[BADMAN'S FRAUDULENT DEALINGS TO GET MONEY.]
ATTEN. But pray, do it with as much brevity as you can.
WISE. Why, are you weary of my relating of things?
ATTEN. No: but it pleases me to hear a great deal in few words.
WISE. I profess myself not an artist that way, but yet, as briefly
as I can, I will pass through what of his life is behind; and
again I shall begin with his fraudulent dealing, as before I have
showed with his creditors, so now with his customers, and those
that he had otherwise to deal withal.
He dealt by deceitful weights and measures. He kept weights to
buy by, and weights to sell by; measures to buy by, and measures
to sell by: those he bought by were too big, those he sold by were
too little.
Besides, he could use a thing called slight of hand, if he had to
do with other men's weights and measures, and by that means make
them whether he did buy or sell, yea though his customer or chapman
looked on, turn to his own advantage.
Moreover, he had the art to misreckon men in their accounts,
whether by weight, or measure, or money, and would often do it to
his worldly advantage, and their loss. What say you to Mr. Badman
now? And if a question was made of his faithful dealing, he had
his servants ready, that to his purpose he had brought up, that
would avouch and swear to his book or word. This was Mr. Badman's
practice. What think you of Mr. Badman now?
ATTEN. Think! Why I can think no other but that he was a man left
to himself, a naughty man; for these, as his other, were naughty
things; if the tree, as indeed it may, ought to be judged, what
it is, by its fruits, then Mr. Badman must needs be a bad tree.
But pray, for my further satisfaction, show me now, by the Word of
God, the evil of this his practice; and first of his using false
weights and measures.
WISE. The evil of that! Why the evil of that appears to every eye.
The heathens, that live like beasts and brutes in many things, do
abominate and abhor such wickedness as this. Let a man but look
upon these things as he goes by, and he shall see enough in them
from the light of nature to make him loathe so base a practice,
although Mr. Badman loved it.
ATTEN. But show me something out of the Word against it, will you?
WISE. I will willingly do it. And first, look into the Old Testament:
'Ye shall,' saith God there, 'do no unrighteousness in judgment,
in mete-yard, in weight, or in measure; just balances, just weights,
a just ephah and a just hin shall you have' (Lev 19:35,36). This
is the law of God, and that which all men, according to the law of
the land, ought to obey. So again: 'Ye shall have just balances,
and a just ephah,' &c. (Eze 45:10).
Now having showed you the law, I will also show you how God takes
swerving therefrom. 'A false balance is not good' (Prov 20:23). 'A
false balance is abomination to the Lord' (Prov 11:1). Some have
just weights, but false balances; and by virtue of these false
balances, by their just weights, they deceive the country. Wherefore
God first of all commands that the balance be made just. A just
balance shalt thou have; else they may be, yea are, deceivers,
notwithstanding their just weights.
Now, having commanded that men have a just balance, and testifying
that a false one is an abomination to the Lord, he proceedeth also
unto weight and measure. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers
weights, a great and a small; that is, one to buy by, and another
to sell by, as Mr. Badman had. 'Thou shalt not have in thine house
divers measures, a great and a small. (And these had Mr. Badman
also.) 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 [that is, that use false weights and measures],
and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord'
(Deut 25:13-16). See now both how plentiful, and how punctual the
Scripture is in this matter. But perhaps it may be objected, that
all this is old law, and therefore hath nothing to do with us under
the New Testament. Not that I think you, neighbour, will object
thus. Well, to this foolish objection, let us make an answer.
First, he that makes this objection, if he doth it to overthrow
the authority of those texts, discovereth that himself is first
cousin to Mr. Badman. For a just man is willing to speak reverently
of those commands. That man therefore hath, I doubt, but little
conscience, if any at all that is good, that thus objecteth against
the text. But let us look into the New Testament, and there we
shall see how Christ confirmeth the same; where he commandeth that
men make to others good measure, including also that they make
good weight; telling such that do thus, or those that do it not,
that they may be encouraged to do it: 'Good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your
bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall
be measured to you again' (Luke 6:38). To wit, both from God and
man. For as God will show his indignation against the false man,
by taking away even that he hath, so he will deliver up the false
man to the oppressor, and the extortioner shall catch from him,
as well as he hath catched from his neighbour; therefore, another
scripture saith, 'When thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously,
they shall deal treacherously with thee' (Isa 33:1). That the New
Testament also hath an inspection into men's trading, yea, even
with their weights and measures, is evident from these general
exhortations, 'Defraud not'; 'lie not one to another.' 'Let no man
go beyond his brother in any matter, for the Lord is the avenger
of all such.' 'Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,'
'doing all in his name,' 'to his glory'; and the like. All these
injunctions and commandments do respect our life and conversation
among men, with reference to our dealing, trading, and so,
consequently, they forbid false, deceitful, yea, all doings that
are corrupt.
