to preserve Life If we consider Self-preservation alone without the moral end of it this cannot be accomplish'd by attaining that which conduces to any other end or seems good to Man in any other respect than as it wou'd preserve Life Wherefore it is impossible for any honest Man of very ordinary Understanding to mistake to such a Degree as to look upon Self-murther as such a good because this implies a Contradiction and wou'd make that to be the end of a Law which is the utter destruction of it for this wou'd be to argue in this manner the Law of Self-preservation is accomplish'd in attaining that which seems good to us Self-homicide i. e. Self-destruction may seem good to me therefore the Law of Self-preservation may be accomplish'd by my Self destruction 4. These two Words End and Good are of too large and doubtful a Signification that which conduces to our ends and is good to us does not always accomplish the Law of Self-preservation that which conduces to the true end of Life the following of Reason by Virtue accomplishes indeed the Law of Self-preservation because it not only improves the Mind but prolongs Life and therefore is truly good to us But there are many other Ends of humane Actions as many as we have Passions and Appetites which become not only unworthy of our Reason but destructive of our Life as well by the manner of our pursuing 'em as the measure of our enjoying them and therefore what ever they seem whatever Shape or Beauty our Passions give them are so far from being Good that they are directly certainly Evil and being so can never accomplish the Law of Self-preservation These things will appear more clear if in the next place we suppose the Objection above mention'd to be made in these or the like Words To follow Nature has been allow'd to be the best rule of humane Actions by the wisest Men of all Sects 1. To follow Nature is to seek to be happy 2. My happiness consists in obtaining that which seems good to me and avoiding that seems evil 3. I and no other am to be the Judge in this Case therefore if Life by the want of any Good in which I place my Happiness becomes an Evil and Death seems good to me I do but follow Nature in killing my self and the Law of Self-preservation is not transgressed but gives place or ceases naturally For the Answering of this Argument clearly I will make use of this Method 1. I will show what is meant by following Nature 2. In what Happiness or Misery Good or Evil as to humane Life do really consist 3. The unreasonableness of every particular Man's being left to himself to follow what seems Good or Evil to his private Judgment and to dispose of Life accordingly 1. What is meant by following Nature Though some Account of this Maxim has been * Chap. 2. already given yet being very much in request at present and the Mistakes concerning it the occasion of other Crimes as well as this of Self-murther it commonly happening that they who talk loudest of Nature and Reason understand 'em least or act against 'em most it is requisite to say something farther of it and if in so doing I should repeat any thing that I have said before let the Reader think either that I wou'd save him the trouble of turning back again or knew not how to express my self better The Word Nature is sometimes a very general Term and signifies that Order which the great Creator put the whole World to move in sometimes in a more limitted sence it signifies that Rule which he gave each Creature to follow for the fulfilling of that particular End for which it was made in proper Harmony and Consent with the Universe so that the Word Nature rises in its signification according to the several Degrees of the Creation and by following Nature must be meant the obeying it according to that particular Power which distinguishes one Creature from another This Beasts do by Sensation this Man shou'd do by Reason That great that God-like Faculty which is given us to discern Good and Evil and to regulate our Passions and Appetites by Virtue accordingly Wherefore for Man to follow Nature is the very same with the End of Life to which Self-preservation is subservient * See Chap. 2. p. 16. 17. as has been shown namely the following of Reason by Virtue They who indulge their Passions and Appetites who live only by Sensation do not follow Nature as Men but as Beasts nay 't is not near so well with ' em Sensation in Beasts preserves them they obey no Appetite to excess and therefore to term Intemperance Beastliness is no less than Detraction for 't is really Manliness humane Nature Corrupted where Reason enslav'd to Appetite is kept to the vile Drudgery of serching in more and more of its gross and earthly Object till Sensation it self sinks down gorg'd and suffocated under it Did we follow Nature as faithfully as Beasts do by observing that which is our chief Faculty we shou'd be happy and preserve our Being as carefully and successfully as they do theirs but instead of this we rashly destroy it or fondly overlay it And by the Intemperance of our choicest Enjoyments act as foolishly against Sensation as against Reason That the wisest Men of all Sects took thisto be the meaning of following Nature or living according to it will appear to any one that consults their Writings of Morality particularly the Stoicks Thus they tell us * Diog. Laer. l. 7. p. 185. That to live according to Nature is to live according to Man's particular Nature and the Nature of the Vniverse doing nothing which that Common Law which runs through the whole Creation Right Reason forbids Which Law is the same with Jove the disposer and manager of all things †Antonin lib. 7. Sect. 8. To follow Reason and to follow Nature is one and the same thing to a Rational Creature ‖ Diog. Laer. ib. To live according to Nature is to live according to Virtue for Nature leads us to this says Cleanthes This is confirm'd by that Excellent Writer Philo the Jew * Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This says he speaking of obeying God is that end of humane Actions the living according to Nature which is so much celebrated by the greatest Philosophers for this is done when the Mind entring the path of Virtue treads in the steps of Right Reason and follows God ever mindful of his Commands ever observing 'em all strictly both in Word and Deed. Yet perhaps it may be Objected That this account of following Nature is too general * Dr. Donne p. 45. 41. Epist. Sen. Lip man ad St. Phil. l. 2. D. 17. some things are natural to the Species and others to the particular Person and therefore when Cicero consulted the Oracle he had this Answer FOLLOW YOUR OWN NATURE He that follows his
own Reason in what appears to him Good or Evil in embracing the first and avoiding the latter though he may be mistaken follows his own Nature Accordingly if he cannot obtain that in which he places his Happiness and his Life becomes miserable upon this Account he follows Nature who lays it down To this it may be reply'd That to sollow ones own Nature cannot be any Exemption from what was said before nor is the Account which has been given there too general for as to what relates to the End of Life the following of Reason by Virtue this belongs equally to humane Nature in General forasmuch as all Men are Rational Either then by this is meant the same with the following of humane Nature which is the Rule by which all Mankind is to Act or else we must suppose that there is a particular Rule or Law given to every individual Person different from the rest of the same Species which he alone is bound to follow But this would be more unreasonable than if we should say That every Subject of the Emperour of China was not bound by the General Laws of that Country but that he had a particular private Law by which he was bound to Act and that too often in direct opposition to the other 2. By following ones own Nature perhaps was meant the same with Zeno's Maxim * Or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laer p. 185 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I think may be rendred the living Conformably or Consistently i.e. the being the same in Opinion Humour Manners the having ones Life all of a Piece whatsoever comes to pass which they also call'd †Ciâ—…ero de Offic. lib. 1. Decorum As if a Man were of an easie and obliging Temper that he should be the same in Adversity as well as Prosperity Sickness and Health to the meanest poorest Man as to the greatest Potentate If of a grave austere Way which was that which they chose he should carry that on through the worst Events and nothing be able to alter him the maintaining either of these or any other particular Character may be call'd the following of ones own Nature but though Men may choose different ways of Behaviour according to their Fancy or Constitution yet this must still be grounded upon the former Universal Maxim the living according to Nature as Humane and Reasonable otherwise the Character whatever it was wou'd be vicious and then 't wou'd be so much the worse to maintain it and equally absurd whether a Man was always Affably or Surlily the same if always in the wrong so that this regards only the outside the Dress of Virtue the particular Fashion which she is to appear in Let Men be sure of her first by following Nature as Humane in general and then they may give her what appearance they please by following their own Nature This will be further explain'd in the Answer to the next part of the Objection abovemention'd * See more to this purpose Chap. 11â—… 3. By following ones own Nature some will have meant the following a particular Opinion or Humour the indulging that particular Appetite or Passion which by Education Example or Constitution has got the ascendant which brings me to the remaining part of the Objection To follow Nature is to seek to be Happy Happiness consists in obtaining that which seems Good to me and avoiding that which seems Evil I and no other must be the Judge of this wherefore if Life becomes an Evil and Death a Good to me by the want of any thing in which I place my Happiness or by the suffering any thing in which I place my Misery I do but follow Nature in killing my self and the Law of Self-preservation is not transgress'd by my doing so but ceases naturally This was propos'd to be Answer'd by shewing these two things 1. In what Happiness or Misery Good or Evil as to Humane Life did really consist 2. The unreasonableness of every Man 's being left to himself to follow what seems Good or Evil to him and to dispose of Life accordingly As to the first Happiness truly consâ—…s in the observing the End of Life which has been so often mention'd As this is * See Chap. 2. p. 17. done more or less Men are proportionably Happy as 't is omitted proportionably Miserable But in the common acceptation of the Word Happiness signifies the enjoyment of a Man's desires whatever they are and for any one to say that he cannot be happy without such or such a thing which is not in his Power and that the Good or Evil of his whole Life depends upon it signifies nothing but the vehemence of that Man's desires not that there is any real Happiness in obtaining it or Misery in sailing of it it proving most commonly quite contrary that the more a Man enjoys what he vehemently desires the more miserable he is afterwards and then †Ridiculum est ad mortem cuâ—…re tadio vitae cum â—…nere vitae â—…t â—…lum ciâ—… ad morâ—… effeceris Sen. â—…pilt 24. forsooth Life seems an Evil to him and amidst the Discontent and Vexation which comes upon him at the sense of his Folly and the just reproof of his Reason He tells you very Philosophically that he does but follow Nature in delivering himself from what is Evil When he has been acting against Nature against good Sense for that is humane Nature all the while and when he has done so instead of recovering the way which he has lost and beginning truly to follow Nature he deserts it wholly and irrecoverably and offers the greatest and most positive Violence to it by Self-murther But the Mistakes concerning Happiness or Misery are grounded upon the Mistakes concerning Good and Evil and therefore 't will be necessary to take a short view of them As Humane Life consists of two parts the Soul and Body so what is good must be consider'd in a twofold manner as it relates to the Soul or to the Body 1. As it relates to the Soul the Regulating and Improving of the Mind which we suppose to be the End of humane Life This is usually called Moral Good and the contrary Moral Evil. Or else 2dly As it relates to the Body the Health or the Preservation of it for which End the several ways of Perception commonly call'd Senses were ordain'd by which notice is given to Reason what is most proper to maintain this Union and preserve Life or what is most likely to destroy it this is commonly call'd Sensitive Good and the contrary Sensitive Evil. To bring this to the Matter in hand supposing that Good True or Seeming were a proper Rule and End of humane Actions There are but two sorts of Good as has been shown Moral or Sensitive but through which of these is it that Self-murther can appear Lawful If Moral Good tends not only to the improvement of the Mind but also to the prolonging of
