The trades-man's calling being a discourse concerning the nature, necessity, choice, &c. of a…

All therefore that can be said by way of Direction herein, must be drawn from that Golden Rule aforesaid, Whatsoever you would that Men should do to you, do ye likewise to them. From whence it follows, That what I may reasonably desire to gain by another, when I am to sell, that Proportion I should willingly allow him when I buy to gain by me. And on the other side, That which I allow reasonable to another to gain by me, when I am to buy, that only should I desire to gain, when I am to sell to another. And in general, that Gain is reasonable, where due Consideration is allowed to a Man for his Time, Pains, and Hazard, which is best to be known in individual cases by the concurrent Opinion or common Use of prudent and conscientious Persons. The Market-Price is generally the surest Rule, for that is presumed to be more indifferent than the Appetites of particular Men. Howbeit, ⟨p. 109⟩in case the Seller allow any considerable time to the Buyer for the payment of the agreed Price, it is lawful enough to advance the rate accordingly; not only because he is thereby deprived of the improvement of his Money in other Traffic, but also runs some hazard of the losing of it: But here, as in many other cases, an upright Conscience must be the Clerk of the Market, and the Rule it must steer by, is that good old one, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self.

All therefore that can be said by way of Direction herein, must be drawn from that Golden Rule aforesaid, Whatsoever you would that Men should do to you, do ye likewise to them. From whence it follows, That what I may reasonably desire to gain by another, when I am to sell, that Proportion I should willingly allow him when I buy to gain by me. And on the other side, That which I allow reasonable to another to gain by me, when I am to buy, that only should I desire to gain, when I am to sell to another. And in general, that Gain is reasonable, where due Consideration is allowed to a Man for his Time, Pains, and Hazard, which is best to be known in individual cases by the concurrent Opinion or common Use of prudent and consciencious Persons. The Market-Price is generally the surest Rule, for that is presumed to be more indifferent than the Appetites of particular Men. Howbeit, ⟨p. 109⟩in case the Seller allow any considerable time to the Buyer for the payment of the agreed Price, it is lawful enough to advance the rate accordingly; not only because he is thereby depriv'd of the improvement of his Money in other Traffick, but also runs some hazard of the losing of it: But here, as in many other cases, an upright Conscience must be the Clerk of the Market, and the Rule it must steer by, is that good old one, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self.