Wisdom from the Apostolic Fathers: Justin the Martyr

Greetings,

In this post, I will be continuing my series highlighting the wisdom from the Apostolic Fathers.  Today, I will be featuring some wise words from Justin the Martyr, a Church Father who lived in the second century.  In his Second Apology, directed towards the Roman Senate, he deals with a wide majority of topics (suicide, legal issues dealing with Christians in Roman society, etc...).  In his fourth chapter of this work, titled "Why the Christians do not kill themselves", he states...    

"But lest some one say to us, "Go then all of you and kill yourselves, and pass even not to God, and do not trouble us," I will tell you why we do not do so, but why, when examined, we fearlessly confess.  We have been taught that God did not make the world aimlessly, but for the sake of the human race; and we have before stated that He takes pleasure in those who imitate His properties, and is displeased with those that embrace what is worthless either in word or deed.  If, then, we all kill ourselves we shall become the cause, as far as in us lies, why no one should be born, or instructed in the divine doctrines, or even why the human race should not exist; and we shall, if we so act, be ourselves acting in opposition to the will of God."    

In closing, let these words fill your mind: "Almighty and everlasting God, who found your martyr Justin Wandering from teacher to teacher, seeking the true God, and revealed to him the sublime wisdom of your eternal Word: Grant that all who seek you, or a deeper knowledge of you, may find and be found by you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." (http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/175.html)