The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
A God man (ſaith Salomon) is mercifull or regardfull of the life of his beaſt, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell.Pro. 2.10 Hee according to the wiſdome that God had given him, gives it as a note and token of a godly and good man, to have a tenden care and due regard of his beaſt, and that not only in preſerving him in life to have his being, but in keeping him in heart and good likeing, to have (in his kinde) a welbeing alſo, from his Maſters mercifull, and wiſe uſage of him. As firſt to give him his due allowance of paſture and fodder, Hey and Provender, and that in due ſeaſon, with other tending and dreſſing, according to his nature and condition in due order, which is all the wages that the poore dumbe creature doth require of his maſter, for his worke and labour. Secondly, to moderate his hour and his toyle, his travell and his paines, propo…ioning his burthen to his ſtrength, and his labour to his power and ability to performe it; not to overcharge him for his profit, nor overtoyle and tyre him out for his pleaſure, much leſſe to ſpend his ſpirits, and breath, and life and all, to ſerve his luſt and vaine humour. Thirdly, not to be fierce and furious, cruell and violent, in immoderate ſtriking and beating, ſpurring and ſpurgalling, ſeutching and laſhing, whipping and ſcourging, as Balaam in his raging paſſion, did beat his Aſſe three times becauſe hee croſt his deſire and cruſht his foot, and wiſhed alſo that hee had a Sword in his hand, that hee might have ſlaine her therewithall. Theſe things, and this example I could wiſh, and doe much deſire, that divers of our Gentlemen, and others alſo, would well and wiſely conſider of, who in their riding and running,Ambroſ. in Pſal. 118. Ser. 5. racing, and chaſing for their recreation, as they terme it, ſhew as little compaſſion to their Horſe, as Balaam did to his Aſſe, and oftentimes either for their vaine pleaſures and humour, or for winning their wager, and ſo for filthy lucre, doe moſt cruelly, as well as fooliſhly, ſpend the breath, and ſpill the life of the beaſts they ride on,2 Pet. 2.16 and indanger their owne limbes, and lives alſo therewithall. Certainly if the dumb Aſſe ſpeaking with mans voice reproved the fooliſhneſſe of the Prophet, for his cruell dealing with her in ſuch rage and paſſion, and ſo ſharpe correction, he having no good warrant for his way, nor good intention in the end of it,Num. 22.23.30. ſhe having beene ſerviceable unto him at other times, and now falling under him onelyonly for feare of the Angell that ſtood in the way, with a drawne ſword in his hand, ready to kill him: Mee thinkes theſe Gentlemens Horſes being ſo groſly abuſed ſhould likewiſe rebuke the fiercnes and fooliſhnes of their maſters, if not by mans voice, yet by the voices of their grievous grones which they may heare from them, when being over-rid, paſt their ſtrength and breath, their hearts are ready to breake and to burſt under them. If our enemies Aſſe were lying under his burden, though we beare no good affection to the Maſter, yet muſt we ſhew ſome compaſſion to the creature,Exo. 23.5. we muſt (as we are able) relieve him and help him up: and is it not then both ſinfull, and ſhamefull, to lay ſuch burdens on our owne beaſts, or wilfully to force them to ſuch labour and paines, as the powers of nature, and ſtrength of their bodies cannot beare, nor anſwer, but by yeelding up their lives, together with their labours and ſorrowes into our mercileſſe and cruell hands? O that we could hearken to the voice of Chriſt, and learne of our Heavenly Father,Luc. 6.36. Pſa. 36.6. to bee mercifull as he is mercifull, whoſe bleſted example might teach us to be mercifull both to man and beaſt, ſeeing in the ſparing of Ninevie, his compaſſions were extended not onelyonly to the many thouſand children which were amongſt them,Druſ. in Ion. c. 4.11. but alſo to the beaſts and multitude of cattle, which were there about them. Should I not ſpare Ninevie that great city, Ion. 4.11.wherein are more than ſix ſcore thouſand perſons, that cannot diſcern betwixt their right hand and their left, and alſo much cattell. Such mercy in ſome meaſure did Iacob ſhew (in his journey towards mount Seir) not onelyonly to his children being young and tender, but to his flocks and heards alſo; that he would not over-drive them one day, leſt the flocke ſhould die;Gen. 33.13, 14. I will lead on ſoftly (ſaith he) as the cattle that goeth before me, and the children ſhall be able to endure. A good rule for our horſe-racers, rank riders, and hot-ſpurre hunters (if they have grace to follow it) in all their recreations and purſuit of their pleaſures, to meaſure their actions, and moderate their paſſions by; that as they may and ought to have a care, to charge no burden upon their children, but ſuch as they may well beare, ſo they may not over-draw, nor over-drive their beaſts for one day, nor put them to any toyle or travell, but that which they are well able to indure.