Having thus in a word or two showed you that these things are bad,
I will next, for the conviction of those that use them, show you
where God saith they are to be found.
1. They are not to be found in the house of the good and godly man,
for he, as his God, abhors them; but they are to be found in the
house of evil doers, such as Mr. Badman's is. 'Are there,' saith
the prophet, 'yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the
wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable!' (Micah 6:10).
Are they there yet, notwithstanding God's forbidding, notwithstanding
God's tokens of anger against those that do such things! O how
loth is a wicked man to let go a sweet, a gainful sin, when he
hath hold of it! They hold fast deceit, they refuse to let it go.
2. These deceitful weights and measures are not to be found in
the house of the merciful, but in the house of the cruel; in the
house of them that love to oppress. 'The balances of deceit are
in his hand; he loveth to oppress' (Hosea 12:7). He is given to
oppression and cruelty, therefore he useth such wicked things in
his calling. Yea, he is a very cheat, and, as was hinted before
concerning Mr. Badman's breaking, so I say now, concerning his using
these deceitful weights and measures, it is as bad, as base, as
to take a purse,[49] or pick a pocket; for it is a plain robbery;
it takes away from a man that which is his own, even the price of
his money.
3. The deceitful weights and measures are not to be found in the
house of such as relieve the belly, and that cover the loins of
the poor, but of such as indeed would swallow them up. 'Hear this,
O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land
to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell
corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the
ephah small, and the shekel great [making the measure small, and
the price great], and falsifying the balances by deceit? That ye
may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes,
and sell the refuse of the wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the
excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their
works' (Amos 8:4-8). So detestable and vile a things is this in
the sight of God.
4. God abominates the thoughts of calling of those that use false
weights and measures, by any other term than that they be impure
ones, or the like: 'Shall I count them pure,' saith he, 'with the
bag of deceitful weights?' (Micah 6:11). No, by no means, they are
impure ones; their hands are defiled, deceitful gain is in their
houses, they have gotten what they have by coveting an evil
covetousness, and therefore must and shall be counted among the
impure, among the wicked of the world.
Thus you see how full and plain the Word of God is against this
sin, and them that use it. And therefore Mr. Badman, for that he
used by these things thus to rook and cheat his neighbours, is
rightly rejected from having his name in and among the catalogue
of the godly.
ATTEN. But I am persuaded that the using of these things, and the
doing by them thus deceitfully, is not counted so great an evil
by some.
WISE. Whether it be counted an evil or a virtue by men, it mattereth
not; you see by the Scriptures the judgment of God upon it. It
was not counted an evil by Mr. Badman, nor is it by any that still
are treading in his steps. But, I say, it is no matter how men
esteem of things, let us adhere to the judgment of God. And the
rather, because when we ourselves have done weighing and measuring
to others, then God will weigh and measure both us and our actions.
And when he doth so, as he will do shortly, then woe be to him to
whom, and of whose actions it shall be thus said by him, 'TEKEL,
thou art weighed in the balances, and are found wanting' (Dan
5:27). God will then recompense their evil of deceiving upon their
own head, when he shall shut them out of his presence, favour,
and kingdom, for ever and ever.
ATTEN. But it is a wonder, that since Mr. Badman's common practice
was to do thus, that some one or more did not find him out, and
blame him for this his wickedness.
WISE. For the generality of people he went away clever with his
knavery. For what with his balance, his false balance, and good
weight, and what with his slight of hand to boot, he beguiled
sometimes a little, and sometimes more, most that he had to deal
with; besides, those that use this naughty trade are either such
as blind men with a show of religion, or by hectoring the buyer
out by words. I must confess Mr. Badman was not so arch at the
first; that is, to do it by show of religion; for now he began
to grow threadbare, though some of his brethren are arch enough
this way, yea, and of his sisters too, for I told you at first that
there were a great many of them, and never a one of them good;
but for hectoring, for swearing, for lying, if these things would
make weight and measure, they should not be wanting to Mr. Badman's
customers.
