Obedient Patience, Chapter 2 · Case 7
CASE VII.
Oppression and injustice by Men of wealth and power.
VII. ANother Case that requireth Patience is Oppression by Men of Wealth and Power in the World, …d injustice of ungodly Governours. Justice is so much due to all Mankind, and injustice so odious, that we are ready to take it the more heynously when we cannot have our right. Oppressing Landlords raise their Rents to such a height, that poor Men with the most tiring care and labour, can hardly live. And some Rich Men do think that their Wills must be poor Mens Rule, and that they must deny them nothing that they Command, as if the poor were slaves, that had no property or benefit of the Law. And worst of all, when in too many Nations on Earth, Rulers are unjust, and haters of just and upright Men, and either break all bounds of Law to ruin them, or else turn the Law it self against them, and when they justifie the wicked, and Condemn the innocent; yea when Piety, and Honesty, and Conscience are made the most intollerable Crimes, and filthiness and sensuality do pass for works of one that may be trusted; these Cases call for extraordinary Patience, and it is the more grievous because that Magistracy is a special Ordinance of God, and the Image of his supereminance and governing power shineth in it: And to have Satan get possession of it, and turn it against God himself who made it, and make that the Plague and Calamity of Mankind, which was instituted for order, justice and defence, and the upholding of Goodness and suppression of sin, this is a most grievous Case. The same I say of cruel Masters Tyrannizing over their Servants, and wicked Parents oppressing virtue in their Children: Here Patience is of great necessity.
And 1. We must here be very careful to distinguish between true Power and its abuse, and not to think evil of power it self because it is abused. And this must be the more carefully studied, because here practically to distinguish is exceeding difficult. For the best things when corrupted are the worst. It is hard to love rain and waters in a deluge, when it drowneth the Country, Men and Beasts? One that had seen the Fire of London, or yesterday the burning of Wapping, might be tempted to take fire to be more terrible than amiable. If Physicians killed twenty for one that they cured, Men would grow into a dread or hatred of their profession: And as to Rulers, Judges, and all sorts of Magistrates, the Case is the same. They are Gods Ordinances (in general) and good in themselves, and if well used, would be the great blessing of the World; Gods ordinary means to protect the innocent encourage the Godly, and bring ungodliness to shame; To keep rich Men from oppressing the poor, and the unruly multitude from popular rage against their Neighbours, or Superiors; to keep up equity and Justice, and to frustrate Treachery, Perjury and fraud; in a word, to be Gods Ministers or Officers for the Common good, and to see his Laws obeyed by the Subjects, being themselves the most zealous in obeying them, and to be a terrour to Blasphemers, Fornicators, Murderers, Thieves, Oppressours and other evil doers, and a praise and defence to them that do well.
There are two Cases which are no better than ruin to Mankind: That is, to have no Government, and to have utter Tyranny, which designeth the undoing of the Subjects, Souls and Bodies, by forcing them to sin against God to their Damnation (as far as force can do it) or Commonly to die as Martyrs, and which is used to subvert the Government of God, and to set up wickedness and Will, and to destroy the Common well fare.
And there are two Cases which are such as we must submit to: One is the tollerable injustice; and oppression of ungodly Rulers, who will kill, and ruin, and persecute some particular innocent men, but yet are for the common peace and welfare, and do more good by their Government than hurt by their abuse: These must be patiently indured, so far as the evil cannot lawfully be remedied. The other sort is the defective government of good Rulers, who indeavour the common good, and promote Piety, and suppress Sin, but with such mixture of failings as follow their personal imperfections, and with such blots as David had in the Case of Mephibosheth and …riah, and as Asa had that oppressed man of the People, and as Constantine had in the case of Crispus and Athanasius, and as Theodosius Senior had in the case of the Thessalonians, and as Theodosius Junior and Anastasius had in the case of the Eutychians, and as even our King Edward the sixth had about the death of the Duke of Somerset, and he about his Brothers death. Grotius owneth the old saying, that the names of all good Kings may be written uno annulo in one ring: I think that is too hard a censure. But even the best are men: And as a Physicians faults tho few, cost the Patient dearer than all their Neighbours faults do: So a Princes faults, tho he be extraordinary good, may cost a Kingdom dearer than the faults of thousands else. Yet these honest Princes are so great blessings to the World, and so rare, that it is a happy Nation, that hath no worse, and must be very thankful for them.
