The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of such as have murdered themselves.
WHen the Law saith, Thou shalt not kill, it not onelyonly condemneth the killing of others, but much more of our selves: for charity springeth from a mans selfe; & therfore if they be guilty of murder that spill the bloud of others, much more guilty are they before God that shed their owne bloud: and if nature bindeth us to preserve the life of all men as much as lyeth in our power, then much more are we bound to preserve our owne lives, so long as God shall give us leave. We are here set in this life as souldiers in a station, without the licence of our Captaine we must not depart: our soule is maried to the body by the appointment of God, none must presume to put a sunder those whom God hath coupled: and our life is committed to us as a thing in trust, we must not redeliver it, nor part with it, untill he require it againe at our hands that gave it into, our hands. Saint Augustine in his first Booke De Civitate Dei, doth most Aug. de civit. lib. 1. cap. 26.strongly evince and prove, That for no cause voluntary death is to be undertaken: neither to avoid temporall troubles, least we fall into eternall; nor for feare to be polluted with the sinnes of others, lest by avoiding other mens sinnes, we encrease our owne; nor yet for our owne sinnes that are past, for the which we have more need of life that we might repent of them: nor lastly: for the hope of a better life, because they which are guilty of their owne death, a better life is not prepared for them. These be the words of Augustine: wherein he alledgeth foure causes, by which men are mooved to this unnaturall act; and concludeth, that for none of them, nor for any other cause what soever, a man ought to lay violent and bloudy hands upon himselfe; yea, concludeth peremptorily, that a better life after death doth not receive such, to wit, that wilfully and desperately murder themselves, and die without repentance, as commonly they doe. But here it is to be observed, that many which seeme to make away themselves, are murdered and made away by the Divell, and not by themselves: for otherwise it were not possible that then should perish so strangely as they doe: as when some have beene hanged with their knees almost touching the ground; others upon a weake twigge, not strong enough to beare the weight of the tenth part of their body: others beene drowned in a puddle of water: which plainely sheweth, that the Divell, either as the principall actor, or at least as a helper, was the procurer of their murders, and not alwayes themselves: And therefore I must needs say with Luther, That both charity and conscience inhibites resolutely to judge all such to be damned that seeme to have made havocke of their owne lives; for the mercy of God is incomprehensible, and why may he not save the soules of them, whose bodies he gave leave to the Divell to torment, yea to destroy? Besides, we read of many holy women, who in the time of persecution cast themselves into the deep stream to preserve their chastity from the violence of the wicked persecutours; and yet were reputed in the Church for holy Martyrs. Saint Augustines judgement is worthy to be learned and imitated of all concerning this matter, who thus defineth the case: Of these (saith he) I dare avouch nothing rashly: it may be the Church of God was perswaded by divine authority to receive them into the number of Martyrs; or it may be they did this act, not being deceived, after the manner of men, but being commanded of God, not erring, but obeying; as also we are to judge of Sampson: now when God biddeth, and without all doubt makes knowne his will, who can call this obedience a crime? who can accuse a duety of piety? But a little after he giveth a caveat, Ne divina iussio ullo nutet incerto; that is, that we be sure God bids; for often times the divell translates himself into an Angell of light, and wil feine a message from God, which proceedeth from his owne malice. All this is to be conceived only touching that extraordinary case of those holy women that drowned themselves, and yet were held for Martyrs in the Church of God: as for others that shall wilfully and wofully shed their owne blouds, and rob themselves of that precious jewell of life which God hath given them to keep, no doubt but as they commit a horrible and hainous crime, so they incurre a horrible and fearefull judgement: yea, the very act it selfe is both a crime and a judgment; a crime deserving a further judgment, even eternall damnation in hell fire; and a judgement and punishment of some notable sinnes comm…ed by them before, and of an ungodly and wicked life unrepented of. The drift therfore & purpose of these examples following is this, to shew how the Lord punisheth oftentimes in men an ungodly life with voluntary and wilfull murder of themselves, and this wilfull murder of themsel…es with eternall damnation after this life ended, as a just recompence of their deserts; and all to teach us repentance, the onelyonly means to prevent both these.
