But was the wild Ass, here spoken of, at any time in bonds,1 and now set free? I answer, The Lord speaks thus figuratively, not that the wild Ass was ever in bonds, but that because he is so untractable, and will by no means be managed, he seems to be as one loosed from bonds, even as Oxen and Horses which serve man, and are under his power, seem bound to his service. So then, as the former, so this latter part of the verse is not to be expounded, as if the wild Ass had ever been under restraint, and afterwards was sent forth free and loosed from his bonds, but both expressions intend only, that as his disposition is for freedom, so in his condition he is, and always hath been, free from bondage; for not only is he free from bondage, who having been in bondage is delivered, as slaves and captives oftentimes are; but he may be said to be free from bondage, or to have his bonds loosed, who was never in bonds, who was either born free, or who by his wit, skill and policy, or the help of others, hath been preserved from bondage. A man may be said to be free from sickness, that never was sick, as well as he that is restored from sickness to health; and so a man that never was in bonds, may be said to be free from bonds, as well as he that is delivered from bondage. Thus the wild Ass in the Text is said to have his bonds loosed, though he never was in bonds. As the Lord hath made all creatures, so he hath made some free, others servile; he hath set some at liberty, but holds others at hard labour all their days, in drawing, travelling, or bearing heavy burdens. The words are plain; the sum and scope of them may be thus conceived: As if the Lord had asked Job, by whom this natural inclination was given to the wild Ass, that he should so earnestly desire liberty; as also, who gave him that force and stoutness, that he should be able to live without Law, to follow his own lust, not at all submitting to, nor guided by the will of others. Who hath sent out the wild Ass free?
But was the wilde Ass, here spoken of, at any time in bonds,1 and now set free? I answer, The Lord speaks thus figuratively, not that the wilde Ass was ever in bonds, but that because he is so untractable, and will by no means be mannag'd, he seems to be as one loosed from bonds, even as Oxen and Horses which serve man, and are under his power, seem bound to his service. So then, as the former, so this latter part of the verse is not to be expounded, as if the wilde Ass had ever been under restraint, and afterwards was sent forth free and loosed from his bonds, but both expressions intend only, that as his disposition is for freedom, so in his condition he is, and alwayes hath been, free from bondage; for not only is he free from bondage, who having been in bondage is delivered, as slaves and captives oftentimes are; but he may be said to be free from bondage, or to have his bonds loosed, who was never in bonds, who was either born free, or who by his wit, skill and policy, or the help of others, hath been preserved from bondage. A man may be said to be free from sickness, that never was sick, as well as he that is restored from sickness to health; and so a man that never was in bonds, may be said to be free from bonds, as well as he that is delivered from bondage. Thus the wilde Ass in the Text is said to have his bonds loosed, though he never was in bonds. As the Lord hath made all creatures, so he hath made some free, others servile; he hath set some at liberty, but holds others at hard labour all their dayes, in drawing, travelling, or bearing heavy burdens. The words are plain; the sum and scope of them may be thus conceived: As if the Lord had asked Job, by whom this natural inclination was given to the wilde Ass, that he should so earnestly desire liberty; as also, who gave him that fo•ce and stoutness, that he should be able to live without Law, to follow his own lust, not at all submitting to, nor guided by the will of others. Who hath sent out the wilde Ass free?
- 1[Greek or Hebrew] Quod promde videtur aliud animal ab Onagro, non tamen multum differens Grot. Aliqui vertunt Onagrum & Alcen, quae sunt equorum & asinorum agrestium genera. Distinguit inter Onagrum & Alcen. Plinius lib. 8. c. 15.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Quod promde videtur aliud animal ab Onagro, non tamen multum differens Grot. Aliqui vertunt Onagrum & Alcen, quae sunt equorum & asinorum agrestium genera. Distinguit inter Onagrum & Alcen. Plinius lib. 8. c. 15.
