Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing, Tract · Chapter 2 · Section 10
§. 10. Of indirect ſelf-murder of commiſsion wrought by deſperate hazard in 6. Caſes.
5. Deſperate hazzard.Fifthly, indirect ſelf-murder is committed by thoſe that caſt themſelves into deſperate hazard of loſſe of their lives; by undiſcreetly and raſhly venturing into deadly dangers; without lawfull calling, and above their ſtrength to eſcape: where there is no neceſſity for greater good of others, or gods glory requiring the ſame: which falls out ſpecially in ſixe caſes.
The firſt Caſe, of Braves and Gallants.
Caſe 1. Concerning Braves.Firſt, when any doe out of a bravery, and gallantry of ſpirit, goe needleſly with a charge of money, or of mens perſons, or errands; either in the night, through a place haunted and beſet with murderous robbers; or, at any time through knowne ambuſhments, and ſtrong troupes of enemies, above the paſſengers ſtrength to reſiſt, or eſcape; whereby, if they fall, they are guilty of this indirect ſelf-murder.
Concerning purchaſe and reſcue.
Caſe 2.Secondly, when any doe, out of over-great affection to worldly goods, make deſperate attempts, with the apparent perill of their lives, either to get goods; either by violent taking them from others, as theeves and ſpoilers doe; or, by labour in their callings abovē that which with their health they are able to endure: or elſe, by their deſperate adventuring to ſave, or recover their goods out of fire, or water; or from, and out of the hands of their enemies; with the caſting away of their owne lives; above all meanes and ſtrength that in this caſe they have to ſave them; in ſuch undertakings beyond all warrantable calling:Exception. within neither of theſe two caſes are we to reſtraine, or bound the divine-heroicke enterpriſes of ſuch as by ſupernaturall inſtinct, or power, doe undertake tranſcendent enterpriſes, above the allowance of ordinary rules: as David to kil Goliah a1 Sam. 17.32., and Ionathan and his Armour-bearer to invade a whole Garriſon of the Philiſtims b1 Sam. 14.6.. Such men muſt have both a calling, by divine inward inſtinct, motion, and qualification; and alſo, a ſtrong well grounded faith, in aſſurance of Gods aſſiſtance: as the Scripture tells us, how ſuch, through faith ſubdued Kingdomes, eſcaped the edge of the ſword, out of weakeneſſe were made ſtrong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the Aliens: Heb, 11.33, 34.
Concerning ſome ſouldiers.
Caſe 3.Thirdly, when ſelf-conceited, wilfull, foole-hardy men will fight againſt their enemies, upon deſperate diſadvantages; and imminent perill of death; when they are neither forced to it by unavoidable neceſſity; nor are warranted by command of ſuch ſuperiours as either have abſolute power over them of life and death; or can aſſure them, or give them the victory, cNumb. 14.40. Ʋſ que ad finem.(as God often did to the Iſraelites, fighting by his command, or approbation upon ſtrange diſadvantages) yea, when they cannot probably come off with the ſafety of their lives; then that is a courſe of indirect ſelf-murder.
Concerning Mariners.
Caſe 4.The fourth Caſe is of thoſe that trade by Sea, who often runne into mortall and deſperate adventures, out of eagerneſſe to make their voyages; either putting to Sea in ſuch weather, and ſeaſons as is like to endanger all; or putting for the Port, upon deſperate hazards of miſcarying by ſtormes, ſands, or rocks, or running preſumptuouſly into the danger of Pyrates; or other mortall ingagement by Sea, either through wilfull negligence, or through ſelf-confidence of skill, or power more than they have, ſo tempting God.
Obſerve.The true occaſion of which miſcariages of men by Sea, is often given by Merchants upon the Land; who praiſe and reſpect men for fortunate and valiant according to the ſucceſſe,—careat ſucceſſibus opto, Quiſquisab eventu facta probanda putat. and the event of their courſes, without reſpect to the due rules of the managing the ſame; which makes many a man come ſhort home, by adventuring to pleaſe their Merchants, contrary to the rules of art and wiſdome.
