The Creatures Goodness, Sermon 2
Proverb. 20.10.
The righteous Man regardeth the life of his Beaſt.
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ACcording to the Hebrew 'tis, A righteous Man knows, that is, regardeth, taketh care of the life of his Beaſt.
If on the one hand we conſider the great commendations, which the Holy Scriptures give of diverſe of the bruit and unreaſonable Creatures, together with God's great care of, and coſt, about them, himſelf, and his charge, and laws to Men, concerning them: And on the other hand compare therewith Men's vilifying, diſregarding, abuſing of them: It may ſeem not unreaſonable nor unprofitable to beſtow one lecture about them, namely for this end, to inſtruct and teach Men, who have a right to uſe them, how to uſe them aright, to make them good Lords to thoſe good Servants. As he that rules over tnen muſt be juſt, ſo he that is Lord over theſe bruit Creatures muſt not be cruel towards them. As God will require the life of a Man of the Beaſt that ſlayeth him,Gen. 9.5. Ex. 21.29. the Beaſt ſhall be put to death. So will God call Men to accompt for the lives of their Beaſts, if they be cruel unto them. For my own part, I would not when my Lord cometh, be found cauſeleſly, or cruelly beating, or miſuſing theſe my Servants and my fellow Servants.
From the words we may obſerve,
1. That Man hath a Right and Title to the Beaſts of the Earth; and that not only in common, but each Man hath a particular Right and Propriety in them. The righteous Man regardeth the life of his Beaſt.
2. That a good or righteous Man is good or merciful to his Beaſt.
3. That unrighteous or wicked Men are unmerciful or cruel to their Beaſts.
I. Pſal. 8.6, 7.Of the Firſt. God the ſoveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Maker of Man and Beaſt, hath made him Lord over the Beaſts; he hath put them all under his hand, or under his feet.Gen. 1.25.26, 28. He that made the Beaſt of the Earth after his kind, and Cattel after their kind, made Man alſo after his own Image, and gave him dominion over the Fiſh of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, and over the Cattel, and over all the Earth, and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth. God indeed made theſe Creatures, and all things elſe, for his own glory; but in order thereunto he made theſe to be our Servants:Gen. 2.19, 20. And therefore we find that God aſſembled before Adam all the Beaſts of the field, to ſee what he would call them;Gen. 5.2. Luk. 1.62, 63. And his giving Names to them, was a part and proof of his Dominion or Lordſhip over them. At firſt 'tis thought, that Mans Dominion over the Creatures, the Fiſhes of the Sea (the great Whales not excepted) and over the Fowls of Heaven, was like that of the Centurion which he had over his Souldiers: He might ſay to one Go and he goeth, and to another Come and he cometh, and to a third Do this, Luk. 7.8.and he doth it. They were all ready to come and go at his word of Command: And this was the Language of their Obedience to Adam their Lord, Lo we are all thy Servants. Before Sin came into the lower World, Adam commanded without rigour, and they obeyed with obediential reverence and readineſs, without the leaſt force or compulſion. And ſince the fall, God, hath (in a great meaſure) renewed our forfeited Charter, and Men have been able by force or art to ſubdue and govern over the greater & wilder ſort of Beaſts, ſuch as Elephants, Lyons, Leopards, Bears, Tygres,Plin. Hiſt. B. 8. C. 2. &c. Elephants have been brought ſo far under Mans yoke, as to be yoked together to draw a Chariot, and in ſome places to draw the Plough, if we will believe Pliny. But behold a more ſure word of Prophecy, St. James tells us Chap. 3. V. 7. That every kind of Beaſts, and of Birds, and of Serpents, and things in the Sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. As if he had ſaid, It was not ſo only before the Fall; or by miracle, as the Whale not hurting Jonah, Jonah 2. Dan. 6.but caſting him up on dry Land; and the Lyons not hurting Daniel, though caſt into their Den to be devour'd by them; or that all the Creatures came tamely to Noah into the Ark; but as if he had ſaid, Nothing is ſo violent and noxious by Nature, but humane art and induſtry hath made it ſerviceable to Mans uſe: For inſtances and ſtories, ſaith D. Manton in Loc. Interpreters abound in them; How Lyons have been tamed and brought to hunt as Dogs, or draw the Chariot as Horſes, you may ſee Pliny in his Natural Hiſtory Lib. 8. C. 16. and Aelian. Lib. 15. C. 14. How Birds have been taught; you may ſee Plin. Lib. 10. C. 42. and Macrob. Lib. 2. Saturnal. C. 10. Of Elephants, Lipſius Gen. 1. Epiſt…. 50. And although we are told by D. Cowel, that wild Beaſts, Birds, Fiſhes, by the Law of Nature, are not the goods of any one particular perſon; yet, he that firſt gets the poſſeſſion of them, by the Law of Nature hath a Title to them. And as for the tamer Creatures, we have a right to them ordinarily, either by Deſcent, as Heirs to our Parents; or by Donation, as free gift; or by purchaſe; or elſe as found when loſt, or gotten in, or by means of a lawful War from an Enemy. And ſo it may be ſaid of any particular perſon, though but a private Man, (who is by any of theſe lawful means, Poſſeſſour of the Beaſts) as God ſaith of King Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 27.5, 6.I have given him the Beaſts of the Field alſo to ſerve him. For God made the Earth, the Man and the Beaſts, that are upon the ground, by his great Power, and his ſtretched out Arm; and giveth it to whom it ſeemeth meet unto him. Though God be the ſoveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth, and all that therein is, yet the Earth hath he given to the Children of Men. He made Man to have dominion over the works of his hands; He hath put all things under his feet; Pſal. 8.7, 8.All Sheep and Oxen, yea and the Beaſts of the Field; the Fowl of the Air, and the Fiſh of the Sea, and whatſoever paſseth through the paths of the Seas. From God, Lord Paramount of all, we have a good …tle to, and a propriety in, theſe Creatures.Iſa. 1.3. The Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Aſs his Maſters Crib. God having granted and thus ſetled property in particular perſons to the Beaſts of the Earth, 'tis not in the power of Men or Devils, but by Gods Commiſſion or Permiſſion (at leaſt) to alter or overthrow it. The Devil could not touch Job's Sheep or Camels, without leave firſt had & obtained. And as for Man God hath made a hedge about every Man's Cattel by the Eighth Commandment, Thou ſhalt not ſteal; And to keep him far from ſuch an evil Matter, he forbids in the X. Commandment ſo much as to covet or deſire our Neighbours Oxe, or his Aſs, or any thing that is our Ne…ghbours.
