sparrows sold for a farthing," and the "five for two farthings," which were probably sold as food.

3. Under the law of Moses, and, indeed, long before that, in the time of Noah, certain animals had been forbidden to be used as food, under a distinction of unclean and clean animals. But, under the gospel, even this is done away; for, when St. Peter was at Joppa, and at prayer upon the house-top, "and he became very hungry, and would have eaten:". "while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet, knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I

have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." (ACTS x. 10-16.) Here permission is given to kill and to eat animals of all kinds. St. Peter, again, in his Second Epistle, speaks of the "brute beasts" as being "made to be taken and destroyed." (ii. 12.) And, afterwards, when the disciples at Antioch had some scruples, as to the necessity of observing many parts of the Mosaic ław, and sent Barnabas and Paul to Jerusalem, to consult with the other apostles on the subject, their determination was: "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled." (Acts xv. 29.) And St. Paul, in the tenth chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians, advises them, "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that

eat, asking no questions for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no questions for conscience sake." "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (ver. 25-27. 31.) And he says, also, in another place, that "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;” that is, that these, however necessary and desirable, are not the great objects of life, "but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (ROM. xiv. 17.)

4. But St. Paul goes further, and informs us, in the fourth chapter of his First Epistle to Timothy, that the commanding to "abstain from meats" is "a departure from the faith." "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that, in the latter times, some shall depart from the

faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (ver. 1-5.)

These passages are abundantly sufficient to satisfy any one, who believes in the Word of God, and will take the trouble to consult it, that the eating of flesh is lawful. The frequency and the measure of this, however, is another question, and must rather be determined by convenience, and by the physician, upon considering the constitution of each indi vidual. I believe, however, that it may be

said, in general, that those who have the means of eating animal food, commonly eat too much. Were the rich to eat less, and the poor enabled to procure more, both classes would be the better for it. In particular constitutions and tempers, as, for instance, the irascible, an entire abstinence, or nearly so, from flesh and fermented liquors, might be advisable. angry tempers being cured by living upon the food assigned to our fathers of the world before the flood-the herbs and fruits of the earth. Let it be observed, also, that, when animal food is rendered what is called high, either by putrefaction, or preparation, its illeffects are increased; and that all waste of meat, by reducing a large quantity into a small proportion of essence, is, no doubt, a sin.

Instances have been known of