Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing, Tract · Chapter 6
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.Secondly actively, as he is an agent, in and about his owne death, working to effect the ſame, either meritoriouſly, or efficiently, and ſo he is a ſelf-murderer, and guilty of his owne death.
§. 2. Of the meanes of loſing life naturall.
Meanes of loſſe of life are, 1. Internall.Mans life is loſeable by two ſorts of meanes: Firſt, internall, ariſing from, and within a mans ſelfe, that kills him as the worme that breeds of, and in the tree, and deſtroyes it: ſo in mans bodie doe diſtempers and diſeaſes breed of, and from it ſelfe; whereby hee is in deaths hands, and by degrees dies daily: alſo in the ſoule of man ſinne doth breed, that kills his ſpirituall life: and ſo, he hath in himſelfe the principles and meanes of the deſtruction, both of his ſoule and body; of his life, both naturall and ſpirituall.
2. Externall.The ſecond meanes is externall; inflicted from without a man; tending to that taking away of his life: and the ſame is either caſuall, or voluntary.
1. Caſuall.Caſuall, or accidentall is; when, beſides the intenſion of the agent, and proper nature and end of the action, it falls out and comes to paſſe that thereby the life of man is hurt, or taken away: as when, in felling of wood, the axe flees off the helve, and unawares to him that uſes it, kills a manaDeut. 19.5., herein the life of man is taken away, not without concurrence of the providence of God; who is pleaſed, by ſuffering ſuch an accident, to lay a croſſe upon the agent, to whom it is a kinde of calamity or puniſhment to be a meanes (againſt his will) of the death of any man.
Alſo, to this caſuall deſtruction of mans life, belongs the periſhing of the ſoules of thoſe, that unjuſtly take offence at other mens eſtates and livesb1 Cor. 1.23.; for that which they lawfully and neceſſarily doe or ſuffer, in their callings and Chriſtian condition; whereby ſuch perſons flee off from the truth; and fall into, or perſiſt in evill and damnable courſe, to their eternall perdition; without any fault of theirs by whoſe occaſion they (of their own wretchedneſſe) ſtumble and miſcarry; and ſo goe guilty of their owne ſpirituall death; by abuſing of that, which is good, to their hurt and damnation; ſo falling and ruinating themſelves, by other mens riſing and ſtanding.
2. Voluntary.Or elſe, the externall meanes of taking away a mans life; doe of themſelves, in their proper nature, and direct uſe, and in the intenſion of the agent, tend to the effecting thereof: which (about our life that is naturall,) is done either juſtly; upon lawfull cauſes; in juſt manner;Juſtly. by thoſe thoſe that are ſufficiently authorized to doe the ſame: or elſe, it is done unjuſtly; when the ſame is without juſt cauſe;Unjuſtly. not by the hands of perſons lawfully authorized to doe it; or is not performed in a juſt and warrantable manner.
§. 3. Of the meanes of the deſtruction of ſpirituall life.
2. Of the ſoule.Alſo, touching our ſpirituall life, the ſame is externally, or by meanes, without a mans ſelfe, deſtroyed; eyther by the juſtice of God;1. By God. when he moſt righteouſly, in his act of vindicative and diſtributive juſtice puniſhes man with eternall deſtruction, for his ſinnes, Mat. 10.28. in which caſe man, in reſpect of his owne merits and deſervings, is guilty of his owne periſhing, and not God.
2. By men, two waies.Or elſe, our ſpirituall life may miſcarry by meanes of men;1. who Firſt, by their corrupt doctrine, and evill examples doe draw others with them to perdition: as did the Scribes and Phariſees; that did compaſſe ſea and land to make one Proſelyte, whom when they had wonne, they made him twoſold more the child of hell than themſelves, Mat. 23.15. or, by depriving them of the meanes of their ſalvation; they are ſubjected to deſtruction. 2.Secondly, when men, by compulſory meanes of unjuſt lawes, and ſevere threatnings and puniſhments, are driven and forced from the waies of righteouſneſſe into ſinnefull courſes; as by Ieroboam, Manaſſes, &c. ſoules are deſtroied with a twofold guilt, both of them that force others; and alſo of them that yeeld themſelves to evill, upon ſuch conſtraint.
Life is taken avvay: 1 By others. 2. By a mans ſelfe.Againe, the externall meanes of depriving a man of his life is inflicted, either by others; ſometime lawfully, ſometimes unlawfull; or elſe, by a mans owne hands and procurement; which is ever, in all caſes, unlawfull for him to doe, mediately, or immediately, directly, or indirectly. But, it is to be noted, that no man loſeth his ſpirituall life, but by his owne meanes, and merits procuring the ſame: for the ſpirituall life of man is ſubject to no mans power; who can kill onelyonly the body and doe no more, Mat. 10.28.
