A commentary upon the whole book of Judges Preached first and delivered in sundry…A commentary vpon the vvhole booke of Iudges Preached first and deliuered in sundrie…

Now followeth the third verse, wherein we see, that by his brethren's ¹hard dealing with him, he was fain to fly whither he could for shelter, even thither among strangers, where he might have miscarried altogether, if God had not greatly regarded him. Whereby we may see, that the injury and oppression of some causeth the innocent to undergo much hardness. A thing that may long enough be complained of, before any one of many so offending, will amend it. Great cries and complaints are heard every where of the inferiors and underlings, what wrong and hard measure is offered them by the mighty, or such as have power over them, as pitiless Land-lords, and such as have men at advantage, who when they are put to their shifts for money, make them take it up on conditions that undo them, with such exactions as they were as good flea the skin from their bodies. So ungodly parents, who labouring to raise some one of their children, and casting off the rest, compel them to seek their fortunes (as they profanely ⟨p. 539⟩speak) and drive them to extremities. Also stepfathers and mothers, and cruel masters and dames, may be reckoned here among many doers of injury, for I can give but two or three instances among many, lest I should be tedious; let the rest in other kinds be considered by these. These with cruel dealing, as depriving them of necessaries, and laying heavy burdens upon them, cause the poor orphans and underlings to run away, as Esau did Jacob, and being shiftless, to starve or miscarry. And even such is the dealing of the rest, who are cruel and void of mercy. Let them take warning: for if the poor and oppressed cry in the ears of the Lord, they shall be heard, and shall pay to the full, for the injury which they have offered. I would be loth to do the least wrong; for God will make it come against him that shall be bold thus to provoke him, and grieve his neighbour, when it shall sting as a Serpent, and be deadly unwelcome.

Now followeth the third verse, wherein wee see, that by his brethrens ¹hard dealing with him, he was faine to flie whither he could for shelter, euen thither among strangers, where he might haue miscaried altogether, if God had not greatly regarded him. Whereby wee may see, that the iniurie and oppression of some causeth the innocent to vndergoe much hardnesse. A thing that may long enough be complained of, before any one of many so offending, will amend it. Great cries and complaints are heard euery where of the inferiours and vnderlings, what wrong and hard measure is offered them by the mightie, or such as haue power ouer them, as pitilesse Land-lords, and such as haue men at aduantage, who when they are put to their shifts for money, make them take it vp on conditions that vndoe them, with such exactions as they were as good flea the skinne from their bodies. So vngodly parents, who labouring to raise some one of their children, and casting off the rest, compell them to seeke their fortunes (as they prophanely