The Duty of Mercy Quotes

“If I know that a man is cruel to his Beast, I ask no more questions about him. He may be a noble man, or a rich man, or a polite man, or a sensible man, or a learned man, or an orthodox man, or a church man, or a puritan, or any thing else, it matters not; this I know, on the sacred word of a wise King, that, being cruel to his beast, he is a WICKED man.”
― Humphrey Primatt, The Duty of Mercy: A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals

“Creatures at large GOD claims as his own peculiar property. All the Beasts of the Forest are Mine, faith the Mighty GOD, 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. With regard to these Creatures, He requires not our care or attention. He does not expect that we should concern or trouble ourselves about them. The Duty of Men concerning Animals that are wild by nature, lies in a very narrow compass - Let them alone. Being GOD's property, and in his fight, GOD will provide for them. And it is not enough for us, that we invade not their providence, but leave them unmolested and at liberty to perform the tasks, and answer the ends, for which GOD was pleased to create them.”
― Humphrey Primatt, The Duty of Mercy: A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals

“The Sum of the whole is this: In the Scripture Account of the Original Constitution of Men and Brutes, the very same Terms are applied to Both. Are the Brutes of the Dust of the Ground? So is Man. Have Men the Breath of Life in their Nostrils? So have Brutes. Are the One Living Souls? So are the Other. For the Lord GOD formed both Man and Brute of the Dust of the Ground, and breathed into their Nostrils the Breath of Life, and so Man and Brute became LIVING SOULS, or (ch. vii. 4. 23.) LIVING SUBSTANCES.”
― Humphrey Primatt, The Duty of Mercy: A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals

“Now, if amongst men, the differences of their powers of the mind, and of their complexion, stature, and accidents of fortune, do not give any one man a right to abuse or insult any other man on account of these differences; for the same reason, a man can have no natural right to abuse and torment a beast, merely because a beast has not the mental powers of a man.”
― Humphrey Primatt, The Duty of Mercy: A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals

“What should we think of a stout and strong Man, that should exert his fury and barbarity on a helpless and innocent Babe? Should we not abhor and detest that man, as a mean, cowardly, and savage wretch, unworthy the stature and strength of a man? No less mean, cowardly, and savage is it, to abuse and torment the innocent Beast, who can neither help himself or avenge himself; and yet has as much right to happiness in this world as a child can have; nay, more right, if this world be his only inheritance.”
― Humphrey Primatt, The Duty of Mercy: A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals