Edmund Ellis
Opinions…Concerning the Sport of Cock-Fighting, Set Forth to Shew… That It Is Not Recreation Meet for Christians
「1660」Edmund Ellis, The Opinion of Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Bolton, and Others, Concerning the Sport of Cock-Fighting, Published Formerly in their Works, and Now Set Forth to Shew, That It Is Not Recreation Meet for Christians, Though so Commonly Used by Those Who Own that Name, in The Harleian Miscellany: and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts,…Interspersed with Historical, Political and Critical Annotations edited by William Oldyns (London, 1810; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks
Concerning the Sport of
COCK-FIGHTING:
Published Formerly in their Works, and Now Set Forth to Shew, That It Is Not Recreation Meet for Christians, Though so Commonly Used by Those Who Own that Name,
By EDMUND ELLIS, Mater of Arts,
And some time Fellow of Baliol-College in Oxford.
2 Sam. vi. 22.
‘I will yet be more vile than thus.’
Oxford: printed by A.L. in the Year 1660.
「Quarto; containing 20 pages.」
To my most dearly beloved and honoured Friends, Edmund Fortescue, of Fallapit in Devonshire, Esq; and Mr. Dennis Grenvile, younger Son of Sir Bevill Grenvile, Knight. Sirs, I present you these papers, chiefly for the two reason: first, because I know you are sincerely of the same opinion, which, by them, I manifest to the world, that I am of, and therefore they must needs be acceptable unto you. Secondly, because you understand me aright in those actions, which the generality of other men, good and bad, who have occasion to take notice of them, esteem as monstrous and improper for me, not rightly apprehending their symmetry and proportion to such principles, as they themselves must necessarily acknowledge to be good for me to act by; and,whilst there is any sin to be discerned in me (which, alas! must needs be, as long as I continue in this earthly tabernacle) it cannot be otherwise, by reason of the confused notions, men commonly have, of such action as proceed from a soul differently inclined, to wit, by the strength it retains of the old nature, and by what it hath received of the new.
To my honoured Friend, Mr. Edmund Eillis
My dearest Friend,
Since you have given me notice of this your noble design, I think myself obliged to congratulate you in it, and to bless God for it, being so highly obliged unto you for those good instructions, and pious admonitions, which, from time to time, I have received from you; and, although I have not trod so exactly in those ways, which you have directed me to, yet it is my earnest prayer to God, that gentleman would endeavour but as I have done; which if they did, surely such vain sports and bloody recreations, which you treat of, would not longer be pleasing to them. I know (to my grief I speak it) that the generality of the gentlemen are no more capable to apprehend your discourses, than a man, the pores of his head being stopped by the extremity of cold, is able to distinguish betwixt ill and wholesome cents. It has been an experiment, tried through all ages since the creation that the workers of iniquity hate light; that they cannot endure to be told of any sin, which they indulge unto themselves. The more ingenious the men be (unless truly christian, unless they live according to Christ’s gospel, and would rather lose an eye, their right hand, nay, their lives, than wittingly and willingly commit the least sin) the more, you must expect, they will rail at and revile you: Whatever they pretend to your face, they would cut your throat with all their hearts; they play the wolf in the sheep’s cloathing, hide the vulture’s heart under the dove’s breast. What can you expect from such men, but scoffs, &c.? who in corners (not in public, for fear that small rod of justice, which is yet left, might make them smart) laugh at God, and despise what they themselves preach:—a wonder, that God inflicts not some immediate punishment on such notorious offenders, who deride the wisdom of the mystery of the Blesses Trinity. But, alas! what will become of such men? who do not only “neglect, but despise so great Salvation.” Though God’s revenging hand, which is able to grind them to power, does forbear them for some small seasons; yet they shall surely one day most sadly feel it, when coals of fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, shall be showered down on their heads by the revenging hand of an angry God.
