Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing, Title page – Dedication
LIFES PRESERVATIVE AGAINST SELF-KILLING OR, AN VSEFVL TREATISE Concerning Life and Self-murder; SHEWING
The Kindes, and Meanes of them both:
The Excellency and preſervation of the former:
The Evill, and prevention of the latter.
CONTAINING The Reſolution of manifold Caſes, and Queſtions concerning that Subject; with plentifull variety of neceſſary and uſefull Obſervations, and practicall Directions, needfull for all Chriſtians.
Is it lawfull — to ſave life, or to kill?
Mark. 3.4.
Non eſt noſtrûm mortem arriperc; ſed oblatam patienter ferre.
Hieron. in Jonam.
By JOHN SYM Miniſter of Leigh in Eſſex.
LONDON, Printed by M. Fleſher, for R. Dawlman, and L. Fawne, at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls-Churchyard. 1637.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST NOBLE LORD, ROBERT EARLE OF WARWICK, Lord RICH, Baron of LEEZE, &c. My very good LORD, and moſt noble PATRON: Increaſe of Grace; Honor and Happineſſe.
Right Honourable,
THat Eminencie that is in a moſt excellent Maecenas, to ſupply the defects and meanneſſe of an obſcure Author; and that Relation and obligation that a poore Clerk may have to a moſt noble, worthie, and reſpective Patron, hath made me preſume to make choiſe of your noble Lordſhip for a Guardian of this my poore tractate: which is of a compounded Denomination, conſiſting of contrary ingredients, of life, and death; of ſaving and killing; by ſuch reflecting acts of the doers upon themſelves, as make the Agents and patients thereof to be the ſame individualls.
The diſcourſe is of a mixt and various nature; and the theame of ſelf-killing is the ſubject both of Divinity, and of humanity; of Religion, and of Law: the full handling whereof may be ſerviceable to the Kings Majeſtie, for preſervation of the lives of his people, againſt the blowes and mortall wounds of a ſelf-killing hand: and may be uſefull for the publick good of the Church and of the Common wealth; both for the ſafety of the ſoules and bodies of their members; and alſo, in point of Honour; that the government of ſo gracious a King, and the glory of ſo famous a Nation may not be ignominiouſly ſtayned, by ſelf-murdring practiſes.
In which reſpects, it was moſt requiſite that I ſhould dedicate the treatiſe of that nature to ſuch a noble Guardian, as hath a moſt ſpeciall care to uphold and advance both Religion and Iuſtice; the honour of the King and kingdome; and the welfare both of Church and Commonwealth, in all the members of the ſame, as your Honourable Lordſhip alwaies hath, in the places of your imployment and reſidence: which, in cognizance of us in the Miniſtery, is ſpecially apparent, by your noble and pious care of providing able, painefull, and godly Miniſters to the Churches under your ſpeciall Patronage, beſtowing your Church-livings, both freely, and to the fitteſt and beſt deſerving that you can finde for thoſe places; and countenancing and furthering the Clergie, what you can, in all godly and legall courſes; whereby multitudes of ſoules being ſaved, and the Church of England (under our Soveraigne the King) advanced and ſupported in the Honour of her Miniſtery, all have cauſe to praiſe God, and to pray to God for your Lordſhip, and for your noble Family, the honourable inſtruments of ſo much divine and publick good; whereof many bleſſed ſoules in heaven (ſaved by that meanes) are witneſſes before God, to your eternall praiſe, honour and comfort, with your renowned progenitors, of that practiſe.
And I confeſſe, it is the dutie ſpecially of us of the Miniſtery to write your moſt Illuſtrious name, and higheſt Commendations with the poynt of a Dyamond, in letters of Gold, upon the moſt durable pillars of perpetuity; and ever to celebrate your due praiſe, both, for honour of your noble deſervings, and alſo for vertuous and pious example and incouragement to all poſterity, and noble Peeres, in that poynt ſpecially of upholding and advancing true Religion and piety, both in and by that carefull and conſcionable courſe of beſtowing your Church-livings, and regarding of your Miniſters; and alſo, by your conſtant profeſsion of the truth; and, according to the ſame, profeſſedly worſhipping the true God; thereby publickly obliging your ſelfe to ſuch holines of heart and converſation in walking with God, according to the rules of true Religion; as may give your Lordſhip ſound and grounded hope of eternall life, and may verifie in you the realitie of that moſt Chriſtian and heroick motto, Garde ta foy.
In a word, Divine Providence, and Heavens favour hath made your Lordſhip Rich; not onelyonly by nature and name, but alſo in honor and manifold bleſsings upon you, and in much good done by your meanes, whereby you ſtand bound to be accordingly thankfull to God; and to be ever mindfull that your Eminency objects your Lordſhip to the worlds prying obſervation, and to mens rigid cenſure, which requires your more carefull circumſpection in your whole converſation, that you may be as farre diſtant from all ignoble vices, and ſinfull courſes, (which ſtaines and abaſes Honour and greatneſſe) and as Illuſtrious in all vertues, and commendable actions, as your noble condition is elevated above the common ranck of men; which conciliates and procures Honour and comfort of a higher nature; and of more laſting continuance, than that which can be had from, or by Titles, and humane dignities, or from ſycophantizing humoring and flattering, that ſo you may attaine to eternall glory and happines after this ſhort life ended.
Moſt noble Lord, I commed this treatiſe to you, not onelyonly that you may put credit and reſpect upon it, for publick favour and entertainment, and to give encouragement to the Author: but alſo, with all obſervancie, to ſubject it to your judicious cenſure; and my ſelfe to the ſervice of your Honour and noble Family, for the furtherance of the good and ſalvation of you and yours, by the dayly prayers, and faithfull labours of him that ever remaines
From your Lops. Leigh in Eſſex. Your Lordſhips devoted, faithfull and obſequious ſervant in Chriſt, Iohn Sym.