The first we reade of in holy Scripture that cruelly murdered himselfe 1 Sam. 31. 4.with his owne hands, was King Saul; who, as it is recorded of him, was a most wicked man and a Tyran: for being chosen from among all the people of Israel to be King by the Lords owne appointment, and advanced as it were from the Plough to the Scepter, he like a most ungratefull wretch kicked against his advancer, and rebelled against his God that had done so great things for him: yea, hee not onelyonly contemned his lawes, and cast his commandements behind his backe but also proved a most cruell Tyran, and shed much innocent blood: amongst the rest of his cruelties, this was the chiefe; upon the false accusation of Doeg the Edomite, he caused fourescore 1 Sam. 22. 18, 19.and five persons, that were Priests, and wore a linnen Ephod, to bee staine at one time, and Nob the Citie of the Priests to be smote with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, childe and suckling, Oxe and Asse: yea, so wicked was he, that when the Lord would not answer him neither by Prophets, nor by dreames, nor by any other meanes, he went to take counsell of the Divell, at the mouth of the Witch of Endor: for all which his 1 Sam. 28. 15.abominable wickednesse, the Lord gave him over at last to so desperate a minde, that rather than he would fall into the hands of his enemies, he fell upon his owne sword, and murdered himselfe.
Zimri also, the King of Israel, is set forth by the holy Ghost to be a wicked man, and a traitor: for he conspited against his master Ela, the sonne 1 King. 16. 10, 18, 19.of Baasha King of Israel, and flew him as he was drinking in Tirza, and proclaimed himselfe King in his roome: but the army hearing thereof, made Omri, the Captaine of the hoste, King: who comming to besiege Tirza, wherein Zimri was, Zimri seeing that the Citie was taken, went into the palace of the Kings house, and there, together with the house burnt himselfe, rather than he would fall into the hands of his enemy: Now the holy Ghost setteth it downe in plaine words, that the Lord sent this judgement upon him for his sinnes which he had sinned, in doing that which was evill in the of the Lord, and walking in the way of Ieroboam, who made Israel to sinne.
Achitophel, that great Counsellor of State to King David, of whom it is 2 Sam. 17, 20.said, that the counsell which he counselled was like the Oracle of God, when hee saw that the counsell which hee gave was not followed, but despised, hee sadled his Asse, and arose and went home into his owne citie, and put his houshold in order, and hanged himselfe: And that this was Gods just vengeance upon him for his former wickednesse, it may appeare both by his conspiracie with Absalom against his liege lord king David, 2 Sam. 16. 21, 22.and also that wicked counsel which hee gave unto him, of going in unto his fathers concubines in the sight of the people.
In the second booke of the Machabees is recorded a notable story of one 2 Mac. 14. 37, 38.Raz is an Elder of Jerusalem, who is there set forth to bee a man of very good report, constant in religion, a father of the Jewes, and a lover of the citie: yet notwithstanding, this man rather than hee would fall into the hands of Nicanor his enemy, murdered himselfe after a most fearefull and savage manner, for first hee fell upon his sword, and when as for haste that stroke dispatched him not, hee ran boldly or rather furiously to the wall, and cast himselfe downe headlong; after which yet breathing, hee got up on a steepe rocke, and rending out his bowels with his owne hands, threw them amongst the people, calling upon the Lord of life, that hee would restore them againe unto him. The author of that booke commendeth this fact for a valiant and noble deed; but surely wee are taught out of the booke of God by Gods spirit, that it was a most bloudy, barbarous, and irreligious act: for rather should a man endure all the reproaches and torments of an enemy, than embrue his owne hands in his owne bloud; and therefore if he were not extraordinarily stirred up hereunto by the spirit of God, this must needs bee a just punishment of some former sinne wherein hee lay without repentance, and a forerunner of an eternall punishment after this life.