How many thousands of gentlemen are there in this nation, who are more dread the thoughts of a year’s imprisonment, (being by that to be deprived of their jolly companions,) than that sad divorce betwist the soul and body! Their eyes are so dim, by their long persistence in the ways of darkness, that they cannot see the paths of light; and rather than they will pain themselves to pluck off that film, which darkens their sight, they will perish for ever. They will rather be God’s enemies, so they gain a good reputation in the world, being called prudent, discreet, &c. (though that is but a mistake,) than be His faithful stewards, and be backbitten and railed on, by the ignorant of these our days. Did but men practise, as they say they believe, we should not see so great debaucheries, as now there are: they had rather be in their studies, with tears in their eyes, and books in their hands, than at the ale-hose, tossing off cups, and delighting to see the innocent blood of poor creatures. this, your discourse, will try the pureness of men’s hearts, as fire gold. You must expect, that the mouths of those, who continually bark at you, being already open, will not close without some noise; they will try their utmost to affright you from undertaking such noble designs, whereby you do eminently serve God, and satisfy the desires of your brethren.
Well, my dear friend, go on an prosper in all your endeavours, and be sure, that though men do strive to cast aspersions on your candid name; yet, in their hearts, they fear and reverence you. They are afraid to won that in public before men, which, in private chambers, they twattle before boys. I say, my friend, let them be what they will, they are beneath your notice, since, by such opprobrious speeches, they cease from being Christians: they cannot apprehend terrestrial friendship; how then can they heavenly?—It is a general observation, That several men of one profession always discommend and undervalue one the other’s work; and truly this is the same case with you. You and other are all baptized in Christ’s name, and since you own what there you vowed to do, in which they are so defective, they envy and revile you, they hate to see themselves out-done by one of their own calling. Therefore you must expect, that all formal Christians, who will not go to Heaven, unless they might have the world for their companion on their journey; “who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; who mind earthly things; who are lovers of pleasures more than loves of God; who delight in the creature more than the Creator:” I say, you may be sure, that the greatest part of those, who call themselves Christians, being ignorant of the spirit and life of religion; having religion only in their fancy, and thinking the very acts of it but wild chimeras, make it an ens rationis, or an empty notion, will despise and undervalue your writings. But, blessed be that God, who has and will uphold you against the devilish oppositions of malicious men; who had made that gall, which has been cast in your teeth, to prove “sweeter than honey in your belly.”
I could say more, did I not fear that I have already tired you. I can assure you, that no man can have a more perfect friendship for nay one, than I have for you. You know, that I am, My dearest Friend, Your most affectionate, Edmund Fortescue, March 20, 1659.
Though it be my opinion, that the sport of Cock-fighting is absolutely sinful, yet I would not have thee think, as the vulgar will be ready to say, that I esteem as unregenerate all those who are of a contrary judgment. I do not so little consider that of the Apostle, ‘In many things we offend all:’ and certainly, the immediate cause of our offences, the perverseness of the will, always proceeds from the understanding, or judgment perverted, in apprehending any thing the wrong way, by which it is inclined to accept, or refuse the object, or thing proposed. But though I do not conceive that the ignorance of the impiety of this sport is altogether inconsistent with a regenerate state, or the habit of true godliness, in some degree; yet I am not afraid to make known to the world, that I cannot imagine how any man, whilst he is actually like unto God ,the Father of mercies, can possibly delight and recreate himself, in seeing his fellow-creatures (which are infinitely less inferior to us, than we to our, and their Creator) so subtle and active to wound and destroy each other. Having this opinion of the sport of Cock-fights, and seeing it so frequently used in the country where I live; no man, that I can hear of, opposing it as absolutely sinful, I could not retain the confidence I have, that I am, indeed, a faithful servant of the great God in the Gospel of his Son ,and a true lover of the souls of men, if I should not venture to oppose it myself; though I am not ignorant, that, endeavouring to destroy this common opinion, that this sport is not meet for Christians, I must necessarily expect to be counted a fool-hardly and imprudent fellow. Methinks I hear many men saying unto me, appearing in public upon this occasion, as Eliab, 1 Sam. xvii. 28, said to his brother David, ‘I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart.’ This, indeed, would somewhat disturb me, if I did not consider, that omniscience if one of the attributes of the God whom I serve.
