Animal Rights History »» Charles Daubeny

A Sermon on Cruelty to Dumb Animals

A SERMON, &c.Romans i. 31.
"Without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful"

MAN in his bodily part is allied to brutes ; in his soul he is allied to angels. In this world he is put to trial ; whether the body and the lusts shall destroy the soul or whether the soul shall raise the body to participation of its own glory. Considered in his natural condition, as fallen from God and goodness, man is a corrupt ungovernable creature. In a state of slavery to his appetites and passions, he knows no other law than that in his members ; which he is continually bringing him into captivity to the law of sin ; continually degrading him to a level with the wild beasts of the forest.

In this condition ; cruelty constitutes one principal feature of his character. The natural man knoweth no mercy ; because he is unacquainted with religion which is founded on mercy. In [4] the description therefore which St. Paul has given of the heathens, when living without God in the world ; to the long catalogue of vices and enormities which disgraced the creature originally made in the image of his creator, the Apostle adds, by way of filling up as it were, the disquisting picture, that they were "without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful" Rom. i. 31.

Among the threats denounced against the Jewish people, in case of their disobedience, one was, that "a nation of a fierce countenance should be brought against them from afar ; which should not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young." Duet. xxviii 50. And when this threat, in consequence of the increasing degeneracy, was about to be carried into execution ; the sentence was pronounced by the mouth of the profit in the following words. "Behold a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear ; they are cruel, and have no mercy." Jer. vi. 22, 23.

Such was the character of those heathenish nations, which God was pleased to make use of, as instruments for the purpose of carrying his judgments into execution from time to time, against his favorite people. And such, in a greater of less degree, will be the character of all persons whose minds are strangers to the prevailing influence of true religion. Unacquainted with those tender feelings, which are legitimate and amiable offspring [5] of genuine Christianity ; and under the governance of those unruly appetites and passions which disgrace the human character ; they will be, what the scripture has represented the natural man, when living without God in the world ; "without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful."

Many words need not be spent to convince you, that man thus circumstanced, is not in a condition to be admitted into that heavenly abode, where no corrupt and ungoverned passions will find a place. Consequently, that religion has not done its office in the world whilst the inhabitants of it are to be found in the same state, in which the fall of Adam left them. If we attend to the prevailing tenor of the Gospel we shall find it strictly corresponding with the character of is divine Author ; whose "mercy is all over his works ;—but whose love to man, has even exceeded the bounds of all human comprehension : in the language of the Apostle, it has been "that the love which passeth knowledge." Eph. iii 19. The fruits of the Spirit, which every one who has learned Christ, will bring forth, according to the Apostle's catalouge, are "Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."—Let these fruits of the Spirit be placed in opposition to those works of the flesh, of which the same Apostle has also furnished a catalougue ; and you will judge what great change must take place in man as born into this world, before he can be deemed meet to be a partaker with [6] the saints in glory. The natural man, with his affections and lusts, must be crucified, or the spiritual man, which is created after God in holiness and love, will never be raised up.

From a comparison therefore between man in a state of nature and a state of grace ; every person may if he pleases, form a estimate with respect to his own particular case ; how far Christianity, which was in part designed (if we may say so), by rubbing away all the rough edges of man's natural disposition, to harmonize the affections of the soul, has done its work in him. Should he find in himself an inclination to be cruel, implacable, unmerciful, he may depend upon it, that he has not studied in the school of Christ, but in that of the world ; and therefore with the world he must expect to perish. But should he find himself gentle, easy to be entreated, tender-hearted, and forgiving, he may then conclude, that the spirit of Christianity is of a truth working within him ; and that it will eventually conduct him to that blessed society, for which his Christian disposition has prepared him.

These general remarks upon the natural condition of man, and the end designed to be answered by Christianity, considered as the means which have been graciously appointed to restore him in some degree, at least, to the image of his divine Maker, I have purposely laid down, as the ground-work of a discourse upon cruelty to Dumb Animals ; a sin, which certainly is not seen in the light, in which it ought to be seen in a Christian country.

[7] The wise man tells us, that "a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast." From whence it follows, that cruelty to a beast is incompatible with the character of a righteous man. By a righteous man is here to be understood a religious man ; for we know of no righteousness in man, but what consists in a conformity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ ; which teachers man, "to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."—The words of the wise man therefore, when addressed to a person living under the Gospel dispensation, speak this plain language ; no true Christian can possibly be a cruel man : cruelty being absolutely inconsistent with the genius of that religion which he professes. From whence it will follow, that a just estimate of a man's Christian character may be formed, from that disposition which he feels towards the brute creation.

