Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing, Tract · Chapter 2 · Section 3 – Section 4
§. 3. Of indirect ſelf-murder, by omiſsion phyſically wrought.
Wayes how. 1. Phyſically, diverſe waies.Firſt phyſically, and after a naturall manner, a man may indirectly murder himſelfe, divers waies: as
1. Neglect of food.Firſt, a man may indirectly murder himſelfe, by way of omiſſion; if out of ſullenneſſe, griefe, or nigardize; or by undiſcreet puniſhment, of his body, he ſhall ſtubbornly and fooliſhly refuſe to eate, or drinke; in that meaſure, or kinde that is requiſite for his preſervation, by abſtinency, and ſparing, either ſtarving himſelfe to death; or breeding in himſelfe and contracting that which kills him: ſomewhat like hereunto was the practiſe of Ahab, 1 King. 21.4. who becauſe Naboth would not let him have his vineyard, heavie and diſpleaſed, layd him downe upon his bed; and turned away his face, and would eat no bread: 1 Tim. 5.23.the contrary whereof Paul commanded Timothy.
A Caveat.Yet, to avoid this danger, men may not Gormandize, or exceſſively pamper themſelves, indulgendo Genio; but may, and ought at ſet times to faſt; both for civill, and divine ends; with reſpect to the good both of ſoule and body.
2. Contempt of Phyſick.Secondly, in this kinde of omiſſion, a man may indirectly murder himſelfe; by wilfull contempt of the lawfull uſe of Phyſick, or Chirurgery; either to cure, or prevent apparent mortall diſeaſes or griefes; or, when he will not be ordered, by the wholeſome direction of the skilfull in their calling; or, doth not depend upon God, for a bleſſing upon the meanes; who, by his over-ruling providence, directs the courſe, and bleſſes the meanes.
A Caveat.Yet, men muſt herein be carefull that they ſlaviſhly enthrall not themſelves to the meanes; nor anxiouſly perplexe themſelves, if they cannot have them; or, that the ſucceſſe anſwers not their expectation: becauſe, the Lord diſpoſes things ſo, as he alſo may effect his worke and will, often by croſſing ours.
Neglect of prevention of dangers.Thirdly, a man may incurre indirect ſelf-murder, by regardleſneſſe of preſerving himſelf againſt mortall dangers; from without himſelf; as, in not ſeeking to God for reconciliation, by humiliation, and repentance; in ſome imminent judgements that threaten from God our deſtruction; that we may bee preſerved either from them, or in them: Or as, when wee are in danger of invaſion by enemies, for a man then regardleſly to ſhut his eyes from foreſeeing the ſame, that it may ſuddenly ſurpriſe him; or, that he ſhould not prepare himſelf, and do his utmoſt endeavours in his owne defence, to ſave his life; if by reſiſting it may be done; or otherwiſe to provide for himſelfe by flight; or other prudent diverſion, or preventing of the evill; that he may not careleſly ſuffer his life to be loſt. So then, the cowardiſe of men in extremities by Sea or land, that will not doe their utmoſt endeavours, for their owne preſervation; as likewiſe the gripleneſſe of thoſe that to ſpare their goods, indanger the loſſe of their lives, for want of military furniture and meanes to make oppoſition; are much to be blamed for this courſe of indirect ſelf-murder.
A caveat.But yet, touching this point, men ſhould be wary that they neither be ſo carefull to preſerve their lives, that they ſhould ſpare to venture them where they ought; and may comfortably ſpend and lay them downe: nor yet, have their eyes and confidence ſo upon earthly meanes, of humane ſtrength and proviſion; that they ſhould forget, or neglect to ſeeke to God, and to depend upon him, for ſafety and victorious ſucceſſe.
4. Not avoiding dangerous perſons & places.Fourthly, of indirect ſelf-murder a man may be guilty, by not avoiding and fleeing from perſons and places deſtinated to deſtruction; which are under a curſe; or, in a courſe of mortall judgements; when we are not neceſſarily tyed by duty, or calling, to commerce and bee with them: as is apparent by Lots forſaking of Sodome; and by the command of Moſes to the Iſraelites, Gen. 19. Numb. 17.26.to depart from the tents of Corah, Dathan and Abiram; and by that divine commandement, charging all the godly to come out of Babylon; that they might not be partakers of her ſins; and that they might not receive of her plagues.Rev. 18.4.
And therefore, ſuch as out of unwarrantable preſumption, or carnall ſecurity, avoid not perſons, and places infected with the peſtilence; or ſubjected to perdition; when their preſence is unneceſſary, & not to be juſtified, and pernicious to themſelves; they muſt be caſt upon the inditement of indirect ſelf-murder; if by the aforeſaid meanes they doe miſcary.
§. 4. Of indirect ſelf-murder by omiſsion morally wrought.
2. Morally.By way of deficiency, or omiſſion of indirect ſelf-murder, a man may be guilty by a morall meritorious default; two wayes:
1. By neglect of good life.Firſt, by his wilfull neglect or contempt to live and walke in the wayes of godlineſſe, and obedience to gods affirmative commandements; whereunto the promiſes of life and protection are annexedaGal. 3.12., and which we may certainly expect; ſo long as we keepe our ſelves within compaſſe of morall obedience to the Law and Goſpell; and within the limits and precincts of our ſpeciall callings; ſo that if therein, or therefore, we ſhould loſe our lives, we ſhall be free of the imputation of ſelf-murder any way, in that reſpect.
2. Neglect of prayer, &c.Secondly, in meritorious morall manner, a man may miſcary, and be indirectly guilty of his own death; by wilfull omiſſion and neglect of commending himſelfe in conſtant and ordinary prayer to God; for divine preſervation and ſafety of his life, againſt all evills and dangers, which may hurt him; and over which, and over him, God hath a ſoveraigne power and command. Unbeliefe.And alſo, by his unbeliefe, and not truſting in God in all eſtates, for preſervation; under whoſe wings he may ſecurely reſt, a man may be juſtly deſerted, and given over to periſh and ſinke; as Peter when he doubted, was in danger of drowning.bMat. 14.30, 31
Whence it proceeds.This neglect of thus depending upon God, ariſeth either from ſelf-confidence in mans owne power and meanes; whereupon he reſts as ſecure: or elſe, from Atheiſticall conceits of the providence of God; as if he were regardleſſe of humane affaires, and that all things did fall out by chance and fortune; becauſe they doe ſee all things in this world fall out alike to all men: which being more exactly conſidered, manifeſts rather the free and ſoveraigne powerfull providence of God over-ruling all things.
A caveat.Yet, this divine preſervation, by faith and prayer to God, excludes not, but includes the conſcionable uſe of lawfull meanes, and walking in appointed courſes; without which we can expect ſafety no more, than Paul and his company could, if they did let the mariners forſake the Ship: aActs 27.31.if a man by the aforeſaid neglect of prayer and dependance upon God, doe not periſh; it is Gods ſpeciall worke, reſerving him either for repentance and amendment of his life; or for ſome worſe end, and heavier judgement.
Obſerve. Neglect of meanes is tempting of God.From this degree of indirect ſelf-murder, by omiſſion of meanes, wee may obſerve that when God gives meanes of life; if 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.