Doubt II: Whether, to avoid a sin or another evil, it is lawful to kill oneself

Without doubt, D. Augustine teaches that this is not licit, primo de civitate, cap. 25. et 27., and D. Bonavent. ad 12. Ioan., where with the same D. Augustine, tract. 51. in Ioannem, he condemns the Donatists, who killed themselves in detestation of sin, and on this account gloried that they would soon be redeemed with the crown of Martyrdom.

Nor is this licit in order to avoid rape. For so the most valiant Lucia said: Si me feceris violari, castitas duplicabitur ad coronam. Therefore S. Bonavent. describes her as most valiant in sermonibus. On the contrary, D. Augustine, 1. de civitate, cap. 19., reproves the Roman Lucretia as pusillanimous, because she killed herself lest she succumb to the adultery of the violating Tarquin. Yet Bassaeus says that she, and others, can be excused on account of invincible ignorance; and the deed of S. Apollonia is excused by many, and he brings forward many in Diana part. 6. tract. 7. Resol. 47. But that one is justified by the Church.

But he praises rather allowing oneself to be killed by one willing to violate, in order to decline the danger of consent; for we are held to allow life rather to be snatched away than to sin against God, as the Saintly Doctor argues in the place cited: Qui amat animam suam, perdet eam, et qui perdiderit animam suam propter me, inveniet eam, And it is the common opinion