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

6. This Justice in a Tradesman is showed, in defraying all lawful Impositions. For it is supposed, that every Tradesman lives under some Government; that in every Government, the Prince, or Magistrate, must be supported in the Execution of his Office, and enabled to protect his Subjects; that for this end, such and such Tributes ⟨p. 113⟩and Customs are allowed him by common Consent; that a great part of such Impositions do issue from the Tradesman, especially from those that do export our own, or import foreign Commodities. Now Justice expressly requires that, Rom. 13. 7. You render to all their dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom; so that you must either punctually discharge them, or else plainly deny that they are due. And how can you question this, when they are settled by Law, and this Law past with your own (in your Trustees) Consent, and that in a mere secular matter, wherein the Magistrates▪ Jurisdiction is unquestionable; and grounded upon the plainest Reasons, the Welfare, Safety, and Commodity of the Subject, and of the Tradesman in a special manner? And therefore you cannot in Justice deny them, or endeavour to defraud the Magistrate of any part of them. Say not, that their Property is altered, they are transferred by the Prince into other hands; so that he is not wronged, but his Farmers or Officers, who, notwithstanding your Defalcation, gain abundantly. For These are invested with an undoubted Right from the Proprietor, and so cannot lawfully be defrauded, no more than a Tenant of what he taketh in Lease from his Landlord.

6. This Justice in a Tradesman is shewed, in defraying all lawful Impositions. For it is supposed, that every Tradesman lives under some Government; that in every Government, the Prince, or Magistrate, must be supported in the Execution of his Office, and inabled to protect his Subjects; that for this end, such and such Tributes ⟨p. 113⟩and Customs are allowed him by common Consent; that a great part of such Impositions do issue from the Tradesman, especially from those that do export our own, or import forreign Commodities. Now Justice expresly requires that,