And God, that is eſſeatially and abſolutely juſt, subjects not man to ſuffer that, which actively he hath not firſt ſome way procured, by his owne doings and deſervings.
Obſerv. How ſubject man is to death.From hence, it is obſervable, that the lives of no creatures are longer, and with more adoe hatchedup, and maintained, than the lives of men; and yet, the lives of no creatures are ſubject to ſo many dangers, inward, and outward of deſtruction; and ſooner overthrowne, than mans; we being like brittle glaſſes, that containe precious balſame; and as choiſe flowers, hardly cheriſhed up, and ſoone blaſted: which ſhewes, both our weakeneſſe, and want of ſelf-ſufficiency, to uphold our ſelves; and alſo, how we are poſſeſſed and compaſſed about, with things adverſe and dangerous to our lives; both of ſoule and body: of all creatures man onelyonly being a ſtranger and pilgrim on earth, hath, therefore, the leaſt kinde entertainment in this world, and the moſt uncertaine poſſeſſion of it; and is alwaies neereſt to be thruſt out of it; walking here but as a ſhadow.
Vſe 1Therefore, wee ſhould be more carefull to cleave the more cloſely to our God, who is the preſerver of men; that by him we may be upheld and protected againſt all dangers.
2.And againe, we ſhould be the more watchfull againſt carnall ſecurity; that wee doe not preſume upon our uncertaine lives; nor ſuffer our ſelves to be intangled with this world and the things of it; but that we be ever heavenly minded, and ready for our departure hence; labouring to get, and keepe that ſpirituall and eternall life.
§. 4. Of murder in ſelf-killing.
Killing of a mans ſelfe is murder. 1.In a mans taking away of his owne life, two things are to be conſidered. Firſt, that it is murder, in regard of the nature of the act of it.
2.Secondly, that it is murder of ones ſelfe, in reſpect of the object thereof: and ſo ſelf-murder is a compounded ſinne of more degrees than one, and that in ſuch a kind, as is the moſt hainous and moſt to be abhorred in humane ſociety, in regard that this deſtroyes the ſubſtantiall being of that which ought to bee of all worldly things moſt deare to us; whereas other ſinnes, ſpoile the welbeing of our ſelves, or others; which, ſo long as life laſteth, is recoverable.
Self-murder is horrible.And therefore, whatſoever is to be thought of the vile quality, and of the damnable deſerts of murder in generall, is to be conceived to be due, and much worſe, to ſelf-murder in ſpeciall. For, murder is but the genericall or generall matter, and not the ſpeciall and formall nature of Self-murder: and therefore, if it be horrible to murder another man, it is much more odious to kill ones ſelfe. For, by naturall reaſon, the more that any Genus, or generall matter, is reſtrained, and actuated, by its ſuperadded formes and ſpecificall differences, the more it is intended, active and powerfull; according to the motion of nature, ab imperfectioribus ad perfectiora, proceeding toward that perfection, wherein it intends to termine and end. Now, the perfection of a vice (if I may ſo ſpeake) conſiſts in the higheſt exorbitancie of it, beyond which none can paſſe, and in murder, it is certaine that none can goe beyond ſelf-murder, as afterward will fully appeare.
4. Things are obſervable in murder.In taking away, ſpecially, a mans naturall life unjuſtly and murderouſly, foure things are to be conſidered.
1. That death is undeſerved.Firſt, that the effect done, or death of a man, in depriving him of his life, is without due deſert on his part, at their hands that put him to death.
2. Done without lavvfull authority.Secondly, that the act it ſelfe, whereby that effect is accompliſhed, is unlawfull, on his part that doth it, in regard of his want of authority, and juſt calling to do that act: and if the ſufferer have deſerved death, and the executioner have a lawfull calling to kill him; yet, if his manner of doing of it bee contrary to the preſcript and rules of his calling; and to the minde and diſpoſition requiſite for ſuch an agent in that act; then the ſame is murder.
3. Done wittingly.Thirdly, it is conſiderable in murder, that the agent therein both knowes, not onelyonly that the nature of his action that he doth, tendeth to death; but alſo that morally it is an unlawfull act, or thing to be done: and alſo doth voluntarily and wittingly intend the doing of that action, without regard of the effect, or inſuing of death thereupon.