Let us joyne Iudas and Pilate together, the one being the betrayer of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ our Saviour, the other the condemner of him, and that against his conscience: as they both agreed in one malicious practise against the life of Christ, so they disagreed not in offering violence to their owne lives: for Iudas hanged himselfe, and his bowels gushed out, and Pilat being banished to Vienna, and oppressed with the torment of conscience Acts 1. Euseb.and feare of punishment for his misdeeds, to prevent all killed himselfe, and so became a notable spectacle of Gods justice, and Christs innocencie.
The Jewes, as they are recorded in Scripture to bee a stiffe-necked and stubborne Nation, above all the Nations under the Sunne, so none were ever more hardy and daring in this bloudy practise of selfe-murther than they were; which may bee thought a portion of Gods just judgement upon them for their sinnes: three examples of greatest note I will propound, which I thinke can hardly bee matched.
When the City of Jerusalem was taken by Herod and Sosius, there was a certaine Jew that had hidden himselfe in a denne with his wife and seven Iosephus de bell. Iud. lib. 1. c. 12. 13.children; to whom Herod offered both life and liberty, if hee would come forth: but the stiffe-hearted wretch had rather die than bee captive to the Romanes: therefore refusing Herods offer, hee first threw downe his children headlong from a high rocke, and burst their neckes, next hee sent his wife after them, and lastly tumbled himselfe upon their carkasses to make up the tragedie: a horrible and lamentable spectacle of a proud and desperate minde.
The second example is nothing inferior to the former. After the siege and sacking of Jotapata by the Romanes, forty Jewes (among whom was Iosephus the writer of this story) having hid themselves in a cave, by mutuall consent killed one another, rather than they would fall into the hands of Iosephus Fulgol. lib. 3. c. 2.the Romanes▪ Iosephus onelyonly, with one other, by his persuasion, by great art and industry, after the other were slain, proceeded not in that bloudy enterprise, but yeelded themselves to the mercy of the enemies, and so escaped with their lives. This fearefull obstinacy may well be imputed to the justice of God upon them, as for their other sinnes, so especially for crucifying the Lord of life, whose bloud they imprecated might fall on them and on their children.
The third example surpasseth both the former both in cruelty and obstinacy: Eleazer the Jew after the taking of Jerusalem fled into the tower of Messada with nine hundred followers; being besieged there by Sabinus Flavius, a Roman Captaine, when he saw that the walls were almost beaten Fulgos. lib. 3. cap. 2.downe, and that there was no hope of escaping, he persuaded his companions by a pithy and vehement Oration, and drew them to this resolution, that tenne should be chosen by lot, which should kill all the rest, together with their wives and children, and that afterward they themselves should kill each other. The former part of this Tragedy being performed, the surviving tenne first set on fire the Tower, that no prey might come unto the enemy (the victuals only preserved, to the end it might be knowne, that not hunger, but desperate valour drew them to this bloudy massacre▪) then according to their appoyntment, by mutuall wounds they dispatched one another: and of so great a number not one remained, besides one woman with her five children, who hearing the horriblenesse of their determination, hid her selfe in a cave in the ground, and so escaped with the life of her selfe and her children, and became a reporter of this whole story.
The like story is recorded by Livie touching the Campagnians; who being besieged by the Romanes, and constrained to yeeld up their City unto them upon composition, Vibius, a chiefe nobleman of the City, with seven Liv. lib. 26.and twenty other Senatours, that they might not fall into their enemies hands, after they had glutted themselves with wine and good cheere, dranke all of them poyson, and so bewayling the state of their countrey and embracing each other, and taking their last farewell, died ere the enemies were received into the city.
