The Whole Duty of Man Epitomized, Part 12
PARTITION XII.
Of Theft; Stealing; of Deceit … Truſt; in Traffick; of Reſtitution, &c.
THE next Par… Stealing the Goods of our Neighbour.of Theft is; either by open Violen… or private Fraud, th… Robbing our Neighbour of tha… which he is in Poſſeſſion of. This a Vice that wants no Aggravation it need not be diſputed, but th… both the High-way Man and Houſ… breaker, as well as the ſly, injurio… Pilferer are two Ranks of degen… rate Creatures ſo odious to God that they are unfit for humane S… ciety. There are a great ma… Branches of this ſort of Robber… as the Concealing of ſtol'n Good… the buying them at cheap Rate with many others, which I need n… mention any further, they being beſt but a kind of Robbery. God will be ſure to deal ſeverely with us upon that account, although perhaps we may eſcape the Cogui…ance of the Law.
A third Part of Injuſtice is Deceit, of Deceit.which the Acts are ſo numerous, that 'tis morally impoſſible to Name 'em all: I ſhall Rank them therefore under theſe two general Heads, viz. The Deceits of Truſt, and Traffick.
He that deceives a Man in a Matter of In Truſt.Truſt that is committed to him, is guilty of the moſt treacherous and baſe Injuſtice; in ſuch a Caſe we are to behave our ſelves with the utmoſt Fidelity; eſpecially, when any thing for the …ſes of Piety or Charity are committed to our Charge; he that vi…lates his Faith in theſe particulars, …dds Sacriledge to Fraud and Trea…hery, and entails upon him all the Curſes that are due to thoſe Sins.
As to Matters of Traffick, there may be deceit both in the Buyer and Seller; In Traffick. By the Sellers concealing the faults, and over-rating their Wares.the Seller Sins greatly, when by a Connection of Lies, perhaps Oaths and Execrations, he conceals or excuſes the faults in his Commodities, or what's as bad, ſells by falſe weights and meaſures, or impoſe… an extravagant unreaſonable Price upon the Buyer; theſe are indeed grown very common and practic… faults, but yet never the more excuſable, the great Judge of Truth and Equity has often declar'd his ſolemn diſpleaſure againſt 'em, and will be ſure, ſooner or later, to puniſh them to the utmoſt.
The Buyer may be guilty of Fraud too Fraud in the Buyer.and though indeed h… does not fall under ſ… many Temptations as the Seller yet when ever he makes an advantage of his Neighbours Wants, and Purchaſes his Commodities at under Rates, without doubt he offends the Juſtice of God, by thus inſulting upon, and making his Advantage of his Brothers Neceſſities.
The Temptations to Deceit in Traffick, Many Temptations to deceit in Traffick.are ſo interwoven with all Trades, that it behoves every dealing Man to have a great Care to guard himſelf againſt them, this way of Cheating is become a perfect Trade it ſelf, and Men boaſt of it, and value themſelves upon it, but for all that the Eyes of God are too pure to behold ſuch Iniquity; nay, The commonneſs, a Reproach to Chriſtianity.'tis even a ſcandal to our Chriſtian Profeſſion, a very high and ſolemn breach of thoſe common Rules of Juſtice and Equity laid down in the Precepts of the Goſpel to be the Standard and Guide of our Actions.
Beſides all this, 'tis but a miſtaken Principle neither, Fraud and Undermining, deceitful meaſures and falſe ballances are not the right way to It is no way to make a Man Rich, but ruines the Soul.make us Rich, there goes a ſecret Curſe along with ſuch kind of Practice which is generally executed in this Life; which though it may by chance fail here, it never fails in the next; there the Deceiver will be fatally deceiv'd in the loſs of his Soul, the Conſideration of which ſhould methinks put him upon the grand Reſtitution.Remedy, Reſtitution, without which he can never make any tolerable Attonement for the Injury he has done either to God or his Neighbour.