A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

CAP. XXX.

Of those duties which concerne our workes and actions one with another, both out of contracts, and in our buy∣ing and selling.

§. Sect. 1 That we must labour both to do and receiue all the good we can, in our dealings with others.

AND thus much concerning those duties which are to be per∣formed in our society and conuersation, respecting our spee∣ches and conferences. Now we are to speake of those which concerne our workes and actions. And these either respect our simple and ordinary dealings out of contract, or those which are to bee obserued in contracts and bargaines one with another. Concerning the former, I shall not neede to say much more then I haue

written before of those duties, which are generally to be performed in our whole conuersation and society with our neighbours. Only let vs obserue this principall rule, that when wee come in any company with our bre∣thren, wee indeuour by all good meanes, both to receiue, and doe all the good wee can vnto our selues and them, improouing our society for the best aduantage to all parties. And first for our selues, we must not idly and vainely spend our time, when we are in company, but labour as much as in vs lyeth, to reape what fruit and benefit we can by it, setting our selues to listen vnto, and lay vp for our vse the good speeches, instructions, coun∣sels, exhortations, admonitions or reproofes, which we shall heare from any, and those especially which are superiour vnto vs in Gods gifts and graces; as also to take notice of those good examples of piety or Iustice, faith, affiance in God, humility, meekenesse, patience, and such other ver∣tues, that they may serue as patternes for our imitation; according to that of the Apostle; Brethren, be followers together of mee, and marke them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example; and elsewhere hee exhorteth the He∣brewes * 1.1 to follow the faith of those who were set ouer them, and had spoken vn∣to them the Word of God. But because such rules through humane frailty * 1.2 doe sometime faile, we are not hand ouer head to conforme our selues to such ensamples, but in any doubtfull case to bring them to the maine Stan∣dard, the Word of God, and to consider, if they agree or swarue from it; and to our chiefe Patterne and Precedent Iesus Christ, to see how their ex∣ample agrees with his; seeing the Apostle, though excellently graced, would not propound himselfe as an absolute patterne to be followed in all things; but onely so farre foorth as he was a follower of Christ. * 1.3

§. Sect. 2 That we must take all occasi∣ons of gayning others to Christ.

And as we must labour when we are in company to receiue, so also to doe what good we can vnto those who associate vs. Especially, wee must indeuour to take and seeke all good occasions and opportunities, of spea∣king or doing any thing which may further their saluation, and to vse all good meanes, both to gaine them vnto Christ, if we see no signes of their conuersion; or to build them vp in him, to inrich them with all spirituall graces, and to confirme and strengthen them vnto all Christian duties, if being conuerted, they belong to the same houshold of faith. Of the former, we haue the Apostle Paul a worthy example for our imitation, who though * 1.4 (as he professeth) he were free from all men, yet he made himselfe seruant vnto all, that he might gaine the more. To the Iewes hee became a Iew, that hee might gaine the Iewes (that is, as he expoundeth himselfe in the next words) to them that were vnder the Law, as vnder the Law, that hee might gaine them that were vnder the Law; to them which were without Law, as without Law (though hee were not without Law to God, but vnder the Law to Christ) that hee might gaine them that were without Law. To the weake hee became as weake, that hee might gaine the weake; and in a word, made himselfe all things to all men, that he might by all meanes saue some. And in the next Chapter he saith, that he indeuoured to please all men in all things, not seeking his owne profit, but the pro∣fit * 1.5 of many, that they might be saued. In respect of our brethren, which are already conuerted, we must, when we keepe them company, performe all Christian duties which may inrich, or confirme and strengthen in them all the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit. To which end, we must obserue

and watch ouer one another, not as curious busie-bodies, to intermeddle with their affaires, which belong not vnto vs, or to spie out their infirmi∣ties, that wee may blaze them abroad to others; but seeing their weake∣nesses, that we may helpe and support them and their wants, that we may vse all good meanes to supply them, and in the meane time, to couer them vnder the vaile of charity. And finally, that we may prouoke and stirre vp one another, to the imbracing of all holy vertues, and the practising of all Christian duties, according to that of the Apostle, Let vs consider one ano∣ther, * 1.6 to prouoke vnto loue and good workes.

