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

A Crib is that in which an Ox or an Ass feeds, (Isa. 1.3.) The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib; that is, the vessel in which he useth to be fed. Solomon saith (Prov. 14.4.) Where no Oxen are, the Crib is clean, that is, the Crib is not used, and so remains clean. If none come into a Room, the Room is clean. In one sense, where Oxen are, the Crib is clean, that is, they eat up all the fodder put into it. But in Solomons sense, where no Oxen are the Crib is clean, because no fodder is put into it. The Lord having said, the Unicorn will do no work, ⟨p. 363⟩adds also, he will not abide by thy Crib. As he will do thee no service, so he will put thee to no charge; that's a piece of ingenuity in the Unicorn, as he does no work for man, so he looks for no wages nor reward from man: which may be a reproof to those men, who are very unwilling to serve others, yet are very willing to abide by their Crib; they like it well to eat and drink upon you, as long as you will, and possibly whether you will or no, but will not do a stroke of work; Such a one we call proverbially a Lurdan, from the lazy Danes, who long since Lording it in this Kingdom, would eat and drink in a good well-stored house, but refused all labour. The Unicorn is to be commended above such idle drones, who use their teeth more than their hands, as if they were born only to feed their bellies, or to live upon the sweat of other mens brows; for he hath a kind of honesty in him, as he doth you no work, so he will not trouble your Crib.

A Crib is that in which an Oxe or an Ass feeds, (Isa. 1.3.) The Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib; that is, the vessel in which he useth to be fed. Solomon saith (Prov. 14.4.) Where no Oxen are, the Crib is clean, that is, the Crib is not used, and so remains clean. If none come into a Room, the Room is clean. In one sense, where Oxen are, the Crib is clean, that is, they eat up all the fodder put into it. But in Solomons sense, where no Oxen are the Crib is clean, because no fodder is put into it. The Lord having said, the Unicorn will do no work, ⟨p. 363⟩