And now is it ſo, that we have a Right to and Authority over the bruit Creatures, yet let us be cautioned againſt abuſing or miſuſing of them. Say not in your hearts, Our Beaſts are our own, who is Lord over us? May we not do what we will with our own? and doth God take care for Oxen? May we not rather wiſh with Balaam, that there were a Sword in our hands to ſlay them when they ſtop or ſtart aſide, ſince they are our own? May we not rather ſay to them, Our Fathers made your yoke heavy, but our little finger ſhall be heavier than our Fathers loins? To ſuch abſurd and unreaſonable Men I ſhall oppoſe the reproof, which the Aſs gave to his Maſter Balaam, Num. 22.28.What have I done to thee, that thou haſt ſmitten me theſe three times? And again the reproof of the Angel, V. 32. Wherefore haſt thou ſmitten thine Aſs theſe three times? Although God hath given us a Right to the bruit Creatures, and a Dominion over them; yet 'tis with ſubordination to himſelf and his Laws; yet 'tis with certain limitations and reſtrictions. We are Lords over them, 'tis true; but we muſt not play the Tyrants over them. The Iſraelites, God's own People, had a good Title to their Beaſts or Cattel, and yet he bound them to their good behaviour towards them by ſundry Laws and Rules in reference to them. They might not deal with them as they pleaſed, as to their meat. Thou ſhalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Cori…. Nor as to their work, neither for the time when they ſhould work, nor for the manner of their working. Thou ſhalt keep the Sabbath-day, that thy Oxe and thy Aſs may rest as well as thou. And again, Thou ſhalt not plough with an Oxe and Aſs. God gave Man the Beaſts and other living Creatures for food, but yet with this condition, provided always they did not eat Membriun de vivo, not like ſalvage. Beaſts tear and eat of living Creatures, whiles the life was in them, but that they ſhould firſt kill them, and pour out their blood before they eat them. Ariſe, kill, and eat. Kill firſt, and then eat. Nor were they at liberty in all things as to their cooking, or dreſſing of them. Thou ſhalt not ſeeth a Kid in his Mothers milk. God moſt wiſe, moſt merciful would have his People not only abhominate all cruelty to the bruit Creatures, but even to abſtain from all appearance of it. And that he might teach them mercy by his own example, that they might be merciful to the bruit Creatures as their Father in Heaven is merciful, He ordained them to be offered up upon his Altar, but not till they were firſt ſlain, and their blood in which their life is, was poured out, at the foot of it. God would have no Sacrifice no not of a Beaſt to be burnt alive upon his Altar.
Accordingly a good Man, who is the Child of God and Image of God, the work of his Heavenly Father he will do; he will be mild, gentle, merciful, not only to Brethren, Neighbours, and Strangers, but even to the bruit Creatures, ſo ſaith the Text, A good Man, a righteous Man, is merciful to his Beaſt.
1. He takes care of the life of his Beaſts: [Curat animam jumenti ſui, Vatablus] in providing food convenient for them. He gives them their meat in due Seaſon. They do not wander for lack of meat, nor low or complain for lack of ſodder. What God gives him ſor them, that they gather from his hand. If God ſend a Drought and the Fire burn up or devour the Paſtures of the Wilderneſs, ſo that the Beaſts groan, and the heards of Cattel are perplexed, becauſe they have no Paſture; the righteous Man, their Lord and Maſter, ſympathizeth with them, is grieved for them, and modo ſuo, as God for his People, ſo he for his Cattel, in all their afflictions he is afflicted; and therefore when the Beaſts cry unto him, 'tis not in the power of his hand to help them; what doth he but ſtretch out his arms and cry unto God for As 'tis Joel 1.19. O Lord, to thee will I cry, for the Fire hath devoured the Pastures of the Wilderneſs.
2. A good or a righteous Man provides Phyſick for them, I mean Remedies for them, means to cure them when they are amiſs. He doth what he can to prevent, or elſe to remove their ſickneſſes, ails, and maladies. It was a great ſin in Pharaoh that he mattered not the threatning, and ſo did not prevent (by letting Iſrael go) the grievous murrain on the Cattel in the Field, upon the Horſes, upon the Aſſes, upon the Camels, Exod. 9.3.upon the Oxen, and upon the Sheep.
3. A good Man provides Harbour for his Cattel according to their condition, againſt the weather. We read of Jacob that as he built himſelf an Houſe,Gen. 33.17. ſo he made Booths for his Cattel. Yea when God threatned a grievous hail upon Egypt, he commanded them to ſend and gather the Cattel that were in the Field, leſt they ſhould be ſlain with the hail; and the Scripture tells us, He that feared the Word of the Lord amongſt the Servants of Pharaoh,Exod. 9.18 19, 20 made his Servants and his Cattel flee into the Houſes, and he that regarded not the Word of the Lord, left his Servants and his Cattel in the Field.
4. As a good Man takes care for Food, Phyſick, and Harbour for his Cattel, ſo he hath a care not to overwork them. He doth not load, or ride, or drive them beyond what they are able to bear. Hear how careful and tender Jacob was not only of his Children,Gen. 33.13 14 but alſo of his Cattel, My Lord (ſaith he to his Brother Eſau) knows that the Children are tender, and the Flocks and Herds with young are with me, and if Men ſhould overdrive them one day, all the Flock will dy: Let My Lord, I pray thee, paſs over before his Servant, and I will lead on ſoftly, according as the Cattel that goes before me, and the Children are able to endure, &c.