§. Sect. 3 That in all our dealings and bargainings we must carry our selues vp∣rightly and ho∣nestly.

In our contracts and bargaines, whereby we alienate or exchange the things which of right appertaine vnto vs vpon some equall and honest conditions, diuers duties are to bee obserued of all Christians, who haue trading and dealings one with another, some whereof are generall to all contracts, and some more specially respect selling and buying. In all our contracts and dealings, there is generally required, that we carry and be∣haue our selues simply and vprightly, honestly, and with a good consci∣ence, as in the sight and presence of God, who seeth not onely our out∣ward actions and dealings, but also the inward thoughts of our hearts, and our most secret and hidden intentions, according to that of the Apostle, We trust we haue a good conscience in all things, willing to liue honestly. And * 1.7 contrariwise in all our contracts, we must carefully shunne and auoyd all guile and deceit, all hollow and double dealing, tending to the vndermi∣ning * 1.8 and circumuenting of our neighbours. So the Apostle exhorteth, that no man goe beyond or defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord * 1.9 is the auenger of all such; for as the Psalmist saith, he abhorreth the deceitfull * 1.10 and blood thirstie man. More especially we must in all our dealings obserue truth in all our words, and not onely speake it from our lips, but also from * 1.11 our hearts, hating & auoyding all subtill equiuocations, and mentall reser∣uations, as tending to circumuent and deceiue those with whom we deale. Secondly, fidelity in all our promises, performing them, although it be to * 1.12 our owne hindrance, vnlesse he to whom they are made doth release vs of them. Thirdly, iustice in all our actions, giuing euery man his due, and dea∣ling with others, as we would haue them to deale with vs. Fourthly, charity and compassion in remitting our right in whole or in part, when as the bargaine prooueth hard, and to the great losse and hinderance of our poore neighbours, who are not able to beare it. And lastly, patience and contentednesse, when we sustaine any damage and detriment, or be other∣wise crossed or ouer-reached in any of our contracts, either purposely by those with whom we deale, or by some casualty or accident which could not bee foreseene. Contrariwise in all our contracts we must auoyd lying, and that which is equall vnto it, equiuocation; For the getting of treasures by * 1.13 a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death. And againe, Wealth gotten by vanity, shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour, * 1.14 shall increase; yea though a man could by lying, get the whole world, what would this profit him, seeing thereby hee shall lose his owne soule? For liars shall not onely be excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen, but also haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the * 1.15 second death. With like care wee must auoid in our dealings all perfidious∣nesse

and breach of promise, although it tend to our great aduantage, seeing God will not blesse goods gotten by breach of couenants, and though we should thriue by such courses, our worldly gaine will in no sort recompence our spirituall losse. We must shun also all kinde of vniustice in our contracts, seeing though it bring in present gaine, yet no profit in the end; For the treasures of wickednesse profit nothing; but righteousnesse de∣liuereth * 1.16 from death. Likewise we must auoyd all vncharitablenesse, raysing our gaine out of our neighbours losse, but as fellow-members of the same body, we must aduance, as much as in vs lieth, our mutuall profit, and in some equality thriue together. Finally, we must not, through impatiency, murmure and repine, fret and fume, when wee meete with any crosses or losses in our contracts, but be content sometime to lose as well as gaine; and to this end we must not haue our eyes too much fastened vpon secon∣dary causes and inferiour meanes, which perhaps are exceeding crosse and faulty, but lift them aboue the earth, and fixe them vpon the most wise prouidence of our good and gracious God, who gouerneth all things which seeme most contingent and casuall, and so disposeth of them, as is most for his owne glory, and the spirituall good and euerlasting salua∣tion of all those that loue and depend vpon him.

§. Sect. 4 That we must sell only things saleable.

