n by another, for the sake of the good of virtue, and that
he may avoid sin. But that a man take his own life in order to avoid
penal evils has indeed an appearance of fortitude (for which reason
some, among whom was Razias, have killed themselves thinking to act
from fortitude), yet it is not true fortitude, but rather a weakness
of soul unable to bear penal evils, as the Philosopher (Ethic. iii,
7) and Augustine (De Civ. Dei 22, 23) declare.
_______________________

SIXTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 64, Art. 6]

Whether It Is Lawful to Kill the Innocent?

Objection 1: It would seem that in some cases it is lawful to kill
the innocent. The fear of God is never manifested by sin, since on
the contrary "the fear of the Lord driveth out sin" (Ecclus. 1:27).
Now Abraham was commended in that he feared the Lord, since he was
willing to slay his innocent son. Therefore one may, without sin,
kill an innocent person.

Obj. 2: Further, among those sins that are committed against one's
neighbor, the more grievous seem to be those whereby a more grievous
injury is inflicted on the person sinned against. Now to be killed is
a greater injury to a sinful than to an innocent person, because the
latter, by death, passes forthwith from the unhappiness of this life
to the glory of heaven. Since then it is lawful in certain cases to
kill a sinful man, much more is it lawful to slay an innocent or a
righteous person.

Obj. 3: Further, what is done in keeping with the order of justice is
not a sin. But sometimes a man is forced, according to the order of
justice, to slay an innocent person: for instance, when a judge, who
is bound to judge according to the evidence, condemns to death a man
whom he knows to be innocent but who is convicted by false witnesses;
and again the executioner, who in obedience to the judge puts to
death the man who has been unjustly sentenced.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ex. 23:7): "The innocent and just
person thou shalt not put to death."

_I answer that,_ An individual man may be considered in two ways:
first, in himself; secondly, in relation to something else. If we
consider a man in himself, it is unlawful to kill any man, since in
every man though he be sinful, we ought to love the nature which God
has made, and which is destroyed by slaying him. Nevertheless, as
stated above (A. 2) the slaying of a sinner becomes lawful in
relation to the common good, which is corrupted by sin. On the other
hand the