This is a subject, which for want of being place before Christians in its proper point of view, seldom makes that impression upon the human mind, which from its importance, it ought to make. It does not often, it is to be feared, occur to man, that though he is the lord of the creation here below, it was never designed that he should be the Tyrant of it. For his use of animals placed under his subjection to him, as for the use of any other gifts which divine Goodness shall bestow upon him, man must be accountable. And although abused dumb animals may not, literally speaking, rise in judgment against him ; yet it should be remembered, that their Creator [8] will take their cause in hand ; on the consideration, that the abuse of any of God's works must originate, in an irreligious disregard of the God that made them. With persons who look not beyond the present world, the foregoing consideration will have but little weigh. They know that there is no court of justice here below in which actions of this nature are tried. They may therefore with impunity grant full indulgence to their natural disposition. In wanton cruelty, or by unreasonable service, they may kill their horse or their dog ; for who is to controul them ?—Or in cruel sport, disgraceful to human nature, they may make the sparring of two Game Cocks, pampered up for the wicker purpose, their favourite pastime : for alas ! there is no human law to prevent such savage practices. And yet these tyrants of the creation are men ; for they wear the shape of men ; they are possessed of the same passions with ourselves ; but then those passions are not under the controul either of reason or religion. In a word, my brethren, such tyrants are, what the Scripture distinguishes by the title of natural men ; men, who are perfect strangers to the blessings of Christianity ; and consequently men, who can have no interests in the merits of a crucified Redeemer.

But I am now addressing myself to Christians : to such persons who have at least taken upon them the name of Christ—who profess to set Christ before them as an example : to the end, that, so far as [9] human infirmity will permit, "the same may," through divine grace "be in them, which was in Christ Jesus." Phil. ii. 5. Such persons will entertain very different ideas upon this subject. To them, the different parts of creation furnishes so many different subjects for adoration and praise. If they look into the heavens above, they there behold God's handy work : if they walk abroad upon the earth below, rich specimens of divine wisdom and goodness are continually presenting themselves on all sides to their contemplation. The more they examine, the more they admire, and whilst they cry out the Psalmist : "O Lord, how manifold are they works ! in wisdom hast Thou made the all ;" they are conceived that the same divine Being, who originally breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, that he might live and be happy ; furnished every animal in the creation, with those instincts and properties, necessary to the preservation of a comfortable existence.

The great creator never made a single creature, for the purpose of its being miserable. Sin alone brought misery to the world. But sin belongeth only unto man. Man, therefore, is the only creature, who ought to inherit misery, as his birthright. What misery other creatures are condemned to feel, is, for the most part, a consequence of the corruption of fallen man. The beasts of prey are by nature cruel and ferocious. But when the cravings of hunger satisfied, they, for the most part, lie down in their dens, harmless and inoffensive. [10] It was left for man alone, to take pleasure in cruelty. Not satisfied with the privilege with which the Creator of the universe has invested him, by which he is authorized to make such use of the creatures below him, as may be necessary for his support, comfort and convenience ; he feels himself at liberty to make their sufferings his pastime ; and in a temper of cool insensibility, which even brutes do not feel, sees innocent animals daily falling victims to his passions, to his avarice, or to his sports.

If we look into the book of Job, we with the following sublime description of that noble animal, which is perhaps more abused than any other animal in creation. "Hast thou given the Horse strength ? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder ?—He paweth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength : he goeth on to meet the armed man : he mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted ; neither turneth he back from the sword." Job xxxix. 19. Was this noble animal permitted to appear in court against his tyrant man, he would most certainly have a heavy bill of indictment to bring forward. How many of those privileged beings, who have both reason and religion to direct their conduct, would feel themselves shrinking form the trial !—When it is considered, what a number of those useful animals are mercilessly flogged to death for the sake of procuring us some few hours earlier intelligence, than might be otherwise obtained ; how many are sacrificed to the mad frolics [11] of thoughtless dissipated young men ; and how may are galloped out of their lives, for the purpose of determining a senseless wager between persons, upon who God had been pleased to bestow a greater portion of riches, than understanding ; we feel ourselves constrained to confess that such cruelties, are not more inconsistent with the Christian religion, that they are a disgrace to the character and "legislature of a Christian country."

Even our children, whose peculiar characteristics ought to be innocence and love, are permitted to grow up in the practice of those wanton and cruel sports, which nourish in them that savage disposition, which, if not counteracted, will tend to make them, when advanced to riper years, the curse and scourage of the society to which they belong. This ought to be a subject of consideration with all parents : with religious parents it ever will be. Most children of firm health are naturally disposed to cruelty. This disposition is only to be counteracted by religious education. The turn of young minds should therefore be a constant object of parental observation. All opportunities should be taken, if we may say so, to mould and fashion the tender materials committed to their charge into a Christian shape, before they harden into life. To this end the very amusements of children might be made instrumental, where attention and judgment are not wanting on the part of the parent. At all events, it should be remembered, that whatever hardens the heart, tends to render it less susceptible to the impressions of [12] Christianity. For although tender feelings and Christianity are not inseparably connected ; yet, it may be said, that, where tender feelings are wanting, genuine Christianity will never be found. The parent who considers this, and considers more over, that cruelty to dumb animals, in spite of all those high pretensions to civilization which we boast, is , it is to be feared, one of the crying sins of this nation ; will be anxious to counteract a growing evil, at the only period of life, at which perhaps, it is to be counteracted with effect.

