A Christian Family Built by God, Section 22 – Section 25
SECT. 22.
3. FOr buying, ſelling, letting, hiring, God gives one general rule; Defraud not, or goe not beyond your brother in any matter. 1 Th…ſſ. 4. 6Dealing is ſo intertwiſted with deceit, as if tradeſmen generally had another rule to walk by, from another Bible of their own deviſing.
But God will have an account from every tradeſman of this rule which he hath given them.
Enquire,
1. Who is meant by our Brother?
2. What is meant by going beyond, or defrauding?
3. Why you muſt not doe it?
1. By brother, you muſt underſtand every one that you are to deal with. Have we not Mal. 2. 10. Caveat emptor.all one Father? and ſo we are all brethren. That ſpeech therefore is rotten, Let the buyer beware. he was a ſtranger, he ſhould have looked better to it. I have read of ſome Heathens who would teach their children to lie to ſtrangers and enemies, but not to friends, But theſe children forgot this diſtinction, and made bold to lie to their beſt friends. ſo we finde it in tradeſmen, who miſtaking brother for a friend onelyonly, deceive poore ſtrangers, and out of cuſtome make bold with their friends, and give them a curriſh and unkind nip upon this account, that he is my friend that I can gain by.
2. By going beyond, or defrauding, you muſt underſtand over-reaching, cozening in bargaining one with another, as in buying, ſelling, letting, and hiring.
3. The reaſons why ye may not doe it may be theſe:
Firſt, Becauſe God is the avenger of all ſuch, 1 Theſſ. 4. 6 Qui tantum timet eſt inimicus Iuſtitiae.as Paul hath it. I know He that doth a dutie onelyonly for feare, is an enemy of juſtice: Yet an eye to the puniſhment is one ingredient which muſt have a ſtroak here. And this is moſt true, where mans juſtice fails, Gods vengeance comes in to make a ſupply as in the caſe of Ahab, Ieſabel, and Naboth. Gods rules are excellent; Rob not the poore becauſe he is poore, Prov. 22. 22, 23.for the Lord will plead their cauſe, and ſpoile the ſoul of them that ſpoyled them.
Secondly, Becauſe there is a kind of Adulterie or worſe filth in it. The Law ſaith, that Nature hath made a marriage betwixt the heart V…rba concipiuntur in adulterio.and the tongue; therefore when the heart and tongue doe diſagree, words are conceived in adulterie: ſo may we ſay betwixt words and truth of things in bargaining, ſo farre as acts are produced without the concurrence of words and truth, they are brought forth in adulterie.
If therefore there muſt be no defrauding in any matter, you muſt firſt be equal in ſelling.
To this end weigh,
1. Who muſt ſell?
2. What muſt …e ſold?
3. How it muſt be ſold?
1. For the perſon that muſt ſell, he muſt be a juſt profeſſor, one that ownes a commoditie by good r…ght, and hath judgement to doe it. This is but equal, and ſo excludes thieves, fools, and all that have gotten goods unjuſtly, which muſt be reſtored (if they would have pardon) and not ſold.
2. That muſt be ſold which may be valued with money. Not the graces and gifts of God either miraculous or ordinarie, as the pardon 2 Kings 5. 20. Acts 8.of ſinne, or the like, of which ſale Teceliris was a great Merchant for the Pope in the daies of Luther, no nor juſtice muſt be ſold by bribery, which is to be reckoned for in too many places of …udicatures, nor muſt lies be ſold by falſe witneſſes, or ungodly Lawyers; nor courteſie, mercy▪ time, by the common Uſurers; but that which may be valued by money.
Yea, Thirdly, It muſt be worth the mony we ſell it for.
Queſt. If you ask how it ſhall be valued?
Anſw. I anſwer, the worth of a thing is double; Natural, and ſo a living Flie by natural worth is of more value then all dead gold; uſual, and this is valued by the goodneſſe of the thing, if it be not counterfeit and vitious, as Eſd. 1. 22. Amos 8. 6.when wine is mixed with water, droſſe with ſilver, chaff, and refuſe with wheat: and by the rareneſſe of a commoditie; in this caſe 2 Kings 5. 18. 25.a cab of Doves dung, and an Aſſes head is valued above their natural or uſual worth. Yet no commoditie muſt be made rare by our ingroſsing Prov. 11. 26and foreſtalling; for he that withdrawes the corn hoping for a dearer market, the poore ſhal curſe him, but bleſsing ſhall be to him that ſells it; and ſo for other commodities.
