Fourthly , it is theft .

Themistocles espying a dead body richly adorn'd , passed by , but called to his Companion , Tolle haec , tu enim Themistocles non es , take up these , for thou art not Themistocles , he could not stoop so low as to gather Gold out of the blood and dirt ; but hee stoopes lower , that plucks it from the living , and commits a double theft , robbing himselfe of honor , and the other of the means of life .

Lastly , it is odious to God .

It is the will of God , that no Man oppresse and defraud his Brother , Thess. 1.4.6 . for the Lord is the Avenger of all such . And to good men , even to the Heathen , they counted no profit lasting which was got by fraud . Romanis artibus , virtute , opere , armis , vincam ( saith one amongst them ) I will overcome by the Romane Arts , ( viz. ) Vertue , labour , Stobaeus ex Theopomp . and Armes . In Athens it was a custome , that when men bought or sold any thing , they came before the Magistrate appointed for that purpose , and there tooke a solemne oath , that they had not dealt fraudulently , nor used any deceit . I have heard of a Turke that having bought Cloth of an English-man , wherein was inclosed a great summe of money , unknowne to both parties : and finding it , made many Journeyes in quest of the English-man ; at length meeting with him , unaskt restored the money . Are Heathens just , and art thou a Christian unjust ? Quid prodest vocare quod non es ? What doth it profit to call thee what thou art not ? It is said of the Jesuits , nihil praeter nomen retinuerunt , they have retained nothing of Jesus but his name ; and of the Popes , Qui Bonefacius , malefacius , qui Pius impius , qui Vrbanus rusticus , qui Innocens nocens ; Hee that was called good doer , was an ill doer : who was called Holy , was wicked : who was called civill , was uncivill : who was called innocent , was nocent . And I would it might not bee said of many Christians , that they are but so in name , having good words , not answerable workes ; supposing more of Gods hearing , than his seeing . But let these know that many eate that here , which they digest in Hell hereafter .

If Dives was sent into the fire for not giving his own , Si in ignem mittitur q inon dedit rem propriam , ubimittendus est qui invasit alienam ? Aug. whither shall they bee sent which take that which is anothers ? If he goe to hell which gives not , whither shall hee goe which takes away ?

The unjust wayes of deceit which I would have my Citizen to shun , Flattery . are many : as Flattery , Dissimulation , Lying , &c. of which in their order .

There bee some whom Gaine will transforme into all shapes ; Flattery . let the Customer looke how hee will , they like a Looking-glasse will have something in them like him . The old Law would not allow the Swan for mans meat ; his feathers being white , his body black . Neither are those fit to deale with man , whose pretences being faire , have foule practises : these Flatterers are the Aves Gaviae of the time ; Which Birds , when Alphonsus King of CICELY lancht from the shore , flew about the Ship , hee causing meate to be throwne forth , they fled when they had taken it : Thus it is with me ( saith he ) my Flatterers having received what they expected , withdraw their obsequiousnesse , and returne no more , Nisi nova munera Esuriant , unlesse they are a hungry for new benefits . Divines say that , with the Hebrewes : Verbum blandiendi separare significat , flattering divides a Man from himselfe , hee thinkes himselfe otherwise then hee is . A house divided cannot stand ; which some unjust ones considering , by flattery part a Mans judgement from his will , and so deceive him . Oyle powred upon the Gras-hopper kills it , Vineger revives it , Sic multos occidit adulatio , quos justa sanat reprehensio . Flattery kills those , whom just harsh dealing with doth heale : But it is not alwayes so in the way of Trade . Some Customers will grow dull and displeased , if they bee not often whetted by a Flatterer ; downe-right honest speeches discontent them . For this cause , as the Apostle said ; Be angry , but sin not : So I say , Flatter , but sin not , if that be possible . Yet it is my opinion , that amiable lookes and faire speeches will goe farre enough , wee need seeke no by-wayes . Flattery is the corruption of truth , a thing as pernicious , as truth excellent . Among other things this is one the Flatterer is known by , Non imitatur amicittam , sed praeterit , hee doth not onely imitate friendship , but goes beyond it .

