The Tradesmans Calling, Chapter 5 · Section 3
SECT. 3. Of Juſtice in a Trade.
THE next Requiſite in a Trade is Juſtice; we diſcourſe not here, either of Ʋniverſal Juſtice, which the Moral Philoſopher reckons to include all Vertues in their Ʋſe or Exerciſe; nor of Diſtributive Juſtice, which conſiſts in a due Diſtribution of Rewards and Puniſhments, which belongs not to the Tradeſman as ſuch. But of that which is called Commutative, which is exerciſed in Dealings between Man and Man; and of this alſo not only as it is directed by the Law of Nature, but alſo as it is adopted among the Chriſtian Graces, where we ſhall conſider,
I. The Nature of it.
II. The Neceſſity of it.
III. The Extent of it.
IV. Make ſome Ʋſe of it.
I. For the Nature of it. It is a gracious Habit, inclining one conſtantly to render to every one their Right. Where you ſee,
1. Its general Nature: It is a gracious Habit. An Habit, and ſo rooted and fix'd in the Soul, and will exert it ſelf when no body is preſent to applaud or to diſgrace: an Habit, and ſo readily inclining a Man to Actions ſutable to it ſelf. For neither is the Habit within ſufficient, nor the Acts without, they muſt go both together: And then a gracious Habit: For tho Morality may reſtrain unjuſt Actions, and ſmooth the outward Converſation; yet it cannot breed in the Heart a love of Juſtice, as it is pleaſing to God; eſpecially when the Practice of it croſſes a beloved Intereſt: No, that the Spirit of God muſt work. For the Fruit of the Spirit, is in all Goodneſs, and Righteouſneſs, and Truth: Epheſ. 5. 9. And then,
2. The particular difference of this from other gracious Habits is, that this inclines us conſtantly to render to every one their Right. It ſuppoſes that there is a Property which every Man hath in theſe outward things, and that the World lies not in common. And that an intercourſe is neceſſary among Men for their mutual well-being; that no Man can ſo ſubſiſt of himſelf, but that he hath uſe or need of others. Then ſteps in Juſtice to regulate all ſuch Negotiations, and teaches, and diſpoſes the honeſt Tradeſman to render to every one what of right belongeth to him. To Superiours, Inferious, Equals, Relations, and generally to every one, that he may be able to ſay with holy Paul, I have lived in all good Conſcience before God, until this day; Acts 23. 1.
II. For the Neceſſity hereof.
1. It is every Man's Duty. For,
(1.) It is commanded by the Law of Nature. Thoſe ſtrictures of Man's primitive Righteouſneſs which are left in him, do teach him this. It was an Heathen Emperour that made choice of this Motto; Quid tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris. What you would not have done to you, do not to another. Which being rightly underſtood, is both the Foundation and the Rule of Juſtice. Every Man would deſire to be juſtly dealt with; and is it not equal and reaſonable, to render to every man, that which we expect from every man? It is ſcarce poſſible to obliterate this Principle out of natural Conſcience: and they that act otherwiſe, do overthrow the common Principles of Nature and right Reaſon.
(2.) It is commanded by the written Law of God. This is the tenour of all the ſecond Table of the Moral Law, and is particularly intended in the eighth Commandment, which ſaith, Thou ſhalt not ſteal. Which is nothing elſe but the reviving of the Law of Nature, or a new Edition thereof. Other Scriptures are frequent, and expreſs to this purpoſe. Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether juſt (or, as the Hebrew emphatically, Juſtice, Juſticer) ſhalt thou follow. Which Law is ſtrengthned with the threatnings of Puniſhment in caſe of diſobedience frequently in the Scripture, and clear Inſtances of the Performance thereof accordingly. In ſhort, the Righteous God whom we worſhip, is a Spotleſs Mirrour and Pattern hereof in himſelf; He is Righteous in all his Ways, Pſal. 145. 17. And he tells us, 1 John 3. 7. Let no man deceive you, he that doth Righteouſneſs is righteous, even as he is Righteous. And the Righteous Lord loveth Righteouſneſs, his Countenance doth behold the Ʋpright. Pſal. 11. 7.
(3.) It is commanded by the Law of Chriſt. Our heavenly Saviour that died for us, hath own'd and urged this Juſtice. For, he came not to deſtroy the Law, but to preſs it; and ſo hath enfranchized this Adage. Mat. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo unto them: for this is the Law and the Prophets. And when the Apostle deſcribes the great Deſign of the Goſpel, Tit. 2. 12. He tells, that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, [towards our ſelves] righteouſly [towards others] and godly [towards God] in this preſent world. Wherein is contained the Sum of all practical Religion. So that the unrighteous do blot out a third part of the Goſpel, and ſo are unworthy of the Chriſtian Name.
2. This Juſtice is every Man's Intereſt. It is the ſound and ſafe way to Proſperity: In that Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether juſt thou ſhalt follow, that thou mayſt live, and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Other ways poſſibly may be ſpeedier to Riches, but this is the ſafe way. Pſal. 5. 12. For the Lord will bleſs the Righteous, with Favour wilt thou compaſs him as with a Shield. Tho it pleaſe God to ſuffer ſome right honeſt Men to be poor and diſtreſſed in this Life, to evince that there is a Judgment to come; yet he doth manifeſtly favour others with temporal Bleſſings, to ſhew that there is a Providence at the preſent. And on the contrary, the moſt certain way to Croſſes, Poverty, Miſery, and Hell after all, is Injuſtice. Endleſs Inſtances hereof are in every place: Every Aſſizes bears witneſs hereunto. And if there were a Collection of all the Injuries, and the ſhameful Iſſue of them, adjudged in theſe Judicatories year by year, you would ſee a famous Commentary upon the juſt Threatnings of God againſt Sins of this kind. Beſides, thoſe ſecret Executions done by divine Vengeance, ſometimes on the Perſons themſelves, and on their Eſtates; ſometimes on their Poſterity, in theirs; which ſecretly moulder away, none imagining the cauſe, but only God. A Fire not blown ſhall conſume him, it ſhall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacles: Job 20. 26. Upon all which accounts, it is highly neceſſary, that the Tradeſman be exact and juſt in all his ways.
III. I come in the Third place, to ſhew the Extent of this Juſtice, as it is to be exerciſed by the Tradeſman.
1. It conſiſts in performing all your lawful Promiſes. You ſhould be careful before you promiſe any thing, you ſhould be cautious in them; that what you promiſe be lawful and poſſible, or elſe you ſin in the very making ſuch Promiſes. Moreover you ſhould conſider the Equity and Convenience thereof before-hand; but when your word is paſt, tho it be difficult to fulfil it, tho it be prejudicial; you are ſnared by the words of your Mouth, and ought, yea tho there be no witneſs in the caſe, to make it good. And a Promiſe or Contract made by your Servant, whom you have us'd to intruſt, binds you equally to Performance, as if made by your ſelf: For he whoſe Contract you would adhere unto, if it ſhould turn to your Advantage; you ought not to recede from, when it turns to your Prejudice. It it given as a mark of one, that ſhall dwell in the holy Hill of God. Pſal. 15. 4. He is one that ſweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. And a Promiſe binds an honeſt Man, as truly as his Oath. Theſe are the Bonds of human Society, which being diſſolv'd, no Man can truſt, nor rely, nor trade with another. No Man can firmly proceed in his own Affairs, when they do depend in any wiſe upon ſuch unfaithful Men, who make no Conſcience of performing what they have promiſed. It is true, if a Man have been cozen'd, and ſo ingaged by a fraudulent Bargain into a Promiſe: if the Fraud be in the ſubſtance of the thing bargain'd for, as Copper Lace for Gold, or the like, the Contract is void ipſo facto: for there was no conſent which is neceſſary in a Bargain, the one ſold one thing, and the other bought another: But if the Fraud was only in ſome undiſcern'd Circumſtances, or faulty qualities, tho the Seller ought to compenſate the Injury, yet in caſe he releaſe you not, you are obliged; unleſs the Defects be ſo conſiderable, as do render the Commodity uſeleſs; in which caſe you may ſeek your remedy, and caveat emptor the next time.