More especially, there are diuers duties required of vs in our buying and selling. As first, that the seller be the true and lawfull owner of that hee selleth, or his deputy appointed by him; and that the buyer doe not for priuate gaine buy any thing from any man, whom he thinketh not to haue any right to sell it. In which respect, they grieuously offend, who buy or sell stolne goods if they know of it, and they who sacrilegiously sell and buy the liuings of the Church, and such things as are freely consecrated to the seruice of God. Secondly, the seller ought to sell, and the buyer to buy such things onely as are vendible, and may iustly bee bought and sold. In which regard, they offend, who sell or buy the gifts of the Spirit, as Simon Magus, or holy things which belong to God; and those who sell and buy Iustice or iniustice by bribery giuen or taken, either to fill their owne pur∣ses, * 1.17 or to peruert right. They also who sell and buy truth and lyes, as false witnesses, and they that hire them to giue false testimony. But they most of all, who for corruptible things sell their soules vnto sinne, as Achab did, which Christ redeemed with his most precious blood. Thirdly, wee ought to sell onely such things as are fit for sale, or knowing them to bee otherwise, to acquaint the buyer with it, and so to pitch a lower price, ac∣cording to their lesser value. Otherwise wee are not to sell things falsi∣fied in respect of their substance, and such as are mixt and corrupt, for such as are pure and good, which is a common fault among Merchants and Tradesmen in these dayes, who for their greater gaine adulterate their wares, and iumble and intermingle things of a different degree in good∣nesse, selling them all at the best rates. Fourthly, we are bound to sell those things only which are some way profitable for the Church and Common∣wealth, either for necessary vse, or for ornament and delight. Neither ought wee to benefit our selues by such things as are vnprofitable vnto others, and much lesse by such as are in their owne nature hurtfull and pernicious, vncharitably raising our owne gaine out of our neighbours

losse. As those that sell popish pardons, and bookes, to ignorant people, who are likely to be seduced by them, such also as further them in their superstition and idolatrie, obscene pictures and bookes full of ribaldry and all prophanenesse, fit for nothing but to poison and corrupt such as see and reade them.

§. Sect. 5 That we must set and sell our wares at an e∣quall price.

Fifthly, we ought in selling and buying, to set our wares at an equall price; the best rule whereof for the most part is the ordinarie price of the market, which valueth things not simply in their owne worth, but with consideration of all circumstances, as scarcity, plenty, time and place; and not according to the price wee gaue lesse or more, nor onely respecting whether we gayne much or little, whether we get nothing or lose thereby. For as of necessity, through the change of prices, we must sometimes lose, so it is alike necessary, that we should gain at another time, to repaire these losses, and maintaine our state. And as wee must not, when wee haue an ill bargaine, exceede the market, and so transferre our losse from our selues vpon our neighbour, but patiently beare our owne crosse as imposed of God, till hee afford vs lawfull meanes to free vs of it; so when wee haue made a good bargaine in respect of the difference of places or times, wee may not, vnlesse wee would be vncharitable vnto our selues, put off our gaine to others, but receiue it thankefully as the blessing of God vpon our labours. But here wee must take heede, first, that wee be not ouer strict in this kinde, seeking only our owne gaine and aduantage, without respect to the Common wealth, nor vncharitable towards the poore, in ioyning with others to keepe vp things in times of scarcity at the highest prices. But when wee can afford it, wee ought to abate something, and by our ex∣ample to bring downe others to reasonable rates, all circumstances being considered, that neither the Common wealth generally, nor the poore in particular receiue by our being iust ouer-much, any hurt or damage. Se∣condly, * 1.18 we must take heede that wee vse no vniust or vncharitable cour∣ses to rayse the markets, and the prices of commodities aboue their value; as to forestall the market, and to buy vp the things which are brought, at low rates, with a purpose to set them vp, and sell them dearer soone after in the same place. Or to ingrosse commodities which are offred to common sale, that hauing them all in our hands, wee may sell them at our owne rates. In which respect they chiefely offend, who, vpon no lawfull and ne∣cessary cause, doe abuse authority to countenance their Monopolies (I neede not to expound it, seeing custome hath made this Greeke word fa∣miliar English) and get the sale of seuerall commodities appropriated vn∣to themselues, so as none may sell them but by benefit of their priuiledge, that so they may value them aboue their worth, and inrich themselues with the losse and damage of the Common wealth. Neither must we (as it is the vsual fault of Companies and Corporations) combine our selues together to sell our wares at a certaine rate; nor keepe in our commodities in time of plenty, to this end that we may cause a dearth; seeing by defrauding * 1.19 the people of Gods blessings, we shall bee exposed to their curse, as the Wise man teacheth vs. And as the seller ought not to vent his wares a∣boue their worth; so neither should the buyer desire to haue them vnder, if at least he know that the seller cannot so afford them; especially when