5. He takes care that the weak and tame Beaſts be Kept and Defended from the violence of the ſtrong, wild, and ravenous.1 Sam. 17.34, 35. So David when he kept his Fathers Sheep, in defence of a Lamb or a Kid, ſlew a Lyon and a Bear.
6. He ſeeks them, brings them Home, when they have gone aſtray, and have loſt themſelves. So much may be learnt from the Parable Luke 15.4. where we read, that he that hath 100 Sheep, if he loſe one, will leave the 99 in the Wilderneſs, and go after that which was loſt, until he find it; and when he hath found it, lays it on his ſhoulders, rejoycing. A good Shepheard will gather his Lambs with his arm, will carry them in his boſom, and will gently lead thoſe that are with young, when they are out of the way, and gone aſtray, unto the Fold and to the Flock. Even Saul himſelf when he found a Kingdom,1 Sam 9 20 was buſied in ſeeking his Fathers Aſſes that were loſt.
7. When he is neceſſitated to kill them, he pitties them and doth that office in mercy. He was a Tyrant that ſaid, he would make his Enemy ut ſentiat ſe mori: that he might feel or be ſenſible of dying; And he is but little better that ſhall torment the poor Beaſts, when he puts them to death. A good Man doth not delight in ſlaying the Beaſts, nor doth he ſeek or uſe ways to torment them, 'Tis to the commendation of Mr. Fox, that wrote the Book of Martyrs,F. H. Book 9. pag. 105. what I read of him in Mr. Fuller, namely that he did not uſe to paſs the Slaughter-houſes without ſome ſenſe, grief, or trouble of mind. Macellum ipſum ubi mactantur etiam pecudes vix praetereo, quin tacito quodam doloris ſenſu mens refugiat.
If the Queſtion then ſhould be, what ſay we to hunting of wild Beaſts? Is this cruelty? And may not a good Man delight in ſuch ſport or recreation?
I anſwer, that ſome of the Ancients held it unlawful. S. Hierom obſerves that a Hunter is never taken in a good ſenſe,In Mich. l. 2. c. 5. and that Iſmael and Eſau are Hunters. There's a ſaying alſo of S. Auſtin on the 102. Pſalm, alledged againſt it: Qui venatoribus donant, non homini donant, ſed arti nequiſſimae; nam ſi homo eſſet & venator non eſſet, non donares; honor as in eo vitium, non naturam. But on the other ſide the reverend and learned Mr. Perkins allows for recreation the hunting of wild Beaſts, alledging that place, Take us the Foxes, Cant. 2.15.the little Foxes that ſpoil the Vines. And another late Writer of Caſes of Conſcience ſaith thus, For exerciſes, ſuch ſhould be choſen, as bring publick utility; as the hunting of ſuch Beaſts, as are an annoyance to the Country; ſuch as Foxes, Badgers, Wolves, &c. Aquinas cites Ariſtotle for the lawfulneſs of Hunting, upon this ground or reaſon; becauſe thereby a Man challengeth to himſelf that he hath a right to, by Nature. Venatio Sylveſtrium Animalium eſt juſta & naturalis, quia per eam, Homo vendicat ſibi, quod eſt naturaliter ſuum. Sariburienſis in his Book called Policratic. 500. years ſince, brings Iſaac the Patriarch his practice in ſending his Son Eſau to hunt, to juſtify the lawfulneſs of Hunting.Mr. A. J. And a late judicious and learned Commentator comparing and conſidering the holy Scriptures one place with another, viz. Levit. 17.13. with Prov. 12.27. doth thence conclude that Hunting is lawful; the covering of the blood of the Beaſt taken and killed in Hunting, may imply (according to him) the lawfulneſs of killing the Creatures in this manner: the covering of their blood ſignifying that it ſhould not be imputed unto them that ſhed it; as may appear by thoſe places, where the not covering of the blood doth imply the contrary. So Job 16. 18. and Ezek. 24.7, 8.
The main Objection I conceive againſt Hunting is this, viz. That the Antipathy betwixt the Creatures is uſually reckoned as an effect and fruit of our Sin, and therefore is not to be delighted in.
To this Objection I ſuppoſe that Huntſmen may anſwer, that they delight and recreate themſelves in the ſagacity and ſwiftneſs, &c. of them; and not in their tearing of one another. And if we will believe Aquinas p. 1. q. 96. Artic. 1. he teacheth us, that there would have been naturalis diſcordia inter quaedam Animalia, a natural diſcord betwixt ſome Animals although Sin had never been. Non enim per peccatum Hominis natura Animaliu eſt mutata. (i. e.) For the nature of theſe Creatures is not changed by Mans Sin.
2 Pet. 2.12.Beſides it may be argued and pleaded that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome of thoſe Creatures, that they are made to be taken and deſtroyed. And our own reaſon, and ſenſe, and experience teach us, that there are other Creatures who ſeem to be made on purpoſe for this uſe, namely to find out, purſue, and take others.
But ſuppoſing this Antipathy betwixt the Dog and the Hare, &c. ſhould be a fruit, effect, or conſequent of Mans Sin; I conceive that it doth not neceſſarily follow, that we may not moderately delight in Hunting: for our Clothes are a conſequent of Mens Sin; and yet we may moderately delight in our Clothes or Ornaments,Iſa. 61.10. Jer. 2.32. I ſuppoſe as well as in our Meat and Drink.
Theſe things then premiſed, I ſhall not dare to condemn Hunting as unlawful; but ſhall rather apply my ſelf to give ſuch directions and cautions to thoſe that uſe this recreation, that they may not offend in it.
1. Men muſt not make Hunting, Hawking, or any other recreation (how lawful ſoever) their calling; not their Meat and Drink; but as their Sawce both to their meat and to their work to get them a ſtomach to both. Thoſe certainly are to be condemned, ſaith learned Rivet on Gen. 11. Qui voluptatem venationis praeferunt officiis ſuis, & quid Reipublicae & ſubditis debeant, obliviſcuntur.
