SECTION I. 545 vanee against this argument, are so weak and childish, that it is evident he could not, at the time he wrote them, believe in ear- nest that there was any force in them : As when he says, that the reason why it is not lawful for a centinel to leave his station without his commander's order, is because he entered into the service by his own consent ; as if God had not a just power to lay any commands upon his creatures, without their own consent. Or when he says, that there are many lawful ways to seek death in ; as it; because a man may lawfully venture his life in many public services, therefore it was lawful for trim di- rectly to throw it away upon any foolish discontent. Thus far Dr. Clarke. This objection drawn from the practice of the heathens has diverted me from my train of arguments : But I proceed, VI. Reflect upon the natureof the fact : Perhaps it is the most unnatural practice that can come within the reach of man. Self- preservation is such a law of nature, that it is written as it were in the animal as well as in the mind, it is mingled with our flesh and blood and our very constitution : we must sin therefore against our bodies and our souls together, when we perpetrate this wickedness. It is well expressed by a late writer that 00 our Creator would not have armed life with such a dread of death, which is rarely overcome, nor involved the contemplation of death in so many appalling doubts and apprehensions, if the quitting of life of our own accord had been agreeable to his schemes of pro- vidence. It isevident God hath way-laid the roads to deathwith ambuscades of terror, on purpose to prevent our voluntary ap- proaches to it. Nature itself is passionately abhorrent from it ; it throws our whole frame into a tumult, and the man who hath resolved it finds a drawback within himself that silently with- holds him." Upon these accounts, it is hardly supposed to be done with- out some strong temptations of the devil, that evil and cruel spi- rit, who is a murderer from the beginning : And it is he only who finds his account in it, and regales his hellish passions of malice and envy against God and man. This vile spirit is emi- nently gratified when we give ear to such a temptation: He had the impudence to tempt our blessed Lord in this manner, " Cast thyself down from the pinnacle of the temple ;" but our Lord repelledhim with indignation, and left us an example : The hour, in which his Father had appointed him to yield up his life, was not yet come. VII. Consider that if it be lawful for you to put an end to your own life because you are Weary of it, perhaps it would also be lawful for any other man to do the same for you with your leave and at your request. But it is not lawful for another man to do it, therefore, not for yourself. I borrowmy argument from Vol.. 'III. M M
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