GEOPvGE CLINTON FAIPxCHILD] 
 
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 ^^fs^ 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 DURHAM, N. C. 
 
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 Rec'd (./^4^n.e L / 9T t> 
 
 
DUKE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 Treasure "Room 
 

THE 
 
 ASS: 
 
 O R, T H E 
 
 SERPEN.T. 
 
 fat 
 
 ACcMPARisoN between toe Tribes of 
 Iffachar and Dan, in their Regard for 
 Civil Liberty. 
 
 » 
 
 November 5, 17 12. 
 By THOMAS BRADBURY. 
 
 JOB xxxi, 34. Did I fear a j^reat Multitude, or did thi Con' 
 tempt of Families terrify me, that I kept Silence, and luert not 
 out of the Door P 
 
 L O N T> O N ! Printed. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Rc-Pilntcd • and Sold by Edes ahd Gill, In Queen-Street, 
 
 M.Dcraxvni. 
 
 S25*T« 
 
PREFACE- 
 
 'T is cf the utmofl Importance to fautid our Principles upop thefoiul 
 Bafis of Truth ; and before nve declare ourfelfes on this or the other 
 Side of any ^ejiion, ive ought thoroughly to underfimrd the Matter 
 in Debate, and ferioufly to confider the Confequences of adopting this 
 or tl e other Opinion : Jf^hen ive have done this, , nve are jilted for 
 a manly and uniform Prtfecution of what ive take in hand. Reafon 
 faints out to us the Method ; and a Confckufnefs of our beif:g right, fupplus 
 us ivith Refclution and Fortitude to purfne it. It is of the greateji Moment 
 to enjery Society, that ajujl EJiimate he formed of the Po-iuers of Gcver/i- 
 ment, and the Liberties oj the People ; for on this depfnds e-utry Thing nvhich 
 is held dear, <vohether of a civil or religious Nature ; and tuhat jnCikes it 
 fiill?nore interefling is, that coery Man in this Cafe is like Adam, the Repre- 
 fnitati've cf<^ future Race, ivho are to be rc-..varded for the Firtucs, or pn- 
 nifhed for thi it, of their Progenitors. Never -vjas there a People vohom 
 it more immedict^ Ij concerned to fearch into the Nature and Extent of their 
 Rights and Pri'vileges than it does the People of America at this Day. By 
 an unfortunate Train cf Circumjlances, the Affcclions of our Mother Coun- 
 try fe em to be alienated from us, and an a'variclous Defire of making thi 
 rnojl of us,feemsfo Jar to have blinded her, that untefs ive are, by feme 
 Meam able to coi^.nteraSl her ill-judgeJ Meafures,nve Jljall not only be undone 
 oipfclvcs, but Pall hei've the Unhappincfs like^wife of feeing Great-Britain 
 fink in the 'vaf Occan of her o-zvn Mifcondud. It is vjith a Defign to excite 
 in this Fecile ajuft fenfe of the Mifery and Quilt of Slavery, and to ani- 
 mate them to a -proper Difcharge of their Duty, in tnaking uje of fuch In/lru- 
 metits as Pronjidence has put into their Hands, for the PtyfcrvatiGn of their 
 'Ibgrties, that the foUovjing Sermon makes its Appearance at ibis Time, in 
 -viich the Difference betiveen a I'iriuous and -vicious, a ivife andfupid, a 
 Ji'ee a/id a Jirvile People, is fa juftly difplayed, that it is^ h'jped a due hn- 
 Ircfjlon njutll be made on all, into vjhnfe Hands it may come, excepting only 
 thofe remorfelefs Wretch^'s, vj'fiotn a righteous God has given o'uer to Blind- 
 7icfs of Mind,that the-; fhould not. hjonv their oivn and their Country's Intsrejx, 
 or to Hardaefs of Heart, that they fhould fee the DifirejJ'es, and hear the 
 Groans andLamentations of their Brethren, avithout the leajt Ccmpaffion for 
 
 their Sufferings. The Learning and Piety f the Re<vere>rd Anther are 
 
 too 'vjcU. km Lun to need a Comment. His Zeal for .Truth and carneji Con- 
 tention for the Liberty ix:hert%(:tfh Chrijl has made us free, rendered him a 
 P'leffing toManhiiid vjhilj] li-vin^,and ha^e fo richly emhcdmed his- Namt,that 
 It muft be prcfervcd --Jjith a Love cf'uirtuouspreedom, in the gralcjul Hearts 
 ifnumberiefsfucce.dtnvGeneraiions -. — That hisMemory may bejitll more en- 
 deared to Pnjlerity by his bei-Kg Inflrumental in raifing in the Aniericcns, jufl 
 jpprehenftcns of their Obligations to themfelves, to lh<ir Country, to their 
 Cffsprine; ; and aL:A;e aU to that COD, ivho has cummiited to them tk,at 
 inefiimable Pearl, Liberty, is the eameft Wifh, and fervent Prayer, of ■ 
 
 — — — — , December 24th, 1707. 
 
 GEN. 
 
 sf ,<» 
 
Km 
 
 
 GEN. XLIX. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. 
 
 Jjfachar is a ftrong Afs couching doivn between tivo BurcUns ; 
 
 And-hefTw that Reft "jjas gOf>d,and the Land that it ivas pleafant ; 
 and bo-ojed his Shoulder to bear, and became a Servant unto 
 Tribute. 
 
 Dan ftj all judge his People as one of the Tribes oflfrdel. 
 
 Dan ftoall he a Serpent in the War, an Adder in the Path ; that 
 inteih the Horfe-heeUyfj that the Rider ftjall fall backivard. ' 
 
 _ I have 'Waited fcr thy Salvation, Lord. 
 
 ^HESE Words are Part of the Prophecy thzt Jaco^j dealt 
 among his Sons whea the Days dreiv near that he tnujl 
 die, ch. 47, 29. and they let us fee Avith what Variety 
 of Temper thole People a(flsd, vho all grew from the 
 fame Father : A full Argument how well theDiftindtion 
 is form'd, Thjit all are not Ifrael, ivho are of ///•«</,Rom.9. 6,7. 
 Neither bccanfe they are the Seed of Ahrahavi, are tkey all Chil- 
 dren, chap. 49. I. He here opens out 'vjhtit ftmll befall ^e--^ 'n 
 th: latter Days, and how they would carry it when they c'Ame 
 into the promis'd Land ; and becaufc foin ,• of 'em fhould have 
 little or no Taftc of Liberty, and other? would purlue it through 
 a<l the Expence and Danger that liy in their Way, he places 
 thefe Two together, that every one who reads may do Juflicc 
 upon the plain Oppofition there ishetween 'cm. 
 
 I Ihall coiifider the Words, Fir It, as they dcfcribe aPeople that 
 are Sluggifli andCov.'ard'y, who will venture nothing to faveAll,, 
 whofe Scjuls are beneath knowing the Didinftion of Kondage and 
 Freedom : And on the other hand, as they give us theCharactcr 
 of thofe who admire their Liberties, and will dare to feeJc and 
 fetch 'em wherever they are carried ; who reckon this a Property 
 that ihould no: be loft as long as it can be kept, and will 
 fcarce fubmit to au Exiftence under Tyranny, 
 
 In thefe two Branches you have the Divifion of the Text ; 
 Here's a Tribe of Ifrael that gives us an Example of each Tem- 
 per : Jjfachar is remcmbred for hrs >!cg]e(n: ot" that \\hich Dan 
 was reiolv'd upon no Terms to part with : And by obferving 
 
 whii 
 
 •325^^ 
 
4 The Ass ; or, The Serpent. 
 
 what good old Jacob faith of thefe Two that were fo unlike one 
 another, we may fix the Charafters that arc due to thofe who 
 either defpife or value the Deliverance of this Day. 
 
