A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Howsoever, it is a profession not without great danger of iniquity, it is a hard thing to keep sin out of trading. A Merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong? and the very name of it doth in the common dialect Malè audire, sound unhappily: when to be a deceiver is said in a phrase to play the Merchant. Nor is the suspicion of it without all probable ground; for the world hath had trades-men in a continual jealousy. I do not derive merchants from so wicked a patron as Mercury; Expertos furandi homines, hac imbuit art Mercurius; says the verse. But certainly our Saviour would have found another name for buyers and sellers in the Temple, than Thieves; if to buy and sell had been of so clear and innocent a consequence. But our customers (say they) are either acquaintance or strangers. If acquaintance, they come in love, and our affections keeps us from deceiving them. It strangers, we lose our trade in losing our credit, if we deceive them. But alas, what do men talk of acquaintance and love, where covetousness admits of no friend but gain? And for strangers, they are soon forgotten; you think never to meet again, till you meet in heaven, or meet in hell, desire of profit in over-prizing, pride of wit in over-reaching; these are the principles of brokery, that foul the fairest merchandise.

Howsoever, it is a profession not without great danger of iniquity, it is a hard thing to keepe sin out of trading. A Merchant shall hardly keepe himselfe from doing wrong? and the very name of it doth in the common dialect Malè audire, sound unhappily: when to be a deceiver is said in a phrase to play the Merchant. Nor is the suspition of it without all probable ground; for the world hath had trades-men in a continuall jelousie. I doe not derive merchants from so wicked a patrone as Mercurie; Expertos furandi homines, hac imbuit arte Mercurius; saies the verse. But certainely our Saviour would have found another name for buyers and sellers in the Temple, than Theeves; if to buy and sell had beene of so cleare and innocent a consequence. But our customers (say they) are either acquaintance or strangers. If acquaintance, they come in love, and our affections keepes us from deceiving them. It strangers, we lose our trade in losing our credite, if we deceive them. But alas, what doe men talke of acquaintance and love, where coveteousnesse admits of no friend but gaine? And for strangers, they are soone forgotten; you thinke never to meete againe, till you meete in heaven, or meete in hell, desire of profite in over-prizing, pride of wit in over-reaching; these are the principles of brokerie, that foule the fairest merchandise.