N00152:40
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in…
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 month 1674. when two men were executed, who had murdered their master.) Wherein is showed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 moneth 1674. when two men were executed, who had murthered their master.) Wherein is shewed that excesse in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Murder is a great and horrid wickedness, and so Capital as that whoever hath been guilty of it, may in no case be pardoned by man. Numb. 35. 30, 31. Whoso Killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death, moreover they shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is Guilty of death, but He shall be surely put to death. And they that have been guilty of this wickedness, usually die before their Time, according to that scripture Psal. 55. 23. But thou O God shalt bring them down to destruction, […] and deceitful men should not live out half their days. It is thought by some that Cain. (who was the first murderer amongst men) dyed before his Time. The Jews have a Tradition that Lamech killed Cain and a young man that was with him hunting in the woods; To this purpose some understand that place (our version doth evidently favour that Interpretation) Gen. 4. 23.24. Lamech said, 1I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt, if Cain •e avenged seven fold surely Lamech seventy and seven fold. However the providence of God, doth usually so dispose as that ⟨p. 8⟩they who have taken away the lives of others by violence, shall themselves die a violent and bloody death. Joab murdered Abner and Ama•a, and He (though an old man) dyed before his Time, He that had shed the blood of others, his own blood was shed for it at last. Joash conspired against Z•chariah and stoned him with stones, and afterwards. His own servants Conspired against him and slew him. Many other Instances are recorded in the Scripture, and in humane writings all confirming the Truth of this. Yea God from Heaven doth usually Pursue this sin, with special signal Testimonies of his Righteous displeasure. Hence the Lord •ath strange ways to discover this sin. Rather then the Murderer shall not be found out, the Heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against him. How often have the fowls of Heaven, and the dumb creatures of the earth brought Murder to Light?