criminality of what we ufually call self-murder; but fince all those wrong difpofitions of mind, which lead to it, are fufficiently cenfured, there was no great reafon for noticing this particular action, which takes its rife and its character from them.

The voluntary death of Achitophel, and indeed of Sampfon, in the Old Teftament, and that of Judas Iscariot, in the New, are mentioned in the course of the history, together with the circumftances which led to them, but without any particular cenfure; and Sampfon was even affifted fupernaturally to put an end to his own life, together with that of his enemies.

Jofephus, in the speech which he made, to dif fuade his countrymen from laying violent hands upon themselves (which great numbers of the Jews about that time did) De Bello Judaico, lib. iii. cap. 7. makes not use of one argument drawn from the fcriptures, but only from reafon, or the principles of the heathen philosophy; speaking of the separate state of the foul, of tranfmigration, and of Tartarus.

It seems to be fufficient to say, that there is no example in the fcriptures of any perfon of diftinguished virtue putting an end to his own life, and that a voluntary death is never mentioned with approbation; and the moft eminent perfonages, espe

cially Jefus Chrift, are recorded to have borne pain and torture to the laft; without ever thinking of relieving themselves by a voluntary death. We alfo know that none of the apoftles, or primitive chriftians, ever took this method to avoid torture, even when they could have no hope of life; and we cannot but feel that we should have thought meanly of them if they had done fo; thinking such a degree of impatience and cowardice, as that conduct would have argued, a confiderable flaw in their characters.

I do not fee much force in the argument against a voluntary death, from the confideration of life being the gift of God, and a trust, which we ought not to refign without his orders, because every bleffing of life comes under the fame description, of thefe we think ourselves fufficient

and yet many ly authorised to relinquish, according to our own prudence and difcretion. But to throw away life is, in another view, a very different thing from relinquishing wealth, rank, or ease, &c. for it is putting an end to the whole period of trial and difcipline, and throwing away the opportunity which adverfity, as a part of it, might afford, to improve us, and fit us for fomething greater hereafter; and, with refpect to other perfons, there certainly is not a nobler, or more improving fpectacle in the world, than that of a good man strug

gling with undeserved sufferings, without a complaint.

But though, on these accounts, I fhould, in all cafes, condemn a man for withdrawing himself from the public theatre of life, I would not bring this action under the denomination of murder, because they are by no means things of the fame nature; for, certainly, the temper of mind with which a man deftroys himself, and that with which he kills another, are very different; and the latter is much more malignant, and deferving of punishment, than the former. Despair, or fear, are reprehenfible; but malice is certainly of a much more atrocious nature.

Neither can there be any thing peculiarly hazardous in fuicide, confidered as the last crime of which a man is guilty, and of which he has no opportunity of repenting, because it is not a single action, the firft, the middle, or the last of a man's life, that ought, in equity, to determine his character in a future ftate, but the whole of his charac ter and conduct, taken together.

SECTION IV.

Of the means of virtue.

THE facred writings not only contain the most powerful diffuafives from all kinds of vice, and the most effectual exhortations to a life of univerfal virtue, but likewise a variety of obfervations and advices relating to the manner in which vici. ous, or virtuous habits, are formed, and the methods by which inordinate affections may be repressed, and proper ones promoted.

For this purpose, they propofe conftant watchfulness, frequent meditation on the works and word of God, a careful choice of good company, and great refolution and felf-denial, whenever bad habits are become predominant. They, moreover, advise all perfons to watch over one another, and to do every thing to mutual edification:

David fays, Pf. cxli. 3. "Set a watch, O "Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my "lips." Our Lord advifes his difciples, Matt. xxvi. 41. "To watch and pray, that they enter "not into temptation ;" and Mark iv. 18. "To σε Το "take heed, left when they hear the word, the ¢ cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of "riches, and the luft of other things, entering in, choke the word, and make it become un

"fruitful:" and he charges the church at Sardis, Rev. iii. 2." to be watchful, and ftrengthen the "things that remain, that are ready to die." Exhortations of a fimilar nature abound in the apoftolical writings.

More especially are the books of Scripture recommended to our use, as containing the best inftructions for a good life; and being a hiftory of the divine proceedings, refpecting the human race, they neceffarily exhibit fuch views as cannot but make an impreffion, in the highest degree, favourable to virtue. Mofes repeatedly charges the Ifraelites to read and meditate upon his laws and writings, Deut. vi. 6. "These words which I command "thee this day shall be in thine heart. And thou "fhalt teach them diligently unto thy children,

and fhalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine "houfe, and when thou walkeft by the way, and "when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up." The fame injunction he repeats, Deut. xi. 18. The kings of Ifrael were moreover required to write out a copy of the law with their own hands, Deut. xvii. 18. And it fhall be when he fitteth upon the "throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a << copy of this law in a book, out of that which is "before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be "with him, and he shall read therein all the days "of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord "his God, to keep all the words of this law, and thefe ftatutes, to do them, &c." David fays