The Carifes of Murder. herChild (before the birth or after) to prevent the flume: But how madly do they forget the day when both the one and the other will be brought·to light? and the righteous judge will mlke the~ know, that all their wicked fhifti will be their confulion, becaufe there is no hiding them from him? ~· 9• S Another caufc is FurioZM #11(tr, which maflercth Reafon, and for the prcfent makes them mad. And Drunkenne[s which doth the Came. Many a one bath killed another in his fury, or his drink; So dangerous is it to fuffer Reafon to lotC its power, and to ufe our felves to a Bedlam courfe! And fo nccem.ry is it, to get a fobcr meek and quiet fpirir, and mortitie and mafier thefc turbulent and bcaflly vices. 9· 10 9· AMothercaufe of Murder is M.~lice and Revenge! When mens own wrongs or fufferings arc fo great a m,<Uter to them, and they have {o little learnt ro bear them, that they hare that man thit is the c:wfe of them, and boilt: with a tLvengeful defire of his ruine. And this fin hath in it fo fo much of the Dtvil, that tho!C chat are once 2ddiCl:td to it, are almoft wholly at his command! He makcth witches of fume, and.Murdcrcrs of others, and wretches of all ! who fc:t rhtmfelvc:s in the place of God, and will do Juftice as they call it, for themfdves, as if God \fCIC not jull: enough to do it ! And fo fwcet is Revenge to their furious nature, (as the d~mning of men is to the D~vil ) that Rtvtngcd th<y wili be though they lofe their fouls by it : And the impotency and bafencfs of their fpirits is fuch, that they fay, Htfh and blood is unable to bear it. ~· 11· IO· Another caufe of murder is a wic~ed imp2tience with neer relations, and a hatred of thofe that fhould be moll dearly loved. Thus many men and women have murdered their w ives and HusbJods, when either Adulterous Lufi hatl~ givenup their hearu to another, or a crofs, imp.1.· tient, difcontcntcd mind hath made them feem nHollcrablc burdens to each othu : And then the: D ..vil that ddboytd their love, and ~rought them thus far, will be their teacher in the rcfi, and fhew them how to cafe them[dves; 1111 he hath led them to the Gallows and to Hell. How neccf– fary is it to keep in the way of duty, and abhor and fupprefs the beginnings of fin? ~. 12. 11. And fomctimcs Covttoufnt[t hath cau(ed Murder, when one m1n defireth another mans cflate: Thus Ab:zb came by Nabotb's Vineyards to his coil:. And many a one delireth the death of another, whofe efiare mull fall to him at the others death : Thus many a Child in heur is guilty of the murder of his Parents, though he a<\tually commit it not: Yea a fecrct gladnefs when they are dead, doth !hew the guilt of Come Cuch defires while they were living: And the very •hm– ment of fuch moderate maurning as natural affeCtion Jhould procure, (becaufe the efl.ue is thereby come to tht:m as the heirs) doth lhcw that fuch are far from innocent. Many a JudJt for Cove– toufncfs hath betrayed another! Many a falfe witne[s for Covetoufnefs hath Cold anothers life; Many a Thief for Coveroufnefs hath taken away anothers lift>, to get his money : And many a Covecous Landlord bath longtd for his Tenants death, ·and been glad to hear of it. And many a Covetous Souldier bath made a trade of killing men for Money. So true is it that tiJt Love of mone1 i< rhr ro~t of aU tvil, and therefore is onecaufe of tbH. ~· 13· 12· And Ambition is too common a Caufe of Murder, among the great ones of du: \Vorld: Hnw many have difpatched others out of the World, becaufe they ftood in the way of their ad– vanieQ:lent? For a long time together it was the ordinary way of Rifing and dying to the Roman and Gr<.ek ErnperouiS; for one to procure the murder ef the Emperour that he might ufurp his Sear, and then to be [o murdered by another him[elf: And every Souldier that looked for preferment by thech;Jnge, was ready to be an infirurncnt in the fact. And thus hath even the Roman feat of his MOck-Ho!inefs, for a long time and oft received ifs Succeffours, by (he poifon or other murdering of the polfclfours of the delired place. And alas how many thoufand bath that See devoured to defend its Uuiverfal Empire, under the name of the fpiritual Hcadfl1ip of the Church ? How many unlawful Wars have they raifed or chcrif11ed, even .againll: ChriHian Emperours and Kings! How many thoufands have been Malfacred ? How many Alfaffinate as Hen. 3• and Htn·+· of France l Befides thofe that fires and Inquilitions have confumed : And all thefe have been the fl•mes of Pride. Yea when their fellow-Sechries in Munft<r and in England ( the Anabaptifts and Seekers) have carcht fome of their proud difeafc:, it bath workt in the fame way of blood and cniehy. 9- 14• 2· But bcfides thefe twelves great fins which art the ntartjl ct~u[e of Murder, there are many more which are yet greater, and deeper in nature, which are the R'lot! of $IJ; efpecially thefe. , . The firll caufc is the want of true Belief of the Word of God, and the judgement and punifh– menttocome, and the want of the Knowledge of God himfelf: Ath<ifm and Infidelity. 2· Hence: corneth the want of the true Ftar of God, and fubjldion to his holy Laws. 3· The predominance of[tljijhmfi in all the unfan<\tified, is the radical inclination to murder, and all the injufiice that is committed• . 4• And the want of Charity, or Loving our Neighbour as our fclves, doth bring men neer to d:e execution, and leaveth little inward refiraint. §· 1 5• By all this you may fee how this fin mull be prevented! ( and let not any man think it a ncedlefs work ! Thoufands have been guilty of murder that om:e thought tht:mfclves as far from it as you. ) 1- The foul mull be polfelfcd with the Knowledge of God, and the true Bdift of his Word and judgement. 2· Hereby it muft be polftlfed uf the Ftar of God, and [ubjtOion to IJim. 3• And the Lovrof God mull mortifie the power of [tlfifhnefi; 4· And alfo much polfefs us with a rrue Love to our neighbours, yea and enemies, for his fake. S· And the twelve fore~mentioned caufes of murder will thus be dctlroyed at the Root. §. ,6.
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