This reaches ſuch Handicraftſmen who promiſe to do ſuch a piece of Work; but never heed what they promiſe, and never heed how they perform it. This is Injuſtice.
If you anſwer, That your Purpoſe went along with your Promiſe, but that unexpected Accidents prevented your Performance; other Work of more haſte or profit came in; you had unforeſeen Diverſions, &c. I reply; Your Promiſes then ought to be conditional, and ſuch as he who imployeth you will admit of, or elſe you wrong him to advantage your ſelf, or to gratify another. And if unavoidable neceſſity compel you to fail in any Promiſe, apply your ſelf to the Party injured, indeavour ſomeway to ſatisfie him, and reſcue your Reputation: For in all theſe breaches of Promiſes, beſides the Sin, this Miſchief naturally reſults from them, that no body at length will truſt you, which is next to being buried alive.
And other Tradeſmen, that agree for a Commodity, but the Market falling, or ſome other Contingence happening, never come for it. This is Injuſtice. Others ſolemnly promiſe to pay ſuch a Sum of Money at ſuch a Day; The Day comes, but no Money, nor perhaps any Meſſage to crave further time. This is Injuſtice. Juſtice requires a punctual exactneſs; elſe all Humane Society is broken, Conſcience is debauched; and he that commonly breaks his Promiſes to Men, will eaſily break his Covenants with God.
And particularly, this Juſtice obligeth you to pay your Work-folks their Wages, and that at their Day, or uſual time for the receipt thereof. No Command of God can be more ſtrict and plain than that, Deut. 24. 15. At his day (not when you pleaſe, or are in the humour, but at his day) thou ſhalt give his Hire, neither ſhall the Sun go down upon it: for he is poor and ſetteth his Heart upon it; leſt he cry againſt thee unto the Lord, and it be Sin unto thee. His Belly or Back may want it, or his Family may want it, or his Trade may want it; or if none of theſe, yet it is his, not yours, but his when it is earned, and becomes due; and if it be not unjuſt to detain from another againſt his will what is his due, there is no ſuch thing as Unrighteouſneſs in the World. See alſo Levit. 19. 13. Thou ſhalt not defraud thy Neighbour, nor rob him: the Wages of him that is hired ſhall not abide with thee all night, until the morning.
2. This Juſtice is ſhewn in paying your due Debts. The prudent Tradeſman is wary how he contracts a Debt, and conſiders whether God do call him to enter ſuch Obligations; but when they become due, then it is plain Juſtice to diſcharge them, and to do it as chearfully as you did contract them; otherwiſe, tho you keep the Poſſeſſion, yet another hath the Right; and in detaining it againſt his Will, you are unjuſt. The Scripture is clear, Rom. 13. 8. Owe no Man any thing, but to love one another. The buſineſs is not whether your Creditor be rich or poor, (tho it be a heavy Aggravation, when the Widow or Fatherleſs be defrauded of their due; their Tears will cry in the Ears of the Lord of Hoſts) but Juſtice ſtands in rendring to every one his due, and all the while it is with-held, you live in Sin againſt God. For every Man is Steward of his Eſtate unto God, and he that wrongs a Steward in what his Lord has intruſted him, wrongs the Lord himſelf. If you plead Inability, this will be ſo far from juſtifying your Wrong, that it doth not ſo much as excuſe you, unleſs the Hand of God hath diſabled you: And then alſo, you ought to uſe all poſſible and lawful Endeavours to make them due Satisfaction. But take heed of charging that upon God's Providence, which hath been the effect of your own Improvidence; therein you charge God fooliſhly.
But there remains one other Offence againſt Juſtice, which is moſt inexcuſable, which is, Breaking upon Deſign. And that is, when a Tradeſman conceals an Eſtate, and counterfeits a Failure, compounds with his Creditors, induces them to accept a part of their due Debt for the whole, and inriches himſelf with their Spoils; How falſe and baſe a courſe is this? How many damning Sins doſt thou wilfully commit, for the compaſſing a little momentary Gain? Here's Lying, here's Stealing, here's notorious Hypocriſy and Diſſembling, Diſtruſt in God, and Injury to Man. How canſt thou hope to eſcape the Curſe of God upon thy Soul? Nay, upon this thy fraudulent Eſtate? is not this the defrauding thy Brother? and is not the Lord the Avenger of all ſuch? 1 Theſſ. 4. 6. Theſe Men can have no Refuge, but direct Atheiſm; or elſe that Conſcience muſt be in a deep Lethargy, that is not affrighted with ſuch Threatnings of the Almighty. But let all ſuch Men know, that their Iniquity will find them out, ſooner or latter. The Priſons they take, cannot keep out either Sickneſs, Terrors, or Death. And that's a poor Relief, that only reaches the Body, and that alſo but for a few moments.
3. This Juſtice conſiſts in uſing exact Weights and Meaſures. And that not out of fear of the Officers, but out of love to Juſtice. For without theſe, your Commerce is a perfect Cheat; the Buyer goes away ſatisfied, that he hath ſo much as he bargain'd for, for his Money, when indeed he hath not. See how punctual the Law of God is in this matter, Deut. 15. 13, 14, 15, 16. Thou ſhalt not have in thy Bags divers Weights, a great (to buy with) and a ſmall (to ſell with.) Thou ſhalt not have in thy Houſe divers Meaſures, a great and a ſmall. But thou ſhalt have a perfect and juſt Weight, a perfect and juſt Meaſure ſhalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do ſuch things, and all that do unrighteouſly, are an Abomination unto the Lord. Here's the Law, and the Sanction: The Law ſhines with its own Evidence; ſo juſt and honeſt, and yet to ſtrengthen it, the greateſt Incouragement is given to the Obedience of it, and the greateſt Check to the contrary. The Lord is a God of Juſtice, and there is no Unrighteouſneſs in him. He hates all ſuch Workers of Iniquity.
And as the Seller ſhould uſe no other but exact Weights and Meaſures; ſo the Buyer ſhould be contented with them, and not deſire or indeavour to have more than he buys; for thereby he ſtrives to his Ability to make them greater, as the Seller would make them leſs, than the Law requires, which is equally abominable unto God. For the ſame Law of Juſtice and Equity ſhould govern both of them; and what Arts or Tricks ſoever are uſed by either of them for their own Advantage, to the Prejudice of the other, are criminal before the Lord. Hearken what he ſaith, Ezeck. 28. 16. Thou haſt defiled thy Sanctuaries by the multitude of thine Iniquities, by the Iniquity of thy Traffique: therefore will I bring forth a Fire to devour thee, &c.
And among other Frauds Falſe Lights are juſtly reckon'd; when Men do ſo contrive the Lights in their Shops, as to repreſent their Commodities to be better than they are; when the honeſt Chapman comes home, they are quite another thing. What can be more fraudulent? It is no other than picking thy Neighbour's Purſe of ſo much as is extorted hereby from him, above the real worth of that Commodity. How can you rejoyce or ſleep with ſuch diſhoneſt Gain? Is not the Lord the Avenger of all ſuch? Be not deceived, God is not mocked, tho thy harmleſs Neighbour be trapan'd. If thy timely Repentance and Reſtitution prevent it not, he will take thee from thy falſe Lights, and thruſt thee without Bail or Main-prize into true and endleſs Darkneſs.
