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in the brutes which arc round about us, a degree of 

 reason ? Many of their actions cannot be accounted 

 for without it : as that commonly noted of dogs, that 

 running before their masters, they, will stop at the 

 parting of the road, till they see which way their 

 masters take. And when they have gotten what they 

 fear wilPbe taken from them, they rua away and 

 hide it. Nay, what account can be given, \yhy a dog 

 being to leap on a table, which he sees he cannot reach 

 at once, if a stool or chair stands near it, first mounts 

 that, and thence proceeds to the table? If he were 

 mere clock- work, and his motion caused by a mate- 

 rial spring, that spring being once set ta work, would 

 carry the machine in a right line, towards the object 

 that put it in motion. 



Were it true, that brutes were mere machines, , they 

 could have no perception of pleasure or pain. But 

 huw contrary is this, to the dolelul significations they 

 give, when beaten or tormented ? How contrary to 

 the common sense of mankind? For do we not all 

 naturally pity them, apprehending them to feel pam 

 just as we do ? Whereas no man is troubled to see a 

 jjJant torn, or cut, or mangled how you please. 

 And how contrary to scripture? A righteous man 

 regardeth the life of his beaxi ; but the lender mer- 

 cies of the nicked are crad, Pr^v. xii. 10. The 

 former clause is usually rendered, 'A good man z'y 

 merciful to Ins beast. And tiiis is the true iendcrin, 

 as appears by the opposite clause, That the wicked 

 is cruel. Cruelty then may be exerc.sed toward 

 beasts. But this could not be, were they mere ma. 

 chines. 



4. The natural instinct of all creatures, and the 

 special provision made for some of the must helpless, 

 do in a particular manner demonstrate the great Crea- 

 tor's care. 



First, what an admirable principle is the natural 

 affection of all creatures toward their young ! By 

 meaus of this, with what care do they nurse them up, 



