Defensive Armor Against Four of Satans Most Fiery Darts, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Text 1 John 3. 15. opened ſhortly. How far the Sin of Murther extendeth, beyond what is puniſhable by the Judge, To the Killer of himſelf, as well as to the Killer of others. In what Senſe. No Murtherer hath Eternal Life. Two things understood by Eternal Life. Whether it be in no caſe lawful for one to kill himſelf? That it is not, proved by Four Arguments. Whether no perſon, that hath Eternal Life in the Seed (being born of God) or ſhall have it in the Fruit, can kill himſelf. Six Concluſions reſolving that Caſe. One that killeth himſelf directly may have Eternal Life. One that murthereth himſelf cannot. The difference of thoſe two Expreſſions.
THe Apoſtle, 1 John. 3. 15. determineth thus, Whoſoever hateth his Brother, is a Murtherer, and you know that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him. It is onelyonly the later part of that verſe which I ſhall concern my ſelf in, not intending to conſider the Sin of Murther, ſo far as it relateth unto our Brother, but as it relateth to our ſelves; and the ſame Perſon may be both the Murtherer, and the Murthered, and the Apoſtle concluding generally foreign, Every Murtherer hath not; or no Murtherer hath Eternal Life in himſelf; (for they are Equipollent Phraſes) gives me this liberty. Though the Murtherer he is ſpeaking of in this Text, is the Murtherer of his Brother, and that but in his Heart, by a rooted inveterate Hatred: The Propoſition of this Text is plainly this, That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him; In the Explication of which here are two Terms to be Opened. 1. Who is a Murtherer. 2. In what Senſe it is ſaid, That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life in himſelf. As to the firſt I ſhall conclude,
1. That Murther according to the Law of God, extendeth much farther, then it is or can be enquired, of, or puniſhed by the Law of Man. This appeareth evidently from the Apoſtle in this place, where he ſaith that, He who hateth his Brother, is a Murtherer; no Law of Man ſaith ſo, nor proportioneth a Puniſhment to the Secret Motions of the Heart, but the Law of God doth: Hence our Saviour correcting the Phariſees in Interpretation of the Law of God, and in juſtification of himſelf, that he came not to deſtroy it, but to fulfil it, begins with the giving the Senſe of this Commandement far different from what the Phariſees had given, Matth. 5. 20, 21. You have heard that it hath been ſaid by them of old time, you ſhall not kill; and whoſoever kills, ſhall be guilty of the Judgement: But I ſay unto you that whoſoever is angry with his Brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of the Judgment: and whoſoever ſhall ſay unto his Brother Raca, ſhall be in danger of the Council: But whoſoever ſhall ſay, Thou Fool, ſhall be in danger of Hell-fire. From theſe two Texts appears, that by the Law of God, not onelyonly he who actually ſheddeth Mans Blood without a juſt cauſe, and putteth a period to his days; but he who entertaineth in his heart any thoughts, purpoſes, or deſigns, any deliberations, or gives conſent to ſuch a thing, he who takes a pleaſure in any ſuch thoughts, or entertaineth any. Affection or Paſſion conducing to ſuch an end, or uſeth any means towards it, is a Murtherer. Upon this account St. John ſaith, he that hateth his Brother, is a Murtherer. Now the Law of Man that onelyonly judgeth of overt Acts, and determineth him onelyonly a Murtherer, that wilfully, and without due Authority, doth take away the life of another. The Text in St. John muſt be neceſſarily extended further.
