per jaw, and six in the lower, with two dog-teeth on each side, and that its fore-feet are expanded into wings. This may be accurate, but it is exceedingly frigid, and leaves us in ignorance of the bat's distinguishing properties; which were thus represented by Scaliger-Mira sanè conformationis est animal; bipes, quadrupes, ambulans non pedibus, volans non pennis; videns sine luce, in luce cæcus; extra lucem luce utitur, in luce luce caret; avis cum dentibus, sine rostro, cum mammis, cum lacte, pullos etiam inter volandum gerens. It has feet or claws growing out of its pinions, and contradicts the general order of nature by creeping with the instruments of its flight. While the Lark mounts on triumphant wings, soaring up into the sky with a Song of praise to its Creator, this little black monster lies sleeping in holes and cracks of decayed buildings; and if disturbed by any accident, drops down and crawls upon the earth. When darkness prevails, it comes forth from its hiding-place to haunt church-yards and desolate places; as if it avoided the society of all chearful birds, and took a delight in abiding with owls and beetles near the regions of the dead. The heathens, in like manner, had no relish for the conversation of those who were in a more enlightened state than themselves, but fluttered about under the darkness of Idolatry, and were agitated by low and sordid affections: their best talents and faculties, like the wings of the bat, were employed in the cause of falsehood, or dedicated to subjects below the consideration of immortal beings*: and hav * When I lament the misapplication of human abilities, the admirable Henry Purcel occurs among other examples. Any proper judge of harmony, who considers his Te Deum, and O give thanks, with that inimitable piece of counterpoint in the burial Service, will meet with strains, in which there is such excellence and sublimity ing lost the certain prospect of a better state to come, they were plagued with an imagination full of death and despair. XXIV. To the foregoing some observations might be added concerning the blindness of the Mole; the petulance and immodesty of the Dog*; the subtlety of the Fox; the poisonous teeth, and double tongue of the serpent: but there would be no end of descanting on the particulars of so wide a subject. I shall therefore only remark, that as the clean animals were Hieroglyphics adapted to express the character and sufferings of the Messiah; so hath the Scripture applied the whole crew of unclean creatures to Satan and the host of evil Spirits. And the propriety of the application is evident: for if Owls and Bats, as enemies to the Light, exhibit the disposition of those who sat in darkness, they cannot be improper to denote the prince of darkness. If heathens, like beasts of prey, were rapacious and blood-thirsty, especially against the people of the true God; the Devil was a murderer from the beginning, a roaring lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour. Unclean birds and evil spirits are taken in the same sense in this passage -Babylon is fallen, and is become the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul Spirit, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Which expression refers us as we should expect from the skill and devotion of an angel. Yet the man, who had this power of leading the Soul, as it were, out of the body, and lifting it up to heaven, dedicated the greater part of his labour, and some of the best strokes of his music, to sweeten the ravings of Sottishness and Impiety. # Diogenes the Philosopher of Athens affected to be like a wild beast, and went by the name of the Cynic or dogged. His character is well satyrized by Lucian, who says in the person of DiogenesΙταμον χρη είναι, και θρασυν, καὶ λοιδορείσθαι πασιν εξης, καὶ βασιλεύσι και ιδιο Luc. Vitarum Auctio, § 7. ταις. back to the Prophecies of Isaiah against Babylon, wherein the hateful kinds of birds are particularly named*: and this allusion to the Prophet teaches us how they are to be understood. XXV. It has now been demonstrated from the Scripture and the Reason of the thing itself, that there was a moral design in this distinction of animals into clean and unclean; under which the Jews were instructed, as by an apologue or parable, that this was the will of God, even their Sanctification; that every one of them should know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the lust of concupiscence, AS THE GENTILES WHICH KNOW NOT GOD. For this, in sense and reality, is the Law of the Beasts, and of the Fowl, and of every ing creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the Earth; to make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten‡. liv In the assembly of clean animals, we see what the members of the Church of Israel were, or ought to have been, when they were separated from Idolaters, and enclosed within that fold, of which God himself was the Shepherd; feeding them in a green pasture, and leading them forth beside the waters of comfort. In the Crew of the unclean and abominable, we see what the Professors and Practitioners of Heathenism actually were, whether Philosophers or Idiotics, roving about through the fields and forests of the world, without any bond of peace or uniformity; and with the Devil as their Sovereign, the Prince and pattern of Darkness, Cruelty, and Uncleanness, who is cursed Isa. xxxiv. 11, &c. xiv. 23. + See § viii. Lev. xi. 46. above every beast of the field. And I think, no other observations need be added to shew, that the two opposite parties of Animals answer in all respects to this moral distribution. XXVI. This being the case, it may be useful to ask ourselves how it comes to pass, that there was and is a difference among mankind, equivalent to what is here exhibited to us among brute animals? The Heathens, notwithstanding all the remonstrances of natural light, were actually enslaved to the worship of Deities more like Devils than Divinities. Their reasonings on subjects of the utmost importance to mankind were weak, perplexed, and contradictory and their best morality was infected with vices not fit to be named. In their political economy a mock-equality was kept up under the specious name of Liberty; which in fact was either a conjunct tyranny exercised by a few; or the state was agitated with popular authority, like a vessel tossed upon the waves of the Sea: so that the alternative was, foreign war or domestic tumult. And they, who were most jealous of their own mutual rights and liberties at home, were inflated with an enthusiastic opinion, that they were appointed the arbiters of all nations, born to enslave other men, and enrich themselves with the spoils of the whole world. Patriotism and Tyranny look opposite ways, and there may be such a thing as a true Patriot; but, for the most part, these two are like Sampson's foxes, connected by a firebrand, to inflame human affairs, and convert public calamity into private advantage. XXVII. On the other hand, they, who were under the teaching of the true God, were more sublime in their sentiments, clearer in their doctrines, purer in their lives, more obedient and peaceable members of Society, and more patient under all the trials of adversity; knowing that there can be no comparison between the sufferings of time and the rewards of eternity. Among Jews and Christians, examples were frequent of men ready to bear contempt and oppression, torture and death, without complaining. How superior and how amiable are the constancy and resignation which appear in those words of the great Apostle for thy suke we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter-In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us*. But amongst the greatest of the Heathens there were all the Symptoms of rage and impatience. We hear a Plutarch cursing Providence for the loss of his Son: and see a Cato tearing out his own bowels, like a dæmoniac, because he was too proud to submit to the ordination of heaven. Lucan had no more wit than to weigh him in the balance against his Gods, with a shrewd suspicion that the latter were rather wanting in their judgment; Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa Catoni. Where the truth of Religion decays, and heathen Philosophy supervenes, a surly opposition to Providence, and a spirit of self-murder, will never fail to follow upon the heels of it. For the difference between believers and infidels is not a difference of nature, but of principle. As God hath made of one blood all the generations of men, their natural wants, weaknesses, and passions are the same: yet a different course of Institution shall make them differ from one another, as the Sheep differs from the Wolf, or the Dove from the Vulture. There being the same * Rom. viii. 36. |