[INSTRUCTIONS FOR RIGHTEOUS TRADING.]
WISE. This question is thought to be frivolous by all that are
of Mr. Badman's way, it is also difficult in itself, yet I will
endeavour to shape you an answer, and that first to the matter of
the question, to wit, how a tradesman should, in trading, keep a
good conscience; a buyer or seller either. Secondly, how he should
prepare himself to this work and live in the practice of it. For
the first, he must observe what hath been said before, to wit,
he must have conscience to God, charity to his neighbour, and, I
will add, much moderation in dealing. Let him therefore keep within
the bounds of the affirmative of those eight reasons that before
were urged to prove that men ought not, in their dealing, but to
do justly and mercifully betwixt man and man, and then there will
be no great fear of wronging the seller, buyer, or himself. But
particularly to prepare or instruct a man to this work:--
1. Let the tradesman or others consider that there is not that in
great gettings and in abundance which the most of men do suppose;
for all that a man has over and above what serves for his present
necessity and supply, serves only to feed the lusts of the eye.
For 'what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding
of them with their eyes?' (Eccl 5:11). Men also, many times,
in getting of riches, get therewith a snare to their soul (1 Tim
6:7-9). But few get good by getting of them. But his consideration
Mr. Badman could not abide.
2. Consider that the getting of wealth dishonestly--as he does that
getteth it without good conscience and charity to his neighbour--is
a great offender against God. Hence he says, 'I have smitten mine
hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made' (Eze 22:13).
It is a manner of speech that shows anger in the very making of
mention of the crime. Therefore,
3. Consider that a little, honestly gotten, though it may yield thee
but a dinner of herbs at a time, will yield more peace therewith
than will a stalled ox ill gotten (Prov 15:17). 'Better is a little
with righteousness, than great revenues without right' (Prov 16:8;
1 Sam 2:5).
4. Be thou confident that God's eyes are upon all thy ways, and
'that he pondereth all thy goings,' and also that he marks, them,
writes them down, and seals them p in a bag against the time to
come (Prov 5:21; Job 14:17).
5. Be thou sure that thou rememberest that thou knowest not the
day of thy death. Remember also that when death comes God will
give thy substance, for the which thou hast laboured, and for the
which perhaps thou hast hazarded thy soul, to one thou knowest
not who, nor whether he shall be a wise man or a fool. And then,
'what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?' (Eccl 5:16).
Besides, thou shalt have nothing that thou mayest so much as carry
away in thine hand. Guilt shall go with thee if thou hast got it
[thy substance] dishonestly, and they also to whom thou shalt leave
it shall receive it to their hurt. These things duly considered and
made use of by thee to the preparing of thy heart to thy calling
of buying and selling, I come, in the next place, to show thee how
thou shouldst live in the practick part of this art. Art thou to
buy or sell?
1. If thou sellest, do not commend; if thou buyest, do not dispraise;
any otherwise but to give the thing that thou hast to do with its
just value and worth; for thou canst not do otherwise, knowingly,
but of a covetous and wicked mind. Wherefore else are commodities
overvalued by the seller, and also undervalued by the buyer. 'It
is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer,' but when he hath got
his bargain he boasteth thereof (Prov 20:14). What hath this man
done now, but lied in the dispraising of his bargain? and why did
he dispraise it, but of a covetous mind to wrong and beguile the
seller?
2. Art thou a seller, and do things grow dear? Set not thy hand to
help or hold them up higher; this cannot be done without wickedness
neither, for this is a making of the shekel great (Amos 8:5). Art
thou a buyer, and do things grow dear? use no cunning or deceitful
language to pull them down, for that cannot be done but wickedly
too. What then shall we do, will you say? Why I answer, leave things
to the providence of God, and do thou with moderation submit to
his hand. But since, when they are growing dear, the hand that
upholds the price is, for the time, more strong than that which
would pull it down; that being the hand of the seller, who loveth
to have it dear, especially if it shall rise in his hand. Therefore
I say, do thou take heed and have not a hand in it, the which thou
mayest have to thine own and thy neighbour's hurt, these three
ways:--
1. By crying out scarcity, scarcity, beyond the truth and state of
things; especially take heed of doing of this by way of a prognostic
for time to come. It was for this for which he was trodden to
death in the gate of Samaria, that you read of in the second book
of Kings (2 Kings 7:17). This sin hath a double evil in it. (1.)
It belieth the present blessing of God among us; and (2.) It
undervalueth the riches of his goodness, which can make all good
things to abound towards us.
2. This wicked thing may be done by hoarding up when the hunger
and necessity of the poor calls for it. Now, that God may show his
dislike against this, he doth, as it were, license the people to
curse such a hoarder up--'He that withholdeth corn, the people
shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that
selleth it' (Prov 11:26).
3. But if things will rise, do thou be grieved, be also moderate
in all thy sellings, and be sure let the poor have a pennyworth,
and sell thy corn to those in necessity. Which then thou wilt
do when thou showest mercy to the poor in thy selling to him,
and when thou, for his sake because he is poor, undersellest the
market. This is to buy and sell with good conscience; thy buyer
thou wrongest not, thy conscience thou wrongest not, thyself thou
wrongest not, for God will surely recompense thee (Isa 57:6-8).
I have spoken concerning corn, but thy duty is to 'let your
moderation' in all things 'be known unto all men, the Lord is at
hand' (Phil 4:5).