PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

SuicilJe.
p('rhaps, than the most prostrate devoiion ; afford an
edifying example to all who observe ihem~ and may
hope for a recompense among the most arduou~ of human
virtues. These qualities are always in the power
of thp mi~erabie ; indeed of none but the miserable.
The t\VO consideratiolls above stated, belong to all
cases of suicide whatever. Be~ide which generalreasoos,
each case will be aggravated by its own proper and particular
consequellces ; by the duties tll~t are deserted ;
by the claims that are defrauded; by the loss, afiliction,
or disgrace, which our death, or the manner of it, causes
to our family. kindred, or friends; by the occasion we
give to many to suspect the sincerity of our moral and
religious professions, and, together with ours, those of
all others; by the reproach \VC draw upon our older,
calling, or sect; in a word, by a great variety of evil
consequences, attending upon peculiar Mtuations, with
some or other of \'Thiell every actual case of suicide is
chal-geable.
I refrc-jn from the comIDon topics of" deserting our
post," " throwing up cur trust," " ru~hing uncalled
into the presence of our Maker ,'f with some others of
the same ~ort, not because they are common (f,")r that
rather affol·ds a presumption in their favour) but because
I do not perceive in them much argument to
which an answer may not easily be givell.
Hit.herto we have pursued upon the subject the light
of nature alone, taking into the account, hO\\Tever, tIle
expectation of a future existence, without which our
reasoning upon this,as indeed all reasoning upon moral
questions,is vain. We proceed to enqu;re, whetherany
thing is to be filet witli in scripture which nlay add to
the probability of the conc1u~ionswe have been"endeavouringto
support. And here I acknowledge, that there
i~ to bp. found neither any expre~s determination of the
() nc:sti('n, nor sufficient evidence to pro\re, that the case
of ~uicide was in the contemplation of the law which
prohibited murder. Any inference, therefore, which
we deduce from scripi'ure,canbe sustained onlyby con.
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