Note.In this caſe I would adviſe men, rather to looke to do what they may warrantably juſtifie; and may therein have peace in their conſciences, although the ſucceſſe anſwer not their deſire; than to endeavour contrary to wiſdome and art, to pleaſe their owners and Merchants by ſuch courſes of deſperate and unwarrantable adventures: as (if they or their charge miſcary therein,) will over-cloud them with juſt blame & ignominie, and will bereave them of that comfort in their conſciences, which ſhould cheere and uphold them under their croſſes; a courſe of accidentall good ſucceſſe, and a courſe of direct ill ſucceſſe, are not ſo to be compared together; that for the former a man ſhould venture upon the latter; with the guilt of ſelf-murder to be imputed to him, if therein he doe periſh.
Concerning Duells.
Caſe 5.The fifth Caſe of deſperate adventure, is of thoſe that undertake Duells; or doe give, or accept challenges of ſingle combats, upon their owne private motion, for private revenge; or for ſuppoſed maintenance of impeached honour; who, if they periſh in the attempt, or by meanes of the conſlict, are guilty of more than indirect ſelf-murder: becauſe, that courſe ſo unwarrantably, and needlefly undertaken, is commonly where the wronged may have better redreſſe, with leſſe adventure of life;Duellers what they b. and thoſe Duellers, or ſingle combattants doe, by ſuch challenges, ſhew themſelves to be lawleſſe contemners of authority; whoſe allowance they have not (as they ought) for ſuch a triall by battle to make the ſame juſt; but by uſurpation they make themſelves Kings, (in contempt and prejudice of lawfull authority) in erecting a tribunall for Iuſtice, of their owne making, in their own caſe; where themſelves alone are Parties, Iurie, Witneſſe, Iudge and Sheriffe: whereas it is the prerogative of Kings to make warre and peace, and independently to execute juſtice under God.
It alſo argueth in them, both great folly, and impotency of minde, ſo lightly to adventure or give away their lives; a price ſo far exceeding the worth of the purchaſe that they contend for, and which they may have decided farre better, without any ſuch deſperate danger; and alſo it proclaimes their puſillanimity and weakneſſe, in that they cannot beare croſſes and injuries. And finally, it makes their cauſe apparently unjuſt; when they paſſe by, or neglect a peaceable triall by equall juſtice and reaſon; and doe put it to be decided by bodily ſtrength, and chance of warre; in a courſe more beſeeming beaſts than men. It ſeemes that ſuch men doe account themſelves and their lives little worth, and that they are weary of living; who ſo raſhly expoſe the ſame by thraſonicall provocations and darings, to be taken away and deſtroyed in ſuch a manner; wherein, having abandoned the command of reaſon, they become beaſts; and becomming ſlaves to their vileſt paſſions of fury, madneſſe, cruelty, and the like. (whereby they are overcome, who would in that courſe overcome others) Duellers degenerate into incarnate devills: And while they thus contend to gain or maintaine reputation of Honour and Valour by this moſt diſhonourable and baſe brutiſh courſe of impetuous ſelf-revenge by Duells; they juſtly loſe that for which they contend, and otherwiſe might have had.
Concerning deſperate attempts upon daring and wagering.
Caſe 6.The ſixt caſe of deſperate hazzard and adventure, whereby men may indirectly be ſelf-murderers, 1. About daring.is in the point of provocation by others, for proofe of their courage and valour, challenging them to dare to attempt the effecting of ſome deadly enterpriſe beyond all warrantable calling, or lawfull meanes ſafely and lawfully to accompliſh the ſame: as, for a man needleſly to conflict with a Lyon, to run over rocks; to provoke, or aſſault Adverſaries too potent for him to reſiſt, or offend, with ſafety of his life; or, upon ſuch daring to doe ſome capitall act or miſchiefe, whereby he is moſt like to periſh; and not thereby without juſt imputation to himſelfe of guiltineſſe of his owne death, in regard of the unlawfulneſſe of that his courſe, wherein hee cannot warrantably looke for any bleſſing, or protection from God: neither doe ſuch unjuſtifiable daring-practiſes argue any true fortitude and valour, but onelyonly bewraie temerarious audaciouſneſſe; which is, in exceſſe, contrary to fortitude: becauſe, true valour is ſeene in couragiouſly undertaking and accompliſhing dangerous performances upon adviſed reaſon, by lawfull courſes, to juſt and neceſſary ends; but raſh audaciouſneſſe in daring to doe unwarrantable attempts is manifeſt, by the unreaſonableneſſe and unneceſſarineſſe thereof, undertaken upon unadviſed paſſion, and foole-hardy preſumption; with arrogancy in the manner of accompliſhing, and folly in the end of it.