Thinking with myself, what means I should use to effect this design, to convince the world, that the temper and disposition of any man’s soul, whilst he actually delight in such a sport, must necessarily be offensive to God; at last I considered, (though it be my opinion) that for any man, who has attained to a competent degree of the art of expression, to publish those notions which he has gathered from his own experience of such Christian truths, as are, in some sort, generally believed, in his own words, is a work most acceptable to the God of truth: for, certainly, those notions of spiritual things which fix themselves, and reside in the head only of the generality of those ‘who are called Christians,’ are usually guided unto the heart by such expressions of the same things, as come from the hearts of others. Yet, I say, at last I considered, that truths of this nature, which are like to find so much opposition, will hardly be received by any, who now oppose them, unless they be brought in, as it were ,with drum and trumpet; I mean, by the hands of some famous and excellent writes; and therefore I would not at present, write of this subject, any more than only to speak my opinion; but have rather chosen to shew the world, what some eminent divines have written of it, which I conceive was never yet read and considered by any of those who delight in such sports, and profess to walk as Christ walked.
And here, in the name of a Christian, I call to my aid (in endeavouring to evince this, that such a temper, as may actually consist with a delight in such sports, must needs be unchristian) all those who are of the same opinion; and, withal, are conscious to themselves, that God has given them an art of persuasion, an ability of conveying their thoughts into the breasts of others, not only of those who are simply void of the, but of those also who oppugn and resist them. Such men I entreat upon all occasions, to manifest their dislike of such sports, and their reasons for it.
If these pagers shall chance to be seen by the worthy and renowned author of the ‘Whole Duty of Man,’ I shall humbly entreat him, as one who serves with him under Christ, the Captain of our salvation, to afford me some aid in this combat with the world; if he be of the same judgment, as, by his works, I presume he is. I doubt not, but the small thoughts and fancies, which those who delight in this sport, are apt to conceive in favour of it, which arise in their minds, like mists and dark vapours, to obscure the reason of any thing they can ordinarily hear spoken against it, would suddenly vanish, like a morning cloud, when the sun appears, if it should be opposed by so noble a person; whose style, like a diamond, is bright and solid; whose excellent rhetorick, an beauty of expression, does not, like weaker beauty, consist chiefly in colour and complexion, (in words, which are so apt to take, as they say,) but in symmetry and exact proportion. And i hope, the amiable subject of this beauteous expressions will, in time, by the help of God’s Spirit, draw into itself the love of many, who, as yet, are lovers of the world. If the thoughts I have expressed of this sport be not suitable to his, I desire to be better informed by him. For, I must profess, at present, it scandals me extremely to see Christians, those who profess to have their bosoms a nest for the Heavenly Dove, to be companions of the Lamb of God, to recreate themselves in blood, though it be of the meanest creatures; and to me no man’s reason seems more strong, or expression more clear, than what I find in the writings of this excellent person. So that, whatever he shall be pleased to write on this subject, it will either make me see myself in an error, or lead me on further in the way of truth; if my opinion be true indeed, which, as yet, I have no reason to doubt, but that so many speak against it.
All that I have to say farther is this, that, if I did not as much despise the shame, as I am thought to desire the praise of the world, I would rather lose the hand I write with, than employ my pen upon such an occasion: but I fear not the terms of fool, or madman. It was said of my Saviour, ‘He hath a devil/” My Lord was reviled, shall I be applauded? What greater comfort can a Christian have, than in think how like he is to ‘the Lord of glory,” not only in what he did, but even also in what he suffered?
Of Cock-Fights, and such like Sports.
‘The baiting of the bear, and cock-fights, are no meet recreations. The baiting of the bull hath its use, and therefore it is commanded by civil authority, and so have not these; And the antipathy, and cruelty, which one beast sheweth to another, its the fruit of our rebellion against God, and should rather move us to mourn, than to rejoice.’
