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SERMON II.

GEN. XLIX, 14:

ISSACHAR IS A STRONG ASS, COUCHING DOWN BETWEEN TWO

BURDENS.

WE CAN have no objection to this pressure upon any class of its subjects; let it bare hard upon them, until they learn their own interest, and shake it off. But still, I could devoutly wish, that Issachar's children had been all appointed to death, in the first generation; yet, infinite wisdom had otherwise ordained, and I must, (no doubt, ungraciously,) submit. Yes, a very numerous offspring of his descendants, still disgrace this footstool of God; men, to this hour, are dupes and beasts of burden, even in nations called Christian. The sons of Issachar, are in the church, and in the state; in all churches and states, from the minions of Princes and Presidents, — Prime Ministers, and Presbyters, Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, and Clergy, throughout Christendom. The seed of Issachar fills all the houses of nobles, knights and squires; and some of them eat at their tables, while many serve behind them. There is scarcely an office in what is called, falsely — the church, or under any crown, but some of that ignoble progeny, possess it in all countries. The courts, and the convocations, the church, and the theatre, are alike crammed with Issachar's descendants; from the conclave, in the Vatican and Cathedral, down to the smallest dissenting congregation, we may see thousands deceived and debased by

OR EVANGELICAL BONUS.

'some of the long eared loco foco sons of Issachar, in Place. In all places of public concourse, the beautiful children of Issachar, make the greater portion of the parties; whoever attends any place of public concourse, may see for himself, a great proportion so stupid and thoughtless, that they every day bring themselves under and submit to dupery; and expenses, sacrifices, and burdens, which a little foresight and energy might most easily have prevented.

At the same time, it must be admitted, that there are many burdens fixed upon men, by the stupidity of bygone generations, which even those who would, cannot so easily, get clear of. Many such, are seen and endured in our own times. May the Lord help such, as are forced to any drudgery of slavery against their inclination, and give them a speedy and eternal deliverance. Our English ancestors only about two hundred years since, more or less, lived under a government, which promised all the subjects a consideration of grievances, if they were faithfully represented; it was surely, then, one might say, their own fault if they bore burdens. Their burdens, nevertheless, were often heavy, and their cry for consideration and redress, was loud and long too but proper and just redress was not obtained. Some have suggested that they, after all, did not properly prepare themselves for deliverance, or that they did not apply for it with sufficient earnestness, and make use of the proper means; but, for a long time groaned like asses, and made no such effort as the occasion required at their hands. Now, be this as it may, I shall now proceed to review some of the grievous burdens, which our ancestors at that time in England, bore, and some of the methods which many among them tried, to get them removed.

In the first place, there was the burden of taxes upon the poor, which they were not able to bear. This needs no proof, for it was sufficiently felt, that they were compelled to bare heavy duties, on the very necessaries of life. It

TO DIVERSE, NOTABLE FOOLS AND ASSES.

might have been, for aught we know, in some measure, required, for paying public expenses, that they were thus burdened; but there certainly ought to have been more regard paid to the strength of the beasts of burden. All asses are not equally strong - they should be burdened only according to their strength and abilities. Meat, drink, and clothing, should have been as easy as possible things without which they could not live, should have had but a small tax upon them. The poor cannot well live with less necessary food, than the rich; neither ought they to go naked. There must have been some particular reason why they did not have the necessaries of life according to their need the very shoes for their feet were taxed. They enjoyed no lights in their windows, without paying a duty to the government. I may be here under a mistake, as they might have paid for their windows and candles, but not for the light of them. Still, the window, the candle, and the light, are so nearly related, that in many cases, we cannot well separate them. But whatever might have been the theory, in these things, there were none so stupid as not to feel them in practice. There were several things, we think, which might have borne duty better, than those by which the poor lived. They should have made all the superfluities of life, pay, but why should they oppress the poor? Even asses, have a claim to pity; the merciful man is merciful towards his beast. We admit, there is no reasoning against power, when there is no law to restrain it; but as they had laws, professedly securing each one's privileges, why should any subject have been oppressed? They certainly had safe ground for complaint, even while they had no reason for expecting immediate redress. All will readily suppose, that there should be some proportion between the burdens laid upon the poor, and the dearness of the necessary provisions, and the quantity of current money; one of these, should certainly have taken place; for without such an order, their taxes could not be lessened; provisions could be no cheaper,

OR EVANGELICAL BONUS.

nor could money have been more plenty. As to the theory of these matters and things, or how they might have been ballanced, in the ingenious economy of their prime minister; that is not our province to say; but we think every one might have said, when he was oppressed, that he was not free. When they were doing to their utmost endeavors to serve their king and country, it was hard that they should have been scarcely able to subsist, when the quantity of provisions in their kingdom, was abundant.

When demands were made upon the lower classes, for the ordinary rate of such duty, as was then imposed upon our English ancestors, by the government, they of course, were obliged to pay, or be distressed; but they could neither raise their wages, nor lower the price of provisions. And if they complained, they did not for a long time, complain so as to be heard; and when they resisted, they were belabored, like asses; or when, through hunger and want, they were compelled to rise up to relieve themselves, they had to wait the issue of a trial, in some court of justice, as it was called, where the consequences, in many cases, were too horrible to be related! God of mercy! no people would rise in mobs to disturb the peace, if they could avoid it, who had been so ready in time of war, to hazard their lives to preserve it! It was pinching hunger, that was the cause of their risings! There might have been some few, who joined in riots without cause, — but, at that period, British subjects loved their king, and country too dearly, unecessarily to disturb the peace. Reasonable duty all good subjects, are ever disposed to obey; but when the weight thus lay upon the poor, where was the reasonableness of the tax? Indeed, it was no reflection upon their king, that the poor were oppressed, for he did not make the laws; the subjects oppressed one another; like the fishes of the sea, the great, powerful, loco focos, devoured the small fry; there was only this difference between fishes and these land sharks the latter destroyed by law.