N02155:23
A call to the tempted. A sermon on the horrid crime of self-murder, preached…
A call to the tempted. A sermon on the horrid crime of self-murder, preached on a remarkable occasion, / by the memorable Dr. Increase Mather. ; And now published from his notes, for a charitable stop to suicides. ; [Five lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed by B. Green, 1723
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.
II. THE Fear of Disgrace in the World, puts Men upon it. There was This also in the Temptation of the Gaoler: He thought it a Disgraceful Thing to be put to Death in a way of Judicial Proceeding, and with a Public Execution: And therefore! — Sometimes a Proud Spirit had rather Commit the Greatest Sin against GOD, than undergo a little Disgrace from Men. This was the Temptation of Abimeleck to Murder himself, or (which is the same) desire another to ⟨p. 5⟩kill him: Judg. IX.54. Slay me, that men say not of me, A Woman slew him. There have been some, that when they have Committed foul and shameful Sins, have through fear of Punishment and Disgrace among Men, destroyed themselves. To a Proud Spirit there is nothing so Bitter as Disgrace and Infamy. When this Temptation overcomes them, they will choose Death rather than such a Misery. And thus also it is, when Men for fear of Want shall desperately Destroy themselves: They think, it will be a Disgraceful Thing, to be beholden unto others for their Subsistence; and, it may be, to be brought unto a morsel of Bread, and Live like a Beggar! such a Temptation is too hard for them; and therefore they think to be eased of it by a Self-Destruction.
II. THE Fear of Disgrace in the World, puts Men upon it. There was This also in the Temptation of the Gaoler: He thought it a Disgraceful Thing to be put to Death in a way of Judicial Proceeding, and with a Public Execution: And therefore! — Sometimes a Proud Spirit had rather Commit the Greatest Sin against GOD, than undergo a little Disgrace from Men. This was the Temptation of Abimeleck to Murder himself, or (which is the same) desire another to ⟨p. 5⟩kill him: Judg. IX.54. Slay me, that men say not of me, A Woman slew him. There have been some, that when they have Committed foul and shameful Sins, have through fear of Punishment and Disgrace among Men, destroy'd themselves. To a Proud Spirit there is nothing so Bitter as Disgrace and Infamy. When this Temptation overcomes them, they will chuse Death rather than such a Misery. And thus also it is, when Men for fear of Want shall desperately Destroy themselves: They think, it will be a Disgraceful Thing, to be beholden unto others for their Subsistence; and, it may be, to be brought unto a morsel of Bread, and Live like a Beggar! such a Temptation is too hard for them; and therefore they think to be eased of it by a Self-Destruction.