2. Secondly, According to the Laws of Men as well as the Laws of God, He who wilfully, and without due Authority, putteth an end to his own Life, is a Murtherer, as well as he who ſo taketh away the Life of another. The Law ſaith, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe Witneſs againſt thy Neighbour; but it ſays, Thou ſhalt do no Murther, in timating that a Man may be guilty of Murther by Murthering himſelf, as well as by taking away the Life of his Neighbour. And the Laws of Men do ſo adjudge it, though the Puniſhment due to Murther cannot be inflicted on one already dead, yet they order Shame and Ignominy, Forfeiture of Goods, Ignominious Burial, to teſtifie their Judgment of the Fact: And indeed the Law. of the Second Table being againſt Violations of Charity, and for the maintaining Charity, and preventing the Violations of, and Breaches upon Humane Society, it is unreaſonable to think, That this Charity ſhould not begin at our ſelves, and that we ſhould not be under higher Obligations to preſerve our own Lives than the Lives of our Neighbours; as much obliged not to deface the Image of God upon our ſelves, as upon others. Which is the reaſon that God himſelf giveth of his firſt Precept to Noah againſt Murther, Gen. 9. 6. Whoſo ſheddeth Mans Blood, by Man ſhall his Blood be ſhed; for in the Image of God made he Man: So then the Murtherer in Scripture Senſe is, That Man or Woman who wilfully, and without any juſt cauſe, or due Authority, putteth an end to his own Life, or the Life of another, or who nouriſheth in his Heart, any Purpoſe, Deſign, or Deliberation, or Affection of that tendency, or ſpeaketh any Words of that tendency, or doth any Action tending to it, though it be not perfective of it.
From this Notion of Murther, and Murtherers, evidently appeareth that two ſorts of Perſons are not to be charged with this great Guilt. 1. Such as are Inſtruments of Death unto others in a juſt War, or in times of Peace, at the command of the Magiſtrate in the Execution of Juſtice; when Men for their Crimes are righteouſly adjudged to Death, and Perſons are commanded to execute the Sentence: Nor ſuch who (intending no ſuch thing) by accident, and againſt their Wills, are occaſion of Death either to themſelves or others: This we uſually call Manſlaughter, not Murther. Nor ſuch who in their own juſt defence are forced to kill others, ſuppoſe Robbers by the High-way, or breaking into our Houſes. God himſelf determined this, Exod. 22. 2. If a Thief be found breaking up, and be ſmitten that he die, there ſhall no Blood be ſhed for him. If the Sun be riſen there ſhall be Blood ſhed. The Reaſon of that is, becauſe then help might have been called in, and he taken; and by the Law of God, he was to make Reſtitution; or if he had nothing, he was to be ſold for his Theft; as you read there, v. 3. So that the killing of him was not neceſſary for the defence of him that was robbed: But my deſign is not to handle the Caſes relating to Murther of another, nor indeed any of them, onelyonly to ſpeak to Self-Murther: However the Text ſaith, No Murtherer hath Eternal Life. We have heard the Subject, let me open the Praedicate, and ſhew in what Senſe the Propoſition is true, That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life.
2. Eternal Life is to be conſidered, either, In the Firſt Fruits of it, or the fuller Harveſt.
1. In the Firſt Fruits, and ſo it muſt be conſidered here, or elſe we muſt admit an Enallage of the Preſent Tenſe for the Future, foreign for foreign; and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo limit the Senſe of it to the Future (for which I ſee no reaſon at all.) For take Eternal Life as it ſignifieth the happy State of Souls after the Reſurrection, in the Beatifical Viſion of God; ſo no one alive hath Eternal Life. Eternal Life therefore in the firſt place ſignifieth, That ſpecial Effectual Grace of God, which will certainly bring the Soul to Eternal Life. That which he before called the Seed of God abiding in the Soul. And that will bring in a Queſtion (to which I may poſſibly ſpeak ſomething by and by) Whether an Elect Soul, that is called and ſanctified, may not fall into this Sin?
2. But 2dly. Eternal Life is alſo conſiderable in the full Harveſt, as it ſignifieth the Bleſſed Eſtate of the Soul in the Beatifical Viſion of God; and ſo it is true no Murtherer, none that dieth under the Actual Guilt of Murther, not repented of, not removed from him, ſhall ſee God; and to this purpoſe is that, Rev. 21. 8. where Murtherers are reckoned amongſt thoſe who ſhall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimſtone, which is the Second Death; and that brings in a Second Queſtion, Whether a Murtherer cannot be ſaved? But before I can ſpeak any thing to theſe, it is reaſonable, I ſhould ſpeak ſomething to a more Origiinal Queſtion, with reference to this Sin.
Caſe. Whether it be not lawful for a Perſon in any Caſe to Kill him or her ſelf?