4. This Juſtice doth oblige a Tradeſman to the right working of all Manufactures. The Municipal Laws indeed, do generally make excellent Proviſion for this; but unleſs Men be under the awe of God and their own Conſciences, they may eaſily find Evaſions, and trample the Laws under their Feet. And the Law reaches not to innumerable Caſes of this nature. Tho it bind him that makes the Cloth, yet it reaches not him who makes up the Apparel; tho it obligeth him that tans the Leather, yet it reaches not him that makes up the Shoe; and ſo in many other Inſtances; now here Juſtice comes in, and teaches the Tradeſman to do all ſuch Work for others, as he would chuſe to have them done for himſelf. It's true, it may not be neceſſary to beſtow equal care and labour upon each piece of Work; the Stuff, the Price, the deſign of it may not require it; but Equity requires you to give to every Manufacture the Perfection requiſite to its kind; and not through Sloth, or multiplicity of Buſineſs, or any other ſelfiſh reſpect, render things uſeleſs, or unſerviceable.
Much leſs may you deceitfully thruſt in a baſer Stuff or Metal inſtead of a better; hereby cheating you Cuſtomer in the Price, tho he ſhould never come to know it, yea, tho it ſhould do him equal Service: for this is to impoſe upon his Ignorance, and to extort from him a Price above the true value of the Commodity. Say not, that the common Price will not allow, that you ſhould beſtow any more Care or Pains about your Work: For it is the Slightneſs of the Work which in many caſes hath abated the Price; which if you would generally reform, you might and would in a ſhort time raiſe up the Price to the juſt value of your Work; and this Tract is deſign'd to rectify not only one or two Tradeſmen, but the Generality; and particularly all ſuch as deſire to walk honeſtly, and to procure the Bleſſing of God.
5. This Juſtice conſiſts in making conſcionable Bargains. And herein lies all the Imployment of divers Tradeſmen, to wit, in Buying and Selling. Now Juſtice doth incline a Man neither to buy too cheap, nor to ſell too dear: but to deal with others, as he would deſire to be dealt with. So that here;
(1.) It requires only a reaſonable Proportion of Gain, from what you buy or ſell. It is not eaſy to determine, by any particular ſtanding Rule, the meaſure of that Gain which a Tradeſman may receive. For it cannot always be meaſured, by what the Commodity Cost him, which he is about to ſell; ſith he might by ſurprize or otherwiſe buy it too dear, and why ſhould another pay for his Folly? Or he might by ſome ſpecial Providence obtain at an under-value; and, why ſhould he cauſeleſly make another partaker of his Advantage? For without doubt a Man may take greater Gain at one time than at another, and may take the Advantage the Providence of God puts into his hands, ſo be it he uſe it moderately. The Rates at which ſome Others ſell, cannot always be a meaſure of a Tradeſman's Gain; for many of them may be neceſſitated to ſell at an under-rate; and why ſhould other Mens Indigence prejudice him? Or ſome of them may under-ſell others, to gain a Cuſtomer, and ſo may take too little for one Commodity, that they may have too much for another; and why ſhould any ſuch indirect Deſigns regulate him that is above them? What a man hath Formerly ſold for, can be no Rule; for every one knows, that Commodities ebb and flow, and that which was worth a Shilling the laſt Month, may not be worth Six-pence this. Again, ſo much Profit as may comfortably Maintain the Tradeſman and his Family, cannot always be a right meaſure of his Gain; becauſe Twelve-pence in the Pound may ſufficiently maintain him that is in Health, or hath a ſmall Family; whereas twice as much will not anſwer the neceſſary Expences of another, that is ſickly, or hath a numerous Family to provide for. Again, the Ʋtmoſt of what he can get for his Commodity cannot always be a ſure Rule whereby to meaſure his Gain; for it is poſſible for him to obtain of an unwary Cuſtomer, double the true worth of his Commodity; which yet in Juſtice he ought not to do. Nor laſtly, can the Intrinſick worth of a thing be a ſufficient Rule, whereby to meaſure his Gain; ſince that in divers Commodities cannot be determined; and in many others, the Buyer's Fancy only makes them valuable.
All therefore that can be ſaid by way of Direction herein, muſt be drawn from that Golden Rule aforeſaid, Whatſoever you would that Men ſhould do to you, do ye likewiſe to them. From whence it follows, That what I may reaſonably deſire to gain by another, when I am to ſell, that Proportion I ſhould willingly allow him when I buy to gain by me. And on the other ſide, That which I allow reaſonable to another to gain by me, when I am to buy, that only ſhould I deſire to gain, when I am to ſell to another. And in general, that Gain is reaſonable, where due Conſideration is allowed to a Man for his Time, Pains, and Hazard, which is beſt to be known in individual caſes by the concurrent Opinion or common Uſe of prudent and conſciencious Perſons. The Market-Price is generally the ſureſt Rule, for that is preſumed to be more indifferent than the Appetites of particular Men. Howbeit, in caſe the Seller allow any conſiderable time to the Buyer for the payment of the agreed Price, it is lawful enough to advance the rate accordingly; not only becauſe he is thereby depriv'd of the improvement of his Money in other Traffick, but alſo runs ſome hazard of the loſing of it: But here, as in many other caſes, an upright Conſcience muſt be the Clerk of the Market, and the Rule it muſt ſteer by, is that good old one, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf.
(2.) In your Bargains, Juſtice forbids your taking advantage of anothers Neceſſity. A Man's Neceſſity may be twofold, Reſpective or Conditional: as when, for inſtance, your Fellow-Tradeſman needs ſome Commodity of yours to ſerve his Cuſtomer withal; in ſuch caſes you muſt do to others as you would be done unto. But there is alſo an Abſolute or Extream Neceſſity. A poor Workman or Work-woman muſt needs ſell now to buy their Family Bread. A poor Man muſt needs buy ſuch a Commodity needful for Back or Belly; now to beat down the Price with the former of theſe, or to ſcrew up the latter, one jot beyond that which you could and would afford it to them, in caſe you knew of no ſuch Neceſſity, is manifeſt Injuſtice; and Oppreſſion is added to it. And I reſtrain it not to theſe caſes alone, but exhort you in no caſe to lie on the catch, to make your Markets of others Straits; for no Man would willingly be ſo dealt with; and Eſtates ſo gotten will be like Gravel between your Teeth. Nay, your Compaſſion ſhould incline you rather to deal better with thoſe, whoſe wants bring them to you, than you would with thoſe that ſtand in no need of your Conſideration, and the righteous God will recompence you.
(3.) Make not your Advantage in your Bargains of others Ʋnskilfulneſs. Every Man hath not the like Sagacity, and the weak may eaſily forget, miſtake, and overſhoot themſelves: Now God hath not given to you greater Parts for the hurt, but for the help of your Neighbour; and for you to imploy them to his Detriment is quite to pervert the uſe them. The Buyer perhaps knows not the true worth of what he is about; as for Example, the beſt Edition of the Book he would buy. The Seller ſometimes knows not the true value of what you are buying of him. Now may you make a prize of his over-ſight? No, here comes in that Royal Law, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. No Man would over-reach or defraud himſelf, and why will you deal ſo with your Brother? Say not, Let every Man underſtand his own Buſineſs, and our Wit and Parts are Talents given us to improve to our own advantage, as well as our Eſtates. For tho every one ſhould indeavour to be skill'd in their own Affairs, yet certainly God hath not beſtow'd upon all the ſame natural Abilities or Opportunity, no more than the like portion of outward Eſtates; and whoſoever hath a greater meaſure either of inward Qualifications, or outward Eſtate, hath an Obligation upon him with them, to relieve, and not to ruine thoſe that are defective, according to that Rule in another caſe, Rom. 15. 1. We then that are ſtrong, ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak, and not to pleaſe (or ſeek) our ſelves.