A truly valorous man manifeſts his fortitude by his unconquerableneſſe upon any provocation of darring, to doe any thing that is not fit and warrantable for him to undertake upon good grounds and reaſon; that if he bee croſſed, or periſh in atchieving it, hee may have honour and peace, and no way be guilty of his owne death: So that, although daring audaciouſneſſe exceeds true fortitude in unwarrantably adventuring beyond it; yet it comes ſhort of valorous fortitude in the grounds, and manner of enterpriſing, and of conſequent effects and honour of it.
A valorous man is his owne maſter, in diſpoſing of himſelfe and his actions about dangerous enterpriſes, according to his owne minde, ſound reaſon, and adviſed reſolution. Whereas, an audacious man is but as a ſervant to others, by whoſe will and daring provocations he orders himſelf and his actions, as they liſt, at their pleaſure, and for their ſervice; that he muſt needs doe whatſoever deſperate attempts they will dare him to doe, even to the perill of the loſſe of his life, without any lawfull reaſon and calling.
2. Wagering.To this caſe alſo belongs deſperate undertakings with danger of life upon wagers; as for a man, either upon a naked contract for a certaine ſumme, or upon aſſumpſit of ten for one, or the like, to be paid to him when he ſhall have performed ſome deſperate hazardous enterpriſe agreed upon, for him in that conſideration onelyonly to undertake and attempt the ſame with the danger of the loſſe of his life: as to walke under the water; to croſſe the Ocean in a Wherry: in a few dayes to goe backward, or blindfold a long journey in a dangerous way, or ſome ſuch unreaſonable, needleſſe, dangerous, mad, and idle vaine-glorious prancks, with adventure and loſſe of life; whereby ſuch are indirectly ſelf-murderers; and thoſe that lay ſuch wagers with them, are acceſſary to their death, thereby hireing and provoking them to a mortall courſe of ſelf-deſtruction. For, ſuch a courſe is no warrantable way and calling of Gods appointment, thereby to adventure, or get goods; and therefore, no bleſſing can be therein, nor thereby expected; it is a needleſſe tempting of God to commit themſelves to ſuch a mortall courſe which they may well avoyd, and can looke for no protection in it, nor comfort of the action wherein they periſh; being guilty of their owne death therein. Such deſperate enterpriſes, upon wagering; whereby a man may loſe his life, proceede either from covetouſneſſe, to be rich; or from neceſſity, to live: but by unlawfull meanes never deſtinated of God to that end, neither of them can comfortably be expected nor endeavoured: it ſeemes that ſuch men either value their lives to be little worth, or apprehend their preſent condition to be moſt miſerable; that they preferre the uncertaine attaining of a little lucre and worldly goods before them, and had rather die than live as they are; and therefore goe to ſeeke up death, where they can find him, to make an end of their dayes, by this deſperate and laſt ſhift that they doe uſe, when otherwiſe they cannot live. That man is neere driven, that cannot ſubſiſt but by courſes of ſelferuine: and he is very deſtitute of good parts and of vertuous actions, that deſpaires of better fame and repute in the world; than he can procure by ſuch needleſſe vaine undertakings and accompliſhments; which are but the paſtime of fooles, and the ludibrie and ſcorne of the wiſe, and uncomfortable vanity and ſinne of the performers.