best of his judgment, enlightened by the Word of God; and it is the part of animals to be guided by him, that is, to obey.

Protection may be said to be particular, or general; that is, particular being shown to the animals under our own immediate care; or general, as a governor or common member of the community, whose duty it is to watch and act for the general good, and see that the animals enjoy all those privileges and comforts designed them by the Great Father-of-All. And, here, in every country, the king, or chief magistrate, or those who rule and make the laws, are to take care, that the laws commanded by God make, likewise, a part of the laws of the land, and that they be regularly and punctually fulfilled. There are, certainly, many good laws in this country for the protection of animals; but, is the great law of the Sabbath respecting them observed? I have

no hesitation in saying, that I conceive the treatment of horses in this country to be a NATIONAL SIN. I say a national sin, because it is of such extent, so well known, and sanctioned by the ruling powers of the nation,. contrary to the existing laws. The labouring eattle, in the country, it is to be hoped, for the most part, enjoy the rest of the Sabbath; but, what is to be said of those poor animals, who run upon our roads in travelling, in mailcoaches, in stages, in waggons, and in the carriages of travellers? A show of respect to the law of God is, indeed, made in the metro. polis, by no letters coming in, and none going out, upon that day. But the carriages and horses still run, and neither drivers, travellers, nor horses, observe and enjoy the holy rest of the Sabbath. Surely, such a conduct is tri fling with GOD.

When the Israelites, in the land of Canaan, were enjoined to let the land have rest every seven years; and, in their avarice and distrust of God, neglected the command; God, in his anger, gave them into captivity for seventy years, to make them suffer for those years-ofsabbaths neglected by them and their forefathers. Should it please an offended God to call us to account for the Sabbaths we have profaned in denying rest to the cattle, heavy indeed will be the reckoning which we must pay. Should such a retribution be hanging over our heads, may God avert it, by giving us grace to put an end to the abuse!

Much might be done by magistrates within their respective spheres, and by individuals, by example, and by interference, where cases may require it. This protection will extend to a defence from the cruel treatment of those to

whom the care of them may be entrusted, to defence from injury by strangers, to proper shelter from the severity of the seasons, or from the attacks of other animals of prey.

Under the head of cruelties may be comprehended all those unnecessary mutilations, made merely under a notion of rendering them more sightly in the ideas of the owner, by which pain is inflicted in the operation, and much inconvenience suffered for the remainder of the life of the animal..

It is not sufficient, in these, or in any cases of cruelty, for any one to say, that the animal is his own, and he may do what he pleases with it. It is not his own. It is a trust committed to his care by the Great Creator of all, who claims them as His, when he says, "all the beasts of the forest are mine, and so are the

cattle upon a thousand hills: I know all the fowls upon the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight;" (PSALM 1. 10, 11.) and the man will have to account to Him for the care which he has taken of it. When Balaam smote in anger the beast upon which he rode, he might as well have urged its being his own; but the animal was endowed miraculously with a voice to remonstrate, and the angel rebuked him, and the prophet acknowledged that he had sinned. This miraculous voice speaks as the voice of God in behalf of the dumb, in every country and in every age.

II. The second particular of which I proposed to treat was instruction, or discipline; what is, in many instances, styled breaking. Animals were intended for our use, and, by whatever means they were to have been brought to this in a more perfect state, in this our fallen world, with their natures corrupt, as well