(4.) Make no Bargains with ſuch as have no juſt Propriety in that which you are contracting about. Some Care is due in this caſe, in thoſe that ſell; that they incourage not Children, or other weak People, who cannot rationally be thought to be truſted with Money, to barter with them. But eſpecially this concerns thoſe, that are frequently tempted to buy ſuch Goods as they know, or have vehement ſuſpition to be ſtollen from the right Owner. It's true, your Gain by ſuch Bargains may be great, but the Sin of it is manifeſt; you incourage them in an evil way, you aſſiſt them in a wicked courſe, and ſo become Partakers with them; Pſal. 50. 18. When thou ſaweſt a Thief, then thou conſentedſt with him. Why ſhould your Gain blind your Eyes? He that knowingly connives, aſſiſts, and any way furthers an ill Action, ſhares in the Guilt of it. And as the Sin, ſo the Danger; you are in danger of the Law of Man, and of the Wrath of God; if the one miſs you, the other will reach you, either here or hereafter. Say not, that your Shops are your Markets; for what honeſt Man will buy a ſtoln Horſe in the Market, if he know, yea or ſuſpect it? Say not, If you buy them not, another will: for the Folly or Wickedneſs of another will never juſtify, nor excuſe yours. What Man in his Wits will ſay, If I go not to Hell, another will, and therefore I'l ſtep before him. Perhaps you'l plead Ignorance, at leaſt Uncertainty in the matter. Indeed, if there be no rational cauſe to doubt, you are not culpable; but tho you be not certain, yet if there be reaſon to ſuſpect it, you ſhould not meddle with them, unleſs it be to retain them for the Owner, and to bring the Thief unto deſerved Puniſhment: For who will buy a Suit of Clothes, if he have but any ground to think the Plague in them? Away therefore with all ſuch diſhoneſt Gain, leſt it bring a Curſe upon all the reſt; and rather reſolve to be poor with Integrity, than rich by Unrighteouſneſs.
(5.) Accuſtom your ſelves to an honeſt Plainneſs in your Bargains. A neceſſary Prudence we have before recommended. Ordinary and diſcernable Faults every Buyer is ſuppos'd to take notice of; but if your Commodity hath any ſuch private Defects or Faults, as, being known to your Cuſtomer, would induce him to relinquiſh his purpoſe, or at leaſt to ſink his Price, you do not juſtly to obtrude the ſame upon him: for you would not, you ought not to be ſo dealt by. If the Buyer be culpable that cries, It is naught, it is naught, but when he is gone his way, boaſteth, Prov. 20. 14. then the Seller is no better, that cries, O it is faultleſs! it is excellent good! when it is neither ſo nor ſo. It is not your Formal Cant, nor ſmootheſt Harangues, that will make good a bad Commodity. And tho theſe Methods may ſerve you for a while, yet, according to the old Proverb; Froſt and Fraud will end in Foul. But of this more hereafter.
6. This Juſtice in a Tradeſman is ſhewed, in defraying all lawful Impoſitions. For it is ſuppoſed, that every Tradeſman lives under ſome Government; that in every Government, the Prince, or Magiſtrate, muſt be ſupported in the Execution of his Office, and inabled to protect his Subjects; that for this end, ſuch and ſuch Tributes and Cuſtoms are allowed him by common Conſent; that a great part of ſuch Impoſitions do iſſue from the Tradeſman, eſpecially from thoſe that do export our own, or import forreign Commodities. Now Juſtice expreſly requires that, Rom. 13. 7. You render to all their dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Cuſtom to whom Cuſtom; ſo that you muſt either punctually diſcharge them, or elſe plainly deny that they are due. And how can you queſtion this, when they are ſetled by Law, and this Law paſt with your own (in your Truſtees) Conſent, and that in a meer ſecular matter, wherein the Magiſtrates▪ Juriſdiction is unqueſtionable; and grounded upon the plaineſt Reaſons, the Welfare, Safety, and Commodity of the Subject, and of the Tradeſman in a ſpecial manner? And therefore you cannot in Juſtice deny them, or indeavour to defraud the Magiſtrate of any part of them. Say not, that their Property is altered, they are transfer'd by the Prince into other hands; ſo that he is not wrong'd, but his Farmers or Officers, who, notwithſtanding your Defalcation, gain abundantly. For Theſe are inveſted with an undoubted Right from the Proprietor, and ſo cannot lawfully be defrauded, no more than a Tenant of what he taketh in Leaſe from his Landlord.
Neither plead, that the end wherefore ſuch Taxations were granted, is not attained; the Seas are not guarded, nor Traffick ſecured. For it is hard to prove the matter of Fact; the Prince's Care herein ought not to be call'd into queſtion, without clear and uncontroulable Evidence; every neglect of ſubordinate Officers muſt not involve the Supream Magiſtate, unleſs it be frequent, notorious, and conſiderable, and after due Information. And when all is done, in all Ages there ever were, and ſtill will be ſome Over-ſights, ſome unworthy Perſons imploy'd, who will ſeek their own, and not the Publick Good; whoſe Faults muſt be corrected by their Superiours, and not pleaded in bar of Duty by every private Perſon. Neither is it enongh to reply, That if you do adventure to with-hold Cuſtom or the like, then you are ready, if detected, to ſtand to the Penalty; and reckon, that thereby you are diſcharged from any Guilt. For granting that it is due by Law, which certainly ſettles every Man's Right in his Eſtate, it is flat Unrighteouſneſs to rent away any ones Right without their Conſent; and the Penalty is chiefly intended to affright ill Men from doing Injury, whom Conſcience of God will not reſtrain. And therefore in the Judicial Law, which was founded upon the higheſt Reaſon, there was a Treſpaſs-Offering to be offered to God to atone for the Guilt, beſides the full Reſtitution to the Party wronged; Levit. 6. 5. & Numb. 5. 6. There is no common Thief or Pick-pocket but might make this Plea, if there were any Strength in it: That he ventures the Penalty, and ſo is blameleſs. And the Greatneſs or the Poverty of the Party wrong'd, is ſo far from extenuating the Crime, that it aggravates it.
And as you ſhould render to Caeſar the things that be Caeſar's, ſo ought you to render unto God the things that be God's. If ever ye expect the Bleſſing of God, with-hold not from his Meſſengers, whatſoever is by Law or Equity due unto them. The Labourer, in any Calling, is worthy of his Hire; their's is a laborious Calling: The Sweat of the Brain conſumes more than the Sweat of the Brows. Never deprive, nor defraud, nor defer God's Miniſters their Maintenance. Dent. 12. 19. Take heed to thy ſelf, that thou forſake not the Levite, as long as thou liveſt upon the Earth. And 1 Cor. 9. 14. The Lord hath ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. Alas! they cannot trade as you can; they have relinquiſh'd thoſe gainful Emploiments, and are devoted to the Service of God, and the good of Souls. And yet ſome diligent Cobler may live as plentifully as ſome of them. They muſt not only have Bread, but Books and Phyſick; and ſhould be ſo ſupplied, that they might make competent Proviſion for their Families, and alſo be Examples as well as Promoters of Charity to them that want; 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well, are worthy of double Honour, eſpecially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine. And this is not only a Point of Religion and Charity, but of Juſtice and Equity.
7. The Tradeſman's Juſtice muſt be ſhewed in paying due Reſpects to the Laws and Orders of his Society. This Particular hath place only in thoſe Places where ſuch Societies are erected, and By-Laws and Orders made among themſelves; to the obſervation whereof the Members of the ſame are uſually obliged by a ſolemn Oath. Now ſuppoſing theſe ſaid Laws to be conſonant to God's Word, and to Right Reaſon, you are in Juſtice and Conſcience bound to give your Obedience to them; yea, tho it ſometimes interfere with your particular Advantage. When thereby you are called to any Office of Charge or Trouble, you ought readily to diſcharge it; ſo that it be conſiſtent with the Imployments of your Calling, or other neceſſary Concernments: or elſe ſubmit chearfully to ſuch Fines as are duly impoſed.
Again; Tho you might (for inſtance) import or export ſome Commoditie to your great profit; yet if the ſame be prohibited by the Laws of your Society, you ought in Juſtice to forbear ſo doing. If there be Laws and Orders to which you are ſworn, engaging you to imploy no Foreigner in your Trade, leſt thoſe who ſerved an Apprentiſhip be diſcouraged, and left without Imployment; you are bound in Juſtice to refuſe all ſuch Aſſiſtance, eſpecially where in ſo doing you do really croſs the End of thoſe Conſtitutions. In a word, you ought in all things to conſult the good of the Society as well as your own; yea, the future welfare thereof as well as the preſent, if you will be jaſt unto your Obligations.