ATTEN. Then it seems he kept good weights and a bad balance; well
that was better than that both should be bad.
WISE. Not at all. There lay the depth of his deceit; for if any
at any time found fault that he used them hardly, and that they
wanted their weight of things, he would reply, Why, did you not
see them weighted? will you not believe your own eyes? if you
question my weights, pray carry them whither you will, I will
maintain them to be good and just. The same he would say of his
scales, so he blinded all by his balance.
ATTEN. This is cunning indeed; but as you say, there must be also
something done or said to blind therewith, and this I perceive
Mr. Badman had.
WISE. Yes, he had many ways to blind, but he was never clear at it
by making a show of religion, though he cheated his wife therewith;
for he was, especially by those that dwelt near him, too well known
to do that, though he would bungle at it as well as he could. But
there are some that are arch villains this way; they shall to view
live a whole life religiously, and yet shall be guilty of these
most horrible sins. And yet religion in itself is never the worse,
nor yet the true professors of it. But, as Luther says, in the
name of God begins all mischief.[50] For hypocrites have no other
way to bring their evils to maturity but by using and mixing the
name of God and religion therewith. Thus they become whited walls;
for by this white, the white of religion, the dirt of their actions
is hid. Thus also they become graves that appear not, and they
that go over them, that have to do with them, are not aware of
them, but suffer themselves to be deluded by them. Yea, if there
shall, as there will sometimes, rise a doubt in the heart of the
buyer about the weight and measure he should have, why, he suffereth
his very senses to be also deluded, by recalling of his chapman's
religion to mind, and thinks verily that not his good chapman but
himself is out; for he dreams not that his chapman can deceive.
But if the buyer shall find it out, and shall make it apparent,
that he is beguiled, then shall he be healed by having amends
made, and perhaps fault shall be laid upon servants, &c. And so
Mr. Cheat shall stand for a right honest man in the eye of his
customer, though the next time he shall pick his pocket again.
Some plead custom for their cheat, as if that could acquit them
before the tribunal of God. And others say it came to them for
so much, and, therefore, another must take it for so much, though
there is wanting both as to weight and measure; but in all these
things there are juggles; or if not, such must know that 'that
which is altogether just,' they must do (Deut 16:20). Suppose
that I be cheated myself with a brass half-crown, must I therefore
cheat another therewith? if this be bad in the whole, it is also
bad in the parts. Therefore, however thou art dealt withal in
thy buying, yet thou must deal justly in selling, or thou sinnest
against thy soul, and art become as Mr. Badman. And know, that a
pretence to custom is nothing worth. It is not custom, but good
conscience that will help at God's tribunal.
ATTEN. But I am persuaded that that which is gotten by men this
way doth them but little good.
WISE. I am of your mind for that, but this is not considered by
those thus minded. For if they can get it, though they get, as we
say, the devil and all, by their getting, yet they are content,
and count that their getting is much.[51]
Little good! why do you think they consider that? No; no more than
they consider what they shall do in the judgment, at the day of
God Almighty, for their wrong getting of what they get, and that
is just nothing at all.
But to give you a more direct answer. This kind of getting is so
far off from doing them little good, that it doth them no good
at all; because thereby they lose their own souls; 'What shall
it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul?' (Mark 8:36). He loseth then, he loseth greatly that
getteth after this fashion. This is the man that is penny-wise
and pound-foolish; this is he that loseth his good sheep for a
half-penny-worth of tar;[52] that loseth a soul for a little of
the world. And then what doth he get thereby but loss and damage?
Thus he getteth or rather loseth about the world to come. But what
doth he get in this world, more than travail and sorrow, vexation
of spirit, and disappointment? Men aim at blessedness in getting,
I mean, at temporal blessedness; but the man that thus getteth,
shall not have that. For though an inheritance after this manner
may be hastily gotten at the beginning, yet the end thereof shall
not be blessed. They gather it indeed, and think to keep it too,
but what says Solomon? God casteth it away. 'The Lord will not
suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; but he casteth away
the substance of the wicked' (Prov 10:3; Jer 15:13, 17:3).