 I. I fhall begin with the Account that you have of I/fachar, 
 whofe Paffive Obedience (if you'll call it fo) is condemn 'd toMe- 
 mory by thefe Words ; Ijfachar it a Jirong Jfs couching donvn be- 
 t'ween tiuo Burdens : And he faiu the Reji nvas good,and theLand, 
 that it ivas pleafant, and boTued his Shoulder to bear, and became 
 a. Servant to Tribute : Where you have three Things, 
 
 I. The general Temper of this People. 
 
 3. The Subjeftion and Bondage they fell into. And, 
 
 3. The Reafon they gave for this Stupidity. 
 
 (i.) You may obfcrve, that many of the Tribes have their 
 Hiilory couch'd in a Refemblance that's given of 'em • They are 
 compar'd to fome Creature of that very Difpofition that fhould 
 obtain among 'em : Thas (ver. 9, 21, 22, 27.) Judah is a Lyons 
 IVhelp ; Naphtali a Hind let loofe ; Jofeph a fruitful Bough ; and 
 Benjamin a ravening Wolf. Now thefe Allufions would convey 
 to us fuch Thoughts of the People as bear up to the Account we 
 have of 'em afterwards : They are moft of 'em to be underftood 
 as a Reputation ; but what is {?i\^oi Ijfachar is as fall of Con- 
 tempt as a Metaphor can be : We are to know him by his Like- 
 nefs to the moft heavy and ftupid Animal intheCrcation. Inftead 
 of having his Name from fomething vigorous and beautiful, his 
 Father leaves this upon him. That he's a jirong Ajs couching doivri 
 betiueen tiuo Burdens. The Ground of the Similitude you fee is 
 the little Relifh they fhould have for theirLiberries, the lorry and 
 dullSurrender they would makeof themfelves toTyranny; which 
 is a Temper expos'din this Comparifon two Ways. 
 
 1. It's imputed to nothing elfe but the Stupidity of them that 
 fubmit to it ; the Tribe that fmks into thofe Meafures is refem- 
 bled by an Afs. 
 
 2. It's condemn'd by the Infmuation that it was in their Power 
 to have itotherwaye ; Ijfachar is a flrongAfs : That veryStrength 
 that makes him couch under a Load, would be fufficient to 
 throw it oflF. 
 
 I. What the Comparifon leads me firft to tell you. is that the 
 Foundation of all Paffive Obedience is laid in Stupidity. They 
 that bouch doivn betiveen tivo Bvrdens, nvho boiv their Shoulders 
 to hear, and become Servants to Tribute, may here fee Aihat Herd 
 they belong to. 
 
 Tho' 
 
the Ass; or, 77?^ Serpekt, jf 
 
 Tho' an Afs was more us'd in thofe Eaftern Countries than it 
 is with us, yet the Old Tertamcnt hath accounted of it as fo mean 
 a Creature, that the Compariroii is very juft : It feems to be made 
 for no higher a Defign than Drudgery, bearing of Burdens no 
 way remarkable either for its Head or its Heels, {o little capable 
 of being taught, that the FoHy of our Nature is fignified by it» 
 that Man is horn as a 'wild 'IjYs Colt : And tho' it's irue in thoie 
 Parts, we find the greateft Men riding on them, yet it's a Crea- 
 tyre that the Ceremonial Law hath branded in a very peculiar 
 way : It muft, upon no Terms whatfoever, be thrown among 
 the Offerings of the Lord : The Command was very general, 
 Bxod. 13. 12, 13. ThoTt /halt fet apart unto thehord all that opens 
 the Matrix, and every Firjiling that cof/ies of the Beaji 'which thou 
 haji, the Males Jliall be the Lords. This Law was laid out in 
 that compafs to put 'em often in mind of the MeJJiah, who ihould 
 be the Firjl-born of every Creature ; yet to this there's one Ex- 
 ception, and the only Animal left out is, every Firjilingof an Jfs 
 tohufJjalt redeem 'with a Lamb ; and if thou 'wilt not redeem it» 
 thou fhalt break its Neck. 
 
 So that when Jacob fpealcs of Iffachar under this Comgarifon, 
 'tis a viler Name than he could pofllbly leave him by another ; 
 and it may intimate to us, not only the Stupidity of their Nature 
 that run into this Crime, but a particular Unfitsefs for the Ser- 
 vice of God, They fsem to be the Outcaft of both Worlds ; they 
 give up all that's dear to 'em in this, and fhew a Dullnefs that 
 can have no Room in the other. The way of ferving God is 
 nvithout Feary being delivered from the IVrath of Enemies, in Holt- 
 ttefs and Right eoufnefs all our Days, Luk. i. 74, 7 j. The fearful 
 «nH unbelievi'tg are in the front of thofe Sinners who fill theLake 
 of Fire KjBriinfloncyKtv.7 1 .8. \'ou may always obferve it, that an 
 Indifference to CivilLiberties goes along with a Negled of that 
 which is Religious : A Man that throws aw.iy the Bleffmgs of 
 Providence*, cannot have a due Relilh to thofe of Grace. 
 
 Tho* 
 
 It may be juft'.y remarked, that whtn a People patiently allow their 
 civil Libertie"; to be encioathed upon, thcv are ripe for the Lois of 
 thilr rsrlpjious. \iy Brethren of the Diifewting Clergy, I fear, have 
 not fufiiciently attended to this, and therefore under the Notion of 
 keeping to their own Dep:irtnient, have in inr^t Senfe been regardlels 
 ot the civil Rights of the People ; now altho' I would not encourage 
 biify Bodies, yet as the Lofs of civil Lib3rty debelitates the Minds of 
 Men, renders theni unfit to examine into the Truth oi any Proportions, 
 a,i9d inclines the^n.to fi^ their faith on whatever their Superiors j)i'etenl 
 to believe. Ic js incuaibcnt on all wlio wi,!^ well to Religion, and par^- 
 
 tuularly 
 
6 The Ass ; or^ The Serpent. 
 
 Tho' fabmltting to the impious Will of a Monarch hath been 
 exalted as ifit was theont Thing needful, yet it's ealy to prove, 
 both by the Rule of Scripture, and the Hiftories f>f Men, this is 
 
 ticularly the MiaiJJers of the Gofpel, to iile their utmoll Eitbrts to preferve 
 among rhofe with whom they have any Connexions, an inviolable At- 
 tachment to their Rights as Americans ; for whaiever we give up our 
 Rights asMen, we /hall be near being inflavedasOhriftians ; lo fully sre 
 ibme EpifcopalGentlemen perfwaded of the truth of the abovtCblervati-* 
 ■on, that from our Tamenefs in lubmitting to the latelnnovations, they 
 have been encouraged openly to avow their Dcfign of laying a Foun- 
 dation for Ecclciiartical Tyranny. I Ihall give only ene Inftance 'of 
 this, by quoting aParagranh from the Bofton Chronicle of Deccnjbcr ai. 
 ' " The Church Clergy ot New- York and New-Jcrfey being alfembled 
 *' together in a voluntary Convention, and affifted by feme of their 
 " Brethren from the neighbouring Provinces, took into Confideration 
 " the Propriety and Expediency of addrefling the Publick on the Sub- 
 ** je£l of an American Epifccpate ; after a thorough Dif(;ufrion of the 
 '* Point, they were unanimou/Iy of Opinion, that fairly to explain the 
 *' Plan,on whichAmericanBifiiops had been requefted,to lay before die 
 *' Public the Reafons of the Requeft,to anlwer theObjeftions that have 
 *• been made, and to obviate thofe that might likewife be concsived 
 " againft it, was both Matter of Necelfity and Duty ; it was accord- 
 " ingfly voted that fomethipg to this Purpofe (hould be publifhed, 
 " and the Reverend T. B. Chandler, D. D. Reftor of St. John's 
 " Church in Elizabeth Town, New-Jn-fey, wa« appointed to this Ser- 
 
 " vice This Work is juft Publifhed, entitled. An Appeal to the 
 
 ♦* Publick in Behalf of theChurch of England in America. Application 
 " had been previoufly made in Britain for one or more Bifhops to be 
 " fen» *^> America— —Dr. Ch.^ndler mentions in his IntroduiSlion, that 
 " flioufd any Obje6lions continue, which fhall be thought to dcferve 
 " Notice, the Objtftors arc invited to "propoie them, that they may be 
 " fairly and candidly debated before the Tribunal of the Public ; and 
 *' and if none rtiould be offered, it will be taken for granted that allPur- 
 " tic ..ocquiefce and are fttisfied." — Thus, my Brethren, now or never 
 you are to offer your Objcflions to an Eftabliftiment which caufed your 
 Father*; to \''' from a Land of Plenty, and take Shelter in an unculti- 
 vated Wildernefs, that they might, without Reftraiut, pay a pure and 
 undefiled V/orfliip to the God uf Heaven. It is ardently wiflied that 
 you may have the Spirit of V/iRIom, and may be enabled fo to ipeak in 
 tht Cault- of Religion, that you may put Gain-f;>yers to Silence : But 
 i. luuft be confeflcd, that there is great Realbn to be alarmed for a Peo- 
 ple who, like hated Eirau,havc thcirBirthright defpifed. The foregoing 
 is by no Means defigned as a Rtfleftion upon theEpifcopnl Churches in 
 this Country, as they are now governed. It is only defired they would 
 he content with the prcfent full and free Enjovmcnt of their own Mode 
 of Worfliip/ without attempting to introduc^t , any Thing which niav, 
 and certainly will, in Time, be deftruftive to thsrcligiousLibcrty of their 
 DilTenting Brethren. 
 