Indeed a stronger proof of the low state to which Christianity is reduced in any country, cannot be drawn, than form the cruel disposition of is inhabitants. The spiritual man knows and feels this. He considers that all creatures, from man the appointed lord here below down to the meanest reptile that crawleth upon the earth, derive their existence from the same Fountain of Life : and that the mercy of the creator is all over his works. Grateful to his heavenly Father for the comforts, conveniences, and privileges, which fallen man is permitted to enjoy in this world ; he considers the government of the creatures that has been committed to him, as a Trust, of which an account must one day given. Acquainted with the genius and spirit of Christianity he knows that man was not born to be cruel ; and when he is so, it is because the carnal principle by which he is allied to the brutes that perish, is suffered to triumph over that spiritual one, by which he claims connection with the God [13] that made him. Doing good, as every righteous man doth from a sense of duty, he therefore regardeth the life of his beast ; abstaining from all manner of cruelty, on the reflection that his beast has a body to feel as sensibly as himself : and delighting to render the life of his beast as easy and comfortable as may be, on the consideration that the same God, to whom he himself looketh for mercy, was the maker of them both. He considers , moreover, that from the beasts, many a useful lesson is to be learnt ; by which man may become better qualified for that dignified station, which he has been appointed to fill in the scale of created beings. From the use of animals in their natural capacity, he will be led on to the intellectual applications of their several properties and qualities ; the contemplation of which, by suggesting to him moral reflections and useful observations, fail not to render him, both a wiser and better man.

Such are the ideas, which present themselves to the mind of the Christian, upon this interesting subject. Should there be any among you, whose minds have been hitherto strangers to them, it is the strongest proof that can be given, that your religion, has been a religion of words and profession ; and not, what it ought to be, a religion of the heart and affections. Where the fruits of the Spirit are not produced, there Christianity is but an empty name. It is for this reason, that our subject has been placed before you on Christian ground ; because it is upon that ground alone, that any moral [14] virtual to become acceptable to the Deity, can possibly stand. But there is still another reason why I have chosen to build in this case upon Christian ground ; because, when the foundation is well laid, no anxiety need to be entertained for the security of a superstructure. The truly religious man cannot fail to be a strictly moral man : nor is it possible, that any real disciple of the meek and compassionate Jesus, can be unpossessed of a merciful disposition. He may deceive himself indeed, as too many are accustomed to do ; by fancying that by his admission unto the Church of Christ, and by his attendance upon its services, he become of course, what the religion of the Gospel was designed to make him. But Christians, like trees, are to be known by their fruits. Should that natural stock, which has been grafted into Christ, for the purpose of its being enabled to bring forth good fruit, continue to yield that sour and refuse produce which belongs only to its wild and uncultivated state, the graft, we may depend upon it, has taken no effect. In other words, should the professor of Christianity find, that after been grafted into Christ's Church, and thereby put into training for the purpose of his becoming a fruitful tree in God's Vineyard ; or, to lay aside our figure ; should the Christian disciple find, that after having attended to the lessons of the Gospel of peace and love in the Church, his disposition still possesses its natural propensity ; instead of loving-kindness, and forgiveness, should he find the passions of [15] of hatred, cruelty, and revenge ruling his breast ; should his affections instead of being exalted, spiritual, and pure ; be earthly, sensual, and corrupt ; he may depend upon it, that, so far as he is concerned, Christianity has done no good. Whatever his profession may be, his condition is most certainly that of the unregenerate man ; who neither knoweth God, nor the things which belong to his everlasting peace.

The foregoing considerations, my Brethren, are addressed to you as Christians. They will not, I trust, fail to make their due impression. Should any consideration be necessary to be added to them ; there is one, which, if taken in a general sense, may be properly applied to the present subject. It is contained in one of those short, but comprehensive sentences delivered by our blessed Saviour, in his sermon on the mound ; and which with God's blessing, I now leave upon your minds.—"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." O Thou Creator of the Universe, whose mercy is all over thy works, and who hast been pleased, for the comfort, convenience, and support of favoured man, to give him dominion over thy creatures here below ; grant unto him, we beseech Thee, that measure of thy grace, that he may make such use of the trust committed to him, as may best prepare him for the account he is one day to give ; that whether he eats or drinks, or whatever he does, he may in all things have an eye to thy glory, and his own salvation. [16] Grant this, O merciful Father, for thy dear Son's sake, to whom with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all.

Amen

PRINTED BY PARTICULAR DESIRE

SERMON

ON

Cruelty to Dumb Animals :

PREACHED AT THE

FREE CHURCH,

NOW CALLED

CHRIST's CHURCH

IN BATH,

On the Sunday before Lent, 1799,

BY THE

REV. CHARLES DAUBENY,

Minister of Christ's Church, BATH,

Author of "The Guide to the Church."

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