The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 9
SERM. IX.
1 Cor. 7 30.
—And they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not.
I Come now to the other particular, that you take heed you do not tranſgreſs Scripture Rules in ſelling Commodities. And as the Scripture is very large in laying down Rules concerning buying: ſo likewiſe it is not wanting in laying down Rules and directions in reference to the ſelling of Commodities, I ſhall name to you 9. or 10. of them.
1. If you would not tranſgreſs Scripture Rules, do not needleſly multiply words in ſelling a Commodity. Scripture Rules concerning ſelling Commodities.The Scripture is large in this particular. As Gen. 23.15. when Abraham was to buy the Cave of Machpelah of Ephron, there was but one word between them, Ephron ſaid it was worth ſo much, and Abraham preſently gave it him. ſo Zach. 11,12. If you think good, ſaies God, give me my price, and if not, forbear. Multiplicity of words is needleſs. Prov. 10.19.In a multitude of words, ſaith Solomon, there is ſin. As in ordinary diſcourſe, ſo in commerce in a multitude of words is ſin. I do not ſpeak this as if I would have men ſtupid and blockiſh in a ſhop; but they ſhould not be laviſh and frolick, and frothy in their ſpeeches.
2. Do not multiply words in commending and overprayſing your Commodity, when you know in your conſcience, that there is a flaw or a fault in it: this is a vicious carriage in a ſeller, when he uſes abundance of fine words to ſet off a bad Commodity. As it is a ſin in the buyer, to ſay it is naught, it is naught, ſo in the ſeller, to ſay it is good, it is good, when it is not ſo.
3. Sell not your Commodities by falſe waights, or meaſures; do not keep a deceitfull ballance, or a deceitfull meaſure. Amos 5. there the Lord reproves thoſe that ſet forth wheat, making the Ephah ſmall, and the ſhekell great, and falſifying the ballances by deceit; ſo in Prov. 10 20. divers waights and divers meaſures, both of them are a like abomination to the Lord, that is, the Lord hates and abhorrs thoſe men that uſe, and ſell by thoſe waights and meaſures that are not good; and therefore the Lord gave a ſpeciall Law to all that did follow trading in Iſrael, in Deut. 25.15,16. that they ſhould uſe no deceit in their waights and meaſures, in the 13. and 14. verſes, Thou ſhalt not have in thy bag divers waights, a great & a ſmall, thou ſhalt not have in thy houſe divers meaſures, a great & a ſmall; but thou ſhalt have a perfect and a juſt waight, a perfect and a juſt meaſure ſhalt thou have, that thy days may be lengthned 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 thy God, which is not to be underſtood of divers ſorts of waights, as pounds, ounces, ells, yards, &c. or of many of the ſame ſort, if of the juſt ſize; but of divers waights of the ſame ſort of an unjuſt and unequall ſize. And therefore beloved, take heed of unjuſt and falſe waights or meaſures, Micah 6.10. ſaies God there, Are there yet the Treaſures of wickedneſs in the houſe of the wicked? (mony that is gotten by unjuſt waights & meaſures, are called the treaſures of wickedneſs) and the ſcant meaſure that is abominable.
4. You are to make conſcience, not only that you do not ſpeak falſly; but alſo that you do not ſpeak equivocally. It is an obſervatiō that one hath upon theſe words, let no man defraud his Brother, ſaies he; many Tradeſ-men, though they will not lie, yet they will equivocate. Many men to put off a Commodity, will have a partner, or ſome friend or other to bid them money for it, and then the next Cuſtomer they have forit, they will tell him that but even now ſuch a man offered ſo much for it, to draw the buyer to give ſo much; And then they will ſay it coſt me ſo much, when it may be, they had Commodities of a higher priſe, and greater value amongſt them at the ſame rate, and perhaps they have a great deal of time allowed them for the payment, whereas the buyer payes ready mony; and many ſuch like equivocations to deceive the world withall.
5. Do not in ſelling a Commodity, work upon the ignorance or ſimplicity of the man that comes to buy that Commodity of thee. If you perceive that he is unskilfull, rather uſe him the better then the worſe, Zeph. 1.9. God threatneth to puniſh the young men that leap upon the threſhold, and fill their Maſters houſes with violence and deceit, and ſo in 1. Theſ. 4.6. ſaies the Apoſtle, let no man go beyond, or defraud his Brother in any matter, for the Lord is th… avenger of all ſuch. So in 2 Pet. 2.3. the Apoſtle ſpeaking there of corrupt teachers, ſaies he, through covetouſneſs ſhall they with fained words make merchandiſe of you: thus do falſe Tradeſmen in their Shops. It is a great ſin for a man to work upon the ignorance of the buyer thereby to advance the price of a commodity.