These are the words of the most learned and godly Mr. Perkins, in that famous treatise of the Cases of Conscience, printed in quarto, A.D.1632, p. 346
That man of God, Mr. Bolton, was of the same mind with Mr. Perkins, concerning such sports: ‘Consider,’ says he (in his excellent treatise, intituled, General Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God, p. 156) ‘that rule which divines give about recreations: We must not make God’s judgments and punishments, wither upon man or beast, the matter and object of them. Now, the best divines hold, that enmity amongst themselves was a fruit of our rebellion against God, and more general judgment inflicted upon the creature after the fall. Which misery coming upon them by our means, should rather break our hearts, and make them bleed, than minister matter of glorying in our shame and vexing those very vexations which our impiety hath put upon them. Alas, sinful man! what an heart hast thou, that canst take delight in the cruel tormenting of a dumb creature? Is it not too much for thee to behold, with dry eyes, that which only thy sin hath impressed upon it, but that thou must barbarously also press its oppressions, and make thyself merry with the bleeding miseries of that poor harmless thing, which in its kind is much more, and far better serviceable to the Creator than thyself? Yet I deny not, but that there may be another lawful use of this antipathy, for the destroying of the hurtful, and the enjoying of useful creatures; so that it be without any taint or aspersion of cruelty on our parts, or needless tormenting of the silly beasts.’
Mr. Dod, and Mr. Cleaver (scorned by none but those whose revilings are praises) in their exposition of these words of Solomon, Prov. xii. 10, “A righteous man regardeth the live of his beast,” having spoken against the hard usage of labouring beasts, as horse, &c. conclude thus: ‘And yet, in another sort, more extremity than this is used against other sorts of creatures, and that is, when men make a sport of making them miserable; when it is a pleasure to put them to pain; when it is a pass-time to behold their torment and tearing. This proceedeth not of a tender heart; this is not the work of righteousness; this delight will leave not comfort behind it. Have our sins in Adam brought such calamities upon them, and shall we add unto them by cruelty in our own persons? Have our corruptions been a cause of that fierceness that is in many of them one against another, and shall we solace ourselves in seeing them execute it?’
What holy Chrysostome would have said of this sport, if he had an occasion to treat of it, we may easily father from these words in his twenty-ninth Homily on the Epistle to the Romans: The souls of those, that are truly pious, are exceedingly mind and gentle, not only towards relations, but strangers also. And this lenity, or softness of heart, they extend even to irrational creatures: therefore, the Wise-man saith, ‘A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast,’ Prov. xii. 10.
To all those who affect this Sport.
Sirs,
Having shewn you what these men thought of the sport you affect, I shall intreat you, if you believe sin to be a matter of eternal concernment, to consider seriously what here you have read. If you are not convinced at present, that these learned and godly men were in the right, yet I doubt not but you will be in time, if you more fully consider the matter without prejudice: At least, if you are regenerate persons: For, I conceive, by the instinct of the new creature, a man may often perceive that to be a sin, whose sinfulness is not capable of any express, or verbal, demonstration, viz. apprehending it so to be merely though a sense of the antipathy it has to that in him, which he knows is born of God, whether or no this be but a fantick notion; and whether or no the printing of these papers, and such like actions of mine, be indeed so foolish and imprudent as the world judges them to be, I will appeal only for my own satisfaction to the only wise God. Yet I shall not deny to render an account of any of my actions, in which I do, and must usually thwart the example of the generality of men, good and bad, to any man, whose authority obliges him, in any respect, to demand it of me, as my lawful superior, or conscience, as my fellow christian.
Animal Rights History Timeline: Renaissance 「1450-1660」
「Reformation-English Renaissance」
Animal Rights History-Timeline
「d. 1693」Edmund Ellis
「1660」 Opinions…Concerning the Sport of Cock-Fighting, Set Forth to Shew…That It Is Not Recreation Meet for Christians