Dissimulation is a thing more tollerable with a Citizen ; it is with him as with one who hath married a wife , whom hee must use well , pretending affection to her , though hee cannot love her : and indeed Divines hold it in some cases lawfull , to pretend one thing and intend an other ; as in the case of our Saviour , going with the two Disciples to Emaus , he made as if hee would goe further , to stirre up their desire of his presence ; what ever hee pretended , hee intended to stay with them that night . If a man pretends a long journey by being booted and spurd , but intends to returne suddainely , to see what those whom hee puts in trust would doe ; if he had gone is no sinne : whereas if he had said hee would have gone such a journey , and not performed it , had been a lye : Simulata aequitas est duplex iniquitas , quia et simulatio est et iniquitas . August . But woe to them which dissemble to an ill end : these have the voyce of Iacob , but the hands of Esau ; they are smooth in their words , rough in their actions . Let them know that Ter peccat quise bonum illi simulat , cui faciat malè , hee sins thrice that counterfeits himselfe good , to whom he may doe ill : consider Absalon that Master-piece of Hypocrisie ; hee well knew to bee within a Nero , without a Cato ; hee had Linguam pictam , a painted tongue , but not supplicium pictum , a painted punishment . Behold him hanging on a Tree , as unworthy of Heaven or Earth : Behold him thrust through with three darts , as worthy of a treble death . Triplici dignum morte . These dissemblers like the Polypus can take all colours to deceive , but how cowardly a humour is this , and besides servile : he that dissembles , must have still a fearefull eye upon himselfe , Nemo potest diu personam ferre fictam : cito in naturam suam recidunt quibus veritas non est Sen. lest hee be discovered ; his mystery is poore , for hee is ere long found out , and then not credited ; all hee speaks is held Apocryphal . O how excellent a thing is freedome ! there is no better life then to live according to a mans nature , resolving alwaies , Lingua calamum in corde tingere , to dip the penne of the Tongue in the Incke of the heart , speaking but what hee thinkes ; to doe otherwise is impiety , yet to utter all hee thinkes is eminent folly .

Lying is a base vice : therefore said an ancient Philosopher , it is the part of slaves to lie ; and the Poet wisely , Dare to bee true , nothing can neede a lye , A fault that needes it most , growes two thereby .

Lying is pernicious to humane society : for silence is more sociable then untrue speech ; it is the worse because so various : if it had but one visage , there were some remedy for it , a man might take the contrary to it for truth : that which is good is certaine and finite ( sayth Philosophy ) there is but one way to hit the marke . Evill is infinite and uncertaine , there are a thousand wayes to misse it . It is reported of certaine new Indians , that they offered humane blood to their gods , but none other then what was drawn from their tongues and eares , for an expiation of the sinne of lying ; as well heard , as pronounced ; even those that use this vice , most conceive the basenesse of it , counting that the extreamest injury that can be done to them in word , to reproach them with the lye : Aug. Facere non pudet , dicipudet : they are not asham'd to lye , but to be called lyars . The tongue is connexed by vaines to the braine and heart ; by which nature teacheth us , that it is to be govern'd by the intellect , whose seat is in the head , so that it may agree with the heart : A man deceived through errour , may pronounce this or that falshood , thinking it is true which is no proper lye ; for in a lye , Semper sermo discentit à mente , the speech alwayes differs from the mind ; Contra mentem ire . which the word Mentiri imports : to speake falshood , thinking it truth , is to lye onely Materialiter ; to speake truth , thinking it is not true , is to lye Formalitèr ; but hee that speakes false , thinking it false lyeth ( Materaliter et formaliter ) atque ideo perfectè mentitur , ( sayth one ) in the matter and forme , and therefore lyeth perfectly ; thus lye to save our lives we may not , much lesse to save or increase our wealth . Memorable is the example of that woman in St. Hierom , mori scivit haec virago , mentiri nescijt , shee knew how to dye , she knew not how to tell an untruth . In a strait where money or Iustice must be lost , Perde potiùs pecuniam , nè perdas Iustitiam , rather loose money then Justice . Falsum nihil dicere licet , aliquid autem vertacere aliquando est 〈◊〉 Aug. Lying then is to be banisht : but this rule must bee observed ; as wee may not lie , so we need not speake all the truth . Augustine makes mention of one Fi●mus , who when hee was askt to tell where his friend was , lest he should be delivered to his enemies hands , said he would not tell ; Nec mentiar , nec prodam , I will neither lie , nor betray him . This man was firmus nomine , sed firmior men e ( saith Augustine , ) Constant in name , but more constant in mind .

