Thomas Tryon
Healths Grand Preservative
Of Flesh
「1682」Thomas Tryon “Of Flesh,” in Healths Grand Preservative (London, 1682); Online at Animal Rights History, 2003.
It is not said, That the Lord made all Creatures for Man to Eat, as I have heard many affirm, but he made them for his own Glory and eternal Honour, and for the manifestation of his Wonders.
‘Tis true, most Men believe that evil Company corrupts manners, and will acknowledge that some sorts of Imployments do by degrees dispose people to Inhumanity, Violence and Cruelty; but if you tell them there is the same possibility and greater in Meats, they shall Laugh at it as a ridiculous Dream, though in truth it is a most certain Truth, and daily experience (if we would but hear her Voice) bears witness unto it.
It was a shame in former Ages for a Man to be seen to buy Flesh, or to have carried it openly in the Streets of Cities, but now the best Citizens count it the contrary, and make nothing to go openly to the Flesh-markets in their Plush Coats, and Load a Porter two or three times a Week, with the Spoils of their Slaughtered Fellow-Creatures.
Of Flesh and its operation in the Body, and also on the Senses. That the continual Eating thereof without due distinction of proper Times and Seasons, does darken the Spirits, and distempers Natures. Likewise of the excellency of Herbs, Fruits, and their inward operation on the Body and Mind.
The eating of Flesh was not allowed or practiced in the first and purer Ages, when Men gave themselves to the Study of Wisdom, viz. To the knowledge of themselves, and were partakers of Gods secrets in Divine and Humane things, and injoy’d Health and long Life drawn out to the Age of many hundred years. For thus the Holy Scripture tells us, Gen. 1. The Lord said, behold ! I have given you every Herb bearing Seed, which is upon the face of all the Earth, and every Tree in which is the fruit of Tree yielding Seed, to you it shall be for Meat. And in another place it is said, Flesh with the Blood thereof, you shall not eat. It is not said, That the Lord made all Creatures for Man to Eat, as I have heard many affirm, but he made them for his own Glory and eternal Honour, and for the manifestation of his Wonders, and that Men should have Dominion over all Creatures and created things, which Man hath lost by suffering his desires and imaginations to enter into Bestial nature, which do by degrees captivate the Noble parts in Men. But the wise Antients for divers Ages of the World, did know but little of the variety of Flesh and strong Drinks, or of compounded Dishes of 20 sorts of things, most of them of disagreeing Natures: No, their Food was simple and natural, easie to be procured without oppression to themselves or to any of Gods Creatures, as Herbs, Fruits and Grains, and pure water for drink, which things are endued with a most simple nature and operation, which neither dulleth the Head by fumes, nor stupifies the Senses by surplusage of nourishment, but being well prepared and eaten moderately, do nourish by way of Simile its like qualities in the Body, being of lighter digestion, and of a more Aiery operation than Flesh, being also void of all Inclinations, Senses, or passions of Love or Hate, whose original is more clean and nearer the unity in nature; therefore the Philosophical Ancients in former ages incouraged the eating of Herbs, Fruits and Grains, but on the contrary, made Laws against the common eating of Flesh without distinction. The great and most illuminated Prophet Moses did not admit the Children of Israel to eat any Flesh during their forty years March through the Wilderness: ‘Tis true, when the people did Murmur, the Lord being provoked, gave them Flesh in his Wrath, and afterwards when they were admitted to eat Flesh, it was with such distinctions, and with so many circumstances as could not be performed but by the abundance of labour and trouble, and other inconveniencies, by which Laws and observations many of Gods Creatures became of little or no use in the Creation, as Swine and the like, if indeed they had onely been made for Men to eat. But the Lord never commanded his People in any Age to abstain from any thing, but it was always for their preservation; for Abstinence, Cleanness, and Sobriety in Meats, Drinks, Exercises, and Communications, do work wonderful Effects, and have a sympathetical operation both on the Body and Senses, rendring the observers thereof Healthful, with brisk powerful Spirits, watchful, prudent, of good forecast, able to give Council, and for matters of Learning, they do easily grow to an excellency in the knowledge of themselves, and in all other things whereunto they do apply themselves. And as for Prayers, Meditations and Contemplations, they do perform them with great Facility, Pleasure and Spiritual delight, being always fresh in their minds, and free from Diseases in their Bodies.