Queſt. But you will ſay, May a man in no caſe ſell for more then a commoditie is worth? Anſw. I know but one caſe in which they may, and that is when by the ſale of it a man is damnified; for then the loſſe may be repaired; otherwiſe the very Thuriaci made the ſeller ſweare before the Magiſtrate, that he ſold for no more then his commodity was worth.
Queſt. But ſtill you ſay, may not a man ſell for more then it is worth, when he ſels for time?
Anſw. This ſelling for time undoes many a man, in making him a debter before he knowes how to pay, and embezels the ſtate of many an heire, who flouriſheth for a time, and ſels his inheritance by leiſure. But you muſt know that there is a fourefold price of commodities. Pious, betwixt brother and brother; Diſcr…et, Dium, diſc…e…um: …igidum augmentatum.betwixt man and man, Rigid, betwixt Chriſtian and Turk; and Augmented above theſe three. The firſt three exceed not Juſtice, if a tradeſman be worſted by delay. But the fourth doth. For it biteth and devoureth for times ſake, and which is not in a mans power to ſell.
3. As the how and manner of ſelling, it muſt not be deceitfully in word or deed. Not in word, by flattering the buyer, or praiſing the commoditie above its worth, or by concealing the faults. Not in Deeds, when they Eſ. 1. Amos 8.deceive in the kind, as by ſelling dros for ſilver or refuſe for wheat; or in the Qualitie, as by making it ſeem better then it is by falſe gloſſes, falſe lights, or by comparing it with Prov. 11. 1. Amos 8. 4, 5, 6, 7. Levit. 19. 35, 36. Deut. 25. 14, 15.worſe: or in the Quantitie, by falſe weights and meaſures, both which are alike abominable to God.
Object. But then you will ſay, we ſhall never be rich.
Sol. You know not that, remember a good Proverb, that light gain makes an heavie purſe: And forget not two excellent Proverbs of Solomon, An heritage haſtily gotten ſhall not be Prov. 20. 21 Prov. 28. 20bleſſed, and a faithful man ſhal abound with bleſſings: but he that makes haſt to be rich, ſhall not be innocent.
SECT. 23.
2. IF there muſt be no defrauding in any matter, you muſt equal in buying.
To this end conſider.
1. The perſon of whom you must buy.
2. The thing you buy.
3. The manner of buying.
1. You muſt onelyonly buy of him that hath right to ſell, whatſoever pennieworth you may have, you muſt not (as near as poſſibly you can) buy ſtolne and uniuſtly gotten goods.
If you doe, you doe communicate with him in ſinne, and countenance him in it. Remember what God blames, Thou ſaweſt a thief, Pſalm. 50. 18. Prov. 29. 24and runneſt with him; and what Solomon ſaith, He that is partner with a thief, hates his owne ſoul: Yea, if you doe, you bind your ſelves to loſſe, by Reſtitution, though you have paied for it. For ye muſt reſtore that which is another mans, how precious ſo ever it be to you, and ſeek your remedie of the ſeller. If you ſay you have bought it. You may alſo buy another mans houſe and lands, ſhal you therefore poſſeſſe them. So nor ought you to poſſeſſe any things that is another mans right, howſoever it be made yours. If all the unjuſt perſons and plunderers in theſe times, who without martial warrant have gotten eſtates by this way would think ſadly of it, their creſts would ſoon fall.
2. Conſider the thing bought. It muſt be a thing to be ſold, not the gifts of God, nor remiſſion of ſinnes, nor holy orders; but a Acts 8. 18, 19.thing to be ſold; and a thing worth no more then we buy it for, at leaſt between brother and brother. Amos blames them that buy the poore Amos 2. & 8. 6.for ſilver, and the needi… for ſhooes. This is done when ye ſet ſmall prices upon poore peoples works, and commodities, which is a crying ſinne of theſe times; and when great prizes are ſet upon ſuch commodities as the poore muſt buy and live upon, which is as crying a ſinne as the former. …ob ſaith, If I have eat the fruits of the land without ſilver (except it were given him) let thiſtles grow Job 31. 39. 40.in ſtead of wheat, and cockles in ſtead of barley. Moſt people care not how deare they ſell, and for how little they buy. They would have it for leſſe then it coſt the ſeller, they cannot endure honeſt gains. But they will finde this to be unequal, and that it will breed gravel in their teeth.
