of God hath used a very lively similitude to represent to us the mis- chievous effects of this sin upon all human diligence and industry. Jer. xvii. 11. "As the partridge sitteth upon eggs, and hatcheth them " not ; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them " in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool."
Unjust gain, how long soever men sit brooding upon it, shall after all their sedulity and expectation, turn to no other account than a fowl's sitting upon a nest of addle-eggs uses to do : if she sit till she have pined away herself to death, nothing is produced.
You think you consult the interest of your families herein, but the Lord tells you, " That you consult shame to your houses," Hab. ii. 10. This is not the way tojeather, but iojire your nest. A quiet conscience is infinitely better than a full purse ; one dish of whole- some, though coarser food, is better than an hundred delicate, but poisoned dishes. If a man have eaten the best food in the world, and afterwards sips but a little poison, he loseth not only the benefit and comfort of that which was good, but his life or health to boot. It may be, you have gotten much honestly ; what pity is it all this good should be destroyed for the sake of a little gotten dishonestly ? This is the reason why some men cannot prosper.
(3.) Oppression is a blasting sin to some men"'s estates and employ- ments. It is a crying sin in the ears of the Lord, and ordinarily intails a visible curse upon men's estates ; this, like a moth will suddenly fret and consume the greatest estate. Jam. v. 2, 4. "Your riches *' are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten ;" i. e. The secret " curse of God wastes and destroys what you get. And what was the cause ? He tells us, ver. 4. " Behold the hire of the labourers^ " that have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by " fraud, crieth ; and the cries of them which have reaped, are en- " tered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth."
The oppression of poor labourers doth more mischief to the op- pressors, than it doth to them that are oppressed. It is noted by "^one upon this scripture, that it is twice repeated in this text, " Which " have reaped your fields ;""' and then again. The cay of them which " have reaped :" and the reason is, because it is fneir life, and so an act of the greatest unmercifulness; and besides, they are disappointed of the solace of their labours. Deut. xxiv. 14, 15. " He hath set his " heart upon it;" i. e. he comforts himself in the toils and labours of the day, by reckoning upon his wages at the end of the day.
I wish those that are owners and employers of poor seamen, may seasonably consider this evil : what a woe is denounced upon hiiii " that useth his neighbour's service without wages !" Jer. xxii. 13. Or that by crafty pretences defrauds them of any part thereof, or by tiresome delays wears out their patience, and casts them upon mani- fold sufferings and inconveniences while they wait for it. God hath
400 THE DISAPPOINTED SEAMAN.
not only threatened to be a swift witness against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, but hath strictly forbidden the detaining of their wages. THe Jews were commanded to make payment before the sun-set*, Deut. xxiv. 14, 15. Lev. xix. 30. Be just in all your dealings and contracts, or never expect the righteous God should smile upon your undertakings.
(4.) Falsehood and lying is a blasting sin to our employments ; a sin which tends to destroy all converse, and disband all civil societies. And though by falsehood men may get some present advantages, yet hear what the Holy Ghost saith of riches gotten this way : " The *' getting of riches by a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed to and fro " of them that seek death," Prov. xxi. 6. Some trade in lies as much as in wares ; yea, they trade off their wares with lies. And this proves a gainful trade (as some men count gain) for the present ; but, in reality, it is the most unprofitable trade that any man can drive. For it is but the tossing of' a vanity to and fro : a pln-ase im- porting labour in vain, it profits nothing in the end, and as it profits nothing, so it hurts much : they seek profit intentionally, but death eventually ; i. e. it will bring destruction and ruin, not only upon our trades, but our souls. The God of truth will not long prosper the way of lying ; one penny gotten by a laborious hand is better than great treasures gotten by a lying tongue : take heed you seek not death in seeking an estate this way. It is a sin destructive to society; for there is no trade where there is no trust, nor no trust where there is no truth ; and yet this cursed trade of lying creeps into all trades, as if there were no living (as one speaks) without lying : but sure it is better for you to be losers than liars. He sells a dear bargain in- deed that sells his conscience with his commodity.
(5.) Perjury, or false swearing, is a blasting sin. The man cannot prosper that lies under the guilt thereof It is said, Mai. iii. 5. " That *^ God will be a swift witness against the false swearer,'' i. e. it shall not be long before God by one remarkable stroke of judgment or another witness against so great and horrid an evil. And again, Zech. V. 4. the curse, yea, the roll of curses, " shall enter into *' the house of the false swearer, and shall remain in the midst of his " house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones " thereof." This is a sin that hath laid many houses waste, even great and fair, vvdthout inhabitant. The ruins of many that were once flourishing, and great men are at this day left to be the lasting monuments of God's righteous judgments, and dreadful warnings to posteritv.
And thus I have shewed you what are those common evils in trade, which are the causes ofthose blasts and disappointments upon it. It now remains that we apply it.
Inference 1. Doth God sometimes disappoint the most diligent
* He does not make good pajTn«nt who does not pay in due time.
THE DISAPPOINTED SEAMAN. 401
labours of men in their lawful callings? Then this teacheth you pa- tience and submission under your crosses and disappointments ; for it is the Lord that orders it to be so. Events are in his hand, and it is a sin of great aggravation to fret and murmur at them when they fall out cross to your desires and hopes. " Behold, is it not of the Lord " of hosts, that the people should labour in the very fire, and the *' people shall weary themselves for very vanity .?" Hab. ii. 13.