By this way of Sobriety, Cleanness and Temperance many of the Antients became admirable both in Divine and humane Wisdome; ’tis well known how Scrupulously the Pythagoreans (one of the most Learned and Mysterious of all the Sects of Gentile-Philosophers) abstained from Flesh. The Divine Writer and great Prophet Moses, testifies that God made Man in his own Image; and that he should have Dominion over all things or Creatures, not that he should eat all things, or hurt himself by devouring them, nor suffer his desires to enter into them, nor theirs into him, for Man is a Prince in this World, and in him is contained the true Nature of all the Inferiour Creatures; for if it were not so, he could not be their Prince, nor be sustained by them. And tho Man was made greater then any other Creature that is visible, and to be Lord over all, yet nevertheless he having a Simile with the Nature of all things, is thereby rendered capable to be wrought on by every inferior thing he shall suffer his desires to enter into, and by degrees he is liable to become captivated unto that thing, be it either Good or Evil; for every like (as I told you before) works on and awakens its likeness; This was the reason why Moses commanded that unclean Beasts should not be eaten, that the human Nature might not mix or incorporate in its self the Beastial qualities; for every individual Man has essentially in him the true Natures and Essences of all the Beasts of the Field, and Fishes of the Sea, as also of all Herbs and Fruits, Stones and Mineral, and whatsoever else can be thought of; for if this were not so, then Man would not be subject to be wrought on by all, neither would the various sorts of Food agree with him or nourish him.
The wise Antients understanding this, and that every thing had power to attract unto it self such matter out of all things, as is capable to nourish its own Body, therefore in those days the eating of Flesh was not in such Reputation as of later years it hath been; especially as it is in England, who do make it their chief Food: All Vegetables and Fruits being in themselves of a clean Simple Nature and Opperation, which being well prepared and temperately eaten, have onely power to waken their Similes in the Body and Senses as aforesaid. But on the contrary, all Beasts, especially unclean Beasts, are endued with all kind of Beastial Passions, as Anger, Revenge, Covetousness, Love and Hate, which dispositions and Passions of the Flesh, but especially the Blood, doth retain after such Animals are Killed; and for that reason it was, that the Blood of all sorts of Beasts was so strictly forbidden, for the Essential Spirits dwell in the Blood, and in the Blood and Spirits lye hid all the dispositions and Inclinations the Creature was endued withal, and therefore all sorts of Flesh that were permitted to be eaten were to be well Purged from the Blood. And also this same Blood was either to be consumed by Fire, or an hole made in the Earth and the Blood cast into it and covered, that the wrathful Spirits and Vapours thereof might not defile the Air, which is continually Breathed into our Bodies; for when any Creature is Killed, the great pain and Agony they endure does so powerfully awaken the Center of the wrathful Fire, and also the Internal Poysons which are the Root of every Life, that the said Fierce Poysonous Spirits seize the Blood on their right fountain of preservation, so that the Blood does not only contain all the natural dispositions, passions and Inclinations, but also the awakened Poysons and irritated Spirits which were violently stirred up by Deaths stroke. For when the natural Life is in danger (the continuation of which is so sweet to all Creatures, and they do so unwillingly part with it, especially when the Creature is in perfect Health and Strength) what a strange fear and dread must needs attend the Creature in this condition ? and how strongly and violently are all the Centers and Powers of nature stirred up ? and then are awakened the revengeful Spirits, which do contain the Blood, for that is their Habitation, which in this Agonous condition does often spread it self through the whole Body, and makes the Flesh look red, but this is generally drawn back again by the drawing away of the Blood where the wound is made. Now if this Blood be exposed to the open Air, these fiery dark wrathful Spirits do by degrees evaporate, and incorporate themselves with the Airs, and so defiles it, and renders it pernicious.
The very same is to be understood in all other Uncleanness, and these are the cheif Reasons why the Prophet Moses commanded the Blood either to be Burnt on the Altar or Buried in the Earth, tho there doth remain somewhat more to be said why he commanded the Blood to be consumed on the Altar by Fire, which I shall forbear, and speak of in its proper place; for those fiery wrathful Spirits that do evaporate themselves into the Air, being continually breathed into the body by such people as so communicate near such places, as Slaughter-houses, and the like, and more especially those that are of killing Imployments, those awakened wratchful Spirits do enter them, and powerfully incorporate themselves with their Similes; for this cause all Butchers and others, that do use such Trades, are more fierce and cruel, sooner moved to wrath than others; killing is as easie and familiar to them as Plowing the Land is to the Husbandman; and in a word, they are far more inclined to violence than men of other Imployments are.