But there is a fifth sort imaginable in Eutopia, and those men of so perfect wisdom and goodness, as that all their Government is just. Short of Heaven, there is little or no hope of this, unless there be a golden Age to come, or such a Reign of Christ for a thousand years as some describe, which is but the reign of wisdom, justice, piety, and love. But when God hath some great blessing for a Land he useth to raise up Rulers better than the rest of the Nations have; and when sin provoketh him he removeth them quickly from an unworthy Land, as he did Josiah, and our King Edward the sixth, and Jovian in the Roman Empire: yea, sometimes a wicked people and Clergy prevail against a godly King, as they did against Ludivicus Pius in France.
2. Because bad Rulers are a great National Judgment, it calleth a Land to fearch after and repent of National sins; for it is for such that this Calamity usually cometh: When Gildas describeth the horrid wickedness of the Brittish Kings, he describeth the great wickedness of the Clergy and people as the deserving cause. And no wonder when in the dayes of Hezekiah and Josiah, tho the Kings were excellently good, yet the unreformed obstinate Clergy and people so provoked God that he would not spare them, but cast them off into Captivity and ruin. But usually God gratifieth their pernicious desires, and giveth them such bad Kings as they would have, as he did Saul, Jereboam &c. and permits people to please themselves to death.
3. Take heed that selfishness and errour cause you not to judge worse of Governours than they are, and to take just restraint or punishment for oppression, and to think all unjust that is displeasing to you. This errour is Common to the selfish, partial sort of Men, … that Judge Men and actions by felt interest.
4. Take heed least overmuch love to your Estates or Liberties make some injustice. and injuries done you, by Rich Men or Rulers, to seem much greater than they are; and it be your vice that rendereth them unsufferable.
These things being avoided, bear your oppressions with these considerations.
1. God permitteth it for your sin, or for your tryal: Therefore be humbled under it as Gods hand, and bear it obediently till he deliver you.
2. If wealth and power be so lyable to make Men Oppressors, do not you desire them, but thank God for a safer station, and bear that which keeps you from it.
3. The sin of oppression is a far greater evil than the suffering of the oppressed: Therefore rather pity them as miserable, than your selves.
4. Consider how much more many Millions have suffered by Oppressions, than ever you did or are like to do. How many thousands were killed and …ined by Alexander? How many thousands by Julius Caesar? How many thousands in many Roman Civil Warrs, under Anthony, Marius, Scylla, Sejanus? &c. How many Churches corrupted and Persecuted by Constantius, Valens, Gensericus, Hunnerichus; &c. What a Multitude did Justinian Murder in Egypt in blind zeal for Christ? How few Ages have escaped the guilt of innocent blood? How many thousamnds did the Popes cause slay in the Palestine Wars, and in the Italian frequent Wars, and the Rebellions against the Emperours, Fredericks, Henries, &c. How many thousand Christians called Alhigensies, Waldensies, and Bohemians did they Murder? How many destroyed in Piedmont, Rhetia, and Germany? How many thousands Murdered at once in France, and oft besides? What dreadful work hath the Inquisition made in Flanders, Holland, Spain, and Italy? What a dreadful case was Ireland in, when two hundred thousand Protestants were Murdered, and thousands more stript and utterly undone? Queen Maries Bonefires were sharper than we have yet felt; while Satan in all ages filleth the World with Wars and blood, a little tollerable oppression by Landlords or inferior Rulers should not be over tenderly and impatiently complained of, by Tenants, Servants or any others.