have practised There is a kind of deformity in Storms and Tempests and Winter comes in unpleasantly after the Warmth and Fruitfulness of the other Seasons yet these are as necessary to the World as they were to Purge the Air to destroy hurtful Weeds and Insects and to dispose the Earth to Answer the returning Spring Something of the same kind is full as necessary to humane Nature to set the Soul in Motion after the soultry Calms of Ease and Luxury * Antonin lib. 4. §. 1. ib. lib. 10. §. 29. A great Mind improves upon opposition it Sparkles and Rejoyces under those Calamities which wou'd oppress others and slames out to the World in brighter Glory Wherefore to suppose that such Events as we have been speaking of are Dispensations or Dismissions from Life is to â—…ay either that there are no such Virtues as Conâ—…ancy Patience and Fidelity and that â—…od dispenses with us as to the practising any such Duties at all or else that he does so when we have the greatest occasion for them when they are nearest to their highest Perfection and may be practis'd most Gloriously 5. But after all the very Being alive though under the worst Events that can possibly be imagin'd is a direct Contradiction to any such Call Summons or Dispensation as above-mention'd Because as our Lives were first from God †See Chap. the 1st pag. 6. so the continuation of them depends wholly upon him No Man cou'd preserve himself one Moment without the Concurrence of his Providence if he thought â—…itting to withdraw that Concurrence there wou'd need no other manifestation of his Will because Life wou'd cease immediately Wherefore while there is Life there is no room to suppose that God gives leave to any Man to kill himself because I say his Being at all is nothing but the Effect of Gods Will and therefore while he is 't is absurd to suppose that God Will 's that he should not be These Reasons I hope may be sufficient to show that no Man can have any assurance from any Natural Event that God does resign his Propriety of humane Life or Call or Summon any Man out of the World by Self-murther and the importance of the â—…ing in Question the impossibility of recovering the Mistake the great Injustice towards God and Man and the sad Consequences that may nay must follow ought to awaken Men upon this occasion while they have any Reason left and make 'em weigh every Motive exactly and impartially Especially since it may so justly be fear'd in these Cases that every Man 's Reigning Passion his Fear his Pride his Impatience c. may be his God and the rash impulses of these be taken for Divine Suggestions Calls or Dispensations as it has often happen'd even to such as have been great Men in the decay of their Strength and Reason * Diog. Laert. in Zen. Zeno the Father of the Stoicks living to a very great Age happen'd one day to stumble and hurt his Finger whereupon he cry'd out to this purpose I acknowledge your Summons O ye Gods and I obey and immediately went home and hang'd himself If those Events which Melanchoâ—…y Men take for God's Calls or Dispensations were examin'd they wou'd seldom be found to be more reasonable than this CHAP. VII Other Objections Answer'd by which they wou'd introduce another end of Humane Life as the measure of Self-preservation instead of that above mention'd and then supposing that this End does cease whenever a Man's Reason tells him that it does so wou'd from hence inferr that his Obligation to preserve Life does cease also FRom Exceptions Limitations and Dispensations of this Law they come at last to tell us directly that there are some Cases in which it wholly ceases and then a Man becomes Master and Disposer of himself * Biath p. 47. No Law is so Primary and Simple but that it fore-imagines a Reason upon which it was founded and scarce any Reason so constant but that Circumstances may alter it in which Case a private Man is Emperour of himself sui juris And he whose Conscience is well temper'd and dispassion'd assures him that the Reason of Self-Preservation ceases in him may also presume that the Law ceases too and may do that then which otherwise were against the Law Self-preservation which we confess to be the foundation of general natural Law is no other thing than a natural Affection and Appetition of Good whether true or seeming Now since this Law of Self-preservation is accomplish'd in attaining that which conduces to our Ends and is i. e. seems good to us If I propose to my self in this Self-homicide a greater Good though Imistake it I perceive not wherein I transgress the general Law of Nature which is an Affection of Good True or Seeming and if that which I affect by Death be truly a greater Good wherein is the other stricter Law of Nature which is rectified Reason violated I will first give a short Answer to every one of these Propositions in the terms here made of use and in the same order that they lie afterwards I will represent the strength of the Argument according to the best of my Judgment in other terms such as seem to me more clear and plain such as I have met withal in other Authors or Discourse and then endeavour no answer it more fully 1. The Reason upon which the Law of Self-preservation is founded * Chap 4. p. 30. has been shown to be twofold 1. The preserving of God's Propriety of every Man's Life and that 2. with regard to the End for which Life was given This Reason is so Constant that no Circumstances whatever unless a plain and undeniable Manifestation of God's Will can ever alter it 2. Conscience which is the last Judgment of upright Reason as it considers humane Actions in the State of Nature must be guided by what is allow'd to be the Law of Nature which Self-preservation is allow'd to be where there is no Law Reason may Act alone but where there is 't is bound to obey it and its doing so proves Conscience to be well temper'd and dispassion'd but it may justly be doubted whether 't is really so or no when it looks out for a Reason for the ceasing of a confest Law Moreover 't is impossible that an upright Conscience which acknowleges that the Reason of this Law is the preserving of God's Propriety of humane Life to the end above mention'd can ever assure any Man that such an end is really ceased as has been shown at large in the last Chapter Wherefore this Learned Gentleman being sensible of this Proposes another end of this Law such as is very convenient indeed for his purpose and may cease whenever any Man thinks sitting and this is Good True or Seeming 3. If Self-preservation be an Appetition of Good True or Seeming this must be at least of such a sort of good as is or seems proper
a kind so Evil so Painful Dangerous or Dreadful wherein Honour can put a Man upon killing of himself Lastly if this be the guard which is to follow the Soul diligently through every part of its Duty as to the chief Objects of it God our Neighbour or our selves how can it ever perswade a Man to such an Act as is the highest Injustice to every one of these Whoever considers inward Honour which is the most worthy of a great or good Man's care in these respects he will find nothing more against Self-murther than this so likewise as to outward Honour if this consists in the praise of good Men grounded upon excellent Virtue and if nothing is truly Disgrace but what comes from the same Persons for forsaking the true End of Life and if this though forsaken may be recovered again when the Party concern'd pleases then how can any Man kill himself to avoid Disgrace especially since killing himself is an Act of the greatest Injustice in the Judgment of the best Men and therefore the doing so must be increasing of Disgrace rather than avoiding it Wherefore whether we consider inward or outward Honour neither of these can ever require a Man to Murther himself and therefore I suppose that whenever this is said to be done upon this Account it is either meer Pretence or else proceeds from some mistake concerning one or both of these kinds of Honour Let us see then what these may probably be Some Men are deceiv'd by reckoning Honour nothing but a greatness of Mind Elevation of the Soul without considering upon what Grounds it ought to be rais'd and by what Rules directed when it is so from whence instead of any just Grandeur they sall into insolent Haughtiness and this encreases upon the value which they set upon themselves and that value is nourish'd by their choosing out some one Virtue asfecting the observation of it in a more extraordinary manner than other People do which makes 'em run over the bounds of what is sit and just as far as the Idle or the Cowardly fall short of 'em Montaign says very well that * Essays lib. 3. cap. 2. the Virtue of the Soul does not consist in the flying high but in walking orderly But these Gentlemen are contented with nothing but what is †Honour is nothing but an itch of Blood A great desire to be extravagantly Good Mackenzy's Moral Galantry pag. 3. extravagant their Actions like the thoughts of young Poets are above the ken of Reason too lofty to be Regular too sublime to be Understood Thus they become Prodigal instead of being Liberal sollicit Danger rather than resist it and despise Justice as much as Cowardice And this running 'em into great Inconveniences making them to be obnoxious to humane Laws or to fall into Poverty Sickness or Disgrace they know not how to be controul'd repine under the ill usage which they think they suffer from God and Man and foolishly imagine to be reveng'd of both by falling upon themselves Others again have taken up a particular Principle proclaim'd it to the World boasted of it at several times as for Instance this of Self-murther they have often maintain'd in Company that it was reasonable in such and such Cases and then falling into the same Cases themselves think that they are obliged in Honour to put it in Execution But if Self-murther is unlawful in so many respects as has been shewn * See more to this purpose Chap. 11. concerning Decorum what can be more Absurd than for a Man to think it more Honourable to continue in the Wrong than to change for the Right * 〈…〉 and to be a Martyr to Errour by his own Hand only for the Reputation of Constancy and Perseverance in it But that which is the greatest occasion of Errour in this matter is the immoderate desire of Applause the neglecting the Principles of Virtue upon which inward Honour is form'd and aspiring impatiently to outward Honour only and not only so but mistaking the Persons who are to bestow it and therefore endeavouring to please the most and not the best the very same is done likewise in relation to Disgrace this is that fatal Rock upon which many great Spirits have been cast away and therefore there never was any considerable Moralist but has cautiously warn'd People of it and endeavoured carefully to recal them to consider the Dictates of Reason and Conscience and inward Honour to Reverence themselves and not the Multitude and to do well for their own sakes without any regard to common Praise or Disgrace And indeed it might be enough to cure this to consider attentively how much a Man must undervalue himself in order to be rais'd in this manner he that courts any one must endeavour to humour and please him now this cannot be done but by being like him by levelling a Man's self both to his Capacity and Inclination by renouncing his own Judgment and following what he takes to be the others that is by counterseiting both Ignorance and Vice When any one of the Multitude is to be Courted But who wou'd do this for publick Fame who wou'd rake for Reputation so very low This is no less than to invert the Nature of things to make the Lees of Mankind the Fountain of all Honour * If Publick Honour were a thing of Value the Multitude would not have it to bestow for it is not reasonable to think that Providence would deposit things precious in such Hands It must chuse it Servants very ill if these are its Stwards Mackenzie ag calum p. 34. and sorce its foul and heavy stream to mount upwards And yet this is not the way of the World in matters of much less Importance than those which we are speaking of Virtue and a good Conscience In Building or Painting in Musick or Poetry the sensible Artist does not appeal to the Multitude but is contented with the Applause of the few skilful only Shou'd not a Man then who has a just sense of his Duty and who is conscious to himself of obeying his Reason faithfully by Virtue shou'd not such a one be as well satisfy'd in his few Applauders as he that excells in any Art or Science Many Men indeed are apt to be deceiv'd by the noise the bulk of a vast Multitude but can Number alter the Nature of things or shall it be put to the Vote what is Good and Evil A great many Men may be the stronger as Beasts are when they gather into a Herd but not the wiser nor the better Judges of Virtue or Dispensers of Honour and the best way to remedy this Errour wou'd be to take out the first Man that we meet withal in the Crowd we Adore and to weigh his Education Capacity and Honesty Wou'd you trust such a thing as this with a Secret Wou'd you ask his Advice in any matter of Importance the putting out your Money disposing of a
AN ESSAY Concerning Self-Murther Wherein is endeavour'd to prove That it is UNLAWFUL According to NATURAL PRINCIPLES WITH Some Considerations upon what is pretended from the said Principles by the Author of a Treatise intituled Biathanatos and Others By J. Adams Rector of St. Alban Woodstreet and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty LONDON Printed for Tho. Bennet at the Half-Moon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1700. To the Reverend Dr. GODOLPHIN Provost of ETON COLLEGE SIR THere are few Addresses of this kind where the Writer considers the Reputation of the Person he applies to half so much as his Own for tho' the Gratitude from whence they Flow may be sincere yet they are likewise very glad that the World should know their Friend or Patron If something of this should be laid to my Charge I could hardly acquit my self since 't is not I confess without some Pride that I acknowlâ—…ge thus Publickly the great Obligations which I have to you However I must say that this was not the only Ground of my applying to you For having undertaken the Defence of Humane Life it would not have been sufficient to have shewn that God reserves to himself the Absolute Propriety of it and that he imparts it to Man for a great and noble End unless I had given some Instance how Valuable how Glorious it might become by a constant pursuit of that End Where then could I have met with so full an Instance to this purpose as in the Example of Your Life Where such strength of Reason is guided so regularly by Revelation and every Vertue improvd and adorn'd by Primitive Piety Thus Your Name supports my Argument at the same Time that 't is necessary for my Protection who have attack'd an Error of so much Reputation and which is set off with all the pompous Boasts of Reason Courage Honour and Liberty by which Men chuse to be misled rather then guided by Revelation till after the loss of Health Estate and a Good Conscience they are driven to seek for Ease in Self-murther Among other Pretences which have been brought to justify this Act one of the most Popular is the Example of the Romans I have endeavour'd to give some Account when it first grew in Vogue among them and what Viâ—…es and Opinions made way for it how from a People Naturally Religious Brave and Disinterested above Corruption as much as Cowardice They fell firstinto Atheism and from thence into Luxury Bribery and Treachery Publick Poverty and Private Extortion which ended at last in the Slavery and Ruin of that Great Nation I could not consider this without a melancholic Reflection upon my own Country formerly not unlike the other in its Vertues as its Enemies will confess for their own Credit But alas now too like it in its Vices as its best Friends must be forc'd to own What can save it from the same Calamity but the restoring that lost Zeal for Religion and Vertue and Sincere Love of the Publick Good And what one Family can contribute more to this than Your Own Where at this time are to be found such excellent Qualifications for Support and Ornament both of the Church and State May that Good Providence which upon all Occasions has been so favourable to this Nation make you his happy Instruments to this Purpose SIR Your most Humble and most Faithful Servant JOHN ADAMS THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. MAN Considered in the Individual and the State of Nature Of Humane Life What and from whence it is where the Absolute Propriety of it is to be Plac'd Page 3. CHAP. II. Concerning