for the conteft :-And all this is done, for what?to make Sport for, and perhaps to ruin, an unfeeling multitude!-to make them hazard the profits of industry, or the well-earned fortunes of their ancestors! to provoke the fhocking oath, the fierce dispute, the murderous battle of beings in human shape, who call themselves Christians! bleffed Saviour of men are thefe the characteristics of thy Followers, and the actions that will meet thy approbation at at the day of Judgment?-Are fuch perfons "the Merciful" who fhall be " blessed" with Mercy," the Peace-Makers who fhall be called the Children of God?".

-Alas! my

Hearers, I fear these honourable diftinctions are not their due.

their doom, if they live

And what will be

and die without

repenting of their finful, their cruel, their unchristian conduct? Hear the word of God: " They fhall have Judgment without Mercy, who have fhewed no Mercy.”

Do not think that, in this paffage, the Apostle meant to confine what he says of Mercy to Man: As "all Unrighteousness is Sin," fo every violation of the Law of Mercy, (whether towards Man, or the

U 4

Brute

Brute Creation) is hateful and difpleafing to God.--"Arighteous man," fays Solomon, "regardeth the Life of his beaft: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel :" intimating, that Righteousness and Mercy, and Wickednefs and Cruelty, are infeparable qualities.

But not only in the Inftance of Cruelty I have mentioned; not only for this abominable Practice which, unhappily, pervades all ranks of people, and blends them in one common mass of Impiety and Degradation; which is even shamefully announced in the most public manner as a fource of entertaining Contest between County and County* throughout this enlightened Land :-not in this fingle inftance alone muft I content myself with inveighing against the Cruelty of my Countrymen and fellow-creatures.

Look abroad on our public roads, and behold the generous Beast, that has carried an ungrateful Master with ease and fafety, perhaps, for many years,-at laft, worn down with age and infirmities, con

See note R in the Appendix,

tracted

1

tracted in his Service, behold it doomed to end its miferable days in painful drudgery!---For want of proper food, its little remaining "ftrength faileth," and it finks under "a burden too heavy for it to bear !"---In this piteous state, behold it whipped by its merciless owner, that, if poffible, he may be fpared the trouble of removing the load that funk it to the earth!----This, my Chriftian Hearers, is no imaginary picture, as of many you, I prefume, can teftify. In this neighbourhood---the neighbour. hood of Mines and Manufactories, I have often feen it realized, have frequently lamented it, and pleaded in vain against the outrage. In fuch places, fimilar fpectacles almost daily occur, and affect the mind. In fuch places,-many a poor brute of this defcription, is feen trembling under a weight which its nature was never deftined to bear, and whofe broken fpirit seems to speak a Consciousness of its unjust Degradation!

Let me not alfo forbear to mention its humble and meek spirited fellow-labourer,

bourer, which almoft as frequently is prefented to our view. The Afs, I know, is defigned for toil, and can well endure it. But, becaufe Nature has made it hardy, shall it be unreasonably oppressed? becaufe it is fatisfied with the coarfeft food, fhall it fometimes experience Famine?- Surely no one dumb Creature is loaded with more injuries! Though bearing the Symbol of that Crofs upon which Chrift Jefus atoned for human Tranfgreffions, though he distinguished the Species by condefcending to make upon one of them his triumphal entry into Jerufalem; yet is this patient, fuffering Animal too often treated with unrelenting Cruelty !Abused by exceffive labour through the day, at night, it is generally turned out to feek a cafual fupply for its preffing wants-wherever he can find it!

Shall we close the account of abused Nature which awakens our Pity, or excites our Indignation?- One Circumstance more I shall beg leave to mention, -the Cause, perhaps, of my addreffing

you

you on fuch a Subject.—I have reserved it for the Conclufion of this difcourse, on purpose that it might leave an uneffaced impreffion upon your minds; on purpose that it might influence the future conduct of fome perfons, perhaps among you. Of the Circumstance I am about to mention, I was a Witnefs-with what feelings, I shall leave you to judge.

In this Neighbourhood (not in this Parish, thank God! and I pray that such scenes may never more difgrace it)—in this Neighbourhood (and I am forry to fay the shameful Practice ftill obtains fo near us) in this Neighbourhood I lately beheld a numerous company of people leading from the ftake one of those noble Animals which, at rural festivals (and even at the festival of Chrift) are too frequently tormented. So tormented had been this poor Animal, that (torn by dogs which are kept for the horrid purpose) its nofe and lips feemed frings of bleeding flefh! And yet, so inoffenfive was it in its nature, or fo exhaufted was its Spirit, that, notwithstand

ing