Among these , Oris inquinamenta , Polluters of the Mouth , swearing must bee spoken of : when the rest will not serve turne , 't is common to adde oathes : and indeed what sinne so hainous , which hee that makes haste to be rich is afraid or ashamed to commit ? Quis metus aut pudor est unquam properantis avari ? Iuve . Sat. 14. But what need I say any thing against this , but the Commandement , Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine , for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse which taketh his Name in vaine . Lex haec unica , Christianis omnibus instar mille concionum sit . ( saith Augustine . ) This one Law should bee to all Christians as a thousand Sermons . All oathes are not unlawfull ; wee may sweare , sed praeeat lux , let the light goe before us . But how horrid a thing is it to call God to beare witnesse to trifles and lies ! for Quid aliud est jurare , quam Deum testem invocare , ( saith Augustine . ) What is it to sweare , but to call God as a witnes ? If this were considered ; many would not , as they doe , make Rhetorick of an oath , taking delight in that which moves Gods displeasure .

To forsweare is a greater sinne than to sweare ; for the Apostle doth not say , Fratres mei nolite perjurare , Iames 5.12 . sed nolite jurare , My Brethren , doe not forsweare , Falsa juratio exitiosa est , vera ju ratio periculosa est , nulla juratio secura est . Drex . orb . Pha. Cap 27. but doe not sweare . Wouldst thou bee farre from perjury ? sweare not : false swearing is deadly ; true swearing is dangerous ; not to sweare at all is secure . Those that have worshipt stones , have beene afraid to sweare falsly by them ; Et tu non times Deum praesentem ? and dost not thou feare that God which is every where present , which sees all things generally without exception , Generaliter sine exceptione , evidenter sine dubitatione , immutabiliter sine oblivione . evidently without doubt , immutably without forgetfulnesse ?

Let me tell the Swearer in the words of another , Et si seras , severas tamen exolvet poenas , though his punishment may be defer'd , yet it shall be heavie . Besides all other curses , this is one ; Iis maximè nunquam qui jurant , creditur . the swearer is not beleeved hee will certainely bee false to man , which is not true to Gods honour . O matchlesse folly ! that men should through open slewces let their soules runne out for nothing .

I may not overslip those slippery ones , whose unjust hands with a just measure can deceive , though the vigilancy of authority tyes them perhaps to a true measure ; yet not remembring that Patemus undique Deo , God sees that which man cannot , they pervert Justice : but man will discover them too . I have read that Ferdinand the Emperor possest a great number of Watches wherein he much delighted ; it pleased him once to put this his variety of speaking Gold upon a Table , as if hee would expose it to sale . Going a side , one that stood by , driven by a desire of stealing , or occasion , stole one of them : which the Emperour espying with an oblique eye , called him to him , and held him in various discourse , till the Watch striking , discovered the houre and his theft . He which deceiveth with unjust measure may well apply this ; what hee hath done , hath a tongue to discover him when 't is moved by a true hand , and a just measure : which done , Sua se prodit conscientia , nec scipso judice absolvi potest , his conscience doth betray him , and though himselfe be judge , hee cannot be absolved , habet conscientiam & conscium , he hath a witnesse within , and another without . By this time he blushes , where I leave him with restitution to repent .

Now I discover some false lights ; their end is to make the Wares seeme better than they are , that the seller may receive for them more than they are worth . But doe they which use them think Light can look upon the Wares , and not he that made the light ? Or will they thinke to enjoy the perfect light hereafter , which adulterate it here ? There was a presumptuous Carrier , that travelling in the night was told of certaine dangerous pits in the way , that if he had no care of his Horse , hee might regard his owne life . Oculos comprimo , & omnia ubique plana sunt , I shut my eyes ( saith he ) and all things every where are plaine : like this man are these which cannot beleeve but there is danger , yet feare it not ; they know Gods presence , but not reverence it . It is to bee lamented , that men have too darke , shops : but more , that they have too darke mindes ; let them remember who it was which said , There is nothing hid which shall not be made manifest . A shop may bee too darke , and it may bee too light : therefore it is , or should bee so ordered , that least Commodities bee sold too deare , shops shall not be too darke ; and lest they be sold too cheap , they shall not bee too light .

It is ordinary to prey upon the Sellers occasion to use money , or the Buyers to use the commodity : but this should move pitty , not cruelty . Pliny saith of the Lyon , parcit semper subjectis , and shall man bee so unjust as to doe lesse ? or if man , far bee it from a Citizen , who conversing with most men , should have most humanity .