3. The manner of buying muſt be laſtly conſidered, and muſt be void of all deceit, either in word or deed. It muſt not have deceit in words: for the buyer muſt not debaſe and diſpraiſe the ware below the worth. If he doe, Solomon puls him by the ſleeve; It is naught, it is naught ſaith the buyer, but when Prov. 20. 14he is gone he brags of his penny worth. It muſt not have deceit indeed by paying counterfeit, and clipt coine, or leſſe then they agree for; both are faults of the miſerable wretches of this time.
SECT. 24.
IF there muſt be no defrauding in any matter; you muſt be Equal in letting.
To this end Conſider,
1. What letting is?
2. How it muſt be performed?
1. Letting is the putting over the uſe of a thing to another for a price, the propertie remaining in our ſelves. I ſay, for a price to diſtinguiſh it from lending which is free I ſay, the propertie remaining, to diſtinguiſh it from lending of money, wherein the property in laying of it out, paſſeth away.
2. This letting muſt be performed upon theſe termes.
Firſt, that which is let muſt be fit for the uſe for which it is let. To let a fool or idle perſon to doe a wiſe mans buſineſſe is unjuſt. To let a lame, dul, weake horſe, to doe a ſound quick horſes work is unjuſt. To let barren and ill conditioned Land, for good and fruitful; or to let an houſe that is readie to fall, for a ſufficient one, are unjuſt: we doe not as we would be done unto.
Secondly, that muſt be lett whoſe uſe muſt be diſtinguiſhed from the propertie, that the Letter may have his own again, which can not be in money.
Thirdly, In letting profit muſt be ſo proportioned, that he that hires may be ſufficiently recompenſed for his labour, and charge. Solomon let his Vineyard in Baalhamon to keepers, ſo, as he had A thouſand pieces of ſilver for his Rent, and the keepers Cant. 8. 11, 12.Two hundered, for their labour, and charge. But if we look to moſt Landlords now, we ſhall finde ſuch pennie worths, that the tenant labouring never ſo hard, can ſcarcely live.
Fourthly, He that is the Letter muſt bear the hazard of the thing let, if it miſcarrie not thorough the hirers fault: therefore they are unjuſt who exact recompenſe above Exod. 22. 15.Covenant. Certainly, Laban was wicked who would not ſtand to a plain bargain with Jacob about the diſcoloured ſheep, Exod. 30. 20. to v. 3. c. 31.though by his care Laban had been made rich. Such Landlords, and Letters may encreaſe, but not be built by God.
SECT. 25.
4. IF there muſt be no defrauding in any matter, you muſt be Equall in hiring: and becauſe hiring is of two ſorts, I ſhall ſhew that you muſt be equal in both.
Firſt, If you hire perſons for labour, you muſt allow an equal ſtipend. Their labour is great as Jacobs, and the labourer is worthie Gen. 31. 6. 39. 40. Levit. 19. 13. Deut. 42. 14, 15. James 5. 4.of his hire. You muſt (if he be poore) give it him without delay. The workemans hire, (If his work be done) Thou ſhalt not withhold till morning, ſaith God. If you doe, God calls it Oppreſſion, and that ſin Cries as well as others.
Secondly, in hiring of things: Firſt, you muſt acknowledge God the great Landlord, as David ſaith, The earth is the Lords, and the Pſalm. 24. 1fulneſſe thereof. This will breed Conſcience in the uſe of it, as if ye had hired it of him immediately. Secondly, you muſt uſe the thing hired in that manner, and to that end for which it was let, both in regard of Commoditie and owner.
It was a great indignitie when the Houſeholder ſent his ſervants to receive Fruites according Matth. 21. 33, 34, 35.to the bargain, and they were ill entreated and perſecuted. Theſe reſpected not the ends of their hiring, and were uſed accordingly; ſo may juſtly all unjuſt hirers be ſerved in the end.
Secondly, You muſt reſtore and deliver it up at the time appointed. The Parable of the Talents teacheth thus much where you M…tth. 25.ſee the Talents were called for, and delivered to the Owner, with the improvement of them.
Thirdly, You muſt make what was hired good, if it have miſcarried thorough your default. This …od requires of things committed unto your truſt; much more of things Exod. 22. 12.which are hired by you.
Oh, that all this Juſtice were in fu…l uſe▪ But it muſt be confeſſed that it is too great a ſtranger till death comes, and the Books are opened, and then, many times it is too late, when men are in as bad a caſe as they who call to the mountains to fall upon them, and the hills to cover them?