It is plain from the reading of Prophaner Hiſtory, that diverſe of the Heathens, yea ſome of their Philoſophers, did not think it unlawful for Men and Women to kill themſelves, but thought it in ſome Caſes their Duty. In Caſe of their Countrey, or Friends, under great Diſturbances of Mind or Preſſures of Bodily Afflictions, &c. but even amongſt them there were a wiſer, and ſo underſtanding part, who from their Light of Reaſon ſaw better things; for even they would ſometimes diſpute, That it was no Indication of Valour or Fortitude, but of a baſe, and impotent and cowardly Mind, that durſt not encounte with a little pain or trouble; and that we were ſet in this World by our great Commander, the Lord of all, as Souldiers in a Rank and File, which we muſt not break out of, but by order and direction from him; and that it was an injury to the Kingdom or Commonwealth wherein we lived, and ſuch like. But we have ſurer Rule to guid us by; to wit, the holy Scriptures. And the Unlawfulneſs of it upon any pretence whatſoever, is determined by all Divines, both Ancient and Modern, that are of any value; and that for theſe Reaſons:
1. Becauſe the Law of God is expreſs, Thou ſhalt do no Murther, and that Precept is not to be limited to the Murthering of others; for the Law of God doth not ſay, Thou ſhalt not kill thy Neighhour: but, Thou ſhalt not kill: it muſt indeed be reſtrained to Men and Women, for God hath given us a Liberty, as to Beaſts to Kill and Eat, nor is the Law concerning Brute and Irrational Creatures, but ſuch as are Rational, and that without diſtinction; Now he that killeth himſelf doth kill: Again, the Law in the General Scope of it, commandeth Charity; now we ought in the firſt place to be Charitable to our ſelves; Murther, ſay Caſuiſts, is the Killing of a Man without Authority. Now this he doth, who killeth himſelf, for none is ſuperior to himſelf, none hath Authority over himſelf.
2. Again (ſaith Jiliucius one of the Popiſh Caſuiſts (who yet though many of them give ſtrange liberty to Men to kill others, yet few or none give Men liberty to kill themſelves.) To kill a Perſon can be lawful but in two Cauſes: 1. For our own Defence, ſo a Perſon may kill one aſſaulting him, breaking into his Houſe, &c. Or, 2. For Execution of Righteous Sentence of Juſtice. But none can kill himſelf in his own Defence, nor be a Magiſtrate to himſelf, to Judge, Sentence, or Condemn himſelf; ſo that ſay they it can be lawful in no Caſe for Men to put an end to their own Lives.
3. Again, They argue truly from a particular Enumeration of the ſuppoſed Juſtificant Cauſes that ſhould juſtifie ſuch a Fact, ſhewing the Invalidity of them. We read of one of the Heathens, who having got a dark Notion of an Eternal State, would put an end to his Life, that he might the ſooner be in poſſeſſion of it. But this is not the way to Eternal Life. St. John ſaith, No Murtherer hath Eternal Life. Eternal Life is the gift of God, and he gives it according to his Revealed Will, and his Revealed Will is, Rev. 21. 8. That Murtherers ſhould have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimſtone, and this is the Second Death. A Second Cauſe (which the Heathen aſſigned as) juſtificant of Self-Murther, was, To avoid the Violence of others; ſuppoſe Perſecutors or Mutherers. But this cannot juſtifie, For what harm can the injuries or violence of others do us? Saith Auguſtine. A Third Cauſe ſome aſſign, or pretend, is, To avoid Sin for the time to come. To prevent their further diſhonouring of God. But this were to do evil, that good might come of it; and to prejudge our ſelves, and deny Gods Mercy to Back-ſliders. A Fourth Cauſe aſſigned, is, To take revenge upon our ſelves for past Sins. But who made us Judges and Revengers in the Caſe? And ſurely paſt Sins are better waſhed by the Blood of Chriſt, and the Water of true Repentance. The laſt and indeed moſt general and true Cauſe, is, To avoid Shame and Ignominy, to deliver our ſelves from horrors and terrors of Conſcience, or other miſeries. But the very Heathen condemned this, as the Indication of an Impotent Cowardly Spirit, of an haſty and impatient Spirit: Where is the Faith and Patience of Chriſtians, if this were lawful? But I ſhall have occaſion in the ſequel of this Diſcourſe further to ſhew the exceeding vanity of theſe Pretences for the juſtification of ſo horrid a Fact.