6. Take heed you do not embaſe a commodity from its primitive and originall goodneſs and excellency, that ſo you may get the more by it. This the Scripture condemns in Amos 8.6. They ſell the refuſe of the wheat. The Corn-mongers would pick out the beſt grains, & then ſell the refuſe, which God reproves and condemns them for. And this the Prophet alludes to in Eſay 1.22. Thy ſilver is become droſſe, thy wine mixt with water, they mingled wine with water, and droſſe with filver; the Scripture condemns the debaſing a commodity from its primitive goodneſs, and yet to ſell it at the full price and value of the beſt.
7. Be not amongſt the firſt that ſhall raiſe the Market, and enhance the price of a commodity. This I hinted in the morning to be a very great miſcarriage. In Prov. 11.26. He that withholdeth Corn the people ſhall curſe hin; but be that ſelleth it the people ſhall bleſs him. Neh. 5.2.3It is a great oppreſſion in a Common-wealth, for men to raiſe the price of corn, or any other commodity, when there is no neceſſity of it.
8. Be not ſo eager and intent in ſelling your commodities, as not to content your ſelves to trade upon the ſix dayes of the week; but you muſt ſell upon the Sabbath-day too. Be not like thoſe in Amos 8.5. that ſay, when will the new Moons be gone, that we may ſell corn, and the Sabbath, that we may ſet forth wheat. Theſe greedy covetous muck-worms were ſo bent upon their gains, that the ſix dayes of the week were not enough for them, but they would ſell upon the Sabbath too. Neh. 13.21. this is that which Nehemiah was ſo carefull to reform, when the Merchants came into Jeruſalem to ſell their commodities on the Sabbath-day, he teſtified againſt them, and conteſted with the Nobles of Judah, and ſaid unto them, what evill thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath-day? and he told the Merchants and ſellers of all kind of wares, that if they did ſo again, he would lay hands upon them: ſo that from that time forth they cam no more on the Sabbath. This condemns your common tipling-houſes, and ſmall retail Trades, that make nothing of ſelling ſmall trifling things upon this day, which is a great ſin.
9. When your cozenage and unjuſt dealings in your ſellings are found out and diſcovered, do not juſtifie your ſelves in your deceit. Many men, if you come and tell them, that they ſell dearer then others, they will not be perſwaded to it, or if you tell them the commodity you bought of them, is not good, they will ſay it is as good as can be afforded of the price, like thoſe in Hoſea 12.7. Ephraim is a Merchant, the ballances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppreſs, yet he ſaies, I am become rich, I have found me out ſubſtance, and in all my labours they ſhall find no iniquity in me; that were ſin. Though the ballances of deceit were in his hand, yet ſaies he, none can accuſe me of ſin or iniquity in my dealings.
10. Do not ſell thoſe Commodities that are not vendible, nor fit to be ſold. As firſt,
1. Spirituall things they are not to be ſold; Simon Magus when he would have purchaſed the gift of the Holy Ghoſt with money, ſaies the Apoſtle, go thy way, and thy money poriſh with thee.
2. And ſo monuments of Idolatry, Crucifixes, Images, Beads, Conjuring Books, and the like: theſe are not fit to be ſold, Act. 19. Many of them that uſed curious arts, came and brought their Books and burnt them, and the price of them was valued to be 50000. peeces of ſilver. Theſe books here ſpoken of were Conjuring-books, and though they were of ſo great value, yet they would not ſell them, but burnt them.
3. Do not ſell men for ſlaves, Deut. 24.7. If a man be found ſtealing any of his Brethren, the Children of Iſrael, and maketh merchandize of him, or ſelleth him, then that thief ſhall die, and you ſhall put away evill from you.
4. (And again) you muſt not ſell your ſelf as Ahab did, to work wickedneſs, and thus witches ſell themſelves to the Devill, to be his Servants; and thus do all licencious and looſe livers. Remember beloved, you are not your own; but are bought with a price, even with the precious blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore you muſt glorifie God in your ſoules and bodies that are his.
