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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	king_n	lord_n	4,716	5	3.8323	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B00562	Two godlie and fruitful treatises of the foule and grosse sinne of oppression. The one taken out of the exposition vppon the fift chapter of Nehemiah, written by that worthy bishop and faithfull pastor of the church of Durham, Master Iames Pilkinton. The other published of late by Robert Some Doctor of Diuinitie.	Pilkington, James, 1520-1576.; Some, Robert, 1542-1609.	1585 (1585)	STC 19929.5; ESTC S94728	18,655	46

for he heapeth vnto him-selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God There were neuer any oppressours so many and mighty but at the length they were met with Gods iudgements haue feete of wooll but they haue armes of brasse It is long God begin but when he striketh he payeth home Esay chap. 30. ver 14. Wo vnto them that imagine iniquity worke wickednes vpon their beds Iere. 5. when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath powre and they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his heritage therefore thus saith the Lord behold against the family haue I deuised a plague whereout ye shall not plucke your neckes Mich. 2. ver 1.2.3 God be mercifull vnto vs and make vs afraid of his iudgements 7. Oppressours haue no Religion in them GOd Looked for iudgement Esay 5.7 but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a crying c. Iudgement righteousnes are the true fruits of Gods religion therefore oppression is no branch of Gods Religion and consequently the oppressour is voyd of all religion Doe not all the workers of iniquitie know that they eate vp my people as they eate bread they call not vppon the Lord Psal 14. ver 4. Opperssours call not vppon the Lord therefore they are void of religion for inuocation is a principall and necessarie fruit of religion If the oppressours say that they stretch out their hands and make manie prayers I graunt they doe so but Almightie God giueth them this answeare I will hide mine eyes from you I will not heare Esay 1.1 for your handes are full of blood I will be a swift witnesse against those that wrongfully keepe back the hirelings wages and vex the widow 〈◊〉 3.4 and fatherles and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of hosts c. They which oppresse others feare not God 〈◊〉 3.5 therfore they are voyd of Religion If they say they feare God they deserue no credite because their doings confute their speech A good tree bringeth forth good fruits and a iustifying faith appreereth by good workes The former gouernours did burthen the people 〈◊〉 5.15 but so did not I saith Nehemiah because of the feare of god If Nehemiah did neither oppresse nor deale hardly because he feared God it is manifest that oppressours feare not God and therefore are voyd of religion When he that is Iosias iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore he prospered was not this because he knew me saith the Lord But thine eyes and thine heart he speaketh to Ioachim the King of Iuda are but onely for thy couetousnes and for to shed innocent blood and for oppression c. Iosias was a singuler defence to the oppressed because he did know and feare God Ioachim was a notable oppressour because he did neither know nor feare God that is to say because he was voyd of Gods religion This which I haue set downe against oppression may serue for oppressours to looke vpon to reforme themselues by If it worke their good it is happy for them If it doe not let them remember that dye they must and that after death they shall haue a fearefull iudgement The best aduise that I can giue to them which are oppressed is that they desire the magistrate to be their defence If by this ordinary meanes they cannot compasse their owne they must patiently beare iniuries and commit their cause to almighty God Psal 56. who hath their flittings in his register and their teares in his bottell and will be surely but yet iustly reuenged of their Oppressours Veritas dulcis est amara Quando dulcis est parcit quando amara curat Aug. Epist 211. ad Romulum

Let him send that which he hath taken vniustly by some trusty messenger to him whom he hath wronged and let his name be concealed Question If he that hath taken vniustly from others hath wasted all and is not able to make restitution what shall he doe Answere Such a one must desire pardon very humbly at Gods hand and water the earth with his teares 4. It is the duetie of the Magistrate to deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressour EXecute iudgement in the morning that is 〈◊〉 21.12 ●●y 1.17 carefullie and without delay and deliuer the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressour saith the Lord c. Seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherles defend the widowe Almightie God commaundeth the Magistrates to execute iudgement in the morning therefore they must vse no delaies in doing iustice God commaundeth the magistrates to seeke iudgement therefore in cases of oppression they must not stay till they be called for God commendeth vnto the Magistrates al that are oppressed but speciallie the fatherlesse and widowe because they want the defence of their parents and husbandes and euery man goeth ouer 〈◊〉 22. where the hedge is lowest Iosias executed iudgement iustice he iudged the cause of the afflicted poore saieth the Lord of Iosias Iob saieth thus of himselfe I deliuered the poore that cried 〈◊〉 29 and the Fatherles him that had none to help him c. I put on iustice it couered me my iudgement was the eie to the blinde and I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not the cause I sought it out diligentlie I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the pray out of his teeth c. It appeereth by