the true End or Design of Humane Life and what it is to Follow Nature pag. 11. CHAP. III Men consider'd as a Member of Civil Society Self-murther prov'd to be Destructive to Civil Society from which and what was said before concluded to be an Act of the greatest Injustice and therefore Unlawful pag. 23. CHAP. IV. Of the Rise and Obligation of Self-preservation Some Objections against it Remov'd How far Humane Life may be justly Valu'd or Despis'd pag. 33. CHAP. V. Who they are Chiefly that maintain this Act to be Lawful The Stoicks The Author of Biathanatos Method propos'd for the answering Objections Some General Ones Consider'd which are brought against Self-Preservation as confess'd to be a Law of Nature pag. 48. CHAP. VI. Such Objections consider'd as are offer'd against the Law of Self-Preservation with particular Relation to what has been said concerning God's Propriety of Humane Life and which either directly deny this Propriety or else allowing it pretend that a Man may notwithstanding this Kill himself Lawfully by God's Dispenfation Dismission Call or Summons pag. 50. CHAP. VII Other Objections Answer'd by which they would Introduce a different End of Humane Life as the measure of Self-Preservation and then supposing that this End does cease whensoever a Man's Reason tells him that it does so would from hence infer that His Obligation to preserve Life does cease also pag. 73. CHAP. VIII Examination of such Objections as are brought to Invalidate what was said above as to Man's being a Member of Civil Society and the Vnlawfulness of Self-murther in this Regard also Application to the Coroner's Inquest in this Case pag. 94 CHAP. IX Transition to the remaining Part of this Treatise with a short View osâ—…it The Authority of Examples consider'd Several Instances of Laws and Customs of many Countries in the behalf of Self-murther Examined particularly such as relate to the Romans That nothing can be borught from hence to prove Self-murther to be Natural pag. 131. CHAP. X. The Rise and Progress of the Stoicks A short Account of their Philosophy when and for what Reasons it spread among the Romans That the Doctrine of Self-murther is Inconsistent with their other Principles as prov'd by Instances from their greatest Authors Seneca Epictetus and Antoninus with a brief Character of each pag. 157. CHAP. XI Gato's Case considered in Particular His Character His Enmity against Caesar The several Circumstances of his Death what were probably the true Causes of it and of the great Encomiums which were given him afterwards pag. 186. CHAP. XII Concerning Courage what the Nature Object and Vse of it is as Humane The Mistakes concerning it and the Occasions of them That Self-murther is not the Natural Effect of true Courage pag. 208. CHAP. XIII Of Honour that this is twofold either Inward a Principle of Virtue or Outward from the Applause which follows upon the other That neither of these can ever require Self-murther The Mistakes concerning Honour which occasion it Objections answer'd and some Particular Cases consider'd pag. 225. CHAP XIV Liberty the last Plea for Self-murther examin'd The several Significations of the Word Of that Liberty in General which Man has as to his Actions That this can afford no pretence for Self-murther That whatever Calamities what Grief or Pain soever afflicts the Soul or may be suppos'd to enslave it Man has no Authority to
the End of humane Life must be something which it is in every Man's Power to perform otherwise this wou'd detract both from the Goodness and Wisdom of God and therefore it cannot depend upon any thing without us as Wealth Honour or the Pleasures of Sensation or the obtaining whatever * See Chap. 7. seems good to any one or avoiding whatever seems evil to him for none of these things are at the absolute command or disposal of Man wherefore that which is the universal End of every Man's Life must be something which depends only upon every Man's self and which no Events or outward Circumstances can hinder him from observing if he will III. The End of Life must be answerable to that degree of Capacity which the Creature has in respect of other Creatures Life is common to Beasts as well as Man the End of their Being is to live because by the Faculties which they are endowed withal they are capable of no more than what is proper for the promoting of this but Man is capable of more because endowed with nobler Faculties and therefore must have a nobler End than they and consequently a greater degree of Happiness These things being granted the best way to discover the True End of Man's Life will be to consider Humane Nature attentively according to that Rank which it bears in Vniversal Nature To this purpose it may be of some Use to examine what may be the true meaning of that Maxim which was in so much Credit among the ancient Greeks and Romans viz. The following Nature The Word Nature is sometimes a very general Term and then signifies that Course which the great Creator did put the whole World to act in sometimes in a more limited sense it signifies that Rule which he gave to each Creature to act by for the fulfilling of that particular End for which it was made in proper Harmony and Consent with the Vniverse Thus not only Beasts but Plants even Stones and Minerals and every Element may be said to follow Nature Yet since there are different Faculties appropriated to each of these by which they excel each other accordingly and as Beasts excel Plants by Sensation so Man excels them by Reason The true sense of the following Nature and the true End of all created Beings is the working according to the utmost of their Capacities or according to that Superiour Faculty or Power wherewith they are endowed and by which they are distinguished from one another To bring this particularly to Man the utmost Capacity of Beasts depends upon the Faculties or Powers of Sensation The utmost Capacity of Man depends upon the Powers of a Rational Soul Now Beasts act by necessity they follow directly where-ever sense does lead but Man is a voluntary Agent able to discover of himself what is his Duty and to follow this of Choice not of Necessity Wherefore there must be two principal Fountains of Man's Actions namely Knowledge and Free-will Again we must distinguish concerning Knowledge for this is of various kinds according as its Objects are that which is concern'd in the present Question is the knowledge of those Rules and Laws by which our Actions ought to be guided the knowledge of our Duty as usually divided according to its three chief Objects God our Neighbour and our selves This Knowledge so much of Reason as this implies is easie to be attain'd unto by the meanest Capacities for tho' there are three Objects about which Humane Actions are chiefly concern'd yet this variety does not hinder the clearness of Man's Knowledge as to the Fundamentals of his Duty towards each particular Object For instance who can be ignorant Or who must not consent immediately That the Supreme Being to whom we owe Life and all Things ought to be honoured or that we ought to do by others as we wou'd be done by our selves or that we ought not to injure our Health or act against our Knowledge or do any thing to impair much less to destroy those Faculties by which we excel other Creatures These are Truths which are so plain and self-evident that the very mention of 'em is Demonstration and therefore no Man can plead Ignorance in this Case or that his own Reason tells him otherwise This then is the first Fountain of humane Actions knowledge of Duty And such Knowledge being to be attain'd unto by Reason alone and yet to be attain'd easily by every Man's Reason such Knowledge being the Perfection of that noble Faculty I desire leave to distinguish it in the following Discourse when I mention the End of Life by the Word REASON But yet the easiness of this Knowledge wou'd signifie nothing unto Man unless the Will did put it in Execution It must be readily applied and reduc'd to Action or else our Duty wou'd remain unperform'd Thus 't is not sufficient for a Man to know that God must be honour'd that his Neighbour is to be us'd as himself or that he ought to do himself no Injury unless this were put in practice by his being pious just patient temperate c. Wherefore the Compliance of the Will with that which it knows to be its Duty is the chief thing to be taken care of The Vices of Men come not so much from want of Knowledge or Reason in this Case as from want of such Compliance And the true Notion of a weak Man is not so much from his being ignorant of his Duty as from his not doing what he knows to be so On the other side that which makes a good Man is not greatness of Knowledge but the bending of his Will vigorously in all Circumstances whatsoever to the doing what he knows is his Duty And therefore the doing so is that which has obtain'd the venerable Name of VIRTVE for VIRTUE is the force and vigour of the FreeWill through which the Soul complies chearfully and gladly with what it knows to be Duty Which force or vigour takes different Names according to its different Objects above-mentioned and is call'd Piety Justice Beneficence Constancy Temperance c. If this is allow'd it will not be difficult to show wherein Man's true Happiness consists for this is the natural result of what has been said 't is that Rest or Ease which the Soul enjoys after it has mov'd regularly and vigorously in the doing of its Duty 'T is the sweet Fruition which it is blest withal upon the just sense of the proper Vse of its Free Will and its having faithfully discharged the End for which it was made which it being impossible to do otherwise than by Reasons showing what is Duty and Free Will 's obeying accordingly I conclude that the true End or Design of humane Life is THE FOLLOWING OF REASON BY VIRTUE I will not contend but that the following of Reason mâ—…ght possibly signifie as much as the following of Reason by Virtue because the Word Following seems to imply an Act of Free-will and if this be
which his happiness truly consists Let us in the next place for a further confirmation of the unlawfulness of this Act consider Man as a Member of Civil Society And this we ought to do with the greater attention because though it may be convenient in some respects to consider him in the individual and in the state of Nature yet this is only Notional he cannot be so as to any part of the World which we have to do withal nor can he be so at any time but to his great Misfortune for as 't is necessary for his Security that he should be under some Government so is it likewise necessary for the Perfection of his Nature for his having a larger and a nobler compass for his Reason and his Virtue there being several Virtues which cannot be exercis'd by Man when alone but which owe their being to Society If then we consider Man in this manner his Obligations to preserve Life are still more both as the end of Life is enlarg'd the good of others as well as his own being concern'd in it and as he has then less to do with his Life the use of it being more at others disposal than when he was consider'd in the state of Nature Because he has not then the same Authority to defend himself which he had before but is bound in most Cases to have recourse to the Magistrate for this purpose Besides by enjoying the benefit of Protection in any Government he must be supposed either tacitly or expresly to have consented in a mutual Agreement of Offence and Defence for the maintaining of the same Protection which being chiefly for the preservation of Life as Self-Murther must be unlawful so it must be absurd But that which is most considerable and sufficient of it self to prove Self-Murther to be unlawful is that this may prove destructive to the very Being of Society as will appear if we consider the Reasons following 1. Because this wholly destroys the best Measure of mutual Kindness and Justice that which is generally confess'd to be one of the chiefest and plainest Laws of Nature namely the doing to others as we would be done to our selves The greatest injury that can be done to another is the Murthering of him now if a Man has the liberty to Murther himself the measure of Justice in the most important Concerns towards others is broken nor can it signifie any thing to say that this is done out of love to ones self because it may be pretended that it may be done out of love to another too yet no one sure will ever allow this as a reasonable pretence for the Murther of his Neighbour 2. This wou'd utterly destroy the force of Humane Laws Man's having a right or power to kill himself when he thinks siting wou'd make void all Obligation to Humane Laws as to the threats of Punishment without a dread of which no Law wou'd signifie any thing The greatest Punishment that Humane Laws can threaten is Death now if Men have Authority to kill themselves and be taught and perswaded that they have so and be encouraged by the Examples of others which will not be wanting when Men are so perswaded the threats of Death will be despis'd as to the disgrace or torment of it when publick because they may bring it upon themselves with ease and privacy at home and therefore they will not be oblig'd to any Duty by the fear of this much less by the fear of any thing else but wou'd Rob Ravish Murther c. 3. Whatever the Reasons are in relation to Civil Society for which the Murther of another is forbidden the same hold and perhaps with greater force as to the Murthering of ones self those Reasons are chiefly the having no Authority the depriving the Publick of a Subject the impossibility of making any Equivalent Satisfaction The two first of these are of the same force as to the Murthering of ones self the third seems to be of much greater for he that Murthers another may make some satisfaction as to publick Justice by the forfeiture of his own Life and he that forfeits his Life publickly upon this Account makes some amends to the State under which he lives by deterring others from committing the same Crime by the Example of his Punishment whereas on the contrary he that Murthers himself not only evades all satisfaction to the Publick as to the paying Personal and Sensible Punishment but in so doing gives encouragement to others to commit the same Wherefore Self-Murther may be a greater Crime in regard of the Publick especially if it be a publick Person than the Murthering of another Man and if so is undoubtedly forbidden by that Law of Nature Thou shalt not kill otherwise that Law would be very imperfect and reach only to the lesser Crime and permit the greater Lastly For a Man to have a right to kill himself when ever he pleases must be destructive to Civil Government because this Right must be Vniversal One Man may exercise it as well as another and since no publick rule can be given to show when in what circumstances of Adversity which are more or less felt by different Men according to their different Portions of Reason or Vertue their Courage or Constitution since I say no publick rule can be given to all Men to prescribe the Case exactly wherein it shall be reasonable and lawful to put this Right in Execution every Man must be left to judge for himself that is to be led as his own Passions or Appetites guide him After this rate great numbers may make themselves away which by Example and Custom may grow still greater and greater till the Publick is weaken'd not only by the loss of several of its Members but also by the check and stop which there must be upon all Business and Trade Trust in one another since the strictest Obligations to this purpose may be thus evaded Add to this the misery of the Family particularly concern'd the horrid sense which such an Act imprints upon the best Mens Minds the general Aversion which it causes and consequently the shame of the Relations and Acquaintance of the Self-Murtherer and very often too the Confusion and Desolation of the forsaken Widow or Orphans all which must be of ill Consequence to any State especially if the Fact is frequently committed But lest this should give any colour for the plausible pretence of Compassion which is commonly made use of by those who are concern'd in the Coroner's Inquest upon such Occasions I cannot but observe by the way that all Kindness or Generosity towards particular Persons though they be nearest Relations is unwarrantable which is prejudicial to that Love and Duty which is owing to the Publick especially when People are actually intrusted by the Publick and sworn to report impartially without being mov'd by any Passion whatsoever what their judgment is concerning a matter of Fact It may be as injurious to our Country
Master as God He replies * p. 110. That the Servant runs not from his Master but to him in this case and at his Call obeys his Voice Again †p. 112. This is not to usurp upon God's Authority or to deal with anothers Servant if I become his Servant his Delegate and his Commissioner in doing this when he can be no other way so much glorified ‖ p. 149. If they say God concurs to no Evil We say nothing is so evil but that it becomes good if God command it and that this viz. Self-murther is not so naturally evil that it requires a special Commission from God but as it becomes good if he commands it so it becomes indifferent if he remove the Reasons with which the Precept against it is Conditioned There is one Passage in Cicero to the same purpose †Liber 1. Tuscul. Quaest. Cato went out of Life as one that was glad of the opportunity for the God who rules within us forbids our departure hence without his Command but when that God himself gives just Cause as he did to Socrates Cato and many others A wise Man will certainly be glad to depart out of this State of Darkness into that of Light Not that he may break Prison for that the Laws forbid but walk out of it being called and dismiss'd by God as by some lawful Magistrate The summ of all which is to this purpose 1. That though it be true that God has the Absolute Propriety of Humane Life in which Regard indeed Man cannot lawfully destroy it Yet if God dispences with this Right of Propriety and calls or summons him out of Life he may depart lawfully viz. by Self-Murther 2. That there is no need of Particular Commission or Extraordinary Manifestation of God's Will to this purpose but only of his removing those Reasons upon which the Obligation of preseving Life was founded This is that which the Stoicks scatter up and down their Writings to reconcile this Act with Submission to Providence which they diligently maintain and which is Collected and Improv'd by our Author in the several Places above mentioned Before I Answer this particularly I desire the Reader wou'd take Notice 1. That whatever is said in any of these Places concerning the removing the Reasons or the ceasing of that End for which Life was given shall be debated more particularly in the next Chapter and but just touched upon here as not being wholly to be avoided 2. As to what is insinuated here concerning God's Glory though this does not fall under the present Argument yet that this is always best promoted by observing of his Laws that there can be no Case imagined nor is there any pretended but only glanc'd at by this Author artificially in general terms Wherein a Man can be irresistably forc'd to forsake his Reason and his Virtue and so detract from God's Glory Or where in it will not be more for his Glory to suffer Death from others than from himself But of this more perhaps hereafter This being premised I shall in Answer to what is said above shew these three things I. That according to the Account which this Learned Gentleman gives of Dispensation and according to the Nature of the Law of Self-preservation there can be no need at any time of such Dispensation for this Law II. That in a Case of this Nature wherein Propriety of the greatest Importance is concern'd Where an Error can never be recover'd and where it is confessed that there is a Law to secure it no Dispensation can be sufficient but what comes from the Proprietor the Law-giver himself and which must evidently and undeniably appear that it did so by some plain and positive Manifestation of his Will III. That no such natural Manifestation of God's Will is or can be assign'd whereby Man may be fully assured that he is dismissed call'd or summon'd by God from Life As to the first it is observable that Self-preservation is allowed to be Law of Nature And yet affirmed that it may be despensed withal upon this account †That a thing which is universally Profitable or Honest may by reason of some particular Event become Dishonest or Hurtful and when it does so the Reason or End which is the Soul and Form of the Law ceases This can never have place in any Law of Nature particularly Self-preservation grounded upon God's Propriety and the End of Humane Life already mention'd because as there can be no time wherein it can be dishonest or hurtful if we mean morally so to avoid doing wrong to God to the Publick and to our selves so there can be no time wherein it can be destructive or hurtful in the sence asoresaid to follow Reason by Virtue there can be no Event I say wherein it will not be a Man's Duty and wherein it will not be in his Power to act thus and therefore it can never be necessary that this Law should be dispensed withal Besides the Word Law is too general as us'd here the Law which we are speaking of is Law of Nature and confest to be so there may be Dispensations from Obedience to Humane Laws which are limitted to particular Actions and which through the weakness of Humane Prudence cannot be fitted exactly to all Events but then 't is observable that all such Dispensations are supplemental rather than destructive to that Law concern'd tending more effectually to the same end which that Law did assisting and promoting it in a better manner which end is always the Preservation of Mankind of each particular Person as far as is consistent with the whole and not the Destruction of any one If it be said That the very End of Life which I have assign'd is inconsistent often with this Law of Self-preservation and destructive of God's Propriety it frequently happening that Men endanger their Lives nay certainly incur Death the more strictly and faithfully that they follow Reason by Virtue and therefore that there must be some sort of Dispensation as to the observing of this End 1. To this I Answer There is no neceâ—…ty of this That which I suppose to be the end of Humane Life is so excellently fuâ—…ed to the Nature of Man that it not only promotes his happiness his well-being but certainly contributes to the prolong atâ—…on of his Being at the same time the following of Reason by Virtue including the regulating of Mens Passions and Appetites making 'em Temperate and Peaceful Just and Bâ—…cent c. All which if Duly observed by any number of Men wou'd certainly prolong Life as well as Happiness Wherefore if Life becomes in danger upon this Account and good Men suffer Death for the sake of their Virtue this is accidental not through any natural defect in that end of Life or because it contradicts Self-preservation and is destructive to God's right over it but through the fault of unreasonable Men who will not act by the same Rule but make
the indulging of their Appetites and Passions to be the only end of their Lives and therefore have no sense of Justice or Goodness towards others 2. When Men suffer Death upon the account of Virtue this does not prove any Dispensation needful as to Self-preservation as though they brought their own Deaths upon themselves they wou'd live if they might be permitted but they wou'd not forfeit their Reason and their Virtue to preserve Life because these were the things for whose sake alone Life was bestow'd and the observing of which is the most proper way which God design'd by Nature to preserve Life by and if it is not preserv'd accordingly 't is through the Crimes of such as invade it not any of their own But supposing that a Dispensation might be reasonable in some particular Case yet II. When Propriety of the greatest Importance is concern'd where the Law that secures it is confess'd and acknowledg'd where a mistake may be easily committed and yet can never be recover'd no Dispensation can be sufficient but such as comes from the Proprietor the Law-giver himself and which evidently appears by some plain and positive Manifestation of his Will to do so Propriety is of so nice and tender a Nature that when it is to be made over all the care imaginable is us'd that the doing so may appear plainly and undeniably to be Voluntary therefore not only several outward Actions but also several Witnesses of those Actions are requir'd upon such Occasions Now if this be so where things of very little Importance are concern'd how much more reasonable must this Caution be where God himself is the Proprietor so good so gracious so just so powerful a Being and where Humane Life is the thing in Question in which so many Persons may be concerâ—…d and which may be of such unspeakable value to him that has it if the end of it were faithfully observ'd for what can make Man more Happy or more Glorious What can exalt him higher above the rest of the Creation or nearer to the Divine Nature than the continual discovery of Eternal Truth and the regulating of his Passions and Desires accordingly than the improving of others by Example and Information and being the Help and Pleasure of a great part of Mankind Life is the opportunity of being all this shall that then be rashly thrown away by Self-murther Especially since Mistakes in other matters may be recover'd again at least some amends be made for them but here the Errour is Irrecoverable the Offender is incapable of making any Satisfaction Wherefore who that considers this can suppose that 't is sufficient for any Man to * Biath p. 4â—… Ib. p. 112. think that he may despence with himself or to fansie that God has constituted him his Officer or Commissioner How does this appear Produce the Warrant prove the Commission by undeniable Authority and then but not otherwise then let it be obey'd Nor is it sufficient to say in this Case That although it shou'd be an Error to kill ones self upon such an Opinion yet this is such an Errour as may proceed from 〈◊〉 good Conscience because where the Pâ—… priety is doubtful and yet the thing iâ—… Question actually alienated it can be no good Plea to say that this was done with Integrity No Mistake can be excusable where there is no Authority to venture and yet in this Case the Propriety is not doubtful but acknowledg'd to be Gods and in the Act of Self-Murther the same Propriety is not only alienated but destroy'd and therefore therâ—… can be no just Plea for the Lawfulness of so doing but the plain and express Manifestation of God's Will and this can be had no other way than by evident Revelation because no Warrant but such as is above Nature can be sussicient to despence with Law of Nature If it be said that Natural Fâ—…vents are the Manifestations of God's Will that when such Events as loss of Liberty or Senses Incurable Pain Poverty or Disgrace come upon a Man any * So the Stoicks taught always Diog. Lacrt. ut Sup. p. 195. Lips Manuduct ad Stoic Phil. lib. 3. Diâ—…ert 22 â—…3 Olympiodor one of these is a sussicient proof that God dismisses calls or summons that Man from Lise This brings me to the next thing I proposed to shew III. That no Natural Event is such a Manifestation of God's Will whereby any Man can be assur'd that he is called dismissed or summon'd from Life or that God has chosen him himself for his Commissioner or Officer to destroy it There is no Event indeed but is a Manifestation of God's Will The worst Events are so as much as the best but to what end are they so that we should bear them with Patience and Humility is not be avoided by lawful means not that we should decline them refuse 'em or run away from them by any means though never so unlawful And since the Manifestation of God's Will against a known Law of Nature must be clear and distinct as has been shown how can it be demonstrated to be so from any of the Events above mention'd the great difficulty or rather the impossibility of this will appear if we consider the following Reasons 1. That many Thousand Persons have suffer'd under the same Events and withal to such a degree as to be very willing very desirous to die and yet som of these have ever thought and none of them have been ever fully satisfy'd that these were any signs os God's dismissing summoning or calling them from Life How then can any one particular Person be assured that they are so to him Or why should he suppose that he alone can discern farther into the Will of God against a Confest and Establish'd Law by any occasional and natural Event than so many Persons many of which may be reasonably allow'd to be greater and wiser than himself cou'd do by the very same Especially since 2. These very Events upon which he grounds his Authority have been frequently chang'd in a short time and such as are directly contrary as sound Health great Riches and Honour been long enioyed by the same Persons all which had been lost if they should have thought siting to have Murthered themselves 3. That which is naturally unlawful or evil in it self as Self-murther is in regard of God's Propriety c. can never be supposed to become Lawful upon the account of any Event whatsoever that is Natural Now all Pain Poverty c. has its natural Causes and consequently cannot be a sufficient Dispensation to destroy Life 4. Furthermore as to the end of Humane Lise no such Events as we have been speaking of can be look'd upon as Dispensations from the pursuing of this end because this is naturally farther'd by these very Events and the greatest Calamities have been the occasion of waking Reason and making the Soul exert it self in several Virtues which otherwise it could not
