56 7%e Wis-DOM, of GOD Parti. 



« 



Senfe and Feeling of Pain and Mifery as thcm- 

 felves have ; vv^hereas no Man is troubled to 

 fee a Plant torn, or cut, or ftampt, or man- 

 gled how you pleafe ; and at laft feemingly con- 

 trary to the Scripture too ; for it is faid, Prov. 

 xii. lo. ^ righteous Man regardeth the Life of his 

 Beajiy but the tender Mercies of the Wicked are 

 cruel. The former Claufe is ufually Englifli'd, 

 A good Man is merciful to his Beaji ; which is 

 the true Expofition of its as appears by the 

 oppoiite Claufe,. that the Wicked are crueL What 

 lefs then can be inferred from this Place, than 

 that Cruelty may be exercis'd towards Beafts, 

 which, were they mere Machines, it could not 

 be r To which I do not fee what can be anfwer'd, 

 but that the Scripture accommodates it felf to the 

 common, tho' falfe. Opinion of Mankind, who 

 take thefe Animals to be endued with Senfe of 

 Pain, and think that Cruelty may be exercised 

 towards them 5 tho', in reality, there is no fuch 

 thing : Befides, having the fame Members and 

 Organs of Senfe as we have, it is very probable 

 they have the fame Senfations and Perceptions 

 with us. To this Des Cartes anfwers, or in- 

 deed faith, he hath nothing to anfwer ; but 

 that if they think as well as wcj they have an 

 immortal Soul as v/eU as we: Which is not 

 at all likely, bccaufe there is no Reafon to be- 

 lieve it of fome Animals without believing it 

 of all ; whereas there are many too imperfedi to 

 believe it of them, fuch as are OyJterSy and 

 SpongeSy and the like. To which I anfwer, That 

 there is no Ncceflity they (hould be immortal, 



be- 



