raise and circulate any fictitious kind of paper credit, with
endorsements and acceptances, to give it an appearance of value without
an intrinsic reality:" secondly, that they should be particularly
attentive to their words, and to the punctual performance of their
engagements, and on no account delay their payments beyond the time they
have promised. The society have very much at heart the enforcement of
the latter injunction, not only because all christians are under an
obligation to do these things, but because they wish to see the high
reputation of their ancestors, in these respects, preserved among those
of their own day. The early Quakers were noted for a scrupulous
attention to their duty, as Christians, in their commercial concerns.
One of the great clamours against them, in the infancy of their
institution, was, that they would get all the trade. It was nothing but
their great honour in their dealings, arising from religious principle,
that gave birth to this uproar, or secured them a more than ordinary
portion of the custom of the world in the line of their respective
trades.

Among other regulations made by the Quakers on the subject of trade, it
is advised publicly to the members of the society, to inspect the state
of their affairs once a year. And lest this advice should be
disregarded, the monthly meetings are directed to make annual
appointments of suitable Friends to communicate it to the members
individually. But independently of this public recommendation, they are
earnestly advised by their book of extracts, to examine their situations
frequently. This is done with a view, that they may see how they stand
with respect to themselves and the world at large; that they may not
launch out into commercial concerns beyond their strength, nor live
beyond their income, nor go on longer in their business than they can
pay their debts.