758 7___ Chap.3 r. An Expofition upon the Book of J o a. Verf.39. As all opprefflon is veryffnfull, fo effieciallj the detajning ofthe labourers wages ; or when we call amen to doe (Jr < worke, but give them no reward. If other mens labour feeds us, and wedoe not feed them for their labour, this is a great and acrying oppreffion (7er:á2.x 3.) Woe to him that buildethhie boufe by unrigbtesufnefs,and bra cham- bers by wrong, that ufeth hid neighbours fervice without wages, and givetbhim not for his worke. As theybuild their houles by un. righteoufneffeand by wrong,who get money unrighteoufly with which to pay their labourers;foalto doe they who having money righteoufly gotten, yet refufe to /pay their labourers. 1 will come neere toyou in judgement, and Iwill be a fwift witnes ( faith the Lord, Mal: 3.. 5. )againfl the forcerers, andagairft the adulter- ers, and againflfalfe (wearers, and againfh them that opprefa the hireling in his wages. What this fin is and how highly provoking, we may fee both by the fins with which 'cis joyned , forcery, A- dultery and perjury,as alto by the fpeed which the Lord will make to declare and execute his wrath upon the prodders of it. The A= pofile brings it in with a word ofattention &admiration ( lams 5.4.)Behold'tbe hireofthe labourers »hick bave reaped downeyour fields,which you have kept backbyfraud,andthe cryes of them which reaped have entered in to the caret ofthe LordofSabbath. Though the poore labourersdaft not complaineopenly,yet the hirekept back dares and will,asdefiring to goe tohim to whom it proper. ly belongs. You have made the labourer (weal at your work; and in giving you his fweat, hebath given you his ftrength and blood, and (hall he have nothing for all this ? will not this cry ? 'ris a bale fin covetoufly to keepe our owae , but to keepe that which is anothers injurioufly, to keep the labourers hire after we have fuckt out his fweat and fpirits indoing our worke,this is not only finfull but inhumane. How great aCruelty is it, when the earth and the labourer have as it were joyned together to give out fruit in abundance, That yet men fhould be fo penurious and bale fpirired as to cate that fruit without money ; and todevour the fatnes and the fweetnes ofit without confitlerkg theirpaines who br6ught it home. And as this is true of husbandmen who labour in the field and till the ground,fo ofall kinds oflabourers 'in Townes and Cities ofCommerce.Tbey whodrive great trades and
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