8. This Juſtice will inſtruct you, to have An equitable Regard to your fellow Tradeſmen. Though every Man is bound to uſe all honeſt endeavours to get and increaſe his Cuſtom, yet as it is pity to be an hindrance to one that is poorer than your ſelf, ſo there is a Decorum to be obſerved in winning over to you, your Neighbours Chapmen or Cuſtomers; namely you muſt abhor all unjuſt Reflexions upon your fellow-Tradeſman, or on his Commodity, for that is directly againſt the Ninth Commandment; and any other cunning or unhandſom Tricks to attain your Ends; you muſt beware of a Covetous Principle, of all Injuſtice and Uncharitableneſs, of any thing that is unſeemly or ſcandalous. And though Maſters ſhould be content, that their Apprentices having ſerved their Time with them, ſhould carry away at their ſetting up ſome part of their Cuſtom and Cuſtomers; yet no ingenuous Apprentice will uſe any indirect means, either before the Expiration of his Time, or after, to feather his own Neſt by leaving his Maſter naked, or to endeavour any thing herein, but what is commonly and approvedly done in that caſe: For himſelf will not, when the caſe comes to be his own, be content to be ſo uſed. Neither is it agreeable to Juſtice or Equity, that the rich Tradeſman, whoſe Eſtate perhaps will bear it out, ſhould under-ſell his meaner Neighbours; or the rich Artificer ſo fall in the Prices of his Manufactures, that his poorer fellow-Tradeſman, wanting his Stock and Credit, cannot ſubſiſt upon it; eſpecially if ſuch ſinking the Price of your Commodity ſpring from a deſign of weakning or impoveriſhing the other.
The like ſinful Injuſtice there is, in ſuch an ingroſſing of Commodities, as doth manifeſtly tend to the undoing of many, for the inriching of a few, whether this be done by ſingle Perſons or Societies; if the Prejudice redound to many, and the Profit to a few, it is a common Injury, it is a making haſte to be rich by Oppreſſion, which tho your preſent Gain blind you from ſeeing; yet the righteous God, who is the common Father to all, will one time or other be ſure to reckon about it. Surely none of you would be content, or had reaſon to be content to be ſo uſed.
Above all, that Injuſtice is intolerable which is offered to your Partners that repoſe the ſame Confidence in you, as they do in themſelves; and where you are bound by the ſtricteſt Ties of Law, and Conſcience, and mutual Confidence to be exactly juſt. So that to undermine one another, or to purloin from one another is a Crime that deſerves the ſevereſt Cenſure; and of which none will be guilty, that have not diſmiſt all Love of Vertue, or Fear of Shame.
9. This Juſtice will oblige the Tradeſman to a Paternal Care about his Apprentices. It behooves you in Prudence, to be cautious whom ye take in that Relation; to conſider what their Birth, what their Education hath been, what their Diſpoſition and Aptitude is; and do not for the ſupply of any preſent pinch of Buſineſs, or for the lucre of a little Money, thruſt a Thorn into your Foot, which may pain you for ſeven long Years together: but chuſe ſuch as are of honeſt Parentage, ſober Education, tolerable Temper, and capable of your Buſineſs. And when you have bound them and inoculated them into your Family, then Juſtice obliges you to uſe them juſt as you would have your own Children uſed, when they come into that Condition. Beware of undue Severity or Rigor on the one hand; and of fooliſh Indulgence, or careleſs Neglect on the other. For as the wiſe Horſeman when he would break a young Horſe, will neither check nor rein him too hard; leſt he ſpoil his Mettle, and force him to the Curvet to the danger of the Rider; nor yet doth he throw the Reins on his Neck, and ſuffer him to go where and how he pleaſes, leſt he deſtroy himſelf and his Rider alſo: So ſhould the wiſe Maſter have a ſpecial Care to ſhun that Auſterity, which diſcourages his Apprentice's Endeovours, and alſo that Softneſs, which incourages his Vices.
As to the former, it is unqueſtionably a Sin againſt God. Tho you had nothing with them, yea tho you had bought them of their Parents for ſeven Years; yet God, who is your Maſter, hath charg'd you, Levit. 25. 43. Thou ſhalt not rule over him with Rigor; but ſhalt fear thy God; which he repeats again, Verſ. 46. But over your Brethren the Children of Iſrael, ye ſhall not rule over one another with Rigor. And as the Sin is great, ſo the Danger is evident, for ſuch uſage hath driven hundreds of Youths to deſperate Reſolutions; wherein, tho they cannot be juſtified, yet for giving them ſuch occaſion, you ſhall be condemned. Forbear then all imperious Carriage towards then; I would have you to maintain your Authority; but that is ſufficiently preſerved by a grave and religious courſe of Life, which will beget a Veneration in your Inferiours; whereas any diſcerned Sin in you degrades you, and breeds an inward Contempt of you in them that ſee it. Fix in your Hearts an unfeign'd love to them, and that will both guide you in all your Behaviour towards them, and diſpoſe you to bear with their Frailties and Imperfections: and certainly if we own this debt of Love to every Man, we ought to pay a greater meaſure of it to thoſe that are ſo near us. Be ſure, that they have Food, and Raiment, and Reſt convenient for them. For Quality, let them have that which is ſutable to their Condition: For Quantity, let them have what is ſufficient for their neceſſity. For Time and Seaſon, let them have it in ſuch due ſeaſon, as may be for their Health and Comfort. You ſhould ſcorn to ſqueeze an Eſtate out of your Apprentices Bellies, or rent it from off their Backs. And then impoſe not too heavy Tasks upon them; make not their Lives grievou, leſt they cry unto the Lord, and he be wrath with you, and blaſt all your Affairs. Charge them not with Faults without cauſe, neither refuſe to hear their juſt Apologies: read and think of that Scripture, Job 31. 13, 14, 15. If I did deſpiſe the cauſe of my Man-Servant, or of my Maid-Servant, when they contended with me, what then ſhall I do when God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwer him? Did not he that made me in the Womb, make him? and did not one faſhion us in the Womb? And in caſe of Correction, let it be the laſt Expedient; and then by no means, brutiſh or cruel, but ſuch as a wiſe Father ſhould give his own Child, that they may diſcern your Love through your Anger; and be ſure that you be as ready to incourage them by word and deed, when they deſerve it, as to rate and chide them when they do amiſs: for the one is as due as the other; and he that is incur'd to be ever finding fault, diſheartens the Servant, and weakens the Authority of the Maſter.
You muſt alſo be equally watchful againſt the other extream, which is a weak Softneſs, or dangerous Indulgence. The Authority wherewith you are inveſted, is God's, and therefore you have no right to loſe or part with it, but ought to preſerve and improve it both for the good of your Apprentices, and your own Comfort. God is a God of order, and therefore you ſhould let them underſtand, that you are plac'd in a Sphere above them, and that they muſt obſerve a due reſpect toward you, both in their Words and other Behaviour. Indulge them in no known Evil, eſpecially not in lying or ſcoffing at Religion. Teach them none of the wicked Crafts in your Calling, but ſtill recommend to them Equity and Honeſty. Above all, do your utmoſt to keep them out of bad Company; and to that end, take an exact account of their time, when they are out of your ſight; for 'tis then that they contract their miſchievous Acquaintance; and particularly on the Lord's-day, a day appointed of God for the good of the Soul, but abus'd very often by poor Apprentices both to the ruine of their Souls and Bodies. Keep them that day under your Eye; and the ſame Authority that ye aſſume over them on the week-day, exerciſe the ſame to keep them from evil, and in good Duties on the Sabbathday; or elſe God may juſtly reproach you for your Selfiſhneſs and Hypocriſy. Some Relaxation ye ought to allow them, but let it be at ſuch Times and Places, and with ſuch Company, that may be ſafe for them; that they may be refreſhed, but not infected. And tho they grudg at this reſtraint, for the preſent; yet the time will come, that if they through their Obſtinacy come not to curſe themſelves for their own Folly, they will bleſs you, and bleſs God for your Care about them. And one other Caution here is needful, which is to beware how you ſend them into Foreign Parts without ſome competent furniture both of Wiſdom, Counſel and good Books; whereby they may be there ſecured from the Temptations, which raw and unprincipled Youth do often fall into: For what will it profit them or you to gain the whole World, and loſe the precious Soul?
