Wesley Corpus

** Sir,--Having observed your Christian condescension in those labours of love, so truly calculated for the use of common people, I presume to beg your pen in behalf of the next class of God’s creatures. And I would ask, if nature, reason, and Revelation do not all plead in favour even of the brute creation. Is it not unnatural and inhuman, to put them to more pain than is necessary for the service of man? Can reason consent to the making sport with the life or misery of any creature? May not the great law of equity, doing as we would be done to, be extended even to them? May we not suppose ourselves in their place, and thence determine, what they may fairly expect from us? Hath not the Supreme Being given injunctions against cruelty toward them, and commanded that they should enjoy the rest of his day’? Did he not rebuke the prophet for smiting his beast without cause ; and mention the ‘ much cattle,’ as one motive to the Divine compassion, in sparing the ‘ great city’ The | | ou212}t7D ays yoo ui 4} puso, eaqi20S V 612 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [July, 1756 Scripture saith, ‘A good man is merciful to his beast.’ And can he be a good man that is not so, if goodness consists in imitating Him, whose ‘mercy is over all his works?’ For ‘he openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing.’ “Tf tenderness, mercy, and compassion, to the brute creatures were impressed on the infant breast, and conducted into action according to its little power, would it not be confirmed in the human heart? And might not this early prepossession be for ever established there; and through a happy bias extend its benevolence to the whole creation?