5. You muſt not ſell ſtollen goods, theſe are not ſaleable: as men ſhould not buy, ſo neither ſhould they ſell ſtollen goods.
And 6. You muſt not ſell any thing that cannot be made uſe of, without ſin, as ſtuff to paint faces with, and ſuch like: It is true, a man may ſell thoſe things that accidentally may be ſinfull in the uſing of it; but we muſt not ſell ſuch things as are only for ſinfull uſes.
And thus I have done with theſe ten particulars, wherein you muſt not tranſgreſs Scripture Rules in ſelling.
I ſhall now handle ſome caſes of conſcience touching trading, and commerce in the world.
As firſt, Caſes of Conſcience concerning buying and ſelling.the buyer may ſay, How ſhall I know when I buy a Commodity too cheap? and the ſeller may ſay, How ſhall I know when I ſell a Commodity too dear?
I anſwer, that though it is true, the Scripture is not expreſs, how much you ſhould get, whether a peny, or two pence, or 3. or 4. more or leſſe, in a ſhilling: yet your gains ought to be no more then what is ordinarily gotten in ſuch Commodities, by men of your own Trade: as the Market goes, and as ordinarily things are valued in the place where you dwell, thoſe rates you ought to take.
2. Sell as thoſe men do, that are moſt conſcientious in their wayes, as far as they go you may go.
Obj. But may not a man in ſome caſes ſell a Commodity for more then it is worth?
Anſw. In what caſes a man may take more for a Commodity then it is worth. 2 King. 6.25.In ſome extraordinary caſes it is lawfull: as firſt in this caſe, as ſuppoſe a man hath a quantity of goods by him, and God by his providence orders it ſo, that that place where he dwells be beſieged, ſo that thoſe Commodities, are very ſcarce, in this caſe he may warrantably advance his price: thus it was in the Siege of Samaria, an Aſſes head, and Doves dung were ſold for a great price, whereas before they were worth nothing; but when the occaſion is removed, the Commodity muſt fall to its former price again.
2. If a man be ſollicited and importun'd to ſell a commodity which he is unwilling to part withall, and cannot well ſpare without dammage to himſelf; yet being overcome with importunity, is content to let his neighbour have it, in that caſe he may take more for it then it is worth; but in a uſuall and ordinary way of Trade, it is a ſin to take more then is the common cuſtom of the place to give.
Caſe 2 3. Whether if a man ſells a Commodity for time, is he bound to ſell it as cheap as if he ſold it for ready mony.
Anſw. Whether it be lawfull to ſell dearer for time, then for ready money.Mr. Perkins in his firſt Volum upon the eighth Commandement determines the caſe, and conceives it to be a ſin to ſell dearer for time, then for ready money; but certainly, this opinion is not conſiſtent with the Rules of reaſon, and therefore I ſhall give you my judgement in this particular.
1. Then I conceive it no breach of equity in trading, to take the more for a commodity if the man that buyes it requires time for the payment of it, then if he paid ready mony; and my reaſon is this, becauſe the parting with a Commodity without money, is a dammage and hinderance to the ſeller; and therefore he may lawfully take more, as in Levit. 25.14,15. ſaies God there, if thou buyeſt ought of thy Neighbour, or ſelleſt ought to thy Neighbour, you ſhall not oppreſs one another; but according to the multitude of years thou ſhalt increaſ the price thereof and according to the fewneſs of years, thou ſhalt diminiſh the price of it. The caſe here is the ſame, if you ſell your commodity for a tearm of years, before you have your money, you may ſell it for the more, and if for ready money, you ought to take the leſſe for it. Ahab would not take away Naboths Vineyard from him; 1 King. 21.2.but ſaies he, if thou wilt let me have it, I will either give thee the worth of it in money, or elſe a better Vineyard for it. Mark here, if he had taken ready mony, he ſhould have had but the worth of it; but if he would not take mony, he was to have a better thing, a better Vineyard for it. So that I cannot ſee any thing in Scripture, whereby this is inconſiſtent with the Rules of equity; for a man to take a little more for a commodity then it is worth, becauſe he hath not money in hand for it. But yet you muſt not work upon a poor mans neceſſity in this caſe, and you muſt be ſure, never to take more then what your dammage amounts to by the forbearance of your money ſo long.
Caſe, 3 whether a man may take a pawn or pledge to ſecure his debt.Q. 3. If a man hath ſold a commodity, and the buyer be not able to pay him in money, whether may the ſeller in that caſe, lawfully take a pawn or a pledge to ſecure the debt?
