Nehemiah redrefling, &c. A time, that thc:ycannot a[(c:nd their trades; fo as, wbil~s the wall did rife their dl:atc:S muCl needs impaire: Even in the ch:ap:ll f:afon they mull: needs be po~re, rhar earned nothing but the publike fafety; how much more in a common fcarciry ~ Thrir houfes, lands, vineyards are therefore morgagcd, yea their very skins are fold for corne,co rhcirbrc:rhrc:n:NC"cc:ffiry forces the~ rofel~ rhat,whichirwascruelryrobuy; What w1ll we nor, what mull we not parrwnh forhfe! The covetous rulers did not confider the occafions ofthiswant, but the advantage. Sometimes a bargaine may be as unmerciful! as a robbed:: Charity mull be the rule ofall conrraCls;theviolauon whereof, whether in the matter, or the price, cannot but be finfull. There could not be a juller ground of expollularion then this ofthe oppreffed )ewes 1 O•r fl•P> M"' the f/<fh •f••r brethrrn, "" thlldrtn"" their thi!drtn; and IO<, "' ' B hring int1 bond~ge ltir (ons 1111d onr daughttrs .· whiles there is no diffcre ce in O.ltur(", why Jbould there be fuch an injurious difproporrion in condirion! Even the fame flcfn may beare a jut! io:qtulity;fome may be rulers,whiles orhers are fubj<Cl; lomc wealthy, others poore; but why rhofe wealthy Rulers fhould tyrannize ·ov<r thole pooreinfcriours, and turnc brorhcr..hood inr:o boodJge, no reafon can be given but lawlelfe amhidon;Ifth('re were ont: Beih ofPeerc:s,:mother ofPeafants, t~'ltrc: lhould be fome colour for the proud impofirions ofthe great, as becaufe the AcJb of bealls is in a lower rJnk th('n ours, we kill, we devourc: ir :Jt pleafure; but now fincc the large body of mankind confi!ls ofthe {Jme flefl1, why fl10uld the haod flrike the foot! And ifone flcJb may challenge meet r<fpeCls from us, how much more one fpirit! The fpirit ismore noble then the AcJbis bafq the Aefh isdead without the fpiC rit, the fpirit without the fleJb, aClive and immortall. Our foule, though lhapeleffe and immat<riall, is more apparently one, then the flefh; And ifthe uniry ofour hu· mane fpirit call us to a muwall care, 'JDd tenderneffe in ow- cari:tge, each to oth('r how much more ofthe divint ~by that we are men,bythis we are C hriftians: As rh~ foule animates us to a naturalllifc, fo doth Gods Spirit animate the foule to an heavenly; which is fa one, that ircannot be divided. HowJbould that one fpirie caufcu' fa farre to forget all natural!, and civill diffcrenc<S, as not to conrcmne, not to opprelfeanywhom it informcth! They are not Chrillians, not men, that can injoy the miferies oftheir brethren, whether in the fldb orfpirit. Good Nthtmi.h cannorchoofe but be much moved at the barbarous extonion of D the people; and now, like an uopanialJ governour, he rebukes the Rulers, and Nobles, whofe hand \~as thus bloody with opprcllion. As of fifh<S, fo ofmen, the ldfer area prey to the great: It is an ill ufe made ofpower, when the weightof it ferves only to cru!h the wcake. Therew<re no livingamongll men, had not God ordained higher rhen the highell1and yet higher then they. Eminency ofplace c•nnot be better improved, then by raking downe mighty offender<. Ifnobility do imbafe it klfe to any foule fin, it is fo much more worthy ofcoertion, by how much the perfonisofgreotennarkc. The ju!lice ofrhisreproote could not but Jbame impudence it fel fe; WtajitroNr a6ilit1 have redeemed Our brethren theItmtJwhich wtrtfold to the htlfthen,alldwiU JDH ftO J••r hrtthrt~ •r fh•Rihty ht fold l6t« ? Shall they find at home that yoake ofbondage E which they had put offabroad! whiks they ore llill kw<!, fhall weturne Alfyrians! If they mufi be !laves,whynotrather to enemic:s,then to brerhren~How much more tokrable werea foraine fervitude, thenadomellicall! Be a!hamed, 0 ye Nobles of Jfracl,to renue Bab~ Ion in Jerufalem. I marvel! not ifthe offenders be llricken dumb with fo unanfwerable an expollulation; Guiltineffe, and confufion have llopt thdr mouthS'. · Mony .ofthofe who have not had grace enough to rdraioe finne, yet are not fo utrCTJy void ofgrace as to maimaine finne;Our afier.wits are able to difcerne akiade ofuoreafonablenelfc in thofe wicked aClions, which the firll appearance reprefcnrs unrousplaufiblr. Gaine leads in fin; bur lhame foilowes it out. There are thofe t!Jat arc bold and witty to beare our commodious or plcafant evils; neither could thefe Jewin1 enormities, have wanted !ome colours of defence; Their llocke was their ownc:o,
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