10. The Tradeſman ſhould be juſt in making due Proviſion for his Wife and Children, if he have thoſe Bleſſings, for there is Juſtice herein. The Wife hath brought a conſiderable Portion, in proſpect of a comfortable Proviſion; or elſe hath been helpful to get or keep your Eſtates, and govern your Houſhold-Affairs, or however is Bone of your Bone, and Fleſh of your Fleſh. She hath forſaken her Parents, and all her Friends, and caſt her ſelf upon the Love and Care of her Husband; Is it not juſt therefore that ſhe be provided for? Your Children are pieces of your ſelves; in whom, as far as can be, you are perpetuated; and by whom your Name, and God's Name, which is more, muſt be upheld. Theſe you have brought into the World in a helpleſs Condition: And is it juſt in you ſo to leave them? And yet ſuch is the Idleneſs and Negligence of ſome Tradeſmen, ſuch the palate-pleaſing in others, and in others ſuch fooliſh Bargains, and improvident Courſes, that they leave little to their Families, but Miſery and Tears. The Goods are priz'd, but they are old and uſeleſs: the Books are ſearcht, and they ſpeak no Comfort. The poor Wife runs and ſhifts one way, the Children they flee another. Nothing for the Creditor, nothing for the Wife, nothing for the Children. O wretched Injuſtice! the Name of ſuch Men muſt rot: Their Poſterity cannot riſe up, and call them Bleſſed. Will it excuſe ſuch Men, that they have been juſt to all Men, when they have been unjuſt to their own Fleſh? Not at all. Limit your ſelves therefore in your Expences; abate of your daily Superfluities in Clothes, Diet, and Furniture, that you may leave your Wives better than you found them; that you may leave your Children above the Charity of their Friends; that you may not die like the Brutes, who have no care of thoſe they leave behind them. Prov. 13. 22. A good Man leaveth an Inheritance to his Childrens Children. Pſal. 112. 3. Wealth and Riches ſhall be in his Houſe, and his Righteouſneſs endureth for ever.
11. This Juſtice in the Tradeſman obligeth him, to ſhew Mercy to the Poor. For it is evident from the Scripture, that Righteouſneſs containeth Charity: Pſal. 112. 9. He hath diſperſed, he hath given to the Poor, his Righteouſneſs endureth for ever: which the Apoſtle alſo, 2 Cor. 9. 9. applieth hereunto. And with good reaſon; for the Poor have a right to what we can ſpare for them. Hence, Prov. 3. 27. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. It is the Duty then of every Tradeſman, as it is of every other Man, to labour and work with his Hands the thing that is good, that he may have (not only to feaſt himſelf and Friends, or to hoard up for his Poſterity, but) to give to him that needeth. And he ſhould ſo order his own Expences, and improve his Skill and Care, that he may, if it be poſſible, be helpful unto others. It is therefore an unrighteous and unmerciful courſe in ſuch Brokers who require and retain for Pledges even the neceſſary Apparel, Tools, &c. of poor People, whom they ought rather to relieve in their wants, than ruine by their Oppreſſion. In ſuch Profeſſions, if they mix not Charity with Juſtice, they build their Houſes with the Tears and Blood of the Poor. The Chriſtian Tradeſman will rather ſtudy how he may imploy or relieve many, than impoveriſh any. He remembers how poor he was at his beiginning, and concludes, that he muſt give ſome real Teſtimony of his Gratitude to God for his Bounty to him.
And here is a large Field before you, wherein to ſow your Seed. Either you have ſome poor Kindred in City or in the Country; or God hath ſome poor Children of his, whoſe neceſſities cry for relief; or ſome poor Miniſters of Chriſt, that inſtead of living to ſtudy and preach, muſt ſtudy to live and get Bread; or ſome poor ingenious Scholars, that if they were ſupported a while, would become excellent Inſtruments of Good; or ſome towardly Youths, whoſe Parents can't put them to Trades; and others that have Skill and Parts, but have no Stock to ſet up with; or ſome poor Tradeſmen and Houſe-keepers that often want Work, and ſo want Bread, or are overſtock'd with Children, and yet are loth to complain, and aſham'd to beg, and ſo languiſh and waſte away: or ſome honeſt Maids, whom a little Money would ſettle either in Imployments or Marriage; who, being indigent and neglected, become liable to great Temptations. Beſides in the Country, there are Schools and Hoſpitals to erect and endow; Tithes to redeem from the Impropriators: Work-houſes to make for the Poor: Lectures to ſet up in the dark Corners of the Land; room and imploiment enough for your Charity. And to ſpeak the Truth, the Tradeſmen of England, and eſpecially of London, have outſtript all other Subjects in ſuch Acts of Charity as theſe: No Sort of Men being more ready on all Occaſions to realize their Charity, or that have ſcatter'd up and down the Nation ſuch viſible Inſtances thereof. For they are taught, that they are only Stewards of God's Stock, which is in their Hands; that well-ordered Charity is the moſt certain way of thriving; that what is imployed this way is not loſt, but lent on the beſt Security, and for the greateſt Intereſt; that it concerns them to lay up a Treaſure in Heaven, becauſe they muſt not abide always upon the Earth; and that the beſt Trading is for Inviſibles.
IV. And here let us ſtay a while, and make ſome Application of all this, which is the fourth Thing to be handled upon this Head.
1. By way of Reflexion. Have you been exactly juſt in all the above-ſaid Inſtances? Examine your own Conſciences. Perhaps no Man can charge you with any Injuſtice; but what ſays Conſcience? bring it to that Rule, Whatſoever ye would that Men ſhould do to you, do ye likewiſe to them: If Conſcience be not blind, it will ſee ſomething amiſs; if it be not ſear'd, it will ſpeak, and make you hear it; and the ſofteſt Pillow will not give you ſleep till you have made your peace both with God and Man. And withal take notice, that it is not ſufficient to intitle you to the Favour of God, that you have done as you would be done by; unleſs your Principle be right, that the Fear of God and the Authority of a ſanctified Conſcience incline you to it. Can you ſay as Neh. 5. 15. other Governours before did ſo and ſo; but ſo did not I, becauſe of the Fear of God? I was careful of my Credit, I was fearful of Diſgrace; but the chief Bridle that kept me from doing any Wrong, was the Fear of God. And though others made no ſcruple to uſe ſuch Tricks, nothing hath been more common than ſuch and ſuch Methods, yet ſo did not I do, nor ever will, becauſe of the Fear of God. And if this hath been your Courſe, then
2. Here is Comfort for you. If you can truly ſay, I have nothing that of right belongs to others; I can truly aſſure you, that many Bleſſings do of right belong to you. Whether you have much or little, a Bleſſing is in it. Better is a little with Righteouſneſs, than great Revenues without Right, Prov. 16. 8. Perhaps your Eſtate is but little, little to what it might have been, if you had taken the indirect Courſes, which ſome of your Neighbours have done: But your little is better than their Revenues, yea than the Riches of many Wicked, Pſal. 37. 16. You adorn the Goſpel, and the Goſpel will crown you: Your Poſterity ſhall, if it be good for them, flouriſh; when theirs ſhall be brought to a Morſel of Bread: For the righteous God loveth Righteouſneſs, and doth uſually in this Life reward the Upright. However he that walketh righteouſly, and ſpeaketh uprightly, he that deſpiſeth the Gain of Oppreſſions,—he ſhall dwell on High.—Thine Eyes ſhall ſee the King in his Beauty, they ſhall behold the Land that is very far off, Iſa. 33. 15. &c.