As it is likewise unjust , so it is ordinary , to buy wares for time , yet pay not for them at the time agreed upon . The Indians of Guiana , when they promise any thing , will deliver a bundle of sticks equall to the number of dayes or moneths that they appoint , and for themselves will have another bundle of the like number : every day or moneth they take away a sticke ; when all is taken away , they know the time of their appointment is come . Thus carefull are they in observing their time , but how negligent are we ! It was well said by reverend Jewell , ( the Jewell of his time ) O nos miseros qui Christiani dicimur ! hoc tempore gentes agimus sub nomine Christi . 'T is our misery , that we are called Christians , yet live like Heathen under that name : but here it were well if wee could gentes agere doe like these Heathen : they which are so backward in payment , are like ill Singers saith one ) they should be sent to the compter , a good Singing school for them to learn to keepe better time in .

But what shall we think of those which will finde no time at all to pay , breaking deeply indebted to many ? I know what they will say of themselves , it was destin'd , Providence had decreed they should not prosper . I remember I have read of Zeno Catticus , that hee had a servant taken in theft , whom he commanded to be slaine ; pleading for himselfe , he said the Fates had appointed he should steale . I and that you should suffer too ( quoth Zeno ) so for those that break , and that out of policy to deceive , let them prove the appointment of it , their punishment is sure enough , designed . Was there ever any of these , but it might be said of him , Sensit opus he felt the smart of it ? he may seeme to prosper for a time , and we may wonder that the way of the wicked should doe so ; but Divinity it selfe will answere us , there is no peace to the wicked ; if no peace no prosperity . Yet some there are whom I must pitty , ( not enveigh against ) the violent blasts of crosse accidents have blowne them downe , they would pay every man his owne , but cannot ; of these I must say , as Augustine in another case ; it is not so much to be considered what they doe , Non est considera● dum quid fac●●nt sed quo animo et voluntate . and with what minde they doe it , 't is with griefe enough . These are those broken ones into whom Charity must powre the balme of Comfort ; they have broken estates , and broken hearts .

The last way of deceit , of which I will discourse , is the inhaunsing and raysing the prizes of commodities above measure ; which the very light of nature condemneth , Offic lib. ● . as Cicero honestly .

If a man in time of dearth bring a Ship laden with Corne , and know that there are a great many more Ships comming within few dayes ; if hee dissemble this , taking advantage of the present want , to sell his Corne at too high a rate , he is condemned for hard and unjust dealing : so a consideration of what cases doe lessen and increase the price , doth here offer it selfe .

There is as much injustice in selling commodities too cheap , as too deere : D'vn petit ruisseau sort souvant une grande viviere . the beginning of the evill may seeme small , but the end is great , saith the French phrase .

A commoditie may bee worth more , being sold to one man then to an other ; as Cloth , if by the English private trades it bee sold cheap , without respect of persons ; Farreners can in other Countries sell it as cheape as the English Merchant , which must spoyle his trade ; the decay of the trade into Russia came by this meanes .

Commoditie increaseth its price , victualls or household provision being deare ; otherwise those many thousands which live by making , dying , dressing , selling them or the like , must fare the worse .

When the buyers seeke the wares , they or a sort of them being scarce , the common estimation is increased , so the price may be raised .

Commodities sold by retayle , must bee sold dearer then when they are sold otherwaies ; the labour and care in selling them thus being the greater : not to doe so , is to undervalew the labour and care of the whole profession .

Lastly , commodities may bee sold dearer for time , then ready money : sale is a perpetuall alienation of the property for a price ; but that that price should bee alienated for a time , is not the most ancient nor most true way ; it should be payed upon the receipt of the wares , which so payed may by industry bee increased , not payd ; thence followes a sensible want of what might have beene gained , which the buyer in conscience ought to recompence ; and the seller may take , if the other be not poore , or a looser by the wares thus bought : I have heard and read words against this , but not arguments .

The price is to bee lessened , when a man hath foolishly bought his wares ; for it may happen that he may sell them cheaper then hee bought them , and yet doe unjustly : or if the estimation of his commodities after his buying them is lesned , then the price is to bee lesned with it .

