As to the Reaſon of this Prohibition, its favouring of Cruelty excepted, (and that by Galen, and other experienc'd Phyſicians, the eating Blood is condemn'd as unwholſome, cauſing Indigeſtion and Obſtructions) if a poſitive Command of Almighty God were not enough, it ſeems ſufficiently intimated; becauſe Blood was the Vehicle of the Life and Animal Soul of the Creature: For what other myſterious Cauſe, as haply its being always dedicated to Expiatory Sacrifices, &c. it is not for us to enquire. 'Tis ſaid, that Juſtin Martyr being asked, why the Chriſtians of his time were permitted the eating Fleſh and not the Blood? readily anſwer'd, That God might diſtinguiſh them from Beaſts, which eat them both together. 'Tis likewiſe urg'd, that by the Apoſtolical Synod (when the reſt of the Jewiſh Ceremonies and Types were aboliſh'd) this Prohibition was mention'd as a thing [99]neceſſary, and rank'd with Idolatry, which was not to be local or temporary; but univerſally injoyn'd to converted Strangers and Proſelytes, as well as Jews: Nor could the Scandal of neglecting to obſerve it, concern them alone, after ſo many Ages as it was and ſtill is in continual Uſe; and thoſe who tranſgreſs'd, ſo ſeverely puniſh'd, as by an Imperial Law to be ſcourg'd to Blood and Bone: Indeed, ſo terrible was the Interdiction, that Idolatry excepted (which was alſo Moral and perpetual) nothing in Scripture ſeems to be more expreſs. In the mean time, to relieve all other Scruples, it does not, they ſay, extend to that ακρβεια
of thoſe few diluted Drops of Extravaſated Blood, which might happen to tinge the Juice and Gravy of the Fleſh (which were indeed to ſtrain at a Gnat) but to thoſe who devour the Venal and Arterial Blood ſeparately, and in Quantity, as a choice Ingredient of their luxurious Preparations and Apician Tables.
But this, and all the reſt will, I fear, ſeem but Oleribus verba facere, and (as the Proverb goes) be Labour-in-vain to think of preaching down Hogs-Puddings, and uſurp the Chair of Rabby-Buſy: And therefore what is advanc'd in Countenance of the Antediluvian Diet, we leave to be ventilated by the Learned, and ſuch as Curcellæus, who has borrow'd of all the Ancient Fathers, from Tertullian, Hierom, S. Chryſoſtom, &c. to the later Doctors and Divines, Lyra, Toſtatus, Dionyſius Carthuſianus, Pererius, amongſt the Pontificians; of Peter Martyr, Zanchy, Aretius, Jac. Capellus, Hiddiger, Cocceius, Bochartus, &c. amongſt the Proteſtants; and inſtar omnium, by Salmaſius, Grotius, Voſſius, Blundel: In a Word, by the Learn'd of both Perſuaſions, favourable enough to theſe Opinions, Cajetan and Calvin only excepted, who hold, that as to Abſtinence from Fleſh, there was no poſitive Command or Impoſition concerning it; but that the Uſe of Herbs and Fruit was recommended rather for Temperance ſake, and the Prolongation of Life: Upon which ſcore I am inclin'd to believe that the ancient θεραωενται,
and other devout and contemplative Sects, diſtinguiſh'd themſelves; whoſe Courſe of Life we have at large deſcrib'd in [100]Philo (who liv'd and taught much in Gardens) with others of the Abſtemious Chriſtians; among whom, Clemens brings in St. Mark the Evangeliſt himſelf, James our Lord's Brother. St. John, &c. and with ſeveral of the devout Sex, the famous Diaconeſſe Olympias, mention'd by Palladius (not to name the reſt) who abſtaining from Fleſh, betook themſelves to Herbs and Sallets upon the Account of Temperance, and the Vertues accompanying it; and concerning which the incomparable Grotius declares ingenuouſly his Opinion to be far from cenſuring, not only thoſe who forbear the eating Fleſh and Blood, Experimenti Cauſa, and for Diſcipline ſake; but ſuch as forbear ex Opinione, and (becauſe it has been the ancient Cuſtom) provided they blam'd none who freely us'd their Liberty; and I think he's in the right.
But leaving this Controverſie (ne nimium extra oleas) it has often been objected, that Fruit, and Plants, and all other things, may ſince the Beginning, and as the World grows older, have univerſally become Effœte, impair'd and diverted of thoſe Nutritious and tranſcendent Vertues they were at firſt endow'd withal: But as this is begging the Queſtion, and to which we have already ſpoken; ſo all are not agreed that there is any, the leaſt [101]Decay in Nature, where equal Induſtry and Skill's apply'd. 'Tis true indeed, that the Ordo Foliatorum, Feuillantines (a late Order of Aſcetic Nuns) amongſt other Mortifications, made Trial upon the Leaves of Plants alone, to which they would needs confine themſelves; but were not able to go through that thin and meagre Diet: But then it would be enquir'd whether they had not firſt, and from their very Childhood, been fed and brought up with Fleſh, and better Suſtenance till they enter'd the Cloyſter; and what the Vegetables and the Preparation of them were allow'd by their Inſtitution? Wherefore this is nothing to our Modern Uſe of Sallets, or its Diſparagement. In the mean time, that we ſtill think it not only poſſible, but likely, and with no great Art or Charge (taking Roots and Fruit into the Basket) ſubſtantially to maintain Mens Lives in Health and Vigour: For to this, and leſs than this, we have the Suffrage of the great [102]Hippocrates himſelf; who thinks, ab initio etiam hominum (as well as other Animals) tali victu uſum eſſe, and needed no other Food. Nor is it an inconſiderable Speculation, That ſince all Fleſh is Graſs (not in a Figurative, but Natural and Real Senſe) Man himſelf, who lives on Fleſh, and I think upon no Earthly Animal whatſoever, but ſuch as feed on Graſs, is nouriſh'd with them ſtill; and ſo becoming an Incarnate Herb, and Innocent Canibal, may truly be ſaid to devour himſelf.