Laws duly and constantly in Execution which are provided in this Case wou'd not be of very great force to put a stop to this Evil The Consideration of shame alone †Biath p. 96. did this heretofore in the Case of the Milesians and the Romans also under Tarquinius Priscus Our Laws then may do this more effectually which allowing but the same Burial which other Felons have and requiring the Forfeiture of the Personal Estate have not only the Natural tye of shame but a much stronger that of tenderness to their Posterity to restrain such Rash and Melancholy Creatures by And this leads me to apply my self particularly to the Coroner and his Inquest upon these sad Occasions For although somewhat of this kind has been done lately by an ingenious * Occasional Paper Numb 10. Author yet the Nature of his Design I suppose not suffering him to enlarge upon it there seems to be room left for something to be added I will first then give some Account of the Duty of the Coroner and his Jury and what the Law directs and upon what Grounds as I have been inform'd in this Case And asterwards show the unreafonableâ—…s of those Prejudices or Pretences which Men are apt to be sway'd by notwithstanding these great Obligations As to the first When the Coroner has notice that any one is come to a violent and untimely Death he is to Summon and Impannel a Jury out of the Neighbourhood and administer this Oath to ' em You shall Swear that you shall well and truly inquire and true Presentment make of all such matters and things as shall be given you in Charge on the behalf of our Sovereign Lord the King touching the Death of A. B. So Help you God As to the Matters and Things here mention'd these are Explain'd farther to them by the Coroner in his Charge Then they are to find out the manner of the Persons Death whether by Drowning Strangling Wounds received or otherwise whether by another or himself if by himself whether he was Felo de se or non Compos mentis And to this End they are to be directed and assisted by the Depositions of those whom the Coroner Summons to give Evidence or by the hearing of the Councel which is sometimes brought upon these Occasions What is meant by being non Compos the Law informs them that it is the deprivation of Reason or Vnderstanding Such a state of the Mind wherein there is a Cessation from Exercising the Discursive Faculty That there are four sorts of Persons which the †4th Reports 124. 6. Law looks upon to be non Compos 1. An Ideot or Natural Fool. 2. One that has been of Good and Sound Memory but by the Visitation of God has lost it 3. A Lunatic who has Intervals 4. One who becomes Mad by his own Act through Excessive Drinking Upon the Verdict of non Compos the Goods and Chartels of the Deceas'd are to be enquir'd after valu'd immediately as if they were to be sold and deliver'd to the Kings use and the Body refus'd Christian Burial The reason of which Punishment is said to be * Plowden 261. 6. because Self-murther is an Offence against Nature it being the Property of every thing to preserve it self against God for that it offends his Commandment against the King for that he loses a Subject and an ill Example is given to the rest All which have been explam'd and enforc'd in the former part of this Treatise We may see here the Authority by which the Coronâ—…r and his Jury Act the Nature of their Duty and the great Trust repos'd in them as also the Laws Interpretation of non Compos the Punishment that is threaten'd and the Ground and Intent of the Law All Which every one of the Jury is oblig'd to observe by the sacred Bond of a Solemn Oath and this one wou'd suppose might be sufficient to cause any honest Man to make true Presentment deliver in his Verdict in such a Case Impartially yet it is found to be otherwise by Experience Wherefore 2. I come to shew the unreasonableness of those Prejudices and Pretences by which Men are usually sway'd in this Matter and in so doing I shall not look upon my self being to talk with another sort of People now to be consin'd to Natural Principles only 1. Is a General Supposition that every one who kills himself is non Compos and that no body wou'd do such an Action unless he were Distracted this will be found unreasonable if we consider 1. That if this were really so then it wou'd be to no purpose for the Law to appoint any enquiry to be made in such Cases If a Man may not be suppos'd to be in his Wits when he lays violent Hands upon himself to what intent is the Summoning in of so many Men the giving them a Solemn Oath examining Witnesses hearing Council all this supposes the Case doubtful but according to that Opinion all this is vain and impertinent because they have nothing left to judge of 2. If this were so then our Laws are not only Impertinent but Vnjust by affixing a Punishment to such an Act as the Person that commits it cannot help He that is Distracted knows not what he does and therefore is not Accountable for this or any other Deed since then the Laws of this Nation and of many others of great Reputation for Wisdom and Justice as shall be shewn immediately have ordain'd a Punishment for this Action it is plain that they thought it might possibly be committed Wilfully and Advisedly and if so 't is Confidence and Presumption for any private Person to suppose the contrary 3. This will appear farther if we consider the several Explications of the Words Non Compos above-mention'd particularly the third concerning â—…naticks If a Person known to be Lunatic several Years be also known to have had several Intervals he shall be liable to the Law unless it be plainly prov'd that he was distemper'd at the very time of killing himself How much more if a Man has never been known to have been Lunatic at all As to the â—…th sort of Madness above-mention'd the Law does not look upon this as an Excuse for any Crime committed in that Condition because it was the Parties own voluntary Act to bring himself into it However this may be of Use to judge of other kinds of Madness by Which People may be suppos'd to be affected withal in this Case it very seldom appears that they who destroy themselves have had the same or as great signs of Distraction as are frequently caus'd by excessive Drinking or supposing they may have had so yet let the Juror consider whether this may not be caus'd as much through the Parties own fault as the other whether he did not bring upon himself or give way to the beginning of his Discontent whether he did not wilfully foment and increase it and at last stubbornly
the greatest of all the Romans if not one of those whom he Celebrates as such did ever kill themselves the Examples of others who did so ought not to be of any Authority The same Observation may be confirm'd by the choice which Manilius †Astron. lib. 1. also makes of several Great Romans to the same purpose only I think he speaks of the latter Cato To these I may add Martial if it be worth the while who declares against this Act more than once Nor was this only Condemn'd by the Judgment of their greatest Men sor who can stand in Competition with Cicero and Virgil but was expressly Prohibited by the Ancient Roman Laws Tarquin punish'd those who Murther'd themselves by exposing their Bodies Naked as they did the most Infamous Criminals The same Servius above-mention'd tells us upon Amata's ‖ Aen. lib. 12. hanging herself that they who did so were forbidden Burial by the Pontifical Books This is also confirm'd by an ancient Inscription which being of a very particular kind I shall insert the greatest part of it Donatio Sepultur ae exauthor at is Militibus alijsque Quorum Memoria infamis Sassinae BAEBIUS GEMELLUS SASSINAS MUNICIPIBUS SINGULEIS INCOâ—…EISQUE LOCA SEPULTURAE D. S. P. DAT EXTRA AUTHORATEIS ET QUEI SIBEâ—…â—…AQUEO MANUS 〈◊〉 ET QUEI QUAESTUM SPURCUM PROFE SSI ESSENT SINGULEIS IN FRONTE P. 〈◊〉 IN AG. 〈◊〉 X. INTER PONTEM SAPIS ET 〈◊〉 SUPERIOREM QUEI EST IN FINE FUNDI FAGONIANI * See the rest in Spons Miscell Erudit Antiquitatis Sect. 7. p. 264. By this it appears that one Baebius Gemellus gave a piece of Ground as a Burying-place for those to whom the Law deny'd Burial and whose Memory was counted Infamous viz. Bauds or Whores and Soldiers that had been broken for Misdemeanours and Self-murtherers the first sorts were Odious and Infamous among the Ancient Romans a Warlike and Modest Nation and with these Self-murtherers are joyn'd in the same Note of Infamy which was the greatest that they could lay upon any Offender after Death But as the Stoic Philosophy prevail'd these Laws were either favourably interpreted or quite neglected and one while it was usual for 'em to ask the Senate leave to kill themselves and not * Quintil. Declam 4. Qui Causas Voluntariae Mortis in Senatu non reddiderit insepultus 〈◊〉 allow'd otherwise †Tacit. lib. 6. Annalium Promptas ejusmodi mortes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciebat c. And though many became their own Executioners by Blood letting as this Author observes yet this does not prove that the Romans thought it either Natural or Lawful for any Man whatever to kill himself They who did thus were 〈◊〉 before it was reckon'd an Act of Grace from the Tyrants they suffer'd under to let 'em chuse their own Deaths which if they did not some Officer was ready to dispatch them Besides by this means they sav'd their Estates which were Forfeited when they were put to Death Publickly which though Tacitus calls pretium festinandi was but an accidental Advantage to Self-murtherers not a Reward propos'd for their making hast The Law to deter the Committing of great Crimes ordain'd that such as were put to Death by the Executioner shou'd forfeit their Estates aswell as their Lives They who kill'd themselves evaded this part of the Law by not falling under any Publick Executioner not that there was any positive Law that he that kill'd himself shou'd save his Estate as some who are not acquainted with Tacitus's way of Writing have thought To summ up what has been said upon this Head if Self-murther was not practis'd by the Romans during the first six hundred Years if this was the time wherein they were at the height of their Virtue if not one of those who according to the Opinion of the most Judicious Virgil were the greatest Glory to their Country did ever kill himself if both he and Cicero were against it in their own Judgments if there were several Laws by which it was severely Punish'd among them then the Example of this great Nation is rather against Self-murther than for it This perhaps may be further confirm'd by that which is to follow I mention'd just now the Stoic Philosophy as one great Cause why Self-murther began to prevail among the Romans in the decay of that Glorious Republick The next Objection which rises in our way is grounded upon the Doctrine of this Sect who being in great Reputation of Old for their Learning Wisdom and strict Morality and whose Books falling often into our Hands when we are young and leaving lasting Impressions upon many People require a particular Examination CHAP. X. The Rise and Progress of the Stoics A short Account of their Philosophy particularly as to the Moral part when and for what Reasons it spread among the Romans That Self-murther is inconsistent with their other Principles this prov'd by some Instances from their greatest Authors Seneca Epictetus Antoninus AFter several of the Wits of Greece had spent their time in useless Guesses and vain Disquisitions concerning such things as whether false or true cou'd serve very little to the insluencing of Mens Actions Socrates the most discerning and the least corrupted Soul that ever saw by the Light of Nature shew'd 'em a more prositable and more noble use of humane Reason made it to look first into it self and to regulate those Passions and Appetites that were grown so great an Injury and so just a Scandal to it This was a very tender Point and yet this wonderful Man by the sweetness of his Temper by his Easiness and Affability by his acknowleging that he knew nothing prevail'd upon a great many to hearken to him and by his Death which was more Glorious more Exemplary if possible than his Life won over many Thousands more What he thus successfully began bad other Advantages from those two great Men Plato and Xenophon who had been his Scholars and who recommended their Masters Principles to the World with all the happy Advantages of Eloquence in such a clear Method and prevailing Stile as represented naturally the Calmness of his Mind and the Sweetness of his Conversation This made his Followers multiply and grow Famous by the Names of Academicks and Peripateticks whose Tenents differ'd very little under two great Leaders Plato and Aristotle But of those who heard Socrates with Admiration one of the chief was Antisthenes * Diog. Laert. in Anthist who us'd to walk every Day forty Furlongs for this purpose that which pleas'd his humour most was to hear him Discourse of Patience Constancy Fortiâ—…ude and Freedom from all Passion whatsoever this hit so very much with his severe and crabbed Temper that without vegarding what Socrates Discours'd of Meekness Humility and Affability and his continual Example of whatever cou'd be Excellent in those Virtues he fasten'd upon the former alone in a short time set up for himself and became the Founder of the Cynics