he hath to deale with the poore, whose necessities oftentimes constraine them to take, not what their wares are worth, but what they can get for them. In which respect, many shopkeepers in Cities and townes grieuous∣ly offend, which take aduantage of their pouertie who worke for them, shamefully to oppresse them, forcing them to sell their teares, sighes and groanes with their wares, because wanting bread to put into their own and their childrens mouthes, they will not buy them off their hands, not be∣cause they are vnwilling to haue them, but because by these refusals they would beate them downe to vile prices, and such rates, that their curious skill and painefull labour in their art and trade, will scarce yeeld them so much as will, after the homelyest manner, feede & cloath them: whilest the other, who come further behinde them in art, skill and profitablenesse to the Common wealth then they, goe before them in stocke and riches, sel∣ling with their wares their winde and words, and doubling their price with their lies and oathes, abound in all superfluous excesse, and yet ex∣ceedingly grow in wealth.

§. Sect. 6 That in buy∣ing and selling all fraud and deceit must be auoided.

Lastly, in respect of the manner of selling and buying, wee ought to vse honest simplicity, and carefully to auoid all fraud and deceit. In which respect, men grieuously offend in these dayes, who haue & vse a thousand deuices to circumuent and defraud their neighbours. As first, by blinding their mindes with their partiall and false praises of their wares, and their eyes with false and deceitfull lights. By concealing the knowne faults of their wares, and yet coueting to get the highest prices, as if they were faultlesse. By asking for them a double price to their value, and taking it also, if the party be so simple to giue it. By abusing their acquaintance and customers vnder colour of loue and friendship, and selling their wares dearer vnto them, then a meere stranger could buy them. By tel∣ling vntruths, either about the worth of their commodities, or the price which they cost them, or the money that they haue beene offered, or that which they will take, and not vnder, and (that which is worse, though this bee too too bad among Christians) by countenancing and confirming their lyes with intermingled oathes. Vnto these, innumerable other faults might bee added, common in these dayes amongst Trades∣men, which I will onely name, because it is not my purpose to rake vp these filthy puddles to the bottome, but onely to point at the grossest of them with my finger as I passed by, that the conscionable Christian, who desireth to please God in all his courses, may shunne and auoyd them. As first, they offend in their manner of selling, who sell one thing for another, and when they meete with those, who being simple and ignorant, are apt to bee abused, doe thus deceiue them both in the colours and stuffes. So they also, who sell that which is mixt, for that which is pure; that which is sophisticate and naught, for that which is perfect and good; that which is bad, for the middle sort; and that which is meane and indifferent, for the best. They in like manner who set false glosses on their wares, by gum∣ming, starching, pressing, and burning, and so to cause them to seeme much better then they are, make them much worse for vse. Finally, they who vse false waights and measures, buying by a greater, and selling by a lesser; and such also as by their Art and skill increase the

waight and measure of their wares in shew, aboue that which they are in truth; as by false fingring, stretching, ouer-measuring, deceitfull bal∣lancing; making by their nimble trickes, the equall Scales to forget and lose their indifferency, and inclining on their side, to become ac∣cessary to their fraud. The buyer also ought no lesse carefully and con∣scionably to obserue truth and iustice in cheapning and buying his com∣modities then the seller, both offering an equall price to the worth of the wares according to his iudgement, and truely paying it when they are agreed. In which respect they offend, who, to bring downe the price vnder the true value, dispraise and disgrace the wares, before they haue bought them, which after they are gone, they are ready to commend as a good penny-worth; The which Salomon obserued as a fault in his times: It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer, and when hee is gone away, * 1.20 then hee boasteth of his bargaine. So those who offer much vnder that iust value of the wares, which their owne iudgement doth set vpon them, whereby the seller is driuen to aske much aboue, that so hee falling as the other riseth, (like the Scales, which interchangeably tossing vp and dovvne, stand at last in their due equipoyse) hee may bring the price to some indifferencie; all which vaine-spent time and labour might vvell haue beene saued, many idle words spared, and diuers abuses shunned and auoyded, if on both sides they had vsed Christian simpli∣citie. Finally, the buyer much offendeth, vvhen hauing agreed vpon the price, and comming to pay it, hee giueth not vnto the seller his full due, but either wittingly misreckoneth him in the summe, or ten∣dreth vnto him, in stead of currant and lawfull money, slippes, and base coyne, vvashed, clipped, and light gold, or pieces of lesse va∣lue, oftentimes for those of greater, vvhich through ouer-sight, by reason of their likenesse, may very easily bee mistaken the one for the other.