3. But if God or Man, or your own Conſciences can prove you unrighteous and unconſcionable in your Dealings, that care not how you get Wealth, ſo that you have it; nor whom you wrong, ſo that you can do it cleverly; let theſe Lines help to convict you, let theſe Words ſink into your Hearts. Happy ye would be, but this is not the way to it: this only is the way to accurſed Riches; you build your Houſe upon a Quick-ſand; Jerem. 17. 11. As the Partridg ſitteth on Eggs, and hatcheth them not: So he that getteth Riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his Days, and at his End ſhall be a Fool. He was a Fool all along, but he ſhall find at last that he is a Fool. And though the Sword of Juſtice never reach you, nor any Man's Eye find you out; yet that Scripture will follow and overtake you, 1 Theſſ. 4. 6. Let no Man go beyond and defraud his Brother in any matter, becauſe that the Lord is the Avenger of all ſuch, as we alſo have forwarned you, and teſtified. You wrong your Neighbour much, but you wrong your ſelves more. You diſhonour and defy a righteous God, who hath ſaid, Job 20. 15, &c. He hath ſwallowed down Riches, and he ſhall vomit them up again: God ſhall cast them out of his Belly,—ſurely he ſhall not feel Quietneſs in his Belly,—In the Fulneſs of his Sufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits, &c. Will ye not believe this, until ye feel it? Do not his Eyes behold, and his Eye-lids try the Children of Men? Hath he left off to be juſt? No, no; your Sin is crying for Vengeance all this while. O let the Long-ſuffering of God be Salvation to you! Let our Counſel be acceptable to you! which is to break off your Sins by Righteouſneſs, and your Iniquities by ſhewing Mercy to the Poor, if it may be a lengthning of your Tranquillity, Dan. 4. 27. Your Riches are corrupted, your Gold and Silver is canker'd, your Subtilty is Folly, ye are in the wrong way to Greatneſs; durable Riches and Righteouſneſs go together; Wrath gotten by Vanity ſhall be diminiſhed, but he that gathereth by Labour, ſhall increaſe, Prov. 13. 11.
4. Let all this ſtrengthen my Exhortation to all you Tradeſmen unto theſe four Things.
1. That you govern your ſelves and all your Actions by this golden Rule of Juſtice and Equity. Put your ſelves into the Place of thoſe you deal with, and carry it to them, as you would be us'd by them. Remember, that as you are ſelling to others to day, ſo you may be buying of others to morrow. Reckon not that all is gain'd, which is gotten from your Brother, but only that which is honeſtly gain'd; that it is a light Gain that makes a heavy Purſe, and that a good Conſcience is the beſt Eſtate; and generally in all the abovenamed Inſtances exerciſe your ſelves to have a Conſcience void of Offence, both towards God and Men. Believe God, ſo ſhall ye proſper. Often think of that Saying, What ſhall it profit a Man, if he ſhall gain the whole World, and loſe his own Soul?
And 2. If you have wronged any Man, and dealt unjuſtly with him, make ſpeedy Reſtitution: For you cannot be ſaid truly to repent of your Sin, unleſs you have at leaſt a real Purpoſe to reſtore, whatſoever you have unjuſtly gotten. This is both your Duty and your Interest.
1. It is your Duty; commanded by God and commended by him: Commanded, Numb. 5. 6, 7. When a Man or Woman ſhall commit any Sin that Men commit, to do a Treſpaſs againſt the Lord, [mark, though your Neighbour be the immediate Object, yet it redounds to the Lord] and that Perſon be guilty: then they ſhall confeſs their Sin which they have done, and he ſhall recompenſe his Treſpaſs with the Principal thereof [that is, the juſt Value of the Thing wherein he hath wronged his Brother] and add unto it the fifth Part thereof [both as a Penalty for the Wrong, and alſo to make the Satisfaction full] and give it unto him againſt whom he hath treſpaſſed. Now the Moral Equity which is contained in any of theſe judicial Laws, binds every Man to the End of the World. See alſo Levit. 6. 5. Hereupon Samuel ſaith, 1 Sam. 12. 3. Whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppreſſed? and I will reſtore it you. This Nehemiah called for, Nehem. 5. 11, 12. and the People preſently yielded to him. And this is Commended in Zacheus, Luk. 19. 8. Lord, if I have taken any thing, [mark, any thing of what kind ſoever, of what quantity ſoever] of any Man [good or bad, rich or poor, King or Subject] by falſe Accuſation, I reſtore him [not I'll do it at my leiſure, when I have a greater Eſtate to do it with, but upon the nail I reſtore him] fourfold: I'll be the Loſer, he ſhall have fourfold. And if ever Salvation come to your Houſe, and the Dominion of Grace into your Heart, you will go and do likewiſe.
2. It is your Interest to make Reſtitution. For what you have got by Wrong, will never do you good. The Gain of Deceit laſts but a while; or if it do, it ſtays with you in Wrath. If it abide with you till you dy, yet the Curſe of God ſtays with it; and lies, if not viſibly upon your Eſtate, Body, or Children, yet really on your poor Souls, which is worſt of all. It adheres to all you have, as the Plague to a rich Suit of Cloaths; they are gay and rich, but Death is in them: and who, that's wiſe, would wear the richeſt Suit with the Plague in it? courſe Sack-cloth were much better. So it were better for you a thouſand times to live poor and juſt, and dy bleſſed, than to live and dy with a Curſe. Now is it not Wiſdom to part with that which will do you no good but harm? What, run a hazard of loſing all your honeſt Gain, by keeping ſome little which is diſhoneſt? What, and venture Hell-fire, rather than part with ſome of your Eſtate; when as (if God ſay the Word tonight) you muſt part with it all before Morning? Is it not better to bring it back and be ſaved, than to have it fetcht, and you be loſt? I tell you, if ever your Eyes be ſavingly open'd, you will make as much haſte to reſtore what you have wrongfully gotten, as ever you did to get it; and ſhake it out of your Skirt, as you would bruſh a Spark of Fire off your Cloaths. Think not hereby to lay up Eſtates for your Children, alas! this is not the way; for if you could riſe out of your Graves but one fifty Years after your Death, you would ſee that the Canker of your Deceits and Injuries had conſum'd it all; and that thoſe Riches which ruin'd your poor Souls in the getting of them, had ruin'd the Souls of your Poſterity in the conſuming of them. The Father damn'd by injurious Getting an Eſtate, and the Son, or Grand-child at furtheſt, damn'd by the ungodly Waſting of it. How many Houſes have you ſeen ruin'd, where an Oppreſſor, where a Knave hath dwelt? in a few Generations their Names are blotted out; and they who preferr'd Earth to Heaven, have neither Earth nor Heaven at laſt: and can you go by their Houſes, and not receive Inſtruction? will you ſee and know this, and yet follow them? Reſolve then from this Day to reſtore what you cannot honeſtly or ſafely keep. Make your ſelves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteouſneſs. Take thy ill-gotten Goods in thy Hand (as that Philoſopher did his Eſtate, when he threw it into the Sea) and reſolve, 'tis better that theſe Things be loſt for me, than with me: What ſhall a Man give in exchange for his Soul?
Perhaps you will plead your Inability: that if every Bird had its own Feathers, you ſhould be left abſolutely naked; and in ſhort, that your whole Eſtate would not recompenſe thoſe whom you have wrong'd.
