that knowingly connives at or assists in an evil action, shares in the guilt of it. And if you should be so artful as to escape the laws of man, which are strict against these transgressions; yet the penetrating eye of GOD always beholds you, who will sooner or later make you sensible of his indignation at your theft and covetousness. Say not, my shop is my market; for what honest man will buy a stolen horse in the market, if he knows or suspects it to be so? Neither plead, that if you buy them not, others will; for the wickedness of others will be no sufficient excuse for your iniquity. It is strange, that men, who reason and act prudently enough in other things, yet when the laws of their Creator interrupt their vicious inclinations, lose both sense and reason too, and will venture the anger of Almighty GoD, offer violence to their consciences, and hazard their reputations, rather than miss of a little sordid gain. Meddle not with such dishonest purchases, but choose even to be poor with integrity, rather than to be rich by unrigh

teousness.

5. Use yourselves to an honest plainness in your bargains. Ordinary and discernable faults the buyer is supposed to take notice of, but if your goods have any such

private or undiscerned defects, as would cause him to relinquish his purchase, or lessen his offers for them if he knew them, it is unjust to obtrude them upon him. It is not sufficient in this case to say, that you sell them at a price proportionable, (though I fear this is not always done) for the defects may so far lessen them in the buyer's esteem, or render them so unsuitable to his intention in the purchase of them, that he would not buy them at any rate; and it is not your formal cant, or fallacious harangues, that will alter the property of a bad commodity. If the buyer is censured for saying, it is naught, it is naught, in order to lessen the price, and when he goeth his way rejoiceth in the goodness of his purchase; I am sure the seller is equally guilty, who says, it is faultless; it is excellent good; when he knows it to be quite the reverse. Ask your consciences, if this conduct can be justified before GOD; or if it is doing by others as you would be done unto? If it be replied, we are under a necessity to buy damaged and faulty goods along with others, and we must sell them. I answer, buy as few of them as may be; and sell them to those who understand what they buy, and if you should lose something by them, ra

ther than impose them upon the ignorant; the divine providence can easily and largely reward your selfdenial.

2d. Justice requires the ready payment of all just debts at the appointed time. Prudence will direct us to be cautious what debts we contract, but when they become due, justice requires that they be punctually discharged; otherwise we keep the possession while another has the right. The matter is not whether the creditor is rich or poor, for all have a right to claim. their own; but it is an aggravating circumstance of guilt when the necessitous, the widow and the fatherless are injured. If you plead inability, this will neither justify, nor excuse you, unless GoD by his providence hath disabled you, in which case you are obliged to use all possible lawful endeavours to make due satisfaction; and both reason and justice require the full payment of your debts whenever you are able, even though your creditors, considering your indigent state, may accept of what your present abilities will allow for right can never be lost, in conscience, where there is a future sufficiency; though it may be fit to be abated in law. But let not thosè calamities be charged on GOD's providence, which are the effects of

your own imprudence. Justice also requires that debts be paid not only fully, but speedily, as they become due. If we are not to say to our neighbour, go, and come again, if we have it by us, when he comes to beg or to borrow, Prov. iii. 28. much less when he asks only for that which is his own; you know not what necessity he may have for it, or what dependence he may place upon it, which may involve him in an hundred difficulties upon the disappointment; he may be poor, and şet his heart upon it; and it is unmerciful as well as unjust, needlessly to delay the payment of it.

But the most inexcusable violation of justice, is, a Tradesman's breaking upon design, in order to defraud the creditors, of their dues, and enrich himself with their spoils. Such iniquity can have no refuge to screen itself from confusion and remorse, but a seared conscience, or direct atheism. How many heinous sins dost thou wilfully and deliberately commit, for a little momentary gain! Here are repeated lies, if not perjury; stealing, notorious hypocricy and dissimulation; contempt of GOD's law and justice, and inju ry to men. How canst thou hope to es

cape the righteous judgment of GOD who art guilty of crimes like these?

3d, Justice consists in using exact weights and measures: without these, commerce is a perfect cheat: "Thou

But

shalt not have in thy bags divers weights, a great (to buy with) and a small (to sell with:) neither shalt thou have in thy house divers measures. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord. thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, and a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Deut. xv. 13, 16. Are there yet the trea-. sures of deceit in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure, which is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights, saith the Lord?" Mic. vi. 10, 12. The buyer as well as the seller should be content with just and equal dealings, and not desire or endeavour to obtain more than he agrees for, or by any arts or deceits whatsoever to impose upon or prejudice his neighbour.

Among other frauds, false lights are justly reckoned; when Tradesmen so contrive the lights of their shops as to repre