86 Qeftions and Anfwers ;.4mrxanc;., no doubt in this matter to enioy any thing found , without true tefimonye in our fettles , that we bane vied as many meaner as we could to 'carne out the Íoofcr, as by asking, by proclaiming , and futh like. This well confidered and waied thould a littlemore awake inch as be Lords a waifes and firaies, as we fay , that they carie an. eie ouertheir hayliffes in that behalfe fo fleece as they can , to tee that they bring not finnevpon them , by making themvniull retainers of other mens goods,a complaint common in moll places,and athefc not to be watranted in any place. 9uef+. ;view is oar duety to baying andfelling? Leui,z5.r4. Anfw. When thou feReff ought to thy neighbour , faith the lawe ,orbuyeffat thy neigh - rf, bouts hand, yau/bail not oppreffe one another (meaning by deceit or any orherwite ) but according to the number o f yeeres after the Iubile Auto _limit buy of tJ-y neighbour , alfa ac-- cording to the number of rheyeers of the reaenewes heelball fell wilt° thee. According to the 56. mukit> 1deofyearesthou/haltincreafe the price thereof, aad according to the femmesofyeares thou Atilt abate the price ofit ,fer the number offruiter loth he fell unto tbee.Oppreffenot yet 17. therefore any man his netghbour,but thou (halt feane thy qad. For l am the Lore( thy God. In which law this I marke, that wizen I fell or buy I muf Phew euen a lout to my Btother , and a tender affection in that my dealing with him. For fo it is meant, when it is laid, you (hall not opprefle one another. Secondly that then confequently any greedy aff&ioii moy not Cet the price but the value of the thing , and the benefit which it is likely to yeelde. ForhowecanIlouehim, and yet take more of him than I glue him , that is more money , than the thing is worth ? which things if they bee wanting,furely then our felling is deceit and guile,yea it is theft by this commaunde- ment piooued. For the very equitfe of this law c, as entry one may plainely fee,was this,that as good ( hould be giuen as takenAnd taken as giuen. Eucn that commuta- tiue inane whichheathen men could feeto bee fo neceffary in all contrs tes and bar - gains,as that without it no trading could (land or fociety indure. Vpon which lawe well confidered and foundlyfetled in our mindes,a,godly man draweth their con - clufions,and let vs thinkeofthem .Firft,it condemneth all ouerfelltng,I meats known and wilful! ouerfellingof anything , for to fay the words ( according to the number of yeares/bab than fell) that is, ifthe Abdo be farre off, thou ¡halt fell dearer by reafon the buyer (hall reaps longer ptofit for it: but ifit be nette, then cheaper for thecon- trary reafon. So that an equality of commodities prefent is plainely (hot at in this law. How then can they warrant their dealings to have required loue in them, who in refpca eyther ofpaffed lotieor fuppofed potfible in time to come,dot inhauscethe price of the chinges they fell , about the value of the things? This dealing , if you marke the wordes well, could not be allowed among11 the Jemes. And as yet I am ignorant of any larger commitfron granted to vs to wrecke our felues vpon ourbre- thren and to tot) them becaufe God in his pleafure bath croffed vs with lo¡íe or may doe hereafter. Secondly,it condemneth allvttering of naughty and counterfeit coyne or wares.For firt'c for the feller, ifheraife the price to the value of good wares, and then dcliuer cull' or counterfeit, how loth he obferue an equality of commodity? and then for the buyer if he beat it downe to aslowe a price sa be may ,till he content to giue fo much for it , and then dehuer counterfeit and mill coyne , where is againe the equine of his lawe on his partwho is bound by it to glut aimuch and. as good as her takcth fo neere as iudgenaent can any way fettle him. Thirdly, it condemgethail lying in waite to pray vpon one that mull needes cl for prefent money , to get his commodity for balk the value if I can , when as rather I fhould forpitie giue him e- qualitie. For what loue is this to thegoods ofiny neighbour, when I can be content euen to robbe him in his nece(fitie by taking that for a permit that is worth in mine ovine confcience three, &norto beboughtvnder, were his need not fo great:Now fee & note then how commonly,yet fearetully,for want of loue and confcience to glue as good as we take,our buying &felling one with another is (potted &Rained with great d;grieuoas eheft.For roof+ affuredly cucn as in the time of the law if they obferued not a proportiô betwixt the labile yere& their price,they offended apainfl the Cómande- met oftheft:fo now the law being gone,if the equity ofitbe not obferued,to wit, the cops-
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