Anſw. Total Inability excuſes Reſtitution in the Kind, but yet there muſt be Reſtitution in the Mind. The Will you muſt have at preſent, and the Deed (except remitted) if ever you be able. In the mean time you ought to mourn, that you have wrong'd your Neighbour in Actions, and can only right him in your Wiſhes. And ſure there is ſome juſt Hand of God in it, that your Eſtate (though increas'd by your wronging of others) ſhould be brought to ſuch an Ebb, that you are now unable to make juſt Reſtitution. Surely God hath blown upon it with his Curſe already; and you may find by this, that no Induſtry or Cunning can aſſure ill-gotten Goods. And as ſure as this Curſe follows you externally; ſo ſurely (without Repentance and Reſtitution) will it follow you eternally. And therefore you are quite out in your Arguing, you cannot reſtore, becauſe it will make you poor; for if you do not reſtore, you will be poorer ſtill: And then it's better to be poor with God's Bleſſing, than poor with his Curſe. And grant it do bring you low, to reſtore every Man his own; alas! it doth only deliver you from that Eſtate, which would do you hurt, and ſtrip you of ſome Garments, that would keep you too hot. However the Event, Duty muſt be done, whether we grow rich or poor by it. Poverty and Piety are better company than Riches and Sin. And if you can truſt God (and otherwiſe you cannot be ſaved) he can and will, if it be for your good, make you amends for your Self-denial, and give you Goods and a good Conſcience alſo: 2 Chron 25. 9. The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Howbeit, if the preſent Reſtitution ſhould be to your utter undoing, which may be avoided by ſome reaſonable Delay; acquaint the Party injured with your purpoſe, who will in Charity allow you ſome ſpace of Compenſation, and praiſe your Integrity.
Obj. It may be you will ſay, I ſhall be ſhamed, my Name will be poſted up for Diſhoneſty, and my Credit (which is a Tradeſman's Demeſne) will be blaſted.
Anſw. Sin is worſe than Shame. A Man may ſtand under Shame, but you cannot ſtand under the guilt of Sin. A wounded Conſcience who can bear? Holy Auguſtine hath determin'd long ago, that Sin is not remitted, till the Thing be reſtored, wherein you ſinned. If your Conſcience were tender, or your Eyes truly open, you would more tremble for Guilt than Shame. It was never better with Ephraim, than when he was aſhamed, yea even confounded (the higheſt degree of Shame) for the Sins of his Youth, Jer. 31. 19. and never worſe with Ephraim, than when he was given up to Sin, Hoſ. 4. 17. How long do you think it will be, ere you muſt be charged before God, Angels, and all your Neighbours with your unworthy Dealings? and then what unſpeakable Shame will cover your Face, when it will be found, that after all theſe Warnings, you liv'd and died in thoſe Sins? Alas! it will be but a while, and all your Hearts and Actions ſhall be laid out to the view of all; and were it not better that you prevented this your ſelf? But, I pray, what Shame is it to do that which is good, and to undo that which is evil? It is a Shame indeed to ſin, but that is paſt; but now you are about a Work of Righteouſneſs, Equity and Honeſty, there is no Shame in this; nay all Men, at leaſt all wiſe Men, will think better of you, than ever before: They will now conclude certainly, yonder is a ſingular good Man, that of his own accord will part with his Eſtate, and venture his Credit, rather than burden his Conſcience, or remain under the guilt of Sin. All Men will commend this, and much Praiſe will redound to God. Pray what Diſgrace is it to Zacheus, that he was willing to reſtore which he had gotten by wrong? God and Man record it to his Honour.
But for this you may ſo order your Reſtitution, that (if Occaſion require it) you never need to be known. Conſider whom you have injured, and how much; and then chuſe your diſcreet Miniſter, or ſome other faithful Friend, who may diſpoſe the Thing reſtored, or the Value of it, to the right Owner, and your Name never needs be known. But rather exceed than fall ſhort of the full Value, in your Reſtitution. I will reſtore him, ſaith Zacheus, fourfold. And you know the Conſtitution which God made in this behalf, Numb. 5. 7. And add to the Principal the fifth Part thereof, and give it to him. This is equitable for him, who haply hath been prejudiced by your Injury, more than the naked Value, eſpecially if much Time be paſt: and it is profitable for you, when your Sin coſts you ſo dear, it is likely you will not eaſily treſpaſs ſo again.
If after all, you plead that the Party you have wronged is dead, and perhaps there is none left, to whom Reſtitution may be made; or the Perſons are now at ſuch a diſtance, that it is impoſſible to make them perſonal Amends.
I anſwer; Reſtitution muſt be made in the proper place, if it be poſſible; or if the Party be dead, to their Heirs or Executors, and pains muſt be taken to find them out. But if no Perſon can be found, in whom the Right of receiving doth remain; then hear what God ſaith, Numb. 5. 8. But if the Man have no Kinſman (or Perſon having Right) to recompenſe the Treſpaſs unto, let the Treſpaſs be recompenſed unto the Lord, even to the Prieſt. Almighty God is Heir-General in ſuch Caſes, in whoſe name and ſtead his Priests and Poor are authoriz'd to give you an Acquittance; and your Sin, being bewailed, ſhall through the Ram of Atonement, mentioned in the ſame Verſe, be forgiven. But till this be done or fully purpoſed, your Guilt remains, you are yet in your Sin.
3. Hence be exhorted, in all your Trading to take always the ſafer Path in doubtful Caſes; for it is impoſſible to ſpecify the Caſes, which occur to you in the Courſe of your Negotiations, wherein you will be in doubt whether this and that may be done or no. In ſuch Caſes chuſe to do that which ſeems the moſt innocent, the moſt juſt and the moſt charitable of the two. Run not always to the utmoſt of Things that may be lawful; he that goes upon the Brink of a River, you know is in Danger to fall into it. In matters of Duty, it's generally beſt to do the moſt, but in matters of Priviledg or Advantage (where there is doubt) chuſe to take the least; for we have naturally Diſpoſitions, that will byaſs us towards our ſelves. And in point of Gain, always uſe Favour to the Poor, Ingenuity to the Unskilful, and Moderation towards all. You will find this to be the beſt way to a quiet Conſcience, and to a firm Eſtate. And in caſes of weight and difficulty, reſort to ſome more experienc'd and conſcientious Tradeſman for Advice; yea, reſort to God's Miniſters, and ſtating the Caſe aright, crave their Counſel. For the Prieſts Lip ſhould keep Knowledg, and the People ſhould ſeek the Law at his Mouth; for he is the Meſſenger of the Lord of Host, Malach. 2. 7.
4. Laſtly, prevent others (as far as you can) from doing wrong. Recommend and propagate Juſtice to your Children; charge your Servants, that they offer not the leaſt wrong. Be, and profeſs your ſelves to be, irreconcilable Enemies to all injurious and deceitful Dealing. If Knaves and Cheats can incourage one another in their Vilanies; how much more ſhould upright and honeſt Men promote Righteouſneſs and Honeſty? Stand not patiently by, while another Man offers to do Injury; at leaſt be not Partakers with them. He that hinders not an Injury when he might, makes it his own. Improve the Intereſt or Sway you have in your ſeveral Societies, to reform what is amiſs there in this reſpect; and do your beſt to ſettle whatſoever belongs to your ſeveral Trades in ſuch a manner, as is moſt agreeable to Equity and Honeſty. And for all theſe Ends, labour to have your Hearts renewed: the Tree muſt be good, before the Fruit can be ſo. The Name of a Chriſtian will not ſave him, that lives a Pagan Life. Imputed Rightcouſneſs will not profit an unrighteous Dealer. Think often, I muſt leave this Shop and all theſe Riches when I dy; and I know not how ſoon that may be: and what makes me fear Death, but Sin? What comfort can I have in all my Riches, if my Conſcience be unſound? and reſolve therefore, though I be a poor Man, yet I'll be an honeſt Man; though I may not be very great, yet I will always be very juſt; that ſo you may when you dy, take a good Conſcience with you, and leave a good Name and a Bleſſing behind you. And ſo much for the Tradeſman's Juſtice.