it came to prevail it will be necessary to consider the Particular Genius of the Roman Nation After the Expelling of their Kings the Publick Good seems to have been the Vniversal End of all their Actions This they pursu'd with a noble Emulation and with an egual contempt of Danger and Self-Interest to this it was that they sacrifiâ—…d not only their Ease their Wealth but even their * 〈◊〉 pater nova bellâ—… moveâ—…tes Ad paenam 〈◊〉 pro libertate vocabit Vincet amor Patriae c. Virgil says of Brutus Aeâ—… 6. so 〈◊〉 Ib. Children sometimes †Salut Bell 〈◊〉 Justice and Goodness prevail'd among them not more through Law than Nature whatever Quarrels and Debates they had Were with their Enemies they contended with one another about Virtue only Magnisicent in their Publick Devotiâ—… Frugal at Home Faithful in their Friendships All which was strengthen'd and consirm'd by their great and general regard to Religion which continu'd till they sell into Avarice Luxury Bribery and till the base Senate it self became saleable 〈◊〉 worth the while says that excellent â—…istorian when one has consider'd the Houses and Villa's built now a days like Ciâ—…ies to visit the Temples of the Gods which were rais'd by our Ancestors the most Religious of Mankind but they adorn'd the Altars with their Piety and their Houses with the Glory of their Actions nor ever took away any thing from those they Conquer'd unless the Power of doing Wrong But now Oppression c. ‖ Salut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed no People in the World was ever so inclin'd to be Religious all Publick Basiness the meeting of their Assemblies the choice of their Magistrates the engaging with their Enemies depended upon Religious Observations which how â—…reasonable foâ—…ver 〈◊〉 themselves were diligently consulted and faithfully obey'd Their Generals their Magâ—…trates the greatest 〈◊〉 they eveâ—… had in Peace or War had as much regard to these excepting one or two 〈◊〉 as the common People And here I cannot but observe by the way what awkard Imitators of the Romans some People are who study that Common-Wealth only in its decay embrace the Vices and Opinions as this of Self-murther which occasion'd or attended the Ruin of it and in the first place think it necessary to be Atheist's in order to be good Republicans Conformable to this were their Manners Plain and Sincere Inflexible in their Resolutions Grave in their Deportment severely Virtuous this was the Masculine Air which they gave that noble Constancy that Probity that Honour which distinguish'd 'em from the rest of Mankind and made 'em truly greater before they Conquer'd the World than after it The Roman Nation being of this temper were naturally prepar'd to receive the Stoic Philosophy especially not being prepossest by any other For though Pythagoras had liv'd and grown Famous in one part of Italy yet the Romans who were given wholly to Arms seem'd to have heard little or nothing if him or to have minded any thing of this nature till Greece being subdu ' d and Macedon reduc'd into a Province they sent their Sons to Study at Athens where by their Natural temper they soon chose out the Stoics from all the other Sects to follow At the same time this Philosophy appear'd in Rome it self with great Advantages by Panaetius who was entertain'd in the Family of the Scipio's and grew into much Veneration among the Romans upon account of the great Virtues of Scipio Aemilianus which were suppos'd to be owing to his Instructions and Conversation having mention'd this great Man it will not be wholly foreign to my purpose and perhaps some relief to the Reader to make a little stand and take a short view of him P. Cor. Scipio who deseated â—…annibal had but one Son who was of a very infirm and sickly Constitution which hindred both his medling with publick Assairs and his having any Children but * 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 large 〈◊〉 lib. 37. attending his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in the Expedition against Antiochus and being taken Prisoner by him and Conversing with many of the Learned 〈◊〉 in his Court where he was nobly us'd was †〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the first of the Romans who had any 〈◊〉 of the Politer sort of Learning At his Return lest the Name of the Scipio's should fail he adopted one of the Sons of Paulus Aemilius who was the same Person we speak of who had the Courage and all the other Virtues of the first Africanus as well as of his own Father and after many Glorious Victories in Spain in one of which he ‖ Appian Alexandrin de bel Hispan kâ—…ll'd the Champion of the Enemies in a single Combate after the Destruction of Numantiae was chosen out for the Rasing of Carthage that Ancient Rival of the Roman Power But all lhis while after the Example of his Father by adoption he mingled the milder Studies of Letters with those of War his Tent entertain'd Philosophers as well as Officers and Panaetius and Polybius constantly attended him the one the best able to regulate his Actions according to Virtue the other the best qualified to Record'em Paterculus * Paterc lib. 1. cap. 12. an Author of vory great Wit and Integrity when he did not write too near his own times gives this Character of him that no Man ever laid out the Intervals of Business more Elegantly that he was the most Eminent of his Age for all Endowments of War or Peace that in his whole Life he never spoke did or thought a thing thing that was not Commendable This Panaetius though a prosest Stoic had nothing †〈◊〉 Cicer. de 〈◊〉 lib. 4. in item 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 of the Sowerness and Sullenness of that Sect and theresore did not corrupt the mild and generous Temper of Scipio and Laelius but rather made 'em more Humane He despis'd the Moresâ—… as well as the Pedantry of that Sect was clâ—…arer in his Discourse gentler in his Carriage than the rest of them and had a respect for Plato Xenocrates Aristotle and Theophrastus 'T was with this Panaetius with Polybius with 〈◊〉 and with Terence that this great Man us'd to retreat out of Town in his latter Days to avoid the Corruption of the Times then begun and spreading a pace and when I consider him thus so well skill'd to make the best use of Life in all Events Bold and Active in War Gentle and Studious in Peace retiring from the noise of his own Fame encompass'd by the most ingenious Friends and the most able and saithful Counsellors and Virtue and 〈◊〉 carefully cherish'd in the midst of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the greatest Courage when I consider him in these Circumstances I cannot but think him the Wisest the Best the Happiest of all the Romans and that in some respects the Retirement of Scipio Aemilianus is to be prefer'd before the Court of Augustus Thus did the Stoic Philosophy come recommended to the Romans and appear'd
can be no harm for they cannot intend their Creatures any Mischief If there be not Gods or if they take no care of humane Affairs To what purpose is it to live in such a World as is without Gods or without Providence but there are Gods and they do take care of Mankind and have put it into their Power not to fall into any of those things which are really Evil c. * Lib. 4. Sect. 31. Be thou my Soul like unto some Promontory upon which the Billows beat continually but that remains unmov'd and forces 'em to fall off on either side and slide gently into a Calm Shall I cry out poorly Unhappy me whom this or that befals and not rather say Happy me who am able to bear it who am neither shockt with what I feel now nor frighten'd with what may come hereafter such an Accident might have happen'd to any one as well as me but no body cou'd have born it so well as I. Why shou'd I call any thing Unhappiness which cannot reach or injure Humane Nature Search into thy self impartially Can that which has hefalln thee make thee less Temperate less Modest less Knowing or less Prudent Can it hinder thee from being Just or Generous If not remember when any Accident inclines thee to be discontented Remember I say that the thing which befalls you is really no Vnhappiness in its own Nature but that you are able to support it undauntedly is a real and great Happiness * Lib. 10. Sect. 23. He that runs away from his Master is a Fugitive The Law is our Common Master he that declines obeying that runs away from it and thus does that Man who Murmures Rages or Trembles at what has been is or shall be done by him who Governs all things who is that Law which distributes to every one of us the several parts of our Obedience I cou'd easily produce more Instances for they are to be met withal in almost every Page of his Book if I did not think these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how Inconsistent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other things which he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observable that this great Man seems to be sensible of this himself He never inculcates this Principle with that 〈◊〉 and Violence which the others do He cou'd not quit it wholly as he was a Stoic it being the Characteristic of that Sect yet he mentions it but twice or thrice I think in all his Book and that too in so short and slight a manner that he seems to be asham'd of it and to be Conscious how Contradictory this was to that Submission to Providence that Magnanimity and Constancy in all Events which he recommends continually and indeed it was impossible that it should take any root in so excellent a Temper His great Regard to the Gods his Natural Goodness and Moderation made his Mind yield readily to all the Dispensations of Providence Whereas the Vain the Stubborn and Obstinate Mind as it is quickly incens'd so it snaps short immediately and breaks rather than yields even to God himself Thus I have given an Account of the first Rise of the Stoic Philosophy shew'd the Time when it began to appear among the Romans the Causes of its Progress how the Principle of Self-murther in particular come to be in Request and to be put in Execution how Inconsistent this is with the other Principles of that Sect and particularly with what is taught by those Three Authors whose Authority has Recommended it so much to the World and if what has been said is true as any one that Questions it may easily find if they will Examine the Authors which I have referr'd to which I intreat them to do then this great Prejudice grounded upon the Doctrine and Example of this Wise and Virtuous Sect ought not to sway any longer with them CHAP. XI Cato's Case considered in Particular His Character His Enmity against Caesar. The several Circumstances of his Death What may most Probably have been the true Cause of it And of the great Encomiums which were given him afterwards HAving thus given some Account of the Roman Nation and of the Philosophy of the Stoics the way lies the more open to consider the Case of Cato's Death who was so great an Ornament to both and whose Example is so much pleaded in the behalf of Self-murther Nothing is more reasonable than that one or more ill Actions shou'd escape the Censure of Posterity under the Splendour of a great many good ones but the Perverseness of some People will not allow of this who being given to think out of the way and maintain dangerous Paradoxes are always searching into the Lives of great Men to pick out something to justifie their Pretences Wherefore though it be a very ill office to disturb the Ashes of the Dead and to call in Question those Encomiums which have long since ripen'd into Glory yet when such Authorities shall be thus dangerously abus'd and great Names brought in instead of sound Arguments it is absolutely necessary to enquire into the Matter of Fact as well for the Vindication of the Dead as the Information of the Living Of all the Examples that are brought for Self-murther Cato is the most Considerable wherefore in order to the making a right Judgment of this Matter it will be necessary to do these things 1. To form a just and true Idea of him by considering his particular Temper and what it was that distinguish'd him from other Men. 2. To consider him as he stood in Relation to Caesar. 3. To Examine exactly the several Circumstances of his Death and from these shew the true Causes of it And when this is done 4. To inquire into the Reasons usually given for its being so much applauded and assign the true ones I. We are to form a just Idea of him c. To this End we are to consider in the first Place That he liv'd in such an Age wherein the Common-wealth was at the very worst the lower sort as well as the higher were 〈◊〉 in Luxury and by their Expeâ—…sive Vices 〈◊〉 open to the Brihery and Corruption of the Ambitious The Laws and Liberties of Rome the Publick Good which their Ancestors had Studied and Improv'd with so much Glory were quite forgotten and several Parties form'd to usurp not defend the Government Places of greatest Trust and Authority were sold Publickly and they who bought 〈◊〉 made haste to be whole again by selling Truth and Justice Among these Corrâ—…ptions Cato grew up untainted in his Integrity not to be work'd upon by the Impunity or rather the Reputation of these Crimes nor to be frighted by being left single and alone but bravely opposing himself against the Enemies of his Country notwithstanding the Pride and 〈◊〉 of their Wealth or Power Indeed never was there a more sincere Lover of the Publick Good never did any Man incur so many Dangers to hinder the passing of Factious and Destructive Laws No body
and Africans in the Town and both being in danger from the Numidian Horse that had sled thither from the Battle he endeavours to preserve one Party from another beseeching some of the Horse even with Tears not to leave the Roman Senators that were with him to the Persidiousness of the Africans I will not suppose that his great Spirit was broken upon this occasion or that this sudden mildness of Temper which never appear'd in his whole Life in Publick before was the effect of any thing but kindness and good nature towards that People who had admitted him into their City but it is plain that if he had then made use of something of that steddy Resolution wherewith he had oppos'd 〈◊〉 and Caesar in the Forum formerly it might have been of greater benefit to his Party Afterwards hearing that Caesar marched towards him and Lucius Caesar offering to intercede for him he refuses it telling him * Plut in 〈◊〉 If I wou'd save my Life I ought to go my self but I will not be beholden to the Tyrant for any Act of his Injustice and 't is unjust for him to pretend to pardon those as a Lord over whom he has no Lawful Power This is full of Personal and Passionate hatred However he perswades his Son to go to him He took also great care to disswade his Friend Statilius who was a Stoic a great Imitator of Cato and a * known Caesar-hater as Plutarch calls him observably from laying Hands upon himself After this he sups according to his Custom but there arising a Stoical Question concerning Liberty he maintains it with so much heat as to give suspicion to his Friends that he design'd to Murther himself which made his Son steal away his Sword Afterwards retiring into his Chamber he encreases their fears by taking leave of his Son and Friends and embracing them in a more passionate manner than usual when they were gone he takes Plato's Dialogue of the Soul and Reading it calls for his Sword but no body bringing it when he had ask'd for it twice or thrice he calls for all his Servants â—…alls into such a Rage and strikes one of them with so much Violence that he wounds his own Hand and in such a manner too that it hindred him from killing himself out-right afterwards then he cry'd out aloud that his Son and his Servants had betray'd him to the Enemy Naked and Disarm'd upon which his Son and Friends running in Weeping and Embracing him he starts up and looking fiercely upon them crys When and were was it that I lost my Vnderstanding Why does not some body forsooth teach me what I ought to do that I must be disarm'd and not suffer'd to take my own Measures And you dutiful Sir why do not you tye your Fathers Hands behind him that Caesar when he comes may find me Helpless and Defenceless As If I wanted a Sword when I can die if I thought sitting by stoping my Breath a little or dashing my Brains against the Wall upon this his Son going out Weeping he turns to the two Philosophers Demetrius and Apollonides who only were left with