4. Again, It is a Sin againſt the Light and Law of Nature. No man yet ever hated his own Fleſh. Nature it ſelf, not debaucht nor diſordered, ſaith to every one Spare thy Self. There cannot be a greater Violence offered to our Nature ſurely, than to deſtroy it. To ſhut up this Diſcourſe (there being few that ſtand in need of this Conviction, who are in an ordinary way capable of it.) Dr. Ames a Learned Caſuiſt of our own, concludes it a Sin againſt Nature, Piety, Juſtice, Charity. Of the firſt I have ſpoken. It appeareth to be againſt Piety, as being againſt the Authority of God, who alone hath Life and Death in his Hand, and hath the Power of our Lives. 2. Againſt the Goodneſs of God, from Him, and of his Goodneſs we live, and the upholding our Souls in Life, ought to be acknowledged to God as a great Piece of the Divine Goodneſs and Mercy to us. 3. Againſt the Providence of God in the Government of the World, diſturbing that Order which he hath ſet. A Sin againſt Juſtice; which will not allow any perſon to rob or ſpoil the Kingdom or Common-wealth in which he is a Member, at his pleaſure. Againſt Charity (ſaith he) which ought to begin at our ſelves, and by which we are firſt obliged to preſerve our own lives; and then the lives of others. From theſe and ſuch like Arguments, Divines do reaſonably conclude, That Self-murther is in all Caſes Sinful, in no Caſe Lawful, nor by any Pretence Excuſable.
The next queſtion is, 2. Qu. Whether it be to that degree ſinful, as that no Soul that hath received the Grace of God, can commit it? And 3. Qu. Whether no Soul that doth commit it, can have Eternal Life, can be ſaved? Both theſe ſeem to make up the Apoſtle John's Senſe, when he ſaith, We know that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life. I will ſpeak to them both together in ſome few Concluſions.
1. Con. It is very hard to ſay, What Sin, one that belongeth to the Election of Grace, yea one who is called with an holy Calling, and in a State of Grace; and who ſhall certainly be ſaved, may not commit. You know into what Sins, Lot, Noah, David and Peter, fell in an hour of very high and great Temptation.
2. Con. In particular, Such a perſon may be the actual Murtherer of another: David was ſo. I mean by Actual, not that he immediately committed it, but as it is contra-diſtinguiſhed to murtherous habits in the Heart; in the Senſe that St. John ſaith, He who hateth his Brother is a Murtherer. This is plain in the Caſe of David.
3. Con. Such a Murtherer cannot have the Seed of God (at that time) working and abiding in him, nor upon ſuch a fact, have a proximate Right to Eternal Life. This is plain, for Murthers are no fruits of the Spirit but of the Fleſh; Gal. 5. 21. And no perſon under the guilt of Sin, before Repentance and the renewed exerciſe of Faith, can either have any Sight of his Grace, or any Proximate Right to Eternal Life.
4. Con. It is poſſible, That ſuch a great Sinner, as the Murthererer of another, may be renewed by Repentance and Faith, and ſo may obtain Everlaſting Life. This appeareth both by the Promiſe, and alſo by thoſe Preſidents of Free Grace which the Holy Scrtptures do furniſh us with, that we may have Conſolation: For the Promiſe it is made to all Sin and Blaſphemy; Matth. 12. 31. David was a Murtherer, ſo was Manaſſes, &c.