The same is to be understood in all other Trades, and also in Communications, as those that are brought up and have their conversations amongst Horses, are not most of them Robustick, Proud, Bold and Surly, like the Creatures they communicate with; the same is likewise to be understood in many other hard working rough Trades and Imployments; are nor most of them rash, head-strong, scarce endued with common Humanity. There is nothing so good, or so bad, but Man is capable of being captivated to it from this Ground it is that weak Inclinations, that a Man in himself is hardly sensible of, may either by Imployments or Communications be made strong, which is one Reason why Mens Inclinations and their Love and Hate alters and changes, according to time, place, business, and communication, as some Men have declared, that they did not fear being overcome with Drink, Women, or the like Evils, because at that time they found no Inclinations to such things, nevertheless, time, opportunity, communications, and other circumstances concurring, many of them have been overcome by those Vices they so little stood in fear of, though also Astrologick Configurations and Influences have a share in altering and changing Mens inclinations, and more especially when other causes concur: For this cause the most prudent in all Ages have advised all Men to avoid evil occasions, and the Apostle Paul saith, That Evil Communication corrupts good Manners, the truth of which no Man will or can deny. Now if Imployments, Communications, Labours, Words, and all kind of outward business, have so great power of changing and altering Dispositions and Inclinations, increasing them, and the contrary, how can we imagine but Meats and Drinks received into the Body, will have the same or greater power and operation, as those that feed much on unclean Flesh, as on Swine, and that have their conversation amongst Animals, are not many of them much like those Creatures, of sottish, dull, heavy, sordid dispositions, yet subtle and cunning in a Beastial way ? And on the contrary, those that drink Wine, and feed on the highest food, have not they Spirits accordingly ? also those whose Conversation is amongst Men, as Citizens and Merchants; have they not higher and greater Spirits, being more tractable and humane, fair and ingenious in all their dealings and conversations: For all things have a sympathetical operation, whether it be Imployments, Meats, Drinks, or Communications, every thing does secretly awaken its like property, which do often captivate the spirit of a Man before he is sensible of it, being ignorant of the nature and sympathetical operation all things have with his own Nature. ‘Tis true, most Men believe that evil Company corrupts manners, and will acknowledge that some sorts of Imployments do by degrees dispose people to Inhumanity, Violence and Cruelty; but if you tell them there is the same possibility and greater in Meats, they shall Laugh at it as a ridiculous Dream, though in truth it is a most certain Truth, and daily experience (if we would but hear her Voice) bears witness unto it. Why did Moses prohibit his people the eating of Swines flesh, seeing Swine are not serviceable to mankind any other way, but by being killed and eaten; and besides, a Swine is a Creature, that being well ordered, becomes as wholesome Nourishment, as some other Animals that are counted clean, though there is somewhat to be said against the grossness of that sort of Flesh; But the cheif thing the Spirit of God in that great Prophet reguarded, was, no doubt, the Spirit of that creature whose original and predominant quality stands in the dark wrath of Nature, which is manifested by their shapes, cries, and tones, which Spirit the human nature ought not to joyn it self unto, lest if partake of its Nature. Every thing having power to joyn it self with its likeness, and to strengthen its own property. Doth not Wine and strong drink precipitate men into Fury and Madness by simile; that is, the Spirits in Wine do incorporate themselves with the natural Spirits, and violently awaken them, making them burn too fierce, which sets nature into a Rage, awakening the central Spirits till all parts of the body burn like fire till the Oyl be consumed, and nature begins to languish, becoming dull, heavy, and stupid. The very same operation have all food in the Body, and on the Spirits and Senses, but more slowly and hidden; for great Meals of Food makes dull when first eaten, for all the time Nature is digesting, and making seperation, (which is 4, 5, or 6 hours a doing) and then Nature begins to be brisk and lightsome; for what the stomach and natural heat do perform, as to Fermentation and Seperation with the Food, is done to Natures hand by Art in all sorts of strong drinks, therefore all such fermented strong drinks have a present operation, but let drink be ever so strong, if it have not passed through Fermentation and Seperation, it will lie heavy on the Stomach, and send dark and dulling fumes into the Head if a quantity be drunk: Therefore great Meals of strong rich food do endanger the health more than proportionable drinking of strong drinks, especially in hot Countries, and in Summer time in colder Climates. That dispositions and inclinations are chang’d and altered by Food, may further appear in all or most unclean creatures, are they not made fiercer if raw Flesh and Blood be given them, their wrathful unclean Nature being thereby enraged and made stronger? And is not the very flesh of those Creatures men feed on, altered either for the better or worse, according to the nature of their Food: what a vast difference shall there be as to the goodness or badness, wholsomness or unwholsomness of the Milk of the very same Cow, when she feeds upon fresh delicate Grass , Herbs, and Flowers, and when she is kept on course Brewers grains or the like? The Elements of Mans body and natural spirits are compounded of the same matter as other Creatures are, and in respects subject to the same or like alterations: only the Holy Light and Grace of God, which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World, if obeyed, is sufficient to subdue most natural Inclinations, and to keep them within the bounds of Temperance; indeed this gift is the only power by which a man may overcome the Evil and deny himself.
