[THE SIMPLE CHRISTIAN'S VIEWS OF EXTORTION.]
WISE. Thus you have often said before. But now we are in discourse
of this, give me leave a little to go on. We have a great many
people in the country too that live all their days in the practice,
and so under the guilt of extortion; people, alas! that think
scorn to be so accounted.
As for example: There is a poor body that dwells, we will suppose,
so many miles from the market; and this man wants a bushel of
grist, a pound of butter, or a cheese for himself, his wife, and
poor children; but dwelling so far from the market, if he goes
thither, he shall lose his day's work, which will be eightpence or
tenpence damage to him, and that is something to a poor man.[54]
So he goeth to one of his masters or dames for what he wanteth,
and asks them to help him with such a thing; yes, say they, you
may have it; but withal they will give him a gripe, perhaps make
him pay as much or more for it at home, as they can get when they
have carried it five miles to a market, yea, and that too for the
refuse of their commodity. But in this the women are especially
faulty, in the sale of their butter and cheese, &c. Now this is a
kind of extortion, it is a making a prey of the necessity of the
poor, it is a grinding of their faces, a buying and selling of
them.
But above all, your hucksters, that buy up the poor man's victuals
by wholesale, and sell it to him again for unreasonable gains, by
retail, and as we call it by piecemeal; they are got into a way,
after a stinging rate, to play their game upon such by extortion:
I mean such who buy up butter, cheese, eggs, bacon, &c. by
wholesale, and sell it again, as they call it, by pennyworths,
two pennyworths, a halfpennyworth, or the like, to the poor, all
the week after the market is past.
These, though I will not condemn them all, do, many of them, bite
and pinch the poor by this kind of evil dealing. These destroy
the poor because he is poor, and that is a grievous sin. 'He that
oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to
the rich, shall surely come to want.' Therefore he saith again,
'Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted
in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the
soul of them that spoiled them' (Prov 22:16,22,23).
O that he that gripeth and grindeth the face of the poor, would
take notice of these two scriptures! Here is threatened the
destruction of the estate, yea and of the soul too, of them that
oppress the poor. Their soul we shall better see where, and in what
condition that is in, when the day of doom is come; but for the
estates of such, they usually quickly moulder; and that sometimes
all men, and sometimes no man knows how.
Besides, these are usurers, yea, they take usury for victuals,
which thing the Lord has forbidden (Deut 23:19). And because they
cannot so well do it on the market-day, therefore they do it, as
I said, when the market is over; for then the poor fall into their
mouths, and are necessitated to have, as they can, for their need,
and they are resolved they shall pay soundly for it. Perhaps some
will find fault for my meddling thus with other folks' matters,
and for my thus prying into the secrets of their iniquity. But
to such I would say, since such actions are evil, it is time they
were hissed out of the world. For all that do such things offend
against God, wrong their neighbour, and like Mr. Badman do provoke
God to judgment.
ATTEN. God knows there is abundance of deceit in the world!
WISE. Deceit! Ay, but I have not told you the thousandth part
of it; nor is it my business now to rake to the bottom of that
dunghill. What would you say, if I should anatomize some of those
vile wretches called pawnbrokers, that lend money and goods to
poor people, who are by necessity forced to such an inconvenience;
and will make, by one trick or other, the interest of what they
so lend amount to thirty, forty, yea sometimes fifty pound by the
year; notwithstanding the principal is secured by a sufficient
pawn; which they will keep too at last, if they find any shift to
cheat the wretched borrower.
ATTEN. Say! Why such miscreants are the pest and vermin of the
commonwealth, not fit for the society of men; but methinks by some
of those things you discoursed before, you seem to import that it
is not lawful for a man to make the best of his own.
WISE. If by making the best, you mean to sell for as much as by
hook or crook he can get for his commodity; then I say it is not
lawful. And if I should say the contrary, I should justify Mr.
Badman and all the rest of that gang; but that I never shall do,
for the Word of God condemns them. But that it is not lawful for
a man at all times to sell his commodity for as much as he can,
I prove by these reasons:--
First, If it be lawful for me alway to sell my commodity as dear,
or for as much as I can, then it is lawful for me to lay aside
in my dealing with others good conscience to them and to God; but
it is not lawful for me, in my dealing with others, to lay aside
good conscience, &c. Therefore it is not lawful for me always to
sell my commodity as dear, or for as much as I can. That it is not
lawful to lay aside good conscience in our dealings has already
been proved in the former part of our discourse; but that a man
must lay it aside that will sell his commodity always as dear, or
for as much as he can, is plainly manifest thus.