5. Innocency is a sound and healthful state, and can bear much? Peter bids Servants be patient when they suffer undeservedly; but its not thanks-worthy to be patient when they are beaten for their faults. Peace of Conscience maketh all sound within; and then a Man may bear the more easily all that befalleth him from without: When he can say, it is not for my sins he may comfortably commit his cause to God.
6. Whoever oppresseth you, God will never do you wrong, and it is his hands that your great concerns are in: He will use you with merciful Justice, yea and deliver you from all the oppressions of Men.
He suffereth men of the world to oppress the just, that they may be driven to him by Prayer and Faith, and may be saved from damning worldly love, and God may have the glory of their deliverance. How great a part of the Psalms are written upon the occasion of oppressions, plots, and cruelties of wicked enemies: And what abundance of promises of deliverance from such, are recorded in the sacred Scriptures.
7. Patience and Faith are a thousand times better than money, or liberty, or any thing that oppressors can take from you: Do you but take the advantage of oppression to exercise these, and allis turned to your exceeding gain.
8. In this also nothing befalleth you, but what Christ foretold you of, and taught you in what manner to bear. The prosperity, power, and oppression of the wicked, had almost stumbled David himself, till he went into the House of God, and understood their end: They are like Gallants sporting and feasting in a sumptuous house, which is to be blown upor set on fire before the frolick is well ended, and then who will be found among them? He will think himself happy that can say, I was none of them: Yea in Judgment how fain would they as Pilate, wash their hand from innocent blood? And even of omissions, much more of Oppressions, say, Lord, when saw we thee …ngry, Naked, in Prison, &c. Qui patitur vincit. Christ hath foretold you of all this, and taught you to Love your Enemies, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that hate and persecute you, and turn the other cheek to him that striketh you, and go two Miles with him that Commandeth you to go one, and give him your Coat that sueth you for another Garment: That is, rather suffer than seek private revenge, yea or seek to right your selves, when it will do more hurt to the Souls of others by scandal or alienation or exasperation, than it will do good.
Righting ones self against injuries, especially of powerful oppressions, will cost one more than patient puting up all will do: As I went along the street a Tory in Latin reviled me, and struck me on the head with his staff; I took little notice of him, and went on my way and the hurt was small: I saw another stricken and he stroke again, and it raised a tumult, and he and others were sorely hurt, and went to Law after for reparation.
He that cannot bear one blow, must bear many: And he that cannot bear to be oppressed in his Estate, perhaps may lose his liberty or life: We live in a World of wicked Men; and the wicked will do wickedly: And two Rogues by Perjury may take away the lives of the most innocent and excellent Members of the Common-wealth or City? And what Conscience make such wretches of a malicious Oath, that use to adorn their Sentences with [God damn me] and with direful Oaths?
Is not your oppression a reproof for your unthankfulness, that God by wonderful restraint, hath saved your lives from perjury and oppression so long? Is it not a wonder of Providence that perjury hath Murdered no more? Yea that till Popery made it seem needful to their ends, few in many years did ever suffer by it: Is it not a wonder that the worthiest Men both Lay and Clergy, are not utterly destroyed, as to liberty and life, when two or three Atheists, Infidels, Papists, exasperated villains, may swear them to the Goal or the Gallows almost when they will? Yea, when even Walsh the Papist Priest, out of Keting tells you that his Irish men, have in all Ages lived in continual war, and murdering one another on the lightest causes, yet if Irish Papists will come hither out of their own Land, and set up the trade of swearing Men to death, I know no remedy but to die in patience. I know some (the most innocent and worthy Men that I know) who dare not let strangers speak with them, least they should Swear Treason against them: For my own part before my weakness confined me to my Chamber, I long confined my self to my House, and refused to speak with unknown persons (to my grief forced to reject the presence of Foreigners that came in want on begging) least they should be Men that would Swear me to the Gallows, if they could but say that once they speak with me or saw me: And as the world now goeth if we escape with our Lives by such avoiding human converse with unknown persons (as we fly from Wolves and Serpents) we shall esteem it a very great protection by the Providence of the all Ruling God. I doubt not but (while I am sharply accused by some for coming too near the Papists and Conformists,) there are no small number of them, whose Fac̄es I never saw, nor ever had any thing to do with, who would confidently swear some Capital Crime against me, had they but the least advantage of Speech or Presence, to make it seem but a possible thing, only because I am accounted an Adversary to? their side and Opinion in Religion.