; 
 
 77j(? Ass or, The Serpent. 
 
 fo far from containing the whole of Religion, that it really pof- 
 fcfleth no one Part of it : There can be no F^ith in it, for that 
 would both purify the Heart and conquer the World. It was this 
 that m<ide Moi^sft/rfake Egypt, not fearing theWrath ofthcKirg. 
 Heb, II. 27. And there can be no Love, I mean to God or his 
 People, for that would teach us to value what the One gi\'es and 
 the Other enjoys : And tho' this maybe call'd Patience, yet it's 
 a Proftitution of the Name to a Temper which hath none of the 
 Thing ; for this Grace fhews itfelf in Bearing a Burden, not in 
 Laying it on. The over-ruling Hand of God we muft iubmit 
 to, but this will confift with all the Zeal Ave can ufe againft the 
 Tools he employs. The Diftinftion is a good one, and as old as 
 David, who knew how different his Behaviour ought to be : If 
 the Lord hath firred thee up againjl ?ne, faith he to Saul, let him 
 ^accept an Offering, I have deferved it from him, and cannot an- 
 fwer him one of a thoufand ; hut if they be the Children of Men ^ 
 cur fed be they before the Lord, i Sam. 26. 19. 
 
 'Tis plain that People lofe their Chriflianity with their Liber- 
 ties ; and when once an encroachingPower hath made 'emSlaves, 
 there needs little more to make 'em Heathens. The Miniflers 
 that preach up This DoArine, will foon underiland no other : It 
 fhall drive Faith, Repentance and Holinefs out of the Pulpit, 
 and inftead of feeding the Children 'v.nth Bread, they'll give 'em 
 a Stone : In a little while we (hall hear ot nothing elfe, butObe- 
 dience to the Luft of Men, as if Chrift had no other Errand ia 
 Isying down his Life, than to make the Kings of the Earth a 
 compliment of Ours ; that as he was a Servant of Filers, we 
 muft be lb too ; as if no Sin could be dangerous but what they 
 call Rebellion, and the Terms o{ procuring to onrfehcs Da)7ina- 
 tion were never to be ufed but in one Cafe, which is refifting of a 
 Civil Pov.-er. We ihall ftldom hear a better Applicution oi that 
 awful Arguiiient; tis not fo warmly pleaded to make \^s fee frc?n 
 the Wrath to come, that being ivarned of God ccna .ling Things 
 not feen aj yet, ive way be moved luith Fear : They'll but fcldom 
 trouble their Heads about t]ieD::nger of Debauchery, ilvAtJVhcre- 
 luoagers and AdullerersGod '■^)ill jud^e : They'll teM us but little 
 of the Hazard fuch are in, who are lovers of Pleajure more than 
 lovers of Cod, who blafpheme the whole Scheme of Religion, and 
 ufe that Book to make them latigh, which makes theDevils trem- 
 ble ; who rulh into the Retirements of our Worlhip, the Ordi- 
 riar.ces that ought to be kept clean and holy ; I fay, we hear lit- 
 tle of their Danger, . .0' the Scripture hath ^iven us the fame 
 
 dreadful 
 
8 ne Ass or, The Serpent. 
 
 dreadful Word in that Cafe, which agrees fo well with them in 
 the other : They that eat and drink uTiiuorthily, eat and drink to 
 themfelves Da7nnation, i Cor. ii. 29. Thefe are the Encroach- 
 ments that Slavery will make upon our Religion. 
 
 But we have not fo learned Chriji. The Apoftles that went 
 about with the Gofpel, were often claiming ths Privileges of the 
 Law. For this did /'/?«/ argue with the Centurion on the Stairs 
 of the Caftle, and would not let the Chriftian run away with the 
 Roman : For this did he threaten to Ihake the Government of 
 Philippi, and refufe to take his Liberty at that eafy rate, of go- 
 ing out of the Prifon ; No, he was refolved to let thofe Ma- 
 giltrates know, that as the Laws of the Empire had given him 
 a Protedion, fo he would never lofe it for want of Zeal ; and 
 though the Jaylor, who was but converted the Night before, 
 brought him the \tS:A^z, they have fent to let you go, noiu then 
 ' depart in peace \ yet he ufeth the Advantage that Innocence 
 gave him over Tyranny, they have beaten us openly and uncon- 
 demned, beingRovians, and have cajl us intoPrifon,and noiu do they 
 thrufi us out privily ^nay verily hut let ^em come thevifelves ib fetch 
 us cM/,A(5lsi6.36,37. So tender was he of hisPrivileges,that tho* 
 he knew as much as any Man how to defpife the Pomp of the 
 World, yet in this cafe he'll infift upon a Ceremony that perhaps 
 was never demanded before ; that the Magiftrates of the Town 
 Ihould come to the Prifon-door and beg Pardon, and bring them 
 Outwhom through a Miftakethey had put In, and defire them 
 to depart from their City. For this did he refufe to anfwer the 
 Summonsofr^y??//, who would have betray'd him to his Ene- 
 mies, but appealed to Cafar \ and from this Principle did he deal 
 fo roundly with Annanias, GodfI?all fnite thee thou riuhited Wall, 
 for fit left thou there to judge me according to<ihe Lanv, and com-; 
 mandefi me to he fmitten contrary to the Law F Chap. 23. 3. 
 
 This is the Spirit of our Relipon, it allows none of the Stu- 
 pidity that Jfl'achar was run down into ; for aa Afs can no 
 more be a Pattern under the Gofpel, than it could be a Sacrifice 
 under the Law. But it's enough we are told what fort of 
 Cre;itures they are, by the Metaphor in my Text ; defpicable to 
 Men, and rejedted by God ; made for Service and Contempt. 
 The Comparifon gives us the Inweft Opinion of thofe to whom 
 it belongs. They are by this reprefcntedas a ftupid fervile Peo- 
 ple, for the Word fits their fleads as well as their Shoulders. 
 
 2. THE Crime of their becoming Servants to Tribute, is hint- 
 «d at by the further Account wc have of 'cm, that they lay un- 
 der 
 
The Ass ; or, The Serpent. 5> 
 
 der no neceffity * of doing it : They had it in their power to do 
 otherwife, and might have compell'd a better Lot forthemfelve's 
 and their Pofterity. Had they been drain'd, and weakcn'd, and 
 funk down to an Inabiiity, that which was now both their Sin 
 and Puniihrnent, had been only the Litter, But IJJ'achar was a 
 Jircng Afs, able to Rcfufe a Load as well as to Bear it. 
 
 Several Annotators give us this Note from the Hchrt-vj Word, 
 that he was an Jfs of Bom ; which perhaps is a further Con- 
 tempt of him, to tell us his want of Spirit, as if he was only Out- 
 fidc, a meer Shell and Frame of Nature : And indeed they who 
 lb tamely give up all that can be dear, Ihovv but little Soul iu 
 that Surrender. But I Ihall take the Words in the firfc Senfe I 
 gave you of 'cm, that heis call'd n Jlrovg Jfs ; to fignlfie, that 
 he had Capacity to have done otherways, only he wanted Heart 
 and Courage to ufe it. He that couch' d,U'xv7i beinveoi iivg Bur- 
 dens, might eafily have protetled againft'^Cue •, he that hotocdhis 
 Shoulder to bear, could have cloath'd it with Armsur : And the 
 Wealth with which he paid his Tribute as a Servant, might 
 have led him into the Field as a Rival. 
 