1. He that will, as is mentioned afore, sell his commodity as dear
as he can, must sometimes make a prey of the ignorance of his
chapman. But that he cannot do with a good conscience, for that
is to overreach, and to go beyond my chapman, and is forbidden (1
Thess 4:6). Therefore he that will sell his commodity as afore, as
dear, or for as much as he can, must of necessity lay aside good
conscience.
2. He that will sell his commodity always as dear as he can, must
needs sometimes make a prey of his neighbour's necessity; but that
he cannot do with a good conscience, for that is to go beyond and
defraud his neighbour, contrary to 1 Thessalonians 4:6. Therefore
he that will sell his commodity, as afore, as dear, or for as much
as he can, must needs cast off and lay aside a good conscience.
3. He that will, as afore, sell his commodity as dear, or for as
much as he can, must, if need be, make a prey of his neighbour's
fondness; but that a man cannot do with a good conscience, for
that is still a going beyond him, contrary to 1 Thessalonians 4:6.
Therefore, he that will sell his commodity as dear, or for as much
as he can, must needs cast off, and lay aside good conscience.
The same also may be said for buying; no man may always buy as
cheap as he can, but must also use good conscience in buying; the
which he can by no means use and keep, if he buys always as cheap
as he can, and that for the reasons urged before. For such will
make a prey of the ignorance, necessity, and fondness of their
chapman, the which they cannot do with a good conscience. When
Abraham would buy a burying-place of the sons of Heth, thus he
said unto them: 'Intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, that
he may give me the cave of Macphelah, which he hath--in the end
of his field; for as much--as it is worth' shall he give it me
(Gen 23:8,9). He would not have it under foot, he scorned it, he
abhorred it; it stood not with his religion, credit, nor conscience.
So also, when David would buy a field of Ornan the Jebusite, thus
he said unto him, 'Grant me the place of this thrashing-floor,
that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord; thou shalt grant
it me for the full price' (1 Chron 21:22). He also, as Abraham,
made conscience of this kind of dealing. He would not lie at
catch[55] to go beyond, no, not the Jebusite, but will give him his
full price for his field. For he knew that there was wickedness,
as in selling too dear, so in buying too cheap, therefore he would
not do it.[56]
There ought therefore to be good conscience used, as in selling
so in buying; for it is also unlawful for a man to go beyond or to
defraud his neighbour in buying; yea, it is unlawful to do it in
any matter, and God will plentifully avenge that wrong, as I also
before have forewarned and testified. See also the text, Leviticus
25:14. But,
Secondly. If it be lawful for me always to sell my commodity as
dear, or for as much as I can, then it is lawful for me to deal
with my neighbour without the use of charity. But it is not lawful
for me to lay aside, or to deal with my neighbour without the use
of charity, therefore it is not lawful for me always to sell my
commodity to my neighbour for as much as I can. A man in dealing
should as really design his neighbour's good, profit, and advantage,
as his own, for this is to exercise charity in his dealing.
That I should thus use, or exercise charity towards my neighbour
in my buying and selling, &c., with him, is evident from the
general command--'Let all your things be done with charity' (1
Cor 16:14). But that a man cannot live in the exercise of charity
that selleth as afore, as dear, or that buyeth as cheap as he can,
is evident by these reasons:--
1. He that sells his commodity as dear, or for as much money always
as he can, seeks himself, and himself only. But charity seeketh
not her own, not her own only (1 Cor 13). So then he that seeks
himself, and himself only, as he that sells, as afore, as dear as
he can, does, maketh not use of, nor doth he exercise charity in
his so dealing.
2. He that selleth his commodity always for as much as he can
get, hardeneth his heart against all reasonable entreaties of the
buyer. But he that doth so cannot exercise charity in his dealing;
therefore it is not lawful for a man to sell his commodity, as
afore, as dear as he can.
3. If it be lawful for me to sell my commodity, as afore, as dear
as I can, then there can be no sin in my trading, how unreasonably
soever I manage my calling, whether by lying, swearing, cursing,
cheating, for all this is but to sell my commodity as dear as I can
(Eph 4:25). But that there is sin in these is evident, therefore
I may not sell my commodity always as dear as I can.
