2. We are secondly, to _gain all we can_, without hurting our mind any more than our body. For neither may we hurt this: we must preserve, at all events, the spirit of an healthful mind. Therefore we may not engage or continue in any sinful trade, any that is contrary to the law of God, or of our country. Such are all that necessarily imply our robbing or defrauding the king of his lawful customs. For it is at least as sinful, to defraud the king of his right, as to rob our fellow-subjects. And the king has full as much right to his customs, as we have to our houses and apparel. Other businesses there are, which however innocent _in themselves_, cannot be followed with innocence _now_: at least, not in _England_: such, for instance, as will not afford a competent maintenance, without cheating or lying, or conformity to some custom, which is not consistent with a good conscience. These likewise are sacredly to be avoided, whatever gain they may be attended with, provided we follow the custom of the trade. For, to gain money we must not lose our souls. There are yet others which many pursue with perfect innocence, without hurting either their body or mind. And yet perhaps _you_ cannot; either they may entangle you in that company, which would destroy your soul: and by repeated experiments it may appear, that you cannot separate the one from the other: or there may be an idiosyncracy, a peculiarity in your constitution of soul (as there is in the bodily constitution of many) by reason whereof that employment is deadly to _you_, which another may safely follow. So I am convinced from many experiments, I could not study to any degree of perfection, either mathematics, arithmetic, or algebra, without being a Deist, if not an Atheist. And yet others may study them all their lives, without sustaining any inconvenience. None therefore can here determine for another, but every man must judge for himself, and abstain from whatever he in particular finds to be hurtful to his soul.