 All the Inflanccs that we have in Scripture of Submlffion to an 
 unrighteous Power, reprefentthe People as not able to do other- 
 ways. We never once find a good Man neglecting to refill: an 
 Injuilice whin he could do it. Mofes indeed fled from Phara'jh 
 
 B becauti 
 
 The Circumltances of the Americans are luch, that they are unuer no 
 Neceffity of giving theirNecks to the Yoke. This Continent is bleiied 
 with all the Neceli'aries, and moft of theConvenienccs of Life,and migb'c 
 ftipport an hundred Times its prefent Number of Inhabitants, widiovt 
 borrowing a lingie Article from any other Quirter of the Globe ; an-l 
 if thePeopie hadWifdom andRefolution enou[i;h to improve thefe natural 
 Advantages, by encouragingManufaclures of thcirown, and bjf puttin'^- 
 a general Stop to the [mportation of foreign Manufa<5lures, G. Britain, 
 inftcad of treating us as Slaves,wouldbe coni\rained to court curFriend- 
 firip and Alliance. — As to the idleTlireat of fending Troops to dra:^oon 
 us into SubrnifTion to unjuftitiabie UCurpations, it is a mrre Bugbear ; 
 for fuppafing in Tome future Time, an abandoned Miniltry (hould pro- 
 pole to a weaic Prince, to fend a powsrful Army againil us, can it be 
 tho't thatG. Britain, as a Nation, v^ndd be fo (tupld as to fuffcr aMt-a- 
 fure, which would infallibly expofe theiri to tlic Ravages of French 
 Troops ; or would the Proteftant Part of tV\e People confent to an Ex- 
 pedit'on, which would, v/ithout doubt, in the End, fix the Crown upon 
 a p{ipifh Head ? No IVirely. Greit Britain has no Cord by which ftie r.nn 
 bind down the Colonies to Slavery, but their own Cowardice andca-H;- 
 
 ciou* Foruin 'fs for Britirn Manufa(!i>ures r-V/ere we induflriouily .-: 
 
 cultivate the goodly Htrit-jgCj v^lii;'.i h.v, falltn tc our Lot, we mi^hl b; 
 flee, rich anJ happy. 
 
10 The Ass ; or, The Serpent, 
 
 bccaufe he had no profpedl of conquering him ; but when he 
 had to do only with a fingle£'^;f/^//^;; who was fmithig one of 
 lis Brethren, he's no longer about it than whiJlt he looks this 
 nvay arid that -way, and then he kills him, and hideth hitn in the 
 Sands, X^od. 2. II, 12. And this is fo far from having the 
 Ceniure, that a Slave would give it, that upon that Aclion he 
 was in hopes to have raifed his Publick Charader, and by this 
 jufticeupoa the Officer, thought to have led on that of the Peo- 
 ple itpon the King, as the Martyr Stephen tells us ; for lie brings 
 in this as the Reafon \\\\y feeing one of the Jenvs fuffer nvroTig, he 
 avenged him that nvas oppre£'ed, and fmoie the Egyptian, becaufe 
 hs fuppofed his Brethren luould have underjiood, hoiv that by his 
 hand God 'would have delivered them, hut they underjiood not. If 
 their Zeal would have come on as faft as his would have led it, 
 they might have been faved then; but they loft 40 Years by 
 their unbelief, David run away from Saul, when he had no 
 I'riend to ftand by him, but he put himfelf at the Head of a lit- 
 tle Army as foon as he could ; and the only Reafon why he did 
 not give him Battle was, becaufe he had not Force enough : But 
 Avhen thofe great Numbers came to him every day, he makes no 
 fcruple to go out into the Field, for there fell fome of Mana[[eh 
 Xo David nuhen he came 'viith the Philiflines againji Saul to Bat' 
 tie, I Chron. 12. 19. 
 
 A juft and holy God may indeed <leliver us over to the Will 
 of evil Men ; but to fay, that he would have us deliver up our- 
 felyes, is to blafpheme his Empire ; for he hath no Fellonvjhip 
 nvith the Thrones of Iniquity, inho frame Mifchief by a La'vj, Pfal. 
 94. 20. That which held Zinn Captivity, was God's making 
 her Strength to fail ; He had delivered her into their Hands again]} 
 I'jhom Jhc 'was not able to rife up. Lam. i. 14 ; But when Ihe 
 had more Strength, there's a new Exhortation to ufe it ; Shake 
 thy felf from the Dufl, Jerufalem ; loofe thy felf from the Bands 
 cf thy Neck, thou captive Daughter of Z ion, lia. 52. I. 
 
 In thefc two things you have the woful Temperof this People 7 
 • They were ftupid, and not to be impreft by a generous Argu- 
 ment ; and tho' it's true, they had Strength and Capacity, yet 
 it was all thrown away upon a lazy Nature, tha* would not ufe 
 it. Jffuchar is a flrong Afs couching doivn bctn\)een t-wo Burdens. 
 
 (2.) WE have the folly of their Behaviour, and are told, how 
 foon they part with their Liberties. And here you meet with 
 Bondiige in every Form and Shape. Here's OpprelTion in all its 
 W^cl^ht, he Ulh bLtij.ee/j iivo Burdefis. Here's a Slavery to his 
 
 Pcrlbn, 
 
nc Ass ; or, The Serpent. ii 
 
 Perfon, /;// Shoulder is brought to hear what they lay upon him. 
 Here's Poverty In his Concerns, he becomes a Servant to Tribute ; 
 and here's a Neccffity for him to be Aiftive in all this. Opprcf- 
 fion ftupifies the Faculties, he couches donvn beneath his Burdens, 
 he bonvs his Shoukier, he confents to be a Servant : What a 
 Gulph of Perdition was this People funk into ? Whither will Ty- 
 ranny lead thofe who huve the Heart to follow it ? Can we ever 
 begin to flop too foon, when it will befo dreadful to have it too 
 late ? 
 
 I. YOU obferve here what weight this Oppreffion was laid on 
 with : 'Twas not what RehoboamxhvfA\.v\tdi, the Heavinefs of a 
 little Finger ; but he couches doivri betnveen tavo Burdens. 
 
 Some ^ran^ate this between two Hills ; and underRand it of 
 the Situation that Ifackar had in the Land of Canaan : Others 
 fuppofe that it refers to the Quarrels they might have with thofe 
 Two Tribes that lay on each Side of 'em ; but the Words feem 
 to tell us what a Load of Mifery they had brouglit thcmfelves 
 under. 
 
 TYRANTS, who know no Juftice, will allow no Mercy ; 
 they never think their Grandeur advanc'd high enough ; they'll 
 fet no bounds to the Lull: of Empire, but let it rove in all the 
 Licenfe of their own Fancy. Do not imagine that there's any 
 dealing with an Arbitrary Government. Laws are only Shackles 
 upon you, but no Rule to 'em. Some remove Land Marks, they 
 violently Jake aiuay Flocks and Feed thereon, they turn the Nee- 
 di out of the nuay, the Poor of the Earth hide theinfclves together : 
 Behold as the ivild Af'cs of the Defer t they go forth to Work, rijing 
 betimes for a Prey, Job. 24. 2, 3, 6"^. and its the tame AfTes of 
 the Villages that fall into their Hands : They caufe the Naked 
 to go imthdut cloathing, he hath no covering in the Cold ; they pluck 
 ih^ Faiherlefs from the Brrafl, and take a Pledge of the Poor ,• 
 ihey take anuay the Sheaf from the Hungry : Men groan out of tht 
 City, and the Soul of the Wounded cries out . 
 