2.Flesh is not so clean a Food as Herbs, Seeds and Fruits, for all sorts of Animals are Subject to various Passions, but on the contrary all or most Vegetables have a more Simple and Innocent Original, therefore their Opperation on the Body and Senses is as Simple having no power to awaken any property in the Body but what is like themselves. Furthermore we see that no Creatures that are clean will eat Flesh, except they be taught it, and brought to it by degrees; on the other side, all such Animals as naturally will eat Flesh, are by all means counted unclean, as Dogs, Cats, Bears, Wolves, Foxes and many others both in the Sea and Land, and most will avoid the eating of such Creatures, as being unclean in the Root of their Natures. Therefore they desire such Food as hath affinity with them, for every Creature rejoyceth in its likeness. The Prophet Moses well understood this when he commanded that unclean Creatures and Blood should not be eaten, because the Blood (as is mentioned before) doth not only contain the Spirits, but the very Humour, Dispositions and Inclinations of the Creature, therefore it was to be Killed and dressed after such a manner by which the Blood and Superfluous matter was extinguished, and if Flesh should now be prepared after their way, we should not account it to have half the Vertue as it hath in our way of preparation. Indeed the way of Killing and preparing of Flesh and Fish, that the Law-giver prescribed to his People, was to cleanse the Flesh from all Blood in which stand the Spirits, and all the dispositions and Inclinations of the Creature lye hid. By this means the Uniting of the Bestial Nature with the humane was in a great measure prevented; and for no other reason all unclean Beasts, Fouls and Fishes were so severely forbidden. All Created things have but only Ground and Original. Every particular Creature contains the true Nature and properties of the whole, only the Qualities are in several degrees, one having one Quality strong, and another the Center. For in every Creature one of the forms or properties do carry the upward Dominion, and the other Quallities lye as it were hid, but some times do manifest themselves, but that property which is weakest may be awakened and made strong by its Simile, as often comes to pass.
From this very Ground proceeds all Sympathy and Antipathy, concord and discord in this World. For all those whose predominate qualities stand nearest and have affinity each to other, such are Friendly one to another, but those whose predominate Properties have Antipathy each to other, such slight one another, and if the Grace and Holy Light of God do not restrain them, they are very apt to Speak Evil and Backbite one another. The same is to be understood in the Divine Principal of Gods Love, those that through the Blessing and Favour of the Lord, have obtained the holy Gifts of the Spirit, be it more or less, all such People have affinity and bear good will each to other; except the false Prophet Opinion gets in amongst them, which is a Ravening Woolf? every thing rejoyceth in its likeness, and the contrary in its Death, therefore it is highly convenient, for every Man to consider the variety and the possibility of his own Nature, and that in himself is contained the true Nature of every thing in the Visible and Invisible World, and that he bears a Simile with all things, and is both capable and liable to be drawn either to Vice or Vertue by everything he joyns himself to, whether Meats, Drinks, Communications, or whatever else a Man suffers his will or desires to run out after or enter into, the same thing hath power to awaken its likeness, and for this cause all the Wisemen and Prophet have advised to cleanness and sobriety, and to the reading of good Mens Books, which do stirr up the good Faculties in the Soul, for all books do bear the Image and Spirits of him that Wrote them, and so by simile do awaken the like Spirit and desire; and so on the contrary, if young or old give themselves to the reading of Plays or Books of Romances, they will powerfully awaken by simile the vain wanton Nature, which before lay as it were hid, Therefore it was said in the Revelations, Come out from amongst them, and be ye separated, lest you partake of their Evils.
