Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing, Tract · Chapter 2 · Section 11 – Section 13
§. 11. Of indirect ſelf-murder committed by covenant and ſociety with perſons deſtinate to deſtruction.
6 Branch of indirect ſelf-murder by commiſſion.The ſixt branch of indirect ſelf-murder by commiſſion, is, by wilfull contracting. and keeping ſociety with thoſe, that are under a curſe, and apparent danger of deſtruction; whereby all ſuch are moſt probably like to ſhare with them, that have neere communion with them; which falls out ſpecially in three caſes.
Caſe 1. Of leagues.Firſt, when a man unwarrantably enters a league, or bond of neere amity and ſociety with perſons, Princes, or States worthy of, and (as it were) marked out to deſtruction: as Iehoram did contract and keepe with Ahaziah a2 King. 9.27., whereby hee involved and inwrapped himſelfe into the ſame ruine with him. Which barres not concluſions for commerce of trade; and alſo, for intercourſe of correſpondency with them, at ſuch a diſtance and degree, whereby hurt from them may be avoyded, and uſe made of them for warrantable advantage; as the Scripture requires, that wee ſhould have peace with all men, if it be poſſiblebHeb. 12.14..
Caſe 2.Concerning warre.The ſecond caſe of indirect ſelf-murdring ſociety is, when a man takes up armes, or puts himſelfe into military ſervice, or joynes with others in warre, offenſive, or defenſive; either to hinder, or oppreſſe equity and truth; or, in oppoſition of Gods Church, to prejudice, or oppreſſe the Goſpell and true religion; by this latter fighting againſt and provoking God; and by the former, irritating mankind juſtly to deſtroy ſuch, as goe about to overthrow Gods Kingdome, and humane juſtice, on earth; without which the world cannot ſubſiſt; in which courſe of Combination, or ſociety, whoſoever periſhes is guilty of indirect ſelf-murder, by death of his owne unwarrantable procurement.
Although warre bee lawfull, yet it is a violent courſe of juſtice, the deciſion whereof is hereby caſt upon the omnipotent Lord God, for him to determine the ſame, as he pleaſes, by victory, or vanquiſhment. And therefore, none ſhould dare voluntarily to engage himſelfe, in that courſe, upon his life, where hee knowes that juſt and powerfull Iudge to bee party for the truth againſt him; leſt he periſh by this indirect ſelf-murder; whereas, to bee ſafe therefrom, wee ſhould ever bee party on Gods ſide.
Croſſe event of warre.That the event falls out contrary, ſo that the Abetters in a good cauſe do often fall, and the propugners of an evill do proſper; it comes to paſſe by Gods ſpeciall wiſe providence, for three cauſes.
Reaſons. 1.Firſt, to chaſtiſe ſome ſinnes, or to exerciſe ſome vertues in the vanquiſhed.
2.Secondly, to make men more loath to fall to warre and blood-ſhed, upon preſumption of their ſtrength and cauſe, but rather, with ſome loſſe, to make peaceable compoſition.
3.Thirdly, that God may ſhew and exerciſe his abſolute ſoveraignty over the world; diſpoſing humane things as he pleaſes, in the demoliſhing and tranſlating of Empyres and dominion, by the ruines of one making way for the building of another; that it may be apparent, that by him Kings Raigne; and that as many Principalities and Empires are raiſed, and ſtand upon the foundation of invaſion, latrocinies, rapines, and blood; ſo ſhall they anſwer for the ſame, and bee ſhaken to peeces, by a divine hand of Iuſtice; as wee may ſee expreſſed by the daſhing of the Image to peeces, by that ſmall ſtone out of the divine hand of God, Daniel 2.33.
Caſe 3. Preſuming into infectious places and company.The third caſe of indirect ſelf-murdering ſociety is, when men do wilfully preſume, without neceſſity, or warrantable calling, into deadly infectious places and companies; wherein, or by which meanes if they miſcarry or periſh, they are guilty of their owne death, in a higher degree of indirect ſelf-murder; as alſo, are thoſe that doe, without a warrantable calling, put themſelves into ſuch places, or imployments, as doe procure or haſten their deaths.
§. 12. Of indirect ſelf-murder by doing that, which naturally procures that which kills the doer.
7. Branch.Seventhly, if a man doe, willingly and wittingly, any ſuch unlawfull act, as proves the cauſe, or occaſion of that, which by Gods providence in juſt judgement, kills him, or takes away his life; he indirectly murders himſelfe: as a drunken man, that falls into a ditch or a pit, and is drowned; breakes his neck off his horſe; dies by ſurfeits, or the like: he is in this degree, guilty of his owne death: for the cauſe of the cauſe is the cauſe of the effect: Cauſa cauſae eſt cauſa cauſati.ſuch a mans precedent unlawfull courſe, or diſpoſition, is ſo farre from excuſing the conſequent effect; that in a ſort it doubles his ſin: a man that kills another, when he is drunk, is not excuſed; but hanged when he is ſober.
§. 13. Of indirect ſelf-murder by doing of capitall crimes againſt humane Lawes and authority.
8. Branch. Capital crimes.Eightly, men doe commit indirect ſelf-murder, by their breaking out into capitall courſes and crimes; in tranſgreſſing and violating capitall good humane Lawes, the penalty whereof is death, whereby they bring themſelves under the ſword of Iuſtice, thereby to loſe their lives; as do Traitors, and rebellious perſons againſt the King, State, or Kingdome: ſpoylers of other mens lives, or goods; as murderers, Pirates, Robbers, and the like: which is a thing both juſt and expedient in reaſon, that for preſerving & upholding of the whole body publick; or the more noble parts thereof, inferiour and rotten members ſhould ſuffer amputation; who, by their owne vile practiſes, have ſubjected themſelves to the penall cenſure of death: by their miſdeſerving courſes, being indirectly ſelf-murderers; their blood being upon themſelves, and not upon the Magiſtrate, by whoſe hands they juſtly fall, as is apparent; Levit. 20.9. where the blood of him that was put to death, for curſing his Father, is ſaid to be upon himſelfe: and 2 Sam. 1.16. touching him that David killed, for ſaying that hee had ſlaine Saul, he ſaid that his blood was upon his head: as alſo, 1 King. 2.32, 37. touching Ioab, for his murder; and Sbimei, for his railing; it is ſaid that their blood was upon their owne heads; for that they were the wilfull meritorious cauſe, although not the immediate inſtruments of their owne deaths.
And ſo thus, all men that die by the merits of their owne actions, morally, or civilly conſidered, are murderers of their owne naturall lives and bodies, as man may truly be ſaid to be the overthrower of the ſalvation of his owne ſoule, by the merits of his owne ſins.