face of the poor would take notice of these two scriptures! Here is threatened the de struction 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. 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 falls into their mouths, and are ne cessitated 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 ini quity. 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 ana

tomize some of those vile wretches, called pawn-brokers, 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 can 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.

1. 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 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

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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 over-reach, and to go beyond my chapman, and is forbidden, 1 Thess. iv. 6. Therefore he that will sell his commodity, as afore, as dear, or for as much as he can, must of necessity lay aside a 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 Thess. iv. 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 be

yond him, contrary to 1 Thess. iv. 6. Therefore he that will sell his commodity as dear, or for as much as he can, must needs cast off, and lay aside a 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 buryingplace 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 Machpelah, which he hath in the end of his field; for as much as it is worth shall he give it me," Gen. xxiii. 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 Ornon the Jebusite, thus he said unto him, "Grant me the place of the threshing floor, that I may build an altar there unto the Lord; thou shalt give it me for the full price." He also, as Abraham, made con❤ science of this kind of dealing: He would not lie at catch, to go beyond, no not the Jebusite, but will give him his full price for this field: For he knew that there was wick

edness, as in selling too dear, so in buying too cheap, therefore he would not do it.

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 warned and testified. But,

2. 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 in charity:" 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), so then,