The face of Ephraims sin was visible, under all the Masks which he used to hide it; He is a Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labour they shall find none iniquity in me, that were sin, Hos. 12. 7, 8. Here is
1. His Calling, that was Honourable. He is a Merchant; When some accused a young Gentleman for staining his Family by his employment, and dishonouring the Noble house of which he descended: Apollonius stood forth in his defence; Ye talk (saith he) of a dangerous Trade, and truly such is the life of Merchants, they travail into foreign parts, run great hazards, make many ill bargains, and sometimes are bought and sold themselves, and all this they venture to serve their Country, and ought they not to be highly esteemed? Ephraim was a Merchant; but how unsuitable were his practices, to his high and honourable Profession? for observe.
2. His Cozenage, that was abominable. The balances ⟨p. 25⟩of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. When a buyer comes for a commodity, he weigheth it out fairly in the balance, but he hath a deceitful bag of weights, or a deceitful beam. He dares not cozen openly for shame, but he doth covertly with the sleights and mysteries of his calling; but to rob by fraud in a Shop or Ware-house, is as bad as to rob by force upon the road. Both are Thieves, and the former in some respect the greater, as more dissembling in their dealings, and more frequent in their thefts. These Cheats that do it cunningly, as Rabbits, making holes under ground, and so think themselves secure, will at last be ferreted out and slain.
3. His Case and Cover of his sin. I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labour they shall find none iniquity; As if his riches did prove him to be righteous, and his prosperity had argued him free from all impiety. Whereas God suffereth many like ravenous birds, to build their Nests on high with stolen materials, intending at last by some fierce blast of providence to bring them down, and destroy the whole brood. Thieves seldom find joy in their new purchases, but never stability. Geese, say some, if they chance to take hold of a root with their bill, they will bite and pull so long to have it, that many times they break their necks before they leave their hold.
The face of Ephraims sin was visible, under all the Masks which he used to hide it; He is a Merchant, the ballances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labour they shall finde none iniquity in me, that were sin, Hos. 12. 7, 8. Here is
1. His Calling, that was Honourable. He is a Merchant; When some accused a young Gentleman for staining his Family by his employment, and dishonouring the Noble house of which he descended: Apollonius stood forth in his defence; Ye talk (saith he) of a dangerous Trade, and truly such is the life of Merchants, they travail into forraign parts, run great hazards, make many ill bargains, and sometimes are bought and sold themselves, and all this they venture to serve their Country, and ought they not to be highly esteemed? Ephraim was a Merchant; but how unsutable were his practices, to his high and honourable Profession? for observe.
2. His Cozenage, that was abominable. The ballances ⟨p. 25⟩of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. When a buyer comes for a commodity, he weigheth it out fairly in the ballance, but he hath a deceitful bag of weights, or a deceitful beam. He dares not cozen openly for shame, but he doth covertly with the sleights and mysteries of his calling; but to rob by fraud in a Shop or Ware-house, is as bad as to rob by force upon the road. Both are Thieves, and the former in some respect the greater, as more dissembling in their dealings, and more frequent in their thefts. These Cheats that do it cunningly, as Rabbits, making holes under ground, and so think themselves secure, will at last be fereted out and slain.
3. His Case and Cover of his sin. I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labour they shall find none iniquity; As if his riches did prove him to be righteous, and his prosperity had argued him free from all impiety. Whereas God suffereth many like ravenous birds, to build their Nests on high with stollen materials, intending at last by some fierce blast of providence to bring them down, and destroy the whole brood. Thieves seldome finde joy in their new purchases, but never stability. Geese, say some, if they chance to take hold of a root with their bill, they will bite and pull so long to have it, that many times they break their necks before they leave their hold.
