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

Su;cidl. .257
-.A. seeking relief in a voluntary death. The following
text, in particular, strongly combats all impatience of
distr(!ss, of which the greatest is that which prompts to
acts of suicide: "Consider him that endured such con·
tradiction of sinners against him~elf, lest ye be wearIed
and faint in your minds." I would offer my comment
upon this passage in these two queries; 1st, whether a
christian convert, WI10 had been impelled by the contin.
uance and urgency of his sutferings,to de~troy his own
life, \vould not havt! Oeell tholigllt by the author of this
text, "to have been \\~ear)r," "to have fainted in his
milld~" to l1ave fallen off from that example, \\1hich is
here proposed tothemeditation of Christians in distress?
...l\nd }ret, 2dly, \vhether such an act \vould not have
been attended \\~itll all the circumstances of mitigation,
which can excuse or extenuate suicide at this day?
s. rrhe CCJldzlct of the f\posrles, and of the Christians
of the apostolic age, affords no obscure indication of
their sentiments upon this point.
1~11ey lived, we are
'sure, ina confirmed persuasion of the existence) as well
. as of the happiness of· a future state. 1'heyexperienced
in this world every extremity of external injury and
distress. r!,o die was gain. 1'he change \\,hich death
brought with it was, in their expectation,infillitely beneficial.
Yet it never, that \ve call filld, entered into the
intention of one of them, to hasten this change by an act
of suicide: from which it is difficult to say what motive
could have so uni\"ersall y witheld them, except an ap~
prehension of some unlawfulness in the expedient.
Having stated what we have been able to collect, jn
opposition to the lawfulness of suicide, by way (Jfdirect
proof, it seems unnecessary to open a separate controversy
with all the arguments which are made use of to
defend it; which would only lead us into a repetition
of what has been offered already. The following ar ..
gument, however, being somewhat more artificial and
imposing than the rest, as well as distinct fronl the general
consideration of the subject, cannot so properly be
passed over. If we deny to the individuala right over
-his own life., it scem~ imflossiblc, it is said, to reconcik