 If you would not couch donun between * Tivo Burden^, you 
 muil enter an eitefiaal Proteft againft One : For they that fub- 
 
 B 2 not, 
 
 Many Ptrfons at tliis Time plead that the Duties impofed on the Ame- 
 ricans by the late A6l^ of Parliament, are Co light as not to be worth 
 contending about, altno' they may not be (h-jctly juft ; this is certainly 
 a molt trifling Way of arguing, even fuppofine; the Sums were as fmrtU 
 as they would leprtlcnt, (which is very tar from being the Truth) for 
 never wis a Sclieme laid to endave a People unditr the Sanction of prs- 
 
 tcn^ei 
 
12 T'he Ass ; or, 77j^ Serpent. 
 
 mit, will, in a little Time, be brought to that pafs ; Her Car- 
 riages •were heavy loader,, they are a Burden to the iveary Beajif 
 they JJoGp, they bo'W down together, they cou/d not deliver their Bur- 
 den, but tkettifclves are gone into Captivity, Ifa. 46. I, 2. Thus 
 did the AimnoHites with the Men of JabeJJ? Cilead ; the' the 
 poor People would have fubmitted themfelves unto 'era, yet they 
 will allow of no eafier Terms than thrujitng out the right Eye^ 
 and laying it as a Reproach upon all Jfrael, i Sam. 11. 2. So 
 unlimited did Benhadad take himfelf, in the Court of a Man, 
 ■who ha J gone too far, in faying. My Lord, King, I a?n thincy 
 and all that I have : He does not only claim his Silver and Gold, 
 but his IVives and Children ; and would fend his Servants the 
 tiext Day to take out ijjhat nvas pleafant in their Eyes. 
 
 This made David XA\.\\tv chafe X-o fall into, the Hands of God^ 
 than into thofe of Man : Not but that the former could havede- 
 ftroy'd him with more Expedition than the latter ; bur ivith the 
 Lord there nvas Mercy, with Men there is none. And indeed 
 the Procefs hath been very fhort ; When once a Tyrant hath 
 faid your. Laws were his. He hath foon come to affirm your 
 Lives were fo too. And therefore its the fame thing being his 
 Vaffals, and being his Cattle. All that yowh-xwt pertaining to 
 Life and Godlinefs, is thrown in as a Morfel to Cafar : They 
 take up all of them ijjith the ^^ns^le, they catch them ivith their 
 Net, and gather them in their Drag, therefore they rejoice and are 
 glad; They luill empty continually, and not f[)are to flay the Na- 
 tions, Hab. I. ult. And how unhappy wiuil theCafe of a People 
 be who iiever know wheathey have done Sullering ? Such aGo- 
 
 vernment 
 
 tended Law, without an Endeavor to make the Burthen fo light, as 
 tj\at it might, by the gcHcrality of the Vi6iim«;, be diiregarded at fiift 
 and not felt, until it is out of their Power to remedy it. If we pay one 
 Ptnny purel)' becaufe the Parliament of G. B. hnve ordered us to pay 
 It, we mu!t, whenever they uleaie, pay a Shilling or a Pmind purely b«- 
 caufe they have ordered it — And the prel'eni involved State oftheBritiHi 
 Nation, the Rapacity and Profu.'enei's of many of her great M.r, the' 
 r-rodit'lous Number cf their Dependents, who ■.▼ant to be grt.tified wiih 
 I'ome Oftice which may enable them to live lazily upon the Labc;ur of 
 ether'?, muft convince us, that ve fliall be taxed fo long as we liave a 
 Penny to pay ; and thatnev/ Offices will be conftitutcd, and newOflicers 
 palmed upon us, until the Number is, lb great, that we cannot by our 
 con(t:int Labour and Toll mrnBtain any more. — For the Injuftice of liv- 
 in?r by the Sweat of another's Biow, the Cruelty of wrcnchino from the 
 weaiii'd, iiimgry Labc; -.er, the Reward of his Indultiy, never make 
 any ImprelTion on the iiin'y Erw-alls of tkoie w^o think IvL<n>..ind were 
 pudc to be \.h*'n- ^kves. 
 
The Ass; or, 7^6^ Serpent. 13 
 
 vernment upon Earth refemblcs one of the worfl Ideas that we 
 have ot Hell ; where there is no Sacrifice for Sin, but a certain 
 fearful locking for of more Judgment and ntw Indignation. 
 
 1. THEIR Perfons were made vile and contemptible, they bono 
 their Shoulders to bear. There are fome Ufagcs which God al- 
 ways reckon'd an Indignity to Human Nature. 'Tis for this, 
 reafon that he limited the Number of Stripes that were to be 
 given to a Malefactor, leji thy Brother feem vile to thee : And the 
 Statute of Murder is laid out upon this ground, That in tht 
 Image of Cod made he Man. Such an Oppreffion did the Jenus 
 live under in Egypt ; their Burdens were very grievous in the 
 Bricklins, the Task-mafters oblig'd them to their whole Quantity 
 of Work tho' they denied them Straiv, and then punifht 'em for 
 not doing what they knew to be impoffible. 
 
 When this comes to be the Lot of fuch as give up their Li- 
 berties, the Juftice of God calls for our Adoration ; they that 
 have lived in Pleafure and Vanity, are mod likely to make a Sale 
 of all that they have ; they have eaten the Bread of Idlenefs^ 
 and, How righteous is it with Heaven to give 'em that of Sor- 
 row ? That they who are brought up in Scarlet, fhould embrace 
 Dunghills? Thisis one Confequence of Slavery ; and it fell hea- 
 vily upon the Priefts at Jerufalew, who might remember their 
 Sin in their Punifhment : They that us'd to lead the Blind, 
 came to ivander as blind Men in the Streets, and fo pollutcdnvitf> 
 Blood, that Men could not touch their Garments : The Anger of 
 the Lord divided 'eiu, and henvould no viore regard 'em. Lam. 4. 1 4. 
 An Abfolute Government Swallows as faft as you can Give, and. 
 What wrll this come to in time ? But the hanging up of Princes 
 by the Hand, not honouring the Faces of the Elders, taking the 
 young Men to Grind, and making the Children fall under the IVood, 
 Ch. 5. 12, 13. 
 
 3. It runs nut into Poverty. This flaying of Tribute, mu(i he 
 underftood of exccdive Taxes ; Impofitions that are enough to 
 drain* aCouniry : Not v^hal a People confent f to for their 
 
 own 
 
 It is computed that the Dr.t'es to Be paid by the Inhabitants cf thi'Pro- 
 \incc only, in Con.'equence of former and lare Ads of Parliament, and 
 the Fees demrinded by the Cuflom-Houie nnd Navai-Ofiicevft, will a- 
 mount to na id's tiinn Six Hundred Thoufand Pounds Old Tenor aniiu- 
 ally ; and tho" we may charit?biy fupjKTc that /bme Part cf t'.ii-i Sum 
 will be retained in the Hr.ndsofiheOn'icers, yet it is likely that Inch a 
 ^rent Part (.fit wii! be i'cvt home, .is will fbo'n drain the Country cf all 
 us Sliver and Gold. TheMii,fomme of a People ta.'icd by a forei,<jn 
 
 bta'*e, 
 
14 T^he Ass or, The Serpent. 
 
 own Defence, but what arc extorted from them. And then what 
 fignifies the Goodnefs of the Land, when the Profits are oifered 
 up as a Sacrifice to the Luxury of a Stranger ? Thus hath a 
 fruitful Land been brought into Barreunefs. The Houfes of the 
 People were made a Dunghill ; and they that have liv'd in tho 
 miiil of ^Xtnty, fought their Bread to relieve their Souls. They 
 confent to the loweft. Terms meerly to enjoy what Nature had 
 made their own : IVe have given the Hand to the Jjjyrian to be 
 fatisfiediuith Bread, Lam. 5. 6. and, better are they that perifh 
 by the Sivord, than fuch as are fricken through for ivant of the 
 Fruits of the Field : It Was a dreadful Article in their judgmeat, 
 thine Enemy f jail dijirefs thee in all thy Gates. Deut. 28. 
 
 4. That which makes the Cafe deplorable to the laft Degree, 
 is, that the People themfelves concur in it, either through a Ne- 
 ceffity, or the Habit of Bondage. They bonu their own Shoulder 
 to bear ; and, by an unaccountable Mixture of Choice andForce, 
 become Servants to Tribute. When a Nation hath given up 
 their Liberties, they do not only lofe the Thing, but all theTafte 
 they us'd to have of it. 
 
