The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 555

but they are paid without stint sooner or later; the fatal conser:tuences mr,y not always equally appear, bnL they never fail in some form or other." 2. Altho1wh inflicted by the free act of man, it is not less the result of the operation of retribnti~e justice. "Saul took tho sword and fell upon it;" bnt he "died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord ; therefore the Lord slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David, the son of Jesse" (1 Chron. x. 14). 3. The operation of the law of retribution, so manifest in history and to observation, shows the evil of sin in the sight of God, and is a solemn warning against its indulgence. Even repentance may come too late to avert its consequences in this life. "Look to thyself then, deal with sin no more, Lest he that saves, against thee shuts the door" (Bunyan). II. SELF-WILL NATURALLY CULMINATES IN SELF-DESTI\UCTION. All self-will, in oppo- sition to the will of God, is a self-injury (Prov. viii. 36); and not leHs so because tlia sinner seeks what he falsely imagines to be for his good. Its tendency is ever towards destruction, and, unless checked in its course, it infallibly conducts to that end. It is a special and aggravated form of it when, in order to escape the misery and shame which are experienced or expected, he directly and voluntarily takes away his own life. Suicide is-1. Contrary to the natural instinct of self-preservation and a properly enlightened and re,;-ulated self-love. 2. An act of iinfaithfulness to tlie trust that is committed to man by God in the bestowment of life, and of refusal to fulfil the duties that he has ordained in life, which ca.nnot be rightly surrendered or left without his consent nor until the time he has appointed. "Pytha.goras forbids us to abandon the station or post of life without the orders of our commander, that is, of God" (Cicero). " 'Why do I tarry on earth, anti not hasten hence to come to- you?' 'Not so, my son,' he replied; 'unless that God, whose temple is all this which you behold, shall liberate you from the imprisonment of the body, you can have no admission to this place'" (' Scipio's Dream'). 3. An act of cowardice in the presence of real or imaginary evils, whatever reckless bravery it may exhibit with respect to death and that which lies beyond. "To die and thus avoid poverty, or love, or anything painful is not the part of a brave man, but rather of u coward : for it is cowardice to avoid trouble; and the suicide does not undergo death becau~e it is honourable, but in order to avoid evil" (Aristotle,' Ethics,' book vii. eh. 7). In Saul it was "the act of completed despair." 4. Expressly prohibited by the Divine command: "Thou shalt not kill." In accordance with this Paul said to the Philip- pian gaoler, when "he would have killed himself," "Do thyself no harm l' (Acts xvi. 28). 5. Virtually forbidden by all the exhortations of the New Testament to endure affliction with patience and submission to the will of God. "Suicide is the result of impatience" (see Paley, 'Mor. Phil.,' book iv. eh. 3). 6. lnjitrioits to- others in many ways : inflicting much distress, teaching pernicious lessons, setting a, bad example. It is "as unfavourable to human talents and resources as it is to• human virtues. We should never have dreamt of the latent power and energy of our nature but for the strugg·lt1 of great minds with great afflictions, nor known the limits of ourselves nor man's dominion over fortune. What would the world now have been if it had always been said, Because the archers smite me sore, and the battle goeth against me, I will die?'' (Sydney Smith). 7. Condemned by the ex- ample of good men, who have borne the heaviest calamities with holy courage, and sanctioned only by evil men, like Ahithophel and Judas. How far, indeed, Saul was in full possession of his faculties and responsible for his act, or what was his final destiny, is not stated. "It is evident that more arguments may be gathered of his condemnation than of his salvation ; yet because nothing is expressly set down touching his state before God, it is better to leave it" (Willet). "0 mortal men ! be wary how ye judge: For we, who see our Maker, know not yet The number of the chosen " (' Par.' xx. ). •• There appears to be but one efficient means by which the mind can be armed against the temptations to suicide, because there is but one th~t can support it ngainst eve,r.g. 568 THE ltJRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [err. XXXI. 1-HI