this that Iob was a worthie Magistrate God send vs manie such as Iob was The Sunamite whose sonne Elizeus raised to life so iourned in the time of famin seauen yeares in the land of the Philistines in her absence her lands and goods were vniustlie entred vpon at her returne she complained of the iniurie to Iehoram the King of Israel Iehoram without delay commaunded an Eunuch to restore her goods and landes vnto her Restore thou saieth Iehoram all that are hers 2. Kings all the fruites of her lands since the day she left the land euen vntill this time The Iewes in Nehemiahs time were greatly oppressed Nehemiah was verie angrie with the Princes and rulers which oppressed them Neh. 5. and saide vnto them you lay burdens euery one vppon his breethren c. Restore vnto them this day their lands their vineyards their oliues and their houses If it be the magistrates duety to deliuer the oppressed they must take great heede that themselues be neither principals nor accessaries in the sinne of oppression If they be guiltie iudgement shal be turned into wormewoode Amos. 2.6 and the righteous shal be solde for siluer and the poore for shoes that is to say filthy bribes shal be more accounted then mens liues which are most pretious 5. The Magistrate looseth nothing by deliuering the oppressed IF he doe it with a single heart beside the testimonie of a good conscience which is a continuall feast he may assure him-selfe of Gods fauour and blessing and of the singuler likeing of all Gods people Iosias did eate and drinke and prosper 〈◊〉 22. when he executed iudgement and iustice when he iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore Iob deliuered the poore that cried 〈◊〉 6. the fatherles him that had none to help him and the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vppon him Our souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth hath dealt gratiously with manie poore suters at the Court she hath spoken comfortablie to them and procured restitution accordinglie If it be no disgrace to this noble Ladie which sitteth vnder the cloth of estate to deliuer the oppressed it is no blot to inferiour magistrates if they do the like If the Prince pleaseth God highlie and winneth the hearts of her subiects soundlie for releeuing the oppressed it is verie certaine that those Cormorants which grynde the faces of the poore are accurssed of God and loose the hearts of his people If the Prince sitteth fast in the seate of her Kingdome for tendering the case of the oppressed can they assure them-selues of sitting quietlie vnder their vines and figge-trees which eate bread baked with the teares of men It is certaine they cannot for besides the manifold curses of God and his people their owne consciences doe mightelie sting them and are enemies ynough to torment them 6. Oppressours shall be greeuouslie punished CVrsed be he Deu. 22.17 that remoueth his neighbours marke and all the people shall say Amen If they are accurssed by God and his people which remoue the marke of the land they are more accurssed which take awaie house and lend Oppression maketh awise man madde Eccle. 7. Madnes is a greeuous punishment God punisheth oppression by madnes one grosse sinne by another Ye haue builded houses of hewen stone Amos. 5 but yee shall not dwell in them ye haue planted pleasant vineyards but yee shall not drinke wine of them The reason of this is set downe by Almighty God in the same verse in these words your treadings are vpon the poore you take from him burthens of wheate that is to say the necessarie reliefe of him and his famility If the taking away of burthens of wheat from the poore was so great a sin the taking waie of arable ground which by tillage and Gods blessing bringeth reliefe to a man and his family is no litle sinne They shall not mourne for him saieth God of Ioachim the King of Iuda which was a great oppressour he shall be buried as an asse is buried Iere. 22 and cast forth as a carrion aboue the ground euen without the gates of Ierusalem Ioachim had closed himselfe in Cedar but that was not able to keepe Gods iudgements from him The stone shall crie out of the wall ●ac 2.11 and the beame out of the timber shall answere it c. As if almighty God should say rather then the vile dealings of oppressours should not come to light the stone shall cry out of the wall I am built of blood and iniquitie the beame out of the Timber shall answere I am built likewise of blood and iniquitie If the stones and beames of oppressours houses giue in their euidence like honest Iurates against such houses the Oppressours must prepare themselues to heare this feareful sentence pro nounced by the Lord chiefe iustice of heauen and earth against them woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood ●ac 2.12 and erecteth a Citie by iniquitie They which oppresse others ●g Epist 〈◊〉 2. doe more hurt them selues then those whom they oppresse the smart of the oppressed hath an end the smart of the Oppressour is euerlasting

