232" THE BEAUTY OF THE CREATION. 



ful followers are all numbered. But the grand, 

 the important instance of love was reserved for 

 that moment when the Creator, as well as the 

 Saviour of the world, died on the cross to save his 

 ungrateful creatures from everlasting death. This 

 wonderful love is to be acknowledged by believing 

 in our merciful Redeemer, and by following those 

 precepts which he laid down as the rules for our 

 conduct. Amongst these is that of shewing kind- 

 ness, not only to each other, but mercy and kind- 

 ness to the works of His hand. A good man will 

 not wantonly ill use or hurt any creature however 

 insignificant. We may use, but not abuse them.* 



* A friend observes, that this is touching on the edge of a diffi- 

 tult question, as to the power given to us over the animal creation. 

 May we destroy noxious and destructive animals? It is answered 

 certainly : but may we destroy them when not noxious or injurious 

 to us ? May we seek the lion in the solitude of the Lybian Desert, 

 or the tiger in the recesses of the Indian jungle ? May we kill 

 animals for sport ? May we go to their haunts purposely to de- 

 stroy them, when they have not intruded on us ? If Paley's ar- 

 gument is correct in one point of view, that though we preserve 

 .animals only for the sake of destroying them, as game, fish, &c. yet 

 by increasing their numbers, the aggregate amount of their happi- 

 ness is also increased, not to mention the pleasure derived by them 

 from the ample nourishment they receive when under our protec- 

 tion ; still it does not touch on the other point, how far our own feel- 

 ings may be affected by this habitual exercise of our power, pushed 

 to its utmost allowable limit. The author says, " We may use, but 

 not abuse the animal creation," but it is only a small part of them, 

 that being domesticated, it is in our power to use; what then is 

 the law, as regards that larger portion not subject to our power, 



