An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

We read indeed of a poor man oppressing the poor, (Pro. 28.3.) And Solomon tells us, that such a mans oppression is the soarest oppression; for he compares it (in the same verse) to a sweeping rain, which leaveth no food. They who have nothing, will take all when they can come by it, and get it. If all men in power should be as hard to their inferiors, as some are who have little or no power, there were no living in the world. Necessity may drive the poor to be more oppressive, than Ability draws the ⟨p. 60⟩rich. 'Tis a sad encounter when the poor contend with the poor; The necessity of the one knows no mercy, and the imbecility of the other, can give him no help. Nothing hardens the heart so much as want or hunger, (Lam. 4.10.) They have little or no sense of another's misery, who are under the extreme smart, and feel the biting of their own. But though poor men oppress sorest, yet they oppress seldomest and fewest. They can oppress none, but such as are poorer or weaker than themselves, and cannot do that often. There must be an over-matching power in all who oppress; and usually, they who oppress, are great and mighty in power. (Psal. 52.1.) Why boastest thou thy self in mischief, O mighty man? The man was mighty, and what did this might serve him for? what use did he put it to? even to do mischief. Many have a mind and will enough to do mischief, who want both power and opportunity to do it: But they who have power and opportunity to do mischief, seldom want a mind or will to do it. Power is of great use to do good, and 'tis a great temptation to do bad things. As Laban bragged to Jacob, and crowed over him as his underling (Gen. 31.29.) It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; And what hindered him then, or what hath hindered many in all Ages of the world, from doing that hurt to others, which they had power to do? Not a dislike or abhorrence of the fact (which through grace stops every good man from hurting others, how great soever his power is) but a secret restraint upon their heart, like that, which Laban had in a dream, or vision to his ear; Take heed thou speak not to Jacob good or bad; that is, meddle not with him in any case to stop his journey. The Prophet (