4. He that sells, as afore, as dear as he can, offereth violence
to the law of nature, for that saith, Do unto all men even as
ye would that they should do unto you (Matt 7:12). Now, was the
seller a buyer, he would not that he of whom he buys should sell
him always as dear as he can, therefore he should not sell so
himself when it is his lot to sell and others to buy of him.
5. He that selleth, as afore, as dear as he can, makes use of that
instruction that God hath not given to others, but sealed up in
his hand, to abuse his law, and to wrong his neighbour withal,
which indeed is contrary to God (Job 37:7). God hath given thee
more skill, more knowledge and understanding in thy commodity, than
he hath given to him that would buy of thee. But what! canst thou
think that God hath given thee this that thou mightest thereby
make a prey of thy neighbour? that thou mightest thereby go beyond
and beguile thy neighbour? No, verily, but he hath given thee it
for his help, that thou mightest in this be eyes to the blind,
and save thy neighbour from that damage that his ignorance, or
necessity, for fondness[57] would betray him into the hands of (1
Cor 10:13).
6. In all that a man does he should have an eye to the glory of
God, but that he cannot have that sells his commodity always for
as much as he can, for the reasons urged before.
7. All that a man does he should do 'in the name of the Lord
Jesus' Christ, that is, as being commanded and authorized to do
it by him (Col 3:17). But he that selleth always as dear as he
can, cannot so much as pretend to this without horrid blaspheming
of that name, because commanded by him to do otherwise.
8. And lastly, in all that a man does he should have an eye to
the day of judgment, and to the consideration of how his actions
will be esteemed of in that day (Acts 24:15,16). Therefore there
is not any man can, or ought to sell always as dear as he can,
unless he will, yea, he must say in so doing, I will run the hazard
of the trial of that day. 'If thou sell aught unto thy neighbour,
or buyest aught of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one
another' (Lev 25:14).
ATTEN. But why do you put in these cautionary words, They must
not sell always as dear, nor buy always as cheap as they can? Do
you not thereby intimate that a man may sometimes do so?
WISE. I do indeed intimate that sometimes the seller may sell as
dear, and the buyer buy as cheap as he can; but this is allowable
only in these cases: when he that sells is a knave, and lays aside
all good conscience in selling, or when the buyer is a knave, and
lays aside all good conscience in buying. If the buyer therefore
lights of a knave, or if the seller lights of a knave, then let
them look to themselves; but yet so as not to lay aside conscience,
because he that thou dealest with doth so, but how vile or base
soever the chapman is, do thou keep thy commodity at a reasonable
price; or, if thou buyest, offer reasonable gain for the thing thou
wouldst have, and if this will not do with the buyer or seller,
then seek thee a more honest chapman. If thou objectest, But I
have not skill to know when a pennyworth is before me, get some
that have more skill than thyself in that affair, and let them in
that matter dispose of thy money. But if there were no knaves in
the world these objections need not be made.[58]
And thus, my very good neighbour, have I given you a few of my
reasons why a man that hath it should not always sell too dear
nor buy as cheap as he can, but should use good conscience to God
and charity to his neighbour in both.
ATTEN. But were some men here to hear you, I believe they would
laugh you to scorn.
WISE. I question not that at all, for so Mr. Badman used to do
when any man told him of his faults; he used to think himself wiser
than any, and would count, as I have hinted before, that he was
not arrived to a manly spirit that did stick or boggle at any
wickedness. But let Mr. Badman and his fellows laugh, I will bar
it, and still give them good counsel (Luke 16:13-15). But I will
remember also, for my further relief and comfort, that thus they
that were covetous of old served the Son of God himself. It is
their time to laugh now, that they may mourn in time to come (Luke
6:25). And I say again, when they have laughed out their laugh, he
that useth not good conscience to God and charity to his neighbour
in buying and selling, dwells next door to an infidel, and is near
of kin to Mr. Badman.
ATTEN. Well, but what will you say to this question? You know that
there is no settled price set by God upon any commodity that is
bought or sold under the sun, but all things that we buy and sell
do ebb and flow, as to price, like the tide; how then shall a man
of a tender conscience do, neither to wrong the seller, buyer,
nor himself, in buying and selling of commodities?