2. Men muſt not give all their goods to feed their Hounds, their Hawks, their Horſes, and have no ability or charity to feed the Poor. It was well done of King Stephen, who converted a Rent-charge of 24 ſheaves of Oats payable out of every Plough-land betwixt Trent and Edinburgh-Frith, for the King's Hounds, to his new built Hoſpital in York; for though (as the Hiſtorian obſerves) it is not lawful to take the Children's bread and give it unto Dogs;F. H. b. 3. p. 29. yet it is lawful to take the Dogs bread and give to the Children.
3. Men muſt not be lovers of Pleaſure, more than lovers of God, nor let either the cares or pleaſures of the World hinder the profitable and ſaving hearing of the Word of God. 'Tis obſervable, that amongſt all thoſe that made excuſes from coming to the Feaſt when invited, although we find one ſaying, I have bought a yoke of Oxen, and go to prove them; Lu. 14.18, 19.Another, I have bought a Form and I go to ſee it, I pray thee, have me excuſed; Yet I find none ſo hardy, as to ſay I have bought a pack of Hounds, or a caſt of Hawks, and muſt go to prove them, I pray thee have me excuſed.
4. Men muſt not injure or wrong their Neighbours in their Goods, or Lands, or Profits, whil'ſt they follow their own pleaſures. Our Princes, ſaith Luther, do grievouſly ſin with their Hunting; they deſtroy the ſeeds and grounds of poor People; And theſe are to be reproved, ſaith Rivet on Geneſis 11. Qui miſellis Ruſticis plagas inferunt, ſata laeta, boumque labores diruunt, &c. Much more are they to be reproved and condemned that depopulate Towns and Countries to make room for Beaſts wild or tame, Deer or Sheep. 'Tis obſerved in our Chronicles that VVilliam the Conquerour did depopulate 30 or more Pariſhes to make his new Foreſt, and that in that Foreſt one of his Sons, namely King VVilliam, ſirnamed Rufus, and one of his Nephews or Grand-children, came to untimely ends there.
5. Men muſt be cautioned to be careful, leſt while they purſue their ſports, their game, they loſe not, or hazard not their own or others limbs or lives. Our own Hiſtories tell us of ſome that ſhot at Beaſts and kill'd Men: So, one Tyrel kill'd King VVilliam Rufus, & Archbiſhop A. the Keeper. And we read elſwhere of Adrian the Emperour that he broke his ſhoulder in Hunting. If we muſt not be cruel to the bruit Beaſts, then ſurely not to our ſelves, hazarding or expoſing our own lives, whiles we hunt them to death. And this makes way for theſe Third Obſervations, viz.
III.That wicked or unrighteous Men are cruel, unmerciful to the bruit Beaſts. And this appears in that,
1. They keep them hardly, provide not carefully and conſcientiouſly Food, Phyſick, Harbour, for their hungry, ſick, and weary Beaſts.
2. They work, drive, lead or burden them immoderatly, and not as they are able to bear.
3. They will rail at them, be in rage with them, and curſe them bitterly; theſe poor Beaſts which were juſtly curſed for them, are again curſed by them, without a cauſe.
4. They will beat and miſuſe them ſhamefully: How oft are theſe poor dumb Creatures beaten cruelly with many ſtripes, and that when they know not their Maſters will, what it is they would have them do! How have I heard wicked Men curſe and ban their Beaſts! How have I ſeen them beat and abuſe them without a cauſe; threatning (with Balaam) if there were a Sword in their hand to ſlay them! If theſe dumb Creatures ſhould have their mouths opened as Balaam's Aſſe's mouth was; how might they complain and ſay, Wherefore haſt thou ſmitten me, it may be, not theſe three times only, but theſe three-ſcore times! Although many Men live on the labour and ſweat of their Beaſts; yet they care not in their rage and fury to ſlay them, to ſpill their blood. Well may the whole Creation groan wayting to be delivered from this bondage unto corrupt and cruel Men. How many unreaſonable and cruel Maſters are there, which are like Pharao's Taskmaſters to the Iſraelites, who required brick and gave them no ſtraw, who demand of their Beaſts to labour, to travel, to work, and allow them no meat, or not meat ſufficient! How do Men load their Beaſts, more than they are able to bear, and drive them faſter than they are able well to go; and if they ſtumble, fall down, or ſtand ſtill, how are theſe their Servants beaten, when the fault is in their cruel Task maſters! I confeſs I have often wiſhed, that ſome law might be made for the eaſe of theſe poor Beaſts, even to bind their Maſters to their good behaviour towards them: Good reaſon I think there is, as that he that ſteals his Neighbours Beaſt ſhould be puniſhed, ſo, that he that ſlays his own Beaſt, making it a ſacrifice to his paſſion, madneſs or folly ſhould not eſcape unpuniſhed.
Hence we may be informed, that although in our days the Uſe I calling of Shepherds and Herdſmen, &c. be mean and contemptible, yet they are lawful and commendable Callings. The Angels of Heaven though they are above us, both in nature and office, yet they are our Miniſters and Servants, to keep us in all our ways, Pſal. 91. Heb. 1.14.to miniſter to them that are Heirs of Salvation. And ſo Men, though they be above and Lords of theſe Creatures; yet may they attend on them, look to them, and provide for them.Job 1. As the riches of the Ancients conſiſted moſtly in their Cattel, ſo their imployment was moſtly about them. The Patriarchs were Keepers of Sheep, and they bred up their Sons and Daughters to the ſame Calling. And Saul loſt nothing by ſeeking his Fathers Aſſes, for he found a Kingdom whiles he was ſeeking of them. And David was taken from following the Ews great with young, and anointed King over Iſrael. God himſelf appeared to Moſes in the Buſh whiles he was feeding Jethro's Flock; when he was a Shepherd, and not when he was in Pharao's Court, and he made him King in Jeſurun. And not only the Poët calls the King foreign, the Shepherd of the People; but the holy Prophets alſo do the like. Yea God himſelf in Scripture is called a Shepherd: Hear O thou Shepherd of Iſrael, thou that leadeſt Joſeph like a Flock. And our bleſſed Saviour as he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, ſo is he alſo called the good, the great, and chief Shepherd. Therefore if there be any Shepherds, &c. that hear me this day, let them go away comforted and incouraged to go on in their callings, therein abide with God. Conſider that David was beloved of God, and pleaſed God, not only when he had a Crown and Scepter, and led his People Iſrael, but alſo when he had his Scrip and Shepherds Crook, when he followed the Ews great with young. Art thou a Shepherd? thou art not a foot the farther off from being a Sheep of Chriſt, from Chriſt's fold. Often think whiles you are keeping your Flocks by day, or watching them by night, how the glad Tidings of Salvation, the News of Chriſt's B…rth, was brought by a multitude of the Heavenly Hoſt, the Angels of Heaven, to the Shepherds whilſt they were keeping their Flocks by night, ſaying and ſinging, Glory be to God in the higheſt, Behold we bring you good tidings of great joy which ſhall be to all People, Luke 2.for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord.