Buthes, otherwise called Boges by Herodotus, Governor of Thracia, being besieged in the city Eion, by Cymon the Athenian captaine, to the end that Fulgos. l. 3. c. 2.the enemy might receive no benefit nor great glory by his victory, first caused the city to be fired, and then by one consent they all killed themselves. So likewise did Ariarathes king of Capadocia, when he was besieged by Perdicca. Cato Vticensis, rather than he would fall into the hands of Iulius Caesar, his enemy, after his victory over Pompey, fell upon his owne sword, and slew himselfe; having first read Plato's booke of the immortality of the soule. So likewise did Marcus Antonius, after that he was over come by Augustus. And Cleopatra the Aegyptian Queene, when as by her allurements she could not intice Augustus to her lust, as she had done Anthony, but perceived that she was reserved for triumph, escaping out of prison, and placing her selfe in her sumptuous sepulchre, neere to the body of her dead paramour, set an Aspe to her left arme, by the venome whereof she died as it were in a sleepe. Thus the Lord doth infatuate the mindes of wicked and ungodly persons, and such as have no true knowledge nor feare of the true God in their hearts, making them instruments of his vengeance, and executioners of his wrath upon themselves.
Hannibal the sonne of Amilchar, after many victories and much bloodshed Fulgos.of the Romans, at last being overcome, and doubting of the faith of Prusia the King of Bythinia, to whom he was fled for succour, poysoned himselfe with poyson which he alwayes carried in a Ring to that purpose.
At the destruction of Carthage, when as Asdrubal the chiefe Captaine Fulgos.submitted himselfe to the mercy of Scipio, his wife cursing and railing on him for his base mind, threw her children into the midst of a fire, and there ended her dayes: and Asdrubal himselfe not long after followed her by a voluntary and violent death.
When Cinna besieged the city of Rome, two brothers chanced to encounter Philip. Melan. Chron. 2.together in single fight, one of Cinna's army, the other of the contrary: and the one having slaine the other, after that the Conquerour perceived that it was his brother whom hee had slaine, hee slew himselfe also, to make satisfaction for his brothers blood: and so they were both buried in one grave.
Norbanus a Consull of Rome flying from Scylla, slew himselfe at Rhodes, rather than he would fall into his enemies hands: and so did likewise Marius the sonne, at Praeneste.
Of the murderers of Iulius Caesar, almost all became also the murderer of themselves: Cassius stabb'd himselfe with the same dagger wherewith he had stabb'd Caesar: Brutus the night before his overthrow at Philippi, saw in his chamber a vision of a great fearefull man; and he demanding who he was, and what he would, he answered, I am (O Brutus) thy evill spirit, and to morrow thou shalt see me at Philippi: To whom Brutus with a bold courage answered, I will therefore see thee there. The next day Brutus being conquered by Augustus and Anthony, at Philippi, fell upon his own sword and slew himselfe.
Methridates that bloody and mighty King of Pontus being overcome of Lucullus and Pompey, and set upon by his owne sonne, went about to make away himselfe by poyson: which when it tooke not effect, by reason of his daily taking of Antidotes, he forced a French souldier of his to lay violent hands upon him; and so hee became a wilfull spiller of his owne blood, that had caused the blood of so many thousands to be spilt. His two wives Monica and Veronica, hearing of the miserable end of the king, made likewise themselves away; for the one hanged her selfe, but when the weight of her body broke the cord, shee committed her selfe to Bochis the Eunuch to bee slaine: the other received poyson, which when it wrought not so speedily as shee desired, Bochis also was made an instrument to dispatch her.
Most famous and notorious is the story of Lucretia, who being ravished Livit.by Tarquinius the yonger, and impatient of that injury and disgrace, slew her selfe openly, and gave cause by her death of the change of the Roman State, from the government of Kings to Consuls.
Sophronia another Roman woman, but a Christian, when as she could by Euseb.no meanes escape the lust of Decius the Emperour, daily assaulting her chastity, tooke a sword, and by her husbands consent slew her selfe; and so to prevent one sin, she committed another farre worse than that she feared.
