A case of conscience concerning eating of blood, considered and answered

1. Some of the Jewish Masters themselves confess, that the Precept which forbids Eating Blood, does concern only Israelites, and not other Nations. Rabbi Solomon, and some others of the Rabbins suppose that Text does only forbid the Eating of the Flesh of Creatures, whilst they are yet Living, and the Drinking of their Blood. This Interpretation is followed by Cajetan, Mercer, Aynsworth, the Belgic ⟨p. 6⟩Annotators & some others. It is an usual Custom among the Barbarous Scythians to drink the Blood of their Horses. Also the Arabians will draw Blood from their Camels and Drink it. Mens being used to Blood makes them ferocious, and hardhearted, as we see in Butchers, whence our English Laws permit not Butchers to be Jury-men in cases of Life and Death. According to this Interpretation, the Design of that Precept to Noah, is to forbid all Inhumanity, which suits with the next verse, containing a Prohibition of Murder. But

1. Some of the Iewish Masters themselves confess, that the Precept which forbids Eating Blood, does concern only Israelites, and not other Nations. Rabbi Solomon, and some others of the Rabbins suppose that Text does only forbid the Eating of the Flesh of Creatures, whilst they are yet Living, and the Drinking of their Blood. This Interpretation is followed by Cajetan, Mercer, Aynsworth, the Belgick ⟨p. 6⟩Annotators & some others. It is an usual Custome among the Barbarous Scythians to drink the Blood of their Horses. Also the Arabians will draw Blood from their Camels and Drink it. Mens being used to Blood makes them ferocious, and hardhearted, as we see in Butchers, whence our English Laws permit not Butchers to be Jury-men in cases of Life and Death. According to this Interpretation, the Design of that Precept to Noah, is to forbid all Inhumanity, which suits with the next verse, containing a Prohibition of Murder. But

2 'Tis a mistake to think, that all the Precepts given to Noah, were Moral, binding all his Posterity in all the Ages of the World. For in his Days there was a Distinction made betwixt Clean and Unclean Beasts.