A good Man, Merciful to the very beasts. [ 1480]
IT is said of God,* 1.1 that he remembred Noah,* 1.2 and every beast;* 1.3 yea such is his Mercifull providence,* 1.4 that he watcheth not over Men but beasts;* 1.5 and a Righ∣teous Man regardeth the life of his beast. Nay, Xenocrates, a very Heathen, who had no other light but what the dim spectacles of Nature did afford, is commended for his pitifull heart, who succoured in his bosome a poor Sparrow, that being pursued by an Hawk fled unto him, and afterwards let her go, say∣ing; Se supplicem non prodidisse, that he had not betray'd his poor suppliant. And such is the goodnesse of every just Man, that he is Merciful to his very beast; Alas, it cannot declare its wants, nor tell its grievances, otherwise then by mourning in its kind; so that to an honest heart, its dumbnesse is a loud lan∣guage, crying out for relief; this made David rather venture upon a Lyon, then lose a Lamb. Iacob will endure heat by day,* 1.6 a••d cold by night,* 1.7 rather then neglect his Flocks. Moses will fight with odds, rather then the Cattle shall perish with thirst. It is onely Balaam and Bedlam-Balaamites* 1.8 that want this Mercy to their faultlesse beast; and it is ill falling into their hands, whom the very beasts find unmercifull.