1 Com.8 Rules aboutgettingandofngofRiches. Chap. io 489 read, Elifha refufed great offers from Naaman the Syrian ; and when he had a lodg- z King. ç. 16 Mg provided by the Shunamite, he fludied to requite it. Curtefies andgifts mull not 2 King. 4. r be receivedof every one,but there mutt be a choice made,and diferetion ufed.S.Paut becaufe he had a good-opinion of the $hilippians,received a gift of them; but of no s 6; ether Çhúrch: and Lydia intreats, If yehavejudgedme to befaithful, come into my boufe. We mull thereforemake choice of thofe, to whomwe mutt be bound ; the Heathen would have not only beneficioem, a benefit received, but judicium alto,. he would know from whom ; for fome are like him the Son of Syracb fpeaks of, "That open their mouth like a town cryer, to day they lend, and to morrow they will askit again. 2. For gettingby Induffry. r.A man mull be faithful in that he undertakes,when z. By*why, he expels any thingMr his pains. St.John gives Gaits a good Commendation, for 3 John 3 dealingfaithfully ; andofJacob it is Paid, that hedid his fervice faithfullywith all Gen. 31.6 his power ; and thofethat were to partakeof the holy things, were to approve their 2 Chro.3 t.' &" fidelity: this is theheft thing. z.The fecond is a branchof fobriety,to be contentwith ones wages, as St. john the Baptift anfwered the fouldiers ; hermit} not be like him in the Parable, whole eye was evil, that was difcontented,becaufe he had not morethan another labourer. He that repines and thinks behath not enough,will be unfaithful in his work, and not go onwith it like thofe murmuring Ifraelites, that murmured Exod,16.3 in the wildernefs, and withe they were inEgypt, by the flelhpotsagain. 3. For gettingby Contrats. We laiddown diverfe rules before,concerning the 3.sÿcontrails adequationof the price to the valueof the thing contrated for. To which we may svhe,eimmff add Come other thingsconfiderable in the prizing ofthings. be con¡wa,.d r. The need ofthething, for it is not only the intrinfecal worth, but the need of 1. Theneed o it'alfa, which makes it valuable ; for as St.fluguffine faith, uttus panic, one loafof the thing fold., bread is worth twenty flies,and one fieldbetter thana great companyofmice,not in refpeá of their nature by creation, for living creatures are more noble andof more worth than things inanimate, but in regard of the need we haveofthem; for thus fometimes agood hone is moreesteemed, than anunprofitable man, becaufe there is moreneed ofthe one, thanof the other. 2. To the need they add the ufe, for ifa thingbe fit for our purpofe,if it be dura- Z. rht Oft/ ble, ifithave manifold ufes, this encreafes the price. Now, becaufe the want of things is varied many wayes,therefore the price is va- ried accordingly. As in regard ofthe place, thus in the middle of the land, fea fith is dearer, than near the tea. So in regard ofthe time, . ascorn prefently before harvell is dearer, becaufe every man is to lookto the getting in ofhis corn t and the longer from harveft the cheaper it is. So alto the fcarcityof a thingmay increafe the price, becaufe there are but few that have it to fell t as alto utentium inopia, the fcarcityof fuch asufe it, when there arebut few that will ufe it, and great pains is taken to make it, this makes the price uncertain. The need of a thing being uncertain, makes the price uncertain, fo that it conlifs not in termino indivifibili, in an indivilible point. And then further, a mans charges which he is at, and the damage heCuftains for thegetting of it, andhis care for the keepingof it, and his labour topolith and trim it, and the dangerhe pasfee through in attaining it, thefe are all valuable : but now, what amans pains is, and what colt he is at, is noteafily known. And therefore becaufe this juffitia contralluum, this juflice and equity in bargaining cannot eafily be brought under certain rules, becaufe men will take toomuch liberty for their owngain and profit, we muttavoid the ex, treams,and labour to attain the medium, or the mean price, and here it is beltfumere medium,, i oradr@-, to take the mean or middle, withfonte breadth or latitude; fo if a man in bargaining,fet himfelf tocome jut} to the middle point(for theprice)though he mils a little, he is not therefore unjuft. If he decline the extream,beforeheattain themedium,the point he aimsat,till hebebetter informed,or have learned otherwife, h not therefore to be cenfured, as unjuft. Thismedium, is that which theycalljuftum pretium, a jut}price or value, which is aloft p,ice as I Paid admits a latitude,for of this they make three forts or degrees. are 3 drew, r. Piumpretium, an eafie rate,aswhen for publickufeseither Civil or Eccclefafli- t. Pion, cal, we part with a thing at a lower rate, then we could fell it for. Qqq z. Mode-
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