him And are you too of opinion says he that a Man of my Age ought to be forc'd to Live and do you sit here to watch me or do you bring any new Reason why Cato despairing of any other means of Safety ought to accept it from his Enemy If you do let me hear it that throwing off those Principles according to which we have hitherto Liv'd and being made more wise by Caesar we may be the more beholding to him c. After this they going out and the Sword being brought him he cry'd now I am my own Read over Plato's 〈◊〉 twice more and about break of Day Stabs himself But this not being sufficient to kill him and the Wound being bound up he rends it open again pushes back the Surgeons tears his Bowels in peices with his own Hands and Expires That which is most strange in all this is his Reading Plato's Phaedo so often because there is not one Passage in it to encourage Self-murther but many against it nay the whole is so for no one that admires the Death of Socrates can ever die like Cato Montaigne quarrels with those who impute Cato's Death to fear of Caesar or to vain Glory Senseless People says he * 〈◊〉 1. cap. 36. he would rather have perform'd an handsome just and generous Action to have had Ignoâ—… for his Reward than for Glory I do not think Cato indeed was ever capable of 〈◊〉 his Courage was perfectly Roman and never fail'd his Integrity and if he was capable of vain Glory in some Passages of his Life I cannot see any ground for the least Imputation of it in his Death This was owing much to his inflexible Temper and to that Sect which he profest even to Ostentation But it is to be suspected that his hatred to Caesar was the chief cause of it that this mislead his Judgment made him give all for gone too soon and drove him into those strange Passions which he fell into before he Stabb'd himself and that furious Rage in which he Expir'd afterwards Statilius who strove to imitate him in all things is said to have been a profest Caesar-hater all his last Words are full of Caesar and I do not doubt but every one will grant that if Pompey had been in Caesar's Circumstances Cato would have remov'd some whither and not have kill'd himself and this was the thing he should have done not surrender'd himself up to Caesar or sent to treat with him this indeed had been below his Character but retir'd and preserv'd himself for a better Opportunity of serving his Country whereas by giving way to his Passion and private Resentments he contributed greatly to the ruin of it IV. This brings me to enquire into the Reasons which are usually given for his Death being so much applauded and to assign the true ones It is generally supposed that Cato dy'd for the Liberty of Rome and this is one of the chief Grounds upon which the Encomiums of him were rais'd in after Ages But it prov'd quite otherwise for next to Pompey's Death Cato's was the greatest blow that his Party ever receiv'd upon the News of it Juba Scipio and Petreius kill themselves immediately and Afranius surrendred who was afterwards Slaiâ—… These great Men had a dependance upon his Wisdom Honour and Reputation their 〈◊〉 Troops offer'd to obey him Juba cou'd have rais'd another Army immediately or all of them might have gone over into Spain to Pompey's Son Cato's Speech to the People of Vtica is very Remarkable That if they continu'd firm against Caesar they wou'd avoid his Contempt and the sooner find his Mercy that Caesar was perplext in many difficult Affairs that all Spain had declar'd for the younger Pompey that Rome had not yet taken the Yoak wholly but was ready to shake it off upon the first
opportunity that it had fallen lower and yet rais'd it self This was all very true but then it was as true to him as to them and since they rejected it he ought to have follow'd it And if he had done so how many more tryals might he have had for the Liberty of Rome Africa had not been wholly lost at that time the younger Pompey would have had more time to have strengthned himself or had he gone to him with those excellent Commanders Petreius and Afranius 't is very probable that Caesar might have lost that Battle which was the most doubtful and most bloody that he ever fought and which he gain'd only through the folly of Labienus or after that he might have retir'd into some place unknown for the Roman Empire was not extended to that degree then or ever after that there was no place to retire to no means of evading Tyrants fury but Self-murther And though he could not have prevented Caesar's greatness yet he wou'd still have been a curb upon him and at least have made him use his Fortune more moderately nor was it long before Opportunity did offer it self to recover again his Countries Liberty I do not think that Cato wou'd have been drawn into the Conspiracy against Caesar I believe his great Mind was not capable of consenting to the Murthering even of his mortal Enemy in so base a manner but afterwards he might possibly have joyn'd with them supported the Virtue of Brutus and restrain'd the Fury of Cassius against Anthony and young Octavius and wou'd have been in all respects a great strength to their Party for notwithstanding Brutus's Character his Ingratitude to Caesar lost him many Thousand Romans that would gladly have come in to Cato Wherefore if we consider these things impartially though it is commonly said in Justification of Cato's Self-murther that he dy'd for the Liberty of Rome 't is plain that he stabb'd it himself yet not purposely but accidentally in such a manner as a Man that resolves himself a Mischief might in his rage stab his own Father that cling'd about him There is one thing by which Cicero wou'd prove that Cato ought to have dy'd in this manner and that is Decorum * Cicero de Ossicijs lib. 1. Sect. 31. which is the same with maintaining a Character a certain likeness between all our Actions an unalterable equability of Life And this is grounded upon the difference between Universal and particular Humane Nature of which something has been said above This difference of particular Natures which forms the several Characters of Men is of that force says he that sometimes one Man ought to kill himself and yet another in the very same Circumstances ought not For was †Montaign is very much pleas'd with this Passage lib. 2. cap. 11. not Cato's Case the very same with those others who surrendred themselves to Caesar in Africa and yet perhaps it would have been blameable in them to have kill'd themselves because their Manners were gentler and easier but as Nature had given Cato an incredible Gravity and he had confirm'd this by a perpetual Constancy and had always remain'd unmoveable in what he had once resolv'd and undertaken it became him rather to die than to see the Tyrants Face Here this great Man seems to give in too much to the Principles of the Stoics upon which though well corrected in other places that excellent Treatise is founded They laid down in the first place that a wise Man cou'd not possibly be mistaken upon this they advanc'd That such a Man ought never to change his Opinion or way of Living or Acting but be always the same Now if the first cou'd have been true the latter wou'd have been reasonable but alas it is far from being so the wisest and the best of Mankind may err in his Opinions and consequently in his Actions and therefore nothing can be more dangerous than to mantain that a Man ought never to alter 'T is true Levity and Inconstancy are great and unmanly Faults but next to the not being in any Errour at all 't is the greatest Wisdom to get out of it quickly and the doing so is no more Levity and Inconstancy than when a Man has mistaken his way and is running upon a Precipice 't is Levity and Inconstancy to turn back again To persist in an Errour is Stupidity this is the Constancy the Decorum of Brutes but to get out assoon as possible not only becomes the Dignity of humane Nature but improves it in the highest manner since every Errour we leave the more we have of Truth and consequently partake the more of God himself Decorum is the Beauty which is reflected from Vertuous Actions the first care shou'd be concerning the Actions that they be Virtuous and the Decorum will follow naturally but when People mind this first 't will be always of ill Consequence To observe a Resolution steadily is so much the worse if the Resolution be not just and is no more than being positively in the wrong wherefore it should have been prov'd first that Self-murther was Lawful for if it be not so no Plea can be weaker than that of Decorum which in this Case is nothing more than habitual Stubbornness and profess'd Injustice and as for the Evil which is pretendod here for Cato's dying Namely the seeing the Tyrants Face this was not necessary he might and ought to have sav'd himself with the other Senators and struggled still against all Opposition for the Publick Good as I said before and then Rome might have receiv'd him with open Arms as she did Terentius Varro after the Battle of Cannae though lost by his Rashness because he did not despair of her Safety or if she had not he had still observ'd Decorum in the best the noblest way for Duty will be always decent and nothing else can be truly so This Passage of Cicero's puts me in mind of what I said concerning him above when I brought him in against Self-murther He is so directly in his Somnium Scipionis as Macrobius shews sufficiently * Chap. 9. That Excellent Piece was written before Cato's Death when his Judgment was Free. Afterwards Cicero being of the same Party that Cato was and being carry'd away with that Torrent of Applause which that Age run into He makes all the shifts he can to palliate and excuse his killing of himself and is very hard put to it to do so as may appear from the Instance which we have been just now discoursing of and his making Socrates's Case and his the same 1. Tuscul. quaest than which nothing can be more unreasonable but if any Body should be so zealous in this matter as not to be satisfy'd with this his Authority shall be wav'd if they please To conclude this Point if it be ask'd after all What shall we say to those Encomiums which were given to this great Man How could so many People be in the
When he came to do so no wonder that he kill'd himself CHAP. XIII Of Honour That this is twofold either Inward a Principle of Virtue or Outward the Applause which follows upon it That neither of these can ever require Self-muriher The mistakes concerning Honour which occasion it Objections answer'd THe next pretence for Self-murther is Honour There is nothing I think that is more generally pretended to than this excepting Wit only and yet this seems to be as little understood as that Honour People find is something that is commendable though what it is they cannot tell therefore every one being desirous to have their Actions pass for honourable the Word is strain'd to as many Significations as they have Inclinations often 't is taken for some particular Quality which is thought to belong more to one degree of Men or to one Sex than another Thus in Women Chastity is Honour in Men of high birth Truth and Justice in Soldiers Courage in Tradesmen punctual Payment but since these several Qualities may be attended by great Vices Since these things are truly as commendable in one Person as another and equally required in all People this is but a very imperfect account of Honour For this must be something which concerns all Mankind and therefore humane Nature it self must be considered before we can come to any knowledge of it The perfection of Humane Nature and the great end of Humane Life has been shewn to be the following of Reason by Virtue therefore what I said of Courage before must be said of Honour now that the excellency of it consists in the promoting of this End now though whatever is an hindrance to this is call'd by the general Name of Evil yet all Evil does not appear in its own natural shape but often puts on the form of Good and so works and insinuates it self into Man by his Passions and Appetites wherefore Honour seems to be that Principle whereby the Soul is secur'd against both these kinds of Evil in the quiet pursuit of the End of Life And thus perhaps it may be describ'd Honour is an Elevation of the Soul upon the sence of its Preheminence above the rest of the Creation in regard to that great End of its being the following of Reason by Virtue a firm Resolution to observe it and agenerous disdaln of all Pleasure or Profit all loss or danger of whatever the World can promise or threaten of whatever is dreadful or delightful in comparison of doing so So that this is the greatest excellency of Man's Nature 'T is a Spirit drawn off from the noblest parts of humane Reason 't is that God within us as the Stoics speak that divine Power which directs Man's Free-will follows him diligently through every part of his Duty Regulates his Knowledge and his Courage and hinders the one from falling into Injury and the other into Knavery 1. This I take to be the first and most important meaning of the Word Honour as it is an inward Principle of Action and depends wholly upon ones self 2. There is another signification of this Word Honour as it depends upon other People and is something of the same Nature with Reputation but above it Reputation is esteem from supposed Excellencies when we say such an one is reputed so and so Honour is Praise Respect Veneration upon a clear Knowledge a certainty of such Excellencies and when this is given by many Men it is call'd Glory so that Honour is twofold inward or outward But the last depends chiesly upon the Persons that are to bestow it The outward Honour which is truly Valuable is the Image of inward Honour reflected back in the Applause of Good and Wise Men upon a Man's observing faithfully the true end of Life and making always a right use of those Powers by which he excells all other Creatures in following impartial Reason by steady Virtue what ever Dangers threaten or Pleasures slatter Thus Cicero who understood this very well though he was a little too forward to help himself to it tells us that Glory which is of the same Nature with Honour though of a larger Extent is * Gloria est solida quaedam res expressa non adumbrata ca est consentiens laus honorum incorrupta vox bene Judicantium de excellente Virtute Tuscul. Quest. lib. 3. something of substance like solid Imagery not the slight shadowing of fading Colours 't is the concurrent praise of Good Men the impartial Verdict of such as are able Judges of Excellent Virtue So that where there is excellent Virtue for the Foundation on the one side and where Men are qualified with Knowlege and Integrity on the other the Honour which is given by such is solid and lasting like the Statues of the Gods and all other no better than the slight daubing of fading Colours which decays immediately But because the love of Honour includes the fear of Dishonour and no Man can be desirous of Praise but he must have a proportionable Aversion to Disgrace it will be necessary also to observe from whence this comes this must be from acting quite contrary to what was said above from forsaking the true end of Life from refusing to follow Reason by Virtue and deserting it wilfully to obey Vice the result of this is first inward Disgrace when the Soul abhors it self and hates the sight of its own folly and this when known becomes outward Disgrace which truly consists in the concurrent dispraise of good Men But then we should take notice that though this is a great Evil and though a Man may happen to fall into it yet he may recover his Reputation or Honour again by taking the contrary Course and following of his Reason by Virtue and that the sooner because good Men upon whose Verdict Disgrace depends will be always ready to acquit others of blame upon reasonable Grounds and glad to believe and proclaim their change If this then be an Account of Honour how can it be pretended that it shou'd ever require a Man to Murther himself for first as to inward Honour if this be an Elevation of the Soul rais'd upon a just sense of the Advantages which Man has above other Creatures in the Powers of Knowledge and Free-will and the excellent end which they are given for and if it be a firm Resolution of pursuing that End What can be more contradictory to this than Self-murther What can it signifie to Man to have such Preheminences nay to be made to any purpose at all if the noblest Principle in his Nature shou'd teach him to decline that purpose if that which was plac'd in him to support and improve his Being shou'd require him not to be at all Again if Honour be the generous disdain of whatever is Terrible or Dangerous in the way to our performing the true end of Life and if it is always in a good Man's Power to perform this End What Circumstances can be of such