Uſe II 2. Then let us ſhew our ſelves good Men, righteous Men, let's be merciful, no ways cruel and unmerciful to the bruit Creatures; conſidering,
(1) Hereby we ſhall ſhew our ſelves merciful as our Father which is in Heaven is merciful; For as he made Man and Beaſt,Pſal. 36.5. and is the Owner of them, Pſal. 50. ſo he preſerveth Man and Beaſt. He provides food convenient for them: Graſs for the Cattel for meat, and Water for them to drink, Water in abundance,Pſal. 104.10, 11. ſo that the wild Aſſes, the moſt thirſty Creatures, may quench their thirſt.
(2) God would that no Man ſhould do them wrong. He reproved Balaam for the Aſſe's ſake;Jude. the dumb Aſs ſpeaking with Mans voice, rebuked the madneſs of the Prophet. Jumentum Balaami ſemel in omnes aetates os aperuit, ut illo ſuo ſermone damnaret omnem in muta jumenta ſaevitiam, Ct. in Prov. 12.10. The Aſs opened his mouth once, to teach all Generations to abhor cruelty to the dumb Creatures. Yea,
(3) 'Tis the will of God, that we ſhould be ſo far from hurting or miſuſing cruelly our own Beaſts, that he commands us to be friendly to our Enemies Oxen or Aſſes, if we find them fallen under their burden we are to help them up.Ex. 23.5.
(4) And as God made the Sabbath, that thy Oxe and thy Aſs might reſt as well as thou; So he diſpenſeth with the bodily reſt of the Sabbath to ſhew mercy to the bruit Creatures. It is lawful to looſe the Oxe or Aſs from the Stall on the Sabbath-day, and to lead them to water, &c. So that not only the Prieſts in the Temple break the Sabbath, and are guiltles in ſlaying and offering up the Beaſts in Sacrifice; but Herdſmen and Shepherds, and thoſe that are Keepers of Cattel, that attend upon them, although they break the outward reſt of the Sabbath; yet are they guiltles & blameles in ſo doing for the preſervation of the health or lives of their Cattel: and in this caſe God will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice. We may omit for a time, or give over praying to ſave the life of a Beaſt,Acts 20 as St. Paul did his preaching to ſave the life of a Man, of Eutychus. Further;
(5) When God would drown the World for the Sin of Man, and only ſave eight Perſons alive, he took care alſo to preſerve alive by miracle in the Ark, the bruit Creatures as well as Men and Women.
(6) And after the Flood, God was pleaſed to make a Covenant with the Beaſts of the Field, &c. as well as with Man,Gen. 9. That he would drown the World no more.
(7) Afterwards when God ſpared the great City of Niniveh, he is pleaſed graciouſly and mercifully to take notice of the abundance of Cattel in it, that muſt have periſhed in the deſtruction of the City, and he ſpeaks of this as a reaſon or motive to ſpare the City.Jonah 4.
If it ſhould be objected; Doth God take care for Oxen? Hath not God oftentimes even devoted the Beaſts as well as their ſinful Maſters, Owners to deſtruction? And doth he not in ſome caſes command the Beaſt to be put to de…th, and ſo to be ſacrificed to juſtice? And again, Did not God require under the old Law frequent, yea daily ſacrificing of Beaſts, making the life of the Beaſt to go for the life of a Man? And laſtly as to this Objection, Did not our Saviour permit the Devil to go into the herd of Swine, and ſo they, 2000 of them ran violently into the Sea, and were choked in the Sea?
Anſw. [1] I ſay that God hath a ſupreme Right & Title to all the Beaſts of the Fold,Pſal. 50. the Field, or the Foreſt. All the Beaſts of the Field are mine, and the Cattel upon a thouſand hills. And that he may diſpoſe of, or do what he will with his own. Who may ſay to him, what doſt thou? That when God deſtroys Mens Cattle, he doth it not out of the leaſt hatred to the Beaſt, but to teſtify his hatred and abhorrence of the Sins of the Owners of them, and hereby to puniſh them; or to bring them to repentance, to melt (or mollify at leaſt) their hard hearts, and cauſe them to ſay as David, 'Tis I, or 'tis we, that have ſinned, theſe Sheep (or Oxen) &c. what have they done? Or to prove and try them, and do them good in their latter end; as was the caſe of Job. If God may juſtly puniſh Parents in their Children, becauſe they are their goods; ſurely then he may puniſh Maſters and Owners in their Cattel, becauſe they have a propriety in them; and the taking away the lives or the loſs of their Cattel redounds to them.
As for the Beaſts that were offered up in Sacrifice by Gods Ordinance and Inſtitution: He might as juſtly do it, as to give Men a Charter or Patent to Ariſe, Kill, and Eat, for the preſervation of their natural lives: For by the Sacrifice the Sinner was freed from that temporal death, which the Sin deſerved for which it was offered; And beſides, this Sacrifice was typical of Chriſt the Lamb of God, which taketh away the Sins of the World; and ſo was of uſe alſo, to the ſaving of the Soul of the Sinner.
As for the Gergeſens Swine, I ſay:
(1) Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt was Lord of all, and therefore might juſtly permit or ſuffer the Devils to enter into them, and to hurry them headlong into the Sea.
