r sacrifice, but not for
food. This increase of power also is a token of God's favor; he
confers a privilege unknown to the patriarchs, as a token of his love
and interest in man.

8. We must not undervalue this boon authority over the beasts; for it
is a special gift of God, of which the heathen knew nothing, because
they lack the Word. We are the ones who derive the greatest benefit
from this gift. When this revelation was given to Noah, and such a
privilege granted, there was really no need of it. A few men possessed
the whole earth, so that its fruits were to be enjoyed by them in
abundance and it was not necessary to add the flesh of beasts. But we
today could not live altogether on the fruits of the earth; it is a
great boon to us that we are permitted to eat the flesh of beasts, of
birds and of fish.

9. This word, therefore, establishes the butcher's trade; it puts
hares, chickens, and geese upon the spit and fills our tables with all
manner of dishes. Necessity makes men industrious. Not only do they
hunt the animals of the forests, but carefully fatten others at home
for food. God in this passage establishes himself a slaughterer, as it
were, for by his word he consigns to slaughter and death those animals
which are suitable for food, as recompence to God-fearing Noah for his
tribulations during the flood. For that reason would God feed Noah
with lavish hand.

10. We must not think that this privilege was not divinely ordered.
The heathen believe that this custom of slaughtering animals always
existed. Such things are established, or rather permitted, by the Word
of God; beasts could not have been killed without sin if God had not
expressly permitted it by his Word. It is a great liberty for man to
slaughter all kinds of beasts fit for food and eat them without
wrong-doing. Had but a single kind of beasts been reserved for food,
it would still have been a great boon; how much more should we value
this lavish blessing, that all beasts suitable for sustenance are
given into the power of man!

11. The godless and the gentiles do not recognize this; nor do the
philosophers. They believe that this privilege has always been man's.
As for us, however, we should have full light on the subject, in order
that our consciences may enjoy both rest and freedom in the use of
what God has created and allowed, there being absolutely no law
against such food. There can be no sin in their use, though the wicked
priests hav