ought upon their command so to dispose and order himselfe as he may be fit and way by him may be made for them to doe their office in executing of him as for him quietly to submit to be led to the place of execution and there to be ordered by them as they please for him patiently to receive his death by their hands to open his mouth to receive poyson of their giving to him as our Saviour did the vinegar that was given him upon the Crosse Iohn 19.29 30. to lay bare his neck to the blow submit his neck to the haltar to embrace the fire entertaine applied combustible matter for dispatch of himselfe provided alwaies that the same be not first kindled or applied mortally by his own meanes the truth thereof is apparent by that which our blessed Saviour fortold Peter that hee should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him signifying by what death he should glorifie God a Ioh. 21.18 19. Reasons 1. The reason hereof is evident because a person condemned to death is no more his owne but the sonne of death in the hand of authority to be disposed of as the same pleases 2. with safety of divine right and the minister of Iustice that gives the last and fatall blow is he that properly kills the man and not the man himselfe by his active and passive submission to receive the same 3. that he may obediently in charity and peace leave this world and patiently resigne his soule to God in hope of entring upon a more happy life in exchange for this §. 2. How self-murder is against God himselfe 2. Self-murder it is against God himselfe The second particular whereby it is apparent that by religion a man may not kill himselfe is because it is a most hainous crime against God himselfe immediatly in foure severall respects In what respects 1. It defaces Gods Image First self-murder destroyes and defaces the Image of God a Gen 9.6 in the most expresse forme thereof that is in any humane creature and in the neerest proximity and possession thereof in him that kills himselfe It is treason indignly to abuse or demolish the Kings Image much more is it treason against the King of heaven and earth to deface or unworthily to intreat his sacred Image specially for them to do it to whom the entertainment preservation and honourable usage of the same is committed 2. It wrongs Gods soveraigne authority Secondly self-murder is peccant and injurious against Gods soveraigne authority who is absolute Lord of our persons and of our lives and therefore wee have no power but from him and according to his Word to dispose of ourselves seeing that wee are not our owne Superiours supreme nor subordinate which is impossible for then one must be two or else one must bee both superiour and inferiour to it selfe at the same instant and in the same case and respect than which what is more absurd to think and impossible to be Comparison If a private man should violently take a malefactor that is worthy of death from the Kings barre of Judgment and upon his owne will and authority put him to death it would justly be deemed an audacious unlawfull act and worthy of exemplary punishment both for usurping the authority that belongs not to him by thrusting of the King out of his place and jurisdiction and also for depriving of the King of opportunity of shewing mercy or executing justice according to his regall power So likewise may wee judge of a self-murderer that takes himselfe from the barre of God to dispose of himselfe as he list to the wrong of Gods soveraigne authority 3. Self-murder wrongs Gods goodnesse Thirdly self-murder or wilfull self-killing which are both one is against Gods goodnesse whereby he gives us our lives with meanes of their preservation which is a most excellent blessing in it selfe and for the good that thereby we may doe and therefore one sayes well that Life is a certaine gift Vita est quoddā donū divinitus homini attributum ejus potestati subjectum qui oc cidit vivere sacit given to man from above and is subject to his power who kills and makes alive who is only God as the Scripture tells us a Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 and therefore for a man prodigally to waste or destroy this life of his he not only doth an unlawfull act but also slights and contemnes Gods speciall goodnesse to him The most grievous sins are committed against Gods goodnesse which is more damnable than to sin against his other properties because in this consists all our happinesse and thereby God gaines most glory and for despising whereof the Apostle gives a most bitter reproofe Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse c. Rom. 2.4 4. Self-murder wrongs Gods providence Fourthly self-murder is a course against the providence and established government of God in the world about mankind which it doth disturbe by determining the time how long and the manner after what fashion we should die or live according to our owne wills without any dependence upon or respect to the will of God A self-murderer is an Atherst which necessarily imports that a self-murderer is either an Atheist holding that there is no God at all or that God takes no care of the world nor of men to order them or dispose of them but keepes himselfe onely within the circuite of the Heavens than which what can be more contrary to the reason of a good man Or rebell against God Or else by his practise he proclaimes himselfe a rebell against God to whom he will not be subject nor bee disposed according to his Word but like a devill sets himselfe in opposition against God to his owne everlasting destruction §. 3. How self-murder is against nature 3. Self-murder is against nature The third particular that makes it apparent that self-murder is
