C 770 ) 
which he feems to efpoufc as his own opinion, ) as if - 
he thought it not (originally) Natural for Man to feed 
on Flejh 5 though by long ufage (at Icaft ever fince the 
Flood ) we have been accuftomed to it, and it is now 
familiar to us but rather^ on Plants, Roots, Fruits^ 
Grain, d^c. 
And I take it to be the Opinion of many Divines, 
that before the Floods Men did not ufe to feed on Fle{h,< 
becaufe of whu we have in Gen- 9. 3. where God fays- 
to Noah, ("after the Flood, ) Every moving thing that 
liveth^ JJjull hemeat for yoH^ even as tht gncn Herb have I 
givtn you all things \ Compared with Gen. r. 29. where 
God lays to Adam^ 1 have given you every Herb bearing 
Seed^and every Tree in the which is the fruit of a Tree yields' 
ing feed^ to you it jhall be for Meat ^ but without any- 
intimation of his feeding on the Flejh of Animals, which 
feems to be an infinuation to that purpofe^ and is com-- 
monly taken fo to be. 
Yet, I confefs, I have fome doubt therein remaining,, 
feeing that we find, very early,that Abel was a Keeper of 
Sheepy as well as Cain a Tiller of the Ground^ both Im» 
ployments feeming equally in order to their Food and- 
Suftenance. And their firft Cloathings^ were the S/{ins of 
Animals. It may perhaps be thought, that thefe. Ani-- 
mals were Slain for Sacrifice^ and the Sheep fed only for 
that purpofe, but even their Sacrifices feem to have been 
offered but as a Portion ( or Firft-fruits J of things ap- 
pointed forFood ianxi that asCain was not toSacrifice the 
wJ)ole fruit oi his tillage^ fo neither was Abel, the whole 
produft ot his Sheep^ but thebeft thereof (the Firftlings 
of hisFlocks,and the tat thereof Jand referving the reft for 
his own ufe. And it cannot feem likely, that God would- 
give to Noah Sitter the flood, a greater Dominion over 
other AnimalSjthan had been given to Adam.m Paradice - 
hefore the fall* And I fhould then confiderthis permif- 
i:on to No^h^ not as contra-diftinft from that to Adam^x 
. fas . 