 And this may be confidered both as a growing Vice, and aStu- 
 pidity that the righteous God hath fealed 'em up under. The 
 Mifery of fuch a Cafe hath this in it, that the People are never 
 likely to remember from 'whence they are fallen or do their frji 
 Works ; they Jleep a perpetual Sleep, and do not aivake. 'Tis not 
 a Damage thatfets them a Thiaking, or warms a powerful Zeal 
 to recover what they have loft ; but by a long Courfc of Subjec- 
 jedion it becomes their own Ad. 
 
 ^ (3-)r" 
 
 State, vpoujd be much greater on this Accouut, than if the Inipofcrs of 
 the lax refideil amongft thein : For altho' they might unjultJy extort 
 from them their Money, yet as it would lUll be in the Country, they 
 poflibiy might at feme Time, by fonie Means, get Part of it a^ain : 
 But when it is fcnt Three Thouiand Miles over Sea, it is not very likely 
 to return. 
 
 f The Kight of Taxation, mnft, by the Law of Nature, which gives every 
 Man a Power to difpole cf Jiis own Property, belong lolely to the Peo- 
 ple who are to pay the Tax : and the BritifliConftitution hath borrowed 
 from Nature this Maxim, That no Man fiall be taxed n.vitkout hisConfent^ 
 which is the GrandPillar on which EnglifliLiberty and Property Ibnds. 
 Can apropie then be bound by an Aft which contradifts the great Law 
 
 , <if Nature, whicii is originally from God ? Or, can an Ehglirtunan 
 fubmit to an Inftitution which laps the Foundation of Englilh Liberty 
 and Englifti Properly ? But certain it is, that the late Act of Parliament 
 i'. a Tax withoMt our Confent, a taking our Property without lo much 
 i-s coniulting- us ; But I seed draw np more Cohlequcnces. 
 
The Ass or, The Serpent. 15 
 
 (3.) I'll enquire into the Reafons they give for this Negleft of 
 'emfclves, or what it is they get in Exchange for their Liberties ; 
 and you find there are two Things that leave 'em under the 
 Power of this Infatuation. 
 
 1, What they reckon the Favour of the Enemy, Theyfaiu that 
 ReJ} ivas good. 
 
 2. The natural Advantages of their Country, The Land it 
 ixias plcafant . 
 
 1. They fee that Rcjl is good ; which fhews us how their Judg- 
 ment is perverted, to fuppofe that there can be any fuch Thing 
 as ReJI, while the Yoke of Tyranny hangs upon their Shouldei'S. 
 Now, this Opinion hath its only Root in Cowardife andLazinefs. 
 They dread the noble Toil of War.tho' the Hazards People run 
 that Way, are far from being equal to thofe of a flavifhTemper, 
 you can fcarce lofe fo much by venturing, as you give away by 
 fubmitting. Whilft the Jeiuj refifted Sennecharib, they had what 
 we call a Chance for it ; but he tells them roundly, If they t/iade 
 ati Agreement nvith him by Prefents, it muft end in his taking ^em 
 aivay from their sivn Land. And is this the Rejl nxjhere'with they^ 
 ivould caufe theiveary to lie doivn ? Is this all that a People gee 
 by throwing themfelves upon the Mercy of a Tyrant ? We may- 
 well fay, Arife and depart, this is not yeurReJi, becaitfe it^s pol- 
 luted, Mic. 2. 10. 
 
 2. The Benefits of their Country was another Thing that 
 foften'd 'em into this Compliance, They fanv that the Land 'wat 
 plcafant. They'd no mind to be carried off, becaufe here was 
 enough for their own Necefllty, and for the Humour of him to 
 whom they paid Tribute. But what a poor Argument is this ? 
 If the Place was iogood, itdefeivedto be fought for : If thePro- 
 duce of Nature there was fo great, 'tis pity that they fhould have 
 All of the Profit who had None of the Pains. Thus they plead- 
 ed upon their Return out of Captivity, the Land that thou haji 
 given to our Fathers, to eat tleFru.it thereof, a, 'J the Good thereof y 
 liehcld ive are Servants in it ; and it fields much Increafe to the 
 Kings 'vjho7n thou hafi fet over us becaufe of our Sins ; alfo they 
 have Dominion over our Bodies, and over our Cattle at thtirP lea- 
 fur e, and 'voe arc in great Diflrefs, Neh. 9 36, 37. 
 
 Thus have I laid out to you the former of thefe Charaders, 
 and fhown you how poor a Figure Jfj'achar made in the V/orid. 
 But, 
 II. We have an Account of better Things in theBlefling that 
 he proneunceth upon another Tribe. Dan pall judge his People 
 
 like 
 
1 6 The Ass ; or, The Serpent. 
 
 like one of ths Tribes of Ifrael \ Dan fh all be a Serpent by thelVay, 
 and an Adder in the Path, that bites his Horfe's Heels, fo that his 
 liider falls hack^Mard ; 1 have 'waited for thy Salvation, Lord. 
 
 What is faiJ of this brave People, is ib plain a Reverfe to the 
 Me^nnefs of the other, that a very little Enlargement will ferve 
 here. 
 
 1. He begins with a ncv? fort of Language to give us the De- 
 fcription of thefe. What they did would be worthy the Name 
 they derived from llieir Father ; Dan Jhall judge his People like 
 fine of the Tribes of Ifrael. 
 
 2. We have the Meafures that he will take in order to it; 
 and that is, the Ufe both of his Policy and Courage : He is like 
 a Serpent by the IVay^ and an Adder in the Path, and, rather than 
 be trampled on, he'' II bite the Horfes Heels % he'll undermine the 
 Foundations of Tyranny, yc> that the Rider nuill fall back-vjards . 
 
 3. Thefe noble Dcfigns are what y<7£-o^ recommends' to the 
 Bleffing of God, in that Prophetic Rapture, / have ivaited for 
 thy Salvation, Lord ! 
 
 (i.) We have a general Honour put upon them. Dan fhalt 
 judge his People like one of the Tribes of Ifrael. What judging 
 of his People means, I had occafion to faow you the laft Year ; 
 That it includes an Execution gf their Laws, and a Defending 
 of their Liberties from any that would opprefs them. And this 
 wc find that Sampfon did, who was of That Tribe, and paid iefs 
 Regard to an Enemy, in v>?hofe Country he lived, than any of 
 the Judges. Now, do but confider how diis is plac'd in a full 
 Oppofition to vi'hat was faid of Ijfachdr ; and from thence you 
 may colle('i, That thofe Rulers do not judge their People, who 
 perfwade * 'em to banu doivn under tnvo Burdens : Theie are in- 
 confiRent with one another. 
 
 But what I would obferve to you, is, the honourable Turn he 
 giveslhis, That it's doing like One of the Tribes of Ifrael : As if 
 they thatnegled it weie funk below the Name. But Dan kept 
 up the Dignity of his Family, and fhow'd that his Defcent from 
 fo many Patriarchs was not in vain. Thole antient Worthies, 
 whom God had calTd out from the reft of the World, led him 
 
 the 
 
 It is the Duty of good Magiftrates to preferve the Liberties of the 
 People over whom they pieCule ; and whenever, from a Delire to 
 aggrandize ihemlelves, they endeavour to perlvvadc a People to lubm;t 
 to arbitrary Infiiniienwntsi of their Kiglits, they not only fofeit the-ir 
 Title to the Rdpeft which belongs to a good Ruler, tut vlelcive <.• 
 be tjcatsd with Ux*. Sevtritvduc to u T^ait^r. 
 
