Sorts of OpprejSio11. CHAP. XX. Motives and. 'DireEiionr ag~injl: OppreJSion. ~· t. OPprdllon is the inJuring of infcriours, who are unable to refill, or to right thc:m– felves: when men ufe Power to bear down nghr. Yet all is not Oppreffion wh1ch is fo called by the poor, or by 1nfenours that futfer : For they are apt to be partial in theu own caufe as well as others. There may be 1nJufl:ice in the expe{lations ofrhe poor, as well as in the a£iion1 of the rich. Some think they are opprdf<d, if they be Jufily punifu– ed for their crimes : And fomc fay, they are oppretfed, if they have not their wills, and unjull defircs, and may not be fuffered to injure their Superiours: And many of the poor do call all rhar . ~ppreffion, which ~hey fuffer from. any that are above the~, as if it were enough to prove it an ~;;i~;' c~~· Jnjury, bc:caufc a R~eh man doth 1t : But yet Opprcffion 15 a very common and a heynous fin. opu:enti~reft, · etiamfi!lccipit injuriam, tamcn cpia plus porcfi, facCre videtur. SaMl. iiS ]Nglftth. ~· z, 'there arc :o~.s m:my wayes of oppteffing others, as there are advantages to men ofpower againll them. But the principal are thefc following. 9· 3• I• The mol\ common and heinous fort is the malignant injuries and'cruelties of the ungodly againti men that will not be as indifferent in the matters of God and falvation as themfelves; and that will not be of their opinions in Religion, and be as bold with fin, and as cuelefs of their fouls as they. Thefe are hated, reproached, fiandered, abufed, and fome way or other pefecured common– ly . where ever they live throughout the world. But of this fort of Oppreffion l h1ve fpoken befure. ~· 4• •· A fecond fort is the Opprdlion of the SubjeCts by their Rulers ; either by unrighteous Laws, or cruel executions, or unjuft impofitions, or exalt-ions, laying on the people greater Taxes, tributes or fervitudc, than the common good requireth, and than they arc able well to bear. Thus did Pharaohopprefs the Ifraelites, till their. groans brought down Gods vengeance on him. But I pur· pofely forbear to meddle with the fins of Magi!lrates. ~- 5• 3· SouldierJ alfo are too commonly guilty of the moll inhumane barbarous oppreffions; plundering the poor Countrey-mcn, and domineering over them, and robbing them of the fruit of their hard labours, and of the bread which they fhould maintain their families with, and taking all lhat they can lay hold on as their own. But ( unlc:fs it be a few that are a wonder in the world ) this fort of mm are fo barbarous and inhumane, that they will nei[her read nor regard any cuunfe! that I fuall give them. ( No man defcribeth them better than Era[rn~~< ). §. 6. 4· The Opprdfwn ofServants by their Maners I have faid enough to before. And among us, where li::rvants arc free to change for better MaHezs, it is not the. moli common fort ofOppretfi~ on; But rather fcrvants aie ufually negligent and unfaithful, bccaufe they know that they are free : ( Except in the cafe of Apprentices. ) §. 7· 5· It is too common a fort of Oppreffion for the Rich in all places to domineer coo infolently over the poor, and force them to follow their wills, and toferve their interefl, be it right or wrong ; So that it is rare to meet with a poor man that dare difplcafe the rich, though it be in acaufe where God and Confcience do r(quire ir. If a rich man wrong them, they dare not feck their remedy at Law, bccaufe he wi\1 tire them out by the advantage of his friends and wealth; and either carry it againfi them, be his caufe never fo unjufi, or lengthen the fuit till he hath undone the:m, and forced them ro fubnnit to his opprclling will. ~- 8. 6. Efpecially unmerciful Landlords are the common and fore oppreffors of the Countrey-mrn·: If a few men can but get money enough to purchafe all the Land in a Comity, they think that they may do with their own as they Iill, and fet fuch hard bargains of it to their Tt'nants, tlur they are all bur as their fcrvants, yea, and live a more troublefotnc life than fervants do: when they have labouc.. ed hard all tbe year, they can fcarcc fcrapc up enough to pay their Landlords rent: Their nccelli– ties are fo urgenr, that they have not fo mllch as leifure, to pray Morning or Evening in their fami~ lies, or to read the Scriptures, or any good Book ; nor fcarce any room in their thoughts for any ho– ly things: Their minds are fo OiftraCted with neceffities and cares, that even on the Lords [hy, ot at a time of prayer, they c.m hardly keep their minds intent, upon the facred work which they have in hand : If the freeft minds have much adoe to l<eep their thollghts in ferioufncfs and order, in meditation, or in the wmfhipping of God; how hard mutt it needs be to a poor opprc1fed mm, , wholc
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