When one sells a great deale together , here the manner of selling , lessening the number of buyers , but increasing his takings , lessens the price ; and giving thus occasion of selling them againe ; they must bee sold cheaper , lest many thousands , as it may fall out , suffer detriment by them in buying them at too deare a hand .

When wares seeke buyers , Merces oblatae vilescunt , prosered wares grow cheap yet this is no sufficient reason of lessening the price , unlesse the thing thus sold be little profitable to the buyer ; or such as hee would not buy , but because of its cheapenesse , or buying it , rather respecting the seller then himselfe .

When a commodity proves faulty , or is any wayes perisht in the substance or circumstance , the price is to bee lessened . I might insist upon some other petty cases lessening and increasing the price , but let this suffice : all contracts must tend Ad bonum ipsorum contrahentium , to the good of them which make them . So shall all injustice bee avoyded . That my Citizen may doe so : I desire that he may never forget , that God is Totus oculus , all eye ; and so must see all his Actions . There is a figure in Rhetorick call'd Conversio , resolving many questions with one answere , which St. Basil useth thus : his Disciples sought who amongst them was most often angry ? who was most slow to divine service ? whose mind most often wandred at Prayers ? Qui non semper cogitat suarum actionum , & cogitationum inspectatorem esse Deum . He answered all at once thus ; hee that doth not alwaies thinke that God is the beholder of his thoughts and actions . So if it be demanded ; who is a flatterer , dissembler , lyer , deceitfull person ? I answere , he who thinkes not that God takes notice of his doings .

He who remembers this , will live Justly , and that God which sees him doe so , hath a blessing for him ; surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him ; hee will draw him out of many waters , as he did Moses ; he will keepe him safe in the midst of many waters , as he did Ionas : so trouble shall not hurt him , hee and his seede after him shall prosper .

But unjust wicked deceitfull wayes are so common , that I must say nothing of blessings , they must sleepe a while ; Mercy goe aside , Peace returne to the God of Peace , and not bee spoken of . There is Judgement with thee O Lord , with thee there is ruine and subversion , with thee there is battaile and famine , with thee there are snares , plagues , storme and tempest , fire and brimstone , and therefore thou shalt be feared . Thou art as a Cart pressed under the sheaves , Praegravatum oneri , loaded too much , and that Vsque ad stridorem , till thou makest a noyse , till thou complaine of it : and that dayly by thy Ministers , that thy noyse is Gemibundus stridor , uttered from them with drest sighes : but if any oppresse thee thus , it should not be London , for whom thy mercy hath done so much , that they are quieter in their houses , then their friends abroad in their Castles ; they have many Conduits to convey Comforts to their Soules , which others wander many leagues for . Thy mercies toward them are new and strange , and their peace which includes them all , hath an Eve upon it : if God be Subter , under , which is no fit place for his Majesty ; Me thinkes hee should not be Subter vos , under you of London , my words will not bee regarded : I therefore speake from the mouth of David ; Psal. 107. God turnes a fruitfull Land into barrennesse , for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein : and from Augustine , Civitatis eversio , morum , non murorum casus . the ruine of a Citie is not wrought by the walls weakenesse , but the Citizens wickednesse . Livy hath observed , that Rome began to lose all , when sinne abounded amongst all . In Gellius mention is made of the Horse of Sejanus , called Sejus ; this Horse a goodly Horse to looke on , but whosoever owned it was still unfortunate : such a thing is Injustice , faire to the eye ; but he prospers not that useth it . Intramuros hostis . The enemy is within the walls : this enemy is Injustice , but shall that bee found in Sion ? if the same things be there that were in Sodome , how then shall not God doe to one Citie , as to another ? or shall there bee any difference between the one and the other ? but that it shall bee easier in the day of Judgement for them of Sodome , then for them of Sion : the more grace Sion , the more grace London hath received ; the more fearefully for her sins shall shee bee punished and tormented . But lest I bee censured for putting my Sickle into the Divines Harvest , I turne this discourse into a Prayer ; beseeching God to guide my Citizen so in the way of Justice , that he may follow him who said , Ego sum veritas , I am the truth : let him endeavour to bee with him ; truth in words , not knowing how to deceive ; Truth in thoughts , not knowing how to be deceived : Truth in deeds , conforming his Actions to the Divine will ; following him thus , which is the truth ; hee followes him which is the way too , Et illa vi● quae ducit ad vitam , and that way which leades to life , to a good life here , to a better hereafter .