not so barefaced, yet are as evil in the sight of God, as ill becom ing an honest man and a Christian, and as hard to be repented of as the former; such are,-the taking advantage of men's ignorance or mistakes; overreaching them in bargains or in suits at law; imposing upon their belief by a pretended sincerity, and then making a hand of their simplicity: these, and such as these, are the sins I would endeavor to set in a true light, that all good men may avoid them, and that all evil men may repent of them.

Now, the text I have chosen for this discourse is an instance of great integrity. It is the direction and command of Jacob to his sons, who, returning out of Egypt, where they had been to buy corn, and finding the moneys which they had before taken with them packed up and returned with the rest of their goods, were greatly surprised, and at a loss what to think of so uncommon an accident; in the mean time their father orders them what to do: "Take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight."

In these words there are two duties of great importance expressly set down. "Peradventure it was an oversight." Here is a direction never to take advantage of other people's mistakes, negligence, or ignorance, &c. "Take double money in your hands," &c. Here is restitution expressly required. Of which two duties, and the sins that are contrary to them, I will endeavor, by the assistance of God's good Spirit, so to speak as that your time may not be altogether lost in hearing them explained.

I. To begin with the first of these duties. Now, there being a world of practices very dishonest, and yet people make a shift to live in them without either public reproach or private regret, it will therefore be proper to consider, how they will be able to justify themselves before the Judge of all the earth.

"Peradventure it was an oversight;" and therefore we must not take our advantage of it. This was Jacob's rule. Let us see how far this rule ought to oblige all honest men, and how well it is observed. Now, people may not see their interest, but overlook their rights several ways; and to take advantage of their circumstances would be manifest injustice. For instance: if a man is in drink, he is, in the very language of the world, overseen;

and if, in such circumstances he happen to fall into ill hands, and make a bargain, it is ten to one but he heartily repents of what he has done, and very often his family smarts for it. Now, a good man, when he sees this, would reason just as Jacob did: 'It was an oversight, and you shall not suffer by it.'

But is this the practice of the world?-Very far from it. And, though the Apostle expressly declares "that the Lord is the avenger of all such as go beyond or defraud another in any matter," (1 Thess. iv. 6,) yet people will not easily quit a good bargain, for any law of God, if the laws of man will not force them to it.

To proceed. How easily may a poor man, who has a righteous cause, mistake in defending it! But will his oversight give me a right to that to which, in truth, I had no just title before I made this advantage of his weakness or poverty? Or can anybody think that, because the injustice is done in the face of a court, it is a less crime than if it had been done on the high road?

To feed a man with moneys, or to help to run him into debt, by encouraging him to borrow when he has no occasion, that I may get a better bargain of his estate when he shall be forced to sell it this should seem by the commonness of it to be no great crime. But pray does the man know what he is doing? If he does not, I take advantage of his weakness; I help to ruin him, and perhaps his family; and, if he is really guilty of a sin in squandering away the inheritance of his forefathers, it is impossible I should be guiltless.

"He that flattereth his neighbor," saith Solomon, "spreadeth a net for his feet." (Prov. xxix. 5.) It is impossible for a man, by fair speeches, to make his neighbor overlook his own interests; but, then, to take any ill advantage of a man, because he has an opinion of my judgment and integrity, is a wickedness which God will certainly avenge, though no law on earth can call a man to an account for it. Because it is less hazardous to wrong orphans than older people, is it therefore less criminal? No, surely so far from it, that God declares himself concerned in the cause of the fatherless and widow; that he will undertake and vindicate their cause against those that oppress them. And why? Why, because they have none else to help them. For which very rea

son a man should be very careful of taking advantage of the weaknesses or oversights of such helpless people, because such people have a right, and a promise, of redress from God: "Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless for their Redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee." (Prov. xxiii. 10, 11.) How often do wills, and other writings of moment, fall into the hands of such as thereby have an opportunity of wronging their neighbors! And people that will make use of such an opportunity do generally think that this is a less offence than stealing. But for what reason? Why, only because for stealing (if a man is caught) he will be in danger of being hanged; while at the worst he will only be called a dishonest man, if the other be discovered. And yet the crimes are equally forbidden, equally unjust and dangerous in the sight of God, whose judgment will be according to right, and not according to the false opinions of men.