this rich Furniture All the Walls here are hung with Liberty Do you see that Iron Chest There 's Liberty in the bottom of it Do you remember such a Diamond or such a Locket In how small a compass does great Liberty lie Tou toyl Day and Night to satisfie your Creditors You must be a Slave to the Ingratitude of such a false Friend or the Extortion of this and that Vsurer when Providence has plac'd Liberty so very near you that no more is requir'd but to stretch out your Hand to accept of it I do not doubt but this would seem very strange to any honest Man and yet where things are equally unsawful the Case is the same Humane Life is God's own Propriety 't is entrusted to Man only for a certain End and therefore he has no more Liberty to destroy it than to break any Trust or commit any Act of Injustice whatsoever and Nature's having put it into our Power to go out of Life when and how we please is no more an Argument that we may lawfully do so than her putting it into our Power to Steal Ravish or Murther any one else There must certainly then be some great Mistakes in this matter and therefore in order to discover them and shew how inconsistent Self-murther is with true Liberty if rightly understood Let us suppose this Pretence to be drawn up in this or the like manner Liberty is one of the most Glorious Attributes of God Man is said to be like God in respect of this Particularly and therefore nothing ought to be more dear to him than his Liberty If this be so then when this Liberty is lost by any great Calamity it must be extreme Cowardice or extreme Dulness to drag about a Decrepit Body or an Afflicted Mind and to chuse to continue poorly under this Slavery when God and Nature still leave him so much Liberty as to set his Soul Free whenever he pleases Observe The Word Liberty here is a very doubtful Term having several Significations the using of which promiscuously occasions great Obscurity and Confusion which are the chief Advantages of this Pretence Sometimes it signifies that Liberty which Man has over his own Actions by the freedom of his Will Sometimes it signifies the Liberty of the Body as well as the Mind and these two as likewise the Slavery which regards each of these are often us'd the one for the other Sometimes again Liberty signifies some Authority or Power which Man is suppos'd to have to destroy himself in some particular Circumstances though he be ty'd up in all others Lastly it signifies that Ease or Freedom from any Trouble Grief or Pain which the Soul is suppos'd to be let out into by Self-murther according to which several Significations I will consider 1. That Liberty which is deriv'd from God to Man in what Respects Man is like God in the freedom of his Will and as to the Power which he has over his own Actions and show that Self-murther is not warranted by such Liberty 2. I will shew the difference between the Liberty and Slavery of the Soul and Body and inquire whether any Evil which oppresses the Body can be destructive to the Liberty of the Soul 3. That no Man upon the Account of any Calamity particularly upon Account of any extreme Sickness or Pain has any Liberty or Authority to destroy himself 4. That by so doing the Soul instead of enjoying any Liberty wou'd fall into a State of utmost Slavery I. As to the Liberty which is deriv'd from God to Man 'T was said that this is one of the most Glorious Attributes of God and that in this Respect it is that Man is particularly like him God is absolutely Free for he is Infinite Infinity must be perfect Liberty because nothing can be more Free than that which has no Bounds And yet the Liberty of infinite Power is always attended with infinite Wisdom and infinite Goodness without these Almighty Liberty wou'd be only Dreadful but these make it the Ground of our Trust and Confidence and render it Adorable wherefore if we consider God not only in his Essenoe but also in his Works since every Work of his must be to some excellent End or other the means he huses to Act by must also be most Excellent and that particular kind of Method if I may so speak which he observes for the bringing what he intends to pass must be a kind of Rule or Law to him He cannot do otherwise than he does because what he does is the Effect of infinite Wisdom measur'd by the rectitude of his own Perfection and therefore always best Yet this sets no Bounds to his Liberty because it is impossible that he shou'd ever will to do otherwise than only just as he does and he who always does whatever he wills must remain always Free But Man's Liberty is very different as he is a finite Creature it can be perfect only according to its measure and that measure must be proportionable to his particular Nature Now the Nature of Man consists of a Rational Soul and Body his Liberty therefore must be twofold that which regards the Soul or that which regards the Body As to the first which is our present Subject this must be according to the chief Faculties of the Soul Knowledge and Will Man's Will is free it has the full Power or Liberty to Act without any Necessity or Compulsion but since this Will can act only according to what Man knows it being impossible that any one should will any thing whereof he has no Knowledge the extent of humane Liberty must be proportionable to humane Knowledge Again the Objects of humane Knowledge as it concerns Mans Actions are moral Good or Evil and the Freedom of Man's Will lies in choosing the one and refusing the other Now â—…ince humane Knowledge is not only of small Extent but liable to Errour and to mistake Good and Evil since also there are several Passions and Appetites which are apt to further this mistaking God has sixt such Principles in Man as represent the Method of his own Acting and are self evident whereâ—…ore Man's likeness unto God does not consist in the boundleâ—…s Liberty of his Will but in his Wills being conformable to the Will of God and then is his Will chiefly so when it concurrs with those first Principles or Laws of Nature above-mentioned That is follows readily his Reason by Virtue Yet still this is no lessening or restraining of Man's Natural Liberty Infinite Liberty observes some measures for the attaining the Ends of Infinite Wisdom the measures which are here given to Man to walk by are the same with those they â—…re the Marks and Bounds of what is fit and just they represent the Method of God's own Acting as I said before and good Method always promotes the End it is concern'd about it is the nearest and the plainest way to it and therefore wou'd be the choice of
every wise Man and what is choice must be wholly consistent with Liberty these Principles by reason of their Divine Original and their Natural sorce and energy are frequently called theCommandmenâ—… of God even without regard to Revelation the Obedience to which has been Celebrated by Philosophers as the greatest and noblest Liberty Thus one * Philo Judaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us That to serve God is not only better than Liberty but than Empire it self †Another crys out and he was a Slave too No one can have pretence to any Authority over me now I am made free by God I have learnt his Commandments 't is not in the Power of any thing upon Earth to enstave me If it be said that these very Men tell us that ‖ Arâ—…iani â—…pictet lib. 4. cap. 1. Item Cicero Paradoxon 5. Liberty is the Living how we Will By the Word Will they always meant the * Tuscul. Quaest. lib. 4. Voluntas est quae quid cum ratione desidrat quae autem adversa Ratione incitata vehementius ea libido est Rational Will the Irrational vehemency of it they called Lust the doing what one lists thus Cicero in the Place above Who is he that lives as he will but he that follows that which is right and rejoyces in his Duty Let us first will what we ought and then we may safely do what we will but to follow every first Impulse every 〈◊〉 of hasty Passion under the pretence of being free always ends in lowest Slavery for if we consider those who refuse being directed by any Natural Notions of Good and Evil or to be obliged by any first Principles or Laws of Nature while they are so nice of their Liberty as to refuse any Rule or Guidance How many severe Tyrants do they blindly submit to Though like some Lunaticks in the midst of their Chains they fancy themselves Sovereign Princes Can any Man pretend to be Free while his Reason is made to Serve And does it not serve most basely in such People at the beck of every Lust and Passion is it not forc'd to fetch and carry in more and more of the vicious Object to be drudging always to Sensation to provide to glut this or that Appetite or to administer to this or that Passion this is the glorious End of that Liberty of following their own Reason which is so much affected by many People who will be riding over Hedge and Ditch rather than be impos'd upon by a beaten Road and throw away their Rudder and their Compass in order to Sail freely Arbitrary Power which is so universally hated is nothing but Lawless Liberty of Acting When Princes usurp this we call 'em Tyrants and yet what we abhor in our Governours we admire in our selves When alas if it be usurpt by particular Persons they fall into worse slavery than Kingdoms do Both are preserv'd free not by being without any Law at all but by acting steadily according to such Laws as are the Dictates of right Reason There is a remarkable Passage in * In his Treatise to prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo Judaeus to this purpose As among Cities such as are rul'd by the Arbitrary Will of one or few Men fall into Slavery whereas such as have Laws for their Guardians and Governours continue free So it is among particular Men as many as Anger Covetousness or any other Passion rules over are all Slaves but as many as are Govern'd by Law are Free I mean the unerring Law of right Reason not such as is imprinted by this or that Man on Lifeless Paper it self Lifeless but that which is Eternal and engraven upon Man's Immortal Mind by the Divine Immortal Nature Wherefore I cannot but wonder as he goes on at the Stupidity of some dull Wretches who will grant that whole great Citties such as Athens and Lacedaemon preserve their Liberty only by observing the Laws of Solon and Lycurgus and yet will not allow that wise Men may preserve theirs while they obey right Reason which is the Ground of all Law What this Excellent Author calls Stupidity and Dulness is to be met withal very commonly now a days among the greatest pretenders to Wit Sense and Integrity and most confident Asserters of humane Liberty nor indeed have there been Creatures of this kind wanting in any Age. The Speech which the Tribune Duronius made to the common People of Rome upon the occasion of the Senates proposing some sumptuary Laws to restrain the extravagant Luxury of Entertainments argues the same noble Zeal * Valer. Maximus lib. 2. cap. 4. Romans says he we are now come to have Bridles put upon us which are not to be endur'd you are ty'd and fetter'd in bitter Bonds of Servitude The Senate are passing a Law to force you to be Frugal but let us abrogate this old rusty Imposition for what signifies Liberty if a Man may not perish by Luxury if he thinks sitting This was an admirable Advocate for one sort of Self-destruction what the rest say is built upon the very same Grounds and amounts in effect but to this Who has the Property of my Life but my self And what does Property signifie if I may not have the Liberty to do what I will with my own The first of these has been shewn at large to be a mistake and then it must follow of course that the latter is so But certainly no two things in the World have ever been so much mistaken as Liberty and Property as these are the tumultuous crys of the Rabble in disorder'd Governments so are they the loud Pretences of wild Passions in Irregular Men He that desires what he cannot nay ought not to obtain calls all Opposition be it never so just to those desires Slavery and the breaking through this Opposition though by ways never so unjust he calls Liberty Thus Men of free thought that is who despise any Rule or Guide to think by must needs despise any Rule to act by and consequently break all Laws Divine and Humane But if this is Liberty then how hard is it that Flames shou'd ever be abridged of their Natural Liberty or that the Freedom of any Deluge shou'd be restrain'd by Banks or Shores these wou'd not have worse Effects in the greater Worid than the other has in the less for not to nuâ—…ber up all the Inconveniences which the Publick suffers from these free thinking Gentlemen what does this Liberty end in at last as to themselves but in Gouts Palsies Rheumatisms c. as to one part of their fancied Property and in Shame Anxiety Fury and Despair as to the other till at last being weary of a Life which they have so miserably misus'd they as miserably destroy it That which has made me say so much upon this Head is that this pretence is the Ground of most other Crimes as well as Self-murther But to sum up what has been said and to apply it