currence be obtained very cheap; and no reason will oblige me to give away that advantage. The rates at which some others sell, cannot always be the proper measure of gain; for they may be necessitated to sell at under rates, and why should other men's indigence prejudice me? Or they may undersell others to gain customers, taking too little for one thing, and overreaching them in others; and why should that mean artifice regulate those that are above it? Or else they may be unreasonable and extravagant in their prices, and why must I be governed by their covetousness? What a commodity hath formerly sold for, can be no just rule; for every one knows that prices ebb and flow, and what was worth a guinea last year, may not be worth half so much this. Nor is, what will maintain the Tradesman and his family, a sure guide; for two shillings in the pound may be profit sufficient for those whose returns are considerable, or their expenses small; whereas twice as much may not suffice for the supply of a numerous, or sickly family. But then the most we can get, is very far from being a just measure for our gains, for it is possible to exact twice the value of a commodity from an unskilful or unwary customer,

which is downright injustice and fraud. Nor, lastly, can the intrinsic worth, be a constant rule for valuation; since in divers things that cannot be known, and in many others fancy is the only guide: so that the surest rule that can be given is the market price, which as it is the most general, so it is usually the least liable to exception; and less partial than the conduct of particular men. A due allowance is fit to be made for a person's time and labour, hazard and skill; and long credit makes it reasonoble for the Tradesman to advance the price of his goods, as he is thereby deprived of the improvement of his money, and runs some hazard of losing it; but in estimating the disadvantage on these heads, and making allowance for them, he is always to conduct himself by the rules of justice and honour; and desire no more gain from others when he sells, than he allows reasonable for others to gain by him when he is the purchaser; remembering that "light gains make an heavy purse, but large gains often make an heavy conscience."

2. Justice forbids the taking advantage of another's necessity in your bargains. Let not the cries of the poor ascend to GOD against you, for sinking the prices of

their labour or goods so low that it is impossible they should live upon the profits of them; nor let the necessity they are known to be under of receiving ready money for what they sell, for the subsistence of themselves and families, ever tempt you to withhold from them the allowance of reasonable gain. "I have known a sordid Tradesman buy manufactured metal of a necessitous workman for the same price that unmanufactured was known to cost, and then glory in his bargain;" but how common or gainful soever such practices may be, I am sure it is horrid injustice and oppression; if there is any providence of GOD in this world, or' any truth in his word, the divine curse must needs attend all such iniquitous courses. If ever your covetousness tempts you to such kind of conduct, consider that confounding question which GOD, the poor man's King, puts unto you; "What mean ye that ye grind the faces of the poor,

saith the Lord GOD of hosts? Isa. iii. 15. and prevent the shame and confusion that must attend your answer to such an inquiry, by a sincere repentance, if you have been guilty herein; and a more humane and christian method of trade for the time to come.

Nor let their necessities encou

rage you to encroach upon them in what they want to buy, or in any thing they want to borrow for their necessary use, which is equal injustice and oppression with the former. Or if your fellow Tradesman should need some commodity to supply his customer with, shew your generosity and honour by using him as you would be done and in no case wait for an advantage to prey upon the straits of others, for none would willingly be so dealt with themselves.

unto;

3. Make no advantage of others unskilfulness in your bargains. Every one is not endowed with knowledge or sagacity alike; persons may easily forget, mistake, or overshoot themselves: nay, it is impossible that any should be a competent judge of the value or goodness of every commodity they may want to purchase or sell: we must be sensible that this is often our own case; therefore if it is unjust and ungenerous for any to take advantage of our ignorance or oversight, it is equally so for us to do the same by others; what is wrong in one case must certainly be so in the other; and no excuse can justify us. Say not, my knowledge was given me to improve those opportunities to my advantage, and let every one look to them

H

selves; for the just and righteous Governor of the world never gave any one superior understanding and skill to be perverted to such base and ungenerous purposes. Neither say, I only deal by others, as others deal by me in such cases; for it is just as reasonable to say, because my house has been set on fire by others, therefore I will burn my neighbour's. The criminal conduct of others can be no plea for your imitation. "Let no man therefore go beyond (or overreach) or defraud his brother in any matter; for GoD is the avenger of all such. 1 Thess. iv. 6.

4. Make no bargains with such as have no just property in what they are contracting about. Some care is due in this case in those that sell, that they encourage not children, or other weak people to traffic. with them; who cannot reasonably be supposed to be trusted with money. But it especially concerns those who are tempted to buy such goods as they know, or greatly suspect to be stolen. It is true, thy gains may be large by such bargains, but I am sure thy guilt is greater. You assist and encourage them in their wickedness, and are evidently concerned in that divine censure, "When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him." Psal. 1. 18. He