§. Sect. 7 How to auoid the faults com∣monly cōmit∣ted betweene buyers and sellers.

All which faults among buyers and sellers, which so intolerably raigne in these times, would easily bee auoyded; if, as wee professe, wee would preferre Iustice and charity before deceit and selfe-loue, and according∣ly would labour to mortifie the one as hurtfull and pernicious, and magnifie the other as most excellent and profitable, both for the set∣ting foorth of Gods glory, and the furthering and assuring of our owne saluation. If wee would but consider that God is present, and behol∣deth all our dealings, and will one day, as a righteous Iudge, call them to account, to reward them if they bee vpright and iust, or to punish * 1.21 them, if they bee wicked and deceitfull. If finally, when wee come to summe vp our gettings in our Trades at the yeeres end, wee would put all our gaines in the one Scale, and our soules which wee haue hazzar∣ded to euerlasting losse, by our vniust, vntrue, and deceitfull dealing, into the other, and consider how light they bee in comparison of it, which, as our Sauiour hath taught vs, cannot bee counterpoysed by the * 1.22 waight and worth of the whole world. And so much concerning our dealings with one another in contracts and bargaynes; the which I thought necessary to bee in some briefe manner handled in this Treatise, because all Christians almost are often imployed in them, and many,

whose callings consist in trading, doe spend the most part of their liues in it: As also, because the corruptions of the times are so many and grie∣uous, so backed with the multitude, and countenanced with custome, that they are scarce thought to bee any sinnes, insomuch as many, which otherwise feare God, are often ouertaken with them, either through ignorance, walking according to the common course, for want of bet∣ter direction; or being compelled (as they suppose) with vrgent necessi∣tie to doe as others doe; because there being so few which doe as they should, and such multitudes which vse fraud and deceit; if they should in their trading and dealings vse truth and iustice, simplicity and honest plainenesse, they should (as the Prophet complaineth of his times) be∣come * 1.23 a prey vnto others, and bee exposed to the common spoile. The which danger would in great part bee auoyded, if men could liue by faith, and cast themselues vpon Gods prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes, seeing hee neuer faileth them that trust in him. And also, if there were a generall reformation of these abuses and corruptions, among them that sincerely professe Religion, and truely feare God, which might easily bee done without any danger to their estates; seeing what is wanting in ill-gotten gaines, would bee abundantly supplyed by the greatnesse of their custome; for who that is wise, would goe ordinarily to others, where hee is likely to be deceiued, when as hee may trade with them from whom he may assuredly expect honest and plaine dealing? And so much concer∣ning those duties of Christian conuersation, which are to bee obserued in all companies and societies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Phil. 3. 17.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 13 7.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 11. 1.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 9. 19. to 22.
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 11. 33.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 10. 24.
• * 1.7

  Heb. 13. 18.
• * 1.8

  Micah 7. 2.
• * 1.9

  1. Thes. 4. 6.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 5. 6.
• * 1.11

  Zach. 8. 16. Psal. 15. 2.
• * 1.12

  Ʋers. 4.
• * 1.13

  Pro. 21. 6.
• * 1.14

  Pro. 13. 11.
• * 1.15

  Apoc. 22. 15. & 21. 8.
• * 1.16

  Pro. 10. 2.
• * 1.17

  Amos 2. 6. Esa. 5. 23. Esa. 1. 23.
• * 1.18

  Eccle. 7. 16.
• * 1.19

  Pro. 11. 26.
• * 1.20

  Pro. 20. 14.
• * 1.21

  1. Thes. 4. 6.
• * 1.22

  Mark. 8. 36.
• * 1.23

  Esa▪ 59. 15.