Anſw. God does allow a man to take a pledge in ſuch a caſe to ſecure his debt, as in Deut. 24.10,11,12. when thou doſt lend thy Brother any thing, thou ſhalt not go into his houſe to fetch his pledge; but the man to whom thou doſt lend, ſhall bring out the pledge unto thee. Prov. 10.16.27.13.It is lawfull for a man to take a pledge; but he muſt not go into the mans houſe to take it himſelf, but his debtor muſt bring it out to him, that which he can beſt ſpare, till he can make payment of the money: but yet the Lord does forbid the taking of a mans apparell for a pledge, Deut. 24.6. Exo. 22.26 Job 22.5.6or the nether Milſtone, if a poor man hath no more Clothes but what he hath upon his back, it is cruelty to take them, or to take a Mil-ſtone, or any thing whereby the man gets his living, this is a ſin; but he muſt take that which his debtor can beſt ſpare till he pay the money: ſo that pledges are lawfull to be taken by the Creditor, in caſe the man is able to ſpare it without any prejudice to his life or livelihood.
Caſe 4 Whether it be lawfull to arreſt and go to law with a man for money that is owing him.If a man hath ſold a Commodity, and his debtor make no conſcience of paying him for it, whether in ſuch a caſe is it lawfull to arreſt that man for his money, and go to law with him?
Anſw. If a man be unable to pay what he owes, and is thus diſinabled, not through his own neglect or ill husbandry, but by the hand of God, if the man hath been laborious and induſtrious in his Calling, and yet through the providence of God is fallen to decay, and declined in his eſtate, it is inconſiſtent with equity to be rigorous with ſuch a man, or throw him into priſon for this mony; but if a man hath ſpent his Eſtate prodigally, or in caſe he be able to pay his debts, and yet will not, then it is lawfull for a man to arreſt, Mat. 5.25.and caſt ſuch a man into priſon, and uſe the beſt means he can to procure it. But where nothing is to be had, there muſt be a forbearance of the debt, like the Creditor that Chriſt ſpeaks of, Levit. 25.35.Luke 7.42. who had two debtors, the one owed him five hundred pence, and the other fifty, and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly for gave them both. If a man be brought to decay in his Eſtate by the hand of God, and is not able to bring the yeer about, or to pay any of his debts, it is cruelty to be extream with ſuch a man, or throw him into priſon when he is unable to pay: but if a man be idle and does not follow his Calling, or hath ſpent his Eſtate by prodigality, and Company-keeping, or the like. Or if he have a concealed Eſtate, and be able to pay, and will not, in ſuch caſes as theſe, it is lawfull to arreſt or impriſon, or take any other lawfull courſe to regain his debt; for if God requires and commands that men ſhould pay their debts, certainly he does allow that men ſhould take any lawfull courſe to recover what is due to them, when they can get it by fair means; 2 King 4.7but God doth command men to pay their debts, Rom. 13.8. ſaies the Apoſtle, owe nothing to any man, and therefore it is lawfull for a man to uſe means to recover what is due to him.
Uſe. And thus I have done with the Doctrinal part of this point. The uſe that I ſhall make of all that hath been ſaid concerning. you that are Tradeſmen in the world, ſhall be only by way of caution, to take off a miſconceit that is faſtned in the minds of many of you, that if you do conform your ſelves to Scripture-Rules, and do not now and then deal indirectly in your Trades, you ſhall never get an Eſtate, and grow rich, it is a common Proverb amongſt ſome men, that plain dealing is good, but he that uſeth it ſhall die a Beggar, which is a moſt falſe and diabolicall ſpeech; for plain dealing and conſcienciouſneſs in a mans actions, is the ready way to be rich, Prov. 10. The bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it: but the great Eſtates of wicked men, are purchaſed and poſſeſſed with a great deal of trouble and vexation, and accuſations of conſcience, and many a man may look back upon his thouſands that he hath gotten in a few years, and ſay of theſe riches, that they are but the fruit of his cozenage and ſin, and the price of his ſoul. And therefore beloved, I beſeech you in the fear of God, take heed of oppreſſion and deceit in your tradings; do not ſay plain dealing will make you die a begger; for it is the only way to be rich: let the word of God be your Rule in all your actions, that having his bleſſing upon your endeavours, you may purchaſe an eſtate, and have no ſorrow added to it.