And why should all this seem strange or intollerable to us? When Christ doth so often tell us, that Rich Men are usually the worst, and that he sent out his Apostles as Lambs among Wolves? And when we know how Christ, and his Apostles were used by the Rulers and Teachers, of the People; yea and Christians after them in most ages to this day.
9. Consider how great the Temptations are, of Men that are in power, wealth and pleasure; and then you will pity them and pray for them: Who knoweth what you would have done your selves if you had their Temptations? They have a stronger worldly interest to tempt them against that Law of Christ, which calls them another way, than other Men have. They have more full and constant provision for all the desires of the flesh: They are more than any other Men, assaulted by subtile designing seducers, who have their worldly ends (on Church-pretences usually) to attain by their seduction: They are more in danger of the infectious breath of flatterers, and the false accusers of Godliness and good Men than any others: They use to be deprived of the Common needful benefit to Mankind, of faithful and plain dealing Friends and Monitors, and truth is usually kept far from them, and out of such a hearing as if needful for Conviction. And to live continually under such dangerous Temptations, needeth more than Man for their preservation, from deceit, and sin, and the ruin of themselves and hurt of others.
10. Our obedience to God were far from a tryed praise worthy degree, if it cost us little or nothing: And doubtless Christ will bear all your charges. Oh what an excellent Servant is that, who will chearfully do all his duty, to an unjust and abusive Master? What an excellent Child is that, who useth all due Reverence, Obedience, Love and Patience, to a froward, harsh, yea and a Malignant Father. Not disobeying God, nor hazarding his Soul by wilful sin, or forsaking Godliness, and yet not dishonouring his Parents, or disobeying them in any lawful thing. What an excellent Wife is that who constantly and patiently performeth all loving and cheerful duty, to an abusive, furious, drunken, prophane, Malignant Husband: This requireth abundance more grace, than to live in cheerful, love and duty to a Godly, tender, loving Husband. The former sort is called, more acceptable to God, and the latter sort of duty, is no glory, 1 Pet. 2. 20. To sufler for sin, is indeed a bitter suffering, even for that which is worse than suffering: 1 Pet. 3. 17, 18. It is better if the Will of God be so, that we suffer for well doing than for evil doing: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust; 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12, For hereunto were yea called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered he threatned not, but committed all to him that Judgeth righteously. O follow this excellent example: There lyeth more of Christianity in learning of Christ to suffer from foolish wicked Men, than most will think of.
Col. 3. 22. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh; not with eye service as Men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God; and whatever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to Men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the Inheritance, 1 Pet. 2. 18. Not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward: These are the excellent Precepts of Christ.
It is therefore inconsiderately said by many, (If I had deserved such usage, I could have born it.) As if suffering without sin were not a lighter burden than sin and suffering for it. The oppressor hurts himself an hundred times more than he can hurt you, (if you do no worst to your self than he doth) as guilt of oppression is as James calls it terribly, a cause to such (to weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them? Their Riches are corrupted, and their Gold and Silver Cankered, and the rust of them shall eat their flesh as fire, and they heap up Treasun for the last daies. The cries of the Poor labourers oppressed by them, are entered into the Ears of the Lord; They live in pleasures and wantonness on Earth, and nourish their hearts, in feasting and fulness, and condemn and kill the just, who res… them not. Be patient therefore Bretheren to the coming of the Lord, Jam. 5. Luk. 18. God will speedily avenge his elect that cry to him, tho now he delay.