A man who borrows moneys which he knows he cannot repay plainly takes an advantage of his creditor's ignorance of his circumstances. It is probable he may fancy himself less guilty than if he had stolen so much or taken it by force; but he would not think so if the laws had made these two crimes equally penal, as they are in fact equally unjust in the sight of God and man. There are too many who will make no scruple of imposing upon their neighbor's ignorance in passing off bad moneys, who yet would startle at the thoughts of counterfeiting the current coin: I question whether such people have considered how near akin these two crimes are to one another.

To proceed: If a man will take all advantages which the very laws allow, he will very often do great injustice, and in good conscience make himself liable to restitution. For instance: a man, in settling his estate, which he may righteously do, forgets some formality which the law requires. Now, may I honestly go about to break this settlement? No, surely. Why, what, then, was the law made for? Why, purely to prevent frauds. Then, say you, he may be relieved in Chancery. But shall I give a man the trouble and the expense of law, when I believe beforehand that he has a right in conscience? A man must love the world more than the commands of God that will do so.

The very same must be said of unjust prescriptions, which yet the laws allow of. Not that length of time can give a man any right which he knows he had not from the beginning, but because there would be no end of lawsuits if people were to be disturbed forever. The law, therefore, does what is best for the public in general, and leaves it to private men to act as they will answer to God and a good conscience. It is too common for people to conceal, and to keep, what they have found. People do not, surely, consider that there is an express law of God against such practices; but they will find very particular precepts and directions touching this matter in the twenty-second chapter of Deuteronomy. But do these precepts oblige us? Yes, surely, unless you suppose that God required of the Jews to be strictly honest, and that Christians may do what they please.

In short, it would be a difficult matter to reckon up the many deceits that may be practised without being liable to be called to an account. But the sins of injustice which are most common, and least taken notice of, are such as are committed in the way of trade and bargains. The wise man has given us fair warning of this; "As a nail," saith he, "sticketh fast between the joinings of the stones, so doth sin stick close between buying and selling." (Eccles. xxvii. 2.) And therefore a man who desires to keep a good conscience will be very watchful over himself, where he has warning beforehand of the danger he is in, and will be glad to have such rules to walk by as he is sure will not deceive him. Such is that of our blessed Saviour: WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM. (Matt. vii. 12.) Which, though a very general rule, yet by a well-meaning Christian may be applied to all our dealings with one another. A man, for instance, who sets this rule before his eyes, will hardly put off damaged or distempered goods for sound; will hardly take advantage of the ignorance of the buyer; will use no deceits to raise the price, or set off the value of what he desires to sell.

I do not here mention false weights and measures; oppressing the poor; buying or selling of stolen goods; using oaths and lies. to deceive those with whom they deal. Those that do any of these things know that they do ill; and all the rules of the Gospel will be of no use to them so long as they do not believe them

But, for the sake of such as really desire to make a conscience of their ways, one would endeavor to make their way plain and safe, and their consciences easy upon good grounds.

Now, gain being the end of trade, and every man having a right to a reasonable advantage, of which he himself must very often be the sole judge, he lieth under a great temptation of being favorable to his own interest, and of overlooking that of others; to prevent which, these considerations should always be present with men of business :-That "he that maketh haste to be rich, can hardly be innocent" (Prov. xxviii. 20); that every man has a right to be dealt with fairly; that all depends upon God's blessing; that the fear of wanting what is necessary is the fear of infidels, who know not God; and that a man's life (and happiness) consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

When a man can consider such truths as these seriously, he is then disposed for saving instruction; he will easily hearken to the rules of religion; and a few rules will serve to direct him to keep a good conscience in the way of business. I shall recommend one very plain rule, which will go a great way towards directing every conscientious man how to act safely with respect to gain; and that is, to take such a gain, advantage, or consideration, as the person with whom I deal would be satisfied with if he knew my business as well as I do, and the reasons which oblige me to take such a profit. That this is a safe and good rule in trade is pretty plain from matter of fact; for, whenever two persons deal together who both understand their business well, a few words serve their turn: he that sells asks a reasonable gain, and he that buys sees it is fit he should have what he asks, all things considered. Now, if men would but make this their rule when they deal with such as are ignorant, it would prevent a great deal of guilt, which the Wise Man saith is almost inseparable from buying and selling.

There are certainly secrets in dealings, which everybody cannot be acquainted with; but, to prevent my being partial to myself, I may suppose the person I deal with knew the reasons why I insist upon such a price, and then, if I am conscious to myself that I need not be ashamed of such gain, I have a good testimony