balance is an abomination to the Lord." 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 thy house divers measures, a great and a small," and these had Mr Badman also, "but thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight; a perfect and a 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 abomination to the Lord." 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,

The law commands men to be ho

nest in their weights and

measures.

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 Testa ment, 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, 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;" to wit, both from God and man. For as God will shew his indignation against the false man, by taking away even that he hath, so he will deliver up the false man to the op pressor, and the extortioner shall catch from him, as well as he hath catched from his neighbour; therefore another scripture saith, "When thou shalt cease to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee." 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; lye not one to another; let no man go beyond his brother in any matter; for God is the avenger of all such: Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto 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 shewed you that these things are bad, I will next, for the conviction of those that use them, shew you where 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 abomination?" 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. The 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." 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, 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: Here ye this, ye that swallow up the needy, and that 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 we 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 not forget any of their works." So detestable and vile a thing is this in the sight of God.

4. God abominates the thoughts of calling of those that use false weights and measure 3, 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?" 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 tread-. ing 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 to whose actions it shall be thus said by him. "Tekel,

K