their eternall future happinesse in the world to come to abandon all thoughts of self-murder that consideration of present things may not wholy possesse and take them up from minding and intending the spirituall good of their soules and the future felicity of a better life but that they may order all their wayes and actions so as the same may not prejudice but advantage the good of their soules and advance them to and in the estate of glory Self-murderers regard not their souks But it seemes by the practice of self-murder that self-murderers either thinke that they have no soules but are as irrationall brutes of whom death ends all or else that they undervalue their soules as things nought worth and are regardlesse of their future estate in the world to come as if neither of them were worth their care and respect that for the same they should frame their course and order their practice and otherwise than they list themselves and in that respect are wilfull mad Atheists What they should consider If self-murderers doe conceive that they have soules that are superstites remaining after their death and beleeve that there is a life of happinesse or misery to come after this then should they be mindfull of the same and consider what shall become of their poore soules and what their state shall be if they doe kill and rid themselves out of this life and world and whether salvation or damnation is the portion of self-murderers §. 2. That all that kill themselves are not properly Self-murderers nor in their estate of damnation All self-killers are not properly self-murderers About determining this great question concerning the sinall estate of self-murderers whether they bee all damned in hell or any of them saved in heaven we are first to consider that all that fall by their owne hands or meanes are not self-murderers as hath beene formerly shewed in divers exempt cases in the chapter of direct bodely self-murder Chap. 12. §. 5. to which I referre the reader For although all self-murderers are self-killers yet all self-killers are not self-murderers they are not termes convertible or reciprocall because although they may agree and be the same in themateriall part or substance of the action They differ formally yet they doe differ in their forme and nature of Anomy or sinfulnesse which doeth varie and alter the kinde that it is not the same properly with the other and so it is not simply subject to the same effects and Consequences thereof Whereupon not only by the verdict of divine reason but even also by the Courts of humane Iudicature about feloes de so such are acquitted as are expressed Chap. 12. § 5. In the exempt cases As if a Child kill it selfe that hath not attained to age of discretion or to use of reason or if a man or woman kill himselfe that is an Ideote or naturall foole or is mad constantly or in a fit of Lunacie or of a Fever or Calenture or in a fit of Phrensie how ever involuntarily contracted or by mischance no Court of equity or Iustice in advised well informed proceeding will condemne such an one for a self murderer and accordingly so dispose of his body and goods as of self-murderers For for them to exempt such from the number and censures of self-murderers their reason is good because it is most inbumane and unreasonable so ignominiously to condemne and censure persons for self-murderers whose case deserves pitty and commiseration for their lamentable suffering both in their death and also in that evill of calamity which is the cause of it against or at least without the free consent of their wills and therefore to punish a fact neither of their proper effecting nor advised approving by addition of more misery were most unjust Hereupon it necessarily followes that the persons justly acquitted and exempted from the number and censure of self-murderers by the verdict and Judgement of men as such to whom usually the Church grants communion of Christian buriall with other priviledges of holy Church after their death cannot in charity be denyed by it the happinesse of salvation §. 3. That proper and direct self-murderers are all reprobates and without the state of grace All self-murderers are damned The proper subject of this question about salvation are not the persons aforesaid salling by their owne hands in the foresaid cases who are not properly self-murderers But those only that out of deliberate Iudgement doe advisedly wittingly and willingly kill themselves contrary to the meanes and power that they have to the contrary if they list to use the same as they might of these I say and doe peremptorily conclude that they all and every of them that so murder themselves are certainly and infallibly damned soule and body for evermore without redemption which I will pregnantly prove by five strong and undenyable arguments and reasons Reasons 1. None in the state of salvation can