The time, as I said, that they do enjoy it, it shall do them
no good at all; but long, to be sure, they must not have it. For
God will either take it away in their lifetime, or else in the
generation following, according to that of Job: 'He,' the wicked,
'may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent
shall divide the silver' (Job 27:17).
Consider that also that it is written in the Proverbs; 'A good man
leaveth an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth
of the sinner is laid up for the just' (Prov 13:22). What then doth
he get thereby, that getteth by dishonest means? Why he getteth
sin and wrath, hell and damnation, and now tell me how much he
doth get.
This, I say, is his getting; so that as David says, we may be bold
to say too; I beheld the wicked in great prosperity, and presently
I cursed his habitation; for it cannot prosper with him (Psa 73).
Fluster and huff, and make ado for a while he may, but God hath
determined that both he and it shall melt like grease, and any
observing man may see it so. Behold the unrighteous man, in a way
of injustice, getteth much, and loadeth himself with thick clay,
but anon it withereth, it decayeth and even he, or the generation
following decline, and return to beggary. And this Mr. Badman,
notwithstanding his cunning and crafty tricks to get money, did
die, nobody can tell whether worth a farthing or no.
ATTEN. He had all the bad tricks, I think, that it was possible
for a man to have, to get money; one would think that he should
have been rich.
WISE. You reckon too fast, if you count these all his bad tricks
to get money; for he had more besides. If his customers were in
his books, as it should go hard but he would have them there; at
least, if he thought he could make any advantage of them, then,
then would he be sure to impose upon them his worst, even very bad
commodity, yet set down for it the price that the best was sold
at; like those that sold the refuse wheat; or the worst of the
wheat; making the shekel great, yet hoisting up the price (Amos
8). This was Mr. Badman's way. He would sell goods that cost him
not the best price by far, for as much as he sold his best of all
for. He had also a trick to mingle his commodity, that that which
was bad might go off with the least mistrust. Besides, if his
customers at any time paid him money, let them look to themselves,
and to their acquaintances, for he would usually attempt to call
for that payment again, especially if he thought that there were
hopes of making a prize thereby, and then to be sure if they could
not produce good and sufficient ground of the payment, a hundred
to one but they paid it again. Sometimes the honest chapman would
appeal to his servants for proof of the payment of money, but they
were trained up by him to say after his mind, wright or wrong; so
that, relief that way, he could get none.
ATTEN. It is a bad, yea, an abominable thing for a man to have
such servants. For by such means a poor customer may be undone,
and not know how to help himself. Alas! if the master be
so unconscionable, as I perceive Mr. Badman was, to call for his
money twice, and if his servant will swear that it is a due debt,
where is any help for such a man? He must sink, there is no remedy.
WISE. This is very bad, but this has been a practice, and that
hundreds of years ago. But what saith the Word of God? 'I will
punish all those that leap on the threshold, which till their
masters' houses with violence and deceit' (Zeph 1:9).
Mr. Badman also had this art; could he get a man at advantage, that
is, if his chapman durst not go from him, or if the commodity he
wanted could not for the present be conveniently had elsewhere,
then let him look to himself, he would surely make his purse-strings
crack; he would exact upon him without any pity or conscience.
ATTEN. That was extortion, was it not? I pray let me hear your
judgment of extortion, what it is, and when committed?
WISE. Extortion is a screwing from men more than by the law of God
or men is right; and it is committed sometimes by them in office,
about fees, rewards, and the like:[53] but it is most commonly
committed by men of trade, who without all conscience, when they
have the advantage, will make a prey of their neighbour. And thus
was Mr. Badman an extortioner; for although he did not exact, and
force away, as bailiffs and clerks have used to do, yet he had
his opportunities, and such cruelty to make use of them, that he
would often, in his way, be extorting and forcing of money out
of his neighbour's pocket. For every man that makes a prey of his
advantage upon his neighbour's necessities, to force from him more
than in reason and conscience, according to the present prices
of things such commodity is worth, may very well be called an
extortioner, and judged for one that hath no inheritance in the
kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9,10).
ATTEN. Well, this Badman was a sad wretch.