3. The Reason why most people love and so much desire Flesh more than either Herbs, Fruits or Grains, in not because it doth afford either better Nourishment, or is pleasanter to the Pallate or Stomach, but it chiefly is because Man is departed his Mind and desires from the Innocent ways of God and Nature, and through his Free-will hath awakened the dark wrathful powers in himself, which have more Affinity with the Bestial Nature, than with Herbs or Fruits: For the Beasts are endued with the very same Passions in all respects as Men, if it had not been so, the Commandment had not been so strict against eating of Flesh, for the Radix of Beasts and Men have a greater Affinity, and the more ignorant and sottish people are, the more they desire to eat Flesh, and the more Flesh they eat, the more Sottish, Ignorant, and Bruitish they become. Also, the more the dark poysonous wrath of God and Nature is stirred up, and the more it does predominate in Man, the more doth Man desire Food that hath a proportionable Nature. From this very ground it is that some sorts of Creatures esteem’d Unclean, (whose predominent quality stands in the wrath of Nature) do so much desire unclean Food, because it hath unity with their Natures; the very same is to be understood of those Creatures witch we call clean, they do as much on the contrary desire clean Food, viz. Fruits and Herbs, because such things have the nearest Affinity with their Natures; and if Men had not departed from the Innocent ways of God and Nature, and suffer their Wills to enter into the Wrath and Beastial Nature, they would no so much desire Flesh; for Flesh cannot be eaten without violence done to Nature, for the Lives of all Beasts are as sweet to them, and they as much desire to continue them as Men do, and as unwillingly part with them. And the Groanings of these Creatures that suffer Oppression and Pain, do awaken the Wrath in them that do it, which is a certain Retaliation or Reward; for all kind of Cruelty does stir up and awaken the Wrath of God in Nature. And so on the contrary, all Love and Concord does powerfully beget its likeness.
Doth not every evil word, which does proceed and is formed from the Principal of Wrath and Passion, carry the Power of its principal with it, and awaken its Simile in those to whom such words are directed ? on the contrary, do not soft and pleasant words pacifie wrath by awakening their Simile ? every principal and property in Nature must have its own Food, or else it looseth its power and Strength. Mens coveting to eat so much Flesh is too plain a Sign, that they are departed from that Innocent and Simple Life for which they were made, and entred into the contrary; for if the wrath of God in Nature were not awakened by beyond its proper degree, and did not predominate over the Simple Innocent Life, then People would no more desire Flesh than our holy Ancestors in the first Ages of the World. It is a token we are in Egypt, when we hanker so much after the Flesh-pots. As long as men were partakers of and followers of the true knowledge of Gods works, and lived in the Simple path of Nature, which led to Health and long Life, Herbs and Fruits were in as great esteem as Flesh is now; It was a shame in former Ages for a Man to be seen to buy Flesh, or to have carried it openly in the Streets of Cities, but now the best Citizens count it the contrary, and make nothing to go openly to the Flesh-markets in their Plush Coats, and Load a Porter two or three times a Week, with the Spoils of their Slaughtered Fellow-Creatures; and if a Man comes to their Houses after Dinner, there he may behold a very unpleasant sight, viz. Greasy-Platters, Bloody-Bones, and pieces of Fat Flesh lye up and down the Kitchin, thereby rendered next door to a slaughter House. And this Trade is drove every day in the Week, but more especially on the day they call their Sabbath, tho in truth they do not make it so, but rather a day of Feasting, a day wherein they Bury the dead Bodies of Slaughtered Beasts, and a day on which our English Belly-Slaves and Gluttons make their Servants do more work then any other day of the Week, as to dressing of Food. A day likewise whereon most People Cloath themselves in all their bravery, and the Women go to Church to take notice who has the Finest Cloaths and the newest Fashions, &c. but why do I blame the Women, the Men have been the occasion of all this and much more.
If those of each Sex did hearken to the Voice of God and Nature, they would forsake such sinful Vanities, and not thus seek Death in the Error of their Lives; I have drawn the Curtain, and given them a brief view of Natures School wherein the Sons of Wisdom learn to obey her Dictates, and by their prudent conduct and Temperance, avoid those many torturing diseases of the Body, and distracting pertubations of Mind, to which the rest of the world necessarily enslave themselves by their perverse Folly. What I have delivered, is the very Doctrine of Nature, approved by Religion, and justified by Reason, and confirmed by Experience; Those that wilfully slight so many Monitors, will scarce deserve Pity in their Misery.
Healths Grand Preservative:
OR THE
Womens best Doctor.
A TREATISE,
Shewing the Nature and Operation of Brandy, Rumm, Rack, and other distilled Spirits, and the ill consequences of Mens, but especially of Womens drinking such pernicious Liquors and smoaking Tobacco.
As likewise,
Of the immoderate Eating of Flesh without a due observation of Time, or Nature of the Creature which hath proved very destructive to the Health of many.
Together,
With a Rational Discourse of the Excellency of Herbs, highly approved of by our Ancestors in former times. And the Reasons why Men now so much desire Flesh more than other Food.
A Work highly fit to be perused and observed by all that Love their Health, and particularly necessary to the Female Sex, on whose good or ill Constituting the Health and Strength, or Sickness and weakness of all Posterity does in a more especial manner depend.
By THO. TRYON.
London, Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by Langl Curtis near Fleet-Bridge, 1682.