sheepe though they be few shall be preised and according to the rate out of those goods the fineshalbe raised And that some pitie shal be thought to be shewed the poore man shall haue his goods againe by the price to pay his fine withall and for occupying of those his owne goods he shal pay a yearelie rent or interest as it were an vsurie and this dealing is thought greate courtesie Solon when he was asked why among the other good lawes that he made he made not one for him that killed his father He answered because he would not put men in remembrance that there was any such a mischiefe that could come into mens heads So I feare the opening of these things shall giue occasion to some ill men but not to the good to learne the like deuises So readie we be to learne that that is ill The law in deede openeth sin what it is that a man should flie from it not be condemned for ignorance Saint Paul sayeth Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne lust and desire of ill things to be sinne except the law had said thou shalt not lust nor desire them The law is not to blame in declaring what sinne is that by knowing of it we may flie from it no more then the Phisitian is to blame in opening the disease to his patient and teaching him what things to auoid that he may recouer halth But as an ill stomach what good meat soeuer it eateth turneth it into ill humors and the Spider gathereth poyson on the same flowres that the Bee gathereth honie So on the holie word of God his blessed lawes which he made for our health and saluation ill men gather death and damnation through their owne wickednesse and no fault in the law nor law-maker As the Israelites cried out in this time iustlie on their Rulers for this great oppression so it is to be feared that in our daies there is no lesse cause to crie aloud that God may heare when man will not There be four things that crie for vengeaunce out of heauen vnto the Lord and the scripture vseth the same word of crying with them which for memories sake are conteined in these two verses Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis vox Sodomorum Vox oppressorum mercesque retenta laborum For murther and bloodshed God said to Cain when he had killed his brother Abel the voice of thy brothers blood crieth out from the earth to me in heauen 〈◊〉 4. For the filthie incest fornication Pride Glotonie wealth and Idlenes of Sodom the Prophet Ezechiel and Genesis testifie saying 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 16. 〈◊〉 2.3 the crie of Sodom is come vp to me The Israelites oppressed in Egipt with making of brick c. God deliuered them when they cried vnto him 〈◊〉 5. and drowned the oppressors S. Iames sayeth the wages withholden from those that reaped their fields crie out vnto the Lord of hostes These be good lessons for such as oppres the poore or deale streightlie with their tennants thinking they may vse them like slaues or beasts at their pleasure Though they be seruants here yet they be children of the same God and bought by the same price that their masters be therefore ought of dutie to be vsed with Christian and brotherlie charitie as thou wouldst be if thou were so There be other sorts of cruell oppressours but not so common as these As cosening by cunning dealing to creep into mens bosomes to be Feoffies of trust Executors of will Gardians of infants and these plaie best be trust but they trust them-selues best and goe awaie with all Cariers of corne victuals and other commodities out of the realm to make a dearth within the realme yea and oft to feede our enemies and enrich themselues by procuring licenses to carie them out are to well knowen how hurtfull they be through all countries As for Ingrossers fore-stallers regraters lease-mongers they are thought honest men The lawyers of both sorts by feeding their Clients with faire words and the Questmongers with sluttish shifts making them beleeue their matter to be good with long delayes impouerish the suters and if he come to be Iudge in the same matter afterward wherein he was a counseller afore he saith I spake then as a counseller and now I must speake as a Iudge and thinketh that he hath spoken good reason as though God had made it lawfull at any time or in anie case to beare false witnes or speake vntruthes The Phisitian and the Apothecarie deale so cunninglie that no man espieth them and yet be as ill The cleargie that will take the profit and refuse the paines Lie at his ease from his charge and let his sheepe hunger are not better then the rest Pen-clearks shirifs bailifs summoners are not worthy to come to this companie for they can returne Non est inuentus when they stand and talke with him and make cunning delayes vntill they make men pay double fees for expedition Worst of all commeth the common cutpursse the vsurer and his broker he standeth on his reputation he sitteth higest on the benche and looketh bigge nay he is crept vnto meane mens dealings he speaketh courteouslie and dealeth cruellie he defendeth his doings to be charitable when it eateth vp house lands and goods turneth infants a begging and ouerthroweth the whole kinred Captaines conuey as cunninglie as Iugglers with leger-demaine Merchants and Artificers are so honest that they may not be touched they haue so few faults that they cannot be told and yet there could neuer be lawes enough made to bridle them but they will creepe out When receiuers are become deceiuers controulers be pollers Auditors searchers and Customers looke through their fingers and keepe their olde custome And generallie euerie man is a Theefe in his occupation as the common prouerbe saith there is craft euen in daubing it is to be feared that as the course of a streame being stopt it gathereth a great damme and being let sodenlie goe it ouerthroweth all in his way so Gods anger being staied a time the windowes in heauen being opened it will powre downe on our heads plentifullie How shoul Gods plague be farre from vs when these cry vengeance daily the theefe by the high way is not so ill as anie of those that deale not vprightly in their vocation For against a theefe a man may fight for his pursse wittinglie and saie master theefe gramercie If a man consider in how litle tents Shops Offices and houses these men dwell and how great gaines they get he shall easilie see where the proficablest ground lieth in the Realm If this people had such cause to crie out then on their Rulers what cause haue we now here among vs where not onelie the richer mightier sort ouerload the poorer but euery one in his degree vseth craft subtilty deceit to oppresse vndermine and scratch from other without respect of friend or foe what he can