A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
6. Another way and cause of murder is, by thieves and robbers, that do
it to possess themselves of that which is another man's: when
riotousness or idleness hath consumed what they had themselves, and
sloth and pride will not suffer them to labour, nor sensuality suffer
them to endure want, then they will have it by right or wrong,
whatever it cost them. God's laws or man's, the gallows or hell, shall
not deter them; but have it they will, though they rob and murder, and
are hanged and damned for it. Alas! how dear a purchase do they make!
How much easier are their greatest wants, than the wrath of God, and
the pains of hell!
7. Another cause of murder is, guilt and shame. When wicked people
have done some great disgraceful sin, which will utterly shame them or
undo them if it be known, they are tempted to murder them that know
it, to conceal the crime and save themselves. Thus many a whoremonger
hath murdered her that he hath committed fornication with; and many a
whore hath murdered her child (before the birth or after) to prevent
the shame. 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 make
them know, that all their wicked shifts will be their confusion,
because there is no hiding them from him.
8. Another cause is, furious anger, which mastereth reason, and for
the present makes them mad; and drunkenness, which doth the same. Many
a one hath killed another in his fury or his drink; so dangerous is it
to suffer reason to lose its power, and to use ourselves to a Bedlam
course! And so necessary is it, to get a sober, meek, and quiet
spirit, and mortify and master these turbulent and beastly vices.
9. Another cause of murder is, malice and revenge. When men's own
wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them, and they have so
little learned to bear them, that they hate that man that is the cause
of them, and boil with a revengeful desire of his ruin. And this sin
hath in it so much of the devil, that those that are once addicted to
it, are almost wholly at his command. He maketh witches of some, and
murderers of others, and wretches of all! who set themselves in the
place of God, and will do justice as they call it for themselves, as
if God were not just enough to do it. And so sweet is revenge to their
furious nature, (as the damning of men is to the devil,) that revenged
they will be, though they lose their souls by it; and the impotency
and baseness of their spirits is such, that they say, Flesh and blood
is unable to bear it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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