Thee an Injury? Doth the Beaft retain any grudge against Thee? Did the dumb Beaft ever flander or bely Thee? or, Did the irrational Beaft ever contrive any plot or device against Thee? I believe thou wilt anfwer, NO. Then, what is it to Thee, with regard to the Brute, that his Mafter is thine Enemy? A Creature endued with a sense of feeling, who never did thee an injury, is in diftrefs or pain: You have it in your power to help him: but he happeneth to be the property of å man that hateth Thee: therefore this diftreffed but innocent brute must continue to fuffer pain, becaufe, without any choice of his own, he belongs to thine Enemy. Is this good reasoning? or, is it at

all

not.

all confiftent with the rule of juftice or equity, that the innocent fhould fuffer for the guilty; or that the Mafter's Enmity to Thee fhould cancel thy duty of compaffion and relief to the diftreffed and unoffending Brute? I think But as this is only human reasoning; let us refer for direction to the pofitive and written Law of GOD. And bleffed be his Goodness and Mercy, that he hath been pleased to give us therein a Commandment full and clear as to both these points; whether we fee our Enemies Beaft going aftray, or fallen down under his burthen.

1. If thou meet thine ENEMIES OX or bis ASS going ASTRAY, Thou shalt furely bring it back to

him again, (Exod. xxiii. 4.). We may observe above in the cafe of a Beaft going aftray; if it be the Beaft of thy brother, or neighbour, you are required to fend it to him again; but if it be the beaft of a stranger, then to take it to your own house and to keep it, till you hear of the Owner, and he fends for it. But, in the present cafe, the Owner is thine Enemy; as fuch, you know him, and most likely where he lives: you are not required therefore to take this loft Beaft to your own house, and keep it till the Owner comes to enquire after it; for, as the Owner is your Enemy, You or your Servants might be tempted, on that account, to neglect or mifufe it; but you are to fend it

back

back to your Enemy, or at leaft to give him immediate notice that you have found it:-If thou meet thine Enemies OX or his ASS going aftray, Thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. And this you may do, without having any intercourse with thine Enemy. You may fend the Beaft home to him, without feeing the Man. You may do an act of kindness to the Brute, and yet avoid the difagreeable circumstance of a parley. But

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2. Suppose you should see the Beast fallen down under his burthen, and the Mafter with him. The man is thine Enemy and bateth thee; and we will fuppofe too that you do not much love

him; at leaft, that you have faid, you will have no connection at all with him; you will not even be feen in his company; much less will you undertake any work for him, or co-operate with him in any respect. Yet what faith the Law to this? If Thou fee the ASS of him that HATETH Thee, lying under bis Burthen, and wouldf forbear to help him; Thou shalt furely help with him, (Exod. xxiii, 5.). The Law maketh not the least allowance in the duty of Mercy to an innocent Brute. The Beaft is in a state of painful fuffering; he is fallen down, and requires inftant relief. All animofity apart, and no difpenfation granted, Thou art commanded to lend an helping hand to the man that hateth thee,

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