*The Ass or, The Serpent. 17 
 
 the way t» it. One of the moft remarkableThings that Alraham 
 did ia a public Manner, v.'as the taking of F/f^AVw^/ Captive,Gtr\. 
 13. I, 2. tho' the People in whofe Quarrel he mingled himfelf, 
 are thefirji Rebels we read of : He had Armour ready for three 
 hundred and eighteen Men, train'd up in his Houfe. Upon his 
 Return from this Slaughter, Melckifedek, the Prieji of the moji 
 high God, vieets ^;>/;,and gives him ^{oltvanBleffing in His Name, 
 who is the PoJJ'efor of Heaven and Earth. And tho' it's true, he 
 refus'd to be made rich by the Spoils, yet the right that he had 
 to bring down and plunder fo many Tyrants, appears irom his 
 paying Tythes to Melchifedek ; for we cannot think that he 
 would have brought /?(9^^^r>' /or a Burnt-Offering. Jacob xtco- 
 ver'd a Part of the Land ou//^ his Snxiord, and his Bo'w out of the 
 Hand of the Aviorites ; nay, he had the Name of Ifrael given 
 hiJn in the Field of Battle, becaufe by his Strength he laid hold of 
 the Angel, and had Poiuer both nvith God and Man,and prevailed: 
 So that Cowardice, in any of his Pofl;erity,was a Departure from 
 that noble Spirit their Fathers had been eminent for. 
 
 And efpecially, if you'll confider 'em as a People fet apart to 
 the Worfhip of God, they were bound to run all Hazards in de- 
 fending what he gave 'em. When they were frighted with the 
 Anakims, faint-hearted, and durft not go on, it was ading fo far 
 below themfelves, that he will fcarce own 'em to be his People ; 
 but fays, That it's a Generation that do err in their Hearts, they 
 kneiu not his IVays. Their Spirits had a wrong Turn, and he 
 fworc, That they JJyall never enter into his Rcjl ; And if they 
 fliould allow an Enemy to break in ujJon the Land of their Pof- 
 fefllon, it was diftionourable to their Name : But Dan bears up 
 the old Figure, and in judging of his People, is like oneoftkeTribef 
 ef Ifrael. 
 
 (2.) Here are the Ways that he takes to do it. Where you 
 may obferve, 
 
 1. The Policy and Wifdom of this People : They are com- 
 par'd to Serpents and Adders. 
 
 2. Their Courage, or the Hazard they run : They'll throw 
 themfelves into the Path, venture being crufti'd, rather than lofe 
 their End. 
 
 3. Their Refolution to have the Blefling whatever it coft * 
 'em : If they can't difmount a Tyrant by mere Force, they'll^//* 
 his Horfe's-Heels, fo that the Rider Jhall fall back'ward. 
 
 C I. They 
 
 • liberty can never be purchased too dear — Life irfelf is a Bi^then to 
 thole who groao under the lien Yoke of Slavery. 
 
1 8 The Ass ; ©r, The Serpen\ 
 
 t. They are reprefentedasa wife and well-inftrufted People ;^ 
 
 a Serpent in the Way, an Adder in the Path. Doubtlefs IJfachar 
 thought it a good Prwc/d-w//.;// to humble themfelves, and hold 
 their Lives upon no other Tenure than the Will of a Prince ; 
 but//;// their JVay 'was their Felly. Dan takes his Maxims as they 
 rile from the plain Welfare of the Community : He'll neither be 
 hector 'd nor wheedled out of his Privileges ; he'll lofe 'em neither 
 by War nor Treaty : As he's Serpent enough to underftand 
 what's beft for him ; fo, like the Adder, hejiops his Ears againjl 
 the Voice of the Charmer, charming never fo 'wifely. 
 
 The want of fuch a Spirit, is the Prefage of Ruin. Thou haji 
 hid theirUearts from Underfanding, therefore thoiifhalt not exalt 
 them,- Job 17.4. Chrift himfelf hath bid his People take to 'em the 
 Wifdom of the Serpent ; tbo' here I would not have you miftakc 
 this for the mere Wrigling of that Creature. Fraud andArtifice, 
 lurking Ways, and lying Words, are as much below the Wifdom 
 that will fave a Nation, as they are againft the Honefty thatmuft 
 fave a Soul. Thofe Men that eame to David, and had under- 
 Jianding of the Times, and kne'w ivhat Ifrael ought to do, found 
 that the Wifdom of the Serpent was confiilent with the Inno- 
 cence of the Dove. 
 
 2. Befjdes a Capacity to contrive what is beft, here's a Courage 
 to execute it. This is a Tribe that Mofes fpeaks well of in the 
 Bleffiiig that he gave 'em. DaJi is a Lyon's Whelp, and he fh all 
 leap from BaJJyan, Deut. 33. 22. And we may obfervc a Cha- 
 ra-fler of that fort in the Vcrfe before us. That he'll venture him- 
 felf as a Serpent in the Way, as an Adder in the Path ; he'll run 
 the Hazard of being trampled under foot, rather than take up 
 with the poor and icanty Terms that an Enemy gives him. 'Tis 
 better being crufli'd at oace, than condemn'd to a miferable Ex- 
 illence : And thefe are things that will deliver a People over to 
 the Voice of Fame : The good EReern and hearty Wiflies of the 
 World will be to fuch as offer thernfdves nuillingly, and jeopard 
 their Lives in the high Places of the Field. 
 
 g. They are determin'd to have the Bleffingat any Expence : 
 Nor wIH they lofe Things for want of meer Names and Forms ; 
 they'll endeavour to bring down a Tyrant by his own Methods, 
 if all the refk (hall fail : And when he defigns to ride over Li- 
 berty and Religion, if they cannot ftop his Career, they'll break 
 his Neck ; the very Horfe's Heels, which Ihould have ruin'd- 
 Them, fliall receive the Wound that will prove fatal to Him. And 
 indeed when a People are thus inclin'd to loofe the Bands of their 
 
 Captivity, 
 
TJoe Ass; or, 77?^ Serpent. 19 
 
 Captivity, it's no very hard Matter to humble the Wicked by 
 the Mcafures they have taken. Violence and Iniquity do not 
 'fo eafily carry their Load, but, in a little Timi, their Rider may 
 fall backivard. 
 
 (5.) WHEN 7<j(r(?^ hath thus defcrib'd his Son by the brave 
 Meafures that he'll take, he recommends the whole Defif^n t^ 
 the Blelling of God ; I have nvaitc^d for thy Salvation, Lord. 
 
 Some imagine that the good old Patriarch was, at this Time, 
 almoft fpcRt upon his Death-bed with going fo far as he had 
 done ; and in thefe Words he takes Breath again : Others think 
 there's in them theHorror of that Idolatry that he faw theTribe 
 of Dan would run into. But if you'll take 'em for a Paufe, it's 
 a Sign, that what he had faid of a People getting back their Li- 
 berties, was of fo muck Value with him, that his Soul can reft a 
 while upon it, before he proceeds to the other Bleffings. 
 
 Or, you may underftand it, as feveral would do, for a perfonal 
 Wifti, ^. D. " Let me turn afide for a Moment from telling 
 *• what will happen to yea, and fpend one Thought upon my 
 " felf. You hear what IjJ'ackar will give up, and Dan retrieve ; 
 '♦ but thefe things belong to a World 1 am going from. There's 
 " fomething nearer me than your Profperity ; / have i-jaited for 
 *' thy Salvation, Lord." If you take it thjs, it tells us, That 
 for good Men to know that they who cOnie after 'em will be 
 zealous for God, and truly concern'd for the Publick Intereft, is 
 OneCordial in a dying Hour; as David faith \.o Sobmon, I go 
 the ivay of all the Earth ; but be thoufrong, and Jhcw thy felf a 
 Jf..'«, I Kings 2.2. 
 
 But I fee no reafon v>hy the Sclvation that he nvaltsd fvr^ 
 may nor be conne<ftcd to the ways that Dan would take in judg- 
 i/ig his people. And then it includes in it thefe three' things. 
 
 I. His hearty VVifhes to fo good a Cauie, ^. D. *' This will 
 " be thy Temper, and my BleiTing go aloug with it. It's wivaC 
 ♦' I think of with Plcafure, and in i»me of my laft Breath coin- 
 •* mit thee to the Favour of Heavea : 77-? God before whom jny 
 " Fathers '■ojcilkt, the Angel that redeemed ine fvoJH all E-jH, efia- 
 " blijh the IVork of thi^e Hand." 
 