(2) Thereby their Owners ſhould have learnt, how good and merciful God was to them, that he did reſtrain the Devil, and not ſuffer him to poſſeſs their whole Country; And that goodneſs and mercy of Chriſt, that whereas there was a Legion of Devils in one Man, he ſuffered them not, when caſt out, to diſperſe themſelves about the Country and poſſeſs a Legion of Men, i. e. above 6000 Men; but only this herd of Swine.
(3) Our Saviour teaches us that natural Men value and prefer their Swine before their Saviour.
[2] Let us conſider, that we may deal merciful with theſe Creatures, that they are Fellow-creatures with us, yea our Fellow-ſervants to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, as well as they are our Servants, and we Lords over them. And muſt give an account when our Lord Chriſt comes, if he find us beating our Fellow-ſervants, if he find us drinking with the Drunken, and preſently falling upon theſe our Fellow-ſervants.
[3] As they are our Servants, to conſider that they are good Servants to us, who are too often bad Maſters to them. If we will uſe them, they ſubmit their necks to our yoke; If we abuſe them they do not complain; In their mouth is no reproof. That which uſually inflames Maſters againſt Servants is when Servants will anſwer again; will contradict or at leaſt diſpute it with them: Now theſe our Servants they are mute, dumb Creatures; they cannot plead their own cauſe, they return not a word for a blow, not a word for many blows, though without a cauſe, or a ſufficient cauſe.
[4] Let us conſider, theſe Creatures were partakers of the curſe of Mans Sin; by reaſon of this they groan and travail in pain; their yoke is harder and their burden heavier: We ſhould look on their ſorrows and ſufferings as occaſioned, as merited by us, by our diſobedience to our ſoveraign Lord. How do they ſpend their days in our ſervice! end their lives for our ſervice, for Food, for Phyſick; ſometimes for a Sacrifice, and oftentimes even for a Pleaſure, Delight, or Recreation! They ſuffer for us; We eat the ſour Grapes, and their Teeth are ſet on edge: and this juſtly too, becauſe they are our proper goods, and we are Lords over them. Many times they ſuffer with us, as in War and other publick calamities; and let this ſuffice, let them never ſuffer unneceſſarily from us. If we do, we make them exceeding miſerable: the poor abuſed Beaſt hath no knowledge or foreſight of death (as Men in miſery have) to put an end ere long to his bondage and miſery; nor any hopes of a Reſurrection, or a future reward for his ſufferings (as good Men have) to comfort them. The Turks, I read, hold that the Beaſts ſhall riſe again; and although that is no part of my Creed; yet I dare ſay, if they ſhould, they will riſe in judgment againſt thoſe that have cruelly uſed them here.
[5] We may go to ſchool to them and learn many a good Leſſon from them. How great is the love and faithfulneſs of Dogs! the meekneſs of Elephants! the ſhamefaſtneſs of the adulterous Lyoneſs! the chaſtity of the Turtle! the watchfulneſs of the Cock! the utility of the Sheep! 'Tis ſaid of King Porus his Elephant, that he expoſed his own life to ſave his Maſters. How often doth the Holy Ghoſt ſend us to ſchool to the unreaſonable Creatures! Go to the Ant, thou Sluggard, conſider her ways, and be wiſe. Thoſe who do not know God that hath nouriſhed and brought them up, how are they reproved by the Oxe and the Aſs! Iſa. 1. The Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Aſs his Maſters Crib: but Iſrael doth not know; my People doth not conſider. Thoſe which know not the day of their Viſitation, may go to ſchool to the Crane & Swallow, who know their appointed ſeaſons. Thoſe Children who are without natural affection to their aged Parents, let them go to the Stork, and learn of that Creature to requite their Parents foreign, to feed their Parents when they are old.
[6] Conſider, that if we be Friends with God, the very Beaſts themſelves are not only our Servants, but our Friends alſo. Our Lord Chriſt hath reconciled all things in Heaven and Earth. Whiles we were Rebels and Traitors to God our ſoveraign, the Angels of Heaven, and the Beaſts of the Earth became Enemies to us, and in purſuit of their allegiance were ready to fight againſt us; but now being reconciled to our Soveraign, and returned to our obedience, theſe our Fellow-ſubjects are again at peace and friends with us. When articles of peace are made with the General of an Army and publiſhed, none of the Souldiers dare act any hoſtility againſt us. The Lord of Hoſts hath now made a Covenant, viz. of peace for us with the Beaſts of the Field, Hoſ. 2.18.and with the Fowls of Heaven, and with the creeping Things of the ground.
[7] Conſider, that we ſtand in more need of God's mercy than the bruit Creatures do of ours. We have ſinned againſt God, which theſe Creatures never did. Man being in honour, underſtandeth not,Pſal. 49.20 but is compared to the Beaſt that periſheth. 'Tis no Sin to be a Beaſt, but 'tis a great Sin to be like a Beaſt. And yet which of us, but hath cauſe ſometime or other, not only to confeſs with Agur, Prov. 30.2.Surely I am more brutiſh than any Man, I have not the underſtanding of a Man; but alſo with David, So fooliſh was I, and ignorant, Pſal. 73.22and even as a Beaſt before thee. We read that all manner of Beaſts have been tamed by mankind, but yet the ſame Scripture tells us to our ſhame, The Tongue can no Man tame, Jam 3.7, 8.'tis an unruly evil, full of deadly poyſon. And hence we may learn, that we ſtand in need of more mercy from God, than theſe Creatures are able to receive from us, or we to give them. For we ſtand in need not only of temporal mercies as they do, but even of ſpiritual mercy, of grace to pardon us, and of grace to reform us, and over and above of eternal mercy, or elſe we ſhall be more miſerable than the Beaſt that periſheth; For as a Reverend Author ſaith, when a Dog dyeth, there's an end of all his miſery; but when a Man dyes (that is, that lives and dyes in his Sin) there's the beginning of his wo. And ſo much for the conſiderations that ſhould move us to ſhew mercy to the bruit Creatures. I ſhall in the next place lay down ſome cautions for the regulation of our kindneſs to them.
