A26892:8880
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. It is lawful to dress, polish, adorn or set out your commodity, to make it seem as it is indeed, but not to make it seem better than it is; except in some very few unusual cases: As if you deal with some fantastical fool, who will not buy it, nor give you the true worth except it be so set out, and made in some respects to seem better than it is. It is lawful so far to serve their curiosity or humour, as to get the worth of your commodity. But if you do it to get more than the worth by deceiving, it is a sin. And such glossing hath so notable an appearance of deceit, that for that scandal it should be avoided.
Answ. It is lawful to dress, polish, adorn or set out your commodity, to make it seem as it is indeed, but not to make it seem better than it is; except in some very few unusual cases: As if you deal with some phantastical fool, who will not buy it, nor give you the true worth except it be so set out, and made in some respects to seem better than it is. It is lawful so far to serve their curiosity or humour, as to get the worth of your commodity. But if you do it to get more than the worth by deceiving, it is a sin. And such glossing hath so notable an appearance of deceit, that for that scandal it should be avoided.
2. And as for concealing the fault the case is the same: You ought not to deceive your neighbour, but to do as you would be done by: And therefore must not conceal any fault which he desireth, or is concerned to know: Except it be when you deal with one who maketh a far greater matter of that fault than there is cause, and would wrong you in the price if it were known: Yea, and that exception will not hold neither, except in a case when you must needs sell, and they must buy it: Because 1. You may not have another mans money against his will, though it be no more than the thing is worth. 2. Because it will be scandalous when the fault is known by him that buyeth it.