be properly a self-murderer First because none doe nor can so murder themselves but unregenerated and reprobate persons who dying in that estate cannot possibly be saved For both the transcendent greatnesse of that sinne of self murder in it selfe and perfect forme considered and in all the circumstances thereof for manner of doing of it And also the full measure of the wills exorbitancy in a plenary consent and the indivertible indeavours of the minde and all the powers and faculties of these self murderers presumptuously to doe this vile execrable act against all resistance and helps to the contrarie is such as cannot be incident to any godly body that shall be saved Of the regenerated preserved Because in those that are truly adopted of God both the power of sinne formally considered in that degree of Anomie and excesse of enormity is by saving grace and the Spirits working in them broken and bridled that they cannot breake out into the same so extremely as others doe And also their wills are brought under such conformity to the rule and command of God and of his spirit and all their powers faculties and dispositions are in some measure so-inclined to goodnesse and divine obedience that they can never transgresse into any odious grosse sin without far more reluctancy opposition and hinderance in themselves against it from light of Iudgement divine restraint and from antipathy of renewed inclination than can be in any that is wicked or unconverted who running in an unregenerate estate with such a full Careere sometimes upon the rock of self-murder doe therein outstrip others so farre that they overshoote themselves beyond all bounds of salvation and are all certainly damned even in the judgement of men here on earth who have no better esteeme of them but as of damned Reprobates who by their owne meanes and procurement perish for ever not onely by and for the odious act of murdering themselves but together with that for their former wicked impenitent life and are not saved
nature of self-murder Objections There remaines now certaine objections to be answered which may be made in favour of proper self-murderers for their salvation which are especially three The first of them may be pretended to be taken from the nature of self-murder alledging that the same is not so hainous a sinne but that the doers thereof may bee saved 1. From the nature of self-murder First because if we consider sinnes as they are committed against the Gospell onely the sinne against the holy Ghost is called a sinne unto death a 1 Joh. 5.16 which never shall be pardoned b Mat. 12.31 Self-murder is not that sinne and therefore may seeme to bee pardonable and the doers thereof saved 2. Againe if wee do consider the sinnes committed directly agaist the Law there is none of them desperately unpardonable because they all and every of them may upon repentance be cured by the Gospell which is of equall extent to the Law to be able to repleave and save all that the Law condemnes And of the sinnes committed against the Law some as spitefull blasphemy against the Majesty of God and the like may in the true nature of them seeme to be more hainous than self-murder both in regard of their more direct and malignant opposition against God and also for their greater distance in nature from pardon Answ 1. The sin against the holy Ghost To this objection that caries with it a countenance of probability I answer first touching the argument taken from the sin against the holy Ghost it is to be considered that that sin is unpardonable and they damned that do it onely in respect of that desperate opposition whereby the committers of it do spitefully oppose and reject Christ and his Gospell the very only meanes whereby they can be saved so that there remaines no further or other way or help for salvation and also because that sinne is ever infallibly accompanied with finall impenitency which alwaies makes a man uncapable of grace and salvation which none can have but true penitents How self-murder is equivalēt to the sinne against the holy Ghost Self-murder hath that in it which is in the sin against the holy Ghost in respect whereof it damnes and is unpardonable which is both finall impenitency in regard that a self-murderer by that sinne in the perfection of the anomie of it doth so indispose himselfe and shuts up and ends his life by and in such a horrible transgression that hee cannot possibly repent nor consequently bee saved And also equivalent and answerable to that spitefull rejection of Christ his grace and Gospell in the sin against the holy Ghost by the living there is in self-murder the cutting off of one selfe by his owne hands in this death from grace and salvation to be gotten only in and by life So that in these respects self-murder is as certainly damnable and the doers thereof reprobated as is the sin against the holy Ghost and the committers thereof For although of the sin against the holy Ghost it be precisely said that it shall never be forgiven and that the committers thereof are certainely damned yet it is neither said nor is true that none but sinners against the holy Ghost have their sinnes not forgiven to them and are damned seeing the contrary is abundantly certaine and the wicked quality and impenitent disposition