N00355:34
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached…
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached at Boston in N.E. March 11th 1685[/]6. : (Together with the confession, last expressions & solemn warning of that murderer to all persons; especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end.) / By Increase Mather, teacher of church of Christ.
Boston: printed by R.P. i.e, 1687
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
[…]. 2. Because man is made in the Image of God. This reason is mentioned Gen. 9. 6. Whosoever sheddeth mans blood, by man (i.e. by some man in Authority, proceeding in an orderly way of Judicature, as the Hebrew Expositors do rightly interpret the words) shall […] blood be shed, for in […] […] of God madepunc; […] him, ⟨p. 13⟩Hence there is Sacrilegious Guilt in this Sin. Amongst the Romans (d)if a man did but strike: his Servant near the place where one of their Emperors lay, he was to dye for it, because that was looked upon as an affront put upon his Imperial Majesty; so he that shall kill a man that is made after the Image of God, puts a Contempt upon the DIVINE Majesty, there is Treason against God contained in the bloody Bowels of this Sin. Upon this account it is indeed a greater sin to kill a good man that has the Image of God renewed in him, than to kill a •icked man. Nevertheless, that also is a Capital Crime; for all men have something(e) of Gods Image remaining in them: not only in that every man has an immortal soul, and is in that respect more like the immortal God than any other creature in the world, and in that men have a dominion over the Creatures, which is one part of Gods Image; on that account does the Apostle •ay, that Man is the Image and Glory of God. 1. Cor. 12, 7. But also, in that the Law is written in the hearts of men by Nature; (f)though God has executed spiritual death upon Mankind for Adam's Apostasy, after a dreadful manner, yet he has moderated that punishment; hence men in a natural estate, yet close with ⟨p. 14⟩some practical principles of Piety & Righteousness; as That God ought to be worshipped, that Men should do as they would be done by: and the like: and many natural men, yet have an image of Virtue; they have something like Grace, a shadow of it; they hate flagitious Crimes, and approve of a morally honest Conversation; These things show that there are some Remainders of the Image of God in men: therefore he that shall murder such a creature is worthy of death.