These, though I will not condemn them all, do, many of them, bite and pinch the poor by this kind of evil dealing. These destroy the poor because he is poor, and that is a grievous sin. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. {116c} Therefore he saith again, Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of them that spoile them. Oh that he that gripeth and grindeth the face of the poor, would take notice of these two Scriptures! Here is threatned the destruction of the Estate, yea and of the Soul too, of them that oppress the poor. Their Soul we shall better see where, and in what condition that is in, when the day of Doom is come; but for the Estates of such, they usually quickly moulter; and that sometimes all men, and sometimes no man knows how. Besides, these are Usurers, yea they take usury for victuals, which thing the Lord has forbidden. {117a} And because they cannot so well do it on the Market-day, therefore they do it, as I said, when the market is over; for then the poor falls into their mouths, and are necessitated to have, as they can, for their need, and they are resolved they shall pay soundly for it. Perhaps some will find fault for my medling thus with other folks matters, and for my thus prying into the secrets of their iniquity. But to such I would say, since such actions are evil, ’tis time they were hissed out of the world. For all that doe such things, offend against God, wrong their neighbour, and like Mr. Badman doe provoke God to Judgment. God knows, there is abundance of deceit in the world! Wise. Deceit! Aie, but I have not told you the thousandth part of it; nor is it my business now to rake to the bottom of that dunghill: what would you say, if I should anatomize some of those vile wretches called Pawn-Brokers, that lend Money and Goods to poor people, who are by necessity forced to such an inconvenience; and will make, by one trick or other, the Interest of what they so lend, amount to thirty, forty, yea sometimes fifty pound by the year; nothwithstanding the Principal is secured by a sufficient pawn; which they will keep too at last, if they can find any shift to cheat the wretched borrower. Atten. Say! Why such Miscreants are the pest and Vermin of the Common-Wealth, not fit for the society of men; but methinks by some of those things you Discoursed before, you seem to import that it is not lawful for a man to make the best of his own. Wise. If by making the best, you mean, to sell for as much as by hook or crook he can get for his comodity; then I say, it is not lawful. And if I should say the contrary, I should justifie Mr. Badman and all the rest of that Gang: but that I never shall doe, for the Word of God condemns them. But that it is not lawful for a man at all times, to sell his commodity for as much as he can, I prove by these reasons. {118a}