ing others not to offend, is of eminent service to the community-I am astonished that Mr. H. fhould afk, "can 66 any reason be imagined why he may "not anticipate his punishment ?" and affert, that " he invades the bu"finess of providence no more than "the magistrate did who ordered his "execution;" and that "his voluntary "death is equally advantageous to fo"ciety." It is an unparalleled outrage at once upon common fenfe, the laws, and the religion of his country." We may now, I believe, venture. to conclude, notwithstanding all which Mr. H. has faid to the contrary, that fuicide is a breach of our duty to our neighbour. LET. LET LET: VII. LETTER VII. L ET us confider, in the last place, whether fuicide be not a breach of that duty we owe to ourselves. On ' this head Mr. H. is fhort, and therefore we need not be long. The argument lies in a narrow compass. Man is fubject to mifery, and fuicide is the way to escape it. P. 20. "That fuicide may often be "confiftent with intereft, and with "our duty to ourselves, no one can queftion, who allows, that age, "fickness, or misfortune, may render "life a burthen, and make it worfe "even than annihilation." That That they "annihilation," is not the general VII. opinion, because, however afflicted, few feem difpofed to chufe annihilation, (if they thought they could obtain it) in preference. That the calamities of human life are many and great, there is neither room nor occafion to difpute. They have employed the pens of poets, orators, and hiftorians, from age to age. They are frequently, without doubt, "a "burthen. " But the burthen has often been borne; and what has been done, may be done again. It is laid upon us by our fins, and is no more than we deferve; therefore it ought to be borne patiently. It will last but for a little while; therefore it fhould be borne cheerfully. Through the mercies of a Saviour, it will ter make it worse than LET. VII. LET. minate in everlasting felicity; and therefore it fhould be borne joyfully. This is the ground upon which we stand. These are the principles by which we abide. Admit them, they folve every difficulty, and difperfe every cloud. Through the valley of the fhadow of death they open a fair and lovely prospect, extending far and wide beyond it. At their prefence forrow brightens into joy, light arifes in darkness, and the mafs of human wretchedness melts away before it, like the morning mift upon the mountains. If the philofophers poffefs any principles that are better, and better founded, let them be communicative; if not, let them embrace these with us, and not be faithlefs, but believingWhoever they may be of them that read this, Almoft, I think, they are, at the VII. the moment, perfuaded to be Chrif- LET. tians-Would to God that every one who reads it, might become not only almost, but altogether fuch! If, on the other hand, unhappily feduced by the fubtlety and fophiftry of Mr. H. men determine to adopt what he calls his philofophy, that is, to doubt concerning the immortality of the fou!, the refurrection of the body, and a future ftate of rewards and punishments; whether there be any providence, concerning itfelf with human affairs; and whether the world be governed by a good or an evil Being, or by any Being at all- then may they, with Mr. H. esteem suicide "to be no crime, but the only way " in which we can be useful to focie cr ty, by fetting an example, which, "if imitated, would preferve to every |