of some persons so depraved and vitiated by their sins makes the same to be in them unpardonable which brings them to the same finall state with sinners against the holy Ghost it matters little for a mans comfort that is to be put to death whether he be hanged for felonie or for burglarie seeing for either of them his death is the same 2. Self-murder a transcendent great sin Secondly I answer touching the comparison made betweene self-murder and other sinnes committed against the Law that self-murder is a greater sin than any that can be directly and properly committed against and within any precept of the Law for which the committers of the same may have grounded hope of forgivenesse because self-murder is a transcendent sinne as hath beene shewed in the third reason transcedents are ever larger and greater than subordinates and it is a sinne condemnable by more and stronger reasons and arguments than any other sinne committed against and within the compasse of the Law as the same is more grievously injurious to more objects and transgresses more Lawes naturall divine and humane and therefore it must needs be the greater sinne Also the estimate of the greatnesse and unpardonablenesse of sinnes as they are in offenders is not wholly to be made by consideration of their abstract nature but specially the same is to bee made by the quality and disposition of the committers of them whose personall and actionall circumstances in doing of thē much aggravats or extenuats the same For pardon or not pardon of sins depends more upon the penitencie or impenitency of the offenders than upon the nature of their sins absolutly and abstractly considered the fact of self murder is such a sinne as no man penitently disposed can commit and it cuts him that doth it off finally from all repentance and consequently from salvation Self-murder most dangerous for a mans soule Of all sinnes against the Law self-murder is most dangerous and pernicious for a mans soule to bring it to damnation both because it excludes all care and meanes of a mans salvation which if a self-murderer did regard he would not venture in the last period of his life upon a course so contrary to it and also it puts the self-murderer into such an estate and disposition of sinfulnesse and aversenesse from God and his will in pursuing of his owne wicked lust that he is not nor can be capable of grace nor is in the way of salvation whereunto self-murder is most contrary by his last act of horrible sin in the closure of his life And therefore it is apparent that for any thing in this objection alledged there is nothing from the nature of the sin of self-murder properly so called that can give any comfort of salvation to self-murderers or can warrant us to hold probably and in the judgement of charity that they are not all generally considered utterly damned §. 10. Touching Examples of self-killers 2. Object Is from examples The second objection that may be made in favour of the salvation of self-murderers is taken from examples of Sampson Pelagia and many others that in the Primitive Church killed themselves and are acknowledged to be saved Therefore it may seeme probable that some self-murderers may be saved Answers 1. That Sampson is no self-murderer To this objection I answer first touching Sampson that he was no self-murderer directly nor in that point of so dying indirectly the reasons whereof are evident Reasons 1. First because his intention will and endeavours were not directly or primarily but only
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
how Page 262 The Law of nature is to be observed Page 269 Lawes of men condemne self-murder Page 277 Lawes given to men are bounded Page 294 Lawfull self-killing Page 54 Vpon lawfull calling how to adventure life Page 125 Leagues Of Leagues Page 119 Letter The Letter of the Scripture is not to be followed contrary to the true meaning Page 199 Lets of endeavour after spirituall life Page 66 Life is a thing of great importance Page 1 Of the kinds of the life of man Page 4 How mans life may be lost 43. and how taken away Page 45 Life unsure 82. It is the object of self-murder Page 159 Life eternall is here begun Page 245 Life temporary is a blessing Page 275 Light of the Spirit twofold Page 200 Live Mans care to live well Page 206 To live by faith Page 313 Love Of love and to love our neighbours as our selves expounded Page 129 Love is destroyed by self-murder Page 272 Lusts Curbing of our lusts is a good revenge upon our selves for our sins Page 234 M Mad men killing themselves Page 250 Madnesse of self-murderers Page 186 Magistrate A Soveraigne Magistrate for no crime may slay himselfe nor be slaine by his subjects Page 264 Man only is subject to self-murder Page 6 Man how subject to death Page 45 Man in greatest danger Page 56 Mans care to live well Page 206 Man onely is capable of shame Page 222 Mans-self wronged by self-murder Page 271. 273 Mankinde To mankinde self-murder injurious Page 270 Manner The manner of executing self-murder Page 187 Man-slayer What a man-slayer is to do to save his friends pursued to death for his fact Page 133 Mariners Concerning mariners Page 113 Meanes to be used for spirituall life Page 28 Of meanes of conversion why appointed of God Page 31 Meanes of preservation of spirituall life Page 39 Meanes weakening and quickning zeale Page 41 Meanes of losse of life Page 44 The meanes of the destruction of spirituall life Page 45 The meanes of self-murder Page 183. 