5. It is poſſible, That a man may be in a Juſtified and Sanctified Eſtate, and may put an end to his own Life, and yet not be a Self-murtherer: That is, now ſuppoſing him diſtracted, and in a fit of Frenzy, not underſtanding what he doth: This man is now not to be judged a Murtherer of himſelf, his Act is not a Rational Humane Act; and doubtleſs ſhall not be imputed to him. This may happen in high Feavors, &c. But
6. Suppoſing a Sanctified Perſon to be in the uſe of his Reaſon, (though not perfectly) in a great meaſure able to guid his actions by the conduct of it; he cannot do any ſuch action: The Grace of God working or ſtiring in him. Nor obtain Eternal Life, without Repentance of it; for which he can have but very little time, if any at all. And this I take to be the Apoſtle's Senſe, when he ſaith, That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him. 1. He hath no true Grace working or acting in him. 2. In that State of Guilt, without true Repentance (for which he hath little or no time) he dying, cannot be ſaved. 3. He can have no proximate Right to Eternal Life. I ſhall add further, That I find no great difficulty to determine, That a perſon in the uſe of his Reaſon, killing himſelf out-right and preſently, cannot be ſaved. Men may offer ſuch violence to themſelves, as they may not preſently die by the Act they have done in order to it; ſo as they may have time to repent and be received to Mercy (that made me put in the word [outright, forthwith] and there is no Sin that is upon a True Repentance unpardonable. They may do it in a Deliration or Diſtraction, when they are not under the guidance and conduct of their Reaſon, and then it is not an Humane Act. But ſuppoſing their Act to be an Humane, Rational Act, and ſo effectually done, as it leaveth no breathing time for Repentance; I cannot ſee a poſſibility of Salvation in ſuch a Caſe. I can eaſily agree it, that every one who killeth himſelf, doth not murther himſelf. Poſſibly a man does an Action, or makes ſome Omiſſion, by the doing or the omitting of which he dies; but he never deſigned, never intended it; but poſſibly hoped for a quite contrary effect, of ſuch Action or Omiſſion. Such a one may be ſaid to have killed himſelf, but not to have murthered himſelf. Nay although a perſon had no ſuch intention contrary, but by his miſtake, what he deſigned for good to himſelf, iſſueth in ſuch an effect; yet he may be no Self-murtherer: becauſe not under the perfect guidance of his Reaſon. Suppoſe a Child, or a Fool and Natural Ideot, which neither of them are guided by their Reaſon, ſhould do ſuch Acts, I think they oughe not to be concluded Murtherers. The Caſe is the ſame of Frenetick and Diſtracted Perſons. Suppoſe in a Violent Feavour or a Frenzy, occaſioned ſome other way, a perſon ſhould deſtroy him or her ſelf; I would be very tender of concluding ſuch a perſon under this guilt. The difficulteſt Caſe ſeemeth to me to be in the Caſe of that partial Deliration which we ſee often cauſed from Melancholy; and is commonly attended with violent impulſes from Satan. The Queſtion is, Suppoſing perſons under theſe circumſtances do deſtroy themſelves, what is to be determined concerning their Everlaſting State? If they offer ſuch violence to themſelves, as doth not produce death preſently, but gives them a time for Repentance, the Determination will be beſt founded upon our ſight of their Behaviour, upon the reprieve which the Providence of God giveth them: Whether they heartily repent of ſuch attempts, and be ſerious in asking pardon at Gods hands, yea or no. If the attempt hath ſuch a ſpeedy iſſue in Death, as leaves no room or place for this. That which is to be conſidered, is, How they before were, in what poſſeſſion of Reaſon, under what violence of Impulſes; which may induce us to believe the action not deliberate and voluntary. And truly where ſuch an unhappy iſſue ſhutteth up a precedent Holy Life, ſpent in a fear and dread of God, an hatred of Sin, a deſire to walk in the Commandments of God, and that for ſome good ſpace of time; I ſhould be apt to judg very charitably: That is, that the perſons final act of Self-killing was not his or her Act; but the Effect of Melancholy to a great heighth (as a Natural Diſeaſe) working in him: or of Satan, by his violent Impreſſions and Importunities; but uſing his or her Natural Members or Powers, for the Production of ſo direful and ſad an Effect. It is true, the judgment is very hard, becauſe in ſuch Caſes we cannot determine; eſpecially in Fits, to what degree the perſon is deprived of the uſe of his or her Reaſon; and acteth but like a brute Creature. And this makes ſuch iſſues, whatever they prove to the perſons concerned immediately; yet to their Friends very uncomfortable. So as although they do not mourn for them wholly without hope. Yet of all Mourners for Relations, they mourn with the leaſt hope, and are hardeſt to be comforted. But this is all I ſhall ſpeak to this Doctrinally. What I principally intended in this Diſcourſe, will fall into the Application.