1. Let us take care that as we do not depreſs theſe Creatures too low, ſo that we do not advance them too high: as we muſt not deſpiſe them in any degree, ſo we muſt not deify them in any wiſe: As we muſt not tear and worry them without a cauſe, ſo not worſhip them for any cauſe. We muſt not change the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like (as, not to corruptible Man, ſo) to Birds, and four-footed Beaſts, and creeping Things. We muſt not be Devils, Tormentors to them; nor make them Gods to us, ſo as to fall down and worſhip them; as the Egyptians did to Apis, from whence the Iſraelites learnt to worſhip the golden Calf.
2. As we muſt not adore them as Gods, ſo neither make them our equals. We muſt take heed of too much fondneſs of them, or familiarity with them. Hence comes that Sin, wich the Scripture calls Confuſion, viz. Beſtiality, a deſcent nearer Hell by one degree, than the Sin of Sodom; which brought a kind of Hell, viz. Fire and Brimſtone out of Heaven upon them. And yet ſome have conjectured, that ſome ſort of Creatures have come into the World this way, becauſe of their great likeneſs to Men. Monſieur de la Chambre tells us that there have been Beaſts diſcovered, which are ſo like Men, that there is ſcarce any difference as to the outward form. And I read in Mercator's Geography in his Deſcription of Ireland, pag. 48. of a Lake there, about 30 miles in length and 15 in breath, of which, thoſe that live near it, ſay, it was formerly inhabited, & Agrum fuiſſe cultiviſſimum, but for the Sin of Beſtiality was turn'd into a Lake, ſuperfuſis aquis in Lacum redactum. If ſo, their Sin being worſe than the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, no marvel if their puniſhment was ſomewhat like theirs that were turned into a bituminous Lake, or a dead Sea, and remain ſo to this day.
3. Much leſs muſt we prefer them before Men: We muſt not be cruel to Men pretending to ſhew mercy to the bruit Creatures. The life of a Beaſt muſt go ſtill, to ſave or preſerve the life of a Man. I cannot but condemn the Turks, who ſet Birds at liberty out of their Cages, redeeming with money theſe Captives, and yet make no conſcience of chaining Chriſtians to their Galleys; As alſo the hypocriſy, that cheat amongſt the Romaniſts, whoſe Clergy are forbid to hunt Beaſts, and yet ſome made Lords Inquiſitors on purpoſe to hunt down, tear, and devour the harmles Sheep and Lambs of Chriſt. Surely the good, the great, and the chie… Shepherd of the Flock, and the Biſhop of our Souls will count them but little thanks for their ſo doing, when he ſhall come to hold his general Viſitation, and to judge the World. Theſe things notwithſtanding, I dare not condemn thoſe (if neceſſitated to ſave and defend their own lives) which in the Civil Wars of France cut off their Horſe-legs, and ſo made themſelves a breaſt-work of their bodies. Nor dare I judge King David for houghing his Enemies Horſes, thereby to make them unſerviceable for the Wars, 2 Sam. 8.4. Let's not be ſuperſtitiouſly afraid to uſe theſe Creatures, either for Food, Phyſick, or Service, no nor for our honeſt Delight and Recreation. See your Charter for ſo doing, if not implicitely given to Adam, yet expreſly to Noah; and again renewed Act. 10. under the Goſpel, in the Viſion and Voice to Peter, Ariſe Peter, Kill, and Eat. And though 'tis ſaid, the Diſciples of the Nazarites may be known by their abſtinence from the fleſh of all living Creatures;Gen. 9. yet our Lord Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, and he that in ſubſtance though not in vow and ceremony was the true Nazarite, gave his Diſciples no ſuch Commandment. Thoſe who refuſe altogether to eat the fleſh of living Creatures, when duly kill'd, deſerve the name of Pythagoreans, Followers of Pythagoras the Philoſopher, rather than to be called Chriſtians, or Diſciples of Chriſt our Saviour. So then, uſe theſe Creatures we may, we muſt, without ſcruple, for our meat; yea and we may uſe theſe Creatures for our work, to plow and harrow the Ground, and to carry our Corn into the Barn, and for any other neceſſary uſe. And although many condemn thoſe Perſons who promote the generation of Mules, ſo doth Maimonides in his More Nev. p. 3. cap. 4. and our own Writers on Gen. 36.24. Yet we may uſe them lawfully; for we find them brought to Solomon, 1 King. 10.25. 2 Chron. 9.24. and amongſt the Iſraelites at their return from captivity, Ezra 2.66. and Nehem. 7.68. And we no where find that ever they were commanded to put theſe away, though Monſters in Nature, as they were to put away their outlandiſh Wives.
4. Then hence may be condemned the horrible cruelty of the old Sicilian Tyrants;Phalaris, &c. of the Roman Emperour Caligula, who was called for his cruelty, Lutum ſanguine maceratum, dirt or clay ſoaked in blood; and of the reſt; as alſo of the Popes of Rome; The firſt ſort againſt Men, the ſecond againſt Chriſtians, the third againſt Proteſtants, or ſuch as concurr'd in Doctrine or Tenets with them. The truth is, Rome was, and is, a bloody City, and well ſet out in the Revelations by a Woman cloathed in Scarlet, a bloody colour. It was at firſt planted, and afterwards watered with blood. The ten perſecuting Roman Emperours ſlew ſo many Chriſtians, as that we are told 5000 Martyrs may be aſſigned to every day in the year except one. And the learned Mr. Mede tells us, that the Perſecution of the Beaſt, or of the Papacy, was as great as that of the Roman Heathen Emperours. And here, Qualis Rex, talis Grex, as were their Rulers and Governours, ſuch, ſo cruel and bloody were the common People; witneſs the great delight the Roman Citizens took, in beholding the Sword-ſights, where ſometimes out of an opinion, that it was good againſt the Falling-ſickneſs, they ſucked the reaking blood out of the freſh wounds (as well as bathed their hands in the blood) of the ſlain.D. H. from Pl. They were void of natural affection; they had no Bowels for them that came out of their own Bowels; for they ſometimes expoſed, and ſometimes murthered their own Children, if Females, if deformed, or if the Parents were poor, &c. Yea ſometimes they offered their own Children in Sacrifice to their Idol-Gods, as alſo did the Carthaginians, the Gaules, and ſome of the ancient Britains; Thus they became more brutiſh, more ſavage than the very wild Beaſts; for which of theſe doth not love, embrace, nouriſh, and cheriſh their Young, the fruit of their own Bodies?