4. Death intended.Fourthly, touching murder, it is remarkeable that the agent doe not onelyonly voluntarily and wittingly a lethiferous or mortall act; but that he doe alſo intend, and deſire to effect the death of a man thereby; whom juſtly he cannot kill: otherwiſe, if a man ſhould ignorantly, or unwillingly, in doing of his lawfull calling, be a meanes accidentally to take away the life of a man, he is not therefore guilty of murder. For, for ſuch God provided Cities of refuge, for their preſervation, againſt the avenger of blood. Deut. 19.3, 4, 5. Ioſbua 20.3. by the firſt of theſe wee ſee, that an innocent ſuffers death; by the ſecond wee ſee, that the Agent or executioner is ſuch an one as ought not to kill him, although he were nocent: by the third and fourth it appeare, that the act is formaliter murderous, in regard of the knowledge, and intention of the doer thereof.
Self-murder is moſt vile murder, in tranſcendent manner.So, in Self-murder, as it is murder, an Innocent, (never deſerving of himſelfe that himſelfe ſhould kill himſelfe,) is ſlaine: the Actor whereof hath no authority, nor calling over himſelfe ſo to doe: ſeeing, no man can be both ſuperiour and alſo inferiour to himſelfe: and for a man to doe an act upon himſelfe, which he knowes to be both mortall, and unlawfull; and yet will doe it, with purpoſe and intent to bereave himſelfe of his own life, it cannot be denyed to be murder in the higheſt degree, and he a murderer that doth it.
§. 5. How murder is vile.
The vileneſſe of murder in its effects.The vileneſſe of murder is not onelyonly ſeene, by its contrariety to Gods Law, and the heavie cenſures and puniſhments thereof, and its incompatibility with humane ſociety; but alſo, by the effects thereof upon the ſufferer. 1.It deſtroves naturall life.For, firſt the act of murder utterly ſo deſtroyes the naturall life of man, upon the departure of his ſoule from the body; that the ſame is never againe recovered. For, naturall life depends, not onelyonly upon the preſence of the ſoule informing the body; but even upon our ſtate of being in this world; inſomuch that after the reſurrection, although ſoule and body ſhall be againe united; yet, as then our bodies ſhall be ſpirituall bodiesa1 Cor. 15 44.; ſo ſhall our lives be. So then, a murderer takes that life away, which he can never give, nor reſtore; and deſtroyes that which he can never build up.
2. It deſtroyes mans perſen.Secondly, the act of murder deſtroyes the perſon of man; which depends upon mans life. For, neither is the ſoule alone, nor the body alone the perſon of man; but the whole man conſiſting of ſoule and body with their properties hypoſtatically united. So that, when the ſoule is in heaven, he cannot ſay, but Synechdochically, that the perſon is in heaven Nor, when the body is in the grave, can we properly ſay, that the perſon is in the grave. For, then, either a man muſt be two perſons one in heaven, and another in the grave, which is abſurd: or elſe one created perſon ſhould be in diverſe places at once; which is impoſſible.
Obſerve vvhere the perſon is after death.If you ſay, where then is the perſon after death? I anſwer, it is not in actuall being, but potentiall in its conſtitutive principles of ſoule and body; that are to be joyned together, at the day of judgment. And therefore it is, that the ſoules ſeparate from the bodies thinke not, nor worke in that manner as they did organically in the body: whereupon the Pſalmiſt ſaies of Princes, that when they die their thoughts periſh bPſal. 146.4.: and therefore, neither remember they, in that eſtate, things paſt; nor are capable of preſent, under thoſe ſpecies and notions, as they did here in the body. So then, he that murders a man, deſtroies a perſon; although his diſtinct natures doe remaine.
Thirdly, a murderer is injurious to God, not onelyonly in breaking his Law, but alſo in deſtroying his Image; which is not properly in the body, or in the ſoule apart; but in the whole perſon of man, conſiſting of both ſoule and body, with their properties perſonally united: man was created in Gods Image: now, the ſoule alone, or body alone is not the man, but both united, as is ſaid: ſo it is apparent, that wrong is done to heaven and earth, by a murderer.
§. 6. Of the originall of murder.
Murder whenee. 1. From our ſelves.We are to conſider, whence it comes that man doth monſtrouſly, Firſt, fall upon his owne kinde, to deſtroy it; and then upon himſelfe. Of murder in 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 aMat. 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 bIob. 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 onelyonly 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 ſocietyaGen. 9.5. Deut 19.12, 13. Gen. 4.14..