185 Meanes for knowledge of the Scripture Page 199 Meanes of sin cut off Page 234 Meanes to prevent self-murder Page 311 Meanes against Satans motions to self-murder Page 250 Melancholick persons killing themselves Page 250 Melancholick people in danger of self-murder and why Page 254 Memory How by meanes of his memory man suffers Page 165 Men self-blinded Page 209 Merchant Of merchant men Page 139 Minde how the mindes distemperarature procures indirect self-murder Page 110 The minds calamities Page 217 Ministery of the word and its use Page 29 Mischance Of killing ones selfe by mischance Page 173 Mis-spend How men mis-spend their lives Page 19 Moderation of war for Religion Page 144 Mortifying humiliation a good revenge upon ones selfe Page 234 Motions of self-murder to be abhorred 18. They are most hardly shaken off Page 182 Motions of the devill causing self-murder 246. How knowne to bee from him Page 248 Of motions of self-murder entertained 257. Horrible motions to be withstood Page 314 Motives to self-murder c. 15. throughout Page 191 Murder In murder things observable 48. murders vilenesse 49. what it destroyes ibid. Whence murder comes 51. What kind of act it is how man is restrained from it 52. How murder is not to be desired to be done upon us Page 274 Murderers of others murder themselves by the same act Page 53 Mutes Of standers mute at Triall refusing to answer legally Page 96 Mutilation of body procuring self-murder Page 110 N Natures opposition to true obedience Page 63 Nature is against self-murder Page 269 283 Naturall How naturall life is known 6. wherein mans naturall life consists 8. The sweetnesse of it the losse of it painfull and horrible 9 How it is deare and pretious the degrees of it 10. How it is well spent and ill spent 19. How it is taken away Page 44 Necessity Vrgent necessity may make men adventurous of their lives Page 128 Necessaries The want of necessaries for the body Page 213 Neglect of outward meanes of life Page 60 Neglect of the power of the meanes of spirituall life Page 60. Neglect of meanes is tempting of God Page 95 Of neglect of duties Page 260 Negative righteousnesse Page 65 Nocent or criminall persons how and when to discover themselves Page 137 O Obedience Of actuall obedience the grounds 36. the kinds Evangelicall and Legall Page 61 Want of obedience and reasons of it Page 62 How the obedience of the Gospell differs from the obedience of the Law Page 71 Of obedience and disobedience to unjust suspension and deprivation Page 148 Of unlawfull obedience Page 162 Obey Disobedients to God forward to obey the devill Page 206 Our care to obey the truth Page 210 Observe What self-murderers observe Page 187 Observant To bee observant of occurrences Page 181 Observations from indirect self-murder Page 155 Obstinate Self-murderers are obstinate Page 187 Old-man Our old-man of sin we should kill and how done Page 54 Omission A fourefold omission of dutie 60. Of sins of omission Page 62 Omission deprives man of life eternall Page 64 By omission how indirect self-murder is committed Page 91 Of the not omission of necessary duties upon perill of life Page 146 Opportunity self-murderers observe Page 187 Oracles occasioning self-murder Page 202 Over-charging ones selfe in doing good Page 21 Outward blessings are a ground of cheerefulnesse Page 14 P Parricide and whence it proceeds Page 256 Passions To contrary passions all earthly things are subject Page 3. Immoderate passions kill Page 123 Of passions disappointed Page 219 Patient suffering for Gods truth Page 38 Pelagia That Pelagia and such others that killed themselves were not self-murderers Page 205 Perishing That all perishing soules are self-murdered Page 57 Perseverance upholds spiritual life Page 41 Person Where the person of a man is after his death Page 50 Our persons destroyed by self-murder Page 272 Perversenesse of man Page 170 Perverted judgement hinders spirituall life 66. and occasions self-murder Page 192 Philolaus his opinion against self-murder Page 277 Phrensie the cause sometime of self-killing Page 250 Spirituall phrensie whence it arises Page 251 Phrenticks in their fits killing themselves Page 174 Physick and how it is to be used Page 14 92. 111 Platoes opinion against self-murder Page 279 Pleasure and profit hinder obedience Page 63 Practise Of unwarrantable practise of Physick and Chirurgery Page 111 Practise gives denomination Page 175 Praise Of vaine praise of self-murderers 194. and of praise more largely Page 242 Prayer a preservative of life 12. the neglect of it how hurtfull Page 94 Prayer is a help to know the Scripture 200. Of a self-murderers antecedent prayer before the fact Page 206 Of prayer to prevent self murder Page 315. 323 324 Preaching Of Common-place and metamorphozed preaching Page 196 Predestination blameless of mans destruction Page 156 Preferment How preferment hinders spirituall life Page 66 Premeditation of self-murder Page 185 Presumption Of presumption Page 67. 310 Prevent To prevent self-murder
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