An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

It is but the privilege of an Ass; and as it is but a low privilege to be free from service, so it is a great sin to cast off service. Some under pretence of liberty, cast off obedience, and will not bear the yoke of duty or good government; this is indeed to be free as the wild Ass is free. Such are spoken of (Psal. 2.2, 3.) Come let us break their bonds, and cast their cords from us. They that would break the bonds and cords there spoken of, desire only, and look after a sinful liberty, a meaner liberty than that of the wild Ass. The Prophet going to the great men (Jer. 5.5.) said, These have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds; that is, the yoke of duty which God hath laid upon them. They have no cause of boasting, that are free from the bonds of service; but they who cast off the bonds of duty, have great cause to be ashamed. Thus the Prophet reproves that people, as one man (Hos. 8.9.) They are gone up to Assy i•, a wild Ass alone by himself. As if the Prophet had said, Th•y lo•k not up to the high God for help, but to Assyria; the high God was not so high in their eyes as Assyria: doing thus, they we•e like a wild Ass (saith the Prophet) and so they were in two things; First, They we•e extreme stubborn, resolved to have their will, and satisfy their lusts. Ephraim was as violent in his way as a wild Ass. Secondly, •hey were like a wild Ass, they would be alone; A wild Ass alone by himself; that is, they would be at liberty, free from all command, to do what they list; they had rather be ⟨p. 330⟩in a barren wilderness where none could control them, than in good pastures under any thing that looked like a restraint, or a rule. This is a very unworthy spirit; this is liberty in a way of licentiousness, this liberty is libertinism. They who submit to no rule but that of their unruly head-strong passions and affections, nor will be reclaimed nor tamed by any, whether fair or foul means, these in Scripture are compared to the wild Ass for their folly and vanity. Zphar offered this rebuke to Job, in the 11th Chapter of this book, vers. 12. and possibly he could not altogether free himself from it, Vain man would be wise, though he be born like a wild Asses colt; that is, though this be all his wisdom to be free from that subjection which he oweth to God and man. The Prophet (