We have ſaid nothing of the Lotophagi, and ſuch as (like St. John the Baptiſt, and other religious Aſcetics) were Feeders on the Summities and Tops of Plants: But as divers of thoſe, and others we have mention'd, were much in times of Streights, Perſecutions, and other Circumſtances, which did not in the leaſt make it a Pretence, exempting them from Labour, and other Humane Offices, by enſnaring Obligations and vows (never to be uſeful to the Publick, in whatever Exigency) ſo I cannot but take Notice of what a Learned Critic ſpeaking of Mens neglecting plain and Eſſential Duties, under Colour of exerciſing themſelves in a more ſublime Courſe of Piety, and being Righteous above what is commanded (as thoſe who ſeclude themſelves in Monaſteries) that they manifeſtly diſcover exceſſive Pride, Hatred of their Neighbour, Impatience of Injuries; to which add, Melancholy Plots and Machinations; and that he must be either ſtupid, or infected with the ſame Vice himſelf, who admires this εθελοπεριοσοθρησκεια,
or thinks they were for that Cauſe the more pleaſing to God. This being ſo, what may we then think of ſuch Armies of Hermits, Monks and Friers, who pretending to juſtifie a miſtaken Zeal and meritorious Abſtinence; not only by a peculiar Diet and Diſtinction of Meats (which God without Diſtinction has made the moderate Uſe of common and [103]indifferent amongſt Chriſtians) but by other ſordid Uſages, and unneceſſary Hardſhips, wilfully prejudice their Health and Conſtitution? and through a ſingular manner of living, dark and Saturnine; whilſt they would ſeem to abdicate and forſake the World (in Imitation, as they pretend, of the Ancient Eremites) take care to ſettle, and build their warm and ſtately Neſts in the moſt Populous Cities, and Places of Reſort; ambitious doubtleſs of the Peoples Veneration and Opinion of an extraordinary Sanclity; and therefore flying the Deſarts, where there is indeed no uſe of them; and flocking to the Towns and Cities where there is leſs, indeed none at all; and therefore no Marvel that the Emperour Valentinian baniſhed them the Cities, and Conſtantine Copronymus finding them ſeditious, oblig'd them to marry, to leave their Cells, and live as did others. For of theſe, ſome there are who ſeldom ſpeak, and therefore edifie none; ſleep little, and lie hard, are clad naſtily, and eat meanly (and oftentimes that which is unwholſom) and therefore benefit none; Not becauſe they might not, both for their own, and the Good of others, and the Publick; but becauſe they will not; Cuſtom, and a prodigious [104]Sloth accompanying it; which renders it ſo far from Penance, and the Mortification pretended, that they know not how to live, or ſpend their Time otherwiſe. This, as I have often conſider'd, ſo was I glad to find it juſtly perſtring'd, and taken notice of by a [105]Learned Perſon, amongſt others of his uſeful Remarks abroad.
'Theſe, ſays he, willingly renouncing the innocent Comforts of Life, plainly ſhew it to proceed more from a chagrin and moroſe Humour, than from any true and ſerious Principle of ſound Religion; which teaches Men to be uſeful in their Generations, ſociable and communicative, unaffected, and by no means ſingular and fantaſtic in Garb and Habit, as are theſe (forſooth) Fathers (as they affect to be call'd) ſpending their Days in idle and fruitleſs Forms, and tedious Repetitions; and thereby thinking to merit the Reward of thoſe Ancient, and truly pious Solitaries, who, God knows, were driven from their Countries and Repoſe, by the Incurſions of barbarous Nations (whilſt theſe have no ſuch Cauſe) and compell'd to Auſterities, not of their own chuſing and making, but the publick Calamity; and to labour with their Hands for their own, and others neceſſary Support, as well as with with their Prayers and holy Lives, Examples to all the World: And ſome of theſe indeed (beſsides the Solitaries of the Thebaid, who wrought for abundance of poor Chriſtians, ſick, and in Captivity) I might bring in, as ſuch who deſerv'd to have their Names preſerv'd; not for their rigorous Fare, and uncouth Diſguiſes; but for teaching that the Grace of Temperance and other Vertues, conſiſted in a cheerful, innocent, and profitable Conversation.
And now to recapitulate what other Prerogatives the Hortulan Proviſion has been celebrated for, beſsides its Antiquity, Health and Longævity of the Antediluvians; that Temperance, Frugality, Leiſure, Eaſe, and innumerable other Vertues and Advantages, which accompany it, are no leſs attributable to it. Let us hear our excellent Botaniſt [106]Mr. Ray.
'The Uſe of Plants (ſays he) is all our Life long of that univerſal Importance and Concern, that we can neither live nor ſubſiſt in any Plenty with Decency, or Conveniency or be ſaid to live indeed at all without them: whatſoever Food is neceſſary to ſuſtain us, whatſoever contributes to delight and refreſh us, are ſupply'd and brought forth out of that plentiful and abundant ſtore: and ah, how much more innocent, ſweet and healthful, is a Table cover'd with theſe, than with all the reeking Fleſh of butcher'd and ſlaughter'd Animals: Certainly Man by Nature was never made to be a Carnivorous Creature; nor is he arm'd at all for Prey and Rapin, with gag'd and pointed Teeth and crooked Claws, ſharp'ned to rend and tear: But with gentle Hands to gather Fruit and Vegetables, and with Teeth to chew and eat them: Nor do we ſo much as read the Uſe of Fleſh for Food, was at all permitted him, till after the Univerſal Deluge, &c.