Portia the daughter of Cato, and wife of Brutus, hearing of the death of her husband at Philippi, sought for a knife to kill her selfe; which being denyed her, she eat burning coales, and so ended her life by a strange kinde of death.
Wee read of many wanton and lewd Poets that have thus made an end of themselves: who as for the most they are Epicures and Atheists, so seldome come to a good end: Labienus the railing Poet (who for that cause was called Rabienus) understanding that his bookes were adjudged to bee burned by a publike Decree, would not survive his own writings, and therefore killed himselfe. Lucretius the Atheist taking a love potion to incite his lust, was by the force therof deprived of his sences, and so deprived himselfe also of life in his rage. Empedocles the vainglorious Poet, affecting the name of a god, and of immortality, threw himselfe headlong into mount Aetna, and so perished. Silvius Italicus being taken with an incurable disease, chose rather to be his owne murderer, than to endure the torment of his sicknesse. Cornelius Gallus an amatorius Poet, having robbed the City Thebes, over which he was set to be governour by Augustus Caesar, and fearing Ammianus Marcellinus.to be called to account, prevented the punishment of humane justice, by executing the justice of God upon himselfe with his owne hands.
Of those that persecuted the Church of Christ, very many were given over by God to be persecutors of themselves, and spoylers of their owne lives: as Nero for example, the first Emperour that tooke in hand to persecute Suet.Christians, he seeing himselfe in danger to be murdered by one appointed for that purpose, to prevent the malice of the murderer, murdered himselfe. Magnentius another tyrant, and enemy to Christs Church, being overcome by Constantius, brother to Constans, whom he had slaine, fled to Lions, and there became his owne Butcher: whose death as soone as his brother Decentius understood, he also hanged himselfe.
Galerius the Emperour, after he had tormented the Christians by all cruell means, and left no way unattempted whereby he might root them out of his Kingdome, fell into a grievous disease, through the torment whereof, not being able to endure any longer, he thrust a sword into his own bowels, and so miserably ended his dayes.
And to come neerer to our owne age, in King Edward the sixths dayes one Clerke an open enemy to the Gospel, hanged himselfe in the Tower: so did Pavier Towne-clerke of London: so did the sonne of one Levar a husbandman, that mocked and scorned at the holy Martyr master Latymer: so likewise did Henry Smith a Lawyer, another open adversary to Gods truth.
Richard Long, another enemy to Gods truth, drowned himselfe at Calice, in King Henry the eights dayes. Iohn Plankney, a Fellow of New Colledge in Oxford, did the like Anno 1566. and likewise one Hanington, a Fellow of the same Colledge, in a well at Padua; or, as some thinke, at Rome. Of these you may reade more in the first booke.
Hither I might adde many examples of moderne experience, as namely of a covetous wretch in the Isle of Elie, who being cast in a suit of Law, through impatience of griefe, came home and hanged himselfe: of another that had beene a great dealer in worldly matters, and an undoer of a Family or two of good credit and revenue, by usury, and taking forfeiture of bonds, and that by his owne flattering perswasion: being himselfe arrested at Huntington for debt, rather then he would satisfie it, though he was able enough, cut his owne throat, after a most fearefull and horrible manner: another being a man of note and good possessions, threw himselfe downe headlong from the top of a Church. Many such like examples I could adjoyne, with their names and places of abode, but I forbeare, least by reporting Gods judgements upon the dead, I should offend some that are alive.
These therefore already proposed may be a sufficient taste of this kinde of judgement, inflicted by God upon wicked persons: and also may serve for a caveat and warning to all men to take heed how they offer violence to their owne lives, seeing it is not onelyonly a punishment of sinne past, but a fearfull sinne it selfe, and a forerunner and causer of punishment to come, even of eternall punishment, except the Lord extraordinarily and miraculously shew mercy, which none ought to presume of.