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

III. I come now in the Third Place, to declare how this Veracity should be exercised by the Tradesman. And that we may not strain this Duty too far; you may know that he is not obliged hereby imprudently to declare always all the Truth he knows; and consequently to discover ⟨p. 146⟩either the just Price that his Commodity cost him, nor any other Circumstance, which would make to his Disadvantage: For though you are bound never to speak a Falsehood, yet you are not bound always to blurt out all the Truth, except when you are by the Magistrate lawfully called thereunto. No Man is obliged to reveal the Mysteries of his Calling; nor to tell where or how he is furnished with such a Commodity; nor where his Customer may be sped at a cheap rate: Yet herein you must be governed by that Royal Law, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self: and you are to answer others in all such cases, as you should desire to be answered your self. And prefer a greater and common Good before a lesser private Advantage; as the Law of Nature taught that Heathen to judg that the Mariner, who having got the start of other Ships, which were carrying Corn to a distressed Island, should scorn to make Advantage of the poor Peoples Ignorance and Indigence, but plainly tell them of the Supplies that were coming towards them. In other Cases, tho a Tradesman may not lie upon the Catch to defraud his Brother, yet he may stand upon his Guard, and not betray or prejudice himself.

III. I come now in the Third Place, to declare how this Veracity should be exercised by the Tradesman. And that we may not strain this Duty too far; you may know that he is not obliged hereby imprudently to declare always all the Truth he knows; and consequently to discover ⟨p. 146⟩either the just Price that his Commodity cost him, nor any other Circumstance, which would make to his Disadvantage: For though you are bound never to speak a Falshood, yet you are not bound always to blurt out all the Truth, except when you are by the Magistrate lawfully called thereunto. No Man is obliged to reveal the Mysteries of his Calling; nor to tell where or how he is furnish'd with such a Commodity; nor where his Customer may be sped at a cheape rate: Yet herein you must be govern'd by that Royal Law, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self: and you are to answer others in all such cases, as you should desire to be answered your self. And prefer a greater and common Good before a lesser private Advantage; as the Law of Nature taught that Heathen to judg that the Mariner, who having got the start of other Ships, which were carrying Corn to a distressed Island, should scorn to make Advantage of the poor Peoples Ignorance and Indigence, but plainly tell them of the Supplies that were coming towards them. In other Cases, tho a Tradesman may not lie upon the Catch to defraud his Brother, yet he may stand upon his Guard, and not betray or prejudice himself.