For when ye were faithful at the first, the world would refrain from you and not have commerce with you; but after when they saw ye were faithful and just in things and righteous and honest in your tradings and dealings then they came to have commerce and trade with you, the more because they knew ye will not cozen them nor cheat them. Then ye came to have greater trading, double than ever ye had and more than the world. But there is the danger and temptation to you of drawing your minds into your business and clogging them with it, so that ye can hardly do anything to the service of God, but there will be crying my business, my business! and your minds will go into the things and not over the things.
(Works, VII., p. 126.)
Debt.
And all, of what trade or calling soever, keep out of debts; owe to no man anything but love. Go not beyond your estates, lest ye bring yourselves to trouble and cumber and a snare; keep low and down in all things ye act. For a man that would be great and goes beyond his estate, lifts himself up, runs into debt and lives highly of other men’s means; he is a waster of other men’s, and a destroyer. He is not serviceable to the creation, but a destroyer of the creation and creatures and cumbereth himself and troubleth others and is lifted up, who would appear to be somebody; but being from the honest, the just, the good, falls into shame.
(Works, VII., pp. 194-5.)
In All Husbandry.
So in all husbandry speak truth, act truth, doing justly and uprightly in all your actions, in all your practices, in all your words, in all your dealings, buyings, sellings, changings, and commerce with people, let truth be the head and practice it.
(Works, VII., p. 193.)