And well it were if only Heathens were guilty of ſuch cruelty, and liable to ſuch reproof. How many Chriſtian Parents are there, of whom it may be ſaid, as the Emperour ſaid of Herod, that it was better to be his Swine, than his Son? Better to have been their Beaſts, than their Children? I cannot excuſe King Philip the II. of Spain, that delivered up, or at leaſt permitted his own Son Prince Charles, the Heir of the Crown to be put to death in the Inquiſition. Beloved, theſe things ought not ſo to be; If you muſt be kind to you Cattel, then much more to your own Children, you muſt not hide your eyes from your own fleſh; you muſt not make their lives bitter to them, bitter as death, by reaſon of your harſhneſs and ſeverity.
Again, hence be convinced of your duty, and perſwaded to it. Ye that are Maſters of Servants, be kind not cruel to them. If we muſt not be cruel to the Beaſts, much leſs to our Brother, fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bone. Your Servants, if Chriſtians eſpecially, are your Brethren, your Fellow-ſervants; you and they have one and the ſame Maſter in Heaven.
To draw towards a Concluſion, Let's not be cruel to our own ſelves, our own Souls or Bodies. Let not any Man lay violent hands upon himſelf. Let not any Man that is a Chriſtian be felo de ſe. Let not ſuicide or ſelf-murther be once named among Chriſtians. We are Souldiers, have our place and ſtation ſet us, and muſt not ſtir off the Guard till our General, the Lord of Hoſts, call us off again. We muſt not break Priſon to ſet our Souls at liberty, but ſtay till death come with power and authority from the Lord of liberty, life, and death to let them out. Who ever hated his own fleſh?
Laſtly, Let's be kindly affected one towards another, every Man to his Brother and his Neighbour; be not Men-eaters in the worſt ſenſe; do not bite and devour one another; do not eat one another as one eateth Bread. If we muſt not rent Chriſt's ſeamles Coat, ſurely we muſt not tear and devour Chriſt's living Body. Let not our Swords any more eat one anothers fleſh, or drink one anothers blood any more. The Sword hath a mouth, the edge of the Sword in the Hebrew ſignifies the mouth of the Sword. If we do thus eat up one another, or cruelly ſhed one anothers blood any more, know, that the voice of thy Brothers blood will cry to Heaven for vengeance, as the blood of Abel did againſt Cain, & the Souls under the Altar in the Revelations, How long Lord, Holy and True, will it be, before thou avenge our blood upon them that have unjustly ſhed it! or rather, ſpilt our blood, like water upon the Earth! Doth God take care for Oxen or other Beaſts, in this Text? Doubtleſs as unto us, ſo for our ſakes chiefly and ultimately was this written: A good Man is merciful to his Beaſt, but the mercies of the wicked are cruel: As if the Wiſe-man had ſaid, A juſt or good Man is merciful to the Beaſts; but a wicked Man is cruel and merciles to Mankind. And take this along with you; That, to uſe to ſhew mercy to our Beaſts, is a way and means to make us merciful to our Brother and Neighbour. Si quis Conſcientiâ Divini mandati ad cruentandum jumentum, tardior ſuerit; eum certè ad Hominem violandum, multo magis averſum & alienum habebimus. So Chriſoſt. in Loc. 'Tis thought that God moſt merciful forbad to eat Blood after the Flood, to prevent the violence that did overflow the earth before the Deluge came; for thoſe two go together, Gen. 9. He that ſheddeth Man's blood, by Man ſhall his blood be ſhed; And, Ye ſhall not eat the blood of the Beaſt, becauſe, or for, the life is in the blood Thoſe who are uſed to ſhed blood though the blood of Beaſts, and though for neceſſity and publick good, as Butchers amongſt us, are forbidden by the Law (or may be excepted againſt) if impannel'd upon a Jury of life and death; becauſe their calling, as is conceived, doth harden their hearts, or at leaſt make them leſs inclined to mercy and pity than other Men. Even doubtleſs the cruel Spectacles at Rome did render the People leſs merciful. 'Tis very probable that the cuſtom there, of caſting Malefactours to the Lyons and other wild Beaſts, to be devoured by them; and the cuſtom of ſetting Beaſts to ſight with, and kill one another in the Theatre, might diſpoſe them the more eaſily to delight in the Sword-ſights, wherein Men ſlaughtered one another, to the great content, ſatisfaction and joy of the Beholders, and ſo though their hands were not, yet, they had their eyes in blood, and as he that lo…ks on a Woman to luſt after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart; ſo he that looked on theſe bloody Spectacles with a deſire that one ſhould kill the other, and delighted therein when done, committed Murther againſt his Brother in his heart: And as 'tis ſaid of ſome that they had eyes full of Adultery, ſo we may ſay of the Spectatours of theſe bloody Fights, that they had eyes full of Murther; Their eyes were blood ſhot in the worſt ſenſe, their eyes were full of blood.
Beloved, let it not be ſo amongſt you; you are Chriſtians, Children of the Father of Mercies; your Boſoms are the neſt of the Heavenly Dove; & you expect to follow the Lamb where ever he goes. You who before your call & converſion were as Lyons, Tygres, Wolves, Bears, as cruel as ſuch one to another, Put on as the Elect of God, bowels of mercy, kindneſs, gentleneſs; you who formerly lived in malice & envy, hateful & hating one another; now that the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour towards man hath appeared; ſee that all bitterneſs, wrath, clamour and evil ſpeaking be put away from you, with all malice; & be ye kind one to another, tender hearted like the good Samaritan, not only kind to your Neighbours, but even to Strangers, and like to the righteous Man in the Text, whoſe character is, that he is merciful to, or regardeth, the life of his Beaſt.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hodges, The Creatures Goodness (1675)