The principles of Christian Religion necessary to be knowen of all the faythful: set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth, by Tho. Becon.

That they ought not to oppresse the com∣mon people.

☜Probations out of the holy Scriptures.

The encrease and prosperitie of the commons, is y^• kinges honour: but the decay of the people, is the confusion of the prince.

Like as a roaring Lion, and as an hungry Beare, euen so is an vn∣godly prince ouer the poore people.

Where the prince is without vn∣derstanding, there is great oppres∣sion and wronge: but if he bee such a one as hateth couetousnes, hee shall long raigne.

When the righteous haue the o∣uerhand, the people are in prosperi∣tie: but when the vngodly beare rule, then that people mourne.

With true iudgement y^• king set∣teth vp the land: but if he be a mā y^• oppresseth the people with gathe∣ringes, he turneth it vpside downe.

O heare thys worde, ye that do poore mē wronge, and oppresse the needie: ye that say to your Lordes, bring hether, let vs drinke. Ther∣fore the Lorde hath sworne by hys holines: The dayes shall come vp∣on you, that the enemies shall cary you away. &c.

O woe be to the proud wealthy, to such as thinke thē selues so sure, which hold them selues for the best of the world, and rule the house of Israell, euen as they list. Ye are ta∣ken out for the euill day, euen ye that sit in the stoole of wilfulnes. Ye that lye vpon beds of Iuory, ••nd vse your wantonnes vppon your couches: ye that eate the best lambes of the flocke, and the fattest calues of the droue: ye that sing at

the lute, and in playing of instru∣mentes, compare your selues to Dauid: ye that drinke wine out of goblets, and annoynt your selues with the best oyle: but as for Io∣sephes hurt, none of you all are sory for it. Therfore, now shall ye be the first of them that shall be led away captiue, and the lustie cheere of the wilfull shall come to an end. &c. The Lorde is minded to smite the great houses. For ye haue turned true iudgement vnto bitternes, and the fruite of righteousnes into wormewoode.

O ye that oppresse the poore, and destroy the needie in the land, shall not your destruction come vppon you, as a water streame? &c.

O ye heades of the house of Ia∣cob, & ye leaders of the house of Is∣raell: should not ye know what were lawfull & right? But ye hate the good, & loue the euill. Ye plucke

of men skinnes, and the fleshe from their bones. Ye eate the flesh of my people, and f••ay of their skinne: ye breake their bones: ye chop them in peeces as it were into a Cal∣drone, & as fleshe into a pot. Now the time shall come, that when they call vnto the Lorde, hee shall not heare them, but hide hys face from them, because that through their own imaginations, they haue delt so wickedly. &c.

Beholde, here am I (sayd Sa∣muell to the children of Israell): beare recorde of me before y^• Lord, & before his annoynted. Whose oxe haue I takē? or whose Asse haue I taken? whom haue I done wrong to? whom haue I hurt? or of whose hand haue I receaued any bribe, to blind my eies therwith, and I will restore it you againe? They sayd: thou hast done vs no wronge, nor hurt vs, neither hast thou taken

ought of any mans hand. He sayd vnto them againe: the Lorde is witnes agaynst you, and hys an∣nointed is witnes thys day, that ye haue no euill in my handes.

What chaunced to Rehoboam king Salomons sonne, for the vn∣gentle entreating of hys cōmons, the holy histories do testifie. Read iij. Regum .xij. Chapt.

Notes

• Pro. xiiiij.
• Pro. 28.
• Pro. xxix.
• Amo••. iiij.
• Amos. vj.
• Amos. vi••j.
• Mich. i••••.
• ••. Reg. xij.
• iij. Reg. xij