 And this we have had many Examples of ; the' good People 
 were juft at the Gates of Glory, yet they could not take leave 
 of thole that iiay'd behind, without a Te8;!;r.ony * for the 
 
 C 2 Caufe 
 
 ♦ lio.vcver convenient it msy be to live \ipon the Bread ihaicheii fiom 
 the hua^ry iiaiuer, yet v.hsn DcatJi coiwei, it is <i«utjtiul, whsth-r 
 
 the 
 
20 The Ass or, 716^ Serpent. 
 
 Caufe they had been engag'd in : Which ought to be of the 
 greatefl: Value with us, that fuch a Number of excellent Pcrfons 
 have died Praying for the Peace of our Jerufalem. They have' 
 fpoke well of the Liberties of Mankind, when themfelves were 
 leaving all Things of that fort ; and we cannot think that God 
 would let 'em go out of the World, either with a Lye in their 
 "Mouths, or a Trifle in their Hearts. 
 
 2. When he adds, I have ivaitcd for thy Salvation ; It may be 
 underftood as a Direftion to thofe brave People, to tell 'em, 
 they muft hope for Succefs in a religious Way. Second Caufes 
 are employ'd ; but the good old Man would let 'em know. That 
 their Salvation is of the Lord : And if they will conquer in ear- 
 nell, they muft be a People that luait for it. t 
 
 This comprehends the Duty that they owe to him, their De- 
 pendance upon his Care, their Jealoufy for his Honour. The 
 Profane, the Unclean, the Evil-doers do not come into the Nura- 
 6er. If they have any hopes of being deliver'd, 'tis from fomc- 
 thing elfe, for God is not in all thiir Thoughts . They that ufe 
 his Name without Reverence, and his People without Pity, can't 
 think that he hath any Pleafure in theirWays. But Jacob would 
 have them give all their Counfels & Attempts a ferious Tindure, 
 for when the high Praifes of Cod are in their Mouths, it will add 
 a Weight to the tivo edged S'-Mord that is in their Hands, Pfalm 
 cxlix. 6. 
 
 7., This feems to be an Aft of his Faith in the great Mejjiah ; 
 for it's under this Name that another good old Man receiv'd him : 
 Lord, nonv httejl thou thy Servant depart in peaee, for }?iine Eyes 
 have feen thy Salvation, Luk. ii. 29, 30. Nor could this be 
 thought improper to mingie with the Zeal they had for Civil 
 Liberties : It was by Faith in him that the Elders obtained a 
 good Report, \n fubduing Kingdot.HS, 'workiugRighteoufnefs,Jlopping 
 the Mouths of Lions, ivaxing valiant in Flight, and turning to 
 fight the Enemies of the Alters. The Believer hath in him .he 
 truell Courage. There's uothinp i:a ;uiy one Doiftrine of Chrif- 
 tianity that will tye up the Hanis of an injurd People. One 
 
 that 
 
 tho nioft hardened Son of Tyranny can look with Pleafure o« tlie Heaps 
 of V/ealth wiiicii he has acciiiirtd by ^nridlng the Face of the Poor, 
 but he who has zeaioufly defended the Rights of Mankind, exults in 
 " his Condudt in his lalt Hours ; and looking up to Heaven with Con- 
 fidence, lecornnjendjn'r the Caufe in which he has been engap;ed to the 
 gre;-<!t Ruler of the Univerfe, and liunhly expe<5ls the bright Rtwud of 
 th 1'.- who h;ive feivcd God in Upriprhtnefs of Hcait, aiid faithfully 
 dikhar^cd ihtir Duty to .their fcMcw JN'len. 
 
The Ass > •- The -PENT. 21 
 
 that hath tafed that the Lord is gracious, muft have fity to the 
 Defolations of Mankind. He can't endure to fee that Nature 
 ruin'd by a Tyrant, that hath been honour'd by a Saviour. 
 
 And then befides as the Kingdom of a Mefliah extends it felf, 
 it vsrill proclaim Liberty to the Captives. It's an Inftitution, as 
 well as a Prophecy, that there (hall be no hurting nor dejiroying 
 in all his holy Mountain ; and he is then faid to taie to hitHfelf 
 his great Penver and Reign, luhen he dejiroys them that deftroy 
 the Earth. Rev. ii. i8. 
 
 And, again, One that hath Faith in Jefus, is waiting for that 
 Time, when King! /i:>alljhut their Mouths at him ; Princes Jhall 
 fee and arife, and \s.t\\firike thrsugh Monarchs in the Day of his 
 Wrath, and wrinch his Glory out of their Hands, who have taken 
 it from him. 
 
 Again, waiting for this Salvation, prepares a Man for the Day 
 of Battle. A Chriftian does not fight upon thofe Hazards that 
 others do, who lofe two Lives at once, that which drops in the 
 Field, and that which is eternal. TheBeliever in thefe Dangers 
 takes himfelf to he fighting the good Fight, and keeping the Faith ; 
 and if his Courfe is at an End in this Attempt, it will \iz finifli'd 
 *Vi<ith Joy. 
 
 And thus have I fet before you the two Tempers that diftin- 
 guifhed thefe Tribes. Here's Death, and Life, and Curjing, and 
 Blejjing : The Choice muft now be your own A(5t. My Time 
 hath lufFer'd me to do little more than take the Words to pieces, 
 and confider the Parts of 'em afunder ; you'll eafijy apply what 
 you have heard thefe two ways. 
 
 1. Into a full Refentment of thofe Doctrines that would per- 
 fwade you out of your Liberties upon the fame Terms that Iffa- 
 fA^r parted with Theirs. 'Tis pity that humane Nature it felf 
 ihould be fo far dcbafed ; but 'tis with an Aggravation that we 
 fee the Holy Name of Chrift hath been blafpbem'd ; that thofe 
 Myfteries mullbe our Choice, which was the Romans Abhor- 
 rence ; as the Apollle faich in another cafe, it's a Fornication not 
 fo much as naiii'd amungthe Goitiles . Do not take it for a fmall 
 matter, for at this Gap do they throw in all the Superftitionsof 
 Worfhip, their ^f^w/^.7^/f £)c/£7;v><?/, as well as their cniel Mea- 
 
 ■ Aires, 'Tis by this means they'll fteal away your Religion, and 
 fill the Nation with Darknefs, and Blood. 
 
 2. This calls us up to the Praifes of God, who deliver'd us 
 from the Stupidity of Iffachar, and iiifpir'd us with the Temper 
 of Dan, at our Revolution. 
 
 I'm 
 
41 * vrer, 77j/r Serpent. 
 
 I'm fenfiWe, this Mercy haifl had all the Regards that the 
 Children of Ifrael gave to the Manna which fell from Heaven. 
 AtfirA we gather'd it, we tafted it, iiv'd upon it, and reckon'd 
 it Angelt Food ; now 'tis but '>*ht Bread, -andi we want Flejh to 
 eat ; nay, as it is faid of Soo. ,<, we are going out after firange 
 Flejh : And I doubt not but the Parrallel would hold further, 
 tihat it muH come as foon out of our Nojirils, as it did out of 
 Theirs. What they defir'd in their Lufl, they enjoy'd with a 
 Plague t^QT e're it 'was chenudy 'while it 'was yet betiveen their 
 Teeth, the Wrath ef Cod fell upon ''em. 
 
 ' But I would recommend the great Things that he hath done 
 for us, to your Value and Care ; and this can be exprefled in no 
 l>etter way, than by nvalking in the Light, 'while 'we have the 
 Light ; a Converfation that becomes the Gofpel ; an Abhorrence 
 of any thing that would mingle with your Religion, or defile 
 your Praftice ; a Pity to the poor Proteftants in France, upon 
 Vfhota. the Clouds have return d after the Rain ; as having no 
 Fell(ywfhip 'with the unfruitful IVarks ofDarknefs. And, who- 
 ever they are that have no Compaffion for Blood, no Reverence 
 ■for Leagues, my Soul ! come not thou into their Secret, untt 
 their A£'emhly, mine Honour he not thou united ; for in their An- 
 ger they flew a Man, and in their Self-mill they dig donxjn a IVall : 
 jLetfuch Counfel of the Wicked be far from me, I have 'waited far 
 thj Salvation, Lord. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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