perfuaded, a much greater crime, than if he filched a book out of a library, or picked a pocket of a handkerchief; though in the one cafe, he violates only an imperfect right, in the other a perfect

one.

As pofitive precepts are often indeterminate in their extent, and as the indeterminatenefs of an ob ligation is that which makes it imperfect; it comes to pafs, that pofitive precepts commonly produce an imperfect obligation.

Negative precepts or prohibitions, being generally precife, conftitute accordingly a perfect obligation.

The fifth commandment is pofitive, and the duty which refults from it is imperfect.

The fixth commandment is negative, and impofes a perfect obligation.

Religion and virtue find their principal exercife amongst the imperfect obligations; the laws of civil fociety taking pretty good care of the reft.

СНАР.

СНА Р.

XI.

THE GENERAL RIGHTS OF MANKIND.

Y the general Rights of Mankind, I mean the

Brights which belong to the species collective

ly; the original stock, as I may fay, which they have fince diftributed among themselves.

These are,

I. A right to the fruits or vegetable produce of the earth.

The infenfible part of the creation are incapable of injury; and it is nugatory to inquire into the right, where the ufe can be attended with no injury. But it may be worth obferving, for the fake of an inference which will appear below, that, as God has created us with a want and defire of food, and provided things fuited by their nature to fuftain and fatisfy us, we may fairly prefume, that he intended we fhould apply thele things to that purpofe.

II. A right to the flesh of animals.

This is a very different claim from the former. Some excuse seems neceffary for the pain and loss which we occafion to brutes, by reftraining them of their liberty, mutilating their bodies, and, at last, putting an end to their lives, which we fuppofe to be the whole of their existence, for our pleasure or conveniency.

The reafons alledged in vindication of this practice, are the following: that the feveral fpecies of brutes being created to prey upon one another, affords a kind of analogy to prove, that the human fpecies were intended to feed upon them; that, if let alone, they would over-run the earth, and ex

clude

clude mankind from the occupation of it; that they are requited for what they fuffer at our hands, by our care and protection.

Upon which reafons I would obferve, that the analogy contended for is extremely lame; fince brutes have no power to fupport life by any other means, and fince we have: for the whole human fpecies might fubfift entirely upon fruit, pulfe, herbs and roots, as many tribes of Hindoos actually do. The two other reafons may be valid reafons, as far as they go; for, no doubt, if man had been fupported entirely by vegetable food, a great part of thofe animals which die to furnish his table, would never have lived: but they by no means juftify our right over the lives of brutes, to the extent in which we ufe it. What danger is there, for inftance, of fish interfering with us, in the occupation of their element? Or do we contribute to their support or preservation?

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It feems to me that it would be difficult to defend this right, by any arguments which the light and order of nature afford; and that we are beholden for it, to the permiffion recorded in fcripture, Gen. ix. 1, 2, 3: "And God bleffed Noah and his "fons, and faid unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth; and the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every "beaft of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the fea; into your "hand are they delivered: every moving thing "fhall be meat for you; even as the green herb, "have I given you all things." To Adam and his pofterity had been granted at the creation, "every "green herb for meat," and nothing more. In the last clause of the paffage now produced, the old grant is recited, and extended to the flesh of animals, even as the green herb, have I given you all things." But this was not till after the

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flood;

Blood; the inhabitants of the antediluvian world therefore had no fuch permiffion, that we know of. Whether they actually refrained from the flesh of animals, is another question. Abel, we read, was a keeper of sheep; and for what purpose he kept them, except for food, is difficult to fay (unless it were facrifices): might not, however, fome of the ftricter fects among the antediluvians be scrupulous as to this point? and might not Noah and his family be of this description? for it is not probable that God would publish a permiffion, to authorife a practice which had never been difputed.

Wanton, and what is worse, ftudied cruelty to brutes, is certainly wrong, as coming within none of these reasons.

From reafon then, or revelation, or from both together, it appears to be God Almighty's intention, that the productions of the earth fhould be applied to the fuftentation of human life. Confequently, all wafte and mifapplication of these productions, is contrary to the divine intention and will, and therefore wrong, for the fame reafon that any other crime is fo. Such as, what is related of William the Conqueror, the converting of twenty manors into a forest for hunting, or which is not much better, fuffering them to continue in that ftate; or the letting of large tracts of land lie barren, because the owner cannot cultivate them, nor will part with them to those who can; or destroying, or fuffering to perifh great part of an article of human provifion, in order to enhance the price of the remainder, which is faid to have been, till lately, the cafe with fifh caught upon the English coaft; or diminishing the breed of animals, by a F

wanton,

wanton, or improvident confumption of the young, as of the fpawn of shell fish, or the fry of falmon, by the use of unlawful nets, or at improper feafons: to this head may also be referred, what is the fame evil in a smaller way, the expending of human food on fuperfluous dogs or horfes; and lastly, the reducing of the quantity, in order, to alter the quality, and to alter it generally for the worfe; as the distillation of fpirits from bread corn, the boil. ing down of folid meat for fauces, effences, &c.

This icems to be the leffon which our Saviour, after his warrer, inculcates, when he bids his dif eples gather up the fragments that nothing be "d." And it opens indeed a new field of duty. Schemes of wealth or profit, prompt the active part of mark rd to cat about, how they may convert their property to the most advantage: and their own advartage, and that of the public, commonly concur. But it has not as yet entered into the minds of mankind, to reflect that it is a duty, to ad what we can to the common flock of provifion, by extracting out of our estates the most they will y eld; or that it is any fin to neglect this.

From the fame intention of God Almighty, we allo deduce another concludon, namely, " that "nothing ought to be made exclufive property, “which can be conveniently enjoyed in com

"men."

It is the general intention of God Almighty, that the produce of the earth be applied to the use of nan. This appears from the conftitution of nature, cr, if you will, from bis exprefs declaration; and this is all that appears hitherto. Under this general donation, one man has the fame right as another. You pluck an apple from a tree, or take a lamb out of a fuck, for immediate use and nourish

ett, and I do the fame; and we both plead for what we do, the general intention of the Supreme Proprietor. So far all is right; but you cannot

claim

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